
EarWax: An Amoeba Podcast
EarWax is a deep-dive music podcast hosted by two longtime record store clerks, Hilary and Cody, who are steeped in music history.
Each week, we unpack the story of a single album - how it was made, where it fits in the cultural moment that shaped it, and why it still matters. From iconic classics to cult gems, we explore the music that moves us and the stories that stick.
You’ll also hear about the latest releases and what’s buzzing in our world of vinyl bins and liner notes. Think of it like your favorite record store hang, just in podcast form.
EarWax is for anyone who loves music with context, history, and heart.
EarWax: An Amoeba Podcast
Ep. 59: J Dilla - Donuts ft. Christian Dueñas
Put the headphones on and plan to keep your head nodding for the whole time, this week we have J Dilla's "Donuts!"
Christian Dueñas - host of the podcast Primer - drops by to chop it up about a record whose full story took a long time to be told. "Donuts" was made as Dilla was in between and during hospital stays. While the popular account is the stuff of legend, there is another, more grounded story that is as beautiful in its humanity.
It's impossible to see "Donuts" outside the context of J Dilla's death; his passing three days after its release is forever tied to this album. The result is what many see as a meditation on mortality, and a producer whose musical identity was continuing to evolve even as his body was failing him.
Thank you to Christian for sitting in!
Check out Primer!
@primerpod
Follow Christian!
@buttsonabutt
Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:
- Instagram: @earwaxpod
- TikTok: @earwaxpod
- Amoeba on Instagram:
- Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): earwaxpodcast@amoeba-music.com
Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis