Ranking the 5 Best Songs From Erykah Badu & The Alchemist’s ‘Before the World Blows’ Album This one was worth the wait. Check out our highlights from 'Before the World Blows.' featured August 31, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Erykah Badu & The Alchemist, Rakim, Yung Miami, Sleepy Brown, Busta Rhymes & J Dilla, Tank and More This week’s new music Friday also features Benny The Butcher and Fuego Base, Tamia, Rod Wave, Dawn Richard, Mike D and Ciara. featured August 28, 2026
REDiscovered: OutKast’s ‘ATLiens’ Rewrote the Rules and Shifted Their Image The sophomore album from Andre and Big Boi revealed just how much they’d evolved, and spoke to a city that was changing just as rapidly. featured August 28, 2026
Why Maryland Has Become Modern R&B’s Most Fertile Ground What do Brent Faiyaz, Dijon and Kelela have in common? Their Maryland roots and a musical ecosystem shaped by everything from church and local radio to Baltimore club and go-go. featured August 28, 2026
An Investigation: Is ‘ATLiens’ OutKast’s Best Album? As the sophomore triumph turns 30, Okayplayer’s private eye examines the catalog of hip-hop’s psychedelic duo. featured August 27, 2026
Ranking the 5 Best Songs on Rapsody’s ‘God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops’ Okayplayer takes a look at the best from Rapsody’s latest album. entertainment August 24, 2026
Rediscovered: Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’ Ten years ago today, Frank Ocean dropped ‘Blonde,’ an album that cemented his status as a premature folk hero. featured August 21, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Rapsody, Mariah Carey with Rochelle Jordan, Tobe Nwigwe, Denzel Curry, French Montana, Jorja Smith and More This week’s new music Friday also features Coco Jones, Ice-T, Miles Caton, Lucky Daye & Leon Thomas, Bossman Dlow, Romeo Miller and Chaka Khan. featured August 21, 2026
Okayplayer Exclusive: For Skilla Baby, Chasing Success Was Harder Than Throwing it All Away On his debut album, ‘The Price of Fame,’ Skilla Baby confronts PTSD, embraces vulnerability and leans on his faith as he figures out the kind of man he wants to be. featured August 21, 2026
Fully Vetted: Kwn Has a Fan in Monica and a Sydney Opera House Show Under Her Belt The East London singer is the latest artist featured in Okayplayer’s Fully Vetted series, and she’s letting us in on what goes into her music and the influences behind it. featured August 20, 2026
Pursuit of Happiness: Midwxst Found Serenity in Solitude For the latest edition of Pursuit of Happiness, Midwxst breaks down how a relocation helped level up his mental health. wellness August 19, 2026
Okayplayer Exclusive: Maino on Giving Back and Why Rappers Have a "Duty" to Lead by Example At the third annual Maino Day in Bed-Stuy, the Brooklyn rapper talks about artists using their platforms to give back to their communities. featured August 18, 2026
Every Nipsey Hussle Album, Ranked To celebrate the release of Nipsey Hussle’s new joint album with Bino Rideaux, Okayplayer ranks the late legend’s best works. featured August 17, 2026
Everything You Need to Know About Keffe D’s Tupac Shakur Murder Trial Before opening statements begin next week, here’s everything you need to know about the Keffe D trial for the murder of Tupac Shakur. featured August 14, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Erykah Badu & The Alchemist, Nipsey Hussle, Shabazz Palaces, Arya Starr, October London, Flo Milli and More This week’s new music Friday also features Tinashe, Rakim with Kurupt and Masta Killa, Denzel Curry, Kash Doll, Busta Rhymes and J Dilla. featured August 14, 2026
How to Be Outside, Inside Featuring DJWAWA The Boogie Down DJ and CEO of Tag Up Music Studio infuses hip-hop and authentic NYC culture into every facet of his existence. new york August 14, 2026
If You Missed Curlfest 2026, Don’t Make the Same Mistake Next Year Natural hair, Black-owned businesses, live music and a Caribbean takeover made Curlfest worth the trip to Randall’s Island. Consider this your head start for 2027. featured August 12, 2026
Hip-Hop’s Most Iconic Regional Sounds Have Some Surprising Origins As hip-hop turns 53, we’re tracing the unexpected musical histories behind the sounds that came out of Detroit, California, Chicago, New Orleans and more, with the Bronx’s influence behind it all. featured August 11, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Beyoncé & JAY-Z, Pooh Shiesty, T.I., Benny The Butcher and More This week’s new music Friday also features Lalah Hathaway, Meshell Ndegeocello, Inspectah Deck, Busta Rhymes & J Dilla, Jay Worthy and George Clinton. featured August 7, 2026
Chika’s Official Day Falls on the ‘Fade in the Water’ Anniversary The Alabama rapper joined ‘The Almanac of Rap’ to reflect on her hometown honor — and the unexpected connection it shares with one of the internet’s most unforgettable cultural moments. featured August 6, 2026
Albums We’re Excited For in August Rapsody delivers her highly anticipated project, plus the new album from FLO and Cam’ron’s latest – these are our pics for the month. featured August 4, 2026
The Listening: New Music From Meek Mill, Cardi B, Shaboozey, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Davido and More This week’s new music Friday also features October London, Too $hort, Wale, Storm Reid, E-40 & Juvenile, Juicy J and Jacquees. featured July 31, 2026
Behind the Boards: Mini Skrrt's DJ Career Started With a Christmas Gift The Los Angeles-based DJ discusses the Christmas gift that got her behind the decks, the changing landscape of music discovery and why playlists still can't replace a great DJ. featured July 30, 2026
Rediscovered: ‘Beats, Rhymes & Life’ by A Tribe Called Quest The iconic crew out of Queens were at a crossroads on their fourth album – a project that has only grown more important with time. featured July 30, 2026
Pursuit of Happiness: How P-Lo Gets Out the Box Ahead of his new album, ‘Out the Box,’ P-Lo looks to defeat his own limits. wellness July 29, 2026
From Yung Miami to French Montana & Max B: The Top 5 Moments from Summer Jam 2026 The Hot 97 concert series took over the Prudential Center with performances from DaBaby, Fetty Wap and more. featured July 27, 2026
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
