XXL Mag

Not a bad year for Kevin Gates, all in all. Sure, the rapper started 2014 locked up after being arrested last December on probation violations. But ever since he got out, shortly before SXSW this March, Gates has been on fire, building on the fast-rising success of 2013 with the free album/mixtape By Any Means, which dropped Mar. 18....

Young Thug is quickly becoming the most unique rapper in the game. Although he stirred some conversation about his sexual orientation yet again with his latest Instagram post, Thugger's music speaks for itself. He's got a lot of projects in the works - Rich Gang, Rich Homie Quan, Metro Boomin', the list keeps going - but his latest with producer C4 might be the most intriguing...

Update (Sept. 24, 6:37 p.m.): Fashawn announced via Twitter that The Ecology release date is pushed back Release date for #TheEcology has changed. Working on something real special for my fans. Thank you for your continued support. Stay tuned! — ...

You're not getting a four-minute synopsis of the 1989 film in Logic's "Driving Ms. Daisy" featuring Childish Gambino. What you are getting are two instantly replayable verses from two of hip-hop's more emotive lyricists. The futuristic soul of the production does deserve some props, too, from how it focuses the hook into something trancelike to the coda's soothing comedown. Listen t... R

Pell is a young up-and-coming MC that has been making noise of late with his versatility and jazz influenced sound. Keeping the momentum going, the New Orleans native drops his latest visual entitled "Runaway," a visual that finds the young rapper peddling through the streets and alleys of Los Angeles in his bike as he spits relatable lyrics over a melodic beat...

Wiz Khalifa may get mixed reviews, but he definitely pushes units. Blacc Hollywood marks another success for the Taylor Gang leader after debuting at No. 1. Khalifa's third major label album is his first to debut at No. 1. However, it's the first one to not sell in the six figure range. Rolling ...

The hammer continues to come down on BET after their Blue Ivy fiasco. After witnessing the online onslaught on Karrueche, BET continues to do damage control. According to AP, BET suspended a producer after a Blue Ivy joke was made on air this past Monday (Aug...

The reclusive Andre 3000 broke his silence and sat down with Jon Caramanica from The New York Times for a revealing interview in anticipation of the upcoming Jimi Hendrix movie, Jimi: All Is by My Side. Besides revealing that he is working on a new song for Aretha Franklin's upcoming album, the Outkast MC touched on his relationship with his son, Seven, being a 40-year-old-rapper, touring and much

Jay Z has been the target of lawsuits this year. After an engineer tried to extort him for $15 million, the mogul was slapped with a lawsuit over the Brooklyn Nets logo, followed by one for stolen songs. Now the he and his Watch The Throne partner Kanye West have been hit with a lawsuit for copyright infringement...

Well the Free Joe Budden campaign is officially in effect. After days of mocking the police and providing hilarious stabs via social media pertaining to his mess with his ex-girlfriend, Joe Budden finally decided to turn himself in. In the process, in typical Joe fashion, he did it with style and flare...

Rick Ross will lead the youth to salvation. Very few people has said this while sober, but this is what he's doing in the opening to the video for "Drug Dealers Dream": Preaching to the lost youth of St. Kitts. That's not all ambassador Rick Ross is doing. Watch hi...

More often than not, it's the simplest of necessities that are most essential to not only our individual well-being, but also our collective existence and prosperity as an entire population. Nevertheless, in a world that is entrenched with inevitable chaos and imperfection, it's those same fundamental necessities that frequently become neglected and ultimately taken for granted...