The Rap Music Plug Podcast

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). Although I wasn't a huge fan of The Circus, I think Mick really learnt something from creating that album, as it relates to being more concise. Elephant in the Room doesn't overstay its welcome. The songs are refined as hell, with no wasted space, showing his most finely tuned blend of melodic soul singi...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). On All My Heroes are Cornballs there was such an irresistible earworm effect to me, where so many of the glitches, weird transitions, and short bursts of melody did a great job of creating variety and maintaining my deep engagement. It made for a highly entertaining and colourful listen. But LP! feels si...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). In Episode 86, we are joined by a true lyrical tactician, teacher, and newest signee of the ever-impressive Backwoodz Studioz label, Defcee.  Defcee discusses being embraced by the Chicago hip-hop community as an outsider, and what he appreciates about the Chicago scene (4:01). Defcee opens up about the...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). In Episode 85, we are joined by Virginia's effortlessly funny, multi-talented, rapper, producer, skater, and model, DøøF. On the heels of his tremendously dope new album with NCL-TM, SWAMP PHONK, he has dropped straight heat for the past year. His work includes his previous collaboration with NCL-TM, Hoo...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). Speaking with GENG PTP, aka King Vision Ultra, was a deeply rich and knowledgeable journey into hip-hop culture, and the coalition of hip-hop that he builds with, from a man who clearly treats the art form with the utmost respect that it deserves. There is a lot to learn and engage with in this conversat...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). In a myriad of different ways, Half God explores Wiki's home of New York through multiple angles, giving the listener a consistent thematic backdrop to discuss every way the city influenced and shaped the man he is today. By discussing New York's deep hip-hop roots, gentrification, and growing up as a ch...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). As he has done on many Westside Gunn albums in the past, AA Rashid provides some words of wisdom at the beginning of both sides, but I want to key in on what he did on Side B. This was probably my favourite contribution of his to-date, because it applied so well to Westside Gunn as an artist. Rashid spea...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). After their self-titled studio album debut, with features from the likes of Freddie Gibbs, Rico Nasty, JPEGMAFIA... the sky was seemingly the limit for Injury Reserve. But then during a chaotic June 2020 for us all, tragedy hit the group as Groggs passed away for unknown reasons. When this happened, I li...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). The Backwoodz Studioz invaision continues in Episode 80, as we are joined by fiery lyricist, Curly Castro. Castro has been on a tremendous run in recent years, from his collaborative LP with PremRock, ShrapKnel, his scorching-hot feature on Armand Hammer's Haram, to his powerful Bobby Hutton-inspired rec...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). In a very special Episode 79, we host our first Backwoodz Studioz member, producer/engineer/mixer/masterer, sound mastermind Steel Tipped Dove. Dove is a phenomenal artist, who has graced the best works in hip-hop, from Haram and BRASS, to his own work in 2021's great Call Me When You're Here LP. De-myst...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). It would've been easy for Lukah to rest on his laurels after a very successful When the Black Hand Touches You, and just make another version of that album... but this isn’t When the Black Hand Touches You Part 2, or Chickenwire Part 2 either. If Black Hand sounded like soul food, Why Look Up literally s...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). UK's Little Simz released the GREY Area back in 2019, which was a very thoughtful album. However, her perspective felt, as the title would suggest, not fully realized and fleshed out… like she was still working things out, and was more combustible as a result. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert on the other...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). In Episode 76, the remarkably honest and talented Teller Bank$ joined the show for a conversation that will surely make it clear why this Iowa artist is worth checking out. How Teller developed his voice and recognized that this unique delivery could work (2:47).  Why Teller gravitates towards Ed Gloriou...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of my personal diatribe (0:49). Beginning of the core review (16:00). I was close to not even reviewing Donda, given the recent nonsense surrounding DaBaby and Manson's involvement with the album. But I couldn’t get over that it would be so incredibly inauthentic, if I actually didn't talk about a brand new full-length Kan...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). In Episode 74, we were joined by talented rapper, producer, visual artist, and rolling paper creator, Lync Lone. Lync first discussed the aspirational aspects of Lync's music, and how being a rapper was his dream since day 1 (2:07). The key influences that helped Lync develop his style (2:58). Lync talks...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). In Episode 73, we had the pleasure to welcome Chicago's own rapper, producer, DJ, TV host, greenSLLIME to the show. How SLLIME's magnetic personality of sorts developed over the years (3:51). What inspired greenSLLIME to get into hip-hop when he was younger (7:01). SLLIME details partnering with SolarFiv...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). Drake's Certified Lover Boy reeks of stagnation. Stagnation in the tired song topics and formulas, where the listener has heard different versions of just about every single song here. And although more of a good thing can be... a good thing... the 6 God is doing the same thing with some of the least ins...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). Ka is one-of-one, and is easily one of the best lyricists in the game. With Ka albums, the commonality to them all is that Ka is consistently committed to giving the listener true wisdom that come from a place of tried and true lived experience... with A1 level wordplay, with clever turns of phrase in al...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). Boldy James continues on his hot streak with his latest Bo Jackson album, which features production from the legendary Alchemist once again.  Boldy is in top-form, blending his blunt and cold delivery with evocative imagery in his street tales that give Bo a strong sense of surrealism.  However, it is th...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Beginning of Episode (0:49). Making hip-hop music well into your 40s and 50s is an astonishing feat to accomplish on its face, especially within a genre where many of the greats have sadly passed away. Legends in Black Thought, Jay-Z and Nas are not only still breathing... but are still making music at the forefront of the hip-hop s...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Skip intro (0:49). What’s wild about my feelings on GUMBO'!... is that it's the kind of album that I don’t typically like. Yes, surely the individual parts of this are all things I love. I love soul and jazz infused hip-hop, and thoughtful lyricism. However, more than most people, I really value cohesiveness, a sense of structure… a...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Skip intro (0:49). The title of this album initially suggested to me that this would be a very urgent and emotionally visceral album. Instead, Isaiah Rashad is like that character in the burning house meme. Isaiah is genuinely so calm and relaxed on this album, while being enveloped in significant turmoil that is going on in his per...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING Skip intro (0:49). It's been a minute since I've had an interview for you guys. But after a summer of falling back, and getting things in the background taking care of, this Fall expect to see a bunch of great artists join the show. Starting with Ep. 66, hailing from New York, I have with me an unbelievably dope rapper, producer, wh...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) In sharp contrast to the usual religious subject matter you hear in music, Iceberg Theory's perspective on this topic is NOT dogmatic. It's not a simplistic perspective that says "God will save us", or "God is perfect". Ice either, uses these religious themes as cool motifs and poetic devices for his r...

Video animation by: Big Flowers Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING (Go to 0:49 to skip the intro) What has always gravitated me to Vince Staples, is that he is frank. Vince is so frank in the way he paints his life in Long Beach, describing harrowing street experiences with a cold bluntness that has defined his music to-date. These blunt observations were often layered over loud abrasive production...