XXL Mag

What do you do when the game's hottest rapper is your enemy? When the Feds want to put you out of business? If you're Irv Gotti and Ja Rule you sit down with XXL and hope that the people are still listening. Words: Elliott Wilson Photos: Clay Patrick McBride It’s been a hectic year for Irving “Irv Gotti” Lorenzo and Jeffrey “Ja Rule” Atkins. At the beginning of the new ...

Frequent collaborators Rick Ross and DJ Khaled recently stopped by Hot 97 for an interview with program director Ebro, Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg. Following some disagreements between Khaled and Sounds about whether or not the We The Best boss has changed since his success, Rozay made an announcement about his upcoming album...

When XXL caught up with Bun B on the phone, he was exiting his hip-hop and religion class that he jointly teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Dr. Anthony Penn at Rice University. Perhaps due to the immense respect he’s earned as an iconic figure in the Houston rap scene, Bun’s students refer to him with esteem as “Professor Freeman” while in class. It's fitting that a fi...

Vic Mensa's INNANETAPE project sounds like the product of multiple creative minds. Like his friend Chance The Rapper's Acid Rap, it's a tape that incorporates multiple producers, musicians and rappers, and in a new short film made by Chicago's Closed Sessions, Mensa walks us through the creative process behind the tape and introduces his team...

Childish Gambino has been busy this month pushing his upcoming album Because The Internet. After releasing the track "3005" just a few days ago, Glover follows up with the aptly titled song "Worldstar." On the release, CG rides the bouncy track which utilizes audio from some of the popular urban site's videos...

Don Trip And Starlito Shine A Light On Bullying In "Leash On Life"

Hip-hop quartet OverDoz. return with a video for their new track "Killer Tofu," which comes complete with a Doug Funny reference that anyone who grew up in the 1990s will immediately recognize and a Donald Glover/Childish Gambino cameo. Cream, Sleezy, Tube, and Kent dropped the track as a preview to their upcoming new project, titled BOOM. ...

Chain check homie. Run The Jewels' Killer Mike and El-P let the game know anyone can "Get It" in the new video for the single. The duo gets their point across by slicing together show footage and behind-the-scenes clips from their recent tour while spitting cold lyrics over a hot track ...

Boldy James Gives A Hazy Tour Of Detroit On 'My 1st Chemistry Set'

Have you had your Coke fix for the day? In support of clothing designer Dr. Romanelli's Coca-Cola inspired clothing line, Alchemist blends together a concoction vintage ads from the beverage company's past for the instrumental to the new track "Diagnosis" with Action Bronson...

Last week, CMJ rolled through New York City and was a major success. Electric Circus brought The Player’s Ball (an Atlanta staple) to NYC. The party was eventful, featuring performances by former Break artists Lil Bibby & Lil Herb, Two-9, Doe By, Key!, Joh...