Best known as a founding member of Detroit-based hip-hop collective D12 and Eminem's right-hand man, this talented rapper possessed an uncanny ability to freestyle off-the-cuff lyrics on the spot. With his charismatic presence and undeniable skill, he played a crucial role in shaping the ...
In Sept. 1991, Q-Tip rapped that “the job of resurrectors is to wake up the dead.” He delivered the line in the same verse, on“Jazz (We’ve Got),”that saw him explain “the aim is to succeed and achieve at 21,” which is how old he was at the time. Twenty-five years ...
Best known as a founding member of Detroit-based hip-hop collective D12 and Eminem's right-hand man, this talented rapper possessed an uncanny ability to freestyle off-the-cuff lyrics on the spot. With his charismatic presence and undeniable skill, he played a crucial role in shaping the ...
ever wrote.” While ‘Pac was doing his vocals he wasn’t just recording his vocals, he was also kicking over the music stand, hitting the microphone. There was a vibe in the room. We all knew what was goin’ on. As [‘Pac] started reciting his lyrics, we was just looking at ...
Kanye knew he was the best long before he ever released an album. His puffy ego and unflinching resolve were the guardrails to his creativity, and when the time came to show and prove, he did just that with his 2004 debut album, College Dropout. Armed with unabashed lyrics on subjects ...
Kanye knew he was the best long before he ever released an album. His puffy ego and unflinching resolve were the guardrails to his creativity, and when the time came to show and prove, he did just that with his 2004 debut album, College Dropout. Armed with unabashed lyrics on subjects ...
Pitchfork writer Alphonse Pierre’s rap column covers songs, mixtapes, albums, Instagram freestyles, memes, weird tweets, fashion trends—and anything else that catches his attention. I’ve been writing this column for the past three years, but in 2023 more people than ever asked me that ete...
“Mezmorized” gleamed like a freshly waxed car and “The Kid Frankie,” on which Wiz rapped over a 1985 Loose Ends classic, remains one of the most inspired flips on any mixtape ever. Love songs like the somersaulting “Up” foreshadowed the softer, more radio-friendly Wiz to come. ...
choruses into his New York perspective. As he rapped on "Purple Swag," "I'm Texas trill, Texas trill, but in NY we spit it slow." Whether it's his impeccable fashion sense, innovative music videos, or his knack for unique collaborations (like “Praise the Lord” with Skepta), ASAP ...
courtesy of DJ Premier turned out to be a good choice. The original was nice, but Premier’s beat, which sampled Maynard Feguson’s “Mister Mellow,” became a sensation. Of course, it helped that Eminem’s character in8 Milerapped over the beat during his first professional freestyle. ...