Tell Us How You Really Feel

We dig into part three of our Best Beat Tapes 2025 series, stacking seventeen producers who push tone, texture, and community forward. From Baelei’s serene craft to Johnny U’s closing blitz. We trace khow beat scenes and collectives, keep beat culture thriving.

Intro Music: Tuamie “That’s Not Salsa” from To Be of A Greater Instrument 

• Zawati Moon “Divine Feminine” from The Metaphysical Wonders of Zawati, Vol. 1
• Baelei “Peace” from balance.
• Bugginout “Space or Time” from Bugginout’s Basement Batch 5
• Takeo Watanabe “Wave Motion” from Piece of My Scape
• Dr. Mistalow “Document 370” from The Extract Volume 1 from Jersey Produce
• T3MPO! “Time Flies” from The Extract Volume 1 from Jersey Produce
• Chop The Head “Dirge for Sun Ra from You’re All Cowards
• Phdirac “HOMAGE [87.5]” from vignette
• Nawab.hi.go “inflmmmmation” from Tape 1
• Theory Hazit “Zoinks” from Boombap is my love language.
• Kershawn Tha Don “Melancholy” from Mood Swing
• King John-iLL “whuteverittakes” from iLLfLips(tape10)
• Devin Burgess “Balloons In The Sky” from HEAUX [OST] (instrumentals) co-prod. Josh Jessen
• Gldnmnd “Yang” from Kobu - Codeword: Bumps
• illingsworth “ruffles your feathers” from pressed 2
• El. From Mightyrecordings “Nina” from STILL BEAMIN’
• Jonathan UniteUs aka JohnNY U. Feat. DFNS (5 Boro RMX) prod. Ray Robinson from COAGULATE [side b]

Subscribe to the YouTube, hit the 🔔 drop a like. Leave a review and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ wherever you listen so we can climb the charts. Official Podcast T-shirts available via our linktree. If your beattape should be included in the last episode of this series, text the show with your artist name, beat tape, link, and socials.

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

We spotlight the best beat tapes and instrumental albums of 2025 so far, moving city to city to share standouts, origin stories, and the mindset behind the music. We celebrate transformation, community labels, and the power of action over words while inviting you to text us your picks.

• Mon$rock’s features "LADO" in Do More beattape
• Afro Bluu’s “What is Happiness” evolving sound
• Raw Data’s Crush and NorCal compilation power (not 2025 but WGAF
• Big Rodamous’ reinvention and process of transformation in Walking Into Nextweek from “When it’s not said, But Done”
• Trey Steez's one track beattape "temper, rarely"

. MickeyDubz "Distant Memories from Mint Condition

• Showalter! showcases space fiction and cinematic sequencing in “INFINITE SPACE”
• Radio.Free.Globe & Pres.Morris “Solar Veins” remind us of the human's creative spirit
• $HVN’s Thrwaway$ Vol. 1 shines on “Impressions on Chinese Prints”
• Mad Keys’ A Few [MORE] Ideas Vol. 1 (deluxe) soul-forward daily reminder in “Free Game”
• Q No Rap Name’s steady output shine on “Living Room”
• Naj AHead’s Fortitude and resilience theme in “Shadow”
• Phoenixx AZ’s mood-building on “Warm Winter Joints”
• SaywordStaz “DUMPZ 3" Charmin Barmin (Charming Ultra) and her live beat sets and YouTube grind
• NELAC The Beat Ninja’s "Spice (Aha Ha) from Long Live DILLA!
• Low Key x DIBIA$E’s "Of Age" closes with a reminder of "Summer)

Click the link in the description to our Official linktree, and you can order your Official Tee today! Text the podcast what you like, what you don’t like, and who we should feature next

Subscribe on YouTube, hit like, and leave a comment—we’re aiming for 1,000 subscribers in 2026

Stay tuned for part three of the best beat tapes and instrumental albums of 2025

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

The underground stays undefeated when the community curates. We kick off Season 6 with Part One of our best beat tapes and albums of 2025, building a front‑to‑back mix that celebrates producers who turn life into rhythm—from late‑night study loops to church‑recorded anthems that shake the room. No gatekeepers, no radio formulas, just beatmakers shaping the soundscapes we live in.

We open with Anthony Church’s Immunity, a masterclass in space and swing, then slide into Thxk_U’s Humanity 90, where tempo choices carry mood without losing drive. E+RO=3’s Breakfast For Champions marks a milestone with buttery transitions, while Heru’s Hymns delivers winter‑ready jazz textures and off‑kilter drums that refuse lo‑fi clichés. Sirebeez fuses Chicago dance, jungle energy, and modern hip‑hop into a culture‑blended palette, and Foliage Beats’ Ink proves that pocket, tone, and restraint still win.

The narrative deepens with Dr. Phillip Onya’s Beat Science from Cardiac Rhythm, a conceptual project that treats percussion like thesis work. 4D’s Visions brings a powerful arc from burnout to renewal, turning doubt into melody and forward motion. Ms. Vame’s You Can’t Plan That captures the electricity of a room‑shaking beat battle and backs it up with real‑world credits and new releases on deck. Algorithm-C and Kount’s Without You blurs sacred and street with a live church recording, and Xpompa’s Kingston Sour tips a hat to flip culture and mixtape lineage.

We keep it global with CogDiss’ Drift out of Melbourne, an ode to beatmaking as self‑preservation, stitched with loss, determination, joy, and hope. Blkgod9’s Serenity anchors into purpose—God, hip‑hop, and music—while Chairman Maf’s Keeping Secrets returns to instrumental storytelling after a rap‑heavy run. Son Brave’s Different Cloth closes with Baltimore grit and polished ear, reminding us that originality is still the sharpest tool in the box.

Press play, enjoy the full set, and share your thoughts. Support these artists on Bandcamp and beyond. If you like the mix, follow, review, and share with a beat lover. Subscribe, leave a comment, and text us your favorite cut for Part One

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

The needle drops and the room changes—horns breathe, drums loosen, and a sampler starts talking back. We dive into the living thread between jazz and beat culture, from Congo Square and brass bands to dusty chops, off-grid drums, and the global scenes building tomorrow’s standards today. The journey moves through the roots—rebellion, soul, spiritual release—into the eras of big band glory, commercial decline, and the underground that kept the flame alive until hip-hop cracked open the vault and let the swing back out.

We explore how producers like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, J Dilla, Madlib, and Nujabes reintroduced jazz aesthetics to a new generation, turning horn riffs, Rhodes chords, and brushed cymbals into modern language. Along the way, we spotlight the cities and crews shaping the current wave: London’s Yussef Dayes, Kamaal Williams, and Shabaka Hutchings; LA’s Kamasi Washington and Terrace Martin; global innovators from Italy, Austria, Japan, and beyond. Labels and collectives like Jazz Is Dead bridge elders and explorers, proving the tradition evolves best when it’s shared.

Between records, we trade stories and facts that link technique to technology—Miles facing the band for deeper communication, Coltrane’s relentless practice, Raymond Scott’s early electronic machines, and how big band sessions birthed mic placement and room capture approaches that shaped modern studios and DAWs. Herbie Hancock reminds us that jazz is conversation: musicians, audience, and energy in constant exchange. Beat culture carries that forward—looping, bending, and improvising with machines as instruments. Ride with us, discover new artists and essential beat tapes, and feel the continuity: jazz never died; it reincarnated in the pads.

If you felt the groove, subscribe, rate, and share with a friend. Drop a comment with your favorite jazz-sampled track and hit our Linktree to buy a tee shirt or buy us a coffee. Let’s keep the lineage loud.

