It's time for another DITD Bites and for this one we get into the recent Kanye "DONDA" announcement and predictable non-drop. And then we get into how we individually listen to music. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:01) Kanye, process & self-editing - (22:24) How we listen to music - (47:02) Lighter Note - (1:12:12) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us! Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Poi...
Jul 27, 2021•1 hr 17 min
On this episode of DITD: Half the year has been & gone and we thought it was worth taking stock of the releases, overriding stories on our minds and what we're looking forward to for the rest of the year. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (6:29) Death of legends - (19:59) "A good, not great year" - (32:44) What to look forward to - (56:40) Lighter Note - (1:04:17) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us! ...
Jul 20, 2021•1 hr 19 min
We continue our two-part series on LL Cool J, going through the rest of his discography from Mr Smith all the way to Authentic. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:55) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (11:16) Mr Smith - (16:44) Phenomenon - (23:04) G.O.A.T - (30:27) 10 - (36:23) The DEFinition - (43:18) Todd Smith - (52:01) Exit 13 - (56:54) Authentic & Final Thoughts - (1:04:47) Lighter Note - (1:17:14) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sur...
Jul 13, 2021•1 hr 24 min
LL Cool J is more known for his acting and hosting duties these days. But LL has a catalogue that spans decades and that shouldn't be overlooked in the career of Mr Smith. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:44) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:57) Radio - (25:28) Bigger And Deffer - (38:22) Walking With A Panther - (48:29) Mama Said Knock You Out - (57:04) 14 Shots To The Dome - (1:05:00) Lighter Note - (1:17:18) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involv...
Jul 06, 2021•1 hr 24 min
Sometimes your audience is not explicitly in your backyard. Sometimes, it's across the pond and on the other side of the world. That's what happened for a Jurassic 5 that were gaining popularity in the UK & Japan before they even dropped an album. After that hot promise, Jurassic 5 put together a solid body of work that shows outstanding group chemistry, great bars and top tier DJ-oriented production. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (18:33) J5 (EP...
Jun 29, 2021•1 hr 18 min
It's time for another volume of "Contemporary Cool" and for this one, we get into two debut albums, an underrated gem & an album from a clear-headed vet. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:47) Based on a T.R.U. Story - (19:51) Mega Philosophy - (38:05) Mr Wonderful - (50:34) A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons - (1:02:25) Lighter Note - (1:17:20) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us! Music - "Pizza An...
Jun 22, 2021•1 hr 30 min
The placement of DAS EFX in Hip-Hop history is an interesting one. They started off being inspired by Hip-Hop itself and after just one album, inspired several of their peers in the years after. So much so, that it could be said that while DAS EFX has a place in Hip-Hop history, they maybe deserve a larger pedestal and more recognition as a highly lyrical duo. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:28) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (16:05) Dead Serious - (23:51) Straight Up Sewaside - (33:25...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 25 min
Digable Planets weren't the first Hip-Hop group to use Jazz as a foundation for their Hip-Hop musical explorations, but there aren't many artists that took the essence of Jazz as seriously as Butterfly, Doodlebug & Ladybug Mecca did in their brief but beautiful two album stretch. We get into their story and the music that offers so much, the more you listen to it. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:27) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (19:48) Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space...
Jun 08, 2021•1 hr 20 min
The Pharcyde was another significant member of the "Alternative" Hip-Hop scene of the early/mid-90s, with back-to-back classics right out of the gate. But behind the scenes, the group bond wasn't the tightest. And once that thin ice broke, it immediately messed up the very acute alchemy they had in the beginning. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (4:13) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (21:36) Bizzare Ride II The Pharcyde - (30:16) Labcabincalifornia - (40:42) Plain Rap - (51:24) Humboldt Beg...
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 31 min
The term "Stimulus Package" has been implemented in two ways in recent years. The first, the money people have received during the pandemic. The second? When mainstream artists hop on lesser-known artists' songs, giving the lesser-known artist a listenership they have never gotten before, and sometimes, may never get again. We discuss the second definition, getting a light-bulb moment right at the end. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:08) Topic Intro - (14:07) Lighter Note - (1:05:41) Thank...
May 25, 2021•1 hr 20 min
It's time for another Bites session! In this edition, we talk about Politics in Hip-Hop, the death of DatPiff & whether Streaming is the sole culprit for the dilution of modern music. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:38) Political Hip-Hop - (17:56) The Death of DatPiff - (35:11) Streaming & The Dilution of Music - (55:02) Lighter Note - (1:20:35) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us! Music - "P...
