Compound Conversations

April Walker didn’t just witness the birth of hip-hop—she helped dress it. From creating custom designs out of her Brooklyn shop to outfitting legends like Tupac, Biggie, and Mike Tyson, April's influence on streetwear and hip-hop culture is undeniable. In this episode of Compound Conversations, she breaks down her Brooklyn upbringing, the birth of Walker Wear, her styling era at Def Jam, and her evolution into an educator, author, and cultural icon.
This is more than a fashion story—it’s a blueprint of resilience, authenticity, and vision, told by one of the first women to truly move the needle in a male-dominated industry.
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Harlem’s own Smoke DZA joins Compound Conversations for a deep dive into his multi-layered journey—where hip hop, weed culture, wrestling, and fashion collide. From hearing Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle as a kid to ghostwriting hits for Sean Kingston, Smoke DZA shares how he went from battle rap ciphers to a respected solo artist with a fully branded identity as the “Kush God.” 
He talks about his earliest inspirations, personal losses, the legacy of Biggie, and his dream-like transition into the business of wrestling alongside Westside Gunn. This is a raw, inspiring look at how to evolve as an artist without losing your essence.
00:00:00 -  Intro00:00:54 – A Harlem Upbringing00:10:05 – First Album Was Doggystyle00:12:32 – Biggie Smalls Changed Everything00:16:03 – Where the Name “Smoke DZA” Comes From00:20:23 – Branding Through Fashion00:24:12 – From Battle Rap to Mixtapes00:28:13 – Writing for High-Tek & Sean Kingston00:33:01 – Becoming The Kush God00:38:23 – Smoking with the OGs00:40:44 – Merging Wrestling with Hip Hop00:44:49 – Legacy in the Ashes
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In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with hip-hop pioneer Daddy-O, the frontman of Stetsasonic, known as the first hip-hop band and one of the earliest groups to merge rap with live instrumentation, jazz, and philosophy. Daddy-O speaks candidly about the birth of sampling, the brilliance of Rakim, how Public Enemy’s sound was crafted in competition, and why today’s artists still don’t understand the real power of the art form. A deep dive into the business, the brilliance, and the blueprints that shaped hip-hop’s golden era.
00:01:10 – Discussing Creativity & Revolutionary Funk Beats00:02:48 – Start of Life & Meeting His Father (Day Before 18th Birthday)00:04:04 – Hearing Hip Hop for the First Time & The Practice Tapes00:06:03 – Origin of the Name Daddy-O (from Doctor Ron)00:08:24 – Realizing the Power of Rhyme and Breakbeats00:12:38 – Deciding to Take Rap Seriously: The Fumbled Performance00:15:28 – The Original Stetsasonic Three MCs00:17:59 – Founding the Hip Hop Band Concept00:19:38 – The Genesis of Sampling in Stetsasonic (Prince Paul's Influence)00:22:58 – Winning the Record Deal Contest00:24:43 – The Visit to Sugar Hill Records and The Bad Contract00:29:49 – Analyzing the Music Business: Reading Stiffed & The Mob's Influence00:33:05 – The Creation of Rush Producers Management (RPM)00:38:19 – Cultivating Talent at the Brooklyn Compound (Biggie, Foxy, D'Angelo)00:52:41 – Professor Daddy-O: The Lifelong Calling to Be a Teacher
Follow Daddy-O📸 https://instagram.com/professordaddyo
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#theroots #publicenemy

Compound Conversations welcomes Angelo Baque — founder of Awake NY, former brand director at Supreme, and one of the most influential creative storytellers in modern street culture.
In this episode, Angelo breaks down his journey from Queens latchkey kid → downtown creative → brand founder, sharing wisdom on authenticity, creativity, street culture, fashion, art direction, and the business of building a community through purpose.
00:00:00 – Welcome to Compound Conversations  00:01:18 – How Your Space Shapes Your Creativity  00:03:16 – Growing Up in Queens & Early Identity  00:05:55 – Childhood Inspirations: Kung-Fu, Anime & Hip-Hop  00:07:09 – New York’s Cultural Melting Pot  00:14:40 – Sneaking Into Manhattan & Discovering Downtown  00:16:41 – Finding Purpose Through Struggle & Creativity  00:22:25 – Building His First Brand & Early Design Mindset  00:29:19 – The Birth and Mission of Awake NY
🔗 Follow AngeloIG: instagram.com/angelobaque
#CompoundConversations #AwakeNY #AngeloBaque

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with the legendary Futura — the artist who helped shape the foundation of modern graffiti and redefine what street art could be. From painting NYC subway cars in the '70s to collaborating with punk bands, fashion houses, and global brands, Futura shares his story of artistic evolution, rebellion, and timeless relevance. They discuss the roots of graffiti, the power of abstraction, and what it means to stay original in a world obsessed with replication. This isn’t just a history lesson — it’s a blueprint for fearless creativity.
00:00:00 – Intro00:01:03 – The New York Roots of Creativity00:05:29 – Growing Up in the Bronx: Only Child, Big Dreams00:07:19 – Survival Is the Real Art Form00:10:03 – Living a Double Life: Goody Two-Shoes & Knucklehead00:11:08 – The Birth of FUTURA 200000:12:28 – Fighting for Space in a Divided World00:15:31 – Discovering Graffiti: The Breakout Years of ’72–’7300:18:34 – Graffiti as the First Form of Self-Promotion00:20:25 – Leaving for the Navy, Returning to a New Era00:23:18 – Building the First “Compound” with Soul Artists00:26:16 – Painting the Legendary Abstract Train00:28:31 – The Martha Cooper Photo That Defined a Legacy00:30:31 – Proof of Life: Rediscovering His Tag 50 Years Later00:33:07 – The World of FUTURA: Sci-Fi, Space & Abstraction00:43:11 – Balancing Art, Brand, and Authenticity00:53:23 – Lessons, Legacy & Friendship That Lasts
Follow Futura📸 https://instagram.com/futuradosmil
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#grafitti   #offwhite   #grafittiart

