[VIDEO] UGK - "Da Game’s Been Good"

Rest In Peace, Pimp C. This one is off UGK's final studio album as a group, UGK 4 Life, which drops today.

Directed by the homie Todd Angkasuwan.

U-N-I: A Love Supreme [DOWNLOAD]

The wait is over. U-N-I and Ro. Blvd present A Love Supreme, the album. For you, for free. Interesting tidbit, the name A Love Supreme was originally an album by the legendary John Coltrane, and considered by many jazz enthusiasts to be one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. It's one of the those albums that transcended music, and change the face of an entire genre, only to influence musicians for generations upon generations. I'm not trying to gas up this UNI project for you, but I'm just saying...sometimes the dots connect for a reason.

Thurz and Yo are the homies, and we're mad proud of you guys. I've witnessed first hand how hard you've worked, and how far you've come with this music. It's mad inspiring. Congratulations. You guys deserve all the success that lies ahead. For real, for real. One love. OK, enough of the sappy shit, download some music.

[DOWNLOAD HERE]

Link courtesy of UNI's new website, YOTHURZ.com. Bookmark that shit.

Kid CuDi Interview @ SXSW: Part 1

Yes, another SXSW post. Ask me if I give a fuck? Nope. This one is dope. CuDi talks about his experience at one of the biggest music festivals on the planet. Make sure to stick around, we have 3 more interviews with this dude on 3 different topics. He's about to a super mega superstar, and when he blows up like nitro you can remember this little moment in time we shared together courtesy of Hip Hop Official. Go ahead and tell your grandkids about that one.

Artist of the Week: U-N-I.

Ya'll already know. Tomorrow, March 31st marks the release of one of the most anticipated albums of the year, U-N-I's A Love Supreme. So it's only right that the Cali duo of Thurzday and Y-O are Hip Hop Official's Artist of the Week. But it gets better...there album will be available for free download tomorrow right here on this very blog. I'll hit you with that link ASAP. Keep on refreshing.

[NEW] Jadakiss (ft. Ghostface & Raekwon) - "Cartel Gathering"

This one appears on Jada's upcoming album, The Last Kiss which hits stores April 7th. Ghost has the line of the song when he says:

"Don't drink the Crys, Ghost about to piss in it."

Vintage Starks.

[DOWNLOAD: Jadakiss (ft. Ghostface & Raekwon) - "Cartel Gathering"]

Shout out to the 2dopeboyz for this one, who just became part of the okayplayer network. That's a huge look for them.

[VIDEO] Camp Lo ft. Styles P - "On Smash / ‘89 Of Crime"

DOPE.

[VIDEO] Prince (ft. Q-Tip) - "Chocolate Box"

If you have to ask any questions then you shouldn't be watching this. And no, this isn't the first time Prince and Q-Tip collabo'd.

Behind the Scenes: Meth & Red's "Miss International"

DJ Whoo Kid goes behind the scenes of the latest Meth and Red video shoot for their song "Miss International". The song appears on their upcoming album Blackout 2. Check the video and a guest appearance from Green Eyed Bandit, Erick Sermon.

Brother Ali Interview @ SXSW.

The SXSW footage continues to pour in. I'm telling you, we talked to everybody. Case in point, Brother Ali. He talks about what makes his live shows different than the rest. He also talks about his early life, growing up as an emcee in grade school. There's a reason why he's so nice, he's being doing this since before you were in diapers.

Backstage w/ Busta Rhymes: Part 2

This is Part 2 of our interview with the legendary Busta Rhymes. After a recent show in Los Angeles, we sat down with the Bussa Bus to talk about the pitfalls of the record industry and how to maintain a longevity-filled career amongst the madness. If you missed Part 1, you can go here and claim your late pass.

What Ever Happened To: The B.U.M.S.?

On this edition of Forgotten Fridays we reminisce over you, B.U.M.S. (a.k.a. Brothas under madness) The Oakland duo of Evocalist & D. Wyze, stepped on the scene in 1994 with their single "Elevation (Free My Mind)" (above). A lot of you might not remember these cats, but they slipped a classic Teddy P track for this smoothed out underground hit. They signed to Priority Records were backed by Sway and Tech from the legendary Wake Up Show, as well as the Baka Boyz who were another Cali DJ radio team on KMEL. With a major label support, some radio rotation and many freestyle appearances on what was to become the most popular Hip Hop radio show in the world, The Wake Up Show, The B.U.M.S. seemed like they were destined for greatness, but it wasn't in the card for them. Their career was short lived. About one year short to be exact.

Their debut album, Lyfe'N'Tyme, was released on Priority Records in 1995 and did...well...it didn't do much commercially. I mean, I bought it, but I think I'm the only person I who even owned it. It was mad decent, and there were some standout tracks, but I think they well victim to the ghetto. Gangsta Rap music was the shit at the time, and nobody was really messing with conscious music at the time. In fact, I don't think anyone has really messed with conscious music at any time (commercially speaking, of course.)

The biggest irony in this whole affair, was the message behind their biggest song, "Elevation." If you listen to the lyrics, it's about the pitfalls of the record industry and references wack gangsters rappers who have no longevity in the rap game.

I gotta free my mind (yo as a matter of fact)
I gotta free my mind (we're not goin out like that)
I gotta free my mind (we got the power to stay)
"Other rappers, they went slip slidin away"

Oooops. Looks like they ate their own words. That must cause some horrible indigestion. But it wasn't all for nothing, they did leave their mark, while minimal, it will always be memorable.

For labels MC's come and they go, but B.U.M.S.
we leave our mark for hip-hop's devestation
In our strive to stay alive for my record's elevation

Besides their album and music video, the B.U.M.S. have left very little trace of their existence. No website. No MySpace. No wikpedia entry. If anyone has any more info regarding the whereabouts of the B.U.M.S., please contact us immediately. We need your help.


