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.'
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.
Afroman spends the five-minute clip detailing the entire case in deliberate, utterly absurd detail. It's very much a diss track... Afroman has targets a plenty, including likening Judge Roy E. Gabbert to Droopy.
Born and raised in south London, Ellis-Stevenson began producing music in childhood and was still a teenager when he released his debut mixtape This Is the Beginning, in 2007. He became celebrated as one of the core beat-makers in the then flourishing grime scene, with tracks such as Petrol Bomb and Bazooka providing heavy yet spry backings for MCs.
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.
I'll be honest, it didn't take long for the fresh, excited energy I was trying to bring into 2026 to be quashed. (But maybe that's on me I forgot to put "attack a foreign country and seize its leader with only the murkiest of communications about what might come next" on my "out" list this year.) But this week, I want to talk about two other stories that, when juxtaposed,
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.
Kid Cudi had cancelled his 2024 tour after breaking his heel at Coachella, and while he's done some shows since then, he hadn't embarked on any major outings. He's now announced the "Rebel Ragers Tour," which will have M.I.A. Big Boi, A-Trak, me n ü, and Dot Da Genius presents GLKPRTY w/ Powers Pleasanton each opening select shows. See all dates below.
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.
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.
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).
Atlanta's Ying Yang Twins helped define the crunk era by turning late-night club energy into a national language all its own. Their catalog relies on deep bass, playful braggadocio, and hooks designed for shouted choruses more than quiet contemplation. Songs such as "Salt Shaker" and "Wait (The Whisper Song)" turned clubs into shared sing-along zones that felt as much ritual as entertainment.
I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother [Nicole Smith] and I are devastated, the statement said. Lil Jon described his son as an amazingly talented young man who was a music producer, artist, engineer and New York University graduate. Thank you for all of the prayers and support in trying to locate him over the last several days. Thank you to the entire Milton police department involved, the Snap Yo Fingers rapper added.
The staff of Pitchfork listens to a lot of new music. A lot of it. On any given day our writers, editors, and contributors go through an imposing number of new releases, giving recommendations to each other and discovering new favorites along the way. Each Monday, with our Pitchfork Selects playlist, we're sharing what our writers are playing obsessively and highlighting some of the Pitchfork staff's favorite new music.
On Sunday our band won 2 Grammys for Best Rock Album & Best Metal Performance. We never thought we'd be in these rooms, but we are very grateful to be here. This band has never been about the individual, but rather about a collective searching for a common thread in a world where those threads are being hidden from us.