Wyclef Jean

Justin, Selena and Music's Top 10 Heartbreaking Split-Ups

By now, we've all had a few days to digest the awful, shocking news that North America's sweethearts, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, have decided to buck destiny and call it quits. We're not entirely sure how this could have happened, but Obama was just reelected. Clearly, our worst fears are alrea ... More >>

Gorilla Monsoon: A Birthday Playlist For A Wrestling Legend

Growing up as I did in the '80s, professional wrestling was more than entertainment, it was religion. The Hulkster, Roddy Piper, Randy Savage and Andre were all unapologetically over-the-top, one-dimensional; comic characters that did glorious battle for dubious reasons. It was a great time to watch ... More >>

Rap Round Table: The Best Skit On A Rap Album Is...

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: Kyle Hubbard, Preemo, Rob Gullatte, Chuckway, Propain, Delo, Renzo, Yung Truth, Show, Brad Gilmore, more. Not Invited: W. Balls ... More >>

Killin' Them Softly: Celebrating 75 Years Of Roberta Flack

To strike someone with the "underrated greatness" term always carries a bit of weight behind it. You know, the quick snap question of "do they deserve it" comes to mind. Sorry, in the class of underrated greatness, diva subsection, lives Roberta Flack who at the platinum age of 75 still takes risks ... More >>

Smooth: 10 Definitive Neo-Soul Tracks

Nearly 12 years after the release of Voodoo, Michael Eugene Archer, better known for his stage name, D'Angelo, has emerged out of his self-imposed exile. After doing battle with drugs and alcohol for a decade, last week the singer kicked off a European tour entitled The D-Tour, for his first live pe ... More >>

Wyclef Jean Squanders Relief Funds, Heralds Apocalypse

Mason Lankford said, "There will come a day when we forget the Rapture ever even happened," but Rocks Off is keeping an eye out for signs of our impending Armageddon. We were wrong last time, but we're totally right this time! Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock, USAF​It's been a while since we predicted ... More >>

And, Uh, Um, OOPS: The Third Members Of Great Musical Trios You Probably Can't Name

​Last night we all watched as Governor Rick Perry blanked on the third department he would do away with if he was elected president. It was one of those moments - a la Scanners - when we all tensely waited for his head to explode, figuratively. Of course we love the guy and he's too precious t ... More >>

New ZZ Top Tribute Disc Frightens, Titillates, And Confuses Us

Photo By Jim Bricker​If you don't know that Rocks Off is a ZZ Top-friendly place, then you have probably only been reading the blog for the past two or three hours. The two men who run this blog love Billy, Frank, and Dusty with the energy from one thousands suns, and their whole catalog runs ... More >>

The 20 Best Tribute Albums Of All Time

Hootie covered Zeppelin!? '90s U So Crazy!​This year alone has seen a multitude of tribute albums, from two Buddy Holly lovefests to the upcoming ZZ Top tribute set from a very motley crew of artists, including Nickelback, Daughtry, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (yum), and Wyclef Jean. Let t ... More >>

Our Favorite Music-Video Dances of All Time

Hipster Scum​This Saturday morning, the Houston Press and our sister blog Art Attack will be hosting a dance party, starting at 10 a.m., to celebrate National Dance Day. They even made a few videos to get Houston ready for the event, featuring yours truly in the only dance get-up that matters, ... 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 >>

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 >>

More Local Music News Than Final Four Traffic Snarls

Buxton mixing their new album in L.A.​The Final Four descends upon Houston this weekend. Oh, if there were only four feeds we had to follow to bring all this lovely Houston music news to everyone. Instead, MCM crawls through more feeds than there are colleges in the NCAA, gathering up every bi ... More >>

Last Night: Soul Asylum At House Of Blues

Photos by Jason Wolter​Soul Asylum House of Blues December 30, 2010 '90s alt-rock mainstays Soul Asylum took the House of Blues stage Thursday night, 18 years after their breakthrough release Grave Dancers Union. Front man Dave Pirner is conceivably regarded as one of the era's most colorful ... More >>

10 Music Stories We Wish We'd Ignored This Year

​We in the alternative media - not necessarily the Houston Press and/or Rocks Off, not all the time - enjoy calling out our mainstream brethren. Whether it's ten books that didn't make The New York Times' "Best of 2010" list, or "10 Stories Our Print Version Accidentally Overlooked," us "under ... More >>

Exes On Tour: White Stripes, ABBA, Lindsey & Stevie...

