ARTISTS • 26 AUG, 7:30 AM AEST
From Aotearoa to the Hot 100: How Fat Papi Became Rap’s Kurdish Breakout
The full story behind Baban Hussain’s leap from an Auckland studio to the Hot 100—and why his Kurdish-Kiwi identity, partnership with Prodshushy and next releases matter more than one viral trend.
READ MORE →NEWS • 26 AUG, 7:09 AM AEST
BREAKING: Dolly Parton, beloved songwriter and cultural icon, dies at 80
Her family confirmed the death of the country-music giant, actor, businesswoman and literacy champion whose songs reached far beyond genre lines.
READ MORE →FEATURES • 25 AUG, 10:38 PM AEST
Why 2026’s Rap Breakouts Sound Nothing Alike—and Why That’s a Good Thing
From Liverpool’s masked underground to Chicago energy and a Kurdish-Kiwi chart surprise, 2026’s breakout class is succeeding because its artists refuse to sound interchangeable.
READ MORE →RELEASES • 25 AUG, 10:38 PM AEST
Seven Rap Albums You Should Hear Before September Arrives
Seven 2026 rap projects worth giving real time—from J. Cole’s career-sized reflection and Ken Carson’s overload to Rapsody’s detailed writing and Denzel Curry’s renewed chemistry with Kenneth Blume.
READ MORE →CHARTS • 25 AUG, 10:38 PM AEST
TheRapReporter 50’s First Snapshot: What the Gaps Between Artists Actually Mean
TheRapReporter 50 ranks Spotify reach, but the real story is in the gaps: why a small move near the top can represent millions more listeners than a major climb lower down.
READ MORE →AUSTRALIA • 25 AUG, 10:38 PM AEST
Australian Rap’s New Map: From Western Sydney Drill to Global Pop
A scene-by-scene guide to the sounds, communities and international connections reshaping Australian hip-hop beyond one city or one style.
READ MORE →CULTURE • 25 AUG, 10:38 PM AEST
How Rap Fans Became the Fastest Newsroom on the Internet—and Why Speed Can Go Wrong
Fan pages can surface clips and documents before major outlets, but speed without verification turns recycled screenshots and rumours into damaging headlines.
READ MORE →INTERVIEW • 25 AUG, 10:38 PM AEST
Fat Papi in His Own Words: Five Lessons From Rap’s Unlikeliest 2026 Breakout
Five revealing lessons from Fat Papi’s published interviews about Kurdish-Kiwi identity, creative confidence, Prodshushy and the work required after a viral hit.
READ MORE →COURTS • 25 AUG, 1:15 PM AEST
MO3 murder case reaches trial as jury selection begins for Kewon White
The first of three defendants is now before a Dallas court in the long-running case over the 2020 death of rapper MO3.
READ MORE →COURTS • 25 AUG, 1:15 PM AEST
Tupac Shakur murder trial: what jurors have heard so far
Duane “Keffe D” Davis has pleaded not guilty as prosecutors build their case around his past statements and the defense challenges their reliability.
READ MORE →NEWS • 25 AUG, 1:15 PM AEST
Milwaukee mourns Funny $Money and Ym LilShiesty after studio deaths
The two artists were part of the same local music community. Police say a suspect was arrested, while the motive remained undisclosed in the latest reporting.
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