When hip-hop was in its infancy decades ago, many people thought the genre would be a fad that wouldn't last longer than a few years. But over time, not only has hip-hop continued to grow, it's become ...

NBA player and team drops have been a part of hip-hop lyrics for more than 50 years. Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; photos: Leon Bennett, Ezra Shaw, George De Sota, Emilee Chin / Getty ...

To get you in the mood for Valentine’s Day, here are some of The Root’s favorite rap love songs. While hip-hop is often characterized by its bravado and aggression, the genre has also flourished ...

From Run-DMC’s Queens classic to De La Soul’s subversive storytelling, to “Trap Christmas”…rap has always celebrated the holidays on its own terms. Christmas in Hip-Hop has never been ...

Rap in 2025 was all about experimentation. From the year’s first runaway hit, NBA player-turned-musician Gelo’s single “Tweaker,” to the maximalist ecclesiastics of Playboi Carti’s Music, or even in ...

Every year, we’re told that hip-hop is in crisis. But if you ask us, it feels like there’s too much heat to keep up with. What’s lost on the chart-watchers lamenting rap’s mainstream lull is that the ...

The publication shared the list earlier this week and it features a total of 50 tracks broken up into two categories. The first category, rounded up by writer Jon Caramanica, has "Caramel" from Sleep ...

The nominees for Best Rap Song at the 2026 Grammys are in. Grammy SZN has officially commenced. On Friday (Nov. 7), The Recording Academy revealed all the nominees for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

Yesterday, Billboard deputy editor and Stereogum buddy Andrew Unterberger published a piece with some confusing implications: On last week's Billboard Hot 100, there were no rap songs in the top 40.

For the first time in more than 35 years, no rap songs appear in the Billboard Hot 100's top 40. The streak came to an end on the chart dated Oct. 25, 2025, following the fall of Kendrick Lamar and ...