Shows
Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiGDP | S5 Episode 30Join me and special guest Navy Blue on Saturday, August 30 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the ninth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1999 animated sci-fi drama The Iron Giant and talking about his latest album, Memoirs in Armour, his production work on Earl Sweatshirt's latest album, Live Laugh Love, and much more. Tickets and more info here.My guest this week is New Jersey-born rapper, producer, director, and humanitarian...
2025-08-272h 25Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiElsie Not Elise (Elsie Ahachi) | S5 Episode 29Join me and special guest Navy Blue on Saturday, August 30 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the ninth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1999 animated sci-fi drama The Iron Giant and talking about his latest album, Memoirs in Armour. Tickets and more info here.My guest this week is Toronto-based music journalist, critic, tastemaker, and filmmaker Elsie Ahachi. We spoke about Tyler Perry’s Straw, War of The Worlds, Weapons, Sinners, the work of Spike Lee, how she we...
2025-08-201h 47Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiCleo Reed | S5 Episode 28Join me and special guest Navy Blue on Saturday, August 30 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the ninth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1999 animated sci-fi drama The Iron Giant and talking about his latest album, Memoirs in Armour. Tickets and more info here.My guest this week is New York singer, songwriter, producer, composer, rapper, and multidisciplinary artist, Cleo Reed. We spoke about local independent movie theaters, Sinners, the French-Canadian drama Incendies, the...
2025-08-131h 41Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiDan-O & Keith Rollins of Freemusicempire & State of The Game | S5 Episode 27Join me and special guest Navy Blue on Saturday, August 30 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the ninth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1999 animated sci-fi drama The Iron Giant and talking about his latest album, Memoirs in Armour. Tickets and more info here.My guests this week are Dan-O and Keith Rollins, the co-hosts of Freemusicempire’s State of The Game podcast. We spoke about the Billy Joel documentary, Fantastic Four: First Steps, Superman, Megalopolis, Terminator, Ikaru, ho...
2025-08-062h 07Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiBrian Kwon (Genius Loci live interview) | S5 Episode 26Join me and special guest Navy Blue on Saturday, August 30 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the ninth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1999 animated sci-fi drama The Iron Giant and talking about his latest album, Memoirs in Armour. Tickets and more info here.If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. Each episode is also available to buy individually for $5 (Buy...
2025-07-301h 36Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEvidence | S5 Episode 24If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. Each episode is also available to buy individually for $5 (Buy it through a web browser and not the Patreon app. You'll get charged extra if you purchase through the app.) You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is California rapper, producer, one-third of Dilated Peoples, and head of...
2025-07-161h 24Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiOpen Mike Eagle | 200th Episode Special (S5 Episode 23)If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. Each episode is also available to buy individually for $5 (Buy it through a web browser and not the Patreon app. You'll get charged extra if you purchase through the app.) You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest for the 200th episode of Reel Notes is California-via-Chicago rapper, producer, writer, creator...
2025-07-092h 13Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiSumaya Nazar | S5 Episode 22If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. Each episode is also available to buy individually for $5 (Buy it through a web browser and not the Patreon app. You'll get charged extra if you purchase through the app.) You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is New York rapper-singer-songwriter Sumaya Nazar. We spoke about ...
2025-07-021h 36Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiMcKinley Dixon | S5 Episode 21If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. Each episode is also available to buy individually for $5 (Buy it through a web browser and not the Patreon app. You'll get charged extra if you purchase through the app.) You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is Chicago-via-Maryland-via-Virgnia rapper, producer, and animator McKinley Dixon. We spoke about...
2025-06-251h 49Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiYugen Blakrok | S5 Episode 20If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. Each episode is also available to buy individually for $5 (Buy it through a web browser and not the Patreon app. You'll get charged extra if you purchase through the app.) You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is South African rapper Yugen Blakrok. We spoke about ...
2025-06-182h 03Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiImani Nichele | S5 Episode 19If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. Each episode is also available to buy individually for $5 (Buy it through a web browser and not the Patreon app. You'll get charged extra if you purchase through the app.) You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is Chicago-via-Detroit rapper, producer, singer, and songwriter Imani Nichele. We spoke...
2025-06-111h 31Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiPathfinders (blackchai x Illohim) | S5 Episode 18If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guests this week are New York rapper and engineer blackchai and Tennessee-via-North Carolina rapper, producer, and engineer Illohim, who record together at the duo Pathfinders. We spoke about The Rehearsal, Peacemaker, Friendship, Jet Li’s Fearless, th...
2025-06-042h 14Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiTony Seltzer | S5 Episode 17If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is New York producer and engineer Tony Seltzer. We spoke about Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and the legacy of David Lynch, Harriet the Spy, Little Figuitive, growing up loving metal and...
2025-05-281h 37Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiBackxwash | S5 Episode 16If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is Montreal-via-Zambia rapper, producer, and composer Backxwash. We spoke about Sinners, Nigerian cinema, our respective histories with horror movies, moving from Zambia to Canada, how Cassidy mixtapes, Common’s Be, and Lupe Fiasco’s
2025-05-212h 01Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiAsterisk (Greg Davis) | S5 Episode 15If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is Vermont-via-Chicago producer, multiinstrumentalist, and record shop owner Greg Davis, also known by his beatmaking alias, Asterisk. We spoke about Perfect Days, the Star Wars franchise, particularly Revenge of the Sith
2025-05-141h 46Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiJireh | S5 Episode 14Join me and special guest billy woods on Saturday, May 10 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the eighth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1997 psychological horror film Cure and talking about his latest album, Golliwog. Tickets and more info here. If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an i...
2025-05-071h 26Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiSol ChYld | S5 Episode 13Join me and special guest billy woods on Saturday, May 10 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the eighth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1997 psychological horror film Cure and talking about his latest album, Golliwog. Tickets and more info here. If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an i...
