When the latest call for a protest over Jena Six came, it wasn't led by Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson, but rapper-actor Mos Def.
Lawmakers, music industry executives and rappers disagreed Tuesday over who was to blame for sexist and degrading language in hip-hop music but united in opposing government censorship as a solution.
More than three decades after DJ Kool Herc planted hip-hop's seeds by spinning records in a Bronx apartment building, the pioneer returned Monday for some recognition and to highlight the issue of affordable housing.
Ask Grandmaster Flash about hip-hop stars deserving of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he's quick with a list of rap icons. "Afrika Bambaataa. Run-DMC. KRS-One," he says, barely pausing for a breath. "Big Daddy Kane. LL Cool J. Eric B and Rakim. Tribe Called Quest. The list goes on and on."
"Ghost riding the whip," a stunt in which a driver gets out of his car and dances around and on top of the slowly moving vehicle to a thumping hip-hop beat, has gotten at least two people killed, led to numerous injuries and alarmed police on the West Coast and beyond.
Hookers and hustlers populate the gritty corner of 7th Street and North Memphis. A seductive brunette gyrates against a street lamp. A fight breaks out between two would-be johns. Nearby, in a shabby room soundproofed by cardboard drink holders, a few locals with hip-hop dreams try out their new rap song.
The music industry is dead, and the how come doesn't matter. The question now is what next? How does an artist eat in an environment like this where record sales have dropped 20% since last year?
Hip-hop and electronic dance music are brothers who have taken different trajectories in their lives. When hip-hop was called rap and emcees still wore leather pants and mascara, the music was up-tempo and DJ-driven, just like the super-club sounds of today.
It's also homophobic. Another one of the million reasons government officials and hip hop don't mix.
By the "Latino-Jewish urban music collective" Hip Hop Hoodios, the song is based on the older song "Guantanamera," but uses the eponymous woman of that song as a metaphor for habeas corpus.
Shocking Online Rumors: Jay-Z Slaps Neyo, T-Pain is on cocaine, Nelly stripper pregnant
Nasir Jones is a funny, funny guy. Funny "ironic" and funny "ha ha."
At the age of 12 years old Lethal began his career as a hip hop artist and songwriter after being inspired by the late Notorious BIG. Lethal dedicated his time to writing songs and learning music.
Both Nas and Def Jam are denying reports from Fox News that the label balked at his decision to title his upcoming album, "N*gger."
Universal Music is planning to release singles on USB memory sticks, as part of a strategy to stem falling music sales. The USB singles will be available from 29 October, priced at around £4.99, significantly more than a typical £2.99 CD single.
You get one NFL Truth today. Watching Chad Johnson and Larry Johnson undermine their respective head coaches, Marvin Lewis and Herm Edwards, on Sunday gave me a singular focus, forced me to contemplate an uncomfortable truth.
Ask major-label record execs about the music biz and they'll start muttering about the myriad problems affecting the industry, from illegal downloading to a precipitous drop in retail sales to layoffs and shutdowns.
...A source close to Tameka "Tiny" Cottle has confirmed that Tiny is pregnant again with T.I.'s baby. The sex of the baby is unknown. The baby would be the couple's second child together.
TAKNbySTORM, comes to you from beautiful North Carolina. Although he is not a native of the state, he loves it's friendly people and modest climate. TAKNbySTORM was raised in a Military family, and traveled all over the world as child, as
If you are still looking for that giant mega-club in Manhattan, it does still exist. You just have to check out the Socialite List to find them!
Born a Long Islander, D.Fenominal chose to pursue a career in the music industry a few years ago. He was noticed and his talent recognized through poetry. Thus, inspired from recording artist that have already established careers in the music
....Jay told the reporters that he had no plans of making an opus until a few weeks ago, when he was invited to a screening of the film, and his inner D-Boy got a wake-up call.
The son of Chicago university professors, Kanye West had never seen a ghetto in his life. But that didn't stop the multi-talented rapper/producer becoming hip-hop's hippest superstar
...Jay-Z's upcoming album American Gangster -- the musical interpretation of the movie by the same name -- is being hailed as the rapper-turned-CEO's long-awaited return to the streets.
The Jib Hunt "Liberty" T-shirt was featured in the July issue of The Source Magazine.
Well I'll be d*mned! Yesterday I told you all that Jigga was rumored to be preparing for the release of a new album. And not less then 24 hours later a new single has dropped called "Blue Magic".
Dre (real name: Andre Young) has been working on his third solo album, "Detox," for nearly eight years.
Shout-outs to B-Rock Barack Obama on hip-hop songs reflect the resurgence in the focus on politics.
Aside from being the biggest-ever debut for Island Def Jam, Graduation also opened at number one in the UK, Japan and Canada.
Jay-Z, the rap superstar and president of Def Jam Records, has quietly returned to the studio to record an album of new songs inspired by the forthcoming movie "American Gangster," his first "concept" album and second CD in less than a year.