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skyyhook Archives - AllHipHop

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AllHipHop.com's Top 75 Underground/Indie & Emerging Artists Of 2014

The term underground isn’t a dirty word. It actually represents a healthy majority of the music that is released today as only a handful of artists are able to secure mainstream radio play…even if they are very well known and beloved. However, this doesn’t mean that outstanding efforts should not be recognized regardless of your Hip Hop pedigree. In 2014 AllHipHop.com searched the country from left coast to right coast and top to bottom to find talent from all walks. Boy did we find it! We encountered more nouns and verbs and clever double entendres than we ever thought we could find in one sitting. They were served up on a golden platter and we there with knives and forks ready to eat that dopeness up! This year we decided to do something a little bit different. We know that heads get bored with long lists of artists. So, taking that into consideration…we figured it was time to do what AllHipHop.com has always done in order to maintain it’s relevancy…we changed it up! We evolved this year’s list into something a little outside the box. So, instead of having to read all about what we thought of the artists we’ve selected, we thought we’d invite some of the artists to speak for themselves about one another. It’s extra easy to get cats to talk about themselves but we actually got to see the genuine community that resides in the culture through this short documentary that we put together which allows for artists to be fans of one another. We truly believe it’s a win for Hip Hop whenever artists show support for music they didn’t make and the people who created it. Some of these artists you may be  very familiar with…some maybe not! But every artist selected put forth something extra special in 2014 whether it was on a stage, in the booth, or in the streets! This year we saw a huge swing back toward substance and skill and we could not be happier! Congratulations to the 75 artists that made it! Salute! Take a look at the video below to see who the Top 75 artists are and please remember there is NO RANKING! They were all wonderful and we enjoyed them all!   [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEeiEGcGevw]   As always, if you know of someone that you feel we missed hit us up in the comments and let us know! You might be the one to help secure them on the list this year! Congratulations to the artist that made the list and to those who did not…the slate is now wiped clean! You have a whole new year to claim your rightful places and we can’t wait to see what you’ve got brewing in 2015!   *Special Thanks to producer Jimmy Flight for the instrumental!

Live From Ferguson: Skyyhook Gets The Ferguson People's Side Of The Story

We at AllHipHop knew there was a special part of the story in Ferguson, Missouri that wasn’t being heard, so CEO Chuck Creekmur let me go down to Ferguson to get the 411. I had no idea what I was walking in to. Now, let me say for the record, I did watch wall to wall coverage of what was happening in Ferguson before going down there. I was very well versed on the tragedy that came about last Saturday when an unarmed teenager named Mike Brown was shot to death in the small mid-western suburb of ST. Louis. But it still couldn’t prepare me for the feelings that came about after I got to town. Through some of my experience I was terrified. You can actually tell in some of the footage because my hands were literally trembling while I was trying to film what I saw. My fear of the massive police presence was not a joke. And at no time did I EVER feel unsure or scared of the protesters. I can not say that about the police however, as I was overwhelmed by the immense police presence and the menacing way that police seemingly stalked reporters. There were moments of chaos, moments of clarity, definite feelings of sorrow and honestly, I’m still trying to make sense of all of it. A city within the United States of America is under siege. The police are doing everything they can to control the story and it’s frightening. Reporter’s are being bullied and the genuinely peaceful protesters are being agitated. It’s as if police are thirsty for a fight with them so they can show a crushing use force against them. I’m in no way a conspiracy theorist but what we are seeing looks like the dooms day scenarios that American citizens keep training for out in the woods. Things that used to sound ridiculous now appear to be playing out in front of our very eyes. I didn’t feel that way until I saw the military vehicles and the sheer numbers of “combat police” on the ground in Ferguson. I started to wonder if instead of giggling at those in the woods…if maybe we shouldn’t have been taking a closer look at what they were training for. Remember how we got here. This story only exists because a cop used excessive force against a child. The response from the police toward a community who just wants justice has been more force. How can that ever make sense? Where is the opportunity for healing ever going to come in to play when the police insist upon treating the citizens as if their voice does not matter. The people there deserve so much better than this. I walked along the path where Mike Brown took his last breaths with some of the members of his family. I was humbled and honored to take that walk with them. Thanks to DJ Charlie Hustle and Rebel Diaz I met Calvin and Gary and they showed us everything. Please take a look at what I saw in the video below.  **Editor’s note, the camera is a little shaky sometimes because I was trembling. Fear is a crazy thing. You can talk smack all you want to but if you’re afraid it will show in other ways.   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO1WC5c4WpY&w=640&h=360]   The goal was to see what the people of Ferguson wanted us to know. I’m so glad that I went and even happier that some felt they could talk to me. The youth of Ferguson  have things to say and they need you to hear them. I’m humbled to have been there in their midst and I hope they get the justice that they seek. #HandsUpDon’tShoot is a real movement guys and they need your support. After seeing what the people in Ferguson are enduring I’m convinced that they not only need it…they deserve it.                        

