Kinda Neat

Huey Briss is a Long Beach, CA native who’s recently come into his own as a rapper after years of working on his sound. What’s his new x-factor? His producer Nikobeats. When the two started working together he noticed an immediate chemistry and growth in his sound. The fact Niko’s father is hip hop legend DJ Babu has helped them both learn to polish their industry acumen and professionalism. With a string of releases set to flood this holiday season, he’ll be ending up on a lot more radars in 2021. Tune in to hear us talk about the poignant guidance a teacher gave him, befriending Buddy in high school, and asking Pharrell for advice. –Lee

Eyedress is effortlessly cool. His latest record “Let’s Skip to the Wedding” is an exercise exploring every genre that made him such a chill dude. With styles ranging from Joy Division inspired 80’s new wave goth, to Zapp & Roger funk fueled vocoder anthems, the record is simultaneously all over the place, and absolutely cohesive. That’s probably because he carries all the heavy lifting from song-writing, to production, to instrumentation himself. Born in the slums of the Philippines, raised in the San Clemente anarcho-punk scene, before heading back to Manila where he really found his sound, Eyedress has already lived a lot of life. Now with a newborn son having just arrived, his record “Jealous” is going viral almost a year after its release. Hear us talk about being 4’11” and scared his first time performing, getting signed and dropped from XL, and how Prefuse 73 is the guardian angel he’s never met. –Lee

Mike Eagle is one of the people I've known longest in my strange career path. We met over 15 years ago, we've worked together on countless little things like this episode, and he's someone I used to see almost every weekend at functions in my mid to late 20's. The first time I ever toured, Mike was on the tour. We were just dudes in the same "scene." Our lives diverged at some point, as scene friends' lives often do. But unlike most compatriots I don't seen as often, Mike's continued to release fantastic music, garner a following big enough to live off of, and at one point ended up on a billboard he could see from his bedroom window. Mike and I do an episode like this every few years, at this point it's our main way of catching up, and I cherish these conversations while knowing he's one of the most compelling friends I've ever made. Tune in to hear us talk about the new record, TV shows he developed, hosting the best podcast of the year, and going through a divorce during all of it.  -Lee

Last time I interviewed smrtdeath, he told me off-air, he was in talks with Epitaph about potentially signing a record deal with them. Now, a year and a half later, his Epitaph debut is being released this week. "Somethjngs Wrong" is a step forward for smrtdeath sonically, visually, and professionally. Graduating from an indie artist who accomplishes everything by favors and beneficial collaboration, to being a signed musician with a budget for marketing, visuals, and even paying producers up front is a big deal. That said, we spent a lot of this episode just BS'ing and joking around. If you're interested in learning more about smrtdeath the human, there's a more official "life story" type episode on the podcast I was doing last year. Tune in to hear us talk about his upcoming release "Somethjings Wrong," covid quarantining in Canada, and currently couch surfing.  -Lee

Remy Banks is rapper out of Queens that emanates New York grittiness, street smarts, and smoothness. I first started hearing of Remy as a solo artist way back in 2014 when he released a single produced by King Krule called "7th heaven. (interlude)." I didn't realize how long he'd already been involved in the scene and working as a rapper by then, so you can imagine all the stories he has by now. Episodes like this are a joy for me because I love hearing about scene origins, and the beginnings of artists now known nationally when they were only known locally. Remy's been around and involved in all sorts of NY subcultures since his youth -- from skating, to streetwear, to underground hip hop -- he's the epitome of a social chameleon who feels comfortable in any room he walks into. A spoon that stirs the pot, and connector of dots, Remy's not only a formidable rapper, but also a great ear for talent, early adopter and collaborator with all sorts of now household names. Tune in to hear us talk about seeing the To

Brennan Savage never had dreams of being a musician, but meeting a young Gus Åhr in his adolescence accidentally put his life on crash course towards rap life. Now, half a lifetime later he's racked up hundreds of millions of streams, garnered an enormous following, and seems to have pop-crossover potential. His latest EP, Slow Motion, finds him broadening his sound and horizons as major labels are surely foaming at the mouth. Hear us talk about growing up skating, moving to LA with Lil Peep, and how his successes have only made him more hungry.  -Lee

In this episode I kept saying it was the third time I've had my mom on the show for some reason, turns out this is actually the 4th episode with her. Interviewing my mom and trying to get a record of her (and our) life story is a time honored KN tradition. We haven't done one since January of 2016, so I'm glad I was able to even see her this year due to COVID, let alone get time to do an episode with her. She was down helping my grandmother out for a couple weeks and we recorded the night before she flew out. We only get through roughly 3 years of life, but during that time she got her master's degree, landed her dream job, and bought a house.  -Lee

