The Stoop – Details, episodes & analysis

What if we told you there's an entire book dedicated to the things Black folk say?  Historically Black Phrases by jarett hill and Tre'vell Anderson introduces and explains sayings like "I AIN'T ONE OF YOUR LIL' FRIENDS"  to  "WHO ALL GON' BE THERE?".  The book is a blend of the many things you grew up hearing and their definitions and usage all in one place. We sit down with the authors to talk about what makes a phrase "Black" and ask, 'are some phrases reserved for only some Black people?'Join us! 

We should all be free to be, free to love, and be celebrated in that process - if not by others, then definitely by ourselves. In this episode, Hana and Leila explore three stories that center queerness and spirituality, Black drag culture, and shifting relationship structures through polyamory. Through it all, the episode guests had to wrestle with disapproval from their communities - and sift through feelings of being outcasts - to eventually accept themselves. Bob the Drag Queen, Darnell Moore, Bishop Yvette Flunder, and The Verts make an appearance.  

This season we're leaning into love in all its forms — starting with the city of love, Paris. Leila meets with Sutanya Dacres, an American in France, who transformed her life after heartbreak through the joy of cooking. She also lets us in on the secret ingredient that makes French life feel so romantic.

Many immigrants imagine the US to be heaven. A moneymaking, perfect paradise but when they get here, it's a different story. We meet African immigrants who tell their stories of Coming to America, and what the wish they knew before they came.

When you're from an immigrant community, becoming a successful musician isn't an easy journey. We meet 3 dope diaspora musicians: Meklit Hadero, Oddisee, and AlSarah - each with their own struggle that comes with belonging to two identities- African, and American.

For more about the featured artists check them out!

Alsarah and the Nubatones

Odissee

Meklit Hadero

Episode art by: @neemascribbles

"You're black, but you ain't BLACK black."

Like many African kids in the US, Stoop host Hana Baba was ridiculed for being from Africa. She was called names like "African booty scratcher." And the name calling came only from the black kids. What's behind this black disconnect and where did it come from? The Stoop explores this with a young Sudanese American and her African American friends.

What's it mean when someone says you "sound white"? In this episode we explore voice, and unpack what it means linguistically, socially, and professionally when you're black but supposedly "sound white."

As always, we love you for loving The Stoop. Drop some stars on our podcast and put down a review - we appreciate every new set of ears!

Contributors: @1A @jejihnson322 Chinaka Hodge (@chinakahodge)

Editor:  Sound Design: Seth Samuel Illustration: Neema Iyer (@Neemascribbles) Digital Production/PodOps: Megan Jones

Let's hit pause and take a breath.

Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba break from the chatter of stoop talk to send out a special double episode that allows for a moment of grace, a place where one can catch a breath and regroup in order to move forward.

What revives and sustains your soul? For Leila, it's dance. For Hana, it's music.

Like what you hear? Drop some stars on The Stoop and put down a review in iTunes or Stitcher - we thank you as always for listening.

Credits

Contributors: Leila Day & Hana Baba Sound Design: Leila Day  Stoop logo: Jef Cunningham Digital Production/PodOps: Megan Jones

"It's not hard for a black man of my caliber to say I love you."

But is it? 

Many black people say they never heard I love you much growing up, including both Leila and Hana, hosts of The Stoop. In Episodes 2, we examine the reasons why we don't hear I love you, and what that means. We talk to inmates at San Quentin state prison, a professor who studies black male emotional expression, and Stooptalk with Al Letson about I love you in his home.

Did you hear I love you growing up? #blacklove #blackfamilies

Want more Stoop? Go to our website www.thestoop.org. There you will find videos, audio shorts, behind-the-scenes peeks, and more. We drop preview audio clips, photos, and all kinds of interesting etcetera on social - so follow us on Twitter, and Instagram (@thestooppodcast) and on Facebook (stooppodcast) to get the latest and to see the conversations around our shows. Have an idea or question? hangout(at)thestoop.org. 

Like what you hear? Drop some stars on The Stoop and put down a review - we thank you for listening.

Credits:

Thanks to Al Letson (@Al_Letson) and Serie McDougal (@SerieMcdougal) for contibuting to this episode.

Sound Design: Chris Hoff

Illustration:  Neema Iyer

Digital Production/PodOps: Megan Jones

Episode 1: An exploration into the controversy over appropriation of African cultures by African Americans. Are African Americans appropriating when they wear a dashiki, tribal markings, or a head wrap? Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba stoop this out in the debut episode of The Stoop podcast, their first stop, Afropunk.

For more info, videos, photos, illustrations and audio shorts, go to our website www.thestoop.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.