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 Feb 14, 2024
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:46).
The Interview (2:46).
Few things have been more important to me in my life than hip-hop music. Growing up, I lacked identity and a sense of community. So as I continued to listen to more and more hip-hop music in my teens and early 20s, it quickly became a key vessel for me to learn about the world and connect with a culture, and ethos that I resonated with.
And yet, as an Indian guy, it was rare that I ever saw someone who looked liked me that was contributing to this artform that I loved so much. It was hard to see how I fit in, if at all. This all changed once I heard the music of Heems, known for his work in Das Racist, Swet Shop Boys, and as a solo artist.
Hailing from Queens, NY, Heems has successfully injected his Indian roots into a brand of witty, thoughtful rap... and invariably helped me see that there was space for people like me in hip-hop after all.
So I’m pleased to welcome Heems, as well as Chicago-based producer Lapgan to the show, who produced the wonderful instrumental album History from last year, as well as the new collaborative album with Heems, LAFANDAR.
In today’s episode, we talk about incorporating Indian culture into hip-hop, Heems’ new venture Veena, and the making of this incredibly creative new album, LAFANDAR.
Heems’ experience ingratiating himself in hip-hop culture (4:00).
Importance of desi representation (7:37).
Heems’ legacy (13:52).
The inspiration behind Heems’ new venture, Veena (20:04).
The features on LAFANDAR (28:58).
Inspiration behind Lapgan’s 2023 instrumental album, History (32:28).
The untapped potential of Indian music in hip-hop sampling (36:30).
The LAFANDAR listening experience (43:21).
The musical direction behind LAFANDAR (52:09).
Heems’ witty, often hyper-referential, raps on LAFANDAR (56:46).
The natural creative relationship Heems and Lapgan (59:21).
The political focus in Heems’ music (1:00:48).
Upcoming projects / merch / tour dates (1:03:26).
Support Veena and LAFANDAR here: https://www.veena.nyc/
Support The Olive Tape (feat. Heems), which was compiled to raise funds for humanitarian aid in Palestine here: https://theolivetape.bandcamp.com/album/the-olive-tape
Follow Heems on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/HIMANSHU
Follow Lapgan on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/lapganMusic
Follow Heems on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/nehrujackets/?hl=en
Follow Lapgan on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lapganlapgan/?hl=en
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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
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21)
For me, 2023 was the year of “oh wow, thank you”. This was a refrain I found myself more or less saying, time and time again. It signified a genuine gratitude for whatever nice thing some other person said to me, virtually, or IRL… but also signified that I was genuinely taken aback by the love, and that it has been an odd thing to adjust to.
It’s one thing to receive praise for something you’re successful at. It’s another thing entirely to receive praise for something you’re successful at that also actually means a lot to you. This has been my experience with this podcast this year. Thank you for listening… words cannot describe my gratitude.
In the spirit of gratitude, I will dive into detail into defined my 2023… through the lens of my favourite music, and hand out some awards along the way.
Welcome to the 4th Annual RMPP Awards!!!
The 4th Annual RMPP Awards intro (1:59).
Best Rap in a Supporting Role (3:13).
Hook of the Year (6:57).
Beat of the Year (8:39).
Producer of the Year (10:45).
Rapper of the Year (12:52).
Top Albums of the Year structure (16:06).
The RMPP 25: my top 25 albums, inclusive of all genres (18:49).
- The full categorized list of the RMPP's Top 100 Albums of 2023 can be found here: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/episodes/163-4th-annual-rmpps
Final reflection (36:15).
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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
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:48).
The Interview (1:53).
The living embodiment of all that is great about Detroit hip-hop - distinct sound and originality in spades - represents Bruiser Wolf to a tee.
Bruiser Wolf is part of the Danny Brown-led collective, Bruiser Brigade, home of some of the most forward-thinking hip-hop coming out of Detroit. Wolf is known as one of the funniest rappers alive, with a voice unlike anyone else’s.
In today's episode we discuss the creative decisions involved in his distinct artistic approach, having faith in his career as an artist, Bruiser Brigade, and how he created his excellent new album, My Story Got Stories.
Bruiser Wolf's writing process (2:52).
Bruiser Wolf’s approach to humour (7:57).
Bruiser Wolf’s faith in his music career (17:00).
How Bruiser Wolf connected with Bruiser Brigade (24:18).
Influence of Danny Brown (26:24).
The Bruiser Brigade environment (30:31).
