88.) Jay-Z's Greatest Songwriters + Should Hasan Piker Join the Show? (4/29/26)

Summary

The Ebro, Laura & Rosenberg Show — Episode 88

Title: Jay-Z's Greatest Songwriters + Should Hasan Piker Join the Show?
Date: May 9, 2026
Hosts: Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez, Peter Rosenberg

---

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights cultural debates and playful banter with a focus on music history and the modern media landscape. The hosts discuss the legacy of Michael Jackson's albums, critique the concept of the “clip economy,” break down The New York Times' “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters” list, and debate the nature of songwriting in hip-hop versus traditional pop. They also share poignant segments about grief and family support, welcome a stream of engaging callers, and close with a meditation on the power and challenges of digital content. Occasional notable quotes and recurring humor make this episode an engaging insight into both music lore and the realities of running an online show.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Clip Economy” & Show Format Changes

[03:43]

• The hosts explain the transition to a more digital-first strategy, embracing the “clip economy”—meaning their show is increasingly about short, shareable segments across platforms.
• Quote — Ebro:
  “Once you put anything up, you’re doing it for the clip economy. We live in the clip—it’s all about clip.” ([03:43])
• They note their former platform didn’t want to play in this new media landscape and joke about being late to “algo hustling.”
• The team is experimenting with new live call-ins, highlighting growing pains (tech hiccups, music on hold complaints, graphics).

2. Michael Jackson Album Debates: ‘Thriller’ vs. ‘Off the Wall’

[04:34]–[15:00]

• Ebro defends his controversial take that ‘Thriller,’ while great, lacks a thematic thread compared to ‘Off the Wall.’
  • Quote — Ebro: “Thriller is great, but it’s just a great album … doesn’t have a central theme.” ([04:41])
• Rosenberg offers playful rebuttal and fires at social media trolls and “algorithm hustlers.”
  • Quote — Laura: “You just like [Off the Wall] more because it’s blacker and Thriller’s pop.” ([05:16])
• The hosts break down both albums track-by-track, noting skips, classic hits, and their subjective preferences.
• Callers weigh in—mostly supporting Ebro’s nuanced critique or adding new angles.

3. Call-In Culture & Community Engagement

[06:17], [10:00], [15:01], [28:17]

• Fans from previous radio eras reconnect, and listeners express support and condolences to Laura over a recent loss.
  • Notable Callers:
    • Juby from Westchester — Discusses old giveaways, expresses heartfelt support (and humorously details the struggle redeeming concert tickets).
    • Moreno — Truck driver from Florida, shares morning routine and supports the show with donations.
    • Hot Rod Rick — Regular “Whitish Wednesday” segment fan, jokes about the bad hold music, backs Ebro as the biggest Drake fan.
• The hosts brainstorm ways to visually integrate caller info and further level up the live experience.

4. Dissecting The NY Times’ ‘30 Greatest Living American Songwriters’ List

[20:29]–[35:50]

• The hosts review and debate the list, calling out both classic legends (Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z) and surprise choices (Young Thug, Bad Bunny).
  • Quote — Laura: “Young Thug? New York Times, you’re trying too hard.” ([21:54])
• Rosenberg questions what “songwriting” means and whether rappers’ lyrical complexity gets enough credit.
  • Quote — Ebro: “The complexities of writing … like a Nas, a Jay, a Kendrick … is much harder in some ways than it is to just write a melodic tune that’s not as lyrically dense.” ([23:33])
• Discusses generational impacts, sample size in list voting, and missing figures like Billy Joel or J. Cole.
• Engage with the songwriting process, referencing Jay-Z’s writing style and his recent NYT interview.
  • Jay-Z in interview:
    “Most times I come up with the flow first. I’m trying to work out the pockets and then I’ll fill it with words.” ([31:13])
  • “Those are props, that’s not the engine … the foundation is the struggle.” ([33:05])

5. Songwriting in Hip-Hop vs. Pop

[23:33–24:26], [35:50–36:29]

• Debate whether lyrical density or melodic simplicity is the greater songwriting challenge.
  • Laura argues crafting “true stories with less words” in melody is harder; Ebro says hip-hop lyricists are under-credited.
• Discuss the complexity of rap, the flow, and how artists like Jay-Z and Biggie innovated.
• Touch on why Future and Young Thug are viewed differently as songwriters despite “catchy songs.”

6. Generational Shifts, Lists, and Culture Wars

[25:55]–[28:17], [40:58–41:47]

• Hosts reflect on how these lists are shaped by who's voting—generational gaps cause major differences in outcomes.
• Discuss the pressure for older artists to retain “youth” and authenticity, with a roundabout on whether Jay-Z is “subbing” Drake for acting young.
  • Quote — Laura: “Older rappers trying to sound young is inauthentic and sounds whack … be who you are.” ([41:16])
• Dispels overzealous interpretations (“I think it’s a reach … people try to create mess”).

7. Love on the Spectrum & Reality TV Ethics

[48:39]–[51:56]

• Discuss Netflix’s “Love on the Spectrum,” debating whether the show is sincere or exploitative.
• Laura (and callers) reflect on how the show changed their perspective on people on the spectrum.
• Ebro voices concerns about audiences fetishizing difference, but admits there seems to be no backlash from the community itself.
  • Quote — Rosenberg: “It actually changed the way I interacted with people who were like on the spectrum … I leaned in and had the conversation.” ([50:25])

8. Michael Jackson, Fame, Accusations, and Biopic Future

[54:06]–[59:01]

• Fun, surreal story from Ray J about hanging out with Michael Jackson and the mythic culture around the superstar.
• The hosts examine the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic sequel and its obligation to address both the investigations and accusations.
  • Quote — Ebro: “As much as I’m like, yo, there was weirdo behavior … he was investigated by the FBI and they found nothing.” ([55:43])
  • Quote — Laura: “If the number one victim you have once was on the complete other side, saying it’s made up … from a court situation, it’s not the ideal person.” ([56:28])
• They predict the next movie will at least have to reference the child abuse allegations and corporate/label drama.

9. Grief, Family Support, and Parenting

[60:10]–[66:56]

• Candid discussion of the ongoing grief process after Laura’s personal tragedy, with advice for callers on balancing family help and new parenthood.
  • Quote — Ebro: “Being a new mom is annoying in so many ways … figuring out what you need from your support peoples takes time … and you’re exhausted.” ([64:30])
• Advice segment for a listener balancing discomfort living with family post-baby.
• Emphasize that self-care is not selfish, and each family must set their own boundaries.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ebro (on “Off the Wall” vs. “Thriller”):
  “Thriller is great, but it’s just a great album … doesn’t have a central theme.” ([04:41])
• Laura:
  “You just like it more because it’s blacker and Thriller’s pop.” ([05:16])
• Laura (on the NYT Songwriters list):
  “Young Thug? New York Times, you’re trying too hard.” ([21:54])
• Ebro (on the “clip economy”):
  “We live in the clip economy. That’s the business. The business everybody’s in.” ([04:12])
• Jay-Z (NYT Interview):
  “Most times I come up with the flow first. I’m trying to work out the pockets and then I’ll fill it with words.” ([31:13])
• Laura (on “Love on the Spectrum”):
  “It changed the way I interacted with people who were like on the spectrum … rather than feeling awkward, lean in and have the conversation.” ([50:25])
• Ebro (on being a new mom):
  “Being a new mom is annoying in so many ways. Postpartum, figuring out what you need from your support, and you’re exhausted … your patience is thin.” ([64:30])
• Rosenberg (on Drake):
  “His music, though, I’ve never seen him compromise or desperately try to seem young on records.” ([44:47])

---

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |---------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:43 | Discussion on the “clip economy” and changes to the show | | 04:34–15:00 | Deep dive: Michael Jackson—Thriller vs. Off the Wall | | 10:00–18:15 | Live callers, community engagement, phone line launch | | 20:29–24:26 | NYT “Greatest Songwriters” list critique | | 31:09 | Jay-Z’s songwriting process (audio excerpt) | | 35:50–36:29 | Rap songwriting vs. pop songwriting debate | | 41:16–41:47 | Jay-Z on authenticity, rumors of shade at Drake | | 48:39–51:56 | “Love on the Spectrum” ethics and positive influence | | 54:06–59:01 | Michael Jackson biopic, allegations, and legacy | | 60:10–66:56 | Family, grief, and parenting dilemmas |

---

Tone & Style

• Conversational, playful, and self-deprecating (hosts frequently roast each other and their own technical struggles).
• Deeply knowledgeable, especially in musical history, lyrics, and hip-hop analysis.
• Community-driven; regular name drops for familiar callers, inside jokes, and gratitude for listener support.
• Unfiltered, warm, and occasionally poignant; blends personal stories, loss, and serious music discussion with frequent humor.

---

Summary Takeaways

• The Ebro, Laura & Rosenberg Show continues to blend humor, deep music knowledge, and raw cultural commentary in its new digital format.
• The evolution to “clip economy” is both a practical pivot and a recurring in-joke.
• Michael Jackson’s album legacy remains a passionate and nuanced debate, stirring both fandom and introspection.
• Songwriting in modern hip-hop is given overdue respect alongside traditional pop.
• The show’s embrace of listeners/call-ins cements its community-first approach.
• The hosts don’t shy away from discussing personal growth, social issues, and tough questions about legends, all while inviting the audience to join the ride.

---

Next up:

• Patreon drop on Michael Jackson movie review (~[59:01])
• Upcoming guests: RZA, Hasan Piker, and more

Stay connected:
X: @theelrshow
TikTok: @ebrolaurarosenberg

Transcript

[Advertiser]

Focus features in Blumhouse Obsession.

[Caller Marley]

When I have a crush on a

[Laura Rosenberg]

guy no one knows, be careful.

[Ebro Darden]

I wish Nikki loved me more than anyone in the entire world.

[Advertiser]

Who you wish for obsession is 96% fresh on rotten Tomatoes.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I love you so so so so much.

[Advertiser]

It's blood soaked nightmare fuel.

