31 Days of NPR - Nine Rappers, One Wu-Tang Clan

Judging by the stories I’ve chosen so far, you might think NPR is all business. Looking at their website would suggest the same, but in reality, NPR covers the gamut of content; everything from the real life kind-of-more-important-stuff to business news, culture reporting, and even entertainment. Chances are, if you live in or around an NPR-affiliated station and also know a local musician, they’ve probably been profiled, interviewed, or have even performed lived on that affiliate’s airwaves.

As a broadcast service that operates in the interest of the public, NPR puts a considerable amount of effort into turning listeners on to new music, whether it be local artists, musicians from abroad, or even well established groups that NPR’s demographic might have overlooked. Consider how difficult of a feat it would be for an unknown talent to have their music played on any other station on the radio dial. At NPR, that’s called a Tuesday.

Programs like All Songs Considered and JazzSet offer one such venue for unknown artists to share their musical talents. Local concert series, affiliate-sponsored performances, and even the bumper music played between segments (have to find something to play instead of commercials!) are a few other ways in which NPR’s and their production teams try to insert a little culture and flavor in with the rest of the day’s news. Public radio doesn’t need to help these artists, but it does so out of desire to expose the audience to the new and the unknown.

Or maybe they just want to give you a little Ol’ Dirty.

Today’s bit is a story about The Wu-Tang Clan from All Things Considered. Listen, enjoy, and always remember to protect ya neck.

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