Tapped in with Tom Flies cover art

Tapped in with Tom Flies

Tapped in with Tom Flies

Written by: Steven Michael
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The industry is loud, but only a few are truly Tapped In.

Hosted by Tom Flies, Tapped In is a raw, unfiltered deep dive into the business, the culture, and the personalities moving the needle in Philadelphia and beyond. From the behind-the-scenes realities of podcasting networks and the legendary Don’t Call Me White Girl era to the evolution of the independent music scene, Tom brings on the city's most influential creators to discuss ownership, legacy, and the grind it takes to reach the top.

This isn't just a talk show—it's the blueprint. Every week, we sit down with industry staples, rising artists, and cultural innovators to pull back the curtain on the "inner workings" of the game.

If you’re looking for the real stories behind the headlines and the street-level hustle that fuels high-level success, you're in the right place.

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Episodes
  • Tapped In with Tom Flies - Ep 5: Roots Picnic Recap, Hip-Hop Drama & Relationship Boundaries

    Tapped In with Tom Flies - Ep 5: Roots Picnic Recap, Hip-Hop Drama & Relationship Boundaries
    Jun 11 2026
    This week, Tom Flies is back in the studio with Bang and MJ—who is making her grand return after a month-long hiatus. The crew doesn't hold back as they dive straight into the massive weekend that was The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, debating whether Jay-Z's legendary set and surprise State Property reunion made it the best festival lineup in years. Things take a serious turn as the room reacts to the leaked Diddy and Daphne Joy tape. MJ breaks down the reality of coercion and sexual boundaries, while Bang questions the bizarre timing of Daphne's OnlyFans discount rollout immediately following her statement. Plus, the crew unrolls the chaotic text leak between Sauce Walka and his baby mama involving a wild threat directed at Drake. To wrap it up, they tackle the ultimate relationship debate: Is a partner being "nonchalant" healthy, or are men completely failing to communicate? Make sure to like, comment, and stay Tapped In! ⏱️ Chapter Guide 00:00 - 01:43 | The "Critically Acclaimed" Top 5 Feedback Tom, Bang, and the crew reflect on last week's episode with Oh My Two, discussing the clip culture and the Philly legends left in the comments. 01:44 - 04:31 | MJ’s Back! (Birth Control & Near-Jail Experiences) MJ returns to the podcast after a month away and gets brutally honest about what's been saving her job, her relationship, and kept her out of jail. 04:32 - 07:18 | Roots Picnic Recap: Best Ever or Just Hype? Bang gives his first-hand review of the festival's new layout at the Plateau, the traffic nightmare, and eating his way through Philly’s best soul food spots. 07:19 - 09:47 | Celeb Sightings & Pulling Up to McDonald's Tom talks about missing the picnic but rubbing elbows at the celebrity basketball game with Allen Iverson and pulling up to a Club 520 podcast event. 