In today's recording industry, it is essential to be multifaceted. How can you knock a person spiting ill bars over their own beat in the video they directed? Indeed, most rappers are exploring many different avenues and mediums these days. Some are actually finding additional success; while others ... More >>
Slim Thug, Z-Ro, etc. Warehouse Live February 14, 2013 If partying it up in the same building as a bunch of famous rappers sounds like a pretty good time to you, you're in luck: Every rapper in existence is in town for the NBA All-Star Game this weekend, and many of them are planning to have a few ... More >>
It's Scarface's birthday, y'all. What, you didn't get him anything, either? Thank God. The humiliation of letting Houston's most lyrical, most respected and all-around best MC turn 42 without handing him something to unwrap was hitting us pretty hard, but since you dropped the ball, too, maybe we do ... More >>
Houston has a professional football team. They are called the Houston Texans. A lot of people like them. Some of those people are rappers. The Internet has several forms of social media. One is called Twitter. A lot of people use it. Some of those people are rappers. Rocks Off perused Twitter duri ... More >>
Houston has a professional football team, called the Houston Texans. A lot of people like them; some are rappers. The Internet has several forms of social media; one is called Twitter. A lot of people use it. Some of them are rappers. Like last week, we perused Twitter during Monday night's game a ... More >>
Arts, Beats & Lyrics feat. Scarface, Shock G, DJ Lord, Clyde "The Funky Drummer" Stubblefield & Mansions on the Moon Warehouse Live September 27, 2012 How to guarantee a successful event: Step 1: Select an appropriate venue to accommodate your guests. Step 2: Diversify your guest list to include ... More >>
Let's not dance around this too much. Two songs came out Thursday that you need to hear. The first inexplicably comes via DJ Khaled, rap DJ/producer/screamer/barterer. His new album(!?) comes out this August, which respectable Houstonians will be strong-armed into purchasing because it includes gu ... More >>
Ten years ago today, Scarface broke through nationally for good with The Fix. His work with the Geto Boys had made him a cult favorite, making his story of being better than amazing to put Houston on the rap map. The Diary; Mr. Scarface Is Back rank as Nos. 3 and 6 on Rocks Off's list of the Top 25 ... More >>
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: E.S.G., Marcus Manchild, Renzo, Kyle Hubbard, Purple Bastard, Preemo, Mic Skills, Mac, more. Not Invited: Michael Myers, becau ... More >>
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: Preemo, O.N.E., Medicine Girl, Renzo, Yung Truth, Chane, Scooby, Kane, Kyle Hubbard, Mac, more. Not Invited: The man who cried ... More >>
Last month, Rocks Off talked to Bun B, who has been one of the rap community's most vocal and visible supporters of Trayvon Martin, the teenager who was shot to death in Florida February 26, and who has sparked a national debate over the role the hooded sweatshirts known as "hoodies" popular with hi ... More >>
It's always nice to see local artists making national headlines, especially when they haven't a) killed someone; or b) died. It's even nicer when that artist is someone with whom Rocks Off has worked in the past. That's why when combing our social-media feeds, Rocks Off was pleasantly surprised to ... More >>
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 >>
Rappers love to imagine their lives as movies. They see bits of their lives on the big screen and turn to those cinematic treasures to help them make sense of their immediate environment: "If Tony Montana can rise to meteoric heights, so can I; if Frank Lucas can make it out of the game alive ... More >>
This Week's Rapper: Le$ (pronounced "Less," though it's way more fun to call him L-E-dollar sign) This Week's Topic: Underappreciated albums, mixtapes, songs, etc. Last year, Le$ released a very good mixtape called The Beautiful Struggle. It was almost entirely overlooked. So, we asked L-E-dollar ... More >>
Punk Rock EliteThis Friday would have been Z.Z. Hill's 76th birthday, but the popular Texas bluesman passed away in 1984 from a heart attack. Most people only know who the late soul crooner is through his connection to ZZ Top. The moniker of that little ol' band from where we are sitting righ ... More >>
So here's how this happened: Thursday night, while prepping the next installment Houston Press Underground Rap Awards, which we were planning on featuring in this space at this exact moment, a side note for an award spiderwebbed into a way-too-long e-conversation with several people that wa ... More >>
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. Have something you've always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Photo illustration by John Seabor ... More >>
There's more to singer-songwriter Amos Lee than just his pitch-perfect voice.