[Ebro Darden]

Brooke's blood you put on her.

[Advertiser]

You have been warned. Obsession. Rated R under 17 animated without parent only theaters May 15 with special engagements in Dolby experience.

A membership that backs what you're building with American Express Business platinum. Unlock over $3,500 in business and travel value annually with statement credits on select purchases from brands like Dell, Hilton and Adobe and other benefits. American Express Business Platinum. There's nothing like it. Based on total potential value of statement credits on select purchases and other benefits, enrollments required monthly and other limits and terms apply. Learn [e-mail] Business Platinum. This summer, serve up the cookout classics. Oscar Mayer hot dogs and Heinz mustard. Grill up a dog, add classic yellow mustard or loaded Chicago style. We all know it's not a cookout without Oscar Mayer and Hines.

[Ebro Darden]

Just don't call it a podcast. The Ebro Laura Rosenberg show. It is.

[Hot Rod Rick]

It is.

[Ebro Darden]

It is. Okay, another K. Oh, we got plans. We told y' all we got plans and now we got a phone number. Eight, four, four.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, Eli, that's how you coming out the gate.

[Ebro Darden]

Call the program. You could jump in the chat. You can hit the like button. We could do a whole bunch of stuff.

[Lou]

Stuff.

[Laura Rosenberg]

8, 4, 4. ELR ELR 3.

[Ebro Darden]

Cuz there's three people on the show. Oh ELR ELR 3.

[Laura Rosenberg]

3. So we're going to try this phone line thing today.

[Ebro Darden]

We're going to try. We're going to see how it goes. Yeah, Griffin's on the phone screening to make sure, you know, don't get too crazy. It might get crazy. I feel like the first conversation we should be having today on the E. Bro Rosemer show is are my Michael Jackson takes out of line. Cuz I I honestly would am looking at the comments and I've talked to a number of friends and I had people calling me like calling me like, yo, what's wrong with you? And I was like what are you talking about? They were like, how? What are you saying about Thriller? I was like. And then I was like, wow. They act like I talked about the box bible or something. Like this is like, this is like let's not.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean listen, you're trolling.

[Ebro Darden]

What do you mean? I'm not algo hustling I was cracking jokes with my friend about an album

[Laura Rosenberg]

that I love, but once we put it up, we're algorithm hustling.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, yeah. Cause Lou and them cut it to. Made it look like I didn't like Thriller.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. But Baskin took out the best joke. So he's on my.

[Ebro Darden]

The McRib joke.

[Laura Rosenberg]

How you take out the McRib joke.

[Ebro Darden]

My guy, he explained why. Because it was about Paul McCartney and. And we were like, trying to. A few weeks ago, we were, like, being protective of Paul McCartney because of Apple and Paul and the Beatles. And so he thought that. That McRib joke, that was a call he made.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean, listen, I respect making a call. It's the wrong call. The girl is mine being called the McRib is. I think Paul will be just fine.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. Matter of fact, I don't even know if Paul likes that song anymore after what happened.

[Laura Rosenberg]

We know with him and Mike, he probably hates it more than Ebro does. But anyway, it was algorithm. Once we put it up there.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, no, once you put anything up, you're doing it for the clip economy. We live in the clip. It's all about clip.

[Laura Rosenberg]

By the way. Everyone buckle up. I got. I got a sense that clip economy is going to be moving around this show quite a bit. Like, almost as much as algorithm hustling. Because it's come up the last couple days. And it's a really hard.

[Ebro Darden]

Because I heard that's what people are called. I think that's the term.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's a great way. Boy. And we're so in it that I just.

[Ebro Darden]

It's our life.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, the clip economies.

[Ebro Darden]

We do clips every day. We got shorts, we got clips where I'll go hustling. That's the business.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And the business everybody's in, by the

[Ebro Darden]

way, we're late to the business.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Because that's why we left the last situation.

[Laura Rosenberg]

They didn't want to participate.

[Ebro Darden]

They wasn't playing the clip game.

[Laura Rosenberg]

They were like, we don't want to be a part of this clip economy. In fact. In fact, we want to be a part of no economy. So here we are. But. So were people really upset?

[Ebro Darden]

Well, that's why I wanted to take calls. Am I out of line for saying that?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Thriller to you is great, but it doesn't have a theme. And it's not like it's meaningless.

[Ebro Darden]

It's just a great album.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Meaningless is like.

[Ebro Darden]

It doesn't like off the wall.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Pimple, Butterfly.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, no, but it's not even off the wall. It doesn't have a central theme.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Off the Wall has a genre theme. And Thriller is pop.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, no, but off the Wall also has like a. And I'm in a place. I'm in a location. I'm in New York, and here's the sound, and I'm getting people off the wall. And I'm. I'm. I'm dancing and I'm partying, and it's going in that direction.

[Laura Rosenberg]

All right, we're not gonna act like that's the most.

[Ebro Darden]

It's not songs in the Kia life.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Not exactly.

[Ebro Darden]

Not at all. But I'm just saying there's a central theme.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I think you just like it more because it's blacker and thrillers pop.

[Ebro Darden]

There's more songs on it that I like. That's honestly what it came down to for me.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But.

[Ebro Darden]

But also he said no because Thriller has black records, bro. Like, amazing record.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But it has. The girl is mine also, which is I. She knows she's really mine. Michael, I don't believe someone online. The first ever.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Hold on, hold on.

[Laura Rosenberg]

This is big. You want the first ever caller on the show.

[Ebro Darden]

Four four elr. ELR three. Who is it? Grip? Juby. Jubie's on the ELR show. Good morning. Juby.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Come on.

[Ebro Darden]

Come on. Griff, what are you doing? You said you was ready, Man. Come on, bro. That was anticlimactic.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And now if he's gonna be over there, by the way, it might have to be that. There's a mic that goes all the way to the DJ booth.

[Ebro Darden]

And he said it's fine.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yelling out is great.

[Ebro Darden]

We do understand. I actually have an interface here that I could put up, but. Juby, what's going on? Sir?

[Caller Juby]

Miss, it's actually a ma'.

[Caller Moreno]

Am.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, sorry. Sorry, Juby. My bad.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I don't know why he went, man, with Juby. I knew it was a lady. How are you, Jujubee?

[Caller Juby]

Well, how are you both doing? It's so nice to speak to you.

[Ebro Darden]

Good to talk to you. To Juby, where you call us from.

[Caller Juby]

Okay, so I don't know if you guys remember, but I called when you guys were on the plantation, so I'm juvie from Westchester.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay? Westchester.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You gave.

[Caller Juby]

You guys gave me tickets to the. I told Griff it was mob deep, but it was a raekwon show that took place in December.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Did you ever get the tickets from the station?

[Caller Juby]

I had to fight with Live Nation. I called. I called a couple of times and I spoke to somebody who spoke to somebody, and I finally got the tickets that Was amazing.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, it is. Oh, good. We're glad to hear that. We got it worked out.

[Ebro Darden]

Raekwon, too.

[Caller Juby]

Yeah, yeah, it was great. And he brought out so many people. It was such a good show. So I just want to call congratulate you all. You know, I'm following you. Just so happy for you. And it takes so much strength to be able to move away from something like relatively secure, I guess, or name that was created. But for you all to go out on your own, you should just be so proud of yourselves. And, you know, the El army is with you along the way. And also, you know, very much condolences to Laura and to your whole family for the loss this week.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Juby, thank you.

[Ebro Darden]

Thank you for the call.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's awesome. Juby, the first ever caller on on the El.

[Ebro Darden]

And it was positive.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

And she eventually want to talk about

[Laura Rosenberg]

Michael Jackson and she eventually got her tickets.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, and I wanted to also tell the audience out there, the El army, we have the RZA this week.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, you bet your ace we do. Speaking of Wu Tang, you know, Friday Riz is coming through.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. Pulling up and hanging out. He's got a movie dropping this week. Was it Spoonful of Chocolate? Spoon full of chocolate. Yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Now, did anybody tell Bascom that if we're gonna. Or Baskeem. Did anyone start telling Bascom that if we start taking phone calls, we're gonna need to have some sort of graphic that goes up with the person.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm just gonna bring that up after the show where their name pops up.

[Laura Rosenberg]

We're have to figure out a thing.

[Ebro Darden]

A little sound meter. Do you have like a little sound meter you could use? We could test graphics. Right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Even if it just says on the phone, you got to have a little something.

[Ebro Darden]

A little Jubie on the phone.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. This is something to think about.

[Ebro Darden]

I don't know if Ron's put. I don't know if Ron Rahaan's production.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Guess what. Guess what. No, his name's now Ron. That's like his Americanized. I just want to fit in name. My name's Rahsaan Bascom. They call me Ron.

[Ebro Darden]

Ron works.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Ron works. Covers a lot of ground.

[Ebro Darden]

Drop a couple of vows as well.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So. So I just want to say back to the Michael thing. None of your takes sniffed. What? I saw a friend, someone who I like. Now, he is an algorithm hustler.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But seeing Punch jump on Beyonce's Twitter machine off the wall in Thriller, neither of them is as good as bad is the craziest thing ever. Written on the Internet. Now you. I love you punch. You cannot do that. You're trying too hard, bro. You can't. You're gonna hurt yourself. You're gonna. By the way, you're getting up there just like us. You be careful because you will pull something doing something like that. That is a stretch. That will. Ow.

[Caller Moreno]

Oh.

[Ebro Darden]

Pop the Achilles.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You might pop an Achilles. Saying bad is better. No, no. There's not even an argument to design where the Sonics even can make sense.

[Ebro Darden]

Only a person. It's only his personal truth. That's all he can rock with on that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Is it. Is it really his personal.

[Ebro Darden]

No. And it's all you could rock with.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's all it could be.

[Ebro Darden]

It's all. Because there's not a metric you could gather.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, well, guess what? In the words of Paul McCartney, I don't believe you. See, that's insane.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, who we got?

[Laura Rosenberg]

We got BKNY and Hot Rod Rick.

