<![CDATA[Blacksplained]]>One question
Actual experts

Real answers

]]>contrabandcamp.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:15:25 GMTThu, 09 Jul 2026 14:02:22 GMT60Michael Harriot<p>One question<br />Actual experts</p><p>Real answers</p>episodicMichael Harriotmkeharriot@gmail.comno<![CDATA[Superlawyer Lisa E. Davis Blacksplains How Black Genius Was Stolen, Exploited and Erased]]>Each week, host Michael Harriot will pick one question about history, politics, science, culture or anything else worth talking about. But instead of giving his opinion or sharing his feelings on the subject, he’ll bring in a scholar, expert or professional who actually knows what they’re talking about.

But these discussions won’t be neutral, performatively palatable or sterilized to make people comfortable. Instead of using “objectivity” as a standard (pronounced “Hoo why itt”), we’ll dive into each subject from an unapologetically Black perspective, grounded in real expertise and delivered with the wit, candor and cultural fluency that informs our ways of knowing.

The result is a show that doesn’t just inform you; it will recontextualize what you thought you knew, give you new insight and make you realize that you aren’t going crazy. We’ll have real experts like today’s guest, attorney Lisa E. Davis

Besides being one of the foremost entertainment and sports attorneys in the country, Davis is a certified “Super Lawyer” and the author of the new book: Our Minds Were Always Free: A History of How Black Brilliance Was Exploited—and the Fight to Retake Control. Today, she will help us answer the question:

Can you steal Black genius?

Let’s find out.

One question. Actual experts. Real answers.

Welcome to Blacksplained.

Takeaways

  • Theft of intellectual property has had a profound impact on the Black community
  • The limitations of the law in addressing intellectual property theft are evident Ownership and control are critical in the music industry
  • The role of record companies in curation and marketing is still significant in the digital age

Chapters

  • 00:00 Theft of Intellectual Property
  • 01:12 Blacksplained: A New Perspective
  • 02:12 The Exploitation of Black Brilliance
  • 03:31 The Impact of Intellectual Property Theft
  • 06:44 The Legacy of Intellectual Property Theft
  • 08:37 Intellectual Property and Capitalism
  • 11:24 The Limitations of the Law
  • 16:03 The Impact on Music and Art
  • 20:15 Ownership and Exploitation
  • 27:41 The Difference in Cover Versions
  • 30:05 Theft and Responsibility
  • 32:44 Ownership and Control
  • 35:31 Masters and Catalog Leasing
  • 41:09 Intellectual Property and Creativity
  • 47:11 Record Companies and Curation
  • 49:14 The Role of Algorithms
  • 52:28 Black Creativity and American Culture
]]>0439ab9f-cc96-48cf-a6e4-2ac586642959Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:15:03 GMT<p>Each week, host Michael Harriot will pick one question about history, politics, science, culture or anything else worth talking about. But instead of giving his opinion or sharing his feelings on the subject, he’ll bring in a scholar, expert or professional who actually knows what they’re talking about. </p><p>But these discussions won’t be neutral, performatively palatable or sterilized to make people comfortable. Instead of using “objectivity” as a standard (pronounced “Hoo why itt”), we’ll dive into each subject from an unapologetically Black perspective, grounded in real expertise and delivered with the wit, candor and cultural fluency that informs our ways of knowing. </p><p>The result is a show that doesn’t just inform you; it will recontextualize what you thought you knew, give you new insight and make you realize that you aren’t going crazy. We’ll have real experts like today’s guest, attorney Lisa E. Davis </p><p>Besides being one of the foremost entertainment and sports attorneys in the country, Davis is a certified “<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.superlawyers.com/articles/new-york/we-need-to-tell-other-stories/" target="_blank">Super Lawyer</a>” and the author of the new book: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Our-Minds-Were-Always-Free/Lisa-E-Davis/9781982175993" target="_blank"><i>Our Minds Were Always Free</i></a><i>: A History of How Black Brilliance Was Exploited—and the Fight to Retake Control. </i>Today, she will help us answer the question: </p><p>Can you steal Black genius? </p><p>Let’s find out.</p><p>One question. Actual experts. Real answers.</p><p>Welcome to <i>Blacksplained</i>.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Theft of intellectual property has had a profound impact on the Black community</li><li>The limitations of the law in addressing intellectual property theft are evident Ownership and control are critical in the music industry</li><li>The role of record companies in curation and marketing is still significant in the digital age</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Theft of Intellectual Property</li><li>01:12 Blacksplained: A New Perspective</li><li>02:12 The Exploitation of Black Brilliance</li><li>03:31 The Impact of Intellectual Property Theft</li><li>06:44 The Legacy of Intellectual Property Theft</li><li>08:37 Intellectual Property and Capitalism</li><li>11:24 The Limitations of the Law</li><li>16:03 The Impact on Music and Art</li><li>20:15 Ownership and Exploitation</li><li>27:41 The Difference in Cover Versions</li><li>30:05 Theft and Responsibility</li><li>32:44 Ownership and Control</li><li>35:31 Masters and Catalog Leasing</li><li>41:09 Intellectual Property and Creativity</li><li>47:11 Record Companies and Curation</li><li>49:14 The Role of Algorithms</li><li>52:28 Black Creativity and American Culture</li></ul>no00:54:5611Superlawyer Lisa E. Davis Blacksplains How Black Genius Was Stolen, Exploited and Erasedfull<![CDATA[Can White People Code-Switch? Blacksplained by Sunn m'Cheaux and Dr. Rachel E. Weissler]]>Can white people code-switch, or is it a genetic ability that Black people are born with, like clapping on beat or making white people “fear for their lives”? Is it the same as “talking white” or is it a technical skill that people like Barack Obama, Kamala Harris and Ketanji Brown Jackson learned at the Respectability Politics School for Black Excellence? Do all white Gen-Zers (including Post Malone, Tyler Herro and Miley Cyrus) go through a Blaccent phase or are they reverse code-switching?

