The Neptunes

Back On My Block: Celebrating 10 Years of Scarface's The Fix

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 >>

Girls, Girls, Girls At 25: Anatomy Of A Strip-Club Classic

Mötley Crüe, those depraved kings of '80s sleaze, took a major step toward strip-club immortality 25 years ago this week when the band released its fourth album, Girls, Girls, Girls.. Glossy, debauched heavy metal ruled the charts in the summer of 1987 -- Whitesnake, Ozzy, Bon Jovi and Poison all ... 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 >>

"Drank In My Cup" Producers Sound M.O.B.'s Top 5 Beats

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 introducingliston@gmail.com ... More >>

Pharrell Launches New Qream Liqueur At Exclusive Event

Photos by Marco Torres​Pharrell Williams wears many hats. He's a Grammy-Award winning producer, singer, songwriter, rapper, and successful clothing designer. Amongst those things, Williams has picked up one more project to juggle. Friday night, Williams dropped into Houston for the launch of ... More >>

Remember Slim Thug's Boss of all Bosses?

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. ​Slim Thug Boss of All Bosses (Koch, 2009) Boss of all Bosses is Slim Thug's official sophomore ... More >>

The Top 15 Cartoon Bands (Sorry, Gorillaz)

​Gorillaz makes a stop in Houston tonight (Toyota Center, 7:30 p.m.) on their "Escape to Plastic Beach" world tour. Damon Albarn's "virtual band" is by now far better-known on this side of the pond than his original group, Blur, and is as famous for its inventive music videos as for the songs ... More >>

Remember The Niceguys' Green Room EP?

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. The Niceguys Green Room EP (265 Pro/The Pi Group, 2009) ​You know The Niceguys. If you don't, ... More >>

Bama Boyz On Producing Beyonce's "Why Don't You Love Me"

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 >>

Y'all Musta Forgot: Scarface's The Fix

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 >>

Y'all Musta Forgot: Slim Thug's Already Platinum

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. Slim Thug Already Platinum (Geffen, 2005) ​Already Platinum was Slim's official debut album, but mor ... More >>

Mariah Carey

Ask a Rapper: Karina Nistal Loves Common, Mike Jones Not So Much

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 >>

Slim Thug: Boss of all Bosses

Slim Thug Breaks a Four-Year Dry Spell on Sophomore LP Boss of All Bosses

Big boss man

Aftermath: Common and N.E.R.D. at Verizon Wireless Theater

Superproducer Pharrell Williams is at Home in N.E.R.D.

The Nose Knows

Immigrant Song

Watch out for Miami rapper Pitbull's bite

Houston Hip-Hop

Mike Watts and his stable of northside rappers take a southside legend's style to the masses

Snoop Dogg

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

Ten Great Rap Albums from 2006

Cat Scratch Fever

The Pussycat Dolls

Farewell to the Twenty Nickel

Looking back on the '05 and dreaming in the '06

Thug Life

Slim Thug has paid the cost to be the Dirty South boss

Trend-Spotting

In a scandal-ridden election year, the year's top ten music stories were all about winning the popular vote

Rogue Bosoms, Bouncing Booties and Pac-Man Raps

Looking back on the '04

Trend-Spotting

In a scandal-ridden election year, the year's top ten music stories were all about winning the popular vote

How Long, Oh, Lord, How Long

Another outpost of crap plops onto the Houston dial, as this open letter reveals

Golden Homies

Rap firebrands Brand Nubian mellow with age

Jadakiss

Kiss of Death (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)

N.E.R.D.

Fly or Die (Virgin)

Cee-Lo

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine (Arista)

Family Feud

Hip-hop turns 25, and the battle lines are drawn

Kelis

Tasty (StarTrak/Arista)

Jaylib

Champion Sound (Stones Throw)

Fade to Black

Jay-Z previews his latest opus, The Black Album

Best Hip-hop Radio Show

Vinyl Frontier

The Neptunes

Clones (Star Trak/Arista)

Spymob, with N.E.R.D., the Roots and Kelis

Wednesday, August 27

Invisible Man

Kenna doesn't care if you see him. He just wants you to hear him.

Les Nubians

Sunday, July 20

Go with the Floetry

Love floats this London duo's boat

Filling the Blue-Eyed-Soul Hole

Justin Timberlake leads the charge of new melanin-challenged soul brothers

Hardy Har Mar

Har Mar Superstar -- cynical parodist or sincere R&B devotee? You decide

Black Gold

A gusher lay beneath the surface, but you had to drill deep

K-Otix / The ARE

The Black Album (Self-distributed) / K-Otix Entertainment Presents the ARE: Hustler's Theme (Self-distributed)

Clipse

Lord Willin' (Star Trak/Arista)

Not on Your Nelly!

Nelly Furtado refused to forget her roots or dress like a tramp. She won a Grammy anyway.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane...

...It's Brian McKnight, who wants you to know that he isn't a Superhero

Britney Spears

Britney (Jive)