�and here I was thinking Nas� album would be the most controversial release of the year. In The Roots' amazing/frightening new video for �75 Bars,� Black Thought drops more N-bombs than a Quentin Tarantino film as the band brutally beats a kidnapped whi

Like a conflicted superdelegate, 50 Cent has rescinded his endorsement of Hillary Clinton. 50 Cent told reporters that he has switched from supporting Hillary Clinton for president to backing Barack Obama after hearing his speech on race.

Perhaps he really is a free speech advocate, or more realistically he's just pushing-buttons to generate interest in his upcoming album the same way he did with his contentiously titled last one, Hip-Hop Is Dead. Either way, it looks like Nas is going t

Here�s how The Roots� latest album could have sounded: Yes, that song, �Birthday Girl,� featuring Fall Out Boy�s Patrick Stump, was actually intended to be their latest album�s first single. Wisely, it was cut from the album all together. B

Memorial Day marks not only the official start of summer, but also the official start of �sit on your porch while listening to music from a boom box with questionable audio� season. Seriously. It�s on most calendars�look it up. If you�re looking for some

Did the manufactured controversy over Ludacris' booking last year at Summerfest make event organizers more reluctant to book rap acts this year? Pick up a copy of the Summerfest guide in this week's Shepherd and judge for yourself. You can count the numbe

As if to preemptively silence critics who thought he’d tone down his act for the suits, Lil Wayne’s studio-polished new album Tha Carter III, already set to be one of the year’s best-selling releases, is every bit as odd as Wayne&rsqu

Shaquille O�Neal�s widely publicized freestyle diss of Kobe Bryant was an odd reminder that although he hasn�t released an album in seven years, Shaq still hasn't stopped trying to be a rapper. Where most athletes-turned-rappers quickly get the message

Nothing could replace the Late Night Hype Show, one of the longest running rap radio programs in the country. With unmistakable character, that 10-year WMSE staple was a tireless advocate of underground, classic and Midwest hip-hop. But the Kid Cut Up a

Of all the acts playing the Rock the Bells festival in Chicago tomorrow, I�m easily the most excited for Method Man and Redman�s shared set. To blow off some of anticipation, I was going to post a couple of fun Meth and Red music videos, until I got distr