Tupac Shakur

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 >>

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 >>

After Death By Ego, Dyalekt of the Diamond Boiz puts old moniker to rest, becomes Jay Class

Dyalekt, an MC from the Denver hip-hop collective known as the Diamond Boiz, has decided after a long period of contemplation to officially change his name to his longtime nickname Jay Class. The decision comes more than a year after his appropriately titled album, Death By Ego, and precedes his upc ... More >>

Ten Grammy awards that you don't see on TV but that are totally worth being televised

The Grammys are supposed to be "music's biggest night." Unfortunately, the only person who truly believes this is the copywriter who came up with that tagline. There are easily five festivals every year with stakes to the same claim. One of the highlights of this year's Grammys was a Bruno Mars/Stin ... More >>

Hip-hop 101: Adam Bradley is revolutionizing education...one rap at a time

See also: The poetry of Jalon Martin, Adam Bradley's Montbello rap student

George Lewis Jr. of Twin Shadow on the kinship he feels to Bob Dylan, the influence of Tupac and growing up wanting to be in Boyz II Men's gang

George Lewis Jr. grew up in Florida but moved to Boston where he formed his punk-funk cabaret outfit Mad Man Films. That band split after releasing two albums, and Lewis moved to Brooklyn, where, inspired by the music of his childhood, he started writing songs on his own under the name Twin Shadow. ... More >>

With the help of a psychic, Barry Fey reconnects with some old friends and one bitter adversary

See Also: Barry Fey on that time that he held a gun to Axl Rose's head Harry Tuft and Barry Fey inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame Red Rocks' famous hidden tunnel: A peek at the rock star signatures Dan Fong's unpublished rock photos on display this Friday at the Gallery This year, Barr ... More >>

Leftover Salmon's Vince Herman: "The string music revolution will kick dubstep's ass"

Leftover Salmon (due this Sunday in the middle of 7th and 8th street on Santa Fe between 1 and 6 p.m) has graced the the bluegrass scene with their talents for 22 years and counting. With the passing of Mark Vann, the band hasn't produced an album in eight years. The new addition of Andy Thron, carr ... More >>

Not-so-great moments in drunk tweeting

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 >>

Top 5 songs nodding to Notorious B.I.G

​Ah, Christopher Wallace, aka the Notorious B.I.G. There hasn't been -- and as long as hip-hop is a genre, won't be -- a quiet passing of March 9. Similar to when Buddy Holly took the fateful flight that inspired a nation to observe the day the music died, the day Biggie Smalls was slain is fo ... More >>

Best Coast and Wavves at Fox Theatre, 2/14/11

Tom MurphyTour Banner at back of stage. Should've been a t-shirt.​ BEST COAST With Waaves and No Joy 02.14.11 | Fox Theatre Opening the show with "Ghost Blonde," No Joy provided the perfect blend of noisy garage rock and dream pop. The title track to the group's debut full-length is one of i ... More >>

How poop is smarter than Jesus: Google Reading Level ranks 100 random things

​​ Google introduced a new way of filtering search results last week: By reading level. You type something in and it tells you how many results fall into one of levels. Fair enough: if you're writing a research paper on sexual health or something, and thoughtful information would normal ... More >>

Kalyn Heffernan of Wheelchair Sports Camp on rockin' the mike and making people think twice

Adrian Diubaldo / Photo Roadies​ The most immediately noticeable thing about Kalyn Heffernan is that she's in a wheelchair. What takes a little more time to absorb and appreciate is that the petite Irish woman in the Timbaland boots and paint-covered electric chair (she's also a sometime graf ... More >>

Meet Haven the Great, a Jewell Tyme affiliate about to smash it on his own like King Kong

​Jewell Tyme affiliate Haven the Great is an absolute beast on the mike. You probably known him either from backing up other members of the crew or guesting on albums like Dispensary Music by his cousin King FOE and Whygee. But on King Kong, his debut release, Haven is proving his worth as a s ... More >>

What are Jay-Z's 99 problems? We know a bitch ain't one.

​ It's well known an this point that Jay-Z (appearing tonight at the Pepsi Center with Sound Tribe Sector 9, Trey Songz and Young Jeezy) has 99 problems, and a bitch, most certainly, ain't one. Curiously, though, until now, no one's really taken a hard look at just what Hova's 99 problems are ... More >>

Over the Weekend: KS-107.5's Summer Jam

Luda. KS-107.5 Summer Jam Fiddler's Green June 12 By their very nature, hip-hop radio station festivals like KS-107.5's Summer Jam (the station's twelfth consecutive sell-out) tend to promise more than they can deliver. The lineups are generally stellar -- proof that despite changes in the music i ... More >>

Q&A with The Game

Much has been written about the Game's dysfunctional past. He grew up in a Santana Blocc Crip neighborhood in Compton, and his mother was affiliated with the Crips. After his sister accused his father of sexually molesting her, the family was split up, and Game spent time in foster homes. After he r ... More >>

Top 10 Reissues of 2008

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM. It's time to rank the best of what went around and came around again. BILLY JOEL The Stranger (Columbia/Legacy ... More >>

Friday Rap-Up: Julox, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Aftermath Records

Friday Rap-Up: Lenny Lenn, Death Row Records, Shaquille O’Neal and Kanye West

Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten Falls Short of Clashing Success

Pimp C, Free at Last: Remembering a Down South Legend

Willie Waldman Project

Wednesday, January 31, Quixote's True Blue, 303-297-1772.

Westword Music Showcase 2006

Be there or be square!

No Kidding Around

Kid rocks, the Colorado Convention Center doesn't.

Critical Fatwa

Ja Rule

God Save the Scene

Sassy Brits, hoochie mamas and a dude named Beans attempted to invigorate a stagnant year for hip-hop.

The Beatdown

The Denver Hip-Hop Summit may have flatlined, but there was still plenty to celebrate about hip-hop in Mootown last week.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of March 11, 2004

No Mercy

The tragic Life and Death of Aileen Wuornos, sensationalized.

Fade to Black

Jay-Z hosts a listening party for his latest opus, The Black Album.

The Beatdown

New Backbeat editor throws his first punch.

Mash It Up

Z-Trip turns the tables and elevates the art of the DJ.

Survival of the Chillest

As occupied with spirits as with sounds, Heavyweight Dub Champion has mass appeal.

Fighting the Power

Rapper Nas steps back into the ring, fists flying.

Backwash

Harvey Sid Fisher has been singin’ about Taurus — and the other eleven signs of the Zodiac — for almost fifteen years.

Swan Song

By refusing to follow the flock, Ugly Duckling has emerged as a wholly individual hip-hop creature.

Join the Club

Any Dick or Harry can get funky with the Tom Tom Club's first recording in eight years.

The Need for Weed

By aiming for the lowest common denominator, Up in Smoke went over like gangbusters.

The Wide World of Rap

Exploring the endless variety of today's hip-hop.

Dealing with the Devil

The Deuce-Seven Bloods spin out of control, ripping families apart--including their own.

The Return of Superfly

One of the best albums of the Seventies is more timely than ever.

Off the Deep End

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?

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PRODIGAL SON

EARTH, WIND AND FIRE'S PHILIP BAILEY RETURNS TO HIS HOMETOWN EAGER TO TURN YOUR FROWN UPSIDE DOWN.

PLAYING IT COOLIO

HOW DO YOU GO FROM BEING A JUNKIE TO A RAP STAR? COOLIO KNOWS.

That's Uncredible!

How artists in a dishonest business are trying to keep your trust.