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Jay Park performs a Tiny Desk home concert. Sofia Seidel hide caption
Like poppa, like son. Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR hide caption
Like poppa, like son. Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR hide caption
The record runs like a compilation of their best musical instincts compressed, refined and fine-tuned to a punchy summer frequency. Lucas Creighton hide caption
For his "Rich Spirit" / "N95" medley on SNL, Kendrick Lamar performed with minimal visual accompaniment, perfectly geared for the raw intimacy of his newest material. Will Heath/NBC hide caption
"I'm making music for the people who don't know if they should say no. For the people that do too much," Rico Nasty says. "For the people who get too loud, get too rough. The girls that are too tough, the girls that are just not soft enough for society." Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR hide caption
Rico Nasty. Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR hide caption
On Maps, an album-length collaboration with the producer Kenny Segal, rapper billy woods (in the photo above obscuring his face, as is his custom) offers the collected wisdom of two decades worth of journeys. B.A. Stubbs/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Miami rapper and social media icon Saucy Santana is redefining presentation standards for femme gay men in hip-hop, but the industry would rather keep his energy confined to TikTok. Dia Dipasupil hide caption
Drake and Makonnen celebrate during the former's 2014 birthday party at Dave & Buster's in Times Square, New York. Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images hide caption
The rapper's third album is an introspective record without the self-scrutiny that comes with real reflection. Julian Buchan hide caption
ILoveMakonnen. Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR hide caption
Lenny Kravitz David Redfern/Getty Images hide caption
Kim Osorio with The Source's Boo Rosario, King's Datwon Thomas and Kanye West in 2003. Johnny Nunez/WireImage hide caption
Kim Osorio. Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR hide caption
E-40, middle, watches during an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Dec. 30, 2022. The Sacramento Kings are investigating allegations from the rapper E-40 that "racial bias" led to him being kicked out of his seat during a playoff game against the Golden State Warriors. Jeff Chiu/AP hide caption
Rappers Danny Brown (left) and JPEGMAFIA embrace their abrasive sides on Scaring the Hoes, a joyously chaotic collaboration glued together by JPEG's collage-like production. Carlo Cavaluzzi/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Kara Jackson's Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? is on our shortlist of the best albums out April 14. Lawrence Agyei/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
New Music Friday: The best releases out on April 14
Trina performs a Tiny Desk concert Bob Boilen/NPR hide caption
Daniel Caesar. Cassanova Cabrera/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
New Music Friday: The best releases out on April 7
Atlanta rapper Latto belongs to a lineage of women inspired by Miami icon Trina, whose sexually explicit bars have both challenged gendered double standards and shown their staying power. Breyona Holt/Courtesy of the artist hide caption