The Breakdown with Shaun King

While I'm out on the road this week, the team at The North Star are replaying some of their favorite episodes of The Breakdown. Did you hear the disturbing clip of Kenosha, Wisconsin Sheriff David Beth saying Black people need to be locked up, warehoused, and never let out again? He said this after a shoplifting incident. But listen, that man was VOTED into office. We have to start be very, very s...

While I'm out on the road this week, the team at The North Star are replaying some of their favorite episodes of The Breakdown. In this episode, I share a painful, personal story about a lesson that I learned about organizing for change as an outsider and organizing for change as an insider. In the winter of 2014, I found myself in a deep funk after failing in so many fights for families fighting...

The trial of white supremacist Kyle Rittenhouse who murdered two people at a Black Lives Matter protest is going on right now. I’m following it closely and I encourage all of you to do the same. Today we are rerunning the first Breakdown episode on the Kenosha shooting as we brace ourselves for what’s next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is one of the most important civil rights cases in the history of our country. As the trial of the McMichael’s and Roddie Bryan begins, we’re rerunning the first Breakdown episode examining the heinous murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday was an ESSENTIAL day in the trial of the bigots that murdered Ahmaud Arbery. The testimony was as important and as damning as anything we will hear during the entire trial. And for the first time in a few weeks, I’m feeling more hopeful about the possibility that these men will be convicted. Let me unpack and explain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are now just 9 days away from the scheduled execution of Julius Jones. I honestly never thought we’d get here. The Oklahoma Board of Pardon and Parole has now ruled TWICE that Julius Jones should be removed from death row and that his sentence should be commuted to life with parole. But Governor Stitt of Oklahoma is ignoring his own board. I’ve never seen it in my life. I need you to stop what...

Democrats control the House, Senate, and the Presidency. Conservatives led a failed insurrection at the American Capitol earlier this year and are literally going to prison. This should be the time that Democrats step up to lead, but instead, they are throwing it all away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Opening statements are now underway and the full trial of the three white supremacists who murdered Ahmaud Arbery is now underway. I am gravely concerned. The judge is OK. That’s the good news. But the jury looks like a Trump rally. And the prosecutors really did bomb in the jury selection process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m on the road today and will be right back here tomorrow to unpack and explain the results from Election Day. Hope each of you are doing well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Election Day across America. And while I’m still honored to have the right to vote, I see the growing frustration among Black voters with the Democratic Party as they continue to overpromise and underdeliver. Also, today I have some very good news on the Julius Jones case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 17 days Oklahoma is scheduled to execute an innocent young Black man for a crime he did not commit. The Oklahoma Board of Pardon & Parole already voted 3-1 to stop this execution and give Julius life in prison, but the Governor is ignoring his own board full of conservative appointees. That’s why we need you. Please go now to FreeJuliusJones.com to learn all about the case and then call 405.777...

Last night Oklahoma executed a man named John Grant. What happened was as gross as anything I’ve ever heard of. Let me unpack and explain to you why it was illegal. It’s also more American than apple pie or baseball. Between me and you all - this was one of the worst things I’ve ever heard of in modern American history. And I cover and fight evil for a living. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

I’m a writer. I’m a lot of things, but a writer will always be high on  that list. After a few months of working to get out of all of my contracts with my book publisher and literary agent and talent agent, who were good to me by the way, I’m breaking out on my own. I’m betting on myself. My last book was a New York Times Bestseller, but I don’t desire or ever plan to be on that list again. I’m go...

His name should be a household name that we say alongside so many other victims of police violence. Over 5 years ago police fired  hundreds of shots at Jamarion Robinson - shooting him 76 times and killing him. Today I’ll speak about the case and the peculiar nature of why some cases go viral, but most never do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you truly fail to understand and appreciate the past, and  learn from it, you are doomed to repeat it. And all over the country right now, Black mayors are trying to incarcerate their way out of their worst problems. This is literally the same thing we saw in the late 80s and early 90s and we are repeating it again. And Atlanta is the epicenter of it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

This past August, as she walked with her family from a high school  football game, police in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania shot and killed 8 year old Fanta Bility, shot her sister, and injured other bystanders and families. I spoke to the family this week. Let me unpack and explain what I know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I saw something on social media this week that surprised and spooked me. And it should damn sure spook Joe Biden. Let me unpack and explain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louisiana State Trooper Carl Cavalier, a young Black man, did the right thing and spoke out on the horrible police murder of Ronald Greene by his department. He called out their lies covering it up and called out their murder of an innocent, unarmed Black man. And now the Louisiana State Police have filed papers to fire this man - not for murder or a coverup, but for speaking up. It’s a damn shame...

Louisiana State Trooper Carl Cavalier, a young Black man, did the right thing and spoke out on the horrible police murder of Ronald Greene by his department. He called out their lies covering it up and called out their murder of an innocent, unarmed Black man. And now the Louisiana State Police have filed papers to fire this man - not for murder or a coverup, but for speaking up. It’s a damn shame...

Jury selection is currently underway in the trial of the 3 men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery. I have several concerns, but one troubles me more than most. Today I’ll unpack that and also discuss the death of Colin Powell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 33 days Oklahoma is scheduled to execute an innocent young Black man for a crime he did not commit. The Oklahoma Board of Pardon & Parole already voted 3-1 to stop this execution and give Julius life in prison, but the Governor is ignoring his own board full of conservative appointees. That’s why we need you. Please go now to FreeJuliusJones.com to learn all about the case and then call 405.777...

Make this make sense. In a city where 16,700 NYPD officers refuse to get vaccinated, but aren’t mandated to get it, in spite of 61 of them dying from it, and them spreading it all over New York, this same city is requiring Kyrie to get it if he wants to play. While also not requiring the opposing  team to have it. Scientifically, that makes no sense whatsoever. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

This will probably be the last time I talk about it, but I had just a few more lingering thoughts I wanted to share and clarify. Feel free to push back. We can do that here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week it was discovered that Jon Gruden, head coach of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders said about as ugly and anti-Black a remark as someone could  make.  And he kept his job. His team defended him. Then it was just discovered that he said some homophobic stuff as well. And that was just too much. This was the main idea of Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix special. Let’s talk about it. Learn more ab...

For the first time in my life, I am attempting to take my mental health seriously. I want to unpack what that means for me and what it might mean for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices