Microphone Check

Frannie Kelley

Microphone Check is an ongoing conversation with the most galvanizing and creative hip-hop artists to ever do it. The in-depth interviews that are the show’s trademark are led by a legendary musician, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and an accomplished journalist, Frannie Kelley, resulting in stimulating and revelatory insights that link the concerns of rappers, producers and behind the scenes players to broad cultural and sociopolitical movements. read less

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Frannie and Ali

Frannie and Ali

For our year anniversary with Spotify, we wanted to talk just to each other about the subtext of our interviews and the context of our show. This is a dialogue about hip-hop culture since Feb '18, but it's also about how we see our role within it.

Episodes

Frannie and Ali

Frannie and Ali

For our year anniversary with Spotify, we wanted to talk just to each other about the subtext of our interviews and the context of our show. This is a dialogue about hip-hop culture since Feb '18, but it's also about how we see our role within it.

Between his solo career and his work as Ali's writing partner, Adrian Younge has been in all the rooms. He and Ali long ago determined how to conduct themselves regardless of who else is there or what's on the table. It's instructive and inspiring.

As a linchpin for people who take what inspires them and turn that into something new -- whether it's Odd Future, which he's documented for years, or Illegal Civilization -- Mikey Alfred knows what you need to do if you want to make something.

Boosie Badazz -- Live from Southern University

Boosie Badazz -- Live from Southern University

Microphone Check flew to Southern University for an onstage conversation with the Baton Rouge native, obstacle-overcomer, heartfelt artist, thorough businessman and proud father. He was candid, and our audience of students was vocal and captivated.

Arriving at hip-hop in a roundabout way has given the Chicago musician a different perspective on what goes on in this world. He speaks his own mind, but he also hears other people. He’s not done. It makes him interesting to talk to -- and listen to.

The LA institution made the never easy transition from battle rapper to just rapper, period, and now is moving into comedy, TV and film. He's seen a lot of change over his 10 years in the business and art form, and he's passing on what he's learned.

A few things Cey Adams has made: the Chappelle's Show logo, Mary J. Blige's logo, Hot97's logo, the Ready to Die, Fear of a Black Planet and Hello Nasty covers, and DMX's artwork. He's designed and documented hip-hop culture for more than 30 years.

The lineage occupied by Your Old Droog is that of some of our all time favorites: Big L, Sean Price, Doom. His competitive intensity and flair with vocabulary reminds us of them and makes us feel alright about the future of New York hip-hop.

Our interview with the Canadian rapper felt like picking up where we left off, maybe because he does double duty like Ali, making his own work on a new engrossing album while helping other people share theirs, as host of Netflix's Hip-Hop Evolution.

Aishah White is a publicist who since 2000 has worked with everybody from Babyface to Lil Pump, XXX Tentacion to Ty Dolla Sign. You might think you know exactly what her occupation entails, but this conversation complicates it a little bit.

Judnick Mayard is a behind the scenes operator with an outsize effect on how you hear some of the most impactful artists of today, whether you know it or not. She's an invaluable liaison between the world of artists and the world of listeners.

This is a conversation about doing everything you can with what you have, especially when you’re fully aware that there are way easier paths. It reveals similarities between Ali and Mick: their shared commitment to people and focus on the afterlife.

It was a very real honor to talk to Kurtis Blow — first rapper to sign with a major, first gold rap record, first rap music video, first rapper to use a drum machine?! This is a cross-generational conversation sans condescension and full of love.

Open Mike Eagle

Open Mike Eagle

We knew Open Mike Eagle would be straight with us about what’s really going on in the lane he works in: known but not famous, successful after years of effort, self-aware and on to you, expressing himself fully but not sure who's hearing him.

He's a musician of musicians — not least among them his older brother, J Dilla. So, yes, we spoke about finding a way around a legacy, but more about how to ease your audience away from what they expect and into what you really want to make.

We were really happy to speak to gigantic Tribe fan Dev Hynes — finally, but also now — as with his latest album, Negro Swan, he exercises a very clear vision with the understanding that more people than ever will hear him.

This week we're bringing back the interview we did with Mac Miller in the fall of 2015, because this is what we have to show you the Mac we knew: regular person, hard-working artist, not a celebrity, not a statistic, just a good guy.

We’ve been looking forward to talking to Denzel Curry, and this conversation did not disappoint. It’s like he can’t stop himself from being authentic. Here he’s open about his frustrations with his competition and his commitment to his art.

The decades-long connection between Tribe and Outkast is important to understanding both groups’ music. It surfaces here often. And as a solo artist, Big is still pushing, navigating the pop music industry while it tosses and turns around all of us.

It's early days for IDK, writer and rapper from Maryland's PG County, who’s released four projects in four years but considers what he's working on now his debut. Here you’ll hear about his roots in go-go, and the moment he realized he had a gift.