Thank you,
Hip Hop Official: Finding rappers who the masses have forgotten.

[NEW] Busta Rhymes ft. E-40 - "Exclusive Ownership"

Busta continues on his promise of dropping new music weekly on the internet. It looks like some of the big dogs have figured out this whole world web interweb business can actually be beneficial for them. Welcome to 2009, or Busta calls it "the Snitch Culture."

[DOWNLOAD: Busta Rhymes ft. E-40 - "Exclusive Ownership"]

Courtesy of Splash.

[VIDEO] GLC ft. Kanye West - "Big Screen"

One of Kanye's next upcoming G.O.O.D. Music artists, GLC, drops his video for his debut single. Must be nice to have Yeezy co-signing your career. This is a dope track, on some of that feel good Friday shit. Yeeeeeeeah.

PREVIOUSLY: GLC ft. Kanye West - "Big Screen" (DOWNLOAD)

It's the M-E-T-H-O-D, MAN!

Johnny Blaze and his Wu brothers perform live on the Jon Stewart Show. No, not the Daily Show. This was the short lived talk show he had on MTV from 1993-94. Although it was cancelled, it provided some very dope live acts, as evidenced by this classic clip of the Wu-Tang Clan playing "Method Man."

Courtesy of the MOD.

A Love Supreme Sessions: U-N-I @ SXSW Medley

Y-O & Thurz got down this year at SXSW. I had a chance to catch 2 of their 17 different performances. For those that missed out, check the medley of all their live performances, courtesy of DRG Films. U-N-I's new album, A Love Supreme will be March 31st. You know I'll get my copy....right, Chris? Haaaaa

[VIDEO] N.A.S.A. (ft. Kanye West, Santigold, Lykke Li) - "Gifted"

If you don't have the new N.A.S.A. album you are sleeping. That shit knocks. And no, it's not some weird techno shit, it's actually well produced and features everybody from Kanye to Public Enemy to the Wu-Tang to KRS-One.

SXSW 2009 Wrap-Up.

Look...I know you might be sick of all the SXSW posts and shit. But for real, nobody does it up like HHO. We were everywhere and talked to everyone. This is our Official Wrap Up of the event, so whether you missed it or just want to relive the experience, we got you covered. This is your All Access pass to SXSW 2009, featuring Big Boi, Jadakiss, Kid Sister, Bun B, K'Naan, U-N-I, Pac Div, Zion I and more. A little something for everyone.

R.I.P. Eazy-E.

(September 7, 1963 – March 26, 1995)

Eric "Eazy-E" Wright passed away 14 years ago today due to complications from AIDS. He will forever be an integral part of hip-hop music, and a true Westcoast pioneer. As founder of Ruthless Records, he was the Godfather of Gangsta Rap. If it wasn't for him, there would be no N.W.A., no Ice Cube, no Dr. Dre, no Snoop, and no Deathrow Records in the same capacity that we have them today. He put Compton on the map. He shouted "Fuck The Police" when everybody else was afraid to, and protested the police brutality and racial profiling that was going down in ghettos across the United States. He was a shrewd business man and marketing genius who did things his way, no matter who opposed. As trust me, everybody opposed. He was officially put on the FBI's black list for advocating violence against law enforcement official. Not to mention, he single-handily made Jheri curls acceptable in hip hop. Respect Due.

Put on your locs and Raiders hat, and reminisce over Eazy.


Eazy-E - "We Want Eazy"

[VIDEO] Slaughterhouse - "Move On"

You might recognize the beat from this one, as it's the same Kickdrums produced track for Kanye's "Good Morning" Remix (which is hot fire by the way). Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9" and Crooked I body this one.

Make sure to catch Slaughterhouse this Saturday at Paid Dues.

SXSW Live Cypher - Part 1

You never know who or what you're going to encounter in the streets of Austin during SXSW. When we were interviewing Tanya Morgan, an impromptu live rap session broke out on the corner featuring Homeboy Sandman, P.Casso, and Von Pea from Tanya Morgan. Make sure to check back for the rest of the 4 part series.

Throwback Thursdays.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - "For The Love Of Money"

...standing on the corner, straight slangin rocks.

Dumbest Idea Ever.

Diamond Studded Shutter Shades. For $470. Nice try, Hong Kong. I can't wait for the bootleg versions to show up in the Fox Hills Mall.

[NEW] Pac Div - "Shut Up"

If you like your trunk to rattle when you drive down the block, download this track. That's all I have to say about that.

Make sure to check out their upcoming mixtape, Church League Champions, coming soon. We also have an interview with Pac Div from SXSW that will hit these internets in the next few weeks. How you like them apples?

[DOWNLOAD: Pac Div - "Shut Up"]

Courtesy of the dopeboyz.

[NEW] Redman & Method Man - "City Lights" (ft. UGK)

Wow. This shit bangs. Two different duos from two different worlds that I would never think of mixing together, but this shot worked wonders. Color me impressed. Red even threw in a little auto-tune and I didn't mind one bit. Don't worry, it's only like 2 bars, minus the 808s and heartbreak.

[DOWNLOAD: Method Man & Redman - "City Lights" (ft. UGK)]

[NEW] Q-Tip ft. Kanye West & Consequence - "We Fight/Love" (Remix)

Q-Tip remixes one of my favorite joints on his latest album, The Renaissance, which is in stores now, and is one of the best albums of last year, so stop sleeping.

[DOWNLOAD: Q-Tip ft. Kanye West & Consequence - "We Fight/Love" (Remix)]

This one comes courtesy of Nahright, who got it directly from Q-Tip. So you know it's official.

