There are a number of quality blerd podcasts killing it on the regular for hardcore fans and curious newcomers alike. There’s literally something for everybody out here in the black and nerdy audio space – big personalities, celebrity guests, expert insight on movies, television, gaming, etc. – all from a cultural perspective that feels native.
Check out some of my favorites below:
1. BGN Podcast
Black Girl Nerds is definitely a friend of the site, but even more importantly they’re crushing the podcast the game. Expect great guests and interviews, hilarious film/tv reviews (with some serious fandom talk on the side), and great conversations about culturally specific experiences. Make sure you check out this episode especially!
2. Fan Bros Show
The Fan Bros Show is run by the very distinct and entertaining personalities DJ Benhameen (aka Wakanda’s favorite DJ), Tatiana King Jones (the Grand Duchess of Tech), and Chico Leo (aka Luke Beige). The rapport between the group makes the show a must listen, as they discuss everything from movies, tv and comics to gaming, extremely specific hip-hop lore and more. (This episode with Kid Fury is an oldie but a goodie.)
3. BlackComicsChat
Black Comics Chat is one of my personal favorite audio programs in the nerd space, period. It’s hosted by a team of Marcus Kwame, Leo Faierman, Grace Gipson, and Thelonious Legend. What you get from this show experience is true to its title – they talk comics. Black Comics Chat brings on a creator, artist or comic-book-related professional on every show (sometimes more than one), and gets to the nitty gritty about their work. The podcast is also very responsible, in my opinion, for signal boosting indie projects that deserve to be funded. When Black Comics Chat backs a project, the people come out and support.
4. For Colored Nerds
NEW EP: B & E talk Black camp by way of Carmen, R.Kelly/Isley Bros and Trapped in the Closet. https://t.co/bwrAVuZNHl
— For Colored Nerds (@ForColoredNerds) May 31, 2016
I see the Eric Eddings and Brittany Luse hosted For Colored Nerds much like a cultural time capsule of the black nerd perspective on life in our time. The two friends volley back and forth on a plethora of topics such as reality television, R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet” series, and Beyoncé’s visual album Lemonade. The cadence of familiarity that exists between them keeps the show just as fresh and interesting as the topic of discussion. Brittany also has another podcast (about podcasts) on Gimlet Media (they both work behind the scenes there, too).
5. MTR Network: Character Corner
Kriss and Dpalm from the Movie Review Network have several podcast segments under the umbrella, but Character Corner is my personal favorite. Each episode is dedicated to a specific comic book character as the co-hosts delve into origins, story arcs and motivation for each personality they discuss. It’s definitely worth a listen if you want learn more about a specific character you’re curious about.
The podcast game is chock full of shows that deserve their due, such as The Black Geeks, Black Nerd Power, the Black Tribbles, 3 Black Geeks, Nerds of Prey, and the extended PoC family at Nerds of Color. This definitely will not be the last post on the black nerd audio space.
