How Wu-Tang & Suburban Rebellion Inspired Umass’ Beatspill Radio Show

WMUA is housed in the back corner in the dingy basement of UMass Amherst’s campus center. Walk into this tiny studio, and chances are that you will find students busy putting together the latest and greatest playlists in all genres. Over the past few years, Miles Powell and John Holowitz have clocked a lot of time in this spot, co-creating the Beatspill radio show.

Beatspill, which started as a hip-hop blog, was the brain baby of four friends who met in high school and learned to love the genre as they got into college life. The guys were late bloomers to the hip-hop fandom, which shouldn’t be all too surprising considering they are middle class white kids from the suburbs of Boston.

“I grew up listening to all oldies music,” Powell says. “To the extent where I had such a stereotypical attitude of [hip-hop] music… I would be going to basketball games, and I’d be jamming out to the Bee Gees.”

Alex & Sierra

Video Credit: Alex & Sierra’s Official YouTube Channel

They do almost everything on a whim, and they owe everything to a rubber ducky shower curtain.

Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton have skyrocketed to fame after their debut on the hit talent show The X Factor just last year as the laidback, indie duo Alex & Sierra. In the past 12 months, the couple have written, recorded, released and toured supporting their own music.

The pair, now 23, have also been dating for the better part of 5 years, which was part of their story that stole America’s hearts and ears on the show.