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Digable Planets helped redefine the possibilities of hip-hop in the early 1990s, blending jazz, funk, political consciousness, and a distinctly cosmic sensibility into a sound that resisted easy categorization. More than three decades later, Ishmael Butler (Butterfly) and Craig Irving (Doodlebug) join Donwill backstage at Brooklyn Bowl to revisit the group's unlikely beginnings, from three artists representing Seattle, Philadelphia, and Maryland to a Grammy-winning collective that made Brooklyn its creative home. They reflect on the success of Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), the complicated cultural politics of winning a Grammy in hip-hop's early years, and how their revolutionary upbringing informed the music and visual identity of Blowout Comb.  Digable Planets break down: The origins of Digable Planets: How three MCs from different cities found one another and built their creative foundation in Brooklyn. The making of Blowout Comb: How Black Panther Party newspapers, revolutionary family histories, and live musicians shaped the group's second album. The Grammy paradox: Why winning Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was both a milestone and a complicated achievement in early-'90s hip-hop. Why rap groups are disappearing: How social media, individual branding, and changing ideas about community have transformed hip-hop's collaborative culture. Beyond the jazz rap label: Why the group resisted genre restrictions, how their music found new life through Snoop Dogg and E-40 samples, and what keeps their catalog relevant across generations. Be sure to check out Ladybug Mecca's episode on Blowout Comb, too! 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow:  Digable Planets   Instagram: planetsdigable    Facebook: OfficialDigablePlanets Web: Officialdigableplanets.com Created and hosted by award-winning artist and cultural commentator Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is Areya Media’s living archive of hip-hop history, told by the people who made it. Through deeply researched interviews, cultural deep dives and conversations with artists, producers, DJs and architects of the culture, the series connects hip-hop’s past to the ideas shaping its future. A two-time Webby Award winner and three-time w3 Gold Award winner, The Almanac of Rap approaches hip-hop with the curiosity of music journalism and the intimacy of conversation documenting the stories, sounds and cultural details that deserve a permanent place in the record. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Digable Planets helped redefine the sound of alternative hip-hop, Ladybug Mecca was a young artist absorbing Brazilian music, jazz, and the rhythms of her family's home. Three decades after Blowout Comb became a cornerstone of jazz-inflected hip-hop, the pioneering MC joins Donwill to discuss her latest chapter as a recipient of Harvard University's Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship. Her research traces the connections between hip-hop and Afro-Brazilian traditions, from Candomblé drumming to capoeira, challenging the idea that hip-hop simply arrived in Brazil rather than finding a culture already connected through rhythm, movement, and shared African ancestry. Ladybug Mecca reflects on her Brazilian parents, the influence of MC Lyte and Queen Latifah, and the enduring relevance of Digable Planets' Blowout Comb. She opens up about navigating hip-hop as a young woman, her friendships with Guru and Bahamadia, her collaborations with Prince Paul and Brookzill!, and why documenting Black creativity is increasingly urgent in an era of cultural erasure. Still an avid music discoverer, Mecca also shares her excitement for a new generation of women MCs and explains why her next creative chapter is as much about recovering history as making it.  Ladybug Mecca breaks down: How the Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship is helping her investigate connections between Afro-Brazilian culture, hip-hop, and the Black Atlantic. Why the Blowout Comb continues to resonate across generations and how “Black Ego” has taken on new meaning amid cultural erasure. Collaborating with Prince Paul on Brookzill!, building friendships with Guru and Bahamadia, and hearing her voice sampled on Snoop Dogg's “Candy.” Why archival research, music discovery, and the rising generation of women rappers remain central to her creative life. 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Archival Episodes of Almanac of Rap: Almanacofrap.com Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow:  Ladybug Mecca   Instagram:  @ladybugmecca     Facebook: Ladybug Mecca    Created and hosted by award-winning artist and cultural commentator Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is Areya Media’s living archive of hip-hop history, told by the people who made it. Through deeply researched interviews, cultural deep dives and conversations with artists, producers, DJs and architects of the culture, the series connects hip-hop’s past to the ideas shaping its future. A two-time Webby Award winner and three-time w3 Gold Award winner, The Almanac of Rap approaches hip-hop with the curiosity of music journalism and the intimacy of conversation documenting the stories, sounds and cultural details that deserve a permanent place in the record. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that the Almanac of Rap is up for 3 Signal Awards? Vote for Donwill today, click the links below and let your voice be heard 🏆🏆🏆: Type Beats feat Jake One| The Almanac of Rap in the Genre - Conversation Starter Category Official Listing Rap Snacks feat Bun B| The Almanac of Rap in the Genre - Music Category Official Listing Rap Snacks feat Bun B| The Almanac of Rap in the Video Podcast - Best Video Podcast Host Category Official Listing Now, for this week's episode: Before independent rap became a business model, Too $hort was already selling tapes hand-to-hand in Oakland. More than four decades later, Short Dog sits down with Donwill to trace the improbable longevity of a career that helped establish the Bay Area as its own hip-hop universe. He revisits hiding his earliest rhymes from his mother, producing his own records, documenting Oakland when New York and Los Angeles dominated rap's geography, and the run of albums that culminated in Gettin’ It (the record he considers the peak of his original sound) and the moment he got to work with his childhood hero, George Clinton.  Too $hort explains how relationships with The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, UGK, Eric Sermon and Lil Jon expanded his reach without disconnecting him from the Bay and how “Blow the Whistle,” released deep into an already historic career, effectively bought him another 20 years. Along the way, he talks “raunchy rap”, censorship, protecting young artists from the streets and what it means to be 60 in a genre that once wasn't expected to survive long enough to have senior citizens. For Too $hort, the answer has been sitting in the title of his earliest project all along: don't stop rapping.  Too $hort breaks down: How selling tapes independently in Oakland became the foundation for a 40-plus-year career Why Gettin’ It represents the peak of his original Bay Area sound and what working with George Clinton meant to him How Biggie, Jay-Z, UGK, Eric Sermon and Lil Jon helped open new chapters without changing who he was Why “Blow the Whistle” became the late-career anthem that gave him another 20 years What hip-hop can learn about longevity, protecting the bag and growing old without leaving the culture behind 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Archival Episodes of Almanac of Rap: Almanacofrap.com Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow: Too $hort  Instagram: tooshort    Facebook: tooshort Tik Tok:  tooshortofficial ⁠  Created and hosted by award-winning artist and cultural commentator Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is Areya Media’s living archive of hip-hop history, told by the people who made it. Through deeply researched interviews, cultural deep dives and conversations with artists, producers, DJs and architects of the culture, the series connects hip-hop’s past to the ideas shaping its future. A two-time Webby Award winner and three-time w3 Gold Award winner, The Almanac of Rap approaches hip-hop with the curiosity of music journalism and the intimacy of conversation documenting the stories, sounds and cultural details that deserve a permanent place in the record. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before breaking became a global industry, and long before it became an Olympic event, Ken Swift was helping define what the dance could be. A longtime Rock Steady Crew member and one of the form’s most important second-generation B-boys, Swift joins Donwill on The Almanac of Rap to revisit the late-’70s and early-’80s New York scene where DJs, concrete floors, gymnasiums and neighborhood crews turned movement into a new language. He explains why “breakdancing” was always a media invention, how Rock Steady expanded across boroughs, and why early breaking was as much about character, rhythm and community as athleticism. Swift also looks back on the films that exported breaking to the world (from Wild Style and Beat Street to the now-iconic Flashdance sequence) and weighs what happens when an underground culture becomes a global institution. He talks candidly about breaking’s Olympic debut, why he chose to watch and judge it from home, and why the future of the form depends less on spectacle than on education, tradition and teaching young dancers how to exist inside the culture, not just battle inside it. Ken Swift breaks down: How Rock Steady Crew’s second generation came together across the Bronx and Manhattan Why “breakdancing” was never the language the culture used for itself What Beat Street, Wild Style and Flashdance got right (and wrong) about early hip-hop How he really felt about breaking becoming an Olympic