Lists

The first half of 2013 seemed to blow by without much warning didn't it? If it was a speedy six months for us music fans, then it's safe to assume that the artists who enjoyed smash hits at the top of the year are already planning the takeover of 2013's second half...

We know there are plenty of rappers and R&B singers with muscular physiques and sexy silhouettes thanks to social media sites like Twitter and Instagram. Just like you (we know you're guilty), they also indulge in taking "selfies" -- taking a photo of themselves, which usually happens to be in front of a mirror, or having someone else take one of them. ...

The weather is finally hot enough to break out the shorts and with that comes music blaring from car stereos driving by and from iPod docks set up during neighborhood barbecues. Summer is a major season for hip-hop and R&B, as some of the biggest artists release tracks that turn into anthems and serve as the soundtrack for many fans' memories through Labor Day. ...

While some may say that the TV show 'The Office' is the quintessential and comedic example of a typical American office, the 1999 film 'Office Space,' starring Jennifer Anniston, Ron Livington and Stephen Root, made cubicle-dwelling, pencil-pushing suits shake their heads, but laugh hysterically at the same time...

Have you ever wondered what it would look like to bring rap's biggest stars together for the ultimate 4th of July hip-hop BBQ? Who would bring the fireworks? Who would DJ? Who would bring the BBQ sauce and the drinks? Which rapper would host the theatrical holiday shindig at their crib...

After winning the third season of 'American Idol' in 2004, Fantasia Barrino has had a whirlwind life and been thrown into the limelight. From winning one of the most popular singing competitions to portraying an iconic literary character in 'The Color Purple' on Broadway, Fantasia hasn't been doing too badly. And as she celebrates her 29th birthday (June 30), she is not only back with a new album,

Hip-hop has grown beyond what it was at its core in the 1970s. These days, the genre is a multi-million dollar empire. It's a multi-faceted industry full of rappers from all walks of life: from the "nerd rap" of folks like Kansas' XV to the super commercialized song-rap of Atlanta's Future...

Solange Knowles is a true renaissance woman. The R&B singer has successfully stepped out of her younger sister's huge shadow to become a fashion trendsetter, activist, businesswoman and all-around cool chick. Musically, Solange is a gifted singer who crafted an excellent soul album in 2008, with 'Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dr...

Just two years ago, a 22-year-old, baby-faced Harlem emcee was making noise with his Houston-inspired music. A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, was something unlike what anyone had seen up until then. He embodied the uptown flair that Jim Jones and his Dipset crew made popular within the hip-hop scene in the early years of the millennium...

Think back to some of the biggest summer songs in hip-hop and R&B history. Tracks like Will Smith's classic 'Summertime,' Diddy's 'I Need a Girl (Part Two),' Nelly's 'Hot in Herre,' Usher's 'Burn,' Rihanna's 'Umbrella' and Jagged Edge's 'Where the Party At?' a...