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.
ALL: Printed Matter
Generation “Notti Bop”
December 13, 2022
In an article on the “Notti Bop” craze inspired by a teen’s murder, New Yorker writer Jody Rosen avoids making aesthetic judgements.
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.
BLU Magazine
November 17, 2022
Freedom Archives, an online database focused on progressive and radical historical movements, has documentation on BLU magazine, which was published between 1998 and 2001. While
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.
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.
Fake Musicians and The Source
August 31, 2022
ProPublica’s story about internet clout chases contains a detail about The Source magazine, a famed example of golden-era rap journalism.
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.
Lance Scott Walker on DJ Screw: A Life in Slow Revolution
July 20, 2022
The Texas native discusses his biography of DJ Screw, the late Houston DJ and producer who created the “chopped & screwed” sound.
Lloyd Banks on Process
July 18, 2022
A recent GQ interview proved that Lloyd Banks is a thoughtful interview subject.
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.