The Cas Podcast

Music Legend Kevin Johnson on B-Side Records, Working with Mad Vibes, and Underground Hip-Hop

Kevin Johnson, owner and President of B-Side Records, has been shaping the underground hip-hop scene since founding his label in Waterbury, Connecticut in the 1990s. In this conversation, he shares the origins of the label’s name, the records that first inspired him, and how the local Waterbury scene influenced his path into music. Kevin reflects on launching B-Side Records, his collaborations with artists like Tay Watts, and the story behind Mad Vibes’ hit track Riches to Rags. Listen to Riches to Rags: https://youtu.be/8Sfgm1MxqT0?si=7p71-CG7jK3IsLTa [https://youtu.be/8Sfgm1MxqT0?si=7p71-CG7jK3IsLTa] Buy the Mad Vibes EP: https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/3954260 [https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/3954260] Hip Hop Era Blog Post: https://hiphop-thegoldenera.blogspot.com/2020/10/mad-vibes-check-your-team-members.html [https://hiphop-thegoldenera.blogspot.com/2020/10/mad-vibes-check-your-team-members.html] Along the way, he revisits other projects from the label, updates us on where his collaborators are today, and weighs in on the current music landscape, including the role of social media and the revival of vinyl. He even shares an exclusive unreleased track and offers advice to new artists, before closing with his thoughts on his favorite contemporary talent. This is not just an interview—it’s a journey through hip-hop history, told by one of its dedicated stewards. Timestamps: (0:18) - The name B-Side Records (1:26) - Favorite Records (2:31) - Waterbury Connecticut Scene (5:23) - Starting B-Side Records (7:25) - Starting a Record Label (8:41) - Tay Woss (9:14) - The Story Behind Mad Vibes (13:14) - Other Work with B-Side (17:02) - Where is Everyone Today (17:42) - Current Music Scene (20:40) - Social Media’s Impact on Music (22:52) - Exclusive Play of Unreleased Song (24:04) - Advice for New Artists (27:33) - Return of Vinyl (28:36) - Favorite New Artists Follow The Cas Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thecaspodcast/] Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaspodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaspodcast] Twitter: https://x.com/thecaspodcast [https://x.com/thecaspodcast]

Juventus Fan Club President – Pietro Nardone

Juventus Fan Club President – Pietro Nardone

Delian Asparouhov: Partner at Founder Fund and President of Varda Space Industries

Delian is a Partner at Founders Fund and President of Varda Space Industries. Before that, he was a Principal at Khosla Ventures, and the Head of Growth at Teespring.

Geoff Lewis: Investor in OpenAI, Lyft, and Nubank

Geoff is the Founder and Managing Partner of Bedrock Capital, a technology investment firm with a concentrated portfolio across sectors including AI, defense, infrastructure, and digital assets.Geoff built a career that took him from humble beginnings in Calgary to the United States working at Procter & Gamble. While living in San Francisco, he leveraged his skills in advertising to help tech companies connect with major brands. He later joined Clarium Capital before founding TopGuest, a loyalty rewards software platform that was acquired by Switchfly. Geoff then became a Principal at Founders Fund, where he led investments in companies such as Lyft and Nubank. In 2017, he launched his own firm, Bedrock Capital, which has since raised over $2 billion in assets under management and backed companies including OpenAI, Rippling, and Vercel.

Med School and Canada's Healthcare System — Daniel Scarr

Even if you had a 4.0 GPA, were a varsity athlete, and the co-founder of the Canadian Society of Epidemiology, you still might not get into medical school. This happened to our guest Daniel Scarr. Amidst the doctor shortage in Canada, we sat down to discuss what’s really going on in the nations medical system.