Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Spotify Head of Urban Music Carl Chery Invites Fans To Look Into the Stories of Hip-Hop's Top Artists With RapCaviar Presents'

24/03/2023

Mark March 30 on your calendars. That's when RapCaviar Presents arrives on Hulu. Based on Spotify's flagship hip-hop playlist, RapCaviar, the compelling new documentary series tackles today's most provocative issues through the lens of hip-hop. Centered around the visionaries and emerging stars who rule the charts and influence our culture, fans will get an up-close look into the lives of City Girls, Tyler, The Creator, Polo G, Roddy Ricch, Coi Leray, and more.

Featuring commentary from cultural tastemakers, media experts, and hip-hop historians, each of RapCaviar Presents' six episodes examines a specific deep-rooted issue that affects hip-hop artists, their fans, and society at large. This includes explorations of mental health, women's sexuality, the criminalization of rap, social media criticism, and the ultimate cost of viral fame.

In addition to honest commentary on cultural topics, the show also gets personal, homing in on the artists' tales of triumph, disruption, empowerment, and redemption.

To celebrate its upcoming release, we threw a party in LA with Hulu, where Coi Leray, Saweetie, Freddie Gibbs, Mustard, Blxst and Ty Dolla $ign were all in attendance. Guests were invited to toast the series, enjoy a hip-hop-focused set from DJ Domo, and hop in our RapCaviar-themed photo booth.

Saweetie (Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

Coi Leray (Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

DJ Domo (Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

Ty Dolla $ign (Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

Coco Jones (Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

(Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

(Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

Mustard and Carl Chery (Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

NEXT

Ahead of the series premiere, For the Record caught up with Carl Chery, Spotify's Head of Urban Music and Creative Director, who also serves as an executive producer on the show. As a driving force behind the creation of RapCaviar Presents, Carl gave us the scoop on RapCaviar's evolution from playlist to TV show, unique ways they were able to tell stories, and what fans can expect when it premieres.

What's the inspiration behind RapCaviar Presents? This started almost five years ago. The RapCaviar playlist had launched in 2015 and was showing the potential to become more than a playlist. So as we made plans to expand RapCaviar's influence with social channels and a podcast, we also started thinking about a docuseries. That started as far back as 2018, and we started pitching it in the summer of 2019.

Hulu bought the pilot in 2019, but then the pandemic happened, which delayed production for almost a year. We finally submitted the pilot in 2021, the series was picked up later that year, and then we began production on the actual series in February of 2022.

What makes Spotify and RapCaviar uniquely positioned to tell these stories? We're very much in the thick of the streaming era, and I think Spotify emerged as arguably the most important editorial outlet across mediums. I think that the work that we're doing across our playlist ecosystem is something that's really resonated with audiences for the past eight years.

In hip-hop, there's a timeline of the mediums that all these cultural authorities express themselves through. Once upon a time, it was radio stations, and then it was magazines, and then it was blogs. But now, it's playlists. So it felt like we were in the right place to be the next iteration of that hip-hop authority.

Does this series shed any light on the future of hip-hop? Yes, it does. It was very important for me that the show is centered around the current generation of rap stars. But as we tackle topics that pertain to things like the Tyler, The Creator apology, we still have to give historical context. So I like that in almost every story we start in the present, go back, and then go forward. But you'll have to tune in to find out where we end up.

Were there stories shared during filming that surprised you? Polo G's story, which I believe is part of Episode 4 (titled Through the Storm ), was very unexpected because it speaks of things that haven't been reported much. But the director, Mandon Lovett, did an incredible job of getting Polo to open up.

Spotify Head of Urban Music Carl Chery (Credit: JC Olivera/Picture Group)

Polo G is someone who is really reserved, and I don't think that many people are aware that he overdosed a few years ago. But he was willing to talk about generational trauma, and for viewers, seeing his vulnerability and experiencing that side of his personality will be revealing.

And then even with someone like Tyler, The Creator, who people have been familiar with for a longer period of time. If you remember, Tyler started his career as someone who was a shock-value type of rapper. But in more recent years, he's resurfaced as someone who is more thoughtful and polished. I noticed that as a fan, but I never knew what was behind it.

And on RapCaviar Presents, he talks about how he used to go on TV and just goof off. And one day, someone saw him at the airport and told him, Hey, you're that guy from Ridiculousness! For Tyler, it was an eye-opening moment because he was like, Oh, wow, I'm not known for my music. And that was one of the things that shifted Tyler's approach.

And then we have incredible journalists and artists who gave us amazing context that will be educational and informative to even the most rap-obsessed music lovers. In the episode featuring City Girls, Jamilah Lemieux gave us amazing historical context into the arc of women in hip-hop.

