KFC Radio: Sammy Adams & Quinn XCII on Their Music-Making Process

Episode Date: September 9, 2025
Hosts: Kevin "KFC" Clancy, John "Feitelberg" Feitelberg (Barstool Sports)
Guests: Sammy Adams, Quinn XCII, Rico Bosco, Nate

Overview

This energetic episode of KFC Radio brings together hip-hop favorite Sammy Adams and genre-blurring singer-songwriter Quinn XCII for an in-depth, unfiltered conversation about the highs and lows of making music in the internet age. The hosts, joined later by Barstool personalities Rico Bosco and Nate, riff on everything from near-death experiences, the changing landscape of music creation, the evolution of fandom, the business behind sampling, the cyclical nature of creative work, and the sometimes-insane world of internet fame. True to KFC Radio’s reputation, the conversation seamlessly jumps from wild tour stories to deep thoughts on artistic process, interspersed with memorable Barstool tales and the signature tongue-in-cheek banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sammy Adams’ Wild Injury Story & Accident Honesty

[01:13–07:44]

• Sammy recounts a dramatic accident at a Michigan State party: “Six slip discs in my back, two brain hemorrhages… my manager said I had a 10% chance of walking.” [01:33]
• How a seemingly mundane moment nearly ended his life: slipping on wet towels, hitting the pool wrong; he stayed conscious long enough to avoid drowning.
• The fallout included legal trouble with an urgent care center and a vivid poolside Instagram moment, “My brother said, ‘That looks like some Stranger Things shit.’” [02:25]
• Sammy underscores the importance of keeping the story factual to avoid career-ruining rumors: “You get caught lying about that, then your career’s done. Well, then you’re like a weird grifter.” [04:28]
• Hilarious detail: Stopping for Mango Juul pods en route to the ER, “The east coast has been drained of mangoes. We gotta get the Holy Grail.” [05:32]

2. Artist & Frat Relations, Grassroots Memories

[06:19–11:13]

• Sammy details fraternal beefs, skipping security at shows, and fostering a DIY connection with fans (“He had his fan base and our fanbase. Perfect.” [17:03]).
• Reflects on how pre-Spotify, pre-Instagram days fundamentally shaped music hustle: “It was all blogs — Good Music All Day, Fresh New Tracks…Getting on those blogs was like getting a number one record.” [19:41]
• Nostalgia for the “Blog Era” and the authentic ecosystem of music discovery.

3. The Blog Era, Viral Songs & Remix Culture

[12:27–24:29]

• Quinn recounts his breakout moment—leaving his insurance job after “Kings of Summer” charted on Spotify.
• Sammy shares the accidental virality of his famed “I Hate College,” explaining how it was originally leaked: “I didn’t even do the second verse! Someone leaked it from my house.” [21:58]
• Label politics, copyright wars, and sampling headaches: “God forbid, life would be so much better without copyright infringement attorneys… I probably would not have sold out half my tours if I couldn’t remix.” [13:59]
• No bad blood despite the competitive remix environment: “It brings you back to his song probably more than it would have...If I'm thinking with my internet brain, I almost want someone to make a remix.” [25:20]

4. Changing Structure of Songs & Attention Spans

[26:45–31:11]

• Discussion around why modern songs are so short: “Are songs so short now because people want replays? Is that why?” [26:45]
• Quinn: “I think it’s like attention spans are so bad these days. But it obviously does increase playback…” [27:19]
• Loss of bridges, interludes, and complexity, as music is streamlined for TikTok and streaming optimization.
• Feitelberg on artistic stubbornness: relatable anecdote from David Lynch, “Who gives a [bleep] how long it is?" [30:47]

5. Creative Process: Cyclical Nature & “Debut Album Magic”

[40:09–45:16]

• Quinn and Sammy reflect on why debut projects hit hardest: “You're making it because you just want to make music…That was the best version of me.” [41:07]
• Both agree making music without external pressure creates the most personal, lasting work.
• On the grind: “When you're on tour for three months, you're ready to get back in the studio. When you’re in the studio, you’re ready to get back on tour.” [44:27]

6. The Labyrinth of Sampling & Music Industry Gatekeeping

[49:12–53:17]

• Candid stories about sample clearance struggles, including a chance encounter with Don Henley:
  “I was like, 'You should let Frank clear the Eagles sample of Hotel California.' His face went from the nicest smile to, like, hate you.” —Sammy Adams [49:35]
• Strategic debates: is it worth making sample-heavy albums even if you can't monetize them directly?
  “Would that be viable? I’m not even thinking about owning my own songs… but people are gonna love this. So then they will come on tour.” [51:36]

