Reel Notes w/ CineMasai

My guest this week is Arkansas rapper, singer, producer, and designer Kari Faux. We spoke about How To Blow Up A Pipeline, both film versions of The Lion King, Molly Shannon’s Superstar, Kill Bill, why she prefers watching TV shows to movies, how living in Arkansas influenced her music taste, reflecting on “No Small Talk” nearly a decade later, the value of independence, and the creative process behind her latest album Real B*tches Don’t Die.Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order!Real B*tches Don't Die will be available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen on May 26th. Watch Kari's installment of Rap Portraits here.Follow Kari on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @karifauxFollow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai)   Support the show

My guest this week is Boston-based journalist, archivist, author, A&R, and lecturer Dart Adams. We spoke about the Amazon Prime series The Power, the WGA writer’s strike, Y: The Last Man, Infinity Train, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, the phenomenon of cult films, the impermanence of streaming, how the internet has reshaped ideas of nostalgia and memory, and the importance of physical archiving and being outside to experience history.Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order!Dart's latest book Instead We Became Evil: A True Story of Survival and Perseverance, a memoir of the Danish artist Sleiman that he co-authored,is available wherever books are sold. Consider grabbing a copy here. Read Dart's work over at Boston Magazine here.Follow Dart on Instagram and Twitter: @dart_adamsFollow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai)   Support the show

My guest this week is Seattle-via-New York rapper-producer AJ Suede. We spoke about Beef, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Nintendo Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, growing up in New York, establishing himself in Seattle, his journey through independent music, linking with R.A.P. Ferrira to form the duo G’s Us, similarities between rappers and journalists, and the creative process behind Parthian Shots, his latest collab with the producer Televangel.Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order! Parthian Shots is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping directly from Bandcamp via Fake Four Inc. here.Suede will be joining ShrapKnel on the West Coast leg of their North American tour from May 12 - May 19. Check dates and cop tickets here. Follow AJ Suede on Instagram and Twitter: @ajsuede Follow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai)  Support the show

My guest for our 100th episode is California-via-Rhode Island rapper and singer JELEEL! We spoke about The Matrix, The Truman Show, Honey, I Shurnk The Kids, wrestling, similarities between wrestling and music, catching that can of Sprite at Rolling Loud,   growing up on Rhode Island, what his own planet would look like, wanting to showcase his range as an artist, and the creative process behind his debut album REAL RAW! Visit Dreadsock.com and use promo code "CINEMASAI" for 10% off your first order!REAL RAW will be available May 5 wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Read my Audiomack Workd interview with JELEEL! here. Follow JELEEL! on Instagram and Twitter (@JELEEEEL) and TikTok (@Jeleelyeah)Follow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai)  Support the show

*TW: suicide, self-harm*My guest this week is New York producer Samurai Banana. We spoke about Cocaine Bear, Godzilla and King Kong, The Nightmare Before Christmas, In The Mood For Love, Boards of Canada, how he solidified his love for music while attending film school, the history of the Karma Kids, music as a vehicle for discussion depression, and the creative process and release behind Just Tired, his debut album on Uncommon Records.Just Tired is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping directly from Bandcamp here. Follow Samurai Banana on Instagram (@samurai.banana) and Twitter (@samurai_banana)Follow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai) Support the show

My guest this week is Detroit rapper, producer, photographer, and manager NOLAN (fka Nolan The Ninja). We spoke about Snowfall, Cocaine Bear, Batman & Robin, Belly, the magic of drive-in theaters, his transition from boom-bap to more vibey music, how the pandemic stalled his momentum, developing SPORTCAST by getting into photography and artist management, and the creative process behind his latest album don’t get TOO excited.don't get TOO excited  is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping direct from his Bandcamp page here.If you live in the northeast United States, catch NOLAN on tour with Brainorchestra and Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon from May 18-May 24. Grab tickets here.   Follow NOLAN on Instagram and Twitter: @NolanTheNinja Follow SPORTCAST on Instagram and Twitter: @sportcastonlyFollow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai) Support the show

Phonte, North Carolina rapper, writer, composer, and podcast host, discusses his evolution from Little Brother to his solo work, his career in voiceover and podcasting, and making May The Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story. They also explore their favorite TV shows, movies, and the power of film scores.

My guest this week is Queens-based rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer deem spencer. We spoke about Natasha Lyonne’s Poker Face, watching movies by yourself vs. with other people, Chris Rock’s Down To Earth, Baby Boy, how Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory changed his life, his debut project sunflower, taking constructive criticism, what it means to be an album artist in 2023, trusting his circle of collaborators, and the creative process behind his latest album adult sw!madult sw!m is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen.Listen to sunflower here. Follow deem on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @deemspencerFollow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai)    Support the show

My guest this week is Buffalo, NY rapper, producer, and designer Ché Noir. We spoke about the Creed series, Ozark, Imitation of Life, Carlito’s Way, binging TV shows vs. watching them weekly, why Lauryn Hill and Nas are among her favorite storytellers, coming up under Benny The Butcher and 38 Spesh, a handful of her best storytelling songs, how she almost quit rap music before she truly began, and the creative process behind her latest project Noir or Never, produced entirely by Big Ghost Ltd. Noir or Never is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping direct from Bandcamp here.Follow Ché on Instagram and Twitter: @che_noirFollow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai)   Support the show

My guest this week is Texas singer-rapper-producer Liv.e. We spoke about Reasonable Doubt, CB4, the legacy of Charlie Murphy, Team America: World Police, Eve’s Bayou, Jason’s Lyric, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, the work of Ari Aster, our favorite rap comedy skits, how she was inspired by the horror film Ganja & Hess, and the creative process behind her latest album Girl In The Half Pearl. Girl In The Half Pearl is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping directly from Liv.e's Bandcamp. Follow Liv.e on Instagram (@_osun) and Twitter (@oliveosun). Read my Pigeons & Planes interview with Liv.e from 2018. My first book, Reel Notes: Culture Writing on the Margins of Music and Movies, is available now, via 4PM Publishing. Order a digital copy on Amazon.Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Tigray, and Haiti. Please consider donating to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund,  The Palestinian Youth Movement, Medical Aid for Palestinians, HealAfrica, FreeTigray, and/or Hope For Haiti.  For information about contacting your representatives to demand a ceasefire, finding protests, and other tools, check out CeasefireToday!Follow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), TikTok (@cinemasai), and Letterboxd (@CineMasai)Support the show