Sleevenotes | Rap luminaries on the defining moments from 50 years of hip-hop

Plus: Burna Boy's new album I Told Them Sleeve Notes | The Guardian

Independent journalism, powered by our readers. Support us   Picks of the week ‘It was freaking bananas!’   Rap luminaries on the defining moments from 50 years of hip-hop From Brooklyn block parties to globe-trotting glory, some of the biggest names in hip-hop share their personal highlights from five decades of rap, rebellion and raising the roof Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy   I can’t regret working with R Kelly – it made me better able to judge my behaviour and that of others From sorting fan mail to seeing Abbey Road being made   My life as a teenage Beatles employee Oliver Anthony’s divisive song claiming solidarity with workers only benefits the rich who exploit them Billy Bragg Reviews Alexis Petridis's album of the week   Burna Boy: I Told Them – Afrobeats superstar punches closer to the mainstream Be Your Own Pet   Mommy – teen punks’ return is inventive and itchy with anger Contemporary album of the month   Alabaster DePlume: Come With Fierce Grace – sublime, minimalist improvisation Spotlight ‘I was an absolute maniac’   Punk legend Wreckless Eric on storming Spotify despite sounding like Mickey Mouse The cult singer is still living off Whole Wide World, his very first song – and it wasn’t even a hit. As the riotous raconteur releases a new album, he talks bloody marys, brake failures and near death by Covid Sign up to What's On Get the best reviews, the latest news and exclusive writing direct to your inbox every Monday in our free TV newsletter Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties Click to sign up Classical ‘The rockets didn’t stop us’   Odesa violinist gears up for symbolic concert Proms 2023   John Eliot Gardiner pulls out after punching bass soloist Bruckner   Nine Symphonies – Concertgebouw’s early gift is a conducting masterclass Prom 60   Samson – humour, chewy harmonies and Handel at his best Add to playlist Horror metal, J Hus and new Dolly   All of autumn 2023’s best music You may have missed ‘Grief changes people in different ways’   London drill star Blanco on prison, moral panic and his Angolan roots A founder of the influential Harlem Spartans, Blanco was a massive subcultural star before time inside and the loss of his father prompted a search for new musical inspiration Jon Batiste on his awards glory   Overnight a lot of stuff changed The former bandleader for Stephen Colbert has picked up a Grammy and an Oscar on his way to making a new album featuring Lana Del Rey and Lil Wayne ‘Trust me, I have not been out-girlbossed’   Pop star Reneé Rapp on Mean Girls, mean girls and mental health She quit the Broadway musical of the Lindsay Lohan classic to preserve her mental health and has just released her debut album. It’s a time of high anxiety, the brutally candid songwriter admits La deutsche vita   Why is Germany so obsessed with 1980s Italo-pop? The country’s romance with Italian music goes back centuries, but a new generation has fallen for its 80s hits, covers of which are now the last word in Berlin hip Live music this week Boygenius   Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus meet hysteria with humour Asake   Afropop beacon mistimes underwhelming London return after Brixton tragedy Green Man festival   Self Esteem crowns success, Julie Byrne triumphs and Devo rock the muck Lankum   Eerie, overwhelming radical Irish folk already feels centuries old Get in touch If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email [email protected] … there is a good reason why NOT to support the Guardian Not everyone can afford to pay for news right now. That is why we keep our journalism open for everyone to read. If this is you, please continue to read for free. But if you are able to, then there are THREE good reasons to support us today. 1. Our quality, investigative journalism is a scrutinising force at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more 2. We are independent and have no billionaire owner pulling the strings, so your money directly powers our reporting 3. It doesn’t cost much, and takes less time than it took to read this message Help power the Guardian’s journalism for the years to come, whether with a small sum or a larger one. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis from just £2. It takes less than a minute to set up, and you can rest assured that you're making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you. Support us   Manage your emails | Unsubscribe | Trouble viewing? You are receiving this email because you are a subscriber to Sleeve Notes. Guardian News & Media Limited - a member of Guardian Media Group PLC. Registered Office: Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU. Registered in England No. 908396