AllHipHop.com Exclusive: Joyner Lucas In Real Life [VIDEO]

  AllHipHop.com has been checking for Massachusetts spitter Joyner Lucas for quite some time and we’re truly happy to see that we aren’t the only ones!  He has been hitting the stage for our Breeding Ground Showcase section all across the country and though it took us some time to catch up with the busy emcee, we finally sat down to get some exclusive behind the scenes info about his controversial lyrics, his career aspirations and some surprising revelations about his personal life as well! While Joyner has been featured in shows just about everywhere, he hasn’t been interviewed too many times as of yet. This actually ended up being a good thing for everyone involved. We say this because it allowed us to address some deeper topics with him that had yet to be explored. And it was this that transformed what was supposed to be a formal interview, into an honest conversation among friends! We think you will be surprised by some of what our pal Joyner had to say! Take a look for yourselves in the video below!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9RRYtbvkwQ&w=640&h=360]   This song is powerful and it’s Joyner’s truth as well. Check out the video for Half Ni**er.   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvvxC00xLss&w=640&h=360]   Thanks again to Joyner Lucas for the sit down! The conversation was so full of Hip Hop goodness that we couldn’t get it all in one video! Come back next week for the conclusion and to see what Joyner went through as a kid that would eventually help him to become the focused man that he is today. And in the meantime and between time check him out on Twitter @RealJoynerLucas and at his website realjoynerlucas.com! 

AllHipHop.com Shows Up And Shows Out At The Lincoln Park Music Festival

On Sunday July 27th the city of Newark, NJ came out to the Lincoln Park Music Festival to hear some dope artists spit fire bars and they were not disappointed! The Breeding Ground portion of the show was hosted by AllHipHop.com‘s own CEO Chuck Creekmur and BG Editor Skyyhook. Newark residents who are known for being a tough crowd to win over, totally lived up to their reputation! However, it was a good thing because the Breeding Ground artists that performed had to dig deep and give the crowd everything they had which in turn made for a dynamite show! One by one artists stepped up to walk the Hip Hop plank…and as they got to the stage they went for broke! The show was all the better for it! It was nothing but lyrical gold. Every single artists went in and the hot, humidity ravaged crowd was there to bare witness! The performances by Rasheed Chappell, Rebel Diaz, Audible Doctor, Senica Da Misfit, Jasiri X, Mitch Littlez, Joyner Lucas, YC The Cynic, Final Outlaw, Silent Knight, JY, Chris Skillz and Soul Khan made AllHipHop.com so proud because we strive for excellence and these artists demonstrated that they are absolutely everything that we’ve ever claimed them to be! Even fellow Lincoln Park Music Festival show host Ed Lover was impressed! Ed is not easy to win over so when he took to the stage and showed love for what our artists put forth….we were ecstatic! We must thank the entire staff responsible for putting together the show and for keeping it running on that day! The dedication from everyone was amazing! Our hats definitely go off to our brother Doitall Du from the legendary group Lords Of The Underground! He flew in from the other side of the globe to be there that day. He invited us out to be a part of the festivities and we are grateful for the opportunity! Thanks again to the residents of Newark for keeping it funky not just at the show but all year long! We had a blast and we hope you did too! We are proud to be a part of the Newark community and we look forward to seeing everyone next summer to do it all over again!   Photos By: M.H.Majied and @Raw_Product   

The Hook's "Getting The Answers With Sway" Part 2

In Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Sway, we learn a little bit more about what he thinks the new generation of Hip Hop artists are missing as it applies to the game. Sway spoke on what he thinks some of the pitfalls are for up and coming rappers in the Hip Hop industry.  On this generation of artists work ethic: “A lot of artists don’t want to do the work.” One of the biggest problems that new artists face: “A lot of artists are cookie cutter imitations of their favorite artists.” We even got Sway to speak to us about the concepts and theories behind “The World Famous Wake Up Show” and it’s beginning! [Editor’s Note: Skyhook is a weekly contributor to the radio show] Many have been curious over the years as to why a show called “The Wake Up Show” comes on at night. Sway explains: “[It’s a] double entendre because it came on at night time but we were enlightening people to parts of Hip Hop culture that they weren’t being privy to.” Watch the conclusion of our interview with Sway. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvS7YawvAlk&w=640&h=360] Be sure to listen or watch Sway every weekday morning on  Shade 45/Sirius XM‘s Sway In The Morning and The World Famous Wake Up Show . ~~~~~~~~~~ Each Saturday, The Hook with Skyhook presents exclusive interviews, thought provoking topics and new music from some of the industries hardest working people. To see what else Skyhook is cooking up follow her on Twitter @SkyyhookRadio.

The Hook: Getting The Answers With Sway Part 1[VIDEO]

For the very first installment of the new column “The Hook” we wanted to bring someone to you that could speak “edutainment” in a way that few others credibly can or will! Sway Calloway is one of those elusive guys within the game that has given everyone information over the years ranging in topics from music to politics to sports. But what he very rarely does is give insight into himself. In this exclusive interview we got to know a little more about Sway and we’re all thankful for it! Take a look at what Sway had to say about growing up in Oakland, his brother from another King Tech and the history behind The World Famous Wake Up Show that many never knew, in Part 1 of our exclusive interview below!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed6pzs7-qr8&w=640&h=360]   See we told ya! And we’re just getting started! Check us out next Saturday for a few more stellar stories from the Hip Hop historian and to hear what he would like to see for himself in the future…it may just surprise you! In the meantime check Sway out every weekday morning on Shade 45/Sirius XM‘s Sway In The Morning from 8 AM to 12 PM ET and The World Famous Wake Up Show Monday nights from 8 PM to 10 PM ET and Friday’s from 12 AM to 2 AM ET! And of course never forget to check out the various projects he has going on over at MTV! We want to send shouts to Sway’s amazing Sway In The Morning team who went above and beyond to take care of us for the interview! Be sure to check for them over at SwaysUniverse.com  

