Stylistically, rap has exploded, and the pieces fall everywhere from the mind-bogglingly complex to the unbelievably simple, from the brazenly dissident to the unapologetically mainstream. Rappers’ influences seem to come from everywhere, but the stylistic differences between an Aesop Rock and a 2 Chainz are so stark, they got us…
GETO BOYS @ SUMMIT MUSIC HALL | SAT, 6/22/13 When it comes to the history of hip-hop in the Dirty South, it begins with Geto Boys and their self-titled, Rick Rubin-produced debut. The group had existed, though with a different cast, since ’86, but it wasn’t until the turn of…
On Million Dollar Mixtape, MDZ affects a king-from-the-gutter persona. In rap and beyond, it’s a classic, always viable story. The challenge is telling the story in a way that’s fresh and new. While the opening track, “STRONG,” includes some personal moments that help explain MDZ’s character, most of the tape…
On the Dizzo Drizz Dotta EP, Benjamin Banks deserves credit not only for his selection of musical ingredients, which are as diverse and unconventional as hymnal chants and telephone rings, but also for his contextualization of those ingredients into consumable entrees. Banks has broken out of the box of traditional…
JUICY J @ CERVANTES’ MASTERPIECE BALLROOM | 5/28/13 Juicy J is like the frying pan that you don’t wash. You’d never show your guests you’re cooking with him, but he is just so damned flavorful. With the crowd at Cervantes’ already in his hand, and the energy fading somewhat, Juicy…
Time (aka Chris Steele) has long been focused on enacting positive change and has rarely been shy about voicing his opinions. As a journalist, he’s written on controversial subjects ranging from UFOs to the government’s role in the death of Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party — and has…
This week’s crop of new local hip-hop jams is particularly eclectic, ranging from boom-bap to electronic to jazzy to funk. We’ve got tracks from Wheelchair Sports Camp, Bullhead*ded, Molina Speaks and PIKE. Keep reading to see what’s good. See also: – Fresh local hip-hop from Atak One, Planes!, Foodchain and…
3 LOCO @ CERVANTES’ MASTERPIECE BALLROOM | 5/17/13 First there was silence. Then there was hysterical screaming, as Andy Milonakis walked on stage. “Pussy, pussy, pussy, marijuana,” he rapped over and over again. Yup. This was definitely a 3 Loco show. What a curse 3 Loco faces; they’re completely average…
Any song that manages to tell a story is impressive, but when a story is carried through an entire project, when the words are dedicated to a single plot and a clear ideological focus, it’s a substantially ambitious and adventurous undertaking. Whereas the media has struggled to be the first…
Mobb Deep has had an illustrious career that’s spanned seven albums and more than a decade, but, really, this pair will forever be remembered for a single, legendary song: “Shook Ones, Pt. II,” which took an unlikely Herbie Hancock sample and transformed it into a nihilistic anthem. With tracks like…
Pusha T and his brother No Malice rose to prominence as Clipse with the single “Grindin’,” which sported a minimal Neptunes beat of simple snaps and bangs, allowing its re-creation on lunchroom tables across America. Now, more than a decade later, Pusha T is on Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music label. Thanks…
Drug culture isn’t relegated exclusively to rock, obviously. For its part, the rap game is equally loaded with drug references of all kinds, from Promethazine and DMT to LSD and PCP, and likewise addled with its own cautionary tales and fatalities. While there’s nothing as concrete to suggest that drugs…
Welcome back to another edition of That’s a Rap. This week, we’ve got another a fresh batch of homegrown hip-hop for you. Whether you’re looking for a rugged, classic sound or a laid-back joint, we’ve got you covered with new cuts from Atak One, Planes!, Foodchain and Zome of Diamond…
FLOBOTS @ AGGIE THEATRE | FRI, 5/3/13 Half a decade after releasing the platinum single “Handlebars,” which made rounds on radios across the country, the Flobots have grown significantly, both as a musical group and as a philanthropic force within the Denver community. Since parting ways with Universal Records after…
Since hip-hop’s genesis, beef has been as integral a driving force to the art as bravado. There’ve been some titanic tangles over the years, from Canibus facing off with LL Cool J to Jay-Z and Nas locking horns with one another, all of them resulting in some relentless and incendiary…
There’s something great about a hip-hop group. From the beginning, rap was never intended to be a solo endeavor; it began in cyphers at block parties, and the first established rappers were components of a collective centered around the more important DJ. Even now that the rapper is the star,…
Since 4/20’s this weekend, we would be remiss if we didn’t give you some great new local jams to smoke to. Nothing’s better than hip-hop whilst being blitzed into another realm of consciousness. And we’re representing all styles today: SP Double for the purists (though he gets a little rowdy…
There’s something great about a hip-hop group. From the beginning, it was never intended to be a solo endeavor; rap began in cyphers at block parties, and the first established rappers were components of a collective centered around the more important DJ. Even now that the rapper is the star,…
Fade’s Audio Racketeering has some unique personality traits, taking cues from both Dirty South pimpology and modern dance pop — a combination that produces some engaging results and others that are poorly conceived, badly mixed and just boring. As a rapper, Fade is serviceable — which is to say, he…
This Friday, Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan is teaming up with DJ Premier to celebrate 4/20 at the 420 Extravaganja this Friday, April 19, at HoodLab. This show marks the first time Raekwon and DJ Premier share a bill. We spoke with Raekwon about the prospect of performing with one…
Dyalekt, an MC from the Denver hip-hop collective known as the Diamond Boiz, has decided after a long period of contemplation to officially change his name to his longtime nickname Jay Class. The decision comes more than a year after his appropriately titled album, Death By Ego, and precedes his…
The East Coast, particularly New York, is the mecca of hip-hop. It is it’s birthplace and still the most reliable source for pure, uncut, unadulterated rap music. Chronicling the great MCs from the region would result in a list of hundreds. Ranking the top ten proves somewhat limiting, but it’s…
