Stupid me but I JUST realised that last year when I interviewed Joell Ortiz in New York, it was at Powerplay.

This was DJ Premier’s workplace before D&D Studios. The booth where Rakim recorded the whole Paid in Full album, where Nas did the first of It Ain’t Hard to Tell’s many versions… Fat Joe, LL Cool J, Mobb Deep, Run-DMC, BIG, and Jay-Z also laid classic verses here in this one room studio lost in Queens. The place used to be called Power Play until 1998, when it was sold. In Ya Ear is the new moniker, Joell Ortiz, Cory Gunz and Cormega are some of the regular customers… Rob and Ax (formerly of Powerule), the proud new bosses, shares thoughts on the vast legacy of this joint. Greatest moments include the (long) making of The Big Picture , Big L’s posthumous album, by his friend and mentor Lord Finesse.

Baddest moments ? Well… Thing is : Power Play was sold for a reason. The old owner was fed up with rappers and labels not paying their studio time. That’s why he kept each and every reel until somebody paid the bills. That’s why Rob and Ax ended up with dozens of masters from Finesse, EPMD, Rakim, etc.

I’m sure you’ve started guessing already : the treasure was sitting here, and… something bad happened. In a New York Minute.

Spotted @ nahright via Gasface

Tags: Big L, EPMD, Hip-Hop, Joell Ortiz, Lord Finesse, Music, Obie Trice, Powerplay Studios, Rakim

Jon John Tv catches up with Lord Finesse, AG, Grand Puba, Doitall, Mr Cheeks, and Rakim at the Lord Finesse birthday party in nyc at SOB’S. It was a great night for true school hip hop heads as we take it back to the 90’s era of hip hop. Lord Finesse blessed the stage with alot of his classic punchlines and bars as well as others. We took the time out to build with the R about his latest project, future collabs, and also about his take on the latest boxing news.

For more episodes of Jon John TV go to http://www.youtube.com/JonJohnTV

Tags: AG, Grand Puba, Hip-Hop, Lord Finesse, Music, Rakim, Rap

Tags: Hip-Hop, Interview, Music, Rakim, Rap

Tags: Hip-Hop, Maino, Music, official video, Rakim, Rap, Video

Tags: Hip-Hop, Jan 1st 2010, Maino, Music, Music Video, Rakim, Rakim - Walk These Streets ft Maino (Behind The Scenes, Rap, Video

Billboard sat down with the God MC and he explains his top album of the decade.

Bonus

Alicia Keys gives her song of the decade

Tags: Alicia Keys, Billboard, Hip-Hop, Jill Scott, Mary J Blige, Music, Rakim, Rap, Video

Nearly 2 hours of Preemo speaking on Hip Hop!

Everyone’s got a favourite Primo beat. Whether it’s the backdrop of Nas’ portrayal of New York underworld in N.Y. State of Mind, Gang Starr’s tale of greed and ambition Just To Get A Rep, or the panicky dream sequence of I Can’t Wake Up from KRS-One, some of THE finest MCs to have ever graced a mic, have spit deep lyrics over a chopped up break from Primo’s crates. Now time has proved that DJ Premier defined an era. Back then, both beatmakers and MCs first had to battle to the top of the pile, and then had to have something to say. Primo’s tracks in themselves are masterpieces in honesty, direct statements carrying the messages of MCs like Biggie, Rakim, Mos Def and Bahamadia straight to the heart while still rocking the dance.

Thanks to Red Bull Music Academy via nahright

Tags: Biggie Smalls, DJ Premier Interview With Red Bull Music Academy (Video, Gangstarr, Hip-Hop, Interview, Jay-Z, Nas, Rakim, Rap, Red Bull, Video

Hip Hop is no longer a culture, its now a religion. Millions across the global listen to Hip Hop music every single day. The music has inspired us from the the way we talk to the way we dress.

Nokia Music and The Hip Hop Chronicle UK would like to use this opportunity to get involved with the Hip Hop community to compile a list of these Hip Hop albums and to feature them on the Nokia Music Store.

One lucky reader will win 50 music tracks from the Nokia Music store.

The albums dont have to be in any particular order.

We just want to know….

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE HIP HOP ALBUMS OF ALL TIME???

Leave you’re answers in the comment box below.

http://www.comeswithmusic.com/ 

Things to note:

The Nokia Music Store is only available in 21 countries and so winners will need to be living in one of these countries.

Tags: albums, Biggie Smalls, Eminem, Hip-Hop, Ice Cube, Jay-Z, KRS-One, LL Cool J, Low End Theory, Music, Music Store, Nokia, Paid In Full, Public Enemy, Rakim, Rap, Snoop Dogg, Tribe Called Quest, Tupac