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Rap, Lies and Videotape

  • DJ Peachez, Richmond DJ, Dies

    Number of comments: 0

    Terika Grooms, aka DJ Peachez died at an area hospital today after a brief illness. I'm not the target audience for contemporary urban radio, so I had no idea who she was until recently, when I heard she was sick via facebook updates from a' [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 7:16pm EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • Bazerk is Back

    Number of comments: 0

    That summer tour may not have materialized, but the Son of Bazerk, the cutting edge rap group that released one album in 1991, has reunited. Tony Allen aka Son of Bazerk, is in the studio with longtime Public Enemy DJ Johnny Juice and [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 11:06am EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • That's so Richmond!

    Number of comments: 1
    I haven't ventured out to the clubs in my hometown on a regular basis in years. From the looks of this video, not much has changed.

    DJ/Blogger Big Nat fronts this video clip that shows Pretty Rickey getting the official Richmond welcome at a club last night.[...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2009, 6:47am EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • Soundbombing Pt 4: Stuck in New York

    Number of comments: 0

    I'd never seen anything like the performance above by RA The Rugged Man in 1999 and I probably never will. I don't have the words to do it justice, so I won't try. Rugged Man dropped a new CD this week, if your interested.

    After a' [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 8:14pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Bombing the Sound Pt. 3

    Number of comments: 2

    The next chapter in the story might not be worth the wait, I think the footage above of Pharoahe Monch and Shabaam Sahdeeq is an acceptable consolation. The asthmatic former member of Organized Konfusion spits the first verse of "WW II" twice, after his first delivery left the audience [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 8:07pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Bombing The Sound Pt. 2

    Number of comments: 3

    This is the second installment about first trip to New York on the music industry's dime.
    Rawkus, the label that put out Soundbombing 2, put us up in a swank hotel in midtown New York. Since it was my partner Maurice's room and hook-up, I didn't want to' [...]
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    Posted: September 26, 2009, 8:08am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Roc Raida Dies

    Number of comments: 0

    Busta Rhymes personal DJ and X-exuctioners members Roc Raida died today. The pioneering DJ was reportedly admitted to a hospital for a spinal injury, but an official cause of death has not been released. [...]
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    Posted: September 19, 2009, 3:37pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Chris Brown at your Service, Richmond

    Number of comments: 0
      [...]
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    Posted: September 17, 2009, 7:15am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Don't Call it a Comeback Concert

    Number of comments: 0
    D'angelo, according to a source close to the singer, will not be performing at an after party for the Video Music Awards. A post on ticketalternative.com claims that the reclusive singer along with "Tony S. Soulfinger Sam, Herbert Holler & Marc Smooth" will perform at' [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2009, 8:17pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Ya Still Tellin' Lies to Me

    Number of comments: 0

    There are quite a few doctors in the music game, Dr. Dre, Dr. Ice, Dr. Demento. But it's uncommon for a musician to actually become a legit doctor of philosophy or medicine. Perhaps that's why a story about a underground rap artist who went on [...]
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    Posted: September 03, 2009, 7:18am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Chris Brown Doesn't Remember Beating

    Number of comments: 0
    Embedded video from CNN Video
    The full interview airs Wednesday on the Larry King Show on CNN. [...]
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    Posted: August 31, 2009, 8:20am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Nas talks to Nardwuar

    Number of comments: 1

    It's not easy to get a rap artist to expand beyond their stock answers and prepared comments. This guy finds a way, but at what cost?' [...]
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    Posted: August 27, 2009, 10:01pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Bombing The Sound

    Number of comments: 2

    Back when indie rap lable Rawkus was flush with street cred and Fox, Inc. cash, I talked them into flying me to New York for the Soundbombing 2 release party/concert. They booked us on a small plane that left me and my partner DJ Reese shook ones. Our ride [...]
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    Posted: August 19, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Rapper Baatin of Slum Village Dies

