Publications’ year-end rankings are supposed to carry authority and personality. They should argue passionately for a specific picture of the year in music. But what actually tends to happen is some sort of muted compromise around event releases and genre tokenism. In the last few years, this truth has shown itself even more as people’s … Read more
We’ve heard a lot about the death of live music this year, but to what extent does that affect a rap scene like MA’s in which many of the artists never had access to those spaces in the first place? It’s been well documented that Boston rappers have historically been shut out of venues due … Read more
Another one from the old Substack: 2019 was years ago but here’s a list. Connis – Conn(is) This album will always feel like my last semester of college. Trip after trip down Rt. 2 (road road road rest stop road road field road cows…) feeling like MA is empty and everything, not knowing where I’d … Read more
In late 2018, I talked on the phone with billy woods for two hours. I was a senior in college, and I interviewed him as part of a final project on Black radical art. I don’t know why he said yes, or why he was so generous with his time, but it’s to date one … Read more