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Hip-Hop is Universal

Hip-hop speaks to everything in this world and beyond. Race. And money. And power. And politics. And gender. And sex. And art. And tech. And space. Here's how MSNBC is celebrating the genre's 50th anniversary and examining its future.

#HipHop50 isn’t just about celebration. It’s about shame, too.

Truly assessing the first 50 years of hip-hop means acknowledging the genre’s tremendous shortcomings — and the failures to hold artists and executives accountable.
Sean Combs
Sean Combs

Megan Thee Stallion and the politics of profanity in hip-hop

Women artists like Megan Thee Stallion have exposed rap’s double standards on sex, says hip-hop-loving anthropologist Nikki Lane.
Collage of Young M.A., Meg the Stallion, and Lil' Kim
Collage of Young M.A., Meg the Stallion, and Lil' Kim

AI rap stars? Virtual reality concerts? The future of hip-hop is here.

Dr. Taj Frazier, host of “Hip-Hop and the Metaverse” on PBS, talks about hip-hop artists exploring new frontiers of creativity with the help of emerging tech.
Illustration of a hand spinning a record, as equipment like buttons and a stem player fly out of the record with digitized hands.
Illustration of a hand spinning a record, as equipment like buttons and a stem player fly out of the record with digitized hands.

One of music's most iconic samples ever comes from a hip-hop legend

Using old songs to make new ones is hip-hop's greatest innovation. Introducing "Just a Sample," quick reflections on some of the most iconic samples in hip-hop history.

Here are some of the top hip-hop moments in U.S. political history

From “MC Rove” to Eazy-E’s visit to Washington, hip-hop has had some incredible — and incredibly disturbing — experiences with U.S. political figures.
Collage of Eazy-E, Barack Obama, and Common above image of the White House
Collage of Eazy-E, Barack Obama, and Common above image of the White House
464d ago

Hip-hop and the criminal justice system have repeatedly put one another on trial

Hip-hop has long indicted the justice system. And for just as long, the justice system has responded in kind.
465d ago

Celebs who picked Tory Lanez over Megan Thee Stallion need a reckoning, too

In my lifetime, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Black people overwhelmingly stand with Black women victims when their assailants are Black men. And that makes me sad.
Tory Lanez in Las Vegas on April 30, 2022.
Tory Lanez in Las Vegas on April 30, 2022.

Hip-hop’s most memorable lines about Donald Trump

Trump was once a popular symbol in hip-hop, used to represent wealth and power. But his hip-hop clout has plummeted since 2016, and artists have let him know.
From left: Nelly, Nicki Minaj, Q-Tip, Donald Trump, Ye, Phife Dawg, Yung Joc, Mac Miller
From left: Nelly, Nicki Minaj, Q-Tip, Donald Trump, Ye, Phife Dawg, Yung Joc, Mac Miller

The deaf artists making sure hip-hop is for everybody

Warren “Wawa” Snipe and Raven “Deaf Hottie” Sutton unravel myths about the deaf community’s relationship with music.
From left: Warren "Wawa" Snipe, and Raven Sutton, aka Deaf Hottie.
From left: Warren "Wawa" Snipe, and Raven Sutton, aka Deaf Hottie.

Hip-hop’s most memorable lines about Barack Obama

Former President Barack Obama looms large in hip-hop culture, but artists have shared differing views. Here are some of the most memorable bars about Obama.
From left: Common, Noname, Jay-Z, Barack Obama, Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar, Dreezy, Big Boi
From left: Common, Noname, Jay-Z, Barack Obama, Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar, Dreezy, Big Boi
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