volume 147 - prototype

maybe algorithms aren't so bad

memes of the week 🤠

that means divorces are dishonorable discharges

we are going to start a dialogue

i love sending passive friend homework to the lads

AI can take my job cause i just wanna be a stay-at-home dad who hosts a part-time radio show on the weekends 😌

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happy Tuesday y’all :)

we’re trying something new for today’s volume: giving algorithms a chance

i know, i know, it doesn’t fit Run It Back’s mission statement. but i wanted to give Spotify’s algo a shot for a change. maybe it’ll be like my YouTube algorithm, which knows me better than my therapist

our test subject? Run It Back Radio™️

as a refresher, Run It Back Radio™️ has every song from every volume with the most recent volume’s songs at the top of the playlist. it even has songs from RIB’s first iteration: 2-3 Zone (can you tell i love basketball?)

i’ll often play it on shuffle when i’m without a paddle not sure where to go and what to listen to

at the bottom of every playlist you make, Spotify will recommend songs it thinks you should add. so today will be some of the songs they recommended

with so many different genres and sounds covered, i’m curious what they’ll say. let’s give algorithms a chance?

and with that, let's get to the music for the week ❤️‍🔥

- claudio / claud / @offballscreen

p.s. - we’re continuing the new schedule with another intermission coming to you live and direct next Wednesday. which might include some thoughts on the Drake album?? 👀

Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man

this week’s music ⤵️

1. Prototype
   Outkast
   Released: 2003

If we happen to part
Lord knows I don't want that, but hey
We can't be mad at God
We met today for a reason
I think I'm on the right track now

first thing that came to mind when i heard this was Tyler, The Creator and his latest music. like the beat itself and especially with the background vocals towards the end!

b2b with this track and tell me what you think:

even the “stank you very much” (which is also a reference to Outkast’s fourth album Stankonia) disarms the vulnerability to make light of the situation. compare that with the opening line here:

“OUUUU YOU LOOK MALNOURISHED” lmaooo, so wild to say in a song about love

2. Everybody Loves The Sunshine
   Roy Ayers Ubiquity

   Released: 1976

My life, my life, my life, my life
In the sunshine, everybody loves the sunshine
Sunshine, everybody loves the sunshine
Sunshine, folks get down in the sunshine
Sunshine, folks get brown in the sunshine

this song is ubiquitous but i really only know Roy Ayers because Tyler names him countless times as one of his many influences:

they even did a song together off his 2015 album Cherry Bomb!

it’s dope to see someone like Roy have this lasting career interwoven with contemporary artists. when he eventually passes on to his next chapter, we’ll have people like Tyler keeping his legacy alive

that’s all we can hope for ourselves in this lifetime right?

3. Didn’t Cha Know
   Erykah Badu
   Released: 2000

Guess I was born to make mistakes
But I ain't scared to take the weight
So when I stumble off the path
I know my heart will guide me back

i had no idea the legendary J Dilla produced this! i can wax poetic about the beat and sampling in general, but i’ll let Erykah do the talking from this 2006 Fader interview:

“Dilla goes, ‘OK, I want you to look for a record.’ I’m looking through these organized, tightly packed crates, and I just pulled out one record and the artist was Tarika Blue. I liked that name.

I put on the first track [“Dreamflower”] and I fell in love with the song and I kept playing it over and over again and I said, ‘I want this.’ He showed me how to loop a small part of the bassline.

… Then I left the room and when I came back he had looped some drums to a small sample of the song and I started to write to it.”

like it could all be so simple?? not everything has to be complicated

4. Run To The Sun
   N.E.R.D.
   Released: 2001

Though you're probably feelin' blue
And you'll do what you must do
I hope you know
I'd hand the skies to you

(tbh, i’m surprised this wasn’t added already 😅)

after listening to what was recommended, i was a lil disappointed with the lack of variety. i thought there’d be more house or world music involved

but! i liked these additions. it’s hella funny how these are all Tyler’s influences

is he…the algorithm?

down the road i’m thinking i’ll do the same exercise with Spotify’s Daily Mix playlists and their AI DJ. this’ll help answer some questions like why did they invest in this so much? how long was the script dude had to read for the AI’s voice? who asked for this??

lastly, i want to hear from you: what has your algorithm lobbed your way recently that you loved? music-related or not. let me know in the comments 🫡