panama jackson

With 11 albums under his belt, rapper and educator Dee-1 is here to stay. The New Orleans native uses his platform to spread positivity in hip-hop and has no problem calling out successful artists he feels are hurting the culture. He isn't shy about his mission to rid the most popular music genre in the country of drugs, violence, and misogyny, which often finds him on the receiving end of anger and insults. Instead of buckling under the pushback, Dee-1 is doubling down with his Platinum Pledge, which asks music fans to commit to a new kind of hip-hop. Dee-1 joins Dear Culture to share an honest and passionate message, "We can do better."

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Kelly Rowland enters Tyler Perry's world in the Netflix legal drama, "Mea Culpa'' and as a Black movie fanatic, Panama Jackson is excited to see if it delivers the crazy and unexpected ride Perry has promised. In true Perry fashion, the film's title is a play on words, incorporating the first name of Rowland's character. This got Panama's creative juices flowing, and he's offering up several film ideas with the same play on words for Perry's consideration.

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Beyoncé's instant success on the country music charts has sparked a conversation about Black artists in the genre. Panama Jackson addressed this with country music artist Rissi Palmer last year. The pair had an enlightening conversation about what's needed to bridge the racial gap in country music, and discussed the repeated racist incidents Palmer has endured throughout her 20-plus years in the business. 

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Women of hip-hop are examined through the eyes of Gen Z author Nadirah Simmon's in her debut book, "First Things First: Hip Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game." Simmons, who grew up immersed in rap culture in New Jersey and Philadelphia, set out to create a unique look at the historical impact of female MCs like Lil' Kim, Queen Latifah, Nicki Minaj, and more. She analyzes their influence on fashion, TV, film, and comedy. Simmons says her book is for those who want to know more than just the surface-level history or controversy the media tends to focus on. 

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Black voters are always crucial, not just in an election year, and that's a message the Hip-Hop Caucus is spreading across the country. On this episode of Dear Culture, meet some of the non-profit's key players using hip-hop's power to ignite change and promote political activism. Singer, songwriter, and former member of Danity Kane, Dawn Richard, is a part of the initiative and shares with Panama Jackson the importance of using her platform to reach Black America and combat voter suppression and misinformation. With pivotal voting dates fast approaching, including the South Carolina Primary and Super Tuesday, now is the time to get active and let your voice be heard. 

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Following several viral moments, Baltimore filmmaker Alvin Gray joins Dear Culture to talk about the ups and downs of creating independent films. His projects "The Rapper Who Got Shot in the Heel" and "The Nurse That Saw the Baby on the Highway" have garnered much attention, but not always the good kind. Gray and Panama Jackson also debate the power of Tubi and discuss the drama that ensued when one of Gray's projects got banned from the streaming platform before it was even released. 

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Lawyer, queer civil rights advocate, and reality TV star Preston Mitchum is unapologetically Black, and we're here for it! Mitchum is a fan favorite on Bravo's Summer House: Martha's Vineyard, and he dishes about his reality TV experience, which includes the responsibility he feels to represent the Black community positively. The Ohio native also discusses the allure and exclusivity he and his friends found on Martha's Vineyard. While their adventures on the island make great TV, is Massachusetts' vacation oasis a place where outsiders can feel comfortable?

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Since becoming a fan favorite on Living Single more than 30 years ago, Erika Alexander has remained a constant fixture in Hollywood. In recent years, she's shifted her focus to the fight for equality, specifically, the push for reparations. She joins Dear Culture to discuss her current TV and film projects and her dedication to positively impacting culture.

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Originally recorded during Grambling State Homecoming in October 2022. Michael Harriot joins Panama Jackson on location at Grambling State University for a special edition of Dear Culture. Grambling alums join the pair as they address a live audience of students to talk about life after college, the realities of white corporate America, and the significance of attending an HBCU.

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It's a reality TV takeover this week on Dear Culture as stars Eboni K. Williams, Claudia Jordan, and Tambra Cherie join Panama Jackson just days after Vanity Fair drops a tell-all exposé on the problematic culture of reality TV on Bravo. The ladies share racist, catty, and regretful experiences they've had in front of the cameras but also dive into the positive moments that are often overshadowed. Read more about the reality reckoning fallout on theGrio.com.

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Rapper Mickey Factz joins Panama Jackson to give a rundown of the online school for aspiring lyricists he founded in 2021. Pendulum Ink Academy provides a one-of-a-kind education in hip-hop that allows its students to learn from the best. Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Rah Digga, and Cory Gunz are just some of the guest lectures passing on their knowledge of the rap game. Productive mental health practices, finance, and criminology are also courses being provided that prove being a hip-hop success is about more than just rhymes and beats. 

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Poetic Justice, starring Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, and Regina King, was John Singleton's second film following Boyz n the Hood. At the time, it was a hit, but was it all that great? Thirty years after its release, Panama Jackson isn't sure the film holds up to its original hype. Author and poet Bassey Ikpi joins the conversation to discuss the film's successes and failures. 

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Dear Culture was on location at Morehouse College during Spelhouse Homecoming 2022 to talk with alumni about their professional success and the benefits of an HBCU education. Panama Jackson is joined by five guests who share career tips and personal experiences in front of a live audience of students. 

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Was September 29, 1998, the most significant album release date in hip-hop history? Cultural writer and critic Jacinta Howard joins Panama Jackson to answer that question. Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast, Brand Nubian, and Black Star all released albums that day that shaped their careers in significant ways, and it may have been the last time that a Tuesday drop had that kind of star power. 

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Panama Jackson invites his boys back, all of whom were college athletes, for a Deion Sanders convo following the University of Colorado's first loss of the football season. Expectations, showmanship, and race are all hot topics that make for an intense debate. 

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The Netflix original film They Cloned Tyrone came out swinging, delivering a unique Black story that combined sci-fi, comedy, and impressive cast chemistry. Dear Culture welcomes the film's director and co-writer, Juel Taylor, and producers, Mark Wright and Stephen "Dr" Love to discuss the behind-the-scenes movie magic that included Jamie Foxx and the struggles to release a film during a tense Hollywood strike. 

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Dear Culture's satire series returns with an investigative report about Nike's Triple Black Air Force Ones. John Gustav, aka Panama Jackson, explores the criminal underworld to discover why the sneaker is the top choice for criminals. 

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The wild story of the fake Ohio high school Bishop Sycamore, who was playing football games despite not being a real school, has people shook. How could something like this happen? Who's to blame? Why is Roy Johnson not in jail? Panama Jackson is joined by podcaster and former LSU athlete Corey Wilson to dive into the madness and discuss why America's unhealthy obsession with sports is central to this scandal.

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Panama Jackson shows his love for the classic Black films that impacted culture with The Tru'ish Black Stories series. Dear Culture uses hilarious commentary to highlight the dance battle movie of the early 2000s 'You Got Served,' proving these dance moves were about more than just bragging rights. 

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Since becoming a fan favorite on Living Single more than 30 years ago, Erika Alexander has remained a constant fixture in Hollywood, both in front of and behind the camera. And in recent years, she's shifted her focus to the fight for equality, specifically, the push for reparations. She joins Dear Culture to discuss her current TV and film projects and her dedication to positively impacting culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.