In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with hip-hop pioneer Daddy-O, the frontman of Stetsasonic, known as the first hip-hop band and one of the earliest groups to merge rap with live instrumentation, jazz, and philosophy. Daddy-O speaks candidly about the birth of sampling, the brilliance of Rakim, how Public Enemy’s sound was crafted in competition, and why today’s artists still don’t understand the real power of the art form. A deep dive into the business, the brilliance, and the blueprints that shaped hip-hop’s golden era.

00:01:10 – Discussing Creativity & Revolutionary Funk Beats 00:02:48 – Start of Life & Meeting His Father (Day Before 18th Birthday) 00:04:04 – Hearing Hip Hop for the First Time & The Practice Tapes 00:06:03 – Origin of the Name Daddy-O (from Doctor Ron) 00:08:24 – Realizing the Power of Rhyme and Breakbeats 00:12:38 – Deciding to Take Rap Seriously: The Fumbled Performance 00:15:28 – The Original Stetsasonic Three MCs 00:17:59 – Founding the Hip Hop Band Concept 00:19:38 – The Genesis of Sampling in Stetsasonic (Prince Paul's Influence) 00:22:58 – Winning the Record Deal Contest 00:24:43 – The Visit to Sugar Hill Records and The Bad Contract 00:29:49 – Analyzing the Music Business: Reading Stiffed & The Mob's Influence 00:33:05 – The Creation of Rush Producers Management (RPM) 00:38:19 – Cultivating Talent at the Brooklyn Compound (Biggie, Foxy, D'Angelo) 00:52:41 – Professor Daddy-O: The Lifelong Calling to Be a Teacher

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#theroots #publicenemy

Compound Conversations welcomes Angelo Baque — founder of Awake NY, former brand director at Supreme, and one of the most influential creative storytellers in modern street culture.

In this episode, Angelo breaks down his journey from Queens latchkey kid → downtown creative → brand founder, sharing wisdom on authenticity, creativity, street culture, fashion, art direction, and the business of building a community through purpose.

00:00:00 – Welcome to Compound Conversations 00:01:18 – How Your Space Shapes Your Creativity 00:03:16 – Growing Up in Queens & Early Identity 00:05:55 – Childhood Inspirations: Kung-Fu, Anime & Hip-Hop 00:07:09 – New York’s Cultural Melting Pot 00:14:40 – Sneaking Into Manhattan & Discovering Downtown 00:16:41 – Finding Purpose Through Struggle & Creativity 00:22:25 – Building His First Brand & Early Design Mindset 00:29:19 – The Birth and Mission of Awake NY

🔗 Follow Angelo IG: instagram.com/angelobaque

#CompoundConversations #AwakeNY #AngeloBaque

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with the legendary Futura — the artist who helped shape the foundation of modern graffiti and redefine what street art could be. From painting NYC subway cars in the '70s to collaborating with punk bands, fashion houses, and global brands, Futura shares his story of artistic evolution, rebellion, and timeless relevance. They discuss the roots of graffiti, the power of abstraction, and what it means to stay original in a world obsessed with replication. This isn’t just a history lesson — it’s a blueprint for fearless creativity.

00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:03 – The New York Roots of Creativity 00:05:29 – Growing Up in the Bronx: Only Child, Big Dreams 00:07:19 – Survival Is the Real Art Form 00:10:03 – Living a Double Life: Goody Two-Shoes & Knucklehead 00:11:08 – The Birth of FUTURA 2000 00:12:28 – Fighting for Space in a Divided World 00:15:31 – Discovering Graffiti: The Breakout Years of ’72–’73 00:18:34 – Graffiti as the First Form of Self-Promotion 00:20:25 – Leaving for the Navy, Returning to a New Era 00:23:18 – Building the First “Compound” with Soul Artists 00:26:16 – Painting the Legendary Abstract Train 00:28:31 – The Martha Cooper Photo That Defined a Legacy 00:30:31 – Proof of Life: Rediscovering His Tag 50 Years Later 00:33:07 – The World of FUTURA: Sci-Fi, Space & Abstraction 00:43:11 – Balancing Art, Brand, and Authenticity 00:53:23 – Lessons, Legacy & Friendship That Lasts

Follow Futura 📸 https://instagram.com/futuradosmil

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#grafitti #offwhite #grafittiart

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with Hebru Brantley, the Chicago-born artist whose work has redefined how we see heroes, Black identity, and imagination. Known for his signature character Flyboy, Hebru opens up about his early influences in comics and graffiti, the evolution of his storytelling, and why his art lives at the intersection of fine art and futurism. From massive installations to collaborations with cultural icons, this is a conversation about legacy, imagination, and creating art that transcends time.

