In 1980, then California Governor Ronald Reagan visited Charlotte Street in the South Bronx while campaigning for the presidency. As he surveyed the piles of rotting trash, the rubble of collapsed buildings, and the mangled terrain of disrepair, he likened the South Bronx to a war zone. And indeed, the Bronx sat on the precipice … Continue reading Hip-Hop in the Age of Crisis
It's not often that you'd mention hip-hop and NPR in the same sentence. For lifelong fans of the culture, hip-hop represents a grassroots movement that stems from social activism, rule-breaking, and finding your inner strength. And while hip-hop may itself be a form of storytelling and street news, its origins in Bronx house parties and … Continue reading The Essential Tiny Desk Hip-Hop List
Are you sticky AF right now? I know I am. This summer has been soaked in humidity and there hasn't been much relief. Fortunately, hip-hop has come to the rescue. Pusha T's new album Daytona has marked the triumphant return of the coke rapper while Mac Miller's Swimming has showcased the emcee at his most introspective and … Continue reading This Summer’s Hip-Hop Essentials
When digging through the digital crates of online music, occasionally you completely miss something. You’ve done your due diligence checking the blogs, keeping the SoundCloud feed greased, hitting up the homies, and vigilantly reading through Underground Hip-hop distributors. You feel pretty confident in your knowledge of the scene, and know who’s who, for the most … Continue reading Griselda Puts Buffalo on the Map
Finally. As I belatedly promised on my last post, I wanted to share my top five albums of 2015. It was a solid year, with a range of quality listens from Grande Marshall to Omen. Did I fail to include some amazing mainstream gems, including To Pimp A Butterfly? Absolutely. However, my year-end round-up aims … Continue reading 2015: The Year’s Most Rotated Joints
There have been some absolutely insane hip-hop gems that have dropped in the last few months. On a walk home a few months ago, "Black Friday", a Kendrick/J.Cole collabo hit my headphones and I knew that any In Steady Curation would need to begin with that track. From there, it just gets better as you'll … Continue reading In Steady Curation Returns
In a moment of philosophical banter, my friend recently pointed out that doing a task 90% of the time is a chore while doing it 100% of the time is easy. His advice reminded me of how a wise man once noted that "discipline is freedom". Both of these delicious morsels of knowledge would have been better wasted on someone … Continue reading Back In Steady Rotation
