Best Golden Age Hip Hop Podcasts (2024)

1
EP8 38:42

3d ago38:42

38:42

we talk about cons remembering the past the Actors who passed and 9/11 and much more sorry for the late ness Sept 13thBy WonderingSaunders

1
A History of Disco 2:54:44

3d ago2:54:44

2:54:44

In which The Curmudgeons shake, shake, shake that booty and revisit one of popular music's most unfairly maligned genres. Disco was essentially funky orchestral music--grand, reverb-heavy, maximal, showy, dramatic. Yet it was also energetic and fun as hell. Here, we explore disco's birth as a movement of freedom and uninhibited expression in Black …

1
KISS In The 1970s 1:28:22

18d ago1:28:22

1:28:22

In which The Curmudgeons know you wanted the best so we're giving it to you. Long live KISS, whose live act and meaty, ferocious riffs are both legendary. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss understood that rock 'n' roll, at the end of the day, is all about the show. And KISS, nearly 50 years ago, put on the greatest show on the…

1
Lynyrd Skynyrd...A Checkered Legacy 1:21:17

1M ago1:21:17

1:21:17

In which The Curmudgeons discuss the awesome power and influence of one of the innovators of the Southern thing, as The Drive-By Truckers refer to it. Lynyrd Skynyrd remains one of the most underrated rock bands of all time, a condition that is partially its own fault, given how it has tied itself in its most recent form to the worst of old Souther…

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1972 - The Real Beginning of the 1970s 1:47:30

2M ago1:47:30

1:47:30

In which the Curmudgeons end their epic series of odes to the music of a nine-year period that transformed everything--and then some--in popular music. By 1972, the hangover from the revolutionary vibes of the 1960s had subsided, and that era's outgrowth of freedom and experimentation truly started to blossom. The Rolling Stones filtered American r…

1
The Best Songs From 1970s Blaxploitation Films 1:10:52

2M ago1:10:52

1:10:52

In which The Curmudgeons stand up to the man and deliver the best of the best of a special era for both cinema and music, when African-Americans anti-heroes lit up the screens and imaginations of a generation of young Black people. And also young Black artists, who cranked out stunning funk, soul and disco anthems to accompany these films. Isaac Ha…

1
DREAM TEAM 2: 1993 feat KRS-One, Wu-Tang, Ice Cube, Snoop, Black Moon and more! 1:56:26

2M ago1:56:26

1:56:26

1993 was a special time in hip-hop. On the East Coast, it was the year of shouty choruses, bald heads, big coats and Tims – and that’s just Run DMC – while Wu-Tang and Black Moon launched their legendary debut bangers. On the West Coast, Snoop’s first album took the hip-hop world from behind, the feud between Dre and Eazy got personal, and Ice Cube…

1
When Hardcore Hip-Hop Went Mainstream (1992-98) 2:56:47

2M ago2:56:47

2:56:47

In which The Curmudgeons revisit an era where the streets soared to the top of the charts...and then unleashed their danger on hip-hop's finest artists. The success of Dr. Dre's 1992 album The Chronic ushered in an era where cursing, threatening lyrical opponents with violence, drug use and other chicanery became acceptable fodder for the radio dia…

1
coming soon Meadowlark comic con 5:15

3M ago5:15

5:15

coming soon meadowlark comic con podcastBy WonderingSaunders

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1971 - The Greatest Year Ever? 2:14:26

3M ago2:14:26

2:14:26

In which The Curmudgeons explore one of the most extraordinary years for rock music of all time. We won't call it the greatest, because we don't really believe in such a superlative. But, still, 1971 was pretty freakin' great. Patheon albums from Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and The Who; stone-cold masterpieces from Carole King and Joni Mitchel…

1
Music Icon Dyana Williams and the Making of Black Music Month 41:21

3M ago41:21

41:21

Arriving in Philadelphia after deejaying in her native New York and Washington D.C., where she was known for a time as “Ebony Moonbeams,” Dyana Williams established the popular radio show “Love on the Menu” for radio station WDAS and later Soulful Sundays for Classix 107.9. The latter show lasting for 12 years before signing off for the last time i…

