It's Been a Minute

The summer hits reveal some complicated vibes

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Now that we're in the dog days of summer, host Brittany Luse wants to know - do we have a song of the summer this year? According to NPR Music reporte...

Code Switch: Do we need to stop using the word "felon"?

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the presidential race, things changed. Her campaign almost immediately started framing the election as...

The misunderstood humor of political memes

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the attempted assassination of former President Trump, to President Biden dropping out of the election, and VP Kamala Harris stepping up... The n...

Quality chills and feel good content on Dropout

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It seems like there are countless streamers these days – there's Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, Peacock, Roku, just to name a few. Still, success ...

Olympic hurdles for women athletes; plus, big trucks and big questions

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is the first year the Olympics have gender parity between men's and women's teams - but does it mean gender equity? ESPN writer Katie Barnes and ...

'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' gets 10s across the board

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, there are no singing cats. The actors have basically ditched the furry ears and velvet tails and ...

The rise of the AR-15; plus, why do comedians play so many cops?

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last Saturday, former president Donald Trump was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania when a gunman shot at him – killing one spectator and clipping ...

Simmering over summer books

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're at the peak of summer, which means sunny days on the grass with a good book! Bestselling authors Tia Williams and Jean Chen Ho join host Brittan...

'Hawk tuah,' the Zynternet, & the bro-vote; plus, cowboys are having a moment

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What did the raunchy joke say to the podcast host? That we might need to pay attention to the "zynternet." Host Brittany Luse is joined by Slate's Luk...

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the legendary singer and civil rights figure Mavis Staples is turning 85 and there's no sign of her slowing down: She released a new song, ...

Defining 2024 so far; plus, why brands 'de-woked'

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It is the first week of July, which means we are officially halfway through the year. And what a year it's been! Brittany sat down with NPR Politics r...

A taste of Black Appalachia

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Too often, our attempts at nailing the family recipes end up in disaster and disappointment. This week, host Brittany Luse is joined by former Kentuck...

Girl, that remix, so healing; plus, gay vampires

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The internet freaked out when Charli XCX and Lorde revealed - and put to rest - their pop girl rivalry on Charli's "Girl, so confusing" remix. That sa...

Can't stop the (classical) music

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's Black Music month! This week, Host Brittany Luse invites Howard University professor and trombonist Myles Blakemore to talk about how classical m...

Fouling Caitlin Clark; plus, a shoplifting panic!

21 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

First up, there has been a media frenzy around the fouls made against rising basketball star and Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark. Commentators and ...

Carvell Wallace searches for 'Another Word for Love'

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In his new memoir, Another Word for Love, Carvell Wallace lays out his journey to find self-acceptance after a childhood colored by instability. Host ...

Conservatives want to burn flags too; plus, the power of a singing POTUS

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Flags have been making a lot of headlines lately, and it's not because today is National Flag Day. The upside down flag that was flown outside of Just...

Cole Escola literally changes history in 'Oh, Mary!'

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cole Escola is the star and creator of Oh Mary!, an upcoming Broadway play about Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln. But there's...

Republicans really want revenge; plus, can AI take a chill pill?

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is our justice system for? Many Republicans over the past week have suggested it's for revenge, calling for the prosecution of Democrats across t...

Devery Jacobs flies high in 'Backspot'

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cheerleaders are canonical when it comes to teen media - but is it time we expand our idea of who cheerleaders can be? Devery Jacobs's new film, Back...

Is it time to re-name "summer?" Plus, prom fashion is all grown up

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Summer is supposed to be for vacation and more relaxation, right? Well, for climate watchers, this season goes by a more sinister name. Brittany and N...

You think you know true crime podcasts? Wait till you hear Tonya's story.

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When a daughter or sister disappears how does a family move on without closure? Host Brittany Luse is joined by Fresh Air co-host Tonya Mosley and and...

The Real Housewife-ification of Congress; And, 25 years of being pilled by The Matrix

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jasmine Crockett exchanged heated words on the House floor. Greene commented on Crockett's eyelashes, and C...

Tony nominee Jocelyn Bioh puts braiders centerstage

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Brittany Luse sits down with playwright Jocelyn Bioh, whose new play, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, is up for five Tony Award nominations, ...

Bumble & the trap of modern dating; plus, living ethically in COVID's aftermath

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the dating app Bumble could not stay out of the news. First, the company launched an anti-celibacy advertising campaign mocking abstinence ...

The miracle of middle age with Miranda July

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our culture is full of stories about what it's like to be young: to find yourself, to fall in love, to leave home. But there aren't nearly as many scr...

