Lauryn Hill

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

​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 >>

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 >>

In honor of Mother's Day this weekend: A list of the music world's top five hottest mamas

​Even though most of our moms aren't rock stars, some of them sure as hell seem like it. With their busy schedules and insane ability to multi-task, they deserve screaming fans and scads of cash. We know it's hard being just a suburban mom trying to juggle work and a family, so we got to think ... More >>

Behind the controversial Anthology of Rap, co-edited by CU hip-hop professor Adam Bradley

​Even though most of our moms aren't rock stars, some of them sure as hell seem like it. With their busy schedules and insane ability to multi-task, they deserve screaming fans and scads of cash. We know it's hard being just a suburban mom trying to juggle work and a family, so we got to think ... More >>

The Anthology of Rap: The hip-hop soundtrack to go along with this week's cover story

​This week's cover story, "Word," tells the extraordinary tale behind The Anthology of Rap, released last year to high praise and a bit of heated debate. The Westword story focuses on Anthology co-editor and CU-Boulder professor Adam Bradley, a hip-hop academic whose own narrative is as compel ... 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

​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 >>

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

​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 >>

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

​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 >>

Hip-Hop History

​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 >>

Delegating Denver #34 of 56: New Jersey

​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 >>

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

​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 >>

This Week in Hip Hop

​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 >>

Day Three: Wherein We Learn the True Meaning of Cuba Libre

​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 >>

A Tale of Two Rappers

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

Wino Diaries

Make room on the Amy Winehouse bandwagon.

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

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

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.

Fighting the Power

Rapper Nas steps back into the ring, fists flying.

Redemption Songs

With an album full of freedom, pain and poetry, rapper Mystic proves that girls don't just want to have fun.

Critic's Choice

Erykah Badu

D'Angelo

Voodoo
(Virgin)

Critic's Choice

This week's concert pick: Gil Scott-Heron

Judgment Day

Backbeat contributors offer up their favorite recordings of 1999.

Anthony B / Bob Marley

Seven Seals
(VP Records)

Chant Down Babylon
(Tuff Gong/Island)

Time of the Season

This year's holiday CDs alternately inspire joy, nausea and terror. Which would you prefer?

More Songs of the Century

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

Feedback

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

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

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

Playlist

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

Rhymes of Passion

The Fugees are determined to make rap, not war.