Hip-hop

What's Good: The Rock's HBO Show, Kanye's Enigma & Macklemore

Posted 5/10/13 11:00 am EST by Guy Code Staff in Hip-hop, MTV2, TV, Video

schulz

It's Friday, which means Andrew Schulz is here to fill you in on the week's biggest pop-culture stories for MTV2's "What's Good." You already saw Mark Wahlberg and The Rock in "Pain & Gain," and now they're teaming up again for an HBO show about retired athletes in Miami. Plus, Kanye West has something big happening on June 18 but nobody knows what. (A kid? A new single? A new kilt?) Lastly, Schulz gives you a tribute to Macklemore, a guy you might've heard of. Before you have a good weekend, find out "What's Good" below!

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Tags Andrew Schulz, Kanye West, Macklemore, Mark Wahlberg, Pain & Gain, The Rock, What's Good

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How To Not Suck When Starting Out In Music

Posted 5/1/13 5:00 pm EST by Sam Cadet in Hip-hop, Music

Piano Playing
Credit: Getty Images

So you want to play music and even do some home producing, huh? Are you sure? You know that making music yields no money for most artists, right? Are you ready for a life of poverty that might or might not lead to gigs at dingy bars? Really?

Well, you're still here, so we'll give you some pointers to get you started. Forget about "Big Pimpin'" yacht parties and wearing clothes you laughed at when you were broke; you have to get your skills down before thinking about anything close to the big time.

1. Spend a little dough on equipment

As you'll quickly realize, music's not a cheap hobby, from buying equipment to going all-in with a DAW. Spend time researching items you'll need, and try them out at a music shop before you commit. A combination of local Guitar Centers, Sam Ashes and mom-and-pop shops probably have what you need on display.

Online customer reviews and other secondhand accounts are helpful, but if you don't feel comfortable with whatever you're using, you're only playing yourself.

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Mac Miller Appears On Charlamagne Tha God's Vine Account

Posted 4/29/13 3:00 pm EST by Guy Code Staff in Hip-hop, MTV2, The Show

We're not sure what any of this means, why Mac Miller is brushing his teeth on the mic or where Charlamagne Tha God got that Asian fan--but it pretty much sums up what makes Vine awesome. It's random, makes no sense and you can't help but smile.

Tags Charlamagne Tha God, Mac Miller, Power 105, vine

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Ask An Illuminati With 'Dave:' Your Questions From Twitter

Posted 4/22/13 1:00 pm EST by RG Daniels in Funny, Hip-hop, Interview

Credit: Steven Puetzer/Getty Images

Last week, we reached out to you on Twitter to find out what you'd ask a member of the Illuminati if given the opportunity. Through a series of complicated sources and connections we were able to send those questions to "Dave," who refused to explain how he became a member, but proved it by setting up a 2013 MTV Movie Award win for Martin Freeman in the Best Hero category. We didn't ask him to do it, but he said he "was tired of 'The Avengers'" winning everything.

Here are Dave's answers to your questions. Be sure to follow us on Twitter for future Q&A sessions with Dave.

@mtv2guycode can I get a job with your organization? #Askanillumanti

— Mark Gonzalez (@myniggaimGOOD) April 15, 2013

We are not an "organization" and people do not have "jobs" with us. We are an all-encompassing circle of control that can hot-wire your thoughts and make you send pornographic e-mails to your grandparents. Sometimes for fun, we invent a new animal just to see if people can figure out how to kill it. So no, you cannot "get a job" with us, but here is a link to a place where you can: www.KMart.com Read More...

Tags 2Pac, illuminati, Lil Wayne, twitter

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5 Reasons Why Jay-Z Will Make An Awesome Sports Agent

Posted 4/16/13 12:00 pm EST by Sean Green in Hip-hop, Sports

Jay-Z Sports Agent
Credit: Getty Images

Jay-Z recently announced that he's selling his share in the Brooklyn Nets to pursue his NBA agent certification. His company, Roc Nation, has partnered up with CAA to form Roc Nation Sports, a heavyweight hitter of athlete management firms. Here are five reasons why we're convinced Jay-Z will dominate as a sports agent.

1. He Knows How To Close A Nine Figure Deal

Jay-Z secured $150 million from Live Nation in 2008, even after his 2007 album "American Gangster" failed to go multi-platinum. A $150 million deal after a disappointing performance? Can you imagine what he could get Manti Te'o?

2. Access To The Entertainment World

Rappers want to be athletes and athletes want to be rappers. Sure, Scott Boras can get you a contract, but can he score you studio time with the best hip-hop producers in the world? Shaq, Chris Webber, Kobe Bryant and Metta World Peace all would've gladly accepted (and benefited from) Jay-Z's rap mentoring.

