When you talk about Houston, it's impossible to separate the city's love of cars, music and sneakers. On a recent episode of JD Sports' podcast, two of H-Town's most authentic voices sat down to talk about the culture that raised them. Slim Thug and Le$ pulled up to reflect on everything from early Jordans and Bape-era flexes to Le$' recent Adidas collab and how Houston style helped shape hip-hop’s larger fashion lane. Slim Thug kicked things off with a definitive take. "Hou

Before he was the Grammy winning engineer behind some of the most iconic hip hop albums of the last decade, MixedbyAli was a tech savvy kid in Gardena with a cracked copy of ringtone software and a curiosity for sound. On the latest episode of The 3rd Verse Podcast, the 36 year old engineer and founder of music tech startup EngineEars shared the origin story that sparked his journey into defining the sonic identity of a generation. Ali's first experiments with audio came fro

Terrace Martin’s name rings out for good reason. With roots in jazz, deep ties to West Coast hip-hop, and a résumé that spans from Kendrick Lamar to Herbie Hancock, the producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist has built a career that’s not just impressive, but principled. On the Go with Elmo podcast, Martin opened up in a rare and honest conversation about what it means to stay grounded, the importance of collaboration, and how young musicians can shape a future that h

The Cool Kids have always operated in their own lane. And in their recent sit-down with Bootleg Kev, the veteran duo broke down their journey through music, technology and the ever-evolving culture around them. What started as a conversation about their pandemic-era triple album quickly turned into an insightful reflection on staying relevant, avoiding the algorithm's chokehold and nurturing genuine fan relationships in a digital-first music industry. In the interview, Chuck

Tolerance  — Kent Jamz When I’m With You  — PARTY IN MY LIVING ROOM RUNNIN ON E  — Ka! True, 22Diegs Jamaica Pt. 2  — Bino Rideaux Tides  — Jay Worthy, Aaradhna Worth It  — Sakura Don’t Fail Me  — Helen Hailu Pool Side  — Fiend You Got Me  — Peter $un Back Up Off Of Me  — The Cool Kids Moonlight  — Lizzie Berchie Jealousy  — Jordan Ward, Joony JUST A DREAM  — Isaiah Falls, Alex Isley Head Over Heels  — Jenevieve

There’s always a lot of music coming out. At this point, there are over 100,000 uploads to Spotify every day, with at least 30 percent of that being hip hop or R&B. Music has continued to come out at a high clip, but something felt different this year. It feels clear that there has been a shift. Originality is starting to feel cool again. Finding new artists through human curation instead of DSP algorithms is becoming exciting again. As we come to the close of 2025 and our o

Apple Music's Rap Life Review marked its five-year anniversary with a live taping at Apple Studios in Los Angeles, pulling together rap journalists, artists, and staff to reflect on the current state of hip-hop. The show delivered a detailed review of 2025's biggest moments in rap, highlighting album releases, artist growth, and cultural shifts across the genre. Revisiting Bold Takes and Regional Shifts The episode opened with the crew's signature "Stand On It or Walk It Bac

On chilly December night on Sunset Blvd, The Blue Note LA set the perfect stage for Buddy and The Don Brown Collective to deliver a warm, genre-defying performance that left the packed house buzzing with energy. The sold-out show on December 27 brought out a diverse crowd dressed in their finest fabrics, filling every seat in the newly opened venue well before the lights dimmed. From the moment Buddy stepped on stage in a crimson tuxedo, it was clear this wasn't just a casua

As the year winds down, we're spotlighting the moments in music this year that got our digital magazine readers locked in. From indie wins and scene shifting pod recaps to New Wave favorites and business model shakeups, these are the top 10 most read stories on The Wave  in 2025. Ranked from 10 to 1, each post tapped into something deeper, a sound, a hustle, a voice, or a vision. Some of you won’t recognize too many of the artists listed here, and that’s also the point of Sou