Last week staff at The Donkey Sanctuary’s Donkey Assisted Therapy Centre in Birmingham received a cheque of £4,900 from Sainsbury's Castle Vale store.

Solihull Junior School pupils were so impressed by their visit to a local children’s charity that they made an Olympian effort to support it.

The Donkey Sanctuary’s Donkey Assisted Therapy Centre in Birmingham is holding a Summer Fair and fun dog show on Saturday 13th July

New Nature Valley Classic champion crowned world women's tennis number one.

Andy Munro listens to a new re-release from one of Birmingham's early trailblazers.

Local professionals and businesses win at the inaugural Midlands Beauty Industry Awards 2018.

HD Brows add city centre to their list of academies.

Rare and unseen British TV footage to be shown at anniversary event.

This episode, we sit down with the fantastic Styles P. Best known for his work with The Lox and D-Block, Styles has been mixing street content (not for nothing is his latest album called The World’s Most Hardest MC Project) with hopeful messages and deep lyrical gems since the mid 90’s. He is also perhaps rap’s best collaborator, responsible for superb duets with Jadakiss, Fabolous, Beanie Sigel, and lots more. Styles is also a published author — his debut novel Invincible came out in 2010, and he is currently at work on a second book. His aforementioned new album was released just last week.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/22/ for full show notes and comments.

Live from Bed Stuy’s Restoration Plaza, we bring you a very special event with Buddha Monk and Mickey Hess, authors of a new biography of the Wu’s Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Occurring only blocks from Dirty’s childhood home, this conversation features not only the authors, but also special appearances from the Wu member’s family and friends. Buddha Monk was Dirty’s close friend since they were children, and had a front row seat to the artist’s rise and fall. His book, co-written with Rider professor Mickey Hess, is The Dirty Version: On Stage, In the Studio, and In the Streets With Ol’ Dirty Bastard, published by Harper Collins. You can buy it here.

If you like this episode, be sure to check out our recent article on the Wu for Radio.com

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/83/ for full show notes and comments.

Our interview with the enigmatic Divine Styler starts with him present, via his DJ father, at the very beginnings of hip-hop. He then became a part of Ice-T’s Rhyme Syndicate crew, which included a pre-House of Pain Everlast. His second album, Spiral Walls Containing Autumns of Light, drastically expanded the range of what a hip-hop artist could do with its spoken word-industrial-rock hybrids.

His latest record Def Mask comes after a 15-year hiatus. From NYC park jams to getting arrested the day after signing a record deal to having a front-row seat for “Jump Around“‘s massive success to pushing musical boundaries to making pilgrimages to Mecca, Divine Styler shares his whole fascinating story.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/88/ 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.

Scott Harding, better known as Scotty Hard, is a producer, engineer, and musician who has been behind the scenes for some of the most notable and boundary-pushing albums in hip-hop and beyond. He has worked on seminal albums by the Gravediggaz, Wu-Tang, the Brand New Heavies, Ultramagnetic MCs, Prince Paul, BDP, Tim Dog, De La Soul, and many, many more — and that’s not to mention his work with jazz, rock, and unclassifiable acts like Medeski, Martin and Wood, the Crash Test Dummies, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and tons of others.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/166/ for full show notes and comments.

Shawty is an influential producer best-known for his work with Jeezy and Gucci Mane. He has been one of the most important beatmakers ever to come out of Atlanta, and he played a key role in developing the sound of trap music - a sound that is as now close as the nearest radio station or passing car.

Shawty started out as a part of Atlanta’s bass music scene, but his diverse influences (and a mistake in the studio) changed his sound, and he developed a new style that would blossom into trap. While you can hear the beginnings of his style early on, it was his work with Jeezy, starting back when the rapper was still called Lil’ J, that pushed Shawty into the spotlight. In addition to his work with Jeezy and Gucci, Shawty Redd has made beats for Lil Jon, Pastor Troy, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T, and many more.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/199/ for full show notes and comments.

The University of Birmingham is set to host its first Arts & Science Festival to showcase the wealth of ideas, research and collaboration across its campus.

A charity concert has raised £700 for the Edgbaston-based charity Ammalife.

Betty Page of the Famous Bunny Ranch calls in to Joey Diaz and Lee Syatt.

This podcast is brought to you by:

Onnit.com. Use Promo code CHURCH for a discount at checkout.

Nature Box. Visit Naturebox.com and use promo code Joey for a free trial box

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Recorded live on 10/01/2014.

Music:

AC/DC - Soul Stripper

Hector Lavoe - Todo Tiene Su Final

Mike Tyson, the youngest ever heavyweight boxing world champion, an actor, performer, and host of the "Hotboxin with Mike Tyson" podcast, joins Joey Diaz and Lee Syatt LIVE. 

This podcast is brought to you by:

Partnership aims to build communities through sport.

Blue plaque unveiled in honour of Madeleine Carroll.

Thousands of lifesaving face masks donated to city hospital.

Support some of the most vulnerable in society with urgent COVD-19 appeal.

Andre’a: The youth worker helping future generations step back from a life of crime.

Anonymous disposal helping reduce knife crime.

Campaign results in victory for local politicians.

Indico Street Kitchen announces Mailbox opening date.

Coventry University Students’ Union has secured IKEA as the major sponsor for the upcoming annual Varsity sporting event between Coventry University and Warwick University.

Coventry University and its successful spin-off firm Microcab are set to show off their zero-emission vehicle expertise at the 2013 Automotive Engineering Show at the NEC in Birmingham next week.

Road users urged to think safety as nights draw in.

New report reveals thousands of transport manufacturing jobs at risk from a hard Brexit.

University develops world’s first Covid-19 digital safety certificate to protect suppliers and consumers.

Display inspired by Glastonbury anniversary.

Glynn Purnell leads Health for Life cookathon.

Cancer charity will benefit from Asia expedition.

Take on the ride of a lifetime with Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

Former patient back on his bike for Velo.

Celebrating new season fashion at Styled by Mailbox.

Extinction Rebellion Youth to host 'die-in' at Primark and HSBC New Street.

One night only chance to meet former world heavyweight champion.

Tickets on sale for night with world champion.

Birmingham's Children's Hospital benefits from entrepreneur's efforts.

"Inspirational" ambassador for young people going for gold at European Games.

£40 million HSBC UK funding will improve university facilities and student support.

2019-2020 Arts & Science Festival concludes with a season dedicated to hope.

Picnic and a play to show the effects of sea pollution.

Ball helps community group.

 Moseley has been crowned as the best place in Britain for city living, according to the Sunday Times.

Solihull Mind set to benefit from link.

A course aiming to assist the international drive to protect the world’s tree population is once again being hosted by the University of Wolverhampton.

The benefits of short food chains and local produce were the focus of an event on Wednesday 3 July organised by Coventry University’s Centre for Agroecology and Food Security