We are looking for new music from Michigan artists for our website. Currently we are working on our first Mixtape and Podcast, both of which will be available for free download on MichiganHipHop.com. If you are interested in submitting tracks for the Mixtape, Podcasts or to have posted on the site’s Audio section, please send mp3’s to [email protected]. The deadline for the first Mixtape is May 12.

P.S. We also need drops for these projects. Drops can be phoned in by leaving a voicemail at (206) 350-6583.

Public Media Group brings you another jump-off not to be missed!! This Sunday, after the ERYKAH BADU show at The Fox Theatre!! Detroit’s official listening party for THE ROOTS New album… Continue reading →

If you’re out in Lansing on May 1, check out the 2 year anniversary of Respiration. F.O.S. will be performing along with many surprise guests. It’s all going down at Mac’s Bar (2700 E. Michigan Ave, Lansing MI). Doors are at 10pm and the cover is $5 for 21+ and $7 for 18+. Continue reading →

When hip-hop heads buzz about the renaissance of Detroit’s rap scene, Guilty Simpson is universally recognized as one of its most important components. Widely known as a protégé to the late J Dilla, the Guilty showcased his gritty, throaty vocals on albums like Jaylib’s Champion Sound and Dilla’s The Shining before signing to indie powerhouse Stones Throw Records through his old friend. Under the LA label, 2007 would see him release the mixtape Stray Bullets and his debut album Ode To the Ghetto, the latter featuring production from the likes of ST breadwinner Madlib, fellow Detroit heavyweights Black Milk and Mr. Porter, and one beat from Dilla Dog himself.

Along with pushing February 08’s Ode, Guilty is also working on an album with Black and underground emcee du jour Sean Price—together, the trio of Random Axe—for a fourth quarter release. In MichiganHipHop’s debut interview, Guilty talks extensively about Dilla, Random Axe and hoops. Continue reading →

Recently, I’ve seen you have a lot of really random cameos—the joint with the Heliocentrics, joint with D3Concept, joint with 88-Keys. Do you make it a point to do cameos that throw people for a curve, or is that just how those songs turned out?

I don’t have a preconceived type of bill that I go through and feel like I’ve got to do anything extra. The beat is my friend, so the main thing want to do is compliment the track and play my part. When I do these features, my aim isn’t to outshine. I listen to the music, and let the music take me where it needs to be, because I feel like I’m the last instrument on an instrumental. Even though the vocals make it not an instrumental, I want to be a part of the music. I know some people want to be like, “I’m going to kill this beat!” Nah, that’s not me. I want to compliment the beat, the beat is my friend.

With the Heliocentrics, I give them props on “Before I Die,” because of its more of a concept. People are used to hearing me open mic style, so to actually see me big with a concept or certain type of subject matter to a song shows more well-roundedness in me. The Detroit Concept dudes, I met them in Paris. The beat (to that song) is crazy, it reminded me of “Game Over,” with Phat Kat and J Dilla on the Dabrye album. So I just did my thing on that, and you can even hear on the last line, “Peace to Phat Kat and Dilla, game over.” With 88-Keys’ “Like A Man,” I give him credit because he had the concept and everything formatted already. Death of Adam, the album he’s coming out with, people know I’m pretty good at rapping about relationships and stuff like that. The beat and everything catered to where I was mentally anyway, so that made it real easy to do that feature. Peace to him too, 88-Keys got that heat.

Guilty Simpson “Man’s World” (Prod. J Dilla)
[audio:http://www.michiganhiphop.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/guilty_mansworld.mp3]

Guilty Simpson “ChiefPatPockets” (Prod. DJ Haircut)
[audio:http://www.michiganhiphop.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/guilty_chiefpatpockets.mp3]

Phat Kat Feat. Guilty Simpson “Nightmare” (Prod. Nick Speed)
[audio:http://www.michiganhiphop.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/phatkat_nightmare.mp3]

Welcome to the new MichiganHipHop.com. If you’re not familiar with this site, it’s dedicated to the entire Michigan Hip-Hop scene. From MCs to B-Boys, from backpacker to street, we’ll cover it all through news bits, show dates, interviews and multimedia. More information can be found out about this site and the people running it over in the about section.