It’s safe to say that Outkast has been on a media high as of late, and for good reason. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that our favorite Southern rap duo is making a comeback, and the resulting media storm triggered by last week’s Coachella announcement seems to be proliferating social […]
Read more2013’s Best: The Brands That Made You Dance
There’s no question that 2013 has been a developing year in fashion and style. Who would have even thought this time, last year, we would be sporting leather jogging pants or long sleeve tees that have an abundance of cartoonish icons slapped onto them? From the OG brands of streetwear to the brands making a […]
Read moreRockin’ With The 5th: Kilo Kish
Los Angeles, you have a new neighbor in town. Kilo Kish, the 23-year-old vocalist/visual artist/songwriter/textile designer recently transplanted from New York City and also just released her first eBook to accompany her mixtape compilation, K+, which she released earlier this year. Collaborations with the likes of The Internet, Joey Badass, Jesse Boykins III, and Kitty Cash’s new […]
Read moreWhat Are We Thankful For?
It’s Thanksgiving once again. A time when you are secretly reading this on your iPhone instead of listening to your uncle’s ridiculous ramblings about how Thanksgiving was when he was a kid. A time when you bring your extra flask of Fireball to the family dinner because sparkling cider isn’t going to do the job. […]
Read moreOne Year Later: good kid, m.A.A.d city
It’s been a year since Kendrick Lamar’s critically lauded major label debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, took the hip hop world by storm. Without question, the album is one of the successful hip hop releases of the past five years, and it has been deemed an insta-classic by rap die-hards and casual music fans […]
Read moreRockin’ With The 5th: Black Milk
We caught up with Black Milk at Brick & Mortar in San Francisco, in the middle of touring to promote his new album coming out on October 15th, No Poison No Paradise. He was cool enough to chop it up with us after the show to go over what he’s got going on for him […]
Read moreThe Decades of Hip Hop Fashion – The Late 90’s to Early 2000’s
The 90’s: the decade when everything seemed so right, when our biggest issue was if our Tamagotchi was dead or not, when everything could be answered with a bucket of slime on Nickelodeon. Some of us were Saved by the Bell, but for hip hop and its fashion, the 90’s aspired to be the Freshest […]
Read moreYancey Boys – Sunset Blvd
Not many things in this world last forever, but a J. Dilla beat is one of them. Ever since his tragic passing in 2006, his soulful legacy has been carried on through a number of posthumous albums, tributes, and covers. One album that has always stood out to me was 2008’s Yancey Boys, a collection […]
Read moreThe Decades of Hip Hop Fashion – The 70’s & Early 80’s
Let’s face it, we wouldn’t have streetwear and hip hop fashion without hip hop icons starting it all. Without hip hop becoming what it was in the late 70’s and hitting the mainstream in the early 80’s, artists wouldn’t have started a revolution with their styles and trends, and who knows if we’d have streetwear […]
Read moreThe Focal Point: Style Profile With D-Pryde
In our previous installment of “The Focal Point”, D-Pryde described himself as a “Class Q Hypebeast.” He explained that when the latest trend strays to the right he goes left and sticks to what’s comfortable. His accessories are an essential to his everyday outfit and among them are high top kicks, which he’s garnered a […]
Read moreRockin’ With The 5th: Blu
Our very own Devon “Ironchef” Ward recently caught up with Blu before he performed at an LA Clique Clothing Co. function to chop it up some and discuss a few topics like what separates Blu from the rest of the emcees out there, and also, where he sees himself in five years. The SoCal spitter […]
Read morePete Rock & Camp Lo: 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s Pt. II Mixtape
What’s your favorite Pete Rock-produced album? Mecca & the Soul Brother? Soul Survivor? The Main Ingredient? If you’re a regular reader of this site, you appreciate that classic Hip-Hop sound (and you also probably have a very elaborate answer to this question). Luckily for you, Pete Rock and Camp Lo are back with a new […]
Read moreThe Focal Point ft. D-Pryde
Hailing from Brampton, Ontario, Canada, young and talented YouTube hip hop artist D-Pryde is making waves within the music industry. The 19-year-old who has been gracing your computer screens for the past five years is emerging into the mainstream after recently signing to BMG. With over 296,000 subscribers and over 40 million combined views on […]
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The 5th Element Does: Our Own Summer Lookbook
To kick off the season, we at The 5th threw a poolside BBQ and decided to document the experience to give our own interpretation of a summer lookbook. As you’ll see, shots were taken, cards were thrown, delicious food was devoured, more shots were taken, beats were bumped, pool was played, though no one was […]
