Emma Paff Rap/Hip-hop Director The second the ball dropped on New Year's, the internet traveled back in time and decided that 2026 is the new 2016. Suddenly, feeds were flooded with rose colored filters and throwback pictures using the dog filter. Kanye is making a song about the old Kanye while underground rappers are getting ready to drop their first tracks on SoundCloud. Old rappers were conspiring against the new […]
Emma Paff Music Journalist Walking up to Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater, I didn't know what to expect. Little Simz brought her Year of the Lotus tour to Austin this past Tuesday, and while I was unfamiliar with her music, I was looking forward to experiencing something new. The gravel crunched beneath my feet as I journeyed into the venue. Stubb’s has a very rustic and laid-back feel. Vendors were selling […]
By: Emma Paff 2025 has been an undeniably remarkable year for rap music. Groundbreaking releases from established titans such as Tyler, the Creator, Clipse, and JID have captivated audiences and further demonstrated their powerful influence in the industry. As the music industry continues to evolve and embrace the digital age, new voices emerge, molding new sounds in hip-hop culture. These musical innovators are shaping the future of rap by challenging […]
Ethan McConnell Local Music Director So, picture this, you’re chilling at work Friday and then boom, you get a message from your buddy asking if you’re wanting to see Destroy Lonely at the Marc on Sunday. Your mind races with numerous things. “Destroy Lonely is coming to San Marcos?” “Why the Marc?” “How?” “On a Sunday?” There’s no time to really think so you just respond that you’re all for […]
By: Emma Paff Throughout the decades, storytelling in rap has shifted from straightforward accounts of street life to more cinematic tales. Nowadays, artists have been more heavily exploring topics such as mental health, addiction, love, and family, giving their music an intimate tone. This shift has led us to more conversational pieces, allowing listeners a quick glimpse into the artist's personal hardships. The incorporation of narrative and dialogue gives the […]
By: Jonathan Marin Earl Sweatshirt is back at it again with his newest release titled “Live Laugh Love.” Marking the 7th full length album in the artists discography. We find ourselves in the new album traveling with Earl to a new period of his life. Earl Sweatshirt, now 31 years old has recently become a family man. Years of grief-stricken and emotionally confused songs on “Doris” and “I don’t like […]
Emma Paff Music Journalist From serving time in prison to teaching at Harvard, IDK, short for “Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge,” is a force to be reckoned with in the rap community. Born in London, IDK moved to the States when he was 2 and grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland. At the age of 17, he was arrested and convicted of armed robbery causing him to spend a year in […]
Emma Paff Music Journalist Three long years post-Forever Story, there is finally a new chapter from JID: God Does Like Ugly. This 15-track album showcases JID’s maximalist style with stacked features, dense lyricism, and dramatic beat switches. Leaning into his narrative, each song has its own message and theme. In his lyricism, he explores spirituality, ambition, love, personal growth, and emotional resilience. The sound has a dynamic quality, constantly shifting […]
Emma Paff Music Journalist When I first listened to “Let God Sort Em Out” I was hit with a range of emotions. At first, I was excited to listen to something new that reminded me of the music that first got me into rap. Then I felt lost. My various feeds have been flooded with so much trap music that I almost forgot about the power of storytelling. The genre […]
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In My Head Phantogram & Whethan
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