New York is indisputably the birthplace of hip-hop, but which of the city's five boroughs has dominated the genre continues to be a spirited debate among its scholars and natives. 

The "Boogie Down" Bronx is the origin point of hip-hop history. It’s here Clive Campbell a.k.a. DJ Kool Herc threw a rec room party in 1973 that put hip-hop as we know it in motion. The city's northernmost borough is the home of groundbreaking artists from OGs Grandmaster Flash and Slick Rick, to contemporary stars including Cardi B.

The case for Queens — home of Def Jam Records and a host of GRAMMY-winning and nominated rappers from  Run-D.M.C. and Salt-N-Pepa, to LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj — is often made. 

On her 2005 track "Lighters Up" Lil' Kim declares Brooklyn "Home of the Greatest Rappers." It’s hard to argue. Marcy Projects alone would give us Christopher Wallace a.k.a. Biggie Smalls and Jay-Z.

Manhattan also plays a role in hip-hop’s evolution as a playground where rappers intermingled with punks, rockers and the thriving art scene throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. Elements of each of these developing artforms culminating in the music of the Beastie Boys. And because he is so often referred to as a West Coast rapper, it’s easy to forget Tupac Shakur was born in Manhattan.

Staten Island is, of course, home to the one and only Wu-Tang Clan and its diverse cosmology. Even the suburbs can boast major contributions — Long Island is the home of Public Enemy and Erik B & Rakim; head north of the Bronx to Westchester County, and you'll enter the home of the late rapper DMX.  

What’s clear when we look at each borough, is that the culture and art of hip-hop would not exist  if not for New York. Without the contributions,style and unique cultures of neighborhoods within Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten, the artform would not have developed into the juggernaut it is today.  Press play on the Amazon Music playlist below — or visit Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music — to take an auditory tour of the best of the boroughs.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, hop on the train and travel from borough to borough for its unique history and sounds.

As you examine the breadth of NYC hip-hop, you’ll find artists with a deep and complex relationship with the city. Biz Markie, for example, was born in one area of the city, raised in another, and claimed membership to a crew for a whole other borough. His story, and that of others who deserve many flowers, demonstrate that while hip-hop can be dissected by region and subway line, it’s the Big Apple's density, multiculturalism, an urban innovation that has made it arguably one of America's greatest art forms. 

Mass immigration from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in the 1950s made the Bronx the first majority Black and Latino borough in NYC by the mid-'70s. It’s not a coincidence that the Bronx was also woefully unserved by the city government, resulting in bleak economic conditions.

"Kids with little or no resources created something out of nothing," the Funky Four Plus One’s MC Sha Rock told ABC News said of hip-hop's origins. "No matter what was going on around us in New York City at the time, we looked forward to the park jams." 

These jams featured breakdancing, DJs mixing, and MCing — all key elements of hip-hop that emerged from house parties and underground venues into a city-wide consciousness. "Hip-hop wasn't called hip-hop in the ‘70s, was called 'going to the jams,'" Sha Rock continued. 

A few years before the park jams took off, DJ Kool Herc’s August 1973 rec room party put hip-hop as we know it on the map. Herc took classic records and popular hits, broke down the beats, and invited MCs to chime in over them invoking the Jamaican style of delivery, talking or chanting, usually in a monotone melody, over a rhythm known as "toasting" in reggae.

In 1975, the Bronx Boys Rocking Crew (or TBB) fostered another element of hip-hop when they organized late night tagging sessions. These young graffiti artists brought the color and life of their borough to the rest of the city, as painted subway trains provided moving canvases and controversy. 

By the time the park jams were happening, some graffiti crews had expanded into competitive dance. With moves drawn from martial arts, gymnastics, and modern dance, "breaking, popping, and locking" would see b-boys and b-girls become as important as music to hip-hop as an art form. Breaking as an art has continued to flourish and will soon be an Olympic sport.

Bronx-born artists such as the Funky Four Plus One, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Melle Mel and Kurtis Blow became pioneers of the genre in the 1970s, and helped define hip-hop in the '80s. 

The borough would go on to boast Kool Keith, KRS One, Big Pun, Fat Joe, and Cardi B, among many others, as acts who have innovated the Bronx’s place in hip-hop culture. The borough is now home to the Universal Hip-Hop Museum and will host events at Sedgwick and a 50 Years of Hip-Hop concert at Yankee Stadium.

In 1990, Brooklyn was New York’s Blackest neighborhood, with 73.1 percent of its Black residents native born. The previous decade had seen Brooklyn rappers rise to prominence in hip-hop, by the end of the 1990s the world’s ear was tuned into Brooklyn.  

Known for his use of three turntables, Cutmaster DC's early tracks "Brooklyn's in the House" and "Brooklyn Rocks the Best" were the first to mention Brooklyn as a force in hip-hop music. These early '80s tracks also featured DC's pioneering technique of cutting breaks over Roland TR-909 beats, a marked moment for hip-hop's technical advancement.

Combining speed, style and humor, few would influence hip-hop's syncopation and cadence like Big Daddy Kane. In their 2012 list of The Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time Rolling Stone called Kane "a master wordsmith of rap's late-golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs." Within a few years Brooklyn flow would be redefined by the slow deliberative annunciation of the Notorious B.I.G., whose delivery would become one of the most interpolated in rap history. 

The styles of both would be emulated and refined by a young Brooklyn rapper named Shawn Carter. The artist later known as Jay-Z attended George Westinghouse High School in downtown Brooklyn, where his classmates included Busta Rhymes, Biggie and DMX — all of whom would play a critical part in the evolution of rap’s delivery styles. 

The borough wasn’t only a boys club. MC Lyte, Foxy Brown, and new rappers like Young MA continue to put Brooklyn on the musical map.

On Aug. 11, 2023, Brooklyn locals (and GRAMMY winners) Digable Planets will headline Celebrate Brooklyn! festival's 50th anniversary of hip-hop event. 

The largest Borough by area, Queens boasts the Guiness World Record for most languages spoken and gained the nickname "The World’s Borough" for its diverse population. Whereas Bronx hip-hop was derived from Black American and Caribbean cultures, Queen’s hip-hop samples the world. While the 1970s saw the Bronx give birth to hip-hop, the 1980s saw the eastern borough of Queens mature the art form.

Queen’s hip-hop history has roots in two specific areas: the Queenborough Projects and Hollis. The Queensboro Projects, a.k.a. "The Bridge," were one of the few unsegregated projects in New York. It was also home to Marley Marl, who accidentally discovered sampling while working on a Captain Rock record as a studio intern in the early ‘80s. 

