But hip-hop is too popular and widespread to still be hemmed in by its traditional boundaries. And that has had real consequences for white artists, who are now often playing to predominantly white crowds in parallel spaces far from hip-hop’s center.

This week on the Popcast, I speak with the music reporter Joe Coscarelli about the many ways the current wave of white rappers — including G-Eazy, Mike Stud, Lil Dicky and Post Malone — are trying to elide conversations about race, with varying degrees of success.