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Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: DJ Quik

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http://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/npr.mc.tritondigital.com/BULLSEYE_PODCAST/media/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/510309/479263836/npr_479263836.mp3?orgId=1&d=3487&p=510309&story=479263836&t=podcast&e=479263836&siteplayer=true&dl=1
Guests: 
DJ Quik
Guests: 
Michael Ian Black

Jesse to DJ Quik - one of the most prolific figures in West Coast hip hop. They’ll talk about why a leaked record and a couple of guns made Quik realize he needed a new circle of friends, why he never wants to stop making pretty beats for his records and his inspiration for his awesome, awesome hairstyles over the years. Plus comedy from Michael Ian Black and Jesse explains his love for the airplane gadget catalogue parody, SkyMaul.

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.


Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

DJ Quik Talks About Bollywood Samples, Life Imitating Art, and Hairstyles

DJ Quik is one of the most prolific figures in West Coast hip hop. He's a great rapper, but first and foremost, he's always considered himself a producer. He's produced some of the most inventive samples and beats of the genre. And even though he geeks out about latest and greatest studio equipment, he's always used whatever it takes to capture the sound he wants -- even if it means recording a music sample with a VCR.

Quik first made a name for himself in the hip hop scene in the late 80's and early 90's, handing out homemade mix tapes and deejaying around Los Angeles. He's since released ten albums, and produced records for everyone from Tupac, Snoop Dogg and Xzibit to Tony! Toni! Toné!.

He'll talk about why a leaked record and a couple of guns made him realize he needed a new circle of friends, why he never wants to stop making pretty beats for his records and his inspiration for his awesome, awesome hairstyles over the years.

DJ Quik's new EP is calledRosecrans. It's available now.

Michael Ian Black Talks About Children’s Halloween Costumes - Recorded Live at MaxFunCon East 2012

Michael Ian Black is an actor, comedian and author perhaps best known from his work with the sketch comedy troupe The State, or from his subsequent collaborations with State-mates both on television (Stella, Michael & Michael Have Issues) and film (Wet Hot American Summer). His disarmingly charming smarm made him a perfect fit for the talking-head format of VH1, but it also makes him a terrific author, as evidenced in latest book Navel Gazing: True Tales of Bodies, Mostly Mine (but also my mom’s, which I know sounds weird).

Michael Ian Black performed live at MaxFunCon East in 2012.

The Outshot: Skymaul 2

Have you ever picked up and actually flipped through one of those in-flight catalogs? Well, the sketch comedy group Kasper Hauser takes all of the grotesque and excessive product offerings of Skymall, and brings them to another level in Skymaul 2: Where America Buys His Stuff.


Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: Cristela Alonzo and Stretch Armstrong

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https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/npr.mc.tritondigital.com/BULLSEYE_PODCAST/media/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/510309/513802915/npr_513802915.mp3
Guests: 
Cristela Alonzo
Guests: 
Stretch Armstrong

This week Jesse talks with comedian and actress Cristela Alonzo. She starred in the ABC sitcom Cristela and has a new standup special on Netflix, Lower Classy. Also, a visit from Stretch Armstrong, co-host of the influential hip hop radio show Stretch and Bobbito, which helped launch the careers of many now legendary New York rappers.

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.


Photo: Tommaso Boddi / Stringer

Cristela Alonzo has a new stand-up special on Netflix, Lower Classy

Cristela Alonzo is a veteran standup comedian, actress, writer, and producer. She's also something of a pioneer. You might remember her from the ABC sitcom Cristela, where she was the first Latina to create, write, produce, and star in her own show.

In this week's episode, she talks to Jesse about her formative years growing up in South Texas with an undocumented parent. Hiding from police and immigration raids were daily realities in her small border town. Her family was also desperately poor--she recalls squatting in an abandoned diner.

Down the road, Cristela discovered she had a talent for weaving those tough experiences into comedy gold. That gift is on full display in her new Netflix standup special, Lower Classy, as she takes on difficult topics including racial stereotypes, immigration, poverty, and parenting, all with her trademark smile and laugh. Cristela recalls the long journey that led to the special, and how being a comedian is, for her, about more than simply making people laugh.

Cristela Alonzo's new standup special, Lower Classy, is available to stream on Netflix now.


Photo: John Phillips / Stringer

Stretch Armstrong

Stretch Armstrong is a renowned DJ, record collector, and writer. It's impossible to tell the story of New York rap in the 1990s--what some people consider the Golden Era of Hip-Hop--without at least mentioning The Stretch and Bobbito Show, the influential college radio program that he and Robert "Bobbito" Garcia co-hosted from 1990 to 1998.

In their time, Stretch and Bobbito were among the only FM radio outlets for a generation of New York rappers. MCs like Jay-Z, Wu-Tang Clan, Notorious BIG, and Nas. The behind-the-scenes stories from those days are the stuff of hip-hop folklore, and the subject of documentary that came out a little over a year ago, called Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives. It's available to stream on Netflix now.

