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Charlie Taylor
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Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.304 - Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions - led by KRS-One - was an inventive group of the time, taking KRS' superior lyrical ability and combining it with production that was initially highly dynamic at first. With five albums, the death of Scott La Rock marring the history and plenty of lore, it makes for an iconic story in Hip-Hop history.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57)Ben:Drake x PARTYNEXTDOOR - $ome $exy $ongs 4 UWestside Gunn - 12Charlie: BNMO - The Eleventh HourAnthony Joseph - Rowing up River to Get Our Names BackBexBlu, Renelle 893 - THE B...
2025-02-18
1h 08
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.302 - Hip-Hop Neighbours, Vol. 13
For this Hip-Hop Neighbours we get into two 00s debut albums. One from Linkin Park, the band that successfully balanced the Hip-Hop infused Rock of the time and Amp Fiddler who quietly took all his experience (experience that made J Dilla into J Dilla) to make a solo debut decades after he started his music career.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:48)Ben:Madlib x MF DOOM - Madvillainy DemosThe Weeknd - Hurry Up TomorrowSpectacular Diagnostics - RAW GAMECharlie:Logic - Aquarius IIIJeshi - Airbag Woke Me Up Mac Miller - BalloonerismGhais G...
2025-02-04
57 min
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.299 - DITD Bites, Vol. 21
Allegedly - for our 21st edition of DITD Bites - we get into a reckoning that is long overdue for the music industry, off the back of Charlie's State of The Hip-Hop Union article: (Allegedly) Acknowledging that Sean Combs (allegedly) did some bad shit and we should endeavour to not prop up people like him. We also go on tangents (Allegedly) related to other people, Streaming, Social Media and Major Labels. (Allegedly)Our Bad Boy Episode (Pt. 1)Our Bad Boy Episode (Pt. 2)TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59)Ben:Bad...
2025-01-14
1h 12
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.298 - Contemporary Cool, Vol. 15
Happy New Year! We kick-off 2025 as we like to do, by talking about our favourite albums from the year that passed. Our Top 2 Albums of 2024.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:17)Ben:Lil Baby - WHAMConsequence - Movies on DemandCharlie:Hermanos Gutiérrez - Sonido CósmicoKonkolo Orchestra - Future PastsCharlie's No. 2 - (5:26)Ben's No. 2 - (28:03)Charlie's No. 1 - (51:58)Ben's No. 1 - (1:04:27) Lighter Note - (1:20:32)Spin Charlie's Top 10 of his Top 30 Albums of 2024. Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for al...
2025-01-07
1h 31
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.291 - Contemporary Cool Vol. 14
It's time for another Contemporary Cool in which Ben makes a YouTube video with his pick of Ab-Soul's "HERBERT" and Charlie gives love to Garage with DJ Spoony-led "Garage Classical".TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57)Ben:Ab-Soul - Soul BurgerASAP Ferg - DAROLDReal Boston Richey - Richey RichNatty - The Divine TrinityCharlie:Common Saints - Cinema 3000Joshua Idehen - Mum Does The WashingNectar Woode - Head Above WaterVibbar - Gyal ThoughtsMark Kavuma & The Banger Factory - Magnum OpusAb-Soul - Soul BurgerHERBERT - (11:39)Garage Classical - (44:26)Lighter Note...
2024-11-12
1h 17
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.271 - 2 Live Crew
The story of 2 Live Crew is one of response. Response to reactionary pearl-clutching over their work which dared to talk out *checks notes* eating ass, among other things. This lead 2 Live Crew to lean all the way into being the flagbearers of the Miami Bass subgenre whilst getting everybody to free up their sexual inhibitions.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:54)Ben:da beatminerz - Stifled CreativityCharlie:John Glacier - Duppy GunCJ Fly - baitedCJ Fly & NasteeLuvzYou - thePhaRaOh'S return 2: NUBIA SuperJazz Club - MONOCHROME RADIOMaeta - Endless NightKaelin Ellis - You A...
2024-06-25
1h 30
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.262 - Hip-Hop Neighbours, Vol. 11
For this Hip-Hop Neighbours - linked to our Ice-T exploration - we cover the self-titled album Body Count and we also get into the first album from the UK based collective SAULT: "5".TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57)Ben:Backwood Sweetie - Burn OneBerner - The Farmer's MarketGangrene - Heads I Win, Tails You LoseHus KingPin - In a State of NirvanaBaby Rose x BADBADNOTGOOD - Slow BurnTaylor Swift - Tortured Poets DeptartmentCharlie:Oscar #Worldpeace - Mum, Pray for Your SonSwank & King Draft - Vice CityBlue Lab Beats - Blue Eclipse...
2024-04-23
1h 00
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.247 - Contemporary Cool, Vol. 12
Happy New Year one and all! We hope that your year is full of progression, growth and 52 episodes of DITD! But before we go forward, we look back one more time to 2023, talking about our Top 2 albums of 2023.Ben's No.2 - (3:25)Charlie's No. 2 - (26:20)Ben's No. 1 - (39:08)Charlie's No. 1 - (1:00:11) Lighter Note - (1:11:27)Charlie's Top 10 Albums of 2023 Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved.Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Music for the right to use)
2024-01-02
1h 22
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.221 - Tambo & Bones Interview
In a change of pace from usual DITD proceedings, Charlie was invited to see a play in Theatre Royal Stratford East called "Tambo & Bones", written by West Philly's own Dave Harris.And as you can imagine from the episode title, Charlie was also given the opportunity to interview the director and lead actors of the show. In an episode that's split into two: the 1st half is a one-on-one with director Matthew Xia and the 2nd half involving Xia; actors Rhashan Stone and Daniel Ward.On top of this, if you'd like to see "Tambo...
2023-07-05
1h 03
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.219 - DITD Bites, Vol. 18
On the 18th edition of DITD Bites: Tyler, The Creator hopped on Rap Radar recently and made some interesting quotes that we wanted to unpack. So we do that, getting into his beef with playlists, "Rap Twitter" and his past work.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Marquis Hill - Rituals + RoutinesCharlie Smarts & DJ Ill Digitz - CharlietapeHit-Boy & Big Hit - SURF OR DROWN 2Statik Selektah - Round TripJamal Gasol & Vic Spencer - The Right Way For DummiesKiller Mike - MICHAELHannah Jadagu - ApertureHempress Sativa - CHARKA PHABO - Don't Get Too C...
2023-06-20
1h 16
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.212 - DITD Bites, Vol. 17
For the 17th edition of DITD Bites we get into the AI Music debate and the concept of Video Essays/Documentaries, asking WHY do people like Trap Lore Ross make the videos they make.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:35) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Aaron Taylor - HAVE A NICE DAY!Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Lonnie Liston Smith - Lonnie Liston Smith JID017Nines - Crop Circle 2G Herbo - Strictly 4 My fans 2Tee Grizzley x Skilla Baby - ControversyDave East - Book of David DeluxeFlee Lord x Crisis - 2-3 ZoneR-Mean x Scott Storch...