    Number of comments: 0

    Detroit's hip hop community lost another pivotal member this weekend. Baatin, a founding member of Slum Village, died yesterday. The rapper, who had recently rejoined the group, was found dead on a Detroit street after leaving a cookout. The cause of death is unknown.
    [...]
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    Posted: August 02, 2009, 9:57am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • The Not So Fast and Furious

    Number of comments: 0

    Ice Cube starred in "Torque," a box office bomb that borrowed heavily from the hugely successful "The Fast and Furious." Both movies feature rappers-turnt-actors in major roles and have the characters head for Mexico when things get tough. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Neal H. Moritz, produced' [...]
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    Posted: July 24, 2009, 7:56pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Chris Brown says he's "sorry"

    Number of comments: 0

    Who believes him? [...]
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    Posted: July 20, 2009, 7:17pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • The Day Has Come, I Guess

    Number of comments: 0
    Like murder, there is no statute of limitations on sampling. That's why Lonnie Lynn can be sued today for using the music of songwriters Andrew Andrew Marks and London McDaniels, on his debut album, nearly 20 years ago. I guess the recession has songwriters in a pinch, too.

    The' [...]
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    Posted: July 14, 2009, 9:46pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Steve Harvey knows what boys want

    Number of comments: 1


    Since being crowned a king of comedy and starring in the long-running sitcom, "The Steve Harvey Show," Steve Harvey has kept busy. His current day job is hosting a syndicated morning radio program, "The Steve Harvey Morning Show." I guess he saves his creativity for his jokes and [...]
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    Posted: July 05, 2009, 10:49pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • So We Can Rock Forever

    Number of comments: 0

    The death of Micheal Jackson has been hard to process. Like all seventies babies, I haven't lived in world without Mike and his sudden death has me a little shook. I've found some comfort remembering what comedian Lucille Ball's daughter said after her mother died.
    [...]
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    Posted: July 02, 2009, 9:45pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • The Thriller is Gone

    Number of comments: 1
    [...]
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    Posted: June 25, 2009, 6:35pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Hammer's Words to Third Bass

    Number of comments: 0

    MC Hammer finally addresses a story MC Serch of the defunct rap group Third Bass has been telling for years. Although he doesn't confirm or deny what happened, Mr. Stanley Burrell's careful word choice and knowledge about the trio's commercial in impact is revealing.

    For those who don't have dog-eared copies [...]
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    Posted: June 21, 2009, 9:25am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Kansas Just Don't Understand?

    Number of comments: 0

    Skillz and DJ Jazzy Jeff had their show at Kansas City Power & Light District Saturday night cut short. The dj and the rapper say the powers that be in the club didn't want to hear any hip-hop music. The event organizers claim that Jazzy Jeff ignored requests to' [...]
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    Posted: June 08, 2009, 8:21pm EDT

  • Bruno Lands on Eminem

    Number of comments: 1
    MTV Shows
    It's a matter of debate of whether Marshall Mathers (Eminem) agreed to let Sasha Cohen, performing as his "Bruno" character, land on his lap ass up at the MTV Movie Awards last night.

    Em hardly needs the publicity and his sensitivity is well-noted after he' [...]
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    Posted: June 01, 2009, 7:35am EDT

  • Bazerk in the Studio

    Number of comments: 2

    If and when Son of Bazerk returns to the stage, they might have some new songs to perform. The group is in reportedly the studio with DJ Johnny Juice in New York.

    Juice is one of the unsung heroes of the Public Enemy [...]
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    Posted: May 29, 2009, 9:52pm EDT

  • Dolla's Family Speaks Out

    Number of comments: 0

    The family of slain rapper Dolla released this statement today:

    “First and foremost we, the Burton family would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers during these trying times,” the statement reads. “Most recently, the Burton family was made aware that [...]
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    Posted: May 22, 2009, 6:46pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Rapper Dolla Dead

    Number of comments: 15

    Dolla, shown here with DJ Lonnie Battle during a Richmond, Va. appearance at Pearl Lounge, was shot and killed yesterday. The rapper was slain while waiting for a ride at the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles.

