Shawn Setaro is a writer and cultural historian of hip-hop music and hip-hop culture. He is the creator and host of The Cipher Show, a hip-hop podcast that conducts interviews with figures from the genre. ^[4]He was the Editor-in-Chief of Rap Genius from November 2009 until July 2014; ^[10]The Cipher Show was formerly known as Outside the Lines with Rap Genius when Setaro was employed at Genius. ^[4]

Shawn Setaro grew up listening to rap music and became fascinated with the hip hop culture. He developed an "obsession" for it while he was in college, studying Jazz; he plays the bass.

In November 2009, Setaro discovered a website called Rap Exegesis, which would eventually be known as Rap Genius; the name quickly changed after he and others learned that few people knew the spelling and/or definition of the word 'exegesis.'^[14]

Setaro's username on Genius was SameOldShawn, ^[12]inspired by a Jay-Z's song "So Ghetto":

That Brook-Brook-a-Brooklyn shit

Furthermore ma

We tote guns to the Grammys, pop bottles on the White House lawn

Guess I'm just the same old Shawn [12]

Setaro is also a notable writer.

He is an Overnight Editor at *Complex * ^[1]and a frequent contributor for *Forbes *. ^[8]In addition, he has written pieces for The Atlantic, ^[6]The Source, Vibe, Esquire, GQ, and more. ^[4]

He is a Berklee-educated bassist and guitarist who has recorded and performed with The Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer, the Lordz of Brooklyn, Alina Simone, and others. ^[4]