It's Already Ready, Already

Episode 6 of It’s Already Ready, Already features Philly rapper Journalist for a deep conversation about Scribes of Life, Motown Universal, Formula 16, Can-I-Bus, DJ Rebel, Philly mixtape culture, and his return to music with A Few Blocks from Christian Street.

What we cover

- Journalist’s early South Philly rap beginnings

- Performing at 17th and Christian before almost quitting rap

- Meeting Jay Erving and getting connected to Universal

- Working with Canibus and building a buzz through mixtapes

- Signing through Motown Universal and recording Scribes of Life

- Major label pressure, deadlines, and the business side of music

- M.O.P., D&D Studios, Primo, Jazzy Jeff, and A Touch of Jazz memories

- Formula 16, DJ Rebel, Q-Deezy, Cosmic Kev, General, and Philly mixtape history

- The Corporation, Preseason, Offseason, Postseason, and While Supplies Last

- Studio stories, freestyle memories, and favorite punchlines

- Why Massi, Bobby, Poop, and Rebel still hold Formula 16 in heavy rotation

- Journalist’s return to writing after years away from music

- A Few Blocks from Christian Street and the 50 Plus movement

- Sheed the Jeweler, Yont, Ab-Liva, and the next chapter

- Using your talent “for a cause, not because”

This episode is for fans of Philly rap, underground hip-hop, lyricism, mixtape culture, and artists whose music still means something years later.

Journalist, Philly hip hop, Formula 16, Scribes of Life, Motown Universal, Canibus, MOP, Jazzy Jeff, DJ Rebel, Q-Deezy, Cosmic Kev, Major Figgas, Sheed the Jeweler, Ab-Liva, A Few Blocks from Christian Street, 50 Plus, Philadelphia rap, mixtape culture, underground hip hop, hip hop podcast, It's Already Ready Already

This bonus episode of It’s Already Ready, Already is all about the top 5 hip-hop songs that get you in your feelings. Joe Massi breaks down the rap records that connect emotionally, bring back memories, and hit different because of where they find you in life.

What we cover

- Why some hip-hop songs feel more personal than others

- The difference between great songs and songs that stay with you

- Emotional rap records that connect through pain, memory, and reflection

- How certain songs become tied to specific moments in your life

- Why hip-hop can hit just as hard emotionally as any other genre

- The kind of records that make you stop, think, and feel something

- A bonus episode built around music, memories, and real-life connection

If you love hip-hop conversations that go deeper than rankings and stats, this episode is for you.

top 5 hip hop songs, emotional hip hop songs, rap songs in your feelings, meaningful rap songs, sad hip hop songs, reflective rap music, hip hop podcast, rap music discussion, music memories, Joe Massi, It's Already Ready Already, 40 Years and 40 Beers

Episode 5 of It’s Already Ready, Already continues the Phil Easy aka Big City story with a bigger roundtable conversation. Joe Massi is joined by Bob Bain from Bain of Our Existence, Deuce DeNiro, and DJ Rebel for Part 2 of the Philly rap history conversation.

What we cover

- Big City returning for Part 2 of his story

- Bob Bain joining the conversation from Bain of Our Existence

- Deuce DeNiro and the DNA connection

- DJ Rebel’s role in the Philly rap and recording era

- Good Money Records and the basement session memories

- Big City’s music, creative path, and local legacy

- Philly Turnstiles and the mixtape-era energy

- Southwest Philly roots and personal relationships behind the music

- How friendship, collaboration, and loyalty shaped the records

- Why these Philly rap stories still matter

This episode is for fans of Philly hip-hop, underground rap history, local mixtape culture, and real conversations between people who lived through the music together.

Big City, Phil Easy, Philly hip hop, Philadelphia rap, Southwest Philly rap, DJ Rebel, Deuce DeNiro, Bob Bain, Bain of Our Existence, DNA, Good Money Records, Philly Turnstiles, basement recording sessions, underground hip hop, mixtape culture, local rap history, It’s Already Ready Already

Episode 4 of It’s Already Ready, Already features the show’s first guest: Phil Easy, also known as Big City. Joe Massi sits down with one of his closest personal friends for a deep Philly hip-hop conversation covering Southwest Philly, Overbrook Records, Beanie Sigel, RJ Payne, Good Money Records, jail stories, Hollywood moments, and the music that shaped their lives.

What we cover

- Big City growing up in Southwest Philadelphia

- Hearing rap for the first time from his childhood friend Black Jack

- Slick Rick as his first major rap influence

- Big Jack, “The One,” and the video work that helped define his sound

- Manny, the Beat Brokers, Charlie Mack, and the Overbrook Records opportunity

- The “Who Is He?” concept and being positioned as a new white rapper in 1999

- Flying to California and being around Will Smith, Jada Pinkett, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Nas, Steve Harvey, and more

- The connection between Phil Easy, Black Reign, Reignman, Izzie Fareal, and RJ Payne

- Offering Black Reign a deal through Charlie Mack and Overbrook Records while facing jail time

- Meeting Beanie Sigel at the Trocadero and playing him the demo tape

- Roc-A-Fella, State Property, and Beanie’s live presence

- Philly Turnstiles Volume 3, DJ Rebel, Good Money Records, and the basement recording era

- “God, Music and Me,” “How to Rob an Industry Hipster,” and Big City’s catalog

- Why these Philly rap stories still matter years later

This episode is for fans of Philly hip-hop, mixtape culture, underground rap history, and real stories from people who lived it.

