Podcasts about rhymesayers

This week we sit down with long-time friend of the show and dope MC, Brother Ali. In this week's episode, Blueprint and Brother Ali have an open honest conversation about Brother Ali's decision to depart from Rhymesayers and how he went about building his team to help him release his own music and the hard lessons he's learned along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textThe incredible and funny Casey Feigh joins My Pop Five for a fascinating dive into the cultural touchstones that shaped his unique comedic voice. With his signature warmth and thoughtfulness, Casey unpacks how everything from British comedy troupe Monty Python to Minneapolis hip-hop collective Rhymesayers Entertainment influenced his creative journey from small-town Minnesota to becoming a standout force in LA's comedy scene.Casey's reflects  on Spike Lee's impact starting with Lee's iconic Nike campaigns with Michael Jordan before discovering films like "Do the Right Thing" and "Malcolm X," which expanded his worldview in profound ways. The story of wearing a Malcolm X hat to soccer games in predominantly white Minnesota reveals how cultural influences can shape identity in unexpected ways.What makes this conversation special is how Casey connects these diverse influences to his current work. His childhood love of Sesame Street directly feeds his improvisational approach ("doing improv is like just playing make-believe with my friends"), while his experiences playing team sports inform how he collaborates with fellow performers. The discussion reveals how creative identity forms through the cultural artifacts we embrace throughout our lives.As co-founder of the acclaimed Holy Shit Improv group, Casey embodies the entrepreneurial spirit he admired in Rhymesayers, creating opportunities not just for himself but for an entire community of performers. His reflections on building something meaningful and authentic while maintaining artistic integrity offer valuable insights for creators in any field.Whether you're a comedy fan, a fellow performer, or simply curious about how culture shapes our creative voices, this episode delivers thoughtful analysis alongside genuinely funny moments that showcase why Casey has become such a respected figure in comedy. Discover the pop culture that transforms ordinary experiences into extraordinary creative journeys.Follow @holyshitimprovFollow @caseyfeigh https://linktr.ee/caseyfeighFollow My Pop Five: @mypopfive on all platforms We'll see you next time. But until then, what's your Pop Five?

Anthony Davis better known by his stage name “Ant,” is a DJ and hip hop producer best known as being one half of the phenomenal group- “Atmosphere. “ He has worked with some of the best in the business (mostly aligned with the Rhymesayers Entertainment record label), such as Brother Ali, I Self Devine, Felt and The Dynospectrum. This January, he releases the 3rd entry in the solo “Collection of Sounds” series with “Collection of Sounds Vol. 3.” Then follows it up with Brother Ali's “Satisfied Soul” and Atmosphere's tour in support of the 20th anniversary of “You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having.” We discuss all of this, plus get his insight in how he envisions releases and collections of music. It's not a huge secret that Atmosphere is my favorite group, Rhymesayers is one of my favorite collectives, and the great artists that make up all of it are some of my favorite people!www.rhymesayers.comwww.caughtonthemike.com

    Join the guys as they open their first ever Mystery Box on the show. These boxes were purchased on Black Friday from Rhymesayers.com We have 2 Boxes to open. First up it's C.D.s then we move on to the Vinyl Box. Next Congradulations are in order for DeeJay Gemini as he conquered the DJs In The Mix Battle on Tic Tok! Not only do you get to hear us talk about the battle but we make a call all the way to Canada and talk directly with one of the orginizers of the battle.If you liked any of the beats played on this show then head over to the TableBeats App and search for the Dan One Looper Vol. 3.  You can also use Tablist.net if you are looking for a web looper.https://www.tablist.net/weblooper/#/looper/3307NAMM 2025 is right around the corner so be on the lookout for info on the LTP NAMM Invitational. You can support the Tables4Two Podcast by joining us on Patreon. Where you can download Exclusive DJ Edits, Scratch Tools, Watch BTS Video Clips, and Even get Shout Outs during the show!https://www.patreon.com/c/tables4two

In 1995, a fervent and wry rapper (Sean Daley, aka Slug) and a dexterous deejay (Anthony Davis; Ant for short) helped co-found a platform to help put Midwest -- and more precisely, Minnesotan -- hip-hop on the map. Three decades later, Rhymesayers Entertainment is one of the most popular and influential modern rap labels in existence, releasing seminal LP's by MF Doom, Freeway, Aesop Rock, Brother Ali, and Atmosphere: Slug and Ant's infectious repartee that helped define the Rhymesayers aesthetic from the jump: While Daley puts the listener in a metaphorical chokehold -- thanks to a volatile delivery of vulnerable self-reflection -- Davis' textured musical milieu allows plenty of room for revelry within a hybrid of soul, gospel and rap's golden age. On this week's episode, the pair ponder how record shopping has actively made their lives better, why racially integrated album covers usually lead to great music, and when their first-ever appearance on vinyl became a time capsule of their first-ever collaboration. Atmosphere will commemorate the 20th anniversary of their landmark release You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having by kicking off their aptly-titled Imagine The Fun tour in January. Tickets, social media and pre-orders for Ant's third volume of his Collection of Sounds series (dropping next month) are all available at atmospheresucks.com. 

We must begin this week by paying tribute to Ka, a truly great rapper and producer who made uncompromising music for the real heads. May he rest in peace. The first segment of the show this week acts as a real-time processing of the incredibly sad news of Ka's passing. DBRP hosts Demone Carter, David Ma and Nate LeBlanc share some thoughts on Ka's music, his legacy, and the distinct unfairness that he released his art at a time when it will only be appreciated by a niche audience. After that we are joined for a second time by rapper Kurious. We are discussing his new record Majician, which drops October 18th on MF DOOM's Metal Face Records via Rhymesayers. Kurious really opens up here, detailing his previous struggles with overthinking, his decades-long friendship with DOOM, and even at one point has to pause the interview to resume parenting duties, something Demone can relate to! Majician finds Kurious, who has always had a refined flow, in a deeply creative space, playing off of sample based beats from producer Mono En Stereo with a freewheeling nature not heard since his earliest work in the 90s. DOOM's presence looms large, on the record and in this conversation, which gives the entire affair a distinctly bittersweet edge. If you like what you hear, please consider giving us a 5-star review on the podcast app of your choice, we would really appreciate it! We also have a Patreon www.patreon.com/dadbodrappod where we post exclusive segments, review records, make playlists, and interact with our audience in a more direct way than other social media platforms. DBRP is produced by Demone Carter. Theme song by DEM ONE and Cutso. Our show is one of the many great podcasts on the Stony Island Audio network. Add reaction

In Episode 4 of “The Load Out,” host Ashanti Abdullah welcomes the talented rapper and producer, Grieves. Known for his deeply personal lyrics and unique blend of hip-hop and soul, Grieves shares his journey from growing up with a diverse mix of musical influences to discovering hip-hop and signing with Rhymesayers Entertainment. The conversation delves into his production style, memorable tour experiences, and the challenges of headlining tours. Grieves also reflects on the balance between his music career and family life, the support of his spouse, and his thoughts on the evolving music industry.Discussion Highlights: 1. Early Life and Musical Influences: • Grieves' early exposure to music through his parents. • Growing up with a mix of jazz, blues, soul, and pop influences. • His love for artists like BB King, Wilson Phillips, Mariah Carey, and Phil Collins. 2. Path to Music: • Grieves' journey from a normal relationship with music to discovering hip-hop. • Influence of his father's music collection and the impact of artists like RZA and West Coast P-funk. • Transition from listening to punk and metal to hip-hop. 3. Production Style and Process: • Grieves' approach to music production, emphasizing emotional connection over the message. • Challenges and evolution in his music-making process. 4. Career Development: • Grieves' experience with Rhymesayers Entertainment. • His first indie release and the importance of fan connections. • Lessons learned from his time with Rhymesayers and the value of a strong work ethic. 5. Touring Experiences: • Memorable tour stories, including driving through blizzards and dealing with grumpy sound guys. • The importance of venue etiquette and maintaining professionalism on tour. 6. Industry Insights: • The significance of building a loyal fan base and maintaining authenticity. • Challenges of headlining tours and the financial realities of touring. • The impact of social media and staying connected with fans. 7. Personal Reflections: • Grieves' thoughts on the music industry's evolution and his place within it. • The balance between family life and touring. • The importance of having a supportive spouse and understanding the sacrifices involved in a music career. 8. Grieves' Current Projects and Future Plans: • Collaborations with younger artists and exploring different music genres. • Focus on fan-based initiatives and the value of live performances.Produced by: @probablyashanti for @TernwheelMixed by: Akiyoshi Ehara - @akiehara1 Music by: MMYYKK - @mmyykkvibesLinks Mentioned: • Rhymesayers Entertainment • Grieves' MusicFollow Grieves: • Twitter • Instagram

Meet the mind and heart behind some of the most beautiful album art and packaging in Hip Hop. This episode is sponsored by Zakat Foundation and BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month of therapy, visit www.betterhelp.com/travelers Preorder "Love & Service" now at www.BrotherAli.com Hear episodes early and ad-free, plus get access to exclusive music, videos, speeches, and bonus content by Brother Ali: https://www.brotherali.com/join Buy Travelers Podcast merchandise: https://www.brotheralistore.com/collections/travelers-podcast

Another big one for the record books! This should have happened a long time ago! I finally got my brother Doug Mecca up in the studio for some real talk. Doug is a pioneer in Austin hip hop and beyond. He and his Hip Hop Mecca Crew revolutionized the game back in the 90's when they started promoting hip hop shows on the regular with both national and local artists at a time when it was even harder to get stages for hip hop than it was in the 2000's. Austin has come a long way and Hip Hop Mecca and their work played a huge role in legitimizing hip hop within the Austin music scene. Trust, it was a lot of work. They also booked some of the coolest hip hop showcases at SXSW in the late 90's/early 2000's. They are the crew who brought crews like the Living Legends, Hieroglyphics, Rhymesayers, Project Blowed and way more to Austin and to SXSW. Their events were always fun and also always loaded with local artists. They built a ton of bridges and Doug has tons of stories. Word to Mike Henry (who also needs to come on the pod). Born in New York, he came to South Austin in the 3rd Grade and has seen it all. Catch him any night at the coolest club still standing on 6th Street, Flamingo Cantina. Enjoy this episode and as always Tell a Friend to Tell a Friend to tune into Talk So Real with Matt Sonzala! @douglasmecca