"I was actually trying to get a riff off of a record. I made a mistake and got the snare in there before the sound came," he recounted to NPR. "The snare sounded better than the snare that I had from the drum machine when I was popping it…I was like, "Hold up!" This will enable me to take any kick and a snare from any record that people love and make my own beat." Marls’ use of the 808 pulse to trigger different samplers was revolutionary, and he would become a pioneer for his ability to blend sampled and 808 drum sounds. 

Marl’s contribution would extend beyond the technical. As a member of the Juice Crew, he brought the voice of 14-year-old Roxanne Shanté to the world. She created a new lane for women in rap as well as the blueprint for the diss track on the seminal "Roxanne's Revenge." 

About a half hour east on the F Train in Hollis, Queens, brothers Joseph and Russel Simmons (a DJ and promoter respectively) founded Run-D.M.C. with friends Darryl Mc Daniels and Jason Mizell. Run-D.M.C.'s sound featured a synchronized, aggressive delivery over simple but memorable rock hooks and beats. Later, the group established Def Jam Records, the label that would prove rap could sell millions of records to Top 40 audiences and bring rap to the mainstream as the first rappers to be featured on MTV.

As valuable as the musical contributions of Run-D.M.C are, they are equally vital to the development of fashion as an element of hip-hop. Street style, as it would come to be known, is born in Queens: Kangol hats, unlaced Addias, Carzal frames, and thick gold chains are now as synonymous with hip-hop as beats and samples. Today, fashion is so central to hip-hop, and vice versa, that New York's FIT Museum recently held an expansive exhibit on hip-hop style.” 

Complex proclaimed Nas’ Illmatic "set off a seismic shift in rap geopolitics" and added that the 1994 record "galvanized Queensbridge hip-hop and by extension East Coast rap as a whole." His introspective and poetic approach to writing is credited for bringing the best out of his contemporaries and inspiring next generation rappers like Killer Mike and Kendrick Lamar, challenging them to meet his lyrical bar.

Though "The Fly Borough" is the most densely populated, the majority of its hip-hop history is concentrated in the northern Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. 

Home of the legendary Apollo Theater, the neighborhood was well rooted in Black music when World War II vet Bobby Robinson opened Bobby’s Records in 1946 — one of Harlems’ few Black owned businesses at the time. The record store would evolve as would Robinson’s involvement in music. He would become a producer and label head whose 1970 imprint Enjoy Records released music by hip-hop's earliest innovators, including Grandmaster Flash, the Treacherous Three, and Doug E. Fresh. The label would also feature Master Don, whose signature use of a "Funk Box" percussion synthesizer and its crispy digital hi hat is still heard in trap music today.  

Harlem was also home to Dapper Dan, the first designer to "borrow" designer goods and modify them with hip-hop flair. His boutique operated from 1982-1992 and was essential to the merging of luxury brands and hip-hop culture. Although brands like Gucci first sued for copyright infringement, they eventually saw the value of hip-hop's branding power on high end fashion sales. In 2018, Dapper Dan and Gucci collaborated on a capsule collection.

Also during this ‘80s culture boom, three high schoolers from Manhattan applied the ethos of punk rock to the emerging street sounds of hip-hop. 

The Beastie Boys began by pirating rap, self-admittingly "Rhyming and Stealing" for their 1986 Def Jam debut License to Ill, and went on to forge a new lane for the medium. They broke  all the rules of sampling and production with their seminal Paul’s Boutique, which Rolling Stone noted is often dubbed "The Sargent Pepper of hip-hop" and lauded for its layer sampling technique. In their ranking of Paul’s Boutique Consequence of Sound wrote, "Paul’s Boutique sat at a finish line waiting for the rest of the world to catch up." 

While the outer Boroughs would enjoy most of the attention musically throughout the '90s and 2000s, the 2010s would see Harlem again centered in hip-hop with the arrival of young rappers like Azealia Banks and the ASAP Mob collective. 

RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard and later Cappadonna would find success as both a group and  as solo artists. infiltrating the "big six" 1990s major record labels by design. You can also hear the influence of RZA on modern acts like El Michels Affair, which draws inspiration from Wu-Tang's melodic take on instrumentation and released two albums of instrumental soul covers of Wu-Tang Clan songs.

Their impact would go far beyond music however. Hip-hop biographer Will Ashon recounted Wu’s influence on fashion, noting that the group were part of a trend of simplification.

"Their whole modus operandi was to present themselves as real and unmanufactured, so their clothing choices had to reflect this. The rawness and directness of the music was supposed to be echoed in the rawness and directness of their clothing. They were a big part of the early 1990s move towards baggy and oversized clothes. Huge combat trousers or sweatpants, Timberland boots, hoodies, puffas, do-rags, gold fronts and so on. A ‘street soldier’ look." 

As you’d expect, Wu’s presence looms large over future  Staten Island artists, including G4 Boys and Killarmy. New artists like Cleotrapa, a spicy, no-holds-barred femme rapper, also counts Wu-Tang as an influence and is helping define Staten’s next chapter.

The history of the intersection of New York City and hip-hop culture is as big and diverse as the city itself. We could only touch on a handful of artists and creators in this piece, but the topic has been explored at length in books like Cant Stop Wont Stop by Jeff Chang and The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip-Hop. Documentaries on hip-hop can be found on almost all streaming platforms Netflix’s notable Hip-Hop Evolution and Ladies First: The Story of Women in Hip-Hop. 

Listen To GRAMMY.com's 50th Anniversary Of Hip-Hop Playlist: 50 Songs That Show The Genre's Evolution

Editor’s Note: Updated Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, to reflect the results of the 2026 Grammys.

1989 was a year of many highlights, from the debut of "The Simpsons" and "Seinfeld" to the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the beginning of the Game Boy. It was also the first year hip-hop artists won Grammy Awards, an honor that went to D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince for "Parents Just Don't Understand."

Hip-hop and the GRAMMYs have come a long way in the ensuing decades. While Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff broke barriers with their win for Best Rap Performance, the duo boycotted the show because the rap Category was not televised. The boycott proved successful, as the genre Categories began to be televised during the following year, in 1990, and every year since then.  

Read more: Who Are The Top GRAMMY Awards Winners Of All Time? Who Has The Most GRAMMYs?

Now, the Recording Academy celebrates the sounds of hip-hop and acknowledges the genre’s indelible impact; few genres have disrupted and defined music on such a global scale. Hip-hop rappers, producers, and songwriters have significantly shaped the musical landscape, garnering a bevy of Grammy Awards along the way. And although many artists have taken home Grammy Awards since ‘89, there are a few artists in the game who reign supreme. 

Read on for 10 rappers who have won the most Grammy Awards

Kendrick Lamar

27 wins, 66 nominations

Kendrick Lamar’s wins represent a return of “conscious” rap that tackles topics such as race and politics while embracing the art of authentic storytelling. As such, his 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly gave way to many social justice anthems such as “Alright” and “Wesley’s Theory”; the release also took home the award for Best Rap Album at the 58th GRAMMY Awards.

Further reading: Kendrick Lamar's GRAMMY Timeline: From His First Win And Performances To "Not Like Us"

Additionally, Lamar’s most successful album, DAMN — which features hits like “DNA" and “Humble" — won five GRAMMYs Awards. At the 2025 Grammys, the rapper's hit single “Not Like Us” swept its Categories. Among Lamar's wins that night were Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Music Video. At the 2026 Grammys, he won the Grammy for Record Of The Year for “luther,” Best Rap Album for GNX, Best Rap Song for “tv off,” Best Melodic Rap Performance for “luther,” and Best Rap Performance “Chains & Whips” (his collaboration with Clipse), breaking the record for the rapper with the most Grammy wins.

Learn more: Kendrick Lamar Sweeps The 2025 GRAMMYs With Song Of The Year Win

Kendrick Lamar’s influence extends to broader cultural events, such as his groundbreaking 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. The show set a record for viewership and became one of the most-watched halftime shows since the Super Bowl’s inception, surpassing 130 million views. 

Jay-Z

25 wins, 89 nominations

Rapper and business mogul Jay-Z not only holds the record of having the most GRAMMYs of any hip-hop artist, he is also among the most nominated artists of any genre in GRAMMY history.

The rapper’s GRAMMY wins include Best Rap Album, which he won in 1998 for his album Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life. The album, which was nominated for two additional GRAMMYs, was his highest selling and included songs such as “Hard Knock Life” and “Can I Get A…” featuring Ja Rule and Amil. 

Learn more: Songbook: How Jay-Z Created The 'Blueprint' For Rap's Greatest Of All Time

In 2006, Jay-Z made his musical debut at the GRAMMYs when he performed “Numb/Encore” with Linkin Park and “Yesterday’ with Paul McCartney. From solo hits to collabs with some of the most legendary artists in music, Jay-Z has dominated the GRAMMYs and shows no signs of slowing down. 

Read more: 8 Ways Jay-Z's 'The Black Album' Changed The Hip-Hop Game

His influence was further acknowledged In 2024, when he was bestowed with the prestigious Dr. Dre GRAMMY Global Impact Award. In June 2025, his debut album Reasonable Doubt was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. Not only has he been instrumental in East Coast hip-hop, he has had a hand in shaping fashion and other societal pillars on a global scale, opening doors for artists to go beyond music and branch off into other ventures. 

Kanye West

24 wins, 76 nominations

Kanye West has the second most GRAMMYs of any hip-hop artist, with 24 awards and 76 nominations. His GRAMMY accolades in multiple fields and Categories highlight his versatility as an artist: such as Jesus is King (Best Contemporary Christian Music Album) and The College DropOut (Best Rap Album), the latter of which was his first GRAMMY win in 2004. His awards also reflect his work as a producer; his GRAMMY wins in this arena include Best R&B Song for Alicia Keys’ hit “You Don’t Know My Name,” which West also co-wrote.

West also took home a golden gramophone Best Rap Solo Performance for the hit song "Gold Digger" with Jamie Foxx. At 2008 GRAMMYs, he performed his hit “Stronger” alongside Daft Punk, complete with illuminated, futuristic visuals. In all, Kanye has pushed boundaries with music and art, sampling songs and turning performances into experiences.

Eminem

15 wins, 47 nominations

Eminem’s influence in the industry is evident not only by his chart-topping hits, but also by the number of golden gramophones he has secured. The Detroit rapper, who has effortlessly merged lyrical skill with shock, is both among the best-selling artists of all time and the rapper with the most GRAMMY awards.

Further reading: Songbook: A Deep Dive Into Eminem's Inimitable Career

He is also the only rapper who has won the award for Best Rap Album for three consecutive LPs. Eminem won his first GRAMMYs for The Slim Shady LP; these awards include Best Rap Solo Performance ("My Name Is"), as well as the award for Best Rap Album. 2000's The Marshall Mathers LP, which features "The Real Slim Shady" and "Forget About Dre," won three GRAMMY Awards/ The album also features Eminem's hit song "Stan," which the artist performed at the GRAMMYs as a duet with Elton John.

Read more: 4 Reasons Why Eminem's 'The Slim Shady LP' Is One Of The Most Influential Rap Records

Pharrell Williams

13 wins, 39 nominations

Pharrell Williams' versatility as a rapper, producer, pop artist and songwriter has garnered 13 GRAMMY wins. His awards showcase different facets of his artistry, from his days as a member of the group the Neptunes, to his work as a solo artist and producer.

From Beyoncé to Britney Spears, he has worked with a range of artists and has thrice taken home the golden gramophone for Producer Of The Year, Non Classical. Highlighting his production work, Pharrell's first GRAMMY was for producing Justin Timberlake’s 2003 album  Justified. His collaboration with Daft Punk spawned the popular hit "Get Lucky," which won GRAMMYs Awards for Record Of The Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. 

As an artist and producer, Pharrell is able to blend pop and hip-hop effortlessly. Pharrell’s "Happy," from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack, took home two GRAMMY Awards (as well as an Oscar nomination) and became one of the best-selling singles of the 2010s. Though Pharrell’s ingenuity has opened doors for him to work with an array of artists, he still holds hip-hop in high regard. In recent years, his work on Kendrick Lamar’s albums has spawned several GRAMMYs and nominations–including a win for Kendrick’s song "Alright" off of his album To Pimp a Butterfly. 

Learn more: 4 Ways Pharrell Williams Has Made An Impact: Supporting The Music Industry, Amplifying Social Issues & More

Andre "3000" Benjamin

9 wins, 28 nominations

Andre 3000’s innovative sound and style has pushed creative boundaries in music and netted multiple GRAMMY Awards. Andre 3000's wins and nominations–in both rap and R&B–reflect his work as a solo artist and as part of the group OutKast. His wins include Best Rap Album for Stankonia, as well as Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the hit song "Hey Ya," off of the Speakerboxxx/The Love Below album. Additionally, Andre 3000 has also won a GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance for his feature on Anderson .Paak’s song "Come Home."

