Fat Ray is a true Detroit hip-hop OG, who embodies everything that makes this scene so special. The grit, distinct style, and appreciation of hip-hop is always on display when you put a Fat Ray track on.

Having created music for multiple decades now, Fat Ray has been a mainstay in Detroit’s scene dropping certified heat, collaborating with the likes of Elzhi, Dilla, his fellow Bruiser Brigade brethren, and Black Milk... who collaborated with Ray on his new AOTY-contender of a record, Food from the Gods.

In today's episode, Fat Ray drops jewels on how he stays so effortlessly authentic as a man and an artist, the beautiful ugly of Detroit hip-hop, his strong relationship with Black Milk, and the inspired creation of Food from the Gods.

The Plug (0:58).

The Interview (2:19).

The evolution of Detroit’s hip-hop scene (8:27).

How Detroit influences Fat Ray’s art (16:47).

Fat Ray’s writing process (19:25).

Fat Ray’s experience with Bruiser Brigade (22:02).

How Black Milk and Fat Ray initially linked up (25:47).

Black Milk’s special level of “cool” (28:17).

What Fat Ray wanted to get off his chest and show listeners on Food from the Gods (35:07).

The sonic approach of Food from the Gods (39:24).

Why now was right time to get back with Black Milk and create Food from the Gods (46:11).

What Fat Ray has grown as an artist throughout his career (49:15).

Upcoming projects / tour dates / merch from Fat Ray (54:46).

Buy/stream Food from the Gods here: https://blackmilk.bandcamp.com/album/food-from-the-gods 

Follow Fat Ray on Twitter here: https://x.com/fatraymotorboy?lang=mr 

Follow Fat Ray on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/fatray1/?hl=en 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

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Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

Pink Siifu has been on a mission to create some of the most forward-thinking art in all of music. His eclectic ear had led him down some incredibly fruitful rabbit holes. And on his latest record, BLACK’!ANTIQUE, his latest masterstroke pushes his GUMBO'! genre-fluid ethos to new extremes. With another terrific album under his belt, Siifu’s legacy is on a special trajectory.

In today’s episode, the Birmingham native speaks on how he’d like to be remembered, the unique energy of BLACK’!ANTIQUE and why he’s so proud of it, and much more.

Pink Siifu is everything you want in an artist, so listen on and learn more about a legend in the making.

The Plug (0:37).

The Interview (1:50).

Initial reception of BLACK’!ANTIQUE (2:08).

The unique sonic identity of BLACK’!ANTIQUE (12:00).

The significance of how the ‘black antique’ idea inspires the creation of Siifu’s latest album (16:29).

The importance of family in Pink Siifu’s music (32:01).

How Pink Siifu views his legacy (36:12).

The deep collaboration process on BLACK’!ANTIQUE (37:52).

Why experimenting with sound and collaboration inspires Siifu (44:00).

Future sounds Siifu wants to explore (49:20).

Upcoming projects to look out for from Pink Siifu (55:29).

Buy/stream BLACK’!ANTIQUE here: https://ronee.bandcamp.com/album/black-antique 

Follow Pink Siifu on Twitter here: https://x.com/PinkSiifu 

Follow Pink Siifu on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/pinksiifu/ 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

Few artists embody the full spectrum of rap, quite like today’s guest on the show - Ghais Guevara. Through breakout records in Black Bolshevik and There Will Be No Super-Slave, Ghais has made a name for himself with fiercely political lyricism, and a bold left-field sound.

On his latest album Goyard Ibn Said, Ghais expands his scope, incorporating sounds of trap music and drill, flexing his songwriting muscles that leads to legitimate hits as a result, while staying true to his political worldview and creative expression.

In today’s episode, Ghais speaks on how he and other politically-minded rappers are perceived and treated by rap listeners, what inspired the musical direction for Goyard Ibn Said, and expands on the commentary on the pitfalls of the entertainment industry explored within the album, and much more.

Ghais is a rising star in the making, you do not wanna miss this!

