Historical ruler in West Africa
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Rattling the Bars's Mansa Musa explores how a one-woman play, The Peculiar Patriot, reveals the human cost of mass incarceration and the enduring ties between slavery and the prison system. The artist behind the play, Liza Jessie Peterson, has worked with incarcerated youth for decades, bringing their stories to the stage and to national audiences. Performed in more than 35 US prisons and filmed at Louisiana's Angola Prison—once a plantation, now a maximum-security facility—the play became the basis of the documentary, Angola: Do You Hear Us? (Paramount Plus / Amazon Prime). As the fight for abolition and prison reform gains momentum, this story reminds us that art is not decoration—it's a tool for awakening, organizing, and freedom.
Rattling the Bars's Mansa Musa explores how a one-woman play, The Peculiar Patriot, reveals the human cost of mass incarceration and the enduring ties between slavery and the prison system. The artist behind the play, Liza Jessie Peterson, has worked with incarcerated youth for decades, bringing their stories to the stage and to national audiences. Performed in more than 35 US prisons and filmed at Louisiana's Angola Prison—once a plantation, now a maximum-security facility—the play became the basis of the documentary, Angola: Do You Hear Us? (Paramount Plus / Amazon Prime). As the fight for abolition and prison reform gains momentum, this story reminds us that art is not decoration—it's a tool for awakening, organizing, and freedom.
Just 11 months into his second term, President Trump has harnessed the brutal power of the federal government to go to war with American cities, communities, and citizens. Since the launch of “Operation Midway Blitz” in September, Chicago has become the epicenter of the Trump administration's assault on immigrants, protestors, and political opponents, but Chicagoans on the front lines of that assault say the reality is even worse than people think. In this episode of the Marc Steiner Show, Marc speaks with CODEPINK national co-director Danaka Katovich to get an on-the-ground view of the federal siege of Chicago and the powerful grassroots resistance movements rising up against it.Additional links/info:Danaka Katovich, CODEPINK, “Chicago battlefields: The cost of the war economy”Mansa Musa, Taya Graham, & Stephen Janis, The Real News Network, “'Spectacle of disorder': How ICE creates the chaos ICE, cops, and the military are called in to 'fix'”Julia Conley, Common Dreams, “ICE raid at Chicago daycare condemned as ‘domestic terrorism'”Credits:Studio Production: Cameron GranadinoAudio Post-Production: Stephen FrankBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Just 11 months into his second term, President Trump has harnessed the brutal power of the federal government to go to war with American cities, communities, and citizens. Since the launch of “Operation Midway Blitz” in September, Chicago has become the epicenter of the Trump administration's assault on immigrants, protestors, and political opponents, but Chicagoans on the front lines of that assault say the reality is even worse than people think. In this episode of the Marc Steiner Show, Marc speaks with CODEPINK national co-director Danaka Katovich to get an on-the-ground view of the federal siege of Chicago and the powerful grassroots resistance movements rising up against it.Additional links/info:Danaka Katovich, CODEPINK, “Chicago battlefields: The cost of the war economy”Mansa Musa, Taya Graham, & Stephen Janis, The Real News Network, “'Spectacle of disorder': How ICE creates the chaos ICE, cops, and the military are called in to 'fix'”Julia Conley, Common Dreams, “ICE raid at Chicago daycare condemned as ‘domestic terrorism'”Credits:Studio Production: Cameron GranadinoAudio Post-Production: Stephen FrankBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-marc-steiner-show--4661751/support.Follow The Marc Steiner Show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Help us continue producing The Marc Steiner Show by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
From chronic overcrowding and inmate deaths to systematic abuse and lawbreaking by corrections officers, prison conditions in the state of Alabama have reached a crisis point. And yet, state leaders continue to push an “Alabama solution” that involves building more mega-prisons and expanding qualified immunity for officers. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Dakarai Larriett, a Democratic candidate for US Senate in Alabama, about about the true cost of Alabama's carceral crisis and his vision for an alternative vision of criminal justice. Guest:Dakarai Larriett is a community leader, entrepreneur, and Democratic candidate for US Senate in AlabamaCredits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
From chronic overcrowding and inmate deaths to systematic abuse and lawbreaking by corrections officers, prison conditions in the state of Alabama have reached a crisis point. And yet, state leaders continue to push an “Alabama solution” that involves building more mega-prisons and expanding qualified immunity for officers. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Dakarai Larriett, a Democratic candidate for US Senate in Alabama, about about the true cost of Alabama's carceral crisis and his vision for an alternative vision of criminal justice. Guest:Dakarai Larriett is a community leader, entrepreneur, and Democratic candidate for US Senate in AlabamaCredits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rattling-the-bars--4799829/support.Help us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
It's getting harder for families to afford groceries. Prices are up, paychecks haven't kept pace, and too many people are taking out loans just to eat. On this week's Take Control Tuesday, Mansa Musa reminds us that while life is expensive, we can't borrow our way out of hunger. Instead, we have to think, plan, […]
