!["The best way to represent the places where you from is be yourself, completely," says the artist.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20141022170705im_/http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2014/09/25/455901126_master_wide-74243aaf56fecc4f61c4ecbd36fface7ebb6f232-s6-c15.jpg ""The best way to represent the places where you from is be yourself, completely," says the artist.")
Andre Benjamin during a Q&A at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles following a screening of <em>Jimi: All Is By My Side</em> last weekend.Justin Baker/WireImagehide caption
Hip-Hop From NPR
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Mannie Fresh behind the decks at NPR's Washington, D.C. headquarters.Becky Harlan for NPRhide caption
Mannie Fresh DJ Set: 'We Bounced Everything'
Two dope boys on a Cadillac: Andre 3000 and Big Boi in the early days.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Imageshide caption
Outkast And Atlanta: Until They Close The Curtain
Pusha T performs live at NPR Music's showcase at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on Wednesday, Oct. 16.Loren Wohl for NPRhide caption
Pusha T, Live In Concert
T.I. at NPR's New York City bureau. Polina Yamshchikov for NPR hide caption
Andre Benjamin during a Q&A at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles following a screening of Jimi: All Is By My Side last weekend. Justin Baker/WireImage hide caption
Polina Yamshchikov for NPR
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Joell Ortiz at a DJ Booth cypher in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in September. Polina Yamshchikov for NPR hide caption
The Notorious B.I.G. performing at the Meadowlands in New Jersey in 1995. David Corio/Redferns hide caption
Souls of Mischief are, from left to right, A-Plus, Tajai, Opio and Phesto. Courtesy of Audible Treats hide caption
AK (left) and Issa of The Underachievers onstage at SXSW in 2013. Sean Mathis/Getty Images for SXSW) hide caption
Cormega. Vshootz/Courtesy of Jerry Graham Publicity hide caption
YG. Courtesy of the Cashmere Agency hide caption
Pete Rock. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Ab-Soul. Courtesy of Top Dawg Entertainment hide caption
Mannie Fresh behind the decks at NPR's Washington, D.C. headquarters. Becky Harlan for NPR hide caption
Isaiah Rashad, Chance the Rapper and Kevin Gates in a cypher. Courtesy of XXL hide caption
Freddie Gibbs. Peter Beste/Courtesy of We Get Press hide caption
Future. Courtesy of The Chamber Group hide caption
Nas in 1994. Danny Clinch/Courtesy of Press Here hide caption
E-40. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
ScHoolboy Q onstage at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City two days before his major label debut dropped. Polina Yamshchikov for NPR hide caption
Solange. Courtesy of The Chamber Group hide caption
Danny Brown. Sara Kerens/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Starlito (left) and Don Trip, in their video for "Caesar & Brutus." Courtesy of the artists hide caption
