In this week's Heat Check selects, dueling sounds of the new New York, roiling raps from a middle-aged street rapper, sugary, off-kilter pop birthed on TikTok and more

This week's Heat Check selects features grounded wordsmiths, emergent L.A.-based chanteuses, auto-tuned misfits and songs of self-care.

This week's Heat Check selects come largely from iconoclasts who have already zeroed in on their individual aesthetics: a singsong rap soulman, an alté sensation a noise-rap radical and more.

Cozy and coiffed in a Brooklyn studio, watch the masked rapper break down essential tracks from Shape Up with host Sidney Madden.

Ayesha Rascoe talks with Sidney Madden and Rodney Carmichael of NPR's Louder Than A Riot about the RICO charges against Young Thug and the wider intersection of criminal justice and hip-hop.

The song underscores how fortified the bonds of Ivy Sole's contemplative bars and visuals are.

There's nothing complicated about this soca anthem that's crossing over thanks to fans on TikTok and Instagram, just a comically simple, two-part mantra: 1. Drink water 2. Mind your business.

NPR Music's album of the year, Heaux Tales, by Jazmine Sullivan, shows the singer exploring themes of love, sex and loss.

Lil Nas X is breaking Billboard records and barriers through his music — the pop-rap star joins All Things Considered to discuss his debut album Montero.

One of the DMV's most formidable forces bounces around her varied discography for her Tiny Desk home concert.

The late R&B star Aaliyah's catalog has started to arrive on streaming, starting with the 1996 record One In A Million — made in an era now being re-examined for how it treated famous women.

From the lush gardens of The Houdini estate in Los Angeles, the influential Atlanta rapper premiers songs from his forthcoming album, Punk.

R&B singer Snoh Aalegra is out with a new album, Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies.

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.