Another big one for the record books! This should have happened a long time ago! I finally got my brother Doug Mecca up in the studio for some real talk. Doug is a pioneer in Austin hip hop and beyond. He and his Hip Hop Mecca Crew revolutionized the game back in the 90's when they started promoting hip hop shows on the regular with both national and local artists at a time when it was even harder to get stages for hip hop than it was in the 2000's. Austin has come a long way and Hip Hop Mecca and their work played a huge role in legitimizing hip hop within the Austin music scene. Trust, it was a lot of work. They also booked some of the coolest hip hop showcases at SXSW in the late 90's/early 2000's. They are the crew who brought crews like the Living Legends, Hieroglyphics, Rhymesayers, Project Blowed and way more to Austin and to SXSW. Their events were always fun and also always loaded with local artists. They built a ton of bridges and Doug has tons of stories. Word to Mike Henry (who also needs to come on the pod). Born in New York, he came to South Austin in the 3rd Grade and has seen it all. Catch him any night at the coolest club still standing on 6th Street, Flamingo Cantina. Enjoy this episode and as always Tell a Friend to Tell a Friend to tune into Talk So Real with Matt Sonzala! @douglasmecca #talksoreal #podcast #mattsonzala #douglasmecca #dougmecca #music #interview #austintx #austin #ATX #texas #reggae #hiphop #flamingocantina #sxsw #livinglegends #hiphopmecca #rhymesayers #hieroglyphics #visionaries #projectblowed --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pushermania/message

KNOSAGE & Novek welcome Adam (Advizer) and Roberto (Cybervato)!Roberto (El Cybervato) is an interdisciplinary performance artist and educator. Sifuente's projects include: #exsanguination, a collaboration with new media artist jonCates and Aram Han Sifuentes (2016-2019); “Reculmulations: Digital Avatars and Performance objects,” a collaboration with digital artist Claudia Hart and composer Edmund Campion (Black and White Gallery NYC).As co-founder of the San Francisco based performance troupe La Pocha Nostra, he has performed and conducted workshops with La Pocha across the US, Canada, Europe and Latin America. Sifuentes has co-authored two books with Guilermo Gomez-Peña; most recently “Exercises for Rebel Artists: Radical Performance Pedagogy” Routledge 2011. As a performance pedagogue, he has been Artistic Director of the Trinity College/La MaMa Performing Arts Program NYC. Sifuentes is currently Professor of performance at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.The 1990s saw hip-hop's influence extend well beyond the confines of the traditional large metropolitan areas (New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, et al.), initially spreading into the suburbs, where it infiltrated every socio-economic strata and crossed every cultural boundary, then ultimately found its way into smaller regional niches, such as, in the case of the progressive rap combo Oddjobs, Minneapolis and St. Paul. With the equally forward-looking artists of the Rhymesayers Entertainment enterprise, the group not only helped to put Minnesota on the hip-hop map but, inspired by previous mavericks like De La Soul, the Beastie Boys, Hieroglyphics, and Freestyle Fellowship, also helped to tie rap's coastal-based, old-school past with its visionary, postmodern, untethered future.The individuals who would eventually form the official Oddjobs lineup originally came together in 1996 as members of the 30-odd-strong Cases of Mistaken Identity (CMI) collective, a rotating cadre of rappers, DJs, b-boys, and graffiti writers drawn mostly from a pair of local high schools. By 1998, Minneapolis MCs Advizer (Adam Waytz) and Crescent Moon (Alexei Casselle), and St. Paul producers/DJs Anatomy (Stephen Lewis) and Deetalx (Devon Callahan), had gravitated toward one another and began performing together at all-ages venues as Oddjobs, occasionally backed live by local band Heiruspecs. Not long thereafter, the group released its first tape, Case Studies, with CMI and began to earn a measure of local exposure. The foursome's entrée into more widespread underground circles came the next year with its debut indie full-length, Conflict and Compromise. They attracted even more notice within the hip-hop community after Crescent Moon's strong showing at the battle competition of the 1999 Scribble Jam, and via his frequent spot as an auxiliary MC for Eyedea + Abilities of Rhymesayers fame. Advizer and Deetalx made the move to Brooklyn in the fall of that year to attend college, but the members kept Oddjobs alive via tapes, telephone calls, and commutes, resulting in the 2000 EP Absorbing Playtime. At around the same time, the Funboy EP was pressed in a limited edition of 5000 and officially released only in Japan. (It quickly began making the rounds in the United States as a bootleg.) Across the Tracks, a Deetalx mix CD, and Live at the Bryant Lake Bowl, with Chicago's Typical Cats and Heiruspecs, both appeared in 2001.The full CMI crew -- by that time down to Oddjobs and MCs Nomi and Naimles -- had planned to follow with a full-length project. Instead Nomi (Mario Demira) joined as an official member (CMI Productions became the business front for the group), and the three remaining Minnesotans made the final move to New York the following autumn. Success and respect came surprisingly quickly for the quintet in the Big Apple. Its 12" single "Blue Collar Holler" rose to the sixth spot on the CMJ college radio chart. (A subsequent remix of the song attracted guest appearances from Aesop Rock and Vast of Cannibal Ox.) Oddjobs shared stages with or opened for De La Soul, DJ Shadow, Blackalicious, El-P, and Atmosphere, among others. In 2002 the crew released its first nationally distributed full-length, Drums, on its own indie startup label Third Earth Music. The album was lauded by fans, fellow rappers, and critics alike. They briefly partnered with Eyedea for the extremely rare toss-off cassette Whereabouts of Hidden Bridges. The collaboration also accounted for a track on the next official Oddjobs recording, the six-song The Shopkeeper's Wife EP, released in the spring of 2003. ~ Stanton Swihart

This week we discuss the 2000 release on Rhymesayers from I Self Divine and DJ Kool Akiem as Micranots! Equal parts Bigg Juss, Sir Menelik, Bobby Digital, and Y2K rap, "Obelisk Movements" gets the close up to see if the record has aged gracefully in the caverns of indie rap history. As always for early access and exclusive content please subscribe to our patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/calloutculture/support

This week we welcome a new friend, you probably know him from your Music League, Kremm (@bleepstakes) joins us.We get a Chid's Soccer Corner UpdateKremm is a Music League SME who talks all things music leagueWe discuss our ML likes and gripesMacklemoreA Wilhelm Scream (formerly Smackin Isaiah),Rhymesayers & Minnesota's thriving hip-hop sceneSage Francis & Strange Famous Recordswe play a tortured 'Friend's' pun game in honor of the late great Matthew PerryThe Quad Cities (& The Quad City DJ's)and MUCH MORE!Follow Kremm on Twitter:https://twitter.com/bleepstakesSupport the showFollow us on Twitter: @CHIDSPIN / @SighFieri / @RoundingDownRate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!Tell 25 friends about the show! Actually, don't even tell them about it--just borrow their phones and subscribe them to it!$RoundingDown on the CashApp--we only need $5 million, that's all we ask!

Hey, Crate 808 fans! If you are listening to this show you're probably a 90's rap nerd like the rest of us, and if so, you gotta check out the newest show from Open Mike Eagle's podcast network Stony Island Audio. It's called "Stories About Songs with Kevin Beacham" The host Kevin Beacham is a documentarian, journalist, radio host, and all-around rap superfan. Some of you may know him as the co-founder and host of Scribble Jam, or as a longtime label rep for Rhymesayers.   In each episode, Kevin shares some of his greatest stories from his years as an industry insider focusing on one artist or movement in Hip Hop that made a lasting impression on Kevin and his work. These are the stories of not only how he fell in love with Hip Hop, but how that love has continued to keep him connected.   Stories About Songs is not just a podcast, but an immersive listening experience, a tapestry of rare beats, breaks, and samples intricately woven around Kevin's storytelling by fellow rap nerd and podcast producer Rob Van Vranken whose work you may have heard on a few other influential Hip Hop podcasts like The Cipher, Secret Skin, Headspin, or even this very podcast Crate 808!   You can find Stories about Songs on Spotify and Apple Podcasts now! Get caught up on Season 1 and make sure to subscribe to hear new episodes as they drop every Friday starting July 7th.   Listen on Spotify HERE   Listen on Apple Podcasts HERE   Follow Kevin on Twitter and IG

In this episode of Music at a Rational Volume Nate and Kyle share with you a random sampling of tunes they've been enjoying recently. It is by all accounts, a mixed bag, but there's a variety of old stuff, new stuff, and stuff in-between. Listen as the hosts discuss the whys with lots of tangents and whining from Kyle's puppy dog, Astro. Enjoy everybody!This week's Random PlaylistNovels About Vampires – Candi Carpenter (digital single only)Big Big Love – Belinda Carlisle (from new EP, Kismet, avail for pre-order at her website, www.imthetalentedone.com, vinyl only, no CD, all songs by Diane Warren (she wrote, I Get Weak, back in the day)Okay – Atmosphere (from So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, pre-order at Rhymesayers.com, horrible album cover)Over – CHVRCHES (non-LP single per Wikepedia)Weirdo – Girl Scout (from EP, Real Life Human Garbage, Swedish band)Death Wish – Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (from Weathervanes, pre-order available)Frenzy - Iggy Pop (from Every Loser, out now)Sing Me Spanish Techno – the New Pornographers (Twin Cinema, 2005)It Ain't Right – the Current Swell (From When to Talk and When to Listen, 2017, Victoria, BC)Like a Ghost – Ian Blurton's Future Now (melodic hard rock ala Ghost, Canadian band around since the 80's?, heard about them on Channel 33 RPM w/Frank Landry)Wings of Time - Tame Impala (from D&D soundtrack) (Wrote specifically for the film soundtrack. Kevin Parker (The “mastermind” of the band) wrote it with a friend, Nicolas Allbrook.)Crashland - Maris (Will debut on her upcoming EP, “Gravity” in March. I found this one looking for similar stuff, like Mimi Webb, Metric, Chvrches, Tegan and Sarah… etc.. There's probably gonna be a playlist at some point.)Alive - The Scarlet Opera (from Comedy EP) (LA 5-piece debuted in March with new stuff)Damn Love - Kip Moore (title track)Sirens - The Sherlocks (recently toured UK w/Kaiser Chiefs and the Fratellis)Red Light - Jonny lang (Long Time Coming, 2003) (A classic and it just came around again. It Needs younger ears.)Dracula From Houston - Butthole Surfers (Weird Revolution, 2001)555 - Jimmy Eat World (Surviving, 2019) (Decent band, decent album, but this is the best thing on it. Just never a reason to talk about it.)Prospect Street - The Big Dish (Swimmer, 1986) (A should be classic from an underrated Scottish band. Released in 1985)Crazy - Northern Portrait (Criminal Art Lovers, 2009) (Band formed in Copenhagen Denmark in 2007. This tune has been hanging around my periphery for a long time and every time I hear it I love it.)Musicatarationalvolume.com@MARVpodcast on Twittermusicatatrationvolume profile on Spotify for episode playlists based on topics discussed

