billy woods Is on an Indie-Rap Hero’s Journey

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( let’s get loud [billy woods Is on an Indie-Rap Hero’s Journey]( He’s running an acclaimed record label, resurrecting old weed strains, and releasing the best music of his career. Photo: Backwoodz Studioz billy woods understands the slippery resilience of New York City. His career embodies it. The son of a Jamaican professor and a Zimbabwean activist and scholar, woods split his young years between southern Africa and the American East Coast before taking up rapping in the late ’90s, becoming friends with Vordul Mega from the legendary Harlem rap duo Cannibal Ox. In the early aughts, he founded his own Backwoodz Studioz imprint, an independent home for acclaimed solo efforts like 2012’s [History Will Absolve Me]( and 2015’s [Today, I Wrote Nothing]( as well as releases from veteran Queens rapper Elucid, beatmakers Steel Tipped Dove and Blockhead, and singer-songwriter Fielded. [read more]( [Exclusive Anniversary Offer:]( Get a limited-edition tote plus save up to 60% on unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • Below Deck Sailing Yacht: [Kiss and Tell]( • White House Plumbers: [Project Gemstone]( • Summer House: [Otherwise Engaged]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [Everyone Wants to Rock With Dolly Parton Rockstar features Ringo and Paul, Elton John, Stevie Nicks, Lizzo, Miley Cyrus, and dozens more.]( By Justin Curto [Every Term You Should Know to Understand the Writers’ Strike From mini-rooms to overall deals and every acronym in between.]( [Hannah Gadsby Feels Good In Something Special, the comedian strives toward a new balance.]( [We’re Almost Done Raising Pete Davidson He’ll be 30 this year! Should we let him grow up?]( [Queen Charlotte’s Arsema Thomas Supports Lady Danbury’s Life of Solitude “It’s only when given the title, the freedom, and the space as a lady-in-waiting to the queen that she’s able to recognize her agency.”]( By Devon Ivie [13 Great Mom-Centric TV Episodes to Stream This Mother’s Day This weekend head to Motherboy XXX with Lucille Bluth or a graveyard with Morticia Addams.]( By Marianne Eloise [Mac DeMarco Has Given Up ‘Cold Foods’ At the recommendation of his acupuncturist.]( By Justin Curto [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( 18-Down, Five Letters: Yo-Yo Ma once left his in the trunk of a taxi. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Images, Shutterstock [Into It With Sam Sanders]( Photo: Colleen Hayes/Peacock As tech companies assure us that AI is here to help, not eradicate humanity, Peacock series Mrs. Davis explores what happens in a world where AI really does deliver on that promise. [On this episode of the podcast Into It](, Mrs. Davis executive producers Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof join Sam Sanders to talk about how they combined science fiction and Christianity in a show about a technophobic nun who is literally married to Jesus. Plus Lindelof reflects on lessons he learned from behind-the-scenes toxicity he says helped create on Lost and reconciling past bad behavior. [Read more from Vulture]( A newsletter of TV and movie recommendations. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe](link.nymag.com/manage/588/optout-vulture?email={EMAIL}&hash=39357a76f6d08b16239fd2ffa65e9c6f¶m=vulture-daily) | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2023, All rights reserved