Rapsody (original) (raw)

Rapsody's album Please Don't Cry functions as a reintroduction to the rapper — long defined by her technique, now revealing some of the real person behind that prowess. Jhalin Knowles/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Jhalin Knowles/Courtesy of the artist

Rapsody (left) and Erykah Badu Courtesy of the artists **hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 17

In a music scene policed by politics and faith, there was none more real than Michael Knott. Kate Gutwein Smith/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Kate Gutwein Smith/Courtesy of the artist

Dua Lipa, whose 2020 album Future Nostalgia produced multiple '80s and '90s pop-inspired hits, has released a new single, "Houdini," that hints at another layer of retro revival. Tyrone Lebon/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Tyrone Lebon/Courtesy of the artist

Setting our sights on the biggest music stories of the 2024

Chika plays a Tiny Desk concert. (Max Posner/NPR). Max Posner/NPR **hide caption

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Max Posner/NPR

The album art for Rapsody's "12 Problems." Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Big Boi performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Oct. 1, 2018. Morgan Noelle Smith/NPR **hide caption

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Morgan Noelle Smith/NPR

Lil Baby performs during a Juneteenth voter registration rally on June 19, 2020 at Murphy Park Fairgrounds in Atlanta, Ga. One week earlier, he released "The Bigger Picture," a song protesting police brutality. Paras Griffin/Getty Images **hide caption

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Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Nubya Garcia's latest single "Pace" is all about diving into the many layers of joy. Adama Jalloh/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Adama Jalloh/Courtesy of the artist

Illustration: Belinda Kou for NPR

Brad Barket/Getty Images for 105.1

Pusha T performs at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival in April 2019. Push's latest single, "Coming Home" is on this week's Heat Check. Kevin Winter/Getty Images **hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Bon Iver's i,i appears on NPR Music's best albums of August. Graham Tolbert/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Graham Tolbert/Courtesy of the artist

Melina Duterte is otherwise known as Jay Som. Her latest album, Anak Ko, is on our shortlist of the best releases out Aug. 23. Ebru Yildiz/Courtesy of the artists **hide caption

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Ebru Yildiz/Courtesy of the artists

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out Aug. 23

WALKING LIKE A PANTHER: Rapsody celebrates the legacy of black women with Eve, out August 23. Jose Gongora/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Jose Gongora/Courtesy of the artist

CATCH THE WAVE: Rapsody returns with her third full-length, Eve, on August 24. YouTube Screenshot by NPR/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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YouTube Screenshot by NPR/Courtesy of the artist

St. Vincent performs at O2 Apollo Manchester in October 2017 in Manchester, England. Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage/Getty Images **hide caption

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Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage/Getty Images

Rapsody released Laila's Wisdom, her sophomore album and first since partnering with Jay-Z's Roc Nation, in September. Roc Nation/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Roc Nation/Courtesy of the artist

NPR Music's top five albums of the year. (Clockwise from upper left) Process by Sampha, DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar, Melodrama by Lorde, Crtl by SZA and Capacity by Big Thief. Courtesy of the artists **hide caption

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Rapsody's new album, Laila's Wisdom, comes out Sept. 22. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch **hide caption

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Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch