DiggingTheGreats

It's Finally Here - The First Digging The Greats Record

A common question I got on last Summer's iPod Series was "what's the music playing at this part?" That was the Original Soundtrack, courtesy of Andrew Reyes aka Drew B.

This soundtrack is not on streaming, and the only digital copy was pre-loaded on the custom iPod I gave away - BUT today I'm so excited to show you the very first Digging The Greats Record!

This is a limited run of 100 copies, pressed on 180g vinyl, each copy numbered and signed, and it feels incredible to hold i...

Extended: The Perfect Storm in Doechii's "Denial is a River"

NOTE: This video is longer and has more music than the YouTube version.

Doechii is one of my favorite new artists, so today I'm breaking down her song "Denial is a River" to see how she's helping dictate hip hop's future by looking into the past.

PATREON EXCLUSIVE: Click here to dow...

2025-02-21 16:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post

BREAKDOWN: "What's Golden" by Jurassic 5 | Music & Lyrics

NOTE: This is the Patreon edit which has more music and does not have a sponsor.

Right now you're either going: "Who's Jurassic 5?" OR "OH MY GOD HE'S DOING JURASSIC 5"

Today I'm breaking down the song "What's Golden" by Jurassic 5, recreating the beat, and getting into the incredibly rhyming from a group of MCs. 2 DJs + 4 MCs = Jurassic 5? Find out why!

How The Super Bowl Explains Kendrick’s GNX

After watching the Super Bowl performance, I think I understand GNX better - GNX was the setup, and the Super Bowl is the punchline.

NOTE: This edit is 2 mins longer than the YouTube version. Here's a link to the Damn video that I point to at the end.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this Super Bowl performance, let me know what you think in the comments below!

It’s Motown’s World, We All Just Live In It

Motown changed everything, and we wouldn't have the modern music scene without it! This week we're diving into the people, the sound, and the factory the made Motown, and make direct connections to today along the way.

NOTE: This edit is slightly longer than YouTube, includes more music, and a few other things that didn't make the YouTube cut.

Playlist: Digs, Vol. 5

Hello DTG Fam!

I've got another playlist for you, and another vibe video to go with it! Digs, Vol. 5 is here👇

Click here to watch the vibe video on YouTube

You can of course stream this playlist as well:

SPOTIFY | 2025-02-04 16:35:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Extended: Sweating Eric B & Rakim's Technique

NOTE: This is the Extended Edit which is 2 mins longer and does not include a sponsor.

Eric B and Rakim are a crucially important part of hip hop history. From the layers of jazz samples in the production, to the next level rhyming of Rakim, they moved the needle forward. Today we’re looking at their 1992 song “Don’t Sweat The Technique”, diving into the production, recreating the beat, picking apart Rakim’s rhymes, seeing how this was a huge evolutionary step for hip...

Visualizing Voodoo

In last week's video, I broke down D'Angelo's 2000 album "Voodoo". One of the unique things about this album is how the time is very loose. D'Angelo told Pino to play his bass part far behind the beat, Questlove said he had to play drums like a "drunk 4 year old".

In order to visualize how the parts don't necessarily line up perfectly, but it still FEELS amazing, I made a visualizer for a section of the opening song. You can see the drums, bass, and guitar/horns visualized with differe...

Extended: Voodoo: How D'Angelo Created a Masterpiece

If we played "Desert Island Albums" and I could only pick 10 records to listen to for the rest of my life, D'Angelo's "Voodoo" would absolutely be on the list for me. In fact, even if you made it 5 records, I'd probably still pick it.

Voodoo is 25 years old now, so I had to break down everything that's so incredible about this album and why I love it so much.

NOTE: This is the Extended Edit that is 8 mins longer than the YouTube Version

2025-01-24 16:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post

First Listen: iPod Soundtrack Test Pressing

Happy New Year DTG Fam!

Just last week I got a special package in the mail: the test pressing for the iPod Series Soundtrack Record! So you know I had to bring in my good friend Andrew Reyes, aka Drew B to do a listen through.

You may recognize him from the NYE livestream, and also as the composer of the iPod Series Soundtrack. This was so cool to get to listen through this music on a physical record together. You'll get to hear clips from the record and a few stories along the w...

Radio Mix: NYE with DTG 2024

Here's the Radio Mix of the New Years Eve Livestream, featuring a live set with Drew B and a DJ set by yours truly!

The New Years Eve Livestream was a highlight of 2024 for me - thank you everyone for tuning in! Should we do more of those in the future? 🤔

Playlist: Digs, Vol 4 (+ Vibe Video)

I love making playlists, making a vibe, putting them in a specific order, and sharing them with you. But this month, I got to thinking...

You know those ambience videos on YouTube? It'll be like "Chill Lofi Beats to Study To" with or a "Jazz Coffee Shop" with a badly photoshopped room and non specific royalty free or AI music? Imagine that, but actually good. Just real music, real vibes, curated by yours truly.

So in addition to the regular streaming playlist version of "Digs, V...

Livestream Party Link

I've got a lot of fun surprises in store for you tonight! Tune in live at 5pm PST! The livestream will be starting at 4:45 with some background music and the show officially starting at 5.

