At Gorillaz Live 2022 (Berlin) We Dance at the End of the World Party
Modern life is rubbish and the world might really be ending but as Gorillaz’ “Dirty Harry” says, all we want to do is dance at the End of the World Party.
hip-hop
Big Dada Kane: An Interview with Poet-Rapper Malik Ameer Crumpler
Bestriding boundaries between hip-hop, poetry, and surrealism, poet-musician Malik Ameer Crumpler forges a strange and compelling work that is utterly and uniquely his own.
Bartees Strange Offers Sophomore Tour de Force on ‘Farm to Table’
Continuing to blend hip-hop and indie rock, Bartees Strange charts a musically agile, emotionally-charged journey through his psyche on Farm to Table.
Open Mike Eagle on Capturing Hip-Hop’s Oral History via Podcast
Open Mike Eagle’s podcast What Had Happened Was is an enchanting and illuminating appreciation of hip-hop. This passionate, energetic, and prolific man talks with PopMatters.
Hip-Hop Matters: The Best Hip-Hop of May 2022
An especially strong month in hip-hop saw the release of brilliant albums from, amongst others, Kendrick Lamar, Black Star, 700 Bliss, and Boldy James.
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 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.