Calling from a prison phone in Nebraska, Nicholas Ely joined his wife, Julie Montpetit, for an episode of Montpetit's podcast, “More Than an Inmate's Girlfriend,” which aims to destigmatize relationships like theirs. Afterwards, Montpetit lost all contact with her husband. Now, Ely is suing several employees in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, alleging that he has faced unlawful retaliation for appearing on the podcast and that his constitutional rights, including his right to free speech, were violated. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Montpetit about losing contact with her husband and about the status of his lawsuit. Additional Links/Resources: Sarah Gentzler, Flatwater Free Press, "A Nebraska inmate went on his girlfriend's podcast. Then the prison cut off their contact"More Than an Inmate's Girlfriend (podcast), "What is 'More Than an Inmate's Girlfriend'?" Credits: Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Calling from a prison phone in Nebraska, Nicholas Ely joined his wife, Julie Montpetit, for an episode of Montpetit's podcast, “More Than an Inmate's Girlfriend,” which aims to destigmatize relationships like theirs. Afterwards, Montpetit lost all contact with her husband. Now, Ely is suing several employees in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, alleging that he has faced unlawful retaliation for appearing on the podcast and that his constitutional rights, including his right to free speech, were violated. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Montpetit about losing contact with her husband and about the status of his lawsuit. Additional Links/Resources: Sarah Gentzler, Flatwater Free Press, "A Nebraska inmate went on his girlfriend's podcast. Then the prison cut off their contact"More Than an Inmate's Girlfriend (podcast), "What is 'More Than an Inmate's Girlfriend'?" Credits: Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rattling-the-bars--4799829/support.Help us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
President Trump repeatedly promised that his mass deportation efforts would target “the worst of the worst” criminals, yet the government's own data reveals that immigrants with no criminal record are the largest group in US immigration detention today. How can the Trump administration justify its deployment of federal agents, and even the military, to US cities based on the factually disprovable fictions that American cities are crime-ridden “war zones” overrun with criminal “illegal aliens”? To answer that, one must study the long-established precedent in the USA of overpolicing poor communities of color that are painted as inherently violent, chaotic, and crime-ridden. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with TRNN reporters Stephen Janis and Taya Graham about what the history of policing in America can teach us about Trump's authoritarian deployment of law enforcement agencies today.For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Rose, Bud, Thorn, a quick lesson on the history of Mali, some quick sports trivia and a new game - The Bill is Chill!
President Trump repeatedly promised that his mass deportation efforts would target “the worst of the worst” criminals, yet the government's own data reveals that immigrants with no criminal record are the largest group in US immigration detention today. How can the Trump administration justify its deployment of federal agents, and even the military, to US cities based on the factually disprovable fictions that American cities are crime-ridden “war zones” overrun with criminal “illegal aliens”? To answer that, one must study the long-established precedent in the USA of overpolicing poor communities of color that are painted as inherently violent, chaotic, and crime-ridden. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with TRNN reporters Stephen Janis and Taya Graham about what the history of policing in America can teach us about Trump's authoritarian deployment of law enforcement agencies today.For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcastHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Eric King is a father, poet, activist, and anarchist who was imprisoned in 2014 for acts of solidarity with the Ferguson, MO, uprising in the wake of the police killing of Michael Brown. While locked up, King endured years of documented physical and psychological torture, spending the last 18 months of his sentence in the ADX supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with King about how he survived his incarceration “with heart and soul intact,” and about King's new book, A Clean Hell: Anarchy and Abolition in America's Most Notorious Dungeon, in which he “opens the doors of America's most secretive prison and lets the reader step into the cell to experience all the horrors the Federal Bureau of Prisons tries to keep hidden underground.”For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Eric King is a father, poet, activist, and anarchist who was imprisoned in 2014 for acts of solidarity with the Ferguson, MO, uprising in the wake of the police killing of Michael Brown. While locked up, King endured years of documented physical and psychological torture, spending the last 18 months of his sentence in the ADX supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with King about how he survived his incarceration “with heart and soul intact,” and about King's new book, A Clean Hell: Anarchy and Abolition in America's Most Notorious Dungeon, in which he “opens the doors of America's most secretive prison and lets the reader step into the cell to experience all the horrors the Federal Bureau of Prisons tries to keep hidden underground.”For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcastHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
