about contributors submissions book series advertising contests Media Center PopMatters Picks
|
Read PopMatters on your Kindle
|
Articles tagged "hip-hop" NewsThe blockbuster Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige tour shows off hip-hop’s savvy showbiz evolutionby Brian McCollum [Detroit Free Press (MCT)][23.Apr.08] :. Hip-hop had a problem. By the early 1990s, the style born in the Bronx had become a bona fide national phenomenon, a cultural force with the hits to match. Key moments in the evolution of...  Music ReviewRocko: Self-Madeby Quentin B. Huff[17.Apr.08] :. Cash, expensive clothes, cars for each day of the week. Wanna see how it's done? Watch him "do him".  NewsHip-hop’s Cuban connection: ‘El Proyecto’ parley offers lectures, music and filmsby Steve Siegel [The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)][16.Apr.08] :. From its modest roots in the South Bronx in the 1970s, hip-hop culture has become an international, multi-billion-dollar phenomenon. Originally a tool for social expression, rap music opened a window... Featured Article Music ReviewVarious Artists: You Don’t Know: Ninja Cutsby Filmore Mescalito Holmes[4.Apr.08] :. You must know about the biggest indie hip-hop and electronic label by now. If you don't, and you'd like to maintain an iota of self-respect, this three CD compilation is a superb starting point.  Music ReviewScholarMan: Soul Purposeby Quentin B. Huff[27.Mar.08] :. The lesson from this Maryland emcee's journey shows that hard work is inspiring, but progress is divine.  ShortTakes ReviewKool G. Rap: Half a Klipby Quentin B. Huff[3.Mar.08] :. Legendary emcee returns with what we hope is an appetizer for a larger and more satisfying meal. How hip-hop stumbled, and how innovative new talent might brighten its futureby Cary Darling [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][7.Feb.08] :. The plea hit YouTube two weeks ago like an IED. Ghostface Killah, one of the rappers from the acclaimed and groundbreaking rap crew Wu-Tang Clan, took three minutes to rip into fans who had... A hoops lineup is scoring bigby Elizabeth Wellington [The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT)][11.Jan.08] :. For a certain segment of young men, basketball culture goes way beyond the court. It’s hip-hop. It’s playing late-night video games while eating dry cereal right out of the box.... Beanie Sigel says he has ‘The Solution’ for hip-hopby Dan DeLuca [The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT)][13.Dec.07] :. The first song that Beanie Sigel wrote after getting out of jail in August 2005 was “Return of the Bad Guy.” Philadelphia’s foremost gangsta rapper had served 10 months in the... PopMatters Pick Music ReviewGhostface Killah: The Big Doe Rehabby Matthew Fiander[10.Dec.07] :. The Big Doe Rehab should come out now, as a year of solid hip-hop winds down and Ghostface asks where the culture is at. Arrested Development: Since the Last Timeby Quentin B. Huff[7.Nov.07] :. Celebrate this hip-hop band's return, but let's do it for the right reason: skills. DJ Spooky’s hip-hop splices, dices music and imagesby Otis R. Taylor Jr. [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][22.Oct.07] :. COLUMBIA, S.C.—If hip-hop is the CNN of urban culture, as Public Enemy’s Chuck D has said, then Paul Miller is the genre’s revered global correspondent. “In hip-hop,... Musab: Slicks Boxby Quentin B. Huff[16.Oct.07] :. Experience? Check. Humor? Check. Lyrical skill. Double check. Putting these ingredients together? Well, that's where the album falls short. Theory Hazit: Extra Creditby Quentin B. Huff[12.Oct.07] :. Check this out: a solid hip-hop album about life, love, and God (and it's not corny). Prince Ali: Curb Side Serviceby Quentin B. Huff[12.Oct.07] :. A creative, sometimes experimental hip-hop set that reaches for "spectacular" but settles for "good". Megaforce Will.i.am is no longer ‘Ordinary People’by Jim Farber [New York Daily News (MCT)][26.Sep.07] :. He dreamt up one of the world’s biggest groups (Black Eyed Peas), penned and produced songs for some of the top albums of the last year (from Justin Timberlake, the Pussycat Dolls, John Legend... Three-part ‘Hip-Hop Vs. America,’ beginning Tuesday on BETby Cary Darling [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][24.Sep.07] :. After coming under intense scrutiny for being nothing more than a showcase for music videos that some people consider demeaning, BET is in the midst of trying to alter its image. The network’s... Lotus Tribe Presents S.E.L.F.: The Art & War of Misanthropic Philanthropyby Quentin B. Huff[21.Sep.07] :. The recipe looks good, the ingredients are all there, but it still doesn't taste quite right. What's up with that? “Not Because I’m Conscious”: An Interview with Talib Kweliby Steven J. Horowitz[19.Sep.07] :. The rapper says, "I just try to write songs," but he's tackling difficult subjects while trying to launch a business. Showdown between 50 Cent and Kanye West is no contestby Greg Kot [Chicago Tribune (MCT)][10.Sep.07] :. Two of the biggest-selling artists of the last four years go head-to-head Tuesday in the record stores with new albums: Kanye West’s “Graduation” (Good/Roc-A-Fella) and 50... 