When hip-hop legends Run-D.M.C. covered Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” on their 1986 landmark Raising Hell, guitarist Joe Perry noted, “It was the first time that if somebody mixed peanut butter and chocolate, it was fun to be a part of it.” Critics said the hit was the premier hybrid that blended the rock and rap genres, but they were sadly misinformed. For starters, every hip-hop head knows that proto-rap emcees would sample funk and rock n’ roll records and add them into their repertoire. Secondly, Run-D.M.C. had used several rock tunes before their signature song was released. Their standout “Rock Box” is a great example.

Oddly enough, while rock has been adapted into rap and hip-hop respectively, why has rock’s little sister been applied so little? Punk, a genre that operates on a DIY ethic is closely related to hip-hop in content, with messages about politics, struggle, prejudice, sex, debauchery and all that in between.  So, here’s a list of some of the most influential punk masterpieces of all-time.

1.

Blitzkrieg Bop by Ramones

The inaugural “Hey! Ho! Let’s go!” has not become an rallying outcry for all types of debauchery and good time fun. The head shaking bonanza with the epic three chord riff is still the face of catchy top 40 rock music.

2.

Search and Destroy by The Stooges

Desolation-laden icy lyrics behind an intensified synchrony of staccato guitar chords as the sunshine rasp of a feisty 26-year-old Iggy Pop wails for someone to save his soul rings out over a collision of drums. Mixed by David Bowie, the pesky punk out did Lou Reed and the androgynous Ziggy with this sexy, thrash garage classic.

3.

Psychokiller by Talking Heads

Qu’est-ce que c’est? When the little band from the New York City underground punk scene released their debut album they were competing against The Ramones, Blondie, The New York Dolls and Television as the poster children of punk rock. Memorable for its driving bass line, representing the inner dialogue of a serial killer is one of the most covered songs of all-time, influencing Ice-T’s “Cop Killer.”

4.

Anarchy in the UK by Sex Pistols

Some four years after Alice Cooper’s angst-ridden “I’m Eighteen,” a trash-talking  brush-fire tangerine ginger nicknamed Johnny Rotten auditioned for Malcolm McLaren who was traveling with the New York Dolls. Overwhelmed by Rotten’s ragamuffin flair, which included a tailored Pink Floyd T-shirt with the words “I Hate” stenciled in a felt-tip pen over the band’s insignia with their eyes blotted out—Rotten became the leading man of Sex Pistols. They were not above controversy and their first single, which assaulted traditional Britons’ communal conventionality and obsequiousness to the royal crown caused massive moral pandemonium for the ages and they became punk icons.

5.

Hanging on the Telephone by Blondie

The unforgettable flamboyant art pop rave-up classic with the surf rock snare and Debbie Harry’s signature histrionic sex minx growl was the big bang of magnum opus Parallel Lines. Behind the tough girl glamour and herky-jerky fuzz rock sound, the band of boys and their fiery flaxen coughed up this legendary romp when they covered The Nerves.

6.

Eighteen by Alice Cooper

Its soapbox confessional lyrics are about being that in-between age where as Cooper put it, “you’re ‘old enough to be drafted but not old enough to vote.” Funny thing is the heavy metal glam god was 23 when their heavy metal landmark Love It to Death was released. Noted as a proto-punk tour de force by both The New York Times and Rolling Stone magazine, its Alice Cooper’s snarl, and the clash and clang of roaring guitars that melted people’s faces off in 1971. In fact, he inspired an infamous orange haired brat to audition a cappella with the tune for a little group called the Sex Pistols.

7.

Rebel Rebel by David Bowie

The last song stylized in sheer glam rock fashion, this was Bowie’s farewell to the genre that made him a superstar. Originally written for Ziggy Stardust musical, the gender-bender prose, and the superb-fabulous idiosyncratic riff that oddly recalls the Rolling Stone’s “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” was a lasting influence on various genres in music. He gives a big hug to the wierdos and what-nots here and changed the face of punk as we know it, going above and beyond his “Moonage Daydream” days.

8.

London Calling by The Clash

A match point politically charged rant built behind post-apocalyptic madhouse of sound constructed of electro guitars, reggae basslines and Joe Strummer’s wildcard lupine howls made this the ultimate art punk classic. Written as if a dirge for the misinformed with military drums with no backbeat that ends in an S-O-S Morse code only add to the eerie paranoia-coated skid row that Strummer sings about.

9.

Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've) by Buzzcocks

Inspiration comes from the more uncanny resources and after viewing the musical Guys & Dolls in a TV lounge of Scottish guesthouse, the lyrics came out of the dialogue from the Broadway classic and composed the following day in a van outside of a post office. Reflecting on how heartbreak is a bloody mess, the intro begins with a sentimental Pete Shelley noting that his muse “spurn[ed] [his] natural emotions,” at a time when she pissed on them (too bad censorship).

10.

My Sharona by The Knack

In love with a then 17-year-old muse Sharona Alperin, 25-year-old Doug Fieger was inspired for a two-month-long stint of songwriting, and out came the legendary lyrics and guitarist Berton Averre’s gruff power chord swing. No doubt one of the most important songs of the last 30 years, it inspired Michael Jackson’s rock ‘n roll classic “Beat It” and was sampled on Run-D.M.C.’s “It’s Tricky.”

11.

God Save the Queen by The Sex Pistols

In 1975, Johnny Rotten was just another window-shopping mall rat outside of Vivienne Westwood’s fetish clothing shop SEX, before going on to become one of the most adored front men in rock ‘n roll history. Like “Anarchy in the UK,” their second single as perceived as bashing the monarchy, corporate control, hierarchy, duplicity, cerebral vacuity, principles and politesse, as well as placing a bull’s-eye on the noggin of Queen Elizabeth II. Seen as shock rockers because of the Rotten’s profanity and the guttural wall of noise behind him, the single turned heads and twisted light bulbs.

12.

Holiday by Green Day

A verbal letter bomb to the American political conformity in the age of George W. Bush, the song references the France’s refusal to support the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Nazi Germany and the Holocaust and the 43^rd U.S. president. The song’s instantly recognizable chord progression and anti-war sentiments shifted Green Day’s pot smoking hapless douchebag appeal of the 90s into a self-made grown-and-sexy literati.

13.

Blank Generation by Richard Hell and the Voidoids

Richard Hell, one of the originator’s of the porcupine-spiked hair and shredded and sharpie’d shirts held by safety pins punk look, knew a thing about teenage angst when he wrote the punk staple that set the standard for teenage wasteland disease. In fact, punk impresario Malcolm McLaren admitted that “Richard Hell was a definite, 100 percent inspiration, and, in fact, I remember telling the Sex Pistols, ‘Write a song like Blank Generation, but write your own bloody version,’ and their own version was ‘Pretty Vacant’.”

14.

