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Since his first conversation with Rick, Kenny Beats’ star has continued to rise. In the past couple of years he has produced songs with Ed Sheeran, Da Baby and Vince Staples. He’s also taken several trips to the UK, and produced over 30 songs with British artists like FKA Twigs and Slowthai. Today, Kenny explains how for the first time in the history of hip-hop, an American sub-genre made its way across the pond to the UK, only to come back to the States in an updated form that is now influencing American rappers. Kenny and Rick also talk about why they don’t care about understanding English rappers' slang, and how a group of German classical musicians are co-producing some of the biggest hip-hop records today.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find the playlist for this episode HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

There’s a reason Kenny Beats is one of the great young producers in Hip Hop. Because he has a vast understanding of the regional sounds and histories of cities to pull from when making beats for an artist. This allows him to find a common musical language with rappers. Which is super important in an art form as hyper-local as rap. We’re kicking off a two part series of interviews with Kenny Beats, in the one you’re about to hear which was taped a while back, Kenny maps out the evolution of regional sounds in hip-hop ... drawing parallels between disparate cities. And how Hip Hop has evolved from creating beats out of old drum samples—known as breakbeats—to sampling and referencing itself.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find the playlist for this episode HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Rick Rubin speaks with the great Joan Baez fresh off her birthday and the announcement that she'll be among this year's Kennedy Center honorees! Joan was known the world over as the Queen of Folk at the height of her career in the 60s. She used her fame to help spread the tenets of the non-violence movement, and was a close ally to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Joan also helped introduce Bob Dylan to the world by giving him stage time at her shows when she was the biggest ticket in town and he was a complete unknown. In this conversation with Rick Rubin, Joan explains why after performing for over 60 years, she recently made the decision to stop singing and turn her attention to painting. She also talks about the time she and Pete Seeger were run out of town by local cops after a performance and getting banned from Brazil for her music.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find the playlist for this episode HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Most people know Rivers Cuomo as Weezer’s brilliant, quirky lead singer. But one thing people may not know, is that several years ago, a bizarre conspiracy theory made its way around the Web that Rivers was actually Kurt Cobain. To mark the release of Weezer's incredibly catchy new album, OK Human, Rivers explains to Rick Rubin why the band ditched their classic guitar-based style for an orchestral sound. They also talk about the specific substances Rivers took to write his hit song “Hash Pipe,” and Rivers entertains the Kurt Cobain conspiracy as if it were all true.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find the playlist for this episode HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Rick Rubin connected with Earth, Wind & Fire's Verdine White to talk about the early days of the band and about their producer, Charles Stepney, who Verdine calls their George Martin. Also Rick reads to Verdine a poignant note from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea about what makes Verdine’s bass playing so special. Earth Wind and Fire are the black Beatles. Their influence simply can't be overstated. You’d be hard pressed to find a wedding or graduation party in the last 50 years where their music didn’t bring generations together to dance and sing their hearts out. Earth Wind and Fire’s music is intricate, combining melody with mysticism and jazz to create some of the most instantly recognizable and profound music of the 70s.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Earth, Wind & Fire songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Nas dropped one of the most universally loved rap albums of all time in 1994 with Illmatic. Few legends in Hip Hop have been able to maintain their relevance over several decades based on their skill alone. Nas has never chased headlines or crossover success. He’s always seemed focused on elevating his craft and the culture. And that dedication has paid off. King’s Disease is Nas’ 12th album, and earned him his 14th grammy nomination. It’s up for Best Rap album at this year’s awards. Rick Rubin connected with Nas over Zoom recently to talk about his earliest experiences with rap in Queens, how recording his last album with Kanye West in Wyoming almost took him out of his zone and how early beef with Jay Z made them both stronger rappers.