December 27, 2023
Lay Bankz: The Philly Rapper Is Up Next
A new bounce sound in hip hop has been emerging from the East Coast for some time. A frontrunner of this rising…
Archive
Prismatik
Prismatik is an AURN Digital series that highlights social and political commentary on Black experiences both in the US and across the African diaspora. As African Americans are increasingly involved in learning the roots of their family and ancestral history through DNA testing and engaging in historical spaces, “Prismatik” is here to add intriguing conversations to the media sphere. We take it there.
December 27, 2023
Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood: The Second Coming of DMX
In the summer of 1998, Earl “DMX” Simmons was on top of the world with the multi-platinum release debut of It’s Dark…
December 4, 2023
Tha Shiznit: How Doggystyle Made Snoop the First King of Gangsta Rap
On November 23, 1993, Snoop Dogg—then known as “Snoop Doggy Dogg”—released his debut album Doggystyle, which helped elevate hip hop from an…
December 1, 2023
Nick Grant – Second Chance Shine
New generations of Hip Hop artists receive criticism for watering down rhymes in favor of simple beats and singable hooks. From these…
December 1, 2023
Beware of J.Cole: The Serial Feature Killer
Jermaine “J. Cole” may be an elite MC on his albums, but when he’s a featured guest on another artist’s song, he’s…
November 14, 2023
Mic Check: 9 of the Greatest Hip Hop Songs Allegedly (or Not) Written by Ghostwriters
Hip Hop has created records that will outlive us all. These tracks play in our playlist at every BBQ, block party, or…
November 13, 2023
On the Come Up: Lady London, the Next Queen MC
The present era of women in hip hop is the most impressive it’s ever been. From the days when there were just…
November 8, 2023
Juvenile on Fire: 400 Degreez and the Rise of Cash Money
Twenty-five years ago, Juvenile’s 400 Degreez debuted on Cash Money Records as a groundbreaking instant classic, pioneering the southern New Orleans bounce…
October 17, 2023
Halloween Havoc: 15 Standout Hip Hop Horror Songs
It’s the Halloween season of goblins, ghouls, and everything that goes bump at night. It’s a time when folks walk in haunted…
October 9, 2023
Great Expectations: The Rise of Larry June
Underground rappers are known for making stereotypical “backpacker” music. The type with extra wordy rhymes rapped over one-dimensional basement beats that caters…
September 29, 2023
A Tale of Two ATliens: Outkast and the Perfection of Aquemini
Twenty-five years ago, Outkast created a perfect hip hop composition with the release of Aquemini. The album represents how two opposite worlds,…
September 29, 2023
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Jay-Z’s Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life—25 Years Later
Today, Jay-Z is a billionaire hip hop mogul, married to a legendary singer wife with children (including a more-famous-than-us oldest daughter), who…