My guests this month are 3rd Grade Friends. They’re a Annapolis-based math rock band. They brought Justice The Genius Child with them, who appears on their forthcoming EP. They break down their early collaborations, and how they reunited to start 3rd Grade Friends. They explain the elementary school theme through their discography. Justice talks ab…

Mike Riley and I talk about Deliver; Mike’s comedy/horror comic set in Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden Of Earthly Delights. He breaks down what it’s like to be embarking on his first crowd-funded venture. I play some songs from my forthcoming album.Mike’s art this month is an homage to De La Soul’s De La Soul Is Dead. This episode is hosted by Splice Tod…

My guests this month are The Van Allen Belt. They’re a Pittsburgh-based electronic pop band. I’ve known them for many years, and we’ve played shows together in Pittsburgh and Ohio. I caught up with them after their recent Baltimore show. They break down how they came together as a band. They talk about getting invited to open for Stereolab in their…

My guests this month are ialive and Darko The Super. I first heard ialive when he invited me to play his record release show in Philly. I got turned on to Darko’s music just a few months ago, after seeing them do a dual set in Baltimore. ialive breaks down his long history as a hip-hop fan, his first projects and his recent tours. Darko talks about…

Height Zone World is back! My guest this month is Vel. He’s a singer-songwriter/rapper from Cleveland. I first got turned onto his music when we played together in Cleveland in 2007, and I got a copy of his debut album, “Meow, Fool!”He talks about growing up in Cleveland and his entry into music through playing clarinet and jazz bass. He breaks dow…

My guest this week is Heddie Leonne. She’s an MC from Olympia, WA. She’s been in the bands Nextdoor Neighbors, Night Fox and Everybody Weekend. She’s currently working on her solo hip-hop debut. We first met when I played in Olympia with her band in 2007.She talks about starting Nextdoor Neighbors with her friend Kathy Cote, and the forward momentu…

My guests this week are Don't Cry Paula. They're a hip-hop duo from Little Rock, Arkansas. We first met when we played a show together in Arkansas in the fall of 2013.They talk about their early solo ventures, and the shared influences that inspired them to join forces. I ask them what it's like to do what they do in a place like Little Rock. They …

Mike Riley and Height catch up and spin tunes from recent HZW guests.Height Zone World

My guest this week is Weird Paul. He’s a Pittsburgh-based musician that’s been putting out amazing albums since the mid-80’s. We first met when we played a show together in Pittsburgh in 2005. He talks about releasing about his first homemade tapes in high school, and making his live debut at a Beat Happening show in 1988. He tells me about Homeste…

My guest this week is Mikal kHill. He’s a North Carolina-based MC and producer, and a member of Thought Criminals and Malibu Shark Attack. We first met when we played a show together in Charlotte, NC in 2011.He talks about his early solo efforts, and about how being embraced by nerdcore hip-hop fans helped push his career forward. I asked him about…

This week, Bleubird returns for part two of our interview. He talks about getting booed at a Los Angeles Shape Shifters show, only to have the legendary Percee P come to his defense. He explains how continuing to fly out and play California shows led to meeting the people behind the Grimm Image label, which led to him starting his Freeebird project…

My guest this week is Bleubird, aka Jacques Bruna. Jacques is a solo MC, as well as a member of Gunporn, Les Swashbuckling Napoleons and Triune Gods. I first met him when I set up a Baltimore show for his group S.M.T.H. in 2001. He talks about his early days working with Florida’s Nature Kids, and their ill-fated first and last national tour. We di…

Eze Jackson and PT Burnem, (the first and second Height Zone World guests) return for a roundtable discussion of our recently-completed rap round robin tour. I spin a few of their tunes that stood out to me on this trip, plus some tracks by the MC’s on the upcoming northeast leg of the tour. Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Boogie Down Pr…

My guest this week is Josh Rogers. Josh runs the Illuminated Paths label, and releases music under the moniker Broken Machine Films. We first met in Orlando in 2007, and my 10,000 Devastating Watts EP came out on his label. We discuss Illuminated Path’s nonstop release schedule, and how the label manages to consistently release multiple projects a …

My guests this week are Bito Sureiya and Jiro Sama of DosOtaku. They’re members of the NASA 8 collective. I first saw them last summer at the Ratscape festival, and I’ve been a fan ever since. They talk about linking up in high school, and cutting their teeth at Baltimore’s Beet Trip night. I ask them about their NASA 8 collective, and what connect…

My guest this week is Jones. Jones is a rapper and producer from Baltimore. We’ve been friends since third grade, and we’ve been making music together since 1998.We talk about our early group called Wounds, and his first forays into making beats. We discuss his full-length debut, his remix projects and his role in the band Hungry Bodies. He breaks …

My guest this week is Jack Toft. Jack is a rapper from Buffalo, NY. We first met when we shared a bill in Charlottesville, VA, and we’ve played many shows together since then. He talks about his early stabs at writing fiction and poetry, and how he drifted into music by way of a noise band called The Next Syphilis. He breaks down his first solo alb…

