Lauryn Hill

Here's what we're all listening to right now: What's on your playlist this week?

Music is life. Or at least it is for us. When we're not writing about it, we're thinking about it, talking about it or listening to it. These are the things that were in heavy rotation for us this week. What are you listening to? What should we be listening to? C'mon now. Sharing is caring. Don't ho ... More >>

JRebelZ on female MCs finding their own voice instead of playing second fiddle to men

JRebelZ is steadily making a name for herself in the local hip-hop scene. Known otherwise as Jaqueline Rodriguez, JRebelZ came to Denver from El Paso more than a decade ago, and says Nas is the one who sparked her passion for rhyming. We recently caught up with the MC, who just dropped a video for h ... More >>

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 >>

Here's what we're all listening to right now. What's rocking your world this week?

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 >>

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 best rap lyrics of all time: 50-26

Last week, we took a look at the fifty worst rap lyrics of all time. Culling 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 the fifty best ... More >>

Nas and Lauryn Hill

Friday, November 16, Fillmore Auditorium, 303-830-8497.

The five best concerts this week: Nov 12-16

Welcome to another week! Plenty of goodness awaits you. As always, we've got all of this week's shows listed in our concert calendar if you'd prefer to get a full view of what's going on. Otherwise, we've narrowed it all down and picked out the best shows that are the most worth checking out this we ... More >>

Ten Pound Elephant

Ten Pound Elephant
Self-released

The Killers at 1STBANK, the Wallflowers at the Ogden, Nas and NOFX at the Fillmore

If you thought last week's new show announcements were killer, brace yourself. This week's show is just as killer, er make that Killers. After being missing in action for the past couple of years, the Las Vegas quartet is making its triumphant return this November at the 1STBANK Center in support of ... More >>

The weekend's best live music: Ghostland Observatory, STS9, Warped Tour and more

Welcome to the weekend! Another diverse lineup of musical goodness awaits you. Tonight at Red Rocks, Ghostland Observatory and MiM0SA kick off two nights of electronic goodness that will culminate with a show featuring STS9 tomorrow night. And there's a full slate of rock on tap as well, including M ... More >>

Dress every day like you're going to see your worst enemy

It could be a holdover from Earth Day -- or even 4/20. This week we spotted many people on the street sporting the color green. But more savvy fashionistas looked to film or music for inspiration.

The new faces of R&B in Denver: Jon Shockness, J. Carey, Devan Blake Jones, BMore and B.Blacc

Kate LevyJ. Carey is one smooth operator​Have you noticed the influx of male R&B singers these days, particularly in the Mile High City? Adam Duncan, who just joined the A&M/Octone Records roster, is just one of many cats putting it down in Denver these days. Jon Shockness (Air Dubai), J.Carey ... 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 is a Pretty Old Soul

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 >>

The '90s make a womping comeback: Fifteen tracks get a good old dubstep goose via remix

​There are a lot of things to love about the '90s: Power Rangers, Cindy Crawford, Titanic, Beanie Babies, Win Ben Stein's Money, Mr. Bean, Friends or that notorious low-speed chase involving a white van and a retired professional football player. The music, however, was the best part of the de ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Shows announced/on-sale this week, local radio playlists and top local sellers

​ Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week. On the concert front: The Flaming Lips have announced a co-headlining date with Primus this August at Red Rocks. Kenny Chesney is also at the Rocks in July, and Panic! at the Disco is due at the Ogden in June. Meanwhile on local radio, Air ... More >>

Lauryn Hill hits the Fillmore at the end of April

​Psst. What do you have planned for Saturday, April 23? Too far ahead? We know what we're doing. We just circled that date on our calendar in bright-red ink. From what we hear, that's the day the lovely and talented Ms. Lauryn Hill will finally make her way back to the Mile High City. The Fill ... More >>

When it comes to hip-hop, it's a man's world

The Anthology of Rap's alleged errors and Adam Bradley's subsequent explaination to Slate.com

​Last month, Yale University Press released The Anthology of Rap, an exhaustive compendium of rap lyrics edited by CU professor Adam Bradley and his colleague Andrew DuBois. Although the book has been praised by some admitted outsiders, it has also been subjected to scrutiny by various hip-h ... More >>

EDX, Thursday, September 2, at Beta

Nofrendo on being funkier than a mosquito's tweeter and taking listeners on a journey through sound

​ Nofrendo (aka Joseph Meezy) is the beat making equivalent of Nina Simone. Built on his love for soul and all things raw and gritty, his production style begets welcoming anachronistic melodies. Quite different from the sped up soul sample moves of many producers, he takes the properties of ... More >>

Q&A: Meet Bianca Mikahn of Paradox

Which came first, the poet or the MC? Broaching the philosophical debate implies the two are not one in the same. History shows us otherwise, whether the funky notes of blues rattled off the tongue of greats like Billie Holiday, or, more recently, the appearance of the Last Poets on Nas's [Untitled] ... 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 >>

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

Hip-Hop History

Delegating Denver #34 of 56: New Jersey

Friday Rap-Up: Pimp C Dies, Spice 1 Shot, Lauryn Hill Still a Pain in the Ass

This Week in Hip Hop

A Tale of Two Rappers

How the hype played out in the 50 Cent vs. Kanye battle royal.

K-os

After conquering the Great White North, this Canadian MC has his sites set on America.

Jay-Z vs. Stallone

A pop-quiz in honor of Hova and Balboa both coming out of retirement.

Get Down With Dave

Chappelle returns with a raucous Block Party.

Legendary

It's a very good time to be John Legend.

John Legend

Get Lifted (Columbia Records)

Toby Keith

Friday, November 5, Pepsi Center, 303-830-8497.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Backwash

A Boulder student cares more about the life of hip-hop than the deaths of Biggie and Tupac.

He's Got the Beat

Going back to his roots, Scratch gives lip service to the lost art of beatboxing.

Critic's Choice

Erykah Badu

D'Angelo

Voodoo
(Virgin)

Critic's Choice

This week's concert pick: Gil Scott-Heron

More Songs of the Century

Part two of a pre-millennial trek through a hundred years of pop music.

Feedback

Year-End Close-Out

We've got 1998's best albums in stock, but they're going fast.

The Major and the Minor

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

Beyond the Fugees

Pinning down Wyclef Jean, one of hip-hop's hottest commodities.

Playlist

Rhymes of Passion

The Fugees are determined to make rap, not war.