Confucius and Fresh talk about the implications of Drake’s latest lawsuit, what to expect from Austin hip-hop and R&B going into 2025, and an Unpopular Opinion on the status of regional hip-hop.
hip-hop
Who benefits more from the marriage: Jay-Z or Beyoncé?
Confucius and Fresh weigh who gains the most from their industry relationships: Jay-Z or Beyoncé and Young Thug or Gunna, plus an Unpopular Opinion on the future of white rappers.
Do celebrities respect Austin?
Inspired by a recent visit from T.I., Confucius and Fresh talk about how celebrities treat Austin before moving onto the role of Black celebrities in politics and an Unpopular Opinion on 50 Cent.
Has GloRilla overtaken Cardi B as hip-hop’s “it girl”?
Confucius and Fresh confer on GloRilla’s growing popularity, check the pulse on Austin’s hip-hop scene, and predict the state of Drill music’s foreseeable future.
Been There 3 Interview
Confucius and Fresh are joined by DAWA/Riders Against the Storm’s Chaka and Been There cofounder Aaron Brown to discuss Been There 3: A Party to Support Our Unhoused Neighbors happening November 2nd at Radio East to benefit The Other Ones Foundation. Hear that, a chat on the relationship between hip-hop and Halloween, and an Unpopular Opinion on Kendrick Lamar’s recent choice of media outlets.
The Gumbo SmackDown!
Confucius and Fresh cover both sides of the upcoming Gumbo SmackDown on October 26th through interviews with WWE Hall-of-Famer Mark Henry and Whip My Soul co-founders Antonio & Tia Echols. Hear that and an Unpopular Opinion on BET Hip-Hop Awards choice of venue in this episode.
Qi Dada: Before there was light
Qi Dada (Riders Against the Storm) explores what people can learn from the darkness, and reexamines the different meanings of “dark” across the board – from dubious origins to something that’s comforting and even enlightening.
(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org.
Credits:
Host, Creator, Producer: Laurie Gallardo
Producer: Elizabeth McQueen
Editing and Mixing: Jack Anderson
Original Music: Rene Chavez
Photo and Video: Michael Minasi
Art: Dave McClinton
Does Hip-Hop beget violence?
Confucius and Fresh follow up their Rap Beef series with discussions on hip-hop and violence, Jaguar Wright’s allegations against Jay-Z and Beyoncé, and Logic’s intrinsic objective merits as a lyricist.
Rap Beef Episode I: The East Coast Menace
Confucius and Fresh dive into the first episode of their series on rap beefs by tackling some of the most pivotal rivalries the East Coast ever had to offer.
Thee Phantom Interview
Confucius and Fresh talk with Jeffrey McNeill of Thee Phanton and Illharmonic Orchestra ahead of an Austin appearance, do a little more prep leading up to the series on beefs, and unwrap an Unpopular Opinion on Vivica A. Fox’s stardom.
BLK ODYSSY Interview
Confucius and Fresh sit down with August 2021 KUTX Artist of the Month BLK ODYSSY to talk about their newly released album 1-800 Fantasy before setting the stage for an upcoming series on beefs.
Locuust x YoursTruuly: “Acupuncture”
Feeling comfortable just in your own skin is a luxury we often take for granted. Sure, adjusting to a problematic puberty is a fairly common experience, as are life-altering eating habits even later on. But where a good chunk of population at least reaps the benefits of a cis-heteronormative construct, the trans community faces struggles even with a sense of belonging in their own skin, let alone within a still-regressive society.
With that in mind, shift your focus to Locuust. Errrr…actually YoursTruuly. Frankly it doesn’t matter, considering it’s the same person: Austin’s Xóchitl who goes by the aforementioned handles as a rapper and producer, respectively. These dynamic double double-U’s might sound familiar if you caught the Song of the Day spotlight on fellow local hip-hop provocateur Free Hamze a couple weeks back. At just shy of twenty, Xóchitl’s alter egos have already proven remarkable maturity, a saga that continues this weekend with their feature-laden debut full-length, Apparent Incoherence.
Apparent Incoherence is a relentless, risqué eleven-song swarm of poignant candor, crushing beats, clever wordplay and undoubtedly a creative A.I. we can all get behind. You can fall in love with the album live when Locuust and YoursTruuly simultaneously takes the stage 11PM tomorrow night at Hole in the Wall for the release show following openers (consisting entirely of Apparent Incoherence guests) CENSORED dialogue, Kardinal Bloo, Chucky Blk, and khxnid!. And on the LP’s sole “leak” “Acupuncture”, Locuust delivers a lyrical plague that grapples with gender dysphoria and body positivity over YoursTruuly’s Alchemist-esque instrumental, which when combined, provide a thoroughly therapeutic experience akin to the track’s title.
