Say It Loud

It’s often been said that music is a universal language. So why was “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X initially removed from the country Billboard charts? Hallease and Evelyn use this hit record to talk about the business of music and how it has historically affected Black artists’ ability to “crossover”, stay true to their musical tastes, or experiment with the art form.

Human migration is a tale as old as time, but how has that impacted Black culture here in the U.S.? Hallease and Evelyn explore how the movement of Black folks has created icons from James Baldwin to Nipsey Hussle.

As our culture evolves so does our food. What was once eaten out of necessity has become celebratory, all the while being the topic of constant debate. Evelyn & Hallease explore the new and inventive ways our generation is honoring and preserving our culinary past while staying conscious of our dietary future.

From minstrels to vaudeville to Instagram, comedy has come a long way. Richard Pryor is arguably your favorite comedian's favorite comedian so in this episode, Hallease and Evelyn look at how comedy has changed throughout modern history, and attempt to define what the G.O.A.T contributed to its evolution.

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) have the prestigious honor of always being committed to the mission of educating everyone regardless of race, but our hosts both attended a (PWI) Predominately White Institution & didn't pledge Black Greek. They discuss HBCU history and the myriad of reasons why prospective students consider attending them by touring Howard University.

Missy Elliott and her frequent collaborators have produced over two decades of music videos that we are going to attempt to justify as Afrofuturistic work. Grab your inflatable trash bags, as we take a stroll down memory lane.

Our perception and definition of beauty has morphed over time, so instead of trying to define everything we focused on three areas of the beauty industry: haircare, skincare, and makeup -- to show you just how far the industry has come. From Overton's high-brown face powder to Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, here's how African American beauty standards have evolved.

What's in a name? Sometimes it's just our imagination, and other times it's an attempt at a political statement. Black names have been satirized and stereotyped for a long time, but they have a unique and downright surprising history. Azie and Evelyn discuss the history, culture, and influence on "black sounding names."

From seemingly choreographed takedowns to hilarious commentary on culture and current events, Black Twitter continues to be a source of endless debate, research, and of course endless cackles. In this episode, we deep dive into how Black Twitter exists on the platform and the unspoken (but somehow still agreed upon) rules of engagement.

Ancestry and DNA testing is one of the fastest growing consumer markets. Over 26 million people have access to their DNA profiles, but understanding these profiles is complicated -- especially if you're a descendant of enslaved people. To highlight it’s complexity, Azie (who has taken over 5 DNA tests) explains her results with help from Dr. Joe Hanson of It's Okay to be Smart.

Did Republicans lead the charge in electing Black politicians? We don’t need to know who you’re voting for but we are interested in how the end of the Civil War meant the start of Black people in US Government and the resilience required by these OG Black politicians to occupy space in a government that was very divided on whether owning people was bad.

At the end of the day, it's all about the benjamins. Black inventors throughout American history have contributed so much to our country's innovation -- all while navigating a difficult US patent system. In this week's episode, Azie Dungey and Evelyn From The Internets discuss all the creative ways Black people have worked through their intellectual property and how it affects the U.S as a whole