Podcast

It's difficult to overstate the impact De La Soul has had on this podcast. Simply stated De Le raised us. The three brothers from Long Island and their left of center aesthetic helped shaped who we are as rap fans and human beings. Our original artwork was a homage to their second album De La Soul is Dead. We got the late great Don Newkirk, who voiced the skits on 3ft High and Rising, to be a part of our intro. Our first guest on the podcast was legendary producer Prince Paul who played a huge role in the first three De La Soul albums. All of this to say De La is a part of us. So of course we were devastated to hear Trugoy's recent passing. Dave's death coming right as De La's music comes to streaming feel particularly cruel.

On this week's episode we do our best to honor the legacy of Plug 2 and give new listeners a guide to De La Soul's first four albums. How do the Dad Bods rate each of these masterworks? How have the albums aged? These questions and many more will be answered during this special episode. That in an of itself would be one hell of an episode but we were also fortunate to get De La Soul's first A&R Dante Ross to join us and talk about the early days of the group and who Dove was as a person.

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

p.s. shout out to the DJ Cutso for producing a new beefier theme song!

RIP TRUGOY

RIP DON NEWKIRK

Rap contains multitudes.

There about as many flows as there are variations of the human voice. Skech 185 comes from the ruff, rugged, and raw end of the vocal spectrum. His flow is ferocious, off-kilter, and densely packed with metaphors and meaning. Skech's latest release on Backwoodz, He Left Nothing For The Swim Back, is as frenzied and manic as the album title suggests. Dave and Demone talk to the Chicago native about his origin story, evolution of his craft, and his windy city rap Mount Rushmore. During the intro segment your host talk about hanging at with Open Mike Eagle and Video Dave during their recent SF tour stop.

On the B-side the three bad brothers that you know so well talk about their favorite non-Armand Hammer Backwoodz Releases. It's a barrel of laughs in a tank of hot takes floating down a river of lava. It's the Dad Bod Rap Pod!

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Joint used in this episode

Side A

1. He Left Nothing For The Swim Back-Skech 185
2. Eastside Summer-Skech 185

Side B

1. Jay Street-Skech 185
2. Western Automatic Music-Skech 185

The glory days of this podcast have coincided with a global pandemic and as such recording the show via zoom has become the order of the day, It's a great way to connect with interesting people across town and across the globe for sure. All that said there is nothing like face to face interaction. This week we got a live in-real-life interview with one of our favorite humans, Nappy Nina. This is her third apperance on the pod and we definitely consider ourselves boosters of everything she does.

Nate and Demone gathered in Dem's living room to talk to Nina about her new album Mourning Due, potential retirement, and being buried alive in the Sahara (true story). Good times were had by all! This interview is not to be missed.

During the Side A intro segment we mourn the sudden and tragic passing of Dave aka Plug 2 aka Trugoy from De La Soul. Given what De La means to us this passing was absolutely devastating. We do our best to process grief and uplift Dave's legacy.

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Side A

1. Trying People-De La Soul.
2. Scuffle-Nappy Nina

Side B

1. Tucked In-Nappy Nina
2. Itzsiweezee-De La Soul

The modern indy rap hustle is about quantity as much quality. This week's guest AJ Suede has mastered the art of being prolific without comprising the integrity of his product. Since 2015 the Suede God has put out over 30 projects and has shown no signs of slowing down. Nate and Demone had the opportunity to chop it up with the Seattle by way of East Harlem rapper about his creative process, growing up in a hip hop household and the Star Wars prequels.

On Side A of this weeks episode Nate and Demone ruminate on the NBA All-Star weekend, trade deadline, and the endearing mania of Draymond Green. On Side B your two Scorpio host get mad astrological. Break out your birth charts and your ball shorts! Dad Bod Rap Pod action its fantastic!

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Joints used in this episode

Side A

1. DBRP Theme (Midnight Run RMX)-DJ Cutso
2. Black Mesa Incident-AJ Suede
3. Vox Machina-AJ Suede

Side B

1. 5 x 10-AJ Suede
2. Mount Saint Helen-AJ Suede

Armageddon been in effect go get a late pass!

In orders of sonic magnitude there is no bigger rap album than Public Enemy's 1988 masterpiece It Takes A Nation Of Millions. This genre shattering classic is about to turn 35 (holy shit!). In celebration of this milestone Nate Le Blanc, David Ma, Demone Carter, and guest Jason Woodbury (of the Aquarium Drunkard podcast) come together to dissect what makes It Take A Nation so brilliant.

That would be robust episode in and of itself but wait there's more?!? Nate and Demone had the privilege of talking to Public Enemy co-founder, producer, and Bomb Squad detonation specialist Hank Shocklee. He was part of huge sea change in rap production and has went on to have an impressive career scoring and doing sound design for many films you know and love.

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

More game than parker brothers.....

Sean Kantrowitz is a man of many talents. He is a whole ass musician who has worked with some of the most ginormous names in the music industry (DR.DRE??). He is super tight with Questlove and has even provided input for some of the music intros on the Jimmy Fallon Show. But his most recent project has put him in the interesting position of being hip hop's preeminent quizmaster. After piloting a Hip Hop trivia night (which evolved into a online show) called The Questions with his cousin DJ Steve 1nder, Sean has reached uncharted heights for a real hip hop head, his trivia game has just hit the streets thanks to Penguin Random house publishing. Sean was kind enough to join Nate and Demone for a conversation about gamifying hip hop and much more.

