by Dan-O

Sometimes I think podcast listeners are suckers. They get hooked into the personality of a comedian or semi-comedian, semi-social commentator and hear the same stories from them over and over. I love Bill Burr’s comedy but I did a few episodes of the podcast and was like “This is it?!” Since it’s my right to move on, I do that. If I stick with a podcast it’s because I NEED to hear it. I do not go episode to episode just to be part of a listenership community.

All that crabby ranting aside, I’ve been listening to a lot of hip hop podcasts lately. These are the ones that really stick out as podcasts you need to catch up on:

Call Out Culture podcast-This is the way my generation talks about music. A bunch of people who believe what they believe with all their heart respectfully GOING IN. Alaska from Hangar 18 thinks the drums on Rawkus albums sound like someone walking up stairs. Curly Castro thinks KRS-One made a fatal flaw by not switching up his flow in the mid to late 90’s. Zilla Rocca is somehow both funny and sounds like he’s about to fall asleep. Small Professor is a beat making genius who speaks in the shortest sentences you could imagine. This is a crew that doesn’t just comment they create. Castro is on an incredible 2020 run w/ his ShrapKnel album (with PremRock) and BlUu Edwards (with Small Professor). Alaska has one of my favorite guest verses of the year on the album Meat Circus by Torito and Zilla Rocca is posting new music like Favreau leaving voicemail messages in Swingers. Whenever they drop an album or someone connected to their circle drops an album they all dedicate an episode to going over the project. It’s access you always wanted from your favorite artists but could never have before and now they control the outlet to put it out. All the commercials are for their stuff and why not?! Live that Wrecking Crew life. Salute!

Dad Bod Rap Pod-The personality collection on here is as valuable as the focus on dope underground work. I remember being excited to hear the gang review Mozzy’s album Beyond Bulletproof and when Nate Leblanc (who has the diction of the white guy on a 90’s rap interlude) said the album was such a bummer from a philosophical focus standpoint it ruined his delightful suburban weed walk I was pumped. What true Mozzy fan would want it any other way?! I don’t need to hear people agree with my tastes I just need to understand where you are coming from. David Ma, Demone Carter, and Nate are great at interviewing top notch guests from different lanes but they are equally fun together(Carter keeps the podcast moving) . All are smart and willing to acknowledge when something doesn’t hit them.

What Had Happened Was-I spent a lot of time going dead silent whenever Prince Paul was mentioned. He’s a legend but a confusing one! Guy is always working with people or a part of a collective with a new funny name and it is hard to keep it straight. That is why this podcast is completely necessary for Paul and not someone like Timbaland where you can just say “Then he made that beat and it ran the radio.” For years I wasn’t sure if it was ok that my favorite Prince Paul project is Gravediggaz(6 Feet Deep) but listening to his enthusiasm for the topic (shared by pitch perfect host Open Mike Eagle) I stand chin up! Every episode makes me want to pull up an album I didn’t pay enough attention to and jump in.

(You can find these podcasts on Stitcher, Apple, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts.)