New Rory & Mal – Episode 439 | "Underrated"

Date: January 8, 2026
Hosts: Pete & Ginger
Episode Summary by Theme and Timestamps

Overview

Main Theme:
This episode dives deep into hip-hop's most underrated (and occasionally overrated) rappers. Pete and Ginger debate legacy, criteria for GOAT status, city-by-city MC rankings, and the effect of career choices on legacy—sprinkling personal anecdotes and barbershop-style banter throughout. The conversation weaves in and out of rankings, hot takes on Andre 3000, Fab, Banks, Snoop, Luda, and more—with big-picture questions about what makes someone “underrated” or a “legend.”

Segment Breakdown

1. Tabloid Scandals and NBA Players

(02:04–07:48)

• Rumor talk kicks off with Zion Williamson’s baby drama, and the comedic absurdity of celebrity OnlyFans DM leaks.
• Pete theorizes on whether NBA players’ patterns with sex workers suggest an underlying “addiction,” asking:

  “If you just directly are obsessed with sex workers specifically...maybe there’s something tied to this that could be an addiction problem.” (03:01, Pete)

• Ginger counters with nuance about youth and wealth, noting the real issue is starting families without intention:

  “Maybe he doesn't want a serious relationship. Maybe he just wants to, you know, have fun with different beautiful women...But I think being young, rich, and wanting to have sex with beautiful women, I don't think that that's calls for rehab.” (03:33, Ginger)

• They riff on public vs. private choices and how generational access has changed cultural expectations.

2. Jadakiss vs. Fabolous: Who’s More “Underrated”?

(07:54–16:19)

• Revisiting a viral debate from the previous episode: is Jada better than Fab, and why doesn’t Fab get “legend” status?
• Pete marvels at the staying power:

  “I still think Jada may be a better rapper, but I don’t know.” (08:29, Pete)

• Ginger insists Fab is criminally underrated:

  “We don’t speak about Fab...the way we should. We don’t champion Fab the way I think it deserves.” (08:45, Ginger)

• They praise Fab’s 25+ year career, mixtape classics, and continued demand, comparing him to legends of other genres who enjoy sustained relevance.

Memorable Quote

“I don't think I've ever heard anybody call Fab a legend...I think that’s what bothers me.” (11:14, Ginger)

3. NYC Rappers: Top Fives and Regional Bias

(16:19–24:18)

• Discussion shifts to how artist “mystique” and accessibility affect legend status.
• Queens and Brooklyn top-five debates unfold—highlighting the difficulty of narrowing down the all-time greats:
  • “Queens is a tough one to put together, though.” (23:34, Pete)
• Pete personally ranks Lloyd Banks top three from Queens, stirring friendly controversy:

  “Banks is top three in Queens. To me personally.” (20:37, Pete)

• The back-and-forth examines how generational tastes, streaming data, and neighborhood pride color "best ever" lists.

4. Underrated Rapper Hall of Fame

(24:23–35:19)

• The hosts and IG commenters mention overlooked names: AZ, Inspektah Deck, Chamillionaire, Beanie Sigel, Young Chris, Petey Crack, Sheek Louch, Cool G Rap, Cormega, Redman, ESG, Boosie Badazz, Obie Trice, Stat Quo, Nature, Ludacris.
• Discussion of Luda’s run (“Back for the First Time”, “Word of Mouf”, and “Chicken & Beer”) (33:16):

  “If you get into his first few albums, Ludacris's discography...might be underrated.” (33:23, Ginger)

• Comparison of Luda and Fab’s career arc—both are “underrated” city legends who sometimes get left out of “best” lists.

5. The Andre 3000 Conundrum

(46:35–57:58)

• Ginger boldly claims Andre 3000 is “overrated” for getting GOAT status without a solo rap album:

  “The most overrated rapper to me… Andre 3000, only because he never put out a solo rap project, and he gets goat status.” (47:05, Ginger)

• Pete and Ginger dissect the validity of rating rappers based on solo output, comparing to other genres and artists (Biggie, Prodigy, Lauryn Hill).
• They stress three stacks’ influence—despite Ginger’s insistence:

  “You have to have a solo project. We have to just see what you sound like, what you look like, what you do on your own.” (49:09, Ginger)

• Pete pushes back with minutes-rapped and impact arguments, referencing specific OutKast and solo verses.

Notable Moment

“A Day in the Life of Andre Benjamin...that song is better than most y’all’s solo rap albums.” (58:42, Pete)

6. Solo Output, Legacy & Modern Rap Output

(59:02–61:41)

• They debate whether high “output” enhances or diminishes an artist’s legacy.
• Pete: “I give more stats to the artists...that have a very high output at the legend status that they are.”
• They agree: more albums can risk diluting quality, but infrequent, perfect projects (e.g., Frank Ocean) earn respect.

7. Overrated/Underrated: Wayne, Em, and Snoop’s Unlimited Output

(65:54–74:12)

• Wayne’s endless tapes get critiqued:

  “Sometimes it can lead to what we thought was a classic discography…now we’re leaning into more bad albums than we are good ones.” (61:00, Pete)

• Snoop Dogg’s discography size (45+ projects) leads to playful awe rather than critique:

  “Snoop is a vampire...he’s 892 years old.” (72:58, Ginger)

• Ginger notes Snoop’s mainstream crossover (Martha Stewart collabs, NBA commentary) as evidence of an unparalleled career arc.

Notable Quote

“Snoop Dogg is an incredible icon.” (74:53, Ginger)

8. Legacy, Posthumous Albums, and Morality

(62:29–65:49)

• Debate over “should you participate in a posthumous album?” Ginger says it depends on personal connection:

  “It would depend on my relationship and how close of proximity I was to the artist...” (64:16, Ginger)

9. Hip-Hop’s Most Untouchable Intros

(69:35–72:43)

• Hilarious run-through rap’s most basic, but iconic, opening lines. Snoop’s “1, 2, 3 and to the 4” gets roasted:

  “We would kill any other rapper if they started a verse like that.” (69:35, Ginger)

• Ginger admits, “It’s basic but…incredible way to start a verse.” (70:41)

Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)

• “I don't think I've ever heard anybody call Fab a legend...I think that's what bothers me.” — Ginger (11:14)
• “Banks is top three in Queens. To me personally.” — Pete (20:37)
• “The most overrated rapper to me… Andre 3000, only because he never put out a solo rap project, and he gets goat status.” — Ginger (47:05)
• “A Day in the Life of Andre Benjamin...that song is better than most y’all’s solo rap albums.” — Pete (58:42)
• “Snoop is a vampire...he's 892 years old.” — Ginger (72:58)
• “Snoop Dogg is an incredible icon.” — Ginger (74:53)

Episode Highlights & Tone

• Tone: Playful, knowledgeable, barbershop banter, opinionated but thoughtful.
• The hosts push each other, often disagree but listen—peppering the episode with pop culture references and personal nostalgia.
• “Underrated” isn’t just about technical skill—it’s about city pride, output, adaptability, and audience memory.
• The “criteria” for both overrated and legendary are constantly shifting; the episode is as much about how we rank as who we rank.

Essential Takeaways

• Legacy is complicated: Should artist output quantity matter more than sheer skill or impact? Can GOAT status exist without a solo album?
• Regional bias is real: Generational and neighborhood differences hugely impact “top five” debates.
• Hip-hop history is ongoing: The episode stresses that lists are living debates, shaped by culture, nostalgia, and Twitter more than anything absolute.
• Snoop, Fab, Luda, Andre 3000: All “underrated” for different reasons—misunderstood, overlooked, overshadowed, or simply taken for granted.