Well, we're finally here. After nearly 200 episodes, we're ending our run with Maximum Fun! We intend to come back sometime in 2022, and to celebrate this occasion, it's and Oliver, Morgan, and Producer Christian episode. We talk about our favorite moments from the show, the things we appreciate about the show, and we have a few good laughs.

Music writer and resident TikTok expert Cat Zhang sits down with us to discuss Flo Milli's 2020 debut mixtape Ho, why is you here? We get into what goes into making a TikTok hit, Flo Milli's unique voice, and her role in the current hip hop landscape.

We continue our Music and Popcorn miniseries, where we chat about some of our favorite movie soundtracks. This week, we're talking to professor and writer Daphne Brooks about the soundtrack to Waiting to Exhale. We get into Babyface's prolific career, Whitney Houston's presence on both the soundtrack and the movie, and the mystery surrounding DJ Theo Mizuhara.

We reboot our Music and Popcorn series, where we talk about some of our favorite movie soundtracks. This week, we invite our friend Jocelyn Brown to discuss a few iconic 90s OSTs, Love Jones, Boyz N The Hood, and Trainspotting. We get into what makes these soundtracks so memorable, the shift in tone from 80s and 90s OSTs, and proper record care etiquette.

This week, we talk to singer/songwriter Yola about Jill Scott's debut studio album "Who Is Jill Scott? - Words and Sounds, Vol 1." We get into Jill's time with The Roots, how her poetry shaped her songwriting, and Jill's role in the neo-soul movement.

In our conversation with Kris, we got deep into how he put together both the song and video for his version of “Rigamortis,” whether or not Kendrick has a jazz sensibility in his style, and what it’s like to see a hometown kid become the Greatest Rapper Alive.

This week, we talk to producer/singer Benny Sings about Phil Collins' solo debut album, Face Value. We get into the incredible drum fill of In The Air Tonight, it's iconic use on Miami Vice, and the real life issues Collins was going through when making this album.

Singer/songwriter Marzz sits down with us to discuss Kierra Sheard's gospel album This is Me. We get into the secular production of this album, Kierra's place in the Clark Sheard family, and Marzz's own experience in the church.

This week, Oliver and Morgan are discussing Lil' Kim's debut studio record "Hard Core" which is turning 25 years old this year. We get into Lil' Kim's role in Bad Boy and Junior M.A.F.I.A., the effect she had on the Megan Thee Stallions and Cardi B's of today, and what made this record so unforgettable.

This week, we discuss Prince for the SIXTH time on Heat Rocks with musician/scholar Vijay Iyer. We get into Prince's love of the drum machine, Vijay's love of the 80s, and the many sides of Prince we see on this record.

Bassist/producer/rapper Patrick Paige II joins Oliver and Morgan to discuss Biggie's debut studio album Ready To Die. We get into Big's knack for storytelling, Patrick's very cool math teacher, and what Biggie's career might've looked like if he were still with us today.

Musician/producer/minister Steve Arrington sits down with Morgan and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss Heatwave's debut scorcher, Too Hot To Handle. We talk about the music scene in Dayton, Rod Temperton's prolific career, and Heatwave's ability to meld various genres into one cohesive and funky record.

Rapper/producer Pell sits down with us to talk about N.E.R.D's "In Search Of..." We get into the sex, drugs, rock & roll of it all, The Neptunes' prolific career, and N.E.R.D's influence on Pell's own work.

Director and screenwriter Kemp Powers sits down with us to discuss De La Soul's sophomore effort, De La Soul Is Dead. We get into DLS's shift in image and tone, the growth of Prince Paul as a producer, and Kemp's very, ahem, special connection to the song "Let, Let Me In"

It's #MaxFunDrive and if you like what we're doing here on Heat Rocks, please consider supporting us and our network and help keep the show going! https://maximumfun.org/join Drummer and producer Karriem Riggins sits down with us to discuss a bonafide classic, A Tribe Called Quest's third studio album Midnight Marauders. We get deep into the samples used on this record, Q-Tip's growth as a producer, and how Bob Power helped shaped the sound of the LP.

When we invited L.A.’s own Nite Jewel to join us, it probably shouldn’t have been a surprise that she picked Kraftwerk’s Computer World; after all, she’s toured the world performing the album. In sitting down with us, NJ (aka Ramona Gonzalez) broke down how she first became obsessed with the album, walking the streets of Berkeley, thinking about German philosophy (no, really!) and why the LP is such a masterpiece of fusing a variety of musical elements all colliding in the early 1980s.

Bassist/composer Joshua Abrams sits down with Oliver and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss Arthur Verocai's underrated self-titled debut record. We discuss the rediscovery of this album via sampling, the texture of Arthur's synth work, and why we connect with the album even though our Portuguese is, uhh, a bit rusty.

Writer and musician Jason King sits down with Oliver and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss the Sylvester live album Living Proof. We talk about Sylvester's vision of wholeness and sharing good vibes, the countless gorgeous moments captured in the live setting, and the medley of genres he blended together.

Producer and DJ The Twilite Tone sits down with Oliver and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss Stevie Wonder's 1980 comeback album, Hotter Than July. We get into Stevie's foray into country western and reggae, his return to All I Do, a song he cowrote over a decade prior as a teenager, and the impact Disco Demolition Night had on black music.

Multi-instrumentalist & songwriter Xenia Rubinos joins Oliver and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss Abbey Lincoln's underrated jazz LP, Abbey is Blue. We discuss Abbey's melancholy voice, her work in the civil rights movement, and how her work has influenced Xenia's own music.

This week marks the 17th anniversary of Madvillainy and we invited A&R man and producer Dante Ross to discuss working with KMD, Dumile's move from Zev Love X to MF DOOM, and the stories behind the production of Mr. Hood and Black Bastards. Buckle up, we go deep on this one.

DJ and record collector Megan Pattison AKA DJ Mamabear sits down with Oliver and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss Teena Marie's It Must Be Magic. They get into Teena's growth as an artist and producer, the growing rift between her and Motown Records, and how roller skating was the best way to get into new music

Writer and DJ Sheila Burgel sits down with Oliver and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss the impact of girl groups through the decades, the "wall of sound" formula, and the influence of girl groups across the globe.

It doesn't get much more classic than this, John Coltrane's A Love Supreme is a bonafide heat rock. Musician/DJ Jeff Parker sits down with Oliver and guest co-host Jocelyn Brown to discuss this truly iconic album, it's unexpected gospel leanings, and the intentionality behind every aspect of this album.