Battle Of The Eras is a new series where we compare and contrast two rappers from different eras. For the first edition we look at a comparison that might seem odd but works the more you think about it: Ghostface Killah and Young Thug. Rap is one of the most notably diverse genres. Different styles … Read moreBattle Of The Eras: Ghostface KIllah & Young Thug Have More in…
We caught up with Hayley Williams to discuss this political moment, Paramore’s Black fanbase, and how a community of loved ones around her made her Petals for Armor album possible. Healing is not linear. Our ability to move through interpersonal conflict or traumatic events involves a very messy, contrived, and difficult process that requires us … Read moreHayley Williams On Being Influenced By Solange, Erykah Badu & Paramore’s Black…
The late, great James Harris, who wrestled as “The Ugandan Giant” Kamala for almost 30 years, was a pioneering example of how Black athletes found success and career longevity in spite of portraying racists stereotypes that were forced upon them. The story of Black professional wrestlers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries is a familiar … Read moreJames “Kamala” Harris Was an Example of How Black Wrestlers Overcame Racist…
We spoke with Curren$y about his latest album, The Outrunners, his relationship with Harry Fraud, the shows he’s binging during quarantine, and more. Decades after the oft-caricatured excess of the bling-bling era, modern rap has somewhat come down to Earth. For rappers like Curren$y (who coincidentally got his start near the end of that era), … Read moreCurren$y Has Spent Quarantine Chilling, Binging ‘Daria’ and — Occasionally — Making…
We have highlighted 25 women with rhyme skills and a variety of flavor to add to your rotation. Some are newer acts. Some have been in the game for years. But all deserve attention. The rap game is long overdue for a revamped playing field, and there is no shortage of female rappers to … Read more25 Underrated Female Rappers You Should Be Listening To
Philly Elmo has become a beloved figure in his city. He is spreading positivity through the streets of Philadelphia, uplifting those around him while going viral in the process. When I first saw the video of the life-sized, two-stepping Elmo nonchalantly marching alongside a drumline down a Philadelphia street as a four-alarm fire erupted in … Read moreWhether A Pandemic Or Protest, Philly Elmo Marches On
We talked to Griselda wordsmith Benny The Butcher about his Black Soprano Family crew, his new Gangsta Grillz mixtape, ageism in hip-hop, and more. Benny the Butcher’s jail cell vision has finally begun to materialize. The seeds for Black Soprano Family, the Griselda wordsmith’s label imprint, were planted in the concrete soil of Elmira Correctional … Read moreBenny The Butcher is on Fire; Now He’s Trying to Put His…
What does it mean when the trauma of one of rap’s biggest contemporary stars and the death of a Black woman become meme fodder? On Monday afternoon, Megan Thee Stallion took to Instagram Live to offer more details on the injuries she sustained during a shooting that occurred earlier this month. “I was shot in … Read moreNot Everything Needs To Be Turned Into a Meme
We spoke with artist Seek One about channeling his love for hip-hop through art, being commissioned and inspired by rap’s biggest stars, his creative process in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. Philadelphia-born artist Seek One has made a name for himself by coupling his brand of street art with a love … Read morePhilly Artist Seek One Is Merging the Streets with Pop Culture
We have compiled the best posthumous rap albums of all time, featuring selections from The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Mac Miller, Pop Smoke, and more. Posthumous albums are tricky projects to navigate, as both a consumer and producer. The departed musical artists leave blueprints to construct new work from scraps of the old, often found in … Read moreThe 15 Best Posthumous Rap Albums of All Time