HipHopSite.com

HipHopSite.com, is an independently owned Las Vegas, NV based hip-hop website, started in 1996 by KUNV deejays Warren Peace and DJ Pizzo. The site is known for its long history of weekly album reviews, interviews, and popular News On The D.L. section. The site also hosted a once flourishing retail end, including a brick and mortar store in Las Vegas, but as of 2009 has ceased all retail operations and moved exclusively back into editorial content.
The beginning
HipHopSite began in 1996, when KUNV deejay Warren Peace invited a younger deejay named Mike Pizzo to co-host his Word Up Show, a weekly hip-hop show that aired every Friday night. Prior to this, Pizzo was bringing new music to the show that he found via usenet. Peace had the idea to start a hip-hop website featuring new music, album reviews, and other editorial content on a daily basis. They launched HipHopSite.Com in October 1996.
Launch Of Mail Order Operations
HipHopSite expected to use advertising to fund its operations, but quickly found out that this was too new of a concept for record labels to grasp in that era. In 1997, they instead found a way to fund the site by creating an online mail order retail store, specializing in independent hip-hop vinyl and CD releases. Launched in the prime of the beginnings of the indie hip-hop movement, the site's retail end was largely responsible for helping supply unsigned acts to the general public, including Jedi Mind Tricks, Apathy, Little Brother, RJD2, and even Eminem, whose website they would create and host at Eminem.Com in 1999.
Opening of brick and mortar store
By 2002, HipHopSite.Com had opened its brick and mortar store at 4700 S. Maryland Pkwy, across the street from UNLV, which doubled as its order fulfillment house and primary base of operations. The retail end of HipHopSite.Com went strong for almost a decade, but began to see a steady decline with the rise of illegal file sharing and industry-wide decline in CD and vinyl sales. In 2007, the lease for the Maryland Pkwy location was up, and HHS decided to cease physical retail operations completely.
HipHopSite Digital
In 2007, HipHopSite launched the short-lived HipHopSite Digital, an attempt to continue its retail operations in a digital download format. Competition with iTunes and Amazon was too fierce, and the digital end was shut down as well.
2010 Content Only Relaunch
2010 saw the relaunch of HipHopSite.Com, returning to its editorial roots. Completely removed from retail, the site now focuses on daily updates of new music, interviews, news stories, videos, best and worst lists, downloadable mixtapes, and a new section called "For Promotional Use Only", examining historic pieces of hip-hop memorabilia. The site features album reviews and interviews archived from every year it has been online, dating back to 1996.
Awards & Accolades
HipHopSite.Com took many awards during SOHH's Online Hip-Hop Awards in both 1999 and 2000. In 1999, it won for "Website Of The Year", while in 2000 it took each "Website Of The Year", "Online Hip-Hop Award Of The Year", and "Best Artist Website" for Eminem.Com.
Artist Website Development
HipHopSite has designed and maintained official artist and record label websites since its debut in 1996. Record labels it has hosted sites for include indie labels such as 7 Heads Entertainment, Tru Criminal Records, and Makin' Records. Artist sites they have designed and maintained include Eminem, RJD2, Kool Keith, MF Doom, and Demigodz.

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