RapStation

On this day, three memorable albums were released, authored, by three prominent and well-respected names in the realm of Hip-hop. With only one day before the weekend, adding these three albums onto a much-needed throwback playlist is highly-recommended.

Tical 2000: Judgmenet Day (1998)

• Marking his second solo record under Def Jam Records, Wu-Tang's Method Man donned the prophet persona and served out rhymes infused with apocalyptic themes and ramblings about the end times—listeners can't help but feel intrigued at the rapper's enigmatic verses. The album also features a myriad of guest artists, ranging from Redman, Left Eye, Mobb Deep, D'Angelo, as well as several fellow Wu-Tang clansmen. The al

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Tupac's death, and his friend and former band mate, Chopmaster J of the pioneering hip hop group Digital Underground, is promising to release some previously unheard Tupac recordings to mark the occasion.

Digital Underground was an alternative hip hop group from Oakland that helped define the sound of hip hop throughout the late 80's and 90's. The group featured a rotating line-up of many great musicians, the most famous and successful of which was the legendary Tupac Shakur. Chopmaster J is often credited with discovering Tupac, who got his start working as a roadie, then later as a background dancer and emcee, for the band.

Chopmaster J has announced plans to release previously unheard Tupac recordings, possibly t

“There are few names more highly regarded in the pantheon of hip hop than Public Enemy,” writes the headline on the Asphalt Yacht Club web page, “Their aggressive beats, untouchable lyricism, and unmistakable style defined a new generation of street culture.”

Introducing the all-new AYC x Public Enemy collection: The latest line of quality threads donned under Asphalt Yacht Club. Presented through all-new tees, hoodies, beanies, reflective prints, and coaches jackets, AYC offers a step back to the glorious classics, as the rap collective so vehemently embodied.

Their newest collection specifically targets to “channel the raw power of the group in a collection that celebrates the timeless message of some of the boldest and most eclectic s

Jedi Mind Tricks, an Army of Pharaohs, and a laundry list of alter-egos—This week's Rap Station Spotlight Artists is all of the above, and all of that makes manifest with one artist.

Italian-American rapper Vinnie Paz began making a name for himself as chief lyricist behind the Philadelphia-based underground hip hop group, Jedi Mind Tricks, whose album Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell showcased Paz's unfiltered thoughts towards politics and world issues, while 

On this day, the Beastie Boys released their groundbreaking debut album Licensed To Ill in 1986, making this day in Hip-hop its 30^th year anniversary.

Born out of hip hop's Golden Age in New York City, the iconic punk-turned-rap group erupted onto the scene with their high-voltage songs topped off with their energy-overdosed antics, making their debut a tremendously memorable event, both in hip hop and music in its entirety.

Symbolic to their mischievous persona, the artwork featured a Boeing 727 crashed onto a mountainside, portraying the illusion of an extinguished

Los Angeles-based artist Diamond Ortiz is on the brink of releasing of his latest project, Loveline. As a connoisseur of G-Funk and boogie, the 31-year-old mastermind has carved out a comfortable niche for himself in his home state. Similar to artists like Dam Funk or The Zapp Band, Ortiz has perfected the use of a talkbox, which gives his voice a more robotic sound. In Part I of the RAPstation interview, he talked about his origins and how he fell in love funk. In Part II, he talks about his move to Los Angeles from the Bay Area, working with Nipsey Hussle and “no biting.” 

RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): Why did you make the move to Los Angeles? Did you not find what you were looking for in the Bay Area?

Diamond Ortiz