Ye and the Problem of Fascist Art
The rapper’s embrace of Nazi ideology is strange and awful, but it can teach us a lot about how far-right politics spread.
Articles in Music
Will AI Enable New Musical Creativity or Undermine Musicians?
On my astonishing and somewhat alarming experiments with music generation software, and what AI technology means for music-making.
Using Rap Lyrics as Criminal Evidence is a Travesty of Justice
Rappers are entitled to the same First Amendment protections as other artists and the use of rap lyrics to prove guilt should be banned.
A Music Theorist on How White Supremacist Assumptions Have Shaped the Evaluation of Music
Professor Philip Ewell on how we decide what music is worthy of scholarly attention, and how to make music theory more welcoming for everyone.
A Brief Cultural History of the White Rapper
Why do they exist? Where did they come from? Can they be defended? The most pressing questions, answered.
Brazil’s Tropicália Movement was the Soundtrack of Resistance to the Military Dictatorship
The Tropicalists built on quintessential musical traditions like samba and bossa nova to create an entirely new sound that captured the spirit of the political resistance of the late 1960s.
The Ed Sheeran Copyright Lawsuit Exposes The Absurdity of Music Ownership
Since there’s no such thing as true originality, litigating who invented what in music is absurd. But it’s also unfair when those who create art don’t see the rewards. We should try to make a world where music is owned by all and musicians don’t have to worry about making a living.
The Greatest Piano Player You’ve Never Heard
New Orleans R&B musician James Booker was a musical genius on the level of Beethoven.