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Bring on the funk and hear tales of the old school: Fresh Air features interviews with some of the greatest names in hip-hop history. Guests include Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and Will Smith.
One of the founding members of the kung-fu-meets-hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan, The RZA also has written film scores, including those for Kill Bill and Ghost Dog, and a book called The Wu Tang Manual. (This interview originally aired March 7, 2005.)
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Ahmir Thompson, aka Questlove, is the drummer for the Grammy-winning hip-hop group The Roots. The sextet melds musical styles: rock 'n' roll, jazz fusion, funk, poetry, shout-outs to hip-hop pioneers, black nationalism and groove-laden neo-soul musings. (This interview originally aired Feb. 6, 2003.)
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Born Dana Owens, Grammy-winning Queen Latifah was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the film Chicago. Her critically acclaimed 1989 debut album All Hail The Queen is considered one of the best rap albums of all time, and she has starred in many movies. (This interview originally aired March 15, 1999.)
()Grammy-winning rapper and actor Will Smith has had success in music, movies and television. He began his career as the Fresh Prince with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Since then, he has acted in numerous films and been nominated for an Oscar, for his performance in Ali. (This interview originally aired Dec. 17, 2001.)
()Formed in 1985, three-man jazz-rap group De La Soul has been dubbed "the hippies of hip-hop." Their debut album Three Feet High and Rising was a critical success, and the band continues to make upbeat music that focuses on the use of samples, jazz vamps and wordplay. (This interview originally aired Oct. 5, 2000.)
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Ice-T is one of the original gangster rappers, of whom Greg Knot of The Chicago Tribune wrote: "Ice-T is that rare gangster rapper who leads with his brain instead of his gun or his crotch." He's gone on to a successful acting career. (This interview originally aired May 1, 1992.)
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Known today equally as a musician and actor, Ice Cube was born O'Shea Jackson. He first gained notoriety in the late 1980s with the revolutionary group N.W.A. He now also acts in and produces movies, including this year's comedy Are We There Yet? (This interview originally aired Jan. 10, 2005.)
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Born Carlton Ridenhour, Chuck D was the founder of Public Enemy. Formed in 1987, the rap group was a pioneering act that created explosive, politically conscious rap that focused on an urban world of limited opportunity, drugs and violence. (This interview originally aired Oct. 15, 1997.)
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Born James Todd Smith, LL Cool Jay was fascinated with rhyme and rap in high school, an obsession that made him Def Jam Records' first recording artist at age 15. The two-time Grammy winner also has launched a clothing line and acted in films. (This interview originally aired Sept. 25, 1997.)
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Darryl McDaniels is the "D.M.C" of the seminal rap group Run-D.M.C, which brought new fashion and language to popular culture. Their self-titled first album — the first rap record to go gold — was the first of a string of successful releases. (This interview originally aired May 19, 1997.)
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Called the "godfather of hip-hop," Russell Simmons has been credited with bringing rap to the mainstream. In the early 1980s, he helped found Def Jam Records, launching pad of legendary hip-hop acts like Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J. (This interview originally aired Nov. 27, 2001.)
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At the dawn of hip hop, Grandmaster Flash recorded hits like "The Message" and "White Lines (Don't Do it)" with the Furious Five. He also is credited with creating the "Quick Mix Theory" — blending one music break with another.
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When the hit rap song "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five came out in the early 1980s, many rappers regarded it as an inspiration and political message. Melle Mel was the original vocalist on the song. (This interview originally aired August 4, 1992.)
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DJ Kool Herc is known as the father of the DJ breakbeat, part of the foundation of modern hip-hop. He also wrote the introduction to the recent history of hip-hop, Can't Stop Won't Stop. Kool Herc kicks off Fresh Air's Hip-Hop Week. (This interview originally aired March 30, 2005.)
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