Diggin' In The Digits

Continuing our UKBHM celebrations with a retrospective on one of the most visceral storytellers and lyrical visualisers of the modern era. It took Ghetts 15 years of ups and downs to create his magnum opus but it wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for the unique road he travelled. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:55) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Lil Baby - Only Me G Herbo - Survivor...

We continue our UKBHM celebrations with a retrospective on one of the most authentic voices in music: JME. Along with his brother Skepta, (who we covered last year) JME has become a blueprint for any independent artists that want to do it all with their own imprint. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:02) YoungBoy NBA - 3800 Degrees G Herbo - Survivor's Remorse Side A Quavo & Takeoff - Only...

Happy October and happy UK Black History Month one & all! This is the third time we're doing this but for those not in the know. To celebrate UKBHM, we do retrospectives of four black UK artists. To kick it off, we go to one of the first female duos, Cookie Crew. A duo that clearly had talent along with pretty good rolodex, but questionable decisions seemed to sour their outlook and make their...

This episode is a special one for a couple of reasons: 1st, it's our first live recording via Twitter Spaces. 2nd, it was to kick-start our new off-shoot: Prompts. Me, Ben and you guys talking around two specific prompts and letting the conversation go where it goes. The two Prompts: "What artist with a classic album, has the worst debut album?" and "Who is the best one-album artist?" TIMESTAMPS:...

Even though Main Source only lasted officially for five years - with two albums dropped - they certainly made their imprint in Hip-Hop history within that half decade; most notably, the album "Breaking Atoms" & the track "Live At The Barbecue". TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Vic Spencer x August Fanon - Psychological Cheat Sheet 3 Nasty C - Ivyson Ar...

On the 15th edition of DITD Bites, we get into the world of morals & ethics in Journalism and a special conversation of wider media and the response to the death of The Queen. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:55) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Yeat - Lyfe NAV - Demons protected by Angels YoungBoy - Realer 2 38 Spesh - 7 Shots Black Soprano Family - Long Live DJ Shay Cappadonna x Stu Ban...

It's time for another edition of Hip-Hop Neighbours where we talk about non-Hip-Hop works that Hip-Hop fans love regardless. For this volume, we talk about the works of Tame Impala & KAYTRANADA. Weekly Music Roundup - (1:10) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Pi’erre Bourne - Good Movie Francesca Wexler - Cherry Fields Forever Yah-Rah - The Queen’s Gambit BIGBABYGUCCI - SUMMER OF REVENGE Madlib,...

It's time to explore the world of Hip-Hop in Australia and there's no better place to look than the most popular Hip-Hop act in Australia. Hilltop Hoods, a trio that needed a bank loan to fund their first album, to sold out tours and platinum plaques aplenty. But there's much more to see under the surface. Or... Maybe not. TIMESTAMPS:  Weekly Music Roundup - (1:22) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics)...

If you were on a desert island and you had one artist's discography to spin, who would you pick? If you said your favourite artist, then sure. But think about a Shabazz Palaces where the music is so layered & diverse, you will be guaranteed to hear something different every time you spin. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:13) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Hot Chip - Freakout / Release...

If you ever need a story of resilience, look no further than the career arc of Camp Lo; who began with a classic debut, chose to go independent, have their work suffer because of it and at their lowest point, rise again with their best work since their debut. All in a space of 25+ years. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:26) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Megan Thee Stallion - Traumazine Y...

We get into another Bites where we talk about goings on in the Hip-Hop/music world. For this one we get into the Beyonce/Kelis/Neptunes sample controversy and looking into The Notorious B1, an artist from back in the day that claims The Notorious B.I.G. stole his iconic hit "Juicy". TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Nezi Momodu - The Pound Calvin Harris - Funk Wav...

In Volume 8 of Contemporary Cool: We look at the works of Rico Nasty, Megan Thee Stallion, Curren$y & The Alchemist and Kojey Radical. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:53) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Beyoncé - RENAISSANCE Wiz Khalifa - Multiverse Lava La Rue - Hi-Fidelity Joe Armon-Jones & Mala - A Way Back Jazz Spastiks - Intomental Nasty - (12:22) Tina Snow - (30:58) Covert C...

It is a tale as old as time. When you're as experimental as an N*E*R*D that simply refused to be labelled and went out of their way to be different; sometimes, it just doesn't hit. But when it hits... It HITS. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Joey Bada$$ - 2000 RZA - Bobby Digital and the Pit of Snakes Rico Nasty - Las Ruinas Asian Doll - Let’s Do a Dril...

One of the most prolific names in Hip-Hop production, The Neptunes: Pharrell Williams & Chad Hugo, could work with anybody in the mainstream and somehow make it a bop. They are responsible for birthing careers, revitalising careers and epitomise why the 00s were fucking weird. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:18) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Lizzo - Special Steve Lacy - Gemini Rights ...

Half the year has gone by. Time flies when you're having fun, but then we start thinking about social media and then get sad. But whilst we admittedly get bogged down on that, we do recap the year so far with our favourite songs, albums we're looking forward to and why Griselda doesn't feel like Griselda anymore. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:25) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Zola Jes...

Since the 90s, Evidence has been steadily building one of the most consistent careers in Hip-Hop history. Whether it's in a group, duo or solo, Evidence always manages to produce solid work, with his production chops gradually getting better & better. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:08) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Moor Mother - Jazz Codes Page Kennedy - Front Page Crimeapple x DJ...

One of the more satisfying retrospectives, Dilated Peoples - consisting of DJ Babu, Evidence & Rakaa Iriscience - have one of the most consistent discographies in Hip-Hop history. Along with a strong foundation in artistic principles, it makes DP not just an essential listen for Hip-Hop fans, but an enjoyable one. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Lupe Fiasc...

We continue our "Book Of Wu" series with the large solo discography of the 10th member of the Clan, Cappadonna, whose story and place within the Clan gives a lot more for conversation than his discography does. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:33) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Drake - Honestly, Nevermind Logic - Vinyl Days JWords - DancePackVol.3 Yaya Bey - Remember Your North Star WESTS...

Anonymity in Hip-Hop Twitter, like everywhere on the Internet, is something worth putting thought over. Is it an issue to have anonymity for accounts that have genuine sway over Internet discourse? Is there any point in caring about the negatives of anonymity when we all do it in some form? TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:10) The Conversation - (6:29) Lighter Note - (1:13:25) Thanks for list...

For this edition of Hip-Hop Neighbours, we explore two bands with connective tissue to Hip-Hop in one way or another: Rage Against The Machine & Red Hot Chili Peppers. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Post Malone - 12 Carat Toothache 070 Shake - You Can't Kill Me  CyHi - EGOT Ogi - Monologues (EP) MC Ren - Osiri Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Marigold Samm Hens...

We finish our three-part retrospective of Kendrick Lamar with a dialogue on his latest album "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers", looking at the body of work from multiple angles and detailing it's unique place in music history. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:01) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Jim Jones & Maino - The Lobby Boyz Rick Hyde - Stima Kamaiyah - Divine Timing J Rawls - #j...

We continue our retrospective on Kendrick Lamar, talking about his album run from "Section. 80" to "DAMN." with a challenge to say things about the albums that we haven't already. TIMESTMAPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:21) ( Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics ) Flume - Palaces Marlon Craft - While We’re Here Blaq Chidori x Numbz - Entertainment Boldy James - Kill Nothing Latanya Alberto - Home (EP) Ash...

With the landmark release of his last album under the label that helped take him to the highest of music heights and his future looking fascinatingly uncertain, we begin a three-part retrospective on Kendrick Lamar. Beginning, at the beginning and looking at the music he made before he even became "Kendrick Lamar". TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:29) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Yasin To...

It's time for another Contemporary Cool and for this one, we get into projects by Add-2, Noname, A$AP Ferg & K.A.A.N. TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (0:56) (Ben = Bold / Charlie = Italics) Jack Harlow - Come Home the Kids Miss You Bloc Party - Alpha Games Arcade Fire - We IDK - Simple Chyna Streetz - Hourglass Ashs The Best - 1995 (EP) Otis Mensah - things I should have said a year ago (EP...

Masta Killa is the most mysterious member of the legendary group. Whilst most of the group went to major labels, MK went independent, took the longest to drop his debut solo album and hasn't got a bad album in his discography! So what's the deal with the man whose first ever raps might be the greatest "first raps" ever heard on wax? TIMESTAMPS: Weekly Music Roundup - (1:19) (Ben = Bold / Charlie =...