Rational Black Thought

Michael
  • 4.9 (19)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A discussion of all topics as seen through the eyes of a Black Atheist, Skeptic, Humanist, Existentialist

  1. Episode #268 – February 6, 2026 -- We're gonna move on up-Two by two-And this whole world-Is gonna be brand-new-Am I black enough for you?

    5D AGO

    Episode #268 – February 6, 2026 -- We're gonna move on up-Two by two-And this whole world-Is gonna be brand-new-Am I black enough for you?

    Send us a text  | I’m your host, Neo Griot, and welcome back to Rational Black Thought.   This week’s title is a lyric from a Song by Billy Paul, “Am I Black Enough for You” and it’s not for nostalgia. It’s a political forecast we need to take to heart. It’s the sound of a people deciding that survival is not enough, and that we are done negotiating for dignity one exception at a time.   When Billy Paul sings “Move on up” is not a personal affirmation. It’s collective motion. It’s disciplined, coordinated progress. Two by two means we do this together, not as lone heroes, not as isolated geniuses, not as individuals begging to be let into a burning house. It means we build capacity, we build systems, we build protection, and we build power that lasts.   And when he says “brand-new,” He doesn't mean a rebranding of the same old plantation with better lighting. He means structural change. New rules. New guardrails. New institutions. New expectations. A world where Black life is not an asterisk in somebody else’s democracy.   So when the question gets asked, “Am I Black enough for you?” I’m not asking for approval. I’m asking if you’re ready for the responsibility. Because Blackness is not a costume, and it’s not content. It’s an inheritance of resistance, creation, memory, and obligation.   In this episode, we’re going to talk about what it means to move with intention. We’re going to talk about fatigue and strategy. We’re going to talk about democracy under threat. And we’re going to talk about Black Power as a serious project, not a slogan.  Let’s get into it.  Intro: Quote of the Week: Kofi Addae (aka Erriel D. Roberson) Unmasking the News:  Democracy Watch: Trump is Telling you who he is Believe Him the First TimeFlooding the Zone with B******t “Prophet” as cover for predation Good News:  Black “Inspiration” and Black Infrastructure Strategies for Black Power: Racism: If You’re Debating Intent, You’re Already Losing Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro: Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/03/trump-republicans-nationalize-elections-midterms?https://www.newsweek.com/steve-bannon-flood-zone-strategy-explained-trump-policy-blitz-2027482?https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/crime/2026/02/04/l-a-pastor-from-pion-hills-accused-of-child-sexual-abuse/88515694007/https://www.blackbusiness.com/2025/09/dee-daniels-entrepreneur-launches-50-ai-powered-tools-for-black-creators-journalists.html Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    1h 38m
  2. Episode #267 – January 31, 2026 -- “ Y'all think it's bougie, I'm like, it's fine But I'm tryin' to give you a million dollars worth of game for $9.99.”

    JAN 31

    Episode #267 – January 31, 2026 -- “ Y'all think it's bougie, I'm like, it's fine But I'm tryin' to give you a million dollars worth of game for $9.99.”

    Send us a text Hey, family. I’m Neo Griot—Afrocentric, Pan-African, secular humanist, atheist, skeptic. And this is Rational Black Thought—where we don’t do feel good pieces, we do the hardcore truth.   Episode 267 is titled: “ Y'all think it's bougie, I'm like, it's fine-But I'm tryin' to give you a million dollars worth of game for $9.99” which are lyrics from the song  The Story of O.J. by Jay-Z.  The Story of O.J.” (from 4:44, 2017) is Jay-Z’s financial-literacy-and-racial-reality track: it’s about ownership, credit, generational wealth, and the fantasy that money makes you “not Black.” The whole song uses O.J. as a symbol of that delusion (the “I’m not Black, I’m O.J.” idea), and the video leans hard into America’s racist iconography to make the point sting.   So when he says he’s trying to give you “a million dollars worth of game for $9.99,” he’s basically saying: you’re calling me bougie because I’m talking assets, credit, and ownership, but I’m handing you life-changing economic strategy for the price of a cheap product. It’s a value proposition: stop being entertained and start being equipped.   Jay-Z called it ‘a million dollars worth of game for $9.99.’ I’m giving you a more than a million dollars of game for free, because I am talking about generational power not just generational wealth.  And if you still treat it like background noise, that’s on you. The problem isn’t the price. The problem is we keep refusing the lessons that would make us dangerous.”  “Free doesn’t mean worthless. Free means I’m removing excuses.”-Neo Griot Intro: Quote of the Week: bell hooks Unmasking the News:  Minneapolis: when the state lies first, and investigates never  A government of Vibes and Fake Numbers  The “Children’s Pastor” Predator and the Machine That Protected Him  Good News: A Family Win and Blueprint Bible Study with an Atheist:  Build-A-Belief Workshop: Christianity as Personalized Cult Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro:  Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    1h 47m
  3. Episode #266 – January 24, 2026 -- “We are the winners if we unclose our eyes.”

