Michael Ford, the Hip Hop Architect, joins Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank to connect bars to blueprints. From the Hip Hop Architecture Camp to leading The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, Ford shows how rap lyrics inspire real spaces, why representation matters when only 2 percent of architects are Black, and how collabs with Shaw and Herman Miller turn design into community impact. Plus his next build: a Hip Hop Museum of the South in Memphis. This is Unglossy.

Unglossy is hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank. The show is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. See all of our episodes at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/unglossy-pod. For early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+

Some producers make beats. Pete Rock built a blueprint.

On this episode of Unglossy, Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank sit down with the legendary producer, DJ, and MC for a wide-ranging conversation that runs from his Mount Vernon roots all the way to the present moment. Pete takes us back to coming up under Heavy D, spinning on WBLS next to Marley Marl at 13 years old, and the basement studio where Biggie, Run DMC, Nas, and half of hip hop passed through. He breaks down the stories behind the classics: how "T.R.O.Y." came out of real grief and taught him to treat music like medicine, how Jam Master Jay tapped out the drums on "Down with the King," and how he ended up singing the hook on "The World Is Yours." Plus the new De La Soul album, his love of comics, and why, after 53 years without a chip, these Knicks have him out of his head in the best way.

It is a masterclass, a memory lap, and a love letter to New York, all in one.

Follow us on Instagram @UnglossyPod to join the conversation, and get early access plus live recordings and more at Merrick Studios+. Unglossy is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios, where culture takes the mic.

Showtime Shawn Porter sits down with Tom, Bun B, and Jeffrey for a conversation that goes well beyond the highlights reel. From training under his father Kenny at age four, to sparring Manny Pacquiao, to the real story behind that final round against Terence Crawford — Shawn holds nothing back. Plus: the state of boxing today, Floyd's real work ethic, and what he's building next including a documentary and a boxing film where he's playing the lead. Built different. This one shows it.

Sharp, real, and a great one start to finish. This is Showtime.

Unglossy is hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank. The show is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. See all of our our episodes at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/unglossy-pod. For early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+

This week on Unglossy, Jemele Hill joins the fellas for an unfiltered ride through her come-up from Detroit to ESPN, the tweet that changed everything, and the pivot to The Atlantic, Uphill, and Flagrant and Funny with Cari Champion. Plus Dwight Howard's Top 75 snub, Kobe stories, Skip Bayless, the Pistons, and whether Anthony Davis is a Wizard next year. Honest, funny, and Detroit to the core.

The NBA's Sr. VP of Communications, Tim Frank, makes history as Unglossy's first two-time guest. Twenty-two years at NBA headquarters, an NBA Championship in year one with the Houston Rockets, four straight WNBA titles with the Comets — Tim has seen it all and isn't afraid to talk about it. Tom, Bun B, and Jeffrey go deep on the Playoffs, the truth behind the Draft Lottery, the new TV rights deal, expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle, and what genuinely worries Tim about the future of the NBA.

Unglossy is hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank. The show is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. See all of our our episodes at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/unglossy-pod. For early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+ at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/plus.

This week on Unglossy, the fellas sit down with Mark Isham — Grammy-nominated composer and trumpeter behind some of Hollywood's most iconic scores, including Crash, A River Runs Through It, Point Break, and 42.

Mark traces the journey from San Francisco's jazz scene to landing a $35 million Disney film with no formal training and 90 bucks in the bank — and how a home-duplicated cassette changed everything. He breaks down what it's really like to score films for Jodie Foster, Robert Redford, and Kathryn Bigelow, the night he rewrote the entire Point Break score, and why silencing self-doubt has been as important as any musical skill.

Plus: where film scoring is heading, a new series about the Irish gangs of Brooklyn, and a new album in the works

Unglossy is hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank. The show is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. For early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+ 

This week on Unglossy, Bomani Jones joins the fellas and turns a conversation about the NBA Playoffs and NFL Draft into a deeper look at the business of sports—streaming chaos, rising costs, and why access isn’t what it used to be.

From there, it goes where it wants: travel, chasing awe around the world, and why a waterfall might hit harder than front-row seats. Plus a no-holds debate on Prince vs. Michael Jackson, influence vs. popularity, and what really shapes culture.

Along the way: sneaker resale, concert prices, and an Emmy that may or may not be a “participation trophy.”

Smart, funny, and unpredictable—just like Bomani.

Unglossy is hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge and Tom Frank and is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. Check out this and all our episodes at wearemerrickstudios.com/unglossy-pod

Most actors wait. Mark Elias builds. On this episode of Unglossy, the 9-1-1: Lone Star and Lucifer actor breaks down his journey from Houston roots to Hollywood—then the pivot from chasing roles to creating them. We get into his film We Could Be Heroes, raising money through WeFunder, and what it actually takes to go from idea to screen—plus why ownership changes everything. It all leads to his new podcast on Merrick Studios, Working Title: From Paper to Screen, where he’s documenting the process in real time. This one’s about betting on yourself—and doing the work to back it up. And, don't miss a very special offer for Merrick Studios+

Unglossy is produced by Merrick Studios and hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge and Tom Frank. Join the conversation on Instagram @UnglossyPod and get early access plus live events, additional content and more at Merrick Studios+

Most people chase the spotlight. Michelle Delamor learned how to own it.

This week on Unglossy, we sit down with the former American Idol standout turned founder, studio executive, and creator of Amazon Prime’s 60 Day Hustle to unpack what really happens after the cameras stop rolling. From auditioning alongside 110,000 hopefuls to navigating the machine of the music industry, Michelle shares how she turned early exposure into long-term ownership—and why building your own platform is the real endgame.

We get into the psychology of reality TV, the business behind entertainment, and the hard pivot from artist to entrepreneur. Plus, she breaks down how 60 Day Hustle is flipping the script on competition shows—proving that real pressure, real stakes, and real growth don’t need to be manufactured.

Because in this game, talent gets you seen… but ownership changes everything.

Unglossy is produced by Merrick Studios and hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge and Tom Frank. Join the conversation on Instagram @UnglossyPod and get early access plus live events, additional content and more at Merrick Studios+

On this episode of Unglossy, we sit down with legendary producer Don Vito for a wide-ranging conversation about hustle, reinvention, and the long road behind the hits.

From growing up in Gary, Indiana, to serving in the Marine Corps, to finding his way into Atlanta’s exploding music scene, Don shares the unconventional path that led him to work with artists like Nelly, Ciara, Bow Wow, Cherish, and Kandi Burruss. Along the way, he breaks down the realities of the music business, the difference between making beats and making records, and why some artists reach the top while others sabotage their own success.

But Don’s story doesn’t stop with hit records. After navigating the highs and shifts of the music industry, he pivoted into podcasting, digital media, and content strategy, earning the nickname “The Podfather.” In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on how creators can turn podcasts into real businesses—and why most people are approaching it the wrong way.

It’s a conversation full of industry war stories, hard lessons, and unexpected insights about building something that lasts in an industry that’s constantly changing.

If you care about music, media, entrepreneurship, or the future of podcasting, this is one you don’t want to miss.

Unglossy is a Merrick Studios podcast hosted by Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge and Tom Frank.