The Next Movement

Rich Jones has a new album out called "Sour Dub". It's fully produced by SINAI (aka Sleep Sinatra) and it's not the weed smoking album that you might assume it to be. We talked with Rich about how the album's laid back sound makes it's "dripping" with "venom" somewhat sneaky. Then we talk about Rich's album pick for this episode - "Big Shots" by Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf.

Stream and purchase "Sour Dub" here:

https://5oclockshadowboxers.bandcamp.com/album/sour-dub

RJD2 is a dynamic producer with a legendary history. His newest project continues to build on his reputation for blending genres. "Visions Out of Limelight" feels like a culmination of all of RJ's influences whether its Funkadelic or Redman, 70's TV theme songs or the Bomb Squad, the album invites the listener to join in the celebration throughout. We talked with RJ about the making of this album and then we discuss one of his favorite albums of all time - Common's "Resurrection".

Stream and purchase "Visions Out of Limelight" here:

⁠https://officialrjd2.bandcamp.com/album/visions-out-of-limelight⁠

Legendary production team Da Beatminerz are back with their first full length album in 20 years! The album is called “Stifled Creativity” and it features iconic artists such as De La Soul, KRS-One, Pharoahe Monch and Ras Kass alongside folks like Rasheed Chappell, Mickey Factz, Stahhr, and Bishop Lamont. We talked with Mr. Walt and DJ Evil Dee about their approach to making this album, some of the stories behind the collaborations, and how their history in the game has brought them this far. Then we discuss, in the kind of heated debate that can only exist between brothers, Public Enemy's “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back”.

Stream and purchase "Stifled Creativity" here:

https://soulspazm.bandcamp.com/album/stifled-creativity

Stas THEE Boss is a producer and a rapper and a radio host and a DJ and some other things that we're probably missing. Most recently she is the composer of the music featured in dream hampton's latest documentary film "It Was All a Dream". Stas joined us to talk about this assignment along with a bunch of other rap related things including her album pick for this episode - "Supa Dupa Fly" by Missy Elliott.

Stream and purchase Stas THEE Boss music here:

https://stastheeboss.bandcamp.com

S!LENCE is from Brooklyn (actually from there) and he has a new project called "Aguadura". He describes it as the spiritual sequel to his 2021 release "mutatis mutandis" and we talked with him about some of the themes from the album. Then we discuss his album pick for this episode - "The Mouse and The Mask" from DANGERDOOM.

Purchase "Aguardura" here:

https://www.breakallrecords.world/product/aguadura

Hip hop and jazz music have an intimate relationship. That’s been true since the beginning. Our next guest is Shabaka Hutchings and while he might be a jazz musician, he is also a hip hop head who thoughtfully integrates his preferences into his most recent project “Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace”. The album is also his first as a flute player, an instrument he went to exceptional lengths to become familiar with. He is joined on the project by incredible artists such as Saul Williams, Carlos Niño, Laraaji, Esperanza Spalding, Brandee Younger and Floating Points. It’s also the only place where you’ll find both Andre 3000 and E L U C I D as featured guests. We talked with Shabaka about all of the above and we discussed his album pick for this episode - “Doris” by Earl Sweatshirt.

Purchase "Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace" directly from Impulse Records

L.A.'s Rhys Langston joins us to talk about his new project entitled "Polyglot on Chloroform". It's produced entirely by Steel Tipped Dove, who also engineered and mixed the project, taking control of aspects of the album creation process that Rhys typically prefers to handle himself. We talked to Rhys about giving over this control, the album's loose concept, and loads more. Then we discuss his album pick for this episode - "Labcabincalifornia" from The Pharcyde.