Stretch, whose real name is Adrian Bartos, also recently co-authored a book. He and Evan Auerbach teamed up to make a visual history of New York City's club scene, called No Sleep: NYC Nightlife Flyers 1988-1999.

The Outshot: "Wells for Boys"

In this week's Outshot, Jesse shares a Saturday Night Live sketch that spoke to him in a particularly magical way. Behold, Wells for Boys:

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: Big Boi and Catherine O'Hara

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Bullseye
https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/npr.mc.tritondigital.com/BULLSEYE_PODCAST/media/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/510309/532671696/npr_532671696.mp3
Guests: 
Bio Boi
Guests: 
Catherine O'Hara

On this week's Bullseye, Jesse sits down with rapper Big Boi to discuss his craft and career as a solo artist and one half of one of Outkast. Plus, the brilliant actor Catherine O'Hara on her career as a comedic actor and what its like to be a woman in the writers room.

[r] New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.

Hip Hop Icon Big Boi: Getting Familiar with Uncharted Territory

The rapper and producer Big Boi has sold over 50 million records as a solo artist and as half of the platinum-selling hip hop duo OutKast. The innovative Atlanta-based group broke out in the mid-1990s with "Rosa Parks" and "Elevators", then followed up with crossover pop hits like "The Way You Move" and "Bombs Over Baghdad".

OutKast found huge commercial success with an experimental brand of hip hop, eschewing old-school samples in favor of new sounds. Big Boi has been the more musically prolific member of the group. He's gone on to produce several solo albums and collaborate with artists across the music spectrum, from fellow ATL-based rapper Ludacris to funk-master George Clinton to the indie rock band Wavves.

Big Boi joins us to talk about the early days recording in a clay-walled basement, coming to terms with fame, and where to go musically when you've hit monumental commercial success.

Big Boi's new album Boomiverse is out on June 16th.

If you liked this, let someone know! Click here to share this segment.

Catherine O'Hara on Being Slightly, Perfectly Odd

Catherine O'Hara's work embodies a particularly special brand of comic absurdity. She helped launch SCTV alongside other burgeoning comedy greats like John Candy and Eugene Levy, quit the show, but still moved on to star in blockbuster comedies. She became spiritually possessed in Beetlejuice, played a memorable, anxiety-ridden mother to Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, and became a critical part of Christopher Guest's ensemble mockumentaries, like Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show.

More recently, she's been in HBO's critically-acclaimed biopic Temple Grandin and Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, and CBC's Schitts Creek.

O'Hara talks to us about the difficulties of being a woman in the SCTV writers' room, creating memorable characters with her longtime friend and collaborator Eugene Levy, and her own secret comedic formula.

If you liked this, let someone know! Click here to share this segment.

The Outshot: Fast, Cheap, and Out Of Control

At first, Errol Morris's documentary Fast, Cheap & Out of Control looks like it's about four men and their professional occupations: a lion tamer, a topiarist, a roboticist, a scientist who studies naked mole rats. But the movie is about much more than just weird jobs.

If you liked this, let someone know! Click here to share this segment.

Bullseye With Jesse Thorn: A$AP Ferg and Dr. Katz

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Bullseye
https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/npr.mc.tritondigital.com/BULLSEYE_PODCAST/media/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/510309/534452362/npr_534452362.mp3
Guests: 
A$AP Ferg
Guests: 
Jonathan Katz

On this week's episode of Bullseye, Jesse sits down with New York rapper ASAP Ferg. Plus, creator and star of Dr. Katz Professional Therapist, Jonathan Katz. Jesse makes a case for why the now 30 year old Sign O' The Times is Prince's most essentially Prince album.

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.


Photo: Jesse Thorn

A$AP Ferg on how to form a successful hip-hop collective

Rapper and fashion designer A$AP Ferg was born Darold Ferguson and grew up in Harlem's Hamilton Heights neighborhood. Together with A$AP Rocky, A$AP Bari and many more, he established himself as one of the best MCs in the New York hip hop collective A$AP Mob. In 2013 he released his first solo record, Trap Lord, which included the hit single "Shabba", which hit #7 on the Billboard hot 100. Ferg has spent the last couple of years cultivating a sound that's totally unique, touching on genres like trap, house, soul and dubstep. He's achieved this by working with artists like the girl group Haim, Bone Thugs N' Harmony, Missy Elliott, and more.

A$AP Ferg and Jesse talk about how attending an arts high school fueled his creativity and allowed him experiences he wouldn't of otherwise had. They talk about the beginnings of A$AP Mob, and the death of his dear friend and A$AP Mob co-founder A$AP Yams.

A$AP Ferg's latest album Always Strive and Prosper is out now, and has a new mixtape called Still Striving coming out in August. And don't forget to check out his clothing line Traplord.

