Ryan Cocca

Raised in Chapel Hill, NC, Ryan Cocca covered hip-hop for INDY Week before becoming a full-time furniture entrepreneur. He has since returned to music writing as Founder/Editor of Super Empty.

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The Scene

Oh, Will We Enjoy The Hang Out

Art as an excuse to spend time with your people. Plus: Yoh Phillips on The Fall-Off, and more new music on the Tuesday Mixtape.

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The Scene

Raleigh's Unsound Decision

A new noise ordinance in the City of Oaks continues the time-worn tradition of embracing culture until culture becomes inconvenient. Plus: a new album from DaBaby, and new songs/music videos in this week's Tuesday Mixtape.

New Music

Seeing Sounds: New NC Music Videos, February 1

Fresh visuals from a quintet of Charlotte and Raleigh acts, new and old.

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The Scene

What Does The Future Hold For Live Music In The 919?

Following the closures of Missy Lane’s and PS37, one artist reflects on the challenges—and irreplaceable value—of the indie scene. Plus: more new music and an essay for Pigeons & Planes in an icy edition of The Tuesday Mixtape.

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New Music

The Fall-Off Needs To Be Bigger Than J. Cole

Hoping that a legend recognizes the limitations of competitiveness and the rap canon as artistic material; plus Sonny Miles, Lord Fess, and more from our Tuesday Mixtape.

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The Scene

Durham Blues 🔵

Tomorrow night, a fixture of Bull City hip-hop returns to the fray. Plus: J. Cole's "The Fall-Off," Deniro Farrar's "Raw Materials," and more.

Features

24 Songs I Loved From '25

(From North Carolina, obviously.)

Q&A

Inbox Intro: 9OFHEARTS

Emailing with the Greensboro rapper about his "debut" album, shaking off nihilism, and asking more of leading artists.

New Music

Catch Of The Day

Professor Payne's "night fishing," and a new wave of 919 abstract rap.

Q&A

Solomon Fox, IRL

The Durham native’s absurd Instagram videos have garnered praise from the likes of Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. But as he rolls out his first solo album in four years, going viral is one of the last things on his mind.

Q&A

Irving Allen's Next Stage

More than a decade ago, the 38-year-old parlayed his experiences as a rapper and promoter into a career of community organizing. Now he's got his sights set on Greensboro city council.

New Music

PREMIERE: MrGroovology x Napoleon Wright II - "I'm Ready" (ft. Carlitta Durand)

Listen to the soulful, clear-eyed first single from the multi-talented Triangle duo's upcoming album, NO MAP.

Q&A

Inbox Intro: $hake

Emailing with the Wilmington rapper about his sound, his city, and Plato.

New Music

Seeing Sounds: End-of-Summer Edition

Catching up on a surfeit of late summer music videos, from TiaCorine, Reuben Vincent, MESSIAH!, sosocamo, and more.

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The Scene

Rebirth of the Cool

Talking with Art of Cool cofounder Cicely Mitchell about the upcoming Missy Lane's Block Party — a years-in-the-making tribute to jazz, Durham, and do-overs.

The Scene

PHOTOS: Raleighwood Fest 2025

A milestone indie music moment in Raleigh, through the lenses of Isaac Aiello and Jeyhoun Allebaugh.

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Q&A

Shame Gang Has Put In The Work

On the doorstep of his first major release in two years, the Raleigh-based, "blue-collar" artist's hustle and knack for relationship-building continues to bear fruit.

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The Scene

LesTheGenius and Ricky Ricardo's In-State Intuition

Opinion

North Carolina's Senators Give Local Music a Nice Big Middle Finger

With its series "Shaped By Sound," PBS NC put a spotlight on acts like Reuben Vincent, Sonny Miles and Shirlette Ammons. Months later, Sens. Tillis and Budd voted to cut $4 million of their funding.

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The Scene

What Happened to Hip-Hop at Hopscotch?

The latest Hopscotch lineup is a sign that the genre isn’t being taken seriously by the festival — or by the Triangle region as a whole.

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Q&A

Inbox Intro: Sacredd919

Emailing with the 21-year-old Durham native about his city, his message, and making the choice to finally embrace rap.

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New Music

Month 101: June

The biggest and best releases from an unreasonably hot month in North Carolina.

Super Empty Threw An Event. It Was Awesome.

An only slightly biased recounting of our first-ever event, a Durham screening for Nigel Malone's "Carolina Noise."

The Scene

The Hang, Vol. 2

Back outside for our collab mix with Mikey Sharks and One Speaker Radio.

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New Music

What To Listen To This Week: June 18

Five NC-based tracks worth fitting into your busy schedule.