Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Skip intro (0:49). It's been a minute since I've had an interview for you guys. But after a summer of falling back, and getting things in the background taking care of, this Fall expect to see a bunch of great artists join the show. Starting with Ep. 66, hailing from New York, I have with me an unbelievably dope rapper, producer, who is probably the most played artist of the year for me, alongside my man Kincee BabyFace Pearlis. H...
Aug 18, 2021•53 min•Ep. 66
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) In sharp contrast to the usual religious subject matter you hear in music, Iceberg Theory's perspective on this topic is NOT dogmatic. It's not a simplistic perspective that says "God will save us", or "God is perfect". Ice either, uses these religious themes as cool motifs and poetic devices for his rhymes, or, is exploring the fundamental foundation of belief, and the complexity and contradictions ...
Aug 10, 2021•25 min•Ep. 65
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) What has always gravitated me to Vince Staples, is that he is frank. Vince is so frank in the way he paints his life in Long Beach, describing harrowing street experiences with a cold bluntness that has defined his music to-date. These blunt observations were often layered over loud abrasive production, or lively west-coast instrumentals that emphasized Vince's charisma and ability to ride the beat i...
Aug 04, 2021•21 min•Ep. 64
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) When I think of MIKE, the words that come to mind are sincerity and honesty. In absolutely every album MIKE has released, he poured his heart out. On "Disco!" , MIKE certainly leans into his soulful nature once again, but without getting overly consumed by it. In the past, MIKE would really exude the depression that he was experiencing at the time, and it's not like there's anything wrong with that f...
Jul 28, 2021•17 min•Ep. 63
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) On the surface, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST sounds like Tyler flexing about how great his life is, with specific moments that reference a failed love he had with some girl. But in reality, this album mirrors a famous poem by Charles Baudelaire in many ways, but takes it a step further and comes to a conclusion that is both realistic and interesting. Tyler's primary subject matter on this LP is flexing hi...
Jul 21, 2021•22 min•Ep. 62
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) On TIME , Your Old Droog shows he can paint lyrical pictures very well. However, the picture paints here is sometimes kind of dull in my humble opinion. What Droog is talking about on TIME is a far cry from the much deeper exploration that occurred related to his relationship with his Jewish and Ukrainian identity on Jewelry and Dump YOD . On those albums we saw YOD get personal... something he does ...
Jul 20, 2021•14 min•Ep. 61
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) New York's Finest, Skyzoo, has returned with his latest studio album, All the Brilliant Things , just as Ottawa's Finest, The Rap Music Plug, has returned to continue taking the podcast game by storm. It feels great to be back! The way the lyrical themes play out on this album, is ultimately why I appreciate All the Brilliant Things so much more on multiple listens. Unlike In Celebration of Us , whic...
Jul 13, 2021•22 min•Ep. 60
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) Sleep Sinatra's recent run has been nothing short of amazing, culminating with the fantastic DIVINENATION that he dropped earlier this year. To discuss Sleep's impact and what makes him standout in the crowd, I joined the Freemusicempire and Camo Bucket Hats (@CamoBucketHats on Twitter) for a fantastic far-reaching discussion. I hope you enjoy this bonus episode while I'm on vacation. But most import...
Jul 01, 2021•1 hr 30 min
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) Another day, another Navy Blue record has dropped. As one of the most essential voices in all of hip-hop, I absolutely had to talk about it. Navy knows how to name an album. Song of Sage , his 2020 opus, felt like a grand mission statement that perfectly captured what makes Navy... Navy. Similarly, this latest album titled Navy's Reprise , feels like a reprise… like an addendum, an appendix to the ma...
Jun 22, 2021•15 min•Ep. 59
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) Mach-Hommy teamed up with Westside Gunn to create the long-awaited Pray for Haiti , Mach's Griselda return. Curated by Westside Gunn, this album is luxurious and smoother in sound than any other Mach album to-date. I really do love how Mach sounds over these more airy melodically smooth productions, but I don't prefer this sound over the more tough grimy sound he's typically rapped over. West has a u...
Jun 16, 2021•15 min•Ep. 58
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) AKAI SOLO and Navy Blue joined forces to create the highly-anticipated True Sky , a record that is surely to scratch your lyrical itch. AKAI explores themes of knowledge of self, spirituality, liberation from oppressive structures, and liberation from the ways modern society controls people mentally... which serves as the lens that AKAI uses to make observations about those around him, and society as a whole. AKAI has an intelligent mind clearly, but most important...
