This week, the musical world lost an icon when composer, arranger and producer David Axelrod died on Sunday (Feb. 5) at the age of 83 from complications of a brain aneurysm. Although not a well-known ...

The hip-hop world has lost a true pioneer in the game. Legendary rapper Lovebug Starski, whose real name is Kevin Smith, passed away in Las Vegas on Thursday (Feb. 8). According to reports, the rap ...

This article has been handpicked from the Okayplayer editorial archives and included in our Hip Hop 50 collection as a noteworthy inclusion to the genre's rich and diverse narrative. The article has ...

Ennio Morricone, the celebrated Italian film composer who died on Monday at the age of 91, could elevate any film with his remarkably bold and expressive scores. Spaghetti westerns, Hollywood dramas, ...

Sampling in hip-hop has been going on since the genre’s inception, but in 2023, it’s been more prevalent than ever. If everything sounds familiar, it’s because it definitely is. Words: Grant Rindner ...

No shortcuts, no gimmicks. Just a rising star from PG County, Md. is ready to make his story known globally. 2 minutes ago In 2001, Just Blaze, the producer of “Song Cry,” made a soul sample. In 2020, ...

Hip-hoppers are a shameless bunch who will literally rap over anything. The Fugees' Ready or Not borrowed Enya humming, Kanye's Diamonds from Sierra Leone sampled Shirley Bassey, and Cypress Hill's ...

Ahmad Jamal, the legendary and inventive pianist, passed away on Sunday at age 92. He was a virtuoso as an instrumentalist and composer, producing songs that lent themselves to genres well beyond jazz ...

Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Nestled deep into the sonic layers of “Redbone” is ‘70s funkadelics staple “I’d Rather be With You ...

Steely Dan brings its drum-tight grooves and jazzy time changes to the American Airlines Center Wednesday night. The Dan have been around long enough that you should know what to expect: a clinic in ...