New Rory & MAL

Episode 415 | Math Hoffa
Date: October 17, 2025
Guests: Math Hoffa

Episode Overview

In this episode, Rory and Mal are joined by legendary battle rapper and podcast host Math Hoffa for an in-depth conversation blending hip hop history, the evolution of battle rap, podcaster beefs, and personal growth. The episode covers topics from mourning D’Angelo’s passing and the state of rap’s young generation, to Math Hoffa’s reflections on trust, trauma, the business of podcasting, and his transition from battling to podcasting and fatherhood.

The conversation is equal parts candid, vulnerable, and hilarious, blending stories from hip hop’s golden era with real talk about loyalty, business, therapy, and community. The second half centers on Math Hoffa’s podcast journey, past conflicts with collaborators, and the healing required to move forward.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Mourning the Loss of D’Angelo (05:00–16:00)

• Rory and Mal pay tribute to D’Angelo, reflecting on his profound impact on R&B and the personal void left by his death.
• The hosts discuss D’Angelo’s influence, his mystery, and their own memories tied to his music.
• Mal notes the uniqueness of D’Angelo’s style and how “he changed the sound and energy in R&B soul. So many people that are an extension of his talent and his musical genius.” (07:19)
• Discussion of the emotional effect of D’Angelo’s passing, and the lack of public drama or controversy that often surrounds icons.
• They touch on the possible release of unfinished projects, noting how D’Angelo was privately battling pancreatic cancer and reportedly working on several projects.
• Lighthearted banter about Benzino’s unintentionally comedic tribute video referencing D’Angelo’s iconic “Untitled” video (13:11).

Notable Quote:
“He was just the coolest of the cool, man... left an incredible legacy and did it his way. Terrible loss for the culture and for music, but his work and influence live on.” — NRM Mall (09:21)

2. The State of Modern Rap & The “Big Three” Conversation (17:07–36:40)

• The hosts lament the absence of new superstar rappers under 35 with true “legend” potential. They debate if there’s another era of rap domination like Jay-Z, Wayne, Kanye, or Nas.
• Names like NBA YoungBoy, Playboi Carti, Yeat, Rod Wave, Doja Cat, Lil Baby, Jack Harlow, and Gunna are discussed—but most are considered “stars,” not future legends.
• Mal: “We can’t even name five under-35 rappers that are the next legends. That’s scary.” (23:27)
• They note that much of today’s top rap output is still coming from artists who have been in the game 15+ years.
• There’s mutual admiration for contemporary women in rap, with the point made that “women are clearly running rap right now” (36:16).

Notable Quote:
"Nobody knows what to do. Like, no one knows where to take hip hop to evolve it. It’s not charting the way it once used to." — Baby D (32:46)

3. Women in Rap: Leading the Culture (36:11–36:39)

• The hosts and Baby D point out that while the conversation around rap "legends" often centers on men, women are currently pushing the culture artistically and commercially.
• Referencing new Icy Spice and Destiny’s Child/Beyoncé flips, they highlight how easily they can name five impactful women artists.

4. Math Hoffa Joins: Industry, Business & Loyalty (42:33–74:25)

• Math Hoffa joins the show, diving into his transition from battle rap icon to top-tier podcaster.
• The conversation begins with the issue of music rights and copyright takedowns on digital platforms:
  • Math: “It just bewilders me that, yo, it’s 2025. There’s not many platforms that will promote y’all music anymore... Lyricism needs to continue, but new audiences can’t even hear this music if we’re getting hit with copyrights.” (43:49–44:56)
• Podcast business fallouts: Math candidly recounts trust issues and betrayal he experienced with former collaborators on "My Expert Opinion":
  • Details on “strike one, two, and three”—highlighting mismanagement, suspect contracts with Revolt, lack of transparency, and side projects launching behind his back.
  • Math: “Loyalty is something... it’s serious for me. When you start to play with that or do things I don’t understand, I’m not going through this with you because you’re not blood, you’re not family.” (55:25)
• Street trauma and business: Math reflects on how his background shapes his approach to trust, loyalty, and conflict—sometimes in ways that aren’t compatible with the business world.
• On reconciling differences and moving forward: Math and the hosts discuss the importance of open communication, holding each other accountable, and recognizing personal trauma carried from street experiences into the professional realm.

Notable Quote:
“It does seem like it literally was miscommunication based off of personal feelings and trauma that causes you to kind of like, isolate and be like, I’m cutting that off. I’m not dealing with that. I’m not going down that road because I know where that could lead.” — NRM Mall (67:04)

5. Vulnerability, Therapy & Growth (73:03–78:39)

• Math opens up about his recent personal hardships: health scares, losing a child, and the spiritual wakeup calls that shifted his priorities.
• Math: "The lights going out in the shop was just like, God telling me, stop, look around, shit is falling apart...Go take care of that." (73:03)
• He discusses using mentorship, family, and faith to navigate loss and adversity, and the challenges of being vulnerable as a public figure with a traumatic past.
• The group highlights how battle rap culture often "weaponizes your trauma against you," making honesty and openness difficult but essential for growth.

