J HallRAP CIVIL WAR: THE TRAGIC LETDOWN OF DRAKE, KENDRICK LAMAR, AND J.COLEWhen I first heard Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Future & Metro Boomin’s Like That, a high came over me. Kendrick was so relentless, so crafty…Apr 26Apr 26
J HallENNY — THE NEXTUP BRITISH INVASIONEnny dreams of being an artist felt blocked by reality. “I wanted to be a rapper like my whole life, but I couldn’t go to school to become…Apr 26Apr 26
J HallHIDDEN FIGURES: AN OVERDUE SPOTLIGHT ON PIONEER LADY MCSPioneers are often appreciated but need to be remembered in every genre, and Hip-Hop is no exception. Below are unsung women in Hip-Hop who…Mar 22Mar 22
J HallAMERICAN GANGSTA: YG — MY KRAZY LIFE, A DECADE LATERBefore the rise of Drill rap, on March 18, 2014, West Coast rapper YG and producer DJ Mustard released the last certified Gangsta rap…Mar 22Mar 22
J HallFUTURE’S PAST: HOW THE FILM ORIGIN DELIVERS AN ALTERNATIVE BLACK EXPERIENCEFrom the start, my mind understood that Origin is an emotional film, hence why my soul cringed about thirty minutes after the Trayvon…Feb 26Feb 26
J HallRESPECT EARNED OVERDUE: THE ROOTS’ THINGS FALL APART, 25 YEARS LATERAfter three beloved albums, The Root’s music quality was never in question, yet the sales of their work were always in the red. So, for…Feb 23Feb 23
J HallWHO GOT NEXT: THE MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 20242023 was full of music choices, but 2024 is set to deliver the albums we’ve been waiting for. Without further ado, we present our list of…Feb 16Feb 16
J HallIN HIS OWN CLASS: REVISITING KANYE’S THE COLLEGE DROPOUT 20 YEARS LATER“The College Dropout” was not a gangsta-rap album, but it was gangsta in what it represented. Kanye’s use of Chipmunk soul, a style of…Feb 15Feb 15
J HallFROM MJ TO U-S-H-E-R: WHY USHER IS THE NEXT KINGUsher “Don’t leave your girl around me” Raymond is the only artist worthy of wearing the crown left by the late Michael Jackson. There…Feb 9Feb 9
J HallTEE GRIZZLEY: FIRST DAY OUT AND NEXT UPIn 2016 Tee Grizzley stormed on the scene with his viral record “First Day Out.” The song was an autobiography that resonated worldwide…Feb 8Feb 8