blankSLATE with SaVon

Originally released: July 7, 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast. Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

SaVon and Alex sit down with Mero for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on media, ownership, and building in today's creator landscape. From BX stories to real industry insight, this one blends humor with perspective throughout.

Originally released: January 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast. Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A candid conversation with Elliott Wilson on hip-hop media, independence, and navigating relationships in the industry. From critiques of new media to the evolving landscape of the culture, Elliott shares perspective on legacy, partnerships, and what the future holds for the next era of hip-hop.

Originally released: October 13, 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast. Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A wide-ranging conversation with Ish and Yassy on relationships, media narratives, and the realities behind public perception. From transactional culture to industry power dynamics, the discussion also touches on business, recovery, and navigating life both on and off the mic.

Originally released: March 6, 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast. Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A wide-ranging conversation with Ian Dunlap on wealth, investing, and navigating the realities of building and maintaining financial leverage. From market outlooks to public perception, the discussion also touches on legacy, risk, and what it takes to sustain success over time.

Originally released: May 16, 2024

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast. Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A candid conversation with Mandii B on podcasting, public perception, and navigating transitions in media. From creative pressure to industry relationships, Mandii shares insight on building across platforms, handling controversy, and evolving as both a creator and entrepreneur.

Q is back, and the guys break down their perfect pod day from the moment they wake up to the moment the mics go off, revealing routines, dream guests, and the kind of chaos they'd allow in the studio. They map out their ideal recording setups (2:51), and debate live audiences, surprise athlete pull-ups, Kendrick Lamar drop-ins, and whether baddies or bagels make for better ambiance (9:46). The conversation shifts into how each of them consumes music—relatability vs. believability vs. pure enjoyment (15:33)—before they go album-by-album through Pitchfork's "Top 25 Rap Albums" list and rebuild it from scratch (24:18). From Yeezus being thrown off the board to the absence of Pac, DMX, Nicki, and Wayne (33:13), they examine generational bias, regional representation, and why MF DOOM has a cult following (35:28). The episode closes with a deep dive on Kendrick's rise, whether "the machine" helped him, and what separates his career arc from his peers (54:52).

Subscribe to our Patreon for EARLY & EXCLUSIVE access to ad-free episode visuals with music included, exclusive episodes each and every Tuesday, and much more! - www.patreon.com/NeedToKnowPodcast

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Join our Twitter/X Community to chop it up with us about all things Need to Know - https://twitter.com/i/communities/1777442897001910433

The Need To Know Podcast Social Handles

https://www.instagram.com/needtoknowpod/

https://twitter.com/NeedToKnowPod

https://www.tiktok.com/needtoknowpod

SaVon

https://www.instagram.com/savonslvter/

https://twitter.com/SavonSlvter

Alex

https://www.instagram.com/balltillwefall/

https://twitter.com/balltillwefall

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The guys kick things off debating vices, gambling discipline, and deleting FanDuel while joking about being "high off life," then highlight Eddin's unique position across NYC's podcast scene and how "relationship equity" lets him move in every significant room (7:44), before unpacking the latest with Rory - the Spaces fiasco, resurfaced tweets, race in Hip-Hop media, and what accountability should look like in a Black cultural space (9:30). From there, they dive deeper into Twitter/X pile-ons, apology etiquette, mental health, and how far "reprimanding" versus outright harassment can go online (14:15). The crew salutes Art of Dialogue's interviews with 90s Black TV stars and uses them to frame the old "sell your soul in Hollywood" conversation and what those "tests" look like today (50:53), then flip it into a wild bit on what number it would take to "sell your soul," Benny Medina/Will Smith lore, and brand deals with AI platforms like ChatGPT (55:15). In the relationship and Red Pill segment, they react to Akaash Singh's wife's podcast clips, green vs. experienced partners, and whether there should be rules when your partner starts a pod that can affect your brand and sanity (59:58). They close by celebrating Wale's 'everything is a lot.' and its pain-soaked relatability (1:16:05), breaking down Summer Walker's 'Finally Over It' and her elite R&B songwriting (1:26:13), reviewing the remainder of Billboard's 21st-century songwriter list (1:28:25), and teasing Patreon convos on Matt Barnes, AI "women," billionaire drama, and Jack Dorsey bringing back Vine (1:30:50).

