Books, Rhymes, & Life

Artist Interview: Trevor Wentt (@t_wentt)

January 23, 2018 02:07 - 40 minutes - 33.7 MB

Trevor Wentt is a visual storyteller, photographer, and artist who makes art to challenge perspectives and give hope to the marginalized and oppressed. Trevor comes through to bless the pod and break down the power of visual storytelling, his moving #FreshnessFridaze IG project, and the albums that uplift and inspire him. Don't sleep on this one, y'all. Music by Yondo Beats

Artist Interview: Shaun Lamott (@lamottspeaks)

January 15, 2018 02:15 - 25 minutes - 20.3 MB

Portland rapper, Shaun Lamott comes through to talk about his new EP 'Fragile' and the hip hop scene in Portland. We also talked about his experience of opening for Damian Lilliard and why Shaun seeks to be so vulnerable and transparent in his music. We open with a snippet of "Dreams," one of the standout records from the EP. You'll enjoy this one, folks. Fragile is available here and on all music outlets.

Artist Interview: S A I T

January 08, 2018 02:16 - 24 minutes - 19.1 MB

Season two of BRL is upon us. We're kicking things off with an artist interview with Joanna Lee of S A I T, an eclectic and soulful group from Boston. We give a preview of their extremely dope track, "Angel in My Mind," and discuss her creative process, inspirations, and their upcoming release, the Desert EP. S A I T has a campaign going to finish their EP, so if you like what you hear, go some show support here! Follow S A I T on facebook and IG

Two Special Announcements!

January 03, 2018 01:41 - 3 minutes - 4.48 MB

Hey folks, We've got two special announcements for you -- one about our next run of episodes for Season 2 of the podcast and one about a contest to help the pod and get a run of bonus episodes on a very special topic. Do yourself a favor and listen in! Thanks for all the support!

Best Books of 2017 (Side B)

January 02, 2018 02:27 - 46 minutes - 36.3 MB

Here is Side B of our Best Books of 2017 episode. Find out the respective top five books from Claude and guest of the pod, Joe Volk. We'll help you start the new year with book recommendations to get your 2018 reading off to a strong start. We also want to hear from YOU...What were your top five reads of 2017? Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. As always, leave us a review of the show or share the show with that nerdy friend who'd dig what we're dishing out. Music by Yondo Beats

Best Books of 2017 (Side A)

December 27, 2017 00:34 - 48 minutes - 37.7 MB

The end of the year means one thing: best of lists! Friend of the pod, Joe Volk swings through to share his top books of the year alongside Claude's top picks. What author found a spot on Claude's top 5 and on his most disappointing list? You can only find out by tuning in. Let our picks help you find some new books to enjoy in 2018. Be sure to peep Side B for our top 5 selections. Books Mentioned: Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences by Nancy Duarte Decisive: How to...

Interview w/ Kareem Manuel

December 14, 2017 01:45 - 37 minutes - 28.8 MB

Kareem Manuel (@kareem_manuel), Founder and CEO of We.Society, comes through to drop wisdom about entreprenuership, faith and activism, and the inspiring story of how he started We Apparel, a clothing company that has become a key movement for justice and dignity. Don't miss this one! Links weapparel.co Kareem's Interview with Let's Give a Damn Follow Kareem on Twitter and Instagram. Follow We. on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Support We by purchasing some gear!

The Art of Rap w/ Cole Mize

August 28, 2017 02:07 - 46 minutes - 41.5 MB

Rapper, producer, and engineer, Cole Mize comes through to talk about the art of rap. Cole breaks it all down...from what makes a verse dope to the nebulous concept of flow and cadence to the literary power of rap. Cole even blesses us a little demonstration of a slept-on rap technique. Whether you're a hip-hop head or a casual fan, expect to learn a ton about the art of rap from one of the leading educational figures in the rap community. Cole and Claude also discuss some of their favorite ...

Kaleb Mitchell Interview

August 09, 2017 17:22 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MB

Kaleb Mitchell comes through to talk about his recent mixtape, So Help Me God, which debuted at #7 on iTunes' Rap/Hip-Hop charts. Kaleb shares about the success of the mixtape, opens up about his musical inspirations and shares some of writing process for the standout track, "Halfway There," which we play a snippet of. If you haven't checked out his work, consider this a formal introduction to one of hip-hop's best new young artists. Here's a link to the freestyle Kaleb dropped today. Stay i...

