Danielle Niecey

New York City’s own proved why the heart of hip-hop culture lives and breathes in the five boroughs. On June 11, hip-hop greats Fabolous, Maino, Dave East, and Jim Jones brought their hit podcast Let’s Rap About It to life with a sold-out live taping in Hell’s Kitchen at the iconic Terminal 5.

The event, produced by The Oracle Media, presented by PrizePicks in partnership with Playmaker, was a full-blown cultural experience. The venue mirrored the set of the Let’s Rap About It podcast, complete with a Sabrett’s hot dog cart, classic phone booth, custom cocktails named after each host, and served catering from R’SZN Jerk Chicken , Black Panther’s Kitchen, and The Yummy Palace. DJ Drewski and DJ Mike Medium of Hot 97’s, on the 1’s and 2’s, kept the energy high, spinning a blend of hit singles from the hosts and popular hip-hop artists.

Podcast taping of the Let’s Rap About It live show at Terminal 5 in New York City on June 11, 2026. (Photo Credit: Soul B Photos)

On the red carpet ahead of the show, the hosts gave The Knockturnal a preview of what the night was all about. Maino opened the red carpet interviews sharing what made the Let’s Rap About It Podcast different from other Hip Hop  podcasts in the market, “It’s the biggest Podcast in the game, that’s why you’re here! You’re here cause we got it right now. You’re here because it’s the most authentic. It’s the realest. It’s the truest. ” Maino continues to add, “We’re having real conversations amongst brothers. We don’t agree on everything, but we ain’t supposed to.  There are different perspectives from different men. But we have a lot of commonalities, you know. But we’ve got our differences. That’s what keeps it real.” Maino goes on to share that what Hip Hop is currently getting right is “…the opportunities it continues to create for young men and women,” and that he “would not be standing here without the opportunities it yielded him.”  

For Dave East, what makes the Let’s Rap About It different from any other podcast lies in its simplicity, no celebrity guests, just authenticity. “It’s the illest. We have no guests, its just us. You’re getting the best of all of Brooklyn- all of New York City…it’s just a good [blend] of four different personalities that I think just mesh well.” When asked, if the opportunity arose, to bring on as a guest feature, dead or alive, East didn’t hesitate for a second: “Biggie. Biggie or Pac (Tupac).” He also shared the one topic that sets the guys off into a frenzy, “Maino, he doesn’t know how to talk, so I pump the brakes [to redirect him], when he is talking crazy.” Suggesting that Maino often says questionable things on air at any given time during their conversations. One of the highlights of the show is the lighthearted dialogue and banter between the men.

Fabolous, arriving on the red carpet alongside Jim Jones, donned a fresh Knicks, Mikal Bridges, Jersey honoring the point guard, platinum chains, and kicks to match. Known as a quieter personality type, Fabolous reflected on how he joined the panel of hosts, “They finessed me. They bamboozled me. Yeah, they definitely swindled me.” He joked and just as quickly eased into how it came about. “Jim had us on the show that he was doing, and I think from there he saw our chemistry. He came back to us in a group chat and was like, ‘What about us doing a Pod [podcast]?’” Expressing his initial hesitation, Fabolous continues on to add, “I did some research on podcasting and where it’s going, how the community engages with it, and I digested a lot of it, watching different podcasts…and it made me more interested. I thought it would work.” 

When asked what he would like to see more or less of in Hip Hop, he offered, “I want to see more camaraderie; I don’t mind the battling, it’s part of the fabric of hip hop culture. I don’t think people like it when it takes a violent turn. I think the raw essence of battling, that’s what we need to see, like who’s the best emcee. But I’d like to see more camaraderie and artists being cool.” When asked the infamous question, who he’d bring on as a guest, dead or alive, Fabolous stated, “Tupac. I think Tupac would have the most interesting take on all things. He would talk more than all of us and probably run the show. But his perspective would be interesting, especially in these times, because he did not get to see how Hip Hop evolved and what it has grown into. It would be interesting to see what icons, like himself, thought of what it’s become.”

The hosts quickly took to the stage, unable to quell the demands of the anxious crowd who had made their way onto the red carpet to meet them live and up close.

Executive Producer Jordan Benston, CEO of The Oracle Media, opened the evening before the hosts took the stage to a roaring crowd. After a toast with 1800 Tequila, courtesy of Jim Jones, a conversation kicked off covering topics that included retiring in music, Verzuz, sports, Black men in therapy, and, of course, the New York Knicks’ historic comeback in game three of the finals, which fired up the crowd.

Remy Ma is the surprise special guest and gives advice to the audience at the podcast taping of the Let’s Rap About It live show at Terminal 5 in New York City on June 11, 2026.
(Photo Credit: Soul B Photos)

The second half of the night brought the biggest surprise of the evening: Bronx rapper Remy Ma joined the stage as a special guest co-host. Her presence sent the audience into a frenzy, and the conversation that followed was as candid as it was entertaining, touching on social media beef, gender dynamics in relationships, and an unforgettable story involving Maino and a traffic stop.

A moving moment came when the sons of Fabolous, Jim Jones, and Maino joined their fathers on stage. The hosts opened up about how fatherhood reshaped their entire outlook on life, their newfound drive to build better legacies and break generational cycles with their own kids. The love was undeniably felt, even with the playful jabs from their sons calling their fathers “haters” from time to time.

The night wrapped with a surprise performance from Maino and rising Brooklyn artist MRG, who debuted their new single “Feeling Good Today 2” and sent the crowd home on a high. 

Let’s Rap About It drops new episodes every Friday at 12PM EST on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.