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Music Features

Thursday March 24, 2016

Unknown Threat played its first-ever show at a showcase for new D.C. hardcore bands. Farrah Skeiky for NPR hide caption

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Farrah Skeiky for NPR

The State Of D.C. Hardcore

March 24, 2016 • Once young and scrappy by necessity, D.C.'s homegrown punk scene is reaching something like maturity. Unknown Threat, Stand Off and Stuck Pigs are among the newest bands to challenge the pit.

Saturday March 19, 2016

This Thing Called Life: Prince Announces His Memoir In Style

Prince on stage in Detroit in 2015. The singer announced on Friday that he was writing his memoir, due in 2017 from Spiegel & Grau. Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images hide caption

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Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images

This Thing Called Life: Prince Announces His Memoir In Style

March 19, 2016 • In the mood to reminisce, the music legend announced he was writing his memoir, to be published in 2017, at an event that also included a career-spanning performance.

Thursday March 17, 2016

Hustle Is A Political Act: Michelle Obama's SXSW Keynote Shifted The Spotlight

First lady Michelle Obama on stage with Missy Elliott during her SXSW keynote event on Wednesday, March 16. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images

Hustle Is A Political Act: Michelle Obama's SXSW Keynote Shifted The Spotlight

March 17, 2016 • The event, centered around an initiative to educate girls and young women, reflected a reality in which hip-hop's influence is acknowledged and women are central to the conversation.

Monday March 14, 2016

A Country Revolution With A Low-Stakes Sound

Maren Morris' debut album, Hero, will be out June 3. LeAnn Mueller/Courtesy of Columbia Nashville hide caption

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LeAnn Mueller/Courtesy of Columbia Nashville

A Country Revolution With A Low-Stakes Sound

March 14, 2016 • Young singers climbing the country charts, from Brothers Osborne to Maren Morris, are making a stylistic break with tradition by emphasizing restraint.

Tuesday March 8, 2016

Poor Lonely Computer: Prince's Misunderstood Relationship With The Internet

Prince on stage in France in 2011. Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

Poor Lonely Computer: Prince's Misunderstood Relationship With The Internet

March 8, 2016 • Is Prince's notoriously antagonistic stance toward the posting of his music on the Internet an exception to the rules of the modern music industry or an example to musicians of the future?

Wednesday March 2, 2016

Slow Your Roll, Mick Jagger: A Whole Lot Of Superstars Are Playing In Cuba

British rockers The Rolling Stones in concert last week in Sao Paulo. Nelson Alemeida/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Nelson Alemeida/AFP/Getty Images

Slow Your Roll, Mick Jagger: A Whole Lot Of Superstars Are Playing In Cuba

March 2, 2016 • The Rolling Stones' show in Havana is part of a flood of major artists who have been to Cuba. And it follows decades of international musicians playing "closed" countries. (Remember Wham! in China?)

Kingdom Of One: Rapper Allan Kingdom On Fitting In And Standing Out

Allan Kingdom released his debut solo album, Northern Lights, in January. Ben Solomon/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ben Solomon/Courtesy of the artist

Kingdom Of One: Rapper Allan Kingdom On Fitting In And Standing Out

March 2, 2016 • After a collaboration with Kanye West that led to a Grammy nomination, the Minnesota-based rapper has spent the last year focusing on his on solo career.

Friday February 26, 2016

What We Talk About When We Talk About 'TLOP'

Kanye West reaching for his audience during 102.7 KIIS FM's 2015 Wango Tango in Los Angeles, May 2015. Kevin Winter/Getty Images For 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images For 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango

Review

What We Talk About When We Talk About 'TLOP'

February 26, 2016 • When people speak on Kanye, they show themselves. I don't know if that means he's a superior artist or not; I do know that's why we're spilling all this ink.

Tuesday February 23, 2016

DJ Dahi: Making The Move From Bass Line To Top Billing

"We live in an 808-driven world," DJ Dahi says. "Having a live bass line on a record gives it something that you can't take away." Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

DJ Dahi: Making The Move From Bass Line To Top Billing

February 23, 2016 • "My goal with this music is to not to have to be less of myself when I see people." says DJ Dahi, who's produced tracks for Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Tinashe.

Tuesday February 16, 2016

Beyoncé, on set for the "Formation" video shoot. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Watching Beyoncé From New Orleans

February 16, 2016 • The experience depicted in "Formation" and the culture that Mardi Gras stirs to life overlap and refute each other and mix in a way that IRL New Orleanians can hate and love all at once.

Friday February 12, 2016

Eight Writers On 'The Life Of Pablo,' So Far

Kanye West with, from left, Pusha T, Steven Victor, Kid Cudi and Travis Scott, at Madison Square Garden in New York City February 11. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3 hide caption

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3