Dad Bod Rap Pod

Once an interview starts you are never really sure where its going to go. Some artist can be understandably closed and guarded preferring to only talk about themselves in terms of their artistry. In a handful of cases an artist gives us a window into their personal journey. This week's conversation with Louis Logic is one of those interviews. After gaining traction in the early/mid aughts and work...

SPECIAL EPISODE!! Your intrepid hosts Demone Carter, David Ma, and Nate LeBlanc ventured out to Oakland on Labor Day for the annual Hip Hop block party known as Hiero Day. Although it was a sweltering hot day the Dad Bods stayed hydrated and were able to get backstage interviews with Keak Da Sneak, Opio, and A-Plus. There are some clips of live performances by Hieroglyphics, Kool G Rap, and Masta...

This week on DBRP we have not one but two dope interviews. First, host Nate LeBlanc talks to UK based rapper Sonnyjim about his career, his influences, and his new album White Girl Wasted (which features verses from MF DOOM and Jay Electronica). In our second interview Demone and Nate talk to DBRP favorite Lukah. The Memphis based rapper is set to release his newest offering Raw Extractions on Fri...

As time keeps slippin into the future we are talking to more and more artists who grew up in "hip hop households". Miami native YUNGMORPHEUS is one such artist. After being baptized into the culture via his fathers DMX albums Morph has gone on to create music that is equal parts smart and dangerous. His latest album Up Against A Wall; A Degree of Lunacy has every bit of edge YUNGMORPHEUS fans have...

Queens native Meyhem Lauren is a walking enterprise. From the booth to the kitchen he is always cooking up something interesting. His latest album Black Vladimir, a collaboration with Griselda beat smith Daringer, is full of wit and menace. Hosts David Ma, Demone Carter, and Nate LeBlanc were fortunate enough to catch Meyhem as he hopped into an uber en route to an undisclosed location. In this we...

After recording 200+ episodes of the Dad Bod Rap Pod we can say with confidence that women are the best interviewees. Our conversation with CMG of Conscious Daughters is definitive proof. CMG was witty, engaging, and gave us great insights into the Bay Area rap scene of the mid-nineties which birthed Conscious Daughters. After a chance meeting with Paris which led to a record deal with his Guerril...

We are blessed to be joined this week by some old and new friends of the program that are making vital rap music right now. First up we have a group interview with Wrecking Crew, a conglomerate that consists of producer Small Professor and MCs Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro and Prem Rock. They are all return guests on DBRP and are here to tell us a bit more about their recent album Sedale Threat. Make...

From his work with Ultimate Force in the late 80s to his production on the new Open Mike Eagle single 'I’ll Fight You' Diamond D has had an unparalleled run as producer/emcee. The one time Best Kept Secret was gracious enough to join hosts Nate Le Blanc and David Ma for a wide ranging conversation about his stellar career including the origin story of the mighty DITC. Stunts, Blunts, Hip Hop, Hatr...

Those who listen to the podcast regularly may notice that we have a deep affinity for all things Chicago hip hop. Last week we checked in with Chi-town's king of living Vic Spenser and this week we talk to Windy City producer Maker. If you have heard the theme song to the hit sitcom Abbott Elementary you have heard Makers work but he has been a fixture in the underground for a couple of decades no...

Dynamic duos have always held a special place in rap history. We needn't rattle off the iconic rapper/producer combos because we all know the potential alchemy that exist between rhyme spitter and the beat maker. On their newest collaboration Mudslide, Chicago rapper Vic Spencer and Philadelphia producer Small Professor come together and tap into that legacy of one rapper one producer magic.  We w...

As rap music continues to mature as an art form more rappers are telling their stories on the page as opposed to just on the mic. We were fortunate to have Chicago-based rapper Psalm One join us this week to talk about her new book Her Word Is Bond (which is out now via Haymarket books). Part memoir, part music journalism, Her Word is Bond takes an unflinching look at underground hip hop culture t...

A love letter to the city of Los Angeles? A ode to the letter J? J Rocc's new album "A Wonderful Letter" is both of these and more. Hosts Demone Carter and David Ma chop it up with the world famous Beat Junkie about his incredible career and his first new album in over a decade. J Rocc has been a fixture in the worlds of turntablism and beat making for some time. The Stones Throw stalwart talks ab...

