New Rory & MAL – "Best of Rory & Mal: Week of 11/17" (Nov 23, 2025)
Podcast Summary

Overview

This "Best Of" episode of New Rory & Mal compiles some of the week’s most lively and insightful discussions. The hosts and guests—Rory, Baby D, and Josh—dive into R&B group rankings (Jackson 5 vs. New Edition vs. Boyz II Men), dissect the Summer Walker project and its standout moments, analyze a recent viral Wale interview clip about J. Cole’s "False Prophets," and take a listener call about women shooting their shot. As usual, the tone is playful, candid, and peppered with nostalgia, banter, and hot takes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The GOAT R&B Group Debate: New Edition vs. Jackson 5 vs. Boyz II Men

[03:37 – 18:53]

• Jermaine Dupri’s Take: The hosts reflect on a viral clip where Jermaine Dupri names New Edition the greatest R&B group ever, citing every member’s successful solo platinum album.
  • Josh: “Every artist that went solo, the album went platinum.” [04:03]
  • Rory questions if solo success is an effective metric, comparing to Jackson 5.
  • Josh stresses this was from an era before streaming—true album sales.
• Comparisons:
  • New Edition’s influence is traced through groups like Boyz II Men and Jodeci.
  • Baby D: “New Edition is Wu-Tang, yo. They’re Wu-Tang.” [08:20]
• Verzuz Dream Matchups:
  • The group stages mock "verzuz" battles:
    • "Can You Stand The Rain" (New Edition) vs. "End of the Road" (Boyz II Men)
      • Rory: “I’m taking End of the Road.” [10:06]
    • "If It Isn’t Love" vs. "I’ll Make Love to You"
    • "Mr. Telephone Man" vs. "Motown Philly"
  • Nostalgia factor: They discuss choreography, iconic music videos, and the major cultural moments attached to each group.
• The Jackson 5 Factor:
  • The hosts concede the Jackson 5 have untouchable classics (“I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “I’ll Be There”) and that young Michael’s unmatched talent makes a fair head-to-head tough.
  • Josh: “Once they start getting into them deep Jackson 5 cuts…go ahead and leave little Michael alone.” [17:46]
• Group Catalogs and Tours:
  • New Edition’s decades-spanning hits and upcoming tour discussed as evidence of their endurance and influence.

Summer Walker’s New Album: Initial Reactions

[20:10 – 29:21]

• Immediate Takes:
  • Josh: “I would say out of the three, it will be number three for me. Which doesn’t mean that it’s not good. It’s still good.” [24:27]
  • Baby D and Rory agree Summer is "three for three" in albums; high praise for consistency.
• Highlights & Critiques:
  • High points: Anderson .Paak’s feature ("He gave her like a 64" [22:58]), the "Situationships" track, and collaborative chemistry with Bryson Tiller.
  • "Go Girl" splits opinions online; Josh enjoys it, Rory labels it polarizing.
  • Baby D: “Summer Walker washed two amazing rappers...She had the best verse.” [21:21]
  • Album feels feature-heavy, but features are well-placed and don’t overshadow Summer.
  • The production’s evolution is noted; history with producer London On Da Track is credited for prior projects’ edge.
• Personal Connection Tracks:
  • The panel highlights tracks like "Rob Gym Ride Scientists" (“Yo, I could have robbed you…” [25:42]) and discuss the relatable lyrics around relationships and vulnerability.

