Liberated from a self-destructive past and born anew in sobriety, Francis has captured an inspired collection of songs steeped in New Orleans rhythms and early 70s rock n’ roll. His music evokes a bygone era of R&B’s heyday while simultaneously forging a new path on the musical landscape. We chat about his past with addiction, his sobriety and how it related to his music. The journey from a hospital bed to launching his solo career was neither predictable nor straightforward. There were musi...
Aug 04, 2021•41 min
The closest thing you're getting to the Purple Tape this decade, Vanderslice slides through the podcast to plug 'Enigma of Dalì,' which blends surrealist art vibes with raw street rap for one of the year’s most immediately engaging releases. It wasn't an easy road to get here though and this 10,000 hour journey is filled with brushes with the law, death, health problems and even though obstacle after obstacle is thrown in his direction whats important is he has the drive and perseverance to over...
Jul 28, 2021•48 min
The 10,000 hour journey of both Antwaun Stanley and Tyler Duncan is explored in this episode as we navigate their careers from humble beginnings to the powerhouse records they are known for today. We really dive into what it means to be a band leader in college and how it contrasts with their lives in the present moment. During his last two years of college, Tyler started the electronic dance-rock band My Dear Disco, later called called Ella Riot. Upon graduation in 2008 and for the next 6 years...
Jul 21, 2021•43 min
LA's neo-soul artist Rozzi has announced her new Hymn for Tomorrow EP due out this week and her smoky, full-bodied vocals spectacularly amplify each song, as they move seamlessly from upbeat pop, funk and R&B to low-key acoustic ballads. We chat about how the trials and tribulations of being a young signee exploding into super-stardom has impacted her career that has led her to a destination of authenticity and sharing her true self through music. Take one look at Rozzi’s discography and you...
Jul 14, 2021•35 min
This interview has a certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi”. Somewhere between DJ Screw and MINOR THREAT, De La Soul and Scritti Politti sits Houston’s native son, Fat Tony. I just moved to the third ward in H-Town and what better guest to get me familiar with the area as I join him on his 10,000 hour journey through all the trials, tribulations, crazy times, and efforts paid off, as we land on his latest album, Exotica and his newest single Gambling Man (Mariachi Remix). He is a national treasure, one of th...
Jul 07, 2021•41 min
Welcome to another episode of the podcast. This week, I go on a journey to unearth the gems within Buckwild's 10,000 hour journey. The Bronx-raised DJ-turned producer, who first entered the game as a beatsmith under the guidance of Lord Finesse and is a member of the legendary hip-hop collective Diggin' In The Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.),shares with me his humble beginnings and give insight into studio sessions with Nas, Biggie, and Big Pun. We also talk about how certain beats got created and how th...
Jun 30, 2021•53 min
Electronic musician and USC Thornton Jazz Studies alumnus Alfred Darlington, known professionally as Daedelus, has released their studio album, ‘What Wands Won't Break’ and celebrating the 1 year mark with some physical copies that are sure to take your listening sessions to the next level (180 gram is where it's at!). Their discography stretching back more than 20 years is fittingly erratic, and list of collaborators dizzying. We chat about family influence, upbringing, the Santa Monica beat sc...
Jun 23, 2021•56 min
Bubblegum brat-punk icon Delilah Bon joins me on the podcast this week. We talk about the hard truths in music, why there are so few female music producers and what female producers face behind the boards. As a musician who has been releasing videos since she was a teen she tells me about all the pitfalls, false promises, and tribulations associated with being a rising star. Delilah Bon is all about being uplifting and her tunes are perfect for everything – shaking it, smashing the patriarchy, c...
Jun 16, 2021•34 min
Charles Hamilton returns! He come back to the show after a few years to chat about New York rappers from KRS-One to Cam'ron and how they inspired a new wave of intelligent rappers. In addition, we chat about the differences between genres and environments and why wearing many hats out of necessity can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. The industry is tough and we run the gamut on the numerous trials and tribulations and how Charles has navigated through it the best way he c...
Jun 09, 2021•39 min
Grap Luva brings the soulful & discrete underground. We talk about celebrating his 30th birthday on the September 11 attacks, growing up on the East coast, working and experiencing many important musical moments with long-time mentor and brothers Pete Rock, Ruddy Phillips and his cousin Heavy D. We also chat about his own musical history and after not crafting a beat for almost 20 years now, he's finally inspired to start working on music again. Enjoy the conversation! Visit the website: htt...