This week on Take Control Tuesday, Mansa Musa shared something many people still don't realize — you can now get a free copy of your credit report every single week. That's right! It used to be once a year, but now you can check it weekly to keep tabs on your financial health and protect […]
There are two primary federal agencies tasked with immigration detention: ICE, which is well known, and the US Marshal Service. Under the Trump administration, the US Marshals have dramatically increased their role in detaining and incarcerating undocumented immigrants, using their federal power to override restrictions on immigrant detention in local jails around the country. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Wanda Bertram, communications strategist for the Prison Policy Initiative, about how the Trump administration is weaponizing legal loopholes and the US Marshal Service to execute the mass incarceration of immigrants.For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcastWE'RE FINALISTS FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS SIGNAL AWARDS. HELP US WIN!Click here to vote!:https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/historyMichael Fox is also a finalist in the History Podcast category for his truly unique, rich, and inspirational weekly series Stories of Resistance------------Click here to vote for Marc Steiner!: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/individual-episodes/cMarc Steiner is a finalist for Best Host of an Individual Episode
There are two primary federal agencies tasked with immigration detention: ICE, which is well known, and the US Marshal Service. Under the Trump administration, the US Marshals have dramatically increased their role in detaining and incarcerating undocumented immigrants, using their federal power to override restrictions on immigrant detention in local jails around the country. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Wanda Bertram, communications strategist for the Prison Policy Initiative, about how the Trump administration is weaponizing legal loopholes and the US Marshal Service to execute the mass incarceration of immigrants.For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcastHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Interest rates are dropping—and that creates both opportunities and challenges. The good news? Lower rates can help if you have debt. The not-so-good news? They can hurt your savings. This week, Mansa Musa shares four smart ways to take advantage of a declining interest rate environment: Bottom line: lower interest rates open doors—but only if […]
Living paycheck to paycheck is stressful—and surprise fees make it worse. This week, Mansa Musa shares a simple but powerful tip: create a cash flow calendar. By tracking when money comes in and when bills go out, you'll see patterns, spot problems early, and even adjust due dates to avoid financial crunches. It's a small […]
After years of pressure from community members and a coalition of over 80 organizations, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has announced plans to close the infamous California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, CA, by the fall of 2026. But organizers say this is just the beginning—they are fighting to close more prisons in California and prevent the government from re-opening shuttered facilities for immigrant detention. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Woods Ervin of the grassroots organization Critical Resistance about California's prison system and the growing abolitionist movement working to dismantle it.For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
After years of pressure from community members and a coalition of over 80 organizations, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has announced plans to close the infamous California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, CA, by the fall of 2026. But organizers say this is just the beginning—they are fighting to close more prisons in California and prevent the government from re-opening shuttered facilities for immigrant detention. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Woods Ervin of the grassroots organization Critical Resistance about California's prison system and the growing abolitionist movement working to dismantle it.For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has halted the imminent closure of the infamous "Alligator Alcatraz” detention camp in Florida; now, the future of the facility, and the people incarcerated within it, remains in limbo. “But no matter the future of Alligator Alcatraz, the Trump administration is turning it into a model for expanding detention capacity across the country,” Shannon Heffernan and Beth Schwartzapfel report at The Marshall Project. “Similar large-scale facilities, opened in collaboration with state governments, are already in the works. These projects mark the first time that states have gotten this involved in large-scale immigration detention.” In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Heffernan about how the Trump administration, in collaboration with state governments, is expanding the US system of mass incarceration to unprecedented levels. For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits: Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has halted the imminent closure of the infamous "Alligator Alcatraz” detention camp in Florida; now, the future of the facility, and the people incarcerated within it, remains in limbo. “But no matter the future of Alligator Alcatraz, the Trump administration is turning it into a model for expanding detention capacity across the country,” Shannon Heffernan and Beth Schwartzapfel report at The Marshall Project. “Similar large-scale facilities, opened in collaboration with state governments, are already in the works. These projects mark the first time that states have gotten this involved in large-scale immigration detention.” In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Heffernan about how the Trump administration, in collaboration with state governments, is expanding the US system of mass incarceration to unprecedented levels. For full show notes and transcript, click here.Credits: Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
