Originally released in June 2004, To the 5 Boroughs is the Beastie's tribute to their hometown, reflecting on the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. In addition to the Hot 100 hit "Ch-Check It Out," the LP contains the heartfelt "An Open Letter to NYC."
Yeat and EsDeeKid have dropped a new song together, 'Made It On Our Own.' The track arrives alongside a video, directed by Director X, that they filmed at Drake's Toronto mansion (although Drake himself does not appear).
A deeply sensitive, unverified allegation is circulating in Hip-Hop after an interview aired on Doggie Diamonds TV, where a Staten Island woman identifying herself as Tai claimed she is related to members of the Wu-Tang family circle and described what she says was a traumatic, long-suppressed situation. Host Doggie Diamonds opened the segment sounding shaken, telling viewers: "In my whole 19-year career, I'm baffled." He added, "I don't even know what to say."
The 25-year-old performer, born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, was involved in a single-vehicle accident Wednesday on Interstate 85 south in Hapeville, Hapeville Chief of Police Bruce Hedley told TMZ. Then, he called his manager asking for advice. He explained to her that the car was still drivable, so she told Wheeler to meet her in a nearby parking lot at a Hilton hotel, the report said.
Less than one year after his unforgettable Super Bowl performance, Kendrick Lamar is spending his Sunday at the 2026 Grammys and the " Luther " rapper has a lot to celebrate. He started the night with four wins, making him the most decorated rapper in the show's history. "Hip-hop is gonna always be right here. We're gonna be in these suits, we're gonna be looking good, we're gonna be having our folks with us, we're gonna be having our culture with us," Lamar stated as he accepted his fourth Grammy of the night for Best Rap Album. "So I appreciate y'all."
2026 continues to get off to an exciting start musically, and this week gave us the first Arctic Monkeys song in four years plus album announcements from Courtney Barnett, James Blake, Snail Mail, and a handful of others. We talked about all that and more on today's episode of BV Weekly, on which we also talked about last week's A$AP Rocky album, Pitchfork's new user reviews, and more.
Three of hip-hop's most unique voices come together on "Fake Jeezy," Maxo Kream and JPEGMAFIA's new banger featuring Denzel Curry. Stream it below. Get Denzel Curry Tickets Here True to its title, the song features early 2000s trap production from JPEGMAFIA, as Maxo and Curry try to outdo each other's lyrics. Maxo raps about keeping "three Ks" like "Kim, Kourtney, Khloe," and "corporate thuggin' like Young Jeezy," while Denzel drops a Kardashian reference of his own.
His frequent allegro cadence accents how deftly he changes direction within verses. "Silent Film," set to mellow chords and a shuffling breakbeat, is casually breathless: "I roll the dough and cook it/Was juggin' cause in a world so cold, you just throw on a hoodie/I see the limit and push it, sneaking over the edge/Made a million off of my grief, none of my people rose from the dead," Mavi raps, subtly pausing-and stretching and compressing words-to keep the meter.
The first song I fell in love with I grew up in New York City, so the emergence of hip-hop really connected with me when I was a kid. Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang started me down the road where I am today. The first single I bought Let No Man Put Asunder by First Choice, on 12-inch vinyl from Rock and Soul in New York City, with money I'd saved from working part-time at the grocery store.
21 Savage has announced a new album. The rapper posted a video to his Instagram earlier today, December 8, with the title What Happened to the Streets? and a release date of this Friday, December 12. Check out the cover art below. 21 Savage released his last studio album, American Dream, in 2024. This year, he's been featured on Summer Walker's Finally Over It and Travis Scott's mixtape.
This is a comeback story: a former "junkie, alcoholic" who lost control, now recovered and reborn, embracing the bliss and identity-making potential of music like never before. It's a classic hip-hop underdog narrative, and this is very much a rap album, just adorned with a Splice pack's worth of pixie-lated dust. Rave music is often associated with druggy abandon, but for Brown it seems more about the heady rush of joy conjured by whizzing tempos and neon synths.
Despite the joy Zimri brings Savoy, the fact that Zimri will never meet his grandfather compounds his grief, as does Zimri arriving into this world with serious health complications. So Savoy decided to capture this moment in time in a short documentary, also titled Big Bryce Son. Savoy hosts the documentary's Oakland premiere on Friday, Nov. 14, at Rhythm Section Art Lounge for two screenings at 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The Grammy nominations are here, and with it the realization we have no great pop juggernauts like we did last year. No Charli, no Beyoncé, and no Taylor. Still, there's a lot of Lady Gaga and Sabrina Carpenter and even a good showing for Justin Bieber - but the big narrative of this year's noms is the enthusiasm for this past year in rap: Kendrick, Bad Bunny, Clipse, and yes ... even Drake.
Growing up, every weekend we'd visit a different Sri Lankan family's house in London. One kid had Thriller by Michael Jackson, and I fell in love with Billie Jean. I then ripped my brother's Michael Jackson Bad poster in a retaliation move, for which I now formally apologise.
Long Beach is located about half an hour down the coast from Los Angeles proper, though it often gets mixed up in the greater L.A. or Orange County areas. However, hip-hop lovers will recognize the LBC as the stomping grounds of legends like Snoop Dogg and Warren G, but the city's significance extends far beyond what you might hear on the radio.
Jay Electronica's exceptional skill as a rapper has afforded him a level of favor that no one else in the hip-hop sphere-with the exception of André 3000-would have received within the same span of time. Between 2007 and 2020, he generally remained in the public's good graces off the strength of one innovative introductory mixtape, impressive guest verses, and a handful of monumental loosies that featured existential musings, astronomical wonder, and clips from cult cinema.
Coreen Simpson-photographer, writer, jeweler-has done it all. Working for publications such as Essence, Unique New York, and The Village Voice, from the late 1970s onward, Simpson covered New York's art and fashion scenes, producing portraits of a wide range of Black artists, literary figures, and celebrities. Her iconic jewelry, the Black Cameo, has been worn by everyone from the model Iman to civil-rights leader Rosa Parks.
