Watch the queen conquer: MC Lyte, Quay Dash, the cast of 'Rap Sh!t'
In the first nine episodes of our season, Louder has tackled the unwritten rules of rap. For the finale, we dig into the root of all those r...
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Society & Culture
Louder Than A Riot
Rhyme and punishment go hand in hand in America. Louder Than A Riot reveals the interconnected rise of hip-hop and mass incarceration. From Bobby Shmurda to Nipsey Hussle, each episode explo...
Episodes
20 of 28 episodes
Like poppa, like son: Rodney Carmichael
For Louder host Rodney Carmichael, interrogating misogynoir in hip-hop means confronting some hard questions — as a man, and especially as a...
What doesn't kill you makes you a strong Black woman: Rico Nasty
Rico Nasty's music creates a haven for heavy emotions. And in a world that paints Black girls showing any emotion as too much, having a plac...
Stay in your lane, shawty: Saucy Santana
Saucy Santana is part of a new wave of queer artists pushing back against stale standards in hip-hop. Bolstered by the reach of short sound...
Real n****s go hard (pause, no homo): iLoveMakonnen
How has hip-hop affected perceptions of Black masculinity? We unpack that question through the story of iLoveMakonnen, a rapper who has navi...
If you see something, say nothing: Kim Osorio v. 'The Source'
In 2006, Kim Osorio, the editor-in-chief of The Source, sued the magazine and its owners for workplace sexual harassment. Nearly two decades...
A Note on Episode 5
Louder was planning to drop a new episode this morning about a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and workplace discrimination at The Source...
It ain't trickin' if you got it: Trina, Trick Daddy and Latto
How did the "bad bitch" replace the "ride or die chick" in hip-hop? In this episode we talk to the original baddest herself, Trina, about ho...
Beauty is in the eye of the male gaze: DreamDoll, Doechii and Baby Tate
The male gaze looms over everything, but hip-hop is its favorite entertainment. Those under its watchful eye feel objectified or shamed if t...
Baby girl, you're only funky as your last cut: MC Sha-Rock
Decades before hip-hop's current renaissance of women rappers, there was MC Sha-Rock. Despite her influence on future generations, her contr...
Megan's Rule: Being exceptional doesn't make you the exception
It felt like the December 2022 trial of Tory Lanez sparked a divide in hip-hop, but it just stoked the flames of a 50-year-long battle for B...
Louder Than A Riot Returns Thursday, March 16
Inside all corners of hip-hop, Black women and queer folk have dealt with the same oppression the music was built to escape. Season 2 of Lou...
Lyrics Still On Trial: Young Thug and Gunna
Last week, two of Atlanta's biggest rappers Young Thug and Gunna were arrested under the RICO Act. The DA charged their crew YSL as a gang a...
Presenting: On Our Watch
What happens to police officers who use excessive force, tamper with evidence or sexually harass someone? In California, internal affairs in...
21 Years and 1 Day: Mac Phipps (Exclusive)
After 21 years in prison, Mac Phipps has been recommended for clemency, which could mean early release. As we reported in our first season,...
Making Revolution Irresistible
Yo Gotti grew up in Memphis just across the state line from Mississippi State Penitentiary (aka Parchman) — so this year, when he learned ab...
Captured By The Game: Nipsey Hussle
After LA rapper Nipsey Hussle was murdered in 2019, city officials praised him for his community advocacy. But NPR has learned that behind t...
'Prison To Prison Pipeline': Isis Tha Saviour
Hip-hop loves a hero's come-up, but the culture often has a hard time seeing women as heroes. Two years ago, when Louder Than A Riot editor...
My Brother's Keeper: Bobby Shmurda (Pt 3)
Six years after his arrest, Bobby Shmurda's fans are still anxiously awaiting his return. The rapper ultimately stayed loyal to his crew in...
'Stay In The House': Bobby Shmurda (Pt 2)
Two young men grow up just blocks apart, each with aspirations to make it big. But while Bobby Shmurda sees his dreams come true, Bryan Anto...