This is why Blacksplained exists.

Each week, we ask scholars, experts and people who know things to tackle one specific question about history, politics, culture, science or whatever’s got people talking. The smart, funny and insightful conversations end up in the most unexpected places while staying rooted in facts, truth and something that is often missing from the public discourse: a Black perspective.

Sunn m’Cheaux is a sociolinguist, musician, educator, and Harvard University’s first (and only) Gullah instructor. m’Cheaux’s social media posts contextualizing language, race and culture have made him one of the internet’s favorite public scholars.

Rachel Elizabeth Weissler is a raciolinguistic emotion perception researcher, African-American English scholar and a professor at the University of Oregon’s linguistics and Black studies departments. Dr. Weissler uses experimental methods from sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics and history to explore how Black language is used, how it changes and how it’s appropriated.

But today, professors m’Cheaux and Weissler are going to Blacksplain:

“Can white people code-switch?”

Chapters

  • 00:00 The Origin of Southern Accents
  • 02:04 The Diversity of Southern Accents
  • 04:05 The Influence of English Variations
  • 06:45 The Impact of Language on Social Standing
  • 11:07 The Concept of 'Talking White'
  • 16:12 The Authenticity of Accents and Dialects
  • 40:04 The Significance of Home and Contact
  • 44:33 Context and Culture
  • 46:16 Linguistic Gatekeeping
  • 47:50 Preserving Black Language
  • 54:08 Authenticity of Black Music
  • 01:00:43 Cultural Evolution and Ownership
  • 01:19:08 Defining Country Music
]]>6e5284f0-1cbd-43cb-b591-9775fa21bf8aMon, 03 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMT<p>Can white people code-switch, or is it a genetic ability that Black people are born with, like clapping on beat or making white people “fear for their lives”? Is it the same as “talking white” or is it a technical skill that people like <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.politico.com/story/2009/03/blacks-whites-hear-obama-differently-019538" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thegrio.com/2024/09/06/was-kamala-harris-code-switching-or-pandering-we-asked-an-expert/" target="_blank">Kamala Harris</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://dailycaller.com/2026/06/30/kbj-ketanji-brown-jackson-understood-the-assignment-scotus-opinion-birthright-citizenship-decorum" target="_blank">Ketanji Brown Jackson</a> learned at the Respectability Politics School for Black Excellence? Do all white Gen-Zers (including Post Malone, Tyler Herro and Miley Cyrus) go through a Blaccent phase or are they reverse code-switching?</p><p>This is why Blacksplained exists.</p><p>Each week, we ask scholars, experts and people who know things to tackle one specific question about history, politics, culture, science or whatever’s got people talking. The smart, funny and insightful conversations end up in the most unexpected places while staying rooted in facts, truth and something that is often missing from the public discourse: a Black perspective.</p><p>Sunn m’Cheaux is a sociolinguist, musician, educator, and <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/a-dying-language-comes-to-life-in-classroom/" target="_blank">Harvard University’s</a> first (and only) Gullah instructor. m’Cheaux’s social media posts contextualizing language, race and culture have made him one of the internet’s favorite public scholars.</p><p>Rachel Elizabeth Weissler is a raciolinguistic emotion perception researcher, African-American English scholar and a professor at the University of Oregon’s linguistics and Black studies departments. Dr. Weissler uses experimental methods from sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics and history to explore how Black language is used, how it changes and how it’s appropriated.</p><p>But today, professors m’Cheaux and Weissler are going to Blacksplain:</p><p>“Can white people code-switch?”</p><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 The Origin of Southern Accents</li><li>02:04 The Diversity of Southern Accents</li><li>04:05 The Influence of English Variations</li><li>06:45 The Impact of Language on Social Standing</li><li>11:07 The Concept of 'Talking White'</li><li>16:12 The Authenticity of Accents and Dialects</li><li>40:04 The Significance of Home and Contact</li><li>44:33 Context and Culture</li><li>46:16 Linguistic Gatekeeping</li><li>47:50 Preserving Black Language</li><li>54:08 Authenticity of Black Music</li><li>01:00:43 Cultural Evolution and Ownership</li><li>01:19:08 Defining Country Music</li></ul>no01:07:2613Can White People Code-Switch? Blacksplained by Sunn m'Cheaux and Dr. Rachel E. Weisslerfull<![CDATA[Will the Internet Kill the Black Press? Blacksplained by Roland S. Martin]]> As we approach the 200th anniversary of the Black press, many people wonder if anyone is keeping that mission alive. If so, who? And how do we support them?

