Best Curators Of Hip Hop Podcasts (2024)

1
Trust Your Nonlinear Path 35:59

7M ago35:59

35:59

Christina speaks with strategic brand storyteller Sioban Massiah about how her nonlinear career path led her from Twitter to launching A Phoenix from the Bronx Creative Group. • Find us on social: @YBO.Media, @MissChrisDee, Sioban Massiah

1
Take the Plunge 32:45

7M ago32:45

32:45

Christina is joined by the founder of Black People Will Swim, Paulana Lamonier, to discuss how her organization is empowering and educating the community to face our fears and smash stereotypes. • Find us on social @YBO.Media, @MissChrisDee, @ItsPaulana, @BlackPeopleWillSwim_ on Instagram, @BPWSwim on X…

1
Crowned with Confidence 47:02

7M ago47:02

47:02

Christina speaks with hairstylist and founder of Crown Workshop Megan Green about pushing through uncomfortably, building confidence and saving yourself to create a life without regret. • Find us on social @YBO.Media, @MissChrisDee, @MotivateVibeGrow, @CrownWorkshop

1
Inside the Rhythm: Unlocking Music Success with Nathaniel The Great and the Rise of the Great Ones Label 16:21

7M ago16:21

16:21

Unlock the secrets to setting the music industry ablaze with R&B sensation Nathaniel The Great, who joins us to dissect the creation of their latest anthem that's igniting the seasons, tailored for the ladies who love to groove. We then pivot to the grand reveal of my new venture, the Great Ones label – a collective that's crafting a future for not…

1
Beating the Drum of Memphis: The City's Music Scene with Drumma Boy 28:00

7M ago28:00

28:00

Memphis beats in my heart like a drum, and my soul thrums to the rhythm of the city's music scene. That's why it was an absolute thrill to sit with Drumma Boy, whose tracks have painted the backdrop of Memphis' streets, echoing stories of adversity, triumph, and unity. Our conversation, rich with personal anecdotes, delves into his emergence from t…

1
Charting the Course of Hip Hop History and Its Soulful Impact with Joe "The Butcher" Nicolo from Ruffhouse Records 35:11

7M ago35:11

35:11

My latest sit-down with Joseph Nicolo aka Joe The Butcher owner of Ruffhouse Records -Studio 4 isn't just a nostalgic trip through the golden years of hip-hop; it's a revelation of the roots that keep this genre grounded and growing. With a fresh Cypress Hill homage inked on his skin, Joe takes us through his melody-rich journey that twines around …

1
Inside the Rhythms of Philly: Chris Schwartz | Pt 1 | The Fugees, Lauryn Hill, Cyphers Hill and Women in Music Production 12:42

7M ago12:42

12:42

Step into the studio with Philly's own music mogul, Chris Schwartz from Ruffhouse and Ruff Nation, as we unpack a treasure trove of stories on Goat Vibes. Experience firsthand accounts of the Fugees' electrifying homecoming and the pulse of Philly that beats at the heart of disco guitar. Engage in a fiery debate over Lauryn Hill's seminal album 'Th…

1
Black Lit Won’t Quit 46:02

11M ago46:02

46:02

On this episode, Christina speaks with author J.P. Miller about Black children’s literature, cultural representation, HBCUs and how storytellers can help amplify Black voices. Pre-order Miller’s new book ‘Travel to…Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ for yourself or a student here: https://www.amazon.com/Historically-Black-Colleges-Univer…

1
Music Theory's Racism Problem with Philip Ewell 58:22

12M ago58:22

58:22

Philip Ewell has, in recent years, become the most controversial music scholar on the planet. After his incisive work on music theory's white racial frame was unfairly attacked by fellow academics, he was suddenly thrust into the national spotlight, as right-wing news outlets targeted him as part of a broader backlash. A discussion about what it me…

1
Where the Bag At? 26:32

12M ago26:32

26:32

On this episode, Christina celebrates the 30th anniversary of Living Single, shares what she learned from the OWN docuseries Time of Essence about the founding of Essence magazine and discusses how Black women deserve more coin!

