Too $hort

The fifty greatest rap groups of all time

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 >>

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 ten greatest West Coast rappers of all time

West Coast rap is sometimes disparaged by hip-hop purists for it's perceived lack of lyricism and substance, but what it lacks in lyrical acrobatics and "message," it more than makes up for in personality. Whether the aesthetic is raw and violent or chill and relaxed, the sentiment comes through equ ... More >>

The 20 most coveted Colorado music-industry jobs: The complete list with five new profiles

In our series of coveted Colorado music-industry jobs, we've covered a range of jobs, from guitar tech and handling publicity to being tasked with overseeing digital music delivery from a vast electronic music catalog to band management. Today, we complete our list of the most coveted Colorado music ... More >>

New shows: Fall Out Boy, Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Johnny Marr and more

A bunch of great shows announced this week: Fresh off a string of well received comeback shows, Fall Out Boy is back with a new record and a tour that will hit Denver in June. Vampire Weekend is due at Red Rocks with Of Monsters and Men, while fun. has announced a date of its own at Red Rocks with T ... More >>

New shows: Alabama Shakes/Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Paramore, Jim James

There are a ton of new shows to tell you about this week, including a co-headlining date at Red Rocks featuring Alabama Shakes and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, plus new shows from Paramore, a solo date from Jim James of My Morning Jacket, the Gaslight Anthem, Marina & the Diamonds and Charli ... More >>

New Denver shows: Zac Brown adds third show at Red Rocks, plus Sting, the XX and more

Okay, hands up if you knew the Zac Brown Band was so popular. He's wildly popular, in case you're wondering. Dude just added another show at Red Rocks, thanks to the fact that the first two have already sold out. Oh, and speaking of the Rocks, Sting has announced a June date up there, and we've got ... More >>

New shows: Animal Collective at the Ogden, the Avett Brothers at Red Rocks, the Revival Tour

After the comforting lull of the holidays, things are starting to ramping back up nicely on the concert front. Some big announcements this week, including Animal Collective, who is slated to return to Denver for a show at the Ogden Theatre with Dan Deacon, and the Avett Brothers who are set for a tw ... More >>

New shows: Justin Bieber adds another date at the Pepsi Center, Imagine Dragons and more

Did you totally blow it? Did you dawdle and miss your chance to pick up tickets to Justin Bieber's now sold-out concert at the Pepsi Center next month? Is your darling niece bummed with you beyond all recognition? Good news for you: You get a do-over -- well, sort of. The Biebs just announced anothe ... More >>

New shows: Sigur Ros, Carrie Underwood, Bloc Party, Big Head Todd, Divine Fits and more

It's not Christmas yet, but you'd certainly be excused for thinking otherwise, what with the radio already playing round-the-clock holiday tunes and the new shows we've been gifted with. Looks like somebody's been on their best behavior (god knows, it wasn't us). Whatever the case, we're now being r ... More >>

Videos: Katt Williams loses his sh*t on Denver heckler, gets booed offstage

Katt Williams is one of the current scene's most popular standup comics. But when he was heckled at Denver's Wells Fargo Theatre last night, his response backfired in a big way. His Denver-dissing verbal onslaught prompted a cascade of booing that led to him stopping the show early and storming offs ... More >>

Katt Williams melts down on stage, threatens and spits on a fan

I can't imagine that I was the only one who felt trapped by the mania of Katt Williams as I sat inside the less-than-half-full Wells Fargo Theatre last night.The first of two Denver shows on his Ghetto National Convention Tour, this was a car wreck from the start. From the late start of the show -- ... 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 shouldn't be surprising to find that the most common (and mutually 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 ... More >>

Amon Tobin and Twista due on New Year's Eve at City Hall and Vinyl. Early bird tix available

We just received word on the lineup for New Year's Eve at City Hall and Club Vinyl. With everything else going on for the post-Mayan end of year celebration, the folks at SoCo have put together an enticing lineup this year that will one-up their New Year's Eve parties in past years, which included a ... 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 >>

Medical marijuana dispensary review and video: 420 Wellness on Alameda

I tried with 420 Wellness. I really did. I had heard good things about some of the shop's strains -- and one of them took second place at the High Times Medical Cannabis Cup last weekend. But in the end, my experience with the shop went up in flames along with the un-purged butane hash I bought ther ... More >>

4/20 in Denver events list: Take a hit from these

It's Friday, April 20, and though you may or may not have a job, we're going to get you high today. Okay, maybe not. But we are going to tell you where people in Denver will be celebrating getting high, medicated and everything in between. Below, we've compiled a list of some of the biggest events a ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Cypress Hill, the Fray, Kaskade and Mojo Nixon were announced; Lola Black, Fresh Breath Committee and the Autumn Film got spins on local radio; and recent albums from Bruce Springsteen, Andrew Bird, Fu ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Denver/Boulder area concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

​ Here's what's hot this week in music on the Front Range: On the concert front, new shows featuring Madonna, Jeff Mangum, the String Cheese Incident, Jane's Addiction, B.B. King and more were announced; Lola Black, Fresh Breath Committee and the Autumn Film got spins on local radio; and recent a ... More >>

Bar Back looks at the year in club scouting

New Year's Eve 2011 Denver: ten best electronic-music events

​What better time to dance the night away than New Year's Eve? We've curated the ten best electronic-music events for your dance-floor pleasure; keep reading to check out our picks.

