NOT 97

Today’s episode features an artist who we introduced earlier in the season during our episode with Kari Faux – a very special fellow Little Rock, Arkansas native by the name Rodney Chrome. We spoke with Rodney about how the south has shaped him and his music, his foundation as a dancer, queer representation in rap, and his undeniable belief in himself and his dreams. Plus an explosive in-studio pe...

Today we’re joined by Chicago’s own Femdot on the heels of dropping his latest mixtape "Free Samples Vol. 2" & kicking off his Free Samples headlining tour. We talk through the mixtape series and building towards his forthcoming album. We discuss the evolution of his writing style over the years as he’s sharpened his pen and become more comfortable telling intricate stories. And we talk through wh...

On today’s episode we talk to New York’s own singer/songwriter, producer, & multi-instrumentalist Cisco Swank. Cisco discusses his early years being raised in a house filled with music & knowing he would pursue this life from an early age. We talk through his recent debut “MORE BETTER” as an introduction to Cisco as a fully formed artist blending genres and stepping into his own sound. Plus Cisco...

On today’s episode we welcome back the Gulf Coast’s own They Hate Change, coming off of a marathon year of tour — playing shows all over the world every since dropping their latest “Finally, New.” We talk through their mindset as they’ve opened for a range of artists from indie, to punk, to hip-hop, and more. How they prepare for their dynamic, highly coordinated live show and the many hip-hop duo...

Today’s episode is a special one — featuring seven interviews conducted live during the recent Digilogue Day music and tech festival hosted by Digilogue. We talked to NYLO XO about coming up in Chicago and producer her own music, Tymain Robbins on his latest project”Fashionably Late,” DZH putting New Jersey rap on the map, Lea The Leo about songwriting, Kerry Blu about starting his own grassoots f...

Welcome back to NOT 97 live from Digilogue Day, this is part two of our marathon live interviews as a part of Digilogue Day’s Music Discovery Media Hub. Part one includes conversations with budding artists from Nyla XO, to Tymain Robbins, DZH, and Lea The Leo. Here we have sit downs with Kerry Blu talking about organizing his own music festival, Cedric Brazle on how real RNB is here to stay, and P...

Welcome back to NOT 97 — on today’s episode we sit down with UK newcomer Elmiene. Two years since going viral for covering D’Angelo, we talk through the journey from then till now, embracing the new life he’s living, getting cosigns & working with legends like Sampha, and his new project “Marking My Time” — out everywhere Friday, October 20th. *Not 97 is powered by The Orchard & Human Re Sources ©...

Quick story time — back in December 2017 we played a song called “Alright With You” on NOT 97, featuring a raw, striking, unforgettable vocal performance. That voice was CS Armstrong — a Houston-born bluesman. Brought up in a deep tradition of gospel and soul, over the last few years Armstrong has made his mark on the music industry — cosigned by the likes of Dr. Dre, Lena Waith, Black Thought wit...

On today’s episode we catch up with Oakland’s King Isis, in town to perform at Afropunk. Isis talks through their budding career, carrying a musical family legacy that began with learning to play on her great grandmother’s piano at an early age. We talk through Isis’s debut EP scales released in March, and how their approach to songwriting has evolved as they look ahead to their sophomore project,...

On today’s episode we sit down with Savannah, Georgia’s own Pote Baby. We introduced Pote to our audience on our Season Nine finale with his standout track “Do It 4 Pappy.” We talk through growing up in Savannah and what his hometown means to him, plus the importance of giving back and his own Pote Day — a city-certified, community-focused celebration for the city of Savannah. We discuss Pote’s co...

On today’s episode we catch up with French-born, London-based singer / songwriter and producer Léa Sen. We talk about Léa gearing up for her first ever US tour dates, her journey to songwriter in English — her second language — plus what inspired her two part EP “You Of Now” and her signature sound, balancing often melancholy subject matter with a hopeful tone and playful energy.  *Not 97 is power...

Welcome back to NOT 97 on today’s episode we’re joined by Aja Monet, a surrealist blues poet, an organizer, storyteller, and more. Aja recently released her debut album “when the poems do what they do” — an expansive work, featuring Aja collaborating with a prolific crew of jazz musicians to bring her poems to life. We discuss Aja’s journey from entering the poetry scene in high school with Urban...

