Returning to Trapital for a second time is comedian Roy Wood Jr. We last spoke in mid-2020 when lockdowns curbed his usual comedy performance routine. On the outside, it might not seem Roy has changed much since our first convo — he’s still a regular on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah — but internally, Roy is amidst another career evolution.

Roy made a successful comedic career — three specials on Comedy Central over a five-year span — out of finding unique angles to discuss external events such as news and politics. But now, Roy wants to talk about himself. Spurred by an appearance on PBS’ “Find Your Roots”, Roy is more introspective about the relationship with his father, a civil rights activist, and how it influences raising his own son.

How and where Roy delivers this refined message hasn’t been decided yet. For now, Roy is taking time for himself to think through how he’s changed, and so has comedy and the entertainment industry at-large. In our discussion, Roy hinted at some of those major changes. Here’s what we covered:

[3:15] The state of live comedy in 2022
[5:32] Roy’s insane performing streak from 1998-2020
[6:27] Why the comedy club isn’t the right venue for Roy right now 
[11:45] Comedian expectations have changed 
[13:35] Morality vs. profit 
[17:05] Roy’s partnerships
[18:42] Roy’s criticism of Netflix and streaming
[26:27] The new superstar is an assemble cast 
[31:08] How Roy chooses comedic topics
[34:43] Roy’s most personal joke
[35:24] How much does Roy’s son know about his comedy career? 
[37:39] How Dick Gregory changed Roy’s life
[40:48] Roy starring in Confess, Fletch movie


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Host: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.co

Guests: Roy Wood Jr., @roywoodjr
 
 
Sponsors:
 
MoonPay is the leader in web3 infrastructure. They have partnered with Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, and many more. To learn more, visit moonpay.com/trapital
 
Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital
 
Trapital is home for the business of hip-hop. Gain the latest insights from hip-hop’s biggest players by reading Trapital’s free weekly memo.

How Roy Wood Jr. Is Evolving His Comedy

It’s never been easier for artists to release music and find an audience in any corner of the world. Likewise, it’s never been more difficult for artists to break through the noise. The Internet and streaming services have created a double-edged sword for rising artists. To discuss this, Tatiano Cirisano joined me on the show. Tati is a music analyst at MIDiA Research and a former reporter at Billboard.

Tati released a research piece a few weeks ago that argues the music industry is oversaturated and fragmented — more than ever before. This shift has created a new class system for artists.

In Group 1 are artists that reached prominence pre-streaming in a less cluttered marketplace (e.g. Beyonce or AC/DC). Class 2 consists of artists who rose in parallel with the proliferation of streaming. Drake and Taylor Swift fall into this category. And then there’s the Class 3, that includes newer artists, who try to cultivate audiences in today’s hyper-competitive landscape against the other two groups. 

Tati believes the trend line for the music industry’s fragmentation is clearly pointing up. To understand how we got here, why it matters, and how it redefines success, you’ll want to listen to our interview. Here’s our biggest talking points: 

[3:11] Why consumption is now fragmented
[8:41] Music superstars losing their reach
[10:55] Modern artists valuing fame less than prior generations
[13:24] Benefits to fragmentation
[14:48] Updated benchmark for artist success
[16:50] Active vs. passive listening
[18:53] Music industry is still tied to album sales
[25:34] Artists segmenting audiences by platform
[30:18] Trap of taking users off native platforms
[32:59] Content is becoming more important than the creator
[37:35] YouTube and other potential outlier platforms for audience-building 

You can read Tati’s full report here: https://midiaresearch.com/blog/music-is-not-a-level-playing-field-it-is-a-field-of-all-levels



Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Overcast | Amazon | Google Podcasts | Pocket Casts | RSS

Host: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.co

Guests: Tatiana Cirisano, @tatianacirisano
 
 
Sponsors:
 
MoonPay is the leader in web3 infrastructure. They have partnered with Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, and many more. To learn more, visit moonpay.com/trapital
 
Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital
 
Trapital is home for the business of hip-hop. Gain the latest insights from hip-hop’s biggest players by reading Trapital’s free weekly memo.

Trapital

The Music Industry’s Oversaturation Problem

Hannibal Buress has carved a name for himself in comedy over the past two decades. But now he’s foregoing that part of his career for a fresh identity — Eshu Tune, his rap alter-ego. The name pays homage to a “trickster god” in Nigerian mythology.

