XXL made a lotta noise when they started publishing their annual Freshmen 10 issue. Readers have since tuned in to gauge how the selected few have lived up to their hype, to see which of them would, could live up to the expectations. Full Article at XXL

It’s been nine years since A Tribe Called Quest disbanded after the release of their fifth album, I still ain't over this shit. And it's been 12 years. Shame on you Gregory and D Barnes! Full Article at XXL

Think about jazz. Close your eyes, and the images, they're all in black and white. Miles, Monk, Bird, 'Trane. Great, but dead. Robert Glasper argues for living color. The pianist plays jazz in the present tense, which means hip-hop in the vocabulary. Full Article at Esquire

The first song on is titled “Feelin’”. That seems about right. So much of what A Tribe Called Quest was up to in their 10-year career was trying to capture a feeling, a vibe. Full Article at PopMatters

A Tribe Called Quest member/producer DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad has teamed with Mary J. Blige, Sinead O’Conner and new singer Martha B. to raise awareness about American girls who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Full Article at All HipHop

A.V. Club head writer and hip-hop writer Nathan Rabin recently decided to spend a year or two immersing himself in the canon of country music, a genre he knew little about, but was keen to explore. Full Article at The A.V. Club

Underground hip-hop reveres A Tribe Called Quest, but in a post-Kanye West world, there’s no longer any shame in both blowing up and going pop. Take Washington D.C.’s Wale, for example. Full Article at The A.V. Club

Lin-Manuel Miranda grew up on the northern tip of Manhattan listening to Broadway show tunes that his Puerto Rican parents loved (think “Man of La Mancha”) and hip-hop CDs that he ripped off from his older sister. Full Article at AccessAtlanta

This decade, many a rap and R&B artist, from Missy Elliott to Mya, have seen their albums stalled or put on permanent hold. Full Article at The Root

More than many recent seasons, little intrigue lies at the top of the NBA standings. Some combo of the East’s Ceatles/Cavs/Magic and the West’s Lakers/Spurs will meet in the Finals. OK, we will be lenient and throw the Nuggets and Mavs in there as well. Full Article at SLAM Online

Given the memorable performances it produces year after year from hip-hop legends like Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest and Nas, the Rock the Bells festival in Devore has earned its reputation these past few years as a sort of rap Mecca –- the... Full Article at The Orange County Register

The seminal label was the night's sole honoree, a first in the event's six-year history. In the past, a class of MCs were inducted each year, from Big Daddy Kane to A Tribe Called Quest. Full Article at MTV.com