My first conversation with Leafar Seyer of Prayers was quite possibly one of the most intriguing episodes we've ever done. It was an emotional rollercoaster filled with energy, stories, and even a few tears. His voice was a bit fried from a sold out show the night before so we didn't record a performance. I've gotten dozens of requests for a follow up interview with Leafar since then, so I was geeked when he randomly reached out to come through again, and this time he wanted to perform a song as well. The thing about interviewing Leafar is: you just sit back and listen, the interview takes care of itself. He's lived so much life, and has so many stories, there's barely a need to ask questions, one story leads to another. This time we caught up about marrying the love of his life Kat Von D, astrology and mysticism, and a personal guru that magically appeared at the restaurant he owned.  -Lee

Lil Zubin is someone I've wanted to have on the show a few years now. From his string of solo EPs, to his work with Misery Club, and now If I Die First, Zubin's output as a singer has been widely varied in style and genre. His "Misery" EP is up there with some of my favorite EPs released in the decade. But he got off to a late start vocally. Zubin didn't make his foray into lead vocalist until a few years ago, even though he's been in bands since he was 12 years old. His upcoming project with Yawns titled "Perfect Hell" finds him veering away from the atmospheric R&B sonics of previous solo endeavors and leaning into goth, rock, and 80s influences. Been riding for Zubin since Nedarb put me on some years back, and am excited to watch "Perfect Hell" push him further into the limelight. Hear us talk about junior high cover bands, Working On Dying convincing him he could be a lead singer, and Covid helping him concentrate on his career. Head to YT to see him perform the title track "Perfect Hell" live in stud

St. Panther is a multi-instrumentalist / singer / producer from Irvine, CA. Her latest EP, "These Days," is a funky, soulful, genre-crossing, moving, and often danceable display of all her talents. As comfortable laying down her own drums as she is rapping and singing, SP is a creative powerhouse. Shes actually had to slow herself down and be more picky about when and what she creates so she can feel like all her songs have purpose. Now under the wing, and label, of Grammy nominated smash hit producer Ricky Reed, she's set to have a big moment any day now. She has all the talent and charisma to be a huge crossover act, and "These Days" is just a small sampling of what surely awaits. Tune in to hear us talk about growing up in a conservative area of Southern California, her piano teacher recognizing her as a composer in elementary school, and bouts of homelessness before getting signed. Head to YouTube now to see her perform "Something's Gotta Give."  -Lee

Liv.e's latest record "Couldn't Wait To Tell You..." is a masterpiece in my eyes. She and producer Mejiwahn put together a wonderfully warm, cohesive album that feels unrestrained by convention or structure. It dabbles across different genres and styles, showcasing Liv.e as a multi-talented singer, rapper, and poet. The record feels like the beginning of a long and important career, and I'm so excited to have her on the show. I say it a lot, but her project really is one of my favorite albums of the year. Hear us talk about attending a well known performing and visual arts high school, the making of "Couldn't Wait To Tell You..." and a college roommate nightmare. Head to our YT channel to see her perform "About Love At 21" now!  -Lee

Dbangz had a huge smash record in 2017. It was meme rap, it was childish, it was vulgar, it was sexually explicit, purposefully offensive, and it was written when he was 15. The song has garnered hundreds of millions of plays across streaming platforms, and was one of the original Tik Tok smashes. D's always been different, a self-described outcast and weirdo, he concentrated his quirky sense of humor and ability to flame his classmates into lyrically dexterous raps after commandeering some equipment from his parent's burgeoning radio station. Now, just a few years later, he's got skin in the game, releasing multiple EP's and having more than a few major labels trying to get their hands on his virality. His latest EP, "Been A Long Time," may seem like an ironic title coming from a 19 year old, but the five plus years he's been releasing music is more than a quarter of his life so, for him, it's indeed been a long time. His latest records see him growing up a bit and tackling more adult topics, while maintaini

Swarvy has become an integral and trusted part of the LA music community. He's produced, recorded, mixed, or mastered numerous songs and projects for friends of the show. But I invited him on because his new solo project, "Sunny Days Blue," is a magnificent accomplishment produced and performed almost entirely on his own. A a formally educated musician, muli-instrumentalist and engineer from Philadelphia, Swarvy moved to LA and immediately immersed himself into the scene.   -Lee

DeathByRomy is unique amongst KN guests in that she's been navigating the major label system since the beginning of her career. While most of our prior guests have years of independent building and experimenting outside of the spotlight, she was pursued and signed by a major label at while most kids would still be in high school. It seems like a complex and intimidating task for anyone, let alone a teenager, but she's been doing a bang up job so far. We talk extensively about her experience being signed to a major, being given the room to grow as an artist, find her sound, and build her team. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Romy grew up in the heart of the entertainment industry and knew she wanted to be a singer and songwriter from a very young age. There's video footage floating around of the first fully structured song - verse, hook, and bridge - she wrote when barely even elementary aged. Romy has a warehouse party aesthetic, and a stadium sized sound. It's only a matter of time until she's ruling the rad

