Detroit artist Junii joins “Written

Gems” for an open conversation about building a career on her own terms. She talks about the freedom and the pressure of handling so much of her music herself, and how she deals with early cosigns without letting them define her. She also looks back on how her sound has changed from her early days to her newest work, and how she approaches songwriting and perspective.

Junii also covers her placements and how new listeners are finding her, how Detroit shapes her sound and ambition, what success looks like now, and who's on her dream collaborator list. She closes with the hardest part of her journey that listeners never see,

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On Episode 11 of Written Gems, Nametag Alexander and Ketch P take a trip through their personal Hip Hop memories and each reveal their 7 favorite remixes of all time.

No official rankings. No “greatest remixes ever” list. Just 14 personal favorites and a conversation about what made these remixes special, and why the culture of the remix doesn't feel quite the same anymore.

From posse cuts and alternate versions to remixes that completely changed the energy of the original song, we're celebrating one of Hip Hop's most creative traditions.

What are YOUR favorite Hip Hop remixes?

00:00 — Welcome To Written Gems

02:05 — Top Seven Remix Challenge

03:25 — Number Seven: Horse Remix

06:10 — Why Remixes Disappeared

09:15 — Number Six: Don’t Like Remix

12:05 — Number Five: Street Dreams Remix

15:00 — Number Four: 4321 Remix

18:10 — Number Three: Ain’t I Remix

21:20 — Number Two: Quiet Storm Remix

24:30 — Number One: One More Chance

28:15 — Remixes That Almost Made It

31:10 — Building More Written Gems Content

34:00 — The Importance Of Short-Form Content

36:20 — Go To Bed, Man

39:00 — What Should We Cover Next?

41:00 — Future R&B Remix Countdown

42:30 — Final Thoughts & Where To Find Us

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On Episode 10 of Written Gems, the show welcomes its first-ever guest, singer-songwriter Jynn Cole, for a conversation celebrating one of R&B's most timeless slow jams, "Tell Me If You Still Care" by The S.O.S. Band. Together, they explore the brilliance behind the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis classic, discuss why the song continues to resonate decades later, and Jynn shares the creative journey behind her new album, Burnt Sugar. It's a conversation about songwriting, soul, and the stories that make great music unforgettable.

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Jynn Cole “Burnt Sugar”

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Episode 9 of Written Gems takes us back to 1990 as we revisit one of the most important posse cuts in hip-hop history, "We're All In The Same Gang" by the West Coast Rap All-Stars. Ketch P and Nametag break down how the record came together, the message behind it, the legendary lineup, and why this anti-violence anthem still deserves a listen today. From Dr. Dre's production to the unforgettable music video, we're celebrating another true Written Gem.

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On this episode of Written Gems, Ketch P and Nametag cover a little bit of everything. We kick things off with a conversation about Black men's health and the importance of mobility before shifting into one of our favorite topics, R&B storytelling. From Bobby Womack's "I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much" to a few classic examples from Joe, we're breaking down the fine line between "dirt baggin'" and "dirty mackin'" in R&B, and why those songs still spark conversation today. Pull up and join us for another fun, honest discussion celebrating the stories behind the music.

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In this episode of Written Gems, we dig deep into what’s considered to be one of the most important singles in rap history, “Self Destruction" by The Stop The Violence Movement (1989). This song is a who's-who of East Coast royalty: Heavy D, Chuck D, Flavor Flav, MC Lyte, Kool Moe Dee, Doug E. Fresh, Stetsasonic, and more. This was bigger than just a song. It was a statement.

We're breaking down the history of this classic: why the release date was no accident, how an 18-year-old D-Nice slept under the mixing board for seven straight days, the label beef that kept LL Cool J off the record (and what he did about it), and why West Coast rappers showed up to the video shoot uninvited.

This is the story of a track born out of urgency, and delivered to the world on what would have been Martin Luther King Jr.'s 60th birthday.

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On this episode of Written Gems, hosts Ketch P and Nametag Alexander dig deep into one of the most iconic charity singles ever recorded, "We Are The World" by USA for Africa. Released on March 7, 1985, the platinum-selling, history-making anthem was co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, produced by the legendary Quincy Jones, and brought together nearly 50 of the biggest names in music, from Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder to Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, and Cyndi Lauper, all under one roof, all in one night. Ketch P and Nametag Alexander break down the obscure behind-the-scenes facts you never heard in the history books: why Bob Dylan had a near-meltdown before his solo, how Stevie Wonder's Swahili idea sent Waylon Jennings walking out the door, and the real reason Prince, at arguably the peak of his career fresh off Purple Rain, refused to step into that recording studio. The duo also explores the 2023 Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which rips back the curtain on everything from Diana Ross fangirling over Daryl Hall to Cyndi Lauper's jewelry crashing the session. If you love deep-dive music history, untold celebrity stories, and gems the mainstream music world overlooked, this is the episode you've been waiting for.

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On this episode of Written Gems, Nametag Alexander and Ketch P pull up the info on one of the most deceptively smooth records of the '90s TLC's "Creep."

Released on Halloween night of 1994, the Dallas Austin-penned classic didn't just top the Billboard Hot 100, it rewired how the world thought about women cheating. Built on a looped Slick Rick sample and a trumpet so lonely it aches, "Creep" was a song the group almost didn't make, by a producer who almost didn't release it, with a member who literally taped her mouth shut in protest.

Nametag and Ketch P bring their songwriter's eye to the hook, the narrative arc, the production choices, and the quiet confidence of T-Boz's delivery that made every word land like a threat wrapped in silk pajamas.

Whether you grew up with this record on repeat or you're hearing the story for the first time by the end of this episode, hopefully this convo sparks some good ol’ nostalgia .

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