PODCAST · music
The Message with Ebro Darden
by Apple Music
Welcome to The Message, an interview series about music, culture, mental health, and politics, brought to you by Apple Music. The summer of 2020 was marked by an unprecedented awareness for--and anger about--the continued injustices Black people and people of color in America and worldwide face. The ensuing protests, activations, and social media fury inspired musicians around the world to speak out about their own experiences, with some going on to record music that speaks directly to the moment. Hosted by Apple Music's Ebro Darden, The Message is a series that aims to further the dialogue about the unrest and inequalities in the United States and abroad via intimate conversations with some of the most prominent voices in the culture today, who also create exclusive playlists of the songs inspiring them to keep pushing forward. Guests include Jon Batiste, Erykah Badu, Jon Stewart, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Common, Vince Staples, and many more. Follow to get the uncut and unc
Episodes
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Eve
Rapper, actress, and author Eve joins Ebro for a new installment of the Message to share her current mantra: breathe, and believe. Their wide-ranging conversation touches on faith, motherhood, domestic violence, and of course, music. Listen to Eve's Message playlist only on Apple Music.
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David Oyelowo
On this brand new conversation for The Message, Ebro sits down with two-time NAACP Image Award-winner David Oyelowo from the new Apple TV+ series Government Cheese. David shares his message of love, what he's learned since becoming a father, and the importance of Black-owned pipelines for…
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Mannie Fresh and Trombone Shorty
This year Apple Music celebrated Black History Month across the service by spotlighting the rhythms of New Orleans, home of Super Bowl LIX. After the big game festivities wrapped, two local legends found time to call up Ebro and share their own Messages straight from the heart of NOLA: Mannie…
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Ebonie Smith
In this brand new Message conversation, Ebro sits down with audio engineer, producer, and songwriter Ebonie Smith to talk about her new spoken word poetry album On Imagination and her Message that music is a ministry. Together, they dive deep on her journey as a Black woman in the male-dominated...
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Thandiswa
Her name is Thandiswa, but if you're from her native country of South Africa, you might know her better as King Tha. She's a singer and songwriter with a new album called Sankofa, a Ghanaian word that means "to go back and fetch what has been left behind." In this brand new conversation, she…
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will.i.am
While most hip-hop fans know will.i.am from his chart-topping work with The Black Eyed Peas, he's got another major passion: philanthropy. In this conversation from 2021, he stops by the Message to talk about his "edu-tainment" anthem "American Dream," as well as the success that his i.am Angel...
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Conway the Machine
Conway the Machine has been through a lot. The rapper, best known for his work with his Griselda brothers Westside Gunn and Benny the Butcher, helped build the Buffalo music scene from the ground up, and all in the wake of multiple jail stints and a shooting that left him partially paralyzed. In...
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Angelique Kidjo
There are many artists who could stake a claim for the title of Queen of Black Music, but it'd be hard to argue against a legend like Angelique Kidjo. Ebro spoke to her back in 2021 for Black Music Month about finding her identity through Black music and the importance of learning the stories of...
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Fire In Little Africa
2021 marked a dark anniversary for America: It was the centennial of the Tulsa race massacre, a two-day long white supremacist reign of terror that destroyed Tulsa, Oklahoma's thriving Black Wall Street. To honor the 100th anniversary, a group of Tulsa rappers came together as Fire In Little…
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Big Sean
May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, and few rappers have been as open about their mental health throughout their career as Big Sean. Ebro called him up in 2021 to talk about his IGTV series he made on the subject with his mom, and the growth he's made throughout his career....
