Although the duo LMFAO boasted Euro-pop synths and unmissable riffs well before their hit with David Guetta, "Gettin' Over You," it definitely didn't hurt to be featured on a world-wide smash that spent quality time at number one in France ...

Anyone who encountered his numerous mixtapes can tell you that before his official debut landed, rapper/producer J. Cole had spent some time bringing the whole Drake, Wale, and Big Sean style to a more street level. It's worth mentioning because ...

There are several Freddie Jackson anthologies on the market, but Capitol's GREATEST HITS, released in 2007, bests them all. Not only does GREATEST HITS contain all Jackson's number one R&B singles from the 1980s, including "Rock Me Tonight" and "You ...

There's no doubt that by Wild Ones' 2012 release, pop-rapper Flo Rida had become a "singles artist," one who soars high in the three- to four-minute format. Give him thin but clever ideas -- that acoustic guitar riffs might sound ...

Although he may be classified as a rap or hip-hop artist, Mark "Kaz" Kasperczk, operating under the name Redlight King, combines singing and rhythmic patter in a style not so much reminiscent of Kanye West as of Red Hot Chili ...

Initially intended to be an EP, Watch the Throne -- from rap superstars Jay-Z and Kanye West, aka the Throne -- took on a number of forms prior to its release as a full-length album. Nailed down during January 2011 ...

Just weeks after releasing their full-length collaboration with Miami soul legend Betty Wright (Betty Wright: The Movie), the Roots keep firing with Undun, their 13th studio album. While many of the group's albums have been unified sonically, Undun is cohesive ...

A long-forgotten mid-1970s film--a DREAM GIRLS precursor about a Motownish singing trio--yielded this interesting soundtrack collaboration between soul's reigning royalty, Aretha Franklin and Curtis Mayfield. Unbeknownst to many, the album is the source of the Mayfield-penned "Something He Can Feel," ...

After fronting a band in Thailand for several years, Hugo earned recognition in the Western world by contributing a track to Beyoncé's 2008 album. Several years later, he makes his solo debut with the release of Old Tyme Religion, a ...

Queens-born with an Atlanta rep, the rapper known as V.I.C. first made noise alongside Soulja Boy with his hit single, "Get Silly." On his solo debut, BEAST, V.I.C. does his thing over ringtone-friendly tracks by Mr. Collipark, Polow da Don, ...

Track Listing: Intro; Get Dis Money; House Party; Ima Boss; Dreamchasers; Tony Montana Freestyle; Body Count; Tony Story; Middle of Da Summer; Work; Realest U Ever Seen; I'm Me; Derrick Rose; Don't Panic; Sparkles; Love Done Live Here; Y'all Don't ...

Flipping the script, Young Money artist Tyga leaves behind the pop-dance sound of his debut and returns to rap on his sophomore effort, Careless World. Think of his tracks on the We Are Young Money collection and you're close to ...

Audio Mixer: High Rolla. Recording information: High Rolla Studios. Photographer: Charlie P.

Being a "love 'em or hate 'em" group, it was about time the prolific and conceptual Insane Clown Posse got around to a "love 'em or hate 'em" album, and while this rap-rock battle cry called The Mighty Death Pop ...

Recording information: Infinite Studios, Alameda, CA; The Orange Room; The Retro Room Studios.

They Country!NAW, They KUNTRY!! Beer Drinking, Hell Raising, Gravel Slinging Good Time is what you can expect at a Jawga Boyz show. These Athens, GA boyz celebrate the redneck way of life through their dirty south beats and country twang ...

Opening with a horror movie intro, where chainsaws roar and heads fly, Slaughterhouse's major-label debut instantly feels like an Eminem album. Of course, it's on his label Shady, he is the executive producer, and one track later, he's on the ...

Following suit in the Houston rappers' run of drug-titled albums, like on former outings Crack, Heroin, Cocaine, and Meth, Z-Ro continues to plug away with his syrupy southern flow and throaty Nate Dogg-esque hooks for Angel Dust. As usual, there ...

Six years off for the mega-platinum DMX meant that his 2012 release, Undisputed, was dubbed "comeback album" the day it was announced, but don't unleash the dogs on account of that. Granted, superstar producer Swizz Beats is here with the ...

Arriving just a few months after Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp, Public Enemy's The Evil Empire of Everything is a decidedly different album than their other 2012 album. It's leaner and harder, stripped down to ...

Additional personnel includes: Kerry King (guitar). Personnel: Kerry King (guitar). Audio Mixer: Joe Blaney. Photographer: Sunny Bak. The Beastie Boys: Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, Adam "MCA" Yauch, Mike "Mike D" Diamond (rap vocals).

This 1965 compilation is the perfect introduction to the soulful pop of Sam Cooke. It contains all of his best-loved songs in their original versions and represents the wide variety of moods the man conjured with his music. His unique ...

"What It's Like" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. The former frontman for House of Pain sheds the hip-hop-only mode and steps out into the world of rock with this release. Tapping into the ...

The Cleveland, Ohio collective Bone Thugs-N-Harmony began as Eazy-E proteges and early signees to his Ruthless Records. For a brief time, the five-member rap trio eclipsed the always-controversial Eazy, scoring huge crossover hits with its knack for intricate harmonies and ...

In the history of rap music, there are few artists who can be labeled as pioneers. One such artist is Slick Rick who, along with partner Doug E. Fresh, is the rapper responsible for such long-standing hip-hop classics as "The ...