Looking at '90s hip-hop, which featured women like Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, and Trina, Jamilah pointed out that those women were aspiring to be mafia wives, but this new generation is a completely different thing and they&
LINK: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2023-03-24/spotify-head-of-urban-music-ca...
See more stories from spotify

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

29/04/2026

Churchill Downs Racetrack Lifts Curtain on New Big Board Ahead of Kentucky Derby Week

It was a delicate job in a 150-year-old venue laden with traditions. Begun at th...

29/04/2026

How the MLS Innovation Lab Enhances Everything From Athlete Performance to Production to Ticket Sales

In annual event, the league gives startup companies the opportunity to prove the...

29/04/2026

Save the Date: SVG Venues & Teams Summit Travels South to Miamis Kaseya Center on Aug. 12

Panel discussions, networking, and a facility tour will take place in the renova...

29/04/2026

The Cast and Crew of Conbody VS Everybody Have Each Other's Backs for Life

(L-R) Derek Drescher, Coss Marte, and Syretta Wright have each other's backs. (Micheal Hurcomb/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival) By Veronika Lee Cla...

29/04/2026

Free Tilt EQ plug-in from Techivation

Combines EQ and harmonic distortion Techivation's latest release is a simple EQ designed to offer quick control over a source's overall tonal balanc...

29/04/2026

Expressive E launch the Osmose CE

Two new MPE controllers announced Expressive E caused quite a stir when they released the Osmose, making the sort of expression that was once reserved for p...

29/04/2026

iZotope RX 12 is here

New modules & enhanced machine-learning The latest version of iZotope's flagship restoration suite is now available, and now offers over 50 tools design...

29/04/2026

Surgeon Dr Jasmina Kevric wins 2026 Les Murray Award

Surgeon Dr Jasmina Kevric wins 2026 Les Murray Award 29 April, 2026 Media releases Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Dr Jasmina Kevric...

29/04/2026

YEP Spotlight: Julissa Padilla

Some people stumble into their passion. Julissa Padilla walked straight into a film vault. For her, entertainment was never just about the movies themselves. It...

29/04/2026

Clear-Com Promotes Brian Grahn, Ben Turnwell to Expanded Roles

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/04/2026

The CW Unveils Major Streaming Deals with ESPN and Roku

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/04/2026

Clear-Com Announces New Roles for Brian Grahn and Ben Tur...

Clear-Com has appointed Brian Grahn as Market Outreach Manager of the Americas and Ben Turnwell as Business Development Manager for EMEA live, expanding their ...

29/04/2026

Reduce Workflow Complexity with nxtedition at MPTS 2026

nxtedition is bringing its range of consolidated production tools to MPTS 2026, with new developments spanning transcription, editing, graphics and AI-assisted ...

29/04/2026

Telxius taps Synamedia to unlock seamless global multi-CD...

Quortex Switch to boost the streaming experience for Telxius customers, reaching millions of viewers worldwide Synamedia and Telxius, the leading global connec...

29/04/2026

freispace and Projective Announce Joint Showcase of Integ...

freispace, the leading ERP-as-a-Service platform for media and entertainment production, and Projective, a leading provider of post-production collaboration tec...

29/04/2026

DHD Celebrates 30th Anniversary at 2026 NAB Show

DHD reports strong interest in its broadcast audio product range, exhibited at the April 19th-22nd NAB Show in Las Vegas. The event attracted a claimed 58,000 a...

29/04/2026

Student Spotlight: Alan Catz

Student Spotlight: Alan Catz The Argentine film and game composer talks about working on League of Legends, receiving Berklee's BMI Award, and the lifelon...

29/04/2026

Jay Jennings Builds the Worlds You Hear on Screen

Jay Jennings Builds the Worlds You Hear on Screen The supervising sound designer behind A Minecraft Movie, The Meg, Letters from Iwo Jima, and dozens of other...

29/04/2026

Paramount Will be 49.5% Foreign Owned After WBD Merger

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/04/2026

NAB Show 2026: AI, Vertical and BPS Dominate Broadcasters' Discussions

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/04/2026

IAB Tech Lab Announces New OpenRTB Attributes

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/04/2026

VEON and Kyivstar Fulfill Commitment to Invest USD 1 Billion in Ukraine over 2023-2027 Ahead of Schedule

29 Apr 2026 VEON and Kyivstar Fulfill Commitment to Invest USD 1 Billion in Ukr...

29/04/2026

U challenges stars and their dogs to compete for Wagging Rights

Rhod Gilbert, Harriet Kemsley, Kae Kurd, Sara Pascoe and Vicki Pattison to take part in brand new series on free streaming service U London, 29th April 2026: F...

