B. Vaughan and Tye Huntley kick off this live episode of The Indie Unplugged with jokes, claps turning into crickets, and a deep dive into the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson—asking if Chris Brown has really “caught up” to MJ and unpacking why their greatness shouldn’t even be compared the same way. From there, they slide into the history of the moonwalk (shoutout to Jeffrey Daniel), then pivot into Mario’s viral appearance on Cam Newton’s podcast where he ranked which male R&B singers “can really sing.” The conversation gets real about gatekeeping, ego, and why dragging your peers on camera might go viral—but rarely helps the culture or your career, especially for independent artists trying to build relationships, not burn bridges.The debate heats up as they flip it into hip-hop: who could really stand across from JAY-Z in a Verzuz—TI, Lil Wayne, Kanye, Drake? Is TI’s catalog more powerful than people admit? And who’s the greatest hip-hop group of all time—Wu-Tang Clan, N.W.A, OutKast, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest? Along the way, they break down the thin line between healthy competition and toxic comparison, why indie creatives need thick skin without “crashing out” on camera like Kevin McCall, and how loops, samples, and packs are really just a race to the smash. The segment closes with The Watchlist, spotlighting indie R&B artist Keeyen Martin, his data-driven Italy tour, and what every independent creative can learn from how he studies analytics and moves strategically. Tap in, drop your take in the comments (MJ vs Chris Brown, Mario’s list, JAY-Z’s true Verzuz opponent, and your GOAT hip-hop group), and subscribe so you don’t miss the next live debate.

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