The Hilltop Glove Podcast

Hosted by The Hilltop Glove Podcast

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Episodes

187

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

"The Hilltop Glove" is a podcast that focuses on urban creatives and entrepreneurs navigating adulthood, providing insights and inspiration. With a specific focus on the Carolinas, the podcast covers topics like hip-hop culture, the arts, and practical information for those in the region's urban creative and entrepreneurial spheres.

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June 16, 2026Episode 17950 min

If AI Can Mix Your Set, What’s Left?

Send us Fan MailA DJ set can look “fine” from the booth and still be falling apart in the crowd. We talk with Clif Tha Supa Producer (CTSP), a DJ, producer, and musician from Hopkins, South Carolina, about the part of the job nobody can fake: creating a feeling in real time and keeping it alive for hours.Cliff takes us from growing up around vinyl records, band rooms, and strict-but-loving parents to chasing opportunity outside a small town with no music industry. He breaks down how beat battles in downtown Columbia helped him build confidence, sharpen his sound, and learn what happens when your music meets strangers instead of just friends. We also get into his producer-first mindset, his love for the mid-2000s crunk era, and how music theory and saxophone training show up in the way he sequences a night.From there, we zoom out to what has changed since 2014: trend cycles, tougher rooms, and the rise of lounge culture where dance floors become sections, phones, hookah, and ten mini-parties competing at once. Cliff shares a real bombing story, what it taught him about age groups and nostalgia, and why “reading the room” beats technical flash. We also debate AI in DJing, Serato-era convenience, COVID livestream pivots, and the difference between valuing the process versus chasing results.If you care about DJ culture, music production, Columbia SC nightlife, or the future of live performance in an AI world, this conversation brings both perspective and practical advice. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves music, and leave a review telling us what makes a DJ set unforgettable. Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

June 8, 2026Episode 17848 min

Gumbo Sound: Alexis "AP" Pipkins Jr.

Send us Fan MailA band can sound amazing and still fall apart if nobody owns the vision, the structure, and the hard conversations. We sit down with Alexis Pipkins Jr. (AP) to unpack what it really takes to lead a creative team and why he treats bandleading like management, not vibes. From his Florence, South Carolina roots to building AP & Soulful Touche in Columbia, AP shares how early church music, drumline, and years in media production shaped the way he hears, arranges, and delivers a show.We talk about his “gumbo” philosophy: unique melodies and many ingredients working together, from horns and rhythm section to spoken word poetry, background vocalists, and even a live painter. He breaks down his rehearsal process (references, voice memos, clear arrangements), the reality of nurturing relationships in a rotating lineup, and why “long money” comes from trust, consistency, and systems that still work when you’re not in the room.The conversation goes deeper into AI in music and what gets lost when creativity turns into prompts, plus the uncomfortable questions about ownership and where revenue should go. AP also opens up about faith as his routine, the pressure leaders carry, and how direct communication and accountability can keep small issues from turning into blowups. We close with upcoming show dates and how to follow AP & Soulful Touche so you can catch the G.U.M.B.O Experience live in Columbia.Subscribe for more conversations with artists and builders, share this with a creative friend, and leave a review if it hits home. What part of leadership do you think most people underestimate? Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

June 3, 2026Episode 17737 min

Stop Asking Artists To Draw You For Free

Send us Fan MailA shoe polish drawing on a grandfather’s door turns into a lifelong blueprint for confidence, craft, and calling. We sit down with Shaneka Jackson-Kinsey, a South Carolina mixed media visual artist and art teacher known for soulful portrait work and bold self-portraits, to talk about how belief at the right moment can shape an entire creative life.We get into why eyes are her favorite feature to draw, how a terrifying COVID experience pushed her to “leave her mark,” and what changed when she stopped chasing photo-perfect realism and started chasing essence. Shaneka walks us through her process for commissioned portraits, including memorial pieces, and how prayer, music, and attention to spirit guide the choices she makes on the page. If you’ve ever wondered what makes a portrait feel alive, her approach is a clear window into the emotional side of realism.Then we go practical: the evolution from charcoal to color, why she’s loyal to Prismacolor colored pencils, and what it really takes to balance teaching with a steady stream of commissions. Shaneka also speaks honestly about pricing your artwork, learning to say no, and staying grounded in your message while the conversation around AI art keeps growing. The through-line is simple and challenging: stop believing the lies, protect your voice, and make work that tells the truth.Subscribe for more conversations with working artists and creatives, share this with a friend who needs permission to start, and leave a review with the one line from Shanika that hit you the hardest. Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

