It never fails

The best solo Wu album, period

liquid swords is a christmas album

On the 30th anniversary of Liquid Swords, I'm re-publishing this tribute to the GZA's masterpiece, originally written in the rec room era. www.passionweiss.com/2025/11/08/l...

Danny Brown made one of the most creatively adventurous, sonically progressive, and best rap albums of the year. @sonraw.bsky.social went deep on the experimental hyperpop fusion, omnivorous eclecticism, and sense of liberation of "Stardust." www.passionweiss.com/2025/11/06/d...

The second edition of the POW Book Club is on Such Great Heights by @chrisdeville.bsky.social, who I spoke with for a lovely interview about “indie”: the pros and cons of your favorite bands hitting it big, the fading trust between artists and critics, and where the genre goes from here

An interview with @chrisdeville.bsky.social about the last 2 decades of "indie:" how it transformed into an aesthetic, the difficulties of balancing mainstream success with underground fandom & his excellent book "Such Great Heights" By @ptoon.bsky.social www.passionweiss.com/2025/11/04/p...

So grateful to @ptoon.bsky.social and @passionweiss.bsky.social for featuring me and my book

Just digging through old emails on a regular Wednesday morning

We had Zoe Osama on The Truth Hurts talking about growing in South Central, the genius of Suga Free, working with E-40 & Snoop, the exploitative nature of most rap podcasts, his new album "Mr Nobody," and why he no longer feels underrated. And a lot of add'l rants. www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7NT...

Lil Baby & G Herbo are at the top of their game ffawty gets spiritually stoic Mudbaby Ru offers a masterclass in taunting your enemies Lilqua 50 summons summer vacation nostalgia Day3 & FlocDaMVP keep the truth alive Harley Geffner drops 40 at The Rap Up www.passionweiss.com/2025/11/03/t...

The Blue Jays are about to sue the Dodgers for defamation

A special bonus episode of The Truth Hurts where we talk to Blu and Myka 9 about how they first linked, how Blu first became a Fellowship fan, the art of sampling, the making of their album "God Takes Care of Babies & Fools" and more. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADnE...

An interview with UK electronic music iconoclasts Mumdance and Logos about the creation of the "weightless" sound, the importance of self-created limitations, finding community via Discord, and their new Ping Vol. 1 compilation. By @sonraw.bsky.social www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/30/m...

This was terrible news. He made an enormous contribution to music.

I joined in the Jack DeJohnette chorus of appreciation with 10 of my favorite JD albums in my latest for @passionweiss.bsky.social RIP to one of the realest to ever sit behind a kit.

A beautiful tribute to the late jazz legend Jack DeJohnette, who drummed for Miles, Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious, Coltrane, and crafted classics in his own right as a bandleader @chris-robinson.bsky.social highlights ten of his best performances. www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/29/j...

For the latest Truth Hurts, I spoke to Blu about coming up in San Pedro, the time that Suge tried to sign him, "Below the Heavens" & "No York!", navigating the industry, life philosophy, and his new collab with Myka 9, "God Takes Care of Babies & Fools." www.youtube.com/watch?v=frxv...

A very smart essay that left me depressively nostalgic for the corporate largesse of the Toyota Scion

"Waiting For Britney Spears" made PW's Best Non-Fiction Books of 2025 list - the only one on there that isn't actually non-fiction. "Allegedly"

Fatboi Sharif and Trace Amount see God and Goth Girls on the L Train DJ Smokey & Soudiere prepare for a nuclear fall Slim Thug & Lil Keke rep till they're dead One more video from the late great Young Slo-Be Steven Louis drops a very Gothic Rap Up www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/27/t...

As someone told me today, this "certainly isn't smooth jazz." It is however, the sound of the times and an untameable cyclone.

Over the last five years, Milwaukee has emerged as one of the most interesting regional rap scenes. Ezra Olson highlights the best of "The Good Land." Feat. Certified Trapper, Myaap, AyooLii, J.P., RealStasher50k, Chicken P, Mari Boy Mula Mar and more. www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/23/a...

Con: a cabal of fascist thieves are currently dismantling American Democracy Pro: Heather Honey, deputy assistant secretary of election integrity, is the best Pynchon name that I've heard in a long time

The latest Fatboi Sharif & Roper Williams nail bomb of industrial, noise & death letter rap is out now on POW "Goth Girl On the Enterprise," a harrowing distillation of the horrors of contemporary life. If Guernica was an album, it would sound like this. fatboisharif.bandcamp.com/album/goth-g...

A dispatch from NBA Youngboy's MASA Tour, this year's wildest and most obsessive communion-disguised-as-a-concert. William Eller throws elbows in the pit, live from our nation's capital. www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/22/n...

