The Stem Society
BYNK Media LLC
0
The Stem Society is a music show hosted by Cole Jackson, focusing on the latest music news, critiques of new releases, and honest takes on events in the music industry. The show spotlights various artists, sharing their new music and personal journeys, while also discussing trends, hip hop controversies, and upcoming projects.
Épisodes
-
Guilty of Lyrics 23.07.2026 24minEp 176Should rap lyrics ever be used as evidence in court?This week, I break down the Yella Beezy trial and explain why I think using rap lyrics to convict artists is a slippery slope. Then I react to Complex's updated list of the 100 Best LA Rap Songs, reveal my own Top 5, and close the show with thoughts on why fans need to stop overanalyzing every Kendrick Lamar snippet before the full song is released. -
Go Read a Book! 19.07.2026 29minEp 175This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson reacts to the long-awaited conversation between DJ Akademiks and Charlamagne Tha God. Did the Roc Nation accusations finally get settled, or did the three-hour discussion solve nothing? Then Cole breaks down Jay-Z's historic Yankee Stadium celebration, the surprise guests, the backlash from former insiders, and why the Target freestyle became one of the weekend's biggest talking points.Timestamps(0:18) Memphis Bleek agrues for Jay Z(2:41) Jay picks GQ over hip hop media(4:24) Should Jay Z sit with more outlets?(8:28) Who's to blame?(11:36) Major names don't sit with hip hop media(13:25) Billboards top 10 hottest female rappers(29:15) Why is Trim ranked so high?(17:21) Yung Miami at 2?(19:32) No love for Tierra Whack(21:48) Cole's Corner: What's wrong with Wale? -
Meeting of the Minds 19.07.2026 37minEp 174This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson reacts to the long-awaited conversation between DJ Akademiks and Charlamagne Tha God. Did the Roc Nation accusations finally get settled, or did the three-hour discussion solve nothing? Then Cole breaks down Jay-Z's historic Yankee Stadium celebration, the surprise guests, the backlash from former insiders, and why the Target freestyle became one of the weekend's biggest talking points. -
Blame the Music? 10.07.2026 21minEp 173Is Yung Miami's "Spend Dat" just harmless fun, or does India.Arie have a point about the power music has over culture and behavior? Cole breaks down the backlash, why India.Arie was misunderstood, and whether artists should be blamed when listeners try to live out the lyrics. Plus, five predictions for Jay-Z's massive Yankee Stadium weekend celebrating Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint—including possible surprise guests, a Roc-A-Fella reunion, new music, and even a new album announcement. -
Lupe is Elite 04.07.2026 26minEp 172Lupe Fiasco says there are hundreds of rappers better than Kendrick Lamar, and once again the internet is debating where he ranks among hip-hop's elite. Cole Jackson explains why Lupe deserves respect as one of rap's greatest lyricists while also breaking down why greatness is about more than just bars. Plus, a look at 50 Cent's reported performance at a Donald Trump Jr.-connected event and the ongoing conversation about money, morals, and hip-hop.Timestamps(2:02) Why is Lupe Doing This(3:13) Who Would Win? (3:48) Lupe is an Elite Rapper (6:50) I Think Lupe is Trolling(10:34) The MAGA Rappers(11:28) Ebro Speaks Out(13:36) Rappers Lie(17:22) Cole's Corner: Joe Budden -
Who Lies About Roc Nation? 29.06.2026 27minEp 171On this episode of The Stem Society, Cole Jackson breaks down DJ Akademiks' accusations that Charlamagne Tha God and other media personalities are protecting Jay-Z and Roc Nation, and explains why the relationship between artists and hip-hop media is more complicated than many fans realize.Later, Cole examines Lizzo's disappointing album sales and asks whether the blame belongs to the algorithm, her label, or the music itself. It's a conversation about accountability, public perception, and how quickly momentum can disappear in today's music industry.Timestamps(0:51) Akademiks Tweets(2:01) Same Points, Different People (4:00) 2 Narratives (6:24) Charla has Receipts (9:17) What's the Real Story (11:27) Why Did Lizzo Flop?(13:24) Her First Mistake (15:43) Lizzo Blames the Algorithm(20:43) Maybe Lizzo is the Problem(23:47) Coles corner: Future's new song -
