Discovering new music was always an act of revolution for me. When I was 5, it was in my parents’ house, sitting near a stack of records I wasn’t allowed to touch, waiting for whatever was next on the turntable, whether it was Stevie Wonder’s Music of My Mind or the O’Jays’ Ship Ahoy. The…

Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli recently found himself coming to the defense of fellow emcee DMX during a conversation with Montreality. While speaking on the controversial lyricist, Talib shared his belief that DMX is an artist who has been exploited by the media. Additionally, Talib says the hardships DMX faced at the start of his career…

Korg announced today that it is working on a faithful recreation of the legendary 1970s analog synthesiser, the ARP Odyssey. Korg’s ARP Odyssey is being developed for release later in 2014. The original ARP Odyssey, above, was released in 1972 by ARP Instruments, Inc. It was a staple for many recording and performing musicians for…

A new book has revealed that tax breaks were the reason behind ABBA’s flamboyant stagewear. Abba: The Official Photo Book – via the Express – explains that the legendary pop band wore outrageous outfits because tax deductions for performance clothes were only allowed if the items were “in no way suitable for everyday wear.”…

The best present you received on Valentine’s Day didn’t come from your wife or husband — it came from yourself, when you downloaded De La Soul’s entire discography for free. The rap group’s music isn’t otherwise available online, due to licensing issues with Warner Music Group, so this was the first time 3 Feet High…

Read Charles Aaron’s groundbreaking November 1998 essay on how rap became an unauthorized bible for white kids everywhere In July of 1998, the future of youth culture was chillin’ in the parking lot of a hip-hop concert in suburban New Jersey. Smokin’ Grooves, the only annual package tour featuring rap artists, was in town, and…

Maino and The Black Flag Mafia speak to the Breakfast Club about, “King Of Brooklyn,” and Hip Hop. [Real Talk NY]

Cable subscribers don’t give Comcast and Time Warner Cable good grades when it comes to customer satisfaction. So after Comcast announced its $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable Thursday, it didn’t take long for consumers to start venting their frustrations over high prices, spotty service and fears of a monopoly….

Beck is currently readying his next album, Morning Phase, for a February 25th release and, as he tells Billboard, he is considering putting out his collaborations with Pharrell Williams and other high-profile collaborators later this year, “time willing.” But while new music is his current focus, he didn’t shy away from talking about his early…

One of the most influential albums in the US in the early 70s was David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The album didn’t sell a lot, but every musician had a copy and marveled at how innovative Bowie was. A few years ago I was lucky enough to co-write Abbey Road to…