In this episode of Tapped in with Tom Flies, Tom and co-host Bang welcome special guest and music publishing executive Omar T to the studio. Moving past the internet commentary, the crew sits down face-to-face to break down the hard business realities of the music industry—from the truth about streaming payouts to how strategic relationship-building can dictate your career longevity.

As Philadelphia natives, the guys dive deep into the city's infrastructure, the legacy of the Roots Picnic, and debate their highly personal Top 5 Philadelphia and New York rapper lists. Omar also shares invaluable wisdom on the weight of responsibility that comes with giving out career-changing opportunities and what it truly takes to make it inside major label buildings today.

Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to keep tapping in with us every week!

📍 Chapter Breakdown

📱 Introduction & The Roots Picnic Energy

• 00:42 | Welcome Back & Checking In Tom and Bangs kick off the episode, welcome special guest Omar T to the podcast, and discuss the collective energy of Philadelphia during the iconic Roots Picnic weekend.
• 01:54 | The Hustle of Sneaking Backstage The crew shares nostalgic stories about interning for Live Nation and making fake tickets just to rub elbows with media giants like Elliot Wilson.

💿 The Rap Landscape & Music Industry Realities

• 02:42 | Wrapping Up Kendrick vs. Drake Reflecting on their previous week's opinions, the guys analyze the cultural and commercial fallout of the Kendrick and Drake battle following their respective album releases.
• 03:16 | The Economics of Streaming & Publishing Omar T pulls back the curtain on music publishing, explaining exactly how splits work and why 90 million streams doesn't translate to as much money as artists think.
• 04:36 | A&R Instincts: Discovering Ice Spice Omar T recounts his early days in the major label system and how he recognized the star power of Ice Spice when she only had ten monthly listeners.
• 05:07 | The Long Game: Signing Mariah the Scientist A lesson in dedication—Omar details chasing a publishing deal with Mariah the Scientist for three years by attending shows across the East Coast.

🤝 Networking, Access, and Added Value

• 05:54 | The Nature of Real Relationships Tom, Bangs, and Omar break down why treating the industry like a transaction fails, emphasizing that "thorough is universal" and value must be demonstrated long-term.
• 07:44 | "Somebody Always Puts You in the Room" Omar reflects on learning from veteran executives, securing access to rooms with LeBron James or Beyonce's team, and navigating industry gatekeepers.
• 08:35 | The Cultural Shift: Philly vs. Atlanta Ecosystems The guys contrast the guarded, isolated nature of Philly's music culture against Atlanta’s hospitable, collaborative, and studio-rich environment.

📊 The Great Rapper Debates

• 10:09 | Reacting to Complex’s Top 50 NY Rappers The studio reacts with heavy skepticism to Complex's New York rap rankings, debating placements for Fabolous, Jadakiss, and where Cardi B sits all-time.
• 11:54 | Drake vs. Lil Wayne All-Time A quick sidebar on legacy—who ranks higher on the all-time list? The crew evaluates Lil Wayne's selflessness as a team player vs. Drake's dominance.
• 12:12 | The Official Philly Top 5 & Honorable Mentions The hosts lay down their strictly personal Top 5 Philadelphia rap lists, paying homage to Mac, Meek Mill, Joey Haded, Eve, and Lil Uzi Vert.

🎯 Mentorship & Outro

• 13:24 | The Duty of an Executive & The Power of Internships Omar shares the heavy responsibility of holding keys to the industry, using a hungry intern's journey as proof that work ethic beats elite school backgrounds.
• 14:42 | Wrap Up & Subscribe Tom closes out the episode by thanking Omar T for coming through and reminding the audience to drop their comments and subscribe weekly.

Support the show

#TappedinwithTomFlies #BlackCloverStudios #TomFlies

The Return of the Villains: Drake Season, Steak 48 Drama, & Relationship Traumas

After a brief hiatus, Time Flies is back and fully tapped in. Host Tom Flies is joined by returning favorite Bang and first-time guest Shay to clear the air, talk music history, and break down why they completely refuse to feed into the industry's obsession with controversial, "messy" media.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

• The Drake Stimulus Package: A deep dive into Drake’s massive three-album drop (Iceman, Maid of Honor, and Habibti). The crew discusses the 2024 beef aftermath, why "the villains won," and why casual fans completely misunderstand professional songwriting credits and samples.
• The Steak 48 Dress Code Controversy: Unpacking the viral TikTok drama. Shay shares her perspective on body shaming and inconsistency in high-end venues, while Bang introduces a hilarious take on the reality of "special treatment" and corporate restaurant politics.
• The Worst Post-Breakup Crash Outs: Real stories from the room—including a Saturday night broken door standoff and a Christmas tree flying out of a window five days before the holiday.
• The 2026 Dating Landmine: Shay gets transparent about self-sabotage, dealing with shape-shifting men, and why she values her nervous system's peace over relationship games.

Hit play and tap into the real conversation.

Support the show

#TappedinwithTomFlies #BlackCloverStudios #TomFlies

On this episode of Tapped In With Tom Flies, we tap into the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic and discuss whether the film can truly capture the legacy of one of the greatest entertainers of all time. We also get into the reality of being blocked by celebrities and what really happens when opinions online start hitting too close to home.

Later in the episode, we react to Yung Miami’s new single and break down the internet’s response, before diving into Complex’s Top 100 Hottest Rappers list — who deserved their spot, who got overlooked, and which rankings had us questioning everything. 🎙️🔥

Tap in for real conversations, hot takes, laughs, and unfiltered opinions from start to finish. Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE!

Follow The Crew:

Tom: https://www.instagram.com/tomflies?ig...

Malaika: https://www.instagram.com/tomflies?ig...

Bang: https://www.instagram.com/bangbangsg?...

Support the show

#TappedinwithTomFlies #BlackCloverStudios #TomFlies