New Rory & MAL — Episode 473: “75 Bodies”
Date: March 27, 2026
Podcast: New Rory & MAL
Hosts: Rory, Mal, Zip
Description: The crew discuss modern hip-hop trends, classic albums, the impact of streaming and social media, artist relationships, and some wild street stories—including a notorious “75 bodies” tale. Candid stories and hot takes abound, with plenty of laughter and strong opinions about rap culture.
Episode Overview
Episode 473 of New Rory & MAL brings the show’s signature blend of hip-hop debate, generational perspective, personal stories, and social commentary. This week, Rory, Mal, and guest Zip dig deep into the value of classic albums, new school virality, where MCs stack up in the hierarchy, and how the digital era has exploded access, both to music and to, well, “bad bitches.” They also share vivid street tales—including a hilariously grim “75 bodies” anecdote—and tackle the industry’s relationship to controversy, notably the Diddy fallout.
Key Discussion Topics & Insights
1. Pop-Up Shop & DJ Set Anticipation
(03:26–04:21)
- The crew promote their upcoming NYC merch pop-up (Cafe Comado, 286 Broome St.) and hype up Ryan’s upcoming DJ set.
- Light roasting of Ryan about the importance of his first NYC gig.
- Playlist talk, including jokes about mobb-heavy sets and hip-hop authenticity.
- Early digressions into debates about which albums are “classics.”
2. What’s a Hip-Hop Classic?
(04:21–11:12)
- Debates: Is an album still a classic if it has skips? (e.g. “Ready to Die,” “All Eyez On Me,” “Get Rich or Die Tryin’”)
- Zip: “Is ‘Ready to Die’ a classic album? Yes. It got skips, right? I can skip them shits, right?” (05:01)
- Disagreement on what songs are skips (i.e., Machine Gun Funk).
- Mall: “If it’s more than two [skips], then it can’t be [a classic].”
- Impact matters: “Get Rich or Die Tryin’ because of the impact.” —Mall (05:44)
- Zip stands firm: “Life After Death, I don’t think nobody made a more complete album… it got every type of vibe.” (07:52–08:27)
Memorable Quote:
- “BIG Got the best rap album of all time. To me, Life After Death…” —Zip (07:52)
3. Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z, and the Generational Divide
(08:42–12:18)
- Mall maintains “Reasonable Doubt” is better than “Life After Death.”
- Production value debate: “I think it’s way better production on Life After Death…” —Zip (09:00)
- The crew discuss experiencing historic albums in real-time vs. listening after the fact.
- Jay-Z’s early sales and star power contextualized; Reasonable Doubt going gold was major for the time.
- Mall: “Younger cats… raving about this… Was three years old when that album came out. But to see people 30 years later still… excitement… it’s dope.” (09:47)
4. Hip-Hop & Movie Soundtracks – A Lost Era?
(12:18–13:33)
- The importance of soundtracks (“Above the Rim,” “Black Panther”), and why that era's musical moments hit different.
- Zip: “My favorite Pac is on the soundtrack. Above the Rim—Pain.” (12:31–12:41)
- Mall: “I think that’s what’s missing. We need moments like that.” (12:52)
5. Too Much Music, Too Many Options
(13:33–20:37)
- Flood of music releases diluting the “classic” feeling.
- Longing for the days when you “sat with albums.”
- Parallel to dating: Instagram now exposes everyone to endless options—women and men alike.
- “There’s so many bad bitches in the world. I don’t… we wasn’t supposed to know it was that many of them.” —Zip (14:18)
- Social media and apps have changed dating and perception of status, making everyone feel more disposable.
- Viral moments vs. true artistry; “albums as products.”
- Rory: “Artists and songs have become like products now… like them little widget things that spun.” (21:54)
- Viral singles vs. bodies of work: “Some music is meant for that… but we can’t look at them with the same lens as Jay-Z or Nas.” —Mall (22:47)
6. Microwave Era Music Creation & Studio Access
(23:08–26:59)
- Critique of “punch-in” rap, reading off phones, and lack of craft:
- Zip: “In the booth, punching in, that shit is mad corny. I don’t care who you is.” (23:08–24:46)
- “Studio prices should have stayed high… It made you be prepared.” (25:16)
- Old school vs. new school work ethic: “500 an hour… you know your shit, one take, load the next one up.” —Zip (26:01)
7. Gatekeeping & AI in Music Streaming
(19:05–20:37, 25:03–26:59)
- Joking that AI should block bad uploads to Spotify:
- Rory: “AI needs… some program… if it’s trash. I don’t think your man at the pizza shop should have… the ability to just upload…” (19:05)
- But classic songs that “shouldn’t have passed the AI test” might never have broken through.
8. Sparring in Hip-Hop and Crew Dynamics: The Joey Badass/J. Cole/JID Discourse
(29:37–69:01)
- Joey Badass tweets about sparring and the reluctance of “top dogs” to put hungry newcomers on their own records.
- Robust debate: Should J. Cole have put JID on his new album (“The Fall Off”) given JID’s Grammy nomination and success?
- Mall: “Jid’s skill set, his success, his energy… that warrants a look from his peer.” (50:42)
- Definitions of “peer” are fiercely debated—with arguments around skill, accomplishments, and industry status.
- “If I’m Grammy nominated and you Grammy nominated, are we not peers?” —Mall (50:57)
- Contrast between old and new eras (Rocafella, Dipset, etc.—the whole crew used to get featured).
