​Welcome to Episode #21 of the 90s State of Mind podcast - a collaborative project between 4ever in Electric Dreams and Blue-in-Green:RADIO. This podcast series typically sees Imran (London, UK) and Rhonda (California, USA) delve into some of their favourite releases from the 90s and for this episode but this episode sees the duo take the conversation in a slightly different direction than usual.

In a follow-up to episode #19 of our podcast series which delved into the monumental rivalry of hip-hop heavyweights Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Rhonda and Imran reconnect to discuss the events of early 2025 which saw Kendrick collect FIVE Grammy awards for 'Not Like Us' and then - a mere week later - perform what has since been dubbed the most watched Superbowl Halftime performance ever.  A celebrated performance which saw Kendrick litter his thirteen minutes with subtle, and not so subtle, Drake attacks throughout, we ask is there more to come from this rivalry, and examine what Drake would do next.

​Welcome to Episode #11 of the 4ever in Electric Dreams & CONFESSIONS OF A CURLY MIND co-production - Supple & Lean | A Geekcast.

Presented by Imran Mirza from London, UK, and Vahé Vishapakagh Koshayan from Melbourne, Australia, for this episode the duo delve into all things related to 'The Crow'.

With origins from James O'Barr's 1989 comic book series 'The Crow', the impassioned piece of work spawned its first on-screen iteration with the Alex Proyas-helmed movie in 1994.  Starring the dearly departed Brandon Lee in a career-defining performance, the film went on to achieve cult status and has been revered since its release now 31 years ago.  

Following the 1994 original, subsequent entries within the franchise were marked by 'The Crow: City of Angels' (1996), 'The Crow: Salvation' (2000) and 'The Crow: Wicked Prayer' (2005) with neither generating favourable reviews or the money required to really justify the iteration that would follow.  'The Crow: Stairway to Heaven' - the 1998 TV series - perhaps generated the most favourable reviews but didn't get the chance to continue their story with the planned second season which never came to fruition; yet more Crows followed with a mix of the stories recounting the forlorn tragedy of the ill-fated lovers Eric Draven and Shelly Webster amongst others who were wronged by the harsh cruelty of an unjust life. 

The 30 year milestone has been marked by the release of the latest iteration of the vengeful vigilante, this time with Rupert Sanders in the director's chair leading a cast of Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs and Danny Huston. 

With Vahé and Imran both long-time fans of the 1994 original, the time seemed right to have a lengthy chat about their affections for Proyas' masterpiece, delve into the comics for the first time and revisit the sequels and reboots in an incredibly expansive conversation into James O'Barr's incredible world.

The show today features original music from Supple & Lean featuring Shelly Draven with 'Your Dark Path'.

​2024 marked the 30-year anniversary of the masterpiece that is 'The Crow', originally released in 1994.  Directed by the visionary Alex Proyas and featuring a career defining performance from the dearly departed Brandon Lee, 'The Crow' has established itself as a timeless piece of work and an exquisite adaptation of James O'Barr's 1989 graphic novel origin.

The 30 year milestone has been marked by the release of the latest iteration of the vengeful vigilante, this time with Rupert Sanders at the helm leading a cast of Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs and Danny Huston.  It would be fair to cite the film as a critical and commercial failure seemingly putting a halt to any suggestion of a sequel that may or may not have been in the works.

But what makes 'The Crow' a franchise studios keep returning to?

Following the 1994 original, subsequent entries within the franchise were marked by 'The Crow: City of Angels' (1996), 'The Crow: Salvation' (2000) and 'The Crow: Wicked Prayer' (2005) with neither generating favourable reviews or the money required to really justify the iteration that would follow.  'The Crow: Stairway to Heaven' - the 1998 TV series - perhaps generated the most favourable reviews but didn't get the chance to continue their story with the planned second season which never came to fruition; yet more Crows followed with a mix of the stories recounting the forlorn tragedy of the ill-fated lovers Eric Draven and Shelly Webster amongst others who were wronged by the harsh cruelty of an unjust life.