09:48 - 13:08 | Deciphering Jay-Z’s Philly Freestyle Set The crew reacts to Jay-Z's Roots Picnic stage entrance and his targeted bars addressing Drake, Nicki Minaj, Kanye, and Dame Dash. 13:09 - 16:29 | TikTok vs. Reality: Is Hov "Old and Corny"? MJ brings the TikTok research, showing how younger generations missed Jay-Z's references, leading to a discussion on modern stand culture. 16:30 - 20:00 | Female Rap Grid & Up-and-Coming Artists Shoutouts to Ken the Man, Monaleo, and Kali as Bang shares a throwback story of being in the Atlantic studio the night Ken signed her major deal. 20:01 - 22:50 | State Property Reunion & Music Video Regrets Bang shows off his residual check from State Property 2, and Tom tells the tragic childhood story of ripping up a consent form to be in Jay-Z’s "Forever Young" video. 22:51 - 25:32 | Our Personal Favorite Roots Picnics Tom recalls headlining the dwindling festival podcast stage in 2023 alongside Charlamagne and Akademiks, while Bang missing the OG Delaware Ave days. 25:33 - 29:22 | Awkward Fan Moments & Dark Turns Who would the crew fanboy/fangirl over? MJ admits she'd pass out over Megan Thee Stallion and over One Direction's Liam Payne. 29:23 - 34:33 | The Diddy & Daphne Joy Leaked Tape Reaction The studio turns up the volume to discuss the viral, disturbing leak and reads Daphne Joy's emotional public statement on coercion and revenge porn. 34:34 - 38:39 | "Turning the Trap Up": OnlyFans Boundaries Bang causes a stir by pointing out Daphne's immediate 85% off OnlyFans promotion right after claiming trauma, prompting a debate on sex workers' rights. 38:40 - 42:36 | Money vs. Morals: The Wage Gap Relationship MJ stands her ground on women doing what they need to do for a bag, but outlines the exact boundary where boundaries must never be crossed for money. 42:37 - 48:07 | Valet Incentives & Real Life Protocols Bang uses a valet parking metaphor to explain how financial incentives amplify human weaknesses when people think they can handle high-stakes situations. 48:08 - 52:20 | Sports Quick Hits: Jalen Hurts & The AJ Brown Mess The guys talk about the Knicks' 2026 championship goals, Jalen Hurts, and whether AJ Brown's future with the Patriots. 52:21 - 56:02 | Sauce Walka Threats: "I’ll Get Drake Shot" Breaking down the leaked phone call where Sauce Walka admits to letting Drake fund his baby mama's lifestyle before issuing a wild threat. 56:03 - 01:03:00 | The Pandemic of Nonchalant Men MJ attacks modern dating culture, proudly claiming she is "chalant" and will go through every phone cavity if her feelings are played with. 01:03:01 - 01:07:35 | Opening the Safe: Open Relationships Debate Tom anchors the room to talk about open dynamics, while Bang declares he is too territorial to ever let a stranger walk into his life and look at his "queen". 01:07:36 - 01:11:00 | Going on Dates Just Because You’re Broke MJ admits she used to love dates when she was a little broke, triggering the guys over the classic "friendship flip". 01:11:01 - 01:15:44 | Hard Out in Philly: Social Media "Soft Launches" Why dating in Philly is small-town chaos, hard rules for posting ...
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Tapped In with Tom Flies - Ep 4: Inside the Music Business with Omar T

