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Artwork for Living for the City

Living for the City

Side Stage
Detroit
Detroit Techno
Music
Electrifying Mojo
Vinyl
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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes9Founded2 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic CommentaryMusic History

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Artwork for Living for the City

Latest Episodes

Detroit has never been a city that lives in its past. Its greatest tradition has always been inventing the future.

In the season finale of Living for the City, host Hanif Abdurraqib looks beyond Detroit's musical legacy to the people who will define... more

In Detroit, records were never just records. They were history, community, memory, and proof that you cared enough to go looking.

In Episode 7 of Living for the City, host Hanif Abdurraqib explores Detroit's enduring vinyl culture and the people who... more

Every artist Detroit has ever made has had to decide at some point whether to stay or go. The ones who left never fully left.

In Episode 6 of Living for the City, host Hanif Abdurraqib follows the migration patterns of Detroit's musicians — where th... more

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

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Recent Guests

Mary Cobra
Founding guitarist of the Detroit Cobras
Detroit Cobras
Episode: How Detroit's Crate Diggers Kept the City's Music Alive | Living for the City Ep. 7
Andre Douthard
Founder of Paramita Sound
Paramita Sound
Episode: How Detroit's Crate Diggers Kept the City's Music Alive | Living for the City Ep. 7
House Shoes
Resident DJ at St. Andrews Hall; cultural keeper of Detroit hip-hop
Detroit hip-hop scene
Episode: The Artists Who Left Detroit and the Pull That Brought Them Home | Living for the City Ep. 6
Ben Blackwell
Detroit native, Third Man Records contributor; linked to Third Man's Detroit outpost
Third Man Records
Episode: The Artists Who Left Detroit and the Pull That Brought Them Home | Living for the City Ep. 6
Nick Speed
Musician and connector who stepped into mentorship after Proof's passing
Detroit music community
Episode: How Detroit Keeps Its Greatest Music Legacies Alive | Living for the City Ep. 5
Guilty Simpson
Rapper entrusted by J Dilla to carry on a legacy
Detroit hip hop community
Episode: How Detroit Keeps Its Greatest Music Legacies Alive | Living for the City Ep. 5
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

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 26 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 Statesa month 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 Statesa month 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 States2 months 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 States2 months 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. Question Everything
3. Song Exploder
4. Scene on Radio
5. The Sam Sanders Show

How many episodes of Living for the City are there?

Living for the City launched 2 months ago and published 9 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Living for the City?

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What guests have appeared on Living for the City?

Recent guests on Living for the City include:

1. Mary Cobra
2. Andre Douthard
3. House Shoes
4. Ben Blackwell
5. Nick Speed
6. Guilty Simpson
7. Brenda Franklin Corbett
8. Liz Warner

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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