Over one billion Africans on the continent. 200 million in the diaspora. 18% of the world’s population. Thousands of artists with a gazillion listeners every day. What will it take for Black music to truly liberate Black people? Warning: This episode contains very strong language and language that may offend. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. Soundtrack: Mahalia Jackson - Summertime / Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child 00:57 - 07:36 Dave & Stormzy - Clash 09:39 - 11:26 Nas - If I Ruled The World (Imagine That) ft. Lauryn Hill 12:34 - 13:04 Bobi Wine - Maama Mbile ft Juliana 14:17 - 14:46 Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock 19:01 - 20:20 Jazmine Sullivan - Pick Up Your Feelings 20:42 - 21:41 Solange - F.U.B.U (feat. The-Dream & BJ the Chicago Kid) 22:47 - 24:47 Benbrick - Falling Tide (performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra) 24:57 - 29:04 Thank you to: My team: Sandra, Vidhu, Birungi, Luke AG....
As a soon-to-be-married man, George reflects on all the things that made him propose to his partner, Sandra. He thinks about teamwork and the value of culture, sharing what he has learned about both through the transition from friendship to relationship to marriage. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. With music from: WizKid - True Love Benbrick - Memories Sara Tavares - Balancê Benbrick - Sandra’s Hand Chosen Blood & Winnie Nwagi - Yitayo Vinka - Overdose (feat. Kent & Flosso) Orezi & Sheebah - Sweet Sensation Mac Ayres - Jumping Off the Moon Archive: The clips of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle used at 00:47 and 02:20 are taken from their Spotify podcast Archewell Audio, from the Episode ‘2020 Archewell Audio Holiday Special’. The poem by Vidhu used at 19:15 is called ‘My Name is Vidhu’ and is on her YouTube page BananaSharma. Thank you to: Sandra! Meghan and Harry, Archewell Audio, and Spotify. My brothers Kenny, Nathan, Freddie, Barney, Damini, Benbrick, Suuna, James, Michael, and Marc. Shout out to Vidhu and Birungi. GRM daily. Thanks to Amara Agili-Odion for the voice note about Sandra, and of course for attending our Barbican show. Have You Heard George’s Podcast is a George the Poet production for BBC Sounds. Commissioning Assistant Producer: Adam Eland Commissioning Senior Producer: Alex Entwistle Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
There was a moment, somewhere between the 1980s and 1990s, when Black music turned gangsta. This moment shaped two of the world’s most influential genres: American Rap and Jamaican Dancehall. The story behind the music is one of oppressed Africans unlocking the ancient powers of their ancestors to break free. The dark side of this story is that many of those Africans, descended from slaves, embraced the pattern of violence that had cursed them for so long and slowly turned against each other. Was gangsta music the explosion of Black culture, or the implosion of Black power? In the end, the market decides. Warning: This episode contains very strong language and language which may offend, as well as adult themes. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. With music from: Bob Marley - Get Up Stand Up The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper’s Delight Billy Boyo - One Spliff A Day Ninja Man - Murder Dem Eric B. & Rakim -...
R&B music has changed. It was once the soundtrack of love, but is now more like a journal of pain. Through this music, George tracks the breakdown of the African American family since the 1970s. He discovers that higher poverty and incarceration rates among African Americans left a generation of children to fend for themselves. By the 1990s Gangsta rappers were displaying disrespect to women - and the market loved it and rewarded it. At the same time, Black women were pushing back through songs calling out immature men, and celebrating financial independence. Warning: This episode contains very strong language and language which may offend, as well as some adult themes. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. With music from: Ginuwine - Differences Jhené Aiko - P*$$Y Fairy (OTW) Kaash Paige - Love Songs George The Poet - Baby Father Cardi B - WAP (feat. Megan Thee Stallion) Megan Thee Stallion - Cash Shit (feat. DaBaby) Rick Ross - Sanctified (feat. Kanye West & Big Sean) Drake & GIVĒON - Chicago Freestyle Chris Brown - Loyal (Instrumental) Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) Whitney Houston - It’s Not Right But It’s Okay Dr Dre - Bi*****s Ain’t S**t Destiny’s Child - Bills, Bills, Bills Sunshine Anderson - Heard It All Before TLC - No Scrubs Jazmine Sullivan - Pick Up Your Feelings All original music is written by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Thank you to: My team: Sandra, Vidhu, and Birungi. Dylan Haskins and the team at BBC Sounds, BBC Concert Orchestra. Torrie Maas. My Common Ground team: Anne Whitehead, Darshan Sanghrajka, and Benbrick. Archive: The clips of Candi Staton used at 07:31, 08:05, 08:28 and 08:59 are taken from her interview with Paul Morley on Guardian Music. The clips of Jay-z used at 11:06 are taken from his interview on the Scandinavian talk show Skavlan, and his interview with Sway for MTV. The clip of Tupac used at 11:32 is taken from his BET Networks interview with Ed Gordon. The clip of 50 Cent used at 12:23 is taken from his interview with Larry King for Ora TV. The clip of Barack Obama used at 13:01 is taken from CBS News. The clip of Lauryn Hill used at 14:26 is taken from her 1998 BET Rap City interview. The clip talking about crack used at 20:05 is taken from the Glide Memorial Church conference “The Race Against Crack”. Have You Heard George’s Podcast? is a George the Poet production for BBC Sounds. Commissioning Assistant Producer: Adam Eland Commissioning Senior Producer: Alex Entwistle Commissioning Executive for BBC: Dylan Haskins
The 1960s was a mad time for Black people. It was a mad time for the world, but especially for Black people. The African Independence movement boosted morale but quickly descended into cut-throat strongman politics. Meanwhile, the American Civil Rights movement empowered new voices but failed to eliminate racism. Both ended in violence. George revisits the birth of Uganda through the story of his grandfather - Andrew Frederick Mpanga. The disappointments of this period put into context the birth of Black Power, and the emergence of gang culture among African American youth. Warning: This episode contains very strong language and language that may offend, as well as adult themes. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. With music from: Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come The Last Poets - Black Soldier David McCallum - Edge 2Pac - 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted (feat. Snoop Dogg) All original music is written by...
