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Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

Five Race-Related Songs That Are (Almost) as Dumb as "Accidental Racist"

As you are no doubt already aware, earlier this week, Brad Paisley and LL Cool J released one of the most embarrassing songs ever written. In "Accidental Racist", the two try to solve national issues regarding racial tension and the legacy of slavery with lyrics like "If you don't judge my do-rag, I ... More >>

Big Boi's Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors: A First Listen

Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors is the title. Why? Does Big Boi even have any enemies? Has anyone ever beefed with him...ever? Who is he referring to, disgruntled Idlewild ticket-buyers? Or is he increasingly in denial that Outkast -- his meal ticket artistically and commercially -- is over? It's ... More >>

Friends of Nicki?: Five Black Musicians Who Supported Republicans

You've probably already heard about Nicki Minaj's Mitt Romney-related lyrics, in which she claimed she was going to vote for the Republican presidential candidate. So, did she mean it? Was she being ironic? Is this a publicity stunt? The only thing we know for sure is that the online furor over this ... More >>

Animal Collective's Centipede Hz: A First Listen

I'm not an Animal Collective fan. I like Strawberry Jam a lot, and I cherish a few individual songs elsewhere, particularly "Summertime Clothes" (not least because it sounds just like the theme from Snoopy Come Home, which I loved as a kid). But their rhythms are so clumpy, melodies so soupy, and "i ... More >>

The Grammys: A Timeline of Madness and Misery

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards happened yesterday. Which we're sure you know already. If you missed it, however, you may have missed some of the weirdest details. So here, for your convenience, is a timeline of events. Get comfortable, 'cause this thing was a three-and-a-half-hour carnival of absurdi ... More >>

Veteran Rappers: Do You Really Need to Continue Making New Records?

There was a time, back in the late '80s, when the legendary Bronx rapper KRS-One was a candidate for the title of Greatest Rapper of All Time. Twenty-five years later, though, the self-anointed Blastmaster's latest long-player, The B.D.P. Album, suggests that compulsory retirement from the recording ... More >>

Stretch Armstrong on the Demise of FM Radio and the Inanity of Celebrity DJs

One half of the Stretch and Bobbito Show on New York's WKCR through the '90s, DJ/producer Stretch Armstrong has played an essential part in the integration of hip-hop into mainstream radio. A fixture in the '90s hip-hop scene, he used media outlets such as mixtapes and radio programs to launch the c ... More >>

Outside Lands Brain-Burner: Fire on the Bayou by the Meters

​ Listen to this while high: Fire on the Bayou, by the Original Meters.Behind the buzz: Buried w-a-a-ay deep on the bill at this weekend's Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival are The Original Meters, the slickest karass of funketeers ever to lurch out of New Orleans. Groomed for superstardo ... More >>

The Grammys Are Coming. Here's a Drinking Game to Get You Through Them

​Yes, the Grammys are nothing more than a promo summit for what remains of our broken conglomerate record labels of yore. Columbia, EMI, Warner Bros., Capitol, Atlantic, Interscope, et al. like to believe they still hold some influence over the masses, and as long as we can sit here comfortably an ... More >>

"Fuck You All": Glen Friedman's punk and hip-hop photos are meant to inspire

The Seven Worst Fictional TV and Movie Raps

For a period extending roughly from the mid-1980s and throughout the '90s, producers of TV and film for youth audiences decided that rap was way cool and that the way to inject a level of street cred into any project was to have some characters rap about something. Anything, really. Filmmakers are s ... More >>

A List of Michael Jackson Commemoration Events in San Francisco Today

Lynn Goldsmith, provided by San Francisco Art Exchange​Some poor employee at mobile entertainment company Predicto Mobile was asked to come up with 10 text-friendly Michael Jackson songs to be complete asses/butcher classic lyrics honor the pop star's legacy on the one-year anniversary o ... More >>

Why The Critics Are Wrong: Rap Albums You Probably Don't Know But Should, Part II

​Since many recent Next Big Things in rap have proven disappointing -- see Wale, Asher Roth and B.o.B. -- it might be time to consider the possibility that hip-hop tastemakers don't know what to look for in the first place. Here's an alternative to the critical consensus on rap. Yesterday, we ... More >>

Flagrant Foul: "Just Wright" is just wrong

Ok, We'll Throw You a Lovers' Mix: Nguzunguzu's "Moments in Love"

​Love it or hate it, as Valentine's Day approaches, impending images of coupledom threaten to envelope us all. With a gushy holiday weekend around the corner, it's time to gear your thoughts toward your significant other, or at least toward someone whom you'd like to be significant to. To help get ... More >>

Hammer, from the waist down

Amanda Blank: indie dance star in the making

Hey DJ! Friday Q&A: Nisus

​There are DJs who log a lotta miles, and then there's Nisus. While other vinyl slingers rack up passenger time on airlines, this guy has spent the summer getting between gigs in Germany, France, Spain, and Switzerland by bike. Overall he  traveled, (two wheel-style), across 1,300 miles, and ... More >>

Last Night: Santigold at the Warfield

SantigoldThursday, May 21, 2009The Warfield TheaterReview by Jesse Ducker Better Than: A bloodless M.I.A. concert "It feels like the first day of school!" Santigold told a screaming, full house at the Warfield last night, on the opening date of her national tour. "We've got new outfits and every ... More >>

Obama and Hip-hop: Better than "Beef"?

EKAphotography copyright 2007. all rights reservedOur shoulder-brushin', fist-bumpin' POTUS in Oakland, 2007 For a long time, hip hop debates have tended toward the tawdry and tabloidesque--i.e., Is Kanye Gay?; Is Alicia Keys creepin' with Swizz Beats?; Joe Budden vs. Saigon, T.I. vs. Mysonne, Cha ... More >>

Scenes We’d Like to See

MP3 of the Day: Kanye West Mix-Tape

While you wait for the new Kanye platter, 808s & Heartbreak, to hit the stores, check out his mixtape, Sky High. The 19-song set, commissioned by the man himself, is a track-by-track remix of Graduation helmed by DJ Benzi and Plain Pat. Sky High features beats by A-Trak, Scottie B, DJ Stretch Armst ... More >>

Look, We Didn't Choose the Title

Ladies Love Cool Clifford -- Hip-Hop Pinup for the Naughties!

The Bus Stops Here

Mistah F.A.B. picks up where hyphy left off

Rehab Is for Quitters

The stars need fixin'

Follow the Leader

Rakim's oft-imitated, never duplicated rap style

Show Me the Mommy

Cuba Gooding Jr. spars with Helen Mirren in Shadowboxer

Way Out of Sync

Summer Listings

Spray-On Soul

Getting Up is a flawed but fascinating ode to graffiti 's early years.

God Save the Queen

A talented rapper narrowly survives another lousy movie

Going Mental

Mindhunters is truly stupid fun

The Gospel Truth

Exquisite noise at Slim's

Think Different

Could it be that this year's crop of summer movies actually requires a brain cell or two?

Farrah to Poor

With clipped wings, Charlie's Angels fly way too low to the ground

Super Sunday

Any Given Sunday

Handsome Dan

Dan "The Automator" Nakamura loves hip hop -- but he loves music more

Stage

Bombing Maneuvers

Bomb Records' David Paul single-handedly created a successful hip-hop magazine, launched artists' careers, and rescued the DJ from obscurity. Now what?

Reviews

Nuthin' But a She Thing

Reviews

Reviews

Night Crawler

Recordings

Schools of Thought

The Roots, the Nonce and DJ Hurricane take hip hop to the next level