Westcoast Wednesday.

Dru Down - "Pimp Of The Year"

[VIDEO] Consequence & Kid CuDi- "Buggin Out '09"

Cons and CuDi revisit a classic Tribe Called Quest joint. Directed by Rik Cordero.

I had a chance to chop it up with CuDi at SXSW, and honestly, I was impressed with the dude's demeanor and genuineness. At first he seemed like he didn't want to talk, but he really opened and gave a really dope in depth interview. You get a sense that he's really passionate about his music and loves his fans. That's a good formula for success in music.

Pharrell vs. McDonald's.

On a connecting flight home from Malaysia, Skateboard P stopped in Paris, France. It's 6am and Pharrell is hungry, so he tries anything to get McDonald's to open up early and serve him some breakfast. Maybe a little song and dance will do the trick. Or maybe not...

Spotted at Mario's.

L.A.U.S.D. Presents "Curly Tops and Nautica Jackets" (FREE DOWNLOAD)

The Los Angeles Unified Sound District presents a new project that reminds us of the golden days of Nautica Sport jackets (we all had one), and greasy ass hair. For me, it's high school. For you, maybe it was middle school. Maybe it was grammar school. Shit, it might even be pre-school for some of ya'll. Regardless, this album features a plethora of dope westcoast artists who you probably have heard of, including Blu, U-N-I, Pac Div, Diz Gibran, J*Davey, and more. Download it and stick it in your iPod.

[DOWNLOAD HERE.]

Hip Hop Flight Attendant.

Where was this dude yesterday when my flight was delayed on bullshit ass U.S. Airways?

Kanye's Complex Magazine Shoot.

Go behind the scenes to see how Kanye, Chris Milk and Complex made this futuristic photo shoot using the latest technology. It included an interview with Yeezy himself as well as the photographer. The video is very interesting. This isn't your typical fashion shoot, they used some very high tech design for it. I think the photos turned out dope. See below.

Shout out to Complex for sending these over. Check out their website, it's mad official. This is one of the few magazines I read on the regular.

Yak Ballz Interview @ SXSW

The Queens MC and original member of the Weathermen talk about meeting fans at SXSW and why it's the best festival to be at for any artist or music lover. That's why I was there.

[NEW] Busta Rhymes ft. Raekwon, The Game & Uncle Murda - "Watch How You Talk"

Busta said he wants to drop new shit every week. Aight, cool with me. I'll post it every week. Glad we're on the same page.

[DOWNLOAD: Busta Rhymes ft. Raekwon, The Game & Uncle Murda - "Watch How You Talk" (Clean)]

Courtesy of Splash.

[NEW] Wale - "Chillin'" (ft. Lady Gaga)

The DC native has officially released the next single from his highly awaited debut album, Attention Deficit, which is rumored to drop this summer. This one is produced by Cool & Dre and features Lady Gaga. If you follow this blog on the regular, then you might have heard this song before, when we posted the live version for you a month back.

[DOWNLOAD: Wale - "Chillin'" (ft. Lady Gaga)]


RELATED: Wale: Riding w/ HHO (Part 1) | Wale: Riding w/ HHO (Part 2)

Reflection Eternal Interview @ SXSW

I was lucky enough to attend the Blacksmith showcase at SXSW, and they entire show was completely off the hook. I met some dope people, shout out to Elliot Wilson and the lovely Star. I see you! The highlight of the evening was the Reflection Eternal reunion between Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek. In this interview, they talk about their first album in over 9 years, and the best part about performing live at SXSW. Bringing back sweet memories...

In the Lab w/ Cook Classics.

The producer behind the New Classics Mixtape lets us inside his studio, The Beat Locker, and takes us through his beatmaking process for the song "Street Life" ft. Sean P, Sha Stimuli and Cymarshall Law. You must learn.

Shout out to Cook and Greg the Dude. Chea.

Murs & Tech N9ne Talk Paid Dues.

SXSW isn't the only game in town this month, next Saturday March 28th, the Paid Dues shows goes down in Southern California. It features the likes of Atmosphere, Tech N9ne, Living Legends, B-Real, and the entire Slaughterhouse (Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Royce Da 5;9").

SXSW 2009.

We just returned back to L.A. from a crazy, intense, wild, exhausting, exhilarating, amazing week at South By Southwest 2009. Stay tuned because we have some incredible interviews coming your way from out there including Big Boi, Reflectional Eternal, Kid CuDi, 88-Keys, Jadakiss, Styles P, Asher Roth, Cool Kids, Zion I, Mistah Fab, Pac Div, U-N-I, and so much more. I could keep talking about it, but that would prevent me from actually finishing producing them. So until then, enjoy some camera phone photos, and keep on refreshing for tons of dope content from this year's SXSW festival.

Jannelle Monae rocking at our showcase.


88-Keys & Kid Cudi.


CurT@!n$, Daniel Glowgoer, 88-Keys


Interviewing Kid Sister.


Dallas Austin & Colin Munroe.


U-God from the mighty Wu-Tang Clan.


GLC interview.


Mistah FAB.

I'm Going Back To Cali.

Goodbye Austin. Hello Los Angeles.

Throwback Thursdays.

"The Anthem" featuring The RZA, Tech N9ne, Eminem, Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Kool G. Rap, Jayo Felony, Chino XL, and KRS-One.

You know a posse cut is dope when every single person on the track is still relevant after 10 years (Well almost everybody. Sorry Jayo Felony). Every emcee was from a different background, and on a different style, but they all killed it just the same. The Wake Up Show knew what they were doing.