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop ORDER THE QUESTIONS HIP-HOP TRIVIA GAME Original Broadcast: November 18, 2020 Blueprint is someone who knows a thing or two about multitasking. The producer/emcee played a pivotal role in the emerging underground scene in the Midwest during the late 90's/early '00s, with his own Weightless crew and also amongst the artists that would eventually comprise the rosters of indie juggernauts Rhymesayers and Definitive Jux. He's continued to put out a steady clip of music since then (both as a solo artist as well as one half of Soul Position with RJD2), but music isn't where his journey ends. He's become a film/video director, a published author with four books under his belt, and the host of his own 'Super Duty Tough Work' podcast. But no matter what the medium, he's essentially a storyteller, and so it was great to hear the stories behind these seven randomly selected songs from his catalog: "The Jerry Springer Episode" (Soul Position '8 Million Stories', 2003) "Alchemy" (Aesop Rock, 'Daylight', 2002) "The American Dream" ('Deleted Scenes,' 2012) "Great Eyedeas Never Die" ('King No Crown,' 2015) "Fresh" ('1988', 2005) "Arms Too Short" ('Chamber Music', 2004) "Overdosin'" ('Respect the Architect,' 2014) Lots of great conversation here, too: reflecting about the rise of the scene he helped build, the forces that caused that machine to slow down years later, his approach to songwriting and recording, and so much more. Enjoy! The Questions: @thequestionshiphop (IG), @questionshiphop (Twitter) Sean: @seandammit (IG), @seandammit (Twitter) Blueprint: @printmatic (IG), @printmatic (Twitter) Email: sean@questionshiphop.com questionshiphop.com

Brother Ali chops it up with the Rhymesayers co-founder who brought the artists together and built the blueprint for the movement. This episode is sponsored by Zakat Foundation and BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month of therapy, visit www.betterhelp.com/travelers Learn more about The Travelers Podcast: https://www.brotherali.com/podcast Buy Travelers Podcast merchandise: https://www.brotheralistore.com/collections/travelers-podcast

Growing up in his hometown of Atlanta, artist/producer Sol Messiah was inundated with the rich and energizing spirit of Hip Hop culture. Getting his start as a breakdancer, Sol Messiah built his reputation as a b-boy before traveling to NYC to join the legendary Rock Steady Crew. Inspired by New York Hip Hop legends, Sol Messiah fell in love with another foundational element of Hip Hop culture: DJing. Spending untold hours mastering the skill, and acquiring the musical knowledge required of the DJ, Sol Messiah was prepared to make the leap into producing records, the next step in his musical journey. A talented and skilled producer, Sol Messiah eventually linked up with Atlanta legend and veteran producer Dallas Austin. For years, Messiah would work alongside Dallas to create a deep catalog filled with timeless tracks for TLC, Madonna, Monica, Boyz II Men and more. At the same time, Messiah would continue to build his reputation as a DJ, securing several club residencies and gaining popularity and acclaim for his classic Sol Messiah Mixtape series. After separating with Austin in 1997 to pursue his own musical path independently, Sol Messiah spent years building an impressive catalog and further established himself as a go-to producer for a wide range of acts. Some of his most notable credits from this era include “Rain” and “Picture Perfect” from Chamillionaire's platinum album The Sound Of Revenge, Nappy Roots' “Roll Again”, David Banner's “Ridin'” featuring Talib Kweli & Dead Prez as well as Dead Prez's “Hell Yeah”, featuring Jay-Z. Soon, Sol Messiah would embark on a fruitful musical partnership with a fierce lyricist named Sa-Roc. Together, Sa-Roc and Messiah have released over a dozen projects thus far, including Sa-Roc's groundbreaking 2020 debut on Rhymesayers, The Sharecropper's Daughter. As a duo, Sa-Roc and Sol Messiah have amassed a global reach, touring internationally and rocking crowds across continents. They have performed at the legendary Jazz Cafe in London, performed live for BBC and have shared the stage with luminaries such as Common, The Roots and Jay Electronica. On his latest album, GOD CMPLX, Sol Messiah connects with some of the finest MCs in the game to create a collection of head-bopping Hip Hop music that's both innovative and inspiring. Featuring guest performances from KXNG Crooked, Sa-Roc, Evidence of Dilated Peoples, Locksmith, Stic.Man of Dead Prez, Che Noir, Lyric Jones, Mickey Factz, Cambatta, Planet Asia, TriState, Narubi Selah, Murs, Da BackWudz, Slug of Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, and Baba Zumbi of Zion I, GOD CMPLX is a powerful and engaging project. The album comes out swinging with the title track, “GOD CMPLX,” which features KXNG Crooked and Sa-Roc trading slick and fiery bars over an epic, grandiose beat. Showcasing the versatility of Sol Messiah's sound, “Limitless” finds Evidence getting busy over a dramatic, piano & string-infused track. From the brassy, drum-heavy sound of “The Hard Way” (feat. Che Noir, Sa-Roc & Lyric Jones) to the haunting vocal harmonies of “Sol Supreme” (feat. Cambatta), GOD CMPLX is not only full of bangers, it's also a diverse gallery of sounds that serves as a testament to Sol Messiah's skills as both a producer and a visionary. The journey that Sol Messiah began so many years ago, as a youth discovering Hip Hop in Atlanta, has no ending in sight. With his gifted ear and fierce dedication to Hip Hop culture, he continues to use his craft to build his own body of work as well as help maintain and elevate the culture of Hip Hop as a whole. Sol-Messiah (solmessiah.net) MasterMine Website link for more episodes- https://mastermine.podcastpage.io --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastermine-mrg/message

Hip Hop Artist and author Psalm One joins us to discuss her experiences with Rhymesayers, a popular Minneapolis record label. Her courage in coming forward helped others share similar stories of abuse and mistreatment. This resulted in members of the community speaking out against the label with the Boycott Rhymesayers movement. We also discuss how these challenges led to the writing of her book, Her Word is Bond: Navigating Hip Hop and Relationships in a Culture of Misogyny. Visit Psalm's Website: https://www.psalmonelovesyou.com Check out her book: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1660-her-word-is-bond If you have been on the receiving end of harm from someone: be it artist, venue owner, audience member, or someone else and would like to share your story on a future episode, please reach out to us at: thisisenoughpodcast@gmail.com Visit our website: https://www.thisisenoughpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enough.podcast Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@enoughpodcast enough. is a feature on Bad Copy:
 https://thebadcopy.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Prior to the release of the stellar album, GOD CMPLX, I had the privelage to chat with hip hop legend- SOL MESSIAH! The journey that Sol Messiah began so many years ago, as a youth discovering Hip Hop in Atlanta, has no ending in sight. With his gifted ear and fierce dedication to Hip Hop culture, he continues to use his craft to build his own body of work as well as help maintain and elevate the culture of Hip Hop as a whole. GOD CMPLX drops September 30, 2022 on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

In the construct of hip hop music, quality always comes down to “the elements..” With a precise focus on the small details that separate the “good” from “the great.” For over 20 years, DJ Abilities has focused on the craft and art-form- refining his vision, and demonstrating the importance of quality over quantity. First gaining notoriety as half of the duo: Eyedea and Abilities, he has built an incredible resume while maintaining a duality as both musician and producer. He just completed a tour with The Far Side (formerly of the Pharcyde), and last fall released the stellar solo album- Phonograph Pheonix. Just recently, a 20th anniversy re-release of E&A's "First Born" was brought into the world; and the excitement of all things surrounding D.J. Abilities makes this episode a great listen. www.rhymesayers.comwww.caughtonthemike.com

Our first in person episode! EVER. Crazy. Comedians and cousins Maureen Begley and Ang Buxton highlight 2 musical artists from Minnesota. We also catch up on all things life and comedy, get to hear Maureen's amazing Paul Hollywood impression, and see a real life hawk! or falcon! or eagle! Tune in to find out which. Maureen talks to us about the life of Eyedea, a rapper, poet and freestyle battle champion. Ang highlights some interesting facts about Prince. May they both rest in peace. Of course we had to talk about the prominence of Atmosphere and Rhymesayers, because this is the Minnesota episode. We also talk about the RETURN OF THE CLOSE TALKERS. They are back!!

In the first episode of SEASON SEVEN (whoa!), or the 37th episode overall, Kevin welcomes Duluth-based singer and songwriter Sarah Krueger to the program—you might know her as Lanue, the name she released a full length LP under in 2021, and the name she released a brand new EP under in mid-April. She and Kevin chop it up about her new batch of tunes, real hip-hop, the ability to separate the artist and the art they make, and the "scene" in Duluth; Sarah also brings an eclectic mix of 10 songs to the show and discusses what parts of her life they represent.  For more information about the "award winning" music criticism site, Anhedonic Headphones, click here! To learn more about Sarah Krueger's output as Lanue, visit her website. Episode Musical Credits Intro Music: "Brooklyn Zoo (instrumental)," written by Russell Jones, Dennis Coles, and Robert Diggs; originally performed by Ol' Dirty Bastard. Taken from the Get On Down reissue of Return to The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, 2011.  "Doo Wop (That Thing)," written and performed by Ms. Lauryn Hill. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Ruffhouse/Columbia, 1998. "Hello In There," written and performed by John Prine. John Prine, Atlantic, 1971. "Sweet Thing," written and performed by Van Morrison. Astral Weeks, Warner Brothers, 1968. "Don't Ever Fucking Question That," written by Sean Daley; performed by Atmosphere. Lucy Ford—The Atmosphere EPs, Rhymesayers, 2001. "Shower The People," written and performed by James Taylor. In The Pocket, Warner Brothers, 1976. "Love Has No Pride," written by Eric Katz and Libby Titus; performed by Bonnie Raitt. Give it Up, Warner Brothers, 1972. "Making Pies," written and performed by Patti Griffin. 1000 Kisses, ATO, 2002. "When I Go Deaf," written by Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Parker, and Zak Sally; performed by Low. The Great Destroyer, Sub Pop, 2005. "Raining in Baltimore," written by Adam Duritz; performed by Counting Crows. August and Everything After, DGC, 1993.   "September," "Fire in My Mind," and "Nothing Hits Me," written by Sarah Krueger and performed by Lanue. 

Welcome to a new season with MN Music Makers. To get us started, I got to sit down and talk with a hip hop artist who has been at it for over a decade. Phil tells me about his time at Fifth Element, the hip hop record store that was run by Rhymesayers and hosted many open mics in its day. After using that as a way to test new material and stage presence, he continued to gain momentum as Chris Michael Jensen started booking him around town. Growing up a singer with his family, one of his challenges was building up the vocal technique for rapping. With plenty of experience perfecting his vocals, and a natural stage presence, Phil has proven to be a quality artist and performer. Beyond that he is also a community builder, working with other artists to help build each other up. With a couple EPs and singles under his belt, his official debut album is set to be released soon.Song list: Faith - Sun Indigo Wutz Good - The Sound Beautiful Day - Sun Indigo Sun Indigo - Live on Kare 11 American Dream - Single The Sound - The Sound All Night - The Sound Check out his site for links, psjmusic.com

Sa-roc drops by the studio while in Seattle for tour. She's a hiphop artist that is signed to the Rhymesayers record label. Sa-Roc Insta: @sarocthemc NAST Insta: @nastpodcast

On her intimate Rhymesayers debut album, SA-Roc pours her heart out and bares her soul with her magnum opus, The Sharecropper's Daughter. In this episode we dive into its creation and discuss collaborating with legendary bass player Preston Crump, working with the late great MF DOOM for the deluxe edition and more!

