Music Features

Twerking, and the music born in its image, creates a liberating space for those gathered on this side and the other.

Music & Culture

Body Capital: How Twerking Shapes The Sound Of Southern Rap

5:01pm August 05, 2020

by Zandria F. Robinson

Everyone wants to make the sound that makes the girls dance. Twerking reminds us that women's contributions to Southern rap and culture, while often devalued, can create space for liberation.

Linda Diaz is the winner of the 2020 Tiny Desk Contest.

Music & Culture

Meet Linda Diaz, The Winner Of The 2020 Tiny Desk Contest

4:18pm August 04, 2020

Host Ari Shapiro talks with Linda Diaz, the winner of this year's NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest. Her entry, "Green Tea Ice Cream" is a dreamy R&B song anchored by her skilled and soulful voice.

Beyoncé, at the premiere of Disney's The Lion King on July 09, 2019 in LA.

Beyoncé's 'Black Is King' Is A Sumptuous Search For Divine Identity

9:33am August 04, 2020

by Cate Young

The film project, released Friday on Disney's new streaming service, finds the star seeking out a shared history of Black excellence.

Music & Culture

The South Is Rap's Past, Present And Future

5:31pm August 03, 2020

by Briana Younger

Southern rappers' contributions to the genre have long been underestimated in favor of coastal hegemony – but the region has long steered the sound of hip-hop and deserves its story told in full.

Music & Culture

The South Got Something To Say: A Celebration Of Southern Rap (2000-2004)

4:20pm August 03, 2020

Our list of the best songs, albums and mixtapes by Southern rappers is a celebration that recenters the South as a creative center of hip-hop and honors the region for all that it has given to us.

Music & Culture

The South Got Something To Say: A Celebration Of Southern Rap (2005-2009)

3:01pm August 03, 2020

Our list of the best songs, albums and mixtapes by Southern rappers is a celebration that recenters the South as a creative center of hip-hop and presents the region for all that it has given to us.

Music & Culture

The South Got Something To Say: A Celebration Of Southern Rap (2010-2014)

3:01pm August 03, 2020

Our list of the best songs, albums and mixtapes by Southern rappers is a celebration that recenters the South as a creative center of hip-hop and honors the region for all that it has given to us.

Music & Culture

The South Got Something To Say: A Celebration Of Southern Rap (2015-2019)

3:00pm August 03, 2020

Our list of the best songs, albums and mixtapes by Southern rappers is a celebration that recenters the South as a creative center of hip-hop and honors the region for all that it has given to us.

Music & Culture

The South Got Something To Say: A Celebration Of Southern Rap (1995-1999)

2:59pm August 03, 2020

Our list of the best songs, albums and mixtapes by Southern rappers is a celebration that recenters the South as a creative center of hip-hop and honors the region for all that it has given to us.

Music & Culture

The South Got Something To Say: A Celebration Of Southern Rap

2:58pm August 03, 2020

Our list of the best songs, albums and mixtapes by Southern rappers is a celebration that recenters the South as a creative center of hip-hop and honors the region for all that it has given to us.