Vocalo Radio

Chicago artist Goalden Chyld makes music with an impact, sending a message of positivity while stressing the importance of community. Less than a month following its release, his March 2024 album ‘War Cry’ found its way to number three on the Apple Music charts. Often seen wearing army attire, Goalden Chyld represents putting forth a united front and fighting for what is right in the community. Born to a single mother raising children without help, Golden Chyld’s struggles not only motivated him to pursue a career in music but also to start the Unity Movement, which works to bridge community divides and foster a common understanding. He sat down in conversation with Vocalo host Bekoe to share insights into his journey, the significance of his music and his commitment to uplifting the community. This interview was produced by Bekoe and edited by XXX. Keep up with Goalden Chyld on Instagram @goalden_chyld.

Angry Blackmen blend authenticity and innovation in the realm of hip-hop. Brian Warren and Quentin Branch redefine the genre with their experimental sound on their latest project ‘The Legend of ABM.’ Angry Blackmen’s music explores the lens of two young Black men navigating the complexities of life in America. In conversation with Vocalo host Bekoe, they shared about the album, their upcoming performance at Pitchfork Music Festival and the social commentary that defines their music. This interview was produced by Bekoe. Keep up with Angry Blackmen on Instagram @angryblackmen_.

Just before the 2024 WNBA Draft on April 15, Vocalo host Bekoe spoke with sports expert Marquita Wiggins — AKA Quita Loves Sports — (from the Chicago Public Media audience team) to discuss their predictions. The 2023-2024 NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball season was record-breaking, with all eyes on standout players Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. As the Chicago Sky has the top three and seven picks for the WNBA draft, take a listen as Wiggins lays out her mock lineup. This segment was produced by Bekoe. Keep up with Marquita Wiggins on all social media platforms @quitalovessports.

Reggie "The Reel Critic" Ponder shares his insights on the apocalyptic film ‘Arcadian’ directed by Ben Brewer. The film follows Paul, portrayed by Nicolas Cage, and his twin sons, Thomas and Joseph, as they navigate a world where nighttime brings forth terror. Check out the Reel Critic’s review of both the film’s strengths and shortcomings. ‘Arcadian’ is in theaters now. "The Reel Critic" is hosted and produced by Reggie Ponder. Follow Reggie on Twitter and Instagram @TheReelCritic, and on Facebook @ReggieTheReelCritic.

Adam Rust is the co-owner of Andersonville oddities shop Woolly Mammoth. Located at 1513 W. Foster Ave. since 2010, Woolly Mammoth has showcased the macabre and mystifying rarities from Chicago and beyond. Owned and operated by couple Adam and Skye Rust, Woolly Mammoth has grown into a staggering collection of oddities attracting locals and tourists alike. Featuring everything from human hair and bones to funerary and medical tools to taxidermied raccoons, stepping into Woolly Mammoth is like stepping into an alternate universe. This is what his Chicago sounds like. This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sounds Like” was produced by Ari Mejia. Keep up with Woolly Mammoth by following them on Instagram at @woollymammothchicago.

2024 action thriller ‘Monkey Man’ is Dev Patel’s directorial debut. The film follows a young man named Kid — played by Patel — who embarks on a journey to exact revenge on a mob of corrupt leaders responsible for the death of his mother. On his quest to fulfill his vendetta, Kid becomes the savior to a faction of helpless people experiencing torment from the same mob leaders he was pursuing. Check out the Reel Critic’s thoughts on the film — which hits theaters April 5. Find more information, including showtimes, at www.monkeyman.movie. "The Reel Critic" is hosted and produced by Reggie Ponder. Follow Reggie on Twitter and Instagram @TheReelCritic, and on Facebook @ReggieTheReelCritic.

On March 8, International Women’s Day, Chicago singer and guitarist Vivian Garcia headlined a celebratory show at the Epiphany Center for the Arts featuring an all-female lineup. Ahead of the show, she sat down with Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez and Rocío Santos to break down her international career journey, her experiences as a woman in music and more. This segment originally aired on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM during Nudia In the Afternoons on March 7. It was edited and produced by Nudia Hernandez. Follow Vivian Garcia on Instagram @flymariposachicago.

