MAPS MEDIA Network

This week we're getting into it — from rappers cozying up to MAGA (Flo Rida really did that at Trump's "Freedom 250"?) to the real question of whether we boycott Essence Fest this year. We break down why your gas and electric bill is about to hit different, why student loan repayment just got even messier, and how Trump's DC bash left the air quality looking real questionable...

Built the Movement. Did It Build Power? | ft. Deric Gilliard Did the Civil Rights Movement actually redistribute power in America — or just expand access without changing who holds it? In this episode of We Vote Too , we sit down with author, historian, and former federal advisor Deric Gilliard to break down the real impact of the Civil Rights Movement and what it means for democracy today. From t...

Welcome back to another raw and heavy-hitting episode of the SIDEBAR PODCAST . Driven by your lead host, Royce , along with co-host Leise Winny , the crew sets off straight into a chaotic look at the week's most toxic internet behavior, major sports drama, and celebrity updates. The opening check-in goes deep on the absolute lack of digital restraint online, why the NBA Champion New York Knick...

In a media landscape increasingly fractured by algorithmic echo chambers and unverified viral reporting, establishing a shared baseline of facts has become one of the greatest challenges facing modern American democracy. In this episode of We Vote Too, host Leise Winny sits down with award-winning journalist Taryn Finley. Together, they dissect the mechanics of modern misinformation. This episode...

Welcome back to another raw and highly unfiltered episode of the SIDEBAR PODCAST , steered this week by your lead host, Royce , alongside co-host Leise Winny . The crew kicks off the session with a chaotic look at the modern news cycle, tackling everything from ongoing global conflicts and internet-age debates to the absolute madness of digital echo chambers. They zero in on the sheer absurdity of...

Welcome back to another raw, unfiltered episode of the h SIDEBAR PODCAST , hosted by your lead, Royce , alongside co-host Leise Winny . This week, the crew kicks off with a massive check-in covering everything from preference culture and the validity of lived experience over textbooks to the internet drama surrounding Latto, the rising cost of World Cup seats, and the historic New York Knicks cham...

No one actually calls Maryland "the middle" of America, but both geographically and politically, it sits right in the thick of a high-stakes tug-of-war. Being positioned directly in the shadow of Washington, D.C., means federal politics doesn't just influence the state—it directly reshapes it. On today's episode of We Vote Too, we look at the social commentary and political force...

Who decides the rules of modern masculinity, and why does it feel like everyone is policing each other's lives? This episode breaks down the cultural boundaries we place on men, the shifting dynamics of relationships when finances change, and why we’ve collectively elevated celebrities to the status of modern deities. We also dive deep into the ultimate double standard: why do we always demand...

We back! The crew hits the ground running with a packed episode that kicks off with a chaotic opening welcome before diving straight into a whirlwind of pop culture, sports, and headline-grabbing news. We touch on everything from Jay-Z linking up at The Roots and Drake shattering yet another record, to the latest Knicks vs. Spurs matchup and the swirling Jaxon Dart / Abdul Carter controversy. Plus...

This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Royce ask a simple question with complicated answers: Who are the real ones anymore? The episode opens with global politics, internet culture, and identity all colliding at once. From conversations around political corruption and the optics of the Trump–China trip , to asking whether Drake is actually back , the hosts break down how performance, b...

Fear has always been a powerful political tool — but in today’s media environment, it feels constant. Fear of crime. Fear of immigrants. Fear of losing democracy. Fear of “the other side.” Fear is everywhere. But what is all of this fear actually doing to us psychologically? And why does it work so well politically? In Episode 4 of We Vote Too , we go beyond outrage and ask a deeper question: What...

This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Royce bounce between politics, culture, aging, survival mode, and the emotional games people play — all with the kind of humor and uncomfortable honesty that makes Sidebar feel like a group chat that accidentally became therapy. The episode opens with a Mother’s Day check-in before shifting into growing concern around the hantavirus outbreak and h...

This week, Leise and Royce jump from the glamour of the Met Gala to the chaos of internet culture, politics, identity, and healing — all in one unfiltered conversation. They break down the biggest moments from Beyoncé and the MET, react to conversations around strip clubs shutting down, and unpack updates from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Then the conversation shifts deeper into voting...

This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Royce move through culture, politics, and identity with their signature mix of humor and real talk — all from a Black millennial POV that doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable questions. Leise opens the show with a wide-ranging check-in that jumps from war updates to sports and entertainment. From the NFL Draft , to LeBron and the Lakers , to ongoin...

The Sidebar Podcast — Accountability Wars This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Mr. Royce step into one of the messiest conversations out right now: accountability — who gets it, who avoids it, and who decides? The episode opens with a rapid-fire mix of headlines and cultural moments — from global tension over the  Strait of Hormuz  to political absurdity to the question nobody asked...

What happens when the systems designed to support global stability quietly fade into the background—or worse, get ignored altogether? In this episode of We Vote Too , host Leise Winny sits down with Clifford Brown, a retired Senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer and author of Inside USAID: An Odyssey of Foreign Assistance , to unpack the role the U.S. Agency for International Development actually pl...

This episode is a wild ride through culture, contradictions, and the conversations people want to have but don’t always say out loud. Leise and Royce kick things off, unpacking everything from the Offset shooting headlines to the bigger question—are we being told the truth about global conflicts, or just the version we’re meant to hear? From there, they dive headfirst into the internet’s latest li...

10m:55s ***SKIP TO THE GOOD PART: INTERVIEW STARTS*** The word "fascist" is everywhere right now — on the news, on your timeline, in the group chat where nobody asked. But what does it actually mean? And are we just emotionally freestyling with historical terminology? Season 2 of We Vote Too is back — and this time we're not pulling punches. In this episode, host Michael Trapani brea...

New Episodes dropping on 4/6/2026

Rich Laugh (Episode 13) This week on The Sidebar Podcast, Leise Winny and Mr. Royce take a wild ride through pop culture, politics, internet behavior, and the uncomfortable truths people don’t like to say out loud. The episode kicks off with a mix of headlines and hot takes — from Michael B. Jordan’s Oscar win to the never-ending comparison of Usher vs. Justin Bieber, before spiraling into one of...

What does it really mean to call someone a hypocrite — and are we all guilty of it? This week on The Side Bar Podcast , Leise and Royce get into the contradictions people love to ignore… especially when it benefits them. From personal accountability to politics, propaganda, and perception — nothing is off limits. We talk about whether people can actually change, why we keep comparing different era...

This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Mr. Royce move from local culture to national dysfunction with one central idea: discernment is survival . The episode opens by pushing back against the lazy idea that Baltimore begins and ends with The Wire , before diving into accents across Baltimore and the DMV, Black speech, and the way identity gets heard before it’s understood. From there,...

This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Mr. Royce bounce between culture, dating, internet behavior, and the strange ways modern life turns people into “products.” The episode opens with Royce setting the tone before the conversation dives straight into everyday awkwardness — like random hair compliments from strangers and the unspoken rules of posting relationships online. From there,...

This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Mr. Royce sit down with William Honablew Jr., Business Consultant , for a sharp, layered conversation about capitalism, leadership, culture, and power. From understanding business ownership in Black communities to navigating influence, distraction, and the consequences of “winning,” this episode connects entrepreneurship with identity, accountabil...

This week on The Sidebar Podcast , Leise Winny and Mr. Royce spiral from vacation energy to death, religion, cereal psychology, and modern relationships — because of course they do. After thanking recent guests, Royce recaps his vacation and explains why he might be too royal for Carnival. The conversation shifts into a Black History Month reflection — including the loss of Rev. Jesse Jackson — an...