Now, to be a Throwback, it's gotta be at least 10 years old. That's my rule, so 1999 is the cut off year. This one barely made it, but don't fret...you get a little 2 for one today to make up for it. I originally wanted to post Sway and King Tech's "The Anthem" from 1999 (above), but in my YouTubing I stumbled upon this gem. It's the Wake Up Show Anthem from 1994 when they were on everyday Saturday night on 92.3 The Beat in Los Angeles. This was exlusive to L.A. If you're not from the City of Angeles, then you've probably never experienced this. But every hip hop head who has ever owned a radio and lived in Los Angeles is familiar with the dopeness that is this Anthem.

Personally, I forgot how sick it was, but the instant I heard L-Boogie go, "Uh-uh-oh...I'm coolin with my niggas on the Wake Up Show-uh-oh" I was instantly taken back to '94. This is some legendary hip hop shit right here. The song featured Lauryn Hill, Nas, Organized Konfusion (Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po), Ras Kass, Dred Scott, Shyheim, and Saafir. It's bananas. They're actually rhyming about the show, the radio station, it's call signals, the city, the hosts, and DJs. You know, some real relevant hip hop shit. And it's a full song, over 4 minutes. Throwback Thursdays is in full effect. Check the vibe, ya'll.

Westcoast Wednesday.

Dilated Peoples - "Worst Comes To Worst"

...my peoples come first. Classic westcoast shit for you on this beautiful Wednesday. This song just makes you feel good. Shout out to Alchemist on the beat, he killed that William Bell sample. Dilated rips this one. The video is directed by Jason Goldwatch, and there's about 367 different cameos in this one. Guru, DJ Premier, Alchemist, Jurassic 5, Mix Master Mike, DJ Revolution, Rhettmatic, Melo-D, J. Rocc, Souls of Mischief and damn near the whole Hieroglyphics crew, The Visionaries, Krondon, Phil The Agony, and the World Trade Center.

[NEW] U-N-I : "My Life"

When the fellas previewed the upcoming A Love Supreme album for me, this track definitely stood out. First off, the bass line sample is automatically recognizable for any Mobb Deep fan. But they took this to another level. The overall vibe is an uplifting, feel good, heartfelt groove oozing with introspective lyrics. It's beautiful. This is the kind of song that you keep in your rotation for a long, long time. Chicken soup for the soul.

It's crazy to see how far Thurz and Y-O have come from their first album, Fried Chicken & Watermelon. Just last year, Hip Hop Official was one of the first outlets to give these cats shine, as our Artist of the Week last June. This was way before they were on every website and blowing up these here internets. And today, they are one of the hottest groups anywhere. Busta Rhymes shouts them out at concerts. They're taking meeting from record labels. They're about to achieve their dream. Big up, fellas. And you, the fans, will blown away by their upcoming album that drops March 31st. Trust me.

[DOWNLOAD: U-N-I : "My Life"]


And as an added bonus, because I know you all love free shit, here's a video from the Love Supreme sessions with the engineers talking about the making of this specific track. Some good stuff right here.

[NEW] Asher Roth - "Lark On My Go-Kart"

I saw this last night on my Twitter feed. DJ Green Lantern droped this exclusive new track from Asher's upcoming album, Asleep In the Bread Aisle, which drops on 4/20. How ironic. This song serves as the album's opening track and features straight spitting. Either you love or hate this kid, but I can't make that decision for you.

The "Lark" he is referring to is Lark Voorhies who you might know as Lisa Turtle from Saved By The Bell.

[DOWNLOAD: Asher Roth - "Lark On My Go-Kart"]

Outasight - "From There To Here" (Album Prequel)

Some free goodness right here!

Outasight is incredibly talented. He won MTVU's "The Freshman" for his track "Good Evening." He has an album dropping this summer called From Here To Eternity. This is his album prequel, "From There To Here." Executive produced by 6th Sense. Presented by the ever so dope Mick Boogie. It's free. What else could you ask for?

[DOWNLOAD HERE.]

Courtesy of the homie 6th Sense.

Artist of the Week: Janelle Monae

As we gear up for SXSW, we wanted to highlight one of the artists who will be playing at our genre-blending showcase on Saturday. Janelle Monae, the Afro Punk princess talks about her inspirations, unique wardrobe, and even time travel. Yes, time travel.

If you're in Austin this week, then make sure you hit up our Showcase on Saturday, featuring Janelle, Asher Roth, The Knux, Shiny Toy Guns, and some surprise performances! You don't want to miss that.

Public Enemy + The Roots on Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Jimmy Fallon is the late night king of Hip Hop acts. Anytime you can have the Roots backing you as your band, it's automatically going to be incredible. Whoever decided to hire the Roots as the house band needs a raise. Check out the legendary Public Enemy as they perform "Bring the Noise" live on Jimmy Fallon's show last night on Flavor Flav's birthday.

"Once again, back it's the incredible."

Happy St. Patty's Day.

House of Pain - "Jump Around" (Pete Rock Remix)

...don't act like Jump Around wasn't the shit. It's a classic. Don't front. But here's the often forgotten Pete Rock version of this joint. Just as hype, but more jazzy. Now go drink a Guinness.

My Mom's Day w/ Rza.

Classic video of late night talk show host Craig Ferguson's mother spending a day with the Rza. There's nothing funnier than crossing old people with rappers. Except maybe Dave Chappelle. In this video, the Rza takes Momma Ferguson shopping at Tower Records (RIP), and a book store, and then they grab some food at the legendary Roscoe's. Because if you can't bond over waffles, then you can't bond at all.

True Hip Hop Stories: The Homeless Emcee.

Every time you see a post with the words "True", "Hip Hop", and "Stories" you shouldn't ask any questions, just click play.

D-Nice lets his camera do the talking, as he tells the story of a homeless man struggling to surviving in the deadly streets of NYC who can probably rhyme better than you. He uses hip hop to stay alive.