Stream and purchase "Polyglot on Chloroform" here:

https://rhyslangston.bandcamp.com/album/polyglot-on-chloroform

We’re joined by Cakes Da Killa to talk about his new project “Black Sheep” which features Cakes rhyming over a diverse array of sound. We asked Cakes about the influence and inspiration that house music provided for the album, the freedom that he’s found in not giving a fuck, the comfortable creative relationship he has with producer Sam Katz and much more. Then we discuss his album pick for this episode - “Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front” by Busta Rhymes. Stream and purchase "Black Sheep" here: ⁠https://cakesdakilla.bandcamp.com/album/black-sheep

Oslo based producer Ol' Burger Beats released "74:Out of Time" in February on Coalmine Records. Each track on the project was produced at 74 beats per minute and is deeply inspired by the jazz records of 1974. It's a unique concept with an impressive list of guest emcee's including lojii, Ill Camille, Vic Spencer, billy woods, Pink Siifu, YUNGMORPHEUS, Quelle Chris, Gabe 'Nandez, and Fly Anakin. We spoke with Ol' Burger Beats about the inspiration for this project and his approach to working with his collaborators. Then we talked about his album pick for this episode - "Welcome 2 Detroit" by J Dilla.

Stream and purchas "74:Out of Time" here:

https://coalminerecords.bandcamp.com/

NAHreally and The Expert have teamed up for an album called "BLIP" that is set to be released by Rucksack Records on March 29th. We spoke to them about the simple yet powerful lyrics/sounds on this project and discussed the process they used to create one of the most relatable albums we have heard in recent memory. Then we discuss their album pick for this episode - "6 Feet Deep" from Gravediggaz.

Purchase "BLIP" here:

https://theexpert.bandcamp.com/album/blip

Reef the Lost Cauze has a new album called "The Triumphant" and he says that it is the album that he has been trying to make for years. He joined us to talk about the intentional approach he took towards writing and recording it. He described the sometimes painful process he went through to write it and the emphasis that he placed on giving his audience a variety of narratives and perspectives. And he discusses the resilience and hope that is woven throughout the project. We're gonna talk about all that and Reef's album pick for this episode - the third LP from another Philly legend - Beanie Sigel's "The B.Coming".

H31R (maassai and JWords) have teamed up for two innovative and original projects, the most recent being "HeadSpace" which was released in November of last year. It's a genre bending reflection on a transitional period in both of their lives and the duo was kind enough to join us to talk about the album. An Aquarius and Gemini themselves, H31R also chat with us about their album pick for this episode - "Aquemini" from Outkast.

Stream and purchase "HeadSpace" here:

https://h31r.bandcamp.com/album/headspace

Q No Rap Name and Philth Spector are two beat makers based in Philadelphia who also co-host the Philly chapter of Flipabeatclub (FABC) which holds monthly meet ups at ⁠Cratediggaz Records⁠ at 711 S. 4th St. FABC has become a nationwide movement with chapters in Sacramento, Toronto, L.A., Washington D.C., Bay Area, Austin, Chicago, and Dallas. Q and Philth talked with us about how the Philly chapter got started and shared some of their experiences in building knowledge and networks. We also talked with Q and Philth about their recent collaborative beat tape called "Color Sound Experiment". Then we discuss their album pick for this episode - "The Unseen" from Quasimoto. Music featured in this episode comes from Q No Rap Name, Philth Spector, Onitram, and Gozo the DJ. Find music from Q No Rap Name here: ⁠https://qnorapname.bandcamp.com⁠ Find music from Philth Spector here: ⁠https://philthspectorxphilly.bandcamp.com⁠ Find music from Flipabeatclub here: ⁠https://flipabeatclub.bandcamp.com

CineMasai (Dyaln Green), host of the Reel Notes podcast, joins us to talk about some of our favorite albums of 2023. We each picked three albums to focus on and discussed what made them our favorites. Pretty straightforward.

For all things related to Reel Notes and Dylan's writing follow this link: https://linktr.ee/CineMasai

Oliver Rothstein is an MC from Philadelphia who embodies the city's grit, struggle, and determination. He has a new album called "The Philadelphian" that captures the struggle and beauty that exists in Philly and he joined us to talk about this project. Then we discuss the project that he picked for this episode - the first mixtape chosen on our show - "The Ghost in the Shell" by Styles P.

