1 hr 16 min
Episode 208 with Sowmya Krishnamurthy, Author of Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion, and Keen Chronicler and Thoughtful Observer of Hip Hop, Pop Culture, and Fashion The Chills at Will Podcast
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Notes and Links to Sowmya Krishnamurthy’s Work
For Episode 208, Pete welcomes Sowmya Krishnamurthy, and the two discuss, among other topics, her early love of hip hop and fashion, and the ways in which the two have always played off one another, her experiences in hip hop journalism and interning with Sean Combs and Bad Boy Records, trends in hip hop fashion and the ways in which they have been in response to racist laws and practice in the past, the power of ambassadors like Jay Z and Aaliyah, hip hop clothing lines, the power of designers from Versace to Virgil Abloh, and the evolution of more inclusive practices and views in the industry.
Sowmya Krishnamurthy is a music journalist and pop culture expert. Her work can be found in publications like Rolling Stone, Billboard, XXL, Playboy, High Snobiety, Complex, New York Magazine, Village Voice and Time. She has interviewed artists from J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar to Ariana Grande, Travis $cott and Alicia Keys.
As an on-air host, she has appeared on MTV, MSNBC, VH1, Hot 97, Build Series, E!, BET, CNN, NPR, BBC, and more. Her work has been aired in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Israel.
She hosted and programmed SiriusXM’s The Look Out radio show.
Her first book: Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion comes out October 10, 2023 (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster).
Sowmya began her career at William Morris Endeavor’s Agent Training Program, CNN and Bad Boy Records.
She is a graduate of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Sowmya on Twitter
Buy Fashion Killa
Excerpt from Fashion Killa in Rolling Stone, October 3, 2023: "How Lil' Kim's Left Boob Symbolized a Shift High Fashion"
At about 2:00, Sowmya talks about the “surreal” run-up to the October 10 publication date for her book
At about 3:20-3:57, Sowmya gives some seeds for the book’s genesis
At about 4:00, Sowmya talks about the book’s process and research, including how the pandemic provided time for the book’s writing
At about 7:30, Sowmya reflects on how to sum up 50 years of hip hop and the difficulty of doing a chapter outline
At about 9:15, Sowmya talks about her focus on various topics in the books, including representing all regions of the country, international voices, and women
At about 11:00, Sowmya notes the arbitrariness of the 1973 “birthdate” for hip hop, not taking into account African traditions-call-and-response, etc.-and also how hip hop’s origin with DJ Herc and Sidney Campbell came partly through fashion
At about 12:45, Sowmya highlights Dapper Dan and the importance of logos and “social signaling,” who gets to wear what, “sumptuary laws,” etc.
At about 15:20, Sowmya recounts the story of how Google Images started after Jennifer Lopez wore her iconic dress
At about 16:50, Pete fanboys over Pharrell, and Sowmya recounts how Jay Z’s shift to a more formal clothing style and Pharrell and others bringing in skinny jeans were in some ways revolutionary
At about 20:20, Sowmya reflects on the outsized influence that 90s hip hop had on pop culture
At about 23:10, Sowmya talks about her upbringing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, especially her connections to music and 90s culture and things like Page Six
At about 27:00, Pete quotes from Sowmya’s book-she cites a beautifully chaotic scene in the passage-and she expands upon the importance of these type of scenes pre-social media
At about 29:00, Pete wonders about Cam’ron inventing a color, and Sowmya talks about his and Kanye West and others wearing pink as a bold choice
At about 31:30, Pete shouts out some early hip hop purchases, and Sowmya describes her early hip hop influences and purchases
At about 33:50, Sowmya discusses some of her early writing opportunities in the hip hop and pop culture space
At about 34:20, Pete and Sowmya rate the verses from Drake’s “Forever”
At abo
Notes and Links to Sowmya Krishnamurthy’s Work
For Episode 208, Pete welcomes Sowmya Krishnamurthy, and the two discuss, among other topics, her early love of hip hop and fashion, and the ways in which the two have always played off one another, her experiences in hip hop journalism and interning with Sean Combs and Bad Boy Records, trends in hip hop fashion and the ways in which they have been in response to racist laws and practice in the past, the power of ambassadors like Jay Z and Aaliyah, hip hop clothing lines, the power of designers from Versace to Virgil Abloh, and the evolution of more inclusive practices and views in the industry.
Sowmya Krishnamurthy is a music journalist and pop culture expert. Her work can be found in publications like Rolling Stone, Billboard, XXL, Playboy, High Snobiety, Complex, New York Magazine, Village Voice and Time. She has interviewed artists from J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar to Ariana Grande, Travis $cott and Alicia Keys.
As an on-air host, she has appeared on MTV, MSNBC, VH1, Hot 97, Build Series, E!, BET, CNN, NPR, BBC, and more. Her work has been aired in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Israel.
She hosted and programmed SiriusXM’s The Look Out radio show.
Her first book: Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion comes out October 10, 2023 (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster).
Sowmya began her career at William Morris Endeavor’s Agent Training Program, CNN and Bad Boy Records.
She is a graduate of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Sowmya on Twitter
Buy Fashion Killa
Excerpt from Fashion Killa in Rolling Stone, October 3, 2023: "How Lil' Kim's Left Boob Symbolized a Shift High Fashion"
At about 2:00, Sowmya talks about the “surreal” run-up to the October 10 publication date for her book
At about 3:20-3:57, Sowmya gives some seeds for the book’s genesis
At about 4:00, Sowmya talks about the book’s process and research, including how the pandemic provided time for the book’s writing
At about 7:30, Sowmya reflects on how to sum up 50 years of hip hop and the difficulty of doing a chapter outline
At about 9:15, Sowmya talks about her focus on various topics in the books, including representing all regions of the country, international voices, and women
At about 11:00, Sowmya notes the arbitrariness of the 1973 “birthdate” for hip hop, not taking into account African traditions-call-and-response, etc.-and also how hip hop’s origin with DJ Herc and Sidney Campbell came partly through fashion
At about 12:45, Sowmya highlights Dapper Dan and the importance of logos and “social signaling,” who gets to wear what, “sumptuary laws,” etc.
At about 15:20, Sowmya recounts the story of how Google Images started after Jennifer Lopez wore her iconic dress
At about 16:50, Pete fanboys over Pharrell, and Sowmya recounts how Jay Z’s shift to a more formal clothing style and Pharrell and others bringing in skinny jeans were in some ways revolutionary
At about 20:20, Sowmya reflects on the outsized influence that 90s hip hop had on pop culture
At about 23:10, Sowmya talks about her upbringing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, especially her connections to music and 90s culture and things like Page Six
At about 27:00, Pete quotes from Sowmya’s book-she cites a beautifully chaotic scene in the passage-and she expands upon the importance of these type of scenes pre-social media
At about 29:00, Pete wonders about Cam’ron inventing a color, and Sowmya talks about his and Kanye West and others wearing pink as a bold choice
At about 31:30, Pete shouts out some early hip hop purchases, and Sowmya describes her early hip hop influences and purchases
At about 33:50, Sowmya discusses some of her early writing opportunities in the hip hop and pop culture space
At about 34:20, Pete and Sowmya rate the verses from Drake’s “Forever”
At abo
1 hr 16 min