All My Friends Are Dope: Justin Pinder and LA Talk New Music and Seattle Culture
The premiere episode of All My Friends Are Dope officially dropped last month, and it did not disappoint. Hosted by Converge Media co-founder Erik Kalligraphy, this spin-off series of The Pop-Up! sets out with a mission to look past the surface-level promotion of artistic projects and truly understand the human being behind the work.
To kick off the inaugural episode, Kalligraphy sat down with two hometown icons: entrepreneur, manager, and artist Justin Pinder, alongside veteran artist and lyricist LA (also known as Language Arts).
What unfolded was a reflective conversation traversing nearly 20 years of Seattle hip-hop history, the evolution of community third spaces, and how a random trip to Los Angeles sparked Pinder and LA’s highly anticipated collaborative album, For the Love of the Game.
The Genesis of For the Love of the Game
Though Pinder and LA have shared a mutual respect and crossed paths in the Pacific Northwest scene since around 2006 or 2007, they had never locked in for a full-length collaborative tape until now.
The spark finally ignited a year ago in Los Angeles. While LA was in the studio working on a solo project, Pinder pulled up to smoke and catch up. When a soul-stirring sample flipped by producer Daringer filled the room, the creative synergy was instant. LA had originally intended the track for his solo album, but Pinder penned a verse in a matter of fifteen minutes.
The resulting song, "Payback," became the foundation of their new partnership. Initially planning a quick five-song EP, the duo recorded the tracks in a single day and realized the dynamic was too strong not to expand it into a full album.
"Me or him individually, we don't need rap. We don't need the industry... We're set in who we are. We got families and we're solidified in our community,” Pinder said. “I don't know how not to rap... I just love it."
Returning strictly to the core fundamentals of emceeing (no vocal stacks, no melodies, no sung hooks) the album focuses on pure lyricism, driven entirely by a shared obsession with the craft.
The Power and Loss of Seattle’s Third Spaces
Pinder, LA, and Kalligraphy shifted to discussing the spaces that raised them. The trio reminisced about formative cultural hubs that defined 2000s Seattle culture, including The Vera Project, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, The Pharmacy, and The Renton Transit Center.
LA and Pinder noted how these spaces actively saved them from the streets by channeling their energy into poetry, battles, and recording.
The guests shared a sobering reflection on the current state of Seattle. They noted a visible decline in all-ages venues, free open mics, and weekly writing workshops compared to their youth. They argued that without physical spaces where young creatives feel accepted and mentored, a city loses its connective tissue, often leading to a fragmented culture dominated by digital isolation.
Cultivating the Future: How2Listen
Pinder isn't just reminiscing about the past; he’s actively solving the cultural gap through his nonprofit passion project, How2Listen.
Conceived as a loose, liquid resource network for the Pacific Northwest, How2Listen provides artists with upfront cash grants, sync licensing opportunities, event sponsorships, and direct mentorship, all without the transactional baggage of traditional management or record labels. Pinder emphasized that the primary goal is to bring the core creative community back together on a regular, productive basis.
What’s Next?
The campaign for For the Love of the Game is officially underway. Check out LA and Justin's new track "Boats 4 Sale" on all major streaming platforms. Follow LA and Pinder on Instagram for more updates.
Catch All My Friends Are Dope Fridays at 9 p.m. on all Converge Media platforms.
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