White Rappers

Eminem’s latest album, "Curtain Call: The Hits," was certified double Platinum after selling more than two million copies in less than two months. Although the rapper retains a strong presence on the scene, his success has not given birth to a wave of new white rappers, as many predicted. We will talk about the failed effort by the music industry to launch new white hip hop stars with author Touré and with Jim Farber, Music critic for the New York Daily News. Also, celebrities like Madonna, and members of the Rapture and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have all taken turns playing DJ, but do they know how to spin? We hear about the phenomenon of celebrity DJs. And: Egyptian composer Sayyed Darweesh was champion of women's rights, an alleged cocaine addict, and he's known as the father of modern Arab music. We’ll hear the story and the music of Darweesh, as told by the Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble.