21 Savage, featuring J. Cole, has won Best Rap Song for "A Lot" at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards.

21 Savage beat out fellow category nominees YBN Cordae featuring Chance The Rapper ("Bad Idea"), Rick Ross featuring Drake ("Gold Roses"), Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy ("Racks In The Middle") and DaBaby ("Suge").

This marks 21 Savage's first-ever GRAMMY win. The U.K.-born, Atlanta-based rapper is also currently nominated in the Best Rap Album category for his 2018 album, I Am > I Was,  which features "A Lot."

21 Savage received his first-ever GRAMMY nomination for his 2017 Post Malone collaboration, "Rockstar,” which was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance.

Check out the complete 62nd GRAMMY Awards nominees and winners list here.

It’s only been three years into the new decade, but a new era of hip-hop artists have already made their mark on the ever-evolving genre. 

In the 2020s, social media platforms like TikTok have played a growing role in the trajectory of an artist's career. Social media has given artists like Finesse2tymes, Coi Leray, Baby Keem, Ice Spice, and others their first sign of momentum, and they have all ascended to stardom by following the same formula. 

The decade has also proven to be a golden age for female rap stars, with emerging talents like Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Sexyy Red, GloRilla, and others adding to the femme-powered charge. Male artists including Lil Durk, Fivio Foreign, Lil Baby, and others have become the leading voices of their respective cities.

Meanwhile, now-veteran MC Drake remains one of the genre's biggest names and most consistent hit-makers. Rap supernovas J. Cole, Tyler, the Creator, and Kendrick Lamar have continued to flex their culture-shifting powers in the '20s, while the legacies of late artists Nipsey Hussle, Pop Smoke, DMX, PnB Rock, Takeoff, and others have been immortalized by musical dedications, video tributes, and posthumous projects supported by those that cherished their contributions.

Sounds and styles of other regions continue to meld with those of domestic hip-hop artists. Among the biggest cross-genre trends, afrobeat, reggaeton, and afro-swing hits like Travis Scott and Rosalia’s "TKN," J Hus and Drake’s collab "Who Told You," and Chris Brown and WizKid’s "Call Me Every Day" showcase hip-hop’s musical expansion. While the 2010s pointed to the boundless nature of rap music, the genre is as socially diverse as ever in the 2020s. 

From new flows, collabs, and incredible beats, hip-hop will undoubtedly continue to evolve over the next six and a half years. Read on for five releases that have defined the 2020s thus far.

Lil Baby - My Turn (2020)

Lil Baby has blossomed into one of the leading figures in Atlanta rap. He built up momentum with mixtapes Too Hard, Street Gospel, and his collaborative project with Gunna, Drip Harder. But Baby’s full ascension came with the delivery of My Turn, a culmination of his biggest street anthems and most conceptualized hits.

The 20-track project was filled with the year’s biggest trap records, which featured fellow rap stars Lil Uzi Vert, Moneybagg Yo, Future, Young Thug, Rylo Rodriguez, Lil Wayne, and 4 Pockets Full signee 42 Dugg. The album drew an all-star ensemble of beat makers too, with super-producer Hit-Boy, Murda Beatz, Tay Keith, Quay Global, Twysted Genius, and others lending a hand in the production. 

My Turn earned Lil Baby his first No.1 album and topped the charts in 10 countries. And along with major sales, the single "Bigger Picture" was nominated for two GRAMMY Awards in 2021 and introduced the world to the Quality Control Music rapper on a global scale. 

Tyler, the Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost (2021)

Tyler, the Creator took a sonic pivot on Flower Boy and 2019’s Igor, which earned the "See You Again" artist a broader audience and new hardware for his trophy collection. The two albums were deeply transient, personal bodies of work that showed Tyler’s artistry in ways previously unseen. 

He embraced a more alternative sound that was led by harmony-driven romantic tales, punk-ish "f–you" records, and occasional flashes of the Tyler of old. But 2021’s Call Me If You Get Lost ( (hosted by legendary music executive DJ Drama) was the full return of Tyler, the MC. Although it had been years since the California-based artist showcased his lyrical prowess on a full-length project, his skills never faltered.

Tyler regained his distinct delivery from 2013’s Wolf and his older works. He flaunted his riches on the braggadocio-fueled "Runitup" and "Lemonhead," explored romanticism on "Wusyaname," and addressed his rise from unknown artist to international fixture on "Massa." 

The sound of the project was largely crafted by Tyler himself with other contributions from producers Jay Versace, Madlib, and Jamie xx. The finished product was praised by critics and notched Tyler his second award for Best Rap Album at the 2022 GRAMMYs. And nearly two years after the album’s release, Tyler released a deluxe version of the album that featured eight additional songs with appearances from artists A$AP Rocky, YG, and Vince Staples. 

Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022)

Before Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, it had been five years since fans heard a full-length project from Kendrick Lamar. The Compton rapper took his time with the release of his fifth studio, which was a particularly sentimental one for the "DNA." artist. Not only did it mark his first project under his new creative collective PGLang, but it also closed the book on his time at Top Dawg Entertainment. 

With major changes brewing, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was a masterful reflective body of work that mirrored Lamar’s journey in therapy. Themes surrounding alcoholism, grief, celebrity worship, infidelity and childhood trauma are sprinkled throughout the album. The conscious undertones were overlaid with richly-crafted beats by long-time collaborators DJ Dahi, J. Lbs, DJ Dahi, Sounwave, and Bekon, with additional contributions from Boi-1da, the Alchemist, and others.  

The album was led by three singles, "N95," "Die Hard," and "Silent Hill" featuring Kodak Black, which helped the album shoot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the "Alright" artist’s fourth chart-topping project and went on to earn him Best Rap Album at the 65th GRAMMY Awards and re-established his dominance in the genre.

Drake and 21 Savage - Her Loss (2022)

When one of the South’s biggest stars links up with rap’s most consistent hitmaker, it’s bound to shake up the genre. And after collaborating on songs like "Sneakin," "Issa," Mr. Right Now" and others, that’s exactly what Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss managed to do. 

The collab came at a good time for 21 Savage, who was two years removed from Savage Mode II, and for Drake, who had just released the critically mixed dance album, Honestly, Nevermind. The 16-track album was riddled with street hits like "BackOutsideBoyz," "Rich Flex" and "Treacherous Twins."

For all the album’s peaks, controversy loomed over the project immediately after its release. On the song "Circo Loco," many fans claimed Drake dissed fellow rap star Megan Thee Stallion on the song with the lyrics, "This bitch lie 'bout gettin' shots but she still a stallion / She don't even get the joke, but she still smilin'." The story was picked up by several publications, and fan theories circulated for weeks following the album’s release. 

Still, the album topped Billboard 200 with more than 400,000 album-equivalent units, replacing Taylor Swift’s Midnights from the top spot. All tracks debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, with eight of them landing in the top 10. 

Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj - "Princess Diana" (2023)

Ice Spice’s "Munch (Feelin’ U)" had fans gravitating to the curly-haired Bronx native, who struck gold with the viral hit that left a new generation of men questioning whether they’re called strictly for pleasure or genuine affection. The sudden stardom opened doors for the "Bikini Bottom" MC. 

After landing on magazine covers and appearing at the illustrious Met Gala, she collaborated with her idol Nicki Minaj on the hit "Princess Diana." The song was the second track on Spice’s debut EP,  Like..?, but the addition of Minaj boosted her twerk-obsessed, oats-loving brand to new heights. 

With the success of "Princess Diana," the two artists collaborated again on the Barbie movie soundtrack song "Barber World (with Aqua)." The collabs only added to her series of Internet smashes, a list that includes records like "Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2" and "In Ha Mood." She still has a long way to go for her success to be proven substantial, but Spice has already established herself as the hottest commodity in the 2020s. 

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When 21 Savage emerged as a fresh face on the ever-changing rap scene in 2016, Drake crowned the tattooed, gold-toothed rapper "a young October king with all the juice right now." Seven years later, they're co-headlining one of the summer's hottest tours.