Bruiser Wolf’s initial reaction to finally dropping My Story Got Stories, 36 hours after its release (33:21).
The My Story Got Stories listening experience (40:20).
The stories Bruiser Wolf wanted to share on My Story Got Stories (45:18).
How Bruiser Wolf improved on his craft through creating My Story Got Stories (48:19).
Upcoming music / tour dates / merch from Bruiser Wolf (50:59).
Bruiser Wolf’s Rams-Lions NFC Wildcard prediction (that was eerily accurate) (55:41).
Support Bruiser Wolf and buy My Story Got Stories here: https://bruiserwolf.com/
Follow Bruiser Wolf on Twitter here: https://x.com/theebruiserwolf?s=20
Follow Bruiser Wolf on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/_bruiserwolf/?hl=en
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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
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:51).
The Interview (2:08).
As soon as you here the iconic, “HEY TONY” tag, you know you’re about to hear an absolutely banging beat. With me today is Tony Seltzer, a Brooklyn-based producer who’s known for his catchy ear-grabbing beats that feature hard drums and booming bass.
Tony’s catalog casts a wide net, having worked with major-label artists, as well as artists on the cutting-edge of the indie scene. He's produced albums with the likes of WiFiGawd, Gabe ‘Nandez, and most recently, Wiki with 14K Figaro… one of the best albums of this past year.
In this episode, Tony gives us insight into the development of his signature sound, the inspiring story about how he made the leap to being a full-time producer as his career, and the making of his great recent collab records in Pangea and 14K Figaro.
Tony’s iconic producer tag (3:22).
The signature Tony Seltzer sound (6:18).
Advice on how other producers can find their signature sound (10:39).
Tony’s production process (15:19).
How Wiki impacted Tony’s career (19:37).
Taking the leap to becoming a full-time artist (23:17).
What makes a Tony x MC collab special (29:29).
How Tony’s relationship with Gabe ‘Nandez formed to create Pangea (33:23).
How Tony’s presence and production helped unlock Wiki’s vulnerability on 14K Figaro - RMPP patron q from Dan-O (37:02).
What creating 14K Figaro meant for Tony on a personal and artistic level (40:32).
Tony’s vision for 14K Figaro’s sound (43:44).
Upcoming projects to look out for from Tony (48:37).
Buy 14K Figaro here: https://wiksetnyc.bandcamp.com/album/14k-figaro
Support Tony Seltzer's music here: https://tonyseltzer.bandcamp.com/
Follow Tony Seltzer on Twitter here: https://x.com/tonyseltzer?s=20
Follow Tony Seltzer on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tony_seltzer/?hl=en
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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
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:44).
The Interview (2:28).
I love rap because not every collab needs to “make sense” on first glance. As long as the artists in question are on the same page artistically, know their strengths, and are willing to take risks and compromise when needed, the results can be great.
This is precisely what we get with today’s guests, Uncommon Nasa and Guilty Simpson, on their latest collaborative album, Escalation. As highly respected veterans in their respective hometown hubs of hip-hop, they possess a strong connection as it relates to their perspectives on the craft, and how they approach making music.
In today’s episode, this dynamic duo talks about key lessons they learnt from their careers (involving legendary artists like Dilla, Sean Price, and the original Def Jux crew), their artistic development, the Detroit hip-hop sound really, and the creation of their latest musically exhilarating collaborative album, Escalation.
Current era of rap vs. pre-internet era of rap (3:32).
Mainstream hip-hop scene (22:11).
Key lessons Nasa learnt from his early days working on Def Jux projects (30:55).
The Detroit hip-hop sound (46:02).
It Was Written > Illmatic??? (49:55).
Nasa’s experience mastering engineering, producing, and rapping (53:45).
How Sean Price inspired Guilty (57:53).
The sound of Escalation (1:04:23).
How Guilty was challenged as an MC on Escalation (1:22:45).
Primary lyrical themes of Escalation (1:29:12).
Upcoming music / merch / tour dates (1:35:46).
Buy Escalation here: https://uncommonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/escalation
Support Uncommon Records here: https://www.uncommonnasa.com/
Follow Guilty Simpson on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/guiltysimpson
Follow Uncommon Nasa on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/uncommonnasa/
Follow Guilty Simpson on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/guiltysimpson/
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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
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:44).
The Interview (2:08).
