There's something powerful that happens when students step onto a stage and the entire community shows up for them. Events like this bring families, staff, and students together in a way that builds pride, connection, and a real sense of belonging.
Earl has spent the past decade or so immersing himself in New York's underground rap scene, resulting in one of the most unique and unpredictable discographies of his generation.
In §46, Kant defines genius as "the inborn predisposition of the mind through which nature gives the rule to art" (5:307). Because beautiful art cannot be created according to fixed rules, the artistic genius is a kind of channel for the way beauty appears spontaneously in nature. (My slideshow includes Angelus Silesius's "Die Rose" on this point: "The rose is without why.") For Kant, genius has a talent that cannot be learned or taught, and it cannot give an account of itself.
Gangstagrass occupies a lane that sounds unlikely on paper and surprisingly natural in practice. The collective blends bluegrass instrumentation with hip-hop rhythms, pairing banjo rolls and fiddle runs with sharp lyricism and boom-bap backbone.
In celebration of Black History Month, a photo installation at Brooklyn Borough Hall is putting "Brooklyn's Finest: Legends in Focus" in the spotlight, paying homage to Brooklyn's hip-hop history and the photographers who chronicled the evolution of the borough's hip-hop culture and the arts during the genre's most pivotal years. Images include the historic 1998 "Greatest Day in Hip-Hop History" photo by Gordon Parks, featuring influential rappers, DJs, producers and artists gathered on a Harlem brownstone stoop;
Rockie does kinda feel like the album Donna Hayward would make if she could pursue her musical ambitions: She'd be influenced by Julee Cruise, for sure, and probably Chromatics, and Sky Ferreira, and what could be more Badalamentian than the cloudburst of synth that opens "On Our Knees"?
The rapper, known on his tax form as Charles Wingate and known by his old Harlem associates as Charley Rambo, made his name in the rap game during an all-too-brief run in the 2000s, as one of the most colorful members of Jim Jones' Byrdgang, his solo offshoot from the Diplomats (although due to his growing up with rappers Cam and Mase, Max is like honorary Dipset).
Central Cee has shared a new song "Iceman Freestyle" along with a music video. Directed by Don Prod, the clip tracks the British rapper driving an old Aston Martin, drinks whiskey, and literally digging his own grave. Watch it below. "Iceman Freestyle" is the second solo single Central Cee has released following 2025's Can't Rush Greatness, his debut album on Columbia. The rapper also linked up for a few collaborations last year, including Drake's " Which One " and Sexyy Red's "Guilt Trippin."
The internet has made our worlds feel smaller. We keep up with family and friends through apps instead of phone calls or visits. We use an app to deliver our food instead of going out to eat. We shop online instead of going to the store to see and feel the things we purchase before we buy them.
Chances are, if the Atlanta rapper sounds like they have a loogie stuck in their throat, I'll probably like them. B5 and Zeeball? Yep-"Heist" might be the biggest omission from our Best Rap Songs of 2025 list. Rroxket? I still listen to his zooted-out regularly. Before I get carried away, let's add Bby Kell to that list. Her new tape, Straight Pop, is cool as hell-it reminds me of Glokk40Spaz back when his bread and butter was belligerent dark plugg.
fakemink has a new mixtape on the way. The Boy Who Cried Terrified is out January 29 on EtnaVeraVela. Although details around the release remain scarce, you can check out the cover art below. Alongside the tape, the UK artist has also begun teasing a new album, Terrified. There's even less information currently available about this record-all we know so far is that it's due out sometime in 2026, and that it's a separate project from The Boy Who Cried Terrified.