Thursday, February 9 2012
“Don’t Let Me Fall”: Hip-Hop in the Age of Austerity
Rappers have always wrestled with the question of how to succeed in a society where the odds are stacked against them. The biggest difference now is that their middle class listeners have the same worries.
Wednesday, October 26 2011
Austin City Limits: Friday 16 September 2011
Even the sticky situation of having Kanye West and Coldplay sort of split the Friday night finale on opposite sides of Zilker Park was a wise and calculated decision.
Monday, October 10 2011
Has-Lo: In Case I Don’t Make It
Has-Lo's latest may not brighten your day with its demeanor, but his abilities on the mic are certainly worth your attention.
Thursday, September 22 2011
Watch the Discourse: Luxury Rap, Success and Self-Absorption
The value of a release as large as Watch the Throne is that it goes beyond the gargantuan personalities involved or even the monster show dates designed to promote it. Part of the value is the discussion it generates.
Friday, August 12 2011
Jay-Z & Kanye West: Watch the Throne
It's not the beacon of creativity that some may expect on the heels of Kanye's epic 2010, but Watch the Throne is definitely one of 2011's most entertaining, ear-perking offerings.
Monday, August 8 2011
Hip-Hop’s Heartbreak: Kanye West – “Coldest Winter” and “Pinocchio Story”
808s & Heartbreak -- and this Between the Grooves series -- wraps up with a two-song tandem that exemplifies everything Kanye West's masterpiece-before-the-masterpiece is about.
Monday, August 1 2011
Hip-Hop’s Heartbreak: Kanye West – “See You in My Nightmare”
West consciously kept the guest spots and big-name collaborations at a minimum when constructing his fourth album. That mantra allowed this particular joint effort to stand firmly on its own among some of the best work he has ever been a part of.
Monday, July 25 2011
Hip-Hop’s Heartbreak: Kanye West – “Bad News”
Don't discount "Bad News" because of its placement on 808s & Heartbreak. It's still one of the best art-pop compositions of our time.
Monday, July 18 2011
Hip-Hop’s Heartbreak: Kanye West – “Street Lights”
Kanye kicks off 808s & Heartbreak's home stretch with a song often over-looked, though never discredited.
