Diggin' In The Digits

The LOX are one of the strongest groups in Hip-Hop history. Their bond is unbreakable, their chemistry is top-tier and their bars throughout their album discography illuminate all of that, even through all the beefs & disputes. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:20) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (11:43) Money, Power & Respect - (24:45) We Are The Streets - (33:45) Filthy America......

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) Lighte...

Biz Markie was not the "Just A Friend" rapper. And he should not be known simply for the sample case. Because Biz Markie was so much more. A multi-talented artist that made music. Funny, inviting, energetic and vulnerable music with great storytelling and underrated sample chops. We do our best in highlighting the unique nature of Biz. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:29) Topic Intro/Ben's Re...

It's time for another DITD Bites and for this one we get into the recent Kanye "DONDA" announcement and predictable non-drop. And then we get into how we individually listen to music. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:01) Kanye, process & self-editing - (22:24) How we listen to music - (47:02) Lighter Note - (1:12:12) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties invo...

On this episode of DITD: Half the year has been & gone and we thought it was worth taking stock of the releases, overriding stories on our minds and what we're looking forward to for the rest of the year. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (6:29) Death of legends - (19:59) "A good, not great year" - (32:44) What to look forward to - (56:40) Lighter Note - (1:04:17) Thanks for listening. Below...

We continue our two-part series on LL Cool J, going through the rest of his discography from Mr Smith all the way to Authentic. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:55) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (11:16) Mr Smith - (16:44) Phenomenon - (23:04) G.O.A.T - (30:27) 10 - (36:23) The DEFinition - (43:18) Todd Smith - (52:01) Exit 13 - (56:54) Authentic & Final Thoughts - (1:04:47) Lighter N...

LL Cool J is more known for his acting and hosting duties these days. But LL has a catalogue that spans decades and that shouldn't be overlooked in the career of Mr Smith. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:44) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:57) Radio - (25:28) Bigger And Deffer - (38:22) Walking With A Panther - (48:29) Mama Said Knock You Out - (57:04) 14 Shots To The Dome - (1:05:00)...

Sometimes your audience is not explicitly in your backyard. Sometimes, it's across the pond and on the other side of the world. That's what happened for a Jurassic 5 that were gaining popularity in the UK & Japan before they even dropped an album. After that hot promise, Jurassic 5 put together a solid body of work that shows outstanding group chemistry, great bars and top tier DJ-oriented pro...

It's time for another volume of "Contemporary Cool" and for this one, we get into two debut albums, an underrated gem & an album from a clear-headed vet. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:47) Based on a T.R.U. Story - (19:51) Mega Philosophy - (38:05) Mr Wonderful - (50:34) A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons - (1:02:25) Lighter Note - (1:17:20) Thanks for listening. Below are the Social ac...

The placement of DAS EFX in Hip-Hop history is an interesting one. They started off being inspired by Hip-Hop itself and after just one album, inspired several of their peers in the years after. So much so, that it could be said that while DAS EFX has a place in Hip-Hop history, they maybe deserve a larger pedestal and more recognition as a highly lyrical duo. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2...

Digable Planets weren't the first Hip-Hop group to use Jazz as a foundation for their Hip-Hop musical explorations, but there aren't many artists that took the essence of Jazz as seriously as Butterfly, Doodlebug & Ladybug Mecca did in their brief but beautiful two album stretch. We get into their story and the music that offers so much, the more you listen to it. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roun...

The Pharcyde was another significant member of the "Alternative" Hip-Hop scene of the early/mid-90s, with back-to-back classics right out of the gate. But behind the scenes, the group bond wasn't the tightest. And once that thin ice broke, it immediately messed up the very acute alchemy they had in the beginning. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (4:13) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (21:36)...

The term "Stimulus Package" has been implemented in two ways in recent years. The first, the money people have received during the pandemic. The second? When mainstream artists hop on lesser-known artists' songs, giving the lesser-known artist a listenership they have never gotten before, and sometimes, may never get again. We discuss the second definition, getting a light-bulb moment right at the...