May 28, 2026Episode 17650 min

The Musical Mind Of Maxx Good$

Send us Fan MailA lot of artists talk about “the grind,” but Maxx Good$ breaks down what the grind actually looks like when you are an artist, producer, and self-taught audio engineer building your sound from the ground up. We kick things off with his story, born in Brooklyn and moved to upstate South Carolina, and how his mom’s weekly adventures to libraries, museums, and plays shaped the way he thinks about art. That foundation shows up in everything he makes: music is the output, but the real craft is turning feelings into something you can live with.From there, we get into the deeper creative process. Maxx explains why some of his biggest inspirations come from outside hip hop, pulling from architecture, fashion, film, and design, with Virgil Abloh as a north star for work ethic and taste. We talk sampling as pop art, classical training and sight reading, and the surprising early “beat making” moment that came from a Cartoon Network Andre 3000 game. If you care about music production, songwriting, or building a unique artistic identity, this is packed with practical mindset gems.We also go places most music interviews avoid: trends versus timeless records, Kanye West as influence and contradiction, and how mental health looks different when the whole world is watching. Maxx gets honest about being a bedroom producer who struggles with collaboration, why teams still matter, and the question we all wrestle with sooner or later: fame or respect.Tap play, then share this with a friend who loves hip hop culture, sampling, and the real behind-the-scenes of making music. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us your answer: fame or respect? Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

May 21, 2026Episode 17552 min

Clean Stories Through The Lens: Gavin Boulware

Send us Fan MailYou can tell a lot about a photographer by what they think the job actually is. With Gavin Boulware, the answer is clear: the camera matters, but trust matters more. We sit down with the Charlotte, North Carolina photographer to trace his path from an $89 point-and-shoot and “trash” early photos to weddings, portraits, and a reputation that makes clients feel safe before he ever clicks the shutter.We talk about the support system that helped him keep going, the lessons that came from undercharging, and the moment club photography taught him that access is not the same as getting paid. Gavin shares the full story of his first wedding shoot, what he missed, what he learned about the flow of a ceremony, and the small things that still make even seasoned wedding photographers sweat. He also breaks down what “style” really means in post-processing, why he prioritizes sharp and clean edits, and how he uses conversation, humor, and specific prompts to pull real personality into couples portraits and engagement photos.The business side stays front and center: respecting client privacy, following directions on professional gigs, delivering images on a timeline that helps marketing teams, and remembering that customer service is most of the work. We wrap with legacy, the difference between fame and respect, and how his podcast The Black Dad's Club is growing into a real community through service, including free headshots and resume help.Subscribe for more conversations with working creatives, share this with a photographer who needs a push, and leave a review with the biggest lesson you’re taking from Gavin’s story. Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

May 12, 20261 hr 6 min

What Happens When A Culture Loses Authenticity

Send us Fan MailFame can hit overnight and disappear even faster, so we sit down with DJ Chuck T to talk about what actually lasts: respect, skill, and a real name in your community. From Charleston, South Carolina to the Carolina hip hop scene, Chuck shares how a military household, an educator’s mindset, and deep church roots shaped his discipline, his voice, and his ability to lead rooms long before he ever touched a stage or turntables.We also go places most music interviews avoid. Chuck opens up about being ordained as a teenager, why he started studying beyond one tradition, and what he learned reading the Ethiopian Bible and thinking critically about how religion can be used for control. The through-line is personal responsibility: finding God for yourself, building knowledge of self, and refusing to let anyone hand you a ready-made identity.Then we bring it back to the culture and the craft. Chuck breaks down why authenticity in hip hop is non-negotiable, how copycat trends and “type beat” thinking keep new artists stuck, and what real mentorship sounds like when the truth is uncomfortable. We talk music industry scams, the drug narratives that pull artists off track, and why a business mindset beats short-term clout every time. If you care about artist development, music business education, DJ culture, and the future of rap, this conversation is for you.Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who needs the message, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

