Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda Explain Hip-Hop’s Impact On Hamilton

Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda sat down with The Recording Academy to talk about hip-hop’s large influence on his Grammy nominated Broadway musical, Hamilton. The cast of Hamilton will perform the show's opening number at the Grammys this year and will become only the eighth Broadway musical to ever perform at the awards.

Miranda’s affinity for hip-hop started during his adolescence in the early '90s where he indulged in artists like Notorious B.I.G., Tribe Called Quest and The Wu-Tang Clan. These lasting impressions have allowed him to bridge the gap between American history and contemporary figures and sounds.

“I can’t help but have ‘94 influence my work. It influences my work whether I’m conscious of it or not,” Miranda explained. “Hip-hop is a major challenge of any musical theatre piece. You’re trying to adapt music and put in service of the story you’re trying to tell. The story I’m trying to tell is no more ambitious than the creation of our country.”

Watch Miranda's interview above.