How can I put this eloquently? I fucking love me some Black Keys right now. The production duo, who most hip-hop heads probably know from their work on “Blakroc” project, have just released a stellar new album “Brothers”, and fittingly from one of the most creative beatsmith’s in the game, the new video for their single “Tighten Up” is one of the most entertaining flicks I’ve seen in a minute. See more…

Preparing to showcase the songs that didn’t make last year’s “The Kendrick Lamar EP” on his aptly-named “The Songs That Didn’t Make the Kendrick Lamar EP” (OK, you probably didn’t need me to spell that one out), Compton phenom Kendrick Lamar has cooked up a new video with the help of DJ Dave. Featuring spectacularly dope leaked track “The Heart Pt. 1,” the video gives fans a glimpse into the artist’s daily activities, from record-shopping to putting on one hell of a live show. Watch/Download…

Whenever I hear the title “Grizzly Bear” I recall the 2005 documentary about grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed while living among grizzlies in Alaska.  In attempt to end the connect between this title and thought I watched the new Kidz In The Hall video of the same name five times.  Read more…

Unpredictable but always insightful Jersey native The ILLZ gets serious on the first official video off his highly-acclaimed The Pursuit LP, for a track with the intriguingly wordy title “The Moment You Feel Definite Hope” The Kristopher Rey-Talley-directed video sees the artist wandering the streets of NYC’s SoHo/Little Italy. In true hip-hop fashion, it was shot in one hour with no closed sets and no permits. Watch…

In continuation of what seems to be an increasingly popular trend that has a member of a group or duo branching out on his own (Andre misses you, Big Boi), we now have Amplive, the producing, DJing half of Zion I, ready to impress us. Amp, with his heavily electronic, machine-inspired, semi-robotic production with help from guest emcee Mickey Factz, urges us to “Turn It Up” (our speakers, that is). Watch the Video…

After taking December ‘09 off to clear his head, up-and-coming rapper Web hopped right back into the studio in January 2010; “Waiting to Exhale” was the first track to result. This new video chronicles a recording session that was frustrating (parents, cover your children’s ears) but ultimately rewarding. And then frustrating again. In any case, it all turned out dope-ly in the end. Watch…

Although I first became aware of the man due to some Don Cannon-related drama following his “Red Bottoms” track, GhostWridah has quickly become one of my favorite new emcees thanks to the strength of tracks like his “Just Begun (Freestyle)” and his latest offering “Still Not Famous”. Quick detour: The production on this, coming to us courtesy of Miami Beat Wave, is epically ill. I don’t know where that sample is from, but it will haunt your dreams. Listen and download…

As I mentioned in part 1 of our Block of Biggie, it just so happens that I live only a few blocks away from Farifax and Wilshire, the intersection where Biggie was shot and killed on March 9, 1997. With that in mind, I thought we’d take a closer look at the intersection that changed hip-hop forever, a landmark location that has absolutely no memorial of any kind. See more…

On one level I feel bad for Ron Browz. He was a legitimately talented producer (check Nas’ “Ether”) who was having trouble getting work, so he jumped on the auto-tune club craze, found some quick success, and is now on the outside again after “D.O.A.” Honestly, I feel a little bad for the man, but not bad enough to excuse the travesty that is his new video for “$20.” See more

As I worked on my review of Mariah Carey’s new album “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” for DJBooth.net, one thing kept coming up again and again. No, not, “Is it just me, or do Mariah’s breasts look particularly large on this album cover?” (Although they do.) No, I kept coming back to her lead single “Obsessed” and thinking, “Could Mariah be one of the first battle rappers/pop singers?” As improbable as it might seem, Mariah Carey, a woman whose symbol is a butterfly and married the world’s least threatening rapper Nick Cannon, might just be one of the only people to ever defeat Eminem in a battle.