It would be fair to cite The Crow as having fallen into a very specific template which sees the resurrected recount their respective tragedy, usually one associated with the crime-riddled inner city they resided in, adapt to their new persona and purpose and subsequently wreak vengeance on the criminal element one sinner at a time.

It's proved to be a template that binds each iteration of the character into a rhythm and routine that it should actually be free from.  The Crow's lore is established at the outset determining that there were numerous resurrected people prior to Eric and there would likely be numerous after which should afford the franchise the freedom to steer each story in a variety of different places and times - a remote French village in the 1930s should be as apt a setting as London in the 2930s.

​Despite the unbridled scope actually attached to the notion of each story, The Crow finds itself bound by those same freedoms placing each of our heroes in a long, black coat, white make-up and dark lipstick, navigating their way through a grimey inner city set against a heavy rock aesthetic.  The 2024 version of 'The Crow' may not have connected with audiences as studios would have hoped to but at the very least, they should be applauded for the creative steps taken to steer the story in a new direction.

Having said that, despite the new setting, background story, love attached to the original film, we are still inexplicably introduced to another version of Eric Draven and Shelly Webster despite them being completely different people - the reintroduction of the beloved couple may have served as the initial misstep in the reimagining of the story.

One of the most obvious changes to the aforementioned template is that we don't open the film with the resurrection of Eric Draven, which tends to happen within the first few minutes of the film.  In this version, we actually see the relationship of Eric and Shelly play out from the point of initially meeting all the way to their fabled end without the need to recount their story through flashbacks. 

We also see Skarsgård's Eric have his mission laid out to him by his guide, Kronos, with an almost trepidatious Eric somewhat hesitant about indulging in an epic killing spree.

Past iterations of The Crow have denied us the chance to *meet* our protagonist prior to his adoption of The Crow mantle with us only seeing glimpses of their past through flashbacks so it actually makes for an intriguing creative trope to be able to meet a shy, withdrawn and timid version of Eric prior to the transformation that awaits him.  

As I say, the film may have missed the mark in many areas but it still warrants points for finally generating an adaptation that embraces the freedoms it has had all along.  As an example, if we regard the lore around Batman - we have a young boy named Bruce Wayne whose parents are murdered on the streets of Gotham in front of him, he is then raised by his butler and finds a way to channel his rage via a commitment to the betterment of the city through life as a vigilante.  These are all rules that any Batman story has to be rooted in as a basis for any subsequent story it wishes to tell.  

On the other hand, the mysterious crow bringing the protagonist back from the dead is nearly the only rule the story has had to adhere to: the face paint, the clothing, the aforementioned template were only ever attributed to Eric Draven's story yet found itself the format for every iteration going forward.  As a devout fan of the 1994 version of 'The Crow', I doubt we'll ever see anything better but I also don't doubt that there's a sensational reimagining of the story that's waiting to be made.  It just needs to fall to the right storyteller.

​Welcome to Episode #20 of the 90s State of Mind podcast - a collaborative project between 4ever in Electric Dreams and Blue-in-Green:RADIO. This podcast series typically sees Imran (London, UK) and Rhonda (California, USA) delve into some of their favourite releases from the 90s and for this episode but this episode sees the duo take the conversation in a slightly different direction than usual.

The show today is inspired by Andre 3000 and his comments made to GQ in November 2023 about rapping as a 48 year old man confirming sadly that he has no inclination to ever rap again and that he would feel "inauthentic" in doing so, even jokily asking what he would even tap about before citing colonoscopies and bad eyesight as potential topics.

Andre's perspectives haven't been shared by all of his contemporaries as 2024 saw the release of projects by LL Cool J (56) who released 'The Force', Common (52) collaborated with Pete Rock for Part 1 of 'The Auditorium', Snoop Dogg (53) reconnected with Dr Dre for 'Missionary' amongst a slew of other projects from notable hip-hop icons.