- Zip: “…all the Big Dog niggas supposed to have they young niggas on they album.” (67:42)
- Rory: “If I’m putting together my project… my last album. I don’t know if… I have to place JID somewhere…” (57:35)
- Much laughter over the “birthday” mixtape and how features are chosen.
Memorable Quotes:
- “You put out 30 boring ass songs on an album. Nobody listened to today. And you ain’t even put your man on it.” —Zip (68:15)
- “J. Cole is like Seinfeld to me. Had to have some level of intelligence to understand that. It’s not for the layman.” —Zip (71:35)
9. Classic Street Stories—Curfews and "75 Bodies"
(72:45–83:59)
- Zip recounts being forced by his grandma to have a 10pm curfew after “beating a body” at 16:
- “You got to come in the house at 10 o’clock… I looked at that lady like, man, I just beat a body….”
- Lively reminiscence about being “scared of your grandmother”—a common rite of passage.
- The legendary “75 bodies” paperwork story—Zip discovers in jail that another inmate is being investigated for 75 murders, and the crew reacts in shock and laughter:
- Zip: “They investigating you for 75, and you ain’t do none of them? That don’t work.” (80:21)
- Rory: “If I read that first page and saw 'investigated for 75,' I would close that.” (81:01)
- Discussion of the violence of NYC in the '80s and '90s:
- “The 80s born in the 80s, born in 75, that was outside in '88, '89—different.” —Zip (84:20)
- The culture of kids running errands/cigarette runs at age six, rolling up leaves to “pretend smoke” (86:24).
10. Diddy, Morality & ‘Kicking Someone When They’re Down’
(93:01–102:28)
- J. Cole chose not to release a podcast about his rumored fight with Diddy, not wanting to “kick him while he’s down.”
- The crew is baffled by what’s considered cancel-worthy: “I think society thinks it’s crazier that he likes cum on his nipples than kicking a woman.” —Rory (96:33)
- Zip: “Once I know a dude be beating up his girl, I don’t fuck with him. … Once it’s a case against ladies, we don’t give a fuck.” (96:40)
- Brief discussion of 50 Cent and relishing not having skeletons in the closet—allows him to talk freely.
11. New Music & Closing Thoughts
(102:30–113:59)
- No new Kanye (“Bully”) yet; anticipation for new Yeet and Stove God Cooks/Swizz Beatz album.
- Short review of artists like Fetty Wap, Stove God, Roc Marciano, and comparisons among NY rappers (Don Q, Earl, etc.)
- Stove God praised for relatability and authenticity:
- “If you ain’t selling drugs, I don’t really want to hear it right now.” —Zip (110:50)
- Mall & Rory champion Jozzy’s new album (Soundtrack to Get Her Back).
12. Notable Quotes & Moments
- “You ain't gonna freak that beat not knowing your raps, reading off your phone.” —Zip (24:09)
- On social media vs. the old days: “The world is the size of your phone, homie.” —Zip (17:29)
- Mall: “Younger cats… raving about this… Was three years old when that album came out. But… so much excitement… I think it’s dope.” (09:47)
- On the “microwave” era: “Shit is a microwave society.” —Zip (22:43)
- “Kiss and Fab are nicer than Jay… They could rap better than you.” —Zip (35:30)
- “Everyone in Queens got a basement.—Not everyone.”—Mall & Zip (70:19)
- “Kids running the store at 6 years old, smoking cigarettes. That’s what was going on.”—Mall (86:46)
- “Put the tapes out and yours is… It ain’t Exhibit C… That’s what they waiting for.”—Zip on Diddy’s alleged blackmail (97:26)
13. Event Reminder (NYC Pop-Up)
(114:16–115:34)
- Café Comado, 286 Broome St., Merch pop-up, 1–6 PM (Saturday)
- Playlists, meet-and-greet, and jokes about Ryan’s intern DJ duties.
Timestamps for Major Segments
- Pop-Up Shop & Playlists: 03:26
- Classic Album Debate: 04:36–11:12
- Jay-Z/Reasonable Doubt Era: 08:43–12:18
- Movie Soundtracks: 12:18–13:33
- Instagram/Options/Dating Culture: 13:54–15:40
- Music Quantity Fatigue: 17:29–20:37
- Viral Artists vs. Albums: 21:54–23:08
- Studio Access & Craft: 23:08–26:59
- Joey Badass / J. Cole / JID / Crew Debate: 29:37–69:01
- Street Stories & '75 Bodies': 72:45–83:59
- Diddy / Cancel Culture Segment: 93:01–102:28
- New Music / Album Reviews: 102:30–113:59
- Pop-Up/Outro: 114:16–115:34
Episode Tone & Style
- Candid, irreverent, braggadocious but warm.
- Nostalgic, especially about 90s and early 2000s New York hip-hop and street life.
- Unfiltered NYC language and a balance between sharp takes and playful self-awareness.
- Combination of deep rap geekery and absurd street lore—a “barbershop” energy.
Final Thoughts
Episode 473 epitomizes the New Rory & MAL vibe: hip-hop history colliding with the realities of today’s music industry and society, all filtered through a lens of New York experience and street truth. Whether you care about classic albums, viral singles, or the real stories behind the streams, this episode delivers unvarnished opinions and memorable tales—sometimes hilarious, sometimes grim, always authentic.