Happy Birthday to ya! 🎂
Stevie turns 70, Apple+ first podcast, and Chappelle-Talib Kweli-Yasiin Bey
Hey Party People,
I’m going to start off with the bad news.
Great Pods update: We got our rejection emails from Y Combinator and Tech Stars LA accelerators in the startup world. Womp womp. We aren’t sad. We’re just going to keep growing and improving. On the flip side, we did do a pitch practice with Y Combinator’s event. It was a nice pick-me-up when almost all founders validated Great Pods to be valuable. To the moon! 🚀 🌝
Industry News: You can now timestamp episodes on Spotify podcasts when sharing. You just need the Spotify app to listen. It’s a new feature for Spotify, not new in audio-video space.
And just announced…Armchair Expert w/ Dax Shepard is following the likes of Joe Rogan and Brené Brown by going exclusive to Spotify in July. Is this like when radio stars would go exclusive from radio to Sirius XM like Howard Stern did in 2004?
On to my picks this week…
Podcast: The Line
Genre: True Crime (Explicit)
Publisher: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s first podcast. (It’s free). The story based on the NAVY Seal who was pardoned for killing Iraqi’s and the SEALS that reported him. The podcast compliments the upcoming Apple TV+ documentary that will be released this fall.
The setup has a lot of Navy SEALS cursing so far and sets up how tight of a group they are. I might’ve wanted a little less of that, but that’s ok.
“The Line, or at least the podcast version, is genuinely excellent and I don’t think you should miss it.”
Nicholas Quah - Vulture - Apr 6, 2021
Podcast: Midnight Miracle
Genre: Comedy
Publisher: Luminary, Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, Dave Chappelle
I personally cannot tell you how excited I am for this podcast in full.
About: The Midnight Miracle is a thought-provoking podcast that uniquely blends the salon and variety show traditions while providing a glimpse into the inner lives of hosts Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Dave Chappelle, and friends.
Episode 0 and 1 have been released for free on all platforms. Episode 0 is a short story about Dave on shrooms in NYC, while Episode 1 is 25 min was about the interactions with Amy Winehouse, Malik B., and Robin Williams. You’ll hear very brief comments from Chris Rock, Questlove, and comedian Donnell Rawlings. Enjoyed both episodes! 👍
“It’s heavy and hilarious, just like the best Chappelle stage bits. And then, in episode two, the whole mood is flipped.”
Dane Rivera - Uproxx - May 11, 2021
Future episodes are under the subscription model via the Luminary app and the new Apple podcast subscription service. Episode 2 has been released as premium and ends with the long-awaited new single from Black Star (Talib Kweli/Yasiin Bey). It’s not on Spotify yet, or Youtube for that matter. I can only assume it’s because they want subscriptions and listens on the podcast first. That’s how they getcha!
Podcast: Lost Notes: 1980
Episode: Stevie Wonder
Genre: Music History
Publisher: KCRW
Today is Stevie Wonder’s 70th birthday. Lost Notes podcast season 3 dubbed, Lost Notes: 1980, dissects the music that came from that year from a commentary point of view of host Hanif Abdurraqib. The album that was released by Wonder was Hotter Than July. I learned some good information about the context and events around that album with the reality that Stevie made his Happy Birthday song for MLK Jr.’s birthday observance.
“…as a social history of marginalization at a particular moment in music history, Lost Notes is an unqualified success. You really ought to listen to it.”
Brendan Mattox - Podcast Review - Sep 5, 2019
We know what’s happening in Palestine/Israel, but why has it taken so long for the Biden administration to comment.
Honorable mention: Why Biden can't escape the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Honorable mention: I recommended Tell Me, I Am at the beginning of Ramadan. Now that it’s the end of Ramadan, the last episode of Season 2 was released with the story from the first Iranian-American Astronaut, retired Anousheh Ansari.
Stay safe, get vaccinated (get that second shot!), and Eid Mubarak!
XOXO
Captain Ron
About: Great Pods is a podcast discovery and recommendations ecosystem that uses podcast critic’s reviews and ratings to help you find your first or next listen.