In this episode, we’re at the SoFi Stadium in LA to witness a Long Beach G-Funk SHOOTOUT between rapper/producers DAZ DILLINGER and WARREN G.

With the 2026 World Cup in full swing, what better what to celebrate than a good old-fashioned hip-hop penalty shootout between two West Coast legends?

On one side is Tha Dogg Pound general, Death Row producer and architect behind some of the hardest West Coast classics. On the other is the smooth-talking Regulator whose laid-back flow, melodic production and Nate Dogg-assisted anthems helped take G-funk global.

From Dogg Food to Regulate… G Funk Era and beyond, we’re putting catalogues, impact, verses, beats and legacy under the spotlight. We’ve picked five tracks from each artist, which are drawn against each other at random and we use the three-main vote to decide who wins each tie.

Like the real World Cup, this podcast has three hosts – Danny, Larry and Steve – who keep the matches moving with insightful, incisive commentary, backed by some of the biggest names in British football.

So who’ll keep their nerve from the spot and plant it top bins? Who’ll shank it into Row Z? Listen to find out!

TRACKS

DAZ

1. Tha Dogg Pound – Let’s Play House
2. Tha Dogg Pound – Big Pimpin’
3. Nate Dogg – One More Day
4. Dr Dre – Let Me Ride (Daz Remix)
5. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Downtown Assassins

WARREN G

1. Warren G – Do You See
2. Warren G – This DJ
3. Twinz – Sorry I Kept You
4. Mista Grimm – Indo Smoke
5. Thug Life – How Long Will They Mourn Me?

SHOOTOUT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (Daz vs Warren G)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4O0Ew4agGUAjOyPIBubvzS?si=dRXFrfztTDSOwbQ-LhiQJw

WEBSITE

https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA

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Emerging from their Q-TIP SHOOTOUT bruised and battered with a touch of cramp in the calves, Danny, Larry and Steve quaff a case of Lucozade and haul themselves back onto the pitch for another half hour of hip-hop bollocks.

This bonus EXTRA TIME episode digs deeper into the mercurial mind of Q-Tip with our regular segments What’s The Scenario and Time For Questions, while Winner Stays On and That’s The Real Quiz put our hosts’ grey matter to the test with some devilishly difficult brain teasers – play along at home.

So strap yourselves in, hit play and let’s ride!

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WEBSITE:

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In an episode that critics are already calling ‘a podcast’, we celebrate the mercurial mind of A Tribe Called Quest frontman Q-TIP.

He’s worn many hats over his long and prosperous career – rapper, producer, actor, innovator – and today he’s regarded as one of the most important figures in hip-hop culture.

His beatmaking brilliance helped define the jazz-infused boom-bap sound that dominated the mid-90s. Along the way he earned a place behind the boards for a series of rap masterpieces including Nas' 'One Love', Mobb Deep's 'The Infamous' LP and of course ‘Gangsta Bitch’ by Apache.

The only appropriate way to pay tribute to this hip-hop heavyweight is to convene some of the finest minds in British rap podcasting. Sadly none were available, so Danny, James and Steve step into the breach, conducting a sensational SOLO SHOOTOUT where ten Q-Tip tracks and productions compete to take home the trophy.

We draw two tracks at random to face each other, subject each song to some premier-league punditry, then decide on the winner using the FIFA-mandated three-man vote system. Those five winners progress to the final, where our patented TruSkore™ system determines the ultimate champion.

Evaluating Q-Tip’s work is not a responsibility we’ve taken lightly – in fact we had to draft in some of the most respected figures in British football to give it the gravitas it deserves. We’re even monitored by VAR for heaven’s sake, just to make sure our opinions are free from clear and obvious errors.

So can you kick it? Yes you can – hit play now!