sport Why education and cultural memory matter more than ever for breaking’s future 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Ken Swift Instagram: @realkenswift   Website: www.breaklife.com Created and hosted by award-winning artist and cultural commentator Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is Areya Media’s living archive of hip-hop history, told by the people who made it. Through deeply researched interviews, cultural deep dives and conversations with artists, producers, DJs and architects of the culture, the series connects hip-hop’s past to the ideas shaping its future. A two-time Webby Award winner and three-time w3 Gold Award winner, The Almanac of Rap approaches hip-hop with the curiosity of music journalism and the intimacy of conversation documenting the stories, sounds and cultural details that deserve a permanent place in the record. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maiya the Don spent three years figuring out what she actually wanted to say. After Hot Commodity introduced a Brooklyn rapper capable of moving between drill, pop and straight-up bars, touring with Flo Milli and building an audience that first knew her as a beauty creator, Maiya found herself confronting a harder question: what does her music sound like when she's no longer trying to prove she can do everything? On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, she talks to Donwill about creating The Fine Print Club, her book club built around reading, community and creating space for Black women; recommends everything from S.A. Cosby to DMX; and hilariously puts her literary knowledge to the test against some of urban fiction's wildest book titles.  Between books and bars, she also makes a case for independence, explains why artists shouldn't run from being content creators and delivers a warning to anyone tempted to underestimate her pen: Precious Cargo (her new album) may be personal, but Maiya the Don still came to rap.  Maiya the Don breaks down: Why Precious Cargo became the coming-of-age album she needed three years to make Turning a beauty-content following into the foundation for a rap career Why independence gives her control over both her artistry and narrative Building The Fine Print Club and creating literary community for Black women Why “TSA” is her answer to anyone questioning a woman rapper's pen 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow: Maiya The Don  Instagram: @maiyathedonn     Album: Precious Cargo  ⁠  Book Club: @fineprint.collective Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Leron Thomas became the left-field rapper Pan Amsterdam, he was a Houston jazz prodigy sharing classrooms with Robert Glasper, touring with Bilal and building a reputation as a trumpeter willing to wander far outside jazz's borders. In this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Thomas traces that journey from Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts to New York's jazz scene, and explains how listening to everyone from the Geto Boys and Busta Rhymes to David Bowie and Frank Zappa eventually made genre feel less like an identity than a suggestion. Leron Thomas breaks down: How touring with Tanya Morgan helped inspire his Pan Amsterdam alter ego Going from Robert Glasper's Houston classmate to Bilal's touring band How Iggy Pop discovered Pan Amsterdam and turned the connection into Free Why Busta Rhymes, Geto Boys and Southern rap influenced his jazz phrasing The creative tug-of-war between Leron Thomas, Pan Amsterdam and genre itself 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow: Leron Thomas  Instagram:  @leronthomas98 Spotify:  Leron Thomas Apple Music: ⁠ Pan Amsterdam Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill heads south to explore the past, present and future of New Orleans hip-hop with rising rapper, producer and 2026 XXL Freshman La Reezy. La Reezy shares how filming run-and-gun videos around his hometown helped him build an audience outside Louisiana, how a viral streetcar performance caught PJ Morton’s attention, and why he considers himself a “leader of the youth” within a new generation of New Orleans artists. For La Reezy, representing the city isn’t simply an aesthetic, it’s central to his strategy, community and identity. Fresh off recognition from the National Hip-Hop Museum and an appearance in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl experience, La Reezy also opens up about faith, family, learning from Jon Batiste, studying Kendrick from behind the scenes and his ambitions beyond music. La Reezy breaks down: Why representing your hometown can be a competitive advantage The streetcar video that caught PJ Morton’s attention Performing at Keith Lee’s Family Day The ideas behind his debut album, Skiddle Bandana His dream of producing for Lil Wayne and NBA YoungBoy   Check out archived episodes of The Almanac of Rap at: https://almanacofrap.com/  📚 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow: La Reezy Instagram: lareezymusic Album: Skiddle