The Fly Fidelity Podcast

As Dreamville’s in-house mixing engineer, Juro “MEZ” Davis has been a creative force behind some of the label’s most defining moments, including much of J Cole’s discography—most notably Born Sinner, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, 4 Your Eyez Only, The Off-Season, and more recently The Fall Off. Davis joined us for an in-depth conversation about the evolution of his career and creative workflow—from being mentored by MF GRIMM and mixing for Monsta Island Czars (M.I.C.) early in his journey to helping shape Dreamville’s sonic identity. He also discusses using J. Cole’s “Wet Dreamz” and “Can’t Get Enough” as sonic benchmarks to guide mixing decisions, his work on fan favourites such as The Come Up and Friday Night Lights, the life-changing trajectory of 2014 Forest Hills Drive, and the varying stages The Fall Off went through from conception to completion. Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast: Please consider supporting us at Patreon.com/FlyFidelity, where members can access a range of monthly benefits including early access to episodes, bonus content, and an exclusive members-only podcast. You can also support the show by leaving a review, subscribing, and sharing the podcast across platforms.

In the 30 years since releasing his acclaimed debut album 'Soul On Ice', Ras Kass has unapologetically blazed his own unique career path and shaped a journey driven by uncompromising lyrics, resilience over trends and political resistance. Hailing from Watts and making waves on Sway and King Tech's The Wake Up Show, he's back with a new project called "Leopard Eats Face"—a self described victory lap and celebration of where he is today professionally and personally. In this episode, we chopped it up with the water-proof MC about creating a project he'd love as a fan,finding joy in the creative process, his memories of working with the late great Safiir, and hip hop's obsession with celebrating inferior artists. All of this and much more! Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast: Please consider supporting our podcast on Patreon, where members can access a range of monthly benefits, including early access to episodes, bonus content, and an exclusive members-only podcast. Additional support can also be shown by leaving us a review, subscribing to and sharing the podcast on available platforms.

In the 30 years since releasing his acclaimed debut album 'Soul On Ice', Ras Kass has unapologetically blazed his own unique career path and shaped a journey driven by uncompromising lyrics, resilience over trends and political resistance. Hailing from Watts and making waves on Sway and King Tech's The Wake Up Show, he's back with a new project called "Leopard Eats Face"—a self described victory lap and celebration of where he is today professionally and personally. In this episode, we chopped it up with the water-proof MC about creating a project he'd love as a fan,finding joy in the creative process, his memories of working with the late great Safiir, and hip hop's obsession with celebrating inferior artists. All of this and much more! Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast: Please consider supporting our podcast on Patreon, where members can access a range of monthly benefits, including early access to episodes, bonus content, and an exclusive members-only podcast. Additional support can also be shown by leaving us a review, subscribing to and sharing the podcast on available platforms.

Apollo Brown and TY Farris reflect on the pivotal moments that shaped their creative partnership and long-awaited album Run Toward The Monster, from its inception through sequencing and the creative process, to the ideas and intentions that define the project—all contributing to the unmistakable clarity of their survivalist signature sound. In this intimate conversation, they offer insights into the album and standout tracks such as “Beautiful Struggle”, “Sacred,” “Ctrl Alt Delete,” and “Street Patriots,” providing a front-row view of their unique creative journeys and one of our favorite releases of 2025. About this week's edit: The original recording with Apollo Brown was unfortunately affected by low band-width causing choppy audio for short and staggered periods throughout our interview. Despite extensive efforts to reduce and remove the moments affected during the editing process, a minimal number of instances remain. Produced by: D. Lewis and L. Bailey for Fly Fidelity Media Art direction: Mango Shark Contact: [email protected] Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast: Please consider supporting our podcast on Patreon, where members can access a range of monthly benefits, including early access to episodes, bonus content, and an exclusive members-only podcast. Additional support can also be shown by leaving us a review, subscribing to and sharing the podcast on available platforms.

Apollo Brown and TY Farris reflect on the pivotal moments that shaped their creative partnership and long-awaited album Run Toward The Monster, from its inception through sequencing and the creative process, to the ideas and intentions that define the project—all contributing to the unmistakable clarity of their survivalist signature sound. In this intimate conversation, they offer insights into the album and standout tracks such as “Beautiful Struggle”, “Sacred,” “Ctrl Alt Delete,” and “Street Patriots,” providing a front-row view of their unique creative journeys and one of our favorite releases of 2025. About this week's edit: The original recording with Apollo Brown was unfortunately affected by low band-width causing choppy audio for short and staggered periods throughout our interview. Despite extensive efforts to reduce and remove the moments affected during the editing process, a minimal number of instances remain. Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast. Please consider supporting our podcast on Patreon, where members can access a range of monthly benefits, including early access to episodes, bonus content, and an exclusive members-only podcast. Additional support can also be shown by leaving us a review, subscribing to and sharing the podcast on available platforms.