The Plug (0:50).

The Interview (2:27).

Ghais’ recent signing to Fat Possum and the initial reception Goyard Ibn Said (3:03).

Ghais’ perspectives on how politically-minded rappers are perceived and treated by rap fans (6:52).

What inspired the musical direction of Goyard Ibn Said (16:12).

The impact of producing the bulk of Goyard Ibn Said with little to no samples (21:45).

The thinking behind the two-act structure of Goyard Ibn Said (25:20).

Key messages Ghais wanted to get across to the listener on Goyard Ibn Said (27:20).

Diving into “Critical Acclaim” and the recent string of events exposing the entertainment industry (29:49).

How Ghais navigates an inherently oppressive industry while maintaining his integrity (36:04).

Ghais’ evolution as a songwriter (38:03).

Upcoming projects / tour dates / merch (42:13).

Buy/stream Goyard Ibn Said here: https://ghais.bandcamp.com/album/goyard-ibn-said 

Follow Ghais Guevara on Twitter here: https://x.com/GhaisGuevara 

Follow Ghais Guevara on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/ghaisguevaraobligatory/?hl=en 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

2024 was a year of maintenance and solidifying the foundation. While the show didn’t 5x in year over year growth, as it did from 2022 to 2023, the arrow has still been pointing up with some big artists joining the show, increased viewership and positive feedback. In particular, the RMPP patron group has grown to the largest its ever been, which has honestly been the biggest one of my most proudest achievements of my life. The community has progressed to a point where it’s become a staple of my life, and hopefully the patrons of this show feel the same way.

2024 was proof that this show is here to stay, and will be a fixture in indie rap media for years to come. To the RMPP patrons, as well as the rest of you listeners who support the show with your time and attention... thank you for entrusting me with this privilege to rap music plug podcast for you. You are greatly appreciated.

So now, without further ado... let’s talk about what music defined my 2024, and hand out some awards along the way.

Welcome to the 5th Annual RMPP Awards.

Share your feedback on what you’d like to see on the RMPP in the future! Complete this 2-minute survey here: https://forms.gle/ApTNot34UZtAfwE36 

The Plug (0:21)

The 4th Annual RMPP Awards intro (3:15).

Best Rap in a Supporting Role (4:42).

Hook of the Year (6:38).

Beat of the Year (8:07).

Song of the Year (9:28).

Producer of the Year (11:41).

Rapper of the Year (13:10).

Top Albums of the Year structure (15:17).

The RMPP 25: my top 25 albums, inclusive of all genres (15:52).

Final reflection (23:53).

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

Earnestness is a hard thing to pull off in music. As much as listeners like to think we know the artists we listen to as actual people, we don’t. Most of the time, we’re simply left to whatever we hear in the music, to get a feel for if someone is being honest and authentic with how they think and feel.

In the social media and AI age, it’s getting harder and harder to have trust in the media we consume, and take things at face value. However, with today’s guest, NAHreally… it’s actually quite easy. It’s clear to me that NAHreally is as honest and personable a rapper, as they come.

NAHreally, Massachusetts-native now living in Jersey City, first came on my radar through some nice features before really making an imprint on my mind with his collaborative album with Irish-producer, The Expert, on BLIP, one of the best albums of the year

He’s back with a self-produced new album, Secret Pancake, and joins us today to discuss the seamless creative process for this new album, how it differed from the creation of BLIP, his uniquely down-to-earth approach to rap, distinct flow, and much, much more.

The Plug (0:38).

The Interview (2:17).

The creation of the Secret Pancake album artwork (2:57).

Top 5 rapper hands - RMPP patron q from Dan-O of Freemusicempire (7:47).

NAHreally’s creative process - RMPP patron q from Rhino (11:44).

Major influences on NAHreally’s rap style (17:32).

The creative chemistry between NAHreally and The Expert on BLIP (19:48).

NAHreally’s approach to social commentary in music (23:47).

The importance of being ”relatable” to NAHreally (29:35).

