New Rory & MAL – Episode 459 | “Poly Pocket”

Release Date: February 24, 2026
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Main Hosts: Rory & Mal

Episode Overview

This episode features Rory and Mal (with Maul absent due to weather delays), catching up in snowy New York City. The show covers a blend of personal stories, witty banter, and deep-dive discussions into hip-hop culture, relationship dynamics (including a “polyamory dilemma”), and commentary on viral moments in rap and internet culture. Topics range from local blizzards to the ethics of friendship and dating, a debrief of new rap ciphers, generational shifts in music, and the boundaries of trolling in hip-hop beef.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Blizzards & Travel Mishaps

[03:29–06:48]

• Mal jokes about Maul being stuck down south due to a blizzard after missing his flight, poking fun at his travel choices and the crazy winter weather.
• Numerous asides about travel delays and the chaos in the tri-state area.

Memorable Quotes:

• “I want to make fun of him, but I don't want to make it sound like Maul did not valent effort to be here today.” – Mal [04:38]
• “This is one of the craziest blizzards we've had in quite some time.” – Mal [04:12]

2. Family & Twin Telepathy

[07:05–15:32]

• Rory discusses family visits in Atlanta and shares a funny story about confusing a friend’s identical twin for the actual friend in a New York bar, discussing the oddness of adult twins who dress identically and the phenomenon of “twin telepathy.”

Memorable Quotes:

• “Having a twin as an adult is like, that's gay.” – Rory [14:13]
• “Waking up with the flu and you just find out Reason trying to get off TDE is crazy.” – Rory [15:01]
• “Twins that dress the exact same way into adulthood should be studied.” – Mal [13:19]

3. The Art of Not Being Cool in Entertainment

[16:07–17:12]

• The hosts acknowledge that being in entertainment isn’t about being the “cool guy” and reflect on needing validation and being professional “gossips.”

Memorable Quotes:

• “You can't be cool and do this job.” – Rory [16:49]
• “We literally gossip for a living.” – Mal [17:12]

4. U.S.A. Hockey & Racial Jokes

[17:12–19:50]

• Short celebration of the U.S.A. Hockey victory segues into jokes about race in hockey and who gets to claim national pride, with Mal noting the presence of a black staff member (“on the staff, not the team”) and Rory playing up Black History Month in a mostly-white podcast space.

Notable Quotes:

• “I think USA had a black guy on their staff.” – Mal [18:17]
• “It’s Black History Month. I’m sitting up here with two white people.” – Rory [18:13]
• “America’s in the…” – Rory [19:50]

5. Game, Simba & The Bro Code

[20:10–34:49]

• The hosts get deep into West Coast rapper Game's alleged pattern of DMing or pursuing women his own friends or associates are involved with, prompted by Simba’s viral story. They debate the ethics (“the nastier homie side”), the blurred lines of “big homie” culture in hip-hop, and share their own analogous experiences with friends and exes.

Key Talking Points:

• Simba claims Game DM’d a girl shortly after Simba posted her as his girlfriend; Simba attributes this to his own “hofase” and Game’s misinterpretation.
• Rory argues Simba’s respect for Game outweighs the respect Game gives him.
• Extended humor around asking permission to pursue exes, “free-range hoes,” and men’s egos in these dynamics.

Memorable Quotes:

• “You respect the Game more than the Game respects you.” – Rory [24:05]
• “If my friend brings a girl to studio, I don’t even think I’m gonna follow her unless we become cool…” – Mal [23:43]
• “The game is the game—stand on it.” – Rory [88:12]

[Poly Relationship Discussion resumes later with caller—see below]

6. The 50 Cent, T.I., King Beef: Internet Trolling vs. Real-World Risks

[40:15–50:10]

• 50 Cent dragged T.I's wife Tiny into their beef; T.I's son King responded with a brutal, disrespectful retort about 50’s deceased mother and grandmother.
• Mal and Rory dissect what is and isn’t off-limits in rap beef in 2026, the risk of “crashing out” online, and the real-world consequences for digital trolling.

Key Insights:

• Both hosts agree “wives, kids, and women” should be left out, but also admit “those days are gone” online—especially for public figures.
• Respect is due to those, like 50 or Charlamagne, who are accessible and willing to “stand on what they say.”

Memorable Quotes:

• “There are no lines on the Internet at all. But I’m saying now it sucks and it’s up and it’s not right. But if you are dating somebody that does do public back and forth…you should be prepared for that.” – Mal [45:26]
• “It’s not because I’m scared. It’s just because I live in the real world.” – Mal [50:42]

7. “On The Radar” Cipher vs. Underground Cipher – The State of Rap Ciphers

[51:01–81:33]

• The hosts praise Gabe and the “On The Radar” platform for curating a true lyricist cipher reminiscent of the golden age of XXL. They dissect memorable moments (including Rayvon’s viral verse and fashion choices) and debate which performers stood out.
• In contrast, they critique the “Underground Cipher”—which has more views but is, in their eyes, musically and aesthetically atrocious, blaming a generation misinspired by Playboi Carti and poor use of technical tools.