AllHipHop.com's Top 50 Underground/Indie/Emerging Artists Of 2013

un·der·ground Existing, situated, operating, or taking place beneath the surface of the ground, hidden or secret; not open, published or produced by political or social radicals or nonconformists:avant-garde; experimental. In other words, unique, different, something special that is not like everything else. The Underground. We are back with our picks for the Top 50 Underground/Independent/Emerging artists of the year 2013 and we must say it was even harder to produce this year’s list than it was last year. So many artists gave us a run for our money when it came to trying to narrow the names down to only 50! As this past year we saw a return to lyricism in a huge way which is a win for Hip Hop across the board but made it harder for us to chose as a result! So trust us…this list was very hard to do! We wish this was tee-ball where everyone could get a trophy and we could take all our favorite rappers out for ice cream afterwards but unfortunately it just doesn’t work that way…no matter how much we may want it to. We really want to remind everyone that this list in no way discounts or invalidates the hard work that artists have been putting in for the past year. We know there are far more than 5o so we urge fans and supporters to talk to us in the comments section and let us know who you liked off our list and who you would love to see featured in 2014 that we might have missed! With that said check out the AllHipHop.com picks for 2013 and remember they are in NO PARTICULAR ORDER!! We did NOT put any sort of ranking to this thing…they are all equal in our eyes! This is one of the few lists that did not go off of budgets, popularity contests, numbers of likes/followers or flat out bribes! So enjoy! YC The Cynic We’ve been telling you guys for a few years now about YC…now finally the “others” have caught on to him too! Once again an epic year was had by young Mr. Cynic and his growth from album to album has been phenomenal. In 2013 YC came in to his own with his “GNK” project and he lyrically kicked doors in! 2013 found even Hot 97 playing him in their rotation. We knew it was just a matter of time! So in 2014 just remember…you probably saw him here first! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrho8YBOK80&w=640&h=360] Childish Gambino Okay so we know there will be heartburn for some about this pick but that almost makes us like it more! Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino can spit…and he’s clever….and the kid has punchlines and quotables for days. So why wouldn’t we like him? Isn’t that what it’s all about? With that said the project he released in the late fall made us smile…and this underdog proved to us it ain’t a gimmick with him! He says it like he means it and it’s good! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O3gq-yIno0&w=640&h=360] Roc Marciano Surprisingly one of the most slept on artists of the year! Seemed like almost everywhere we went we heard rumblings of how much fans were enjoying the new projects put out by Roc Marciano this fall but the fan fare was no where near what we thought it would be from the media considering what solid work he put forth. All we know for sure is we dug it and we know a whole lot of others did as well. This is another example of how important it is to make your voice heard when you enjoy something as a fan. It’s more important to troll sites to speak about what you do like rather than what you don’t! Everyone should have been on this one this year…we’re just saying! Final Outlaw Unapologetic and in your face Final Outlaw released a lyrical beast of a project in 2013 and didn’t ask for any fan fare at all. He metaphorically spit his face off and its dopeness was appreciated… so it found its way through the underground and beyond. If that ain’t Hip Hop then we aren’t sure what is! In the tradition of EPMD he skipped the ‘“Crossover” games and just did good work. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZmfGIOZaf4&w=640&h=360] Black Milk One of the most underrated projects of 2013 belonged to Black Milk. The rhymer was not afraid to get open with his latest project “ No Poison No Paradise” and we for one were grateful! Talk about a year full of impact! Black Milk killed it from the music to the stage and everywhere in between. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBNpwFPVo1Y&w=640&h=360] Big Pooh Big Pooh was back in 2013 in a big way. We’ve known of his diligence and hard work for years and he never lets us down lyrically. But it’s his solo work apart from Little Brother that lands him on our list. His Fat Boy Fresh series was just that…fresh! And we can’t wait to see what Big Pooh has in store for 2014! Senica Da Misfit Senica Da Misfit finally made his presence felt on the performance tip this year and rocked stages everywhere from popular Hip Hop festivals to accredited Hip Hop conferences. But  the show he put forward with a Grammy award winning band on the “Wake Up Show Unplugged” with King Tech, Sway and DJ Revolution was by far his dopest of the year! And that is saying a whole lot! We are anxious to see what he puts forth in the new year. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP3qS37KVdU&w=640&h=480] Soul Khan What can we say…this guy is nothing if not consistent. Project after project dropped this year with Soul Khan as either the lead or as the feature and he murderlized verse after verse. Just when you think he couldn’t possibly be any more clever you get a new song from Soul Khan proving you wrong and this year was zero exception. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjXYVWgq2V4&w=640&h=360] One Dae Another battle rap kid makes our list for 2013. One Dae is reppin for Planet Brooklyn […]

“The World Famous Wake Up Show” Drops Their Last Two Unplugged Videos [VIDEO]

