Questlove

Six Examples of How James Harden Follows in the Tradition of Great Rockets Hair

When the Houston Rockets acquired James Harden in late October, general manager Daryl Morey finally found the superstar that he longed for. Houston would go on to post billboards around the city featuring Harden with the caption, "The Beard Has Landed!" So far, Harden has delivered, as he is one of ... More >>

HSPVA's Robert Glasper: Jazz's Newest Hip-Hop Star

If you're looking for homegrown musical success stories of 2012, you could do a lot worse than Robert Glasper. True, technically he lives in New York, where he became such an in-demand session player he called his 2009 album Double Booked, but now the Missouri City native and HSPVA grad is on the ve ... More >>

ACL 2012: Saturday's 9 Best & Funniest Moments at Zilker

The return of terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad rain made Saturday a muddy but fun mess. Thankfully, the downpours didn't dampen the spirits of the crowd on day two of ACL, but it did seem to thin out the herds. Aside from remembering how to walk in inches-deep goop like we did back at the Dillo ... More >>

6 More ACL Acts to Look Out For This Weekend

I'm what you can call a late bloomer when it comes to music festivals. Before coming to work for Rocks Off, my festival expertise was regulated to the Houston International Festival and that one SXSW that I spent bar hopping on Red River then somehow managing to sneak into Stubbs through the artist ... More >>

Top 10 Things to Expect at ACL Fest This Year

The Austin City Limits Music Festival burned the midnight oil overnight, announcing the 2012 lineup at precisely 12:01 a.m. Mercifully, all the rumor-spreading and speculation is now at an end and people can either go about the business of buying $200 three-day passes or shutting the hell up about R ... More >>

Rumor: Eminem To Perform At Tonight's Shady Records SXSW Party

Most of the world's biggest rappers - Jay-Z, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, T.I., 50 Cent - have performed in Austin within the past week, are about to perform, or are at least in the city partaking in the SXSW festivities. Rocks Off was leaving Stubb's late Thursday night and heard Snoop Dogg performing ... More >>

Estelle

Smooth: 10 Definitive Neo-Soul Tracks

Nearly 12 years after the release of Voodoo, Michael Eugene Archer, better known for his stage name, D'Angelo, has emerged out of his self-imposed exile. After doing battle with drugs and alcohol for a decade, last week the singer kicked off a European tour entitled The D-Tour, for his first live pe ... More >>

What If? Five Potential Hosts For A Revamped Soul Train

​The news of Don Cornelius' suicide earlier this week left many stunned and hurt, especially those who were fans of the legendary TV show Soul Train. Noted for being the alternative to American Bandstand, the show ran from 1971 to 2006 opening the doors to young performers and countless gener ... More >>

The Week in TV: The Muppets Now Control Everything

Not much happened last week, what with everyone taking extra naps and blaming it on the turkey. Still, it wasn't a totally uneventful week in TV Land: • Having been dragged back into the mainstream spotlight by Jason Segel, the Muppets are now eyeing a return to TV, the medium that first brought ... More >>

RIP Heavy D: Why Are The '90s Slowly Dying On Us?

​Word just came from TMZ on Twitter - yeah, yeah - that hip-hopper Heavy D has passed away at the age of 44. The artist, born Dwight Arrington Myers, was the leader of Heavy D & The Boyz, best known for cuts like "Chunky But Funky" and "Now That We Found Love". So far details have Myers coll ... More >>

Bilal

Five '60s Soul Stars Jay-Z & Kanye West Should Hit Next

thelocal478.comWelcome back to Billboard, Otis.​Say what you will about Watch the Throne - and people, including several members of Team Rocks Off, have said a lot - but it's all anyone in music seems to be talking about these days. Which makes sense; it's not every day that two megastars (the ... More >>

Jimmy Fallon Takes in the Rodeo, Ninfa's

"Thank you Houston! I'm hooked," Fallon tweeted​Late night host Jimmy Fallon breezed into town over the weekend to take in a Questlove show, film some segments at the rodeo and eat at the original Ninfa's. What should we expect Monday night? Here's another twittered photo: ​

Saturday: Questlove, Bun B & Jimmy Fallon At Red Bull Music Academy

Photos by Marco TorresQuestlove (left) and the king of the trill talk shop.​Red Bull Music Academy feat. Questlove, Bun B & Jimmy Fallon House of Deréon Media Center, Music World Entertainment March 5, 2011 See more photos of the "On the Floor!" event in our slideshow. Saturday night, Red B ... More >>

Nine Rappers About To Be Eaten By Their Own Beards

musiconplay.net​In today's crowded music industry, it's becoming increasingly difficult for artists to stand out from the pack, but sometimes a facial package of ample weight and gargantuan growth will do the trick. Look out, these hip-hoppers are one hair strand away from disappearing into th ... 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 >>

5 Rock Deaths That Shook Us Down

​It was sometime this past Saturday night that we first heard that Ronnie James Dio was dead. It was after midnight and we had just bellied up to the Mink's front bar when we checked our Twitter feed and saw that Dio had passed on. Our body froze every metal bone in our body ached for a few minute ... More >>

Tonight: Houston Filmmaker Raymond Gale's Electric Purgatory at Domy Books

Electric Purgatory screened almost two years ago at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, but Rocks Off still hasn't seen Houston director Raymond Gayle's film about the plight of the black rocker. We're gonna miss the next screening too - tonight at Domy Books - due to Thanksgiving travel, but we are ... More >>

Summer Stock

Five Spot: The Laid-Back Genius of Devin the Dude

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. Ohio's rapper-turned-Internet-sensation Kid Cudi signed his first major ... More >>

Musicians on Twitter

Is the "microblog" Internet phenomenon the next leap forward or just a tweeting waste of time?

Turning the Screw: Von Won, Lil O, Ludacris, Flo Rida, the Roots, Suge Knight, Too $hort, The Kanye, Ghostface Killah 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.       (Churchy) Single of the Week:  "I Love You," Von Won     Wire To Wire     ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Fela Kuti, Jay-Z, Left Eye, Lil Wayne, Ed McMahon, Ciara, DMX and More

Nosaprise

The Roots Will Not Apologize

?uestlove and company: Those who don't like our angriest album can step right off

Al Green: Lay It Down

Electric Purgatory: The Fate of the Black Rocker

Local filmmaker Raymond Gayle explores how the pioneers of rock became anomalies

Stevie Wonder

An Icon returns to the stage after 14 years

Get Down with Dave

Chappelle returns with a raucous Block Party

The Roots, with Floetry

Wednesday, June 8, at HUSH, 15625 Katy Freeway, 713-330-HUSH.

Pat McGee Band, Michael Tolcher and Pilot Radio

Friday, May 14

Mouse Rap

Okayplayer -- the Roots' home on the Net -- is more than just a Web site. For some hip-hop heads, it's a way of life.

Murs

Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition (Def Jux)

Master Blaster

Cody ChesnuTT sees rock and roll, and he wants to repaint it black

Tyrannosaurus Raps

Jurassic 5 will help you remember hip-hop the way it oughta be

No Pimps Allowed

Common and Black Eyed Peas dare to raise the artistic standards of hip-hop

Original Style

The Roots makes rap come alive live

Rooting Interest

The Roots make rap for both your hips and your head