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, despite decades of supply and demand. Why? George goes to the genesis of the DRC’s economic reality by exploring the rise of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first prime minister. Written by George The Poet
Produced by Benbrick and George The Poet
Original music by Benbrick, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Sound Design by Benbrick.

30. Lumumba Pt. 1

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.

Drama

Fiction

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 ignited his interest in hip hop, and discusses the impact of rap and grime on his own verse. He also remembers how his local community radio station gave him his first break and encouraged the development as a performer. Producer: Edwina Pitman

Special: This Cultural Life

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 & George the Poet 
Original Music and Sound Design by Benbrick.

38. Once Upon a Time in Kampala

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.

37. Back to Common Ground

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 on previous episodes illuminates patterns of exploitation and extraction across African/Western relations. This is the global context that frames the questionable role of the International Monetary Fund in the perpetuation of poverty. George is reminded by his grandmother’s legacy that fighting for justice is always an option. 
 
Written by George the Poet
Produced by Benbrick & George the Poet
With an original score composed by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

36. Jamaican DemAhCrazy Pt. 2

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 was the New International Economic Order? Why did it rattle Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan so much? On this fast-paced tour of Jamaican history, George looks back at the rise and fall of the Third World’s biggest political project. Written by George the Poet
Produced by Benbrick and George the Poet
Original score composed by Benbrick and recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra

30. Lumumba Pt. 1

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