Jun 15, 2021•15 min•Ep. 57
Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) The wonderfully multi-talented Big Flowers (Michael) joined the show to wax poetic on a number of topics concerning the hip-hop and art scene that he contributes great work towards. We start by discussing the conception of Big Smile , and where Big Flowers' mind has been at throughout the pandemic (1:39). Michael then details how Big Smile was a therapeutic recording process for him. (19:37) As a mem...
Jun 09, 2021•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 56
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) In light of the recent release of Mello Music Group's Bushido , in a special bonus episode, I joined the Freemusicempire's #stateofthegame series as a guest to discuss what makes a compilation successful. We explored this topic through conversations on Bushido , Ryde or Die Vol. 1 , and Anticon Label Sampler: 1999-2004 . Enjoy! Join the Freemusicempire here: https://freemusicempire.com/ Listen to Bushido here: https://open.spotify.com/album/5kCNU9ouaRoRtQNJrtfavl?s...
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 46 min
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) To discuss the highly polarizing J. Cole, and his latest album The Off-Season , I was joined by Jay El, the creator of The Bytown Blog , to better understand the perspectives of a true Cole Miner. We dive into some potential misconceptions related to Cole fandom, how Cole reminds me of The Weeknd (?), and of course... discuss our thoughts on this latest album from Jermaine, which Jay El dubs his best album yet. RMPP Preferred Cut: "let go my hand" Listen to The Off...
May 25, 2021•48 min•Ep. 55
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Cities Aviv is an artist that I was introduced to through my exploration into Memphis rapper Lukah's music this year, who's amazing recent record I reviewed, and who I interviewed last month. And just like Lukah, Cities is one of the best musical discoveries I've had in a long time. From Memphis as well, Cities has been making cutting-edge hip-hop music for the past decade. This album is like a bowl of lucky charms, with every single bite being that perfect mix of ...
May 18, 2021•15 min•Ep. 54
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Wiki is a New York rapper, once part of the experimental hip-hop group Ratking, who is certainly a unique voice in the game. Teaming up with experimental producer NAH seemed like a natural fit for the left-field MC. NAH's production here is very skeletal, but by no means dry. It draws from a distinctly 80s 90s sound pallet, infusing these instrumentals with pop, electronic, and rock influences. The structure of this album's beats feature off-kilter very left-field ...
May 17, 2021•14 min•Ep. 53
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) The enigmatic Kincee BabyFace Pearlis joins the show for a conversation that I hope demystifies the incredibly talented Jennings, Louisiana MC... as he gives us rare insight into his unique lyricism, artistic approach, and business model. I have been ADDICTED to Kincee's music for the last few months, so I hope you all enjoy this conversation and tap in to this man's art. We start our conversation at the beginning, uncovering how Kincee started rhyming, and the sig...
May 10, 2021•56 min•Ep. 52
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) My first main takeaway from La Maquina is that, as Griselda transitions further into the commercial space, Conway is better suited to thrive in this space than Benny the Butcher. The reason is that Conway’s larger-than-life boss king persona fits well with the luxurious more clean sound. It's the reason why people respond differently to a Conway rapping over a beat like Grace, versus Benny... it's just a better fit. Whereas Benny's appeal relies more on the hunger ...
May 04, 2021•13 min•Ep. 51
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) With all of Hus' music, his poetic outside-the-box lyrical approach consistently impresses and sets him apart. It doesn't matter what he's rapping about, whether it be some street content, braggadocio, or some romance talk like on this EP. No matter what, Hus always find a way to communicate in an interesting way, through clever turns of phrase, and strong wordplay. This latest Threesome 2 EP is a perfect example of why rap is so untouchable as an artform. A projec...
May 03, 2021•11 min•Ep. 50
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Episode 49 welcomes Lukah, Memphis MC, producer, and current rising star in the game. Lukah is responsible for When the Black Hand Touches You , one of the best albums to come out in 2021 so far. Getting hip to Lukah's music has been one of the best things to happen to me in 2021, as Lukah is wise beyond his years, giving us lots of food for thought and lyrical abilities that are absolutely A1. I am happy to report that the same knowledgeable high-character man tha...
Apr 26, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 49
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Psychological Cheat Sheet 2 feels like controlled chaos. August Fanon created a soundscape that was maybe less diverse in terms of the variety of sounds, in comparison to Cheat Sheet 1 . But I think that's for the best because the sound here is incredibly focused and consistent, yet still so remarkably textured and engaging the whole time. August honed in on the hazy dusty jazz sound that was present on Cheat Sheet 1 , and created a series of great beats in this ve...
