Accolades

In episode 43 I talk to Kiran Leonard about English art critic, novelist, painter and poet John Berger. His novel G. won the 1972 Booker Prize, and his essay on art criticism Ways of Seeing, written as an accompaniment to the BBC series of the same name, was influential. He lived in France for over fifty years.

This episode is in collaboration with Sonic City Festival, a three-day curated festival in Kortrijk, Belgium from the 11th til 13th of november 2022 organised by Wilde Westen. More info on https://www.soniccity.be

In episode 42 I talk to multi-instrumentalist Emil Amos from Holy Sons & Om about the forgotten loner music of Jimmy Campbell, an English musician and songwriter from Liverpool, England. He was a member of Merseybeat groups The Kirkbys, The 23rd Turnoff, and Rockin' Horse, as well as releasing three solo albums.

In episode 41 I talk to Brother Ali about his love for hip hop duo Atmosphere, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and DJ/producer Ant (Anthony Davis). Since its formation in 1996, Atmosphere has released twelve studio albums and ten extended plays.

In episode 40 I talk to actor, comedian, director, producer, and writer Matt Besser about one of his mentors, the late great Del Close, an American actor, writer, and teacher who coached many of the best-known comedians and comic actors of the late twentieth century. In addition to an acting career in television and film, he was one of the influences on modern improvisational theater. Close is co-founder of the iO, or iO Chicago, (formerly known as "ImprovOlympic").

In episode 39 I talk to comedian Brian Babylon about his love for the Hieroglyphics crew and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, an American rapper. He began his career writing lyrics for Ice Cube's group Da Lench Mob. In 1991, with the help of Ice Cube, Del released his first solo album, I Wish My Brother George Was Here, at the age of 18. The album was a commercial success largely due to the popularity of the hit single "Mistadobalina". Ultimately Del, who was not pleased with the limited musical range of the album, severed his production-artist relationship with Ice Cube for his next album, No Need for Alarm.

No Need for Alarm saw the introduction of the Oakland clique Hieroglyphics, whose original members included Souls of Mischief (Opio, A-Plus, Phesto and Tajai), Casual, Pep Love, Del, and producer Domino. No Need for Alarm helped to expose both the regional Oakland sound of hip hop, as well as the freestyle based, "golden era 90s" style of hip hop being expanded at the time.

In episode 38 I talk to singer-songwriter Molly Burch about actress Lynn Carlin. She is best known for her debut role in the film Faces, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award..

In episode 37 I talk to Philly rapper lojii about his love for Gil Scott-Heron, an American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author, known primarily for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackson featured a musical fusion of jazz, blues, and soul, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles by Scott-Heron. His own term for himself was "bluesologist", which he defined as "a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues". His poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", delivered over a jazz-soul beat, is considered a major influence on hip hop music.

In episode 36 I talk to DiViNCi (Solillaquists of Sound) about IMAKEMADBEATS, a Memphis native, having grown up immersed in the city’s unmistakable sonic identity. But despite the definitive identity of the region, he often felt disconnected from what creative paths were supported there. After leaving his home to find infrastructure and creative synergy, he would eventually end up in Manhattan’s legendary Quad Studios, where he became a go-to ghost producer and found a new niche in scoring for film and television. He went on to provide music many companies, including NBC, ABC, HBO, DC Shoes, Oxygen, and more. Inspired by the idea that music could speak without words – a theme that he would uphold years later with debut instrumental EP Better Left Unsaid – he further developed the IMAKEMADBEATS persona and mask, and worked with a who’s-who of the indie underground scene in the ‘00s on wax, in the studio, and on stage, including Black Milk, Oh No, Talib Kweli, Solange Knowles, Ludacris, and more.

In episode 35 I talk to Birdapres about Roxanne Shanté. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects of Queens, New York City, Shante first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and was part of the Juice Crew. The 2017 film, Roxanne Roxanne, is a dramatization of Shante's life.

In episode 34 I talk to Pip Skid about Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east to west cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research.