So we're ultimately discussing rapping at 50. Is hip-hop a young person's game? Is rapping at 50 something to be embraced or should rappers have the courtesy to know when the time is right to ride off into the sunset?

Amongst the many fantastic music releases that we were privy to in 2024, one of the year's most exciting elements was the release of new music from definitive hip-hop icons: LL Cool J's dream pairing with Q-Tip as producer delivered his fourteenth studio album in 'The FORCE' while Common partnered with Pete Rock for Part 1 of 'The Auditorium' and Snoop Dogg reconnected with Dr Dre to release 'Missionary'.

At a time where celebrations for hip-hop having turned 50 were rampant, it's interesting to consider these releases in line with comments made by Andre 3000 to GQ in November 2023 about rapping as a 48 year old man.  The OutKast rapper would famously go on to confirm sadly that he has no inclination to ever rap again and that he would actually feel "inauthentic" in doing so, even jokily citing colonoscopies and bad eyesight as potential topics.

His somewhat startling musical shift saw the revered Atlanta icon step away from being a flag waver for pioneering Southern hip-hop in favour of embracing improvised jazz - by way of the flute - to release 'New Blue Sun' in 2024.

As we said at the top of the article - despite our unwavering love, respect and admiration for Andre 3000 in whichever way he chooses to express himself - 2024 proved that rappers over 50 can still create genuine and authentic hip-hop with projects worthy of standing alongside the albums most synonymous with their respective catalogues.

In celebration of that fact, we've picked out five awesome tracks from last year that - if you were a 90s Golden Era listener - you really shouldn't let pass you by.

1. 'Outta Da Blue' by Snoop Dogg featuring Dr Dre & Alus
If somebody would've said ten years ago that Snoop Dogg's twentieth studio album would be released via Death Row Records and be produced by Dr Dre, they'd be laughed out of the room.  And that's not even taking into account the fact that Snoop now OWNS Death Row, which in of itself is mind blowing but in 2022, The Dogfather did in fact purchase the label along with the majority of its back catalogue.  Initially reticent to associate with the label again, Snoop has said that Dre required convincing to jump on board but in the end blessed the project as a producer for every track as well as providing guest verses for two songs.

​2. 'When the Sun Shines Again' by Common & Pete Rock featuring Posdnuos
With only a small amount of collaborations prior to this full-length album - including Common's guest verse on Pete Rock's debut solo outing 'Soul Survivor' (1998) - the hip-hop heavyweights combine for a full-length release in 'The Auditorium'.  Further billed as 'Volume 1', the inevitable follow-up should have listeners excited considering how well-received the first instalment has been even generating crossover success with both Common and Rock as featured guests on Kelly Clarkson's show.  With a handful of guests featured - including Jennifer Hudson, Bilal, PJ and De La's Pos - the album finds each in fine form with Common's introspective and socially-conscious perspectives finding perfect accompaniment with Rock's soulful soundscapes.

3. 'Murdergram Deux' by LL Cool J featuring Eminem
At the age of 56 - 57 at the time of this writing - the iconic LL Cool J has undeniably released his best album in years with 'The FORCE'.  Produced almost entirely by Q-Tip - a collaboration that would have been just as exciting twenty years ago - LL has humbly declared that the project encouraged him to learn how to rap again.  With nearly four years for the project to see the light of day - reportedly it nearly didn't - the album serves as a fantastic re-introduction for LL Cool J who would no doubt be invigorated for further release.  Boasting an all-star cast including Nas, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe and Rick Ross, it's the Eminem-assisted 'Murdergram Deux' that is the rightful scene-stealer here.

