Episode 129: Hotepy

We’re back after some time away! After going to the first Roots Picnic, we recap the time we had, the artists we saw and our overall impressions of the festival. That somehow leads into a HEATED debate about Craig David’s greatness, the BRIT Awards, J Hus and more.00:00 Who’s going to Jay-Z’s London concert?03:55 The Roots Picnic22:35 HEATED Craig David debate50:21 OutroMusic: The Roots - Respond/React (Instrumental)Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

We’re joined by Blue Lab Beats, the London-based duo that merges jazz, rap and electronica for a breezy, deep and extremely soulful brand of music. Made up of NK-OK and David Mrkapor, they're celebrating 10 years as a duo, a run which includes 5 albums, a Grammy Award and 5 MOBO nominations. Their brand of music has seen them collaborate with everyone from Kofi Stone and Kojey Radical to Tiana Major9 and Anjelique Kidjo, and their new album ‘The Blue Lab Beats Show’ is out now, which serves as a celebration of their incredible 10-year milestone.They reveal their story, from meeting as teenagers at an arts college and their new album to their historic Grammy win, and they share gems about the intimate relationship between rap and jazz. There are stories about Black Thought, Herbie Hancock, Roy Ayers, Patrice Rushen and more!15:07 Blue Lab Beats’ favourite rappers ever22:39 Challenges and benefits of being a jazz band28:40 Blue Lab Beats’ beginnings43:28 The concept of Blue Lab Beats’ new album55:22 Separating business from creativity59:24 Blue Lab Beats on winning a Grammy1:07:32 Performing live & staying creative1:29:14 Blue Lab Beats’ Black Thought story1:35:02 Blue Lab Beats’ Roy Ayers story1:36:54 Dream collaborations1:40:01 Which part of London has the best rappers?1:44:29 Essential jazz rap songs/albums1:48:08 OutroMusic: Blue Lab Beats - North London PaceFollow Blue Lab Beats:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluelab_beats/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

We’re joined by UK legend Guvna B! He's an award-winning rapper, author and broadcaster who places his life and faith at the forefront of his music, which spans rap, jazz and gospel-inspired soul. He came up as a rapper around the same time the UK scene was moving towards electropop and carved out a unique lane for artists putting intention and vulnerability into his music. His stark analyses of everything from structural racism and youth violence to addiction and grief has earned him collaborations with the likes of Wretch 32, D Double E and his cousin, the actress and writer Michaela Coel, as well as a few MOBO Awards.Guvna shares his journey from releasing his first lbum at the age of 17 to freshly dropping his 10th studio album, ‘This Bed I Made,’ getting personal about his life including bouts with addiction, getting divorced, being a single father, how the UK scene views him, the trials and tribulations of being labelled a Christian rapper, who he rates in the scene and much more!12:45 Guvna B's favourite rappers34:00 What Guvna B represents for UK music49:33 Guvna B's journey and catalogue1:02:44 Guvna B's creative process1:05:29 Guvna B's new album 'This Bed I Made'1:24:49 Album associationMusic: Guvna B - Rest My HeadFollow Guvna B:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guvnab/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@guvnabX: https://x.com/guvnabFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

This week, we react to one of the most anticipated rap albums of the decade: Drake’s ‘Iceman.’ On top of releasing this long awaited album, Drizzy two further surprise albums in 'HABIBTI' and 'Mid Of Honour' but we're sticking with a review of 'Iceman.' We share our initial thoughts, how our relationships with Drake have changed, our expectations and whether the album succeeded or fell short. Music: Drake - Make Them PayFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespod Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

We're joined by one of the most promising artists in UK rap: Tay Jordan. Representing Norwood, South London, Tay is one of the flyest rappers in the game, boasting G-Funk-inspired production and smooth stories of thugging it out, hustling, and the hardships of the hustle, giving his music a local London feel. He’s part of the new wave of rappers breathing new life into the scene with their unique approaches to music and bars, and he’s three projects deep, having just dropped his latest, 'Last Run.'We dig deep into Tay's musical journey, including his father being a producer, his first raps, his new project, his sound, his favourite rappers and more!2:29 Icebreaker7:49 Tay’s favourite rappers ever25:58 Tay’s early music journey 43:50 Tay’s early rap career49:51 Tay’s new project ‘Last Run’1:09:03 Tay on gaining attention in the scene1:20:50 Tay on making his own beats1:22:14 Tay’s label situation & The Player’s Club1:29:17 Tay’s definition of success1:33:04 Tay chooses which part of London has the best rappers1:39:43 Three essential Tay Jordan songsMusic: Tay Jordan - Penny UpFollow Tay Jordan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tayjordan_pc/X: https://x.com/tayjordan_pcTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tayjordan_pcFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespod Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

