This episode is part two of The Soul of Music—Overheard’s four-part series focusing on music, exploration, and Black history. Our guest this week is Sampa The Great, a Zambian-born rapper, singer, and songwriter. Sampa spent most of her childhood living in Botswana, and her music career took off in Australia; but when the pandemic hit, Sampa returned home to ... Show More
Jul 2023
Trapped in the icy waters of the Northwest Passage
For centuries, the Northwest Passage, the long-sought sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through northern Canada, was a holy grail of Arctic exploration. Even now, sailing through it isn’t guaranteed. Mark Synnott, a National Geographic Explorer, writer, and adv ... Show More
34m 16s
Jul 2023
Playback: Modern Lives, Ancient Caves
There’s a lost continent waiting to be explored, and it’s right below our feet. We’ll dig into the deep human relationship to the underground—and why we understand it from an instinctive point of view, but not so much from a physical one. (Hint: We’re afraid of the dark.) In an e ... Show More
28m 39s
Jun 2023
Playback: This Indigenous Practice Fights Fire with Fire
For decades, the U.S. government evangelized fire suppression, most famously through Smokey Bear’s wildfire prevention campaign. But as climate change continues to exacerbate wildfire seasons and a growing body of scientific research supports using fire to fight fire, Indigenous ... Show More
29m 8s
Jul 2023
Secrets of African rhythms with Sampa the Great, Thandiswa Mazwai, Emmanuel Jagari Chanda and Mag44
Sampa the Great, Thandiswa Mazwai, Emmanuel Jagari Chanda and Mag44 discuss music standing the test of time, African music, and the new generation of musicians.Sampa the Great was born in Ndola in Zambia and became interested in music from a young age, writing poems and singing f ... Show More
36m 33s
Aug 2022
The Robust Return of Beyoncé
A deep dive on “Renaissance,” her relationship to queer music communities and her framing of authorship. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Wesley Morris, Jon Pareles and Salamishah Tillet. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via ... Show More
56m 28s
Apr 2022
Afrofuturism and Academia with Sammus, PhD
LF and DK are joined by Brown professor and afrofuturist rapper/producer Sammus (aka Dr. Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo to discuss the relationship of lyric-craft to beatmaking, surviving academia, creative and emotional revelations during the Covid pause, and Dr. Lumumba-Kasongo's upcom ... Show More
44m 58s
Feb 2024
QLS Classic: Jemele Hill Part 2
<p>In celebrating Black History Month, listen back to part 2 of a 2020 interview with the game changing Jemele Hill. In part 2 we dive into some of Jemele's favorite things, from Detroit to MJ and why local politics matter, to her top 5 albums of all time — which has some familia ... Show More
1h 9m
Feb 2022
Remembering Betty Davis, a Futuristic Funk Force
A conversation about her unique music, her short career and the path that led to her rediscovery. Guests: Jon Pareles, Maureen Mahon and Oliver Wang. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app her ... Show More
49m 1s