The “We are all DC” march on Saturday, Sept. 6, was one of the largest protests—if not the largest—to take place in the US capital since the beginning of the second Trump administration. Thousands of local residents, out-of-state supporters, union members, and others marched through the streets of Washington, DC, to demand an end to President Trump's militarized federal occupation of DC. But the march also brought together a cross-section of concerned citizens protesting the Trump administration's attacks on immigrants, US support for Israel's genocide in Gaza, and more. Reporting on the ground for TRNN, Rattling the Bars host Mansa Musa speaks with a range of organizers and attendees at Saturday's march.Additional links/info:Mansa Musa & Dave Zirin, The Real News Network, “‘We are all DC': Massive protests rock US capital in defiance of Trump”Mansa Musa, The Real News Network, “DC residents rebel against Trump's ‘gestapo takeover' of US capital: ‘We don't want a militarized city!'”Maximillian Alvarez & Mansa Musa, The Real News Network, “‘Crazy as hell!' and ‘Distraction from Epstein': Residents respond to Trump's takeover of Washington, DC”Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
On Saturday, Sept. 6, thousands of local residents, out-of-state supporters, union members, and concerned citizens of all stripes marched through the nation's capital to protest President Trump's militarized federal occupation of Washington, D.C. The “We are all D.C.” march was the largest protest to take place in the US capital since the beginning of the second Trump administration. Reporting from Malcolm X Park, Rattling the Bars host Mansa Musa and Edge of Sports TV host Dave Zirin give an on-the-ground account of the size, makeup, and significance of Saturday's protest. Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
The “We are all DC” march on Saturday, Sept. 6, was one of the largest protests—if not the largest—to take place in the US capital since the beginning of the second Trump administration. Thousands of local residents, out-of-state supporters, union members, and others marched through the streets of Washington, DC, to demand an end to President Trump's militarized federal occupation of DC. But the march also brought together a cross-section of concerned citizens protesting the Trump administration's attacks on immigrants, US support for Israel's genocide in Gaza, and more. Reporting on the ground for TRNN, Rattling the Bars host Mansa Musa speaks with a range of organizers and attendees at Saturday's march.Additional links/info:Mansa Musa & Dave Zirin, The Real News Network, “‘We are all DC': Massive protests rock US capital in defiance of Trump”Mansa Musa, The Real News Network, “DC residents rebel against Trump's ‘gestapo takeover' of US capital: ‘We don't want a militarized city!'”Maximillian Alvarez & Mansa Musa, The Real News Network, “‘Crazy as hell!' and ‘Distraction from Epstein': Residents respond to Trump's takeover of Washington, DC”Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Established by the Black Guerrilla Family in San Quentin Prison in 1979, Black August is an annual commemoration of the struggle for Black liberation and a time to remember the freedom fighters who have passed or who remain locked up in prison. In 2025, as fascism rises in the US and around the globe, what can the radical tradition of Black August teach us about keeping the fight for freedom alive in dark times? In this on-the-ground edition of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with community organizers at a Black August event hosted by the Washington, DC, chapter of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM).Additional links/info:Malcolm X Grassroots Movement website, Facebook page, and InstagramMansa Musa & Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “George Jackson's unfinished revolution”Mansa Musa, The Real News Network, “Black August and the fight to free political prisoners”Eddie Conway, The Real News Network, “Black August honors the legacy of militant rebellion”Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
On Saturday, Sept. 6, thousands of local residents, out-of-state supporters, union members, and concerned citizens of all stripes marched through the nation's capital to protest President Trump's militarized federal occupation of Washington, D.C. The “We are all D.C.” march was the largest protest to take place in the US capital since the beginning of the second Trump administration. Reporting from Malcolm X Park, Rattling the Bars host Mansa Musa and Edge of Sports TV host Dave Zirin give an on-the-ground account of the size, makeup, and significance of Saturday's protest. Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Today on Take Control Tuesday, Mansa Musa and I talked about how credit cards can be more than just plastic in your wallet. Used wisely, they're a real safety net. Here's why: a higher credit limit means more access to cash when you need it most. It also lowers your credit utilization ratio — and […]
Residents of Washington, DC, continue to take to the streets to protest President Trump's federal takeover of the city and deployment of National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers as a “solution” to a fabricated “crime wave.” “We demand ICE out of DC. We demand an end to this unnecessary law enforcement,” Nee Nee Taylor, co-founder and executive director of Harriet's Wildest Dreams, said at a “Free DC” rally on Monday, Aug. 18. “We demand full autonomy. We demand: Hands off DC!” TRNN correspondent and host of Rattling the Bars Mansa Musa reports from the ground in federally occupied Washington, DC.Additional links/info:Free DC Coalition website, Facebook page, and InstagramStephen Prager, Common Dreams, “New Trump order among 'scariest things I've seen in US politics,' civil rights attorney says”Stephen Prager, Common Dreams, “Trump may ‘fabricate a national emergency' to extend DC takeover without Congressional support”Maximillian Alvarez & Mansa Musa, The Real News Network, “‘Crazy as hell!' and ‘Distraction from Epstein': Residents respond to Trump's takeover of Washington, DC”Dave Zirin, The Nation, “The dangers and absurdities of Trump's DC occupation”Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
“Incarcerated workers are a part of the working class,” award-winning journalist Kim Kelly says. And we are “not telling the real history of labor in this country if [we're] not focusing on the organizing efforts and the labor of people who are in prison.”Kelly recently joined Mansa Musa on an episode of Rattling the Bars exploring the history of labor exploitation and labor organizing in America's prison system. To commemorate Labor Day 2025, TRNN is sharing Musa's full, unaired interview with Kelly. Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
“Incarcerated workers are a part of the working class,” award-winning journalist Kim Kelly says. And we are “not telling the real history of labor in this country if [we're] not focusing on the organizing efforts and the labor of people who are in prison.”Kelly recently joined Mansa Musa on an episode of Rattling the Bars exploring the history of labor exploitation and labor organizing in America's prison system. To commemorate Labor Day 2025, TRNN is sharing Musa's full, unaired interview with Kelly. Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a golden age as "an idyllic, often imaginary, past time of peace, prosperity, and happiness." Yet, for the people who lived under the reign of the subject of this week's episode, it was anything BUT imaginary. To this day, the name Mansa Musa strikes awe in the hearts and minds of all those who hear his story, but what exactly IS that story? How was his reign seen as both a literal and figurative golden age? And why are we still talking about it seven centuries later? Tune in to find out!
For the last week, countless videos have circulated online showing National Guard troops menacingly patrolling the streets of Washington, DC, and militarized police setting up traffic checkpoints, harassing residents in the streets, and violently clearing encampments of people experiencing homelessness. “The state of mind of DC citizens right now is that they're under a police state, mainly in the poor Black and Brown communities,” Mansa Musa, host of Rattling the Bars at TRNN and a DC native, reports. In this episode of Working People, we speak with Mansa about the authoritarian reality DC residents are experiencing right now, and we hear from a range of residents and organizers Mansa spoke with on the ground at the “Free DC” demonstration on Monday, August 11.Additional links/info:Rattling the Bars website and Bluesky pageFree DC Coalition website, Facebook page, and InstagramChris Cameron, The New York Times, “Trump's DC police takeover and national guard deployment, explained”Brian Mann, NPR, “Trump's purge of Washington's homeless encampments escalates”Stephen Prager, Common Dreams, “Trump may 'fabricate a national emergency' to extend DC takeover without Congressional support”Brad Reed, Common Dreams, “'We are fighting to stop it': DC Attorney General sues to block Trump takeover of City police”Featured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Studio Production: Cameron GranadinoAudio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
“What Kilmar Abrego Garcia's family is going through is just unimaginable,” says Baltimore-based journalist Baynard Woods, “but it is also what we've all allowed to happen over generations of letting the drug war and our deference to police departments erode the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which should protect us all from illegal search and seizure, such as these seizures that ICE is committing all around the country right now.” In this episode of Rattling the Bars, Mansa Musa and Woods discuss the US government's case against Abrego Garcia—whom the Trump administration finally returned to US soil from El Salvador in June—and what the government can do to citizens and non-citizens alike when our right to due process is taken away.Guest:Baynard Woods is a writer and journalist based in Baltimore. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Oxford American Magazine, and many other publications. He is the author of Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness and coauthor, with Brandon Soderberg, of I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Corrupt Police Squad.Additional resources:Baynard Woods, Baltimore Beat, “Government's case against Abrego Garcia is based on PG County Cop who was on the SA's do not call list”Baynard Woods, Baltimore Beat, “A Maryland man's life is at stake. Trump and Salvadoran president Bukele could not care less”Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
