The SoundCentric Podcast

In this episode of the Sound Centric Podcast, Adam Dash sits down with music executive and creative strategist le’Roy Benros for a deep dive into the evolution of the music industry from the blog era to today’s digital-first landscape. le’Roy reflects on his time at SOBs, where some of hip-hop’s biggest names including Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West passed through early in their careers, and breaks down what it takes to spot and develop talent at the ground level.

The conversation explores the founding and growth of Big Ass Kids, a creative platform and ecosystem built to help artists and music professionals bring ambitious ideas to life through marketing activations, storytelling, and community building. le’Roy shares behind the scenes stories from standout campaigns with artists like Smino and Meek Mill, and explains how world building has become a core part of modern music rollouts.

They also discuss the future of the industry, including how artists are monetizing beyond streaming, the rise of superfans, and why financial literacy including Bitcoin and new digital asset models is becoming increasingly important for creatives navigating their careers. This episode blends music history, business strategy, and forward thinking insight into where the industry is headed next.

 

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Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

 

00:00 Introduction to the Soundcentric Podcast

02:35 The Blog Era and Its Impact on Music

04:51 Modern Marketing Strategies for Artists

09:27 The Role of Industry Plants in Music

11:40 The Importance of Live Performances

19:31 Booking Artists: Behind the Scenes

22:57 Monetizing Music in the Digital Age

26:14 The Birth of Big Ass Kids

28:00 Collaborative Projects and Artist Experiences

30:32 Innovative Campaigns and Activations

33:28 Navigating the Music Industry as an Entrepreneur

36:28 Building a Supportive Community for Artists

40:30 Addressing Industry Challenges and Future Predictions

44:19 Financial Literacy and the Role of Bitcoin

51:53 Upcoming Events and Opportunities

In Episode 119, Adam sits down with Washington Heights rapper LIFEOFTHOM to break down his journey through New York City’s rap scene and how he’s building a career in today’s independent music landscape.

 

Thom talks about the viral Washington Square Park freestyle moment where he ended up rapping in front of the NYC mayor, how moments like that can translate into real fans, and why artists need to learn how to leverage attention in the modern music industry.

 

He also shares the story behind connecting with legendary producer Plain Pat (Kid Cudi, Kanye West) and what he learned from working with someone who has helped shape some of hip-hop’s most iconic records.

 

Throughout the conversation, Thom gives insight into building a team, opening for artists like Conway the Machine and IDK, life on tour, and how independent rappers are navigating tech, direct-to-fan models, and the changing business of music. Whether you’re a hip-hop fan or someone interested in the music industry, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build a rap career today.

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soundcentricmus

Instagram:https://https://www.instagram.com/soundcentricmusic/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soundcentricmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundCentricmusic

Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

 

00:00:50 Washington Heights Rapper “LifeofThom” on His Rise + New Plain Pat Project
00:02:50 La Russell’s packed calendar as an indie artist
00:05:51 Inside NYC’s New Rap Scene: Building Community Like Pro Era & Brockhampton
00:11:05 Rapping for NYC’s Mayor: How a Viral Washington Square Freestyle Changed Everything
00:15:59 When Do Artists Need a Manager? Building a Real Team in the Rap Game
00:18:31 Opening for Conway, IDK & Taylor Bennett: How Rap Show Opportunities Actually Happen
00:22:11 Life on Rap Tour: The Real Experience vs. What Fans See on YouTube
00:23:41 Why Rappers Should Pay Attention to Tech, NFTs & Music Platforms
00:26:24 The Future of Rap Money: Direct-to-Fan Music, No Labels Needed
00:29:20 Working with Legendary Producer Plain Pat (Kid Cudi, Kanye)
00:33:07 How Great Rappers Write: Freestyling vs. Crafting Bars for Days
00:37:38 Rap Influences: Pro Era, ASAP Rocky, Blog Era Mixtapes & J. Cole
00:41:22 Mount Rushmore of NYC Rappers (Debate Gets Heated)
00:45:24 New Music with Kota the Friend, CJ Fly + What’s Next

In this episode of the Soundcentric Podcast, Adam sits down with Don Chenz for a wide ranging and unfiltered conversation about the current state of hip hop. They break down J. Cole’s long awaited album after an eight year tease, debating Disc 1 versus Disc 2, KOD versus Might Delete Later, and whether Cole’s technical brilliance sometimes works against him. The discussion expands into the Grammys conversation, including Kendrick Lamar’s dominance and whether Tyler, The Creator has become the Academy’s new favorite. From there, they dive into producer GOAT debates featuring Alchemist and DJ Premier, the evolving sound of the 2020s, and whether modern rap has become too polished. They also explore marketing in the streaming era, mysterious artist branding, snippet culture, short form versus long form content, and the thrill of discovering artists early like Trevor Spitta, Doechii, and Jack Harlow. It is a passionate and layered discussion about rap nostalgia, algorithms, artistry, and where hip hop is headed next.

