A debate was sparked on Twitter when someone pointed out that the curator of the hip-hop archive at the National Museum of African American History and Culture is white.

After years of mystery, excitement and public tumult, Lil Wayne's long-delayed album is nearly here. As you prepare to listen, here are a few things to keep in mind about where the rapper's been.

One of most anticipated hip-hop albums of the year instantly becomes one of the best.

Now that Kamikaze's suicide mission is complete, how will Eminem resurrect his love for hip-hop?

Mac Miller, the Pittsburgh-born rapper who developed a ravenous following over the course of five successful albums, died Friday of an apparent overdose in his San Fernando Valley home, multiple outlets have reported. He was 26.

Two of Kansas City's finest — and indie hip-hop's trailblazers — deliver a dose of Strange Music.

In the fifteen years since he released Trap Muzik, Tip Harris has reinvented himself a thousand times over. But the stories he recounts from that era make his Tiny Desk a memorable one.

If only Thug had kept this same energy on Slime Language.

From Childish Gambino's dystopian vision of America to The Carters' takeover of the Louvre, absurdity is the new black and it fuels the best music videos nominated this year.

After his star turn on 'Power', the cinematic sweep of Lamar's music videos deserve a revisit.

New Orleans' native son brought his musical Gumbo — and a 10-piece orchestra — to the Tiny Desk for some well-seasoned soul and a lesson in creative freedom.

If Drake truly wants to take his career to the next level, he might try something unprecedented: conceding defeat.

We break down the controversy surrounding rapper XXXTentacion in life and in death.

The collaboration between the married stars, the capstone of a trilogy of albums focused on their union, underlines the simultaneous centrality and marginalization of women in hip-hop.

The couple released it exclusively on Tidal Saturday afternoon.

Ebro Darden and Peter Rosenberg remain vocal gatekeepers in an era of SoundCloud rappers and digital playlists.

Kanye West's newly-released ye is already 2018's most polarizing album. Two of NPR Music's critics sat down to try and make sense of West's motivations and musical accomplishments.

Throughout his career, Kanye West has been considered a lightning rod of controversy. He is releasing a new album called: Ye.

On the eve of his first solo release, Streams Of Thought, Vol. 1, The Roots' lead sheds light on his darkest inspiration and expanding vulnerability.

The former rap mogul and current head of music at YouTube on #MeToo (sort of), Migos and his mortality.