The BLK IRL Podcast

The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics.

In this episode, Anuli talks to Sofiyat Ibrahim (also known online as @TheOdditty), a Washington, DC area based international affairs industry professional and social media influencer about her experience of going viral five times in a span of three months and the misconceptions people have about virality and influencing.

You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com).  Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast!

The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics.

In this episode, Anuli talks to Saleam Singleton, a Brooklyn based men’s skincare + beauty advocate and content creator about how he creates boundaries between his online persona, the Method Male, and who he is offline as well as how performing self-care online came to be one of the ways that he honors himself.

You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com).  Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl).

The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics.

In this episode, Anuli talks to Qianna Smith Bruneteau, the Founder and Executive Director of the American Influencer Council  (AIC), about what it means to be an influencer and why she feels that the influencer marketing industry is in need of stewardship.

The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics.

This is the first full episode of Season 1! In this episode, Anuli talks to culture writer Shamira Ibrahim about how influencing has become the new cult of personality and how the exploitation of Black people and Black creative labor has become central to the inner workings of Internet culture.

You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com).  Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). 

The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this short teaser episode, Anuli introduces herself and shares a bit of what to expect in Season 1 of the BLK IRL Podcast. 

You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com).  Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl).