23 Black Podcasts You Should Absolutely Know About
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1.The Pivot Podcast
2.85 South Show
Possibly the funniest podcast of the culture, The 85 South Show is composed of comedians Karlous Miller, Chico Bean, and DC Young Fly. 85 South is a mesh of guest interviews, panel discussions, and live shows that are all comedy-based with a touch of southern persona. To me, this podcast reflects the personality and humor of many southern region folk, who think and act like the hosts of this podcast. The trio aligned on MTV's Wild'n Out and transitioned to creating an entire media platform of their own.
3.Jemele Hill Is Unbothered
Jemele Hill is a journalist and media personality who rose to popularity for her very unfiltered and nuanced opinions on pop culture. The veteran journalist often receives criticism for her comments, yet sometimes, I think she wants to say whatever will make people uncomfortable and push their limits of thinking. On her podcast, which airs every Monday, she discusses sports, culture, music, and anything else she sees fit. If you enjoy opinions that have dark humor and a little shade mixed in, you'll love Jemele Hill Is Unbothered.
4.Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay
5.The Right Time with Bomani Jones
Bomani Jones is an Emmy-winning sports journalist and former host of ESPN's Highly Questionable TV show. Jones has spent over a decade being a media personality for numerous publications, which led to him landing two shows including his HBO talk show Game Theory and the ESPN hosted podcast The Right Time with Bomani Jones. Three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays), Jones weighs in on sports, pop culture, and societal news with a very witty and sharp form of communication. This show is perfect for people who like to hear about sports in a very cerebral way.
6.BackOnFigg
7.Code Switch
8.Earn Your Leisure
Earn Your Leisure is a wildly successful podcast that discusses financial literacy, business, Black culture, and more. Hosted by financial advisors Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, the show interviews guests who give insight to entrepreneurship, real estate, the stock market, and other industries. Listening to this podcast will feel like a crash course in understanding business models, mixed with Black men who understand the current culture.
9.Drink Champs
10.Checking In with Michelle Williams
The former Destiny Child singer teams up with her friends to give a weekly podcasts in which they hold transparent conversations on dealing with depression, anxiety, and other mental health battles. After her split with Destiny's Child, Williams went on to create gospel music for a number of years and became a mental health advocate. Hearing Black women discuss mental health, faith, and the everyday struggles of minority women is a perspective that is absolutely necessary. This podcast will make you cry while also speaking to your spirit.
11.Still Processing
If you enjoy a show with extreme range that covers a broad span of topics, Still Processing is for you. This podcast tackles culture, dating, internet, society, film, and everything else you could imagine. Hosted by film critic Wesley Morris and journalist Jenna Wortham, the weekly show will stimulate those with a diverse palate for entertainment.
12.Cuhmunity
Maybe a decade from now, when West Coast media personalities look back, they will all give flowers to AD, as he is one of the first pioneers of his region to have a successful transition from rapping to being a media personality. AD kickstarted a wave of personalities who come from a similar background as him, creating a space for his people to offer their opinions to the world in a cool and digestible way. As a rapper, he coined hits such as "Juice" and "Thug," but has also kept a balance of releasing songs alongside his numerous shows. Nicknamed "The Batman" for his willingness to always offer solutions to everyone's problems, his Cuhmunity podcast streams live on YouTube and Caffeine, multiple times a week. With multiple successful shows already, AD's trajectory is high, and I'd expect to see even bigger things to come from the pioneer in 2023.
13.Pour Minds
14.All the Smoke
Two former NBA players team up off the court to create a safe space for athletes and people engraved in Black culture to come and speak their piece. Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson host their show very similarly to their style of play, which is aggressive. They ask the questions that everyone wants to know, yet they allow their guests to control their own narratives and speak their truth without being judged. This is the platform celebs want to visit if they need to clear the air on any rumors, as Stephen and Matt will hold anyone accountable and aren't afraid to call out media outlets, coaches, players, and more.
15.Girl Stop Playin' Podcast
16.Touré Show
Touré is a legendary journalist and culture critic who has covered everything from hip-hop to politics, pop culture, and more. His podcast Touré Show airs every Wednesday as he sits down with Black creatives, musicians, comedians, writers, and more. They pick each other's brains on pop culture and give insight to how they became successful. The seasoned cultural commentator has many intelligent and quirky takes that make for a great perspective. Touré is simply a legend.
17.Million Dollaz Worth of Game
This dynamic duo are high on the hierarchy of Black podcasts, as they produce some of the best numbers and host some of the most legendary guests. Hailing from Philadelphia, cousins Gillie and Wallo are nothing short of hilarious and captivating. After doing a 20-year prison sentence, Wallo came home and teamed up with Gillie, who had been displaying his personality on the internet for years. Whether they are interviewing guests or making fun of each other for two hours, this show will leave you entertained in some capacity.
18.The More Purpose Podcast
19.The Joe Budden Podcast
The legendary rapper, media personality, and podcast host should be considered one of the founding fathers of Black podcasting. Or as fans call it, the Podfather. From his early days of Joe Budden TV, the New Jersey native has been cementing his space in the digital media world for a long time. Despite hosting other shows such as Everyday Struggle and State Of the Culture, one thing that has remained consistent throughout the years is The Joe Budden Podcast. With over 1 million subscribers, the podcast has one of the most watched shows in hip-hop media. Showing resiliency after a breakup with his original hosts, Joe Budden, Ice, Ish, and Parks host an extremely successful weekly podcast that discuss Black culture, music, sports, news, and much more. JBP is on the Mount Rushmore of Black podcasts.
20.AceBoyz Worldwide
21.HC Pod
22.Home Grown Radio
23.Lastly, Know for Sure
Famous internet comedian and personality B. Simone branched off to podcasting and created the Know for Sure podcast. With her out of the box opinions on entertainment, dating, and entrepreneurship, it only made sense for the entertainer to create a space to express her opinions in long form. Alongside her co-host/BFF of 20 years, Megan Ashley, the duo discuss their relationship with God, dating, business, pop culture, and more.
Let me know some of your favorite Black podcasts below!
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