what happened to Juan Epstein?

[Motife43]

I paused the most recent episode a quarter a way through because I could tell which direction it was going. I’ll finish it later today.

But for those who haven’t listened in a while, here’s a breakdown of what you’ll hear each week on Juan Ep

• Ciph and Rosenberg crying about how they don’t get respect as the OG rap podcast
• Rosenberg crying because somebody criticized him or called him out
• Ciph talkin about comedy and rolling with Chapelle
• Ciph talking about how comedy is under attack or people are sensitive
• Clowning Billy June (which is my favorite shtick on the show)

The podcast is like 30% about rap and the rest is my bulleted points above. Every once in a while they’ll drop a dope interview or call up a random rap luminary and chop it up. But I’m not sure how much longer I’ll listen if it’s just Ciph and Rosenberg randomness

They’re legit two of the few podcasters who can interview legends and get deep into the weeds and get new stories. But yet we get the other BS smh.

 

[steadyrighteous]

I actually think I’m in the minority. At least on this forum. In their small Discord and on other places, there are more of us. But:

• I like the podcasts when they’re just talking amongst themselves. Even some of the ones where they complain. I like Juan Ep because I like (liked) the both of them.
• I can understand why Rosenberg isn’t for everyone, but I generally think he’s a good dude and one of the better people in Hip-Hop media. And as a person he’s grown quite a bit.
• I like their interviews, but I generally don’t like or care for interviews and interview podcasts. Unless it’s a truly engaging artist who is a good storyteller, I have no interest in listening to artists mumbling and stumbling through questions about past t accomplishments. It’s a hot take, but 95% of older artists are garbage interviews and podcasts with legends tend to be boring AF. On pretty much every platform.
• My main (and only) gripe with Juan Ep is pretty much Ciph. He’s the reason the podcast can be hard to listen to, because he’s a 50 year old Gen Z comedian.

Juan Ep is the only hip hop podcast I listen to, and that’s because it’s not always a podcast about hip hop.

Even on Pete’s other pod Real Late, he did a dope interview with Mach Hommy for over an hour. And it wasn’t mostly about music. It was just great to get to know Mach the person and engage with him that way. I came away from that pod a bigger fan than when I started, and he barely talked about process or his career.

 

[nahnah]

I paused the most recent episode a quarter a way through because I could tell which direction it was going. I’ll finish it later today.

But for those who haven’t listened in a while, here’s a breakdown of what you’ll hear each week on Juan Ep

• Ciph and Rosenberg crying about how they don’t get respect as the OG rap podcast
• Rosenberg crying because somebody criticized him or called him out
• Ciph talkin about comedy and rolling with Chapelle
• Ciph talking about how comedy is under attack or people are sensitive
• Clowning Billy June (which is my favorite shtick on the show)

The podcast is like 30% about rap and the rest is my bulleted points above. Every once in a while they’ll drop a dope interview or call up a random rap luminary and chop it up. But I’m not sure how much longer I’ll listen if it’s just Ciph and Rosenberg randomness

They’re legit two of the few podcasters who can interview legends and get deep into the weeds and get new stories. But yet we get the other BS smh.

Lol Is Ciph still living in 2018 or something

That's all comedians used waffle about then. It's a sure sign you've ran out of things to say or you just weren't that funny to begin with.

 

[Motife43]

They drop a dope Smif N Wessun episode then 4 straight rando episodes whining and barely talkin music

I really wanted to pay to get on the discord and give these mufukas a pep talk. Get back to more interviews and music discussion. Juan Ep has devolved into what most “rap” podcasts are now, 90% chatty patty talk sprinkled with some music talk

 

[Macallik86]

I feel the exact opposite, but that's probably why I'm more in TLR/HL instead of the Booth. Cipha has backed off the MAGA hot-takes since Trump has been breaking-and-pillaging the nation, and so it's back to jokes and story about insecurities and growth.

The last episode was one of my faves hearing them dissect Vlad and Ak trying to flame Rosenberg

 

[ClemenzaSupreme]

They drop a dope Smif N Wessun episode then 4 straight rando episodes whining and barely talkin music

I really wanted to pay to get on the discord and give these mufukas a pep talk. Get back to more interviews and music discussion. Juan Ep has devolved into what most “rap” podcasts are now, 90% chatty patty talk sprinkled with some music talk

exactly! I wish they would stop talking about Charlamagne, AK and Vlad. Even Ciph was tired of it a couple episode back. They need to get rid of the Billy June guy too

 

[Awesome Wells]

Juan Ep fell off years ago.