Slick Rick and Too $hort to rock City Hall Amphitheater on New Year's Eve

​New Year's Eve is just around the corner. Time to start making plans if you haven't already. (I know, right?) We just got word of dope New Year's Eve show for hip-hop heads: Slick Rick and Too $hort will be rocking the City Hall Amphitheater with a show of greatest hits. Both are legends in t ... More >>

DJ Quik cancels Casselman's show, confusion erupts, Rex Lounge takes one for the team

Where was DJ Quik? Not at Casselman's last night.​After DJ Quik cancelled on Casselman's at the last minute due to "gang activity" and "threats on his life" all hell broke loose as to where (and exactly who) would be performing and where. It turned out though, that Bizzy Bone with a fresh off ... More >>

Are white girl rappers the new black?

KreayshawnKreayshawn this. Snow Tha Product that. These two white girl rappers are the talk of the hip-hop town right now. Both women are challenging society-driven stereotypes. Kreayshawn, of course, is the hard-core, smoked-out princess with swag "oozing out her ovaries," who was just signed by Co ... More >>

Tonight: Too $hort at Casselman's

Often imitated but never duplicated, Too $hort (performing tonight with DJX, Shade Loc G, Hypnautic, King Tef, Johny Rocketz, 20:12, Nominee, Mya Rose, Spoke n Wordz, Playalitical and Felisa Latin Soul at Casselman's) has been making records for almost thirty years, helping to establish Oakland, Ca ... More >>

Misogyny: Do women get a bad rap in hip-hop?

​Misogyny, as a concept and as a behavior, is a major issue in hip-hop. Women are frequently marginalized and suffer the extreme sexist treatment at the hands of men in the business. As I began to examine the pronounced gender bias in the hip-hop community for this week's feature, I interviewe ... More >>

Twiztid at the Fillmore lacked a certain demented spirt of mayhem

Aaron ThackerayKung Fu Vampire Twiztid • Potluck • Kung Fu Vampire 03.26.10 | Fillmore Theater Walking to The Fillmore and being accosted with, "Yo, Juggalo, can I use your phone for a minute?" should have been the first sign that the normal world was somewhere else. Opening act, Kung Fu Vamp ... More >>

Are you indie or independent?

As I've mentioned once or twice in this blog, I occasionally DJ around town, under a pseudonym. I use a pseudonym because I want to make it clear that Eryc Eyl, the DJ, operates in a musical universe that is completely different from the one inhabited by Eryc Eyl, the music critic. We are, in s ... More >>

Denver greats pay tribute to hip-hop's greats at Get Down Wednesdays

Gotta love Denver, man. At the risk of sounding like a homer, the creativity here is invigorating. It seems cats are constantly striving to come up with compelling ways to put on shows, Stand By Your Band at the hi-dive, Denver Does Denver and now Hip-Hop Bites Back, an idea whose time has truly com ... More >>

Over the Weekend: The Pirate Signal at the Marquis Theater

Photo by Chad FahnestockDJ Beretta, D. Allie, Dante, Air Dubai, Mane Rok and the Pirate SignalMarch 13, 2009Marquis TheaterBetter Than: Puking up green beer outside Scruffy Murphy'sEntering the Marquis Theater on Larimer Street on Saturday night was like stepping into a warm, dry bungalow after bein ... More >>

Pirate Signal continuing to make moves

From the sounds of it, the Pirate Signal has been working overtime. Fresh on the heels of wowing crowds at this year's Sundance film festival, preceded by a string of dates supporting 3OH!3 last fall, the act is headlining a stellar bill at the Marquis Theater this Saturday, March 14, that also feat ... More >>

Mile High Makeout: My head is spinning

Photo: Lucia De Giovanni Last night, I had the honor and privilege of guest deejaying at Matt Fecher's New Music Mondays at the Larimer Lounge, playing music from my collection next to the incandescent DJ Ginger and firestarter DJ Hot to Death. Ginger played a couple of body-rocking sets, including ... More >>

Friday Rap-Up: Suge Knight, Outkast, YouTube Live

Suge Knight files lawsuit against Kanye West Former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight has filed a $135,000 lawsuit against Kanye West for a gunshot wound and a robbery of his diamond-stud earring that occurred at West’s pre-MTV Music Awards party back in August 2005. According to TMZ, Knight bel ... More >>

Mile High Makeout: Getting Exposed

Herb’s

A hit in the Ballpark neighborhood.

Friday Rap-Up: Out Tha Box TV, Green Lantern, Common, 50 Cent

Freeloader

The best in legitimate, artist-approved downloads.

Pimp Stoppers

Devil on the Dance Floor

Too $hort

Thursday, March 1, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 1-866-455-2263.

Rap Sheet

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

The Coup

Wednesday, December 6, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 303-297-1772.

Jay-Z

The Black Album (Def Jam)

Club Scout

Baby Bash

Junkyard Dog

Found-object sculptor Donald Lipski trains his eye on Colorado.

After the Fall

An unfortunately timed album cover put the Coup in a harsh post-September 11 spotlight. But the controversial rap group's political resolve refuses to crumble.

Queer Power

Joe Queer makes punk that's built to last.

Our Gangstas

Is gangsta rap getting more profound? Well...no.

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