Click here to listen to Jesse's interview with A$AP Ferg!


Photo:Michael Fein

Jonathan Katz on Dr. Katz Professional Therapist

Jonathan Katz is best known for Dr. Katz Professional Therapist, his animated hit TV series from the 1990's that aired on Comedy Central where he voiced Dr. Katz. It was one of their weirdest animated TV shows on air at the time. Katz took the saying, "stand up is therapy for comedian's" and made a whole show based around it, having a whole host of characters on the show played different comedian's in his circle, all to be seen by Dr. Katz. Since the show went off the air in 1999, Katz has kept writing and doing standup.

Jonathan tells Jesse what it was like working with Robin Williams, when he was on tour with his then popular TV show Mork & Mindy. They talk about how he created Dr. Katz Professional Therapist, and the revival of that show in audio form. Plus, they talk about multiple sclerosis, and how it has affected his stand-up career.

Jonathan's Dr. Katz: The Audio Files is available on Audible now.

Click here to listen to Jesse's interview with Jonathan Katz!

The Outshot: Prince's Sign O' The Times

Jesse makes a case for why the now 30 year old Sign O' The Times is Prince's most essentially Prince album.

Click here to listen to Jesse's outshot on Prince's "Sign O' The Times"!

Inside Pop Ep. 82 - Jay-Z’s 4:44, Best TV of 2017 (So Far), Bishop Briggs

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This week, Inside Pop dives into Jay-Z's new album 4:44- and also discuss other artists who have bared their soul through music. Plus, we give our picks for the Best TV of 2017 (So Far) and then Sean gives his Big Sell review and rating of last week's suggestion from Amita and he shares his Big Sell which comes from one of the series on his Best of TV (So Far) list.

This week, Inside Pop dives into Jay-Z's new album 4:44- we discuss some of the personal issues he revealed in his lyrics along with his evolution from his first album to now. We then discuss other artists who have bared their soul through music and some of the confessional - like songs with which we have connected - including Beyonce, Lauryn Hill, Prince, Mary J. Blige and more.

Then, we revel in the abundance of programming that Peak TV has given us in 2017 with our Best of TV picks of the last 6 months. Find out which shows made our individual lists and which shows we shared our undying affection for.

Plus, Sean gives his Big Sell review and rating of last week's suggestion from Amita- the singer/songwriter, Bishop Briggs. Then, he shares his Big Sell which comes from one of the series on his Best of TV (So Far) list.

Follow Inside Pop on Twitter and Instagram @PopInsiders

Heat Rocks, EP4: Shea Serrano on DMX's "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot" (1998)

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http://traffic.libsyn.com/heatrocks/01_Shea_Serrano_on_DMXs__Its_Dark_and_Hot_As_Hell__1.mp3
Guests: 
Shea Serrano

Music and sports writer Shea Serrano (TheRinger.com) takes us back to his formative rap album of the '90s, DMX's breakout debut "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot")

The album: DMX: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (Def Jam, 1998)

This week, we are joined by Shea Serrano, contributor at TheRinger.com, author of both The Rap Yearbook and the brand new Basketball (And Other Things). For his heat rock, he choose DMX's smash debut LP, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. *woof*

During our conversation, we learned how it was Shea's grandmother, of all people, who introduced him to DMX and how that album became the formative soundtrack for him as a teenager. Shea drops wisdom nuggets on the nature of pain in DMX's persona and how this album marked a repudiation of the direction hip-hop was headed in during the jiggy era.

More on DMX and It's Dark and Hell Is Hot:

More on Shea Serrano:

Show Tracklisting:

  • DMX: "Get At Me Dog"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • Mase: "Feel So Good"Money Talks
  • DMX: "Fucking With My Dogs"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • DMX: "Catching The Same Hell"
  • DMX: "Look Thru My Eyes"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • DMX: "Ruff Ryders Anthem"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • DMX: "Prayer"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • DMX Feat. Eve "Dog Match"Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders First Lady
  • DMX "Crime Story"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • DMX "For My Dogs"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • 50 Cent "Wanksta"
  • Mase "24 Hours To Live"Harlem World
  • DMX "How's It Goin Down"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot

If you're not already subscribed to Heat Rocks in Apple Podcasts, do it here!


11-2-17 Update!

In our episode, I (Oliver) credited the album for helping introduce Swizz Beats to the wider world. That's true insofar as "The Ruff Ryders Anthem" was one of Swizz's first big hits. However, it's the only song on the entire album that Swizz worked on. Most of the album was produced by Dame Grease and P.K. and in my haste, I didn't do my proper discographic research to give credit where it was properly due.

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: Judd Apatow & Romesh Ranganathan

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Bullseye
https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/npr.mc.tritondigital.com/BULLSEYE_PODCAST/media/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/510309/570028543/npr_570028543.mp3
Guests: 
Judd Apatow
Guests: 
Romesh Ranganathan

Judd Apatow is one of the busiest and most notable behind the scenes guys alive today. Name 10 huge critically acclaimed comedy hits off the top your head, and Judd's probably worked on half of them: The Larry Sanders Show, Knocked Up, Bridesmaids, Funny People, The Big Sick, Train Wreck, Girls - it just goes on and on. But now, for the first time in over 25 years, he's back on stage. He's been performing live for the last couple years and now he's got his first ever hour long special. It's called Judd Apatow: The Return and it debuts on Netflix this week.

Then, Romesh Ranganathan. He's a British stand up and TV host. And while he might not be a household name stateside, he's looking to change that. Romseh just rented a giant amphitheater in Los Angeles for his big debut - it seats nearly 6,000 people. When we first heard about this in November, he'd sold only 74 tickets. Jesse talks with him about why he's doing it, how his family's history informed his comedy, and what it's like going from crying once a month in a corporate bathroom stall to selling out concert halls in London... and hopefully LA.

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcasts or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.

Judd Apatow on returning to stand-up comedy after more than 20 years

Judd Apatow is responsible for some of the funniest films and television shows of the past two decades. He got his start in Hollywood mostly by working behind the scenes - he was a writer on “The Larry Sanders Show,” a showrunner on “The Ben Stiller Show” and served as an executive producer on the short-lived NBC cult classic “Freaks and Geeks.”

Apatow has also produced movies like “Bridesmaids” and “Superbad,” and has written and directed plenty of features too, including, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Funny People,” “This Is 40,” and “Knocked Up.”

One of Judd’s true passions is stand-up comedy. When he was a teenager he worked at the East Side Comedy Club in Long Island. Back then he brushed shoulders with comics like Eddie Murphy and Rosie O’Donnell. In 1992, he was featured on HBO’s “Young Comedians Special.” In it, he shares the stage with Ray Romano and Andy Kindler.

Judd Apatow’s new Netflix stand-up special is appropriately called “Judd Apatow: The Return,” it marks his return to stand-up after more than 20 years. His material is sincere and relatable just like many of his films. In the special, he reads terrible poetry he wrote as a teenage to get the crowd going, he jokes about the disastrous time he threw the first pitch for the New York Mets, and he imagines what would happened if he ever decided to smoke pot with his kids. Need we say more!

Jesse talks with Judd about the new comedy special, and why it’s important to him to consciously choose to make his projects more inclusive and diverse.

Click here to listen to Judd Apatow's interview on YouTube!

Photo: Rory James/Flickr

Romesh Ranganathan on how his family's immigrant history informed his comedy

You might not know Romesh Ranganathan yet, but in the UK he’s a big celebrity best known for his stand-up comedy. He’s been a regular on spin offs of “The Great British Bake Off” and “The Apprentice.”

Romesh also hosts a travel show on the BBC called “Asian Provocateur.” In it, he travels around the world reconnecting with his parents’ home country of Sri Lanka. In the second season, Romesh travels to various locations in North America to meet more of his relatives, and his mother, Shanthi, tags along for his adventure.

The highlights of the show often feature Shanthi. She will stop at nothing to chide Romesh whenever she gets a chance. It’s really funny -- dare we say his mom is funnier than him. And Romesh knows this -- his relationship with his hilarious mother often drives much of his stand-up routine.

With hopes of making it big in the states; Romesh just moved to America with his wife, kids, and of course, his mother. He has an upcoming performance at the Greek Theater on Thursday December, 21, and tickets are still available. Romesh’s new comedy special, “Irrational,” was recorded at London's Hammersmith Apollo, and is available now. He hosts a podcast called "Hip Hop Saved My Life."

Jesse talks with Romesh about his love of hip-hop, and what it's like going from crying once a month in a corporate bathroom stall to selling out concert halls in London.

Click here to listen to Romesh Ranganathan's interview on YouTube!

The Outshot: 30 Rock’s Dr. Spaceman

Finally, for this week's Outshot: Dr. Spaceman. 30 Rock was a show with a thousand nearly perfect jokes. But there was only one most perfect joke among all those nearly perfect jokes. Jesse talks about what makes Chris Parnell’s portrayal Dr. Spaceman a very good bad doctor.

Click here to listen to Jesse's Outshot on YouTube!

Heat Rocks EP16: Bahamadia on the Kay-Gee's "Keep On Bumpin'& Masterplan" (1974)

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http://traffic.libsyn.com/heatrocks/Bahamadia_on_The_Kay-Gees__Keep_On_Bumpin__Masterplan_.mp3
Guests: 
Bahamadia

Philly's Bahamadia aka the BB Queen aka an original Philly funkster joins us to talk about the Kay-Gee's breakout 1974 album, "Keep On Bumpin'& Masterplan." Nothing but a party ya'll.

