I Don't Make the Rules, the Podcast

EP. 013 • Trigger Warning

Episode 13 of I Don't Make the Rules kicks off with Mark and Larry diving into Ye (FKA Kanye West)'s new album BULLY and everything surrounding his return to the spotlight (00:07:36). That conversation leads into debates about the most "unbeatable" Verzuz opponent, early Album of the Year contenders as we head into Q2 (00:20:20), and their thoughts on recent releases from Bruno Mars and Jack Harlow. The episode then shifts into current events, with the guys reflecting on President Trump's recent threats toward Iran (00:46:10), followed by a discussion on Jay-Z and J. Cole's relationship after Jay's recent interview with GQ—sparking comparisons to Gucci Mane and Pooh Shiesty, and the circumstances surrounding the latter's arrest. As a seamless segue from music into sports, Larry raises the question of why artists rarely seem to get the chance to return to peak form after a slump—leading to a debate framed through basketball analogies in true IDMTR fashion. Later in the episode, the guys react to the early end of Luka's historic season amid custody and MVP eligibility battles, which evolves into a conversation about child support ethics and whether they would believe in—or date—exotic dancers. Other topics include the current state of the music industry, Jaden Ivey's controversial comments and the fallout that followed, and more.

EP. 012 • Ists and Isms

In the longest episode of I Don't Make the Rules to date, Mark and Larry hit the ground running—opening with a quick discussion on the effectiveness of school systems before sliding into how and why time feels like it moves faster as we get older (00:03:30). From there, the guys check in on what they've been up to recently (00:05:30), including Larry's kind of trip to the Daytona 500, and Mark's trip to New York—highlighted by a night at the Garden to see the Knicks and a Broadway visit to MJ: The Musical (00:11:06). Mark's review sparks conversation around Michael Jackson's upcoming biopic and posthumous portrayals of celebrities. The episode then shifts into current events, starting with the controversy surrounding the BBC airing a slur during the BAFTAs directed at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo (00:20:42), which leads into a messy but honest conversation about mental health. From there, the guys react to President Trump's recent State of the Union Address (00:34:33) and discuss Dr. Umar Johnson's progress with the Frederick Douglass Marcus Garvey (FDMG) Academy (00:44:48), leading into broader conversations about leadership, consciousness, and action. The sports segment—now known as Rules of the Game—covers a wide range of NBA-related topics, including stars getting away with nonsense because people like them (01:06:35), NBA All-Star Weekend (01:07:43), U.S.-born vs. international NBA stars (01:19:50), Mayweather coming out of retirement, Ryan Garcia's win over Barrios and his sights set on Shakur Stevenson (01:41:15), and a quick salute to Team USA at the Winter Olympics. In a fast-moving Streamer Segment, Mark brings up the recent events surrounding DeenTheGreat (01:49:28), which leads to a conversation about Larry Wheels and his relationship—landing on a bigger point about coolness before fame (or the lack thereof). After a quick tangent about the Winter Olympic Village reportedly running out of condoms (01:53:40), the guys share thoughts on Kai Cenat allegedly giving the Clover Boys $100k a month in allowance (01:59:51). Before the episode wraps, they discuss new music from Baby Keem (02:03:24), A Boogie (02:11:12), and Brent Faiyaz—along with a debate about where Brent stands as an R&B star today (02:18:36). Along the way, the guys also get into hypothetical superpowers, the best places to meet women, hard-no dating dealbreakers, and plenty more. Technical difficulties couldn't stop this one—and neither could political incorrectness. Listen to the disclaimer at the opening… and enjoy.

