The Cipher

Latest Episodes:

192: P.O.S Mar 13, 2017

Show notes

Stef “P.O.S” Alexander is a rapper from Minneapolis who has long affiliations with both the Doomtree collective and the Rhymesayers label. He began his musical career as a punk rock kid, and he’s kept both the sound and the do-it-yourself spirit of punk rock in his moves into the rap world. He has released a number of albums that are diverse and fascinating in sound, topic, and theme, both on his own and as a part of Doomtree.

P.O.S has a new album, his first in five years. It’s called Chill, dummy.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/192/ for full show notes and comments.

L-R: DJ Premier, Large Professor, Faith, Nas, Q-Tip, L.E.S. — **191: Faith Newman** Mar 06, 2017
Show notes

Faith Newman is a longtime music executive who got her start—while still in college—at Def Jam Records in 1987, back when you could count the number of employees on one hand. But she is most remembered for her time at Columbia Records in A&R, where she discovered and signed a young rapper from Queensbridge who had all of New York City buzzing. She then played a key role in creating that artist’s debut album. That rapper—Nas—and the album—*Illmatic*—would change hip-hop forever.
But that’s only part of Faith’s story. In addition to playing a key early role in Def Jam, she also signed or oversaw albums by the likes of LL Cool J, Slick Rick, Jamiroquai, Big L, and even Miles Davis. She is now the Senior Vice President of A&R and Catalog Development at Reservoir Media, a music publishing company.
See http://theciphershow.com/episode/191/ for full show notes and comments.

Faith and friends with Tricky Tee (in Kangol) — **191: Faith Newman** Mar 06, 2017
Show notes

Faith Newman is a longtime music executive who got her start—while still in college—at Def Jam Records in 1987, back when you could count the number of employees on one hand. But she is most remembered for her time at Columbia Records in A&R, where she discovered and signed a young rapper from Queensbridge who had all of New York City buzzing. She then played a key role in creating that artist’s debut album. That rapper—Nas—and the album—*Illmatic*—would change hip-hop forever.
But that’s only part of Faith’s story. In addition to playing a key early role in Def Jam, she also signed or oversaw albums by the likes of LL Cool J, Slick Rick, Jamiroquai, Big L, and even Miles Davis. She is now the Senior Vice President of A&R and Catalog Development at Reservoir Media, a music publishing company.
See http://theciphershow.com/episode/191/ for full show notes and comments.

'No Half Steppin' cover' — **190: Paradise Gray** Feb 27, 2017
Show notes

Paradise Gray began his career in hip-hop under the tutelage of masters like Pete DJ Jones and Disco King Mario. However, he really hit his stride when he began booking hip-hop acts and hosting in 1986 at a nightclub in the heart of Times Square called the Latin Quarter. While at the club, he would have a front row seat to the introduction of a new generation of hip-hop artists—the key acts in what would come to be called the genre’s Golden Age.
After the club closed in 1988, Paradise would form the group X-Clan with some friends, and deliver some of the most powerful, conscious rap records of all time.
Paradise has a new book about his time at the LQ called *No Half Steppin’: An Oral and Pictorial History of New York City Club the Latin Quarter and the Birth of Hip-Hop’s Golden Era*.
See http://theciphershow.com/episode/190/ for full show notes and comments.

189: ItsTheReal Feb 20, 2017

Show notes

Brothers Eric and Jeff Rosenthal have been merging comedy and hip-hop since 2007, when they began by making short sketch videos poking fun at (and, in short order, with) rappers. They took their comedic vision and love of hip-hop culture through a bunch of different projects: sketches, absurdist interviews with artists, podcasts, and even their own original music.

Most recently, the brothers have their own podcast, A Waste of Time With ItsTheReal. They also have a brand-new album called Teddy Bear Fresh, and an upcoming live show at the New York City nightclub SOBs on February 23rd.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/189/ for full show notes and comments.

