Blaze Review

CE: What inspired ‘Something Slight’?

TC: ‘Something Slight’ is very full circle. I’ve been a journalist and writer for over a decade. At some point, I started a podcast or two, though neither panned out. I never really thought about trying again, but in February, I offhandedly pitched the idea to my friends who run Private Stock Studios (PVTSTCK) in Chicago, and they were down.

Since we stream live, we’ve branded ‘Something Slight’ as a radio show—and as the flagship show of our digital radio station, Kismet Radio. Kismet means destiny or fate, and this felt just like that. The guys who run PVTSTCK—Luis Arroyo, Herson Escobar, Jason Valcarcel, and Jon Cuevas—are my day ones, so launching Kismet and ‘Something Slight’ with them felt like a no-brainer and the next level up in my career.

Above all, this project has been challenging, fun, and intentional. Oh, and I’m definitely looking to be the Nadeska of Chicago.

CE: Favorite interview you have had? Dream interview?

TC: If we’re talking about ‘Something Slight,’ I’d say Chris Classick or Thelonious Martin. Both dropped so many gems and stories—and both are huge assets to Chicago. I met Classick in 2014 at SXSW, a while before I ever thought about moving to Chicago. He was already managing Smino at the time, so all three of us bonded over St. Louis, also my hometown. And Thelo is literally goated. He’s touched so many records and worked with so many artists, and he’s just a good, humble guy with a ton of knowledge. Both of them are.

If we’re talking about my favorite interview over the course of my entire career, I’d say interviewing Smino for Noisey/Vice in 2015, and a Q&A I did with Saba at the Apple Store in Chicago in 2018. Both were pivotal moments for me. In 2015, Smino hadn’t yet turned the corner, so I had to push my editor to accept the story—and it felt huge for our St. Louis hometown. Chatting with Saba at the Apple Store was also so cool to me because—from what I remember—he asked for me specifically. It was the biggest audience I had ever spoken in front of, to celebrate the arrival of his 2018 album ‘Care For Me.’

Dream interview? I don’t know. I would love to produce an oral history of an album as a limited series for Kismet Radio. I think the bigger dream is to put people on, to get people paid, and to make things I care about.

CE: Any projects we should be on the lookout for in the future?

TC: Prior to ‘Something Slight’ and Kismet, I started a print magazine called ‘Search Party,’ which highlights Black and POC creatives from St. Louis. We’re gearing up to release our second issue later this winter, so be on the lookout for that. Big up my team, Big Esco and Phonzz. All I’ll say is working in print is very, very humbling but rewarding.

We launched Kismet Radio and ‘Something Slight’ in May—and we’ve come far in just a few months. Next year, I’d like to start interviewing more out-of-town music artists, whether that’s in person, digitally, or in another city. We’re also looking to build out Kismet Radio with more shows next year. So far, we’ve added a DJ mix show, Real Heads Know hosted by Police State. It’ll take some time for us to streamline everything, but I’m excited to expand our roster in 2024. I don’t think people understand just yet that ‘Something Slight’ isn’t a podcast, and that Kismet is a digital radio station and I want more people involved, whether that’s talk shows or mix shows. So we’re trying to change that.

Ultimately, the dream is to create our own blend of NTS, The Lot Radio, Apple Music Radio….you catch my drift. The reception has been stellar so far.

CE: Advice to anyone wanting to get into the media space?

TC: The question I like to ask myself is, “What’s missing?” This isn’t just applicable to media but to any medium.

Beyond that: I think it’s easy to spot a void, but it can be tough to fill it. You need to be able to see the big picture and figure out how to get there. You can’t be lazy. You need to be steadfast in your vision and surround yourself with like-minded people who validate your ideas but push back at the right moments. It also takes time to find the right people and the right project—and, annoyingly enough, failure is part of that. Patience and consistency will get you far.