This episode, we talk to R.A. the Rugged Man. The underground hip-hop legend has been making great music (and pissing off record labels!) since the 1990s. We talked to him about his brutally honest lyrics, his friendships with Biggie and Norah Jones, his biggest inspirations, and tons more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/41/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we bring you a convo with Michael P. Jeffries, author of Paint the White House Black: Barack Obama and the Meaning of Race in America, a fascinating examination of how we think about race in a supposedly “post-racial” America.

Jeffries is also a huge hip-hop head, and has written about rap music and culture for The Guardian, The Atlantic, and more. We talk to him about Tupac and “thuggin’,” Rick Ross’ controversial “U.O.E.N.O.” lyrics, the changing meaning of being multi-racial, and lots more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/42/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we talk to Bill Adler. Bill is best-known for his time as director of publicity for Def Jam and Rush Management from 1984-1990. During that period, he helped to guide the careers of some of hip-hop’s most legendary artists, including LL Cool J, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, and more. He shares stories about many of those groups with us today.

In addition to his work at Def Jam, Bill has written several books, worked on TV documentaries, ran an art gallery, and, in his early years, worked closely with the famous hippie leader John Sinclair. We talk about all of that and more in this epic conversation.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/43/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we bring you a career-spanning conversation with DJ, radio personality, and comedian Cipha Sounds. Ciph is best known for his on-air position at NYC’s Hot 97 but, as you’ll hear, he’s had a wide-ranging career that goes from the depths of the underground scene to the heights of 90’s blinged-out maximalism. In between, he somehow found time to have a key role in one of the greatest TV series of our time, The Chapelle Show. We talk to him about all that and much more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/44/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we talk to hip-hop impresario Michael Holman. Holman was instrumental in bringing the burgeoning culture in Uptown NYC in the late 1970s — the breakdancers, the DJs, the rappers, and the aerosol artists — to a Downtown crowd and, shortly afterwards, to the rest of the world. He wrote books, made short films, hosted TV shows, made albums, managed breakdance troupes, acted in movies, hosted live shows, you name it. Holman also co-founded the band Gray, whose members have included the legendary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and film director Vincent Gallo.

He is perhaps best known for Graffiti Rock, a TV show he created and hosted in 1984, which was a Soul Train-style show for hip-hop. While it only aired for one episode, its influence is still being felt. In fact, Holman is currently putting together a documentary on the making of Graffiti Rock. You can find out more about the project, and help him make it, here.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/45/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we talk to Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ron Isley of the Isley Brothers. Ron and his brothers got their start singing together in the late 1940s, but had their first giant hit with 1959’s “Shout.” They rode an incredible streak of success through their time with Motown, and then revamped their lineup in the 1970s, adding younger members to create classic jams like “It’s Your Thing,” “That Lady,” and “Between the Sheets.” More recently, Ron played “Mr. Biggs” in a series of fantastic duets with R. Kelly. His newest project is Dinner And A Movie.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/46/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we bring you a talk with one of our favorite up-and-coming emcees, Awkword. This rapper and activist doesn’t just talk about social issues — he has an extensive history of social activism and charity work to go along with his dope, creative rhymes. We talked about all kinds of things, from his unusual rap moniker to his upcoming World View project, a 100% for charity album that has performers from literally all over the world

But even more than his good deeds, it’s his music that brought Awkword to the show. His beats and rhymes hearken back to a pre-Giuliani New York City, and it is this keeping-it-real vibe that has allowed him to collaborate with NYC stars like Joell Ortiz and Sean Price. We talked to him about music, politics, life, and all that good stuff.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/47/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we bring you an interview with writer T.M. Wolf. Wolf is the author of Sound, one of the most awesome novels we’ve seen in years. Check out an excerpt, annotated by the author, on Rap Genius.

The book tells the story of Cincy, a former grad student who returns to his Jersey shore hometown for a summer and falls in love and into a mystery. But it’s how the book is written that’s a kicker. Wolf uses techniques he learned from hip-hop (layering, repetition with variation, and more) to create a book that looks different from anything we’ve ever seen. Listen to find out more!

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/48/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we have a talk with one of hip-hop’s first superstars - Guy Williams, better known as Rahiem (of all the ladies’ dreams), from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The Five took their sound and style from parties in the Bronx to stages all over the world, while having massive, world-changing hit songs like “The Message” and “White Lines.” We talked to Rahiem about his life and times with the Five and afterwards, and got some incredible tales of his, and a whole genre’s, rise to the top

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/49/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode of the Cipher, we bring you a talk with Brian Brater, co-founder of Rawkus Records. Rawkus was perhaps the single most important underground record label of the 90s, putting out singles and albums featuring artists like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Company Flow, Pharoahe Monch, Big L, Common, Eminem, and more

Brater tells us about the ups, downs, hits, misses, and the couple big ones that got away. So lace up your Timbs, grab your backpack, and join us as we talk to Brater about hip-hop’s last real golden age

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/54/ for full show notes and comments.

This episode, we talk to Dan Charnas, industry veteran, prolific music journalist, screenwriter, and most recently author of The Big Payback, the definitive history of hip hop business. Charnas began in the mailroom of the seminal rap label Profile Records, eventually becoming Rap A&R and Promotion Manager — working on projects from Run-D.M.C., Dana Dane, Special Ed, Rob Base, Special Ed and DJ Quik. He was one of the first writers for The Source, part of the movement to create hip hop journalism. He was hired by Rick Rubin to run the rap department of his new Warner Bros joint venture, American Recordings. He went on to play many more roles within and surrounding the hip hop industry, getting deeply involved in projects including Sir Mix-A-Lot’s double-platinum single “Baby Got Back”, DJ Kool’s gold anthem “Let Me Clear My Throat,” and Chino XL’s acclaimed “Here To Save You All”.

As an incredibly talented writer and incredibly savvy man, Charnas set out about 4 years ago to begin constructing a complete history of hip hop business. What began as a potential news article quickly took a life of its own and this year he finally saw the completion of his work, acclaimed by the New York Times as “epic” and by Forbes as “a mature, Pulitzer-worthy work, an integral account of essential urban history”. The book contains detailed accounts of major transitions and deals made within the hip hop industry that would shape the music landscape for years to come.

We talk the dichotomy between being rich and being real, black capital in America, Bronx based beat hip hop vs. DJ Hollywood’s “club rap”, and more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/64/ for full show notes and comments.

From Broadway stars to legendary DJs to the best of the battle rappers, OTL has hosted a spectrum of voices — each with an individual story to tell. This episode takes us through the very best of OTL — its highs and lows, its most memorable soundbites, and its most resounding voices. Join us as we take you through Part 1 of OTL’s best.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/74/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we have an epic sit-down with producer 88-Keys. 88 got his start as a teenager, choosing samples for groups like A Tribe Called Quest while working for a record dealer. He easily moved from there into production, and was a key voice in underground hip-hop during the Rawkus Records heyday. His work on albums by Black Star, Mos Def (now Yasiin Bey), and others helped cement the sound of the era.

88 has continued to make music for everyone from Beanie Sigel to Macy Gray, in addition to releasing his own solo album, The Death of Adam, in 2008. In recent years, his name made headlines again when he produced the hit song “No Church in the Wild” for Jay Z and his longtime best friend Kanye West.

We talked to 88 about his past, present, and exciting future, including his Locksmith Music label.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/84/ for full show notes and comments.

Our 2nd annual Christmas episode features former Def Jam exec and noted Christmas music obsessive Bill Adler. We discuss the 30th anniversary edition of his yearly Christmas mix (available EXCLUSIVELY from us — visit here) and his part in the new holiday music documentary Jingle Bell Rocks.

We also find time to talk about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, protest movements past and present, and plenty more. Happy holidays from The Cipher! Again, you can listen to Bill Adler’s 30th anniversary Xmas Jollies mix ONLY on our Soundcloud page.

P.S. We’re honored to have been chosen as one of Slate’s “Best Podcasts About Music” this year. You can see the complete list here. And, as mentioned in the show’s introduction, you can find Cornell University’s online exhibit of Bill’s Def Jam materials on the university’s website.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/86/ for full show notes and comments.

