14 pop culture podcasts from diverse perspectives

From "Strange Fruit" to "Latinos Who Lunch," these excellent shows examine pop culture and identity

Published December 16, 2017 6:00PM (EST)

Beyonce (Getty/Theo Wargo)
Beyonce (Getty/Theo Wargo)

Our experiences interacting with what we watch, listen to, read, eat and make are influenced by who we are and where we come from. These 14 shows get up close and personal, critiquing and discussing the music, movies and general happenings in popular culture.

1. “Strange Fruit”

Politics, pop culture and Black gay life are the foundations of this weekly discussion between Dr. Kaila Story and Jaison Gardiner, from WFPL.

2. “Saturday School”

Replace your Saturday morning cartoons with this dose of Asian-American arts and entertainment history.

3. “Slate’s Represent”

Representation in TV and movies is the topic of critical conversations and interviews with the creators of shows and films by and for those historically underrepresented in the media.

4. “Your Fave Is Problematic”

Should we keep loving our faves, even though they're problematic TV shows, movies and pop culture, or not? This eternal question is answered weekly as hosts Kristen and Elizabeth consider the social implications of the media we love.

5. “The Mash-Up Americans”

A mix of (pop) culture and identity, and what it means to live in the U.S. as a hyphen-American.

6. “Still Processing”

New York Times culture writers Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham take to the mic to discuss what’s moving them to tears, awe and anger.

7. “Identity Politics”

African-American Muslim hosts Ikhlas Saleem and Makkah Ali look at race, gender and pop culture at the intersection of their multiple identities.

8. “The Cooler”

KQED’s The Cooler weaves together social justice and pop culture in a smart, fun and personal way.

9. “Minority Korner”

Learn, laugh and play with Nnekay and James’ weekly dose of pop culture and social commentary.

10. “The Nod”

The underexplored corners of black art, media and culture, explored by co-hosts Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings.

11. “Latinos Who Lunch”

Get cozy with FavyFav and Babelito as they talk pop culture, identity, politics and art.

12. “Pop Queer-ies”

Hosts Justine and Gwen talk queer identity and feminism in pop culture.

13. “Chatty AF”

Taking on Japanese pop culture with a feminist lens.

14. “Off White”

A panel discussion on the portrayal of people of color and other minorities in popular media.

For more audio collections like this, check out RadioPublic’s guide. Begin listening to the most recent episodes here, or download the RadioPublic app for iOS or Android to follow the shows from any of these links.


By Ma'ayan Plaut

MORE FROM Ma'ayan Plaut


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