Local scenes beyond stereotypes
Explore another city's music through artists, radio programmes and collaborations.
A city rarely has just one hip-hop sound. Melodic rap, instrumental projects, club records and a conversational delivery may all exist side by side. It is better to use a place name as a starting point for exploration than as a promise of a particular beat or subject.
Start with an artist you enjoyed hearing on the radio. Look at their official pages for collaborative releases, producers' names and label information. Those connections help you move through an actual musical community: artists linked by shared work may prove more interesting than a random popularity list.
Next, compare two tracks involving the same producer and two verses by the same MC over different beats. This makes it easier to distinguish an individual's style from the features of a particular recording. A themed radio programme can also provide context when its presenter names the contributors, discusses releases and makes a tracklist available to listeners.
Keep listening
From familiar rhymes to instrumental grooves: choose a station with a sound that suits you. Choose a station.