Hip-hop is in a weird place right now. Research says that the genre, in both streaming and chart performance, has declined over the last decade. And while rap artists can still get number one songs on the Hot 100, it’s a far cry from the peak of trap circa 2017, when Nielsen data named hip-hop as the most popular genre in the U.S.
So what does that mean for the future of rap? To find out, producer Reanna Cruz spent all weekend reporting from Inglewood, CA, at the California edition of the world’s largest hip-hop festival: Rolling Loud. Through talking to attendees and catching the weekend’s hottest sets, they learned about the current state of hip-hop – the good and the bad – as well as what the future may hold.
To read Reanna’s highs and lows from the festival, check out their Vulture article here.
Special thanks to Antonio Cruz for his production help on this episode.
Songs Discussed:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Taylor Swift's Literary Era
Lost Notes: How Fela Kuti Found Afrobeat in LA
Berlin's Hottest Club is Rico Nasty & Boys Noize
Chasing old sounds: Djo's "End of Beginning" with Joe Keery
Cowboy Carter: This Ain't Country
Rhapsody in Blue, Reimagined
Eternal Sunshine of Ariana Grande's Mind
How to DIY a Music Career (with Amelia Meath and David Gray at SXSW)
Is Beyoncé's music #sponcon? And other mysteries LIVE in Brooklyn
Jacob Collier unites the world
Beyoncé's Country
Adult Contemporary, but make it cool (with CHROMEO)
The Star Spangled Banger!
Brittany Howard's Chaos Theory (with Brittany Howard)
The b*tch of loving musical theater (with Bridger Winegar)
Kali Uchis takes on the world
Soundalikes: Lil Nas X and Ariana Grande
The case of the missing vocals, and other listener questions
Too Fast? We’re Curious: The sped-up remix phenomenon - ICYMI
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Good One: A Podcast About Jokes
The Vulture TV Podcast
Vulture Festival Podcast
The Vulture TV Podcast