Somya Krishnamurthy

Somya Krishnamurthy, a music journalist and author of Fashionkilla, dives into the current state of hip-hop, addressing the recent absence of rap songs in the Billboard Top 40. She highlights concerns over the genre's declining commercial popularity while unpacking fans' responses and cultural confusion. Somya discusses the impact of streaming on artist development and the prioritization of metrics over musical taste in the industry. The conversation also touches on challenges faced by independent artists and the loss of regional radio influence, raising questions about hip-hop's evolution.