When Scarface went vacationing in the iron city last October, no one seemed to notice. Everyone was stunned to later learn that Face had been in jail for three months. It got us thinking, what are some tell-tale signs that a rapper may be in the clink? 5. Static Twitter Page If a prominent ... More >>
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. credThis Week's Panel: Bun B, Z-Ro, Chamillionaire, Lil Flip, E.S.G., Paul Wall, Fat Tony, A.D.D., Matt Son ... More >>
We're seven days away from the beginning of the New Year. Let's make sure we go in there clean, shall we? Time to dump out the mailbag: First, stay tuned for our Top 10 Houston Rap Albums of the Year, coming Monday. Iceberg Slim of Screwheads Only traded emails with us while we put it togeth ... More >>
Ricky Rozay will come thundering into town this Sunday. This is a most excellent situation. Saying that Ross is only a little intriguing is like saying that his waistline is only a little oversized; he is perhaps the world's most interesting pseudo-thug. Lots of people went yo-yo when he was ... More >>
In many ways, rappers are akin to politicians. They possess oratorical skills, walk around with a posse, and always say things they don't mean. With the 2010 gubernatorial elections little more than a month away, Rocks Off wondered which rapper might be best suited to lead the great state of ... More >>
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 >>
Houston's history is dotted with albums that, fairly or not, have been swept aside. We'll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Chamillionaire The Sound of Revenge (Universal, 2005) Boom. The Sound of Revenge. Remember ho ... More >>
VH1 honored the Dirty South for the 2010 edition of Hip-Hop Honors. We flew out there and sat in on the taping this past weekend. Or we Tivo'd it while we put our kids to bed and then watched it afterwards. One of those is true. Willie D 8:00 p.m.: Oh, good. Darrell from The Office is hosting to ... More >>
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 GrayThis Week's Panel: Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Chalie Boy, Hima Sn ... More >>
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 introducingliston@ ... More >>
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. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. On Monday, we linked to a video of Scarface talking with MTV.com about his forthcoming mixtape, a fairly not ... More >>
Houston's history is dotted with albums that, fairly or not, have been swept aside. We'll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Scarface The Fix (Geffen, 2005) The Fix is the seventh solo LP from Scarface, the album that h ... More >>
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. Odd Squad, Fadanuff Fa Erybody (1994, Rap-A-Lot/Priority) The Odd Squad is what The Coughee Bros., n ... More >>
Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Or we were. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Well, it's over. We stretched it out just about as long as ... More >>
Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday - or we were. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Note: With all due respect to Prince Johnny C, Raheem, K-9, ... More >>
Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Mike Jones Who Is Mike Jones? (Asylum, 2005) Before you fire off some ... More >>
Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. UGK Ridin' Dirty (Jive, 1996) When UGK first came into focus with th ... More >>
Roughly 84,000 rap albums that have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Scarface The Diary (Asylum, 1994) Honesty time: Last week's post ... More >>
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 take in a ton of music each week... turns out that's actually a major p ... More >>
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. In celebration of T.I. getting out of lockup early - does time travel fast ... More >>
Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Scarface Mr. Scarface Is Back (Virgin, 1995) There's this phenomenon ... More >>
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. The rumblings of an Internet rumor are beginning to be heard and, as much we are all about perpetuating untr ... More >>
MTV News Hip-Hop Editor Shaheem Reid has discovered Scarface, whose purported final album Emeritus debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 this week, is quite the duffer. "Doing what we do at MTV News, there are some things you have to see for yourself," a breathless Reid writes on MTV.com today. H ... 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: G.R.I.T. Boys, "One Night Stand" Wire To Wire Scarface's latest - and, apparently, last - album ... More >>
In Scarface, slinging yayo is the name of the game.
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