[VIDEO] Joe Budden - "In My Sleep"

I missed this one earlier today. Dope video by Rik Cordero. Dope song about a dream Joe had. Not your typical rap song, but then again this isn't you typical rap blog.

Backstage w/ Busta Rhymes: Part 1

Hip Hop Official gives you exclusive access to one of the biggest names in the rap game, with a dope interview featuring the Dungeon Dragon himself, Busta Rhymes. After a recent show at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, we joined Busta backstage to talk about the treacherous pitfalls of Hip Hop and surviving in the industry. He lets you in on the secret to his career longetivity and how to cope with Record Industry Rule #4080.

Look for Part 2 to drop later this week.

CurT@!n$ Interview: Part 2

Curtains returns to talk about his latest mixtape, The Great Adventures of Dope Boy C, and how he's systematically getting the world ready for his upcoming album. Dude definitely has a master plan.

if you missed Part 1, peep game.

Happy Birthday Flavor Flav.

The greatest hypeman of all time turns 50 today. Before he was hooking up with 20 year old attention whores on VH1, he was part of one of the most important hip hop groups of all time, Public Enemy. And don't ever forget it. He wears clocks around his neck to remind people how precious time is, and today we celebrate his life.

Yeeeeeeah booooooooy

[NEW] Ghostface & DOOM - "Chinatown Wars"

Remember when Ghostface hit the scene in 1993, and wouldn't show his face in the first few videos? And then of course DOOM hasn't shown his face since he was in KMD. I guess they are the 2 dopest masked rappers of all time. (Sorry Plies)

These 2 have had a project in the works for ages, and here's a leaked track. DJ Premier made good use of his name and "premiered" this track on his radio show, and then DJ Green Lantern came through with the mp3 version, as well as a remix. What more can you ask for?

[DOWNLOAD: Ghostface & DOOM - "Chinatown Wars"]
[BONUS][DOWNLOAD: Ghostface & DOOM - "Chinatown Wars" (Remix)]

[VIDEO] 88-Keys ft. Kanye West - "Stay Up (Viagra!)

88 gets his grown man on as he unleashed the first video from his Death of Adam LP, and also happens to be my favorite cut on the album. This one features the musical stylings of Mr. Kanye West, who happens to be 88-Keys best friend. Bet you didn't know that, did ya?

[NEW] Slaughterhouse - "Wack MC's"

Shots fired! Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Royce take aim at garbage rappers and demolish this Red Spyda beat. This track is bananas. After 3 listens, I still can't tell who had the best verse. But I'm leaning towards Royce, but you can make a case for any of them. Make sure to people Slaughterhouse at the 2009 Paid Dues Festival on March 28th. I'll be there, will you be?

[DOWNLOAD: Slaughterhouse - "Wack MC's"]

Courtesy of 2DB.

Big Daddy Kane Documentary.

Here's a teaser for the upcoming documentary aptly titled "BDK" on the legendary Juice Crew member, Big Daddy Kane. When it comes to hip hop, there are only a handful of people that truly deserve to be called legends. In BDK, we learn the story of one of hip hop's most notable legends, Big Daddy Kane. From music to fashion, Kane has always been a quintessential figure of the Golden Era of hip hop. In this documentary, directed by Anthony Marshall (co-founder of Lyricist Lounge), Kane talks about his years growing up as a kid in New York, his life in the rap game, his influence on fashion and his lyrical superiority.

Paid Dues 2009 Preview w/ Atmosphere.

To get you geared up for the upcoming festival, Slug talks about changing up the Atmosphere live show and how the Felt albums with Murs came about. And yes, there is a Felt 3 on the horizon...eventually. Maybe. We'll see.

[VIDEO] B-Real ft. Sick Jacken - "Psycho Realm Revolution"

New video from B-Real's latest album, Smoke In Mirrors, which is really good and in stores right now.

88-Keys - "Nice Guys Finish Last" [LIVE]

The Polo Champ blesses the HHO Lounge with a live performance of his track off the Death of Adam LP live in the HHO Lounge. He's so talented he's able to switch wardrobe during the song without you even noticing. Shout out to DJ Mister Mike on the cuts.

Hip Hop Official Showcase @ SXSW.

It goes down Saturday March 21st in Austin Texas. Hip Hop Official and our parent company GoTV have teamed up with Wrigley for our first ever showcase at SXSW, featuring an eclectic mesh of genre blending artists like Asher Roth, Janelle Monae, The Knux, and Shiny Toy Guns. Hit me up for more details. I might even be able to get you on "the list."

Haaaaaaa.

What Ever Happened To: Channel Live?

On this edition of Forgotten Fridays we reminisce over you, Channel Live. The New York rap duo (Hakim and Tuffy), which was founded by the blast master KRS-One in 1994, made an instant splash with the hit single "Mad Izm." If you were a weed smoker and wore Timberlands in the mid 90's, this was your buddha anthem.

Their debut album, Station Identification, was released on Capitol Records in 1995 and did fairly well - surprisingly going gold. This was when people actually still bought albums. In fact, I remember the DAY I bought this album. I purchased it in the now defunct Blockbuster Music (remember them?). That spot was dope because you could actually listen to the entire album before you purchased it. They even opened it for you, let you sit at your own 6-disc CD player, give you a full hour, and they'd even re-seal that shit for you if you didn't want it. Remember, this was in 1995. That was some future shit. Anyway, I bought this album, along with the Alkaholiks Coast II Coast, The Artifacts Between A Rock and A Hard Place, and Tupac's, Me Against the World. Needless to say, it was a good day.

