Underground Hip-Hop

Madlib: Show Preview

DJ Haylow on the Influence of J. Dilla and the Splintering of "Underground" Hip-Hop

For the past 15 years, Oakland's DJ Haylow has maintained a philosophy of "being a messenger to share music with others who love music." His involvement in ventures such as the groundbreaking Bay Area hip-hop TV show Distortion 2 Static and the Roy Ayers Project demonstrate his never-ending desire t ... More >>

Cannibal Ox: Show Preview

Latyrx: Show Preview

Premiere: Hip-Hop Crew 40Love Share "Tiki Tiki," Talk Working With Zion I's Zumbi and Their Crazy Animal Masks

The hip-hop troupe 40Love is currently in possession of the most famous animal masks in modern Bay Area music history. Having made their debut in the video for Wallpaper's "#Stupidfacedd," the plastic faces are now being sported by three-quarters of the group in promotional pictures for upcoming alb ... More >>

Pump It Like the Future: El-P and Killer Mike Bust Hip-Hop's Boundaries

Boot Camp Clik on Their Reunion, Working with 2Pac, and Duck Down Records

Brooklyn's Boot Camp Clik established its classic New York underground hip-hop credentials starting in 1992 with Black Moon's "Who Got Da Props?" and went on to rule the '90s underground rap scene with its signature raw and grimy sound. Comprised of Tek and Steele (also known as Smif-N-Wessun), Sean ... More >>

Distortion 2 Static's Top Five Celebrity Guests

During its 10-year run, the Distortion 2 Static hip-hop TV show graduated from profiling local upcoming artists to chatting it up with rap superstars. Started by Prince Aries, Ariel Nuñez and DJ Haylow, the show signed off on its broadcast run back in September; a farewell shindig will be going dow ... More >>

Souls of Mischief's A-Plus Reviews His Own Discography

A-Plus​As part of the mighty Souls of Mischief crew, A-Plus ushered in a new style of Bay Area rap with the group's breezy and effortless "'93 'Til Infinity" anthem. Also a mainstay in the Hieroglyphics movement, the rapper and producer has been involved with releases from Del, Pep Love, and C ... More >>

Consciousness vs. Sex: Jean Grae and the Plight of the Underground Female Rapper

Jean Grae​ Jean Grae, who performs tonight at the New Parish, is a very talented rapper. That's not just a very talented female rapper, but a very talented hip-hop artist who deserves to be considered on nothing more than her own lyrical merits, and shouldn't be given some sort of a rap pass d ... More >>

Rock the Bells Brings Classic Hip-Hop Debuts to the Stage

J Dilla's 10 Greatest Remixes

J Dilla​ Deceased hip-hop producer J Dilla, née Jay Dee, first asserted himself on the rap radar with his group Slum Village. Lauded by luminaries Q-Tip and ?uestlove, the Detroit-based trio of Dilla, T3, and Baatin (also sadly deceased) are held in cult esteem today, and tonight, remaining g ... More >>

DJ Prince Aries Talks Bay Area Rap, Loving Too $hort, and Why Busta Rhymes Is a Jerk

Prince Aries​Prince Aries has been a presence in the Bay Area's hip-hop scene for more than a decade now, holding down VJ duties on the Distortion 2 Static show, throwing local rap parties, and now releasing a mixtape that combines exclusive tracks from the Bay's bright new stars like DaVinci ... More >>

Watch: The Pack's Young L Comes Down From Outer Space and Gets 'Conscious' -- for a Second

Young L​If you haven't been paying attention this year, The Pack's Young L has emerged a production tour-de-force, giving birth to some of the most original sounds this year. On his latest track, "Conscious Minds," the Berkeley native steps away from his usual, out-of-this world sounds and plays a ... More >>

MC El-P talks about new music and the demise of Def Jux

A Night of J Dilla Featuring ISM and the Fan-Tas-Tics at Madrone Art Bar

Hiroshi Okun​A Night of J Dillafeaturing ISM and The Fan-tas-tics @ Madrone Art Bar July 28, 2010 Better than: A night of Steve Milla.James Yancey, a.k.a. Jay Dee, a.k.a. J Dilla, is somewhere between 2Pac and Pimp C in the running for the title of hip-hop's hardest-working dead guy. His death of ... More >>

Concert preview: Pete Rock & J. Rocc

Zion I

Video of the Day: Preview the New J. Dilla Doc

J. Dilla was unquestionably one of the most respected, if not constantly referenced, hip-hop producers of the past decade. Born James Yancey in his hometown of Detroit, Dilla was a prolific, inspired artist dedicated to the craft of classic, sample-based hip-hop, which he made for the likes of De ... More >>

Madlib

Sweatshop Funk

Friday Night: Stones Throw Appreciation Party at Mighty

Lyrics Born Releases Digital Single in Feb.

Saga of the Simian Samurai

Saga of the Simian Samurai Threshold Recordings

LastNight: Stones Throw at the Independent

Del To Drop the 11th Hour on Def Jux, Not Hiero --- Whaa?!

Madlib, Stones Throw Brings B-Ball Zombie War to the Independent

CD Review: Z-Trip -- All-Pro

Rock the Bells, The Expendables, New Monsoon -- ASD's Live Music Picks for Saturday, August 18

MF DOOM Fucks SF?: WTF Went Down, Bay Area? Pt. 2

Beat Box

Hip hop's masked hero, MF Doom, scales Mezzanine's sound system

Brains, Brawn, and Balls

A few choice selections from Rock the Bells' lineup

Getting Paid

Get on the Guest List

El-P plays hip-hop host

Cut Chemist puts a new spin on the art of the sonic collage

DJ Krush

Stepping Stones (Sony Japan)

Training Daze

The drills and thrills of Boot Camp Clik

Hip Hop's Hit Ticker

Dabrye's nerdy interior

The blue-blooded Blowfly, the multialiased MF Doom, and the lyrically infallible Casual

The Talented Mr. Madlib

Hip hop sensation Otis Jackson Jr. has more personalities than albums (well, almost)

Zion I

True & Livin'

Opio

Triangulation Station

On the Down-Low

Shovel away all that Usher, Prince and Lil Jon you've been jamming and dig this year's buried black-music treasures.

Yesterdays New Quintet

Stevie

Murs

Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition

Mad Genius

Two guys, their two dozen personalities, and Madvillainy, an instant contender for hip hop album of the year

The Beat Goes On

On the 10th anniversary of MC Charizma's death, his debut finally gets released on Stones Throw Records, the label he inspired

Fabled Aesop

The rhymes are strange and the beats are bleak, but Aesop Rock insists that his latest is anything but experimental

Madlib

Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note

Wildchild

Secondary Protocol