We are having a conversation about the golden era of Neo Soul on this episode. We get into some of our favorite albums and artists, discuss some lesser known acts, as well as talking about the non-musical influences on fashion, movies and television. We close the episode by putting together a hypothetical tour with 4 different acts from the era, and try to put together our Mount Rushmore of Neo Soul. Here is the Angie Stone tribute from our friends at Queue Points Podcast , that we spoke about i...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 79
This week, we're dropping another B-Side, a little quickie companion piece to episode 74, Gogo Jason Waterfalls. Due to time constraints, there were some songs that needed to be cut from the original, but this segment was too good to leave on the hard drive, so here it is! These are the songs that we're discussing in this episode: Tweet - Oops, Oh My Maxwell - This Woman’s Work Maxwell -Closer Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman Stevie Wonder - Go Home Tap in and laugh with us! If you enjoy the c...
Dec 20, 2024•16 min
This week, we're doing another anniversary episode, and this time we're celebrating the anniversary of Kelis' debut album, Kaleidoscope. With her colorful hair and punk attitude, she literally burst onto the scene screaming "I hate you so much right now!" backed by the sounds of Chad Hugo & Pharrell Williams, aka The Neptunes. We get into how this album is a mix of several genres rather than just straight R&B. With its collage of electronic, funk, hip hop and rock influences, Kelis and T...
Dec 07, 2024•28 min•Ep. 78
On this episode, we're discussing one of our favorite albums, My Life by Mary J. Blige. If you're anything like us, you've been bumping this consistently for the past 30 years. Yes, 30 years! Originally released on November 29, 1994, this album is a reflection of Mary's struggles with heartbreak and depression. Her vulnerable lyrics paired with lush production from Chucky Thompson created a groundbreaking piece of work that redefined R&B, and still resonates today. This is the album that sol...
Nov 29, 2024•38 min•Ep. 77
On this episode we’re talking about comebacks and reinventions with three legendary albums: Black Messiah by D’Angelo, Mama Said Knock You Out by LL Cool J and The Emancipation of Mimi by Mariah Carey. These albums proved that each of these artists could come back from a down period in their careers and deliver some of their best work. Yeah, we should have called this episode “Don’t Call It A Comeback” but we already have one (Episode 39, go check it out) with that title. Anyway, settle in...
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 76
The reports of hip hop’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. In the past few months, we’ve read and heard about its supposed decline, yet these articles look past its influence across other genres. It can be found in K-pop, country and mainstream pop. Hip hop has become so ingrained in our culture that now that it’s no longer viewed as “underground,” it feels like it’s fading. In this episode, we’re talking about hip hop’s role and relevance in today’s pop culture landscape. Later in the episo...
Oct 25, 2024•43 min•Ep. 75
Not every song can be uplifting like Queen Latifah's "U.N.I.T.Y." or "Optimistic" by Sounds of Blackness. A lot of times, we listen to and love songs with questionable themes and lyrics, and sometimes we just misinterpret the meanings. So, on this episode we're taking a look at some of the songs that made us do the Wee Bey face. How old were you when you realized that "Saving All My Love For You" was a sidechick anthem? Does Lloyd say fine too or 5'2" on "You?" Is Chanté Moore a bad friend? We g...
Oct 12, 2024•55 min•Ep. 74
In this episode, we are talking about singer known for her distinct singing voice, candid songwriting style and very personal lyrics. Her impact and legacy on the world of music is why we're discussing the late, great Amy Winehouse. An artist who was rooted in jazz, but had R&B sensibilities with a sprinkle of hip hop. Her debut album Frank showed us the potential that would eventually be reached on the classic Back to Black. Although she left us in 2011, her music lives on. If you enjoy the...
Aug 09, 2024•44 min•Ep. 73
This week, we're dropping our first B-Side of 2024. A little quickie companion piece to episode 64, A Tribe Called Quest: Electric Relaxation. We didn't get a chance to talk about our favorite Tribe songs from each album during the episode, so you get to hear it now. We also drop our thoughts on which album that we think is better, The Low End Theory or Midnight Marauders. If you enjoy the content that we're making and you're looking for ways to support our independent podcast, here’s a little s...
Jul 26, 2024•11 min
In this episode we're discussing an actor who you may know from television shows like Boardwalk Empire and Westworld, or his film roles in The Hunger Games and James Bond franchises. You may know him from Angels in America, which earned him a Tony award for the Broadway show and an Emmy award for the TV adaptation. He's played historical figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and famed blues musician, Muddy Waters. Most recently, he was a Best Actor nominee for his role as Monk in American Fict...