Wale, J. Cole, and Private Conversations in Hip-Hop

[33:45 – 45:14]

• The Viral Clip:
  • Wale told Breakfast Club he confided in J. Cole about personal life events, then Cole’s "False Prophets" dropped the next day, making Wale wary of how much he shares in the industry.
  • Wale: “I think I kind of halted telling any industry person anything too deep…like, you know what? I only want to think that they using this.” [34:43]
• Panel’s Reaction:
  • Josh: “Sometimes you got to be like, yo, listen, man, homie did some whack shit… I don't really be opening up to rappers and trying to get too cool...” [35:54]
  • Baby D points out that the issue was “resolved” quickly between the two artists and that the industry breeds sensitivity regarding personal disclosures.
  • Discussion about industry friendships vs. real friendships, and boundaries when using personal stories as songwriting inspiration.
  • Rory: "Even if you never sent it to me beforehand, if I heard that, I'd be like, hey, that's about me." [42:44]
• Reflection on Artistic License vs. Privacy:
  • The hosts admit to having used personal stories on the podcast without warning those involved—"so we’re all hypocrites here."
  • Baby D: “If I say something, it could be used against me in the court of hip hop.” [41:06]
  • Ultimately, the group agrees the song isn’t a diss, and these nuances are standard in creative circles.

Caller Segment: Can Women Shoot Their Shot?

[45:43 – 56:12]

• Caller’s Question:
  • A listener’s debate with her sister: Should women ever approach men or should they always wait?
  • “There’s plenty of fish in the sea, but how do you expect to catch a fish if you never go fishing?” [45:43]
• Hosts’ Takes:
  • All agree it’s great when women express interest first:
    • Baby D: “I love when women shoot their shots.” [47:02]
    • Josh: “Give that warm…energy where it’s like, okay, she keep looking at me, she’s smiling… I can go say hello…” [47:28]
  • Discussion about men missing flirting signals, the risks of rejection (women and men experience it differently), and how changing social norms are making “shooting your shot” more common for women.
  • Rory describes how her strong personality led her to start approaching men: “They liked me too. They were just afraid…They thought I was going to be rude…” [49:44]
  • The conversation detours into playful theories about being “set up” on dates and the dynamics of relationship power and personality.
• Defining Rejection:
  • Baby D and Rory debate whether being turned down by someone already in a relationship counts as “rejection”—they land on, only rejection if there’s a genuine chance to connect.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “New Edition is Wu-Tang, yo. They’re Wu-Tang.” — Baby D [08:20]
• “Every artist that went solo, the album went platinum.” — Josh [04:03]
• "Once they start getting into them deep Jackson 5 cuts…it’s like, yeah, just go ahead and leave little Michael alone." — Josh [17:46]
• "The male ego is extremely fragile, but so is the female ego. Cause I’ve seen plenty of women…they get hurt pretty easily when they get rejected.” — Baby D [48:25]
• "Give that warm…energy…she’s smiling at me, like, okay, I can go say hello and introduce myself." — Josh [47:28]
• "If I say something, it could be used against me in the court of hip hop." — Baby D [41:06]

Important Timestamps

• 03:37 – R&B Group GOAT debate begins (JD/New Edition)
• 09:52 – Mock “verzuz” between New Edition & Boyz II Men
• 17:46 – Jackson 5’s unmatched deep cut strength
• 20:11 – Summer Walker album reviews and standout tracks
• 33:45 – Wale’s Cole-Kendrick anecdote, "False Prophets" reaction, and industry trust
• 45:43 – Voicemail: Should women approach men? (caller)
• 49:44 – Rory on why she started shooting her shot
• 56:07 – Rejection: personality dynamics in dating

Tone & Style

• Language & Tone: Naturally candid, witty, nostalgic, and sprinkled with cultural references. The group dynamic allows for playful needling, real talk about relationships, music nerd-out moments, and a healthy dose of self-deprecation.
• Energy: Energetic and comedic but sharp-eyed, particularly about musician relationships and R&B history.

Summary Takeaway

This "Best Of" illustrates why Rory & Mal have such rapport with their audience: deep pop culture knowledge, intimate industry experience, and relatable, light-hearted takes on relationship and music dynamics. The R&B debate is both expert and personal; the album reviews show group chemistry and strong taste; the discussion on friendship and art is nuanced and honest; and the caller segment extends the podcast’s sense of community and inclusivity.

If you missed this episode, you missed passionate arguments over R&B legacies, banter about being “robbed” on dates, thoughtful analysis of rap friendship politics, and, as always, a heap of laughs.