Love + Grit

When thinking about Maryam Pugh, Tayyib Smith and Sam Katz, we think accomplished visionaries. First up, the revolution may not be televised but it will be featured thanks to Philadelphia Printworks founder, Maryam Pugh. Her mission to promotes social justice just got bigger since being featured in Target stores. This powerful partnership aims to amplify social justice messages and showcase artist...

Kyra Knox and Lady Alma are two dope ladies using their voices in different ways. Kyra is using her directing voice to make sure Philly’s basketball courts stay safe. Her passion for the arts created a project that Philly needs: the documentary Bad Things Happen in Philadelphia. The documentary discusses the impact of gun violence in city and highlights the non-profits working hard to create chang...

Two people that are the voices of Philadelphia: Alejandro Bedoya and GoGo Morrow. First up, Alejandro is not just the Philadelphia Union’s team captain, but also a passionate advocate to end gun violence. He’s also on the board of Live Work Philadelphia whose mission is to grow and diversify the middle-income population in the City of Philadelphia. Add to the list of accomplishments: helping secur...

Music and food on your mind? Khemist and Alisha Miranda are about to help sooth your musical and culinary requests. Philly is home to some of the greatest MCs and to add to the list we have Khemist. He’s a teacher, an academic and multi-instrumentalist who has released several studio albums and mixtapes. And now Khemist is working with organizations like the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel C...

Philly loves options and that’s what Meeka Johnson and Rene Melendez are serving. Johnson has done it all. She's known in Philly for her sense of fashion innovation. She's put in decades of work as a fashion stylist and consultant. And she's even created her own fashion-forward clothing line. But now we are obsessed with her All Black Everything Pop-Up, which is essentially the Black version of QV...

It’s the Oscars of food and we have Chad Williams and Jamila Robison talking all things culinary. It was 10 years ago when his now wife Hanna Williams introduced the thought to Chad to buy the Rittenhouse Square staple Friday Saturday Sunday. Two years into the gig and right before the opening, Chad and Hanna would make their commitment to each other and the restaurant official by marrying in its...

Love + Grit celebrates all things Philly and the BlackStar Film Festival was full of Philly legends and up-and-comers including Emmy Award winner and Mural Arts Philadelphia Black Artists fellow Simone Holland. Simone initially came to the film festival as a cinematographer for another BlackStar Fellow project and returned a second time as a fellow herself. Live from the Daily Jawn Stage at the Ki...

Philadelphia’s music scene has produced some of the most notable acts in hip-hop and R&B. Case in point Freeway and Julian King. This year, Freeway is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album: Philadelphia Freeway. He’s also using his platform to better his life as a spokesperson and health ambassador for the National Kidney Foundation and the organization he founded, the Freedom Th...

It’s not that our hosts are always hungry, it’s that we have dope people like Justin Coleman and Dionicio Jimenez! Coleman's Bake’n Bacon food truck stepped on the scene in 2019 and has continued to meet his challenge of twisting bacon into all kinds of delicious goodness - like a bacon beer. And soon you’ll get to enjoy Justin’s new brick and mortar restaurant! Next up, Chef Dio is no stranger to...

Nikisha Bailey and Denice Frohman are two women taking arts and culture to new levels. Bailey wakes up every day and finds time to work on two things she loves: coffee and music! She’s a music executive who was named a 2x Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Player and owner of Win Win Coffee Bar, a brand handpicked by Goldman Sachs to be a featured vendor at its 10KSB National Summit. Next up, Frohman’s a...

The Roots Picnic was loaded with legends and Black-owned businesses! Creative ambassadors Tina Dixon Spence, Shanti Mayers, Thomas (Tom) Davis and Kimberly McGlonn join Justin and Laiya for Philly trivia live on the Roots Picnic podcast stage. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we had to ask questions around Philly’s musical influences. Can you finish the lyrics to Eve’s Grammy award win...

We’re listening back at some of our favorite interviews and this week we have three dope guests: VINCINT, Dyana Williams and Charisse McGill! First up we’re celebrating Pride with VINCINT. You know him from the hit show The Four and hearing his voice in the theme song of Queer Eye that was based in Philadelphia. We’re also celebrating Dyana Williams aka the mother of Black Music Month discussing h...

