The NBA playoffs are in full-swing, and with only four series left, it’s coming down to the final moment to determine which team’s the league champion. But the NBA playoffs aren’t only good watching high intensity basketball; they’re also prime events at which to see your favorite rapper (if you’re into that kinda thing).

Now, XXL has put together a gallery of 28 photographs of rappers hanging out courtside at basketball games.

The post Kings Of Courtside: 28 Pictures Of Rappers At NBA Games appeared first on XXL.

“Gig It” is the first and only 3-D concept game on Facebook. A truly visionary idea, the game was launched Tuesday night (April 30) as tons of celebrities, media and industry folk got together at Capitale in NYC  for a special kick-off concert with apperances, from Nas, Rick Ross, Vado, Slaughterhouse, Raekwon, Fabolous, Marsha Ambrosius, Large Professor, Flo-Rida, and Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo chatted up with XXL about his initial thoughts on the new game saying, “I thought it was dope, that you can basically, as a fan, all of the powers are in your hand.”

“From what the artist wears, to what song the artist does [and] what continent the concert is on, all of that is in the hands of the fans,” he continued.  LaLa and DJ Khaled did a wonderful job as the night’s hosts, while reality TV star, Tahiry hosted the red carpet. Attendees at the event got to see special performances from Miguel, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Nas, 2 Chainz, Elle Varner and  French Montana.

Gig It is a game that allows the user to pick real rappers and customize a concert whatever way you want, in great detail. Fans have the options to choose the music, backup dancers, opening act, headline performers, wardrobes, sponsors and many more other facets of a show. With tons of artist available in the game, it’s sure to be a delight for every music lover. The game’s founder John Acunto, spoke on how it all came together, saying, “Combining YouTube, social and gaming.”

“YouTube a very powerful tool, that’s wear you have video—user generated videos. This is wear  you check out things and where things go viral. You got a billion people on facebook and you have gaming. So being able to bring artist into the fold, its explosive,” he further explained. Acunto also went on to say that Gig It is one of the most unique games on the market. “I think it’s a legitimate distribution platform [and] a different way to reach a billion people and  distribute everything that they are,” he said. “A user doesn’t just pick that virtual shirt, they can actually buy that real world item. There’s also the music component—If Cypress Hill drops a new album and some new cuts, we can immediately make that available into the game and help distribution worldwide.”

B-Real also believes in the game’s potential, telling XXL, ”It’s a game for Facebook, Facebook has billions of users, I think it be a win for Gig It and all the artists because it’s a great cross promotion of both.”

From the first look of the game, Gig It looks like it has some real growth potential. Go and check out the pics from the event below.

The post Rick Ross, Nas, 2 Chainz Attend ‘Gig It’ Launch Concert appeared first on XXL.

Nas’ legal team is fighting back in the $10 million lawsuit levied against the rap legend over the kidnapping of a concert promoter in Africa.

According to NJ.com, Nas’ lawyer is looking to have the courts dismiss the costly lawsuit filed by a concert promoter against the Queensbridge MC this past December. According to the suit, New Jersey-based promoter Patrick Allocco and his father were detained and beaten by Angolan authorities after Nas failed to show up for a series of concerts in the country’s capital Luanda, resulting in massive financial loss and the eventual foreclosure of Allocco’s home.

Now, the Def Jam rapper’s attorney Jonathan Davis has filed a motion to have the lawsuit thrown out on the grounds that Nas was not at fault for missing the concert. Davis says that Allocco failed to pay the rapper the $300,000 check for the shows before the agreed upon date time and didn’t provide proper travel arrangements that would allow the Illmatic rapper to enter the country.

Davis also says that Allocco signed an agreement that stipulated that he wouldn’t sue Nas for the concert mishap if the $300,000 check was returned, which Nas did on January 5, 2012.

XXL will keep you updated as more details in the case come to light.

[via NJ.com]

The post Nas’ Lawyer Pushes To Have $10 Million Promoter Kidnapping Lawsuit Dismissed appeared first on XXL.

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Today, super-producer/fashion icon/sometimes-hologram will.i.am put out a new record, #willpower, a dance-pop supernova of an album that features Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, k-pop stars 2NE1, and a long list of other huge acts. The album is pretty much what you’d expect – a lot of rave beats and huge anthemic hooks and simple one-liners sprinkled throughout. And the truth is, it works for him, for whatever he’s become in the past few years.

will.i.am wasn’t always like this, though. When he started out, will was signed to Eazy E’s Ruthless Records and made jazzy beats as the producer for Black Eyed Peas, who were then a backpack rap outfit from LA. By the time Fergie came along and helped the BEPs transition into a global pop super-squad and headline the Super Bowl halftime show, will’s hip-hop roots were all but long gone.

But, there was a stretch there in the mid-2000s – up until 2009, when the Peas released their career-defining The E.N.D. – when will re-emerged as a premiere hip-hop producer, working with everyone from conscious minds like Talib and Common to money-getters like The Game and Flo Rida. To celebrate will’s new album and take a look back at his hip-hop history, we’ve compiled a list of will.i.am’s best beats. — Additional reporting by Sean Ryon.

The post will’s Power: The 15 Best will.i.am Beats appeared first on XXL.

On this day, April 19, in hip-hop history…

1994: Nas releases his seminal debut album Illmatic. In 1991, the Queensbridge rapper built a major buzz in the New York hip-hop market after first appearing on Main Source’s “Live From the Barbeque.” In the following year, Nas released his acclaimed solo single “Halftime” – which appeared on the soundtrack to the film Zebrahead – and hired 3rd Bass rapper MC Serch as his manager. Nas’ connection with Serch ultimately helped him land a recording contract Columbia after both Cold Chillin’ and Def Jam had passed over the rapper. Following his deal, Nas began recording the songs that would later make up Illmatic with the likes of DJ Premier. Large Professor, Q-Tip and more. Although the album wasn’t an instant commercial success, it was met with universal critical acclaimed upon its release, even earning a five-mic rating from The Source. In the years to come, Illmatic would become one of hip-hop’s most acclaimed releases. The album was later certified platinum by the RIAA in 2001.

The post Today In Hip-Hop: Nas Releases “Illmatic” appeared first on XXL.

On Monday April 15 veteran The LOX/D-Block rapper Styles P celebrated the release of his sixth solo album Float. Beginning at 8 PM, Styles rocked the mic to a packed crowd at B.B. King’s Blues Club and Grill in the heart of New York City. As the crowd filtered into the venue, Styles partook in his backstage “rituals,” stopping to reflect that, “This is a young man’s game…but I’m a staple in the game.”

After a ceremonious late start to the show, Styles’ DJ and producer on Float Scram Jones hyped up the crowd by giving a sonic lesson in hip-hop history. It was a night for vintage hip-hop jams, as Scram played classic cuts from The LOX, Nas, A Tribe Called Quest and others. Quelling the crowd’s suspense, Scram and his accompanying hype man collectively reminisced with the crowd about the hip-hop video program The Box, vintage fashion, and classic NY concerts.

After long, surprise guest and fellow NYC veteran N.O.R.E. piqued the crowd’s appetite, reminding fans of the “real hip-hop” the came out to support. The crowd joined in alongside the Queens native rapping to his best-known hits like “Superthug” and “Grimey.” P.A.P.I. lined a surprise of his own, introducing his recent reunited rap partner Capone to the stage, even alluding to the absence of the rapper due to his jail time. The rap duo’s love was felt by the masses, as they dapped up members of the crowd. It was a nostalgic feeling of long time fans, supporting artists they had loved since the beginning of their careers.

The main event finally came as the Ghost was brought to the stage. Not to be outdone by Capone-N-Noreaga, S.P. The Ghost brought out his D-Block brethren Sheek Louch. The intimate crowd immediately embraced Louch as the duo worked their longtime chemistry to deliver what proved to be a great show.  Even though Styles performed a number of new tracks from his impending album Float, he also brought the people back as he ran through time-honored classics like “We Gonna’ Make It,” “Good Times,” and verses from Bad Boy-released mega hit “It’s All About the Benjamin’s.” Styles was unafraid to be comfortable with the crowd, even going off the top with an impromptu rant before Louch pulled him back.

Styles P delivered exactly the kind of show exactly ione would expect from a veteran of his stature. It was a night for stripped-down, grimy New York hip-hop from a group of skilled MCs who managed to pull in an audience amongst a new wave in the genre. Written by Don Garvin (@Cassius_Jordan)

The post Show Recap: Styles P Rocks B.B. King’s For “Float” Release Party appeared first on XXL.

Over the past weekend at Coachella Music Festival, Nas hosted an after party at Details at midnight. There, the crowd got an amazing gift when the legendary MC performed “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” a single off the hip-hop classic, Illmatic. Here is the footage of him performing the hit. Nasty Nas doesn’t miss a beat, he even does the second verse of the song. It’s truly a sight to see.

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Nas was the first artist to appear on Mass Appeal in 2002. 11 years later, Nas is an owner of the magazine.

During an interview with Forbes, the Queens rapper revealed he invested a “six-figure” sum in Mass Appeal, which recently lifted its five-year hiatus from print with Earl Sweatshirt and Blake Anderson on their latest issue.

Nas will serve as an Associate Publisher for the magazine. It was originally founded in 1996 as a graffiti magazine, and has encompassed everything from print, web, video and more.