During the funky intro Nate and Demone talk about the board games they played growing up. On the B-side Nate attempts to stump Demone with trivia queries from the Questions Hip Hop Trivia game.

"Dodododo it's the audio daily double!"

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team, please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Joint used in this episode

Side A

1. Game Recognize Game-JT The Bigga Figga
2. The Questions-Common feat Mos Def

Side B

1. Game Theory-The Roots
2. This Is How We Do-The Game feat 50 Cent

DJ is loaded term these days. The advent of new technology has allowed a broader array of people to claim the title DJ when in actuality many are just AI assisted music curators. DJ, producer, and scratch samurai D-Styles is cut from a different cloth.

After honing his craft in the fertile crescent that was the Bay Area DJ scene of the 90's D-Styles has perfected and innovated the art of scratching. He has won international DJ competitions with the Invisibl Skratch Piklz and the Word Famous Beat Junkies but he is more musician than anything. Over the past 20+ years he has quietly amassed a healthy production catalogue including everything from ground breaking works of turntablism (peep 2002's Phantazmagorea album) to making beats for undergrounds stalwarts like Jihad The Roughneck and ascendant vangaurd-ian R.A.P. Ferreira. His immense talent is juxtaposed by his intense humility and everyday vibes.

On the A side of the episode your humble host Demone Carter, David Ma, and Nate Leblanc talk about their bachelor pad horror stories and there favorite scratch choruses. On side B there is robust discussion about struggle meals and proper bachelor pad etiquette. This episode is a must listen for all DJ's and the people who love them.

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team, please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Joints featured in this episode

Side A:

1. DBRP Theme- DJ Cutso feat. DEM ONE
2. John Wayne On Acid- D-Styles
3. Rhymes Like A Scientist-Third Sight

Side B:

1. In My Own World (Check The Method)-Common
2. D-Styles IDA 2018 Showcase (clip)

It's been a long time....

Two and a half weeks to be exact, but we are back! Hope y'all had a safe and pleasant holiday break. Your favorite rap nerds have reconvened for Season 6 of the Dad Bod Rap Pod and we are starting on a good note with episode 251. Side A of this episode starts with the original kings of content David Ma, Demone Carter, and Nate Le Blanc talking about their New Year's Eve debauchery/resolutions. Then, the bros welcome Brooklyn-bred rapper AKAI SOLO to the program. Spirit Roaming, AKAI's latest release on the venerable Backwoodz Studioz label was described by Pitchfork as "impassioned soliloquies and elaborate sample arrangements, rendered with impressive precision."

In this interview, AKAI breaks down how Spirit Roaming came into to being and the guidance he received from billy woods during the process. He also talks about his approach to rap, friendships, and life generally. Disclaimer: the zoom was glitching in spots during this interview, but it's still really good.

On Side B, the Dad Bods discuss their favorite hangover cures which run the gamut from weed to egg Mcmufins. A good time was had by all. Hope you enjoy. If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team, please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Joints featured in this episode

Side A:

1. Jyu Viole Grace (instrumental)-AKAI SOLO
2. Marine Snow-AKAI SOLO
3. Fresh Squeezed-Squires

Side B:

1. Fire In The Hole-Earl Sweatshirt
2. Quick Realignment-Jeff Markey
3. Thunderball-Lungs/Lonesword feat. Phiik

You ever meet a person for the first time and they seem like one of the homies?

We had a chance to virtually chill with author and Bay Area Hip Hop head Hua Hsu. His bylines include The Atlantic, Slate, The Wire and The New Yorker. His new book Stay True: A Memoir, is out now via Doubleday Publishing. We talked to him about his writing career and what is was like when he was was cutting his teeth in Berkley's hip hop scene of the mid nineties. Given Hua is from our neck of the universe we spent some time talking about our mutual stomping grounds as well. Episode 250! A cherry on top of season 5.

Suge LeBlanc is giving us a couple of weeks off so have a happy and safe holiday. We will be back with new episodes mid January.

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Joint used in this episode

1. Range Day-Sleep Sinatra & Ohbliv featuring Obijuan
2. Trippin Instrumental-Zion I
3. Passion Fruit-Illogic

DOUBLE QUIBBLE!

In part two of Quibble Jam your humble host Nate LeBlanc, David Ma, and Demone Carter talk about the best rap records of 2022. The imaginary awards dispensed in this episode include Best album, Best song, rookie of the year and much more!

If you like what you hear please like, rate, review, and subscribe on your platform of choice. If you really down with the team please subscribe to our Patreon (patreon.com/dadbodrappod)

Big ups to Stony Island Audio massive!

Joints used in this episode

1. Fire Sky-Preservation
2. Iron Horse-Rob Cave & Dallas Penn (prod by Small Professor)
3. Come My Way-Saba featuring Krayzie Bone
4. Death of a Constable-Brian Ennals and Infinity Knives
5. Hunger Games-YL
6. Wharves-billy woods
7. Sometimes-Black Thought & Dangermouse
8. Ours-R.A.P Ferreira
9. Rossi-Defcee featuring Armand Hammer