Rap music was invented in the early 1970s. According to lore, the musical style was first on display at a party in the fall—family and friends gathering around the turntables to mark the important ...

To get you in the mood for Valentine’s Day, here are some of The Root’s favorite rap love songs. While hip-hop is often characterized by its bravado and aggression, the genre has also flourished ...

The Compton rapper came into the biggest night in music with an astounding nine nominations, and he has already won three awards. Before the Grammys officially aired, Lamar won Best Melodic Rap ...

What's going on with rap? After celebrating 50 years of legacy in 2023 with marquee moments like the Hip Hop 50 multi-headliner concert at Yankee Stadium, plus Kendrick Lamar's historic run – capped ...

**For clarity, rap and hip-hop are used interchangeably throughout the article, as both represent the same space in music charts.** Additionally, in mid-September 2025, only four hip-hop songs were on ...

From Run-DMC’s Queens classic to De La Soul’s subversive storytelling, to “Trap Christmas”…rap has always celebrated the holidays on its own terms. Christmas in Hip-Hop has never been ...

Rap in 2025 was all about experimentation. From the year’s first runaway hit, NBA player-turned-musician Gelo’s single “Tweaker,” to the maximalist ecclesiastics of Playboi Carti’s Music, or even in ...

We should address the elephant in the room: hip-hop did not have a strong year on the charts. In fact, rap music had its worst showing in years. Back in October, it made headlines when—for the first ...

The nominees for Best Rap Song at the 2026 Grammys are in. Grammy SZN has officially commenced. On Friday (Nov. 7), The Recording Academy revealed all the nominees for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

The latest Billboard Hot 100 chart is unlike any other one in recent memory. According to the outlet, for the first time in 35 years, there are no rap songs in the chart’s Top 40. The update comes as ...

For the first time in more than 35 years, no rap songs appear in the Billboard Hot 100's top 40. The streak came to an end on the chart dated Oct. 25, 2025, following the fall of Kendrick Lamar and ...