The Crate 808 Podcast

The Crate 808 crew get together once again to bring their top five rap albums of 2020 so far, as well as list their favourite hip hop tracks of the year… needless to say, there was some heated debate! Host, Kam Thandi, is joined by the resident boom bap crusader Ray Ridge and Newquay rap nerd James Midwinter, as they also dip into the Crate 808 mailbag for the very first time to talk responsible gardening and all your Slept-On Wu-Tang Bangers. Along the way we check-in with various friends of the pod to get their selections of 2020 so far, so expect Run the Jewels/Griselda/Eminem/Freddie Gibbs/Alchemist chat, music to watch kestrels hunt to and the underrated art of sampling tap dancing.

For the next mailbag episode, we’d love to hear from you guys, so email us at [email protected] with your takes on…

Who should Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist collab with next?

What are the most ludicrous lyrics you’ve ever heard?

Have Run The Jewels got the best album run in the 2010s?

Least hip hop things you’ve done in the last 24 hours?

And if you want more in-depth reviews or have any general thoughts on our selections, hit us up!

Catch all our Spotify playlists here (all the bangers we’ve selected will be on here too):

Crate 808 Bangers Playlist https://spoti.fi/2EojufP

Slept-On Wu-Tang Bangers Playlist https://spoti.fi/32QtAQG

Sample Corner Playlist https://spoti.fi/3eYfhMd

Check our album track-by-track reviews here:

RTJ4: https://spoti.fi/2WXwKhB

Music to Be Murdered By: https://spoti.fi/3hBaBO3

A Written Testimony: https://spoti.fi/2OZfeVQ

To peep our shouts for Album Covers of the Year, check E-40’s The Curb Commentator Channel 1 (https://bit.ly/3g2VCMD) and Armand Hammer’s Shrines (https://bit.ly/3hDuvbf)

WATCH: Learn more about Crate 808 on the Shotgun the Aux podcast: https://bit.ly/3hG1n3h

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This week the Crate 808 crew drop a track-by-track review of one of the albums of the year - Run the Jewels’ RTJ4. Don’t worry, at the same time as breaking down El-P and Killer Mike’s dope new record, we keep it 90s with a needless amount of Arnie quotes, chat about the music in Robocop 2 and much more, including…

🥇 Why Killer Mike is 2020 MVP

🧠 Deep dives into the best bars on the record

🤔 Goonies or E.T. — Who should feature on this album?

🥊 Fighting over whether ‘Ooh LA LA’ is good or not

🐸 Licking toads to get high (and nightmares about frogs)

👑 Verse of the Year contender from Killer Mike

🐐 Are RTJ in the GOAT Rap Duo conversation?

🎷 THAT sax player in Lost Boys

🏆 Is this the album of the year?

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This week we were truly honoured to have returning guest, Pharoahe Monch, back on the pod for one of our most meaningful and deep chats yet. The incredible MC gave us his insight on the state of 2020, touching on some important subjects like getting introspective while coming to terms with yourself during a global pandemic, and at the same time seeing America deal with a sea of monumental change (02:50). Pharoahe also touched on how Martin Luther King’s perspectives are key today (08:30) and how the lack of nuance in social media leads us to a desperate need for viable discussion (12:43). The hip hop GOAT also speaks on how breaking the cycle of poverty is integral to change (17:30), and why, in a divided USA, it’s tough trying to see all perspectives when talking about current issues, and how his brother’s career as a policeman has shaped his views (especially as the difficulties they face are down to an archaic system) (20:30). All in all, we dive deep into why 2020 could go down as the most amazing time in history (28:40).

We also manage to talk about his upcoming work, and how Talib Kweli’s ex-manager pushed him to release his latest track with Styles P and Marco Polo, a song he wrote in 2018 (36:30). Pharoahe tells us why his new project is like the child of Led Zeppelin and Mobb Deep, and how his huge fandom for Zeppelin and Black Sabbath has led to this new work with his group TH1RT3EN. We also touch on his album ‘Desire’ and how it grew him a whole new fanbase (40:03). On top of that, the rap legend also breaks down his pandemic film recommendations, including Timecrimes, The Witch, The Lighthouse, Parasite, The Square and Killing of a Sacred Deer (53:11)

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This is a big one, because this week we were truly honoured to speak with a rap legend - Masta Ace stepped in the house to talk all things hip hop! The former member of The Juice Crew sat in the hot seat for a deep dive into his career, and along the way we touched on…

🎭 Working on a hip hop musical, with characters from his last 3 albums (02:36)

🏋️‍♂️ Writing ‘Disposable Arts’ in the gym and breaking down his songwriting process (06:40)

🕺 Why disco deserves more praise in early hip hop (8:30)

💥 How winning a rap contest launched his career (13:45)

❓ Coming up with the name ‘Masta Ace’ (20:50)

🔥 Featuring on ‘The Symphony’ and joining The Juice Crew (22:08)

👏 Making ‘Crooklyn’ with A Tribe Called Quest and Spike Lee (26:19)

🎬 Names his favourite Spike Lee films (28:46)

🤔 Is there a Juice Crew movie coming? (30:50)

😳 How ODB dissed New Jersey IN New Jersey on Cold Chillin’ promo tour (33:35)

💪 How he made ‘SlaughtaHouse’ as reaction to hardcore rap (35:40)

‼️ Influencing Eminem and working with Will Smith (40:25)

👀 Knowing people said he sold out, and why ‘Sittin’ on Chrome’ is a compromise record (44:18)

🔎 How ’Disposable Arts’ sparked a new legacy and lead to ‘A Long Hot Summer’ (54:50)

