Southern hip-hop’s influence continues shaping modern music through strategic sampling, with artists like Future, GloRilla and Sexyy Red drawing from classic Southern tracks. Recently, Juicy J noted ...

This week, the musical world lost an icon when composer, arranger and producer David Axelrod died on Sunday (Feb. 5) at the age of 83 from complications of a brain aneurysm. Although not a well-known ...

This article has been handpicked from the Okayplayer editorial archives and included in our Hip Hop 50 collection as a noteworthy inclusion to the genre's rich and diverse narrative. The article has ...

Sampling in hip-hop has been going on since the genre’s inception, but in 2023, it’s been more prevalent than ever. If everything sounds familiar, it’s because it definitely is. Words: Grant Rindner ...

The hip-hop world has lost a true pioneer in the game. Legendary rapper Lovebug Starski, whose real name is Kevin Smith, passed away in Las Vegas on Thursday (Feb. 8). According to reports, the rap ...

No shortcuts, no gimmicks. Just a rising star from PG County, Md. is ready to make his story known globally. 2 minutes ago In 2001, Just Blaze, the producer of “Song Cry,” made a soul sample. In 2020, ...

Hip-hop producers live in uncertainty. Flipping samples, breaking rules, and trusting instinct is part of the job. That same skill set carries into betting, investing, and startups, where reading ...

Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Nestled deep into the sonic layers of “Redbone” is ‘70s funkadelics staple “I’d Rather be With You ...

Artists like Edwin Birdsong and Ballin’ Jack aren’t household names, but their music is instantly recognizable as the samples behind hit pop songs. Share full article Songs by Them, the Lafayette Afro ...

We’re still reeling from last week’s loss of funk legend Sly Stone, who suffered from a prolonged battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s hard to even capture in words how profound and ...