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Nas songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Rick Rubin speaks with friend, pioneering rock journalist, Lisa Robinson about her over 40 year career that's seen her interview everyone from John Lennon to Lady Gaga, from Jay Z to Eminem, and even an 11 year old Michael Jackson. They also talk about her new book, Nobody Ever Asked Me About The Girls. Lisa’s career started in the 1970s when she embedded on world tours with Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. In the decades since, she’s partied with Bowie, dined with Beyonce, and talked through the night with Joni Mitchell. She has a lot to say about everything …. including how she and her husband, music producer Richard Robinson, practically lived at CBGBs during the mid-70s and why she felt compelled to write her latest book— which features excerpts from interviews she’s done with Bette Midler, Rihanna, Adele, Stevie Nicks and so many more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Singer/songwriter, pianist, alt-rocker Ben Folds has been releasing records since the 90s. Sometimes with his band Ben Folds Five, sometimes solo. In this episode of Broken Record, he connects with Bruce Headlam to discuss the origins of his biggest hit, "Brick," the time Kesha dove into a pool fully clothed to rescue his phone, and the time he unknowingly destroyed a priceless Steinway piano on Australian TV, plus other anecdotes from his memoir, A Dream About Lightning Bugs. Enjoy this episode—taped live in-studio, before the pandemic—and we'll be back to our weekly Tuesday release schedule next week.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Ben Folds songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Mike Dickey is co-founder and chairman of the JackTrip Foundation and the creator of Virtual Studio.The awkward and disjointed experience of making music over the internet is a solvable problem. Virtual Studio is a device that works with the open source software application JackTrip to enable musicians of all ages to collaborate across locations online.Virtual StudioJackTrip Open Source Software ApplicationJamKazam11 Tools for Collaborating on Music Remotely Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Nashville producer Dave Cobb has earned six Grammys for his standout work with artists like Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile and Chris Stapleton. Over the past 15 years Dave's managed to inject some much-needed soul into country music. In this interview with Rick Rubin, Dave talks about coming up as a session player in Atlanta in the early ‘90s with hip-hop and R&B producers Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin. They also talk about the power of being an outsider, and the value of goofing around in the studio.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Dave Cobb songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Jim James talks about and performs some songs off My Morning Jacket's The Waterfall 2. The album of holdovers from the band's 2015 album came out in July. Jim explains to Bruce Headlam why these songs finally came out five years after The Waterfall. And other exciting projects the band are sitting on. Plus what it was like to tour with Bob Dylan and Wilco and why My Morning Jacket might not exist if it wasn't for Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection."Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite My Morning Jacket and Jim James songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

James Blake speaks with Rick Rubin about his new Covers EP. Since his debut album in 2011, the British-born James Blake has gone on to win England's top musical honor, the Mercury Prize, and a Grammy. He’s also produced and collaborated with a ton of musicians including Jay-Z, Beyonce, Billie Eilish, and Travis Scott. A few years back in 2016 James flew from England to Malibu to work with Rick Rubin at Shangri-La. They worked together on his third album, The Colour In Anything. As you'll hear in this conversation with Rick today, James Blake had a life-changing experience while working and living at Shangri-La. In fact, has made LA his home base ever since. James also recalls an embarrassing teenage experience that left him making music in secret for years. And tells Rick that recording his new EP of covers solidified his love of perfect pop songs.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite James Blake songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Rick Rubin connected with Pharrell Williams over Zoom recently to talk through and listen to some of the biggest hits from Pharrell’s illustrious career. They chat about what Pharrell is currently working on (Rihanna!), the French powdered drink mix that helped P write “Get Lucky” with Daft Punk, and why Pharrell thinks he sounds like a sick billy goat on the hook for Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful.” And be sure to check out Pharrell's new podcast OTHERtone - https://link.chtbl.com/brokenrecordSubscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/Hear all the songs Pharrell mentioned in the episode, along with his favorite Neptunes-produced tracks HERE — you can also enjoy a playlist of some of Pharrell's favorite songs as told to Rick Rubin HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

