Kazi Magazine
Music news, reviews, and digital covers across hip-hop, rock, pop, and electro. Independent journalism and artist spotlights from Kazi Magazine.
- Taylor Swift Co-Produced 'Patient Zero' With Max Martin and Shellback
Who produced Taylor Swift's 'Patient Zero'? Swift, Max Martin and Shellback, the same trio that wrote it. Here are the full credits, from Fredrik Burstedt's violin to Serban Ghenea's mix, plus what the No. 1 adds to Martin's record producer tally.
- Queens of the Stone Age 'Perfecth' Tracklist: All 9 Songs on the Ninth Album
The Perfecth tracklist has nine songs, from "It's Only Love" to "Run Away From The Mob." Queens of the Stone Age release their ninth album October 30 on Matador, produced by Josh Homme and Michael Shuman. Here's the running order, the three songs already out, and who made it.
- Calvin Harris 2027 Tour: Every Date, Including Houston's Toyota Center
Calvin Harris's 2027 North America Tour now has 35 dates on Live Nation, from TD Garden in Boston on March 31 to the Kia Forum on May 30. Houston gets Toyota Center on Friday, April 23, the start of a Texas weekend with Fort Worth and Austin.
- LISA Press Play Review: The Rap Turn Is Real, the EP Plays It Safe
LISA Press Play review: six songs in a little over 16 minutes, no features, led by "Tarantino." The pitch is a movie you press play on, and the credits lean into rap. The critics agree on one song. That's the problem with the other five.
- Anderson .Paak and Cordae's Heavy Is the Crown Review: The Chemistry Is Real, the Album Runs Uneven
Heavy Is the Crown review: Anderson .Paak and Cordae's first joint album runs 11 tracks and 32 minutes with beats from J. Cole, Swizz Beatz, 9th Wonder and Conductor Williams. The friendship is obvious. The album only earns it in the back half.
- Steven Julien Releases 808 PRINCE Album on Apron Records
Steven Julien's 808 PRINCE is out on his own Apron Records label. The 10-track album features James Massiah, J. Caesar, Touch Sensitive, Jarren and KIAH, and Julien told MusicRadar it grew out of beats he first made for Babyxsosa.
- La Reezy Sets 2027 Dates for the Skiddle Bandana Tour, Ending at Gasa Gasa
La Reezy's Skiddle Bandana Tour now runs in 2027: 10 dates from The Echo in Los Angeles on January 14 to a hometown close at Gasa Gasa in New Orleans on February 20. The tour is named for his album, out since July 7, 2026.
- Yung Miami's Debut Solo Album Watch Dis! Arrives With Travis Scott, Summer Walker and Rick Ross
Yung Miami's debut solo album Watch Dis! is out now: 21 tracks, 57 minutes, guests from Travis Scott to Trina, and "Spend Dat" three times over. Here's the tracklist, who made it, and what she has said about it.
- Tobe Nwigwe's THE BRIDGE Has Kizzo's Name on All 12 Tracks
Tobe Nwigwe's name is on the cover of THE BRIDGE. Apple Music's credits put a second name on all 12 tracks: Tierce "Kizzo" Person, listed as producer and songwriter on every song. Here is the album read through its paper, and what the credits say about who built it.
- Houston Rap Releases of 2026: The List So Far
KAZI's running, unranked list of Houston rap releases in 2026: albums, EPs and singles from Don Toliver, Z-Ro, Trae tha Truth, Maxo Kream, Paul Wall, Jupiluxe, Tobe Nwigwe and more, in release-date order. Every date and label is checked against the official store page. Updated as releases land.
- Who's on TDE's Roster in 2026? Read the ℗ Lines
Who is on TDE's roster in 2026? Every current name, read against the ℗ line on their latest Apple Music release. Seven acts put out new first-billed releases on the TDE line this year, five more have not, and three sit outside it.
- Jupiluxe's Enchain Is a Houston Independent You Can Pin to Paper
Jupiluxe's Enchain is an eight-track Houston album released August 28, 2026 on Nebula. Credits, tracklist, and a Voyage Houston interview do more work here than press copy.
- DJ B-Do Went From Pimp C's Port Arthur Protégé to Producing on UGK's Final Album
Port Arthur producer DJ B-Do produced, recorded and mixed UGK's "Grind Hard" on a No. 1 album, then produced two songs on UGK 4 Life with Pimp C. Here are the credits, checked.
