ALL: Opening Acts

Coolio’s Sound Master Crew

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

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

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.

Fake Musicians and The Source

ProPublica’s story about internet clout chases contains a detail about The Source magazine, a famed example of golden-era rap journalism.

Sammus on AI

With controversy surrounding “augmented reality” act FN Meka, it’s worth reading Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo’s story on AI in the rap industry.

Hua Hsu on Suspended in Time

Hua Hsu, a staff writer for The New Yorker, discusses his new zine Suspended in Time, which also serves as a preface for his forthcoming book, Stay True.

Cadence Weapon, Teen P4K Critic

In a long-ish essay published in The Walrus, Cadence Weapon recounts his time penning reviews as an enterprising Edmonton teenager.

UHHM and Russell Simmons

It remains unclear why disgraced rap mogul Russell Simmons is associated with Universal Hip-Hop Museum, which is scheduled to open in the South Bronx in 2024.

Rob Swift’s Tips

Inspired by a Wiz Khalifa tirade, Rob Swift has gathered some helpful tips for navigating a rapper’s ego.

“Lune TNS (Lyric Video)”

A recent lyric video of Big Juss of Company Flow’s 1997 track “Lune TNS” pays tribute to the golden age of New York graffiti.