RapStation

Doomtree's Mike Mictlan Interview Part I The Real Story: What Was Really Going on During the Making of SNAXX By Kyle Eustice Doomtree's Mike Mictlan doesn’t drink coffee, which is surprising considering the moment he steps on stage his energy level is through the roof. While he appears jovial and carefree on the surface, Mictlan has been through a hell of a lot–hella frreal. The California native has been on a fast track since emerging with the Minneapolis hip-hop collective in 2005. Through all the ups and downs in his life—broken home, substance abuse issues and crazy ex-girlfriends—music has been his catharsis. With each album, Mictlan shows his growth as both an artist and human being. His most recent effort, Hella Frreal, dropped October 27 and is another colorf

As Hail Mary Mallon, Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic is a force to reckon with. The duo has just dropped their latest effort via Rhymesayers on November 10. Titled Bestiary, it's Hail Mary Mallon's second full-length album. According to a press release, "With both Aesop & Rob sharing production duties, the album is laden with hypnotic beats ranging from dense & murky to melodic & twisting, all complemented by the cutting precision of turntablist DJ Big Wiz." The pair has also just announced the Bestiary Tour, which kicks off January 2015. Stones Throw's Homeboy Sandman joins them as support along the entire route. Tickets for all dates go on sale this Friday, Nov 14th! ** The first two videos for the first two singles off Bestiary are "Jonathan" and "Kiln," and

Hip-Hop has progressed leaps and bounds from its inception as a male dominated art form. From man, woman, and child, the game has been blessed with some incredible talent. From Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Jean Grae, to the burgeoning skills of Rapsody and Nitty Scott, MC, among others, the women of Hip-Hop have shown, and proved, in effort to break free from the industry's stigma of what it takes to succeed. Bringing together a new wave of versed wordsmiths on the mic for a lethal trifecta, the incredible DJ JS-1 unites Dynasty, Eternia and Sara Kana to do their thing on "Give A Damn." DJ JS-1's latest album, It Is What It Isn't, is now on CD through Fat Beats and UGHH, and available for download via iTunes, and all major digital retailers.

Hail Mary Mallon, the Rhymesayers trio of Rob Sonic, Aesop Rock and DJ Big Wiz, is getting ready to drop its newest album, Bestiary. It is available for streaming now and is accompanied by a tantalizing visual background. The album officially drops Monday, November 10. Preorders are available at fifthelement.com, rhymesayers.com and other online retailers such as iTunes and Amazon. Digital pre-orders will receive instant downloads of the singles, "Kiln" and "Jonathan." If you pre-order from Fifth Element, you could win exclusive Hail Mary Mallon merch, including autographs from both Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic. On April 20, 2011, Rhymesayers released Hail Mary Mallon's debut album Are You Going to Eat That?

The Sage Francis Interview Part II By Kyle Eustice Many Copper Moons ago, we posted round one of our interview with the mighty Sage Francis. Since then, the Providence, Rhode Island emcee has been circling the globe in support of his latest album, Copper Gone, which dropped this summer. At the time of the interview, he was still putting the finishing touches on the record. After repeated listens to the finished product, it's safe to say it's one of Uncle Sage's boldest effort to date. From frenetic album opener "Pressure Cooker" and the quintessential diss track "Cheat Code" to the incredibly poignant "Thank You" and heart-wrenching "Make Em Purr," he takes the listener through a wide range of emotional journeys in fourteen brilliantly constructed tracks. Sage may be getting

Following the critically acclaimed Pillars EP with MindsOne, Kev Brown teams up again with Ill Adrenaline Records, this time collaborating with fellow Low Budget Crew member Hassaan Mackey to bless listeners with That Grit. Both the Landover, MD based producer-on-the-mic and the Rochester, NY emcee are longtime members of the prolific artist collective and have previously worked together various times, but this mini-album marks the first time the two embark on a full project. Most boom-bap enthusiasts should already be well acquainted with both Kev Brown and Hassaan Mackey: double threat Kev Brown already showcased his skills on microphones as well as production boards on countless releases and has been dubbed "king of basslines" by fans worldwide. In addition to his solo recordings Kev