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Audrey Nuna
In honor of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Ebro plays back his conversation with Korean-American artist Audrey Nuna. They discuss her childhood growing up as the lone Asian-American in a non-diverse community, and the music that has influenced her artistry, from Korean…
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Residente
Puerto Rican artist Residente has never been one to mince words in his songs, which may make the title of his latest album, LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTAN ("The lyrics don't matter"), surprising to fans. But despite the seemingly dismissive name, Residente still has a lot of big topics on his mind…
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Van Jones
Back in 2021, the Black Lives Matter movement scored a definitive victory: Derek Chauvin, the police officer who murdered George Floyd, was found guilty on all three counts. In this conversation, originally taped in the wake of the trial, Ebro speaks to Emmy-award winning political analyst…
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Bianca Belair
In this special Wrestlemania episode of The Message, Ebro talks to WWE superstar Bianca Belair about her work with her husband, fellow wrestler Montez Ford, to connect Black people with their culture. They also discuss mental health and Bianca's goal of changing the world's perception of what a...
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Vince Staples
In celebration of The Vince Staples Show premiering on Netflix, Ebro throws it back to his 2021 conversation with the Long Beach rapper about mental health, his path to being a full-time rapper, and hip-hop's sudden inclusion in the Super Bowl. Listen to Vince Staples' Message playlist only on...
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Willie Jones
In this interview recorded in 2022, country/hip-hop artist Willie Jones joins Ebro to talk about his Message of taking care of your mental health, and how he put that message into his song “Get Low Get High” with Jon Batiste and Michael Todd. Listen to Willie Jones' Message playlist, as well as…
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Common & Chef Lauren Von Der Pool
Ebro throws it back to Black History Month 2021, when he called up rapper Common and his friend Chef Lauren Von Der Pool for a conversation about nourishment and resilience through good eating, hydration, and getting enough sleep. Listen to Common and Chef Von Der Pool's Message playlist only on...
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Jeymes Samuel
The Message returns just in time for Black History Month! This week, Ebro talks to filmmaker-writer-producer-musician-composer Jeymes Samuel about his Message to "obey your crazy." They also dive into his new film The Book of Clarence, discuss building the soundtrack with "Black gods" Shabba…
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Billy Porter
On this brand new episode of The Message, Ebro sits down with Grammy, Emmy, and Tony-award winning singer and actor Billy Porter to talk about his message to always believe in yourself, and how he amplifies that message on his new album Black Mona Lisa. Listen to Billy Porter's Message playlist,...
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Tony! Toni! Toné!
For the first time in 25 years, all three founding members of Tony! Toni! Toné! are back onstage together. Brothers Raphael Saadiq and D'wayne Wiggins, along with their cousin Timothy Christian Riley, changed the face of R&B in the late 80s and early 90s, and now they've reunited for a tour, and...
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Royce da 5'9"
Today on The Message, Ebro is joined by Grammy-nominated Detroit rapper Royce da 5'9" for a wide-ranging conversation covering everything from racism in the music industry to therapy to family trauma. Royce's Message is all about accountability, and he's got some thoughts about how everyone can...
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Lecrae
In today's episode of The Message, originally taped in 2021, Ebro sits down with rapper Lecrae to talk about his Christian faith, the work he's doing in his community, and watching Kanye West figure out his own faith in the public eye.
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Jeezy
Ebro continues to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop by flashing back to his 2020 conversation with Georgia trap legend Jeezy, to discuss his Message that true success is all about mindset. Listen to Jeezy's exclusive Message playlist, only on Apple Music.
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Grandmaster Flash
On August 11, 1973, hip-hop was born. It all went down in the Bronx, at the Back To School Jam hosted by DJ Kool Herc. Today on the Message, Ebro celebrates the 50th anniversary of the genre that changed the world by sitting down with one of its originators, Grandmaster Flash. Flash's…
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Tiwa Savage
In 2020, while the U.S. was dealing with the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, Nigeria erupted in a nationwide protest movement of its own. The hashtag #EndSARS swept social media worldwide, calling for the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a division of the Nigerian police…
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T.I.
This week on The Message, Ebro is joined by Atlanta rapper T.I. to discuss his message of Black liberation. Together, they dive deep on the American police state, Black Lives Matter, and dealing with family conflict. Listen to T.I.'s Message playlist exclusively on Apple Music.
