Author: Nanci O Is Hip Hop

On some real talk this week on three very different occasions I heard or read the term “think outside the box.” Can you think outside the box? What does that mean?-To not be cookie cutter-To not do what everybody else is doing-To not run in somebody else’s lane. Create your own and blaze the hell…

For those who live out of Durham, NC let me tell you about The Know Bookstore. It’s a local institution, a black owned and black themed business that is a bookstore, restaurant and cultural gem. It’s the only spot in town where you can pick up a copy of Native Son, beautiful art (not the…

If more mixtapes came with this level of quality there would be less complaints about wack mixtapes and rappers copying other rappers. And It looks likeThe Anti-Mixtape Resistance Movement got the wind knocked out of it’s sails before it even hit the docks. Reservoir Dogs: Family Affair Download mixtape here. Spotted at 2DB.

Lil Ru is one name that’s coming out of everybody’s mouth between here and Florida. If you’ve been 100% out of the loop then you may have missed the fact that Lil Ru’s Def Jam debut 21 & Up dropped last Tuesday. Since that time it seems that Ru is a topic of discussion everywhere…

There’s an article from this past Sunday’s Raleigh News & Observer about the status of mixtapes in hip hop right now. Uncle Crizzle, the Triangle’s most hated journalist (you should hear the stories about death threats he’s received) reached out to Mister Flowers (aka Eric Tullis, journalist for The Independent) and yours truly to get…

This past Saturday night J. Khrist stopped by the studio to co-host part of the show and debut his new single for the first time in Fayetteville. It was another night of firsts as it was the first time an artist co-hosted the show at 104.5 with me. Some artists hound me about coming to…

Mr. Crown Royal is back with something new. Here’s a track off Royal-Tee’s new mixtape The Voice of Reason with DJ Skillz, dropping soon. Royal-Tee’s 2007 album Alumni was heavily slept on and featured collabs with Phonte and Jus K. Download ‘Thinking Outside The Box’ here.

Feature show nights for September, October, November and December are set:September 17October 8November 5December 11 As mentioned previously 104.5 FM Fayetteville, NC will be bringing back The Independent Countdown. Each week there were be a countdown similar to what your local radio station plays each night. The difference is this countdown will feature all unsigned/underground/indie…

Earlier this month, a producer traveled all the way from his hometown of Houston to Atlanta and embarrassed himself, his town, and disrespected the judges and craft of beat battling. He had some dope tracks and was in the final round with producer T-Nyce. Said beat jacker played a beat produced by Kane Beatz, GS…