As we’ve previously reported, King Tech, Sway and DJ Revolution have been dropping phenomenal videos of emerging artists over the last few weeks and this week is no exception! The World Famous Wake Up Show recently created a Hip Hop experience like none other. They took Grammy Award Winning musicians who had never played together before and paired them with emerging Hip Hop artists. The result was a day of Hip Hop genius.  They are finally rolling out the videos from that amazing day! And as always AllHipHop.com got the exclusives every Monday! The very last videos are dropping today and we’re excited to be the first to bring them to you! First up is an artist that is no stranger to AllHipHop.com by any means. We’ve been reporting on Jasiri X for years and he’s been a featured artist on our Top of the Underground list for a good reason…TALENT! He’s not only lyrical he’s a beast when it comes to savagely attacking truth and throwing it in the face of power through verse! Jasiri has become a real life revolutionary in the Hip Hop game and in the Hip Hop culture at large and his spit game is beyond ridiculous. His ability to hit up everyone’s collective truth in a verse and somehow personalize the message for each individual listener simultaneously has been seen rarely since the days of Chuck D and KRS…but don’t just take our word for it…take a look below at how he worked the mic that day in LA!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgwODLijd6c&w=853&h=480]   And last but definitely not least was an artist that rolled into the spot that day and had not a care in the world! He sat down to do the interview with me and his confidence in Hip Hop and in himself had to be one of the brightest spots of the day. He knew what he came there to do and he went for it wholeheartedly! Hist spit game was reminiscent of the fun times of Hip Hop when it was about the metaphorical ability of an artist and not the gimmick. Simply put he was a freakin joy to listen to! You wanted to hear the next punchline and joke. He was just FUN to watch! The Saurus proved that Battle Rap doesn’t just mean a dude who raps without music…he brought it to a place where many have long since forgotten it could go! And he did a great job of moving the crowd with his wit and candor! So take a look at our friend The Saurus!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqP2ZOimGrk&w=853&h=480]   This project has been a blast to cover and it was an honor to be one of the few in the room that day. I was tasked with not only interviewing the artists in the pre-interviews that you’ve seen in each video but  also with getting the various emcee’s to the mic and watching each and every one of them blow the set up in their very own ways! It was a pleasure to meet the band members and to get to hang out with the King Tech , Sway and  of course DJ Revolution during this amazing project that no one knew a thing about! Thanks to all who let me take part and to those who felt I should be there! Again…it was like Hip Hop church up in there! And I hope we get the opportunity to save more Hip Hop souls one day soon! Check out www.wakeupshow.com  for new updates on both the “Wake Up Show Unplugged” project and to keep up with Tech, Sway and Rev about what’s going on with their show on Sirius XM/ Shade 45! You can also follow them on Twitter at @wakeupshow. Don’t forget to tune in Monday nights, Shade 45 on Sirius XM at 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT!    

"The Wake Up Show Unplugged" Drops Two New Videos

As we’ve previously reported, King Tech, Sway and DJ Revolution have been dropping phenomenal videos of emerging artists over the last few weeks and this week is no exception! The World Famous Wake Up Show recently created a Hip Hop experience like none other. They took Grammy Award Winning musicians who had never played together before and paired them with emerging Hip Hop artists. The result was a day of Hip Hop genius.  They are finally rolling out the videos from that amazing day! And as always AllHipHop.com gets the exclusives every Monday! This week we start off with a guy who has created a lane all his own. There are very few who can merk a dictionary like this first kid! We’ve been talking about RoQy TyRaid for a few years now and for very good reason! In fact we take credit for breaking him on a national level! This kid got up in front of King Tech, Sway and DJ Revolution and went for it in a way unlike anyone else in the room. And trust us when we said he left us all gasping for air by the time he was done spitting. He unloaded a murderous barrage of nouns and verbs on the mic so severely that even Talib Kweli would have to say, “Wow fam take a breath between all those words!” if he ever heard it! In other words he brutalized it! Take a look below! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwzbAkDDKg8&w=853&h=480] We end today with  J. Terrible who made sure that he lived up to expectations by spitting his truth. His ability to tell a story via his intense rhyme patterns and flows is nothing short of ill. Translation…the kid was  straight up sick! He doesn’t just spit jibberish really fast… he takes you on a journey that touches the soul of anyone in the vicinity because you know by the passion in his voice that he’s not just telling you what he heard…it’s what he’s lived. Not many can master the art of storytelling let alone do it via an insanely quick flow that leaves everyone breathless. But J. Terrible did it and we were all caught off guard as it unfolded in front of us. Check him out below! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tba3hTs2ggQ&w=853&h=480] Well there you go! Two very different and very dope performances! Through the coming weeks there will be even more of them so stay tuned! Check out www.wakeupshow.com  for new updates on both the “Wake Up Show Unplugged” project and to keep up with Tech, Sway and Rev about what’s going on with their show on Sirius XM/ Shade 45! You can also follow them on Twitter at @wakeupshow. Don’t forget to tune in Monday nights, Shade 45 on Sirius XM at 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT!

King Tech And Sway Drop 2 More Videos For Wake Up Show Unplugged Series [VIDEOS]

As we’ve previously reported, King Tech, Sway and DJ Revolution have been dropping phenomenal videos of emerging artists over the last few weeks and this week is no exception! The World Famous Wake Up Show recently created a Hip Hop experience like none other. They took Grammy Award Winning musicians who had never played together before and paired them with emerging Hip Hop artists. The result was a day of Hip Hop genius.  They are finally rolling out the videos from that amazing day! And as always AllHipHop.com gets the exclusives every Monday! First up to bat are a trio that AllHipHop.com has been reporting on for a few years now and they made our Top 50 Underground lists of the last two years! We’ve dubbed them the “Beastie Boys Of The New Millennium” and not for nothin! The Bodega Brovas are complete energy on stage and on wax and they show in every performance why they deserve to be some of the next to blow. Their act is pure polish and they are some of the last showman in the genera. The Brovas are clever, lyrical and able to fill the void that has been missing with Hip Hop groups for quite a while now.  Take a look at what we mean in the video below! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTJN1uIS9SA&w=1280&h=720] We finish with an emcee straight out of Harlem who the room waited with baited breath for all day! Mitch Littlez (the “Dominican Duke” as we call him) knew from the sound check on that he had something to offer every single person in the room that day. And from the sound check on everyone in the room knew it too! He is as lyrical as he is clever and twice as dope with the flow. Mitch easily grabbed the rooms attention with the abundance of energy that surrounded his performance. He’s cagey and calculated with the punchlines and you know by the look in his eyes when he’s about to attack the verse! But don’t just take our word for it…see the dopeness that Mitch Littlez dropped that day for yourself below! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY8lDhC4YbY&w=1280&h=720] Well there you go! Two very different and very dope performances! Through the coming weeks there will be even more of them so stay tuned! Check out www.wakeupshow.com  for new updates on both the “Wake Up Show Unplugged” project and to keep up with Tech, Sway and Rev about what’s going on with their show on Sirius XM/ Shade 45! You can also follow them on Twitter at @wakeupshow. Don’t forget to tune in Monday nights, Shade 45 on Sirius XM at 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT!

“The World Famous Wake Up Show Unplugged Series” Drops Two More Hot Videos [VIDEO]

As we’ve previously reported, King Tech, Sway and DJ Revolution have been dropping phenomenal videos of emerging artists over the last few weeks and this week is no exception! The World Famous Wake Up Show recently created a Hip Hop experience like none other. They took Grammy Award Winning musicians who had never played together before and paired them with emerging Hip Hop artists. The result was a day of Hip Hop genius.  They are finally rolling out the videos from that amazing day and AllHipHop.com has got the exclusives!  First up is a guy that we like to refer to as the Michael McCary of “The Wake Up Show Unplugged Series“! He had the deepest voice of all the kids who spit the day of the Wake Up Show Unplugged taping! (Michael MCary is the dope deep voiced guy in Boyz II Men who eventually left the group and who’s voice is missed on every new track! But we digress!) Gil Gatsby  came in grabbed the mic and had his way with both his flow and the music. His voice was more than deep…it was commanding and by the time he finished spitting he convinced all who had been talking with him all day that it was more than a dope tone of voice that got him there…the boy could spit gems too! Double threat! Check him out in the video below!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go6sY6XNvXg&w=853&h=480]   Next is a kid that stepped to the mic with a laid back yet serious super West Coast vibe! He unloaded on the mic in such a way that made all in the room sort of release a quick and much needed exhale and bob their heads along with his flow. For all who had come from far away to be there…R-mean‘s rhyme scheme was the very definition of California rap that they had hoped to hear someone spit! While there were several Left Coast artists in the room, no one quite captured the LA essence as in the case of R-mean! But the craziest part of it all is, that while he is from LA… he grew up overseas! We love stories like that! See what we mean below!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTXnbk1FHXs&w=853&h=480]   Well there you go! Two very different and very dope performances! Through the coming weeks there will be even more of them so stay tuned! Check out www.wakeupshow.com  for new updates on both the “Wake Up Show Unplugged” project and to keep up with Tech, Sway and Rev about what’s going on with their show on Sirius XM/ Shade 45! You can also follow them on Twitter at @wakeupshow. Don’t forget to tune in Monday nights, Shade 45 on Sirius XM at 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT!

King Tech And Sway Drop Next Round Of “Wake Up Show Unplugged” Videos [EXCLUSIVE]

As we previously reported, The World Famous Wake Up Show recently created a Hip Hop experience like none other. They took Grammy Award Winning musicians who had never played together before and paired them with emerging Hip Hop artists. The result was a day of Hip Hop genius.  They are finally rolling out the videos from that amazing day and AllHipHop.com has got the exclusives!  First up is Bishop Lamont who jumped right into the mix and gave new meaning to the words free and style! Employing his distinctive West Coast flavor, he unleashed a beast on to the mic and gave everyone in the room a few minutes of Hip Hop straight off the top of the dome! Being in this position was no easy task and Bishop Lamont rolled with the randomness of the situation with great ease! By the time he was done he had taken over everything in his path from the cadence of the music to who he wanted to continue to play along with him! Check out Bishop Lamont below!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyz9Bf7gjzY&w=853&h=480]   Next is a young lady out of Florida who held her own in a room full of guys without blinking. Nessasary was the only girl to step up to the mic and she did so with an impressive flow that is sure to get people talking and comparing. This tiny girl has a powerful voice and a wordplay that let everyone know that she was there by virtue of straight talent and nothing else. This all helped to make Nessasary a “great” addition to the day. See what we mean in the video below!   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpEjESefGc0&w=853&h=480]   Well there you go! Two very different and very dope performances! Through the coming weeks there will be even more of them so stay tuned! Check out www.wakeupshow.com  for new updates on both the “Wake Up Show Unplugged” project and to keep up with Tech, Sway and Rev about what’s going on with their show on Sirius XM/ Shade 45! You can also follow them on Twitter at @wakeupshow. Don’t forget to tune in Monday nights, Shade 45 on Sirius XM at 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT!

