Music and art in general is special because it can’t be quantified, calculated, explained, or re-created through algorithms. Surely, through the rise of AI you can create technically accurate facsimiles of music. But that special IT factor that turns music from simply aesthetically pleasing to special, cannot be replicated by robots, and is often impossible to put into words.

With today’s guest though, Seafood Sam, a word does in fact come to mind to describe the IT factor that makes this Long Beach MC’s music connect so strongly. That word is cool. Blended into his sharp songwriting, smooth and confident raps, there’s a cool, calm confidence that draws you into his music. This special sauce made his latest album, Standing on Giant Shoulders, one of the absolute best records of 2024.

In today’s episode we try to uncover how Sam developed this cool that makes his music so damn good, and we dig into the making of the beautifully collaborative creation of his new album, and much, much, more...

The Plug (0:53).

The Interview (2:38).

Sam’s unique journey as a rapper and model (3:24).

Seafood Sam’s ideal listener (11:30).

The “cool” factor in music (17:05).

The clash between the old and the new in Seafood Sam’s art (20:07).

The Long Beach ethos within Sam (22:39).

The live instrumentation sound direction on Standing on Giant Shoulders, in collaboration with Tom Kendall (26:44).

How Sam guided the creation of the instrumentals on Standing on Giant Shoulders (32:49).

The songwriting and melodies on Standing on Giant Shoulders (38:41).

The cues Sam has taken from the legends, such as James Brown, Bobby Brown, and Miles Davis (44:21).

The “grown” messaging on Standing on Giant Shoulders (50:02).

The next sound for Seafood Sam (52:06).

Stream/buy Standing on Giant Shoulders here: https://seafood4sam.bandcamp.com/album/standing-on-giant-shoulders 

Follow Seafood Sam on Twitter here: https://x.com/seafoodsam 

Follow Seafood Sam on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/seafoodsam/?hl=en 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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