The Almanac of Rap
- Episodes
- 76
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 12, 2026
About the podcast
The Almanac of Rap is a two-time Webby Award-winning show that examines trends in hip hop and their impact over time...and it's way more fun than that description makes it sound. Each week, our host Donwill asks a question, presents a theory and finds a guest to come to some sort of consensus about it. Simply put, it’s a show about rap, by a rapper who loves rap music. If you're new to the Almanac, start here!
Episodes 76
Black Moon feat Da Beatminerz
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with legendary Brooklyn production duo and brothers Evil Dee and Mr. Walt, collectively known as Da Beatminerz, for a deep dive into the people, places …
Show notes
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with legendary Brooklyn production duo and brothers Evil Dee and Mr. Walt, collectively known as Da Beatminerz, for a deep dive into the people, places, and production techniques that helped define East Coast hip-hop in the 1990s. From their earliest days DJing and digging for records in New York to crafting the unmistakable sound of Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun, and the Boot Camp Clik, the brothers trace their journey through the creative ecosystem that shaped a generation.
Follow
Donwill Substack: New Music Tuesdays
Instagram/Threads: @donwill
Website: Donwill.me
Follow Da Beatminerz
Instagram: @beatminerz and djevildee
🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message for Don at: 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026.
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AOR Mini: Luther Vandross, Jack Herrera and Jon B
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026. Jon B. returns to The Almanac …
Show notes
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026.
Jon B. returns to The Almanac of Rap for a special bonus episode to share his musical obsessions, unexpected collaborations, and creative detours that helped shape his career. From the Roland TR-505 and TR-808 sounds to the Ensoniq EPS and ASR-10, he explains how his love of making beats became inseparable from his identity as an R&B artist.
🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment?
Leave a message for Don: 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455)
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: Jon B
Instagram: officialjonb
Facebook: Jon B
Web: https://www.jonbworld.com/
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Cool Relax feat Jon B
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026. Before Jon B. became one of …
Show notes
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026.
Before Jon B. became one of the defining voices of '90s R&B, he was a kid surrounded by records, instruments, and a family of classically trained musicians. In this episode of the Almanac of Rap, the singer, songwriter, and producer traces his journey from teaching himself piano and drums to meeting Babyface and Tracey Edmonds, signing his first record deal, and releasing his debut album Bonafide. What began as a dream of becoming a behind-the-scenes songwriter and producer evolved into a recording career after Babyface encouraged him to step into the spotlight. Jon B breaks down:
Meeting Babyface and Tracey Edmonds: The unexpected audition that turned a young songwriter's ambition into an artist deal, the making of Bonafide, and the enduring lesson Babyface taught him about honesty in songwriting.
The golden age of '90s R&B: Why Tony! Toni! Toné!, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Guy, Blackstreet, and other groups influenced his songwriting, production, and approach to rhythm.
Inside the Native Tongues and Soulquarians orbit: Visiting Q-Tip's studio, learning MPC techniques from J Dilla, and receiving encouragement from the artists who inspired him.
Recording with Guru: How Ali Shaheed Muhammad helped create the Cool Relax remix, why Guru's late-night studio session became unforgettable, and the inspiration behind its futuristic desert music video.
🤳🏾 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: Jon B
Instagram: officialjonb
Facebook: Jon B
Web: https://www.jonbworld.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, three time Signal 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
Leap Life feat Saul Williams
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026. What happens when an artist …
Show notes
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026.
What happens when an artist refuses to separate creativity from revolution? Poet, musician, actor, filmmaker, and cultural provocateur Saul Williams joins Donwill for an expansive conversation about Leap Life, his first solo studio album in seven years, and Songs My Mother Taught Me, a new nonfiction book examining the experiences and ideas that shaped his political consciousness. Working alongside producer Carlos Niño, Williams transforms experimental soundscapes, dance rhythms, and ancestral memory into music that confronts artificial intelligence, colonialism, and the machinery of modern power. From recording a track inside Cairo's bustling streets on his leap-day birthday to hosting listening séances honoring the lives lost to violence, Williams reveals why his latest work is both deeply personal and unapologetically political.Saul travels with Donwill back to the Brooklyn poetry scene of the 1990s, where Williams shared open-mic stages with future cultural luminaries, including Yasiin Bey and Erykah Badu, before becoming a defining voice of the spoken-word movement. Saul breaks down:
The making of Leap Life: How Carlos Niño helped transform years of experimental demos into a cohesive album.
The ideas behind Songs My Mother Taught Me, the influence of Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Du Bois, and why Williams believes music should challenge power rather than reinforce it.
His first performance at Brooklyn Moon Cafe in 1995, friendships with Yasiin Bey and Erykah Badu, and the creative community that helped bring spoken-word poetry to a new generation.
His journey through film, theater, and experimental storytelling, including Holler If Ya Hear Me, his years in Paris, and the patience required to create work that defies categorization.
The relationship between AI and forced labor explored in "Robot Slave," his listening séances, and why fiction, poetry, and music remain essential tools for imagining liberation.
🤳🏾 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: Saul Williams
Instagram: saulwilliams
Facebook: Saul Williams
Website: www.saulwilliams.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, three time Signal Award, 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
A Wu Tang Fable feat RZA
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026. What happens when one of …
Show notes
Pre-order Donwill & The Expert's new album EXPERTISE (HipNOTT Records). Digital album releases November 13, 2026, limited edition 12" vinyl ships on or around December 31, 2026.
What happens when one of hip-hop's most elusive albums becomes the subject of a Netflix documentary? RZA, the visionary producer, filmmaker, and founding architect of the Wu-Tang Clan, joins Donwill to discuss The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable, the new documentary chronicling the extraordinary journey of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Created as a single-copy work of art, the album became a multimillion-dollar cultural controversy after its sale to Martin Shkreli, raising questions about artistic ownership, creative freedom, and the value of music in the streaming era. RZA reflects on his relationship with producer Cilvaringz, the persistence that brought him into Wu-Tang's orbit, and the philosophical lessons behind a project whose legacy continues to evolve beyond its creators. The RZA breaks down:
The story behind Once Upon a Time in Shaolin: Why Wu-Tang created a one-of-a-kind album, the controversy surrounding Martin Shkreli, and the project's continuing legacy.
Cilvaringz and the philosophy of persistence: How an ambitious young artist earned RZA's attention through preparation, determination, and a willingness to learn.
Artistic ownership in the streaming era: Why scarcity, direct-to-consumer relationships, and devoted fans can change how independent musicians value their work.
The Wu-Tang business philosophy: Wu Wear, and the group's extended creative universe helped generate opportunities beyond record sales.
From Prince Rakeem to filmmaker: RZA's experiences with John Woo, Quentin Tarantino, and other filmmakers shaped his creative evolution and ambitions in cinema.
🤳🏾 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 @aorshow
Mixcloud: Donwill
Website: Donwill.me
Follow RZA
Instagram: @rza
YouTube: @rza1235 Web: Bobbydigital.com
Shop: Wu Tang Clan
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
Digable Planets feat Butterfly and Doodlebug
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 …
Show notes
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
Blowout Comb feat Ladybug Mecca
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 …
Show notes
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
Blow the Whistle feat. Too $hort
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 …
Show notes
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
Rock Steady feat Ken Swift
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 …
Show notes
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
Precious Cargo feat Maiya the Don
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 …
Show notes
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
Pan Amsterdam feat Leron Thomas
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 …
Show notes
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
Skiddle Bandana feat La Reezy
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 …
Show notes
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
Embers To Ashes feat Everlast
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 …
Show notes
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
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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
AOR Throwback: Hip House ft Dave Gilles II
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 …
Show notes
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
Native Tongues feat The Jungle Brothers
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 …
Show notes
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
Chika Day feat CHIKA
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 …
Show notes
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
The Lean feat Durand Bernarr
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 …
Show notes
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
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
AOR Throwback: DJ R-Tisitc
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 …
Show notes
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
The BET Awards 2026 feat Rapsody, Slim Jxmmi, Miles Minnick, Salt and more.
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 …
Show notes
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
Bits & Pieces Vol 1 feat Masta Ace, Michael Holman and Jake One
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 …
Show notes
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
AOR Mini: The Most "American" Moment in Hip Hop
This week on a special minisode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill is joined by Okayplayer's Audio Marketing Strategist and longtime collaborator Faybeo’n “LiKWUiD” Mickens for a behind-the-scenes conversation …
Show notes
This week on a special minisode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill is joined by Okayplayer's Audio Marketing Strategist and longtime collaborator Faybeo’n “LiKWUiD” Mickens for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the making of the recent Shaggy episode.