2023-05-02
1h 16
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.200 - "Rapper" or "Artist"
Off the back of Lil Yachty's new album, he made a comment about "wanting to be seen as an artist". This led to responses like this. We broke down the multi-layered conversation that is decades old and spans genres: Labels, eras, the leaders of said eras and what happens when they do something different. 200 episodes without missing a drop, thanks for being on this journey with us.Charlie's 2018 piece on the subject.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:16) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)K.Keed - Tx3 II (EP)Evil Needle & Misha...
2023-02-07
1h 20
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.185 - #UKBHM 2022: Estelle
To finish our #UKBHM miniseries for another year, we look at an artist in Estelle with realised talent early on, a truly timeless song in her discography - but looking past that - has a truly fascinating discography and career arc that, at this moment in time, feels like a satisfying full circle.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:02) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Snoop Dogg & DJ Drama - Gangsta Grillz: I Still Got ItYoungBoy & DJ Drama - Ma I Got a FamilyJeezy & DJ Drama - SnofallTaylor Swift - MidnightsAwon & Soul.Dope.95 - Infinite WisdomPhotay & Carlos Nino...
2022-10-25
1h 33
In Search Of Sauce
Ep.57 - "Passion Economy", Kelela & Gangster's Paradise
On this episode of ISOS: Host Brandon brings a piece on the "Creator Economy" and how it's turning into a new rat race. Tyler brings a piece on the return of Kelela; and Charlie brings an oral history of Coolio's "Gangster's Paradise".ARTICLES & TIMESTAMPS:Brandon's Pick - (7:28) "The Rosy ‘Creator Economy’ Is Music’s Biggest Lie" By Tim InghamTyler's Pick - (31:59) "Grounded: the revival of Kelela" By Amber J PhillipsCharlie's Pick - (47:40) "How Gangsta's Paradise changed the course of hip-hop" By Mark SavageThanks for listening! Be sure to help supp...
2022-10-12
1h 02
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.180 - Main Source
Even though Main Source only lasted officially for five years - with two albums dropped - they certainly made their imprint in Hip-Hop history within that half decade; most notably, the album "Breaking Atoms" & the track "Live At The Barbecue".TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Vic Spencer x August Fanon - Psychological Cheat Sheet 3Nasty C - Ivyson Army Tour MixtapeGhais Guevara - Good Eats! (Beat Tape)DJ Drama x Symba - Results Take TimeJenevieve - RendezvousBlood Orange - Four SongsDevin Morrison - Dream Lobby Vol. 1Braxton Cook...
2022-09-20
1h 16
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.179 - DITD Bites, Vol. 15
On the 15th edition of DITD Bites, we get into the world of morals & ethics in Journalism and a special conversation of wider media and the response to the death of The Queen.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:55) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Yeat - LyfeNAV - Demons protected by AngelsYoungBoy - Realer 238 Spesh - 7 ShotsBlack Soprano Family - Long Live DJ ShayCappadonna x Stu Bangas - 3rd Chamber Grail BarsSemiratruth & JWords - loading...A-F-R-O - Beatz From Da FRO Vault (Vol. II)C.S. Armstrong - THE DAMASCUS LPAri Lennox - Away MessageAri Lennox...
2022-09-13
1h 26
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.178 - Hip-Hop Neighbours, Vol. 4
It's time for another edition of Hip-Hop Neighbours where we talk about non-Hip-Hop works that Hip-Hop fans love regardless. For this volume, we talk about the works of Tame Impala & KAYTRANADA.Weekly Music Roundup - (1:10) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Pi’erre Bourne - Good MovieFrancesca Wexler - Cherry Fields ForeverYah-Rah - The Queen’s GambitBIGBABYGUCCI - SUMMER OF REVENGEMadlib, MED, LMD - Flying HighKenny Beats - Louieklwn cat - Panther vol. 2Nejma Nefertiti - Tongue FUSnoop Dogg - Metaverse: The NFT Drop, Vol. 2Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese & Esperanza Spalding - Live At The Detr...
2022-09-06
1h 12
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.177 - Hilltop Hoods
It's time to explore the world of Hip-Hop in Australia and there's no better place to look than the most popular Hip-Hop act in Australia. Hilltop Hoods, a trio that needed a bank loan to fund their first album, to sold out tours and platinum plaques aplenty. But there's much more to see under the surface. Or... Maybe not.TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:22) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)JID - The Forever StoryDJ KHALED - GOD DIDRoc Marciano x Alchemist - Elephant Man's BonesRapper Big Pooh - To Dream In ColourMystic - Dreaming In Cursive: T...
2022-08-30
1h 26
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.176 - Shabazz Palaces
If you were on a desert island and you had one artist's discography to spin, who would you pick? If you said your favourite artist, then sure. But think about a Shabazz Palaces where the music is so layered & diverse, you will be guaranteed to hear something different every time you spin.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:13) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Hot Chip - Freakout / ReleaseRoyksoppp - Profound MysteriesMonday Mix Vol. 1Vacatixn - East River DriveIndia Shawn - BEFORE WE GO (DEEPER)Larry June - Spaceships on the BladeTopic Intro/Ben's Research House...
2022-08-23
1h 09
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.175 - Camp Lo
If you ever need a story of resilience, look no further than the career arc of Camp Lo; who began with a classic debut, chose to go independent, have their work suffer because of it and at their lowest point, rise again with their best work since their debut. All in a space of 25+ years.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:26) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Megan Thee Stallion - TraumazineYour Old Droog - Yodney DangerfieldBlack Thought & Danger Mouse - Cheat CodesThe Game - DrillmaticRod Wave - Beautiful MindJFlames - The Beats With No Genre Album...
2022-08-16
1h 29
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.174 - DITD Bites, Vol. 14
We get into another Bites where we talk about goings on in the Hip-Hop/music world. For this one we get into the Beyonce/Kelis/Neptunes sample controversy and looking into The Notorious B1, an artist from back in the day that claims The Notorious B.I.G. stole his iconic hit "Juicy".TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Nezi Momodu - The PoundCalvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2Bobby Shmurda - BodBoyLeeV & Bobby Oh’Killum - The Grim Adventures of Leev Low End Activist - Hostile UtopiaKarlae - ENTERMurs - Mur...
2022-08-09
1h 29
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.173 - Contemporary Cool, Vol. 8
In Volume 8 of Contemporary Cool: We look at the works of Rico Nasty, Megan Thee Stallion, Curren$y & The Alchemist and Kojey Radical.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:53) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Beyoncé - RENAISSANCEWiz Khalifa - MultiverseLava La Rue - Hi-FidelityJoe Armon-Jones & Mala - A Way BackJazz Spastiks - IntomentalNasty - (12:22)Tina Snow - (30:58)Covert Coup - (41:46)Reason to Smile - (55:14)Lighter Note - (1:10:30)Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!
2022-08-02
1h 17
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.172 - N*E*R*D
It is a tale as old as time. When you're as experimental as an N*E*R*D that simply refused to be labelled and went out of their way to be different; sometimes, it just doesn't hit. But when it hits... It HITS.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Joey Bada$$ - 2000RZA - Bobby Digital and the Pit of SnakesRico Nasty - Las RuinasAsian Doll - Let’s Do a DrillFlo Milli - You Still Here, Ho?Shae Universe - UnorthodoxTopic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:17) In Se...
