6 Black-led CBC podcasts you don't want to miss
CBC Podcasts | Posted: February 11, 2021 8:23 PM | Last Updated: February 12, 2021
From powerful young voices to irreverent histories, these shows cover a vast range
February has become much more than a month to learn about Black history. It's expanded into a celebration of Black excellence, a spotlight on Black creativity and a window into many possible futures.
In the spirit of all of the above, we want to make sure — this month and all year long — that you don't miss the stunning work of the Black hosts and creators who have collaborated with CBC Podcasts. All six of these shows, released within the last year, are anchored in their insight and talent.
To get you started, we've selected a great entry point episode for each show.
To get you started, we've selected a great entry point episode for each show.
Seat at the Table
Co-hosted by Isabelle Racicot and Martine St-Victor
Spotlight episode: Setting The Table for Season 2
Spotlight episode: Setting The Table for Season 2
Every episode of Seat at the Table is a powerful response to the history we're living through, and this vulnerable prologue truly sets the tone for the whole season. Isabelle Racicot and Martine St-Victor open up about the complicated feelings they've been working through lately, from outrage to fatigue to self-doubt to cautious optimism — especially as Black women who work in the media. The real-life best friends explain why they decided to revive their interview podcast "with no agenda" (originally launched in 2017) and unapologetically focus it on the Black Lives Matter movement, and how to make it more than a moment.
"All of us have to do our own homework. And this is the genesis of Season 2," says Martine.
Secret Life of Canada
Co-hosted by Leah Simone Bowen and Falen Johnson
Spotlight episode: The Province of Jamaica
Spotlight episode: The Province of Jamaica
It's truly tough to pick one episode of our irreverent history podcast, which has covered everything from the origins of blackface to barrier-breaking Black nurses to the etymology of the "Uncle Tom" stereotype in the latest season alone. But S2's "The Province of Jamaica" stands out as essential listening in the time of the essential worker. Co-host Leah Simone Bowen (whose family is from Barbados) delves right into Canada's complicated history with the Caribbean — coveted as a source of labourers but not of citizens — and how predominantly Black sleeping car porters organized despite the odds and advanced labour rights for all Canadians.
Plus how many podcast episodes begin with a refreshing glass of sorrel?
This is not a Drake Podcast
Hosted by Ty Harper
Spotlight episode: Toronto was always a hip-hop city (Ep. 1)
Spotlight episode: Toronto was always a hip-hop city (Ep. 1)
This is not a Drake Podcast is a smart, sonically-rich series that uses seminal moments in Drake's career to explore undertold histories of hip-hop, R&B and Black culture. It's hosted by Ty Harper, a humble legend of the Toronto music scene, and beautifully crafted. The first episode explores how Drake became the poster boy of Toronto, even though the city's hip-hop scene was thriving long before it became known as 'The 6ix.' Truth is the Canadian music industry's history with its homegrown hip-hop talent is long and fraught. This is an honest reckoning with that relationship.
Coming Soon: A Death In Cryptoland
If you've made it this far we'll let you in on a little secret: award-winning technology reporter Takara Small will soon host A Death In Cryptoland (working title), a new podcast about a Canadian computer nerd who made a fortune in cryptocurrency — and then died suddenly under mysterious circumstances, leaving thousands of people without access to their funds. This deep dive investigation asks what really happened to Gerald Cotten, and why the world needs to know about Canada's biggest Bitcoin exchange. Launching in May.
Party Lines
Co-hosted by Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Rosie Barton
Spotlight episode: Who feels served and protected?
Spotlight episode: Who feels served and protected?
If you know what happened to Rodney King but haven't heard of Lester Donaldson, Elamin Abdelmahmoud suggests you study up on Black Canadians who've been seriously injured or killed by police. (Donaldson's case led to greater police oversight in Ontario.)
In this powerful episode from June, Elamin and co-host Rosie Barton explore various calls to reign in and re-imagine policing following the death of George Floyd. They also look at how police forces are funded, and why it's important to have a specifically Canadian conversation about anti-Black racism and police brutality.
Pop Chat
Hosted by Elamin Abdelmahmoud
Spotlight episode: Black Futures, With Jenna Wortham And Kimberly Drew
Spotlight episode: Black Futures, With Jenna Wortham And Kimberly Drew
How do we start to process the Trump era, and what's next? In a future-focused episode of Pop Chat, recorded just before Joe Biden's inauguration, Elamin gets right into it with Jenna Wortham, New York Times writer and co-host of Still Processing, and curator and activist Kimberly Drew. The two offer insight partly drawn from their new anthology Black Futures — which reimagines a world of possibilities for Black people — and their own lives, online and off. They tackle the paradox of Black people being increasingly empowered and still deeply disenfranchised. As Kimberly notes, "These rules were not made for us. These games were not set up for us to win," and yet there are ways to center and "reassemble ourselves" for these fast-changing times.
Mic Drop
Created and co-produced by Shari Okeke. Hosted by a different teen each episode.
Spotlight episode: Taneia brings Black Lives Matter to school
Spotlight episode: Taneia brings Black Lives Matter to school
Speaking of the future, we'll give the last word to 10-year-old Taneia, who pushed her predominately white school to do more for Black history education in February and beyond. She starts by bringing the activity book Big Dreamers to her teacher's attention, but she doesn't stop there. In fact, when it's safe to do so again, she plans to ask her principal to talk to the whole school about what she's learned about Black history, anti-racism and the real world.
"Now that I know that I could have such an impact with my little voice, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be more open to speaking to my white teachers about it," says Taneia.
Written by Fabiola Melendez Carletti with files from Glory Omotayo and Judy Ziyi Gu.