Real Ballers Read

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Blair LM Kelley, an award-winning historian, professor, and writer about her recent book, Black Folk. We talked about how she made the study of history her own, how she thinks about progress in the Black community, her gratitude to Toni Morrison, and on whether Beyonce's "Break My Soul" is a Black working class anthem. And we shared a lot of laughs a...

Our guest today is an incredible reporter and journalist—Wesley Lowery. In this episode we talk with him about his recently released book, American Whitelash , and how he approaches his writing. Check out Real Ballers Read here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Our guest today is a true writer's writer - novelist, essayist, playwright, and screenwriter Trey Ellis! Trey Ellis is the author of four books and is currently a professor at Columbia University. In this episode we talk with him about his early inspiration as a reader and writer, the New Black Aesthetic and more. Check out Real Ballers Read here Check out Trey's website here --- Support t...

Dr. Marcia Chatelain is a professor of History and African American Studies at Georgetown University and the author of two books: South Side Girls: Growing Up in the Great Migration, and the Pulitzer Prize winning Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America. In this episode, we first learn from Dr. Chatelain about her upbringing in Chicago - all the books she could get her hands on, and all the...

Dr. Daniel Black is a professor of African American Studies at Clark Atlanta University and the author of seven novels and the new collection of essays, Black on Black: On Our Resilience and Brilliance in America. In this episode featuring him and two of his friends, Dr. Black brought us to church, brought us to the water, and brought us home to ourselves. Our conversation spans from his experienc...

 Dr. Frederic Bertley is an Emmy-Award-winning science educator and immunologist from Montreal, Canada. He currently serves as the president of the nation's #1 science museum, COSI (Center of Science and Industry) in Columbus, Ohio. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Bertley about how he came to love reading, how he fell in love with science, and ask him all sorts of fun questions about science...

This April was the 30th anniversary of Race Matters by Cornel West. It's a great book that I wanted to just sit on the couch to talk to y'all about! Highly recommend reading through the book if you haven't, it's not as academic as it may seem. You can check out the book with this link. :40 How I found the book  1:39 A little context for the book  4:33 Nihilism in Black America  6:3...

In this episode, we were honored to talk with educator, teacher and writer extraordinaire, Dr. Donna Akiba Sullivan Harper. She taught at  Spelman for 32 years and was the Fuller E. Calloway Professor of English. She is also a world renowned expert on Langston Hughes and his Simple stories.  We talked about her longtime love and scholarship of Langston Hughes, the story of how Simple came to be, a...

We don't know everything about podcasting, but we do know that it's one of the most fun and fulfilling things we've ever done. Everyone who enjoys listening to podcasts should at least *consider* producing one because it's a great opportunity for personal growth and community-building. Here in this episode, Jan shares some of the origin story of Real Ballers Read, and offers 5 simp...

So in the last couple of weeks there was a small controversy on Twitter about two magazine covers, one with Jonathan Majors and another with ASAP Rocky and Rihanna. The controversy was over whether or not there is an agenda to effeminize Black men in popular media. In this episode, I wanted to talk about to two writers who had a similar debate before—Frances Cress Welsing and Essex Hemphill. --- S...

Real Ballers Read returns to Langston Hughes’s legendary but long-forgotten character, Jess B. Semple in this week’s podcast episode! This time with our hilarious and brilliant Uncle Chris “CockaRue” Wesson. Last summer, Uncle Chris asked if we knew Jess B. Semple and his favorite book series Simple Speaks His Mind, Simple Takes A Wife, and Simple Stakes A Claim. We had never heard of Simple, or e...

“I call the young people who grew up in the past twenty-five years the Trayvon Generation. They always knew these stories. These stories formed their world view. These stories helped instruct young African-Americans about their embodiment and their vulnerability. The stories were primers in fear and futility. The stories were the ground soil of their rage. These stories instructed them that anti-b...

“Usually over a glass of beer, he tells me his tales, mostly in high humor, but sometimes with a pain in his soul as sharp as the occasional hurt of that bunion on his right foot.” ~ Langston Hughes, 1961 Who is Simple??? For this week’s episode of Real Ballers Read, we introduce you to one of Langston Hughes’s most hilarious and lesser known characters: Jess B. Semple, nicknamed “Simple”. Simple...

In this episode, Miles talks about The Spook Who Sat By The Door by Sam Greenlee. He reads a short passage from the book, talks about the questions it raises and the book's influence on Nipsey Hussle.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

“Are you sure, sweetheart you want to be well? …Cause wholeness is no trifling matter. A lot of weight when you’re well.” Toni Cade Bambara opens her novel The Salt Eaters with these lines - questioning both the protagonist AND the reader to decide if they want to take on the weight of wellness. Reading this book is unlike any other reading experience we’ve had. It feels like trudging through mud,...

“I have closed novels and stared at their back covers for a long moment and felt known in a way I cannot honestly say I have felt known by many real-life interactions with human beings, or even by myself.” ~ Zadie Smith On this week’s episode of Real Ballers Read, we dive into one of the most thought-provoking essays by the brilliant Zadie Smith, “Fascinated to Presume: In Defense of Fiction”. Her...

Introducing… Dr Eve L. Ewing as the newest guest on the Real Ballers Read podcast!! We talked with Dr. Ewing about the power and problems of reading, why the way we frame education matters, and the two Audre Lorde essays that Dr. Ewing is constantly learning from: “Poetry is Not a Luxury” and “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action.” We’ve been dreaming to host Dr. Ewing on our pod...

"Teamwork and intelligence wins championships."  In this episode, we talk about Michael Jordan's 1994 book, I Can't Accept Not Trying and what we can learn from his mindset in trying to accomplish our own goals in 2023.  1:43 Story behind the book 2:44 I Can’t Accept Not Trying… what does that mean? 4:27 Why are people afraid of failure? 5:32 Difference between faith and hope 7:19 Why pe...

In this episode, we talk about why it's important for Black men to read! This is a topic we've been thinking about for a long time and want continue thinking and talking about with others. Let us know your thoughts and questions! :32 Why is it important for Black men to read? :49 Reading as a practice of listening 3:39 The Fear of not being heard 6:22 Why Reading has so many positive side effects...

In this episode, Jan and Miles reflect on their year of reading! They talk about their favorite books, reflect on how reading fit into their lives and think ahead to what they are excited about reading in 2023.  1:09 Miles’ reflection on his year in reading 5:08 Year of Moving 6:33 Jan’s reflection on his year of reading 11:13 Jan’s pace of reading 12:45 Jan’s Year of Poetry and Plays in 2023...

Y'all - Jan’s first book is coming out this weekend!! It’s a Happy Birthday Pub Day for my bro!! Watering Whole is a chapbook of poems that are inspired by Jan’s personal and cultural relationship with water. Jan has studied water through the lens of Black art and history, environmental justice, technology and spirituality, and his insights all come to the surface in this incredible collection. Yo...

Because sometimes somebody can give a sermon through words that subtly, yet significantly, respects our humanity. And sometimes somebody can give a sermon without saying a word. Our newest guest on the Real Ballers Read podcast is one of our favorite bookstagrammers and low-key authors - Daniel Cast!! We’ve been vibing with his reflections and recommendations for more than a minute, so it was grea...

“The word art does not encompass the full meaning of the word” For this week’s episode of Real Ballers Read, we interviewed our sister Vera Grace (they/she), who is easily the wisest, coolest, and most creative person we know!! Vera just returned from a life-changing trip to Namibia and Southern Africa, where they deepened their study of Black agricultural practices. We had an awesome time catchin...

In this episode, we talk with Shanita Hubbard, the author of the new book Ride or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women. We had an awesome time hearing from Shanita about her journey writing Ride or Die, why we must stop imposing and glorifying a Ride or Die mentality on Black women, how she's growing as a parent, her favorite hip-hop artists and more. This is an incredible b...

Anthony Ireland is a graduate of Loyal Marymount University, he played nine years of basketball professionally in Europe, and he is the founder of the AI three Leadership Academy and host of the Grind podcast. In this episode, we talk about his love of basketball and reading and his journey with both over the years. You'll love this conversation as much as we did! :46 What Anthony has been up to r...