In-depth coverage
Women in rap have always had an uphill battle, in that even female rap fans don’t seem to be particularly interested in hearing girls rapping if record sales are anything to go by. White chicks in rap have the natural advantage of still being enough of a gimmick that it’s easier to overlook things like…
It was reported yesterday that the final album from A Tribe Called Quest has hit number one on the Billboard chart, which is an impressive accomplishment in this day and age. But rather than doing the predictable thing and celebrating this achievement, let us take a moment to discuss the about-face that Q-Tip has made…
It’s been announced that there is to be a new album from everybody’s favorite nineties nostalgia collective, A Tribe Called Quest. Granted, their second and third albums were brilliant, but the idea of listening to Q-Tip, Jarobi, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the late Phife perform new material leaves me cold. I liked Tip’s last solo…
Notorious rag the New York Post were having a slow news day this weekend so they’ve directed their attention to ‘exposing’ Ka for leading a ‘double life’ as fire chief during the day and an ‘anti-cop’ rapper by night. I thought it was fairly well known that Ka worked for the NY Fire Dept within…
There you are, just minding your business, when suddenly – seemingly out of nowhere – another rapper dude decides to return to the game and put out a new album. While this is all well and good (I wouldn’t say no the idea of a second Barsha record) in theory at least, insofar as I’m…
Prince Be of PM Dawn passed away on 17 June, 2016. While best remembered for Whisper Rapping over a Spandau Ballet loop by most music fans in the nineties, rap fanatics most commonly associate him as the victim of KRS-One being pushed too far by the disrespect of his peers. He was also an avid…
For a new regular feature, I thought it would be interesting to revisit some albums that were originally lauded as classics in their time to see how they still hold up, or have the sands of time dulled their shine? Peter and Cory’s first full-length was feverishly anticipted following both their enjoyable debut EP and…
‘I don’t like to dance or shake my butt, I leave that to the brothers with the funny haircuts…’ No Country for Old (Rap) Men: The Wacky World of Novelty Dance Raps
Last year I had the opportunity to interview The Original Gangster of Hip-Hop himself, Just-Ice. While it didn’t exactly go as planned, it was reassuring to speak to a rapper who was exactly how I imagined him to be from listening to his records. It proved to be a baffling, frustrating and sometimes hilarious journey…
Robstradaumus strikes again… No Country for Old (Rap) Men: Rap predictions for 2016
Here’s a soundtrack to yesterday’s interview, presented in approximately chronological order. Download: A Salute To Pumpkin
Little is known about the legendary drummer/producer behind classic rap jams from Enjoy, Profile and Tuff City, so when his nephew Koolie Kookoo hit me up this past December I jumped at the chance to find out more about the great man. Here are some of Koolie’s favourite memories and anecdotes of his uncle. Robbie:…