Stream and purchase "The Philadelphian" here:

oliverrothstein.bandcamp.com/album/the-philadelphian

DJ Haram has pushed the boundaries of traditional dance, noise, and hip hop music her entire career. Whether as a part of 700 Bliss (with Moor Mother) or producing tracks for Armand Hammer, or creating and releasing music as a solo artist, Haram has always given us something dynamic and powerful to stretch our ears. She joins us as she anticipates the release of a two track EP in December called "Handplay" and talks with us about the perspective behind this music, her work with Armand Hammer, and one of her favorite albums - 2016's "Fetish Bones" by Moor Mother.

You can stream and purchase "Handplay," the new EP from DJ Haram here: djharam.bandcamp.com/album/handplay-ep

Kipp Stone has a new project called "66689 Blvd Prequel" that is as raw and emotionally vulnerable as they come. He joined us to talk about the process of freestyling, writing, and recording this album as well as giving some insight into the album's themes. Then we discuss Kipp's album pick for this episode - "Fantastic Vol. 2" from Slum Village.

To stream and purchase "66689 Blvd Prequel" go here: closedsessions.bandcamp.com/album/66689-blvd-prequel

Roper Williams is the NJ based production duo who has worked with artists such as Your Old Droog, Navy Blue, YL, AKAI SOLO, and Fatboi Sharif. They've got a new project out called "Infinite Victory Loop" and it features the previously mentioned YL, AKAI SOLO, and Fatboi Sharif along with Pootie. We talked with Roper about this project, his process, his relationships with these artists and his album pick for this episode - Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut album "Doggystyle".

You can stream and purchase "Infinite Victory Loop" here: roperwilliams.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-victory-loop

John Morrison is a writer, DJ, sample flipper, podcast/radio host, and deeply passionate about music history, specifically as it concerns his native Philadelphia. We talked with John about his career as a writer, how it has been informed by his experiences growing up in Philly, and how his own music impacts the way he articulates what he hears from others. Then we get into John's album pick for this episode - "Illadelph Halflife" by The Roots.

The instrumental music you hear in this episode was made by John Morrison and can be found here: johnmorrison215.bandcamp.com

Defcee joined us to talk about his upcoming project with Messiah Musik called The Golem of Brooklyn. The album is the soundtrack and companion to the book of the same name by Adam Mansbach. Defcee talked with us about working with Adam and Messiah to craft the songs and the meaning that they hold for him as a white Jewish American. This episode really ended up feeling like an intimate conversation about a completely unique and relevant project. The book drops 9/26/23. The album drops 9/29/23. But the episode is available right now!

Cise Greeny is a prolific rapper/producer from Corona, Queens. So far this year he has released two full length albums and two beat tapes. We talked with Greeny about these projects, the way he thinks about his prospective audience, and his consistent attempts to keep his childhood alive through his music. Then we discuss Greeny's album pick for this episode - the debut from fellow Queen's natives Lost Boyz - "Legal Drug Money".

Stream and purchase music from Cise Greeny here: garmentrygreeny.bandcamp.com

We're talking a lot about singular artists and sounds! Fatboi Sharif and Steel Tipped Dove recently released their collaborative album "Decay" on Backwoodz Studioz. We spoke with them about the creative teamwork that went into the album, the personal aspects of Sharif's writing, and the importance of incorporating sounds from a wide variety of genres. Then we shatter all expectations for our second segment and find ourselves talking about a non-hip hop album for the first time in our history. System of a Down's flawless 2001 album "Toxicity" is the album that Dove and Sharif picked for this episode.

Buy "Decay" directly from Backwoodz Studioz at this link.

