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Terrace Martin in Los Angeles in March.

Terrace Martin in Los Angeles in March. GL Askew II for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Terrace Martin: 'I Believe You Should Be Yourself'

"My job is only to be a servant of the community, and just to inspire. That's it. That's my whole job, and I know that."

Terrace Martin With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Dean Blunt, left, with the other two members of Babyfather, Escrow and Gassman, who have just released BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow.

Dean Blunt, left, with the other two members of Babyfather, Escrow and Gassman, who have just released BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow. Richard Blackwood/Courtesy of Backspin Promotions hide caption

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Conversations

Dean Blunt: 'Every Day Is A Lifetime'

His songs make your brain briefly unbound and unwieldy. Same goes for this conversation.

Dean Blunt With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Saul Williams in Los Angeles in January.

Saul Williams in Los Angeles in January. GL Askew II for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Saul Williams: 'Let's Go Further And Further Out'

The artist and thinker, who just released a new album, takes us from the drummers of Burundi to Adam Ant, Octavia Butler to David Bowie, Rakim to Young Thug.

Saul Williams With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Mr. MFN eXquire in Los Angeles in January.

Mr. MFN eXquire in Los Angeles in January. GL Askew II for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Mr. MFN eXquire: 'I Evolved As A Man'

Crown Heights came to North Hollywood so we could talk about crossed signals on the highways between artist and industry.

Mr. MFN eXquire With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Freddie Gibbs in Los Angeles in December.

Freddie Gibbs in Los Angeles in December. GL Askew II for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Freddie Gibbs: 'I'm Not Just Living For Myself'

The new father spoke about his inspirations, including the memoirs of Rick James and George Clinton, his business acumen, what the war in the streets is really about and, of course, Gucci.

Freddie Gibbs With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Pusha T in Los Angeles in December.

Pusha T in Los Angeles in December. G L Askew II for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Pusha T: 'This Is What I Like To Make'

The Virginia Beach denizen spoke about the reverse troll he laid on Def Jam, what it's like to go back and forth with Puffy, the fallacies of textbooks and the perils of ignoring the youth.

Pusha T With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Logic.

Logic. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Conversations

Logic: 'Do Something For Yourself'

"I'm telling the fans what I'm trying to tell myself because nobody was telling me at the time," says the rapper, who hails from Maryland.

Logic With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Mac Miller in Los Angeles in September. Note the Beats, Rhymes And Life tattoo on his right wrist.

Mac Miller in Los Angeles in September. Note the Beats, Rhymes And Life tattoo on his right wrist. G L Askew II for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Mac Miller: 'It's OK To Feel Yourself'

"It's liberating to realize you have the freedom to make mistakes. You have the time," says the Pittsburgh rapper, who lifted himself out of a dark period. "Because you're so small."

Mac Miller With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Masta Ace in New York in July.

Masta Ace in New York in July. Polina Yamshchikov for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Masta Ace: 'I'm Still Trying To Prove Myself'

Masta Ace had his first drink at a Cold Chillin' Christmas party. He began his career surrounded by the greats, and he continues to push himself to operate on a higher level.

Masta Ace With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Large Professor earlier this year.

Large Professor earlier this year. Sun Bronx/Courtesy of Distrolord hide caption

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Conversations

Large Professor, Part 2: 'I Really Live Through This Music'

"In Flushing, Queens, where I came from, we're right down the block from this fair, the Globe. Something about that town, it's just Olympic, Olympiad kind of a — we wanted to jump the highest."

Large Professor With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley, Part Two
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Large Professor at an event in New York City in April, 2013.

Large Professor at an event in New York City in April, 2013. Cindy Ord/Getty Images hide caption

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Conversations

Large Professor, Part 1: 'We're Living In The World of Hip-Hop'

One of the foremost architects of New York rap has been decorating this planet since the late '80s.

Large Professor With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley, Part 1
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Vince Staples onstage in Sacramento in May.

Vince Staples onstage in Sacramento in May. Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images hide caption

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Conversations

Vince Staples: 'My Job Is To Keep My Sanity'

The Long Beach, Calif., rapper made his debut album, Summertime '06, so that people who hear it will know how he felt then. "That's when we understood the power we had in fear," he says.

Vince Staples With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Ali Shaheed Muhammad onstage during Microphone Check's live interview with Father in Atlanta in May.

Ali Shaheed Muhammad onstage during Microphone Check's live interview with Father in Atlanta in May. Amanda Greene for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Part 2: 'We Still Have The Forgotten People'

The musician and NPR host on his motives, his rituals, Lucy Pearl and his one regret.