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

A beat can cross oceans faster than any plane ticket—this showcase proves it. We’re celebrating Filipino producers from Manila to Sacramento with a curated trip through sample alchemy, razor-sharp cuts, and pulse-raising drum and bass. The goal is simple: connect you with artists worth following and give you a map to explore their catalogs, crews, and scenes.

We open with a Filipino alchemist from Florida named Soy or Soyisreal then we feature a track with atmosphere and intent—Free The Robots sets a cinematic frame before HeruHeruHeru reminds us not to overthink a great loop. Elijah B raises the stakes with head-twisting arrangements, then Roboplex teams with Hendrik to merge live visuals culture with studio craft. KiNG HYSTERiA, Imaginary Other, Chewy, and IF1 light up the cipher, while D-Styles demonstrates why scratching remains composition, percussion, and storytelling all at once. The energy pivots into TKDPLL’s drum and bass, a lane resonating deeply across Filipino circles, and lands on LUSTBASS and Filipino 1990 where feel meets message.

From there, Six The NorthStar tightens the groove, Skeematic explores meditative texture, and 4B5ynth out of Marikina turns off-kilter rhythm into a hypnotic flip. Higher Ground’s The PHARM brings collective firepower, Dpsht and Tenkousei.’s cool the room with downtempo warmth, and Skeptics and Ize pull dancers to the front with summer color and clever edits. We close with Loopin_iii’s high-velocity DnB, then shout Wave Groove and tease that this is only part one of the all-Filipino spotlight.

If something moves you, follow the links, grab a tee, buy a coffee, or send us a text directly from the description—we read every message.

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Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

Welcome to Episode #133 where we take a trip into my expanding Bandcamp Music Feed which features music from the artists I follow. We open with a clear intention from Dammbutta’s ‘This Kind of Life’: music can fortify the mind, soothe the body, and steady the soul. From there, the curation pulls you through a living gallery of sound: the battle-tested resolve of Apollo Brown and Ty Farris’s ‘Run Towards The Monster’, the tender tension of Sadiva’s introspection from ‘As Prescribed’ and a kinetic rinse of drum and bass that clears the static and resets your pulse by Dewpoints’s Dreambound.

Next we take a trip to the Netherlands by Tesk ‘’The Sauce’. Then we ‘Check In’ with MRK SX’s All Is Well. We tap in with CRISTENISREAL with his ‘Refresher’ album. We head to Los Angeles with DOM CRUZ & k. Jvnglx from ‘Divine Intervention’. We listen to L. Dre to listen to Beatober wips continuing the thrill of unearthing gems in the Bandcamp wilds. We stretch into experimental and ambient spaces with Jesse Rack$on ‘v-a-r-i-a-t-i-o-n-s beattape and Kare.pkg’s ‘A Whole Lotta Nothin’ letting texture speak and silence shape the groove. A heartfelt moment honors D’Angelo’s influence with a thoughtful remix by Nothing_Neue from ‘The Vault (Bootleg Pack)’ before we pivot to flips and instrumentals that celebrate craft: Smewhere’s ‘Time Come’ salute to Brownsville’s Ka, The Other Guys’ ‘No Validation (Instrumentals) and DFNS’s ‘404 Day Pack’.

The set keeps widening. A playful Libra-themed interlude by SKYSCRAPER titled ‘the LIBRANS’ slips into Vicky Cassis’s sharp ‘DNA flip’ from Casis Flips, proof that imagination cuts through any noise. Sunkr’s Let Me Live centers agency and ease, and the International Artist Project ties it all together with global voices building love and legacy across borders with Awzy E’s ‘Other Half’. Gold Haze stops by with ‘Purpose Over Pain’ from When I Had Nothing, I Had Everything. Throughout, I return to a simple mantra: purpose over perfection. You’ll hear it in the bars, the breaks, and the breath between tracks

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

Imagine traveling to every country on Earth without leaving your headphones. That's the revolutionary experience of The World Album, featuring 200 songs from artists born in every nation on our planet.