2022-07-26
1h 34
In Search Of Sauce
Ep.53 - NOT THE TWOS, Kid Cudi & "No Fear of Time"
On this episode of ISOS: Miki brings an interview for recent Kendrick co-signee, NOT THE TWOS, Jashima brings a news piece on Kid Cudi changing artwork for his re-release of "A Kid Named Cudi", and Charlie brings a semi-review of Black Star's "No Fear of Time" that morphs into a love letter to RSS.ARTICLES & TIMESTAMPS:Miki's Pick - (7:35) "Meet NOT THE TWOS, The Artist Whose Debut Single Landed on Kendrick Lamar’s New Album" By Brenton BlanchetJashima's Pick - (26:47) "Kid Cudi Calls Fan ‘Bogus’ for Saying Original A Kid Named Cudi Artwork Is Bet...
2022-07-20
1h 14
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.171 - The Neptunes
One of the most prolific names in Hip-Hop production, The Neptunes: Pharrell Williams & Chad Hugo, could work with anybody in the mainstream and somehow make it a bop. They are responsible for birthing careers, revitalising careers and epitomise why the 00s were fucking weird.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:18) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Lizzo - SpecialSteve Lacy - Gemini Rights Lloyd banks - The Course of the Inevitable 2Rowdy rebel - Rowdy Vs RebelDJ Premier - Hip Hop 50, Vol. 1Che Noir - Poetic Sounds (Live)Jaszy Shavers & Tavaras Jordan - Carolina SoulVic Spencer & Small Professor...
2022-07-19
1h 15
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.170 - Mid Year Report '22
Half the year has gone by. Time flies when you're having fun, but then we start thinking about social media and then get sad. But whilst we admittedly get bogged down on that, we do recap the year so far with our favourite songs, albums we're looking forward to and why Griselda doesn't feel like Griselda anymore.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:25) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Zola Jesus - ArkhonBurna Boy - Love, DaminiRegina Spektor - Home, before and afterBrent Faiyaz - WastelandWestside Gunn - PEACE “FLY” GODFLO - The LeadCristale - What It's Like To B...
2022-07-12
1h 37
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.169 - Evidence
Since the 90s, Evidence has been steadily building one of the most consistent careers in Hip-Hop history. Whether it's in a group, duo or solo, Evidence always manages to produce solid work, with his production chops gradually getting better & better.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:08) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Moor Mother - Jazz CodesPage Kennedy - Front PageCrimeapple x DJ Skizz - BreakfastPlanet Asia - Medallions MonarchyLaLion - Berries Vol. 1Sad Frosty - sandboxLil B - FrozenMwanje - SeasonsKing Yanz - Out of OrderBig Ghost Ltd & Conway The Machine - What Has Been Blessed Cannot...
2022-07-05
1h 20
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.168 - Dilated Peoples
One of the more satisfying retrospectives, Dilated Peoples - consisting of DJ Babu, Evidence & Rakaa Iriscience - have one of the most consistent discographies in Hip-Hop history. Along with a strong foundation in artistic principles, it makes DP not just an essential listen for Hip-Hop fans, but an enjoyable one.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Lupe Fiasco - DRILL MUSIC IN ZIONAnonymuz - ANAGORoddy Ricch - The Big 3Money Man - Money ManJI the Prince of NY - Young & Restless Vol. 1French Montana x Harry Fraud - MontegaPatty Honcho x Numbz...
2022-06-28
1h 21
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.167 - Cappadonna: The Book Of Wu - Chapter 6
We continue our "Book Of Wu" series with the large solo discography of the 10th member of the Clan, Cappadonna, whose story and place within the Clan gives a lot more for conversation than his discography does. TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:33) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Drake - Honestly, NevermindLogic - Vinyl DaysJWords - DancePackVol.3Yaya Bey - Remember Your North StarWESTSIDE BOOGIE - MORE BLACK SUPERHEROESSnoop Dogg Presents Death Row Summer 2022Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (18:40) The Pillage - (37:06)The Yin and the Yang - (41:01)The Struggle & The Cappatilize...
2022-06-21
1h 26
In Search Of Sauce
Ep.50 - Newsletters, UK Rap & The Eminem Show
On this episode of ISOS: Host Brandon brings a shining example of how to do a newsletter. Charlie brings an essay on the current UK Rap landscape. And Miki brings a retrospective on Eminem's "The Eminem Show" as it turns 20.ARTICLES & TIMESTAMPS:Brandon's Pick - (5:38) "#136: Decadence And Disenchantment" By Todd L. BurnsCharlie's Pick - (22:06) "Amid a rash of cheesy samples, is UK rap running out of ideas?" By Will PritchardMiki's Pick - (39:43) "On The Eminem Show, The Rapper Sharply Skewered Society — But Lost Sight Of Himself" By Paul Thompson...
2022-06-08
1h 01
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.165 - Hip-Hop Neighbours, Vol. 3
For this edition of Hip-Hop Neighbours, we explore two bands with connective tissue to Hip-Hop in one way or another: Rage Against The Machine & Red Hot Chili Peppers.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Post Malone - 12 Carat Toothache070 Shake - You Can't Kill Me CyHi - EGOTOgi - Monologues (EP)MC Ren - OsiriAlex Isley & Jack Dine - MarigoldSamm Henshaw - Untidy SoulMoonchild - StarfruitJazz Playaz - Nostalgic VacationAmber Mark - Three Dimensions DeepJeshi - Universal CreditBlood Sugar Sex Magic - (22:06)Rage Against The Machine - (40:54) Lighter N...
2022-06-07
1h 16
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.164 - Kendrick Lamar, Part. 3
We finish our three-part retrospective of Kendrick Lamar with a dialogue on his latest album "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers", looking at the body of work from multiple angles and detailing it's unique place in music history.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:01) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Jim Jones & Maino - The Lobby BoyzRick Hyde - StimaKamaiyah - Divine TimingJ Rawls - #jazzhop The conversation - (7:04) Lighter Note - (1:20:44)Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!
2022-05-31
1h 28
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.163 - Kendrick Lamar, Part. 2
We continue our retrospective on Kendrick Lamar, talking about his album run from "Section. 80" to "DAMN." with a challenge to say things about the albums that we haven't already.TIMESTMAPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:21) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Flume - PalacesMarlon Craft - While We’re HereBlaq Chidori x Numbz - EntertainmentBoldy James - Kill NothingLatanya Alberto - Home (EP)Asher D - Test The Walters (EP)Rachel Chinouriri - Better Off Without (EP)Cat Burns - Emotionally Unavailable (EP)Dreezy & Hit-Boy - HITGIRLDaniel Villarreal - Panama 77Wais P & Pete Twist - Hans Gruber (EP)Sn...
2022-05-24
1h 41
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.162 - Kendrick Lamar, Part. 1
With the landmark release of his last album under the label that helped take him to the highest of music heights and his future looking fascinatingly uncertain, we begin a three-part retrospective on Kendrick Lamar. Beginning, at the beginning and looking at the music he made before he even became "Kendrick Lamar".TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:29) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Yasin Toure - PUMABlac Youngsta - 4LifeLeikeli47 - Shape UpOnyx - Onyx Versus EverybodyMysie - joyride (EP)Tank And The Bangas - Red BalloonRicki Monique - GOOD SEEDS (EP)Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale...