    The rapper was signed to [...]
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    Posted: May 19, 2009, 6:37pm EDT

  • Clipse of Reality

    Number of comments: 0

    In the above video, Malice, of The Clipse, all but confesses that the cocaine raps that they put out for young minds to consume, may not have been true stories. As that guy used to say on This Week In Baseball, "How 'bout that?" While this admission is not' [...]
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    Posted: May 02, 2009, 12:26am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • The Chain and the Star

    Number of comments: 0

    It didn't take long for rap veterans Guru and DJ Premier to gauge that former Wavelength host Yasmine wasn't well-versed on their career. The duo takes over this 2003 interview, tag-teaming on talking points, which means this interview is probably like many they did that day, but who [...]
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    Posted: April 13, 2009, 11:01pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Kings in the Hall

    Number of comments: 0

    If you read DMC's account of his days with Run and Jam Master Jay, you probably remembered how it all ended. Shortly after the death of Jam Master Jay, Run announced the end of the group at a press conference. This was news to hip hop fans around the' [...]
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    Posted: April 05, 2009, 8:10am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Rah Rah Rah

    Number of comments: 0

    Rah Digga was the brightest star in the Flipmode Squad, a name that Busta Rhymes gave to his friends and family who wanted to become rappers but would settle for just hanging out with him. The crew of weed carriers has dwindled down to four members, with rappers like [...]
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    Posted: March 29, 2009, 11:13am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • The McN*e*r*d Dance

    Number of comments: 0

    Tennis shoe pimp and rock star wannabe Pharrell attempted to persuade a Paris McDonald's to open early recently by giving them a impromptu and unwanted mini-concert. I guess if Hammer could dance for popcorn chicken back in the day, this school teacher's son can humiliate himself for a [...]
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    Posted: March 25, 2009, 8:05pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Wavelength Goes to the Movies

    Number of comments: 0

    At the height of our irrelevance, Wavelength was among a handful of music shows that were invited to a series of press days for urban films in New York and California. A movie studio paid for my train ride to New York, (I never fly to New York. That's' [...]
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    Posted: March 12, 2009, 10:28pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Yasmine moves up

    Number of comments: 1

    Every now and again someone wants to know whatever happened to former Wavelength host Yasmine. I got a message from her today to check out her article in Man Up magazine. As she's dabbled as a journalist, I was expecting to read something. But this' [...]
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    Posted: March 06, 2009, 6:13pm EST

  • The Coup on the Boulevard

    Number of comments: 0


    It was a rare to have a national rap act as a studio guest for Wavelength, the failed video show that inspired this blog. A convergence of events had to happen; the rapper had to be on a promo tour or in town for a concert, they had [...]
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    Posted: March 02, 2009, 12:33pm EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • Chris Brown & Rihanna ... now what?

    Number of comments: 0

    According to People.com, Chris Brown and Rihanna are together again and staying at one of P. Diddy's home in Miami. (I assume it's not the same one where he's twittering while in the midst of a tantric sex marathon.)  I can't think of another time where [...]
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    Posted: March 01, 2009, 7:11am EST

  • She's a Lady

    Number of comments: 0
    Lady Sovereign - So Human


    After her on-stage meltdown in 2007, I thought pint-sized UK rapper Lady Sovereign was down for the count. The young spitter showed promise on her Def Jam debut, "Public Warning," with songs like "Those Were the Days." But things fell apart as [...]
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    Posted: February 23, 2009, 8:29pm EST

  • "Hammertime" for reality TV

    Number of comments: 0

    MC Hammer won't go away. Although he hasn't had a hit record in ages, the dancer/rapper continues to find ways to creep into the public consciousness. Hammer a.k.a Stanley Burrell was last seen during the Super Bowl telling us how easy it is to turn our [...]
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    Posted: February 17, 2009, 10:55pm EST

