Shatter the Standards | Substack

The Handguide to the Ladies of Hip-Hop

Presented chronologically to show the long march of ladies in rap music toward success and recognition, contains several types of projects.

Mar 31 • Tai Lawson, Jamila W., and Tabia N. Mullings

150 Best R&B Albums of the 2020s So Far

So whether you’re an old-school purist, a fan of avant-garde experimentation, or simply looking for your new favorite record, here are 150 selections of…

Feb 24

Album Review: Vie by Doja Cat

Vie looks to reaffirm Doja Cat as a chameleonic pop auteur—one who can turn 1980s signifiers into something defiantly her own while telling stories that…

6 hrs ago • Jamila W. and Shatter the Standards

Anniversaries: 4, 5, 6 by Kool G Rap

As long as rap fans value lyrical virtuosity and authentic storytelling, the legacy of 4, 5, 6 will continue to grow, calling for the kind of respect…

16 hrs ago • Reginald Marcel and Shatter the Standards

Album Review: The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean

After Messy introduced her as a rising UK soul voice, Olivia Dean sharpens her focus on The Art of Loving, an album that feels tender and personal yet…

Sep 24 • Charlotte Rochel

Recent posts

Wednesday Roundups #120: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time

With Halima, Joy Crookes, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Atmosphere, Kendra Morris, Kojey Radical, Vic Spencer, Reggie Becton, Iman Europe, and others, hit…

Sep 24

Anniversaries: Bridging the Gap by Black Eyed Peas

BEP would eventually become ambassadors for global pop‑rap, but Bridging the Gap remains their most complete statement of purpose as a Native…

Sep 24 • Harry Brown

Milestones: Abraxas by Santana

Abraxas exists as a monument and a challenge. It is the door through which countless entered the kingdom of Santana’s music, a kingdom filled with the…

Sep 23 • Tabia N. Mullings

It’s Not Kendrick Lamar’s Fault That the Labels Deprioritized Hip‑Hop

Major labels’ pivot in 2023 set the stage for a misinterpreted “hip-hop decline.” Lamar is not to blame for any lull; rather, industry strategy-driven…

Sep 22 • Blackpolitan and Phil

Album Review: Cover Girl by Lady Wray

Lady Wray lets her hair down and her light shine on her fourth studio album, and the result is a joy to witness. It’s at once a celebration of how far…

Sep 22 • Imani Raven

Guides

R&B Songs That Aren’t Gospel But Easily Could Be

Cue any of these songs in sequence, and the distinction between sanctuary and nightclub blurs. Modulation becomes exaltation, and secular longing turns…

Aug 10

The Handguide to Sean Price

Sean Price built songs from clean rhyme strings, blunt humor, and a voice that refused theatrics. Across solo and crew work, he leans on bar count…

Aug 9 • Brandon O'Sullivan and Phil

The Ten Songs That Joe Thomas Wrote for Other Artists

Joe Thomas’ résumé behind the microphone is well-known, yet his pen is just as formidable. A close read to show what makes his writing persuasive, and…

Jun 29 • Imani Raven

The Best R&B Mixtapes You Might’ve Missed In the 2010s

The 2010s produced a quiet flood of R&B tapes that redirected the genre through bedrooms, label boardrooms, and avant-garde club basements. Let’s see if…

Jun 27 • Jill Wannasa

R&B Groups That Never Came to Fruition

The list outlined an alternative timeline of R&B, one where everything remained central even as the business world around them kept changing the rules.

Jun 17 • Jill Wannasa

New Music Drops

New Music Drops: September 19, 2025

Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on September 19th, featuring Cardi B, Lola Young, RAYE, Vayne, and many others.

Sep 18

New Music Drops: September 12, 2025

Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on September 12th, featuring Ed Sheeran, JADE, Rex Orange County, Jordan Ward, and many others.

Sep 11

New Music Drops: September 5, 2025

Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on September 5th, featuring Big Thief, El Michels Affair, Ego Ella May, Reuben Vincent & 9th…

Sep 4

New Music Drops: August 29, 2025

Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on August 29th, featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Blood Orange, Jessie J, GIRLSET, and many others.

Aug 28

New Music Drops: August 22, 2025

Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on August 22nd, featuring Mac DeMarco, Laufey, Tori Kelly, JayDon, and many others.

Aug 21