Episodios

  • theGrio Black Podcast Network is proud to announce that Being Black: The '80s has received a Lovie Awards nomination. Click here to vote in the Arts, Entertainment & Sports category to help Touré bring home the win!

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  • Star Stories with Touré is an animated series about the unpredictable and sometimes unbelievable backstage interactions with some of the most iconic men in music of the modern era.

    These animated stories are unforgettable recollections of the larger-than-life experiences with music journalist Touré .

    To hear the podcast visit: https://pod.link/1697986415

    To watch the series visit: https://thegrio.com/starstories/

    Touré played poker with Jay-Z one night in a swanky Manhattan penthouse suite. Each hand was worth thousands of dollars. Why was Touré in the game? He’s not rich enough for a game like that. It could have bankrupted him. The answer: He’s insane. Also, he was willing to risk everything to glean the very interesting bit of psychological insight he could get from being head-to-head in a hand of poker with Jay-Z.

    Watch here: https://thegrio.com/starstories/1368617/#sp=star%20stories

    Credits:

    The Takeover

    Writer: JAY-Z & Kanye West

    Label: Roc-A-Fella Records

    Publisher: Roc The World

    The Story of OJ

    Writer: JAY-Z, No I.D., Nina Simone, Gene Redd Jr. & Jimmy Crosby

    Label: Roc Nation

    Publisher: Carter Boys Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Virgin Records, EMI Longitude Music, New World Music, Warner Music Group, EMI Music Publishing Group, Filmtrax, Eleven East Music, Bucky Music, Rolls Royce Music Company, BMG, Let The Story Begin Publishing, EMI Waterford Music, BMG Monarch, Warner/Chappell, Delightful Music, Round Hill Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Carbert Music & Stephanye Music

  • NWA's Ice Cube talks about the influence of crack on their hit song “Dopeman” and the contradiction of how drug money destroyed the community and propelled his career. “Dopeman” Is one of the illest songs ever made because it takes you deep into the drug dealer’s perspective on selling drugs. The crack dealer was evil but we should still seek to understand what drove him and when we look into his soul we find that like the fiends he served, he too was an addict, but he was addicted to power and money. Crack dealers and their culture had a deep influence on hiphop culture and the Black community. In this ep we go into "Dopeman” with The D.O.C. from NWA and talk to several former drug dealers about how dealers changed the world around them.

    Guests:

    Nelson George, Filmmaker

    Royce Da 5’9, Rapper

    Biba Adams, Writer

    The D.O.C., Rapper

    Samson Styles, Journalist and Filmmaker

    Kevin Chiles, CEO Don Diva Magazine

    Jim Jones, Rapper

    Credits:

    NWA - Dope Man

    Writer: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Sugarfoot, Junie Morrison, Marshall “Rock” Jones, Greg Webster, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce, Norman Napier & Andrew Noland Label: Ruthless RecordsPublisher: Ruthless Attack Muzick & Bridgeport Music

    NWA - Fuck Tha Police

    Writer: The D.O.C., Ice Cube & MC RenLabel: Universal Music Group, Ruthless Records & Priority RecordsPublisher: Universal Music Group

    Notorious BIG - The Ten Crack Commandments

    Writer: The Notorious B.I.G. & DJ PremierLabel: Bad Boy EntertainmentPublisher: B.I.G. Poppa Music, Gifted Pearl Music, Justin Combs Music & EMI April Music

    Alpo Martinez, FEDS Magazine

  • Star Stories with Toure` is an animated series about the unpredictable and sometimes unbelievable backstage interactions with some of the most iconic men in music today.

    These animated stories are unforgettable recollections of the larger-than-life experiences with music journalist Toure` and Black celebrities.

    “I spent over two decades working in music journalism, and it left me with a wealth of awesome stories about the time I spent hanging out with many intriguing stars. I played basketball with Prince. I played poker with Jay-Z. I went jewelry shopping with Kanye. I was briefly kidnapped and threatened with torture by Suge Knight. All these stories reveal something interesting, funny, or real about these stars. There is also a contrast between the life of a star and the life of a journalist. It is centered around true stories, which are definitely for adults, not kids." Toure`

  • Tracy Chapman became one of the biggest musicians in the world thanks to two critical 80s concepts—affirmative action and the diasporic mindset. Because of the diasporic mindset, many Americans thought of Africa as part of their world, as if Africa’s problems are our own, and we are not truly free until South Africans suffering under Apartheid are free. And affirmative action did nothing less than change Chapman’s life. We’ll explore how those ideas helped Chapman and how they relate to "Fast Car." We’ll also look at what Chapman’s life might have been like if she’d never been helped by affirmative action.

    Guests: Jelani Cobb, Dean, Columbia Journalism School

    Credits:

    Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

    Label: ElektraWriter: Tracy Chapman Publisher: PURPLE RABBIT MUSIC

    Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (Live Version)

    Label: ElektraWriter: Tracy Chapman Publisher: Purple Rabbit Music

    Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train

    Writer: Elizabeth Cotten, James Paul, William FrederickLabel: Folkways Records FG 3526Publisher: Figs D Music

    Elizabeth Cotten - Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad

    Writer: Elizabeth CottenLabel: Folkways Records FG 3526Publisher: Folkways Records FG 3526

    Tracy Chapman | Rare Interview, Planet Rock Profiles

    Tracy Chapman 1996, Charlie Rose

    Tracy Chapman Talks Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman Online

    Elizabeth Cotten, Series Down Home

    Elizabeth Cotten, Rainbow Quest TV

    I Am Somebody, Jesse Jackson LP, Respect Records (1971)

    Living History presents Jesse Jackson, Rutherford Living History

  • "My Brother’s A Basehead” is a true story. Posdnous from De La Soul had an older brother who had a crack addiction and it was very damaging for the whole family. For Pos and his parents, crack was literally in the house just as it was in many houses and many families during the crack era. Crack decimated many families and De La Soul made one of the most powerful songs about all that. In this episode we talk about how crack destroyed families and what went into the making of "My Brother’s A Basehead.” We talk to Prince Paul, De La Soul’s producer who’s sometimes called the 4th member of the group. We also talk about a very different song about crack users, Public Enemy’s Night of the Living Baseheads, which looked down on people who used crack while one of the members of PE was a crack addict. PE's producer Hank Shocklee joins us for that.

    Guests:

    Prince Paul, Producer - De La Soul is Dead

    Hank Shocklee, Producer - Public Enemy

    Credits:

    De La Soul - My Brothers a Basehead

    Writer: Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, Prince Paul, Maseo, Clint Ballard Jr. & Robby KriegerLabel: Tommy Boy RecordsPublisher: Tee Girl Music, MCA Music, Shapiro Bernstein & Doors Music Co.

    Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - The Message

    Writer: Clifton ‘’Jiggs’’ Chase, Sylvia Robinson, Duke Bootee & Grandmaster Melle MelLabel: Sugar Hill RecordsPublisher: Sugar Hill Records

    De La Soul - Me Myself and I

    Writer: Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, Prince Paul, Maseo, George Clinton & Philippe Wynne Label: Tommy Boy RecordsPublisher: Birdsong Edwin Music Pub, Bridgeport Music Inc, Daisy Age Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co

    De La Soul - Potholes on My Lawn

    Writer: P. Huston, K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. MasonLabel: Tommy Boy RecordsPublisher: Tommy Boy Music

    Public Enemy - Night of the Living Baseheads

    Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler & Hank ShockleeLabel: Def Jam RecordingsPublisher: Def American Songs Inc, Reach Global Songs, Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music Inc