  • What Chris Brown Will Do Next

    Number of comments: 2

    Now that singer-turnt-alleged assailant Chris Brown has found himself in such an unfavorable situation that he'd be willing to trade place with one of the townies in Tappahannock, Va., it's time for the fast dancer to make a move. Here's what I think might' [...]
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    Posted: February 10, 2009, 7:58pm EST

  • Welcome Home John Forte

    Number of comments: 0
    [...]
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    Posted: January 28, 2009, 8:03pm EST

  • Playing with Fame

    Number of comments: 0
    I've never heard a complete song by Marques Houston, Immature or Imx and I probably never will. That's part of the reason why I handed over the hosting duties of Wavelength, the video show I produced for more than a decade and came to naught, to a younger person. Yasmine [...]
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    Posted: January 26, 2009, 10:41pm EST

  • Notorious is the Illest

    Number of comments: 3

    Finally got around to seeing "Notorious," last night. It's a solid film. The legacy of Christopher Wallace hasn't always been treated with reverence it deserves (Duets and Born Again) so a project like this "Notorious," had little room for error. Fortunately, the errors [...]
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    Posted: January 23, 2009, 9:16am EST

  • President Barack Obama

    Number of comments: 0
    .msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;}

    Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, [...]

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    Posted: January 20, 2009, 3:13pm EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • Nas & Kelis: Oh Baby!

    Number of comments: 2

    Kelis and Nas are having a child, according to Us Weekly. The girl known for her milkshake is three months along and sporting a baby bump, according to the magazine.

    It's good to see these two still together. They've seen their share of drama during their breif union. [...]
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    Posted: January 15, 2009, 2:16pm EST

  • The Big One That Got Away

    Number of comments: 1





    "Nobody Is Invincible" scene from "Notorious"

    As the release of "Notorious," nears I've been reflecting upon that era. I had a chance to interview Biggie when he visited our home base, the Phono Booth, in 1994. Unfortunately, I' [...]
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    Posted: January 12, 2009, 1:48pm EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • A Notoriously B.I.G. Movie

    Number of comments: 2

    Newsweak published some shoddy articles on hip hop back in the day, as did many mainstream publications, and they've had to work hard to earn my trust. I stumbled across the first review I've seen of "Notorious,' the bio pic on the late Notorious B.I.G, at the'" [...]
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    Posted: January 12, 2009, 12:42pm EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • New Year's Evestyle

    Number of comments: 0

    Before Skillz became a globetrotting entertainer and ghostwriter, he suffered the often-poor entertainment options of Richmond, Va. along with the rest of us. One night in the late nineties, he was among the unfortunate few who came to the Richmond Centre to see Black Moon and the rest [...]
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    Posted: January 04, 2009, 6:09pm EST

  • 2008: It's a Wrap .. up by Skillz.

    Number of comments: 0


    One of the best since 2002.

    Skillz - 2008 Wrap- Up. [...]
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    Posted: January 01, 2009, 8:45am EST

  • Meet Swizz Beats

    Number of comments: 0

    This footage was so lost, I still can't find it. The raw footage from this interview with producer and rapper Swizz Beats still eludes me, but I came across the Wavelength episode that featured an edited version recently.

