Erykah Badu

Chaka Khan remains one of the most prominent figures in funk and R&B music

Born Yvette Marie Stevens in March 1953, Chaka Khan sang songs written by Stevie Wonder and Prince as though they were crafted from her own pen. The Queen of Funk has a fiery soul about her and an undeniable rhythm that oozes from her pores. With hits from her collaborative years with Rufus and solo ... More >>

Paper Diamond, Lizzie Huffman, SBTRKT, Judas Priest and more on tap this weekend

​Have plans this weekend? If not, there's ample choices: Tonight, Paper Diamond's at the Ogden, Lizzie Huffman is celebrating the release of her new CD at the hi-dive and Rich Robinson is at the Soiled Dove Underground. On Saturday, Judas Priest is at 1STBANK Center, SBTRKT is at the Bluebird ... More >>

Lizzie Huffman on her new album Pretty Old Soul, and her love of hip-hop and country

​Although these days Lizzie Huffman plays what she calls "country folk pop," the 22-year-old singer-songwriter says she was more into hip-hop and R&B artists like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill early on. But just as she was becoming a teenager, she discovered classic country singers like Patsy Cl ... More >>

Win free tickets to Dinner at the Thompson's at Cervantes tomorrow night

​What do you get when a New York-born, California-bred songstress and a French-born producer with influences ranging from J. Dilla and DJ Shadow combine forces? The duo known as Dinner at the Thompson's. An electro-funk-soul outfit with enough talent to fill a room twice between them, vocalist ... More >>

Janelle Monae on Big Boi and what it takes to become an agent of change in the community

Janelle Monáe (due Sunday, May 29 at 1STBANK Center with Bruno Mars and Mayer Hawthorne), like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, grew up in Kansas, and like that character, Monáe left home to go on something of a fantastic journey. But instead of Oz, Monáe landed in Atlanta, Georgia, where she met u ... More >>

Anatomy of a hip-hop song: Local producers weigh in on what it takes to make a great track

David Lang / Red Bull PhotofilesBoonie Mayfield (top) and Xperiment Beats​The term "producer" has very different connotations in the worlds of rock and hip-hop. Although they're both instrumental in shaping the sound, they serve very different functions. Generally speaking, in rock, a produc ... More >>

Of Montreal at the Ogden Theatre, 10/24/10

Tom MurphyOf Montreal's Kevin Barnes ​ OF MONTREAL With Janelle Monae 10.24.10 | Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO After seeing her perform on Saturday night, it's no wonder why Janelle Monae was picked by Erykah Badu to open her most recent tour. Monae isn't just a great soul singer, her songwritin ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase headliners: Meet Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights

Texas isn't big enough to contain Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights. After signing with Atlantic records in 2008, the Dallas-based quintet quickly started making a name for itself across the country, touring with high-caliber acts like ZZ Top and the Black Crowes before releasing Pardon Me, i ... More >>

Q&A w/ Isaiah Owens of Free Moral Agents

​Isaiah "Ikey" Owens is better know these days as the keyboardist of the Mars Volta. His versatile and creative musicianship, though, was honed in the '90s when he played with Sublime and later Long Beach Dub Allstars. Ikey first played with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala in the ... More >>

Over the Weekend: Mos Def and Talib Kweli at the Gothic Theatre

Letitia Salazar​Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, DCQ, Spoke-In-WordzGothic TheatreFriday, August 21, 2009Better Than: anything Lil Wayne or Drake could pull offMos Def hasn't headlined a nationwide tour since the Lyricist Lounge tour in 2000, where he recruited folks like Bernie Worrell (of ... More >>

From Akon to Usher, today's R&B is a shadow of its former self

Letitia Salazar​Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, DCQ, Spoke-In-WordzGothic TheatreFriday, August 21, 2009Better Than: anything Lil Wayne or Drake could pull offMos Def hasn't headlined a nationwide tour since the Lyricist Lounge tour in 2000, where he recruited folks like Bernie Worrell (of ... More >>

Delegating Denver #48 of 56: Texas

Letitia Salazar​Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, DCQ, Spoke-In-WordzGothic TheatreFriday, August 21, 2009Better Than: anything Lil Wayne or Drake could pull offMos Def hasn't headlined a nationwide tour since the Lyricist Lounge tour in 2000, where he recruited folks like Bernie Worrell (of ... More >>

Nationalistic

Our music writers pick the year’s national bests.

Bring in the Trash

Our music writers pick the year’s national bests.

Cold Case

Here's a mystery for Mulder: What happened to Duchovny's career?

Shake It Up

Kelis gives thanks to more than her mammaries.

Kings of the Hill

Ten years in and two MCs deep, Hilltop Klick aims for a higher state.

You Can Feel It All Over

India.Arie taps into a soulful past to create her own kind of wonderful.

Universal Man

Cultural awareness, positivity and groove are all part of the Common cause.

Judgment Day

Backbeat contributors offer up their favorite recordings of 1999.

The Ultimate Orphan

The Cider House Rules tries to capture the complexity of the John Irving novel.

Anthony B / Bob Marley

Seven Seals
(VP Records)

Chant Down Babylon
(Tuff Gong/Island)

A Date With Rape

Seven Seals
(VP Records)

Chant Down Babylon
(Tuff Gong/Island)

Christmas Packages

The best holiday discs, as well as others that will make you pity the yule.

Two for the Future

To hip-hop's OutKast and Black Eyed Peas, the glass is half full.

Hail to the Chief

To hip-hop's OutKast and Black Eyed Peas, the glass is half full.

Father Cube

Ice Cube on child-rearing and Family Values.

Playlist

Ice Cube on child-rearing and Family Values.

Rooting Interest

The Roots make rap for both your hips and your head.