Hip-hop

Wu-Tang Clan's RZA goes classical with ballet score

4:33am August 30, 2024

by Steve Inskeep

Rapper RZA, who helped launch the Wu-Tang Clan hip-hop group in the 1990s, tries his hand in classical music by composing for a ballet inspired by Greek musical scales during the pandemic.

Queue Listen Now

For Ukraine’s Olympic breakdancers, ‘shining’ is more important than winning

5:02am August 08, 2024

by Hanna Palamarenko

As the sport makes its Olympic debut in Paris, a small crew of dancers from Ukraine look forward to representing their war-torn country and its rich culture on the world stage.

Queue Listen Now

9th Wonder to teach the culture and history of hip-hop at Wake Forest University

4:52pm August 01, 2022

by David Ford

Students at Wake Forest University will return to campus this month with a unique course offered by a Grammy Award-winning professor: producer, DJ, lecturer, and Winston-Salem native

Queue Listen Now

The Formula S2E5 - Tierra Whack + J Melodic

Music & Culture

Tierra Whack and J Melodic make the leap from 'Whack World' to something otherworldly

8:52am November 20, 2021

The try-anything rapper and her soft-spoken but dedicated producer, who have developed a bond to match their intense work routine, share a preview of a new song that takes them into uncharted terrain.

Westside Gunn + Conductor Williams, The Formula S2E4

Music & Culture

Westside Gunn and Conductor Williams are perfecting rap's most refined aesthetic

5:00am November 13, 2021

The growing discography made by the Griselda founder and the noir-inspired Kansas City producer reflect the way these two visionaries have aligned to create something singular.

Freddie Gibbs + The Alchemist - The Formula S2E3

Music & Culture

Smoke and Fire: How Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist cooked up a no-compromise classic

7:27am November 06, 2021

After years working separately, Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist had all the ingredients they needed for a front-to-back classic when they finally linked up to make 2020's Alfredo.

Music & Culture

Isaiah Rashad and Kal Banx lit up the darkness to make 'The House Is Burning'

5:00am October 30, 2021

Isaiah Rashad and producer Kal Banx's relationship reveals how the best artist-producer collaborations work lot like life — with friends to distract us from, and soundtrack us through, all our drama.

Music & Culture

How Rico Nasty and Kenny Beats became the loudest, unlikeliest duo in rap

5:30pm October 22, 2021

Rico Nasty and producer Kenny Beats explain how the vital collaboration that culminated in their joint 2019 mixtape Anger Management traces back to a single scream during an impromptu studio session.

Lazarus Act 2. Choreographer: Rennie Harris, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Arts

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Debuts 'Lazarus' To Celebrate 60th Anniversary

7:20am February 18, 2019

by Michel Martin

The hour-long piece was created by choreographer Rennie Harris, who formed the first and longest running hip-hop dance touring company. Harris tells NPR's Michel Martin all about the new work.

Queue Listen Now

Music & Culture

Aggressive, Combative, And Relevant As Ever, 'Straight Outta Compton' Turns 30 Years Old

6:00am August 08, 2018

by Sean Bueter

On August 8, 1988, artists Ice Cube, Dr.

Queue Listen Now