23 Black Podcasts You Should Absolutely Know About

Podcasting has become one of the most influential, lucrative, and powerful forms of media. In light of Black History Month, let's take a look at some podcasts you should be checking out.

1. The Pivot Podcast

The Pivot Podcast / Via youtube.com

After their departure from I Am Athlete, Channing Crowder, Ryan Clark, and Fred Taylor branched off to create their own podcast entitled The Pivot Podcast. With all three of the hosts being former NFL players, the show primarily focuses on speaking with athletes to gain insight on their journeys and life off the field. Each bring a different personality to the show, with Channing being the wildcard who enjoys getting way too personal on his stories. Fred is the soothing and mild-mannered voice of reason, while Ryan sounds like the cool, humorous coach that everyone respects. The majority of their guests are athletes or sports-related personalities; however, with the success of the show, they occasionally bring in superstars such as Kevin Hart. 

2. 85 South Show

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Possibly the funniest podcast of the culture, The 85 South Show is composed of comedians Karlous Miller, Chico Bean, and DC Young Fly. 85 South is a mesh of guest interviews, panel discussions, and live shows that are all comedy-based with a touch of southern persona. To me, this podcast reflects the personality and humor of many southern region folk, who think and act like the hosts of this podcast. The trio aligned on MTV's Wild'n Out and transitioned to creating an entire media platform of their own. 

3. Jemele Hill Is Unbothered

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Jemele Hill is a journalist and media personality who rose to popularity for her very unfiltered and nuanced opinions on pop culture. The veteran journalist often receives criticism for her comments, yet sometimes, I think she wants to say whatever will make people uncomfortable and push their limits of thinking. On her podcast, which airs every Monday, she discusses sports, culture, music, and anything else she sees fit. If you enjoy opinions that have dark humor and a little shade mixed in, you'll love Jemele Hill Is Unbothered.

4. Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay

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Since his early days at TMZ, Van Lathan has been a very outspoken media commentator in regards to pop culture. Maybe his most famous moment was confronting Kanye West on his controversial comments. So, it was no surprise that when he left TMZ, he'd go on to create his own media outlet to continue being a media personality. Teaming up with Rachel Lindsay, who is the former lead on The Bachelorette, was a little surprising however. Despite the shocking unification of the two, the end product is great as they talk pop culture, society, trendy news, race, and more. They shine when it comes to holding others accountable on their BS, giving the show a woke daytime talk show vibe. These are two very intelligent people, having very entertaining conversations.  

5. The Right Time with Bomani Jones

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Bomani Jones is an Emmy-winning sports journalist and former host of ESPN's Highly Questionable TV show. Jones has spent over a decade being a media personality for numerous publications, which led to him landing two shows including his HBO talk show Game Theory and the ESPN hosted podcast The Right Time with Bomani Jones. Three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays), Jones weighs in on sports, pop culture, and societal news with a very witty and sharp form of communication. This show is perfect for people who like to hear about sports in a very cerebral way. 

6. BackOnFigg

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The most entertaining personality in all of west coast media is probably King Trell. After gaining a newfound stardom from his role on the At the End of the Day podcast, Trell created his own podcast entitled BackOnFigg, with the name drawing symbolism to his roots on Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. Trell is an entrepreneur who is a fashion creative, media personality, and music industry veteran. His humor, confidence, willingness to help others, and unfiltered opinions quickly made him a fan favorite. Trell hosts the show alongside his lifelong friend Smac, who is Schoolboy Q's hype man, and potentially the most energy-filled figure you'll ever meet. His lingo, energy, and peaceful mentality mesh well with King Trell and results in a great production. The show airs on YouTube every Monday and Friday at 4 p.m., with Trell's fiancé Heather Sanders making an appearance on Friday's show. Let the record reflect!

7. Code Switch

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Beginning in 2016, the award-winning podcast discusses race, politics, society, and pop culture from a minority point of view. What makes this show unique is the approach to hold conversations about American racism with no filter, sugarcoating, or pandering to a particular demographic. Hosted by journalist Gene Demby, B. A. Parker, Karen Bates, and Lori Lizarraga, the show airs weekly on NPR.

