Jay-Z

5 Thoughts On Jay-Z's Getting Skylar Diggins The Best Graduation Present Ever!

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, like women's hoops star Skylar Diggins this past weekend, I graduated from the University of Notre Dame. And thus ends the list of things that Skylar Diggins and I have in common. At the time of my graduation, I was (and still am) a pasty, unathletic, sa ... More >>

Five Other Musicians We'd Like to See Take on Historical Fiction

This past week Downtown Abbey fans got a hell of a shock when Diddy announced via Twitter that he was going to be starring on the show, his purported favorite. Producers were quick to deny it, but no doubt fans of the PBS period drama were a little hesitant to even imagine Diddy, a rapper with exact ... More >>

Promoter Sues Owners of Club Where Jay-Z, Beyonce, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade Celebrated All-Star Weekend

A group called All Pro Management is suing the owners of Rich's, where Jay-Z (aka Mr. Beyonce Knowles) hosted an NBA All-Star par-tay, accusing them of cheating All Pro out of proceeds from liquor sales. The promoters claimed to have paid $25,000 to host the event, according to the Courthouse News ... More >>

Oh, You Mean There Is Actually A Game During NBA All-Star Weekend? (Plus, Can You Name The Rappers In Our Courtside Photo?)

After a weekend of human gridlock at the Galleria, traffic snarls, bottles poppin', and all the parties you could handle, NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston came to a close on Sunday with the Western Conference defeating their Eastern foes 143-138, the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul getting the game' ... More >>

5 Bands Studies Show Make You a Bad Person

We've been hearing for years that rock music makes us bad people. We've heard it from our parents, from teachers, from those goody-goody kids at school. AC/DC has probably written at least 100 songs about the subject. But what if I told you that scientists in the Netherlands have proved definitively ... More >>

Hard Knock Life: Jay-Z Then and Now

This week marks the beginning of a legacy. On October 17, 1998, Jay-Z's Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the first of Jay-Z's many albums to do so and the start of a streak that continues today. Every Jay-Z album since has hit No. 1, making him the current record holde ... More >>

MTV: Beyonce Headlining Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show

Beyonce, native Houstonian, role model, Tumblr-keeper, wife of Jay-Z, friend and favorite of President Obama, supposedly has yet another feather to add to her headdress come February: Super Bowl Halftime headliner. According to MTV.com, the 31-year-old HSPVA alumna will be the featured entertainmen ... More >>

#MadeInAmerica: Jay-Z, Obama & G.O.O.D. Music Close Out Day 1

Rewind: #MadeInAmerica: The Heat, Crowds & Fireworks of Day 1 The setting was grand: One of the most iconic set of stairs in the world, in one of the most historical cities in the country, showcasing one of the most successful people in the entertainment business. The very same steps that Rocky Bal ... More >>

#MadeInAmerica: Translation's Steve Stoute Talks Diversity, Honesty, and The Digital Revolution

This Labor Day holiday weekend in Philadelphia, Jay-Z is teaming up with Budweiser and Live Nation to curate the initial and inaugural Made In America Music Festival, a two-day, multi-genre event featuring acts such as Pearl Jam, Skrillex, Santigold, and Gary Clark Jr, and features the return of D'A ... More >>

HPMA Showcase: DJ Afterparty at Jet Lounge

HPMA Showcase: The 12 Best Artists of 2012 HPMA Showcase: Rocks Off's Top 7 Discoveries HPMA Showcase: Sunday's 11 Best Random Moments SLIDESHOW: HPMA Showcase -- The Bands SLIDESHOW: HPMA Showcase -- The Crowds "After the show it's the afterparty..." -- Jay-Z Another year, another successful ... More >>

Down With the Kings: Rick Ross' "3 Kings" vs. Slim Thug's "3 Kingz"

One of my favorite stories as a kid was Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table. Or The Sword In the Stone, if you liked things animated. Had everything you really wanted in terms of inspiration -- kid always picked on, thought to be of no use to the world then gets courage from a few people, push ... More >>

Spike Jonze's Top 9 Music Videos

There's no doubt that Spike Jonze is an enigma of a director and artist. He's worked in all types of mediums: he filmed bullriders at the Astrodome, changed the world of skateboard videography, and visually recreated the brilliance of Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are. Plus, he's made us al ... More >>