Broke People Activity! 25.06.2026 24minEp 170On today's episode of The Stem Society, Cole Jackson breaks down two of the biggest conversations in hip-hop.First, T.I. is facing criticism after calling Verzuz a "poor people activity" despite spending years campaigning for a battle with 50 Cent. Has he changed his mind, or is this a convenient rewrite of history before his new album?Then, Meek Mill claims DJ Akademiks and his online coverage are responsible for a dramatic decline in his streaming numbers. Is Akademiks really that influential, or is Meek ignoring the real reasons behind his career slowdown?Cole gives his unfiltered take on both stories, the bigger cultural implications, and why accountability in hip-hop is often selective.Timestamps(0:37) TI speaks out about Verzuz(3:20) TI used Verzuz for his album(5:08) TI had to clean it up(7:09) Verzuz is not good(11:44) Meek Mill calls out Akademiks(14:37) Meek might be the problem(17:34) Meek Mill is not doing it right(20:06) Cole's Corner: Dame Dash -
Why Target? 17.06.2026 15minEp 169This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson breaks down the backlash surrounding Jay-Z's decision to release an exclusive 30th anniversary Reasonable Doubt vinyl through Target while the retailer remains the focus of a boycott within parts of the Black community.Cole examines whether Jay-Z is being tone deaf, why billionaires often prioritize business over public sentiment, and whether fans are willing to hold their favorite artists accountable when money is involved.Timestamp(0:14) Jay Z partnership with Target(1:11) Outrage vs Acceptance(4:05) Is Jay out of touch(6:04) This is not the first time(7:45) Can we hold people accountable? (9:36) Final thoughts(10:41) Cole's Corner: Nicki MinajRead The Reverb on Substackhttps://substack.com/@colejackson12Follow Cole Jackson:IG → @colejackson_bynkX → @ColeJackson12 -
Money is the Issue 17.06.2026 26minEp 168This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson breaks down the latest lawsuit and allegations involving Kanye West and asks whether hip-hop fans have become too willing to ignore serious accusations when they involve their favorite artists.Cole also reacts to Savon's claims that Elliott Wilson owes him $20,000 and discusses why turning personal business disputes into podcast content might be a bigger problem for hip-hop media than people realize. -
Griselda's Over? 10.06.2026 22minEp 167This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson breaks down the latest Griselda controversy after comments from Rory & Mal reignited rumors of tension between Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher.Cole looks at the history of the breakup rumors, Conway's departure from the label, Benny's Def Jam deal, and why the Griselda split may have been hiding in plain sight for years.The bigger question remains: can Griselda still be Griselda without all three founding members?Timestamp(0:22) The rumor of the Griselda breakup(5:39) The group has fought the rumors for years(11:20) Is Westside Gunn the problem?(13:25) YG's problem with B Dot(15:55) B Dot's response(17:56) Should artists get upset about lists? -
Rap's New Battle? 07.06.2026 27minEp 166This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson reacts to Jay-Z's surprise Roots Picnic freestyle and breaks down the shots aimed at Drake, Kanye West, Dame Dash, Nicki Minaj, and Tory Lanez.Cole also discusses whether Drake would have any chance against Jay-Z in a battle and why Hov's latest move might expose some hypocrisy.Plus, the leaked Sauce Walka call that has the internet talking and why everybody involved might be chasing attention.Timestamp(0:34) Jay Z Roots Picnic freestyle(3:14) Jay is responding(5:24) Will Drake respond?(9:11) Does Jay Z look like a hypocrite?(13:11) Sauce Walka's BM phone call(15:15) Sauce is clout chasing(17:21) Sauce history with Drake(20:44) Sauce is handling this wrong(21:51) Cole's Corner: Boosie won't grow up -
The Agenda is Clear 28.05.2026 26minEp 165This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson reacts to DJ Hed facing backlash after clips surfaced of him allegedly editing Drake’s “2 Hard 4 The Radio” and questions whether hip hop media personalities are becoming too emotionally invested in rap beef.Cole also breaks down Drake surpassing Michael Jackson for the most solo #1 songs by a male artist and explains why breaking records and becoming a cultural phenomenon are two completely different things. -
Follow the Money 27.05.2026 21minEp 164Cole Jackson breaks down the latest controversy surrounding DJ Akademiks after new conversations sparked around payola, label influence, and whether hip hop media can still be trusted. Cole also reacts to Akademiks responding to allegations tied to artists, labels, and even Trump’s Truth Social platform.Later in the episode, Cole reacts to Rick Ross calling Drake’s ICEMAN “horrendous” and questions whether Ross is giving real criticism or simply using Drake’s name to help promote his upcoming album.Plus a new Cole’s Corner segment on Daz selling bootleg copies of The Chronic.Timestamps(0:24) Does Ak take payola?(2:51) Is hip hop media getting paid?(5:10) Platforms want to paywall(6:41) Ak is paid by Truth Social(9:22) Final Thoughts(10:23) Rick Ross talks "Iceman"(12:39) Who made who(15:30) Rick Ross is not Drake(16:51) Cole's Corner: Daz vs Death Row -