EP. 011 • Code Switch

After an unintentional break, Mark and Larry return to the couch for their first episode of 2026, opening with a quick analysis of the state of the world so far this year (00:03:48), which naturally leads into a conversation about race, identity, and code-switching. From there, the guys jump straight into new music—starting with their favorite rapper J. Cole's new (and reportedly final) album, The Fall Off (00:13:53). They also touch on Don Toliver's latest project (00:34:12), Ella Mai's new album and where she fits genre-wise (00:36:21), and Super Bowl LX (00:40:05), including Bad Bunny's halftime performance. The episode continues with discussion around LaRussell signing to Roc Nation after long championing independence (00:48:20), the 68th Annual Grammy Awards (00:49:58), and recent headlines involving Kanye West and North West (00:53:20). Getting back into the sports segment—now dubbed Rules of the Game—the guys cover the Winter Olympics (00:58:30), Alex Honnold free-soloing Taipei 101 live on Netflix, NASCAR's updated playoff format (01:04:15), and the Dodgers' recent acquisitions. In Episode 11's Streamer Segment, Mark shouts out IShowSpeed for his legendary Africa tour (01:08:00), brings up Blueface re-entering the space alongside new beef, and asks Larry for his thoughts on Kai Cenat's recent—and controversial—pivot (01:11:14). Before wrapping up, the guys touch on a few final news stories, including a group of monks traveling across the country on foot (01:13:09), Ring's new controversial feature and commercial (01:14:43), Mayor Mamdani's recent changes in New York City, and a moment of acknowledgment for people across the country affected by government action. All of this and more. We're back rolling consistently—enjoy.

EP. 010 • Had the Tools

For Episode 10 (Take Two) of I Don't Make the Rules, Mark and Larry link up on Christmas Eve to check back in with the Rulers after another hiatus. After addressing the break, some housekeeping, and what they've been up to since Episode 9, the guys jump into a run of holiday-adjacent topics — including their favorite Christmas songs (08:45), the matching pajama photoshoot trend for couples (14:50), the protocol for buying Christmas gifts for women they're dating, and which holiday sees the most people getting laid outside of Valentine's Day (16:59). From there, things take a turn as the guys admittedly botch coverage of a few topics they probably should've left alone — including the 2025 Streamer Awards (20:30), Tylil facing SA allegations from Jordan Pauline following events that night, the 50 Cent–produced Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning (24:45), and the recent release of additional Epstein files. Next, Mark and Larry pivot into a conversation about religious people labeling anything outside their belief systems as witchcraft, and the difference between routines and rituals (28:02). A debate around the ethics of adults beyond traditional college age using eligibility loopholes allowed by the rules sparks when Larry brings up James Nnaji (31:31), leading into a quick sports run that includes the Sherrone Moore scandal (former Michigan coach — not Mark's cousin) (36:25). Before wrapping up, the guys touch on a woman going viral on TikTok for attempting to have a seventh child to remain on welfare (44:50), older generations being easily fooled by AI content, their disagreement with the Gen Z vs. Gen Alpha distinction, how age gaps feel more extreme in modern times (47:30), and what percentage of songs on a project need to be likable for an album to be considered good (54:58). We'll be back next week with another episode — plus some extras to kick off the new year. Enjoy.

EP. 009 • The Real Us

Ending their longest hiatus yet, Mark and Larry reconvene in a new setting — the Lab — to cover a wide range of topics, starting with which sports teams they're fans of and the concept of fandom and sports culture as a whole (7:00). Once they address the hiatus, what they've been up to since Episode 008, and how the Rulers have been choosing to direct questions, requests, and feedback to them (13:05), they rehash a debate about how well they think they'd perform if given the chance to play in the NFL or other professional sports leagues — and which would be the easiest to succeed in (18:37). Staying in the world of sports, they discuss the return of the NBA, its recent changes, and the surrounding allegations (27:17) before briefly touching on the World Series and all the new music released since the last episode. Next, a conversation about NBA YoungBoy's tour and overall impact (39:23) leads to a discussion about which artists they're big enough fans of to buy concert tickets for, and which fanbases would be the most dangerous as an army. The guys also debate whether Kendrick Lamar was at his peak popularity after the Super Bowl halftime performance (49:35), and the NFL's choice to have Bad Bunny perform at Super Bowl LX — along with the backlash that followed. Then, an impromptu segment about praying for others leads to a debate on how much the spiritual realm values intentions versus actions (55:30), which prompts Larry to press Mark about his beliefs surrounding Halloween before they share thoughts on the year's best costumes and how much of a production the holiday has become in the social media era. Before wrapping up, the guys touch on D4VD's allegations (1:07:12), women dating men who display traits they publicly disapprove of (1:10:00), and recent headlines involving Saweetie and the related occupation (1:13:41) — plus plenty more. Tap in — the wait's over, and they came back swinging.