Phil Easy, Big City, Philly hip hop, Philadelphia rap, Southwest Philly rap, Beanie Sigel, RJ Payne, Black Reign, Reignman, Izzie Fareal, Charlie Mack, Overbrook Records, Will Smith, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Nas, Good Money Records, DJ Rebel, Philly Turnstiles, Roc-A-Fella, State Property, mixtape culture, underground hip hop, It’s Already Ready Already

Episode 3 of It’s Already Ready, Already is a hip-hop episode focused on Massi’s top female MCs and two major pieces of Philly rap history: RJ Payne and Journalist.

What we cover

- Why Nicki Minaj is Massi’s number one female emcee

- Lil’ Kim, Remy Ma, Cardi B, Lauryn Hill, and Young M.A

- Nicki’s Monster verse and her ability to hold her own with rap legends

- RJ Payne’s evolution from Rain Man to Izzy For Real to RJ Payne

- Two Raw For The Streets, Reed Dollaz, and Philly battle rap memories

- The Murder in Less Than 60 Seconds freestyle era

- RJ Payne’s current release strategy and creative run

- Journalist, DJ Rebel, and the Formula 16 mixtape

- The E6 studio era and South Philly music memories

- Major Figgas, State Property, Dutch, Cosmic Kev, Q-Deezy, and Philly rap legacy

This episode is for fans of bars, mixtape culture, Philly hip-hop, and rap history from someone who grew up following the music firsthand.

Nicki Minaj, best female MCs, female rap debate, Lil Kim, Remy Ma, Cardi B, Lauryn Hill, Young MA, RJ Payne, Rain Man, Izzy For Real, Journalist, Formula 16, Major Figgas, Philly hip hop, Philadelphia rap, Two Raw For The Streets, Reed Dollaz, State Property, mixtape culture, hip hop podcast

Joe finally gets the 1997 Wu-Tang Forever enhanced CD-ROM running again and takes a full trip through the Wu Mansion, exploring each member’s chamber, hidden details, album plaques, biographies, and late-90s interactive CD-ROM weirdness.

What we cover:

- Getting the old Wu-Tang Forever CD-ROM running with QuickTime, ISO files, and Windows 98

- Entering the Wu Mansion and exploring the member chambers

- Ghostface Killah’s Ironman room and solo album plaque

- Inspectah Deck, GZA/Genius, Method Man, Masta Killa, U-God, Raekwon, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard chambers

- The RZA basement room, Wu Console, and password reveal

- Why this kind of enhanced CD felt so advanced in 1997

- The lost era of physical media extras, CD-ROM experiences, and hip-hop tech experiments

This episode is part hip-hop history, part computer nostalgia, and part personal victory lap after finally getting a 30-year-old enhanced CD to run again.

Wu-Tang Forever enhanced CD-ROM, Wu-Tang Clan, Wu Mansion walkthrough, 1997 hip hop, 90s hip hop, enhanced CD, CD-ROM nostalgia, Wu-Tang Forever album, Ghostface Killah, GZA, Genius, Method Man, Raekwon, RZA, Ol Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, U-God, QuickTime 4, Macromedia, Loud Records, hip hop history, physical media nostalgia, 40 Years and 40 Beers

In the first episode of Massi Media, Joe Massi does a deep dive on Major Figgas and their place in Philadelphia hip-hop history.

What we cover

- Major Figgas group history and key mixtapes

- Figgas 4 Life, It’s Our Life, and the early Philly impact

- Gillie Da Kid’s mixtapes, albums, and Million Dollaz Worth of Game

- Wallo267 and the transition from mixtapes to podcasting

- Dutch and Spade’s industry run with Cam’ron, Funkmaster Flex, and Ludacris

- Dutch’s solo mixtapes and Obamacare with Jadakiss

- Spade’s comeback after prison

- Spade and Ab-Liva’s Glory album

- Ab-Liva’s solo mixtape, Dr. Dre era, and Re-Up Gang history

- Bump J, Dirty Rik, Bianca Jones, Chops, Lil Ruggie, and the wider Philly scene

If you care about Philly rap history, mixtape culture, and overlooked hip-hop legacies, this is a strong place to start.

Major Figgas, Philly rap, Philadelphia hip hop, Gillie Da Kid, Wallo267, Ab-Liva, Dutch, Spade O, Bump J, Dirty Rik, Bianca Jones, Re-Up Gang, Figgas 4 Life, Philly mixtapes, Million Dollaz Worth of Game, Massi Media podcast, 40 Years 40 Beers