Diggin' In The Digits

We're officially halfway through 2026, so it's time for our Mid-Year report where we take stock of the year so far - from the music dropped to some of the stories that transpired - and look forward to the rest of the year!  TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:02) Ben: Future - The Real Me Lance Skiiiwalker - #invite,sessions,only!! Charlie: The Deli - Kaleidoscope Alewya - Zero Naomi Sharon - No...

In our Geto Boys double bill, we now get into the most notable artist in the group: Scarface. One of the least talked about legends in Hip-Hop history where Scarface acolytes can make a case for him being the GOAT. So, does the discography warrant such praise? TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) Ben: NappyHigh - REDaze Charlie: Gwen Bunn - The Interim, Vol. 1 Ryder - RYDERHOOD 3 Nia Smith -...

Hailing from 5th Ward, Geto Boys went through a few line-ups before settling on the three we consider the full cast: Willie D, Bushwick Bill and Scarface. But a whole lot of music happened in the nearly 20 year run and a whole lot of movement between them and a supporting cast happened as well. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup -(0:50) Ben: Benny the Butcher- The Plugs I Met 2.5 Hard-Fi - Sweating...

What began as a Grammy Award-winning group out of the gate, Arrested Development - led by rapper/producer Speech - are still the same in their ethos even though many members have come & gone and the mainstream binned them after their sophomore album. Nearly 40 years later, they're still creating accessible Hip-Hop with positive and incisive commentary. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:33)...

Goodie Mob is one of those interesting entities that make you ask yourself: Do I like [artist] evolving their sound & style? When it comes to Goodie Mob, for Ben it's yes, for Charlie, it's no. Who's right?* TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57) Ben: Vince Staples - Cry Baby Genesis Owusu - RESDTAR WU Broken Social Scene - Remember the Humans Modest Mouse - An Eraser and a Maze Skrillex -...

The duo of Blu & Exile came together out of orbiting similar circles in an 00s Underground that didn't have a 1 MC, 1 Producer duo of note. They in turn created a cult classic out the gates. Now - after an eight year hiatus in the middle - they're creating what could be considered their best work. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:00) Ben: JPEGMAFIA - Experimental Rap Neurosis - An Undying...

For our 19th edition of Contemporary Cool, we get into the third instalment of Kid Cudi's "Man On The Moon" series and the most Bomb Squad sounding album from Chuck D in decades. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:51) Ben: Drake: ICEMAN, MAID OF HONOUR & HABIBTI Charlie: A-F-R-O - Blood Rain Valtteri Laurell & Ricky-Tick Big Band - Visions of Dilla Sonedo - From Here On Out Solene - Fem...

In a DITD/WG double up, I talk to DJ & author Amani Roberts off the back of his book The Quiet Storm . In this talk, we get to know his background, his roots in DJing; how the book originated from a thesis, R&B and Hip-Hop groups; African-American Media and we finish off with a Lighter Note and a Top 5!  Don't say I don't spoil you! Weekly Music Roundup: Charlie: Vic Spencer - Inspire Your...

After covering Organized Konfusion last week & Pharoahe Monch the week before , we finish our OK explorations with the other half of the duo: The unsung Prince Po.  TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) Ben: Action Bronson - Planet Frog Kneecap - FENIAN Cookin soul x Estee nack - AL-ANDALUS Tiga - Hot Life Little Simz- Sugar Girl Foo Fighters - Your Favourite Toy Charlie: Blue Lab Beats -...

After exploring Pharoahe Monch last week , we now get into his pre-solo life with Prince Po as the duo Organized Konfusion. Three albums with unfaltering production, dexterous lyrics and flows that need to be heard to truly understand how good these two were as a rap duo. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:01) Ben: Isaiah Rashad - IT'S BEEN AWFUL Billy Danze - The Answer NEMS - I Should Boom Yo...

If you're like most people and only familiar with Pharoahe Monch when "Simon Says" is played, you're actually missing one of the clearest paths of evolution from a rapper in terms of subject matter and maturity as an artist. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:20) Ben: Blu & Exile - Time Heals Everything Kehlani - Kehlani Akon - BEAUTIFUL DAY REASON - Moving Towards Love_PINK Charlie: Joya M...

RZA has always been a busy man and it was no different in the 90s where he featured in supergroup Gravediggaz - birthed by at-the-time veteran of the industry Prince Paul - unleashing a Horrorcore group with an essential debut, only for the 2nd & 3rd albums to change up in subject matter and in the end only containing Poetic & Frukwan that kept the group alive. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Rou...

We finally get to Part 2 of our J. Cole retrospective. ( Listen to Part 1 here ) Whilst the first half of his discography speak for themselves, Cole finishes his stretch of solo albums with a litany of appearances outside of the albums that unfortunately colour his works, culminating in a discography that - whilst unmistakably Cole - is riddled with artistic potholes.  TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Rou...

On April 10th, we celebrated our 7th anniversary! To celebrate - emphasising the education we've given ourselves over the years - we picked seven albums that we probably would've never spun if it weren't for the Podcast. Happy birthday to us! And whether you've been here for this episode, the first or any in between, we appreciate you. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) Ben: underscores - u...

Continuing our Women's History Month celebrations (We know it's April, let it ride) with a duo in BWP - Bytches With Problems - that only had one album but with the content so brash, in your face and to the point, it's sad that this isn't a work that is celebrated more. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) Ben: Yeat - ADL Fetty Wap - Zavier Chief Keef - Skeletor Master Peace - Stupid Kids The...

Continuing with our Women's History Month, an eventual casualty of a mans brief but beautiful light. Tied on the rocket that was MC Hammer, Oaktown 3.5.7 - comprised of backup singers Sweet L.D. Terrible T & Lil P - was purposefully similar sonically to Salt N Pepa. Whilst they had a couple of hits, one of them departing after their debut led to Oaktown 3.5.7 ending just as quickly as they beg...

Continuing our WHM celebrations, we take a look at 00s Underground talent Apani B. Fly. Where the mainstream was going one way, Apani & her cohorts in the Polyrhythm Addicts shunned the commodification of Hip-Hop, staying sonically in the 90s whilst producing riveting lyrics. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) Ben:  Bruiser Wolf - Push & Paint ELUCID - I Guest U Had to Be There Jack...

The 1st woman to put out an album under Def Jam, Nikki D seemingly had one of the biggest labels of her time behind her; with an absurd 10 album deal on deck. So why was only one album released? TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:58) Ben: DJ Paul - Goat of all Goats Gnarls Barkley - Atlanta Daniel Avery - Tremor sosocamo - big country DaBoii - DBoii Ali SleazyWorld Go - I Want Blood Yebba - Jea...

With the one and only Jermaine Cole now "retired" (We don't believe in artists retiring) after the release of The Fall Off, we thought we'd contextualise Cole's career as a whole. From the mixtapes to the albums, we take it all in. (We are aware it's March and we should be doing Women's History Month retrospectives. We'll start next week and go through to the 1st week of April!) TIMESTAMPS: Weekly...

We wrap up the C-N-N coverage we begun all the way back in 2020 to take a look at Capone's solo work: A smattering of authentic storytelling & run-of-the-mill gun talk wrapped in very, very 00s production. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:18) Ben: Mumford & Sons - Prizefighter U2 - Days of Ash Charlie: WILLOW - petal rock black  Baby Keem - Ca$ino MIGHTYHEALTHY and Sankofa - MHK-ULTRA...

Whilst the music of C-N-N was pretty straight forward, N.O.R.E's solo work skews a little different. From mainstream 00s Hip-Hop to Reggaeton, N.O.R.E took his solo work as an opportunity to be more personal. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:15) Ben: Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern Charli XCX - wuthering heights Robbie Williams - BRITPOP Tiana Major9 - November Scorpio Ella Mai - do you...

Onyx were trailblazers in various ways. From their grimey style to the bald heads, Onyx had an iconic aesthetic from the outset, a classic album out the gate and bangers everywhere you look. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:10) Ben: J. Cole - The Fall Off RZA - Bobby Digital Presents: Juice Crew Kenny Mason - Pup Pack 3rd Shift Joji - Piss in the Wind Hunxho - Not One Of Them  Beck - Everybod...

Hey DITD listeners! Charlie here with another WG interview that I thought you'd enjoy. I talk to producer Kiyan Foroughi as he embarks on the release of his debut concept album "inner light. OUTER SPACE" which drops 27th February. In the meantime, here is my WG interview with him. Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Intro Music - "Baxter" By Brock Berrigan...

In just five years, BROCKHAMPTON became a Hip-Hop comet, shooting by with seven albums and it could've been more! With those works, they went from free-wheeling Mixtape-sounding albums to more mature works lyrically and sonically. Its obvious that they couldn't have existed in previous eras but could it be done ever again? TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:06) Ben: Don Toliver - Octane Lord Ja...

The duo of Erick Sermon & Parrish Smith make up EPMD, one of the quintessential Hip-Hop acts in history. Iconic production to rival the greats and a discography that doesn't get talked about nearly enough. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:06) Ben: IDK - e.t.d.s. A Mixtape by .idk Charlie: Curren$y - Everywhere You Look (EP) Ragz Originale - keepsake PHABO - Ratchet & Blues IDK - e.t.d...