Nas (Rapper)

Found Art: A Collection Of NBA All-Star Party Flyers From The Streets Of Downtown Houston

Yes, these were picked up off the ground along 100 yards of Polk near the Toyota Center, including a cool one from the City Of Houston about parking. The flyers are for parties, parties, and more parties, with appearances by Diddy, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Gary Payton, Jay-Z, Casey Anthony, Cassi ... More >>

DJ Sun's Guided Tour of One Hundred, Part 1

DJ Sun knows how to release an album right. For the past three months or so, the Houston turntablist, producer and radio-show host (KPFT's Soular Grooves) with an enviable address book and a local residency almost every night of the week -- not to mention a multiple Houston Press Music Award winner ... More >>

The 5 Worst Tattoos In Rap

Lil Wayne loves weed. He loves it so much that he got "baked" tattooed on his forehead.. Yes, I'm serious. It also apparently refers to Baker Skateboards as well because skating is the only thing Weezy loves as much as weed. This joins the litany of other stupid things tattooed on Lil Wayne's face w ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: October 29-November 1

Mike Watt & the Missingmen, Rivers Fitzgerald's, October 29 Mike Watt is like a human perpetual-motion machine, constantly in motion and usually on the road somewhere. He recently played ACL fest in Austin's Zilker Park with his "day job" of a few years now, bassist in Iggy & the Stooges, and is alr ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: The Go-Go's, 2 Chainz, etc.

The Go-Go's Monday, House of Blues God bless the Go-Go's. If Monday's House of Blues show is anything like last August's all-killer-no-filler HOB date - and it should be, since the reunited five-piece isn't pushing any new "product" - you're in for a real treat. Listen to "Lust to Love," "How Much M ... 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 >>

True Blood: K'naan and the New Testament

Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He's lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood -- which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. This column is fairly formulaic. I recap the episode, mention the ... More >>

Pink Slipped: The 7 Best Artists To Be Dropped From Their Label

Once upon a time, record labels were the most important thing to an artist who chose to work within the music industry. They could make or break anyone and even world renowned artists knelt at the feet of their masters. Getting dropped from a label was, at one time, a death sentence. Even today man ... More >>

The Worst Moments from SXSW 2012

The last few days, Village Voice Media's indefatigable music staff has been regaling you with stories of the best from SXSW 2012. In the midst of these discoveries, we've been culling another list: the worst shit. The acts that ranged from huge bore-fests to downright lame. Below, you'll find our cr ... More >>

Alert: SXSW Coverage Ahead -- 50 Cent And Much More

"What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area." -- Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugitive You don't have to spend much time at South By Southwest to know that all of the above building ... More >>

Re:Generation: New Film Makes Airtight Case That DJs Are Musicians

Directed by Amir Bar Lev and produced in association with the Grammys, Re:Generation is a documentary that explores the process behind making music as a DJ and producer through an experiment that sends five DJs on a quest to work in a specific genre outside their normal output. It sounds like somet ... More >>

Why 50 Cent Should Consider Retirement

Interscope​I was in college when Get Rich or Die Tryin' dropped. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing "In da Club"-- house parties, techno clubs, AA meetings, everywhere. My friends used to sit around and debate 50's feud with Ja Rule. Anyone brave enough to take Ja's side was ridiculed to ... More >>

Rap Round Table: If You Could Only Listen To One Musician For All Of Time, Who Would It Be?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Killa Kyleon, Zavey, kyle Hubbard, Brad Gilmore, Mac, Doughbeezy, A.D.D., Medicine Girl, more. Not Invited: The guy at our sons' ... More >>

Rap Round Table: What Are We To Think Of Rick Ross's New Mixtape, Rich Forever?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week 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, Killa Kyleon, A.D.D., Roderickvonn, Onehunnidt, Kyle Hubbar ... More >>

15 Odd Christmas Gift Ideas for Musicians

​As the timeless tale of the Little Drummer Boy reminds us, there is no greater gift than the gift of music. But what about those on your Christmas list who already have plenty of music in their lives? Buying gifts for musicians is no easy task -- most of them already own the entire Rush disco ... More >>

Top 10 Hip-Hop Album Intro Tracks

​Before iTunes and Amazon gave us the luxury of picking and choosing which tracks we want off an album, we had to buy the entire CD or cassette tape to listen to everything we paid for. The intro tracks are usually what help us decide if the album is something we were going to love start to fi ... More >>

How To Avoid A Sophomore Slump, Starring Twenty Eleven

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 >>

Is Blog Love Overvalued?