[Ebro Darden]

Bkny. Let's hear from BKNY before we go to Hot Rod Rick's first time on the show. Bkny. What's poppin.

[Caller Juby]

Hey, hey, hey.

[Caller Marley]

This is Marley for Life. Congratulations on the new platform. I'm at work, so I gotta talk really fast.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay, go.

[Caller Marley]

Sorry for your loss. Losing someone so suddenly. Prayers for all of y'.

[Laura Rosenberg]

All.

[Ebro Darden]

Thank you.

[Caller Marley]

I will say, eo, your take on Mike is not wrong and the Thriller album, because the Thriller album was kind of all over the place.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. That's all I'm saying.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It is.

[Caller Marley]

That's. Yeah, that's an easy take. Well, all over the place. There's not one consistent theme on the album.

[Ebro Darden]

But it. But. But once again, doesn't remove how phenomenal it is. And it's. And really, I remember going through it. Thank you, Marley, for your call and thank you for the love. And thanks for watching and listening at work. When you go through it, Thriller has more skips than off the wall. That's really hot. It really just came down to that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It does.

[Ebro Darden]

Does. Is Thriller more meaningful in how we. And hyper fandom.

[Laura Rosenberg]

All the things.

[Ebro Darden]

All the. All of the, like. You know, it's the biggest entertainment business metrics. Sure. But that. That never sways me anyway. And I think I. And because I'm such an algo hustler troll, I end up cracking jokes about Thriller because I know it's going to send people into a tizzy. Like they just can't believe you're fixing your lips.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean, just go through it real quick. Want to be starting something perfect. Can't be any Love it. Baby, be mine. Basically perfect. It's fantastic. The girl is mine.

[Ebro Darden]

Woof. We all agree.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No one's trying to listen to it. Thriller, I split the difference with you. I do like to hear it sometimes, but I'm not listening to it every day.

[Ebro Darden]

Are you listening to the entire thing? All the way through to Vincent Price on the outro and the laugh.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm not saying I never would, but it's not.

[Ebro Darden]

But it's generally around the season.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Halloween, it's around the season.

[Ebro Darden]

And by the way, I want to say I like Thriller. Like, I think it's a great song. But. But I get into it, I'm like, what are we talking about? Yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Without the video, what am I doing here? Without the horror movie around. Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

What are we talking about? And then so. And then, you know, there's the whole convo. And I acknowledge his convo where he's saying he's gonna thrill her tonight. Right?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Stop. That's not what the song feels like at all. Anyone saying there's any sexiness to that song.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, so that's my rebuttal. Always. Which is. So you mean to tell me, in the process of you thrilling this woman tonight, you decided to go full horror movie and scare her?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, that could be a sign of Michael's confusion around how you act with the ladies. And something evil's lurking in the dark. That's just not how people like to think of things. And then the opposite of that, or maybe the same thing, Beat it comes right after that. But again, how often do I feel like hearing that as an adult?

[Ebro Darden]

And if the theme is, I'm going to throw her tonight, and then I

[Laura Rosenberg]

beat it, then it didn't work out.

[Ebro Darden]

It was still all bad.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Okay. But then you get back to back after that, though, you go, Billie Jean, Human nature. Pyt.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, my goodness.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Lady in my life.

[Ebro Darden]

Incredible.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But that's it. And then we're out.

[Ebro Darden]

Album's done.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's done in 40 minutes.

[Ebro Darden]

And by the way, the most popular songs on the album, I think chart wise, Thriller. Beat it. Right. Those are like the big ones. And even the Girl is mine.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, I think Billie Jean's number, the biggest one now.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, Billie Jean.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So I think Billie Jean's the biggest.

[Ebro Darden]

Bigger than Thriller.

[Laura Rosenberg]

When you go on like his. If you search it on Apple Music, it'll probably come up as the biggest song.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay. And by the way, I'm glad that happened. Billie Jean's phenomenal.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, I think Billie Jean's the one. But when you listen to the kid, my son.

[Ebro Darden]

But off the Wall, bro, Go track for track.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Don't stop till you get enough amazing rock with you. How about this? This album's so good that Rock with you is one where I'm kind of like, I'm tired of hearing Rock with youh. I don't know if I need to hear that right now. And that's Rock With You. That's not Thriller. It's a great record.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Working day and night. I mean, get on the Floor. Fantastic. Maybe. Maybe because it changes over the years. My current favorite on the whole thing.

[Ebro Darden]

Off the Wall, incredible record.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Girlfriend. Girlfriend's the worst wreck. It's the worst one on it.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's the closest to the Girl is mine.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay. I mean, I'll give you that. I don't. I can't. There's another record I. I dislike more on there, which is. What's the.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, it's not. She's Out Of My Life.

[Ebro Darden]

No, she. She's Out Of My Life. I love.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And it's not. I Can't Help it.

[Ebro Darden]

Nope, it ain't.

[Laura Rosenberg]

If it's Falling In Love, it's Falling In Love.

[Ebro Darden]

It.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I like that one. And then Burn this Disco out is

[Ebro Darden]

the last one I could deliver without. Burn this Disco Out. That's probably my least favorite on the album, and that's even.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. Burn this Disco out is like going back to the disco well, one more time. And it's like I'm kind of.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, maybe it's. Someone put it to me. A friend of mine put it to me this way. He said, so you just like Quincy Jones's album more than you like Michael Jackson's album? Because Quincy Jones, I think, led on off the Wall. Michael Jackson led on Thriller.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Just based on what we all say and make up, it sounds good.

[Ebro Darden]

I mean, that's what this person said.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I got news for you. Quincy did a lot on all those two. And bad.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He had. He had his. He had his say.

[Ebro Darden]

Who'd you have on the line there, Grip? Hot Rod Rick. First time caller to the ELR show. Hot Rod Rick was popping. He playing Sweet Child of Mine. You gonna get us kicked off the Internet, Yo.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Go.

[Ebro Darden]

What's happening, Goony?

[Hot Rod Rick]

No fear.

[Ebro Darden]

Hot Rod Rick is here.

[Laura Rosenberg]

What's good, Rick?

[Hot Rod Rick]

It's only right. It's a Wednesday. You heard me.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, it is. That's right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It is. It's Wednesday.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Come on. You know I had to call up, bro. Waking up, smelling the sweet smell of gunpowder in the air out here. In the town.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, it's hot over there in Patterson, huh?

[Hot Rod Rick]

Ah, it's rough over here, man. It's rough. It's rough. How y' all doing? Gone.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm chilling, man. How you feel about the ELR show? You've been a big supporter. I want to say love you for the way you've supported the program on social media. Even though we just now getting to the phone calls. And I think we are several weeks yet, but some weeks away from getting to a full whitish Wednesday on Patreon.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, we're going to get there soon.

[Hot Rod Rick]

N percent the people want it going. I just love being part of it. I love being able to help you out.

[Lou]

Going.

[Hot Rod Rick]

You know how I go. It's all love. I stick with my people. Loyalty is everything. Go.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, man, how you like the phone number? Is it easy to remember? 844ELR.ELR3ELR3.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Easy as hell to dial. But I'm going tell you this goney, y' all hold music, bro. It sounds like something that would have been played in a bathroom on the time.

[Ebro Darden]

Nice. The whole music's terrible.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Yeah. Y' all gotta do something about that whole music.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I didn't know that you've heard the.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, I was told what it was, and I was trying to work on some solutions yesterday, but we haven't quite figured out how to solve that whole music. But eventually it might be something like, hey, you've called the ELR show. Please hold for a second while we get to your call.

[Hot Rod Rick]

I gotta do something about the music because it's terrible. That's interesting that they'll play like, in a Forever 21 fitting room.

[Ebro Darden]

No, it's just regular degular old music.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The call. Every time, Every call we've had that.

[Lou]

This is it.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, I don't know what that is. We got to figure that out. There it is again.

[Hot Rod Rick]

I appreciate y' all with the low down, bro. I hope y' all love it.

[Ebro Darden]

Y' all know that now that lowdown, yo, Hot Rod Rick came with this intro.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Thanks, Ray.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Time for the low down.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yo.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Condolences to all y' all, too, man. Condolences, man.

[Ebro Darden]

N. It's love, bro.

[Hot Rod Rick]

I hit her up personally, bro. Cause I felt bad, man. That's terrible. Tragic.

[Ebro Darden]

Terrible. N. It's hard, man. There's. There's no way around how hard it is. And Laura. Laura's definitely working with the family of our beloved lady shells. And we're getting ready for services this week and just a lot to deal with. So hopefully Laura Will be in the mood to come hang out, but it's very hard right now and.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Yo, Goony gone. Now that I got you right here. Gone. No, I'm always available if y' all got a little street team. Y' all need interviews.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, we might be hitting you up, man. You know, a man on the streets work, you know what I'm saying?

[Hot Rod Rick]

Yo, you know, a hot rod on the streets. Cause you know how that's gonna go.

[Ebro Darden]

Listen, yo, when we get our paper up a little bit more, then we can, you know, have a little budget for you, something.

[Caller Moreno]

Yo, boom.

[Hot Rod Rick]

We just gotta talk, man.

[Ebro Darden]

You know how Goldberg just got chat.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Come on, man.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, shout out that Instagram to get it popping.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Oh, I was gonna tell you.

[Caller Moreno]

Yo, you know how I go, goon.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Make sure y' all follow me. Hot Rod Rick.

[Caller Moreno]

Official.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Official platforms. You heard?

[Caller Moreno]

Y' all want more lives.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Y' all want to see wild content. Y' all want to hear about music? Because I am a real music guru. Stop playing with me. No, he is everybody in the chat that always be hitting me up.

