Rap

Wu-Tang is really forever

Through all the bickering, they will always be family

As the VMAs honor Missy Elliott, her triumphant return reminds us of who she is as an artist

From a pop-up museum to a new project to a Vanguard Award to the 18th anniversary of losing Aaliyah, this weekend is an emotional roller coaster

Happy birthday to Kurtis Blow, the original ‘King of Rap’

‘The Breaks,’ ‘Christmas Rappin,’’ ‘If I Ruled the World’ made him rap’s first major solo star

Lil Nas X and Blanco Brown show that cultural appropriation ain’t nothin’ but a G thang

In the debate over profiting from black creativity, these country singers prove that turnabout is fair play

A$AP Rocky case shows the discomfort of fighting for freedom

Wanting black folks free means freeing even those we disagree with

2Pac’s birthday, GOATs and how we get hip-hop wrong

Tupac’s place in hip-hop history was never about being the best rapper. It was always about his artistry.

The 20 greatest hip-hop tours of all time

Our ranking, inspired by all the great rap acts on the road this summer, is 100% correct

Jay-Z’s billionaire status adds up to a lot more than what’s in his bank account

Like Madam C.J. Walker and John H. Johnson before him, Jay-Z’s rise to business mogul is testament to the power of the black dollar

Will Smith, a pioneering black nerd, helped raise and change rap music

Smith’s music career reveals an artist who believed in an Afrocentric American dream based on ambition, hustle and black pride