When you think of the "most influential artists of the last decade," you can think of many names; it's then narrowed down to just a handful. Among them, is the powerhouse simply known as the enigmatically potent Kendrick Lamar. Appearing out of the woodwork as often as a wild Frank Ocean or André 3000 does, Kendrick carries the mind and voice of the current generation of Hip-Hop purists. He is also the torch bearer of the West Coast, a Pulitzer Prize winner and has an album archived in the library of Congress. With many accolades under his belt and many more surely to come, Kendrick released his 2011 masterpiece 'good kid, m.A.A.d city' to raving reviews. The album is dubbed as a "short film" and is centered around Kendrick's upbringing in Compton, gang lifestyle in the hood, faith, and his time right before he signed to the powerhouse that is Top Dawg Entertainment. Kendrick presented his life in audio form—through 12 songs to be exact—and truly showcase why he belongs in the discussion of being one of the greatest musicians of all time.

This long-awaited episode finds Charles and Dave unpacking the story and trauma of a young and naive Kendrick—a theme fitting the season's idea of Deep Sessions. Join our hosts as they ride around in Kendrick's van and see all the pivotal spots of Kendrick's ride on the way to the top of the game—how he beat the odds of gang violence and systemic racism. Let us know what you thought of this episode and make sure to check out 'good kid, m.A.A.d city' on all streaming platforms!

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The mind of an artist is always a unique thing to dissect, and today's artist, is quite the enigma: the late Mac Miller. Releasing a few mixtapes a little over a decade ago, Mac was known mostly for a frat-style type of music with a mixture of classic boom-bap rhymes and uncommon beat choice. Within his career, he spanned and experimented with many genres and the one he's widely-known now for is his infusion of Jazz and Hip-Hop. The epitome of this infusion is Mac's penultimate album, 'Swimming,' which dropped a month before his untimely passing. 'Swimming' is a project enriched in the deepest desires and fears of Mac's soul: the quest for self-love and freedom from crippling doubt.

In Season 2, Charles and Dave focus on the underlying message behind albums, aptly titled Deep Sessions. Cole, Lupe and Mac all merit spots this season, and this project naturally fits in. With a ton of texture and a deep well of thought, our hosts find themselves deciding whether it's okay to float or if it's better to swim with Mac. Drop in this episode and make sure to check out 'Swimming' on all streaming platforms!

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Lupe Fiasco is a musician who tends to shy away from stardom, so much in fact, many people in the Hip-Hop realm consider him to be underground. Arriving into the mainstream scene with a monstrous verse on Kanye's 2005 banger "Touch the Sky," Lupe has consistently released albums with many narratives; one of which our hosts will unpack today: the blissful 'Tetsuo & Youth.' The album is littered with references to Lupe's hometown of Chicago, his record label fall-out and a clear emphasis on "youth." Lupe takes his listeners on a dense lyrical ride through his upbringing and shows why he truly is in a league of his own - as an MC, philosopher and artist.

The subtitle for Season 2 is Deep Sessions and the follow-up to it's inaugural episode is just as heavy. In the same vein as 'FHD,' 'T&Y' has other elements for our hosts to unpack. With every episode of this season, a theme runs throughout and Lupe's album embodies both with elegance. Tap in as Charles and Dave try their best to break down the many narratives of this hefty project. Make sure to check out 'Tetsuo & Youth' on all streaming platforms!

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The same year 'Run The Jewels 2,' 'Faces,' and 'Under Pressure' dropped, J. Cole dropped his hallmark album '2014 Forest Hills Drive.' Considered to be one of the greatest musicians of the current generation along with Kendrick and Drake, Cole defied expectations by releasing a timeless album without features. Produced mostly by him, the album features many varying beats and highlight the genius of Cole's sampling abilities. Teaming up with a few producers to lead on a few instruments, the album's driving element is reflection. The album takes its listeners on a journey throughout Cole's life as he reflects on his childhood, sorrows and fears, and finally what matters the most in life. Listen in as our hosts discuss Cole's bars about Fayetteville, his family and the state of Hip-Hop.

