Photography By: Lucas Farrar (@MrFarFetched)

When you see Earl Sweatshirt and Black Hippy headlining this year’s Downtown Music Festival, it makes you stop and realize how far these artists have come. On the one hand, you’ve got the 19-year-old Odd Future member whose growth since hitting the hip-hop scene three years ago has validated his cult following and left people fiending for his upcoming solo album, Doris. On the other hand, the TDE crew—consisting of former and current XXL Freshmen—has seen an explosion in popularity thanks in large part to Kendrick Lamar and his universally praised 2012 album, good kid, m.A.A.d city. The performer combination resulted in high-energy audience in both shows on Friday night (May 10), each held at intimate venues in New York’s Lower East Side.

Before things started at Element, Antwon, who is a Bay Area native on the rise, warmed up the crowd with his eclectic blend of hip-hop. He went into strong offerings such as “40 Bag,” “3rd World Girl” and the 1980s-infused “Living Every Dream.” Soon Syd Tha Kyd took the stage to spin a few cuts, and the Earl Sweatshirt chants rang loud in the small venue. After giving the DJ some props (a high five), Earl addressed his fans nonchalantly: “Hey, guys.” He moved with a quick pace, breezing through “Earl,” “Drop” and “Orange Juice” sans Tyler, The Creator. Afterwards, he wanted to get on his “New York shit,” previewing the collaboration with Vince Staples and his song with RZA. (It features a great hook: “I’ll fuck the freckles off your face, bitch.”) Once it ended, Lee Spielman of Trash Talk, who joined Earl on stage for support, crowd surfed just like any hardcore rocker would do.

No times for breaks. Maneuvering through heavy rain outside to catch Black Hippy at Capitale, the crew was a little late to their scheduled time, so the Houston rapper Fat Tony held down court. At around 1:15 a.m., the crowd came alive as Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and Kendrick Lamar walked onto the stage. “We came here to rap,” Rock proclaimed, which was met with a thunderous cheer. The oldest Hippy member jumped straight into “Hood Gone Love It” and kept fans on their feet with “YOLA.”

At this show—which was billed as Black Hippy—the four rappers opted for separate solo sets rather than playing collective cuts. The approach made it feel like you were watching a timeline of their successes in motion. Each had their own fanbase, as concertgoers either cheered for Soul’s “Bohemian Groove” or when Q returned to play his smash hit “There He Go.” Q, who had terrific charisma, couldn’t leave the stage without poking fun at his lesser star power than Kendrick’s. Still, his music was just as catchy, brimming with dance-ready rhymes found in songs like “Hands On The Wheel” and “Yay, Yay.”

As soon as Q left the stage, Kendrick took over as the night’s main event. He blazed through familiar songs off good kid, starting first with “Backseat Freestyle,” during which audience members rapped back his lyrics like they’d done it before. Kendrick played with the crowd, asking which side was the loudest and inciting a small competition. Later on, he rounded up his set with “m.A.d.d. City” and “Swimming Pools (Drank).”

It was roughly 2:30 a.m. As the house lights went up, the audience wanted an encore from Kendrick and made that known through echoing chants. On his way to the upstairs balcony for his exit, Kendrick simply flashed a smile and waved goodbye. Encore or not, TDE left with unprecedented standards for a group performance. They’ll be back to return the favor soon enough.

Flip through our photo gallery recap below of Downtown Festival’s New York edition. The festival plans on expanding to other cities, including Toronto, Philadelphia and Denver with their own lineups.

The post Earl Sweatshirt, Black Hippy Take Over Downtown Music Festival appeared first on XXL.

When you are the hottest MC in the game, there is no time for rest. Just ask Kendrick Lamar. The Compton rapper, who is currently jaunting the U.S on a cross country Spring college tour, recently announced that he will take his show worldwide, embarking on a 60 show world tour starting May 5. Along with his Black Hippy crew (Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul), K Dot will take the stage in 15 countries between May and late August. Will you be in the crowd?

Check out the full schedule below.

May 5th – West Palm Beach, FL – SUNFEST
May 11 – Columbia, MD – Sweetlife Festival
May 17 – La Jolla, CA – Sungod Festival
May 18 – Gulf Shores, AL – Hangout Festival
May 22 – Las Vegas, – NV Cosmopolitan
May 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Great Saltair
May 29 – Portland, ME – The Waterfront At Ocean Gateway
May 30 – Albany, NY – Armory
June 1 – Junction, VT – Champion Valley Exposition
June 3 – Belle Vernon, PA – Ice Garden
June 4 – Cleveland, OH – Jacob Pavilion at Nautica
June 5 – Detroit, MI – Chene Park
June 6 – Indianapolis, IN – Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn
June 8 – Randall’s Island, NY – Govenors Ball
June 10 – Baton Rouge, LA – Baton Rouge River Center
June 11 – Houston, TX – Reliant Arena
June 12 – Grand Prairie, TX – Verizon Theatre
June 13 – New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheatre
June 16 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo
June 19 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre
June 20 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
June 21 – Simpsonville, SC – Charter Amphitheatre
June 22 – Dover, DE – Firefly Music Festival
June 23 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheatre
June 26 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Amphitheatre
June 28 – San Diego, CA – Del Mar Fair Festival
June 29 – Kansas City, KS – Kanrocksas Festival
June 29 – Los Angeles, CA – BET Experience
July 3 – Gdynia, PL – Heineken Open’er Festival
July 4 – Roskilde, DK – Roskilde Festival
July 5 – Zurich, SE – Touch the Lake Festival
July 6 – Haachtsesteenweg, BE – Rock Werchter Festival
July 7 – Arras, FR – Main Square Festival
July 8 – Birmingham, UK – Academy
July 9 – Manchester, UK – Apollo
July 10 – Leeds, UK – Academy
July 11 – Grafenhainichen, DE – Splash Festival
July 12 – Kinross-shire, UK – T in the Park Festival
July 13 – London, UK – Wireless Festival
July 14 – Rotterdam, NL – North Sea Jazz Festival
July 17 – Montreaux, CH – Montreaux Jazz Festival
July 18 – Molde, NO – Molde Jazz Festival
July 19 – Tonsberg, NO – Slottsfjell
July 20 – Pori, FI – Pori Jazz Festival
July 27 – Naeba, Japan – Fuji Rock Festival
Aug 2 – Toronto, Canada- Sound Academy
Aug 3 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 4 – Montreal, Canada – Osheaga Music Festival
Aug 8 – Oslo, NO – Oya Festival
Aug 9 – Helsinki, FI – Flow Festival
Aug 10 – Gothenburg, SE – Way Out West Festival
Aug 15 – Hasselt, BE – Pukkelpop Festival
Aug 16 – Biddinghuizen, NL – Lowlands Festival
Aug 17 – Chelmsford, UK – V Festival
Aug 18 – South Staffordshire, UK – V Festival
Aug 20 – Glasgow, UK – Bellahouston Park
Aug 22 – Paris, FR – Stade de France
Aug 23 – Paris, FR – Rock En Seine Festival
Aug 24 – Hradec Kralove, CZ – Hip Hop Kemp Festival

The post Kendrick Lamar, Black Hippy Going On 60 Show ‘good kid m.A.A.d. city’ World Tour appeared first on XXL.

The Paid Dues Festival kicked off last night at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, CA. Black Hippy was on hand to bless the packed out crowd. The crew performed “Black Lip Bastard (Remix),” “Money Trees” and K. Dot even dropped an acapella version of “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Remix).”

The post Black Hippy Performs At Paid Dues Festival appeared first on XXL.

Fans anticipating a group project from Black Hippy are going to have to sit tight for a while, says Kendrick Lamar.

K. Dot recently spoke to HipHop-N-More about the TDE crew’s line-up of projects for the coming year. He explained that the crew plans to release a round of solo albums before the group project, starting with  ScHoolboy Q’s impending debut Oxymoron later this year.

“Right now, we’re really focusing on ScHoolboy Q, his album’s coming out,” he said. “Ab-Soul’s is, Jay Rock’s, so right now, it’s a little bit further back than expected because there’s so much going on with the individual acts. So right now it’s about ScHoolboy Q, then we’ll probably work on figuring out Black Hippy.”

Check out the interview above.

[via HipHop-N-More]

The post Kendrick Lamar On Black Hippy Album: “Right Now, It’s About ScHoolboy Q” appeared first on XXL.

Dylan Johnson

The scene outside of Roseland Ballroom on Tuesday evening wasn’t a surprise. Since October, Kendrick Lamar has become a household name of sorts, with rave reviews of his major label debut demanding far more attention than the hip-hop community alone can accommodate.

A mixed crowd came out early to see the young prodigy in one of two back-to-back shows at the midtown manhattan venue, packing tightly into sectioned metal corrals all the way around the block and then some, long before the doors were scheduled to open.

Even those passing by to catch the Broadway musical Jersey Boys recited lyrics as they noticed the marquee and lamented having to miss the show—rather than wondering, “Who’s Kendrick Lay-mar?”

People of all ages were in attendance, awaiting for the arrival of West Coast’s new poster child. K-Dot’s critically (and now commercially) adored Interscope debut, good kid, M.A.A.D City, is living proof that hip-hop is still a fixture in young American culture the way it was years ago. The only difference now is the range of people who are open to embrace it. Seeing two middle-school-aged kids, accompanied by their father, reciting every word to songs off Kendrick’s set seemed rather appropriate.

The initial 15-minute performances from each of Kendrick’s T.D.E. brethren failed to take place as scheduled. They were replaced with an hour-long party rock hosted by Cipha Sounds, with every neighborhood in New York City getting a proper nod.

As the crowd grew restless, K. Dot finally took the stage to the ecstatic roars and One Direction-esque teenage girl screeches. After the opening cuts, which included pre-GKMC favorites “Hol’ Up” and “P&P 1.5,” Ab-Soul joined to perform “Terrorist Threats.” By this point, the energy in the building had reached its zenith, and it would remain there until Kendrick dropped the microphone on stage to close the evening.

The performance was as good as hip-hop shows get. No extra entourage with towels, cups of Hennessy, and unnecessary recitation of the star’s lyrics. The Compton native’s stage presence was as honest, engaging, and impassioned as you’d expect from him. Drenched with sweat, Kendrick made a point of addressing the crowd throughout the night. Some time during the first half of the show, a black sneaker flew past his back between songs, to which he cooly replied, “You need not be thrown’ these ugly-ass shoes on stage, bruh.”

The show featured a range of material, both new and old. Highlights included “Money Trees” with an overhyped support from Jay Rock, “Hands on the Wheel” with Schoolboy Q (who admitted his disdain for performing the song immediately after), “Backseat Freestyle,” Section.80 favorite “Blow My High,” and near flawless live recitation of “Look Out For Detox.” For an encore, the entire Black Hippy set took the stage to perform “Cartoons & Cereal,” breeding thoughts how such a moment would be remembered a decade down the line, and what will have become of the T.D.E. movement by then. One thing, however, was for certain, that witnessing such a collection of talent sharing a stage this early in their careers wasn’t to be taken for granted.

While 50 Cent and A$AP Rocky’s guest appearance for the second part of the evening is stirring well deserved attention, it’s an after thought considering Kendrick’s finesse as a live performer. It was clear he was the star of the evening, and it appears it’ll remain that way.

The post Kendrick Lamar Turns New York Into a M.A.A.D City appeared first on XXL.

Kendrick Lamar greeted the sold-out crowd last night (September 15) at New York City’s Terminal 5 with a heartfelt “it feels good to be home.” Kendrick opened hard with a string of Section.80 bangers that included “HiiiPower,” “Fuck Your Ethnicity,” “Hol’ Up” and “A.D.H.D.”

The Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) crew has been on the BET Music Matters tour for a week now, but the rigor of the nightly shows was only evident in Kendrick’s hoarse voice. He powered through a long set of old and new tracks, letting the on-point audience finish line after line for him as he bounced back and forth across the stage under a banner advertising his upcoming album, good kid, m.A.A.d city.

Standing by the tour bus after the show, Kendrick told XXL, “I love New York, and it was a great show. Every time I come out here, they give me love and they give me energy, so it was well expected. But tonight they overdid themselves.”

TDE gave New York a solid night of hip-hop even before Kendrick took the stage. Jay Rock opened with the aggressive verses and energetic presence he’s becoming known for, ending with “YOLA,” a track he dropped last month as part of TDE’s Fam Appreciation Week. As the pounding bass shook the club’s floors and walls, the Watts MC told the all-ages crowd: “I see all colors out here—I love that shit!”

