Rap
How a dying musician created a visionary hip hop masterpiece
Donuts Dissected — J Dilla super-aficionado and head of music at Boiler Room, Raj Chaudhuri reveals the inspiring tale of a dying musician’s inextinguishable spirit and his magnum opus, Donuts.
Written by: Gabriela Helfet
Kenyan rapper Octopizzo found his voice when he chose to lift up his community
Calling bullshit on foreign aid and broken promises — Look at Kibera, Africa’s largest slum, through Octopizzo’s eyes and you’ll see talent everywhere. The Kenyan rapper brings colour and true upliftment by giving back to his own roots.
Written by: Alex King
How Dan Bull became one of the biggest MCs in the UK with no radio play
Good rhymes are good rhymes — Meet Dan Bull, the DIY rapper who topped the charts with perseverance alone.
Written by: Rob Boffard
Busdriver on self-deprecation and the uplifting power of rap
Poetry, protest and Perfect Hair — LA rapper Busdriver is doing hip hop his own way: self-managing a slow-burning but immensely credible career.
Written by: Cormac O'Brien
Raury on the art of audacious street hustling
Self-promotion, social media and steez — Stealing fans is not underhand if you do it with a smile, explains 18-year-old Atlanta rapper Raury.
Written by: Osia Katsidou
The untold story of the forgotten grandfather of rap
Documentary shines light on Hustler's Convention — Jalal Mansur Nuriddin aka Lightnin' Rod's pivotal album Hustler's Convention set the template for hip hop to come - but it disappeared underground and his contribution was never acknowledged. Now filmmaker Mike Todd is helping put the record straight.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross
Are France’s suburbs a breeding ground for extremism?
Uncovering creative cultures from the troubled banlieues — Marginalised French youth respond to exclusion and negative stereotyping with art, creativity and activism.
Written by: Alex King
Woman of the moment: How Little Simz is ready to change the game
Breaking the mainstream — Twenty years on from hip hop’s heyday, London’s Simbi Ajikawo has built a towering presence through the time-tested practice of slinging killer mixtapes. Now all eyes are on her debut LP.
Written by: Osia Katsidou
Brighton rapper Ocean Wisdom has the world at his feet
Walkin' to the top — Roll over YouTubers and make way for Wisdom – an overnight success story that took a decade of hard graft.
Written by: Jack Kenyon
Homeboy Sandman
Honesty, Truth and Journey — Homeboy Sandman is walking the principled path, helping to take hip hop where he feels it needs to go.
Written by: Alex King