[Ebro Darden]

Nice love. Now, Hot Rod Rick. Hot Rod Rick. For the naysayers and the haters out there that don't believe I'm a. I'm the biggest Drake fan on the show, talk to him on my behalf, because you're a big Drake fan.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Hey, yo, it's ovo Rick, fam. You cheese me, dog. Come on. Come on, Cody. Y' all know ovo May 15th. Yo, it's no longer New Holiday Alert. It ain't Cinco de Mayo. Now it's Quince de Mayo. New Holiday Alert.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right. Iceman Cometh. Let's go, Rick.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Iceman's gonna be a cold. I know weather, man, but it's gonna be a cold May.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, thanks, Rick.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Thanks, Rick.

[Ebro Darden]

That guy has a lot of fun in life.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Thrill is terrible. Thrillers are terrible.

[Ebro Darden]

Now you've gone too far.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, you're gone too far.

[Ebro Darden]

Now you're gone too far. Yo,

[Laura Rosenberg]

anytime we try to wrap Rick up anyway, his next word is always a yo. Which is always the beginning of a new thought. Thriller is terrible. Is way too far.

[Ebro Darden]

No, it's too far.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm not going that far. Speaking of, I just remembered this. So I had stove got on on my shade 45 debut. Yeah, and I asked him about the album, and he claims it's coming soon. Within, like, weeks.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, weeks.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Okay. But if you go look at the comments on all of the posts that I put up about it, there's a vast Skepticism that this is the case.

[Ebro Darden]

And their skepticism is just based on the fact that they've been waiting for a long time.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah. And like, they. And they. And he. I guess he said this now multiple times, that here's a date. Date comes, goes, oh, it's coming soon.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

At one point he said to me, he said, well, what day is the drake? I said, May 15th. He said, yeah, yeah. So before or after that? I went, well, that's, that's, that's the rest of life. That's between now and eternity, sir. You could literally say it's been before Iceman Cometh or after Iceman Cometh is the rest of attorney. So. So we'll see.

[Ebro Darden]

Yesterday, the New York Times Magazine, I believe that's who it was. Was, Right. New York Times. Let's go with New York Times. Go to slide 9. Throw this up for me there, Bascom. Ron Bascom.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Let's see the slide.

[Ebro Darden]

Big Jay Z was listed here in the New York Times. 30 Greatest Living American songwriters.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Did they talk to a bunch of them, by the way?

[Ebro Darden]

Yes. I saw Mariah Carey and I saw Jay Z video.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Those are the ones that made it to our world. But I wonder if there's a bunch more.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, I don't. I didn't go actively looking, but let me see the slide of who's listed here. Yeah, that's why I asked for nine. Number nine first. Smokey, Diane Warren, Bad Bunny, Romeo Santos, Outcast, Big Face, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Paul Simon, the Dream. Now, obviously, I don't read well, so the first thing I almost. I almost jumped out the window. Missy Elliot, Taylor.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's. That's kind of crazy to me.

[Ebro Darden]

What? Young Thug.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Young Thug.

[Ebro Darden]

Young Thug was crazy.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. Young New York Times. You're trying too hard, bro.

[Ebro Darden]

Sometimes Stevie Wonder, like 1000%.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's an easy. That's an easy one. That's not hard.

[Ebro Darden]

Mariah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean, listen, Mariah did write All I want for Christmas is you.

[Ebro Darden]

It's.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's a crazy.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, I didn't read good enough because I saw songwriters. I skipped over American and Living, and I was like, no Mike, no Prince, no Drake.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's a weird. He's Canadian.

[Ebro Darden]

He's Canadian. The other two are passed.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It is interesting. I didn't know Billy Joel had passed.

[Ebro Darden]

Billy Joel's not up there.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, Young Thug is. I didn't know Billy had passed. That's a. That's a hell of a run he had with the amount of Hits that

[Ebro Darden]

maybe Billy Joel's not American. He's New York.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I guess he's too New York, because I was. I would. That surprised me. It's mostly fine. A couple of try hard that you expect to get the people going, but it's mostly pretty.

[Ebro Darden]

You mean they're algo hustling?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, always. You got to have a couple that made people go, what? But I'm fine with. I'm sure if we sat down though, and talked about the biggest misses. I'm sure there are some crazy misses on there now.

[Ebro Darden]

And we're sure Billy Joel wrote all that stuff. Yeah, positive.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

No, not a collaboration.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm not. Everybody on there's collaborated.

[Ebro Darden]

I mean, just asking questions.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm right. Carey collaborated.

[Ebro Darden]

Absolutely.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Jimmy Jim and Terry Lewis definitely collaborate. They don't write every word of every.

[Ebro Darden]

And the dream obviously is up there. Because he's collaborated with Rihanna and Beyonce

[Laura Rosenberg]

and he is a collaborator. When they make these lists though, are they referring. Because like Jay Z, you're talking about lyrics, songwriters. So it's literally just songwriting. Yeah, literally just writing.

[Ebro Darden]

Well. And it's interesting you said that because I've had a qualm to a little bone to pick with us as just how we see songwriting. The complexities of writing the way rappers write, like a Nas, a Jay, a Kendrick, a Drake, you know, Cole. Writing these like very vivid, dense, lyrical things that people can still sing along with is much harder in some ways than it is to just write a melodic tune that's very. Not as lyrically dense.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I might argue the opposite.

[Ebro Darden]

And some would.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Because to do it. Because with the density, you have the flexibility of a lot of words to use. Dropping a true story with less words. With way less words. And it needs to be just in the melody. That's hard. That's really hard.

[Ebro Darden]

It's very hard.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Both are really hard.

[Ebro Darden]

Both are hard in different ways. Yeah, but I don't think that rappers get there just do. As songwriters. Enough.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Agreed. And then. And now you decided to throw Young Thug up. Of all the incredible. J. Cole's not on there.

[Ebro Darden]

That was for. Yeah, true.

[Laura Rosenberg]

If you're going to. If we're going to look.

[Ebro Darden]

But I don't. What can somebody find out what their rank, what their filter was? How do they decide? How did they boil this down? What was it? Voters.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Voters. They just had people vote.

[Ebro Darden]

Got it. Listen, I got news for y', all because there's a generational shift, as there should be. And when you're asking people under 30 to vote on Music, depending on how much of them you have in your, you know, your. What's that called? Your, you know, test group, your sample size. It can really change things. Oh yeah, it can really change things. I experienced that when I was working on the 100 best for Apple Music and number one shook out. They out of votes was miseducation of Lauryn Hill came in at number one and Michael Jackson came in at number two. But a lot of that was based on how people were answering the question, which was, what are the 100 best albums that changed your life affected you the most?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ebro Darden]

And so I don't know how they framed the question or people voted, but depending on the sample size, there are individuals that you will talk to that young thug they believe is one of the most dynamic hip hop artists, you know, next to Drake.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Cool. I just want you to make sure that those aren't the people in my life. You know what I mean? Those aren't the people who are.

[Ebro Darden]

You can't cut yourself off from the Utes, man.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Who are making the playlist at my house at least.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Because I.

[Ebro Darden]

You don't want them in your 1950s jukebox.

[Laura Rosenberg]

1961 Rockholder Regis, which is currently down. It's not.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, wow.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's been.

[Ebro Darden]

You gotta send it out again.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's not. No. I'm waiting for the guy to come to me and he's got a backlog and it's just taking time and I'm just waiting.

[Ebro Darden]

How many times have you had to have this thing fixed now?

[Laura Rosenberg]

When I first got it, sent it out immediately, which was annoying. And then I've had. This would be the second time someone's come since then. Talking about over 10 years.

[Ebro Darden]

So it's not bad.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, I mean it's. It's like owning an old car.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, and I'm only asking too because, you know, I'm in the process of moving and I've thought about a jukebox.

[Laura Rosenberg]

They're the best. It's the coolest thing ever.

[Ebro Darden]

What is generally the issue that you have? Is it the same issue or.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no, this is a new one. This is. It's smoking.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

This is a problem. No, it's not what you want. File. File it under things you do not want. And so we. He's. He has some ideas of what it could be coming from based on the location of the smoke, when it's happening, etc. But then he's gonna have to go look through it. I'm hoping when he Looks in it. He can like see a burnt coil and go, oh, let's replace it anyways. But there's so many. You could get newer ones. I will also say, as I've gotten older, even though I used to shun them back in the day.

[Ebro Darden]

Why did you shun them?

[Laura Rosenberg]

I used to shun the CD jukebox because at the time I'm like, I don't want a CD jukebox. I want the vinyl jukebox. Now, the CD jukebox is a crazy relic that's gone in people and it's not even like lauded the same way because it's not vinyl. But think about how dope it is. Do you still have your CD collection at all?

[Ebro Darden]

I do.

[Laura Rosenberg]

If you're someone who has your CD collection. The dope thing about the CD jukebox is it's full albums. You put 200 CDs in a CD jukebox, you got thousands of songs to play. You know what I mean? But again, sound wise, it's not going to give you that. That vinyl, that warmth. That warmth. But it is pretty cool.

[Ebro Darden]

What do we got? Griff Moreno, the man. Oh, Moreno the man. Listen, you deserve. You deserve our time. Right now. You paying for a cool hundred dollars on this program at least. Moreno, what's poppin, yo?

[Caller Moreno]

What's poppin?

[Ebro Darden]

How you doing, sir? Thanks for all the contributions to keeping the ELR show going.

[Caller Moreno]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Hot Rod Rick]

You.

[Caller Moreno]

I mean, you're welcome, dog. No problem. You guys and Tony Stars on your unexpected loss.

[Ebro Darden]

What you eating this morning? What you having for breakfast, man?

[Caller Moreno]

I'm having some green grapes.

[Ebro Darden]

Green grapes. Love those green grapes.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, solid.

[Ebro Darden]

Moreno, where do you call us from?

[Caller Moreno]

Hello?

[Ebro Darden]

Where are you calling from

[Caller Moreno]

right now? Well, I live in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Okay, from Washington Heights.

[Ebro Darden]

There you go. All right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Found your way down to the home of Mets training camp, huh?

[Caller Moreno]

Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, the. The Mets training camp. I'm not. I'm. I'm your typical New Yorker that left New York and went to Florida to get fat.

[Ebro Darden]

Look, yo, Moreno, man, we appreciate you always supporting our program, bro.

