The visual album and documentary Songs from the Hole tells the story of James Jacobs, the hip-hop artist JJ'88, as he reflects on his coming-of-age within California's state prison system.

Ca$ino, the rapper's second album for his cousin Kendrick Lamar's label, is whiplash embodied, a mirror for the extreme highs and lows of his Sin City hometown.

The shortlist also includes a 1990s pop diva, heavy metal pioneers and a legendary R&B singer and producer.

This week, country star Ella Langley and rapper Don Toliver hit career milestones on the pop charts.

After dropping out of modern rap's defining conflict, the Fayetteville MC contemplates the making and breaking of a legacy.

The Travis Scott signee came up in the shadow of his mentor's rootless sound. On Octane, he taps his hometown's lineage and finds a star power all his own.

At the 2026 Grammys, Bad Bunny became the first artist to win the album of the year award for a Spanish-language release. Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga also took home major awards.

The Grammy Awards were full of milestone wins, chaotic performances and viral moments, as well as speeches that frequently addressed this moment in American history.

It was a three-way, down-to-the-wire race between A$AP Rocky, ENHYPEN and Bad Bunny to be No. 1 on this week's Billboard 200 albums chart.

The two friends reconnect on Don't Be Dumb, Rocky's first album in eight years — and inadvertently demonstrate how much they've diverged as artists.

The holidays are over, both on the calendar and on the pop charts, and that's great news for an assortment of beneficiaries.

After releasing two albums in 2025, rap's great modern philosopher and griot is having one of his best-ever runs. He may not have all the answers, but his questions are everything we need right now.

The last album by one of hip-hop's great duos requires no asterisk, and the group embodies the spirit of its hood more than ever. The rapper explains why the music is so imbued with a sense of place.

On his story-of-the-year album The Boy Who Played the Harp, the gifted Londoner puts an eye on the human casualties of fame and success.

Taylor Swift's chokehold on the Hot 100 is loosening, and that's made room for two fresh career milestones.