RapStation

News

DJ Rasta Root: The RAPstation Interview

A Tribe Called Quest has been all over the internet lately thanks to the legendary hip-hop group's recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon. Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Phife Dawg and Jarobi are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 1998 debut, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. DJ Rasta Root (real name Dion Liverpool) has had front row tickets for the past 16 years as Phife Dawg's DJ. Born in Trinidad, he relocated to Atlanta where he found success on the radio, club, and corporate event scene. As accomplished producer, he owns a production label, Smokin' Needles Records, and has composed tracks for the Dallas Mavericks. He was hand selected to attend the Red Bull Music Academy in Rome, Italy in 2004, one of his proudest moments. Rasta Root talks getting his

Read more

Rihanna to release her new album via Tidal

Rihanna will reportedly be releasing her new album 'Anti' exclusively via Tidal. There's been speculation about when the singer would release her latest album after she launched a new website for it on November 19. Consequence of Sound announced that the album will be streamed on Tidal, with a wide release planned for December 4th. Rihanna posted a video as well as a link to antidiary.com on her social media last week. Her website features the phrase Patience. "You'll hear her voice when it's time" on the homepage with links to an Instagram called "iamthekeyholder" featuring drawings of a young Rihanna in cities across the globe. It's believed that keys are hidden in those locations, which unlock more images. The Samsung logo is displayed on the website as well and it was recently

Read more

A Few Words with MC Lars

A Few Words with MC Lars In 2003, MC Lars, the self-described "post-punk laptop rapper" went overseas to further study literature at Oxford University and also learned to embrace the nerd inside of him. To his surprise, the punk rock and hardcore bands he was hanging out with at the time were fascinated by the rap he was making so he decided to pursue it with all the fervor he could muster. While bands like Fugazi, Minor Threat and Dead Kennedys have played a major role in his particular style, the foundation for his brand of hip-hop is more in tune with classic literature and Lars's cerebral muscle. From Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe to Jack Kerouac and Herman Melville, he's rapped about subjects most emcees wouldn't dream of tackling. His most recent offering, Zombie Dinosaur,

Read more

Peewee Roscoe found guilty in Lil Wayne tour bus shooting

Earlier this year in April, shots had been fired at Lil Wayne's tour bus while he was in Atlanta, Georgia. At the time, Lil Wayne had also been sorting out the issues with Birdman and Cash Money on top of the shooting. Now, the man who is responsible for the shooting has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that rapper Peewee Roscoe, born Jimmy Carlton Winfrey, was found to be guilty of five charges and has received an overall sentence of 20 years. After 10 years behind bars, Winfrey will then be eligible for parole. The shooting happened in the early morning hours of April 26th, after Weezy had performed a show at Compound nightclub in Atlanta. Two tour buses were targeted on the freeway, but no one was hurt. Winfrey caused an estimated $

Read more

Nolan The Ninja: The RAPstation Review

First impressions count for everything. It's how we form opinions. From that point forward we hold on to it, measuring other experiences against it. It's what I do with new MC's/Producers. If you hook me in with an ill verse or dope beat I'm looking into your catalog of music to see if the thrill can be repeated. That's what happened in the case of Nolan The Ninja. I heard him on DJ Soko's "Domino Effect" and was stunned by his lyrical dexterity and commanding flow. The kid came with it. I had to search out more material from him and was pleased to hear he'd be dropping an EP on Soko's Left Of Center label. I pre-ordered on iTunes and began the waiting game hoping not to be disappointed when it dropped. I'm incredibly glad to report its nothing but a masterpiece of Rap. "Fuck The Hype"

Read more

Kendrick Lamar may never tour To Pimp A Butterfly again

Kendrick Lamar has suggested he may not continue to perform material from his latest album 'To Pimp A Butterfly' once his current US tour comes to an end. Lamar released his critically acclaimed album earlier in the year, but only chose to perform a handful of the new songs live in his sets over the summer, including his appearances at Wireless and Reading & Leeds Festival in the UK. Currently, Lamar is playing more from the record as part of his 'Kunta's Groove' tour in the US where he stopped in New York on November 2. During the performance he spoke to fans between songs, using the time to speak to them about how it has been received and how it will continue on in his future gigs. "This may be the first and last time that I perform 'To Pimp A Butterfly' - [in] eight to 10 citi

Read more