Raekwon

Is Killer Mike Is the Best Rapper Alive in 2013?

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 >>

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 Ten Best Shows in St. Louis This Weekend: January 25 to 27

If I had a quarter for every Jell-O shot I've been offered since I started this job, I'd probably have enough change to get a couple beers out of the boozy vending machine downstairs. I've never been much of a lush, but it just seems un-American to turn down a dessert with such high regard from the ... More >>

Quick Questions: Tef Poe Talks to the Creative Minds Behind Hitmakers Basement Beats

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 >>

Last Night: Method Man Kicked Me in the Face While Holding My Friend's Hand

A healthy-sized crowd (600 at the door, according to the promoter) showed up to the Coliseum last night to see the Wu-Tang Clan's most charismatic member in action. The inimitable Mr. M-E-F performed in his trademark microphone-dominating style, climbing repeatedly off the small stage and into the c ... More >>

The Best Concerts in St. Louis This Week: January 7 to 13

Monday mornings are weird when you have to share your home bathroom with nine or so near-strangers. Such was the case today after housing a couple of bands from a particularly noisy and awesome show last night. I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but officially as of today, my life is shows, shows ... More >>

2012: The Year in St. Louis Music

Inspectah Deck

7:30 p.m. Sunday, September 30. Fubar, 3108 Locust Street.

The 15 Most Ridiculous Band Promo Photos

Here at RFT Music HQ we see literally one shitload of press photos every week. Many of them stick to a template: Gather all band members together, shoulder to shoulder. Make sure no one smiles, ever. Have the artists try to look thoughtful, but also like they are not trying to look like anything. Th ... More >>

Out Every Night: The Best Shows From September 24 to 30

So there's news about the news in the news this week: We here at the RFT have new owners. Some of you may be aware of Backpage.com and the controversy it has caused for many alt-weeklies across the country -- well, we are no longer affiliated, so that's that. And aside from that, it's business as us ... More >>

12 to 6 Movement on How they Got Raekwon and Others on Thier New Record and Why They Called it Titties Out

It took a while, but local hip-hop trio 12 to 6 Movement finally unleashed their new collaboration-heavy album, Titties Out. Since our last interview with the group, they added songs with Joe Budden, Opio and A-Plus from Souls of Mischief/Hieroglyphics and Psycho Les from The Beatnuts to a tracklist ... More >>

The Naked and Famous at the Gargoyle, 4/12/12: Snapshots

The Naked and Famous brought a serious crowd and an even more serious light show to the Gargoyle on Washington University's campus last night. The New Zealand band left the crowd sweaty and happy. The show follows a last-second cancellation for a Raekwon concert and a poorly attended Teengirl Fantas ... More >>

Raekwon Showed up at the Gargoyle at 10:55, Ten Minutes After Wash U Faculty Pulled the Plug on His Show

Last night, the Wu-Tang Clan's legendary Raekwon the Chef was scheduled to play Washington University's on-campus music venue, the Gargoyle, alongside Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs. The small club filled out nicely by 9 p.m., and a packed room waited anxiously to see some of hip-hop's best artists do ... More >>

Out Every Night: The Best Shows From March 5 to 11

This week brings us not one but TWO members of the Wu-Tang Clan (unfortunately on separate nights), Japanese punk-weirdos Peelander-Z, and the first visit ever from Seattle's raw Ramones-y punk band the Spits in its entire ten years of existence. Continuing with the punk rock / hip-hop aesthetic is ... More >>

12 to 6 Movement release new video with Sadat X, prepare new collaboration-filled album.

Image via​Local hip-hop collective The 12 to 6 Movement recently unveiled the video for its new song "Can't Be Done," which features legendary Brand Nubian rapper Sadat X. This is just one of many high-profile collaborations off of the group's upcoming, as yet untitled album that is due for re ... More >>

Wugazi: Five Mashups We Hope End Up on the Finished Project

​Wu-Tang mashups are nothing new - from The Beatles to Warren Zevon, the Shaolin collective has been and remains one of the ripest sources for remixing and reconextualizing. However, when word dropped last week of Doomtree's "Wugazi" project - a Fugazi/Wu-Tang mashup - the Internet went abuzz ... More >>

Producer Stllegend Picks Dream MCs for His New EP

​Producer Stllegend (a.k.a. Charles Purnell) just posted a bunch of tracks he had lying around as the Soundcloud Leftovers EP. You can download it for free on Bandcamp. Purnell is an encyclopedic hip-hop fan, St. Louis and otherwise, so we thought we'd ask which rappers, logistics and practica ... More >>

Raekwon at the Firebird, 5/16/11: Review, Photos, Setlist

Photo by Jon Gitchoff​ Raekwon/Steddy P and DJ Mahf/Safety Words The Firebird May 16, 2011 Safety Words, heretofore most commonly known for mashing eight-bit video game samples with rap tracks, officially retired those songs last night. You will never again hear "Biggie, Rae, Ghost, Rash, Zi ... More >>

Raekwon

9 p.m. Monday, May 16. The Firebird, 2706 Olive Street.

Show Announcements: Week of March 31

Huzzah! TV On the Radio is finally playing a St. Louis show, as part of the second annual LouFest.​2720 Cherokee *Lyrics Born, April 14 *Vibesquad, April 1 Blueberry Hill *Soja, May 18 Europe Nightclub *Above and Beyond, April 22 *Wolfgang Gartner, May 11

Raekwon Coming to the Firebird

On May 16, Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon will be coming to the Firebird. Tickets are $20 and are on sale effective immediately. Raekwon feat Ghostface and Method Man, "New Wu"

New Album Releases: Lupe Fiasco, R.E.M., Kurt Vile, Bruce Cockburn and more

(New albums are typically released on Tuesdays, i.e., today. What can you spend your hard-earned pennies on this week? Find out below.) Bruce Cockburn's Small Source of Comfort​*Bruce Cockburn, Small Source Of Comfort American Noise reviewed Cockburn's latest, saying: "Personally, Bruce Cockb ... More >>

The Best of 2009 in Music

Indie-An Summer: Two RFT staffers attend the hipster mecca that is the Pitchfork Music Festival

Over the Weekend: Pitchfork Music Festival 2008, Anna Kournikova in Forest Park, NASCAR Fashion, Motley Crue Fest, Foo Fighters, Tiffany at Ameristar

Pitchfork: Ghostface Killah Raekwon Review, Photos

Pitchfork Music Festival Schedule Updated

Ill Bill/Tech N9ne

8 p.m. Tuesday, May 13. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard

Download Trackstar's Boogie Bang 13 Here

Wu-Tang Clan

8 Diagrams
(Motown/Universal)

Fishscaling: "Columbus Exchange/Crack Spot"

Fishscaling: "Kilo"

Busta Rhymes

The Big Bang (Aftermath)

Ghostface Killah

Wednesday, 8 p.m. March 8. Pop's (1403 Mississippi Avenue, Sauget, Illinois)

ODB

A Son Unique (Def Jam)

The Way of the Wu

Haven't had enough Wu-Tang merchandise? Now there's a book.

Raekwon

The Lex Diamond Story (Universal)

The St. Lunatics Fringe

Producer Jason "Jay E" Epperson crafts the beats that make Nelly fans swoon. So how come you've never heard of him?

Wu-Tang Clan

The W (Loud/Columbia)

Gathering of the Clan

The Wu-Tang Clan finds strength in numbers

Black and White

Written and directed by James Toback