Sean Combs

Nicki Minaj, My Morning Jacket and Michael Kiwanuka among this week's new shows

And the shows just keep coming. Red Rocks, which is on pace for a record season this year, added a pair of dates from My Morning Jacket, while tickets for the Beach Boys show are finally going on sale. The biggest concert news this week is Nicki Minaj, who is bringing her Pink Friday Tour to the Mil ... More >>

Ready to Die still one of the best hip-hop albums of all time

Notorious B.I.G. died fifteen years ago this week, on March 9, 1997, at age 24, and Ready to Die is the only studio album released during his lifetime. (Life After Death was released fifteen days after his death, on March 25, 1997.) But Ready to Die album contained hits that were rap-wise, ahead of ... More >>

Top 5 greatest Super Bowl halftime shows

See also: Super Bowl commercials: Elton John, Flava Flav, Echo and the Bunnymen and more and Video: M.I.A. flips off Super Bowl audience during halftime show Judging by the voluminous groans echoing across the country, word is spreading that Madonna will be headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, ... More >>

The top five celebrity endorsements of vodka

​"Clear Thinking," this week's cover story about Spring44 vodka and gin, outlined the rise of vodka, which went from a rarely-consumed liquor to the country's most popular spirit between the end of Prohibition and the mid-1970s. That was mostly thanks to marketing, including, in addition to br ... More >>

How to survive this year's annual White Party at Club Beta

Ray J as host.​You know that scene in "Serial Mom" when Kathleen Turner's character beats the juror to death with a phone receiver because she's wearing white shoes after labor day? Well, things are luckily not that dramatic at Sunday's Labor Day Annual White Party thrown by 3Deep Productions ... More >>

Iron Chef challenger Kurt Boucher wins the top spot behind the line at Satchel's on 6th

Courtesy of the Food Network​It wasn't nearly as bad as the walkout that Troy Guard, the owner/chef of TAG, experienced two weeks ago when a vocal majority of his staff hoofed it out the door after news that Guard and his soon-to-be-ex-wife had a parting of ways, but Andrew Casalini, the owner ... More >>

Lite-rock band Train shills Drops of Jupiter, its new...wine

Courtesy of the Food Network​It wasn't nearly as bad as the walkout that Troy Guard, the owner/chef of TAG, experienced two weeks ago when a vocal majority of his staff hoofed it out the door after news that Guard and his soon-to-be-ex-wife had a parting of ways, but Andrew Casalini, the owner ... More >>

Puff Daddy is the worst offender when it comes to self-imposed nicknames

Courtesy of the Food Network​It wasn't nearly as bad as the walkout that Troy Guard, the owner/chef of TAG, experienced two weeks ago when a vocal majority of his staff hoofed it out the door after news that Guard and his soon-to-be-ex-wife had a parting of ways, but Andrew Casalini, the owner ... More >>

JLo's "On The Floor" vs. Diddy's "Ass On The Floor"

​American Idol reunited JLo and Diddy last night, when the latter came to perform on the show now judged by the former. In case you need a refresher, the two had a very public, very volatile relationship ten years ago.

Top 5 Worst Product Placements in Videos

​It's understandable to sneak in a little ad placement all up in your video, but when the product makes more appearances than the musician? There's a problem. As of late, advertising in music videos has become disgustingly apparent. It's not just the sweet, sweet jams that are bringing in mill ... More >>

Top Ten musical jailbirds: In honor of Lil Wayne and T.I. and their respective prison stints

​Earlier this morning, Lil Wayne was released from New York's Rikers Island after serving eight months of a one-year sentence for criminal possession of a weapon. Fellow Southern rapper T.I., meanwhile, went back to jail on Monday after a federal judge in Atlanta revoked his probation follow ... More >>

Crude on the outside, sweet in the middle, Get Him to the Greek

​Earlier this morning, Lil Wayne was released from New York's Rikers Island after serving eight months of a one-year sentence for criminal possession of a weapon. Fellow Southern rapper T.I., meanwhile, went back to jail on Monday after a federal judge in Atlanta revoked his probation follow ... More >>

