Features

A few weeks after the release of his Internet-halting sophomore mixtape Acid Rap, Chance The Rapper stopped by XXL's New York offices to kick it with the staff. What was supposed to be a casual hangout turned into a fan-out session, as the XXL staffers just couldn't stop telling the Chicago wunderkind how much they loved the new mixtape...

When we last caught up with Gucci Mane, he was getting ready for his big screen debut in Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers. Since then, Guwop’s dropped a handful of mixtapes, spent nearly three weeks in jail on a probation violation, had a public falling out with Waka Flocka Flame and signed Chief Keef to his 1017 Brick Squad label. He also re...

Backed by his sample-heavy production, Statik has always focused on delivering an authentic product to the masses. His consistency, along with pairing the right rappers for collaborations, is the reason why his co-sign still carries a lot of weight today...

On June 3, DJ Mustard will release his first mixtape, the appropriately titled Ketchup. Since breaking out in 2011 as the producer and co-writer of Tyga’s “Rack City”, the 23-year old Los Angeles native has dictated the sound of the region’s “ratchet music,” helping to mold the careers of Tyga and YG as well as being the man behind big singles for 2 Chainz, Young Jeezy and most recently, B.o.B. I

The numbers are in. Mike Stud’s debut album, Relief, landed at No. 40 on this week’s Billboard 200, selling 9,200 copies independently. Mike first picked up the mic after an injury derailed the Division I athlete's plans to play baseball professionally. It’s been just ...

When Steve Dickey landed an internship at Bad Boy Records’ Daddys House studio in 2005, it didn’t take long for the Institute Of Audio Research student to make himself useful. “I went in there and told all the engineers that I knew what I was doing, and if they needed a hand with anything, I could give them a break,” says the now 28-year-old New Jersey native. “Sure enough they real...

Throughout his career, Ne-Yo has regularly been called upon by hip-hop's heavyweights to lend his vocals and songwriting abilities for their records. The Grammy Award-winning artist has worked with the likes of Rick Ross and Ghostface Killah on some of their biggest hits to date...

Photographs by Asia Minor Well, sort of. Last week, when I heard Ski Beatz was hosting a beatmaking class at New York's Scratch DJ Academy, I jumped at the opportunity to get my long awaited career as a producer started. The way I saw it, I'd be signed up to co-produce Pilot Talk III, among several other high profile releases, in no time. That cer ...

Yesterday (May 13), it was announced that Michael Clervoix—better known as Sha Money XL—officially left his post as SVP of A&R for Island Def Jam to now become EVP of Urban A&R for Epic Records. Speaking exclusively with XXL recently, Sha touched on the new gig and the reasons behind the move.  Here's what he had to ...

The ability to make a successful career out of doing what you love is a dream everybody strives for, and the thing that Philly native Eve loved was making music. The head-strong and beautiful rapper, real name Eve Jeffers, was first introduced to the world as Ruff Ryders' First Lady, and has since (despite some ups and downs) worked hard to remain an important female force in the game... Read Mor

Yo Gotti Shares The Stories Behind 11 Of His Instagram Photos