Sidebar aside, Channel Live kind of disappeared from the rap scene after that album dropped. They released an album in 2006 called Secret Science Rap, and evidently it was so secret nobody knew about it. One of their members, Hakim Green, shaved his dreadlocks and according to his MySpace page became a manager, A&R consultant, lecturer, educator and visionary. Yes, a self proclaimed visionary. That's very visionary-like of him to see that. He consulted for singer Carl Thomas, and most recently is the Director of Artist Relations for the ‘Stop The Violence’ movement recently brought back by KRS-One.

There is word of a new Channel Live album, A Revolution Televised, that was supposed to come out in '08 but still hasn't hit the streets yet. Will the world ever get another broadcast from Channel Live? Only time will tell. Even if the duo never releases another album, their legacy will live on as "Mad Izm" will be forever played in local underground hip hop shows where there's a 13:1 ratio of guys wearing backpacks to girls in the audience. But every time it comes on, it always rocks the spot.

*Sparks an L*


Thank you,
Hip Hop Official: Finding rappers who the masses have forgotten.

On the Road to SXSW w/ U-N-I

The good people at MySpace slid the inglewood duo U-N-I a Flip Mino camera to capture their lives as aspiring rap stars and their journey leading up to the SXSW Festival (which kicks off next week in Austin, TX). Hip Hop Official will be on the scene in the Lone Star state as well, so holler at us!

[NEW] Lid Law - "Huh...What?"

Working for Hip Hop Official, I'm flooded with music every single day. Truth be told, most of is too difficult to get in to. Either it's not my style, doesn't grab me, or is just plain wack. But every so often, I stumble upon somebody I've never heard of and it actually grabs my attention. This is one of those times. I got sent this track from an artist named Lid Law, gave it a listen and to be honest, within 7 seconds I couldn't stop nodding my head. It's nothing flashy, nothing gimmicky, just some straight forward hip hop shit. Sometimes that's all you need...

Let's get back to the essence.

[DOWNLOAD: Lid Law - "Huh...What?" (Prod by The Pro-duk-tion-ix)]

[NEW] KiD CuDi - "Switchin Lanes"

This is a cut off the soundtrack from the new video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles (South Central). Very nice indeed.

[DOWNLOAD: KiD CuDi - "Switchin Lanes"]

Courtesy of Legend @ OnSmash.

Throwback Thursdays.

I kind of stole this idea from the homie Eazee and Thurz (from U-N-I), but fuck it. I haven't seen that shit copyrighted yet, so until they send me a cease and desist notice, I'mma keep it rolling. Every week, I'll throw up an old school or nostalgic video. Sometimes, I'll go waaaay back. Other times, just a few years. You'll never know. Every week will be a brand new mini-cinematic adventure. So hop in the DeLorean with me, and let's take this bitch to 88 MPH.

I set it off with a classic track from the Rawkus vaults circa 1999. The High & Mighty's " B-Boy Document" featuring Mos Def and Mad Skillz. This song got crazy play in my CD player. But ironically, I can't remember ever seeing this video until today. Thank you, YouTube.

[NEW] Rick Ross ft. The-Dream - "All I Really Want"

Speaking of Officer Ricky...

Here's a new joint from his upcoming album, Deeper Than Rap, that just got pushed back to late April. I know there are tons of fans of Rick's music, but it will be interesting see how this beef with Curtis affects his records sales and/or fan base.

[DOWNLOAD: Rick Ross ft. The-Dream - "All I Really Want"]

Link courtesy of LowKey.

50 Cent Presents Rick Ross's BabyMomma Sex Tape [TRAILER]

Curtis plans to leak a pornographic video of Brooke, Ricky's OTHER Baby's Mama, who was exposed as an escort in the original video with Ross's first baby momma. And in true 50 fashion, his alter ego "Pimpin' Curly" is going to host and narrate the video. The video will hit 50's new website today. Here's the trailer. NSFW!

88-Keys x J Dilla.

This is a Hip Hop Official Exclusive performance, live from our HHO Lounge. 88-Keys came through the spot to chop it up about his latest video shoot with Kanye West (more on that later). He rocked a couple of joints off his Death of Adam LP, and then asked the fateful question: "Got any Dilla?" This is what transpired...

...88 rocks to one of my favorite Dilla beats of all time, "E=MC2."

CurT@!n$ Interview - Part 1

We met up with the Brooklyn-bred emcee in a vintage clothing store in Los Angeles called And Still. He gives us insight into his humble beginnings and what makes him the "atypical" rapper. He also lets us in on where the name Curtains came from, because I'm sure you wondering that shit too. Be on the look out for Part 2 dropping this weekend. Who knows, you might even see a Part 3 in the future.

Kanye Performs “Heartless” on American Idol.

...and rocks a Canadian Tuxedo and his $990 Louis Vitton signature sneakers while doing it.

I wonder what Simon thought of this performance.

[NEW] Blu & Jack Davey - "iFEEL"

Well looky what we have here. These 2 talent Cali individuals cooked up something special for the upcoming L.A.U.S.D project, Curlytops & Nautica Jackets, which will be out March 24th and will include the likes of Diz Gibran, El Prez, Dom Kennedy, and a bunch of other exceptional California artists.

[DOWNLOAD: Blu & Jack Davey - "iFEEL"]

Shout out to E Double for the heads up.

P.O.S. - "Goodbye" [LIVE]

Here's a dope little behind-the-scenes style performance that POS threw down in Different Fur studios in San Francisco. It looks like a real organic jam session. Enjoy.

Shout out to Yours Truly for the video.

Westcoast Wednesday.

Eazy-E - "Eazy-er Said Than Dunn"

...Compton's in the house.

[VIDEO] Kid CuDi - "Super Boo"

The Carter Family Reunion (Mixtape)

Carter x Jay-Z x Lil Wayne. Get it? Carter Family Reunion. I know, I thought it was clever too. This is the latest mixtape from the homie Carter, presented by the good people at Ill Roots. I know that a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into the making of this. And I know you're also going to enjoy it. It's different. But change is good. That's why I wear a different pair of kicks everyday.