In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to Congress in the United States. Four years later, she made history again as the first woman and African American to seek the presidential nomination from one of the two major political parties. Her life and legacy are honored on the screen for the first time in John Ridley’s 2024 biographical drama film: ‘Shirley.’ The film stars Regina King in the titular role and features Lance Reddick, Terrence Howard, Lucas Hedges, Christina Jackson and more. Film critic Reggie “The Reel Critic” Ponder said a biographical feature about Chisholm is “well overdue.” Hear more of his thoughts, and find ‘Shirley’ on Netflix. "The Reel Critic" is hosted and produced by Reggie Ponder. Follow Reggie on Twitter and Instagram @TheReelCritic, and on Facebook @ReggieTheReelCritic.

Legendary DJ Mista Sinista of the X-Ecutioners DJ crew returns to Chicago after nearly 20 years to spin at Brown Sugar Tuesdays on April 2, a weekly old-school hip-hop DJ night at Renaissance Bronzeville. Mista Sinista, AKA Joel Wright, is known for his technical tricks during his mixes and has collaborated with artists including Common. He sat down with Vocalo’s Jesse De La Peña to discuss his work and what fans can expect from his Brown Sugar Tuesdays mix. This interview was edited and produced by Jesse De La Peña. Learn more about Brown Sugar Tuesdays by checking out @djmustafarocks on Instagram, and keep up with Mista Sinista by following him at @djmistasinistaofficialpage.

Lori Branch, Lady D and VITIGRRL are the Good Girls, a Chicago DJ trio that’s “not good for girls, just good.” With Branch’s mixes dating back to the ‘80s and Lady D’s back to the mid-‘90s, the DJs have long-standing roots in multiple generations of Chicago house music. The trio keeps the sound and spirit of house music alive, honoring the femme and LGBTQ pioneers who came before them. They celebrated their fourth anniversary this week, and will be performing at ARC Music Festival this summer. This interview was edited and produced by Nudia Hernandez. It originally aired on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM during Nudia in the Afternoons on March 19. Keep up with the Good Girls on Instagram @goodgirlsdjs.

‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is director Adam Wingard’s newest monster film, hitting American theaters March 29. Reggie Ponder shares his thoughts on this new installment of the Godzilla and King Kong cinematic universe. Following the events of ‘Godzilla x Kong’ (2021), humans and mighty titans coexist — mostly — harmoniously. But when an unidentified signal causes the creatures to experience hallucinations, the fragility of this relationship is pushed to the forefront, erupting in a series of wild battles true to the franchise. "The Reel Critic" is hosted and produced by Reggie Ponder. Follow Reggie on Twitter and Instagram @TheReelCritic, and on Facebook @ReggieTheReelCritic.

Taste of Lebanon fits the description of many generationally-loved Chicago staples: Good prices, better food, small menu and nothing fancy. Manned by Ali Faraj, Taste of Lebanon is a no-frills, family-owned restaurant in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, serving up shawarma and falafel to hungry neighbors for decades. Taste of Lebanon was opened by Faraj’s father in 1996, after trying his hand at numerous business ventures. Since then, the eatery has consistently served Lebanese street food out of a small-menu, fast-paced kitchen on West Foster Avenue. This is what his Chicago sounds like. This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sounds Like” was edited and produced by Ari Mejia.

Alynda Segarra is the driving force behind the band Hurray For The Riff Raff. After a little more than a year of production, HFTRR released their newest album ‘The Past Is Still Alive’ in February 2024. The album serves as a kind of memory box for Segarra, paying homage to both loved ones they have lost and those who continue to support them. Segarra sat down with Vocalo audio and community storytelling producer Ari Mejia and host Nudia Hernandez ahead of their Chicago tour stop to discuss the album and more. Hurray For The Riff Raff is currently on an international tour through May 26, with support from Chicago artists NNAMDÏ and Sen Morimoto. Find information and tickets on hurrayfortheriffraff.com. This interview was produced by Nudia Hernandez, conducted by Ari Mejia and Nudia Hernandez, and edited by Ari Mejia. It originally aired live on 91.1 FM during Nudia In the Afternoons on Thursday, March 14. Keep up with Hurray For The Riff Raff on Instagram @hurrayfortheriffraff.