My guest this week is Flyin’ Ryan Burke. Ryan is a professional wrestler from Ohio. Our paths first crossed when he took part in Pittsburgh Batman, a play written and directed by (previous Height Zone World guest) Lord Grunge. I’ve always been interested in learning the ins and outs of his hustle.He talks about being driven to become a wrestler fro…

My guests this week are BAG$, aka Jimmy Simard and Pete Rae. They’re a hip-hop duo from Kingston, Ontario. We first met when we played a show together in their hometown in 2004. We’ve shared many bills over the years, and Pete has made several beats for my group Shark Tank. They describe discovering hip-hop in 1980’s rural Canada, and unveiling the…

My guest this week is Ultimate Donny, aka Richard Elmsworth. He was one half of Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, and he now plays with Sam Goodwill. We first met when we played a show together in Pittsburgh in 2003, and we’ve been pals ever since. We talk about his first music projects, and the formation of Gil Mantera’s Party Dream. He explains how they…

My guest this week is R.M. O’Brien. He’s a poet and a playwright and the main man behind Nuclear Power Pants. We’ve been friends since we first played a show together at Purchase College in 2004, and we’ve gone on several tours together throughout the years. He talks about forming Nuclear Power Pants at Purchase College, and then reforming the band…

My guest this week is Ceschi Ramos. He’s a rapper/singer-songwriter, as well as one of the founders of the Fake Four label. He’s made a big impact in the underground music world, and we’ve shared many bills together over the years. We talk about the early incarnations of his Anonymous Inc band, and his first taste of the music business big leagues …

My guest this week is CX KIDTRONIK. He’s a producer, DJ, vocalist and videographer with a musical resume that goes back to the 80’s. We first got to know each other when he contributed to my Height With Friends Versus The Continental MC’s album.We talk about his childhood in Madison, WI and the hip-hop and hardcore punk that influenced him there. I…

Height spinning tunes by Human Pippi Armstrong, Mrs. Paintbrush, Kate Ferencz, Diogenes, Lil Cake and Jack Toft, Eze Jackson, Barter Boys, Al Rogers Jr. and Uncommon Nasa. Mike Riley's artwork this week is an homage to MC Breed's 20 Below. The episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.Height Zone World

My guest this week is UllNevaNo. He’s an MC from the MGNTK crew. He’s released a large catalogue of music over the years, including his full-length collaborations with Logic Marselis, Illien Rosewell and {w}. We talk about how he learned the craft of rapping in southern California, and how he refined the business end of music upon moving back to th…

My guests this week are Pete Faust and Mary Alice Hamnett of The Electric Grandmother. They’re a self-described Sitcom-Core duo from Hawaii/Ohio. We first met a few years ago, when our tours crossed paths in Toledo, Ohio.We talk about how the band started as Pete’s solo bedroom project before morphing into a live duo. We discuss the constant TV and…

My guest this week is Al Rogers. Al is a young MC from Baltimore. He recently released an excellent full-length collaboration with Drew Scott called Luvadocious. We talk about how he began making music during his reckless teenage years, and how music put him on a new path. He discusses his first live performances, and his change from doing standard…

My guest this week is Mrs. Paintbrush, aka Jackson O’Connell-Barlow. Jackson is one half of Pittsburgh’s Grand Buffet, and he’s put out three solo releases as Mrs. Paintbrush. We’ve been friends since we first toured together in 2000, and he’s always been a rap older brother to me.We talk about his early influences, and his personal Mount Rushmore …

My guest this week is Cody Jones, aka Stillborn Identity. Cody is an MC from Pittsburgh, PA. We’ve played many shows together through the years. He stopped by my house for an interview after his recent Baltimore show. He talks about growing up skating and playing in punk bands, and how he entered the hip-hop realm. We talk about the inherent confus…

My guest this week is Al Lover. Al is a great producer currently residing in Austin, TX. We first met when we played on the same bill in Asheville in 2007, and we’ve been friends and collaborators ever since. We talk about his early work with North Carolina’s Fist Fam, and his transition from being an MC to creating a one-man instrumental act. He t…

Height Zone World 74. My guest is Scottie B. He’s a legendary Baltimore DJ, and the cofounder of Unruly Records. His DJing and his work with Shawn Caesar, Miss Tony, Bob The Equalizer and many more are all a huge part of what made Baltimore what it is today. He talks about the Baltimore club scene of the 80’s, and how that milieu led to the creatio…

My guest this week is Uncommon Nasa. He’s an MC, a producer, an engineer, a radio host and the guy behind Uncommon Records. We first met when he took part in the NYC Rap Round Robin. He talks about getting his start interning at NYC’s Ozone Studios, and later mixing many key projects for Def Jux artists. He tells me about his love for 90’s NYC hip-…

Mike Riley and Height spinning some of our favorite tunes from Height Zone World guests.Mike’s art this week is an homage to Run-DMC’s Christmas In Hollis. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.Height Zone World