50 Cent talks about all the names on his new CDby Jim Farber [New York Daily News (MCT)][10.Sep.07] :. NEW YORK—The most menacing man in hip hop has the eyes of a lamb. In striking contrast to his linebacker’s frame and sinister backstory, 50 Cent goes out of his way to project an image of... ‘Graduation’: Kanye West’s journey to adulthoodby Greg Kot [Chicago Tribune (MCT)][10.Sep.07] :. CHICAGO—Kanye West was sipping a mixed drink through a straw, and his loose tongue was even friskier than usual. The occasion was a listening party a few days ago at a Chicago recording studio... Serengeti & Polyphonic: Dont Give Upby Quentin B. Huff[7.Sep.07] :. Waltzing electronic hip-hop fusion in all its glory. Infinito 2017 & Unagi: You and Eyeby Quentin B. Huff[6.Sep.07] :. Excellent hip-hop that merges a California beat technician with an Illinois lyricist. Brevity is its only flaw. Aesop Rock: None Shall Passby Gentry Boeckel[31.Aug.07] :. With Bazooka Tooth retired (or dead?), Ian Matthias Bavitz, now in his 30s, wonders what to do with Aesop Rock? Ariano: Music2BreakUp2by Quentin B. Huff[22.Aug.07] :. Warning: This is not a Valentine's Day album. This is about (some of) the ups and (most of) the downs of romance. PopMatters Pick Music ReviewTalib Kweli: Ear Drumby Quentin B. Huff[22.Aug.07] :. Hip-hop's "Flow Captain" returns with another artistic statement that almost hits the mark. N.C. rapper on the riseby Jaymes Powell Jr. [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][17.Aug.07] :. RALEIGH, N.C.—Standing on a rooftop next to superstar rapper Ludacris while filming a music video as dozens of people swayed to the beat, rapper Small World couldn’t seem to believe... Wu-Tang Clan reunites for another album, tourby Cary Darling [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][10.Aug.07] :. There are two maxims that seem to apply to hip-hop and the music business: Rappers have the shelf life of week-old milk, and hip-hop tours are either creative or financial disappointments - or... ‘Day of Outrage’ targets offensive lyrics in hip-hopby Azam Ahmed [Chicago Tribune (MCT)][8.Aug.07] :. CHICAGO - A national protest Tuesday to ban misogynistic and offensive lyrics in hip-hop music renewed the debate over the genre’s role in shaping society, and whether responsibility for that... Potluck: Straight Outta Humboldtby Quentin B. Huff[7.Aug.07] :. Two guys with a passion for Mary Jane and a talent for deft flows and catchy hooks. Not Ready to Die: An Interview with Plan B.by Chris Catania[7.Aug.07] :. Plan B delivers his brutally raw socio-rhymes to not only rip open the ears of listeners but inject a poignant message that entertains and lingers. The UK rapper describes the world he's taking on and the unusual way that he's a racist. A-Plus: My Last Good Deedby Quentin B. Huff[3.Aug.07] :. Solid production, plenty of skills on the microphone. But is it true that no good deed goes unpunished? Common: Finding Foreverby Jeff Vrabel[30.Jul.07] :. As good as Finding Forever is -- and it's very good -- it's hard to imagine it vaulting Common into superstar status. It's the curse of being sly and thoughtful. Novelty acts bank on ringtones and downloadsby Jim Farber [New York Daily News (MCT)][25.Jul.07] :. Back in the Stone Age—when record companies actually expected to sell millions of albums—they used to make it difficult for fans to buy just a piddling single. They’d refuse to... Mala Rodriguez offers a taste of Spain’s hip-hop cultureby Jordan Levin [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][24.Jul.07] :. Spanish rapper Mala Rodriguez has been a bad girl from the get-go, but as far as she’s concerned, that’s a good thing. `My aunt Rosario gave me that name - she was always saying, `the... Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: Strength and Loyaltyby Gentry Boeckel[5.Jul.07] :. Strength and Loyalty's biggest fault is its complete unBoneness. It's completely devoid of that darkness that permeated their earlier work. T.I.: T.I. vs. T.I.P.by Colin McGuire[3.Jul.07] :. The Rubberband Man snaps back better than ever on his new release. EL-P lets his non-corporate rap channel dark thoughts into the lightby Len Righi [The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) (MCT)][21.Jun.07] :. El-P readily admits that pessimism pervades his long-awaited second disc, “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead.” But the unconventional New York rapper, producer and Def Jux label... KRS-One & Marley Marl: Hip Hop Livesby Quentin B. Huff[21.Jun.07] :. Whether he's still "number one" is immaterial. What matters is that, after over two decades in hip-hop, KRS-One is here to say the culture is still alive. And that sound in his voice? That's pure joy. Phat Kat: Carte Blancheby Quentin B. Huff[15.Jun.07] :. Lyrics, beats, or delivery? Well, I'd like to have them all, but