A final look back at some of our favorite characters, trends, lyrics and micro-moments of 2024. Plus: listener mailbag!
Category: Rap and Hip-Hop
-
Get to Know Bad Bunny in 9 Songs
Hear his first solo single up through a highlight from his latest LP, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”
-
Ringo Starr Goes Country, and 13 More New Songs
Hear tracks by Japanese Breakfast, Lambrini Girls, SZA and others.
-
The Mozambique Song, and Rapper, Inspiring a Youth Uprising
“Povo no Poder,” or “People in Power,” by the rap star Azagaia, has become the unofficial anthem of the protests over a disputed election.
-
Charli! Mk.gee! MJ! Debating the Best Albums of the Year.
A conversation about how peak pop stars are thinking of LPs in an increasingly singles-driven landscape.
-
The Year in Rap: Beneath Kendrick vs. Drake, a Thriving Underground Roils
A new generation of hip-hop artists seems less interested in becoming stars and more in becoming myths — and dismantling the status quo.
-
11 Hyperlocal Works That Helped Me Find Common Ground
As pop culture continues to fracture, our critic was drawn to art and performances that explored universal themes by way of specific settings.
-
Doechii’s Latest Looks on ‘Tiny Desk’ and ‘The Late Show’ Are a Hit With Fans
Braids as tethers, visible face tape, hip-hop-inflected preppiness: Recent looks by the Grammy-nominated rapper have inspired fascination and at least one nail-art tribute.
-
Megan Thee Stallion Seeks Restraining Order Against Tory Lanez
Her lawyers said Mr. Lanez had facilitated a “campaign of harassment” from prison, where he is serving a 10-year sentence after being convicted of shooting her.
-
Jay-Z Will Seek Dismissal of Assault Lawsuit His Lawyer Calls a ‘Sham’
The woman who accused him of raping her in 2000, when she was a minor, acknowledged to NBC that there were inconsistencies in her account, but stood by her claim.