Jul 12, 2024•37 min•Ep. 72
In our previous episode, we covered Teddy Riley's influential production career. In this episode, we focus on his journey as a performer, starting from his pioneering new jack swing days with Guy, a brief stop with his brother's group, Wreckx-N-Effect and finally to his Blackstreet era. Teddy's run as both a producer and performer is one that few artists can match. Head over to our website to check out the playlists from these episodes set your day off right. If you enjoy the content that we're ...
Jun 21, 2024•36 min•Ep. 71
On this episode, we’re talking about a producer, songwriter, sometime singer and rapper. He’s done songs for Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick, Heavy D, Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, Keith Sweat, Al B. Sure!, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson and more. He's done albums for himself as a member of Guy & Blackstreet, and he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame June 15, 2023. He's the King of New Jack Swing, Teddy Riley. His resume is so long that we...
Jun 07, 2024•34 min•Ep. 70
On this episode we’re talking about Mr. Big Stuff, The Heavster, The Overweight Lover, out of Moneyearnin’ Mount Vernon, the diddly, diddly, diddly, diddly, diddly D. One of a small number of people who have done a song with both Michael and Janet Jackson. The man who is pretty much responsible for kicking off Uptown Records, since he was the first act signed to the label, and as an executive at Uptown he's was instrumental in bringing Jodeci, Monifah, Soul For Real and others to the company. Al...
May 24, 2024•38 min•Ep. 69
It's been a while since we've dropped an episode about the ladies, so on this one we're talking about 8 of them. Yes, 8. We're diving into the world of R&B with a spotlight on some of our favorite voices. First up, we have the First Ladies of Bad Boy, Total. Kim, Keisha and Pam. Then we're heading north of the border to talk about two vocal powerhouses in Tamia and Deborah Cox. Next up, we're getting into the luscious harmonies of Zhané, and we close out the episode talking about a hidden ge...
May 10, 2024•43 min•Ep. 68
On this episode, we had a conversation about OutKast’s debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. This is an album that helped redefine the sound and identity of Southern hip hop, and played a significant role in introducing the world to the unique sound and culture of the “Dirty South.” This album laid the foundation for OutKast's legendary career and established them as one of the most innovative and influential hip hop acts of all time. When you're done with this episode, if you haven't al...
Apr 26, 2024•32 min•Ep. 67
On this episode, we are having a conversation about the 40+ year career of one of the greatest R&B groups of all time, and the inspiration for all of the boy bands that followed their blueprint. From direct descendants like New Kids On The Block and Boyz II Men, to current day acts like BTS, New Edition is “where it all started.” We talked about the early discography, Bobby Brown leaving the group after their 3rd album, the addition of Johnny Gill for the Heart Break album and the solo...
Apr 12, 2024•53 min•Ep. 66
On this episode, we are having a conversation about Usher's 2004 album, Confessions . It's been 20 years since its original release, so we're discussing the impact of the album, how it dominated the Billboard charts, as well as some of the misconceptions about the content. We got into Confessions a little bit in July 2021 in our Usher episode, but figured that we'd run it back and get a little deeper into it for the anniversary. 20 years, man. Time flies. If you enjoy the content that we're...
Mar 22, 2024•33 min•Ep. 65
On this episode, we're having a conversation about one of our favorite groups, one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time, A Tribe Called Quest. Join us as we discuss their body of work and their legacy. Head over to our website, troypodcast.com to check out footnotes, a playlist and a transcript for this episode. While you're here, make sure to vote for A Tribe Called Quest for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! If you enjoy the content that we're making and you're looking for ways to suppor...
Mar 08, 2024•41 min•Ep. 64
They Reminisce Over You will be back with new episodes Spring 2024, but in the meantime, we wanted to share with you an episode of a show that we love, Queue Points, hosted by the homies Jay Ray & DJ Sir Daniel. We did an episode of Queue Points last year, and they were on our show earlier this year, so go back and check those out if you haven't already! If you enjoy the content that we're making and you're looking for ways to support our independent podcast, here’s a little something ...
Dec 22, 2023•41 min•Ep. 63
So, we've reached that time of year that no matter where you are, in a mall, grocery store, movie theater, watching TV and hearing a commercial, Christmas music is everywhere. So, it is officially holiday music season. So, that's what we're gonna be talking about on this episode. We're talking about Christmas songs and the ones we like, the ones we don't like, why some of us hate Christmas music, why some of us love Christmas music. If you enjoy the content that we're making and you're loo...