Pay To Cum by Bad Brains

The hardcore punk and reggae pioneers from Washington D.C. threw a funky white-hot atomic bomb into a land mime of pulsating ska oomph and this was their pay-off: an ultra-fast, kinetic ka-boom pow of guitar and machine gun drums about the limits of our human rights!

15.

Blister in the Sun by Violent Femmes

With a rollercoaster tumble and roll guitar lyrics and disaffected, melancholy lyrics referencing sex, drug and alcohol and being “high as a kite,” is a punk favorite.

16.

Gloria by Patti Smith

Playing at the CBGB alongside other punk legends Blondie and The Ramones, Smith and her band were working on developing an academic, womanly take on the world of rock ‘n roll when they did this drastic reimagining of the Van Morrison penned “Gloria.” First performed by his band Them in ’64, the popular three-chord proto-punk staple with garage rock roots blew up in infamy for his epic opener: Jesus died for somebody’s sins / But not mine. You’ve got to admit, that’s pretty intense. Only keeping the chorus, Smith and company wrote a composition built around teenage lust, lesbianism and dogma without batting an eye. Her own scrappy sex appeal would go on to be channeled by several other pop artists.

17.

Personality Crisis by New York Dolls

No punk rock list should be with out the open of the New York Doll’s debut album, “Personality Crisis.” A gaudy, slippery-when-wet mental mind melt, the track is chopped and screwed and sloppy and noisy with a violent problem child delight. What else do you expect from punk?

18.

Cherry Bomb by The Runaways

It’s hard to think of punk music without this signature cut, which oddly enough, was not released as a single. Sixteen year-old wild child jailbait Cherie Currie rocked out like her description by several critics, “the lost daughter of Iggy Pop and Brigitte Bardot.” Beautiful, scantily-clad in only a brasserie and undies, she gave future hell kitten Queen of Shock Rock Wendy O. Williams of The Plasmatics a run for her money.  And Currie’s bratty sex pot guitarist Joan Jett was waiting in the wings to take her crown.

19.

Bad Reputation by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

One of the most important songs in punk rock, Joan Jett came out with this gem at a time where women in rock were still being tossed aside as powder puff princesses. Who would have guessed that one of the full-fledged rage filled guitars-blasting epics would come from the rhythm guitarist of the most influential punk rock girl group? Paving the way for future hits like “Crimson and Clover,” and the jukebox battle royale “I Love Rock ‘N Roll,” Jett is in rare form on this valiant effort.

20.

Just a girl by No Doubt

No way! This is a punk song? The kids from Orange County, California had a very small legion of fans in comparison to their now-massive legion of cardboard-waving paparazzi in 1995. A post-feminist record released at a time where Lilith Fair became rival to Woodstock, the track talks about the gender paradox, women’s struggle to find inner strength and independence in a machismo-juiced society and Gwen Stefani’s frustration with it all. The wah-wah new wave ska-punk guitars and the baby xylophone taps show a band that once clutched to male hindsight, now following in the footsteps of a woman and because of that, becoming pop icons.

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Summer is officially over. With concert tours by MIA, Kelis & Robyn, Rihanna, Maxell and Jill Scott among the big go-to “urban” cool radio monsters to sell-out concert halls and arenas, it’s cool to see that the autumn may also have its share of luster. Among the various tours that have been announced, there are two concerts we can not wait to attend:

Mary J. Blige, the undisputed queen of hip-hop soul, recently announced her ninth consecutive tour (the cheese-fest fromage titled Music Saved My Life). Why are we so excited in the first place? Well, “Bust Your Windows” princess Jazmine Sullivan and up-and-comer soulman Miguel (who crooned “All I Want Is You” aside J. Cole) will tour in her native United States. That’s why! Mobo-winner and Briton R&B scribe Lemar and the iconic El DeBarge will also make appearances…and with Mary J. Blige celebrating her 18 years of fabulosity, its easy to fall head-over-heels in love with the great expectations we know that she will fulfill on stage.

10/01/10: Mobile, Ala. (BayFest Mobile Music Festival)
10/02/10: Atlanta, Ga.
10/03/10: Virginia Beach, Va.
10/05/10: Raleigh, N.C.
10/07/10: Washington, D.C.
10/08/10: Atlantic City, N.J.
10/10/10: Mashantucket, Conn. (Fox Theatre at Foxwoods)
10/11/10: New York, N.Y. (Radio City Music Hall)
10/12/10: New York, N.Y. (Radio City Music Hall)
10/15/10: Detroit, Mich.
10/16/10: Chicago, Ill.
10/19/10: Los Angeles, Calif. (Gibson Amphitheatre)
10/20/10: Los Angeles, Calif. (Gibson Amphitheatre)
10/22/10: Las Vegas, Nev.
10/23/10: Oakland, Calif.

Then there’s the ultimate WTF, I mean, “OMG” zeitgeist; R&B dance-pop prince Usher—who abandoned his crunk and quiet storm ponderings for a Europop electro sound—tapped crooner heartthrob Trey Songz for his 25-date OMG Tour. Songz, who just wrapped up his Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour in New York City with Monica, will embark on his third tour of the year after a guest appearance on Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 Tour.

There will be mayhem, bedlam and absolute pandemonium as sultry-and-sexy ladies go hoarse after bloodcurdling screams reverberate in the atmosphere and the smell of pheromones ooze from the arena walls. Get ready for all the shirtless and tightrope choreography of lifetime! And make sure to bring water. Fellas, be on your best behavior. Wink. Let the murderball began. The tour kick starts  November 10th at Seattle’s Key Arena!

11/10/10: KeyArena Seattle, WA
11/12/10: ORACLE Arena Oakland, CA
11/13/10: Mandalay Bay Events Center Las Vegas, Nevada
11/14/10: Honda Center Anaheim, CA
11/17/10: San Diego Sports Arena San Diego, CA
11/18/10: STAPLES Center Los Angeles, CA
11/19/10: Jobing.com Arena Glendale, AZ
11/23/10: Toyota Center Houston, TX
11/24/10: American Airlines Center Dallas, TX
11/26/10: Scottrade Center St. Louis, MO
11/27/10: Sprint Center Kansas City, MO
11/29/10: Air Canada Centre Toronto, ON
11/30/10: Centre Bell Montreal, QC
12/02/10: TBD Detroit, MI
12/03/10: Allstate Arena Chicago, IL
12/05/10: Phillips Arena Atlanta, GA
12/07/10: Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, NC
12/08/10: 1st Mariner Arena Baltimore, MD
12/10/10: Prudential Center Newark, NJ
12/11/10: Scope Arena Norfolk, VA
12/13/10: Madison Square Garden New York, NY
12/14/10: TD Garden Boston, MA
12/16/10: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
12/17/10: Verizon Center Washington DC
12/18/10: XL Center Hartford, CT

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R&B came to a tipping point. Auto-Tune madness is in full effect and with the new advancements in technology; the music industry supergiant has become a dinosaur lost in the rubble of passing comets. The clouds have lifted and there is no quiet storm. Slam poets no longer cling to the neo-soul hype. We’re in a recession, so we’ve lowered the volume on baby-making radio jams. But ever so often, there’s a voice that rings out from the bell towers that forces us to listen. With clever hooks, catchy foot stomping melodies and some contagious crooning, it’s hard for us to ignore upstart John Brown. He’s like an earwig, and we mean that in the best way possible.

