By Odeisel
His list of accolades is long.  At least as long as his rhymes reminding us of them. As perhaps the preeminent Hip-Hop mainstream personality, Jay-z has a lot of fans and almost as many …

By Odeisel
Sorry for the delay folks, yesterday was busy as heck so instead of a Sick Sunday, I’m gonna open your week up with a Manic Monday. We’re still waiting for the first few releases …

By Malice Intended
We often see life as a series of goals to be achieved or a list of things to do.  Ask anyone what they want out of life and you will hear an entire …

By Odeisel
(BB King’s NYC 8/28/2009) A Rock the Bells crowd is an informed one. Every few seconds you wait for the show, a different dissertation on who is or isn’t dope erupts from different pockets …

By shelz.
We all sit here and ponder what to say.  Kennedy is lying in state. Michael hasn’t been buried.  Vernon Forrest’s alleged killers haven’t been tried and the Baatin articles may still be sitting on …

By shelz.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.  Long considered words of wisdom, plenty of folks live by this quote.  However, the concept gets a little questionable when artistic ventures are involved.  Artistry is liquid. …

By Odeisel
The MC is arrogant.  The MC is combative. The MC is verbose. Hubris in the flesh. I’m so and so, I’m this I’m that. To MC is to escape the bounds of convention and …

By shelz.
Hip-Hop and religion have had a close albeit contradictory relationship for a very long time. Jesus pieces dangle from platinum chains as the mic controllers stalk the stage screaming “Murda!” Albums full of profanity …

By G.I.N.A. (Game is Not Allowed)
As young women we were taught that when dealing with the opposite sex we should be coy and “hard to get” never pursue the man but allow him to “choose” …

By Odeisel
America’s Camelot had no connection to Sir Lancelot or King Arthur.  It was the feeling prior to 60s tumult and political, social, and generational unrest of Pax Americana.  Where Kings could dream, millions could …

By Odeisel
A classic is timeless.  A staple in our collective consciousness that connects us to an era.  The remix goes in the opposite direction. The remix is now.  It’s current and funky and everything else …

Are men and women really that different?  We often find ourselves on opposing sides of most issues and we tend to see things very differently.  We all go through similar things in our lives but …

By shelz.
The internet has turned into a cut throat kind of spot.  Folks push the boundaries of the 1st amendment daily, dumping loads of questionable content on the world wide web.  Mean-spirited is the word …

By Odeisel
It’s one of the most anticipated releases in the coming weeks and we have the preview here at Planet Ill.  We aren’t the first with it (Shout to Defsounds) but it’s one less thing you …

By Reverend Ox
(BB King’s, NYC 8/21/2009) Funkmaster Flex warmed the crowd up with some serious old school classics.  He was showing some serious DJing skills.   I felt ashamed that I forgot how to do the …

By shelz.
Technology has become music’s master.  The average album is part man, part machine and instruments are throw backs to a time long ago. Even vocals have become a bionic mix of song bird and …

By Odeisel
It’s a Friday afternoon and just about everywhere in the country is undergoing a massive heatwave.  Mixtapes are dropping like groupies, the 4th quarter rush for album releases is getting closer and low and …

By G.I.N.A. (Game Is Not Allowed)
The dating scene is littered with shady, sleazy, slime balls (say that fast three times).  Men who want nothing more than a casual fling or to make a woman the …

By Odeisel
The drama.  The suspense.  The principals of this track got a lot of stuff with them. Rihanna’s trying to find her way back to making news for her music and not her hairdos and …

By Odeisel
Havoc has come a long way as an emcee.  From the early incarnation of Mobb Deep, he’s always been the least lyrical of the duo but he more than made up for his shortcoming …