You Feel Me?

Ari Lennox leads with her heart, and developed her steady confidence over time. Growing up in Maryland, Lennox felt out of place, but everything changed when she moved to Washington D.C. “Life started getting fun after that,” says Lennox. Attending a primarily black school, Lennox no longer felt like an outsider, and was able to embrace her beauty in new ways. She eventually stopped using the word “black” altogether, and now affectionately refers to those who share her skin color as “chocolate.” The way Lennox expresses this word, and her overall appreciation for life, makes it impossible to ignore the love she has for herself and her culture.

Speak talks life in Mexico, his heel-face turn, and the art of a memorable radio freestyle Speak is a journeyman rapper from California’s Moreno Valley who’s been living in Mexico for nearly five years now. We spoke the day after his sold out Los Angeles show in support of his latest release Singularity (Version 1). Listen in to hear us talk about CDMX culture, clarity via maturity, and how he prepares for his memorable, and often viral radio freestyles.

Horse Head and Yawns talk GothBoiClique history, coping with the passing of group member Lil Peep, and their new record “We Had Our Fun” Horse Head and Yawns’ recently released We Had Our Fun is a stylistic leap forward, and a step away from previous projects that leaned heavily on emo vocal stylings over 808 heavy rap beats. Hear them talk about the new record, and how their exponential rise in popularity over the last few years has affected their lives and creative process.

Hailing from the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, the electronic pop duo consists of Dylan Brady and Laura Les. Laura attributes the band’s eclectic style to the two having grown up on the Internet. In our Skullcandy interview, she references discovering secret Pokemon videos soundtracked by Nightcore songs, a genre she simply describes as “sped up songs with high-pitched vocals.” It’s not a bad description for 100 Gecs either. Their debut album 1000 Gecs is a source of never-ending energy that inspires us to do everything but sit still.

Chris Joslin is one of the most exciting professional skateboarders to watch. He’s known to go huge but still remain technical. He’s also the newest member of the Skullcandy team. Listen in to learn about all about the BATB 10 champ — we go pretty deep pretty quick — and his thoughts on possibly being part of the first US Olympic Skateboard Team.

Valee’s unpredictable surroundings have created his zen-like personality, a trait that makes him unusually intriguing. He approaches life calmly and strategically, seeing it as an opportunity to cleverly disrupt tradition. His desire to advance the mundane has now carried into rap music, something he decided to pursue on a whim. Valee never intended to turn music into a career, but his commitment to craft set in and rap became his obsession. Valee’s unorthodox ability to twist vowels and stretch words over bass-heavy beats has won over artists and music connoisseurs alike. Today he stands as one of the exclusive artists on Kanye West’s famed G.O.O.D. Music record label.

Long Beach native Shane Blanchard, better known as Bane’s World, makes music that lovingly captures the sunny vibe of his California hometown. Laid-back and dreamy, his sound is at the forefront of a lo-fi movement known as “bedroom pop”. In our ‘You Feel Me?’ podcast interview, he mentions an affinity for “sad love songs”, which accurately describes his work on Drowsy. A guitar aficionado, Shane can clearly shred, but he also knows how to make his guitar gently weep—and even the solos on Drowsy become another relaxing layer in his silky smooth rhythms.

Jeremy Jones is a legendary snowboarder known for going deeper, further, and higher. Going pro as a 16 year old in the early days of the snowboard industry, as time went on he noticed climate change affecting winter wonderlands he’d frequented. In 2007 he decided to do something about and started Protect Our Winters. For over a decade the non-profit has been fighting climate change with political activism and organization. All the while Jeremy has lowered his carbon footprint by filming some of the most epic lines of all time without the help of helicopters or snow machines. He and his team hike and camp in pursuit of the gnarliest lines humanly imaginable. Highlights: 0:00- Starting POW 7:35- Getting the message going 10:00- Individual Change 13:00- Getting into the politics 26:00- Winters at home 36:11- Ski bums 42:50- Early Days in snowboarding 56:45- Splitboarding in Alaska 1:04:35- Connecting with nature through snowboarding 1:06:25- Seeking winter 1:08:00- Body Management 

