Nov
16

Okay, I’m Reloaded: Houston Rap’s Next Class

To appear interesting at parties and to curry favor with Drakesap Rocky, Passion of the Weiss has long maintained a correspondent in Houston. His name is Shea Serrano and he is the best music writer in a red state. By “red state,” I mean frequently drunk. And by frequently drunk, I mean raising twins while… Continue reading »

Nov
15

The Greatest Producers of All-Time #10-1

See Also: The 50 Greatest Producers of All-Time #50-1 The Greatest Producers of All-Time: Honorable Mention 10. Prince Paul Prince Paul didn’t just expand the definition of what hip-hop could and should sound like – he took the Hip-Hop dictionary tore it up and then recorded a skit about it. Whether playing as part of… Continue reading »

Nov
14

The History of M.O.P.

In preparation for the last part of the greatest producers list. Shocking spoiler: DJ Premier will be in the top 10. Now that your day has been ruined, allow me to make up for it with an hour of M.O.P.’s greatest hits–mixed by Statik Selektah. The ideal soundtrack for throwing bricks through shop windows, slapping… Continue reading »

Nov
14

An Open Letter To America Regarding Donald Glover’s Career

Doc Zeus was born into a Nielsen Family. Community is the best sitcom on TV. If you haven’t seen the show (i.e. a person I hate with frothing intensity), the premise revolves around a group of misfits attending community college where all types of awesomeness springs forth in various awesomely awesome ways. The show is… Continue reading »

Nov
14

The 50 Greatest Producers of All Time #20-11

See Also: The 50 Greatest Producers of All-Time #50-1 The Greatest Producers of All-Time: Honorable Mention 20. Mike Dean Kanye West might not have the best eye for fashion and we know his choice in artists is up for debate, but he’s unimpeachable when it comes to cherry-picking talent to help him behind the boards.… Continue reading »

Nov
13

DJ Quik – Heavy Mr. Big Stuff

David Blake dropping the most elegiac tribute to Heavy D yet. The fact that Quik cooked this up in a night or two would be mind blowing if it was anyone but Quik. In his 41st year, his chop game stays soulful and vicious. Between Quik and Ish from Shabazz Palaces, he has shredded all… Continue reading »

Nov
11

The Dreamer, The Believer, but most importantly, The Rapper

Tosten Burks is to hip hop what Bo the Dog is to politics. Finally, Common has stopped being a symbol, stopped being a Gap-wearing motivational poster, and started being a rapper again. The revival started with “Ghetto Dreams.” Unfortunately for Common, that song also started the revival of 2011-poet-laureate Nas, who has overshadowed better men… Continue reading »

Nov
11

The 50 Greatest Producers of All Time: #30-21

See Also: The 50 Greatest Producers of All-Time #50-1 The Greatest Producers of All-Time: Honorable Mention 30. The Alchemist Overlook the Beverly Hills roots for a second, no producer represents raw underground material better than Alan Maman. Stepping on the scene with Cypress Hill affiliates Soul Assassins, the young Alchemist got his feet wet supplying… Continue reading »

Nov
10

R.I.P. Heavy D: 1967-2011

Chris Daly co-wrote the “In Living Color” theme song. The Overweight Lover has left the house. The Jamaican born, money earnin’ Mount Vernon-raised, Dwight Arrington Myers, passed away earlier this week on November 8th, 2011, apparently due to “respiratory distress.” While he may not have been  regularly heralded as one of the all-time greats of… Continue reading »

Nov
10

The 50 Greatest Producers of All-Time #40-31

See Also: The 50 Greatest Producers of All-Time #50-41 The Greatest Producers of All-Time: Honorable Mention 40. Battlecat At the risk of excluding forgotten pioneers, you can trace the local roots of LA hip hop production to five names: Dr. Dre, Joe Cooley, Egyptian Lover, Arabian Prince, and DJ Battlecat. The latter broke in as… Continue reading »

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