How many of you out there have ever felt alone and under-represented? Or felt the need to express yourself on your own terms and control how you define yourself? On this episode, High Level Hip Hop producer Tristan Cruz caught up with Alberta-based artist, PLEASEBENiCE, to discuss her experience fitting into the local music scene and how she creates her own brand of hip hop and hyper pop. Exclusive to this episode, we take a listen to “Can’t Believe I Found You”, a track which demonstrates PLEASEBENiCE’s experimental and DIY approach, recorded live this summer at CJSR Studios.

Picking up the mic is hard enough, but building a decades-long hip hop career afterwards? Nearly impossible. On our debut episode of High Level Hip Hop, we spoke with Arlo Maverick, a rapper, filmmaker, and radio host who did exactly that, first as a member of legendary rap group Politic Live, and then with a successful solo career. High Level Hip Hop producer Tom Ndekezi also talked to Arlo Maverick about his beginnings as an artist, how to mature in hip hop and Arlo's always provocative Instagram bio. This episode also features the exclusive debut of "Kind Regards", Arlo Maverick's ode to Edmonton hip hop, recorded live this summer at CJSR Studios.

High Level Hip Hop drops on August 10, 2021 with two episodes for your ears. Follow now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or listen live on CJSR 88.5 FM, Tuesdays at 9 PM.