1
DREAM TEAM 1: 1996 feat 2Pac, Jay-Z, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Wu-Tang Clan and more! 1:40:06

4M ago1:40:06

1:40:06

We’re back in effect with a brand-new format: DREAM TEAM! The goal of this new series is to create an all-starplaylist of songs for each year of hip-hop’s 1990s golden era. In each episode, we take 22 of our favourite hip-hop joints from the selected year and draw them against each other in a series of one-on-one matches. We use the three-man vote …

1
Why The Black Keys Are...Great!! 1:15:58

4M ago1:15:58

1:15:58

In which The Curmudgeons celebrate the music and indelible legacy of one of the 21st Century's smartest, most vital rock bands. When The Black Keys first hit in 2002, comparisons with The White Stripes were inevitable. After all, they were a duo that blasted forth with just a guitar and drums. But that's where the fair comparisons ended. The Black …

1
Why Arcade Fire...Are Shit!! 1:04:34

4M ago1:04:34

1:04:34

In which the Curmudgeons hammer one of the most perplexing "it" bands of the entire 21st Century. Arcade Fire stormed out of Montreal in 2004 with Funeral, a debut album that captured the imagination of throngs of unimaginative indie hipster d-bags. Whereas their fans and a whole bunch of fawning rock critics heard glorious art in all the band's ma…

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1970 - Into the Mystic 2:25:37

5M ago2:25:37

2:25:37

In which the Curmudgeons continue their romp through rock's second golden age by revisiting perhaps the age's most underrated year. There were a ton of great albums released in 1970, as we discuss at least half-a-ton of those albums during this episode. It was a year when the rock 'n' roll generation started to mature and grow more varied in its ta…

1
Hip-Hop's Golden Age (1986-1991) 2:15:59

5M ago2:15:59

2:15:59

In which The Curmudgeons straight cold rock a party and revisit hip-hop's greatest, most electrifying, most unendingly thrilling period, which stretched from 1986 to 1991. We tear through 12 brilliant albums and dozens of awesome singles that taught all the MCs and producers that followed how it should it be done--and how it would be done from here…

1
PLAY OFF 9: The Notorious B.I.G. 'Life After Death' Disc 1 vs Disc 2 1:53:58

5M ago1:53:58

1:53:58

In the final episode of this series, we’re giving The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1997 double album Life After Death a Play-Off post-mortem to decide which of its two discs is the best. Life After Death is Biggie’s second and final album, released a mere 16 days after his murder, and continues right where his revered debut Ready To Die left off. The beats a…

1
Rod Stewart - WTF Happened?! 1:22:42

6M ago1:22:42

1:22:42

In which The Curmudgeons marvel at the trainwreck that the career of a pretty fabulous rock 'n' roll singer became. Rod Stewart's gravelly, soulful voice was the engine for a series of great ramped-up yet mostly acoustic albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s, all of which cemented a solid legacy for the singer. And then Stewart became beholden t…

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1969 - Peace, Love and Blood 2:31:24

6M ago2:31:24

2:31:24

In which The Curmudgeons meditate on one of rock's most important years. The music of 1969 was as inspiring as the times it was released were tumultuous. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who all released celebrated masterworks. Southern rock was born, and the newfangled form of funk continued to evolve. And two gigantic festivals hit the Uni…

1
Vol.07-Ep.01 (song 257 to 296) Featuring: Czarface, Wu Tang Clan, Outkast, The Roots, Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar and more 2:42:36

6M ago2:42:36

2:42:36

Support the showBy Mr. Ron

1
In Defense Of...The Doors 1:48:14

6M ago1:48:14

1:48:14

In which The Curmudgeons make the case for what we think is one of the most underrated bands of all time: The Doors. Wait. The Doors?! Yup. Once revered and now reviled, The Doors, we believe, are viewed by younger generations as a Baby Boomer fossil that is as pretentious as it is insufferable. But that misses the mark badly. Listen as we discuss …

