Jay-Z

The ten best diss tracks of all time

Since hip-hop's genesis, beef has been as integral a driving force to the art as bravado. There's been some titanic tangles over the years, from Canibus facing off with LL Cool J to Jay-Z and Nas locking horns with one other, all of which have resulted in some relentless and incendiary rhymes being ... More >>

Black Amex sounds as opulent as its name

The American Express Centurion Card is the ultimate status symbol. Otherwise known as the Black Card, the card is issued on an invitation-only basis -- according to Wikipedia, whose word we're going to have to take because we know precisely zero cardholders -- to the upper echelon of the upper echel ... More >>

Boston Marathon bombing suspect was a rap fan: Ten song lyrics Dzhokhar Tsarnaev tweeted

Time and distance provide prospective -- isn't that what they say? Sure enough, the further removed we are from the recent Boston Marathon bombing, the more the picture appears to be coming into focus of the two brothers alleged to have conducted the terror plot. From analyzing their online presen ... More >>

The 50 worst rap lyrics: The complete list

We've finally arrived: The The best of the worst. The creme de la crap. The unholy of unholies. If you thought 50-11 were bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet. These are the lyrics that can turn a good album sour, and make a bad album laughable. Included are quotes from Eminem, Lil B, J. Cole, 2 Chainz, ... More >>

The 50 worst rap lyrics of all time: 20-11

We've almost reached the end of our countdown of rap's most dreadful lyrics. Think you can stomach ten more? Good. Purely by coincidence, today's selections feature some of hip-hop's most memorable scientific and mathematical gaffes. And we're not talking anything complicated, here; we mean basic ma ... More >>

Sole on the perils of pushing boundaries: "If I go to jail on some bullshit, I'll do a correspondence course and come out a professor."

For an artist whose career has been built espousing the virtues of DIY self-reliance, it's been a long time since Sole (born Tim Holland) has done a record all by himself with no producers or label people listening over his shoulder. And while Sole confides that this was nerve-wracking at times as h ... More >>

Five worst moments in musical plagiarism

How awesome is "Big Pimpin'," by Jay-Z? Really awesome. But some folks argue that its awesomeness comes courtesy of an unlicensed sample, and they'd like to be compensated. A new round of legal claims has been brought against HOV by a handful of heirs and music publishers who argue that the track ... More >>

As Black History Month comes to a close, we reflect on the influential Sounds of Blackness

Black History Month 2012 has been a doozy. Beginning with the tragic and shocking death of Don Cornelius to dealing with equally troubling news of Whitney Houston's passing as the month wore on. Most interesting about this time is the ways in which the music healed us. When Whitney died, DJs played ... More >>

N*ggas in Paris at Midnight videos mash up Woody Allen and Kanye West

One of the best films of the year, Midnight in Paris, and one of the most popular albums of the year, Kanye West and Jay-Z's Watch the Throne, have little in common on the surface.

The best national music releases of 2011

J. Cole

Monday, September 19, Ogden Theatre, axs.com.

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 >>

Updated: Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne tour due at Pepsi Center on October 10

​Update (7/28/11): We just received word from LiveNation that due to an overwhelming demand, additional dates are being added to the Watch the Throne tour, featuring Jay-Z and Kanye West. The tour is slated to hit Denver on Monday, October 10. The additional dates are due be announced on Augus ... More >>

Mile Highlights: This week's concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: In September, Zac Brown is due at Red Rocks, followed by Jay-Z and Kanye West at the Pepsi Center and Neon Indian at the Bluebird in October. On local radio, Fierce Bad Rabbit, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake, Flashlights and King Mob got some spins. Mea ... More >>

Lil Wayne gets Unplugged, and we've got suggestions for his set list

​Hip-hop lyrics often get lost amongst the bass, snare and 808-drenched beats and production of a song. That's why, when a rap artist -- like Jay-Z, for example -- decides to take on MTV's famous Unplugged series, the outcome can be amazing, as was the case with Jigga, and hopefully will be th ... More >>

10 weirdest music news stories of 2010

​2010 has been an aggressively weird year in music news. It seemed like no matter where we turned musicians were saying and doing the strangest damn things. From decrying the most popular thing in the world to talking people off of buildings, it was a wacky year to report. There was so much we ... More >>

The Anthology of Rap co-editor Adam Bradley on his background and compiling the book

​Making connections between Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Wonder Mike isn't such a stretch for Adam Bradley. As one of the editors of The Anthology of Rap, a newly released collection from Yale University Press, as well as the author of 2009's Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip-Hop, Bradley has ... More >>