Sweating To The Beat: 5 EDM Artists To Help You Get In Shape

If you're looking to drop ten pounds for summer, now seems like a great time to start hitting the gym. If you're one of the many that doesn't do well left to their own devices, then you'll probably want to be part of a workout group. If you've never been before, though, you're about to learn one of ... More >>

10 Things Rock Music Should Do This Year to Regain Former Glory

When I saw School of Rock for the first time, I was struck by just how accurate Jack Black's character was when teaching kids the meaning behind rock music. Telling the one girl with the great voice to listen to "Great Gig in the Sky" or letting his students know that "one great rock show can change ... More >>

Ask A Rapper: DJ Mr. Luke Picks The Most Intriguing Rap Storylines Of The Year

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place -lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good- so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email it to sheaserrano@gmail. ... More >>

Watch the Throne: Jay-Z and Kanye West

Of Leather Diapers, Mulch and the Accessibility of Jay-Z

Earlier this afternoon, a news bit landed in our inbox. It was about Jay-Z remarking (playfully) that his and Beyonce's baby, the first for both, was going to wear leather diapers. A story, then: Two days ago, Boy B came to me with a proposition. The moving parts seemed simple enough. To paraphr ... More >>

Occupy All Streets: Jay-Z Tries to Iron Out T-Shirt Controvery

​Jay-Z hasn't been in the right Empire State of Mind lately. First, the native New York mogul released an "Occupy All Streets" t-shirt on his clothing label, Rocawear. Then, the shirt was immediately taken off the online catalog following a backlash from critics. Then, it came back, but back o ... More >>

The X Factor: Boot Camp, Minus Sgt. Hartman

The pace of the audition rounds was so fast, I didn't realize the judges put through 162 people in the first two weeks of The X Factor. When the field arrives in Los Angeles for "boot camp," they are informed that they will be shaved down to a field of 100, which will ultimately be reduced by two-th ... More >>

What Is Jay-Z's Best Album?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Bun B, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Chingo Bling, Chane, Pyr ... More >>

How Jay-Z & Kanye West Kept Watch the Throne From Leaking Online

howfresh2.comJay-Z's business plan: Don't leak the masters, get a Rolex.​The kingdom is safe. The throne has been watched. In an age where albums spring leaks like baby diapers, Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne arrived on the appointed date without even as much as a drip. For the first ... More >>

Jay-Z & Kanye's Throne Tour Stop Delayed To December 5

Toyota Center's Web site is now listing the Houston date of rap titans Jay-Z and Kanye West's joint tour to promote their forthcoming album Watch the Throne as Monday, December 5, rather than the previously announced Wednesday, October 26. Promoter Live Nation confirmed the change, but has not se ... More >>

The Best Episodes Of MTV's Unplugged

​MTV Unplugged was like health food for your soul during its heyday on the music channel, which was full of junk food. When artists stuck to the template and went untethered to electronic instruments and really dug into their music with new eyes it was amazing. Debuting in 1989 with Squeeze ... More >>

White Rappers & The N-Word Conundrum: 4 Case Studies

"You're talking to the wrong white man, my friend. My people were the white man's nigger when yours were still painting their faces and chasing zebras." - Herman 'Hesh' Rabkin (Jerry Adler), The Sopranos Yes, that was their name.​Freshman year of college. One of my good friends was a white ki ... More >>

Narduwar The Human Serviette's 11 Best Interviews

exclaim.caNarduwar (left) and the patron saint of 4/20​Nardwuar The Human Serviette from "Vancouver BC Canada" knows all of your favorite bands, artists, and rappers better than you, and better than they know themselves. At first glance, he kind of resembles a Canadian Matthew Lesko (the free- ... More >>

Five Terrible Rap Acts Who Will Never Crack the "Diddy List"

The Super Broker Shuffle: Your eyes and ears will never forgive you​I'm a sucker for lists, I've said that before. If it makes me a less cerebral person, so be it. I'm not apologizing. For a "list addict" like myself, Forbes magazine is like a big plate of list cocaine. They'll come up with a ... More >>

Atoning for the [Cinematic] Sins of the Father

A poor *black* kid? They'll never buy it.​That rumbling you heard yesterday was the muted "harrumph"-ing of thousands of American film journalists after news of the Will Smith/Jay-Z Annie reboot was confirmed: Overbrook Entertainment has formally announced a partnership with Jay-Z for future ... More >>

What Is The Best Album Cover Ever?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. ​This Week's Panel: Bun B, Lil Flip, Hollywood FLOSS, hasHBrown, Kyle Hubbard, Renzo, Brad Gilmore and Nash White Not Invited: Kanye, bec ... More >>

