Out on bail, fresh outta jail, California dreamin’
Soon as I stepped on the scene, I’m hearin’ hoochies screamin’

What a surprise to read that couplet on "The New Yorker's" website, in an article about Jay-Z's new book. It also discusses Adam Bradley's "Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip Hop," an academic study that respects rap lyrics as serious poetry. [more inside]
posted by grumblebee on Dec 4, 2010 - 82 comments

It was 30 years ago today... October, 1979: Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang was released. A few days later, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five gave us the tighter and catchier (IMHO) Superrappin'. Hip Hop had arrived. Here's a charming interview with a New York City paramedic who, as a very young photographer on the South Bronx scene back in the day, was the unofficial photo-documentarian of the birth of hip hop.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Oct 14, 2009 - 32 comments

Jack's Big Music Show features Nuttin' But Stringz , an extremely talented duo featuring Damien and Tourie Escobar, Julliard-school violinists and brothers who kick out some amazing Hip-hop/R&B tracks. They're most recently featured as an interstitial musical performance on Jack's Big Music Show, my daughter's favorite show on Noggin, a cable channel from Nickelodeon aimed specifically at preschoolers. N.B.S joins other Jack's favorites like Laurie Berkner and the Flaming Lips (who tear up the dance floor with guest singer-songwriter Steve Burns, who you may or may not remember as Steve from Blue's Clues). You don't have to be a preschooler to enjoy the show or the music. N.B.S., in particular, were recently featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Ellen Show, as well as making an appearance at the Apollo Theater. Amazon has some listen links if you want to check them out. The track featured on Noggin is "Thunder".
posted by thanotopsis on Feb 18, 2007 - 12 comments

Then, as he escorted me to the elevator, he said, “New Yorker? How many people see that shits?” He reflected a moment. “Damn. Who needs Hot 97? I got New Yorker and MySpace.”
posted by jne1813 on Jul 10, 2006 - 32 comments

Darkseed is a Japanese hip hop crew (not the be confused with the other Darkseed) I accidentally stumbled upon while surfing the interweb. Aside from their unique songs (I'm partial to LOLIFUSE 13's IDM-esque "fly me to the morning" remix, though not so much their trance-flavored "WE ALL LOVE DARKSEED" sexual frontier remix), I found it fascinating that this collective whose ranks include the likes of MC/DJ/Producers bombtrack, LOL the EX, fujimotor, and HOUNDDOGGYDOGG have their own comics, haikus, and even spinoff projects!
posted by analogue on Sep 25, 2005 - 4 comments