His versatility as an artist is evident on his recent instrumental jazz album, New Blue Sun, which earned him three nominations at the 2025 GRAMMYs. Additionally, this album showcases a departure from some of the sounds Andre 3000 is known for, and shows audiences that he is unafraid to challenge musical conventions. 

Read more: André 3000 On 'New Blue Sun,' Finding Inspiration In Visual Art & His New Musical Journey

Anderson .Paak 

9 wins, 14 nominations

Although Anderson .Paak is best known for his contributions to R&B, he has netted GRAMMYs for his work as a rapper. He won his first GRAMMY for "Bubblin," a song which took home Best Rap Performance at the 2019 GRAMMYs. At the 2021 GRAMMY Awards, he won Best Melodic Rap Performance for his single "Lockdown." Additionally, he has also secured multiple GRAMMY wins as part of the R&B duo Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars.

The group’s best-selling album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, features the hit song "Leave the Door Open" and brings together R&B and funk. The melodious genre mix ultimately earned the group GRAMMYs for Best R&B Performance and Record Of The Year. 

As a solo artist, Anderson .Paak has also carved out a distinctive and celebrated career, earning multiple GRAMMYs for his genre-bending albums that showcase his unique blend of singing and rapping. 

Lauryn Hill

8 wins, 19 nominations 

Lauryn Hill has established a benchmark for female artists in hip-hop, setting an exceptionally high bar that many artists still aspire to reach. 

Her seminal 1998 album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, achieved widespread critical acclaim before becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time. Additionally, it is the first hip-hop album to win a GRAMMY for Album Of The Year. The album ultimately launched Lauryn Hill’s career into the stratosphere; she became the first female rapper with a diamond-certified album. It is also the only solo album Lauryn has put forward to date. In 2024, the album was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. 

Read more: Revisiting 'The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill': Why The Multiple GRAMMY-Winning Record Is Still Everything 25 Years Later

Although Lauryn Hill’s artistry and lyrical depth has garnered her GRAMMYs as a solo artist, her success also stems from her contributions as a songwriter and vocalist for the hip-hop group the Fugees. The group’s second album, The Score, earned two GRAMMYs and includes the hit song "Killing Me Softly," which is a rendition of Roberta Flack’s original.Additionally, at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards, Lauryn Hill also won a GRAMMY for her work on Santana’s influential album Supernatural, which was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame this year. 

Dr. Dre

7 wins, 26 nominations

Dr. Dre was and remains a highly influential figure in West Coast hip-hop, who has achieved significant success as a rapper, producer and founding member of the group N.W.A.

Throughout his extensive career, Dr. Dre has earned seven GRAMMYs, including the first win for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical by a hip-hop producer and artist. 

His acclaimed solo album, The Chronic garnered Dr. Dre his first GRAMMY for his single "Let Me Ride" (Best Rap Solo Performance). His best-selling album 2001, was also GRAMMY nominated and features popular tracks like "Still D.R.E." and "The Next Episode" with Snoop Dogg. Beyond his solo achievements, he has been instrumental in launching the careers of artists such as Eminem and producing classic albums for both Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent.

In 2023, Dr. Dre was honored with having the distinguished GRAMMY Global Impact Award carry his namesake. Since the award’s inception, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys have received this accolade.

OutKast

6 wins, 16 nominations 

OutKast’s creative approach to hip-hop has helped them win six GRAMMYs and secure 16 nominations. The duo of Andre "3000" Benjamin and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton, have pushed genre boundaries blending rap, jazz, and pop while staying true to their Southern roots. In 2001, OutKast won their first GRAMMY Awards, one being Best Rap Album for Stankonia.

Their 2004 win for their innovative double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was a defining moment for Southern rap; it notably became the second hip-hop album to receive the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year and Best Rap Album. The album, which was certified diamond, features multiple chart-topping hits such as "The Way You Move" featuring Sleepy Brown and "Hey Ya."

Read more: 10 Reasons Why Outkast's 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below' Is One Of Rap's Most Influential Double Albums

Honorable Mentions

There are many hip-hop artists who have received extensive nominations but have yet to receive a GRAMMY Award — notwithstanding their important contributions to the genre. Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott and Rick Ross each have numerous nominations but no golden gramophone. Snoop leads this pack with a total of 16 nominations, followed by Busta and Minaj (each with a dozen), Scott (10), and Ross (nine). Post Malone stands out, however, with 18 career nominations and no wins.

Sister Nancy is racing around New York City, sharing her "truths and rights."

The first lady of dancehall has just left an interview at radio station Power 105 and is en route for a number of back-to-backs. She's promoting a documentary about her journey — "it's not a story, it's my life," she clarifies — called Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story. In August, she released a new Mad Professor-produced album, Armageddon — her first LP in over 20 years. In December, Nancy will headline a celebration of her career featuring female artists including Renée Neufville. 

This hustle isn't unusual for Nancy — the Kingston, Jamaica-born MC has been performing since she was a teenager, when she was mentored by her brother Brigadier Jerry — though the amount of activity and acclaim is something slightly more recent. The past 12 months have been the busiest of Sister Nancy's 45-year career.

"People love what I stand for. I always give [the audience] something they can think about," Sister Nancy tells GRAMMY.com, Zooming in from a car in Midtown Manhattan. "I will never be your ordinary thing. When you come to see me, it doesn't matter the time or the space, it's always going to be good."

While Sister Nancy needn't be reminded of her influence — "I'm the woman who created dancehall … on the mic system, around the sound system. I'm the one who did all of that, first" — the past 15 years have seen the artist receive her flowers on a global stage. In addition to her status as a rare female voice in a sea of male performers at the dawn of dancehall, Sister Nancy is recognized for her influential, highly sampled single "Bam Bam."

She recorded the early dancehall anthem in 1982 when she was just 20 years old as a last-minute addition to her debut album, One, Two. An interpolation of Toots and the Maytals' 1966 song of the same name, Sister Nancy's in-studio freestyle was laid over sparse rub-a-dub production, allowing her declaration of ambition and skill to ring loud and clear. 