You can expect Live Music, games, giveaways, a special guest, and a DJ set to round the night out - see you soon!

Pro Tip: click the link above to open the stream in YouTube so you can join in the comment section live!

NYE 2024 Livestream Party

Join me this Tuesday, December 31st for the 2024 Digging The Greats New Years Livestream Party! Yeah, that name feels long, so let's go with "NYE with DTG"

This livestream is free, public, open to everyone, and will be streaming on YouTube! I'll send you a link through Patreon to make sure you don't miss it, but if you're subscribed on YouTube, you'll also see it pop up there.

Join me from 5pm - 7pm PST on December 31st to ring in the New Year!

We'll be str...

Making of: The "DAMN" Video

Here's a behind the scenes look into how I made the display for the video breaking down "DAMN". Only question is, what do I do with it now?

EXTENDED: Why Kendrick Lamar Won a Pulitzer for DAMN

Today I'm breaking down Kendrick Lamar's album "DAMN", getting into the music, the lyrics, the thematic elements, the twist, and seeing why he won a Pulitzer Prize for this album.

NOTE: This is the Extended Edit which is Uncensored, 8 mins longer, and includes much more music.

Extended: How Digable Planets Won a Grammy for “Rebirth of Slick”

Today I'm breaking down a classic hip hop song: "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) by Digable Planets. We'll see how the group was formed, recreate the beat from scratch, and see how the show In Living Color was the thing to push it over the edge, giving the group a hit song, and a Grammy!

NOTE: This is the Extended Edit which is 5 mins longer and does not include a sponsor

1 Year Later: How Patreon Has Grown Digging The Greats

It's officially been 1 year here on the Digging The Greats Patreon! I am so grateful to each and every one of you! Today I've got a few things to share with you, specifically

• How Patreon has been after 1 year

• Reviewing 2024 and what YOU made possible

• Looking forward to 2025 and what's coming

• A few tweaks to the tiers*

• A new "Executive Producer" tier**

_________________________

Of cour...

EXTENDED: 9 Funky Bass Lines for Soundcheck

2 years ago I made a video titled "8 Funky Bass Lines to Impress Everyone at Soundcheck" - now I'm back for more! The idea here is simple: when the sound person says "Can I get some bass" this is your moment to shine. Pick a line that showcases your playing and lets everyone on stage know it's gonna be a good gig.

Even if you're not a bass player, you'll enjoy this one. There are several impromptu mashups throughout, and several patreon-only sections.

NOTE: This is the "Extended...

30% OFF Merch Sale - Patreon Early Access

Now through the end of the week - 30% Off DTG Merch! Clearing out the last remaining shirts and slipmats, as well as a handful of Kendrick Butterfly shirts and prints from the run earlier this summer. Discount automatically applied - diggingthegreats.com

This will officially be announced tomorrow on YouTube and Socials, but since you're here on Patreon, you get access to it early before anything sells out. There's limi...

Making Of: Charlie Brown Christmas

Peek behind the curtain and see bloopers, hand drawn animation, and full performances of the songs recorded for the Charlie Brown Christmas video.

How "A Charlie Brown Christmas" Almost Never Happened

The best Christmas Album almost didn't happen - and even when it did, the creators of the special worried that they "ruined Charlie Brown". A Charlie Brown Christmas has been a staple for nearly 60 years, and today I'm going to break down exactly why - with a few surprises along the way.

NOTE: This is the Patreon Edit which is slightly longer and does not have a sponsor. Keep an eye our for a making of video coming next week!

Thank to:
Piano: 2024-11-29 16:14:18 +0000 UTC View Post

EXTENDED: The Unexpected Complexity of OutKast’s Ms Jackson

There is so much happening in the Outkast song Ms Jackson, we have to talk about it. For me there are 5 specific musical elements that I hear at play in this song, and the way they combine, it’s truly incredible.

NOTE: This is the Extended Edit which is longer and does not have a sponsor

Director's Commentary: Windstar Enterprises

Last week's video titled "The Strangest Thing I've Ever Been Sent" was different from a typical Digging The Greats video. If you haven't seen it, you'll definitely want to watch that before this commentary. This one was so much fun to produce, and while I'm not giving everything away in this commentary - there are a few additional easter eggs and things that provide additional context.

Let me know what you think of this Director's Commentary style video!

A Different MJ Wrote "Blame it on the Boogie"?!

Did you know "Blame it on the Boogie" was originally written and released by a DIFFERENT Michael Jackson? Today Trey is back to share the confusing story behind this classic song.

NOTE: This is the Extended Edit, which is slightly longer and does not include a sponsor. 

Patreon Member Poll

As a paid member of the Digging The Greats Patreon - YOU are a huge part of what makes this all possible, so thank you! I want to give you the absolute BEST stuff I can, so I'd love to hear from you about what you like and would like to see here on the DTG Patreon.

Please select below what your favorite element(s) of the Patreon are (you can choose just one or multiple) and then comment on this post with any additional notes or suggestions you have.

Note that I haven't includ...