It's time for another Bites session! In this edition, we talk about Politics in Hip-Hop, the death of DatPiff & whether Streaming is the sole culprit for the dilution of modern music. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:38) Political Hip-Hop - (17:56) The Death of DatPiff - (35:11) Streaming & The Dilution of Music - (55:02) Lighter Note - (1:20:35) Thanks for listening. Below are the So...

Wyclef, Pras & Lauryn. Fugees were a trio bursting with youthful energy and creative flavour. Their first album was boastful and raw, their second album showed all three at their creative peaks. But behind the scenes, a mixture of label issues and personal back & forth (to put it lightly) put a timer on their lifespan as a trio. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:03) Topic Intro/Ben's R...

With the unfortunate passing of Shock G, we thought this was a good time as any to collectively get into his brainchild, Digital Underground and gain a new understanding of why Shock G was one of the most unique personalities in music history. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup: (1:44) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House: (17:22) Sex Packets: (26:23) Sons of the P: (37:03) The Body-Hat Syndrome: (46:20...

Death is inevitable, but it is always something that warrants a bigger conversation when we see a Hip-Hop artist die in their 20s. There's a systemic issue here and a broader issue with how society treats certain people. We try to dig into these issues in the only way we can: Existentially. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:18) Topic Intro - (18:49) Lighter Note - (1:15:07) Thanks for listenin...

It's time for some more "Contemporary Cool" and for this one, we went far and wide with our picks. Nas & Damian Marley's "Distant Relatives", Azealia Banks' "Fantasea", Apollo Brown & Boog Brown's "Brown Study" & Jay Rock's "90059". TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:40) Distant Relatives - (19:27) Fantasea - (32:52) Brown Study - (46:00) 90059 - (57:33) Lighter Note - (1:20:19) Tha...

Ladies & Gentlemen, DITD is two years old! We started this podcast two years ago as of the 11th and 105 episodes later, with NO OFF WEEK, we're still going and getting better. For this episode we reflect on the passing of DMX, reflect on ourselves, why we do what we do, compare work ethics and finish off with a couple of games that we hope you'll enjoy.  Thanks for kicking it with us, whenever...

After a month of celebrating women, we had to take some time to recognise women in the hurdles they face. Prepare for some necessary existential conversations that all come down to a lack of attention to the overall problems that we collectively have allowed to snowball so big that we don't even see the issue as abnormal. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:26) The Conversation - (18:47) Lighter...

We usually don't do artists this early but Ben thinks she's actually retired so here we are. But with that aside, Nicki Minaj, as the most commercially successful female Hip-Hop artist is a fascinating case study. Along with her pre-album history that is rarely harped on, Nicki has shown a genuine elevation in her artistry whilst also being one of the most bankable artists of the Century. So, sinc...

Eve is an interesting career to look at retrospectively. Unlike some of the other women we've covered so far, she didn't really pioneer in everything. But in her own way, she had a solid career, with a classic album and is a great rapper that have hanged with the best. And in something we'll talk about after March ends, that should be enough for people to focus on that. Luckily, we're not like eve...

MC Lyte is undeniably one of the most influential artists in Hip-Hop history. Your favourite female's favourite female. From Ms Lauryn Hill to Missy, to Kim. MC Lyte dabbled in many subjects and explored them with textbook confidence, an unmistakable voice and a matter-of-fact attitude. It's easy to say that her steadfast ways jeopardised her career in a changing Hip-Hop landscape but before she g...

Mary J Blige is one of the most influential artists of the past 30 years. Her catalogue is one of the most consistent and has nearly no dip in quality. We go through eleven of her albums and how they form one of the tightest "full circles" for an artist we have done so far. Strap in, foot is firmly on the gas for this one. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (2:11) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House...

Happy Women's History month one and all! If you have been a listener since last year, you know that since then we decided to dedicate the month of March to the women and this year we are doing it again. Up first, the first woman in Hip-Hop to go platinum, Da Brat. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:27) Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (21:00) Funkdafied - (37:36) Anuthatantrum - (45:03) Unres...