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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

As the harsh realities of African politics have become clear, George has had to rethink his relationship with UG, and how it might affect him and his new fiancé Sandra.

George tells an epic story about Jamaican dancehall singers Mavado and Vybz Kartel. Music, money and murder all feature in this complex case study of Black urban street culture.

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 some 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...

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 very strong language and deals with adult themes. Credits: Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Mixing, recording and...

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...

The Peabody Award-winning podcast from George the Poet is back with a new series on 15th July.

Following difficult conversations with Uganda and Britain, George drops a bombshell. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: You Can Fly by Price Love, Think Twice by Celine Dion Featured guests: Anne Isger as Britain. Have You Heard George’s Podcast? is a George the Poet production for BBC Sounds. Commissioning Executive for BBC: Dylan Haskins Commissioning Editor for BBC: Jason Phipps

The Insecurity Guards hunt down ideas before they can make it onto George’s podcast. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Playa Hater by The Notorious B.I.G., St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins, Middle of the Night by The Clovers, Easy Snapping by Theophilus Beckford, Freedom Sound by The Skatalites, Simmer Down by The Wailers, My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small, Joe Liges by Delroy Wilson, I Spy (feat. Headie One...

George’s relationships continue to fall apart as his mind descends into a battlefield. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Empire Army by Vybz Kartel, Must Be by J Hus, No Manners by Teyana Taylor, Wishing On A Star by Rose Royce Featured guests: Julie Adenuga as Dija, Lola, Jawad Ifraz, Andrew Bell, Chris Bernard, Stephen Boateng, Sir Martyn Lewis, Kenny Imafidon, Patrin, Tasneim Zyada, Aaron Daniels,...

George finds himself torn between different audiences at a crossroads in his writing. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Who Am I by Beenie Man, Step Out by Busy Signal, I Really Mean It (feat. Cam’ron & Jimmy Jones) by The Diplomats, When I’m ‘Ere by Roll Deep Featured guests: Diggy, and Conroy. We read an extract from The Guardian / The Observer article Yardie Terror Grips London published on Sunday...

The two competing parts of George’s brain - contentment and ambition - battle it out. George looks at how black creativity shapes trends through music to fashion and beyond. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Didn’t Cha Know by Erykah Badu, 1,2,1,2 by George The Poet, Scribble Paper by Little Dragon, Real N****** (feat. Cam’ron, Jimmy Jones & Juelz Santana) by The Diplomats, Ambition (feat. Meek Mill...

George contemplates his relationship with the audience before giving a personal account of conflict in his area. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Barbar G by Mark Kavuma, 10 Man (feat. Gappy Ranks & Big Zeeks) by Patrin, Running by Abi Ocia Featured guests: Diggy, Henry Stone Have You Heard George’s Podcast? is a George the Poet production for BBC Sounds. Commissioning Executive for BBC: Dylan...

George dives deeper into his dreams via a circus of characters - some old, some new. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Memories by A Pass, You Can Fly by Price Love, A Night To Remember by Shalamar Featured guests: Barney Artist as Inua the Intern, Mandi as Anna the analyst, Anne as Britain, Sandra & Petra as George’s friends in the car Thank you to Robert Serumaga. Have You Heard George’s Podcast?...

Having lost his way, George encounters a mysterious figure who offers to help him, but on one condition. Chaos ensues as the poet ends up travelling 10 years into the future. Written by George The Poet Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet Original music by Benbrick Featured songs: High For This by The Weeknd, Both by Headie One, Gigantalous by SL Featured guests: Jamala as Samira the Oracle, Julie Adenuga as Dija, Sir Martyn Lewis as the Newsreader, J Man as Genna, GK as Spinner,...

An intimate portrait of George’s love life highlights his struggles to keep a work/life balance. He constructs an elaborate analogy that spirals out of control, leaving him lost. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Up Late by Ari Lennox, Running by IAMDDB, What Do You Mean? (feat. J Hus) by Skepta. Featured guests: Julie Adenuga as Dija, TrueMendous as Trudy This episode features clips taken from Knight...

George reflects on the role of trauma in black art. A slice of American history provides insight into the ghettoisation of African voices, leading to a strangely familiar story. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Across 110th Street by Bobby Womack, The Message by Grandmaster Flash, Ghetto Quran by 50 Cent, Many Men (Wish Death) by 50 Cent Featured guests: Julie Adenuga as Dija This episode features...

A quick introduction to the podcast from George the Poet.

Award-winning podcaster and spoken word artist George the Poet comes to the BBC’s own Radio Theatre for a one-off live show exploring what rap can teach us about education. For George, rap was always a vehicle for knowledge. But it isn’t always taken seriously by an establishment that often sees it as unconstructive. Rap was an essential part of George’s own development as a poet, and studying Sociology at Cambridge University allowed him to look more closely at what rap can do for...

The season finale sees a return to the inside of George's Mind. Episode 6 introduced Sanyu, a young idea on a mission to break out of the Poet's overcrowded headspace and reach his audience with her most meaningful contribution. After escaping the "Research and Development" faculty of George's Mind, Sanyu participated in a version of Episode 8 that simply wasn't all that, by her standards. Determined to deliver unprecedented value to the audience, Sanyu decides to "save" Episode 8 from...