In a moment of coincidence, our tale begins where last week's discussion ended, with rambling opinions on Marvel's Wonderverse, leading us into the cultural qualities that make up a Seattle artist.  Tate fondly recalls the 90's icons that helped shape his own unique identity within hip-hop culture.  Elaborating on his local adventures that guided his path towards being the lyricist he is today.  Be sure to check out Cory's latest work on all music streaming services. https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wYZexgmCj6BfDdIsjme9Z?si=YLddN_dVRcqEAwx9Iy9azA&dl_branch=1 https://open.spotify.com/artist/3tSdtYFi3RLZHZEglhwBkS?si=ZaetF8tQT8e-_Oa5WIBXZA&dl_branch=1 

That's the World We're Living In Episode 45: Pineapple Pizza Man Guests Logan Hallowell, Jed Regalado, and Rob Collins join host Rory Cunningham to talk; pissing in jugs, Rob chugs and vomits lemonade, Kit-Kats, snacks from around the world, candy, TDE, Kendrick Lamar, hip-hop, Record Store Day, Rhymesayers, Def Jux, vinyl, Bull Moose Music, BeeGees, annoying employees, Yolo, Olympics 202, basketball, skateboarding, pineapple pizza man, the mall closes at 7, Panda Express, downtown Augusta, FB hacked, baby mama park, house parties, crazy party stores, Halloween party, David Bowie, costumes, skin tight Spider-Man suit, fights at parties, New Years Eve, flying punches through the air, moccasins, Rob fights a whole family, comparing basketball players to skaters, Rodney Mullen, Tony Hawk, Niyjah Houston, Chris Paul, NBA Finals, Rob keeps losing bets, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Space Jam 2: The New Legacy, LeBron James, skitching goes wrong, Rory bails, It's Britney, Tits!, FREE BRITNEY!, Hometown Buffet, feel the ghost tingle, man finds ghost with his erect penis, which celebrity dick do you wanna see the most?, I Think You Should Leave, laughing too hard, shit pants time machine, Kanye West album listening party, nice drive in the country, I ran over former VP Dick Cheney, is it possible for a sandwich to be racist?, American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Central Maine Idol, pizza eating competition, Ratchet & Clank, It's Rough Being Rob, Tossed Salad & Scrambled Eggs with Logan. Comedy. Pop Culture. News. Music. Movies. TV. Sports, Video Games, Entertainment, Jokes & Good Times. @thatstheworldwerelivingin --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/rory-j-cunningham/support

Hosts Ladybird and Taz discuss their first reactions to a recent insta video (link below) posted by Rhymesayers rapper Dem Atlas. We talk about our own personal experiences and relationships with narcissists. Red flags are the warning signs our bodies first recognize when dealing with narcissists, what are some red flags you have experienced?? It's never too early, or late to get the f*** out of a shitty relationship of any kind. Email us with your red flags and stories traumagangpodcast@gmail.com Music: Mauricio Hernandez Email: traumagangpodcast@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQjuuZtjcNi/?utm_medium=share_sheet

@twincitytone@bigwiz612TwinCityTone.com

In this episode Tai draws a Turkey Vulture & a Ponycorn while in discussion with hip-hop lyricist, co-founder of Rhymesayers, Slug(Sean Daley) aka Atmosphere and turntablist/producer Mr. Dibbs (Brad Forste) This episode covers a wide spectrum of topics including Mr. Dibbs' Circuit Bent toys, their favorite record shops, Black Thought on the Jimmy Fallon show, Scribblejam & Soundset status, Murs getting hit by a Gatorade bottle on stage, Dibbs' upcoming record releases, wearing a lava lava, a debate over WKRP in Cincinnati & NightCourt, FamilyMatters & Family Ties, Dibbs' juicing to heal his liver, the word "shit" being used in the 1986 Transformers cartoon movie, Slug's brief venture into Cameo, Dibbs' serial killer art collection, Slug's affinity for Nick Cage, head & neck tattoos, a debate over who is the best Batman, Dibbs' love for the movie Training Day and his brush with death (a second time), Slug's summary of the movie Rubin & Ed, and a discussion about Ice Cube's lyric from his track Man's Best Friend "Forget about a dog fool, he'll shit in the den". Slug also tells the story of his first concert experience at First venue with UTFO and a fight breaking out. It's was a lot to try to pull off in a 45 minute discussion, and they didn't even come close, as it went on for nearly 4.5 hours, but we managed to edit it down to an hour and 45 minutes. Enjoy. Sophie's Choice questions from this episode include: Lamb of God or God Loves Ugly? Prince or Prince Paul? Blag Flag or Black Sabbath? Mos Def or Def Leppard? Blackalicious or Black Thought? Motorhead or Portishead? WKRP or Night Court? Family Ties or Family Matters? Punky Brewster or Silver Spoons? Voltron or Transformers? Diff'rent Strokes or Facts of Life? Rodney-O or Type O? Gang Starr or Mazzy Star? Megadeth or Napalm Death? Kool Herc or Kool Keith? Bikini Kill or Thrill Kill Cult? Goodie Mob or Mobb Deep? Ol' Dirty or Dirty Rotten Imbeciles? MC Shan or MC5? Suicide or Suicidal Tendencies? Dice Raw or Rah Digga? E-40 or UB40? Maxi Priest or Judas Priest? Anthrax or Axle Rose? Rancid or Sid Vicious? MC Breed or Hatebreed? Kid Frost or Kid Koala? Shaq or Brian Austin Green? Shaq or Shia Labeouf? Das EFX or NOFX? Buck 65 or Buc Fifty? Buck Rogers or Uncle Buck? Deftones or Tone Loc? Prints of the Ponycorn Two-Step & Vulture on the Edge drawings available here Tai's shirt in this episode: Quiet Riot "Metal Health" Pertinent links from the episode: Mr. Dibbs official website Rhymesayers Entertainment Mr. Dibbs interview on the Bastard Sermon Podcast Atmosphere Tai's tv show 3.2 Percent segment on Atmosphere from 2003 Theme music by Nalei from her debut album "13" --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/artbytai/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/artbytai/support

There's podcasts and then there's what we did, and the trouble with some podcasts is at first...it dont look like a podcast. BUT, once you get settled in, it gets all warm and fuzzy... you get brought into the story and it starts to make sense along the way.  With all that being said, this week the Benton County Fair boys get into a heap of conversation with the Waukegan, IL mover, shaker, tour manager and hired muscle, J-Bird.  Darien's mentor and pit bull whisperer from the Rhymesayers crew.   This week we wax poetic about our first concerts, share a few stories and do a mini session about ambition, hard work & passion. Then, you get to hear Darien go off and make a  bunch of unreasonable statements about why Alligator Snapping Turtles are assholes, specifically. Along with a Top 5 of the songs that hit you in the chest, or bring you back in time to a point in your life.  Thank you, J-Bird.  Find Bird's "THIRTEEN" playlist on Spotify - HERE Find Bird at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbird/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jbird   The “Tequila & Wine Playlist” will be up this week.  Top 5 Hit You In the Chest / Flashback Songs J-Bird The Logical Song -  Supertramp 8th Wonder - The Sugarhill Gang Cars - Gary Numan Dear Prudence - The Beatles Turn The Page - Bob Segar Darien We Got This - Brother Ali feat. Sa-Roc You'll Always be my baby -  Mariah Carey 35.31 - Childish Gambino Jump of The Roof - Vince Staples feat. Snoh Allegra Beers Again Alone - Jeff Rosenstock Sam Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of Your Fist“ -  Ramshackle Glory Snake Oil - Typical Cats I Want a Love I Can See - The Temptations  Journey To The End of East Bay - Rancid “Pure Imagination” - Gene Wilder   FFW GRAB BAG (Topic Submissions & Questions): https://bit.ly/FFWGRABBAG Recorded and Mixed by Sam Sarver. Executive Producers are Darien Washington and Sam Sarver. Theme Music is “Muffins” by Dresden, The Flamingo Find us most places you listen to your podcasts!  Social Media: @foodforwormspodcast - IG  @foodforwormspod - Twitter @foodforwormspodcast - Facebook You'll find us on most socials at: @legendarien & @noshirt_noshoes_ Inquiries: foodforwormspodcast@gmail.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/food-for-worms-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/food-for-worms-podcast/support

One of the biggest benefits of being a touring artist is the number of interesting people artists meet from all over the world. That's certainly the case for this week's guest, Emily Keller, the mayor of Hagerstown, MD. Long before becoming the mayor, Emily was a singer and big supporter of Rhymesayers, forming friendships with them at the shows she attended. Little did we know that she would eventually try her hand in politics! In this episode, Blueprint and the newly-elected Mayor sit down for a chat about what got her into politics and how she ended up becoming the mayor of her hometown! There's plenty of inspiration to go around in this episode, folks! Let's go!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week features two fellow podcasters from Minnesota, Joe and Jake. These two run a podcast called The Wisemen Show that focuses primarily on the Hip-Hop music scene in Minneapolis. We talked about "Uniting MN", Rhymesayers and Lizzo, and what it takes to work in the music industry.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/clmkev/support