Drake and Kendrick are beefing, but who pays? Plus, moms as our social safety net

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drake and Kendrick have been trading diss tracks for weeks, and it's gotten darker and darker with each track. Drake accuses Kendrick of beating women...

A 'Wild Card' game with Rachel Martin

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

NPR's Rachel Martin is the host of a new weekly podcast called Wild Card. It's part-interview, part-existential game show. In this episode, Brittany s...

Suburban decay and choking on nostalgia

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brittany sits down with Jane Schoenbrun, the director of A24's coming of age horror film, I Saw The TV Glow. Brittany and Jane discuss suburban decay,...

An inside look at the campus protests; plus, Israel at Eurovision

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pro-Palestinian protests have been popping up at universities around the world, and in the last few days things have escalated at a number of those ca...

How Chicago's Black press shaped America

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Host Brittany Luse sits down with Arionne Nettles, author of We Are the Culture: Black Chicago's Influence on Everything. Arionne shares how Black med...

TikTok gets the boot; plus, a 'tradwife' fantasy

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, President Biden signed a law that could ban TikTok nationwide unless its Chinese parent company sells the media platform within a year. Bri...

Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in 'Love on the Spectrum'

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of Brittany's latest TV obsessions has been Netflix's Love on the Spectrum. It's a reality series that follows several autistic adults as they wad...

The backlash against protests; plus, how OJ Simpson changed media forever

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this week, pro-Palestinian protestors blocked traffic on highways and bridges in San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Seattle. On that same da...

An argument for the art of whistling

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Some of us whistle while we work, but what happens when your work is whistling? This week, host Brittany Luse is joined by professional whistler, Moll...

The car culture wars; plus, the problem with child stars

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden has been pushing new regulations to promote electric vehicle production to combat the climate crisis — and former president Trump is...

Boots with the spurs: 'Cowboy Carter' and the need for validation

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Grab your cowboy hat, and saddle up that horse, because Beyoncé's highly anticipated album, Cowboy Carter is here. So far, the album has spurred prai...

Is DEI a slur now? Plus, control & basketball

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last week, the city's 39 year old mayor, Brandon Scott, a Black man, stepped out t...

The hidden costs of hair braiding

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're revisiting an exploration of hair braiding gone wrong. Online, women looking to get box braids have gone viral with their complaints ...

Harvard's TikTok strategy; plus, Shirley Chisholm, the coalition diva

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

TikTok has come under fire for its addictive algorithm and for being a place where misinformation spreads. But still, there is one institution that th...

'Love Lies Bleeding' and the fear and allure of strong women

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Erotic thrillers are meant to be sexy, bloody, and fun. The best of them also deal with shifts in culture that people are anxious about: Fatal Attract...

Brittany talks bad accents and bad sex

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dune: Part Two is a marvel of cinematic wonder. Amongst all the chatter around the cinematography and lore, Brittany also noticed that there was a par...

The spectacular femininity of bimbos and 'Barbie'

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Awards season is finally over and even though Oppenheimer took home the top prize for best picture at the Oscars, Barbie still seemed to be a fan favo...

The déjà vu election; plus, losing faith in politics in "Great Expectations"

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 2024 presidential election will be a rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden; and with that rematch comes political ...

Jennifer Lopez's love affair with love

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's basically spring - which means wedding season is starting to rev up. And no one does weddings quite like Jennifer Lopez - both on-screen and off....

And the winner is... outrage? Plus, if the economy is good, why does it feel bad?

09 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This weekend's Oscars ceremony will mark the close of awards season. But what has been an exciting year in film seems to have turned into an opportuni...

'The Harlem Renaissance' and what is Black art for?

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's Been a Minute host Brittany Luse and producer Liam McBain took a little field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York — and after ha...

Three ways to think about journalism layoffs; plus, Aaron Bushnell's self-immolation

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The American journalism industry is in crisis - layoffs, strikes, and site shutdowns have some people talking about the potential extinction of the th...

Da'Vine Joy Randolph on 'The Holdovers' and becoming a matriarch

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Da'Vine Joy Randolph just keeps winning — she's won best supporting actress for her role in The Holdovers at the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes, and Crit...

Have we hit celebrity overload? Plus, Miyazaki's movie magic

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brittany feels like we've entered a new phase of celebrity oligarchy; new celebrity business enterprises are popping up daily, and we can't seem to ge...

Jada Pinkett Smith, the artist

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jada Pinkett Smith is the kind of celebrity that makes headlines just by breathing. But looking at those headlines — mostly about her marriage to ...

Legendary choreographer Fatima Robinson on moving through changes in dance

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Choreographer Fatima Robinson has had an incredibly prolific career: she gave us the iconic King Tut-style moves from Michael Jackson's 'Remember the ...

