SOLC Network

In 1997, hip-hop saw one of its most heavily anticipated supergroups assemble: Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Nature (originally Cormega), backed by Dr. Dre and Trackmasters. But despite hitting platinum status, The Album left fans and critics divided. In this episode of Hip Hop What Ifs, we break down what really went wrong behind the scenes—from Steve Stoute’s industry vision and Cormega’s fallout to Dr. Dre’s actual production involvement and why the tracklist felt more like a compilation than a true group record. Plus, we explore the ultimate alternate timeline: What if The Firm: The Album became a bona fide classic? Would the legendary Jay-Z vs. Nas beef have ever happened? How would AZ and Nature's careers have shifted, and could a thriving Aftermath have pushed Dr. Dre to release Detox sooner? 00:00 - Intro & Opening Clips 04:11 - Catching Up & HBCU Memories 09:51 - The Origins of The Firm & Cormega's Departure 11:02 - Dr. Dre, Trackmasters & Album Expectations 13:42 - Supergroup vs. Compilation: Where It Went Wrong 17:45 - Foxy Brown’s Stardom & Apollo Performance 22:42 - What If The Firm Succeeded? (No Jay-Z Beef?) 25:12 - Butterfly Effect on Dr. Dre, Aftermath & Detox 32:50 - Did The Firm Help or Hurt AZ and Nature? 40:24 - Was The Firm Hip Hop's First True Supergroup? 44:52 - Mailbag: The Game & G-Unit Fallout 47:30 - Mailbag: Canibus, LL Cool J & Eminem Debates 51:30 - Outro & Road to 1K Subs Brand new voicemail: ‪(314) 649-3113‬ Subscribe to the Everyone Needs an Aquarius Patreon https://bit.ly/3tXnnCz  Email the show at [email protected]     Follow SOLC Network online Instagram: https://bit.ly/39VL542                                    Twitter: https://bit.ly/39aL395                                     Facebook: https://bit.ly/3sQn7je                            To Listen to the podcast Podbean https://bit.ly/3t7SDJH                                YouTube http://bit.ly/3ouZqJU                                Spotify http://spoti.fi/3pwZZnJ                                Apple http://apple.co/39rwjD1                                                         IHeartRadio http://ihr.fm/2L0A2y 

In this special interview episode of I Only Listen to 90s Music, we sit down with powerhouse vocalist L.A. Young and manager Mocha Java to celebrate the life, artistry, and enduring legacy of the legendary Phyllis Hyman. From her vocal versatility across jazz, soul, and Broadway to her complex relationship with Clive Davis, Angela Bofill, and Arista Records, we look past the tragedy to honor the true brilliance of Phyllis Hyman. L.A. Young shares what inspired her Phyllis Hyman Songbook tour, working directly with iconic producer Norman Connors, meeting Phyllis's family, and how music helped both of them heal. Plus, we talk community giving with the Feast of Sharing, imagine alternate 90s music collaborations (Phyllis and 2Pac?!), and play a hilarious round of 1987 Soul Train Music Awards trivia! Catch L.A. Young & The Soul Society on tour:  https://layoungbandpage.com    Chapters 00:00 - Introduction & Celebrating Birthdays 03:02 - Introducing L.A. Young & Mocha Java 04:06 - Phyllis Hyman Songbook Tour Dates & Rebrand 05:23 - The Unfiltered Phyllis Hyman: Dionne Cole Story 07:01 - What People Misunderstand About Phyllis 08:56 - The Contralto Voice, Height & Body Image 11:27 - Versatility: From Jazz & R&B to Broadway 12:08 - The Clive Davis Era & Angela Bofill 13:24 - Singing Phyllis's Music & Meeting Her Family 16:48 - "I Refuse to Be Lonely" & B-Side Gems 19:10 - Introducing Phyllis to New Listeners 21:32 - Capturing the Spirit on Stage 24:44 - From Barry Manilow to Gamble & Huff 28:46 - What Would Phyllis Hyman Make Today? 31:16 - Imagining Alternate 90s Collabs: 2Pac & Ron Isley 38:40 - Honoring Her Life, Not Just Her Struggles 51:19 - Working with the Legendary Norman Connors 54:58 - Giving Back: DC's Feast of Sharing 01:03:36 - 1987 Soul Train Music Awards Trivia! 01:18:00 - Meet The Soul Society Band 01:23:20 - Controlling Your Art & Business in Music 01:28:44 - Outro & Final Thoughts BRAND New Voicemail 314-649-3113 Join the I Only Listen to 90s Music Facebook Group http://bit.ly/3k0UEDe      Follow I Only Listen to 90s Music on IG https://bit.ly/3sbCphv       Follow SOLC Network online Instagram: https://bit.ly/39VL542                          Twitter: https://bit.ly/39aL395                          Facebook: https://bit.ly/3sQn7je                To Listen to the podcast Podbean https://bit.ly/3t7SDJH                      YouTube http://bit.ly/3ouZqJU                      Spotify http://spoti.fi/3pwZZnJ                     Apple http://apple.co/39rwjD1  IHeartRadio http://ihr.fm/2L0A2y