WE MAAADE IT to 227 episodes, and while we have talked about Ghostface Killah's masterpiece Supreme Clientele at various times, we have not devoted a full episode to discussing what makes it such a vital and influential rap album. DBRP hosts Demone Carter, Nate LeBlanc and David Ma share favorite tracks and sequences on the album, and reflect on the massive impact of the styles that Ghostface debu...

We are very excited to speak with returning guest E L U C I D, who recently dropped the challenging and excellent album I Told Bessie with a stellar cast of producers. We are huge fans of E L U C I D's work both solo and as part of the mighty Armand Hammer and we always want to interrogate his procedures and intentions as he crafts experimental (some might say psychedelic) underground rap music wi...

As Willard Smith once famously said, it's summertime. It was just the summer solstice, but more importantly, today I had a peach so juicy I had to eat it over the sink. How does a hip-hop head mark the changing of the seasons? In our case, we switch up the playlist. In the intro segment our hosts recommend some summery songs. Next up we have an interview with Bay Area underground rapper L*Roneous...

Normally we have an interview with a rapper, producer, or a writer. On this week's episode we are talking to Namir Blade, a performer who rejects such limiting labels and prefers to be referred to as an artist. He just released a new album, Metropolis on Mello Music Group and we are intrigued by his utilization of multiple vocal techniques, his production prowess, and his general swag. In the open...

On this week's episode we run down our favorite rap records of the year so far. We recommend probably a dozen or so albums to listen to if you want to understand what is relevant, what is dope, and what this time period sounds and feels like. Special attention is paid to work by Quelle Chris, billy woods, Earl Sweatshirt, Pusha T, Lekeili 47, Defcee and more. Beat submitted by friend of the progra...

After a few weeks absorbing the lengthy and complicated new album, we are finally ready to talk about the new Kendrick Lamar record. Hosts Demone, David and Nate each highlight a specific track and we discuss the album's overall themes and place in his stellar discography. After that we have an interview with the rapper formerly known as Icon The Mic King, these days known simply as Mic King, who...

DBRP is your go-to source for engaging interviews with the authors of prominent hip-hop books and this week we have a double dose of conversation hot off the presses. First up Lance Scott Walker, author of DJ Screw A Life In Slow Revolution joins us from Texas to discuss his book's intriguing structure and to recommend the definitive Screw track for us relative novices. Then we have a conversation...

This week's guest is musician, designer, producer, and hip-hop lifer Real Bad Man. We took notice of Real Bad Man a few years ago upon the release of the collaborative album with Boldy James. We later found out that the music is just one component of the overall Real Bad Man project, which is also a well known street wear brand and creative agency. Real Bad Man has released a string of compilation...

Great conversation this week with one of our favorite contemporary artists, the incomparable Quelle Chris. Back again for his second interview with us, and somehow still on the tour that he was on last time we spoke, we are primarily addressing his new album Deathfame. The record is a lamentation about the music industry and the inherent conflicts between art and commerce, but most strikingly, a b...

Planet Asia is an absurdly dope and prolific MC who has been an underground mainstay for many years. We were happy to talk to him about some of the many albums and projects he has coming up, his vault of unreleased material, and how you only get to be the new guy and subject to label bidding wars once in a lifetime. In the intro segment Nate and Demone talk new rap releases, effectively recommendi...

This week we are joined by the excellent rapper Wordsworth. He is a hip-hop lifer, a deeply clever MC and an icon of the cypher era. Wordsworth may be best known for a standout verse on Black Star's album and for The Lyricist Lounge Show, a sketch comedy show that was based on the popular live event and compilation series. We chop it up about his writing stye, his older and newer work, and a lot m...

This week we are speculating about major upcoming rap releases and possibly specious retirement announcements in the first segment. Then we are speaking to two Chicago-based artists who just released a very good record. First up we have a quick check-in with rapper Defcee, and then a longer conversation with producer Boathouse, the two talented artists behind All Debts Public And Private, a new re...

This week we are blessed to be joined by returning guests billy woods and Preservation, the duo behind the incredible new album Aethiopes on Backwoodz Studioz. We hold woods in high regard as a writer and honestly think he's the best MC in the game currently so it is always a pleasure to discuss the craft of rhyme writing and the deep references in his work. Preservation may not be a household nam...