It's not often that you see an MC making his own beats. Being great at both is a challenge and it leaves you vulnerable to be criticized on two fronts. There's strength in numbers. That's why you see so many MCs and producers teaming up - Eric B & Rakim, Gang Starr, Run D.M.C., and Reflection Eternal, for example. Pharrell Williams, Swizz Beats, and Kanye West are recent notable producers who have tried to rap, but they generally come up short lyrically with weak rhyme schemes and poor storytelling capabilities. And then there's Detroit rapper/producer Black Milk. more ›

Tonight's the all-ages Red Bull Big Tune Battle at Neumo's. It's a big hiphop competition (twelve producers are picked to compete, whittled down from the eighty who applied from all over the Northwest and even northern California), and the regional showdown for one of the only legit national beat battles. This year's featured guests are Detroit's Black Milk and Elzhi. more ›