Jun 02, 2021•36 min
In one of the most honest interviews this podcast has conducted we leave no stone unturned with WLPWR who is one of my favorite producers. He also pretty much built the podcast house this show is based on as he was an early adopter of podcasts with his 'FreeGame Producers Podcast', so I do my best to build a show in his shadow. After taking a production hiatus, WLPWR built a 4,000 square foot space in Atlanta, his very own production compound entitled, BNDWTH. Lastly, we chat about his 10,000 ho...
May 26, 2021•47 min
Edo. G & Insight Innovates swing by the podcast this week to chat about their self-titled debut album. Very grateful for the opportunity to chat with them because as a hiphop lover I realize that this is the culmination of decades of friendship and collaboration, birthed from childhood memories and the early days of the Boston rap scene. We talk about all the various factors throughout the years that led up to this point, as both artists sound as hungry and passionate as ever while they deli...
May 19, 2021•39 min
This week I host Max Ernst and his twin brother Spencer, the musical brain-children behind the beats in their band SHAED with lead singer Chelsea Lee. As they've been building fans and their catalog, we sit down to discuss growing up, the effects of the pandemic and their upcoming album High Dive due out Friday! It has no doubt been an insane emotional roller-coaster for them and they open up about anxiety, pressure, happiness and reassurance as they know others who listen, will relate. As the w...
May 12, 2021•34 min
This week on the podcast I am honored to have percussionist Eric Bobo on the podcast. Before he became known as a member of Cypress Hill, and before he performed with the Beastie Boys, we chat about how he took over as director of his late father’s Latin jazz band. Legendary percussionist Willie Bobo, who played alongside iconic artists like Tito Puente (with whom he received mentorship from) and Carlos Santana, might be best known for his contributions to the Latin Jazz genre, but he was also o...
May 05, 2021•38 min
Chris Kilmore, better known as DJ Kilmore, has been a fixture to California-based rock band Incubus as their turn-tablist for more than 20 years. More specifically, February 13th, 1998 he was asked to audition for the band. We get into the weeds about his life right before joining and the beginning years that followed as he navigated the scene and found his footing through contracts, management, and the group itself. Beyond his technical prowess as a battle DJ, we also talk about scratch culture...
Apr 28, 2021•40 min
Friends of the podcast, Awon & Phoniks return! We chat about racial tension in America and the long term effects of the stress of the pandemic and politics and how these notions birthed "Nothing Less", the newest studio album and their first full length release since starring in the 2020 Netflix documentary "Underdogs". The album is laced with Phoniks signature jazz-infused, boom bap production style and Awon's raw, honest lyricism.It's rare I am able to have a 2nd conversation with guests o...
Apr 21, 2021•42 min
Your typical Chris Orrick interview will most likely talk about the subject matter in his music such as self-medicating and coping with life. For us however, we always like to start at square one and learn his baseline motivations to understand his entire 10,000 hour journey. You will listen to a man who is in a place where music isn't even at the forefront of his mind. Most people think of music as a chore because of how the grind is and if real life gets in the way, how do you choose? Well I s...
Apr 14, 2021•41 min
This week, we talk about empowerment, self worth, and goal setting with the great and powerful James Gardin. James aims to use his art and message to inspire all those around him to live their life fully, and encounter their purpose daily. We chat about testing these values, his upbringing, and how he has used his multifaceted skill set to create art from the soul. "I Probably Wrote This While Crying" is out now and introduces his producer chops to the world! Visit the website: https://www.bedro...
Apr 07, 2021•33 min
Considered one of the most creative on the scene, from deploying children’s toys, to rocking the largest turntable to ever exist, being original in the cookie cutter world of DJs has never been an issue for DJ Nu-Mark. That being said, we talk about the J5 days, labels, movie scoring, Kanye West, potential partnerships with numark dj products, collaborations with Kanye and Incubus, and more. As he approaches the age of 50 he has lived a life most don't ever get too see even if you lived to be 10...
Mar 31, 2021•44 min
This week, Antman Wonder, a Grammy Award winning Composer/Producer in LA by way of Philly swings by the podcast for an honest take on the industry, mental health and how he has navigated his own personal success. We also chat about the Grammy Awards, video game composition, and what lies ahead. Visit the website: https://www.bedroombeethovens.com/ Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bedroombeethovens
Mar 24, 2021•39 min
New York producer Tony “Blockhead” Simon has invigorated America’s underground hip-hop scene for two decades. Starting as indie icon Aesop Rock’s first producer, he’s gone on to deliver no-nonsense production for a who’s who of underground MC’s. We discuss his 10,000 hour journey from the college days, to working odd jobs around the city, to finally coming into his own. We also chat about topical subjects such as cancel culture, public perception, and the music industry. Visit the website: https...
