Hip-hop, a genre born from the struggles and realities of inner-city communities, has long been a powerful platform for social commentary. Its raw lyricism, often depicting violence, drug dealing, and ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts. Hip-hop is bigger than ever, as it’s the most-consumed genre of ...

Researchers found that lyrics in each of five popular music genres were becoming more repetitive and charged with negative emotions. Desi Mendoza via Wikimedia Commons In recent years, the growing ...

If you meet McKinley Phipps now, he's a far cry from the 20-year-old, chart-climbing rapper known as Mac, signed to music mogul Master P's No Limit Records, whose 1998 album "Shell Shocked" reached No ...

Kemba, a rapper featured in the documentary ‘As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial’ (© 2024 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved.) From reproductive rights to ...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In his viral video “Who I Smoke,” Jacksonville rapper Spinabenz claims credit for no fewer than six murders. The crimes are real. But are his lyrics just violent fiction -- or an ...

"The portrayal of rap lyrics as literal expressions of criminal intent ignores the longstanding tradition of adopting personas, exaggeration, and hyperbole for artistic effect," writes the NJLJ Young ...

As the high-profile criminal trial of rapper Young Thug began this week, Black rappers who have had their lyrics used against them by prosecutors as evidence of criminal activity have renewed calls to ...

BIT OF LIGHT SNOW AHEAD AND WEATHERWATCH 12. THANKS, MOLLY. IT IS ABOUT 643 AND WE’RE GETTING INTO YOUR LEGAL LANDSCAPE. OUR LEGAL ANALYST, ATTORNEY DAN ADAMS, JOINS US EVERY MONDAY BREAKING DOWN THE ...

The nonprofit organization Free Our Art is partnering with elected officials, educators, and music industry organizations to combat the criminalization of rap. Together, they’re advocating for the ...

Mural by Kenya D. Lawton of Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell) Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives) Two men were convicted in federal court on Tuesday in Brooklyn of murdering Jason “Jam ...