    Swizz aka Kasseem Dean became known for creating the' [...]
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    Posted: December 28, 2008, 8:38pm EST

  • Have a Merry One

    Number of comments: 0


    Some last minute Christmas wrappin'.' [...]
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    Posted: December 25, 2008, 8:19am EST

  • Anthony Hamilton gets to the point

    Number of comments: 0

    Maybe you've heard about singer Anthony Hamilton's famous attitude. He's a diminutive artist who took some hard hits from the music industry before becoming a success and has every right to be bitter, angry and aloof. Well, he isn't. Instead, he seems to posess more humility and grace than [...]
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    Posted: December 19, 2008, 1:10pm EST

  • Kwamé never played out

    Number of comments: 0

    The interview above is taken from "Soundwave," a precursor to "Wavelength," the failed video show I produced for over a decade that inspires this blog. Soundwave was hosted by Von and Chuck and produced by another guy named Chuck. I was usually the cameraman, but for some reason, I [...]
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    Posted: December 17, 2008, 4:58pm EST

  • Pieces of Weight

    Number of comments: 0
    I dug legos as a kid. But I never considered building anything like the images above.  What is it about these little yellow men people find so compelling? [...]
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    Posted: December 15, 2008, 10:42pm EST

  • Freak-quently Invited Guest

    Number of comments: 0

    Freake aka Freak D was our favorite local rapper. He holds the record for making the most appearances on Wavelength, the defunct video program that spawned this blog, and is the only artist to have performed live on the show. As a guest, Freak was articulate, engaging and displayed [...]
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    Posted: December 10, 2008, 6:45pm EST

  • Son of Bazerk plans 2009 Tour

    Number of comments: 1
    The band's about to swivey again. Cutting-edge hip-hop group Son of Bazerk, known for their dapper clothes and highly charged music is planning a tour in 2009. MC Half-Pint aka Cassandra (pictured above, see if you can figure it out) says the online response to' [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2008, 9:02am EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • The Shout Out.

    Number of comments: 1

    Skillz finally acknowledges all I have done for his career, with this blog and with Wavelength, the failed video show that I produced for more than 10 years. Listen close at at :45. [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2008, 9:15pm EST

  • D'Angelo is not a Bad Boy.

    Number of comments: 0

    Despite what one gossip site is reporting, D'angelo is not signed to Bad Boy Records.

    "Contrary to various media reports, producer, composer, performer, D'Angelo has not signed with Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records," the singer's manager, Lindsay Guion, said in [...]
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    Posted: December 05, 2008, 1:31pm EST

  • Pimp C 1973 – 2007

    Number of comments: 1

    A year ago today, UGK member and southern rap pioneer Pimp C was found dead in a hotel in Hollywood, California. The group was known for it's dirty south style and for their hits "International Player's Anthem (I'" [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2008, 8:31am EST

  • Skilz is For Real

    Number of comments: 1

    The latest single and video from Richmond, Va.'s Skillz. Don't leave your girl around him. [...]
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    Posted: November 27, 2008, 10:33am EST

  • Bush Frees John Forté

    Number of comments: 0

    President George Bush has given progressives and his critics a lot to complain about the final days of his presidency. While his last minute laws regarding abortion, drilling in national parks and "clean air," aren't unexpected considering his policial leandings, the president made a move [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2008, 10:13pm EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • MC Breed, dead at 36

    Number of comments: 0


    Midwest rapper MC Breed died yesterday. He was admitted to the hospital in September for kidney failure after he collapsed during a pick-up basketball game. He released more than 10 albums was known for his songs "Ain’t No Future in Yo’ Frontin’” and ”I [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2008, 8:14am EST

  • The Subject was Dwele

    Number of comments: 0

    As rap music became boring and homogenized, Wavelength, the failed hip-hop video show that inspires this blog, began to incorporate R&B music into the playlist. Not just any urban music, however. Most of the singers that made it onto our show (AmelLarrieux , Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo) [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2008, 6:05pm EST

  • It's a New One

    Number of comments: 0

    Will.I.Am might be in line for a cabinet post considering all the work he's done for the Obama campaign. Though this doesn't come close to his first effort, its much better than his sappy second video and a fitting end to the trilogy of propaganda films. Listening [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2008, 8:35am EST

  • Yes, we did.

    Number of comments: 2
    [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2008, 12:49am EST
    by Craig Belcher

  • You can get with this.

