The Rap Music Plug Podcast is the remedy to the “I don’t have anything good to listen to” problem. Through in-depth artist interviews, album reviews, and general rap commentary on the best that the underground rap scene has to offer, this is your one-stop shop to knowing what to add to your queue, play next, or pop into your record player. Are you a rap music fan? And not just any fan... but a true rap music fan that wants to move past the surface level discussion, and get into the nitty-gritty of what makes rap music so great? Are you someone who loves the feeling of discovering new music, but find it hard to navigate through the thousands upon thousands of new albums that get released every single day? If any of this applies to you, this show is EXACTLY what you need. My absolute PASSION is music. So I gladly do the dirty work of virtual crate digging, searching for the next great rap album... so you don’t have to. My name is Rohan. I am The Rap Music Plug, at your service. -- Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/ Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Episodes
Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
On the surface, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST sounds like Tyler flexing about how great his life is, with specific moments that reference a failed love he had with some girl.
But in reality, this album mirrors a famous poem by Charles Baudelaire in many ways, but takes it a step further and comes to a conclusion that is both realistic and interesting.
Tyler's primary subject matter on this LP is flexing his successes, and his wealth. But deeper than that, there is a real pride he displays in how he has navigated his way in the music industry, standing for what he believed in amidst a lot of hate and a journey to self-discovery related to his sexuality and identity.
Tyler sounds content and FREE.
This all serves to set the context for the one missing piece that is remaining in his life, which seemingly would upset this peaceful mind-state that he is otherwise painting in his rhymes... and that is a girl.
A girl he is trying to court to complete this decadent life Tyler now leads. This is precisely where the album's layers begin to unfold...
RMPP Preferred Cut: "WILSHIRE"
Stream CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST here: https://open.spotify.com/album/45ba6QAtNrdv6Ke4MFOKk9
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
On TIME, Your Old Droog shows he can paint lyrical pictures very well. However, the picture paints here is sometimes kind of dull in my humble opinion.
What Droog is talking about on TIME is a far cry from the much deeper exploration that occurred related to his relationship with his Jewish and Ukrainian identity on Jewelry and Dump YOD.
On those albums we saw YOD get personal... something he does do here as well, but in a way more captivating way that struck me on an emotional level.
But I'd also say that the bars on this album are not on the same level of Tha YOD Fahim, Jewelry, and especially Dump YOD, which was one of the best albums of 2020, with one of the craziest rapping performances I've heard in a long time.
All of these gripes are not even addressing the elephant in the room with this album... at least in the room where I personally am listening to this album.
This elephant for me is the production.
Rarely do these beats leave an impression on me, which is a shame because Droog usually selects great beats to rap over.
The listless nature of many of these beats, compounded with the less than always interesting lyrical content from Droog... makes TIME an album that sees Droog come back to Earth, after an impressive hot streak spanning all the way back to 2019.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "The Magic Watch"
Buy/Stream TIME here: https://yourolddroog.bandcamp.com/album/time
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
New York's Finest, Skyzoo, has returned with his latest studio album, All the Brilliant Things, just as Ottawa's Finest, The Rap Music Plug, has returned to continue taking the podcast game by storm. It feels great to be back!
The way the lyrical themes play out on this album, is ultimately why I appreciate All the Brilliant Things so much more on multiple listens.
Unlike In Celebration of Us, which focused on his new experiences with Fatherhood, and how life was growing up alongside his honourable father, All the Brilliant Things differs in Skyzoo's focus.
This time around his lens is more outward, focusing on how his hometown has changed over the years mainly due to gentrification, walking you through memory lane recounting various stories and life experiences.
Sky also spends much of this album discussing his place in the game, and his contributions to hip-hop. Obviously Skyzoo has been, and still is braggadocious about his skill and accomplishments. However, on All the Brilliant Things, what I'm referring to is a grounded and celebratory view on what his rap career has meant to the art form, and what his career has indirectly meant for young men from his home... serving as an inspiration for those that grew up alongside him.