29/04/2026

Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a Sky Original documentary series from BAFTA-winning Mindhouse, coming this summer

Wednesday 29 April 2026 Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a Sky Original documentar...

29/04/2026

Sky announces upcoming documentary series The Lie That Exposed The Truth

Re-examining the case of Ellie Williams and the wider story of grooming in the town of BarrowWednesday 29 April 2026 Sky announces upcoming documentary series ...

29/04/2026

Jennifer Garner to lead an all-star cast in new Sky Exclusive summer escape The Five Star Weekend, coming to screens this July

Wednesday 29 April 2026 Jennifer Garner to lead an all-star cast in new Sky Exc...

29/04/2026

'SUPERNOVA: GENESIS' Reached a Peak Audience of More Than 6.5 Million Viewers on Netflix

Back to All News SUPERNOVA: GENESIS Reached a Peak Audience of More Than 6.5 Mi...

29/04/2026

dB Sponsors College Sustainability Week

Students and staff from Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge ran a 4.5km course around the roads of Cambridge as part of their annual programme of sustain...

29/04/2026

Listen to the birds sing! Experience mother nature in a seven-hour radio marathon

The Dawn Chorus airs Sunday 3 May from midnight to 7am on RT Radio 1 and RT ly...

29/04/2026

April 28, 2026

Jin-Quan Yu elected to the National Academy of Sciences Yu is recognized for his pioneering work in synthetic organic chemistry. April 28, 2026 LA JOLLA, CA S...

28/04/2026

Sound for the NFL Draft Show Balances Often Conflicting Goals

The audio team for the entertainment event must blend speech intelligibility with full-range music reproduction while considering the broadcast Last week's...

28/04/2026

Pac-12 Releases New Primary Mark Ahead of 2026-27 Season

The Pac-12 Conference has released an updated primary mark and logo as the starting point of the new league's brand identity. The mark was soft-launched acr...

28/04/2026

DP World Tour to Become First Professional Sports Organization to Use Amazon Leo Satellite Connectivity

The DP World Tour and Amazon Leo have signed an agreement making Amazon's lo...

28/04/2026

Pixellot and HELIOS Announce Automated Hockey Shift Video Integration

Pixellot and HELIOS have announced an integration that automatically converts full-game hockey video into individualized shift videos for each athlete, without ...

28/04/2026

Daktronics Installs New LED Video Display at Asheville Tourists Ballpark

Daktronics has partnered with the Asheville Tourists to manufacture and install a new LED video display. The installation was completed in late 2025 and is now ...

28/04/2026

Eutelsat and PCTV Renew Long-Term Video Distribution Partnership in Mexico

Eutelsat has announced the renewal of its partnership with PCTV, a content aggregation and distribution company in Mexico and part of Megacable Holdings, for co...

28/04/2026

Gary SouthShore RailCats Install New Daktronics LED Display at U.S. Steel Yard

Daktronics has partnered with the Gary SouthShore RailCats to install a new LED video display at U.S. Steel Yard, replacing the previous Daktronics display inst...

28/04/2026

Telos Alliance and College Radio Foundation Award Omnia.11 Processor to Wright State Universitys WWSU-FM

Telos Alliance and the College Radio Foundation have announced that WWSU-FM of W...

28/04/2026

Inside the Mix: A1s Florian Brown and James Deason on Golfs Biggest Broadcasts

Golf viewership is growing. The 2025 Ryder Cup drew five million viewers in the UK, a 45% increase over the 2023 event. The US Open was the most streamed golf e...

28/04/2026

The CW Network Acquires Exclusive Broadcast Rights to WWE NXT Premium Live Events

The CW Network and WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), have announced t...

28/04/2026

NAB 2026: AIMS Wins NAB Show 2026 Product of the Year Award for IPMX

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced that the Internet Protocol Media Experience (IPMX) suite of standards and specifications has been named...

28/04/2026

NAB 2026 SportsTechBuzz in Review: A Look Back at the Big News From 150+ Companies in Vegas

The 2026 NAB Show is in the books and the show once again served up a cavalcade ...

28/04/2026

Gray Media, RAJ Sports Launch New Womens Sports RSN in Portland - Rose City SportsNet

Gray Media and RAJ Sports have announced Rose City SportsNet (RCSN), a new netwo...

28/04/2026

Spotify Reports First Quarter 2026 Earnings

Today, we announced our First Quarter 2026 earnings, starting the Year of Raising Ambition with strong momentum across the business and continued innovation acr...