“What Kilmar Abrego Garcia's family is going through is just unimaginable,” says Baltimore-based journalist Baynard Woods, “but it is also what we've all allowed to happen over generations of letting the drug war and our deference to police departments erode the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which should protect us all from illegal search and seizure, such as these seizures that ICE is committing all around the country right now.” In this episode of Rattling the Bars, Mansa Musa and Woods discuss the US government's case against Abrego Garcia—whom the Trump administration finally returned to US soil from El Salvador in June—and what the government can do to citizens and non-citizens alike when our right to due process is taken away.Guest:Baynard Woods is a writer and journalist based in Baltimore. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Oxford American Magazine, and many other publications. He is the author of Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness and coauthor, with Brandon Soderberg, of I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Corrupt Police Squad.Additional resources:Baynard Woods, Baltimore Beat, “Government's case against Abrego Garcia is based on PG County Cop who was on the SA's do not call list”Baynard Woods, Baltimore Beat, “A Maryland man's life is at stake. Trump and Salvadoran president Bukele could not care less”Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Why not buy a board game from our sponsors Kienda: kienda.co.uk/polyhedroncollider In Episode 169 of the Polyhedron Collider Cast, we're back to the normal format with a jam-packed episode full of cardboard strategy, wooden meeples, and the occasional alcahol related tangent. We've got three fresh games on the table—each offering a different flavour of thinky goodness—and we're ready to break them down. Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Musa We dive into this beautiful and brain-burning game of knowledge, trade, and influence. Set in medieval Timbuktu, Sankoré blends economic planning with cultural prestige—so naturally, we try to out-teach each other. Civolution What happens when you blend civilisation building with a modular tech tree and evolving asymmetry? Civolution aims to answer that. We dig into the mechanisms, the innovation, and whether it actually feels like building a civilisation. Timber Town Time to grab your axe and get to work! This charming, engine-building game about lumberjacks and town planning took us by surprise. It's a lot deeper than it looks—and yes, we make at least three wood-related puns. So grab a brew, get comfy, and join us for another episode of tabletop talk and trite tangents.
Send us fan responses! The relationship between your identity and true wealth runs far deeper than most people realize. In this explosive session, Don Kilam shatters conventional financial wisdom by revealing a fundamental truth: "You are the bag, you are the money." This isn't metaphorical—it's literal within the legal framework that governs commerce and identity.Kilam meticulously deconstructs the legal distinctions between a "national" and a "US citizen," citing specific statutes like 8 USC 1408 and 15 USC 4724E1 that explicitly define United States citizens as business entities. When you understand that "ownership means liability" and that the entire documentation system functions as a form of contractual magic binding your natural person to commercial obligations, you begin to see why most people struggle financially despite working within the system.The most powerful revelation comes when Kilam explains how private families created governments—not the reverse—and how these established families continue to operate from a position of true sovereignty while the public operates as "peasants" within a system they didn't design. By examining historical figures like Mansa Musa (the wealthiest person to ever live) and the destruction of his legacy through bloodline disruption, we see why establishing your name as a private business entity matters for creating lasting generational wealth.This isn't just about money—it's about reclaiming your birthright. The wisdom shared here challenges listeners to stop functioning as beneficiaries and start operating as trustees of their own commercial identity. As Kilam passionately explains, "A natural person doesn't need a birth certificate" because true sovereignty exists beyond public documentation systems.Ready to break free from financial servitude and learn how to operate in private? Text PRIVATELIFE to 702-200-4900 or visit school.com/donkilam to join a community of like-minded individuals learning how to build true legacy wealth outside the public system.In "United States Of Pimpin'," Don Kilam shares his perceptions from his street culture to explain the corporate world in a way that may feel uncomfortable yet brutally honest. He outlines ten rules from the "pimp game" alongside ten principles that apply to society and governance. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9QHGRGS FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD - DON KILAMGO GET HIS BOOK ON AMAZON NOW! https://www.amazon.com/Million-Dollars-Worth-Game-Kilam/dp/B09HQZNRB9 https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Touch-This-Diplomatic-Immunity/dp/B09X1FXMNQSupport the showhttps://donkilam.com
President Trump's Executive Order calling for incarcerated transgender women to be housed in men's prisons and halting gender-affirming medical care for prisoners has put one of the most vulnerable segments of the prison population in even greater danger. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa investigates the violent realities trans inmates face in the US prison system, and the impact that Trump's attacks on LGBTQ+ rights is having inside prisons.Guest(s):Dee Deidre Farmer, Executive Director of Fight4Justice. In 1994, Farmer's landmark Supreme Court case, the unanimous Farmer v. Brennan decision, established that prisoners have a right to be protected from harm and that prisons are responsible for their safety.Ronnie L. Taylor, Advocacy, Policy, & Partnerships Director of FreeState Justice in Maryland.Additional resources:Amy Harman, The New York Times, “Judge blocks Trump effort to end treatment for transgender inmates”Kaley Johnson & Sam Levin, The Guardian, “Trans women transferred to men's prisons despite rulings against Trump's order”Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
We give our gold to actress and comiquette Clara. Consume this media!
