Rap
Rising MC Loyle Carner is bringing sensitive soul to London’s hip hop scene
Fresh, honest beats — Unapologetically open about his personal life, the South London rapper talks to us about his experience with ADHD, a future cooking project with teens, and an adopted younger sister on the way.
Written by: Taylor McGraa
Rag N’ Bone Man: The MC building a refuge for his past loves
Talking inspiration, former flames and a debut album — Raised on a diet of Steptoe and Sons and blues music in a small Sussex village, Rag N’ Bone Man doesn’t exactly fit the normal picture of an MC. But digging deeper reveals Rory Graham is a true hip hop renaissance man.
Written by: Robbie Wojciechowski
The Mix-Up: A lost interview with the Beastie Boys
Death, celebrity and fatherhood — Ten years ago, Huck split up hip hop's most famous trio in order to get them talking. Then they wouldn't stop. To commemorate the four-year anniversary of MCA's death, we're posting the interview online for the first time.
Written by: Bruno Torturra Nogueira and Filipe Luna
British rapper Akala on the virtues and limits of practicing what you preach
Spittin' conscious lines — From independent records to speaking truth to power, British rapper Akala has strived to practice what he preaches. But, by his own admission, sometimes even he gets it wrong.
Written by: Oliver Pelling
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