Black etc podcast

by Ian Yusef

Black Geographies: Spirituality, Food, and Place (w/ Dr. Priscilla McCutcheon)

The guest for this episode is geographer and scholar Dr. Priscilla McCutcheon, who is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Kentucky. We discuss the concept of Black geographies and how it shows up in her research on the food work of radical Black religious organizations like the Nation of Islam and the Pan-African Orthodox Christian Church as well as in her archival work studying Fannie Lou Hamer and her connection to the National Council of Negro Women and other more mainstream Black funders. We dedicate a portion of the episode to talking about "the pork wars," which is my term for the tension in Black communities surrounding whether or not to eat pigs, with all the religious, cultural, regional, and class differences that come to bear on those arguments. Finally, Dr. McCutcheon offers her take on how modern technologies like social media complicates the public / counterpublic framework of Black political analysis. Dr. Priscilla McCutcheon’s University of Kentucky faculty page: https://geography.as.uky.edu/users/pmc243 Full episode notes here: http://blacketcpod.com/episodes/023-priscilla-mccutcheon

E23

Aug 13, 2026

46:41

The Bass Line: The Influence of Jazz Bass and Music Learning in the Internet Era (w/ Paul Thompson)

My guest is accomplished jazz bassist, professor, and public music educator Paul Thompson. We discuss the influence of jazz bass on other genres, the regional differences in jazz styles, and the vibrancy of Pittsburgh’s Black community. The bulk of the conversation, however, centers on music teaching and learning. We not only touch on Mr. Thompson’s decision to educate the public about music and bass online; we also delve into his controversial, viral social media post about the breakdown of the jazz apprenticeship model and the resulting generation gap. Finally, we briefly discuss the role the bass plays in the music of the late hip hop producer James “Jaydee/J Dilla” Yancey. Paul Thompson’s website: http://paulthompson.us YouTube: http://youtube.com/@pdbass Instagram: http://instagram.com/pdbass74 Twitter: twitter.com/pdbass74 Full episode notes here: http://blacketcpod.com/episodes/022-paul-thompson

E22

Aug 1, 2026

38:16

The Role of T-Shirts in Black Protest Movements (w/ Dr. Kimberly Thomas McNair)

The guest for this episode is Dr. Kimberly Thomas McNair, Lecturer in the Department of African and African American Studies at Stanford University. One of Dr McNair's major research projects is exploring the political significance of t-shirts in Black protest movements. Our discussion centers on how class and gender inform what figures are depicted on t-shirts and the ideological implications of those choices. Furthermore, we discuss the generational parallels and divides with respect to "tastefulness" of depicting Black historical and political figures on t-shirts as well as the insights Dr. McNair gained from interviewing former Black Panthers about their t-shirt printing and distribution efforts. Finally, Dr. McNair draws a link between Black political t-shirts and the R.I.P. t-shirts that originated with youth gang culture. Dr. McNair's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kimberly-thomas-mcnair-phd-9b27ab17/ Instagram Page: https://instagram.com/profkayteemac her Stanford Faculty page: https://aaas.stanford.edu/people/kimberly-thomas-mcnair Full episode notes here: http://blacketcpod.com/episodes/021-kimberly-mcnair

E21

Jul 21, 2026

1:08:14

Can’t Knock the Hustle: The Dismal Ethos of Modern Hip Hop and Black Culture (w/ Jason A. England)

Explicit

My guest for this episode is Jason A. England, acclaimed writer, cultural critic, and English professor. We use Jason's controversial piece lamenting the state of popular hip hop as an entry point into a broader conversation about the damaging effect the "can't knock the hustle" ethos has had on the music as well as Black culture writ large. We discuss the illusory appeal of representation, inclusion, and symbolic politics for Black folks, including segments on the warped individualism cultivated by social media and the unfortunate popularity of consumption as resistance. Jason's Defector article: "50 Years Later, Is There Anything Left of Hip Hop?” Full episode notes here: blacketcpod.com/episodes/020-jason-england

E20

Jul 11, 2026

49:26

Black Food, Black Travel, and Online Black Culture (w/ Anela Malik)

Explicit

My guest for this episode is Anela Malik, who is a writer, speaker, food and travel enthusiast, and social media influencer. She is the author of the book American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States and the host of the Black food and travel series Our Block. We discuss the difference between online and real-life Black culture, the importance of maintaining integrity as a social media content creator against the backdrop of Black capitalist hustle culture, the thriving Black food scene in DC, and her experience traveling the world as a Black American woman. Anela Malik's website: anelamalik.com Her social media handle on multiple platforms is @theanelamalik the book: American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States the Our Block tv series Full episode notes here: blacketcpod.com/episodes/019-anela-malik

E19

Jul 3, 2026

41:45

Documenting Blues People and Black Folklore (w/ Lamont Jack Pearley)

