A t first, the weather at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is sunny, verging on warm, but in typical spring fashion, clouds bring it back into windy and chilly territory. Twenty-six-year-old rapper Niontay is unfazed. When we meet, the laid-back MC is content to go with the flow. Though he’s been in …
Read More »Kneecap Respond to Coachella Criticism, Address Sharon Osbourne Comments
The Irish rap group Kneecap have never shied away from politics, and their recent sets at Coachella sparked controversy after they included messages defending Palestine during their performances on both weekends. In an email to Rolling Stone, band member Mo Chara explained that Kneecap have spoken about Palestine “at every …
Read More »Jensen McRae Doesn't Know How, But She Found Herself
“I don’t know if I’ve ever fully healed from anything that’s happened,” Jensen McRae says. That’s the crux of her new album I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!, the 27-year-old’s sophomore album and first on Dead Oceans (Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers). McRae, who was raised in Santa Monica, California, …
Read More »Meet Plaqueboymax, Rap's Gen Z Tastemaker
P laqueboymax might be one of the most sought-after names in the music business right now. At 22 years old, the popular Twitch streamer is tapped into the next generation of listeners, who engage with new music via nonstop feeds of clips and snippets. He’s among the Top 15 streamers …
Read More »All of the Who's Drummers: From Keith Moon to Zak Starkey and Beyond
The Who played an odd game of “meet the new drummer, same as the old drummer” this past week when they parted ways with longtime band member Zak Starkey (“They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future,” a statement read),” only to …
Read More »How Wiz Khalifa Brought the Stoner Rap Era Back on 'Kush + Orange Juice 2'
When Wiz Khalifa arrives at the Rolling Stone offices the day before the release of Kush + Orange Juice 2, the sequel to his cult classic 2010 mixtape, he wastes no time getting right into the music. With a discography full of smash hits, Wiz’s career stands alongside legends of …
Read More »Ian Munsick Is Emphasizing the 'Western' in Country & Western Music
Ian Munsick was making his debut at bucket-list venue Red Rocks Amphitheatre just outside of Denver in June 2024 when he noticed someone step onstage. JoRee LaFrance, a member of the Apsáalooke/Crow Nation, which hails from southeastern Montana, appeared in front of the crowd and said she had a message …
Read More »Lil Wayne Got Guitar Tips From a Soul Icon — and Six Other Things We Learned Hanging Out With Him
Lil Wayne’s May Rolling Stone cover story was an arduous process, with cross-country trips, missed interview sessions, and indeterminate waiting. But when Lil Wayne did talk to us, the conversation was plentiful, ranging from his guitar playing to what he wants his legacy to be as an MC. Below are …
Read More »Being Trans in Country Is Dangerous. It Didn't Stop This Singer From Coming Out
J enni Rose already cried once this morning. Before the sun goes down, she says, she’ll cry again. The tears are of both elation and relief for Rose, who came out to her family as a trans woman in the summer of 2024. Later that year, she came out to …
Read More »Take the World's Hardest U2 Quiz
It’s not hard to spot the hardcore fans at U2 shows. They’re the ones wearing vintage Lovetown Tour T-shirts who scream louder for “Acrobat” than “Pride (In the Name of Love),” call out guitar tech Dallas Schoo by name when he brings the Edge a new instrument, and leap into …
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