Top Ten Dance Albums of 2009

​The past year brought the worst economy since the malaise of the 1970s, and like that era, it also saw dance music sweep the nation. Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, Beyoncé and P. Diddy all dabbled in the sound. Even Michael Jackson was said to be working on a dance album with the Peas' Will ... More >>

Top ten Strange But True stories of the decade in Colorado

Bush to use near your bush -- or at least in the vicinity.​Next week, Westword will be capping off 2009 with a blizzard of blogs leading up to our annual Year in Review issue: Look for them in this space. But before long, we'll be ending a decade, too. And with that in mind -- and to whet you ... More >>

Mini Reviews

Bush to use near your bush -- or at least in the vicinity.​Next week, Westword will be capping off 2009 with a blizzard of blogs leading up to our annual Year in Review issue: Look for them in this space. But before long, we'll be ending a decade, too. And with that in mind -- and to whet you ... More >>

Beyond Playlist: Henry Butler and More

Bush to use near your bush -- or at least in the vicinity.​Next week, Westword will be capping off 2009 with a blizzard of blogs leading up to our annual Year in Review issue: Look for them in this space. But before long, we'll be ending a decade, too. And with that in mind -- and to whet you ... More >>

Friday Rap-Up: The Pirate Signal, Remy Ma, Tupac, Diddy, 50 Cent

Bush to use near your bush -- or at least in the vicinity.​Next week, Westword will be capping off 2009 with a blizzard of blogs leading up to our annual Year in Review issue: Look for them in this space. But before long, we'll be ending a decade, too. And with that in mind -- and to whet you ... More >>

They Killed the Dog

Bush to use near your bush -- or at least in the vicinity.​Next week, Westword will be capping off 2009 with a blizzard of blogs leading up to our annual Year in Review issue: Look for them in this space. But before long, we'll be ending a decade, too. And with that in mind -- and to whet you ... More >>

Danity Kane

Diddy handpicked these sirens, but are they show stoppers?

Español Sung Here

Crossing over -- who's doing it, who's not.

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Strange but True

A year of dysfunctional family values -- and missing panties.

Say What?

The top WTF moments of 2005.

Critical Fatwa

Diddy

Ghostface

Tuesday, October 18, Fox Theatre, Boulder, 303-443-3399.

The Moron the Merrier

When money and fame supersede common sense.

The Beatdown

All-Star Weekend put a jewel in Francois Baptiste's production crown.

Club Scout

NBA All-Star Weekend

The Hustler

DJ Clinton Sparks has become a rising star by working harder than anyone else.

Strike Anywhere

To Live in Discontent (Jade Tree)

Mase

Welcome Back (Bad Boy/Fo' Reel)

Club Scout

Dubfire

Fantasy Island

JLO for dessert

Mass Distraction

It took more than a few scud missiles to break up the party at the Winter Music Conference.

Reading, Writing and CSAP Scores

DPS's new literacy program is raising the bar -- but will it raise test scores?

Fighting the Power

Rapper Nas steps back into the ring, fists flying.

Banging Bigotry

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

Faith Evans

Faithfully (Bad Boy)

2Pac + Outlawz

Still I Rise
(Interscope)

The Notorious B.I.G.
Born Again
(Bad Boy)

Playlist

Puff Daddy, Leo Kottke, Prince, Garth Brooks as Chris Gaines

Cooking Up Beats in Hell's Kitchen

New York's Ming & FS utilize the rhyme -- and the keyboard, sampler, turntable and guitar -- to create their own hip-hop heaven.

Year-End Close-Out

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

Vanilla on Ice

The hip-hop trivia question wants to prove that he's still cool.

Playlist

The hip-hop trivia question wants to prove that he's still cool.

Feedback

The hip-hop trivia question wants to prove that he's still cool.

After Further Review

Putting the season's major releases to the test.

Rap Gets Puffy

Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs fathers a return to hip-hop pop.

Rooting Interest

The Roots make rap for both your hips and your head.

The Closing of the American Ear

We have more musical choices than ever before. So why are so few of us taking advantage of them?