10 of the best hip hop podcasts on the planet (possibly!)

Vice beats spends the vast majority of his commuting, exercise and (where possible) work time listening to podcasts – and as such has a vast knowledge of the podcasts from his favourite genres. Here, he takes us through some of his personal favourite Hip Hop podcasts…

It’s fair to say that all musical tastes, no matter how far reaching, can be served through podcasts and that includes the arena of Hip Hop. BUT…. let’s be clear here, there’s a big difference in approaches to the music covered within Hip Hop podcasts. If you’re looking for a show to accompany your particular passion for the genre, this extensive (yet far from exhaustive) list offers an insight to some better known – and some more hidden gems – within the realm of Hip Hop podcasts.

Hip Hop Saved My Life

Hosts: Romesh Ranganathan & Rumaj

This is a long running and well known podcast, in which Romesh has used his comedic clout to connect the podcast to Comic Relief (alongside the Horn Section), and secured some stellar guests including internationally renowned names like Chuck D, DJ Shadow, DJ Premier and so many more, alongside some of the UK’s hip hop royalty. The thing that makes this show brilliant, and somewhat unsurprisingly, is the comedic element. The hosts have a seriously in depth knowledge of the genre and scene, and use the platform to speak to comedians, producers, radio presenters, DJs, MCs and simply fans. It’s an easy listen, and they are natural interviewers with great charisma. Don’t rely on this pod to be weekly, as part of the allure is that new batches of episodes arrives whenever the duo are ready, but trust me, they’re well worth the wait! Be sure to check out Romesh’s radio show – For The Love Of Hip Hop on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds Listen now >>

Breaking Atoms

Hosts: Chris Mitchell (Kinetik) & Sumit

This is a highly respected pod by two hosts who make a living from the creation of podcasts, so with that knowledge alone you know the audio is going to be on point! Sumit and Chris are long standing and respected members of the UK hip hop scene, and coming from two different standpoints as an MC alongside a PR / journalist, the show’s stance is to pay respect where due and dig deep into the history and grounding of their guests. Typically lasting about an hour, it’s all talk, with well researched questions, and guests often wanting to continue the conversation. The hosts are enthusiastic, professional, and charming, and with guests including Pete Rock, Statik Selektah and Marco Polo alongside some interviews from Sumit’s crates with Nas, Lupe Fiasco and more, the pod really started taking shape mid last year when the format was really locked down and the duo’s guest list really started to fly. Their Jay-z series – Brooklyn’s Finest: The Making Of Reasonable Doubt flew up the worldwide podcast charts, and sees the duo working at stellar levels of production, matching that of Spotify’s own music documentaries. Listen now >>

DadBodRapPod

Hosts: Dem One, David Ma, Nate LeBlanc

These guys are great. There’s something very wholesome about this pod. The San Jose based hosts are so positive alongside having a deep knowledge of hip hop. With the team including journalist David Ma, the guests are often asked incisive and well crafted questions. This pod is great for connecting dots in the scene, and often finding interviews with artists who you may not have heard of, but on investigation finding that they are firmly rooted within the scene and connected in many ways. With a solid format, and the show always starting with the hosts catching up, this show serves as a celebration of the scene, and it’s easy to get sucked into the conservations. Listen now >>

Crate 808

Host: Kambi Thandi

Possibly one of the most passionate podcasts around, the intros include a very well researched and constructed rhyme all about the guest in question. Kambi Thandi has been developing Crate 808 for a number of years, and has really found his stride. This is a 90s centric show, with a mixture of formats including interviews, guest panels, mailbag sessions. video and audio features and more alongside exclusive Patreon content breaking down classic hip hop albums. Kambi has some great guests, and has a natural and inquisitive nature, which sees guests like Pharoah Monch returning regularly. Well worth a listen. Listen now >>

Take It Personal

Hosts: DJ 360, Jason Gloss, Aaron Wade, Kevlar and Roger The Announcer

This podcast makes a bold statement that they are the best hip hop show, which of course is very divisive. They definitely have the trapping of being one the best out there. Their guests are always of an incredibly high standard, and they have managed to talk to some of Hip Hop’s royalty who very rarely give interviews, including the legendary Black Thought. The Philaflava crew’s gem is DJ 360, who offers up incredibly well researched and constructed mixes, featuring a wide range of cultural references. They are long and always great to listen to. One sticking point is that the team are dead set on the golden era (as described by the hosts) to the point of saying that they don’t like new hip hop, although they do occasionally play newer music. Some of the best episodes to check out to get you started include: Black Thought, the MF Doom tributes, DJ Premier and Jeru The Damaja. Listen now >>

