The Grey Area

June 2024 Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3tvcPTZdmoBI7YX2GZaleo?si=455ed5a9c4e94c7b Order of play: Discuss top, recurring picks Highlight some of our individual, non-recurring selections Kendrick Lamar's performance ‘The Pop Out: Ken & Friends’ concert in Los Angeles More Drake Vs. Kendrick Talk (sorry it's still going on) Touch upon this weekend’s/June’s releases - KAYTRANADA, Act...

Despite the ease and affordability of streaming, why do we still purchase physicals, merchandise, attend live shows etc? We discuss James Blake’s comments, the ‘Living Wage for Musicians’ act, Vultures 2 release etc. as well as address the impact of TikTok, social media in general, and on-demand services on our attention span, and the impact this has on the quality and quantity of music.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/78Cqzayx8dw1q8vp57tRIB?si=f17bb37a9e7748a4 Featured Albums Discussed:  Mach-Hommy - #RichAxxHaition (17 May)  Rapsody - Please Don't Cry (17 May)  Vince Staples - Dark Times (24 May) Honourable Mentions (albums):  Conway the Machine - SFK  Bugzy Malone - THE GREAT BRITISH DREAM  Chief Keef - Almighty So 2  M Huncho & Potter P...

What's our earliest memories of recognising adlibs and appreciating them? When and how did adlibs become such a prevalent part of the craft? Are producer-tags also adlibs? What are some of our favourite adlibs? Origins:  Touch on the likes of James Brown and Michael Jackson  Call and response / MCs and their hype men or DUs

meet the grey area Recap the events since 3 May: Kendrick Lamar – 6:16 in LA Drake – Buried Alive Interlude, Pt. 2 Drake – Family Matters Kendrick Lamar – meet the grahams Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us Drake – The Heart Part 6 Has it gone too far, and has the beef changed the way we look at both artists? Is this feud good or bad for Hip-Hop?

The month of April was engulfed by the ever-escalating beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Joined by our first ever special guest, we breakdown the timeline of events that followed Kendrick’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s  ‘Like That’. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Jz6DOwDMRQT7GnCVjPeN4?si=848809a1dfa14d69

We are back with more of our favourite posse cuts! Some modern classics, some new? well we think they're new and not AI artists?

What a month March has been Kendrick’s feature on ‘Like That’ Why now, and why Cole? ScHoolboy Q - Blue Lips Did Hip-Hop need this album? Tierra Whack - World Wide Whack Was this worth the wait? Future & Metro Boomin - We Don’t Trust You Feuds aside, how we feeling about this one? Don't be a bum listen to our playlist of what we were listening to in March! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4eC...

Do industry plants exist? We explore the fine line between industry-backed success stories and genuine grassroots growth, looking at artists who might be made by the labels as opposed to found by them. This episode sheds light on the implications for authenticity, opportunity, and how the concept shapes our view of the music landscape.

It's release recap time! There's so much music that we didn't get to discuss that we've included a list of all the music we've listened to that came out in Feb Ghetts – On Purpose, With Purpose (23 Feb) ¥$ - Vultures 1 (10 Feb): Little Simz – Drop 7 EP (9 Feb): Standout Singles ScHoolboy Q’s Blue Lips rollout J. Cole – Might Delete Later, Vol. 1 Stove God Cooks – Melo Chip and a Brick Skrapz – Roc...

The Barbs in us are out in this episode as we discuss Nicki Minaj's discography! One of the greatest rappers of our time and still able to drop fire verses after well over a decade in the game.

We are back with another release recap covering all the latest hip hop releases from Jan 2024! From 21 Savage's new vibes to Tierra Whack's experimental sounds. We are also asking whether Dave could be the first to break out globally - his lyrical lemonade track with Jack Harlow could be the start of it. We talk about on the latest beef between Nicki Minaj and Meg the Stallion and music from other...

GOAT Talk is back, this time spotlighting the ultimate Funk Flex freestyles. Brace yourself for a deep dive into the most iconic and explosive performances ever to hit the legendary show that is Funk Flex.

We look ahead and share which projects and artists we are looking forward to and hoping to hear from in 2024!

The third annual grey awards is upon us. We share some of our favourite albums, artists and beats of the year. This years awards were full of the usual chaos this year the sound board didn't work and award winners were changed live on air due to a user input error! If you're listening on spotify join in on the discussion and tell us your favourites from this year.

The spirit got us and we "reviewing" Sampha's latest release, Lahai! This is less of a review and more of a celebration of the great artist that Sampha is as well as a dive in to the themes of the album. This episode was recorded on 13/11/2023.

We are back with another release recap covering all the latest hip hop releases from Sept - Oct 2023, the year is closing strong! Nas is back with more magic, Drake has given us a something ... and we talk about the latest Armand Hammer releases and so much more. Below is a list of what came out and we cover at least half of that list (at least we tried to). Albums: Nas & Hit-Boy - Magic 3 (14...

Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock are just a. few of the artists signed to the great record label that is TDE. GET TOP ON THE PHONE! In this episode, we take a closer look at the vibrant history and exciting prospects of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). From their peak in the 2010s to addressing any 'downfall' rumours, we discuss it all. Envisioning artists who could have thrive...

In this episode, we explore Earl Sweatshirt's "VOIR DIRE" album, comparing it to his earlier work and discussing its exclusive streaming release on GALA Music. We also dive into The Alchemist's production, highlighting favourite beats on the projects, suggesting dream collaborations, and evaluating his industry impact since 2021.

We're revisiting Kendrick Lamar's epic 'Control' verse from 2013. Do you remember what was on your playlist that summer? Kanye's - Yeezus, J Coles - Born Sinner, some Drake maybe? Comment below on Spotify and let us know! We'll break down how the artists mentioned in Kendrick's verse have been holding up 10 years later and discuss the controversy his verse started at the time.

It’s been a busy month for Chicago! We dig deep into the long-awaited return of Noname and address the controversy swirling around her album rollout. Meanwhile, Mick Jenkins dropped "The Patience" with a fiery frustration that left us all feeling the heat! Finally, we share our thoughts on the current state of rap music coming out of the Windy City. Let us know your thoughts in the comments on Spo...

Five decades of Hip Hop's musical evolution! From its gritty beginnings in NYC's streets, the genre has surged to global prominence, shaping the music landscape with its unique beats, powerful lyrics, and cultural resonance. We discuss what we think of the scene over the decades, it's evolution and it's influence on popular culture. Go to Spotify and comment your thoughts; WE DO/WILL REPLY!

Here is our roundup of July. We "review" the new J Hus, Nas, and Travis Scott albums, and talk about far too many wild things because we didn't have Sean to reign us in - ENJOY!

This episode, we review the latest offering from Lil Uzi Vert, the Pink Tape. Tune in to hear how we feel about this project, and our thoughts on Uzi's status among his generation. There's no denying his numbers, but what do we think about the quality of his music?

This episode, we discuss our favourite releases of 2023 so far! Has it been a slow year up until this point?