Truth be told, if skills sold, Mike Jones would have the commercial success of Talib Kweli. More style than substance, the Houston advocate shot to stardom two years ago, while superior lyricists were left watching his videos on their idiot ...

Hip-hop has seen its fair share of one-hit wonders. Aiming to not become one himself is Rich Boy, who authored the infectious ode to diamond rims “Throw Some D’s.” Initially getting his feet wet slangin’ tracks to Roy Jones back ...

Possessing a highly evolved flow, Pharoahe Monch has long been regarded as a lyrical juggernaut by his fans and peers alike. Monch’s deitylike status rose even higher when his 1999 solo debut, Internal Affairs, and its underground-traversing smash “Simon Says” ...

Lil’ Flip has had a horrible past few years. First, he got embroiled in a war of words with T.I. (which has since been squashed). Then, beef with his label led to accusations that Sony leaked his fourth solo album, ...

Part comedian, part pimp, Devin the Dude first made his mark in 1994 as a member of the Houston-based trio the Odd Squad. The Southern representative’s solo star really began to rise in ’98, when he dropped his debut disc, ...

As one-third of Dilated Peoples, Evidence created some of the Left Coast’s most East Coast–friendly concoctions since Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. For his solo debut, The Weatherman LP, Ev stays in the same lane, with some notable improvements. Supported ...