New Rory & MAL: Episode 467 | What Is A Classic? w/ Torae

Date: March 13, 2026
Special Guest: Torae
Main Theme: Defining a "Classic" Album in Hip-Hop

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into one of hip-hop culture’s most hotly debated questions: "What is a classic album?" The regular crew—Rory, Maul, Tamara, and guest Torae—debate timelessness, the line between "great" and "classic," regional and generational differences, and the role of gatekeepers versus fans in defining culture. Along the way, they touch on current rap beefs (Papoose, 50 Cent, Maino, Max B), authenticity and AI in music, Jack Harlow’s unconventional album rollout, the history of rapper/producers, and the very soul of hip-hop critique.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Current State of Rap Beefs (Starts ~[06:25])

• Brooklyn Bias & G-Unit Bias: The crew jokes about not being objective due to hometown allegiances in analyzing the beef between Papoose, 50 Cent, Maino, and Max B.
• Recycled Diss Content: Rory notes frustration with repetitive angles in recent diss tracks:
  Rory ([08:03]): “It’s been the same rhymes for 20 years from everybody. ‘50, you only got shot five times not nine. You’re a snitch.’ I heard this for 20 years.”
• Shock Value Over Substance: Tamara points out the expectation for new revelations in every battle:
  Tamara ([07:08]): “Every time there’s a rap battle, now you need jaw-dropping, never-before-heard info. Why?”
• Absurdity as Entertainment: The group laughs about fake medical disclosures as diss fodder:
  Rory ([13:06]): “Can y’all tell me how 50 should have done his herpes reveal?” Jermaine Dupri ([13:06]): “That’s a wild question to pose, man.”

2. Authenticity, AI, and the Evolving Landscape (Starts ~[15:14])

• AI in Entertainment: Discussion about an AI-generated Max B & 50 video raises questions about reality, authenticity, and trolling in rap beefs.
• Maul ([17:15]): “This is a new element in battle rapping. I could have this video done in an hour to my diss track. Whole different element of entertainment now.”
• Historical Parallels: The shift from casting lookalikes in parody videos to using AI reminds the crew of diss video history (e.g., Dr. Dre vs. Eazy E).
• Boundaries in Battle: Maul maintains: “Once you say battle, it’s all gloves off. There ain’t no rules, no women and children—nah. Everything’s on the table.” ([19:21])

3. When (and Why) Rap Beefs End (Starts ~[23:02])

• Does This Ever End? Debate about whether the beef cycle ever truly concludes, or if it’s just the perpetual “algorithm” of hip-hop egos and attention spans.
• 50 Cent’s Evolution:
  Jermaine Dupri ([25:44]): “It’s the same trolling, but he’s delivering it differently. Like a diss record…but there’s no music behind it—just eight episodes.”
• Entertainment Drives It All:
  Maul ([26:53]): “At the end of the day, it’s all entertainment.”

4. The Classic Album Debate (Starts ~[59:33])

• What is a Classic? The table takes on the age-old question, citing examples and counterexamples (Jadakiss, Drake, 50 Cent, Busta, Ludacris, Black Thought).
• Are All Good Albums Classics?
  Maul ([61:12]): “There’s a difference between classic and good albums. It’s hard to have a classic album.”

Highlight: The Get Rich or Die Tryin’ Argument ([65:17] onward)

• Maul: “If you go back and listen to Get Rich or Die Tryin’, it’s a great album, but is it a classic? … To me, mid.”
• Rory: “Get Rich or Die Tryin’ took over the world. The music was there too.”
• Tamara: “I think Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is a classic album. ... People’s parents know ‘P.I.M.P.’”

Classic vs. Personal Classic ([72:09])

• The group recognizes some records are “classics to me,” but not universally acknowledged.
• Torae: “There’s a spectrum of classics. Some are community, some are world.”

5. Producer/Rappers & Their Place in Hip-Hop (Starts ~[52:32])

• Modern Multitalents: They discuss modern and legacy rapper-producers (Tyler, the Creator, Kanye, Big Krit, Hit-Boy, Russ, Outkast, Pimp C).
• Tyler’s Place:
  Jermaine Dupri ([57:27]): “Tyler’s number one, hands down. He literally put on the cover of Igor, ‘written, created, mixed, engineered’ ... he’s a musical genius.”
• Cole’s Beats:
  Rory ([58:58]): “I think J. Cole gets too much flack—his beats are not as bad as people make them out to be.”

6. The Fan vs. Gatekeeper in Hip-Hop Culture (Starts ~[104:58])

• The Ebro Rant: Ebro’s viral clip about “real” opinions spawns heated debate: Ebro (clip): “Some of y’all don’t deserve a fucking opinion... You’re just a fan, just a consumer.”
• Maul: “We’re all consumers... But Ebro has been in the music business, he has a different connection—but these are all just opinions.”
• Torae: “People talk with a certain certainty that have no idea what they’re talking about...that pisses me off. But once art is out there, everyone has a right to critique it.”
• Tamara: “Art isn’t created for radio or peers—it’s for the little niggas in the barbershop to debate if Kiss of Death is a classic. It’s for the fan!”
• Rory ([109:17]): “We are the least important part of the process. The two most important people: The artist, and then the consumer.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On recycling beef topics:
  “I’m just sick of 20 years hearing the same exact thing about 50 Cent.” – Rory ([07:04])
• On AI in rap beefs:
  “Now you don’t have to cast anybody, you could just type it in.” – Jermaine Dupri ([17:35])
• On what makes a classic:
  “Classic is ‘test of time’. Replay value.” – Jermaine Dupri ([61:34])
• On hip-hop’s evolution:
  “It’s the evolution of the diss song… of 50. He’s not just a rapper anymore, he’s an executive producer.” – Maul ([31:33])
• On albums surviving time:
  “If an asteroid hits the planet and we can put albums in some shit to survive, are they gonna take Chicken and Beer and Illmatic and say these are the same?” – Rory ([88:05])
• On regional classic disagreements:
  “If someone in NY said 400 Degrees isn’t a classic, the south would lose their minds.” – Rory ([79:03])
• On fan participation:
  “Music is for everybody to listen to. It can’t be critiqued at the same snob level… Hip-hop is the biggest genre in the world, it’s not for snobs anymore.” – Rory ([116:09])

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [06:25] – Deep dive into Papoose v. 50 Cent beef, jokes about Brooklyn and G-Unit bias
• [13:06] – Wild accusations and the entertainment aspect of rap beefs
• [15:14] – Debate on AI in hip-hop (real/fake Max B & 50 collab video)
• [25:44] – How 50 Cent has evolved beef into the documentary/tv era
• [59:33] – The “classic album” barbershop moment: what are classics, regional/classic album lists, Jadakiss, Drake
• [65:17] – Is "Get Rich or Die Tryin’" a classic? Line-by-line dissection
• [78:05] – Are regional classics possible? South vs. East vs. West
• [104:58] – The Ebro “gatekeeper” rant and who gets to define opinions in hip-hop
• [113:29] – Media vs. the average fan: who does hip-hop belong to now?

The Tone

Conversational, irreverent, passionate, and at times hilarious, with plenty of regional, generational, and nerdy deep cuts. No one claims to be the final authority, but the debate is sharp, opinionated, and, as always, entertaining.

Conclusion

This episode showcased hip-hop’s eternal barbershop debate: What makes an album classic—and who gets to say so? With sharp insights, personal anecdotes, and plenty of jokes, Rory, Maul, Tamara, and Torae prove that in hip-hop, the line between “dope” and “classic” will be argued forever—and that's what keeps the culture alive.