While some speculate that the urban rhythm and blues scene looks to be in its dog days as it is full of braggadocio hype men, Brown is a charming anomaly of suave-and-sophisticated Lothario playboy and blue collar street folk. On a stifling late July summer afternoon, Brown chit-chats with GIANT and lets his freak flag fly a bit, talking about his humble beginnings, staying positive, his boyband heyday, a certain Day 26 friend, his solo debut and of course, women. Ladies, get ready to dismantle your current Tiger Beat crush. John Brown has arrived.

Giant: How are you doing, John?

John: You know man; I’m just enjoying this hot hot heat!

Giant: That’s why we’re indoors…

Giant: So, you’re on our list for Guys To Watch for 2010-2011.

John: Good. Sweet.

Giant: You’re from the Motor City right?

John: Yep. Motown.

Giant: So, what do you think you can bring to the R&B game that other artists from other cities like Atlanta, New York or Los Angeles aren’t bringing to the table. Because, let’s be honest no one’s repping Detroit nowadays.

John: Honestly its just feel good music, man. Something that people can really enjoy and actually has meaning to the words as opposed to some random degrading stuff that is not appropriate for kids. I wanted to do something that people can actually learn something from, take it and kind of incorporate it into their lives and you know, make something positive out of it. As opposed to the negative, so that’s my primary focus whenever I make music it’s just to put out something positive and something fun, but ultimately positive. Not saying that no else is putting out something positive, but you know, you hear some songs where some people are degrading women and all kind of craziness, I just don’t want to go in that direction. You know what I’m saying?

Giant: Your mom was actually a singer herself…

John: Yes. Yes, she was a singer. She was actually signed to Motown when she was 15 or 16 years old.

Giant: So, did she teach you how to sing

John: Yes, she taught me how to sing. She really stayed on me with the singing. Always! My mom definitely helped me out with that.

Giant: With her teaching you how to ding, did you have to go to other people and learn from a choir teacher or some kind of music outlet?

John: Oh, yeah. I went to several vocal coaches, because my mom was a full-time mom. You know, she really didn’t have the time to really sit down and give me lessons. But I went to several music theaters and vocal coaches throughout Detroit, so that helped me out as well. [It helped me] advance my vocals and teach me how to use my instrument properly.

Giant: Now, you mentioned instruments. So, are you an instrumentalist?

John: Yeah, in some sense. I can play the piano, the drums and [tune] the guitar. My parents [couldn’t give me it all].

Giant: A lot of singers nowadays rarely write their own songs or play their own instruments. Did you write your own lyrics or play your own instruments on your debut?

John: Yes, definitely. On the writing aspect of it, I’ve been writing a lot! Like, a lot lot. I haven’t actually played any tracks [to sample] or any instruments yet, but I am definitely going put that on my album. I am definitely going to do a song dedicated to someone special in my life, probably my son or my fans. You know, someone that is really really close me. I am going do something really special for them, where I am playing the piano. You know, kind of a smooth mellow track.

Giant: You got into the business very early in the game and actually knew Robert Curry of Day 26 growing up, correct?

John: Yes, that’s my best friend! I actually talked to him an hour ago. He’s in Atlanta right now. We’ve been knowing each other since we were like 8-years-old, you know? That’s been my boy for the longest.

Giant: So, will you be collaborating with him on future projects?

John: You know, honestly, we’ve actually recorded several songs together. Like even throughout his Day 26 thing. We’re go into a studio and just record songs. He’ll come to my house; I’ll go to his house and just record songs. So, I have several songs, probably 40 songs that we’ve recorded recently. Hopefully, I might try to incorporate my boy on the album. We got to do something different. Its got to be tight.

Giant: You actually connected with Wyclef Jean, through him, right?

John: Well, actually someone contacted my boy Robert and asked if he knew some guys that would like to join a group. After that, he contacted me. We went to New York, auditioned for ‘Clef and ‘Clef loved us instantly. He took us under his wing and we signed under ‘Clef. It was a great experience. I’ll never regret any of it.

Giant: What was it like auditioning for him?

John: Honestly, I scared. I’m not even going to lie to you. It was one those moments. It’s like when you get up in school, in front the class and you got to do a presentation and you got them butterflies and you feel like you’re going to have a heart attack and die. It was one of the feelings. But, as we went on with the performance he started moving his head, tapping his feet and stuff. We knew we got him. And he went ahead and signed us. That was dope, working with ‘Clef.

Giant: You were actually a part of a band E2G?

John: Yeah. That was the name of the group that Robert and I were in when we signed to ‘Clef.

Giant: So what happened? Was there any eternal conflict? Was there any drama? Why did end?

John: The thing is, in this industry… there wasn’t any drama, thing was people’s work ethics. Me and Robert, we’ve been doing this so long, we grew up together. That’s practically my brother. We grew up doing this so long, and some people in the group didn’t really have that drive like we had the drive. So, it slowly started to diminish… that love that they had for the group they didn’t have it anymore. Me and Rob, we had it. We were still signed to ‘Clef, were auditioning two other members. But ultimately, we started to focus on other things. Like, I wanted to go school. They wanted to do other things. But Robert and I are still friends to this day. It was one of those experiences where it was a learning experience, where some people can’t handle it and other people can. Robert and I can handle it, but for some other people in the group, they weren’t ready and couldn’t handle it. You got to be ready.

Giant: You just noted that there was an issue with work ethic, but it also sounds like there was a vision for the group, and that you saw a vision that others may not have seen for the group. As a solo artist, what is the vision that you see for yourself?

John: Fortunately, as a new solo artist you don’t have to worry about all that extra stuff. Only thing you got to worry about is you, you know? I definitely see longevity in my career. I’m happy and content right now with my labor, my management, everybody. I’m just excited. I’m blessed being in the situation I’m in. I wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Giant: We mentioned Wyclef. As a solo artist, are you against working with him or would you consider working with him?

John: Oh, definitely. I still speak to ‘Clef. That’s my home boy. His cousin, Jerry “Wonder” [Duplessis] and Wyclef want to cut some tracks. My homeboy Jay Kudy… We were on the phone the other day to meet back in New York to cut a few records with Platinum Sound, that’s ‘Clef’s studio. That’s still my boy, the whole ‘Clef camp.

Giant: Will any of that on your debut?

John: I pray to God. It’s going to be super challenging but we’re going to do some tracks, and if it’s hot—which I’m sure it will be—I’m sure ‘Clef will definitely be on my album.

