Diggin' In The Digits

Continuing our #UKBHM miniseries, we go to an artist that has been doing it for over 20 years, evolving every facet of his artistry, even though his style was unique from day 1.

Roots Manuva takes his earthy London voice, laces it with patios, writes dense, poetic bars and drops it all on Hip-Hop/Dub Reggae beats with electronic elements. Wacky right? We go through his discography, explaining how 1 of 1 Roots Manuva truly is.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (4:10)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:50)
Brand New Second Hand - (27:25)
Run Come Save Me - (36:34)
Awfully Deep/Slime & Reason - (50:14)
4everevolution/Bleeds - (1:03:56)
Final Thoughts - (1:19:12)
Lighter Note - (1:25:18)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

"I'm that same little girl that grew up next door to you / Went through all the things a teenage girl goes through"

Ms Dyamite's debut album "A Little Deeper" made two waves. The first was immediate: The critical & commercial praise, making her a unique voice in UK music. Just from the first lyrics on her breakout song "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee", you knew she was keeping it real from the beginning.

The second wave was delayed but is now crystal clear. It's undoubted that the female artists of the UK doing right now takes from the blueprint that Ms Dyamite laid out in the early 00s. Authentic messaging, songwriting over any beat, whether its R&B, Rap, or Drum & Bass, Ms Dynamite made it possible.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (3:13)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (28:50)
A Little Deeper - (39:24)
Judgement Days - (57:47)
What would/will her 3rd album sound like? - (1:09:33)
Final Thoughts - (1:18:28)
Lighter Note - (1:22:33)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

Dizzee Rascal was a trailblazer & early champion of UK Rap and the genre that would eventually be known as Grime. But Dizzee didn't just stop with what Charlie calls the "Illmatic of Grime/UK Rap", he sought to push boundaries, help sow the seeds of making rapping mainstream and even collab with US Hip-Hop legends YEARS before it became common practice. We explore Dizzee's music ahead of his new album "E3 AF" coming October 30th.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:23)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (26:13)
Boy In Da Corner - (35:35)
Showtime & Maths + English - (48:03)
Tongue N Cheek & The Fifth - (59:08)
Raskit - (1:12:02)
Lighter Note - (1:22:08)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

It's October, which means it's UK Black History Month! We decided to celebrate with five retrospectives on five legends of UK Black Music. We begin in the true roots of UK Hip-Hop, a bridge between the Windrush Generation, their children and their children's children, all through the prism of music. We begin our celebration with the Godfather of UK Hip-Hop, Rodney P and chart the links between the genres you know of and may not know of.

Extra Credit: Tim Westwood's 1987 BBC Documentary "Bad Meaning Good"

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (3:30)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (23:17)
The UK Hip-Hop landscape in the 80s - (32:53)
London Posse's "Gangster Chronicles" - (42:37)
Rodney P: The 'P' stands for "Pioneer" - (51:00)
All Black British Music had to be together to survive - (57:00)
Final Thoughts - (1:12:14)
Lighter Note - (1:16:12)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

Big Sean has been one of the biggest rap stars in the past decade. Regardless if you think his bars are corny or whatever. Sean's status is solidified. But listening back to his work; from the objectively cringe but subjectively funny "Finally Famous" & "Hall of Fame", to the more mature "I Decided" & "Detroit 2". A lot of opinions change, a lot of opinions are solidified, and our technology gets weird. It's all happening this episode.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (3:17)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (24:00)
Finally Famous & Hall Of Fame - (30:38)
Dark Sky Paradise - (47:28)
TWENTY88 & Double Or Nothing - (55:17)
I Decided - (1:04:23)
Has Sean reached critical mass? - (1:12:40)
Lighter Note - (1:29:17)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

Another Bites session is in full effect ladies & gentlemen! Three topics on deck for this one. First: Mashups. Why they're so cool as a concept but also why they're not seen as events more. Second, TDE. As of recording, TDE is seemingly holding some of their artists back when their new albums are ready to go. Let's ponder why. And lastly. Past Kanye pissing on his Grammy, there's another reason for us to talk about Major Labels.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (2:41)
Mashups - (22:57)
TDE's (lack of) release schedule - (38:03)
Kanye's epiphany - (53:56)
Lighter Note - (1:21:24)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

Capone-N-Noreaga is that duo that you've heard of but rare that you've listened to their work post-War Report. (Depends on your age, of course.)

