The Questions Hip-Hop

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop Revisiting this classic episode from 2023: Sean and MidaZ return with another installment in the Making Illmatic series. This time they're joined by Sha Stimuli to take on the formidable task of trimming Jay-Z's double-album 'The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse' down to just 10 songs. The Questions: @thequestionshiphop (IG) Sean: @seandammit (IG) MidaZ: @midazthebeast (IG) Sha Stimuli: @shastimuli (IG) questionshiphop.com

⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Los Angeles: Pharrell Game Night April 1⁠ It's the inaugural mailbag episode. Sean answers questions about music listening habits, creative innovation vs consistent sound, phone etiquette in 2026, and more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hear the uncut episode with full music and cues at ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Los Angeles: Pharrell Game Night April 1 The Making Illmatic format is back! Sean Kantrowitz and MidaZ the BEAST welcome writer Ali Elabbady (aka Egypto Knuckles) to do a deep dive into Mos Def's The Ecstatic and attempt to trim the album down to its 10 best songs. How do you trim this LP down to 10 songs and does doing so help or hurt the album? ⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Ali Elabbady: Instagram

A firsthand account from artist Tufawon and producer Rob Van Vranken about what is happening in Minneapolis and how communities are combatting the presence of ICE in their neighborhoods – and how you can help. ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Direct Funding for Constitutional Observer training: https://linkin.bio/unidosmn/ Direct Funding for Immigrant Advocacy Organizers: https://linkin.bio/mncopal/ Rent Relief Funds: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/ Direct Food Distribution: https://www.dhhmn.com/operations Direct Family Funding: https://linktr.ee/smittenkittenmn Direct Funding for Organizers: https://linktr.ee/powwowgrounds Direct support for immigrant activists: https://www.instagram.com/miracmn Press: https://www.instagram.com/onsitepublicmedia https://www.instagram.com/bygeorgiafort https://www.instagram.com/blck.press https://www.instagram.com/sahanjournal https://www.instagram.com/mercadomedia1 https://www.instagram.com/unicorn.riot The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tufawon: ⁠Instagram⁠ Rob Van Vranken: Instagram

Originally broadcast on June 15, 2020. Comedian and hip-hop aficionado Joe DeRosa puts his hip-hop trivia skills to the test and talks about his favorite albums, artists, and songs in this throwback episode from the Instagram Live days of The Questions. ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Joe DeRosa: Instagram

Sean runs through his picks for the 10 most underrated songs in J Dilla's production catalog. (Note: this is an updated take on 2024's 'Making Dill-Matic' episode) ⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You're posting photos of yourself from 2016, we're spending 2 hours drafting the highs and lows of hip-hop from 2016; we are not the same. Sean Kantrowitz and MidaZ the BEAST are joined by guests Lyric Jones and Optiks to comb through the benchmarks of a year that may not instantly ring a bell for you when it comes to hip-hop history – but trust, there's plenty to dig into here! Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: ⁠Instagram⁠ Lyric Jones: Instagram Optiks: Instagram

Sean and MidaZ the BEAST welcome back Sha Stimuli (No Bars Off Show) to the pod for a thorough analysis of Canibus' verse on Lost Boyz's 1997 "Beasts from the East." What makes a verse "good"? What impact can a verse have on a career, a culture, and the industry? Rap nerds only for this one. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ youtube.com/@nobarsoffshow The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: Instagram Sha Stimuli: Instagram No Bars Off: Instagram

*taps mic* Is this thing on? Taking a break from the hiatus to reflect back on some of the best moments from the podcast in 2025. Happy New Year, thanks for listening, and be sure to join the Patreon to get more episodes, content, mixes, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://beatjunkiesound.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded live at the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound, Sean joins the Beat Junkies (DJ Babu, DJ Rhettmatic) for their RPM listening series, unpacking Visionaries 'Pangaea' album. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠http://beatjunkiesound.com/⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Beat Junkie Institute of Sound: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Recorded live at the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound, Sean joins the Beat Junkies (DJ Babu, DJ Rhettmatic) for their RPM listening series, deep diving into D-Styles' seminal 'Phantazmagorea' album. ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠http://beatjunkiesound.com/⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Beat Junkie Institute of Sound: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Recorded live at the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound, Sean joins the Beat Junkies (DJ Babu, DJ Rhettmatic) for their RPM listening series, this time diving deep into Mobb Deep's classic 'The Infamous' with Rapper Big Noyd, Big Twinz, House Shoes, and Schott Free. ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠http://beatjunkiesound.com/⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Beat Junkie Institute of Sound: ⁠Instagram⁠

Making Illmatic returns from a hiatus to The Questions Hip-Hop, as Sean Kantrowitz and MidaZ the BEAST are joined by emcee/artist Kap Kallous to explore Clipse's debut album 'Lord Willin' and attempt to trim the album down to its 10 best songs. How do you trim this LP down to 10 songs and does doing so help or hurt the album? 8:16 - 'Lord Willin' Background 20:55 - Album Ratings 28:33 - Intro 33:26 - Young Boy 40:23 - Virginia 48:51 - Grindin' 59:18 - Hot Damn feat Ab-Liva and Rosco P. Coldchain 01:04:44 - Ma I Don't Love Her feat Faith Evans 01:11:31 - FamLay Freestyle 01:16:56 - When the Last Time 01:21:29 - Ego 01:27:18 - Comedy Central feat Fabolous 01:30:56 - Let's Talk About It feat. Jermaine Dupri 01:37:43 - Gangsta Lean 01:43:52 - I'm Not You feat. Jadakiss, Styles P, & Rosco P. Coldchain 01:49:07 - Grindin' Remix feat. Birdman, Lil Wayne, & N.O.R.E./Grindin' (Selector Remix) feat Sean Paul, Bless, & Kardinal Offishall 01:52:31 - Final Ten/Outro ⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Kap Kallous: Instagram