Subscribe to our Patreon for EARLY & EXCLUSIVE access to ad-free episode visuals with music included, exclusive episodes each and every Tuesday, and much more! - www.patreon.com/NeedToKnowPodcast

Book your next podcast recording at Need to Know Studios TODAY - https://needtoknowstudios.com/

Join our Twitter/X Community to chop it up with us about all things Need to Know - https://twitter.com/i/communities/1777442897001910433

The Need To Know Podcast Social Handles

https://www.instagram.com/needtoknowpod/

https://twitter.com/NeedToKnowPod

https://www.tiktok.com/needtoknowpod

SaVon

https://www.instagram.com/savonslvter/

https://twitter.com/SavonSlvter

Alex

https://www.instagram.com/balltillwefall/

https://twitter.com/balltillwefall

Yassy joins the crew as they celebrate Max B's long-awaited return and unpack his first 48 hours out, from the Jets game to late-night studio runs and talk of a potential Jim Jones reunion (2:33). A Patreon listener question sparks a deeper conversation about how the pandemic reshaped youth behavior, work ethic, and communication (27:04). From there, the team breaks down Wendy Williams being cleared of dementia, linking her story to conservatorships like Britney Spears and Amanda Bynes, and debating whether Wendy could ever return to daytime TV (38:38). Summer Walker's "wedding-invite" rollout for 'Finally Over It' and Wale's 'everything is a lot.' both get major praise (1:05:48). The group then reacts to Billboard's Top Songwriters of the 21st Century list, setting off hilarious confusion over Kesha's "TiK ToK" versus the TikTok app and Alex's infamous HTC phone era (1:17:33). The episode closes with Salt-N-Pepa and OutKast's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Tyler the Creator's performance of "B.O.B.," and a final round of Android jokes (1:41:00).

Subscribe to our Patreon for EARLY & EXCLUSIVE access to ad-free episode visuals with music included, exclusive episodes each and every Tuesday, and much more! - www.patreon.com/NeedToKnowPodcast

Book your next podcast recording at Need to Know Studios TODAY - https://needtoknowstudios.com/

Join our Twitter/X Community to chop it up with us about all things Need to Know - https://twitter.com/i/communities/1777442897001910433

The Need To Know Podcast Social Handles

https://www.instagram.com/needtoknowpod/

https://twitter.com/NeedToKnowPod

https://www.tiktok.com/needtoknowpod

SaVon

https://www.instagram.com/savonslvter/

https://twitter.com/SavonSlvter

Alex

https://www.instagram.com/balltillwefall/

https://twitter.com/balltillwefall

SaVon and Alex welcome Q back to the studio for another hilarious and thought-provoking episode. They open with laughs about a rapper's creative DM gone wrong, before catching listeners up on Apple Podcast feed issues and how platforms continue to affect independent creators. From there, they dive into former NBA player Tony Allen's arrest story and share personal encounters with police profiling (5:25). Patreon members spark candid conversations about following exes, emotional expression in the social media era, and a Leon Thomas-Kehlani debate (21:30). The group then shares their GRAMMY predictions for Hip-Hop and R&B (34:45) and debates DJ Vlad's latest controversy with Joyner Lucas, defining what it means to be a "culture vulture" and contrasting virality versus actual cultural impact (1:13:10). Later, they react to the new Michael Jackson biopic trailer and discuss whether Hollywood will tell the whole story or play it too safe (1:33:10). Finally, they close with thoughts on New York City's new mayor, rising costs of living, and why artists need to get back to doing interviews (1:48:32).

Subscribe to our Patreon for EARLY & EXCLUSIVE access to ad-free episode visuals with music included, exclusive episodes each and every Tuesday, and much more! - www.patreon.com/NeedToKnowPodcast

Book your next podcast recording at Need to Know Studios TODAY - https://needtoknowstudios.com/

Join our Twitter/X Community to chop it up with us about all things Need to Know - https://twitter.com/i/communities/1777442897001910433

The Need To Know Podcast Social Handles

https://www.instagram.com/needtoknowpod/

https://twitter.com/NeedToKnowPod

https://www.tiktok.com/needtoknowpod

SaVon

https://www.instagram.com/savonslvter/

https://twitter.com/SavonSlvter

Alex

https://www.instagram.com/balltillwefall/

https://twitter.com/balltillwefall