World Lit: African Literature w/ Joe Volk

August 02, 2017 05:07 - 36 minutes - 30.6 MB

Claude and Joe dig into world literature by listing and discussing their favorite works of African literature. Joe breaks down two metaphors that highlight the benefits of reading world literature and shares three important tips to consider when reading books from different countries or cultures. And, Claude makes a big promise for the show once we hit 15 iTunes reviews. TONS of book recommendations on this episode (see full episode description)! Enjoy and be sure to RATE and REVIEW the show...

Favorite 2Pac Songs w/ International Mo (Side B)

June 28, 2017 05:05 - 57 minutes - 47.6 MB

Claude and Mo continue with the final five songs from their 2Pac lists before sharing their feelings and reservations about Jay-Z's new album releasing on Friday. Claude ends his 2Pac list with some unorthodox picks that delve into Pac's view of God while Mo caps his off with a iconic song from Pac's Death Row era. Use the hashtag #brlpodcast to let us know what 2Pac songs are in your top 5. ------ Links Justin Charity - Hip Hop Will Never Move on From Tupac (https://theringer.com/tupac-s...

Favorite 2Pac Songs w/ International Mo (Side A)

June 28, 2017 05:01 - 56 minutes - 44.8 MB

International Mo comes through to reflect on the complex legacy of Tupac Shakur. Claude and Mo share their ten favorite Pac songs and discuss the complicated and conflicting driving themes of his music: fatalism, the fear of death, faith, social activism, and, of course, thug life. Often imitated but never duplicated, Tupac remains one of the greatest musical and cultural icons of our generation. Be sure to peep Side B of our convo. ------- Links Justin Charity - Hip Hop Will Never Move on...

#HipHopEd, Teaching, & Kendrick Lamar w/ Brian Mooney

April 27, 2017 19:51 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MB

Educator, author, and scholar, Brian Mooney comes through to discuss #HipHopEd in the areas of literacy & mental health and what it was like when Kendrick Lamar reached out to visit Brian's classroom and the media frenzy that ensued. SHOW NOTES: We also discuss comprehensive vs. surface-level uses of hip-hop in education, the Nas song Brian uses in the classroom to teach personification, the innovative uses of #HipHopEd in STEM, why Jay-Z has more in common with The Great Gatsby than we th...

Talking Education & Jay-Z Stories w/ Professor Lyrical

March 26, 2017 21:52 - 55 minutes - 47.4 MB

Professor Lyrical, college prof and rapper, joins Claude to talk education, stigmas about math, and some rare Jay-Z & Chuck D stories. Lyrical shares about his approach in the classroom, on the mic, and what it was like traveling to New York from Boston on the weekends to work with then unknown artists like Jay-Z and Ski Beats. Don't miss this one. http://professorlyrical.com/ Music Production by Yondo Beats.

Reading While Black Book Club w/ Shakkira Jones & Jason Barnes

February 23, 2017 02:28 - 43 minutes - 48.1 MB

The Reading While Black Book Club has Twitter buzzing and Claude joins up with the co-creators, Shakkira Jones and Jason Barnes, for a wide-ranging convo on how the club started, how literature can combat racism, the construction of whiteness, and the book club's first read, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson's Tears We Cannot Stop. Plus other tangents as always. Don't miss this one. Stay in the loop with Reading While Black on Twitter (@readingwhileblk) and Facebook.

Paul Beatty's The Sellout w/ Kelly Helms

February 06, 2017 01:43 - 36 minutes - 41.2 MB

What would happen if peak Dave Chappelle had incredible literary powers and wrote a book...about a black man reinstating slavery and segeration in modern day America? You'd end up with something like Paul Beatty's The Sellout, winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize. Claude teams up with Kelly Helms, former English instructor and Paul Beatty superfan, to talk about the startling, hilarious, and uncomfortable work that is The Sellout. Kelly shares about the time Paul Beatty called him out, why ...

Boys Among Men w/ Bradford William Davis

January 30, 2017 03:48 - 42 minutes - 36.6 MB

Bradford William Davis, co-creator of Foul and Fair, joins Claude to talk about Jonathan Abrams' Boys Among Men on the prep to pro NBA generation. Claude and Bradford make fun of Lebron's passive-aggressiveness and reveal who they'd want to mentor them if they were newly rich 18-year olds entering the NBA. They spend the last 15 minutes of the episode talking about their favorite movies of 2016, the most overrated shows of 2016, and why Luke Cage comes across so corny. And Bradford's son may...

