BTMKRS

Instead of stealing instruments, musicians turn to Splice

“The percentage of Top 40 music made with our platform blows my mind,” says Splice co-founder Steve Martocci. He tells me about some bedroom music producers who were “working at Olive Garden until they put sounds on Splice .” Soon they quit their jobs because they were earning enough from artists …

Meet the unassuming drum machine that changed music forever

Created 30 years ago, the AKAI Music Production Center is still vital to today’s popular music.<p>In a set from 2013, a masked Kanye West appears onstage and stands before a veiled podium. With a slow, theatrical tug, he pulls away the veil to reveal an AKAI Music Production Center, or MPC — a small, …

Who Is Offset? Meet the Rapper Who Stole Cardi B's Heart, and Then Some

On Saturday, Cardi B confirmed her pregnancy to the world while performing on <b>Saturday Night Live</b> for the first time. The 25-year-old Bronx rapper is expecting her first child with rapper Offset, best known as a member of the hip-hop group Migos. While fans have come to know a lot about the …

This Awesome Timelapse Shows the Entire Growing Process of Cannabis, From Seed to Harvest

We often throw out tips and tricks for how to grow the perfect cannabis plant, but we don't often show you visuals of what the process actually looks …

Leaked Apple email hints at the possible end of iTunes

Apple could kill off iTunes in the near future, a new report suggests.<p>It cites an email that Apple reportedly wrote to people in the music industry recently, announcing the “end of iTunes LPs.” The iTunes LP format was first introduced in 2009 and let publishers add interactive artwork, along with …

NYC Radio Host Peter Rosenberg Explains Why Drake Called Him After He Criticized The ‘God’s Plan’ Video

New York radio personality Peter Rosenberg wasn’t feeling Drake’s “God’s Plan” video. Far from being impressed by Drake’s generosity in giving away the video’s $1 million budget to disadvantaged residents of Miami, his attitude on the February 20 taping of Ebro In The Morning was skeptical and …

The 10 Most Iconic Dr. Dre Beats

<b>Dr. Dre</b>'s iconic production is woven into the DNA of hip hop. Dre has always had a prophetic vision of hip hop's future and was key in the genesis of …

The A-Z Of Music-Making: The Q’s & R’s – From Quantisation To Reverb

Marc JB once again returns with more essential musical terms without the jargon; from learning how quantisation can transform your rhythm to the …

Your Side Hustle Can Become a Million-Dollar Business. These 5 Examples Prove It.

Under Armour evolved from its founder's wish for a moisture-wicking t-shirt. What's your pain point and future million-dollar idea?<p>Opinions expressed by <i>Entrepreneur</i> contributors are their own.<p>Do you currently have a side hustle? A secondary stream of income? A hobby you enjoy that can sometimes …

This $200 Guitar Gadget Wants to Replace All of Your Music Lessons

Fret Zealot is an LED lighting device for your guitar that will train you to play in 60 seconds. Does it work? We put it to the test.

Apple Music to overtake Spotify in US subscribers this summer as it hits 36M globally

While Spotify has long-held a lead over Apple in streaming music subscribers, the gap between the two is slowly narrowing, according to a new report from <i>The Wall Street Journal</i>. The report, citing “people in the record business,” explains that Apple Music is adding subscribers in the United States …

Watch Nas Perform ‘Illmatic’ at the Kennedy Center

Nas brings <i>Illmatic</i> to PBS. Twenty-four years after dropping <i>Illmatic</i>, the hip-hop icon performed his seminal debut album with the National Symphony …

Smooky Margielaa - TWENTY 2 uploaded by SpratFool - Listen

Tracklisting: 1. Anthony Mason - Marv Won 2. Get Yo Money - Cyhi The Prince 3. Duffles - Apollo Brown and Planet Asia 4. Dirt Naps - Ty Farris 5. …

Temptations Former Lead Singer Dennis Edwards Dead at 74

Motown pioneer initially joined group in 1968, appeared on hits "Ball of Confusion," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"<p>Dennis Edwards, a former lead singer …

