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One of the most prominent and influential hip hop artists in history is celebrating his birthday today -- on this day in Brooklyn forty-one years ago, Talib Kweli was born.

The name "Talib" is derived from the Arabic word for "student," but Talib Kweli has been the one that's been educating hip hop fans for decades with his insightful, clever lyrics and political activism. Kweli became a household name when he teamed up with Mos Def and DJ Hi-Tek to create the 1998 album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, which is often cited by critics as one of the best hip hop albums of the 90's and is the epitome of the late 90's revival of socially conscious, Afrocentric hip hop. Since then, Kweli has enjoyed a long solo career that has s

The always innovative rhyme slinger Aesop Rock has been popping up on all types of musical projects. From Hail Mary Mallon with Rob Sonic to The Uncluded with folk singer Kimya Dawson, there's seemingly nothing the New York-bred rapper can’t do. One of his more recent collaborations finds the impossible kid paired up with Stones Throws rapper Homeboy Sandman. The pair has picked up plenty of traction thanks to their first EP, Lice, which was released earlier this year. 

The duo is back together once again with the aptly titled sequel, Lice 2: Still Buggin', and to celebrate the occasion, A

Netflix recently released the latest installment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the form the much-awaited series, Luke Cage—the origin story of the reluctant Power Man upholding the call to defend New York.

Cheo Hodari Coker, the show's creator, attested to providing significant effort in weaving Hip-hop music and culture into the new Marvel series, with each episode showcasing the name of songs by East Coast rap tandem Gang Starr.Coker also managed scorings from notable Hip-hop producers Adrian Young (Ghostface Killah, Souls of Mischief), as well as Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest). Their soundtracks incorporate a nostalgic ambience to the show as viewers are taken to New York streets. Moreover, Younge promises a thorough Hip-hop experien

Comprised of super producer Prince Paul (De La Soul, Grave Diggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School) Digable Planets’ Ladybug Mecca, producer Don Newkirk, and Brazilian MC Rodrigo Brandão, BROOKZILL! fuses classic New York hip-hop with the sounds of Brazil, providing an all-encompassing, cross-cultural experience. 

On Friday (September 30), they shared the new single along with a lyric video for “Let’s Go (É Noiz)” from their debut album,Throwback To The Future, which is out October 7 via Tommy Boy Entertainment. The track is available as an instant grat download with the album pre-order. 

“‘É Noiz’ is Portuguese slang meaning ‘it’s us,’” the group

Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, James McCall, better known by his stage moniker Nocando, spent most of his life rapping on the streets and honing his skills in the local scene, which really helped shaped his musical style. 

Fast forward to 2016 and Nocando has built a reputable rap career with his regular appearances at The Airliner’s legendary weekly experimental hip-hop and electronic music club, Low End Theory (which he co-founded), affiliation with Project Blowed, and various battle rap performances. 

He recently released a new video for the track “ER” and brutally honest single, “El Camino,” which shines a spotlight on his undeniable ability to write incredible bars. In the RAPstation interview, Nocando talks abou

California-based rap duo, The Wryters, release their Top 40 mixtape, and the sound is unlike any we've heard before—well, actually that's not necessarily true.

The mixtape takes audiences back to Hip-hop's Golden Age through its organic messages, and raw content, mingled with introspective lyrics and R&B vibes, all of which polished with their distinct style, sharp beats, and enigmatic ambiences. The result is a smooth blend of old school Hip-hop brewed with a contemporary elements and modern perspectives, which in my opinion, comes off as both refreshing and invigorating to the ear.

The Wryters have been known for their introspect lyricism, rapping about their personal conflicts, life pursuits, as well as their unfiltered persp