The BLK IRL Podcast

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The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through resear


    • Feb 15, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 35m AVG DURATION
    • 16 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The BLK IRL Podcast

    I Love Seeing "Us"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2022 34:22


    For the final episode of season 2, Anuli talks to digital media entrepreneur Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista about her career as a content creator, how she has expanded her business over the years, and her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. You can access the media extensions for Season 2 on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! +++ As rapper Andre 3000 from the Atlanta-based duo Outkast proclaimed to the world during the 1995 Source Awards: “The South got something to say!” For Season 2 of the BLK IRL Podcast, Anuli travels to Atlanta, GA to learn more about the local tensions between "Old Atlanta'' and "New Atlanta'' that began to take root in the 1990s as the city prepared its bid to host the 1996 Olympic Games and how Atlanta has since evolved to become one of America's cultural capitals. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    They Almost Don't Feel Local Anymore

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 30:02


    In this episode, Anuli talks to the award-winning reporter and podcast host Jewel Wicker about her childhood in Atlanta, her career trajectory, and her overall thoughts on the state of the American journalism industry as an Atlanta-based reporter. You can access the media extensions for Season 2 on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! +++ As rapper Andre 3000 from the Atlanta-based duo Outkast proclaimed to the world during the 1995 Source Awards: “The South got something to say!” For Season 2 of the BLK IRL Podcast, Anuli travels to Atlanta, GA to learn more about the local tensions between "Old Atlanta'' and "New Atlanta'' that began to take root in the 1990s as the city prepared its bid to host the 1996 Olympic Games and how Atlanta has since evolved to become one of America's cultural capitals. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    The Memory and Reality of Atlanta

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2022 32:38


    As rapper Andre 3000 from the Atlanta-based duo Outkast proclaimed to the world during the 1995 Source Awards: “The South got something to say!” For Season 2 of the BLK IRL Podcast, Anuli travels to Atlanta, GA to learn more about the local tensions between "Old Atlanta'' and "New Atlanta'' that began to take root in the 1990s as the city prepared its bid to host the 1996 Olympic Games and how Atlanta has since evolved to become one of America's cultural capitals. In this episode, Anuli talks to documentary filmmaker, journalist, and podcast host King Williams about the history of gentrification in Atlanta, the tangled relationship between Atlanta and Decatur, and the Great (Re)Migration of Black people (myself included) from the American North to the American South, among a host of other topics. You can access the media extensions for Season 2 on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    History is Happening Now

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2022 46:12


    As rapper Andre 3000 from the Atlanta-based duo Outkast proclaimed to the world during the 1995 Source Awards: “The South got something to say!” For Season 2 of the BLK IRL Podcast, Anuli travels to Atlanta, GA to learn more about the local tensions between "Old Atlanta'' and "New Atlanta'' that began to take root in the 1990s as the city prepared its bid to host the 1996 Olympic Games and how Atlanta has since evolved to become one of America's cultural capitals. In this episode, Anuli talks to Kristian Weatherspoon, the Vice President of Digital Storytelling at Atlanta History Center, about the role cultural institutions like Atlanta History Center play in interpreting history, the lasting impact of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games on the city of Atlanta, and Atlanta's influence in the Southern U.S. as a region and America as a whole. You can access the media extensions for Season 2 on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    Welcome to Atlanta

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2021 58:14


    As rapper Andre 3000 from the Atlanta-based duo Outkast proclaimed to the world during the 1995 Source Awards: “The South got something to say!” For Season 2 of the BLK IRL Podcast, Anuli travels to Atlanta, GA to learn more about the local tensions between "Old Atlanta'' and "New Atlanta'' that began to take root in the 1990s as the city prepared its bid to host the 1996 Olympic Games and how Atlanta has since evolved to become one of America's cultural capitals. In this episode, you'll travel to Atlanta with Anuli to hear how native Atlantans talk about the city's heritage and the differences between “Old Atlanta” and “New Atlanta.” Think of this episode as an audio documentary in its purest form! You can access the media extensions for Season 2 on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    Mapping it Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2021 9:48