Smrtdeath is part of a booming indie scene that’s been frequently mislabeled ‘emo rap,’ but is showing itself to be an amalgamation of a litany of styles beyond emo and rap. The scene has exploded since we first covered it in 2017 and smrtdeath, with his booming voice harmonized and distorted with just the right amount of autotune, has become a staple. But this style isn’t his first foray into music, and at first he had a purist’s aversion to autotune. Tune in to hear us discuss the evolution of his style — music and fashion sense — and the odd jobs he’s maintained while growing his career as an indie musician. Highlights: 2:10- Growing up North of the boarder 4:50- Being apart of the scene 6:29- Dress for Success 8:05- Finding your sound 14:59- Beat Thief 17:10- Anti Autotune  27:30- Too old for the game 29:10: On the hustle 35:00- Son of lawyers  40:05- Moving to LA 45:00- Tattoos  

Denzel Curry is Fearless. As a pioneer in the Soundcloud rap scene, Denzel’s had eyes on him since his teenage years. Now he’s a household name and his music has evolved in a way that’s gracefully taken him from underground hero, to mainstream accessibility while maintaining edge and depth of content. From his early days in Rvidxr Klvn, to Nostalgic 64, to his most recent release Zuu, Curry has continued to fearlessly evolve as an artist and take his fans along on the journey. Beyond growing artistically, Denzel talks to us about growing as a human and working through emotions and trauma via therapy. Listen in to hear the Carol City native talk about his move to Los Angeles, coping with loss, and facing his fears. Highlights: 00:53- Progression 5:05- Miami Gardens 7:00- A nerd in the hood 17:30- Metro ZUU 24:18- Life Long Friends 25:11- Raider Clan Traction 32:50- Dealing with the trauma 36:00- Police pressece  37:54- Self Reflection 42:00- Rappers I like 43:30- Growth from Taboo 48:15- Live show style

Pink Siifu talks growing up in Cincinnati, getting his start as a poet, and bleeding on the track Pink Siifu is part of a growing movement in rap music. There’s a sub-sect of artists making deeply personal, poetic, and abstract music over stripped down loops that aren’t necessarily adhering to traditional song structures or rules. It’s a fascinating wave with artists like Mach Hommy, Quelle Chris, Deem Spencer, Mike, and Earl Sweatshirt. Pink Siifu’s 2018 release Ensley a haunting record that will dig it’s way into the bottom of your soul because artists like him are willing open up and bleed on the track. Highlights: 1:10- raised in the Queen City 7:20- Marching Band 16:50- Spiritual Music 19:18- Waiting for Music 25:30- A new generation of Hip-Hop 29:00- Finding your loops 32:50- YG at the Spliff 35:50-Poetry to verses 44:00- Music changing your life

Cautious Clay is Deep. He's an amazingly well rounded musician known for his poetic lyrics. A multi-instrumentalist, producer, and lyricist, he got his start taking flute lessons from YouTube phenomenon known for playing the flute while beatboxing. His deeply intuitive understanding of music led to Clay preferring to listen to notes, rather than reading them, to learn songs. He eventually went on to pick up the sax, the guitar, and become a formidable producer, even catching the eye of Billie Eilish early on. His 2018 banger “Cold War” got the ever-important Insecure placement, and 2019’s Table of Context was released to rave reviews followed by sold out shows. Tune in to hear us talk about being in the band, bridging the music gap, and rust belt. HIGHLIGHTS: 2:40- Cleveland  5:30- Parents and music 6:36- Outsider in Cleveland 8:50- Movies and Music 17:15- Raised on parents favorite music 19:50- Rust belt 24:50- Were you a band kid? 26:30- Stuck in the middle  29:15- Our nations capital 32:19- Bridging the gap 41:00- Where to find me

Hook is a rapper phenom exploding out of Riverside, CA. Her recently released critically acclaimed debut tape “Bully” — entirely produced by underground pot-stirrer Nedarb Nagrom—is taking the underground by storm. Her ferocious style combined with his upbeat, sample-free 808 kits combine for the perfect soundtrack for a hot girl summer. She’s getting cosigns from your faves left and right, and has a bright career in front of her. But it turns out, as young as she is, she also has an extensive past with music behind her. Hear her talk about the girl group she formed with her sisters, growing up in the IE, and already working with rappers that inspired her to start rapping. Highlights 4:14- First out the Riv 10:45- Coming up in Riverside 14:00- Law Academy 15:10- Year long detention 19:30- Growing up a performer  26:00- Influential 27:40- On the Cusp of fashion 29:50- Releasing a hit clip 33:10- Staying in the game 36:59- Being more than a one-hit-wonder 40:25- Future plans 

