rap music Archives - Rolling Out

Fresh off the debut of his hit gospel album Jesus is King, Kanye West gave a comprehensive interview regarding his transformation from superstar rapper to Christian musician and his unapologetic devotion to the current White House administration. In an interview on Big Boy’s YouTube channel, Big Boy TV, the rapper broached a myriad of hot…

Hip-hop music has been under constant scrutiny, attack and attempted censorship almost from its origins. At the height of the popularity of “gangsta” rap music in the 1990s, as an example, the genre was even the subject of high-profile hearings on Capitol Hill. Now, according to the New York Post, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly…

Tommy Lee has claimed Travis Scott “ripped off” his roller coaster stage design. The drummer used a roller coaster set while on tour in 2011 when he did a 360-degree loop while strapped to his drum set, and has now claimed that rapper Travis Scott — who is currently on his “Astroworld tour” — has stolen his design as his amusement…

Waka Flocka Flame simply lost interest in rap music. A long time ago. As far as he’s concerned, he and his crew are good; they are all eating well and they are off the streets. In fact, one of his partners who used to be about “that life” is now operating behind the pulpit. Subsequently, Waka…

When parents speak about the success of their children, there is a glow on their faces that radiates from their souls. We saw that firsthand in Roberta Shields, mother to the successful rapper, actor and mogul Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. Shields stopped by rolling out to discuss her son’s success and the work of the Ludacris…

Soul singer Eric Benét took a sledgehammer to the sensibilities of some rappers and social media users when he posted a meme with a scathing denunciation of certain rappers and their lyrical content. Benét’s post calls out those rappers who mostly speak negatively in their music about women and glorify materialism, drugs and violence. From his perspective,…

Blac Youngsta is an anomaly. In a world where the perception of Black men — particularly in the entertainment industry — tends to shade toward the violent images found in a stereotypical gangster flick, Blac Youngsta is currently giving none of that. He’s just smiling. That wasn’t always the case with the Memphis, Tennessee-born rapper, who arrived on…

On Friday, June 1, 2018 Hip-hop legends Eric B. & Rakim, KRS-One, MC Lyte, Pharcyde, EPMD, Yo-Yo and so many more gathered at the Barclays Center to perform for the 30th anniversary of YO! MTV Raps. From 1988 to 1995, the iconic show was hosted by several incredible hosts: Fab 5 Freddy and then later by Ed…

Zaytoven has been on the Atlanta rap scene for over a decade now. As a producer, he’s credited with creating the signature trap sound native to the South. The hit beatmaker recently dropped his debut album, Trap Holizay. The tracklist features many industry heavy hitters. On the latest episode of “Live Album Review,” Zaytoven sits down…

To understand how Seandrea Sledge became Dreezy, most would recognize April 8, 2014, as the day her life changed forever. It was a day that followed the release of Nicki Minaj’s ode to urban Chicago, “Chiraq.” Inspired by Minaj’s take on Chicago, Dreezy recorded a remix and offered a more textured version of what it…

This hilarious and accurate history of rap in 1996 done by kids is on point. From Death Row Records to MC Hammer as well as the East Coast vs. West Coast feud, these kids cover it all.

Three top names in the world of rap music have taken a stand on an upcoming US Supreme Court case over the first amendment right of free speech. The artists have made contributions in a legal brief in defense of a high school student who was disciplined by his school district for posting a rap video…

It’s an old argument that is being repeated again. Whether or not rap music is the cause of the negative behavior of some people in the Black community. The latest person to bring this argument to the forefront is Republican presidential contender Ben Carson. What is surprising is the venue he selected to make…

In today’s hip-hop, mixtapes can hold as much weight as an album. Artists can gain a larger fan base, earn money touring and get the attention of major labels with the release of a buzzworthy mixtape. Although 2013 didn’t produce a clear-cut mixtape standout, there were several mixtapes that were top-notch. Click continue to view…

Eve wore all-black to her concert performance at The Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., and she looked great! Rocking her hair long and straight, she added a perfect pair of black glasses to her outfit, which consisted of a sleeveless top, skin-tight black liquid jeans, gold jewelry and black studded boots. Check out more pictures…

Music as a reflection of the times has rarely been more apparent than in the music of Detroit-born rapper Trenell Carr and the hip-hop R&B group, the Wop Boiz. Echoing the gritty urban grind of Detroit and its beleagured residents, the images conjured up by the Wop Boiz’s sound are a stark reminder of the…

Apparently, Drake has a thing for the headlines lately. Only this time, the Canadian rapper decided to make waves with his own music (Aaliyah and Chris Brown news aside). We all knew that Drake had a penchant for hit-making, but who knew that it had reached a historic level? Drake’s record was achieved when he…

I come from a fatherless home. In fact, when I look around me, most of the people I see are fatherless blacks, young and old. So, it came as a great surprise when I ran across a Northwestern University study at nytimes.com that suggested men are prone to natural, dramatic decreases in testosterone after they…

Call Wiz Khalifa a rapper, and he might just take offense. Not because he considers it a negative, incorrect label. It’s just that for as long as the Pittsburgh native has been making music, he’s always considered himself to be bigger than rap and bigger than a title like “rapper.” He explained as much during…