The rappers' friendship has resulted in a number of collaborations over the years, culminating in the blockbuster release of their frisky joint project, Her Loss, in November 2022. The pair will bring the album — as well as their respective hits — on the road with the It's All a Blur Tour, which kicks off July 5 in Chicago and runs through Oct. 9. 

The 21-Drizzy partnership is more mutually beneficial than it might seem on the surface; even 21 Savage himself has compared their bond to that of Los Angeles Lakers legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. While Drake has long been rap's never-aging chameleon, he always challenges himself to keep up with the genre's new faces. And combining 21's street cred with Drake's commercial appeal, they've created a unique partnership that's hard to duplicate. 

Whether or not you'll be catching Drake and 21 Savage on their 2023 tour, find out more about the history of their friendship and musical connection below. 

2016: Drake Rents 21 Savage A Ferrari For His 24th Birthday

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All 21 Savage wanted for his 24th birthday was to be in the driver's seat of a Ferrari while cruising the streets of Beverly Hills — and Drake made it happen.

Many thought Drizzy purchased the candy-red sports car for 21, but the gift ended up being a loaner for the weekend to help the Atlanta rapper move around L.A. in style. Savage loved it so much that he went and actually bought a Ferrari for himself.  

"Nah, he ain't buy me no car," 21 later cleared up in an interview with Real 92.3. "He did some real s—. We was just talking, and I was like 'Man, I want a Ferrari or some s—.' 

"So, he just got me one for the whole time I was in L.A. for my birthday. But I fell in love with the car, so I just went and bought one. He looked out. Shout-out to Drake. N—s ain't doing s— like that. N—s barely even tell n—s 'Happy birthday.'"

21 even told GQ that was the only gift he received altogether for his birthday that year.

2016: Drake & 21 Savage Drop First Collab With "Sneakin'"

"Sneakin" arrived in a care package shortly after Drake's 30th birthday, alongside "Fake Love" and "Two Birds, One Stone." The bristling track served as the first offering from the 6 God and 21, which drew rave reviews.

Floating over London On Da Track production, Drake crowns himself "The GOAT," and revels in his various rap feuds while riding high coming off of his dismantling of Meek Mill a year prior. 

21 dishes out menacing rhymes and gives himself the fitting nickname of The Reaper while letting the world know "Baby, I'm a savage, I ain't a romantic."

2017: "Issa" Leaks Early & Doesn't Make 21's Issa Album

"Issa" was widely expected to land on 21 Savage's July 2017 album of the same name, but the Drake and Young Thug-assisted potential banger didn't end up making the cut. According to engineer Alex Tumay, 21's label didn't believe the tune would receive the proper love from the public since it was leaked in the months leading up to the LP.

Perhaps "Issa" will most widely be remembered for 21 reigniting his brief feud with Tyga and name-dropping his former boo Kylie Jenner. "Issa Kylie, might be Jenner — hold up," he raps. 

While it's not on streaming services, "Issa" — the catchphrase 21 made popular from his 2016 VladTV interview — is available on platforms such as SoundCloud and YouTube for fans to enjoy nonetheless. 

2018: 21 Savage Says Drake Doesn't Get Enough Respect For Helping Emerging Artists

Drake makes dishing out assists look as easy as NBA legend (and fellow Canadian) Steve Nash did on the basketball court. Drizzy has laid out the tarmac for countless rappers to take off into stardom, from Migos ("Versace") to BlocBoy JB ("Look Alive")  — and 21 is appreciative of the opportunity.

"Drake just a genuine-ass good-hearted person," Savage told GQ in 2018. "He did a lot of s— he didn't have to do. He do a lot of s— for up-and-coming rappers, period. I don't think he get his respect for that. Every f—ing year, he pull a new artist up. Ain't no other artist on his level do that s—."  

Even 15 years into his decorated career, Drake is still willing to share lucrative real estate on various tracks with emerging artists and lend co-signs that lead to millions of dollars. (Most recently, Drake hopped on rising UK rapper J Hus' "Who Told You.") 

