The hosts of the popular “Let’s Rap About It” podcast, Jim Jones, Maino, Fabolous, and Dave East, brought their conversation from the studio to the stage Thursday night, drawing fans to Terminal 5 in Manhattan for a live taping.
The event marked a live edition of the podcast, which has built an audience through discussions about hip-hop culture, current events, relationships, music, and life experiences. Organizers promoted the show as a chance for fans to experience the group’s conversations in person at the West Side venue. The live taping was presented in partnership with Playmaker and produced by The Oracle Media.
Throughout the evening, the four New York rappers and media personalities engaged in discussions on a wide range of subjects, mixing humor, storytelling, and commentary that has become one of the podcast’s most loved hallmarks.
With all four rappers being native New Yorkers, fans not only found the artists truly relatable, but it also made for an environment that reflected the show’s connection to the city being the original home where hip-hop culture began and thrived.
“This is more than a podcast; it’s a full New York hip-hop moment,” event organizers said in promotional materials ahead of the show.
The night was filled with amazing surprises as New York’s Hot 97 DJs Drewski and Mike Medium played a curated selection of fan favorites while attendees streamed into the venue, featuring tracks like Fabolous’ “Brooklyn Badness (WYFL Freestyle),” Maino’s “NY Love,” Dave East’s “It Gotta Be Me,” and Jim Jones’ “In the Car” from his latest album, “The Landlord.”
Attendees thoroughly enjoyed the range of local vendors, most notably the delicious Caribbean cuisine provided by R’SZN Caribbean Jerk Center which drew a long line before the taping began.
Following a short break, Maino, Dave East, and Jim Jones returned to the stage, but Fabolous was absent initially. He soon appeared in a new outfit, prompting playful bets among the co-hosts about his wardrobe change.
Once everyone was settled, they welcomed surprise co-host Remy Ma, thrilling the audience. The conversation was lively and humorous, touching on social media conflicts, communication styles in relationships, upcoming projects, and a funny traffic stop story involving Maino.
A truly touching highlight of the night was when the sons of Fabolous, Jim Jones, and Maino joined their dads on stage. The hosts shared how fatherhood changed their outlook, motivating them to create better lives and relationships for their children compared to their own experiences. Despite playfully calling their dads “haters,” the affection between each father-son pair was readily apparent.
The hosts engaged the audience with New York trivia and a “Most Likely To” game. Jim Jones challenged attendees to be the first to pull out a lip gloss or a durag, rewarding the winners with cash from his wallet. The night’s grand prize was tickets and access to the Emirates Lounge for a Knicks/Nets game next season.
To close the exciting evening, Maino and emerging Brooklyn artist MRG wowed the audience with a surprise performance of their new single “Feeling Good Today 2.” The night ended with the hosts thanking each other and their loyal fans for their ongoing support of the podcast and their individual endeavors.
The event was sponsored by McDonald’s, Morgan & Morgan, and 1800 Tequila. The episode recorded at Terminal 5 is expected to be released through the podcast’s regular distribution channels at a later date.
Listen to Let’s Rap About It on all major podcast platforms and tune in for new episodes every Friday at 12 p.m. EST on the podcast’s YouTube channel.
Words: Be’n Original | Feature/Header Image by Antoine DeBrill
