DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy threw a party in the Bronx on August 11, 1973. That party is widely considered to be the birthplace of hip-hop — 50 years ago.

The worldwide influence of hip-hop is unmistakable, and we’re giving it a proper tribute. Every week starting February 1, KEXP’s editorial team and DJs are bringing you personal reflections, iconic tracks and albums, and conversations about how it all began.

Introducing: 50 Years of Hip-Hop from listener-powered KEXP. 

DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy <a href="https://www.kexp.org/hiphop50/" data-stringify-link="https://www.kexp.org/hiphop50/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">threw a party in the Bronx</a> on August 11, 1973. That party is widely considered to be the birthplace of hip-hop — 50 years ago.
The worldwide influence of hip-hop is unmistakable, and we’re giving it a proper tribute. Every week starting February 1, KEXP’s editorial team and DJs are bringing you personal reflections, iconic tracks and albums, and conversations about how it all began.
Introducing: 50 Years of Hip-Hop from listener-powered KEXP.

Kurt Cobain’s influence went beyond just the music he created with Nirvana. He also put the masses on to some of his own favorite artists. One particular document from his journals has been instructive to many fans – his top 50 albums. Each week, The Cobain 50 podcast digs into albums from this famous list and how they may have influenced Cobain and Nirvana. While learning the individual histories of the different albums on the list, we gain new insights into artists on the fringes as well as some of the biggest groups of all time. The podcast takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more. Episodes drop weekly starting January 10, 2024.

Kurt Cobain’s influence went beyond just the music he created with Nirvana. He also put the masses on to some of his own favorite artists. One particular document from his journals has been instructive to many fans – his top 50 albums. Each week, The Cobain 50 podcast digs into albums from this famous list and how they may have influenced Cobain and Nirvana. While learning the individual histories of the different albums on the list, we gain new insights into artists on the fringes as well as some of the biggest groups of all time. The podcast takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more. Episodes drop weekly starting January 10, 2024.

The Cobain 50

50 Years of Hip-Hop: Coming February 1

Dusty Henry dives into Superfuzz Bigmuff by Mudhoney, whose debut represents the culmination of ideas that we now categorize as “grunge.” Nirvana picked up the grunge baton from Mudhoney and carried it to the finish line. 

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 

Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

Dusty Henry dives into Superfuzz Bigmuff by Mudhoney, whose debut represents the culmination of ideas that we now categorize as “grunge.” Nirvana picked up the grunge baton from Mudhoney and carried it to the finish line. 
Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 
Support the podcast: <a href="https://www.kexp.org/cobain/">kexp.org/cobain</a>

Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff (1988)

In this special bonus episode, we break format away from Kurt Cobain and Nirvana and look at the legacy of Soundgarden from the lens of founding member and original bassist Hiro Yamamoto. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Soundgarden’s formation — starting with Yamamoto and Chris Cornell in Yamamoto’s basement. While Yamamoto was there from the beginning, he left the band of his own accord just as they were about to have mainstream success. He went on to perform with bands like Truly and Stereo Donkey and was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame in 2022. In conversation with Dusty Henry, Yamamoto looks back on those early days with the band, representation in Seattle’s 80s punk scene, and the lessons he’s taken from a life in (and out of) music.

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Audio producers: Dusty Henry, Emily Fox, and Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

In this special bonus episode, we break format away from Kurt Cobain and Nirvana and look at the legacy of Soundgarden from the lens of founding member and original bassist Hiro Yamamoto. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Soundgarden’s formation — starting with Yamamoto and Chris Cornell in Yamamoto’s basement. While Yamamoto was there from the beginning, he left the band of his own accord just as they were about to have mainstream success. He went on to perform with bands like Truly and Stereo Donkey and was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame in 2022. In conversation with Dusty Henry, Yamamoto looks back on those early days with the band, representation in Seattle’s 80s punk scene, and the lessons he’s taken from a life in (and out of) music.
Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry, Emily Fox, and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.Support the podcast: <a href="http://kexp.org/cobain" data-stringify-link="http://kexp.org/cobain" data-sk="tooltip_parent">kexp.org/cobain</a>

Bonus: Hiro Yamamoto on Soundgarden, Forging New Paths, and the Circles of Power

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, and Janice Headley discuss the idea of "punk" through the lens of four bands. Each of them provides a distinctive approach to punk both as a genre and as a mindset. Nirvana is named as one of the core bands of 1991, "the year punk broke." 

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 

Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

00:00: Intro
01:21: What is punk? 
05:07: The spunk (punk via Shonen Knife)
07:20: What punk means to us
13:00: The attitude (punk via The Shaggs)
16:55: The aesthetic (punk via Sex Pistols)
21:18: Origins of punk
23:08: The grit (punk via Black Flag)
27:24: Punk as DIY
31:42: Punk today
35:31: Commodification of punk
39:26: "Rollingas" vs. Punks
41:53: The time when Janice joined a work call during a street race
42:51: The time when our facilities manager, Barry, received a telepathic message from our producer, Roddy
43:31: Credits

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, and Janice Headley discuss the idea of "punk" through the lens of four bands. Each of them provides a distinctive approach to punk both as a genre and as a mindset. Nirvana is named as one of the core bands of 1991, "the year punk broke." 
Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 
Support the podcast: <a href="https://www.kexp.org/cobain/">kexp.org/cobain</a>
00:00: Intro 01:21: What is punk?  05:07: The spunk (punk via Shonen Knife) 07:20: What punk means to us 13:00: The attitude (punk via The Shaggs) 16:55: The aesthetic (punk via Sex Pistols) 21:18: Origins of punk 23:08: The grit (punk via Black Flag) 27:24: Punk as DIY 31:42: Punk today 35:31: Commodification of punk 39:26: "Rollingas" vs. Punks 41:53: The time when Janice joined a work call during a street race 42:51: The time when our facilities manager, Barry, received a telepathic message from our producer, Roddy 43:31: Credits

50 Years of Hip-Hop: Coming February 1

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