Jay-Z #BSides w/ International Mo (Side B)

January 21, 2017 18:57 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MB

This is Side B of our Jay-Z #BSides episode. Claude and Mo continue their analysis of key Jay B-Sides, discussing the irreconcilable moral conflicts at the center of Jay's music and Jay's uncanny ability to play the introspective drug dealer. Claude argues that "Moment of Clarity" is the interpretive key for Jay's career and a moment of meta-revelation (whaaat?). Mo makes his pick for Jay's definitive swan song and Claude reveals the Jay song that most makes him reflect on the concept o...

Jay-Z #BSides w/ International Mo (Side A)

January 21, 2017 18:28 - 32 minutes - 44.8 MB

This is our first #BSides episode where we list and analyze our top B-Side records--the best albums cuts and slept on songs from a critical mainstream artist. Joining Claude is International Mo, a certified Jay-Z expert. Claude and Mo discuss how these B-Sides flesh out the moral and aspirational complexity of Jay-Z, how Jay's music has inspired them personally, and much more. This is Side A of a two part episode, so check out Side B for the full conversation. As always, please rate, revie...

Top Albums of 2016 w/ Terrance Moore

January 17, 2017 03:39 - 54 minutes - 62 MB

Claude teams up with Terrance Moore to talk about their favorite albums of 2016, Terrance's time at Harvard's Hip Hop Archive, and who handles cold weather better: DC or Boston. Join the conversation on twitter with #brlpodcast. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Albums discussed: Jamila Woods - Heavn Sho Baraka - The Narrative Eshon Burgundy - The Passover Solange - A Seat At The Table Music by 88 Beats Production.

Poetry for the People w/ Jenelle Hayward

January 09, 2017 20:04 - 38 minutes - 33.6 MB

Jenelle Hayward -- writer, poet, and all around awesome person -- comes through to break down poetry and Claudia Rankine's Citizen: An American Lyric. Poetry heads and poetry skeptics will come away with lots to chew on here. We discuss the difference between poetry and prose, what we miss if we don't read poetry, and reading tips on how to read a poem. Then, we jump into the masterpiece that is Citizen. Enjoy and share! Some books we mention: Home/Birth: A Poemic - Arielle Greenberg & R...

Top Books of 2016 w/ Joe Volk

January 07, 2017 04:09 - 46 minutes - 38.6 MB

Claude joins forces with former grad school pal and current English teacher, Joe Volk, as they share their top reads of 2016 and bring up a bunch of other books during their stimulating, nerdy convo. Enjoy! Some of the books mentioned: The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder Year of the Dunk - Asher Price Rise and Fire - Shawn Price Darktown - Thomas Mullen 1Q84 - Haruki Murakami The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead John Henry Days - C...

Rap's White Jackie Robinson (Side B w/ Cole Brown)

January 07, 2017 04:06 - 43 minutes - 49.5 MB

Cole Brown shares his music industry stories about Jay-Z, Pharrell, and Teddy Riley as well as his deep hatred for the library. Cole talks about roller skating with Jay-Z and Sauce Money, recording "The City is Mine" for Jay's Vol. 1, if Pharrell was weird back in the day or just now, and which famous rapper always beat him at Goldeneye. We also get into some Ma$e stories and Cole argues that Biggie is the most overrated rapper ever. Lots of laughs and stories on this one, y'all. Rate and ...

The Cole Brown Effect

January 07, 2017 03:59 - 13 minutes - 16.4 MB

Author, pastor, former A&R, and all around renaissance man, Cole Brown comes through for a convo on his new book, Daddy Issues. Be sure to check out Side B of our conversation with Cole where we jump into his music industry stories with Jay-Z, Pharrell, and Teddy Riley as well as his deep hatred for the library. Humble Beast Records Cole's book, Daddy Issues

The Warm Up

January 04, 2017 01:22 - 3 minutes - 5.54 MB

We are officially in the building, folks! Claude gives a quick overview on the first run of BRL episodes and guests. Lots of literature and music talk coming your way. Enjoy. Stay in the loop at booksrhymeslife.com and facebook.com/booksrhymeslife And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to BRL via your favorite podcast app! Music production by Yongo Music.