Headphone Highlights – 9th Wonder: The Syllabus (1964–1982)

Fun fact: Raleigh, North Carolina, is the chosen home of both Big Daddy Kane _and_ Petey Pablo. But of course, the first name that comes to mind when thinking about NC rap music these days is Patrick Douthit, AKA 9th Wonder. Ever since appearing on the scene with the extra soulful sounds of Little Brother, his universally loved band with rappers Phonte and Big Pooh, he’s made his way from the underground all the way up to hip-hop’s top tier. With Jay-Z’s “Thread," Erykah Badu’s “Honey” or Kendrick’s most recent album closer “Duckworth,” and with collabo albums with MCs as diverse as Buckshot and David Banner, the man has a string of certified classics to his name. But what makes him really stand out is his willingness to share his acquired wisdom – especially as a lecturer at North Carolina Central University, Duke and Harvard, where 9th teaches classes on hip-hop history and seminars on how to build beats and run a label.