"I went with Yellowman to Harry J's Studio. Yellowman did a 'Bam Bam,', and I had to finish my One, Two album, and I just said I am going to do a tune like Yellowman did. And I did 'Bam Bam,' my way," Nancy recalls. "I just made up in the studio right there."

Remarkably, "Bam Bam" was far from an instant classic and received little airplay in Jamaica. Sister Nancy wouldn't perform the song on a Jamaican stage for eight years, until she featured at 1990's Sting competition. Yet the song made its way to the States, where it found popularity in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut's Caribbean diaspora and caught the ear of hip-hop innovators of the '80s.

Sister Nancy's grooving refrain and undulating horns from an Ansel Collins riddim have been widely sampled in the four decades since its release. Multiple sources consider it the most sampled reggae song ever (WhoSampled.com counts 155 samples), with Beyoncé, Madlib, Run D.M.C., Lauryn Hill, Chris Brown, Alicia Keys, Ariana Grande, and Buju Banton and many others pulling from Nancy's crisses lyrics.  It's been used in film and television, including prominently in 1998's Nas- and DMX-featuring Belly.

"I didn't hear it play in Jamaica. I didn't know how big it was at all. I just didn't hear it at all," Nancy recalls. "And remember, I had songs before that like 'One, Two' and 'Transport Connection'; they were playing, but I didn't hear 'Bam Bam' until I come to the U.S." 

Sister Nancy moved to New Jersey with her daughter in 1996, and worked as an accountant in a bank. She never stopped performing, and while Sister Nancy traveled as far as Israel to sing, she was often relegated to multi-artist bills — and not in the largest text. She was known and respected among those in the diaspora and by folks with a crate-digging sensibility, but wider recognition remained somewhat elusive.

Still, Nancy kept her spirits up, locking into her faith and sense of humor. "The inspiration [comes] from almighty God himself,” she says. “You can't be a sulky person and I don't believe in that. I like to make people laugh."

Like many artists of her era who either had bad contracts or no contract at all, Sister Nancy did not benefit from the popularity of "Bam Bam" for the majority of her career. Nancy was largely unaware of its popularity as a hip-hop sample, and didn't receive royalties for the tune (itself owned by producer Winston Riley, who died in 2012). Things came to a head in 2014, when Nancy's daughter shared that "Bam Bam" was used in a Reebok commercial. After that, there was no stopping Sister Nancy.

"I just couldn't take no more. I just say it's time for me to be compensated, and I just did what I had to do," the icon says of her legal battle for royalties. "It was not a difficult process. I just did the right thing and everybody who was involved just complied, and I was satisfied."

In 2016, Sister Nancy received 10 years of back royalties as well as royalties going forward, which allowed her to retire from the bank and pursue music full time. She encourages artists in similar binds to find an attorney who's familiar with their work. 

"The attorney that I got told me that he and his wife was my biggest fans, so it was easy for him to really work for me," she says, adding, "I don't go for no young lawyer because they have name. Get people with experience to fight for you."

With her rights restored, Sister Nancy's trajectory changed dramatically in the latter half of the 2010s — due in no small part to nods and samples from two of hip-hop's biggest artists. Kanye West prominently sampled "Bam Bam" in the Rihanna-featuring "Famous"; Nancy's chorus comes in midway through the song, adding an ethereal quality to West's braggadocio. "Famous" was nominated in multiple Categories at the 2017 GRAMMYs, including for Best Rap Song.

Of the many, many samples and interpolations of her work, Sister Nancy is unequivocal about who delivered her favorite: Jay-Z

For his 2017 single "Bam" featuring Damien Marley — off the GRAMMY-nominated 4:44 — Jay-Z not only sampled "Bam Bam," but worked with Nancy directly. After hearing Nancy on Hot 97's "Ebro In The Morning," Jay-Z flew the legend to Jamaica to sing and feature in his hybrid music video-documentary. That direct connection, a deferential gesture, was not lost on Sister Nancy.

"That's the best one. I'd rather work with him than anybody, it's because he did the right thing. He took me with him. I appreciate that," Sister Nancy says of Hova. "I have a respect for him because he chose to go with me and do it the right way. The rest of them just went behind my back."

In the years since, Sister Nancy has continued to thrive. She's performed on global stages and can be seen regularly at New York hotspots such as Union Pool, Public Records, and S.O.B.'s. Janelle Monáe featured Nancy not once but twice on 2023’s Album Of The Year-nominated The Age Of Pleasure, and sampled "Bam Bam" on “Water Slide." In further recognition of her impact, Burberry asked Sister Nancy to participate in their spring/summer 2024 campaign, which was shot in Jamaica. 

She continues to release new music of her own, though she believes in letting projects simmer before embarking on something new. Armageddon —her first full-length since 2001's Sister Nancy Meets Fireproof — was released this summer, seven years after it was recorded with Mad Professor in the U.K. "Mad Professor is someone I look up to. He's a genius, and I love working with him," Sister Nancy adds. "He remind me of [Jamaican dub pioneer] King Tubby. "

While Sister Nancy's icon status has long since cemented, she remains committed to performing. She's one of few women of her generation to do so; peers like Sister Carol and Marcia Griffiths continue to share their messages in a reggae style, though with less frequency than Sister Nancy. Her presence on record and on stage has inspired generations of singers and DJs.

"If someone can patronize you or learn from what you're doing, it makes it worthwhile," Nancy says. "I'm going to do that as long as I can talk. As long as my voice is heard, I am going to be doing that. Because there ain't no stopping Sister Nancy."

More than 40 years later, she's still happy to discuss and play that single she recorded back in Kingston as a young woman. "I have to appreciate 'Bam Bam.' I have no problem talking about it because it's mine. I did the song, so I'm not tired of talking about it. I'm not tired of playing it either," Sister Nancy says. " I love it. That's my voice. I made that."

Since the world got to know Cardi B as the one-liner queen on VH1's "Love & Hip Hop: New York" in 2015, she's become one of today's most celebrated female rappers. But she's also been at the center of highly publicized feuds, lawsuits and a divorce. So on her second album, she can't help but ask, Am I The Drama?

"It's like, 'Damn, does drama chase me? Or am I the drama?'" she told Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1. "I just really think I was born with an anointed light. Sometimes the light is great, but it also disturbs people's peace. It draws people to me, and it's not always going to be good. That light might bother people … maybe it's too bright, it's too loud. It's always been like this to me."

From the moment she burst onto the rap scene with "Bodak Yellow" in 2017, Cardi has always presented herself as a confident woman and a straight-shooter. She's someone who's never afraid to address any drama that surrounds her head-on, whether it be on stage, on social media, or in her music. 