We’re listening back at some of our favorite interviews and this week we have Ellen Yin and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon! Ellen Yin’s name is synonymous with the hospitality industry. She recently celebrated 25 years of Fork, one of her many restaurants under the High Street Hospitality Group ownership. Ellen is also up for Outstanding Restaurateur in this year’s James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award...

We’re listening back at some of our favorite episodes and this week we have Questlove and Roberto Lugo! Did you know Roberto Lugo, born in the Kensington neighborhood of Philly, has been featured in museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art? He’s also behind the Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter mural right outside the Clay Studio building. Yes, Black Thought from the Legenda...

James Jones, Lawrence Harrington and George Morse are representing Philly locally and nationally. First up, Harrington and Morse, both captains of the local Black Men Run chapter, explain the ins and outs of one of Philly's favorite running clubs which has been making its mark on the streets and communities of Philadelphia for over a decade. However, their mission goes beyond running, taking their...

Kimberly McGlonn and Jill Scott are two Philly queens making great moves in the “City of Sisterly Affection.” Black Ivy Thrift Store is an innovative shoppable museum that honors our past. You may remember McGlonn from her activism work and especially for her super dope store, Grant Blvd. McGlonn returns to the Love + Grit podcast to talk about her new project. Next up, Laiya has a one-on-one sess...

Do what you love...that’s what Victor Tejada and Samantha Smith do. Tejada is improving small businesses through Delivery Guys, his food-delivery business. Launched during the pandemic, Tejada and his start-up have since been able to offer drivers significantly more opportunities, help small business owners keep more profit and employ drivers in the communities where they live. Next up, Samantha S...

Although he needs no introduction, DJ Jazzy Jeff “The Magnificent” is one of the most legendary artists to come out of Philadelphia becoming the first hip-hop recording to win a Grammy for best rap performance. DJ Jazzy Jeff is also one of the first hip-hop artists to take over our television screens. But there’s so much more to one of our favorite DJs, making history today during a groundbreaking...

King Saladeen and Tiffani Barbour are taking Philadelphia’s arts & culture scene to the screen and Broadway! Self-taught and world-renowned visual artist King Saladeen not only recently worked on artwork for Netflix's ‘You People,’ but has also collaborated with the New York Stock Exchange, Neiman Marcus and much more! Also, the 1776 musical is launching its national tour in Philadelphia at the Fo...

Love + Grit is celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop and continuing to tell Philly's most phenomenal stories. Musical mastermind Adam Blackstone joins the Love + Grit family for many reasons. To name a few: he is the reason many performers (Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, among others) are your favorite live show artist, he is the reason that you are still thinking about many Super Bowl Halftime shows, and...

Kevin Parker and Nakia and Taahirah Stith are three incredible Philadelphians walking the runway on this episode. Parker, a model turned designer, tells his story of how he created one of the country’s biggest fashion movements, Philly Fashion Week. The goal of the event, which has featured over 75 international brands and 1,000 local designers, was to develop the reputation of Philadelphia’s fash...

We’re thankful for Rich Medina and Chef Kurt Evans promoting Philly’s most celebrated traits: arts and activism. International and legendary DJ Rich Medina shares with us his history expressing his heart, soul and activism through music for the last 30 years. Medina also provides the details surrounding Art Basel in Miami, why it’s important for the Black arts community and details about Love + Gr...

Chef Tonii Hicks and Steven CW Taylor are innovators and history makers. Hicks has worked in some of Philly’s most prestigious kitchens such as SOUTH and High Street Philly, and she’s also an activist, advocating for farm-fresh food in low-income communities. Most recently, Hicks was named a James Beard Foundation Fellow, enabling her to participate in 10 weeks of training in financial and legal m...

Lori Lindsey and Khoran Horn might make you say, “Hey! I know them from TV!” Lindsey, a former United States women's national soccer team(USWNST) player and sports commentator, discusses her advocacy work for equal pay in sports and rights for trans athletes. She also dishes on the excitement about the FIFA World Cup™ coming to Philadelphia in 2026. At the other end of the table, Horn, owner of Gu...

This episode is bringing the heat. Shannon Maldonado returns to the podcast to fill us in on what’s new at Yowie and the biggest news in her life. Hint: it involves her opening a boutique hotel on South Street. Next up, Radhi Fernandez, owner of the Faiya Company, discusses how he got started with his hot sauce, his love for Philly and how Philly loves him right back. And yes, he’ll dish on where...