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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New Music

Sinopsis Brings Kooley High Back to Earth

The Raleigh producer's third remix album is a warm, sophisticated, jazz-rap delight.

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New Music

Please Touch That Dial

A pair of Durham EPs give credence to the idea that a yearning for a more tactile and terrestrial existence remains very real.

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New Music

Deniro Farrar Tends To His Flock

On his contemplative and calm EP "The Shepherd," the veteran Charlotte emcee offers up clear-eyed enlightenment — and a "pay" button.

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Q&A

Arrest The President

The hip-hop of the Dubya era, and a quick Q&A with Justus League member Edgar Allen Floe.

New Music

Month 101: January

Ten independent NC hip-hop heaters to keep you warm between the false Springs.

Best Of 2024

Super Empty's Best Of 2024, Pt. 3 (Songs)

Two dozen standout tracks that epitomized the year in NC hip-hop/R&B.

Best Of 2024

Super Empty's Best Of 2024, Pt. 2 (EPs)

Six short-form offerings (hip-hop/R&B and adjacent) that packed a memorable, outsize punch.

Features

Super Empty's Best Of 2024, Pt. 1 (Albums)

Top albums from an emotive, soulful year of North Carolina hip-hop and R&B.

Song Of The Week

The Rest Is History

"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.

Q&A

The Restless Yet Unhurried Ambition of Ayinde Anderson

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.

Song Of The Week

Godric Pops Out In Pink

"Tiffany Mink" embodies the confidence and sophisticated extravagance that sets the Durham-based artist apart.

Song Of The Week

The Gospel According to Cheeno Ghee

"God Don't" is a showcase of the Charlotte rapper's versatility and precision — and her unflinching sense of self-confidence.

Song Of The Week

With "For You," NANCE Focuses on His Most Important Audience: Himself

Prioritizing personal fulfillment over external validation, the Raleigh rapper sounds sharper than ever, and genuinely at peace.

Q&A

Erick Lottary Wants to Remind You That He Raps, Too

Heading into his first major release since becoming a social media golf sensation, the Charlotte rapper talks celebrity friendships, authenticity, and trusting his vision.

Song Of The Week

Suzi Analogue and Blu's "Best 16" Sounds Like The End of the World

A UNC professor and a West Coast rap legend combine to make a fitting soundtrack for unnerving times.

Song Of The Week

On “One,” JSWISS Models Self-Belief Over Cynicism

The NC-schooled, NY-based rapper continues his stellar string of jazz/experimental collaborations, this time with saxophonist/producer Marcus Strickland.

A light that can never be extinguished

Remembering Joshua "J. Rowdy" Rowsey

Features

Bury Me At The Casa Bacardí

Super Empty goes to Dreamville Festival 2024

Q&A

Did J. Cole Do The Right Thing?

A baker's dozen of NC hip-hop artists and media personalities react to "The Apology."

Song Of The Week

Song of the Week: "Other Side" - Kooley High

The Raleigh quintet leans away from Earthly matters like sales and streams, and into mortality and eternal life.

Song Of The Week

Song Of The Week: “7 Minute Drill” - J. Cole

The Dreamville leader's attempt at fiery, pre-festival fireworks pulls punches and leaves numerous opportunities on the table.

Features

Dreamville Preview: Three NC Artists to See in 2024, and Three to Hope for in 2025

Plus, a roundup of Dreamville-adjacent Friday events to fill out the weekend in Raleigh.

Opinion

The Devil(s) on Dreamville's Shoulder

What the courting of headliners like Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj says about the contradictions facing Dreamville Fest — and its leader, J. Cole.

Song Of The Week

Song of the Week: "Hello" - Shirlette Ammons ft. Amelia Meath

Durham’s consummate collaborator pens an uplifting tribute to community, and as usual, brings others along for the ride.

Song Of The Week

Song of the Week: "Stand Tall" - Rapsody

The new single from her first album in five years hints at some of the best, most personal music of Rapsody’s career.