Slick Rick

Radio on the TV: Chamillionaire Debuts New Video

Rotation

Rotations

Letters

Sleight of Head

Pioneers of Hip-Hop Tour

Rotation

Chamillionaire, Ultimate Victory

CD Review

Lost in Rotation

Rounding Up Recordings by HPMA Nominees

Amy Winehouse

Back to Black

Missy Elliott

The Cookbook

Boxing the Rock

Six of the year's best multi-disc sets (and one of the worst)

Back to School

Big Daddy Kane and friends revisit the era of the flattop

Compton's (Back) N the House

Four discs trace the development of the original gangstas

True Dat

A Run-act play starring the Simmons brothers, Russell and the Rev

[S]hit

Behind current blaxploitation pulp literature is - surprise! - the music biz

Distant Early Warning: Houston's Concert Horizon

[Ed. Note: Since we already run a list of concerts just added/announced in print, we figured we might as well do it online too.]3 Doors Down: Sat., June 27, 8 p.m. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Baskery: Thu., Sept. 10. McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Cameo, One Way, The SOS Band: Sat., Aug. 15. Arena Th ... More >>

He Said She Said: Songs Guaranteed to Offend the Opposite Sex

Chicks, man. Can't live with them, can't play music that objectifies them while in the car on the first date. What's up with that? You play one song with the queen mother c-word in it and she leaves the car before we get our complimentary paper crowns. We compiled a list of songs guaranteed to offe ... More >>

V-Zilla is Houston's Hip-Hop Monster on the Mike

​ "The reason I want to be alone, is I'm tired of all the things that went wrong that would've went right if I had did 'em on my own." - Nas That quote is perfect for this story because Victor Gurrola, Jr., aka V-Zilla, was once the best rapper the world had ever seen who wasn't known by his own c ... More >>

Common Leaves Us Hanging At Warehouse Live

Photos by Marco Torres​8:00 p.m.: There is a female behind the decks onstage. Aftermath loves seeing females who can hold it down on the 1s and 2s. She has a bedazzled Macbook and goes by the name of DJ Superstar. Go on with your bad self, girl. 8:10 p.m.: The audience is a bona fide rainbow ... More >>

Will The Real Fun Fun Fun Fest Lineup Please Stand Up?

Marc BrubakerMetallagher at Fun Fun Fest 2009​Lots of late-night intrigue in the Twitterverse, as anticipation for the announcement of the lineup for Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 builds to a boil. Late Wednesday, Austin blog Party Ends published a list including Animal Collective, Gang Gang Dance, Ga ... More >>

Devo, MGMT, Mastodon, Devin, Black Congress Head Fun Fun Fun Lineup

GroovehouseMGMT at House of Blues in June​The official lineup for this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest, set for November 5-7 at Waterloo Park in the heart of downtown Austin, was released moments ago. In terms of firepower, this year's Fun Fun Fun roster arguably brings the festival within striking di ... More >>

So What's Up With Kanye's "Power" Video?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday or pre-empted by HPMA showcase coverage, Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Paul Wal ... More >>

Accessories Houston Rappers Don't Leave Home Without

fashionbombdaily.comSlick Rick: The ruler's back at Reliant Arena, November 6​Rappers have always been obsessed with accessories. It's mandated in rap contracts, right next to girl songs and Bun B collaborations. The tradition dates back to hip-hop's early days. Before Kanye popularized shutte ... More >>

Friday Night: Legends Of Rap At Verizon Wireless Theater

Photos by Marco TorresRakim​"Legends of Rap" featuring Rakim, Slick Rick, Whodini, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte Verizon Wireless Theater October 15, 2010 For more photos from Friday, see our slideshow here. Friday night at Verizon Theater was a celebration of hip-hop legends, the types that would ... More >>

Still Fun Fun Fun, Festival Is On The Cusp Of Change

Photos by Marc Brubaker​Miss the bands in Austin this weekend? See as many as we could squeeze into our handy slideshow. Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin is on the cusp of change. A renovation to its home base, Waterloo Park, is due within the next year, so come next November the festival more than ... More >>

10 Great Instances Of Rappers Honoring Other Rappers

​People often forget that hip-hoppers are humans, too. They breathe, sleep, eat, and salivate at the sight of buttermilk donuts just like us. And, every now and then, they'll geek over other rappers, just like us. It would have been so much easier to compile a list of rappers dissing other ra ... More >>

Saturday Night: Erykah Badu At Arena Theatre

Photos by Rizoh​Erykah Badu Arena Theatre May 21, 2011 Even if she never drops another album, Erykah Badu will still go down as one of the most important artists of our generation. Few can massage a neo-soul groove, seduce a jazz tune, and straddle a hip-hop beat the way she can. On the same ... More >>

Beyonce Throws A "Party" With Kanye, Andre 3000 & Slick Rick

​Beyonce's wildly anticipated 4 has leaked three weeks ahead of its scheduled release date. One of the songs on the album, "Party," finds Bey joining forces with Kanye West and rap's greatest hermit Andre 3000. It starts with a classic Kanyeism: "You a bad girl and your friend's bad too/Oh, y ... More >>

Zoo Station: A Noah's Ark Of 75 Animal Songs

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee ... More >>

Rick Perry's Top 10 "Oh Faces": A Soundtrack

mysanantonio.comGig 'em!​Once again, Texas is front and center on the national political stage, our spokesman an almost cartoon-like embodiment of every Lone Star stereotype: Fast-talkin', gun-lovin', bible-thumpin', boot-wearin', oil-worshipping, death penalty happy, larger-than-life right-wi ... More >>