Shows
This Week in HypeIntro to Marijuana Smoking Edition: This Week in Hype PodcastSpecial edition of the podcast this week, I'm a 32-year-old man about to smoke medical marijuana for the first time. Help?2015-05-2945 minThis Week in HypeThe Personal Top 5 Rappers Edition (This Week in Hype Podcast)I finally bit the bullet and listed my personal Top 5 emcees of all-time. I'm never doing this again, but I had to do it at least once.
And a special shout out to our sponsor, Best Beard Cream!2015-05-2338 minThis Week in HypeFreeway on Beards, New Album & “Duck Tales”This week, I bring on Freeway to talk about his status as an OG in the beard game, his love for the cartoon Duck Tales, the time he was considering signing to Cash Money, his upcoming album, Beanie Sigel's status and much more.2015-05-1547 minThis Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: The Full Tech N9ne InterviewThis week, I devote the entire episode to my recent conversation with Tech N9ne, the audio was just too good to let it go unheard. We talk about how his new "Special Effects" album took a dark turn, how the metal community has embraced him more openly than hip-hop, his bond with Krizz Kaliko, his need to break barriers and much more.2015-05-0851 minThis Week in HypeYoung Thug & Tidal Flop & True Indie Rap With Rich Quick: This Week in HypeThis week, I'm recovered from my mid-life crisis and back at it. I talk about Young Thug's Barter 6 album flopping, Tidal flopping, soccer players flopping and flip-flops. Plus, I bring in Rich Quick to talk about what life's like for an (actually) indie artist and what people love about his music so much.2015-04-2453 minThis Week in HypeTax Season Life Crisis & Bodega Bamz: This Week in Hype PodcastThis week, if you'd like to hear a man have a mid-life crisis brought on by filing his taxes and realizing he's going to leave his children with absolutely no inheritance besides a rap podcast, youre in luck! Oh, and I also talk to Bodega Bamz about his new album, NYC rap, why there aren't more superstar Latino rappers, his relationship to A$AP Yams and more.2015-04-1836 minThis Week in HypeWale & Luda Review, Death of Free Streams & DJ Hoppa: TWIH PodcastThis week, I do a quick review of both Wale and Ludacris' new albums, break open the Illuminati vault again to explain why the days of free music may be ending soon and bring on DJ Hoppa to talk about Funk Volume, the art of DJing and his new album.2015-04-0359 minThis Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: The Kendrick Lamar Classic Album Rant EditionThis week, I had a rant building up inside me that I just had to get out. Ever since Kendrick dropped his To Pimp a Butterfly album there's been seemingly endlessly debate around the album, but very little talk about the album itself. WHO FUCKING CARES IF IT'S A CLASSIC?!?2015-03-2755 minThis Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: Wrekonize on Art, Mayday & Strange MusicThis week, I figure out how to test whether you're really friends with a rapper and then devote the episode to my talk with Wrekonize, who's just straight up one of the most interesting and talented people in hip-hop.
I've been trying to get Wrekonize on the podcast for a minute and I finally made it happen. This week the entire episode is dedicated to learning about the man's battle rap beginnings, the lessons he learned when his first album was never releases, how he became a part of Mayday, the blessings and curses of being in a band and...2015-03-061h 03This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype ft. Big Sean (Special Edition)On a special Monday edition of the podcast, I talk to Big Sean about the dark skies that have clouded his paradise over the last year, his place in the top ten rappers alive conversation and much more.2015-03-0221 minThis Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: Yeezy Back, Fashawn on Working With Nas & MoreCan you believe it? How could you be so lucky? What could you have possibly done to deserve another "This Week in Hype" podcast? Blessings on blessings on blessings.
This week, I try to convince a whiskey company to send me free booze, get excited for the return of Kanye West making good music (pun intended), talk to Fashawn about how Nas inspired him to keep rapping and much more.2015-02-2753 minThis Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: Drake's a Legend, Hitting the Club With BeatKingThis week, I attempt to figure out if Drake really should be considered a hip-hop legend, plus I bring on Houston's Club God BeatKing to talk the birth of his ratchet comedy rap movement.
Discussed This Week:
* As always, shouts to Tino for that dope theme song. You should follow Tino and hear Tino’s story in full on the podcast.
* If Drake dies, is he actually a legend. Lucas asked the question in one of the most talked about articles we've done in a minute, and I dive even deeper into that question. [Spoiler alert, he's not.]
