The Black Umbrella

Happy #TBUthursday & Happy Pride! In today’s episode, Frenchie talks about the B2K & Pretty Ricky Verzuz, folks recording at the function, and a remarkable soloist who is the definition of one band one sound in the For The Birds segment. Wes brings us some new music from Muni Long, Steve Lacey, Lucky Daye, Shenseea, Naomi Sharon, kwn, and more to your ears in this week's Gust of Wind....

Happy #TBUthursday & Happy Pride! In today’s episode, Frenchie talks about folks' inappropriate behavior during Juneteenth celebrations in the For The Birds segment. Wes brings us some new music from Glenn Lewis, Key Glock, Chloe, MNEK, and more to your ears in this week's Gust of Wind. Wes discusses staying in touch with reality and not being too swept up in the “what if?” cycle. Word...

Happy #TBUthursday & Happy Pride! In today’s episode, Frenchie talks about the New York Knicks winning the 2026 NBA Championship & inventions we love in the For The Birds segment. Wes takes a small trip to Love Island and brings some new music from Infinity Song, Olivia Rodrigo, THE-DREAM, and more to your ears in this week's Gust of Wind. Frenchie does a six-month check-in with us in...

Happy #TBUthursday & Happy Pride! In today’s episode, Frenchie talks about bringing kissing in the club back, unwanted guests in dreams, dogs having no home training, and unhinged men in the For The Birds segment. Wes visits the nut farm to check on Kelly Pecan Price and brings some new music to your ears in this week's Gust of Wind. Nika takes us straight to Love Island and asks us how we...

Happy #TBUthursday & Happy Pride! All LGBTQIA+ identifying individuals have a place here in the #TBUfamily. Wes has us go back and identify some of our first memories of pride. WOTD: Erase- to nullify the effect or force of  Question: What is something you would erase from the world forever? GUTS OF WIND:  New Music:  Singles:  Ravyn Lenae- “Handle” WILLOW- “Talk On The Hill” Ariana Grande- “h...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie gives us glowing reviews of the new movies I Love Boosters and Is God Is in this week's For The Birds segment. Wes gives us new music from Tiffany, kwn, Tyga, and 6LACK in this week's Gust of Wind segment. Frenchie encourages us to let go of things that no longer serve us in life, even if they’re not necessarily harming us. Life comes with many things, and hold...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie speaks on the breakup of Chelsea and Kwame from the Netflix show Love Is Blind in this week's FTB segment. Nika does a much-needed political check-in with us, and we share our thoughts about where this administration is headed.  WOTD: Elevate- to raise in rank or status Question: What would elevate your lifestyle today?  GUTS OF WIND:  New Music:  Singles:  Jorja S...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie’s FTB segment includes a Cirque Poop Parlay that leads right to getting late-night Taco Bell. WOTD: Skill- the ability to use one's knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance Question: What is a skill you would like to master? GUTS OF WIND:  New Music:  Singles:  Chenayder- “Wonder” FLO- “Therapy at the Club” Kelela- “linknb” Naomi Sharon- “Bette...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie’s FTB segment allows us to reminisce about early 2000s nostalgia, Men being Megan Thee Stallion’s nuggets haters, and Robert Glasper’s disdain for folks hopping into pictures they know they don’t belong in. Frenchie also leads this week's Under Our Umbrella segment by letting everyone know that you can detach from this mindset of being someone's dream person vs...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie’s FTB segment talks all about pool party etiquette, the new Michael biopic, and letting Klay know to sashay away. Nika presents some jobs from the Victorian Era to us, and we talk about which ones we could see ourselves doing this week’s under our umbrella. WOTD: Emotional- Appealing to or arousing emotion Question: What’s a song that was really emotional to you as a k...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie’s FTB segment talks all about cake in the face, Coach Stormy being in some low vibrational trouble with the FTC, and Ice Spice’s scuffle in the McDonald’s. This week's under our umbrella focuses on society's overconsumption of entertainment media and the burnout that comes with it.  WOTD: King- a male monarch of a major territorial unit. Question: Who is the ki...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie’s FTB segment talks all about AI dating, shady friends, and lack of etiquette when it comes to returning clothes. This week's under our umbrella focuses on society's overconsumption of entertainment media and the burnout that comes with it.  WOTD:  Rewatch - to watch (something, such as a movie or television program) again Question: What is one of your favorite...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie’s FTB segment talks all about the drama between AKAs and Trick Daddy, Deontay Wilder’s less-than-smart comments, and Kristi Noem’s hot air balloon! Having trouble sleeping? Nika has some tips for you to help enhance your quality of sleep. We give our thoughts on them and share what we do that helps us sleep.  WOTD:  Device - a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed...

