
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
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 6 | Founded | 2 months ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Music CommentaryMusicMusic History | |||

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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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.
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.
Absolutley loved the first episode. Can’t wait to hear more about how Detroit shaped today’s music scene
Im here for as long as it takes to hear all the deep dives, progression and expression.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #50 | |
Apple Podcasts | #213 | |
Apple Podcasts | #24 | |
Apple Podcasts | #110 | |
Apple Podcasts | #130 | |
Apple Podcasts | #110 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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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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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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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
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