[Caller Moreno]

Yo, yo, B. I'll be listening to you guys every morning like I'm watching something. I'm listening to something right now. And I had to put that on pause to get to you guys. And then I'll get back to what I was doing.

[Ebro Darden]

Nice. Love, Marina.

[Laura Rosenberg]

What time you get up every day?

[Caller Moreno]

Like around 4:35?

[Laura Rosenberg]

I had a hunch he's already up and at it. By the time he gets to our

[Ebro Darden]

show, and what do you do for a living, man?

[Caller Moreno]

I drive a truck. A garbage truck.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, shout out to the truck driver. Shout out to the sanitation workers. Yo, Moreno, man.

[Caller Moreno]

Yeah, man.

[Ebro Darden]

You're a good man, man. We appreciate we're able to have 8, 4, 4, ELR. ELR 3 because of all your super chat donations.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Thank you, bro.

[Caller Moreno]

Yo, by the way, by the way, by the way, I wanna. I wanna hit the guy that picked up the phone with the button.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, that's Griff.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played yourself.

[Caller Juby]

Why?

[Laura Rosenberg]

What'd he do?

[Ebro Darden]

What'd he do? Moreno.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He's gone.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, man, we lost him.

[Laura Rosenberg]

We love Moreno the man.

[Ebro Darden]

I think Griff hung up on him over there.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I think there's some function maybe Griff is doing that's creating the sound, the beeps. Yeah, like maybe he's picking up other calls or it's the sound of other calls ringing or something like that.

[Ebro Darden]

Maybe we'll figure it out. It's our first day. ELR3.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Ebro Darden]

8, 4, 4, ELR. ELR3. You can call the program about whatever you got going on. Uh, Rahsaan. Let's watch HOV in his songwriter's video.

[Lou]

It's a flow state. It's like, I can't explain it. I'll happen upon a word and I'm like, man, I don't even know how I knew that word. Especially earlier. Or some type of vibe will come through. And I'll say, why does that work so perfectly? I'm sure other writers gonna relate to this.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm out for president

[Lou]

Most times I come up with the flow first. I'm trying to work out the pockets and then I'll fill it with words.

[Ebro Darden]

I went from lukewarm to hot.

[Lou]

Sleeping on futons and Cos we knew Rakim, you know, come from a jazz background, we understood the. I got a Tillery lyric, Enamel D. So he's. He's mimicking a horn. But Biggie was so unorthodox that it was like, jesus.

[Ebro Darden]

The Notorious.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Just please us with your liberal visa.

[Lou]

See, that's just jazz. Black and ugly as ever. And then the word, one word was so powerful. However, Black and ugly as ever. However, anything he said after that was going to be amazing. Those are little tricks as a writer that, you know, everyone's trying to accomplish, to make a word mean more. Triple entendre. Quadruple entendre. That's when I feel like I'm at my best. I'm always writing. It never goes off. Teenage years. My mom had Got me this notebook, and I was just writing and used to be sideways and slanted and just like a mess. And I was writing really small because I didn't want anybody to read what I was writing. And as I moved further away from house, it was hard to, like, hold these things. I had to retain these thoughts. I didn't write anymore. I would lose so much great material. Like, All the material that's on Reasonable Doubt was pretty much already, like, in my head. You know, you can pin yourself in the corner and say, I'm gonna write a song about, you know, alcohol. A lyrical exercise is a better example. So now I'm just gonna take all these references, you know, about bars and sit ups and chin ups and things, and I'm gonna make it make sense. And it can't be corny.

[Ebro Darden]

Bring your squad, biceps, triceps, and corners.

[Lou]

When you take one of your arms and you tie behind your back, that's a. That's a. A challenge. But it's a challenge as a writer that you.

[Advertiser]

You.

[Lou]

You relish and you want a big yacht. Alexis bragging about money. Those are just. Those are props, those. That's not the engine. That's not the emotion that my music is running on the foundation of the struggle.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It was the whole interview.

[Lou]

You know, I'll fight to be recognized in a country that doesn't see us in that light. When you walk in the room, you ain't walking in. Just. Just a solo. You representing the history of what's been done in this country. And it don't have to be all loud. It's like every second of the day, but it's there. It's like air. No, but I like that metaphor. It's like, air was really good.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, I like that.

[Lou]

I'm put that one in my pocket later.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He looks great, by the way. Jay looks very healthy right now. He's happy, you know, he looks like he's in the gym. He looks good. He looks good.

[Ebro Darden]

It's probably working out. He's on that treadmill.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He's got time.

[Ebro Darden]

You know what I'm saying? Maybe he's lifting.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He looks good. It's really interesting thing about G. Have

[Ebro Darden]

you seen him look bad?

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, but he looked noticeably good to me. Oh, hey, yo. But you get the idea.

[Ebro Darden]

I get what you're saying.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Looks very healthy.

[Ebro Darden]

Shout out to ho.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, there's a glow there. I was just talking about this with Stove. God, about Jay's first album, because that's his favorite album. Stove named his big first album Reasonable Drought. After that, after Reasonable Doubt Jay's development, when you think about that just a few years earlier, he was on the da da da da da da da da da.

[Ebro Darden]

To get to Reasonable Doubt, you mean

[Laura Rosenberg]

it's only a few year period. He's a completely different dude. Like, he's just.

[Ebro Darden]

He's a very smart individual, that guy. And like he said, he was always writing from young, so I think he probably had. He was doing the da da da da da da because he thought that that's what was popular at the time.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, and it was. It was pushing. He was pushing the. It was a effortful way of rhyming. Yeah, right.

[Ebro Darden]

And I think flipping to what we get on Reasonable Doubt was probably the poetry and the writing that he probably was always doing. Cuz isn't he like a. A big cane cool G rap like, that's his damn Rakim.

[Cam Newton / Ray J]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

And Rakim, that's like his. His study up bag. And those dudes who's been telling stories. Vivid tales.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I like what he pointed out too, though, about the. About big. Because little things like that. The Jesus, the Notorious just. It is.

[Ebro Darden]

Well. And I think that's what I'm going to. When I talk about the complexity of rapping and the density of lyrics, but creating something that flows where people are following along in a song.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And in that way, Young Thug does fit.

[Ebro Darden]

Right?

[Laura Rosenberg]

In that way. I get why you. I still am surprised that they had 250 voters, music insiders, and six New York Times writers. I'm still surprised Young thug made the 30 of the best living American songwriters. But yes, he can do those things very well.

[Ebro Darden]

Right. And they were probably. When you talk about songwriters over Future,

[Laura Rosenberg]

like, Future is not as good a rapper, but Future has so many better songs. To me.

[Ebro Darden]

No, but when you say so, and I guess when you say song and better song, what are you talking about? Are you talking about Catchy? Are you talking about.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I guess I am talking about catchy songs I'd want to listen to.

[Ebro Darden]

Right? Y' all got ability or complexity. Whether we're gonna. You talk.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Y'.

[Hot Rod Rick]

All.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Y' all need to move. That dope is not really incredible, but it's. But I. But I love it more than any Young Thug record. So it's. It's. How do you, by the way, push a T or the clips in general.

[Ebro Darden]

Right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Really great songwriters. But I had. Yo. My friend Alan Hahn referenced a song yesterday that made me laugh so hard. I was like, how have we not broken it? Got me mad because I could tell it's a joke he has. And I'm like, that should be our joke. How have we not talked about this more?

[Ebro Darden]

What song?

[Laura Rosenberg]

He went. Him and Monica McNutt were talking about

[Ebro Darden]

the shout out to Monica McNutt. Can we have her on the show?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Sure. Yeah. Easy. I mean, I don't know if she'd get up and come in during this season. We gotta wait. Probably wait till the basketball season ends.

[Ebro Darden]

That's what I meant. Like, at some point, maybe there's a virtual.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, virtual. Easy. I'm sure that'd be easy. She'd love to.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm sure, man, she's so good, man.

[Laura Rosenberg]

She's crushing it. She's crushing it. She's on the radio every day doing the games. No, but, like, bro, on tv, she's amazing. But if you listen to her do color commentary on radio for Nick.

[Ebro Darden]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Laura Rosenberg]

She's so good.

[Ebro Darden]

She's really.

[Laura Rosenberg]

She's going to be in rarefied air one day. Listen, don't gas her. She's already moving so fast.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, what do you mean?

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, she's so good. I just want to pace it because this. She's going to be around forever.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, like she's newish.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean, no, she's now seasoned. But, dude, she's young relative. I'm, you know, I'm in my mid-40s. Monica's in her early 30s.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, she just passed you, that's all. She's just dead nice. Sometimes people just. Nice, bro. And you just gotta know that. No, she is what it is.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm just saying this. Her. Her Runway is incredibly long. She's gonna be so good.

[Ebro Darden]

Nah, she. Bro.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Anyways.

[Ebro Darden]

And I'm gonna tell you another thing about Monica McNutt.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I just think you want to keep saying McNutt.

[Ebro Darden]

No, I wasn't trying to play one name. Cause I'm sure people do all the time, and I'm not doing it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I guess you're right.

[Ebro Darden]

Her tone. That's the one.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Ah, now we're getting to Ebro talk.

[Ebro Darden]

Because, you know, I'm big on that voice, textures, tones, pacing, delivery, you know, articulation.

[Laura Rosenberg]

She's got. She's got a very.

[Ebro Darden]

Nah, bro. That's unique.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It cuts through.

[Ebro Darden]

She does. No one sounds like her.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Nope. Nobody's also not effortful, and it's just who she is. But it's. No, she's really good. She's super talented. They were talking about something about the Knicks Hawk series, and Alan went. He used some basketball phrase, and he's like, yeah, but that's basically, you know, when you diss Dre, you diss yourself. And it stopped me, and I went, that line is insane, that he went, nah. Because when you diss Dre, you diss yourself.

[Caller Juby]

It.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I know what he means, but it's an insane thing to say. Imagine.

