Hip Hop

South Sudan’s youth come of age in the face of chaos
Culture

South Sudan’s youth come of age in the face of chaos

Living in limbo — With South Sudan descending back into civil war, a new generation of returnees need to flee for the second time in their lives. But even in exile, their message is clear: change only comes when you're willing to fight – and music is a weapon.

Written by: Siobhán O'Grady

Zydeco Cowboys: where hip hop partyin' meets country life
Culture

Zydeco Cowboys: where hip hop partyin' meets country life

A world of Creole cool — In the Louisiana countryside, trail rides are blowing up: fusing zydeco music with rap, blending the old world with the new. But can traditionalists accept that you’ve gotta evolve to stay alive?

Written by: Gwendolen von Einsiedel

Inside the unlikely hip hop scene taking root in Italy
Culture

Inside the unlikely hip hop scene taking root in Italy

Brothers in the barrios — On the outskirts of Milan, a divided city rife with tension, photographer Roberto Ramirez has uncovered a stigmatised community bonding over the power of rap.

Written by: Cian Traynor

Musician Naomi Pilgrim says it's time to ditch that racist friend
Music

Musician Naomi Pilgrim says it's time to ditch that racist friend

Do it, do it now — It's time to leave your comfort zone and confront bigots, no matter how close they are to you, says Swedish-Barbadian rising star Naomi Pilgrim.

Written by: Marta Bausells

Iceland's female hip-hop collective is changing the game
Culture

Iceland's female hip-hop collective is changing the game

Daughters of Reykjavik — With songs about slut-shaming and body positivity, Iceland's punkest hip-hop crew are finally putting the country's female rappers on the map.

Written by: Katy Beth Young

The Delhi b-boys breaking down barriers of caste and class
Culture

The Delhi b-boys breaking down barriers of caste and class

Bollywood Breaks — Think New York City is hip hop’s only home? In cities across India, from Delhi to Mumbai, a new generation of b-boy pioneers are taking over abandoned spaces and transforming them into energetic block parties that transcend both caste and class.

Written by: Cinnamon Nippard

Awate: The North London rapper fighting for racial justice
Music

Awate: The North London rapper fighting for racial justice

Music video premiere — Awate premieres 'Uncontrollable Dopeness' on Huck and talks about confronting racism on the streets and his family’s freedom fighting heritage.

Written by: Alex King

The rappers who took down an African 'dictator'
Film

The rappers who took down an African 'dictator'

The Revolution Won't be Televised — Filmmaker Rama Thiaw documented how rappers Thiat and Kilifeu led Senegal’s Y’en a Marre youth resistance movement to topple despised president Abdoulaye Wade.

Written by: Alex King

Cakes da Killa: A fresh voice shaking up hip-hop
Culture

Cakes da Killa: A fresh voice shaking up hip-hop

A serious slice of attitude — Having shot to attention for being an openly gay rapper with a dirty mind, Cakes da Killa is steering attention back to where it should be: his skills on the mic.

Written by: Cian Traynor

Stretch & Bobbito: The story of hip hop’s greatest tastemakers
Culture

Stretch & Bobbito: The story of hip hop’s greatest tastemakers

Radio that changed lives — From Nas to Jay Z, Eminem to Notorious B.I.G., some of the biggest rappers got their start on an independent, underground radio show in the middle of the night. Now its story is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

Written by: Cian Traynor

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Issue 81: The more than a game issue

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