Giant: You were barely out of high school when you originally signed with Wyclef.

John: Yes, I was barely out of high school. I was in my senior year in high school in Jersey and I transferred schools when we signed on to Wyclef. Like, all over Detroit. I was only one in school.

Giant: You actually enrolled into a college on a choir scholarship, and that you spent your time as a nomad going school-to-school. Were the programs awful or where you looking for something more than the programs had to offer?

John: No, the programs were awesome. I just had other responsibilities. I had to handle to other stuff, so I just transferred schools. It was more convenient for me.

Giant: [We] were looking your MySpace and several other profiles on you and you describe your sound as a hodgepodge of hip-hop, R&B and rock influences. Is there anyone that you admire, would like to liken yourself to and model yourself after?

John: Honestly, You may think this is weird, but I think this dude is incredible—Phil Collins. I love that dude. He is stupid dope.

Giant: There is nothing weird about that! Phil Collins is awesome!

John: People ask me, “Are you serious?” And I’m like “Yeah, I’m serious!” Celine Dion, Phil Collins… I wish Luther Vandross was still alive. People like Tyrese, Usher… those kind of people really motivate me, especially in the music industry. They are just incredible fucking artists.

Giant: Other than Phil Collins, you once mentioned in the past that you were inspired by Sting, Nas… Just being curious… what is it about Celine Dion that you admire?

After geeking out about her artist merits and “My Heart Will Go On”…

Giant: So, I’m guessing on the pantheon of divas like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey…

John: Oh definitely. That woman man… People say Beyoncé is the greatest singer in the world. Celine is my Beyoncé. And not in like a sexual way, I’m t talking about music.

Giant: Now your song, “Imma Love You Right” is starting to get a lot of airplay, a lot of hit on Youtube and iTunes at the moment, and it’s pretty big on the radio. What is the first thing you want people to know about your craft when they sit down to listen to your record?

John: Honestly, I’m a young guy putting out some positive music. Normally, you’ll see or hear a young guy put out something, just to put it out, just get that response in the club. But, my thing is in particular [with] “Imma Love You Right,” it’s kind of like “Oh, that was creative” because I female friends who have been dogged by men, or my sisters. I just felt like it was time for someone to put something out there like that. Its sad the way you see the way you see how some young men carry themselves and treat these women. I honestly felt like, “Hey, if I can write this song…” especially from a young god’s perspective, it’s not really common.

Giant: Upon first listen, it can be likened to several artist like T Pain or 70s experimental Marvin Gaye. The song, that talks about the many way you love a woman, is it a reflection of the album as far as themes go? Is love the over encompassing theme of the album?

John: No, its not. We’re definitely going to touch out to many different avenues. We’re going to put a variety of different things on my album. We’re going to focus on things that happen in everyday life, we’re not going to focus on love… its going to be a variety of different things.

Giant: Alright…

John: That’s funny the way you just came in with that. Alright…

We share a laugh.

Giant: Is there any current artists on your radar right now that you are just impressed with and would like to work with?

John: Alicia Keys, definitely. Tank and Tyrese, I worked with them already. That was one of my idols. I’d love to work with him. I also said Phil Collins.

Giant: Earlier you mentioned Celine Dion. Women in music are killing it right now, do you think there will be a renaissance with men in R&B and pop?

John: I think so. I definitely think so. You got Mario about to drop something. The-Dream is out here killing it. Tyrese and Tank’s records just dropped records. Got Usher out here killing it. Then you got John Brown, the new up and coming star. You’re going hear stuff about me, man.

Giant: Alright…

John: There’s that alright again.

We share another laugh.

John: That’s funny. I’m going to start saying that. “Alright.”

Giant: Lastly, what do you a GIANT?

John: Honestly, what makes me a GIANT… I have the potential to become a GIANT. I am not a GIANT yet. I’m different, I’m hardworking, I’m humble, again I’m different and I am not afraid to try new things. I’m not afraid to do good things in my career. I think when you do that and you are not afraid to stay in this box, and you think outside the box, then you just grow and grow and grow. And that’s my thing and I just want to keep doing different things that will catapult my career. If I stay on that path, I’ll definitely because a GIANT.

Electro hop is in. With emcees becoming more diverse, leaving the traditionalist hip-hop approach in favor of a bigger, bombastic, ballsy sound, the game is on the precipice of becoming a vending machine of little ringtone pocket universes. With frat rap groups 3OH!3 and confetti gangsta hipsters LMFAO as radio paper weights, and EDM punks Far East Movement riding the airwaves, rap and hip-culture are changing. However, one can argue that among the fluff and pipe dreams, the art of hip-hop is evolving. Just look at these three electro hop stars that are doing it big and changing hip-hop below. These trailblazing artists have made music that has had a profound effect on us. But, how big exactly?

SMALL

Kid Cudi

Notable work: Man on the Moon: The End of Day

When the hip-hop head from Cleveland, Ohio made his rounds on Chi-town No.1 emcee Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak after dropping his stellar mixtape A Kid Named Cudi, rap upstart Kid Cudi went solo. Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi’s moniker became a hold name, featuring on the splendid HBO series How To Make It In America, and all because of his comprehensive Man on the Moon: The End of Day. The album, which broke the fresh-faced rap mold and took us into the mind of post-911 young black hipster was astounding. With producers Dot da Genius, Emile, Kanye West, Plain Pat and Ratatat, Mescudi found a niche with his neo-psychedelic trip-hop electro boogie emo-rap and the cool kids found a new rapper to emulate. His spacey, introspective sensibility helped turn a seemingly passing fad into a hip-hop sound worth evolving.

MEDIUM

Drake

Notable Work: Thank Me Later

Who knew that the kid from Degrassi: The Next Generation would become one of the most celebrated rappers a few years later? After dropping his massive So Far Gone mixtape—an album so jam packed with hits, he could’ve released a greatest hits compilation album—Aubrey Drake Graham took the world by storm and his coveted EP took home Grammy nods. The Toronto wunderkind released his long-awaited first studio album Thank Me Later earlier this summer to excellent critical praise. Spawning club anthems “Find Your Love” and “Over,” it solidified Drake’s hype with berserk, glitchy automation Auto-Tune slow jams and introspective, confession culture trouncing.

GIANT

Kanye West

Notable Work: 808s & Heartbreak

Egocentric rapper Kanye West has had better albums, each one more ammunition explosive, high-flying flamboyantly electric with a larger-than-life razzle-dazzle than their predecessor. But this one had bite: he lost his mother Donda to cosmetic surgery, he broke from his engagement with fiancée Alexis Phifer, and critics had doubted he could drop a successful follow-up in the wake of the epic Graduation, which added an additional six chart topping hits to his repertoire. This time around he unloaded an epitaph that wallowed in self-deprecation, emotional decadence, the pain of car-crash relationship and divvied an introspective meditation on loss through androgynous Vangelis-inspired sci-fi flourishes and sweeping and synth-pop machine-powered braggadocio. The result: followers, B.o.B., Drake and Kid Cudi.

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The world is changing. In this tech-savvy world of ours where sexting is cool and Craigslist killing is in vogue, where online dating is becoming more popular than face-to-face interaction and employers use Skype™ for interviews, you can say we’re lost together. Gone are the simply days where you could simply run to the library or a local bookstore to read celebrated novels and novellas. Now, we have the Kindle as designed by Apple™. And, our conversations are now lacking depth. Instead of simply writing this out, we have gotten accustomed to abbreviating everything. Here are 7 songs we love (and love to hate) that are probably to blame for the C.O.O..L.-ness of abbreviation.

1.

“OMG” by Usher

Seriously, Usher needed a comeback. His newly-found socially conscious grown-ass man swag was embodied in the 2008 lukewarm so-so effort Here I Stand, shifted from stoic father figure to lighthearted balladeer. Despite his latest album Raymond V. Raymond, as inspired by the divorce epic Kramer vs. Kramer, releasing to mixed reviews, it was indeed a step forward from the snapping of piano strings on his last album. “OMG,” an abbreviation for “Oh My God” or “Oh My Gosh,” moved us to the dance floor with its radio arena chants and electro quenched tenor delivery from the R&B prince we’ve grown to love.

2.

“LOL Smiley Face” by Trey Songz

Surprisingly inspiring an answer song from Usher, the tacky titled song with its gimmicky, staccato-repetitive, bouncy-bounce pop pyrotechnics is still making splashes on airwaves everywhere. Why? We don’t know, but there’s got be a reason why so many people are in love with it. We’re still waiting to understand why it became so popular, considering we’ve been laughing out loud by the addition of the smiley face.

3.

“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” by Michael Jackson

One of those rare B-sides that should have been a released single (as with all of the other unreleased songs from Thriller), The King Of Pop’s 1982 tour de force divvied up an amusing post-disco standard. Sampled on numerous occasions by Monica, Kanye West and Donnell Jones to name a few, the up-tempo R&B jam with the funky-synth featured two pretty young things, sisters Janet and Latoya as backup singers. Talking about giving one lucky lady some extra TLC who craves Mike’s tender love and care, we are still rocking out to a record that is nearly 30 years old. Long live the king.

4.

“U.N.I.T.Y.” by Queen Latifah

Man, was Dana Owens feisty! Before she went on to become a banking black Hollywood powerhouse in films Set It Off, Life Support and Chicago, Queen Latifah was the reigning sovereign of hip-hop. Her landmark All Hail The Queen launched a post-feminist movement in hip-hop but it was her third album Black Reign, was her most dynamic record (and most successful). The hit U.N.I.T.Y. which sampled The Crusaders’ “Message from the Inner City,” totally changed the landscape of the male dominated hip-hop culture and won her the coveted Best Solo Rap Performance award at the 37^th Grammy’s (over Snoop Doggy Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” no less). We’ve been coming together every summer since at barbecues, blasting this hip-hop and rap classic.

5.

“O.P.P.” by Naughty by Nature

Are you down? No, we’re not talking about the Ontario Provincial Police but other people’s… er, property. The demurely ambiguous second “P” is now iconic and has been parodied hundreds of times over, most famously “Down wit’ MTV” for hip-hop emblem Yo! MTV Raps. Why? Well, imagine if you will, one having the willingness to have sex with someone in a relationship with their significant other… No wonder why its notorious! The infectious single released in the fall of ’91 by Naughty By Nature, that sampled Melvin Bliss’ “Synthetic Substitution,” “Oh Honey” by Brit one-hit-wonders Delegation and the No. 1 Jackson 5 smash hit “ABC,” turned a bunch of baseball-bat-wielding droogs into accidental hip-hop legends.

6.

“YMCA” by The Village People

Disco fever was in full effect when this 1978 novelty hit sports arenas around the globe. Six men were to blame: a biker, a cop, a cowboy, a construction worker, a Native American, and a G.I. The result was one of the most ambiguous and catchy songs of all time. Heterosexual leader singer Victor Willis penned the song allegedly after reflecting on activities that cater to young inner city black youth like basketball and swimming at the Young Men’s Christian Association. But the band of boys, who sprang to fame from their lair in the underground gay circuit scene, sang the song with a reverie that made others pick up the implication that the tune was a celebration of the YMCA’s rep as a popular cruising and shack-up spot for young gay men. The double entendre is now iconic.

“Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” by Jay-Z

The self proclaimed god of all hop-hop emcees finally cut his teeth. The –izzle lingo that surrounded one of Kanye West’s greatest cuts (sampling The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back”) delivered one of best the rags to riches anthems since Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy,” proving The Blueprint was one for the records. Here, Jay-Z stepped out of the shadows of his regular street swag with a noughties anthem that sparkled like a Sierra Leone blood diamond. Its grit gave us chills and considering it surpassed his debut Reasonable Doubt with flying colors, had less of the Mafiaso shtick and had more of a carefree, naïve child sensibility than previous records.

Ice Cube Says “We Should Stop Being Ashamed Of Who We Are”

Sissy Bounce: Gender-Bending New Orleans Rap Catching On

They are true street goons and bosses, but they also know how to clean up and get their grown man on! Mixing urban trends with high fashion pieces, these trendsetters  know how to get fly.   Zania Black

One of BK’s finest has gone from South Pole to Louis and from Fubu to Ferragamo. This hip-hop all star will teach you a thing or two about being  F-A-B-O-L-O-U-S

Jasmine Hampton

To be a successful rapper you got to keep it gangster, have swag everyone wants, and tell multiple chicks they’re the best you ever had. What if rappers used their birth names on stage…..would you still listen?          Zania Black

She has turned us on with her model looks and head turning style. This georgia peach is more than just a southern bell, but a rising hip-hop style icon in her own way.

-Jasmine Hampton

New artists have emerged mainstream, taking music to the next level. Conquering distinctive sounds that set them apart from the rest, they set trends you can’t help but follow.

Zania Black

Retro R&B + POP+ A HINT of ROCK = NOISETTES

Noisettes have fueled a spark in the U.S. musical genre. The three-piece band including, Dan Smith, Jamie Morrison, and Shingai Shoniwa has caught people of all music genres by storm. Inspired solely by good music, the band reflects all genres of music including the sound of 1960’s heighten R&B and soul, pop, rock and jazz. The lead singer Shingai has been remarkably compared to from the soft and smooth sounds of Diana Ross as well as the soulful sounds of Billie Holiday.

HIP-HOP + TECHNO = LMFAO

Hollywood hip-hop is one way to explain this DJ/rapper group sensation, consisting of Uncle Redfoo and Nephew Sky Blue. The duo constructed a new life of music with their innovative combination of  electro sound, old school hip hop, and  house party anthems. Their current single, “I’m in Miami Trick”, which has 61 editions, depending on what part of town your in and hitting the 53^rd spot on the Billboard, expect to hear a lot more party anthems at your next venue.

