“This is HIP-HOP. I don’t know what they told you, but this is called HIP-HOP!” DJ Artistic has me in a gentle headlock as he shouts this into my ear.

This week's picks include flaxen-haired singer-songwriter Lissie, the early stages of Owl City and the bluesy offerings of Blue Giant... among others.

Starting Monday, September 6 with back-to-back episodes at 10/9c and 11/10c, VH1 will count down its 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (the five-part countdown will continue every day at 10/9c through Thursday, Sept. 10). VH1 has revealed the Top 5 (although their specific ranking will remain a secret until the final show airs). In alphabetical order, they are: The Beatles Bob Dylan Michael ...

The recent hip-hop trend of paradigm-shifting MCs continues with the big-top arrival of B.o.B, whose The Adventures of Bobby Ray debuted at number one on the Billboard album chart in April. There has been something preordained about his rise, but it's been an intermittent ascent for...

A Conversation with Razor & Tie's Cliff Chenfeld & Craig Balsam Mike Ragogna: The label Razor & Tie has had an extremely successful run...

PLAN A was to have a happy childhood and grow up staying out of trouble. Yet that proved to be just a pipedream for tormented East End lad Ben Drew, beaten by his stepdad and bullied at school.