The genre, which turns 50 this month, has led to surprisingly few movies but the best include a black-and-white comedy and a starry documentary
May 2019
Live Aid to Sonic Death Monkey – the best gigs at the movies
As the Queen and Elton John biopics prove, great concert performances are at the heart of the best films about music. Here are 15 of the finest
July 2017
Why Hollywood's hip-hop stories are fatally flawed
Straight Outta Hollywood: how hip-hop saved the biopic
October 2016
The new NWA movie depicts Michel'le's abuse by Dr Dre – but is it true?
The Lifetime biopic Surviving Compton fills in the gaps left by the other NWA movie – and reveals that women in the rap stars’ orbit were callously abused
June 2016
Ava DuVernay: 'This patriarchy is often shocked when a black film does well'
During a LA film festival panel the director gets candid about the challenges minority film-makers face and why she turned down the Black Panther project
March 2016
Facebook's 'ethnic affinity' advertising sparks concerns of racial profiling
Advertisers can target African American-, Asian American- and Hispanic-affiliated groups through the site
February 2016
Straight Outta Compton and Will Smith win prizes at Russell Simmons' 'alternative Oscars'
Hip-hop mogul’s All Def Movie awards launched in the wake of #OscarsSoWhite row to honour African-American talent snubbed by the Academy
Film blog
#OscarsSoWhite: who is really to blame for the Oscars' lack of diversity?
Voter prejudice is shouldering much of the blame for the Academy Awards’ lack of diversity. But who is really responsible?
Chris Rock's brother Tony to host Russell Simmons 'alternative Oscars'
Universal Hip-Hop Museum is finally open to visitors – at least virtually
Straight Outta Compton producers hit back at NWA manager's $110m lawsuit
January 2016
Screen Actors Guild awards set to further expose Oscars' lack of diversity
Oscars 'unlikely to change' despite race protest, insiders suggest
George Clooney says the Oscars are moving backwards on diversity
Jada Pinkett Smith suggests boycott of Oscars over lack of diversity
Al Sharpton calls Hollywood 'fraudulent' after all-white Oscar nominations
Film blog
#OscarsSoWhiteAndStraight: the Academy fails at diversity yet again
Oscar nominations 2016: the snubs, surprises and sure things – in pictures
November 2015
Box office analysis: global
The Martian shows Hollywood's Chinese connection has lift-off
In this week’s roundup of the global box-office scene, Ridley Scott’s film takes $50m in People’s Republic after including China-set scenes