Unlocking desire through smut; plus, the gospel of bell hooks

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're asking: do the fantasies we read in romance novels say anything about what we want in our real-life relationships? Devoted readers sh...

A Super Bowl in 'new Vegas'; plus, the inverted purity of the Stanley Cup

10 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This weekend, Vegas hit the jackpot. For the first time ever, Sin City will host the Super Bowl; and the halftime headliner is the current Vegas resid...

Sam Reich on revamping the game show - and Dropout's success as a small streamer

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It seems like there are countless streamers these days – there's Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, Peacock, Roku, just to name a few. Still, success ...

Charlamagne tha Pundit?; plus, was Tony Soprano white?

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Charlamagne tha God has been dominating hip-hop radio for years, and lately, his influence has extended far beyond the music industry; for better or w...

Ayesha Rascoe on 'HBCU Made' — and some good old college memories

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're taking it way back — all the way to college. This episode is a mini-reunion: host Brittany Luse and Ayesha Rascoe, host of NPR's Weekend Editi...

South Africa's case for preventing genocide in Palestine; plus, why people love cults

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This morning, the International Court of Justice shared a decision on South Africa's genocide case against Israel. The courts found sufficient evidenc...

Benny Safdie on 'The Curse' — and performing goodness

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Director and actor Benny Safdie is probably best known for co-directing the film Uncut Gems, but he's also acted in Oppenheimer, Licorice Pizza, and o...

The political power of white Evangelicals; plus, Biden and the Black church

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, Evangelicals have propped up Republican presidents. And while church attendance has fallen across the board, Evangelicals are still makin...

Anna Deavere Smith plays real Americans on stage - and she shares her lessons

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anna Deavere Smith is an acclaimed actress, journalist, and playwright. She's a pioneer of what's known as 'verbatim theater,' which is performance ba...

The life lessons Fantasia brought to 'The Color Purple'; plus, Personal Style 101

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fantasia Barrino-Taylor is picking up awards buzz for her portrayal of Celie in The Color Purple, and Brittany is sitting down with the former America...

American Fiction is a rich story — but is it a successful satire?

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

American Fiction is a movie you can spend hours discussing. Based on Percival Everett's novel Erasure, the movie is a satire of what the publishing in...

Looking ahead to the 2024 election; plus, getting "sober curious" for Dry January

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Brittany Luse is starting with the biggest story of the year - the upcoming presidential election. The economy, foreign policy, reprod...

Ross Gay on inciting joy while dining with sorrow

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Looking for joy? Then it might be worth exploring your sorrow. In his collection of essays, Inciting Joy, poet Ross Gay considers the breadth of joy, ...

'Oh Me Oh My': Finding grace after something hellified (a New Year's story)

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To close out the year, Brittany is sitting down with Lonnie Holley. He's a painter, sculptor, and musician who released his latest album, Oh Me Oh My,...

Why grief sometimes looks like a hyphy party

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On August 11, 1973, hip-hop was born at a house party in the Bronx. 50 years later the genre has been reshaped in the image of cities and regions arou...

Why does flying suck so much?

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Flying can be a frustrating experience, but holiday travel tends to shift our stress levels into overdrive. Overbooking, delays, lost baggage, and lon...

2023: The year of the celebrity memoir

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

2023 has been huge for the celebrity memoir game: Britney Spears, Prince Harry and Jada Pinkett Smith are just a few of the many A-listers who dropped...

The IBAMmys: The It's Been A Minute 2023 Culture Awards Show

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the first ever IBAMmys, the It's Been A Minute 2023 culture awards show! It's been a minute - a whole year - and we're looking back at the ...

Music trends that took us by surprise in 2023

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's been an eventful year for music; we saw the rise of Mexican Regional music on the charts, the emergence of AI artists, and the dominance of count...

Nicki Minaj's bars, Barbz and beefs; plus, why 2023 was the year of the cowboy

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nicki Minaj just released her first album in half a decade, Pink Friday 2. The self-proclaimed 'Queen of Rap' has an unparalleled career, but the rap ...

The 'Renaissance' film and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the credits for 'Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé' the Queen Bee makes it clear who is in charge. Written by? Beyoncé. Directed by? Beyoncé. Produ...

McCarthyism and queerness in 'Fellow Travelers'; plus, IBAM unplugged with Olivia Dean

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Brittany chats with New Yorker television critic Inkoo Kang about Showtime's historical romance, Fellow Travelers. The show follows the liv...

All The Only Ones: I can't wait

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're bringing you a special episode from the Embedded series 'All the Only Ones.' The series looks at the history of trans youth next to th...