Tanya Morgan, as the title of one of their mixtapes states, is a rap group. Von Pea and donwill have been putting out classics since their 2006 debut Moonlighting. They’ve gone through successes, failures, lineup changes (original member Ilyas left in 2012), and more while continuing to reach for new sounds and concepts. Their most recent release is the EP 12 Minutes at Karriem’s. We talked to the group about touring disasters, childhood friendships, Google Maps, that time donwill almost ended up on Cops, and much, much more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/94/ for full show notes and comments.

Brad “Scarface” Jordan first came to the public’s attention as a member of Houston’s controversial group The Geto Boys. The trio - Scarface, Willie D, and Bushwick Bill - made dark, edgy, and often disturbing music. Their songs like “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” and “Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta” gained them legions of both fans and critics.

Scarface released his first solo album in 1991, and has since put out classics like Mr Scarface Is Back, The Diary, and The Fix, that continue his career-long streak of well-crafted storytelling and unflinching honesty and self-examination. Now he has a new project - a memoir written with Benjamin Meadows-Ingram called Diary of a Madman: The Geto Boys, Life, Death, and the Roots of Southern Rap, published by Harper Collins. The book covers his life with the same directness and power we’ve seen in his raps.

Our talk with Face covers his musical influences in great detail, and also finds time to cover his own career, the book, how he felt trapped by his own name, and lots more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/104/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, our guest is Benjy Melendez, founder, President, and singer of the Ghetto Brothers. He is joined by his co-author and friend, Amir Said.

The Ghetto Brothers were one of the largest and most powerful street gangs in the Bronx in the late 1960s and early 70s - a time when the borough, and New York City as a whole, had plenty to choose from. At its height, the organization had around 2,000 members city-wide.

But after one of their key figures got killed by rival gangs, Benjy devoted his efforts to peace, and held a now-famous peace treaty meeting at the Hoe Avenue center in the Bronx in 1971 - a gathering that set the stage for the ending of the gang era and the beginnings of hip-hop.

In addition to being a powerful organization, the Ghetto Brothers were also a rock and roll band. They only released one album, 1971’s Power Fuerza, but it became a prized collectors item, notable for its surprisingly sweet lyrics and Beatle-esque melodies, Latin percussion, and unique backstory.

While parts of Benjy’s story have been shared in the new documentary Rubble Kings and even in a graphic novel, the new book by Benjy and Amir Said, Ghetto Brother: How I Found Peace in the South Bronx Street Gang Wars, is the first place Benjy shares his entire life story.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/114/ for full show notes and comments.

The 45 King has produced some of the most popular rap songs of the past few decades, for artists like Jay Z and Eminem. But before that, he took his keen ear for a funky loop and put it into the creation of beats for one of Golden Age rap’s greatest crews, The Flavor Unit. He served as beatmaker and tour DJ for the Unit’s breakout star, Queen Latifah, producing and mixing the vast majority of her gold debut album, 1989’s All Hail the Queen.

His work with other Flavor Unit members like Latee, Apache, and Lakim Shabazz, his own instrumentals like the classic “The 900 Number,” as well as songs outside his crew with acts like Gang Starr, Eric B & Rakim, and even Madonna cemented his reputation as one of rap’s hottest producers.

After a few years out of the public eye, the 45 King returned with a sparse, Annie-sampling beat that Jay Z turned into his career-making hit “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).” Shortly afterwards, the producer turned an obscure Dido song into one of Eminem’s biggest hits with “Stan.” We caught up with the 45 King at his home in New Jersey, famous subway turnstile still intact, to discuss his storied career.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/115/ for full show notes and comments.

Sacha Jenkins is a journalist, filmmaker, TV producer, author, musician, and all-around hip-hop polymath. He got his start chronicling graffiti and rap music in homemade zines before joining with a diverse crew of hip-hop obsessives to form the collective that came to be known as Ego Trip. That crew was responsible for a successful and influential magazine, two books, and multiple television projects – all of which explored music and race through a smart, funny, occasionally inflammatory lens.

In addition to his work with Ego Trip and writing about hip-hop for basically every other outlet that covered it, Sacha has co-written many books about graffiti, co-wrote Eminem’s autobiography The Way I Am, played in rock and hardcore bands, and has done much more than we can fit in this space. His latest project is a documentary film about hip-hop fashion called Fresh Dressed.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/124/ for full show notes and comments.