May 18, 2021•1 hr 31 min
Wyclef, Pras & Lauryn. Fugees were a trio bursting with youthful energy and creative flavour. Their first album was boastful and raw, their second album showed all three at their creative peaks. But behind the scenes, a mixture of label issues and personal back & forth (to put it lightly) put a timer on their lifespan as a trio. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:03) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (10:44) Blunted On Reality - (18:56) The Score - (33:50) Breakup & Final Thought...
May 11, 2021•1 hr 11 min
With the unfortunate passing of Shock G, we thought this was a good time as any to collectively get into his brainchild, Digital Underground and gain a new understanding of why Shock G was one of the most unique personalities in music history. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup: (1:44) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House: (17:22) Sex Packets: (26:23) Sons of the P: (37:03) The Body-Hat Syndrome: (46:20) Future Rhythm: (58:13) Who Got The Gravy?: (1:03:43) .. Cuz A D.U. Party Don't Stop!: (1:10:25) Li...
May 04, 2021•1 hr 28 min
Death is inevitable, but it is always something that warrants a bigger conversation when we see a Hip-Hop artist die in their 20s. There's a systemic issue here and a broader issue with how society treats certain people. We try to dig into these issues in the only way we can: Existentially. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:18) Topic Intro - (18:49) Lighter Note - (1:15:07) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're suppor...
Apr 28, 2021•1 hr 25 min
It's time for some more "Contemporary Cool" and for this one, we went far and wide with our picks. Nas & Damian Marley's "Distant Relatives", Azealia Banks' "Fantasea", Apollo Brown & Boog Brown's "Brown Study" & Jay Rock's "90059". TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:40) Distant Relatives - (19:27) Fantasea - (32:52) Brown Study - (46:00) 90059 - (57:33) Lighter Note - (1:20:19) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know th...
Apr 20, 2021•1 hr 34 min
Ladies & Gentlemen, DITD is two years old! We started this podcast two years ago as of the 11th and 105 episodes later, with NO OFF WEEK, we're still going and getting better. For this episode we reflect on the passing of DMX, reflect on ourselves, why we do what we do, compare work ethics and finish off with a couple of games that we hope you'll enjoy. Thanks for kicking it with us, whenever and however you jumped in. We appreciate your time. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (7:31) Reflec...
Apr 13, 2021•1 hr 42 min
After a month of celebrating women, we had to take some time to recognise women in the hurdles they face. Prepare for some necessary existential conversations that all come down to a lack of attention to the overall problems that we collectively have allowed to snowball so big that we don't even see the issue as abnormal. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:26) The Conversation - (18:47) Lighter Note - (1:22:37) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be s...
Apr 06, 2021•1 hr 32 min
We usually don't do artists this early but Ben thinks she's actually retired so here we are. But with that aside, Nicki Minaj, as the most commercially successful female Hip-Hop artist is a fascinating case study. Along with her pre-album history that is rarely harped on, Nicki has shown a genuine elevation in her artistry whilst also being one of the most bankable artists of the Century. So, since she's "retired", let's see what her albums say. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:26) Topic In...
Mar 30, 2021•1 hr 44 min
Eve is an interesting career to look at retrospectively. Unlike some of the other women we've covered so far, she didn't really pioneer in everything. But in her own way, she had a solid career, with a classic album and is a great rapper that have hanged with the best. And in something we'll talk about after March ends, that should be enough for people to focus on that. Luckily, we're not like everybody else. So, Let us Blow Your Mind. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:32) Topic Intro/Ben's ...
Mar 23, 2021•1 hr 38 min
MC Lyte is undeniably one of the most influential artists in Hip-Hop history. Your favourite female's favourite female. From Ms Lauryn Hill to Missy, to Kim. MC Lyte dabbled in many subjects and explored them with textbook confidence, an unmistakable voice and a matter-of-fact attitude. It's easy to say that her steadfast ways jeopardised her career in a changing Hip-Hop landscape but before she got lost in the business of it all, she already carved out a legendary catalogue that birthed artisti...
Mar 16, 2021•1 hr 43 min
Mary J Blige is one of the most influential artists of the past 30 years. Her catalogue is one of the most consistent and has nearly no dip in quality. We go through eleven of her albums and how they form one of the tightest "full circles" for an artist we have done so far. Strap in, foot is firmly on the gas for this one. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:11) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:35) What's The 411? - (22:31) My Life - (26:22) Share My World - (31:18) Mary - (35:16) No Mor...
