April 2021
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The Peanut-Free Word Nerd
Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen Prior to staring this book, I picked up a superhero novel that I was excited to read. But the writing was so unbearably terrible that I couldn’t read more than two paragraphs of it. So I picked up this one that had been sitting on my shelf and it captured […]
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A Tribute to Shock G (Digital Underground)
Shock G of Digital Underground passed away on Friday at the age of 57. He was a larger-than-life icon who brought us the character of Humpty Hump, popularized P-funk, brought humour and originality to hip-hop, introduced us to 2Pac, and produced some amazing records and albums. He was brilliant and will truly be missed. I […]
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Hit ‘Em Up, Mastermind!
This was the first time most of us ever heard 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” and many of us didn’t have our tape decks rolling at the time. Fortunately, I did. The radio station received complaints after this episode aired, but that didn’t stop Mastermind from playing it again. Wait till you hear the next tape […]
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Always Have A Curious Mind
A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazer I really enjoyed this book and the stories the author told about how staying curious enriched his life and set him on the career path he was meant for. I took lots of notes while reading it. Here are a few of the […]
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RIP Black Rob + Jeff Chang Interview (WIB Rap Radio)
Two tribute shows in two weeks. Damn, this is crazy! Rest in Peace, Black Rob. Your music spoke to a lot of people and you will truly be missed. I thought he was making a bit of a comeback. He appeared recently on projects by Diamond D and Cormega. You will hear those tonight, along […]
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Mastermind Street Jam – Tape 62
Here’s Tape 62 of my collection of Mastermind Street Jam episodes. This one was broadcast on Energy 108 back on May 21, 1996. Even though the show started at midnight on a school night, you had to stay up late enough to hit record so you could have some great hip-hop to spin the next […]
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Forest City London Music Awards
The Forest City London Music Awards have published the list of nominees for the 2021 Gala that takes place at the end of Forest City London Music Week, June 6 -13, 2021. The list is very impressive this year and features some of the city’s most deserving hip-hop artists and contributors. Hip-Hop Nominees Exit Only […]
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Rest in Peace DMX + Son of Tony Interview
The hip-hop community is mourning the loss of DMX this week. He had a unique voice and was able to channel his pain through the music. It spoke to a lot of people. We pay him tribute tonight with the opening set of music. After that, we have an exclusive interview with Buffalo emcee, Son […]
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Raekwon on Mastermind Street Jam (May ’96)
Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan stopped by the Mastermind Street Jam on May 20, 1996. Here’s some hip-hop history for you. Live radio mixed by DJ Mastermind on Energy 108. Download this episode (for a limited time) or stream it with the player above. Did you miss any of the past episodes of Mastermind Street Jam? […]
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Jay-Z Gets the Scholarly Treatment
JAY-Z: Made in America by Michael Eric Dyson I haven’t followed Jay-Z his whole career. I bought his first two albums on CD but then lost interest as he seemed to move in a more commercial direction. But I came back around with his Black Album and now have several of his discs. Interestingly, that […]