The Top Five Hidden Rap Tracks

​Life bursts at the seams with mysteries we'll never fully understand, like the Texans' decision to pass on Vince Young, Kesha's entire existence and the strange concept of hidden songs. Some of them are superior to the ones that make an album's final cut and track listing. Why hide a song th ... More >>

Is Tupac Really One Of The Top Five MCs Ever?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Trae, Mr. Lee, V-Zilla, Fat Tony, Candi Redd, Yung ... More >>

Taylor Swift Is A Nazi(?!): Musical Fun With Google Auto-Fill

​ Really, Beyonce? We had no idea. But when Rocks Off read Katharine Shilcutt's hilarious test-drive of Google's auto-fill feature on our sister blog Hair Balls earlier this week, we knew we had to give it a spin ourselves to see what kind of smack the sentence-finisher was talking about some of t ... More >>

Fails Of The Week: Glastonbury "Ice Ice Baby," Sony "No Beyonce On YouTube," Fat Mike The Peeing Clown And... Bono

If you're reading this, you're either on the Internet, or else you've mastered multi-dimensional thought-projection processes that would make Michio Kaku cry like a little girl. We'll assume the former, and just in case you don't already know, the Internet has decided that the word "failure" is too ... More >>

Aftermath: Jay-Z Goes Into Overtime At Toyota Center; Gyno-Mom Approves

Photos by Marco Torres / Click here for a slideshow​7:22 p.m.: God Dammit. The show was advertised as starting at 7 p.m. on the Toyota Center site, which of course means it'll start exactly at 8 p.m., which of course means it'll really start AROUND 8:15 p.m., which is more like 8:30 p.m., bu ... More >>

Five Spot: Linking Jay-Z To Houston, And Not Through Beyonce

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Jay-Z is in town Monday. This is huge. Jay is the most commercially, mainstr ... More >>

Ask a Rapper: Fat Tony on Why Hip-Hop Is a Young Man's Game, and Jay-Z's "Coldplay Rap"

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email it to introducinglisto ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Chalie Boy, Royce da 5'9", Saigon, Soulja Boy, Jay-Z, Adam Yauch, 50 vs. Fabolous, Young Gunz, Method Man, Big Moe, etc.

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: "I Look Good" remix, featuring Bun B, Slim Thug and Juvenile Note: We initally hated Chalie Boy's "I Lo ... More >>

Four Possible Reasons Jay-Z Is Skipping Houston on His Blueprint 3 Tour

​Self-proclaimed king-of-rap Jay-Z unveiled his autumn tour schedule last week. The 26-date jaunt - which began Monday night in Chi-town and winds down just in time for Thanksgiving - will take Hovito all around the world, from New York to London to Kentucky to noise-rock haven Providence, R.I., t ... More >>

Turning the Screw: New Trae and G.R.I.T. Boys, R.I.P. DJ AM, Kings of Leon Remixed, Jay Z vs. Rush Limbaugh, Uncut Pimp C, etc.

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: Trae, "Letter to tha King" Wire To Wire The G.R.I.T. Boys finally put out some new music. Make sure you ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Chamillionaire & Z-Ro, UGK, Slim Thug, Trae Day, Chris Brown, Meth & Red, Diddy, MCA, O.G. Style and More

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: Chamillionaire feat. Z-Ro, "Denzel Washington" Wire To Wire Slim Thugga cut off his braids. Not sure ho ... More >>

Aftermath Extra: The Best Concerts of the Year, Part 7

Jay-Z, House of Blues, October 16: "Jay-Z and his dozen-man band tore through the Brooklyn rapper's phone-book-thick catalog -- topped by the thunderstruck, 'Back in Black'-­borrowing "99 Problems" -- as Bun B, several Houston Texans (and Texans Cheerleaders) and the rest of the sold-out house ... More >>

The Shredder

One Show, One Sentence

Kanye, Jay-Z, Mary J. and Rihanna Clamor for Diva Status

I Must Know Immediately If Beyonce and Jay-Z Are Married!

Over the Weekend: Main Street, Astros, Beyonce and Jay-Z

Drenched In Blog: Ike Beats Tina to Death

Beyowza!

7L and Esoteric

A New Dope

Teairra Mari

Make Her Feel Good

Dead Prez

RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta (Sony/Columbia)

Fade to Black

Jay-Z previews his latest opus, The Black Album