* Lately I've be...2015-02-2003 min
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype - The Fight Against Hip-Hop ElitismThis week, I devote the episode to bringing in Yoh and talking about his huge article about hip-hop elitism (aka "I Don't Like Illmatic"). It's a topic that eventually gets to the core of nearly every issue in hip-hop. The lesson, as always? Just don't be a dick.2015-02-131h 00
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype - Lil Wayne, Birdman & Cash Money at the CrossroadsThis week on the podcast I talk about the pending Lil Wanye and Birdman divorce - is this the biggest split in hip-hop history? What happens to Cash Money now? Will Drake still be able to put out an album this year? The implications are insane. Plus, I bring on internet rap expert Mike Trampe to talk about his early days and drop some dos and don'ts when it comes to online music marketing.
Discussed This Week:
* As always, shouts to Tino for that dope theme song.
* Thanks to this week's (pretend) podcast sponsor, Doc Elliott's beard grooming serum! #Beardgang
...2015-01-3053 min
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: Best Music Year of My Life, Time Larew & MoreI kick things off my doing some serious reminiscing - shout out to Andy Bonfilio for putting me onto Tribe Called Quest in high school - and then bring on Tim Larew to talk about his work managing Michael Christmas and others, his experience with major labels, and what it means to be a "manager" in 2015.
Discussed This Week:
* As always, shouts to Tino for that dope theme song.
* Yoh's piece on the best music year of his life got me thinking - what's the best music year of my life? It'd have to be...junior/senior year of high...2015-01-2357 min
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype - My Life in the Music IndustryStrap in (pause?) because this week you're just getting a whole lot of me telling stories about the times I've crossed over from my keyboard to the actual music industry and along the way worked with everyone from Earth, Wind & Fire to Tech N9ne.
Discussed This Week:
* As always, shouts to Tino for that dope theme song. You should follow Tino and hear Tino’s story in full on the podcast.
* That time I ended up in the studio with Earth, Wind & Fire and thought my life was going to change but yeah, that shit didn't really work out, so...2015-01-1649 min
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: This Week in Hype: The Squad on Wale, Kendrick, Resolutions & MoreFresh for 2015 you suckers!!! The "This Week in Hype" podcast is officially back for yet another year filled with me talking about rap, we talking about rap with other people, rap and rap talk. In the wise words of Yung Joc, it's going down.
Everyone always does mega year-end podcasts, including me, but why not do a mega year-start podcast? Wouldn't that be even more important? So I brought on the #Squad (aka Lucas & Yoh) to talk about our hopes for hip-hop in 2015.2015-01-091h 10
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: The Mega 2014 Wrap-Up Edition With Justin HunteHoly...sweet...baby...jesus. I just spent ANOTHER year doing the "This Week in Hype" podcast. When I started this I didn't know if I'd make it to week two, and here we are, racking up entire years of awesome. How fucking cool is that? Seriously.
For the last podcast of 2014, I had to bring in regular guest Justin Hunte, the HipHopDX editor-in-chief, to go over the year that was in hip-hop and beyond. Along the way we talk Iggy, Kanye and why we're so excited for 2015.
Discussed This Week:
* As always, shouts to Tino for that dope theme song.
...2014-12-1946 min
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: Storm Warning Edition ft. DJ T-GUT & Kendrick vs. ColeI won't lie, it's been a crazy week in Berkeley. The first half of the week armored trucks were arresting protesters outside my house, the second half we got hit with a storm and I lost power. But I STILL DELIVERED THE "This Week in Hype" PODCAST BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.
With the storm bearing down on el case de Slavik, I bring on the homie DJ T-GUT to talk about my favorite subject, me, and tell some crazy interview stories. Plus, we end with some good ol' fashioned J. Cole vs. Kendrick Lamar debating.
Discussed This Week:
* As always...2014-12-1257 min
This Week in HypeThe Tragedy of Eric Garner & Poetry of Danez SmithHeartbreakingly, we've been here before.
On one hand I'm not sure it's my place as a white man who mostly writes Rick Ross fat jokes to speak about the justice system's absolute disregard for black life. I'd much rather use whatever meager influence I have to direct people towards those who are writing more powerfully than I ever could.
At the same time, I also believe that silence is consent, and it just doesn't feel right to remain silent about an issue that's been the only thing I've been talking about off the internet for the past two days. So...2014-12-0550 min
This Week in HypeThis Week in Hype: The John Gotty Mega-EpisodeThis week's episode is one I've been wanting to make happen for a long ass time. I talk to John Gotty, aka the don of The Smoking Section, about being one of the first people on the rap internet and what it's like to run my favorite (non-DJBooth) site.
Discussed This Week:
* As always, shouts to Tino for that dope theme song. You should follow Tino and hear his story in full on the podcast.
* Forget my usual rambling, forget the fake commercials, this week I'm devoting the entire episode to my conversation with John Gotty. This is the definitive...2014-11-211h 15