Episode 493 features guest Brotha2daKnight joining the New Old Heads to debate American sociologist Tricia Rose's recent claim that hip hop now does more harm than good. We unpack whether the culture is truly toxic or if corporate capitalism is to blame for the aesthetics pushed to the forefront. We also discuss independent rapper Prof getting disqualified by Billboard after selling 30,000 physical albums and debate if the charts are rigged for major labels. Later, we react to a viral clip suggesting the NBA is actively trying to phase out hip hop-centric players to enforce corporate discipline, and we break down Cam'ron's statement about elite talent getting to do whatever they want.
NOH 492 | "If lyrics sold."
Episode 492 features guest Brotha2daKnight joining the crew to tackle Lupe Fiasco's ongoing criticism of Kendrick Lamar, debating whether hip hop history ultimately values the master artist over the master lyricist. We unpack the growing divide between internet commentators and actual creators, questioning if metrics are now being mistaken for real cultural expertise. We also break down Twista's recent tax issues, exploring whether the industry's aesthetic pressure to maintain an illusion of immense luxury leads to bad business and financial negligence. Finally, we debate Lauryn Hill's BET Living Legend Icon Award, her limited solo catalog, and the controversy surrounding the creative credits on Miseducation. For our members, we dive into a full reaction and review of the 55 CHREECE Last Shot submissions.
NOH 491 | "Feed the system."
On this episode we talked about Open Mike Eagle's take on the Atlantic article and AI Watchdog whistleblower-esque reveal on AI theft in music, Boots Riley talking radicalism in music, art and life with Hasan Piker, and more. Extended discussions are available via our Patreon or YouTube members.
NOH 490 | "Ruthless to systems."
Episode 490 features guest Brotha2daKnight. The crew debates Soulja Boy’s controversial new move to open up a "Rapper University," questioning if it's a blatant cash grab or a legitimate educational platform for aspiring artists in the streaming era. We also unpack the intense backlash Jay-Z is facing for releasing the 30th-anniversary white vinyl of Reasonable Doubt exclusively at Target, exploring the realities of capitalism, boycotts, and selective outrage. Finally, we break down Lord Jamar's appearance on a Hip Hop-style Jubilee, analyzing his four major claims about Hip Hop: the shift from community to corporations, the death of MC talent shows for viral popularity, the debate over who actually created Hip Hop, and the true history of positive messaging in the golden era.
NOH 489 | "God loves ugly."
On episode 489 we talked about The Knicks and Donald Trump, Fat Joe comparing the Knicks' NBA Finals Run To 9/11, ReedMySole saying our culture's timeline is a mess, Jay Electronica not showing up to his tour dates, Future saying Jay-Z was a non factor in 1996, and more.
NOH 488 | "The jig is up."
This week we had a few different discussions on Jay-Z's Roots Picnic freestyle, Dame Dash's response, Talib Kweli calling out Tiny Desk, Conway The Machine airing out Griselda, andd more.
NOH 487 | "Make them pay."
This week, we catch up on Memorial Day weekend travels before diving deep into how record labels are hijacking political playbooks to manufacture virality through a paid "clipping economy." We also discuss DJ Akademiks officially entering Drake's inner circle with an OVO chain, what that means for the integrity of hip-hop journalism, and Drake's reported Grammy boycott for his latest project, Iceman. Plus more on our Uncut episode exclusively for our Patreon and YouTube Members, we share some Indy 500 experiences and pay tribute to Hip Hop legend Rob Base.
NOH 486 | "Such a nefarious action."
Episode 486 is the Iceman episode. Discussion on if he lived up to the hype, if he grew at all, what we thought about the three project drop, if this means Kendrick will reply, and more. We also talked about Black Milk and the hard path indie artists have to compete in the algorithmic world of the attention economy.
NOH 485 | "Don't believe the hype."
Episode 484 of the New Old Head had discussions on Jermaine Dupri defending himself for keeping publishing on Kriss Kross records, Akademiks being #1 on Hip Hop media list, the Best Hip Hop producer every year since 1979, and more.
NOH 484 | "Politics as usual."
Episode 484 features guest Brotha2daKnight. Discussions dive into Kid Cudi's decision to fire M.I.A. from his upcoming tour lineup. The episode also unpacks whether the Nike brand is truly still for the culture, Dame Dash continuing to disparage Jay-Z's name and music, and Killer Mike getting dragged online for not being supportive enough of Kamala Harris.