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Author Raquel Cepeda once said, "The role of hip-hop journalists is to document hip-hop with integrity." Fifty years ago, that esteemed role did not yet exist, for the culture was too young and too niche to find its way into literary archives and journalistic coverage. But seeing how far hip-hop has come, times have changed, and so have the rules for those documenting it - namely, us women.

The role of women hip-hop journalists, unfortunately by today's standards, is not just to report on the culture earnestly. Thanks to sexism, patriarchy, and misogyny, we don't get that luxury. Our skills and knowledge are always under a microscope in this "boys' club," as we've oftentimes been seen as the ill-informed who stumbled our way into this space and not as the revered who helped build, refine, and make it better; as those who've made it safer to tell ours and others' stories.

Lil’ Kim’s memoir is about to burst into the world.

The hip-hop icon, 49, posted a snap of the memoir’s draft to her social media on Monday, and it’s buzzing with a perfect title for the trailblazer: The Queen Bee.

“It’s been a long journey, Beehive, edits are finally done,” she wrote, addressing her fans. She also gave a sweet shoutout to the man behind the draft, none other than influential fashion mogul Marc Jacobs. “Thank you to my bestie/soulmate [Marc Jacobs] for doing my forward.”

Read More: Lil Kim Slams 50 Cent For Claiming She Dissed Nicki Minaj’s Child: ‘Kids Are Off Limits!’

It’s been a long journey beehive, edits are finally done Thank you to my bestie/soulmate @themarcjacobs for doing my forward pic.twitter.com/ggqgxLnqyo

— Lil' Kim (@LilKim) July 31, 2023

The Queen Bee, which was written with the help of writer and journalist Kathy Iandoli,...

In the most anticipated weekend of the year, two of the biggest titles from two of the biggest names in film will hit theaters with the hopes of finally settling this hot debate.

In the right corner, we have Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s explosive follow-up to the mildly disappointing box office performance of Tenet and the next colossal picture in the lineage of Nolan blockbusters. Starring an ensemble cast featuring Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., and the contemplative Cillian Murphy as the titular character, Oppenheimer boasts the promises of being a true epic of IMAX proportions which will undoubtedly satisfy a war historian’s appetite.

In the left corner, we have Barbie, the candy-painted dreamworld big enough to house a child’s imagination from the radically brilliant mind of director Greta Gerwig. With Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling helming the film as Barbie and Ken, this long-awaited adaptation...

Producer Noah “40” Shebib took to Instagram to offer an explanation about the R. Kelly songwriting credit on “Tsu,” from Drake’s new album, Certified Lover Boy.

Shebib, one of several producers on Certified Lover Boy, responded to an Instagram post that shared a photo of a headline from the Independent that read “Certified Lover Boy: Drake album credits R. Kelly as co-lyricist.” The producer confirmed that Kelly does not actually appear on “Tsu.”

“On a song called tsu at the beginning is a sample of Og Ron c talking,” Shebib wrote in his comment.

The author of a newly released biography on Aaliyah has slammed a claim that she used the late star's gravesite to advertise her work.  On Aug. 17, Kathy Iandoli released her new book on the Princess of R&b's life, Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah. A few days later, she was accused of questionable promotional tactics. On Aug. 24, Aaliyah's mom, Diane Haughton, posted to her daughter's official Instagram account, "Due to the behavior of an individual that has been to Aaliyah's resting place in order to promote a book, I have been forced to make a drastic change at Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum. This person interrupted all my thoughts and ideas to make...

Good music can time travel. Aaliyah Dana Haughton was fifteen years old in 1994, when she released her cover of the Isley Brothers “(At Your Best) You Are Love.” The song debuted in 1976, almost three years before Aaliyah was born. In young adulthood, she’d take what was then a modest success for the Isleys and turn it into one of her biggest hits. Even after her tragic death in 2001, Aaliyah’s rendition spanned generations. It soundtracked the teenage love affair in the 2006 cult classic film Atl. It was taken on...