It’s that time of year! We sit down with Bill to talk about this year’s edition of his world-famous Christmas music mix Xmas Jollies 2015, which you can stream EXCLUSIVELY from us here.

We also discuss how Bill’s extensive hip-hop archives ended up at Cornell University, despite the wishes of his pal Lyor Cohen; why you’ll soon see his photos at the Smithsonian; and the story of how a noted civil rights activist was outed as an FBI spy.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/134/ for full show notes and comments.

Beans is an underground rap legend, best known for his time as a member of the group Antipop Consortium. He grew up in White Plains, New York and developed a unique abstract, wordy style that made him equally suited to both rap and the thriving New York City spoken word scene of the mid-1990s. Antipop released their debut album Tragic Epilogue in 2000, and followed it up with several other influential and critically beloved releases, including their best known, 2002’s Arrhythmia.

After leaving the group, Beans kept on releasing solo records, while also continuing a career-long habit of collaboration. Over the years, he has worked with the likes of Vernon Reid, DJ Shadow, Arto Lindsay, and many more.

To see a playlist Beans made exclusively for The Cipher of songs that influenced him heavily when he was growing up, click here.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/140/ for full show notes and comments.

Quelle is a rapper and producer who originally hails from Detroit – though he’s also passed through St. Louis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Brooklyn, and more. He got his start with Detroit’s Wasted Youth crew, teaming up with artists like Denmark Vessey, Big Tone, and even Danny Brown, the last of whom used two of Quelle’s beats on his breakthrough album XXX.

Quelle’s music runs the gamut from banging rap beats to experimental synth pop, and his subject matter from raunchy humor to conversations with God. His most recent solo album, last year’s Innocent Country, is his most powerful and wide-ranging work yet.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/141/ for full show notes and comments.

Saul Williams is a man of many talents - an actor who has starred in hit movies and Broadway shows; a poet who made a huge impression on the spoken word and poetry slam scenes and has published multiple volumes; and a musician who has recorded five albums with collaborators like Trent Reznor and Rick Rubin.

It is this last talent that brought him to us for this episode. Saul has a brand-new album called MartyrLoserKing that brings together many of his career-long themes into its story. The record, along with an accompanying graphic novel and film, both in the works, tells the story of the titular character, a cyber hacker living in the East African country of Burundi. He builds a Frankenstein’s Monster-like super-computer from the parts of abandoned desktops, teaches himself how to code, and develops an online cult following. He’s in love with a transgender woman named Neptune Frost and hosts a cryptic and anarchist podcast. His eventual hacks into Google and the Pentagon turn him into Public Enemy No. 1, a kind of militant Edward Snowden. We talk to Saul about how the story came about, where it’s going, and his thoughts on recent events from David Bowie’s passing to the Paris terrorist attacks.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/142/ for full show notes and comments.

Eligh Nachowitz and Corey Scoffern, a.k.a. The Grouch, are rappers best known for their affiliation with the Living Legends crew. The group, which also included our recent guest Murs, were pioneers in the independent West Coast rap scene in the 1990s. Eligh began his career with Murs and fellow future Living Legend member Scarub in a group called Three Melancholy Gypsys while still a teenager. That crew joined with another group called Mystik Journeymen, picked up a few members including The Grouch, and formed the Living Legends. Their lo-fi albums, made initially on four-tracks, plus their self-booked international tours, set a template that independent rappers follow to this day.

Eligh and The Grouch began releasing music as a duo in in 1998, and have released a number of albums together, most recently 2014’s triple album The Tortoise and the Crow. Together, separately, and with the rest of the Living Legends, their sprawling discography is one of the finest of the era.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/143/ for full show notes and comments.

Adrian Miller is the manager of Anderson .Paak, the rapper/singer/musician who rose to stardom after his show-stopping appearances on Dr. Dre’s new album, Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre. But there’s a whole lot more to Adrian’s story than helping to guide Anderson from obscurity to overseas tours and late-night television appearances.

Adrian was at the epicenter of the Los Angeles rap scene throughout the 1990s. He played a key role in the rise of acts like Coolio, Freestyle Fellowship, Funkdoobiest, Cypress Hill, House of Pain, The Pharcyde, and many, many more. His time in LA reads like a who’s-who of artists, producers, executives, and even movie moguls. After helping to get the L.A. rap scene on its feet, Miller took a job at Warner Brothers as the Senior Vice President of A&R, working directly under legendary executive and manager-to-the-stars Benny Medina. We talked to him about his entire crazy journey, from getting his first real radio job in Oklahoma all the way to making deals with Dre.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/144/ for full show notes and comments.

Ruste Juxx is a long-time affiliate of the Boot Camp Clik, the long-running underground rap powerhouse collective. His work solo and with producers like Marco Polo, VS the Best, and Kyo Itachi has helped to keep BCC’s rough, powerful, and smart aesthetic alive and vital.

Ruste also served for years as onstage foil to one of BCC’s key members, the late Sean Price. Ruste toured with Sean all over the world, and had a bird’s eye view of his memorable - and often unpredictable - performances.

Ruste has two new projects - Meteorite, with the producer Kyo Itachi, and Def By Stereo, with the Beat Bruisers and Pawz One.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/145/ for full show notes and comments.

Phonte Coleman is best known for his work with the pioneering rap group Little Brother, who came straight out of North Carolina in the early 2000s and garnered praise from fans and artists alike by giving a new spin to classic hip-hop. Phonte was a standout, with his witty, dense rhymes - packed with sometimes obscure allusions - and his powerful singing.

With supporters like ?uestlove and Pete Rock, Little Brother gained enough attention to garner a deal with Atlantic Records for their 2005 record The Minstrel Show. While the deal itself was short-lived, the group continued to release material up until they disbanded in 2007.

While Little Brother was still extant, Phonte met the Dutch producer Nicolay, and the two began collaborating as The Foreign Exchange. That group is still going strong, with their latest album Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey coming out just last year.

As if all that wasn’t enough, Coleman has released his own solo album, 2011’s Charity Starts At Home, and a follow-up is due later this year. Most recently, he played a key role in the VH1 movie – soon to be a series – The Breaks, a story about the hip-hop industry in 1990.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/146/ for full show notes and comments.

Anton Pukshansky’s name may be unfamiliar to hip-hop fans, but you definitely know his work. He was a key person at Power Play Studios in Queens, New York, and was deeply involved as an engineer, musician, and producer on classic performances by Kool G. Rap and Polo, Main Source, Eric B. and Rakim, Organized Konfusion, Akinyele, and more.

He also got a front-row seat to the development of soon-to-be iconic talents like Nas and Mobb Deep, who he worked with at the very beginning of their careers. Anton worked hand-in-hand with one of hip-hop’s greatest producers, Large Professor, and has also won Grammys for his work with Santana and Ozomatli.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/147/ for full show notes and comments.

Idris Goodwin is an award-winning playwright, poet, rapper, essayist, and spoken word artist. His plays have been put on all over the country, and he has performed on HBO, Discovery Channel, and even Sesame Street. His book of poems and essays, These Are The Breaks, was published in 2011.

Idris’ most recent project has been a series of “breakbeat plays” - works of theater that are influenced by and reflect both the content and the form of hip-hop music and culture. His latest breakbeat play The Realness is at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Massachusetts through April 10th.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/148/ for full show notes and comments.

Cambatta was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He decamped for Florida at 18, and quickly released several successful mixtapes, The Visionary and The Visionary 2, shortly afterwards. They showed off his incredible writing skills and already top-notch wordplay.

But it wouldn’t be until 2013 that Cambatta would really come into his own. He changed his way of thinking – with some chemical help – and created the powerful and trippy Smoke & Mirrors series, a three-mixtape collection that was released between 2013 and 2015. The trilogy took on mystical themes and melded them with reflections on childhood to create a voice that didn’t sound like anything else.

Cambatta’s latest release is Smoke & Mirrors DMT: (Definitive Metagod Trilogy), a collection of some of the best songs of the series plus previously unreleased material.

As we said in the episode, to enter the contest for the Cambatta t-shirt and USB business card, write the answers to the three questions we gave you in the intro and email them to contest@theciphershow.com by noon EDT on Monday April, 11, 2016.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/149/ for full show notes and comments.