2025-04-301h 50Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiRaegun | S5 Episode 12Join me and special guest billy woods on Saturday, May 10 at Loudmouth in Brooklyn, for the eighth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1997 psychological horror film Cure and talking about his latest album, Golliwog. Tickets and more info here. If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an i...
2025-04-231h 41Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiGoya Gumbani | S5 Episode 11Join me and special guest billy woods on Saturday, May 10 at Loudmouth BK for the eighth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1997 psychological horror film Cure and talking about his latest album, Golliwog. Tickets and more info here. If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite t...
2025-04-161h 31Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiJ.U.S. | S5 Episode 10Join me and special guest billy woods for the eighth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night, on Saturday, May 10 at LoudmouthBK. We'll be screening the 1997 psychological horror film Cure and talking about his latest album, Golliwog. Tickets and more info here. If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to o...
2025-04-091h 33Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiHester Valentine | S5 Episode 9If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guest this week is Bronx rapper Hester Valentine. We spoke about the current state of music media and streaming, Donnie Darko, Opus, Mulholland Drive, how David Lynch and Danny Brown influenced his music, pursuing rap in his 20s...
2025-04-021h 40Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiLyric Jones | S5 Episode 8If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guest this week is California-via-Massachusetts rapper, singer-songwriter, drummer, and DJ, Lyric Jones. We spoke about They Cloned Tyrone, Charlie Brown and Peanuts, The Temptations miniseries, the Ray Charles biopic Ray, ...
2025-03-261h 25Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiHenny L.O. | S5 Episode 7If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guest this week is Virginia rapper Henny L.O. We spoke about Baki Hanma, YouTube rabbit holes, how discovering Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and Wu-Tang Clan changed his life, hi...
2025-03-191h 56Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiAugust Fanon x Child Actor | S5 Episode 6If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guests this week are Brooklyn-via-Oakland producer August Fanon and Connecticut producer and musician Child Actor. We spoke about The Monkey, Severance, Return to Oz, The Little Mermaid, the works of David Lynch, their respective path through the worlds...
2025-03-121h 46Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiBlack Milk x Fat Ray | S5 Episode 5If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guests this week are Detroit rapper-producer Black Milk and Detroit rapper and Bruiser Brigade member Fat Ray. We spoke about Baki Hanma, Atlanta, Shaka Zulu, Bloodsport, the art of the double feature, Menace II Society,
2025-03-051h 31Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiGhais Guevara | S5 Episode 4If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guest this week is rapper, producer, and activist Ghais Guevara. We spoke about Nickel Boys, Steve McQueen’s latest film Blitz, our conflicted feelings on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the pros and cons of ...
2025-02-261h 32Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiDoseone | S5 Episode 3Please consider donating to the GoFundMe for the late great Chelsea Reject. Rest in peace, Chels.If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more! My guest this week is Idaho-born rapper, producer, poet, composer, and founder of Anticon, doseone. We spoke about S...
2025-02-192h 24Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiYATTA | S5 Episode 2If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guest this week is New York-based singer, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, and multidisciplinary artist YATTA. We spoke about Serafina!, Amistad, Chicago, the art of the musical, our mutual love of MTV’s TRL and BET’s
2025-02-121h 20Reel Notes w/ CineMasaimiles cooke | S5 Episode 1 (Season Premiere)If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk movie night archives, and more!My guest for the season 5 premiere is New York rapper-producer miles cooke. We spoke about Silo, Memento, his love of Phillip K. Dick and all things sci-fi, his appreciation for Aesop Rock and the Def Jux era of alternative...
2025-02-051h 28Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiBlvck Svm | S4 Episode 44 (Season 4 Finale)My guest for the season 4 finale is Chicago-via-Florida rapper Blvck Svm. We spoke about Pig, The Menu, Uncut Gems, the Will Ferrell comedy Kicking and Screaming, being inspired by MF DOOM, Lil Wayne, and Valee, the first night he ever performed, the intersection of rap and food, the creative process behind his latest album michelinman, his Bvck of House video shoots, and his upcoming restaurant tour. For the last time in 2024, come fuck with us.michelinman is available wherever music...
2024-12-252h 21Reel Notes w/ CineMasaistaHHr | S4 Episode 43My guest this week is Atlanta rapper Stahhr. We spoke about Cross, Dexter, The Wiz, E.T., a handful of her favorite movies, her experiences at MIKE’s Young World festival and Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw carnival, our mutual appreciation for Slick Rick and Redman, being a chameleon, her creative process, incoming new music, and, of course, all things MF DOOM. Come fuck with us.staHHr's latest album, MOTHER NATURE WITH A MOLOTOV: MOLOTOV SEASON, is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copp...
2024-12-182h 44Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiPopstar Benny | S4 Episode 42My guest this week is Atlanta producer, label owner, and manager Popstar Benny. We spoke about The Righteous Gemstones, Euphoria, Hard Candy, the filmography of Harmony Korine, our mutual love for Gorillaz, establishing Popstar FM, how his music is as hip-hop as it gets, and the creative process behind his last two albums—University! and Oasis. Come fuck with us.Oasis is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping directly from Benny's Bandcamp. Fo...
2024-12-111h 30Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiDJ Rude One | S4 Episode 41My guest this week is New York-via-Chicago producer and DJ, DJ Rude One. We spoke about Megalopolis, the works of David Cronenberg and Willem Dafoe, our love for Metrograph and the movie theater experience, his extensive history as a DJ and producer, embracing a slow production process, working a day job and making music for the passion, and the creative process behind his latest album Upper Space. Come fuck with us.Upper Space is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping...
2024-12-041h 46Reel Notes w/ CineMasaikJADE | S4 Episode 40My guest this week is Arizona rapper-producer kJADE. We spoke about Kai Cenat and the pros and cons of streaming culture, the Megan Thee Stallion documentary and the nature of celebrity propaganda, the magic of video stores, Undercover Brother, The Pursuit of Happyness, our favorite movie soundtracks, moving from California to Arizona, how music is meditative for her, and the five-year journey and creative process behind her debut project The Sound That Trees Make, produced entirely by Esteban. Come fuck with us....
2024-11-271h 56Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiBlu & Exile | S4 Episode 36My guests this week are California rapper-producers Blu & Exile. We spoke about recent hits like Everything Everywhere All At Once and Poor Things, hip-hop cinematic classics like Krush Groove, Breakin’, and Wild Style, how DMX and Common inspired Blu to rap, a look back at Blu’s Her Favorite Colo(u)r and Exile’s work on Mobb Deep’s “Pearly Gates,” the Blu Note edition of their 2007 classic Below The Heavens, and the creative pro...
2024-10-301h 23Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiOvrkast. | S4 Episode 35My guest this week is California rapper-producer Ovrkast. We spoke about freestyling on Sway In The Morning, Blink Twice, Shark Tale, Fruitvale Station and the work of Ryan Coogler, the beauty of Oakland slang, how his discography is its own anthology series, the diversity of California rap, and the creative process behind his latest project KAST GOT WINGS, produced in tandem with Texas producer Cardo Got Wings. Come fuck with us.If you’re in the New York area on Thursday, October 17, pull up to the Kast Got Wi...
2024-10-161h 21Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiLupe Fiasco | S4 Episode 22My guest this week is Chicago rapper, producer, label head, and MIT professor, Lupe Fiasco. We spoke about True Detective, being inspired by his father’s record and film collections, practicing martial arts and African drumming, references and concepts in his music, creating across eras, the art and pros and cons of criticism, his bond with producer Soundtrakk, and the creative process behind his years-in-the-making latest album, the Amy Winehouse-inspired Samurai. Come fuck with us. Samurai is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or sto...
2024-07-171h 28Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiLord Sko | S3 Episode 45My guest this week is New York rapper Lord Sko. We spoke about Violent Night, The Big Lebowski, King of New York, New York pizza, food in LA, bridging age and subgenre gaps in rap music, taking his first two projects off the internet, his general creative process, and the making of his breakout projects—2022’s Museum and this year’s United Palace.United Palace is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Follow Lord Sko on Instagram (@lordsko) and
2023-12-271h 43Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiJUNE! | S3 Episode 44My guest this week is North Carolina-based rapper, producer, and head of the I’ll Never Die collective, JUNE! We spoke about Loki season 2, the highs and lows of the MCU, Friday, Hitch, Soul Food, Lucy, M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable, Split, and Glass, Andre 3000’s ambient album, the impact of Earl Sweatshirt’s Some Rap Songs, the history of I N D, JUNE!’s viral remixes and sample flips, working through struggle, and the creative process behind a handful...
2023-12-131h 37Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiDa$h | S4 Episode 43My guest this week is New Jersey rapper, producer, and photographer Da$h. We spoke about being a father, working with ANKHLEJOHN and Mac Miller, Beau Is Afraid, Killers of The Flower Moon, risk-averse Hollywood studios, tour stories, dealing with addiction, why he’s particularly inspired by the late actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, embracing photography, physical media, and the creative process behind his music, especially his latest album Skrewface 2.Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, the Congo, Sudan, Tigray, and Haiti. Please consider donating to the ...
2023-12-061h 29Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiGabe 'Nandez | S3 Episode 42My guest this week is New York rapper-producer and instrumentalist Gabe ‘Nandez. We spoke about Pusher, his relationship with the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, the pros and cons of modern-day cinema, the art and value of music videos, how being multi-lingual influences his writing style, making his 2019 album Diplomacy during one of the toughest moments of his life, and the creative process behind his latest project H. T. III, produced entirely by Argov. If you're in the New York area, come to...
2023-11-291h 27Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiMaxo (Live from Abrons Arts Center in Manhattan) | S3 Episode 41My guest this week is California rapper and producer Maxo, live from the Abrons Arts Center in Manhattan. We spoke about Being John Malkovitch, 3 Ninjas, Steel, white guilt movies, why Tubi is the best streaming service, the process behind a handful of his music videos, whether he experiences fear while making music, and the creative process behind Lil Big Man, Even God Has A Sense Of Humor, and Debbie’s Son.If you're in the New York area, come to th...
2023-11-2259 minReel Notes w/ CineMasaiKipp Stone | S3 Episode 40My guest this week is Ohio-based rapper and producer Kipp Stone. We spoke about Where The Wild Things Are, the Transformers franchise, Soul, Little Bear, being inspired by his surroundings, how long it took him to find his musical style, joining up with, leaving, and re-joining Closed Sessions, the art of saying more with less words, and the creative process behind his latest album 66689 Blvd Prequel. Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, the Congo, Sudan...
2023-11-151h 37Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiRoper (of the production duo Roper Williams) | S3 Episode 37My guest this week is Roper, one-half of the New Jersey-based production duo Roper Williams. We spoke about the Western film Bone Tomahawk, the times we’ve walked out of movies, cult horror films like Await Further Instructions, Chopping Mall, and Skinamarink, the jazz anime Blue Giant, how he and his partner Sanz first met, came up with their name, and their creative process, highlight a handful of their standout beats, how producers are gaining more recognition in the indie scene, and br...
