Mamdani opened up about his journey from immigrant child to becoming the city's 112th mayor, calling it a dream realized. Born in Uganda in 1991 and arriving in New York at age 7, he's now the youngest person to hold the office in over a century and the city's first Muslim and African-born mayor.
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 recent years, he's evolved into an emissary of Florida hip-hop and a rap star at the nexus of niche underground fame and household ubiquity, able to stunt on blockbuster movie soundtracks one minute and do pop-ups at Chinatown arcades with no security the next.
James Broadnax, who is 37, describes how he writes: 'I've been here umpteen days never forgetting To forget the absence of my fate. Sloppy ciphered sentences become rage, Provoking thoughts into words spoken Across this blank page.'
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;
In a way, it was the Sgt. Pepper's of hip-hop. It's a record that changed the way that people thought about putting music together. I'm not a big hip-hop historian; I just know the stuff that I worked on.
If someone was to come into this room right now and pop you and me in the head and kill us, when we turned around, what would we see? Would we see the devil sittin' there in that seat ready to blow our head off, or would we see a regular motherfucker?
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"?
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."
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 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.
In a world where plenty of rap elders are content to roll out unchallenging albums to steadfast fanbases, Roc Marciano still knows how to hold your head underwater. Few rappers boast a style so enveloping and detail-rich, every verse stuffed with taunts, velour victories, and nagging regrets rendered in granular, Gordon Parks-like radiance. New albums from Hempstead's veteran rapper-producer unfold like dispatches from a jet-setting uncle popping in for a visit: His tales scan as ridiculous, even a bit silly,
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.
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.
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."