2022-05-17
1h 39
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.161 - Contemporary Cool, Vol. 7
It's time for another Contemporary Cool and for this one, we get into projects by Add-2, Noname, A$AP Ferg & K.A.A.N.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (0:56) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Jack Harlow - Come Home the Kids Miss YouBloc Party - Alpha GamesArcade Fire - WeIDK - SimpleChyna Streetz - HourglassAshs The Best - 1995 (EP)Otis Mensah - things I should have said a year ago (EP)Black Star - No Fear of Timesiegfried komidashi - MOONWALKER AQUARIUS (EP)siegfried komidashi - three alpha yankee ! (EP)Nejma Nefertiti - Jayne Wayne The...
2022-05-10
1h 29
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.160 - Masta Killa: The Book Of Wu - Chapter 5
Masta Killa is the most mysterious member of the legendary group. Whilst most of the group went to major labels, MK went independent, took the longest to drop his debut solo album and hasn't got a bad album in his discography! So what's the deal with the man whose first ever raps might be the greatest "first raps" ever heard on wax?TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:19) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard - Omnium GatherumRansom - No Rest For The WickedAction Bronson - COCODRILLO TURBOFuture - I NEVER LIKED YOUCanibus...
2022-05-03
1h 29
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.159 - Hip-Hop Neighbours, Vol. 2
In a low-key iconic* episode of DITD, we do another Volume of Hip-Hop Neighbours, (which is mistakenly called by a former name throughout the episode) going off our mini-convo about Calvin Harris last week. This pretty much goes off the rails immediately, turning into a heated debate about Harris' discography. So for those that love the rare moments we debate, here you go.*This episode officially costs $100AUD. Tune in to find out why.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:48) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Fredo Bang - Two Face Bang 27xvethegenius - Self7xve 2 r...
2022-04-26
1h 35
In Search Of Sauce
Ep.47 - Festival Posters, Eco-Vinyl & Clickbait?
On this episode of ISOS: Ryan brings a piece on Festival posters and the politics of space on them amongst artists. Host Charlie brings a piece on the concept of "Eco-Vinyl". And Elliot goes meta and brings a piece on the recent Rocky-Rihanna break up rumours.ARTICLES & TIMESTAMPS:Ryan's Pick - (2:01) "Size Matters: Inside the Politics of Festival Posters" By Ben LindberghCharlie's Pick - (23:07) "Addicted To Plastic? Eco-Vinyl And The Impact Of Our Listening Habits" by Jono PodmoreElliot's Pick - (45:34) "Why Did Everyone Think Rihanna and A$AP Rocky Broke...
2022-04-20
1h 05
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.158 - Black Star
With the long-awaited 2nd Black Star album on the horizon, we thought it would be a good opportunity to look back at the first album and how Talib Kweli and then named Mos Def managed to produce one of the crown jewels of Hip-Hop.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:23) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Wet Leg - Wet LegSwedish House Mafia - Paradise AgainTee Grizzley - Half Tee Half BeastJas Kayser - Jas 5ive (EP)Mensing & Vacatixn - Thelonious Monks (EP)Halfpenny - ChapterBas - [BUMP] Pick Me Up (EP)Richard Spaven - Spirit Beats (EP)P...
2022-04-19
1h 38
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.157 - DITD 3rd Anniversary Special
On the 11th of April 2019, we began this little Hip-Hop centred Podcast. And whilst we have evolved from what we initially sought it to be, we have not missed a week since. For this anniversary special, we reflect on the three years, the past year, participate in a questionnaire so you guys can get to know us on a more personal level and we finish with a game we tried out last year with a great result: Deadpan Recital.Whether this is your first spin or 157th, we thank you. - Charlie.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly...
2022-04-12
2h 15
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.156 - DITD Bites, Vol. 13
On this episode of DITD: Our 13th edition of DITD Bites. Talking about the future of Hip-Hop, why DJ Drama is a legend & DJ Khaled is, DJ Khaled. And our three favourite music scenes going on right now.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (2:16) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Red Hot Chilli Peppers - who caresDreavmille - D-DayBlaq Chidori & Ayo Shamir - Journey into MysteryC-Scripture - 'kɒŋkwɛst IISunni Colón - JúJú & The FlowerbugPete Rock - Petestrumentals 4 Murs - Murs In Miami (EP)Ol' Burger Beats - LoftAge and the future of Hip-Hop...
2022-04-05
1h 29
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.155 - Women's History Month '22 - Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown was one the rawest talents ever seen in Hip-Hop. Who else could do Mafioso bars, luxury bars & sexual bars? Her three official albums deserve praise but it can't be overlooked how short her peak actually was when it could've been so much more. TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:27) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Latto - 777Sonic Youth - In Out InKoffee - GiftedNigo - I Know Nigo!Treasure Bloom - Nostalgia (EP)Phife Dawg - ForeverCoast Contra - Apt. 505p-rallel - Forward (EP)Fana Hues - flora + fanaBuddy - Superghettofat jon - Plaything: Cipher D...
2022-03-29
1h 26
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.154 - Women's History Month '22 - Yo-Yo
In a modern context, it's hard to find the entirety of Yo-Yo's music. You won't even find her name in the Wikipedia "list of people from Compton, California" even though she was one of the first females from the West Coast to be a rapper of note, pushing lyrics rooted in Womanism. And it's because of these facts and more that we cover the likes of Yo-Yo.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:11) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Bladee x Ecco2k - CrestAustin Skinner - WhereimatSy Ari Da Kid - Shadow in the ShadeBIGBABYGUCCI - Iridescence Eg...
2022-03-22
1h 19
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.153 - Women's History Month '22 - Lil' Kim
The story of Lil' Kim is one of the most rinsed in Hip-Hop history. But somehow, there is always something to discover when it comes to the story of Kim and especially when it comes to her music.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:46) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)Dave East - HDIGHBenny The Butcher - Tana Talk 4Kid Abstrakt - Higher Vibration (EP)The Other Guys - Winter In Analog: Season 3Elzhi & Georgia Anne Muldrow - ZhigeistA. Billi Free & The Lasso - Holy Body RollK.A.A.N. & Dem Jointz - Mission HillzLucky Daye - Candydrip
2022-03-15
1h 32
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.152 - Women's History Month '22 - The Real Roxanne
The story of The Real Roxanne is forever attached to the subject of the last episode, but for someone that was brought into a beef of somebody's design, we got two very good albums out of it. And that alone deserves it's own dive.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:21) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)King Von - What it Means to be KingDaBaby & YoungBoy - BETTER THAN YOUBlaQ Chidori - White MelodiesXV & Mike Summers - WINTER WOLVES Jordan Rakei - BruisesRZA & DJ Scratch - Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu TheaterKojey Radical - Reason To SmileTopic I...
