In Episode 119, Adam sits down with Washington Heights rapper LIFEOFTHOM to break down his journey through New York City’s rap scene and how he’s building a career in today’s independent music landscape.

Thom talks about the viral Washington Square Park freestyle moment where he ended up rapping in front of the NYC mayor, how moments like that can translate into real fans, and why artists need to learn how to leverage attention in the modern music industry.

He also shares the story behind connecting with legendary producer Plain Pat (Kid Cudi, Kanye West) and what he learned from working with someone who has helped shape some of hip-hop’s most iconic records.

Throughout the conversation, Thom gives insight into building a team, opening for artists like Conway the Machine and IDK, life on tour, and how independent rappers are navigating tech, direct-to-fan models, and the changing business of music. Whether you’re a hip-hop fan or someone interested in the music industry, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build a rap career today.

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00:00:50 Washington Heights Rapper “LifeofThom” on His Rise + New Plain Pat Project 00:02:50 La Russell’s packed calendar as an indie artist 00:05:51 Inside NYC’s New Rap Scene: Building Community Like Pro Era & Brockhampton 00:11:05 Rapping for NYC’s Mayor: How a Viral Washington Square Freestyle Changed Everything 00:15:59 When Do Artists Need a Manager? Building a Real Team in the Rap Game 00:18:31 Opening for Conway, IDK & Taylor Bennett: How Rap Show Opportunities Actually Happen 00:22:11 Life on Rap Tour: The Real Experience vs. What Fans See on YouTube 00:23:41 Why Rappers Should Pay Attention to Tech, NFTs & Music Platforms 00:26:24 The Future of Rap Money: Direct-to-Fan Music, No Labels Needed 00:29:20 Working with Legendary Producer Plain Pat (Kid Cudi, Kanye) 00:33:07 How Great Rappers Write: Freestyling vs. Crafting Bars for Days 00:37:38 Rap Influences: Pro Era, ASAP Rocky, Blog Era Mixtapes & J. Cole 00:41:22 Mount Rushmore of NYC Rappers (Debate Gets Heated) 00:45:24 New Music with Kota the Friend, CJ Fly + What’s Next

In this episode of the Soundcentric Podcast, Adam sits down with Don Chenz for a wide ranging and unfiltered conversation about the current state of hip hop. They break down J. Cole’s long awaited album after an eight year tease, debating Disc 1 versus Disc 2, KOD versus Might Delete Later, and whether Cole’s technical brilliance sometimes works against him. The discussion expands into the Grammys conversation, including Kendrick Lamar’s dominance and whether Tyler, The Creator has become the Academy’s new favorite. From there, they dive into producer GOAT debates featuring Alchemist and DJ Premier, the evolving sound of the 2020s, and whether modern rap has become too polished. They also explore marketing in the streaming era, mysterious artist branding, snippet culture, short form versus long form content, and the thrill of discovering artists early like Trevor Spitta, Doechii, and Jack Harlow. It is a passionate and layered discussion about rap nostalgia, algorithms, artistry, and where hip hop is headed next.

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Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

00:00:00 NYC Apartment Studio Setup, Audio Horror Stories & Podcast Production Talk 00:00:50 Welcome to the Soundcentric Podcast + John Wall Dougie Intro 00:02:00 J. Cole “The Fall Off” Expectations After 8-Year Tease 00:03:00 “This Might Be My Favorite Album Ever” – First Reactions to J. Cole 00:05:30 Disc 1 vs Disc 2 Debate – Burna Boy Feature & Red Velvet Cake Line 00:08:30 Hip-Hop Interpolations – Nas, Common & Storytelling Comparisons 00:09:50 High School Nostalgia, Blog Era Rap & Jersey Shore Memories 00:12:30 JID, Ab-Soul & Meeting Rappers Stories 00:15:00 Best Songs Breakdown – Bun B Road, Alchemist Beat & Future Feature 00:18:00 6-Minute Songs vs TikTok Brain – Attention Spans in 2026 00:20:00 Concert Volume, Headphone Culture & “I Can’t Hear the Person I’m Talking To” 00:22:30 Album Rollouts & Marketing Strategy – Teasing vs Dropping Immediately 00:24:30 Mysterious Artist Era – Playboi Carti, Snippet Culture & Fan Hype 00:27:00 KOD vs Might Delete Later – Ranking J. Cole Albums 00:28:37 Grammys Debate – Kendrick Lamar, Drake Line & Rap Album of the Year 00:30:00 Tyler, The Creator Early Era – “Nobody Knew Who He Was” 00:32:00 Tyler’s Grammy Run – IGOR, Chromakopia & Don’t Tap The Glass Debate 00:34:00 Clipse vs Tyler vs Kendrick – Who Really Deserved the Grammy? 00:35:50 What Is the “2020s Sound”? Rage Beats, Distorted Vocals & Genre Blending 00:38:30 Late 2000s Rap vs Blog Era – Why Some Music Doesn’t Age Well 00:40:30 Is Rap Too Perfect Now? Nas, Eminem & Technical Rapping Debate 00:41:00 Producer GOAT Debate – Alchemist, DJ Premier & Schoolboy Q 00:43:30 Tyler as Producer – Should He Produce a Lil Wayne Album? 00:45:00 Long Form vs Short Form Content – Podcast Growth in 2026 00:46:10 “Would I Even Watch My Own Content?” – Creator Self-Awareness 00:48:30 Building a Recognizable Brand in Music Media 00:50:00 Jack Harlow Doesn’t Get the Love – Baby Keem & Next Rap Star Debate 00:52:00 Brent Faiyaz, The Weeknd & Modern R&B Sound 00:54:00 Discovering New Artists – PR Emails, Music Submissions & Gatekeeping 00:56:00 Being Early on Trevor Spitta & Doechii 00:58:00 Why Discovering Music Feels Elite in Hip-Hop Culture 01:00:00 Final Thoughts on Rap, Algorithms & The Future of Music

This episode of the Soundcentric Podcast dives deep into the mind of RJ Powell, the creator behind IBreatheMusicAllDay, one of today’s most trusted music discovery platforms. RJ breaks down how curiosity, community, and genuine love for music helped him build a following of hundreds of thousands, discover artists before they blow up, and turn content creation into a real career, all without chasing clout or trends. From dropping out of school and finding his purpose, to explaining why music is not dead (you just are not looking hard enough), to opening up about making his own music and navigating the business side of the industry, this conversation is packed with insight for artists, creators, and true music fans. If you care about underground music, creative authenticity, and how culture really moves behind the scenes, this is a must-listen

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Instagram:https://https://www.instagram.com/soundcentricmusic/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soundcentricmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundCentricmusic

Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

00:00:00 - intro

00:01:25 - What makes RJ want to discover new music

00:04:00 - The artist RJ is most proud of finding early

00:05:00 - A preview of J. Cole’s new album “The Fall-Off” and our expectations for it

00:09:00 - What rappers and producers we want on “The Fall-Off”

00:13:10 - Our thoughts on the A$AP Rocky album

00:15:00 - The music we are most excited for in 2026

00:20:00 - How RJ built up his page to over 300k followers

00:29:35 - How does RJ find artists and what stands out to him

00:34:00 - Pages RJ goes to find new music

00:36:00 - How RJ started making music