Have You Heard George's Podcast?

By BBC Sounds

What's Have You Heard George's Podcast? about?

The award-winning and critically-acclaimed podcast from George the Poet delivers a fresh take on inner city life through a mix of storytelling, music and fiction.

4.8

168168 ratings

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Have You Heard George's Podcast? episodes:

04.12.2024
Special: This Cultural Life
George talks to John Wilson about some of his most formative cultural influences including the grammar school that taught him the essay-writing skills he still puts to use when making his podcast. He reveals how Tupac Shakur’s 1998 song Changes...
12.22.2023
38. Once Upon a Time in Kampala
In Uganda’s capital city, a young cab driver forms an unlikely bond with a sex worker during the crippling lockdown of 2021. They are both forced to make tough decisions. Written by George the Poet Produced by Benbrick &...
12.15.2023
37. Back to Common Ground
George responds to audience questions taken from Common Ground, the platform he co-created in Chapter 3. Listeners discuss everything from art to race using prompts from previous episodes, reaffirming the importance of the artist/audience relationship.
12.01.2023
36. Jamaican DemAhCrazy Pt. 2
Shaken by the passing of his grandmother, George reflects on the post-colonial struggles of her generation. 1970s Jamaica provides an early case study of the weaponised debt that went on to re-colonise much of the global South. A look back...
11.17.2023
35. Jamaican DemAhCrazy Pt. 1
When keeping it real goes…wrong? For a moment in the seventies, Jamaican democracy produced an ambitious plan to end inequality between countries. But when the island’s socialist leader, Michael Manley, flew too close to the sun, he got burnt. What...
11.10.2023
34. Francophone Pt. 2
When is a breakup not a breakup? When your ex controls every aspect of your life. After walking through the freedom struggles of Ghana and the Congo in previous episodes, George turns his attention towards the “former” French colonies of...
10.27.2023
33: Francophone Pt. 1
The power of Western languages over African economies is undeniable, and nowhere is this more obvious than in Black music. Despite "Francophone” meaning French-speaking, across Africa, it signifies so much more. George looks at the power dynamics between the...
10.20.2023
32. Drama in Ghana Pt. 2
After achieving independence, Ghana gave support to freedom fighters across Africa. What went wrong? Written by George the Poet. Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet. Original score by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Sound Design...
10.13.2023
31. Lumumba Pt. 2
With enemies lurking in every corner, Patrice Lumumba is trapped in his own home. As the first democratically elected prime minister of the Congo, he planned to use the country’s natural wealth to improve the lives of its people, but...
10.06.2023
30. Lumumba Pt. 1
Before Nigeria took over the African music scene, the Democratic Republic of Congo had us in a chokehold. But just like its minerals, the country’s music has yet to produce an industry that eases the economic suffering of its people,...
09.29.2023
29. Drama in Ghana Pt. 1
Too many people don’t know that Ghana was the first African country to break free from colonial rule. Why does that matter? How could it not? Control of Africa’s resources keeps the rich world rich. What would happen if Ghana’s...
09.27.2023
START HERE
Since its rise to international acclaim, the multi-award-winning "Have You Heard George’s Podcast?" has remained famously undefinable. In its explosive new season, however, this finally changes, as George the Poet pieces together fragments of the African and Caribbean independence struggles....
09.15.2021
28. Songs Make Jobs
Over one billion Africans on the continent. 200 million in the diaspora. 18% of the world’s population. Thousands of artists with a gazillion listeners every day. What will it take for Black music to truly liberate Black people? Warning:...
09.08.2021
27. True Love
As a soon-to-be-married man, George reflects on all the things that made him propose to his partner, Sandra. He thinks about teamwork and the value of culture, sharing what he has learned about both through the transition from friendship to...
09.01.2021
26. Vibrations
There was a moment, somewhere between the 1980s and 1990s, when Black music turned gangsta. This moment shaped two of the world’s most influential genres: American Rap and Jamaican Dancehall. The story behind the music is one of oppressed Africans...
08.25.2021
25. Who Hurt R&B?
R&B; music has changed. It was once the soundtrack of love, but is now more like a journal of pain. Through this music, George tracks the breakdown of the African American family since the 1970s. He discovers that higher poverty...
08.18.2021
24. The Sixties
The 1960s was a mad time for Black people. It was a mad time for the world, but especially for Black people. The African Independence movement boosted morale but quickly descended into cut-throat strongman politics. Meanwhile, the American Civil Rights...
08.11.2021
23. Back to UG
At the end of 2020, George proposed to his girlfriend, Sandra, after one year of dating. Well, technically it was after years of friendship then one year of dating. When the two met as teenagers at a Ugandan event, they...
08.04.2021
22. Mavado & Vybz
In his teens, “Gangsta for life” was the signature war-cry sung by one of George’s favourite singers - Mavado. But after Mavado’s epic clash with rival, Vybz Kartel, George saw the line as a mentality...one that had empowered and terrorised...
07.28.2021
21. Flying the Flag
Once upon a time, the General Public pinned their hopes, dreams and issues on the Entertainment Industry. Society stalked celebs, music moved millions, and the industry expanded endlessly. Where did this obsession start? Warning: This episode contains strong language and...
07.21.2021
20. Young
Story time. A man drifts away from his family after his brother is killed. His estranged wife struggles to raise four kids alone. Their youngest son turns to the streets. A mix of genius and luck propels him from the...
07.14.2021
19. Common Ground
George’s Train of Thought travels through the madness of 2020 to find light at the end of the tunnel - his audience. The success of this journey depends on your next move. You've heard George’s podcast, and now George wants...
07.01.2021
Chapter 3 - Introduction
The Peabody Award-winning podcast from George the Poet is back with a new series on 15th July.
01.06.2020
18. Concurrent Affairs
Following difficult conversations with Uganda and Britain, George drops a bombshell. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: You Can Fly by Price Love, Think Twice by...
12.30.2019
17. The Bag
The Insecurity Guards hunt down ideas before they can make it onto George’s podcast. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Playa Hater by The Notorious B.I.G.,...
12.23.2019
16. Loose Ends
George’s relationships continue to fall apart as his mind descends into a battlefield. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Empire Army by Vybz Kartel, Must Be...
12.16.2019
15. Who Am I?
George finds himself torn between different audiences at a crossroads in his writing. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Who Am I by Beenie Man, Step...
12.09.2019
14. A Hard Taskmaster
The two competing parts of George’s brain - contentment and ambition - battle it out. George looks at how black creativity shapes trends through music to fashion and beyond. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick &...
12.02.2019
13. A North West Story
George contemplates his relationship with the audience before giving a personal account of conflict in his area. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Barbar G by...
11.25.2019
12. A Night To REMember
George dives deeper into his dreams via a circus of characters - some old, some new. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Memories by A Pass,...
11.18.2019
11. Writer’s Block
Having lost his way, George encounters a mysterious figure who offers to help him, but on one condition. Chaos ensues as the poet ends up travelling 10 years into the future. Written by George The Poet Produced by Benbrick & George...
11.11.2019
10. A Bedtime Story
An intimate portrait of George’s love life highlights his struggles to keep a work/life balance. He constructs an elaborate analogy that spirals out of control, leaving him lost. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The...
11.04.2019
9. Sabrina’s Boy
George reflects on the role of trauma in black art. A slice of American history provides insight into the ghettoisation of African voices, leading to a strangely familiar story. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George...
11.04.2019
START HERE
A quick introduction to the podcast from George the Poet.
11.02.2019
Special: Welcome to the World of George the Poet
Award-winning podcaster and spoken word artist George the Poet comes to the BBC’s own Radio Theatre for a one-off live show exploring what rap can teach us about education. For George, rap was always a vehicle for knowledge. But it...
09.06.2019
8. Sanyu's World
The season finale sees a return to the inside of George's Mind. Episode 6 introduced Sanyu, a young idea on a mission to break out of the Poet's overcrowded headspace and reach his audience with her most meaningful contribution. After...
09.05.2019
7. The Journey Pt II
On a mission to find the best use of his platform, George casts his gaze 2000 miles across the Mediterranean Sea to explore the modern Libyan slave trade. Ugly truths about corruption, accountability and the rule of law force him...
09.05.2019
6. The Journey Pt 1
A stroll down memory lane takes George to the beginning of his journey with poetry, before a call from a friend reminds him how far he still has to go. Asking about an idea George had previously shared, (“Sanyu”), the...
09.05.2019
5. Press Play
Have you ever wished you could teleport? Or mind-read? Or time travel? All of these are easier than you think. Every time you press play you step into another world and open yourself up to someone else's experience. This might...
09.05.2019
4. It's On Us
Following a highly publicised run-in with the police, George looks at the fraught relationship between his community and law enforcers. With poignant contributions from family and friends, the Poet tells the story of the historic and ongoing tensions that contributed...
09.03.2019
3.5 Grenfell II
George continues his Grenfell story. Written by George the Poet Original score by Benbrick Produced by Benbrick and George The Poet
09.02.2019
3. A Grenfell Story
A young teacher's daily struggles provide the backdrop for this harrowing reflection on the Grenfell Tower tragedy. In a move from journalism to drama, George departs with the documentary-style narration of previous episodes to deliver a heart-wrenching story of...
09.01.2019
2. Popcorn
George explores the roles of family and formal education in the lives of marginalised young people. With more elaborate scene-setting, his lyrical stream of consciousness flows over a soundscape that is increasingly cinematic and journalistic. The Poet argues that inner...
08.31.2019
1. Listen Closer
In the series debut George invites his listeners to step into the speakers and join him on a meandering ride aboard his own train of thought. The Poet muses on the interplay between crime and music in his community, painting...