    Number of comments: 0


    Dres revisits "The Choice is Yours," for the election season. [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2008, 3:30pm EDT

  • MTV remembers what the "M" was for

    Number of comments: 1

    The Pharcyde |MTV Music
    MTV recently soft launched MTVMusic.com, which gives users access to a sizable portion of the network's video vault. This isn't as revolutionary as it would've been before sites like youtube took hold, but with copyright holders becoming more vigilant, this may become [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2008, 8:00am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Marketing rep beats street rap

    Number of comments: 0


    Is this what would happen if Soulja Boy battled Asher Roth? 



    [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2008, 10:03am EDT

  • Nailin' Palin

    Number of comments: 0


    Terry Tate offers Alaska's governor a strong rebuttal. [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2008, 8:28am EDT

  • Rudy Ray Moore, dead at 81

    Number of comments: 0



    I've never sat through one of Rudy Ray Moore's films, heard any of his comedy albums or his attempts at making R&B music, but I know his work. The comedian's voice was sampled on countless hip hop records and his persona as an [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2008, 9:48am EDT

  • Man's Best Friend

    Number of comments: 1

    Beside every great rapper is his friend from the 'hood whose music career will be forced on the public. Known on the internets as "weed carriers," referring to their obligation to assume responsibility for their monied friend's bad behavior and habit, their job is can be risky, but [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  • Big Nat Gets Up Like a Fart Machine

    Number of comments: 0


    Big Nat is a DJ and blogger here in Richmond, Va. His latest post is way funnier than it should be. [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2008, 5:46pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Welcome Back Real Talk

    Number of comments: 0

    Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds decided to keep their "Juan Epstein" podcast going a few weeks ago and last week's edition might be their best ever. The duo sit down with The Large Professor and discuss his career in detail. There's a lot of [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2008, 11:53am EDT

  • A Woman's Worth

    Number of comments: 2

    The addition of Yasmine as host was a game-changer for Wavelength, the failed video show that inspires this blog. Once I relinquished hosting duties to the stunning Hampton, Va. native, her personality and energy became the nucleus of the program's final years. 
    I met her while shooting a video [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2008, 10:48am EDT

  • BET's Rap City: Is it Really a Wrap?

    Number of comments: 2

    BET recently announced that its long-running video program, "Rap City," would end next month. After almost decade on the air, the show never rose above mediocrity, although it often dipped below the mark. While the news of this mercy killing didn't warm my heart, I [...]
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    Posted: October 02, 2008, 5:25pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Ready to Debut

    Number of comments: 2


    Looks good. I wonder who's playin' Craig Mack? [...]
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    Posted: September 24, 2008, 2:20pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Remember Summer?

    Number of comments: 0

    Skillz "Be Alright" feat. Kornbread & Aaries from Okayplayer on Vimeo.


    Skillz does. His new clip for "Be Alright," features the rapper enjoying family and friends on a warm day in Richmond, Va. As the kids are in their second week in school, it [...]
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    Posted: September 15, 2008, 12:36pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Gettin' to This

    Number of comments: 0


    It's taken me awhile to appreciate the music of Q-Tip after his "Amplified" phase and the meandering jazz/rap stuff that leaked from two unreleased albums. I even found it hard to listen to his earlier work with A Tribe Called Quest after those musical missteps. But I'm digging [...]
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    Posted: September 14, 2008, 8:58am EDT

  • Wild Wild West

    Number of comments: 0


    "Til I got flashed by the paparazzi.. Damn, these n*ggas got me, I hate these n*ggas more than the Nazis.” - Kanye West.

