In this episode of the Soundcentric Podcast, Adam sits down with Don Chenz for a wide ranging and unfiltered conversation about the current state of hip hop. They break down J. Cole’s long awaited album after an eight year tease, debating Disc 1 versus Disc 2, KOD versus Might Delete Later, and whether Cole’s technical brilliance sometimes works against him. The discussion expands into the Grammys conversation, including Kendrick Lamar’s dominance and whether Tyler, The Creator has become the Academy’s new favorite. From there, they dive into producer GOAT debates featuring Alchemist and DJ Premier, the evolving sound of the 2020s, and whether modern rap has become too polished. They also explore marketing in the streaming era, mysterious artist branding, snippet culture, short form versus long form content, and the thrill of discovering artists early like Trevor Spitta, Doechii, and Jack Harlow. It is a passionate and layered discussion about rap nostalgia, algorithms, artistry, and where hip hop is headed next.

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Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

00:00:00 NYC Apartment Studio Setup, Audio Horror Stories & Podcast Production Talk 00:00:50 Welcome to the Soundcentric Podcast + John Wall Dougie Intro 00:02:00 J. Cole “The Fall Off” Expectations After 8-Year Tease 00:03:00 “This Might Be My Favorite Album Ever” – First Reactions to J. Cole 00:05:30 Disc 1 vs Disc 2 Debate – Burna Boy Feature & Red Velvet Cake Line 00:08:30 Hip-Hop Interpolations – Nas, Common & Storytelling Comparisons 00:09:50 High School Nostalgia, Blog Era Rap & Jersey Shore Memories 00:12:30 JID, Ab-Soul & Meeting Rappers Stories 00:15:00 Best Songs Breakdown – Bun B Road, Alchemist Beat & Future Feature 00:18:00 6-Minute Songs vs TikTok Brain – Attention Spans in 2026 00:20:00 Concert Volume, Headphone Culture & “I Can’t Hear the Person I’m Talking To” 00:22:30 Album Rollouts & Marketing Strategy – Teasing vs Dropping Immediately 00:24:30 Mysterious Artist Era – Playboi Carti, Snippet Culture & Fan Hype 00:27:00 KOD vs Might Delete Later – Ranking J. Cole Albums 00:28:37 Grammys Debate – Kendrick Lamar, Drake Line & Rap Album of the Year 00:30:00 Tyler, The Creator Early Era – “Nobody Knew Who He Was” 00:32:00 Tyler’s Grammy Run – IGOR, Chromakopia & Don’t Tap The Glass Debate 00:34:00 Clipse vs Tyler vs Kendrick – Who Really Deserved the Grammy? 00:35:50 What Is the “2020s Sound”? Rage Beats, Distorted Vocals & Genre Blending 00:38:30 Late 2000s Rap vs Blog Era – Why Some Music Doesn’t Age Well 00:40:30 Is Rap Too Perfect Now? Nas, Eminem & Technical Rapping Debate 00:41:00 Producer GOAT Debate – Alchemist, DJ Premier & Schoolboy Q 00:43:30 Tyler as Producer – Should He Produce a Lil Wayne Album? 00:45:00 Long Form vs Short Form Content – Podcast Growth in 2026 00:46:10 “Would I Even Watch My Own Content?” – Creator Self-Awareness 00:48:30 Building a Recognizable Brand in Music Media 00:50:00 Jack Harlow Doesn’t Get the Love – Baby Keem & Next Rap Star Debate 00:52:00 Brent Faiyaz, The Weeknd & Modern R&B Sound 00:54:00 Discovering New Artists – PR Emails, Music Submissions & Gatekeeping 00:56:00 Being Early on Trevor Spitta & Doechii 00:58:00 Why Discovering Music Feels Elite in Hip-Hop Culture 01:00:00 Final Thoughts on Rap, Algorithms & The Future of Music

This episode of the Soundcentric Podcast dives deep into the mind of RJ Powell, the creator behind IBreatheMusicAllDay, one of today’s most trusted music discovery platforms. RJ breaks down how curiosity, community, and genuine love for music helped him build a following of hundreds of thousands, discover artists before they blow up, and turn content creation into a real career, all without chasing clout or trends. From dropping out of school and finding his purpose, to explaining why music is not dead (you just are not looking hard enough), to opening up about making his own music and navigating the business side of the industry, this conversation is packed with insight for artists, creators, and true music fans. If you care about underground music, creative authenticity, and how culture really moves behind the scenes, this is a must-listen

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Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soundcentricmusic

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Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

00:00:00 - intro

00:01:25 - What makes RJ want to discover new music

00:04:00 - The artist RJ is most proud of finding early

00:05:00 - A preview of J. Cole’s new album “The Fall-Off” and our expectations for it

00:09:00 - What rappers and producers we want on “The Fall-Off”

00:13:10 - Our thoughts on the A$AP Rocky album

00:15:00 - The music we are most excited for in 2026

00:20:00 - How RJ built up his page to over 300k followers

00:29:35 - How does RJ find artists and what stands out to him

00:34:00 - Pages RJ goes to find new music

00:36:00 - How RJ started making music

In this episode of Soundcentric, host Adam Dash sits down with Gabe P, the founder of On The Radar, to break down how one freestyle platform grew into a global cultural force. Gabe dives into the importance of freestyles as hip-hop education, how artists are actually discovered and selected, and what separates those who capitalize on their moment from those who waste it. The conversation explores the business behind viral freestyles, the role of the internet and memes in breaking artists, and how On The Radar built trust with artists while expanding worldwide. A must-listen for rap fans, creators, and anyone curious about how culture, creativity, and strategy intersect in today’s music industry.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soundcentricmus

Instagram:https://https://www.instagram.com/soundcentricmusic/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soundcentricmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundCentricmusic

Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

00:00:00 - intro

00:02:15 - How Gabe feels having made a new cultural landmark within hip-hop

00:04:45 - Using the color green in all OTR branding and other people copying it

00:05:45 - How Gabe decided to format OTR to differentiate from Sway, Funk Flex, and other freestyle shows

00:07:45 - Some of the hardest OTR’s to record

00:09:20 - The importance of freestyles for hip-hop

00:16:00 - Do people pay to get on OTR?

00:17:45 - Why Gabe decided to release the freestyles on DSPs?

00:21:00 - Why Gabe has more than just rap artists and American artists on OTR

00:23:00 - How artists can capitalize on their moment after appearing on OTR

00:29:45 - Does OTR allow artists to rap on famous beats

00:31:20 - The OTR X Kai Cenat linkup

00:38:00 - How artists get on OTR and the importance of artists being visible online

00:42:40 - Tips for artists

00:45:00 - Gabe’s dream freestyle cypher

00:49:00 -How Gabe has time to listen to new artists

00:52:00 - Who we are listening to right now

00:54:00 - Closing thoughts