Culture United

By Justin HunteMusic Music Commentary Music Interviews

Culture United episodes

October 14 Doechii Drops + Who REALLY Started Hip-Hop? It Wasn’t One Man, One Day
it's all happening w/ @mickey
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00:00 Intro & Announcements
02:46 Meet the Panel: DeJuan B, Doggie Diamonds, Stat Quo
05:53 Doechii Drops “Bombs”: Reactions
16:20 Doechii’s Letter: “I’ve Decided”
27:30 Who’s Been at the Center of Hip-Hop & Pop?
37:08 Jarv Joins: Doechii as an “Event Artist”
46:02 Do Men Get More Grace Than Women Rappers?
53:24 Super Chat: Did the Panel Miss the Bars?
55:38 Hip-Hop’s Disputed History: Doggie Diamonds on Drink Champs
1:00:52 Doggie Diamonds: Kool Herc, Bambaataa & the “Founder” Myth
1:04:38 Louis Jordan, Lester Young & James Brown’s Roots
1:12:50 The Diaspora War & Busta Rhymes
1:16:42 Mickey Factz Joins: The Bronx Perspective
1:25:00 West Coast Hip-Hop Never Tied Back to the Bronx
1:30:27 Can Hip-Hop Exist Without the Attitude?
1:34:00 Jocko Henderson & the Radio DJs Who Rapped First
1:48:18 New York Hip-Hop Snobbery
1:51:57 Kendrick GOAT Debate Gets Heated
2:01:47 How the iPhone & Blog Era Left the Streets Behind
2:06:00 Super Chats: Radio DJs & Frankie Crocker
2:12:18 Why the South & West Couldn’t Get 5 Mics
2:19:00 Car Music vs. Headphone Music
2:30:12 Kendrick on the K Slay Tape
2:39:30 Are Dancehall, Afrobeats & Reggaeton Children of Hip-Hop?
2:48:30 What Happened to the Sound of Music?
2:57:56 Diaspora Unity vs. Division
3:11:40 James Brown: Father of Many Nations of Music
3:17:41 Streams Don’t Equal Greatness
3:25:47 Jay-Z Shows & Big Daddy Kane, Father of Brooklyn
3:29:43 Who Made Something From Nothing (2010–2020)?
3:41:31 TDE Is the Modern Motown
3:56:59 Skipping Dipset & the Shiny Suit Era
4:05:30 Was 50 Cent Done After ‘05?
4:10:20 Doggie Diamonds: Too Many Interviews, Not Enough Music
4:20:00 Jay-Z’s 8-Part Breakdown
4:26:00 Tyler, the Creator as a Composer
4:36:00 Dwann B's Closing Statement
4:40:00 Outro
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
4 hr 45 min
September 30 Diddy NEW Release Date + Drake FOMO + Ovrkast vs OutKast UPDATE
It's All Happening
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6013479386218496
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
4 hr 46 min
September 23 No Charges for Nolan Wells: What the Autopsy Didn't Say
It's All Happening @LATMPOD @RapLatte @KingxGreen @The3rdVersePodcast @dymeaduzin
0:00 Intro
1:31 Panel Introductions
5:30 AZ Chike's "No Rest for the Wicked": West Coast Album of the Year?
14:52 First-Week Sales vs. Profitability
22:30 Cultural Impact, Sold-Out Tour Dates & the Kendrick Connection
30:00 Is Artist Development Coming Back?
37:45 Live Shows & Small Venue Energy
40:30 Fact Check: AZ Chike's Warner Deal
45:00 No Charges in the Nolan Wells Case
55:30 Ben Crump & Nolan's Mother Speak Out
1:04:30 Mississippi, Ocean Springs & "Sticking Together"
1:16:30 Should Athletes Strike? Ole Miss & Collective Action
1:24:20 OutKast Sues Overcast
1:28:30 Overcast's "Rest in Peace, Rosa Parks" Tweet
1:49:40 Super Chat: Can This Get Andre Back in the Booth?
