logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2020
51m 55s

The Conspiracy Against Hip-Hop

NPR
About this episode
In this first episode, a mysterious conspiracy letter sends us on a journey to find out just how entangled hip-hop and mass incarceration have become over the last 40 years. We travel back in time to 1980s Atlanta with Killer Mike, 1990s Oakland with Too Short and beyond. From Reagan's war on drugs to a secret NYPD dossier of the world's biggest rappers, it's all connected — and, as Killer Mike says, "The proof's in the pudding."

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Oct 2020
The Camouflage Assassin: Mac Phipps (Pt 1)
When New Orleans rap phenom Mac Phipps signed with Master P's No Limit Records, he knew his dream of hip-hop stardom was within reach. But in February 2000, Mac was accused of murder and the dream became a nightmare. Over the next three episodes, we investigate this story of race ... Show More
57m 18s
Oct 2020
Lyrics On Trial: Mac Phipps (Pt 2)
"A bullet in your brain." What right does the justice system have to decide whether a rapper's words are imagination or intent to kill? In this continuation of Mac Phipps' story, police pressure witnesses, while prosecutors use the artist's own lyrics to build a murder case again ... Show More
56m 21s
Oct 2020
Outsmarting The Devil: Mac Phipps (Pt 3)
Exploitation of prisoners. Sexual assault allegations. A Supreme Court ruling that could hold the keys to freedom. In the third and final installment of Mac's story, we follow the ripples of Mac's case two decades after the verdict was handed down. What do the roadblocks in Mac's ... Show More
1 h
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2020
Rapper's Delight: Inside the Song That Ignited Hip Hop
Join Steve for the incredible inside story behind the song that launched hip hop on its course towards world domination. It's a tale tainted by scandal: accusations of organized crime, plagiarism and betrayal. And it's told by the artists who lived it: early South Bronx innovator ... Show More
1h 6m
Aug 2023
The FBI versus Hip-Hop
Nowadays, hip-hop is everywhere -- this genre informs countless aspects of modern music around the world. Shortly after its creation, power structures in the United States sought to suppress this music, perceiving it as a threat to the status quo. In today's episode, Ben, Noel an ... Show More
49m 25s
Apr 2025
Episode 615: The Montauk Project Part I - The Truth Behind The Truth Behind The Lies
<p>This week the boys break out the tin foil hats and venture deep into the world of Conspiracy Theory with a tale that connects the dots between WWII, The Philadelphia Experiment, Deep Underground Military Bases, Alien Experimentation, Militarized Psychics, Time Travel, Nazi Gol ... Show More
1h 46m
May 2019
Rolling Loud Rappers, Tekashi69, Kevin Gates occultism, and the Tin Foil Hat Show!
On today's episode of the Conspiracy Theories and Unpopular Culture podcast we catch up on the world's most dangerous profession: RAPPING! We'll also listen to my Nipsey Hustle show on Tin Foil Hat podcast! Show Topics: Chris Rock Podcast comment recap Tekashi69 update Rolling Lo ... Show More
1h 43m
Dec 2019
Prelude & Feud on a 'G' Thang: Biggie vs Tupac
The East Coast / West Coast hip hop feud between Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls is full of tragedy and conspiracy, but what did it really sound like? For the third season of of the hit podcast Slow Burn, host Joel Anderson and producer Christopher Johnson dig up untold stories ab ... Show More
44m 11s
Aug 2020
Gang Shit
The idea that 'The police are the biggest gang in America' is almost a cliche at this point, and yet, it has never been more obvious than it is at this moment in history. In this episode, Linqua and KNife explore the formation of Americas police force, it's roots and it's origina ... Show More
1h 7m
Jun 2018
Episode 320: Biggie and Tupac Part I - Sugar Bear
<p>We're delving into the cases of two of the most famous "unsolved" murders of the 20th century: Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. On our first episode, we're going to give a short history of gangsta rap in order to track the path that led to the deaths of two of the biggest music ... Show More
1h 40m
May 2019
Who Killed Conscious Rap? Find Out on 'The Stakes'
Drug wars, recessions and record violence in the 1980s had US cities in crisis. Hip hop artists responded by shifting from party music to a new style called "conscious rap." Artists like Public Enemy and Digable Planets championed a sound that was political, community-minded and ... Show More
25m 6s
Apr 2017
A Deep Dig on Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole’s Hip-Hop’s Values
The two rappers recall an earlier time in the genre’s history, in terms of aesthetics and politics. How do they fit in today? Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.co ... Show More
55m 21s