The UMC’s: Staten Island’s Forgotten Sons (Documentary Trailer)

In Hip Hop and music you cannot mention Staten Island without mentioning the iconic group The UMC’s. Haas G and Kool Kim were the first rap group to put Staten Island at the forefront of Hip Hop. The duo was also the first rap group out of Staten Island to appear and perform on Soul […]

Ghostface & Ewing Athletics Team For “Ironman” 25th Anniversary Shoe

Ewing Athletics has had a huge resurgence in the last couple years due in large part to shoe collaborations with venerated 1990s Hip-Hop acts like AZ, Cormega, Big L (RIP), Naughty By Nature, Onyx, Havoc, CNN, as well as more contemporary artists like Benny The Butcher, 2Chainz, Rick Ross, Sean Price (RIP), and David Banner. […]

Twenty-Five Years Later: ‘Reasonable Doubt’ and the Iconic Career of Jay-Z

It’s safe to say that twenty-five years ago, none of us could have possibly foreseen what Jay-Z would go on to become and how important he would be to hip-hop. In twenty-five years, the kid from Marcy Projects whose grandma fed him banana pudding would go on to have fourteen #1 albums, sell fifty million […]

The Bad Seed is Ready To Square Off, Find Out Who’s Ready

Headlines read “Royce Da 5’9 and Lupe Fiasco Trade Bars On Instagram,” but what mainstream media sites fail to mention is what led up to that hype. RJ Payne who skyrocketed from underground to mainstream tweeted “Right now nobody is rapping better than me and Ransom.” Royce Da 5’9 added, “Yea you said it…Ransom said […]

Riley Wallace Kickstarts His “From Boom Bap To Trap: Hip Hop’s Greatest Producers” Book

There has never been a book like this. Written and illustrated by noted hip-hop journalist Riley Wallace, From Boom Bap to Trap: Hip-Hop’s Greatest Producers is a groundbreaking compendium that not only digs deep into the stories and catalogs of icons like Pete Rock, RZA, Dr. Dre, and DJ Premier but also features highly influential […]

Legends Never Die: DMX (A Rare Breed)

The phenomenon that is DMX only happens once in two lifetimes. He stood as the voice for those who didn’t have one and was the hope for the hopeless. We understood his pain and listened as he bared his soul and went to war with his demons. When he made it to the top we […]

M.O.U.F. Prepares to Release New Album, ‘Day Breakers’

Lyricism, word play, and extended metaphors are all aspects of hip hop and the reason so many are fascinated and drawn to the genre. For the listeners, the bars and beats embrace their minds and hearts as they resonate with the stories being told. For the rappers, hip hop is a form of expression and […]

UNDRCRWND – John Jigg$ VS Innocent?

UPDATE: Stay tuned for the UNDRCRWND: Innocent? vs John Jigg$ mixtape – coming soon! Weekly Rap Gods announces the second official UNDRCRWND on Saturday, January 16th between John Jigg$ and Innocent?. Who will be crowned the winner? Both are lyrical heavyweights, both fan favorites, both hold a strong reign over NY (past and present), and […]

The Most Important Bassists in Hip Hop

Hip Hop wouldn’t be what it is without the bass guitar. Since the earliest, sample-driven days of hip hop, the bass guitar has been a crucial part of hip hop’s evolution. From veteran effects pedal-hogging luminaries like Pino Palladino to contemporary producer-musicians like Brady Watt, let’s dive into the world of the most important bassists in […]

Legends Never Die: Prodigy (Episode 3)

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mobb Deep‘s monumental sophomore album The Infamous, I pause and say to myself, “Damn, Prodigy is really dead.” Prodigy has been gone for three years now. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when he passed. I was at work walking through the lobby, going […]

Mass Appeal: New Noise Out the Northeast

When it comes to East Coast hip-hop, Boston—and Massachusetts as a whole—hasn’t garnered the same attention as neighboring cities like New York and Philadelphia. While there have been individual success stories, such as Guru of Gang Starr, viral sensation Joyner Lucas, boom-bap torchbearer producer Statik Selektah, and Ed O.G., acts on their level have been […]

20 Years Later: ‘Supreme Clientele’ Reminds Us All that Wu-Tang Is Forever

When the Wu emerged on the scene with their monumental single “C.R.E.A.M.” off their debut album Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993, it was like a new day in hip hop. It’s safe to say that the Wu changed hip hop forever. They were a part of what I like to call the […]

30 Years Later: ‘All Hail the Queen’ Still Sits On the Throne

Queen Latifah has led a career many rappers can’t hold a candle to. To keep it totally 100, not many in the entertainment business can say they’ve accomplished half of what she has. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grammy Award, Emmy Award, Golden Globe, two NAACP Image Awards, over two million albums […]

Rapper Skillz & Lena Waithe Bury the Hatchet Over Strong ‘Queen & Slim’ Criticism

The movie Queen & Slim has received mixed reactions amongst critics. Recently, Emmy award winner and producer of the film Lena Waithe and rapper Skillz became the center of attention in what looked like an online tiff over the film. Thirty-five-year-old Chicago-born Lena is an actress, screenwriter and producer. She is best known for her […]

The Legacy of Nas Doesn’t Stop At ‘Illmatic’

When you talk to the average hip hop fan about Nas and ask them what’s his best work, a good amount of the time you’ll hear Illmatic. If you ask them why, you usually get the cliche, “Man, the beats were incredible. He had DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Q-tip, and L.E.S. He painted […]

Review: Ras Kass ‘Soul On Ice 2’ Album + Book

If your into heavy lyricism and Boom Bap beats like I am, Soul On Ice 2 will be very enjoyable for you. It took me a few listens and a read through the SOI2 book (which was a great idea btw) for me to grasp everything. Ras Kass has one of the best pen games […]

SuperSTah Snuk & Termanology “ISIS” Freestyle

ST Da Squad lyrical governances SuperSTah Snuk and Termanology release mercenary “ISIS” Freestyle. Snuk returns with an unyielding comeback, reminding the rap world he’s no beginner. Bar for bar his uncontrollable rhyme schemes are blowing up boroughs causing fatal casualties. Term gunboats in with his own reminders on how quickly he can erase rooms, literally […]

Termanology & Dame Grease ‘Set In Stone’ LP

Termanology teams up with platinum producer Dame Grease for Set In Stone album, available now on all digital platforms. The lyrically conveyed canvas features Method Man, Bun B, Enisa, Vado, LA Novel, Wizz Dakota, Millyz, Sheek Louch, Wais P, Lil Fame of M.O.P, C Scharp, and Ea$y Money. Stream/Buy Here Set In Stone serves as […]

Willie The Kid Signs On As Producer Of PBS Langston Hughes Documentary

Hip Hop artist & entrepreneur Willie the Kid has joined on as a producer for I Too Sing America: Langston Hughes Unfurled a documentary slated to be released in 2020 through PBS’ American Masters Series about the great American poet, novelist, playwright, columnist & social activist who rose to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance. Willie & his […]

Thirstin Howl the 3rd Premieres Kung Fu Film ‘General Lo and the Legend of the Lo Palm’

Thirstin Howl the 3rd, a revered icon in the hip hop culture, embarks on a cinematic journey. Growing up in NY, Kung Fu films were wildly popular and still are. Thirstin puts a magnificent Love and Loyalty spin on his recent theatric debut in General Lo and the Legend of the Lo Palm. The cast […]