RADIO: PICK OF THE DAY

Thinking Allowed

(4pm R4)

In the last quarter of a century, hip-hop has travelled from the New York ghetto to become a multi-million-dollar industry taking in clothing, comedy, soft drinks, film and, of course, music. As well as empowering a section of society which had previously been in crisis, over the years rap and artists such as Eminem (above) have had a profound effect on popular culture. Eithne Quinn, the American academic and author of Nuthin' but a "G" Thang, talks to Laurie Taylor about the genre's development and popularity. She looks at the social, racial, political and economic implications of hip-hop, and asks why so many government figures continue to feel threatened by it.