[Ebro Darden]

I love it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, it's so good. Someone comes in, it's like, bro, I'm gonna let you do your thing, but if you diss me, you really dissing yourself. It doesn't make sense, but it does.

[Ebro Darden]

But it does.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I know.

[Ebro Darden]

Cause I'm the God. I'm the goat. I'm the great one. If you're dissing me, you really carried you this far.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You really dissing yourself.

[Ebro Darden]

You're really dissing yourself.

[Caller Juby]

Oh.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Cause I guess he could be talking specifically about Eazy. He probably is at that time.

[Ebro Darden]

At that time.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. Cause I'm saying it in a general way. Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

No, Dre was, I think, talking about Eazy, but he was talking about nwa, and he's talking about probably LA Hip hop. And he's talking about anybody coming at

[Laura Rosenberg]

him like, well, at that point, it's post. It's Ice Cube's gone, too. Everybody's gone.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. So, like, if you diss Dre, you diss yourself. I brought y' all this far.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Did you see. Did you see people analyzing the dap between Dre and Game the other day?

[Ebro Darden]

No. You guys see that in my algo.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Lou, Ron, anybody?

[Ebro Darden]

You don't like Ron Bascom? It's close to Ron Burgundy, though, and he's a legend, and you do kind of say crazy stuff like Ron Burgundy.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So should we just save it for. How about this? If he doesn't like it, I'm not going to disrespect someone. Call him out their name. Even though I really enjoy doing that. I love a nickname for someone when they don't ask for it. It's my favorite thing. But I know I don't want people

[Ebro Darden]

to hit me with McNutt, particularly.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no, no.

[Ebro Darden]

Not that I want to play with that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no. That I don't. That I get. That's different.

[Ebro Darden]

Until I'm cool with her. And if we got a joke on it, then cool. But.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But. No, no. But in the case of, like, you know, people who we work with. Yeah, I like to do that, but I want to get called out. So maybe if he's not a fan of it, I don't want to do it all the time. But how about if he f's. Up. Then he becomes Ron.

[Ebro Darden]

He's Ron, so.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Bastard.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, Ron, find my clip. Oh, you can't find my clip, Ron?

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no, see, you did it wrong though. The day starts out, it's Rah Bascom, but then once he comes up short on the clip, it's like, yo, Ron, what are we doing?

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, how did I call you Ron though, bro? Like, but that goes back to the Goro and these other. I know, but that's. I skip over things like my brain like glitches.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I know.

[Ebro Darden]

Maybe it's an old age thing.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's Ron, so.

[Ebro Darden]

But back to HOV you. When I asked about the HOV clip when we were coming in earlier, you said that there was convo around HOV subbing Drake.

[Laura Rosenberg]

People said. Because in one of the whole clip

[Ebro Darden]

or was there something else?

[Laura Rosenberg]

A different clip.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's a 17 minute interview I believe they put up. And in another clip he said something along the lines of older rappers trying to sound young is inauthentic and sounds whack. Like if you're not young, don't try to be young. Be who you are. Which is funny because he called himself young. Well, beyond being young young. Hov was almost 40.

[Ebro Darden]

But he also is the same guy that was like, I'm aware button ups and I'm age up and I'm going to do all these other things. So he's kind of been on that page. I don't know if that has anything to do with Drake.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I don't know if it does either. No, that's what people. That's what they were. That's what they were saying.

[Ebro Darden]

I think people want. See, and who was saying this?

[Laura Rosenberg]

You know who was saying.

[Ebro Darden]

I really don't.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean the Drake, the ovos and the, and the, and the, and the messy people and the general messies.

[Ebro Darden]

But see, are the general messi's the same messies, Not Lionel Messi, but a different Messi that would come after me for bringing up Drake or being critical of Drake. Is these the same people? Because why would you put automatically put Drake in that?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Because they've had a little. There's been a thing.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, but wasn't there a thing with Cole and JJ. Cole and Hov had like a little thing.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So everyone has things with HOV because he's the goat.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, and when you're an emcee, there are things. You have things. But when you're trying to be the greatest.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Note to all those people out there though, when you dis hov, you dis yourself, let's be honest, because he raised you up for being honest. So, yeah, I do hear what he's saying. I totally agree with that.

[Ebro Darden]

But I think that's a nor. I think. I think that's what HOV has worked to create space for in a good way. Like I was just told when we were just talking to the RZA and he. We were talking about how we were talking to him about up and coming rappers and he asked us their ages and we were like, yo, young 30s. And he was like, yo, it's crazy. Back in the day, if you was already 30, just getting going in rap, people would be like, yo, hang it up. And I was like, that's the beauty of the game right now because you've had people like Jay take it so far and have a great album later. And then you're having the Ghost Faces and the Redmans and the Nas's and all of these people that are creating a longer Runway where you can be a grown up and it's still going

[Laura Rosenberg]

as a rapper and it's going to keep going all the way to the end. As I've said, Jay ain't retiring and Wu Tang ain't retiring. None of them are. They're all going to play in drag.

[Ebro Darden]

So I don't know if this has anything to do with Drake. I think it has everything with Jay himself saying like, yo, I got to be me, right?

[Laura Rosenberg]

And 444, his last album, was a very adult album. I don't think Drake. I think Drake does certain things at times to seem young. Not musically though. I never feel on records he's trying to say slang, you know, I don't expect Iceman to come and he's going to sound like some Gen Z. Like I don't know what to put the Gen Z people do it, but he's not going to do that.

[Ebro Darden]

What was this thing you did? What was that?

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's this Gen Z thing. Louie, am I wrong? That's a Gen Z thing. Oh my God. It's giving, you know, Gen Z talk. You never seen that? I don't even know. Ask Issa what it is, okay? She'll know it's out there. But he's not. So that's not what Drake does. Drake befriends random streamers who are 20, who I've never heard of, because he knows that they reach a lot of people. His music, though, I've never seen him compromise his music where he's gonna act like a weirdo, desperately trying to seem young on Records. And I'd be surprised if he does that on Iceman.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, I don't know. Maybe they're referring to the. You know, there was talk around the hair clips thing and the fingernail polish. That was a combo for a while.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The hair clip thing was a choice. You know what I mean? Even the weird emoji album cover thing was a weird. Was a choice. But again, that's not the music.

[Ebro Darden]

But maybe that's the narrative people are trying to spin into this Jay Z combo. But I think it's a reach. I think I'm going with reach. And people trying to create a mess. That's what I'm going.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yo, Kulin, Omar wrote now, Pete, what the F was that? Brother Aradias Chaos said? I know what you mean, Rosenberg. Thank you. I just. I just see it. I just.

[Ebro Darden]

And what are they. Were they breathing on their hand? What are they doing?

[Laura Rosenberg]

I don't know. I get checking their breath in my algorithm. I get this one comedian chick and it always says when your Gen Z person is blah, blah, blah, and she's doing all the Gen Z talk at one time and she just always includes that. And I find it funny. And I don't even know if it's a thing in real life, but I know it's included in her.

[Ebro Darden]

And maybe that's her thing.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I don't think so. No, I think she's doing a thing.

[Ebro Darden]

Got it. All right, listen. ELR844ELR ELR3. We have a phone number if you just tuned in. That's right. Dammit. People could call the program. Big Michael Jackson talk all week because A, the movie came out. B, our Patreon that drops later on Today we delve into our feelings on the movie and what was missed and what we thought was missed and more detail on that yesterday on the program. I guess I kicked a little hornets nest with the MJ fans.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So you did the people. Like that became a thing then.

[Ebro Darden]

I mean, in the comments, looking at

[Laura Rosenberg]

comments, you know, I see there's some. There's some really intense Meg the Stallion people now coming in and spamming our chats.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, what did we do to make the Stallion?

[Laura Rosenberg]

We didn't.

[Ebro Darden]

Why are you guys mad at us about Meg?

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's not a lot of people. It's not. It's. But it's the people who are doing it are the, you know, the hard.

[Ebro Darden]

The relationship didn't work out. Clay said he didn't want to be monogamous. He's a cheater. Meg posted on Instagram Potty. Done.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Ed Martinez in the Super Chat said can we please time ads with intros to segments? Sucks. Getting an ad mid conversation. Love the show. I totally agree. I think that's.

[Ebro Darden]

We've been trying to figure that out.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's the next step we have to take. And so maybe next week we could work towards having a day where we try it and see if that works. Because it is annoying.

[Ebro Darden]

Do we have somebody to manage the functionality? Look at Lose Face.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's not as they're saying. It's not as easy as it should be. So we got.

[Ebro Darden]

Other shows are doing it. So it's the expectation on the platform. So we got to figure it out. Aren't they. No shows are doing that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's. Shows are getting interrupted out here. Yeah. It's annoying.

[Ebro Darden]

Or they're just not having commercials so they're not monetizing it. And the commercials you do see they've planned and put in there. Is that the other option?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. Maybe we get to a point where we're getting enough sponsorship where we're putting just ads in here. We can turn off these ads.

[Ebro Darden]

Right?

[Laura Rosenberg]

That would be great. But it's annoying. I'm literally about to finally pay for YouTube just so Natalie can enjoy the show without the interruptions.

[Ebro Darden]

Really?

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's enough. It's.

[Caller Juby]

It.

[Laura Rosenberg]

They're. I think they're. Every 10 minutes.

[Ebro Darden]

Wow. That's hurting us.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean it's annoying.

[Ebro Darden]

It's not hurting. And Lou says it's not hurting us.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No. I think. I think people get it and they're supporting.

[Ebro Darden]

Jump on the mic. What are you saying? Sir?

[Laura Rosenberg]

You have a mic. Sir. I was gonna say there's something literally

[Ebro Darden]

somebody in the chat that just said

[Laura Rosenberg]

I don't get ads.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, do they pay?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Everybody doesn't get ads at the same time.

[Ebro Darden]

Everybody doesn't get ads at the same time.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Interesting. Interesting. You can always go back.