The Wake Up Show’s King Tech Talks Good Deeds And Helping The Cause

Often times people in the entertainment industry get a break, find themselves elevated to the next level and they do everything in their power to forget where they’ve been or who paved the way for them to get where they are currently. Well, thankfully, this is not the case when it comes to the “Wake Up Show” crew over at Shade 45!  Sway, King Tech and DJ Revolution are making headlines for doing something that does not involve throwing chairs or being shifty. Actually, it’s the complete opposite! They are giving back to the Hip Hop community in a huge way and King Tech sat down with AllHipHop.com to explain it all! AllHipHop.com:  Thank You so much for taking a few minutes out to inform us about this event sir! We know you have a really big project that hits today, April 15th at 8 PM est, can you tell us about what you are doing and who is involved? King Tech: Well, A while back, like 4 months ago, Sway, myself and Dj Revolution did a rap battle called “The Wake Up Show Rap Battle”. The Wake Up Show was always known for finding the newest hottest mc’s. So, when Sway got his new slot on Shade 45 xm radio, that’s the first thing we wanted to do. That’s our way of reaching out to new mc’s that need a shot to get in the game. It came down to six guys who battled live on Sway in the morning, Chris Young, D.A.GO, Mitch Littlez , Yancy Deron, Dre Bill and M.O.E. Chris Young won the battle and the prize of $2,500. But then we decided to add to it and extend the opportunity. We gave the guys some dope tracks and saw how they did in the studio. This is where the producers M.Stacks, Track Bangas and Bosko got involved. This weekend we played final mixes of their collaborations. Around the same time a few weeks back, I got a call that Saafir has gone paralyzed. I was like Whattt?! Doesn’t anyone give a Damn? This is not cool, how can we help? I thought why don’t we use our contest to bring some attention to Saafir’s situation. So we combined the two for this special mix going down tonight on Shade 45. After it airs, I will contact all the mixtape sites and see if they’ll be willing to get down with us in just pushing it out to the fans so that we can further expose these artists and Saafirs story.” AllHipHop.com: Wow! That’s a lot to take in all at once, tell us, what  has Saafir meant to you personally in your career over the years? King Tech: It’s not really what he has meant to me so much as, i saw this brother pay his dues in hip hop, like we all did in the 90s, now no one seems like they gives a damn, which is very disappointing to me. I saw Saafir once in a while over the years, but not enough to say I’m doing this because that’s my closest homie. I’m doing this because another human being that we all knew and came up with needs our help! We have a nice platform to bring attention to stuff like this. Sometimes I wish these rap/industry guys that are making millions a year would just give back a little or just pay attention when people like Saafir need a little help. Maybe they do, but trust me, many artists toured with, made records with Saafir, and did projects with him that have way more power than us, and are acting like they’ve never heard of dude! If people want to help they should just go www.tostandagain.org. AllHipHop.com:  Okay, so is there a lesson that you have learned during the course of your involvement with this project? King Tech: I always knew this day was coming where the OG’s would need help one way or another. There is no hip hop retirement plan. So young artists really need to start paying attention to what is going on with their funds, learn about investing, i.e stocks, bonds, yield returns, real estate or TD Ameritrade, etc. Basically prepare for the future. King Tech: I have also learned from this project that there are a lot of talented young artists that need more help understanding everything from how to make a record, to mixing a record, to mastering or shooting videos. These days everyone rushes to put sh*t out before its ready, sometimes its better to maintain a low profile until you’ve built your skills & confidence. Playing the observer role for a while until you are ready. A dope finished project gives you an advantage, over 80% of the unfinished mess that’s floating all over the net these days.” AllHipHop.com: What are you hoping the people take away from Monday nights show? King Tech: Two things, one is that when we have a contest or we are reaching out to you through our radio shows, take advantage of it. Here are six guys I had never heard of that are getting airplay and being heard across the country, including Canada and Europe. And the other is there will be a point in your life you will need help, and every good deed you do comes back to you, I’ve seen it. I told my daughter once, its like adding points to your spiritual credit card. One day you will need a favor from your guardian angels and they will respond. I’ve had to use that card once or twice, believe me. So go to  www.tostandagain.org and donate a dollar or two or five, whatever! Saafir was in a legendary battle that took place right on our show on KMEL radio in San Francisco. The tapes of that battle went worldwide. It was real, as real as s### gets. Listen to the audio and you can hear it Hobo vs Hiero Battle.” AllHipHop.com:  How can […]

Kareem Fort Talks To AllHipHop.com About DEMOS: The Movie Every Artist Needs To See

AllHipHop.com sat down with Kareem Fort, the creator of DEMOS the new Hip Hop Documentary making it’s way to the forefront of the music industry this spring. He talked to us about all the artists in the movie and what he hopes this documentary is able to do for aspiring spitters who are attempting to become a part of the Hip Hop music industry at large. If you are an artist or if you know an aspiring artist, you’ve got to check out this video and definitely read the interview! AllHipHop want’s to know what you think about the trailer so leave us comments! [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYPMtpAnYX8&w=560&h=315] AllHipHop.com: OK Kareem, the first question is obvious but necessary, what was the exact premise behind the Documentary? When will it be released? Kareem Fort: The premise of the film is to provide the aspiring artist/musician with his or her options concerning not only getting in the business of music, but once they get in, on how to attain any level of success. It will be released May of this year 2013. Who did you speak to during the course of the two years you took to make the movie, and are there any particular artists/producers etc encounters that stand out to you that you would like to tell us about? My producer Hassahn and I spoke with several artists, managers,  and producers over the last couple of years, we may have gotten about 100 interviews in total. I’m talking everyone from  Mack 10, NO ID, Planet Asia, Rapper Big Pooh, Murs, Kendrick Lamar, Needlz, (pauses to take a breath, laughing), Dj Rhettmatic, Thurz, Nitty Scott MC, Soul Khan, Marly Marl and even comedian Tony Rock, people don’t know how much of a hip hop head he is, he really brought a unique perspective to the film. Unfortunately, all the artists we interviewed didnt make the final cut of the film due to various reasons so some of them will be in our web series launching in March. The few awesome interviews that stood out to me were Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Dj Quik and J-Live. I am huge fans of theirs, so it was an honor to have them agree to interview for the doc. And as far as crazy, The Bodega Brovas were hilarious! What if anything did you learn about the industry through putting this together that flat out shocked you? I learned that most artists that I interviewed truly had a passion for hip hop and it wasn’t about money, fame, girls or anything that we often see glorified in hip hop media. Is there any specific message that you hope the masses come away from your movie with? Yes, absolutely, I want to inspire people to make music from their hearts and to do it for the love. That’s one of the common things you will see throughout the film. Love and passion were the main driving forces that I had to rely on to complete this film. Some people are already saying this movie is going to be historical because of the truth within the content of it, but if you had to do it all over again, would you do anything differently? There are so many things I would do differently, but one thing for sure would be to push harder to redo my interview with Jean Grae. I’m fascinated with her, in fact I think she is brilliant and I would love to tell her story one day. I’m sure it’s safe to say most anyone who’s heard Jean would be fascinated with her! Alright before we let you go, please tell the people how they can find and keep up with you! You can reach out to me via twitter @Hustlenme. That’s the easiest way to reach me directly.

