Central Cee: Can’t Rush Greatness review – a tantalising debut of hits and misses
The British rapper gathers his bangers and chart-toppers together with less impactful work on this 17-track record
The Long Wave: Fear, loathing and Black resistance under Trump 2.0
Why community-based grassroots politics may be key to surviving the next four years. Plus, comfort foods in the run-up to Ramadan
Drake’s lawsuit against Kendrick Lamar also puts artistic freedom on trial
Drake is understandably vexed about lyrics framing him as a ‘certified paedophile’ – but diss tracks are a deliberately lurid part of rap
Mobb Deep review – New York rap duo can still keep the temperature rising
Thirty years on from their album The Infamous, and seven years after the death of founder member Prodigy, Havoc teams up with Big Noyd for a breathlessly-paced set
Mac Miller: Balloonerism review – poignant second posthumous album
Made during a difficult time in the late rapper’s life, this abandoned work captures the musicianship and introspection of his fertile mid-career
‘Prison is not a place for rehabilitation’: jailed rapper Marnz Malone on confronting inmate suicide
The British MC has amassed millions of streams for his careworn catalogue, recorded on a prison phone. Now, his new single addresses prisoners’ mental health
The Diddy documentary cycle has started, and it’s already proving problematic
A sloppily assembled new Peacock documentary, tracking the rise and fall of the disgraced hip-hop mogul, makes a string of uneasy mistakes
Billie Eilish, Sex Pistols and Beethoven’s skull: music to listen out for in 2025
From stadium gigs by Linkin Park and Lana Del Rey to Central Cee’s long-awaited debut album, there’s plenty to look out for from pop’s A-list – while in classical, there’s a Festen opera and more
What music stars were really listening to in 2024: ‘I appear on my own top 10 three times .. every stream helps!’
Spotify’s end-of-year summary (other streaming services are available) is our chance to show off how much cool stuff we listened to this year. So what do the stars’ top track lists look like?
Nay Wa Mitego, the Tanzanian rapper who has been banned, jailed and threatened but says he won’t stop
Making hip-hop critical of the government has caused him trouble, but Nay insists his music is a force for change
‘I take karaoke seriously. I’ve got a good falsetto’: Asim Chaudhry’s honest playlist
The actor and writer used to be obsessed with Michael Jackson and loves Teddy Pendergrass, but which rap banger does truly inhabit when passed the mic?
Music: Kitty Empire’s 10 best albums of 2024
Americana’s classiest duo weather the storm, Kendrick Lamar has the last word, UK jazz soars – and Charli xcx unleashes the power of Brat
The 50 best albums of 2024
Topped with Charli xcx’s swaggering yet vulnerable Brat, here are the year’s finest LPs as decided by 26 Guardian music writers
A timeline of allegations and charges against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
Most recent lawsuits include accusations of drugging and raping as recently as 2022, and Jay-Z added as accused
The Long Wave: The Lamar v Drake beef has gone legal – what does it say about today’s hip-hop industry?
In this week’s newsletter: Lawyers are now involved in the most explosive rap feud of the century. A look at the potential cultural and commercial impact, and how hip-hop became big business