The Questions Hip-Hop

Potential sacred cow alert: Sean and MidaZ return to the Making Illmatic format for De La Soul's fourth album 'Stakes is High' with special guest DJ Steve1der. Which 10 songs make the cut?

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Diallo Riddle (Questions Classic) Mar 18, 2024

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Originally broadcast on July 20, 2020

A classic pull from the archives with writer/actor/producer/DJ Diallo Riddle. The brilliant showrunner ('Southside' and 'Sherman's Showcase') and host of the ONE SONG podcast geeks out on some hip hop minutia, shares his own perspective as a fan and DJ, and puts his trivia skills to the test.

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Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram | Twitter

Diallo Riddle: Instagram | Twitter

Making Illmatic: De La Soul 'Stakes is High' w/ DJ Steve1der Mar 11, 2024

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Potential sacred cow alert: Sean and MidaZ return to the Making Illmatic format for De La Soul's fourth album 'Stakes is High' with special guest DJ Steve1der. Which 10 songs make the cut?

The Questions Hip-Hop: Instagram | Twitter

Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram | Twitter

MidaZ the BEAST: Instagram | Twitter

Steve1der: Instagram | Twitter

Rjd2 (Can't Knock the Shuffle Classic) Mar 04, 2024

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Original Broadcast: October 28, 2020

For nearly two decades, producer/musician RJD2 has put his own unique spin on the genre of instrumental hip hop. RJ's music has always been a compelling listen, with or without vocals – but he's also collaborated with a gang of artists, including rapper Blueprint (under the Soul Position moniker), as well as projects with singer Aaron Livingston (pka Son Little) and underground legend Aceyalone. Along the way, RJ has produced songs for commercials and TV shows – in fact, an instrumental of one of his songs was used as the theme to AMC's smash hit show 'Mad Men.' RJ's most recent project is 'The Fun Ones,' released on his own record label RJ's Electrical Connections. Songs we explore in this episode:

"Indoor S'mores" ('The Fun Ones', 2020)

"A Beautiful Mine" ('Magnificent City', 2006)

"Wander" (Icebird 'The Abandoned Lullaby', 2011)

"Someday" ('The Third Hand', 2007)

"The Stranger" ('The Colossus', 2010)

"Ring Finger" ('Since We Last Spoke', 2004)

"Saboteur" feat Phonte Coleman ('Dame Fortune', 2016)

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Making Illmatic: Sticky Fingaz 'Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones' Feb 26, 2024

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Things take a conceptual turn in this installment of the Making Illmatic series, as Sean and MidaZ are joined by writer/journalist Kevito Clark to dissect Sticky Fingaz's debut narrative album 'Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones'.

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Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram | Twitter

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Kevito Clark: Instagram

J-Live (Can't Knock the Shuffle Classic) Feb 19, 2024

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Original Broadcast: October 14, 2020

J-Live is unparalleled as a writer in the craft of hip hop. He first got his start in the mid-90s with 'The Best Part,' a classic debut that was shelved and eventually bootlegged to the masses. Since then, he's also developed more as a DJ and producer over the course of a dozen independent projects that he's since released. A true student of the game, J-Live's attention to detail makes him the perfect candidate to dive into the stories behind songs in his catalog. In this episode, we explore:

"Ya Momma So Black" (How Much is Water?, 2015)

"Braggin' Writes (Revisited)" (12-inch single/'The Best Part', 1996/2001)

"The Upgrade" feat Oddisee + Posdnuos ('Then What Happened?', 2008)

"Like This Anna" ('All of the Above', 2002)

"Watch Sun Watch" feat. YC the Cynic ('S.P.T.A. Said Person of That Ability', 2011)

"Walk Like" ('Around the Sun', 2014)

"Anotha Hip Hop Song" ('At The Date Of This Writing', 2019)

Learn how J-Live's trademark part of his stage show was created somewhat by accident, the story behind the delay and shelving of his classic first album, what motivates him to self-produce vs. working with other producers on his albums, and the process by which he constructs so many of his intricately-conceived songs.

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Making Dill-Matic (J DIlla Tribute) Feb 12, 2024

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Sean rides solo on this episode and presents his Top 10 Underrated J-Dilla productions/songs.

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Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram | Twitter

Sage Francis (Can't Knock the Shuffle Classic) Jan 29, 2024

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Original Broadcast: March 21, 2021

Hip-hop indie pioneer Sage Francis sits down to talk about the stories surrounding five randomly-selected songs from his catalog.

"Jah Didn't Kill Johnny" ('A Healthy Distrust', 2005)

"Grace" ('Copper Gone,' 2014)

"Doomage" feat. Brother Ali and Slug (prod. MF DOOM) (Non-Prophets "Damage" single, 2004)

"Whoremonger" ('Still Sickly Business,' 2005)

"Underground For Dummies" ('Human the Death Dance', 2007)

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Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram | Twitter

Sage Francis: Instagram | Twitter

Making Illmatic: DMX 'It's Dark and Hell is Hot' w/ Jamal Gasol Jan 22, 2024

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Making Illmatic returns in 2024 with Sean and MidaZ joining ranks with Jamal Gasol to attempt to trim DMX's debut 'It's Dark and Hell is Hot' down to just 10 songs.

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Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram | Twitter

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Jamal Gasol: Instagram | Twitter

Marco Polo (Questions Classic) Jan 15, 2024

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