The Rise & Grind Podcast

Episode 393: "A Christmas Special"

On this episode: Roderick & Cari are back with episode 393 of The Rise & Grind Podcast, diving into another packed week of culture-shifting headlines. The duo reacts to 21 Savage introducing the controversial “fuck the streets” rhetoric into rap and Young Thug’s thoughts on the current state of hip hop. They also discuss Future’s partnership with Louis Vuitton, The Weeknd selling his music catalog, and Toosi’s surprising move into NCAA football at Syracuse.
 
In sports, the conversation turns to Bud Crawford officially retiring from boxing and the continued spectacle surrounding Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua. The episode closes with heavier news, including developments surrounding the Epstein files, the tragic murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, and reactions to Trump’s comments tied to the situation.
Another wide-ranging episode blending music, sports, and real-world headlines — tap in.

Episode 392: "The Red Carpet Rolled Out"

On This Episode: On this episode: Roderick & Cari return for episode 392 of The Rise & Grind Podcast! The conversation kicks off with the shocking news of John Cena officially retiring from the WWE, before diving into new music from Pooh Shiesty and a breakdown of 21 Savage’s latest album What Happened to the Streets?, plus his recent interview with Big Bank.
 
The guys also tap in with standout mentions from Nas & DJ Premier’s “Light Years” and Conway The Machine’s You Can’t Kill God With Bullets. In news, they discuss Rod Wave claiming $2M per show without a promoter, the end of an era as Hot 97’s “Ebro in the Morning” wraps up after 13 years, and Disney investing $1B into OpenAI, striking a multi-year deal with Sora that could reshape content creation across film and streaming.
 
Intro: Pooh Shiesty- FDO
 
Roderick | Nas & DJ Premier- Pause Tapes
 
Cari | Rexx Life Raj- Oppenheimer
 
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW

Episode 391: "Buying The Bunny"

On This Episode: This week, we’re back with a packed episode full of new music, industry surprises, and a couple moves nobody saw coming.
We kick things off with the latest drops — Lil Uzi Vert returns with “Regular,” GloRilla heats up with her new single “March” plus a follow-up titled “Special,” and NBA Youngboy delivers “Zero IQ Freestyle.”On the album side, The Game links with DJ Drama and Mike & Keys for Every Movie Needs a Trailer, Lil Baby responds to the leak culture with The Leaks project, & we tap into Roddy Ricch quietly having THE NAVY ALBUM pulled from DSPs, and Apple Music Replay rolling out for the year — sparking all the usual debates about real vs. fake streams, listening habits, and which platforms still matter.
 
Then in news, Netflix shakes the industry by announcing a deal to acquire Warner Bros., a move that could shift the entire streaming landscape. We also talk about Netflix doubling down on music storytelling with a brand-new Diddy documentary executive-produced by 50 Cent — because of course 2025 needs that kind of chaos.
 
Intro: Field Mob- So What (feat. Ciara)
 
Roderick | Lil Baby- Mrs. Trendsetter
 
Cari | The Game, DJ Drama, Mike & Keys & Eric Bellinger- Can I
 
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW

Episode 390: "The Ridicule Continues"

On This Episode: The guys open Episode 390 with new drops from two heavy hitters: Lil Baby returns with his Middle of the Summer EP, adding new tracks to his earlier 3-pack, and NLE Choppa drops Hello Revenge, complete with a video and what’s now his third NBA YoungBoy diss.
 
For albums, YFN Lucci delivers Already Legend (Thank You Edition), marking a big moment after years of anticipation. In the mentions, the hosts highlight a major milestone as Cardi B’s Am I The Drama? hits 3x Platinum, becoming the first album of 2025 to reach the mark.
 
The news section runs deep this week:
Apple names Tyler, The Creator “Artist of the Year,” Complex reveals its Best Albums of the 21st Century, and Roc Nation announces a new distribution service. The biggest headline from that: Lil Uzi Vert parts ways with Atlantic and moves under Roc Nation’s distribution umbrella. The episode closes with talk of a major streaming moment coming up: a new Diddy documentary coming to Netflix, executive produced by 50 Cent, which is guaranteed to have the internet on fire.
 
Episode 390 wraps music, industry shakeups, and streaming drama into one tight package.
 
Intro: Stove God Cooks- Goat Stamp
 
Roderick | Kanye West- Drive Slow (feat. Paul Wall & GLC)
 
Cari | Babyface Ray- Mob
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW

Episode 389: "The Human Emotion"

On this episode: Roderick & Cari kick off Episode 389 with two major album drops: Wale returns with ‘Everything Is a Lot’ and Summer Walker releases ‘Finally Over It’. The guys also highlight the new collaboration ‘Boldy James & Nicholas Craven – Criminally Attached’.
In the news, Rory’s old tweets resurface, The hosts then get into one of the wildest tech stories of the year as Vine prepares a reboot under the new name “DiVine,” reportedly funded by Jack Dorsey. Nico Harrison fired as the GM of the Dallas Mavericks, plus a major format update for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, now set to feature USA vs. The World. The guys wrap up with a breakdown of the House Bill passed to re-open the government, officially ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history — including a note on the upcoming penny phase-out.
All that & more.
 
