The Sugar and Dread Podcast

Happy Re-Birthday to us!

Yep! It's Episode 60 and a whole year already since we returned to your eardrums in our current form. As such, we're taking a small trip down Memory Lane as we rank our Top 5 Top 5s from the past year. Also, the world is (finally) re-opening, and things are getting very busy for us individually, and so as per our title, we'll be taking a small hiatus for the time being.

It's not all over yet, as before we go, we are going to leave you with Some Poems as usual. And this week, we've got two beautiful pieces by... well, us: Sugar (@SugarJPoet) and Dread (@GabrielAkamo).

Peace out, people xx

Poems: Robin Hood Flex & An Excuse For My Distance

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Music by @GabrielPJones

We are back at it again, bringing you a sample of the sweetest of the English language, but occasionally we lamenting our limited linguistic range. That's why this week we talk Top 5 Languages we would love to be able to speak.

Then in Some Poems we touch on race, heritage, and perceived identity as we share and try to unpack two poetic jewels by beloved legends, Omar Bynon (@Sherlock_Omez) and Kayo Chingonyi (@KayoChingonyi).

Poems: Uncle Reg's Veranda and Normative Ethics

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Music by @GabrielPJones

What's good? Miss us?

(You don't have to answer, we know you did.)

We're back (lol) from our very brief hiatus like we never left!

We're feeling fresh and bringing you the goods like it's the first catch of the day. This week we're feeling culinary again, so we go pesca- and talk Top 5 Pesci (Fish)

(Large up all the vegetarians and vegans, though. We love and rate you too.)

Afterwards, as always, we've got Some Poems for you - this time we share some truly beautiful verse by Michael Simms & Jack Underwood (@Jundermilkwood).

Poems:

Who Will Tell Them? & Happiness

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Music by @GabrielPJones

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DREAD!!

Back again. Streets is cold. And Dread is another year old.

So now:

Gird up your loins, dust off your suit, or pop in your earphones and go about your business, because this week we're talking Top 5 Superpowers.

Then, as usual, we've got Some Poems for you - this time by the amazing Marilyn Nelson & Mosab Abu Toha (@mosababutoha).

Poems:

The Floatin Baby & my grandfather and home

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Music by @GabrielPJones

It’s another wholesome episode of your favourite podcast. The Spring has officially sprung, and the sun is (slightly more) consistently shining. That’s why this week we’re feeling fresh and ranking out Top 5 Colours.

And as always, we’ve got Some Poems - this time bringing you some real powerful ones by Ashanti Anderson (@ashanticreates) & Kara Jackson (@fridahalo).

Poems: Self Portrait as Kendrick Lamar, Laughing to the Bank & anthem for my belly after eating too much

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Music by @GabrielPJones

Yes. You read that right. And as lovers of lexical prowess, from time to time we like to appreciate lyrical longitude*. And who better to celebrate with than the GOAT with the mask hard name and titanium frame, the supervillain himself: MF DOOM.

While we lost him physically to 2020, this week we’re going in and talking about our Top 5 MF DOOM Tracks.

Then, as usual, we’ve got Some brilliant Poems for you by Maurice Riordan and Anita Barto-Williams.

Poems: Laudation & Bun Babylon

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Music by @GabrielPJones .

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

Today we’re feeling to celebrate in the best way we know how, but first, kick off talking about our Top 5 Mythical Creatures.

Then we’ve got a veritable bag of back-to-back bars penned by eight women poets we’re obsessed with right now. No chat, no long ting, just poems upon poems, upon poems, upon poems by:

We’re also running a giveaway in celebration of IWD. Head to our Twitter for more.

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Music by @GabrielPJones.

It’s a Family Show.

Issa Family Show.

I said… it’s a Family Show.

It’s extra fun and excitement this week, so gather round, bring your young ones, and keep your cool, because this week we’re talking Top 5 Trees, because trees are amazing. And as usual, we’ve got Some Poems for you, this time we’re looking at the brilliant works of Omikemi Natacha Bryan (@natachabryan9) and Kayo Chingonyi (@KayoChingonyi).

They say "all is fair in love and war", and if you know us, you'll know that we take our sayings very seriously. That why this week we're fighting about our Top 5 Rom Coms.

"How do you choose violence with rom coms?" we hear you ask. Well, that's for you to find out, only on Sugar and Dread.

And, as always, we've also got you Some Poems to stir your spirit by two incredible poets. This time, in the forms of Beth Bachmann (@bethbachmann) and Lola Oh (@photoperiodic5)

Poems: 'Fragments of Bone and Ice' & 'In the Gallery of the Dead'.

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Music by @GabrielPJones

If you know you know. Need we say any more?

This one goes out to all the peopledem. Whether you're feeling fine or fermented, we got this one goes out to you. Doesn't matter whether you're feeling like sourdough or agege - all are welcome here.

That's why this week we've decided to bring you (you guessed it) our Top 5 Breads. We've also got Some Poems by the two truly phenomenal (Nigerian) poets: Caleb Femi (@CalebFemi_)and Inua Ellams (@InuaEllams).

Poems: While the Pastor Preached About Hell, His Son Was Texting Girls & Fuck/Weak Hugs

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Music by @GabrielPJones

It's that time of year again. No, not that one, the other one. (You know the one).

But we're in a Panettoni and outside is (mostly) closed.