1
The Science of Silence with Chaz Firestone 35:58

12M ago35:58

35:58

Do we hear silence? John Cage certainly thought so, and so does Chaz Firestone, a scientist whose laboratory's recent study revealed that yes, we do hear silence. In this conversation, we discuss his new findings, what they mean for the fields of perception studies and philosophy, and how science and the humanities can work together to provide new …

1
Unveiling the Magic of Lady Alama's Melodies 1:10:27

11M ago1:10:27

1:10:27

Uncover the vibrant musical universe of Lady Alma, the trailblazing artist who has been captivating audiences of all ages with her timeless music. Why is her creative process such a marvel, you ask? Tune in to find out how she pours her soul into each performance, the thrill she experiences while creating her music, and the importance she attaches …

1
Navigating the World of Music and Modern Technology: ADOT-UPT 18:33

12M ago18:33

18:33

In today's episode, you're in for a real treat as we catch up with ADOT-UPT, the maestro behind the electrifying track "Fly Eagles Fly," stirring up the football fervor in Philadelphia. We will take you on a whirlwind journey, revealing the city-wide promotional escapades and the unequivocal response from the spirited Philly fans. Now, imagine the …

1
The Creative Journey of R&B and Hip Hop Artist, Chris Envy 1:03:15

12M ago1:03:15

1:03:15

Step into the mind of R&B and Hip Hop artist, Chris Envy, as we explore his life, music, and creative process. We delve into the artists that have shaped his sound, how his recording booth doubles as a confessional, and the importance of relationships in shaping his artistry. Get ready to have your perspective shifted as we dissect the media's port…

1
Hip-Hop and High Fashion: The Success Story of Floss Magazine's CEO 55:14

12M ago55:14

55:14

Ever wonder what it takes to build a unique brand in the world of publishing? Join us as we sit down with Paris, the trailblazing CEO and Chief Editor of Floss Magazine. He talks us through his transition from the music industry to the cut-throat world of magazine publishing, and how he expertly merged the sophistication of GQ and Vogue with a hip-…

1
Curating Black Musical History with Dwandalyn Reece 43:40

12M ago43:40

43:40

In curating music and the performing arts at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Dwandalyn Reece has one of the most important jobs one can have as a music scholar: providing a framework for the public to understand African-American culture, at a moment in which Black history is under a nationwide assault. In …

1
Sounds of Summer: Collaboration & Curation 32:28

1y ago32:28

32:28

Happy birthday, hip hop! On the final episode of our #HipHop50 celebration, Christina speaks with rapper, producer, and founder of Maplewick "The Wick" Records Brotha Ash about collaboration and curation. From Death Row to Bad Boy, hip hop wouldn't have ever expanded outside of Bronx, NY and touched the lives of millions without creatives and curat…

1
Hip-Hop and Friendship on Death Row with Alim Braxton and Mark Katz 55:12

1y ago55:12

55:12

Mark Katz is John P. Barker Distinguished Professor of Music at UNC Chapel Hill; Alim Braxton is a rapper on death row, who has been incarcerated in Central Prison in North Carolina since 1993. In 2019, they struck up a correspondence, and then a friendship, and are now writing a book. This is their story. Show notes and more over at soundexpertise…

1
Reviving Julius Eastman with Mary Jane Leach 38:53

1y ago38:53

38:53

The revival of Julius Eastman's work has transformed the world of avant-garde music, and in many ways can be attributed to a single individual. Since the late 1990s, the composer and performer Mary Jane Leach has collected manuscripts and recordings of Eastman's music, and helped bring about the current wave of "Eastmania." But the politics of East…

1
Doing Public Musicology with Douglas Shadle 51:13

1y ago51:13

51:13

In 2018, Douglas Shadle tweeted about systemic discrimination in American orchestral programming. His thread went viral, and he soon found himself doing what became known, around then, as public musicology. In this conversation, he talks about presenting his work outside the academy through advocating for marginalized composers, and what the Floren…