Ab-Soul jumped onstage next, rolling out a half-hour of rhymes that the crowd chanted along with in perfect unison. From the revolutionary fire of “Terrorist Threats” to the smooth, funky “Bohemian Grove,” the audience stayed right with Soulo as he danced through his versatile catalog of records. Before finishing up with “Pineal Gland,” he shouted out a closing reminder: “If you learn nothing else tonight, remember this—you’ve got three eyes.”

When asked after the show if it felt different than other times he’s performed in New York, Soulo told XXL, “I think you subconsciously match the energy of the crowd all the time. I gave a lot of my energy out so I know it was crackin’, I know it was crazy. We definitely building, so I can always see a gradual progression—more people coming out, more people familiar with the words, more energy.”

With a flawless performance that was technically disciplined and non-stop energetic, Kendrick and the TDE boys once again showed the finesse that’s “HiiiPower.” —Katie Moore

The post Show Recap: Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul and Jay Rock Unleash their HiiiPower on NYC appeared first on XXL.

The post Slaughterhouse Praises Black Hippy [Video] appeared first on XXL.

The various talents of Black Hippy—comprised of Top Dawg Entertainment’s Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and ScHoolboy Q—have invigorated fans and allowed each to cultivate individual fan-bases. Listeners have also been itching for a Black Hippy, album, though, as they’ve been treated to various songs over the last few years, but no full project. Now, with the solo careers of the group’s members taking over, it seems unlikely, according to, well, the guys themselves. So stop asking.

The post Black Hippy Is Tired of Questions About a Black Hippy Album; It’s Not Happening [Video] appeared first on XXL.

The post XXL Quick Hitters: 2 Chainz and Mitt Romney, Eminem, Meek Mill, Ab-Soul, and DJ Quik appeared first on XXL.

The post Kendrick Lamar & ScHoolboy Q on Tour [Video] appeared first on XXL.

The post Ab-Soul Reveals Origin of One of His Nicknames [Video] appeared first on XXL.

Chemistry at the Photo Shoot:

I guess the most interesting thing was just watching them interact at the photo shoot. They were all kind of like everything you would expect them to be—Q was the loudest—what’s his nickname Puffy? He kind of lived up to that, I guess. He was [smoking] a lot. Him and Ab-Soul. Jay Rock was—what he was like in the story, more reserved.

You try to give equal shine to everyone, but the story just kind of writes itself. I guess that’s why ScHoolboy Q is mentioned the most in this story.

Both Kendrick and Jay Rock were hanging out, but I’m sure you’ve hung out with a group of friends; there’s always that one kid who’s just the loudest. It’s not like they were off to the side, but it’s not like they were more into their heads, they’re just quieter, I think. Like Kendrick kind of talks about it in the story about how he likes riding on planes because of how quiet it is and how he can kind of delve into his own thoughts. I really don’t think Q’s like that unless it’s when he’s not with the guys and then he’s not as loud.

Kendrick, The Break Out Star:

I was on staff [with XXL] last year when Kendrick was the XXL Freshman. I was kind of the guy who was chanting his music, I guess, and I thought he was kind of a no brainer for the list. XXL [shoots can be] really chaotic and you don’t have a chance to [talk to artists], unless you’re doing the artist interviews, to grasp what they’re about in the short time. I think I did Fred the Godson—I didn’t really talk to Kendrick [Lamar]. He was in the office last year and we didn’t really talk, he gave me a look when I said something. I didn’t really know him last year to notice a change.

I thought it was interesting how Kendrick—we were told to interview Kendrick first ‘cause they were in New York—I think for 2 days, I’m not sure. Everything, the photo shoot was so—we didn’t have a lot of time with them. I was told by the publicist, “Just make sure you get Kendrick first.” I caught up on the phone with Q and Jay Rock later that week, and I got up with Soul the next day in the offices, so Kendrick had to be done ‘cause he’s obviously the breakout star and I won’t say the most media trained, but I guess he’s kind of been through it already from when he was doing press for his last solo album. So he just kind of knows the game and knows the talk of him being the breakout star. I don’t really believe there’s any type of jealousy over there, but I guess it’s only natural to inquire because—when Dr. Dre is his first feature on his single and he gets a verse on Drake’s album and does the most solo shows and has the most ink written about him.

