The Cipher

Latest Episodes:

22: Styles P Nov 26, 2012

Show notes

This episode, we sit down with the fantastic Styles P. Best known for his work with The Lox and D-Block, Styles has been mixing street content (not for nothing is his latest album called The World’s Most Hardest MC Project) with hopeful messages and deep lyrical gems since the mid 90’s. He is also perhaps rap’s best collaborator, responsible for superb duets with Jadakiss, Fabolous, Beanie Sigel, and lots more. Styles is also a published author — his debut novel Invincible came out in 2010, and he is currently at work on a second book. His aforementioned new album was released just last week.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/22/ for full show notes and comments.

21: Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie Oct 24, 2012

Show notes

This week, we talk to a man of many names. Deric Angelettie is best known for his work with Bad Boy Records’ production squad The Hitmen, who took over the radio in the mid-90’s. In addition to producing hits like “All About the Benjamins” and “Hypnotize,” he served as Bad Boy’s comic id, The Mad Rapper.

Prior to all that, though, he was a rapper named D.O.P., who released a superb record as part of a duo called Two Kings in a Cipher, with future Hitmen partner Ron Lawrence. We chatted with Angelettie about his whole career and the large collection of top-tier rappers he’s collaborated with or produced.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/21/ for full show notes and comments.

20: Pharoahe Monch and Jean Grae Oct 16, 2012

Show notes

This week, we talk to two of our favorites here on Outside the Lines, Pharoahe Monch and Jean Grae, about their exciting new projects. We start with a song-by-song preview of Pharoahe’s upcoming new album PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We’re honored to bring you what is so far Pharoahe’s only in-depth chat about these songs. In the second half of our show, we talk to the amazing Jean Grae about her new single, “Kill Screen a.k.a. Steve Wiebe,” and her upcoming Gotham Down album.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/20/ for full show notes and comments.

19: Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets Oct 08, 2012

Show notes

This week, we bring you a very special talk with Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets. We chatted with him about his extensive and fascinating life and work. We’re very proud to bring you this incredible bit of living history.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/19/ for full show notes and comments.

18: Skyzoo Oct 02, 2012

Show notes

This week, we talk to a true Brooklyn original, Skyzoo, on the occasion of the release of his new album, A Dream Deferred. We chat with him about his new record, Bill Cosby, that time he met Total, the secrets of the world’s best sandwiches, and lots more!

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/18/ for full show notes and comments.

17: Saul Williams Sep 25, 2012

Show notes

This week, we talk to the incredible poet, emcee, actor, and musician Saul Williams. Williams, who had been an emcee since his teenage years, first rose to prominence on the slam poetry circuit, winning acclaim in the mid 1990’s. He was a co-writer and star of the award-winning 1998 film Slam, which increased his profile and led to him getting a record deal.

Williams’ first album, 2001’s Amethyst Rock Star, was a mind-blowing melding of poetry, hip-hop, and rock. That record and its follow-up, a self-titled 2004 album, were in part jeremiads about the state of hip-hop from someone who loved it but was severely disappointed in what it had become. Williams has released two more albums and four books of poetry over the years, and his latest work is a “literary mixtape” called Chorus.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/17/ for full show notes and comments.

16: Brother Ali and Miss Haze Sep 18, 2012

Show notes

This week, we sit down with Brother Ali. Ali, whose new album Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color comes out this week, has long been one of our favorite artists. His fantastic rhyming skills are matched by lyrics that are both intensely engaged with the larger world, as well as by a sense of humanity and empathy that is all too rare amongst artists of any kind.

Then, after our talk with Ali, we have a short but revealing chat with Miss Haze of the Bay Area group 40 Love. The innovative group meshes dreamy, electronic production with smart, positive lyrics to create an ode to dreams and their possibilities. We talk to Miss Haze about chanting for world peace, alchemy, and why she loves the Bay.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/16/ for full show notes and comments.

15: Tricia Rose Sep 12, 2012

Show notes

This week, we talk to one of the foremost thinkers in hip-hop, Professor Tricia Rose. Rose, who teaches at Brown University, is the author of two seminal books about rap. The first, Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America, was published in 1994 and was the first book-length scholarly work about hip-hop. Its extremely influential ideas helped create a framework for writing and thinking about this still-new music.

Professor Rose’s 2008 book The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip Hop — and Why It Matters was a critique of the music she loved, which she argued had been warped by corporate influence.

Rose continues to write and speak about hip hop and other topics, in addition to her teaching duties.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/15/ for full show notes and comments.

14: New Artist Special Sep 05, 2012

Show notes

This week, we talk to two new and exciting artists. In the first half of the show, we sit down with Kid Static, an exciting rapper who mixes hip-hop with electronic sounds to create a blend all his own. Then, we talk to Harlem’s Ghetto Millionaires. Ahk 2Gs, Baby Thad, and Cita Monroe came out to the RG office to discuss their extensive industry histories, their music, and that time ODB ate food right out of the garbage.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/14/ for full show notes and comments.

13: Kurious Aug 28, 2012

Show notes

This week, we talk to Jorge Alvarez, better known as Kurious. The New York-based emcee released his classic debut album A Constipated Monkey in 1994, following several years of singles and guest appearances with the likes of 3rd Bass and Del the Funkee Homosapien. Since that album, he continued to appear on record with friends like MF Doom and MF Grimm, but it was almost 15 years until he released a follow-up album, II, which showcased a newfound maturity and artistry.

We talked to Kurious about the ups and downs of his career, the vast differences between his albums, and a hip-hop transformation to which he had a front row seat — when his friend Zev Love X of KMD turned into the legendary MF DOOM.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/13/ for full show notes and comments.

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