    JAN 23

    Episode #266 – January 24, 2026 -- “We are the winners if we unclose our eyes.”

    Send us a text Peace, family. I’m Neo Griot—Afrocentric, Pan-African, secular humanist, atheist, skeptic. And this is Rational Black Thought—where we don’t do bedtime stories for adults.  Episode 266 is titled: “We are the winners if we unclose our eyes.” which are lyrics from the song Nostalgie Amoureuse by the group Zap Mama led by Marie Daulne.   I am not using this as a hashtag. It’s meant as a survival manual. It is saying the truth is before us, we just need to open our eyes and see it, and remaining indifferent in the face of injustice is the same as not seeing it, perhaps worse.   The world rewards one thing consistently: people who can see clearly—especially when the system is designed to blind them.  Intro: Quote of the Week: Del Jones Unmasking the News:  Davos Lies and the Weaponization of Ignorance  Jim Jordan murders justice and lets the criminals off the hook  Another week, another “holy” scandal Good News: The Black Fund: Investing to Benefit All Strategies for Black Power: Systemic Enemy Analysis—A strategy narrative for people who are done being fooled Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro:  Sources: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/davos-2026-special-address-donald-trump-president-united-states-america/https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-prosecutor-smith-condemn-false-narratives-about-probe-house-testimony-2026-01-22/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/18/louisiana-clergy-abuse-korey-lavergne?https://theblackfundcentraltx.org/celebrating-collective-impact/Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    1h 36m
  4. Episode #265 – January 17, 2026 – “The Constitution, a noble piece of paper Would free society. It struggled but then died in vain”

    JAN 17

    Episode #265 – January 17, 2026 – “The Constitution, a noble piece of paper Would free society. It struggled but then died in vain”

    Send us a text  Welcome to Rational Black Thought. I’m your host, Neo Griot. This week’s theme: Is about moving beyond survival, it is time for us to stop “living to fight another day” and to start fighting to win…for good.  Our title today comes from Gil Scott-Heron from his song “Winter in America” the words seem even more apropos today, it feels like a “nuclear winter in America”:   The Constitution, a noble piece of paper  Would free society. It struggled but then died in vain  And now Democracy is ragtime on the corner Hoping for some rain  And looks like it's hoping Hoping for some rain   It's winter in America And ain't nobody fighting  ‘Cause nobody knows what to save   This is exactly how I feel sometimes, I feel that resistance is futile, but I cannot allow myself to wallow and die in that ideology, I have to get the f**k up and figure it out.  Agenda Intro: Quote of the Week: Maya Angelou Unmasking the News:  From “…of the people” to “…of the party that can rig the system” Only one in five support Trump’s Greenland stunt. That’s supposed to stop him? Cute The Gospel of PR Good News:  Howard’s “AI-native” MoveBible Study with an Atheist: Christianity: the biggest MLM in human history: Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro:  Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/15/justice-department-voter-information?https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/just-one-five-americans-support-trumps-efforts-acquire-greenland-reutersipsos-2026-01-14/https://www.fox23.com/news/former-claremore-pastor-enters-guilty-plea-in-peeping-tom-case/article_c6a005df-a2cc-473f-8873-e47230c78a26.htmlhttps://www.blackenterprise.com/howard-university-ai-engineering-course/Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    1h 33m
  5. Episode #264 – January 10, 2026 – “I feel like the destinies of those meant / To be the best / Are in the hands of liars now the world is on fire”

    JAN 9

    Episode #264 – January 10, 2026 – “I feel like the destinies of those meant / To be the best / Are in the hands of liars now the world is on fire”

    Send us a text Our title today comes from Ay-Shay (an African musician) from her song “The Way I Feel” whose words really struck me this week, some of the other lines from this song are:   I feel like I'm not the only one who's frustrated  I feel like something's goin' wrong, I can't escape it  I feel that the destinies of those who are meant to be the best Are in the hands of liars Now the world is on fire  - Asa, The Way I Feel Intro: Quote of the Week: Frantz Fanon Unmasking the News:  Democracy Watch: Trump 2.0: Authoritarianism + Imperialism ICE Went Trigger-Happy — Trump Backed It The Apology Is Noise, the Prayer Is Useless Theater Good News:  Not Just “Success” Strategic InfrastructureStrategies for Black Power: Blueprint: Resist the Empire: Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro:  Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    1h 14m
  6. Episode #263 – January 3, 2026 – “The Year-End Audit: Receipts, Forecasts, and the God-Argument Hustle”