Together, they unpack Shaggy's stories about military cadence, reggae's influence on hip-hop, and the origins of his unmistakable vocal style before taking a detour into Eddie Murphy's surprisingly massive influence on rap culture. From Eddie Murphy Raw to Coming to America, the conversation explores how comedy, music, and hip-hop have always been more connected than they seem.
Don and Fay close out with a fun debate inspired by the “semiquincentennial” weekend events during the Fourth of July: What is the most American moment in hip-hop history?
Call 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) and tell Don your pick. It could be a song, an album, a performance, a headline, or a completely ridiculous moment…the more whimsical, the better.
Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more.
Substack: New Music Tuesdays
Instagram/Threads: @donwill
Mixcloud: Donwill
Website: Donwill.me
Follow Faybeo’n Mickens
Instagram: @likwuid
Web: FaybeonMickens.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
The Lottery feat Shaggy
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Grammy Award-winning artist Shaggy for a wide-ranging conversation about building one of the most enduring careers in music, navigating the …
Show notes
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Grammy Award-winning artist Shaggy for a wide-ranging conversation about building one of the most enduring careers in music, navigating the intersection of reggae and hip-hop.
From his early days recording "Oh Carolina" while serving in the U.S. Marines, to the global success of "Boombastic," "Angel," and "It Wasn't Me," Shaggy reflects on the moments that shaped his career and the mindset that helped him remain relevant for more than three decades. Shaggy breaks down:
Working with Michael Jackson, Sting, Spice, and Eddie Murphy
Dancehall's influence on hip-hop, and Jamaica's rich lyrical tradition
His new album Lottery, and starring in The Last Ship at New York's Metropolitan Opera.
🤳🏾 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 Shaggy
Instagram: direalshaggy
Tik Tok: DiRealShaggy Facebook: Shaggy
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
Indie Labels ft Awon and The Other Guys
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Awon, and Joe Myles of The Other Guys for a conversation about independent hip-hop, running record labels, vinyl culture, and the realities of …
Show notes
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Awon, and Joe Myles of The Other Guys for a conversation about independent hip-hop, running record labels, vinyl culture, and the realities of building sustainable careers outside the major label system.
Awon is the founder of Don't Sleep Records, while Joe Miles runs HipNott Records, home to artists including Skyzoo, Tanya Morgan, and Shay Noir. Together, they discuss their new collaborative project Solidified, the years-long friendship that led to the album, and what it takes to balance artistry with entrepreneurship. Awon and Joe break down:
The challenges of operating independent labels in today's music landscape from pressing vinyl and managing distribution to navigating shipping costs, manufacturing delays, and maintaining direct relationships with fans.
Lessons learned from years of self-releasing music, retaining ownership of their catalogs, and building businesses rooted in community rather than competition.
Mentorship, family life, touring, jazz influences in hip-hop, and why ownership remains one of the most important principles for artists seeking longevity.
🤳🏾 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 Other Guys
Instagram: @otherguysmusic
Website: HipNott Records
Follow: Awon
Instagram: @awon1988
Website: Dontsleeprecords.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
LA Beat Scene and Beyond feat Flying Lotus
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with visionary producer, filmmaker, label founder, and creative architect Flying Lotus for a wide-ranging conversation about music, film, creativity, and …
Show notes
On this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with visionary producer, filmmaker, label founder, and creative architect Flying Lotus for a wide-ranging conversation about music, film, creativity, and the art of world-building.
From pioneering the Los Angeles beat scene and launching Brainfeeder Records to directing boundary-pushing films and secretly becoming Captain Murphy, Flying Lotus has spent his career challenging expectations and creating entirely new lanes for artists to exist in.