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soundcentricmus

Instagram:https://https://www.instagram.com/soundcentricmusic/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soundcentricmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundCentricmusic

Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

 

00:00:00 NYC Apartment Studio Setup, Audio Horror Stories & Podcast Production Talk  
00:00:50 Welcome to the Soundcentric Podcast + John Wall Dougie Intro  
00:02:00 J. Cole “The Fall Off” Expectations After 8-Year Tease  
00:03:00 “This Might Be My Favorite Album Ever” – First Reactions to J. Cole  
00:05:30 Disc 1 vs Disc 2 Debate – Burna Boy Feature & Red Velvet Cake Line  
00:08:30 Hip-Hop Interpolations – Nas, Common & Storytelling Comparisons  
00:09:50 High School Nostalgia, Blog Era Rap & Jersey Shore Memories  
00:12:30 JID, Ab-Soul & Meeting Rappers Stories  
00:15:00 Best Songs Breakdown – Bun B Road, Alchemist Beat & Future Feature  
00:18:00 6-Minute Songs vs TikTok Brain – Attention Spans in 2026  
00:20:00 Concert Volume, Headphone Culture & “I Can’t Hear the Person I’m Talking To”  
00:22:30 Album Rollouts & Marketing Strategy – Teasing vs Dropping Immediately  
00:24:30 Mysterious Artist Era – Playboi Carti, Snippet Culture & Fan Hype  
00:27:00 KOD vs Might Delete Later – Ranking J. Cole Albums  
00:28:37 Grammys Debate – Kendrick Lamar, Drake Line & Rap Album of the Year  
00:30:00 Tyler, The Creator Early Era – “Nobody Knew Who He Was”  
00:32:00 Tyler’s Grammy Run – IGOR, Chromakopia & Don’t Tap The Glass Debate  
00:34:00 Clipse vs Tyler vs Kendrick – Who Really Deserved the Grammy?  
00:35:50 What Is the “2020s Sound”? Rage Beats, Distorted Vocals & Genre Blending  
00:38:30 Late 2000s Rap vs Blog Era – Why Some Music Doesn’t Age Well  
00:40:30 Is Rap Too Perfect Now? Nas, Eminem & Technical Rapping Debate  
00:41:00 Producer GOAT Debate – Alchemist, DJ Premier & Schoolboy Q  
00:43:30 Tyler as Producer – Should He Produce a Lil Wayne Album?  
00:45:00 Long Form vs Short Form Content – Podcast Growth in 2026  
00:46:10 “Would I Even Watch My Own Content?” – Creator Self-Awareness  
00:48:30 Building a Recognizable Brand in Music Media  
00:50:00 Jack Harlow Doesn’t Get the Love – Baby Keem & Next Rap Star Debate 
00:52:00 Brent Faiyaz, The Weeknd & Modern R&B Sound  
00:54:00 Discovering New Artists – PR Emails, Music Submissions & Gatekeeping 
00:56:00 Being Early on Trevor Spitta & Doechii  
00:58:00 Why Discovering Music Feels Elite in Hip-Hop Culture  
01:00:00 Final Thoughts on Rap, Algorithms & The Future of Music

This episode of the Soundcentric Podcast dives deep into the mind of RJ Powell, the creator behind IBreatheMusicAllDay, one of today’s most trusted music discovery platforms. RJ breaks down how curiosity, community, and genuine love for music helped him build a following of hundreds of thousands, discover artists before they blow up, and turn content creation into a real career, all without chasing clout or trends. From dropping out of school and finding his purpose, to explaining why music is not dead (you just are not looking hard enough), to opening up about making his own music and navigating the business side of the industry, this conversation is packed with insight for artists, creators, and true music fans. If you care about underground music, creative authenticity, and how culture really moves behind the scenes, this is a must-listen

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soundcentricmus

Instagram:https://https://www.instagram.com/soundcentricmusic/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soundcentricmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundCentricmusic

Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

 

00:00:00 - intro

00:01:25 - What makes RJ want to discover new music

00:04:00 - The artist RJ is most proud of finding early

00:05:00 - A preview of J. Cole’s new album “The Fall-Off” and our expectations for it

00:09:00 - What rappers and producers we want on “The Fall-Off”

00:13:10 - Our thoughts on the A$AP Rocky album

00:15:00 - The music we are most excited for in 2026

00:20:00 - How RJ built up his page to over 300k followers

00:29:35 - How does RJ find artists and what stands out to him

00:34:00 - Pages RJ goes to find new music

00:36:00 - How RJ started making music

In this episode of Soundcentric, host Adam Dash sits down with Gabe P, the founder of On The Radar, to break down how one freestyle platform grew into a global cultural force. Gabe dives into the importance of freestyles as hip-hop education, how artists are actually discovered and selected, and what separates those who capitalize on their moment from those who waste it. The conversation explores the business behind viral freestyles, the role of the internet and memes in breaking artists, and how On The Radar built trust with artists while expanding worldwide. A must-listen for rap fans, creators, and anyone curious about how culture, creativity, and strategy intersect in today’s music industry.

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soundcentricmus

Instagram:https://https://www.instagram.com/soundcentricmusic/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soundcentricmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundCentricmusic

Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

 

00:00:00 - intro

00:02:15 - How Gabe feels having made a new cultural landmark within hip-hop

00:04:45 - Using the color green in all OTR branding and other people copying it   

00:05:45 - How Gabe decided to format OTR to differentiate from Sway, Funk Flex, and other freestyle shows

00:07:45 - Some of the hardest OTR’s to record

00:09:20 - The importance of freestyles for hip-hop

00:16:00 - Do people pay to get on OTR?

00:17:45 - Why Gabe decided to release the freestyles on DSPs?

00:21:00 - Why Gabe has more than just rap artists and American artists on OTR

00:23:00 - How artists can capitalize on their moment after appearing on OTR

00:29:45 - Does OTR allow artists to rap on famous beats

00:31:20 - The OTR X Kai Cenat linkup

00:38:00 - How artists get on OTR and the importance of artists being visible online

00:42:40 - Tips for artists 

00:45:00 -  Gabe’s dream freestyle cypher

00:49:00 -How Gabe has time to listen to new artists

00:52:00 - Who we are listening to right now

00:54:00 - Closing thoughts