Cole James Cash proves that being a homeless, recovering drug addict who wears a mask is no obstacle to making rap albums and hanging with XXXL XXX gals. Robbie: Tell me about the BBW album? Cole James Cash: I was trying to make the shit sound romantic, as ridiculous as it sounds. I was trying…
Category: Features
In-depth coverage
Akili Walker – The Unkut Interview
The always under-appreciated role of the engineer, both in the studio and on tour, is always a fascinating one. Akili Walker, who has worked with everyone from hip-hop production legend Larry Smith to James Brown, Eddie Kendricks, Kurtis Blow, Prince, George Clinton and LL Cool J, took some time out after the release of his…
That Shit I Don’t Like: Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star Album
The Rawkus era, so fondly remembered by misty-eyed hip-hop forum regulars as some kind of third golden era, left me largely nonplussed at the time and with the steady passage of time passing us by, many of those records haven’t aged well at all. I was all about Hydra Entertainment and Tru Criminal, personally, but…
Why Can’t Ice Cube Keep Any Rap Friends?
When it comes to burning bridges, O’Shea Jackson may be the most accomplished hip-hop artist in the history of the music. It seems as if everyone who has ever had even the slightest involvement with him on a professional level has either gone on to record a diss song about him or made a series…
Searching For The Akafella – The Akinyele Video Collection
Inspired by this Martorialist Akineyele Deep Cuts compilation, I began to revisit some of Akafella’s later work, and it turns out that it’s a lot more entertaining now that the bitter taste of disappointment of him abandoning the genius of songs like “Exercise” and “Outta State” for endless variations of songs about poon have since…
No Country For Old (Rap) Men: A Brief History of Porn Rap
Coolio‘s back but there’s no sign of DJ Crazy Toones. Speaking of which, why is Wikipedia telling me that the MADD Circle made an album this year and then broke-up again? No Country For Old (Rap) Men: A Brief History of Porn Rap
Bobby Simmons [Stetsasonic] – The Unkut Interview, Part Two
Continuing my discussion with Stetsasonic drummer Bobby Simmons, we discuss touring, Flavor Flav ethering Prince, the rivalry with EPMD, beef with WreckX N Effect and vaulted tracks. Robbie: Touring must have been essential back then. Bobby Simmons: The best tour I’ve ever done was that Run-DMC Run’s House tour. Every night I would sit on…
Ten EPMD Deep Cuts
Erick and Parrish made some dollars, then “someone” robbed P’s crib and E Double “fell” out of a window. We’re all familiar with their many hit singles, but here are a selection of worthy album tracks from the seven group albums, plus a couple from when they went for “delf.”
Track By Track: Diamond D Breaks Down The Diam Piece Album
Diamond D is releasing his latest project, The Diam Piece, on 30 September so I caught up with him to find out the stories behind each track and get a little bit of insight into the process of constructing a production project with so many guests. Diamond D: It’s more or less a production LP,…
Bobby Simmons [Stetsasonic] – The Unkut Interview, Part One
Bobby Simmons is best known as a member of Stetsasonic, the original “Hip-Hop Band,” but during an extensive conversation with him last week he also shared some classic memories about Melle Mel trolling new rappers in the late 80’s, a two-year stint as a DJ at the Latin Quarters and the escapades of Eric B….
Great One-Shot Wonders
These aren’t one hit wonders, since none of these records were technically “hits” in the traditional sense. This is more of a collection of rappers who only got one chance to shine before they got a steady city job with a pension or dangled in record company hell for all eternity.
Ten Essential 80’s Rap B-Sides
These are ten essential 80’s b-sides, from the time when the 12″ single truly reigned supreme. “La Di Da Di” isn’t included as it’s basically a double A-side single for all intents and purposes. Technically “Ego Trippin’” also started out as a b-side on the second pressing of “To Give You Love,” but those are…