Following her 2018 blockbuster album, Invasion of Privacy, her meteoric rise to fame has oftentimes been coupled with controversy tied to both her career and personal life. At times, she's leaned all the way into the drama and at other moments, she's taken the high road — and now, seven years later, Cardi is out for blood on Am I the Drama? From her ex-husband Offset and new man Stefon Diggs to the female rappers who've dissed her in the past, Cardi's laying it all out on the table.

As you unpack Am I the Drama?, here's a breakdown of the major moments that have led up to Cardi's long-awaited sophomore project.

Setting The Stage: "Love & Hip Hop" & Self-Released Mixtapes

By the time she joined Season 6 of "Love & Hip Hop: New York," Cardi B had amassed a fan base through her relatable, meme-worthy Instagram and Vine clips. Her "regular, degular, shmegular girl from the Bronx" persona and hilarious one-liners made her a fan favorite.

While Cardi famously declared herself "Queen Petty Labelle" on the show, if there was one thing she wanted viewers to know, it's that she always had her sights set on rap stardom. "When it comes to this music thing, I ain't playin' with it," she said in episode 3. "I'm putting my heart, my foot and my money in this thing." 

Almost exactly three months after her "LHHNY" debut, Cardi dropped her first mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1. The self-released project introduced audiences to Cardi's realness while documenting her climb to the top, particularly on tracks "Washpoppin'" and "Everything." "Lord forgive me for my sins/ Forgive me for the crazy s— I wish I never did/ I'm simply just a young hood girl tryna win," she confesses in the latter's opening verse.

In December 2016, Cardi announced she was leaving "LHHNY," largely due to her desire to pursue music more seriously. "I don't want people to think I became a rapper because I was on 'Love and Hip Hop,'" she told VIBE Viva, offering a rather fortuitous sentiment about navigating her music career. "Everything I do, it takes a lot of time for me to do it because only the best sells, you know? If you want people to take you seriously, you gotta do the best."

One month later, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2 saw Cardi asserting more power while signaling that mainstream success was near, especially in the hard-hitting opener "Bronx Season": "All these labels, throwing deals from left to right/ But I ain't giving in until they get them numbers right," she raps. 

At the beginning of 2017, Cardi welcomed a new chapter when she inked a life-changing deal with Atlantic Records — a testament to her perseverance and star power. "People don't understand that they signed me because I put out a free mixtape and it sold so much and it was free," Cardi told The FADER. "Like, the numbers don't lie. It's right there."

Asserting Her Dominance: "Bodak Yellow"

Everything Cardi had promised with her mixtapes came to fruition on her breakthrough hit "Bodak Yellow." Upon its earth-shattering release, "Bodak Yellow" solidified her status as a voice for the underdog — and as rap's new unapologetic queen.

Along with referencing her stripper past and asserting her dominance ("I don't dance now, I make money moves," she declares in the chorus), Cardi used "Bodak Yellow" to set the tone for the career that was to come. "Honestly, don't give a f— 'bout who ain't fond of me," she raps in the first verse. "Dropped two mixtapes in six months/ What b— working as hard as me?" 

"Bodak Yellow" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 2017. With the feat, Cardi not only made history as the first female rapper to top the chart since Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" in 1998, but she also became the first artist of Dominican descent to earn a chart-topper since the Hot 100's 1958 inception.

Cardi followed "Bodak Yellow" by establishing herself as an in-demand collaborator, first thanks to  G-Eazy's "No Limit" with A$AP Rocky and Migos' "Motorsport" with Nick Minaj. Bringing her unfiltered delivery to both Top 10 tunes, she further showed her prowess for fiery declarations. "My career takin' off, these hoes jogging in place/ Swear these hoes run they mouth, how these hoes out of shape?" she rapped in the former, while she asserted in the latter, "Same lips that be talkin' 'bout me Is the same lips that be ass kissin'."

As she closed out her breakout year and entered a new one, she doubled down on with back-to-back hits. On the 21 Savage-featuring single, "Bartier Cardi," she flaunted to her haters ("Cardi took your man, you upset/ Cardi got rich, they upset"); in her verse on the remix to Bruno Mars' "Finesse," she celebrated her new rap reign ("Cardi B, straight stuntin', can't tell me nothin' Bossed up and I changed the game") — proving that she was not only here to stay, but she was unafraid to tell off anyone who thought otherwise.

Cementing Star Power: Invasion of Privacy

By early 2018, there was no denying that Cardi was at the top of her game. But as she prepped her highly anticipated debut album, she began to feel the weight of being in the public eye, juggling speculation about her relationship with Offset and criticism over becoming pregnant early on in her career.

"I feel like a damn monkey in the zoo," she said on "The Breakfast Club." "Everyone is just watching me, and when they just not watching me, they just wanna make something of me."

Naturally, she tackled those feelings head-on with the title of her debut LP, Invasion of Privacy. While Cardi boasted her new lavish lifestyle on tracks like "Money Bag" and "Best LIfe," several tackle rumors of Offset's infidelity, from "Thru Your Phone" ("Everyone was right about you now, and You creepin', you creepin', you creepin'") to "Be Careful" ("And karma for you is gon' be who you end up with"). The diaristic approach foreshadowed how Cardi would gradually begin embracing her vulnerability more and more, turning her weakest moments into triumph.

Her continued success helped with that, too. Along with topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts and the all-genre Billboard 200, Invasion of Privacy spawned another No. 1 smash, "I Like It." The bilingual hit highlighted her Dominican-Trinidadian roots while driving home her cultural impact alongside reggaeton kings Bad Bunny and J Balvin. It also maintained her resilience: "I like texts from my exes when they want a second chance/ I like proving n—s wrong, I do what they say I can't."

And Cardi's reign didn't let up there. She collected her third No. 1 after hopping on Maroon 5's "Girls Like You," which showcased her versatility without watering down her signature style; meanwhile, DJ Snake's "Taki Taki" helped Cardi solidify her international appeal alongside Selena Gomez and Ozuna.

Five months later, Invasion of Privacy was awarded Best Rap Album at the 2019 GRAMMYs. Making Cardi the first solo female artist to win in the Category's 30-year history, the victory confirmed her place among rap's greats. 