But fret not: whether you're boo'd up or Locked down, we have you covered. This week, it's Top 5 Things to Do for Valentine’s Day, so whether you're playing Campaign or with company there's something for everyone.

On top of saving your love lives, we've got some truly astounding poems for you this week by Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad) and Aimee Nezhukumatathil (@aimeenez).

Poems: August 9th, 2014 & Red Ghazal

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Music by @GabrielPJones

Where are you listening? The car? The bath? Living room?

Well as the kitchen is the heart of the house, and the podcast is the heart of your week (yes), this week we chose to discuss our Top 5 Kitchen Utensils.

And for Some Poems we present the amazing work of Roger Robinson (@rrobinson72) and Isabella Borgeson (@isaborgeson).

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Music by @GabrielPJones

This week the boys attempt to have a cool, calm, and collected conversation about their Top 5 Ice Cream Flavours.

Then for Some Poems, we share a phenomenal piece by Maxine Scates (@maxinescates) and have our minds blown once again by the work of R. A. Villanueva (@caesura).

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Music by @GabrielPJones

The boys are [properly] back!

The Winter SZN has over, the days are getting longer, and the migratory birds are packing their load. So grab a beverage and your earphones, and settle in as we fully and entirely return to our regular programming.

Oh, and grab a calendar too, because this week we’re ranking our Top 5 Months of the Year.

We also share Some Poems to make your chest tremble and shake up your by powerhouse and repeat offender, Hibaq Osman (@__hibaq) and the incredible Noor Hindi (@mynrhindi).

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Music by @GabrielPJones

AND THAT’S A WRAP!

We’re now in the middle of January, and so we’ve reached the end of the Winter SZN.

To close out the series, we’ve brought you one of your dearest and people and poets in the person of Bayan Goudarzpour.

This episode, Bayan gives us her Top 5 Book Recommendations, shares a poem of hers, and a poem by Nicole Homer. The boys also reflect on the past year with a poem each and their favourite Top 5 segment of 2020.

Thank you to everyone who’s been with us thus far, and thank you to all our amazing guests for blessing us this winter:

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Music by @GabrielPJones.

Happy New Year!

It’s 2021, which means: new decade, new goals, new vibes, but it’s the same old us. It’s still cold, though, so we’re continuing the Winter SZN.

Today, as always, we’ve brought you two amazing guest poets, nascent academics, and old friends of the podcast flexing their superpowers: mild-mannered poet by day War Dove by night, Troy Cabida; and returning beyhive archvillain, Sailor, and future PhD, Antonia Jade King.

We’ve got them popping off the year with two pop culture rankings in the form of Top 5 Marvel Superheroes and Beyoncé Tracks. They are reading two poems of their own, and sharing gems by Maria Taylor and Morgan Parker.

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Music by @GabrielPJones.

WHEW! SZN’s Greetings and a merry Christmas to all who celebrated!

If you’re celebrating Kwanzaa, large up you and we hope you’re having a blessed one.

Evidently, the festivities aren’t over. It’s Bank Holiday Monday in the UK, and we’re giving you one more reason to celebrate because we’ve got another episode for you this Winter SZN.

In today’s episode, we’ve got two phenomenal poets gracing us with their inimitably beautiful poetic (and physical) voices: Victoria Adukwei Bulley and Anita Barton-Williams.

They will be talking about their Top 5 Fruits and Sayings from Childhood, reading two incredible poems of their own, and sharing work by Tapiwa Mugabe and Linda Gregg.

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Music by @GabrielPJones.

SURPRISE!

Yes, you are reading this correctly. It’s not a Monday, but here we are. We thought we'd bring you an extra special Christmas Bonus Bumper episode as our gift to your ears and virtual stockings.

We’re continuing the festive season with an extra wholesome episode for you from two of the loveliest poets we’ve shared work from this year. We’re very proud to present our incredible award-winning guests: Clodagh Beresford Dunne and R.A. Villanueva.

They will be sharing their Top 5 Fairytales and Video Games Consoles, reading two utterly beautiful and fitting poems of theirs, and sharing with us the work of Tess Barry and Solmaz Sharif.

Best enjoyed with a hot beverage, a cushion, and a source of heat.

Merry Christmas x

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Music by @GabrielPJones.

Special thanks to William, Emily, Charlotte, and John.

Here we are again with another gem.

We did not come to play with the Winter SZN.

Last week we started the fire, this week we’re keeping the flame.

We’re welcoming the OG duo of The Rap Party, award-winning poets beacons of Nigerian excellence: Former Young People’s Laureate for London Theresa Lola and one-man studio Inua Ellams FRSA & FRSL.

They’re talking Top 5 Cartoons and Cinematic Franchises, respectively, and giving us some poems of their own from their latest collections, In Search of Equilibrium and The Actual. They’ll also be sharing two of their favourite poems by Tiana Clark and Terrance Hayes.

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Music by @GabrielPJones

Alright. We’re finally here:

Welcome to the first special episode of The Sugar and Dread Podcast: Winter SZN

This is where we shake it up a little to shuffle off the cold. But fret not, frost-dusted friends - we’ve still got Top 5s and Some Poems. But we’ve got some amazing guest poets to seize the mic and do the sharing.

This week, we’re bursting open the festive episodes with Jake Wild Hall and Amy Acre of Bad Betty Press sharing their Top 5 Biscuits, and some poems of their own and Clare Pollard and Wisława Szymborska.

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Music by @GabrielPJones