Once again, Guerilla Union is giving hip hop heads everywhere the ultimate music festival as the official lineup for Rock The Bells 2012 has been announced and this year, Strange Music fans have even more to anticipate.

With a mind-blowing lineup that features exclusive performances from Kid Cudi, Bone Thugs N’ Harmony, Missy Elliot, Ice Cube, J. Cole, and many more, Rock The Bells 2012 will also include a special performance from Strange Music/TDE artist Jay Rock.

Joined on the festival bill by the rest of Black Hippy, Jay Rock will only perform in select markets so be sure to check back for what is sure to be one of the biggest events in hip hop.

After Tech N9ne conquered Rock The Bells in 2009, what will Watts’ finest have in store for fans? Stay tuned!

Stay posted to RockTheBells.net for more.

• What do you think of the official lineup?
• Will you be attending?

Let us know in the comments section below!

Shout out to the West Coast!

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Kurupt with his last studio album dropping in 2010, but he’s back and hasn’t missed a beat. Kurupt’s latest track titled “Let Off” features Terrace Martin, III Camille and our one and only Jay Rock, who sports a smooth, almost bluesy flow. Don’t allow that to let you think it’s soft. As to be expected, the lyrics deliver a raw, in-your-face realness that we all love.

Perfect for those of you who want to chill and still feel like a bad ass at the same time.

Grab a brew, feel the breeze hit your face and check it out:

New Music: Kurupt Ft. Terrace Martin, III Camille & Jay Rock “Let Off”

Backed by the slowed down syrupy production made famous in the south, Jay Rock’s latest is a throwback to all things hood. Painting pictures of his life, Jay Rock delivers sharp lyricism and lets listeners into his world.

From the screwed and chopped inspired hook to Jay’s hardened street flows, “How We Grow Up” rings out as another banger from the Watts native.

Click here to listen to “How We Grow Up”.

• What did you think of the new track?

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Watts was definitely in the building as TDE/Strange Music’s own Jay Rock hit the stage with Black Hippy brethren Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul for the first of two performances at the legendary Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival.

Scheduled to perform a solo set on two separate weekends of the festival, Kendrick Lamar took to the main stage early Friday and was joined by Jay Rock and Ab-Soul as they performed some of their most popular tracks for the sell out crowd.

The immensely popular music festival has been around since 1999 and has featured performers like Jay-Z, Daft Punk, Kanye West, and Gorillaz. This year is no different as Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Ab-Soul join the likes of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Childish Gambino, and A$AP Rocky on the 2012 bill.

What will happen when TDE/Strange Music hit Coachella 2012? Stay tuned for the latest on Jay Rock at Coachella!

Click here for more  information on Coachella 2012.

Follow Jay Rock on Twitter: @JayRock

• Are you attending Coachella 2012?
• What surprises do you think Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Ab-Soul have in store?

Let us know in the comments section below!

Jay Rock is back in the booth doing what he does best!

Peep game on “Checkmate” produced by The Futuristiks.

Over a beat of old-school funk, Jay Rock raps about this game we call life, in which survival is just as much a mental challenge as anything else.

Right off the bat, Jay Rock addresses the fact that he’s still as street as ever:

“They say a nigga can’t rhyme no more
About crime no more
About crack in my drawers and bucking that .44
Cause I was with Tech on a 44-city tour.”

After a short hiatus, it’s great to hear Jay Rock doing what he does best: making music for the streets, by the streets.

Click HERE to listen to “Checkmate” on HipHopDX.com!

• What did you think about the song?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Looking to combine the worlds of hip hop and comics, Murs recently started a fan funded project for his YUMIKO: Curse of the Merch Girl graphic novel.  Giving fans an update on his progress, Murs delivered news in this brief video clip.  In a nice shout out to Watts’ finest, Murs is seen sporting a Jay Rock tee in the video.

With so many rallying behind West Coast music, it’s not surprising to see Murs show some unity by representing for Jay Rock and Strange Music.  Perhaps some work between the two is in order.  Stay tuned for more!

Click here to watch or scroll down below.

Like the Jay Rock tee Murs is wearing?  Click here to purchase your very own!

• Are you a fan of Murs?

Let us know in the comments section below!

Like a Voltron of sorts, all four emcees bring their own unique background and personality to Black Hippy, making the music reflect a different side of West Coast living.   TheFader.com has published a four page feature on the TDE juggernauts and their rise to success, both individually and as a group.  Following the young pack of emcees over the course of a few days, the feature gets a deeper look at the artists responsible for some of the sharpest music dropping today.  Speaking on his early days, Jay Rock shared a few words:

“I was one of those young cats and knuckleheads that was hard headed, that didn’t listen,” he explains. “[Top Dawg] locked me up in the studio and I’ve been there ever since.”

With Follow Me Home still ringing in people’s heads, Jay Rock now looks to join his fellow Black Hippy members in taking the New West to the top.

Click here to read the full feature.

• What did you think of the feature?
• Do you follow Black Hippy’s music?

Let us know in the comments section below!

Recently, Jay Rock joined labelmate Kendrick Lamar for a live performance in Houston, TX.  The pair took to the stage as Kendrick performed his highly acclaimed “Rigamortis” and then followed it with Jay Rock’s smash single, “Hood Gone Love It”. Energetic as ever, Jay Rock hit the crowd with an adrenaline rush of a performance and once again showed off the showmanship skills he’s picked up from so many Strange Music tours.  Stay tuned for more!

Click here to watch or scroll down below.

• What did you think of the live performance?
• Have you ever seen Jay Rock live?

Let us know in the comments below!

In this exclusive clip from MTV2′s Sucker Free, Jay Rock speaks to DJ Envy about his relationship with Tech N9ne and what he has learned from working with the Kansas City King.  Praising Tech’s work ethic, Jay Rock explained the motivation that he finds in himself from watching Tech’s endless process.  Touching on the West Coast, Jay Rock also spoke on his labelmate Kendrick Lamar and the massive success he has achieved in recent years.  As 2012 lines up for Strange Music, Jay Rock positions himself for another year of true grind.

WATCH

• What did you think of Jay Rock’s comments on Tech N9ne?
• Are you excited for more from Jay Rock?

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Jay Rock adds his primal presence to the Schoolboy Q song of living life raw and full of excess, “2 Raw” from Scoolboy Q’s mixtape Habits and Contradictions. Over the moody and claustrophobic production, the pair of Top Dawg Entertainment rhyme-spitters trade tales of their exploits, Jay Rock delivering his verse with a rapid-fire barrage that is yet another example of his flow versatility. The track serves as the final song in the critically acclaimed mixtape from Schoolboy Q and Top Dawg Entertainment.

Click here to listen to “2 Raw” Featuring Jay Rock.

• What did you think of the song?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!