    Crack User in the 80’s epic interview, EurointheCut

    What is the Drug War? With Jay-Z & Molly Crabapple, Drug Policy Alliance

    Lawn Order, 99 Percent Invisible

    Toure: Why I Quit, Touré

    Speaking Freely: Chuck D, Freedom Forum

    Malcolm X’s Fiery Speech Addressing Police Brutality, Smithsonian Channel

  • N.W.A’s “Dopeman” Is one of the illest songs ever made because it takes you deep into the drug dealer’s perspective on selling drugs. The crack dealer was evil but we should still seek to understand what drove him and when we look into his soul we find that like the fiends he served, he too was an addict, but he was addicted to power and money. Crack dealers and their culture had a deep influence on hiphop culture and the Black community. In this ep we go into "Dopeman” with The D.O.C. from NWA and talk to several former drug dealers about how dealers changed the world around them.

    Guests:

    Nelson George, Filmmaker

    Royce Da 5’9, Rapper

    Biba Adams, Writer

    The D.O.C., Rapper

    Samson Styles, Journalist and Filmmaker

    Kevin Chiles, CEO Don Diva Magazine

    Jim Jones, Rapper

    Credits:

    NWA - Dope Man

    Writer: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Sugarfoot, Junie Morrison, Marshall “Rock” Jones, Greg Webster, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce, Norman Napier & Andrew Noland Label: Ruthless RecordsPublisher: Ruthless Attack Muzick & Bridgeport Music

    NWA - Fuck Tha Police

    Writer: ​The D.O.C., Ice Cube & MC RenLabel: Universal Music Group, Ruthless Records & Priority RecordsPublisher: Universal Music Group

    Notorius BIG - The Ten Crack Commandments

    Writer: The Notorious B.I.G. & DJ PremierLabel: Bad Boy EntertainmentPublisher: B.I.G. Poppa Music, Gifted Pearl Music, Justin Combs Music & EMI April Music

    Alpo Martinez, FEDS Magazine

  • “Black Steel In the Hour of Chaos” is Public Enemy’s look at prison and mass incarceration. In this episode, we leap from that song into talking about the New Jim Crow and mass incarceration and how being in America is like being in a prison.

    Guests:

    Dr. Christina Greer, Fordham Professor

    Hank Shocklee, Producer

    Adam Bernstein, Director, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

    Jim Jones, Rapper

    Credits:

    Public Enemy - Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

    Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee & Flavor FlavLabel: Def Jam Recordings & Columbia RecordsPublisher: Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Songs Of Universal Inc, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music Inc

    Public Enemy - Fight The power

    Writer: Flavor Flav, Gary G-Wiz, Chuck D, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler & Keith ShockleeLabel: Def Jam RecordingsPublisher: Reach Global Songs, Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Songs Of Universal Inc, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music Inc

    Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn

    Writer: Ice Cube, Big Daddy Kane, Chuck D, Keith Shocklee & Eric SadlerLabel: Def Jam Recordings & Columbia RecordsPublisher: Cold Chillin' Music Publishing Inc, Gangsta Boogie Music, Universal Music Corporation

    Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet

    Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler & Keith ShockleeLabel: Def Jam Recordings and Columbia RecordsPublisher: Bridgeport Music Inc, Reach Global Songs, Songs Of Universal Inc

    Jay Z - 99 Problems

    Writer: JAY-Z, Rick Rubin, Ice-T, DJ Aladdin, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, N.D. Smart II, Leslie West, Bun B, John Ventura, Norman Landsberg, Billy Squier & Felix PappalardiLabel: Def Jam Recordings & Roc-A-Fella RecordsPublisher: Carter Boys Music, EMI April Music, Rhyme Syndicate Music, Copyright Control, Ammo Dump Music, Carrumba Music, Songs of the Knight, Spirit Two Music, Warner Music Group, Universal - Songs of Polygram International, BMG & Careers-BMG Music Publishing

    Muhammad Ali Gives His Stance On The Vietnam War, The Dick Cavett Show

    Muhammad Ali Refuses Induction, Opposing Vietnam War, The Boys Who Said NO!

