My 90s Playlist

From Dean of Black Twitter, Michael Harriot, comes a Black history podcast like you've never heard before. Using a recipe that includes detailed research, barbershop humor and a little seasoned salt, a parade of cookout-certified celebrity guests helps Michael Harriot serve up a compelling, hilarious and more accurate version of Black history that was conveniently whitewashed from your social stud...

Sharing an episode of the Love Letters podcast. Love Letters tells stories about romance, marriage, partnership, sex, loss, and the human heart. Served with a side of advice. On the new season, host Meredith Goldstein explores all the ways money plays into love, dating, and relationships. In this episode, Meredith’s childhood friend Justin L. Wilson is standing at a funeral, listening to a eulogy,...

Any great mixtape has to end with a classic crowd pleaser, a track that pulls the whole thing together. To end this season, we pay tribute to one of the best collaborations between pop and hip-hop of all time: the “Fantasy” remix. Hear how Mariah made the music she wanted to hear and how influential this legendary track is on pop music today. Credits - Hosts: Tracy Clayton and Akoto Ofori-Atta - L...

Track seven is rounding the corner to the end, so let’s give the people what they want: boy bands. No matter which of the Backstreet Boys you had a crush on, we can all sing along to all the words of “I Want It That Way.” And sure, the words may not make much sense, but they sound so, so good. Credits - Hosts: Tracy Clayton and Akoto Ofori-Atta - Lead Producer: Eric Silver - Editor: Brandon Grugle...

Track six is when you give your favorites their flowers. If someone else was putting this playlist together, maybe they’ll have the best New York rapper or an entire West Coast label represented. Not you though; you’re throwing on Outkast. It may not be the song with the most airplay, but it is the one that might mean the most. As Andre 3000 once said, the South’s got something to say. Credits - H...

Track five is when the listeners trust you, so you put on a song you really love. It may seem simple -- fun lyrics, call and response, a bassline that sounds familiar -- but you could talk about it for hours. And if you’re listening to your playlist with Hanif Abdurraquib, the writer of the incredible book Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes on A Tribe Called Quest, you’ll want to talk about “Can I Kick I...

Track four is when you impress your friends with your deep music knowledge, when you turn to the back seat of the car and say “Did you know Torn is actually a cover? And the first iteration was in Danish?” And then they’re incredibly impressed and you bop along to this iconic pop jam. Credits - Hosts: Tracy Clayton and Akoto Ofori-Atta - Lead Producer: Eric Silver - Editor: Brandon Grugle - Execut...

Track three is where you kick it up a notch. Add some horns, upbeat vocals, and the tradition of America “discovering” Latin music every decade or so, and you have the smash hit of 1999. But don’t take our word for it: let’s have the writer of Livin’ La Vida Loca and a professor of Latinx studies explain Ricky Martin's importance! You’re living la vida loca if you don’t have this track on your mix...

You have only one shot at the second track, so go with the song recorded in only one take. We have a lot to say about our favorite Diva to the North and IIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEIIIIIII think you’ll like this episode. Credits - Hosts: Tracy Clayton and Akoto Ofori-Atta - Lead Producer: Eric Silver - Editor: Brandon Grugle - Executive Producers: Amanda McLoughlin and Tracy Clayton - Produced by: Multitude...

The first track of the mixtape has to be a banger, get the energy up, and set the tone for the rest of the mix. We had to start ours with a song so good they had to keep the rap verse off the radio, and so pointed a bunch of guys immediately made a rebuttal track. It’s “No Scrubs!” Credits - Hosts: Tracy Clayton and Akoto Ofori-Atta - Lead Producer: Eric Silver - Editor: Brandon Grugle - Executive...

The 90s are back in so many ways, but our favorite tracks never left. My 90s Playlist breaks down why we love the hits of the 90s so much, what made our favorite songs so popular back then, and why we are so nostalgic for them now. Throughout the season, our hosts Tracy Clayton and Akoto Ofori-Atta will celebrate their picks for a quintessential 90s playlist and explore the work of Backstreet Boys...