[Ebro Darden]

What is the interesting thing?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Interesting. Day two of per se. What is this? It's Dylan from Love on the Spectrum.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And people love Dylan. Bro. Because he's just the man. Bro. It's the guy who looks like Rico and he just drops. Interesting.

[Ebro Darden]

He doesn't look like Rico. He looks more like Lou.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I can't.

[Ebro Darden]

You really think that it's a combo? They're kind of a combo. I put the pictures up in the chat. Lou. He's not a bad looking person. You're acting like the guy's a bad looking person.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He's actually kind of well put together.

[Ebro Darden]

This is my problem. This is One of my side eye for love on the spectrum for some people is people look at them as if they're like, you know, a spectacle that concerns me, but they don't.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's not. Why do you see it that way?

[Ebro Darden]

Because I think people watch it as a spectacle the same way. I just think people are like gawking at them like it's some sort of

[Laura Rosenberg]

like, I think that I honestly. I see why you'd say that and I think that's how Laura was taking it when I was kind of going back and forth there last week. If you spend time on it while, don't get me wrong, they, the characters will make you laugh out loud. It actually you develop a different kind of closeness with them and just have an appreciation for what their characters are.

[Ebro Darden]

I hope so.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, that's, that's, that's. Listen, I guess I could get proved wrong and in 20 years they'll be the doc like remember when they took advantage.

[Ebro Darden]

No, listen, I'm sure there would be some sort of blowback from that community of parents and individuals if they felt like I felt. There's not like I have not seen.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It could be out there.

[Ebro Darden]

Love on the spectrum. Is there a negative? Any negative?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Is that a thing like I have.

[Ebro Darden]

If there's. I've never heard negative about it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, I haven't.

[Ebro Darden]

It would be loud as. As popular as the program is, by the way, if there was negative.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I think it's becoming like one of the biggest things on Netflix.

[Ebro Darden]

So this might just be me not trusting people.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And, and for me, as I said this when I originally watched it, what I loved was it changed the way I interacted with people who were like on the spectrum.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And it made me like rather than I would find myself at times being, you know, like there's a certain person I interact with a lot who's you know, on the spectrum enough that repeats the same conversation with me a lot always brings up the same thing. Sweet guy. Right. But I was finding myself rushing through those conversations out of some built in awkwardness that for no reason, you know. And the show enabled me to like appreciate what his personality is and rather than feeling like awkward in some way, lean in and have the conversations. And I thought it had a direct positive impact on my life. And now the one thing is though, like all reality shows, these people becoming stars when they're still regular people, I'm sure is a lot. Cause like they're just moving around.

[Ebro Darden]

But I'm hoping that their families are protecting them if that's something that's, you know, they're not able to manage and I'm sure they probably thought about that before they opted into the program.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But Ebro, the main thing is that you as a dad that now hits in a different way as a dad is sometimes on that show, no matter how much it's a reality show. And we know how reality shows work in the moments when someone really finds love and the parents haven't had that kid find that yet. And you see the look on the parents face, bro. Oh, it hits you so crazy. Like the, the joy of seeing it is really lovely. And the season finale of this last season of Love on the Spectrum was awesome. It's just a really smart show. But maybe listen, I hope people love it and don't see it that way.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm sure if it was some had some negative slant to it which is like I said a second ago and it was his popular we would be hearing from, you know, people who had a problem with it. 844-ELR-ELR3 and now I'd like to take this moment to tune into Cam Newton and Ray J talking about Michael Jackson. Did you ever meet Michael Jackson?

[Cam Newton / Ray J]

Absolutely. I hung out with Mike plenty of times. Shout out to Rodney Jerkins for introducing us. Brandi fainted when she saw him. He looked and was like, that's so sweet. We talked for hours. We went to Neverland. Michael comes out with a little man holding him like a baby. He was like 85 years old or 65 or something at the time. Stop Rodney. Hold on, I gotta go get my guest. Comes back in with a 75 year old man.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He just changed age again.

[Cam Newton / Ray J]

If you had him in your arms and you got out at the liquor store and you want to get some booze, they're not going to ID him even though he looks like a baby. That's how essential Michael was.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I just want to say Cam Newton and Ray J is one of the great collections of unserious people I've ever seen in my. Now that should be the show, bro.

[Ebro Darden]

That's the show. Ray J. Y' all need to link Cam.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Get rid of whoever out. Cam and Ray J together.

[Ebro Darden]

Magical. But also he must be talking about Emmanuel Lewis.

[Caller Moreno]

Right?

[Laura Rosenberg]

He went 85, 65 and 75. It wasn't Emmanuel Lewis. No.

[Ebro Darden]

Who else would it have been?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Emmanuel Lewis wouldn't have ever been 75. No.

[Ebro Darden]

He obviously is making the age up.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But he would have known who that was.

[Ebro Darden]

No, but he was a little kid too. So Emmanuel.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, he wasn't A little kid?

[Ebro Darden]

No, Ray J was.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, he wasn't. He was old enough that he already knew Rodney Jerkins. And was that like he was to me, like probably a teenager. Late teens maybe. Okay, think about it. Like, timing wise, Brandy's in the industry. Emmanuel Lewis right now is only in his 50s, so he wouldn't have been. I mean, what he's saying, I believe is Michael had another little old man he was carrying around.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, at any rate, when I watched the. Did I tell you this? The dot. I went home after we watched the Michael movie and was showing Issa the clips of things that they reenacted in the Michael movie, like the. The YouTube, the Dodger Stadium show, the finale show. Janet is there. I think I told you this. Yeah, yeah, that. Tell you she's carrying. She's walking well, and she walks out. I was like, yo, what child is she carrying? It was Emmanuel Louis. She puts him down and he goes and walks off. I was like, oh, that was Emmanuel Lewis. He was like, what do you mean she was blown? She was like, what is that? Is that a kid? I was like, actually, no, I think at that time he was 13. Yeah, he was a teenager. And she's like, he's a. She couldn't. Her brain couldn't get it. So I had to explain to her that there's little people. But then she was like, but if he's a grown up, why is she carrying him like that?

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's the part. But he wasn't a grown up. But still, 13's in her mind for

[Ebro Darden]

an 11 year old. She's like, what?

[Laura Rosenberg]

A 13 year old's too old to be carried away.

[Ebro Darden]

Him. Excuse me, Griff.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I said yes.

[Ebro Darden]

Too old to be carried.

[Laura Rosenberg]

If someone's bar mitzvah, you don't carry them in. No, 13 is crazy.

[Ebro Darden]

Crazy. But. But that's why I thought it was Emmanuel Lewis because they were carrying him.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But apparently Michael was in. That's. He liked to carry Bubbles. He liked to carry Emmanuel Lewis. I mean, he carried him at the Grammys or whatever it was.

[Ebro Darden]

Right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He was carrying Emanuel Lewis. Listen, no matter how much I love might, there's a lot going on there.

[Ebro Darden]

We should establish too. I think it's important as much as I'm like, yo, there was weirdo behavior

[Laura Rosenberg]

that just wrote shouts to Dayton. Joey in the chat just wrote as you said it, weirdo behavior.

[Ebro Darden]

As much as there's weirdo behavior around Mike, he was investigated by the FBI and they found nothing. So the allegations of like that people have some could be factual, some could be money grabs.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, I always say this. This is always my thing when I tell people, yeah, I don't know about all the allegations and people in my world, in my very. And I say this proudly, my snowflakey believe victims friend group, which I think is the right side of history to be on, their response is like, bro, come on, you saw Finding Neverland. You saw this.

[Hot Rod Rick]

That.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Come on. And I'll say this. If Finding Neverland was their attempt at the most credible way to go after Michael Jackson. And one of the people they had completely at one point said testified. One of the guys, I don't remember if it was Safechuck or the other one. One of the people in Finding Neverland went to court and testified on Michael's behalf before fully recanting and being a part of the. Of the documentary. That doesn't mean what he's saying is not true. However, if that's the best you got, it's not great. But you have to be honest about that. You have to admit, if the number one victim you have once was on the complete other side, saying it's made up, it's not true. You have to at least admit from a court situation, it's not the ideal person.

[Ebro Darden]

And so with that, in this sequel that we're allegedly getting now, are they getting into this?

[Laura Rosenberg]

We don't know yet what they're gonna do. They're gonna.

[Ebro Darden]

Don't they have to.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, accusations for sure, they're gonna have to go through.

[Ebro Darden]

You remember when Michael went on tv, FBI investigation. Why wouldn't they get into that? Nothing was found.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, and also remember when Michael went on TV and he's like, they took me to the police station. They embarrassed me. They took pictures of my whole body, that whole thing. They have to at least go through that.

[Ebro Darden]

What about calling Tommy Mottola the devil?

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's. That clips moving around a lot that

[Ebro Darden]

you don't think that's gonna be in a movie.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yo, Michael's loose, by the way. He's like, mariah told me not to tell anyone, but let me just say it real quick. She came to me and was like, he's an evil man. Help me. I was like, you're really letting it all go in a press conference, Mike, if she didn't want you to say that. But yeah, he aired out Tommy Mottola, man. But it listen, I mean, Tommy Mottola obviously survived it.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, he ended up stepping down. I mean, he's not in the music industry.

[Laura Rosenberg]

When did he step down?

[Ebro Darden]

I don't know how long after that, but he. I mean, obviously he, you know, moved on at some point, and it's been quiet ever since.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It has been quiet for a long time.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. Is Tommy Motola still in the land of the living? Can somebody.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I believe he is.

[Ebro Darden]

I mean, you guys are saying it like you're confident.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I was on the road.

[Ebro Darden]

77, married to the. She's from Mexico, right? Talia?

[Laura Rosenberg]

77. Tommy Matola.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. 8, 4. 4. ELR. ELR. 3. You can shout out us anytime. Say, what's up? You know, show some love. But today's Patreon. What time does it drop again, Lou? 10 minutes. The Patreon drops.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. That's why we should stop talking, Michael, because if you're a patron, you're about to get a heavy dose of the Michael talk. Really in depth stuff on there.

