Jay-Z

Sorry, But Kanye Is the GOAT

Kanye West is the greatest hip-hop artist of all time. He's made the best albums and changed the game the most, and his music is the most likely to endure. One thing before we get going: This isn't one of those arguments meant to piss people off or "start a conversation." I really mean it. And, co ... More >>

Ten Songs for Celebrating President's Day

It is that time of year again. That special time after Mardi Gras, in the middle of Black History Month, when we drop our Valentine's Day chocolates and honor the past and present Presidents of the United States of America (for the shortest month of the year, February seems to really be collecting h ... More >>

Pine Lawn Cops Boast of Seizing Pot and a $1,000 Bottle of Champagne

Pine Lawn Police Chief Rickey Collins told KTVI FOX 2 yesterday that one of his officers scored big in a traffic stop -- although I'm a bit skeptical of how impressive it really was. An officer reportedly pulled over a motorist on I-70 near Jennings Station Road and noticed the driver acting weird. ... More >>

Kendrick Lamar's Debut is One of the Most Important Hip-Hop Albums of Our Era

Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. ... More >>

Jay-Z's Barack Obama Ad: You Can't Stay Rock & Roll Forever

I think I'm plagiarizing from Heraclitus here, but it's in the public domain, so whatever: You can't be scandalized by the same pop star twice. The ones you found thrilling or off-putting, even, will be anodyne to your younger cousins and goofy and gauche to your children. All this is to say that Ja ... More >>

The Six Best Diss Tracks

This month, you won't be able to watch an episode of "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" without seeing a half-dozen attack ads. The music world doesn't have attack ads, it has diss tracks. In honor of the onslaught of negativity in our political process, here are the six best diss tracks of all time. Let us ... More >>

The Top Five Hip-Hop Albums of All Time, According to Lyfestile

Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. ... More >>

Author of "99 Problems" Legal Breakdown Explains Why Drug Dealers Should Know Their Rights and How Hip-Hop Helps

"99 Problems" is a classic, one of the most famous hip-hop songs ever and no small part of the case for Jay-Z as the greatest rapper ever. It is also, according to Southewestern University Associate Law Professor Caleb Mason, a valuable lesson for law students, policemen and drug dealers alike. Ma ... More >>

Lessons I Learned From Nelly

Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. ... More >>

Toward A Taxonomy Of '90s Pop Songs You Kind Of Remember

I should begin here: During the actual '90s, I was much too busy listening to Japanese videogame soundtracks (educate yourself) to actually enjoy '90s pop music. My first-hand memories of most of it are hearing it in a car, at a skating rink, on somebody else's Discman, and shaking my head in lonely ... More >>

Eleven Things Every Independent Artist Should Work On

Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. ... More >>

Rodney King and The Psychotic World We Live In

Editor: Tef Poe is an artist from St. Louis City. Through powerful imagery and complicated honesty, he has earned a reputation as one of the best rappers telling the story of St. Louis, which is about much more than one place. Poe has been featured in music publications such as XXL and Urb Magazine. ... More >>

Surfer Blood Covers Pete & Pete Theme Song, Fulfills Indie-Revival Destiny

Yesterday I watched as two completely disparate things I like a lot for very different reasons collided and were completely satisfying in the process. (This is like getting your chocolate in my peanut butter, and my peanut butter in your chocolate, only the result is one of those still-pretty-good o ... More >>

The Drug Cocktails That Might Fuel Five Of Our Favorite Musicians

Big Boi mugs for the camera.​Did you hear the one about the rapper who got busted for Ecstasy and Viagra? Earlier this week, Outkast rapper Big Boi got pinched for MDMA powder, Ecstasy pills, and an illegal prescription of the little blue pill for his disco stick. Which got us thinking -- what ... More >>

Kanye West Is Batshit Crazy: Decoding The Ten Boasts That Prove It

Image viaThe rules of the game: Try to guess what Kanye meant by these quotes in less time than it takes to make sure you read them correctly.​The only thing that's legitimately surprising about Kanye West comparing himself to Hitler last weekend is that he did so in a negative sense. To the a ... More >>

Kanye West and Jay-Z, The Horrors, Pepper Rabbit: This Week's New Releases

​​Each Tuesday, record-store clerks unpack boxes of albums and restock shelves with the latest releases. This week brings many notable releases, including the much-anticipated collaboration between Kanye West and Jay-Z, British shoegaze punks the Horrors and Pepper Rabbit.

From Kenny Rogers Roasters to Flav's Fried Chicken: What's with Celebs and Poultry Shacks?