At the end of 2020, George proposed to his girlfriend, Sandra, after one year of dating. Well, technically it was after years of friendship then one year of dating. When the two met as teenagers at a Ugandan event, they were both finding their place in the world. For George, Uganda provided answers that Britain couldn't. Like many in their generation, he and Sandra developed a pattern of holidaying in the Motherland before returning to their lives in the UK. However, as the harsh realities of African politics became clear to George, he began to rethink his relationship with UG. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. Have You Heard George’s Podcast? is a George the Poet production for BBC Sounds. Commissioning Executive for BBC: Dylan Haskins With music from: Bebe Cool - Wire Wire Flukes - Wifey Riddim (Instrumental) Fergie - Glamorous ft Ludacris Griminal (Freestyle) Dot Rotten (Freestyle) Double S (Fr...
In his teens, “Gangsta for life” was the signature war-cry sung by one of George’s favourite singers - Mavado. But after Mavado’s epic clash with rival, Vybz Kartel, George saw the line as a mentality...one that had empowered and terrorised Jamaicans for decades. Music, money and murder all feature in this complex case study of Black urban street culture. Warning: This episode discusses adult themes and has some graphic descriptions of violence. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick With music from: Mavado - Last Night Vybz Kartel - Badda Dan Dem Mavado - Sunrise ft. Vybz Kartel Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock Mavado - Hope and Pray Vybz Kartel - Mr Officer Vybz Kartel - Bicycle Stephen "Di Genius” McGregor - Day Break Riddim Vybz Kartel - Broad Daylight Mavado - Nuh Bleach Wid Cream DJ Khaled & Mavado - Unchanging Love All original music is written by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Or...
Once upon a time, the General Public pinned their hopes, dreams and issues on the Entertainment Industry. Society stalked celebs, music moved millions, and the industry expanded endlessly. Where did this obsession start? Warning: This episode contains strong language and adult themes. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. With music from: Mahalia - What You Did ft Ella Mai Ray Charles - America The Beautiful Drake - Lust for Life Jeff Beal - House of Cards Main Title Theme Ella Mai - Boo’d Up Ella Mai - Not Another Love Song Nas - If I Ruled The World (Imagine That) ft. Lauryn Hill All original music is written by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra. We had the following guests: ZeZe Mills as The General Public, Big Narstie, Alhan Gençay, and Kae Kurd. Thank you to: My team Sandra, Vidhu, and Birungi. Dylan Haskins and the team at BBC Sounds, BBC Concert Orchestra, ZeZe Mills, Mahalia,...
Story time. A man drifts away from his family after his brother is killed. His estranged wife struggles to raise four kids alone. Their youngest son turns to the streets. A mix of genius and luck propels him from the jaws of death to superstar status. What can we learn from the life and times of Shawn Carter? Warning: This episode contains some very strong language, language which may offend and adult themes. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. With music from: Nines - NIC (feat. Tiggs Da Author) Lonnie Liston Smith - A Garden of Peace Jay-Z - Dead Presidents Jay Z - My First Song All original music is written by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra. We had the following guests: The former DMC world champion DJ Blakey scratching those Jay-Z samples, and Sandra Makumbi. Thank you to: My team Sandra, Vidhu, and Birungi. Dylan Haskins and the team at BBC Sounds, BBC Concert Orchestra, Jay-...
George’s Train of Thought travels through the madness of 2020 to find light at the end of the tunnel - his audience. The success of this journey depends on your next move. You've heard George’s podcast, and now George wants to hear from you. He’s driven by the idea that Black culture could one day provide economic security for Black people worldwide. As a listener, you play a special part in this vision. George’s Train of Thought is departing from his new online platform, built for the Chapter 3 audience. Your seat has been reserved. Go to GTPCG.com Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and editing by Benbrick. With music from: J Hus - Repeat (feat. Koffee) Marc Five - It’s Go Stormzy - Crown All original music is written by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra. We had the following guests: George’s nephews, Sandra Makumbi, Marc 5, Darshan Sanghrajka, Anne Whitehead, Benbrick. Thank you to: My team Sandra, ...