Rap
Cartel Madras are changing the face of rap music
Two of a kind — The Chennai-born, Calgary-raised rap duo discuss finding their feet in an industry dominated by men, and why a salacious sense of humour is at the heart of everything they do.
Written by: Thomas Hobbs
Injury Reserve on a future without Groggs
‘He was the heart of the band‘ — Over a year ago, hip hop band Injury Reserve tragically lost one of its three members. Now, amid the release of their new album, the band’s remaining artists, Ritchie With A T and Parker Corey, are facing up to and finding ways to honour the late rapper’s legacy.
Written by: Thomas Hobbs
Common is starting his own beautiful revolution
‘Biden must be held to account‘ — Ahead of the release of his new album, the 49-year-old rapper talks mixing his art with politics, and working alongside music’s greats.
Written by: Jeremy Allen
The anthology celebrating 45 years of hip hop and art
Sound of the streets — A newly-released multimedia collection chronicles the growth of hip hop and its surrounding culture from the parks of the Bronx to its becoming a global phenomenon.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Drakeo The Ruler’s reign has only just begun
Finally free — After being released from prison last November, the LA-based artist has been busy working on multiple projects and is now gearing up to take his pioneering brand of West Coast rap to even bigger audiences.
Written by: Thomas Hobbs
The story behind grills and their pioneer, Famous Eddie
Mouth Full of Golds — Writer and filmmaker Lyle Lindgren discusses his new book recounting the forgotten story of Eddie Plein, an entrepreneur who changed the face of hip-hop – one gold tooth at a time.
Written by: Daisy Schofield
$NOT is the defiant Florida rapper making his own rules
‘I like calling the shots‘ — After releasing two albums last year, the 23-year-old artist is already a cult favourite among underground rap fans. Now, he’s ready to take his genre-blurring sound and transgressive lyrics to the next level.
Written by: Thomas Hobbs
LD, godfather of drill, speaks out from behind bars
‘I‘m free to fly‘ — To mark the release of his new LP, the frontman of south London group 67 calls from prison to discuss his fraught past, dismantling the Tories and embracing the multitude of ways drill has evolved.
Written by: Dhruva Balram
The Mitchell Brothers, British rap’s forgotten duo
Geezers with skills — In the early noughties, Owura “Tony” Nyanin and Kofi “Teddy” Hanson were signed to Mike Skinner’s label and two of the UK’s most influential MCs – then they disappeared. Now reunited over a decade later, the pair say the world wasn’t ready for them.
Written by: Sam Davies
How police prosecute drill artists with their own music
Lyrics on trial — The police have long seen Black music as synonymous with violence. Now, they're targeting drill artists by monitoring their music and using their lyrics as evidence to link them to crimes.
Written by: Samir Jeraj