Bust a Rhyme
Exploring the men, women, and motivations behind your favorite hip-hop music.
How Chief Keef Influenced an Entire Generation of Rappers
Chief Keef’s influence should not be understated. Unfortunately, it almost always is. The near-veteran Chicago rapper paved the way for more rappers than you can count on two hands, yet he still isn’t considered anything more than a goofy mixtape rapper who’s fallen past his prime. Sure, there are many writers, fans, and critics who give Keef his fair shake, he still isn’t given his due credit by the public at large. The influence of Chief Keef is far-reaching and has affected an entire lane of rappers who enjoy massive cultural success today. Artists like Lil Pump, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and many more are essentially building their fortune on the back of a sound that Chief Keef created back in 2012. From the disconnected, staccato, flows and production style of Lil Pump and Smokepurrp, to the spacey and melodic auto-tune singing that Carti and Uzi practice, Keef’s influence spans across stylistic borders.
By Kyle Mantha7 years ago in Beat
The Internet - 'Hive Mind' Review
Neo-soul sensations, The Internet, have been on hiatus since 2015’s Ego Death—an album that took the band’s sound to new heights. Sure, each member embarked on solo ventures afterwards, but you’d be a fool to think that they wouldn’t recoup.
By Rap Disciple7 years ago in Beat
East Coast Vs. West Coast
East Coast Vs. West Coast In the mid 80’s and early 90’s the music industry started to see a rise in rap music, from artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys, and Run DMC. However, the band that really made an impact was the controversial rap group known as N.W.A.. The group originated from Compton, California and often rapped about growing up in the ghetto. Members of the band included Ice Cube, MC Ren, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and Eazy-E. What really cemented them as “The Most Dangerous Rap Group” was their song “F*ck the Police” which shed light on the subject of Police Brutality. In 1989, Ice Cube left the group after discovering their manager Jerry Heller had been withholding funds from the group. This caused Ice Cube to pursue a solo career and release his first album called AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. After the group broke up in 1991, most of the members pursued solo careers, often targeting each other in their raps. While pursuing a career in music production, Andre Young (Dr. Dre) met Suge Knight of the record company “Death Row Records.” It was here where Dr. Dre would begin producing and creating music with some of the most iconic musicians in the rap community.
By Walter Duke8 years ago in Beat
'American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story' Album Review
In my 16 years of life, I have heard a variety of albums, both good and bad, from A LOT of different musical genres. Some on the better end of the spectrum, like Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black or SZA’s Ctrl, and some not so good, like Migos’s Culture (or anything else by them), or any of Maroon 5’s releases after Overexposed. But, do I dislike these albums because I’m uninterested in the music or because I’m uninterested in the artists who have made them? On one hand, Migos might have catchy songs about raindrops and drop tops, but because of personal morals, I refuse to listen to anything released by homophobes (as Quavius has proven to be on multiple occasions). But, in Maroon 5’s case, I lost interest in their music when they released Maps and haven’t paid much attention since then (besides the song they did with SZA, but only because I love her).
By Mina Johnson8 years ago in Beat
The Carters - 'Everything Is Love' Review
Their love knows no boundaries; the passion for their art, no limitations. Together, The Carters—Jay Z and Beyonce—can’t be stopped. They’ve come a long way from “Crazy in Love” and “Bonnie and Clyde.” They even overcame infidelity and mistrust while being in the public eye. As they’ve grown, their music has progressed with them; Lemonade and 4:44 are vulnerable and introspective bodies of work.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
Nas—'Nasir' Review
The last time Nas came through with a solo venture, he was declaring that Life Is Good. On his 2012 release, he reconciled with a nasty divorce, fatherhood, and poured “Cherry Wine” with the legendary Amy Winehouse. Just like the wine in his cup, this was a Nas that had aged and outgrown the topics of his youth.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
Wifisfuneral - 'Ethernet Vol.1' Review
With sheer tenacity and a mind bending flow and delivery to channel his raps, Palm Beach, Florida rapper, Wifisfuneral has amassed a following in only a few years. He put out a succession of mixtapes from 2016 to 2017: Black Heart Revenge, When Hell Falls, and Boy Who Cried Wolf. With a debut album still pending, he’s back with a fourth mixtape: Ethernet Vol.1.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
Kanye West - 'Ye' Review
On the journey to this album, Kanye West caused a media storm. Last time he got significant media attention, he was having a meltdown where he ranted about Jay-Z and Beyonce not being at his wedding, not being accepted in the fashion world, and talking about his idols such as Disney.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
Black Thought - 'Streams of Thought Vol.1': Best Bars
At this point in his career, Black Thought is known by several epithets: lead vocalist of The Roots, Grammy Award winning artist, Hot 97 freestyle-scorcher, possessed poet, or whatever else you'd like to call him.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
A$AP Rocky - 'Testing' Review
Three years removed from his last album—AtLongLast A$AP—Asap Rocky has finally returned for his highly anticipated Testing album. The 15 track project features production from long time collaborator, Clams Casino, Skepta, and even Rocky himself. Guest appearances come from French Montana, Frank Ocean, T.I., Juicy J, and more.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
How To Rap for Beginners
So you want to be like Kanye, Lil Wayne, and P Diddy, or maybe you want to be more on par with the likes of Gucci Mane, Migos, and Travis Scott? That's fair; the music industry of today is, more than ever, a hip hop driven culture. But are you even sure you're ready? I mean, surer than sure? The aforementioned stage names may make the game of rap look easy, but it's far from that. Obviously, there's loads that goes into being a rap star and rising to such fame, but let's start at the basics, shall we?
By Johnson Bernard8 years ago in Beat
Juice WRLD - 'Goodbye & Good Riddance' Review
In a post- Man On The Moon/ 808s & Heartbreak landscape, artists are becoming more alternative, genre-bending, and unconventional than ever before. Hip-Hop has never been more diverse than it is right now. Sure, there are artists that sound alike and are riding the same trends.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