Chop The Head is an artist and designer from Philadelphia who has worked on designs for some of today's most interesting independent rappers. His detailed drawings have covered releases from Fatboi Sharif, phiik + Lungs, Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon, and Jay NiCe. He's got a design coming as a part of Pink Siifu's re-release of "GUMBO'!" and on top of all that he makes his own beats. We talked with Chop about his history as a designer, the process behind some of his covers and his album pick for this episode - Armand Hammer's collaboration with The Alchemist - "Haram".

Purchase originals and prints from Chop The Head here: chopthehead.myshopify.com

Stream and purchase Chop The Head's beats here: chopthehead.bandcamp.com

Stik Figa and The Expert released their collaborative album “Ritual” in June. It is a well crafted project that both artists believed was going to be Stik Figa’s last as they were working on it. We talked with them about the creative perspectives they took while writing/producing the album, the dynamics of their working relationship, and what might be lie ahead for Stik. Then we discuss their album pick for this episode - Common’s sixth studio album “Be”.

You can stream and purchase “Ritual” here: https://theexpert.bandcamp.com/album/ritual

Desde is an emcee from Brooklyn who you may remember from KING VISION ULTRA's "SHOOK WORLD" earlier this year. Desde recently released a beautifully crafted project called "Tongue Original" that they describe as their most confident yet. We sat down with them to discuss its creation, the affirmations it contains, and Desde's attempts to spread love simply by being themselves. Then we chat about Desde's album pick for this episode - a project that is as equally self-affirming as "Tongue Original" - BbyMutha's 2018 release "BbyShoe".

"Tongue Original" is currently available for streaming everywhere.

Multi-talented artist Video Dave and producer Controller 7 join us prior to the release of their collaborative album “ArticulatedTexTiles”. We discuss some of the behind the scenes moments that went into the album. The way Controller 7 sampled Dave’s IG stories. The way Dave had to write several versions of “ThePlugTune” to get the De La acknowledgment just right. The album is full of details and catchy hooks and the duo gave us a glimpse of how it all came together. Then we talk about their album pick for this episode - the debut album from the Pharcyde “Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde”

"ArticulatedTexTiles" will be released through Fake Four Inc. and will be available for streaming everywhere on July 7th.

Orko Eloheim and Bigg Jus are Nephlim Modulation Systems. It's been 18 years since their second album "Imperial Letters of Protection" was released and now the duo is back with some more hard truths. They recently released a new single called "War Teacha" as a lead up to what will be the third NMS full-length, which is slated for release later this summer. We talked with these two legendary artists about the new music and then we discuss their album pick for this episode - a live recording from Boogie Down Productions called "Live Hardcore Worldwide".

Find music from Nephlim Modulation Systems including the new single here: nephlimmodulationsystems.bandcamp.com

Gabe 'Nandez latest project is called "Pangea". It was written and recorded during the height of the pandemic, at a time when 'Nandez was enduring personal turmoil and grappling with the collective experience of quarantine. We talked with him about "Pangea" and its theme of collective consciousness while examining some of the unique stories and perspectives that its individual tracks have to share. Then we discuss his album pick for this episode - the second LP from Roc Marciano, the one many folks have deemed his best - "Reloaded".

Stream and purchase "Pangea" here:

https://gabenandez.bandcamp.com/album/pangea-2

Producer, recording engineer and mixing/mastering specialist Steel Tipped Dove joins us to talk about his creative process as it relates to his project "all the weight feather don't have," his recent collection of songs "House of Disorder" with Nosaj from New Kingdom, and his recent full-length project with Alaska called "The Structural Dynamics of Flow". Dove has had a prolific year. So prolific in fact that he dropped another new project called "the trumpet's obviously been drinking" with andrew before we could get this episode in your hands. In the second segment of this episode with talk with Steel Tipped Dove about his album pick - "King of Hearts" from Camu Tao. A polarizing album released posthumously by El-P and Def Jux in 2010.

