Music Interviews

Gang Starr — DJ Premier, left, with MC Guru — photographed in London in 1990. Starting in 2017, Premier spent two years working with archival recordings from Guru, who passed away in 2010.

Music & Culture

DJ Premier Revives The Legendary Gang Starr: 'Together We Bring The Best Dope'

10:20am November 01, 2019

by Mano Sundaresan

With Gang Starr, DJ Premier and Guru established one of the most influential projects in hip-hop history. Now, nine years after the death of their lyricist, comes the return.

Santería performing live in Havana, Cuba.

Music & Culture

Cuban Fusion Pioneers Sintesís On Queen, Santería And Prog Rock

9:43am October 31, 2019

by Felix Contreras

Sometimes the musicians who visit Alt.Latino prefer to express themselves in Spanish. Founders of the genre-busting Cuban band Sintesís share their

Bill Conway (left) and Matt Saincome (right) collected their favorite articles from their satirical website The Hard Times for a new book.

The Satire Continues With 'The Hard Times: The First 40 Years'

9:07am October 30, 2019

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Matt Saincome and Bill Conway, co-founders of the satirical punk rock news website The Hard Times, about their new book.

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Jonatha Brooke performing live for World Cafe

Music & Culture

A Taste Of Jonatha Brooke's Favorites

9:00am October 30, 2019

On her latest EP called Imposter, the singer-songwriter cherry-picked the five songs she loved most from what she had written since her last album in 2016.

Ranky Tanky inside the World Cafe Performance Studio

Music & Culture

Ranky Tanky Shares The Music Of Gullah

11:03am October 29, 2019

The Charleston, SC band draws on the musical traditions of slave descendants from the region.

Prince performs during the 2007 Super Bowl halftime show in Miami, Fla.

Prince Wanted To 'Break The Mold Of The Memoir,' Says His Co-Writer

4:24pm October 28, 2019

by Terry Gross

The musician left behind an unfinished memoir when he died in 2016. Dan Piepenbring, his co-writer, recalls the moment he knew he could make The Beautiful Ones happen — even in Prince's absence.

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Quinn Christopherson performs live at WXPN's Free At Noon Concert.

Music & Culture

Quinn Christopherson Is Protective Of His Tiny Desk Contest-Winning Song 'Erase Me'

11:58am October 28, 2019

The 2019 Tiny Desk Contest winner visits World Cafe and shares stories about the evolution of his career.

Music & Culture

King Princess On 'Cheap Queen'

7:04pm October 27, 2019

Mikaela Straus had a breakout hit last year as King Princess. Now, she's released her first full-length album Cheap Queen. She talks with NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

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Music & Culture

Actor Anthony Ramos Talks About New Album

6:15pm October 26, 2019

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with actor and singer Anthony Ramos about his new album, The Good & The Bad.

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Music & Culture

La Santa Cecilia On Its New Album Sung In English

3:40pm October 25, 2019

by Felix Contreras

The SoCal Mexican roots-rock and soul band drops by to chat about its new, self-titled album. Over the past decade as a band, the members now feel like family.