The Breaks

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March 10, 2025

Is Jermaine Dupri out of touch?

By: Confucius Jones

On this episode we discuss legendary producer/artist Jermaine Dupri’s comments on artists not wanting to be independent. We also discuss the recent Austin Music Awards and some criticisms levied at them from local artists.


Episodes

October 24, 2022

Commercialization vs. Culture

Inspired by yet another Rolling Stone article, Confucius and Fresh kick off this week’s episode with a discussion on how Hip-Hop’s increasing commercialization affects its cultural relevance. As the Nicki v. Cardi spat continues, the fellas talk up the importance of women in Hip-Hop, especially when it comes to lyrical effect on men. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion suggests […]

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October 17, 2022

R&B’s Diminishing Dominance

In this episode, Confucius and Fresh break down what happened to R&B as a dominating force before debating whether or not Austin City Limits Music Festival has “gotten better” at showcasing rap in recent years. On Hip-Hop Facts you’ll hear about Lil Jon’s double distribution of the “Yeah” instrumental, birthday boy Ginuwine’s real name, and […]

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October 10, 2022

Being Blackballed in 2022

In this week’s edition of The Breaks, Fresh and Confucius kick off the conversation with a reflection on what it means to be “blackballed” and if it truly continues to exist in the current industry climate. The fellas move on to a debate about whether or not Cardi B is overrated compared to Nicki Minaj, especially in […]

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October 3, 2022

Megan v. YoungBoy: Who Commands a Bigger Crowd?

Megan Thee Stallion and NBA YoungBoy both have plenty of pull in their own right, but what about head-to-head? Confucius and Fresh kick off the show with a debate on crowd density, taste demographics, and more. As part of their ongoing discussion on once-important vehicles in the digital age, Fresh and Confucius compare viewpoints on […]

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September 19, 2022

Is Rap Dead?

Confucius and Fresh discuss why some artists are so selfish and delusional. Then they try and nail down what makes an album a “classic.” Plus Hip-Hop Facts, Unpopular Opinion and Confucius Reads the News.

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September 12, 2022

Fake It Till You Make It

Confucius and Fresh debate whether Outkast and Wu-Tang are still relevant to hip-hop culture. Then they discuss the phenomenon of people in Austin music faking it until they make it. You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about how J. Cole almost got signed to G-Unit, why Lil Wayne didn’t curse on his first record, how MF Doom […]

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September 5, 2022

Confucius vs Fresh

Fresh and Confucius debate which one of them is the better music fan. Then Confucius tries to convince listeners that deep down, Fresh thinks he’s from Harlem, New York. Plus Hip-Hop Facts, Unpopular Opinion and Confucius Reads the News.

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August 29, 2022

State of the Austin Union

Confucius and Fresh talk about the current state of the Austin R&B and rap scene. They also talk about whether radio is still important and what needs to change for it to stay relevant. Plus Hip-Hop Facts, Unpopular Opinion and Confucius Reads the News.

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