Songs We Love: Vince Staples, ‘Senorita’
The 21-year-old Long Beach native continues to establish himself as one of West Coast rap’s most important voices with his new single “Senorita.”
Tag: Hip-Hop
This Week On Metro Connection: A Close Listen To D.C. Music
Update, May 22: The show is now streaming on metroconnection.org. Friday and Saturday, Bandwidth is pairing up with WAMU’s weekly…
opbmusic Presents: People Under The Stairs
The L.A. hip-hop duo reaches a high point in its Pickathon set with “Tuxedo Rap.”
How The Smithsonian Is Building Its New, Sweeping Collection Of Black American Music
The boombox arrived late one night at a hotel in Atlanta, and it came from Chuck D. Purchased in New…
Kane Mayfield Mocks Mainstream Rappers On ‘Cars Jewels Clothes’
Warning: Explicit lyrics. It’s easy to call Kane Mayfield a “rappity-rap” lyricist if you’re not paying attention. A big guy…
Jon Spencer Returns To The ‘Brutal And Strange’ World Of The Blues Explosion
Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015 might be the funkiest Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album yet, and it’s…
Jay Z’s Music Service, Tidal, Arrives With A Splash, And Questions Follow
The premium streaming service, which will be owned in part by musicians, was unveiled in a star-packed ceremony. The first question it needs to answer: Can it attract listeners?
D.C. Rapper Yung Gleesh Arrested, Released After Sexual Assault Charges
D.C. rapper Yung Gleesh, aka Asa Asuncion, turned himself in to authorities Tuesday after being charged with sexual assault in Austin,…
D.C. Rapper Yung Gleesh Charged With Sexual Assault
Police in Austin, Texas, have charged D.C. rapper Yung Gleesh — aka Asa Asuncion — with sexual assault. An arrest…
‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ Aspires To Be Music’s Great American Novel
Kendrick Lamar’s long-awaited new album dropped late Sunday night, nine days early. On it, the rapper wades into our current moment of peril around race, inequality and brutality.
Chaz French Plays Preacher In His New Video For ‘Whatcha Know’
Warning: Explicit lyrics. Religious roots on display, Chaz French takes viewers to church in his new Martin Amini-directed video for…
This New Kokayi Video Might Make You Cry A Little
At the top of 2014, multitalented hip-hop artist Kokayi turned in what I considered the best local submission to NPR’s…
Meet Babeo Baggins Of Barf Troop, The Rap Collective Taking Over The Internet
With a playful but purposeful demeanor, rap collective Barf Troop makes music that’s just as much about the turn up…
Six Pics: Aesop Rock And Rob Sonic At 9:30 Club
Typhoid Mary is long gone, but she rages on in the infinitely innovative and off-kilter minds of rappers Aesop Rock…
GoldLink Meets Missy Elliott On Woozy New Track ‘Vroom’
On a hypnotic new collaboration between Virginia rapper GoldLink and Los Angeles producer Falcons, Missy Elliott’s futuristic past collides with…
Can Hip-Hop Help Change The Meaning Of The Confederate Flag?
The music video from an obscure rapper named Black Native opens with a famous quotation from Martin Luther King Jr….
Hip-Hop Collective Doomtree On Getting Seven Artists In One Room
The Minneapolis rap crew is back with the album All Hands. NPR’s Arun Rath speaks with members Dessa and P.O.S.
AraabMuzik: ‘I Have So Much Music, It Doesn’t Make Sense’
The Rhode Island-born producer and DJ tells the story of the father/son talk he once had with Cam’ron, delineates EDM and hip-hop and calls out the whole music industry for being flaky.
Track Work: Ardamus, ‘If Only I Gave Ah’
D.C. rapper Ardamus tends to write from his life experiences, but don’t call his music “conscious” hip-hop. “In all honesty, I…
Dessa: Something Old And Something New, Suitable For Choir
Watch the singer and rapper perform “Skeleton Key” and “The Good Fight” with the VocalEssence choir.