    Michelle Alexander Extended Interview, Religion and Ethics Weekly, PBS

    Speaking Freely: Chuck D, Freedom Forum

    House Negro/Field Negro, Malcolm X Message To The Grassroots

  • Stevie’s legendary song “Happy Birthday” was originally part of the long, hard battle to turn Dr. King’s birthday into a national holiday. When Dr. King was assassinated, his approval rating with white people was very low. At that point, he was not beloved by them. It took a lot of careful, steady, thoughtful, diplomatic work by Coretta Scott King to change his image and win over politicians. Stevie Wonder was committed to that struggle and this song is just one of the things he did for Dr. King. In this episode, we talk to King's daughter Bernice as well as the engineers who worked with Stevie on the song. We talk about how they got us to having a King holiday and what that fight meant to Stevie. And why he usually records in the middle of the night.

    Guests:

    Dr. Chrissy Greer, Professor, Fordham University

    Jelani Cobb, Professor, Columbia University

    Lon Neumann, Recording Engineer, Happy Birthday

    Gary Adante, Lead Engineer, Happy Birthday

    Dr. Bernice King, CEO The King Center

    Reverend Dr. Barbara Reynolds, Journalist

    Credits:

    Stevie Wonder - Happy Birthday

    Writer: Stevie WonderLabel: Motown RecordsPublisher: Black Bull Music Inc, Jobete Music Co Inc

    Public Enemy - By the Time I Get to Arizona

    Writer: Chuck D, Neftali Santiago, Mandrill, Stuart Robertz, G-Wiz & C-DawgLabel: Def Jam and Colombia RecordsPublisher: Sony Music Entertainment

    Stevie Wonder sings "Happy Birthday" Martin Luther King, CSPAN

    Stevie Wonder on creating Martin Luther King Day 1983, CNN

    Public Enemy, Arsenio Hall (1993)

    Martin Luther King, Jr. on Income Inequality and Redistribution of Wealth, Insaaf Blog

    Harold Washington, CBS Chicago

    Republican President Reagan’s Jaw-Dropping Press Conference the Day Martin Luther King Holiday Was Passed, Mediaite

    Public Enemy Chuck D Interview, ABC News (1992)

  • “I’m Coming Out” was meant to be a gay liberation song but the song’s writer and producer Nile Rodgers didn’t tell Diana Ross that. Which led to a whole thing. It’s a crazy story. The origin of the song is fascinating but more interesting is how disco in general was part of the gay rights movement. We chart the rise of disco and look at the way it dovetailed with the struggle for LGBTQ rights and how being gay is so different for Sylvester than for Tyler the Creator.

    Guests:

    Wesley Morris, Critic, New York Times

    Craig Seymour, Music Critic and Activist

    Nile Rodgers, Record Producer and Chic Founder

    Bill Coleman, Artist Manager

    DJ Jellybean Benitez, Deejay

    Nelson George, Filmmaker and Author

    Credits:

    Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out

    Writer: Bernard Edwards & Nile RodgersLabel: Motown RecordsPublisher: Chic Music, Inc

    Chic - Le Freak

    Writer: Bernard Edwards & Nile RodgersLabel: Atlantic RecordsPublisher: Chic Music & Cotillion Records



    Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

    Writer: Sylvester & James WirrickLabel: FantasyPublisher: Bee Keeper Music, Tipsyl Music

    Barry White - You’re The First, My Last, My Everything

    Writer: Peter Sterling Radcliffe, Tony Sepe & Barry WhiteLabel: 20th Century Fox RecordsPublisher: SaVette Music Co.

