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Artwork for Living for the City

Living for the City

Side Stage
Detroit
Detroit Techno
Music
Electrifying Mojo
J Dilla
Women On Wax
Hanif Abdurraqib
Motown
Aretha Franklin
Bob Seger
Kevin Saunderson

Before Detroit gave the world Motown, techno, and hip-hop, it gave the world something harder to name: a feeling that music made in basements and backrooms and borrowed spaces could become the soundtrack to an entire generation's life. That is the story Living for the City is here to tell, and nobody alive is better equipped to tell it than Hanif Abdurraqib. MacArthur Fellow. New York Times bestse... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes6Founded2 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Music CommentaryMusicMusic History

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Artwork for Living for the City

Latest Episodes

Every great Detroit artist had someone who believed in them before they believed in themselves.

In Episode 5 of Living for the City, host Hanif Abdurraqib traces the mentorship chains that run underneath Detroit's music history like a second infrast... more

Every era of Detroit music has been shaped by women, even when history tried to leave them out of the story.

In Episode 4 of Living for the City, host Hanif Abdurraqib explores the women who pushed past barriers, challenged expectations, and transfo... more

In Detroit, radio wasn't background noise. It was the whole conversation.

In Episode 3 of Living for the City, host Hanif Abdurraqib traces the invisible infrastructure of Detroit's sound. Not the studios or the stages, but the airwaves. Kevin Saund... more

The city’s sound was shaped by places never built to last – until the music changed everything.

In Episode 2 of Living for the City, Hanif Abdurraqib asks what happens to the spaces that shaped the music once the city around them begins to change. W... more

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Recent Guests

Brenda Franklin Corbett
Legendary DJ known as Minx, a central figure in Detroit's dance music scene.
Detroit electronic music community
Episode: How Detroit's Women Claimed Their Place in the Music Scene | Living for the City Ep. 4
Liz Warner
Award-winning journalist and WDET radio personality
WDET
Episode: How Detroit's Radio Stations Shaped a Generation | Living for the City Ep. 3
Brian McCollum
Detroit Free Press journalist
Detroit Free Press
Episode: How Detroit's Radio Stations Shaped a Generation | Living for the City Ep. 3
Carl Craig
Producer who helped define Detroit techno
Detroit techno scene
Episode: How Detroit's Radio Stations Shaped a Generation | Living for the City Ep. 3
Sterling Toles
Detroit composer
Detroit music community
Episode: How Detroit's Radio Stations Shaped a Generation | Living for the City Ep. 3
Martha Jean the Queen
Groundbreaking Detroit radio DJ and voice of comfort during 1967 riots
Detroit radio history
Episode: How Detroit's Radio Stations Shaped a Generation | Living for the City Ep. 3
DJ Minx
DJ who has sustained the Detroit scene for decades
Detroit nightlife and DJ community
Episode: The Buildings That Built Detroit's Sound Are Almost All Gone | Living For the City Ep. 2
Don Was
Musician and producer with a long Detroit roots, runs Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records, Detroit music scene
Episode: The Buildings That Built Detroit's Sound Are Almost All Gone | Living For the City Ep. 2
Berry Gordy IV
Musician and heir to Motown legacy
Motown (via family)
Episode: How Detroit's Working Class Built the Sound the Whole World Stole | Living for the City Ep. 1

Host

Hanif Abdurraqib
Host and interviewer; host of the series; guides conversations with artists, DJs, and community leaders.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 20 ratings
  • Wanted to love it

    As a lifelong Detroiter, I was excited to listen but it fell quite flat. It’s a polished and succinct podcast that leaves out details, skims the surface, doesn’t introduce many speakers or interviewees. Including corny Mojo in the Morning made zero sense. Interviewing transplants who are not part of the fabric of the city or added to the gentrification of the scene is odd.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    PERL72
    United States16 days ago
  • Incredibly thoughtful deep dive

    I always trust that if Hanif’s putting his name on something, it’s gonna be worth my time. He continues to prove me right.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OopsAllPodcasts
    United States22 days ago
  • Detroit stand up!

    Absolutley loved the first episode. Can’t wait to hear more about how Detroit shaped today’s music scene

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Loveappsforeverr
    United Statesa month ago
  • I have faith

    Im here for as long as it takes to hear all the deep dives, progression and expression.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    3*game
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listener optimism about ongoing explorations and deeper dives into the city's scenes
Early episodes spark strong interest in Detroit's music history and future directions
Shows strong trust in the host's perspective and storytelling
Polished, insightful deep dives that value depth and context

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Detroit's Radio Stations Shaped a Generation | Living for the City Ep. 3
Q: How do you think radio in Detroit has impacted the trajectory of its musical history?
It created a blueprint for cross-genre exploration, connected local artists with broader audiences, and built a sense of community that fostered innovation in both sound and culture.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Living for the City

What is Living for the City about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Takes a deep, contextual look at Detroit's foundational music scenes, focusing on how working-class roots, venue access, mentorship, and community-led initiatives shaped genres from Motown to techno. Across a sampled run of recent episodes, conversations illuminate how gatekeeping, labor, and collaboration forged spaces for marginalized voices, with a recurring emphasis on women-led leadership, radio's role in building scenes, and the ongoing impact of gentrification on the city's cultural fabric. The show often features veteran artists, organizers, and journalists who connect historical threads to present-day dynamics, offering listeners a front-row seat to pivotal moments and the people who lived them. A standout is the combination of int... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Living for the City?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Living for the City:

1. Code Switch
2. 99% Invisible
3. Vibe Check
4. Culture Study Podcast
5. The Stacks

How many episodes of Living for the City are there?

Living for the City launched 2 months ago and published 6 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Living for the City?

Recent guests on Living for the City include:

1. Brenda Franklin Corbett
2. Liz Warner
3. Brian McCollum
4. Carl Craig
5. Sterling Toles
6. Martha Jean the Queen
7. DJ Minx
8. Don Was

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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