    Tapped In with Tom Flies - Ep 4: Inside the Music Business with Omar T
    Jun 2 2026

    In this episode of Tapped in with Tom Flies, Tom and co-host Bang welcome special guest and music publishing executive Omar T to the studio. Moving past the internet commentary, the crew sits down face-to-face to break down the hard business realities of the music industry—from the truth about streaming payouts to how strategic relationship-building can dictate your career longevity.

    As Philadelphia natives, the guys dive deep into the city's infrastructure, the legacy of the Roots Picnic, and debate their highly personal Top 5 Philadelphia and New York rapper lists. Omar also shares invaluable wisdom on the weight of responsibility that comes with giving out career-changing opportunities and what it truly takes to make it inside major label buildings today.

    Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to keep tapping in with us every week!

    📍 Chapter Breakdown

    📱 Introduction & The Roots Picnic Energy

    • 00:42 | Welcome Back & Checking In Tom and Bangs kick off the episode, welcome special guest Omar T to the podcast, and discuss the collective energy of Philadelphia during the iconic Roots Picnic weekend.
    • 01:54 | The Hustle of Sneaking Backstage The crew shares nostalgic stories about interning for Live Nation and making fake tickets just to rub elbows with media giants like Elliot Wilson.

    💿 The Rap Landscape & Music Industry Realities

    • 02:42 | Wrapping Up Kendrick vs. Drake Reflecting on their previous week's opinions, the guys analyze the cultural and commercial fallout of the Kendrick and Drake battle following their respective album releases.
    • 03:16 | The Economics of Streaming & Publishing Omar T pulls back the curtain on music publishing, explaining exactly how splits work and why 90 million streams doesn't translate to as much money as artists think.
    • 04:36 | A&R Instincts: Discovering Ice Spice Omar T recounts his early days in the major label system and how he recognized the star power of Ice Spice when she only had ten monthly listeners.
    • 05:07 | The Long Game: Signing Mariah the Scientist A lesson in dedication—Omar details chasing a publishing deal with Mariah the Scientist for three years by attending shows across the East Coast.

    🤝 Networking, Access, and Added Value

    • 05:54 | The Nature of Real Relationships Tom, Bangs, and Omar break down why treating the industry like a transaction fails, emphasizing that "thorough is universal" and value must be demonstrated long-term.
    • 07:44 | "Somebody Always Puts You in the Room" Omar reflects on learning from veteran executives, securing access to rooms with LeBron James or Beyonce's team, and navigating industry gatekeepers.
    • 08:35 | The Cultural Shift: Philly vs. Atlanta Ecosystems The guys contrast the guarded, isolated nature of Philly's music culture against Atlanta’s hospitable, collaborative, and studio-rich environment.

    📊 The Great Rapper Debates

    • 10:09 | Reacting to Complex’s Top 50 NY Rappers The studio reacts with heavy skepticism to Complex's New York rap rankings, debating placements for Fabolous, Jadakiss, and where Cardi B sits all-time.
    • 11:54 | Drake vs. Lil Wayne All-Time A quick sidebar on legacy—who ranks higher on the all-time list? The crew evaluates Lil Wayne's selflessness as a team player vs. Drake's dominance.
    • 12:12 | The Official Philly Top 5 & Honorable Mentions The hosts lay down their strictly personal Top 5 Philadelphia rap lists, paying homage to Mac, Meek Mill, Joey Haded, Eve, and Lil Uzi Vert.

    🎯 Mentorship & Outro

    • 13:24 | The Duty of an Executive & The Power of Internships Omar shares the heavy responsibility of holding keys to the industry, using a hungry intern's journey as proof that work ethic beats elite school backgrounds.
    • 14:42 | Wrap Up & Subscribe Tom closes out the episode by thanking Omar T for coming through and reminding the audience to drop their comments and subscribe weekly.

    Support the show

    #TappedinwithTomFlies #BlackCloverStudios #TomFlies
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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Tapped In with Tom Flies - Ep 3

    Tapped In with Tom Flies - Ep 3
    May 21 2026

    The Return of the Villains: Drake Season, Steak 48 Drama, & Relationship Traumas

    After a brief hiatus, Time Flies is back and fully tapped in. Host Tom Flies is joined by returning favorite Bang and first-time guest Shay to clear the air, talk music history, and break down why they completely refuse to feed into the industry's obsession with controversial, "messy" media.

    Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

    • The Drake Stimulus Package: A deep dive into Drake’s massive three-album drop (Iceman, Maid of Honor, and Habibti). The crew discusses the 2024 beef aftermath, why "the villains won," and why casual fans completely misunderstand professional songwriting credits and samples.
    • The Steak 48 Dress Code Controversy: Unpacking the viral TikTok drama. Shay shares her perspective on body shaming and inconsistency in high-end venues, while Bang introduces a hilarious take on the reality of "special treatment" and corporate restaurant politics.
    • The Worst Post-Breakup Crash Outs: Real stories from the room—including a Saturday night broken door standoff and a Christmas tree flying out of a window five days before the holiday.
    • The 2026 Dating Landmine: Shay gets transparent about self-sabotage, dealing with shape-shifting men, and why she values her nervous system's peace over relationship games.

    Hit play and tap into the real conversation.

    Support the show

    #TappedinwithTomFlies #BlackCloverStudios #TomFlies
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    1 hr and 54 mins
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