Diggin' In The Digits

Leaders of the New School - the group that now historically serves as the proving ground for a future Busta Rhymes solo career - was a peppy bunch of rappers with great chemistry. Surprising considering the creative differences that would eventually cut their existence short.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (0:42)
Ben:

• E-40 - Turning my Money Over
• The Game - The Documentary III
• Mick Jenkins & Greenslime - Black Ass Kun...

A foundational member of the Native Tongues collective - releasing two of the first three albums under that collective umbrella - Jungle Brothers were sonically ahead of their time and have kept steady up until this decade.

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Weekly Music Roundup - (1:10)
Charlie:

• Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats - ii
• John Wells - F*CK The ALGORITHM
• threetwenty - separate from the noise (side b)
• Adanna Duru - THE NAIJAMERICAN DREAM
• Jorj...

The duo of Dres & Mr. Lawnge nailed a balance of ATCQ's production language with De La Soul's lyrical humour with their debut album. But after creative differences, the name was carried by Dres into the 21st Century, to mixed results.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:03)
Ben:

• Hit-Boy - HITStory

Charlie:

• DC - All Things Can Be True
• Treasure Bloom - Bloomin'
• Tavaras Jordan - 72 Hours In Houston 
• Anaïs Cardot...

The story of Chi-Ali is one containing a few but ultimately pivotal highlights: Brought up as a talented teenage rapper - within the most notable collectives in Hip-Hop history - dropping one album before his career was derailed by label BS. One can wonder, what if he was better treated after his one & only release, would he still end up on the America's Most Wanted List? (Twice!)

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Weekly Music Roundup - (1:13)
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There's certain names in music that bridge the gap between one era and the next. Greg Nice & Smooth Bee were one of those. Taking fun-natured Hip-Hop of the old and mixing it with new production practices: heavy on sampling and occasionally fusing R&B into their work.

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Weekly Music Roundup - (1:15)
Charlie:

• DAMEDAME* - DREAMS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT
• Kota The Friend - JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE!
• K.A.A.N. & D-Ac...

Before Jaz-O's legacy was watered down to "the guy who put Jay-Z on", Jaz-O had a career of his own and highlights of his own that deserved be looked at with a fresh lens.

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Weekly Music Roundup - (1:21)
Charlie:

• Chenayder - Outdated 
• Yard Act - You're Gonna Need A Little Music 
• Captains of the Imagination - You Owe Me Tears
• Namesbliss - where's bliss? 
• Mad Skillz - A Hero And A Villain
• Nines - Lost Tape...

It's our 15th edition of Neighbours where we talk about records that aren't technically Hip-Hop but either share elements or are influential in Hip-Hop circles. This edition, we go full British, getting into a Trip-Hop essential and a Downbeat classic. 

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59)
Ben:

• Rome Streetz - Sock it 2 My Pocket
• Rick Ross - Set in Stone
• Syd - Beard
• Steve Lacy - Oh yeah?

Charlie:

• Nomi. - sweet ...

Initially under the wing of KRS-ONE, the duo Channel Live made minor waves in the mid-90s but due to lack of sonic identity, their three albums all feel drastically different, even if their lyrical content contained a healthy amount of substance & social commentary.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (0:42)
Charlie:

• Olympia Vitalis - Lady Luck
• Jaz Karis - Twenty Something
• GUINEVERE - Kiss The Sun
• Nate Smith, Kiefer, CARRTO...

We're officially halfway through 2026, so it's time for our Mid-Year report where we take stock of the year so far - from the music dropped to some of the stories that transpired - and look forward to the rest of the year! 

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Weekly Music Roundup - (1:02)
Ben:

• Future - The Real Me
• Lance Skiiiwalker - #invite,sessions,only!!

Charlie:

• The Deli - Kaleidoscope
• Alewya - Zero
• Naomi Sharon - No Sleep In Paradise...

In our Geto Boys double bill, we now get into the most notable artist in the group: Scarface. One of the least talked about legends in Hip-Hop history where Scarface acolytes can make a case for him being the GOAT. So, does the discography warrant such praise?

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59)
Ben:

• NappyHigh - REDaze

Charlie:

• Gwen Bunn - The Interim, Vol. 1
• Ryder - RYDERHOOD 3
• Nia Smith - Payback Is A Dog
• Common...

