Artist: Dr. Dre

When word came around that Trent Reznor was working with Dr. Dre , many wondered if there would be another set of headphones to add to the already long list of musician affiliated gear. While that still might be the case, that's not why Reznor is working with Dre (according to an interview published by The New Yorker ). Evidently, Reznor and Dre are working on a new music streaming service titled 'Daisy' and it is expected to be released in 2013. I'm fairly excited for this new service, seeing as it is [...]

Trent Reznor has experienced a great deal of success in the music and film industries; now, the Nine Inch Nails frontman is setting his sights on the world of music-streaming. In a interview with The New Yorker (via Pitchfork ), Reznor revealed that his recent partnership with Beats By Dre involves the creation of a new music-streaming service called Daisy. Reznor described Daisy as a "platform in which the machine and the human would collide more intimately." He said the service uses "uses mathematics to offer suggestions to the [...]

The art of DJ-ing has been an essential feature of hip hop since the genre’s birth. Whether through scratching, sampling, or producing, these multitalented musicians provide a steady yet groovy backbone to any performance or recording. Unfortunately, many producers on today’s scene fail to be inventive. Too often their songs are the same 10-second loops found in the basic version of FL Studio. What separates a studio producer from the pack is his or her ability to integrate disparate musical influences in a meaningful, often funky collage. In my opinion, Nujabes is the prime example of a master producer because [...]

Next week is the 20th Anniversary of The Chronic. If you're old enough to remember copping the tape back in 1992, that sentence alone is enough to make you feel ancient. When I did an imperfect Internet survey five years ago , The Chronic ranked as the fifth greatest rap album ever. In last month's LA Weekly Music Edition, editor Ben Westhoff compiles mostly unpublished interviews from some of the people behind the record. There's also an article where I argue why it can be considered the greatest rap album ever made. The [...]

• Shots Fired Episode 7 - The Dub Annivers... » SFD_007_20121206_WesthoffCarrion_EDIT_01....mp3

Dr. Dre's 1992 album, 'The Chronic', is the greatest rap album ever made , as Jeff Weiss rightly argues. Incredibly, in this oral history of the album's creation , it's revealed the album almost never got made. Despite the success Dre had experienced with N.W.A, he was entangled in contractual problems with his former crewmate Eazy-E's label. For that reason, as well as Death Row's dodgy reputation, The Chronic had a hard time finding release. It took the shepherding of renegade upstart Interscope Records, the financing of convicted drug kingpin [...]

Today we begin our 2012 Annual Report by recapping the year in news. Since January 1st, the staff of Consequence of Sound has posted over 4,500 news stories, ranging from album and tour announcements to the death of M.C.A. and the trials and tribulations of Pussy Riot. Below, we've put together a timeline highlighting the 100 stories which we felt best defined the year. Each notation includes a brief recap of the story along with a link to the original article and even audio. And since the year isn't quite over yet, we'll continue [...]

Spoiler Alert: My #1 album of the year is in this post, but you gotta read the rant to get there. Forbes' announcement of the top 25 highest-paid musicians of 2012 should come as little of a shock. We've been inundated with the perils of making money the past few weeks with Spotify scraps and Cat Power's announcement (via instagram of all things) that she's broke . So, realize that Dr. Dre was the highest earning musician of 2012 shouldn't be shocking, until you realize that Dr. Dre DIDN'T RELEASE [...]

Thanks to his now Beats By Dre headphone line empire, Aftermath Entertainment founder and CEO Andre "Dr. Dre" Young has now out ranked U2, Bon Jovi, Elton John and Roger Waters by topping the Forbes' highest paid musician in all... [[ This is a content summary only. Click on the titles for full stories... ]]

Could a jailed, punk-rock band from Russia become the Person of the Year?  The ladies of Pussy Riot are up for the accolade after Time magazine nominated them alongside Barack Obama, Michael Phelps, Psy, Jon Stewart, and Jay-Z. On today's Rock it Out! Blog, we discuss the news and ask if you think Pussy Riot should grace the cover of Time come December 31st or not. Also on today's episode, Sami recaps more music headlines including a list of the richest musicians of 2012 , Dave Grohl's radio show , [...]

It has been a good year for Dr. Dre . Like, $110 million good. But in case you weren't aware of just how good that is, well, he has landed on another Forbes  list of wealthiest something-or-others, this time topping the mag's roster of the 25 highest earners in music this year. A couple months ago the publication named Dre the fifth highest-paid celebrity and then they titled him Cash King as the wealthiest person in hip-hop. WE GET IT, Forbes , Beats by Dre are selling [...]