On this jam-packed episode of Everyone Needs an Aquarius, Dom and D dive deep into the wildest pop culture headlines, entertainment updates, and real-world conversations. The session kicks off with a look at alternative education challenges and special needs classroom realities, followed by an inspiring celebration of Chicago youth building an innovative EBT-friendly grocery delivery app to tackle food deserts. From there, the entertainment deep-dive unfolds across the music scene, where the hosts break down the internet chatter surrounding Keyshia Cole’s live performance antics, her struggles with addiction and relationships, and her broader R&B musical legacy. Plus, they tackle the massive discourse surrounding Jay-Z’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance, mapping out an ideal feature-heavy setlist without needing Kanye, alongside a television critique of the writing choices and character arcs in the latest season of Reasonable Doubt. The conversation keeps moving with a heavy lineup of legal and celebrity scandals, covering Cassie being dropped from the lawsuit against Sean Diddy Combs, 50 Cent and Tia Kemp’s explosive social media feud, Chris Brown avoiding jail time in his UK nightclub assault case only to land right back in hot water over social media warnings, and Halle Berry’s messy custody battle. The pop culture roundup also touches on Nicki Minaj’s political appearances and citizenship hurdles, followed by a hysterical dissection of a viral Cleveland pastor who shocked his congregation by introducing a second wife. The episode wraps up just in time for All Hallows' Eve, with Dom and D sharing the spooky horror movie moments from Scream 2 and The Shining that low-key changed how they operate in public forever. Tune in, drop a comment, and join the conversation across all SOLC Network platforms! Chapters 0:00 – Alternative education challenges and special needs classroom realities 8:04 – Empowering Chicago youth with an EBT-friendly grocery delivery app 11:18 – Cassie dropped from the lawsuit against Sean Diddy Combs 13:03 – Keyshia Cole’s live touring performance critiqued for letting crowds sing and not performing for real 24:12 – Unresolved storylines and character writing issues in Reasonable Doubt Season 4 40:33 – Debating Jay-Z’s cultural relevance and upcoming Super Bowl halftime show 45:41 – Mapping out an ideal feature-heavy Jay-Z Super Bowl setlist without Kanye 56:40 – 50 Cent versus Tia Kemp social media and legal feud 1:05:31 – Nicki Minaj’s political appearances and citizenship hurdles 1:10:42 – Chris Brown’s UK nightclub assault sentencing and social media warnings 1:14:24 – Halle Berry’s messy custody battle and child support implications 1:20:59 – A viral Cleveland pastor shocks his congregation by introducing a second wife 1:35:35 – Iconic horror movie scenes from Scream 2 and The Shining that haunt everyday life   Brand new voicemail: ‪(314) 649-3113‬ Subscribe to the Everyone Needs an Aquarius Patreon https://bit.ly/3tXnnCz  Email the show at [email protected]           Follow SOLC Network online Instagram: https://bit.ly/39VL542                                    Twitter: https://bit.ly/39aL395                                     Facebook: https://bit.ly/3sQn7je                            To Listen to the podcast Podbean https://bit.ly/3t7SDJH                                YouTube http://bit.ly/3ouZqJU                                Spotify http://spoti.fi/3pwZZnJ                                Apple http://apple.co/39rwjD1                                                         IHeartRadio http://ihr.fm/2L0A2y 