Purchase Steel Tipped Dove's music here: steeltippeddove.bandcamp.com

Purchase "House of Disorder" here: nosajfromnewkingdom.bandcamp.com

Purchase "The Structural Dynamics of Flow" here: thatrapperalaska.bandcamp.com

Purchase "the trumpet's obviously been drinking" here: fusedarrow.bandcamp.com

The duo sleepingdogs (andrew and Jesse the Tree) released their first full length album "i'm fakin' my own death just to get some rest" in March. They sit down with us to talk about the process behind the album's creation and some of the themes that present themselves throughout the project. Then we discuss the album that sleepingdogs picked for this episode - 2004's "Purple Haze" from Cam'ron.

Stream and purchase "i'm fakin' my own death just to get some rest" here:

threedollarpistol.com/album/im-fakin-my-own-death-just-to-get-some-rest

Dan Lish is a UK based artist whose of drawings of some of hip hops greatest creators have become instantly recognizable due to the intricate details and personal touches that go into every piece. The first installment of his book collecting some of these drawings is called "EgoStrip" and it has long been sold out. But you'll recognize the illustrations that grace album covers from artists such as Elzhi, J Period, Raekwon, Blu/Nottz and several others. Dan has a deep love for hip hop and its culture, having been at some point involved in several elements. He brings this rich history to his drawings and was kind enough to spend time with us to talk about some of that history. Then we mix things up a bit and take a short detour from our standard format by talking about Dan's favorite 12" singles from Ultramagnetic MC's "Critical Beatdown".

Visit Dan's website here:

https://www.danlish.com/

The latest release from KING VISION ULTRA is called "SHOOK WORLD" and it is just that...a world built out of field recordings, YouTube clips, incredible artistry from a wide range of guest performers, and stem recordings from Algiers recent full length "Shook". GENG PTP aka KING VISION ULTRA sat down with us to discuss how this project came together, how he ended up gathering this collection of talent, and how chosen family and a shared disdain for gentrifiers led to a cohesive sound. Then we attempt to pay tribute to Trugoy the Dove aka Dave as we discuss GENG's album pick for this episode "Buhloone Mindstate".

RIP Dave
De La Soul forever

To listen to and purchase "SHOOK WORLD" head to Bandcamp: algierstheband.bandcamp.com/album/shook-world-hosted-by-algiers

It's time for the end of year episode! This is where we pause to consider some of our favorite albums from the year and, as has become tradition, we ask fellow podcasters to join us to help round out the conversation. This time around we've got Luke Bailey from Fly Fidelity! Each of us chose three albums that ended up being our favorites from 2022. Tune in to hear which albums we picked and get our perspective on what made these projects so memorable. 

For those unfamiliar, Fly Fidelity is a UK-based show that conducts thoughtful interviews with hip hop artists and members of the culture. Listen to Fly Fidelity and join their Patreon at this link.

ShrapKnel (Curly Castro and PremRock) sit down to chat about their sophomore album "Metal Lung". We discuss the personal meaning connected to the album and its release as well some of the artistic direction that the duo took with the project. Then we discuss ShrapKnel's album pick for this episode - the second installment from another duo (Murs and Slug) - "Felt 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet"

Purchase "Metal Lung" here: backwoodzstudioz.com/collections/shrapknel-metal-lung

Virginia mainstay Blackliq joins us to talk about his new project "What Will It Take" with fellow Richmond native Ohbliv. Liq provided the behind the scenes view of what went into making that project, his process as a writer in general, the work he has done teaching kids to write, and his latest adventure as the lead singer in a hardcore band (Armagideon Time). Then we discuss his album pick for this episode - Danny Brown's fourth full-length "Atrocity Exhibition". 

Listen to and download "What Will It Take" from Man Bites Dog Records: manbitesdogrecs.bandcamp.com/album/what-will-it-take

Listen and download music from Armagideon Time here: armagideontimerva.bandcamp.com/album/crime-as-theatre

phiik, one of several enigmatic spitters in the New York based Tase Grip collective, joins us to talk about his latest offering called "CHAINLINK", his project from earlier this year with Lungs and Cise Greeny called "WHERE ARE THE BUGS!?" and last years "THAT WAS A TEST" with S!lence. Then we discuss phiik's album pick for this episode - "Below The Heavens" from Blu and Exile. Døøf, Lungs, S!lence, iblss, and Cise Greeny were all in the room with phiik during this interview and a few of them make cameo appearances, making this a super fun episode.

