Have You Heard George's Podcast?

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Have You Heard George's Podcast?

The award-winning and critically-acclaimed podcast from George the Poet delivers a fresh take on inner city life through a mix of storytelling, music and fiction.

  1. Special: This Cultural Life

    12 APR

    Special: This Cultural Life

    George talks to John Wilson about some of his most formative cultural influences including the grammar school that taught him the essay-writing skills he still puts to use when making his podcast. He reveals how Tupac Shakur’s 1998 song Changes ignited his interest in hip hop, and discusses the impact of rap and grime on his own verse. He also remembers how his local community radio station gave him his first break and encouraged the development as a performer. Producer: Edwina Pitman

    44 min

  2. 22/12/2023

    38. Once Upon a Time in Kampala

    In Uganda’s capital city, a young cab driver forms an unlikely bond with a sex worker during the crippling lockdown of 2021. They are both forced to make tough decisions. Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick & George the Poet Original Music and Sound Design by Benbrick.

    26 min

  3. 15/12/2023

    37. Back to Common Ground

    George responds to audience questions taken from Common Ground, the platform he co-created in Chapter 3. Listeners discuss everything from art to race using prompts from previous episodes, reaffirming the importance of the artist/audience relationship.

    41 min

  4. 01/12/2023

    36. Jamaican DemAhCrazy Pt. 2

    Shaken by the passing of his grandmother, George reflects on the post-colonial struggles of her generation. 1970s Jamaica provides an early case study of the weaponised debt that went on to re-colonise much of the global South. A look back on previous episodes illuminates patterns of exploitation and extraction across African/Western relations. This is the global context that frames the questionable role of the International Monetary Fund in the perpetuation of poverty. George is reminded by his grandmother’s legacy that fighting for justice is always an option. Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick & George the Poet With an original score composed by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

    26 min

  5. 17/11/2023

    35. Jamaican DemAhCrazy Pt. 1

    When keeping it real goes…wrong? For a moment in the seventies, Jamaican democracy produced an ambitious plan to end inequality between countries. But when the island’s socialist leader, Michael Manley, flew too close to the sun, he got burnt. What was the New International Economic Order? Why did it rattle Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan so much? On this fast-paced tour of Jamaican history, George looks back at the rise and fall of the Third World’s biggest political project. Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Original score composed by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra

    27 min

  6. 10/11/2023

    34. Francophone Pt. 2

    When is a breakup not a breakup? When your ex controls every aspect of your life. After walking through the freedom struggles of Ghana and the Congo in previous episodes, George turns his attention towards the “former” French colonies of West and Central Africa. What happens when freedom is gifted conditionally, not won through revolution? Is all independence created equal? Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet Original Score by Benbrick recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra Sound Design by Benbrick

    27 min

  7. 27/10/2023

    33: Francophone Pt. 1

    The power of Western languages over African economies is undeniable, and nowhere is this more obvious than in Black music. Despite "Francophone” meaning French-speaking, across Africa, it signifies so much more. George looks at the power dynamics between the English-speaking world, the French-speaking world and the Africans forced to navigate both. How did these languages become so important? And what do they reveal about the legacy of colonialism? Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick & George the Poet Original score composed by Benbrick and performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra

    22 min

  8. 20/10/2023

    32. Drama in Ghana Pt. 2

    After achieving independence, Ghana gave support to freedom fighters across Africa. What went wrong? Written by George the Poet. Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet. Original score by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Sound Design by Benbrick.

    24 min
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The award-winning and critically-acclaimed podcast from George the Poet delivers a fresh take on inner city life through a mix of storytelling, music and fiction.

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