The Hard Knock Radio Year-End Roundtable brought together four sharp musical minds to break down the biggest shifts, sounds, and cultural currents of 2025. DJ D Sharp, Nastia Voynovskaya of KQED Arts & Culture, Chuck Creekmur of AllHipHop.com, and Jason Myles of This Is Revolution Podcast joined Davey D for a wide-ranging conversation about trends, tours, regional movements, algorithms, and the changing ways communities connect through music.
A major theme across the panel was the return of regional identity. From Afrobeats and Amapiano to Dominican dembow and emerging sounds across Mexico and the Caribbean, 2025 continued to show how global scenes now feed into local ones. Nastia emphasized the Bay’s own diversity, with artists like Fijiana, LaRussell, Overcast, Jamel Griot, and Rexx Life Raj each representing totally different lanes. D Sharp argued that the Bay is thriving, despite recurring myths that the region “isn’t on,” calling out new music and producers like Overcast who are contributing to national conversations.
The panel also dug into the resurgent influence of veteran MCs. Nas and DJ Premier’s new project sparked heavy debate online — partly because nostalgia battles with expectations. D Sharp and Chuck both argued that the record delivered what fans of that lineage want. Jason pointed out that contrarian hot takes are now a commodity, pushed by algorithms and bots more than genuine critique.
Nastia spotlighted the explosion of R&B this year, from Kehlani’s chart-topping return to rising voices across the map. Major tours — Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Cleo Sol, Doechii — showed that live performance is still a central force for building community despite industry headwinds.
Throughout the discussion, the guests kept coming back to community over algorithms. Chuck warned that streaming platforms quietly shape visibility, suppress voices, and fracture the shared listening experience. Jason argued that people need third spaces again — places where young artists can experiment, fail, learn, and grow without the internet’s instant judgment. D Sharp talked about the value of hyper-local hustle, showing up everywhere, building a base one city at a time.
By the end, everyone agreed: music remains a language of connection, and 2026 will belong to artists and communities that stay rooted, experiment boldly, and build their own ecosystems beyond algorithmic control.
- Regionalism resurged, with Afrobeats, dembow, and Bay Area scenes all growing in their own lanes.
- Veteran artists like Nas and DJ Premier proved Golden Era voices still matter and still move people.
- R&B had a huge year, with Kehlani’s major comeback and strong releases from rising singers.
- Big tours dominated 2025, from Beyoncé and Kendrick to Doechii and Cleo Sol.
- AI-generated music hit the charts, raising new questions about labor, authenticity, and sustainability.
- Bay Area artists thrived, from Fijiana and LaRussell to Rexx Life Raj and Overcast.
- Algorithms shaped taste and visibility, often suppressing voices and fracturing shared music culture.
- Community became the real currency, with backyard shows, local circuits, and fan bases driving momentum.
- Genre-blending accelerated, fueled by the entire history of recorded music being instantly accessible.
- The future belongs to creators who stay authentic, build their own ecosystems, and refuse to let industry formulas define their sound.
Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.