GOGO + HIPHOP = WALE

D.C. native Wale, has been making his way into the famous faces of the hip-hop scene, with a goal to take hip-hop back to its inspiring customs. What sets him apart from the rest is his influence of his hometown GoGo music genre. GoGo music has captured the metropolitan area of D.C. in the 70’s and is slowing making its way up north. With the dramatic beat including sounds of cowbells and percussion instruments, a cultural statement may grab a whole new wave of audiences.

In 1995, the Wu-Tang Clan’s most reliable wordsmith, Raekwon the Chef, plated up a delectable entree with the classic Only Built For Cuban Linx. Rae’s homemade cuisine was a creatively designed menu  of Ballantine-battered beats, well-seasoned MC’s and choice cuts of succulent lyricism, all in a glaze of cinematic storytelling. This September will see the table set for his long-anticipated return to form, with Only Built For Cuban Linx II.

It’s been almost six years since Raekwon’s last solo release, The Lex Diamond Story. Now signed to EMI Records and boasting his own imprint, Ice H2O, Raekwon is ready to remind the rap game why he was once so revered. “What held this off, basically, was business. Not only am I an artist that cares about his music, but I also care about what house I’m in and whose handling the product,” reports the 41-year-old about his sabbatical from recording. “It took me a minute to really surf around for the right company.”- Devin Barrett

For the rest of the Raekwon interview check out GIANT’s September 2009 issue in stores now.

Last week was a fun filled, true Summer in NYC week for me.  I spent nearly every evening out celebrating something.  Besides my sister and brother’s birthday at Mr West, a couple of my other highlights were Mel Debarge’s birthday at Hotel Rivington w/ a performance by Ryan Leslie and Ron Brownz, PLUS The Microphone Fiend himself, RAKIM put on a show at Highline Ballroom.  Though I’ve seen him a few times before, each time, especially when he does “Know the Ledge”, gets me hyped.  U-God opened the show and Ricky Ross made a surprise appearance.

“Cause I get loose and I got troops… and crazy JUICE!”

Saturday, I found myself at a cookout in Long Island.  The house look like something on MTV Cribs.  Took a trip to the bathroom and…say word, the wall paper is GUCCI.  I had to share.

a portrait of our lovely hostess, Esther

Some of the hottest flicks from back-in-the-day are paving the way for the fashion, music, and overall culture of the present and future era. The iconic movie characters that rocked the clothes, drove the dopest rides, and had the flyest kicks are inspiring the hottest stars in the game. With so many genres GIANT profiles the era of the “hip-hop” flicks from the early 90′s and replaces the stars of yesteryear with today’s trendsetting celebs.

Is hip-hop’s rising rap mogul on the verge of having his own TV show? Soulja Boy may have “cranked that” so much, you might see the young artist on TV sooner than you think. The 18-year-old  entrepreneur tweeted on his twitter blog about his possible project…

“Just got off the phone with my agent…I’m getting my own TV show!”

No further details about the TV show have ben revealed. However, last year the rapper was rumored to hook up with GIANT cover star Nick Cannon and the Nickelodeon station TEENick for a TV series that he would also be starring in.

However this wont be the first time a hip-hop artist thought their swag was good enough to turn on the small screen.

Now, Oscar-nominated actor Will Smith, tried his hand at the small screen. Before becoming the star of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Big Willie was a part of the Philadelphia rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Much to his television success, Smith moved forward in his rap and acting career, receiving several awards and nominations, turning him into a household name.

Ladies loved LL Cool J so much that his rap lyrics helped romance his way into a TV show. In The House provided Cool J with another presence and fan base as an ex-NFl football player who looked after a single mother and her two kids. LL branched out from music into serious acting, acquiring several movies under his belt.

Public Enemy member and hip-hop’s most beloved hype man, Flava Flav took over the reality TV world when VH1 created Flava Of Love. The show casted woman who were trying to prove their love for the rapper. Flava Of Love held its own in the reality TV world with three seasons, never letting the world forget the infamous “Flava Flaaaaaav!”

So with an already roster-filled presence in the TV world, hopefully Soulja Boy will be able to continue the success of rappers turned TV stars.

Jeremy Clayton

If you’re just not the type to rock out with Guitar Hero, and you want a little bit more flavor to your video gaming, then Xbox 360 might have exactly what you’re looking for. For all you hip-hop heads, Def Jam is introducing Rapstar, a Guitar Hero type video game that lets you rhyme alongside your favorite Def Jam rapper. The game is being developed for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and the Wii. According to Def Jam Interactive: “This is more than just a music game, this is a game that really incorporates all of the crucial elements of this lifestyle. It’s not just about music, it’s about swagger.” 

-Jeremy Clayton

From the movie set to the photo shoot for his May ’09 feature story in GIANT, Common’s always on point. Check him out in the exclusive video below.   

CLICK HERE TO READ AN EXCERPT FROM OUR MAY ’09 FEATURE STORY WITH COMMON!

CLICK HERE TO SEE COMMON’S PHOTOS FROM HIS GIANT MAGAZINE SHOOT! 

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO GIANT! 

In the face of the current economic climate and state of the rap music industry, some major retailers have chosen to price hip-hop music according to lyrical content, GIANT has learned exclusively. Under this new pricing system, rap music from the Northeastern and Western  parts of the country will retain their regular pricing due to the fact that their music is more lyrical, while music from the South will sell for only $1. Prices for Midwest rap albums will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.    

“Since Southern rap music contains no lyrical merit at all, we feel that we should price it accordingly. It’s similar to purchasing a vehicle. You pay more for the higher quality,” said Peter Stevenson, VP of Strategic Marketing for Onyx Distribution.

The strategy stems from retailers being left with boxes of CDs from one-hit wonders whose records stopped flying off the shelves once their buzz died down. The music pricing plan is expected to kick in this Fall, in time for Back-to-School season and continue on into the holiday shopping season. “We’re trying this first with rap music,” stated Stevenson. “If it’s successful, then we’ll apply it to other genres.”

For a complete listing of the new prices for upcoming rap albums, click here.

GIANT loves rappers, but every so often they need a reality check, which we delivered via the Reality Rap series. We wrote and you responded. Check out some of the “best” comments from series here:

1suaveguy on  ”Has Jay-Z Finally Lost ‘It’?”

black people, please look at who is writing this article.

I mean this will be seen as “racist” or whatever, but seriously – hip hop is being taken over by these culture vultures, who don’t really appreciate or respect our culture, all they know is that hip hop is “cool” so they latch on.

Ariel on Hip-Hop Is On Drugs

Truth is most creative minds used drugs not only to cope with hardships (which they expressed in their work) but also to tap into the free flow of thought the conscious mind doesn’t allow. Countless poets, artists, musicians have taken this mental journey. Basquiat, Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Doors, Poe and Baudelaire etc. experimented with Absinthe.