May 8, 2026Episode 17330 min

Doula Support That Actually Helps

Send us Fan MailBirth prep gets marketed like a checklist, but the hard parts usually show up in the gaps: the first painful latch, the exhaustion at 2 a.m., the moment you realize you do not know the right question to ask a nurse or doctor. We wanted to talk about the real experience, so we brought on Shannon Allen, a postpartum doula and lactation care provider and the founder of Desires of the Heart Doula and Lactation Care in Columbia, South Carolina.Shannon breaks down what a doula actually does and how that differs from a midwife, then goes deeper into the kind of support most families wish they had sooner. We get into breastfeeding support and the stigma around it, why “natural” does not mean “easy,” and how small tools and simple visuals can stop parents from spiraling when they think they are not producing enough milk. She also shares her own three very different birth stories, including moments that were scary, exhausting, and ultimately grounding, plus a reminder of how powerful a steady partner or support person can be.We also talk advocacy and informed consent: how to speak up, how to ask what is happening to your body, and why a good doula focuses on empowering you rather than talking for you. If you are researching postpartum doula care, lactation consulting, breastfeeding help, or the midwife vs doula decision, this conversation is built to leave you more prepared and less alone.If this helped you, subscribe, share it with an expecting parent, and leave a review so more families can find the support they deserve. Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible moms we love! Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

May 5, 2026Episode 17241 min

How Russell Earle Jr. Turned Six Months In South America Into A Book

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Russell Earle Jr. to trace how a six-month solo trip through South America and a daily journaling habit turned into his debut memoir, Until I Came Home. We also get real about the craft and business of being an author, from editing and audiobooks to reviews, distribution, and showing up consistently. Make sure to visit https://russellearlejr.com/ to learn more Russell's story and to check out his Substack, https://russelljearlejr.substack.com/.Like and subscribe and tell someone you love them! Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

April 28, 2026Episode 17159 min

A Flash Flood Took Everything, And She Rebuilt With Kindness

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Tanisha Hall aka Queen It Shall Be to talk about choosing kindness as a daily practice and turning creativity into something your whole community can feel. She shares how family history, honest parenting, and building culturally rooted games help her rebuild after loss and keep showing up as the light. • Growing up between Brooklyn and South Carolina while becoming a poet, dancer, and arts activist • Meeting her father later in life and acting as the family historian • Why kids need consistent examples of real kindness • Compassion as a choice rather than a weakness • leading creativity at home by dancing every day and letting kids watch the process • Designing Hillman The Game, Flavor The Game, and Spades Coach to reflect Black culture • Creating free YouTube guessing games and keeping music and production in the family • Telling the story of the flash flood and tree crash that destroyed her home • Speaking up, asking for help, and refusing to let shame win • Building safe spaces through game nights and learning to promote your art Visit Queen at www.iasgames.com where it's a good black time with you and mine. Please tell somebody next to them that you love them and you appreciate them. Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.

April 14, 202659 min

How A Multidisciplinary Artist Turns Sound, Ritual, And History Into Collage

Send us Fan MailWhat if your reflection could show more than skin and bone—what if it revealed your higher-dimensional self? We sit down with multidisciplinary artist Dogon Krigga to trace a path from DIY hip-hop forums and GIMP downloads to museum walls, community residencies, and a practice that treats collage like choreography and sound like sculpture. Dogon shares how mentors Tom Feelings and Walter Rutledge modeled a life where dance, stagecraft, and paper become one language, and how that language now speaks in symbols drawn from ritual, alchemy, and lived experience.Across our conversation, we unpack the shift from Afrofuturism to Afro-surrealism: from reclaiming Black time as cyclical and ancestral to expanding perception beyond the narrow band of visible light. Dogon’s work asks viewers to see themselves as more than the mirror allows, to recognize aura, memory, and possibility layered into the everyday. That same lens turns political, too. In “They Only Kill You If You’re Righteous,” Dogon memorializes Panthers, queer and trans icons, and modern activists targeted by the state, using collage as curriculum—naming patterns of suppression while lifting up models of mutual aid and collective care.We get practical about process and impact: mental prototyping, holding a piece in mind like a living gallery, then rendering with technical rigor; why the value of art lives in what it does, not just how scarce it is; and how the “digital isn’t real art” myth crumbles when you consider film, photography, and the reproducibility of culture. Most important, Dogon centers access. From open studios to collaborative collage workshops, they’re building spaces where people learn the tools, translate sound into image, and claim voice. The next step is bold and simple: free art kits for unhoused neighbors, because creativity is as essential to dignity as food and first aid.Join us for a conversation that moves from software to spirit, from mentors to martyrs, and from gallery walls to street-level care. If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your reflections keep this community growing. Support the showBOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42eMake sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.