The Mixtape Museum's Regan Sommer McCoy Talks Hip-Hop History on ‘The Almanac of Rap’

Before playlists and digital streaming platforms, there were mixtapes.

For the first-ever live taping of The Almanac of Rap in New York City, Donwill sits down with archivist, researcher and Mixtape Museum founder Regan Sommer McCoy for a conversation about one of hip-hop's most influential cultural artifacts.

Recorded at Ludlow House in partnership with On Air Presents, the episode explores how mixtapes evolved from homemade cassette recordings into one of the most important fixtures in hip-hop culture, helping artists break records, build fan bases and create communities before the rise of social media.

As founder of the Mixtape Museum, Sommer has dedicated years to preserving the stories, history and physical media that have impacted generations of music fans. Together, she and Donwill unpack the legacy of mixtapes, the DJs who helped define the format and why preserving hip-hop history is important.

Topics include:

• The origins and evolution of mixtape culture.

• The impact of pioneers like DJ Clue, Ron G, DJ Screw, Kid Capri, DJ Drama and Don Cannon.

• The Mixtape Awards and their role in elevating DJs and independent artists.

• Preservation, ownership and documenting hip-hop history before it's lost.

• Whether mixtape culture can survive in the age of streaming, algorithms and AI.

Listen to The Almanac of Rap on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the full episode on YouTube.

Listen to The Almanac of Rap on Spotify

Listen to The Almanac of Rap on Apple Music