Kanye West 808s & Heartbreak (Roc-A-Fella) Despite what’s been written, Kanye West’s new style on his fourth album 808s & Heartbreak — which incorporates “tribal”-style drum machines and auto-tuned vocals – doesn’t sound especially shocking to the ears. Immediately satisfying singles like “Robocop” and “Love Lockdown” make Yeezy’s much-discussed crooning…
Today one of South Florida’s most slept on MC’s, Rahsaan, released a new mixtape with DJ Epps of G-Unit/Shadyville fame that’s worth downloading.The project is called, Dadeland: The Dade County Project, and is a good intro to Rahsaan’s style for anyone that’s not familiar with him. He’s originally from Guyana,…
Do you have plans for New Years yet? If you’re a hip-hop fan, then you do now. The Roots have announced that they’ll be performing in Miami–at the Florida Room inside of the Delano Hotel of all places–on New Years Eve. It’s definitely going to be one of the hottest…
Over the weekend, the hip-hop community was hit with sad news. Early ’90s rapper MC Breed died in his sleep, only two months after being released from an Atlanta hospital for kidney failure. He was just 36 years old. The official cause of death is still pending. It’s a death…
I got a last minute press release that should warm the hearts of local families in need. Poe Boy Records artists, Flo Rida, Billy Blue and Brisco will be giving away turkeys from 6pm – 8pm tonight at the Carol City Apartments between 183rd Street and 37th Ave in Miami…
As of this morning, mega pop-star Madonna and her former husband, film director Guy Ritchie, have been granted a “quickie” divorce through a court in London. The details of the divorce aren’t nearly as sweet and sticky as some gossip hounds would like: Ritchie isn’t expected to take a dime…
As I was cruising the blogosphere over the weekend, I came across an interesting story that definitely caught me by surprise. MTV, home to all things exploitive and pop, just held their first annual African Music Awards in Abuja, Nigeria this past Saturday. It’s a move that could bolster more…
I’ve got a certain amount of love for Ace Hood. For starters, he’s the first rapper to go major out of Broward County in a long time, possibly ever. There’s been a few “could have been/should have been’s” out there, but nobody has made it stick to the degree that…
I just got off the phone with the folks at the Dive Bar in Fort Lauderdale and learned about an upcoming show that sounds enticing. Popular Puerto Rican rock band, Black Guayaba is going to be performing next Friday night here in South Florida, and they’ve got the eclectic Teri…
Tonight there’s a going to be a good set of music going on over at Atmosphere Lounge in Fort Lauderdale. Coral Springs-based folks singer Andrew Bayuk will be on hand singing songs of love, of protest, of peace, and of passion. He’s been grinding away in South Florida’s indie music…
Coral Springs-based hip-hop artist, Butta Verses, is still riding the buzz of his critically acclaimed new disc, Reality BV. National hip-hop blogs have been giving the record overwhelmingly positive reviews and it’s all deserving since Butta definitely brought his A-game lyrically on the album. Here’s a new video for the…
You might have heard that Stones Throw Records biggest artist, Madlib, is headed to Miami to play a show in conjunction with Art Basel. A selective email blast went out about it last week, but eerily left out most of the details about when the show would be, where it…
Perhaps no other group in rap’s history defined the early ’90s golden-era-style of hip-hop better than A Tribe Called Quest. The group put out two of the most influential rap records of all time, Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders, both of which contain singles that get spun on dance…
Here in the North Caribbean, AKA South Florida, a bunch of bands claim to capture the Afro-Latino demographic perfectly in their music. Plenty try, but few accurately succeed as much as Miami’s Suénalo does with its polyrhythmic display of funk, mambo, hip-hop, and jam-band-style playing. The group has a rotating…
This South Florida soul and funk quintet has existed only for a little over a year, but it’s already created a serious demand for itself on dance floors across the tricounty area. By focusing on the core elements of old school hip-hop, it taps straight into the boogaloo sounds of…
These are turbulent times in America. Between the current economic crisis and the endless wars abroad, it’s surprising that more local musicians aren’t speaking out against it all. There used to be a time when art and protest went hand in hand, but these days, not so much. That’s why…
For the past three years, concert promoter Sammy Zuniga has fought to find a home for hippie-music culture in Lake Worth. The friendly, longtime concert producer and sun-drenched Peruvian ex-pat also puts on Lake Worth’s annual Earth Day Peace Jam and staunchly advocates bringing alternative music to that city. His…
Last night, South Florida’s fastest rising rap star, Ace Hood, had a CD signing at the Best Buy in Pembroke Pines. The event was well attended and a lot of people came out to support the young rapper as he continues to climb the ladder of fame. There weren’t a…
There’s something about the early music of Yo Majesty that will always have a soft spot in my heart. Back when this Tampa-based duo used to be a trio, Shunda K, Jwl B, and Shon B, were my favorite female MCs of 2007. They were butch, black, badass rappers who…
I just got an email this past Friday, announcing the current shortlist of reggae albums under consideration to be nominated for a Grammy. Surprisingly, one-time Fort Lauderdale resident, Etana, made the list due to her debut album, The Strong One, which was released earlier this year. Etana spent the bulk…
Rap mega star of the year, Lil Wayne, just recently announced the launch of his “I Am Music” Tour and naturally, it includes a local date in Miami. The rapper, who now calls Miami home, will be joined by Keyshia Cole, Gym Class Heroes, and Mr. Thank God for Auto-Tune…
Within Miami’s Latin music scene is an endless number of bands delving into all sorts of homegrown genres, from salsa and merengue to bachata and Cuban son. But when it comes to reggae, only a few Latin bands do it well, and El Chino Dreadlion is definitely one of them…