Dame is a producer who has sold tens of millions of albums in his storied career. He got his start working with The LOX, and had his first big hit with their tribute to Biggie, “We’ll Always Love Big Poppa.” After giving The LOX several of the biggest songs on their debut album Money, Power, Respect, Dame started working with another member of the Ruff Ryders camp, DMX. He produced almost the entirety of X’s 1998 debut It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, beginning a working relationship and friendship that continues to this day.

That album sold over five million copies, and moved Dame into the ranks of superstar producers. He made hits for Cam’ron, Nas, Noreaga, Freeway, and countless others. Then he moved on to a whole sound, helping Max B and French Montana define their “wave” movement. Today, he’s still making songs at a record clip – and we do mean that literally.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/154/ for full show notes and comments.

David Banner is a Jackson, Mississippi-raised rapper who started in the duo Crooked Lettaz, but first came to most peoples’ attention with his 2003 solo hit “Like A Pimp,” and the record that contained it, Mississippi: The Album. That LP, which also contained the hit “Cadillac on 22’s,” cemented Banner’s name and style in the minds of rap fans nationwide.

But there’s a whole lot more to Banner than a couple of hits. He is an accomplished producer who has made beats for T.I., Trick Daddy, RZA, and Lil Wayne. He’s also an actor who has been in the films Black Snake Moan and This Christmas. He has even recently hit the lecture circuit with his “God Box Lecture Series.” But most importantly, he has continued to challenge himself and his listeners with thoughtful, important music. His new album The God Box is coming soon.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/164/ for full show notes and comments.

Robert is a pianist and producer who has straddled the worlds of jazz, r&b, and hip-hop his entire career. He has toured and recorded with the likes of Q-Tip, Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, and countless others. He has also been a key collaborator with his college buddy, the singer Bilal, and has won several r&b Grammys. But he first earned his musical stripes as a jazz player, releasing albums on the iconic jazz label Blue Note Records.

But no matter what genre he’s playing in, or what band he’s working with, Glasper brings his unique style, knowledge, and passion to anything he’s working on. His most recent album, with the Robert Glasper Experiment, is ArtScience.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/174/ for full show notes and comments.

Saba is a young rapper and producer from the West Side of Chicago who has been making a huge impact with his latest album, Bucket List Project. He got his start at open mics around Chicago thrown by Young Chicago Authors and YOUmedia, a scene that also produced talents like Mick Jenkins, Vic Mensa, Noname, and Chance the Rapper.

Saba really came into his own with his 2014 album ComfortZONE, a project that saw him get away from standard brags and boasts and develop a more personal and intimate style. Bucket List Project finds that style fully developed, and people have noticed. Rolling Stone even chose the record as one of its top rap albums of the year.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/184/ for full show notes and comments.

Boldy James is a Detroit rapper who first came to many peoples’ attention in 2009 after appearances on songs by his cousin Chuck Inglish’s group, The Cool Kids. But Boldy took that initial burst of interest and ran with it, releasing a slew of mixtapes and guest appearances leading up to his 2013 debut album My 1st Chemistry Set, produced entirely by The Alchemist.

Just over a year later, Boldy was signed to Nas’ then-new label Mass Appeal Records. Boldy’s latest project, out this past February, is House of Blues.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/194/ for full show notes and comments.

Stevie Stone is an emcee who is part of the Strange Music family. However, his gravely voice and powerful vision make him stand out even among that talented crew. Stevie started out signed to Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records, but quickly joined the Strange family—an appropriate move, since for his very first show, he shared the stage with the label’s co-founder and flagship artist Tech N9ne.

Since then, Stevie has made a series of powerful and often experimental albums, including 2015’s Malta Bend, which explored his mother’s childhood in the small Missouri town of that name. His new album, out this past Friday, is Level Up.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/204/ for full show notes and comments.

Trae is a true Houston rap legend who got his start as a member of DJ Screw’s Screwed Up Click. Since the late 1990s, he has been sharing his street stories using his one-of-a-kind voice. Through countless mixtapes and albums, he has helped shape the sound and focus of his hometown scene, and played a large role in bringing it to the attention of the wider world. But Trae is not only notable for his rapping. In 2008, the city of Houston awarded him his own day, and Trae Day has become an annual tradition.