Season 2's subtitle is Deep Sessions and what better way to bring in a new era of the podcast than with a powerful album. '2014 FHD' has many working elements throughout, and in a similar way, so does this season. Join our hosts as they sit down and dissect the layers of arguably Cole's best album and why it deserves to be the season's opener. Get ready for a new season enriched with deep conversations and thought-provoking songs — start off by checking out '2014 Forest Hills Drive' on all streaming platforms!

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After recording and uploading for almost 6 months, our hosts finally conclude the first season. What better way to finish than with an album they enjoy through and through: 'Run The Jewels 2' by Run The Jewels (RTJ). Composed by New York rapper/producer El-P and Atlanta native/activist Killer Mike, we have a super-duo the world will likely never see again. They unite to drop the follow-up to their self-titled debut in 2014 and it's safe to say, their success is not a fluke. An album filled with obscene/offensive yet thought-provoking lyrics, RTJ are the perfect blend of real and weird. Our hosts give this album the highest rating to date and for good reason. The content of the album ranges from religious commentary, disdain of government entities, police brutality, disgust in politicians and philosophy. Join in as the Charles and Dave unpack the final album of the season before they switch gears and dive into a new theme for the upcoming season! Make sure to check out 'Run The Jewels 2' on all streaming platforms! Not a fan of the raunchy beats? Don't worry, El-P thought of that! He crafted a copy of this album using only kitten sounds: 'Meow The Jewels 2!'

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In the 11th episode, our hosts talk of Watts, California native, Jay Rock and his sophomore album, 'Redemption.' After his last album, '90059,' Jay Rock was forced to step away from music due to an unfortunate motorcycle accident. Upon recovering, Rock felt he had another chance at life and felt compelled to redeem his life through music. Prior to recording, he made it his goal to not stick to one style of rapping as he felt he could provide more; if anything, he felt the need to beat the odds as he he was pigeonholed to make one type of music. This further offers more opportunities to redeem his life by proving he is versatile - not just at rapping - but living. Rock approached this album by recording several different styles, several different motives, and several different messages. Are Charles and Dave attracted to the street-life bars or are they more interested in the abstract-philosophical bars? Tap into this episode if you haven't heard of this Top Dawg Entertainment giant as he definitely has a lot to say about getting out of the hood, staying out of the hood, and giving back to the hood. Make sure to check out 'Redemption' on all streaming services!

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Backtrack to the year 2015 and there are giants dropping music: Joey Bada$$ and Lupe Fiasco dropped the same day, Drake and Future had solo projects/collab albums that year, and Kendrick released his monumental ’To Pimp a Butterly.’ So, where does today’s episode fall among the heavyweights and albums we just mentioned? Bryson Tiller dropped his debut album, ‘T R A P S O U L’ in October and our hosts have been enjoying it since. Charles and Dave gave full control of album choice to Riky - the podcast’s first guest! All three hosts have some connection to the album, so there is a bit to unpack here. Riky offers a third take on the album, as they dissect Tiller's approach to blending trap beats and R&B songwriting. He meshes all those elements by tying love and sex with toxicity and charisma. Let’s see what Riky thinks as we dive into the raw and unhinged psyche of this trendsetter album! Make sure to check out the standard and deluxe version of 'T R A P S O U L' on all streaming services!

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Machine Gun Kelly takes a bold new step in his musical career with ‘Tickets to My Downfall.’ Listeners will hear MGK touch on a range of topics - varying from loneliness, depression, worthlessness to success, love, and confidence. The blink-182 influence begins with their drummer, Travis Barker, who also serves as executive producer for this album. After seasons of loss, MGK’s music gradually shifted toward the rock realm as he poured more of his pain into music. Juxtapose his lyrics with catchy hooks over guitar chords and insane drum patterns, and we’re back in the early 2000’s “emo” scene. While every song has a hint of depressive lyrics, MGK still offers listeners a different type of “pop-punk” experience with a sprinkle of braggadocio bars. He details the drugs, the women, the fun times he’s having while self-sabotaging his well-being for the amusement of others. Can MGK recover from this self-inflicted crash-and-burn moment? Is it healthy for him to do so with adoring fans and skeptics in the audience? Listen in on which songs are bangers for our hosts and which ones they connect with! Make sure to check out 'Tickets to My Downfall' on all streaming services and the visual album on YouTube titled 'Downfalls High!'

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