The album: The Kay-Gee's: Keep On Bumpin'& Masterplan (Gang, 1974)

 

We invited Philly hip-hop star Bahamadia to join us and she kept things tri-state by picking the 1974 debut album by New Jersey's The Kay-Gee's, originally an off-shoot of Kool and the Gang. The Kay-Gee's may not be household names in the same manner as Kool and the Gang or the Ohio Players but especially on this debut, they cooked up an impressively diverse and surprisingly eclectic set of tracks that defy simple expectation. What other band ends their album with their own "greatest hits montage"?

More on the Kay-Gee's Keep On Bumpin'& Masterplan

More on Bahamadia

Show Tracklisting (all songs from Keep On Bumpin'& Masterplan unless indicated otherwise):

  • “Who’s the Man (With The Master Plan)”
  • Bahamadia: Kollage“Wordplay”
  • The Trammps: Disco Inferno“Disco Inferno”
  • MFSB: Love Is The Message“Love Is The Message”
  • James Brown: Getting’ Down To It“Cold Sweat”
  • Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band:Express Yourself“Express Yourself”
  • Parliament: Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome“Flashlight”
  • “Wondering”
  • “My Favorite Song”
  • The Floaters: Float On“Float On”
  • Cameo: We All Know Who We Are“Why Have I Lost You”
  • “Aint No Time (pt 1)”
  • You’ve Got To Keep on Bumpin”
  • “Who’s The Man (With The Master Plan)”
  • Madlib and J-Dilla: Champion Sound Jaylib (The Official)
  • Tom Browne: Funkin For Jamaica“Funkin for Jamaica”
  • “Get Down”
  • “Anthology”
  • Double Dee and Stein: Lesson 3“History of Hip-Hop Mix”
  • “Hustle with Every Muscle”

If you're not already subscribed to Heat Rocks in Apple Podcasts, do it here!


Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome of 'Another Period'& The Egyptian Lover

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Bullseye
https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/npr.mc.tritondigital.com/BULLSEYE_PODCAST/media/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/510309/579812140/npr_579812140.mp3
Guests: 
Natasha Leggero
Guests: 
Riki Lindhome
Guests: 
Greg Broussard aka Egyptian Lover

Have you heard of Another Period? It's a series on Comedy Central with a brilliant, simple premise: it's a reality show set in the gilded age - like the Keeping up with the Kardashians meets Downton Abbey. It's really fun to watch - over the top, subversive, weird and chock full of absinthe references! Its stars and co-creators are Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome and they talk with Jesse about the show, which is entering its third season this week.

Then, the one and only Egyptian Lover. Born Greg Broussard he's a DJ, a producer, a rapper sometimes, too. He came up with Uncle Jamm's Army, a hip-hop crew that featured promoter and DJ Rodger Clayton, Ice - T, and shared the bill with acts as big as Run-DMC back in the day. As a solo artist he's released 9 albums, mixing Kraftwerk, Prince, a little bit of G-Funk every now and then, too. He's about to kick off on a world tour with dates in Berlin, Cape Town and Long Beach. He talks with Jesse about the early days of LA hip hop and electro, what a 10,000 person dance party looks like and how he bonded with his future wife over a Kraftwerk record. The ultimate meet cute!

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcasts or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.

Photo Courtesy of Comedy Central

Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome on their Comedy Central television show 'Another Period'

"Another Period" returns to Comedy Central this week. The show is set in Newport, Rhode Island and follows the lives of the Bellacourt sisters at the turn of the 20th century. The format of the show follows the familiar and popular structure of reality tv. It's sort of like "Keeping up with the Kardashians" meets "Downton Abbey." They do what a lot of aristocrats did back then, which is nothing, basically.

The show was co-created by Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, they play Lillian and Beatrice Bellacourt respectively. The sisters have a particular obsession with fame and go to great lengths to stir drama and obtain as much stardom as one could in the gilded age. "Real-life" characters often get tangled in the Bellacourts lives like Sigmund Freud and Mark Twain. In one episode, they enlist the help of Harriet Tubman for a lesson on marketing their image. Another episode, sees the sisters get in a literal fist fight with Helen Keller. The show is over the top, subversive, weird and chock full of absinthe references!

Jesse sat down with Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome to talk about embedding history into the show, the guilty pleasures of reality tv, and the time they were guests on the Today Show with a very drunk Celine Dion.

Click here to listen to Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome's interview on YouTube!

Photo: Jesse Thorn

The Egyptian Lover on the early days of LA hip hop and electro

Greg Broussard better known as Egyptian Lover got his start as a DJ for Uncle Jamm's Army, a hip-hop crew based in Los Angeles. In 1984, Uncle Jamm's Army released a 12 inch single via Freak Beat Records. On Side A of that single was: "Dial A Freak." and Side B was : "Yes Yes Yes." Both tracks were produced by Egyptian Lover. The tracks received a lot of local play at huge parties thrown by Uncle Jamm's Army. At one point the venues they were filling up included the Hollywood Palladium and the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

As a solo artist Egyptian Lover has released nine albums, mixing Kraftwerk, Prince, a little bit of G-Funk every now and then, too. His latest, "1984" was released in 2015 on his label Egyptian Empire Records "1984." The official music video for the track "Killin' It" is insane. It reminds us of that Treehouse of Horror episode where Homer gets sucked into the 3rd dimension, and he says everything looks like the movie Tron. But instead Egyptian Lover transports us to his version the 80s -- a total throwback to the aesthetic of the decade, with glossy computer graphics, rectangular prisms, polished sports cars and all!

Jesse talks with the Egyptian Lover about the most iconic instrument in hip-hop: the Roland TR 808, and how the group Kraftwerk helped him meet his wife.

For Egyptian Lover's Spring tour dates click here.

Click here to listen to Egyptian Lover's interview on YouTube!


The Outshot: Detectorists

Finally, for this week's Outshot: television show "Detectorists." It's about a pair of guys with metal detectors, wandering through the English countryside looking for gold. While they don't exactly find the treasures they're looking for they do find out something more meaningful about themselves in the process.

Click here to listen to Jesse's Outshot on YouTube!

Heal And Learn It Up! (Brene Brown, Daring Greatly, Austin Bombings, Cynthia Nixon, National School Walkout)

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James covers Brene Brown's Book, Daring Greatly which covers tactics on overcoming shame through a few takeaways to live your life fully. In Nnekay's korner- she addresses the package bombs that have been terrorizing Texas Capital, Austin. Other topics: Cynthia Nixon and the National School Walkout, and 7 seconds a new Netflix drama.

Is Nasty Nubbin a good nick name? Couple of discoveries at the start of the show: James' beat boxing skills, and Nnekay has bars! Are the wonder twins good at these respective skills? Jury is out. Next up- Miranda is running for New York Governor?! That's right Cynthia Nixon best known as Miranda from Sex In The City is running for Governor of New York. Let's unpack it! Nnekay gives a boots on the grown account of the National School Walkout at her job. James and Nnekay are both in awe and look forward to the March For Our Lives coming up. In James' korner- he is so excited to share the information he learned from Brene Brown's book Daring Greatly- which covers tactics on overcoming shame through debunking myths on being vulnerable and a few takeaways to live your life fully. In Nnekay's korner- she addresses the package bombs that have been terrorizing Texas Capital, Austin. Why they haven't been in the news media, who they are effecting, how the victims and suspect have been portrayed, and what it means to actually be a domestic terrorist. Don't forget to tune in to Maximum Fun Shows during April 2nd when MaxFunDrive kicks off!!

Links!

https://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1...

http://time.com/5205181/austin-bombings/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/us/austin-bombings-explosion.html

https://www.colorlines.com/articles/congressional-black-caucus-members-w...

https://splinternews.com/austin-bombing-suspect-has-died-after-blowing-h...

Watch the Black Panther Red Carpet Coverage with co-host James:

http://marvel.com/blackpantherlive

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Twitter: @minoritykorner
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Inside Pop Ep. 139- Movie Trailers: An Insider’s Guide to How They’re Made

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Inside Pop
139
http://traffic.libsyn.com/insidepop/IP2013920FULL20Edit20V1.m4a
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Nati Braunstein

In this week's episode, Sean speaks with Nati Braunstein, Creative Director & Co-President of Aspect, about his work on creating memorable movie trailers. We find out how long it usually takes to produce a trailer and get some behind the scenes info about some of the recent work they've done on spots for the upcoming films Aquaman and Mary Poppins Returns. Plus, Sean gives his review of Riz MC's latest single in the Big Sell and shares an article about Stan Lee's passing.

Have you ever wondered how a movie trailer is created? Have you ever questioned why you see a shot in a trailer that doesn't exist in the film or fretted over the amount of plot detail a trailer reveals? Well wonder no more! This week, we speak to Nati Braunstein, Co-President and Creative Director at the Creative Advertising agency, Aspect, and get a look inside the process of making memorable movie trailers.

Nati discusses the collaborative effort behind the production of trailers and reveals some inside info about the trailers and TV spots for the highly anticipated Aquaman and Mary Poppins Returns.

Plus, in the Big Sell, Sean reviews the new Riz MC single, "Mogambo" and sells Amita on an article about Stan Lee after his passing.

Aspect Website

Aspect on Twitter

Aspect Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode check out:

Our conversation with the Music Supervisor of The Florida Project and Tangerine

Our conversation with the Cinematographer of 20 Feet From Stardom and Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: E-40, Bay Area rap legend

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https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/bullseye/2019/07/20190729_bullseye_bullseye190730-e_40.mp3
Guests: 
E-40

When it comes to hip-hop from the Bay Area, E-40 is quite possibly the greatest of all time. His distinctiveness has kept him relevant for three decades now, from mob music in the 1990's to hyphy slaps in the aughts to new music today. E-40 joins us to talk about his new record, Practice Makes Paper. We'll pull up some deep cuts from R&B singer Saint Charles, who 40 more intimately knows as his Uncle Chuckie. Chuckie was a huge inspiration for E-40 growing up. E will also take us to the root of his passion for music. Plus, he'll talk about his college days at Grambling State University. Did he win the school's talent show? Only one way to find out. Listen up

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.


Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

E-40 on his new record Practice Makes Paper and growing up in the Bay area

When it comes to Bay Area hip-hop, this week's guest is quite possibly the greatest of all time. He goes by many names: Forty Fonzarelli, Charlie Hustle, 40-Water or maybe you know him as the Ambassador of the Bay Area. We couldn't be more excited to share this conversation with the one and only E-40.

He was born and raised in the small town of Vallejo, and he has brought the culture of the Bay Area to the world. His distinctive style is overflowing with language — bars stuffed to the gills with words both real and imagined. He's hip-hop's king of slang and a stylist without peer.

He’s spent his career at the forefront of independent music, building a rap empire that changed the way music was recorded and sold, in hip-hop and beyond. He is both an artist and a movement.

His distinctiveness has kept him relevant for three decades now, from mob music in the 1990's to hyphy slaps in the aughts to new music today.

The themes are simple: hustling, street life, a bit of wisdom and a lot of money making. But even now, in his early 50's he tries to stay humble about his success.

E-40 joins us to talk about his new record. We'll pull up some deep cuts from R&B singer Saint Charles, who 40 knows as his Uncle Chuckie. Chuckie was a huge inspiration for E-40. E will also take us to the root of his passion for music. Plus, he'll talk about his college days at Grambling State University. Did he win the school's talent show? Only one way to find out. Listen up!

E-40's latest record "Practice Makes Paper" is out now.

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: The Egyptian Lover

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https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/bullseye/2019/08/20190816_bullseye_bullseye190816-egyptian_lover.mp3
Guests: 
The Egyptian Lover

We'll chat with the one and only Egyptian Lover. Born Greg Broussard – he's a DJ, a producer, a rapper sometimes, too. He came up with Uncle Jamm's Army, a hip-hop crew that featured promoter and DJ Rodger Clayton, Ice - T, and has shared the bill with acts as big as Run-DMC back in the day. As a solo artist he's released 9 albums, mixing Kraftwerk, Prince, a little bit of G-Funk every now and then, too. He talks with Jesse about the early days of LA hip hop and electro, what a 10,000 person dance party looks like and how he bonded with his future wife over a Kraftwerk record. The ultimate meet cute! This interview originally aired in January of 2018.

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcasts or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.

Photo: Jesse Thorn

The Egyptian Lover on the early days of LA hip hop and electro

Greg Broussard better known as Egyptian Lover got his start as a DJ for Uncle Jamm's Army, a hip-hop crew based in Los Angeles.

In 1984, Uncle Jamm's Army released a 12 inch single via Freak Beat Records. On Side A of that single was: Dial A Freak and Side B was : Yes Yes Yes. Both tracks were produced by Egyptian Lover. The tracks received a lot of local play at huge parties thrown by Uncle Jamm's Army. At one point the venues they were filling up included the Hollywood Palladium and the Los Angeles Sports Arena. As a solo artist Egyptian Lover has released 10 albums, mixing Kraftwerk, Prince, a little bit of G-Funk every now and then, too.

In 2015, he released 1984 on his label Egyptian Empire Records. The official music video for the track Killin' It is insane. Egyptian Lover transports us to his version of the '80s – a total throwback to the aesthetic of the decade, with glossy computer graphics, rectangular prisms, polished sports cars and all! It reminds us of that Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror episode where Homer gets sucked into the 3rd dimension.

Jesse talks with the Egyptian Lover about the most iconic instrument in hip-hop: the Roland TR 808, and the early days of LA hip hop and electro. Plus what a 10,000 person dance party looks like, and how he bonded with his future wife over a Kraftwerk record. The ultimate meet cute!

Egyptian Lover has embarked on a huge summer tour. For tour dates click here. His latest album 1985 is available now.

Click here to listen to Egyptian Lover's interview on YouTube!

This interview originally aired in January of 2018.

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: Freddie Gibbs

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https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/bullseye/2019/09/20190924_bullseye_bullseye190924-freddie_gibbs.mp3
Guests: 
Freddie Gibbs

Critically acclaimed rapper Freddie Gibbs joins Bullseye to talk about his music career. He was born and raised in Gary Indiana - the birthplace of the Jackson 5. Gibbs grew up seeing his neighborhood change for the worse in a lot of ways. People were in poverty and times could be described as desperate. As a young adult, Gibbs used that pain to spark an impressive rap career. He creates stories of a past and present he feels very fortunate to have escaped. Gibbs talks to us about his career, his collaboration with Madlib and he even talks to us about a very trying time in his life. Plus, he'll tell us why he starts every live show with a prayer!