FlyLo discusses his upcoming EP Big Mama, a meticulously crafted project built without loops and designed to feel alive, constantly evolving, and impossible to predict. He also reflects on growing up surrounded by musical greatness through the legacy of Alice Coltrane, how family shaped his understanding of creativity, and why seeing artistic success firsthand made it easier to imagine his own future. Flying Lotus breaks down:
The origins of Brainfeeder Records and working with artists like Thundercat, Kamasi Washington, and Louis Cole
Growing up in the legacy of Alice Coltrane and Marilyn McLeod
The challenges of filmmaking versus music production, and directing Kuso and Ash
Producing music with computers during an era dominated by hardware
🤳🏾 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 Flying Lotus
Instagram: flyinglotus
Music: Flying Lotus - BIG MAMA
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
Mixtape Museum feat Regan Sommer McCoy
For the first-ever live taping of The Almanac of Rap in New York City, Donwill welcomes archivist, researcher, and Mixtape Museum founder Regan Sommer McCoy for a deep dive into the history, culture, and future …
Show notes
For the first-ever live taping of The Almanac of Rap in New York City, Donwill welcomes archivist, researcher, and Mixtape Museum founder Regan Sommer McCoy for a deep dive into the history, culture, and future of mixtapes. Recorded live at Ludlow House in partnership with On Air Presents, this special episode explores how cassette tapes transformed music sharing, why mixtapes became hip-hop's original social media platform, and what we lose when we reduce playlists to algorithms and streaming metrics.
Sommer shares the origin story behind the Mixtape Museum, a community-driven archival project dedicated to preserving mixtape culture, cassette history, and the stories behind the music. Sommer breaks down:
The evolution of the mixtape; from homemade radio recordings and DJ exclusives to street albums, playlist culture, and modern-day archives.
Legendary mixtape figures including DJ Clue, Ron G, DJ Screw, Kid Capri, DJ Drama, Don Cannon, Justo Faison and the Mixtape Awards
Preservation, ownership, curation, and the importance of documenting hip-hop history before it disappears.
The future of mixtapes in a streaming and AI-driven world
🤳🏾 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 Regan Sommer McCoy
Instagram: dearsommer
Web: Sommer.nyc
Web: Mixtape Museum
Instagram: mixtapemuseum
Soundcloud: The Mixtape Museum
Follow On Air Presents
Instagram: onairpresents
Web: Onairpresents.com
Event Recap: Photos
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.
Note: This episode was pre-recorded on March 24, 2026.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rapping Actors feat Jharrel Jerome
This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Emmy Award-winning actor and recording artist Jharrel Jerome for a conversation about hip-hop, storytelling, acting, and the journey toward embracing …
Show notes
This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Emmy Award-winning actor and recording artist Jharrel Jerome for a conversation about hip-hop, storytelling, acting, and the journey toward embracing music publicly.
Known for acclaimed performances in Moonlight, When They See Us, and Unstoppable, Jharrel opens up about why rap was actually his first love long before acting entered the picture. From rapping for entry into Bronx basketball games as a kid to studying Eminem lyrics obsessively, Jerome reflects on how storytelling through rhyme shaped the creative foundation of his entire career. Jharrel breaks down:
How his upbringing in the Bronx continues to influence his artistic identity.
Blending cinema with rap visuals for his four “Pack” EP projects
How artists like Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Fred the Godson, and Action Bronson soundtracked different stages of Jerome’s acting career.
The emotional toll of filming When They See Us, physically transforming for Unstoppable, and his desire to help bring lyric-driven hip-hop back to the forefront.
🤳🏾 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 Jharrel Jerome
Instagram: @jharreljerome
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
Rock n Rap feat Sequoia Holmes
This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with culture critic, SiriusXM host, and Black People Love Paramore creator Sequoia Holmes for a hilarious and insightful conversation about Black alternative …
Show notes
This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with culture critic, SiriusXM host, and Black People Love Paramore creator Sequoia Holmes for a hilarious and insightful conversation about Black alternative culture, pop punk nostalgia, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and the unexpected intersections between rap and rock music.
Sequoia reflects on growing up as a Black Paramore fan during the emo era, why bands like Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Coldplay, and Panic! at the Disco resonated with Black listeners, and how her podcast became a space to unpack the “common and uncommon interests” of Black audiences online. The conversation also explores the evolution of “alternative” music, the decline of rock bands in the streaming era, and how modern artists blur genre lines between rap, pop, punk, and internet culture.