A Response To The Author At The Onion

Last night February 24, 2013 was Oscar night and once again the stars were out to see who would walk away with the coveted golden statue that is fought so hard for every year. A beautiful actress stepped onto the Oscar red carpet. Take a long look at the gorgeous little princess in the amethyst gown, and what do you see? You see her hair done in pretty little tendrils, as she is obviously going someplace fancy. You see her signature puppy dog evening bag, and is that not the cutest little girl look ever? And you also see an Academy Award nominated actress! This adorable little girl is having the whirl wind career at 9 years old that actors and actresses may work their entire lives to achieve and yet may never get more than a glimpse of. This should be a beautiful thing, something that is cherished and celebrated! Hooray for little 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis right? That’s what all reasonable people would think, but then, they would not be those who were live tweeting for The Onion last night. Let’s be clear. When you call a 9-year old girl the sort of vile, disgusting, perversion of all things reasonable name that the author of  The Onion tweet did last night and call it satire or entertainment, then I for one shudder to think of what that author could possibly have found amusing or remotely legitimate about what he or she said. But it runs so much deeper. This little girl isn’t even old enough to be explained to what that term even means. Dig that for a second. Let that marinate. How does a parent sit their little one down and explain that her hard work will be diminished in comparison to what some loser thought he should say to get a laugh at her expense. There is no sorry good enough. Google will now be filled with her name and his tweet no matter what anyone says or does from this point on. And even if you are going to send a new pony, a check for her paid college tuition and all the puppy dog handbags she could ever want for the rest of her life to her home today, I still can’t see how saying I’m sorry will ever be enough. The author should meet swift punishment and be man and or woman enough to take the heat for what they said about an innocent little girl who was showing up to an event to be honored. This person took away what should have been something wonderful that she would be remembered for. But now her name will be synonymous with something awful which is lasting, and stinging, and forever. Her grand kids will know about what this idiot had to say. Google is forever. So what is the solution? I don’t know, but in the meantime, my wish is that all who read this editorial will tweet #WeLoveYouQuvenzhanéWallis often and every time you think of it.  And if people continue to do that, maybe as things die down about this event, we can do some good in burying this story so that when she Googles her own name she sees messages of love instead of the hateful, reckless, immature, flat out disgusting message that appears now. This is the open letter that The Onion posted in response to the controversy: Feb. 25, 2013 Dear Readers, On behalf of The Onion, I offer my personal apology to Quvenzhané Wallis and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the tweet that was circulated last night during the Oscars. It was crude and offensive—not to mention inconsistent with The Onion’s commitment to parody and satire, however biting. No person should be subjected to such a senseless, humorless comment masquerading as satire. The tweet was taken down within an hour of publication. We have instituted new and tighter Twitter procedures to ensure that this kind of mistake does not occur again. In addition, we are taking immediate steps to discipline those individuals responsible. Miss Wallis, you are young and talented and deserve better. All of us at The Onion are deeply sorry. Sincerely, Steve Hannah CEO The Onion  AllHipHop.com wants to know if you think it’s enough? Let’s talk about it! Get the comments section going, we want to know your thoughts! 

Meaningful Music: A Benefit Concert For Newton EMTs

Last Friday, February 2, 2013, I was making plans to attend an event in Harlem, when I heard about a benefit in Danbury, CT that caught my attention. There was a hip hop chick named Jass Bianchi that was putting on a show to benefit the EMT’s and first responders from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in December of 2012. I was unaware of the problems that were being suffered by these noble men and women.  PTSD has been an issue acquired from the abhorrent sights that they were witness to on that horrific day.  So, Jass Bianchi decided to get involved and create a benefit to both support these workers and to raise awareness about their plight. After hearing about the wonderful thing Miss Bianchi was doing with her platform, I felt it was only right to use mine to bring the same type of awareness and to attend the event. The artists she had lined up were all there to share in the sentiment of the evening, which was doing something good for those who do amazing things for the rest of us in society. The show was eclectic with all genre’s of hip hop represented including Ms. Bianchi’s own dope group HOli MOli who took the stage later on in the evening. My personal favorites were Blacastan and Political Animals. I was truly impressed with all three acts as their flows were sick and the music was on point. But that wasn’t all, there were also break dancers and graph artists, and the principals of Hip Hop were all represented thoroughly! The food upstairs was great and bottom line it was a good time for everyone in attendance. I got a chance to speak with Jass Bianchi and ask what her motivation was for putting the event together and she said, “I went to Sandy Hook Elementary School, and was raised 3 minutes up the street. Their nurse came over to family parties, my father spoke to the father of the only child who survived the day after, my childhood best friend’s brother was the one falsely arrested as the second gunman and my high school friend is a teacher there. As you can see, the tragedy literally hit home for me. I needed to do something! I truly felt specifically for the first responder EMT’s and my mom served on their board when I was younger. Not only that but they volunteer to help others on a daily basis! To throw this event was an honor. I’d also like to thank Pam Janutolo of Asbestos Records, Mark Minnock and Mark Boisvert of MEB Cinema for all of their generous time and effort!” I asked Jass what she thought about the way the night came together and she said she thought, “The overall feeling was beautiful! I was surrounded by positive energy the whole night. Classmates I haven’t seen in a mad long time were there supporting for the cause. I went from discussing stage time and recording details to reminiscing about girl’s nights and the good times we had growing up. The Chief and assistant Chief of Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corp were there supporting us all along and laughing with my mom on the side.” Personally, I’m glad that I attended the event and if you are interested in helping, they are selling the CD/DVD performance of the concert online or you can make a donation at  so check it out!