1
This Show Stole My Heart 34:16

1y ago34:16

34:16

Christina shares what she’s been watching from FX’s The Bear to trash reality TV, discusses the writer and actor strike and ends on a high note with words of wisdom from Sheryl Lee Ralph. • Donate to the YBO School Supply Fundraiser. Thank you for your support! https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MA72VUXQQSZ2L • Follow on social: @TheYB…

1
Bach Scandals, Jug Bands, and Vexations with Joshua Rifkin 1:16:24

1y ago1:16:24

1:16:24

In his long career as a scholar and conductor, Joshua Rifkin has done a lot: arranged for Judy Collins, performed in the first-ever marathon of "Vexations," helped lead the ragtime revival and, perhaps most importantly, totally upended the conventional wisdom about Bach's choral music. This is a conversation about all of that, and more: rich, insig…

1
What Bossa Nova Means with Kaleb Goldschmitt 49:03

1y ago49:03

49:03

Bossa nova is everywhere –– from a dance craze in the '60s to elevator music today -- but it's also from somewhere. Kaleb Goldschmitt studies how bossa nova moved from a specific musical tradition grounded in Brazilian culture to an international phenomenon, and what that means for how we understand jazz history. A conversation about all that and m…

1
Sounds of Summer: Women in Hip Hop 39:35

1y ago39:35

39:35

We’re continuing our Hip Hop 50 celebration with another “Sounds of Summer” episode all about the women who have made their mark in the male dominated hip hop industry. Christina uses the 2023 BET Awards as a springboard to discuss new school artists like Ice Spice and GloRilla, then brings it back to the old school with the biography of the legend…

1
Appropriation and Indigenous Music with Dylan Robinson 48:27

1y ago48:27

48:27

When classical composers incorporate indigenous music into their work, it's more than just cultural appropriation, because indigenous songs are more than just songs: they serve as medicine, law, and history. So what would it mean to redress such misuses, and to bring an indigenous worldview into Western art music? A conversation with Dylan Robinson…

1
Philosophy and Vibes with Robin James 43:53

1y ago43:53

43:53

"Music and philosophy" is often about Nietzsche and Wagner, or Kant and Mozart. But, in Robin James's work, it can also be about pop, and feminist theory, and Peloton playlists. A conversation about Dr. James's approach towards philosophy, with a focus on her new project on the musical and cultural implications of our contemporary focus on "vibes."…

1
F*ck Them Kids in the Name of Disco 23:17

1y ago23:17

23:17

Warning: This episode mentions sexual abuse which may be a trigger. Listener discretion is advised. June is Black Music Month and, on this episode, Christina recaps the HBO music documentary "Love to Love You" which covers the complicated but successful life and career of the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer. • Follow on social: @MissChrisDee and @TheY…

1
Retelling Beethoven's Story with Laura Tunbridge 39:24

1y ago39:24

39:24

There are approximately one bajillion biographies of Beethoven: do we need really another one? In fact, we do, because Laura Tunbridge has written an engrossing, provocative, and genuinely fresh book about Beethoven's life and times. A conversation about what it means to write about one of the most well-trodden composers in music history, and the r…

1
Music in Slavery's Archives with Maria Ryan 49:49

1y ago49:49

49:49

What does it mean to search for music-making in the archives of slavery? Maria Ryan studies African-descended musicians and listeners in the colonial Caribbean, and her research is fraught with ethical and logistical challenges. A conversation about fully imagining the lives of enslaved musicians, when the evidence of those lives is documented almo…

1
Sounds of Summer: The Message 26:43

1y ago26:43

26:43

Summer 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and YBO is celebrating with "Sounds of Summer," a series of episodes that highlight the unique characteristics of the genre that we all love. On this episode, Christina welcomes actor/rapper Manny Simmons to the show to discuss how hip-hop can be a platform to amplify messages of trial and triumph i…

