Pumpkinhead and Sucio Smash [Photo by: Photo Rob] As most of you already know, long-time indy rap champion Pumpkinhead passed away this week at only 39 years old, tragically leaving behind his pregnant wife and two kids. I’m not really qualified to speak on the man’s numerous contributions, but Chaz Kangas has put together a…
Editor’s note: The following interview was conducted by Bill Zimmerman in 2007 for the now defunct print edition of Modern Fix magazine prior to the release of Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger. This Sunday marks the fifth anniversary of Guru’s passing. On April 19, 2010, the rapper born Keith Elam died…
Larry Smith passed away on the night of Thursday 18 December 2014, seven years after suffering a stroke that left him incapacitated. His son, Larry Smith Jnr. apparently read Larry the article I wrote about him for Cuepoint in October and he is said to have enjoyed it, so at least he knew that there…
DJ Father Shaheed of Poor Righteous Teachers was killed in an accident while riding his motorbike on 26 May, 2014. After releasing “Time To Say Peace” on the independent North Side Records in 1989, Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom and Father Shaheed (who was going by the handle of Devine on the original pressing), they were…
Just read this wonderfully comprehensive feature on Big L over at Complex, titled Casualty of the Game: The Big L Story, and was inspired to collate a few stories of my own from past interviews. T-Ray, Peter Oasis, Milano and AG all share some memories involving The Devil’s Son…
Today would have been Sha Lumi The Great‘s birthday, if he hadn’t been taken from the physical in January 2010. I’ll be premiering the first release from his second album, The Shepard, later today, but in the meantime let’s take a minute to reminisce about his time on this small planet… Killa Sha – The…
Last week, the rap world celebrated the third annual “Dilla Day.” Here are some other folk who also deserve that kind of attention… No Country For Old (Rap) Men: Hip-Hop Legends Deserving Of Their Own Dilla-Day Style Dedications
Kenny Lou aka Kamakazee from Screwball passed away five years ago. Here are sixteen examples of this Galaxy of Queens representative doing his thing while we pour out a little Henny/Jameson, including tracks from the aborted Warner Brothers album with Kyron that eventually dropped as singles on Pirate and Hydra. Hoo Ha! Download: A Tribute…
Seems like the perfect time to revisit Uptown‘s memories of his friendship with Biggie Smalls… Uptown: I was about 10, 11 years old. I grew up in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York – about three blocks from where Biggie Smalls lived. Me and a whole bunch of friends would go around in the neighborhood and do…
Just dug-up this section from my 2011 interview with Keyboard Money Mike about the late, great Tim Dog: Keyboard Money Mike: You know Tim Dog? I used to DJ on tour with Tim Dog for a good two years. Robbie: From the “Fuck Compton” period? Oh my god…we went to LA to perform that song!…
Tim Dog was in a league of his own. After his debut on Ultramagnetic MC’s “A Chorus Line” (the b-side of their “Travelling At The Speed of Thought” single), it would be another two years until he dropped the hilarious “Fuck Compton” on Ruffhouse Records in 1991, a record which spoke on the frustrations that…
Funkmaster Flex goes in on his dedication to the Violators.