Is Rap Music Dead? with Broken Record’s Justin Richmond
Published on Nov 5, 2025, 2:15:00 AM
Total time: 00:25:53
Published on Nov 5, 2025, 2:15:00 AM
Total time: 00:25:53
For the first time in 35 years, there are no rap songs in Billboard’s Top 40. Is hip-hop in trouble?
Sam breaks down what it all means with Justin Richmond, music journalist and host of Pushkin’s Broken Record podcast. The two chat about the warning signs that might have led to this moment, how hip hop has evolved, and how Black music continues to influence artists across genres today.
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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW is your guide to entertainment. Find out what makes your favorite artists tick, dissect the trends that shape our culture, or just make sense of that random meme you can’t stop thinking about. Join us every week to unpack the pop culture we love.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
Sam Sanders is an award-winning podcast and radio host. He’s been named best podcast host by both The Ambies and the iHeart Podcast Awards. He was one of the founding hosts of The NPR Politics Podcast and the host who launched both It’s Been A Minute from NPR and Into It from Vulture. He currently co-hosts Vibe Check.