1
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - The Most Underrated Band of the 00's 1:03:29

7M ago1:03:29

1:03:29

In which The Curmudgeons introduce you--again--to your new favorite band. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club spliced the neo-psychedelic swagger of bands like The Brian Jonestown Massacre with the rawkin' menace of the Stone Roses, Oasis and other British bands to offer a maximal yet poignant vision of what rock 'n' roll should be. Their five-album output…

1
PLAY OFF 8: 2nd II None vs The UMCs 1:41:59

7M ago1:41:59

1:41:59

In this episode we take the time machine back to 1991 and check out two albums very close to Danny’s heart – 2nd II None’s self-titled debut effort and ‘Fruits of Nature’ by The UMCs. Released a month apart and boasting many similarities, these albums sparked his love affair with hip-hop as a lad – but do co-hosts Steve and James share his passion?…

1
Vol.6-Ep.6 (song 247 to 256) Feat. MF Doom, Jurassic 5, Dilated People, Papoose, Immortal Technique and more... 49:09

7M ago49:09

49:09

Support the showBy Mr. Ron

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1968 - Say You Want a Revolution? 2:06:47

8M ago2:06:47

2:06:47

In which The Curmudgeons explore the dichotomous year that followed 1967's Summer of Love trippiness. The previous year's highs represent a peak creative burst. Well, where to go next? That's where the era's most storied artists diverged. On the one hand, you had bands that went bigger and bolder--The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and The Grateful Dead fal…

1
Hip-Hop Comes of Age (1980-85) 1:38:28

8M ago1:38:28

1:38:28

In which the Curmudgeons marvel at how quickly, and how well, hip-hop evolved after the Sugar Hill Gang's massive 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight" changed the game completely for everyone. We tell the story of how entrepreneurs, hustlers and visionaries seized the moment to bridge gaps between the streets, the art galleries and the record-label boardroo…

1
Thavius Beck discusses his journey through music, from the Golden Age of LA’s Hip-Hop underground, to an assistant professorship at Berklee NYC 1:47:17

8M ago1:47:17

1:47:17

Thavius Beck’s story started in Minneapolis and led him to California, into the Golden age of Los Angeles’ underground Hip-Hop culture through legendary venues like The Good Life, Project Blowed and Low End Theory. Emerging as a respected producer, emcee and electronic music performer, Thavius continued to walk the road laid out for him by his crea…

1
Rock 'n' Roll's Greatest B-Sides 1:38:27

9M ago1:38:27

1:38:27

In which the Curmudgeons count down our selections for the 50 best B-side songs in rock history. The B-side is something of a lost art as digital music dominates and physical media becomes less prevalent. But there was a time when the other side of the 45 or tracks 2 and 3 of the CD maxi-single mattered. There, you could find songs the artist inten…

1
PLAY OFF 7: People Under The Stairs vs J-Live 2:11:17

9M ago2:11:17

2:11:17

In our first episode of 2024, we take a trip back to the early noughties for a battle of the backpack rap classics! We put ‘Question in the Form of an Answer’ by People Under The Stairs (2000) up against J-Live’s debut album ‘The Best Part’ (2001) to decide which takes home the HHWC trophy. Widely regarded as two of the new millennium’s best hip-ho…

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1967 - Arrivals in Technicolor 2:24:04

9M ago2:24:04

2:24:04

In which The Curmudgeons revisit an unbelievably fertile year for popular music during the 20th century. The Beatles dropped Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. James Bown dropped "Cold Sweat." And a staggering number of artists announced their arrival in stunning fashion--Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, the Velvet Underground and others. And, yes…

1
Our Top 10 Albums of 2023 1:30:28

9M ago1:30:28

1:30:28

In which The Curmudgeons each reveal their favorite records of the year. Frankly, it was a mediocre past 12 months for popular music, and there aren't a whole lot of records people will remember a decade from now. Yet there were some gems, and during this moment in time, we're excited to share our picks. Call it a public service. Enjoy a sampler pl…

