Rap

Jimmy Iovine on Selling Music for 40 years

Music industry guru Jimmy Iovine walks us through how he’s sold us music for the past 40 years, from Patti Smith to Dr. Dre to Apple Music.

Jimmy Iovine on Selling Music for 40 years
The World

'He's kind of like the Jesus of hip-hop'

'He's kind of like the Jesus of hip-hop'
The World

Brazilian rap lovers want to create Rio’s first ‘Hip-Hop Plaza’

Brazilian rap lovers want to create Rio’s first ‘Hip-Hop Plaza’

They Slay: Five Queer Rappers You Should Know

They Slay: Five Queer Rappers You Should Know
American rapper Jay-Z performs at Bercy stadium in Paris on October 17, 2013.

Listen to the Egyptian song that has Jay Z in court

Listen to the Egyptian song that has Jay Z in court

2015 Will Be Hip-Hop's Best Year

There's so much good hip-hop in 2015 that you could forget about a bunch of it and it would still be one of the best years ever  —  and it's not even April.

2015 Will Be Hip-Hop's Best Year

Five Things You Had to See Online This Week

Kendrick Lamar drops an album, pimps a butterfly, wins the internet this week. 

Five Things You Had to See Online This Week
The World

For this hip-hop artist, black lives do matter — and it's time to take a stand

On Saturday in Austin, there was a Black Lives Matter protest on the campus of the University of Texas, down the street from near the annual SXSW conference. At the protest was Texas hip-hop artist D.Hawk, who says it's time to take a stand against violence against African Americans.

For this hip-hop artist, black lives do matter — and it's time to take a stand

Five Things You Had to See Online This Week

The dinosaurs from the TV show Dinosaurs dancing to Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize" wins the internet this week.

Five Things You Had to See Online This Week

Yung Jake: The Rapper Behind Those Celebrity Emoji Portraits

A mostly unknown rapper constructs elaborate celebrity portraits out of emojis. 

Yung Jake: The Rapper Behind Those Celebrity Emoji Portraits
The World

Issa Rae built an empire of awkward, but she's still not satisfied

With a hit web series and a potential show coming on HBO, comedian Issa Rae is making her akwardness pay off. The Senegalese immigrant to the US says she "didn't know how to be black," and never quite fit in with any group of kids around her. But that's proved to be a gold mine for comedy.

Issa Rae built an empire of awkward, but she's still not satisfied
Queens-born rapper Awkwafina has become a hit for her smart, comedic lyrics and offbeat style.

Awkwafina is changing hip-hop one vulgar, hilarious lyric at a time

She's a rapper. She's a provocateur. She's Asian. But Awkwafina, a Queens-born rapper, says none of that should be out of place, either in the hip-hop world or the United States.

Awkwafina is changing hip-hop one vulgar, hilarious lyric at a time

Hip Deep Ghana 2: 21st Century Accra from Gospel to Hiplife

Hiplife&#8211;a fusion of hip-hop and highlife&#8211;has come of age, spawning subgenres tilting to roots culture, international rap, and boldly humorous satire, not to mention azonto, a dance craze that has rocketed to global renown in just over a year. But ...<a class="meta-nav" href="http://www.afropop.org/wp/12281/hip-deep-ghana-2-21st-century-accra-from-gospel-to-hiplife/"> Read more &#187;</a>

Hip Deep Ghana 2: 21st Century Accra from Gospel to Hiplife

Tanzanian Hip-Hop: A Primer

Those beats! One of the biggest musical change that occurs during the period of Tanzanian music covered by &#8220;Live From Bongoland&#8221; is the introduction of hip-hop. Starting from a small-scale, DIY underground, hip-hop style and music localized, transitioning from English ...<a class="meta-nav" href="http://www.afropop.org/wp/18705/tanzanian-hip-hop-a-primer/"> Read more &#187;</a>

Tanzanian Hip-Hop: A Primer

Explosion! Big Freedia Drops New Single

The best-known name in bounce, the New Orleans-based hip-hop varietal that&#8217;s received national attention for its gender-bending dance-floor frenzy, is getting ready for her musical closeup. And we can&#8217;t wait. Fresh from the first season of her (happily renewed) reality ...<a class="meta-nav" href="http://www.afropop.org/wp/18346/explosion-big-freedia-drops-new-single/"> Read more &#187;</a>

Explosion! Big Freedia Drops New Single