Young Jeezy

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

Friday Rap-Up: Frank E, Xzibit, 50 Cent, Slick Rick

Friday Rap-Up: BreakEfx, Nas Book, Young Jeezy, Kanye, Jay-Z

Friday Rap-Up: ManeLine, Hip-Hop Stars React to Obama win, Shakir Stewart Suicide, Mos Def

Beyond Playlist: Guns N' Roses, Kayne West and T-Pain

Guns N’ Roses Chinese Democracy Interscope Frankly, after a decade and a half, I’m just happy that only some of this blows, instead of the whole thing – and as a bonus, several of the tracks that do blow are unintentionally funny. Not all of them, of course: “If the World” sounds so muc ... More >>

Busted Rhymes: The Top Ten Most Preposterous Rap Songs 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. Hip-hop A-listers including Rick Ross, Akon and Plies were caught grossly exaggerating their gangster credentials ... More >>

Denver DJs representing at NBA All-Star galas in Phoenix

As we write this, two of Denver's most prominent DJs, Bedz and Quote, are holding things down in Phoenix at various high-profile galas. Bedz (pictured left), the Nuggets' official turntable maestro, is behind the decks at the Jam Session Center Court located in the convention center in downtown Phoe ... More >>

The Game

As we write this, two of Denver's most prominent DJs, Bedz and Quote, are holding things down in Phoenix at various high-profile galas. Bedz (pictured left), the Nuggets' official turntable maestro, is behind the decks at the Jam Session Center Court located in the convention center in downtown Phoe ... More >>

A player himself now, the Game is still paying homage to rap's finest

As we write this, two of Denver's most prominent DJs, Bedz and Quote, are holding things down in Phoenix at various high-profile galas. Bedz (pictured left), the Nuggets' official turntable maestro, is behind the decks at the Jam Session Center Court located in the convention center in downtown Phoe ... More >>

Mini Reviews

As we write this, two of Denver's most prominent DJs, Bedz and Quote, are holding things down in Phoenix at various high-profile galas. Bedz (pictured left), the Nuggets' official turntable maestro, is behind the decks at the Jam Session Center Court located in the convention center in downtown Phoe ... More >>

Girl Talk

Gregg Gillis can�t understand what all the fuss is about.

DJ Khaled

Listennn: The Album (Koch Records)

Radio Age

Are young listeners abandoning broadcast radio?

Hip-Hop Trends in 2005

Are young listeners abandoning broadcast radio?

Bun B

Trill (Rap-A-Lot/Asylum)

Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse, Frank Black shows annouced

The Flaming Lips know all about putting on a hell of a show, and the Monolith Festival gig at Red Rocks in 2007 was one most phenomenal things to happen to that venue in the last few years. Lets hope for a repeat performance when the Lips return to Red Rocks Sunday, August 23 with Explosions in the ... More >>

Lil Wayne

Thursday, August 20, Fiddler's Green, 303-830-8497.

Q&A with Time

​Time, aka Chris Steele, has been involved in the Denver hip-hop scene for over a decade, and his current and future collaborators include Sole of the Anticon collective, Talib Kweli, Drake, Kool Keith and C-Rayz Walz. The snarkier hip-hop aficionados refer to the form Time writes and performs as ... More >>

This Just In: Jay-Z tour confirmed, Kevin Smith show canceled

​Jay-Z, whose Blueprint 3 has been a strong seller since hitting the streets two months ago, just confirmed his 2010 North American tour, which includes a stop at the Pepsi Center Monday, March 22. Grammy-nominated rapper Young Jeezy will open the show and tickets go on sale Friday, November 13 at ... More >>

This Just In: Jay-Z, Bon Jovi, Avett Brothers shows announced

​As reported last week, Jay-Z brings his BP3 tour to the Pepsi Center on Monday, March 22. Reserved tickets range from $39.50 to $99.50 and go on sale Saturday, November 14 at 10 a.m. On Monday, March 8, Bon Jovi also hits Pepsi Center as part of the band's Circle World Tour, which includes 135 sh ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of January 4, 2010

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. F ... More >>

Poptimystic: 3OH!3 and Vampire Weekend

Welcome to Poptimystic, our latest feature where we lead you on a leisurely stroll through the world where pop music actually means popular. This week, hometown goofboys 3OH!3 make a return to the top of the Hot 100, and early returns have Vampire Weekend besting all comers. Huh? ​ The 3OH!3 ... More >>

And now, presenting thirty craptastic minutes with thirty different iPhone band apps

​ Sometimes we have to wonder if folks that program for Apple's App Store are hell-bent on wasting people's time. We spent an evening with as many artist-specific iPhone apps we could get our hands on and found a few amazing things, a few interesting things and a plethora of pure and total cr ... More >>

Top five TV themes ripe for mashup

Have you heard "Office Musik" yet? It's Clockwork mashing Lil' Wayne's "Hustler Musik" with the theme from The Office. It's good. So good that we listened to it about fifteen times yesterday. So good that it was Hype Machine's number one track at the same time that Entertainment Weekly wrote it up ... 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 >>

