My Favorite Things w/o 5/16/2016 - Just For The Hell Of It Monday

Welcome back to my weekly list of things I love that you should love too for the week of May 16, 2016.

1. Super Duty Tough Work Podcast: The Super Duty Tough Work (SDTW) podcast is a hip hop podcast hosted by Columbus, OH indie rap stalwarts Blueprint and Illogic, that tackles the state of modern rap music through current events. Each week this dynamic duo looks to the rap news of the day and tackles them with humor and insight. I honestly didn't know what I was getting into with SDTW, despite knowing both of these fellows for well over a decade. One never knows what one will get when indie rappers are addressing mainstream rap news, it could be hating for the sake of hating, praise for the sake of distancing one's self from their indie roots, or just a mishmash of fucked up opinions. Blueprint and Illogic have found the right tone and voice to tackle the ludicrous nature of hip hop news. Additionally they will sprinkle you withe episodes on any number of topics, from favorite verses, best innovations, Kanye, etc. I especially recommend the episode dedicated to Phife Dog. You will fall in love with Phife all over again. Follow them on twitter.

2. Top Boy: I discovered Top Boy during one of those stupid ass mid-season breaks that all the networks do now leaving the viewers in a new TV drought. So like most people I turned to Netflix, who recommended that I watch Top Boy because I recently watched Paid In Full, which if you haven't seen yet, you should immediately remedy, that is unless you are fine with people thinking you are a closet TCOT. Top Boy is a British show, which means that you are only committing to 4 episodes per season, and since there are only 2 seasons, that's 8 episodes in all. Top Boy can best be described as the British take on the Wire. A sprawling story following the lives of the residents of the Summerhouse Housing Estates (the British equivalent of housing projects) and how the influx of drugs effects them all. Eventually the show transitions to following Dushane, played by the electric Ashley Walters, who is the big dealer in Summerhouse. Unfortunately it ends with a major cliff hanger, and it does not appear that there will be a 3rd season, but it is hella worth the 8 episode investment. 

3. Homeboy Sandman: I am of the school of thought, that great artists make the everyday and mundane transcendent. Homeboy Sandman is that kind of artist. He takes the things that we all take for granted and explores the beauty, causing the listener to reexamine their worldview and appreciate the beauty all around us. He does this while being perhaps the most technically skilled MC I have ever heard. He is probably the rapper I am most jealous of. 

4. Metal Evolution: I grew up a metal head. Until 1988 the year that Yo! MTV Raps came into my life, it was all that I listened to. The other night I discovered a VH1 documentary series called Metal Evolution, which is a spin off of the excellent metal documentary, Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, which followed athropologist Sam Dunn's attempt to classify the entire history/culture of metal. Metal Evolution, expands on Sam's documentary and breaks down the subgenres and their connectivity in greater detail. If you have ever loved metal, this show will tickle your taint.