Ear Hustle

Ear Hustle & Radiotopia
  • 4.9 (20K)
  • DOCUMENTARY
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Ear Hustle
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Ear Hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, and that’s what listening to the show feels like: a raw, often funny, and always surprising peek into the reality of life inside prison.  Hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods co-created the show that launched in 2017 while Earlonne was incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, where Nigel was a volunteer teaching photography. Since Earlonne’s release in 2018, the show has expanded to include stories from prisons across the state, including the California Institution for Women, as well as stories about getting out of prison and starting over, post-incarceration. From finding romance, to grappling with a life sentence, to trying to parent via 15-minute phone calls, Ear Hustle stories deliver what This American Life host Ira Glass calls a “"very real” and “untragic” take on prison life.  Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a network of independent listener-supported podcasts. Discover audio with vision at radiotopia.fm and learn more about Ear Hustle at earhustlesq.com.

  1. Different Sides of the Earth

    3D AGO

    Different Sides of the Earth

    Twenty women are currently serving a death sentence at the Central California Women’s Facility. Like the men we met at San Quentin in our previous episode, these women are now living with the mainline prison population. For some, it hasn’t been an easy change.  This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams, David Jassy, Earlonne Woods, and Derrell Sadiq Davis. Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show. Announcing our Ear Hustle Live summer tour! Get all the details at earhustlesq.com/tour.  Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts.  Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

    53 min
  2. EH+ Where’s Amika Now?

    APR 10 • EAR HUSTLE + ONLY

    EH+ Where’s Amika Now?

    Amika Mota appeared in two previous episodes of Ear Hustle: Snack Money and Catch a Kite 5. Ten years after her release from prison, Earlonne and New York catch up with Amika to see how she’s doing now. Spoiler alert: She’s made huge jumps in her life.Mentioned in this episode: Snack Money Fire Escape-Snap Studios Catch a Kite 5 Just Trust and JUMP Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition "Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom" by Larry Miller "Robin Hood Was Right: A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change" by Chuck Collins and Pam Rogers with Joan P. Garner

    23 min
  3. Slam That Door

    APR 2

    Slam That Door

    San Quentin's death row has been cleared out; soon it'll be renovated into an honor dorm. We make one last visit with four men who, between them, spent over 130 years on the row. We see the solitary cells where they spent decades of their lives, and hear what it's been like to leave those cells and join the "mainline" prison population. This episode was scored with music by Antwan "Banks" Williams, David Jassy, Earlonne Woods, Derrell Sadiq Davis, Lee Jaspar, and Fernando Arruda. Big thanks to Warden Andes, Lt. Berry, and Sgt. Strayhorn at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women's Facility for their support of the show. Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

    47 min
  4. EH+ March Ask Nigel and Earlonne Anything

    MAR 26 • EAR HUSTLE + ONLY

    EH+ March Ask Nigel and Earlonne Anything

    In this month’s AMA episode, listeners ask Nigel and Earlonne  why there isn't a new host at San Quentin, what they would suggest to end mass incarceration, how Earlonne’s twins are doing, and much more.Got a burning question for Nigel and Earlonne or the Ear Hustle team? Apple EH+ subscribers: email them to ama@earhustlesq.com; Supercast subscribers: add them to earhustle.supercast.com/ama. We just might answer your question in our next AMA episode! Mentioned in this episode:Welcome Back, Kotter TV show trailer March Madness men’s basketball tournament Wikipedia Ear Hustle episodes: The Wrong Line of Business Crocasacks Myths & Monikers 900 Grayson restaurant Squires Beyond Scared Straight REAL Choices Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice  That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

    40 min
  5. Super Fun Birthday Story

    MAR 19

    Super Fun Birthday Story

    For some, it’s a weeklong bonanza; others keep it on the down-low. Whether you’re in prison or not, how you celebrate your birthday says a lot about who you are. The New Official Ear Hustle Birthday Song was written by Tam Nguyen, with variations on the theme by Tam Nguyen, Earlonne Woods, Derrell Sadiq Davis, Bruce Wallace, and Antwan Williams, plus trumpet playing by Brian Conroy.  Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show. Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts.  Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

    43 min
  6. EH+ Where’s Edmond Now?

    MAR 12 • EAR HUSTLE + ONLY

    EH+ Where’s Edmond Now?

    While incarcerated, Edmond Richardson appeared in two episodes of Ear Hustle, kinda. In “15 Minutes,” his partner Avelina talked about maintaining their connection through 15-minute phone calls. In “Catch a Kite 7,” Edmond answered a question posed by an incarcerated woman about how men bond in prison. Since then, he’s fought fires, gotten married, and paroled. New York catches up with Edmond to find out where he is now.Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Mentioned in this episode: 15 MinutesCatch a Kite 7Incarcerated firefighters

    27 min
  7. Spark Plug

    MAR 5

    Spark Plug

    Spark Plug wanted a life straight out of a Hollywood movie: Live fast and die a legend. But that’s not quite how things worked out. This episode was scored with music by David Jassy, Earlonne Woods, Antwan Williams, and Derrell Sadiq Davis. Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show. Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

    50 min

  8. TRAILER

    New Episodes Start Next Week!

    The Ear Hustle team has been hard at work on a whole batch of new stories from San Quentin, the California Institution for Women, the Central California Women’s Facility, and beyond. They’ll be in your feed starting next Wednesday, March 5 — but Nigel and Earlonne are here now with a little sneak peek.  Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show. Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts.  Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

    6 min
See All (181)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

4.9
out of 5
20,182 Ratings

About

Ear Hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, and that’s what listening to the show feels like: a raw, often funny, and always surprising peek into the reality of life inside prison.  Hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods co-created the show that launched in 2017 while Earlonne was incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, where Nigel was a volunteer teaching photography. Since Earlonne’s release in 2018, the show has expanded to include stories from prisons across the state, including the California Institution for Women, as well as stories about getting out of prison and starting over, post-incarceration. From finding romance, to grappling with a life sentence, to trying to parent via 15-minute phone calls, Ear Hustle stories deliver what This American Life host Ira Glass calls a “"very real” and “untragic” take on prison life.  Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a network of independent listener-supported podcasts. Discover audio with vision at radiotopia.fm and learn more about Ear Hustle at earhustlesq.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Ear Hustle & Radiotopia
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    181
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Ear Hustle
  • Provider
    PRX

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