Diggin' In The Digits

Eric B & Rakim were the gold standards of Hip-Hop for a good chunk of Hip-Hop's early years. They struck the first $1M deal for any Hip-Hop act. They got the first "5 Mics" rating from The Source and that's without getting into the actual music itself. We get into their beginnings, their incredible four albums that broke ground in their own unique ways, their breakup & temporary reunion and the controversy that spans their entire career as it pertains to production credits.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:58)
Topic Intro - (12:40)
Would Rakim be Rakim without Eric B? - (18:14)
Paid In Full - (26:24)
Follow The Leader - (35:39)
Let The Rhythm Hit Em - (46:16)
Don't Sweat The Technique - (51:15)
Where are Eric B & Rakim on the Hip-Hop duo pantheon - (56:05)
The breakup & Production credit controversy - (59:58)
Lighter Note - (1:17:14)

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 murder of George Floyd is not the first of its kind and if we're being realistic, it won't be the last. The events that have transpired this past week have been, to some, shocking. But to some others, unsurprising. Hip-Hop artists and people in the music industry have responded in different ways.

We give our thoughts on the events of the past, what we feel the duty of people of note in the music industry (and "celebrities" at large) should do in these times and primarily, thinking ahead at what needs to happen in order for us to progress.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:25)
The conversation - (23:26)
Lighter Note - (1:16:21)

Read Tianna Bartoletta's "House Rules"

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

For this episode of DITD, we're doing something a little different. We think about a lot of ideas as you can imagine but some of those ideas we think about aren't really worth the full episode.

But that shouldn't stop us from talking about them, right? That's why we're doing what we like to call "DITD Bites". A large topic, condensed into little chunks. Hope you enjoy and as always, if you have something to put forward to the conversation, hit us up like one listener did and we responded to in one of the topics for this episode.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (2:28)
Topic 1 - "Backpack Rap" - (23:15)
Topic 2 - Struggles of being Underground - (36:41)
Topic 3 - Cult Followings - (47:51)
Topic 4 - Misoginy in Hip-Hop (57:56)
Lighter Note - (1:15:17)

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

This is one of those episodes where we knew that we'd have plenty of things to talk about but once we both started listening to Cube's discography and just the solo discography, not even getting into Da Lench Mob or Westside Connection... Ice Cube should be talked about more. Four classics in four years and several more solid projects in the remainder. Ice Cube has consistently been top tier for over 30 years now. We try to do him justice as we gush over "The Classic Four" and due to time constraints, talk about a couple more of his albums.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:12)
Topic Intro - (23:33)
Amerikkka's Most Wanted - (31:34)
Death Certificate - (38:11)
Kill At Will - (47:22)
The Predator & Lethal Injection - (48:08)
Our least favourite & favourite Cube album Post-Classic Four - (56:09)
Overall Thoughts - (1:05:40)
Lighter Note - (1:12:55)

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 Notorious B.I.G. Is there a more ubiquitous name to come out of Hip-Hop? Whilst you can throw out a few names for the sake of it, we can all agree any self-respecting Hip-Hop fan knows Biggie and what he was all about. One of the most naturally gifted rappers we've ever seen with an unmatched charisma & presence on the mic. The DITD duo gets into Biggie, from his beginnings, his glorious three-year stretch and his work after his untimely death.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (2:48)
Topic Intro - (24:26)
Ready To Die - (37:54)
Pac & Biggie - (44:30)
Life After Death - (50:21)
Posthumous work - (1:01:21)
Overall Thoughts - (1:04:28)
Lighter Note - (1:10:05)

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

On Ep.57 of DITD: Big Pun is never talked about unless Fat Joe is in the room and that's a travesty because Big Pun deserves a conversation. In more ways than one...

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:31)
Topic Intro - (17:36)
Capital Punishment - (31:22)
Yeeeah Baby - (41:23)
Other albums involving Big Pun - (51:26)
Pun & domestic violence - (54:00)
Lighter Note - (1:04:45)

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

Andre 3000 is objectively one of the greatest lyricists of all-time. For some people, he's Top 5 forever. Whilst all that superficial stuff goes on in Hip-Hop circles every day, Andre seemingly goes through a mental quest. One where it's very easy to speculate. We do that in some fashion for this episode, because when you have a nearly 15-year stretch and only a few features sprinkled throughout, it's worth asking why. And that's what we do for this episode.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (2:08)
Topic Intro - (24:00)
Why the hiatus? - (27:02)
Does Andre have a form of "The Yips"? - (35:34)
Is there something here that we can't grasp? - (44:13)
The Rick Rubin interview - (45:55)
Lighter Note - (1:00:03)

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

In Part 2 of our OutKast retrospective, we get into the solo career of Big Boi.

If you're one of those people that don't see Big Boi as a top tier rapper, this isn't the episode for you. We're not going to waste time on this one making a case for Big Boi, his work speaks for itself.

Instead, we take a look at his solo work. While they don't quite stack up to "Speakerboxxx", they're interesting works from an artist that has a really underappreciated flair for experimentation.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup: (1:46)
Topic Intro - (27:29)
"Sir Lucious Left Foot" - (36:59)
"Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors" - (42:02)
"Big Grams" - (49:06)
"BOOMIVERSE" - (53:32)
Final Thoughts - (58:03)
Lighter Note - (1:09:18)

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

OutKast is one of the most revered duos in Hip-Hop. Their music is timeless, effortlessly dips into other genre elements and lyrically stands the test of time.

In Part 1 of a 3-part miniseries, the DITD duo discusses every OutKast album and rank them from best to... Not the best.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:40)
Topic Intro - (17:59)
A shoutout for Organized Noize -(20:40)
"The South Got Somethin' To Say" - (27:19)
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik - (33:49)
ATLiens - (38:33)
Aquemini -(43:50)
Stankonia - (49:04)
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below - (55:27)
Idlewild - (1:05:25)
Our Rankings - (1:10:36)
Lighter Note - (1:19:04)

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

Around this time last year, I DM'd Ben on a whim to pitch the idea of a Hip-Hop Podcast. He was up for it and gave it a year to see if it goes well. We planned to record a few Beta episodes to get our feet on solid ground, but the 2nd one we recorded was solid, so we thought "F*** it! Let's pull the trigger."

And now we're here, 53 episodes later, no off week, always coming through on Tuesday with your weekly dose of me & Ben breaking down Hip-Hop in the way we do, with a sprinkle of our life experience thrown in.

I speak on behalf of both of us when I say thank you for listening, whether this is the first episode you've spun or you have been listening since day one, you are all appreciated. In this episode, we keep it loose and respond to takes/answer questions from you guys and I pour one out in the beginning. If it's 5 O'Clock where you are, join me!

Thanks again and here's to another year!

Charlie.

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