Lil' Troy

Last Night: Riff Raff at Fitzgerald's

Riff Raff, Fat Tony, D-Risha etc. Fitzgerald's March 21, 2013 Thursday night at Fitzgerald's was Riff Raff's homecoming show. Sort of. Sure, he's originally from Houston. The story goes that he got his start hawking his CDs at area malls. It's more accurate to say, though, that Riff Raff has no hom ... More >>

Dave Wrangler: Web Awards DJ Spills a Few Trade Secrets

Recently Toronto producer/DJ Deadmau5 rode the massive surge in electronic dance music's popularity all the way to the cover of the current Rolling Stone. Wearing a giant mouse head all the time doesn't hurt, but in the story he set tongues wagging even further by criticizing many of his fellow EDM ... More >>

Dave Wrangler, Part 2: "I Still Do Some Sampling"

Earlier this morning, Houston DJ Dave Wrangler was kind enough to explain to Rocks Off the difference between a mashup and a remix, as well as his procedure in constructing Frankenstein-like songs such as ""Wanna Be a Big Poppa," which combines the efforts of Lil Troy and Notorious B.I.G. Into a thi ... More >>

Six Years Gone: Big Hawk Remembered

Six years ago last week, on May 1, 2006, local rapper and Screwed Up Click Five-Star General Big Hawk was gunned down outside of a friend's home on Redfern on Houston's Southside. He was 36. While it's never acceptable to lose a gifted artist to violence in the prime of his life and career, Hawk's ... More >>

Rap Boom Reload

In 2005, rappers put Houston on the map. Then the spotlight moved on. Some musicians are working hard to turn it back this way.

History, Screwed and Chopped

Julie Grob just made the U of H Library System a whole lot cooler.

Five Posthumous Rap Albums Up For Debate

​Recently, and with a certain amount of controversy, Rap-A-Lot made available a bundle of previously unreleased songs disguised as a new Pimp C album. Posthumous records are unsafe footing. It's entirely capable that they can be built into capable, glorious, heartbreaking goodbyes; in 2009, ... More >>

The Astros Suck. Is It Their Music?

Marco TorresHunter Pence, Buzz listener?​Wandy Rodriguez is Rocks Off's new favorite Astro. ​Not because the Domincan southpaw has actually posted decent numbers for Houston's hometown cellar-dwellers this year (3-3 W-L, 3.41 ERA, 53 strikeouts), but because Rodriguez has one of the few ... More >>

Remember Yungstar's Throwed Yung Playa?

Houston's history is dotted with albums that, fairly or un, have been swept aside. We'll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. ​Yungstar Throwed Yung Playa (Straight Profit Records, 1999) Man, remember Yungstar, the acute ... More >>

Celebrating Big H.A.W.K.'s Legacy With Bun B & More

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday (or thereabouts), 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, Paul Wall, Lil O, Starch ... More >>

The Stories Behind Five H-Town Rap Anthems

​You know the song as soon as the beat drops. You rap them better than the artists themselves do at concerts. You'll slap your little brother for butchering the lyrics. But do you know the real life stories behind these five H-town rap anthems? Pull up a chair, grab a bag of popcorn, and a co ... More >>

What Is Houston Rap's Best Diss Song 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: Bun B, Fat Tony, Renzo, Kyle Hubbard, Brad Gilmor ... More >>

What Is The Best Pimp C Verse Of All Time?

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, Trae,Yung Redd, Lil' Flip, Fat Pimp, H-Kan ... More >>

Casting Scarface With Houston Rappers

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 >>

Paul Wall's Got Your iPhone Goin' Nuts

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, albeit sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. We'll incorporate the number five in there somewhere. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​April 23, 2010. That was to be the most glorious day ... More >>

The Best Slap-Fights, Verbal Or Otherwise, In Houston Rap History

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​Last week, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall kicked off their 20-city "In Love Wit My Money" reunion tour in d ... More >>

Nightfly: All Mixed Up

Houston Hip-Hop History Lesson Heats up Toc Bar.

Catfish Reef: The Rise of Swishahouse

[Note: this is the second in a series on the origins of Houston rap, to go along with this week's feature on wayward star Mike Jones.]Mike Giglio​As a local hip-hop writer and radio host, Matt Sonzala (also a former Houston Press Music Listings Editor) did what he could to promote Houston rap to a ... More >>

Five Spot: The Illustrious Dustin Prestige

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.We suspect the goal of every music writer is to be able to answer "Who are you ... More >>

Five Spot: Lil Jared Is Doper Than Most Kid Rappers

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. As set forth in the official "Give Any Song From the Offspring of a Local Icon at Least Three Weeks of Listeni ... More >>

The Wayback Machine: 15, 10 and Five Years Ago in Houston Music

Scarface

My Homies Part 2

Bayou City Music Mindbender, Part II

Another chance to test your knowledge of local lore

Hip-hop, Tejas

Latinos take on rap music and make it their own

That's a Rap

D-Wreck crosses over to film

Hawk

Saturday, December 7

Home from La-La Land

Tony Avitia picks up the pieces of his Broken Note

Hot Tunes, Summer in the City

Houston Press Music Awards Showcase 2002

Business Versus Pleasure

Lil' Troy keeps on ballin', on CD and video, at least

Life in the Slow Lane

DJ Screw lived mostly for his work, as if he would have time later to celebrate his success. That time would never come.

Local Rotation

The Council: Relentless

Music Awards Winners

The votes are in! See who you picked as winners in the HPMA 2000

Amplified

Maddness

Amplified

Out In Sight

Where Will They Be?

A look at the rock scene in 2020

Local Rotation

Rapsta

Playbill

Coming This Week

Girls to Women

Houston's Destiny's Child scales pop chart, meets fans