In the ’70s, funk was pop—the cutting edge of Black music and the way listeners got their groove on, before disco and hip-hop. After James Brown taught a generation a new way to hear rhythm, and George Clinton tore the roof off with his P-Funk axis, nothing would be the same.
Rising alongside blaxploitation at the movies, funk took many forms: Curtis Mayfie ... Show More
Nov 15
Pour Some Sugar on Me Edition Part 1
When you hear the term “superproducer,” names like George Martin, Quincy Jones, Max Martin, Pharrell Williams or Missy Elliott might come to mind. But … Robert “Mutt” Lange? Probably not. Yet Lange was by some measures the biggest hitmaker—the producer of more top-selling albums ... Show More
1h 3m
Nov 12
The Slate Culture Gift Guide
Hark, the holiday season is upon us—and with it, the most solemn of festive traditions: a gift guide! In this video and podcast special, Slate hosts Dana Stevens, Chris Molanphy, and Willa Paskin beam in from their collective hearths to deliver unto the internet their favorite gi ... Show More
49m 39s
Oct 31
If You Love Sting, Set Him Free Edition Part 2
Walk into any store or flip on a radio, and you’ll probably hear the Police’s “Every Breath You Take” sooner or later. Thanks to that ubiquity, the swooning, menacing megahit’s songwriter—Sting—is a very wealthy man. Now his former bandmates, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, ar ... Show More
55m 27s
May 2018
Afrofuturism in Kali Uchis & Clipping (with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes)
Parliament Funkadelic has had waves of influence on popular music. Their Afrofuturist message and infectious grooves built the backbone of 70s funk, was revived in the 90s with Dr. Dre's G-Funk, and is once again in vogue with in the music of Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino and ... Show More
48m 51s
Jun 2024
Bootsy Collins is gonna funk you up (with Bootsy Collins)
Bootsy Collins is, perhaps, the funkiest man of all time. Over the course of his nearly six decade career, Collins has given up the funk in the iconic Parliament Funkadelic, helmed Bootsy’s Rubber Band, and lended his slaparific talents to songs from everybody from James Brown to ... Show More
40m 9s
Jul 2020
Pop Smoke’s Legacy and the Sound of Brooklyn Drill
On February 19th, 2020, Pop Smoke’s life was tragically cut short, when he was shot and killed at the age of 20. At the time of his death, the rapper was a leading light of Brooklyn drill, the hyper-local scene that had quickly become the premier NYC hip-hop subgenre. With hits l ... Show More
25m 48s
Sep 2020
Don Diablo Hexagon Radio Episode 292
On this week’s show Don Diablo plays new music from Tom & jame, King Arther, Jasted, Swanky Tunes, Axel North and many more. Plastik Funk also take control for a 10 minute mini mix. 1. Jennifer Cooke X Cr3on X 3NRGY - Everywhere2. Tom & Jame - Fantasy Ft. Jack Dawson3. King Athur ... Show More
1 h
Mar 2024
Hip-hop's Sea Change at Rolling Loud
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 ... Show More
42m 47s