Kanye West

The ten greatest Midwest rappers of all time

The Midwest is the bastard child of the American rap scene at large -- unsung and independent, with a massive chip on its shoulder. The most talented artists from the Midwest have succeeded each with their own unique style and flavor, regardless of what was making money elsewhere in the country at a ... More >>

The 50 best rap lyrics of all time: Complete list

Last week, we took a look at the fifty worst rap lyrics of all time. Going through all the dreck and drivel to get to the crème de la crème of crappiness was tedious and rather exhausting. This week, we even things out by taking a look at the other end of the spectrum and examining rap lyrics to f ... 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: 30-21

This week, we've presented the first two editions of our worst lyrics in hip-hop. Today, the parade of awfulness continues. These next ones are even worse than before, and we're only halfway done. Be prepared for lines from Lil' Wayne (again, again), Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Pitbull. Keep reading ... More >>

Hey, Kanye, that Notorious B.I.G. track being used to hype Taco Bell: Selling out or buying in?

This past weekend at London's Hammersmith Apollo, Kanye West went on a rant about selling out. Apparently, he now hates the Grammys, corporations and possibly the new Justin Timberlake song. Ironically, the self proclaimed "Louis Vuitton Don" saw absolutely no conflict of interest in calling out art ... More >>

Backbeat's top five spins: This is what we're listening to this week. What's on your playlist?

As people who think about, talk about, write about, listen to and make music, it's not surprising that the most common (and favorite) topic of conversation among us is the same: "What are you listening to right now?" Stick a quarter in us, and, boy, wouldn't you know it, off we go, on and on about t ... 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 54th Grammys: who will win (Adele) and who won't (Lady Gaga)

From power pop to power ballads, rock anthems to rap staples, the nominees of the 54th Grammy Awards, which airs this Sunday night, sees no dearth of great music. There's little doubt that it will be Adele's night, but others, like Kanye West and Mumford & Sons, could win big too. Continue reading f ... More >>

2012 Grammy Nominations: Kanye West and Adele clean up, Katy Perry earns pair of nods

Grammy nominations for 2012 were announced last night during the Grammys Nomination Concert -- which was, oddly, just that: a concert, not a nominations show. Nominations in four major categories were announced, plus performances by major players in mainstream music like Lady Gaga, who performed twi ... 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 >>

Turntable.fm gets more investors, Lady Gaga and Kanye West supposedly among them

​It seems to be nothing but good news for Turntable.fm. Hot on the heels of snagging licensing deals with BMI and ASCAP, the music-sharing service is closing a $7.5 million deal with Union Square Ventures, bringing Turntable's value up to somewhere around $37.5 million. That's not all, Busines ... More >>

A-Trak spins May 9 at the Gothic

Slim Cessna, A. Tom Collins, Serious Moonlight and DJ MU$A top our weekly 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?" 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 >>

All Of The Lights video: Is Kanye West actually going small?

​Either the third or fourth (depends if you count the leaked but never released "Monster" monstrosity) video from Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy came out over the weekend, for current single "All of the Lights." And after all the billionaire, art house, heaven-and-hell enormity ... More >>

Nicki Minaj, Elephant Revival, Mumford & Sons top sellers in the Mile High City this week

​For the fourth week in a row, Nederland's Elephant Revival claimed the top spot at Albums on the Hill with its latest effort, Break in the Clouds, while Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday knocked T.I. from the top spot at Independent Records for the week ending December 26. At Twist & Shout, meanwhile ... More >>

T.I., Elephant Revival, Ebbets Field comp and Belle & Sebastian top local sellers this week

​T.I. grabbed the top spot at Independent this week with his latest, No Mercy, featuring Kanye West, Drake and Eminem, among others. Nederland's Elephant Revival claimed the top spot for the second week in a row at Albums on the Hill. At Twist & Shout, meanwhile, the new Live From Ebbets Field ... More >>

Elephant Revival, Nicki Minaj this week's top sellers at Albums, Twist and Independent

​In-stores last week by Elephant Revival might have helped the Nederland quintet grab the top spots at Albums and Twist, with its latest effort, Break in the Clouds, released last month on Ruff Shod Records (the indie imprint headed by Chad Stokes of State Radio and Dispatch). Nicki Minaj's Pi ... More >>

Kanye West, Metallica top local sellers this week

​With all the hype surrounding Kanye West's latest effort, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, it's not surprising that disc, released last week on Def Jam, debuted at number one at Independent Records and Twist & Shout. But West didn't make the top ten over Albums on the Hill, where Metallica' ... 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 >>

Maybe Japan's on to something: Who needs live music when you have hollograms?