The approach to creating Secret Pancake (34:20).

NAHreally’s mindstate when creating Secret Pancake (38:01).

The production direction on Secret Pancake (43:10).

Upcoming projects / tour dates / merch (47:32).

NAHreally’s thoughts on the upcoming NFL playoffs (51:07).

Buy/stream Secret Pancake here: https://nahreally.bandcamp.com/album/secret-pancake 

Follow NAHreally on Twitter here: https://x.com/_nahreally_ 

Follow NAHreally on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/_nahreally_/ 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

In the 11th edition of the Conversation Pieces series, which aims to shine a light on some inspired gems of creativity in hip-hop that I’ve encountered, we discuss what I'm calling 'pure creative inspiration'. This is the precise feeling I got when I recently first listened to Da Devil's Playground, and discovered the alchemy of Memphis rap.

This discovery catalyzed an ensuing series of events that steered me in a more positive direction in life, as I approached the end of 2024, which showed me that even the smallest doses of creative inspiration can make a world of difference.

The Plug (0:21).

The Conversation (2:38).

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

Stream Da Devil's Playground here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4LlnC8CVKG3hpOqOd1Bwmi?si=FTrJZ_5vTRSrQqXg6vHNbA 

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

As soon as you press play on Genuine Dexterity, the new album by k-the-i??? and Kenny Segal, released on Backwoodz Studioz, you immediately hear why this album was indeed called what it was called.

k-the-i???’s raw technical skill was put on full display, as he delivered crazy rhyme schemes, intricate flows, and strong moments of personal reflection. On the production side of the coin, Kenny Segal crafted an immensely impressive soundscape that features his trademark hard drums, bass, alongside splashes of dissonant noise, and other experimental weirdness.

Through today’s conversation with our guests, k-the-i?? and Kenny Segal though, you come to learn that this album title of Genuine Dexterity extends to the album’s creation as well.

In this episode, we learn more about the immediate connection and effortlessly natural creative process of Genuine Dexterity, what prompted k-the-i??? to return to the rap scene with his first full-length rap album in a long while, the key influences that guided the album’s direction, and much more.

The Plug (0:44).

The Interview (2:39).

RMPP Listening party reaction (2:49).

What prompted k-the-i??? to make Genuine Dexterity first full-length rap release in over a decade (3:50) - patron q from TreDoes.

Kenny’s first experience with k-the-i???’s music (12:12).

Why Backwoodz Studioz felt like the right home for Genuine Dexterity (17:40).

Kenny Segal’s thinking behind the noisy dissonant sound direction for Genuine Dexterity (20:51).

Kenny Segal’s signature sound (23:55).

k-the-i???’s rhyming approach on Genuine Dexterity, and the LA influence on his style (34:09).

k-the-i??? and Kenny Segal reminiscing about living in Boyle Heights (54:03).

Upcoming projects / tour dates / merch (1:01:46).

Buy Genuine Dexterity here: https://backwoodzstudioz.com/collections/genuine-dexterity-by-kenny-segal-k-the-i 

Follow k-the-i??? on Twitter here: https://x.com/kthei 

Follow Kenny Segal on Twitter here: https://x.com/kennysegal  

Follow k-the-i??? on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/applesauce9mm/?hl=en 

Follow Kenny Segal on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/kennysegal/?hl=en 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

On paper, the combination of Cavalier and Child Actor felt like a match made in heaven. Child Actor’s dynamic psychedelic production is a natural fit for Cavalier’s malleable rap delivery and cerebral lyrical approach. But for a collaboration to really work, and be something that is special, more than just the measurables have to align.

There needs to be a like-minded musical philosophy and innate chemistry for truly great music to manifest. This certainly was the case with these two, as they put together a stellar body of work in CINE, which is absolutely one of the best albums of 2024.

Cavalier and Child Actor are here with me today to talk about why their creative relationship was so fruitful, the backstory to some of CINE’s most intriguing songs, and much more!

The Plug (1:27).

The Interview (2:46).

