#Death and rebirth in Knoxville

#Death and rebirth in Knoxville

The 2024 edition of the Big Ears Festival provided a new focus on rap and plenty of personal revelation. André 3000. Photo by Andy Feliu   “To those who in all times have sought truth and who have told it in their art or in their living, who died in honor …To those in all…

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#The heart and the tongue of Bear1Boss

#The heart and the tongue of Bear1Boss

The Atlanta rapper talks wrestling, his city’s rap lineage, and his new project SUPER BOSS!. Bear1Boss. Photo by Bear1Boss.   When I hop on a Zoom call with Bear1Boss, he immediately notices the embarrassing amount of wrestling action figures displayed on the bedroom wall behind me. Like wrestling fans tend to do when they meet…

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#Kevin Gates is one of our weirdest rappers

#Kevin Gates is one of our weirdest rappers

In this week’s Rap Column, Nadine Smith explores how the charismatic Baton Rouge rapper paved his own lane over the last decade. Kevin Gates. Photo via Atlantic Records.   Rap Column is a column about rap music by Vivian Medithi and Nadine Smith for The FADER. Kevin Gates is a weird rapper. He’s not “weird”…

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#The best guest verses of 2023

#The best guest verses of 2023

The FADER’s Vivian Medithi looks back on the year’s standout rap features. (L) Lil Yachty. Photo by Gunner Stahl (M) Niontay. Photo by Christopher Currence. (R) Central Cee. Photo by Jimmy Fontaine   The art of the rap feature is competitive and collaborative in equal measure. A good guest verse isn’t just well-executed, but a…

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