Soccer Mommy is rad. With a sound rooted in 90s rock and an aesthetic rooted in 90s kitsch, Soccer Mommy embodies throwback radness. Her humble beginnings as a bedroom musician in Nashville were interrupted by the time she got to NYU for college and realized she had some big decisions to make. Music was pulling her away from school, and thankfully for us, she followed the calling from the rock gods. Hear us talk about being head of the class, recording music sans computers and growing up in Nashville. Highlights: 1:45: Recording without a computer 4:05: Nashville 7:55: Top of the class 11:20: Starting young 16:00: Finding Influences 17:30: Obscure media 19:37: High school musical 27:35: Band camp 30:30: Valedictorian speech 35:20: Getting your first deal 29:49: Recording in New York 43:00: Response to Clean

Tommy Genesis is independent. She emerged from the underground rap scene, stayed true to her vision, and grew a devoted fanbase by doing things differently. She experimented with a multitude of music genres, including emo, noise, and punk, before creating her own: fetish rap. The term isn’t meant to signify the often overt sexual nature of her music, but to highlight how niche her sound is. Tommy is also a visual artist — having pursued post-secondary education in art and film — which is especially apparent in the music videos she often directs and edits herself. Tommy Genesis can’t be boxed into a singular category. She’s unabashedly unique, unapologetically herself, and unflinchingly independent.   Hear her talk about her self-titled debut album, becoming a Fenty Beauty ambassador, and working with one of her idols M.I.A.

Lee Fields’ career as a soul singer has spanned over 6 decades. It started with a talent show in Wilson, NC when he was 14, and has continued to this day. He’s been everything from a cover artist, to a one man band, a real estate manager, to a Billboard charting phenom, and now a living legend and road warrior with his band The Expressions. Interviewing someone who’s lived so much life is easy, just set up the mics and let them tell their story. Lee had plenty of story to share. Tune in to hear him explain his start in North Carolina before moving to New York at age 17. He goes through every decade of his life with precision and detail, explaining how at times he lived somewhat of a duel life as a family man running a real estate business during the week, and a show stopping performer on the weekend. After decades of releasing records, the last decade might even be the most fruitful for Mr. Fields legacy. He’s released 5 phenomenal albums over the last 10 years with The Expressions, showing amazing consistency, infinite charisma, and timeless soul. Their latest release, It Rains Love, puts the chops Lee’s developed over the years on full display and is a must listen for soul music lovers. Highlights: 0:30: Being home from tour 1:50: Wanting to be an entertainer 6:40: Moving to NYC in the 70's 13:00 Performing for the celebs of NYC 14:34: Dress to impress 15:00: Love at first sight 21:00: Fatherhood in tragedy 25:50: Balancing family and tour 30:25: Remaining relevant in music 32:00: Bigger fish to fry 35:10: Recording in the fish shop    

Leikeli47 is empowered. She’s taken control of her narrative by hiding her true identity. Now critics, fans, and observers are forced to judge her on the merit of music instead of physical appearance. Admittedly a shy person most of her life, concealing her identity has empowered her to be herself in the music. 47 is the rare all-in-one complete package modern musician. Not only is she an impeccable lyricist and song writer, but she displays a masterful delivery whether rapping or singing (“communicating” as she calls it), and she co-produces many of her songs. Even beyond that, she has a clearly defined visual aesthetic to match her music, making her one of the most well defined and captivating characters we’ve had the pleasure of working with.  Her latest record, Acrylic, is the follow up to her previous Wash & Set and the second of a trilogy she’s dubbed the “beauty series.” Both albums are expansive in their scope, and concise in their clarity. They tackle a number of issues and topics with precision only a masterfully observant wordsmith could provide. Hear us talk about Pharrell watching her perform, finding the right sounds in the world to get the music out of her head, and people not even realizing she’s in the studio when the mask is off. Highlights: 1:20: Why the mask? 2:18: Cultivating your sound 4:45: Growing up artistic 8:00: Moving to New York 9:30: What to do outside of music 11:48: Pharrell  19:00: Concepts of Beauty 23:12: Discount Break 23:17: Atlantic melting pots 25:45: Influences beyond music 29:45: Coming up musically 34:40: Putting on the mask 37:50: Life as a studio rat 42:25: "Girl Blunt" on insecure 43:40: The face behind the mask

