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The Ten Best Mannie Fresh‑Produced Albums, Ranked
Here is a ranked list of Mannie Fresh's ten best-produced albums—each entry linked to one of his projects, highlighting how his writing and musical…
 • 
Nehemiah
 and 
Shatter the Standards
The Lineage of Black Messiah
We are still in that orbit. And so the lineage is not a freighted tomb but a living relay. The fire stoked in 2014 continues to burn, shifting shape…
 • 
Brandon O'Sullivan
, 
Phil
, and 
Shatter the Standards
The 30 Essential Black Radio Albums
This list highlights 30 essential albums that trace the lineage of Black Radio, a rich continuum where jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop intersect. They…
 • 
Nehemiah
 and 
Shatter the Standards
1
September 2025 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
With releases from Lady Wray to anaiis, here are notable releases in September that stood out to us as the best albums of the month.
The Best Music Videos Directed by Diane Martel
Diane Martel has directed some well-crafted, incredible videos that illuminate different facets of her artistry, making them compelling and deepening…
1
The 10 Best DJ Quik-Produced Albums, Ranked
DJ Quik has never been content with just making beats. These ten albums highlight that span, each one a different argument for why his production…
 • 
Phil
August 2025 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
With releases from JID to Amaarae, here are notable releases in August that stood out to us as the best albums of the month.
The 12 Best Hip-Hop Mixtape Sequels
Hip-hop built entire careers on mixtapes, and sequels are where artists test whether that spark can hold under pressure. A series title signals…
 • 
Murffey Zavier
1
R&B Songs That Aren’t Gospel But Easily Could Be
Cue any of these songs in sequence, and the distinction between sanctuary and nightclub blurs. Modulation becomes exaltation, and secular longing turns…
1
R&B Albums from the ‘90s That Deserve More Appreciation (Part One)
We are shining a light on R&B’s underappreciated albums of the 1990s. Currently, here is part one from the series, featuring ten LPs that are often…
The 25 Best Live R&B and Soul Albums (with EPs)
Whether stripped to acoustic bones or expanded with DJ scratches, each set reinvents its own rules. This unranked list celebrates artists brave enough…
 • 
Brandon O'Sullivan
 and 
Phil
1
July 2025 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
With releases from Clipse to Raekwon, here are notable releases in July that stood out to us as the best albums of the month.
1
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