@mrpeterparker@twincitytone@bigwiz612@itslisamoyTwinCityTone.com 

I Self Devine - "The Disruptor Suite," a 2021 single on Improvised Weaponry. Born Chaka Mkali in Minneapolis, I Self Devine has been called "one of the most influential voices in Minnesota hip hop" by alt-weekly City Pages. In addition to being a talented musician and MC, he is also a "community organizer, racial justice trainer, graffiti artist, muralist, program coordinator and director of organizing and community building at Hope Community Center in Minneapolis," as detailed by his label Rhymesayers. (Learn more about I Self Devine in thisSound & Vision interview by Gabriel Teodros.) Today's Song of the Day is a six-part song, produced and engineered by Medium Zach. On his SoundCloud page, he explains: "The Disruptor Suite" is one of many creative reflections from democracy TBD, a series of scenario planning working groups designed to help the Democracy Fund keep pace with the rapid and unpredictable changes to social, political, and economic systems. Democracy Fund wanted to start thinking through how the current pandemic, racial unrest, and election concerns might spark a cycle of disruption and reorganization. Which aspects of our democratic system might prove more resilient, and which might be fundamentally altered. This working group consisting of architects, professors, journalist, organizers, urban planners, strategists, futurists, artists, policy directors, and researchers were led by Democracy Fund, Dot Connector studio, and 8 bridges workshop in two facilitated discussion sessions. The first session was around events that could trigger systems level disruptions. Participants picked a disruptor to think and imagine across the STEEP+C sectors which is looking at the possible intended/ unintended negative and positive impacts of a disruptor from a Societal, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political, and Creative lens.  In the second session there was reflection on the potential impact of a given disruptive event using the Democracy Funds Healthy Democracy Framework. The disruptor chosen for this song was defunding the police state. The soundscape created by Medium Zach is a suite consisting of six parts capturing all of the elements of the STEEP+C sectors. This song was done in the spirit of Gang Starr’s “I’m the Man”, and “Speak Ya Clout” . Read the full post on KEXP.org Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the other episode that was recorded in person this season (though safely socially distanced across a table, outside) Kevin welcomes his former co-worker Madeline Davenport, AKA Mattiekinz, to the program where the two enjoy an autumnal evening while Madeline shares myriad memories (many of them involving camping) associated with the very eclectic tunes selected for the show. For additional information about the verbose and depressive music website Anhedonic Headphones, click here!   Episode Musical Credits: Theme Music- "Flava In Ya Ear" (Instrumental); written by Osten Harvey Jr, Craig Mack, Roger Nichols, and Paul Williams. Bad Boy Records, 1994.  "Back in Baby's Arms," written by Bob Montgomery; performed by Patsy Cline. Decca, 1963. "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!," written by "Mutt" Lange and Shania Twain; performed by Shania Twain. Come On Over, Mercury Nashville, 1997. "Dreams," written by Stevie Nicks; performed by Fleetwood Mac. Rumors, Warner Brothers, 1977. "Heartbreak Warfare," written and performed by John Mayer. Battle Studies, Columbia, 2009. "Sunshine," written by Sean Daily and Anthony Davis; performed by Atmosphere. Sad Clown Bad Summer, Rhymesayers, 2007. "Love on Top," written by Beyonce Knowles, Terius Nash, and Shea Taylor; performed by Beyonce. 4, Columbia, 2011/ "Hard Way Home," written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth, and Phil Hanseroth; performed by Brandi Carlile. Bear Creek, Columbia, 2012. "You and I," written by Lotta Lingren; performed by Léon. Léon, Columbia, 2019. "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings," written by Caroline Polachek, Teddy Geiger, and Daniel Nigro; performed by Caroline Polachek. PANG, Sony/Perpetual Novice, 2019. 

Blueprint is someone who knows a thing or two about multitasking. The producer/emcee played a pivotal role in the emerging underground scene in the Midwest during the late 90's/early '00s, with his own Weightless crew and also amongst the artists that would eventually comprise the rosters of indie juggernauts Rhymesayers and Definitive Jux. He's continued to put out a steady clip of music since then (both as a solo artist as well as one half of Soul Position with RJD2), but music isn't where his journey ends. He's become a film/video director, a published author with four books under his belt, and the host of his own 'Super Duty Tough Work' podcast. But no matter what the medium, he's essentially a storyteller, and so it was great to hear the stories behind these seven randomly selected songs from his catalog: "The Jerry Springer Episode" (Soul Position '8 Million Stories', 2003) "Alchemy" (Aesop Rock, 'Daylight', 2002) "The American Dream" ('Deleted Scenes,' 2012) "Great Eyedeas Never Die" ('King No Crown,' 2015) "Fresh" ('1988', 2005) "Arms Too Short" ('Chamber Music', 2004) "Overdosin'" ('Respect the Architect,' 2014) Lots of great conversation here, too: reflecting about the rise of the scene he helped build, the forces that caused that machine to slow down years later, his approach to songwriting and recording, and so much more. Enjoy! Blueprint: www.weightless.net instagram.com/seandammit twitter.com/seandammit instagram.com/thequestionshiphop Email: cantknocktheshuffle@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: One day after the LAPD beat up Rodney King, an Ice Cube concert went down in history as one of the most violent shows ever held at First Avenue. Hosted by Jay Smooth, we ask rap experts and former First Ave staffers about gangsta rap, security, and the uneasy relationship between the Minnesota music industry and Black hip-hop artists. This is the sixth episode of The Current Rewind's "10 Pivotal Days at First Avenue" season. If you missed the first five episodes, catch up below. • April 3, 1970 (The day it all began)• Nov. 28-29, 1979 (The days that told the future)• Sept. 27, 1982 (Bad Brains/Sweet Taste of Afrika/Hüsker Dü)• Aug. 3, 1983 (The birth of "Purple Rain")• Oct. 22, 1990 (Sonic Youth/Cows/Babes in Toyland) Transcript of The Current Rewind season 2, episode 6: "March 4, 1991" Anne O'Connor: We're talking about almost 30 years ago, but my memory of this was like, you opened up the gate at the horse races, and everybody was off to it. [Ice Cube, "The Bomb," with the lyrics: "With the L, the E, the N, the C, the HThe M, the O, the B, the greatLyrics that make the beat swing and I gotchaIt's the hip-hopper that don't like coppers." Hard cut.] Anne O'Connor: And it was just like an explosion, and it was non-stop all night long. ["The Bomb" picks up where it left off, running through these lyrics: "And if you try to upset the pot, sonYou get kicked in the chest like a shotgunI make the beats, I make the breaksI make the rhymes that make you shakeMake you findIce Cube never caught in the middleI make stuff that kick you in the a** a little." Hard cut.] Anne O'Connor: We just went from one fight to the next fight to the next fight. There was no breathing time. There was no downtime. It was just, "What emergency is there to go and deal with next?" [Ice Cube's "The Bomb" returns with a sample of spoken audio and several voices singing, "The bomb"] Cecilia Johnson VO: Gangsta rap was the most controversial music of the '90s – praised as an expression of Black America's righteous anger, reviled for its misogyny and depictions of violence. Taking cues from Schooly D and Ice-T, Los Angeles group N.W.A popularized the genre with their album Straight Outta Compton. Their most talented rhymer, Ice Cube, left the group to go solo in 1990. In early 1991, he brought his show to Minneapolis's First Avenue, for one of its most memorable nights ever. ["Hive Sound" by Icetep] Cecilia Johnson VO: [over theme] I'm Cecilia Johnson. This is The Current Rewind, the show putting music's unsung stories on the map. For our second season, we're looking back at one of the Twin Cities' – and the country's – greatest live venues through a series of pivotal nights. We're bringing on guest hosts for several episodes. In this one, Jay Smooth – the New York hip-hop radio legend and cultural commentator – joins us to tell the story of one of the most infamous shows in First Avenue's history. I do want to warn you: This episode contains explicit accounts of racism and violence. [rewind sound effect] Jay Smooth VO: Way back in 1991, I founded New York's longest-running hip-hop radio show, WBAI's Underground Railroad. It was a pivotal time for hip-hop music, when it was still just beginning to cross all sorts of cultural boundaries. And the other love of my musical life back then was the Black Minneapolis Sound, as defined by Prince and his many collaborators – who, in their own way, were on a similar path of bringing Black music into spaces where it hadn't necessarily been all that welcome. So, as a devoted student of Prince and hip-hop who came of age in that era, the First Avenue club and its relationship with Black music, and hip-hop, specifically, has always been an object of fascination for me. And though it was primarily defined as a rock club, First Avenue did host a number of high-profile hip-hop shows in the '80s and early '90s, according to someone who saw a lot of them. Tim Wilson: Timothy Wilson, Urban Lights Music owner. Jay Smooth VO: Tim's record store, Urban Lights, is a community hub in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul. Tim Wilson: I remember seeing Run-D.M.C. I remember they had Jam Master Jay kind of suspended in the air, swinging back and forth, and they couldn't jump around on the stage, because the records were skipping and stuff like that, but they still made it through. I remember going to KRS-One; the sound crashed and he literally had one of his people beat box, and he continued to perform. [Tim laughs] Jay Smooth VO: On top of the big names from out of state, Minnesotan hip-hop acts the Micranots and the I.R.M. Crew sometimes performed in First Ave's smaller room, the 7th Street Entry. Still, it would take a while for the club's overall attitude to change, from what sound engineer Randy Hawkins, in Chris Riemenschneider's book First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom, called, quote, "anti-rap." The non-white population of Minneapolis grew nearly 70 percent during the '80s. But hip-hop took longer to bloom in the Twin Cities than on the coasts, partly because the success of Prince, the Time, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis made funk the sound du jour there in the '80s. One of First Avenue's most successful dance nights was More Funk, every Thursday with the club's longtime DJ Roy Freedom. Prince and Jimmy Jam would sometimes bring test pressings for the occasion. Tim Wilson also DJ'ed there. Tim Wilson: You know, it was disco, funk, rap, kind of all mixed up into one hodgepodge. It was just a little bit of hip-hop at the time, because rap just hadn't really – hadn't really captured the imagination of the world, let's say it like that. It wasn't the Wall Street darling that it is today. So it was a record here, a record there, but it was just a lot of Minneapolis Sound stuff. Of course you would get a lot of Prince and people like André Cymone, the Girls, Ta Mara & the Seen, Alexander O'Neal. Dan Corrigan: More Funk with Roy Freedom? We used to call it More Fights with Roy Freedom – ha! Jay Smooth VO: Dan Corrigan has been First Avenue's official photographer since 1995. These clips are from a 2003 interview he did with Pete Scholtes of City Pages. Dan Corrigan: There was one night, there was the biggest fight I've ever seen down there. It was just crazy. It started on the dance floor and kind of went around the right and spilled all the way out to the entryway. Jay Smooth VO: That brawl took place in 1990, during More Funk's fifth anniversary. Randy Hawkins told our writer Michaelangelo Matos about that night. Randy Hawkins: The fifth anniversary of [More] Funk night it was a similar situation of losing control of the club. There was a few times where it was like, "We've lost control of this." Jay Smooth VO: Now, this kind of thing didn't happen very often. One reason for that is First Avenue's security system. Sabrina Keith: There's, like, a light switch at various locations throughout the club, like emergency buttons you press if something goes wrong. Jay Smooth VO: Sabrina Keith was a bartender, stagehand, and superglue employee of First Ave, working on and off from 1988 to 2004. Sabrina Keith: And you flip the switch, and let's see, upstairs, a central light goes on. It's, like, a siren light – a red siren light. And then, I think, at the front door there might be one, as well. And then, you look over to the side of the stage, and there's many lights of many different colors, and hopefully just one of them will be spinning, and that would be – that gives you an idea of where the trouble is. And actually, just the other day, me and another old employee were talking and can remember pretty much where all the trouble lights are. It's really disturbing. [laughs] I shouldn't know that green means pool tables, which means it's by where the current coat check is and no more pool tables. Jay Smooth VO: The origin of the so-called "trouble lights" is still fresh in Richard Luka's mind. He had been recruited to work security in 1975, when the club was still called Uncle Sam's. You may remember him from the Ramones and Pat Benatar episode earlier this season. Richard spoke with our producer, Cecilia, and First Ave's longtime general manager Steve McClellan. Richard Luka: The reason for that light was that in March of 1977, I was working alone. We'd purged a lot of people out of there at that time. Uh, there was all this new staff. They really didn't know anything, and I was all alone at the front door with the cashier, and a bike gang came to the door. The Iron Cross from northern Minnesota. And I had to card these guys, and I thought, "Oh my god, I can't – what am I gonna do here?" And I just – there was, like, six of them. I just said well, I guess I'm letting them in. And it turns out a few more came in, so we had like nine bikers in there who took their coats off. They were flying their colors in there. Steve McClellan: What show was it? Richard Luka: No, this was like a Saturday night in 1977, and I remember one of our regular customers, a guy named Tiger. He was Black, and he had a shaved head and these guys surrounded him. They were rubbing his head, saying, "I wish I had a watermelon," and I was like, "Oh my god, this is gonna get out of hand." And at the end of the night, they were just rude and belligerent to people. And [Tiger] came up and he said, "What on earth did you let them in here for?" I go like, "I was gonna get the s*** beat out of me. It's like I'm up here all alone." And they said, "Okay, we're putting a light in." So they installed this light, and a year later, the bike gang came back, but we had hired all new staff. [Steve and Richard laugh] We had some bigger people there, and I hit that light and people were right there, and these guys, they threw their jackets off and they were ready to go, and the police showed up. So that is what can happen at the front door. You never knew what was gonna show up there. Steve McClellan: Oh, the first light that he's talking about, my brother Kevin installed. When did we put in the different colors? So if it was the game room, it would go off green, and when it was – Richard Luka: It was, like, 1983, I'm gonna say. Steve McClellan: Yeah, that much later. The first one was '77, '78. And that was sufficient, and then we had to do a system that people wouldn't go to the front door. They would go to the game area, the upstairs, or bar five. So we had like a six-light sequence that would go off. Jay Smooth VO: Along with the trouble lights, the seriousness of First Ave's security earned it a reputation in town, according to Tim Wilson. Tim Wilson: People go through the usual First Avenue bulls*** when you go to First Avenue. You know, they look at your license and turn it upside down and flip it and flop it, pat you down, and you walk in. It was always one of those things like, oh man, don't go to First Avenue with a fake ID. Don't try to sneak in First Avenue. Their security doesn't play. And it's still the same thing. People get turned away. Sabrina Keith: One point that as always made kind of clear at First Avenue was, we're not bouncers. And we don't ever want to be called bouncers. We are security. We're just trying to make things better. We don't want to bounce you. We don't want to be mean to you. We don't want to beat you up. We just want you to have fun, and I've never understood why people go out and don't have fun. It's like, "Why are you starting stuff? You paid however much money to get in here, so have fun." Whether you kick them out or whether you put them back, it's up to how they act. I mean, I had one kid come up to me five years after the fact saying, "Oh my god, it's you," and I'm like, what are you talking about. "You kicked me out of Nine Inch Nails." I'm like, "OK." [laughs] I'm glad that was a great memory for you. [Sabrina and Michaelangelo laugh] Jay Smooth VO: The club's security staff have long been trained to de-escalate situations, according to a longtime staffer. Anne O'Connor: My name is Anne O'Connor. I worked at First Avenue for two different time periods in the 1990s. [pause] I mean, de-escalation can work in any setting. It really can. You have to keep your head. My strategy was always to get in between the people who were really upset, because they almost would never go after me. And so that would at least create some space. When people are hot-headed, a lot of times all they really need is to step back for a second and say, "Wait a minute, do I really want to do this?" And that's the kind of thing that we would say. [Ice-T's "Body Count" starts fading up] Anne O'Connor: And sometimes that didn't work at all. [Anne laughs] [Ice-T's "Body Count" plays for about 20 seconds] Jay Smooth VO: In February of 1991, First Avenue hosted one of its occasional rap shows: Ice-T, the revolutionary Los Angeles MC with sharp storytelling and a steely voice. That show was one of two he'd perform in Minnesota that year; he also came through St. Paul's Harriet Island on the Lollapalooza tour. And each time, Ice-T didn't just rap – he sang with an all-Black metal band called Body Count. Sabrina Keith told Michaelangelo about hanging out with that group. Sabrina Keith: It was just fun, because it was Ice-T, and he was doing metal, which, like, with Body Count, there's just not a lot of Black artists doing that. And we had Blake working at the club, who's basically the exact same thing, just not, you know, Ice-T. And so it's fun, it's novel and just a bunch of big guys, and they had really cool merch, and they wanted like our First Avenue jackets because we were all wearing them and I think it was cold then too. Michaelangelo Matos: February. Sabrina Keith: Yup, that's cold. [laughs] Jay Smooth VO: Ice-T and Body Count would see more than their share of controversy a year later, in 1992, when they released the song "Cop Killer." But in 1991, there was no more controversial figure in rap, or in music, than Ice Cube. He'd been the primary lyricist for N.W.A, who had debuted in 1989 with the iconic album Straight Outta Compton. Soon afterward, the FBI sent a letter to N.W.A's record label to complain about the lyrics of songs such as "Eff Tha Police" – lyrics that had mostly been written by Ice Cube, who was only 20 years old. But Cube felt like he wasn't getting his fair share of royalties, so in 1990, he and his friend and producer Sir Jinx went to New York to collaborate with the hottest producers of the time, The Bomb Squad. The Bomb Squad, featuring Hank Shocklee, Chuck D, and Eric Sadler, were Public Enemy's sample-heavy production team. With their help, Ice Cube finished his first solo album, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, and released it in May of 1990. He followed it with the Kill at Will EP in December. No rapper was hotter right then, as Tim Wilson recalls. Tim Wilson: That was good Ice Cube: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, one of my top five albums of all time. He left N.W.A, got politically conscious, and then there was just the whole thing with the group and the break-up, and then he went out east and hung out with Chuck D and Public Enemy, and they produced that album, and it was just – it was the hot album at that particular time. That particular album bridged gangsta rap and politically conscious material all into one project. You know, he was gassed up and ready to go. Jay Smooth VO: Ice Cube didn't lead a lifestyle as violent as his lyrics would suggest – like a lot of rappers, he'd rhyme in character. But some of his fans did carry the things he rapped about carrying, as John Smith, who would join the First Avenue staff in 1993 and is still a DJ and bartender at the club, would discover. DJ Smitty: First Avenue started using metal detectors. When you saw the metal detectors, it wasn't, "Oh, this is a new thing they're doing." It's like, "Oh, Ice Cube is coming." And then earlier that week, before the show, I was at Northern Lights Records, and I overheard some clerks talking about how they had overheard some kids talking about trying to stash some guns in First Avenue before the Ice Cube show, so that they would circumvent the metal detectors. Those were the people who first made it apparent to me that this was not gonna be business as usual. The record stores, I guess, were getting phone calls and whatnot – because we weren't a Ticketmaster club, [so] if you wanted to buy tickets for a First Avenue show, you had to go someplace and buy them. I think the Ice Cube crowd was a crowd that didn't necessarily know where to buy our tickets. So it was kind of that, where we realized, "This isn't just gonna be shiny happy hipsters going to a rap show. This is gonna be real." Jay Smooth VO: Anne O'Connor worked roaming security that night. Anne O'Connor: As the staff, we would get together and talk about what we were gonna do. And then what ended up happening is we hired in a bunch of extra additional security people. For about a week before the shows, we had metal detectors at the door so that people couldn't bring guns of knives or anything in and stash them in the club, so that they could use them during the shows themselves. You know, these were guys who, their show was about raising people's anger about some really unfair situations, about calling out some things that were really wrong, and so people had a tendency to get pissed. So we knew that, and we had to be ready for that. And the Ice-T show, I feel like we managed to do that without huge problems. We didn't have huge problems that night. When you put together people with loud music, lots of drinking and lots of young people dancing – body contact – you're really just setting a stage for some conflict. There's gonna be some conflict sometime. Jay Smooth VO: Ice Cube's March 4 appearance was, in fact, two shows – an all-ages in the late afternoon and an ID-only show at night. This was a regular occurrence at the club throughout the '90s. Sabrina Keith: I know for the first show, I did coat-check, so it was pretty mellow. Everybody thought the kids' show was gonna be bad, and it just was not. Jay Smooth VO: There was one issue during the all-ages show: Somebody threw a bottle over the upstairs balcony, where alcohol was allowed. When Ice Cube finished the first show, the club took two hours to change over. Sabrina Keith: You have to clean up and kind of reset everything to start the night fresh. I think they bought us pizza, and we just kind of hung out and waited. Jay Smooth VO: Rod Smith was bar-backing that night – running liquor from storage to the bars. Rod Smith: The attendance at the all-ages show was healthy, but nowhere near sold out. At the ID show, attendance was sold out-plus. I believe you've encountered the phenomenon where somebody in the office would panic about ticket sales and just start slamming comps out indiscriminately. A ton of comps had gone out, and then a ton of people paid, so attendance [laughs] was way over the top. DJ Smitty: We got there for the ID show. We walk in. First thing we figured out pretty quick was, we weren't gonna get any help, because anything with a counter, whether it was a bar or whether it was coat-check – they were busy. It was packed. It was full, and there were people yelling. There were people who were not happy with the order that they were being helped. There were people who were not happy with the prices. There were just a lot of not happy people. It was wet outside, and it was hot in there, which made it hot and wet – like a cave. The walls were sweating. The men's room had an inch of water going on, on the floor. There was a bad vibe. Jay Smooth VO: Our sources couldn't pick out one specific point where the fights started. But according to Anne, once they started, they didn't stop. Anne O'Connor: It was just bam-bam-bam. It was just non-stop, so you didn't really have time to stop and think, "Wow, this is really overwhelming; I don't know if I can do it." You just did it. The place was packed. There were so many people there. So if you were – if you couldn't get to the trouble light, that's one thing, but also if the trouble light was already going, you'd have a fight five feet away from you. Well, five feet in a packed room could be – it's a lot of feet to get to, sometimes – [laughs] you know – to get through the bodies and get to the actual fight, you're not always gonna make it. Rod Smith: These melees would just randomly break out. The outside security people that First Avenue hired did an outstanding job, because they were really aware of what was going on mood-wise in the club, and as soon as something broke out, they would start heading toward it. But, again, the problem being there was a certain amount of distance in the Mainroom, and when the club is that packed, you can't move that quickly. They were moving pretty quickly, though. So these fights were being stopped, for the most part, like, pretty quickly after they started. But they didn't really stop. I'd say they continued pretty much through the night. DJ Smitty: As a customer, I knew about the trouble lights, and I'd seen them go off in the past. I had never seen all of them go off at the same time. Rod Smith: I believe there were 27 all told, and there were incidents that didn't even prompt the trouble light, because nobody could get to a trouble light, because the club was that packed. Jay Smooth VO: Randy Hawkins worked the barricade in front of the stage for both shows. Randy Hawkins: There was three of us – four of us all in the barricade, and we had to stay there. Unless the situation was right in front of you on the floor, of which there were many, we did what we could from inside the barricade, but mostly the roaming security of people on the dance floor dealt with that stuff. And so it was like, it turned into a pretty serious us-against-them scenario, and like as far as security vs. the audience, which, you never want to get in that situation. But every time a door got opened, there'd be three people trying to bum-rush the show. But every time like a side door or anything got opened to let someone in, you had to have security at each one, basically just to defend the castle. It was kind of the same way with the barricade and every bar – just people trying to take everything they could take. Yeah. There was all sorts of, just grab whatever booze you could grab. Rod Smith: I encountered bartenders and bar backs crying back by the coolers, and that happened multiple times. The bar backs, because they'd been sucker-punched, and the bartender, because people kept I mean, there was some real ballers there, and they tipped really well, but then these wannabes would come along and steal the big tips that somebody else had just left. And it was so busy that it was impossible for the bartenders to really keep track of what was happening with their tips. Anne O'Connor: You know, we called the cops several times. We carted several people out to the cops. When you are in a fight at First Avenue, what ends up happening is you get surrounded by staff. Michaelangelo Matos: Quickly. Anne O'Connor: Quickly. And so, you know like, there's nowhere to go. Jay Smooth VO: But the cops weren't particularly soothing that night, or any other. In fact, just the night before, on March 3, 1991, a Los Angeles motorist named Rodney King was pulled over and beaten mercilessly by the LAPD. A man with a camcorder filmed the incident and sent it to a local TV news show. The Rodney King video wasn't yet national news when Ice Cube played First Avenue – that would be in a few days still. But for most people at the show, police brutality wasn't just something they heard about in rap songs – chances were, many of Ice Cube's fans knew someone it had happened to, if they hadn't experienced it personally. Anne O'Connor: What I would say is that there were a lot of valid reasons for being upset, and this was a place for them to have that upset, and sometimes that upset meant that they wanted to hurt someone. And so I'm not justifying the behavior or excusing it, but I'm just saying it was not a big surprise. When I say nobody got seriously hurt, I mean like broken bones or injuries that . . . Michaelangelo Matos: Hospital injuries. Anne O'Connor: Hospital injuries. It was a rough night. It was a rough scene. It was a very violent show, so I don't want to underplay that. Jay Smooth VO: Urban Lights owner Tim Wilson was in the audience that night – and he remembers seeing an opening group that included a rapper who would top the pop charts four years later. Tim Wilson: I remember a group called WC and the MAAD Circle, which was one of Ice Cube's groups – Dub-C who still tours with Cube. And Coolio was actually part of the group at that time. Crazy Toones was the DJ, which was Dub-C's brother. I remember they kept having sound problems. And they kept telling the sound guy, like, "Man you better fix this or we're gonna have a problem." And they would keep rapping, keep doing their thing, and then they would warn him again, and then the sound never changed. I think they warned him a third time. And honestly, what I remember is them jumping off the stage, breezing past us, and I remember – I never understood why First Ave set their soundboard – they had those steps that go down, and then they set their soundboard where, unfortunately, the way he kind of got jumped on, he ended up down in the crevice at the bottom of the stairs and where the soundboard started. And they were kicking him and hitting him until they got pulled off and back onto the stage. They just kind of shot past us and jumped on him. Then they jumped back onstage, and they kept rapping, and the sound man wiped the blood off his face and he just kept going. Jay Smooth VO: DJ Smitty, who couldn't get into the Sonic Youth concert last episode, did make it in the door for Ice Cube. He says the mood perked up when the headliner took the stage. DJ Smitty: People never talk about the fact [that] that was a great show. Ice Cube – I'd go see him again in a heartbeat. One of the best hip-hop shows I've ever seen. But a friend of mine did get close enough to the stage to see the set list and came back and said, "We're going. We're two songs away from the encore. Let's get out of here." And as we left, I had to hold the door open because they were stretchering someone out. [Ice Cube ft. Chuck D, "Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside) - Remix"] Rod Smith: Management lost control of the club, too. Everybody lost control of the club. Steve McClellan: All I know is it was hateful because you couldn't – you got 1,500 people in the room. You could have 50 security staff. You don't stand a chance. There was so many people ready to quit after some of these shows. Jay Smooth VO: Anne O'Connor was one of them. Anne O'Connor: I put my notice in shortly after the Ice Cube show. I remember thinking, that is the violence that I don't need to be a part of. And I love the club, I loved the people I worked with, it was a lot of fun, but that wasn't fun for me. Rod Smith: A lot of people were really bummed out. I had quit smoking eight months earlier, and I started again that night. The mood overall was, "We got through it." A few people were traumatized. Anne O'Connor: We were worn out. And it was hard. And I remember everyone feeling pretty rough at that point. It was pretty rough. Jay Smooth VO: The show also got First Avenue in trouble with the city, not for the first time. Steve McClellan: I had too many incidents where the police wouldn't respond when I would book gangsta rap. I used to go to monthly downtown – what do they call them? – downtown association meetings or something. Where I'd go and I'd sit, and when you went to these meetings, and if you were a nightclub, the fire department was there to tell you exactly what you do to keep your license. The police department would be there monthly and tell you exactly what you needed to do to keep your license. They were more like – "This meeting isn't to ask questions. We're the city and you're gonna do what we tell you." Jay Smooth VO: Despite the complaints about gangsta rap, the next First Ave show that'd see similar violence was a 1995 appearance by a singer-songwriter whose politics could not have been further removed from Ice Cube's. Randy Hawkins: There's a country singer – oh my god, what's his name? Outlaw country singer. David Allan Coe. At the time, that was show two that had as many problems as Ice Cube. That David Allan Coe show, I think it wasn't as well attended. I got probably there was probably 800 people there, and so I don't think we ever really lost control of it, but it was definitely getting there. I came in the next day and everybody was just, like, shell-shocked: "You will not believe what we were dealing with last night." Jay Smooth VO: Chris Riemenschneider, author and longtime music reporter at the Star Tribune, suggests that the Ice Cube show is remembered as a turning point. Chris Riemenschneider: The biggest myth about that show – well, I don't know if it's a myth, but I mean, supposedly that show was – hip-hop was not booked at the venue for many years after that show, because it got so ugly. And they generalized over, "Well, hip-hop audiences are bad news." Jay Smooth VO: When we asked Steve McClellan and LeeAnn Weimar whether First Avenue avoided hip-hop after Ice Cube, Steve said that he still booked rappers through agents he trusted. Steve McClellan: There was a lot of drug dealers that were trying to bring me shows, because they had connections with the agent, and they wanted to bring in a lot of these hip-hop acts. LeeAnn Weimar: Or they had beepers. Remember, they had beepers. Steve McClellan: I called them the beeper phone promoters. In the '90s, I stopped dealing with beeper phone promoters that had plenty of cash but no trust from me. Jay Smooth VO: Steve returned to this point several times throughout the interview, insisting that if there was a lapse in hip-hop shows, it was only because he didn't want to work with so-called "beeper phone promoters." Whatever the case, First Avenue generally avoided hip-hop until the late '90s, according to Chris Riemenschneider. Chris Riemenschneider: It really wasn't until Rhymesayers and Atmosphere came along and started packing the place that they started giving hip-hop a good chance there again. Jay Smooth VO: Nationally, hip-hop had been ebbing into the mainstream for years. In Minnesota, indie rap label Rhymesayers capitalized on that shift. In the late '90s, they started throwing Soundset Wednesdays, a series of hip-hop dance nights at First Avenue, and their audiences trended whiter and whiter. At the same time, First Avenue opened the gates to touring acts such as OutKast, Eminem, Public Enemy, and the Black Eyed Peas. ["Hive Sound" by Icetep fades up and plays for a few seconds] Cecilia Johnson VO: Ok, so this episode was a whopper. And I think the material of this episode is still so relevant today. At this point, I want to bring up an article that rocked Minnesota music in 2016. Like, I still remember, the day that it came out, reading it at my desk. It's the Twin Cities Daily Planet's piece "Whitest hip hop scene you've ever heard of," written by Kayla Steinberg, and it speaks directly to the aftershocks of the Ice Cube show. I'm just gonna read a few somewhat abridged sentences: Quote, "When out-of-state and mainstream media and fans refer to Twin Cities hip hop, Rhymesayers Entertainment is often their point of reference. The common faces of Rhymesayers include Brother Ali, an albino Muslim rapper who identifies as white, and Atmosphere, a duo of racially ambiguous, arguably white-passing, hip hop artists. However, to Toki Wright, a Black North Minneapolis rapper, these are just a couple faces of the Twin Cities hip hop scene. "I think the face of Twin Cities hip hop is a 14-year-old kid on the Northside of Minneapolis in his bedroom, making beats or writing rhymes," he said. "The face of Twin Cities hip hop is Lexii Alijai recording with Kehlani and the local press turning a blind eye to it. That's Twin Cities hip hop." Enquote. Later in the article, Black rapper MaLLy talks about his experience at the Rhymesayers 20th anniversary show in 2015. The way he remembers it, many audience members went from supportive, when white artist Brother Ali rapped his song "Dear Black Son," to apathetic when Toki Wright and I Self Devine, both Black rappers, proclaimed messages such as "eff the police" and "kill white supremacy" on stage. Some things haven't changed between '91 and now, but First Avenue [itself] has undergone a monumental shift, in the way they operate, what causes they stand for, and whose names are at the top. It's all covered in our next episode, which is about Election Day in 2004: the day First Avenue declared bankruptcy. This episode of The Current Rewind was hosted by the one and only Jay Smooth and me, Cecilia Johnson. It was produced by me and Jesse Wiza and scripted by our head writer, Michaelangelo Matos. Marisa Morseth is our research assistant, and Jay Gabler is our editor. Our theme music is the song "Hive Sound" by Icetep. This episode was mixed by Johnny Vince Evans. And I wanna give a super special thank-you to Rick Carlson, Shelby Sachs, David Safar, Pete Scholtes, and Chris Wilbourn for additional support. If you want to check out a transcript of this episode or any other one, you can go to TheCurrent.org/rewind. And if you feel so moved, you can go ahead and rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or tell a friend that it's out there. If you want to share any thoughts, feedback, or First Avenue stories, our inbox is open. You can just send an email to rewind@thecurrent.org. The Current Rewind is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. It is a production of Minnesota Public Radio's The Current. The Current Rewind goes to First Avenue

