War & Peace: The Cultural Meaning of Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake
The Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake feud is serious, but it is the claim to and manipulation of culture that may have the greatest consequences for all of us.
conscious hip-hop
Raps From the Golden Age: Jungle Brothers’ Straight Out the Jungle at 35
Jungle Brothers’ 35-year-old Straight Out the Jungle shows cerebral rapping, experimentation, and African rhythms. It was the first Native Tongues hip-hop LP.
Oddisee’s Odyssey Is Odd on ‘To What End’
The beauty of To What End is that it sits at the summit of Oddisee’s output, a rapper and producer at the height of his powers.
Run the Jewels Return with ‘RTJ4’ When We Need Them Most
Run the Jewels have always had a taste for action-movie hyperbole, but as they've powered through their careers, the lines between slapstick and real have almost ceased to exist.
Thrown into Relief: An Interview with Rapper Jahshua Smith
Exploring topics like poverty, Black consciousness, burgeoning love, and mortality, Jahshua Smith's latest album, They Don't Love You Like That, encapsulates some of the most difficult moments in his life.
Deep Soul Diving: Jahshua Smith Deconstructs ‘The 4th Wall’
Smith's music is balanced on a sagacious tip, where he examines the rigmaroles of daily life through the Afrocentric prism of dialogue and debate.
Mick Jenkins: The Water(s)
Saying that The Water(s) shows potential would be unfair. Mick Jenkins has already arrived.