It’s hard to believe Andrew Watt is only 30 years old. He's built up an impressive and diverse roster of collaborators over the last five years including Ozzy Osbourne, Miley Cyrus, Sam Smith, and Justin Bieber. He’s quietly become one of the biggest producers in the industry … leading to a nomination at the upcoming Grammys for Producer of the Year. Rick Rubin chats with Andrew Watt this episode about getting his start in music interning with the Roots, working with Miley Cyrus on her newest album, and about a frightening experience with COVID in the early days of the pandemic.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Andrew Watt written or produced songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The runway to success was short for Black Pumas. Five months after releasing their debut album in 2019, the Austin-based band was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys. And now, one year later, Black Pumas are up for Album of the Year for the deluxe version of their debut. Guitarist/Producer Adrian Quesada and Singer Eric Burton met at a crossroads in both of their careers. Adrian left his first band, Grupo Fantasma after a successful run, including a years-long mentorship by Prince. While looking for a new direction, a friend suggested he work with Eric—changing both of their fortunes. In this episode, Adrian talks about being taken under Prince’s wing, Eric reminisces about writing the group’s biggest hit in church, and they explain their unique chemistry that’s led to instant success. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Black Pumas songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy is a prolific songwriter and he's ready to share his secrets. They're all in his new book, How to Write One Song. On today's episode, Tweedy shares some of his techniques with Malcolm Gladwell and explains why songwriting isn't, in his view, a mystical practice but a practical one. And at the end of the episode, he holds his own master class where he breaks down the song "Opaline" from his new solo album, Love Is The King.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Wilco songs + Tweedy's new album HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Leslie Odom Jr., best known for playing Aaron Burr in Hamilton, speaks to Bruce Headlam about his career on stage and in music and also his new Christmas album. The Christmas Album is Leslie's second crack at a holiday album but his first time not having to do it on a budget. They also discuss Leslie's favorite Christmas music, what it was like playing a Founding Father as a Black Man, and lessons he learned from the incomparable talents of Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis Jr.Subscribe to Broken Record's YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite holiday songs + Leslie's new album HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Mike Campbell, guitarist, co-writer and original Heartbreaker talks to Rick Rubin about growing up with Tom Petty, working on Wildflowers and about his new album, Wreckless Abandon, with band The Dirty Knobs. It’s the first band Mike’s ever been a part of without Petty - who he started playing with in the early 70’s in Mudcrutch. And it’s the first time Rick’s been able to catch up with Mike since Tom’s passing. They talk about their work together and how the Heartbreakers always managed to find new life ... plus Mike, for the first time, tells the story of how he wrote the riff for “Runnin' Down A Dream."Subscribe to Broken Record's YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite songs by and featuring Mike Campbell by clicking HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

There’s no playbook for successfully releasing music during a pandemic. Especially if you’re an indie artist, the stakes really couldn’t be higher. But Deep Sea Diver has managed to put all that aside to drop a thrilling and relevant new album. While the Seattle-based band’s only recently started to find their place in the indie rock landscape, Jessica Dobson has played in some of the genre’s most defining bands. She toured the world as the lead guitarist for Beck and The Shins, and played keyboard and bass for the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs. In 2015, Jessica formed Deep Sea Diver with her husband and drummer Peter Mansen. In the wake of their new album, Broken Record producer Leah Rose talked to Jessica about how a stay-at-home livestream series inspired her to write a pandemic anthem in record time. Jessica also talks about how volunteering at a shelter for homeless sex workers helped her overcome a viscious bout of depression and write what she considers the best album of her career.Subscribe to Broken Record's YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Deep Sea Diver songs by clicking HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Kentucky singer/songwriter Sturgill Simpson was in his mid-30s when he found fame as a country artist in Nashville. He had already lived a full life including a stint in the Navy, and years spent working in Salt Lake City rail yards. His outsider status in Nashville boosted his outlaw appeal. But as time passed, Sturgill began to despise the relentless expectations of the major label system. In true rebel fashion, Sturgill has now taken back control of his career and returned to his independent roots with the release of a bluegrass album: Cuttin’ Grass - Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions). In this interview with Rick Rubin, Sturgill explains why his bluegrass album is the purest expression of his work, why it bothers him that people often overlook the stories in his songs, and why being classified as a country artist has been, perhaps, the biggest detriment to his career.Subscribe to Broken Record's YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcastYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/You can find some of our favorite Sturgill Simpson songs by clicking HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com