It’s frustrating trying to explain J. Dilla’s legacy. The biggest frustration in introducing people to him is in trying to get them to appreciate his work without invoking (consciously or otherwise) any sort of sentimentality — a challenge amplified by his death.

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It’s frustrating trying to explain J. Dilla’s legacy. The biggest frustration in introducing people to him is in trying to get them to appreciate his work without invoking (consciously or otherwise) any sort of sentimentality — a challenge amplified by his death.

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NBC put measures in place to prevent oops moments but they had no way to anticipate M.I.A.’s bird flipping, sh!t-talking moment. Paste magazine editor, Josh Jackson, cleverly dubbed it “middle finger malfunction.”

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NBC put measures in place to prevent wardrobe malfunctions during last night’s Super Bowl show, but they had no way to anticipate M.I.A.’s bird flipping, sh!t-talking moment — what Paste magazine co-founder, @JoshJackson, cleverly dubbed a “middle finger malfunction.”

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Nicki Minaj’s “Stupid Hoe” music video is officially too hot for teevee. BET has banned the Hype Williams-directed clip from its music programming. A rep who spoke to TMZ wouldn’t go into specifics but confirmed that the channel will not be airing it. Other sources cited inflammatory language and explicit content. You can still watch the “Stupid Hoe” video on YouTube, where it’s already racked up 20 million views.

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The hottest new name in rap is a New York rapper with a Houston flow. As he preps for his first trip to H-town, I chat with A$AP Rocky about the Harlem Shake and his infatuation with Houston. Here’s my interview with A$AP Rocky.

If you haven’t heard of Iggy Azalea, you soon will. Iggy has signed a multi-album deal with Interscope Records. She spoke to Billboard shortly after the signing, saying that it took her a minute to decide which label to go with.

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All right boys and gals, we’ve finally reached the mountain top. I give you the #1 hip-hop artist to watch in 2012.

Drake has reason to celebrate this weekend, as his sophomore LP is still the best-selling rap album in the country. Take Care added 29,156 copies to his tally to retain its #4 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. Take Care has sold 1.3 million records since it first docked 11 weeks ago. Drizzy is followed closely by Jeezy who moved 19,373 units of TM 103: Hustlerz Ambition, bringing his sales-to-date total to 380,230.

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Eight down, two to go. At #2 is a Philly rapper with a penchant for metaphors. Any guesses? Give up? Here you go.

The word of the day is “Gangrene.” That’s Alchemist and Oh No. The pair introduced its sound on 2010’s Gutter Water. Alc and Oh No would later team up with Roc Marciano to form a new trio named Greneberg. Their debut EP of the same name became one of 2011’s most enjoyable rap releases. Gangrene now returns with Vodka & Ayahusca, a rich, layered slice of stoner-rap. It boasts guest rhymes from Roc Marciano, Kool G. Rap, Prodigy, and Evidence.

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A$AP Rocky has just released a video for “Wassup,” a slow-rolling track off his 2011 mixtape, LIVELOVEA$AP. It features: 40s, horny lesbians, a menacing dog, and plenty of dollar bills. Follow the YouTube link below to watch the video. But make sure your boss isn’t standing over your shoulder before you push “play.”

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Six down, four to go. At #4 is a chef-turned-rapper from Queens. The #3 spot goes to a Houston rapper with ties to Das Racist. Get familiar.

Hot damn rake, here we go again. This Nicki Minaj vs. Lil Kim beef just won’t go away, will it? The latest dart arrives in the form of Nicki Minaj’s explicit video for “Stupid Hoe.” With Hype Williams behind the lens, the video offers a series of quick shots, including a cage, a leopard, and Nicki shaking her assets in a thousand different ways. She also appears to be mocking Lil Kim with the exaggerated Barbie makeup.

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We’re now halfway through the list. At #6 is a generously bearded rapper from Ohio; #5 is a female MC with an unconventional flow. Peep game.

Continuing our best new rappers countdown. I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll go ahead and give you two names for the price of one. No. 8 is one of Dr. Dre’s new ghostwriters; 7 is a Texas rapper with a funny name. Any guesses? Give up? Ok then. Peep game.

Yesterday, the web was abuzz with a vintage footage of a 20-year-old Kanye West performing on stage. Now, DDotOmen.com has unearthed yet another clip of West, this time as a 12-year-old boy, reciting poetry. The poem, titled “His Name Means Love,” was West’s dedication to MLK in 1990. You can see that he was brimming with confidence, even as a youngster. Some things never change.

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What follows is a rundown of the smartest, sharpest, freshest, hungriest MCs making music right now. There are 10 in all; I’ll reveal one each day, as we count down the Top 10 Rappers to Watch in 2012, starting with #10.

In the testosterone-driven world of hip-hop it’s not unusual to gain notoriety by attacking your peers. In honor of the latest battle between Common and Drake, here’s a shortlist of great feuds that rocked hip-hop over the years. The 10 greatest hip-hop battles of all time.

Syd the Kyd, one half of the Odd Future subgroup The Internet, is calling on lesbian rappers to “come out already.” Syd, who’s a lesbian, made the bold remark in an interview with the LA Weekly.

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Jay-Z is known for setting trends, and he may have started a new one: stylish father-daughter collaborations. Less than 48 hours after wife Beyonce delivered the couple’s new bundle of joy, Jay went to the studio and recorded a tribute to the young Blue Ivy Carter. It’s an emotionally raw gem that sees Hov opening up like never before. We’ve seen some great father-child songs, but few are as original as this one. The song is produced by the Neptunes and  features vocals from Pharrell as well as coos from B.I.C. herself. Cute.

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It’s been a somnolent month for hip-hop songs so far. The bright side is that we’ve seen a good dose of visual entertainment hit YouTube lately. Dive in for new clips from Phonte, Brother Ali, and others.

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