2020: Drake Joins 21 Savage & Metro Boomin' For "Mr. Right Now"

After spending 2018 cementing his one-of-a-kind hitmaking ability with Scorpion, Drake joined forces with 21 once again in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic for "Mr. Right Now."

The bawdy track — from 21 Savage and Metro Boomin's Savage Mode II — sees Drizzy and 21 trade places, with the Slaughter Gang honcho handling hook duties this time around. They ruminate about their love for classic R&B over titillating Metro Boomin production. 

"Mr. Right Now" has arguably become most memorable for Drake's revelation about dating SZA when she was just a teenager. "Yeah, said she wanna f— to some SZA, wait/' Cause I used to date SZA back in '08/ If you cool with it, baby, she can still play," he raps. 

2021: "Knife Talk" Lands On Drake's Certified Lover Boy

Initially intended for Savage Mode II, Drake and 21 Savage completed "Knife Talk" in a race against the buzzer to make the cut for Drake's 2021 LP, Certified Lover Boy. It became an ominous album standout — and though it never became a single, "Knife Talk" is a prime example of the kind of commercial appeal this duo serves.

Built around Metro Boomin's icy piano keys and a cinematic Plain Pat-sampling backdrop, 21 repeats "gang s—hit that's all I'm on" in a sinister, almost hypnotic flow. Meanwhile, Drake raps with slight paranoia, while sending more subliminal shots in Kanye West's direction — but ultimately retreats to his mafioso persona.

2021: 21 Savage Admits He Wouldn't Listen To Drake If He Wasn't A Rapper

In Atlanta, there's a contingent of rap fans who believe Future is a bigger artist than Drake. In explaining this hot take to DJ Akademiks in 2021, Savage admitted that before they became friends, he didn't listen to Drake much.

"N—s don't be listenin' to Drake like that where we are," he said. "If I wasn't a rapper, I don't feel like I still would listen to Drake, for real. It's just I'm a rapper so I understand the work he puts in and how hard he goes. When you ain't no rapper, all them statistics don't mean s—."

21 went on to detail how his circle paired hip-hop culture relevance with who was getting played in the night clubs rather than using Billboard chart hits or streaming statistics to support their beliefs. 

"A regular street n— don't give a f— about how many times you went No. 1, how many white people listen to your s— because them n-—s, the furthest they think is the club," Savage added. "Who's selling this club out? That's who they think is the biggest n—."

2022: 21 Savage's Manager Reveals His Drake Features Are Free Of Charge

The 6 God and Slaughter Gang bond organically grew to the point they don't even charge each other for features. And they actually never did in the past either, according to 21's manager Justin "Meezy" Williams.

"A lot of the artists, they are low-key peers," Meezy explained during a Clubhouse chat with Druski in early 2022. "So s— just be happening naturally. A n— might be in the studio, somebody ask, 'Ay, can you do this song?' And it happens, because n— f— with each other, so you ain't gonna talk about money." 

21 added that considers Drake family at this point, as Meezy compared the rappers' relationship to what Savage has with Young Nudy, who is his cousin.

"Most of the time, when you bring up Drake or Nudy...if Nudy got a song, ain't nobody even thinking about no paperwork if Savage get on something," Meezy continued. "We know that's going to get handled whatever. It's relationship-based, a lot of times it's like that.

"N— ain't paying each other for verses. I think where [Drake's] at he's just choosing who he f—s with. I know anything we've ever done with him, there's never been money involved, ever."

2022: "Jimmy Cooks" Closes Out Drake's Honestly, Nevermind

Drake took his fans to a musical destination they'd never been with his dance-leaning album Honestly, Nevermind. But before haters could react, he brought them to a comfort zone to prove he was still at the top of the rap food chain — and of course, it involved 21.

"Jimmy Cooks" is an instant turn-up anthem, an opposite vibe to their sinister "Knife Talk" collab. The change was effective: "Jimmy Cooks" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, scoring Drake his 11th chart-topper and another win on the scoreboard alongside Savage.