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with Hebru Brantley, the Chicago-born artist whose work has redefined how we see heroes, Black identity, and imagination. Known for his signature character Flyboy, Hebru opens up about his early influences in comics and graffiti, the evolution of his storytelling, and why his art lives at the intersection of fine art and futurism. From massive installations to collaborations with cultural icons, this is a conversation about legacy, imagination, and creating art that transcends time.
Follow Hebru Brantley📸 https://instagram.com/hebrubrantley
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#mobbdepp   #wutang   #bigpun

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with Steve Rifkind, the founder of Loud Records and one of the most influential executives in hip-hop history. From signing Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Big Pun, to launching marketing powerhouse SRC and breaking artists like Akon, Rifkind reflects on his unique approach to artist development, street-level marketing, and building real cultural moments. This isn’t just music industry talk — it’s a masterclass in trust, risk, and vision.
00:00:00 Intro00:01:47 Growing Up & The Grandfather Who Saved My Life00:02:17 Dyslexia, Trouble, and Going to Juvie00:03:38 The Lie That Stopped the Neighborhood Fights00:06:00 The Music in the House: Motown, Soul, and Celebrity Guests00:09:16 Falling in Love with Music at Spring Records00:10:30 Testing Records in Strip Clubs: Working at Spring00:13:09 Grandfather's Warning and the Start of the Road Trip00:18:13 Losing the $250,000 'Street Frogs' Cartoon Deal00:22:24 Meeting Mike Bivins and Managing New Edition00:25:24 The Wu-Tang Clan Deal Rationale00:27:31 Launching the Stephen Rifkind Marketing Company00:32:08 "You Really Are a Dumbest Motherfker": Why I Started a Label00:36:59 The Birth of Loud Records and the Wu-Tang Meeting00:48:20 Heavy D's Intervention & Rebuilding with SRC
Follow Steve Rifkind📸 https://instagram.com/steverifkind
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#mobbdepp   #wutang   #bigpun

In this episode, we sit down with DJ Clark Kent — the legendary producer, sneaker connoisseur, and cultural architect whose fingerprints are all over hip-hop's foundation. From his early days growing up in Brooklyn to sharing turntables with Grandmaster Flash at age 11, Clark shares rare stories about his rise as a DJ, his obsession with sneakers, and how he helped shape the sound, style, and soul of hip-hop.
Whether you're a fan of music history, sneaker culture, or Brooklyn storytelling, this conversation dives deep into the legacy of a true icon who’s been instrumental behind the scenes — and in front of the crowd.
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**Timestamps**0:00 Intro02:07 – Clark Kent on Music, Family, and Growing Up in Brooklyn06:00 – His First Turntables and Meeting Grandmaster Flash13:41 – The Only Place Clark Kent Has a Chip on His Shoulder19:00 – The Origin of the Name “Clark Kent” & DJ Beginnings22:44 – DJing at 11 Years Old and Getting Cosigned by Legends26:28 – Early Sneaker Love & The Power of Being Fresh30:00 – Feelin’ the Fila: Beating the Block’s Freshest Guy33:00 – Becoming a Style Influencer Before It Was a Thing36:00 – What It Meant to Be in Brooklyn’s Hip-Hop Circle39:00 – Producing on the SP-1200 and Learning from Herbie & Marley Marl42:00 – Legacy Reflections: Impact, Influence & Global Reach
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#DJClarkKent #HipHopLegend  #SneakerCulture

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with Joseph Patel — Emmy and Oscar-winning writer, director, and producer — to talk about the power of storytelling, the importance of cultural preservation, and his lifelong love affair with music. 
From documenting the rise of hip-hop as a journalist, to co-producing Summer of Soul with Questlove, to directing the A Tribe Called Quest documentary, Patel breaks down the responsibility of capturing culture the right way. This is a conversation about memory, identity, and making stories that stand the test of time.
Follow Joseph Patel📸 https://instagram.com/jazzbeezy
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#theroots  #oscars  #musicjournalism

In this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with iconic DJ and producer Statik Selektah to talk about the moment the turntables stopped and the beat machines took over. Statik breaks down how he went from crushing mixtapes during the golden era to crafting albums for legends like Nas, Q-Tip, Freeway, and Styles P. He opens up about leaving the mixtape hustle behind, how DJ Drama’s raid pushed him toward full-time producing, and why creating timeless records became his mission. This is a story of adaptation, grit, and knowing when it’s time to flip the record.
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#statikselektah  #nyc  #nychiphop