This week Vice beats is joined by Grieves, the talented MC and multi-instrumentalist who has crafted his own unique sound and narrative within hip hop. As part of the Rhymesayers family, Grieves has toured across continents, collaborated with a wide range of artists from Mr.Lif to Cunninlynguists and Too Many T's to name but a few. Recorded in late 2019, this episode is supporting Reclaim The Block (www.reclaimtheblock.org).As ever, Diggin' The Crates is brought to you by The Find, created by Vice beats and graphics by sicfilm.net #dtcpodcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Episode 60 is the 2nd installment of our indie hip-hop tribute. This time we're joined by Shawn J. Period, a major player in the indie movement. Shawn has given us with countless classics and we discuss each and every one of them. Only on TIP will you get to hear Shawn tell his story like this. We discuss his days on Big Beat, his first group Down South and his collabos with Mos Def, Heltah Skeltah, Bush Babees, Mad Skillz and The Artifacts. This is an XXL episode clocking in over 5 ½ hours of music and discussion. We got joints from Company Flow, Kool Keith, Mos Def, Blackalicous, Talib Kweli, Non Phixon, MF DOOM, J-Live, Aceyalone, Lootpack, Styles of Beyond, Wee Bee Foolish, The Arsonists, Eminem, People Under The Stairs, 7L & Esoteric, Jedi Mind Tricks, Natural Elements, Godfather Don, Buc Fifty, Defari, Juggaknots, Aesop Rock, Rasco, Royce Da 5'9, Pharoahe Monch, Common, Sir Menelik, Mr. Lif, Atmosphere and so much F*CKING MORE! We're talking 5 ½ hours of music, with over 100 tracks of quintessential indie era anthems. If you were all up on IRC, AOL or Prodigy chat, copped records at Fat Beats after a slice of Joe's Pizza, maybe ordered from Sandboxautomatic or Hiphopsite and repped labels like Fondle ‘Em, Rawkus, Def Jux, Stones Throw, Hydra, GuessWyld, Eastern Conference, ABB, Anticon, Hiero or Rhymesayers, then THIS episode is for your! Sincerely, The Take It Personal Crew www.takeitpersonalradio.com www.patreon.com/TakeItPersonal Follow us on Instagram @takeitpersonalradio