7. Touring Life, Team Dynamics, and the Business of Hard Tickets

[54:37–67:03]

• Sammy unpacks the tension between fake streaming numbers and real ticket sales:
  “Hard tickets” are the true test: “You are gonna have a really tough time…selling hard tickets.”
• Reminisces about the early Barstool concert tours, filling huge venues purely from grassroots demand:
  “That was before I signed a deal… I was just stacking the chips so we could put out more music.” [66:45]
• Favorite songs to perform: “It probably has to be Driving Me Crazy. Tabs Open always goes insane.” [67:22]

8. Internet Fame, Comments, and Mental Health

[59:50–66:04]

• On the perils and strange power of comment sections:
  “The comment section is almost more like…more of a thing than the actual thing that you're [doing].” —Quinn XCII [60:51]
• Both guests share their ways of managing online heat, learning to laugh at trolls but also airing the real mental toll:
  “I was positive everyone hated me. Now I don’t think everyone hates me anymore—because I’m not [reading comments]. Healthier way to live, brother.” —Feitelberg [63:33]

9. Poker, Big Bets, and Classic Barstool Storytelling

[94:05–113:52, Featuring Nate & Rico Bosco]

• The crew pivots to the highly-watched Barstool Poker showdown between Nate and Dave Portnoy:
  • Anatomy of the matchup, psychology of folding, and the unique poker-dynamic between boss and employee.
  • Nate: “Every chance I had to put it away, I folded…” [97:34]
  • “Poker streams do so well because the chat always thinks they're geniuses.” —Nate [105:05]
• More wild tales about office squabbles, infamous Barstool beefs, and the oddities of poker content creation.

10. Evolving Labels: "Artists," "Content Creators," and Internet Identity

[133:14–138:07]

• Discussion on the awkwardness of the term "content creator" and the search for a better label.
• Feitelberg: “I think artist is a less à la cringe phrase than content creator.” [134:17]
• The group reflects on how digital platforms reframe creative identity and respect.

11. Barstool Office Culture, Party Antics, and Closing Banter

[139:39–149:59]

• Classic Barstool stories: surprise birthday parties, odd long-distance romance lore, favorite cheese anecdotes.
• A brief ode to Jersey Shore: “The Jersey Shore was art. Best first season in all of television, pound for pound.” [147:49]
• More riffing on labels and how the culture of internet celebrity is always shifting.

Notable Quotes & Moments

“Six slip discs in my back, two brain hemorrhages…my manager said I had a 10% chance of walking.”
— Sammy Adams, [01:33]

“God forbid, life would be so much better without copyright infringement attorneys… I probably would not have sold out half my tours if I couldn’t remix.”
— Sammy Adams, [13:59]

“Are songs so short now because people want replays?...Two minutes is so short.”
— KFC, [26:45–27:26]

“Who gives a [bleep] how long it is?!”
— Feitelberg quoting David Lynch, [30:47]

“You're making it because you just want to make music…That was the best version of me.”
— Quinn XCII [41:07]

“I was like, 'You should let Frank clear the Eagle sample of the Hotel California.' His face went from the nicest smile to, like, hate you.”
— Sammy Adams, [49:35]

“The comment section is almost more like…more of a thing than the actual thing.”
— Quinn XCII, [60:51]

“I was positive everyone hated me. Now I don't think everyone hates me anymore—because I'm not [reading comments]. Healthier way to live, brother.”
— Feitelberg, [63:33]

“Getting on those blogs was like getting a number one record.”
— KFC, [19:41]

“The worst player wins not all the time, but can win enough of the time…”
— Nate, on poker, [110:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:13] Sammy’s near-fatal accident & aftermath
• [12:51] Quinn’s music breakthrough and leaving his day job
• [19:41] The “Blog Era” and music discovery
• [21:58] The “I Hate College” accidental leak
• [26:45] Why are songs so short now?
• [31:11] Blending art, commerce, and attention spans
• [40:09] Making music from pure joy, debut album magic
• [49:35] Sample clearance sagas with Don Henley
• [59:50] Surviving and joking about internet comment sections
• [94:05] Barstool Poker — the Nate vs. Dave duel
• [133:14] “Content creator” vs. “artist” debate
• [139:39] Office party, inside-Barstool jokes, Jersey Shore nostalgia

Final Thoughts

This episode is a rollercoaster of stories, insights, and raucous humor, offering a rare, long-form look into the mindsets of artists navigating both music and internet culture. It’s an episode loaded with hilarious tales, real industry lessons, and plenty of memorable, quote-worthy moments. Sammy Adams and Quinn XCII give listeners a candid, sometimes wild, but always authentic look at what it means to build and sustain an audience in the era of TikTok, Barstool, and everything in between.