Maxo talks Lil Big Man, Def Jam giving him full creative control, and the power of timelessness

 People always ask me how I find new music, and I can never really explain it. Finding Maxo was pure luck. A mere whisper in a Twitter thread amongst music journalists where someone said something along the lines of “Maxo’s new one is so good.” It was enough to barely pique my interest. Lil Big Man didn’t have a grand placement in the coveted “New Releases” section of your favorite streaming site, or any major playlist placements I’ve seen…it was just the modern version of word of mouth.

 I pressed play on Lil Big Man, heard the floating lo-fi keys and gentle moaning vocal sample of “Time” and drifted back to a time of cheap headphones plugged into an old cassette deck, with the hiss of the tape warming my teenage soul. It felt like being running into an old friend, but realizing you’re both so much more grown up than when you last met. I love the tape, you can tell it’s recorded amongst friends, with an understanding and inherent comfort that lacks any pressure from outside forces pushing an agenda. Which made me all the more surprised to learn it was released by a major label.

 Maxo is quick to smile and easy to talk to. A cool air of leadership and accountability follow him with every large stride of his tall lanky frame. He’s centered himself as the star player on a team of friends he’s had for years. He was able to continue working with the producers he started with even after signing to Def Jam, and rightly so as they’ve clearly learned to make a certain type of timeless magic together. Hear us discuss that timelessness, his signing, growing up in Southern California, and starting to rap a mere 3 years ago. Highlights: 2:30: Being the middle child 5:10: Growing up in West LA 11:50: Developing your own taste 13:50: Pomona culture shock 16:20: Being a social butterfly 19:06: Starting to rap 20:40: What not to do on stage 23:15: Making music with your brother 31:32: Music around the house 33:00: Whatre you about 39:04: Smile 41:30: Navigating the industry 51:45: Hobbies

Omar Apollo is fresh. Beyond being a fresh face in the pop scene — and a heartthrob to boot — he’s taken a fresh approach at creating music. Perhaps it’s humility or self-deprecation when he claims he didn’t have any natural aptitude for music, but his passion to learn created an absolute phenom. He devoured YouTube tutorials to learn guitar, take singing lessons, and pick up production tips. Like many a young artist, his journey into pop stardom started by accident. The first song he released ended up on one of the biggest Spotify playlists. But the accident repeated itself and didn’t seem so accidental by the time he released his second song.   Now a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer, Omar’s fingerprints are all over every record he’s put out. He’s recently found comfort amongst peers in the burgeoning Chicano indie-pop scene. It’s full of like-minded utilitarian musicians, like Cuco and Inner Wave, who not only share the experience of navigating new found success in the industry, but the experience of growing up first generation Mexican-Americans.   Omar’s latest EP, Friends, is a wonderful glimpse into his artistic range and youthful pop presence. His voice is angelic, his writing is relatable, and his beats are danceable. Hear us talk about learning vibrato on YouTube to impress his dad, falling asleep with his guitar as a child, the fresh Chicano indie pop scene and more on “You Feel Me?” Remember to subscribe, and listen to the end for discount codes! Highlights: 1:10: Hidden EPs 3:10: Teaching yourself music through YouTube 5:30: Pawn Shop shenanigans 7:28: How to get perfect vibrato 11:20: Guitar Center Heartthrob 13:30: Showing off a first song 14:23: Getting to Indiana 17:26: Super Taco 22:20: Growing up in Indiana 23:45: Taking Ballet 27:50: Pressure in music 33:30: Growing up unvalidated 38:34: I love Chicago 41:50: Putting together Stereo 44:45: Meeting similar artists

