Hip hop music

Paul Moposita (wearing blue tracksuit), his daughter Sisa and some of the members of Mugre Sur, a band he started more than 20 years ago. 

Ecuadorian group creates political hip-hop with bunnies and clowns

Planet Hip Hop

Mugre Sur is known for their deeply political songs — and also their sense of humor. They’re tackling Ecuador’s political turmoil in their upcoming album,  “Sudamericamente.”

A camera man films two rappers battling.

Russia’s rap scene: No place for politics

Generation Putin
The album cover for “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” from 1988.

Public Enemy’s ‘It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back’ turns 30

Music
The World

Rapper Kohh shows a side of Japan that is often ignored

Music
South African artist Spoek Mathambo performs in 2011.

Want to find the best Afropop? It’s on Soundcloud — not an album

Music
Kang Chun-hyok is an aspiring rapper in Seoul. He's also a defector from North Korea, and his music reflects what life was like there.

This North Korean rapper’s lyrics draw on his experience eating tree bark and drinking from puddles

Music

Kang Chun-hyok wants South Koreans to know what life is like in the north. So he’s rapping about his life there before he defected.

Queens-born rapper Awkwafina has become a hit for her smart, comedic lyrics and offbeat style.

Awkwafina is changing hip-hop one vulgar, hilarious lyric at a time

Music

She’s a rapper. She’s a provocateur. She’s Asian. But Awkwafina, a Queens-born rapper, says none of that should be out of place, either in the hip-hop world or the United States.

Afghans are hoping rap from the masses will turn out the youth vote

Arts, Culture & Media

When Afghanistan holds elections on April 5, young voters could make all the difference. So this year, instead of an arts festival, the government created a music competition around the elections. The requirement? You had to write songs with lyrics about voting. And what came back was often rap.When Afghanistan holds elections on April 5, young voters could make all the difference. So this year, instead of an arts festival, the government created a music competition around the elections. The requirement? You had to write songs with lyrics about voting. And what came back was often rap.

Burmese rapper J-Me

This Burmese rapper sounds straight outta Compton, with a swagger to match

Arts, Culture & Media

To hear him speak, you’d think he was from Compton or Brooklyn, but J-Me is a product of Burma. And he is lighting up the hip hop charts there.

Pavlos Fyssas, also known as Killah P, was murdered Tuesday night in a suburb of the port city of Piraeus, Greece. The man who admitted to killing Fyssas also claims to be a member of the far-right Golden Dawn party.

Greek Rapper Pavlos Fyssas Killed by Golden Dawn Supporter

Conflict & Justice

Greek hip-hop and rap artist Pavlos Fyssas, also known as Killah P, was murdered Tuesday night in a suburb of the port city of Piraeus. The man who admitted killing Fyssas also claims to be a supporter of the far-right party known as Golden Dawn.