Notorious B.I.G.

The Top 10 Male Rappers of All Time

Since the birth of hip-hop, male rappers have been bringing their unique viewpoint to the art of rhyme. Today, we're shining some long overdue light on their important contributions to rap. We're proud to present our list of the ten finest male rappers, from the smoking-hot hardbodies to the true ly ... More >>

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 >>

The Best Hip-Hop Release to Come Out of Saint Louis This Year

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 >>

The Class War Between Food Culture and Music Culture

Art and life co-habitate, informing, imitating, and enriching each other constantly. Each week in Better Living Through Music, RFT Music writer Ryan Wasoba explores this symbiotic relationship I'm a sucker for the Food Network. Chopped is my jam, I have strong opinions about specific Iron Chefs, an ... More >>

Emily Wells and the Portland Cello Project at Old Rock House, 5/8/12

Emily Wells | The Portland Cello Project May 8, 2012 Old Rock House Emily Wells is a one-woman symphony on record. Nimble violin harmonies meet looming keys and trunk-rattling drum beats. She's also pretty handy with a guitar, banjo, assorted percussion and plenty more. And that is to say nothing ... More >>

Out Every Night: The Best Shows From May 7 to May 13

This week's Most Triumphant Beard of the Week award goes unequivocally to Map's and Atlases' Dave Davison, whose facial hair would be worthy of IFC's cut-throat Whisker Wars competitions -- if that show is still a thing, anyway (I sure hope so, but doubt it). Jack Passion would be proud. Maps and At ... More >>

Emily Wells

7 p.m. Tuesday, May 8. Old Rock House, 1200 South Seventh Street.

Coachella 4/20: Let's Talk About Weed

Yesterday was 4/20. It was also Coachella. And so, the percentage of festival-goers who were stoned rose from a paltry 75 percent to a full 98 percent. (These estimates come courtesy of our editor, Ben Westhoff, who did a small survey with a margin of error of plus or minus 45 percent.) Believe it ... More >>

Pete Rock

10 p.m. Friday, March 30. Lola, 500 North 14th Street.

Out Every Night: The Best Shows From March 26 to April 1

Still tired from last week? Too bad, March is unrelenting. Time to down some coffee, eat some energy bars and pack in the protein (might we recommend some pink slime?) because this week is jam-packed with shows as well. On Friday, two guys named Pete who happen to be legends in their respective fiel ... More >>

Relentless Approach

9 p.m. Friday, March 23. El Leñador, 3124 Cherokee Street.

Out Every Night: The Fifteen Best Shows From March 19 to 25

Last week we alluded to the fact that this March is a great time to be a music fan in St. Louis....this week we're driving the point home and then some. Unless you are capable of bi-location (or in some cases: tri / quadro), you are going to miss some good shows this week. We have Andrew Bird at the ... More >>

Tupac Shakur, Fifteen Years After His Death: Not Just A Thinker, Not Just A Thug

​Fifteen years ago today Tupac Shakur died. In the time since, his legacy has been shaped by a ubiquitous moral contradiction: the man who wrote "Keep Ya Head Up" and "Changes" also wrote "How Do You Want It" and "Hit 'Em Up." As such, Tupac seems to embody the escalating internal conflict of hip- ... More >>

Ten Biggest Musician Death Conspiracies

wikimedia commons​There's always been a sense of glamour in the blur of all that is sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, and it doesn't end when the music's done, or even when the rock stars die. Instead, an eerie feeling of mystery and unfinished business surfaces when the demise of a music icon is ... More >>

Will Ferrell, down and out, in Everything Must Go

Billy Brown on Sonic Youth, Record Store Day, and Drunk Reggae Fans

Photo by Jon Scorfina​In early January, Rolling Stone reported that vinyl sales had increased fourteen percent over the previous year with around 2.8 million units sold, making 2010 the best year for vinyl in recent memory. DJ Billy Brown is part of a new generation of music fans choosing rec ... More >>

Tef Poe fights against complacency, and defies pigeonholing, with War Machine

Interview: Tef Poe on War Machine, His Fantastic New Album

courtesy of Tef Poe​Tef Poe's War Machine is a nineteen-track tour de force. The Force member's musical versatility has always been his calling card, and so it's not surprise that Machine embraces diversity and defies pigeonholing. Genre-wise, it touches on warm R&B, ominous hip-hop, celebrato ... More >>

Vandalyzm's Megatron Majorz Redux Hits iTunes Hip-Hop Charts

Vandalyzm is now gunning for Dr. Dre.​One of St. Louis' finest is currently sandwiched between 50 Cent and Notorious B.I.G. on the iTunes top 200 hip-hop albums chart. No, it's not Nelly (though his new single "Tippin' in da Club" is at a respectable 34 on the singles chart) -- it's Vandalyzm.The ... More >>

10 Things to Do for $10 This Weekend in St. Louis, January 15-17, 2010

Flip the bird to cabin fever and enjoy the thaw this weekend. Mild temps are to be celebrated in January, but that doesn't mean you should go broke doing so. Here are our ten suggestions for weekend entertainment (inside and out) for $10 or less. As always, some events may be 21-and-up and call ahea ... More >>

Show Review: R. Kelly at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, Tuesday, December 8

If much of last night's R. Kelly concert at the Fabulous Fox Theatre felt like a victory lap, it's because the man had reason to celebrate. As the show wound down, he acknowledged the elephant in the room: The infamous court case in which Kelly was accused -- and found not guilty -- of fourteen coun ... More >>

'90s Hip-Hop Jam of the Week: Notorious B.I.G. featuring Mase and Puff Daddy, "Mo Money, Mo Problems"

In honor of this weekend's release of Notorious -- the long-awaited movie about the late rapper the Notorious B.I.G. -- here's a 1997 clip we all know and love.

Biggie, Small: Notorious B.I.G., made B.L.A.N.D.

Video: St. Ides Malt Liquor Rap Commercials

The Hood Internet at the Bluebird, Friday May 9

Fist City: Rockwell Knuckles aims to punch through St. Louis hip-hop's glass ceiling

Help Big Will Become the Notorious B.I.G.

Young Jeezy

7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 14. Scottrade Center (South 14th Street and Clark Avenue).

2006: The Year in Music

Week of December 28, 2006

Bee True

From wowing locals to impressing P. Diddy, rapper Rebecca "Bee" Plasencia is on her way

Uncover Your Ears!

A look at local releases of the recent past (and present)

Get Down with Dave

Chappelle returns with a raucous Block Party

Kafe Kibosh

Hip-hop's answer to the Hard Rock Cafe dies before it's born

Critical Fatwa

Ja Rule

Critical Fatwa

Critical Fatwa

The LAPD

Ludacris

The Red Light District (Def Jam)

All Oddz on Me

Think you know who killed 2Pac? Wanna bet?

Shyne

Godfather Buried Alive (Def Jam)

Wonk Jams

A St. Louis rocker is laying down the Democratic soundtrack. Is that a good idea?

Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick and Biz Markie

Monday, June 28; the Pageant

Hollywood Babble-On

Ron Shelton tries to mock the LA cop-buddy movie, but the joke's mostly on him

Mag Hags

What's wrong with the state of music journalism -- and how to fix it

Damn, That DJ Made My Day

Jam Master Jay, 1965-2002

Fighting the Power

Rapper Nas steps back into the ring, fists flying

Michael Jackson

Invincible (Epic Records)

Various Artists

Lyricist Lounge, Volume 2 (Rawkus)

Black and White

Written and directed by James Toback

PLAYING TAPS

A tribute to the great trumpeter Lester Bowie

GANG STARR

Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr (Noo Trybe/Virgin)