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The career of Royce Da 5’9” does not fit neatly into an archetype storyline. For better or worse, it’s one of a kind. Who else can claim to be an artist who lives in the creative company of giants, and at the same time, accessible to the underground movement that birthed his career? Between Slaughterhouse, PRhyme, and Bad Meets Evil, the Detroit, Michigan MC has three dominant, differently successful groups he co-founded, all pulling from different parts of his skill and personality. That is before Nickel’s extensive solo catalog is even mentioned. On April 15, 2016 Royce will release his sixth studio album, LAYERS, via Bad Half Entertainment/ INgrooves. This will be his first solo album in nearly five years and the very first for his Bad Half imprint, and as the album title su

Santigold’s name has been popping up all over the internet lately as her new album, 99¢, gets ready to hit the masses. The Brooklyn-based artist has been working on it for a long time, basically since her last album, 2012’s Master of My Make-Believe. Santigold, real name Santi White, finds herself in high spirits since the birth of son Radek 22 months ago and the new album reflects that. With uptempo songs like “Can’t Get Enough of Myself” and “Who Be Lovin’ Me” featuring ILOVEMAKONNEN, it’s clear her vibe is playful, but at the same time, she’s diving into some pretty serious topics. True to the album art, which features White packaged in plastic wrap and surrounded by various bargain bin items, the theme of the record is addressing the marketing, ma

Known by millions for keeping her lip gloss popping, for her epic performance in the TLC biopic, and for smashing the music video scene with "Sausage," Lil Mama eloquently asked fans to Take Me Back: the title of her recently released seven-track mixtape (which was released on 12-18-15), which is available for free download at www.iamlilmama.com or at her Soundcloud page. Take Me Back features a throwback futuristic sound reminiscent of the 90's, as Lil Mama cleverly "takes us back" to that hypnotic golden age era of hip-hop saying, “I am really proud of the work that I did on Take Me Back. It was a journey to complete, as I emptied my heart into the music. I infused older tracks and beats and paired them with new content and lyrics.” The nostalgic set also showcases Lil M

Kehlani Parrish, known professionally as Kehlani, was born on April 24, 1995 in Oakland, California. The R&B singer-songwriter is currently signed to Atlantic Records. She achieved initial fame as a member of the teen pop group, PopLyfe, which was a finalist on America’s Got Talent. Kehlani released her first mixtape, Cloud 19, in 2014 which was listed among Complex’s “50 Best Albums of 2014”. Kehlani's second mixtape, You Should Be Here, premiered at number 2 on the national R&B charts in 2015 and preceded her sold-out North American tour. She’s gone on to explain her ethnicity as “black, white, Native American, and hispanic”. Raised by her aunt, due to her father’s early death and her mother coming in and out of prison, she attended

Premiered via EDMTunes and out now on DJ Shadow’s Liquid Amber imprint as the latest of their Digital Dubplates series, the “Trades” release signifies something special for Dj Pound, aka Danny Gonzalez. The Chula Vista, CA native is an artist in rarefied company, a turntablist at heart who identifies with the underground but is at the forefront of the modernized beat-driven, electronic movement. Gonzalez describes his sound as an “instrumental electronic kind of hip hop with really loud booming bass,” and his latest release “Trades,” fits that description perfectly. Featuring innovative and sophisticated sound design from countless hours working with samples in the studio, “Trades” is everything fans have come to expect and love from a Dj Pound anthem. The hard-hitti

Underground Chicago rapper Jelani Lateef (J Fury) has been grinding for the past 10 years, trying to get his brand of hip-hop out into the world. In 2011, he founded Manhood Entertainment and released his debut album My Soul to Keep on the independent imprint in 2013. A year later, he dropped My Soul to Keep 2 and quickly followed up with 2015’s Cold Days and Dark Nights. With thought-provoking and introspective lyrics, his soulful brand of hip-hop aims to enlighten the listener. Much like Kendrick Lamar and The Roots’ Black Thought, Lateef is another breath of fresh air in the often soul-less genre of mainstream rap. With each release, Jelani has garnered more critical acclaim. With album reviews in the Source, Allhiphop.com, Black Minds Magazine, and