Groundwater Podcast with Jonathan Brown

In this episode, Big Lo and I talk about tour life and a whole bunch of other stuff including The Illegalist, blending punk and hip hop, song structure, giving yourself the co-sign, The Cactus House in Odessa, TX, Backspace in Fayetteville, AR, Banks Street Bar in New Orleans, Virgil Wolfe, co-sponsorships, the after-tour-crash, crowdfunding campaigns, how to push and promote a new release with good intentions, how to sell art without apologies, how to negotiate guarantees, Brene Brown, Dani Winns, Niklas Oliver, ASCAP and BMI, self reliance, booking your own shows, midlevel rap pyramid schemes, pay to play stages, how to burn brides, Bone Thugs and Harmony, No Limit, rapping over vocals, stand up comedy, dadaism, surrealism, dabs, and finally, getting called out for an encore while playing a Ghostface and Raekwon show.    

Paige Beller and I talk about how we met while she was on tour with Grek Rekus at a weird British Bar in Lancaster, CA. She describes what it’s like to ride a train across the entire country.   Her use of silence during a set is striking and she explains a little about the thought process behind the dynamics of her show.     We talk about her stage set up, which is both minimalistic and complex. It includes a looper, a small drum set, a tiny piano, a guitar, and a whole lot of pedals.   We talk about trying to stay motivated while depression is going hard. And we answer the age old question of is it easier to write when you’re down?

Lt. Headtrip and I talk about bar fights, Led Zeppelin kidnapping people, and how to use persona to explore the icky parts of self.

In this episode, Joshua Genius and I talk about how Josh got into the mental health field and how he merges art with his day job. We also discuss super dope books like Thinking Fast and Slow, Dessa’s My Own Devices and The Power of When. He produced I’m Possible on my last record and I got to fan-girl real hard and ask him how it was done. Oh and… we geek out about how amazing Otem Rellik is. Check it out.

Glenis Redmond is grounded in many worlds: Poetry, The Teaching Arts and Imagination Activism. We talk about the role of the artist in society, how to level up your business, and her most recent book, What My Hand Say.

  In this episode, Shatora Lane and I get mad brainy and we talk about books! We talk about art and life and goals, and we tie it all together with an extended metaphor from Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. Have you left for the pyramids already? Or are you the shepherd still?   Check out Shatora’s prolific youtube channel here.  

In this episode, Early Adopted and I talk about the differences in writing hip-hop music and post-hardcore music. We talk about touring and teaching, and we talk about how to make it in this indie music game all while doing laundry.

Anybody who’s interested in theater, jazz, poetry, or organizing events is going to love this podcast. Quentin Talley tells us how to show up and show out, how to price yourself correctly as an artist, and basically how to invent the life you want to live as an artist.    

In this episode of Inside the Rapper’s Studio, AFTHENAYSER talks about touring, veganism, BMX, Red Bull, the importance of sleep, licensing, how to approach beats, and how not to feel grimy when selling yourself, all while my cat plots our demise.

Moodie Black talks about signing to labels, touring the country, and how to never compromise your art.

On this episode of Inside the Rapper's Studio, we discuss DopeKnife's album 1984 on Strange Famous Records.   Listen to it here. DopeKNife goes in depth about his freestyling technique, and he basically drops all the knowledge about touring, marketing, and hip hop.     

Cunabear and I talk about how visual art and song writing merge together. He goes deep into his creative process and shows us how the magic is made. Ohhhh… and we get super personal at the end, so get ready for all the feels.  

In this episode I ask Blueprint a bunch of specific questions, so to give you some context before you listen to this podcast, go over to Blueprint’s Bandcamp page (see link below) to check out his project Vigilante Genesis. It’s the concept album of all concept albums. On a style tip, what separates this rap album from most is that it has zero hooks, which brings the listener’s focus directly to the story telling. And dayum, how the characters develop and the tension builds. It’s set in a comic book world where drones talk and revenge is real, where the lines of morality blur and vendettas become obsessions. In this world, doing the right thing just might get you killed. The post-apocalyptic world of Vigilante Genesis is so futuristic yet so present day and so relevant to right now. And if that’s not enough icing on the cake to make you bite down, the entire album is produced by the legendary, Aesop Rock. If that's not enough, we also talk about: How to stay focused with regards to song writing            How to tour in markets that will respond to your art How to get good at something you’re not already How to develop a weekly campaign for a project release and how to think like an entrepreneur Thanks for listening!              

If you are into poetry or teaching, this one is for you.

In this episode of the Groundwater Podcast, KidDEAD and I talk about 'Merica, what it means to make it, and touring Iceland.

In this episode Kimberly Simms and I discuss art as means of healing, how to take a journalistic approach to poetry, and her brand new book! Check out her new book here! https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/lindy-lee-songs-on-mill-hill-by-kimberly-simms/

Ceschi and I talk about touring Europe, breaking the 4th wall while performing, and what responsibility the artist has to the audience.

4 time Individual Poetry Slam Champion, Ed Mabrey, goes deep into his process and answers the ever-present question, does your art love you back?

Monifa Lemons and I talk about how to unapologetically invest in the craft of pursuing poetry.

Bluz and I talk about snuff films, cash me outside, and how to get gigs at colleges.

In this episode Cuban and I have way too much fun and we discuss how he became best friends with Queen Latifah.

In this episode Moses West and I talk about battle rap vs spoken word, illegal words, and how to throw dope shows.

In this episode Dope KNife talks in detail about his creative process, his philosophy towards art, and his brand new album out now on SFdigi.

In this episode I talk with Marjory Wentworth, the Poet Laureate of South Carolina. We discuss the limits of forgiveness, the resilience of the Charleston community, and the function of America's collective amnesia.

In this episode Elaina Valore talks about touring, vulnerability, art. She also answers the ever-present-question, what exactly is a fuckboi?

In this 1st episode of Groundwater, Marcus and I talk about art, entrepreneurship, naps, racism, creativity, and feedback loops.