Key Moments:

• Praise for Marlon, Ruben Vincent, Suave, Larisi, Marco Plus, and Rayvon (despite his questionable jeans).
• Strong criticism for the Underground Cipher: “I can see the art sometimes in Carti. I couldn’t find a crayon in this box.” – Mal [75:04]
• Reflection on how technology enables anyone to make music (not always for the better).

Notable Quotes:

• “Sometimes people shouldn’t cipher, which we’ll get to the other cipher.” – Mal [52:18]
• “This isn’t the first one, but the timing was just so odd to just see the…the Bentley and the Chrysler of rap happen…” – Mal [73:00]
• “I think we need to guide our youth.” – Mal [77:07]

8. Listener Voicemail: Polyamory, Friendship & Loyalty

[82:00–92:44]

• A caller describes being the “friend of a poly girlfriend,” hanging out more with the poly man outside the friend group, grappling with guilt but enjoying the dynamic.
• Rory delivers tough love: she’s wrong for keeping her friend out of the loop, and warns that a man who is disloyal to one woman will one day be disloyal to her.
• Mal discusses polygamous relationship etiquette, noting that “ethical non-monogamy” is about transparency—which is missing here.

Major Advice & Quotes:

• “If you’re not going to be a standup, stand on it. But just know that you’re not a stand-up and you’ve got to go to sleep with every night.” – Rory [85:58]
• “Ethical non-monogamy is when everybody is aware of everything that’s going on.” – Rory [89:42]
• “How you cheat in a poly relationship? All you have to do is just tell your girl…” – Mal [90:55]

9. Friendship, Banter & The “Are You Mean To Me” Bit

[93:09–94:47]

• The hosts respond to ongoing fan speculation about whether Rory is “mean” to Mal. Both agree that they just rib each other, it’s all jokes, and “tough love” is the underlying bond.

Memorable Quotes:

• “No, I don’t think that whatsoever. No.” – Mal [93:20]
• “I give you tough love that you need.” – Rory [93:47]

10. Tourette’s, Awards Shows & Racism (Comic Aside)

[94:53–98:00]

• Discussion of a viral award show moment involving a Tourette’s outburst (with a racist slur) prompts the hosts to riff on racism, unintended humor, and the social expectations of disabled people (“It’s possible to be disabled and racist at the same time.” – Rory [97:30]).

Highlighted Quotes With Timestamps

• “Twins that dress the exact same way into adulthood should be studied.” – Mal [13:19]
• “You can't be cool and do this job.” – Rory [16:49]
• “You respect the Game more than the Game respects you.” – Rory [24:05]
• “There are no lines on the Internet at all.” – Mal [45:26]
• “I can see the art sometimes in Carti. I couldn’t find a crayon in this box.” – Mal [75:04]
• “Ethical non-monogamy is when everybody is aware of what’s going on.” – Rory [89:42]
• “If you’re not going to be a standup, stand on it.” – Rory [85:58]

Notable (and Funniest) Moments

• Mal’s attempted bribe of a plow driver for $75—rejected by the “honest civil servant of New Jersey.” [06:20–06:48]
• The twin sighting confusion at the bar, with Reason’s real twin inadvertently snubbing his East Coast friends. [11:09–13:44]
• Extended roast and critique of fashion in NYC rap ciphers versus Atlanta: “Atlanta is one of the worst dressed cities of all time.” – Mal [57:57]
• Explaining the nuance between “free-range hoes” and “untouchable” women in friend groups—applies to men and women alike. [30:36–32:55]
• Polyamory confusion: “How you cheat in a poly relationship? All you have to do is just tell your girl…” – Mal [90:55]
• Dissection of Tourette’s and racism at public events: “It’s possible to be disabled and racist at the same time.” – Rory [97:30]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:29] Blizzards in NYC and Maul’s absence
• [13:19] Twin confusion and adult twins
• [16:49] The myth of being ‘cool’ in entertainment
• [20:10] Simba x Game x bro code
• [40:15] 50 Cent/King/T.I.: beef and boundaries
• [51:01] “On The Radar” cipher, Rayvon’s verse
• [73:00] “Underground Cipher” critique
• [82:00] Listener voicemail, polyamory dilemma
• [93:09] Are Rory & Mal mean to each other?
• [94:53] Tourette’s, award shows, and racism

Closing Thoughts

The episode delivered a robust blend of hilarious, self-deprecating banter and sharp, personal commentary on friendship, loyalty, and culture. Whether dissecting the perplexities of polyamory and ethical non-monogamy, critiquing the decline of rap ciphers, or serving up NYC vs. Atlanta fashion wars, Rory & Mal keep things witty, honest, and relatable.

Listeners walk away with a sense of the “game is the game,” the timelessness of hip-hop drama, and the importance of standing on business—even in the pocket of poly.