There is hip hop outside of the billboard charts. Artists like Killer Mike, Little Brother, Dead Prez, and Jean Grae–to name a few–are dope but rarely get their just desserts when it comes to folks ‘best rappers” lists. Lil Wayne’s flow is sick, but to say he saved hip hop discounts the contributions of so many underappreciated hip hop heads keeping the spirit alive.

It was the smoothed out love letter every brother in the world wanted to write….but was too damn cool to tell his women!!! Maxwell’s 96′ release also marks a dramatic tone shift in music as mid tempo grooves, jam sessions, and incense became the craze as industry execs, looking for a clever marketing term to push record sales, developed the flawed title neo-soul ( soul is soul…and that never get’s old)

To be frank, Erykah Badu is further from the stereotype of project baby mamas than the Pluto is to Earth. The key difference is Badu ain’t runnin’ around lookin’ for the next man payin’ for nails and hair with a car to take her shoppin’. She has built sound relationships with some cool brothers and it didn’t work out the way we, on the outside, thought it should.

Nothing says internal confliction like the case of R. Kelly. Personally, when I hear his music, I don’t know whether to step in the name of love or call for an exorcism. Most importantly, you have to separate Brother Kelly’s genius as an artist from his personal demons.

In many ways, Jodeci was the antithesis of male R&B groups; an edgy marriage of hip hop swagger and “homie lover friend” sensitivity. They were the brothers that may get a sista to spend the night, but would be sure to call the next day.

Navigating beyond industry politics with an infectious southern charm and keen cultural eye, McCollum’s candid portraits have traced the evolutionary genius of funk mavens OutKast, captured the elusive flair of Erykah Badu, confirmed John Legend’s cool, reaffirmed The Last Poet’s necessity, and redeemed the Notorious BIG.