Since the 1990s, police and prosecutors have used lyrics to build criminal cases against rap artists. It's a practice that blurs the distinction between entertainment and criminal confession.

Last month, the rapper was recommended for clemency after serving 21 years in prison for a crime he says he did not commit. Now he tells NPR about his time behind bars and his hope for life outside.

In 2001, a rising No Limit Records artist was sentenced to 30 years for a crime he maintains he didn't commit. The hosts of Louder Than A Riot explain how a new development could spell early release.

The rapper who ignited Brooklyn with his 2014 viral hit "Hot Boy" is set to be released from prison Tuesday. Louder Than A Riot hosts Rodney Carmichael and Sidney Madden say some big questions remain.

One of 2020's breakout artists performs four songs as part of Tiny Desk's Black History Month celebration.

The rising R&B star performs three songs as part of Tiny Desk's celebration of Black History Month.

NPR Music's Louder than a Riot has been doing a deep dive into the stories of rappers that highlight inequalities in the way this country addresses crime and punishment.

What role can hip-hop play in reforming — or entirely dismantling — mass incarceration? Rapper Noname and activist Mariame Kaba joined Louder Than A Riot to discuss making revolution irresistible.

When rapper Nipsey Hussle was killed in 2019, he was known as an advocate for the people in the neighborhood where he grew up and made his name. But the LAPD couldn't let his gang affiliation go.

In 2014, Bobby Shmurda aimed for a rap career and landed in prison. As the end of his sentence approaches, so do new questions about what happened, and who else paid a price.

The Rap Game champion and self-proclaimed "Queen Of Da Souf" performs three songs for our Tiny Desk quarantine series.

Rapper McKinley "Mac" Phipps was sentenced to 30 years for allegedly killing a fan at one of his shows. NPR podcast Louder Than a Riot explores new evidence that Mac is likely innocent.

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.