Lil' KeKe

The Rocks Off 100: Billy Dorsey, Grammy-Winning MARATHON Runner

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? It is apt that songwriter and producer ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Travis Tritt, Adam Bricks, John Digweed, etc.

Good Job Underground Fitzgerald's, April 13 Spring's Good Job Underground has been one of the most underrated rock duos of the past few years around these parts. If you have an El Ten Eleven itch that needs scratching, or miss prime Helmet, here's your band. Straight-ahead, low-fat metal riffs with ... More >>

Madman Across the Water

Sir Elton John piano-pounded Toyota Center March 28.

The Rocks Off 100: OG Ron C, Chopstar King of the Purple Dome

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there, too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. As co-founder of Swishahouse, OG Ron C has ... More >>

An Honest Conversation About Houston and Screw Music

Every day without fail, I wonder about the current legacy of screw music. It creeps up on me like one of those terrible slasher flicks you used to sneak and watch as a teen, knowing the plot well before you even got halfway through the film: moments of what should be perceived as horror turned into ... More >>

Upcoming: The Lumineers, Andrew W.K., Fall Out Boy, Solange, Twin Shadow, etc.

Adam Bricks: With Benjamin Wesley, Ancient Cat Society., Sat., April 13, 9 p.m., $10. Continental Club, 3700 Main, Houston. Andrew W.K.: With Lisa's Sons, Square & Compass, DJ Dan Castillo., Mon., March 11. Sun., March 10, 8 p.m., $10/$15. Boondocks, 1417 Westheimer, Houston. The Association: Wed. ... More >>

Upcoming: Crystal Castles, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, K-Rino, Los Lobos, etc.

Alicia Keys: With Miguel., Mon., March 18, 7 p.m., $49.50-$125.00. Toyota Center, 1510 Polk, Houston. Almost Kings: With Surrender the Fall, Shaving Suzie., Sun., Feb. 3, 8 p.m., $10. Scout Bar, 18307 Egret Bay Blvd., Houston. Balmorhea: With BE Godfrey, Idyl., Sat., Feb. 9, 8 p.m., $10/$12. Walte ... More >>

The Bizarre Ride of Kickback Sundays, Pt. 3

For being a boutique that happens to aid others with ticket sales for bigger shows, the owner of SF2 looked at the bottom line for sales for its own show, dubbed Raw Talent, and scoffed. Rewind: The Bizarre Ride of Kickback Sundays, Part 1 "We only sold two tickets," Suzie Rivera explained. "The ... More >>

Upcoming: Guided By Voices, English Beat, Gaslight Anthem, Yanni, Cave Singers, Etc.

3 Doors Down: Sat., June 23, 7 p.m., $35-$65. Bayou Music Center, 520 Texas, Houston. Big Pokey, Lil Flip, ESG, Lil Keke, Yungster: Wed., June 27, 8 p.m., $25/$30. Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel, Houston. The Cave Singers: Sun., June 10, 8 p.m., $8. Continental Club, 3700 Main, Houston. Citizen ... More >>

Awready!: U Of H Examines Houston Rap's Legacy

In September, we wrote about a unique collection of Houston hip-hop artifacts that the University of Houston (and some of their friends) was putting together. For the story, we spoke with Julie Grob, the Coordinator for Digital Projects and Instruction at the U of H library system. She is smart, so ... More >>

Which Were The Six Best Houston Rap Songs From The Nineties?

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 >>

Last Night: Chris Brown & Friends At The Woodlands

Photos by Marco Torres​Chris Brown, T-Pain, Tyga, Bow Wow Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion October 16, 2011 "I work too hard to be ballin on a budget" proclaimed Chris Brown as he stood atop of the massive stage when his F.A.M.E. tour stopped into The Woodlands Sunday night. The production lev ... More >>

R&B Ingenue Coline Creuzot Won't Give Up The Chase

​Houston has been known as the home of some of R&B's top vocalists, and Coline Creuzot is determined to be the next one. With three mixtapes featuring some of Houston hip-hop's heavy hitters, she has already acquired the attention of the streets. Paul Wall, with whom she shares a manager, hos ... More >>

Drake: What's The Best Song He - And You - Ever Wrote?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't the day after a major local music festival, but sometimes on Tuesday anyway, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's ... More >>

Happiness Through Hustle

Cordial but guarded promoter H-Kane has become one of the local hip-hop scene's most important movers and shakers.