His latest project is Tha Truth, Pt. 3.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/214/ for full show notes and comments.

kris ex is a writer who played a key role in the creation of hip-hop journalism. Starting in the early 1990s, his work at Ego Trip, One Nut, Rolling Stone, The Source, and especially Vibe helped set the template for what it meant to write about rap music and the people who make it. His eye for the perfect detail, love for the music and culture, and willingness to challenge pretty much anyone and anything has made him arguably the most well-regarded writer in a peer group that includes many heavy hitters.

kris has profiled stars like Jay Z, Aaliyah, The Lox, and A Tribe Called Quest; and reviewed the highest of high-profile albums by the likes of Nas, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem. He also co-wrote 50 Cent’s 2005 memoir. These days, you can find him writing for Mass Appeal, Pitchfork, and Billboard, among other outlets.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/224/ for full show notes and comments.

Sage Francis and B. Dolan are both from Providence, are both rappers who have roots in spoken word, have toured and sporadically recorded together for years, and even share a label—the Sage-founded Strange Famous Records. But it has taken them until 2018 to release a full project as a duo: the Epic Beard Men.

Sage is a beloved underground rap veteran who has been releasing albums of his smart, introspective, and emotional music consistently since 2002, and touring the universe maniacally to support them—all while running Strange Famous. B. Dolan is an equally talented wordsmith whose solo work is as likely to give new life to old union hymn as it is to pay tribute to the Ol’ Dirty Bastard. The group has a new EP, Season 1, and an album on the way.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/234/ for full show notes and comments.

Kalyn is a rapper and the leader of the eclectic Denver-based group Wheelchair Sports Camp, who have garnered critical acclaim for their music and their energetic live performances almost since their founding in 2009.

Wheelchair Sports Camp - named after a real camp that Kalyn, who has brittle bone disease and has been in a wheelchair her whole life - used to attend, is a group that pushes the boundaries in sound and subject matter. Most performances consist of Kalyn, drums, and trumpet, and their latest album No Big Deal explores everything from gentrification to the pressure artists put on themselves to important social issues.

In addition to being a great rapper, Kalyn is also an activist, and now a politician. She participated in a big protest against the repeal of the ACA that had her and other activists taking over a senator’s office. And now she’s running - or rather, as she puts it, rolling - for Mayor of Denver.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/240/ for full show notes and comments.

Soundset is a festival in the Minneapolis area put on by the Rhymesayers label. It’s been running since 2008, and has grown from a show in a warehouse to a day-long outdoor event featuring some of music’s biggest acts.

This past May, we went to the festival to hang out and talk to the performers, and on this episode and the next one, you’ll hear the results. This time, you’ll find conversations with Rapsody, Grieves, K-Salaam, Sa-Roc, and Prof. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the first half of The Cipher’s Soundset special.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/241/ for full show notes and comments.

Soundset is a festival in the Minneapolis area put on by the Rhymesayers label. It’s been running since 2008, and has grown from a show in a warehouse to a day-long outdoor event featuring some of music’s biggest acts.

This past May, we went to the festival to hang out and talk to the performers, and and this is the second of two episodes where you can hear the results. This time, you’ll find conversations with Murs, Nikki Jean, OG Grip, and Evidence. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the conclusion of The Cipher’s Soundset special.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/242/ for full show notes and comments.

Joan is a writer who got her start in the 1990s, helping to create what came to be known as “hip-hop journalism” with her articles at places like Vibe and the Village Voice. Whether she was writing about the Mike Tyson trial, profiling TLC, or investigating the sex trade in Jamaica, Joan brought her keen, Bronx-raised sensibility to everything she touched.

Joan pioneered hip-hop feminism—and came up with the phrase “black girl magic,” to boot—in her classic 1999 book When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: A Hip-Hop Feminist Breaks It Down. And now she has a brand new book, a reflection on Ms. Lauryn Hill’s classic debut album. It’s called She Begat This: 20 Years of the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/243/ for full show notes and comments.

Glen “Daddy-O” Bolton is a rapper, producer, executive, and all-around hip-hop Renaissance man. He formed the ground breaking Stetsasonic in 1981, and the group went on to release several classic albums and become the first great hip-hop band.

