Westside Gunn Owns His '90s Throwback Style on 'Pray for Paris'

Published May 15, 2020

Grimy, soulful and rife with the infectious, gun-like ad libs we have grown to love, Westside Gunn's third studio effort is largely without...

Lil Baby My Turn

Published Apr 02, 2020

Like the name of his winning single, "Sum 2 Prove" implies, Atlanta's Lil Baby approaches My Turn like he's trying to silence doubters. On t...

PARTYNEXTDOOR Partymobile

Published Apr 01, 2020

Mississauga crooner PARTYNEXTDOOR usually has a knack for making music meant to be turned up and repeated on impulse. That infectious qualit...

Childish Gambino 3.15.20

Published Mar 31, 2020

In the same vein as his explosive 2018 single, "This Is America," Childish Gambino continues to contemplate the state of the world on 3.15.2...

Jay Electronica A Written Testimony

Published Mar 18, 2020

Scant yet enduring, Jay Electronica's humble catalogue has elevated him to godlike status among fans. But his music has also built a level o...

Moses Sumney græ: Part 1

Published Mar 04, 2020

Most music tends to focus on life's milestones — the first kiss, the epic heartbreak, and other brief, significant moments. But Moses Sumney...

Kamaiyah Got It Made

Published Feb 28, 2020

Record label drama, personal loss and creative blocks have placed more than a few obstacles in Kamaiyah's way since her acclaimed 2016 debut...

Brent Faiyaz Fuck the World

Published Feb 14, 2020

Brent Faiyaz blends the bitter with the sweet on his latest EP, Fuck the World.   Here, Faiyaz perfects his knack for juxtaposition by mix...

Mac Miller Circles

Published Jan 20, 2020

There is so much potential for disaster on posthumous albums. But Circles, the final effort from the deeply missed Mac Miller, sets a new st...

From #MeToo to "Me First": Women in Hip-Hop and R&B Change Their Tune

Published Dec 16, 2019

Whether acting up or having a hot girl summer, women in hip-hop and R&B gave zero fucks in 2019. While women artists have always been fixtur...

From Meme to Movement: How Megan Thee Stallion's 'Hot Girl Summer' Went from Internet Trend to Cultural Shift

Published Dec 11, 2019

This year, three simple words shook up the internet and permeated the pop culture lexicon: Hot Girl Summer. But how did the term, coined by...

Cartel Madras Pave a New Path of Visibility with 'Age of the Goonda'

Published Dec 04, 2019

Age of the Goonda, the latest EP from Calgary duo Cartel Madras, starts with a cacophony of screams, swearing and menacing bass. Before the...

Cartel Madras Age of the Goonda

Published Nov 27, 2019

In an interview with Exclaim!, Cartel Madras said that Age of the Goonda, their first release since signing with Sub Pop, speaks to a certai...

Xavier Omär and Sango Moments Spent Loving You

Published Nov 04, 2019

Longtime collaborators Xavier Omär and Sango return with the followup to 2015's Hours Spent Loving You just in time for cuffing season. Whil...

Little Brother May the Lord Watch

Published Sep 04, 2019

Though a Little Brother reunion once seemed about as likely as a finished album from Jay Electronica, the North Carolina duo surprised liste...

Raphael Saadiq: "I Didn't Think I'd Ever Make" His New Album About Drug Addiction, 'Jimmy Lee'

Published Aug 23, 2019

On his new album, Jimmy Lee, Raphael Saadiq breaks away from his usual feel-good love songs to assume the role of the titular protagonist, a...

Snoh Aalegra - Ugh, those feels again

Published Aug 15, 2019

Like its name implies, Snoh Aalegra's - Ugh, those feels again is an emotional rollercoaster. On it, the Swedish songstress is a master cond...

Snoh Aalegra Is Still in Her Feels on New Album '- Ugh, those feels again'

Published Aug 14, 2019

Two years after her debut studio album, Snoh Aalegra is still deep in her emotions. The aptly titled - Ugh, those feels again, the Swedish c...

Elle Varner Ellevation

Published Jul 17, 2019

The path to Elle Varner's sophomore effort has been a winding one. Pushbacks and label drama (the singer was dropped from RCA Records, the c...

Jaden ERYS

Published Jul 17, 2019

Jaden Smith's 2017 debut, SYRE, showed creativity and tremendous potential. On it, the neo-Fresh Prince established himself as a legitimate...