Welcome to another minicast from A Way with Words. Iâm Grant Barrett. [Music] Hip-hop is high art. Yeah. Thatâs right. And if you donât understand that, then youâre missing out on some of the best poetry. Literary scholar Adam Bradley examines the style and poetry of hip-hop lyrics in his new book titled: Book of Rhymes, the Poetics of Hip-Hop. 'When a ra ... Show More
Today
Deep Fried Air (Rebroadcast) - 24 November 2025
Eels, orts, and Wordle! Sweden awarded its most prestigious literary award to a book about . . . eels. The Book of Eels reveals the mysterious life cycle of this sea creature and its significance for famous figures from Aristotle to Sigmund Freud. Plus, what's an ort? It's the ... Show More
53m 45s
Nov 17
No Bones - 17 November 2025
Whippoorwills, bob whites, and chickadees. How do we decide the names of birds and what to call their calls? Plus, the last syllables of Arkansas and Kansas are pronounced differently, but they come from the same etymological root. And: What’s the best word to describe your relat ... Show More
53m 45s
Aug 2023
Beats, rhymes and life: Hip-hop at 50
DJ and writer Lynnée Denise marks hip-hop’s 50th year by speaking to leading names about the music, the art and the creativity of this global cultural movement. Legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock reminisces over the last five decades, celebrating the artform, exploring its soci ... Show More
26m 25s
Jul 2020
Le tournant des années 2000: du rap conscient, aux émeutes et au gangsta rap
Au début des années 2000, parler du rap revenait à parler du rap conscient. Le propre du rap était de faire réfléchir, de dénoncer les injustices et de transmettre un message. À cette époque, de nombreux rappeurs dénoncent, analysent, et encore, aujourd’hui, on étudie les textes ... Show More
48m 30s
Feb 2023
Street Disciples, Ep 4: If I Ruled the World
<p>By the late 90s, rap was the world’s pop music. The money was flowing, creating hip-hop moguls and welcoming in the Bling Era. </p><p>But as hip-hop went mainstream and gained commercial success, the rap music topping the charts had begun to largely shed its political messagin ... Show More
1 h