Hailing from 5th Ward, Geto Boys went through a few line-ups before settling on the three we consider the full cast: Willie D, Bushwick Bill and Scarface. But a whole lot of music happened in the nearly 20 year run and a whole lot of movement between them and a supporting cast happened as well.

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Weekly Music Roundup -(0:50)
Ben:

• Benny the Butcher- The Plugs I Met 2.5
• Hard-Fi - Sweating Someone Else's Fever
• YG - The...

What began as a Grammy Award-winning group out of the gate, Arrested Development - led by rapper/producer Speech - are still the same in their ethos even though many members have come & gone and the mainstream binned them after their sophomore album. Nearly 40 years later, they're still creating accessible Hip-Hop with positive and incisive commentary.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:33)
Ben:

• Death Cab for Cutie -...

Goodie Mob is one of those interesting entities that make you ask yourself: Do I like [artist] evolving their sound & style? When it comes to Goodie Mob, for Ben it's yes, for Charlie, it's no. Who's right?*

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Weekly Music Roundup - (0:57)
Ben:

• Vince Staples - Cry Baby
• Genesis Owusu - RESDTAR WU
• Broken Social Scene - Remember the Humans
• Modest Mouse - An Eraser and a Maze
• Skrillex - SOMA

Charlie:

• Konyikeh -...

The duo of Blu & Exile came together out of orbiting similar circles in an 00s Underground that didn't have a 1 MC, 1 Producer duo of note. They in turn created a cult classic out the gates. Now - after an eight year hiatus in the middle - they're creating what could be considered their best work.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:00)
Ben:

• JPEGMAFIA - Experimental Rap
• Neurosis - An Undying Love for a Burning World
• Dig...

For our 19th edition of Contemporary Cool, we get into the third instalment of Kid Cudi's "Man On The Moon" series and the most Bomb Squad sounding album from Chuck D in decades.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (0:51)
Ben:

• Drake: ICEMAN, MAID OF HONOUR & HABIBTI

Charlie:

• A-F-R-O - Blood Rain
• Valtteri Laurell & Ricky-Tick Big Band - Visions of Dilla
• Sonedo - From Here On Out
• Solene - Femme Fatale 
• Cosima -...

In a DITD/WG double up, I talk to DJ & author Amani Roberts off the back of his book The Quiet Storm. In this talk, we get to know his background, his roots in DJing; how the book originated from a thesis, R&B and Hip-Hop groups; African-American Media and we finish off with a Lighter Note and a Top 5! 

Don't say I don't spoil you!

Weekly Music Roundup:
Charlie:

• Vic Spencer - Inspire Your Idols
• Dua Saleh - Of Earth ...

After covering Organized Konfusion last week & Pharoahe Monch the week before, we finish our OK explorations with the other half of the duo: The unsung Prince Po. 

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (0:59)
Ben:

• Action Bronson - Planet Frog
• Kneecap - FENIAN
• Cookin soul x Estee nack - AL-ANDALUS
• Tiga - Hot Life
• Little Simz- Sugar Girl
• Foo Fighters - Your Favourite Toy

Charlie:

• Blue Lab Beats - The Blue Lab Beats Sh...

After exploring Pharoahe Monch last week, we now get into his pre-solo life with Prince Po as the duo Organized Konfusion. Three albums with unfaltering production, dexterous lyrics and flows that need to be heard to truly understand how good these two were as a rap duo.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:01)
Ben:

• Isaiah Rashad - IT'S BEEN AWFUL
• Billy Danze - The Answer
• NEMS - I Should Boom You

Charlie:

• India Shawn ...

If you're like most people and only familiar with Pharoahe Monch when "Simon Says" is played, you're actually missing one of the clearest paths of evolution from a rapper in terms of subject matter and maturity as an artist.

TIMESTAMPS:
Weekly Music Roundup - (1:20)
Ben:

• Blu & Exile - Time Heals Everything
• Kehlani - Kehlani
• Akon - BEAUTIFUL DAY
• REASON - Moving Towards Love_PINK

Charlie:

• Joya Mooi - All The Things
• Jor...