    Diana Ross - Love Hangover

    Writer: Pam Sawyer & Marilyn McLeodLabel: Motown RecordsPublisher: Jobete Music Co. INC

    A Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie

    Writer: Perry Kibble & Janice Marie JohnsonLabel: Capitol RecordsPublisher: On Time Music, INC

    Donna Summer - Love to Love You Baby

    Writer: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder & Pete BellotteLabel: Casablanca, OasisPublisher: Saturday Music and Cafe Americana

    Grace Jones - Pull up to the Bumper

    Writer: Sly Dunbar, Alex Sadkin, Chris Blackwell, Sly & Robbie & Grace JonesLabel: IslandPublisher: EMI Music Publishing Ltd

    Candi Stanton - Young Hearts Run Free

    Writer: Dave CrawfordLabel: Warner Bros.Publisher: Ghati Music Inc

    Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive

    Writer: Dino Fekaris & Freddie PerrenLabel: Polydor RecordsPublisher: Perren-Vibes Music Co.

    Tyler the Creator - I Ain’t Got Time

    Writer: Tyler, The CreatorLabel: Columbia RecordsPublisher: Columbia Records & Sony Music Entertainment

    Tyler, The Creator Used To Be Accused of Homophobia, Now Raps About “Kissing White Boys”, Genius

    Tyler The Creator And Funk Flex Have an Honest Conversation Plus, Hot 97

  • “She Works Hard for the Money,” is Donna Summer’s classic that was born when she saw a waitress sleeping during her shift and thought, damn she works hard for the money. In this episode we talk about the birth of the song with Summer’s husband and we talk about Black women’s economic issues and how Black women can accrue more wealth and what society needs to do for Black women and how sisters can get more venture capital funds so they can start and grow their own businesses.

    Guests:

    Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer’s Husband

    Omi Bell, CEO, Black Girl Ventures Foundation

    Lauren Maillian, CEO, Digital Undivided

    Nina Banks, Professor Bucknell University

    Credits:

    Donna Summer - MacArthur Park

    Writer: Jimmy WebbLabel: Casablanca Record and Filmworks Inc.Publisher: Canopy Music

    Donna Summer - Hot Stuff

    Writer: Keith Forsey, Harold Faltermeyer & Pete BellotteLabel: Casablanca RecordsPublisher: Sweet Summer Night Music

    Donna Summer - Bad Girls

    Writer: Joe Esposito, Edward Hokenson, Bruce Sudano & Donna SummerLabel: Casablanca RecordsPublisher: Sweet Summer Night Music

    Donna Summer - She Works Hard For the Money

    Writer: Michael Omartian & Donna SummerLabel: Casablanca Record and Filmworks Inc.Publisher: Phonogram International B.V.

    Gwen Guthrie - Ain't Nothin Goin On But The Rent

    Writer: Gwen GuthrieLabel: PolydorPublisher: Universal Polygram International Publishing Inc
  • “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley and the Wailers is one of the ultimate songs about the Black spirit and the immense determination that has gotten us through life in America. I’m talking about a specifically Black determination that has powered our resistance and carried us through life in America. A sense of Black determination that we hear in Redemption Song as well as Sam Cookie’s “A Change Gonna Come,” Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise,” and Kendrick’s “Alright.” No matter how hard things have been we have always been certain that one day we would overcome.

    Guests:

    Roger Steffens, Author, So Much Things to Say

    Michael Eric Dyson, Professor, Princeton University

    Credits:

    Bob Marley and The Wailer's - Redemption Song

    Writer: Bob MarleyLabel: Tuff Gong & Island RecordsPublisher: Fifty Six Hope Road Music Limited, Primary Wave/Blue Mountain

    Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come

    Writer: Sam CookeLabel: RCA VictorPublisher: Kegs Music Corp.

    Kendrick Lamar - Alright

    Writer: Kawan Prather, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams & SounwaveLabel: Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment & Interscope RecordsPublisher: EMI April Music, New World Music, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music Publishing Group, PECF, BMG Firefly, BMG, Warner/Chappell, Top Dawg Entertainment, Sony/ATV Allegro, In Thee Face Music Publishing, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, BMG Gold Songs, Beat Bully Productions, More Water From Nazareth & EMI Pop Music Publishing

    Still I Rise, Maya Angelou

    Yvonne Orji, The Toure Show

    #TrumpRally protesters chant "We gonna be alright", Chicago Reader