Louder Than A Riot

The podcast Louder Than a Riot digs into the culture of hip-hop to reveal the ways systems of supremacy are at play. Season Two “unpacks the unspoken rules of rap that discriminate against a select few and have held the entire culture back.” I learned so much—not just about how patriarchy, misogyny, racism, and capitalism have influenced hip-hop culture, but how the Louder team went about excavating & exposing these influences. I want to apply this kind of analysis to the cultures I’m involved in: the outdoor enthusiast culture, the world of white anti-racist practitioners, more.

Season Two, Episode #9 Like Poppa Like Son is a profound personal reflection by one of the hosts, asking Can rap be a tool I use to cultivate a version of masculinity in my son that's less harmful — to himself and others? It’s my favorite episode of the season, so poignant and well-produced. Pulitzer worthy, IMO.

Then, ironically (or predictably?) NPR cancelled Louder in its recent round of layoffs. From the Louder’s Twitter announcement: “The hardest part is that our szn is about misogynoir queer, trans, Black women face in hip-hop. Yet w/in NPR, the majority impacted in these layoffs were queer, poc staff & programs. NPR has claimed qtpoc ppl are the same ppl they are trying to reach with their ‘North Star’.”

My takeaway: The same systems of supremacy the show reported on took its life away. Be wary of claims of North Stars.

June 2023 Back to Blog Home

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