The Almanac of Rap

📢 Special Announcement 📢 Want to join Donwill for a live recording of The Almanac of Rap in NYC?Click here to request an invite. (Limited capacity. Invite only.)On Air Fest, Soho House, and Okayplayer have joined forces for a special live episode of the Almanac of Rap featuring Regan Sommer McCoy, Chief Curator of the Mixtape Museum on March 24, 2026 at 5:30pm.Join Donwill and Regan at Ludlow House NYC for a conversation on hip-hop preservation, archival storytelling, and the hidden science behind mixtape culture. 📢 ### 📢 Juno Award-winning Canadian rapper and broadcaster Shad joins Donwill for a long-overdue conversation that spans music, media, and creative growth. From freestyling in London, Ontario to winning a Juno Award over Drake, Shad reflects on carving out a career in a country with a very different hip-hop ecosystem.  Shad breaks down: His journey from freestyling in London to becoming a Juno Award-winning artist, and beating Drake in the process. Your Boy Tony Braxton and why artists should never “disrespect the music” Hosting Hip-Hop Evolution and interviewing icons like Dolly Parton and Norm Macdonald Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Shad Instagram: @shadkmusic Web: shadk.com Music: K.I.S.S. + Islands Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com

In this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with 9th Wonder, Grammy-winning producer, Jamla Records founder, Little Brother co-founder, and college professor, alongside rising North Carolina MC Reuben Vincent, one of the sharpest young lyricists in the game.  Together they unpack: The legacy of North Carolina hip-hop9th Wonder’s journey from producer to professor Discovering Reuben Vincent at just 13 years old Why using your government name in rap is basically a skill badge Jamla Records and artist development in the streaming era Education, mentorship, and preserving hip-hop history How the internet changed artist relationships foreverThe making of their joint album Welcome Home Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow 9th Wonder: Instagram: @9thwonder Twitter/X: @9thwonder Jamla Records: @jamlarecords Follow Reuben Vincent: Instagram: @reubenvincent YouTube: @reubenvincent Welcome Home Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com.

What does a beat sound like when it… sounds expensive?  In this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with legendary Seattle producer Jake One, the mind behind records for MF DOOM, Freddie Gibbs, Rick Ross, J. Cole, Freeway, Snoop Dogg, Brother Ali, Tuxedo, and even the iconic John Cena theme.  Together they unpack one of the most important shifts in modern hip-hop production: the rise of type beats.  Jake One breaks down: What “type beats” actually are and how they changed the music economy The BeatStars marketplace and the viral story behind Old Town Road The difference between analog era producers and FruityLoops generation producers Speed-running beats, drum kits, and the gamification of music production Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Jake One: Instagram: jakeuno Web: snarejordan.com Bancamp: Jake One Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com.

What do the Cupid Shuffle, Electric Slide, Cha Cha Slide, Swag Surf, and The Wobble all have in common?  They move the culture.  In this episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Cupid, six-time platinum recording artist, Guinness World Record holder, and officially proclaimed “Line Dance King of the World.”  If you’ve ever heard “Down, down, do your dance…” at a wedding, cookout, HBCU homecoming, or kickback, this one’s for you.From selling CDs out of his trunk in Louisiana to global tours across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Djibouti, and beyond, Cupid breaks down: The origin story of the Cupid Shuffle Line dance beef (yes, it’s real) Why drill music needs a line dance Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: New Music Tuesdays Instagram/Threads: @donwill Mixcloud: Donwill Website: Donwill.me Follow Cupid:  Instagram: @officialnewcupid TikTok: @officialnewcupid Created and hosted by two time Webby Award-winning host Donwill, The Almanac of Rap is produced by Okayplayer, a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com.

