People that follow me on Twitter (shameless plug) might already know how I caught myself singing Big’s hook to Puffy’s ‘Been Around The World’ when I heard Lisa Stansfield on the radio a few days ago. This got me suddenly reminiscing about the ‘No Way Out‘ album and the stupid reason I sold it years ago when I hadn’t yet become the level-headed fellow I now am. History is written down to let humanity learn from past mistakes so follow me after the jump for the top 5 stupid things I did as an adolescent HipHop head. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that we’ve acknowledged the 10 Biggest Hip-Hop Acts of 1999: Then and Now, it’s only appropriate that we break out the crystal ball to see which of today’s top rappers will be flipping burgers in 10 years. Grab a seat and join us as we explore the class of 2009 and predict their future. Read the rest of this entry »

Ladies and Gentlemen of TRU, welcome to the 10/10 Club, where Rap’s 10 Biggest Acts of 1999 meets Rap’s 10 Biggest Acts of 2009. Today’s menu features an incisive analysis of yesteryear’s chart-toppers and their current status. We also invite you to check out our tasty VIP special, Where 2009’s Biggest Rap Acts Will Be in 10 Years. Together, we’ll explore the concept of longevity and see how many artists’ careers actually span a decade or fall short of it. Now, if you’ll hand over your coat to Andrew and proceed to The 10/10 Club. Enjoy your stay.

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Dr. Dre put it perfectly on “The Watcher” when he said, “Things just ain’t the same for gangstas/times is changing, young ni**as is aging/becoming old G’s in the game and changing/to make way for these new names and faces…” As the music industry evolves, and the old guard gets replaced by the new, we sometimes find that the quality of music takes a nosedive. Sometimes the old guard needs to go out to make room for the new. In the spirit of talent-over-ignorance, we’ve compiled a short list of artists who need to switch careers. Below are 15 artists who need to stop polluting our ears and put the mic down.
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So, let’s get this out the way right now: Detox is NOT No.1 on 2009’s most anticipated rap albums list, because we’ve been waiting for 2 million years to no avail. Thanks to the Legion of Procrastinators at Shady/Aftermath, Detox has graciously evolved into a cultural myth. Folklore. Legend. The greatest story never told. Banished from mortals, never to be heard except by supernatural beings powerful enough to morph into a fly. (Man, what I’d give to be a fly on Dre’s wall.) That’s the bad news. Now here’s the good news: 3 of the remaining 19 albums on this list are probably real. Read the rest of this entry »

After months of planning, we’re finally ready to unveil the 2008 Rap Critics Poll winners. For the uninitiated, every year I ask hip-hop bloggers, journalists, critics, etc, to send me their respective Best of Hip-Hop lists, which we then tally up (using a 1-10 point system) to determine the year’s best hip-hop music. Now in its 3rd year, the Rappity Rap list received a unique birthday gift — its very own website! My boy Ivan had the awesome responsibility of counting and re-counting all the ballots, while the homey Zilla, who’s been killing the web design game for a minute, was kind enough to build the site during the holiday break.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the 2008 Rap Critics Poll:

• HIPHOPCRITIC.com.

As we mark the 12th anniversary of Tupac Shakur’s death, I couldn’t help but think of all the hip-hop figures who left us long before we could complain of how bored we are of their music. While it’s true that death is terrible no matter when it strikes, this list aims to acknowledge 10 hip-hop artists who showed flashes of brilliance but never had a chance to reach their peak. [Disclaimer: This list ONLY includes artists aged 30 and younger.]
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(The following entry is rife with lists and subjective statements. If you’re allergic to annotated recommendations, please consult your doctor before proceeding.)

Contrary to what critics would have you believe, there’s been plenty of good hip-hop music this year. From the rise of promising new acts like Reks and Mickey Factz to the resurgence of OGs like Nas and Bun B, it’s been an eventful year indeed.

With the first 7 months of 2008 now officially behind us, it’s time to take a closer look at the very best hip-hop albums*, songs, mixtapes, and collaborations of the year, so far. And let’s not forget the shitty ones.
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If you’re looking to hit the gym hard this Summer, you might want to take a minute and browse through Shannon’s great list of hip-hop workout songs. It’s a well-rounded list, but I insisted on the inclusion of “Lose Yourself” and almost pestered her to find a spot for “One Mic.” You gotta love the way the beat rises and falls in a peaks-and-valleys kinda way on “One Mic.”

• 25 Best Hip-Hop Workout Songs

If you have any favorite workout songs missing from the list, feel free to share.

Like we always do at this time…

Just because I haven’t set eyes on my mom for nearly a decade doesn’t mean we can’t have fun on Mother’s Day. Make a playlist of these beautiful songs for that special woman today and she’ll cherish the gesture all year long.

Without further ado, I give you Rizoh’s hand-picked mother’s day hip-hop playlist.

• Beanie Sigel - “Mom Praying” (Feat Scarface)
• Saigon - “If…(My Mommy)”
• Royce da 5′9″ - “Black Girl”
• Nas - “Dance”
• Talib Kweli - “Momma Can U Hear Me”
• Kanye West - “Hey Mama” [Original]
• Kanye West - “Hey Mama” [Grammy version]
• 2Pac - “Dear Mama”
• Snoop Dogg - “I Love My Momma”
• Jay-Z - “Momma Loves Me”
• Ghostface - “All That I Got Is You” (Feat Mary J Blige)

You’re all welcome.