There’s a raw energy in the air—a palpable, jittery anticipation as the old guard of hip-hop production gets tossed aside by the relentless force of technological innovation and cultural upheaval.

Hip-hop beat-makers are usually unseen. Not all sample-based producers are as reclusive as the torch-bearing loop artist Madlib, but even the most prominent among them are part of the backdrop. After ...

When producer Zaytoven first heard the lyrical testimonials of Atlanta hip-hop artists such as Outkast, Goodie Mob, Pastor Troy and Ghetto Mafia, he sensed a familiar spirituality in their secular ...

Despite how they’ve at times been ideologically pitted against one another, country music and hip-hop are often compared as the two forms of pop music that speak most directly to the everyday problems ...

This story is part of our new Hip-Hop: ’73 Till Infinity series, a celebration of the genre’s 50th anniversary. Producers are just as (if not more) important than MCs on a track. As much as fans care ...

Albums like To Pimp a Butterfly and 1999 blend jazz harmonies with sharp lyricism, proving the genre’s deep connection. Hip-hop may keep evolving, but funk and jazz remain its heartbeat, fueling its ...