Maintaining The Throne: Notable Singles & Collabs

While a deluxe edition of Invasion of Privacy never came to fruition, Cardi released two of its intended bonus tracks, "Money" and "Press," in October 2018 and May 2019, respectively. Both echoed the boastful themes of Cardi's debut, with "Press" particularly hinting at the narrative she'd eventually explore on Am I The Drama? "Press, press, press, press, press/ Cardi don't need more press/ Kill 'em all, put them hoes to rest," she raps, "Walk in, bulletproof vest/ Please tell me who she gon' check."

After making her film debut in Hustlers, returning to television with Netflix's "Rhythm + Flow," and hopping on tracks with the likes of City Girls ("Twerk") and Ed Sheeran ("South of the Border" with Camila Cabello), Cardi scored one of the biggest hits of her career with "WAP." The Megan Thee Stallion-assisted smash saw her bring the drama in extreme NSFW fashion — and as she declared in her 2023 team-up with Lizzo, "Rumors," she has no remorse.

"Last time I got freaky, the FCC sued me," she asserts, referencing her controversial GRAMMYs performance of "WAP." "But I'ma keep doin' what I wanna do."

That's the mindset that has fueled Cardi's star power, and what has helped her stay on top of her game in between Invasion of Privacy and Am I The Drama? As her on-and-off relationship with Offset continued to make headlines — from breakup rumors and wedding bells to welcoming two more children and officially filing for divorce — she was also yielding defamation lawsuits and feuds with fellow rappers including Nicki Minaj, BIA, JT, and Ice Spice. Yet, Cardi continued to show her fearlessness in confronting the drama head-on, like on her 2022 collab with Glo Rilla, "Tomorrow 2": "She throwin' shots, that's how I know I got her triggered/ I don't speak dog ho (Woof)/ I don't care what no b— say."

Though her Invasion of Privacy follow-up was still TBD by early 2024, Cardi insinuated that her forthcoming music would lean even further into the hard-edged energy. On "Like What (Freestyle)," she annihilates her enemies over an instrumental of Missy Elliott's "She's a Bitch." And on "Enough (Miami)," she reminded listeners that she hasn't lost her touch: "Look, ayy, I'm gettin' better and better-er/ I do not see no competitors (You know it)."

That summer, she filed for divorce from Offset and announced she was expecting her second child the day after. During an Instagram Live in November, Cardi admitted that 2024 was "the weirdest year I have ever experienced," but confirmed that her second album would finally arrive in 2025 — and that it's "going to be my f—ing year."

Entering A New Era: Am I The Drama?

On June 23, 2025, Cardi officially revealed the release date for her sophomore album — and its telling title, Am I the Drama? Lead single "Outside," which seemingly takes shots at Offset, lives up to Cardi's self-proclaimed "Queen Petty Labelle" reputation. "Good for nothing, low-down dirty dogs, I'm convinced/ Next time you see your mama, tell her how she raised a b—," she snarls. 

Cardi followed up "Outside" with "Imaginary Playerz," bringing old-school vibes in a superb reimagining of Jay-Z's 1997 song "Imaginary Players." With brazen bars like "My flop and your flop is not the same/ If you did my numbers, y'all would pop champagne," Cardi sounds more confident than ever. 

As she ushers in a new era with Am I the Drama?, Cardi keeps on proving that time is on her side. The 23-track LP marks a pivotal turning point in Cardi's career; she knows all eyes are on her, but she's been waiting for this moment all along.

There's diss tracks galore, addressing her feuds in tracks like "Dead," "Magnet," "Pretty & Petty," and "Better Than You" that boast some of the most vicious bars of her career. "If you ain't my b—, you just a b— in the g—damn way/ You say you'd die for your respect, let's find out and see," she fires off on "Check Please"; on "Killin You Hoes," she snarls, "I say her whole name, I'll just be doin' charity/ I'm nothin' like you b—es, we don't got no similarities/ F— all you hoes, lotta y'all is weird to me/ F— niggas too 'cause why y'all so embarrassing?"

As "Outside" hinted, she doesn't sugarcoat her feelings about her relationship with Offset, either, whether on "What's Goin On" or "Shower Tears." But "Man of Your Word" sees her owning up to her mistakes, too: "As a wife, I should've realized when you was hurt, but I put my music first."

On a happier note, "Safe" and "Pick It Up" proudly celebrate Cardi's new boyfriend, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Two days before the release of Am I The Drama?, Cardi revealed that she and Diggs are expecting their first child together on CBS Mornings. In the same interview, she mentioned that her head is in a "really good space," something that's apparent no matter the topic on her latest LP. 

Am I The Drama? isn't just a celebration of how far Cardi's come — it's a declaration of a self-assured star. "So many [rappers] come and go, and I'm still here," she told Billboard. "You can downplay my accent, but I put a lot of thought into my work. I don't half-ass anything I do."

Do you remember the 21st night of September? The classic date famously referenced by Earth, Wind & Fire is just around the corner, and artists of all types are joining the party with musical offerings of their own.

RAYE kicks off the era for her hotly anticipated sophomore album with the cheeky demand of lead single "WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!," while FINNEAS and Ashe make their debut as The Favors with full-length debut The Dream. Several rising country stars also deliver new tunes, with Josh Ross unveiling his debut album, Later Tonight; Lauren Watkins teaming up with John Morgan on "Slippery Slope"; Dasha hopping on the "Train," Corey Kent recruiting Max McNown for "Measure," and Kameron Marlowe yearning to "Let the Lonely" in.

Elsewhere, Jesse McCartney gets Weightless with four smooth tracks on his latest EP and Carly Rae Jepsen continues prepping for the 10th anniversary edition of Emotion with the floaty, synth-driven "Guardian Angel." Plus, Julia Michaels declares "No Heartbreak's Killed Me Yet," Miguel celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month (and his upcoming new album) with "El Pleito," The Chainsmokers  and AppleTV+ drops the jam-packed soundtrack for their new musical series "KPOPPED," which features must-hear collaborations between Kesha and JO1, J Balvin and ATEEZ, Patti LaBelle and Billie, Spice Girls' Emma Bunton and Mel B with ITZY and more.

Below, press play on 11 other new releases to soundtrack your weekend, including new bonus tracks from Miley Cyrus, new albums by ATEEZ, Cardi B and Lola Young and singles from Lewis Capaldi, Aerosmith and YUNGBLUD and YoungBoy Never Broke Again. 

Miley Cyrus — Something Beautiful (Deluxe)

Miley Cyrus isn't quite finished with Something Beautiful. Three months after the album became the eighth Top 5 set of the superstar's career, she has offered up a deluxe edition of the ambitious, high-concept project featuring a pair of seriously major new collaborations. First up is "Secrets," a soft rock anthem she shares with Lindsay Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, which is followed by "Lockdown," a cacophonous, experimental, 13-minute opus between Cyrus and David Byrne.

