Day or Night, It's About To Be A What? Girl Fight! This week, Josh and Tracy give you all things beefs, feuds, and squabbles. They explore one of the most formative feuds of their youth — Brandy vs. Monica — and get into where they were when one of the most shocking diss tracks of our time dropped (hint: it involves a pink diamond chicken wing chain). Then, rapper and talented multi-hyphenate Jean Grae joins to share why she thinks beefs are so essential to the world of hip hop. Additional Mater...
Nov 16, 2020•49 min
Give Me A Break, You Ain't No Ricki Lake This week, Josh and Tracy take you through the world of daytime talk shows and unpack the fun, the messy, and the hard-to-reconcile parts of shows like Ricki Lake, Oprah, Jerry Springer, and Jenny Jones. Then, they sit down with Sherri Shepherd, Emmy-winning former host of ‘The View,’ to discuss why being on that show was the best and most painful experience of her career and what it was like to sit between Rosie and Elisabeth during that unforgettable sp...
Nov 09, 2020•59 min
Young And Free, I Want My MTV! This week, Josh and Tracy are talking all things MTV. From ‘The Real World’ cinematic universe to the boom boom kacks of ‘Making The Band,’ they take you through the channel’s best (and messiest) moments. Then, they get a sense of what it was like to work there from Erika Clarke, a former MTV producer who spent 10 years working on iconic shows like ‘Cribs’ and ‘Diary’ (y’all, she worked on the Aaliyah episode!!!). Additional Material By: ViacomCBS, Walt Disney Tele...
Nov 02, 2020•53 min
No Mary J., We're Searching For Real Love Today This week, Josh and Tracy are talking about love (*cue studio audience* oooooh). First, they unpack their conceptions of the term, from their overzealous prom expectations to some absolutely trash relationship models they found in media. Then, they sit down with Darnell L. Moore, writer, activist, and Director of Inclusion Strategy for Marketing and Content at Netflix, to discuss radically living and unlearning in love. Additional Material By: Youn...
Oct 26, 2020•50 min
Sugar We're Going Down, Gotta Get Outta This Town This week, Josh and Tracy take you back to days of dark eyeliner and teen angst to give you all things Black and Alternative. First, they unpack the meaning and history of Alternative Music with help from cultural critic Hannah Giorgis. Then, they sit down with living rock legend Fefe Dobson to talk about her music, defying categorization, and forging your own path as a Black creative. Additional Material By: Indiana University (Bloomington), Key...
Oct 19, 2020•50 min
Red Rover Red Rover, Bring 'Yes, Girl' Right Over This week, Josh and Tracy host a very special crossover episode. First, they talk all things Essence. From its legacy as a record of black existence to the recent round of layoffs, we're celebrating the work of black creatives, and pouring one out for the Yes, Girl pod. Then, they chop it up with Cori Murray and Charli Penn of 'Yes, Girl', talking music and the greatest ad libs of all time (and yes, they *do* sing K-Ci and Jojo). Additional Mater...
Oct 12, 2020•34 min
Bring It Back, TV Used To Be Hella Black This week, in the first annual Blemmy Awards, Josh and Tracy look back on the Golden Age of Black TV and honor the best of the best, from the 'Amen' theme song to all of Khadijah’s boyfriends (*studio audience goes oooOooOoOOOOoo*). Then, Tracy sits down with TC Carson, the singer and actor known for playing Kyle on 'Living Single,' to discuss the show, that steamy "My Funny Valentine" scene, how important it is for Black creators to own their work, and m...
Oct 05, 2020•47 min
Turn the Radio On, Where Have All The Girl Groups Gone? This week, Tracy and Josh talk all things girl groups. From the diva-era of Motown to the holy trinities of the early aughts, they debate the biggest and baddest girl groups of all time, and discuss what they have meant for the culture. Then Cindy Herron-Braggs, founding member of En Vogue, joins to discuss their era-defining legacy, and the possible 90s group Verzuz of our dreams. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Karan Nevatia. M...
Sep 28, 2020•58 min
It Should Have Been Bigger, #JusticeforGlitter This week...CATEGORY IS: opinions you're scared to tell your friends. Josh bravely confesses his love of Mariah Carey’s Glitter and tries to convert Tracy. They travel back to 2001 to figure out what was going through Mariah’s head at the time, why the movie was so universally panned by critics, and how history ended up shaping the film’s reception. Then, Ira Madison III, TV writer and the host of Keep It, joins to weigh in on how he’s made a brand ...
Sep 21, 2020•49 min
Face Crack! I Thought You Were Black! This week, Josh and Tracy revisit musical white folks who somehow scored an invitation to the cookout. Elvis, Bobby Caldwell, Teena Marie, Kenny Loggins, Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, and Justin Timberlake have all made careers in music steeped in the sounds of blackness. Is there a proper way for a white artist to exist in a genre that Black artists originated, perfected, and sometimes weren’t allowed to escape? Is it problematic to call this trend “blue-eyed ...
Sep 14, 2020•44 min
This week, Tracy and Josh celebrate the Queen, the legend, Ms. Texas Trill Herself: Beyoncé. They're joined by Crissle, co-host of The Read, who tells the story of how ‘Yoncé changed her life, and listeners share what Giselle means to them. Then, they a play game of song association with Matt Bellassai of Unhappy Hour, to find out who’s really hive. Additional Material By: Columbia Records, Lisa G Productions, Sony Music Entertainment, Toazted Media B.V., ABC News / Lincoln Square Productions, G...
Sep 07, 2020•47 min
The Show That Made You Wanna Holler; This Week, We Talk 'In Living Color This week, Tracy and Josh revisit the world of Fire Marshall Bill, Oswald Bates, and Benita Butrell (but you ain't heard that from us!) to find out the truth behind the cultural institution that was 'In Living Color.' Plus, they're joined by former cast member, Oscar Proud himself, Tommy Davidson. He gives them a behind the scenes look, talks about the cultural legacy of the show, and tells Tracy and Josh which 'In Living C...
Aug 31, 2020•49 min
In Case You Forgot, We Let Tyra Get Away With A LOT. This week, Josh and Tracy revisit moments from one of the most influential supermodels of all time: Tyra Banks. She has modeled, smized, booty-tooched, acted, and created businesses and brands. But throughout her career, there have been some messy moments. And we’re not just talking about ANTM contestant Dani’s tooth gap (RIP). We talk to Jay Manuel, former Creative Director for "America's Next Top Model," about Tyra’s legacy, the cost of bein...
Aug 24, 2020•56 min
Remember when Monica allegedly punched Brandy right before they performed live at the MTV Video Music Awards? When Freaknik took over Atlanta, and changed the game for parties everywhere? When tasteless critics panned Mariah Carey’s Glitter? (#JusticeforGlitter!) We do! Back Issue tells the stories behind formative moments in pop culture. In each episode, we look back at some of the moments that shook us, that changed us. Join Tracy Clayton (host of Netflix’s Strong Black Legends, Mailchimp’s Go...
Jun 26, 2020•4 min
