Episodes

  • Bad Bunny shut the whole Super Bowl down — the culture, the unity, the backlash
    Feb 11 2026

    A raw, cultural breakdown of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl takeover — from the unity message and Latino representation debate to the nostalgia‑heavy ads that fell flat. Our roundtable featuring equity and justice reporter Trajan Warren, eXpozedtv and #GrindCon founder Katiria Colon, and Auzzy Byrdsell of The Boston Globe dig into the moments that hit, the ones that missed, and why this performance still has everyone talking.

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Losing Recipes, Keeping Trauma: The Family Secrets Behind Our Favorite Dishes
    Feb 11 2026

    Black families love to joke that “we’re losing recipes,” but what we’re really losing—and sometimes finally confronting—are the unspoken histories baked into every pan of mac and cheese. In this episode, Paris Alston digs into the generational drama simmering beneath our traditions, then sits down with Sarah Amos to unpack the chaotic, brilliant legacy of her father, Wally “Famous” Amos. And if that weren’t enough flavor, chef Rhonda Perscip brings receipts—and fritters—from a culinary lineage that survived emancipation, migration, and everything in between. This one’s about food, family, and the fire it takes to rewrite a recipe without repeating the trauma.

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • 3800 New Voters, Same Old Question: Do the Grammys Still Matter?
    Feb 4 2026

    The 2026 Grammys rolled out 3,800 new voters, diverse nominees, and a whole lot of “we promise we’ve changed” energy — but in a world where careers are built on TikTok loops and viral sandwiches, does the gramophone still mean anything? Paris Alston breaks down a night where Bad Bunny used his moment to call out ICE, Kendrick Lamar made history while amplifying lesser-known artists, and the Recording Academy tried once again to prove it understands the culture it’s been catching up to for decades. From shrinking ratings to rising resistance, this episode asks the real question: when the music industry evolves faster than the institutions that reward it, who are the Grammys even for anymore?

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • We’re Not Afraid of the Water—We’re Afraid of What America Put in It
    Feb 4 2026

    Black folks have always had a complicated relationship with water—from West African aquatic cultures to the terror of the Middle Passage, from segregated pools to Flint and Jackson. In this episode, Paris Alston dives deep with National Geographic explorer Tara Roberts, who documents slave shipwrecks the world pretends not to care about, and champion rower Arshay Cooper, who’s reclaiming the healing power of water for young Black men. Together, they expose how water has been used against us—and how we’re taking it back.

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Data do it! AI’s Harsh Trade-Off for Black America
    Jan 28 2026

    Tech giants are cashing in on our data while Black communities face the environmental fallout of data centers and the job‑shifting wave of AI. Paris Alston talks digital sharecropping, climate justice, and the real cost of automation with activists and experts who are pushing back—NAACP’s Abre’ Conner, journalist Willie Blackmore, and tech ethicist Rev. Chris Hope. From polluted neighborhoods to biased algorithms, they break down what’s at stake and how Black folks can reclaim power in a rapidly changing world.

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • What it’s like to be young and biracial in America today?
    Jan 21 2026

    Kendrick Lamar has taken aim at his rival Drake’s biracial identity. President Trump did the same against his rival former Vice President Kamala Harris. Bridging identities and cultures has been part of the Black experience for centuries, so what’s it like for a generation moving into adulthood? Paris Alston talks culture, Frederick Douglass, and the end of racism with two twenty-somethings navigating biracial backgrounds in a supposedly post-racial America.

    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Should Black women stop using synthetic hair?
    Jan 14 2026

    Braids are a way to get 'hang time' but there's new evidence that synthetic hair often contains chemicals - including lead and benzene - associated with cancer.
    Zina Thompson of Zina’s Hair Salon, Shellee Mendes of Salon Monet and Dr. Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip of Vibrant Dermatology & Aesthetics joined Paris Alston at the roundtable to discuss the evidence, risks and lack of regulation on hair products.

    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • Why Rep. Ayanna Pressley is pushing for reparations now
    Jan 7 2026

    The Trump administration is dismantling DEI programs, the Republicans control congress, and Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley says the time is right for reparations. Why now? And what would a reparations law look like? Paris Alston sat down with Rep. Pressley to ask about the timing of a reparations bill and the Democrats response to Trump 2.0.

    Show More Show Less
    18 mins