Bandana Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning artist Everlast for a wide-ranging conversation about reinvention, longevity and a career that has consistently refused to stay inside one genre. Everlast reflects on returning to music with Embers to Ashes after nearly eight years, an album shaped by the pandemic, divorce, losing his home in the Woolsey Fire and eventually finding his way back to songwriting. He takes Don through his early days with Ice-T’s Rhyme Syndicate and Divine Styler, the friendships that connected him with DJ Muggs, B-Real and Cypress Hill, and the unlikely series of events that led to House of Pain and the creation of “Jump Around.” The conversation also revisits the genre-smashing Judgment Night soundtrack, the transformation that produced Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and “What It’s Like,” his relationship with Yelawolf, and why his decades-old beef with Eminem is firmly in the past. Everlast also considers what it takes to create a genuine anthem in today’s algorithm-driven music industry and gives flowers to the artists who helped make his career possible. Everlast breaks down: Returning with Embers to Ashes after an eight-year album hiatusLosing his home in the Woolsey Fire and rebuilding his life How COVID and fatherhood changed his relationship with touring House of Pain's unexpected relationship with Ireland Everlast says his Eminem beef is long over. 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Everlast Instagram:  ogeverlast   Facebook: Everlast Spotify: Everlast  Apple Music: Everlast Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this throwback episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Grammy Award-winning songwriter and Chicago native Dave Giles II for a deep dive into Hip House, Chicago house music and the city's evolving relationship with hip-hop. Dave, co-writer and producer of Beyonce’s hit song “Cozy” from her #1 album Renaissance, remembers growing up in a Chicago where house music wasn't a separate scene; it was simply part of everyday Black life, from radio and skating rinks to block parties and neighborhood venues. He and Donwill revisit pioneers like Mike Dunn, Chicago's Black club culture, and the unique style of rapping that developed alongside house music. Dave breaks down: The connection between the geography of Chicago's house era to the neighborhoods that later became central to drill music Examines how housing displacement, demolished public housing communities and neighborhood upheaval reshaped the city's culture Common's memories of Chicago nightlife Hip House's connection to hip-hop's Jamaican party-rocking roots Dave's Grammy win and work on Beyoncé's Renaissance 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow: Dave Giles II Instagram:  davegilesii    Web: www.davegilesii.com  Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with hip-hop pioneers The Jungle Brothers to revisit the friendships, records and unlikely moments that helped shape one of rap's most influential eras. The Jungle Brothers take Don back to their teenage years, from high school talent shows and homemade cassette recordings to basement studios, legendary New York clubs and their earliest encounters with DJ Red Alert, Q-Tip, De La Soul and the artists who would become the Native Tongues collective. They also unpack the story behind “I’ll House You,” their groundbreaking collision of hip-hop and house music, and explain why genre boundaries simply didn't matter to their generation.  The Jungle Brothers breakdown: Meeting as teenagers, touring Europe and the communal studio culture of early hip-hop Why Red Alert deserves greater recognition in hip-hop history De La Soul, Buddy and Calliope Studios How “I'll House You” emerged before rap and house became rigid categories. 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow The Jungle Brothers Instagram:  @junglebrothers4life Spotify: Jungle Brothers   Apple Music: Jungle Brothers Link.tree:  @junglebrothers Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with GRAMMY-nominated rapper, singer, and actor CHIKA for one of the funniest and most wide-ranging conversations of the season. From going viral on Instagram and signing with Warner Records to launching her career during the COVID-19 pandemic, CHIKA reflects on the unexpected highs and difficult realities of becoming one of hip-hop's most celebrated new voices.  Along the way, Don and CHIKA spend several minutes passionately debating fountain pens, celebrate Montgomery's official CHIKA Day, and revisit the legendary Montgomery Riverfront Brawl.  