Bars for Gaza
October 29, 2024
Over a year after the Israel-Hamas war began, numerous rap songs have appeared that address the ongoing conflict.
ALL: Spotlight
Joseph Rathgeber on Caltrops
September 22, 2023
New Jersey writer Joseph Rathgeber discusses his zine Caltrops, which has become a key document of the underground rap renaissance.
The #HipHop50 Parade
August 13, 2023
The yearlong #HipHop50 celebration has become a microcosm of the myths and reality that continue to define the culture.
Dancing with Sinéad O’Connor & MC Lyte
July 27, 2023
In 1988, the late Sinéad O’Connor and Brooklyn rapper MC Lyte enjoyed a brief but memorable cross-cultural exchange.
A Year of Inspiration: Rap Visual Homage in 2022
December 4, 2022
Every year brings a fresh crop of album art clearly influenced from various sources. This season brought covers from Metro Boomin, Joey Bada$$, Boldy James and Nicholas Craven, and more.
Mapping the Hip-Hop Nation in the 1990s
November 21, 2022
By 1990, hip-hop culture had inspired regional scenes across the United States. A series of maps attempted to mark the changes.
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.”
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.
Hua Hsu on Suspended in Time
August 18, 2022
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.
Forty Years of The Wire and Hip-Hop
June 5, 2022
This year marks four decades of avant magazine the Wire. Throughout, the British publication has frequently if fitfully championed interesting rap artists.