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Gallery Music Heavyweight Hip-Hop: Rick Ross

September 14, 2011 - 8:22 am

The “I Am Still Music” hip-hop tour drew impressive crowds as it made its way across the country for its 2011 run. The tour (headlined by Lil Wayne and featuring Keri Hilson, Far East Movement, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross and more) ended its run on September 11th in Woodlands, TX. While Wayne took front and center, the rest of the performers, including Ross, held their own, contributing to the aura of the traveling festival.

If you’re unfamiliar with Ross, allow me to bring you up to speed. Ross is an artist who has dominated large parts of the hip-hop scene for years. Ross was one of the forerunners in revamping Miami’s rap scene and putting it back in the national spotlight. Predominantly influenced by Luther Campbell and the Notorious B.I.G., he began rapping in the 1990’s, fronting the group, Carol City Cartel. Their sound took its cue from Ross’ unique baritone voice; makes sense considering Ross is an imposing six feet at 300lbs.

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Gallery Music Shredding the Gnar with Lil Wayne

by Mike Bucher and Joe Gall

September 8, 2011 - 10:55 am

Releasing albums from prison, changing genre gears and putting out rock albums, shredding the gnar at skate parts, Lil Wayne, it seems, is scared of nothing. You’ve got to respect a man who refuses to play it safe, a man who abhors following a formula, a man who will strap on a helmet and hit the coping.

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Gallery Music Keri Hilson: No Boys Allowed… Except Maybe Lil Wayne

by Barbie Brady and Joe Gall

August 31, 2011 - 12:00 pm

Say what you will about Keri Hilson, the girl is talented, determined, beautiful and in all the right company. Currently on the I Am Still Music Tour with Lil Wayne, Lloyd, Far East Movement and Rick Ross. Her sophomore album, No Boys Allowed has proved that she is no flash in the pan. Her strong voice and sex appeal continues to propel her above and beyond some of her lesser contemporaries (you know who they are).

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Music When your G6 is down, What you Gon’ do? Hitchhike? FEM has a “Man Up Moment”

by Mike Bucher and Joe Gall

August 26, 2011 - 10:50 am

The Far East Movement could have used a G6 yesterday when their tour bus broke down in the middle of the New Mexico desert, leaving them to thumb a ride back to civilization (seriously, this just happened). A rep from the band told TMZ that “the guys were traveling from Missouri to Phoenix when their bus died … stranding them 50 miles away from the nearest taxi service … which refused to send a car that far.”

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Gallery Music Shoot First (While Smiling): Flying Lotus

by Ryan Patrick Hooper and Joe Gall

June 10, 2011 - 8:37 am

Within five minutes of Flying Lotus’ set on the Red Bull Music Academy stage at Movement on Memorial Day, it was obvious why he was closing down the stage for the weekend. Flying Lotus (born Steven Ellison) came in with a “shoot first, ask questions later” mentality. After rumors that he might be late (no one wanted to see his much anticipated set reduced), Ellison arrived like he had something to prove.

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Gallery Music Be Easy, the Weezy

by Barbie Brady and Joe Gall

May 11, 2011 - 10:56 am

Lil Wayne may be a lot of things to a lot of people; a rapper, producer, felon, & father. But on Sunday night he was nothing short of spectacular as he closed the three day Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey. He took the stage for a little over an hour as the sun kissed weary crowd stayed transfixed. From an artist who’s playbook includes so many featured acts and guest vocals, one might think the whole Young Money crew travels attached at the hip, but not so. Lil Wayne proved that not only can he carry a show relatively alone, he is in fact a true performer.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 2/4/11

by Amanda Boyd

February 4, 2011 - 11:20 am

I instantly loved The Kills from the moment I first heard them (many moons ago now). Something about their gritty sound that just, in my opinion, exudes pure rock and sex and I can’t get enough of it. Have seen them a few times live (along with The Dead Weather) and have yet to see another chick on stage who’s as sexy or badass as Alison Mosshart. Here’s the first single off their forthcoming album Blood Pressures (out in the UK on April 4^th and the U.S. on April 5^th) entitled “Satellite”. Per The Kills website: For fans of the street hassle swagger and sass that has come to be associated with THe Kills, it’s still alive and well in their new material, but with an added depth and thoughtfulness which is undoubtedly reflected in the at, at times, frankly heartbreaking lyrics. The Kills haven’t disposed of their edgy rock identity, they’ve merely built upon it and created something even more special.

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Music For Dee-1, Music Has A Mission

by Soren Baker

February 3, 2011 - 9:58 am

Though the South spawned such top-notch lyricists as Scarface, Big Mike, 8Ball & MJG and OutKast in the 1980s and 1990s, the region was never regarded as a lyrical hotbed. Lil Wayne is doing his best to correct this wrong.

Dee-1 may be next in line. The New Orleans rapper set the Internet ablaze in late 2010 with “Jay, 50, and Weezy,” an inventive cut where he imagined a conversation he would have with each artist. But rather than just begging to be signed, Dee-1 saluted each rapper before pointing out ways they could help their communities and the rap community.

Virtually instantly, Dee-1 became a rare Southern MC: a rapper known for his lyrics, his creativity and his musical agenda. “When you have a calling and a mission, it doesn’t matter where you’re from,” Dee-1 says today. “I think it’s just all about exposure to people and that’s what I’m focusing on, just getting exposure to people. I think that regardless of me being from New Orleans, being from the South, whatever people might label me as, I think it’s just a connection that people are going to make to my purpose and to my movement. So I don’t think that geography is going to matter.”

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Mandy's Awesome Music Mail Mandy Mail! Hello Rocktober!

by Amanda Boyd

October 1, 2010 - 10:38 am

Hello kiddiwinks! Your favorite time of the week is upon us once again; I am of course referring to the moment when you all get to bask in the glory that is my weekly music news recap. I’ve finally recovered from the oh so lovely cold a certain someone gave me (you know who you are, but don’t worry, I still totes love you) and am feeling back to normal once again! Eeee! Happy panda paws in the air! So, without further ado, let’s get to it shall we?
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Daily Dots Daily Dots: DJ AM, Iron Man 2, N.E.R.D., Malcolm McLaren, Lil Wayne, Optimo, Noel Gallagher, Mr. Oizo, Coachella Babes

by admin

April 22, 2010 - 7:29 pm

Today’s bloggin best…

- DJ AM gives Tony Stark a “phat beat” in Iron Man 2 cameo. LAT

- Hear a snippet of N.E.R.D. featuring Nelly Furtado. 2DopeBoyz

- Malcolm McLaren’s punk rock funeral was “mayhem.” D-Listed

- Watch a 45 minute documentary on haunted troubadour Nick Drake. DeadWhiteHorse

- Producer is suing Lil Wayne over his share of the rapper’s “Lollipop.” SOHH

- Commercial for Fela Kuti Broadway show hits New York stations. Wooha

- Fan generated Best of Optimo is the best playlist ever. Optimo

- Noel Gallagher assailant gets house arrest, so you can send him thank you gifts. Prefix

- Preview for Mr. Oizo’s upcoming film, Rubber. Format Mag

- Hot chicks at Coachella. LA Weekly / GQ / LAT / Esquire