Apr 20, 2021•15 min•Ep. 48
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) A CONSTANT CONDENSATION goes inward into amani's mind, and features some gorgeously intimate raps that feel like you’re reading his journal on wax. Production handled by amani himself, is very soulful and adds to the intimacy of the record. It features this consistent analog feel that makes the record sound very warm. After being introduced to amani on An Unknown Infinite , it was nice to see amani's raps over these brighter soulful instrumentals. The way this albu...
Apr 19, 2021•11 min•Ep. 47
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Famed underground hip-hop duo Armand Hammer, comprised of billy woods and ELUCID, teamed up with hip-hop producer heavyweight, The Alchemist, for the highly anticipated Haram collaborative album. On Haram, Alc blended all of the Alchemist eras of sound into one. There are pieces of his more traditional hardcore hip-hop sound from the 90s/2000s, as well as hints of his exotic and more experimental approach that he has thrived doing during the 2010s In my opinion, th...
Apr 13, 2021•27 min•Ep. 46
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Westside Gunn and Mach-Hommy, two underground hip-hop heavyweights that have attained widespread acclaim in recent years, have officially ended their feud and dropped "Easter Gunday 4. Easter Gunday 4 being the 4th instalment of the Easter Gunday series of tracks West has put out. In Ep. 45, we discuss the reasoning behind how their feud manifested, what this newly formed relationship means for both of their careers, as well as my thoughts on the new song. Addition...
Apr 12, 2021•12 min•Ep. 45
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) In Episode 44, we are joined by a special guest, the hilarious and clever 2 Dolla Will who is a member of The Blicky Boyz, and is legitimately one of the funniest artists I have ever heard. With a prolific work ethic boasting many projects under his belt... most notably Red Snow 5 , an album that was released on March 26th, 2021... co-starring the Blicky Boyz and Iceberg Theory (friend of the show, who I interviewed earlier this year in Ep. 28). We first dive into ...
Apr 05, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 44
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) The Plugs I Met 2 is the sequel to 2019's highly acclaimed Plugs I Met , which to me was where Benny the Butcher went from already dope as hell lyricist to ELITE-level lyricist. Up until Burden of Proof, this was my favourite Benny project. The magic of Plugs was in the all killer, no filler approach. At just 25 minutes, it was gritty rapping with tough as nails production that fit perfectly. So the sequel to this project was something many Benny fans were highly a...
Mar 29, 2021•16 min•Ep. 43
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) You know that feeling when you just KNOW you’re witnessing the start of something great? That’s how I felt with Lukah when I heard When the Black Hand Touches You . Memphis MC Lukah has the lyrical sophistication of a seasoned veteran, and the perspective of a middle-aged man with a lot of life experience, stemming from the tough life lessons he learnt from the streets, as well as from the birth of his son. But what makes Lukah's raps that much more impressive is t...
Mar 23, 2021•18 min•Ep. 42
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) *DISCLAIMER: Apologies to Morph and ewonee for saying Thumbing Thru THE Foliage throughout this review. My bad! LA-based YUNGMORPHEUS teamed up with talented producer ewonee, to drop Thumbing Thru Foliage , a project I was anticipating since I wanted to see if Morph displayed the artistic growth I was hoping for, since his very recent album in States of Precarity . As a great producer himself, I was curious to see how a YUNGMORPHEUS album would sound without him to...
Mar 22, 2021•11 min•Ep. 41
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) The Canadian phenom, the 6 God himself dropped a 3-track EP titled Scary Hours 2 , which understandably caught the attention of the rap world instantly. So I will first give you my thoughts on this 3-pack in Scary Hours 2 , but then I will tackle a much larger thought, which was sparked by the release and success of this latest Drake EP. In this episode, I discuss how I think Drake has been able to sustain this incredible run of success that he has been on for the ...
Mar 16, 2021•30 min•Ep. 40
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Legendary producer DJ Muggs linked up with up and coming MC Rome Streetz, for a collaborative album that has been buzzing in the hip-hop world ever since its release. The production from Muggs on Death & The Magician was solid as hell, but we all expected that. What we wanted to see is how this latest partner of Muggs, Rome Streetz, would be able to do with the Muggs pack. I am happy to say that Rome Streetz accomplished exactly what he set out to do on Death &...
Mar 15, 2021•13 min•Ep. 39