1
PLAY OFF 6: 2Pac 'All Eyez On Me' Book 1 vs Book 2 2:11:49

10M ago2:11:49

2:11:49

In this epic episode (epicsode?), it’s all earz on 2Pac’s 1996 diamond-selling doublealbum ALL EYEZ ON ME. Fresh outta jail and bursting with ‘thug passion’, 2Pac banged out this 27-track opus indouble-quick time, backed by the physical/financial might of Death Row head honcho Suge Knight and a luxury line-up of the West Coast’s finest producers – …

1
Blind Melon is the BEST CD I Have! 1:18:19

10M ago1:18:19

1:18:19

In which The Curmudgeons celebrate an underrated classic album that was Chris's favorite for a stretch when he was 18 years old. Yes, the episode title is a direct assertion about Blind Melon's debut record Chris made once upon a time to Arturo. But was it a warranted statement from a tortured 18-year-old kid? Of course not, but don't we all have a…

1
The Best of the Neil Young Archives...So Far 1:47:38

11M ago1:47:38

1:47:38

In which The Curmudgeons plumb the vast archival releases of one of our favorite artists, Neil Young. Chris, in fact, considers himself a Neil Young-ologist, and he takes the lead in touring ten of the most essential releases in what has seemed, since 2009, like a never-ending torrent of live recordings and unreleased studio material dating all the…

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1966 - A Tale of Three Albums 1:50:51

11M ago1:50:51

1:50:51

In which the Curmudgeons revisit the year when rock 'n' roll exploded into psychedelic glory. The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and The Beatles' Revolver greatly expanded rock's vocabulary--with a little help from their friends. All three albums are considered timeless greats, and we discuss the myriad reasons why. We also pa…

1
In Defense Of...Boston’s ”Boston” 1:24:42

11M ago1:24:42

1:24:42

In which The Curmudgeons espouse the virtues of Bston's glorious, pioneering arena rock masterpiece. Boston's self-titled debut was the product of the creative mind and engineering talents of a guy who worked by day as an engineer for Polaroid. His use of multiple tracks to layer lead guitar parts and vocals effectively created what became a cliche…

1
PLAY OFF 5: Public Enemy vs Terminator X 1:46:41

12M ago1:46:41

1:46:41

PUBLIC ENEMY 'APOCALPYSE '91: THE ENEMY STRIKES BLACK' (1991) vs 'TERMINATOR X AND THE VALLEY OF THE JEEP BEETS' (1991) This is the big one! After an unsuccessful tenure at TruSkore HQ in Qatar, Larry has been lured out of retirement by the only album that could do it - Public Enemy's fourth and sorely under-discussed LP 'Apocalypse '91: The Enemy …

1
Remember When U2 Did NOT Suck? 1:43:14

12M ago1:43:14

1:43:14

In which the Curmudgeons remember and pay fond tribute to one of our favorite bands of all time, which now unfortunately is masquerading as an emblem for Las Vegas tourism. We give close attention to the hope, grace and sense of wonder that made the band's anthemic brand of rock 'n' roll so magnificent. We focus especially on the period between 198…

1
How Artist Candice Luter is Creating Home Through Her Work in Furniture and Design 1:50:30

1y ago1:50:30

1:50:30

Candice Luter is an Iowa-based furniture designer and artist, creating furnishings and accessories for the home that are a perfect balance of beauty and functionality. The latest artist to join the AphroChic Art Shop, Candice is using design as something transformative for herself, while also creating a safe space for women in the furniture design …

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1965 - A Story in Seven Acts 1:38:09

1y ago1:38:09

1:38:09

In which the Curmudgeons focus their gaze on music that exploded into our cultural consciousness 58 years ago--and is still exploding now. For the second consecutive year, The Beatles and Bob Dylan changed and everything and then some. The Rolling Stones started writing songs and kicking ass. James Brown, The Byrds, The Who and The Beach Boys also …

