This year, the musical, cultural, political and economic phenomenon that is hip-hop officially turned 50, with hip-hop’s origin traced back to a back-to-school party in the Bronx on August 11, 1973.

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 ...

When was hip hop born? Its widely accepted birth date is 11 August 1973, when a now legendary party was thrown in a community room at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, a tower block in the Bronx, New York. It was ...

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 03: In this image released on October 10, 2023, Sexyy Red performs onstage during the BET Hip-Hop Awards 2023 on October 03, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras ...

On this date in 1995, Hip Hop historian and South Bronx philosopher KRS-One released his second solo album, simply titled KRS-One. The acronym for his name, Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly ...

This year marks the 30th anniversary of The Infamous, the landmark album that solidified Mobb Deep’s place in Hip Hop history and reshaped the sound of New York Hip Hop in the mid-1990s. Released in ...

D-Minor and Thomas J talk music, highlighting artists who have made an impact on Hip-Hop, R & B, and old school music. Let’s Talk Music will also feature special guests and live giveaways.