CHIKA breaks down: CHIKA's viral rise from Instagram freestylesNavigating online controversy, mental health and social mediaThe Montgomery Riverboat Brawl ("Fade in the Water") aka CHIKA DaySurviving the isolation of pandemic success Why artists should never let social media define themThe making of Sampson 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow CHIKA Instagram:  chikalogy    Spotify:  CHIKA Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and internet icon Durand Bernarr for a conversation that blends music history, creative identity, and plenty of laughs. From growing up in a household filled with instruments, vocal coaching, and Earth, Wind & Fire tour buses to becoming one of R&B's most distinctive voices, Durand reflects on the experiences that shaped both the artist and the personality fans know today. The pair discuss Durand's latest album Bernarr, how winning his first Grammy accelerated his career, and why social media has become an extension of his artistry rather than just a promotional tool. They also dive into his deep love for YouTube-era music discovery, the lasting influence of artists like J*DaVeY, Crash Cut, Vula, and Rochelle Jordan, and why authenticity will always outlast chasing trends. Durand breaks down: Queer visibility in music Working alongside Earth, Wind & Fire His love of DJing and production  His unforgettable Grammy acceptance speech, and the importance of embracing every version of yourself.  🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Durand Bernarr: Instagram:  @durandbernarr   Web: www.durandbernarr.com/ Album: BERNARR. Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this throwback episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill revisits his conversation with DJ R-Tisitc, one of Los Angeles' most respected DJs and music curators. From his early days producing for The Game's Black Wall Street to becoming a sought-after DJ for artists including Stevie Wonder and Issa Rae, DJ R-Tisitc reflects on his unconventional path into DJing and how studying regional music scenes helped shape his career. DJ R-Tisitc breaks down: The unique musical identity of Los Angeles; from G-Funk and electro to jerkin' to crumping and the influences of hyphy music. Why drill music has never truly found a home in Southern California.  How producers like DJ Mustard, Terrace Martin, Channel Tres, and Blxst represent different chapters in the evolution of the city's sound. Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow DJ R-Tisitc: Instagram:  @djrtistic Web: https://www.djr-tistic.com/  Twitch: rtistic310  Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill heads to Los Angeles for the BET Media House Experience, gathering an all-star lineup of artists, creators, executives, and media personalities to ask ONE question: What does winning an award actually mean? From rising stars visualizing their first BET Award to veterans reflecting on careers filled with accolades, this special episode captures honest conversations about ambition, validation, legacy, and the relationship between recognition and impact. Guests including Rapsody, Slim Jxmmi, Salt, Kenny Burns, Miles Minnick, Hurricane Wisdom, Big Cat, Deontay Kyle, The War and Treaty, and more share what they'd say if they stepped onto the BET stage and whether awards are the goal or simply the byproduct of meaningful work. Along the way, Don explores the idea that while trophies may celebrate achievement, an artist's greatest accomplishment is often the community they've built and the culture they've influenced. It's a candid snapshot of Black creativity during one of music's biggest weekends and a reminder that success means something different to everyone. 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow our Guest from the BET Media House Experience:   Rapsody, Slim Jxmmi, Salt, Kenny Burns, Miles Minnick, Hurricane Wisdom, The War and Treaty, Deontay Kyle, Big Cat, Nico Brim, Beno Rideaux, Shane, Beverly Face, Von Wyc, Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill opens the vault and shares some of the best conversations that didn't make the final edits of the first half of Season 4. From forgotten stories and extended interviews to behind-the-scenes insights, these bonus moments offer a deeper look at the people and ideas that continue to shape hip-hop culture. Hear Masta Ace reflect on New York City's legendary car culture, the art of "jeep beats," and writing songs during Will Smith's Millennium sessions. Michael Holman revisits the legacy of Graffiti Rock, the evolution of breaking from the streets to the Olympics, and why Fab Five Freddy remains one of hip-hop's most influential ambassadors. Finally, producer Jake One unpacks the rise of lo-fi beats, the importance of making timeless songs over viral content, and the unexpected origins of his modern funk project, Tuxedo.  Bits & Pieces Vol 1 breaks down: Masta Ace on New York's '90s car culture and the science behind classic "jeep beats" Michael Holman on Graffiti Rock and why breaking belongs in the Olympics Fab Five Freddy's impact on hip-hop culture Jake One on lo-fi beats and beat culture 🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Michael Holman: Instagram:  @michaelholman101 Follow Jake One: Instagram: jakeuno Web: snarejordan.com Bandcamp: Jake One Follow Masta Ace: Instagram: mastaacepics Facebook:  Masta Ace Web: www.mastaace.com Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices