Dan Buyanovsky
King Louie Breaks Down Chi-Town Influences, Says Common “Was Going Over Our Heads”
Lately it seems like you could stop on any corner in Chicago and find a talented rapper within earshot. From Chance The Rapper and his Save Money Crew to Chief Keef and the GBE boys, there's a lot going on in the Chi. Still, one of the city's sons, King Louie, might be having the best year of all. Aft...
A$AP Ferg Remembers Putting In Work At Ben & Jerry’s
A$AP Ferg knows a thing or two about working. Case in point, breakout single, fittingly titled "Work," is basically all about putting in work. It's also about putting "them in the dirt," but that's irrelevant here. Anyway, last time Fergie Ferg swung by the XXL headquarters, we asked him to tell us about jobs he's had in the past, and he was quick to open up about a few of his
RiFF RaFF Speaks On ‘Spring Breakers’ Lawsuit, What He’d Do With $10 Million
Earlier this week, RiFF RaFF a.k.a. Rap Game King Tut told TMZ that he was suing the creators of Spring Breakers —a successful indie film made by famed director Harmony Korine—for a cool sum of $10 million. The not-so-surprising suit comes after months of commentary from both RiFF and the film's star, James Franco, who was said to have completely copied RiFF's style for his Spring Breakers charac
Jay-Z Talks Family Life And ‘Watch The Throne 2′
In the final part of his interview series with BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe, Jay-Z talks openly and intimately about Blue Ivy, finding time to tour in a household with two entertainers and potentially working with Kanye on another Throne album...
Vic Mensa Drops Video For “Hollywood LA”
For a dude with an impending mixtape called INNANETAPE on the way, Vic Mensa sure understands how the web works. As he continues to tease the tape (due out before the end of summer), he drops the third visual from the project with the video for "Hollywood LA." The cli...
Jay-Z Talks Roc Nation Sports And Friendship With Obama With Zane Lowe
Today, BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe continues his awesome interview with Jay-Z with the third part of their lengthy conversation. In this installment, Jay touches on his goals with Roc Nation Sports, his outlook on being an inspiring and compassionate sports agent and his views on American (and global) politics...
Mac Miller Brings The Space Migration Tour To New York City (Photos)
As Pittsburgh MC Mac Miller continues his journey across America with his Space Migration Tour alongside opening acts Chance The Rapper, The Internet and Vince Staples, he stopped in New York City last night for a performance at the famed Hammerstein Ballroom...
Jay-Z’s ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’ Is His 13th No. 1 Album
Unsurprisingly, Jay-Z has scored yet another No. 1 album with his project Magna Carta ... Holy Grail. After dropping last week to much fanfare and a warm critical reception (and already being certified platinum by RIAA), Holy Grail marks Jay's 13th No. 1 album,...
What To Expect From Gucci Mane’s ‘World War 3′ Mixtapes
Late last night, Southern rap's standing king Gucci Mane announced that he would be dropping three new mixtapes on August 13. The release of the tapes, all part of the World War 3 series, will mark the second time Gucci's put out three new tapes in a day—on October 17, 2009, Gucci put out his Cold War trilogy with help from DJ Holiday and DJ Drama. Now,...
5 Injustices That Inspired Rappers To Speak Out
While it may be difficult to see things clearly in these times of turmoil, when controversial trials like the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman one go public and become cultural touchstones, they inevitably inspire plenty of shared opinions...
Kevin Gates ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ Album Stream
Less than six months after releasing his standout mixtape The Luca Brasi Story, Louisiana native and Atlantic Records signee Kevin Gates is back with a brand new project in Stranger Than Fiction.The mixtape runs long at 18 tracks, but packs a punch, filled with Gates' vivid storytelling about bandos and bitches (see: the Juicy J-featuring "Thinkin With My Dick"). Stranger ...
Check Out Riff Raff’s Video For “Mr. Popular”
A couple of weeks ago, culture pariah (and former XXL film critic) Riff Raff dropped his new single "Dolce & Gabbana," a wobbly, DJ Carnage-produced banger off his forthcoming debut album, Neon Icon. Today, Riff returns with a video for his new song "Mr. Popular," on whic...