Follow Hebru Brantley 📸 https://instagram.com/hebrubrantley

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#mobbdepp #wutang #bigpun

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with Steve Rifkind, the founder of Loud Records and one of the most influential executives in hip-hop history. From signing Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Big Pun, to launching marketing powerhouse SRC and breaking artists like Akon, Rifkind reflects on his unique approach to artist development, street-level marketing, and building real cultural moments. This isn’t just music industry talk — it’s a masterclass in trust, risk, and vision.

00:00:00 Intro 00:01:47 Growing Up & The Grandfather Who Saved My Life 00:02:17 Dyslexia, Trouble, and Going to Juvie 00:03:38 The Lie That Stopped the Neighborhood Fights 00:06:00 The Music in the House: Motown, Soul, and Celebrity Guests 00:09:16 Falling in Love with Music at Spring Records 00:10:30 Testing Records in Strip Clubs: Working at Spring 00:13:09 Grandfather's Warning and the Start of the Road Trip 00:18:13 Losing the $250,000 'Street Frogs' Cartoon Deal 00:22:24 Meeting Mike Bivins and Managing New Edition 00:25:24 The Wu-Tang Clan Deal Rationale 00:27:31 Launching the Stephen Rifkind Marketing Company 00:32:08 "You Really Are a Dumbest Motherfker": Why I Started a Label 00:36:59 The Birth of Loud Records and the Wu-Tang Meeting 00:48:20 Heavy D's Intervention & Rebuilding with SRC

Follow Steve Rifkind 📸 https://instagram.com/steverifkind

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#mobbdepp #wutang #bigpun

In this episode, we sit down with DJ Clark Kent — the legendary producer, sneaker connoisseur, and cultural architect whose fingerprints are all over hip-hop's foundation. From his early days growing up in Brooklyn to sharing turntables with Grandmaster Flash at age 11, Clark shares rare stories about his rise as a DJ, his obsession with sneakers, and how he helped shape the sound, style, and soul of hip-hop.

Whether you're a fan of music history, sneaker culture, or Brooklyn storytelling, this conversation dives deep into the legacy of a true icon who’s been instrumental behind the scenes — and in front of the crowd.

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**Timestamps** 0:00 Intro 02:07 – Clark Kent on Music, Family, and Growing Up in Brooklyn 06:00 – His First Turntables and Meeting Grandmaster Flash 13:41 – The Only Place Clark Kent Has a Chip on His Shoulder 19:00 – The Origin of the Name “Clark Kent” & DJ Beginnings 22:44 – DJing at 11 Years Old and Getting Cosigned by Legends 26:28 – Early Sneaker Love & The Power of Being Fresh 30:00 – Feelin’ the Fila: Beating the Block’s Freshest Guy 33:00 – Becoming a Style Influencer Before It Was a Thing 36:00 – What It Meant to Be in Brooklyn’s Hip-Hop Circle 39:00 – Producing on the SP-1200 and Learning from Herbie & Marley Marl 42:00 – Legacy Reflections: Impact, Influence & Global Reach

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#DJClarkKent #HipHopLegend #SneakerCulture

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with Joseph Patel — Emmy and Oscar-winning writer, director, and producer — to talk about the power of storytelling, the importance of cultural preservation, and his lifelong love affair with music.

From documenting the rise of hip-hop as a journalist, to co-producing Summer of Soul with Questlove, to directing the A Tribe Called Quest documentary, Patel breaks down the responsibility of capturing culture the right way. This is a conversation about memory, identity, and making stories that stand the test of time.

Follow Joseph Patel 📸 https://instagram.com/jazzbeezy

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#theroots #oscars #musicjournalism

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with iconic DJ and producer Statik Selektah to talk about the moment the turntables stopped and the beat machines took over. Statik breaks down how he went from crushing mixtapes during the golden era to crafting albums for legends like Nas, Q-Tip, Freeway, and Styles P. He opens up about leaving the mixtape hustle behind, how DJ Drama’s raid pushed him toward full-time producing, and why creating timeless records became his mission. This is a story of adaptation, grit, and knowing when it’s time to flip the record.

Follow Statik Selektah 📸 https://instagram.com/statikselekt

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#statikselektah #nyc #nychiphop