Travis Thompson has had a busy couple years. The emerging rapper was on tour with with another Seattle rapper, Macklemore, when I met him in 2017. It was his first time on the road and he’d recently quit his job. The tour led to a collaboration, the collaboration led him to appearing on The Tonight Show. The video we shot upon meeting organically sky rocketed into the millions of views, as did nearly every music video he released after. He released an album that led to a headlining tour, and somehow garnered a cult following in Mexico City without speaking Spanish. Needless to say the labels came knocking. 2018 was a year of press runs, label meetings, battling loneliness, writing rap songs, signing to a major, and planning a career. Now with his first major label EP, Runaways, recently released, Travis is poised to become another name in the long list of heavy hitters from a city with a quietly storied lineage in rap history. Hear us talk about his busy year, seeing himself on TV, signing his major deal, and more on You Feel Me? And be sure to subscribe and check out skullcandy.com for more music content! Highlights: 2:06: Runaways EP 2:36: Getting noticed 4:45: Being on The Tonight Show 11:44: Writing with meaning 14:40: Working on Films 18:05: YNW Melly 18:45: DIY Production 24:40: Being on Sway 31:29: Meeting with labels 37:19: Being home 40:09: Tour Plans 44:40: Meeting other rappers

  Nick Waterhouse’s warm recordings take me back to hearing my dad’s records in the basement as a child, where his vintage Sansui stereo made everything sound like the soundtrack to a Scorsese film. He blends influences from days past to make records that deal with modern problems in a classic way. His latest self-titled record takes everything he’s learned over the last three and perfects into a masterclass of precise minimalism.   Nick’s approach is admittedly utilitarian. He purposefully makes sure not to get too obsessive with guitar mastery, so that he can worry about less about how technical his licks are and more about making the instrument emote. He understands and acknowledges the limitations of his voice, but makes sure every grunt and growl an extended note brings takes the listener on the same emotional journey he’s on. He works with what’s accessible to bring the sounds in his head to life.   I talked to Nick about his upbringing in Orange County, and his coming-of-age-movie-worthy summer job in the dying days of the major record store chains. We talk about his pivotal days in San Francisco post dot com boom, pre new tech boom, where he DJ’d in a very particular rock n’ roll warehouse scene. We also discuss the misconceptions people have about him as an artist and the stigma of being labeled “retro.” All that and more this week on “You Feel Me.” Highlights: 0:28: Becoming a record store nerd 1:45: discovering music through sampling 3:40 Bro culture in Orange County 6:34: Music post WWll 7:05: living with a death wish in Southern California 12:55: growing up in an LA family 19:40: High School jobs 25:08: First Band Experience 31:54: Moving to San Francisco 36:12: Author dreams 43:45: Digger hip-hop shows 46:43: Producing music post college 49:14: Life as a working musician 54:15: The content business vs the music business 57:43: Releasing a self titled album

Music makes us feel elevated, and we chose West Atlanta natives EarthGang to represent that feeling. Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot have been elevating their craft together since their high school days. Having self-released a bevy of records and acquiring a cult following, EarthGang signed with Dreamville in 2017 poised to take their next big step.   On the verge of releasing their major label debut, Mirrorland, we sat with EarthGang to talk about how they’ve elevated their style, and remained elevated above the pitfalls of a music industry that can be reliant on cheap stunts and clout chasing. They’ve stayed the course since their college days of releasing music, and 2019 looks to be the year of the big pay off. Spillage Village peers like J.I.D. and 6lack have been on an exponential rise, and Mirrorland has the potential to elevate EarthGang into the stratosphere as well.   Listen to them give behind the scenes insight into one of the most talked about studio sessions of the year in Return of the Dreamers III, how life has changed since signing to Dreamville, their unabashed love for their home city, and much more on “You Feel Me?”   Highlights   4:30: Atlanta coming out for Dreamville Rap Camp   7:30: Staying grounded in the industry   9:03: Elevated   9:50: Naming your strain   11:10: Signing to Dreamville   16:20: Fans of comedy   20:15: Misconceptions of Atlanta   26:50: Working with local talent   36:46: Surprise musical tastes    43:10: Touring with Billie Eilish    45:10: Parents in the pit   

Rico Nasty was our first and only choice when looking for an artist that embodied the word “bold.” Not only is she the perfect artist to set off our 12 Moods project, but every decision she makes — from her visual aesthetic, to her ear for beats, her lyrics which are often scathing anti-hater incantations, to her fashion choices — all seem to radiate boldness. She has a magnetism that screams “look at me” paired with a disposition that seems to say “but I don’t care what you see.”   Highlights   1:23: Rico’s Home talent shows   9:30: Moving schools and the balance of being academically and socially driven to survive.   12:27: Myspace Scene Day.   13:38: Finding influences in Shrek.   17:40: Getting expelled from boarding school.   21:25: Talking about the difference of being sad and being depressed .   26:20: Making her first mix tape at 15.   37:10: Rico’s Personas.   39:00: Meeting Malik.   46:00: Releasing Hey Arnold.   48:40: Don’t slide under the radar.   50:20: Which School system is better? Private or Public?   53:15: Being on BET  

