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 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
The Interview (2:54).
Experts have said recently our society is in a “general crisis”, which means that we are not just dealing with economic crises, ecological crises, political crises… but many types of crises occurring at the exact same time.
So needless to say, music that speaks to the emotional and mental effects of these times has been really connecting with me in recent years.
Today’s guest, Oakland’s Nappy Nina, is a rising star who blends thoughtful empathetic subject matter with raps that defy the conventional. She exudes a level of cool and calm that embodies the long lineage of smooth west coast rap greats that preceded her, and a technical ability that brings this buttery soft delivery to new and exciting places.
This element of freshness can be seen in the danceable rap grooves on 2021’s collaborative album with JWords, Double Down, and the soulful vibrant sounding Mourning Due, the upcoming release from Nappy Nina slated to drop on February 17th.
Listen on to hear about her unique artistic background, her general approach to writing, and stay tuned for a sneak peek into what this new album Mourning Due will sound like.
Nina’s poetry background (3:53).
Nina’s eclectic taste in production, and her beat selection process (9:45).
How Nina grew as a rapper creating Double Down (11:42).
Nina’s unique rapping delivery (14:37).
Nina’s key influences (19:18).
Nina’s mindfulness and how rapping contributes (21:49).
Preview of Nina’s new album, Mourning Due (27:41).
The crazy feature list on Mourning Due (32:31).
The importance of artist-owned label’s like Lucid.Haus (35:51).
Nina’s upcoming projects (40:26).
Sneak preview of an upcoming Nappy Nina track off Mourning Due, titled “Cope” (42:14).
Support Nappy Nina's music here: https://nappynina.bandcamp.com/
Follow Nappy Nina on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/Nappy_Nina
Follow Nappy Nina on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/nappy_nina/?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
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
Why I love talking about music (0:21)
One of the greatest things about art is that it’s contextual… it’s temporal.
Meaning that a particular album for example, could not only make different people feel different things, but could even make the same person feel different things, once the context surrounding their experience with the album changes.
This dynamic is why I love talking about music, and why I hope you the listener choose to tune in to this show almost every Wednesday of the year, The amount of perspectives and feelings one can have with a piece of music is endless.
It’s this concept of subjectivity and context-dependence that can make anyone’s relationship with any piece of music uniquely their own, and worthy of exploring. Uncovering the why behind not only the artist’s creative decisions, but the listener’s response to said piece of music as well, is why I find this space of music commentary so fascinating.
Therefore, in celebration of music and the discussion of beautiful art… I welcome you to the 3rd Annual RMPPs.
The 3rd Annual RMPP Awards Intro (4:20).
For a full breakdown of winners, nominees, and top albums of 2022, visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/episodes/132-3rd-annual-rmpps
Favourite Musical Discoveries of the Year (5:24)
Hook of the Year (5:58)
Best Rap in a Supporting Role (7:23)
Beat of the Year (8:37)
Song of the Year (10:18)
Producer of the Year (11:56)
Rapper of the Year (13:54)
Top 125 Albums of the Year structure (15:50).
Honourable Mentions (17:38).
Sub-17: projects that are 17 minutes or less (18:27)
The Majors: major-label albums from rap’s mainstream heavyweights (20:28)
Fun in the Sun: albums that can lift your spirits and maybe even make you laugh (23:50)
Feels: albums that get you in your feels (27:20)
For the soul: albums that are dripping in soul and wholesome vibes, which can help ground you (30:54)
Grown Person raps: music that really hits those mature themes of adulthood, growing up, growing old (34:39)
Grimy Shit: Albums that are gritty and hard af (39:30)
Lyrical Wizardry: albums that dazzle with their command of the English language, and their ability to paint lyrical pictures (44:00)
Mind Activation: music that melts your mind and pushes lyrical and musical boundaries (48:16)
Final thoughts (55:32).
Buy/stream "Mentalfortress" and the entire Slumber Logic & Mantis the Miasma album: https://slumberlogic.bandcamp.com/album/talking-to-walls
--
Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast
Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/
Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at qlctv.podcast@gmail.com
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
Main Body of Review (2:28).
You may be thinking, why am I, an esteemed member of the rap journalism industrial complex… reviewing the music of an artist historically known as an R&B artist in SZA?
You may want me to just shut up and dribble, and only cover what you consider rap enough… but I will not comply. Discussing SZA’s new album SOS is my god given right protected by the Constitution!
