Mos Def

The fifty greatest rap groups of all time: 50-26

There's something great about a hip-hop group. From the beginning, it was never intended to be a solo endeavor; rap began in cyphers at block parties, and the first established rappers were components of a collective centered around the more important DJ. Even now that the rapper is the star, it's n ... More >>

The ten best hip-hop shows in Denver this April

SAGE FRANCIS @ FOX THEATRE | THU, 4/18 When evaluating an artist like Sage Francis, the question inevitably arises: Should a musician be cherished for the values they hold and their loyalty to said values or their ability to make enjoyable and listenable music? If it's the former, then Sage Francis ... More >>

The best concerts in Denver this weekend

YO GABBA GABBA! @ PARAMOUNT THEATRE | SUN, 2/24/13 Sesame Street couldn't handle mixing kids' programming with Katy Perry cleavage, but Yo Gabba Gabba! gets it right every time. Perhaps it's because one of the show's creators, Christian Jacobs, is MC Bat Commander of the Aquabats. After becoming a f ... More >>

Ten best hip-hop shows in Denver this month

February is already off to a good start for hip-hop with a pair of great shows this past weekend, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at Icelantic's Winter on the Rocks and Brother Ali with Prof, Danny Brown and Evidence at Cervantes'. Even excluding those shows, the rest of the month looks to be just as enti ... More >>

Flying Lotus at the Ogden Theatre, 10/18/12

FLYING LOTUS @ OGDEN THEATRE | 2/4/12 The Ogden Theatre was hit last night with the bowel-shaking earthquake that is Flying Lotus, who opening his set with a sample from Lil Wayne's "I feel like dying." While we didn't check with every single person, we're pretty sure the bass-emitting frequencies ... More >>

Yasiin Bey at Cervantes, 10/05/12

YASIIN BEY @ CERVANTES' MASTERPIECE BALLROOM | 10/5/12 When Yasiin Bey stepped on stage at about half past midnight, the crowd was hungrily awaiting his arrival, freshly energized from an impressive set by Binary Star and ready now for the main event. Dressed in fitted white slacks, white collared ... More >>

The ten best green rooms in Denver and Boulder

See Also: - Denver's ten biggest hipster bars - Boulder's five biggest hipster bars - Five best midsize venues in LoDo and Ballpark - Denver's ten best karaoke bars The green room is a mythical place to a lot of people, and rightly so: It's a closely guarded inner sanctum of sorts where artists chi ... More >>

#ShitRappersSay on stage in Denver

The next few days kick off what will no doubt be a summer of hip-hop shows to remember in the Mile High City: Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) and Talib Kweli (as Black Star) will be swooping through the town this weekend, as will Drake on his Club Paradise Tour, featuring J.Cole, Waka Flocka, 2Chainz, ... More >>

Talib Kweli keynote speaker at Metro State College for its Sankofa Lecture Series

Talib Kweli got all hip-hop scholarly this past Friday as the keynote speaker for the spring Sankofa Lecture Series at Metropolitan State College of Denver. The event was designed to focus on the anthropology of hip-hop, and Kweli, who was succinct and clear with his message, was absolutely dynamic ... More >>

Gil Scott-Heron, a bluesologist, cultural anthropologist and black icon

Gil Scot-Heron is the modern day god-father of rap, although he held the title with ambivalence while he was still alive, insisting he was rather, a "bluesologist," someone who is concerned with the origin of the blues. Regardless, hip-hop, soul, funk and acid jazz were all influenced by the reality ... More >>

Pandas teach us how to Dougie and four more weird dance videos

Ah, animals humping stuff. Other than people falling down, this might be our favorite genre of YouTube clip at the moment. Today, under its "cute as balls" video section. Videogum shared with the world this masterpiece of time-wasting -- the simple pairing of Cali Swag District's "Teach Me How To Do ... More >>

Day Job: Kevin Kain promoter by night, law school student by day

​Kevin Kain (aka Kevin Henderson) can typically be found posted up in the VIP area of the hottest clubs on any given weekend night, and occasionally a Thursday appearance at Club Vinyl's Reggae on the Roof.