- Izzy Garza Runs the Boards at Barron and Keeps the Screw Tape Honest
Izzy Garza is a senior engineer at Houston's Barron Studios and, per his studio bio, an official ChopStar DJ. A credits check on how DJ Screw's slowed-down tradition lives inside a working Houston room.
- Don Toliver Marks Five Years of Life of a DON With Seven RIAA Plaques
Five years to the day after Life of a DON, the RIAA lists seven new Don Toliver certifications, all from that album. The same day, the Houston singer turned up on Offset's new single, "Every Night."
- Gunna Brings Coco Gauff Into the "pop it" Trailer
Gunna's 41-second "pop it" trailer features tennis star Coco Gauff, per XXL and Complex. The single drops Friday, October 9, and opens the run toward Splurge, his next album, which has no release date yet.
- BigXthaPlug Puts Ro$ama on BETTER OVER TIME, Out October 30
Dallas' BigXthaPlug named the features on BETTER OVER TIME, due October 30. Ro$ama got the Dallas billboard. Lead single is LITE with Belly Gang Kushington.
- Karrahbooo's NOT DA 2 Fits a Whole Night Out Into 22 Minutes
Karrahbooo's NOT DA 2 is 11 songs in under 22 minutes, built for the replay button. Start with Truebeatzz's harder beats, Monaleo's Houston bark on "WYO," and the one-minute "No Hook."
- Ro$ama's My Forte Puts the East Texas Pen Out Front
Ro$ama spent years writing in the background of Texas rap's new wave. His 20-track debut album, My Forte, finally puts the Paris, Texas pen out front, and the beat switch on "E.T." is the place to start.
- CRY BBY's Stupid Remix Rewires Chicago Drill Without Abandoning Its Teeth
The Chicago independent's melodic drill project with CEO Trayle, Pop Lord, and Sonny Digital isn't softening the city's sound. It's sharpening it from a different angle.
- Tierra Whack Built a Career on Weirdness. Now She's Proving She Can Really Rap.
Two years after her experimental debut album, the Philadelphia artist dropped 'Wax Paper' ahead of her rap mixtape WHACK'S MUSEUM. This isn't a pivot, it's a flex.
- Rob49 Is Building His Empire While Everyone's Still Calling It A Moment
Five months, three singles, a remix with five features, and a festival in his own name. Rob49 isn't chasing momentum anymore, he's manufacturing it.
- ApolloRed1 Dropped Two Features In One Day and Nobody's Talking About It
While the industry obsesses over manufactured rollouts, ApolloRed1 just put Destroy Lonely and OsamaSon on back-to-back tracks the same morning. That's the move.
- Rylo Rodriguez Keeps Winning While Everyone's Waiting on the Next Trap Star
While the industry chases viral moments, Rylo Rodriguez dropped two collaborations with Lil Baby in five weeks and nobody's talking about it loud enough.
- Masego Books Biggest Headlining Run Yet With 40-Stop Fix Your Face Tour
Three years between headline runs is a lifetime in R&B. Masego's betting the wait sharpened the show.
- Maiya Papaya Built a Houston DJ Business Without Making a Single Beat
The Houston selector turned vibe curation into a booking calendar that runs from local queer nights to brand activations, no production catalog required.
- Jenn Carter Proves NYC Drill Never Left
While critics declared drill dead, the Brooklyn rapper built 593K followers and a lane nobody else could fill. Her trajectory says more about the scene's future than any think piece.
- Fergie Baby's Re-Release Strategy Actually Worked. That's Rare.
How a Harlem rapper turned a mixtape cut into a Ferg collab without looking desperate, and why most artists fumble the same play.
- Natanya Is Building Pop's Most Interesting Project Without Anyone Watching
The North London singer has SZA and Tyler reposting her tracks, nearly 200K Spotify listeners, and a music theory toolkit most pop stars fake. So why does it still feel like a secret?
- Jhene Aiko Finally Sounds Like She Means It
After a decade of cult devotion and seven Grammy nominations, the Los Angeles singer is building toward her most deliberate statement yet. The question is whether Westside Whimsy can convert loyalty into legacy.