In this episode we dive into Paul Simon’s 1986 classic Graceland and sit with both sides of it: the undeniable musical genius and the apartheid-era controversy around how it was made.

We talk about Simon travelling to South Africa during the cultural boycott, recording with Black South African musicians, and blending their styles with his own songwriting into a world-changing pop album. Then we dig into the ethics: did he break solidarity and benefit most from a sound that wasn’t his, or did he create meaningful collaboration and visibility for the musicians involved—or both at once?

In this episode:

– Track highlights: “The Boy in the Bubble,” “Graceland,” “I Know What I Know,” “Homeless,” “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” “You Can Call Me Al”

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