Can’t Knock The Shuffle

Host: Sean Kantrowitz

This is a great concept show with an experienced host who really knows his stuff. Sean Kantrowitz uses playlists to randomly select what songs the guests will talk about, leading to a deep dive into songs, albums and memories. The format is simple and perfect, plus Sean has some of hip hop’s more elusive artists, including the incredible Bahamadia and Masta Ace. Listen now >>

The Midnight Miracle

Hosts: Dave Chapelle, Talib Kweli and Yassin Bey

Recorded during 2020 at Dave Chapelle’s Summer Camp in Ohio, this podcast is different, special and offer reflection and insight in an entirely different way to quite frankly any other podcast out there. The production levels are as expected, beautifully and meticulously constructed, with a deep knowledge and love of music. The hosts talk about life lessons, their journeys and their joint love and respect for a variety of musicians. Yassin talks in depth about his journey into hip hop, including meeting Talib Kweli, Amy WInehouse and more. It’s a thought provoking show, and is available on vinyl, which is becoming a new line for podcasts to expand reach. The talks are open, honest and at times the conversations are hard to hear, but this is up there with one of the finest podcasts around, and a definite to add to your playlist. Listen now >>

Bedroom Beethovens

Host: Cello

The hook of Cello’s show is that he explores the 10,000 hours it’s taken artists to get to where they are today. His style is almost investigative, frequently using Nerdwar as a reference point and having at least one question for guests which digs deep into their early career. The guests he chooses are very much producer’s producers. It’s a great list of artists who will be known and respected by hip hop fans who dig deeper into the scene, alongside producers who steer more towards soul, and a smattering of vocalists for good measure! It’s a well produced and constructed podcast, which also has a great website to document the development of the show. Listen now >>

Drink Champs

Hosts: N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN

Basically, two heavyweights within Hip Hop get their guests drunk and talk about Hip Hop, and it’s all filmed and turned into a podcast, oh, and it’s amazing! This show has become the go-to for Hip Hop heads wanting to find out about some of their favourite artists. EFN has a great interview style, twinned with N.O.R.E. passion and direct questioning, it makes for an enjoyable, in depth and at times hilarious deep dive into Rap culture. Listen now >>

NB: DJ EFN also hosts another great podcast called the Father Hoods Podcast alongside KGB and Manny Digital, which is well worth a listen! (there’s only so many podcasts that can be written about in depth here!)

Carhartt – Relevant Parties

Host: Chal Ravens

Launched in 2020, this podcast serves as a deep dive into the motivations and stories of the most influential indie record labels around. With the likes of Jazzy Sport, Stones Throw, Exit and Ninja Tune to name but a few. They are quite traditional interviews, but the stories and the fact that each episode is over an hour in length means you really get to find out all about the labels and the people behind them, Chal engaging the guests along the way with the relaxed demeanour. Listen now >>

Not added….and why!

There’s a few others that haven’t been added here but are worth mentioning:

The Breaks – A radio show rather than a dedicated podcast (but well worth a listen!) (Hosts: Confucius and Fresh) Listen now >>
Bodega Boys – More comedy focused than music, yet a good and bizarre listen. Listen now >>
Broken Record – Not a hip hop podcast! But has some great musical insights. Listen now >>

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And that’s that! There’s still more podcasts out there, and by no means are we saying that they are any less good BUT these podcasts above are the ones that are often referenced in lists and on a personal level, having listened to all of the above regularly, they are well worth listening to. If you’re still hungry for more, be sure to check out the latest season of Diggin’ The Crates on all streaming platforms, with guests including Romesh Ranganathan, J-Live, Marley Marl, Blu, Exile and many more.

Happy listening!

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Vice beats started making podcasts about hip hop in 2009, a show called Basement Sessions, and since then has hosted a number of radio shows, been a journalist in various forms, and hosted the Wordplay Podcast. His most recent venture is a podcast called Diggin’ The Crates alongside Dutch blog The Find.