Words By:   Joseph “J. Hyphen” Poakwa

          Two-thousand ten seems to be the year of the self-aware dreamer.  Over the past year our culture has acquired a new found sense of identity through art, fashion, and music.  Albert Einstein…

Some of Chicago’s finest bring their unique brand of hip-hop/electro to Los Angeles this weekend when Kanye approved rapper, Kid Sister joins Flosstradamus at the Echoplex for a show not to be missed.…

Words by: Preach Jacobs

There hasn’t been an emcee that has grown in the eyes of the public as much as Common. Since his debut in 1992, Common (formally Common Sense) has transformed into an icon, becoming…

Common-Universal Mind Control
G.O.O.D. Music /Geffen Records
Rating: 3 out of 4
By: Preach Jacobs

There’s something in the water for the alternative-hip-hop artists. Everyone that’s been instrumental in the jazz-inspired-neo-soul movement is running as…

Kanye West-808s and Heartbreak
Roc-A-fella/Island Def Jam
Rating: 2.5/4
By: Preach Jacobs

Everyone has gone through a bad break-up and lost a loved one. So, when listening to Kanye’s latest effort, I do have that in…

For those in Chicago. Take heart: it may be cold there, but at least you’re not huffing toxic smoke from burning mansions and trailer parks like everyone roasting in Southern California.

When Kid Sister enters a room, she makes a presence without even trying. She isn’t one of those cool girls who grew up as the captain of the cheering squad and will float on…

In case you’ve been on Mars, Mikey and Chuck are the Cool Kids. After meeting online, the two linked up, their music blew up, they jumped on tour with M.I.A., and the rest is history in…

WHUT?! Yep, adidas went big. (Although they still don’t capitalize their name.) See if you can identify all the collaborators from a to h… I’ll start you out with H–Huf.

Of course they’re probably available at your local sneak…

“We take our jokes seriously,” says Alex Gvojic of the Peddy Cash moped gang. We’re standing in Chicago’s Warbux Mopeds storefront, staring at his appropriately named “Peddy Kruger,” in the style of…