Heads of state at an African Union session in Addis Ababa. They have signed up to a plan that envisages strengthening institutions and governance.
EPA/Solan Kolli
If the governing ANC ignores the calls for Zuma’s resignation,it may undermine South Africa’s leadership on the continent. It creates the idea that he can undermine the constitution with impunity.
The Imin'esisdenge crew performing at Vukani in Grahamstown.
Azlan Makalima
Hip-hop artists do it differently in a town in one of South Africa’s poorest provinces. Eschewing the archetypal hip-hop lifestyle, Grahamstown’s rappers propose a surprising alternative.
Q-Tip and Phife Dawg performing in 2013.
Yui Mok/PA Archive
Many have long forgotten the simple fact that Kanye West is one of the greatest producers of hip-hop in its history. A decade-long six-album streak of critically acclaimed albums rivals the greatest icons of pop.
Californian rap and jazz poetry may sound like an odd mix – but both are rooted in historic inequalities
Jockeying for power in the rap world: earlier this summer Drake and Meek Mill traded barbs.
Drake (on left): Steve Marcus/Reuters; Meek Mill: Kevork Djansezian/Reuters
Taking a lyrical swing at another rapper is part and parcel of the genre. So why the profound backlash when Meek Mill accused Drake of not writing his own lyrics?
Hip-hop artists such as American rapper Method Man are often accused of creating music than incites anti-social behaviour.
Jazmin Million/Flickr
Often we form opinions of music because of how aggressive, depressing or joyful we perceive it to be. But studies into the effects of different music genres on listeners’ moods throw up some surprises.
The biopic Straight Outta Compton tells the story of rise and fall of Los Angeles rap group NWA.
Automotive Rhythms/flickr
Speaking with: Cameron McAuliffe on graffiti, art and crime
CC BY-ND21,2 MB(download)
Is graffiti art or crime? While many cities have adopted tough legal measures to prevent graffiti, they are also beginning to recognise the cultural and economic value of street art.
Sir Paul McCartney thinks it’s ridiculous (but flattering) that people formally study The Beatles.
EPA/Robert Voss
Sir Paul McCartney has been making some waves. On New Year’s Eve, Kanye West released a new single, Only One, a collaboration with The Beatles great on keys. On Twitter, Kanye’s fans reacted, wanting to…
Hip-hop artist 360 caused a stir this week with his comments on the Southern Cross.
AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy
Australian hip-hop artist and rapper 360 (Matt Colwell) caused an uproar earlier in the week when he said on Q&A that he identified the Australian flag and the Southern Cross with racism. 360 announced…
Swift is privileged, as only apex predators are, with the ability to pick and choose from any (cultural) food source.
EPA/Facundo Arrizabalaga
In the same week American rapper Nicki Minaj released Anaconda, a music video dedicated to celebrating “the butt”, US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released a video, Shake It Off, accidentally dedicated…
Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt can currently be found battling in multiplexes around the world, but as the recent viral video of him shows, he also has a magnificent ability to rap. (Just don’t…
Jimblah isn’t the only Indigenous rapper delivering witty and nuanced social messages.
AAP/ NUZULU/ Averie Harvey
Rap music is a transnational genre with many socially and culturally aware artists pursuing important collaborative projects – not least a current pairing in south-west Sydney. Indigenous rapper Izzy (Jacob…
Is using a vast vocabulary such a good thing anyway?
Candice Albach/ Raul Pacheco Vega
New York-based data scientist and designer Matt Daniels recently noted Shakespeare’s much touted vast vocabulary and charted how many different words Shakespeare used in comparison to contemporary hip-hop…
Poet and activist Maya Angelou has died, aged 86.
EPA/ Justin Lane
Maya Angelou has died. The world has rushed to decide on what to call her, on how to calculate her immeasurable legacy. The list of nouns applying to her career is endless: memoirist, activist, hip-hop…
Chris Dave seems to have internalised every piece of music he has ever heard.
Photo by Gerard Victor
Jazz has evolved to become one of the most inclusive genres in modern music. But how does an art form that so willingly assimilates influences from different musical styles still hold on to its essence…
Rapper 360 had six nominations including Album Of The Year and Best Male Artist in last year’s ARIA awards.
AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy
The 2013 winners of the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Awards will be announced this Sunday night, 26 years after John Farnham cleaned up at the inaugural ceremony in 1987. A lot has changed…
Rapper Kanye West’s new album Yeezus reflects on race and discrimination in present day America.
EPA/Ferdy Damman
This month, rapper Kanye West’s highly anticipated new album Yeezus was released at perhaps one of the coolest launch events ever. His latest single New Slaves was simultaneously featured on 66 screens…