Ghanaian-American artist Amaarae brought her ‘Fountain Baby’ tour to Chicago’s House of Blues on Thursday, March 21. Vocalo mornings host Bekoe was in attendance, and said the performance felt like a movie; the packed crowd (and the bartenders) were dancing all night long, with a diverse array of fans from all over the city. She performed fan favorites from the album including “Co-Star” and “Angels In Tibet,” leaving the audience mesmerized. Amaarae’s Fountain Baby tour continues through April 2 with upcoming shows in Philadelphia; Silver Spring, Maryland; Atlanta; Houston and Los Angeles. Find more information at www.amaarae.world. This segment was edited and produced by Bekoe. It aired on 91.1 FM during Mornings With Bekoe on Monday, March 25. Keep up with Amaarae on Instagram @amaarae.

Reggie “The Reel Critic” Ponder sat down with Christina Jackson to discuss her role in the film ‘Shirley’ and the film’s importance. Set in 1972, ‘Shirley’ takes viewers on the campaign trail with Shirley Chisholm as she made her monumental run for president. Jackson stars as Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and the cast stars co-producer Regina King as Shirley Chisholm. ‘Shirley’ is now streaming on Netflix. “The Reel Critic” is hosted and produced by Reggie Ponder. Follow Reggie on Twitter and Instagram @TheReelCritic, and on Facebook @ReggieTheReelCritic. Hear Ponder’s full interview with Jackson at reggieponder.com.

Multi-media performance collective Manual Cinema brings audiences into their world of puppetry, intricate soundscapes and immersive visuals. Founded in 2010 by Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace and Kyle Vegter, Manual Cinema’s works go beyond puppetry to become multimedia, multi-sensory works of art akin to live cinema. The Emmy-winning collective has worked on countless stunning projects since 2010, including a collaboration with the Chicago Poetry Foundation, and their shadow puppets were featured in 2021 film ‘Candyman.’ Manual Cinema co-artistic directors Ben Kauffman and Julia Miller say they hope to present well-told stories in a new way through all of their projects. This is what their Chicago sounds like. This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sounds Like” was edited and produced by Ari Mejia. Learn more about Manual Cinema by visiting manualcinema.com.

Cubs PA announcer Jeremiah Paprocki is starting “Late Nights In Chicago,” a local, independently produced late night talk show taping its first episode on March 24 at the Studebaker Theater. Paprocki made history at 21 years old when he became the first African American announcer for Wrigley Field and the youngest in major league baseball. His new endeavor, with collaborator Caleb Brookman, is “Late Nights in Chicago,” which hopes to compete with other major talk shows while highlighting Chicago’s diverse culture and talent. Paprocki recently sat down with Vocalo host Nudia Hernandez to discuss his new show, his journey into sports media and his role as a professional sports announcer with the Chicago Cubs. This interview was conducted and produced by Nudia Hernandez, and edited by Morgan Ciocca. Keep up with Jeremiah Paprocki on Instagram @jeremiahpaprocki.

Helene Achanzar grew up throwing herself into any and every hobby — but she’s always been a writer. She found a natural voice for poetry at a young age; it was something she could engage with and practice without a formal environment. Now, Achanzar is the director of programs at the Chicago Poetry Center, where she manages poetry residencies, workshops and other educational programs for Chicago Public Schools. Bringing opportunities to students in Chicago Public Schools makes Achanzar look back on opportunities and connections she had as a student, and the importance of meeting working artists at a young age. This is what her Chicago sounds like. This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sounds Like” was produced by Ari Mejia. Keep up with Helene’s work by visiting heleneachanzar.com.

Sid Sriram transcends geographical boundaries and delves into his transnational identity on his debut English album ‘Sidharth.’ The Carnatic musician, playback singer, songwriter and producer sat down with Vocalo host Bekoe before his Chicago performance on March 4 at Lincoln Hall to talk about the South Indian cultural influence on his music and the album. ‘Sidharth’ is Sriram’s first all-English release, a moody blend of R&B and pop with strong elements of Carnatic music, the South Indian sub-genre on which he was trained. This interview was produced and edited by Bekoe. Keep up with Sid Sriram on Instagram @sidsriram.

Reggie “The Reel Critic” Ponder delves into the buzz surrounding the oldest entertainment awards ceremony as he sheds light on both the good and the bad. Despite being the “granddaddy” of award shows, the Oscars have faced substantial backlash for their historical lack of inclusivity of Asian, African American and Latinx actors, films and filmmakers. As Ponder lays out his predictions for the awards categories, he invites viewers to join him on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube @TheReelCritic for live updates during the awards show. “The Reel Critic” is hosted and produced by Reggie Ponder. Follow Reggie on Twitter and Instagram @TheReelCritic, and on Facebook @ReggieTheReelCritic.