Kris Ex
NPR Music contributor.
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Delivered over a Brazilian jazz-funk sample, the Ethiopian-American rapper's quizzical style is Native Tongues-meets-Dr. Seuss, esoteric yet accessible -
The soul singer's musical gift to the families of police violence is a healing Christmas Spirit. -
African-Irish rap trio comes with a timely mix of immigrant emotions from a first-person perspective that's as personal as it political. -
Veteran Bay Area rapper re-emerges with snarling Black nationalism on an urgent and aggressive declaration of intent. -
A young Los Angeles rapper joins the storied tradition of great end-of-the-week, just-got-paid songs, with a quaint, warm jam full of small victories. -
With the notion of authorship dispatched as silly and inconsequential, the way has been paved for even greater corporate influence over hip-hop. -
When even the biggest stars in the world are relying on extramusical gimmicks to hype new albums, what's an unknown rapper supposed to do to get noticed? Maybe fake a profile in the paper of record? -
That Goodie Mob doesn't aspire to be like anyone else is the gift and the curse of its new album, Age Against the Machine. -
He said what we've all been saying: Rappers need to try harder. And if the past week is any indication, this fall there will be a marked dispensation of niceties — and a renewed focus on craft. -
It's not right, but it's okay, because even on cruise control, Jay-Z is revolutionary by his very existence.
