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Fresh Air Weekend: Reckoning with hip-hop's past; Remembering Biggie Smalls

Megan Thee Stallion performs onstage during the 2023 LA Pride in the Park Festival. In the first episode of its second season, the <em>Louder Than A Riot</em> podcast examines the backlash Megan faced after being shot by rapper Tory Lanez.
Emma McIntyre
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Megan Thee Stallion performs onstage during the 2023 LA Pride in the Park Festival. In the first episode of its second season, the Louder Than A Riot podcast examines the backlash Megan faced after being shot by rapper Tory Lanez.

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

'Louder Than A Riot' reckons with hip-hop's past and looks to a more inclusive future: Podcast hosts Sidney Madden and Rodney Carmichael say despite the misogynoir that has plagued the genre, hip-hop is poised for change. "The girls and the gays are running things," Madden says.

As hip-hop turns 50, Biggie Smalls' legacy reminds us of what the genre has survived: Author Justin Tinsley discusses the life and legacy of the Notorious B.I.G., who was killed in 1997: "You can't talk about the story of hip-hop without mentioning the name Biggie Smalls."

You can listen to the original interviews and review here:

'Louder Than A Riot' reckons with hip-hop's past and looks to a more inclusive future

As hip-hop turns 50, Biggie Smalls' legacy reminds us of what the genre has survived

Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.