Initial reaction to CINE’s release so far (2:54).

The initial vision for CINE (6:38).

Cavalier and Child Actor’s creative chemistry (15:14).

Cavalier’s prolific 2024 (22:28).

How the close collaborative experience aided Child Actor’s production process (29:06).

The challenge of rapping on Child Actor’s beats (36:19).

Primary themes and messages of CINE (44:04).

The story Child Actor aimed to tell on CINE (50:10).

The concept of masculinity and romance in Cavalier’s music (1:04:45).

Upcoming projects / tour dates / merch (1:14:38).

Buy CINE here: https://backwoodzstudioz.com/collections/cine 

Support Cavalier here: https://cavwins.com/ 

Follow Cavalier on Twitter here: https://x.com/Cavwins 

Follow Child Actor on Twitter here: https://x.com/chldactr 

Follow Cavalier on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/cavwins/?hl=en 

Follow Child Actor on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/chldactr/?hl=en 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

In the wake of the recent passing of Brownsville’s Ka, I’ve decided to go against my policy and publicly share what was previously a RMPP patron-only review that I recorded for the last album within his storied career, The Thief Next to Jesus. It only feels right to share this with the world, with the hope that Ka’s wonderful art becomes essential listening to any and all hip-hop lovers.

Since he’s passed, I’ve had a hard time collecting my thoughts to describe what this man’s impact was on me. What I landed on was speaking to what was always underneath Ka's impressive artistic craftsmanship, which is what really made him standout.

What made him special was the kind soul that animated all of his work. Ka represented humanity, compassion, and understanding to the fullest extent

So while his loss feels immense, Ka really left it all on the field... leaving behind a massive catalog of beautiful art for us to sit with forever.

Now, what I feel we must do as lovers of hip-hop is ensure that Ka will never be forgotten, so that he can continue to serve as a spiritual and artistic North Star for generations to come.

Rest in Peace Ka.

Reflecting on Ka's passing (0:00).

The Plug (3:22).

The Full Review (5:21).

Stream The Thief Next to Jesus here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4fmC67uHti9BxWUNAUb6wy 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]

One of the best things about starting this podcast has been the genuine connections I’ve been able to make with the artists that soundtrack so much of my life. A most recent example of this is can be found in my most recent trip to Chicago, where I had the pleasure of spending time with today’s guest, Frankie Jax No Mad.

The warm and thoughtful personality that I witnessed in my time with Frankie Jax No Mad translates directly through his music. His extremely unorthodox production style and stream of consciousness rhymes are key markers of his style, which I feel have come together in its most complete package yet, on his latest album THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING.

In this episode, we discuss his journey from Kenya to the UK to finally LA, what inspires his distinct approach to rap, and the creation of his new album. If you're unfamiliar with Frankie, get hip now!!

The Plug (0:35).

The Interview (2:04).

My recent trip to Chicago with Rich Jones and Frankie Jax No Mad (3:16).

Frankie’s journey from Kenya, to the UK, and finally to America (8:18).

Key influences throughout Frankie’s musical journey (14:29).

Frankie’s writing process (18:16).

Frankie’s uniquely unorthodox production style (23:26).

How off-kilter production influences Frankie’s rap style (28:10).

How THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING stands out amongst Frankie’s discography (29:07).

What listeners can takeaway from THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING (32:21).

Frankie’s future musical direction (36:17).

Buy/stream THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING here: https://nomadjax.bandcamp.com/album/thanks-for-understanding 

Follow Frankie Jax No Mad on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/frankiejaxnomad 

Follow Frankie Jax No Mad on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/frankiejaxnomad/ 

Intro/Outro beat by: BLOODBLIXING

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Fiending for some more quality rap content? Visit the RMPP website: https://rmpp.squarespace.com/

Want to support and help us grow? Become a RMPP Patron, and gain access to exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/therapmusicplugpodcast 

Looking to connect? DM me @rapmusicplugpod on Twitter and Instagram, or shoot me an email at [email protected]