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The History of Hip-Hop Bring on the funk and hear tales of the old school: Fresh Air features interviews with some of the greatest names in hip-hop history. Guests include Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and Will Smith.
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The History of Hip-Hop

Fresh Air features interviews with some of the greatest names in hip-hop history.
Wu-Tang Clan's The RZA

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Wu-Tang Clan's The RZA

Fresh Air

One of the founding members of the kung-fu-meets-hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan, The RZA also has written film scores, including those for Kill Bill and Ghost Dog, and a book called The Wu Tang Manual. (This interview originally aired March 7, 2005.)

Wu-Tang Clan's The RZA

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Ahmir Thompson, AKA Questlove

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Ahmir Thompson, AKA Questlove

Fresh Air

Ahmir Thompson, aka Questlove, is the drummer for the Grammy-winning hip-hop group The Roots. The sextet melds musical styles: rock 'n' roll, jazz fusion, funk, poetry, shout-outs to hip-hop pioneers, black nationalism and groove-laden neo-soul musings. (This interview originally aired Feb. 6, 2003.)

Ahmir Thompson, AKA Questlove

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Queen Latifah: The Fresh Air Interview

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Queen Latifah: The Fresh Air Interview

Fresh Air

Her critically acclaimed 1989 debut album All Hail The Queen is considered one of the best rap albums of all time, and she has starred in many movies. (This interview originally aired March 15, 1999.)

Queen Latifah: The Fresh Air Interview

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Fresh Prince and Beyond: Will Smith

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Fresh Prince and Beyond: Will Smith

Fresh Air

Grammy-winning rapper and actor Will Smith has had success in music, movies and television. He began his career as the Fresh Prince with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Since then, he has acted in numerous films and been nominated for an Oscar, for his performance in Ali. (This interview originally aired Dec. 17, 2001.)

Fresh Prince and Beyond: Will Smith

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The Hippies of Hip-Hop: De La Soul

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The Hippies of Hip-Hop: De La Soul

Fresh Air

Formed in 1985, three-man jazz-rap group De La Soul has been dubbed "the hippies of hip-hop." Their debut album Three Feet High and Rising was a critical success, and the band continues to make upbeat music that focuses on the use of samples, jazz vamps and wordplay. (This interview originally aired Oct. 5, 2000.)

The Hippies of Hip-Hop: De La Soul

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'Original Gangster': Rapper and Actor Ice-T

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'Original Gangster': Rapper and Actor Ice-T

Fresh Air

Ice-T is one of the original gangster rappers, of whom Greg Knot of The Chicago Tribune wrote: "Ice-T is that rare gangster rapper who leads with his brain instead of his gun or his crotch." He's gone on to a successful acting career. (This interview originally aired May 1, 1992.)

'Original Gangster': Rapper and Actor Ice-T

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Hip-Hop Renaissance Man: Ice Cube

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Hip-Hop Renaissance Man: Ice Cube

Fresh Air

Known today equally as a musician and actor, Ice Cube was born O'Shea Jackson. He first gained notoriety in the late 1980s with the revolutionary group N.W.A. He now also acts in and produces movies, including this year's comedy Are We There Yet? (This interview originally aired Jan. 10, 2005.)

Hip-Hop Renaissance Man: Ice Cube

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Public Enemy Pioneer Chuck D

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Public Enemy Pioneer Chuck D

Fresh Air

Born Carlton Ridenhour, Chuck D was the founder of Public Enemy. Formed in 1987, the rap group was a pioneering act that created explosive, politically conscious rap that focused on an urban world of limited opportunity, drugs and violence. (This interview originally aired Oct. 15, 1997.)

Public Enemy Pioneer Chuck D

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LL Cool J: Still Knockin' Us Out

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LL Cool J: Still Knockin' Us Out

Fresh Air

Born James Todd Smith, LL Cool J was fascinated with rhyme and rap in high school, an obsession that made him Def Jam Records' first recording artist at age 15. The two-time Grammy winner also has launched a clothing line and acted in films. (This interview originally aired Sept. 25, 1997.)

LL Cool J: Still Knockin' Us Out

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Rapper Darryl McDaniels of Run-D.M.C.

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Rapper Darryl McDaniels of Run-D.M.C.

