Andre Nickatina smokes one for Mac Dre...

Andre Nickatina has been a mainstay of the Bay Area rap microcosm dating back to the early 1990s, when he went by the name Dre Dog. He regularly sells out shows around the country and he even has New York elitists chanting "Crack Raider Razor... Sharp!" like it's 1997 when he visits.

Like now! Nickatina is currently in NYC for a show tonight at Santos Party House, so we caught up with him for some good conversation. It may not have been as exciting as his "Conversation With A Devil," but nonetheless there's plenty of good stuff here.

See also: Where Have All of Diddy's Bad Boys Gone? (To Prison, Mostly)

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Three The Hard Way (pause)

Time flies especially when one of your aliases is "The Fly Boys." It's been 10 years since the Cam'ron, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana and the rest of that "hooligan gang" the Diplomats (a collective of Harlem hustlers and goons) released their double disc effort, Diplomatic Immunity. Since then they've gone through more then their fair share of label drama, beefs, break ups and make ups. To celebrate the fact that they were able survive the turbulent rap game, they are commemorating the 10 year anniversary of Diplomatic Immunity with a concert tonight at B.B. King.

Of course such an event deserves some shine so we compiled a list of their best songs as a group. No solo spots, just songs where at least two of the three star players rocked out together. Say it with us now... DIP SET! DIP SET! DIP SET! Owwwwwww!

See also: Live: Dipset Brings Pandemonium To The Best Buy Theater

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Legal Hustlin'...

Being raised in the largest public housing development in North America can be a serious mind fuck. Nas once said, as a child growing up there, he felt "Queensbridge is the whole world," because of the numerous languages spoken on the blocks it's 96 buildings occupy.

It was in this maze of crack sales and violence that Corey "Cormega" McKay first began his journey to rap stardom. A lot has changed in Queensbridge, just as a lot has changed in 'Mega. His outlook on his purpose has grown exponentially. With a new album, Mega Philosophy (which is to be completely produced by Large Professor), due out shortly and a show at Knitting Factory Brooklyn on Friday Cormega is anxious to get his message out to the people. And rightly so. Peep the jewels he bestowed on us.

See also: Tweets is Watching - Let's Make Cormega ESPN's New Guest Tweeter For Knicks Games

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Recidivism rates in California are at 70% (the highest in the nation), but Compton native YG is determined not be among those trapped in the revolving door of prison and parole. After his stint in the Big House, he signed to Def Jam in 2009, and things are heating up. He just unleashed Just Re'd Up 2 on the world featuring Jeezy, Snoop and several other industry Big Wigs riding beats alongside the young upstart. His official album debut is due out in August, and it may well be an endless summer for the Young Gangster. Tonight he plays Knitting Factory. We caught up with "Bompton"s own for the big night.

See also: YG's Ratchet City

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Rap Game Stressful...

Here's a hard truth that needs to be told and heard and understood: OutKast aren't getting back together. They just aren't. Stankonia, their last proper release as a bonafide duo, was 13 years ago. Andre is going to be Jimi Hendrix. Big Boi is making music with Phantogram and Wavves. They've moved on. It's time we did too. Because this shit is over, son. It's a wrap. It's time to stop pleading for the two to make an album together again. Just yesterday, for instance, in the comments of this Big Boi story on CNN. "PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD REUNITE WITH ANDRE. The world needs outkast. I am forreal." You're not wrong, person who comments on music stories on CNN, but please, do us all a favor and STFU already. We imagine the same kinds of voices follow Andre around, and that at least one of those voices sounds a lot like Adrien Brody.

What we need to do now is change our mindset. If a reunion (if that's even the right word) isn't possible, then we need to cherish in the incredible music the group already gave us. Let's revisit the 25 best OutKast songs of all time, in no particular order.

See Also:Big Boi of OutKast Talks His New Album and Why Andre 3000 Isn't on It: "He Said He Had To Do Some Gillette Shit"

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Just Enjoy The Show...

Let that man multitask. In between bong snaps and awaiting a new episode of The Regular Show to come on New Orleans' rapper Currren$y is also having an extensive conversation with SOTC about the scattered array of topics potheads tend to have. Like about cartoons for instance. And snacks and shit. Mostly though about how he's has released such a high-volume of work over the last five years, that he has prompted hundreds of thousand of followers to download and attend everything that carried his Jet Life logo.

See also: Curren$y's High Productivity

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Like Kurt Cobain was here...

A decade ago, Juelz Santana burst onto a rap scene that didn't know it needed him, rapping about trapping out of Harlem crack spots and moving weight for the goon demographic (and delusional, escapist hipsters too) but he also made pop friendly, sing-along raps for the MTV and the now defunct 106th & Park crowd. Santana was, in every sense, what the game was missing in 2005, the last time he put out an album. Unfortunately, he's hit a few bumps in the road in the form of his collaboration album with Lil Wayne I Can't Feel My Face never seeing the light of day and of course the much publicized dispute with Dipset founder Cam'ron over the deal he'd signed.
The Weezy collab is still in music label purgatory, but at least he and the rest of the Dips have reconciled. So now Santana is ready to resume his place at the upper crust of rap society. But is this still Santana's Town? If the title of his new album is any indication, God Willing, it is.

See Also:
- The Ten Best New York City Rap Albums of 2012

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What Trinidad James thinks about paying dues...

Things are looking pretty golden for Atlanta's Trinidad James. Though he's still an indie rapper in the game about eight months, his video for "All Gold Everything" is #4 on MTV Jams and he's the hottest thing out of "New Atlanta" since 2 Chainz. 2 Chainz, however, paid his rap dues for close to a decade before becoming a superstar.

We caught up with Trinidad before his show tonight at Santos Party House Santos Party House (8pm, $10 - $15). Stay Gold.

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Travis Huggett

Sometimes cultural icons are known for their contributions to a culture, but the individual behind the talent gets lost in the sauce. Having designed a lot of rap groups' early logos, Eric Haze is one of these individuals whose work you see daily, but whose face and name you may not be familiar with. Ironic, especially since he never "fell off" and has put out a steady body of work since the early 1980s, and he's still out here designing and collaborating and innovating after many years. Then again, when you designed timeless pieces like the EPMD and Beastie Boys logos—not to mention Tommy Boy Records and Tone Loc's—you are your own inspiration.

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Nitty Scott MC is fresh out of her teens and she's already had three career changes, though she's remained a writer throughout. Within the last few years she's made a name for herself among New York's tough crowds as a legit MC who only includes organic hip-hop ingredients in her dishes.

Nitty—who just put out her first official commerical release, The Boombox Diaries, Vol. 1 (Boombox Family)—took some time off from penning lyrics in Brooklyn to chat it up with SOTC.

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