[DOWNLOAD HERE.]

[NEW] Drake - "November 18th" (Chuck Inglish Remix)

Drake's track gets a facelift from The Cool Kid's Chuck Inglish, as he chops-n-screws Raekwon's Incarcerated Scarfaces for the beat. I'm not even mad at this remix. And neither should you.

[DOWNLOAD: Drake - "November 18th" (Chuck Inglish Remix)]

FCC presents: CONVINCED - 2 for 1 Tuesdays.

Convinced is back! Say Word? Word. Vince steps out of the shadow of his mini-hiatus to bless the internets with another 2 for 1 Tuesday affair. These two are leftovers from his upcoming project called Versatility. Except that in your iPods around the same time the weather heats up and the ladies start wearing less clothing. Sounds like a match made in heaven Los Angeles. FCC!

[DOWNLOAD] Convinced - "Temple Of Soul"
[DOWNLOAD] Convinced - "Love the Dough"

J*Davey on HHO: Part 2.

The L.A. based duo J*Davey speak on developing their unique personal style, the outer body experience that is performing live, as well as what lies on the horizon for the group.

J Dilla & Pete Rock To Release Album.

This is great news, hip hop fans. J Dilla's mother, Maureen Yancey (a.k.a. Ma Dukes) and Dilla's idol and legendary producer Peter Rock are planning to release a posthumous Dilla album of unreleased beats and samples, called Jay Stay Paid (J$P). This album will be released June 2, and will feature music pulled off of Dilla's old floppy disks and DATs, as well as tracks Dilla made while he was in the hospital.

The format of the album plays like a radio show with Pete Rock acting as a radio DJ. The album will be mostly instrumental, but will feature verses from Black Thought of The Roots, MF DOOM, and M.O.P.

Artist of the Week: Strong Arm Steady - Part 2

The S.A.S. gang returns as the Hip Hop Official Artist of The Week, as Phil, Kron and Mitchy speak on the long awaited Arms & Hammers LP as well as an upcoming Madlib collabo album, tenatively titled, MADSTEADY. That's right! You heard it hear first.

Check the interview for an exclusive listen to 2 tracks, "New Love" and "Ambassador".

Draze - "The Notorious, Life After Death"

Draze salutes Brooklyn's finest with a Mixtape Movie in which Draze steps into the role of Christopher Wallace and tells his story from a first person narrative. It's actually well done, and perfect for today.

Every year at this time, the hip hop community takes a moment to commemorate the life, the genius, and the legacy of the Notorious BIG. This year, in honor of the late great emcee, Draze salutes Brooklyn’s finest with a Mixtape Movie titled, “The Notorious, Life after Death” featuring DJ B Mello.In his own words Draze says, ”

I’ve always been a Biggie fan, so this was my way of paying homage. I tried to channel his energy as best I could. The greatest honor for me was hearing someone say it was even half way believable.”

Shout out to E-Dub for the heads up.

Listening to Sharpies - Joe Budden's Padded Room

This is a new feature that I'm posting from a fellow blog site, jacquesmorels.com, in which he and his friend Andrea review a new album every week in their own creative manner...using Sharpies. Check it out, and let me know what you think.

Here's their blurb about it...

“In order to review this tape, we decided to relate it to a terrible dating cycle. As in, I loved it at first look, however, I saw how it deteriorated as time went on. Depressing.”

Top 10 Biggie Videos Of All Time.

In tribute, I wanted to run down my favorite videos from the late great Christopher Wallace. He essentially took rap music videos to the next level, to a point where they started to get mainstream play on a channel that wasn't fucking with rap music (MTV). There's no question that his music videos changed the game, and influenced countless rappers (for better and for worse). With that being said, here is my list of the great V.I.D.E.O.S. from B.I.G.....and don't worry, I'm a certified Biggie Smalls expert. You can check the credentials.



10. CAN'T YOU SEE

We set it off with Total's song featuring Biggie. The video was directed by Hype Williams, who has mastered the use of flashing lights in his video, long before Kanye thought of it. Big also happens to drop one of the sickest lines in his arsenal on this one:

"My raps lines is like land mines,
One step...KABOOM...black suits fill the room."




9. PLAYA'S ANTHEM

The Junior M.A.F.I.A. steps in at #9....I know, this countdown is going to be thick. And why is everyone in this video wearing leather jackets?




8. GET MONEY

Back to back Junior M.A.F.I.A. In this one, Biggie takes shots at his wifey, Faith Evans, in this classic Hype Williams video. So why is this number 8, you ask? The videos losses points for the buff dudes with no shirts feeding grapes to Lil Kim and Salt N Pepa. I imagine Puff let that fly...





7. FLAVA IN YA EAR (REMIX)

Arguably, one of the greatest remixes of all time, and the way Big sets it off is unmistakable. I remember the first time I heard his verse, I rewinded that shit like 6 times in a row. I never made it to Craig Mack's verse. Sorry, Craig. Black and white videos are always dope, and this one is iconic. Biggie with the extreme close up. Puffy with the "Warriors" reference. LL Cool J with one pant leg rolled up. And possibly, the last time anyone ever heard from Rampage.




6. SKY'S THE LIMIT

Biggie's most uplifting song, and one of the most creative concepts for a music video (courtesy of Spike Jonze). Biggie had passed away, so they decided to have Biggie and all his friends portrayed by kids. The concept matches the message behind the song so perfectly. This is one of the most underrated music videos of all time. And the young version of Busta Rhymes is hilarious.




5. WARNING

Big shows off his storytelling prowess in this one, as he tells an intricate and paranoia-filled tale of a phone conversation he had about people trying to kill him. Classic. Any time you hear this beat drop, you automatically begin to chant, "Who the fuck is this...pagin me at 5:46 in the morning, crack-a-dawnin'"




4. ONE MORE CHANCE (REMIX)

Biggie links up with his wifey, Faith Evans for this classic that had all the ladies begging for another change. Biggie took his player image to the next level in this, and the image of him in the Kangol hat and Versace glasses might be his most memorable and iconic. The cameos are thick in this one, from Mary J. Blige to Heavy D.





3. JUICY

It's the video that introduced the Notorious B.I.G. to the masses and told the story of how he went from ashy to classy. This is probably my favorite Biggie song of all time, and one of the best feel good rap songs in history. Every time I hear it, it puts me in a great mood. And if ya dont know, now you know...




2. BIG POPPA

It's Biggie's personal anthem, and another hype williams classic. This is the video that made you wanna throw your hands in the air...and essentially mad slow motion a staple in every rap video ever.




1. HYPNOTIZE

It's one of the biggest hip-hop videos of all time. It had it all: a big budget, million dollar yachts, dancing honeys, and even a car chase in reverse. It was the last video biggie ever shot, and it goes down in history as his best.

Rest In Peace.

DJ Drama & Cookin' Soul Present The Notorious B.I.G. Tribute [MIXTAPE]

In “The NOTORIOUS BIG Tribute” superproducers and remixers Cookin’ Soul flip the original samples used in Biggie’s classic albums “Ready to Die” and “Life After Death” into new beats and feature original appearances from a whole range of well known artists paying their respects doing what they do best, in a celebration of the late great rapper musical legacy.

[DOWNLOAD: DJ Drama & Cookin' Soul Present The Notorious B.I.G. Tribute]
(download will start after clicking)

R.I.P. Biggie Smalls

(May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997)

...Today is the 12th anniversary of the passing of the King of New York, The Notorious B.I.G. Personally, Christopher Wallce was one of the greatest to ever do it, so we're gonna pay tribute to him here today with a couple of Biggie posts. I mean, I named this blog after him, it's only right.

He blessed the world with some of the greatest hip hop songs of our generation, and sadly, one of the greatest funeral procession of all time too. We'll always love Big Poppa.

Stay Up!

88-Keys came through the HHO studios for an interview and live performance. Check out some of the behind the scenes photos courtesy of The Daily Three. Stay Tuned for the live performance, dropping next Friday.

What Ever Happened To: The Whoridas?

On this edition of Forgotten Fridays we reminisce over you, Whoridas. The Bay Area rap group, compromised of cousins King Saan and Mr. Taylor, made a splash in 1996 with their street banger, "Shot Callin and Big Ballin" (above), spittin raps about hustlin before it was the norm, encouraged, or even cool. In fact, these cats were the original Clipse. Unfortunately, they didn't have the backing of a Pharrell (but rather Saafir) and pretty much fell off the face of the earth. I guess their pockets didn't really blow up like rockets.

They released 2 albums, the first, Whoridin', being the most notable. Along with "Shot Callin" it also featured the track "Talking About Bank" (you might remember their video did a parody of Pulp Fiction). Their second album, High Times, didn't do much commercially, but had a couple of slappers including "Dock of the Bay." But where are they now? They made an appearance with the Liks in 1997, and haven't released an album since 1999. Their last known appearance was in 2006 on a Mac Dre record. But honestly, who from Oakland hasn't appeared on a Mac Dre song?

They have a MySpace page, but currently only have 288 friends. So maybe you can go on there and help them out by befriending them. If anyone has any more info regarding the whereabouts of the Whoridas, please contact us immediately. We need your help.

Thank you,
Hip Hop Official: Finding rappers who the masses have forgotten.

K'Naan - "People Like Me" [LIVE]

The Somali born emcee performs live in the HHO Lounge. His album Troubadour is in stores now.

Paid Dues Coverage on HHO.

HHO hits the 2009 Paid Dues Festival once again! We'll be bringing you all the EXCLUSIVE coverage, interviews and performances. Watch it on your cell phone or online. Stay Tuned, Coverage starts March 20th!

[NEW] Camp Lo - "Regulate" (ft. Yahzarah)

These dudes continue to make dope music with a style that's all their own. Ain't nobody else sounding like Camp Lo. This track which be featured on their new mixtape, Stone And Rob: Caught On Tape dropping on March 24th. Featuring 13 tracks of all new material, all produced by Sonny Cheeba, Ski , and Apple Juice Kid. And no, this is not a Warren G cover. Think, people.

[DOWNLOAD: Camp Lo - "Regulate" (ft. Yahzarah)]

Courtesy of the NMC. Respect due.

J*Davey on HHO.

J*Davey is not a man. Or a woman. In fact, it's both. Ms. Jack Davey is the sultry singer and Brook D'Leau is the funky producer. Hip Hop Official got a chance to talk to them about their new album and their unique sound. Meet this new eclectic duo who is primed to blow in 2009. Pause.

Ludacris + The Roots on Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon

Ok, this is dope. Jimmy Fallon's show is automatically going to be the most hip hop late night show, just on the strength of The Roots. And it's going to be really fresh if they perform with every musician on the show. They might be on to something here.

Last night, Luda performed "Last Of a Dying Breed" and "And I Do It For Hip Hop" and it sounds pretty good if I do say so myself.

A Message From Ghostface.

Tony Starks dedicates a song to Rihanna and goes after all the wife beaters out there...and I'm not talking white tank tops. He even has a little message to Chris Brown, in classic Wu form.

[DOWNLOAD: Ghostface Killah - "Message From Ghostface"]

From BoBo via Nah Right.