XXL Mag

Big K.R.I.T. and Future first hinted at their collaboration on K.R.I.T.'s King Remembered In Time mixtape, but the full version is available now. It's a cinematic and tuneful piece of easy-going Southern rap—probably more K.R.I.T. th...

Somewhere in America, Miley Cyrus is still twerking. Seriously, Miley mania is taking over hip-hop and pop culture, so much that the Oxford English Dictionary added it to the dictionary. If that wasn’t enough, Lil Twist leaked his newest single featuring Justin Bieber and Miley. You ...

When Drake met with XXL last month in his hometown of Toronto, he had a lot on his mind, more than what was fit for print. In a XXLMag.com exclusive, here are portions of the conversation that did not make the cover story. Interview by Thomas Golianopoulos (@golianopoulos) Images by Jonathan Mannion XXL: How far along are you with the album...

When Nelly calls, he's just finished up a poker tournament in Florida, and it's left a bit of a bad taste in his mouth. "I should've fuckin' folded," he says, rueing the moment lost. "I don't know why I just let this guy walk me around. I h...

Gucci Mane is a fan of big dramatic gestures. Whether's it's his release schedule or his tattoo choices, he has no interest in doing anything subtle or bowing to social norms. While most artists make elaborate release strategies centered around teasing songs out one at a time, Gucci is more likely to do something a little odd...

Strange Music is on a roll for 2013. The Missouri-based independent label was recently praised by Billboard for holding the most titles placed on the chart so far. It all revolved around Stevie Stone’s 2 Birds 1 Stone, which claimed the No. 9 sp...

Since the days of truck jewelry and dookie ropes, rap has always had a certain fascination with anything and everything that shines and blinds. Jewelry has always been a vital element of hip-hop iconography. Rappers have been sporting all that is icy, gold and glittering since days of time forgot...

Earlier today, Nike made waves in the shoe game by releasing information and an exclusive photo of their brand-new Nike LeBron 11s. According to Nike, the shoe is "designed to protect LeBron James and his combination of power and speed" and is "built from the inside out." It...

This week, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s huge showing at the VMAs worked in their favor. The Seattle duo’s The Heist has officially gone platinum, moving 19,000 copies and selling 1,017,000 all together. This is an amazing accomplishment for the pair who is known for their independent grind. Elsewhere o...

Pharrell rode into the VMAs last Sunday in style, leading a bike gang full of BMXers such as Nigel Sylvester and briefly causing everyone to turn and stare. But eye-catching antics were just a part of the philosophy behind that decision—it was also a promotion for the new company he is launching in partnership with Sylvester. T...

Big Sean just released his impressive sophomore effort, Hall Of Fame, on Tuesday. Though Kanye West, who serves as a mentor for the Detroit MC, was noticeably not on the album, his influence and blueprint can be heard. That’s not to say Sean didn’t take any risks on his own, trusting his gut feeling to create music he feels is inspirational for his listeners. Here, Sean...

Rico gets seductive in the video "They Don't Know", the premiere video off his EP Discrete Luxury. Crafting up a black and white visual for the song, the video revolves around a lady friend while viewers are left to wonder when Rico will in fact appear...