1
Music, War, and Ukraine with Maria Sonevytsky and Oksana Nesterenko 56:43

1y ago56:43

56:43

What does it mean to be a scholar when the culture you study is under attack? Maria Sonevytsky and Oksana Nesterenko work on Ukrainian music, and their lives have changed profoundly in the last year. A conversation about the Ukrainian avant-garde and pop worlds, how wartime changes research agendas, and much more. Maria Sonevytsky is Associate Prof…

1
Soviet Sounds (But Not Shostakovich) with Gabrielle Cornish 52:05

1y ago52:05

52:05

The story of music in the Soviet Union isn't just about Shostakovich and Stalin -- sometimes, it's not about composers at all. Gabrielle Cornish writes about a different kind of socialist sound: noise abatement policy, pop music, and even an aborted plan to put a synthesizer in every Soviet home. A conversation about socialist noise, studying abroa…

1
Growing Through It 30:10

1y ago30:10

30:10

On episode 179, Christina speaks with friend of the show, content creator, Jay Shine, about growing through what you go through in life. The ladies share advice to their younger selves and talk about doing the inner work to live a full life. • Follow on social: @MissChrisDee, @TheYBOPodcast, @BeautJay_• Click here for all things YBO: https://linktr…

1
The Paradoxes of Black Classical Music with Kira Thurman 54:39

1y ago54:39

54:39

The African-American pianist Hazel Harrison played with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1904, and was promptly forgotten. But Kira Thurman remembers. Her incredible book Singing Like Germans tells the rich, textured stories of Black classical musicians who performed in Germany, which provided a safe haven from American segregation, even though they stil…

1
Approaching Joni Mitchell with Ann Powers 59:37

1y ago59:37

59:37

Writing a biography isn't easy, especially when it's of a living person, and especially when that living person is an epochal, oft-mythologized musician like Joni Mitchell. But Ann Powers, one of my absolute favorite music critics, has been doing the work. For our Season 3 debut, a deep conversation with Ann about her in-progress Joni Mitchell book…

1
Movin' On Up 16:13

1y ago16:13

16:13

On episode 178, Christina recaps season 3 episode 3 of The Wayans Bros. from 1996. The story of Shawn movin' on up in the world by acting like someone he wasn't reminded your host of a very important life lesson. • Follow on social: @MissChrisDee, @TheYBOPodcast • Click here for all things YBO: https://linktr.ee/ybopodcast…

1
Season 3 Trailer!!! 2:18

1+ y ago2:18

2:18

Finally, Sound Expertise returns! Season 3 begins on May 16, and it's our biggest and most ambitious to date: a full summer of interviews with music scholars about their research, and why it matters. Check out past episodes at soundexpertise.org and get ready for our season premiere next week: an interview with the amazing Ann Powers about her in-p…

1
Robin White (Part 2) "Who Were The Original Rap Influencers From Philadelphia" 3:18

1+ y ago3:18

3:18

Robin White Part 2 -"The 50th Anniversary Of Hip-Hop" Music mogul Robin White breaks down who were the original rap influncers from Philadelphia during the early stages of the Hip-Hop genre. Robin White has a very elite resume when it comes to being one of the elite button pushers behind the scenes in the music industry. Being apart of Ruff House R…

1
Robin White 5:10

1+ y ago5:10

5:10

Philadelphia music mogul Robin White sits down with #swag100podcast during our special #Goatvibezinterviews segment titled "The 50th Anniversary Of HipHop". Mr. Robin White tells us the stories of the start of HipHop in the city of Philadelphia. Robin White has a very elite resume when it comes to being one of the elite button pushers behind the sc…

1
Gen Z, Y'all Good? 40:12

1+ y ago40:12

40:12

On this episode of YBO, Christina checks in with 20-year-old artist and student Mikayla Griffin to see how Generation Z is coping with our ever-changing world. The two talk about everything from artificial intelligence to family planning and discuss the importance of having good character over internet clout. Tune in to learn a thing or two from th…

