The New York Times – Music:
The 30-year-old artist, whose last album topped the Billboard album chart, has grown into the biggest rap star to emerge from Memphis in a generation. His fifth LP is due this fall.
Category: Rap and Hip-Hop
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What Is a ‘Fake’ Artist in 2022?
The New York Times – Music:
Firestorms over the “virtual rapper” FN Meka and faceless artists on Spotify have sparked conversations about alienation and creative agency.
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Bad Bunny’s Album Ties ‘Encanto’ for Most Weeks at No. 1 This Year
The New York Times – Music:
“Un Verano Sin Ti,” a streaming blockbuster, notches its ninth time at the top of Billboard’s chart. Rod Wave’s “Beautiful Mind,” last week’s No. 1, drops to second place.
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California Bill Could Restrict the Use of Rap Lyrics in Court
The New York Times – Music:
The bill, which applies more broadly to other forms of creative expression, has unanimously passed the Senate and Assembly and could become law by the end of September.
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Capitol Drops AI Rapper FN Meka Following Backlash
The New York Times – Music:
The record company apologized to “the Black community” for insensitivity in promoting an AI-backed artist that critics said was “appropriative” and included “slurs infused in lyrics.”
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Rod Wave’s ‘Beautiful Mind’ Is His Second No. 1 Album
The New York Times – Music:
The rapper and singer’s latest LP easily beat the other major debut in the Top 5 this week, Megan Thee Stallion’s “Traumazine.”
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Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’: The Speed Round
The New York Times – Music:
The conversation continues about one of the year’s most ideologically provocative pop albums, its queer inspirations and its credits.
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Bad Bunny Beats YoungBoy Never Broke Again in a Tight Race for No. 1
The New York Times – Music:
Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” falls to No. 3 as the Puerto Rican superstar and the Louisiana rapper battle for the top spot on the Billboard album chart.
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Pop’s Material Girls, Rich With Influence
The New York Times – Music:
Questions about borrowing, authorship and inspiration — from the underground to the mainstream and vice versa — connect new releases from Beyoncé, Madonna and Saucy Santana.