On this show, I know I’ve used terms like "unique", or "one-of-a-kind" quite a bit to describe the artists I’ve had on this show. But I promise you, today’s guests truly embody these terms to the fullest degree.
maassai and JWords, otherwise known as H31R, are a duo hailing from Brooklyn who sport an ingenious sound that blends electronics and drum n bass elements with hip-hop, supplied by producer JWords. These sounds are paired with confident, heady, and effortlessly fly rhymes from the MC of the group, maassai. Great in their own right as solo artists, together they are an entirely different beast.
In this episode, we discuss their chemistry as a duo, the origin story of H31R, growth and maturation, as well as the making of their fantastic AOTY contender released under Big Dada, HeadSpace.
H31R’s fanbase (3:10).
Big Dada signing (5:12).
H31R origin story and the inspiration behind this partnership (9:04).
The vision for the H31R sound (11:28).
The basis of maassai and JWords’ chemistry (13:22).
How maassai and JWords push each other’s artistry to new places (16:48).
How solo work feeds back into the H31R creative process (22:13).
Inspiration behind the introspective lyricism on HeadSpace (24:23).
Production approach on HeadSpace (33:04).
The cohesive structure of HeadSpace (37:57).
Key learnings from ve·loc·i·ty that they applied to HeadSpace (40:44).
Favourite songs on HeadSpace (45:30).
Upcoming projects / tour dates / merch (50:56).
Support H31R's music here: https://h31r.bandcamp.com/music
Follow JWords on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/_jwords
Follow maassai on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/maassai_
Follow H31R on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/_H31R
Follow JWords on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/_jwords/
Follow maassai on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/maassai_/?hl=en
Follow H31R on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/_h31r/?hl=en
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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
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
The Interview (1:57).
So I’m kind of annoying when it comes to certain things with music.
Albums where the last verse isn’t from the main artist? It just doesn’t feel right. Remixes? I’m oddly wed to the original. And finally, producer albums with a bunch of different rappers on it are another type of record, where I don't usually gravitate towards. I’m just such a concept and theme guy I guess.
But I am a fair man... Today’s guest on the show, New York-based producer Blockhead, recently dropped an album that was so good it overcame my annoying biases with The Aux, released on Backwoodz Studioz.
I caught up with the very talented and very funny and personable producer to understand how he’s approached collaboration with some of the genre’s finest lyricists in Aesop Rock and billy woods, discuss his perspectives on the current production landscape, and the makings of his terrific new album.
How the production process differs on instrumental albums vs. working with rappers (3:31).
Most important traits as a producer (8:02).
How the act of creating music unlocks emotion (12:03).
What Blockhead looks for in a rap collaborator (18:38).
Blockhead’s take on the current hip-hop production landscape (21:40).
How Blockhead’s relationship with woods came to be (30:52).
The sound direction of The Aux (34:29).
How the billy woods executive production hand guided the creation of The Aux (41:23).
Blockhead on “challenging fans” with The Aux (46:12).
The making of the electric RXKNephew feature on The Aux (53:49).
Collaborations that surprised Blockhead the most - RMPP patron q from Jarvis (57:44).
Blockhead’s favourite songs off The Aux (59:49).
Upcoming music / tour dates / merch (1:01:28).
Support Blockhead's music here: https://blockheadnyc.bandcamp.com/
Follow Blockhead on Twitter here: https://x.com/BlockheadNYC?s=20
Follow Blockhead on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/blockheadnyc/?hl=en
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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
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
The Interview (1:49).
To me, one of the things that impresses me the most about music is its ability to make me care about life experiences, perspectives, and topics that I either don’t know anything about, or have no relation to my current day-to-day life.
Today’s guest, rapper-producer Pink Navel from Massachusetts, is a prime example of being so good at what they do, that they make me care about something I normally could care less about. This thing in question being video games, because on Pink Navel’s latest album fully produced by Kenny Segal, How to Capture Playful, the whimsical passion, lyrical and musical brilliance all combine to create one of the strongest albums of 2023 with video games as its core foundational subject.
In this episode, Pink Navel dives into their expressive style of rap, Ruby Yacht, and the makings of their terrific brand-new album.
Accessibility in Pink Navel’s music and speaking to different audiences in their music (2:28).
The emotional experience creating rap music (5:32).
The Ruby Yacht ethos (7:28).
How R.A.P. Ferreira inspires Pink Navel (11:38).
Pink Navel’s close relationship with their fans (14:54).
Pink Navel’s perspective on internet culture (18:45).
Centering How to Capture Playful around gaming (27:32).
Making connections between video games and real-life (32:30).
Kenny Segal’s production on How to Capture Playful (38:33).
Pink Navel’s rapping performance on How to Capture Playful (43:03).
Upcoming projects / tour dates / merch (45:30).
Support Pink Navel's music here: https://pinknavel.bandcamp.com/music
Buy physicals of How to Capture Playful here: https://kennysegal.bandcamp.com/album/how-to-capture-playful-vinyl-tapes-preorder
Follow Pink Navel on Twitter here: https://x.com/pinknavelonline?s=20
Follow Pink Navel on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dotdev_/?hl=en
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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
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
The Interview (1:48).
The ability to be authentically yourself is a superpower. It makes people feel more comfortable around you, and gravitate towards you because there is a certain solidness or realness about you that people can latch on to.
This is a concept that 100% applies to music, and in particular rap, which is a type of music that is heavily based on the listener caring about the artist’s personality and character - not just their technical skill.
Although it certainly is nice when both the skill and the authenticity are present, which is precisely the case with Portland rapper, Milc. Milc is one of the most talented and genuinely funny rappers out right now, who is making an increasingly large mark on the game.
His recent run is punctuated by a string of collaborative records with talented producers, such as Televangel and goldenbeets.
Milc joins the show today to talk about how he injects his personality into his music, his key influences, and the makings of his two most recent records from 2023, Horseradish and The Fish That Saved Portland.
The backstory behind is simple, but dope rap name (4:13).
Portland hip-hop scene (5:38).
Injecting personality in Milc’s music (10:28).
Sean Price, and other key influences for Milc (17:35).
The warm welcome Milc has received from the current indie rap scene (22:16).
The making of Horseradish with goldenbeets (23:49).
The importance of shining a light on his hometown on The Fish That Saved Portland (27:39).
Milc’s experience working with Televangel (33:33).
How Milc has grown from Neutral Milc Motel to The Fish That Saved Portland (36:10).
Upcoming projects / merch / tour dates (40:12).
Buy/stream The Fish That Saved Portland here: https://televangel.bandcamp.com/album/the-fish-that-saved-portland
Follow Milc on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/MILCMANE
Follow Milc on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/milcmane/?hl=en
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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
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
The Interview (1:46).
For those who heard the last bonus episode I released, or follow me on Twitter, it should come to you as no surprise that I absolutely adore Leather Blvd., an album created by Pink Siifu and Ahwlee, as B. Cool-Aid.
This was a record that did so much good to my spirit, helping me get through some really tough times this year. Therefore, I’m sure you can imagine how honoured I feel to welcome Pink Siifu to the show to not only dive into the creation of this masterpiece, but also discuss what he’s learnt from legendary musicians, his chameleon-like versatility as an artist, and how he approaches collaboration.
We also get some insight into his brand new surprise album, that just dropped a day ago on Halloween, IT'S TOO QUIET…'!!, a collaborative record with Cincinnati's-own Turich Benjy, who also makes a special appearance towards the end of this conversation.
So it goes without saying that you certainly won’t wanna miss this!
How Siifu maintains his identity no matter what style of music he makes (2:14).
Siifu’s trademark voice (5:05).
The influence of D’Angelo and Erykah Badu on Siifu (8:37).
The role Siifu hopes his music plays in helping those in need (13:19).
Siifu’s mastery of collaboration (17:11).
The feeling Siifu wanted listeners to takeaway from Leather Blvd. (19:53).
The importance of expressing a diverse take on romance in Siifu’s music (26:00).
The greatness of Ahwlee (27:51).
The recording process of Leather Blvd. (29:28).
Introducing Turich Benjy (32:54).
Turich’s primary musical influences (34:15).
The making of Ultrasound (35:51).
What drew Turich and Siifu together (37:47).
The musical experience of IT'S TOO QUIET…'!! (40:20).
The chemistry between Siifu and Turich (46:09).
Shout outs and upcoming work to look out for (50:21).
Stream IT'S TOO QUIET…'!! here: https://open.spotify.com/album/17hUD5VessLUxX5pqBi2Av?si=Dc0eyUSkSf6mpiXk9234Zg
Follow Pink Siifu on Twitter here: https://x.com/PinkSiifu?s=20
Follow Turich Benjy on Twitter here: https://x.com/turichbenjy?s=20
Follow Pink Siifu on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/pinksiifu/?hl=en
Follow Turich Benjy on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/turichbenjy/?hl=en
--
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