Rappers are rhythmic storytellers who transform life experiences into verses, delivering them over beats with precision and purpose. Unlike singers who focus on melody and pitch, rappers emphasize cadence, rhyme schemes, and flow using wordplay, metaphor, and punchlines to reflect on identity, culture, and reality. Rap emerged from the hip-hop culture that originated in the Bronx in 1973, when ...

LL Cool J, rapper and co-creator of 5-part docuseries "Hip Hop Was Born Here", is all about where the musical and cultural phenomenon came from, where it went and where it still wants to go. It begins in the Bronx, of course. "Hip Hop Was Born Here ...

Rappers embody their cities in ways that go deeper than area codes and shoutouts. The neighborhoods that raised them – every corner store, basketball court and subway platform – become the foundation of their sound, style and soul. Understanding this ...

Hip-hop has evolved into one of the most powerful cultural engines in the world. What started as music now drives fashion, sneakers, video games, food, and even sweepstakes platforms. Hip-hop is no longer just music. Over time, it has become one of the ...

This week’s new music Friday also features E-40, Thundercat, Alchemist, Kelly Rowland and Tems. Although in recent times Drake’s cultural currency has been called into question, there’s no denying that he is one of the most commercially pivotal ...

LL Cool J, a pioneering figure in hip-hop, is set to take viewers on a captivating journey through the genre’s roots with the new docuseries Hip Hop Was Born Here. This five-part series, co-created with NFL legend Peyton Manning, explores the vibrant ...

It’s hard out here for a rapper trying to be taken seriously as an actor — but that’s changing. The line between the recording studio and the silver screen has never been thinner. This year, a new generation of rappers is proving that musical talent ...