When federal agents raided DJ Drama's studio in 2007 over his Gangsta Grillz empire, he became a martyr for mixtape culture. In many ways, it never recovered.

Mac Phipps was a rising star of New Orleans rap when he was convicted of a killing he insists he did not commit. Two decades later, he is still fighting for his freedom and his art.

NPR's new podcast Louder Than A Riot looks at the interconnected rise of hip-hop and mass incarceration.

The links between hip-hop and the prison system are on display in laws and lyrics stretching back decades. If you're caught between these two American institutions, it might look like a trap.

The singer-songwriter channels Whitney Houston, Alanis Morissette and The Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan in her Tiny Desk quarantine concert.

Whether stealthy rotation faves or creatives re-introducing themselves, this week's Heat Check head-nods the musical stalwarts who deserve flowers mid-climb.

In a week of rapid headlines and surprise releases, these tracks from City Girls, Noname, Anderson .Paak and more attempt to restore the feeling without disregarding reality.

Whether it's a trap anthem for the protests or a tale of petty personal betrayal, this week's Heat Check considers the bigger picture.

You've heard this Mississippi songwriter multiple times on HBO's Insecure this season. Now watch her perform live as part of our Tiny Desk quarantine series.

One of our favorite new artists of 2019 shares a new song as part of her Tiny Desk quarantine concert.

New tracks From Meek Mill, Tee Grizzley and Dua Saleh soundtrack the renewed surge of energy surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement.

NPR Music correspondents Ann Powers and Sidney Madden recommend a few favorite livestreaming performance series to check out while in-person concerts are on hold.

To celebrate radical Black joy in a time of great pain, here's a round-up of new tracks from the worlds of jazz, R&B and rap, all to remind you that they can't hijack happiness.

Amaarae comes through with fire and Dijon breaks the mold of song structure. These are the new tracks putting names on the swirl of unfamiliar emotions.

Heat Check salutes the 2020 Tiny Desk Contest entries that could hold their own among the worlds of R&B, hip-hop, reggae, pop and more.

New tracks from Jenevieve, Yebba and Kehlani fall into the sweet spot of musical discovery that keeps you on your toes with every sample, flip and chord change.

Braxton Cook has supported artists at the Tiny Desk on three separate occasions. This time around, he takes center seat, so to speak, from the comfort of his sunny New Jersey home.

Kick-in-the-door debuts, lowkey scorchers and dynamic rap duos fill this memorable playlist refresh.

If you're looking for a mental reset, divergent sounds from Octavian, Tora, Kali Uchis and Isaiah Rashad will do the trick.

An impressive debut from Kenny Mason, a Nirvana cover by Amber Mark and some Herculean wordplay from Chris Patrick. This week's Heat Check is all about one-two punches and surprises.