👻 His love for Drake and views on ghostwriting (1:00:30)

🤝 Collabing with MF DOOM for ‘Son of Yvonne’ (1:06:25)

🇬🇧 Career highlight: Performing in UK with Public Enemy (1:11:15)

💡 Learning from DJ Premier (1:14:03)

🎶 Wanting to sit in a Dre session (1:15:55)

🎙 Why Elzhi and Busta make his favourite five MCs (1:16:45)

🗽 Why New York needs its own sound (1:21:35)

👐 Why ‘10 Bricks’ is his Slept-On Wu-Tang Banger (1:24:30)

👍 How his daughter put him onto YBN Cordae (1:26:15)

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This week we’re honoured to have on a bars behemoth from New York, a man who’s spat with the best of them - R.A. the Rugged Man steps in to talk all things 90s and speak on his new album, ‘All My Heroes Are Dead’. Along the way we touch on things such as…

🔎 Breaking down his new album (04:08)

💰 The perils of dropping an album during a pandemic

❌ Having to halt videos with Jazzy Jeff, Immortal Technique, Inspectah Deck

🐐 How he made a posse cut with Ghostface, Kool G Rap, Masta Killah (09:20)

🤯 Speaks on THAT incredible intro to the new album

✍️ Opens up on his whole writing process (13:20)

🎙 Featuring on Rawkus’ classic record ‘Soundboming 2’ (16:40)

👶 What it’s like to be a rap artist and have two kids

🗣 Why it’s essential to de-program from social brainwashing (29:25)

💯 Why rap is timeless, and the youth prove it

🙏 Remember Reggie Osse aka Combat Jack

🔪 Talks his favourite horror films, and Carpenter vs. Craven...who wins? (48:20)

🐝 Names his Slept-On Wu-Tang Bangers (56:10)

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This week we’re joined by UK rapper MysDiggi to talk about managing our anxiety levels, why we need to question the powers that be, and try to make sense of a crazy 2020. All this with some added chat about which rap music we’ve been listening to.

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Wu-Tang Clan. Mobb Deep. Big Pun. Xzibit. MOP. Dead Prez. Three Six Mafia. We talk to the man who helped break these artists (and many more) on his legendary Loud Records and SRC labels - Steve Rifkind. The hip hop pioneer talks all things 90s, as well as…

💥 What made Loud Records stand out in the 90s (04:58)

💪 Rooming with Tupac (09:23)

🔥 Signing Big Pun (10:45)

🐝 Meeting the Wu-Tang Clan for the first time and working with RZA (14:30)

🐐 His favourite memories of ODB - including THAT ‘Wu is for the children’ night at the Grammys (18:00)

❓ Word association with his favourite Loud bangers (21:20)

👏 Getting Mobb Deep on Loud Records (24:15)

👀 Why Dead Prez could’ve been one of the biggest groups in the world (27:40)

🎙 His Top 5 MCs, who weren’t on Loud (30:28)

✍️ On wanting to sign Jay-Z and being offered Eminem (31:35)

🐶 Managing DMX, and updates on the new album (33:20)

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This week we are honoured to sit and talk with UK hip hop legend, Blak Twang. Taking a break from our regular 90s shows, we hope to listen, learn and act during this chaotic times, where tackling racism and providing good public healthcare are of upmost importance. Twang speaks on all these issues, including the death of fellow Kingdem member and legend Ty. If you would like to donate to the Black Lives Matter causes, here are just a few to get you rolling…

The Bail Project: https://bit.ly/3cutsHD

Reclaim the Block: https://bit.ly/30bxS3F

Know Your Rights: https://bit.ly/306yJTb

Black Lives Matter UK: https://bit.ly/3cMBhJ6

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This week we break from our regular programming to focus of the biggest issue in hip hop right now - racism and the George Floyd murder. We welcome on hip hop artist and co-host of the ‘Breaking Atoms’ podcast, Chris Mitchell, to sit, listen and learn. If you would like to donate to the Black Lives Matter causes in America, here are just a few to get you rolling…

The Bail Project: https://bit.ly/3cutsHD

Reclaim the Block: https://bit.ly/30bxS3F

Know Your Rights: https://bit.ly/306yJTb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/crate808

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Website: https://www.crate808.com

This week we welcome ‘the spirit’ of A Tribe Called Quest, Jarobi White. He’s a man who doesn’t do many interviews, but we managed to sit down with him and talk all things Tribe, as well as…

😂 Least hip hop thing he’s done in the last 24 hours (01:48)

💪 Being inspired by Run-DMC, LL Cool J and why rap spoke to him (08:18)

😤 Why he laughs at people who call him a failure (19:03)

💥 How Tribe blew up (22:20)

🎤 What it feels like to get 5 mics in The Source (28:55)

👀 He got his name because his dad watched a documentary...but was almost named ‘Seymour’ (33:30)

🎨 Breaking down ‘the lady’ on the iconic ATCQ artwork (35:29)

😱 Reveals how many different versions of ‘Scenerio’ were recorded (38:05)

🔍 Breaks down each classic Tribe record (43:00)

👏 What was behind ATCQ’s 2016 return (45:03)

✍️ Why he had the most involvement in ‘We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service’ (48:30)

😳 Reveals there’s more Phife Dawg x J Dilla music in the can (53:13)

🐐 Why DOOM, Outkast and Wu have aged brilliantly (1:01:40)

😬 He’s heard Q-Tip’s new music…and it’s amazing (1:02:15)

🎙 Names his Top 5 MCs (1:05:30)

🐝 His Slept-On Wu-Tang Bangers (1:07:50)

👨‍🍳 His career as a chef and similarities to the rap game (1:12:30)

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