[Ebro Darden]

Also this week, Riz is on the show, and Hassan Piker is supposed to

[Laura Rosenberg]

be on the show tomorrow. We're supposed to have Hasan Piker. We're supposed to see Mondani this week.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Wow.

[Ebro Darden]

For a show that can't get guests,

[Laura Rosenberg]

by the way, we're really jumping into the left wing rabbit hole this week with Algo Hustle. We really are. Mandani and Hasan Piker.

[Ebro Darden]

Let's get to the gurus.

[Hot Rod Rick]

Hey, yo. It's time for the goo.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah.

[Hot Rod Rick]

All right.

[Ebro Darden]

You know, you are beautiful Queen Ebro. Don't ever play yourself. You're not a guru. Nope. But you can email the gurus. The original gurus at Gmail. The original gurus at gmail dot com. Write something down so the gurus can help you not drown. That's right. Ah.

[Cam Newton / Ray J]

Ah.

[Ebro Darden]

So Zen, Zen, Zen.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Send your emails today. The original gurus. Gmail dot com.

[Ebro Darden]

I really miss Laura Styles.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, not quite the same.

[Ebro Darden]

Call her again today, is it? That's the thing about tragic situations, I think.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You just call whenever Natalie says the same thing. She's like, can I call Laura today? I'm like, yes. She doesn't want to talk to you. She won't answer. Right, Right. And if so, if she does pick up, you don't have to really say anything. It's just calling to call now. I didn't call her yesterday, so who am I? I DM'd with her a little bit.

[Ebro Darden]

But I called day before yesterday and the day before that. Day before that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean, listen, she's. And I think, you know.

[Ebro Darden]

And I hit Ricardo, too.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, I hit Rick.

[Ebro Darden]

The other side.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. No, I hit Rick. I hit Rick the other day because I was just like, Rick, I've been. I've been where you're at right now, bro. This is. This is a. You are in for a. A journey, bro. That wake, yo. The what I went. The waking up to your partner weeping is an incredibly traumatic thing to go through. And it. When it goes for a long time and all of a sudden you get woken up out of sleep and you just hear them crying. Oh, man. It's like a. So real. It's just hard. It's just really hard. But Rick is. Rick's been amazing. He's stepping up as. As we knew he would. That Rick's a good egg. Real quick to the super chat. Hope Tullo came through and dropped us 20 bucks. Just cuz I mentioned Ed Martinez's comment. Akeem Broderick, which I really am. I'm a fan of that name. It really mixes a lot of stuff there.

[Ebro Darden]

Akeem Brodrick Nakim.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Broderick's Brolich name. The breakup is on both of them. They move too fast with their relationship.

[Ebro Darden]

Megan and Clay, my guess. They were love bombing, though. To some degree.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Felt that way.

[Ebro Darden]

I mean, six months in Thanksgivings.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You think that video is real? The video where everyone says this is the moment Clay was done?

[Ebro Darden]

I didn't see it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You haven't seen that?

[Ebro Darden]

No. Talk to me.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's there at some event.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, and Megan's being like, loud and

[Laura Rosenberg]

fun and Clay's in there. Like it's. It's messed up and it's arbitrary and it's random.

[Ebro Darden]

I don't think so.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But it is very funny because it looks like what they're saying it is, but you don't know that it is. He could have just gotten a text about something completely different. Steven came through and said, can we get settings of Ebro's mic over to Pete's? When Pete's volume goes up, it's too sharp. Hurts the ears.

[Ebro Darden]

Maybe it's saying loudmouth.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I mean, maybe it is the tone of voice. But we do get to think whichever version of it is. Laura's too quiet. I get too loud. There. There is still something that's like, off. Yeah. But I also wonder if some of that is like, y' all are used to hearing us on radio and we go through actual processing. We have a great board and there's some level of processing, but streaming is just not the same. It's hard to get exactly, but maybe

[Ebro Darden]

we need to get it. All right, yo, hit Dan the Man. And also how they're listening. If you're listening on good speakers. If you're listening on headphones. If you're listening.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Natalie hit us the other day when she was listening on tv and she's like, whatever. The drops are always quiet, right? Then I'm watching. Later, I saw her watching a clip on the phone. She's like, well, it sounds fine on my phone. And I'm like, that's also the problem, too, right? Is your TV volume set for the kind of thing that we're. We're working on it, folks.

[Ebro Darden]

You know, send us some equipment. We'll improve it. What's in the gurus, man?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Kulin Omar, by the way, just says, can never tell if Ray J is serious or not.

[Ebro Darden]

I think that's his game.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That is his game. All right.

[Ebro Darden]

That's his algo hustle.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Hey, guys. New fat here who is grateful for the new show because I had no access to the previous setup. I'm an international listener. Okay. I recently had a baby, and my husband and I moved in with my parents. We had initially agreed on a specific time frame, but less than halfway through, we are over it. The family is relatively helpful and loves us so much, but we've had it. I'm very close to my family, so don't want to upset them by leaving too soon because they've been looking forward to this for ages. What are your thoughts on sometimes doing something that makes you temporarily uncomfortable for the benefit of others versus putting yourself first? I often feel people can be quite selfish about what makes them happy. Plus, I still plan on having the grandparents babysit and help us out in the future. I know you all have children, so interested in the role the extended family plays played in supporting you and the babies, if any, now and in the early days. Days. Thanks, new mom. Feeling guilty for being annoyed by family?

[Ebro Darden]

Well, new mom, don't feel guilty by being annoyed by anybody. You know why? Being a new mom is annoying in so many ways? Postpartum stuff that you're going through, figuring out how to communicate with your new job, figuring out what you actually need from your support peoples takes time. And, oh, by the way, you're exhausted. So there's that part where you just. Your patience is thin. You know what I mean? Because you're tired.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And to all of this, we'd be remiss if we didn't.

[Ebro Darden]

What?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Hit him with the button.

[Cam Newton / Ray J]

Still, congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played yourself. Why?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Because they did. I mean, no matter how you cut it, the whole situation is already so annoying that living with the family is a handful. True. That's just A handful. And obviously your situation dictated it, but not so much that you're not willing to leave right now. So that's why I'm hitting you with the button. But you wouldn't have known. And all the feelings that you have, they're real. There's postpartum. There's a million things.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, and there's also this thing, too, for families, cultures, too, where everybody goes, nah, when you have a baby, we got you. We'll have your back. Ah. And then when you need them to have your back, I know many people are like, this person's incapable of having their own back, let alone my back, so.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And then there are the people who just don't show up the way.

[Ebro Darden]

Just flakes.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. They were like, I'm going to be there with you so often. And then they're just not well.

[Ebro Darden]

And then there's family members that want to raise your child like it's the 1940s all over again. And you're like, we don't. That's not what we're doing in 2026.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ebro Darden]

Or, I don't want my kid exposed to that in this era. You know what I'm saying? Like, I want to do something different. And that is a conflict that a lot of families have. So all of this adds up to being annoyed.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So, yeah. I mean, listen, you guys saying, like, hey, we realized we need our own space. Thank you so much. You're the best. We love you. Or. Or you frame it a different way. Find a place and then come to them like, yo, we found a great place. It fell into our lap. This is awesome. We're thinking about doing it if you want to sort of, you know. Listen, I'm all for rigorous honesty, but in the case of something like this, where they're not doing anything wrong, it's just annoying. However, you could kind of make it a smoother thing, but you got to go. If it's not working for you, got to go. That's how I feel.

[Ebro Darden]

So say the gurus.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The gurus. That's right.

[Ebro Darden]

We live in a clip economy. What are they going to clip from today's show?

[Laura Rosenberg]

I don't think we said anything controversial.

[Ebro Darden]

Clip it up. What do you got, Lou? What are you. It's really Lou. Let's be honest. Lou, what you clipping today, bro? How you gonna make it seem like I don't like Michael Jackson? What are we gonna do to make it appear like we don't rock with Drake? Oh, probably. Probably gonna take a HOV clip and make it look like we dissing HOV or something.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Wait, wait, what? What could they do to make it look like we're dissing home?

[Ebro Darden]

Who knows the main magic of editing?

[Laura Rosenberg]

What about me? Just saying he looks good. How about that as a clip?

[Ebro Darden]

Hov looks good.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yo, he looks good. I like him.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo. The caption could be, is Rosenberg trying to holla at hov?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yo, Fine, by the way. At least it's positive, you know? He couldn't be mad at that. No, the young. The young Thug clip, you know?

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, they take that, make it look like you're hating on young thug autism stuff.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, don't play with autism. What are you talking about?

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's the name of my next album. Artism.

[Ebro Darden]

No, it's not. They don't even understand that joke.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, sorry. That was the thing R. Kelly once said. I think he was trying to say clip economy.

[Ebro Darden]

You gotta watch it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You gotta watch it because it's the clip economy, folks. Tomorrow, supposedly, Hasan Piker on the program.

[Ebro Darden]

There you go. And we got the rizza this week. Mom. Donnie. We're getting over to his place at City Hall. What else? Oh, and a Patreon in about an hour.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Less than that in a few minutes. Patreon.com. what is the ELR show?

[Ebro Darden]

There you go.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So big, big hour long mic talk.

[Ebro Darden]

Moving and grooving with the ELR show. Write the number down. 8 4, 4, ELR. ELR 3. Matter of fact, put it in your. In your contact so you can dial us up quick. We're a couple of weeks away from starting to have giveaways, too. Like, we're gonna be, like, be the third caller.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You think so?

[Ebro Darden]

I think so.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Grim BK says the real problem is your mic itself. The second you look away from the mic to the side or you're not close enough to it, it doesn't pick you up. You might need different mics.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, no, that's just a mic setting. These are directional mics. And we could change the gate on that. That's just where the gate is set.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You see? Gate Talk.

[Ebro Darden]

Just don't call it a podcast.

[Advertiser]

You can't reason with the sun. Trust us, we've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's Omnishade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, but so is our gear. Level up your [e-mail] to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe. Lotion you're welcome. Columbia engineered for whatever.