My guest for this episode is Lamont Jack Pearley, Executive Director and founder of Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Preservation Foundation & the African American Folklorist Magazine. He is an applied folklorist, an African American music historian, a traditional country blues artist himself, and an inductee into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. We discuss a host of topics, including the meaning of applied folklorist, the relationship between folklorists & archivists, and the reason he founded The African American Folklorist Magazine I also chat a great deal with Mr. Pearley about the blues: Why the genre is such a potent lens for Black culture, hip hop songs that function as blues songs, and how being a blues artist informs his scholarly work. Lamont Jack Pearley's website: lamontjackpearley.com Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Preservation Foundation: jackdappabluesradio.tv The African American Folklorist Magazine: theafricanamericanfolklorist.com Full episode notes here: blacketcpod.com/episodes/018-lamont-jack-pearley

E18

Jun 24, 2026

39:53

Southern Convenience Food, Digital Culture, and the Black Folktastic (w/ Dr. Constance Bailey)

My guest for this episode is Dr. Constance Bailey, Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Folklore at Georgia State University and Digital Media Editor at the American Folklore Society. She has multiple books in the works, including the upcoming Get It While It's Hot: Gas Station, Roadside, and Convenience Cuisine in the U.S. South and The No Limit Reader: Music, Place, and Space in the Gulf South. Dr. Bailey and I discuss the distinctions between "soul food" and "Southern food," the persistence of gas station and roadside food spots in the South, Black memes, the importance of preserving Black digital culture, as well as the Black "folktastic", which she defines as the fantasy elements in Black folklore. Dr. Bailey's website: constancebailey.com Instagram account: @constancetheeakademic Full episode notes here: blacketcpod.com/episodes/017-constance-bailey

E17

Jun 17, 2026

40:44

The Black Film Canon: From Masterpieces to Classics (w/ Marcus Pinn)

In this episode, I speak to film critic, writer, podcaster, and musician Marcus Pinn of the blog Pinnland Empire and the podcast Zebras in America. We discuss the history of efforts to build a Black film canon, groupthink in modern Black film criticism, and the reasons that critics like Armond White and Angelica Jade Bastién stand out as unique figures. We also get into the limitations of using representation as a lens to provide a corrective to the established Black film canon. In addition, we talk about the importance of balancing ones film diet and whether it's possible for "bad" movies to be good. Finally, we give love to seminal Black indie directors of the 1980s, such as Charles Burnett, Julie Dash, Wendell B Harris, Jr., and Charles Lane, all of whom have not had nearly enough opportunities to make films, despite their talents. Marcus Pinn's website: Pinnland Empire: pinnlandempire.com Marcus' podcast Zebras in America: soundcloud.com/zebras-in-america Full episode notes here: blacketcpod.com/episodes/016-marcus-pinn

E16

Jun 2, 2026

47:00

Classic Albums and “Golden Eras”: The History of the Hip Hop Canon (w/ Dart Adams)

In this marathon episode, I speak to Boston writer and hip hop historian Dart Adams about the history of the hip hop canon starting from the early days of recorded old school classics through the mainstream/underground schism of the late 90s and beyond. We talk about the development of the rap album as a serious artistic form and how Dart defines the 2 "golden eras" of hip hop. Dart's contribution here is nothing short of a hip hop history lesson, with meticulous references to the many popular and unsung artists that defined the 80s and 90s, as well as some of the lesser known underground greats of the 21st Century. We touch on the music business, mass media, hip hop journalism, and the competitive spirit that spawned countless classic hip hop albums. Dart Adams' bluesky account: dartadams.bsky.social Writing on Medium (Dart_Adams) : dartadams.medium.com/ Full show notes here: blacketcpod.com/episodes/015-dart-adams

E15

May 27, 2026

1:11:28

on Black Food Fridays, Power, and Social Media Influence (w/ KJ Kearney)

My guest for this episode is community organizer, food writer, educator, and social media influencer. KJ Kearney. He is the creator of the James Beard Award winning Instagram account Black Food Fridays, the newsletter Who Made The Potato Salad?, and the live Black food storytelling event Bite The Power. We have a wide-ranging discussion about several topics, including the history of red rice as a Gullah/Geechee dish with roots in West Africa, using Black food media as a vehicle for racial uplift, the responsibility of social media influencing, the limitations of the internet as an organizing tool, and KJ's evolving ideas on the meaning of power. KJ Kearney's Instagram account Black Food Fridays: instagram.com/blackfoodfridays His newsletter Who Made The Potato Salad?: whomadethepotatosalad.substack.com/ The Charleston Red Rice Day proclamation: scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/bills/3453.htm Full show notes here: blacketcpod.com/episodes/014-kj-kearney

E14

May 19, 2026

40:43

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