Fallennlove08 on 10 Things Hip-Hop Taught Me

LOL. U too funny boi. That number 4 though. U definitely got it. I just think too many people try to promote themselves by starting a beef with somebody for no apparent reason. Ignorant asses. And u definitely aint cool or worth nothing if u aint been shot or if u aint in the “game”.

123D123 on Dancing With the Female Rap Stars

I really do love [Lil] Kim, but what’s goin on with her, I’m just wondering. Not only too many surgeries, but wow, she’s as yellow as I am… Kim cut it out right now, I’m missin the old you real bad right about now.

AngryCornFlakes on Hip-Hop Is On Drugs

Lets face it Dmx, Raekwon, Method Man, Redman, Fabolous amongst MANY UNNAMED others have done their best work stoned or coked up we applaud them to their face but whisper behind their backs but this has been the case throughout history what sane man you know runs around in a lightning storm flying a kite…

brainsnbeautyn1 on Has Jay-Z Finally Lost ‘It’?

Jay just needs to do apperances you know pop up on someelse’s albums everynow and then and drop a hot verse or two……like swagga like us dats bout all he needs to do now………………he needs to get in touch wit the other aspects of his intellect such as his business grind which has tremendous potential.

89753 on 10 Things Hip-Hop Taught Me

I think that Pac was going to live a very short life any way, rap just assisted in that. Any time you put “THUG LIFE” across your stomach then promote it like that, then yea of course. But I happen to be a very big fan of Pac in Biggie so dont get me wrong, I just belive in calling a spade a spade.

YOURNAWTEEGIRL on Dancing With the Female Rap Stars

WHY IS EVERYONE COMMENTING ON KIM AND NOT THE REST? WE ALREADY KNEW KIM WAS A CRAZY AZZ CHICK WITH A JACKED UP FACE I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOXY DROP ANOTHER ALBUM…I DIG RAH DIGGA AS WELL AND EVE FOR THAT MATTER

fannieonly1 on Hip-Hop Is on Drugs

Not that I agree with the use of drugs. My point is for some reason, people look at a hip hop artist and gets ready to determine the worst, when an artist on drugs is an artist on drugs. It ain’t got nothing to do with hip hop.

Saintjamesufc1 on Has Jay-Z Finally Lost ‘It’?

he shoula stayed retired. i HATE his new stuff. the only “new” song that i really like was show me what u got. after that i was like he’s sliding and has been “forcing” his relevancy on hip hop for the past FEW albums. He used to be T bone steak juicy well done. he still his steak but is just burnt blankend steak…and who wants that? not me…HE’s Done

wouldyouwithme on Has Jay-Z Finally Lost ‘It’?

You guys are hating. Hov shouldn’t retire. No one else is ready to take his place. Where you say he’s lost it I say he’s matured. Who else you know been hot this Long?

Now, tell us what YOU think of THESE COMMENTS!

Today, March 9, 2009 marks the 12 year anniversary of the death of Christopher Wallace a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls.

The rapper was gunned down in Los Angeles after leaving an awards show in 1997. His murder remains unsolved to this day.

Regarded as one of the best rappers to ever do it, Smalls was a an inspiration to many of today’s most prolific MCs including his Brooklyn affiliate Jay-Z.

GIANT remembers The Notorious B.I.G. today and mourns his death but also celebrates his life. Like the saying goes, we’ll always love Big Poppa. Check out some of our favorite Biggie classics below.

“Juicy”

“Warning”

“Dolly My Baby (Remix)”

For more B.I.G., click here to see our We” Always Love Big Poppa Gallery!

Then click here to watch our exclusive behind-the-scenes video with the cast of Notorious!

Then click here to watch dream hampton’s intimate video with B.I.G.!

And click here to see our Notorious movie photo gallery!

In 1999 Somali spoken word artist/rapper K’naan performed a poem at the United Nations criticizing the organization for their failed support during the Somali conflict. His piece was met with critical reaction, and K’naan decided to pursue a career in music. In 2005 he released his debut record The Dusty Foot Philosopher (BMG Music) and last week, his latest effort, Troubadour (A&M/OctoScope Music).

GIANT caught up with the Somali MC to discuss his take on America’s hoods, life in Somalia and his evolution as an artist.

GIANT: In your song “If Rap Gets Jealous“, you were calling American rappers out. What constitutes a real gangster to you and have you been to the “hoods” of America?

K’naan: I lived in a lot of them. I lived in southeast [Washington] D.C. when it was considered the capitol of murder, and the hoods of Minnesota and Ohio. And I live in New York, in Harlem.

You were well versed in it.

Yeah. And Toronto. It’s not taking away anything from how that struggle is. You know that struggle and it’s relevant.

Talk a bit about your time in Mogadishu, Somalia and what your experience was. How old were you when you came to America?

I was 13 or 14.

So you came at the cusp of your adolescence, how did that influence you?

My time there was two distinct worlds. One was before the age of 11. It was just beautiful. We really lived in this majestic ideal of a world, and it was a world that was around me but I knew it was created around me. I was around poets. My grandfather was a poet. My aunties, all of these artists. I lived in this period, and when I turned 11, there things that were happening around us and to us that began to affect us to my conscious of how we lived in Somalia. What I thought of the country. like we’d hear about friends who got killed, who got shot. There was a moment when I thought I found a grenade. This is a well documented story, I don’t know if you ever heard of it. I found a grenade and some friends and I were playing with it and we accidently pulled the pin out. We didn’t get killed, but the screw blew up. The thing about close proximity to grenades as it blows over you. Things like were happening at 11, and then the war came when I was 13. It was an influential time in my life.

How did you doing spoken word at the U.N. turn into you doing hip-hop?

It just kind of makes sense for a certain type of emotion – aggression and a certain kind of discontent. Also not wanting to resort to an emotional collapse. If you sing, certain emotions can collapse you but if you can rap you’re still very much in defiance. You haven’t succumb to your emotions. That’s why.

Is there a hip-hop scene in Somalia?

I’m the first and now there are people coming up. Not in Somalia – abroad, out here. Somalians are starting to look at it as an expression, but in Somalia they’re very strict about art. So they don’t really. They’re like, “Rap. That’s really joke music.”

In other cultures, they have healthy hip-hop scenes.

They have it in Kenya, South Africa. They have it all around Africa except for Somalia. Somalia is… “We do serious stuff.” That’s the kind of vision they have.

How do you incorporate Somali music and sounds?

In Somalia, even the older ones don’t really think of my music as rap. For some reason they completely deny it. They’re like, “We hate rap, but this is different.” They’ll put me in another. There’s also some guys trying come up doing rap, but they don’t like them. “Cause it’s how you say what you say to Somalians that matter the most. Your level of articulation. If it isn’t incredible, they’re not messing with you at all.

