To commemorate hip-hop’s 50 year milestone, Spotify has partnered with Mass Appeal’s #HipHop50 program. The podcast enables listeners to learn about hip-hop’s rich history and its impact on society, culture, and the music industry and the icons it has created. 

The podcast delves deep into the history of hip-hop, tracing its evolution from microphones, turntables, and sound systems to a global cultural phenomenon and big business. The podcast is hosted by Nas, a renowned rapper and hip-hop icon, and veteran journalist Minya “Miss Info” Oh, and features interviews with several hip-hop legends such as Ice Cube, Cordae, Mary J. Blige, Jeezy, and Yara Shahidi.

Nas shares that the podcast has exposed him to many untold stories that connect to other stories, allowing him to see hip-hop as a piece of history. He cites MC Lyte’s story as a female artist who woke up and went into a male-dominated industry because she felt it was her calling, and Ice Cube and N.W.A.’s story when they first came to New York City and were booed, then sold out the Apollo Theater. Nas also mentions that the podcast has made him more enthusiastic about being an artist in the art form since he can see that there is so much more for him to do, having been inspired by the people he has talked to.