‘Your favourite rappers are only alive because of our sacrifices’: the secret life of rap bodyguards
From 2Pac in the 90s to XXXTentacion and more in recent years, murder is frequent in the US rap scene. The men trying to protect the artists explain the physical and psychological toll
July 2024
The reader interview
Post your questions for LL Cool J
Childish Gambino: Bando Stone and the New World review – a frenetic farewell
How ‘girl dad’ Flavor Flav became hype man for the US women’s water polo team
Mustard: Faith of a Mustard Seed review – lacking in spice
Snoop Dogg to carry Olympic torch on final stages through Paris
Volume festival: André 3000 brings experimental flute jams to an event that’s wonderful when weird
Denzel Curry: King of the Mischievous South Vol 2 review – annoyingly irresistible
Australian critic's picks
Critic’s pick: Agung Mango, the genre-smashing rapper leaping through time and space
TV review
Kings From Queens: The Run-DMC Story review – incredibly honest and raw TV
Hip-hop band Cypress Hill makes 1996 Simpsons joke come true
Melodies in chart-topping music have become less complex, study finds
Rapper BG ordered to have all future songs approved by US government
Killer Mike will not face charges after Grammys arrest
Breakdancing in your 50s: ‘My body can still do everything – but it might take a year to heal an injury’
June 2024
One to watch
One to watch: Cruza
The Florida R&B groovers are poised to break through with an album of eclectic, ambitious music on Def Jam
The reader interview
The Streets’ Mike Skinner: ‘My mid-20s were utterly traumatic. Everything was upside down’
As he plays Glastonbury and prepares a Fabric mix, Skinner answers your questions on his film debut, dinners with Chris Martin and the secret to true happiness
Why are UK radio stations ignoring Black British music to play recycled American rap?
Elijah
From African stars to British stalwarts, Glastonbury 2024 opens gates to a truly diverse lineup
From Coldplay to KMRU: who to see at Glastonbury 2024