But the story behind the duo is one of loyalty, keeping each other in the loop no matter what and doing a decent job at evolving as artists whilst keeping their unique style & motifs. We get into their albums and ask a question that could've been a game-changer for them.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (3:08)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (15:14)
The War Report - (28:04)
The Reunion - (42:53)
Channel 10 - (52:43)
The War Report 2 - (55:58)
Lessons - (1:03:39)
Would've C-N-N been more successful if Tragedy was more prevalent post "War Report"? - (1:14:15)
Lighter Note - (1:22:05)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

Nas' new album "King's Disease" is an interesting piece of work from someone that has nothing really to prove. The themes, whilst widespread, are very surface level. Black excellence, money, cars, all wrapped up in his new package the 'King's Disease' and 'The Cure' to said disease. (And he still finds time to shit on black women whilst also calling them 'Queens'...)

We break down the themes of the album and how he manages to keep his bars box-fresh after all these years.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:46)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (24:39)
Nas' surface level depth & simplicity - (31:47)
The "King's Disease" and how we can all get it - (37:19)
The Cure to the disease - (53:25)
Nas' ability to keep things fresh - (1:05:27)
Nas & women - (1:10:47)
Lighter Note - (1:26:46)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

Def Jam WAS Hip-Hop for nearly 2 decades. Starting off with Russell Simmons & Rick Rubin, nobody could've predicted the heights Def Jam were going to reach. They were in lockstep with the growth of Hip-Hop itself.

But once the new millennium came through, Def Jam started to lose grip of the rocket that was Hip-Hop, they started to miss out and eventually get left behind. Now Def Jam is just another sub-label with SUB-sub-labels under them. Where did it all go wrong? We try to find out.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:15)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House - (19:16)
Def Jam is too big to fail - (23:39)
What is their identity now? - (29:16)
Their unique approach - (32:11)
The Universal Buyout - (36:04)
Was it their unique approach that kneecapped them? - (38:21)
Was it their size that kneecapped them? - (44:06)
Stats on charting Def Jam albums by President - (47:47)
If you could pick one major issue, which one would you pick? - (58:44)
Lighter Note - (1:11:11)

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence

The Nas/Jay-Z beef is one of the most notable beefs in Hip-Hop history. But for some reason, nobody talks about how *deep* the beef actually goes, and how, depending on who you are, it is technically still going! On one side at least. It's a popular beef but below the surface, its certainly an odd and at times, grim one.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (3:30)
Topic Intro/Ben's Research House (He's upgraded!) - (19:04)
Memphis Bleek enters the ring - (30:28)
The R-O-C clique up - (41:39)
Ether & Takeover - (45:17)
Post-Ether response (& Jay's downfall) - (53:00)
The Summer Jam effigy - (1:00:30)
Why does Jay drop when Nas drops? - (1:05:08)
Lighter Note (1:17:00)

As per the Lighter Note: SUPPORT "theKEEPER: A Digital Archive of Womxn in Hip Hop".

Thanks for listening. Below are the Social accounts for all parties involved. Be sure to let us know that you're supporting us!

Music - "Pizza And Video Games" by Bonus Points (Thanks to Chillhop Records for the right to use)

HHBTN (Twitter & IG) - @HipHopNumbers
5E (Twitter & IG) - @5thElement_UK
5E Community Discord
ChillHop (Twitter) - @Chillhopdotcom
Bonus Points (Twitter) - @BonusPoints92

Other Podcasts Under The 5EPN:
"What's Good?" W/ Charlie Taylor
In Search of Sauce
Black Women Watch...
5EPN Radio
The Beauty Of Independence