2022-03-08
1h 11
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.151 - Women's History Month '22 - Roxanne Shanté
The career and life of Roxanne Shanté is a microcosm of being a female. You're talented, you're confident and you get punished for it every step of the way. For the first of five retrospectives on females in Hip-Hop during Women's History Month, we look at Shanté, the first woman in Hip-Hop to pop off.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:56) (Italics = Ben / Bold = Charlie / Bold & Italics = Both)EARTHGANG - GHETTO GODSKRS-ONE - I M A M C R U 1 2Jynx716 & Che Noir - Careful What You Wish ForYard Act - The OverloadCJ Fly - the Ph...
2022-03-01
1h 29
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.148 - DITD Bites, Vol. 12
We're back with Vol. 12 of DITD Bites. Two topics today that are close to each other. Firstly, off the back of our Lighter Note on Joe Rogan, Ben tackles the Spotify side of the story. And Charlie asks the question "is old music killing new music?".TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:19)Rogan/Spotify - (18:03)Old Vs New Music - (49:12)Lighter Note - (1:20:13) Articles featured in the episode:"Spotify vs Musicians: 10 things to read to better understand the debate" By Stuart DredgeMRC/Billboard End Of Year Report (PDF)"...
2022-02-08
1h 28
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.143 - Contemporary Cool, Vol. 6
Happy New Year one and all! We kick off the New Year by taking one more quick look back at 2021 and talking about our two favourite albums of '21.TIMESTAMPS:Planet Her - (10:21)Pink Noise - (25:45)We're All Alone In This Together - (37:59)Sometimes I Might Be Introvert - (1:00:53)Lighter Note - (1:18:56)Additional reading - Charlie's Top 10 Albums of 2021 Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!Music - "Pizza And Video...
2022-01-04
1h 28
In Search Of Sauce
Ep.38 - Maxo Kream, Olivia Rodrigo & "Morning View"
On this episode of ISOS: Brandon brings a piece on Maxo Kream behind his new album drop "Weight of the World". Host Charlie brings a piece on Olivia Rodigo and her historical connection to Classical music. And Miki brings a retrospective on Incubus' "Morning View" turning 20.ARTICLES & TIMESTAMPS:Brandon's Pick: (4:54) "On 'Weight of the World,' Maxo Kream's world expands amid personal tragedy" By Christina LeeCharlie's Pick: (20:03) "‘Nothing in music is ever new’ says Olivia Rodrigo. And all these classical composers would agree." By Sophia Alexandra HallMiki's Pick: (37:46) "'Morning View' Turns 20" by Rach...
2021-11-10
1h 02
In Search Of Sauce
Ep.37 - The Streaming Boom, Ka & Adele
On this episode of ISOS. Charlie brings stats on the current Streaming landscape. Ryan brings a piece on the introverted Ka. And Tyler brings the deep dive profile on Adele.ARTICLES & TIMESTAMPS:Charlie's Pick - (2:02) "‘Odds are against you’: the problem with the music streaming boom" By Mark SweneyRyan's Pick - (25:41) "The Last Underground Rapper" By Sheldon PearceTyler's Pick - (44:37) "Adele, Reborn: The British Icon Gets Candid About Divorce, Body Image, Romance & Her “Self-Redemption” Record" By Giles HattersleyThanks for listening! Be sure to help support the show by sharing, rating...
2021-10-20
1h 04
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.122 - Contemporary Cool, Vol. 4
It's time for Vol. 4 of "Contemporary Cool". A wide range for this one. Ben picks two albums that go over an hour, whilst Charlie picks two projects that are 20 minutes combined. But there's more to these projects than just how long they are...TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:15)Whack World - (18:15)Dirty Gold - (32:17)1 Minute Of Your Time - (50:51)Top 5 Dead Or Alive - (1:00:34)Lighter Note - (1:18:02)Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!
2021-08-10
1h 33
In Search Of Sauce
Ep.32 - Whitney Houston, SAULT & Album Lengths
On this episode of ISOS: Host Charlie brings in a piece on Whitney Houston's relationship with America. Miki brings a review on SAULT's new album "NINE". (Fun Fact: As of the day of this episode dropping, you have 66 days to spin until it leaves DSP's) And Brandon brings in a conversation starter about why albums are so damn bloated.ARTICLES & TIMESTAMPS:Charlie's Pick - (7:55) "Whitney Houston, American girl" By Constance GradyMiki's Pick - (26:36) "SAULT: NINE Album Review" By Tarisai Ngangura Brandon's Pick - (41:24) "Albums Are Getting Too Long" By Jessica McKinney
2021-07-28
1h 08
Right State of Mind
11. The Stories We Tell Ourselves
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. We create narratives to move us into and through the moments of life. Based on our previous experiences, this can have a negative or positive impact on our lives. In this episode, I'm joined by Audrey Broyles to discuss how to master the stories we tell ourselves. Stay Connected: Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it...
2021-07-14
39 min
Right State of Mind
10. The Power of Perspective
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. We all face challenges and obstacles on a daily basis. Some greater than others. Our attitude and perspective towards those challenges and obstacles play a significant role in our outcomes. This week, I'm joined by Tyler Ratterree, who shares his biggest challenge and how his attitude and perspective have helped him through it. Stay Connected: Is there...
2021-06-30
47 min
Right State of Mind
9. Dating Series Finale
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. In today's world, the experience of dating looks a lot different, and there are many more things to consider. This week, we wrap up our dating series with Gabriella Avellone, Allison Kiser, Camille Henderson, Phanes Barno, and Andrew Kohler. We discuss our takeaways from the previous two episodes, things we learned, and ways we can apply those things moving forward.
2021-06-23
31 min
Right State of Mind
8. Dating Series - The Male Perspective
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. In today's world, the experience of dating looks a lot different and there are many more things to consider. Last week we heard the female perspective on dating. This week, I'm joined by Phanes Barno and Andrew Kohler to hear the male perspective. We also discuss how dating has changed during the pandemic, the different ways people date in today's world, and much more...
2021-06-16
1h 01
Right State of Mind
7. Dating Series - The Female Perspective
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. In today's world, the experience of dating looks a lot different and there are many more things to consider. To help discuss what that looks like, I'm joined by Allison Kiser, Gabriella Avellone, and Camille Henderson. We discuss how dating has changed during the pandemic, the different ways people date in today's world, and much more. Stay Connected:
2021-06-09
51 min
Right State of Mind
6. Boundaries 101
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. Boundaries are the cornerstone of mental health. Personal boundaries are the limits and rules we set for ourselves within relationships. These boundaries should be based on values or the things that are important to you. This week, I'm joined by Sarah Cooper, to discuss the importance of setting boundaries in our lives. We also take a look at what it looks like to begin...
2021-06-02
31 min
Right State of Mind
5. Overcoming Adversity
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. Life is full of tough challenges. Facing adversity can either make or break you. This week, I'm joined by Mackenzie Johnson, who embodies the meaning of overcoming adversity. On November 5, 2016, Mackenzie had a life-changing event that left him paralyzed. His life was turned upside down in an instant. Take a listen to how he changed his outlook on his circumstances in life.