I obviously recognized Skyzoo's lyricism to be great since day 1. But on this album, I find the themes are exceptionally put together and push this album over the top.
Couple that with exquisite jazz-infused instrumentals, and we have another great rap album in 2021.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "Rich Rhetoric"
Buy/Stream All the Brilliant Things here: https://mmg-skyzoo.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-brilliant-things
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
Sleep Sinatra's recent run has been nothing short of amazing, culminating with the fantastic DIVINENATION that he dropped earlier this year.
To discuss Sleep's impact and what makes him standout in the crowd, I joined the Freemusicempire and Camo Bucket Hats (@CamoBucketHats on Twitter) for a fantastic far-reaching discussion.
I hope you enjoy this bonus episode while I'm on vacation. But most importantly, I hope you support Sleep Sinatra's fantastic music.
Support Sleep Sinatra here: https://sleepsinatra1.bandcamp.com/
Join the Freemusicempire here: https://freemusicempire.com/
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
Another day, another Navy Blue record has dropped. As one of the most essential voices in all of hip-hop, I absolutely had to talk about it.
Navy knows how to name an album. Song of Sage, his 2020 opus, felt like a grand mission statement that perfectly captured what makes Navy... Navy.
Similarly, this latest album titled Navy's Reprise, feels like a reprise… like an addendum, an appendix to the main presentation that was Song of Sage.
By no means does this album not hold up on its own, but it doesn’t feel essential.
I feel this mainly through the production that feels a bit too lacking in impact, and rapping from Navy that certainly is great, and is consistently touching on similar topics of wisdom, freedom, etc… but unlike Song of Sage that felt like songs all added up to something larger than the sum of its parts, this set of tracks does not.
Navy's Reprise feels like a collection of like-minded songs that sound great, but don’t leave a lasting impression on me... like stray thoughts, loose ends, versus the complete picture that Song of Sage painted.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "Don't Get It Twisted"
Buy Navy's Reprise here: https://navybluethetruest.com/
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Wednesday Jun 16, 2021
Wednesday Jun 16, 2021
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
Mach-Hommy teamed up with Westside Gunn to create the long-awaited Pray for Haiti, Mach's Griselda return.
Curated by Westside Gunn, this album is luxurious and smoother in sound than any other Mach album to-date.
I really do love how Mach sounds over these more airy melodically smooth productions, but I don't prefer this sound over the more tough grimy sound he's typically rapped over.
West has a unique ability to make his albums sound both gritty and luxurious at the same time... almost always managing to find the right balance.
But I think with Pray for Haiti, he turns the knob too much into the smooth category, making an album that is sonically very similar to Pray for Paris, but with even more smoothness to it that I don't think should've been present on this Mach album.
Even when the album leans more to his typical sound, the edge and grit behind the production sometimes lack that electric rawness that we get from his previous work.
This has nothing to do with Mach at all honestly, because Mach as a whole raps exceptionally well and focused on this album.
I really did like this album... but I guess it lacks just a bit of an IT factor in the production that takes some of the enjoyment away from me.
It's funny, because Pray for Haiti actually remedies the main gripes I had with Mach's Hard Lemonade... it's longer and more complete, but I think goes too far in the polished direction for my liking.
Mach himself absolutely killed this album though, and genuinely delivered one of his best rapping performances.
I just think West could've chosen a gritter set of instrumentals for him to rap over, as these beats washed over me a bit too much.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "The Stellar Ray Theory"
Stream Pray for Haiti here: https://open.spotify.com/album/7doW9YWOtpmqHBqAUuBaKO
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
AKAI SOLO and Navy Blue joined forces to create the highly-anticipated True Sky, a record that is surely to scratch your lyrical itch.
AKAI explores themes of knowledge of self, spirituality, liberation from oppressive structures, and liberation from the ways modern society controls people mentally... which serves as the lens that AKAI uses to make observations about those around him, and society as a whole.