In this action-packed episode of Just Posted, the crew dives deep into the shifting landscape of college football—breaking down Michigan’s struggles, the unraveling culture at Colorado under Deion Sanders, and the massive top-10 upsets shaking up the season. Next, they pivot to hardwood previews and NBA season openers, analyzing the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, and early player drama. The guys also discuss the serious medical concerns surrounding Jalen Hurts' health, speculate on JayZ's potential Super Bowl moves, and wrap up with hilarious local commentary on a wild St. Louis QuickTrip fight and a matchmaking campaign for Dosia! 00:00 College Football & Portal Realities 05:00 Rivalry Debates & Basketball Talk 10:30 Top-10 Upsets & Big Ten Matchups 17:15 NBA Tip-Off & Early Season Power Rankings 25:00 Celtics Tension, 76ers Supremacy & Curry's Future 32:35 NFL Health Scare 36:10 Super Bowl Speculation & Jay-Z Rumors 43:00 QuickTrip Chaos & Doja's Matchmaking Campaign Email the show at [email protected] or [email protected]    Join The Just Posted Facebook group https://shorturl.at/XvCmF  Follow Just Posted on Instagram @justpostedpodcast  Hit the Voicemail at 641-715-3900 Ext. 769558 Follow SOLC Network online Instagram: https://bit.ly/39VL542                            Twitter: https://bit.ly/39aL395                             Facebook: https://bit.ly/3sQn7je                    To Listen to the podcast Podbean https://bit.ly/3t7SDJH                        YouTube http://bit.ly/3ouZqJU                        Spotify http://spoti.fi/3pwZZnJ                        Apple http://apple.co/39rwjD1                                            IHeartRadio http://ihr.fm/2L0A2y1

In this live recap, the crew breaks down the Carl Thomas vs. Case Verzuz battle. Was this a matchup anyone actually asked for, and do they have enough hits to carry 20 rounds? We debate Case's catalog vs. Carl Thomas' classic Emotional album, discuss whether a Foxy Brown surprise appearance was needed, and unpack Carl's writing credits, Too $hort pulling up, and the debate over Case's whereabouts in South Africa. Plus, we look at the history of women in Verzuz, brainstorm dream matchups like Chanté Moore vs. Faith Evans and Tamia vs. Deborah Cox, and celebrate Stacey’s upcoming birthday! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join the conversation in our Facebook group! Chapters 00:00 - Welcome & Intro 00:58 - "Who Asked For This?" - Catalog & Hit Depth 04:15 - Case vs. Carl Thomas (Where Was Foxy Brown?) 05:19 - The "Beauty" Remix Debate 07:30 - Carl Thomas' Vocals & 'Emotional' Album 11:28 - Too $hort Pulls Up 16:25 - Case, Joe, and the South Africa Fact-Check 19:18 - Background Singers & Danny Boy Spotting 20:47 - Carl Thomas Preaching & Verzuz Vibes 24:07 - E-40 Storytime & Earl Stevens Wine 26:40 - Live Chat & DOA Joins 31:00 - What Could Have Made the Battle Better? 32:18 - Where Are the Women in Verzuz? 36:00 - Dream Female R&B Matchups 43:35 - Stacey's Birthday Celebrations 47:28 - Outro & Wrap Up BRAND New Voicemail 314-649-3113 Join the I Only Listen to 90s Music Facebook Group http://bit.ly/3k0UEDe      Follow I Only Listen to 90s Music on IG https://bit.ly/3sbCphv       Follow SOLC Network online Instagram: https://bit.ly/39VL542                          Twitter: https://bit.ly/39aL395                          Facebook: https://bit.ly/3sQn7je                To Listen to the podcast Podbean https://bit.ly/3t7SDJH                      YouTube http://bit.ly/3ouZqJU                      Spotify http://spoti.fi/3pwZZnJ                     Apple http://apple.co/39rwjD1  IHeartRadio http://ihr.fm/2L0A2y