Black in a Box

We're back with another episode, diving into some of the biggest talking points from the past few weeks. We had to kick things off with the disgusting, racist comments made by Tory donor, Frank Hester, about Diane Abbott and the horrific handling by the press and UK parliament as a whole (4:52), before a brief discussion on our voting intentions for the upcoming elections (28:26). After Jamaican dancehall star, Vybz Kartel, saw his murder conviction overturned due to juror misconduct, the team discuss the situation and what it means for the genre as a whole (34:55), before finishing with another trial, which saw a young Black man acquitted of hate crime charges after sending a raccoon emoji to a prospective Conservative MP on social media (50:22). Enjoy! Please rate & review! Like. Share. Subscribe.

On this episode, we are joined by the inspiring and formidable Iron Empress herself, Donna McConnell… Ironwoman, Triathlete, Hip-Hop OG, Journalist and much more! Donna and Alahna met during Ironman training and Donna shares her journey to becoming an Iron(woman) in her 50s! A journey that includes growing up in West London in the 70’s, the emergence of hip-hop in the 80’s, having a daughter in the 90’s and then discovering a love for cycling after age 40 (7:25). We discuss the importance of finding shared culture and community in sport, especially for women of colour in white, male-dominated spaces (20:52). We discuss, the equally important aspect of self-determination (30:10). Donna then shares some legendary stories about the emerging hip-hop scene in the 80’s, her own rapping career (42:22) and using her journalistic platform to be a gate-opener for other emerging artists (50:56). Enjoy the episode! Please rate & review! Like. Share. Subscribe.

It's a new year and we're starting with a big one. This time, we welcome two amazing guests to the studio - the collab of all collabs - we're joined by Dope Black Dads founder and BELOVD co-founder, Marvyn Harrison, and we welcome back an old friend of the pod, Tunde Odufisan, from the fantastic Tales from the Plantation Podcast. Dope Black Dads is an incredible community which focuses oncelebrating, healing, inspiring and educating Black fathers for better outcomes for Black families. In a powerful and enlightening conversation, we meander through a wide range of topics, from the changing face of comedy and entertainment (02:40), the inception and purpose of Dope Black Dads and Black fatherhood (30:24), Marvyn's television work (27:48), avoiding red-pill culture (43:52), raising children in London (1:03:22) and much more. As always, tell a friend to tell a friend - all ratings and reviews really help the pod!

It’s almost a wrap on 2023, but we still have plenty to discuss! Starting with a review of this year in music - what were the vibes, how are people consuming music and where to discover new artists (3:00)? We also address the long-overdue #MeToo movement needed in Hip-hop and whether recent headlines are a sign that the movement is on the horizon (21:31). And finally we talk the politicisation of popstars, particularly of Beyonce and her Renaissance film (43:38). This will be the final Black in a Box episode of 2023! So get caught up on anything you missed. Like. Subscribe. Rate. Share. And we will see you with big things in 2024!!

It’s November… UK Black History Month is gone, maybe, for good? Let’s discuss.(1:40) But looking to the future, your hosts grapple with the trials of family-building (Dan & Dom) vs a child-free future (Alahna & Angelo) (26:45). Finally, enough of love! Let’s talk about hate - “hate marches”, specifically. (52:30).

Sometimes world events draw us into difficult conversations. We start by talking about the Israel-Hamas war, discerning the trustworthiness of information being reported as news and the power of language (02:15). Then, in wake of Drake’s latest incel-pandering album, we question how and why have we got here? (27:30). We close with a chat on some of the physical and mental trials and triumphs of the gang in recent weeks and what these have taught us (56:40). PLUS A VERY SPECIAL SURPRISE (01:09:14).

First, we’re giving flowers to… drum roll… our own Dan Chirwa for an incredible athletic feat, as well as pre-emptive flowers to Alahna, as she raises money to support two Black Mental Health charities in the UK and USA (donation link below and on our socials). Then we get into the meat of the episode, starting with an argument on Stormzy, Top Boy and other sacred cows (4:00). Then, we discuss the recent Peckham shop assault (27:45) and end with the controversial story of “Purple” Aki. (41:06). Like. Share. Subscribe. Donate to support Black Mental Health Services at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ironmanformentalhealth

Former rugby and NFL star Christian Scotland-Williamson joins us to talk about his accidental but completely intentional journey to the Bar Council via two elite collision sports. We start with his unrewarded origins in rugby (5:06) until the day he answered a chance call at University before a shift at a part time job. "You beat book". Education has always been Christian's thing in sport and his life. We heard early stories about how he was treated as a big Black boy in school and how he overcame that treatment thanks to his upbringing (16:52). We touch on his experience with racism in rugby (22:29) and how it is framed as an integration issue before we talk about THE viral tackle (29:15) that changed his life. It led to moving to America into an NFL environment and trying to make it in something entirely new (38.26). Christian's time in the US coincided with the murder of George Floyd (50:14). He went into what it felt like being in a team coached by Black NFL leader Mike Tomlin at that time. Then came career three and the law (56:30). Christian went into how he has been able to make his family’s sacrifices worthwhile (1:00:06) before we finish on the Dele Alli interview(1:02:35) his experience and talk about the importance of family units for young Black men. Like. Share. Subscribe.