Jay-Z brought his A-game to the Pepsi Center last night

Aaron ThackerayCheck out full slideshow from last night's show.​ Jay-Z • Trey Songz • STS9 Pepsi Center | 03.22.10 Jay-Z is one of the few performers that truly is larger than life. Dude has an undeniably commanding presence on stage. From the opening cut, "Run This Town," until the fitt ... More >>

Nathaniel Rateliff, Kinetix and Broken Social Scene top our weekly playlists

​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 >>

Memorial Day Playlist: Ten patriotic (and vaguely patriotic) songs that don't suck

​ As we all prepare to take time out from our hurried lives to remember the brave men and women of the armed forces who fought (and continue to fight) to keep us all free to live our lives as we please, we came up with a list of ten tunes to cue up this Memorial Day as you fire up the grill. ... More >>

Astronautalis on over-the-top comparisons, hip-hop's progression and fans "getting it"

​Andy Bothwell, aka. Astronautalis, has oft times been labeled as the Tom Waits or Hunter S. Thompson of underground hip-hop. Like many others in his position, he began honing his skills in high school, battling on corners while climbing rank amongst industry-friendly peers. His unhurried and ... More >>

Five songs Lindsay Lohan might want to leave off her iPod when she heads to court tomorrow

​Lindsay Lohan, America's freckled-faced-sweetheart-turned-hot-freakin'-mess is in boiling water yet again. Ms. Lohan is facing thirty days in the slammer after testing positive for cocaine during a mandatory drug test last week. The actress is scheduled to appear before a judge on Friday who ... More >>

Drake at Wells Fargo Theatre, 11/02/10

Eric Gruneisen​ DRAKE With Tyga 11.02.10 | Wells Fargo Theatre It seems Tyga -- last night's opener -- got the memo: Donning a puffy vest in Colorado makes you automatically likeable. We have braved decades of trends in those things, and nothing makes you look native quite like sleeveless bo ... More >>

Aloe Blacc, Harry Nilsson, Kid Cudi fill our playlists 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?" 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 al ... More >>

Earth, Deca, DeVotchKa, Mogwai, Hindershot, Warsaw and Adele top our weekly playlists

​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?" 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 al ... More >>

Meet D'Girl, a fresh female rapper navigating the male-dominated waters of Colorado hip-hop

​D'Girl (aka Dosha Harris) has emerged as a compelling new force to be reckoned with in the mostly male-dominated local scene. But it goes way beyond the fact that she's a lady MC. The twenty-year-old, who's been rhyming since age thirteen, carries herself with the poise of a veteran and has a ... More >>

Lil Wayne gets Unplugged, and we've got suggestions for his set list

​Hip-hop lyrics often get lost amongst the bass, snare and 808-drenched beats and production of a song. That's why, when a rap artist -- like Jay-Z, for example -- decides to take on MTV's famous Unplugged series, the outcome can be amazing, as was the case with Jigga, and hopefully will be th ... More >>

Mile Highlights: This week's concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

​Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: In September, Beirut hits the Fillmore and Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac is slated for a date at DU's Gates Concert Hall, followed by Chromeo, who's due back in Denver in October for a return date at the Ogden after a stellar set at th ... More >>

Young Jeezy set to rock the Ogden on August 23

​Word on the street is Atlanta's cocaine rap king Young Jeezy is making his way to the Mile High City on August 23 at the Ogden Theatre. The TM103 tour is a continuation of Jeezy's "Thug Motivation" series of albums and will no doubt feature a wide array of tracks from his four studio albums a ... More >>

Young Jeezy

Tuesday, August 23, Ogden Theatre, 303-830-8497.

Review: Freddie Gibbs at Cervantes', 12/14/11

​FREDDIE GIBBS at CERVANTES' | 12/14/11Freddie Gibbs, sans fellow headliner Fashawn, played to a sparse crowd at Cervantes' Other Side last night. Hitting the stage in front of a crowd warmed up by Diamond Boiz, BLKHRTS and Platt and Beadebe, Gangsta Gibbs took to the stage wearing a white T-s ... More >>

Ten best hip hop shows of 2011 in Denver

Eric GruneisenTyler, the Creator at the Ogden Theatre this past October​There were so many hip-hop shows and concerts this year, it was hard to keep count. The shows of note, though, were bangers and crowd pleasers and showcased dynamic artistry. With so many epic moments (?uestLove and Jazzy ... More >>

Scissor Sisters share a "Shady Love" with Azealia Banks, plus a breakdown of the charts

"Shady Love": the grimiest, dirtiest pop song yet of 2012. And it's by the Scissor Sisters.​The Scissor Sisters have two incarnations: campy, carefree guitar-driven band, as was the case for early cuts like "Take Your Mama" and "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'," and a new, more hedonistic synth band ... More >>

Club Dreams has one of the hottest hip-hop nights in Denver

"Shady Love": the grimiest, dirtiest pop song yet of 2012. And it's by the Scissor Sisters.​The Scissor Sisters have two incarnations: campy, carefree guitar-driven band, as was the case for early cuts like "Take Your Mama" and "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'," and a new, more hedonistic synth band ... 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 the Shins, James Taylor and Explosions in the Sky were announced; In the Whale, Tennis, FaceMan got spins on local radio; and recent albums from Leonard Cohen, Matador, Young Jeezy and Lana Del ... More >>