Whether the genre was hip-hop or R&B or punk or Afrobeats or all of the above, our favorite songs of 2022 did more than entertain us - they took us to places we haven't been before. The music has never stopped - despite how harsh the conditions can be.

While the music was constantly good in 2022 -- sometimes even great -- there weren't many game changers. Here are the albums that stood out from the rest.

The WE tv series, hosted by Van Lathan, debuts with an episode focused on the late Pop Smoke. It will explore the deaths of King Von and Magnolia Shorty in episodes two and three, before going on to XXXTentacion, Soulja Slim, and others.

The success Steve Lacy is experiencing with "Bad Habit" shows how TikTok could help a beloved song compete against today's biggest pop hits. This year, we've seen a number of unexpected songs make their way to the top of the charts.

The CrimeDoor app presents itself as more than just fodder for our morbid obsession with true crime - and in some ways it is and isn't.

Hip-hop's Super Bowl LVI halftime performance show was a celebration. But it did also include a couple notable moments of protest, too. In the last decade, hip-hop has become a larger part of Super Bowl halftime performances. But never has it been front and center.

"Ozark" frequently uses hip-hop '90s hip-hop to define Ruth Langmore, one of its most popular characters. The end result is a character whose relationship to the music doesn't feel forced or comes across as an insincere schtick, often the case with white TV characters who listen to rap music. 

Being a music supervisor is more than just compiling a playlist and putting music in a TV series or film. Just ask Jen Malone - the music supervisor for today's most beloved TV shows, including "Euphoria."

Our list of the best albums of 2021 features everything from a mid-career masterpiece that dropped in January to a modern-day classic that dropped last month. From Drake to Adele to Kanye West, 2021 was the year of the powerhouse album.

A highlighting of the best bass lines Leonard "Hub" Hubbard came up with during his time with The Roots amid his passing.

If you were someone who still felt energized by the flood of new music that drops every Friday, then this was a great year for you. Here are Okayplayer's best songs of 2021.

Amid the tragedy that occurred at Travis Scott's Astroworld, what does rage and raging in rap look like moving forward?

Amid hip-hop figures expressing skepticism toward the COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Uché Blackstock wants to give them and others the opportunity to express their concerns while also assuring them that the vaccine is meant to help them. 

Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl shared earlier this year that drummers from disco and funk groups inspired his drum part for "Smells Like Teen Spirit." But this isn't the first time Grohl has shared how Black drummers influenced his contribution.

A Tribe Called Quest is currently trying to retrieve a share of their sound recording royalties that was recently auctioned off as an NFT.

Although the genre has made progress, the rap conservative is still dominant in contemporary music. DaBaby is a case study of this.

DJs and music enthusiasts alike have used TikTok to make brief, fun and informational explainers on hip-hop samples, showing how the once discrete practice of sample sharing has become more democratized through the internet. 

Led by figures like LL Cool J and Swizz Beatz, there is a small movement happening to ensure hip-hop's founders aren't just getting their dues but getting paid for their contributions.

From Madlib's playlist for Headspace to Toro Y Moi's "ambient record" for Calm, Black artists are redefining the music on meditation apps.

For a handful of MF DOOM fans, Adult Swim served as the platform that introduced them to the late enigmatic rapper. Jason Demarco, Adult Swim's Senior Vice President and Creative Director, talked with Okayplayer about how he brought DOOM into Adult Swim's world. 

Artists have gotten us through so much this year. It's only right we return the favor in any little way we can. Here are Okayplayer's 20 best songs of 2020. It has not been an easy year for artists - in any medium. But 2020 has been particularly brutal for recording artists.

Slowed and reverb and lo-fi hip-hop share some distinct similarities, with both subgenres birthing their own subcultures online, and becoming the soundtrack to Generation Z.

From Diddy promoting Our Black Party political party to Ice Cube helping develop Donald Trump's Platinum Plan, the wealthy male hip-hop pundit is divisive and arrogant despite their intentions.

Both rap veterans and contemporary up-and-comers rely on independent music venues to sustain themselves, but the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a majority of those venues permanently closing.

“WAP” is the latest instance of a rap song sampling the Baltimore house classic “Whores In This House,” and shows the value in repurposing Black electronic dance music as its contributions to the genre as a whole continues to be erased.

Contemporary rap classics, regional hits, deep cuts, and standouts from some of rap's youngest stars have become the soundtrack to protests around the country.

Erykah Badu recently had her 'Apocalypse Two' show on Sunday, April 5. The set is the latest in her Quarantine concert series.

Ahead of the release of his forthcoming new album 'It Is What It Is,' Thundercat spoke with Okayplayer about the album and more.

Those who knew J Dilla best understood how his love for strip clubs -- especially Detroit's Chocolate City -- informed his love for making music.

Underneath the sheen of bright lights, the Grammys grows more and more hollow each year, especially as it's plagued by controversy behind the scenes.

These are the songs Okayplayer listened to the most. From Solange to Ari Lennox to Pop Smoke, here are the 19 best songs of 2019.

Yasiin Bey's new album, which also functions as a "listening installation" art exhibit, will be making its U.S. debut on November 15 at the Brooklyn Museum.

A subgenre of electronic dance music that emerged in New York City in the 1980s, freestyle music has resurfaced in rap thanks to SOB X RBE and S***tyBoyz.

Vocal androgyny has been featured in Black music since the mid-20th century. But never has this trend been so prominent in hip-hop.

Riders Against the Storm are pushing for hip-hop in the city while creating and curating nourishing experiences that puts Austin's people of color first.

From Luther Campbell to Kool Keith to Kanye West, pornography and hip-hop have had a long, complicated, and - -at times -- bizarre relationship.

The Red Bull Dance Your Style competition occurred in New Orleans the same day as the El Paso shooting. What was supposed to be a trip dedicated to the celebration of dance became one of reflecting on the idea of tragedy, and art’s role and value in helping overcome tragedy.

The St. John Coltrane Church has endured everything from multiple relocations to a $7.5 million lawsuit from Alice Coltrane. Still, the church stands today.

The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival is premiering films from music video directors like Nabil Elderkin (Frank Ocean), Coodie and Chike (Erykah Badu) and others.

Although Jordan Peele was unaware "Leaving Neverland" would drop shortly before "Us," the film examines the duality of the late pop icon as soon as it starts.