Have You Heard George's Podcast?

George explores the roles of family and formal education in the lives of marginalised young people. With more elaborate scene-setting, his lyrical stream of consciousness flows over a soundscape that is increasingly cinematic and journalistic. The Poet argues that inner city music acts as a pressure valve for voiceless young people who face systemic disadvantage. Expanding on the points of the previous episode, he advocates for you...

A young teacher's daily struggles provide the backdrop for this harrowing reflection on the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

In a move from journalism to drama, George departs with the documentary-style narration of previous episodes to deliver a heart-wrenching story of resilience and neglect in London's inner city.

Enlisting the help of rising star Jade Alleyne, poet Sophia Thakur as well as his own brothers, Freddie, Michael and Kenny Mpa...

Have you ever wished you could teleport? Or mind-read? Or time travel? All of these are easier than you think. Every time you press play you step into another world and open yourself up to someone else's experience. This might not sound like a groundbreaking discovery in an era of constant verbal and visual bombardment, but the potential of this truth is limitless. In his own wildly unconventional way, George the Poet uses music fr...

A stroll down memory lane takes George to the beginning of his journey with poetry, before a call from a friend reminds him how far he still has to go. Asking about an idea George had previously shared, (“Sanyu”), the friend complains that George is overthinking, hoarding his potential and ultimately shortchanging the world. What follows is a Disney-style dive into the life of an idea in George’s mind. From the clubs of Kampala, to...

On a mission to find the best use of his platform, George casts his gaze 2000 miles across the Mediterranean Sea to explore the modern Libyan slave trade. Ugly truths about corruption, accountability and the rule of law force him to consider Ugandan politics in comparison to the last years of Gaddafi's Libya. Eventually, he finds hope in an unexpected message from an old friend. Featured songs: Mega - Chariot Written by George the ...

The season finale sees a return to the inside of George's Mind. Episode 6 introduced Sanyu, a young idea on a mission to break out of the Poet's overcrowded headspace and reach his audience with her most meaningful contribution. After escaping the "Research and Development" faculty of George's Mind, Sanyu participated in a version of Episode 8 that simply wasn't all that, by her standards. Determined to deliver unprecedented value ...

Award-winning podcaster and spoken word artist George the Poet comes to the BBC’s own Radio Theatre for a one-off live show exploring what rap can teach us about education.

For George, rap was always a vehicle for knowledge. But it isn’t always taken seriously by an establishment that often sees it as unconstructive. Rap was an essential part of George’s own development as a poet, and studying Sociology at Cambridge University allow...

George reflects on the role of trauma in black art. A slice of American history provides insight into the ghettoisation of African voices, leading to a strangely familiar story.

Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick.

Featured songs: Across 110th Street by Bobby Womack, The Message by Grandmaster Flash, Ghetto Quran by 50 Cent, Many Men (Wish Death) by 50 Cent

Featured gu...

An intimate portrait of George’s love life highlights his struggles to keep a work/life balance. He constructs an elaborate analogy that spirals out of control, leaving him lost.

Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick.

Featured songs: Up Late by Ari Lennox, Running by IAMDDB, What Do You Mean? (feat. J Hus) by Skepta.

Featured guests: Julie Adenuga as Dija, TrueMendous as...

Having lost his way, George encounters a mysterious figure who offers to help him, but on one condition. Chaos ensues as the poet ends up travelling 10 years into the future.

Written by George The Poet Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet Original music by Benbrick

Featured songs: High For This by The Weeknd, Both by Headie One, Gigantalous by SL

Featured guests: Jamala as Samira the Oracle, Julie Adenuga as Dija, Sir Martyn Lew...

George dives deeper into his dreams via a circus of characters - some old, some new.

Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick.

Featured songs: Memories by A Pass, You Can Fly by Price Love, A Night To Remember by Shalamar

Featured guests: Barney Artist as Inua the Intern, Mandi as Anna the analyst, Anne as Britain, Sandra & Petra as George’s friends in the car

Thank you ...

George contemplates his relationship with the audience before giving a personal account of conflict in his area.

Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick.

Featured songs: Barbar G by Mark Kavuma, 10 Man (feat. Gappy Ranks & Big Zeeks) by Patrin, Running by Abi Ocia

Featured guests: Diggy, Henry Stone

Have You Heard George’s Podcast? is a George the Poet production for BB...

The two competing parts of George’s brain - contentment and ambition - battle it out. George looks at how black creativity shapes trends through music to fashion and beyond.

Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick.

Featured songs: Didn’t Cha Know by Erykah Badu, 1,2,1,2 by George The Poet, Scribble Paper by Little Dragon, Real N****** (feat. Cam’ron, Jimmy Jones & Ju...

George finds himself torn between different audiences at a crossroads in his writing.

Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick.

Featured songs: Who Am I by Beenie Man, Step Out by Busy Signal, I Really Mean It (feat. Cam’ron & Jimmy Jones) by The Diplomats, When I’m ‘Ere by Roll Deep

Featured guests: Diggy, and Conroy.

We read an extract from The Guardian / The Observer ...

George’s relationships continue to fall apart as his mind descends into a battlefield. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Empire Army by Vybz Kartel, Must Be by J Hus, No Manners by Teyana Taylor, Wishing On A Star by Rose Royce

Featured guests: Julie Adenuga as Dija, Lola, Jawad Ifraz, Andrew Bell, Chris Bernard, Stephen Boateng, Sir Martyn Lew...

The Insecurity Guards hunt down ideas before they can make it onto George’s podcast. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: Playa Hater by The Notorious B.I.G., St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins, Middle of the Night by The Clovers, Easy Snapping by Theophilus Beckford, Freedom Sound by The Skatalites, Simmer Down by The Wailers, My Boy Lollipop by Millie...

Following difficult conversations with Uganda and Britain, George drops a bombshell. Written by George The Poet. Produced by Benbrick & George The Poet. Original music by Benbrick. Featured songs: You Can Fly by Price Love, Think Twice by Celine Dion

Featured guests: Anne Isger as Britain. Have You Heard George’s Podcast? is a George the Poet production for BBC Sounds. Commissioning Executive for BBC: Dylan Haskins C...