2021-05-19
38 min
Right State of Mind
4. Children of Divorce
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. Unfortunately, divorce is common in today's society. It can change life as you know it for all parties involved. Divorce creates emotional turmoil for the entire family, but for kids, the situation can be quite scary, confusing, and frustrating. This week my younger brother, Letrey Taylor, joins the show to discuss the difficulties of experiencing divorce as a child and ways to navigate through...
2021-05-12
47 min
Right State of Mind
3. The Cycle of Addiction
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. Addiction is a complex condition, a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences. Addiction takes its toll on not only the individual but also the people around them. This week, I'm joined by Jason Alderman to discuss the vicious cycle of addiction and ways to break that cycle. Stay Connected:
2021-05-05
33 min
Right State of Mind
2. Flipping Negative Thinking Into Positive Thinking
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina, about all things mental health and personal development. Thoughts and emotions have a profound effect on one another. The way we think has a huge impact on the way we see the world and the way we interact with the people around us. Sometimes in life, negative thinking can become a habit that we may not recognize. This week, I'm joined by Ericka Franklin to discuss the importance of flipping negative thinking...
2021-04-28
43 min
Right State of Mind
1. Managing Your Mental Health During the Pandemic
The Right State of Mind podcast is a weekly conversation with Charlie Taylor Jr., a licensed therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina about all things mental health and personal development. This week I'm joined by Deena Taylor for an important conversation about managing your mental health during the pandemic. This past year has been difficult and tough for us all. Deena and I chatted about the challenges of managing your mental health during the pandemic while also continuing to fulfill your everyday roles. Stay Connected: Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at https://docs.google.c...
2021-04-21
37 min
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.95 - MF DOOM, Part 1
For this retrospective, we're doing something a little different from the usual. We're going to look at five solo projects from MF DOOM but instead of looking at the albums from our usual angles, we're going to look at it from the perspective of his aliases and the world he built using those aliases. If you're a DOOM noob like Charlie is in this episode, then it's definitely worth a spin.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:30)Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:55)Operation Doomsday - (33:44)MM... FOOD - (40:37)Born Like This - (50:18)
2021-02-02
1h 32
Diggin' In The Digits
The 5EPN Special 2020
It's the end of the year, so it's time to get reflective. Ben, Charlie and the rest of the 5EPN come through for this two-hour special, reviewing their 2020. Be sure to give the other shows under the network a spin. Thanks for rocking with us this year and we'll see you on the other side.TIMESTAMPS:Same 12 Notes - (4:12)"What's Good?" - (42:00)In Search Of Sauce - (1:12:08)Diggin' In The Digits - (1:35:05)Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that...
2020-12-31
2h 06
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.87 - Jay-Z, Part 1
It is finally here. Noted Jay-Z scholar, Ben. And Charlie, just along for the ride, finally get into the (just music) retrospective of Jay-Z. In the first of three parts, we tackle his late 90s output, from "Reasonable Doubt" to "Vol. 3", discussing how a weak commercial result for his debut set a tone for what came after it.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (2:36)Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (22:58)Reasonable Doubt - (36:12)In My Lifetime Vol. 1 - (47:50)Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life - (1:00:15)Volume. 3... Life & Times of S. Carter - (1:11:01)
2020-12-01
1h 48
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.80 - #UKBHM 2020: Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal was a trailblazer & early champion of UK Rap and the genre that would eventually be known as Grime. But Dizzee didn't just stop with what Charlie calls the "Illmatic of Grime/UK Rap", he sought to push boundaries, help sow the seeds of making rapping mainstream and even collab with US Hip-Hop legends YEARS before it became common practice. We explore Dizzee's music ahead of his new album "E3 AF" coming October 30th.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:23)Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (26:13)Boy In Da Corner - (35:35)Showtime & Maths +...
2020-10-13
1h 30
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.65 - The Black Eyed Peas
Please, just listen to this one and make our pain worthwhile...TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:23)Topic Intro - (14:32)BEP's beginnings, "Behind The Front" & "Bridging The Gap" - (18:54)"Elephunk" & "Monkey Business" - (32:22)"THE E.N.D", Charlie's meltdown & no acknowledgement of the other one - (48:06)The slap in the face that is "MASTERS OF THE SUN VOL. 1" - 1:01:04Lighter Note - (1:11:35)Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!Music - "Pizza...
2020-06-30
1h 21
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.53 - DITD 1st Anniversary Special
Around this time last year, I DM'd Ben on a whim to pitch the idea of a Hip-Hop Podcast. He was up for it and gave it a year to see if it goes well. We planned to record a few Beta episodes to get our feet on solid ground, but the 2nd one we recorded was solid, so we thought "F*** it! Let's pull the trigger."And now we're here, 53 episodes later, no off week, always coming through on Tuesday with your weekly dose of me & Ben breaking down Hip-Hop in the way we do, with...
2020-04-07
1h 34
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.44 - You Think I Give A Damn About A Grammy?
The Grammys have been & gone and it's yet another year of disappointment. But this year feels different. Not only can the Recording Academy not recognise Hip-Hop like it's successfully done for decades, but now it's not even recognising Hip-Hop artists that explicitly say their work isn't Hip-Hop. But hey, black= Hip-Hop/R&B/Jazz, right? And let's not even start with "URBAN"...So what is the problem? And more importantly, what are the solutions? Should Hip-Hop plead for better representation & categorisation? Or should they all band together, say "Fuck The Grammys" and not submit their...
2020-02-04
1h 24
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.43 - Mac Miller
A retrospective we didn't want to do at a crucial point in the subject's life & career. But due to his death and the recent posthumous release "Circles", this was the best time to dive into the music career of Mac Miller.For context: Ben has been a fan of Mac for years and parallels his life to Mac's. Charlie, however, only spun "The Divine Feminine" when it initially dropped and spent the week before recording taking a trip through Mac's career from "K.I.D.S" to "Circles".So it made for good discussion as...
2020-01-28
1h 25
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.37 - Posthumous Albums
The posthumous album is something that we want and don't want in equal measure. When somebody says "Do you want never-heard-before music from an artist you like?", of course, you're going to say yes! But when that artist isn't alive to have a say, some take pause and ask themselves do they want it?There are many places to look at posthumous albums, there are many examples, good and bad. The DITD duo discusses as many angles as possible.TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:52)Topic Intro - (18:47)Ben's general thoughts - (20:11)...
2019-12-17
1h 03
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.36 - Question. How Many Faking They Streams?
Certifications are confusing. Simple as that. A lot of us claim to know a lot about it but in reality, past platinum plaques, we know nothing.Charlie has been long done with the certifications ever since Nicki Minaj broke a record held by Aretha Franklin. Ben, as the numbers guy, stands on the other side of the fence but the two come together in acknowledging that these numbers, especially in the mainstream, are fugazi. We simply accept it as a mode of conversation and that's it.As you can imagine, this is one of those "...
2019-12-10
1h 18
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.35 - Albums of the 2010s, Part 4
Well. Here we are. The number 1 Album of the Decade. Throughout the past few weeks, Ben & Charlie have been going through their individual Top 10 AOTD's. From albums about blackness, concepts, mental health, self-reflection and looks into worlds we haven't experienced before. Both lists are interesting in different ways.But at the end of the day, it all came down to, not just the Hip-Hop Album of the Decade, but one of the greatest albums ever made, regardless of genre.No.1 on both lists, "Diggin' In The Digits" official Album of the 2010s, Kendrick...