My guest this week is Brzowski. He’s been a staple of the New England hip-hop scene for many years, and he’s made fans/friends across the world through his relentless touring. We first crossed paths in 2004, and I was happy to learn more about his mission. We talk about his two official full-length albums, as well as his Blood Drive compilations. W…

My guest this week is Jeff Blinder. Jeff is one of the most consistent promoters on the US DIY circuit. He’s been the primary force behind many show spaces, including the Spazzatorium in Greenville, NC, and Danger Danger Gallery in Philadelphia. I’ve been playing his shows since 2003, and I was excited to learn more about how and why he does what h…

This is part two of my interview with Lord Grunge. We recorded this on his front porch in Pittsburgh, on Black Friday.We start the conversation by talking about Grand Buffet’s B-sides record Dicer, and how it later played a hand in them going on tour with Third Eye Blind. We talk about some of Grand Buffet’s later releases, and some of the frustrat…

My guest this week is James Nasty. He’s a DJ and a Baltimore club producer. He’s a mainstay in Baltimore, and his music has made noise all over the world. He talks about learning to record at UMBC studios, and turning his college dorm room into a night club every weekend. We talk about his early days working in studios and producing for rappers, an…

My guest this week is Seth On Gray Street. Seth is a solo MC and also one half of the group Human Speakers. We first met when I saw his group open for Ghostface in Manchester, NH, and we’ve played many shows together over the years. He talks about growing up in Farmington, NH and getting his hip-hop education through listening to WUNH’s hip-hop sho…

My guest this week is Neru. She’s an MC and singer from Baltimore. I saw her perform at The Windup Space last winter, and I’ve wanted to learn her history ever since. She talks about feeling like a black sheep as a kid, and gradually finding her way into music. She talks about her first group, and how she became a solo artist. We talk about her Enl…

My guest this week is Joshua Emmitt. He’s one half of the group Something Complex, as well as a photographer, a video director and a part of the Reverb Collective. We met when he first moved to Baltimore in 2011. I’ve always dug his work ethic and passion, and I’ve been wanting to get him on the show for a while. He tells me about growing up in Pin…

On this episode, I spin some of the tightest tunes I heard on my Talk Singer tour and try not to wake up my tour mates.Mike Riley's art this week is an homage to Kwame's The Boy Genius. This episode is hosted by Splicetoday.com.Height Zone World

My guest this week is Doc Waffles, a tight Detroit MC. He’s been releasing great records since 2006’s Golf View Drive. I first became aware of him through his appearances in the Grind Time battle league, and I later became a fan of his music after we played a show together in Detroit.He talks about his days as a battle rapper, and how he sizes up t…

My guest this week is Jumbled, aka John Bachman. He’s an excellent producer and the man behind the Harford and Reckord tape label. He’s also a Baltimore City high school teacher. We’ve known each other for a while, and I was amped to get him in the mix.He tells me about growing up on a farm in Harford County, and the unique perspective he gained fr…

My guest this week is Matt Greenfield. He recently directed Destroy Cleveland, a documentary about the Cleveland hardcore scene in the 80’s. Matt has spent years making music as MC Homeless and as Peaks, Ohio. We first met when our tours crossed paths in Pittsburgh in 2005, and I was amped to get the scoop on his whole career. He tells me about his…

My guest this week is the legendary Sha-Rock, of Funky Four Plus One. They were one of the biggest hip-hop groups in the era before rap records, and they went on to release classic singles in the late 70’s and early 80’s. She was the first female MC in hip-hop, and they were the first hip-hop group to play on Saturday Night Live. She’s one of my fa…

My guest this week is Dylijens. He’s a member of the Llamadon collective, and the main guy behind Baltimore’s Beet Trip night. We first met at a show in his hometown of Frederick, MD, and I’ve admired his grind ever since. He tells me about LLamadon's formation in a defunct Jewish frat house in Pikesville, MD. We talk about their unique approach to…

This is part two of my interview with Tom Kessler. Tom is the man behind She Will Rise Media, through which he’s documented hundreds of Baltimore shows. I first met him when he appeared with a camera at my record release show. Tom is a tireless documentarian and supporter of Baltimore music and arts, and I was happy to get his perspective on things…

My guest this week is Tom Kessler. Tom is the man behind She Will Rise Media, through which he’s documented hundreds of Baltimore shows. I first met him when he appeared with a camera at my record release show. Tom is a tireless documentarian and supporter of Baltimore music and arts, and I was happy to get his perspective on things. He talked abou…

This is part two of my interview with Mike Apichella. Mike is the main man behind the band Human Host. He’s spent the past few years creating Towson-Glen Arm Freakouts, an in-depth archive of the early 90’s music and arts scene in north Baltimore County. He currently contributes to Splice Today. (Who also host this podcast) I’ve been a fan of his m…

My guest this week is Mike Apichella. Mike is the main man behind the band Human Host. He’s spent the past few years creating Towson-Glen Arm Freakouts, an in-depth archive of the early 90’s music and arts scene in north Baltimore County. He currently contributes to Splice Today. (Who also host this podcast) I’ve been a fan of his music since 1996,…