Twenty Years of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”
November 4, 2022
I recently spoke with The Ringer for a story about the 20th anniversary of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” which has become a pop landmark and perennial “jock jam.”
ALL: Opening Acts
To Sleep with Anger
November 1, 2022
The Charles Burnett film To Sleep with Anger has recently re-emerged this month via prominent samples in two songs.
Here Come the Big Steppers
October 30, 2022
Memorably deployed by Kendrick Lamar, the phrase “big stepper” usually means what it suggests. But it has also led to some surprising interpretations.
Who’s Afraid of Youngboy NBA?
October 20, 2022
A recent Hits graphic omitted Youngboy Never Broke Again, the second-highest streaming artist of the year.
Rap Slips to 28%
October 19, 2022
Two recent stories on the decline of rap music’s overall market share have generated some concern in industry circles.
Surviving L.A.
October 14, 2022
An L.A. Times feature gathers opinions on a bleak trend that has claimed the lives of PnB Rock, Pop Smoke, Nipsey Hussle, and many others.
Mach-Hommy Speaks
October 14, 2022
New Jersey rapper Mach-Hommy recently gave a rare interview with Rolling Stone.
Ye’s White Lives
October 5, 2022
Kanye West’s alt-right stunts at Paris Fashion Week have drawn self-righteous condemnation from the fashion world and beyond.
Fake News on O-Block
September 29, 2022
In a story jointly published by the Chicago Reader and The Triibe, coverage of developments at Chicago’s O-Block is scrutinized.
Coolio’s Sound Master Crew
September 29, 2022
Contrary to reports, L.A, rapper Coolio’s career began in the mid-80s, when he floated through several short-lived electro-rap ensembles.
P4K’s 250 Best Songs of the 90s
September 27, 2022
Pitchfork’s latest retrospective list, a ranking of the top 250 best songs of the 1990s, embraces a girlboss theme. The top five slots belong to women.
Jean Grae and Hip-Hop Heresies
September 14, 2022
In light of Jean Grae’s identification as nonbinary, Shanté Paradigm Smalls’ Hip-Hop Heresies, a book about queer identity in hip-hop culture, is enlightening.