Hip-Hop Radio Archive
June 17, 2018 9:49 PM   Subscribe

From the legendary Mr. Magic's Rap Attack to tiny college and pirate stations, in the 80s and 90s radio was pivotal to the growth of hip hop culture in the US and beyond. The Hip-Hop Radio Archive is bringing taped recordings out of collectors' basements and into a more secure and public home, tracing the spread of hip-hop by providing regional and historical context for the episodes. [via mefi projects]

Learn more about the genesis of The Hip-Hop Radio Archive in founder Ryan MacMichael's hour-long interview with Radio Survivor.

A few links to start out:
Jazzy Jay and Afrika Bambaataa on 98.7 KISS FM (1983)
Dr. Dre, Sir Mix-A-Lot, and others on London's Capital Rap Show (1986)
The legendary Kool DJ Red Alert (1992)
Princeton University's WPRB
posted by cichlid ceilidh (11 comments total) 44 users marked this as a favorite
 
I only knew Mr. Magic from the Grand Theft Auto games, and had no idea he was based on a real person. Thanks!
posted by quinndexter at 10:12 PM on June 17, 2018


This is my work background music sorted for the next few years. Thankyou!
posted by matrixgeek at 2:49 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Lecco’s Lemma was legendary. I’m looking forward to finally hearing it.
posted by pxe2000 at 3:07 AM on June 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


Thanks. Enjoying DJ Red Alert now!
posted by Kosmob0t at 3:39 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Since we’ve been talking about site activity on MetaTalk lately, I want to exhort you all to check out the Projects site. There are a lot of cool things over there, like this, that get depressingly few comments if no one posts it to the blue. Head over and leave a note or vote if you like something. I know it means a lot to people who share their work!
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 5:58 AM on June 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


This has absolutely made my day!
I'm loving this right now : DJ Premier on Hot 97 for the Thanksgiving 1995
posted by tomp at 6:16 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Thanks for the kind comments, all! I've really enjoyed working on this project and have been lucky to connect with a number of great collectors and DJs that have contributed to the archive.

If you've got any old hip-hop shows sitting on tape somewhere, let me know!
posted by laze at 9:40 AM on June 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


This and that other FPP about tape archives is going to be keeping me busy for some time.
posted by humboldt32 at 9:54 AM on June 18, 2018


If you've got any old hip-hop shows sitting on tape somewhere, let me know!

there have been a bunch of them linked on gothamist over the years although i'm not sure what tag/section they're under.
posted by poffin boffin at 11:38 AM on June 18, 2018


Wonderful!
posted by mrgrimm at 11:42 AM on June 18, 2018


I had an underground hip hop show in the early-mid 1990s, so I shot 'em an email through the site to ask if they'd be interested in my old recordings. Then, for kicks, I browsed by city, and one of my old shows, from little old Rocky Mount, is there already!

That's some good digging. Nice work, folks, nice work.
posted by CommonSense at 2:12 PM on June 29, 2018


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