You can find "CHAINLINK" here: phiik.bandcamp.com/album/chainlink

You can find "WHERE ARE THE BUGS!?" here: 7deadlung7.bandcamp.com/album/where-are-the-bugs

And you can find "THAT WAS A TEST" here: phiik.bandcamp.com/album/that-was-a-test

Nebraska native Sleep Sinatra joins us to talk about his recent release, the Ohbliv produced album "Shadow Self". Sleep discusses the concept behind "Shadow Self" and gave us the story behind his collaboration with Ohbliv. He also talks about the production that he contributed to the recent debut self-titled album from ManDaMyth and offers some insight into the history of the Black arts in Nebraska. Then we discuss his album pick for this episode - the 1998 debut album from Big Pun,  "Capital Punishment".

Listen and purchase Sleep Sinatra's "Shadow Self" as well as the rest of his catalogue at sleepsinatra1.bandcamp.com/album/shadow-self

Listen and purchase ManDaMyth's album at damn-that-noise.bandcamp.com/album/mandamyth

Caltrops Press is a rap zine and a Tumblr page and a literary vessel that dissects modern hip hop by first joining it seamlessly with world history, classic works of poetry, film, old school lyricism, and razor sharp insight. Joe is the man behind Caltrops and he joins us to talk about his writing, the process behind it, and the story of Caltrops Press. Then we have an unusual discussion about Joe's album pick for this episode, the debut album from Canibus. 

Check out Caltrops Press at: caltropspress.tumblr.com

Find it on Twitter and Instragram @caltrops_press

Max Heath is one half of the duo Child Actor and is the person responsible for crafting the production behind artists such as Armand Hammer (billy woods and E L U C I D), AKAI SOLO, ShrapKnel, Open Mike Eagle, Serengeti, and amani & robalu. He joined us for a thoughtful conversation about the art of beat making and shared some of the stories behind songs like "Charms" (Armand Hammer), "Sun 2 Moon" (AKAI SOLO), and "Old Magic" (E L U C I D). Then we discuss his album pick for this episode - the 2005 release from Count Bass D - "BEGBORROWSTEEL".

Find Child Actor's music here

"Charms" from Armand Hammer here

"Sun 2 Moon" from AKAI SOLO here

"Old Magic" from E L U C I D here

"Starchild" from amani and robalu here

We talked with Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire about his forthcoming album “VOL. 1: I Love Y.O.U. Cuz Y.O.U. Ugly”. The album signals a new chapter in eXquire’s life and career and he explained to us how understanding has got him feeling more like himself than ever. Then we nerd out over his album pick for this episode “Mama Said Knock You Out” and eXquire makes a compelling case for why LL Cool J is the greatest rapper of all time.

Stream and purchase "VOL 1: I Love Y.O.U. Cuz Y.O.U. Ugly" right here.

Baltimore based Brian Ennals and Infinity Knives are the duo behind the powerfully cathartic "King Cobra". They joined us for a conversation of substance, which is kind of our thing, but this felt especially relevant to the past two years, as is the music that these two artists have created. Plus we had a fun discussion around their album pick for this episode - "Stankonia"

Stream and purchase "King Cobra" here: phantomlimblabel.bandcamp.com/album/king-cobra

Justo the MC and maticulous join us to talk about their forthcoming project “Three” and the collaborative relationship that they have built over the course of the past few years. Then we get into their album pick for this episode - “…And Then There Was X” - the third offering in a historic run for the iconic DMX.