Listening to Black Hippy:

I listen to [Kendrick's] music and I like his album from last year, definitely, and I followed—I was going to get Q’s album when it came out earlier this year. It’s been kind of a crash course with Ab-Soul and Jay Rock’s music. I’ve heard their music, but I’ve never really written about it or gotten into it. I think they’re all great. Ab-Soul is kind of—it’s interesting how he’s like…I don’t like when people say the “most lyrical,” the “most this,” but he’s the most different, I want to say, both musically and lyrically. Listening to some of Ab-Soul’s stuff was a pleasant surprise. Like I was familiar with his stuff, but I got really into it and I didn’t know he was as good as he is.

Kendrick’s Performance in New York:

I didn’t expect Kendrick to be that popular. I know he’s popular and I know he’s a really good artist, but I didn’t expect—I expected fans to be lining around the corner ‘cause it’s his free shit, but all the response and lyrics. Like it isn’t like “one, two, buckle my shoe,” his lines are a little intricate so all those fans knowing all those lyrics, I guess, was cool that he got to share it. The devoted fan base in New York—I guess that’s what kind of speaks about their music really. Not just Kendrick’s but the whole group. They’re all from L.A., but besides from Jay Rock—the rest is obviously California, but a lot of the other stuff is not coast specific. There’s no specific sound, but that’s kind of vindictive of that in 2012. New York artists sound like Houston artists you know with A$AP Rocky—I mean that’s not only for us, but the most promising or the most popular New York rapper now sounds like Houston. The fact that Kendrick spits and he doesn’t sound like your typical L.A. rapper or what we think as a typical L.A. rapper in like 1995, [that] in 2012 is impressive.

Leopard Shirt & Gold Watch:

It was kind of a ridiculous shirt; you kind of just open yourself up to being teased, if you will. Like a leopard-print shirt? But the Ab-Soul thing is kind of funny. I think it’s because Ab-Soul is just the youngest and he came from a different background from everybody else. The funny thing is that right away we went to [discuss] the gold watch, how they weren’t gold. I probably wouldn’t leave without [checking] the gold watch someone gave me, you know? It’s kind of strange.

Finding Top Dawg:

I guess the only disappointment I have is that I couldn’t get Top Dawg on the phone. I was told by numerous agents that he doesn’t do phone interviews, and I think he could’ve given a lot.

I wouldn’t say that [he’s shrouded], that has a negative connotation. It means he has something to hide, but I guess he just likes his privacy and a lot of people are like that. They don’t want to be in the spotlight and they don’t wan to be quoted. I hate being quoted; obviously I don’t do these things. [Laughs.]

TO READ THE FULL STORY ON BLACK HIPPY, PICK UP XXL‘S 2012 JULY/AUGUST ISSUE. IN STORES NOW!

The post Black Hippy, “All in Together Now” [Behind-the-Story of XXL's July/August Feature] appeared first on XXL.

A star-studded collaboration involving the lyricists of Slaughterhouse and Top Dawg Entertainment is in the works.

Yesterday, Twitter personality OfficiallyIce played the role of an A&R, by mentioning each member of both respective camps in a status update; “So…. @kendricklamar @absoul @jayrock @ScHoolBoyQ @JoellOrtiz @JoeBudden @CrookedIntriago @Royceda59 I found a beat…”

After Ice’s initial message received over a 100 retweets, Slaughterhouse’s Joe Budden responded back promptly with a tweet of his own, “@OfficiallyIce @kendricklamar @absoul @jayrock @ScHoolBoyQ @JoellOrtiz @CrookedIntriago @Royceda59 dogs, SH is in, check them other niggas.”

According to OfficiallyIce’s timeline, a few hours later, Joe Budden and Ab-Soul were on the phone discussing the possibilities and potential of what promises to be a track that influxes eight of the game’s illest lyricists. The conversation presumably went well, with Top Dawg Entertainment’s rising star telling the New Jersey native, “I’m with it. Send me your email and I’ll get a beat to you ASAP.”

In related news, Slaughterhouse is currently prepping for their second compilation album, Welcome to: Our House, which is their first studio release on the Shady Records imprint. Eminem mixed the LP, which drops on August 28.

Meanwhile, the Black Hippy collective has quickly risen through the ranks, regarded as one of the more lyrical rap crews around. Kendrick Lamar recently set October 2 as the release date for his good kid, m.A.A.d city album. K. Dot has already released his Dr. Dre-assisted single, “The Recipe.”

A collaboration between Slaughterhouse and Black Hippy would be a dream come true for lovers of lyricism. Stay tuned to XXLMAG.COM for more updates on this developing story. —Christian Bonoan

The post Slaughterhouse and Black Hippy Collaboration in The Works appeared first on XXL.

Standout: “Folded”

Also Check Out:“Pressure”

And: “Karma”

Name: G-Scott

Age: 21

Reppin’: Gary, IN

I’ve Been rapping since: I first started producing and making beats in high school about 7 years ago.  It all came together after college and blossomed I guess about 3 years ago when I started taking it all seriously and trying to pursue it music as a career.

My style and/or skills have been compared to: I have my own sound. My goal anytime I make a record is to not have someone say “Yo he sounds just like…,” but people have compared me to Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Kid Cudi simply cause of the style of music and because I’m from the Mid-west. But I’d like to think I can’t be compared. I’m just trying to do my own thing.

My standout records and/or moments have been: Performing at the Metro in Chicago with Chip Tha Ripper and Kid Cudi is still one of my standout moments.  I remember about a year before that show I was there for a Curren$y concert thinking, “Yeah, I’m going to be on that stage one day killin sh*t.” And a year later… wala magic. As far as stand out records, I’d have to say “Folded.”  It’s THAT record. We put it out along with a video before the release of my latest project “Weekend in Los Vegas” and the reception was great.  We’re planning on releasing it on a wider scale so it gets the full attention it deserves.

I’m gonna change the game by: Changing the way people view and perceive hip-hop. In my opinion, the game has lost a lot of creativity as far as mainstream artists go (aside from the Kanye’s and Jay-Z’s of the game).  I wanna show you can still be an artist and still have creativity and authenticity in your music without having to sacrifice “yourself” to sell records.  I’ve got a story to tell, that only I can tell and every chapter of that story will be told.

I’d Like to Work With: John Mayer, Mayer Hawthorne, Coldplay, Timbaland, Outkast, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Cudi, The Neptunes, Cardo and Black Hippy.

My goal in hip-hop is: Is to reach the people. I’m not trying to be the best rapper alive or the most lyrical emcee.  I honestly just want to be a great artist that at the end of the day touched somebody and made them feel like, “Yo this n*gga is talking to me right now; someone understands and feels what I’m going through.” I make music for the people with big dreams who don’t always know how to start reaching for them.

I’m gonna be the next: Next up out of Indiana, but I’m cool being the only G-Scott.

To check out more of my music go to: (Twitter, Facebook, Webpage, Tumblr, and/or etc.): www.G-ScottMusic.com | @gscottking | www.facebook.com/gscottbbb

The post The Break Presents: G-Scott appeared first on XXL.

2Pac’s “California Love” video, featuring Dr. Dre, was one of the more iconic rap clips of all time and one of the many hits that remains synonymous with the legendary late rapper’s name.

Kendrick Lamar recently told MTV News that he was trying to capture that same vibe and feel for “The Recipe,” his big single, which also features Dr. Dre, off his upcoming LP, Good Kid in a Mad City.

“I felt like there hasn’t been that ‘California Love’-type feel since the ’90s, and I really wanted to display that and represent where I’m from,” K. Dot told MTV News. “So I had a whole bunch of beautiful women, good weather — it was like 85 degrees and breezy — and we had [ScHoolboy] Q up in there stealing some of Snoop’s weed, him and Ab-Soul, and we had fun.”

Aside from prepping his LP, Lamar has been strong at helping to steer the Black Hippy movement with fellow members ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul.

“We’re here to spread this music all across the world,” Lamar continued telling MTV. “It started in my backyard, in Compton, and now I’m fittin’ to take it to the next level and take it worldwide because I feel like the world needs to hear this. I’ve been ready for a long time.”—Jakinder Singh

The post Kendrick Lamar Goes For “California Love” Feel With “Recipe” Video appeared first on XXL.

Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul catch a body over Nas’ “Daughters” instrumental.

The post Kendrick Lamar & Ab-Soul “Daughters (Freestyle)” [Video] appeared first on XXL.

