Why Sacrilege's Nyasha Hatendi Chose Horror to Speak His Truth
Brown & Black
In this episode, we welcome Nyasha Hatendi, the creator, writer, director, and producer of Audible's new audio horror drama, Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi. He opens up about his motivations for creating Sacrilege, the influences behind its horror, his collaboration with actor Caleb McLaughlin from Stranger Things, and how truth and story have the power to bring people together. Episode Summary – Truth-telling in an age of lies – BBC to QCode: audio evolution – America, Zimbabwe, UK roots – Writing horror by accident, not intent – Dysfunctional family truth becomes horror –...
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'Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi': An Audio Drama Analysis
Brown & Black
In this special sponsored episode, we're partnering with Audible for our first-ever audio drama analysis, breaking down the groundbreaking supernatural thriller "Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi" starring Caleb McLaughlin from Stranger Things. Created by Zimbabwean-American filmmaker Nyasha Hatendi, this six-episode supernatural horror audio drama follows an African-American family from Detroit whose luxury heritage tourism trip to Zimbabwe unleashes an ancient shapeshifting spirit - part man, part beast, part spirit - that feeds on weakness and pain. We explore in-depth: - What does it mean to...
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Is Ryan Coogler's 'SINNERS' Too Black for Hollywood?
Brown & Black
This week we deconstruct Ryan Coogler’s SINNERS from a Latino and Black perspective. It's a film that is creating deep cultural conversations about Black originality and the business of Black culture globally. We explore its cultural symbolism, audience reactions, Variety's media bias, and the troubling Asian release rollout that may hint at anti-Black bias in Asian markets. Episode Summary (2:00) – White audiences, Black movies: The paradox (4:00) – Ryan Coogler enters director-auteur status (7:00) – Layers of Black culture, not just horror (10:45) – The Sammy blues scene decoded...
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Can Brown & Black Art Survive AI? OpenAI, Studio Ghibli & the Fight for Creative Ownership
Brown & Black
If AI can make human-like art, do we still need the artist? In this episode we unpack the OpenAI's 'Image Editor' and the Studio Ghibli AI trend, and discuss the cultural, economic, and existential implications AI poses to Black and Latino artists. Episode Summary: AI Art: Speed & Quality Enjoying vs. Fearing AI Art Copyright Crisis Is the Artist's Career in Peril? Audience Over Artists? Art vs. Commerce Struggle Inflection Point The Japanese Copyright Law Loophole Prompt Engineers Replacing Artists? Redefining "Artist" Cultural Gatekeepers Adapt or Resist? Defining the Artist The...
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Mark Anthony Green on His A24 Directorial Debut "Opus"
Brown & Black
In Opus, Ayo Edebiri plays a journalist invited into a world of celebrity power, but is she there to observe, or be consumed by it? This week on Brown & Black, journalist and filmmaker Mark Anthony Green joins us to unpack his A24 directorial debut, Opus. We dissect the film's underlying themes, including the seductive power of validation, the blurred lines between journalism and celebrity, and how Black horror and comedy can expose the darker truths of our human condition. Episode Summary Mark Anthony Green reveals journey from GQ journalist to filmmaker The reality of being "in...
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Trump and the Whitewashing of Brown & Black Culture
Brown & Black
Is Donald Trump's Kennedy Center takeover the start of a cultural whitewash? This week on 'Brown & Black,' we examine what happens when the most powerful man in America seizes control of the nation's most prestigious cultural institution. The President's takeover of the Kennedy Center has sparked fears of a whitewashing of African-American and Latino culture. From shrinking opportunities for artists of color to the threat against Spanish-language media, are we witnessing the beginning of state-run art in America? Episode Summary: Discussing the definition of "white culture" and its...
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Make America White Again
Brown & Black
How do you make a America whiter without saying you're making it whiter?
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A Brown & Black Thanksgiving: Our TV & Movie Picks
Brown & Black
In this special Thanksgiving episode, we’re sharing some of our favorite movies and TV shows we’re currently watching or bingeing. Hopefully, you’ll find something to add to your Thanksgiving watchlist.
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The Color of Aspiration: Are Latinos The Next Whites?
Brown & Black
It’s November 7, 2024. Latinos are clearly becoming the next ‘whites’ and represent what the Republican Party may look like in the future. This episode promises to challenge everything you thought you knew about Latino identity in the U.S.
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Harvey Mason Jr., Grammy CEO on AI and the Future of Music
Brown & Black
What does responsible AI use look like in the music world?
info_outlineIn this special sponsored episode, we're partnering with Audible for our first-ever audio drama analysis, breaking down the groundbreaking supernatural thriller "Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi" starring Caleb McLaughlin from Stranger Things.
Created by Zimbabwean-American filmmaker Nyasha Hatendi, this six-episode supernatural horror audio drama follows an African-American family from Detroit whose luxury heritage tourism trip to Zimbabwe unleashes an ancient shapeshifting spirit - part man, part beast, part spirit - that feeds on weakness and pain.
We explore in-depth:
- What does it mean to be Black globally?
- African horror vs. Black-American horror
- Caleb McLaughlin's star-making vocal performance
- Heritage tourism and American privilege
- Colonial trauma in modern storytelling
- The rise of Black audio drama
Listen to "Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi" in Dolby Atmos exclusively on Audible at audible.com/sacrilege.
Thank you to Audible for sponsoring this episode.