Fresh Air

Darryl McDaniels is the "D.M.C" of the seminal rap group Run-D.M.C, which brought new fashion and language to popular culture. Their self-titled first album — the first rap record to go gold — was the first of a string of successful releases. (This interview originally aired May 19, 1997.)

Rapper Darryl McDaniels of Run-D.M.C.

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Hip-Hop Entrepreneur Russell Simmons

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Hip-Hop Entrepreneur Russell Simmons

Fresh Air

Called the "godfather of hip-hop," Russell Simmons has been credited with bringing rap to the mainstream. In the early 1980s, he helped found Def Jam Records, launching pad of legendary hip-hop acts like Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J. (This interview originally aired Nov. 27, 2001.)

Hip-Hop Entrepreneur Russell Simmons

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DJ and Hip-Hop Pioneer Grandmaster Flash: The Fresh Air Interview

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DJ and Hip-Hop Pioneer Grandmaster Flash: The Fresh Air Interview

Fresh Air

At the dawn of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash recorded hits like "The Message" and "White Lines (Don't Do it)" with the Furious Five.

DJ and Hip-Hop Pioneer Grandmaster Flash: The Fresh Air Interview

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Rapper Melle Mel: Delivering 'The Message'

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Rapper Melle Mel: Delivering 'The Message'

Fresh Air

When the hit rap song "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five came out in the early 1980s, many rappers regarded it as an inspiration and political message. Melle Mel was the original vocalist on the song. (This interview originally aired August 4, 1992.)

Rapper Melle Mel: Delivering 'The Message'

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DJ Kool Herc and the Birth of the Breakbeat

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DJ Kool Herc and the Birth of the Breakbeat

Fresh Air

DJ Kool Herc is known as the father of the DJ breakbeat, part of the foundation of modern hip-hop. He also wrote the introduction to the recent history of hip-hop, Can't Stop Won't Stop. Kool Herc kicks off Fresh Air's Hip-Hop Week. (This interview originally aired March 30, 2005.)

DJ Kool Herc and the Birth of the Breakbeat

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Jay-Z

Fresh Air

In 2010, Jay-Z spoke to Fresh Air about growing up in a housing project in Brooklyn, watching crack cocaine transform his neighborhood and finding his identity in a recording studio.

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Jay-Z

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Questlove; Chuck D; Diddy

In his new memoir, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson describes his life in music — and how he mimicked beats at just 10 months old. Danny Clinch/Grand Central Publishing hide caption

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Fresh Air Weekend

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Questlove; Chuck D; Diddy

Fresh Air

Questlove reflects on the Roots and his lifetime in music. Public Enemy's Chuck D discusses politically conscious rap. Hip-hop mogul Diddy says he's always been motivated to be "the best."

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Questlove; Chuck D; Diddy

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Wu-Tang Clan's RZA

Fresh Air

RZA got his first set of turntables when he was 11. He went on to co-found Wu-Tang Clan, the platinum-selling group whose name was inspired by martial arts movies. Originally broadcast in 2005.

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Wu-Tang Clan's RZA

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Outkast's André 3000

Fresh Air

André Benjamin spoke to Fresh Air in 2006 about his music and his Outkast persona: " André 3000 ... just goes there and has a ball; André Benjamin is the person that goes to Whole Foods."

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Outkast's André 3000

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: De La Soul's Trugoy the Dove and Maseo

Fresh Air

Two of De La Soul's founding members, David "Trugoy" Jolicoeur and Vincent "Maseo" Mason, spoke to Fresh Air in 2000 about their 1989 debut, 3 Feet High and Rising, and their ironic, playful style.

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: De La Soul's Trugoy the Dove and Maseo

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Beastie Boys

Fresh Air

Beastie Boys Mike Diamond, Adam Horovitz and Adam Yauch — aka Mike D, Ad-Rock and MCA — started a punk band in New York City in the 1980s, before moving into hip-hop. Originally broadcast in 2006.

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Beastie Boys

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Ice-T

Fresh Air

"I call it reality-based rap," Ice-T says of the gangster rap genre. His '92 hit "Cop Killer" was controversial; he later played a police detective in Law and Order: SVU. Originally broadcast in 1994.

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Ice-T

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'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Queen Latifah

Fresh Air

Latifah established herself as a rap star with her 1989 debut album, All Hail the Queen. In this 1999 interview, she talked about giving herself her name, and why she decided to pursue acting.

'Fresh Air' celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Queen Latifah

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