When asked about his Mass Appeal deal, he will be joining White Owl Capital Partners. They are a young investment firm with interests in tech, media and energy in countries such as U.S. and Europe.

Below, you can hear Nas’ thoughts on his latest business venture.

On why he chose Mass Appeal:

“Mass Appeal has a legacy and respect. It already has a foundation … I just feel like I can add on because I can lend my kind of cultural expertise and my professional acumen, and develop the business. I knew that this was down the road. I didn’t care to interrupt me being a creative musical artist … I said I’ll be more of a businessman down the road. I’m down the road now.”

[via Forbes]

The post Nas Invests in Mass Appeal and Becomes Associate Publisher appeared first on XXL.

As we roll out our annual Top Ten Freshman List for 2013, XXL decided to take a look back 20 years to weigh in on who would have been the members of the Freshman Class in the year 1993. All decisions were based on our current Freshman guidelines, meaning entire groups and artists who had released their debut albums prior to the list date were excluded.

The year 1993 is arguably one of hip-hop’s most formative and sonically diverse dates in its lengthy history. It saw the West Coast’s G-funk movement take full form through the newly founded Death Row Records. At the same, 1993 proved integral to the resurgence of of New York’s then-dwindling hip-hop scene, as a new crop of hardcore lyricists took up the torch from forefathers like Rakim, KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane.

Editor’s Note: Before anyone gets heated, the Notorious B.I.G. was not placed on the list, as his early hits “Party & Bullshit” and the remix of Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love” were not released until later in ’93.

The post XXL’s Freshman Class Of 1993: What We Would’ve Said appeared first on XXL.

Over the past two weeks, Rick Ross has come under fire for a recent verse on Rocko’s “U.O.N.E.O.” in which he spits, “Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it/I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.” In the aftermath of the song, everyone from feminist groups to Michigan’s WUVSIp 103.7 to even Talib Kweli have put their two cents in on the issue. But the Bawse isn’t the first rapper to cause a public uproar of his lyrics. Now, XXL presents a list of 15 lyrics that got the rappers who spit them in trouble.

The post 15 Lyrics That Got Rappers In Trouble appeared first on XXL.

On this day, March 22nd, in hip-hop history…

1994: Main Source released its final studio album Fuck What You Think before breaking up. Main Source is perhaps best known for its ’91 debut Breaking Atoms, which featured Nas’s first appearance on a record with “Live From the BBQ.” However, before their second LP, Main Source producer/emcee Large Professor parted ways with other members K-Cut and Sir Scratch over business differences and went ont to pursue a solo career.

In 1993, the two remaining members of the group added emcee Mikey D to the line-up for Fuck What You Think. Yet months after the album’s release, the trio would call it quits and label Wild Pitch would shelve the album. Despite this, the record is significant because it marks the first official appearance of the L.O.X. members Jadakiss and Sheek Louch on a record with the song “Set It Off.”

The post Today In Hip-Hop: Main Source Releases Final Album appeared first on XXL.

On this day, March 21st, in hip-hop history…

1966: DJ Premier celebrates his 47th birthday today. Born in Houston, TX, Premier is widely considered one of hip-hop’s best and most prolific producers and DJs. His career began in 1989 alongside Boston-born emcee Guru in the group Gang Starr. During its 17 year career, Gang Starr released six original albums and is credited with helping establish the archetypal sound of ’90s New York hip-hop. Gang Starr officially dissolved in 2006, with Guru passing away four years later from complications with cancer.

Outside of his with with Gang Starr, Premier has worked with a multitude of artists, including Jay-Z, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Lord Finesse, M.O.P., Jeru the Damaja, Royce Da 5’9″, among others. Last year, Premo collaborated with veteran emcee Bumpy Knuckles a/k/a Freddie Foxxx on the album The Kolexxxion.

The post Today In Hip-Hop: DJ Premier Celebrates 47th Birthday appeared first on XXL.

This past week has been dominated with headlines surrounding the news of Lil Wayne’s most recent seizures. While the YMCMB impresario has since reportedly been released from the hospital and has fully recovered from his medical crisis, Weezy isn’t the only emcee to have endured a medical emergency. Now, from Tone Loc to Nas, XXL presents a list of 15 emcees who recently suffered health crises.

[via HipHopDX]

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On this day, March 18th, in hip-hop history…

1983: The film Wild Style was theatrically released in cinemas 30 years ago today. Directed by Charlie Ahearn, Wild Style tells the story of a young graffiti artist Zorro (played by real life tagger Lee Quiñones) looking to establish himself as the top graffiti artist in New York while balancing his relationship with his girlfriend. The film captures much of the early hip-hop culture at the time, and featured appearances and performances from hip-hop luminaries like Grandmaster Flash, Fab Five Freddy, Busy Bee, the Cold Crush Brothers, the Rock Steady Crew, Rammellzee and more.

