The Almanac of Rap

4d ago

What do the Cupid Shuffle, Electric Slide, Cha Cha Slide, Swag Surf, and The Wobble all have in common? They move the culture. In this episode of The Almanac of Rap , Donwill sits down with Cupid, six-time platinum recording artist, Guinness World Record holder, and officially proclaimed “Line Dance King of the World.” If you’ve ever heard “Down, down, do your dance…” at a wedding, cookout, HBCU homecoming, or kickback, this one’s for you.From selling CDs out of his trunk in Louisiana to global tours across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Djibouti, and beyond, Cupid breaks down: The origin story of the Cupid Shuffle Line dance beef (yes, it’s real) Why drill music needs a line dance Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Cupid: Instagram: @officialnewcupid TikTok: @officialnewcupid Okayplayer is a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Do you like what Donwill was wearing in this episode? Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com

4d ago

Hosted by rapper, DJ, and producer Donwill, Season 4 of the two-time Webby Award winning Almanac of Rap podcast series returns February 26th with a new lineup of hip-hop legends, innovators, and cultural architects. This season features conversations with: Bun B, Raekwon, Havoc, 9th Wonder & Reuben Vincent, LaRussell, Cupid, Mr. DJ, Jharrel Jerome , and more. Each week, Donwill dives deep into hip-hop history, rap trends, and the stories behind the culture; uncovering hidden gems, surprising perspectives, and unexpected moments. New episodes drop every Thursday (alternating audio and video versions every other week.) Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: ⁠⁠New Music Tuesdays⁠⁠ Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠@donwill⁠⁠ Mixcloud: ⁠⁠Donwill⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠Donwill.me⁠⁠ The Almanac of Rap is a production of Okayplayer and is distributed by Talkhouse Podcast Network. ⁠⁠Okayplayer⁠⁠ is a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Season Credits: The Almanac of Rap is executive produced by Donwill, Isha Sesay and Travis Harris for Okayplayer Media and distributed by Talkhouse Podcast Network. Episodes are written and hosted by Donwill; directed by Travis Harris; produced and edited by Kobina Baffour, with production coordination by Bianca B. Ortiz. Technical direction by Compton Timberwolf. Director of Audience & Product Development by Hassan Spruill, Publishing Producer and Audio Marketing Strategy by Faybeo’n Mickens. Music production by Von Pea. Public Relations by Audible Treats. Extended support from Areya Media: Mariama Todd (VP of Finance), Ashon McCollin (Audience Development Manager), Associate Producers Brianna Harris, Tyara Jackson, and Javon Stephonson; Art Director Kaushik Kalidindi; Graphic Designer Jefferson Harris; Writing Assistant Peter Berry.

Oct 18, 2024

For our season finale we talk to Lupe Fiasco about his concept albums, his work with MIT, Yale and Google and history in martial arts. We also talk about the many supergroups he’s started and get a status update on if they are active or dormant. Lupe Fiasco is a grammy award winning rapper who has found a voice outside the booth by teaching classes about rap at MIT and working with Google’s large language model to develop a TextFX, an AI tool made specifically for writers. For more information visit: Lupe Fiasco: LupeFiasco.com Donwill: Donwill.me or donwill.substack.com Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris.Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

Oct 10, 2024

This week’s guest is Homeboy Sandman and we talk about him not being on social media, getting love from mainstream artists, his creative process and his upcoming tour. Homeboy Sandman is a Brooklyn based MC with a deep discography and rich history in the New York music scene. For more information visit: Homeboy Sandman: patreon.com/homeboysandman Donwill: Donwill.me Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris. Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

Oct 3, 2024

This week’s guest is Cory Gunz and we talk about him being mentored by Nick Cannon, Godfathered by Shaq, working with Lil Wayne and being raised by Peter Gunz. We also discuss his current crop of releases and his new crew, The Militia. For more information visit: Corey Gunz: instagram.com/CoryGunz Donwill: Donwill.me Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is Executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris.Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

Sep 26, 2024

This week we talk to MC Lyte about her career and the way that she’s pioneered in music, fashion and more. We also do a quick study of the history of rappers with cartoons and pitch a few ideas for new cartoons that feature rappers. MC Lyte is rapper, DJ, actor and TV producer who’s been a part of some of culture's biggest moments. For more information visit: MC Lyte: mclytenow.com Donwill: Donwill.me Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is Executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris.Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

Sep 19, 2024

This week we talk to Cavalier about releasing multiple albums, ‘legal weed’, moving to New Orleans and much, much more. Cavalier is a fiercely independent Brooklyn born artist whose new album Different Type Time has achieved critical acclaim. For more information visit: Cavalier: cavwins.com Donwill: Donwill.substack.com Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is Executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris.Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

Sep 12, 2024

This week we talked to Von Pea about Internet Rappers and the etiquette of being online. We also play a game of ‘Guess The Real Rapper’ to further illustrate the fine line between URL and IRL. Von Pea is a founding member of the group Tanya Morgan and a charter member of Okayplayer and he also moderated the message boards. so he has tons of experience dealing with people online. To order 15 Year Anniversary pressing of Brooklynati visit: vinylmeplease.com For more information visit: Von Pea: Instagram.com/VonPea Donwill: Donwill.substack.com Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is Executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris, Edited by Kobina Baffour & Tony Mui. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Music Production by Von Pea.