Poet and author Dean Atta returns to Busy Being Black to share how therapy, memoir-writing and entering into his "big man stage" have transformed his relationship with his mental health, creativity and self-acceptance. The episode opens with a joint reading of Dean's poem "Two Black Boys in Paradise"—the poem that inspired the BAFTA-winning animation of the ... Show More
Mar 21
How to Love Yourself — Dean Atta
Busy Being Black returns on Tuesday 24 March 2026 with a new conversation between me Dean Atta, who recently won a BAFTA for Two Black Boys in Paradise. Today, in honour of World Poetry Day, I’m resurfacing our 2018 conversation in which we explore recovery and intimacy, desire a ... Show More
37m 21s
Oct 2025
All My Poems Are Sad N*gga Poems — Ben Ellis
Today marks eight years since Busy Being Black first came to life: on 21 October 2017, I produced and hosted an event called Forbidden Fruits, anchored by a conversation about love, intimacy and belonging among queer Black men. I couldn't have known in that moment how much I woul ... Show More
58m 44s
Apr 2024
Will Young - ‘I like to talk about it because I survived it’
TW: this episode contains discussion of sexual assault and suicide. In many ways, Will Young is the definition of resilience. As a child, he endured physical and psychological abuse at prep school. In his 20s, he found fame on a reality TV show and was forced to be public about h ... Show More
56m 17s
Dec 2023
Courtney B. Vance & The Invisible Ache
An especially powerful presentation, Oprah sits down with Tony and two-time Emmy winner Courtney B. Vance and Dr. Robin Smith, a renowned psychologist, for a crucial discussion that asks the question, “How do we begin to uplift and empower Black men in a world that refuses to see ... Show More
42m 18s
Apr 2024
O.J. Simpson: The Trial, The Controversy, and The Legacy
We're back! After a breather, the Culture Crew is here to not only revitalize your playlist but to provoke your thoughts with a candid examination of the joys of reading and listening. Wrestling enthusiasts, we've got a special treat for you as we discuss the electrifying world o ... Show More
34m 46s
Jun 2020
Black Lives Matter and Anti-Racism
This episode was made to demonstrate the importance of listening to a voice that has been suppressed for far too long. We hope that through our open conversation we can encourage open ears, minds, and hearts, and ultimately work toward achieving a long-lost sense of empathy. Only ... Show More
58m 26s
Dec 2020
A Black Utopia In North Carolina
“I thought I'd come to paradise,” said Jane Ball Groom upon arriving in Soul City, North Carolina. It wasn’t amenities or location that made Soul City paradise, but the promise of what it could be: a city built by Black people, for Black people. Our guests take us back to 1969 wh ... Show More
56m 51s
Jul 2020
5. Hello, White People! Hello, World!
Baratunde acknowledges the increased (and sometimes awkward) efforts of white Americans standing in solidarity with Black lives at this moment. Then he explores the global reach of this moment through an in-depth conversation with Diana Arce, a Black Lives Matter organizer in Ber ... Show More
49m 38s