Notable Quote:
"I have some good mentorship...people that keep me level-headed...sometimes I need to hear that, and my kids—being a girl dad—keep me focused." — Math Hoffa (76:05)

6. The Future of “My Expert Opinion” & Battle Rap Reflections (80:03–101:47)

• The discussion shifts to Math Hoffa's podcast direction:
  • Math expresses hope for healing and possibly reuniting with former cast members, but reiterates his main focus: uplifting his community and staying true to himself.
  • Featuring more battle rap personalities, especially Zip—“You and Zip are perfect, yin and yang, but also similar in so many ways.” (80:19)
  • Math’s “redemption” arc: sitting down with former adversaries to create examples of healthy conflict resolution for fans.
• Extended battle rap talk: the Joe Budden vs. Hollow event, Daylyt’s infamous stage antics, and how reality-TV “Making the Band” approaches did or did not fit battle rap culture.
• Math, Mal, and Rory banter about top moments, crowd reactions, and the importance of supporting not only Smack URL, but all battle leagues that champion lyricism.

7. Math Hoffa on Purpose, Music, and Podcasting (92:16–96:06)

• Math discusses the challenge of accepting that rapping is now a “hobby,” and podcasting is the primary job: “It’s hard to accept that rap is a hobby now...it’s not beautiful if you start dreaming about rocking stadiums and wake up a podcaster.” (92:42)
• Rory reframes this as a blessing—podcasting gives freedom from chasing hits and lets Math create music on his own terms.
• Math talks about founding his label, DFG Records, to support his friend Brooklyn Hands during his battle with stage-four cancer, underscoring his loyalty and community-first mentality.

8. Battle Rap: Legacy, Mount Rushmore, and Dream Matchups (89:07–113:13)

• Rory praises Math's third round against Hollow as a “top five all time” and elicits Math’s view on why some battle angles land harder than others.
• Math dreams up a battle with Jadakiss or another “legends only” type event, noting the artistry rather than pure competition.
• Ultimately, Math singles out Murder Mook as the one match-up he’d come out of retirement for, given their shared legacy and the challenge it would present:
  “For me to be motivated, it’s either got to be somebody who I feel like, yo, I gotta push the pen, or I really don’t like you. If I really don’t like you, you die.” (112:48)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “He was just the coolest of the cool, man...left an incredible legacy and did it his way.” — NRM Mall (09:21)
• “Loyalty is something... it's serious for me. And when you start to play with that or you start to do things that I don't understand...I'm not going through this with you because you're not blood, you're not family.” — Math Hoffa (55:25)
• “Sometimes the universe and timing just have to exist...one month of one year can change literally everything as far as what a rollout is.” — Rory (30:34)
• “Women are clearly running rap right now.” — NRM Mall (36:16)
• "I have some good mentorship...and my kids—being a girl dad—keep me focused." — Math Hoffa (76:05)
• “Podcasting gives you free range to do what you want with music...that’s the blessing.” — Rory (94:15)

Memorable Moments & Lighter Banter

• The crew’s running joke about Jack Harlow using “cheat code” samples and the debate over original artistry in mainstream rap (24:29–26:57).
• Benzino’s take on D’Angelo’s “Untitled” video, leading to a round of laughter and hot takes about posthumous tributes (13:11).
• Math’s deadpan response to voicemails, especially the prosthetic penis inquiry, providing comic relief and signature podcast unpredictability (104:54–109:10).
• Math reflecting on “trap rapper turn trap,” gunshot sound effects, and the perils of listening to battle rap intros with a sleeping child nearby (97:57–98:39).

Timestamps for Important Segments

• D’Angelo Tribute: 05:00–16:00
• Rap’s Young Generation & “Legend” Conversation: 17:07–36:40
• Women Running Rap: 36:11–36:39
• Math Hoffa Joins / Podcast Business & Loyalty: 42:33–74:25
• Mental Health, Vulnerability, and Growth: 73:03–78:39
• Podcast Direction & Battle Rap Community: 80:03–101:47
• Rap as “Hobby” & Music/Podcast Balance: 92:16–96:06
• Battle Rap: Legacy, Dream Matchups: 89:07–113:13
• Voicemail Segment (prosthetic question): 104:54–109:10

Overall Tone & Takeaways

The episode is raw, real, and at times deeply introspective. Math Hoffa’s openness—about his trauma, loyalty issues, and business struggles—sets the tone for a conversation about resilience, respect, and the costs of authenticity in public creative life.

For hip hop fans, podcast heads, and anyone interested in the human stories behind cultural movements, this episode is a blend of humor, history, wisdom, and heartfelt honesty.