Jay Smooth

Jay Smooth, a hip-hop cultural critic, and Michelle Santosuosso, a music industry academic, join the conversation to explore the rise of rappers as podcasting powerhouses amidst rap's decline on the Hot 100. They dive into how streaming metrics are reshaping industry standards and why artists now prioritize numbers over traditional airtime. As they discuss the cultural shift in hip-hop, they reveal that chart absence doesn't signal decline, but rather an opportunity for creative renewal with new artists like Dochi and Saba leading the way.