In the past few years, gaming and creator culture have become an increasingly prominent part of the rap world. Think of the growing presence of Twitch streamers, or Ericdoa’s viral “Ninja Taper Fade” ...

You might say it was Drake, DJ Premier, or Ice Cube. But the real idea of a beat flip starts with the DJ. In the early days of hip-hop—when DJing was the center of the action and park jams at rec ...

This story is part of our new Hip-Hop: ’73 Till Infinity series, a celebration of the genre’s 50th anniversary. Producers are just as (if not more) important than MCs on a track. As much as fans care ...