NEWS HEADLINES THAT MATTER TO THE HIP-HOP COMMUNITY

SNOOP & WIZ: Mac & Devin’s High School Tips

Snoop and Wiz take cameras behind the scenes for their Devin Go To High School movie. [WestfestTV]

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ab-Soul Speaks to Sway

The Black Hippy member talks about how he stands out amongst his crew and rappers overall. [SwaysUniverse]

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flo-Rida Drops Steamy Video

Fellas are bound to do a double take when they see Flo’s new “Run” video with a certain young lady, well, running. [OfficialFlo]

The post XXL Quick Hitters: Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, Ab-Soul, and Flo-Rida appeared first on XXL.

Things are unraveling nicely for Black Hippy member Ab-Soul. After aligning himself with Top Dawg Entertainment early in his career with Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Schoolboy Q, the California MC has received national acclaim for his introspective storytelling filled with potent lyricism. Deemed by his teammates as the label’s secret weapon (or the oftentimes joked-upon suburbanite), the shade-donning Soulo has impressed both critics and fans with his latest offering, Control System—an album molded with distinctive influence from his fellow Top Dawg affiliates.

Despite Ab-Soul’s non-gang-affiliated upbringing compared to other members of the collective (his family owned record shops), his music is far from timid. The album’s aggressive undertone, with concept-driven songs that are far from throwaways, makes Control System another solid release from the burgeoning indie imprint. XXL spoke with Ab-Soul on his thought-provoking album, his childhood rap idols, and the upcoming status of Black Hippy. —Jaeki Cho (@JaekiCho)

XXL: How long did it take to develop Control System?

Ab-Soul: I never really stopped working at all. I was working on that as soon as LongTerm: Mentality was out. You know, I’m not sleeping in the studio, just trying to rap all day. My process isn’t like that. I’ve done that already. I’m really trying to step outside and see what’s going on, man. Try to connect as much as possible. And that’s my development. I talk to people, see what’s on people’s minds, get new slang, and learn new things. And just try to bridge the gap between what might not be talked about in hip-hop or in the music that, me and my friends listen to.

Who are some rappers that you grew up idolizing?

First of all, when it comes to music, I’m real jaded ‘cause I grew up in a family-owned record store. Magic Disc Music. My grandpa started the V.I.P. Records chain in Southern California. Where Snoop shot the video and shit. He started the V.I.P. chain. That wasn’t the first store, but he eventually handed that store over to my uncle Calvin, then he had that shit going. So, coming up in that, I was numb to it. It was more so just something that my mom sold. I’m in the single section selling CDs that I’m not really understanding why people are coming in really eager to buy this music. So, somehow, I took a liking to rapping some kind of way. I remember I wrote my first verse to Twista’s “Emotions.” Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, I really liked “Crossroads” so it’s like that fast-pace rap. I couldn’t really keep up so I kind of drifted away from Twista and kind of got more into Canibus. I [got] into Eminem and then, as a matter of fact, probably before Eminem it was DMX.

You were a big DMX fan?

My mom had took me to the Hard Knock Life Tour, right? At that time, they was sending all the independent stores free compensation for a lot of different events and stuff. So, I wanted to see DMX, right? We got backstage passes and it was Jay-Z show. I wasn’t even really into Jay-Z at the time. So he was the only one backstage and I’m pissed off because I wanted to meet DMX.

But you saw Jay-Z instead?

Right. [Jay-Z] gives me an autograph. So I’m like, “Oh, man.” Like, I’m hot, literally, hot. But, when I get home I realized I got the CD, too. I’m like, “You know what, his show was pretty tight, let me check it out.” So then, Jay-Z became my favorite rapper. From Jay-Z, I got into Nas, and everybody else. I’m playing pick-up with the culture and what was happening. I’ve sold pretty much everybody’s music so I’m familiar. But, my favorite rapper hands down is Jay-Z.

I’ve noticed on “Illuminate,” your track with Kendrick, you’ve mentioned, “I used to want to rap like Jay-Z, now I feel like I’m running laps around Jay-Z, NaS ain’t seen nothing this nasty, B.I.G. & Pac got it coming when I pass, too.”

Yeah. I’m 25 now, man. I’m a grown man now. I done reached. And everything that I said was definitely out of respect. [Those are] pretty much the top artist[s] that I rank myself with, so I don’t take that lightly.

Regarding “Terrorist Threats,” you have some lines about the president, “Barack, you’re just a puppet.” What’s your take on politics?

