Karmaloop rapped it up with Slick Rick backstage a day before his pardon.

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The homey Corey Bloom interviews Slick Rick

Slick Rick brought his string of hip-hop hits and 300 gold chains to Houston’s Warehouse Live last night. A source of electrifying energy and inspiration, the 42-year old Rick treated the crowd of mostly hip-hop hippies^{© Rae} to golden oldies like “Mona Lisa,” “Hey Young World,” and “Children’s Story.”

Willie D (of the Geto Boys) was in the audience, as was Bun B. To his credit, Bun shows up at 4 out of every 5 hip-hop concerts in H-Town. Dude is a true hometown hero.

Check out some exclusive pics from the concert after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

It must feel good to have to perform your single live on air without worrying about bleeping out cuss words in between breaths.

“Not a Criminal” didn’t connect with his audience, so Chamillionaire did the smart thing. Reset his campaign, recruited certified hit-machine JR Rotem, and unleashed a new lead single. This time, he also hooked up with one of the greatest storytellers of all time, MC Ricky D himself.

Sounds like “Ridin’ Pt. II,” but it’s definitely an upgrade from “Not a Criminal.”

Ultimate Victory in stores September 18. Mixtape Messiah 3 drops July 18.