NO TRIVIA

November 12, 2012 – When I spoke to Roc Marciano about his career — from Flipmode Squad to Pete Rock's Petestrumentals with the U.N. to his 2010 debut, Marcberg — he replied by saying, "I got my first deal in 2000, I think." That he isn't entirely sure when he signed to a record label, and that he has to specify that he's talking about his first record deal, is a pretty good indication of his circuitous route to underground success.

November 9, 2012 – <p>Kendrick Lamar sure did dodge a bullet by not having to use Lady Gaga singing all self-satisfied like she's in the semi-finals of <i>American Idol</i> on "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe," didn't he? The story is that she didn't get it in on time, which is conceivable, but it seems more likely that it just didn't work and Kendrick knew that.

November 8, 2012 – <p><i>Yacht Rock</i> is the Alchemist's two-part, Dilla's <i>Donuts</i>-gone-cocaine-crazy collage of <i>Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous</i> clips, samples from sunbaked '70s pop and '80s cheese rock, punctuated with raps from Action Bronson, Blu, Roc Marciano, and others.

November 8, 2012 – <i>Sunday School</i>, Chicago rapper/producer Tree's mixtape from earlier this year, boldly reconfigured the crate-digging boom-bap style which defined the '90s, and later on went grandiose thanks to Windy City icon Kanye West. In short, Tree removed all of the smooth-sailing pleasantries of '70s R&B by slicing old records razor-thin J.

November 2, 2012 – <p>This week's Friday Five is brought to you by Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits (or as they now call themselves, "Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen") who inexplicably offer free Wi-Fi. Not that I'm complaining. As someone who had to evacuate New Jersey because of the hurricane, and spent the rest of this week scrambling around for places to stay and wireless Internet to steal, it is much appreciated.

October 31, 2012 – Rapping over a classic (or buzzing) beat is often just a cheap, if savvy, way to grab some attention. When jackin'-for-beats is done right, however, it brings with it a very specific type of energy. Lil Wayne's “Georgia Bush” is more affecting because it contains from-the-frontlines-of-Katrina frustration, as well as the warped memory of Field Mob and Ludacris' Georgia pride anthem.