The Cipher

This week, we talk to Christopher Jackson, one of the lead actors in Broadway’s ‘Holler If Ya Hear Me’, the musical based on Tupac’s legacy. When ‘Holler If Ya Hear Me’ first hit Broadway, it was mar…

This week, we talk with Todd Kreidler, the writer behind the Broadway musical based on the life and music of 2pac, ‘Holler If Ya Hear Me’. Kreidler was tasked with taking on the legacy of legendary M…

Saul Williams is man who can wear many hats: actor, rapper, poet. For Williams, the line was never cut between fields; instead, he was always trying to blend, to collaborate, to draw from one medium …

YC the Cynic is a constantly changing MC. “You’re Welcome”, his first mixtape in 2010, saw YC rapping over classic New York beats — exploring the lineage of rappers that came before him. By the time …

Gangsta Boo joined Three 6 Mafia when she was only a teen. To this day, she is still the first and only female member of the group. After a successful run with the group, she left and embarked upon a…

Grand Mixer DXT’s invention of the turntable as a musical instrument changed hip hop forever. His background as a jazz drummer gave him not just great rhythm, but inspired him to use the turntables t…

This episode of OTL is a special one. We got the incredible opportunity to sit down with the Don, Nas, to engage him in a back and forth about his iconic album, Illmatic. The debut album of Nas and a…

Longtime listeners to the show will recall Pharoahe Monch as OTL’s first three-peat guest, first appearing on the show in July 2012. This time, we sat down with Pharoahe and his manager Guy Routte to…

This episode, we talk to one of hip hop’s most honored rappers — Rakim Allah, the God MC. Rakim was only a teenager when he broke into the New York rap scene as part of famed Golden Era duo Eric B & …

This episode, we talk to Dan Charnas, industry veteran, prolific music journalist, screenwriter, and most recently author of The Big Payback, the definitive history of hip hop business. Charnas began…

Hailing from Harlem, Loaded Lux is considered a true pioneer and legend in battle rap. Lux grew up surrounded by battle rap culture, where cyphers were popping off around every corner in Harlem. He b…

Beginning with a hometown crew and a particular style of chopped and screwed remixes, Michael Watts successfully turned regional mix tape distribution into a record label empire - turning the nationa…

We talk to author Robert Greene, who’s famous bestseller, The 48 Laws of Power, took ideas from students of legends like Machiavelli and Sun Tzu, and distilled their teachings into simple principles …

Hempstead, Long Island’s Roc Marciano started his career out learning from the best, working closely with artists like Busta Rhymes and Pete Rock, but went solo in 2010 with the album Marcberg. Since…

Lance Scott Walker began his journey to document the Houston rap scene and surrounding culture with photographer Peter Beste in 2004, quickly discovering just how much there was to learn. But Houston…

Returning guest Bill Adler is many things — music archivist, gallerist, head of PR for Def Jam at its creative apex — but he’s also a well-known Christmas music nut. After marrying into a Christian f…

Complex calls Paul Stewart “an unsung hero of L.A. hip-hop,” and this interview shows just how true that is. From his early days breaking Tone-Loc and Young MC to guiding Coolio and the Pharcyde to t…

KRS-One is a hip-hop legend beyond compare. He began his career with the classic Criminal Minded, arguably the album that invented gangsta rap. But after the death of his DJ Scott LaRock, KRS took a …

This episode, we talk the best of old-school NYC life and hip-hop with two folks who know it better than almost anybody. MC Serch is best known for his work with 3rd Bass, but has also executive prod…

This episode of Outside the Lines With Rap Genius, we bring you a talk with Brian Brater, co-founder of Rawkus Records. Rawkus was perhaps the single most important underground record label of the 90…