Hip hop has never been just one thing. It started with block parties and breakbeats, but over time, it grew into a mix of styles that each reflect different places, stories, and sounds. From the early ...

Whethan pulls in Waka Flocka Flame and Denzel Curry on one of the year's most energetic hip-hop and electronic tracks on ...

In 2003, T.I. and other Atlanta rappers created new subgenre of rap: trap music. Twenty years later, its influence is everywhere. About two minutes into the song, "Y'all Scared," Andre 3000 of OutKast ...

There’s a raw energy in the air—a palpable, jittery anticipation as the old guard of hip-hop production gets tossed aside by the relentless force of technological innovation and cultural upheaval.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Yukmouth (L) and Numskull of Luniz pose during KMEL Summer Jam at Shoreline Amphitheatre in 1995. (Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty ...

Hence with each release Mimi Barks’ image changes, as does her sound. It’s a state of constant reinvention making it hard to pin down exactly who she is or what her music will sound like. Two years ...

“Rapper’s Delight” will always be considered the song that introduced hip-hop to the masses. The Sugarhill Gang classic with its tongue-twisting opening – “I said a-hip, hop, the hippie, the hippie to ...

This story is part of our new Hip-Hop: ’73 Till Infinity series, a celebration of the genre’s 50th anniversary. Producers are just as (if not more) important than MCs on a track. As much as fans care ...

How to encompass half a century of hip-hop? You start by acknowledging you can’t. Too many stars, too many songs, too many places, too many scandals: Hip-hop is an entire universe — a musical genre, ...

Welcome to The State of R&B, ESSENCE’s look at the past, present and future of rhythm and blues. In this piece, ESSENCE editor Rivéa Ruff reports on the blending of hip-hop and R&B. Since the ...