The Five Most Texan Types Of Music

​Happy San Jacinto Day, fellow Texans and people who wish they were; i.e. everyone else. If you don't know why today is special, shame on you. But since us Texans are a friendly sort, allow Rocks Off to fill you in. On April 21, 1836, Texian forces under Gen. Sam Houston (aka "Big Drunk") lau ... More >>

Saturday Night: Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne & Friends At Toyota Center

Photos by Marco Torres​Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Rick Ross, Bun B, Trae, Yelawolf, Travis Barker & Mix Master Mike, Twist, Shanell, Birdman Toyota Center April 16, 2011 7:22 p.m.: We had not planned on getting here until way later tonight, but Bun B mentioned on his Twitter that the show ... More >>

Which Houston Rappers Deserve Their Own Streets?

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 sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

What's The R&B Singer/Rapper Relationship Really Like?

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: Jack Freeman, Dallas Blocker, Leelonn, Patrick Sims, Senze Not Invited: Ja Rule This Week's Prompt: You all have had ... More >>

The Anti-Four Loko: Lean Slow Motion Potion

Paul Wall "Leans."​If you pay attention to rap lyrics from Southern artists, there are countless references to drinking cough syrup. "I got that syrup in my cup, I got that lean, I got that drank in my cup." But the recreational drug has a dark side. Texas rap legends Pimp C and DJ Screw both ... More >>

Po It Up: Pharmacist Hopes "Lean" Will Slo Up Syrup Use

"Relaxation Just Got Sexier" Paul Wall is torn between Purp and Easta Pink.​If you pay attention to rap lyrics from Southern artists, there are countless references to drinking cough syrup. "I got that syrup in my cup, I got that lean, I got that drank in my cup." But the recreational drug ha ... More >>

Ageless Lil O Talks New Album, "Screwed Up Curse"

Photos courtesy of OG PR​This past Wednesday, Rocks Off ended up sitting across from Lil' O indoors at the nearly empty Muldoon's Patio Bar on Westheimer. We spoke with him for about an hour or so, about all sorts of things. He was polite and friendly and wore one of those puffy sleeveless ves ... More >>

Behind the Lyrics: Bunz is Twin City's Lifeline to Houston Hip-Hop

[Ed. Note: We temporarily interrupt our real-time SXSW coverage to give you something else to read about for one of the last times this week.] Richmond and Rosenberg are tough places to describe, partly because there are many faces to the two towns, which are referred to on the streets as just one ... More >>

Mix Bag: An Exclusive With Aztek, A Night At The Electric Company And More Mixtapes Galore

Courtesy of AztekL-R: The Kanye, Jay-Z and Aztek​Man, what a weekend. We sat down and chopped it up with them Southeast Houston hip-hop veterans Sen and Lil Villain, and Kansas-raised artist Uno. They gave us a rundown of an entirely un-talked about dimension of Houston's hip-hop history. More on ... More >>

Filero Battles with the Past, Takes Control of His Future. Second In a Two-Part Series.

[Ed. Note. See Part 1 of Rocks Off's encounter with Filero here.] A hint of things to come? Filero (left) and SPM square off at checkers back in the day.​ When we talked to Filero about how much the rap game has changed since he saw the first Texas Latino rap album, actually a cassette, in the Gul ... More >>

We've Got Flatline. Clear! Houston Can Jump-Start the Heart of a Music Career

Flatline feat. Trae, "Fuckin With Texas" @ Yahoo! Video Back in 2007, we came across a hip-hop video on YouTube that featured Trae, so naturally, we eagerly clicked on it. The track starts off with a sick Bun B sample. "You fuckin with Texas, you fuckin' with the best/ I ain't hard to find/ I'm in T ... More >>

Rob G: Houston's Great Brown Hope

Step into the hip-hop elevator of the Dirty South with Rocks Off. We're going on a field trip. Don't worry. We'll let you "press the button." ​Right now we are on floor "B," which stands for basement...more like rap basement, where Houston's Latino rap underground is bubbling with heat ready to v ... More >>

Five Spot: Houston R&B Collaboration King Billy Cook

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.This weekend, Bun B and Mya are shooting the video for "Show Me Something," th ... More >>

Ask a Rapper: Yung Redd of Swishahouse

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 introducingliston@gmai ... More >>

Artist of the Week: Coline

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. How else to say this tha ... More >>

Thug Life

Slim Thug has paid the cost to be the Dirty South boss

One Last Spin

Friends, fans and associates cope with the silence following DJ Screw's untimely death

1998 Houston Press Music Awards Nominees

Made in Houston

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