The Listening: New Music From Tyla, Victoria Monet, Rakim, Shaboozey w/Leon Bridges, Willow, Chad Hugo and More This week’s new music Friday also features noname, Juvenile, Rico Nasty, Inspectah Deck, FLO, Quavo and Flo Milli. featured July 24, 2026
Behind the Boards: Milhouse's Sneaker Hustle Led to an Everyday People Residency The first installment of Behind the Boards explores how Milhouse trusts his instincts, reads the room and finds his place behind the decks. featured July 23, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Rick Ross, Syd, Larry June, Tinashe, Rome Streetz, Lil Baby, Steve Lacy, Davido and More This week’s new music Friday also features Cynthia Erivo, B2K, Onyx, Zaytoven, Buju Banton, Raq Baby and Tinashe. featured July 17, 2026
At Yankee Stadium, JAY-Z Made History. Then He Remixed It Pulling from his past and present, JAY-Z delivered an all-time performance at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. featured July 13, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Coco Jones, Future, Ne-Yo, DJ Premier and Alchemist, Bryson Tiller, Kelela, J. Cole and More This week’s new music Friday also features Tank, Ciara, The-Dream, Snoop Dogg, Swae Lee, DJ Shadow and Bobby V. featured July 10, 2026
How to Be Outside, Inside Featuring Protoje For a special Jamaica edition, we’re hanging out with established reggae star Protoje to find out his favorite relaxation and leisure spots. new york July 10, 2026
Beyoncé Drops Unreleased Song "Morning Dew (Donk)" The release is the kickstart of a rollout leading up to the superstar’s birthday and a celebratory re-issue of 'B'Day.' news July 6, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Ken Carson, Rico Nasty, Nipsey Hussle & Bino Rideaux, Jorja Smith with WizKid, Larry June and More This week’s new music Friday also features BJRNCK with G Herbo, Lil Jon, KRS-One, Curren$y, Chika, Adrian Younge and Ty Dolla $ign. featured July 3, 2026
How to Be Outside, Inside with Michael Brun The proud ambassador of Haitian culture shares his NYC restaurant picks along with some great options for a morning or sunset jog. new york July 3, 2026
Albums We’re Excited For in July The temperatures are scorching, but there is a slate of albums set to drop that are hotter than July. From Future to Syd, we picked our favorites. featured July 2, 2026
10 Lupe Fiasco Songs That Can Make You Feel the Sunshine The Chicago emcee has never been shy about his opinions, but it can’t be denied that he’s built a stellar catalog over his 20+ year career. featured July 1, 2026
Take a Wild Guess: House and Bounce Music Inspired Some of Your Favorite Hip-Hop and R&B Hits Beyoncé, Drake, Nicki Minaj and Big Freedia all play a role in the story of how house and bounce music continue to shape hip-hop and R&B today. featured June 30, 2026
Why Rap Songs Are Always a Good Time to Toast Since its inception, Jamaican toasting has been part of the hip-hop tradition. featured June 30, 2026
The Decade That Refuses to Die How streaming, social media, and a new generation of artists transformed music and changed the industry forever. featured June 29, 2026
The 5 Biggest Moments at the 2026 BET Awards From Teyana Taylor’s big night to Cardi B’s colorful performance, we’re looking back at the moments that had everyone talking. featured June 29, 2026
The Listening: New Music From T.I., Quavo, Steve Lacy with SZA, GloRilla & Pooh Shiesty, Muni Long and More This week’s new music Friday also features Remy Ma, Benny The Butcher, kwn, Coi Leray, Ravyn Lanae, Willow and Omarion. entertainment June 26, 2026
Why London's City Splash Belongs on Every Festival Fan's Radar What began as a grassroots festival has evolved into one of London's leading celebrations of Caribbean culture, Black British identity and music. featured June 26, 2026
25 Hip-Hop and Reggae Collaborations That Should Be on Your Summer Playlist Hip-hop and reggae have always gone hand in hand. These 25 collaborations prove why. featured June 26, 2026
Rediscovered: Nas and Damian Marley’s ‘Distant Relatives’ Nas and Damian Marley’s ‘Distant Relatives’ further bridged the gap between two musical traditions from across the diaspora. featured June 25, 2026
The Actual 30 Best JAY-Z Songs of All Time, Ranked To celebrate the 30th anniversary of JAY-Z’s debut album, 'Reasonable Doubt,' Okayplayer ranks the real 30 best songs of his career. featured June 25, 2026
Flying Lotus Says Freddie Gibbs Would Sound Great Over the iPhone Ringtone He Produced During a recent episode of 'The Almanac of Rap,' the producer revealed which rapper he'd choose to turn Apple's "Daybreak" ringtone into a full song. featured June 24, 2026
Beyoncé Says JAY-Z First Grew His Hair Out to Give Blue Ivy Confidence Jay-Z combed out his signature dreadlocks to honor his Philly fan father by sporting an afro at the Roots Picnic. wellness June 24, 2026