Private companies and state governments have long exploited the 13th Amendment to create a profitable agribusiness system that runs on prison slave labor. “If you look at the history of agriculture in the United States, it's built on dispossession, it's built on enslavement,” says Joshua Sbicca, director of the Prison Agriculture Lab, and the legacy of that violence lives on in the big business of “agricarceral” farming today. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host and former political prisoner Mansa Musa speaks with Sbicca about the prisoners farming our food, the parties profiting from their exploitation, and the ongoing fight to uphold the basic rights and dignity of incarcerated workers.Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoHelp us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Um homem tido como o mais rico da história vai muito além de ter uma quantidade de ouro gigantesca! Separe trinta minutos do seu dia e aprenda com o professor Vítor Soares (@profvitorsoares) sobre a vida e a trajetória de Mansa Musa (ou Mansa Muça).-Se você quiser ter acesso a episódios exclusivos e quiser ajudar o História em Meia Hora a continuar de pé, clique no link: www.apoia.se/historiaemmeiahoraConheça o meu canal no YouTube, e assista o História em Dez Minutos!https://www.youtube.com/@profvitorsoaresOuça "Reinaldo Jaqueline", meu podcast de humor sobre cinema e TV:https://open.spotify.com/show/2MsTGRXkgN5k0gBBRDV4okCompre o livro "História em Meia Hora - Grandes Civilizações"!https://a.co/d/47ogz6QCompre meu primeiro livro-jogo de história do Brasil "O Porão":https://amzn.to/4a4HCO8Compre nossas camisas, moletons e muito mais coisas com temática História na Lolja!www.lolja.com.br/creators/historia-em-meia-hora/PIX e contato: historiaemmeiahora@gmail.comApresentação: Prof. Vítor Soares.Roteiro: Prof. Vítor Soares e Prof. Victor Alexandre (@profvictoralexandre)REFERÊNCIAS USADAS:- BERTONI, Esteban. Mansa Musa: O Homem Mais Rico da História. São Paulo: Leya, 2019.- MCDONALD, Fiona. Mansa Musa e o Império do Mali. São Paulo: Ática, 2007.- MATEUS, André Luis. África Negra: História e Civilização. São Paulo: Contexto, 2014.- KI-ZERBO, Joseph. História da África Negra: De Origem aos Dias Atuais. Lisboa: Publicações Europa-América, 1972.- ILTIS, Augusto. África: História e Cultura. São Paulo: Moderna, 2003.- SANTOS, Luciana. "O Império do Mali e a Grandeza de Mansa Musa". Revista Brasileira de História Africana, v. 3, n. 1, 2015.- SILVA, Reginaldo. "Tombuctu e o Papel do Império do Mali como Centro Cultural". Cadernos de História, v. 12, n. 4, 2018.