Hammer vs Jay-Z: The top five dumbest and most pointless beefs in music history

MC Hammer recently decided the best way to rekindle his once massive flame was to start a beef with Jay-Z in the way of diss track called "Better Run Run," boasting lines like, 'That boy tried to steal my swag/His finger prints all over the bag." While it might have sounded good on paper -- start ... More >>

Pretty Lights, Ween and Jay-Z filled our playlists this week

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" Whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of al ... More >>

Kanye West's SNL performance and a collection of everything else he's been up to

Kanye West has been busy the past couple of months making everyone else in music look lazy. Not only did he perform on Saturday Night Live over the weekend with two of the best musical performances we've seen in a while, but he's also been dropping free MP3s in a series called "G.O.O.D. Fridays." ... More >>

Five songs Lindsay Lohan might want to leave off her iPod when she heads to court tomorrow

​Lindsay Lohan, America's freckled-faced-sweetheart-turned-hot-freakin'-mess is in boiling water yet again. Ms. Lohan is facing thirty days in the slammer after testing positive for cocaine during a mandatory drug test last week. The actress is scheduled to appear before a judge on Friday who ... More >>

American Tomahawk, Chromeo, Black Milk fill our playlists this week

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" So whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Never can say goodbye: Five acts who can say retired, but just can't seem to stay retired

Here's why some fans have reasonable doubts when they hear an artist say they're retiring.​With the regular football season getting ready to kick off, Brett Favre has once again pulled a fast one and decided to return for one more season. Sure, he can say retired; he just can't seem to stay re ... More >>

Big Boi, the Roots, Rick Ross, FOE & Whygee dominate our playlists this week

Jason StoffBig Boi, shown here at this past weekend's Pitchfork Festival, dominated our playlists.​ As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" So whether you're looking for recommendations, ... More >>

What are Jay-Z's 99 problems? We know a bitch ain't one.

​ It's well known an this point that Jay-Z (appearing tonight at the Pepsi Center with Sound Tribe Sector 9, Trey Songz and Young Jeezy) has 99 problems, and a bitch, most certainly, ain't one. Curiously, though, until now, no one's really taken a hard look at just what Hova's 99 problems are ... More >>

We're speechless: A look at the year's most unintentionally funny lyrics.

Royce Da 5'9" remembers that new mom smell​The lowest common denominator having been achieved in 2005 with the release of the Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business, popular musicians have had to work extra hard in recent years to find new and inventive ways to be inane. They found great success in ... More >>

This Just In: Jay-Z, Bon Jovi, Avett Brothers shows announced

​As reported last week, Jay-Z brings his BP3 tour to the Pepsi Center on Monday, March 22. Reserved tickets range from $39.50 to $99.50 and go on sale Saturday, November 14 at 10 a.m. On Monday, March 8, Bon Jovi also hits Pepsi Center as part of the band's Circle World Tour, which includes 135 sh ... More >>

Jay-Z grabs top spot at Independent Records

​Blueprint 3, Jay-Z's highly anticipated follow-up to his two previous Blueprint albums, grabbed the top spot at Independent Records while Raekwon's latest effort, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 came in second for the week ending September 13. Insane Clown Posse's Bang! Pow! Boom!, which was the top se ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of August 31, 2009

​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Wil Key

Satisfy My Soul
Larimar Records

The Westword.com blog shortcut, August 20 edition

Shake Your Bootie

Friday Rap-Up: DJ Bedz, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Flavor Flav

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

List of Lists and Other Assorted Goodies

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

Top Music Turkeys and Other Assorted Goodies

Genre-Bending

Rap Sheet

Comeback kids, rhymin' Limeys and songs about partying defined Hip-Hop Nation in 2006.

Critical Fatwa

Cam’ron

Westword Music Showcase 2005

Mobb Rules

After six albums, Mobb Deep is still creating hell on earth.

Rie Rie

Rie Rie (Mobruled Productionz)

DJ Danger Mouse

The Grey Album (Self-released)

Tech N9ne

Thursday, April 29, Ogden Theatre, 303-830-2525.

For the Record

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

Best Record Store for Hip-Hop Hopefuls

Sunshine Records

Feedback

The Major and the Minor

A roundup of big-name recordings that live up (or down) to expectations.

Getting Big

Ex-Denver DJ Big Jon Platt on how to succeed in business by really, really trying.