1
Talking Minimalism with Kerry O'Brien and Will Robin 51:30

1+ y ago51:30

51:30

We're almost back -- Season 3 will debut in just a few weeks! Before then, one final bonus episode: our great producer D. Edward Davis interviews Will and co-author Kerry O'Brien about their new book "On Minimalism: Documenting a Musical Movement," which University of California Press will release on April 25. We talk about our histories with music…

1
Faith Over Fear 30:49

1+ y ago30:49

30:49

On this episode of YBO, Christina speaks with fashion editor, Christian influencer and author Tarah-Lynn Saint-Elien about leaning on faith and family as we follow our passions to fulfill our purpose. Remember to share the lessons learned from your testimony. Follow on social: @MissChrisDee, @TheYBOPodcast, @IAmTarahLynn• Click here for all things …

1
Creative in Corporate 34:56

1+ y ago34:56

34:56

On this episode of YBO, Christina chats with duel founder and artist Brittanie Thomas about the challenges and advantages of being a creative in corporate—or any structured organization for that matter. Remember, you are not your resume! Follow us on social: @MissChrisDee, @TheYBOPodcast, @IAmBrittanieTea • For all things YBO, click here: https://l…

1
Big Gipp + King James Worthy 58:30

1+ y ago58:30

58:30

Big Gipp + King James Worthy, conducts a listen session zoom interview with Swag 100 and Dj Pmoney from the Fleetdjs on our SWAG 100 Podcast - Goat Vibez Interviews. We spoke on their new EP titled "Gipp N Worthy" which hit 1 million streams less then 2 weeks of release and peaked at #9 on the iTunes Charts. Gipp + Worthy also breaks down the colla…

1
Almost as Good as Therapy 36:41

1+ y ago36:41

36:41

On this episode of YBO, Christina gets real about life three years after the pandemic and recommends a few resources that are almost as good as therapy. Follow on social: @MissChrisDee • For all things YBO, click here: https://linktr.ee/ybopodcast

1
ForShizzle My Nizzle 1:37:20

1+ y ago1:37:20

1:37:20

Welcome to another episode of the Burn One Podcast. 2:45 - Rodney voices his beef with Channel 4 & The Tennessean 8:14 - J. Fields is suing SoHo House Nashville for unlawful termination / our own personal experiences with SoHo House. 30:52 - TN Drag show ban 34:38 - Straight men smoking hookah 42:30 - snitching in 2023 / Rodney and TJ give a brief …

1
Power to the P 31:46

1+ y ago31:46

31:46

In honor of Women's History Month, Christina discusses her favorite women in pop culture including fictional characters like Lisa Simpson and political icons like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Women's contributions to society are undeniable and there’s much to be said about the power of the pu$$y. • Follow on social: @TheYBOPodcast, @MissChrisDee • For all …

1
Finesse and Flava 40:58

1+ y ago40:58

40:58

On this episode of YBO, Christina speaks with celebrity chef Renee Blackman about having confidence in the kitchen and in life, what her experience was really like on Netflix's 'Pressure Cooker,' and how she makes each dish special by adding her unique flavor. • Follow on social: @ChefReneeBlackman, @TheYBOPodcast, @MissChrisDee • For all things YB…

1
I Don’t Know How My Ancestors Did It 39:19

1+ y ago39:19

39:19

On this episode of YBO, Christina discusses the murder of Tyre Nichols, the need for Black blood donors and what to watch during Black History Month, including The 1619 Project on Hulu • Follow on social: @TheYBOPodcast, @MissChrisDee • For all things YBO, click here: https://linktr.ee/ybopodcast

1
We Can All Eat 24:05

1+ y ago24:05

24:05

On this episode of YBO, Christina talks with marketing maven and social entrepreneur Shanea "Shay" Phillips about finding your niche, knowing your audience and the rise of Shanea’s New Jersey networking event series, Brunch N Grind. Follow us on social: @TheYBOPodcast, @MissChrisDee, @BrunchNGrind, @Diva_Shay • For all things YBO, click here: https…

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Curators Of Hip Hop Podcasts

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