Album Reviews
Album Review: the villain wins, by MESSIAH!
On his first album in two years, Charlotte’s MESSIAH! balances light and shadow, and an identity as savior or villain.
Q&A
Balancing a solo rap career with being a creative right hand to legends — writing songs for Dr. Dre and Ye, directing videos for J. Cole — has left the Raleigh native hard to pin down. He's (mostly) OK with that.
The Scene
The 24th edition of the stalwart RDU hip-hop event "The Genius Party" gets everyone involved — from producers, to vocalists, to attendees themselves.
The Scene
At Waterline Brewing, a night of wide-ranging music — from Georgia to New York, and from the 90s to the present day — along the Cape Fear River.
Super Empty goes to Dreamville Festival 2024
What the courting of headliners like Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj says about the contradictions facing Dreamville Fest — and its leader, J. Cole.
The strained relationships, false starts, chance encounters and life lessons that led to May The Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story.
How a series of unlikely, up-close influences taught the Grammy-nominated, Durham-born producer Groove that anything was possible.
Hip-hop writing worth reading, from North Carolina.
On the upcoming compilation album No Options, more than a dozen Appalachian hip-hop artists present a different side to an often misunderstood, oversimplified region.
The Charlotte rapper, formerly known as WELL$, is back in his hometown and embarking on his most personal and mature work yet — starting with the reclamation of his childhood name.
"End Times," courtesy of Angelo Mota, leroy and Mez, is a somber reckoning with our overwhelming reality — and a late-2010s NC hip-hop family reunion.
With its overflowing roster of talent from the Carolinas and beyond, No Stress Fest reflects the enduring role of the DJ — and specifically, the pull and influence of High Point native E.Sudd.
“The Grey” propels us into the uncertainty of space through the coordinates of hip-hop’s sonic past.
The Los Angeles-based cinematographer talks about growing up in Raleigh, working with Vince Staples, honoring his love of music through film, and the self-imposed pressures that keep him growing.
"Tiffany Mink" embodies the confidence and sophisticated extravagance that sets the Durham-based artist apart.
Maligned by critics and fans alike, "Grippy" is the greatest test yet to the 39-year-old's self-defined role as a bridge between generations.
"God Don't" is a showcase of the Charlotte rapper's versatility and precision — and her unflinching sense of self-confidence.
Rapsody's first album in five years is a tender, expansive look at the distorting mirror of self-image.
Prioritizing personal fulfillment over external validation, the Raleigh rapper sounds sharper than ever, and genuinely at peace.
Heading into his first major release since becoming a social media golf sensation, the Charlotte rapper talks celebrity friendships, authenticity, and trusting his vision.