The first sign that Masicka doesn’t stick to any preconceived path arrives when the new-generation Jamaican dancehall artist talks about some of his favorite musicians, like Bob Marley, Shabba Ranks — and Lukas Graham, the sensitive Danish pop band that scored a string of hits in the 2010s? “I like …
Read More »John Summit Is Making Dance Music's Biggest Hits in Bed
How does dance music sensation John Summit pregame his set at one of Las Vegas’ most popular nightclubs the Friday before the Super Bowl? Laying in bed, eating an airport sandwich. But just because he’s horizontal doesn’t mean he’s unproductive. In fact, he’s spending his time cooking up something new …
Read More »MC Abdul: The Palestinian Rapper 'On a Mission'
MC Abdul is in Cairo on a Monday night when I connect with him over Zoom. “I just got my family out of Gaza three days ago,” the Palestinian rapper says. “It’s the first time that I reunited with them in five months.” Abdul, whose real name is Abdulrahman Al-Shantti, …
Read More »J Noa Is Racing Forward. Can You Keep Up?
There are few people on planet Earth who can rap as fast as J Noa — and even fewer who actually have something to say. On her 2023 debut EP, Autodidactica, the 18-year-old MC from the 5 de Abril barrio in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, showcased one of the most …
Read More »Yovngchimi's Dizzying Ascent to the Top of Latin Trap
Ever since Yovngchimi burst onto the stage in 2021, his breakneck ascent through the Latin trap scene has been nothing short of impressive. Within his first rookie year, the Puerto Rican rapper, 28, was already collaborating with established names like Eladio Carrión and Ñengo Flow on hits like “Glizzy Walk …
Read More »Wyatt Flores' Searing Honesty Might Be Just What Country Music Needs
Wyatt Flores can pinpoint the exact moment he says the party ended in country music. After a decade-plus of tailgating, beer-drinking songs clogging up playlists, the pandemic struck and forced artists and fans alike indoors with their thoughts. And shit got real, fast. “They got trapped inside of wherever they …
Read More »No One Writes a Lyrical Knockout Quite Like Samia
Towards the end of her song “Amelia,” Samia walks into a party. “I’m writing a poem, somebody stop me,” she sings over balmy synths and a chirpy beat. It’s less of an actual threat and more a self-aware quip from the 27-year-old musician who’s better than almost anyone at turning …
Read More »Lola Brooke: Say Hello to Brooklyn Rap's New Torchbearer
One afternoon, Shyniece Thomas, known professionally as the rapper Lola Brooke, was in her Brooklyn apartment contemplating the pitfalls of being a rapper. “Sometimes you don’t feel safe — in your own hometown — all because of your occupation,” she says. “I was just pouring my heart out about how …
Read More »How Peggy Gou Became the Coolest DJ in the World
When Peggy Gou is working on a new track, she keeps one thing in mind. “Every song that I do has to have sexiness to it,” says the Berlin-based, South Korea-born DJ, singer, producer, and songwriter who’s as close to an It girl as anyone in today’s club scene. Maybe …
Read More »Chappell Roan's Campy, Glittery Music Is the Future of Pop
Pink plastic cows and fake aqua-blue trucks decorated the lobby of the Wiltern during the last night of Chappell Roan’s U.S. Midwest Princess Tour in November. Her fans — donning sparkly devil horns and bedazzled bralettes decorated with hearts — posed for photos in front of the backdrops as they …
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