Extraordinary Rap Podcast

[Previously the Weird Rap Podcast.] Documenting and investigating rap music's most advanced artists, its experimental fringes, and otherwise unique or mysterious manifestations in the world of hip hop, new and old, focusing on its beauty, its complexities and its curiosities. Hosted by Th' Mole, veteran rapper, producer, and performing artist. Extraordinary Rap is an independently-run podcast, record label, and news/social media presence. http://extraordinaryrap.org

pedestrian 04/26/2024

pedestrian pedestrian doesn't work well with the algorithm. Web searches for his indistinct moniker are useless; his small number of music releases is poorly-distributed; and while he's received a fair amount of critical praise, most was never, or is no longer, online. Even before the internet was so integral to a musician's career, James Brandon Best, as he was born, didn't play ball with the music industry. With no press photos, no music videos, rare and often-bewildering public performances, obscure lyrics, only two albums in over two decades, and not being the type of guy who gets invited to industry social gatherings, pedestrian's music hasn't reached nearly the amount of listeners it deserves. While the collective that he named, anticon, blew up in the early 00s, establishing an unprecedentedly poetic, rough-hewn brand of hip hop, and his cohorts toured the globe, releasing a torrent of critically-praised projects, seemingly reaching the extent of popularity that could be achieved with cryptic, trend-eschewing rap music at that time, Brandon, as he's known personally, opted out of most of the opportunities afforded by popularity. The now-long-disbanded group of artists remain successful in their individual music careers, each settling into their own contemporary art ecosystems, except, that is, for pedestrian, who remains on the fringes of obscurity, quietly allowing his artistic legacy to wither. Unwilling to bend to the norms of a modern career artist, Brandon is arguably self-defeating in the extent to which he's made his work inaccessible. Even if one manages to track down any of his recordings, cursory listens will leave the vast majority of rap listeners confused, as much of the language is coded and chock-full of highly specific references. UnIndian Songs Volume I has been expanded and remastered for digital and cassette release, accompanied by a lyric/photo booklet. (Pre-order it now at .) In this episode, we sit down with pedestrian to unpack the album's many layers, references, and hidden meanings. The album comes out digitally, on May 1, 2024, May Day, a day commemorating the historic struggles and gains of the workers and labour movement. The album itself being largely focused on the United States' atrocities against its land's native peoples, it's a fitting day of solidarity and protest against imperialist forces. In this spirit, all profits of the album will be donated directly to providing drinking water and search-and-rescue efforts to those desperate enough to attempt unlawful crossing of the southern US border, courtesy of the South Texas Human Rights Center. Our Patreon bonus includes another 40 minutes with pedestrian, plus a rundown of your host's recent rap listenings. Past bonus material includes even more talks with pedestrian, his unreleased Stuffed Animals album, interviews with other anticon members, and much more. Access it all for 3 lousy bucks at . All things Extraordinary Rap at http://extraordinaryrap.org. /episode/index/show/weirdrap/id/30985443

