Something interesting is happening in the “Progressive R&B” category at this year’s Grammy Awards. Four of the six nominated albums contain songs that bear the unmistakable rhythmic signature of a ...

Hip-hop beat-makers are usually unseen. Not all sample-based producers are as reclusive as the torch-bearing loop artist Madlib, but even the most prominent among them are part of the backdrop. After ...

Kenny Beats wants to make 100 songs before he leaves Atlanta. Not beats — songs. The word choice, as well as the self-imposed assignment, reflect not only his dedication but the seriousness with which ...

Twenty years ago Nas released his career-defining debut, Illmatic, and while the New York MC has spent the bulk of the year celebrating that anniversary—he’s played the album in full on tour—other ...

Loud Sound Studios is home to two of Rwanda's up-and-coming hip-hop acts: Pro-Zed and Kenny K-Shot. Hip-hop is all about the beats and the flow. For two Rwandan artists, that flow sometimes comes in ...

In the mid-1980s, Ron G. became the master of the blend tape. By putting together R&B and hip-hop instrumentals, he and a DJ named Hot Day (whose "Hot Day Master Mix" married New Edition to Public ...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Getting a record deal used to be the marker of success for any up-and-coming rapper—but there’s a new crop of experimental artists who are bending the ...