All this talk about how musicians aren't making any money? It's nonsense! Oh sure, your Grizzly Bears and David Lowerys may be barely scraping by, but that doesn't mean everyone has had to sell off the place in the Hamptons just because of Spotify's crummy royalty rates. Today, Forbes published their list of 20122s highest-paid musicians, and based on these numbers, being a rock star is still a more lucrative gig than being a blogger. Dr. Dre claimed the top spot because he finally dropped [...]

In one of those rankings that you always have to read more into, Forbes this week published their latest list of the highest paid musical performers for 2012. Of those, there are definitely plenty that you might expect, accompanied by likely just as many that you wouldn't. On top of that are the comparable cases of individuals who you might be surprised rank ahead others (ie - Beyonce raked in more than Jay-Z this year). All in all, it speaks volumes to where the big money for performers comes from today, [...]

If we're to believe Forbes - and why not, we do every year - Dr. Dre is 20122s highest paid musician. Your father's favorite publication released their annual list today and the West coast rapper claims the throne with $110 million dollars. For those that think that number's solely from his two Coachella performances, come back down to Earth and then look around and see what headphones most people are wearing. [Quick answer: They're Beats by Dre.] Before taxes, Dre picked up $100 million dollars last year when HTC paid him $300 [...]

Every year, Forbes cuts through all the bullshit and gets right to the important stuff: money. While music may not be "selling" like it used to, part of the goal has become to turn yourself into a brand and then milk the teets until the udders are dry and chafed. Here are some artists that found out it's still entirely possible to get filthy rich as a musician in 2012—even if you don't release music. Check out the top earners below, and read the entire list at Forbes . 01. Dr Dre: $110 Million 02. Roger [...]

Having already been resurrected in hologram form earlier this year, Nate Dogg is now the subject of a new studio album. According to AllHipHop.com , Nate Dogg: It’s A Wonderful Life will feature unreleased music recorded by the late crooner, including collaborations with Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and more. The album will be released in the first half of 2013, through a new deal between Seven Arts Music and United Media and Music Group. Below, watch Hologram Nate Dogg perform with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg [...]

Did You Hear? :: After putting a call out to fans asking them to send in teeth, Ke$ha said she "got, like, over 1000 human teeth" which she then used to make a bra, a headdress and jewelry. Before you ask why, just remember...this is Ke$ha. [ Complex ] :: Shakira 's ex-boyfriend is suing her for $100 million. The singer and Antonio de la Rua split in 2010 after over a decade together, vowing to continue as business partners. [...]

Wow. Did not expect this to work half as well as it does. Tupac vs Diana Ross in this mashup from Tom Haggen. Haggen hails from Paris, France. It’s almost creepy how well these two songs fit into each other. Enjoy. California Down - Tupac vs Diana Ross - Tom Haggen Mashup - Click to download

• Tom Haggen - California Down (2pac VS Diana Ross)

It’s Saturday. Most of us aren’t working. But even if you are, use some of your employer’s bandwith, when the boss isn’t looking of course, and enjoy the classic hip-hop [...] The post Saturday Matinee: "The Show" appeared first on The Smoking Section .

When Kendrick Lamar decided to call his major label debut (and second album overall) a short film, he didn't do it lightly. It is a daunting task to undertake the creation of a story album with singles that both fit in with the story arc and can play on the radio with zero context, and as all of us have seen, far too many bands and artists have attempted it half-heartedly. But this is no cop-out - isn't some half-baked rock opera or album narrative just for narrative's sake. Even more importantly, it isn't a self-absorbed and self-loathing [...]

• Kendrick Lamar - Backseat Freestyle (Prod. By Hit

Tennessee native Wick-It the Instigator is back with his brand of hip-hop inspired dub with his newest track ‘Feel Lit’. Having remixed the likes of Dr. Dre, Ke$ha, Ghostface, and Notorious B.I.G (one of those things is not like the other), Wick-It has quickly gained widespread support from heavy hitters like Bassnectar , Skrillex , Pretty Lights , and Girl Talk. With ‘Feel Lit’, Wick-It really puts his soulful filth on display; the raw, Timberland-esc opening undoubtedly showcases his Southern roots, while the drop proves that he has certainly evolved into an [...]

• Wick-it the Instigator - Wick-it the Instigator - Feel Lit