Hosted by rapper, DJ, and producer Donwill, Season 4 of the two-time Webby Award winning Almanac of Rap podcast series returns February 26th with a new lineup of hip-hop legends, innovators, and cultural architects. This season features conversations with: Bun B, Raekwon, Havoc, 9th Wonder & Reuben Vincent, LaRussell, Cupid, Mr. DJ, Jharrel Jerome, and more. Each week, Donwill dives deep into hip-hop history, rap trends, and the stories behind the culture; uncovering hidden gems, surprising perspectives, and unexpected moments. New episodes drop every Thursday (alternating audio and video versions every other week.) Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural commentary, and more. Substack: ⁠⁠New Music Tuesdays⁠⁠ Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠@donwill⁠⁠ Mixcloud: ⁠⁠Donwill⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠Donwill.me⁠⁠ The Almanac of Rap is a production of Okayplayer and is distributed by Talkhouse Podcast Network.  ⁠⁠Okayplayer⁠⁠ is a division of AREYA MEDIA Inc. Originally launched in 1999, Okayplayer is the original progressive music site and maintains its position as the premier digital destination for music and culture connoisseurs worldwide. Season Credits: The Almanac of Rap is executive produced by Donwill, Isha Sesay and Travis Harris for Okayplayer Media and distributed by Talkhouse Podcast Network. Episodes are written and hosted by Donwill; directed by Travis Harris; produced and edited by Kobina Baffour, with production coordination by Bianca B. Ortiz. Technical direction by Compton Timberwolf.  Director of Audience & Product Development by Hassan Spruill, Publishing Producer and Audio Marketing Strategy by Faybeo’n Mickens. Music production by Von Pea.  Public Relations by Audible Treats. Extended support from Areya Media: Mariama Todd (VP of Finance), Ashon McCollin (Audience Development Manager), Associate Producers Brianna Harris, Tyara Jackson, and Javon Stephonson; Art Director Kaushik Kalidindi; Graphic Designer Jefferson Harris; Writing Assistant Peter Berry.

The Almanac of Rap is nominated for two Webby awards. The categories are Best Indie Podcast and Experimental Innovation. Voting ends on April 17th! You can vote for The Almanac of Rap by going to www.donwill.me/aor

For our season finale we talk to Lupe Fiasco about his concept albums, his work with MIT, Yale and Google and history in martial arts. We also talk about the many supergroups he’s started and get a status update on if they are active or dormant. Lupe Fiasco is a grammy award winning rapper who has found a voice outside the booth by teaching classes about rap at MIT and working with Google’s large language model to develop a TextFX, an AI tool made specifically for writers. For more information visit: Lupe Fiasco: LupeFiasco.com Donwill: Donwill.me or donwill.substack.com Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris.Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

This week’s guest is Homeboy Sandman and we talk about him not being on social media, getting love from mainstream artists, his creative process and his upcoming tour. Homeboy Sandman is a Brooklyn based MC with a deep discography and rich history in the New York music scene. For more information visit: Homeboy Sandman: patreon.com/homeboysandman Donwill: Donwill.me Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris. Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

This week’s guest is Cory Gunz and we talk about him being mentored by Nick Cannon, Godfathered by Shaq, working with Lil Wayne and being raised by Peter Gunz. We also discuss his current crop of releases and his new crew, The Militia.  For more information visit: Corey Gunz: instagram.com/CoryGunz Donwill: Donwill.me Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is Executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris.Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.

This week we talk to MC Lyte about her career and the way that she’s pioneered in music, fashion and more. We also do a quick study of the history of rappers with cartoons and pitch a few ideas for new cartoons that feature rappers. MC Lyte is rapper, DJ, actor and TV producer who’s been a part of some of culture's biggest moments. For more information visit: MC Lyte: mclytenow.com Donwill: Donwill.me Okayplayer: Okayplayer.com The Almanac of Rap is Executive produced by Donwill & Isha Sesay for Okayplayer Media. This episode was written and hosted by Donwill. Produced by Travis Harris.Edited by Travis Harris & Kobina Baffour. Art Direction by Kaushik Kalidindi. Graphic Design by Crystal Simone. Music Production by Von Pea.