8. Earn Your Leisure

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Earn Your Leisure is a wildly successful podcast that discusses financial literacy, business, Black culture, and more. Hosted by financial advisors Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, the show interviews guests who give insight to entrepreneurship, real estate, the stock market, and other industries. Listening to this podcast will feel like a crash course in understanding business models, mixed with Black men who understand the current culture.  

9. Drink Champs

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If I had to name the holy grail of Black podcasts, it would more than likely be Drink Champs. Hosted by legendary rapper N.O.R.E. and his friend DJ EFN, the show aligns with the title as they drink, and drink, and drink some more, which often places guests in a very loose state of mind, leading to a very unfiltered conversation. I'd place them at the holy grail, not necessarily because of podcasting skills, but because of their catalog of guests. They've interviewed everyone from Kanye West to DMX, Shaq, Patti LaBelle, and almost any other Black celeb you can think of. You can always count on them to have a legendary guest and to drink, a whole lot.

10. Checking In with Michelle Williams

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The former Destiny Child singer teams up with her friends to give a weekly podcasts in which they hold transparent conversations on dealing with depression, anxiety, and other mental health battles. After her split with Destiny's Child, Williams went on to create gospel music for a number of years and became a mental health advocate. Hearing Black women discuss mental health, faith, and the everyday struggles of minority women is a perspective that is absolutely necessary. This podcast will make you cry while also speaking to your spirit.

11. Still Processing

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If you enjoy a show with extreme range that covers a broad span of topics, Still Processing is for you. This podcast tackles culture, dating, internet, society, film, and everything else you could imagine. Hosted by film critic Wesley Morris and journalist Jenna Wortham, the weekly show will stimulate those with a diverse palate for entertainment.

12. Cuhmunity

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Maybe a decade from now, when West Coast media personalities look back, they will all give flowers to AD, as he is one of the first pioneers of his region to have a successful transition from rapping to being a media personality. AD kickstarted a wave of personalities who come from a similar background as him, creating a space for his people to offer their opinions to the world in a cool and digestible way. As a rapper, he coined hits such as "Juice" and "Thug," but has also kept a balance of releasing songs alongside his numerous shows. Nicknamed "The Batman" for his willingness to always offer solutions to everyone's problems, his Cuhmunity podcast streams live on YouTube and Caffeine, multiple times a week. With multiple successful shows already, AD's trajectory is high, and I'd expect to see even bigger things to come from the pioneer in 2023.

13. Pour Minds

Pour Minds / Via youtube.com

Two single ladies, Drea and Lex, host the Pour Minds podcast to discuss the dating world, being single, friendships, and more. They enjoy pouring a glass of wine to help them and their guests open up about the struggles of dating in a very humorous and trivial way. Music, movies, and anything else in Black culture also get discussed, as these two love to give their southern perspective on things going on in the world. Check out their interview with Ali Siddiq, and you'll become an instant fan.

14. All the Smoke

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Two former NBA players team up off the court to create a safe space for athletes and people engraved in Black culture to come and speak their piece. Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson host their show very similarly to their style of play, which is aggressive. They ask the questions that everyone wants to know, yet they allow their guests to control their own narratives and speak their truth without being judged. This is the platform celebs want to visit if they need to clear the air on any rumors, as Stephen and Matt will hold anyone accountable and aren't afraid to call out media outlets, coaches, players, and more.

15. Girl Stop Playin' Podcast

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Hosted by Koereyelle, the Girl Stop Playin' podcast tackles all of the conversations needed in regards to dating, sex, lifestyle, and more. Each episode, Koereyelle is joined by guests with an interesting take on dating, whether it's them being polyamorous, not believing in marriage, or thinking cheating is okay. The conversation will certainly be interesting — they're bound to make you cringe or feel victorious knowing someone out there agrees with you. Any question you have on dating, I'm sure she has an episode discussing it. 

16. Touré Show

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Touré is a legendary journalist and culture critic who has covered everything from hip-hop to politics, pop culture, and more. His podcast Touré Show airs every Wednesday as he sits down with Black creatives, musicians, comedians, writers, and more. They pick each other's brains on pop culture and give insight to how they became successful. The seasoned cultural commentator has many intelligent and quirky takes that make for a great perspective. Touré is simply a legend. 

