You know the drill: The big line is coming up, so the DJ turns down the volume, and the whole crowd yells it. That's what's supposed to happen. That's not what happened in 2020. Rap music is communal ...

Hip-hop, like other musical genres and art forms, has had no choice but to grapple with the coronavirus. Back in March, tours froze and venues shut their doors, but recording studios stayed open.

In Slate’s annual Music Club, Slate music critic Carl Wilson emails with fellow critics—this year, Rolling Stone staff writer Brittany Spanos, New York Times contributor Lindsay Zoladz, and special ...