2023-10-251h 43Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiZAYALLCAPS | S3 Episode 36My guest this week is California rapper, producer, DJ, and one-half of the group KWAMZAY, ZAYALLCAPS. We spoke about size 8 and up fitted hats, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Space Jam, romantic comedies, Like Mike, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the legacy of Friday, how rap cured his loneliness, going from producing to embracing rapping, Soundcloud remix and mash-up culture, forming KWAMZAY with Kwame Adu, and the creative process behind his debut album BALLING OUT OF SPITE. Reel Notes stands i...
2023-10-181h 47Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiFielded | S3 Episode 35My guest this week is New Jersey-based singer, songwriter, and producer Fielded. We spoke about No One Will Save You, Silence of The Lambs, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, the work of Ari Aster and Todd Solondz, why we’re attracted to dark and disturbing movies, their journey from a musical family to creating the Fielded project, linking with Backwoodz Studioz, and the creative process behind their latest album Plus One. Reel Notes stands in solidarity with SAG-AFTA as they strike for better working conditions and better pay fo...
2023-10-112h 08Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiDiZ | S3 Episode 34My guest this week is Boston rapper, producer, and saxophonist DiZ. We spoke about The Other Black Woman, Natural Born Killers, Balto, Carmen: A Hip-Hopera, his early beginnings as a musician, figuring out his sound, linking with Ovrkast, juggling a burgeoning music career while studying at Berklee, constantly navigating the line between honesty and oversharing in his writing, and the creative process behind several projects, including his breakout Black Water, ULTRA.VIOLET, and this year’s the way forward is not the way home.Re...
2023-10-041h 39Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiAlexander Richter | S3 Episode 33My guest this week is New York-via-Maine photographer, director, and designer Alexander Richter. We spoke about Top Boy, the James Bond series, how both his parents inspired his early love for film and photography, his career as a music photographer, including stories shooting Sean Price’s Jesus Price album cover and a 50 Cent cover story, his extensive history with billy woods and Backwoodz Studioz, and the creative process behind Dark Brother Rise, his 2020 short film about the eponymous hip-hop photographer from Queensbridge.Reel Notes stands in solidarity with SA...
2023-09-272h 12Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiNakama | S3 Episode 32My guest this week is New York rapper, poet, performance artist, and member of the band Poetic Thrust, Nakama. We spoke about They Cloned Tyrone, our favorite recent anime, The Matrix, Pan’s Labyrinth, our feelings on the series finale of Atlanta, his rap origin story, forming Poetic Thrust, his work on the multimedia piece Places, and the creative process behind a handful of projects, including human_error and Kindling.Reel Notes st...
2023-09-202h 01Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiYoh | S3 Episode 30My guest this week is New York rapper Yoh. We spoke about the Portugese show Sintonia, City of God, Bottoms, our mutual love for anime and Hayao Miyazaki, the pros and cons of listing your favorite music or movies, his comeup as a solo act and his role in the band Poetic Thrust, linking with producer and musician CARRTOONS, and the creative process behind his 2016 solo project Tales Over Tea and Mirrors, his 2022 collab with CARRTOONS.Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the WGA...
2023-09-061h 42Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiSKECH185 | S3 Episode 29My guest this week is Chicago rapper SKECH185. We spoke about Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Bardo, They Cloned Tyrone, his love for A League of Their Own, Juice, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, how his passion for drawing eventually mingled with his passion for rapping, a brief history of Chicago hip-hop and of the Tomorrow Kings collective, the benefits of regionalism in rap music, his history with Backwoodz Studioz, and the creative process behind his latest album He Left Nothing For The Swim Back, produced en...
2023-08-301h 49Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiRhys Langston | S3 Episode 28My guest this week is Los Angeles-based rapper, producer, poet, teacher, and multi-instrumentalist Rhys Langston. We spoke about kung-fu films, Warrior, Jet Li, The Matrix, Monty Python & The Holy Grail, the nature of meta-narratives, balancing entertainment with knowledge, pulling inspiration from Migos and others, and the creative process behind his latest project To Operate This System, produced by Pioneer 11.Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the WGA and SAG-AFTA as they strike for better working conditions and better pay for the people who power...
2023-08-231h 57Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiFatboi Sharif x Steel Tipped Dove Live from LoudMouth in Brooklyn, NY | S3 Episode 27My guests for the first edition of Reel Notes Live!, recorded at Loudmouth Records in Brooklyn, NY, are New Jersey rapper Fatboi Sharif and New York producer/engineer/label head Steel Tipped Dove. We spoke about Oppenheimer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the Amazon Prime show Patriot, how film scores and directors inspired Sharif’s writing style, creating images with their words and beats, and the creative process behind their collaborative album Decay.Check out our live sponsors Loudmouth Records and EverDejaVu Records fo...
2023-08-161h 30Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiReg Mason | S3 Episode 26My guest this week is New Jersey rapper and multi-instrumentalist Reg Mason. We spoke about The Bear, Shameless, Oppenheimer, the 2006 comedy Accepted, the art of bootleg DVDs, how School of Rock inspired him to start making music, finding his love for hardcore punk and blog-era hip-hop, the importance of representing New Jersey in his music, keeping an open musical mind as you grow older, and the creative process behind his debut album TESTDRIVE’.If you're in the New York tri-state ar...
2023-08-091h 59Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiRadamiz | S3 Episode 23My guest this week is LA-via-New York rapper Radamiz. We spoke about The Idol, Atlanta, Dave, the Dominican horror film Andrea: The Revenge of The Spirit, his journey through hip-hop, his feelings on religion, mortality, and community, and the creative process behind his latest project 2409 West Slauson.Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order!2409 West Slauson is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider grabbing a...