Defending the Disney Adult; plus, what it takes to stand up for Black trans people

24 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Disney recently celebrated its 100th birthday, so we're exploring a fandom that's kept the magic alive while also generating lots of online hate: Disn...

How gratitude improves your relationships and your future

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For the millions of Americans that celebrate Thanksgiving, it's a time when a lot of us reflect on the things and the people in our lives that we appr...

The return of Andre 3000; plus, 'Rap Sh!t' puts the music industry on blast

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As many male rappers seem to become more depressed or vindictive in their lyrics, the women of rap appear to be having all the fun. One show that capt...

Pressing pause on 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' and rethinking Scorsese's latest

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon is everything an Oscar contender might be - long, epic, morally complicated and expensive. Yet, while man...

Barbra Streisand says she's not a diva - she's a director

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The season of the celebrity memoir is upon us. In just the past few months Britney Spears, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kerry Washington, and more have showere...

What restaurant trends tell us about the economy and culture

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The restaurant industry has been making headlines lately. Fine dining heavyweights are shuttering: Noma announced it would be closing in 2024 and NYC ...

"The Gilded Age" and the trouble with American period pieces

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Gilded Age delighted audiences with its lavish sets, decadent costumes and social sniping when it debuted. Lucky for us, the period drama just ret...

What makes 'The Real Housewives' so addictive? (Classic)

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's a big week for fans of reality TV - it's Bravocon 2023. This year it's in Las Vegas – and while we couldn't make it to Vegas, we're revisiting ...

It's Britney, bestseller!

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Britney Spears just released one of the most hotly anticipated celebrity memoirs of the year, The Woman In Me. The book details her meteoric rise to f...

The new "final girl" in horror; plus, who's afraid of a horny hag?

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Halloween is upon us — and it's the season for horror movies. Host Brittany Luse is a HUGE horror girlie, but loving horror also means critiquing i...

Misinformation & uninformed comments are clogging war coverage; plus, Tupac's legacy

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A warning: This episode contains explicit language and mentions of rape.For the past two weeks, social media has been flooded with coverage and commen...

Code Switch: Baltimore teens are fighting for environmental justice — and winning

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From our friends at Code Switch, we present a story about one group of student activists in Baltimore and how their efforts to make their neighborhood...

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are 100% in a PR relationship. Here's how we know.

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Taylor Swift and her maybe boyfriend, Kansas Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, have been inescapable the past few weeks. The pop superstar has been showi...

In defense of bad movie accents

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We can all think of a bad movie accent. There's Lady Gaga in House of Gucci, Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black, or Emma Watson in The Bling Ring. A bad acce...

It's Fat Bear Week - but our fascination with bears is timeless

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every year, the Katmai National Park in Alaska puts on a March Madness-style bracket of all the fattest bears in their park. It's a celebration of fat...

Jordan Peele presents a 'new' Black horror

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Brittany Luse kicks off spooky season by sitting down with the current champion of Black horror, Jordan Peele. In his most recent proj...

Hasan Minhaj and the limits of representation

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A recent New Yorker piece on Hasan Minhaj found that some crucial bits of his stand-up act didn't stand up to fact-checking. Stretching the truth in c...

How Bethann Hardison changed the face of fashion - and why that matters

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bethann Hardison is the fashion icon behind so many fashion icons: she worked as a modeling agent in the era of the supermodel – brokering the caree...

The WNBA's coming out story; plus, the dangers of sports betting

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This year, the WNBA had its most-watched regular season in 21 years, but what went into creating this new moment of visibility for the league? Host Br...

The year concert etiquette went to trash and why

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every couple of weeks there's a new story of a fan at a concert misbehaving. One fan threw ashes at Pink, another hit Drake with a cellphone, Miranda ...

Is capitalism in its flop era?

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017, Today, Explained co-host Noel King says she started getting a vibe: young people were discussing and dissecting capitalism. She began noticin...

Rock and roll's pioneer is a queer, Southern Black man

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you think of rockstar royalty, a queer, Southern Black man normally doesn't come to mind. But director Lisa Cortés wants us all to reconsider th...

The Photo of the Year; plus, whose RICO is it anyway?

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When former President Donald Trump's mugshot was released, pundits immediately searched for meaning. Was it defiant? Was it embarrassing? Turns out wh...

20 years of pumpkin spice power

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's been 20 years since Starbucks debuted the first pumpkin spice latte in 2003. Since then, it's become a cultural phenomenon greater than itself: i...

Luther Vandross and Samara Joy sing across generations

02 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Music is all about pushing the envelope, and no one knew that more than Luther Vandross. His rendition of "A House is Not a Home" is so beloved, many ...