TRACKS

1. Q-Tip – Gettin’ Up
2. Mobb Deep – Temperature’s Rising
3. Run DMC – Come On Everybody
4. LL Cool J – Murdergram Deux
5. Slick Rick – Another Great Adventure
6. Pusha T – F.I.F.A.
7. Mobb Deep feat Q-Tip – Drink Away The Pain
8. Q-Tip – Breathe and Stop
9. Q-Tip – Let's Ride
10. Q-Tip – Move

SHOOTOUT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (Q-Tip):

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/43IUpunjelstXi7TtaVUvw?si=u_u88TXKThuKJ2TajFlbxQ

WEBSITE:

https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com

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Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠

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Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK⁠⁠

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SOCIAL MEDIA

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Welcome to Hip Hop World Cup REPLAY – your chance to revisit classic matches between golden-age rap albums from the Hip Hop World Cup vault!

We go back to 1995 for this East v West coast clash as Brooklyn’s Smif-N-Wessun take on Compton’s own DJ Quik!

The gritty, grimy Beatminerz production on Smif-N-Wessun’s iconic LP Dah Shinin’ is a world away from the polished funk beats of DJ Quik’s third album Safe + Sound, but that contrast made for an irresistible clash that Danny, James and Steve got their rap-loving teeth into.

Enjoy this trip down memory lane as we chew over two of 1995’s best hip-hop albums. Let us know who you had winning, whether this was a fair decision or if we need to apologise.

All the full episodes from the first series are available on your podcast player of choice.

Thanks for backing Hip Hop World Cup – see you next time.

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Welcome to Hip Hop World Cup REPLAY – your chance to revisit classic matches between golden-age rap albums from the Hip Hop World Cup vault!

We kick things off with a Big Apple bust-up between two albums celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2026. When Ghostface Killah’s Ironman came out of the hat against Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt it was a bit like Man City drawing Man United in the FA Cup – a real battle of the big guns.

Danny, James and Steve revisit these two iconic debuts, celebrating the raw street reportage and razor-sharp lyricism that made both albums instant classics – before inevitably tying themselves in knots trying to pick a winner using the three-man vote.

If this sparks memories or arguments, all the full episodes from the first series are available on your podcast player of choice. And remember to join our Patreon for more bonus content that we’ll upload when we can be arsed.

Let us know who you had winning, whether this was a fair decision or if we need to apologise.

Thanks for backing Hip Hop World Cup – see you next time.

JOIN OUR PATREON!

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Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632⁠⁠

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SOCIAL MEDIA

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Welcome to Hip Hop World Cup EXTRA TIME, our post-match podcast where we head back onto the pitch for more hip-hop discussion related to our main episodes.

After the final whistle blew on our Shootout between revered rapper/producers LORD FINESSE and DIAMOND D, we wanted to dig deeper into the D.I.T.C. crates.

So we sucked some orange slices, laced up the Predators and kicked off an ambitious 16-album tournament (or ‘bracket’ for our American listeners) to find the best LP from this legendary hip-hop stable.

For this new contest – which we've dubbed Mama Said Knock You Out – the 16 albums are split into two groups of eight and drawn against each other in one-on-one matches using FIFA’s fixture super computer.

Danny and Steve take it in turns to choose the winner on gut instinct alone, with albums progressing through the rounds to the final. It was a tricky, energy-sapping battle, but one album emerged victorious – listen to discover which one lifts the trophy.

THE ALBUMS

1. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth – Funky Technician (1990)
2. Lord Finesse – Return of the Funky Man (1992)
3. Showbiz & AG – Runaway Slave (1992)
4. Diamond – Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop (1992)
5. Fat Joe Da Gangsta – Represent (1993)
6. O.C. – Word… Life (1994)
7. Show & AG – Goodfellas (1995)
8. Big L – Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous (1995)
9. Fat Joe – Jealous One’s Envy (1995)
10. Lord Finesse – The Awakening (1996)
11. O.C. – Jewelz (1997)
12. Diamond D – Hatred, Passions and Infidelity (1997)
13. Fat Joe – Don Cartagena (1998)
14. Big L – The Big Picture (2000)
15. D.I.T.C. – D.I.T.C. (2000)
16. Buckwild & Celph Titled – Nineteen Ninety Now (2010)

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In this episode we take golden-age hip-hop deep into the bowels of British government as we carry out a historic VERSUS SHOOTOUT in front of a packed House of Lords.

The reason for this flimsy comedic conceit? Well, we needed a group of honest, principled pillars of society to help us legislate a sensational showdown between two noblemen of ‘90s hip-hop: LORD FINESSE and DIAMOND D.

Emboldened by the lords’ deep knowledge of hip-hop politics, Danny, James and Steve scrutinise the work of these two rapper-producers from the Diggin’ In The Crates crew, tackling topics like their mastery of the SP1200 sampler, their punchline-laden lyrics and their impact on hip-hop as a whole.

Five tracks from each artist are drawn against each other at random, and following a feisty debate our hosts use the three-man vote to elect a winner.

It’s a best of five, first-past-the-post punch-up that sees one of these rap pioneers seize the seat of power. Who will it be? Listen to find out!

All that and the usual array of nonsense, including a tetchy appearance on our VAR panel from former Spurs chairman Lord Sir Alan of Sugar.

TRACKS

Lord Finesse

1. Lord Finesse – Hip 2 Da Game
2. O.C. – Ga Head
3. Big L – MVP
4. The Notorious B.I.G. – Suicidal Thoughts
5. Lord Finesse feat Crystal Johnson & Rell – The Message (Original Version)

Diamond D

1. Diamond – Feel The Vibe
2. Tha Alkaholiks – Let It Out
3. Sadat X, Fat Joe & Diamond D – Stay Away From The Nasty Hoes
4. Mos Def – Hip Hop
5. D.I.T.C – Day One

SHOOTOUT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (Lord Finesse vs Diamond D):

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5YgIP67RJ2deVZ25gjWmSc?si=HLRvn0nSQySYkrsLgTJhjw

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Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK⁠⁠

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It’s the big one! In this SOLO SHOOTOUT, we’re shining the spotlight on arguably hip-hop’s greatest-ever producer as ten DJ Premier tracks fight for sonic supremacy.

From his early days with Gang Starr to era-defining work with Nas, Jeru, Biggie and a roll call of elite MCs, DJ Premier has stood at the forefront of hip-hop for more than three decades with his unmistakable boom-bap sound, becoming one of the most trusted producers of the 1990s golden era.

His ear for sampling helped define the sound of New York rap at its grittiest and most refined. Built on chopped samples, hard-hitting drums and razor-sharp scratch hooks, his sound is both stripped-back and cinematic – minimal in palette yet immense in impact.

In this episode, Danny, James and Steve choose ten of Preemo’s best bangers, draw them against each other and decide who wins each tie. At the end we tot up the TruSkore totals of the five winners and crown our overall Shootout champion. Simples!

Along the way we serve up the usual smorgasbord of shite, including an over-elaborate quiz, ruminations on sample snitching, which ‘Crooklyn’ track is better and Group Home’s compellingly poor rap skills. Oh and Larry brings us news of an ‘unbelievable’ new sponsorship deal that will shake British podcasting to its very foundations.

TRACKS

1. Crooklyn Dodgers ’95 – Return Of The Crooklyn Dodgers
2. KRS-One – Rappaz R. N. Dainja
3. Jeru The Damaja – Invasion
4. Jeru The Damaja – Mental Stamina
5. PRhyme – PRhyme
6. A$AP Ferg – Our Streets
7. The Notorious B.I.G. – Unbelievable
8. Nas – N.Y. State Of Mind
9. Group Home – Livin’ Proof
10. OC – My World

SHOOTOUT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (DJ Premier): ⁠⁠ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2iMolaUDOwOSPUYDB6wT34?si=ug4AExY-QO2sOQkq708MGA

JOIN OUR PATREON!

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Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632⁠⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK⁠⁠

Please rate and review Hip-Hop World Cup on Apple or your podcast app of choice, which will help raise our visibility and give the podcast ‘mass appeal’.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: ⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978