Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
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Raekwon is currently preparing to embark on yet another era, and its only weeks away. Recently, the Wu-Tang Clan legend announced his eighth studio album, The Emperor's New Clothes. The project is slated for release on July 18 via Mass Appeal.
The Chef isn't going in alone either. The album boasts a long list of high-profile features from the likes of Griselda mainstays Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway The Machine. His groupmates Method Man, Ghostface Killah, and Inspectah Deck will also make appearances, along with Nas, Stacy Barthe, and Marsha Ambrosius. As for production, he's enlisted the help of Swizz Beatz, Nottz, J.U.S.T.I.C.E League, and Frank G and Roadsart.
The Emperor's New Clothes will follow Raekwon's 2017 LP The Wild, and is available for pre-order now. At the time of writing, he's yet to preview the project with any singles.
A new album isn't all Raekwon fans have to look forward to these days, however. He's also gearing up to release a new documentary with Ghostface Killah about their 1995 album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. They dropped a trailer for it last month to give fans a taste of what's to come, building even more anticipation for the anxiously awaited film. The trailer, dubbed The Purple Tape Files, features Kendrick Lamar, Method Man, and various other Wu-Tang Clan members.
“It ushered in the alter egos, the aliases," RZA explained. “Still, to this day, it’s flows that you haven’t heard before, saying the most wild sh*t," Kendrick added.
In the trailer, Raekwon also discussed proving himself as a rapper. “We had to make a conscious decision,” he said. “Either we want to stay here and keep holding guns and want to run around playing this game, or did we want to go for the American dream and get on this rap sh*t.”
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Nova Twins, Brògeal and Eve Goodman have been confirmed as ambassadors for Independent Venue Week 2026.
The week long celebration of grassroots live music across the UK has been running since 2013 and will take place this year between January 26 and February 1. A total of 236 venues are involved, each hosting special shows during a period that is typically quieter for independent spaces.
Nova Twins will serve as the 2026 Artist Ambassadors and are set to return to their South London roots with a special one off performance at the 300 capacity Amersham Arms on January 27. Tickets for the show are available now.
Made up of Amy Love and Georgia South, the duo were recently named champions of National Album Day and ambassadors for Music Minds Matter. They also released their third studio album ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ last year.
The band said: “We’re SO excited to be playing Amersham Arms on Jan 27th for Independent Venue Week. This venue means so much to us. We spent a huge part of our teenage years playing on that stage and have so many memories tied to it.
“From our earliest bands through to becoming Nova Twins, it has always been a vital space for us. It helped shape who we are and build our community. We’re really looking forward to playing an intimate show and celebrating independent venues. We have to keep protecting them.”
Falkirk folk punk outfit Brògeal have been announced as the Scottish ambassadors for 2026. They will play shows at MacArts in Galashiels on January 30 and The Venue in Dumfries on January 31, with The Rooks providing support at both dates.
Singer songwriter Eve Goodman has been named as the Welsh ambassador and will perform at Caffi Isa in Mold on January 26, Tŷ Tawe in Swansea on January 30 and Cwtch Coffee in Pembroke on February 1.
Sybil Bell, founder and CEO of Independent Venue Week, said: “I’m incredibly proud that IVW continues to work with such inspiring artist ambassadors. These shows perfectly capture what the celebration is about, whether it’s Nova Twins returning to a venue that played a huge role in their journey, or Brògeal and Eve heading beyond the major cities to perform in music loving towns like Galashiels, Dumfries and Mold. That spirit is central to what we’re trying to do, and we’re so excited to see the 13th edition of IVW begin on January 26th.”
You can find the full list of participating venues and shows here.
Since the event began, more than one million tickets have been sold for Independent Venue Week shows, helping to shine a light on the challenges facing the live music sector. Last year, Gwenno and rEDOLENT acted as ambassadors for the campaign.
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