Jorja Lageschulte
The artists of the new mural discuss their research into the project and what they learned about Smith.
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Photos by Aurore Marechal / Kevin Kane / Ian Maule / Getty Images. Illustration by Jackie Lay.From an indie darling getting called a "psyop" to plagiarism allegations against a rising pop star, this year feels like an especially fraught time to bicker about authenticity in the music industry. -
Jason Miller/Getty ImagesDemocrats hold significant advantages going into Election Day, according to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. But lagging enthusiasm among key groups is just one indicator that gains may not come easy.
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Photos by Bob Riha, Jr. / Greg Doherty / Michael Putland / Getty Images. Illustration by Jackie Lay."Is it real?" is the most pressing question in music in 2026, and it's one that feels impossible to adequately answer, in almost any context. -
Photos by Michael Kovac/WireImage and Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET. Illustration by Jackie Lay.Controversy over an artist being fake — or someone thinking they are — is hardly new. Here are some of the craziest moments in recent music history when the boundary between real and fake collapsed.
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Mississippi has the largest proportional Black population in the country. It's one reason the U.S. Senate race has seen millions in last-minute spending and high-profile campaign visits. -
The prediction market has hired a former FBI official to make sure political insiders don't use the platform for profit from confidential election information. -
A new NPR poll reveals Democrats' advantage going into Election Day, congressional Democrats are forming a task force to protect the election, Netanyahu vies for reelection as polls open in Israel.
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NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with comedian Zainab Johnson about her new stand-up special on Netflix: "Toxically Optimistic."
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To win a seat in the Senate, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is making a final push to win over some Black Detroiters who are still skeptical of him.
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U.N. peacekeepers will leave Lebanon after nearly five decades, following U.S. and Israeli pressure.
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Michigan households are paying the highest cost per household for the Trump administration's tariffs. For the voters paying the price, the issue isn't cut-and-dry.
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Democrats in Congress have been working to form what they describe as an election protection task force, bracing for what they fear could be meddling by President Trump or his allies with the results.
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NPR's Michel Martin speaks with election security expert Lawrence Norden of the Brennan Center about efforts to undermine the midterm election and protections against fraud and intimidation.
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Hundreds of mail-in ballots in North Carolina did not count, because the inner envelopes were not sealed properly.
