Soulja Boy

Where Is Lil Wayne In the Lyrical Hot Water Hall of Fame?

Proving that it is almost never wise to compare the results of rough sex to Emmett Till's face, Lil Wayne was dropped from his Mountain Dew campaign last week. Emmett Till, for those of you who aren't familiar, was a 14-year-old boy who was beaten to death, shot, and dumped in the river for whistlin ... More >>

Last Night: Riff Raff at Fitzgerald's

Riff Raff, Fat Tony, D-Risha etc. Fitzgerald's March 21, 2013 Thursday night at Fitzgerald's was Riff Raff's homecoming show. Sort of. Sure, he's originally from Houston. The story goes that he got his start hawking his CDs at area malls. It's more accurate to say, though, that Riff Raff has no hom ... More >>

OG Ron C Purplefies Girl Talk's All Day

There are a lot of reasons why OG Ron C running Girl Talk's All Day through his "Chopped Up Not Slopped Up" purplefication process is fun, but one of them seems more substantial -- or, at the very least, more appropriate -- than the rest. To be entirely reductive: Girl Talk is a DJ from Pittsburg ... More >>

Ask A Rapper: Reggie Eviscerates Rap's Worst Diss Tracks

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? E-mail sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

No-Fun Number Ones: The Worst Chart Toppers Since Tiffany

It's no secret that chart success is no real guarantor of musical quality. Hell, "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" went number one way back in 1952, pissing kids off so badly that they had to invent rock 'n roll. Twenty-five years ago this week, however, Billboard reached a new low when m ... More >>

Five Crazy Rapper Fashion Trends

Dphil Spanglishman needs a Mac endorsement.​Rappers are known for setting trends with their signature fashion styles. Some of these ideas are utterly outrageous and scream "Pay me attention!" Other eye-catching trends are worn by rappers to send out a message to fans. The latest "trend sett ... 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 >>

The 12 Best Remakes of Hip Hop and Pop Songs by Heavy Bands

​Rock bands covering music in a different genre can sometimes be a sensitive subject. You have people that love both genres separately but then there are fans who prefer their music to be a bit blended. Punk Goes... is a series of compilation albums that feature punk rock artists covering m ... More >>

U Can't Touch This: The Top 5 Dance-Rap Tracks Of All Time

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 >>

Rise Of Lil B And Odd Future Both A Gift And A Curse

​So you've written the greatest song the world has never heard. You spent a good two-and-half hours on those brain-melting metaphors, and another three laying them on wax. Every bar requires repeated listening to fully digest. Your ad-libs are on point like Chris Paul. The beat knocks harder ... More >>

Making It Rain

Author suffers strip clubs, skeptics for book on Southern rap.

I'm Gay & 10 More Recent Dubious Rap Album Titles

​Lil B is obviously an outlandish artist, but his most recent blogworthy activity has many hip-hop fans pretty damn upset. This past weekend at Coachella, The Based God announced the title of his next album. He has named it I'm Gay and according to the Based God, it's a major move to demonstra ... More >>

Five Terrible Rap Acts Who Will Never Crack the "Diddy List"

The Super Broker Shuffle: Your eyes and ears will never forgive you​I'm a sucker for lists, I've said that before. If it makes me a less cerebral person, so be it. I'm not apologizing. For a "list addict" like myself, Forbes magazine is like a big plate of list cocaine. They'll come up with a ... More >>

MCM: More Local Music News Than Ice On The Roads

Rocks Off readers, if the cold weather has bogged down your day, we've got just the trick - a slew of local music news hot off the presses. Our soundtrack this week is the folky Sarah Neidermeyer and the Devil, the new album from Horse. It's available now, so give it a listen and maybe even put it ... More >>

Five Artists That Make Deadlier Weapons Than Creed

Nooooo!!! Anything but "One Last Breath"!!!​The headline is promising: "Norwegian Boy Fends Off Wolf Pack With Heavy Metal." Pretty awesome, right? Picture the frozen steppes of Rakkestad - we're just assuming there are steppes there - and it's after 2 p.m. in the wintertime, so the sun has ... More >>

Everything in Between

No Age makes punk palatable.

Lupe Fiasco: Four Ways He Will Write A Song About You

​Balls-deep in that miry slough of disappointment that seems to befall every major artist who wants to change the world, Lupe Fiasco has been in a controlled rage lately. That can only mean one thing: His next album will boast songs about anyone who so much as snickers at him. But poking the ... More >>

Rap's 10 Most Hated People Of 2010

​Hatred is a popular sport in hip-hop. Players of this sport include everyone from fans to peers. There's no specific reason for loathing. Sometimes, being the best in your league is an egregious enough crime to inspire a strong dose of vitriol. Here are the 10 most hated hip-hop artists of 20 ... More >>

Simple Success: Remix Artistes Not So Simple After All

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. ​Several weeks ago we at ... More >>

The Five Most Bogus Rapper Apologies

​It's the unwritten rule in rap: never apologize. Offering apology in hip-hop is a sign of weakness and rappers simply can't appear weak, no matter what. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Yet, every now and then we'll see a rapper apologize for stepping out of line. Earlier this week, Paul Wa ... More >>

Remember K-Rino's Worst Rapper Alive?

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. K-Rino Worst Rapper Alive (Black Book International, 2006) ​K-Rino's latest album, Annihilatio ... More >>

Tony Yayo Talks Sex, Patron And The Future Of G-Unit

​G-Unit soldiers Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo have signed on to headline Saturday's 4th Annual Hip-Hop For HIV Awareness concert at Reliant Center. Tickets are free, but only with an HIV test at one of the City of Houston Department of Health & Human Services' designated testing locations. A list ... More >>

Which Rappers Would You Fight?

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. This Week's Panel: Fat Tony, Yung Redd, Candi Redd, Preemo, Ram of Optimo Radio Not Invited: Ganksta NIP, becaus ... More >>

The 15 Most Annoying Ringtones You Can Get

Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​It's not good enough for a phone to simply ring anymore. Your phone's ring must say something about you, become an expression of your unique individuality, or, failing that, let everyone around you know that you really, really like that OutKast song that ... More >>

Upcoming: Night Ranger, KeSha, Soulja Boy, Stars, Etc.

​Black Queen Speaks, Dimitri's Rail: Fri., July 23. Verizon Wireless Theater. Burn The Boats, Venomous Maximus, Secret Prostitutes: Sat., July 24. Rudyard's. Forbidden, Evile, Gama Bomb, Bonded By Blood: Fri., Dec. 3. Scout Bar Clear Lake. Great White, Night Ranger: Sat., Sept. 4. Moody Ga ... More >>

Is VH1's Hip Hop Honors Insulting Southern Rappers?

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: Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Chalie Boy, Hima Sn ... More >>

Inside Ozone Magazine's Sex Issue

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. We'll incorporate the number five in there somewhere. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​ Ozone magazine, the preeminent name in Southern rap p ... More >>

The Incredible Truth: The Best Southern Rap Albums (and Mixtapes) of 2009, Part 1

​Yeah, it stirred the Yankees to the World Series championship, but was there a more boring album this year than Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3? Perhaps it was a geographic thing; with a few exceptions like Raekwon and Kid Cudi, most of 2009's exciting, innovative rap records came from Southern artists. ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Fat Pat, Trae, Shane Sparks, Gucci Mane, The Kanye, Maino, Eminem, Kid Cudi, Bun B 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: "No Glory," Fat Pat Wire to Wire So Trae spent the holidays handing out thousands of pairs of shoes to ... More >>

I Set My Friends on Fire

Turning the Screw: Chalie Boy, Royce da 5'9", Saigon, Soulja Boy, Jay-Z, Adam Yauch, 50 vs. Fabolous, Young Gunz, Method Man, Big Moe, 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: "I Look Good" remix, featuring Bun B, Slim Thug and Juvenile Note: We initally hated Chalie Boy's "I Lo ... More >>

Sexy Halloween Costume Challenge For the Ladies

Halloween is coming, and that means many, many costuming mistakes will be made by normally sane adults. To help stop this scourge, each Thursday we will be offering tips and analysis of what to avoid, or possibly what to do. While we don't know when or where we'll black out/get sick this Halloween, ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Chamillionaire, Kid Cudi & Jay-Z, Mike Epps, The Kanye, T.I., Chris Brown, DJ AM, Slim Thug, 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: Chamillionaire, "Good Morning" Wire To Wire Despite what you initially want to think about Cham's new s ... More >>

Ask a Rapper: Gotta Be Karim

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 >>

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: Dustin Prestige, Lupe Fiasco, Katy Perry/Travis McCoy, Dr. Dre, DJ AM, Lil' Kim, Damon Dash/Jay-Z, Talib Kweli 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: "Funny Valentine," Dustin Prestige Wire To Wire Lupe Fiasco, whom you'll remember recently announ ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Promise Pseudo, Soulja Boy, Scarface, Rick Rubin, Akon, T.I., Doug E. Fresh, the Bee Gees 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: "Sunny," Promise Pseudo Wire To Wire We disliked Soulja Boy, and then we read this Scarface inte ... More >>

I Set My Friends On Fire

I Set My Friends on Fire

Turning the Screw: DZA, Trae, Al Sharpton, Common, Beyonce, Akon, Mos Def, Vanilla Ice and a Whole Lotta Obama

Turning the Screw: H.I.S.D., Trae, Lupe Fiasco, Prodigy, Soulja Boy, Roy Jones Jr., Ice Cube and More

Turning the Screw: Lower Life Form, Slim Thug, R.I.P. Bernie Mac, Chris Brown & T.I. Team Up, Master P and More

What Do Shepard Smith and Soulja Boy have in common?

Wack's here to tell you: more than you might expect

UGK for Life

A conversation with the incomparable Bun B

Billion Dollar Babies

Rappers and their ten-figure dreams

Future Shock: the iTaser

Listen to tunes while you tase

Top 10 Most Hated Rappers

Who made the shit list

Our Favorite Albums of 2007

Panning for gold in an avalanche of 2007 releases

Bow Wow

Advice from Shad Gregory Moss