Dec 01, 2023•27 min•Ep. 62
This week we are talking about something that we've mentioned on this pod a lot. How many times have we talked about a song that we love that wasn't the original, it wasn't on the album, but it was on the cassette or the CD single? Or sometimes it was a music video. Yeah, it was similar, but there were some differences that made it stand out, and most cases made it better. So, for this episode, we're talking about the remix. We're gonna talk about some of our favorites, some we don't like as muc...
Nov 17, 2023•50 min•Ep. 61
On this episode, we're talking about a man whose career spans decades. A versatile actor who has the range to play a menacing drug kingpin as well as a talking mirror. He's probably best known for his role as Gus Fring on Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul . You may also know him as Buggin' Out from Do the Right Thing or more recently, Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian . Join us as we're talking about a few of our favorite performances by Giancarlo Esposito. If you enjoy the content that we're mak...
Nov 03, 2023•46 min•Ep. 60
This week we’re talking about a production team that had a major influence on a time in hip hop that we spoke about in the last episode, the so-called “jiggy, shiny suit, bling bling era.” Even though they had been around since 1990 doing tracks for act like Chubb Rock, Kool G. Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shante and The Real Roxanne, 1994 is when they really started to shine. Making albums and tracks for LL Cool J, Nas, Foxy Brown, Jay-Z, J. Lo, Will Smith, 50 Cent. You can arguably...
Oct 20, 2023•37 min•Ep. 59
A couple weeks ago we did an episode dedicated to the first 50 years of hip hop. There was a lot to go over and a lot to cover, so we had to break it up into two episodes. We're only gonna get about 8% of it. But we are back on this episode to pick up where we left off. We finished up the last episode talking about the Golden Era, and on this episode we're gonna start with what is known as the Bling Bling Era through current day hip hop. If you enjoy the content that we're making and you're look...
Sep 08, 2023•46 min•Ep. 58
This week, we're discussing the 25th anniversary of Lauryn Hill's solo debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. This classic album was released on August 25, 1998, and features a number of standout tracks like "Doo Wop (That Thing)," "Ex-Factor," "Lost Ones," "To Zion" and more. She won five Grammy's for this album, making her the first woman to win five or more in one night, including the Grammy for Album of the Year. This was also the first hip hop album to win Album of the Year. We explo...
Aug 25, 2023•49 min•Ep. 57
On this episode, we are discussing something that's been a part of our lives as far back as we both can remember. It's influenced the way we dress, the way we talk, the music we listen to. It's what makes us who we are. In 2023, we're celebrating 50 years of this culture that we call hip hop. We were originally gonna do just one episode, but realized that this conversation might take a little longer than usual, so part 2 will be dropping in a few weeks. If you enjoy the content that we're m...
Aug 11, 2023•44 min•Ep. 56
On this episode, we are talking about an R&B trio from New York City. Peers and contemporaries of groups like Xscape, Jade, Total, Destiny's Child, 702. You know, all the ’90’s girls. One of the biggest selling girl groups of all time, and that's globally. They've sold 30 million records. We're talking about Taj, Lelee, and Coko and her long ass nails, Sisters With Voices, SWV. We discuss their albums, our favorite songs and some of the things that they've been involved outside of music. 90'...
Jul 28, 2023•45 min•Ep. 55
On this episode, we are going to talk about a TV show that ran for five seasons on Fox from 1990 to 1994. Created by Keenen Ivory Wayans, it launched the careers of some of the biggest names in show business like Jennifer Lopez, Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, Shawn and Marlon Wayans, Rosie Perez and more. It was a sketch comedy unlike anything that had come before it and haven't seen since. We're discussing how the show is rooted in such works as Hollywood Shuffle , I'm Gonna Git' You Sucka , and Eddie...
Jun 30, 2023•41 min•Ep. 54
On this episode, we are talking about one of the greatest groups of '90s R&B, actually '90s music in general. They brought you songs like "The Blues," "Feels Good," "Whatever You Want," "Anniversary," "Let's Get Down. " All the jams that you know and love. From Oakland, California. Tony! Toni! Toné! We get into our favorite songs from their albums, Raphael Saadiq's solo albums and some of the songs for other artists that they've had a hand in. After listening to the episode, head over to tro...
Jun 16, 2023•43 min•Ep. 53
On this episode we're gonna talk about an actor who got his big break playing a “plucky pizza delivery guy” turned badass survivalist in The Walking Dead for six long seasons. He then went on to play a wide range of characters in critically acclaimed movies such as Nope and Minari. The latter, which he was also an executive producer and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, which also made him the first Asian American to do so. If you haven't put the pieces together, we're talki...
Jun 02, 2023•46 min•Ep. 52