Well, Blacksplained has the answer. Each week, ContrabandCamp’s newest weekly podcast poses one question to a scholar, expert or someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. This week, ContrabandCamp senior correspondent Tiffany D. Cross and Michael Harriot sat down with the founder of the Black Star Network streaming service and the host of the daily news show Roland Martin Unfiltered to answer this episode’s question:

“Is the Black press still alive?”

Chapters

  • 00:00 Defining Journalism and Content Creation
  • 03:00 The Role of Truth in Media
  • 06:02 The Responsibility of Journalists
  • 09:45 The Importance of Facts in Opinion Columns
  • 13:07 The Impact of Subjectivity in Sports and Music
  • 15:20 The Power of Facts in Debates
  • 19:58 The Significance of Showing Up for Black People
  • 22:08 Mission-Driven Service
  • 24:14 Financial Support and Funding
  • 25:36 The Importance of Black-Owned Media
  • 26:34 Challenges and Opportunities in Black Media
  • 27:38 Community Support and Engagement
  • 29:53 The Role of Black-Owned Media in Society
  • 31:38 Building and Sustaining a Media Business
  • 33:26 The Power of Black-Owned Media
  • 34:52 Sustaining Independence and Growth
  • 39:26 The Value of Black-Owned Media
  • 40:24 Sustainable Business Growth
]]>02e39eb9-ae4e-422b-9157-96b4bbc84712Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:00:00 GMT<p> As we approach the 200th anniversary of the Black press, many people wonder if anyone is keeping that mission alive. If so, who? And how do we support them?<br /></p><p>Well, Blacksplained has the answer. Each week, ContrabandCamp’s newest weekly podcast poses one question to a scholar, expert or someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. This week, ContrabandCamp senior correspondent Tiffany D. Cross and Michael Harriot sat down with the founder of the <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.miamitimesonline.com/lifestyles/entertainment/roland-martin-launches-black-star-network/article_45c0248a-1002-11ec-9d4e-e727d15794d9.html" target="_blank">Black Star Network</a> streaming service and the host of the daily news show <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVVhpySbZvKbM5nzaUCAIc4qT4Q-_TlB4" target="_blank"><i>Roland Martin Unfiltered</i></a> to answer this episode’s question:<br /></p><p>“Is the Black press still alive?”<br /></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Defining Journalism and Content Creation</li><li>03:00 The Role of Truth in Media</li><li>06:02 The Responsibility of Journalists</li><li>09:45 The Importance of Facts in Opinion Columns</li><li>13:07 The Impact of Subjectivity in Sports and Music</li><li>15:20 The Power of Facts in Debates</li><li>19:58 The Significance of Showing Up for Black People</li><li>22:08 Mission-Driven Service</li><li>24:14 Financial Support and Funding</li><li>25:36 The Importance of Black-Owned Media</li><li>26:34 Challenges and Opportunities in Black Media</li><li>27:38 Community Support and Engagement</li><li>29:53 The Role of Black-Owned Media in Society</li><li>31:38 Building and Sustaining a Media Business</li><li>33:26 The Power of Black-Owned Media</li><li>34:52 Sustaining Independence and Growth</li><li>39:26 The Value of Black-Owned Media</li><li>40:24 Sustainable Business Growth</li></ul>no00:44:4012Will the Internet Kill the Black Press? Blacksplained by Roland S. Martinfull