Retrospective

Okayplayer’s 20 Breakout Artists To Watch For In 2020

From rappers to singers to punk rock bands, Okayplayer has handpicked 20 breakout artists you should keep an eye on… Read More

January 3, 2020

In His Own Words: How MC Tree Quietly Reigned In 2019

Following the strongest year of his career, we connected with MC Tree to talk about his impetus for art, dealings… Read More

January 2, 2020

Memes Rule Everything Around Me: The 20 Memes That Defined The Decade

From crying Michael Jordan and Spongebob Squarepants to Eric Andre and Keke Palmer, these were the 20 memes that defined… Read More

December 31, 2019

The 2010s: The Most Influential Rappers of the Decade

As we prepare to enter a new decade, these are the rappers who sculpted the 2010s. Here are the 10… Read More

December 30, 2019

The 2010s : The 100 Best Songs of The Decade [Playlist]

A one-stop sequence of the decade's most essential cuts. Though it may still be too soon to declare what defined… Read More

December 27, 2019

Okayplayer’s 19 Best Albums of 2019

In our albums of the year list, we collected 19 albums that have varying points of view. There are albums… Read More

December 26, 2019

The 2010s: The Decade When Black Films Became Highbrow

With rising talent like Ryan Coogler, Issa Rae, Boots Riley, and Lena Waithe, it’s a new dawn for respected, critically… Read More

December 24, 2019

Mixtape Monday: The Best of Mixtapes of 2019 featuring Kokoroko, Dibia$e, Nicole Bus, Quelle Chris + More

Another year closes this Mixtape Monday. This week we take a look back at The Best of 2019. This week’s… Read More

December 23, 2019

From ‘A Seat At The Table’ To ‘Ctrl’: 10 Albums By Black Women That Defined The 2010s

Black women shifted and altered how we as a society listen to music. We asked three cultural critics to gather… Read More

December 20, 2019

Okayplayer’s 19 Best Songs of 2019

When crafting our best songs of 2019 list, we didn't try to pinpoint the narrative of 2019 or try to… Read More

December 18, 2019

The 2010s: The 25 Best Rap Verses of the Decade

There are star-making verses from up-and-comers at the time; poignant, soul-baring confessionals; and verses that hold resonance for reasons beyond… Read More

December 13, 2019

The 2010s: The Evolution of Cloud R&B In 18 Mixtapes

In the 2010s, R&B bent further into alternative waves, becoming fascinated with nature, space, time, and the universe. Cloud R&B… Read More

December 11, 2019

Jay Electronica’s Career Is The Biggest “What If” Of The 2010s

Jay Electronica could have had one of the most memorable stories in rap history. But the story was never told.… Read More

December 10, 2019

15 Great Hip-Hop Books Published in 2019

From detailed analyses of the Wu-Tang Clan's legacy to memoirs from legendary MCs, 2019 was a great year for books… Read More

December 5, 2019