Hip-hop’s relationship with substances has always been complicated. For years, lean culture dominated – codeine syrup glorified in lyrics, purple drinks in double cups, entire aesthetics built around ...

I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to publicly quote Gil Ford, the region IV director of the NAACP. He was on the mic at a recent vigil for last year’s murder victims when he hit attendees with this ...

Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur and DJ Thoro talk to Fat Trel about why the future is bright. When Fat Trel arrived at our studio, his vibe was nothing short of cool. Rolling nearly 10 deep, each member of his ...

On this date in 1991, New Orleans rap icon Percy “Master P” Miller stepped into the game with his debut album Get Away Clean, released through his independently founded No Limit Records. The project ...

The phenomenon has threaded through society since it was born in the Bronx in 1973. Hip-hop is on radio, television, fashion and sports arenas. This year the movement is celebrating a special birthday ...

We’re celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary this week. Wesley Morris traces the art form from its South Bronx origins to all-encompassing triumph. By Wesley Morris We’ve gathered here today to raise ...

Hip-hop was born in the break — that moment when a song’s vocals dropped, instruments quieted down and the beat took the stage. At the hands of the DJs, that break moment became more: a composition in ...