Chuck D

Let Fury Have the Hour Revists the Dark Days of Reagan-Thatcher to Paint a Bright Future

Moving crap from one corner of my garage to another a couple weekends ago, I set my eyes for the first time in years on an OC Weekly cover tied to a story I'd written. It was an illustration of Ronald Reagan with the headline "The President Who Created Punk Rock" (or something like that; I'm too laz ... More >>

Five Songs That Prove Why Sublime Still Matters

The story of Long Beach's most successful band rarely emphasizes its multicultural roots, its ability to seamlessly blend disparate genres or its importance in creating a globally appealing pop sound out of a mass of local musical influences. Instead, most considerations of ska-punk outfit Sublime f ... More >>

Top 10 Black Artists Who Should Go Country

[Editor's note: Country Time is a new biweekly column for our sister music blog in Seattle, celebrating that city's favorite musical genre: mainstream country.]  By: Mike SeelySee Also:*Kanye West and 50 Cent's 9/11/07 Album Showdown Revisited*Five Artists (Besides Lil Wayne) Who Think New York ... More >>

Top 10 Rock Star Backup Vocal Collabortions

Every now and then, rockstars align to bring us a classic we never saw coming. No matter what the genre, you have plenty of examples of two (sometimes three or more) powerhouses coming together to back each other up with a set of voices that are usually so different that they sound like they were ma ... More >>

We Check Up on the Long Beach Addresses in Sublime's Riot Song "April 29, 1992 (Miami)"

Yesterday marked 20 years since the acquittal of four LAPD officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King incited several days of violence and looting in South Central Los Angeles. But it's also been 20 years since a similarly motivated uprising erupted in nearby Long Beach, resulting in numerous ... More >>

Kreayshawn at the Observatory Last Night

​Kreayshawn The Observatory Dec. 30, 2011 Having been to more shows than I can count in 2011, last night's Kreayshawn gig at the Observatory in Santa Ana was definitely was one of my most eagerly anticipated of the year. With all the hype (both good and bad) that surrounded the pint-sized rapper, ... More >>

Top Five Worst Black Rappers Ever

​I bet seeing Chuck D's photo below the headline "Top Five Worst Black Rappers Ever" almost made you shit your shorts, huh? Believe me, I love Chuck D. I just put him up there to grab your attention.Remember when I wrote this post about the top five worst white rappers ever? And then remember how ... More >>

Oh, Say Can You Hear: 10 Songs That Should Be Our New National Anthem

20th Century Fox​"The Star-Spangled Banner" has an image problem. That is, no one likes it.Oh sure, everyone respects and reveres what it stands for, what it evokes in us as nation and as a people. But no one really admires it on its merits as song, and singers and sports fans have long detested t ... More >>

Ice Cube On Being the Architect of Gangsta Rap

10 Questions with Kool Keith

​Kool Keith is a man of many mysteries, many personalities and, of course, many surprises. Since the twilight years of hip hop's Golden Era, Keith (aka Black Elvis, aka Dr. Octagon) has held the torch for rappers who dare to be different, and a little eccentric. You'll definitely get a taste of th ... More >>

What You Missed: Street Scene, Los Cojolites, OC Beer Fest

Beth StirnamanBadass gramps.​We had quite possibly the shittiest weather for a weekend full of outdoor activities--with temperatures reaching into the triple digits, we spent our weekend, well, kind of constantly moist. But that's okay: We trudged on. For you, our readers. For. You.First up, on Fr ... More >>

12 Things I'll Always Remember About Street Scene '09

Beth Stirnaman​It's Monday morning and another Street Scene is officially in the books. And while it's important to note that this parking lot extravaganza of fog-filled stages, oddly eclectic line-ups, mind-altering drugs and festival food has reached it's 25th year, it's also worth mentioning th ... More >>

Street Scene Favorites This Weekend....Any Thoughts?

​It's not much, but consider this meager post the first preemptive stitch to our coverage of the Street Scene '09 festival happening in Sand Diego this weekend, Aug. 28-29. Before you say anything, we know that San Diego is not in Orange County. Though it could be argued that some cities at the as ... More >>

[Coachella 2009] Everything New Is Old Again--and Vice Versa

TONIGHT: Crown City Bombers at the Continental Room

Though as you can see from the image to the left, spelling might not be the Continental Room in Fullerton's strong suit, they're still reliable when it comes to putting on a good show. Especially on an eerily quiet night like this, when there really doesn't seem to be much else going on (what's up w ... More >>

[CD Review] Nelly, 'Brass Knuckles' (Derrty Ent, Universal)

Accidents Will Rappin'

How Sparrow Love Crew became the indie rocker's Jurassic 5

Musical Trash Compactor

The Go! Team Create Funtastic Mash-ups for People Who Don’t Like Mash-ups

Cream of Elite

Sporting perhaps the greatest hip-hop bill ever, Rock the Bells enshrines rap's history—and foreshadows its future

Why Isn't There More Classic Rap Radio?

Chuck D: Give this man a Classic Rap radio program, stat! Way back in 1991, I made a prediction that the airwaves would be saturated with Classic Rap Radio by the late '90s/early '00s. That sparkling future obviously hasn't come to pass. Although there are a few such stations on the 'Net (here and ... More >>

Soul Contrarians

Liqdzunshine ain't your father's hip-hop crew, but they may be your mother's

Diary of a Mad County

Dec. 6-Dec. 12

VH1 Is a Joke

Public Enemy

The Creator Has a Master Plan

X Clan back from the East, blackwards

Get Out!

May 4 - May 11: Take It Out and Let Me See It

America, Fuck Yeah!

Manners, shock value, traditional values and freedom of speech all collide in Fuck: A Fuckumentary

Letters

Live Previews

Taj Mahal and the Secret of the Blues

Pale Blues

Scorsese series lacks mojo

My Elvis Weighs a Ton

Public Enemy: still angry after all these years

Sugar High

Power pop rules at the IPO

Cashed Out

Renegades of Funk

And jazz. And soul. And blues. And rock

Talib Kweli & Hi-TekReflection EternalPriority Rawkus

Anger Is a Gift

Rage Against the Machine