The lineup for the summer's top hip-hop festival tour was announced last night at House of Blues. Rock the Bells visits the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino (you know - the one formerly known as the Glen Helen Pavilion, Hyundai Pavilion, and the Blockbuster Pavilion) August 20. more ›

Tonight HARD Summer, a massive multi-stage festival boasting a bevy of prominent electronic acts like Underworld, Chromeo, Crookers, Tiga, SebastiAn, the Bloody Beetroots and many more, will be taking place at the Forum. This year's Rock the Bells, which features the likes of Nas, Damian Marley, Ice Cube, The Roots, Common, Busta Rhymes, RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Slum Village, the Knux (LAist Interview) and many more, is set to take place at San Manuel Amphiteatre. Local producer/musician extraordinaire Jon Brion (LAist Interview, #2, Review) will be jamming at Largo at the Coronet with none other than Wilco guitarist Nels Cline (LAist Interview). And, lastly, Bergen-based experimental indie pop outfit Casiokids will be performing at Spaceland with the Wave Pictures and Slow Club in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Getty Center to catch San Francisco-based psych-folk-pop act the Dodos for this week's edition of Saturdays Off the 405. more ›

LA has a diverse cast of characters. Whether it's the characters with stirring stories or interesting occupations or the people who are just simply characters, this town has them all. In an effort to get to know some of those characters a little better, we've created "Seven Questions with..." If you have a suggestion for a future Seven Questions subject send us an email. more ›

Large crowds, temps close to 100 degrees and pepper spray in the air. Ahh yes, just another night in San Bernardino. The premiere hip hop (+ one Rage Against the Machine) festival Rock The Bells rolled through the 909 this past weekend and what was billed as a celebration of respect and unity turned into a bit of a mob scene. There was something for every hip hop fan on the bill. Your backpackers... more ›

With his long awaited sophomore album, Desire racking up favorable reviews from the likes of The Source, Pitchfork, USA Today and The New York Times it's safe to say that Pharoahe Monch is back and better than most would have ever expected. Unlike many in the alternative hip hop scene, the Queens native who made rap fans around the world "Get the fuck up" in 1999 remained relevant despite an eight-year gap in between projects.... more ›

Sounds like a good time to play you Cypress Hill's "How I Could Just Kill A Man" in Spanish, aka "No Entienedes La Onda". more ›