2023-07-051h 54Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiChester Watson | S3 Episode 22My guest this week is Atlanta-via-St. Louis rapper-producer Chester Watson. We spoke about Playstation 2 emulators, Snowfall, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Beau is Afraid, The Wiz, films of the New French Extremity movement, longevity in music, being inspired by the modern underground, how his approach to writing has changed over the last decade, the art of the concept album, and the creative process behind his latest album Fish Don’t Climb Trees.Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first or...
2023-06-281h 42Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiLord Jah-Monte Ogbon | S3 Episode 21My guest this week is North Carolina rapper Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon of Melanated People. We spoke about John Wick, marathoning every movie in the Ip Man series in one sitting, a long, winding trip through the movies that defined his childhood and adolescence, how meeting Slim Thug, Paul Wall, and Mike Jones inspired him to take music seriously, finding his voice as a rapper, the benefits of one-producer collabs, the pros and cons of turning 30 in rap, and the creative process behind his latest album Highly Favored.
2023-06-211h 34Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiKelly Moonstone (Live from Pirate Studios) | S3 Episode 20My guest this week is Queens singer, rapper, and producer Kelly Moonstone. We spoke about anime like Mashle, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K., the Goosebumps books, relating to Dory’s neurodivergence in Finding Dory, creating music as The Afr0dite, transitioning to Kelly Moonstone, working with Navy Blue and Jah-Monte Ogbon, and the creative process behind her latest project I Digress…Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order!
2023-06-141h 46Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiCisco Swank | S3 Episode 18My guest this week is Brooklyn rapper, producer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Cisco Swank. We spoke about meeting at Pitchfork Festival, Snowfall, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Akira, The Incredibles, Inception, the magic of movie scores and soundtracks, what the piano means to him, the relationship between jazz, rap, and gospel, and the creative process behind his debut solo album More Better.Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order!More Better is available wherever mu...
2023-05-311h 26Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiKari Faux (Live from Pirate Studios) | S3 Episode 17My guest this week is Arkansas rapper, singer, producer, and designer Kari Faux. We spoke about How To Blow Up A Pipeline, both film versions of The Lion King, Molly Shannon’s Superstar, Kill Bill, why she prefers watching TV shows to movies, how living in Arkansas influenced her music taste, reflecting on “No Small Talk” nearly a decade later, the value of independence, and the creative process behind her latest album Real B*tches Don’t Die.Visit Dreads...
2023-05-241h 13Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiDart Adams | S3 Episode 16My guest this week is Boston-based journalist, archivist, author, A&R, and lecturer Dart Adams. We spoke about the Amazon Prime series The Power, the WGA writer’s strike, Y: The Last Man, Infinity Train, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, the phenomenon of cult films, the impermanence of streaming, how the internet has reshaped ideas of nostalgia and memory, and the importance of physical archiving and being outside to experience history.Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% of...
2023-05-172h 13Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiAJ Suede | S3 Episode 15My guest this week is Seattle-via-New York rapper-producer AJ Suede. We spoke about Beef, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Nintendo Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, growing up in New York, establishing himself in Seattle, his journey through independent music, linking with R.A.P. Ferrira to form the duo G’s Us, similarities between rappers and journalists, and the creative process behind Parthian Shots, his latest collab with the producer Televangel.Visit Dreadsock.com
2023-05-102h 07Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiJELEEL! | S3 Episode 14My guest for our 100th episode is California-via-Rhode Island rapper and singer JELEEL! We spoke about The Matrix, The Truman Show, Honey, I Shurnk The Kids, wrestling, similarities between wrestling and music, catching that can of Sprite at Rolling Loud, growing up on Rhode Island, what his own planet would look like, wanting to showcase his range as an artist, and the creative process behind his debut album REAL RAW! Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order!
2023-05-031h 11Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiS2 Episode 2: SemiratruthMy guest this week is Chicago-based rapper, producer, and poet Semiratruth. We spoke about astrology, Dexter, Euphoria, South Side, Spike Lee, growing up listening to MF DOOM, mortality, her time in the YouMedia program, developing her craft, the pros and cons of oversharing, the influence of Sun-Ra, and the creative process behind her latest album I Got Bandz For The Moonlandin’I Got Bandz For The Moonlandin’ is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping directly from her Bandcamp here. Follow Semiratruth on ...
2022-02-021h 24Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 40: Alphonse PierreMy guest for the Reel Notes season finale is Pitchfork staff writer and music journalist and critic Alphonse Pierre. We spoke about the show Harlem, Miami Vice, Black sitcoms, growing up in the age of Dipset, our favorite rap movies of all time, embracing his love of film in high school, his writing career, navigating the always crowded world of rap music, and journalism’s place in the music landscape in the 2020s.Check out Alphonse's work over at Pitchfork here.Follow Alphonse on Instagram (@alphonseeee) an...
2021-12-311h 37Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 39: Curly CastroMy guest this week is Brooklyn rapper Curly Castro. We spoke about The Harder They Fall, the art of auteurism, Eternals, Dune, Spike Lee, the journey from being a hypeman to becoming a rapper, his work with members of the Wrecking Crew, the creative process behind his latest album Little Robert Hutton, afrofuturism, and all things Marvel Cinematic Universe.Little Robert Hutton is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping it from Castro's Bandcamp page here.Follow Curly Castro on Instagram (@c...
2021-12-291h 46Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 38: Shawn SetaroMy guest this week is journalist, author, and podcast producer Shawn Setaro. We spoke about the movies Annette, E.T., and Altered States, falling in love with hip-hop, his time as the editor-in-chief of Rap Genius and as a senior writer and podcast producer at Complex, the importance of beat journalism in 2021, his time covering the Tekashi 6ix9ine trial, and the creative process behind his first book Dummy Boy: Tekashi 6ix9ine and The Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.Dummy Boy: Tekashi 6ix9ine and The Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods is available w...
2021-12-222h 04Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 37: Grand NationalMy guest this week is Oklahoma City-based rapper, director, photographer and clothing designer Grand National. We spoke about The Criterion Collection, Nat’s experience working on the set of a Martin Scorsese movie, the origins of his clothing line Ca$h Only, how Nipsey Hussle inspired his work ethic, Oklahoma hip-hop, participating in the creation of the Fire In Little Africa album, and the creative process behind his latest project 328i and its self-directed accompanying short film.328i is coming soon. In the meantime, ch...
2021-12-151h 21Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 36: Dana J.My guest this week is Florida-via-New Jersey producer, DJ, and teacher Dana J. We spoke about Squid Game, Disney movies, chiptune music, growing up in northern New Jersey, how scoring a documentary changed his perspective on music, how being a DJ has informed his work as a producer, the art and skill of creating a compilation album, and the process and concept behind his latest project Commercials.Commercials is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping from his Bandcamp page here.Follow Dana J...
2021-12-081h 26Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 35: SovrenMy guest this week is St.Louis-based producer Sovren. We spoke about BMF and the 50 Cent Cinematic Universe, Dexter, Weeds, M. Night Shyamalan’s Devil, moving from playing the violin to beat-making, her history with Limewire, being inspired by the worldbuilding on Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), her production process, her growing discography, and linking with Westside Gunn and Griselda to create the sleeper hit song “Hell On Earth pt. 2.”"Hell On Earth pt. 2" from Westside Gunn's Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or sto...
2021-12-011h 21Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 34: Jeff WeissMy guest this week is journalist, author, record label head, and founder of blog Passion of The Weiss Jeff Weiss. We spoke about a lot, including Succession, The Sopranos, the lack of comedies in Hollywood, why Field of Dreams makes him cry, his extensive history as a music journalist, and the value of using POW, his print publication theLAnd, and his record label POW Recordings to put on for the best of hip-hop and journalism’s rising talent. Visit Passion of The Weiss here and check out the latest issue of theLAnd ...
2021-11-242h 20Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 33: ToByMy guest this week is Florida-born rapper, producer, singer, songwriter, and content creator ToBy. We spoke about Netflix, anime, Cowboy Bebop, the filmography of Andy Samberg, cancel culture, the legacies of Childish Gambino and Odd Future, mainstream rap’s renewed interest in the pop-punk aesthetic, genre-blending, his varied musical background, his work for BuzzFeed, and the creative process behind his latest album L’esprit.L'esprit is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Follow ToBy on Instagram and Twitter: @itst...
2021-11-171h 43Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 32: QuadryMy guest this week is Baton Rouge rapper Quadry. We spoke about PinkPanthress, You, The Sopranos, New Jersey Drive, how film has influenced his storytelling, Lil Wayne, Chief Keef, gentrification, the pros and cons of living the hood, working with the producer Tuamie, the art of the concept album, and the creative process behind his latest album They Think We Ghetto.They Think We Ghetto is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider purchasing directly from his Bandcamp page here.Follow Quadry on Instagram (
2021-11-101h 58Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 31: Shea SerranoMy guest this week is journalist, author, podcast host, and former teacher Shea Serrano. We spoke about Dune, Shea’s love for Jean-Claude Van Damme, the original Mortal Kombat movie, and Jason Statham, why Above The Rim is the best movie soundtrack of all time, the indescribable perfection of Warren G and Nate Dogg’s Regulate, the process behind his latest book Hip-Hop (And Other Things), and the importance of establishing your own lane as a creative early in your career. Shea's latest book Hip-Hop (And Other Things) is a...
2021-11-031h 07Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 30: Zilla RoccaMy guest this week is Philadelphia rapper, writer, member of the Wrecking Crew, and co-host of the Callout Culture podcast Zilla Rocca. We spoke about The Green Knight, Marvel Comics, the birth of superhero movies, the differences between seeing a movie in theaters pre-New Millenium and now, his relationship with Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The 36 Chambers, and MF DOOM x Madlib’s Madvillainy, his beginnings as a rapper, growing the Wrecking Crew brand through music and podcasting, and his latest album V...
2021-10-271h 29Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 29: YUNGMORPHEUSMy guest this week is California-via-Florida rapper and producer YUNGMORPHEUS. We spoke about the differences between Florida and California, the HBO mini-series The Night Of, James and The Giant Peach, Spawn, the magic of the drive-in theater, how the anime Samurai Champloo put him onto the work of Nujabes and Fat Jon, working with Pink Siifu on Bag Talk, the ins-and-outs of being a rapper-producer, and his growing discography, including his latest project Affable With Pointed Teeth, produced by Eyedress for Lex Records.Affable With Pointed...
2021-10-201h 35Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 27: RaFiaMy guest this week is New York rapper, singer, producer, and artist RaFia. We spoke about the legacy of Michael K. Williams, The White Lotus, our mutual love of IMAX and children’s movies, growing up with a filmmaker father, the importance of post-production sound effects, how her college career as an artist transitioned into taking music seriously, having an art piece broadcast on billboards in Times Square, and a handful of her various projects and singles.RaFia's music, including their latest single "Leave Me Alone," is available on Bandcamp. Consider listening/copping directly he...
2021-09-221h 34Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 26: YLMy guest this week is New York rapper/producer/engineer YL. We spoke about Parasite, Hercules, mafia movies, Spike Lee, movie samples in rap songs, our mutual love of Bow Wow, his relationship with collaborators Roper Williams and Starker, playing shows in Japan, the ethics of rhyming over your own vocals when performing live, mixing and mastering his own songs, and the creative process behind his latest projects It Never Entered My Mind and ADAPTATION. It Never Entered My Mind ...
