In this episode of Gems with Shom, a show about beat digging, records, and other things, we sit down with Jaeki Cho, ex rap journalist turned world traveler and founder of Righteous Eats and Creators Lunch, for a wide ranging conversation on rap media, world travel, and cultural identity. Jaeki reflects on growing up in Queens in the late 90s, discovering hip hop before the algorithm era, and entering rap journalism at XXL Magazine during the final years of print media. We discuss storytelling, revision, media literacy, and why journalistic rigor still matters in today’s fast moving media landscape.

As always, the conversation connects back to beat digging and record culture. From Mobb Deep and Wu Tang Clan to jazz samples and global sound exploration, we explore how hip hop sampling opened the door to deeper musical discovery and how digging through records becomes a gateway to understanding history, migration, and identity.

The conversation expands into world travel, from Mongolia to Morocco, Singapore to Istanbul, and how movement across borders reshapes identity. Jaeki breaks down his concept of “third culture,” the remixing of global identities, and why community matters more than ever in a fragmented digital age.

We also dive into:

Mobb Deep, The Alchemist, and Wu-Tang Clan
Sampling as cultural exchange
Record collecting as connection
Running marathons as discipline
Racism abroad and perspective at home
Why storytelling is more important than ever

This is a conversation about hip hop and beat digging, but it is also about global travel, media, philosophy, and building something meaningful.

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