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'90s Rappers: Where Are They Now?

Posted 4/5/13 5:00 pm EST by Charlie Kasov in Hip-hop

Maroon 5 Grammy After Party & Adam Levine Fragrance Launch Event
Credit: Getty Images

Today is Pharrell Williams's 40th birthday, which is making us nostalgic for the days of N.E.R.D., and really most of the '90s rap we used to rock (and still do, in our cars, where no one can make fun of us). Lil Duval and Charlamagne have some advice for rappers hitting 40, but these days, Pharrell's made the smooth transition into producing and remixing. He's working with everyone, from Daft Punk to Miley Cyrus. Rock on, dude.

Celebrating his big day got us wondering: Where are some of the other big rappers from the '90s these days?

Nas

Heineken Red Star Access Philadelphia Featuring Nas, Wale And Q-Tip
Credit: Getty Images

Guess what Nas is doing right now? That's right, still rapping. According to his Twitter feed, Nasty Nas is set to release the name of his new album next month, and he's apparently pissed that he didn't get to see Pearl Jam in concert last week.

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Joe Budden's Good Ass Night Involves Numerous Twins

Posted 4/1/13 5:00 pm EST by Ryan McKee in Funny, Hip-hop, MTV2, The Show

morning-sex-w-twins

Does it count as "morning sex" when you do it right after an evening nap? Joe Budden says it does, which is great because who doesn't love morning sex? Now you can do it twice in day, as long as you take a nap. But guess what is even better than morning sex in the late afternoon? Morning sex in the late afternoon with twins!

Budden really knows how to start off a Good Ass Night and it only gets better from there. The Slaughterhouse member doesn't stop with only one set of twins and keeps the party going until it's time for even more morning sex, this time in a group.

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Tags Funny, Good Ass Night, Joe Budden, morning sex, Slaughterhouse, Twins, Video

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How To Win Your Rap Beef

Posted 3/28/13 3:00 pm EST by Guy Code Staff in Hip-hop

jay z nas
Credit: Getty Images

If you want to make your name in the rap world, you've gotta make powerful friends...or conversely, you've gotta make powerful enemies. Our (powerful) friends at BroBible break the latter approach down:

1. Start Beef With A Rapper Worse, Yet More Established, Than You

You've got nothing to gain by picking on an artist that YOU even know is better. Notice an established rapper who sucks, release a song pointing out the sucking, and $$$.

2. Dig Up Dirt

This is CRUCIAL. You're going to want to hit 'em where it hurts. Bring up some previously unknown fact from the past. Eazy-E is your guide here: He rapped that Dr. Dre used to wear mascara with the World Class Wreckin' Crew. Mascara!

3. Bring Up The Women At Your Own Peril

Most brutal thing you can do. Everyone remembers how "Hit 'Em Up" began. Things, uh, escalated from there.

MORE: "7 Ways to Win Your Rap Beef"

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Tags Beefs, BroBible, Hip-hop, Rap, rap beefs, Rap Genius

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The Leather Jacket: Tough, Cool And Hard To Get Wrong

Posted 3/28/13 1:00 pm EST by Guy Code Staff in Gear, Hip-hop, Movies

leather jacket
Credit: Heath Patterson via Getty Images

Like the tuxedo, the leather jacket never goes out of style. It can be dressed up with tortoise shell frames or down with a bloody undershirt. It's been famously worn by musicians, athletes, cowboys, young soldiers in love, Arctic explorers, Newsies, bookies, hit men, stunt men, Indiana Jones, James Dean, Luke Perry, mobsters, evil masterminds, literary misfits, brawlers with hairy knuckles, fat cats with cigars, the Planet Hollywood crew, Wu-Tang, Vegas snakes and various Tarantino lowlifes.

In its honor, here's five leather jackets from pop-culture to dust off and wear tomorrow.

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Sneak Peek Video: Kendrick Lamar's Good Ass Night

Posted 3/22/13 4:00 pm EST by Guy Code Staff in Hip-hop, MTV2, The Show, Video

kendrick lamar good ass night

A Good Ass Night can go in one of a few directions: crazy partying (like Swizz Beatz's), crazy sex (like Lil Duval's) or just taking it EASY from all that craziness (like Macklemore's). Well, Kendrick Lamar definitely falls into the last of those categories.

In the below clip from Tuesday's "Guy Code," Kendrick explains why nothing's more relaxing than Martin Lawrence and tacos. We might give that combo a shot tonight.