Ear Hustle

At San Quentin State Prison, the typical cell measures approximately 4’ x 9’ and contains a bunk bed, toilet, sink, two men, and their six cubic feet of belongings. In our first episode of Ear Hustle, hear stories of negotiating this space and the relationships that come with living in such close quarters.

Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus ...

Tommy Shakur Ross grew up in South Central Los Angles in the 1980’s. As a boy, he was seduced by what he saw as the “glamour” of gang life. Thirty years later, he is still paying the price for giving his most to a gang that ultimately brought the kind of fame he wishes he’d never earned.

Ear Hustle is produced by Nigel Poor, Antwan Williams and Earlonne Woods with consulting editor Curtis Fox, outside production advisor Pat...

The need to nurture and show love for another living being (or, in San Quentin parlance, “looking out”) is an essential human impulse. Away from your family and friends in prison this can be difficult, if not impossible. Sure, guys create strong bonds among themselves that help to alleviate the pain of missing family. But like on the outside, some people inside just relate better to animals than people.

Thanks to Rauch (aka...

The hole, the box, solitary confinement. It doesn’t matter what you call it; doing time in the SHU (Security Housing Unit) means you are alone and segregated from the general prison population. In this episode, four men who served between 8 and 28 years in the SHU share their memories of that time.

Thanks to Armando Flores, Gus Lamumba Edwards, Richard Johnson and Isaac Flores for telling their stories, and to John YaYa Joh...

“Kite” is a common term in prison for a written note. Over the course of the season, listeners have been encouraged to send in their questions about Ear Hustle via postcards, or “kites.” In this episode, Earlonne and Nigel dig into the pile of postcards that have arrived from all corners of the world, with some help from guys in the yard. You’ll also hear from a familiar Ear Hustle voice — the man who approves all stories ...

Being married in prison is common. Opportunities to get intimate with your spouse are not, and – like everything else inside – are governed by both official and unofficial rules. In this episode of Ear Hustle, Greg and Maverick share stories about keeping their relationships strong, and getting close with their wives.

Thanks to Maverick and Greg Eskridge for sharing such personal stories with us, and to our guest sound desi...

The color of your skin influences your life in prison, from sharing food to celebrating birthdays. Meet Andrew Sabatino (Drew Down) and Arthur Snowden (AR), two guys whose close friendship often challenges the unwritten rules of race relations on the inside.

Thanks to Drew Down and AR for sharing the story of their friendship. It’s a big deal to talk about race in prison, so thanks also to Lonnie Morris, Lemar, Phil Melende...

“I’m a stupid idiot who stole some money.” Curtis Roberts was sentenced to 50 years to life, under the three strikes law, for committing three non-violent robberies. Over the years he has struggled to maintain a sense of hope in a situation many would consider untenable.

Big thanks to Curtis Roberts for sharing his story. And shout-outs to the many guys who showed up in yard talk: Michael Hudley, Stacy Bullock, Douglas Abad...

Dealing with aging and death is never easy. But in prison, these issues are fraught with extra challenges, both emotional and physical. Meet two inmates serving extended sentences who grapple with the idea of dying in prison, and have also stepped up to take care of their fellow aging prisoners.

Thanks to Lonnie Morris, Richard Lathan and Andres Eric Watson, for sharing their stories. And special thanks to Anthony Marzett f...

There are only a few ways to leave prison: serve your time, get out early on parole... or escape.

Steve, Danny, Phillip and Ron are all trying to make their way out of prison. In our final episode of the season, these men share their stories of going through the parole hearing process, and contemplate life on the outside after being incarcerated for decades.

Big thanks to Steve Wilson for telling his story, and to  Danny Plu...

Music is an important part of Ear Hustle, and there are many talented musicians in the San Quentin community. Listeners responded so enthusiastically to the music in season one, we’ve highlighted a few of the songs and musicians who performed them, in this bonus episode – just in time for the holidays.

Thanks to the these guys for contributing their musical talents to season one of Ear Hustle:

“Trying to Carrying On” was...

“Firsts” in prison can be especially memorable: the first time you meet your cellie, or leave the prison for medical treatment, or run your first marathon. Alongside these tales, Adnan Khan shares the story of his first visit from his mom, 13 years after he was incarcerated.

Thanks to Adnan Khan for sharing his story and Shane, Michael Thompson, Rahsaan Thomas, Jason Jones and Antwan Williams for also sharing their firsts...

Sex trafficking crimes are hard to talk about. In this episode, Sara and LA share their individual experiences of being “in the life,” at the same time demonstrating the difficult, yet important work of restorative justice.

Thanks to Sara Kruzan and Anthony Avil Scott (aka LA) for sharing their stories and for coming together to talk. You can read more about restorative justice and Sara’s work, here.

Ear Hustle is produced b...

Looking good and feeling good matters just as much on the inside, as on the outside. But in prison, you can't just walk to the barbershop, or stop by the store for the products you need, to accomplish either. In this episode, guys share their favorite workarounds that help them feel more human in prison, both physically and mentally.

Thanks to David Jassy, Wall Street, Jason Jones, Jesse Vasquez, Andres Yancey, Lady Jae, ...

Parenting is never easy, but from prison it's especially challenging. In this episode, incarcerated fathers share their stories of striving to be present in their children's lives. One inmate reconnects with his son after 20 years. Another stays very involved through letters and visits. And a third gets the opportunity to give his teenaged son a haircut.
 
 Thanks to the fathers who shared their stories: Derrick, Joh...

A “kite” is prison slang for a written note. Since Ear Hustle launched, we’ve encouraged listeners to send in their questions about the show and life inside via postcards, or “kites.” In this episode, Earlonne and Nigel dig into the pile of 1021 (!) postcards that have arrived from all over the world.

So many people contributed to this episode: Thanks to all the men in blue and volunteers who tried to guess the most commo...

San Quentin houses California’s only death row for male inmates. And though it’s technically not far from the media lab, access to this area of the prison is highly restricted. Still, Earlonne and Nigel figured out a way to reach out to the guys there, and interviewed three men about daily life on death row.

Thanks to: Kevin Sawyer for recounting his memory of the execution that took place at San Quentin in 1999, Father G...

Of the thousands of people incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, no one is openly gay. No one. And only a few people are comfortable enough to talk about LGBTQ life inside. In this episode we dive in: Lady Jae returns to talk about living as a woman in SQ, and another inmate, who identifies as bi-sexual, shares his story.

Thanks to: Lady Jae and Mike Adams for sharing their perspectives on LGBTQ issues, all the guys w...