1:52:39 Swae Lee Story
1:55:47 AI Music Stats: Suno, DistroKid & Digital Blackface
2:07:30 Can Artists Protect Themselves from AI?
2:15:01 Super Chats & Panel Q&A
2:27:07 After Show Begins
2:31:30 Nolan Wells Revisited: Announcement on His Mother's Birthday
2:44:30 The Death of the Remix
2:49:16 Trump & the State of Mass Media
3:00:04 Texas Voters & Data Centers
3:07:06 Should You Send Your Kids to Diverse Schools?
3:14:48 Shaq Gets Roasted
3:22:30 Integration, Racism & Public vs. Private Schools
3:43:32 Final Thoughts & BK's Big News
3:47:31 Mamdani Forces DoorDash to Pay $130M
3:55:30 Shoutouts & Outro
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6013479386218496
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
4 hr 5 min
September 16 Drake FOMO Reaction + Ed Sheeran Drops Macklemore After Billionaire Meltdown + MORE
It's All Happening w/ @realjnolan @professorskye @jeremy_hecht @raineyovalle9153 @RAINEYallcaps @TonyDaDome
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6013479386218496
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
5 hr 17 min
September 09 Fat Joe Fights To Say "N-Word" + Is Ye Forgiven After Historic Chicago Show
It's All Happening w/
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6013479386218496
00:00:00 — Intro & Show Open
00:04:44 — Fat Joe's N-Word Defense: The Joe Budden Podcast Clip Breakdown
00:19:47 — Mark Lamont Hill Responds — "Fat Joe Is Not Black"
00:31:19 — Who Gets a Pass? Respect, Language & the History of the Word
00:43:46 — Tangent: College Football Talk (LSU vs. Clemson)
00:48:12 — Leimert Park: The Barrio Run Club "Takeover" & Black-Brown Tension in LA
01:02:33 — Fallout: ICE Threats, Gentrification & Black Land Ownership in LA
01:05:41 — Super Chats: The Fat Joe Blackness Debate Continues
01:09:41 — Puerto Rican Identity, Colorism & Who "Counts" as Black
01:14:28 — Is Ye Forgiven? Reacting to Kanye's Historic Chicago Stadium Shows
01:26:26 — Weighing the Catalog vs. the Harm: HH, White Lives Matter & Alt-Right Fandom
01:31:56 — Mental Illness or Wealth Entitlement? Debating What Explains Kanye
01:37:24 — Grace, Accountability & the Megan Thee Stallion Comparison
01:42:43 — Kid Cudi vs. Peter Rosenberg: Fallout From the Ye Show
01:52:39 — Mental Illness & Culpability: The Lindsey Clancy Parallel
01:56:03 — Super Chat: Favorite Afro-Latino Artists + How the Panel Handles Mental Health
02:09:56 — Music, Meditation & Mental Health Tools (Jazz, Apps, Journaling)
02:17:17 — Shoutouts: J. Cole Concert Recap & the Snowfall Spinoff Premiere
02:22:39 — Super Chats: FBA/ADOS, African Diaspora & Black American Identity
02:42:44 — More Ye Accountability Talk: Fair Criticism vs. Selective Outrage
02:57:55 — Kanye's Path to Forgiveness: Public Amends & Lupe Fiasco's Disappointment
03:00:44 — Hip-Hop's Origins: Black & Puerto Rican Roots and Early Backlash
03:06:49 — Is Race a "Social Construct" Like Gender? (Super Chat Debate)
03:10:15 — What Actually Defines Hip-Hop? The Four Elements Debate
03:16:52 — Super Chats: N-Word Etymology, Passing & Language History
03:44:34 — Sports Betting: Polymarket, LeBron, Giannis & NBA Gambling Scandals
03:47:22 — Super Chats: Fan Art, Documentaries (SkateGoat, Racionais MCs) & Shoutouts
04:01:59 — Grace & Accountability: Do Black Men in Entertainment Get More Passes?