Currency, Clout & the Cost of Living In this episode we are joined, once again, by the prolific writer, journalist and friend of the pod Symeon Brown. This time, we are discussing Beyonce, Mizzy, and the cost of living crisis in the UK. How are these things connected? Have a listen and find out. We start with celebrations and critiques of the entity that is Beyonce (4:40), then we segue into discussing the controversial social media prankster Mizzy (28.57) before addressing what it’s like to exist in the current cost of living crisis (51:32). *In this episode, we refer to Beyonce’s private performance in Saudia Arabia after the release of her Renaissance album. We would like to be clear that the performance took place in Dubai, U.A.E. and did not feature any music from her most recent Renaissance album. Like. Share. Subscribe.

In our latest episode, we have the change-making Tyla Grant chatting with us about neurodiversity, living with autism as Black woman and more. Tyla takes the floor to introduce what neurodiversity means to her and how race and gender played a role in her belated diagnosis (6:00). We discuss some of the challenges people with neurodivergences, especially people of colour, face in school and the workplace (18:24), as well as certain challenges in social and home life (44:11), before finishing up on the Metropolitan police overreach and other foolishness on display during the coronation (56.30). Like. Share. Subscribe.

We're back with a bang this time, as the Black in a Box crew sits down with Ade Adepitan MBE. It'll be no surprise to hear this was a dream for us - Ade has been a trailblazer in British broadcasting for over two decades. We talked all about how he got started in the industry, his past as an elite athlete and a whole heap of other things. Oh, and the story of him climbing an active volcano without his chair? One for the ages. Ade, thank you for continuing to inspire all of us. Like. Share. Subscribe.

We begin by acknowledging our weakness in having no woman on the pod in Alahna's absence during international women's month. You can head to our Tik Tok and IG Reels for content celebrating a number of Black women changing the world for the better. Our first topic is a discussion on the notion of masculinity within the Black community(3:34)rooted around the much-debated framing of ASAP Rocky (in relation to Rihanna) and Jonathan Majors in cover shoots for Vogue and Ebony respectively. Awards season is upon us and so is another year of Beyoncé being snubbed for album of the year, and other Black entertainers not even making their nomination lists (20:00). Is it time for Black people to stop expecting more? We then talk about diversity in each of our respective fields and industries(25:31)and whether the look of the rooms we are in are changing with time. ***** We are marking international month with a series of content on TikTok and IG Reels shining a light on some Black women leading the way in their respective fields, locally and globally. They are names to know with followings to grow. Head to our channels and show some love 🖤 Like. Share. Subscribe.

For whose comfort should Black people be cultivating their conversations? Alahna, Dan, Dom and Gelo negotiate exactly that question, in relation to cinema and conversations within the Black community, as well as the role of trauma porn in indicating the value of black life. We open discussing Kenya Barris and Jonah Hill race rom-com and Guess Who remake “You People” (2:20) and whether it is harmless fun of harmful to stereotypes in 2023. The viral clash on Higher Learning podcast between Van Lathan and Emmanuel Acho then has us talking, asking whether anyone should be comfortable when the topic is discrimination against Black people (25:41). The killing of Tyre Nicholls at the hands of police in America set us on to an all too familiar topic. We discuss the prevalence of trauma porn (42:48) and whether it is necessary or simply results in death becoming content. Finally, we finish on film and music culture (1:05:04). Is Batman the REAL villain? When did we lose our male SANGERS? Like. Share. Subscribe.

The episode about broken social contracts. We begin our first pod of 2023 with Prince Harry's media blitz about his stripped royal status. He thought he was the Prince who was promised until the reality of falling in love with and marrying a mixed race woman revealed royal status is not unconditional, nor is it afforded equally (4:41). We then discuss the rise and elevation of misogynist huckster Andrew Tate to internet sensation status by a generation of men feeling as though they were promised more than what they have (21:17). The family of Benedict Cumberbatch may well be about to have less than they have. We talk about Barbados its high profile plans for reclamation of generational lands used for slave plantations (37:19). Finally we finish on Home Sec Suella Braverman's reported Windrush generation betrayal (53:11), before closing out on the music that made our 2022 (1:01:05). Like. Share. Subscribe.

