Once upon a time, I hated Company Flow. Their music sounded like rap as rigid noise-attack, all funless bellowing and construction-site clang. El-P’s solo yammer “Patriotism” was the one track I always skipped on the great Rawkus compilations Soundbombing II. Whenever his voice showed up on the underground rap albums I loved, like Atmosphere’s Lucy [...]

A lot has changed since El-P made his mid-Nineties debut as a member of the progressive New York rap trio Company Flow and launched his seminal record label Definitive Jux galvanizing hip-hop's underground scene Nearly two decades later the term "underground" is more nebulous than ever while unshackled independent...

After a seven-year solo album hiatus, the artist and emcee strikes with a June album.

El-P is dropping his project with Mike, R.A.P. Music (Rebellious African People’s Music), on May 15th followed by his new solo LP Cancer4Cure on May 22nd. On the 21st in New York, him, Mike, Despot and Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire will kick off a two month tour. Spotted: ego trip Previously: Company Flow – Patriotism (Live [...]

by BBG El-P (right) on stage with Company Flow at Coachella (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin) El-P's Cancer for Cure is inching towards release (due on May 22nd via Fat Possum) and though the record leaked yesterday, the Brooklyn MC...

Extra large happenings in this month’s Rapture & Verse. Have a guess as to whether it’s the prospect of a touring Tupac hologram (we always preferred Arnold J Rimmer ourselves), or hip-hop repeating its Weakest Link potential with a possible Celebrity Squares special (Mac Miller and Ghostface Killah believed to be amongst those jostling for the centre square). Or could it be that there’s something of a Company Flow reunion slash showdown crashing through, with both El-P and Bigg Jus releasing new albums of sonic downfall. El-Producto’s ‘Cancer for Cure’ is a naturally abrasive, scuzz-wrestling, rock and roll B-boy Judgement Day (check the trailer here ), pulling a single brick out of the scenery and chronicling the collapse minute by ever loudening minute while still finding room to fire off ‘Airplane!’ quotes. The one-upmanship in alt-rap has Bigg Jus on an even denser grind. Named ‘Machines That Make Civilization Fun’ and pairing the sort of mind-boggling titles that dissonant, feedback-scarred slug-outs deserve, Juss plants bombs in leftfield and comes up with funk-rotting blooms snapping heads back. He still knows how to drop a nifty one-liner out of the madness, and happily, El-P provides a remix for lead single ‘Black Roses’. Par for the course really from two certified ear-boxers. Naturally that leads us to Co Flow’s third member, Mr Len, and if you’re wondering what he’s up to, follow him on twitter @therealmrlen. With your listening gear still glowing red, may we suggest I Self Devine’s ‘The Sound of Low Class Amerika’ to prolong the ringing. Issuing a cage-rattling political/street corner address, the Rhymesayers and Micranots crewmember makes strong stands supported by eyewitness reportage, to a backdrop of heavy funk that when not sounding like it’s had enough, is able to take a moment and admire how fly it can be. From industrial crushes of NYC chaos and fighting the power in LA, to the Kool Keith strand of anarchy; here’s the Spankmaster getting long-winded on ‘New York’ , including some sights the tourist board don’t put in their brochure, ahead of umpteenth new album ‘Love and Danger’. No ‘Down Under’ jokes please kids, but Men at Work 2020 are rocking your favourite ultra plump funk-for-hip-hop breaks like mad dogs. Sewn together by Domingo, it’s a formidable posse cut involving Kool G Rap, Necro, Action Bronson, Rugged Intellect, Ras Kass and more. Emcees claiming tunnel vision when inhaling the mic have got nothing on Philly’s Lushlife, whose ‘Plateau Vision ...

Plus: Company Flow, Growlers, Seun Kuti and more!

It’s not just El-P from the now defunct Company Flow who is releasing a new album in the next while. Bigg Jus‘ new album Machines That Make Civilization Fun is our on May 8th and the first single ‘Black Roses’ … Read More... →

Company Flow reunite for a show Live at the Metro, 4/12/2012. Sock Monkey Sound

Beirut is not a band I think about very often. Sometimes I used to forget what they even sound like. I do that a lot. When you review a lot of bands, you sometimes forget that you've ever heard of them. And then you read a great review you wrote and you think... Oh. So when I saw that Beirut was up against Girl Talk in Coachella's lineup, I made a mental asterisk to figure out how much I want to see Beirut. I knew I liked them, I knew I wanted to see them, but couldn't ...

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin dolphin rider / Wild Flag / At the Drive-In "Weekend one of Coachella 2012 not only confirmed rock fans' rabid appetite for live music but reminded the music industry that the past is a lot...

For the first time ever, El-P, Bigg Jus and Mr. Len perform in Chicago. And RubyHornet was on hand to capture footage of the reunited trio as they perform a cut off the Soundbombing II compilation. PREVIOUS: El-P – The Full Retard

El-P, Big Juss and Mr. Len reunite as Company Flow for a performance in Chicago. Here they do “Patriotism” from the Soundbombing II compilation. Spotted: Ruby Hornet Also, be sure to check El-P’s most recent release “The Full Retard” below. Previously: Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire ft. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown & El-P – The Last [...]

There are more! There are still more bands for Coachella we haven't covered. There are still more bands that we've covered in the past who happen to also be playing Coachella this year. We aren't done yet, and Coachella begins TOMORROW! Well, we don't head out there until next week's installment, but folks... COACHELLA BEGINS TOMORROW! Are you ready? Explosions in the Sky plays at 10 PM in the Outdoor theater Friday night. Kilter gave us a preview of this post-rock band almost a year ago. "They build lush, extended (most songs are over 7 ...

Pitchfork got the drop on the latest single by Mike Bigga from his upcoming project R.A.P. Music, which will be produced entirely by the Company Flow luminary. The album drops May 15th.