Underground Hip-Hop

Last Night: Louis Logic and The Let Go CD release

Free PPP Mixtape by Seattle's DJ Topspin -- Come and Get it

If you're not already familiar with the Detroit via Brooklyn soul-hop group of PPP, then here's a solid new mixtape from Seattle's DJ Topspin that will get you caught up quickly. PPP (formerly Platinum Pied Pipers) just released their second album, Abundance, yesterday on Ubiquity Records. If you h ... More >>

Celebrating the Legacy of J. Dilla

Yesterday, February 10th, marked the 3rd anniversary since the passing of legendary hip-hop producer, J. Dilla. At the time of his death (due to complications from Lupus in 2006 at age 32) he was revered as an underground icon by those who knew his material. Although he shunned the limelight, his di ... More >>

Kool Keith

Friday, February 20

Lyrics Born

Friday, December 5

Immortal Technique

Sunday, November 23

Andre Nickatina

Friday, October 17

Ill Bill

Sunday, October 12

Role Reversal

In an era dominated by well-produced bad rappers, Onry Ozzborn and his five personalities try the opposite.

An Open Letter to Del tha Funky Homosapien

By Ice Cube

No Country for Bold Women

Wine, cheese, and Erykah Badu: Tastier with age.

One BE Lo

Sunday, May 25

Mr. Lif and the Perceptionists

Thursday, January 24

Madlib

Sunday, November 18

Grayskul Try On all of Hip-Hop’s Different Uniforms

Bloody Radio blends an FM-ready formula with the band's substantially dark signature creed and independent freedom.

El-P Brings His 9/11 Record to Neumo's

Shit will happen, and it ain't gonna be pretty.

New Music From Jesu, Low, RJD2, and El-P,

Shit will happen, and it ain't gonna be pretty.

Loop Dreams

Buzzers blow, sneakers squeak, and Dan the Automator lays down the beats.

Notable Shows

Highlights-and otherwise-from this week's music calendar.

Zion I & the Grouch

Plus reviews of Marc Leclair, Damien Jurado, and Adult Swim's Chrome Children compilation.

Two for the Road

Lyrics Born, Cut Chemist, and the other side of West Coast hip-hop.

Beat Decade

Ten years on, Stones Throw remains one of hip-hop's best-kept secrets.

Mr. Lif

Plus CD Reviews of Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Awesome Color, Miles Davis Quintet, and Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane.

Dr. Octagon

Plus CD reviews of Kekele, Tilly and the Wall, and Black Helicopter.

Ghostface Killah's Fishscale

Also: Two Gallants, and Ray Davies.

The Faint

Also: The Perceptionists, Monade.

Beats, Riffs, and Life

RJD2 rocks out.

Operation: Doomsday

An internal affairs dossier on MF Doom.

Rarefied Sphere

Nine years ago, L.A. rapper Aceyalone helped spawn indie hip-hop—on a major label.

Friendly Advice

Aesop Rock and his Definitive cast of thousands.

CD Reviews

Aesop Rock and his Definitive cast of thousands.

Hot Wax

L.A. hip-hop honcho Peanut Butter Wolf puts his vinyl obsession to good use with the masterful mix set Badmeaningood.

Chipmunk funk

L.A. hip-hop honcho Peanut Butter Wolf puts his vinyl obsession to good use with the masterful mix set Badmeaningood.

Masked avenger

L.A. hip-hop honcho Peanut Butter Wolf puts his vinyl obsession to good use with the masterful mix set Badmeaningood.

Quannum physics

Chief Xcel of Blackalicious talks 'bout the Bay Area's breakbeat scientists.

Who was that masked man?

Blame rappers' alter egos for all those one-dimensional records.

Stones Throw Records Takes Over Chop Suey April 25

Fans of West Coast esoteric hip-hop are undeniably familiar with Stones Throw Records, the Los Angeles-based label that's home to artists like Peanut Butter Wolf and Madlib. Stones Throw is putting on a North American tour for some of their newer artists and they land at Chop Suey this Friday, Apr ... More >>

Throwback Tuesdays: Slum Village -- "Climax"

Sometimes twitter is a maze. You can connect with a friend, a musician, and a porn star in the span of 30 seconds, and from there, you never know where the tweet maze will lead. The other day, local Vietnamese rapper Nam (who is way too slept on by the way) was tweeting with porn star Avena Lee. M ... More >>

Seattle Chips In for Artist’s Estate

James “J Dilla” Yancey’s family’s still got bills to pay.

Karriem Riggins at the Triple Door Tonight

Calling Karriem Riggins a triple threat automatically feels a touch cliché. The Detroit-born drummer truly is considered a young lion within the jazz world, a coveted hip-hop producer within neo-soul cliques, and a skilled part-time rapper, so possibly calling him multi-talented would be better. ... More >>

Baatin of Slum Village Passes Away at 35

​In sad music news, it was reported that Slum Village co-founder Titus "Baatin" Glover (pictured on the right) was found dead on Saturday. Evidence from the medical examiners office is still pending but for now, the cause of his death is a mystery. He was actually supposed to be performing at ... More >>

Bumbershoot: Motown Crier

Charting Mayer Hawthorne’s rise from hip-hop DJ to retro-soul buzz-boy.

Last Night: Chali 2na, Gift of Gab, and a Cameo from Lyrics Born at Neumos

Chali 2na played Neumos Thursday, November 19, with Gift of Gab, Lyrics Born, and Mr. Lif.​Some randoms plucked from my notepad: - Having Mr. Lif open for Chali 2na and Gift of Gab basically just proved that he's at least as good as they are. Made me wish he'd come to the West Coast more ofte ... More >>

Three Albums You Should Have Purchased Yesterday: Black Milk, Bilal, Rah Digga

Black Milk​Artist: Black Milk Album: Album of the Year Label: Fat Beats Best known as the beatmaker for the likes of Slum Village, Elzhi, Pharaohe Monch and Canibus, the Dilla desciple is well known in hip-hop circles as a capable producer. But the lyrical content, shaped by the deaths of Slu ... More >>

Bilal

Black Milk​Artist: Black Milk Album: Album of the Year Label: Fat Beats Best known as the beatmaker for the likes of Slum Village, Elzhi, Pharaohe Monch and Canibus, the Dilla desciple is well known in hip-hop circles as a capable producer. But the lyrical content, shaped by the deaths of Slu ... More >>

The Short List: The Week's Recommended Shows

From the Cave Singers to Gordon Lightfoot.

An Incomplete History of Onry Ozzborn's No Hoax

From Oldominion to Hold on for Dear Life.

Kool Keith

From Oldominion to Hold on for Dear Life.

Murs

From Oldominion to Hold on for Dear Life.

Macklemore Announced to Play Among a Stacked Lineup at 2011's Rock the Bells Festival

A screenshot from the "Wings" video, courtesy of Zia Mohajerjasbi.​The 2011 installment of the famed Rock the Bells festival already looks to be one for the books. Modeled on last year's "classics" theme, 10 acts are slotted to perform classic albums in their entirety, including Ms. Lauryn Hil ... More >>