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Album Review: Mac Miller – Watching Movies with the Sound Off
In the Hip-Hop game, first impressions are tremendous, especially for rookies. This goes for the indie rap game in particular. Building credibility through respected media outlets is important, as is label loyalty. Not to mention, if your name is thrown into that conversation of “rappers to watch out for,” you’re golden. Right? Wrong. At least […]
Read moreHip-Hop Dedications to Dads
Being the compulsive list-maker I am, I had to jump on the opportunity to compile a list of tunes proper for Father’s Day, but this proved to be a daunting task. Let’s face it, guys. In the arena of Hip-Hop tribute songs, moms have the edge over dads by a huge margin. But that doesn’t […]
Read moreJam On It: Jonwayne – “Notes to Myself”
Fundamentals. They’re necessary in all aspects of life; from work, to sports, to relationships, to, of course, music. Lately I’ve been going back to the basics, and craving some fundamental solid flows and sweet beats. As we all know, cravings don’t go away, which is why I was pleased to find this new track from […]
Read moreThe Indie Alternative: Summer New Releases
Summer new releases can be strategic in the hip hop world. Festivals, summer jams, and lots of bored kids on vacation can all easily serve to augment the fan base of any rapper or hip hop super-group. Not to mention, summertime barbeque-ready beats will inevitably be in heavy rotation (right now, the immediate song that […]
Read moreThe Friday Five 5/31/13
Thank goodness for a short work/school week, because it’s already been a week that’s blown by since last Friday, which means one welcome sight leading into the weekend again – The Friday Five. Click through for a fine selection of tunes from the likes of Daft Punk, Joey Bada$$, and Action Bronson that will have […]
Read moreDanny Brown @ The Glass House, Pomona CA.
If an artist can accomplish three things, they often are considered great: 1) Displaying effectively an obvious influence of the greats before them. 2) Fitting the wave of what the people are feeling at the moment, while in your prime. 3) Elevating their craft or contributing something unique to a movement. Detroit emcee and one […]
Read moreSomething Special – Soulection 2 Year Anniversary Celebration 5/31/13
It’s like someone just came through to your crib on the hottest day of summer with the last glass of ice-cold lemonade (or coffee or beer, take your pick). Get ready tonight LA, because Soulection x Mochilla got the party with the aural refreshments your ears are thirsting to hear.
Read moreRockin’ With The 5th: Ryan McDermott
G.O.O.D. Music’s newest member, Ryan McDermott, has shown glimpses of the promising talent that caught the eyes of Kanye West’s imprint through solid tracks like “Paradise” and “Joy”. Just this past weekend, he graced the stage at Jam Day of the UCLA JazzReggae Festival, bringing his soulful brand of music to the adoring crowd in […]
Read moreRecap: 2013 UCLA JazzReggae Fest – Jam Day
This past weekend, we were able to check out Jam Day of the UCLA JazzReggae Festival. The temps were just right, the crowd was filled with nothing but good vibes and the music throughout the day helped ring in the warm, carefree atmosphere that summertime is all about. As for the musical performances, the talent […]
Read moreJam On It: Cosmo Baker Presents The 6th Annual Roots Picnic Mixtape
If you’re looking for the perfect soundtrack to your Memorial Day weekend, search no further. Cosmo Baker has presented for all our listening enjoyment the official mixtape to the upcoming Roots Picnic, going down on June 1st. So go ahead and get your media piration (it’s not a word, but it should be) on and […]
Read moreThe Friday Five 5/24/13
Welcome to The Friday Five, a Spotify playlist of the top five tracks that I’ve been vibin’ to throughout the week. This week we’ve got a few joints from Solange & Kendrick Lamar, Thurz, and Alchemist. Keep it locked, as I’m sure The Friday Five will soon become your new favorite indicator that the weekend […]
Read moreJam On It: Polyester The Saint ft. Freddie Gibbs – I Win
In celebration of his latest single dropping, Polyester The Saint probably let out a joyful “Yee!” and proceeded to light up an L as the said track, “I Win” is bumping in the background. Of course, Polyester is passing that to his man Freddie Gibbs, who just happened to be guesting on the track. Now […]
Read moreB-boy Lil Rock Crowned Winner of Red Bull BC One Las Vegas Cypher
If I told you that b-boy Lil Rock won a battle tournament using moves such as the “head lotus wave” and “Aladdin freeze”, you’d probably think that this dude just became the next Tekken champion or something. Despite the thought invoking flashacks of Eddy Gordo pulling off breakdancing moves to finish opponents in that tourney, […]
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THE 5TH ELEMENT MAGAZINE 