    As rapper Andre 3000 from the Atlanta-based duo Outkast proclaimed to the world during the 1995 Source Awards: “The South got something to say!” For Season 2 of the BLK IRL Podcast, Anuli travels to Atlanta, GA to learn more about the local tensions between "Old Atlanta'' and "New Atlanta'' that began to take root in the 1990s as the city prepared its bid to host the 1996 Olympic Games and how Atlanta has since evolved to become one of America's cultural capitals. In this episode, Anuli shares the story behind the illustrated map of Atlanta, Georgia she created in collaboration with Georgia-based illustrator, Beaux Xavier for Season 2. An interactive version of the map is available on the BLK IRL® website at www.blkirl.com/season-2. Prints of the map are also available to purchase! You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode and explore the media extensions for Season 2 on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    Georgia on My Mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2021 19:33


    As rapper Andre 3000 from the Atlanta-based duo Outkast proclaimed to the world during the 1995 Source Awards: “The South got something to say!” For Season 2 of the BLK IRL Podcast, Anuli travels to Atlanta, GA to learn more about the local tensions between "Old Atlanta'' and "New Atlanta'' that began to take root in the 1990s as the city prepared its bid to host the 1996 Olympic Games and how Atlanta has since evolved to become one of America's cultural capitals. In this episode, Anuli shares what she has been up to since BLK IRL last hit your podcast feeds and what it means for the future of her doctoral research. You can access the media extensions for Season 2 on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    What It Means to be Black

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2020 19:47


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this season finale episode, you will get to hear each of this season's guests share, for the first time ever, their individual responses to the question, "What does it mean to you to be Black?" It is my hope by putting the responses to this question in one episode, listeners will take away the truth that Black people are not a monolithic group and that America's Black population includes many differences that must be acknowledged and celebrated. Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by visiting www.blkirl.com and following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    More Than Just Your Token Black Girl

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2020 44:24


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this episode, Danielle Prescod and I talk about the beauty and fashion industry's reaction to last summer's racial uprising, how she creates boundaries in her online and offline lives, and her plans to leave New York City. You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    Making It as a “Social Beauty” in Hollywood

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2020 37:47


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this episode, Anuli talks to Andrea Lewis about her career expansion from acting to now also content creating and producing, the need for more diverse representation on-screen and behind-the-scenes in Hollywood, and how Covid-19 has affected the production of her upcoming feature-length documentary project, “Social Beauty.” You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    The Memeification of Black Women and Girls

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2020 43:06


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this episode, Anuli talks to Dr. Aria S. Halliday, Assistant Professor of Gender and Women's Studies and African-American and Africana Studies at the University of Kentucky about the memeification and commodification of Black women and girls on social media as well as representations of Black women and girls on television. You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    Get in Loser, We're Going Viral

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2020 43:58


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this episode, Anuli talks to Sofiyat Ibrahim (also known online as @TheOdditty), a Washington, DC area based international affairs industry professional and social media influencer about her experience of going viral five times in a span of three months and the misconceptions people have about virality and influencing. You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). If you like what you hear then please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, so more people can be introduced to The BLK IRL Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    Performing Self-Care Online

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2020 42:19


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this episode, Anuli talks to Saleam Singleton, a Brooklyn based men's skincare + beauty advocate and content creator about how he creates boundaries between his online persona, the Method Male, and who he is offline as well as how performing self-care online came to be one of the ways that he honors himself. You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    So, you want to become a professional influencer?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2020 50:33


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this episode, Anuli talks to Qianna Smith Bruneteau, the Founder and Executive Director of the American Influencer Council (AIC), about what it means to be an influencer and why she feels that the influencer marketing industry is in need of stewardship. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    A (New) Cult of Personality

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2020 50:38


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. This is the first full episode of Season 1! In this episode, Anuli talks to culture writer Shamira Ibrahim about how influencing has become the new cult of personality and how the exploitation of Black people and Black creative labor has become central to the inner workings of Internet culture. You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

    Introducing the BLK IRL Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2020 5:30


    The BLK IRL Podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the business of “influencing” and the power dynamics at play in the act of cultural exchange. Join host Anuli Akanegbu as she dissects themes related to race in the influencer economy through research-supported commentary and intimate interviews with predominantly Black content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. In this short teaser episode, Anuli introduces herself and shares a bit of what to expect in Season 1 of the BLK IRL Podcast. You can find citations for the reference materials mentioned in this episode as well as some additional background reading on the BLK IRL website (www.blkirl.com). Stay updated on all things BLK IRL by following the podcast on Instagram (@blkirl) and Twitter (@blkirl). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blkirl/support

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