Walker Barnard, February 17 at Old Curtis Street

Nyke Nitti on hustling CDs in the time of tapes, making it in the game and Louis Armstrong

​ Nyke Nitti (aka Nate Johnson and formerly known as Nyke Loc) is a veteran in the Denver hip-hop game. With over eight years of rap lore under his belt, he has watched the rise of some of the best who have helped shape the city's scene. From Innerstate Ike, whom Nitti has known since he was ... More >>

Reader: It's hard to be Jason Sheehan

Jason, not Julie.​Jason Sheehan has been gone from Westword for a year, but he is far from forgotten, as evidenced by yesterday's missive from Still Reading in response to the Julia & Julia characterization of Laura Shunk's Sachi Sushi review: It's hard to be Jason Sheehan. Probably not as ... 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 >>

Beside Rick Ross and Big Boi, we're all listening to completely different stuff 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 >>

Q&A with Robert Glasper

​Robert Glasper's latest Blue Note effort, Double Booked, shows just how well the pianist straddles the jazz and hip-hop worlds. While he flexes his jazz chops within the confines of an acoustic trio setting during the first half of the disc, he delves into more forward thinking hip-hop territ ... 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 >>

Tom Waits top seller at Twist and Shout

​Apparently there was a bit of a fight between Tom Waits' Glitter & Doom Live and Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream last week at Twist & Shout, and fortunately, Waits, who turned sixty yesterday, was the victor. Blakroc, the Black Keys' new hip-hop project, came in third, while Them Crooked ... More >>

Tom Waits top seller at Wax Trax

​Tom Waits' Glitter and Doom Live, which includes tracks from last year's Glitter and Doom tour, grabbed the top spot at Wax Trax for the week ending November 29. The Black Keys' hip-hop project Blakroc, which features rappers like Raekwon, RZA and Mos Def, came in second with their self-titled de ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, August 24 edition

Photo by Doug BeamBat For Lashes' Natasha Khan.​Lash-ing out. Today in Backbeat Online: • Over the Weekend: Bat for Lashes at the Bluebird Theater. • Over the Weekend: The Avett Brothers at the Ogden Theatre. • Over the Weekend: The Flaming Lips at Red Rocks. • Over the Weekend: Mos D ... More >>

Last Night: Rock the Bells at Red Rocks

Aaron Thackeray​Rock the Bells 2009 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Thursday, August 6, 2009 Better than: ringtone rap, anything associated with Auto-Tune or listening to the self-proclaimed newly anointed "King of Pop," Kanye West, talk about himself endlessly. Since 2003, Rock the Bells has been the pre ... More >>

NPR's All Songs Considered weighs in on the best music of 2009

​Last time we checked, there's still a good four months left until the end of the year. Regardless, that hasn't stopped Bob Boilen and company from NPR's All Songs Considered from weighing in on the best music of 2009 (so far). Actually, check that -- the results, which were posted on the show's b ... More >>

Built to Spill, Brother Ali, Colbie Caillat shows announced

​Built to Spill, who headlined this year's Westword Music Showcase, will come through town again, this time with Disco Doom at the Bluebird Sunday, September 20. Minneapolis-based rapper Brother Ali makes stops at the Ogden Theatre Tuesday September 29 and the Fox Theatre on Wednesday, September 3 ... More >>

Christian Scott walks the line between old-school and new-school jazz

Cosmos-Politan

A new book helps urban warriors seek inner peace.

Cadillac Records

Cadillac Records can't handle the truth

The Friday Rap-Up: Ice Cube, Phife, 50 Cent, Jam Master Jay

From anarchists to aging hippies, they're all part of protestation nation

Friday Rap-Up: D.O. The Fabulous Drifter, T.I., Common, Snoop Dogg

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

Delegating Denver #36 of 56: New York

Freeloader

The best in legitimate, artist-approved downloads.

Talib Kweli

Friday, February 1, Gothic Theatre, 303-830-8497.

K-os

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

Rap Sheet

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

DJ Logic

Friday, August 4, and Saturday, August 5, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 1-866-455-2264.

Bum Rap

50 Cent wants to be an actor…but he's not.

Shadow Gets a Plum

Topdog/Underdog grapples with inner-city grit.

The Beatdown

Low Budget Soul makes local hip-hop sound like a million bucks.

Seers for Years

Dylan, McGuinn keep the fires burning

For the Record

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

Mercy Mercy Me

MURS is already a legend. Now if he can just get folks to stop thinking of him as the new guy.

Backwash

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

Banging Bigotry

A racist Billy Bob gets funky in Monster's Ball.

Eternal Life

Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek reflect on the once and future world of hip-hop.

Into the Light

The Jurassic 5 make a heroic ascent from the hip-hop underground.

To Market, To Market

Where's Marlowe? is on the trail of a clueless detective.

Playlist

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