RapStation

Cory Scoffern slowly saunters up to the stage on a hot summer day in (of all places) Council Bluffs, Iowa. As the crowd cheers, he seems at home. When he's on the mic, he spits out his lyrics in such a way that he makes it look easy. Better known as "The Grouch," Scoffern has been a part of the California-based, underground hip-hop collective, The Living Legends, since 1996. After multiple studio albums including 2004's Creative Differences and 2008's The Gathering, The Grouch announced a hiatus from the group in June 2012. However, he has gone on to collaborate with fellow Living Legend Eligh Nachowitz numerous times under the name "G&E." In fact, Eligh was one step behind him as The Grouch took the stage last weekend. The pair is getting ready to release their fol

Suicide Kings consists of emcee Joey Knuckles and DJ/Producer King Cole and since there conception in 2011, the group has been steadily moving forward; opening for such acts as Mobb Deep, Demigodz (Apathy & Celph Titled), Tech N9ne, Obie Trice & Heavy Metal Kings (Ill Bill, Vinnie Paz) among others.   In the winter of 2012, Suicide Kings released their first independent album "Reign Supreme" which was quickly followed by a supporting slot on the Demigodz tour. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqwrsa35EqE&feature=youtu.be to watch the video for "Shotcallaz" which also features Demigodz. Since then, the Kings went to work in the studio preparing their sophomore release, "Crown Of Thorns," which was released on 8-1-2013 and is now available for purchase. The album features guest

The small, independent label Fake Four, Inc. has been based in Connecticut since its inception, when brothers Ceschi and David Ramos decided to do things on their own. Since then, it's grown to quite the reputable label and boasts a colorful and well-rounded roster including Awol One, Myka 9 of Freestyle Fellowship, Astronautalis, and Busdriver. It's a tight-knit and talented musical family, which seems to only be getting stronger. Factor has been with Fake Four, Inc. for the past few years. Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, he is in the States quite often touring and working on new music. If the independent label truly is the new blueprint for success, Fake Four is off to an impressive start. Factor took a few minutes during his layover to talk to RAPstation about drugs,

You have heard Grammy Award-winning trumpet player Maurice "Mobetta" Brown before.  After all, he's appeared on LP's from Santigold, Ski Beatz, Prodigy, Talib Kweli, Cee-Lo, Diddy, Musiq Soulchild and countless others; but you heard his trumpet and not his voice. Think Louis Armstrong and his trumpet uploaded for the 21st century to a Hip-Hop beat, and you begin to understand who this young genius is. Maurice is a classically-trained Jazzman mentored and supported by the iconic Wynton Marsalis and the legendary Ramsey Lewis. But "Mobetta" is also a Hip-Hop head for life, and that journey on this planet rock literally parallels the history and evolution of rap. Little wonder that Maurice not only blows the roof off God's sky with his horn, but he also spits lyrics the way Satchmo spit

Atmosphere is probably the biggest independent hip-hop act ever to emerge out of the Midwest. Comprised of emcee Slug (Sean Daley) and producer Ant (Anthony Davis), the Rhymesayers heavy-hitters have been selling out shows for decades. Slug co-founded Rhymsayers Entertainment in 1995 along with Ant, Musab Saad and Brent Sayers. It boasts a colorful roster of artists ranging from Aesop Rock to Brother Ali to P.O.S. of Doomtree. Currently on studio album number 6, Atmosphere has embarked on a massive national tour with Slightly Stoopid and The Living Legends' Eligh and Grouch. He took a few minutes to talk addiction, hip-hop and his accomplishments. RAPstation: Artists like Macklemore and Eligh are very candid about their struggles with addiction. Do you think that could be a new tr

Bay Area icon, The Jacka, and Space Age Entertainment's Dubble-OO team up for the release of their collaborative project, "Futuristic Mob" which promises to have the perfect mixture of The Jacka's signature Mob sound that his fans have grown to love and Dubble-OO's spaced out-futuristic style which speaks to the younger generation that just wants to have fun. The two blend the generational and musical styles perfectly. Originally meeting on at a tour date in Seattle, WA four years ago, The Jacka and Dubble-OO immediately clicked and quickly made plans to work together once they were both back home in the Bay Area. Once in the same area, the two went full-tilt into the studio and began building an undeniable rapport in and outside of the studio - frequently running into each other on the