Island Def Jam Music Group

The best national music releases of 2011

Beastie Boys' Licensed To Ill turns 25

​In hindsight Licensed To Ill -- released November 15, 1986 -- came to the table with a virtually infallible recipe: Rick Rubin produced the seminal radio-friendly rap album and Russell Simmons had not only signed Beastie Boys to a then baby Def Jam, but was also managing the three white boys ... More >>

Get a sneak peek of DJ Ktone's upcoming comp, Left Lane Music Vol. 1, due out in November

For his latest project, Left Lane Music Vol. 1, DJ Ktone pulled together a slew of different rappers with different styles. Featuring the likes of Tone Skarfo, Mr. Midas, FOE and Aires Jackson, among others, the first installment of the comp and its planned followup (due out sometime in the first qu ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: A pair of new October dates have Smashing Pumpkins at the Ogden and Bush at the 1STBANK Center, with Chevelle and Filter, while November brings Tedeschi Trucks Band to the Fillmore. On local radio, Air Dubai, Le Divorce, Bop Skizzum and Signal Path ... More >>

Chuck D: Making a living is different than making a killing

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: A pair of new October dates have Smashing Pumpkins at the Ogden and Bush at the 1STBANK Center, with Chevelle and Filter, while November brings Tedeschi Trucks Band to the Fillmore. On local radio, Air Dubai, Le Divorce, Bop Skizzum and Signal Path ... More >>

$16 million to recover $391,000: The RIAA just blew a lot cash. Here's ten more of the industry's greatest wastes

[via Flickr]​Last week, it was revealed the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) spent $16 million to recover $391,000 from lawsuits involving peer-to-peer file sharing. No, we didn't print that backwards; you don't need to adjust your screen -- they really did waste that much mone ... More >>

Did Big Boi reveal the first five singles off Sir Lucious Left Foot?

Last night, Big Boi and his new label Def Jam hosted a listening party for the long-awaited Sir Luscious Left Foot: Son of Chico Dusty. The main purpose of the party was to officially release the album's first single, "Shutterbugg," which, as you can hear above, is pretty great. But in the half-ho ... More >>

Fabolous grabs top spot at Independent Records

​Loso's Way, the new disc by Fabolous released last week on Def Jam, grabbed the top spot at Independent Records and knocked down Twista's Category F5 to the second slot for the week ending August 2. Eminem's Relapse continues a long run on Independent's top ten and nabbed the third slot while Je ... More >>

Lady Sovereign

Monday, May 18, Bluebird Theater, 303-830-8497.

Rick Ross top seller at Independent Records

Rick Ross's new album, Deeper Than Rap, released last week on Def Jam, topped Independent's best seller list for the week ending April 26. Asher Roth's new disc, Asleep in the Bread Aisle, grabbed the second spot while the Dream, UGK and Jadakiss rounded out the top five. See the full breakdown afte ... More >>

Def Jam's Ace Hood shows Denver Nugget love with "Overtime" remix

Denver Nuggets DJ and 107.1 FM mixmaster, DJ Bedz, pulled some strings with his colleagues at Def Jam Records to get an NBA Playoff anthem from artist Ace Hood for the Nuggets' playoff run. The track is called "Overtime" and features T-Pain and Akon. While it's already a radio hit nationwide, the Nu ... More >>

Top Ten Hip-Hop Albums Of 2008

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM. A couple of weeks ago, an expert on the Harry Potter series told an audience of high school kids how lucky they ... More >>

Top Ten Pop Songs of 2008

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Mini Reviews

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Q&A with Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson of the Roots

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Mini Reviews

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

The Live Magic of Ghostland Observatory and Alicia Keys and Other Assorted Goodies

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

List of Lists and Other Assorted Goodies

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Friday Rap-Up: Jay-Z, Skillz, Remy Ma, Free Mixtape!

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Best 2007 - Houston: Teeing Off with Scarface

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Friday Rap-Up

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Stolen Moments

It’s business as usual for the Photo Atlas, however things shake out with the band's label.

45 Second Reviews

It’s business as usual for the Photo Atlas, however things shake out with the band's label.

It's Business As Usual for the Photo Atlas

It’s business as usual for the Photo Atlas, however things shake out with the band's label.

Pimp Stoppers

It’s business as usual for the Photo Atlas, however things shake out with the band's label.

Nas

Wednesday, April 25, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Lost List

Wednesday, April 25, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

Nationalistic

Our music writers pick the year’s national bests.

Jay-Z

Kingdom Come
Roc-A-Fella

Redman

This rapper’s new album is finally about to drop. What took so long?

Sov Story

Lady Sovereign tries to break the Brit hip-hop jinx.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

LL Cool J

Monday, July 17, Ogden Theatre, 1-866-468-7621.

Breaking the Law

The Bronx fights physics.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Sound Bites

Fast reviews of recent releases

The (International) Noise Conspiracy

Friday, May 13, Fox Theatre, 303-443-3399.

DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid

Sunday, April 24, Fox Theatre, 303-443-3399.

God Save the Scene

Sassy Brits, hoochie mamas and a dude named Beans attempted to invigorate a stagnant year for hip-hop.

The Beatdown

Russell's next jam may not be as def as expected.

For the Record

For national releases, 2003 wonked as much as it rocked.

Backwash

Yo, yo: The Hip-Hop Summit is coming to town. We hope.

That's a Wrap-Up

Backbeat writers sound off on a few of their favorite musical things from 2002.

Playing It Cool

When it comes to hip-hop career longevity, LL Cool J knows that size matters.

Discmania

Backbeat writers revisit their favorite albums of the year.

Play It As It Slays

Slayer hasn't stopped giving the devil his due.

Playlist

Primus, The Go, At the Drive In, Method Man/Redman

Playlist

Primus, The Go, At the Drive In, Method Man/Redman

Reelin' in the Summer

Primus, The Go, At the Drive In, Method Man/Redman

PLAYLIST

Primus, The Go, At the Drive In, Method Man/Redman