Brooklyn Props Radio [3] May - June Bangers

On this extra special episode we talk to Griddy's father about growing up in Scotland, traveling the world and experiences immigrating to the United States.

We did a joint show with Effwhutuheard Radio. Join the Brooklyn Props crew, Wolf of BK and DJ Tay Ferg as we comment on some previous shows. Everything form gentrification to the current goth-rap trends. You can find Effwhutuheard Radio on iTunes.

This week the crew welcomes DJ Still Life, creator of Str8 West Coastin, a West Coast hip-hop party hosted in Brooklyn every summer. We talk about how Still Life got started DJing in California, and how legendary crews like the Beat Junkies and Invisibl Skratch Piklz inspired him. Then we switch gears to discuss his experiences DJing in NYC over the last decade. We get into minutiae of planning and hosting your own party, including how to find the right venue, dealing with food vendors, the role of marketing/advertising, and finding the right mix of music, vibes, and frequency that can help make the party a success. If you are in Brooklyn on Saturday, August 19, drop by Project Parlor in Bed-Stuy for the final Str8 West Coastin party of the summer.

This episode we are joined by A$AP Rocky collaborator, sound engineer, producer, and composer Daniel Lynas. We talk about his start as a performer, the advantages of going to school in NYC, and what contributed to his early success. We then get technical and talk about his love for loud speakers, Wurlitzer organs, and the importance of studio room dynamics. Lynas also gives us his favorite production plug-ins as well as the hierarchy of studio equipment and what you should spend money on for your bedroom set-up. Afterwards we talk about working with artists: the best ways to collaborate, developing your composition, and when you should stop a session. We close out by talking to Lynas about his personal projects, balancing personal creativity and creativity-for-hire, and how he started working with A$AP Rocky. All that plus "Despacito," Kendrick dominating, woke Jay-Z, reverb, Lord Alfred, and we try to answer the the question: What does DJ Khaled actually do? To contact Lynas and inquire about recording/engineering/composition, email him at daniel.lynas@gmail.com. 

Most hip-hop fans are familiar with XXL's annual "Freshman" class of up-and-coming rappers. As rap music--and its fans--get older, we thought it would be fun to discuss which rappers are part of the Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes. In this episode, we try to answer the following questions: What does it it take to become an Upperclassmen? What keeps hip-hop Freshman from moving on to the next class and into long-term success? What does a mature hip-hop career look like? Whose next to graduate?

We also highlight a documentary that served as an inspiration for this episode: "Adult Rappers." The film features older, independent hip-hop artists discussing what it's like to continue to follow their dreams of making music in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Definitely check it out--it will give you a totally new perspective on the work it takes to be a working artist. The hour-long film can be viewed on YouTube and Vimeo.  

Lastly, we give a quick shoutout to Camp Brooklyn Fund, a nonprofit that raises money to send low-income kids living in Brooklyn to summer camp in Upstate New York. It's a great organization that helps kids get out of the city and into nature. Michael from Camp Brooklyn joins us in the beginning of the episode to talk about their latest fundraising initiatives: a gala and silent auction. Visit CampBrooklyn.org for more info.

Thanks to our special guests, Michael and Marques, for coming on the show. 

This episode is dedicated to conscious rap. We explore the different definitions of conscious rap, where it started, political vs. non-political conscious rap, and how modern rappers have evolved these ideals. We also talk about some our favorite current conscious rappers.

 This episode we are joined by the writer, producer and cast of the short film "Harlem Love." We spoke to the independent filmmakers about their entire production process, from writing the script and casting the roles, to developing the set and costumes designs and filming in NYC. We also talked about full-length films vs. short films, navigating the film festival circuit and how to successfully raise money on the fundraising site Indiegogo. thanks to Richard Joseph, Nadhege Ptah, Yvette Joseph, and Curtis L. Williams for coming on the show.

Follow https://twitter.com/harlemlovefilm for more info on the film!

What is it about modern producers that makes them as marketable as performing artists? The crew unpacks this and other questions as we talk about how the role of the producer has evolved into a tastemaker for the music industry. Topics include: The difference between producers like Puffy and DJ Premier, what makes a producer hot, and defining "traditional" hip-hop production and what it sounds like. We also provide a sonic exploration of the genesis of Atlanta's beats that links MC Shy D to Young Thug. We close the show with the King of TV, and talk about Atlanta, one of our new favorite TV shows. Thanks to BrooklynRadio.com and Brickhaus Studios. P.S. Don't do it, Delores!  

This podcast is for the sports fans. We open the show with the NFL and the Josh Norman situation: Is he out of position? Overpaid? Then we talk about the best of the young quarterbacks in the league (aka Goff vs. Wentz) [6:00]; Belichick getting it done; Darrelle Revis; and the best receivers in the league. [14:00] We also pour one out for Jameis Winston (#all.I.do.is.Winston) [18:00]. We then shift gears to the NBA [20:45] and go into the stories of the upcoming season. We dive into Dwight Howard and the Atlanta Hawks: Will they change their system to fit new personal? Then we turn to the Chicago Bulls [25:00]: Whose team is it? Was bringing in new coach Fred Hoiberg last year a good move? We move on to the Washington Wizards: Do John Wall and Bradley Beal have issues with each other? [28:00] We round out the Eastern conference with the Milwaukee Bucks and Black Porzingis! We then turn [31:00] to the Western Conference and talk about whose up next for the San Antonio Spurs; the Minnesota Timberwolves and their ceiling [33:00]; and the Portland Trail Blazers and if they will evolve into a consistent playoff team. We then spotlight Carmelo Anthony and James Harden, and the questions surrounding these stars going into the season [35:00]. Lastly, we talk about NBA League Pass and give you the best games for the first half of the season [39:00]. We close with some King of TV and the Emmys [52:00]. All that plus Antonio Brown, business Romo, the Betrayal Bowl and graphic packages. Go for it! Thanks to BrooklynRadio.com and The Brickhaus for the support! #blackporzingis 

Just the crew on this one. We open with our [MUSIC] segment and get into the controversy surrounding Frank Ocean's recent split with the Universal Music Group. We discuss the events that led up to the split, identify the stakeholders involved, talk about where all the money goes, the larger legal issues, and how this may change the way labels finance and promote artists. Then we get into our [SPORTS][39:00] segment, where we talk college football and the waning SEC, comebacks, Derrick Rose, Tebow's new career prospect, boxing (Griddy with the call), the NFL and Tony Romo (sorry, Charlie), and the best of current sports documentary. All that plus Terrence Malik, Britney Spears and ITT. Check for The Stranger Things mix here (the stream jumps because of some technical issues). Thanks to BrooklynRadio.com and Brickhaus Studios. Grime dem boys! #legalissues, 

*The Derrick Rose Confidence Tape mentioned in this episode was created prior to the release of the grand jury testimony. We are in no way encouraging or endorsing the behavior described in the transcripts. I am just a Knicks fan, trying to get hype for the pre-season.