​It's funny watching new artists stumble over themselves trying to score coverage on popular blogs. Take the fast rising L.A. crew Odd Future, for example. Group captain Tyler, The Creator is almost as famous for his musical ingenuity as he is for his feud with revered rap blogs Nah Right and ... More >>

Yells at Eels

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 >>

First Play: V-Zilla's "Unsigned State of Mind" vs. Young Sensation's "Showcase Skillz"

Houston exists largely as its own market. As such, rappers here tend to not like to -on the record, anyway - rank themselves or their albums or songs against each other or each other's. So we'll do it for them. Email sheaserrano (at) gmail (dot) com. ​The Songs: This week, we've got music fro ... 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 >>

The Ultimate Houston Rap Battle Royal: Who Should You Fight?

Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​Of all of the Rap Round Table columns that have gone up, none generated more emails than this past Monday's "Which Rappers Would You Fight?" segment. Some people were pissed, some people were entertained, but most everyone had the same basic question: Wh ... More >>

"Monkey With Arthritis": Top 10 Cattiest Musician Insults

​Think of Tony Bennett and you'll probably picture the kindly older gentleman crooning "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" and any number of other pop standards, or perhaps the guy who upstaged Alec Baldwin as "Anthony Benedetto" (his birth name) on a 2006 episode of Saturday Night Live, turnin ... More >>

Bun B Joins Gumball 3000 Rally; Nirvana Chopped And Screwed

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. Mark C. AustinNosaprise at the 2009 Houston Press Music Awards Showcase​ Single of the Week: "Start Today," Nosaprise Wire ... More >>

Five Spot: Killa Kyleon's Purple Punch 3

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. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​One of the guys that we always (usually) enjoy listening to is the ... More >>

Aftermath: Common and The Roots Crew's Private Engagment at the Corinthian, With Special Guests (Cough, "Nite and Day")

Photos by Larami Culbertson​ 9:10 p.m.: We pull up to the front of The Corinthian and hand the car off to the valet. He says, "It's $20 plus tip." Oh, so it's $20, then? Got it. Thanks. 9:20 p.m.: Common just walked in. He's way more stout than we imagined him to be. His skin is also less clear th ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Surreall, Asher & Cudi, Eminem vs. Mariah, Slum Village, Young Jeezy, Ghostface, Nas, DJ Hero, Guerilla Maab, 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: "#1 Dame in the Game," Surreall Wire To Wire Kid Cudi continues his rapid ascension to stardom, scores ... More >>

Rick Ross: Deeper Than Rap

Turning The Screw: Jay'Ton, Bushwick, Nas, Akon, Dre, Diddy, DJ Hero, Grandmaster Flash, The Kanye, T.I., Three 6 Mafia, Bubba Sparxxx, 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: "We Here," Jay'Ton feat. Trae and Yung Quis Wire To Wire: Nas is not a fan of Canada. Akon, who ... More >>

Turning the Screw: J-Dawg, DMX, Birdman/Weezy, Kelis/Nas, Weezy/Obama, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Geto Boys 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: J-Dawg, "Never" Wire To Wire Did you know that it costs $240,000 to impersonate an FBI agent? DMX does. ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Lil Wayne, Hip-Hop and the Election, Wu-Tang Clan, Danity Kane, The Kanye

Will Rappers Cost Obama the Election? Will Big & Rich Cost McCain the Election?

Rappers and Republicans: Still the Same?

Jay-Z: America's Most Overrated Rapper

Get Hova It

This Just In: Rock the Bells Canceled

Redman

Red Gone Wild

Coke Dreams

In Scarface, slinging yayo is the name of the game.

The Essence of Soul

Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige and more hit H-town

Fatlip

The Loneliest Punk

Mellow, Chilled-Out Fellow

The wonder that is Devin the Dude

50 Cent

The Massacre

Golden Homies

Rap firebrands Brand Nubian mellow with age

A Base for Drums

Bounce to beats unlimited at Bayou Bhangra's monthly parties

That's a Rap

D-Wreck crosses over to film

Local Rotation

The Council: Relentless

Girls to Women

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

Who R. You?

The enigma that is R. Kelly keeps audiences enthralled, guessing

Whiggin' Out

Avant-rock takes shape in the Afghan Whigs and its wild front man