Where do we go from here? Season 3 is about to wrap, but we couldn’t let it go without answering fan feedback/questions from the timeline and highlighting some of our favorite conversations from this season.

Are your Twitter Fingers running rampant? We discuss the impact of social media fan culture on how music journalists do their jobs and what we ultimately remember (or forget) about artists. David Dennis, Senior Writer at the Undefeated, joins us to discuss his approach to writing reviews, dealing with toxic fan culture, and why he wants to profile Guy Fieri. Plus, we share some of our favorite fan moments from the pandemic.

How much do you love your mom? We breakdown the artistry and impact of André 3000’s verse from “Life of the Party”, and what it says about him, the rap industry, and how we should reconsider an artist’s body of work. Oh, and Christina is not a fan of your Top 5 list.

From TikTok phenoms to reality tv stars, we discuss the current era of women making waves in the industry. Veteran music journalist Jewel Wicker joins us to break it all down, and shines a light on her latest cover story for Atlanta Magazine.

Lil Wayne has evolved into a seminal figure in pop music over the last two decades, transforming from an original Hot Boy to the Greatest Rapper Alive, plus assuming the mantle of high profile music executive. In short, the culture wouldn’t be the same without him. In this episode we peel back the layers on Weezy’s influence on Southern Hip-Hop, his multiple eras, and his public/political persona.

In this episode we give flowers to our very own Dr. Regina N. Bradley for her most recent book, “Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South,” and highlight the inspiration, the artwork, the music, and much more! And for a topic this special we had to call in two special friends of the podcast—Jason Lee (of Comedy Central and Bossip) and Yoh Phillips (of Rap Portraits)—to come through and bring Regina her bouquets during this roundtable conversation.

Is it really all about the children? Conservative outrage continues to spread throughout the culture and the timeline, with artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Lil Nas X sparking consistent backlash from pundits and industry peers alike. How did we get here, and where do we go next?

Who knew Tyler, the Creator was doing his homework? On his latest album, Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler serves up a modern-day classic Gangsta Grillz experience featuring DJ Drama. (And there’s an OutKast connection, too!)

Who makes up your favorite dances, and how do they get paid? From Miami to New Orleans to Atlanta to the DMV, dance culture has always shaped Southern Hip-Hop. But now that dance choreography via social media is generating millions of views (and dollars) for brands and influencers, how are the originators of these trends benefiting? In this episode we touch on some of our favorite dances, the TikTok dance strike, and how dance challenge creators are fighting to be acknowledged, protected, and...

How have streaming services and social media changed how hit records are made? If Hip-Hop now moves at the speed of the internet, how does that change our relationship to traditional radio? We break it all down with our kinfolk, the legendary B High (aka RADIO SHAWTY) of Hot 107 radio station in Atlanta. 

Southern Hip-Hop is making its way into mainstream museums and archives, but how do we address what belongs in these hallowed spaces? What's the difference between collecting and curating a living culture? Plus, super producer Floyd Hall joins us as a guest to talk about his current roles as an arts writer and curator.

We chat with Dr. Charles L. Hughes, author of “Why Bushwick Bill Matters”, about the complicated legacy of rapper Bushwick Bill and the intersection of race, sex, and disability in pop music.

Are you ready for summer cookout festivities? Our very own Gina Mae breaks down the all-important tier system for a successful social culinary experience. And it all starts with knowing your place.

Goodie Mob has been a beloved musical force for more than a quarter century. In this episode we discuss the group’s legacy with the members themselves, plus dive deep into notions of spirituality, feminism, and Southern representation.

From songs like “Mind Playing Tricks On Me" to “SAD!”, Southern Hip-Hop has always addressed the range of emotions, vulnerability, and conditions of the mental health experience, even when traditional language surrounding mental health may not always be present. In this episode, we dive into the ways the music reflects these expressions of mental health, and how it connects to (and confronts) some of the real-life stigmas we face in our communities.

How did you make it through the pandemic? As we think back to 2020, a new year, and a new normal, we turn to Southern Hip-Hop to help us sort out mourning and remembrance, and finding ways to celebrate in the days ahead while not forgetting what we’ve lost.

Why be modest? With 25 years in the game, Goodie Mob is one of the best to ever do it, and they’ll tell you that themselves. With their latest album, Survival Kit, these four horsemen are still giving us timeless music for the extraordinary times we live in, even a quarter-century after their debut album, Soul Food. In this Bottom of the Map Preview, all four members of Goodie Mob drop in to share their thoughts on the new album, plus Super Producer Floyd shares some major news about the...

Black Lives Matter…then, now, and in the future. In the wake of the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, we decided to revisit one of our past episodes (S1E9: “Know Justice, Know Peace: Hip-Hop as Protest”) that investigates how Hip-Hop has influenced the world as a platform for Civil Rights, and how Southern Hip-Hop artists continue to create space for Civil Rights messages in their music.

While we get ready for Season 3, we’re excited to share some of our favorite past episodes while we're on break! As we think about how Southern Hip-Hop provides a safe emotional place for experimentation, escapism, and exploration of new worlds and sounds, this episode (S1E15 “Culture in the Cosmos: AfroFuturism, Hip-Hop, and Black Joy”) feels necessary as we navigate some uncertain times in the real world.

How does Hip-Hop help us re-imagine the real Black Wall Street? With the upcoming “Fire in Little Africa” project, Tulsa’s Hip-Hop scene is preparing to acknowledge the 100-year commemoration of the city’s 1921 Race Massacre. Bottom of the Map was invited to “The Town” to see firsthand how Tulsa artists are building community around this moment, embracing their historic foundation, and representing the South in their own unique way.

Big Rube is Southern Hip-Hop royalty; when he speaks, people listen. For over 25 years Big Rube has been delivering classic monologues on Southern Hip-Hop albums that stir the soul and spark the mind, including legendary performances with OutKast, Future, Goodie Mob and Offset. Big Rube visited BOTM last season to talk about growing up in Atlanta during the Atlanta Child Murders, but of course he gifted us with so many more stories and behind-the-scenes perspective on his contributions to the...

André 3000 stands out as a luminary figure in Southern Hip-Hop, and his commitment to memorializing Atlanta’s Missing & Murdered Children (1979 - 1981) deserves deeper reflection. Dr. Michelle Hite helps us understand André’s collaborations with Goodie Mob and Travis Scott as an example of using Hip-Hop as a space to explore the context and complexities of surviving trauma and communicating across generations.

From the sounds of HBCUs to the NBA, Sir Foster is building a unique Hip-Hop brand. Most people have heard Sir Foster play before they actually meet him. As the resident organist for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and past All-Star Games, Foster has been a trailblazer at integrating the latest Hip-Hop tunes into in-game experiences. Last year he stopped by BOTM to talk about growing up in HBCU music culture, the importance of HBCU marching bands to how Southern Hip-Hop is celebrated, and how social...

Dee Dee Murray (aka Peaches) is always in the right place at the right time. From her classic intro on OutKast’s first album,Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, to managing and influencing the careers of Atlanta’s music royalty, she’s had a front row seat to Hip-Hop history in the South. These days she spends her time helping attract major film and television projects to Atlanta, but last year she visited BOTM to talk about her early days in the music industry, the impact of the Atlanta Child...