04:12:24 — Rapid-Fire Super Chats: Conscious Rappers, Gratitude & Tom Hardy's Rap Career
04:21:30 — Closing Thoughts & Where to Find the Panel
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
4 hr 35 min
September 02 DJ Vlad vs Nori EXPLODES... Then Keefe D Verdict Drops
It's all happening w/ @LATMPOD @EllementsAlign @TheRealMickeyFactz @JessahnAmaruSpeaks @TheRapRoundtable
00:00:00 – Intro & schedule change (CU moves to Tuesdays)
00:04:35 – Panel intros (Mickey Facts, Roc Nation Jarv, Jason Amaru, Elle Janelle, BK)
00:07:00 – DJ Vlad vs. Nori (N.O.R.E.) media feud breakdown
00:41:45 – Drink Champs "forced drinking" debate / feud fallout continued
00:50:09 – Forty-Niners catfish scammer Dajon Love story
01:22:43 – Scam vs. sex work vs. predatory dating debate
01:26:57 – Jason Amaru interview: "A Million Hearts" album
01:31:09 – "God Why" performance & track breakdown
01:41:32 – Keefe D guilty verdict: panel's first reactions
01:44:50 – Verdict footage & courtroom reaction clip
01:52:02 – EDI Mean (Outlawz) joins: reflecting on the verdict
01:59:46 – Mob James' testimony & the defense's trial strategy
02:02:33 – Tupac's unity vision & COINTELPRO history
02:06:37 – Tupac as producer / studio stories
02:08:59 – Keefe D, Diddy & the Biggie murder connection
02:14:46 – State of political rap in 2026 / Tupac's lasting influence
02:27:58 – Where was Tupac really from? Legacy debate
02:33:52 – Kendrick's GNX as a Machiavelli tribute
02:36:23 – Protecting hip-hop's fearless artists (Nipsey tribute)
02:40:27 – EDI Mean sign-off
02:52:45 – Pendulum Inc: rap school segment begins (Mickey Facts, Year 5)
03:05:17 – Success stories, curriculum & funding
03:24:17 – Professor Sky & "Evolution of the White Rapper" class idea
03:34:34 – Pendulum Inc merch & sign-off
03:40:06 – Main show wraps
03:41:43 – Second show begins: Chicago Good Waves Fest recap
03:52:41 – Killer Mike conversation recap
03:57:45 – D-One, Snow tha Product & MC Olympics recap
04:03:14 – Taco Fall signs with Sixers / NBA talk
04:15:01 – Vlad/Nori feud: more super chat debate
04:26:03 – Kyrie's "Rain Dance" sneakers & indigenous terminology debate
04:40:35 – Brett Favre welfare scandal comparison (Google Trends)
04:54:33 – "Spin That" remix reactions
05:11:24 – Vlad's personal reaction video to the Keefe D verdict
05:19:36 – Elliott Wilson & Vlad fallout concerns
05:33:03 – "Convicted without proof" justice system debate
05:47:47 – Final super chats & Jason Amaru album plug
05:49:14 – Sign-off
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
6 hr 2 min
August 27 Killer Mike + Dr. Jared Ball + Rapsody + Hip Hop's Place In Late Stage Capitalism
Killer Mike + Dr. Jared Ball + Rapsody + Hip Hop's Place In Late Stage Capitalism
5 hr 21 min
August 20 Happy Birthday Justin! + Tupac Trial + Ransom + Homeboy Sandman + State Of Rap Media
It's All Happening w/ @latmpod @ellementsalign
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6013479386218496
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
5 hr 6 min
August 13 Kendrick's "Control" Anniversary + Drake's "Pen Ain't Dry" + Charlamagne v Ray Daniels
It's All Happening w/ @LATMPOD @EllementsAlign @Symba @The3rdVersePodcast
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6013479386218496
00:00 – Intro / Culture United opener
00:35 – Panel intros (Symba, Stat Quo, BK, Elle Janelle)
04:26 – Show format explainer + fact-checker bit
06:52 – Story 1: Kendrick's "Control" verse — 13-year anniversary
07:12 – Dwan Breezy joins panel
07:36 – Justin reads his 2013 HipHopDX piece on Control