Ali Shaheed Muhammad With Frannie Kelley
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Father onstage at Terminal West in Atlanta May 18.

Father onstage at Terminal West in Atlanta May 18. Amanda Greene for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Microphone Check Live: Father

We spoke to the rapper, producer and head of Awful Records, while we were in Atlanta in May. Our onstage conversation was brief but covered a lot of ground fast.

Father With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Microphone Check onstage with Organized Noize in Atlanta. From left to right: Frannie Kelley, Ray Murray, Rico Wade, Sleepy Brown and Ali Shaheed Muhammad.

Microphone Check onstage with Organized Noize in Atlanta. From left to right: Frannie Kelley, Ray Murray, Rico Wade, Sleepy Brown and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Amanda Greene for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Microphone Check Live: Organized Noize

We went to Atlanta to talk to the three-man production team behind some of the greatest songs ever: Ray Murray, Rico Wade and Sleepy Brown.

Organized Noize With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Ali Shaheed Muhammad at NPR's New York City studio in March.

Ali Shaheed Muhammad at NPR's New York City studio in March. Polina Yamshchikov for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Part 1: 'I Walk A Different Walk'

We put our legendary co-host in the hot seat and he spoke on how he evaluates music, how his faith influences his work ethic and how much he cares about getting credit. And that's just the first half.

Ali Shaheed Muhammad With Frannie Kelley
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Julian Petty.

Julian Petty. Courtesy of Nixon Peabody hide caption

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Conversations

Industry Rules No. 1-4079: A Conversation With Lawyer Julian Petty

Once he was an aspiring rapper, now he represents Ali, Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples and the estate of Biggie Smalls. He's also worked with Michael Jackson, Prince and Stevie Wonder.

Julian Petty With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Iamsu in NPR's New York studio in March.

Iamsu in NPR's New York studio in March. Polina Yamshchikov for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Iamsu: 'I Heard That Beat Totally Different'

When we sat down with Iamsu, the Bay Area rapper had just as many questions for Ali Shaheed Muhammad as we had for him.

Iamsu With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Amber London during her interview with Microphone Check during SXSW in March 2015.

Amber London during her interview with Microphone Check during SXSW in March 2015. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Amber London: 'I'ma Show You How It's Done'

The Texas rapper's experiences as, at once, a member of an all-girl posse, the only woman in the room and a person strangers underestimate are fundamental to her formidable style.

Amber London With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Video still from a Microphone Check interview featuring OverDoz. Shot during SXSW Music Festival in March 2015.

Video still from a Microphone Check interview featuring OverDoz. Shot during SXSW Music Festival in March 2015. NPR Music Video hide caption

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Conversations

OverDoz: 'It Just Showed Us How Much Power We Had'

A lighthearted chat with the four-man crew at SXSW 2015 turns into a deep conversation about social responsibility and self-determination for black artists.

OverDoz: 'It Just Showed Us How Much Power We Had'
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Hank Shocklee, of Public Enemy's production team The Bomb Squad, in Austin, Texas for an interview with Microphone Check.

Hank Shocklee, of Public Enemy's production team The Bomb Squad, in Austin, Texas for an interview with Microphone Check. Mito Habe-Evans/NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Hank Shocklee: 'We Had Something to Prove'

Public Enemy producer Hank Shocklee talks about hip-hop's often overlooked influence on technology and the current state of the genre with Microphone Check.

Hank Shocklee With Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Frannie Kelley
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Heems at SiriusXM New York City Studios in March.

Heems at SiriusXM New York City Studios in March. Robin Marchant/Getty Images hide caption

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Conversations

Heems: 'If Someone's Got To Do It, It Should Be Me'

"It's when you step out of the community that you get to look at it through a lens where you might be able to help," says the Queens rapper. "But then you're so far out of it, how do you get back in?"

Heems With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
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Malcolm Spellman after an interview with Microphone Check in Austin, Texas, during SXSW 2015.

Malcolm Spellman after an interview with Microphone Check in Austin, Texas, during SXSW 2015. Mito Habe-Evans/NPR hide caption

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Conversations

Malcolm Spellman: 'The Real, You Just Can't Beat It'

A writer and producer of Empire spoke to Microphone Check about which subplots on the TV show come from hip-hop history and the ways its central storyline is particularly American.

Malcolm Spellman With Ali Shaheed Muhammad And Frannie Kelley
Listen· 47:19
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