Since the dawn of live music, artists have canceled shows for various reasons. Gigs have been called for sickness, deaths in the family, dog ate the set-list, etc, etc, blah blah blah. Crypton Future Media based out of Sapporo, Japan, has finally found a way to remedy this situation with the help ... 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 >>

The 10 Most Hated People in Hip-Hop

Guru (left) and heartless greed monger Solar (right). Photo by Barbara Mürdter​ There is no fence-riding in hip-hop. It is the most competitive genre of music, partly because of the way it formed and partly because it remains the newest major movement. So there is no shortage of hatred going ... More >>

Playlist Roulette: Ten "love songs" for your super sweet Valentine's mixtape

Courtesy of shankar,shiva's FlickrIn the last two days I have overheard three different people discussing their carefully crafted Valentine's Day date playlists. Once I stifled the gag reflex, I started to wonder when the hell dates started requiring customized, more importantly, premeditated soundt ... More >>

Twitter Tuesday: Lauren Cook, our featured twit

Lauren Cook.​This week, we asked actual twits why we should follow them. And among the many, many amusing responses we got, the tweet by Lauren Cook (@laurencook) took the prize for its timely nods to two great figures in western history. Find out what she tweeted to sell us, as well as what s ... More >>

DJ Craze

Friday, September 25, Beta, 303-437-3011.

The Westword.com blog shortcut, September 16 edition

​Picture this. Today in Backbeat Online: • Flier of the Week: Lipgloss. • Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of September 14, 2009. Today in Cafe Society: • Amnesia wins the Mix Master Bartender contest, appropriately enough. • Hosea Rosenberg hosts Colorado harvest dinner at ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, February 18 edition

Devandra Banhart. The blogsophere never stops, does it? Today in Backbeat Online: • Ten bands we'd watch on TV. • Reviews of new releases by Bruce Springsteen, Charlie Louvin, John Shannon. • See Slipknot free courtesy of FashioNation. • Rowboat, row me to my shore. • The Fray covers... ... More >>

(hed) p.e.'s New World Orphans tops Independent Records' top sellers

(hed) p.e.'s concets in Denver and Colorado Springs last week must've fueled sales of the band's latest album, New World Orphans, which was released January 13, on Suburban Noize Records. Kanye West and Ludacris also made strong showings, as did the Notorious soundtrack, which features cuts by Jay-Z ... More >>

Rearview: The Week in Review (11/17/08-11/21/08)

Leave the Gun. Take the cannoli. All eyes -- or ears, rather -- in the music world, including ours, were on Chinese Democracy this week. Most of us honestly never thought we'd live to see the release of the mythical Guns N' Roses record, and now that we had a chance to listen to it all the way t ... More >>

T.I.

Atlantic

The Game

LAX
Geffen

Friday Rap-Up: Julox, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Aftermath Records

Kanye West, N.E.R.D. and Wyclef Jean Reportedly Slated for DNC Events

Friday Rap-Up: Lenny Lenn, Death Row Records, Shaquille O’Neal and Kanye West

Friday Rap-Up: Side 3 Studios, Kanye West, Common, Rappers on Sean Bell verdict

Over the Weekend... Kanye West, Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco @ Pepsi Center

The Rap-Up: Apostle, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mos Def, Beyonce

Freeloader

The best in legitimate, artist-approved downloads.

Critics' Picks for 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite releases of the past year.

Best 2007 - Houston: Teeing Off with Scarface

Top Music Turkeys and Other Assorted Goodies

Common

Finding Forever
Geffen

Mavis Staples Speaks Out

The civil-rights era is far from over for this songstress.

John Legend

Once Again
G.O.O.D. Music/Sony Urban Music/Columbia

Get Down With Dave

Chappelle returns with a raucous Block Party.

Nationalistic 2005

The rest of the planet generated some good CDs this year, too.

John Legend

Get Lifted (Columbia Records)

God Save the Scene

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

The Beatdown

Singling out some exceptional singles.

Mobb Deep

Amerikaz Nightmare (Jive Records)