The Questions Hip-Hop

Sean Kantrowitz connects with journalist/author/hip-hop podcast OG Shawn Setaro to talk about the ins and outs of covering the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial for Complex. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Shawn Setaro: Instagram

Originally broadcast on May 10 and May 17, 2021 Can't Knock the Shuffle features Sean Kantrowitz exploring the discography of an artist, and leaving it to an algorithm to choose which randomly-selected songs to ask the artist about. This classic episode features singer/songwriter and artist Esthero. Songs: "O.G. Bitch" (2003) "Junglebook" feat Andre 3000...kind of ('Wikked Lil Girls,' 2005) "Everything is Expensive" ('Everything is Expensive', 2012) "Streetlights" (Kanye West, '808s and Heartbreak', 2008) "Amber and Tiger's Eye" ('We R in Need of a Musical Revolution!', 2004) "Breath From Another" ('Breath From Another,' 1998) "Gimme Some Time" (2019) ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ esthero.net The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Esthero: Instagram

Originally broadcast on August 26, 2021. Zilla Rocca (Call Out Culture podcast, Wrecking Crew) hops in the hot seat to talk all things hip-hop/music and puts his trivia skills to the ultimate test. ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Zilla Rocca: Instagram

Sean Kantrowitz speaks with London-based author Ben Pedroche, whose book 'Independent as F***: Underground Hip-Hop from 1995-2005' offers a comprehensive overview of the albums, artists, 12" records, and labels that shaped the genre in its arguably most-potent decade. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Ben (Grown Up Rap): Instagram

The second Draft episode of The Questions Hip-Hop podcast takes an in-depth deep dive into the year 2005. Sean Kantrowitz, MidaZ the BEAST, Justin Hunte (The Company Man) and The Last MJ (Don't Quote Me podcast) comb through the year 2005, selecting their picks for Best Mainstream Album, Best Independent Album, Best Beat, Best Emcee, Best Verse, Best Guest Feature/Verse, Best Producer, Best Album Cover, and Best Video. Buckle up and get ready for some hot takes, debates, and a thoughtful look back at what was happening in hip-hop 20 (!) years ago. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ ⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠Instagram⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠Instagram⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: ⁠Instagram⁠ Justin Hunte: Instagram The Last MJ: Instagram

Originally broadcast on June 7, 2021. Can't Knock the Shuffle features Sean Kantrowitz exploring the discography of an artist, and leaving it to an algorithm to choose which randomly-selected songs to ask the artist about. This classic episode features El Da Sensei, the Newark rapper and members of Artifacts whose career spans several decades, groups, and solo projects. Songs: "Speakin'" ('Relax, Relate, Release', 2003) "Live Noise" feat. Akrobatik (w/ The Returners, 'GT2: Nu World', 2010) "Wrong Side of Da Tracks" (Artifacts, 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place', 1994) "It Takes Two" (w/ Sadat X, 'XL,' 2018) "Money" feat Roc Marciano and Reef the Lost Cause ('The Money EP', 2009) "Got Fire" (w/ The Returners, 'Global Takeover', 2008) "31 Bumrush" (Artifacts, 'That's Them,' 1997) ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ El Da Sensei: ⁠Instagram

Originally broadcast on January 13, 2021. Sean is joined by Seattle's self-proclaimed "Queen of Rap," Gifted Gab for a hilarious and insightful conversation about her career – as well as a game of hip-hop trivia. ⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Gifted Gab: Instagram

Making Illmatic returns to The Questions Hip-Hop, as Sean Kantrowitz and MidaZ the BEAST are joined by emcee/producer Jamil Honesty to deep dive into Nas's 'It Was Written' and attempt to scale the album down to its 10 best songs. How do you trim this LP down to 10 songs and does doing so help or hurt the album? Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ ⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠Instagram⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠Instagram⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: ⁠Instagram⁠ Jamil Honesty: ⁠Instagram

Originally broadcast on Feb 3, 2021. Sean is joined by producer/DJ Skizz to talk about his career in hip-hop and producing for the likes of Roc Marciano, Freeway, Sean Price, and many others. And of course – to put his hip-hop trivia skills to the test. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ ⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠

200th Episode Celebration! Sean recounts the 12 Most Important Moments in the podcast's history. ⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ ⁠questionshiphop.com⁠ ⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ Originally broadcast on March 16, 2021. Rapper/producer Lord Digga has collaborated with some absolute legends throughout his career, including Notorious B.I.G. (with three songs on his classic debut 'Ready to Die'), Ol' Dirty Bastard, Masta Ace, and many more. Digga shares stories from his career, tests his hip hop trivia skills, and answers fan questions in this classic episode of The Questions. The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠Instagram⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠Instagram⁠

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop questionshiphop.com Sean connects with Wu-Tang Clan's Mathematics for a "Can't Knock the Shuffle"-themed episode, powered by the AI in FYI.AI and covering the stories behind six randomly-selected Wu songs produced by Mathematics. They also talk about the latest Mathematics-produced Wu-Tang album 'Black Samson: The Bastard Swordsman.' Mathematics "Respect Mine" feat. Raekwon, Method Man, & Cappadonna (Love, Hell or Right, 2003) Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics "Mandingo" (Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman, 2025) Ghostface Killah "Mighty Healthy" (Supreme Clientele, 2000) Wu-Tang Clan "Do You Really (Thang Thang)" (The W, 2000) Method Man and Redman "Fire Ina Hole" (Blackout!, 1999) Wu-Tang Clan "Lesson Learn'd" (The Saga Continues, 2017) The Questions Hip-Hop: Instagram Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram Mathematics: Instagram

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop questionshiphop.com youtube.com/thequestionshiphop Originally broadcast on November 18, 2020. Digging in the Questions Classic crates for this throwback episode featuring DJ and producer 7l of Czarface and 7L & Esoteric. The Questions Hip-Hop: Instagram Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram 7L : Instagram

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop questionshiphop.com youtube.com/thequestionshiphop Esteemed hip-hop historian and journalist Dart Adams returns to the Making Illmatic series of The Questions Hip-Hop, joining Sean Kantrowitz and MidaZ the BEAST in examining Cannibal Ox's debut album 'The Cold Vein.' How do you trim this LP down to 10 songs and does doing so help or hurt the album? The Questions Hip-Hop: Instagram Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram MidaZ the BEAST: Instagram Dart Adams: Instagram

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop questionshiphop.com youtube.com/thequestionshiphop Originally broadcast on May 24, 2021. Simply put, Tre Hardson aka Slimkid3 is a legend. Hip hop was forever changed in 1992 when his group the Pharcyde emerged onto the scene with their classic debut album 'Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde.' The group brought a decidedly animated and imaginative element to their songwriting and presence on the microphone – and Tre definitely stood out with his distinct melodic voice; you could really even say that a lot of these rappers who sing owe a bit to Slimkid3. The Pharcyde’s second album Labcabincalifornia sported a darker sound (and early contributions from the great Jay Dee aka Jay Dilla) that reflected the frustration the group was going through with both the industry – and internally. Tre did one last album with the group (2000’s Plain Rap) before embarking on a solo career that also has seen him team up with DJ Nu-Mark from Jurassic 5, Ozomatli, and occasional reunions with various members of his Pharcyde brethren – and today they are back at it (as a trio), touring the world and possibly poised to release new music soon. In this Can't Knock the Shuffle classic, we break down stories behind the following songs: "Groupie Therapy" (Pharcyde 'Labcabincalifornia', 1995) "Trust" (Pharcyde 'Plain Rap', 2000) "King" feat Diamond D and K-Natural ('Slimkid3 & Nu-Mark', 2016) "Life is Love" ('Liberation', 2002) "Pick It Up" feat Dillon Cooper (TRDMRK, 2019) "4 Better or 4 Worse" (Pharcyde 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde', 1992) The Questions Hip-Hop: Instagram Sean Kantrowitz: Instagram Slimkid3: Instagram