2021-09-151h 29Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 25: payforluvMy guest this week is Minnesota-based rapper-producer payforluv. We spoke about Final Fantasy, Persona, Suicide Squad, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, his favorite music videos growing up, growing up in Minnesota, how attending an HBCU in New Orleans inspired his music, the ethics of turning trauma into music, the importance of a good rap name, and the creative process behind his latest project if the lord wills it.Please consider supporting recovery efforts in Louisiana following the devastation of Hurricane Ida. These organizations are a good place to start: ...
2021-09-081h 52Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 24: Tanya Morgan (Donwill x Von Pea)My guests this week are Tanya Morgan, the duo made up of Cincinnati-born rapper-producer Donwill and Brooklyn-born rapper-producer Von Pea. We spoke about The Suicide Squad, Fast 9, the works of Quentin Tarantino and David Cronenberg, their fascination with the next generation of hip-hop, how the internet’s relationship to music has changed over the last 20 years, the legacy of their 2009 breakout album Brooklynati, their favorite Lil B stories, and the creative process behind their latest album Don andVon. Don and Von ...
2021-09-012h 08Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 23: Bruiser WolfMy guest this week is Detroit rapper Bruiser Wolf. We spoke about Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Color Purple, the filmography of Adam Sandler, his short-lived career as a football player, the importance of movie soundtracks, JAY-Z’s discography, how rapper Fat Ray helped him link with Danny Brown and Bruiser Brigade, Michigan’s surging street rap scene, his writing process, and creating his breakout project Dope Game Stupid, produced by Raphy and Knxwledge. Dope Game Stupid is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider purch...
2021-08-181h 40Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 22: Uncommon NasaMy guest this week is New York rapper, producer, engineer, and label head Uncommon Nasa. We spoke about Crime Scene Kitchen, Pinocchio, Basquiat, The Twilight Zone, several Stephen King film adaptations, the pros and cons of adapting books to film, his career in New York’s rap underground and within the Definitive Jux orbit, the history of his label Uncommon Records, and the process behind his latest album Only Child, produced entirely by Messiah Musik and out now via Uncommon Records.Only Child is available wherever music is bought, streamed, or stolen. Co...
2021-08-111h 59Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 21: Nadirah SimmonsMy guest this week is Nadirah Simmons, an archivist, historian, social media manager for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and founder and CEO of The Gumbo, a hip-hop publication and cultural hub dedicated to Black women. We spoke about rare vinyl, the documentary Summer of Soul, her family’s love for The Godfather series, how her work on The Late Show influences her work at The Gumbo, her love of State Property, Curren$y, and Alchemist, and the importance of documenting Black history.Check out The Gumbo's we...
2021-08-041h 32Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 20: AJRadicoMy guest this week is New York rapper, producer, and engineer AJRadico. We spoke about The Dark Knight trilogy, Spongebob, Kung Fu Hustle, how 2001: A Space Odyssey helped him appreciate sound editing, how sound editing influenced the way he makes beats, how Fruity Loops, Splice, and iPhone voice memos changed the production game forever, and the creative process behind his debut project Transit.Transit is available wherever music is bought, streamed, or stolen. Follow AJRadico on Instagram and Twitter: @AJRadico...
2021-07-281h 31Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 19: Clarissa BrooksMy guest this week is writer, activist, and community organizer Clarissa Brooks. We spoke about their love of Gossip Girl, third-person narration, the work of Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston, seeing Grave of The Fireflies in high school, how their work as an organizer influences their work as a writer, the legacy of Odd Future, DaBaby’s public image, and a handful of pieces they’ve written for outlets from Dead End Hip-Hop and DJBooth to Nylon and The Cut, among others. Read a handful of Clarissa's work via Cont...
2021-07-212h 10Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 18: PremRockMy guest this week is New York rapper and producer PremRock. We spoke about falling in love with horror movies during quarantine, writing screenplays, whether or not flashbacks in movies are tacky, his love for West Coast hip-hop, the importance of rap regionalism, his group the Wrecking Crew, his relationships with engineer Willie Green and rapper Curly Castro, and the creative process behind his latest album Load Bearing Crow’s Feet, out now via Backwoodz Studioz.Load Bearing Crow's Feet is available wherever music is bought, streamed, or st...
2021-07-141h 48Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 17: CRASHprezMy guest this week is rapper and semi-retired music journalist Michael Penn II, also known as CRASHprez. We spoke about the pros and cons of Twitter, how Olivia Rodrigo is like Future for white women, our favorite depressed white indie dramas, the Purge series, the Saw series, Babyface Ray, Crash’s recording process, his work with the group defprez, musical versatility, and how his work as a journalist informs his work as a rapper.Check out CRASHprez's Bandcamp page hereFollow CRASHprez on Instagram an...
2021-07-072h 18Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 16: DefceeMy guest this week is Chicago rapper, writer, and teacher Defcee, one-third of the group defprez. We spoke about Batman, the value of networking, slave movies, his time as both a teacher and rapper in Chicago, the draining nature of the American public education system, his time with the Emcee Wreckshop program, mainstream rap’s renewed interest in drums and loops, and the creative process behind his latest project We Dressed the City with Our Names, produced entirely by August Fanon.Stream & purchase We Dressed the City with Our Names...
2021-06-302h 16Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 16: DefceeMy guest this week is Chicago rapper, writer, and teacher Defcee, one-third of the group defprez. We spoke about Batman, the value of networking, slave movies, his time as both a teacher and rapper in Chicago, the draining nature of the American public education system, his time with the Emcee Wreckshop program, mainstream rap’s renewed interest in drums and loops, and the creative process behind his latest project We Dressed the City with Our Names, produced entirely by August Fanon.Stream & purchase We Dressed the City with Our Na...