Mar 17, 2021•42 min
Breeze Brewin of the New York rhyme trio 'The Juggaknots' swings by the podcast to chat about his journey including being a teacher, getting dropped by Elektra, and the group's 1996 single all leading up to his brand new album, 'Hindsight'. Since a lot of his peers have been on this podcast we talk about being a Fat Beats Records employee, and what it was like working with Eli Escobar and J-Zone on 'Use Your Confusion', their 2006 studio album. We also chat about landing the lead role in Prince ...
Mar 10, 2021•40 min
“Beatchild”, formerly known as Slakah the Beatchild has written and produced countless hip-hop, soul infused recordings, including his own series of Soul Movement albums. I'm lucky enough to sit down with him to talk about his journey from producing for artists like Drake and Glenn Lewis, to gaining an internship, growing up in Sarnia, and how he has navigated his career up to his new retrospective instrumental collection entitled, Nostalgia: Beats of 2008 – 2020. It doesn't seem that there is a...
Mar 03, 2021•34 min
This week, I sit down with California-based underground rapper Pigeon John whose current sound is a genre-fusing style with positive, easily relatable lyrics. We discuss the early days of rapping on G4TV and growing up in Hawthorne, California. We also dive a bit into his spirituality, chatting about values as a former Christian hip-hop star and an MC who sings more than he raps. The song’s on his latest album are energetic jive functions as an ode to misfits, rebels and creatives alike. We also...
Feb 24, 2021•34 min
14KT swings by this week to talk about his mental health during the pandemic and how he has navigated this new decade thus far. We chat about his faith, his family, and the industry and get into the weeds of life in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He is currently in the mixing process to finalize a few projects, music for a short film, and another instrumental project. We also talk about the dynamic of the groups he is in, including 1/7th of the mighty Athletic Mic League,Jaded Incorporated and RSXGLD. Enj...
Feb 17, 2021•41 min
Joshua Henry made a name for himself in his Tony-nominated turn in Scottsboro Boys and as Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton. As he progressed through Broadway, TV, and film roles, Henry’s heart beat out rhythms, his voice ringing with clarion emotion. I catch up with him this week as the next step in his career progression takes shape with the release of his debut EP, ‘Guarantee’, showcasing his immaculately powerful voice and his intelligent storytelling background. As New York was pl...
Feb 10, 2021•34 min
Skyzoo joins me on the podcast this week to chat about the vision the MC had from his brownstone stoop on St. James Place, just down the block from The Notorious B.I.G.'s old stomping grounds. We also chat about going to school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Since students came from all five boroughs, all ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, I drill down to find out the impact his environment has had on him and his love of music, and his entrepreneurial drive to become more than mee...
Feb 03, 2021•48 min
Dixon Hill's music is the boom bap mantra of a musical nomad; reflecting the emotions and humor of a man who's had to climb his way out of obscurity. He was living out of his van, traveling the country, digging for records, and working any gig he could find. With an SP-404, an analog tape machine, and a portable turntable, he crafted two beat tapes which eventually led to a watershed collaboration with Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson called 'Actus Reus'. We talk about the journey; the 10,000 hours...
Jan 27, 2021•41 min
This episode focuses on Headnodic via Oakland, California, by way of Boston as a founding member of the groups Mission: and Crown City Rockers. I try to get to the core that explains his beautiful beats and rhymes and the fact that all his collabs, whether its Infamous TAZ, Raashan Ahmad, Rico Pabón, El-P or Lateef the Truth Speaker, it always flawlessly fits together like bread & butter, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, bacon & eggs, pencil and paper, Primo and Gu’you get the idea. I catch up...
Jan 20, 2021•41 min
"Missio" is Latin for mission. And what at one time began as a side project for singer-songwriter Matthew Brue has now shifted into the main mission. Accompanied by producer and instrumentalist David Butler, MISSIO sports an alternative/electronic sound with beat-driven hip-hop undertones. Since they're based in Austin, TX and just dropped a video for their song “Cry Baby (feat. Paul Wall)” I thought it would be great to catch up with the duo to talk about their life, navigating through the year...
Jan 13, 2021•42 min
