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Keyon Harrold celebrates Vulnerability on 'Foreverland'
The supremely gifted trumpeter and vocalist, Keyon Harrold has blown away audiences on several global stages and worked with powerhouses like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, 50 Cent and John Legend, just to name a...
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How 'The Color Purple' Evolved Past Black Trauma
Alice Walker’s award-winning novel, The Color Purple, has been at the forefront of conversations about Black trauma since its initial release in 1982. The story, about a young Black girl living in...
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First Look Friday: Rahiem Supreme
Hip-hop is at a really interesting juncture at this particular moment in time. It really does feel that we went from a place where there weren’t enough seats at the table to a table overflowing with...
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Our Favorite Moments From the 66th Grammy Awards
We’re only two months into the year, and we’ve already witnessed major music history be made! Yesterday evening’s 66th Grammy Awards were chock full of moments for the record books with stellar...
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Black History Month: Essential Books to Add to Your Reading List
From ancient myths and fables to modern societal criticism, Black authors have been a driving force in the preservation of culture, stories, and identities from all walks of life. While their presence...
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The Hip-Hop Guide to NYC’s Best Restaurants
The bustling neighborhoods of New York City are home to some of the biggest names in music, past and present. With natives like Jay-Z, RUN-DMC, Nicki Minaj, and too many more to name, there’s no...
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NYC: The Ultimate Date Night Playground
New York City is alive with endless possibilities for date night. Looking for romance or something out of the ordinary? The city has you covered with its diverse range of spots. Imagine soaking in the...
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Okayplayer Presents Respect the Architect: Quelle Chris
Quelle Chris exists in his own, self-contained galaxy in the hip-hop universe. He knows no other way.The unconventional rapper, producer, and songwriter has developed an impeccable resume over a...
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Okayplayer Celebrates 25 Years With 25 Essential Artists From the OKP Boards
Okayplayer started with Amir “Questlove” Thompson much like Def Jam started with Rick Rubin. If you swap out the NYU dorm room with a Philly bedroom, Russell Simmons for Angela Nissel, and a hip-hop...
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Shout Outs From the Okayplayer Extended Family on Our 25 Year Anniversary
Okayplayer is lucky to hold such a special place in music and culture. As we hit the quarter-century mark, here are some heartfelt words and memories from our extended family explaining what...
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OKP 25-Year Anniversary: The Exclusive Questlove Interview
“People always ask, ‘Why is Ahmir everywhere?’ And I just tell them that the gateway to everything is always Okayplayer,” Questlove said in an interview with Okayplayer for the site's 25-year...
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The Masterful and Calculated Rise of Boldy James
It has never been easy to be a successful and skilled rapper, regardless of how rap fans tend to behave as if one-of-one talents grow on trees. Few understand the patience and wherewithal the job...
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Is ScHoolboy Q's 'Blue Lips' The Most Important Album of His Career?
The pace and amount of rap albums that drop per year have increased drastically from the 1990s, which has helped the genre become as huge as it is. On the flip side, albums don’t really feel like...
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J. Cole’s Biggest Competition is Himself
J. Cole’s position in the pantheon of hip-hop has certainly been earned. With over 17 years in the game as a rapper and producer, he has notched six platinum solo albums and countless hits. However,...
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The Most-Memorable Album Rollouts of the Last Decade
The artistry behind executing a good album rollout is a skill that not many artists of today can say they have mastered. While one may argue that an artist’s abilities should be gauged solely by the...
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FIRST LOOK FRIDAY: Asha Imuno’s Experiential Debut
Within the margins of a 16-track album, Asha Imuno defies the limitations of sound through a genre-bending storytelling experience. His debut album, PINS & NEEDLES, is most simply described as a...
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The Fab Five: Our Most Anticipated Albums From Female Artists
Women move every needle — whether it’s entertainment, entrepreneurship, activism, or culture in general. March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s contributions to history and to the...
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The Love Hard Tour: An Unforgettable Night In Brooklyn With Keyshia Cole &...
As hoards of people poured out of Barclays Center on Sunday evening, it was clear that the events of the night had been made into everlasting memories. Keyshia Cole’s Love Hard Tour was a hit with...
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Missy Elliott Has Always Been A Time Traveler
Sampling in modern hip-hop has been a point of contention, with some rap fans feeling the samples are either too obvious, not flipped enough, or not different enough from the source material. That...
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What You Missed from the Viral Shannon Sharpe and Steve Stoute Interview
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Shannon Sharpe, the NFL Hall of Famer, has made himself a media superstar, through his work on Fox Sports, ESPN, and his own podcasts. On his hit...
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