EPISODE · Feb 9, 2026 · 58 MIN
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates on BLACK PANTHER, Chadwick Boseman, and Writing
from In Proximity · host Ryan Coogler, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Paola Mardo
This February, we’re celebrating the 8th anniversary of the release of BLACK PANTHER! We dug deep into the In Proximity archives to re-release this iconic conversation with BLACK PANTHER director Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Ta-Nehisi is a journalist and the bestselling author of books like BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME and THE MESSAGE. He has also written successful comic book runs for CAPTAIN AMERICA and BLACK PANTHER, and hosted the WAKANDA FOREVER podcast back in 2023. On this special re-release episode, we combine the two parts of Ryan and Ta-Nehisi’s original conversation, where they dive deep into their experiences telling T’Challa’s story for BLACK PANTHER, the impact of hip-hop music and art, Ta-Nehisi’s decades-long writing career, and their mutual friendship with the late Chadwick Boseman. CHECK OUT THE ORIGINAL EPISODESRyan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates Episode 1Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates Episode 2WAKANDA FOREVER: THE OFFICIAL BLACK PANTHER PODCAST SHOP OUR PROX BOOKS RECS ON BOOKSHOP.ORG LEARN MORE AND READ THE TRANSCRIPT AT PROXIMITYMEDIA.COM WATCH/LISTEN TO IN PROXIMITYYOUTUBEAPPLE PODCASTSSPOTIFY FOLLOW PROXIMITY MEDIAINSTAGRAMTIKTOK (00:00) Celebrating the anniversary of BLACK PANTHER the film (01:51) PART 1: Meet Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates (02:21) Ta-Nehisi’s production company, Maceo-Lyn (06:40) Howard University, meeting Chadwick Boseman (11:18) Hip-hop, poetry, and genres (15:04) Tupac Shakur (18:27) How Ta-Nehisi’s hip-hop aspirations pushed him to writing poetry (21:54) “Art that feels like it’s always been made”, A PROPHET, GET OUT, MOONLIGHT (29:20) PART 2: The beginning of Ta-Nehisi’s writing career (33:24) The 20-year-old journalist (36:45) The Case for Reparations (39:55) Writing the BLACK PANTHER comics (41:58) Toni Morrisson, James Baldwin, BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME (45:31) Takes on T’Challa’s character (49:59) CREED (53:33) Prox Recs IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza, Cedric Wilson Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz Production Assistant: Polina Cherezova Associate Producer: Celine Mendiola Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana Production Intern: Ben Caloza
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This February, we’re celebrating the 8th anniversary of the release of BLACK PANTHER! From the IN PROXIMITY archives, we’re rebroadcasting this conversation with BLACK PANTHER director and co-writer Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates, journalist and the bestselling author of THE MESSAGE, BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME, WE WERE EIGHT YEARS IN POWER, THE WATER DANCER, and THE BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE. Ta-Nehisi has also written successful comic book runs for CAPTAIN AMERICA and BLACK PANTHER, and wrote and hosted the WAKANDA FOREVER: THE OFFICIAL BLACK PANTHER PODCAST produced by Proximity Media and winner of the NAACP Image Award and Webby Award. For this special rerun, we combined their two-part episode back into one conversation where they discuss Ta-Nehisi’s writing influences and original rap dreams, the impact of hip-hop and artists like Nas and Tupac on their work, writing process, CREED, and shared experiences telling BLACK PANTHER stories.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates on BLACK PANTHER, Chadwick Boseman, and Writing
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