Rodney Carmichael

A World Leader, Hip-Hop Peers Celebrate Nipsey Hussle's Life In Los Angeles

By • Apr 11, 2019

Updated April 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Wrangler On His Booty: Lil Nas X On The Making And The Magic Of 'Old Town Road'

By • Apr 10, 2019

Magical things keep happening to Lil Nas X. Crazy, serendipitous things. Take last Sunday, just two days before his 20th birthday: He's sitting in the stands at L.A.'s Staples Center, when out of nowhere the ball in play falls into his possession. "Like literally, I was at the Lakers game, and the ball flew in my hands," he says. "It was just a sign in a way. Or, at least, that's how I felt. And I'm not even a superstitious person, but yeah."

The Legacy That Rapper And Philanthropist Nipsey Hussle Leaves Behind

By • Apr 1, 2019

Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Nipsey Hussle, Grammy-Nominated Rapper And Philanthropist, Shot And Killed

By • Apr 1, 2019

Updated at 9:05 p.m. ET

Grammy-nominated rap artist, entrepreneur and community philanthropist Ermias Asghedom, better known as Nipsey Hussle, was shot and killed Sunday. His death was announced on Twitter by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Nipsey Hussle was 33.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's office confirmed Monday that he died of gunshot wounds of the head and torso.

Quelle Chris Warps Our National Fascination With 'Guns'

By • Mar 21, 2019

Note: NPR's First Listen audio comes down after the album is released. However, you can still listen with the Spotify and Apple Music playlists at the bottom of the page.

"Everything is a weapon," Quelle Chris says in the middle of a phone conversation about his forthcoming album Guns. Like a lot of things about the underrated rapper and producer — who hails from Detroit but now calls Brooklyn home — the nuance in the title is liable to sail over your head.

Leikeli47: Tiny Desk Concert

By • Mar 11, 2019

Remember that scene in The Color Purple when Shug Avery was somewhere between the juke joint and her daddy's church, singing at the top of her lungs, and the Saturday night sinners got all mixed in with the Sunday morning saints, and it was hard to tell if they were praising the high heavens or raising holy hell?

That's what Leikeli47's Tiny Desk felt like in the flesh.

Tank And The Bangas Announce New Album With 'Ants' Video Premiere

By • Mar 7, 2019

For the last two years Tank And The Bangas have been so busy trotting the globe, becoming festival favorites and making new disciples with every mesmerizing live show, that releasing a new album almost seemed secondary.

But, finally, the wait is over.

Zaytoven: Tiny Desk Concert

By • Feb 28, 2019

The Lord works in mysterious ways. It might sound cliché, but there's really no better way to describe the circumstances that led to prolific producer Zaytoven's impromptu Tiny Desk.

How Ludwig Göransson Helped Orchestrate America's Conversation On Race In 2018

By • Feb 23, 2019

Only in America. Where else could a Swedish composer named after Beethoven help soundtrack a cinematic year of blaxplaining and black magic that held the whole world captive?

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out Feb. 22

By , & • Feb 22, 2019

Our picks for the best albums out this week include an epic treatise on Americanism from Gary Clark Jr., the delicate and beautiful sounds of Julia Jacklin, Atlanta rapper Gunna, a gorgeous study in the healing powers of restraint from Lowland Hum, and more. Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael and Stephen Thompson as they share their top picks for Feb. 22.

Featured Albums

  • Gary Clark Jr., This Land
    Featured Song: "Gotta Get Into Something"

Pages