The Message with Ebro Darden

Ebro talks to hip-hop executive and author Sophia Chang for Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month about being the first ever Asian woman in hip-hop, being radicalized by punk music, and her work managing many of your favorite artists, from RZA to Paul Simon.

In April 2021, President Biden signed a letter declaring April as National Arab American Heritage Month, the result of four years of campaigning by Arab American organizations to federally recognize the month after years of isolated celebrations in various states and school districts.

This year, it loosely corresponds with Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, in which Muslims around the world fast, pray, read the Quran, and focus on their faith and community.

Being a global rap superstar does not exempt one from these duties, as French Montana knows. On this episode of the Message, Ebro and French sit down for a candid conversation about his faith, his immigration journey, his charity work, and the upcoming documentary about his life, which will be executive produced by Drake.

Listen to French Montana's exclusive Message playlist only on Apple Music.

This week on The Message, Ebro is joined by Jon Stewart to walk through his playlist of anti-establishment tracks that have kept him motivated through his days as a New Jersey bartender, his stint as an MTV talk show host, his legendary run on The Daily Show, and all the way up to now as a podcaster and host of The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+. As they look back on this journey, Jon opens up about his Message, and how it led him back to TV after his retirement from The Daily Show in 2015. They also touch on social media and so-called "cancel culture," his activism on Capitol Hill, and the recent wave of anti-semitism from celebrities like Kanye West and Kyrie Irving.

Make sure to subscribe to The Message to get updated when new episodes drop, and listen to Jon Stewart's Message playlist on Apple Music.

For Women's History Month, Ebro runs it back to the very first episode of The Message on Apple Music 1, airing his conversation with R&B queen Erykah Badu for the very first time in its uncut entirety. They walk through her soulful Message playlist (which she titled "Now Breathe Like It") and talk about mental health, family, and healing yourself through music. Then, to honor the 20th anniversary of her iconic album Mama's Gun, they reflect on the album, the origins of her career, and a life spent on the road.

NOTE: This interview originally taped in the fall of 2020.

For Women's History Month, Ebro flashes back to 2021 and his conversation with Andra Day, star of the Golden Globe-winning film The United States vs. Billie Holiday. They dive deep into Holiday's legacy, and how embodying the iconic powerhouse singer was the greatest challenge of Day's career. The conversation then evolves into an appreciation of Black women and their struggle throughout history, and the incredible female Black musicians changing the face of the current musical landscape.

Listen to Andra Day's exclusive Message playlist only on Apple Music.

David Banner was one of the most popular MCs and producers of the early aughts, delivering hits for other artists like Trick Daddy’s “Thug Holiday” and T.I.’s “Rubber Band Man” while turning parties out with songs of his own like “Crank It Up” and “Like a Pimp.” He’d parlay undeniable charm and a million-dollar smile into movie roles and hosting gigs, extending the scope of his career far beyond the recording booth, but as his newest music—2017’s The God Box—more accurately reflects, Banner’s mission has always been rooted in improving the state of affairs for Black America. “Historically, America has never shown that it cares about somebody that comes from where I come from, lives like I live, or looks like me,” he says. “So all of a sudden, you know, there's this big interest in that. I don't trust it. But I really think the true solution is us taking care of us.”

In this special Black History Month edition of the Message, Ebro and Banner sit down to talk about Banner's Message of Black liberation, investing in Black communities, and breaking out of the programming of white supremacy.

Listen to David Banner's Message playlist only on Apple Music.

For the latest episode of Apple Music’s The Message, Ebro is joined by music mogul Kevin Liles and United States Congressman Jamaal Bowman of New York. Though they might at face value seem like unlikely bedfellows, Liles and Bowman are working in concert to garner support for the Artists' Right to Speech Act, or the ARTS Act, which would prohibit the use of music lyrics as evidence in court proceedings. Liles and Bowman both claim to owe much to hip-hop, and feel particularly compelled to strike back against a deeply unfair legal practice that has its origins in the ugliest tradition of American history.

Listen to the pair's Message playlist, only on Apple Music.

This week, Ebro is joined by rapper Styles P and filmmaker Hezues R to hear about the work that the two of them are doing to get youth off the streets through their latest venture, the SIC Film School.

The pair of them also share the personal struggles that started them on their mental health journeys. Styles P reflects on the passing of his daughter from suicide, while Hezues talks about turning his life around after he was shot 22 times, with the help of Styles P's song "The Life." The two agree that there is an urgent mental health crisis in the Black community, and as Styles P says, "you never know how other people are feeling."

Listen to the pair's Message playlist, only on Apple Music.

Ebro sits down with 5-time Grammy winner, Oscar winner, and Emmy winner Jon Batiste to talk about the history of Black music in America, the message behind his album 'We Are,' and the unbreakable link between Black music and activism.

Listen to Jon's Message playlist and watch the video interview, only on Apple Music.

Welcome to The Message, a new interview hosted series hosted by Ebro Darden about music, culture, mental health, and politics. Stay tuned for the first episode with guest Jon Batiste, releasing in January. Brought to you by Apple Music.