We live in the Dot era. After demolishing rap rival Drake last year, Kendrick Lamar’s victory lap has dominated 2025 and the current hip-hop landscape. Super Bowl performance. More Grammy wins. “Not ...

From record-breaking tours to seismic comebacks, it’s been quite a year for hip-hop. Below, we assess the state of the three single-focused categories in the rap field at the 2026 Grammys: best rap ...

Expect to see selections from the established stars, the next wave of new talent, the up-and-comers and everyone else in between. If the song is fire enough to beat the competition, it'll take one of ...

Every month, The FADER's Vivian Medithi showcases all the standout rap songs from the past 30-ish days in one unranked list. After opening up for Lil Tecca on tour in 2024, 18-year-old tana has been ...

Lazarus and Rakim’s “Not to Be Defined” bridges generations of hip-hop with sharp lyricism and timeless energy. October 2025, Hip-hop history is being written as “Not to Be Defined” by Detroit-based ...

Kendrick Lamar leads the list of new Grammy Award nominees. Will rap music finally rule on music’s biggest night?

Week in and week out, there are plenty of brand-new rap songs, no matter the time of year. It can be really difficult to stay aware of what's out and also what's hot, so XXL decided to make things ...