In this episode of the Sound Centric Podcast, Adam Dash sits down with music executive and creative strategist le’Roy Benros for a deep dive into the evolution of the music industry from the blog era to today’s digital-first landscape. le’Roy reflects on his time at SOBs, where some of hip-hop’s biggest names including Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West passed through early in their careers, and breaks down what it takes to spot and develop talent at the ground level.

The conversation explores the founding and growth of Big Ass Kids, a creative platform and ecosystem built to help artists and music professionals bring ambitious ideas to life through marketing activations, storytelling, and community building. le’Roy shares behind the scenes stories from standout campaigns with artists like Smino and Meek Mill, and explains how world building has become a core part of modern music rollouts.

They also discuss the future of the industry, including how artists are monetizing beyond streaming, the rise of superfans, and why financial literacy including Bitcoin and new digital asset models is becoming increasingly important for creatives navigating their careers. This episode blends music history, business strategy, and forward thinking insight into where the industry is headed next.

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00:00 Introduction to the Soundcentric Podcast

02:35 The Blog Era and Its Impact on Music

04:51 Modern Marketing Strategies for Artists

09:27 The Role of Industry Plants in Music

11:40 The Importance of Live Performances

19:31 Booking Artists: Behind the Scenes

22:57 Monetizing Music in the Digital Age

26:14 The Birth of Big Ass Kids

28:00 Collaborative Projects and Artist Experiences

30:32 Innovative Campaigns and Activations

33:28 Navigating the Music Industry as an Entrepreneur

36:28 Building a Supportive Community for Artists

40:30 Addressing Industry Challenges and Future Predictions

44:19 Financial Literacy and the Role of Bitcoin

51:53 Upcoming Events and Opportunities

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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Website: https://soundcentricmusic.com

Podcast: https://www.soundcentricmusic.com

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.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soundcentricmus

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

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

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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