Nas, a rap great by any measure, has released four studio albums in the last 12 years — all ambitious, all restless, all with their own cohesive artistic thread. And despite none of them being as groundbreaking as his storied 1994 debut Illmatic or as narrative-grabbing as his 2001 return …
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DJ Khaled has now released 11 albums in 13 years, and, if nothing else, Father of Asahd is certainly, as the man says, “another one.” As usual, the DJ/hypeman/impresario’s latest 15-track collection boasts a slew of superstar team-ups along with some of the hottest working producers and dares you to …
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Chicago is making the most beautiful rap music in the world right now. Over half a decade removed from the drill scene’s peak, the subgenre’s musical descendants are blossoming. The subject matter — survival, betrayal and death — remains intact, but the music beneath the lyrics has turned from sinister …
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On Sunday night, Atlanta rapper 21 Savage (real nameShe’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph)was arrested and detained by ICE, which claims that he is British and illegally overstayed a visa issued in 2005. In response, a petition from Black Lives Matter Global Network has been released, demanding that Abraham-Joseph’s potential deportation be halted. …
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On Wednesday afternoon, Kanye West took to Twitter with a request: “Calling out to Bob Dylan,” he wrote. “Let’s get together.” It is unclear why he wants to get in touch with Bob Dylan. Potential reasons could be a musical collaboration, or just to discuss the issues of the day. …
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Childish Gambino‘s “This Is America” is not one of the best songs released in the past year. It’s a good song— frantic and mournful and rattling— but it’s not one of the best songs of the year. Yet there it is, nominated for both a Song of the Year and …
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Following weeks of speculation that intensified on Monday, Chance the Rapper announced at a press conference Tuesday morning that he would not be running for Mayor of Chicago. Instead he endorsedAmara Enyia, the director of the city’s Austin Chamber of Commerce. Wearing a purple version of his signature “3” hat, …
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30 years later, 1988 still stands as rap’s greatest year. The lyrical molotovs of Nation of Millions and Straight Outta Compton, the post-modern (and pre-lawsuit) free-for-all of sampling, the national spotlight of a new show called Yo! MTV Raps and much more. To celebrate 30 years, Rolling Stone’s Best of …
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Bryson Tiller documents a relationship’s downfall on his gritty new song “Canceled.” The vocalist alternates between smooth rapping and auto-tuned crooning on the track, which he posted on Soundcloud. Tiller moves from paranoia to breakup to obsessive aftermath. “I been checkin’ for you/ Know you been checkin’ for me too,” …
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Nicki Minaj continued to lambast Travis Scott after his Astroworld beat her Queen in the race for the Number One album this week. Minaj used her show on Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio on Tuesday to harangue Scott for what she claims were unfair promotional tactics that boosted his album …
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