    There's never a good time to wild out in a airport, but if you had to pick a day, Sept. 11 would probably [...]
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    Posted: September 12, 2008, 7:53am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Just Kidding

    Number of comments: 0


    Thanks to the good people over at MOD for providing a home for the bits and pieces that have been trapped in my videocassettes for years. This clip reminds us why Kid N' Play got a movie deal and that they once a had a DJ named [...]
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    Posted: September 11, 2008, 9:57am EDT

  • The Source of Discourse

    Number of comments: 1

    Former Source Editor-In-Chief Kim Osorio sued the ownerz of the magazine for sexual harassment in 2005, describing a workplace where "employees often watched pornographic movies and hung pictures of females in G-strings, smoked pot and called women bitches." Supposedly, this was the environment she worked [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2008, 1:45pm EDT

  • He said Whut Whut?

    Number of comments: 0


    N.O.R.E. not only drops the f-bomb during this interview with former Wavelength host Ray, he also threatens fellow Queensbridge rapper Nas. If you can't recall the discouraging words that led to this lesser-known rap beef, listen to an emotional N.O.R.E. here and here.  A [...]
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    Posted: September 08, 2008, 7:12pm EDT

  • Son of a Preacher Man

    Number of comments: 1

    Former Fugee frontman Wyclef Jean's attempts to distract former Wavelength host Yasmine Weaver become more desparate and comical as this clip continues. He sings, he stares, he flirts and but doesn't get much more than a grin from Yas. [...]
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    Posted: August 28, 2008, 9:46pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Sisters

    Number of comments: 0


    Although she's taking a step back in recent months to let her sister get some shine, Beyonce remains the MVP of the Knowles family and her former group Destiny's Child. I met them at the Impact Convention in Miami, Fl., back in 1999. Wavelength had a strict [...]
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    Posted: August 24, 2008, 11:12pm EDT

  • The Soul Men

    Number of comments: 0

    It's hard to process what happened this weekend. Actor and comedian Bernie Mac dies in a Chicago hospital from pnemonia on Saturday. Isaac Hayes,65, found beside a still-running treadmill at his home in Memphis on Sunday.

    I was in Las Vegas last week and [...]
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    Posted: August 14, 2008, 8:04am EDT

  • Skillz in 1995

    Number of comments: 0


    There used to be an annual concert in Richmond's Highland Park, called the "Park Jam." I think it ran for about 4 years or so, mostly local acts on a portable stage performing for neighborhood folks. D'angelo was billed one year, but he couldn't make it. One of [...]
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    Posted: July 28, 2008, 10:53pm EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Skillz Drops A Million

    Number of comments: 0


    Is this really happening? Is Skillz actually seeing a proper album release, something that hasn't happened in more than a decade? Well, it sure looks like it. After years of being held up, pushed back and let go, the rap vet is scheduled to release [...]
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    Posted: July 22, 2008, 8:17am EDT
    by Craig Belcher

  • Queen of the Underground

    Number of comments: 0

    Female rappers have been an endangered species for several years. Let's look at the sad landscape of yesteryear's stars and last week's chart toppers.
    Queen Latifah is singing jazz standards and allegedly planning to marry her trainer. Monie Love plays other people's records on the radio instead of [...]
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    Posted: July 10, 2008, 10:52pm EDT

  • Skillz Goes So Far

    Number of comments: 0


    How busy is Skillz? He shoots a video while he gets his hair cut. The veteran spitter called in a Talib Kweli to pinch hit for Common, who appears on the album version of "So Far, So Good." I guess Common was "Wanted" elsewhere.

    This [...]
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    Posted: June 29, 2008, 7:08pm EDT

  • It Was Spoken

    Number of comments: 0

    "Fck that. I love Souljah Boy." - Nas (June 27,2008)

    When Kanye West compared Nas to Souljah Boy recently, he brought the Queensbridge rapper in the Ice-T vs. Souljah Boy beef. From the stage of Richmond's Friday at Sunset concert series, Nas let [...]
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    Posted: June 28, 2008, 12:56pm EDT

  • Planet Rock

    Number of comments: 1


    Watching this old clip reminds me of one of things I miss about the good ol' days. Free T-shirts. Those oversized cotton promotional short-sleeves that came in the mail made my fashion decisions simple and showed everyone how hip I thought I was. But as the game changed [...]
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    Posted: June 25, 2008, 9:21pm EDT

  • Now, What's the Meaning of Dope?