Read More: The Many Eras Of Miley Cyrus: How 'Something Beautiful' Celebrates Pop's Great Experimenter

Cardi B — AM I THE DRAMA?

Seven years after her GRAMMY-winning debut, Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B's long-awaited sophomore album, AM I THE DRAMA?, has finally arrived. Along with pre-release singles "Outside" and "Imaginary Playerz," Cardi packs the studio set with A-list collaborations with Selena Gomez ("Pick It Up"), Lizzo (the 4 Non Blondes-sampling "What's Goin On"), Janet Jackson ("Principal," which borrows from the superstar's Control-era smash "The Pleasure Principle"), Tyla ("Nice") and more, while "WAP" and "Up" make a surprise appearance at the close of the album's 23-song tracklist.

ATEEZ — Ashes to Light

Building off their trio of Golden Hour EPs — the latest of which dropped just three months ago — ATEEZ comes roaring back with Ashes to Light, their second full-length offering in Japanese. On Sept. 16, the K-pop idols also dropped the music video for lead single "Ash," which finds all eight members dressed in sharp white ensembles against a stark, eerie landscape as they sing, "I'm dancing in the ash/ It's still here, your touch/ You're not here, this hush/ Even if the shape chances forever/ Smoldering love, piling up ash." (English translation courtesy of Genius.)

Read More: K-Pop's Fall Takeover: 17 Tours & Events To Check Out, From TXT To LE SSERAFIM

Lewis Capaldi — "Something In The Heavens"

Lewis Capaldi continues rolling out new music with "Something in the Heavens," a follow-up to his comeback single "Survive" from earlier this summer. Up against the encroaching threat of gathering clouds and "days of permanent gray," the British singer/songwriter's falsetto soars as he vows, "I'll love you till my last breath/ You're gone but/ Something in the heavens tells me that we'll be together again." Corresponding with the track's release, the two-time GRAMMY nominee also recorded a gorgeous take of the song live from the famous Abbey Road Studios.

Read More: 10 Artists Who Are Outspoken About Mental Health: Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes & More

Aerosmith & YUNGBLUD — "My Only Angel"

It's official: Aerosmith and YUNGBLUD are joining forces on a joint EP, One More Time. The project — which serves as the Steven Tyler-fronted band's first new music in more than a dozen years — won't arrive in full until Nov. 21, but the rockers have shared a first taste of what to expect with lead single "My Only Angel."

"Would you cry if I called you my angel?/ Gotta leave, gotta leave, gotta leave you one more time," Tyler and YUNGBLUD wail together on the song's arena-ready hook, which came about after Aerosmith was originally supposed to collaborate with the younger rocker on his bombastic Idols opener "Hello Heaven, Hello."  

Read More: 10 Reasons Why 'Get A Grip' Is Aerosmith's Most Iconic Album

Kaash Paige — "GOD SAVE ME"

Kaash Paige dropped her latest EP, the hip-hop-infused KAASHMYCHECKS just last month, and just a matter of weeks later, she delivers a sonic 180 in the form of "GOD SAVE ME," the stripped-down R&B ballad that serves as the first preview of her forthcoming album, 2 Late 2 Be Toxic. In a press release, the versatile artist describes the new track as both her "emotional ground zero" and a musical example of "heartbreak at its most unfiltered, when love turns volatile and confusing."

Watch: Kaash Paige Strips Down Jhené Aiko's "The Worst" In A Raw Solo Performance | ReImagined

Sammy Virji — Same Day Cleaning

It's been quite the summer for Sammy Virji, who kicked off the season by making his debut at Coachella and releasing the Issey Cross collaboration "Nostalgia." The season is bookended by the release of the rising London-born DJ's sophomore album, Same Day Cleaning, which also features guest appearances by the likes of Spice and Flowdan ("Match My Mood"), Giggs (album opener "One For the Books"), Skepta ("Cops & Robbers") and more.

Lola Young — I'm Only F**king Myself

Lola Young clearly believes in striking while the iron's hot, releasing her third album, I'm Only F**king Myself, a mere 15 months after she became one of the U.K.'s next big things with her 2024 breakout This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway. Across 14 chaotic tracks, the 24-year-old TikTok sensation explores nihilism ("who f**king cares?"), sex ("F**K EVERYONE"), drugs ("d£aler"), and a cavalcade of other self-destructive tendencies. Now six months sober, the singer describes the new studio set as "My ode to self-sabotage, my change to claw myself back from the edge of defeat."

Read More: Get To Know Lola Young: Inside The "Messy" Singer's Rise To Fame

YoungBoy Never Broke Again — "Out The Window"

Months after the song first started making the rounds online, YoungBoy Never Broke Again's "Out The Window" finally hits streaming services. The one-off, which follows continues the string of singles including "Shark," "Nussie," "I Forgive Them" and "Sorry Not Sorry," gives the rapper's vocoder-laced singing voice a chance to shine as he shouts out Salt Lake City and warbles, "And I come from the gutter where my brother like my bestie/ Ooh, I'm down bad, I'm not knowing what to say/ Flippin' and whippin' it/ Stackin' up Benjis, look like I'm a bank teller."

Aly & AJ — More Silver

Aly & AJ have More Silver to deliver. The sibling duo, who stopped by the GRAMMY Museum last week for an intimate chat about their latest full-length, build on the sun-drenched harmonies of May's Silver Deliverer with four more B-sides. Recorded in Los Angeles' Topanga Canyon, highlights like the crashing "The Last Town" and the tenderly contemplative "The Deep End" both complement the sonic universe the sisters crafted on Silver Deliverer and stand apart as delicate, precious gems worth mining all on their own.

Read More: 16 Events Happening At The GRAMMY Museum In September 2025: FINNEAS, Yungblud, KATSEYE & More

Atmosphere — Jestures

It's been 30 years since Slug and Ant teamed up to form Atmosphere (as well as their pioneering Minneapolis record label, Rhymesayers) and the duo take a triumphant victory lap with Jestures, their thirteenth album together. The studio effort's 26 songs are arranged alphabetically, with each letter of the alphabet accounted for from "A—hole" to "Zorro" — and even guests like Evidence, Mike The Martyr, Musab and Muja Messiah appearing on the song whose title corresponds with the letter of their own stage name.