Episode 161: A (Random) Conversation with (and about) Nick Rosenberg

80z Babies

The 80z Babies are joined by Nick Rosenberg in a full on rap nerd discussion stemming from the conversation on Madvillainy. The conversation takes us from Nick's hiphop beginnings as a fan of "Parents Just Don't Understand" to the early days of the Low Budget crew and even a stint at Rawkus Records. Enjoy the tangents!

(1:20) Introducing Nick Rosenberg (3:05) Rap radio and WOL (5:15) Reminiscing about the DMC Hip Hop scene (8:02) What was it like being at an underground label? (8:45) The lost Kool G Rap album on Rawkus (10:58) Was Mos Def too "anti" for trying to level up? Why is his album on Luminary? (12:12) Did Mos have the most potential of any Hip Hop artist ever? (13:05) The beginnings of Rawkus Records (14:47) Why didn't Rawkus sign Kanye West? (17:28) Was there a Hot 97 reality show? (19:25) How does Nick get into music and entertainment law? (22:18) When did Nick start "managing" Peter? (23:43) What is Nick's relationship to Eminem and Paul Rosenberg? (25:14) Is there a lot of money in sample packs? The headache of sample clearances (33:33) Music nerd tangent discussing Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys (39:45) A random tangent discussing how music breaks cultural barriers (44:30) A random tangent discussing Lootpack and Planet Asia (46:16) Do you ever cringe at your takes from your younger years? Outlaw defends the younger, pretentious Outlaw from high school and college (50:09) Is Yinka too manly to bang Meg the Stallion in the car? (52:25) Nick shares his Spotify streaming challenge guessing game he plays with his friends (53:07) MF DOOM is inexplicably popular with Gen Z (56:40) Is Phonte one of the most talented artists around? (59:50) Turn it up to 11, Spinal Tap appreciation (1:02:45) Obligatory Biggie appreciation chat (1:03:45) Biggie ghost wrote every person's lyrics in Junior M.A.F.I.A (1:05:09) Is Biggie a "god"? Must you be dead before your portrait is painted on walls? (1:08:32) Ready to Die vs Life After Death (1:09:12) What's your top 5 albums? (1:10:36) Carter I vs Carter II vs Carter III (1:11:42) Mos Def and Mannie Fresh did an album together? Did Mos revoke his citizenship? (1:12:57) Did Pusha T live in Bethesda, MD? (1:14:18) Nick shares the most apt Nas description of all time (1:15:15) Revisiting the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip Hop and Rap (1:19:50) The run of music circa 2005 (1:21:45) G-Unit discussion (1:25:18) One last Doom story