On today’s episode we’re joined by Montreal-based boundary pushing trio Planet Giza. We talk through their latest record Ready When You Are, how they found their Retro Futuristic sound, breaking out of their city & the tribulations of being an English-speaking artist in a culture built to only support French-speaking creators. Plus Planet Giza hits the studio for a live performance of Elevator. *N...

On today's episode we're joined by rappers Fly Anakin & YUNGMORPHEUS while in New York on their joint tour. The two rappers and producers talk through approach to rap, what goes into creating such a prolific body of work, co-headlining a tour, and the process of putting together their recent collab, "Cassava Bread." Plus, a live in-studio performance of the song as well.  *Not 97 is powered by The...

Today’s episode features Harlem-based singer/songwriter, poet, and storyteller Mamadou. Mamadou talks through his introduction to music after years of writing poetry. His commitment to telling his unique story, building world for his audience to take part in, confronting the pressures of visibility, and finding peace in his creative process. *Not 97 is powered by The Orchard & Human Re Sources © N...

On our final roundtable of Season Nine we're joined by TDE's own Reason — on the verge of releasing his sophomore studio album “Porches," out everywhere on August 11th. We talk to Reason about the journey to releasing this record, the pressures of being a part of such an iconic and influential record label, and what it means to be a true writer and storyteller in music today. Reason introduces & p...

On today’s episode we catch up with London-based singer/songwriter, producer, and filmmaker Wesley Joseph. We talk through his recently release GLOW and what it means to now have the Secretly Canadian label team supporting him and his music. Wesley discusses his hands on process of writing, producing, and directing, and what that do it yourself mentality has taught him. As well, we talk about what...

Today we're joined by BLK ODYSSY, the Austin based duo building conceptual worlds & blending genre from funk to hip-hop to soul and everything in between. We caught up with BLK ODYSSY on the heels of releasing their latest album Diamonds & Freaks — a deeply personal project grappling with lust, sex, masculinity and more. We highlight a standout off their record titled ADAM & EVE and a new single f...

Today we’re sitting down with RnB’s rising star Reggie Becton. We discuss his hometown of PG County and what that community means to him, breakdown the eras of his budding career from the iconic Orange Beanie to now, and talk through his creative process & the stories behind his latest release Sadboy Vol. 1 — out now everywhere. *Not 97 is powered by The Orchard & Human Re Sources © NOT 97. All mu...

Today’s episode features brothers Eric & Jeff Rosenthal of ITSTHEREAL, influential voices for over a decade in hip-hop media as interviewers, sketch writers & actors, rappers, and more — now with their ten part podcast series The Blog Era, tracking the years between mixtapes and streaming when independent writers and publications held the reins of the music industry — introduces artists from Drake...

On today’s episode we sit down with budding Atlanta singer/songwriter DaVionne. We talk through DaVionne’s career from being featured on Dreamville’s Grammy-nominated album Revenge Of The Dreamers III  to recently being a part of UNCHARTED, the documentary produced by Alicia Keys’ She Is The Music organization that premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. DaVionne discusses her journey as a...

Our Community Check-In series continues with Kei Henderson — known as an artist advocate, a creative executive, strategist, entrepreneur, and more. Kei is a Grammy-award winning manager for her work with 21 Savage, one of the founders and former president of the influential Atlanta-label Since The 80s, and currently running her own ship at Third & Hayden, a creative incubation hub serving as a lab...

Today’s guest is the legendary Atlanta artist KEY! With outsized influence across the industry for over a decade, KEY! talks about his come up in Atlanta, to working with artists from 21 Savage to A$AP Rocky, Juicy J & Gucci Mane. We discuss what this moment means for him and his career as he gears up to release his forthcoming record Marquis. Plus he puts us on to Atlanta’s next generation. Stay...

On today’s episode we tap in with RnB’s breakout star Alex Vaughn as she visits New York at the height of opening for Ari Lennox on the sold out Age / Sex / Location tour. Alex discusses her hometown of Washington, DC and how that community shaped the artist she is. Known for open & honest lyricism, we talk through the power of owning your vulnerability. Alex tells us about her experience working...

On today’s episode we sit down with Lolo Zouaï in the midst of her Playgirl World Tour. We talk through her experiences performing her new album all around the world, as well as what it was like opening sold out arenas for Dua Lipa. We discuss Lolo’s new energy now that she’s officially independent after two major label albums. And what it means as an artist to touch everything from creative direc...