This week on The Fly Fidelity Podcast, we’re joined by street culture authority Estevan Oriol to celebrate 30 years of Joker Brand—one of the most authentic and globally respected streetwear labels ever committed to fashion. Founded in 1995 by Mister Cartoon and Estevan Oriol, Joker Brand transcended apparel to become a cultural force, resonating far beyond clothing. Rooted in storytelling, urban fashion, and street culture, the brand embodies a lifestyle shaped by the West Coast Chicano energy that inspired its creation—and continues to influence generations today. In a free-wheeling conversation, we sat with Estevan to discuss his one-of-a-kind journey: from road-managing House of Pain and witnessing the seismic rise of Cypress Hill, to co-founding Scandalous and Not Guilty, to his ascension as a globally recognized photographer and filmmaker. All of this—and more! Produced by: D. Lewis and L. Bailey for Fly Fidelity Media Art direction: Mango Shark About: Hosted by Luke Bailey, The Fly Fidelity Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring thoughtful, layered, nuanced and authentic conversations with fascinating guests from hip hop and beyond. Patreon: Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast by subscribing to our Patreon and unlock exclusive bonus content. Learn more at Patreon.com/FlyFidelity Contact: [email protected]

This week, we’re joined by street culture authority Estevan Oriol to celebrate 30 years of JOKER, one of the most authentic and globally respected streetwear labels ever committed to fashion. Founded in 1995, JOKER BRAND resonates far beyond clothing—proving the power of storytelling, urban fashion, and street culture, rooted in the Chicano energy that shaped it. We discuss Estevan’s one-of-a-kind journey, from road-managing House of Pain and witnessing the seismic rise of Cypress Hill, to co-founding brands Scandalous and Not Guilty, and becoming a globally recognised photographer and filmmaker whose work continues to forge a deep and intimate connection to his subjects. All of this–and more! Produced by: D. Lewis and L. Bailey for Fly Fidelity Media Art direction: Mango Shark About: Hosted by Luke Bailey, The Fly Fidelity Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring thoughtful, layered, nuanced and authentic conversations with fascinating guests from hip hop and beyond. Patreon: Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast by subscribing to our Patreon and unlock exclusive bonus content. Learn more at Patreon.com/FlyFidelity Contact: [email protected]

This week, we descend into the shadow-lit cosmos of Chester Watson to explore the making of "Psychic Warfare Department", his first producer compilation album. In this intimate conversation, Chester unpacks the spectral forces that animate the project—from sampling the unmistakable voice of Vincent Price to how duality shapes his collaborations. We also discuss the albums sequencing, the mysticism and mythological that anchor his lyricism, how studying colour theory aids his videos , as well as his forthcoming projects, and so much more! Produced by: D. Lewis and L. Bailey for Fly Fidelity Media Art direction: Mango Shark About: Hosted by Luke Bailey, The Fly Fidelity Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring thoughtful, layered, nuanced and authentic conversations with fascinating guests from hip hop and beyond. Patreon: Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast by subscribing to our Patreon and unlock exclusive bonus content. Learn more at Patreon.com/FlyFidelity Contact: [email protected]

Rucksack Records’ very own The Expert returns to pull back the curtain and get candid about the making of his first-ever producer album, "Vivid Visions". In this insightful conversation, he breaks down his creative process alongside some of today’s leading indie rappers, whose verses and perspectives bring each track to life—transforming the album into a series of vivid sonic worlds. We also discuss his relationship to space and composition, the influence of DJ Muggs and the Monkees’ feature film "Head", as well as a forthcoming remixed and recontextualised release of "Vivid Visions". Produced by: D. Lewis and L. Bailey for Fly Fidelity Media Art direction: Mango Shark About: Hosted by Luke Bailey, The Fly Fidelity Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring thoughtful, layered, nuanced and authentic conversations with fascinating guests from hip hop and beyond. Patreon: Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast by subscribing to our Patreon and unlock exclusive bonus content. Learn more at Patreon.com/FlyFidelity Contact: [email protected]

This week, we’re dissecting "Human Error Club at Kenny’s House" — Human Error Club's first release on Backwoodz Studioz — featuring a long-form interview with drummer Mekala Session and veteran producer Kenny Segal. From improv sessions and preserving the band’s essence to refining expression and lifelong lessons, we dive into the album’s creative journey in an insightful, wide-ranging conversation. Produced by: D. Lewis and L. Bailey for Fly Fidelity Media Art direction: Mango Shark About: Hosted by Luke Bailey, The Fly Fidelity Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring thoughtful, layered, nuanced and authentic conversations with fascinating guests from hip hop and beyond. Patreon: Support The Fly Fidelity Podcast by subscribing to our Patreon and unlock exclusive bonus content. Learn more at Patreon.com/FlyFidelity Contact: [email protected]