Madvillain in a commercial for "AI problem solutions." Living off borrowed time, the clock ticks faster

We had Wallie the Sensei on The Truth Hurts to talk about growing up in Compton, blowing up off "03 Flow," performing at the Pop Out, appearing on GNX, signing to Travis Scott, and the outstanding new project that he's about to drop. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE8Z...

Skrilla deserves a MacArthur Grant for this

Joey Fatts and Vince Staples channel the classic Stolen Youth days. Kodak drops some of his best music in years on a RapTV freestyle. RxPapi deserves a NEA grant for his storytelling. Big Sad continues a historic run. So does Donald Morrison on the Rap Up. www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/20/t...

Love interviews that take me back…

An interview with the legendary Grand Puba about the formative years of hip-hop, his classic Brand Nubian and solo albums, his underrated work as a producer, ghostwriting, the deeper meaning of "Wake Up" & "One For All" and more. By Paul Thompson www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/16/t...

I interviewed Kool G Rap about his early days in the Juice Crew, hanging out with 2Pac during the LA Riots, inventing mafioso rap, recording "The Symphony," the time he recorded with Pharrell, being honored by the Paid in Full Foundation, and much more. www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/15/r...

few people beat @abebeame.bsky.social when it comes to passionate, deeply felt obits of our greatest artists

On the cover of Creative Loafing Tampa this week with my best friends Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and this regal pink flamingo

A beautiful requiem for the miracle that was D'Angelo. The pen, the voice, the face, the talent. The three classics. The genius that he could summon by force of will. The impossibility of categorizing him. The void that his death leaves. By Abe Beame www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/14/d...

two important pickups at Community Bookstore in park slope @passionweiss.bsky.social @chrisdeville.bsky.social

We had the legendary Myka 9 on The Truth Hurts, sharing stories about Eazy-E, 2Pac, trying to battle Run D.M.C. at Wendy's and the formation of Freestyle Fellowship. Plus, his thoughts on spirituality, jazz, creativity, and his latest opus with Blu. Real LA history www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbzE...

I love D'Angelo so so much, this truly breaks my heart

RIP D'Angelo, the greatest singer since Marvin departed. Who took the grit & attitude of hip-hop & alchemized it into angelic voodoo. He condensed the human condition - sex, suffering, addiction, love, oppression - into pure transcendence. A comet emitting blinding light & soul.

Some stories about my friend Kaleb, on the occasion of his funeral: channel-6.ghost.io/its-just-dif...

AKAI SOLO artfully asks existential questions Coast Contra peel back the layers of American living Dayarga masters the Morse Code French rap flow Lelo defines big league Papo2oo4 & Subjxct 5 remain all-conference Anthony Seaman drops a killer Rap Up www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/12/t...

Join us at @booksandbooks.bsky.social on Oct. 14 as we discuss the novel WAITING FOR BRITNEY SPEARS with author @passionweiss.bsky.social. Topics will include tabloid culture, the VMAs, and Parliament cigarettes. humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2025/10/12/c...

Slam on the CDJ returns with an immaculate selection of the best DJ sets from the last month. Featuring boxofbox, Baba Stiltz, Bambi & Beatrice M, CCL, Ciel, Hank Jackson, Kilbourne, Mazzacles, the cast of the RA 1000 & more. By @michaelmckinney.bsky.social www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/08/s...

For like 10 years, I’ve wanted someone to write about The Flanderization of Jay Electronica. And this nails it. Had zero interest in listening to whatever he dumped on streaming services

If you're in the DMV, I'm speaking tomorrow night at George Mason as a visiting writer for the university's fall book festival. Come through. If you're not in the DMV, please disregard and burn this Blueskyitude after reading.

It's been nearly 20 years since Jay Electronica emerged from nowhere to drop some of the best & most enigmatic rap of the '00s. Since then, he's been a ghost. Anthony Seaman tried to make sense of his new EPs and his descent into tin foil conspiracy theories. www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/08/j...

Just remembered Bart Oatmeal.

We had Heembeezy on the Truth Hurts to talk about growing up between LA and the IE, dealing with incarceration, his viral rise off "Face No Book" and "Floccer," the algorithm, and reckoning with stardom in an era that prioritizes division and conflict. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY1l...

Danny Brown makes a warehouse rave burner YT croaks 8-bit auto-tune pain ballads 1900 Rugrat and Rio have a showdown Sam Wise lets loose werewolf howls seventhirtyatmorning builds a case for next up Anthony Seaman with a stepping razor sharp Rap Up. www.passionweiss.com/2025/10/06/t...