Rap & Reason

R&R hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review G3 Gelo's hit "Tweaker" and Lil Baby's new album, WHAM. They also look back at Rae Sremmurd's debut album, SremmLife, which came out in 2015. The two hosts also discuss the state of New York rap and the Joey Bada$$ and Ray Vaughn beef.

R&R hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins collaborate with the 7 PM in Philly podcast for a year-end list of the best rap songs, albums, and moments of 2024. They also discuss their musical wish list for the new year, including a Drake and Partynextdoor album.

On Ep. 24, host Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review the 10th-anniversary release of "2014 Forest Hills Drive" and look back at Ludacris' "Word of Mouth" album. They also talk about the pros and cons of deluxe projects, the criteria for Tiny Desk Concerts, and where Ludacris ranks among the best Southern rappers.

On this week's episode of Rap & Reason, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre's album "Missionary." They also talk about the difference between emceeing and songwriting, the best/worst Christmas music, and DMX's posthumous project, "Let Us Pray: Chapter X."

Hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins look back at J. Cole's "Friday Night Lights" and revisit Kendrick Lamar's "GNX." They also discussed Drake's lawsuit petition against Universal Music Group, among other topics.

On episode 21, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review Kendrick Lamar's latest release, "GNX." They discuss where the album ranks in Kendrick's discography, the noticeable themes in the rapper's "Squabble" music video, and his potential feud with Lil Wayne. The duo also talked about a potential SZA album, and how artists encourage HBCU bands to recreate their hit songs.

On episode 20, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins discuss comedian Aries Spears's top 20 rappers list and the strong regional biases in hip-hop. They also review Cordae's new album, The Crossroads, and 50 Cent's massive debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin'.

On Ep. 19, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins discuss next year's Grammy nominations. They also review Ab Soul's "Soul Burger," and break down rap's evolution – from Gil Scott-Heron to the age of mumble rap.

On this week's episode of Rap & Reason, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins discuss the results of the 2024 presidential election and hip-hop artists' roles in federal campaigns. They also reviewed Lil Uzi Vert's "Eternal Atake 2" and Biggie Smalls' 30-year-old debut album, "Ready to Die."

On Episode 17, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review Tyler, The Creator's new album "Chromakopia" and preview Lil Uzi Vert's "Eternal Atake 2." They also talk about the modern "celebrity," rapper Reason's transition from TDE to his independent imprint, and artists' affiliation with sports teams.

Rap & Reason hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review BigXthaPlug's debut album "Take Care" and Rod Wave's "Last Lap." They also talk about the intersection of rap and politics, and how rappers are often subjects of political fodder or campaign stunts.

Hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review GloRilla's album "Glorious" and reflect on the groundbreaking project "Black on Both Sides" by Mos Def (aka Yasiin Bey). The two hip-hop enthusiasts also talk about the most overused lines in hip-hop and the decline of award shows.

Hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins talk about the next steps for J.I.D., why artists like Tommy Richman denounce a connection to hip-hop and the impact of T.D.E artists. They also review Rich Homie Quan's posthumous album "Forever Goin In" and Schoolboy Q's "Oxymoron," 10 years after its initial release.

Rap & Reason hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review DaBaby's new project, "How TF Is This A Mixtape" and Tommy Richman's album "Coyote." They also talk about the era of cancelations and the impact hip-hop has had in both of their lives.

On "No More Country," hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review Babyface Ray's "The Kid That Did" and Future's "Mixtape Pluto." They also talk about the lack of lasting hip-hop hits, the Diddy scandal, McCool's hatred of country music, and a potential collab project between J. Cole and Daylyt.

On this week's episode, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins talk about Kendrick Lamar's new untitled release and address ageism in hip-hop. They also review LL Cool J's "The Force" and Kid Cudi's debut project, "Man on the Moon: The End of Day."

Rap & Reason host Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins address the deaths of legendary artists Rich Homie Quan and Fatman Scoop. They also talk about Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance, the decision to choose Dot over Lil Wayne, and how artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, and Usher stack up against the greatest half-time show performers.

Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review Big Sean's new album "Better Me Than You," and define the difference between an artist's "fall off" and "fall back." The hosts also preview potential Grammy nominations and award winners in the Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance category.

Rap & Reason co-hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review Travis Scott's "Days Before Rodeo" mixtape, which was re-released on Spotify and Apple Music for the project's 10th anniversary. They also listed out the best mixtapes in rap history and addressed Dr. Umar's comments about hip-hop's detrimental effects on Black America.

On "Better Us Than You," hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins address the backlash received from their discussion about Drake's lack of socially conscious music. They also reviewed Polo G's album "Hood Poet," listed Jay-Z's top five albums, and addressed Big Sean's four-year absence.

On "Back In Motion," co-hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins talk about the release of Drake's "100 Gigs" and the impact of artist interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. They also review Larry June's "Doing It For Me," J. Cole's "2014 Forest Hills Drive," and break down the best rapper-producers in hip-hop history.

On this week's episode of Rap & Reason, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins reviewed Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's new album, Vultures 2. They also talked about religion in hip-hop, the decline of rap supergroups, and Tory Lanez's recent releases.

On Episode 4, Rap & Reason hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins talk about the greatest rebrands in rap and how artists like Lupe Fiasco and others have been blackballed for their outspoken views. They also review Ice Spice's album Y2K and T.I.'s Urban Legend.

On the third episode of Rap & Reason, hosts Dr. Jeremy McCool and Earl Hopkins review Childish Gambino's final album and look back at Kanye West's The College Dropout. They also address celebrity fandom and the inability to separate the artist from the person.