The official music video arrived on 21's 30th birthday that October — the same day a release date for their surprise Her Loss album was revealed — though the joint project was delayed a week due to Drizzy's right-hand producer Noah "40" Shebib contracting COVID-19. 

2022: 21 Savage Compares Himself And Drake To Shaquille O'Neal And Kobe Bryant

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— Saint Laurent Don (@21savage) June 17, 2022

On the heels of "Jimmy Cooks" being crowned the standout moment of Honestly, Nevermind, the Atlanta-bred rapper took a victory lap on Twitter. He confidently compared himself and Drizzy to one of the best duos the NBA has ever seen: Laker legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

No words were even needed for the declaration, as Savage tweeted out a still from the "Sneakin'" music video alongside a photo of Shaq and Kobe celebrating their first NBA championship in 2000.

2022: An Album Rollout Filled With Spoofs

America was collectively trolled by the Her Loss rollout, as even some of the most nuanced of fans and news stations across the country were fooled by their fake press run. Not only did they spoof a Vogue cover, but they also pulled off a faux Tiny Desk concert, Saturday Night Live performance, and Howard Stern interview with headline-making "admissions" of Drake's porn fetishes.

It was mission accomplished for Drizzy and 21, who arguably made as big of a splash with the media tour that never was than if they actually did any of that. While Howard Stern saluted the shrewd spoofs, Vogue's parent company Condé Nast wasn't as thrilled — they filed a lawsuit over trademark infringement against the rappers. (More on that later.)

2022: Her Loss Arrives After A Short Delay

Her Loss arrived on Nov. 4, filled with 16 tracks that served up a little bit of everything. Drake stars front and center, with the OVO boss returning to his braggadocious rap post-Honestly, Nevermind; though 21 Savage takes more of a backseat, the two pick up where they left off on "Jimmy Cooks" as one of hip-hop's premier tag-teams.

Travis Scott is the lone credited feature on the track list ("Pussy & Millions") while collaborators like Lil Yachty played an integral role in the album's formation as he earned a handful of production credits.

Her Loss debuted atop the Billboard 200, earning Drake his second No. 1 album in less than five months. The album also held plenty of valuable real estate on the Billboard Hot 100, occupying the No. 2 through No. 9 spots on the chart's Top 10 — only for "Rich Flex" to be boxed out by Taylor Swift's "Anti-hero" for the top slot. (Never shying away from his pettiness, Drake blocked out Swift's name on the Hot 100 when celebrating his chart dominance in an Instagram Story post.) 

2022: Drake And 21 Savage Helped Push Each Other's Pen Game

Any co-writing discussion is a touchy subject for Drake fans ever since Meek Mill's ghostwriting allegations in 2015. But that isn't the case with Drizzy and 21, as they admitted they helped each other with their verses for Her Loss during an interview on SiriusXM's Sound42 channel last year. 

"I ain't gon cap, Drake wrote some of my verses on this album," the Atlanta rapper candidly revealed. "These facts. I don't give a f— what a n— say, Drake helped me with some of my verses on this album."

Drake returned the favor and gave 21 credit for helping push his pen on the joint project as well, adding, "By the way, you also helped me with s— too.

2023: Drake And 21 Savage Settle Lawsuit Over Fake Vogue Cover

After demanding $4 million in damages, Condé Nast and Drake's high-powered legal teams reached a settlement in February for an undisclosed sum, according to Variety.

The hefty check will allegedly go toward bolstering the company's "ongoing creative output, including Vogue editorial," per a memo sent out by Condé Nast's counsel.

Condé Nast's attorneys claimed that Vogue attempted to "resolve the matter amicably" but their efforts "were repeatedly ignored" by OVO and Slaughter Gang enterprises. 

Drizzy and 21's fake Vogue cover duped fans across the globe as the magazine was posted to social media, and a limited number of copies were actually distributed to lucky fans in select U.S. cities. Who knows, it may just make another appearance on the It's All a Blur Tour.

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It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,  Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage, the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself, details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside, reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [Laughs]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside. We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore?

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go. If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts, and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on "Viva La Bam" back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [Laughs] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [Laughs] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

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