

10 Black Podcasters Keeping You Learning, Laughing & Glowing Up
It seems like when you search for a good podcast, there are millions to choose from, and sifting through them all can be overwhelming and exhausting. There's something there for everyone, from music to politics to history to comedy to late-night raunchy. Well, if you want to get a good start of a few worth checking out, we got it for you. Check out 10 podcasts that uplift, inspire, inform and empower:
Passing Through Podcast
1. STORYTELLING: Passing Through
Nneka Julia's Instagram page gives enough clues as to why you'd want to know more from just one glimpse of something. Her photos from her off-the-beaten-path travels around the world---from Oracabessa, Jamaica to Abua, Nigeria to Havana Cuba, to Siem Reap Province, Cambodia---have allure and mystique that she further excites via the captions. So it's no surprise that her podcast would do the same, offering clever storytelling and intriguing nuggets of wisdom.
2. POLITICS: Code Switch
If you want to hear discussions from super-smart journalists about race and current events, this is a good one. What's great about this is that it includes both female and male perspectives and puts things in a historical context so that you'll feel like you've been schooled after every episode. One recent episode about the agitators within protests had me rethinking my opinions about the moving parts of a successful activist movement.
Therapy For Black Girls The Podcast
3. MENTAL HEALTH: Therapy for Black Girls
This isn't your usual chat about mental health and therapy. This podcast makes the subjects less taboo and more relatable. Hosted by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist and speaker, the podcast covers hot topics like Insecure's inclusion of Molly's pursuit of therapy, managing anxiety related to COVID-19, coping with workplace stress, and how to talk to your children about race.
4. BOSS MOVES: Side Hustle Pro
Nicaila Matthews Okome features candid conversations with women entrepreneurs, and past guests have included Myleik Teele of CurlBox, Lisa Price of Carol's Daughter, and Nicole Walters of The Monetized Life. The show promotes the impact of small steps that lead to big results, whether in launching that new idea, business or upgraded life.
Sip On This
5. WORK: Sip on This
Ashley Nicole Black, an actress, comedian, and writer, is that breath-of-fresh-air coworker at the new job who actually tells you why you shouldn't ask too many questions at the first staff meeting and point out who will actually answer your emails. She covers topics like how to channel anger, find work-life balance and survive struggle jobs. Yeah, thank me later sis.
6. CULTURE: The Read
If you don't know by the title what you're in for, you might want to go ahead and consult your urban dictionary and then review the expiration date on your Black Card. Veteran blogger Kid Fury and co-host Crissle give us real talk and raw opinions on every day issues like responding to cities opening back up, celebrity Internet beefs, and the prevalence of white privilege violations. These two would make any salon, coffee shop, bar lounge or barbershop visit a treat because this is the type of when-keeping-it-real-goes-right that makes any conversation that much more enjoyable.
Identity Politics
7. CULTURE: Identity Politics
Ikhlas Saleem and Makkah Ali talk race, gender and life as Muslims in America in a way that not only invites understanding but puts them among the ranks of friends in your head. (Am I the only one who does that? Wendy Williams, Tracee Ellis Ross, Shioni Turini, and Janelle Monae are on that list, too, but I digress). Whether you share their faith or not, you'll find so many similar issues to evoke "Yasss, sis," that you won't want to stop listening once the episodes are done.
8. TRAVEL: Let's Go Together
Pilot and explorer Kellee Edwards talks with guests about what their travel experiences have taught them about life, people, purpose, and choices. Kellee has traveled to more than 50 countries herself, built a huge following on YouTube before joining the team at The Travel Channel and has redefined what it means to be a black traveler. This podcast just launched June 10, but if it's anything like her previous shows, you won't want to miss it.
Brown Vegan
9. HEALTH & WELLNESS: Brown Vegan
Monique Koch, a vegan family coach, shares how to transition into a healthy lifestyle, and even if you're still not too sure about cutting your favorite jerk pork or fried chicken from your diet, you'll find more information from featured guests about the specific health benefits of using essential oils, incorporating adjustments for fitness goals, or adding more interesting seasonal veggies to your meals.
10. SEX & LOVE: Whoreable Decisions
Anytime you hear the words "one night stand", "on her face", "got a rash", and "parasites" in the same sentence, you know it's going to be an interesting night. This is definitely NSFW, but once you get a private moment and hear hosts Mandii B and WeezyWTF break down the tea and crumpets on trending news, celebrity shenanigans, girl-did-you-know wise cracks, and issues of sex and love that raise more than an eyebrow.
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Big Sean On How He Incorporates His Spiritually In His Daily Routine With His Son
Sean "Big Sean" Anderson is sharing how meditation and the power of visualization have profoundly transformed his life and career to the extent that he now implements these practices into his daily routine with his son Noah Hasani Anderson.
The rapper-- who has been in the music industry for nearly two decades-- was discovered by Kanye West following a chance encounter when the emcee was interviewed at a local radio station in Detroit, Michigan, where Anderson is from.
After spitting a couple of bars for West, Anderson was ultimately signed to his G.O.O.D. Music record label. Since then, the 35-year-old has released five studio albums and sold millions of records worldwide.
In addition to professional success, Anderson has settled down with singer and longtime partnerJhené Aiko. The couple welcomed Noah on November 8, 2022. In a recent interview on Amanda Seale's Small Doses podcast, the "I Know" lyricist opened up about the way his mother, Myra Anderson, introduced him to meditation and visualization and why he follows similar practices with his son.
Big Sean On How His Mother Introduced Him To Meditation
In the July discussion, Anderson revealed that the topic of meditation and visualization came up when he was 11 years old after telling his mother that he wanted to pursue music as a career.
"My mom. I had an angel for a mama for real. She was the one that introduced me to meditation, and I decided that I wanted to rap," he said. "Back when I was 11-year-old, she was always telling me like 'you can do it. You got to understand like the universe is working with you.'"
Further, into the interview, the "Mercy" rapper disclosed that as he got older, Myra gave him a couple of books to read, including Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra and Ask and It Is Given by Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks. Both self-help books delved deeper into meditation and visualization and how to use it as a spiritual practice.
"So then, when I turned 17, she gave me some books to read like Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra and Ask and It Is Given by Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks. One of the main things was about meditation. She was like, just visualize it. Who do you visualize yourself on stage."
Following the lessons over the years, Anderson explained how it all paid off when he manifested being signed to Kanye West's G.O.O. D Music label.
"Being signed to Ye, that's what I wrote in my notebook in my goals," he said. "That was my first choice. Obviously, he didn't know who I was. I ain't know how I was going to meet him, but I just visualized it happened. That was my first example of really manifesting and realizing that God got my back."
Big Sean On The Meditation And Affirmation Practices He Does With His Son
As the subject shifted to fatherhood and some of the practices he implements into his daily routine with Noah, Anderson shared that because the pair have several hours alone together in the morning, he meditates with the infant and goes "over affirmations."
"So I like to meditate before, and I meditate with him too, like I hold him in my arms because he likes for me to hold him every morning," he stated. "Me and him have a couple hours every morning to just ourselves. I go over affirmations with him. I'm happy and fun. I'm brilliant. I'm grateful, all these things."
Anderson wrapped up his statement by gushing about his son and mentioning the lessons he's learned about fatherhood.
"We haven't posted him to the net or nothing you see he's something special... But he's happy, you know what I'm saying. He's just pure love," he stated. "So it's just like I don't really know how to be a good dad, I just know how to be there. That's all I'm going to do, I'm going to let him be who he is and nurture that. I ain't going to try to control him. I'm just going to let him discover the world."
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