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Album Review: November Scorpio by Tiana Major9
On her debut, Tiana Major9 sings about money, God, and bad fights with the same possessive grip, and that honesty is the album’s engine. The penmanship…
 • Shatter the Standards and Imani Raven
Album Review: Icon by Brent Faiyaz
After scrapping Icon the night before release, Faiyaz returned with something tighter and stranger. Raphael Saadiq executive-produces a sealed-off…
 • Shatter the Standards and Sydni Carter-Reed
Album Review: Salvation for the Wicked by Ransom, Boldy James & Nicholas Craven
Three hustlers split a hymnal and find cocaine between the pages. Every prayer on this record is addressed to the scale. Detroit math and Jersey…
 • Shatter the Standards and Quinn Baptiste
EP Spotlight: Table for Two by Lucky Daye
Lucky Daye built his career writing for other singers. Table for Two tests whether that instinct holds when he finally shares the mic.
 • Shatter the Standards and Esther Blake
Wednesday Roundups #136: 23 New Projects You Should Listen to Now
Listen to new releases from Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard, RZA, Puma Blue, Charlotte Day Wilson, RAAHiiM, Aquakultre, Dina Ögon, The Musalini, Rissi…
 • Shatter the Standards
Album Review: Expansions by Zo! & Tall Black Guy
Zo! and Tall Black Guy fill a full-length with Detroit grease and Chapel Hill warmth. Expansions bets workaday optimism weighs as much as heartbreak…
 • Shatter the Standards and Harry Brown
How Deregulation from the Telecommunications Act Stripped Black Music of Power
Thirty years ago, ownership caps vanished. Black stations vanished with them, replaced by playlists built for shareholders, not communities.
 • Blackpolitan and Reginald Marcel
Bad Bunny Makes the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show About Identity More Than Hits
Traditional Puerto Rican imagery and community signifiers appeared front and center. Bad Bunny's performance was widely seen as a historic moment for…
 • Shatter the Standards and Joelle Figueroa
What the Water Remembered: Beyoncé and Black Matter
Before Lemonade broke the dam, Beyoncé released one video that already held the flood. “Formation” at ten.
 • Blackpolitan and Jill Wannasa
R&B for People Who Stare Out of Windows
Five songs about leaving, staying, and lying about which one you're doing. Headphones and emotional honesty recommended, starring Mack Keane, Sasha…
 • Soulpolitan
Deciphering Symba’s “Father Figure”
Rap spent 2024 begging grown men to go to war. Symba watched that from the West Coast and said out loud what half the culture whispered. Cole came back…
 • Words Past da Margin and Rafael Greene
Milestones: Donuts by J Dilla
Dilla built this from a hospital bed with a sampler and whatever 45s friends could smuggle in. Thirty-one beats, most under two minutes, none wasted.
 • Shatter the Standards and Greg J.
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