So in light of this week’s forecast, like Locuust says…don’t expect it to “rain in the summer”. But you can expect a downpour of multi-disciplinary talent from this young, unconventional up-and-comer as they enter mainstay status here in the Live Music Capital of the World and far beyond.
Free Hamze: “Two $idez” (feat. YoursTruuly)
Fifty years down the line from its humble block party origins, we can officially classify hip-hop as a legacy genre. And although there are plenty of genre stalwarts who themselves are “over the hill” and still cranking out quality material, there’s no denying rap is a young man’s game. In terms of the latter, it’s especially impactful when the radical energy shared by so much youth gets even more invigorated over a fire beat.
With that, Free Hamze enters the frame. This Lebanese-born Austin-based rapper’s always relished in the exotic Eastern-meets-Western intersection made popular at the turn of the millennium by The Neptunes. And that ethnic-meets-urban international sound is alive and well on Free Hamze’s next record: FREETAPE 4: Renegade Rap – produced entirely by fellow Austinite YoursTruuly, who at just nineteen years old also makes a couple vocal contributions on FT4:RR under their handle Locuust.
Safe to say, it’s a combination that demands to be seen live. And we’re in luck with two opportunities leading up to the weekend; you can catch Hamze and YoursTruuly tomorrow night at DAWA HQ and again 7-9PM this Friday for the EP pop-up release show at the Airport Blvd location of Abe’s Smoke Shop. So to give you a taste of Renegade Rap, turn up the volume on “Two $idez”, which perfectly encapsulates The Alchemist-meets-Benny the Butcher energy of The Plugs I Met that permeates through all of FT4‘s six chambers, and is a tough contender for the hardest thing you’ll hear all week.
What’s Up with Drake’s Big Dump?
The discussion kicks off with Drake’s massive data dump before moving onto a debate about the dysfunctional state of Fugees and an Unpopular Opinion on rappers billing themselves as “artists”.
What was the worst period in hip-hop?
Confucius and Fresh contemplate what Hip-Hop’s worst era was before moving onto a modern existential debate over the importance of record certifications, plus an Unpopular Opinion on Lil Keke’s impact on Houston rap and beyond.
An Austin Artist’s Guide to Success: Part 2
The latest episode of Pause/Play is part two of an Austin Artist’s Guide to Success. You’ll hear from many people in the everchanging Austin music scene about their tips and tricks for making it here.
You’ll hear about the role of streaming in an artist’s career, what makes a great artist and advice from people within the industry.
Featuring advice from:
- Little City Sounds music consultant project manager Lisa Machac
- Howdy Gals co-founder and booker Belicia Luevano
- Rap singer, songwriter, vocalist and entrepreneur Anastasia Hera
- Songwriter, producer, and performer Dayglow
- Singer and songwriter Mama Duke
- KUT The Breaks podcast host Fresh
- KUTX music director Rick McNulty
- KUTX Program Director Matt Reilly
- Austin Chronicle Music and Culture editor Cy White
- Hip hop artist, producer and creative solutionist J Soulja
What’s next for The Breaks?
Confucius and Fresh reminisce on their journey so far over the past eight years and what to expect next before dissecting what makes LL Cool J such a significant figure in hip-hop history, plus an Unpopular Opinion on Drake’s status as a so called “culture vulture”.
What’s going on with Cash Money?
Inspired by the recent “Cash Money Reunion” at Essence Music Fest, Confucius and Fresh break down what’s going on behind the scenes with the legendary record label, not to mention an Unpopular Opinion about rappers signing to other rappers.
An Austin Artist’s Guide to Success: Part 1
The latest episode of Pause/Play is an Austin Artist’s Guide to Success. You’ll hear from many people in the everchanging Austin music scene about their tips and tricks for making here.
You’ll hear about what people within the industry are looking for in an artist, what role authenticity plays, and how social media can impact a musician’s career.
Featuring advice from:
- Little City Sounds music consultant project manager Lisa Machac
- Howdy Gals co-founder and booker Belicia Luevano
- Singer, songwriter, rap artist, innovator and entrepreneur Anastasia Hera
- Songwriter, producer and performer Dayglow
- Singer and songwriter Mama Duke
- KUT The Breaks podcast host Fresh
- KUTX Music Director Rick McNulty
- KUTX Program Director Matt Reilly
- Austin Chronicle Music and Culture editor Cy White
- Hip-hop artist, producer and creative solutionist J Soulja
Is Raunchiness in Rap really that new?
Inspired by discourse around the recent BET Awards, Confucius and Fresh discuss why some folks are reacting oddly to what’s perceived as uncouth behavior alongside an Unpopular Opinion Puerto Ricans’ place in the rise of Hip-Hop.