Multi-hyphenate Pharrell Williams has entered the podcast world.
The new podcast series, Drapetomaniax: Unshackled History is a partnership with Sony Music Entertainment and Pharrell’s production company, OTHERTone. The podcast is hosted by journalist, cultural critic, and the “Dean of Black Twitter,” Michael Harriot.
The first episode is currently available. Drapetomaniax will present a weekly episode that uncovers the untold stories of Black Americans in history from a Black perspective, including the story of Rosetta Tharpe, the queer Black woman who invented rock and roll.
According to a press release, each episodes features “a recipe that includes detailed research, a little barbershop humor, and a parade of celebrity guests…Drapetomaniax will spotlight key figures and moments in Black American history that were previously whitewashed from textbooks.”
“Drapetomaniax is a simple recipe,” said Harriot in a written statement. “We picked the most fascinating figures and important-but-largely-unknown events from Black history and seasoned it with the biggest stars, the best storytellers, and the most respected scholars.”
Harriot has been credited for coining the popular phrase “invited to the cookout.” He has been seen on various media outlets like MSNBC and CNN when they seek an authoritative voice on race, culture, and politics. His writings as a journalist have been seen in prominent publications such as The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The Guardian.
Drapetomaniax will speak to and highlight key figures and moments in Black American history that may have been inaccurately reported in school textbooks. Featured guests will include the likes of MSNBC’s Joy Reid, humorist Roy Wood Jr., actress Yvette Nicole Brown, journalists Nikole Hannah-Jones and Roland Martin, actor KevOnStage, politician Bakari Sellers, and television personality Tiffany Cross.
Pharrell is the executive producer at OTHERTone, and Moses Ajibade Soyoola is the producer.
You can subscribe to Drapetomaniax: Unshackled History on various podcast platforms. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher are just a few that will have the program on their platforms. You can get more information on the series by following @SonyPodcasts on Twitter and Instagram.