As a producer and remixer, he worked with everyone from Audio Two to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to They Might Be Giants. He was an executive at MCA and Motown, and continues to consult with a number of companies. And he’s still releasing music to this day. Daddy-O’s latest album, released this past May, is No Tablecloths.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/244/ for full show notes and comments.

Nick, as you undoubtedly already know, is a musician, actor, comedian, TV executive, and all-around entertainer. He got his start doing stand-up comedy while still a teenager. He parlayed that into work at Nickelodeon, where he wrote for and starred in now-classic shows like All That, Kenan & Kel, and the appropriately-named Nick Cannon Show. He moved from that into starring in movies like Drumline and Love Don’t Cost a Thing, putting out several stand up specials, and even hosting America’s Got Talent.

But, as you’ll hear, Nick has always thought of himself as a musician first. He has released numerous albums and mixtapes, written and produced for other artists, and has worked with everyone from Biz Markie to Gucci Mane to the Neptunes to Kanye West. And, of course, he combined his loves of hip-hop and improv comedy into the long running hit TV show Wild ‘N Out. Nick’s latest musical project, released earlier this year, is Calling All Models: The Mixtape.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/245/ for full show notes and comments.

K-Salaam is a producer and DJ who, both by himself and with his production partner Beatnick, has made beats for some of your favorite artists. A short, by no means complete list includes Nas, Freddie Gibbs, Talib Kweli, Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, Murs, Bun B, Sizzla, and Young Buck.

K-Salaam got his start in Minneapolis, where he was an integral part of the early years of the Rhymesayers label. He DJ’d for many of the label’s acts, as well as for their signature radio show. In recent years, he and Beatnick also worked extensively with Ms. Lauryn Hill, and even had one of their tracks featured in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/246/ for full show notes and comments.

Jericho Jackson is a group made up of producer Khrysis and rapper Elzhi. Khrysis is best known for his work with the rap collective the Justus League, which counts among its members 9th Wonder. He is currently a member of 9th’s production team the Soul Council. In addition to his North Carolina crew, Khrysis has produced for Sean Price and Heltah Skeltah, Jean Grae, Evidence, Talib Kweli, Black Thought, and many others.

Dedicated Cipher listeners will remember Elzhi from our talk with him on episode 152. The Detroit rapper came to a lot of fans’ attention during his time as a member of Slum Village. He followed that up with a staggering series of solo albums, including the Nas reinvention Elmatic and the deeply personal Lead Poison.

Khrysis and Elzhi’s recent joint album is called Khrysis and Elzhi Are Jericho Jackson.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/247/ for full show notes and comments.

Mid90s, which opened this past Friday, October 19th, is a film Hill wrote and directed about a group of skateboarding friends in—you guessed it—the mid-1990s. The incredibly authentic period piece features plenty of nods to the skateboarding scene and the music of the time period, including songs from the Pharcyde and the Gravediggaz, and a memorable cameo appearance by Del the Funkee Homosapien.

This is Jonah’s first film as a writer/director. He has, of course, starred in tons of films, from Superbad to Moneyball to The Wolf of Wall Street. For this interview, Hill was joined by Sunny Suljic, who plays Stevie; Na-kel Smith, who plays Ray; Olan Prenatt, who plays Fuckshit; Gio Galicia, who plays Ruben; Ryder McLaughlin, who plays Fourth Grade; and Alexa Demie, who plays Estee. To rap fans, Na-Kel Smith’s name and voice may sound familiar—he has a music career of his own, and has appeared on songs with Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/248/ for full show notes and comments.

Mike “Heron” Herard is a record exec, producer, manager, label owner, and all-around music business legend. He first came to the attention of underground hip-hop fans when he was the co-founder of Hydra Records, which released music by Screwball, Godfather Don, and many others. He then moved over to Rawkus Records, where he played a key role in Big L’s posthumous album The Big Picture. He has also managed Joell Ortiz, and is currently the Vice President of A&R at Shady Records. In addition, he runs the company BeatHustle, a firm that manages composers who compose music specifically for rap producers to sample.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/249/ for full show notes and comments.

Joey and Lee get ready for the first week of the NFL season, and more important betting season. Joey tells us about something great he saw at the ATM drive thru. And childhood friend Greg calls in. 

Streamed 09/09/2012