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Every Hip-Hop Fan Should Be Listening to Dissect Podcast!

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCT chapter.

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. 

 




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This was a rewarding moment. Dissect was created to celebrate great works of art while their creators are still with us. Dissect also hopes to deepen the connection the listener has to these great works. Yesterday, I encouraged my listeners on Twitter to share their favorite moments on IGOR and describe the way those moments made them feel. Today, @feliciathegoat read through the thread (hundreds of comments!) and showed his appreciation to his listeners. Being able to be the catalyst through which an artist was able to hear directly from his fans in a very honest and passionate way is much more fulfilling to me than any accolade or good review Dissect might receive. It was a manifestation of the Dissect thesis statement, and despite my tendency to brush off good things that happen to me, I’m taking this moment to appreciate this small but fulfilling moment. Having started this thing in my garage a few years ago, speaking to an audience of less than 100, it’s moments like these that remind me how far the show has come and tells me that this mission I’m on to celebrate and appreciate the masterworks of our generation is having some effect. With our season on Flower Boy coming to a close, I thought it’d be a good as time as any to reflect, and I genuinely appreciate everyone who has listened to the show. – Feel free to add your favorite moment to the thread on Twitter. The conversation is very much still alive. Appreciate y’all very much! – #dissectpodcast #tylerthecreator #igor #flowerboy

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Says "the things" a lot