Capital J breaks down the real process behind making mixtapes before streaming, downloads, and social media. From hunting records, choosing the hottest first song, blending R&B with hip-hop, shouting out stores, dubbing tapes, selling hand-to-hand, and building street distribution — this episode is a history lesson on mixtape culture from someone who lived it.

DL Glass connects the mixtape grind to independent film distribution, showing how music, movies, bootlegs, and street networks helped local creators reach places they never expected.

Disclaimer: The words and opinions expressed are those of the Hip Hop Chef and do not necessarily represent the opinions and views of the Capital City podcast.

Before he became known as the Hip Hop Chef, he was helping shape North Carolina’s hip-hop culture.

In this episode of Capital City Podcast, Capital J and DL Glass sit down with the Hip Hop Chef to discuss his journey through the early days of North Carolina’s hip-hop scene, the impact of local radio, and the people who helped build the culture throughout North Carolina.

From the era of 102 Jamz and legendary personalities like K-Nice, Polo, and T-Love to the evolution of hip-hop in the Carolinas, this conversation uncovers stories and history that many fans have never heard before.

If you love hip-hop history, North Carolina culture, radio, DJs, community pioneers, and the untold stories behind the music, this is an episode you do not want to miss.

Topics include:
• Early North Carolina hip-hop culture
• The rise of 102 Jamz
• North Carolina’s influence on hip-hop
• Building community through music
• The Hip Hop Chef’s journey
• Untold stories from the culture

Subscribe to Capital City Podcast for conversations that preserve and celebrate North Carolina’s contribution to hip-hop culture.

#CapitalCityPodcast #HipHopChef #NorthCarolinaHipHop #102Jamz #HipHopHistory #NCMusic #CapitalJ #DLGlass #Podcast

The DJ being late can ruin the whole event.

Capital J breaks down why being on time is not just professional — it protects the promoter, the venue, the crowd, and your own reputation.

Full episode at capitalcitypodcast.com and YouTube youtube.com/@capitalcity919

#CapitalCityPodcast #DJLife #HipHopCulture #RaleighNC #PodcastClips

In this episode of the Capital City Podcast, Capital J and DL Glass sit down with the one and only Dame of Dame's Chicken & Waffles for an in-depth conversation about entrepreneurship, struggle, reinvention, and building one of North Carolina’s most recognized restaurant brands.

Dame shares the untold story behind the creation of Dame’s Chicken & Waffles — from struggling as a caterer and nearly losing everything, to turning a bold chicken-and-waffle concept into a cultural staple in Durham and beyond.

Topics include:

• The meaning behind the famous menu names

• Growing up in Fayetteville, NC

• Corporate life and working overseas in Asia

• Getting laid off and betting on himself

• Building Blue Mountain Catering

• Rebranding into Dame’s Chicken & Waffles

• Surviving tax issues and business setbacks

• Expanding into Greensboro and lessons learned

• Quality control, leadership, and restaurant culture

• Why community support matters

• Future expansion plans for the Dame’s brand

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, branding, and Black entrepreneurship in North Carolina.

Listen now on all podcast platforms.

Website:

www.capitalcitypodcast.com

Follow Capital City Podcast:

Instagram: @capital.city.podcast

YouTube: @capitalcity919

Follow Dame’s Chicken & Waffles:

www.dameschickenwaffles.com

#CapitalCityPodcast #DamesChickenAndWaffles #DurhamNC #Entrepreneurship #BlackBusiness #NorthCarolina #RestaurantBusiness #FoodCulture #BullCity

After 20+ years in radio, Brian Dawson sits down with Capital City Podcast for one of his most honest conversations yet.

In this episode, Brian Dawson opens up about:

• Why he officially left radio
• Feeling like the industry was moving too slow
• Building his DJ brand outside the station
• Making more money beyond radio
• Outgrowing comfort and betting on himself
• The business of media, branding, and longevity

This is more than a podcast episode — it’s a real conversation about growth, ownership, and knowing when it’s time to move on.

📍 Recorded at Dame’s Chicken & Waffles

🎙️ Subscribe to Capital City Podcast:

▶️ YouTube: @capitalcity919

🌐 Website: www.capitalcitypodcast.com

Follow Capital City Podcast:

📸 Instagram: @capital.city.podcast

#BrianDawson #CapitalCityPodcast #Radio #Podcast #HipHopCulture

He signed a $300K record deal… then went to prison.

This episode features the Hip Hop Chef, a North Carolina hip-hop pioneer exposing what really happens behind the music industry.

From pirate radio… to lost opportunities… to industry pressure most artists never talk about—this is the truth about hip-hop in North Carolina.

If you think you know the game… you don’t.

🎧 Listen now: www.capitalcitypodcast.com

On this episode of Capital City Podcast, Capital J and DL Glass break down a question every DJ, podcaster, producer, filmmaker, and creator has to face: does the quality of your equipment really matter?

From DJ controllers, microphones, speakers, and wires to cameras, laptops, CDs, tapes, and studio gear, this conversation gets real about the difference between cheap equipment and true quality. Capital J gives the DJ perspective, while DL Glass speaks from the sound, film, and production side.

This is bigger than gear talk. This episode is really about leveling up, investing in your craft, and understanding that what you use can directly affect how people experience your work. Sometimes budget gear can get you started, but sooner or later, quality becomes impossible to ignore.

If you create music, record podcasts, DJ events, shoot video, or care about doing things the right way, this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• Does expensive equipment really sound better?

• Why used quality can beat brand-new junk

• How cheap gear limits growth

• The truth about microphones, speakers, controllers, and cables

• Why leveling up your equipment is part of leveling up yourself

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Is regional music dead? In this episode of Capital City Podcast, Capital J and DL Glass dig into one of the most important questions in music culture today: has hip-hop lost its local identity?

From go-go, bounce, hyphy, Detroit rap, Miami bass, chopped and screwed, and Southern Soul to the rise of national sounds driven by streaming and industry consolidation, this conversation breaks down how regional scenes once shaped the culture—and why that lane may be disappearing.

The fellas also get into how local artists used to build real momentum in their own cities, why certain sounds crossed over while others stayed home, and whether today’s music business leaves any room for regional styles to become national movements again.

If you care about hip-hop history, local scenes, radio, artist development, and the evolution of Black music culture, this is one you need to hear.

Before hip-hop took over mainstream radio and clubs, it had to grow somewhere. In this episode, Capital J and DL Glass take listeners back to the skating rink era — when rinks like Sports World gave young people their first taste of nightlife, music culture, fashion, DJing, and live hip-hop energy. From Rocky Mount to Greenville to cities across the country, this conversation breaks down how skating rinks became a major part of spreading hip-hop beyond New York and into small-town America. This is part history lesson, part memory lane, and all culture.

In Episode 138, Capital J and Dana Glass tackle a question shaking music culture right now: Will AI kill the DJs? From AI-generated playlists and Apple Music blending songs to the decline of radio and the rise of non-DJ party hosts, this episode breaks down how technology is changing the value of real DJ skill, live performance, MCing, and music discovery. Is AI just a tool, or is it quietly replacing the art form? This is a real conversation about where music, radio, and DJ culture may be headed next.