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Today In Hip Hop History: The Fugees Release Their Debut 'Blunted On Reality' LP 24 Years Ago

On this date in 1994, crew members <b>Wyclef Jean, Pras</b> and a young, talented <b>Lauryn Hill</b> otherwise known as <b>The Fugees</b> formulated their first album …

Drake's $90 Million-Plus Business Lessons On How To Top The Charts -- Yet Again

Drake is returning to the top of the charts with a new single and an album set to follow. The Canadian rapper’s song “God’s Plan,” which arrived unexpectedly with minimal promotion, is now at No. 1 in both the U.S. and U.K. in its debut week. Drake’s critical and commercial kudos is explained by …

Rap Producers Run Pop, So Why Won’t The Grammys Notice?

The producer with the most hits on the Top 40 of the Hot 100 last year was the 24-year-old Metro Boomin. He had 11 smash singles, including Future’s “Mask Off,” Kodak Black’s “Tunnel Vision,” 21 Savage’s “Bank Account,” Gucci Mane’s “I Get The Bag” and Migos’ “Motorsport” — a commanding collection …

The Most Anticipated Hip Hop Albums Of 2018

What’s crackin’ people? As we now are in the new year, heads are already anticipating projects from their favorite artists, and critics are …

Inside Wu-Tang Clan’s Best Record in Over a Decade

Late one evening in 1992, Allah Mathematics got the call. RZA, de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, was gearing up to drop “Protect Ya Neck,” the …

Tom Hardy Used To Be A Backpack Rapper And The Internet Has Proof

Tom Hardy — the actor, the man who played Bane and Mad Max and a stormtrooper and will be playing Venom in an upcoming Marvel movie — was apparently a huge fan of underground rap back in the day. The proof is an unreleased, unfinished album entitled <i>Falling On Your Arse In 1999</i> that was recently …

The Art Of Being Self-Made: A Conversation With A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

Generating a respectable buzz following the release of his 2016 breakout single “My Shit”, 22-year-old A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has continued adding a slew of notable hits to his catalogue.<p>Teaming up with a growing list of superstars like Chris Brown, Yo Gotti, 21 Savage, Quavo and Kodak Black, the …

A Toast to Grandmaster Flash: Hip-hop Pioneer, Turntable Wizard and Superhero DJ

At 60 years old, the DJ pioneer is still a beacon of youthful enthusiasm for what hip-hop has been and continues to be.<p>The term “old school” can …

Lo Lifes

“Handle Your Business”: Sonny Digital Tells Producers Not to Blame Atlantic Records

2018 is the year we get producers paid on time and in full. At least, that’s the hope as conversations regarding the lack of compensation for …

New B&O Play headphones deliver stunning battery life and cool new Proximity Mode | Trusted Reviews

<b>Bang & Olufsen has updated a trio of headphone models, under its B&O Play lifestyle brand.</b><p>At CES 2018 in Las Vegas, the company took the wrappers off …

Audio-Technica goes crazy for wireless with five new Bluetooth headphone models

DSR5BT for audiophiles, SPORT70BT for fitness buffs, NC700BT for noise canceling, and S200BT for cheap<p>Japan’s Audio-Technica is coming to CES 2018 with a big set of new wireless headphones to show off. The highlight among them is the <b>DSR5BT</b>. Its codename hints at the fact it has the same Pure …

The Black Godfather Who Rose, Fell and Vanished

Legend holds that Carlo Gambino, the No. 1 Mafioso in New York City, put a contract out on Frank Matthews in the early ’70s. Instead of going into …

It’s Time For Hip-Hop Producers To Start A Union To Protect Their Work

He’s not a household name, but DJ Burn One was one of the primary producers of ASAP Rocky’s <i>LiveLoveA$AP</i>, a modern classic that helped shape hip-hop’s new school. Similarly, Atlanta DJ and producer TM88 crafted “XO Tour Lif3,” a triple-platinum smash that was inescapable last year. Their music …