We needed to talk about some Daves. Dave Chappelle's monologue on SNL generated heat with some commentators saying it engaged in anti-semitic tropes whilst others praised its nuance. We discuss it and how Chappelle's skill as a comedian doesn't always translate. (5:22) We then get onto David Baddiel, his appearance on Jason Lee's podcast, his documentary "Jews Don't Count" and how the effects of his anti-black racism have blighted his efforts to talk about anti-semitism (27:19) Lastly, the team is split on following the World Cup, with some all out and others all in. Is it possible for this specific tournament to be escapism? (48:25) As always, like. Share. Subscribe

Lock in for a journey through astrology, living the life that fulfils you, lunar travel, pirates and miscellaneous money and so much more with Jason “Scully” Kavuma. Scully – one of the voices behind the rise of lockdown internet sensation #NS10v10 at No Signal – cut his teeth as a new media dabbler at Vice before becoming a presenter and A&R as well as a producer on the rise. It has to be said though that the 29-year old is much more than all this. After a wild journey through him bursting onto the scene(20:48, we hear how a life turning point (38:02) brought him back...until covid had other ideas. After talking #10v10, the conversation switches to grime and “gatekeeping the culture” (1:02:10), before we turn to Kanye, Nore and podcasters calculating the cost of clicks and clout (1:13:45). We close with heartfelt condolences to actress and writer Josephine Melville who tragically passed away in October, during a run of the much-lauded Nine Night. Like. Share. Subscribe.

The one where we talk about football. Football podcasting great and award-winning writer Musa Okwonga joined the pod at the start of the season for a wide-ranging deep dive on the relationship of our game, media and the England team with Black Britain. We begin talking about how Blackness has permeated football culture (5:17), charting from Wenger's Arsenal through Nike's Londoner advert to now. We then discuss the marketing of the England team(35:28) behind not just Black faces but Black identities with the unspoken caveat of "Conditional Identity" afforded to those players(43:19). We then touch on the traditional media discourse about Black athletes(50:15) and why there have been no "clever" Black footballers(1:01:06), before finishing on Musa's experience moving abroad and the impact it had on his life and career(1:18:02). Our regular segment "Black in the Box" closes out pod, with us giving love to chicken, carnival, Munya and Musa's exceptional latest book "In The End, It Was All About Love"(1:29:41). Like. Share. Subscribe.

The Tory leadership contest has seemingly been a showcase for diversity. Our guest, Nels Abbey, a celebrated author and essayist joins the team to talk through the candidates. We start off with "Black out the Box" where we celebrate the best of Britain, big and small (1:30). Then we ask whether the ethnic diversity in the contest makes us feel represented (10:31) and we have an in depth discussion on Kemi Badenoch and what her reaching the final four tells us about the direction of the Conservatives and Black Britons. We close things off with our first reactions to The Forde Report into racism within the Labour Party and the lack of news coverage it has been given (49:05), before discussing Nels' (and Dr Boulé Whytelaw III) superb book "Think Like a White Man" and his journey in making it (1:04:42). Like. Share. Subscribe.

As we reflect on the anniversary of Grenfell, we are joined by guest Ewa Effiom, architect and expert on the built environment, to discuss his success as a Black face in a predominantly white industry, as well as housing and development issues affecting Black and Brown people. First we get to know Ewa as he takes us through his rise, experiences and observations as a prominent Black architect (6:05). Then, we discuss Grenfell and why not much has changed since the tragedy (44:13) and finally, we look at some of the barriers to home ownership for Black people and examine the question of ‘will there ever be Black middle class communities in Britain?’ (59:10). Like. Share. Subscribe.

We follow up our March episode with Symeon Brown and Neef Ekpoudom, in which we discussed the plight of young people chasing fame and money as influencers, by welcoming former BBC Apprentice contestant, businesswoman Joanna Jarjue. Joanna joins Alahna, Dan and Dom to talk about achieving through adversity. We begin with her journey growing up in Wakefield after leaving Gambia (8:46), before moving on to Joanna's experience as a Black woman at a redbrick university (28:50). And then the juicy stuff, we speak about the Apprentice (41:28), the depiction of Black women by TV producers in the UK and finally her life path since the show (57:19). It's honest, it's candid and its good for your soul. Like. Share. Subscribe.