2021-06-272h 16Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 15: Rap Portraits (Yoh Phillips x Holland Gallagher)My guests this week are Atlanta-based journalist and author Yoh Phillips and New Orleans-based filmmaker and musician Holland Randolph Gallagher, creators of the rap documentary series Rap Portraits. We talked about Andy Warhol, how director Bong Joon-Ho is like Freddie Gibbs, album rollouts, Tyler, The Creator, the Migos, film school, learning their jobs on the fly, Holland’s web series Hype, the creative process behind Rap Portraits, and whether or not we’ve entered a new rap blog era. Subscribe to Rap Portraits hereFollow Rap Port...
2021-06-232h 11Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 14: SkyzooMy guest this week is Brooklyn rapper, label head, and ghostwriter Skyzoo. We spoke about House Party, his fascination with John Singleton and Spike Lee, his time as a rap consultant on the 2014 film Patti Cake$, concept albums, his recent vocal chord surgery, cultural appropriation, the state of modern rap media, and the creative process behind his latest album All The Brilliant Things, out now via Mello Music Group.All The Brilliant Things is available wherever music is sold, streamed...
2021-06-161h 46Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 13: Curbside Jones x Dexter FizzMy guests this week are Texas-based rapper-producer-engineer Curbside Jones and Maryland-based rapper-producer-engineer Dexter Fizz. We talked about Space Jam, Parasite, fashion-forward rappers, the brilliance of A24 films, dubbed vs. subbed anime, how their mutual fascination with and respective trips to Japan influenced their music, the pros and cons of independence, and the creative process behind their latest project The Last Train.Stream and purchase The Last Train directly from Curb and Dex via BandcampFollow Curbside...
2021-06-092h 22Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 08: Flying Lotus*SPOILER WARNING FOR YASUKE*My guest this week is producer, rapper, musician, writer, director, and Brainfeeder label head Flying Lotus. We talked about the importance of Jurassic Park and Fist of The North Star, working with Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo creator Shinichiro Watanabe, the creative process behind the Netflix anime series Yasuke, the joys of creating an anime theme song with Thundercat, his friendship with Denzel Curry, and his...
2021-05-0541 minReel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 07: Topaz JonesMy guest this week is New Jersey rapper/producer/vocalist/director Topaz Jones, a fellow native of Montclair, NJ. We talked about being from the 973, what movies he’s been watching during quarantine, being inspired by Kanye West’s ‘Runaway’ movie, finding the courage to be vulnerable on record, how sampling music has inspired his approach to filmmaking, and the creative process behind his latest album Don’t Go Tellin Your Momma and its accompanying Sundance Award-winning short film of the same name.Don’t Go Tellin Your Momma is availab...
2021-04-281h 36Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 06: Big FlowersMy guest this week is Big Flowers, a rapper/producer/graphic designer and video director from Buffalo, NY. We talked about how The Fox & The Hound and The Prince of Egypt shaped his mind as a child, the value in making friends over the internet, our mutual appreciation of The Midnight Gospel, his sandwich deconstruction theory, his approach to collaborating with other artists, and the process behind his latest self-released album Big Smile.Consider purchasing Big Smile
2021-04-211h 57Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 05: Fatboi Sharif x Roper WilliamsOn the fifth episode, welcomes rapper Fatboi Sharif and producer Roper Williams, two of New Jersey’s finest. We spoke about memories of DMX, how horror movies inform Sharif’s writing style, Roper’s observations on the similarities between sequencing for albums and films, art reflecting the chaotic nature of 2020, our favorite movie plot twists of all time, and the creative process behind their debut collaborative album Gandhi Loves Children. Gandhi Loves Children is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider purchasing directly from Sharif, Roper, and PO...
2021-04-141h 45Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 04: Pink Siifu x Fly AnakinMy guests this week are Birmingham, AL-born rapper/producer Pink Siifu and Richmond, Virginia-born rapper/producer Fly Anakin. We talk about overrated Disney movies, Fly Anakin attending the How High premiere as a kid, the films of Larry Clark and Harmony Korine, the joys of discovering new movies at your cousins' house , and the creative process behind their collaborative album FlySiifu's and its deluxe expansion $mokebreak, both out now via Lex Records. FlySiifu's is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen...
2021-04-071h 42Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 03: Armand Hammer (billy woods x Elucid)For our third episode, Reel Notes welcomes rappers billy woods and Elucid, also known as the duo Armand Hammer. We talk about woods’s childhood memories of watching American cinema while living in Zimbabwe; Elucid’s affinity for short stories; some pretty damn hot takes on the work of the late John Singleton; the abstract magic of Ghostface Killah; and the creative process behind their latest album HARAM, produced entirely by The Alchemist.HARAM is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider purchasing directly from Backwoodz Stud...
2021-03-311h 34Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 02: H31r (Maassai x JWords)For episode two of Reel Notes, I sat down with New York rapper Maassai and New Jersey producer JWords, who record solo and as the duo H31r. We spoke about ratchet movie theaters, growing up watching Spike Lee and Harry Potter movies, whether King Kong or Godzilla would win in a fight, the benefits of taking a year off from performing due to COVID, and how movies inspired the process behind Maassai’s recent solo project With The Shifts, JWords’ latest project Sonic Liberation, and their...
2021-03-241h 21
Reel Notes w/ CineMasaiEpisode 01: The LassoFor the inaugural episode of Reel Notes, I sat down with producer and multi-instrumentalist The Lasso. We spoke about being inspired by John Williams scores as a kid, how crafting an album is like building a spaceship, the creative process behind all of his collaborative albums, and the sci-fi inspirations of his latest project 2121, out now via Mello Music Group. We also spoke about the upcoming Justice League: Snyder Cut and ranked our favorite movie Batmen.2121 is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or...
2021-03-181h 47