What was the evolution from The Dusty Foot Philosopher to Troubadour?

I don’t like to repeat myself musically. Dusty Philosopher had a lot of critical success even though it didn’t sell a lot of copies. A lot of people were like this is the thing. It would have been easy to repeat that but that’s dishonest to do that. It’s also been four years since that’s been released let alone recorded. It was recorded years before it’s release. All these years of travel and growth, a lot of massive changes in my life, musically there has to have been some change and shifts and reflection. Of course there’s real strong sounds in this album as well. In “People like Me” there’s some heavy subject matter in this album, but I also love optimism. I feel like “Dreamer” was a good moment because naivety wins. It’s a beautiful moment for naivety because we become so cynical we’ve confused  for intelligence. If you’re not cynical, you’re not that smart. I like the opposite of that.

Now that you’re reaching a mainstream market, how do you think your audience is going to respond to your other worldliness? How do you think the western audience is going to take your being Muslim?

I’m on MTV with songs like… It’s a different kind of MTV. I’m carving a different kind of MTV. They came to this. I didn’t go to them. If I did, it would have been a completely different guy on TV. The thing is that I think my audience will come along. Fans have been like, “We can’t wait for you to win.” They’ve always been emotionally invested, and like, “This should be heard.” I’m starting to be heard and I thinks that like a celebratory thing for them.

- Nazneen Patel

K’naan’s sophomore album Troubadour is available now at music retailers and iTunes.

ATL rapper B.O.B pretty much sums up the wackness that comes with overuse of Auto-Tune in the hilarious spoof video below.

Any New Yorker knows that hip-hop is homegrown. Not so, says a University of New Mexico professor. According to the academic, rap’s roots were planted in medieval Scotland. Controversial theory? Or logical common sense?

From an article published in the Telegraph:

Professor Ferenc Szasz argued that so-called rap battles, where two or more performers trade elaborate insults, derive from the ancient Caledonian art of “flyting”.

According to the theory, Scottish slave owners took the tradition with them to the United States, where it was adopted and developed by slaves, emerging many years later as rap.

Professor Szasz is convinced there is a clear link between this tradition for settling scores in Scotland and rap battles, which were famously portrayed in Eminem’s 2002 movie 8 Mile.

He said: “The Scots have a lengthy tradition of flyting – intense verbal jousting, often laced with vulgarity, that is similar to the dozens that one finds among contemporary inner-city African-American youth.

“Both cultures accord high marks to satire. The skilled use of satire takes this verbal jousting to its ultimate level – one step short of a fist fight.”

I’m in St. Louis for the holidays. And like anyone from St. Louis knows, the most important detail for every STLien is where we went to high school. (Clayton High School, stand up! Greyhounds! Ladue High is some punks!!!) Needless to say, my best hip-hop memories are from those years in school—between 1998 and 2002 (though, whoa, did 2001 suck hard for rap). So here are the songs that helped get me through those days of endless homework and awkward make-out sessions.

1998

“Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” – Jay-Z

“Back That Azz Up” – Juvenile

“Da Art of Storytellin’ (Part 2)” – OutKast

“How Ya Do Dat” – Young Bleed

“Gimme Some More” – Busta Rhymes

“I’ll Be Dat!” – Redman

“Definition” – Black Star

1999

“Get Rich to This” – Goodie Mob

“We On Fire” – Hot Boys

“85″ – Youngbloodz

“Forget About Dre” – Dr. Dre

“Any Man” – Eminem

“You Got Me” – The Roots

“Hate Me Now” – Nas

2000

“Move Somethin’” – Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek

“Heat” – Common

“Cherchez LaGhost” – Ghostface Killah

“Ebonics” – Big L

“Who Run It” – Three 6 Mafia

“It Ain’t Part II” – Scarface

“Oooh” – De La Soul

“Country Grammar (Hot Shit) – Nelly

2001

“Girls, Girls, Girls” – Jay-Z

Seems like Nat King Cole has been busy lately. Apparently, he’s spent the last several months in the studio with some of hip-hop’s most brilliant artists, such as Nas, The Roots, Just Blaze, Cee-Lo, and will.i.am, who have all brought their distinct styles to some of Cole’s most memorable recordings for RE: Generations (Capitol/EMI). This collabo will also feature some of the biggest names in Latin, reggae and rock, creating a colorful mash-up of two centuries.

Capitol/EMI will release RE: Generations in March of ’09; here is a peak at the track listing.

TRACK                                             FEATURING

1.  Lush Life                                            Cee-Lo
2.  Straighten Up and Fly Right              will.i.am & Natalie Cole
3.  Day In Day Out                                  Cut Chemist
4.  Brazilian Love Song                           Michaelangelo L’Acqua & Bebel Gilberto
5.  The Game of Love                             Nas & Salaam Remi
6.  Walkin’ My Baby Back Home              The Roots
7.  Hit That Jive, Jack                              Souldiggaz & Izza Kizza
8.  Calypso Blues                                    Stephen & Damian Marley
9.  More and More of Your Amour         Bitter:Sweet
10. El Choclo                                          Brazilian Girls
11. Pick-up                                            Just Blaze
12. Anytime Anyday Anywhere               Amp Fiddler
13. Nature Boy                                       TV On The Radio

-Candace Johnson

Black Milk’s first single off Tronic (Fat Beats Records) flaunts the production and rhyme skills of our boy. Pick up the LP asap, if you haven’t yet.

If you’re in the area and what to see what all of the hype’s about, check out Los Angles via New Orleans brothers The Knux at New York City’s S.O.B’s on Tuesday November 11th. Details after the jump.

There are moments when it is necessary to shut the radio and put on some old school—perhaps it’s comforting, perhaps it’s medicinal—to get that time-tested quality boom-bip. So, let’s go back…way back…back in time and recreate that magic with the Legends of Rap trading cards.

Illustrated by Tobias Crafczyk, these high-quality cards include portraits, bios and discographies of hip-hop pioneers such as Kool DJ Herc, Busy Bee, Whodini, Dougie Fresh, Treacherous Three, Melle Mel, Cold Crush Brothers, Funky Four Plus One, Kurtis Blow, DJ Red Alert, Roxanne Shante, and more. There are 32 trailblazers in total, offering up hours of entertainment. Impress your friends, up your hip-hop trivia. For example: Did you know that that “Planet Rock” was inspired by arcade games, and MC G.L.O.B.E. used a new slow-motion rap technique he called MC popping to create one of the greatest hits in hip-hop music? Did you know LL Cool J was signed to Def Jam at 16 and made $700 for the hit “I Need a Beat?”

The illustrations capture timeless looks such as Kool Moe Dee’s signature sunglasses, Run DMC in classic no-lace Adidas, and LL Cool J rockin’ the infamous Kangol and thick rope gold chain (with three fly ladies clocking him). Imported from Germany, these funky fresh cards are available now at turntablelab.com for $45.

-Candace Johnson