I kind of think politics is just a big show to cover up the forces that be. I could guess, but I’m not going to sit up here and act like I know. I think the president gets hired. It’s a job. He gets hired, not by the people because somebody has to check the votes. Who checks the votes and determines what? Those guys tell the president what to do and what not to do. I could be very wrong, but that’s just my consensus thus far. And that’s definitely no disrespect for Barack Obama. I’d rather have him than anybody else at this point. He might not be a puppet. He might really be pushing every single button.

A lot of people think that I’m trying to covey a message. But I’m really just trying to share my theory. I want people to tell me that I’m wrong. I’m looking for answers, hopefully somebody can oppose and I could be wrong. Maybe things aren’t as bad as I think they are. I’m trying to get people to ask questions because the popular music that I’m into, and my homies are into, it sounds real monotone and they’re not talking about things that need to be talked about. It’s a lot going on in this earth, and the radius of the music right now just seems to be from the strip club to the hotel suite. So, I’m just trying to open up a couple more doors.

Who is “Book of Soul” dedicated to?

It was for my dear friend Alori Joh. It was a letter to her ‘cause she was the only person I really feel like talking about that to. And we lost her randomly, me and her family and her friends, that was a big—I just really don’t know what happened with that. But, I owe everybody that’s following me, some type of closure in that situation. I take responsibility as being her closest friend. She was probably the closest person to me aside from my mother.

Isn’t she featured on the album?

Yeah, she is. She did a lot for work for us at TDE. She was pursuing her music career as well.

And then she recently passed?

Yeah, and I honestly don’t want to go too deep into it.

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The energy level couldn’t have reached any higher Wednesday night (April 11) at NYC’s famous S.O.B’s venue where heatseeking West Coast spitter ScHoolBoy Q, of the rising powerhouse that is Top Dawg Entertainment, held court in front of a sold-out crowd.

Crammed with Black Hippy enthusiasts, the very name of Top Dawg’s in-house supergroup comprised of Q, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul, the show kicked off to a feverish start after fans began growing impatient waiting for the LA native to hit the stage—including one even going as far as throwing garbage at one of the opening acts. However as the clock struck 11PM, the excitement that was building the entire night reached fever pitch once the stocky bucket hat-devotee MC—clad in a Ralph Lauren Polo bucket, jean jacket and a pair of Nike LeBrons—hit the stage to his somber Habits & Contradictions opener “Sacrilegious.”

“Gloomy on sunny days, shadows no house or trees/Prayers not close to me as I bow down and take a knee/Hell goes far as the eye can see/Hoodies and weaponry…”

While everyone in attendance immediately flocked towards and around the stage, Q switched things up mid-verse going right into the dopey “Oxy Music,” to which the entire venue chanted the lyrics word-for-word.

“New York, what the fuck is up though?” he greeted before asking, “Where the real ScHoolBoy fans at? I’ma test yall out.”

When “#BETiGOTSUMWEED” off of last year’s Setbacks project clamored through the speakers, the good ol’ Mary Jane scent began clouding the packed house as fans began lighting and rolling up—one even passing their’s to Q who took a toke and passed it back.

If that didn’t get the crowd fired up, then it was when the raucous “Nightmare On Figg St.” came during which ScHoolBoy slipped on a ski mask and promptly jumped into the crowd with everyone reciting the song in unison. “What’s fifty grand to muh’fucker like me? Can you please tell me? Put the steel behind ya, put five inside ya/Better chill out with all that flossin’ patna.” The intensity level here reaches high-pitched.

Jumping into his catalog of fan-favorites including “Druggy Wit Hoes”—to which he brought in a fan from the crowd to hold down temporary hypeman duties—”Figg Get the Money,” “My Hatin’ Joint,” “How We Feeling,” “Druggy Wit Hoes Again,” “There He Go” and more, ScHoolBoy ultimately held his own like a champ on the same stage that’s been graced by music greats such as Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Outkast and more.

Though he shied away from bringing out any guests, he did get a very special phone call on stage from his Top Dawg group mate Kendrick Lamar, who made an appearance via speakerphone to much fanfare before Q performed the former XXL Freshman’s Section.80 cut “A.D.H.D.”

“But on the real though no matter what yall going through, shit could change for you” he impelled before going into “Blessed” and closing with his A$AP Rocky-assisted, woodgrain-tinged banger “Hands On The Wheel.”

Certainly a dope night that was well-worth the wait. From the Westside with love. —Ralph Bristout (@RalphieBlackmon)

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