Wild Style has been sampled by a host of hip-hop artists in more recent years. Artists including Nas, Cypress Hill, DOOM, A Tribe Called Quest and number of other all used clips of dialogue from the film on various recordings.

The post Today In Hip-Hop: “Wild Style” Celebrates 30th Anniversary appeared first on XXL.

Nas’ former partner-in-rhyme and Firm member AZ has been popping up over the last few years with new singles and tapes, and today he lets go an extended freestyle over several beats of DJ Doo Wop’s choosing. Dude can definitely still go in, and ride over a funky mix of production. Listen below.

The post AZ, “Thank You (Freestyle)” appeared first on XXL.

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Nas, along with Somalia-born K’naan, are selected to represent their generation and art at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The center is a memorial to President John F. Kennedy and highlights art forms such as opera, ballet and theater. On Tuesday, the center announced the 2013-2014 season would include “One Mic: Hip-Hop Culture Worldwide,” which will be a weeklong festival.

The 2014 festival will feature Nas rapping alongside musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra as they perform his classic debut, Illmatic. Featuring a high profile rap artist such as Nas with a mix of DJing, graffiti and performing arts, it aims to do something unique this time around.

“Hip-hop is clearly something new and different for us,” Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser said. “I think to do something very current is important. We’re trying to speak to many different audiences.”

The season will include more than 2,000 performances in theater, music and dance. It also features the center’s first international festival devoted to theater from countries such as Chile, China, Israel, Kuwait, among other places.

[via HuffPo]

The post Nas Will Perform for Kennedy Center Hip-Hop Festival in 2014 appeared first on XXL.

Jay-Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and The-Dream won the GRAMMY for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “No Church in the Wild.”

It was Jay-Z’s and Mr. West’s third GRAMMY of the night increasing their all-time count to 17 and 21, respectively. Since their other GRAMMYs were presented in the pre-telecast, this was the first opportunity for Jay-Z to give a public acceptance speech. After Frank Ocean and The-Dream gave typical thanks speeches, Jay-Z just thanked “the swap meet” for The-Dream’s “Boyz ‘n the Hood” hat.

Here’s the full list of nominees
Flo Rida Ft. Sia, “Wild Ones”
Label: Poe Boy/Atlantic; Track from: Wild Ones

Jay-Z  and Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The-Dream, “No Church In The Wild”
Label: Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC; Track from: Watch the Throne

John Legend Ft. Ludacris, “Tonight (Best You Ever Had)”
Label: Epic Records; Track from: N/A

Nas Ft. Amy Winehouse, “Cherry Wine”
Label: Def Jam; Track from: Life is Good

Rihanna Ft, Jay-Z, “Talk That Talk”
Label: Def Jam; Track from: Talk That Talk

The post Jay-Z, Kanye, Frank Ocean, The-Dream Win GRAMMY for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration appeared first on XXL.

Jay-Z and Kanye West won their second GRAMMY of the night during the pre-telecast for “Ni**as in Paris” for Best Rap Song. “The Mott0″ by Drake was an early favorite to win the prize, especially since Drake won the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album. ”

This is Jay-Z’s 16th GRAMMY and Mr. West is now rolling dubs with his 20th GRAMMY.

Interestingly, Best Rap Song GRAMMY nominee Snoop Dogg/Lion is 0-14 in GRAMMY wins-nominations. Out of the nominations, notable upsets include ”Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” losing to Digable Planets’ “Rebirth of the Slick,” “Gin & Juice” losing to Queen Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y.” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot” losing to Kanye’s “Jesus Walks” for best song and The Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get IT Started for duo/group.

And Nas STILL doesn’t have a GRAMMY. What’s up with that?

Here’s the full list of nominees:
Nas, “Daughters”
Label: Def Jam; Track from: Life Is Good

Wale Ft. Miguel “Lotus Flower Bomb”
Label: MMG/Warner Bros.; Track from: Ambition

Kanye West Ft. Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz, “Mercy”
Label: G.O.O.D. Music; Track from: Cruel Summer

Drake ft. Lil Wayne, “The Motto”
Label: Cash Money Records; Track from: Take Care

Jay-Z & Kanye West, “N****s In Paris”
Label: Roc-A-Fella Records; Track from: Watch The Throne

Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Ft. Bruno Mar, “Young, Wild & Free”
Label: Atlantic; Track from: Mac And Devin Go To High School: Music From And Inspired By The Movie

The post Jay-Z and Kanye Win Another “Paris” GRAMMY – Best Rap Song appeared first on XXL.