Soulection’s Joe Kay Speaks on the Importance of Silence and Finding Balance The respected sonic curator also shared his favorite pick-me-up track for timeless inspiration. wellness June 24, 2026
The Most Influential Dancehall and Soca Riddims of All Time These iconic riddims inspired generations of artists, fueled countless hits and transformed the way dancehall and soca are heard around the world. featured June 23, 2026
Player’s Pass With Ben Reilly: Building His Own Path in Hip-Hop The rising rapper talks comic book inspiration, artistic growth and creative ownership. featured June 22, 2026
Okayplayer Exclusive: Before the Grammys and Global Hits, Ella Mai Had to Choose Between Soccer and Music Before becoming a Grammy-winning R&B star, Ella Mai spent her teenage years in Queens balancing a love for music and soccer. During FIFA World Cup festivities in New York, she reflected on the choice between the two. featured June 22, 2026
The Listening: New Music From YG, Chlöe Bailey & Timbaland, Myles Smith, FKA Twigs with Lil Yachty, Tyla and More This week’s new music Friday also features Nicholas Craven & Boldy James, Cam’ron, Big Freedia & SOPHIE and Key Glock. entertainment June 19, 2026
Okayplayer Exclusive: IDK, Erick the Architect, Deante Hitchcock and More Share What Juneteenth Means to Them To mark Juneteenth, artists share personal reflections on freedom, resilience, community and what the holiday means to them. featured June 19, 2026
Okayplayer Exclusive: Machel Montano Believes Soca's Biggest Moment Is Still Ahead Fresh off the release of his documentary, ‘Like Ah Boss,’ and a record-breaking 12th Road March title, the King of Soca reflects on reinvention, cultural unity and why he believes Caribbean music is entering a new era. featured June 18, 2026
Pursuit of Happiness: BLXST Found Himself Through Self-Awareness and Fatherhood Shortly after dropping his latest album, Labor of Love, BLXST discusses his journey to self-awareness and more. wellness June 17, 2026
Sway Calloway On Peace of Mind, Silence and Earth, Wind & Fire The media guru shared his recipe for staying grounded. wellness June 17, 2026
26 Best Songs of the Year, So Far No rankings. No skips. Just 26 songs that have defined the year so far. featured June 16, 2026
With ‘PROLIFIC,’ Bino Rideaux Looks to Continue the Marathon Nipsey Hussle Started Due for release the day before what would have been Nipsey Hussle’s 41st birthday, Bino Rideaux’s joint album with Nipsey Hussle was recorded and sequenced before Nipsey’s tragic death. featured June 16, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Blxst, Rapsody, Ayra Starr, Ludacris & GloRilla, Rick Ross and More This week’s new music Friday also features Jacquees, Jim Jones, Y.G., Polo G, and Larry June. featured June 12, 2026
20 Black Summer Anthems That Won't Get You Uninvited From the Cookout These are some of the records that have become summer staples. featured June 12, 2026
How to Be Outside, Inside with Niontay The Brooklyn-dwelling rapper prefers mostly relaxed days with tasty Roti doubles and copious smoke breaks. new york June 12, 2026
The Mount Rushmore of Reggae & Dancehall Who belongs on reggae and dancehall's metaphorical mountaintop? Narrowing the genres' influence to just a handful of names feels nearly impossible, but these artists helped shape the sound, culture and legacy of both. featured June 12, 2026
The Mixtape Museum's Regan Sommer McCoy Talks Hip-Hop History on ‘The Almanac of Rap’ From DJ Clue and DJ Screw to streaming platforms and AI, Donwill and Regan Sommer McCoy explore the evolution of mixtape culture. featured June 11, 2026
10 Floetry Songs That Feel Like Fresh Air The band is back together, so we're celebrating Black Music Month with nothing but the hits. featured June 10, 2026
Mýa on Squats, Boxing, and Dancing in Heels: "I want to be strong" The 46-year-old breaks down her fitness routine and how it has helped her remain a high-octane performer at almost 30 years in music. wellness June 10, 2026
The 5 Best Moments From The Governors Ball 2026 From A$AP Rocky to Mariah The Scientist, these are the standout performances from an eventful weekend in NYC. featured June 8, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Vince Staples, Flo Milli, Smoke DZA, Tinashe, Bryson Tiller and More This week’s new music Friday also features Paul Wall, Tierra Whack, Shaboozey, Vybz Kartel, and Pitbull with Lil Jon. featured June 5, 2026
All of Drake’s No. 1 Singles, Ranked From Worst to Best Following Drake’s latest chart-topping single, Okayplayer ranks all of his No. 1 songs. featured June 5, 2026
Jharrel Jerome Says He Used to Rap for Entry Into Basketball Games Jharrel Jerome shares how a childhood love of rap and storytelling laid the foundation for his acting career. featured June 5, 2026
How to Be Outside, Inside with SALIMATA The eclectic New York rapper enjoys a free-spirited existence consisting of wake and bakes, good friends, Yoga classes and studio recording sessions. new york June 5, 2026
Donwill's Black Music Month Podcast Mixtape A handpicked collection of independent podcasts covering music, culture, history and wellness. featured June 4, 2026
25 Black Artists Who Helped Shape Modern Music Influence isn't always about who came first. It's about whose fingerprints still show up everywhere. These 25 artists helped shape the sound of modern music as we know it. featured June 4, 2026
JAŸ-Z Channels His Inner Marlo Stanfield at The 2026 Roots Picnic Taking the stage at this year’s Roots Picnic, JAŸ-Z reminded fans that his name is, indeed, his name, during a virtuosic performance. featured June 4, 2026
Albums We’re Excited For in June As summer kicks off, there are several hot upcoming releases from Lizzo, Vince Staples, Rick Ross and more. entertainment June 2, 2026
Okayplayer Exclusive: Here's What Happened at The Roots Picnic 2026 From Jay-Z's first performance in five years and Erykah Badu's closing set to surprise reunions, exclusive artist reflections and unforgettable moments at Belmont Plateau, here's what we experienced at The Roots Picnic 2026. featured June 2, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Latto, Future & Tyla, Young M.A, Flo Milli, Anderson .Paak and More This week’s new music Friday also features Freddie Gibbs, G Herbo, PJ Morton, Rome Streetz, 38 Spesh and Wyclef. entertainment May 29, 2026
Sequoia Holmes on Black Alternative Culture, Paramore and The Emo Era The ‘Black People Love Paramore’ creator joins Donwill for a conversation about pop punk nostalgia, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and the evolving relationship between rap, rock and alternative music. featured May 29, 2026
Okayplayer Partners With VP Records and Greensleeves Records to Bring Reggae Classics to OkayShop Featuring artists like Gregory Isaacs, Sister Nancy, Buju Banton, Sizzla, Augustus Pablo and Beenie Man, the new OkayShop collection celebrates decades of Caribbean music history and influence. featured May 29, 2026
So What Exactly is Experimental Rap Anyway? We Asked Six Rappers, Producers and Journalists Industry insiders mull over the history of "experimental" as a label for hip-hop and whether the term is functional, redundant or useless. featured May 28, 2026
Artists Are Still Navigating Mental Health Without Consistent Industry Support Big Boss Vette and MusiCares speak on the growing gaps in mental health and wellness support throughout the music industry. wellness May 27, 2026
Gucci Mane Opens Up About Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia Diagnoses The trap superstar discussed the diagnoses in his 2025 book 'Episodes,' and recently elaborated in an interview with 'Nightline.' wellness May 27, 2026
Roots Picnic: How It Started vs. How It’s Going Across 18 years, Roots Picnic has bridged genres, eras and generations of Black music while documenting the moments that helped shape Black music and culture over time. featured May 27, 2026
10 Times Hip-Hop and R&B Artists Paid Tribute to Miles Davis Through Music From Kendrick Lamar and Erykah Badu to Thundercat and André 3000, Miles Davis’ influence continues to live through contemporary Black music. featured May 26, 2026
The Listening: New Music From JPEGMAFIA, 6LACK, Vince Staples, Veeze and More This week’s new music Friday also features Johnny Gill, French Montana & Max B, Ro James, K Camp and Adrian Younge. featured May 22, 2026
How to Be Outside, Inside Featuring Phil Adé The DMV-based, Nigerian American rapper/songwriter maintains an enviable, balanced lifestyle that accommodates his relentless creative drive and calming relaxation routine. featured May 22, 2026
Grafh Recalls Pushing Back When Teddy Riley Asked Him to Change Part of a Verse Grafh shares how an early studio session with Teddy Riley taught him to trust his instincts. featured May 21, 2026
5 Takeaways From Drake’s New Album, ‘Iceman’ The rap superstar drops three albums and addresses his ongoing rivalries and feuds with Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and more. We break it all down. featured May 15, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Drake, Chip Fu, Mya, Shakira & Burna Boy, Victoria Monet, Giveon and More This week’s new music Friday also features Jorja Smith, Kurupt & Snoop Dogg, Shaggy, Kevin Gates and Tank & The Bangas. featured May 15, 2026
Michael Holman Talks ‘Graffiti Rock,’ Basquiat and Hip-Hop’s Four Elements on ‘The Almanac of Rap’ The filmmaker and musician reflects on working alongside Fab Five Freddy, Basquiat and other pioneers during hip-hop’s formative years. featured May 14, 2026
Pursuit of Happiness: For Fergie Baby, Honesty is Next to Godliness For the latest edition of Pursuit of Happiness, Harlem’s own Fergie Baby breaks down how basketball and unplugging from the internet help keep him on point. wellness May 13, 2026