AKAI has an intelligent mind clearly, but most importantly knows how to get his point across in highly original ways that makes what he's saying that much more impactful.
He knows how to balance poetic word choices, with tangible clearly articulated ideas that make his lyrics digestible, even if the subject matter is heavy.
Navy laces AKAI with sample-based instrumentals that are exquisitely jazzy, glitchy, heavily incorporating horns, saxophone, which all make this album feel very grand.
That being said, what True Sky really crystallized for me in Navy's production, is the mechanical nature of it all.
The drum patterns and choice of percussion are arguably the most interesting aspects of Navy’s production for me. The mix of the modern hi hats and 808s, alongside super strange rhythms make for a very interesting combination.
This Navy Blue mix of sound gives these often repetitive looped samples of string and brass a certain knock and head-nodding rhythm, due to these intricate drums that are on just about every single track.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "No Doubt (feat. Navy Blue)"
Stream/Buy True Sky here: https://akaisolo.bandcamp.com/album/true-sky
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
(Go to 0:49 to skip the intro)
The wonderfully multi-talented Big Flowers (Michael) joined the show to wax poetic on a number of topics concerning the hip-hop and art scene that he contributes great work towards.
We start by discussing the conception of Big Smile, and where Big Flowers' mind has been at throughout the pandemic (1:39).
Michael then details how Big Smile was a therapeutic recording process for him. (19:37)
As a member of a burgeoning movement of thoughtful hip-hop, Michael gives his takes on what from the underground right now (35:14).
Next, Big Flowers illustrates how he was able to orchestrate the significant levels of collaboration found on Big Smile (56:00).
Michael discusses what drew him to create Memories Gro , his re-invisioning of Memories Bleed by EYESWIDESHUT & Pepper Adams (1:10:05).
Since Big Flowers is an accomplished visual artist (who created the video animation for this very show!), we discuss why his visual design work is so special (1:19:53).
Finally, we talk about what the future holds for Big Flowers in 2021 (1:30:48).
Stream/Buy Big Smile here: https://bigflowers.bandcamp.com/album/big-smile
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Tuesday Jun 01, 2021
Tuesday Jun 01, 2021
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro)
In light of the recent release of Mello Music Group's Bushido, in a special bonus episode, I joined the Freemusicempire's #stateofthegame series as a guest to discuss what makes a compilation successful.
We explored this topic through conversations on Bushido, Ryde or Die Vol. 1, and Anticon Label Sampler: 1999-2004. Enjoy!
Join the Freemusicempire here: https://freemusicempire.com/
Listen to Bushido here: https://open.spotify.com/album/5kCNU9ouaRoRtQNJrtfavl?si=6644467f8cf54d4d
Listen to Ryde or Die, Vol. 1 here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1mQkCjNNs32GHM7nlEpA2N?si=4vhE68pRSn6eeBuIrI6DQg
Listen to Anticon Label Sampler: 1999-2004 here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4MZdFFnHTU91NL3IuxJxlV?si=0a633be239f849a7
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/
Tuesday May 25, 2021
Tuesday May 25, 2021
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro)
To discuss the highly polarizing J. Cole, and his latest album The Off-Season, I was joined by Jay El, the creator of The Bytown Blog, to better understand the perspectives of a true Cole Miner.
We dive into some potential misconceptions related to Cole fandom, how Cole reminds me of The Weeknd (?), and of course... discuss our thoughts on this latest album from Jermaine, which Jay El dubs his best album yet.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "let go my hand"
Listen to The Off-Season here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4JAvwK4APPArjIsOdGoJXX
Check out Jay El's new blog: https://bytownblog.com/?fbclid=IwAR1_sin0mc29UNCA59AmbQ0surK2APRTzQ2mqSUDFGc6bktp16ZAN0_IEK8
Check out Jay El's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy79w-sj5HyB8esfH8RllpA
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For artist development/writing services, DM me @rohview on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Let's stay connected! Find me here: https://rmpp.carrd.co/