Music

With In These Times, Makaya McCraven has perfected a method in which he weaves jazz improvisation and hip-hop recording techniques together with sensitivity that masks an obsessive attention to detail. Sulyiman Stokes/Courtesy of the artist When it comes to understanding Makaya McCraven's musical output of the last decade, the proof is in the process. As a drummer, producer, bandleader and composer — "beat scientist" is the official nom de groove […]

Ramsey Lewis, seen here performing at the Ontario Jazz Festival in 1981, died Monday at his home in Chicago. Ron Bull/Toronto Star via Getty Images Ramsey Lewis, a pianist who sustained connections between jazz and popular music at a time when those bonds often seemed fragile and imperiled, died on Monday in Chicago, his hometown. He was 87. His death was announced by his manager, Brett Steele, who cited natural […]

Born Brittney Parks and nicknamed Sudan as a child, the artist is driven by her intense curiosity. Sudan Archives' music celebrates digging. With infectious curiosity, her oddball collages of hip-hop, electronic and globally sourced folk bridge worlds and tramp through them, encouraging you to forge your own routes as well. Across two EPs and an album, the self-taught violinist, producer, and songwriter has honed a distinct blend of layered vocals […]

Aida Osman and KaMillion star as aspiring rappers in Rap Sh!t. The HBO Max series Rap Sh!t feels like a comedy for The Moment. Created by Issa Rae, the show focuses on Shawna and Mia (played by Aida Osman and KaMillion), two aspiring rappers from Miami, and documents the challenges they face as young women trying to break into the music industry. And for these women on the cusp of […]

A star for late rapper Nipsey Hussle was unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on Aug. 15. The ceremony included speeches and remarks from members of the late rapper's family, including his sister, Samantha Smith (third from right), and his grandmother Margaret Boutte (fourth from right), who accepted the star on behalf of the family. Damian Dovarganes/AP Three years after his murder, rapper Nipsey Hussle was […]

After nearly a decade of shifting the music industry with surprise drops and arresting visual albums, Beyoncé's seventh full-length album, Renaissance, emerged into the world on Friday in a way that almost felt traditional. There was a lead single, a properly announced release date and even a highly publicized leak, but the retro-leaning familiarity of Beyoncé's approach hasn't lessened the impact of an album that demands a deep decoding. Thick […]