17. Million Dollaz Worth of Game

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This dynamic duo are high on the hierarchy of Black podcasts, as they produce some of the best numbers and host some of the most legendary guests. Hailing from Philadelphia, cousins Gillie and Wallo are nothing short of hilarious and captivating. After doing a 20-year prison sentence, Wallo came home and teamed up with Gillie, who had been displaying his personality on the internet for years. Whether they are interviewing guests or making fun of each other for two hours, this show will leave you entertained in some capacity. 

18. The More Purpose Podcast

More Purpose Podcast / Via youtube.com

Hosted by Virginia natives Clarence Sellers and Marlon Sellers, The More Purpose Podcast gives discussions on faith, finances, society, and mental health. The two gentleman offer their insights on struggles that many young believers will face and offer solutions to these potential battles. As both hosts are creatives and entrepreneurs, they often discuss the balance of fulfilling your purpose while trying to align that with your actual career. In a society where faith can be sensitive to speak on, the hosts take the courageous stance on being confident about their faith-based observations, making for a pretty amazing podcast. 

19. The Joe Budden Podcast

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The legendary rapper, media personality, and podcast host should be considered one of the founding fathers of Black podcasting. Or as fans call it, the Podfather. From his early days of Joe Budden TV, the New Jersey native has been cementing his space in the digital media world for a long time. Despite hosting other shows such as Everyday Struggle and State Of the Culture, one thing that has remained consistent throughout the years is The Joe Budden Podcast. With over 1 million subscribers, the podcast has one of the most watched shows in hip-hop media. Showing resiliency after a breakup with his original hosts, Joe Budden, Ice, Ish, and Parks host an extremely successful weekly podcast that discuss Black culture, music, sports, news, and much more. JBP is on the Mount Rushmore of Black podcasts. 

20. AceBoyz Worldwide

AceBoyPun / Via youtube.com

If BET: Uncut returns and needs a show to kick it off, they need to call AceBoyPun. AceBoyzWorldwide is possibly the most raw, uncut, turnt up podcast and livestream on YouTube. Hosted by music executive and producer AceBoyPun and his co-host AceBoyTrey every Friday at 9 p.m., they turn their recording studio upside down for a wild night of fun. Mixing interviews, opinions on the latest news, and maybe 10-15 reoccurring guests, this livestream feels like a spring break party for the world to watch. Pun, aka Punstigator, offers a dark humor perspective, while AceBoyTrey gives a laidback and smooth aura. 

21. HC Pod

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Hailing from the UK, music industry veteran DJ Chuckie hosts a weekly podcast alongside his friends Savage Dan and Poet. Together they form one of the most balanced collection of hosts in all of Black media, as they discuss UK news, music, fashion, culture, and more. The show, which was created by Chuckie, is a staple in the UK media scene and one of the pioneering podcasts that opened the door for many others to follow. Chuckie holds his place as leader of the group with a mature and insightful perspective. Dan offers a very "savage" yet smooth outlook, which led to him becoming a media personality of his own after his success with HC. Poet is passionate, rebellious, intelligent, and wild all at the same time. 

22. Home Grown Radio

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Hosted by DJ Hed and Chuck Dizzle, Home Grown Radio is a media platform dedicated to helping shine a light on West Coast artists and creatives. They incorporate conversations with veterans such as Ab-Soul, while also having a primary focus on speaking with upcoming Los Angeles artists that deserve to be seen. The podcast really is homegrown, starting out as a college radio broadcast that was hosted in an apartment, to becoming a full network and radio show. Chuck Dizzle, the creator and co-host of HGR, is a media and radio giant who also hosts at 92.3. DJ Hed is a Los Angeles staple in media and music who not only worked in radio for years, but also DJ'd for the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Lil Wayne. Both have a passion for bringing awareness to upcoming LA artists, giving back to the community, and contributing to the entertainment scene in their region. 

23. Lastly, Know for Sure

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Famous internet comedian and personality B. Simone branched off to podcasting and created the Know for Sure podcast. With her out of the box opinions on entertainment, dating, and entrepreneurship, it only made sense for the entertainer to create a space to express her opinions in long form. Alongside her co-host/BFF of 20 years, Megan Ashley, the duo discuss their relationship with God, dating, business, pop culture, and more.  

Let me know some of your favorite Black podcasts below!

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