In the early days of the pandemic, I found a record poking out of a bookshelf. I must've walked past that shelf a million times, how had I never noticed it? Turns out: the record was written for my grandfather by future Broadway titan: John Kander.

The story doesn't stop there and only gets better. I invite you to listen and enjoy and share.

This story began as a twitter thread that went super viral, amassing tens of millions of views.

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker is probably one of the coolest people to ever set foot on Planet Earth. The man literally invented the high five in 1977 (seriously, look it up, I'm not lying) and yet somehow that isn't the coolest thing about him. His love and passion for music runs very deep, you'll hear that in the stories he tells.

PS shoutout to Sydney Colson.

Once upon a time, Jay-Z was announced to be the first rapper to headline Glastonbury. Noel Gallager from Oasis didn't like that very much, he told the press, "I'm not havin' hip-hop at Glastonbury. Fookin no way."

The way Jay-Z responded was equal parts class and ether.

Text +1-910-898-3547 on WhatsApp, Watch What Happens.

From the beginning we've always wanted to make The Nostalgia Mixtape a community thing. It’s cool to talk to our favorite artists, but we've always wanted to hear stories from *you*. Now we're happy to report that we've finally figured out a way to do it, but here’s the thing: it won’t work without your help!

Over the summer we worked with the team over at the Elis app to create a bot that will allow anyone with a smartphone to be part of The Nostalgia Mixtape. It should be pretty simple: download WhatsApp if you don’t have it already and send a text to +1 (910) 898-3547. The bot will guide you from there. Let us know if you have any issues.

The first prompt for y’all is the one that originally spawned the podcast: we want you to tell the story of a memory that’s tied to a song.

Your stories will be featured on the Nostalgia Mixtape space on Elis and our favorites will make their way onto a special episode of the podcast to be released in mid-October, so you’ve got a couple weeks to send your stories in 🔮

Will you help us out?

Find a quiet place to tell your story if you can, and, we assure you, the end result is going to feel like magic 🎩🪄

Comedian and sports enthusiast Jamel Johnson stops by the campfire to tell a few funny and affecting coming-of-age stories; tales of romance, fisticuffs, and maybe a little bit of the ganja. His stories are soundtracked by Ludacris and Lil' Wyte, and boy are they worth hearing.

Follow:

https://twitter.com/nonprofitcomic

https://instagram.com/broccolihouse

We are @nostalgiatapes on IG and Twitter.

Lenora, a singer from Houston, Texas, (the Hiram Clarke area to be specific) stops by the campfire to get a little vulnerable, tell some stories, cry a little, and laugh a lot.

3:20 - Growing up in Hiram Clarke

14:15 - Almost got a Ginuwine Whoopin'

22:04 - The album 'Girls', the 'Cool' music video

27:05 - A happy memory

35:26 - "Goin Up Yonder" is *the* song that shaped Lenora

41:30 - Songs Lenora sang as a kid

49:00 - Long Live Mama Lenora

1:02:00 - Water (hug) break

1:02:45 - Grieving

1:06:46 - Outro

Follow on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sincerelylenora/

https://www.instagram.com/sam3an/

https://www.instagram.com/nostalgiatapes/

One fateful day, I found myself holding a camera and staring into Bill Withers' eyes. Or, I should say, he was staring into mine. No, he was gazing into my soul. He could see all the highlights of my life, he could see every mistake I ever made. And he was smiling.

Here's that story + at the end a chance for you to reflect on pieces of people you care about that you carry with you.

This story was first published on the Elis Audio app in two parts, find the story here:

https://spaces.elis.io/spaces/nostalgiatapes/posts/5fe9ed09-5f30-4e23-87ec-70b7b63ebd98

And part two here:

https://spaces.elis.io/spaces/nostalgiatapes/posts/6469d199-dfce-43ee-82f3-6242192f4e1f

We're back, folks! And the campfire is here to stay. Season 3 is under way thanks to the good people at Elis, a new social media app that puts the power of audio storytelling in your hands. For season 3, you'll hear exclusives on Elis first and then you'll find them here a short while later.

If you have an iPhone, download the Elis Audio app from the app store, or, if you don't have an iPhone, simply head to https://www.elis.io/ to check out the latest from The Nostalgia Mixtape, Insomnia Revenue, and more great spaces.

Legendary rapper, college professor, one half of the mighty UGK, and Sama'an's personal mentor, Bun B joins the campfire to tell the story of his career (and his marriage) through five of his songs.

[00:01:50]

Chapter 0: Trill Foreword by Jon Caramanica

[00:11:20]

Chapter 1: Findin' Love While Ridin' Dirty

[00:23:10]

Chapter 2: It's Dark and DMX Knows My Lyrics

[00:35:56]

Chapter 3: Tupac and UGK, The Collab That Almost Was

[00:40:25]

Chapter 4: Sometimes A Knowles Checks on *You*

[00:51:02]

Chapter 5: Losing My Shit Wiv Da Mandem At Glastonbury

Read along with the annotated transcript at:

http://thenostalgiamixtape.com/creative/the-bun-b-episode/

Donate to The Nostalgia Mixtape if you're feelin lucky:

http://thenostalgiamixtape.com/donate/

From our episode In Support Of Black Liberation, Aaron Stephens shares two songs in his live performance: his original tune, "Do Something," and a cover of Bob Marley's "Small Axe."

Buy Aaron's music here:

https://aaronstephens.bandcamp.com/

Listen to the full episode here:

http://thenostalgiamixtape.com/creative/in-support-of-black-liberation/

"Do Something" Lyrics:

Some people want

Some people need

Some people give expecting to receive

We’re earning wage they’re waging war

We made them rich, but they want more

But we won’t sit around and do nothing about it

Let’s do something

Do something about it

March on those lawns and shot it

We want change

They sway our media and news

Force feed us whatever they choose

We’re booking hearses and they’re booking flights

I don’t know how they go to sleep at night

But we won’t sit around

And do nothing about it

Let’s do something

Do something about it

March on those lawns and shot it

We want change

Things won’t change if we just sit around asking why

There are people in pain and we’re watching them die

No justice, no peace

"Small Axe" lyrics:

Why boasteth thyself

Oh, he-vil man

Playing smart

And not being clever, oh no

I said you’re working iniquity

To achieve vanity yeah, if a-so a-so

But the goodness of Jah-Jah

I-dureth for-i-ver

[Chorus]

If you are the big tree

We are the small axe

Sharpened to cut you down (Well sharp)

Ready to cut you down, oh, yeah

[Verse 2]

These are the words

Of my master, keep on telling me, oh

No weak heart shall prosper, oh no they can’t, eh, eh

[Bridge]

Whosoever diggeth a pit, lord

Shall fall in it, shall fall in it

Whosoever diggeth a pit

Shall bury in it, shall bury in it

[Chorus]

If you are the big tree

We are the small axe

Sharpened to cut you down

Ready to cut you down

[Bridge]

Eh, whosoever diggeth a pit

Shall fall in it, fall in it, eh

Whosoever diggeth a pit

Shall bury in it, shall bury in it

[Chorus]

If you have a big tree

We have a small axe

Ready to cut you down (Well sharp)

Sharpened to cut you down, oh

[Outro]

If you are the big tree, let me tell you this

We are the small axe

Ready to cut you down (Well sharp)

Sharpened to cut you down, oh, yeah