Trae (Rapper)

The Top 10 Houston Music Stories of 2012

Looking back over the major music-related stories around Houston the past 11 and a half months, 2012 was light on the kind of headlines you'll usually see in a year-end "music scene" recap: Obituaries, arrests, venues closing down, malfeasance, bad behavior, that sort of thing. There was some of tha ... More >>

Trae, Z-Ro

Here's Some Very Aces New Music From Houston Rappers

Botany Boys: Not new, still great. The amount of music that is coming out in Houston -- specifically the amount of GOOD music -- has grown to such an unignorable volume that it not only forces me to make up words like "unignorable," but also warps the editorial calendar. Originally, I was plannin ... More >>

Suspect Arrested In Fatal Shooting That Also Wounded Trae Tha Truth

Trae Tha Truth Releases Statement on Wednesday's ABN Shooting HPD Releases ABN Shooting Report: Poppa C Was Target Reports: ABN's Dinky D, Poppa C Shot Dead Outside Strip Club: A Houston Rap-Related Shooting Timeline Houston Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting that killed three pe ... More >>

Trae The Truth Injured And Coy Thompson, 23, Erica Rochelle Dotson, 30, and Carlos Durell Dorsey, 31, Dead: Bayou Body Count Nos. 84-86

A wild parking-lot shootout at a southwest side strip club left three people dead and popular rapper Trae the Truth injured, police say. Coy Thompson, 23, Erica Rochelle Dotson, 30, and Carlos Durell Dorsey, 31 were killed around 3:15 a.m. at the Diamond Club in the 9800 block of Westpark Drive. T ... More >>

HPD Releases ABN Shooting Report: Poppa C Was Target

The Houston Police Department released its report of the investigation into Wednesday morning's shooting outside two southwest Houston nightclubs that killed three people and wounded two others, including popular Houston rapper Trae tha Truth. According to the report, the shooting occurred around 3 ... More >>

Trae Tha Truth Releases Statement on Wednesday's ABN Shooting

Moments ago, Houston rapper Trae tha Truth released a statement about the shootings at the southwest Houston cabaret Diamond Club (formerly Scores) where he was wounded in the parking lot after performing a Juneteenth concert at the nearby Club Blue. One other person was wounded and three people wer ... More >>

Reports: ABN's Dinky D, Poppa C Shot Dead Outside Strip Club

See Rocks Off's timeline of other Houston rap-related shootings. According to several Twitter updates including by Bun B, two members of Houston rap crew Assholes by Nature, Dinky D and Poppa C, were shot and killed outside the Diamond Club on Westpark around 3 a.m. Wednesday. One other person was ... More >>

A Houston Rap-Related Shooting Timeline

Most people will tell you that Houston rappers are overall a peaceful bunch, but people do carry guns. No less a beloved figure than Pimp C was caught after he got into an altercation at the Foot Locker in Sharpstown Mall; supposedly a policeman saw a gun under Pimp's coat during the fight, followed ... More >>

Trae and Z-Ro

Walking Through The Five Stages Of Grief With Ghostface Killah

This weekend, my father and I had a falling-out. The specifics of the exchange will not advance the narrative in any meaningful way. You just need to know that he felt one way about something and I felt another way about that same thing, and we let each other know that neither agreed with the othe ... More >>

Trae Tha Truth Signs With T.I.'s Grand Hustle Label

Wednesday, Trae Tha Truth, protagonist in one of rap's perpetually involved narratives, announced that he'd joined with multiple Grammy winner T.I., signing to T.I.'s imprint Grand Hustle. Trae alluded to making a "big announcement" on Twitter the day before, though many expected it'd relate to ei ... More >>

Five Spot: The World's Ending? Nah, Bro. Here's What's Going To Happen In 2012, Guaranteed.

Well, the first week of 2012 is done, which, duh, means it's time for everyone to begin putting together their Best Of 2012 lists. We're working on ours already. Some doozies are included this time (75 Best Songs With Titles That Have The Letter "F" In Them; 31 Best Albums That Have Album Covers Tha ... More >>

The 25 Best Rap Albums from Houston's Glorious 2011

​Counting down the 25 best local rap albums of ANY year is less than easy. Counting them down for this year, the most energetic, frenzied year for Houston rap since 2005, it is more than impossible. Rather: WAS more than impossible. After countless at-length conversations with those that know ... More >>

Aftermath: ABN, Performing Together For The First Time Ever, at Warehouse Live

Photos by Barry Sigman​11:04 p.m.: This is going to be a good show. Somehow, this is the first time of the universe that Trae and Z-Ro have performed as ABN, the group a lot of people were saying could've maybe been as nationally famous as the Geto Boys (the GB are, for certain, ABN's historic ... More >>

Z-Ro, Trae the Truth

Ask A Rapper: DJ Mr. Luke Picks The Most Intriguing Rap Storylines Of The Year

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 sheaserrano@gmail. ... More >>

Another Perspective

My top ten local albums of 2011.

Dominic Levar Brown a.k.a. Money Clip D, 34, Bayou Body Count No. 184 (UPDATED)

Dominic Levar Brown, who as Money Clip D was a key assistant and friend to Houston rapper Trae, was shot and killed outside a southwest-side after-hours nightclub early Friday morning, police say. Brown, 34, was outside Breakers in the 9600 block of Bissonnet when he was shot about 5:30 a.m., HPD s ... More >>

Angel By Nature: Rest In Peace Clip D

Check our post on Hair Balls with the Police Department's official report. The Houston rap community is mourning the loss of Dominic "Clip D" Brown who was shot and killed early Friday morning outside of Breakers after-hours club (9600 Bissonnet). Brown, 34, belonged to rapper Trae Tha Truth's ABN ... More >>

6 Musicians and Their Charities

​The main knock on celebrity charity is that it's essentially a brand-building tool -- good for image and not much else. The tax savings don't hurt, either. But not all charitable connections are about image-burnishing and tax savings. (God, we sure hope not.) The number-crunchers at Forbes lo ... More >>

Three Days of Thanks: Rap Round Table

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Not Invited: This Week's Prompt: There are a bunch of things we're responsible ... More >>

Last Night: Mac Miller at Warehouse Live

Photographer were not allowed to shoot the Mac Miller show last night.​9:55 p.m.: Mac Miller concert. Let's just get them all out of the way now: Asher Roth, Eminem, Yelawolf, Machine Gun Kelly, Paul Wall, Rich Hill, Aesop Rock, Bubba Sparxxx, El-P, MC Serch, R.A. the Rugged Man... He's whit ... More >>

Eat It: Houston Rappers Love to Write Songs About Eating

Photo by Chase Steely ​One thing Houston rappers are proficient in-besides rapping great-is eating well. Many of the more influential artists were/are big and fat: Fat Pat, Big Pokey, Big Moe, Big HAWK, Big Mello, and Big Steve. Even DJ Screw was a husky man. That's not to say that their wei ... More >>

Mourning Big H.A.W.K.'s Should've-Been Birthday

Big H.A.W.K. should've been 42-years-old today. He should've been getting ready to release his newest album, Birds of Pray, the title a play on his name and his unwavering belief in Christ, the music a staunch spine of Houstonisms that Drake would've lovingly sampled in a few years secretly hopi ... More >>

Rap Boom Reload: Thanks and So Forth

​Every time somebody writes a cover story, there's an accompanying blog post that goes with it, giving some sort of back story or little anecdote or whatever. That's what this is. This week, there will be, including the sidebar, a 4,000-word story in the paper tying what happened with Housto ... More >>

Houston Rap's Offensive Starting Lineup

​Earlier this week, the defensive starters for the Houston rap football team were announced. They are a surly, nasty, potentially deadly bunch. They play hard and fast and with abandon. Today, the offensive starters are announced. Were we picking rappers from Houston from any time period (sa ... More >>

The Houston Press Underground Rap Awards, Vol. 3

We are 75 percent of the way through with 2011, and somehow it is still unclear: a) Which underground rapper is having the best year; b) Which is the best underground rap song of the year; c) Which underground rapper has had the best verse of the year; d) Which underground rapper will land atop the ... More >>

Trae Tha Truth Opening Emergency Children's Shelter

Trae tha Truth is a rapper. And a community leader. It's starting to get hard to decide which of those phrases should go first when you're talking about him. Earlier this year, he released Street King, arguably the most imposing musical project any Houstonian has put out this year. It was his firs ... More >>

Last Night: Red Bull EmSee Battle At Warehouse Live

Photos by Larami SerranoPhranchyze (left) and Hoodstar Chantz square off in the finals.​Red Bull EmSee Freestyle Battle Warehouse Live September 8, 2011 10:52 p.m.: White people dancing to Beat King's "Hammer" is just about the greatest indirect advertisement for racial tolerance in all the w ... More >>

Ask A Teenage Rap Promoter: How Did That Happen?

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 >>

Friday: Bun B, Lupe Fiasco & Lola Monroe Hail Trae Day

Photos by Shea Serrano​Trae Day feat. Trae Tha Truth, Bun B, Lupe Fiasco, Lola Monroe, Jay'Ton, Pyrexx, etc. Delmar/Dyer Sports Complex July 22, 2011 5:01 p.m.:Pulling up to the fourth annual Trae Day. Good crowd already. Good. Some immediate questions: First, How long will it be before you ... More >>

Trae Tha Truth Pumped For Today's Trae Day

​Rejoice. Today is Trae Day, a city-sanctioned holiday that was established in 2008 and champions the efforts of rapper Trae tha Truth, a noted humanitarian, social activist and Asshole by Nature. Two years ago, Trae Day was marred when, following the festivities, gunshots were fired into a ... More >>