Mar 08, 2021•1 hr 32 min
Happy Women's History month one and all! If you have been a listener since last year, you know that since then we decided to dedicate the month of March to the women and this year we are doing it again. Up first, the first woman in Hip-Hop to go platinum, Da Brat. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:27) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (21:00) Funkdafied - (37:36) Anuthatantrum - (45:03) Unrestricted - (52:52) Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz - (1:01:54) Final Thoughts - (1:11:17) Lighter Note ...
Mar 02, 2021•1 hr 34 min
The rare DITD episode that sticks to the reason we started the podcast in the first place. Around the time of our ATCQ retrospective late last year, we had a conversation off wax about sampling and how it took a dip after the landmark Biz Markie case. Ben got inspired and got some numbers on sampling and how much the frequency of artists getting samples has dipped due to all of the red tape. By the end of this episode, the argument could be made that labels putting such a high price on sample cl...
Feb 23, 2021•1 hr 35 min
Welcome to "Contemporary Cool", a new DITD series where we pick two contemporary albums each and talk about them in any way the albums warrant. In Vol. 1, we talk about the historically hated "Lasers" by Lupe Fiasco, the cultural reset that Skepta's "Konnichiwa" had on UK Rap/Grime, was Rocky's "TESTING" underrated? And Joey Bada$$' "ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ which didn't get enough love when it dropped. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:21) Lasers - (27:44) Konnichiwa - (42:23) TESTING - (54:50...
Feb 16, 2021•1 hr 31 min
It's time for part 2 of our MF DOOM retrospective. This time, we look into his many collaboration projects. Some feature him heavily, some have him completely in the background but somehow, someway, the DOOM essence is always prevalent. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:24) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (19:30) Mf EP - (30:04) Madvillainy - (34:47) THE MOUSE & THE MASK - (45:19) Unicron - (53:22) Key To The Kuffs - (57:10) NEHRUVIANDOOM - (1:03:58) Czarface Meets Metal Face - (1:11:...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 33 min
For this retrospective, we're doing something a little different from the usual. We're going to look at five solo projects from MF DOOM but instead of looking at the albums from our usual angles, we're going to look at it from the perspective of his aliases and the world he built using those aliases. If you're a DOOM noob like Charlie is in this episode, then it's definitely worth a spin. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:30) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:55) Operation Doomsday - (3...
Feb 02, 2021•1 hr 33 min
On Volume 7 of DITD Bites: Why do people not do their due diligence when they claim to love something? Are Video Games more influential on the youth compared to music? And why are hot takes so prevalent in day-to-day Hip-Hop conversation? TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:35) Due Diligence - (19:29) Video Games & Youth Culture - (41:40) Hot Takes - (57:38) Lighter Note - (1:13:18) Extra Show Links: Sean Monohan's piece. "What's Good?" episode responding to Monohan's piece. Article in res...
Jan 26, 2021•1 hr 29 min
J Dilla is the patron saint of Hip-Hop production. The man that took a simple MPC and unlocked its true potential, making some of the greatest beats of All-Time, a seemingly endless vault and two classic albums in is last days. We go through five Dilla albums, varying in quality and shines a light on a little talked about the duality that Dilla holds from being a producer and an MC. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:32) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (8:35) Welcome 2 Detroit - (25:23) Ch...
Jan 19, 2021•1 hr 36 min
It's time for part 2 of our retrospective on A Tribe Called Quest. Going through their albums "Beats, Rhymes & Life, "The Love Movement" & We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service". We also get a little into their backstory mid-career & their legacy. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:47) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (10:33) Beats, Rhymes & Life - (22:41) The Love Movement - (35:21) WGIFH...TY4YS - (51:20) Legacy - (1:04:35) Lighter Note - (1:18:14) Thanks for lis...
Jan 12, 2021•1 hr 37 min
On the first DITD episode of 2021: A retrospective on objectively a Top 2 Hip-Hop group of All-Time, A Tribe Called Quest. This is part 1 where we get into their first three albums. All classics in their own unique way. TIMESTAMPS: Music Roundup - (1:40) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (16:03) PIT&TPOR - (30:59) The Low End Theory - (44:20) Midnight Marauders - (58:14) Lighter Note - (1:18:22) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us ...
Jan 05, 2021•1 hr 32 min