Episode 60 is the 2nd installment of our indie hip-hop tribute. This time we're joined by Shawn J. Period, a major player in the indie movement. Shawn has given us with countless classics and we discuss each and every one of them. Only on TIP will you get to hear Shawn tell his story like this. We discuss his days on Big Beat, his first group Down South and his collabos with Mos Def, Heltah Skeltah, Bush Babees, Mad Skillz and The Artifacts. This is an XXL episode clocking in over 5 ½ hours of music and discussion. We got joints from Company Flow, Kool Keith, Mos Def, Blackalicous, Talib Kweli, Non Phixon, MF DOOM, J-Live, Aceyalone, Lootpack, Styles of Beyond, Wee Bee Foolish, The Arsonists, Eminem, People Under The Stairs, 7L & Esoteric, Jedi Mind Tricks, Natural Elements, Godfather Don, Buc Fifty, Defari, Juggaknots, Aesop Rock, Rasco, Royce Da 5'9, Pharoahe Monch, Common, Sir Menelik, Mr. Lif, Atmosphere and so much F*CKING MORE! We're talking 5 ½ hours of music, with over 100 tracks of quintessential indie era anthems. If you were all up on IRC, AOL or Prodigy chat, copped records at Fat Beats after a slice of Joe's Pizza, maybe ordered from Sandboxautomatic or Hiphopsite and repped labels like Fondle ‘Em, Rawkus, Def Jux, Stones Throw, Hydra, GuessWyld, Eastern Conference, ABB, Anticon, Hiero or Rhymesayers, then THIS episode is for your! Sincerely, The Take It Personal Crew Be sure to follow us on Instagram @takeitpersonalradio for all the latest updates, giveaways and exclusives! www.takeitpersonalradio.com www.patreon.com/TakeItPersonal ​

This week we discuss the merits and lack there of in Stephen King and Dean Koontz' novels respectively, then we move on to movies. Bobby tells us about Mindy Kaling's new film "Late Night" and Aaron shares his thoughts about "Mary Queen of Scotts" with Saoirse Ronan & Margot Robbie. Then, we listen to songs from Bay Area Hip Hop group Six of Seven and Prof from Rhymesayers and finish off with another Facebook comment thread! The booze of the week is Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Like Us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whiskeyreel Follow Us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/whiskeyreel

Hip-hop legends and XXL freshmen. Indie rap nerds and kids from the 'burbs. Skaters, DJs, and tornado sirens. These are the main ingredients for Soundset, a Minnesota-based hip-hop festival that draws more than 30,000 people every year. In this episode of The Current Rewind, we find out how Soundset grew from a warehouse rave to, at one point, the biggest hip-hop festival in the country. Rhymesayers bosses Siddiq, J-Bird, and Slug of Atmosphere discuss their Soundset triumphs and fears. Plus, stories from Lizzo, Psalm One, DJ Spinderella, and more. Music sampled: Lazerbeak - "Winging It" Stock media provided by SplashStudio / Pond5

Brother Ali - Sensitive - a 2018 single on Rhymesayers.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evidence stopped by Take It Personal to discuss his new album Weather or Not. We get into his passion for photography to growing up with QDIII and Red Foo (LMFAO) as well as memories of making scrambled eggs with James “Sonny Corleone” Caan. We talk Rhymesayers, Kanye West, Dilated and Alchemist too. We find out if there another Step Brothers album in the works, who are his favorite producers of all-time and what's it really like working with DJ Premier. As an added bonus DJ 360 remixed Dilated Peoples "Marathon," which can be heard at the end of this interview. Thanks to Mr. Slow Flow and be sure to check out the latest album Weather or Not on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

On episode 23, we're joined by Evidence, who just released his 3rd album Weather or Not. We cover everything from his passion for photography to growing up with QDIII and Red Foo (LMFAO) as well as memories of making scrambled eggs with James “Sonny Corleone” Caan. We talk Rhymesayers, Kanye West, Dilated & Alchemist too. Is there another Step Brothers album in the works? Who are his favorite producers of all-time? What's DJ Premier like to work with? We got the answers Sway. We even play a game of 6 degrees of Evidence. In addition to a grip of Ev tracks, we have music from Apathy, Grand Analog, Skyzoo, Freddie Gibbs, J Dilla, A$AP Rocky, David Banner, Rapsody, Q-Tip, Kurious and Ghostface Killah. From all of us @ TIP, our hearts go out to all the family, friends and students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The gun control conversation has to be discussed all day, everyday until change is finally made. The future is ours!

Be sure to check us out on the Satchel Player! You can download the app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store to follow and support your favorite podcasts.Go to http://satchelplayer.com/ to check it out!You can now follow us on Twitter! @compbeatdownComprehensive Beatdown is back with episode 65. This week the guys check out “Fishing Blues,” the new album from Minneapolis hip hop group Atmosphere. “Fishing Blues” was released on August 12th by Rhymesayers.The intro music is from Theo Croker's new album “Escape Velocity.”http://www.rhymesayers.com/atmosphere/http://theocroker.com/album/escape-velocity/Send any questions/comments/suggestions to comprehensivebeatdown@gmail.comFollow us on Twitter! @compbeatdownLike us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/comprehensivebeatdownIf you want to keep up with an inordinate amount of new music, follow Silent G's 2016 Albums/EPs playlist on Spotify.https://open.spotify.com/user/garrad36/playlist/6nbyqZJoAA1JMrvzbDjjyPCheck out Bloggy Bonilla's website to see what he is enjoying day-to-day.http://keyb2lock.com/As always, follow http://dopemedianetwork.com/ and find the podcast on iTunes and leave a review.

WARNING: I recorded this interview on my phone due an SD card issue. The audio quality is dicey. The chat itself though? Awesome. Slug even recorded an intro for this one!On this episode of The Curator Podcast I spoke with legendary rapper, and one of the founders of Rhymesayers Records, Sean ‘Slug' Daley from Atmosphere. It was an interview that almost didn't happen.We all make mistakes, right? If I listen to some past episodes I can hear my mistakes quite clearly, but at least I recorded those interviews. I almost didn't get a chance to record this one.After a work trip to London, whereby I'd recorded some people talking at a conference, I arrived home and threw together last week's podcast (the one with B. Dolan). I then booked this interview with Slug, and I couldn't have been more excited.I rolled up to the venue on time and was led through The Garage's labyrinthine backstage area into a nice room with two couches massive leather couches and of course, Slug. I sat down, pulled out my microphone, the Zoom H6 recorder that I use for all of my recording and my headphones. I turned the recorder on and my heart sank: 'No SD Card Present'.In the last blog post I briefly chronicled my “hip hop journey". While it did indeed begin with ‘A Healthy Distrust' by Sage Francis in 2005, that year I also came across ‘You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having' by Atmosphere. So you could say that the tide turned for me after hearing those two records.I've been a fan of Atmosphere ever since, and talking to Slug was a momentous occasion for me (and hopefully for this podcast). So you can imagine how I felt when I realised that I had no SD card in my recorder.I told Slug about my stupidity and he suggested using my phone. I pulled out my iPad to check my questions only to find I had no mobile signal backstage and thus no way to access my questions…We looked through my iPad for the voice recorder app - it was conspicuous in its absence. In the end, we used my phone and I just did my best to try and remember all the questions I'd written down.The resulting interview is shorter than I'd have liked, but a lot of time was taking up by trying to find a solution to the various problems I had. Is it possible to look less professional than I did that day? It seems unlikely.In the end though, we had a cracking conversation that went in a couple of unexpected directions. We lingered a little more on Slug's creativity than I expected, which was ace. I had a bunch of questions about Rhymesayers that I just couldn't remember, yet the insights he gives are utterly fascinating and absolutely made the hassle worth it.Highlights include:*Getting more sleep on the road than at home*Rhmyesayers being 20 and how Slug doesn't really reflect on their legacy because he's so focused on what his community are doing*The search for the perfect song*How to know when you've written that perfect song and how close Atmosphere have come to it*Being more an introspective lyricist…*But also appearing to be even more introspective when writing about fictional characters like on ‘When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold'*The dichotomy of how being an artist who makes art for a living can be both fun and a curse because of how dependent people get on having to make art to make ends meet*Slug embraces that dependency as part of his relationship to music*“Just because people might like a song or two I've made has no bearing on how I see myself”*The importance of having passion*How passion and hunger has changed the longer Atmosphere have been doing this*Some Prince chat and the “genius” of Prince's Batman recordAfterwards Slug showed me out and he went to speak to the fans in the queue outside the venue. I've never saw an artist do that before whilst I've been in their company. It was very fucking cool. Slug is one of the nicest and most intelligent dudes I've interviewed on this podcast and I could have spoken to him for hours about his craft.And of course, later that night Atmosphere absolutely crushed it. I love seeing hip hop live, it's a concert experience unlike anything else.Maybe next time I'll chat to Ant. I hope you enjoy this episode.Featured MusicIntro: Voodoo Puppets – Electric Chair Blues (used under CC licence, you can check it out here).Atmosphere - Pour Me Another (Another Poor Me)Atmosphere - Fortune'Pour Me Another' can be found on the album You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having.'Fortune' is on the latest official Atmosphere album Southsiders. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.