Following the release of Central Cee and J His’ recent collab ‘Slaughter,’ we talk about Hus in depth, discussing his recent creative direction, where he’s going next and the desire to hear a different side of the East London legend.Then, we take it in turns to name the rapper that’s appeared on the most classic hip-hop albums ever, before detouring to a chat about whether Drake has a classic. Later, we share our favourite subliminal in rap history, from the likes of Nas, Biggie and more. We close by paying tribute to the late, great Dot Rotten, the London MC and producer who sadly passed away in March 2026.0:00 Where does J Hus go next?24:00 Which rapper has been on the most classic albums?30:26 Does Drake have a classic album?46:15 Our favourite rap subliminals1:06:23 RIP Dot RottenMusic: Central Cee & J Hus - SlaughterFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespod  Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

This week, we’re joined by ICXN aka Ibrahim Kamara, a rapper, singer, entrepreneur and businessman. He started making music as a pre-teen before shifting his focus to business and co-founding GUAP, one of the UK’s most prominent Black British magazines which has profiled Leon Thomas and Odeal among others, and has collaborated with everyone from Instagram to Adidas, and even got ICXN a slot in the Forbes ’30 Under 30’ list. He pivoted back to music in late 2024, releasing his solo project ‘Ibrahim’ in 2025.We dig into his life, career and position in the UK scene, growing up in Lewisham, making music with intention, how GUAP works, his favourite rappers ever and much more!Music: ICXN - So Different8:57 ICXN’s favourite rappers ever27:57 ICXN’s early journey with music42:17 ICXN’s shift to co-founding GUAP Mag51:16 the mechanics of running a magazine 1:02:02 the business of music1:07:14 ICXN’s return to music1:15:54 Creating ICXN’s debut project 'Ibrahim'1:28:30 ICXN’s goals1:36:59 ICXN’s creative process1:42:25 ICXN’s 2026 plans + dream collabsFollow ICXN:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icxn/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@icxnffFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

We have not one but TWO guests this week: Quincy OG and Paul Stephan. Representing Thamesmead, South London, and the SMF collective they co-founded, Quincy and Paul are two talented MCs and personalities who navigate the game with charm, personality and weighty bars. Their music and cultural takes has had the whole scene buzzing and millions of fans flocking and they’re only getting more praise and plaudits as the days go by. For the keen eye, Quincy was one of our very first guests!We dig into their history as friends, their relationship with Peter, how the SMF collective came about, Paul’s music with mellow grime producer Bexblu and Quincy’s pivot to hosting and comedy. In addition to HEATED debates about the UK rap scene, Baby Keem, whether there’s been a UK rap classic this decade, and much more!Music: Paul Stephan & Wilfried - Talk My What3:02 Icebreaker12:07 Quincy and Paul’s top 5 favourite rappers25:55 Paul and Quincy’s come up45:00 SMF and Quincy’s pivot to comedy59:02 Paul linking up with Bexblu and embracing soulful beats1:11:12 Paul breaks down melody1:18:17 The guys break down Chip vs Ambush1:22:57 Paul and Quincy’s thoughts on the UK rap scene1:36:51 Paul and Quincy’s dream collaborations1:46:30 SMF’s essential songs1:49:54 Quincy’s GENERATIONAL rap rant1:55:23 Paul and Quincy which area of London has the best MCs1:59:44 Outro Follow Quincy OG:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quincy_smf/Follow Paul Stephan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulstephan_smf/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

This week, we're joined by DeeRiginal, one of the most unique artists coming out of the UK today with an original blend of grime, R&B and spoken word helping him carve a lane that is all his own.He’s been active for over a decade and is only starting to hit his stride, having dropped two projects in 2025, 'London Borough of Bewm' and 'Bereavement Blues.' He’s also part of itsleftfield, a collective of artists pushing lyrical and sonic boundaries, alongside the likes of Namesbliss, SAMSON and more.We dig into DeeRiginal's journey with music, his fascination with his home city of London, his rapping style, dream collaborations, his favourite rappers ever and more!Music: DeeRiginal - Balance & Symmetry2:12 London geography8:03 Icebreaker16:19 DeeRiginal's favourite rappers ever25:52 DeeRiginal's music, style and come up55:34 DeeRiginal's approach to live shows and creative influences1:04:55 What part of London does DeeRiginal think has the best rappers?1:22:37 DeeRiginal's approach to his music videos1:27:58 DeeRiginal's dreams for his career1:30:35 Three essential DeeRiginal tracksFollow DeeRiginal:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deeriginal/X: https://x.com/DeeRiginalFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod

A little bit of an emergency episode, but we had to do it. This week, we react to one of the most anticipated rap albums of the decade: J. Cole’s ‘The Fall Off.’ We recorded this reaction immediately after listening to the album - billed as the North Carolina MC’s final album - together in the studio. We share our initial thoughts, our expectations and whether the album succeeded or fell short.1:57 Intro7:09 Expectations for 'The Fall Off'20:39 Review of 'The Fall Off'58:49 HEATED debate about toxic internet culture with rap fans1:11:09 Final verdict on 'The Fall Off'Music: J. Cole - The Fall Off Is InevitableFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhymesdimespod/Follow us on X: https://x.com/rhymesdimespod Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhymesdimespod