Way back on episode 2 of the podcast we talked with Chicago Artist Shano Da Boss about his music and his social and charity works in the city. We had the pleasure of reconnecting with him this week to talk about his evolution as an artist and a human being since then. After taking most of 2021 to re-evaluate and rest his mind Shano talks about what it’s been like channeling those experiences into his new album set to drop very soon! He’s also hard at work on his new podcast Black Dime with his close friends and planning out the early steps for his production company that will eventually house his music and other forms of media such as film and TV. He also talked about the continuation of his giving foundation and the events he’s looking to pick back up in the city to help the youth and others in need. Shano has not only been a great artist to us but a real genuine individual and it’s amazing to see his work continue to grow and evolve as he does in all areas. So sit back and listen to where this Midwest native has come since the early summer of 2020 and be on alert for his next big move in the coming weeks!

To kick off our series of part 2 episodes we bring back South Carolina rapper YoungKub who first appeared on episode 4 of the show! Since the summer of 2020 his goals have remained somewhat the same as he hopes to level up with his close group of friends and collaborators with each new step. After becoming a father and locking back in on recording he talks about both the projects that came out of the time that each showcased a different side of his sound and energy. With the return of live shows he also has been able to energize different crowds with the new music and touch a lot more people than he could during the pandemic. Overall YoungKub’s spirit continues to shine and move his life in the right direction as well as the people he’s surrounded by. Thanks again to him for checking back in with us and we’ve got more part 2 episodes on the horizon for you very soon!

As her song “Ride 4 Ya” continues to make waves we were happy to be joined by St. Louis singer / songwriter Alexus A.! Alexus discusses her musical influences most notably what she learned from Beyoncé on how to really own your style and aesthetic as an artist in both branding and presentation. She’s taken this and applied it in her song writing, videos and other promo content that she feels has benefited her reach to the local area and beyond. She also talked about the possibility of helping other artists in the future on their own missions and giving back to the indie music community. We’d like to extend another thank you to Alexus and look forward to reconnecting with her very soon!

With experience as both an artist and entrepreneur we were happy to have Toledo native Abby Sarabia join the podcast this week! While still releasing her own music and pushing herself to get better she’s also embraced a new role in helping other independent artists through her app called the Creators Club. She talks about how it has grown to a wide community of music makers around the globe and has given so many people an opportunity to connect, grow and learn from each other. Abby’s overall take on how artists should be approaching their branding and career is amazing and you’ll definitely pick up some gems to apply after this one. Huge thanks to her for joining us and be sure to check out all that Abby is working on as well as the Creators Club to join the movement today!

Mitrae (Money Is The Root Of All Evil) comes to us from New Jersey after originally being featured with his song “Moonlight” on The Gifted Unorthodox playlist a few months ago! We got to learn more about him this week in our first sit down with him and there was a lot of cool things we uncovered. One being his early love for instruments and poetry throughout his school years which eventually led to recording his first tracks as an artist in high school. While his artist name essentially fell into his lap he talks about receiving mixed reviews from his peers about the acronym based moniker. However he’s since learned to own the meaning behind it and carry the message in each song and performance. His college internship at a local studio helped the gears to turn for his own movement and company that will help other up and comers in the local area in the coming years. Mitrae has a lot of music dropping this summer along with some more surprises for his fans so be on the lookout and tap in to this episode for your proper introduction to one of the garden states young talents!

Originally sidelined due to a football injury the Florida born and raised artist Freshmen Year has found a new side of his journey after moving north to Connecticut for college. This week he joined us on the podcast to discuss how that led directly to him picking up music and learning to song write, produce and record his own tracks with his friends. He breaks down his latest EP “Last Semester” and why the process was so natural giving him the ability to be honest and transparent throughout each of the projects 5 songs. The newly found creative also talks about his blog Block Party TV and how he aims to help other independent artists connect through a sense of community while providing the space to shed light on other awesome cool individuals. Freshmen Year has a lot of exciting ideas in the barrel so stay tuned to his work as he begins to let them loose!

To kick off our Innovators series this week we discussed the many changes the music industry has seen over the years with someone who’s seen a lot of them and that’s Paul Porter! Paul’s journey dates back to his childhood growing up around the corner from Nina Simone and James Brown in New York City. His own career reached new heights as a radio personality and host on BET before later becoming an author, coach and speaker. We discussed his best selling book “Blackout: My 40 Years in the Music Business” and how it has become a staple for up and coming acts to help them avoid shady situations and peel back the curtain on the darker side of the industry. Today Paul resides in Florida running Muzicbizu to further help new acts seeking a long and healthy career in music while also recently becoming a grandfather and enjoying more family and personal time. We thank him for his contribution to the show! You’ll also wanna hear a very wild Stevie Wonder story at the end of this one (just trust us lol).

This week we celebrate and recap the last 2 years on the 100th episode of the podcast! From the shows origins around 2018 and its change to the interview format during the pandemic in 2020 we review the ground that’s been covered so far. We also took the time to reveal what’s next including the new Innovators series that will be incorporated into the weekly format. We’d like to acknowledge all of the guests and listeners of the podcast so far and look forward to continuing to evolve and grow the show moving forward with all of you! Big thanks to this summers sponsor Kali Audio as well who will be helping us giveaway some new studio monitors to one lucky winner in August so stay tuned for more details!

When his friend over heard his raps the Florida MC people now call Icon Living Sashy hadn’t even thought about pursuing a career in music. However after some thought behind it and drawing influence from mid 2010’s trap rap he made his jump into the new challenge. He joins the show this week as our official 100th guest to discuss his run of singles during the pandemic which most recently led to his 2021 album “Iconic Time”. Shashy discusses his approach to lyricism with melody always in mind and breaks down a great analogy that might help writers and freestylers in their own music. His confident demeanor and smooth approach on and off the record shows his real character and if his consistency has anything to say about it Sashy will be making waves in the south and beyond as he moves forward!

While her move to Chicago brought about new opportunities for school and her acting career it also gave Zoe Gabrielle an opportunity to launch her music career into full swing! The singer joined us this week for a quick interview about what she’s been up to in recent months. Following the release of her third single “Copy” which has garnered high praise from peers and supporters she’s prepping the final touches on its accompanying music video with the help of some close creative friends. At the time of the interview Zoe was planning to release her new EP this month but with its push back comes a new chance for her to present a project she can be proud of as her first full introduction as an artist. It will be exciting to hear the final product and see how far Zoe can take not only her music but her entertainment career as a whole moving forward!