Jonathan Richetts, Wildboy
Brooklyn-based multipotentialite Jonathan Richetts is many things, but on his debut EP Culdesac Vol. 1: Wildboy, he’s something a little unfamiliar — the star of his own story.
HUSH FORTE: Looking Closer, Speaking Louder
It’s been a tumultuous year for all, but Broward-born producer HUSH FORTE has rolled with the punches, finding a new home, a new vision, and a new voice – his own.
The Chilly, Exhilarating Notes of Native Son
Ano Chrispin almost gave up on music… but when the pandemic switched things up, the versatile artist returned to old habits, turning out ‘Metro Dread,’ a gorgeous record that examines race, identity, belonging, cynicism, and the relentless pace of the everyday.
Suede Seats at Jaywop’s House
In the wake of his excellent debut album, Suede, Tacoma-by-Phoenix emcee Jaywop is making big moves – and they’re all going according to his grand, ambitious plan.
Kanye West Won’t Save Us – But Toasty Digital Might
The prospect of a new Kanye record has never been less enticing, but inspired remixer Toasty Digital has managed to piece together something better: a thrilling sampledelic celebration of Kanye West and the artists behind his many sounds and styles.
Getting Louder with Leslie West
The lead singer of hard rock group Mountain died in December, and whilst many mightn’t remember the Woodstock alumni, his fingerprints can be found on hundreds of tracks, from Eric. B & Rakim to Lana Del Rey.
Shadows of Tomorrow V: Zev Love X-ile & MF, The Supervillain
In the fifth and final installment of our KMD retrospective, we explore the ‘lost years’ that saw Zev Love X take up the mask, look back at Daniel Dumile’s own reflections on DOOM’s origins, consider the lessons the mask aimed to impart, and hail the legend of a metal-faced terrorist gone far too soon.
Shadows of Tomorrow IV: Ice-T, KMD & Hip-Hop Cops
In the fourth installment of our KMD retrospective, we look back at the fallout from Ice-T’s controversial “Cop Killer,” the interviews that Zev offered in the lead up to Black Bastards, and the record label politicking that saw Elektra Records pull the record – and leave Zev out in the cold.
Shadows of Tomorrow III: Long Live Kingilizwe
In the third installment of our KMD retrospective, we look back at Subroc’s tragic death through the words of his friends and collaborators, and explore Zev’s resolve to finish Black Bastards.
Shadows of Tomorrow II: Positive Kauses and Constipated Monkeys
In the second installment of our five-part KMD retrospective, we look at the wake of Mr. Hood, the departure of Onyx the Birthstone Kid, the Dumile brothers’ rapport with the Constipated Monkey crew, and the recording of Black Bastards.
Shadows of Tomorrow I: MF DOOM and the KMD Origin Story
Few artists have inspired as much myth-making as MF DOOM, hip hop’s most fearsome villain. His prodigious beginnings gave way to music industry treachery, and his masked return gave way to tales as inventive as the comics from which he pulled, but there’s truth in every telling.
Lost in the Fire: Hip-Hop and the 2008 Universal Blaze
It’s been one year since Jody Rosen and The New York Times revealed the extent of the damage – and the scope of the cover-up – left in the wake of the 2008 Universal Studios Fire, and whilst hip-hop seemed to escape largely unscathed, the loss runs deeper than just bars.
Manu Dibango and the Soul Makossa
These are unprecedented times, and they’re sure to bring unprecedented losses. Cameroonian jazz pioneer Manu Dibango changed the world with “Soul Makossa,” an indelible record with a special place in hip-hop.