RapStation

“There are few names more highly regarded in the pantheon of hip hop than Public Enemy,” writes the headline on the Asphalt Yacht Club web page, “Their aggressive beats, untouchable lyricism, and unmistakable style defined a new generation of street culture.”

Introducing the all-new AYC x Public Enemy collection: The latest line of quality threads donned under Asphalt Yacht Club. Presented through all-new tees, hoodies, beanies, reflective prints, and coaches jackets, AYC offers a step back to the glorious classics, as the rap collective so vehemently embodied.

Their newest collection specifically targets to “channel the raw power of the group in a collection that celebrates the timeless message of some of the boldest and most eclectic s

Jedi Mind Tricks, an Army of Pharaohs, and a laundry list of alter-egos—This week's Rap Station Spotlight Artists is all of the above, and all of that makes manifest with one artist.

Italian-American rapper Vinnie Paz began making a name for himself as chief lyricist behind the Philadelphia-based underground hip hop group, Jedi Mind Tricks, whose album Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell showcased Paz's unfiltered thoughts towards politics and world issues, while 

On this day, the Beastie Boys released their groundbreaking debut album Licensed To Ill in 1986, making this day in Hip-hop its 30^th year anniversary.

Born out of hip hop's Golden Age in New York City, the iconic punk-turned-rap group erupted onto the scene with their high-voltage songs topped off with their energy-overdosed antics, making their debut a tremendously memorable event, both in hip hop and music in its entirety.

Symbolic to their mischievous persona, the artwork featured a Boeing 727 crashed onto a mountainside, portraying the illusion of an extinguished

Los Angeles-based artist Diamond Ortiz is on the brink of releasing of his latest project, Loveline. As a connoisseur of G-Funk and boogie, the 31-year-old mastermind has carved out a comfortable niche for himself in his home state. Similar to artists like Dam Funk or The Zapp Band, Ortiz has perfected the use of a talkbox, which gives his voice a more robotic sound. In Part I of the RAPstation interview, he talked about his origins and how he fell in love funk. In Part II, he talks about his move to Los Angeles from the Bay Area, working with Nipsey Hussle and “no biting.” 

RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): Why did you make the move to Los Angeles? Did you not find what you were looking for in the Bay Area?

Diamond Ortiz

This day in Hip-hop recognizes the birth of the iconic Earl Stevens, better known as the critically-acclaimed West Coast emcee, E-40.

First taking to the scene as a member of his group, The Click, debuting with their EP Let's Side, which only marked about a year following the West Coast emcee's high school graduation. In 1993, E-40 made his official solo debut upon releasing his memorable 9-track LP, Federal—both of which released under his own independent label, Sick Wid' It Records.

Upon moving back to his hometown in Vallejo, California, E-40 continued progressing both as a solo and collaborative artist, releasing hits like his 1995 album In a Major Way, which charted at #13 on the US Billboard 

Common's Black America Again was already packed with guest artists, but the "I Used to Love H.E.R." rapper wasn't satisfied yet, as he's added Gucci Mane and Pusha T to his list of collaborators with a new remix of his latest album's title track.

"Black America Again," which tackles issues of race and prejudice, gets even more politically charged with the addition of verses by Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane and GOOD music president Pusha T, who use their personal experiences to highlight the never ending problem of racism in America. "Come look into the eyes of a man named Gucci/ Got me peeping out the blinds like Malcolm with the uzi... The government, the church, and the world is so polluted/ They callin' me a criminal, and I'