I felt inspired to discuss this record because, for one it’s really good. And this album features many straight up rap or rap crossover moments, so I thought it was appropriate to cover on a rap podcast.
But most importantly, this album hit me at a very pivotal time in December of last year when I needed it most, where I was fragile, spiraling, and deeply ashamed.
Yet SOS managed to give me a bit of juice, providing me with sweet sounds and honest perspective related to emotions I directly was processing at the time, genuinely keeping me afloat throughout a rough time.
It’s funny how all that self-love and acceptance talk starts to actually resonate… when you stop loving yourself, and can’t accept mistakes you’ve made in the past.
If you're intrigued to know why SZA’s SOS left such a mark on me, listen on...
RMPP Preferred Cut: "Snooze"
Stream SOS here: https://open.spotify.com/album/07w0rG5TETcyihsEIZR3qG?si=djgcWQd4Sf6uIARTm35faA
--
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 04, 2023
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
Beginning of Episode (1:04).
Relatability in art is often erroneously mistaken for this idea of “x artist explicitly talking about things that are directly relevant to my life, talking only about things I dealt with personally".
Obviously this is a form of relatability, but I’d argue that relatability is a concept more broad and less rigid than that. Relatability to me is simply the idea of identifying with what an artist stands for.
This edition of Conversation Pieces examines the boy, Drizzy Drake and his latest collaborative album with 21 Savage, Her Loss, through the lens of relatability to see what has gone wrong for the 6 God in recent years.
--
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 21, 2022
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
Beginning of Episode (1:04).
Encountering music that you immediately feel connected to is akin to meeting someone cool for the first time. Where you say to yourself, “this person is going to be a part of my life moving forward, they’re good people”.
Great music has the ability to give me that exhilarating feeling similar to when I make a new friend… it’s priceless, it gives me life.
This is what I experienced when I first heard "Little Boy" by SAULT.
This was one of those instant “Rohan canon” first listens. In the world of me, I know this song will be with me forever, and will be a part of a myriad of playlists that I send with more than platonic intentions in the future...
This song, "Little Boy" also did more than just impress me with its beauty. It made me re-examine how I view the idea of having children.
Yea… I had a lotttt of thoughts when this little boy first entered my world.
--
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 14, 2022
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
The Interview (1:26).
There are few rappers that I consider true aliens of the rap game. By aliens, I mean rappers who’s style feels one of one, incomprehensible, otherworldly. The kind of rapper that sounds good on any beat you throw at them.
I was honoured to be joined by one of said rappers, Mutant Academy’s Koncept Jack$on, who gave us a peak inside the mind of one of rap’s most unique lyricists.
Listen on to hear how the incredible Koncept Jack$on does what he does.
The development of Koncept’s style and his approach to rap (2:50).
How Koncept gets inspired to write (9:44).
Advice Koncept would give to up and coming rappers to further hone their skills (12:37).
Koncept on his experience with Mutant Academy (18:10).
How Koncept and Ohbliv created the great JET MagaZINE Reissue ‘21 (25:37).
Koncept and noface’s musical connection (30:08).
How risk-taking inspires Koncept (33:16).
How HTR Vol. 1 was created (35:55).
Looking ahead to Koncept’s dream collaborations and future projects to look out for (38:35).
Support Koncept Jack$on's music here: https://konceptjackson.bandcamp.com/
Follow Koncept Jack$on on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/konceptjackson_
Follow Koncept Jack$on on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/konceptxjackson/?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
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
Main Body of Discussion (1:44).
Weirdness and experimentation in music is a tricky thing. It’s very easy to go too far and make music that is so unlistenable to many listeners.
It is also easy to make music that feels pushes musical boundaries, but to no meaningful end. Where the end product doesn’t come together into a cohesive statement that says anything coherent.
Lucky for us listeners of Fatboi Sharif and noface’s latest album, Preaching in Havana, none of the above applies.
Havana is a true mindf*** of an album that is stunning, and I'm pleased to be joined by the creators of this record, Fatboi Sharif and noface, to explain how the h*** this twisted record was made.
The vision of Preaching in Havana (4:09).
The creative process of the Havana beats (10:58).
Why Sharif selected these beats to rap over (22:41).
Sharif’s increasingly abstract and impressionistic rapping style (28:07).
The importance of GENG’s post-production work on Havana (29:51).
Sharif and noface’s favourite songs (38:06).
