If you haven’t heard of Brian “B. Dot” Miller and Elliott Wilson, are you really a fan of hip-hop? The two are the creators of one of the most successful and popular hip-hop podcasts out, Rap Radar.
Their show has gifted fans with personal and in-depth interviews with some of the most powerful and talented figures in hip-hop including Drake, Jay-Z, Nipsey Hussle, Cardi B, T.I., Megan Thee Stallion, J. Cole and many more.
If you haven’t noticed, the two have been on a little hiatus for the past two years. But with the recently unveiled Interval Presents, Rap Radar is ready to come back with fresh content for loyal listeners and new fans.
Interval Presents is a podcast network that was launched in April by Warner Music Group. Already home to a diverse roster of talented artists, this network allows the company to produce multi-format, culture-forward audio content at the intersection of music, pop culture, and social impact.
Their mission is “to amplify underrepresented voices and serve underserved audiences within podcasting,” said Interval Presents General Manager Allan Coye. “What we’re trying to do is take the kind of cultural lens of the record label and apply that to storytelling.”
Rap Radar is joining an impressive lineup of shows slated to premiere later this year. Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o will host a show “centered on non-fiction cultural storytelling that explores the African diaspora.” Grammy-nominated singer Jason Derulo will headline a podcast that “uses vocal performances to tell a fictional, noir-inflected romance story.”
But B. Dot and Elliott are sticking to what they do best, long-form interviews with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. The outcry from long-time fans of the podcast has been loud. On any given day you can see fans asking on social media, “When is Rap Radar coming back?” Don’t worry, they’re on the way.
“We feel we’re hip-hop’s most trusted space. We deliver these definitive interviews. It may get repetitive at times but even our colleagues know what we bring and there’s still a need for that,” said Elliott. “That’s the exciting and humbling part. It’s hard to maintain interest in this world, but there has been this consistent outcry of ‘when is Rap Radar coming back?’ Now you have to deliver.”
The journey for this talented duo started seven years ago after B. Dot insisted that the two start a podcast together, and now they’ve reached heights I’m not sure either of them thought they would. But even in their success, they still hope to interview figures important to hip-hop culture that their fans may not be aware of such as Chace Infinite, Saba and Roc Marciano.
“I think those guests have value. The approach Elliott and I have with every interview is why now?” said B. Dot. “Elliott and I have never been the type to go after numbers. We care more about a quality product. We know that an executive or businessman will not go viral the way Jay-Z would. But they still have meaningful things to say and our audience craves that. We are still going to provide that balance.”
With the collaborative help of Interval Presents, Rap Radar is coming back to remind the hip-hop world who runs this podcast game, and while the competition has gotten much stiffer, the duo is still here to deliver quality content.
Keep Aug. 18 marked on your calendar. In the meantime, enjoy some of their classic interviews.