Happy #TBUthursday! Life has its ups and downs, and sometimes it can be hard to press on when you’re in low spirits or feel like you are hitting a wall at every turn. Wes leads this week’s under our umbrella with a little encouragement in letting us all know life is still what we make it as long as we put in the necessary work and hold ourselves accountable. Don’t give up :). WOTD: Urge- a continu...

Happy #TBUthursday! Sometimes you just need to have faith and step into your purpose. Frenchie talks to us about our growth in the year and how sometimes we can get in our own way in order to stay surrounded by what’s familiar. However, what’s familiar won’t help you grow.  WOTD: Pretend- to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing. Question: What would you do if you saw someone...

Happy #TBUthursday! Mercury is in retrograde, and the technology is on the fritz! Join us as Frenchie gives us the dos and don'ts of decorating the bathroom & her thoughts on Jack Harlow’s identity crisis. Nika challenges us to create our own 2026 Bingo Card in this week's under our umbrella segment.  WOTD: Remember- to bring to mind or think of again Question: What’s the first movie you remem...

Happy #TBUthursday! Have you ever had to hold a friend's hand and tell them they are wrong? That’s the question Wes asks us in this week's Under Our Umbrella Segment. Also, Frenchie highlights the danger in the ongoing erasure of older forms of multimedia (DVDs, VCRs, CDs. etc.)  WOTD: Pet- a domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility  Question: Are there animals that you’d...

Happy #TBUthursday! Frenchie opens up this week's Under Our Umbrella on the topic of forgiveness. What do you consider to be an efficient apology? We’ve all been hurt at some point in our lives and have had to be on the receiving end of an apology. We highlight what things attribute to an efficient apology.  WOTD: Wedding- a marriage ceremony, usually with its accompanying festivities: Nuptial...

Happy Black History Month! This week, we highlight Fredrick McKinley Jones, a prolific African American inventor who patented over sixty devices, most notably the first successful mobile refrigeration system for trucks.  Nika educates us on angel numbers in this week’s Under Our Umbrella. WOTD: Fortuitous- a formal word that usually describes something that comes or happens by a lucky chance. Ques...

Happy Black History Month! This week, we highlight Brenda Lee Banks, one of the first African American women to work as a professional animator. She worked on shows like The Simpsons, Looney Tunes, and King of the Hill. We watched the Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, and we all shared our thoughts on it.  WOTD: Crime- an illegal act of which someone can be punish...

Happy Black History Month! This week, we highlight Ms. Shirley Raines, founder of Beauty 2 The Streetz. Her organization focuses on providing services such as hair, makeup, hygiene, and food to those who need them most. Check out b2tz.org to learn more about the organization and how you can donate your time or money towards the cause.  Rest in peace Ms. Shirley. Frenchie welcomes us aboard the lov...

Happy Black History Month! This week, we highlight the father of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson.  Nika has us reflect on past mistakes we’ve made as children that have helped us grow into the adults we are now in this week's Under Our Umbrella.  WOTD: Client- One that is under the protection of another. Question: Who is your number one client in Traitors right now? FOR THE BIRDS:  -Wha...

Happy #tbuthursday! In this week's Under Our Umbrella, we reflect on what motivated us in the past, how it differs from what motivates us now, and the journey that led us there.  WOTD: Rage- A violent and uncontrolled anger Question: Who is an artist you’d rage to? FOR THE BIRDS:  -Does it matter how you are approached for a date? Do you have a certain protocol you would like to be followed? ...

Happy #TBUthursday! Welcome back, TBU family. We are thrilled to bring you season 8 of The Black Umbrella and have a lot in store for you this season.  WOTD: Interject- to throw in between or among other things.  Question: If you overheard someone talking about you, what could they say that would make you interject?  FOR THE BIRDS:  -Dating Profile Faux Pas  -N-C-L-E-C-T-A GUST OF WIND:  Throwback...

Happy #TBUthursday! Today is a bittersweet moment as we close out our season 7. Thank you all so much for riding with us throughout this season and tuning in every #TBUThursday to get your dose of what we have to talk about. Comment on your favorite moments from Season 7; we would love to hear them. Until then, see you all next year for a very special Season 8 ;).     WOTD: Scare- to frighten, esp...