Brandon Beckwith, founder of International Artist Project, joins us to share the extraordinary journey of creating music's first truly global compilation. After his first international trip at age 34 sparked a vision, Brandon embarked on a two-year mission that took him across 30+ countries, building a worldwide network of musicians and agents to make the impossible possible.

This isn't just another compilation – it's a cultural archive capturing humanity through sound. From a 70-year-old Vatican priest singing in Latin to Madagascar's first-time recording artist delivering an unforgettable hip-hop track, the album spans 93 languages and 121 genres across its 12-hour runtime. Most remarkably, artists retain 100% of their royalties, with many pledging to use earnings for positive initiatives in their home countries.

The conversation explores the challenges of sequencing such a massive project, the surprising musical discoveries from unexpected places, and how authentic representation was prioritized over commercial appeal. Now Grammy-considered, the album has transformed into a movement that continues to connect artists across borders, with some meeting in person after collaborating virtually.

What began as one person's vision has evolved into something much greater – proof that music truly can unite us despite our differences. As Brandon eloquently puts it: "I want people to feel like they traveled the entire world while listening... I think if everyone would listen to the World Album even one time in their life, it could change how we see each other."

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

Stepping into the sonic laboratory of La and Rod Nice feels like boarding the Millennium Falcon—a journey beyond Earth's atmosphere into cosmic consciousness. These two veteran musicians have been crafting their unique brand of hip-hop since 1996, and their latest offering "Underdog Power Cosmic 2: Cosmic Continuum" represents the culmination of decades spent perfecting their craft.

The symbiotic relationship between beatmaker and lyricist drives this project. As Rod explains, "When he's in there with me, it inspires me to go raw, dirty, hard." Meanwhile, La approaches his writing from a perspective that transcends typical hip-hop narratives: "How many songs could be about being from the ghetto? How many songs can be about hard times? How many songs could be about sex or money or anything earthy?" This cosmic perspective infuses every track with philosophical depth rarely found in contemporary music.

Marvel Comics, particularly Silver Surfer, provides much of the conceptual framework. La discovered the "Power Cosmic" through these comics, relating to a character who ventures beyond Earth's problems. This parallel reflects his own journey from street life to academic achievement (the previous album "Underdog's Manifesto" served as his master's thesis) to his current role as a mental health counselor. Throughout our conversation, La weaves together insights on anxiety, time perception, and how cosmic awareness might help listeners navigate their own challenges.

The production process itself mirrors their philosophical approach—fluid, evolutionary, and responsive. Many tracks begin with one beat that transforms completely after lyrics are added. "The beat inspired the rhyme, then the rhyme inspired a different beat," Rod explains. This organic development creates a soundscape that feels both nostalgic and futuristic, rooted in east coast influences while maintaining a uniquely Sacramento perspective.

Whether you're a longtime hip-hop head or simply searching for music with substance, Power Cosmic 2 offers something rare in today's landscape—art that challenges while it entertains, that questions while it affirms. Take a cosmic journey with these underdog pioneers and discover what happens when beats and rhymes transcend earthly limitations.

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

Step into the evolving world of Erozilla, the multifaceted beat maker whose journey has transformed from crafting innovative sounds to building a legacy through education. Two years after his first appearance on the Wreck Show, Erozilla returns with exciting news about his Erozilla Beat Academy—a groundbreaking initiative teaching digital music production across Los Angeles communities.

The conversation takes us through Erozilla's impressive creative expansion since our last meeting. From rocking stages at X-Fest and Rhymefest LA to curating Lo-Fi Dena (a hardware-only open mic for beat makers), his commitment to live performance shines through. With over 500 unique live sets under his belt, Erozilla proudly shares that he's "never played two of the same beat shows ever," highlighting his dedication to authentic, in-the-moment creativity.

Beyond performance, Erozilla dives deep into his production philosophy, challenging the notion that expensive equipment equals better music. "My DAW is my brain," he explains, demonstrating how he can transform a single kick drum into an entire beat through creative manipulation. This resourcefulness defines his approach to teaching the next generation, providing them with free software and sound packs while emphasizing the importance of understanding musical roots before AI completely transforms the landscape.

The episode also explores Erozilla's prolific catalog, including his conceptual project "Beat Pimping" and his latest release "Frigid," both available on Bandcamp. He shares candid thoughts about streaming platforms, questioning the reliability of metrics and fair compensation in the digital age—a perspective that explains his preference for Bandcamp and physical media.

Perhaps most moving is Erozilla's discussion of the recent Altadena fires, which devastated a historically significant Black artistic community. His connection to this area through his children's school and his work at Trade School reveals the personal impact of this tragedy, while offering ways listeners can support rebuilding efforts.

Ready to experience Erozilla's unique musical universe and perhaps become part of his educational movement? This episode offers a perfect entry point into the world of a true beat innovator who's not just making music but creating community, preserving tradition, and building a legacy that will shape the future of beat making.

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

The latest tariffs imposed by the US government will significantly impact physical merchandise shipped to American customers through Bandcamp, potentially causing higher fees and shipping delays for independent artists and their fans. Digital purchases remain unaffected and offer a practical way for supporters to continue backing their favorite artists during this challenging period.

• Bandcamp sent an email notification about new US tariffs affecting international merchandise shipments
• Some international postal carriers are temporarily suspending deliveries to the US
• Fans can still support artists by purchasing digital music instead of physical merchandise
• Bandcamp Fridays (when 100% of revenue goes to artists) remain an excellent support opportunity
• Recent podcast episodes featured Kershawn Tha Don with Naj Ahead and Dom Cruz with TEEDOTEINSOF
• More episodes are currently in production with exciting guests
• New feature allows listeners to text feedback through the "Be a Homie" link
• Podcast is best experienced on YouTube or Buzzsprout due to Spotify's music restrictions

Make sure, if you make music, you share your music. Don't be scared to share it. It does nobody any good if you just keep it on the hard drive. Let the people hear what you're creating.

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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Tell Us How You Really Feel

What happens when spiritual philosophy meets beatmaking? Kershawn Tha Don answers this question through her soulful productions and community-building efforts, guided by her core belief that "love is the highest vibration."

The Long Beach-based producer takes us through her musical evolution, from singing in a Baptist church choir to performing with Beat Cinema on Coachella's prestigious Gobi Stage in 2023. "Music is so important in those spaces because it sets up the atmosphere... to open up your spirit to receive," she reflects, revealing how her spiritual foundation influences her creative approach.

Kershawn's journey into beatmaking began in 2008, experimenting with Fruity Loops during night shifts as a CNA after being inspired by 9th Wonder's production on Little Brother's "The Listening." Her artistic progression unfolds through albums like "Union Electric" (2020), which she describes with charming candor as her "cringe album" made without overthinking, and "Butter" (2023), crafted primarily using the Koala app and SP-555.

Beyond her own productions, Kershawn has created vital space for women in music through "Ladies Love Loops," a live music series showcasing female producers, singers, MCs, and DJs. "I did it to expose everybody to each other for collaboration," she explains, highlighting how building community remains central to her mission.

The conversation takes an exciting turn when Naj Ahead joins to discuss their forthcoming collaborative album "He's My Muse," dropping in October 2025. This project promises a modern take on neo-soul with Erykah Badu-inspired vibes, complete with limited edition physical copies featuring a lyric booklet. "It's a love story and it goes from the beginning to the end," Kershawn shares, noting it's designed for "nostalgic old souls."

Whether you're a beatmaker, a fan of underground hip-hop, or someone who believes in music's power to build community, this episode offers rare insight into creating authentically while lifting others up. Follow Kershawn's journey  here: @ThaDonKershawn and Naj Ahead's journey here: @Najahead discover why love truly is the highest vibration.

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Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Gldnmnd

Podcast Website Link: The Rec Show Podcast

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