A rap career has been in the back of Hannibal’s mind but the career pivot wasn’t seriously put into motion until 2020. Earlier that year, he put out a comedy special, “Miami Nights.” While promoting it at home during lockdowns, Hannibal felt a spark missing. That, plus the added alone time from not performing at comedy clubs, finally pushed Hannibal into the studio. 

Since then, Hannibal has largely dedicated himself to rap and rap only. His eight-track, self-titled EP dropped earlier this year. Live rap show performances followed that. An agency deal was inked with UTA this summer. And soon, Hannibal will hit the studio to prepare for his debut album, which he plans to drop on his 40th birthday next April.

Hannibal took me through his comedy-to-rap journey over the past two years on the show. Here’s what we covered in our interview:

[2:54] Introducing Eshu Tune the rapper
[4:17] What led Hannibal to the career pivot
[6:53] Goals of debut EP 
[10:11] Benefits of being independent artist
[14:34] Following Too $hort at a Bay Area show
[19:52] Getting a performing residency in LA
[21:29] Challenging himself with music
[26:52] Difference between Hannibal’s comedy and rap fanbase
[29:08] Will Hannibal still do comedy?
[31:36] Has the changing climate of comedy impacted Hannibal?
[34:01] Previous comedians that went into music
[37:50] Response from rap community to Hannibal’s career pivot
[38:52] Eshu Tune’s next album drop

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Overcast | Amazon | Google Podcasts | Pocket Casts | RSS

Host: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.co

Guests: Hannibal Buress, @hannibalburess
 
 
Sponsors:
 
MoonPay is the leader in web3 infrastructure. They have partnered with Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, and many more. To learn more, visit moonpay.com/trapital
 
Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital
 
Trapital is home for the business of hip-hop. Gain the latest insights from hip-hop’s biggest players by reading Trapital’s free weekly memo.

Inside Hannibal Buress’ Pivot From Comedy To Rap

Mona Scott-Young is best-known for producing the Love & Hip Hop reality TV series on VH1. The franchise debuted in 2011 has remained a TV fixture today through industry-wide changes with TV and around 30 different seasons aired. However, it’s Young’s ability to permeate hip-hop culture into the mainstream that’s been the true calling card.

Before Love & Hip Hop, Mona managed talent in music. She was a co-founder for Violator with the late Chris Lighty, and was behind memorable brand partnerships such as Busta Rhymes and Courvoisier, Missy Elliott with Reebok and Adidas, and the landmark 50 Cent-Vitamin Water deal, among many others back then, such deals were harder to cut than nowadays.

It was during this time in music when Mona was introduced to the fascinating lives of hip-hop wives, which led to Love & Hip-Hop’s creation. But Mona,  who also founded and runs Monami Productions,has more stories to tell about the hip-hop industry. She’s teaming up with another well-known TV producer, 50 Cent, on “Hip-Hop Homicides,” which debuts later this year.

Mona’s influence on the world of hip-hop reaches further than most realize. To hear how Mona moved the culture forward, you’ll want to listen to our show. Here’s everything we covered: 

[2:59] How does Love & Hip Hop stay fresh?
[4:45] Biggest challenge for reality TV in social-media age
[7:55] Love & Hip Hop success stories 
[9:07] Influencing other hip-hop-related series
[11:15] Increased programming around hip-hop
[14:21] How reality shows fit into today’s streaming landscape
[19:00] Mona’s career in music and artist-brand deals
[24:52] Brand deals for Love & Hip Hop talent 
[28:27] Network pressures to expand the Love & Hip Hop brand
[30:06] Scrutiny on the show’s content
[34:01] Future of Love & Hip Hop 


Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Overcast | Amazon | Google Podcasts | Pocket Casts | RSS

Host: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.co

Guests: Mona Scott-Youngs, @monascottyoung
 
 
Sponsors:
 
MoonPay is the leader in web3 infrastructure. They have partnered with Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, and many more. To learn more, visit moonpay.com/trapital
 
HitPiece is your place to discover new NFTs from your favorite artists. Learn more today at hitpiece.com
 
Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital
 
Trapital is home for the business of hip-hop. Gain the latest insights from hip-hop’s biggest players by reading Trapital’s free weekly memo.

Mona Scott-Young’s Influence On Culture Goes Beyond Love & Hip Hop

Level up on the business side of hip-hop. Join Trapital founder Dan Runcie as he breaks down the strategic insights behind hip-hop's growing influence on our society.