Oh great. Flavor Flav has started his own chain of chicken shacks. The first, Flav's Fried Chicken, opened in Clinton, Iowa this week, next door to a KFC. Keep fighting the power, Flav. To his credit, Flav "went to cooking school in 1978 and I got a degree in cheffing." His family owned a soul fo ... More >>

2010: The Year In Music

The 10 Dumbest Things People Have Used to Get High

​"I can't explain why, I just love to get high."  When Jay-Z rapped those words on the song "Allure," he probably wasn't talking about knocking back a frothy mug of reindeer piss, subjecting himself to multiple bee stings or huffing spray paint out of a paper bag.The vast majority of drug use ... More >>

See Jay-Z's Decoded Book Chat, Courtesy of Vintage Vinyl and Left Bank Books

The cover of Jay-Z book, Decoded​Next Monday night, November 15, at 6 p.m., Vintage Vinyl and Left Bank Books will be co-presenting a live screening of a chat between Jay-Z and Cornel West. The topic of discussion: Hova's new book, Decoded, which Left Bank describes as "a narrative journey thr ... More >>

Trey Songz/Monica

8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20. Fox Theatre, 527 North Grand Boulevard.

Show Review Photos: Jay-Z, Young Jeezy and Trey Songz at the Scottrade Center, Friday, March 19

People of all ages, races, and backgrounds piled into the Scottrade Center last night to watch one of the biggest names in music perform. Jay-Z is following up the success of last year's Blueprint 3 album with a tour of the same name, and it's obvious that his appeal reaches beyond the scope of the ... More >>

Roc of Ages: Jay-Z made a huge splash when he returned to the game. The ripples have quite a reach.

Coachella's 2010 Lineup Announced, Makes Heads Explode

Coachella announced its 2010 lineup this morning -- and heads all over the country exploded because of the lineup. The list of bands/performers includes (but isn't limited to) Thom Yorke, Jay-Z, Pavement, Faith No More, Public Image Limited, Echo & the Bunnymen, Them Crooked Vultures, the Specials, ... More >>

Jay-Z Playing Champaign, Illinois, in November

Jay-Z's forthcoming album, The Blueprint 3, will be released on Friday, September 11 -- and to celebrate, today he announced an arena/college tour for the fall. The closest date so far is a November 12 one at Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois-Champaign. (Hey, that's a 3-hour drive or so; t ... More >>

The Morning Brew: Wednesday, 4.15

Kentucky Fried Chicken makes a big bet on grilled chicken. (AP)Jay-Z has elevated a pricey, obscure Champagne to new heights of fame. (Independent)A vegetarian -- by choice -- cat? (UPI)

Blood, Sweet (Potatoes) and Beers: The Bleeding Deacon elevates "bar food" to new heights and gives south city a pub transfusion

Review Preview: The Bleeding Deacon

Jennifer SilverbergThis week I visit the Bleeding Deacon, a South City bar with a surprisingly appealing menu.Damn. My cell phone was at home, charging. I didn't need to make a call, didn't need to take a photo. I needed light, and barring an unexpected nuclear detonation, the faint glow of my phone ... More >>

My President Is Black: St. Louis Rappers and Obama

Today, the brainy pundits at Slate tackled this interesting topic: "How will Obama's presidency change hip-hop?"Beyond mentioning that Obama has dusted off his shoulders like Jay-Z, author Jonah Weiner does an admirable job breaking down the history of hip-hop's hatred for the establishment (i.e. P ... More >>

Random Links for Thursday

Face the Nation

We find out what rocked across the country in 2007.

Nas

8 p.m. Monday, April 23. The Pageant (6161 Delmar).

2006: The Year in Music

Week of December 28, 2006

Unreal News Challenge 2006

Week of December 21, 2006

From B-Money's Mouth to Your Ears

Jay-Z

Kingdom Come (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)

B-Money in the Bank

St. Louis native B-Money is hanging with rap's heavy hitters.

B-Money's Beat Kicks Off the New Jay-Z

Busta Rhymes

The Big Bang (Aftermath)

Critical Fatwa

Bun B/Ebony Eyez/The Allstars

Sunday, December 18; The Arena (formerly the Limelight, 9973 Lewis & Clark Boulevard, north St. Louis County)

Busta Rhymes

Monday, October 31; the Pageant (6161 Delmar Boulevard)

Beanie Sigel

The B.Coming (Roc-A-Fella)

In Their Own Words

We imagine Jay-Z and R. Kelly's medley to us all

Murs

Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition (Def Jux)

Can We Kick It?

Old-school hip-hop is ready for revival

Fade to Black

Jay-Z signs off with The Black Album

Fighting the Power

Rapper Nas steps back into the ring, fists flying

Urge to Submerge

One of St. Louis' favorite bands calls it quits

Jay-Z

The Blueprint (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)