Sales Predictions: Slaughterhouse

Aug 12th, '09  •  Bloggers  •  by XXL Staff  •  47 Comments

It’s no secret that the Internets do not buy albums. But the ‘net has never seen a musical force like Slaughterhouse. The online-favorite four-man rap band—Royce Da 5’9”, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Crooked I—managed to momentarily take over Twitter ...

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Paul Wall & DJ Smallz Head to the Persian Gulf for USO Tour

Aug 12th, '09  •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  8 Comments

Houston rapper Paul Wall will be traveling to Southeast Asia to perform for American troops as a part of the USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour. During his stop, The People’s Champ will meet with soldiers, sign autographs and perform with Florida-based mixtape ...

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BLOG: Powerful

Aug 12th, '09  •  Bloggers  •  by XXL Staff  •  28 Comments

Sometimes it makes me bananas trying to explain how powerful hip-hop would be if we all understood the part we play. DJ, artist, journalist, photographer, director and let us not ever forget the fan; the lover of hip-hop music. ...

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Jay-Z to Perform at the 2009 MTV VMAs

Aug 12th, '09  •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  14 Comments

MTV has just announced that Jay-Z is set to take the stage at this year's Video Music Awards. Jay will not only appear at the ceremony to perform, the rap superstar is also vying for two moon men for his “D.O.A. (Death ...

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Ill Doctrine: Joe Budden, Raekwon & American Civility [Video]

Aug 12th, '09  •  Affiliate News  •  by XXL Staff  •  No Comments

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Black Eyes Peas Bump Fabolous From the Top Spot

Aug 12th, '09  •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  18 Comments

Fabolous earned his first ever no. 1 Billboard debut last week with the release of his fifth studio album, Loso’s Way, but this week the Brooklyn rapper took second place to the Black Eyed Peas. In their ninth week on The ...

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FEATURE: Beats by the Pound

Aug 12th, '09  •  News  •  by XXL Staff  •  28 Comments

In recent years, Just Blaze has scored video games such as Tiger Woods PGA Tour and NBA Street Vol. 2 and produced music for Nike and USA Basketball. He has also booked more DJ gigs than usual. The 32-year-old producer ...

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FEATURE: Birdman, The Stunna[Definitive Dozen]

Aug 12th, '09  •  News  •  by XXL Staff  •  23 Comments

[Editor's note: For our 12th-anniversary celebration, XXL speaks with 12 artists who’ve come up, and blown up, with the magazine. 50 Cent, Baby, Shyne, Dame Dash, Crooked I and more reflect on how we’ve affected their careers—and how they’ve affected ...

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Dorrough: Dorrough Music

Aug 12th, '09  •  Reviews  •  by XXL Staff  •  27 Comments

DORROUGH Dorrough Music (NGenius Records/E1 Entertainment) It’d be easy to pigeonhole Dorrough as just another ringtone rapper. True, the Dallas-based rookie’s catchy debut single, “Walk That Walk,” and flossy follow-up, “Ice Cream Paint Job,” are both mindless bangers—heavy on the beat but light ...

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