They started off the right way, speaking to legends and asking the right questions. But once they got away from that and started trying to be The View, they got corny and unlistenable. To this day, nobody has been able to do it like Combat Jack. I still relisten to the old episodes from time to time, if I want to hear a good Hip Hop podcast.

 

[steadyrighteous]

They drop a dope Smif N Wessun episode then 4 straight rando episodes whining and barely talkin music

I really wanted to pay to get on the discord and give these mufukas a pep talk. Get back to more interviews and music discussion. Juan Ep has devolved into what most “rap” podcasts are now, 90% chatty patty talk sprinkled with some music talk

I wouldn't pay to get on the Discord, because yes Peter does interact there, as does Billy June, but in general Peter doesn't respond to criticism or feedback so you going there to give a pep talk won't matter

Those pep talks and complaints from fans was regular in the beginning, but I think most people learned that they won't lead to change so people just talk shyt and catch up with each other, talk about music, and talk about funny things that happened on the eps.

But if you're going there thinking your voice will be heard or it'll make a difference to the content of the podcast - it won't

 

[steadyrighteous]

Juan Ep fell off years ago.

They started off the right way, speaking to legends and asking the right questions. But once they got away from that and started trying to be The View, they got corny and unlistenable. To this day, nobody has been able to do it like Combat Jack. I still relisten to the old episodes from time to time, if I want to hear a good Hip Hop podcast.

Honestly they just got older.

I still listen because I generally like the guys (Peter more than Ciph, Ciph is close to unlistenable these days)

But they've just gotten older, so their lives aren't about music and the culture as much as it was in their younger days, and the things that occupy their minds more than music is life and career, so you get more life talk than music talk.

So I understand that if you want music talk, you won't like modern Juan Ep mostly.

 

[Motife43]

I feel the exact opposite, but that's probably why I'm more in TLR/HL instead of the Booth. Cipha has backed off the MAGA hot-takes since Trump has been breaking-and-pillaging the nation, and so it's back to jokes and story about insecurities and growth.

The last episode was one of my faves hearing them dissect Vlad and Ak trying to flame Rosenberg

I genuinely enjoy hearing them talk about their lives, but I just prefer hearing more music talk than anything. They legit spent the whole episode giving attention to people who’re hating on them than the basis of the show a Jew and Puerto Rican talking about hip hop.

But It’s a cycle at this point: Rosenberg gets clowned publicly then Rosenberg cries, then repeat

I’m tired of complaining about this show lol. I just want more dope non-salacious rap stories and discussion

exactly! I wish they would stop talking about Charlamagne, AK and Vlad. Even Ciph was tired of it a couple episode back. They need to get rid of the Billy June guy too

Billy June is a part of the pod, them clowning him is forever hilarious to me

@steadyrighteous
Appreciate the Discord breakdown. I’ll save my $5 for snacks

 

[Piff Perkins]

Juan Ep fell off years ago.

They started off the right way, speaking to legends and asking the right questions. But once they got away from that and started trying to be The View, they got corny and unlistenable. To this day, nobody has been able to do it like Combat Jack. I still relisten to the old episodes from time to time, if I want to hear a good Hip Hop podcast.

And I'm never gonna feel right about the weird way Rosenberg attacked Combat Jack multiple times in life and then belittled his importance in death. He's moved to the point of being a big Combat defender, after being shamed/bullied, but it doesn't feel genuine. Frankly a lot of shyt doesn't feel genuine about dude. Lot of virtue signaling so he can stay in the good graces of a culture that doesn't seem to have a place for him anymore. The days of up and coming NY rappers are over so that club/venue shyt he used to do (which was admittedly cool) is done. TDE not answering his calls anymore. He's kinda relegated to the sporadic Mach Hommy or Griselda interview and that's about it now.

 

[Awesome Wells]

And I'm never gonna feel right about the weird way Rosenberg attacked Combat Jack multiple times in life and then belittled his importance in death. He's moved to the point of being a big Combat defender, after being shamed/bullied, but it doesn't feel genuine. Frankly a lot of shyt doesn't feel genuine about dude. Lot of virtue signaling so he can stay in the good graces of a culture that doesn't seem to have a place for him anymore. The days of up and coming NY rappers are over so that club/venue shyt he used to do (which was admittedly cool) is done. TDE not answering his calls anymore. He's kinda relegated to the sporadic Mach Hommy or Griselda interview and that's about it now.

True. Rosenberg's always come off mad fake.

But I remember him going after Jack back then, and it always seemed to stem from jealousy. Like you said, his whole vibe is phony. And he's been called out for it so much, that I think he tries to hop back and forth between trying to be who he thinks he should be, depending on who's in the room.