470 - LL Cool J - Radio - Russell Peters

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

Russell Peters has been many things in his life. Breakdancer, DJ, very nearly a chef, and groundbreaking comedian beloved by people all over the world; he's done it all. But no matter where his many interests and achievements have taken him, he's never forgotten his roots as a lonely Anglo-Indian kid growing up in the Toronto suburbs, just catching wind of the strange new music called hip hop that emanated from across the border in New York in the early 80's.

Essential to the era was LL Cool J, whose debut album Radio smashed onto the scene in 1985, showing eager young minds like Russell's the possibilities of a new genre and the success that could come from not just belief in your own greatness but also taking risks on things no one else had ever done.

SHOW NOTES:

00:45 – Intro
11:00 – Russell knew about rapping, but not rap music
18:00 – The forefront of a new genre
26:30 – Turntables are Russell’s most prized possession
28:45 – Kicking racist bullies’ asses
33:30 – Russell to the rescue!
37:15 – Flashdance is a surprisingly good entry point to breakdancing
39:00 – A passion for hip hop
45:00 – White America funds shitty rap music
50:45 – The vagina you don’t get
54:45 – The plight of a 16-year-old romantic
59:15 – “The soundtrack to your virginity”
01:05:15 – From beats to jokes
01:09:45 – In comedy, the hustle never ends
01:21:15 – Russell owes the internet a lot
01:29:00 – Lies!
01:33:15 – From humble open mics to sold out arenas
01:42:00 – Facts!
01:44:30 – Middle America doesn’t know about Russell
01:47:00 – Outro
01:49:00 – ‘Still Slummin’ by Lute

ALBUM STREAM - RADIO:

NEW ARTIST INFLUENCED BY LL COOL J:

“Still Slummin” by Lute