1
The Top 40 Rock Songs About Or In New York City 1:49:44

1y ago1:49:44

1:49:44

In which the Curmudgeons wake up in the city that never sleeps once more and offer a countdown of what we think is the definitive list of the greatest 40 rock 'n' roll songs about the Big Apple. We touch on the city's love-hate dichotomies and make the argument that these songs paint the city as an experience more than as a residence. And Arturo re…

1
James Beard Award Winning Chef, JJ Johnson, Discusses African Diaspora Food Culture and His Harlem Restaurant, Fieldtrip 57:11

1y ago57:11

57:11

We’re revisiting our summer of 2020 conversation with one of New York’s most prominent chefs, JJ Johnson, that was held on Instagram Live. We discussed the James Beard Award winning chef’s heroic work feeding those in need during lockdown and his focus on developing a creative ecosystem that supports Black farmers, restaurants and consumers.…

1
Hip-Hop ”Turns 50”: A Meditation on Its Birth 1:47:04

1y ago1:47:04

1:47:04

In which The Curmudgeons give the origins of hip-hop a serious treatment and contemplate the magical melding of time, place and resources that makes its early history so compelling. The pioneers of the genre stared down the destruction and impoverishment of the South Bronx with the swagger of kings, organically spinning celebration, and positivity,…

1
Vol. 06 Ep.05 (Song 237 to 246) Feat. The Native Tongues: The Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Queen Latifah... 51:58

1y ago51:58

51:58

Support the showBy Mr. Ron

1
PLAY OFF 4: EPMD vs K-Solo 1:36:38

1y ago1:36:38

1:36:38

Time to don the helmets and prepare for what we're calling the 'HIT SQUAD HEADBANGER'! That's right - Danny and Steve take a trip back to 1992 as EPMD's 'Business Never Personal' knocks heads with K-Solo's 'Time's Up' in a two-way tussle. In this episode, we discuss the delicious irony of EPMD's 'Crossover', throw shade (business) on Parrish Smith'…

1
The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1964 - The Times They Are A Changin’ 1:40:19

1y ago1:40:19

1:40:19

In which The Curmudgeons launch their latest "golden age" series, this time on the one that arguably matters the most: the second one. Between 1964 and 1972, everything changed, and then changed again. The whole cultural powderkeg exploded into something thrilling, something indescribable and something that ensured podcasts like ours will always ex…

1
Vol. 06 Ep. 04 (Song 227 to 236) Feat. Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, Rakim, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick 52:24

1y ago52:24

52:24

Support the showBy Mr. Ron

1
Canary Islands Fine Art Photographer Fares Micue Discusses Her Exclusive New Collection with AphroChic 1:16:58

1y ago1:16:58

1:16:58

Spanish fine art photographer Fares Micue's surreal photographs literally transport the viewer to new worlds. Over the past year, AphroChic has worked on a an exclusive collection with Fares. Created in the Canary Islands as well as featuring images from her latest trip to Korea, we speak with the photographer about the new pieces and the inspirati…

1
An Examination of the Black Crowes 1:17:48

1y ago1:17:48

1:17:48

In which The Curmudgeons marvel at the pure rock 'n' roll glory of what we think is an underappreciated band, The Black Crowes. The band blended the influence of the Rolling Stones, Faces, Humble Pie and dollops of Southern Rock into a blast of audio dynamite that exploded in...1990, when MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice and Paula Abdul otherwise ruled the u…

1
James Brown...The Super Bad, Mr. Dynamite of All Legacies, Pt. 3 (1975-2006) 1:06:34

1y ago1:06:34

1:06:34

In which the Curmudgeons follow James Brown into his disco-era slump and his triumphant return to the top of the charts with the shining monument that was "Living in America." We also cover Brown's troubling descent into drug addiction and criminal behavior, which in 1988 culminated with a 2-year-plus prison sentence. There also are sordid allegati…

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Golden Age Hip Hop Podcasts

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