A leader in the expansive Chicago art rap scene, Saba is an open diary. Tune in as he talks recording raps as a 9 year old, the legendary Chicago library open mics, and the stolen bikes of his youth. Stay tuned after the show for discount code offers.   Highlights:   14:00 Working a four track recorder at age 8   18:30 Defining the Chicago rap sound 29:20 Saba’s attempts at visual art    36:00 Reading fan DMs 

Gifted rapper and producer Kweku Collins has sprung from the Chicago art scene. Here he talks synergy between music and skating, growing up with a rhythmically gifted father, and how his skill for self-promo emails boosted his success. Highlights:   05:50 Childhood musical influences   14:00 Kweku starts skating   20:00 The pressures of mixed race   32:00 How Kweku gained recognition   39:00 Credits and headphone discount code

Duckwrth fuses his design and music skills to create in-your-face, genre-defying music and even more electrifying live performances. Here he talks with Lee about his childhood and how his visual art helps with his music.    Highlights:   09:00 Sheltered home life in South Central LA   18:00 Feeling disassociated but finding your place   27:00 Loving Lupe Fiasco 31:00 Living in a Bay Area artist commune   37:00 Working with a label   47:00 Trap music and the Kendrick Lamar song, "Duckworth"   49:00 Credits and headphone discount code  

Yuno is one of Sub Pop’s newest signees and a growing pop powerhouse. Hear us talk about his debut EP Moodie, finding out about punk rock by searching for a Bob Seger song, and how nerdcore rap influenced him.   Highlights:   03:45 Childhood creativity   08:00 Discovering music through skating 14:20 My first guitar and learned songs   18:00 “Accidental” racism   28:00 Getting signed to Sub Pop 39:50 Credits and headphone discount code

In Mark McMorris’ words, “Get it while I’m young, I’ll chill when I’m older.” Check out episode 15 as host Lee Shaner and pro snowboarder Mark McMorris talk how to properly pronounce his hometown Regina (hint: it sounds inappropriate), how good hip-hop is right now, and how people handle fame differently.   Highlights:   03:00 Hometown resorts   07:30 Regina   15:30 The current state of snowboarding   23:00 Brotherly competition and being the youngest   26:00 Loving the fans    29:00 So much good hip-hop right now   33:00 What’s a Twitter moment?     38:00 Olympic competition and the physics of tricks   46:20 Credits and headphone discount code

International rap phenomenon Princess Nokia talks about her activism, artistic progression, and some of her earliest conscientious objections in Catholic school.
 Highlights:
 01:00 Hood 2 La Gente 08:00 My brother the violinist 12:00 Dignified rebellion  25:00 Wavy Spice & A$AP Yams 30:00 Credits and headphone discount code

Philly singer-rapper Lil Zubin a.k.a. "the SoundCloud Weeknd" discusses Post Emo, accidentally becoming a singer, and his underground breakout Misery EP.
   Highlights:
   05:00 Emo days
   09:20 Discovered by Working On Dying
   13:00 Who is Ned?
   19:00 Post Emo
   28:00 Credits and headphone discount code


Philadelphia-based rapper and UPenn grad Ivy Sole talks about where to get the right cheesesteak, independent artistry, and her new record Overgrown.   Highlights:   02:30 Philly bodegas and Gremlin juice   06:15 Independent hustle 101   13:30 Is Philly diverse?   18:00 Choosing your path   29:10 The East & West EPs   38:00 Seeing a therapist   49:30 Credits and headphone discount code

Your favorite rapper’s rapper, Smino, sits down with host Lee Shaner before a show in Brooklyn. Smino tells us how crazy it was to be in St. Louis during the 2000s, growing up with musical parents, and recites a rap he wrote at age 7. Remember to subscribe and stay tuned after the interview for a special Skullcandy discount code. Highlights: 0:05 Growing up in St. Louis 5:25 Smino’s parents preforming music live and jamming together when he was growing up 6:40 Early days of making beats 11:25 Favorite rappers growing up 12:30 How inflections helped him develop his rap style. 18:45 Battle rapping in middle school 21:45 Getting the name Smino 25:20 The connection between dogs and humans 36:30 How long does it take Smino to write a song? 45:00 Early days on tour 47:46 Credits and headphone discount

