Christopher Johnson is a reporter for The Stakes, and co-host of The Realness. He is an audio journalist who has worked in public and commercial media for more than fifteen years. He has reported and produced for multiple outlets, including NPR, Marketplace, Jazz Night In America, PRI, KCRW, WBEZ, and WNYC. From a settlement in Saigon's largest cemetery, to black Americans embracing African religions, Christopher loves telling stories that cut to the heart of the human experience. Christopher also hosts 100:1 - The Crack Legacy - an Audible Originals series about race, police violence, and the War On Drugs.
Shows:
Christopher M Johnson appears in the following:
When Hip Hop Tried to Fight the Power, and Lost
Thursday, September 07, 2023
On the 50th anniversary of hip hop, how one corner of rap from the ‘80s and ‘90s shaped our culture for decades to come.
There Goes the Neighborhood: Miami, Part 2
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
The fear of mass displacement isn’t paranoia for black people in Liberty City. It’s family history.
Buying into Black
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
The fear of mass displacement isn’t paranoia for black people in Liberty City. It’s family history.
There Goes the Neighborhood: Miami, Part 1
Tuesday, November 05, 2019
The sea level is rising -- and so is the rent. It’s the first episode in our three part series on “climate gentrification.”
Premium Elevation
Tuesday, November 05, 2019
The sea level is rising -- and so is the rent. It’s the first episode in our three part series on “climate gentrification.”
The Next Debt Crisis That No One's Talking About
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
An ambitious young immigrant is scammed into a buying a used car he can’t afford. But selling people unaffordable loans is big business and more consumers than ever can’t pay them back.
The Stakes: 'To Be Young, Conscious and Rap'
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
WNYC’s Christopher Johnson joins us to discuss his reporting for the recent episode of the new WNYC podcast "The Stakes."
To Be Young, Conscious and Rap
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Hip hop schooled a generation to be unapologetically black and proud, until commercialism changed the rap game.
Who Killed Conscious Rap? Find Out on 'The Stakes'
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Over on the new WNYC podcast The Stakes, Christopher M. Johnson joins host Kai Wright to investigate the origins of conscious rap... and who killed it.
Special Broadcast #3: Missing You
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Friends and family say prison changed Prodigy for the better. As the world of hip hop continues to mourn his loss, there are still questions surrounding his death.
Special Broadcast #2: Son, They Shook
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
No other group defined the golden age of hip hop quite like Mobb Deep. But when Prodigy went on trial for a parole violation, so did hip hop and sickle cell.
Special Broadcast #1: This Sunny Day Right Here
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
We trace the origins of legendary rap duo Mobb Deep and delve into Prodigy's lifelong battle with sickle cell anemia.
The Realness Ep6: Missing You
Friday, August 10, 2018
As the world of hip hop mourns, there are still questions surrounding Prodigy's death.
The Realness Ep5: Go See About the God
Monday, August 06, 2018
Prodigy’s friends and family say prison changed him. But how?
Episode 6: Missing You
Friday, August 03, 2018
As the world of hip hop mourns, there are still questions surrounding Prodigy's death.
The Realness Ep4: The Most Racist Judge in Nassau County
Friday, August 03, 2018
When Prodigy goes on trial, sickle cell does, too.
The Realness B-Side: Roxanne Shanté
Wednesday, August 01, 2018
Roxanne Shanté was a teenager when she became the queen of Queensbridge MCs a generation before Mobb Deep was formed. She stops by WNYC to show off her crown.
Episode 5: Go See About the God
Monday, July 30, 2018
Prodigy’s friends and family say prison changed him. But how?
The Realness Ep3: Son, They Shook
Monday, July 30, 2018
Mobb Deep came up in rap’s golden age. No other group defined the era quite like the duo from Queens.
The Realness Ep2: T'Chaka
Saturday, July 28, 2018
As a kid with sickle cell, Prodigy was told he’d never make it to adulthood. The Black Power Movement - and a trailblazing pediatrician - helped change his fate.