Uno Hype has been making music since he was 8 years old. By that measure he's already got almost 20 years of chops under his belt. It puts him in a unique standing amongst his peers as someone who began learning in an analog world (on pause tapes nonetheless!) and grew into the digital realm. He's been uploading music online since Soundclick; heads will remember this predates even Myspace. He's been grinding for years now and, with all the right weaponry aligned, 2020 was primed to be his big statement year. There were SXSW plans, a tour lined up, album ready, all the things. Then, of course, COVID hit and delayed everyone's plans slightly. But Uno has been releasing consistently strong singles for months now, and with a new record surely locked and loaded in the holster, there's no doubt you'll be hearing a lot more of him soon. Tune in to hear us talk about sending demos to labels when he was a child, his collab with the late great Capital Steez, and the gems he picked up from his high school rap group.&nbs

We sat down with Amindi, whose recently released tiny piece of perfection "minztape" made me an instant fan. I was sleep, turns out she had a big moment in 2017 with the release of her biggest song "Pine & Ginger" that got her signed to a major deal before she even graduated high school. Only problem was, "Pine & Ginger" was an outlier from most of the music she made. While she is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, and grew up with dancehall rhythms coming from the speakers of her childhood, she doesn't consider herself a dancehall artist. After spending the last few years in writing camps, and in rooms with various producers, she's fulfilled her label agreement and is back to writing and recording whatever she wants. With her new found agency, she's ready to show the world who she is. Hear us talk about growing up in Inglewood and attending high school in the Palisades, being voted "Most Likely To Be A Celebrity," and the pink racecar bed in her first apartment. Head to YouTube to see her perform t

Cashius Green is someone I've known for years through my guys Speak & Westside Ty. We've always been cool and he's exactly the type of dude you gravitate towards while you're backstage at shows, or at various functions. That said, while we're long time acquaintances, we know next to nothing about each other, and I always look forward to learning about folks from the scene I came up in. Cashius just released an excellent album called "Best Western" that really puts his talents and charms on display in a brief and ultra digestible package. I've always know Cashius rapped, but I'd never seen him perform other than appearances on stage with other friends at the time. I assumed he was an indie rapper on the come up like the rest of us. Come to find out, he was scooped up by a major labels in the early part of last decade, and had a chance at becoming a household name like collaborator Vince Staples, or former tour mate Joey Badass. Unfortunately, trying to navigate the industry without a manager made things mu

This week we talk to Gordon Scamsey aka Shia Labustdown aka Bitcoin Batman aka Stone Cold Steve Flossin better known as Guapdad 4000. Guap has quickly become one of the most beloved characters in rap music and he's probably friends with everyone on your current playlist. He's also been busy during quarantine. His "Rona Raps" series has kept everyone stuck in the house entertained with features from all across the hip hop spectrum from Isaiah Rashad to EarthGang to Murs. This year's "Platinum Falcon" release shows a multifaceted Guap both floating over gentle melodies on songs like "Trade Place With Them Jeans," and firing off cold bars over original productions on joints like "Greedy." Easily one of the charismatic guests to have ever appeared on KN, and he'd be sure to tell you so. Hear us talk about being just as creative and attention-seeking as a kid as he is now, losing the family house to tech gentrification, moving to Los Angeles on his last 20 dollars, locking himself in the studio for 8 months before

Rhythm & Flow began as a hate-watch for me, but quickly grew into a show I looked forward to every week, and Rae Khalil was my early favorite to win. She started off quietly, no flashy style or big forced personality that would normally make someone jump out on a reality show. What made her standout to me was she could actually rap. I noticed a lot of other contestants making rookie mistakes, or using bars that were just unexplainably bad to the untrained ear, but Rae's verses were all flawless (no Real Talk). I thought she'd easily end up in the finals and was very publicly rooting for her amongst my friends that were as invested in the show as me. When she was (spoiler) eliminated in the battle round I felt short changed and ripped off. She's a good sport about the show, and seemed to know from the start that D-Smoke would end up taking it all the way, but nonetheless, when KN restarted she was one of the first artists I reached out to. I needed to know if she was as talented as she seemed in the short

Adam Weiss has become one of my closest friends and confidants since the last Kinda Neat episode we did in together in 2013. That first conversation centered around the journey into his addictions, and his eventually path to sobriety and recovery, and building one of the most well known underground party brands in Los Angeles. Since then his life has continued to change as he’s delved into Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA). After years in various recovery programs, he felt like SLAA really helped him learn about and deal with the childhood trauma at the root of his addictions. Since beginning his journey into self-care to build his self-esteem and allowing himself permission to enjoy being alone, Adam has turned his instagram into a sort of self-care instructional guide and a means to hold himself accountable to his self-care routines. I make fun of him for it a lot, but I know that it helps people, and I know it's really made him a better person to be around over the last 5 years or so. Hear us talk