Intro: Quavo, Yeat, & BNYX- New Trip
 
Roderick | Wale- Blanco
 
Cari | Masego- I Win
 
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW

Episode 388: "Take The Torch"

On This Episode: Roderick & Cari return for another packed episode of The Rise & Grind Podcast! This week, the guys dive into G Herbo’s new album Lil Herbo before reacting to A$AP Rocky’s comments claiming his album is never dropping.
In the news, they cover the 2026 Grammy nominations, new Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and the debut trailer for the upcoming “Michael” biopic, set to release in April 2026. The hosts also discuss the Vince Staples Show returning for a second season on Netflix, breaking down what fans can expect from the new episodes.
Music, culture, and conversation—Episode 388 brings the latest in hip-hop and entertainment. Tune in!
 
Intro: NBA Youngboy- Shot Calling
Roderick | G Herbo- Longevity
Cari | Mack Keane- Candycrush
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW

Episode 387: "The Royal Flush"

On This Episode: Roderick & Cari are back with another episode of The Rise & Grind Podcast! The guys kick things off discussing how no rap songs appear in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time since February 1990, breaking down what that means for the genre and the culture.
 
In news, they cover Drake’s lawsuits entering the appeal stage, J. Cole being sued by Cam’ron, ongoing NBA gambling arrests, Al Sharpton’s latest viral moment, and the announcement of a new Eddie Murphy documentary.
 
A full breakdown of headlines, industry shifts, and the state of hip-hop—tap in for episode 387!
 
 
Intro: D’Angelo- Lady
 
Roderick | Leon Thomas- My Muse
 
Cari | The Stuyvesants- Spank Love

Episode 386: "No Harm No Foul"

Roderick & Cari return for episode 386 of The Rise & Grind Podcast! The guys run through this week’s drops including Leon Thomas’ “Pholks,” Daniel Caesar’s “Son of Spergy,” and BabyChiefDoIt’s “Warning Shot (EP).”
 
In the news, they discuss the return of VERZUZ (Cash Money vs. No Limit, 10/25), Diddy’s claim of being held at knifepoint in jail (as Trump eyes a sentence commute), Kevin McCall saying he’s broke after writing hits for Chris Brown, Dreka Gates’ divorce filings requesting over $70K in support, and more.
 
Another packed week of music, headlines, and wild news—tap in for episode 386!
 
Intro: Young Nudy- WHAT’S HAPPENIN’ (feat. Latto)
 
Roderick | Kendrick Lamar- Momma
 
Cari | Leon Thomas- Bacarat
 
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW

Episode 385: "There's Something Brewing"

Roderick & Cari are back for episode 385 of The Rise & Grind Podcast! The guys break down this week’s new drops — Rod Wave’s “Leavin,” A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s “Part of Me,” Kodak Black & Chance The Rapper’s “Still Get Chanel,” G Herbo & Jeremih’s “Whatever U Want,” and BabyChiefDoIt’s “Fried Chicken.”
They also highlight Mobb Deep’s classic “Infinite” and dive into major headlines: Pooh Shiesty’s early prison release, Drake’s defamation lawsuit against UMG being dropped, Tim Westwood’s rape charges, the return of VERZUZ (Cash Money vs. No Limit on 10/25), and Latto’s Female Mount Rushmore debate.
 
Intro: Ja Rule- Livin’ It Up (feat. Case)
Roderick | T.I.- Live In The Sky (feat. Jamie Foxx)
Cari | Joony & Isaiah Falls- PIMPIN (feat. Larry June)
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW

Episode 384: "In A Grand Fashion"

On this episode: Roderick & Cari return for episode 384 of The Rise & Grind Podcast! The guys react to LeBron James’ shocking second “Decision” and what it means for the NBA, along with former QB Mark Sanchez making headlines of his own. They also discuss Jerry Jones being fined $250K after flipping off a fan, the news of Derrick Groves being captured, and Tim Cook’s announcement that he’ll be stepping down as Apple’s CEO.
 
Another week, another packed episode full of sports and culture talk you don’t want to miss.
 
Intro: Gucci Mane- Off The Leash (feat. Peewee Longway & Young Thug)
 
Roderick | Bryson Tiller- I Need Her
 
Cari | Elcamino & Black Soprano Family - NIA (feat. Benny The Butcher)
 
Subscribe to Apple Music now to hear all of the new albums & tracks we discuss:
https://apple.co/3NgdXW