    JAN 3

    Episode #263 – January 3, 2026 – “The Year-End Audit: Receipts, Forecasts, and the God-Argument Hustle”

    Send us a text Welcome to Rational Black Thought. I’m your host, Neo Griot—secular humanist, skeptic, atheist, Afrocentric, Pan-African… and morally allergic to propaganda.   This is a year-end audit episode. Not a highlight reel. Not a “best-of” montage. An audit. Because reflection is not nostalgia—it’s strategy. It’s how you stop repeating cycles that were designed to keep you tired, confused, and compliant.   So today we’re doing three things:   We’re going to look back at the major themes from the past year of Unmasking the News. We’re going to forecast 2026—not with wishful thinking, but with pattern recognition.And for Bible Study with an Atheist, we’re going to expose one of the slickest scams in modern religion: pseudo-science for God—and why “generic God” still doesn’t get you to anybody’s holy book. Intro: Quote of the Week: Octavia E. Butler Unmasking the News:  Democracy Watch: Authoritarianism as a System, Not a Personality Religious Corruption: The Charity Gap and the Opacity Advantage Good News: Black Capacity Still WinsBible Study with an Atheist: Pseudo-Science for God — and Why “Generic God” Doesn’t Get You to Religion:  Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro:  Sources: https://commongood.cc/reader/a-few-rules-for-predicting-the-future-by-octavia-e-butler/?https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/trump-administrations-campaign-undermine-next-election?https://www.epi.org/publication/trumps-assault-on-independent-agencies-endangers-us-all/?https://faithcommunitiestoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FACTs-on-Finance-Report_Trends-on-Congregational-Economics_Mar-2022.pdf?https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2025/02/25/black-entrepreneurs-indianapolis-growth?Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    1h 25m
  7. Episode #262 – December 27, 2025 – “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.”

    12/30/2025

    Episode #262 – December 27, 2025 – “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.”

    Send us a text Intro: Quote of the Week: Frantz Fanon Unmasking the News:  Democracy Watch: When Reality Collapses at the Top: Foreign Policy Watch: “Quarantine” as Empire-Speak and Nigeria: A Crusade Fantasy in Modern Clothes: The Holy Hustle Continues: Good News: Black Success That Circulates Power: Strategies for Black Power: South Africa & Rhodesia — Independence Without Power Is a Costume: Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro:  Sources: https://www.factcheck.org/2025/12/factchecking-trumps-rapid-fire-prime-time-address/?https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/white-house-orders-us-forces-focus-quarantine-venezuela-2025-12-24/?https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/us-launches-strikes-against-islamic-state-militants-northwest-nigeria-trump-says-2025-12-25/?https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/brooklyn-church-pastor-pleads-guilty-tax-evasion-scheme?https://www.reuters.com/world/china/keith-lee-named-creator-year-first-ever-us-tiktok-awards-2025-12-19/?Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    57 min
  8. Episode #261 – December 20, 2025 – Power Without Conscience

    12/19/2025

    Episode #261 – December 20, 2025 – Power Without Conscience

    Send us a text Intro: Quote of the Week: James Baldwin Unmasking the News:  Democracy Watch: The Chief of Staff as Confessor: When the Mask Slips: When Empathy Dies, Fascism Smiles: Holy Robbery: Good News: Capacity, Not Vibes: Bible Study with an Atheist: The Immorality of Divine Tribalism: From Eden to Genocide: Reflections and Call to Action: Closing/Outro:  Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/18/trump-vanity-fair-interview?https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-harsh-comments-rob-reiners-murder-spark-rare/story?id=128421268&https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil/pr/former-southern-illinois-pastor-sentenced-prison-fraudulently-obtaining-covid-19?https://www.aamu.edu/about/inside-aamu/news/university-confers-455-degrees-honoring-historic-cohort-with-104-first-generation-graduates.html?Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

    56 min
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4.9
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

A discussion of all topics as seen through the eyes of a Black Atheist, Skeptic, Humanist, Existentialist

Information

  • Creator
    Michael
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    273
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Rational Black Thought
  • Show Website
    Rational Black Thought