Superstar point guard Kyrie Irving opens up with host Lee Shaner about growing up skateboarding, how he got into playing the baritone, and self-actualization outside of basketball. Tune in to Episode 11 now.   Show Highlights   1:30 Why we idolize people    7:00 Summers in Seattle, race, and skateboarding   9:00 Childhood musical influences; Lauryn Hill and Rent   12:50 Playing the Baritone   17:00 How basketball became the main thing   34:00 Current books and music on Kyrie’s rotation; what’s alternative?   41:00 Networking and peace in society   45:00 Credits and headphone discount

Episode 10 features Indie pop duo Now Now. Tune in to hear them talk about meeting as awkward 15 year olds, their first international tour with Paramore, and this one time at band camp.   Highlights:   0:20: Now, Now talk about their touring schedule and how they spent their time between album releases.   1:22: Now, Now discuss the impact touring constantly has on their mental health and relationships.   4:40: Now, Now Talk about their roots in Minnesota   6:55: Cacie tells Lee her favorite bands during her angst filled teenage years   8:00: Brad talks about wanted to be good at sports growing up, writing music, and some of his favorite bands from that time.   10:30: Bradley recounts not breaking rules and how that almost pushed him away from being in a band.   12:10: Cacie Shares how she didn’t think Brad liked her, and how they first met.   15:00: Brad and Cacie talk about their time as leaders in their High School’s marching band.   18:40: Cacie talks about some of her experiences of being a woman in a band   20:50: Brad and Cacie talk about what lead up to them starting a band.   26:10: Cacie shares her first time sharing a song she wrote with Brad and their friends.   28:30: Talk about first releasing their music on Myspace and PureVolume   30:57: Lee asks Cacie about what her backup plan would have been had music not worked out.   33:50: Brad tells about the rift that happened when he went off to college.   36:00: Now, Now recount their first tour with Paramore   39:50: Lee asks Now, Now their approach to writing their newest album “Saved”

In episode 9, host Lee Shaner talks with rapper Bohan Phoenix. Phoenix talks about his Chinese roots, discovering Eminem, and appropriation in hip-hop.   Highlights:   3:45 American misconceptions about Chinese food   09:30 China’s competitive schooling   12:30 Coming to America   19:55 Bizarre first meeting with dad   29:06 Discovering Eminem (social cutdown: 29:40-30:39)   34:00 Hip-hop influence and appropriation    45:00 Boom bap, trap, and triplet rhyming    47:00 How music spreads in China without tastemakers   57:00 Credits and headphone discount code

In episode 8, host Lee Shaner talks with rapper/performer TopazJones. Jones talks lunch room cyphers, following in his father’s funk footsteps, and the NY music scene.   Highlights:   5:30 Learning to rap at school   10:00 Early blog scene   13:30 Music school connections and networking   20:00 Coming up with rap names   22:45 How you find your voice   26:00 NY music scene   29:00 Opening for Future   31:00 How “Tropicana” became a hit   36:00 New funk music   46:00 Credits and headphone discount code

In episode 7, host Lee Shaner talks with pro surfer and musician Conner Coffin. Conner talk about growing up in Santa Barbara, smelling the cows while surfing Kelly’s wave, and a life-altering Rolling Stone’s Concert. Show Highlights:  4:41 Church of Skatan and Conner’s first half pipe 6:00 Learning to surf at age 4 8:30 Brother’s day  09:55 Secret beaches  10:20 Homeschooling  13:45 Surfing bad waves 17:53 First sponsor 20:03 Winning first Nationals event 21:20 Learning to play guitar

Podcast description:  In episode 6, host Lee Shaner talks with pro surfer Coco Ho. Coco talks about growing up in a family of pro surfers, calling the legendary North Shore home, and her 10 years of WSL touring and competing. Highlights:  1:00 Qualifying for WSL at 17 06:30 Coco’s favorite kind of music 08:00 Rules of the North Shore  18:30 Growing up a blonde Hawaiian 21:45 Pure love for surfing and the effects of childhood training 27:30 Using music to be competitive  33:00 Balancing relationships and touring 38:00 Thoughts on competing at Kelly’s wave 42:50 Credits and discount code

