"Ma, I made it, I'm on Hot New Hip Hop, let's do it!" begins Elliott Wilson, in the latest installment of The Plug. With a curriculum vitae boasting the CEO position at Rap Radar, former editor-in-chief at XXL, and a current tenure with Tidal, Wilson brings a wealth of experience to the table. Those who subscribe to The Jigga Man's streaming service are no doubt aware of Wilson's work, as many of the expertly curated playlists are designed by his hand.
"There's playlists we've done that just resonate," explains Wilson. "You see it through socials, it's almost like a hit record." Citing some of his viral playlists, Wilson explains that often times, the social climate plays a role in dictating a playlist's reach. "How you put it together and you present it is really how the public consumes it." He breaks it down further, explaining the importance of gauging the online climate. For example, upon predicting that Travis Scott's Astroworld would be a massive release, he lined up Tidal's homepage with the "Travis Scott Essentials" playlist.
He also goes in depth about hip-hop journalism, catching heat over an opinion, and his most awkward interviews. Upon laughing, Wilson reflects on a recent podcast with Fabolous, which went left when Fab brought up issues from the past. He also reflects on the time Billy Danze from M.O.P. thought Wilson called him "bummy." As Wilson says, "Danze is not the one to mess with."
Peep the full episode now above and check out their Thoro playlist (below) as an example of the fire music Tidal continuously churns out every week.