Announcing Hip Hop 50 on WXPN!

A week-plus of special programming features to commemorate the half-century milestone of a true cultural force.

August 03, 2023

12:08 AM

Dive into a rhythmic journey as we commemorate Hip Hop 50. It all started at a Bronx party on August 11, 1973 where DJ Kool Herc set up a turntable, amplifiers and towering speakers while playing a mix of funk and soul records. His pal Coke La Rock shouted quick rhymes during the instrumental breaks to hype up the crowd, and history was made.

Starting Monday, join us for a week-plus of special programming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Groove out as we celebrate five decades of groundbreaking beats, cultural revolutions, and artistic evolution. From legendary pioneers to modern visionaries, we’ll explore the evolution of this genre that changed the world.

Experience Philly’s hip-hop history, listen to iconic tracks, and hear captivating stories that showcase the genre’s transformative impact on music and society. Tune in starting Monday, August 7th, at 4:30 p.m. as Dan Reed kicks off the week with his Double Dutch Special, listen for guest DJ sets from members of the local hip-hop scene on XPN Local, tune in for interviews on World Cafe and a Friday evening special of the 50 greatest tracks in hip-hop, and more. Check out the full schedule below!

August 7 through August 11: Double Dutch Special – Dan Reed expands his weekly old-school hip-hop twofer into a daily special, airing each day at 4:30 p.m.

August 8: WXPN Local – We’re turning the airwaves over to several players in the local scene — Reef The Lost Cauze, Dell-P, Honeychile, and Toya Haynes from PhillySoulNow — to spin and talk about their favorite Philly-made classics from 8 to 10 p.m.

August 10: Kids Corner – Tune in as Kathy O’Connell presents a feature on hip-hop history at 7 p.m.

August 10: NPR’s Hip-Hop 50 – Host Juana Summers takes us to the Bronx community room where it all got started – where DJ Kool Herc became known for spinning records focusing on percussive “breaks” in the music (hence “break dancing”). Tune in from 10 to 11 p.m.

August 11: Friday Morning Mixtape – Kristen Kurtis will celebrate the 50th birthday of hip-hop with a community-curated hour of radio, playing requests for songs from across hip-hop’s half-century history at 9 a.m..

August 11: World Cafe – Raina Douris and Stephen Kallao will dive into the history and impact of hip-hop in a two-hour special from 2 to 4 p.m.

August 11: Funky Friday Presents 50 Hip Hop Essentials – Dan Reed hosts a four-hour special showcasing a staff-curated collection of hand-picked songs that were foundational in hip-hop culture from 4 to 8 p.m..

August 11: What’s The Frequency – John Vettese leans into the hits and deep cuts of the 90s hip-hop era, along with an exploration of how hip-hop influences found their way into a range of genres from alt rock to electronica and pop from 8 to 11 p.m.

August 12th: Bruce Warren’s noon hour will focus on the influence of sampling on hip-hop and other genres of music.

August 13th: Abdur Rahman explores the topic a little further on the Sample Platter, a rundown of hip-hop hits and their building blocks, from 1 to 3 p.m.

August 18th: Culture Cypher Radio – John Morrison will spend the first hour of Culture Cpher Radio tracing the first decade of hip hop culture through live recordings, 70s funk records and breakbeats that were played at the early Bronx jams. He’ll also highlight the first wave of rap records that were commercially released between 1979 and 1983.