The Independent — Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest hip hop artists to come out of the US in the past five years, but Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels has claimed that radios are ‘too afraid’ to play his records. more info

Stereogum — Wal-Mart seems to know things — things that might go beyond how to make billions of dollars by destroying small-town America. For instance: Wal-Mart may have learned, before the rest of the world, that Kendrick Lamar is about to drop a surprise alb... more info

Stereogum — Boston-based duo Sonnymoon shared a new single today and announced that they will release a new LP, The Courage Of Present Times, later this year. The band put out a self-titled record three years ago, but singer Anna Wise is perhaps best known for b... more info

Stereogum — Flying Lotus hosted his first BBC Radio 1 Residency last night, joining a roster that’s included James Blake, SOHN, Jacques Green, and (starting next week) Jon Hopkins. He had a few surprises to share: an unreleased Thundercat song, a new edit of h... more info

The Independent — Kendrick Lamar has cautioned that people shouldn't expect his imminent new album to sound like the recent single 'i', a track that polarised fans' opinion with its more upbeat sound. more info

L.A. Times - Entertainment — The marketing plans are likely being discussed as you read this: brainstorming sessions focused on delivering glistening, big-ticket records from Kanye West, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Adele — 2015 albums so brightly anticipated that they threaten... more info

Perez Hilton — This is straight-up brilliant!!!! Everything that Kendrick Lamar touches is gold these days! He's SOOOOO GOOD! Lamar is featured on the new Flying Lotus track, Never Catch Me, which is a fascinating and super effective hybrid of rap and jazz and danc... more info

Perez Hilton — ONE reason?? We could probably give you one thousand, nine hundred, eighty nine reasons Taylor Swift won 2014! As in 1989, her album that sold better than any other this year and was part of a VERY exclusive club of platinum records this year! [ Vide... more info

The Independent —  If 'i' dampened your expectations for Kendrick Lamar's new album, a soul-searching but very radio friendly track, this new one he performed on The Colbert Report this week should get you sufficiently stoked. more info

Brooklyn Vegan — The Colbert Report will air its final episode on Thursday night (12/18), after which Stephen Colbert (the real person, not his Report persona) will begin prepping to take over for the retiring David Letterman sometime next year. Last night... more info