'No Sleep.' — **188: Stretch Armstrong and Evan Auerbach: No Sleep** Feb 13, 2017
Show notes

Stretch and Evan are the co-authors of the new book *No Sleep: NYC Nightlife Flyers 1988-1999*. The book, as its title suggests, is a collection of flyers from the prime years of New York City nightlife, mixed with recollections from people who were there.
But both guests are known for far more than the book. Evan was the driving force behind Evil Empire mixtapes, and currently runs the popular Up North Trips, which has a website, Twitter, and Instagram devoted to hip-hop memorabilia, anniversaries, and history.
Stretch, of course, was the co-host of one of the most influential radio shows of all time, the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito show. The show, co-hosted by Bobbito Garcia, ran on WKCR starting in 1990, and defined the sound of underground rap. Just a short list of artists who appeared on that show in the early years of their career would include Nas, Common, Jay Z, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Big Pun, Big L, the Notorious B.I.G., and the Wu-Tang Clan. Many of those artists, and a ton more, revisited their experiences in the 2015 documentary *Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives*.
See http://theciphershow.com/episode/188/ for full show notes and comments.

Stretch and Evan sign our piecebook. — **188: Stretch Armstrong and Evan Auerbach: No Sleep** Feb 13, 2017
Show notes

Stretch and Evan are the co-authors of the new book *No Sleep: NYC Nightlife Flyers 1988-1999*. The book, as its title suggests, is a collection of flyers from the prime years of New York City nightlife, mixed with recollections from people who were there.
But both guests are known for far more than the book. Evan was the driving force behind Evil Empire mixtapes, and currently runs the popular Up North Trips, which has a website, Twitter, and Instagram devoted to hip-hop memorabilia, anniversaries, and history.
Stretch, of course, was the co-host of one of the most influential radio shows of all time, the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito show. The show, co-hosted by Bobbito Garcia, ran on WKCR starting in 1990, and defined the sound of underground rap. Just a short list of artists who appeared on that show in the early years of their career would include Nas, Common, Jay Z, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Big Pun, Big L, the Notorious B.I.G., and the Wu-Tang Clan. Many of those artists, and a ton more, revisited their experiences in the 2015 documentary *Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives*.
See http://theciphershow.com/episode/188/ for full show notes and comments.

187: Thirstin Howl the 3rd Feb 06, 2017

Show notes

Thirstin is a Brooklyn rapper who came on most rap fans’ radar during the underground hip-hop boom of the late 1990s. His comic songs like “I Still Live With My Moms” and “How Many Babee Muvas” caught the attention of listeners who liked their lyricism and tales of New York City street life with a side of humor.

But as much as for rap, Thirstin is also well-known for his long-running obsession with Polo. As a teenager, he played a key role in uniting two disparate Brooklyn crews into the Lo-Lifes, a group that would become notorious for both their boosting sprees and their fashion. Thirstin has a new book documenting the worldwide reach of the Lo-Lifes, called Bury Me With The Lo On.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/187/ for full show notes and comments.

186: Ras Kass Jan 30, 2017

Show notes

Ras Kass is a California-based rhymer who is one of the most well-respected and critically beloved artists in the genre. He has been wowing rap fans with his dense, complicated, literary lyrics - often packed with historical references - since the mid-1990s. His now-classic debut Soul on Ice was released in 1996, and he has put out a slew of extremely well-regarded solo and collaborative projects since then.

But right along with his talent has been a near-equal amount of record label issues - and occasionally legal ones. Several of his early-aughts albums remain unreleased to this day, and he also spent some time behind bars in 2008-9 for issues relating to a DUI. But all that is behind him, and today Ras is stronger than ever. His latest album is Intellectual Property, and Soul on Ice 2 is coming soon.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/186/ for full show notes and comments.

185: Doctor Dré Jan 23, 2017

Show notes

Andre “Doctor Dré” Brown is best-known for his time co-hosting Yo! MTV Raps with Ed Lover, a job he held down from 1989 to 1995. He and Ed used their chemistry and comic sensibility to bring hip-hop, and the artists who made it, to a worldwide audience.

But, as you’ll hear, there’s much more to Dré than his time at MTV. He was a key part of the group Original Concept, one of Def Jam’s early signings. He played a key role in the lives of some other early Def Jam acts, Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys. He’s made movies, worked in radio, and done pretty much everything else you can imagine.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/185/ for full show notes and comments.