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.


Photo:Jessse Thorn

Rapper Freddie Gibbs on Bandana, his new album with the legendary producer Madlib.

Before Freddie Gibbs ever dreamed of becoming a rapper, he was working at a shoe store in his hometown of Gary, Indiana. It's a rust belt town, an hour outside of Chicago. It also happens to be the home of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5.

Gary's a rough place these days. Over the last 6 decades it's hemorrhaged residents, shut down schools, fought a growing crime rate and poverty. Freddie was, like a lot of kids at that time, faced with a future that seemed bleak, searching for an escape. His outlet was in athletics. He was quite good. But like a lot of kids in his neighborhood, he had a hard time staying out of the streets.

Music would become another escape hatch. Gibbs found out a couple of his friends had started making records, they even had a studio in town. So Freddie started hanging out there and pretty soon he wanted to be a part of it even though he wasn't exactly sure what that would look like. Would he become a producer? A DJ? Maybe a manager? Being an MC literally never occurred to him.

It wasn't until Freddie was a grown man that he learned he had a gift for rhyming, a sense of rhythm, and a voice that commands your attention. Freddie raps about the streets. About the time he spent there, about the friends he knows who still are. About the friends he lost. If there's a guiding theme in Gibbs' music - it's pain.

A few years back, his career took an interesting turn: he started collaborating with Madlib, a producer and MC from California. A guy who makes impressionistic, kind of strange beats known more for working with artsier, weirder MC's like MF Doom or Talib Kweli.

The result was Piñata, a record where two very different artists thrive in their own element. It probably shouldn't work, but it does. The music's strange, kind of beautiful. Freddie still raps about the streets. There's still that same pain there. It just hits you harder.

The pair have a new album called Bandana, and it's really great.

Freddie x Madlib BANDANA from Kenny Greene Jr on Vimeo.

Gibbs joins Bullseye and reflects on his upbringing, molding his rhyming style with Madlib's more eclectic beats, making music while on "daddy duty" and why he starts off every live show with a prayer backstage. He also talks to us about a very trying time in his life. Plus, Jesse and Gibbs talk Scarface. The rapper, not the 1980s Al Pacino remake.

Check out Freddie Gibbs on tour throughout Europe this fall.

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: Rosie Perez

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https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510309/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/bullseye/2019/11/20191119_bullseye_bullseye191119-rosie_perez.mp3
Guests: 
Rosie Perez

Rosie Perez is one of the most fascinating people we've had on Bullseye! A native of Bushwick, Brooklyn, she's performed on stage and screen. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in 1993's Fearless, had iconic parts in "White Men Can't Jump" and "Do The Right Thing." She's been a host on ABC's "The View," served as Grand Marshal for the International Boxing Hall of Fame and as if all of that weren't enough, she was a powerhouse choreographer for "In Living Color" and is responsible for helping to bring hip hop to the living rooms of middle america. We talked to Rosie about her difficult childhood, surviving past trauma and why she'll always have a soft spot for the suburbs. Plus, she'll tell us why she prefers the New York hustle and bustle over sunny Los Angeles. Rosie speaks with us from the heart and we're so happy to have her on the show. Don't miss!

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.


Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images

Rosie Perez on her groundbreaking career

Rosie Perez is one of the most fascinating people we've had on Bullseye!

She's had truly iconic roles in films like White Men Can't Jump and Do The Right Thing, where she was introduced with an electrifying opening credits scene that is still talked about to this day. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in 1993's Fearless where she played a young woman dealing with guilt and trauma following a deadly plane crash and she's performed on stage and screen in countless other projects.

She's been a host on ABC's The View, and co-founded the Urban Arts Partnership—a long-running New York nonprofit that works in education and the arts. She's served as Grand Marshal for the International Boxing Hall of Fame— make no mistake, she knows her stuff— and as if all of that weren't enough, she was a powerhouse choreographer for In Living Color where she helped introduce hip hop acts like Heavy D to the mainstream.

A native of Bushwick, Brooklyn, she grew up in a convent, overcoming abject poverty and emotional abuse. She got her first big break on Soul Train as a dancer and was one of the first to bring a hip hop style of dancing to television back when most were still doing the hustle.

Rosie chats with Jesse about surviving her difficult childhood, living with PTSD and why she'll always have a soft spot for the suburbs. Plus, she'll tell us why she prefers the New York hustle and bustle over sunny Los Angeles. Rosie speaks with us from the heart and we're so happy to have her on the show.

You can catch Rosie in the much-anticipated Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn in 2020 but in the meantime go back and watch some of her past performances like her turn as a crooked cop in Pineapple Express and her work on TBS's darkly comedy Search Party where she steals every scene that she's in.

You can also click here to support her non-profit, Urban Arts Partnership.






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