Piece Comment

Review of The Third Unheard: Connecticut's Hip-Hop History


This is a great piece. It had better be....it was used in NPR's Day To Day.

The story gives us a very accessible look at rap music. Don't you hate all those hypocrites that yammer on about how much they hate rap and can then recite all the verses from Sugar Hill Gang's Rappers Delight or Blondie's rapture from the 80s? This piece deft side steps that contradiction while engaging the listener.

In effect, you want to listen to something that you might otherwise dismiss. This is the art of what we do!

This producer knows how use adjectives like collection of artist's brushes to paint a picture in the listeners mind. Wow! This is respectful of its subjects and that really aids the piece because, let's face it, most public radio listeners don't give rap a chance.

The piece does need to be edited for use in your local programming. The Day To Day intro is attached. Producers should edit this kind of stuff out and provide written intros and outros stations to localize this piece. Also, if you have or don't have restrictions placed on subsequent airings of your piece if it appeared in a national program, you should let us know. I might decide not to use this in a local magazine show if I am not a Day to Day station.