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NPR Music culture critic and reporter Rodney Carmichael ruminates on the latest in rap culture. This week: Is the rap mogul's self-selection a crowning achievement or a final affront? -
We take y'all to church on this episode. We present three artists backed by choirs behind the Desk. Look for Tiny Desk Radio on your local NPR station. -
In leather pants and a power blazer, Cardi B brings a humble and humorous spirit to the Desk as she runs through a set packed with hits. -
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Aired Sept. 5, 2026. -
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NPR Music culture critic and reporter Rodney Carmichael ruminates on the latest in rap culture. This week: a hip-hop divorce, an OutKast lawsuit and the state of rap music on the charts. -
!["Even if that means I'm taking less money [...] what matters to me most [is] that I have full say-so over what I put out and how I put it out."](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/166436a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1114+0+5/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnpr.brightspotcdn.com%2Fdims3%2Fdefault%2Fstrip%2Ffalse%2Fcrop%2F2000x1125%200%20220%2Fresize%2F2000x1125%21%2F%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F08%2F6e%2F45630a834bbaa80a86fcbe9d2186%2Fdsc01674.jpg)
Even among ATLiens, Kenny Mason is an outlier. As he faced a creative crisis — and commercial pressures — the rap-rock iconoclast realized that he feels most comfortable on the fringes. -
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!["Even if that means I'm taking less money [...] what matters to me most [is] that I have full say-so over what I put out and how I put it out."](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/00b83a7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1114+0+5/resize/560x312!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnpr.brightspotcdn.com%2Fdims3%2Fdefault%2Fstrip%2Ffalse%2Fcrop%2F2000x1125%200%20220%2Fresize%2F2000x1125%21%2F%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F08%2F6e%2F45630a834bbaa80a86fcbe9d2186%2Fdsc01674.jpg)
