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Ep. #149: Run the Jewels

Run the Jewels is a tremendous hip-hop duo consisting of inventive New York MC and producer El-P and one of the world’s wisest and best rappers, Killer Mike from Atlanta, Georgia. After collaborating on each other’s solo albums, Run the Jewels released their critically acclaimed self-titled debut in 2013, as a free download. This past October, they shocked the world again, leaking their landmark new LP Run the Jewels 2 ahead of its release date on Mass Appeal and knocking fans and critics out with a next level record. They’re in the midst of a world tour right now, which brings them to Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall on November 26 and Montreal’s Club Soda on November 27. Here, El and Mike talk about being separate but together in Pomona, east coast dudes who love California, making a new album that was darker, harder, and more furious, outdoing yourself, carrying the vibe over, there’s more to life than fun, emulating punk, balancing serious and funny shit, shooting a poodle and police brutality, El introducing Mike to Bill Hicks and other comedians they both love, vibrant personalities and genuine friendship, you gotta laugh when you wanna cry, executioner farts, El appreciates Mike’s wisdom, twisted realities, Run the Jewels might be soulmates, family jewels, arguing about bagels, coffee, and weed, why El tends to work with people like Zack de la Rocha, Travis Barker, BOOTS, Trent Reznor, Cat Power, and Nick Diamonds among others, absurd moments, nervous on the Late Show with David Letterman, Meow the Jewels, the song “Crown,” now close your eyes…

Related links: runthejewels.net massappeal.com vishkhanna.com

2014 Outside Lands Music And Arts Festival - Lands End Stage - Day 1

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News Podcast

Ep. #142: Ryan Hemsworth & BADBADNOTGOOD Live at the Halifax Pop Explosion

Ryan Hemsworth and BADBADNOTGOOD each appeared at the 2014 Halifax Pop Explosion last week and we took part in a live, panel interview together at the Museum of Natural History. Ryan’s a talented electronic artist who originally hails from Halifax and whose new record, Alone for the First Time, is out November 4 via Last Gang Records. Keyboardist Matt Tavares, bassist Chester Hansen, and drummer Alex Sowinski are the brains behind BBNG, a popular instrumental hip-hop trio from Toronto whose latest album, III, is out now via Innovative Leisure and whose new collaborative album with Ghostface Killah, Sour Soul, is due out this February. Here, we discuss first encounters with the internet, dial-up and ICQ, Duke Nukem, Goldeneye and N64 and instructions, Napster, having a strong but casual social media presence, being online and sharing things all of the time, the importance of twitter, shy and quiet irl, virtual trolling and real-life confrontation, how BBNG posted a video of an Odd Future cover song online and it blew up, Alex is extroverted and smart, being angry at Lenny Kravitz, Ryan’s label Secret Songs and its connection to finding music on Soundcloud, crate digging and Muchmusic, Nelly and porn, ogg, why hip-hop, electronic and computer sounds perk Ryan’s ears up, soaking in music and putting it back out, BBNG drinking Ryan’s rider, how BBNG got together, great Indian food in Mississauga, MF Doom and Humber, Chester Hansen is pretty great, jazz time and hip-hop time, what’s the deal with rap shows, a surprise but delayed collaboration with Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, fusion ska, hardcore punk scenes within Toronto suburbs, loving the Backstreet Boys and Blink 182, Travis Barker, Matt loved Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Dinosaur Jr., Ryan’s life in Halifax, playing guitar and singing badly, the stifling creative environment in music institutions, rude messages from music teachers, BBNG got no kick against modern jazz, heroin or something crazy, Tom Grosset, Ryan’s journalism studies in Halifax, media manipulation, putting music out there, the rave cruise Holy Ship, not having an EDM moniker, freaking out about Ghost and Rae, the BBNG Slick Rick story, Ryan’s new album Alone for the First Time, looking up to Caribou and James Blake, the song “Surrounded,” the BBNG/Ghostface collab album Sour Soul, Ghost wants to play music like he’s flipping channels, Ryan’s song “Snow in Newark,” Flea and Kobe, BADBADNOTGOOD’s song “Velvet,” and that was it.

Related links: ryanhemsworth.com badbadnotgood.com halifaxpopexplosion.com vishkhanna.com

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