Top 5 Dead or Alive: Dish Nation Star Headkrack Picks His Fav Storytellers

AllHipHop.com caught up with the Dish Nation TV show star and Bodga Brova’s Hip Hop artist Headkrack to get his thoughts on AllHipHop.com’s new series “Top 5 Dead Or Alive”.  Headkrack shifted it from more conventional expected picks and went down the road less traveled with one that may be seen as a little more controversial!  See if your personal Top Five artist choices would match up with his faves and then check out the “Science Behind The List”. Feel free to leave us a comment and join in the conversation! Check out Krack’s “Top 5 Dead Or Alive” picks for Best Story Tellers in Hip Hop! The Science:  Best Storytellers> North East Region (But only by a hair,this is clearly up for debate as Rick is technically from England!) > 90’s Now, most people would try to take the obvious road and describe how these artists are similar, but per the usual, I’ll make it more difficult for myself and discuss how they all do the same thing well, but completely different from one another! I feel your frustration welling up, but indulge me for a second, I think we might be on to something here 1. Slick Rick OK. so when I asked Headkrack about his first pick Slick Rick, he was quick to point to songs like; “The Moment I Fear”, “Mona Lisa”, and “I shouldn’t have Done It”. Let’s be real, Slick Rick mastered the art of storytelling before a lot of you reading this were even thought of! He set the stage for the rest of Hip Hop by developing a brand of flow that simply used nouns and verbs as water colors to paint a vivid picture for the imagination. The listener is easily able to follow along with the story because the songs aren’t just gibberish words that happen to rhyme, they tell a complete story. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjNTu8jdukA&w=560&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW-4J80lF8U&w=420&h=315] 2. Nas With Nas, Headkrack brought up; “Rewind’,”I Gave You Power”, and “Undying Love” to name a but a few. Nas took the art of storytelling to another level by using prose and spoken word and setting them to Hip Hop baselines and beats. His lyrics are pure poetry and while some of them are extremely easy to  decipher, many of them are not. The best part of Nas to a good portion of his fans is that you must bring something of yourself to a Nas song. You have to listen, the story demands your attention. And you can listen to a Nas joint time and time again, and continuously discover something new, yet still feel like you have a grasp on the message from the first listen. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1fFRM8WiPI&w=420&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQbCC8S-ErE&w=420&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojvH46dlnL0&w=560&h=315] 3. B.I.G. Notorious B.I.G. is simply one of the greatest to ever speak on his own surroundings. He rhymed about what he knew best and the words flowed like an endless stream of lava from an active volcano. The flows were hot to death and they just could not be stopped right up until the end. In current days where Hip Hop artists seem to rhyme about everything except what they actually live, it makes you wonder would Hip Hop have ever even taken this turn had the truthful testimonials of Christopher Wallace not been eternally silenced. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JZom_gVfuw&w=420&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYb_8MM1tGQ&w=420&h=315] 4. Andre 3000 With Andre 3000 Headkrack said,”Anytime Andre opens his mouth a story falls out.” We are in agreement here. Andre 3000 is magnificent at using elements that most would consider too eclectic and taking them to the next level, all in the name of storytelling genius. Whether it’s an open letter to a mother in law, describing what goes down in the ATL for those not familiar, love stories of different types, or stuck up girls from growing up, he’s been able to make indelible marks on the Hip Hop psyche with his vivid depictions of things that seem so far out there at first, but are eventually revealed to be something all listeners can relate to. The very line “Shake It Like A Polaroid Picture” was more description than many Hip Hop novices ever completely knew what to do with. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjjHtSwFPnU&w=420&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJYklA-ZvIc&w=420&h=315] 5. Kendrick Lamar Lastly with Kendrick Lamar, this young man has drawn comparisons to many of the artists on the list, however his debut album is comprised of something none of these artists have ever truly done. That would be to create an entire album pretty much based on the telling of a continuing story throughout. That on it’s face sets him apart from the iconic artists he is listed with and makes him an understandable pick. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-ejyHzz3XE&w=560&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ98Io4W3po&w=560&h=315] Be sure to catch Headkrack every weekday morning on  “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show” and every weekday evening on the “Dish Nation”  TV show! *Check your local listings for times in your area.   *Special Thanks to AllHipHop.com  writer Deshair for helping me out with the structure of this list! The flu almost stopped me from being able to write this week, and without his ear I wouldn’t have made it!  (Skyyhook) Follow Skyyhook on Twitter @SkyyhookRadio