Ahead of the 20-year anniversary of Mama’s Gun, a retrospective look on why Erykah Badu’s sophomore album is better than her debut. “Never expect anything from an artist because we like to change and grow. Music is therapy and depending on what I need, that’s what I put out. I never underestimate the audience’s ability … Read moreErykah Badu’s ‘Mama’s Gun’ Is Better Than ‘Baduizm’
It’s been nearly eight years since Pro Era co-founder Capital STEEZ died. And despite the fact fans have heard little of STEEZ posthumously, there remains a small, dedicated cult following engaged with the rapper’s story. The rap group Pro Era stands around in a circle in The Source’s downtown Manhattan office, their young, eager faces … Read moreWhat’s So Special About Capital STEEZ?
Though K-pop has become its own genre, there’s no denying the clear hip-hop and R&B influences that can be seen and heard. Kai, from K-pop groups Exo and SuperM, cited Usher as the first concert he attended. Former 2NE1 member CL references the magnitude of Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Lil Kim, and more as … Read moreHow Black Music Has Aided The Meteoric Rise of K-Pop
From Diddy promoting Our Black Party political party to Ice Cube helping develop Donald Trump’s Platinum Plan, the wealthy male hip-hop pundit is divisive and arrogant despite their intentions. Rap is an inherently political genre. So it’s to be expected that rappers have vocalized political opinions both in and outside of their music, rallying fans … Read moreWhat Is The Role Of The Wealthy Male Hip-Hop Pundit?
Following the official release of Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn) on Tidal, the looming question among fans is: Which is the better debut from Jay Electronica? Act II or A Written Testimony? Between 2009 and 2010, New Orleans rapper Jay Electronica generated a rare excitement in hip-hop that was unusual for a Southern rapper. Who else … Read moreJay Electronica, The Tale Of Two Debuts & Which One Is Better
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has painted a picture where only the artists who constantly churn out content can survive a fulltime career in music. Streaming has changed the way we not only listen to music but how we interact with the artists who create it. From Apple Music to Spotify to YouTube, streaming is the … Read moreSpotify Wants Artists To Do All the Work For Very Little Pay
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…
“WAP” is the latest instance of a rap song sampling the Baltimore house classic “Whores In This House,” and shows the value in repurposing Black electronic dance music as its contributions to the genre as a whole continues to be erased. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion‘s “WAP” is pure, delightful horniness. For three minutes, … Read moreMore Contemporary Rap Should Sample Black Electronic Dance Music
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
Devoid of any overt radio-friendly fare, How I Got Over, presents The Roots at the top of their game, with a message for the people at a time when the world bought into the possibility of change. After spending much of the ’90s establishing themselves as critical darlings, The Roots entered the new millennium from … Read moreHow The Roots’ ‘How I Got Over’ Became Their Crowning Achievement of…