Don and Sequoia debate Miley Cyrus’ rap era, revisit iconic Nickelodeon and Disney Channel theme songs, discuss why shows like All That, Cousin Skeeter, and That’s So Raven were secretly foundational Black cultural experiences, and break down artists like Rico Nasty, Tierra Whack, Lil Uzi Vert, and Teezo Touchdown through the lens of alternative hip-hop. Sequoia breaks down:
Why Black audiences connected deeply with Paramore
Nickelodeon’s hidden influence on Black music culture
Miley Cyrus’ rap era revisited years later
The blurred lines between rap, punk, and alternative music
🤳🏾 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 Sequoia Holms
Instagram: @bplppod
Black People Love Paramore: Podcast
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
The Rapper’s Rapper feat Grafh
This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Queens lyricist Grafh to talk about battle rap, mixtape culture, lyricism, and surviving the music industry on his own terms. Grafh reflects on …
Show notes
This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Queens lyricist Grafh to talk about battle rap, mixtape culture, lyricism, and surviving the music industry on his own terms.
Grafh reflects on discovering rap through Nas’ Illmatic, studying rhyme patterns with a dictionary, and developing the intricate writing style that would later make him a respected “rapper’s rapper.” The conversation explores the difference between writing a great verse versus crafting a great song, ghostwriting for major artists, and learning song structure from collaborators like Kanye West and 88-Keys.
Grafh also shares stories about battling rappers in studios before the modern battle rap era, getting co-signed by the late DJ Kay Slay, working with Busta Rhymes, signing to Roc-A-Fella Records during the label’s final years, and eventually finding financial freedom through today’s underground rap ecosystem. Grafh breaks down:
The art of lyrical wordplay
The real business behind mixtape-era rap
Busta Rhymes, Kay Slay & Roc-A-Fella
Why underground rap is thriving independently
🤳🏾 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 Grafh:
Instagram: @grafh
Website: artbygrafh.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
Graffiti Rock feat Michael Holman
Before hip-hop became a billion-dollar industry, it was a living culture being built in clubs, parks, train yards, and downtown art spaces across New York City. This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits …
Show notes
Before hip-hop became a billion-dollar industry, it was a living culture being built in clubs, parks, train yards, and downtown art spaces across New York City.
This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with writer, filmmaker, musician, and Graffiti Rock creator Michael Holman to unpack the early days of hip-hop culture and the movement that brought its four elements to a national audience for the first time.
Holman reflects on working alongside pioneers like Fab Five Freddy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Martha Cooper, and Henry Chalfant, while helping shape the downtown New York scene that amplified breaking, graffiti, DJing, and rap beyond the Bronx. The conversation explores the creation of Graffiti Rock, the commercialization of rap versus hip-hop culture, and why graffiti writers, breakers, and DJs were eventually pushed to the margins as rap became the industry focus. Michael Holman breaks down:
The untold origins of Graffiti Rock
Fab Five Freddy, and downtown hip-hop culture
Basquiat’s band Grey
Why rap and hip-hop are not the same thing
The role of Puerto Rican breakers in evolving b-boy culture
How downtown clubs accidentally helped formalize the “four elements” of hip-hop as we know them today
🤳🏾 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 TuesdaysInstagram/Threads: @donwillMixcloud: DonwillWebsite: Donwill.me
Follow Michael Holman:
Instagram: @michaelholman101
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
The Chef feat Raekwon
What if the “Purple Tape” was green? Does Polo Ralph Lauren and Clarks’ Wallabees owe Wu-Tang residuals for teaching an entire generation how to rock each brand? And how did Raekwon navigate dropping his solo …
Show notes
What if the “Purple Tape” was green?
Does Polo Ralph Lauren and Clarks’ Wallabees owe Wu-Tang residuals for teaching an entire generation how to rock each brand?
And how did Raekwon navigate dropping his solo album AFTER standout projects from both Meth and Ghost?
This week on the Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Wu-Tang Clan founding member and future Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Raekwon. Don and Rae discuss his influential solo debut album "Only Built for Cuban Linx," its iconic purple tape marketing, and the challenges of producing its sequel. Raekwon breaks down:
The importance of authenticity, hard work, and expanding the Wu-Tang universe through his music.
His impact on fashion, including popularizing the Polo Snow Beach jacket and various collaborations that support emerging artists.
His current goals of educating youth and maintaining artistic integrity.
🤳🏾 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 Raekwon:
Instagram: raekwon
Linktr.ee: @RaekwonTheChef
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
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