Buy/Stream Preaching in Havana here: https://fatboisharif.bandcamp.com/album/preaching-in-havana
Follow Fatboi Sharif on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/fatboyprospect?s=20&t=8z_cs72jtyE_XhbqtUwQUw
Follow Fatboi Sharif on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/fatboi_sharif/?hl=en
Follow noface on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dough.face/?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
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
Main Body of Review (1:45).
You know the saying of, “it’s not how what you say, but how you say it”. This is a point that is being proven time and time again, in politics and certainly in music.
I think this dynamic applies very nicely to R.A.P. Ferreira. Although his witty philosophical musings have been present in his music since the beginning of his decade-plus long career, I don’t think his music has ever sounded better.
The packaging, from the beats to the way Ferreira rhymes, has evolved tremendously from when I first heard him on things that happen at day // things that happen at night in 2013… to where he is now, with his latest album 5 to the Eye with Stars.
Ferreira has continuously sculpted his sound to great results, and I can’t wait to explain how.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "mythsysizer instinct"
Buy/stream 5 to the Eye with Stars here: https://afrolab9000.bandcamp.com/album/5-to-the-eye-with-stars
--
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 23, 2022
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Plug (0:21).
The Interview (2:10).
Not only are topics like philosophy, spirituality, knowledge of self, difficult things to learn in and of itself... it’s an entirely different challenge to be able to communicate these topics with clarity. Not to mention with grace and humility to boot. Today’s guest, AKAI SOLO, does just that.
Something I told AKAI, and what bares repeating, is that an idea sounds simple when it is presented in his music. He’s that special.
With a fresh, and raw rap style that is reminiscent of Vordul Mega, and that’s not my words… that comes from the Backwoodz Studioz head honcho himself.
On the topic of Backwoodz, this artist joins the growing list of amazing artists dropping their best projects to-date. Since AKAI just released the beautiful Spirit Roaming just a couple of weeks ago, ne of the absolute best projects of the year, period.
This conversation was as insightful as you’d expect it would be with an artist like AKAI. Enjoy!
AKAI’s writing process (4:59).
How AKAI characterizes his style of rap (16:13).
What AKAI’s music stands for (20:17).
AKAI’s creative connection with Navy Blue on True Sky (28:26).
AKAI’s mentality that he employs when approaching his career (31:49).
AKAI on being mindful of not alienating the audience (37:07).
The key inspiration behind the creation of Spirit Roaming (42:40).
The sound of Spirit Roaming (51:02).
The importance of woods executive producing Spirit Roaming (54:38).
How it feels being part of the Backwoodz Studioz run (1:00:47).
AKAI’s new album coming soon (1:05:36).
Support AKAI's music here: https://akaisolo.bandcamp.com/music
Follow AKAI on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/shinlonered?s=20&t=ShYlpWtroe-E2kxSzfflag
Follow AKAI on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/shinlonered/?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
Wednesday Nov 09, 2022
Wednesday Nov 09, 2022
Video animation by: Big Flowers
Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING
The Hook (0:21).
The Interview (1:42).
The Mutant Academy collective has been the launching point for many of rap’s most innovative creators over the past half decade. With uber-talented spitters such as Fly Anakin, and Koncept Jack$on, and captivating beatmakers such as ohbliv, Tuamie, Foisey, and our guest on today’s show... ewonee.
ewonee has fueled the sound for not only Mutant Academy releases, but has also worked with the brightest stars in the game right now. From Mach-Hommy to Estee Nack, to YUNGMORPHEUS, crafting beats for their outstanding collaborative album, Thumbing Thru Foliage.
If you’re interested in hearing how one of the finest producers in the game approaches their craft, make sure you check this out.
ewonee’s initial inspirations to make beats (3:30).
How coding is similar to producing (7:42).
Putting the “ewonee sound” in his own words (9:30).
How ewonee approaches a sample when considering it for a beat (11:24).
ewonee’s perspective on the drumless beats trend emerging in hip-hop (13:02).
ewonee speaks on what makes Mutant Academy special (16:42).
ewonee speaks on his favourite beats that he’s produced (22:31).
The difference in process when creating an instrumental album (23:54).
What makes YUNGMORPHEUS an inspiring artist to work with (26:33).
ewonee’s upcoming jazz album, and other projects to look out for (33:09).
Support ewonee's music here: https://ewonee.bandcamp.com/music
Follow ewonee on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ewonee_
Follow ewonee on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/ewonee_/?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