Hello and welcome to the History of the Germans: Episode 194 – The Fuggers of Augsburg, which is also episode 10 of Season 10 “The Empire in the 15th Century”Jakob Fugger had been dubbed the Richest Man Who Ever Lived, but there are many more contenders, my favorite being an African, Mansa Musa, the ninth Mansa of the Mali empire whose generous gifts during a visit to Mecca in 1324 triggered a currency crisis.That is something Jakob Fugger would never have done. He never was a flamboyant banker who impressed his contemporaries with lavish displays of wealth. He was actually fairly dull. If anyone in the firm of Fugger was flamboyant, it was the chief accountant. So if Jakob is a bit of a pale shadow, the story of what happened in the world of European Finance between 1480 and 1520 is anything but boring. Within just 40 years the heart of the banking industry moved from Florence and Venice where it had held sway since it was invented and moved north, into a medium sized Swabian city, Augsburg.That is as if JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley closed their doors and in their stead some local players from Scandinavia or Mexico took over the financing of the Global economy. I am not kidding, something like that really happened back in the late 15th century.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Support • History of the Germans PodcastFacebook: @HOTGPod Threads: @history_of_the_germans_podcastBluesky: @hotgpod.bsky.socialInstagram: history_of_the_germansTwitter: @germanshistoryTo make it easier for you to share the podcast, I have created separate playlists for some of the seasons that are set up as individual podcasts. they have the exact same episodes as in the History of the Germans, but they may be a helpful device for those who want to concentrate on only one season. So far I have:The Ottonians Salian Emperors and Investiture ControversyFredrick Barbarossa and Early HohenstaufenFrederick II Stupor MundiSaxony and Eastward ExpansionThe Hanseatic League
Mansa Musa, host of Rattling the Bars, spent 48 years in prison before his release in 2019. At the invitation of the UMD College Park Young Democratic Socialists of America, Mansa delivered a lecture on his life behind bars and the political struggles of prisoners.Produced and edited by Cameron Granadino.Help us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Although it's the cradle of our species, and a land as rich in culture as it is legendarily rich in resources, retellings of African history often place their focus heavily on the transatlantic slave trade. While this is valuable, too narrow a focus can make it easy to lose sight of how incredibly powerful, interconnected, and respected African people have been within the fabric of global history. This week, Danièle speaks with Luke Pepera about medieval Africa, what it would've been like to find yourself in one of the most powerful empires of the Middle Ages, and the famous pilgrimage of Mansa Musa.You can support this podcast on Medievalists.net Patreon page, which sells this digital map of medieval Africa: https://www.patreon.com/medievalists/shop/map-of-medieval-africa-36747?source=storefront
Follow Mansa Musa on "Rattling the Bars" here: https://therealnews.com/rattling-the-bars Mansa Musa, also known as Charles Hopkins, is a 70-year-old social activist and former Black Panther. He was released from prison on December 5, 2019, after serving 48 years, nine months, 5 days, 16 hours, 10 minutes. He co-hosts the TRNN original show Rattling the Bars. We'll discuss the Panthers, and the current state of politics. Where are the revolutionaires? Get tickets to the live podcast in San Francisco, "Is Trump the End of, The End of History here: https://www.universe.com/events/is-trump-the-end-of-history-tickets-J30WT9 Check out our new bi-weekly series, "The Crisis Papers" here: https://www.patreon.com/bitterlakepresents/shop Thank you guys again for taking the time to check this out. We appreciate each and everyone of you. If you have the means, and you feel so inclined, BECOME A PATRON! We're creating patron only programing, you'll get bonus content from many of the episodes, and you get MERCH! Become a patron now https://www.patreon.com/join/BitterLakePresents? Please also like, subscribe, and follow us on these platforms as well, (specially YouTube!) THANKS Y'ALL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9WtLyoP9QU8sxuIfxk3eg Twitch: www.twitch.tv/thisisrevolutionpodcast www.twitch.tv/leftflankvets Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thisisrevolutionpodcast/ Twitter: @TIRShowOakland Instagram: @thisisrevolutionoakland Read Jason Myles in Sublation Magazine https://www.sublationmag.com/writers/jason-myles Read Jason Myles in Damage Magazine https://damagemag.com/2023/11/07/the-man-who-sold-the-world/
Mansa Musa sets out on a dangerous pilgrimage across the Sahara desert to absolve himself of a terrible crime. Facing treacherous conditions and deadly threats, he ventures where few would dare. Will he survive the perilous pilgrimage, or will the desert claim him? A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Written and presented by Luke Pepera Producer - Dominic Tyerman Story editing – Georgia Mills Executive Producer - Louisa Field Production Manager - Jen Mistri Marketing - Kieran Lancini Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Did you watch the Super Bowl? No? Did you watch the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards? Still, no? OK well this is the episode for you — Ciara, Kevin Costner, Pete Davidson and... Jordon Hudson? Sure! Redfoo (of LMFAO fame) is a professional tennis player now, Marcus Jordan drove his Lambo on to the train tracks (and then demanded to hear Mariah Carey), Christy Carlson Romano got [accidentally] shot with a gun, Vic Mensa welcomed a son (Triple M!) and Chicken Shop Date's Amelia is dating someone... you'll gag when you find out who. Ellie Goulding is dating Marshmello! Maybe! Unclear! We'll see! Wow, what an ep! As always, call in at 619.WHO.THEM to leave questions, comments & concerns for a future episode of Who's There?. Get a ton of bonus content over on Patreon.com/WhoWeekly To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices