NPR

In Rwanda, a new sound blends rap beats with traditional music

Loud Sound Studios is home to two of Rwanda's up-and-coming hip-hop acts: Pro-Zed and Kenny K-Shot. Hip-hop is all about the beats and the flow. For two Rwandan artists, that flow sometimes comes in ...
techtimes

SoundCloud Rap Producers Guide: Type Beats, Auto-Tune & Viral Track Culture

SoundCloud rap producers play a major role in shaping the modern underground rap scene, creating beats that help unknown artists gain massive attention online. With tools like FL Studio and auto-tune ...
The New Yorker

For Elias Williams, the Hip-Hop Beat Machine Carries the Soul of Community

Hip-hop beat-makers are usually unseen. Not all sample-based producers are as reclusive as the torch-bearing loop artist Madlib, but even the most prominent among them are part of the backdrop. After ...

DaBaby’s ‘Pop Dat Thang’ Hits No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs Chart

With "Pop Dat Thang," DaBaby is back on top of the Hot Rap Songs chart for the first time in six years. The comeback hit is ...
Pitchfork

The Most Exciting Beats in Underground Rap Can Be Traced Back to Chicago’s Heyday

The best rap beats are nerdy as hell. Every drum placement, every melody, every chopped-up sample sends me down a YouTube rabbit hole trying to piece together the way a producer contorts and dissects ...