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Arizona Spotlight

Arizona Spotlight

Tucson awards its hip-hop music scene

By Mark McLemore

Published September 3, 2026 at 6:01 AM MST

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Arizona Spotlight 9/3/26 podcast thumb

Talk Studio Tucson Hip Hop Awards group shot — Arizona Fatz, Jahmar Anthony, Thatcher Warrick Hess and Richard Lee sit in the talk studio at the Paul & Alice Baker for Creative Center for Public Media on Aug. 27, 2026.

Featured on the September 3rd, 2026 edition of ARIZONA SPOTLIGHT with host Mark McLemore:

Some of the best-known names from the local rap scene, DJ Jahmar, Richard LEE, and Arizona Fatz talk with Thatcher Warrick Hess about the upcoming Tucson Hip-Hop Awards.

Spotlight poster group Tucson Hip Hop Awards — Jahmar Anthony, Thatcher Warrick Hess, Arizona Fatz and Richard Lee stand in front of the Arizona Spotlight poster on Aug. 27, 2026.

Master control Tucson Hip Hop Awards crew — Performers and agents from the Tucson Hip Hop Awards stand in front of master control at the Paul & Alice Baker Center for Public Media on Aug. 27, 2026.

What is “Song Church”? Singer and songwriter Gabrielle Pietrangelo, the originator, will explain.

Gabrielle Pietrangelo mural spotlight — Gabrielle Pietrangelo poses in front of mural art by Jessica Gonzalez.

gabrielle pietrangelo EP cover art hero — Detail of the cover art for Gabrielle Pietrangelo's EP, "On My Way Back Home".

And Mark talks with cinephile Christopher Maynard, the host of the podcast "Following Film”, about the state of movies and what's happening at this weekend's Tucson Comic Con.

Maynard Studio Hero — "Following Film" host Christopher Maynard in the AZPM radio studio.

maynard deakins hero — Academy award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins signs a book for Christopher Maynard.

Webpage by Anicia Trejo-Flores.

Arizona Spotlight

Mark McLemore

Mark McLemore is the host of Arizona Spotlight on NPR 89.1, a weekly radio show with a very wide beat.

See stories by Mark McLemore