What's Have You Heard George's Podcast? about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Have You Heard George's Podcast? episodes:

Special: This Cultural Life

38. Once Upon a Time in Kampala

37. Back to Common Ground

36. Jamaican DemAhCrazy Pt. 2

35. Jamaican DemAhCrazy Pt. 1

34. Francophone Pt. 2

33: Francophone Pt. 1

32. Drama in Ghana Pt. 2

31. Lumumba Pt. 2

30. Lumumba Pt. 1

29. Drama in Ghana Pt. 1

START HERE

28. Songs Make Jobs

27. True Love

26. Vibrations

25. Who Hurt R&B?

24. The Sixties

23. Back to UG

22. Mavado & Vybz

21. Flying the Flag

20. Young

19. Common Ground

Chapter 3 - Introduction

18. Concurrent Affairs

17. The Bag

16. Loose Ends

15. Who Am I?

14. A Hard Taskmaster

13. A North West Story

12. A Night To REMember

11. Writer’s Block

10. A Bedtime Story

9. Sabrina’s Boy

START HERE

Special: Welcome to the World of George the Poet

8. Sanyu's World

7. The Journey Pt II

6. The Journey Pt 1

5. Press Play

4. It's On Us

3.5 Grenfell II

3. A Grenfell Story

2. Popcorn

1. Listen Closer