By Phillip Mlynar
Photography by Ricky Powell

“I was locked up in jail during the shiny suit era!” laughs Blacastan, an emcee inspired by CNN’s steez who just happened to find himself being bombarded by the saccharine sounds of Puffy and Mase while doing a bid. Now with his thoroughly hardcore ‘The Master Of Reality’ set out on Brick, here’s what’s up with the man who considers the sounds of Roc Marciano soothing…

So how’s life treating you?
“Man, it’s treating me alright as far as the music goes. But personally, I’m going through a divorce from my wife so it’s rough, man. And pretty much it’s because I’m pursuing music professionally so I’m not able to be a very good husband at this time, ‘cos my first love is music. I mean I definitely love her, but I’ve definitely come too far and music has been here for everything in my life. Music has pulled me through it; I use it to escape whatever’s going on at the time.”

So what are you listening to at the moment to help get you through the divorce?
“Oh, man, I’m really listening to a lot of my own stuff, plus Roc Marciano, and a lot of Pete Rock – probably nothing typical that you’d think of as break-up music! Break-up music makes me depressed… I’ve also been listening to Tragedy Khadafi a lot, been bumping that kind of stuff.”
Continue reading Blacastan Interview

By Phillip Mlynar

Ludacris has a new album out. It’s called Battle Of The Sexes. Unfortunately, he’s still the king of the curt answer when it comes to an interview – his ‘concise’ sentences make even Havoc’s monosyllabic grunts resonate like insightful nuggets of worldly wisdom. But here’s Luda’s thoughts on lots of important things anyway. Can we have a banner ad now, Def Jam?

On the reaction to his new album…
“Everyone’s been really supportive and said how much they like the album so I’m really happy about that.”

On the female rappers who appear on his album…
“I wanted females from the past, present and future. I got people like Eve, Nicki Minaj, and my cousin Monica. But it ain’t all women on the album. I got Trey Songz too. Some records I’m talking about women and some records I’m talking to women.”

On the feistiest ever female rapper…
“What comes to mind is probably a Foxy Brown or a Lil Kim. Yeah, I’d say Lil Kim and Foxy Brown considering that they were allegedly involved in a shoot out in New York. I don’t think there’s anything more feisty than that!”

On the best characteristic in a woman…
“The best characteristic in a woman is her personality.”

On the worst characteristic in a woman…
“If she exudes sexiness, that turns me off.”

On his first celebrity crush…
“Thelma from Good Times.”

On what he liked most about Thelma from Good Times…
“She was hot.”

On his favorite line from UTFO’s “Roxanne, Roxanne,” reportedly the first ever rap record he bought…
“You should know, she doesn’t need a guy like you/She needs a guy like me with a high IQ.”

On what he imaged a real life Roxanne to be like…
“I don’t really know.”

On what he’d put in a text message to Roxanne today…
“Thanks for making the record “Roxanne Roxanne”.”

On which other fictional hip-hop females he likes…
“I like Bonita Applebum.”

On why people should check out the new album…
“Man, I’m just as hungry as the first day I started and I continue to make people proud.”

HHC Digital’s rap round-up…
By Richard Watson

Leader of the new school: In news that read like a real life, hip-hop version of Dead Poets Society, Jim Jones announced that Dipset will definitely be in the staff room when he takes up a gig as – it says here − a teacher. Mr Jones promised to give students the “funnest” class, which must fill New York’s Board of Education with confidence. Elsewhere, Method Man predicted mere pass marks for his joint project with Raekwon and Ghostface – once again it seems Def Jam is headed to the dunce’s corner.
Continue reading All The Hip-Hop News That’s Fit To Link…

With mother’s day coming up on the calendar, we got Krafty Kuts to compile his top ten songs to play to your old earth. Keep reading to check out his picks (though, sadly, he didn’t include Katch 22’s great ‘For My Mum’). Oh, and click here for more info on his gig on March 26th…

1. Chic ‘Good Times’
“A classic track that my mum heard me cutting up two copies of many, many times. While I was practising in my bedroom she would always come in and do that embarrassing mum dance they all do!”

2. 2Pac ‘Dear Mama’
“It’s in all in the title – say no more!”

3. Fat Boy Slim ‘Praise You’
“Because all mothers need praise now and then!”

4. James Brown ‘Mother Popcorn’
“This track proves my mum still has the funk in her trunk!”

5. The Beatles ‘All You Need Is Love’
“I grew up with my mother singing this all the time!”

6. LL Cool J ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’
“Don’t mess with my mum when she is in a bad mood!”

7. Utah Saints ‘Something Good (High Contrast Mix)’
“This one is for the young mothers out there!”

8. Krafty Kuts & A Skillz ‘Happiness’
“It’s all about the thought you put into mother’s day, not what you spend!”

9. SOS Band ‘Just Be Good To Me’
“Always treat your mum with respect!”

10. Deadmau5 & Kaskade ‘I Remember (Caspa Dubstep Remix)’
“So don’t forget mother’s day and getting a car or they won’t forget!”

HHC Digital’s rap round-up…
By Richard Watson

I’m out for presidents to represent me: This week, Jay-Z and the missus popped round Barack’s crib, a cultural convergence that represented either the incredible power of hip-hop in smashing social barriers, or the incredible power of cardigans in rehabilitating the image of a man who once stabbed a peer to boost record sales. Either way, with rap’s biggest name cosying up to the government, Bow Wow – the Twitter generation’s Chuck D – stepped in to launch a scathing broadside at the powers that be.

Girls On Film: The maker of a video in which a woman thought to be the circa-2004 Nicki Minaj recalled knocking Ugg boots with Remy Ma appealed to Ms Minaj to set the record straight. Meanwhile, Trina lost a phone filled with explicit photos that, we’re informed, showed the starkers starlet looking somewhat less than her best. Weighing in on her rival’s sub-par appearance, Khia tweeted, “BAD D*CK IS THE BLAME”, although it’s worth noting that the ‘My Neck, My Back’ girl isn’t a qualified GP. Or English teacher.
Continue reading All The Hip-Hop News That’s Fit To Link…

The first track from Little Brother’s last album, due out in April, has just been released. Click here to download the appropriately-titled ‘Curtain Call’.

Photography by Alexander Richter

On April 7th the mighty Method Man will be hitting London town for a one-off show at Matter. Support will come from Wu-Tang Clan affiliates Mathematics, Streetlife and Cilvaringz – you can check out more info on it by clicking here.

Even better, HHC has a pair of tickets to give away to the reader who has enough time on their hands to come up with the most Mr Mef-esque four bar rhyme. Send your ‘poetry’ to info@hhcdigital.net (and don’t forget to put ‘Tical’ in the subject box) and the best or funniest will be awarded the tickets.

Wanna get a verse from Black Sheep’s Dres on one of your productions? Simply enter the Black Sheep remix competition – which involves remixing Dres’s ‘The Prelude EP’ – and, if you’re selected as the winner, you’ll not only see your production on the official ‘Prelude EP Remix’ release but also get a hot 16 straight from the man himself. Click here for all the details.

Produced by Domer, the pun-tastically-titled ‘Bohemian Rap CD’ project sees Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ being flipped into six hip-hop tracks, also featuring NY emcees IllSpokinn, Jake Lefco, Ryan O’Neil and Kats. Click here to check it out.

New from DJ Ames is the Rukus mixtape, ‘Back Like I Never Left’, featuring input from Klashnekoff, TY, Baby J and more. Cop it by clicking here.