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Review by Fred Goodman, Musician, April 1985

A REPORTER once jokingly asked Muhammad Ali if his retirement would spell the end of boxing. Instead of turning the question into grist for his ...

Sweet Tee & Jazzy Joyce: Queens of the Bronx

Interview by David Toop, The Face, May 1987

"HIP HOP is such a beats orientated music. It's just beats and a bass line. If you put anything else to it like keyboards and ...

Run DMC: Homeboy's Home Truths

Interview by Frank Owen, Melody Maker, 23 May 1987

ON THE EVE OF THEIR BRITISH TOUR, RUN DMC EXPLAIN TO FRANK OWEN THE STRENGTH OF SILENCE, THE POWER OF GOOD EXAMPLE AND THE WAY THE HISTORY ...

Spoonie Gee: The Wag Club, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 30 January 1988

UNDER PLAIN RAPPING ...

Derek B, Pop Will Eat Itself, Public Enemy: Pop Will Eat Itself: Scrapping With Rap

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 29 October 1988

As DEF JAM'S happy rap panto rolls through Europe POP WILL EAT ITSELF and PUBLIC ENEMY are getting on fine. Unfortunately the hordes of Belgian ...

KRS-One, Boogie Down Productions: Boogie Down Productions: Ghetto Music – The Blueprint Of Hip Hop (Jive Hip 80)

Review by Jeff Lorez, Blues & Soul, 8 August 1989

AS IF you didn't know, KRS One takes himself very seriously, and that's no bad thing. However, if he really is the peace maker that ...

N.W.A.: NWA: Welcome to L.A.

Report and Interview by Mark Cooper, Sunday Correspondent Magazine, 1 October 1989

"Takin' a life or two/That's what the hell I do." The rap band NWA – Niggers with Attitude – compares Los Angeles street life to ...

Public Enemy: Beat Cops

Report by RJ Smith, LA Weekly, 8 March 1990

The LAPD drops in on Public Enemy at the PALACE ...

Public Enemy: Confrontation

Report and Interview by Mark Dery, Keyboard, September 1990

"Elvis was a hero to most But he never meant shit to me you seeStraight up racist that sucker wasSimple and plain ...

N.W.A.: Poison The Hood: Niggaz with Attitude

Retrospective by John Mendelsohn, unpublished, for Playboy, 1991

ON A SPRING EVENING in 1991, the late Eazy-E accepted the invitation of Dr. Dre, his fellow member of the notorious "gangsta" rap group NWA, ...

Mantronix: Mantronik the Dance King: No Messin'

Interview by Jeff Lorez, Blues & Soul, 5 March 1991

THERE'S LITTLE disputing the massive force Curtis Mantronik and the whole Mantronix aggregation have had on dance music in the '80's. Through early releases such ...

C+C Music Factory: Spotlight on Clivilles & Cole: The C&C Beat Generation

Interview by Jeff Lorez, Blues & Soul, 19 March 1991

B&S takes a walk on the wild side to meet up with David Cole, who, with Robert Clivilles, is currently hotter than hot. Trek on... ...

KRS-One, N.W.A., Public Enemy, Run DMC: In Rap's Hometown, an Icy Reception

Report by Rob Tannenbaum, The New York Times, 28 April 1991

THE MARQUEE'S experiment with rap concerts didn't last long. The small club, in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, usually presents alternative-rock bands. But after the ...

MC Hammer: Hammer and Tongues

Profile by Nick Coleman, Time Out, 1 May 1991

The famous pants balloon around the stage as MC Hammer delivers his message about faith, dope and clarity. The world's best-selling rapper arrives in London ...

PM Dawn: Midnight Mass

Interview by Dele Fadele, New Musical Express, 21 December 1991

Praise the Lord and pass the platitudes! PM DAWN may be worshipped as 1991's brightest, dippiest new rappers, but they're keener to be set adrift ...

Ice Cube: The Predator's Decision is Final

Interview by Gavin Martin, New Musical Express, 5 December 1992

The nigger you love to hate is now The Predator. As the controversy over Ice-T's 'Cop Killer' dies down, ICE CUBE — rapper, film star ...

Bell Biv DeVoe: Hootie Mack (MCA 10682; CD and cassette)

Review by Amy Linden, The New York Times, 18 July 1993

When Rap Meets Rhythm-and-Blues ...

MC Lyte: Lyte-headed

Interview by Jeff Lorez, Blues & Soul, 20 July 1993

To quote the title of her new album, "Ain't No Other" quite like MC Lyte. And the lady has her head well screwed on, getting ...

Fun-Da-Mental: Bummer Holiday

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 July 1995

The last time FUN-DA-MENTAL took a journalist to Pakistan, the writer came home a jibbering wreck and the band split. A return trip anyone? Bribes/blackmail/strict ...

Cypress Hill: Back in the Daze

Interview by Andrew Smith, The Face, October 1995

CYPRESS HILL used cannabis to devastating effect in the marketing of their Black Sunday — racking up best-selling rap album in the process. Can they pull the ...