Kendrick Lamar Steps Off the Pedestal on ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’
On Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, renowned rapper Kendrick Lamar observes the strife plaguing his kingdom and consciously abdicates the throne.
hip-hop
Hip-Hop Matters: The Best Hip-Hop of April 2022
April’s best hip-hop contains swathes of brilliance from modern masters, cult legends, upstarts, and veterans, including Digga D, Vince Staples, and Pusha T.
Theodore Witcher’s Paean to Hip-Hop ‘Love Jones’ Charms and Seduces
In 1997, you could call Love Jones a small, curious drama that won many critics over. Today, it stands as a cornerstone of Black narrative in cinema.
Aaron Nigel Smith and Red Yarn’s ‘Smith & Yarn’ Is Bright and Happy for Parents and Kids Alike
Any parent interested in American roots music will be delighted by Aaron Nigel Smith and Red Yarn’s Smith & Yarn, an album so charming that children will enjoy it too.
Hip-Hop Matters: The Best Hip-Hop of March 2022
This month’s best hip-hop traverses the spectrum with the return of a legendary group, a dreamy jazz-rap collaboration, a UK drill upstart, and industrial rap metal.
10 Years Later, Odd Future’s ‘The OF Tape Vol.2’ Is a Cringeworthy, Captivating Curiosity
Over a decade after Odd Future permanently altered the rap landscape, the group’s gleefully offensive debut shines in certain places and falters in others.
Homeboy Sandman Stays Fly and Authentic on ‘There in Spirit’
Homeboy Sandman represents the hip-hop ethos with a sound that’s not in the contemporary mainstream but not a nostalgic throwback either. He’s pure hip-hop.
Hip-Hop Matters: The Best Hip-Hop of February 2022
Another packed month in hip-hop sees Saba drop a future classic, Cities Aviv create a psychedelic fantasia, and Willow Kayne make a compelling bid for stardom.
Electric Midnight: An Interview with R&B Trailblazer Rahsaan Patterson
From piloting the transcendent rhythms of house music with Quentin Harris on Heroes & Gods 2.0 to conquering music industry politics, R&B trailblazer Rahsaan Patterson thrives in his own groove.
Does Gay Fandom Help Pop Divas?
Looking at Rina Sawayama, Azealia Banks, Charli XCX, and Kim Petras’ rise and fall in the charts one wonders – does gay fandom help pop divas’ careers?
K-Pop’s ONEUS Make Gugak Pop
K-pop group ONEUS talk with PopMatters about taking traditional Korean music, Gugak, and mixing it with hip-hop and electronic music to wow fans on their US tour.