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Zachary Lint is a multi-medium creator from Fairfield, Iowa, widely known for his music recorded and released as Coolzey. In our conversation we talked about his musical history, including the two albums he’s released this year, but also his new short film called Burlington Paranormal. The horror comedy is still making its rounds on the festival scene, but if you want to be one of the first to know when it’s available to stream or purchase I recommend kicking in on its GoFundMe page. The process of getting to this point with the film didn’t happen overnight though. Instead, the path to its release involved several years of working in L.A., an abandoned feature-length film, a return to Iowa, and the sale of his house, which funded its production.

That Honorroll KID is an MC based in Des Moines who just released a new album titled Peace God. In our conversation we discussed how the 18 track full-length differs from past work, including the Phase 2 EP which he dropped earlier this year with 1400slim. We also touched on how Honorroll Records was created and how he’s developed since first releasing Say No More, in addition to broader themes surrounding masculinity and how to find peace within.

Teller Bank$ is an MC and producer based in Des Moines and his new album, The I & I, is the third in a trilogy released with producer Ed Glorious. This discussion drifts heavily into the esoteric, looking at such influences as the 12th book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible and Aleister Crowley’s Magick: Book 4, comparing and contrasting different mystical influences in communicating the philosophy behind Teller’s music.

Chris Jones is an MC and producer based in Des Moines, Iowa and he just released his debut album titled Unplugged. In our discussion we exchanged thoughts on social media, finding personal meaning in the creation of art, the branding of self, and a story of self-sabotage revolving around Naughty by Nature and an NBA game in Minneapolis.

Gifo is a rapper based in Sioux City, Iowa and his new release, Hell Bound, is out now. In our discussion we connected on ideas around creative growth, the Hometown Heroes collective, Latino and Hispanic representation, and “Tears,” which is one of seven new tracks on the EP.