2019-12-03
1h 23
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.34 - Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of the 2010s Pt. 3
It's time for Part 3 of our four-part series covering our personal Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of the Decade. On this episode, we cover our list from 4 to 2.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (2:27)Topic Intro/Charlie's No.4 - (23:53)Ben's No.4 - (36:05)Charlie's No.3 - (48:23)Ben's No.3 - (1:00:59)Charlie's No.2 - (1:10:49)Ben's No.2 - (1:22:49)Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records...
2019-11-26
1h 37
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.33 - Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of the 2010s Pt. 2
Our Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of the Decade continues! On this episode, we cover albums that are ranked 7 to 5 on our lists. This episode went so long that we had to, for the first time ever, cut our runtime. So our Lighter Note had to be snipped a little. But don't fear, if you want to catch the omitted section, tune into Episode 52 of "What's Good?" W/Charlie Taylor. You can find the show in the same places you listen to DITD or just hit up The 5th Element Podcast Network.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup...
2019-11-19
1h 39
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.32 - Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of the 2010s Pt. 1
As 2019 and the 2010s winds down, the DITD duo begins a four-part series, counting down their Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of the decade.This episode covers numbers 10 to 8. These lists are 100% Subjective, this isn't about what album hits the hardest or the albums that sold the most or what was the most critically acclaimed. These are the albums that the duo loves the most, the albums that stuck to them in a way no other albums did. It's all subjective.This is the longest episode of DITD yet but it's all worth it in our humble...
2019-11-12
1h 37
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.30 - Ayo Peep This New DITD Mixtape
Mixtapes, in the classic definition, is a thing of the past. But since the turn of the Millenium, Mixtapes have evolved to become more and more about the artist and nothing to do with the DJ/Producer anymore. So how did this happen? Did the DJ's fumble the bag? Has a fun essence of Hip-Hop gone away with the commercialisation of Mixtapes? Why does Charlie get so irked about Mixtapes sounding just like albums!? All will be answered in Episode 30 of DITD.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:58)Topic Intro - (13:36)History of...
2019-10-29
1h 17
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.29 - What is Hip Hop?
Hip-Hop as a genre of music is always evolving, constantly changing, year by year. But what about those artists or those albums that kind of straddle the Hip-Hop sound but takes significant inspirations from other genres?The DITD duo talk about labels, (The things you stick on your chest, not the music ones...) genres and the foundations that Hip-Hop are built on. Is labelling something "Hip-Hop" too broad a term? Should services cater to sub-genres more? If so, how deep is too deep? And does this all matter when Hip-Hop is simply the perfect amalgamation of the...
2019-10-22
1h 13
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.25 - Dual Artists, Part 1
In a 2-Part Mini-series of DITD. The duo explores the concept of the "Dual-Disciplined Artist". (D-DA) An artist that produces as well as raps.We all know that these days there are a plethora of artists that like to have a hand in the two most prominent stages of creating music. But what you might not know is that the late 80s/early 90s was stacked with D-DAs!Ben & Charlie take a little trip back to see how being a D-DA was a necessity for some, a huge success for a few then started to...
2019-09-24
1h 11
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.21 - Storytelling
Storytelling is a foundation in how we communicate. It gives us the ability to inform others of the past. But past that very basic understanding, we can use Storytelling to however we see fit. We can tell the outright truth, we can give a completely fabricated recount. We can make it funny, make it sad. It's all up to the storyteller.So imagine that ability to mould a story and then throw some beats on it. Maybe stretch the story over an album? Maybe over several? The possibilities are endless. Ben & Charlie explore storytelling in Hip-Hop and...
2019-08-27
1h 15
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.20 - Snoop Dogg
The DITD duo continues their "Retrospective" series with one of the most visible figures in Hip-Hop history. Snoop Dogg.There's plenty of ways to hail Snoop Dogg, from his music to his cultural ubiquity, to his business acumen, to his activism. Ben & Charlie cover all of these (In a "We are not worthy" fashion) and more as they figure out why Hip-Hop fans don't rate him as heavy in today's landscape. Is it because he's constantly evolved his persona? Is it because of his diverse portfolio? All of that & some words on his latest release "...
2019-08-20
1h 11
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.19 - Dr. Dre
Dr Dre is a consensus Top 5 Producer in Hip-Hop history. Where some try to cement their legacy by either being business geniuses or creative geniuses, Dr Dre has done both. A residency on Forbes' Hip-Hop cash kings and countless artists that have Dre to thank for their careers are testaments to that.Ben & Charlie continue their retrospective series with a breakdown of Dr Dre's accomplishments and trying to quantify how influential he is, how he's done what he's done and how is he still a creative force after all these decades?TIMESTAMPS:Weekly music...
2019-08-13
1h 15
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.18 - Chance's "The Big Day"
It's been a week since the release of Chance The Rapper's much-anticipated debut Studio Album "The Big Day". But the responses towards the album have been... Mixed, to say the least. There are people saying it's trash, (Ben) there are people that don't like it but can find positives in it (Charlie) and there are people that are ready to put on the capes to fight for their boy Chance. It's been a while since an album this highly touted has seen all sides of the opinion spectrum. So Ben & Charlie decided to investigate. WHY...
2019-08-06
1h 09
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.17 - I Was At XXL Just Trying To Excel
If you're into Hip-Hop in any format, whether you follow certain artists, writers, YouTubers or even just your mate that's really into Hip-Hop, you know about the yearly content dump that is the XXL Freshman List.10 artists who are on the come up get the opportunity to say "Hey World, I'm here!" They drop a quick freestyle, attend the Freshman Cyphers and of course, join together for a cover shoot.But why is this still a thing? Is the List simply moonlighting as something for Hip-Hop fans to talk about in the Summer months? Goaded...
2019-07-30
1h 10
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.16 - Nas' Raps Should Be Locked In A Cell
Nas has recently dropped "The Lost Tapes 2", which is considered a breath of fresh air, especially after the terrible project that was "NASIR".So, in celebration of this, the DITD duo explores Nas' music that's not named "Illmatic". What are the best ones? Why doesn't Nas get respect from the "Genius Generation"? Is the tired "Nas picks terrible beats" comment the real reason why people don't put Nas in their Top 5? Ben & Charlie give a retrospective of Nasty Nas, Esco, Nastradamus, one of the best pens in music history. TIMESTAMPS:Music listened to in...
2019-07-23
1h 13
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.15 - Some Make Millions, Others Make Memes
It's been a few months since Lil Nas X's explosion onto the mainstream. Since then, "Old Town Road" is now the longest-running No.1 Hip-Hop track on the Billboard Hot 100 and is quickly closing in on the All Genre record. Memes are the most fluid element of Social Media, which in itself is the most fluid form of communication. So what happens when that meme is based around an artist we've never heard of? Like a Lil Nas X or Blueface?Ben & Charlie explore Meme culture in Hip-Hop. How the viral nature of Memes may seem...
