7 episodes
Track Change NPR
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- Society & Culture
As four men are held in a Virginia jail, they record an album to chronicle their efforts to break free from an oppressive cycle of addiction and incarceration. In each music-infused episode of this documentary series, host and trailblazing hip-hop artist Speech Thomas meets a musician at a crossroads in their uphill struggle for freedom, learns what brought them to this inflection point, and helps them record a song that captures this critical moment in their life. From soulful country to fiery hip-hop and haunting R&B, this music affirms the lives of people who are written off by society. And amidst a re-entry crisis afflicting millions of Americans every year, these intimate stories from behind the walls of a local jail ask: What does it take to rebuild a life after incarceration?
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01. I Wrote This to Inspire
Recently freed from a state prison, rap prodigy Teddy navigates the enormity of landing a job, healing from childhood trauma, and staying sober all at the same time.
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02. I Know I'm Getting Stronger
While awaiting his court date, country singer-songwriter Garland reckons with his own choices and tries to lay down a stronger foundation with his girlfriend, Kelly.
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03. I'm Tired of Recidivism
Struggling to keep up with his rehabilitation program, amateur rapper Anthony confronts the damage done by an entire life spent fighting for survival.
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04. I Gotta Break These Chains
With his release from jail just weeks away, hip-hop musician Devonte does everything he can to balance the love he has for his family against the big risks that come with their history.
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05. Before the Miracle Happens
Seven years after the REAL program left the Richmond city jail, Speech shares what's happened to the men he made music with — and reflects on what it takes to solve the nationwide re-entry crisis that they're grappling with.
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Track Change Presents: "I'm Somebody's Hero" from Uncuffed and KALW Public Radio
Growing up, Thanh Tran never felt like he had a home. He was raised in the foster care system, was in and out of juvenile hall as a teenager, and went to prison at 18. Just over a decade later, he got what he had been working toward for years: freedom. This record of Thanh's journey comes from Uncuffed, an audio storytelling program based out of California's San Quentin and Solano State prisons.
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