[Photo of Bun B and El-P © virexmachina]

Picking up right where we left off, I give you the 2nd part of my chat with Bun B where I ask him about the new UGK album and the possibility of collaborating with the legendary DJ Premier. Plus, you won’t believe who he picked to win the 2008 NBA championship. (User-submitted questions are in italics.)

Peep game. Read the rest of this entry »

What began as a regular interview translated into a protracted back-and-forth with Bun B when the topic drifted to Pimp C’s legacy. I made the mistake of asking Bun what measures he would take to keep his friend’s music from being exploited a la B.I.G. and Pac. I don’t know if it was his diplomatic tact at play or the hectic schedule he was working with that day (he was on a flight back to Houston for a Louis Vuitton/II Trill listening session), but for whatever reason Bun took issue with one question and passionately defended Pimp’s family over a crime they haven’t even committed.

Here’s a transcript of my conversation with Bun, raw and unfiltered. Read the rest of this entry »

All you have to do to retain your artists is let them sleep in your couch? Who woulda thunk it?
Read the rest of this entry »

I’ll never forget the first day I saw Rich Boy up close. It was at the 2006 BET Hip-Hop Awards, in Atlanta. “Throw Some D’s” was the biggest hit on the radio at the time. But because I hardly listen to radio, I almost paid a hefty price. I was busy taking pictures on the Red Carpet alongside other journalists and photojournalists when some skinny dude in a modest outfit strolled out and struck a pose. I watched in confusion as 50 cameras shuttered simultaneously. An older shutterbug next to me, who had been relying on my “hip-hop expertise” to ID the rap stars the whole time, leaned over and asked, “Who’s that guy?” I had no clue this time. But, I decided to snap “that guy” anyway. “Who knows,” I thought to myself, “he might end up becoming famous.”

Fast forward to 2008. Rich Boy is not just famous, he’s so popular that if you placed him side by side with the mayor of his city in a classroom full of teens, the students would easily identify Rich Boy and wonder if the other guy is their new substitute teacher. Oh wait, that’s the inspiration behind Rich’s upcoming mixtape, Bigger Than the Mayor (April 15th). On the heels of his re-up album, Buried Alive, and a spanking new mixtape, I caught up with Alabama’s favorite son to pick his brain on music, politics, and life.

Pull up a seat and enjoy the conversation. Read the rest of this entry »

Lupe Fiasco – Live Lounge
Lupe and Matthew Santos stopped by BBC’s Radio 1 for an interview awhile back. They also performed an acoustic version of “Superstar” live. It’s worth it to listen to the end for their funny rendition of the Frosted Flakes theme song.

[Props: Feroz Gajia for the link]

XXLmag.com recently caught up with Crack Man X to discuss music,
life, and politics.

Here’s an excerpt from the interview: Read the rest of this entry »

Lupe explains how he sneaks social commentary into his music. If you still haven’t picked up a copy of The Cool, hurry up and align yourself with this little piece of history while everyone else is still sleeping.

Btw, congrats to Tavis on his 5th year anniversary on PBS.

Bun B – 97.9 The Box Interview Pt. 1
Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part. 6

[Audio jacked from Nah Right, Pic via Ozone]

Bun B gave an emotional interview to Houston’s 97.9 The Box yesterday. Like Bun and others, I’m still grappling with the news of C’s death. Dude was really a delight to be around. He had nothing but positive energy when I met him at the ‘Knockin’ Doorz Down” video shoot, and he worked hard to unify the south. My heart goes out to Bun, the Butler family, and all of H-Town.

Bonus Audio:
Lil Flip – Pimp C Tribute [mp3]