2019-07-17
1h 10
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.14 - Label Albums
One of the most anticipated releases of 2019 has come & gone. "Revenge of The Dreamers 3", led by J.Cole, has been received very well. So well in fact, that it got Ben & Charlie thinking about the concept of "Label Albums" or "Collaborative Albums" to word it differently. If we look back at albums such as ROTD3, they're rarely remembered as being high-quality projects. They're more remembered as moments in time, moments in an artist's career, not as a great album that people will listen to as they do with regular albums.So what are "Label/Collab...
2019-07-09
1h 07
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.13 - Nelly vs. Drake? Ride Wit Me, Through The 2010s & The Noughties
With the 2010s edging closer and closer to its end, it is a consensus thought to say that Drake has owned this decade from a commercial standpoint. He came around just before the start of the decade and the (commercial) rise has been at a steady upward trend.But you know the deal, commercial success isn't everything. But unfortunately, the commercial success, for some reason, has gotten people comparing Drake to Jay-Z. This prompted a collective shaking of heads from many people (Ben) but Co-Host Charlie wanted to think about it differently.The theory is...
2019-07-02
1h 05
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.12 - Independence
In Part 2 of DITD's mini-series "Major vs Independent", we finally get to talking about the side that we cherish so much. The Independents.As independent writers and Podcasters, we value the fact that we don't have anybody to tell us what we should do because it helps the bottom line. The thing that we forget is that Hip-Hop is, was and forever will be a culture & lifestyle. NOT a business. With that in mind, we begin with defining "Independent". What is an Independent artist exactly? The differences between Majors & Independents. Why it may be beneficial...
2019-06-26
1h 11
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.11 - The Wyoming Sessions
Last year, Kanye West unloaded the clip. We knew that he was working on something, the hype train was picking up speed. He then announced three "albums" that we now know as "DAYTONA", "ye" & "KIDS SEE GHOSTS". A couple of weeks later, he announced two more! Nas' "Project That Shall Not Be Named" & Teyana Taylor's "KTSE".So since we're in the space of a year anniversary of the whole thing, Ben & Charlie decide to go through every project, give thoughts (& statistics) on them and with a reminiscent mindset, ask ourselves... Was it all worth it?
2019-06-18
1h 13
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.10 - Major Labels
In a 2-part series, DITD tackles the one topic that has been clouding over every other topic Ben & Charlie has talked about so far on DITD.Major Labels.In the 90s, the US "Big Three", Universal Music Group, Warner & Sony consumed Hip-Hop as soon as it became a cultural force. From '86 to '96, there were 17 No.1 Hip-Hop albums, 11 of them were under Major Labels. It's even more clear looking at singles. Moving onto now, the numbers of Major Labels owning charting artists are in the high 90%. Artists may be able to start their own...
2019-06-11
1h 14
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.9 - Revolution Means Change, Don't Look At Me Strange
In the times we live in right now, it could be said that we're in a golden age of protest. All around the world, there are protests of large numbers being held. They're so prevalent now, you could probably name a few of them. When it comes to Hip-Hop, it too is on the frontline. From Kendrick's Grammy performances to Stormzy's BRIT Awards performance. Music has always been a place to protest and Hip-Hop is definitely no different.Ben & Charlie (The main subject starts @ 5:23) take a look into protest in Hip-Hop. How the 80s birthed...
2019-06-04
1h 06
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.8 - The Women Got Something To Say
Episode 8 of DITD is all about the women. In the '90s, there was a healthy contingent of women getting the job done in the Hip-Hop space. There were many female Hip-Hop artists to name, some of them got to the point where they had genuine, landmark chart success.But in the two decades since, the numbers have been cut by more than half. If we look at it from the broadest scope, there's only been six No.1 Albums from female Hip-Hop artists, it's even worse on the production side.Ben & Charlie get into the...
2019-05-28
1h 13
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.7 - Mental Health - One Time 4 Your Mind
The subject of Mental Health is a conversation that has been increasing in volume in the past decade. Not just in society, but in Politics as well. (Although most National Jurisdictions are way behind...)But it's not just in day-to-day life, it's also becoming more and more prevalent in the music we love dearly. Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop is historically been iffy when it comes to Mental Health, coinciding with African American culture & society not really knowing how to deal with such complexities. But the more black men & women in America learn more about Mental Health, so a...
2019-05-21
1h 12
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.6 - Andre 3000 & Lauryn Hill - And Here You Are, A Rap Unicorn
"Rap Unicorn" - Phrase - A Hip-Hop artist that rarely drops music, but when they do, everybody listens.E.g. Andre 3000 & Ms Lauryn Hill.Ben & Charlie explore another angle in the relationship between the artist and the fanbase. More specifically, is it right for the fan to demand an artist to drop music simply because they haven't dropped in a while?Ben gives statistics on the "Rap Unicorns" Andre 3000 & Ms Lauryn Hill and for context, gives numbers on artists on the other side of the spectrum, the artists that drop music frequently.
2019-05-14
58 min
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.5 - It's Hard Out Here For A Producer
Out of the Five Elements of Hip-Hop, two of them are based on music.MC & DJ. Rapper & Producer. Both are important in equal measure.So why is it that in this age, where the Hip-Hop sound is bigger than ever and one could say that Hip-Hop production quality is as high at it has ever been... Why has the producer has taken the back seat in every facet of the game? Why do they get less money for producing in the Streaming age? Why does the consumer not tout Producers more, when (In an...
2019-05-07
1h 04
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.4 - Love Thy Religious Bars
Religion and religious content is a staple in music. And when it comes to Hip-Hop, it's no different.Since it's inception, there has always been a section of Hip-Hop culture that is dedicated to looking for meaning and purpose. And in some walks of life, Religion has been the key.For Episode 4 of DITD, Charlie & Ben take a dive into Religion & Hip-Hop. Specifically, Christianity and Kanye West's relationship with it. We get into the numbers for Kanye's mentions of religion, which may underwhelm you considering how synonymous Kanye & Christianity has been over his career. Especially...
2019-04-30
39 min
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.3 - Youth Is A Gift, Age Is A Work Of Art
In recent Hip-Hop news, Dave East hopped on Instagram to call the viral Country/Hip-Hop track "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X "wack". Hip-Hop social media proceeded to swell up with defensive shots at Dave East.Shots like "NAME ONE DAVE EAST TRACK", "DAVE JUST SALTY HE DOESN'T CHART", you get the idea. People missed the chance to look at the context and the deeper conversation about inorganic fanbases.This is the catalyst for Ben & Charlie to dive into multiple topics, the main of which, Ageism in Hip-Hop. Why do we as Hip-Hop fans...
2019-04-23
1h 05
Diggin' In The Digits
Ep.2 - Everyone's A Critic
For Episode 2 of "Diggin' In The Digits", we talk about music reviewing and music criticism. In a perfect world, the average music consumer and the professional music critic would always be on the same page and could even see each other's viewpoint clearly when both looking at a body of work. But obviously, that's a rare thing.We dive into several angles for this one. Starting with Ben's statistics on average review scores for a handful of artists and the disparities between professional critics and the casual person that hops on Metacritic. We th...
2019-04-17
55 min