Discover the essential music instruments for creating captivating Hip Hop beats. Explore drum machines, synthesizers, and samplers, and learn valuable tips for choosing the right instrument to achieve ...

“Grindin’,” a song performed by legendary Virginia Beach group the Clipse, was the national anthem in 2002. The song’s sparse beat—which would be recognizable even without any accompanying lyrics or ...

Hip-hop at it's core is lyrics on a beat, with both being vital for the final product. Throughout the genre's history, there have been some truly incredible beats that turned producers into stars, and ...

As the legendary DJ Premiere once said, “Hip-hop is about style and finesse and being creative and different. And to do that you have to be ballsy enough to not do what everybody else does.” Rap music ...

There’s a raw energy in the air—a palpable, jittery anticipation as the old guard of hip-hop production gets tossed aside by the relentless force of technological innovation and cultural upheaval.

After nearly 30 years and much debate, Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones Pt. II" has officially been named the greatest hip-hop beat of all time. After nearly 30 years and much debate, Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones ...

Welcome to The State of R&B, ESSENCE’s look at the past, present and future of rhythm and blues. In this piece, ESSENCE editor Rivéa Ruff reports on the blending of hip-hop and R&B. Since the ...

From his booth at the corner of the court, Miami Heat disc jockey M Dot has a front-row look at the harmonious fusion of basketball and music. M Dot — real name Michael Hankerson — has watched LeBron ...

A note from the writer: Beauty and the Beat is my favorite piece of music ever created. That isn’t to say there aren’t more significant works or artists, but as a complete body of work, Edan made ...