**THE TEXT BELOW ORIGINALLY APPEARS IN THE DEC./JAN. 2012 ISSUE OF XXL, ON STANDS NOW** At its core, hip-hop is an interactive art form. From b-boy ...

Nas didn't become one of hip-hop's most influential figures by design. Though he claims to have known that his introductory verse on Main Source's "Live ...

In light of Rick Ross and Joell Ortiz name-dropping the 7 ft. NBA legend in the past week, XXLMag.com looks back at other Hakeem Olajuwon ...

Red, Joell and Schoolly D recall the first time they rocked in front of a crowd...

XXL takes a look at 40 rappers who are still going strong in their late 30s and 40s...

Bi-coastal rap beefs and regional battles may be a thing of the past with the release of super-compilation album The Academy this September. More than 55 ...

Rappers like Cypress Hill, Method Man and Redman have spent much of their careers crafting tracks dedicated to marijuana. Songs like Cypress’s “I Wanna Get ...

Pay close attention to the interview in the latest issue of XXL between Slaughterhouse, Eminem, and Yelawolf. A lot is discussed, but the subject that ...

Turn to page two to see Red talk about his most pause worthy lyric. ...