Last month, the editors of Essence magazine, the nation's oldest magazine for black women, announced a campaign to encourage the mainstream hip-hop industry to rethink its use of misogynistic lyrics and images....

It was the typical behind-the-scenes stuff of awards shows—a small security detail watching everyone's every move, journalists huddling near the media area, carping about limited access and hoping for...

Last year, major and independent labels released more than 100 gospel albums, and I had the enviable challenge of trying to keep up with them all. And not just the sheer volume, but a growing stylistic diversit...