Thursday's first song in 13 years leads off this edition of 8 Tracks, which we'll have to call 10 Tracks because there's been too much good music lately.
The Carters have it all — wealth, influence, critical cred — but they've never stopped chasing the approval of exclusive institutions like the Grammys. At this point, who are they fighting for?
The success of the polymath's technicolor Whack World EP left something darker brewing beneath the surface. Years later, she talks about pushing through self-doubt to rediscover her confidence.
On their eclectic new albums, two artists who emerged in the 2010s as hip-hop's next big things flaunt a creative freedom only found in rejecting the spotlight.
What would you do if your favorite artist stared you down and asked for the truth? On this 8 Tracks: Michael Knott, Rapsody and Tierra Whack offer mirrors to themselves and to anyone listening.
The rap mogul has been accused of sexual misconduct in five different civil suits since November 2023, dating back to the beginning of one of hip-hop's most influential careers.
Jam Master Jay, one-third of the iconic hip-hop group Run-DMC, was killed in 2002 over a cocaine deal gone bad. A jury found two men guilty of the murder, including his godson.
Something's different about the arrival of the latest African pop stars on the international scene. They are finding success as a wave without compromising or catering to the American music industry.
On Sunday, Jay-Z accepted an honorary Grammy by taking gentle aim at the awards' failure to support Black musicians. "We want y'all to get it right — at least get it close to right" he said.
Alynda Segarra examines our frailty and resilience with an unsparing, yet tender cadence. This week on 8 Tracks, NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich looks at lyrics that stand on their own as poetry.
Sonic Youth's co-founder took her cues from a '60s girl-group but forges a new lane. NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich functions as your antidote to the algorithm in eight tracks to know this week.
From the storied Blue Note club in New York, the five-time Grammy-winner talks about the diverse audiences his eclectic music attracts and how he's reshaping the idea of musical genres.
After battling drug addiction and alcoholism, the Detroit rapper emerges from a downward spiral with Quaranta, his most thoughtful album, embracing the wisdom of his 40s.
The singer Cassie has accused the rap mogul of subjecting her to years of abuse, in a suit made possible by the Adult Survivors Act. Can the case spark a sexual assault reckoning within hip-hop?