    Number of comments: 3


    If it happened on television in 90s, and some rappers were involved, I probably have it on tape somewhere. In addition to the archive related to the failed venture that led to this blog, I have a separate collection of videotapes of things I ripped from television back [...]
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    Posted: June 12, 2008, 7:53am EDT

  • X in Mourning

    Number of comments: 0
    Lyricist, reality show host and actor Xzibit has been on my mind lately. The rapper recently blogged about the death of his son, who was born prematurely and has begun to talk about his grieving. It's a rare moment of vulnerability in the hip hop world, that reminds us [...]
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    Posted: June 04, 2008, 10:45pm EDT

  • Look Ma, No Skillz

    Number of comments: 0


    This is for you, Scott. You asked for it. [...]
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    Posted: May 26, 2008, 9:47pm EDT

  • Suge got Knock'd.

    Number of comments: 0


    Oh, how the mighty have fallen. About a decade ago, Marion "Suge" Knight held the keys to the rap kingdom. He had Snoop, Tupac and Dr. Dre on his label. He was revered and feared in the industry due to reputation for "hands-on" business [...]
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    Posted: May 13, 2008, 7:29am EDT

  • The Arrogant Voices of Musical Truth Speak

    Number of comments: 0

    After the demise of their smart and critical hip hop magazine, the brilliant minds behind Ego Trip didn't stop churning out controversial and provocative ideas. They published two excellent books, "The Book of Rap Lists," and the essential "Big Book of Racism." Later, the content from [...]
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    Posted: May 04, 2008, 5:48pm EDT

  • Worst comes to Worse on Yahoo's rapper list

    Number of comments: 3
    Yahoo music writer Rob O'Connor has compiled a list of the 25 worst rappers of all time. As you might imagine, his list has inspired some debates among people who care deeply about such things. He might look like the Spin Doctors, but he's writing for hip hoppers. The [...]
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    Posted: April 20, 2008, 7:21pm EDT

  • Just Phrontin'?

    Number of comments: 0



    Pharrell Williams, tennis shoe pimp and the face of The Neptunes production team, stands accused of beat jacking. House and soul music artist Peven Everett says that a track with Britney Spear's voice that found its way onto the blogosphere, "Sugarfalls" closely resembles a song by [...]

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    Posted: April 13, 2008, 10:27pm EDT

  • Just Phrontin'?



    Pharrell Williams, tennis shoe pimp and the face of The Neptunes production team, stands accused of beat jacking. House and soul music artist Peven Everett says that a track with Britney Spear's voice that found its way onto the blogosphere, "Sugarfalls" closely resembles a song by [...]

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    Posted: April 13, 2008, 10:27pm EDT

  • Some Ol' Bullsh*t

    Number of comments: 1

    After three posts about death and grieving, it might be time to lighten things up around here. Here's a street rehearsal from two of the Supa Friendz crew, Lonnie B. and Danja Mowf from 1998. The duo were about to perform without their somewhat famous third member at one [...]
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    Posted: April 08, 2008, 10:32pm EDT

  • The Other Brother

    Number of comments: 1

    I had the unfortunate experience of telling a friend of the Levert family about the death of Sean Levert this week. The day after the singer's death, I was interviewing public intellectual Cornel West for my day job. Since I knew he had worked with [...]
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    Posted: March 31, 2008, 8:58pm EDT

  • Breath Control

    Number of comments: 0
    Screwball's KL died this week from asthma attack. Screwball was hard to the core and I loved their music from the first moment I heard it. The were like five Freddie Foxxes or M.O.P. at the end of a really bad week.

    I saw them [...]
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    Posted: March 30, 2008, 8:32am EDT
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