​We're all familiar with the credo against intra-office dating, often crudely expressed as "Don't shit where you eat." Most of us subscribe to it, knowing the potential drama it could ensue. "How will this affect my work," we wonder. "What happens if we break up?" But all's fair in love and ... More >>

She's Got Rhythm: Jazz-Pop Upstart Nikki Yanofsky, 16 And Swingin'

myspace.com/nikkiyanofsky​Nikki Yanofsky has been "singing since I could talk, basically." And doing it well: When her dad asked the Montreal native to sing a few songs with his garage band at a charity event, it was a little different than practicing in the garage. In the audience was the fou ... More >>

The Weak Links In Seven Great Rap Crews

Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothin' to fuck with... except maybe U-God.​Logic suggests that being surrounded by artistic brilliance would give the less endowed a natural boost. But if talent were contagious, failure wouldn't exist, and neither would this list. Every rap group, big or small has one memb ... More >>

Trae's Can't Ban Tha Truth A Landmark Of Houston Rap

​There has not been, nor will there be, a rap album from Houston this year as entangled in storylines and ramifications as Trae's Can't Ban Tha Truth. Not even if he somehow manages to release The Truth, the LP that was supposed to usher him into the national spotlight but was pushed aside as ... More >>

Exclusive: Trae Leaks First Can't Ban Tha Truth Single "Cop A Drop"

Trae also released a new episode of his online cartoon series The Adventures of Trae Tha Truth Monday.​Here's what you have to appreciate about Trae: He will always let his feelings be known. Always. Always. You've got a better chance of finding someone in Houston to say something nice about ... More >>

FAIL: Wyclef Jean, Richard Ashcroft, Mark Wahlberg, iTunes

Photo illustrations by John Seaborn Gray​Wyclef Jean's Latest Vanity Project: President of Haiti: Wyclef Jean is best known for being the member of the Fugees who quite improbably enjoyed the most solo success. We would have bet on Lauryn Hill, but unfortunately, she went crazy. Crazy may be ... More >>

Most Downloaded "Hope For Haiti" Texan? Although She Killed, Not Beyonce

Between fighting crime, reducing global warming, mending our socks and, you know, everything else Rocks Off does when we're away from the office, we caught a good bit of Friday evening's "Hope for Haiti" telethon. We didn't have much choice, because the George Clooney-organized, celebrity-packed fu ... More >>

Second Haitian Relief Concert at Warehouse Live This Week Scheduled for Friday

​ On the heels of Bun B's all-star (if borderline interminable) "Houston 4 Haiti" relief concert at Warehouse Live Monday night that reportedly raised in the neighborhood of $10,000, the venue will open its doors - albeit in the smaller studio room - for another benefit Friday night starring f ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Lil' Flip and Bun B Help Haiti, Jay-Z & Beyonce, Trae & Soulja Boy, Chamillionaire, Wyclef, DJ Clue and Funkmaster Flex 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: "Feel It In The Air" (Lil' Flip's Haiti Tribute) Solid stuff here. Wire to Wire Bun B - who headlines t ... More >>

Aventura

Turning the Screw: Slim Thug, KRS-One, Robin Thicke, B.o.B., The Renaldo The Ensemble, Joe Budden, Slaughterhouse, Mary J., Scarface & Tupac, 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: "Thug," Slim Thug Wire To Wire KRS-One is going to be helping out the homeless on Thanksgiving. What's ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Slim Thug Associates, Willie D, Jay-Z vs. Auto-Tune, 50 Cent, Paul Wall, Big Hawk, Jazzy Jeff, Trae & Z-Ro 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: "Associates" Wire To Wire Poor, poor Willie D. We were excited the other day when we read this thing a ... More >>

Akon: Freedom

Five ( 3) Spot: Christmas With Weezer!

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every week, 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. Because God loves us: Weezer, one of our all-time favorite bands, has recorded six Christmas covers, the greatest ... More >>

Aftermath: GZA at Warehouse Live

To Do: Listen to S.O.S. Radio, Hang Out with Wyclef

Odd Couples

Strange musical pairings

Just Released CDs

Hip-hop as She Is Rapped

Translating the German Wikipedia entries of Houston's top MCs

Leela James, with Kem

Friday, March 17, Verizon Wireless Theater, 520 Texas, 713-230-1666

Get Down with Dave

Chappelle returns with a raucous Block Party

Between the Cracks

Profiling local bands

Summer Camp

Demme's Candidate overhaul goes for the knowing giggle

Letters

Bling Thing

A hip-hop summit preaches what it doesn't practice

No Pimps Allowed

Common and Black Eyed Peas dare to raise the artistic standards of hip-hop

Wyclef Jean

The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II A Book

Girls to Women

Houston's Destiny's Child scales pop chart, meets fans

Rotation

Rotation

Child of Fate

Static

Rotation

Rap of Ages Inc.

Rotation