Mic Crenshaw 12/14/2023

Retropxssy, JoeJas 10/31/2023

Bonus Episode - New Releases 10/02/2023

Extraordinary Rap Bonus, Sep 21, '23 [abridged] 09/21/2023

27. Weird/Extraordinary Rap - Mrs.Paintbrush 09/14/2023

Bonus Episode - Z-Man 07/25/2023

26. Beverly Fresh, First Degree The D.E. 05/24/2023

25. Mars Kumari, Volume 10 04/18/2023

24. Jel, Mr. Yote 03/29/2023

24. Jel, Mr. Yote In this amazing episode we speak with Jel and Mr. Yote. Music recs: Strawberry Shortemper: Bottled Oxygen https://strawberryshortemper.bandcamp.com/album/bottled-oxygen Decuma: Let's Play Pretend https://decuma.bandcamp.com/album/lets-play-pretend Dug Yuck & Babelfishh: Cold Labor https://vivivii.bandcamp.com/album/cold-labor Serengeti: Ajai II https://kennydennis.bandcamp.com/album/ajai-ii DJ 0.000001: Recombinant Shangaan https://nyegenyegetapes.bandcamp.com/album/recombinant-shangaan-mixtape Mr. Yote doesn't make rap songs; he has been constructing a rap universe. Yoteland is a magical, musical world of wizards, goblins, and ghouls. With his sidekick Yungeth Dre, the producer/MC/graphic artist gives us a glimpse at the methods to his madness. http://yoteland.bandcamp.com Jel, beat-maker extraordinaire of Themselves, Subtle, Glass Cutters, etc., has remained one of hip hop's most well-respected producers since the late 90s. In our discussion he covers his formative years in Chicago to later developments in the Bay Area, sharing tales of his days with the Anticon collective, overcoming creative stagnation, and he announces some exciting future projects. https://jelsmusic.bandcamp.com In the bonus episode we spend an additional half-hour with Jel, your host shares some dicey thoughts and personal stuff, and we've got a slew of additional music recommendations including Raiden X, Algernon Cornelius, Seina Sleep, JUNE!, Celestaphone, Blue Lanternz, Nosaj & Steel Tipped Dove, Robcrooks, Ugggy, Mestizo, Another Planet, and Nappy Nina. For $3 get this hour-and-a-half-long episode plus all our past bonus episodes including exclusive interviews with Doseone, Pedestrian, Mike Ladd, Billy Woods, and many more, at http://patreon.com/weirdrap. The continuing Great Adventures Of Kounterclockwise is brought to you by MC/producer/screenwriter Deacon Burns. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZPnW-PHzA7W_-uaCzZOr-gO-k65pJXbt Please check out http://weirdrap.com, and rate/review at http://weirdrap.com/rating. /episode/index/show/weirdrap/id/26382567

23. Guy Albino, Eldon 02/14/2023

23. Guy Albino, Eldon This episode is a motherlode, featuring interviews with ELDON (Ruby Yacht) & Guy Albino (Hawd Gankstuh Rappuhs), plus a slew of music recommendations, a rant about melodramatic rap, & the continued Adventures Of Kounterclockwise. Wet Jet Seymour - Broken Balancer https://crossingdoubleyellows.bandcamp.com/album/broken-balancer Ghais Guevara - There Will Be No Super Slave https://ghais.bandcamp.com/album/there-will-be-no-super-slave Rural Internet - Saint Anger https://ruralinternet.bandcamp.com/album/saint-anger Teether & Kuya Neil - Stressor https://teetherkuyaneil.bandcamp.com/album/stressor Superego - Nautilus https://superegoaus.bandcamp.com/album/nautilus Death Insurance - I'm In Your Walls https://deathinsurance.bandcamp.com/album/im-in-your-walls Abbatia - Fugazi! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l8fseIcP0VEsi0iqzMw28EGHuwhs3SUqM ORA77K - C0DESW1TCH 2 https://ora77k.bandcamp.com/album/c0desw1tch-2-night-owls-only-2 Skech185 - He Left Nothing For The Swim Back https://skech185.bandcamp.com/album/he-left-nothing-for-the-swim-back Marrow - Fission Two https://marrowraps.bandcamp.com/album/fission-two Sampa The Great - As Above So Below https://sampathegreat.bandcamp.com/album/as-above-so-below Carmen Xía - La Herida https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBTXrY2N5jI Haez One - Can't Find The Remote https://haez1.bandcamp.com/album/cant-find-the-remote Noob Saibot - 1 https://illuminatedpaths.bandcamp.com/album/1-4 ケケケッ - Monsta https://illuminatedpaths.bandcamp.com/album/monsta-ep New Cocoon (V/A) - Apotheosis https://newcocoon1.bandcamp.com/album/apotheosis Onoe Caponoe - Concrete Fantasia https://onoecaponoe.bandcamp.com/album/concrete-fantasia DeathIRL - Fresh Flowers For Ill Fruit II https://deathirl.bandcamp.com/album/fresh-flowers-for-ill-fruit-ii King Vision Ultra - Shoo World (Hosted by Algiers) https://algierstheband.bandcamp.com/album/shook-world-hosted-by-algiers Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy https://youngfathersofficial.bandcamp.com/album/heavy-heavy ELDON - Do't Be No Hero (And You Will Live Long) https://eldonsound.bandcamp.com/album/dont-be-no-hero-and-you-will-live-long Hawd Gankstuh Rappuhs MC's Wid Ghatz - 2 Hype 2 Wype https://wordsoundrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/hawd-gankstuh-rappuh-mcs-2-hype-2-wype Rapper/producer/DJ ELDON (AKA Eldon Somers) is a member of Ruby Yacht & Cold Light. Devin Flynn, AKA Guy Albino, founded The Shape Shifters and Hawd Gankstuh Rappuhs MC's Wid Ghatz, & is an animator (best known for the Super Deluxe series Y'all So Stupid) & visual artist. We're joined by guest correspondent Pedestrian to explore Devin's history, spanning from the Los Angeles graffiti world to NYC's Wordsound Recordings to gallery exhibits in Japan. His story includes Loud Records, Sensational, Bud Bundy, & much more. Kounterclockwise makes beats, rhymes and cartoons. Our 50-minute bonus episode includes more talk with Eldon & Albino, plus even more music recommendations (Andrew Mbaruk & Rhys Langston, Decuma, AFK, Freestyle Fellowship, DJ Crabhat, Digital Deejays, Negashi Armada, black, Rich Jones & Iceberg Theory, Cold Light, Birthmark, Xay Cole, Robert Price, Babyfang, KFC Murder Chicks, Ash Vestal, DJ Rozwell, Cake!, creepysusie, doin' fine, sulffffffur, & AOL). This & all past bonus material for $3 at . Get Rammellzee vinyl, Kool Keith shirts, and more at ! And check out the Weird Rap playlists on , and !! /episode/index/show/weirdrap/id/25906317

22. Year End List 2022, Plus Fatboi Sharif 01/09/2023

21. Rhys Langston, plus Lt Headtrip 10/05/2022

21. Rhys Langston, plus Lt Headtrip In this episode, we speak with Rhys Langston, plus Lt. Headtrip discusses some new music reviews, and Kounterclockwise returns. Music releases: black - In All Its Messiness https://blackval.bandcamp.com/album/in-all-its-messiness Rhys Langston - Grapefruit Radio https://rhyslangston.bandcamp.com/album/grapefruit-radio Cise Greeny, Phiik, & Lungs - WHERE ARE THE BUGS!? https://7deadlung7.bandcamp.com/album/where-are-the-bugs-full-tape-cise-greeny-phiik-lungs-prod-by-lonesword Algernon Cornelius - Me No Sen You No Come https://algernoncornelius.bandcamp.com/album/me-no-sen-you-no-come Vulture Lung - Musidora's Shroud https://pwrecks.bandcamp.com/album/musidoras-shroud billy woods x Messiah Musik - Church https://billywoods.bandcamp.com/album/church Lt. Headtrip raps and runs the WATKK label: https://wearethekarmakids.bandcamp.com. Rhys Langston - MC, author, producer, and visual artist - may just be too smart for his own good. We attempt to humanize and provide some context for understanding his high-minded, poetically abstract, expansive takes on rap music. Tracking his multicultural roots in Los Angeles and trials as a teenage misfit, following his creative development and industry ups-and-downs, we finally find Rhys embracing his individualism and looking towards further experimentation on his own terms. http://langstonia.org Our bonus episode features an additional 20 minutes with Rhys Langston, discussing his artistic intentions, critical acceptance and wider appeal, and more. This and past exclusive interviews with ELUCID, Sensational, Bigg Jus, Odd Nosdam, Volume 10, and more for just three tiny dollars at http://patreon.com/weirdrap. Kounterclockwise makes music, animation and more: http://youtube.com/user/kounterclockwise Please, oh please, won't you visit http://weirdrap.com/rating? Give us a rating/review and check out our music, apparel and more to support this barely-surviving, independent operation. /episode/index/show/weirdrap/id/24587529

20. LoDeck, plus Andrew Mbaruk 09/07/2022

19. Elucid, StapleMouth, plus Kounterclockwise 08/09/2022

19. Elucid, StapleMouth, plus Kounterclockwise In this gargantuan episode, Weird Rap Podcast brings you interviews with E L U C I D and StapleMouth, music recommendations, the debut of The Great Adventures Of Kounterclockwise radio play series, and more! Music recommendations: Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals - King Cobra https://phantomlimblabel.bandcamp.com/album/king-cobra Clipping - CLBBNG https://clppng.bandcamp.com/album/clbbng jOHNNY23 - No Scope https://lodeck.bandcamp.com/album/no-scope Infinite Livez - First They Came For The Programmers https://infinitelivez.bandcamp.com/album/first-they-came-for-the-programmers Andrew Mbaruk - Unclassified https://andrewmbaruk.bandcamp.com/album/unclassified StapleMouth & Th' Mole - Estuary https://weirdrap.bandcamp.com/album/estuary Enigmatic Hawaiian MC StapleMouth emerges to detail his unique approach to music, also covering the islands' little-known but exceptional experimental rap scene, the Proliteariots collective, and much more. https://instagram.com/staplemouth_killwendigo E L U C I D of Armand Hammer, currently standing as a pillar in the alt-rap scene, recounts his upbringing and early life experiences, and reflects on his current success and critical reception. We also probe into his artistic intentions and approaches to writing, vocalizing, and production. https://elucid.bandcamp.com We respond to some recent listener pushback. (Let us know your thoughts at We recommend the new Myka 9 book, My Kaleidoscope. http://myka9book.com And finally, Deacon Burns presents the first in his satirical rap radioplay series, The Great Adventures Of Kounterclockwise. https://youtube.com/kounterclockwise Check out our bonus episode for more time with StapleMouth and E L U C I D as well as an entire 22 tracks of rare StapleMouth music, in addition to our past bonus material, for just $3 at http://patreon.com/weirdrap. If you care about the Weird Rap project, your support would be much appreciated. Please visit http://weirdrap.com/rating to rate/review and otherwise help us battle the algorithms. /episode/index/show/weirdrap/id/23976006

18. St Louis Gibbor, plus Lt Headtrip, Old Grape God, Slick Devious, Volume 10 07/06/2022

17. First Degree The DE + Volume 10 & Kool Keith 05/26/2022

17. First Degree The DE + Volume 10 & Kool Keith In this episode of Weird Rap we interview First Degree The D.E., plus Volume 10 joins us for music reviews, and Kool Keith returns with your monthly horoscope reading. We cover the following: Quelle Chris: DEATHFAME quellechris360.bandcamp.com/album/deathfame Fatlip & Blu: Live From The End of The World, Vol. 1 Demos gbastudios.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-end-of-the-world-vol-1-demos Kendrick Lamar: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjB_8hSS2lEMY-ap4zdPv0-mbTwxtN7KW Chief & TheDoomsdayDevice: Flux Populi fakefour.bandcamp.com/album/flux-populi Phelimuncasi: Ama Gogela nyegenyegetapes.bandcamp.com/album/ama-gogela themselves: Crowns Down & Company doseone.bandcamp.com/album/crowns-down-company First Degree The D.E., hailing from Sacramento, has one of the most strangely unique voices, sonically and lyrically, in rap, with beautiful self-composed production. Clearly a smart and prolific dude, he's been a math teacher, orchestrated a gang truce, written a book, directed films, runs a record label and news service, and has led various community organizing efforts, while continuing to progress and remain unpredictable as a musician for nearly 30 years now. His new album, The Backman, features the artist at the peak of his craft. firstdegreethede.com While musicologists agree that much of the Los Angeles underground's quick-paced "chop" style can be traced back to Myka 9 of Freestyle Fellowship, Volume 10 can be credited with the chop's antithesis: the "stretch". The exaggerated swing collides with the speed-rap to form an infectious brew of opposites that spread like wildfire after 10's "Pistolgrip-Pump" hit the charts in '94. volume10.bandcamp.com Kool Keith might be considered the godfather of weird rap music, having introduced his wildly unorthodox take on hip hop in the late 80s with Ultramagnetic MC's, further developing his bizarre styles and subject matter in the 90s, and continuing to expand his range through today. koolkeith.bandcamp.com This month's bonus episode features additional time with First Degree, plus an amazing behind-the-scenes tale featuring several well-known rappers, as related by Volume 10. This and much more at patreon.com/weirdrap. Weird Rap endeavors to bring you out-of-the-norm rap music, new and old. weirdrap.com Please support Weird Rap at weirdrap.com/rating /episode/index/show/weirdrap/id/23238305