Recorded live at the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound, Sean joins the Beat Junkies (Mr. Choc, DJ Babu, DJ Rhettmatic) for their RPM listening series, with Blu and Exile sitting in for a conversation and breakdown of their debut album 'Below the Heavens.' ⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://beatjunkiesound.com/ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Beat Junkie Institute of Sound: Instagram Blu: Instagram Exile: Instagram

Sean Kantrowitz connects with journalist/author/hip-hop podcast OG Shawn Setaro to talk about the ins and outs of covering the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial for Complex. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Shawn Setaro: Instagram

Originally broadcast on May 10 and May 17, 2021 Can't Knock the Shuffle features Sean Kantrowitz exploring the discography of an artist, and leaving it to an algorithm to choose which randomly-selected songs to ask the artist about. This classic episode features singer/songwriter and artist Esthero. Songs: "O.G. Bitch" (2003) "Junglebook" feat Andre 3000...kind of ('Wikked Lil Girls,' 2005) "Everything is Expensive" ('Everything is Expensive', 2012) "Streetlights" (Kanye West, '808s and Heartbreak', 2008) "Amber and Tiger's Eye" ('We R in Need of a Musical Revolution!', 2004) "Breath From Another" ('Breath From Another,' 1998) "Gimme Some Time" (2019) ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ esthero.net The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Esthero: Instagram

Originally broadcast on August 26, 2021. Zilla Rocca (Call Out Culture podcast, Wrecking Crew) hops in the hot seat to talk all things hip-hop/music and puts his trivia skills to the ultimate test. ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Zilla Rocca: Instagram

Sean Kantrowitz speaks with London-based author Ben Pedroche, whose book 'Independent as F***: Underground Hip-Hop from 1995-2005' offers a comprehensive overview of the albums, artists, 12" records, and labels that shaped the genre in its arguably most-potent decade. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Ben (Grown Up Rap): Instagram

The second Draft episode of The Questions Hip-Hop podcast takes an in-depth deep dive into the year 2005. Sean Kantrowitz, MidaZ the BEAST, Justin Hunte (The Company Man) and The Last MJ (Don't Quote Me podcast) comb through the year 2005, selecting their picks for Best Mainstream Album, Best Independent Album, Best Beat, Best Emcee, Best Verse, Best Guest Feature/Verse, Best Producer, Best Album Cover, and Best Video. Buckle up and get ready for some hot takes, debates, and a thoughtful look back at what was happening in hip-hop 20 (!) years ago. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ ⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠Instagram⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠Instagram⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: ⁠Instagram⁠ Justin Hunte: Instagram The Last MJ: Instagram

Originally broadcast on June 7, 2021. Can't Knock the Shuffle features Sean Kantrowitz exploring the discography of an artist, and leaving it to an algorithm to choose which randomly-selected songs to ask the artist about. This classic episode features El Da Sensei, the Newark rapper and members of Artifacts whose career spans several decades, groups, and solo projects. Songs: "Speakin'" ('Relax, Relate, Release', 2003) "Live Noise" feat. Akrobatik (w/ The Returners, 'GT2: Nu World', 2010) "Wrong Side of Da Tracks" (Artifacts, 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place', 1994) "It Takes Two" (w/ Sadat X, 'XL,' 2018) "Money" feat Roc Marciano and Reef the Lost Cause ('The Money EP', 2009) "Got Fire" (w/ The Returners, 'Global Takeover', 2008) "31 Bumrush" (Artifacts, 'That's Them,' 1997) ⁠⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ El Da Sensei: ⁠Instagram

Originally broadcast on January 13, 2021. Sean is joined by Seattle's self-proclaimed "Queen of Rap," Gifted Gab for a hilarious and insightful conversation about her career – as well as a game of hip-hop trivia. ⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Gifted Gab: Instagram

Making Illmatic returns to The Questions Hip-Hop, as Sean Kantrowitz and MidaZ the BEAST are joined by emcee/producer Jamil Honesty to deep dive into Nas's 'It Was Written' and attempt to scale the album down to its 10 best songs. How do you trim this LP down to 10 songs and does doing so help or hurt the album? Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ ⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠Instagram⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠Instagram⁠ MidaZ the BEAST: ⁠Instagram⁠ Jamil Honesty: ⁠Instagram

Originally broadcast on Feb 3, 2021. Sean is joined by producer/DJ Skizz to talk about his career in hip-hop and producing for the likes of Roc Marciano, Freeway, Sean Price, and many others. And of course – to put his hip-hop trivia skills to the test. Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ ⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠

200th Episode Celebration! Sean recounts the 12 Most Important Moments in the podcast's history. ⁠Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠questionshiphop.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠⁠ The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Patreon.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ ⁠questionshiphop.com⁠ ⁠youtube.com/thequestionshiphop⁠ Originally broadcast on March 16, 2021. Rapper/producer Lord Digga has collaborated with some absolute legends throughout his career, including Notorious B.I.G. (with three songs on his classic debut 'Ready to Die'), Ol' Dirty Bastard, Masta Ace, and many more. Digga shares stories from his career, tests his hip hop trivia skills, and answers fan questions in this classic episode of The Questions. The Questions Hip-Hop: ⁠Instagram⁠ Sean Kantrowitz: ⁠Instagram⁠