From Nina Simone and Bob Marley to Goldie and Salt-N-Pepa: a who’s who of Black popular music – in pictures
Photography: iconic images of Black popular music
May 2022
George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic review – fabulous fusions on farewell tour
At 81, Clinton occasionally needs to sit down, but his band more than carry him with musicianship that straddles acid-rock, jazz and more
June 2020
Bootsy Collins: 'We're all funky, just not all of us know it'
The P-Funk bassist was a street kid in the 60s, got his break with James Brown, then spent much of the 70s taking LSD. He talks about drugs, racism, police brutality – and the healing power of music
April 2020
'People opened up because I'm the Beavis and Butt-head guy': Mike Judge on his new funk direction
The writer-director’s comedies – from Office Space to Silicon Valley – always sum up the spirit of their times. So why has he made an LSD-soaked cartoon about George Clinton and Bootsy Collins?
December 2018
Flying Lotus: ‘Kendrick Lamar absolutely deserves the key to the city’
Steven Ellison, otherwise known as Flying Lotus, on unearthing new talent, LA beat, ‘difficult’ Tyler, the Creator and ten years of Brainfeeder records
June 2018
This much I know
George Clinton: ‘If people don’t like funk, it’s just the wrong time for them’
How we made
How we made Funkadelic's One Nation Under a Groove
February 2017
Ohio Players and P-Funk legend Walter 'Junie' Morrison dies aged 62
The multi-talented musician was the driving force behind some of the biggest hits of 70s funk – and an inspiration to scores of hip-hop artists
December 2016
George Clinton on funk, touring and staying relevant at 75
The legendary singer is seeing his star on the ascendant with a new tour, new albums and a supergroup keeping him on the straight and narrow
September 2016
Backstabbing, Moogs and the funky worm: how gangsta rap was born
In an edited excerpt from his book Original Gangsta, Ben Westhoff recalls how one of music’s most controversial genres began and who truly invented it
June 2016
Bernie Worrell obituary
Music blog
Bernie Worrell – the keyboard genius who was 'as bad as Beethoven'
May 2016
Festivals 2016
The best jazz, blues and soul festivals in Britain for 2016
From a seaside jazz weekender to Southern roots music on a country estate, here are the best places to get your kicks
April 2016
New band of the week
New band of the week: Starchild & The New Romantic (No 100)
Listening to this Prince acolyte from New York and his sumptuously sad synth-soul music, it’s as though he recorded his EP knowing full well what was going to happen …
December 2015
Afrofuturism: reimagining science and the future from a black perspective
By examining ‘race as a technology’, panelists discussed how Afrofuturism reclaims ownership over black identity with art, culture and political resistance
September 2015
Music blog
Flying Lotus unveils supergroup with Shabazz Palaces, Thundercat and George Clinton – listen
Have a listen to The Lavishments of Light Looking by Woke, and let us know what you think
August 2015
Wilderness festival review – crowd go politely wild for Björk and Ben Howard
Björk dazzled with an uncompromising set and Ben Howard channelled his inner James Blake. But this genteel festival makes Latitude look like Altamont
July 2015
Music blog
Riches to rags: a brief history of bankruptcy in pop
50 Cent should take heart: bankruptcy is a music biz tradition. Here are some of the most spectacular ways stars have blown or failed to make their fortunes
June 2015
George Clinton's Mothership/Todd Terje at Glastonbury 2015 review – out of this world
Mark Ronson at Glastonbury 2015 review – saving the best for last