No New Numbers 22.05.2026 16minEp 163This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson breaks down the Drake Spotify controversy after the platform corrected its original streaming record announcement and sparked new conversations about bots, streaming manipulation, and UMG.Cole also reacts to JID’s deleted tweets about the BET Awards and his comments about J. Cole while asking a bigger question about respect, status, and how the industry values hip hop artists. -
Drake's Exit Plan 18.05.2026 19minEp 162This week on The Stem Society, Cole Jackson breaks down the theory that Drake’s 3-album drop might have had nothing to do with music quality and everything to do with business.Cole dives into the UMG lawsuit, the reaction culture around “mid” album reviews, and why so many streamers and podcasters may be missing the bigger picture behind Iceman, Hibibti, and Maid of Honor.Timestamps(0:32) Drake wants his independence(3:36) The theory behind 3 albums(7:05) Drake's crazy work rate(9:50) Drake's not the first(12:09) $2 Billion dollar deal?(13:16) Final Thoughts(14:31) Cole's Corner: Rory & Mal v Rick Ross -
The Iceman Conspiracy 13.05.2026 19minEp 161Cole Jackson breaks down all the speculation and internet chaos surrounding Drake’s upcoming Iceman album.From Kendrick conspiracy theories and streamer narratives to Charlamagne’s comments, rumored disses, Future speculation, and Drake’s relationship with streamers, Cole looks at what actually matters heading into release week.He also explains why Iceman needs to deliver a real rap moment for Drake and why hip-hop fans should judge the album off the music — not internet politics.Timestamps(0:27) Why did GNX disapprear?(4:29) Ak changing the narrative(7:41) Drake can still rap(10:04) Charlamagne leaks information(17:11) Drake has to get a win -
Who's Scamming Who? 10.05.2026 20minEp 160Cole Jackson breaks down the latest fallout from Complex’s Hip-Hop Media Power Ranking after Ebro and Peter Rosenberg call DJ Akademiks an “algorithm hustler.”Cole questions whether Ebro is being hypocritical, whether Complex is moving politically, and why certain voices only speak up when it benefits them.Later, Cole reacts to Latto announcing her “retirement album” and debates whether this is a real exit from rap or just rollout strategy.Timestamps(0:19) Ebro calls out Algro Hustle(3:07) Ebro has a problem with Ak and Complex(5:56) Cole looks deeper into Ebro's contributions(7:45) Scammer's in the Media Space(10:51) Final Thoughts(12:05) Latto's Retirement Announcment(14:04) This Could Be Real(16:51) What Will This Sound Like?(17:45) Cole's Corner: Rick Ross -
The Power Rankings Suck 07.05.2026 17minEp 159Cole Jackson breaks down Complex’s 2026 Hip-Hop Media Power Ranking and questions whether these lists still have credibility.From Akademiks defending his spot to debates over Kai Cenat, Charlamagne, On The Radar, and relationship politics in media, this episode looks at whether hip-hop media rankings reward real work or just popularity and connections.Timestamps(0:28) The top 5 picks(1:04) Akademiks goes viral(2:39) Rory and Mal spot is suspect(4:05) Complex moves the goal post(6:55) Charlamagne got no respect (8:37) Why is Kai Cenat still here?(11:33) Why this list is important(12:21) Final thoughts(13:20) Cole's Corner: Bad Hip Hop Conversations -
No Hip Hop for Old Men 03.05.2026 25minEp 158Jay-Z has the culture debating again.In a recent interview, he said older rappers making “young music” comes off forced — and fans can tell when it’s not authentic. In this episode, Cole breaks down the statement, the pushback, and what it really means for hip-hop today.Plus, Cole reacts to the Rick Ross vs. French Montana Verzuz announcement and explains why it’s not hitting like it should — and whether Verzuz has run its course.Timestamps(0:21) Jay Z makes a statement(1:49) Akademiks leads the internet in a response(6:30) Is Jay the head of Hip Hop(10:17) Is this really about Drake(13:50) What is the goal(17:54) Final thoughts(19:35) Verzuz is back(22:00) Verzuz is cooked -
Don't Go Public! 29.04.2026 18minEp 157Meg Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson are done — but the internet turned it into something way bigger than it needed to be. In this episode, we break down what actually happened, why people are picking sides, and how narratives are driving the conversation more than facts. Then we get into Vince Staples’ “Blackberry Marmalade” video and the split reaction around it — did he go too far, or are people missing the message?⏱️ Timestamps(0:21) Meg & Klay Breakup Breakdown(2:01) The Narrative is Crazy(4:58) We Don't Know Anything(7:07) The Meg Side of Things(9:56) Final Thoughts(12:27) Vince Staples “Blackberry Marmalade” Reaction(14:26) Did People Miss The Message?(16:31) Final Thought