In episode 5, host Lee Shaner talks with skateboarder Jenn Soto. Soto talks her first Street League win, her recent move to Los Angeles, and writing down every trick she knew as a makeshift sponsorship resumé.   Highlights:   2:30 Skating for the first time   09:00 Explains how her gymnast background helped her learn how to fall   13:30 Falling in love with skateboarding   16:20 Skating nice skate parks in LA vs rough parks at home   18:00 How to learn about your city by skating   19:55 Handing in a trick resumé to get sponsored   22:30 Style matters   42:00 Managing sponsorhsips   45:00 Crazy mishaps in getting to Street League and winning the event   62:00 Credits and headphone discount code

In episode 4, host Lee Shaner talks with Kyle Thomas a.k.a. King Tuff. Tuff talks about his new record The Other, being the only guy in a staff of women at a thrift store, playing in a band with J Mascis, and his “pet” raccoons. Highlights: 3:30 Tuff talks early musical influences 10:25 Tuff talks about his musical projects before King Tuff and playing with J Mascis 17:29 Tuff talks about touring with Matt & Kim and gaining a larger following 20:48 Tuff talks about recording with the now popular Tascam 388 tape recorder 24:00 Tuff talks about his mystical signing with the Sub Pop record label 26:55 Tuff talks about early touring days and partying 28:00 Tuff talks living in Laurel Canyon at a place Father John Misty stayed at 32:00 Tuff talks about creating his new album The Other 41:00 Credits and headphone discount code

Episode 3 features Vincent Neff and David Maclean of Django Django. Hear Vincent talk about growing up in the Northern Ireland Conflict, meeting David in art school, and pub culture. David shares about growing up a hip-hop head, being a vinyl-only DJ, and learning to loop cassette tapes. Show Highlights: 1:43: David talks about techniques he picked up while djing and making beats and its importance to Django Djangos earlier work 9:00: David talks about his dream to continue art and create his own album artwork 10:50: Vincent shares when he found out he was dyslexic 13:20: David and Vincent talk about the first instruments they picked up 16:20: Vincent and David talk about their experience in the 90’s rave scene 20:20: Django Django talk about incorporating and executing samples in their work. 26:50: Vincent recounts actually starting djing Django with David after graduation and how Myspace lead to their success. 20:50: David and Vincent talk about having to form a band and learning their instruments on the fly in order to perform live gigs and their intro to touring 34:45: Vincent and David talk about the reception Django Django received after their debut release 36:30: Vincent and David talk about working on their newest album and preforming new music vs old music live.

In episode 2, host Lee Shaner talks with Kelly Zutrau, lead singer of Brooklyn-based Wet. Kelly opens up about her time at art school, rebellious youth, and how writing songs in her bedroom accidentally became a career. Show Highlights - 2:30 Kelly shares what music she’s feeling while on tour  4:47 Kelly talks about how her acceptance into the prestigious art school Cooper Union saved her life and led to a career in music 9:50 Kelly talks about her history with the unusual diet of Macrobiotics 14:20 Kelly mentions some musical influences from her childhood 27:40 Lee and Kelly talk about millennial’s struggle with saving money and Lee’s theory on why several musicians develop in art school 29:30 Kelly and Lee talk about how fan and label expectations negatively affect true artistry  32:00 Kelly talks about how Wet formed out of a giant folk band with friends from art school 37:10 Kelly shares how she feels about whether or not her creativity to write songs will last 40:12 Kelly talks about how her success with Wet has affected her romantic relationships 43:00 credits and discount code for headphones

In episode 1 of Skullcandy’s new podcast You Feel Me? host Lee Shaner is joined by rising r&b/pop artist Amber Mark. Amber talks getting signed the same year she put her music on SoundCloud, growing up in a Tibetan monastery, and how her mother’s battle with cancer influenced her debut EP, 3:33am. :10 Amber gets signed off her soundcloud single 9:50 Amber on growing up in a Tibetan Monastery 16:16 Amber's strained relationship with her father 30:25 Amber's mom's diagnosis and struggle with cancer 34:05 Amber on making emotional dance songs 37:33 Amber on artist insecurities after a successful debut EP 38:45 Amber shares where her EP name, 3:33, came from