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Hip-hop didn't always have a violent reputation. In fact, for many in the African-American community it was a revolution and a redemption. Author Jeff Chang chronicles the history of rap in his book Can't Stop, Won't Stop and how it continues to transform the world of popular music.

Organizations such as the Jazz Foundation of America and Billy Taylor's JazzMobile are striving to help older jazz musicians in need. Another group supposed to help musicians is the American Federation of Musicians union, but it has been criticized for failing to cater to jazz artists.

Tim Brookes, who occasionally contributes essays to NPR, is also a passionate and talented guitar player. He has just published Guitar: An American Life, which he describes as part history and part love song. He talks about what he learned in working on the book.

Sarah Hanks is a first-year music teacher at Kipp Academy in Washington, working with junior high students. She once had thoughts of becoming a professional musician, but something kept pulling her towards kids and strings.

A jazz legend's influence on the genre is detailed in Donald Maggin's book Dizzy: The Life and Times of John Birks Gillespie. Dizzy Gillespie's contributions to jazz included the flavor of Afro-Cuban rhythms and be-bop.

The new movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a married, gun-toting couple. Reviewer Bob Mondello says it's a reasonably amusing summer picture, if you can put your critical mind in neutral.

Music and film industry groups announce another round of lawsuits filed against computer users suspected of trading music and movies online without permission. Their latest targets are users of a technology called i2hub on the service Internet2, which primarily connects college campuses.

Hip-hop star Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and actor Larenz Tate play key characters in the new film Crash, a meditation on race and prejudice that's already gotten a lot of award buzz. The two talk about their own experiences confronting racism in Los Angeles.

Singer-Songwriter Mike Doughty begins the first day of his self-proclaimed 'Small Rock World Tour' by taking caller questions and performing songs from his new album Haughty Melodic at NPR's Washington studios. Doughty is the former frontman for the group Soul Coughing.

The radio program Your Hit Parade, which began on NBC Radio 70 years ago and ended on television 24 years later. It featured a stock company of singers perform the week's most popular songs to an audience of millions.