4. 'To Rock the Mic' by MC Lyte
Serving as the ninth studio album by the iconic MC Lyte, '1 of 1' is a project that may have perhaps slipped under the radar a little but it's an excellent project wholly deserving of your attention.  Holding the remarkable distinction of being the first female rapper to release a full-length album, MC Lyte's 'Lyte as a Rock' was released in 1988 and solidified her place within the pantheon of hip-hop's legacy.  Another entry on the list that showcases some excellent guest spots including Ghostface, Q-Tip, Raheem DeVaughn and STEVIE WONDER, the album marks Lyte's nine years since her previous album so fingers crossed it won't be another nine years until this album finds its successor.

5. 'Don't You Miss' by Redman
With the original 'Muddy Waters' initially unveiled in 1996, the sequel we didn't know we needed has hit the shelves nearly 30 years later.  'Muddy Waters Too' finds Redman rapping with the same wit and vigour as he did in the 90s generating some fantastic tracks as a result.  With guests including Method Man, Faith Evans and KRS-One, 'Muddy Waters Too' comes in at a whopping 32 tracks and was initially scheduled for release in 2013, if you can believe it, but seeing as this did eventually happen, hope would appear to remain for 'Blackout! 3' with Method Man.

Today's episode finds Tee-J playing quiz show host as the Close Encounters trio seek to unpack their wrestling fandom over a series of questions ranging from your openness as a wrestling fan, dream stables and reinventing AEW.  PLUS, there's an excellent 'guess the wrestler's entrance theme' rounf (with a dastardly twist!) and we ask how many chops from Gunther can you handle? 

​Welcome to Episode #10 of the 4ever in Electric Dreams & CONFESSIONS OF A CURLY MIND co-production - Supple & Lean | A Geekcast.

Presented by Imran Mirza from London, UK, and Vahé Vishapakagh Koshayan from Melbourne, Australia, the duo delve into the cult phenomenon of 'The Room' (2003).

Directed, written, produced and starring the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau, 'The Room' has since gone on to live in an unprecedented level of infamy - initially hailed as one of the worst films ever made, it's unmatched level of storytelling, disjointed narrative and poorly-received performances and dialogue have incredibly secured a loyal and devoted following making something of a sensation of the film's creator in the process.  Famously immortalised by James Franco and company in the massively popular and award-winning 'The Disaster Artist' (2017), the film continues to find new audiences more than twenty years after its initial release.

With Vahé a long time fan of the film and Imran just recently having seen it, tune in for a great conversation discussing the film's lore and legacy as well some standout scenes. We're also very excited about the show's original music in support of the conversation so please listen out for another Supple & Lean original - 'Tommy's In Control (The Room)' featuring Denny Dennington III.

​Episode #70 of the Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind podcast sees Tee-J, Imran and Dan settle down to classic movies from the year 2000.

For the fifth in our 'catching up with the classics' series, each of the team pitches three movies they haven't seen to the group with them voting on which movie each person should watch. This go-round sees the team explore the glorious gems of the year 2000 as we seek to fill the gaps within our own catalogues. 

This is part 2 where the team discuss the films they saw including lengthy chat, laughs and analysis of BATTLEFIELD EARTH, BATTLE ROYALE and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.

​Welcome to Episode #9 of the 4ever in Electric Dreams & CONFESSIONS OF A CURLY MIND co-production - Supple & Lean | A Geekcast.

Presented by Imran Mirza from London, UK, and Vahé Vishapakagh Koshayan from Melbourne, Australia, the duo spend some time reconnecting with the 90s cult classic limited run series, The Maxx.

Initially unveiled in 1993 by creator Sam Kieth, The Maxx was swiftly picked up by MTV for a thirteen-part series forming part of their Oddities brand in 1995.  The premise focuses on a small group of characters and their interpersonal connections that impact them within the perceived real world and an alternate dimension entitled Pangea or The Outback.

Vahé and Imran delve deep into the show's backstory, its incredible characters, its unmistakable 90s aesthetic and relish in what is undoubtedly a timeless piece of enthralling fiction.  We're also very excited about the show's original music in support of the conversation so please listen out for another Supple & Lean original - 'The Life Of The Isz' featuring Monsignor D'Par Ted.