XXL Mag

You really have to admire the fervor and energy of some of today's reporters. With the popularity of hip-hop increasingly growing exponentially by the second, many people have embraced the culture openly. If you recall, Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter did his  tongue-twisting rendition of  Blackalicious' "Alphabet Aerobics" on The Tonight Show. Today...

Master P had an up-and-down year and is ending it on his good samaritan wave by trying to help bring a killer to justice. The No Limit Solider is willing to pay for information regarding the person responsible for the death of Charles Fambrough, a Kentucky man who was killed two years ago ...

DJ Drama's hot run looks to continue the release of Young Money Yawn's upcoming tape, Street Gospel 2. The initial Street Gospel featured "Gutta Gutta," the Virginia rapper's breakthrough hit. Virginia is talent-rich, and Young Money Yawn looks to carry the torch left by other VA greats that includes Pharrell, The Clipse, Timbaland, and Missy Elliott. Str...

Bizzy Crook surfaced again with a welcomed late Christmas/early New Year's Eve surprise. The Miami rhymer unexpectedly dropped the Coming To America mixtape over the weekend. The new release follows August's No Hard Feelings. The project is hosted by MMG's DJ Sam Sneak and Adrian Swish...

Footage recently arose of a teenage Nicki Minaj showcasing some very impressive acting skills. The video stems from the YMCMB rapstress' days at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, when a little Onika was just an aspiring actress and being a rapper wasn't even a mere thought...

Here comes the new Flocka in ya' ears, and Golden Era purists might want to sit down for this one. Even after the release of his surprisingly lyrical "3:30," it would have been reasonable to assume Waka Flocka would return to shouting threats over gunshots. He ...

There is no denying the love that Wale has for Seinfeld and over the course of his career he's displayed the love in various ways weather it be through his mixtape covers, lyrics or interviews, but most recently the D.C. native opened an exhibition in New York City to concede with the release of his latest EP, Festivus...

Christmas Day is supposed to be a peaceful time to spend with your friends and family but for two diehard NBA fans, a Twitter spat over Kobe Bryant led to Xmas Day fireworks and entertainment for those who may have been a little tired of spending time with their families ...

DuRu Tha King is another artist not to sleep on heading into the new year. An example of why is "Free Spirit" — a cut that features hazy atmospherics, jazzy textures, and solid rhyming skills for a worthwhile three minutes. The video channels the song's vibe fluently. Here...

Early in 2014, a Rolling Stone profile piece on Drake caused some controversy when the rapper accused the writer of twisting his words and misquoting him in regards to Kanye West and his Yeezus album. In the writeup, Drizzy allegedly discussed some of 'Ye's lyrics and said, "There were some real questionable bars on there, like that 'Swaghili' line? Come on, man. Even...

Sky's The Limit It took YG five years after getting signed to Def Jam to release his debut album, but when it finally dropped, a rap star was born. Interview Miranda Johnson Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Winter 2014 issue of XXL Magazine. O...

Young Thug is as much of a workhorse as he is an eccentric. His stream of material is still continuing as the year winds down. This time he hits us with the celebratory "Pelican Fly." This one has the same feel as "Lifestyle," except with 100 percent more Young Thug...