Like most music listeners these days, I have a combination of really mainstream and really odd music in my library. This is helped by streaming sites like Apple Music and Spotify with their algorithms which can take you to really unexpected places, and also because listening exclusively to one genre of music can get extremely tiring after some time. But before streaming came to the fore, free (read: illegal) downloads were the way and I used blogs and features by my favourite artists to discover new music, and I loved the process of listening to an artist’s whole album. I still do, and I love the fact that despite our easy access to random music, the album still endures. The zip folders on my computer can attest to that. But I digress, hip-hop is my favourite genre and I’m here to wax lyrical about the best podcast for hip hop lovers.
Now before you say anything, yes this is another podcast article, but I’m actually not much of a podcast listener. I have nothing against the medium per se, I just haven’t utilized it all that much. I prefer to read content. So when I say this is good you better believe me. It’s called Dissect Podcast, and what sets it apart from other podcasts analyzing music is that each season is spent analyzing a single album.
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Host Cole Cuchna selects an album he thinks has had a major impact on the culture and takes it apart episode by episode. The show is currently in its fifth season, giving listeners the inspiration and behind the scenes process of Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. Personally I’d rather figure things out for myself (Anthony who?) – there’s nothing like searching for confirmation of a 5 second loop you heard by chance on your 18th listen and finding out it is in fact that song from the 70s that you thought only you knew, but there’s just something about the pure nerdiness of this show that just reels me in.
I’ll admit something else: just between you and me, I’ve only listened to one season but it was utterly brilliant. In the podcast’s only mini-season, Cuchna provides an in-depth analysis of the landscape shifting debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the first hip hop album ever to win a Grammy for Album of the year, and an album that truly stands the test of time (just ask the internet). The first episode provides the context for the album, setting the scene from her time with The Fugees and their hit song Ready or Not, and her relationship with Wyclef Jean, and being a new mother which sets up some of the foundation for Miseducation, an album about love for yourself and healing, and ultimately the full realization of the vision she wasn’t able to achieve while part of a group. The rest of the season provides a close analysis of the album which gives the listener a new appreciation into the music-making process and about how the smallest things make the biggest difference. Best of all, it doesn’t feel like the classic nitpicking that’s commonly found in most works of critique. I found myself disagreeing with Cuchna’s analysis at times, yet loving it all the same. He doesn’t claim to be an authority on the work, he’s just a fan like the rest of us. And there’s nothing like listening and talking to a fellow fan about the music you love. And if you don’t believe me, believe Tyler, The Creator.