Trae Is Regal, Menacing On New Album Street King

​Unless you have some prior issue or grievance with Trae Tha Truth - like he punched you in the nose or headed a grassroots campaign attacking your company's character or whatevs - he's pretty much made it impossible to root against him. He works like a horse, is apparently loyal to a fault, ... More >>

Last Night: Trae Tha Truth At House Of Blues

Photos by Marco Torres​See Pimp C's mom, Lupe Fiasco and more take the stage with Trae Tha Truth in our slideshow. Trae Tha Truth Street King CD release feat. Jadakiss, Waka Flocka, Yung Joc, Yung Quis, Lupe Fiasco & Pimp C's mom House of Blues June 28, 2011 10:16 p.m.: So here we are again. ... More >>

Trae Tha Truth

The 2011 Houston Underground Rap Awards, Pt. 2

The first roundup of acknowledgements of our Underground Rap Awards ran back in March. This is the second. There are 21 awards total and the entire piece is more than 1,700 words, so let's skip right past the cutesy preamble, shall we? Aces. Here we go: Best Mixtape of the Year Thus Far: ​It ... More >>

Which Rapper(s) Should Headline Summer Fest 2012?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't the day after a gigantic local music festival, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Trae, Wreck, Roosh Wil ... More >>

More Local Music News Than People Asking Us For Summer Fest Passes

It's Friday, June 3 - do you know what that means? That's right, Free Press Summer Fest is a scant day away. In mere hours the city shall be frolicking to the Satanic call of rock 'n' roll, getting sunburned and dehydrated, tripping on Lord knows what, and having a grand ol' time. Until then, howeve ... More >>

Undisputed: Trae Tha Truth At His Realest On New Mixtape

​Trae Tha Truth has released his second mixtape of the year. It is called Undisputed and is a precursor to his forthcoming proper album, Street King. The tape is 24 songs of Trae doing what it is that Trae does: Rapping and being intimidating and hinting at what's to come on future products a ... More >>

Rappers Agree, Almost, That There Is A God

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: Slim Thug, Bun B, KAB, Trae, ESG, Lil Flip, Kyle ... More >>

More Local Music News Than Fighting Navy SEALs

It's not every week that Arcade Fire returns to the suburbs whose ennui inspired a Grammy-winning album, but it is every week that we bring a brimming local music roundup for all of our Rocks Off readers. Without further ado, we present the latest installment of Magnolia City Mixtape. ​Hot of ... More >>

Friday Night: Yelawolf & Many Guests At Warehouse Live

Photos by Marco TorresTrae Tha Truth and Yelawolf​Yelawolf, Bun B, Trae Tha Truth, Doughbeezy, Dante Higgins, Gerald Walker & Cardo Warehouse Live April 29, 2011 10:54 p.m.: Let's do this first this time. Here's the thing about Yelawolf, and you may have noticed this already, but: He's a rapp ... More >>

More Local Music News Than Half-Price Deals At Cactus

Another week, another teeming cup runneth over, full of local music news. Here's our latest installment of Magnolia City Mixtape. ​This week's soundtrack comes from Roosh Williams, whose Common Struggles of a Modern Man album just dropped. Roosh also has a video for the track "No Hard Feeling ... More >>

Which Houston Rapper Would Make The Best Mayor?

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. Slim Thug: "Me, of course." Photo illiustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Trae, Bun B, Slim T ... More >>

Bun B Panel Debates Rappers' Social Responsibilities

RizohTuesday's panel (l-r): Tre9, Malice, Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, Trae Tha Truth, Bun B​There was a time when everyone either wanted to be hip-hop or sleep with her. Hip-hop, in her nascent days, was akin to that hot chick everyone wanted to take to the dance. But now that hip-hop is old and ... More >>

More Local Music News Than Tickets Sold to the Astros Home Opener...a LOT More

​In the land of MCM, it's always Friday and there's always a treasure trove of local music news. That's because we happen to structure it as such, but make no mistake, we've got a full truckload for everyone this week. However, in what might be a MCM first, we don't have an actual mixtape fro ... More >>

Comic-Book Alter Egos For Top Houston Rappers

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 >>

Wu-Tang, Fishbone, Trae Top Village Voice/Frank 151 SXSW Party

Marco TorresMethod Man returns to Texas to smoke our SXSW party this year.​We finally have the full lineup for the 2011 Village Voice Media/Frank 151 SXSW party, and it's a doozy. Heading up the bill are Staten Island Shao-Lin spitters the Wu Tang clan, still coasting on their late 2010 reunio ... More >>

Arcade Fire Tickets On Sale Next Friday

​We'll lead off this week's Magnolia City Mixtape with, well, the headline. It's 10 a.m. next Friday (March 4) at livenation.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. In other late-breaking concert news, Bob Seger hits Toyota Center April 30. Tickets for that one go on sale next Saturday. Our soundt ... More >>