we don't always get what we want. Dizzee Rascal: Maths & Englishby Matthew Fiander[13.Jun.07] :. Dizzee Rascal manages to outdo himself on Maths & English, releasing one of the best and most challenging hip-hop albums in recent memory. Daddy Yankee redefines himself with second CDby Jordan Levin [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][8.Jun.07] :. MIAMI—Success seems to be working a reverse aging process on Daddy Yankee. He looks younger than he did two years ago, when his song “Gasolina” was igniting pop music and he was... Sharpton’s campaign slams hip-hop music slangby Dan Cortez [Detroit Free Press (MCT)][3.Jun.07] :. DETROIT - The way the Rev. Al Sharpton sees it, Detroit is the best place to announce his plan to clean up hip-hop music. After all, the city produced famous Motown legends such as Marvin Gaye, who... Even looking inward, rapper maintains a healthy distrustby Len Righi [The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) (MCT)][31.May.07] :. Sage Francis never flinches when discussing the instigative ingredients he sometimes uses to season his edgy raps. Well, almost never. Questioned about a potential line-crossing line in the... Talib Kweliby Sam Frank[30.May.07] :. In anticipation of his (long-awaited) new solo CD, rhymesmith extraordinaire Talib Kweli makes pre-emtive good on an old promise. Detroit rapper, a hit in Europe, works to find an audience at homeby Kelley L. Carter [Detroit Free Press (MCT)][10.May.07] :. DETROIT—The last time he was on tour, every show, every single one, he says, was sold out. The crowd was eclectic, and it was mostly college-aged European kids with back packs tossed over... In hub of rap, hip-hop’s slip showsby Michael Martinez [Chicago Tribune (MCT)][8.May.07] :. COMPTON, Calif.—Yo, to all doubters and “playas” in the world who say rap is dying—Alvin Hunter says come to his corner. Here, the street quakes with hip-hop. Almost 20... Brother Ali Has Finally Laid Down The Undisputed Truthby Chris Riemenschneider [Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (MCT)][30.Apr.07] :. The conscientious hip-hopper talks about racial identity and the new album that could blow up his career at last. Pimps Up, Hos Down: Hip Hops Hold on Young Black Women by T. Denean Sharpley-Whitingby Carlin Romano [The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT)][26.Apr.07] :. Scholar's canny look at hip-hop's denigration of black women. Brother Ali: The Undisputed Truthby Gentry Boeckel[18.Apr.07] :. The Twin Cities’ earnest, Muslim, albino rapper is back with his long-awaited follow-up to the critically acclaimed Shadows on the Sun, and he brought some baggage with him. Imus flap may fuel hip-hop scrutinyby Audra D.S. Burch [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][16.Apr.07] :. Sometime between the time Don Imus uttered the now-infamous slur about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team and his firing from the airwaves, America was once again thrust onto the... PopMatters Pick Music ReviewEl-P: Ill Sleep When Youre Deadby Dave Heaton[13.Apr.07] :. Classic hip-hop sounds a lot different after you've filtered it through 1984, through the War in Iraq, through the Patriot Act. PopMatters Pick Music ReviewRobert Glasper: In My Elementby Will Layman[12.Apr.07] :. A genuinely new sound for a jazz trio -- swing plus hip-hop brings something powerfully new. King Gordy keeps up lighting up the darkby Len Righi [The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) (MCT)][9.Apr.07] :. King Gordy is not afraid of the dark. In fact, the Detroit hip-hop performer embraces it, especially in his raps. That lyrical stance has kept him working mostly underground in the four years since... Despite a high body count of its own, band is a survivorby Aaron Yoxheimer [The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) (MCT)][6.Apr.07] :. That Body Count—founded in 1990 by rock guitarist Ernie C. and rapper/actor Ice-T—is still rapping and rocking about the `hood is an achievement of the most basic kind. Over the last 10... Various Artists: Thisish Vol. I: Hosted by Large Professorby Quentin B. Huff[6.Apr.07] :. I'm not a music critic, but I play one on TV. And when I need a hot album to unwind to at the end of the day, I choose Thisish. Because this…is…the ish. Loveable gangsta Ice Cube ain’t done yetby Lydia Martin [McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)][5.Apr.07] :. MIAMI—Ice Cube has a bag of sunflower seeds in front of him and the TV with the sound on low in his bayfront suite. He’s trying to tell you about starring in “Are We Done... Since He Last Recorded: An Interview With RJD2by Steven J. Horowitz[4.Apr.07] :. The former hip-hop producer explains the evolution of his sound and his inability to be like Steven Tyler. Ozomatli: Dont Mess With the Dragonby Lana Cooper[30.Mar.07] :. The Grammy-winning Latin rock/hip-hop collective keeps their political priorities in order while pulling off a multi-faceted musical coup on their most pop-friendly record to date. |
|