Notorious B.I.G.

Top 10 Rap-Related Items On Etsy

Rap music is forever turning out to be a fun influence on things we'd least expect. When your grandmother starts using terms like "turn up," you realize that there is no getting away from it. Even the creative and artsy folk over at Etsy.com combine their passion for crafts with their admiration of ... More >>

Gangsta Rap Wings and Surfers on Acid at Goro & Gun

Everyone's been talking about ramen lately -- especially the ramen at Goro & Gun. What I want to talk about are its wings. "We're gonna drive Buffalo Wild Wings out of business," chef David Kaufman joked as a bowl of ODB wings hit the bar, the chicken glazed with local honey and topped with a few s ... More >>

Today's Musicians Have All Lost Their Damn Minds

It seems that there's something in the musician water lately, and it's causing an epidemic of WTF-inducing choices that are just begging to be written about. Headlines are popping up daily about abandoned pet monkeys, pixelated photos, and Skrillex hair, and this shit's getting weird. But rather t ... More >>

Five Great Violent Hip-Hop Songs (for Lupe Fiasco)

Lupe Fiasco used to be a talented, socially conscious rapper known for putting out really good hip-hop albums. Since he hasn't done one of those in a while, he's more well known these days for criticizing President Obama and espousing conspiracy theories about 9/11. Recently he was back in the news ... More >>

Bun B, Clyde Peterson: Two Houston Giants End Blood Feud, Appear Together On Stage Thanks To Annise Parker

We know, we know -- Beyonce was able to gather a who's who of the Houston music scene for an "I Been On" remix. But Bey can't put together a Houston team like Mayor Annise Parker can. For years (we're assuming) the world has been clamoring for tow H-town giants to get together -- two men who have ... More >>

Nosaprise Opens His Book of the Dead Vol. 1

You have to hand it to Nosaprise, although you can't help but worry a little too. This month The Houston rapper/musician's grownup job as an arts teacher presented an opportunity for him to attend a lecture in Nigeria -- travel expenses paid -- and he stuck around to visit family and perform a littl ... More >>

Saturday Night: Rakim at Fitzgerald's

Rakim Fitzgerald's February 16, 2013 In the beginning, The God MC, legally known as William Michael Griffin, Jr., best known as Rakim, became one-half of one of hip-hop's very first groups, Eric B. and Rakim. The pair recorded a series of classic albums (Paid in Full, Follow the Leader) that have ... More >>

Readers Poll: What Are Your Favorite Summer Albums?

You know technically if you live in Houston, summer never really goes away. It just sort of lingers on top of the region, every now and then rousing from slumber to pound us with heat and humidity. Northern parts of the country have a firm line separating the seasons, but thankfully global warming ... 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 >>

Fist-Fighting With Hip-Hop Headlines: Drake, Iggy Azalea, Etc.

You are a human and you have eyeballs and you also have the Internet, so you've likely read some things. That's sort of what this is, except sort of not too. We went through a ton of headlines of hip-hop "stories" from the past week, picked out the most egregious one, pasted them below, then added ... 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 >>

How Bizarre: How the Hell Are These Songs All 15 Years Old?

"Simple. Fifteen years have gone by." Nineteen ninety-seven may have been one of the most magical years in trash-pop history. You had the Spice Girls, Hanson, Shania Twain, Puff Daddy, Toni Braxton and Aqua burning up the radio as old-timers like David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and Elton John made retu ... More >>

Coachella: Best Of Weekend 2, Day 2

More fun in the desert from our friends at LA Weekly and OC Weekly -- ed. Saturday at Coachella meant tributes, tributes, tributes. From Levon Helms to Biggie, everyone got a shout-out. In between all that, some nasty partying and a little recreational drug use. Read our highly-trained writers as t ... More >>

Tears In Heaven: The 10 Best Songs To Come Out Of Tragedy

Since the dawn of time, great art has been birthed out of great tragedy, happening numerous times with playwrights, artists, and musicians. In many ways, expressing grief through music serves as a healing agent that gets the artist through tough things such as the loss of a loved one. It also helps ... More >>

30 Seconds With Wolfgang Gartner

We launched ourselves headfirst into the Internet to connect with maximalist DJ and producer Wolfgang Gartner to see what information we could extract from his electro-house highness in just 30, dance-filled seconds. Rocks Off: What is worst song in the world? Wolfgang Gartner: I don't wanna answe ... More >>

Sunday Night: Starfucker at Fitzgerald's

"We're sorry about your football team," said Starfucker* guitarist Ryan Biornstad to the packed crowd of college-age Houstonians at Fitz, just eight hours after the Houston Texans gracefully bowed out of its first ever playoff trip. Starfucker/STRFKR/Pyramid/Pyramidd may be from Portland but the f ... More >>

Watch The Cradle: When Babies Meet Jay-Z & Kanye

​Houston's December 5th date on the Watch The Throne tour, with Jay-Z and Kanye West up front is just a few weeks away. Obviously the Rocks Off team is excited, and everyone is fighting for tickets around here. No doubt everything about the show will be amazing, from West's new skirt-like outf ... More >>

Ask A Rapper: Discussing the Six Worse Rap Collaborations Ever

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. Something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. &# ... More >>

Top Five Most Overpaid Musicians In The World

​Last month Forbes released their list of the 25 highest-earning musicians of 2010, and the list contains several talents Rocks Off is happy to see keeping the lights on. No. 1 on the list, U2, is still a favorite of ours after all these years, and it's always good to see Tom Petty, Jay-Z, and ... More >>

Remember Lil Flip's #KissThePinkyRang?

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. ​Lil Flip #KissThePinkyRang (Self-released, 2011) Lil' Flip is, by even the most ardent applica ... More >>

Rappers And R&B Stars Who Would Make Great Tween Authors

Beanie Sigel will NOT be asked to illustrate 50's book.​So did you hear the one where 50 Cent writes a young-adult book about bullying called Playground? No, this one is not a joke. Apparently, 50 wants to explores his inner tween and examine the negative effects of bullying on young people be ... More >>

Starchy Arch's Top Six Rap Songs About Sex

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 >>

10 Things You May Not Know About Notorious B.I.G.

​A lot has been said about the late great Notorious B.I.G., a man whose life was as large as his frame and whose lyrical prowess is well-documented in hip-hop history books. But how well do you know Big Poppa? In commemoration of the 14th anniversary of Biggie's death, here are some interestin ... More >>

Diddy's Top Five WTF Videos

​Sean Combs Sean "Puffy" Combs Puffy Puff Daddy P. Diddy Diddy is coming to Warehouse Live on May 12 on his "Diddy Dirty Money Tour," behind his newest album, Last Train To Paris. The prolific businessman, producer, and rapper is embarking on one of his very, very scarce tours. We aren't too ... More >>

Top 10 Double Albums That Should Have Stayed Single

​Not all double albums should have been double albums, just as some albums had to be double albums in order for their point to be made. Each case is different with each band or artist. The Who's Tommy and Quadrophenia had to be double albums to tell their stories of teenage wastelands and po ... More >>

Homecoming

Gang Starr's DJ Premier still mourns partner Guru.

Footpie, Dread-Free And Jammin' The Suburbs

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 sheaserrano@gmail.com. myspace.com/footpie​Foot ... More >>

A Jury Of Billy Joe Shaver's Peers

Jury selection began this morning in the aggravated assault trial of country legend Billy Joe Shaver, who was charged after he shot a man in the face outside of a Lorena bar in 2007. Shaver's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, maintains Shaver shot Billy Bryant Coker in self-defense. All Hair Balls knows is, ... More >>

It's Not Turning Into A Good Month For Metro

​If the paper-shredding scandal were not enough ... it seems the Metropolitan Transit Authority aka Metro has more problems than it can handle.Remember the rail lines approved by voters in 2003 ... yeah that 2003 when Michael Jordan was still playing basketball and YouTube did not exist? Well, se ... More >>

Felony: It Would Be a Crime Not to Listen

Every Friday, Rocks Off will beam hip-hop artists into our demented, imaginary, incredibly witty, fantasy world of pretend scenarios. We predict it'll soon be known as a feared interrogation of hip-hop artists, revealing their innermost thoughts and desires. In reality, it's just a fucking cool Q&am ... More >>

Dave Wrangler Is Under The Influence... Before Our Washington Shore Party

Album art by Wyatt LittleRocks Off mentioned this right after Houston's main man on the mash-ups, Dave Wrangler, agreed to DJ tonight's Washington Shore party (8 p.m., rain or shine) at the Washington Avenue Drinkery, but it's worth repeating. Wrangler's got a new 18-track collection of mix-n-match ... More >>

The Great Green Room In the Sky: The Grim Reaper's 2009 Musical Roll Call

​Thankfully, 2009 was a sorry year for the Greil Marcus Rock Death Meter. Aside from the not terribly unexpected (but still weird) demise of the King of Pop, few bona fide legends went on to the Great Green Room Beyond the Sky. The Rock Death Meter rates rock deaths on a ten-point scale in three c ... More >>

This Week in Beyonce: Bjork, BET Awards, "I Saw Beyonce at Burger King" and A Two-Year Break?

TWIB may be folding up shop soon: B says she's considering taking a two-year break. Gay New York rapper Cazwell, self-described as "imagine if Biggie Smalls ate Donna Summer for breakfast, has a song called "I Seen Beyonce at Burger King" (see video above) on next month's album Watch My Mouth. Cat ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Balls Deep, UGK, DMX, MC Hammer, Theophilus London, Run-DMC, Lil' Jon 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: "Hoes," Balls Deep Wire To Wire Bun B will release the final UGK album, 4 Life, this March. We ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Patrick Sims, Lil Wayne, Notorious, Suge Knight, Wale, Just Blaze, Devin the Dude, Klondike Kat 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: "Chill," Patrick Sims Wire To Wire Weezy has announced an April release date for his forthc ... More >>

Biggie, Small

Notorious B.I.G., made B.L.A.N.D.

Huntzville's School-Shooting Song Raises an Even More Disturbing Issue

Girl Talk

“Perspectives 157: Xaviera Simmons”

The CAMH gets funky

Do Da Dip

Break the Silence

The Notorious M.O.M.

Voletta Wallace

Scenes from a Picnic

Willie, Dylan, Kinky and the Ghost of Bob Willis descends on Fort Worth. Wack is there too.

Fat Joe

Tuesday, June 18

Faith Evans

Saturday, April 27

D12

Thursday, November 1

Where Will They Be?

A look at the rock scene in 2020

Rotation