09:38 – Panel reactions: where were you when Control dropped
16:37 – Fact check: "it's funny how" line origin (Jay-Z reference)
23:07 – Record label consolidation / why lyricists struggled pre-Control
30:00 – Big Sean/Jay Electronica verses derailment (Stat Quo thought it was Big Sean's song)
39:53 – Who's the last person you subbed? / rap subliminals discussion
42:38 – Super chat: where did hip hop's competitive edge go
46:38 – Super chat: why rappers drop big verses on other people's songs
58:39 – Simba's feature-vs-album ranking impact discussion (Andre 3000 tangent)
01:00:23 – Segment 2: Drake's Kick livestream ("20 v 1," pen ain't dry)
01:03:59 – BK's take: Stake/Kick gambling controversy, Drake's brand strategy
01:14:00 – Panel breakdown: Drake as media company / audience mobilization / kids & gambling
01:22:00 – Drake's flex talk / fashion insecurity discussion
01:29:19 – Super chat: favorite feature verse that stole the song
01:35:19 – Super chat: Lil Yachty as apolitical/political tastemaker, Joe Budden take
01:48:52 – Housekeeping: Vegas Tupac trial coverage, birthday Culture United announcement
01:51:23 – Segment 3: Ray Daniels vs. Charlamagne Tha God (Jay-Z album claims, Donkey of the Day)
02:17:19 – Wrap-up / media conspiracy tangent / SUPER CHATS
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
5 hr 43 min
August 06 A$AP Rocky Adresses Drake + J. Cole's Monumental Tour + Killer Mike Takes Shots At FD? + MORE
It's All Happening w/ ‪@LATMPOD‬ ‪@EllementsAlign‬ ‪@The3rdVersePodcast‬ ‪@dymeaduzin‬ ‪@jeremy_hecht‬
00:00 – Intro / Culture United open
05:22 – J. Cole's Mount Rushmore Moment tour (Barclays, MSG, "farewell tour" energy)
37:08 – Super Chats (brief break)
43:51 – Killer Mike vs. FD Signifier (Red Bull Cypher verse, reactions)
1:23:15 – Jay-Z vs. Killer Mike comparison
1:41:28 – Super Chats break
1:57:26 – A$AP Rocky addresses Drake (Jason Lee interview clip)
2:31:24 — J. Cole Set List Fact Check
2:32:45 – Dyme-a-Dozen Talks WD11 & Dissing JID and Joey Bada$$
2:46:00 – Super Chats / second show
3:36:58 – Jay-Z's Bitcoin Academy / Marcy Projects controversy (
4:16:34 – Montgomery Brawl Day
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/60134793...
Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.
Justin Hunte's expansive resume covers banking, journalism, television, and music marketing. His career began in investment banking where he was a VP at Bank Of America Merrill Lynch. He then transitioned in music journalism where he became HipHopDX’s editor-in-chief, cultivating a video strategy that generated 500,000 YouTube subscribers while overseeing the day-to-day site that reached 2.5 million monthly readers. Justin also served as Director of Content & Strategic Marking at EMPIRE, and was also a producer on A&E's popular clip show, Court Cam.
Hunte's amassed over 87M views and 267,000 subscribers on his personal Youtube channel. His thought-provoking videos attract millions, prompting branding partnerships with Brisk Bodega, Simple Mobile, Honda, and Lexus. He also debated at the prestigious Oxford Union, arguing that William Shakespeare is more culturally relevant than Kanye West. Hunte currently consults for a number of premiere artists and brands in tech and entertainment. And in his spare time, he is an LA Mission Ambassador where he dedicates hours to helping the houseless community.
#JustinHunte #TheCompanyMan
5 hr 20 min

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Life Through The Lens of Hip Hop.

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