Here's Why You Shouldn't Miss Out On The 90s Baby Show – Podcasters Embracing The Freedom Of Continuous Learning

    "We're not afraid to talk about things, but we ensure that the right people that are qualified or credible within that space or on that issue are here to speak on it."

    Tochi Imo
    by Tochi Imo

    BuzzFeed Staff

    In 2014, childhood friends-turned-colleagues, Temi and Fred, sat together deciding whether to take their randomised playful conversations to a public forum.

    Together, the team – along with a variation of complementary guests and interviewees from Nella Rose to John Boyega – discuss any and every issue with few limits and even fewer filters.

    90s Baby Show

    While there are differences in each episode, there are also constant threads that set them apart (see the football helmet required to be worn if grammar mistakes are made while recording).

    Since their ascension on YouTube, the team have gone viral across varying platforms for a range of reasons including believing wind turbines cooled the earth (???) and more recently, with one of the trio exclaiming distress over the handling of his bachelor party.

    View this video on YouTube
    90s Baby Show / Via Youtube

    On handling conflicts, they explain that they are indeed professionals: "As soon as the cameras are on, we all understand there's a job to do", VP says. "Or sometimes we'll just argue on camera because it's still content at the end of the day. It just depends on what is and whether we want the public to know we're arguing about this thing. So, yeah, I think it's just keeping it professional, you know? Bringing useful energy to the screen or it's gonna have an adverse effect on all of us."

    While their current success is clear, they explain that it wasn't always an easy process: "When we first started the camera audio was awful", says Temi. "Then I downloaded a platform that was like Skype, but I didn't know it recorded five minutes at a time. So I'd spoken for like 45 minutes, but it'd only recorded five."

    Fred also explains there were issues with finding space to record. "I had a basement at the bottom of my block so we started recording there, but then that flooded. Twice." He laughs, "we did a few episodes at Temi's, an episode at Dennis' house, then COVID hit [but] we got our own studio in November 2022 and went full time."

    After being accepted onto YouTube's Black Voices Fund, the trio left their day jobs behind to pursue greater things with 90s Baby.

    The Joe Budden Network

    A diverse range of platforms and talent are mentioned when discussing their influences. From Ricky Gervais to Joe Budden, it's clear that each member was a fan of men with microphones before getting into the industry themselves. We can't however, talk about male-led platforms without discussing the discourse around the sometimes problematic nature of these podcasts.

    This dialogue has grown in volume over the past year and the 90s Baby men are no strangers to the conversation. "It's funny because I think, luckily for us, from what I see, when they talk about [male podcasts] a lot of the time underneath someone says 'except 90s Baby Show'", laughs VP. "We've kind of flown under the radar there."

    There is, however, a key differentiation between their platform and several other male podcasters.

    90s Baby Show

    "If we're talking about an issue that affects a community that we're not a part of, we make sure we bring that person in", says Temi. "We had Krystal Lake on recently who's part of the LGBTQ community, Monrowe as well. They can give us a perspective because it's very easy to be ignorant. And some of these issues can be very sensitive, especially from a male perspective, [it’s] very easy to just like disregard or not understand, and we don't want to speak as if we know. We're very tactful. We're not afraid to talk about things, but we ensure that the right people that are qualified or, you know, credible within that space or on that issue are here to speak on it."

    The evolution of the 90s Baby Show from a podcast to a multifaceted entertainment platform is one to be emphasised. Now, they not only showcase themselves, but upcoming talent, too.

    90s Baby Show

    These include artists, chefs and cultural commentators. "Other people whose shows were on our platform have gone on to do amazing things, like Flashy Sillah", says a gushing Fred. "His show 'The Block Report' joined our platform, then moved to Mixtape Madness, and he's since been in COMPLEX magazine, interviewed artists [such as] Jadakiss and Styles P – proper amazing stuff."

    It's clear that at the heart of it, the 90s Baby team want to add colour to the lives of their listeners. Listing what they love most about their platform and output, their answers vary from offering positive Black male role models, to simply putting smiles on their audiences' faces.

    Looking to the future, there are plans for the platform to expand to even greater heights, with a specific focus on international reach.

    It's key to stress that although they're 10 years deep, there's still a lot more in store for the 90s Baby Show. Learning and growing every day, they offer not just giggles, but a place for different communities – both on the couch with them and at home – to feel seen and free.