Ayaa Money Mesbah

The last decade has seen the development of multiple unique, independent radio stations popping up in New York City. Here are our top 10.
New York City has always been known as the self-made city; and the pioneers of these independent radio stations are no exception.
Providing platforms for independent artists of all genres, from across the city, these stations are both big and small, crucially giving artists of all levels access to the airwaves – the well-seasoned vets and the newcomers alik...

In celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary this year, here, XXL takes a look at all the Grammy winners for the Best Rap Song category since it was introduced back in 2004.

Brandon Blackwood is building a handbag empire. After trademarking his name and launching his handbag collection in 2015, Blackwood, who was born and is currently based in Brooklyn, has since received attention and praise from celebrities and major publications alike. Early in his career, Academy Award winner Lupita N’yongo wore one of his bags, but after launching his “End Systemic Racism” tote, which Kim Kardashian wore in October 2020, he gained significant buzz. After initially launching ...

Over the past decade and a half, we have watched J. Cole grow from a hungry young artist dropping mixtapes in the blog era to one of the most commercially successful rappers on the planet. If you go back and compare those very first tapes to his most recent studio albums, though, you’ll notice he didn’t have to make any big artistic sacrifices to reach that success. Throughout the years, he has stayed true to his own vision, sharpening his skillset along the way, and he didn’t have to dramatically change his sound or messaging to sell a bunch of records. Instead, he gradually built one of...

A24 seldom fails to evoke emotion from their viewers with any film they release, and David Lowery’s The Green Knight seamlessly follows suit. In true minimalist horror fashion, we are gifted with a medieval fantasy with lots of room for ambiguity and lingering questions; which led me to watch it twice. From Dev Patel starring as Gawain, King Arthur’s nephew, to an unconventional Arthurian journey, to the immense amount of witchcraft, and even down to the color scheming, the film beautifully envelops elements of the 14th century poem it’s based on while creating its own narrative of a nearly...

A school of witchcraft and wizardry was the exact escape needed for any kid trying to run away from their childhood problems and not a single franchise ever existed that made me want magical powers more than Harry Potter. At 10 I wanted nothing more than to receive a Hogwarts letter in the mail and get shipped off to God knows where to perfect my non-existent skills; and even spent that whole year mentally preparing myself for the movie series finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Pa...

Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty exploded onto the national rap scene, and has been only gathering adoration since. Born Lontrell Dennell Williams, Jr., Shiesty did not start making music until the age of 18, but he quickly caught the attention of many, including hip-hop legend Gucci Mane, who signed Shiesty to the 1017 Records in April of 2020.
With several tracks and notable features (Moneybagg Yo, Tay Keith, Lil Baby) under his belt, Shiesty continued his hot streak, reigning at the top of Pand...

So many incredible companies started in small garages and Chrome Hearts is no different. Beginning in the late 1980’s, Richard Stark, John Bowman and Leonard Kamhout collaborated as a unit in LA to create leather jackets as a tribute to biker culture and eventually became a small leather manufacturer, creating pieces for anyone who wanted them. In 1989, the trio were called to create custom wardrobe pieces for a low budget comedy horror film called Chrome Hearts (then changed to Chopper Chick...

As the 5-year anniversary of Drake’s More Life arrives, we celebrate a delivering of a nuanced collection of 22 songs that recall various stages of Drake’s own sonic journey, as well as a tour of other styles and artists that he’s partial to...

There’s always a focus on NY but usually on the city and with a population of 8 Million on its own, the 5 boroughs have a lot of ground to cover. The discussion always begets a whisper of Upstate, which is a lot more physical ground to cover and houses so many cities with talent busting at the seams — which deserves more than a whisper. With the firsthand of seeing a plethora of talent being fostered in Syracuse, NY, it’s crucial to highlight the gems that come out of there.

During his presidency, Barack Obama started a tradition of releasing year-end lists consisting of movies, books, songs, and TV shows. With another year impacted by a global pandemic, Mr. Obama felt that the selections on his list of favorite 2021 movies each told a powerful story, all deserving of a spotlight for their place in art history currently being created.

HBO's Euphoria has had fans at the edge of their seats since the series premiere, but especially since season 2 began to air. Amidst a constantly chaotic storyline lives the dearly beloved main characters as well as the supporting cast, many of which have become fan-favorites.

Whether it's the supernatural history of Mystic Falls or the eccentricity of Quahog, fictional towns have remained as integral keys of world building for a number of cartoons and TV shows. Time and time again fans find themselves enamored not only by the plot line of their favorite series, but by how the cities and/or towns they take place in impact the characters & events that occur.

Some films are well remembered because of their inventive storylines, others are iconic because of their costuming, and others still are revered from the quirky, cool, or downright opulent homes that viewers instantly wish they could step inside. Home Alone, one of the greatest classic Christmas movies with the best re-watch value, is remembered for the McCallister's perfect suburban dream home, which was recently opened up to fans for one night only, while Psycho is synonymous with the eerie...

Sergio Marquina, better known as The Professor on Netflix's hit show, Money Heist, is one of the most essential characters in the five-part series. Being the mastermind responsible for the heists and guiding his crew through them, fans are able to gauge his logical and tactical personality.