Find music from Justo the MC at linktr.ee/Justo_the_mc

Find music and merch from maticulous at maticulous21.bandcamp.com

E L U C I D (Armand Hammer) joins us to talk about his excellent new solo release "I Told Bessie" and all things related. Then in the second half we do something that we've never done before...we discuss an album chosen by you, the listener. "Guns" by Quelle Chris is the subject of our focus and we ask E L U C I D to tell us his impressions of the album and Quelle's work as a whole.

You can find "I Told Bessie" and associated merch/physicals at backwoodzstudioz.com or on E L U C I D's bandcamp page. 

The multi-talented Wavy Bagels joins us to discuss his most recent project "BAVY" on which the producer, song writer, rapper, and singer displays his full arsenal. Wavy also talks a bit about "mutatis mutandis", the album he fully produced for S!LENCE at the end of 2021. Then we discuss a rather meaningful album for Wavy, Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool".

Stream/purchase "BAVY" and "mutatis mutandis" from Wavy Bagels on Bandcamp: wavybagels.bandcamp.com

Ace Cannons and MIGHTYHEALTHY join us to talk about their recent project MIGHTYCANNONS and the idea/inspiration behind it. We discuss how drums and increased BPMs set them apart from the current independent scene while also bringing a sense of nostalgia. Then, of course, we discuss their album pick for this episode - the final full-length from A Tribe Called Quest. 

Staten Island natives Jamil Honesty and Squeegie O join us to talk about their recent debut as the Habor Kidz and the double LP that excited the world in 1997 - Wu-Tang Forever. Jamil and Squeegie have known each other since their childhood days growing up in Mariners Harbor Projects and it was dope to hear perspective on the Wu from people who hail from Shaolin.

PremRock helps us complete our Wrecking Crew cypher and joins us to talk about his latest release. It's a self-titled album from a group called Ockham's Blazer that lands somewhere between hip-hop, jazz, and electronic music. PremRock tells us how he became involved with the project and how it required a unique approach to writing and recording. Then we dig into Prem's album pick for this episode - the influential full-length debut from the Arsonists - "As the World Burns". 

Writer, editor, critic, and culture curator Timmhotep Aku joins us to talk about his career in hip-hop writing (XXL, Pitchfork, NPR, Afropunk and others). We discuss the importance of context within music reviews, becoming a steward of hip-hop culture, NTS radio, and some of the music that Timm is currently listening to. We also get Timm's take on his album pick for this episode - "RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta" from dead prez. 

We're joined by AJ Suede who spoke with us about his recent album "Hundred Year Darkness" with Small Professor, his previous album "Metatron's Cube" with Televangel, and his album pick for this episode "The Cold Vein" by Cannibal Ox. Big thanks to Suede for his patience working thru some technical issues and for bringing such thoughtful answers to our questions.

Masai Bey is an elusive veteran MC/producer who quietly made incredibly dope music in the late 90's and early 2000's. In a rare interview, Masai joins us to talk about the upcoming re-release of his album "Natural Magic Music" on Uncommon Records, which is set to hit streaming platforms for the first time in June of this year. We'll also talk about an album that heavily influenced his approach to rhyming - the 1988 debut from Native Tongues foundering Jungle Brothers. 

Brooklyn native Skyzoo joins us to talk about his new album All the Brilliant Things, which focuses on cultural appropriation and gentrification, particularly in the neighborhood where he grew up. Then we get Skyzoo's perspective on his album pick for this episode, the undisputed classic Ready to Die. Having grown up just one block from where Biggie lived on St. James Place, Skyzoo brings a personal and insightful view to the conversation. 

It's a Bruiser occasion! Detroit veteran Fat Ray has surrounded himself with talented artists for several years, developing relationships with folks like Danny Brown, Black Milk, and J Dilla. He joins us to talk about his most recent project Santa Barbara, which is of course one of the three excellent projects to come from Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade so far in 2021. Then we talk about another excellent album that helped Fat Ray get through a difficult time - Mobb Deep’s fourth album Murda Muzik.