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Ari Melber
Ebro welcomes Emmy award-winning journalist Ari Melber to the Message to talk about the fallout from the January 6 insurrection, his viral dissection of JAY-Z's "God Did" verse, and to walk through his heavy hitting Message playlist that he calls "The Facts and What Slaps."
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Nikole Hannah-Jones
"My message would be that education is liberation." On this special Juneteenth episode of the Message, Ebro throws it back to his 2021 conversation with journalist and educator Nikole Hannah-Jones. They discuss her work on the 1619 Project, Critical Race Theory, her arduous journey through the...
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Syd & Durand Bernarr
In honor of Pride Month, Ebro flashes back to his 2021 conversation with songwriter-producer Syd (Odd Future, The Internet) and singer/songwriter Durand Bernarr to explore the concept of "chosen family," and how important it is for young queer artists to find the people that will embrace and...
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Wallo267
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Ebro sits down with podcaster and influencer Wallo267 to talk about the mindset that kept him motivated through his 20-year prison sentence, taking care of his mental health in the wake of that trauma, and how he turned his life into a success story in…
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Sophia Chang
Ebro talks to hip-hop executive and author Sophia Chang for Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month about being the first ever Asian woman in hip-hop, being radicalized by punk music, and her work managing many of your favorite artists, from RZA to Paul Simon.
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French Montana
In April 2021, President Biden signed a letter declaring April as National Arab American Heritage Month, the result of four years of campaigning by Arab American organizations to federally recognize the month after years of isolated celebrations in various states and school districts. This year…
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Jon Stewart
This week on The Message, Ebro is joined by Jon Stewart to walk through his playlist of anti-establishment tracks that have kept him motivated through his days as a New Jersey bartender, his stint as an MTV talk show host, his legendary run on The Daily Show, and all the way up to now as a...
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Erykah Badu
For Women's History Month, Ebro runs it back to the very first episode of The Message on Apple Music 1, airing his conversation with R&B queen Erykah Badu for the very first time in its uncut entirety. They walk through her soulful Message playlist (which she titled "Now Breathe Like It") and…
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Andra Day
For Women's History Month, Ebro flashes back to 2021 and his conversation with Andra Day, star of the Golden Globe-winning film The United States vs. Billie Holiday. They dive deep into Holiday's legacy, and how embodying the iconic powerhouse singer was the greatest challenge of Day's career.…
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David Banner
David Banner was one of the most popular MCs and producers of the early aughts, delivering hits for other artists like Trick Daddy’s “Thug Holiday” and T.I.’s “Rubber Band Man” while turning parties out with songs of his own like “Crank It Up” and “Like a Pimp.” He’d parlay undeniable charm and a...
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Rep. Jamaal Bowman & Kevin Liles
For the latest episode of Apple Music’s The Message, Ebro is joined by music mogul Kevin Liles and United States Congressman Jamaal Bowman of New York. Though they might at face value seem like unlikely bedfellows, Liles and Bowman are working in concert to garner support for the Artists' Right…
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Styles P & Hezues R
This week, Ebro is joined by rapper Styles P and filmmaker Hezues R to hear about the work that the two of them are doing to get youth off the streets through their latest venture, the SIC Film School. The pair of them also share the personal struggles that started them on their mental health...
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Jon Batiste
Ebro sits down with 5-time Grammy winner, Oscar winner, and Emmy winner Jon Batiste to talk about the history of Black music in America, the message behind his album 'We Are,' and the unbreakable link between Black music and activism. Listen to Jon's Message playlist and watch the video…
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The Message with Ebro Darden Trailer
Welcome to The Message, a new interview hosted series hosted by Ebro Darden about music, culture, mental health, and politics. Stay tuned for the first episode with guest Jon Batiste, releasing in January. Brought to you by Apple Music.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to The Message, an interview series about music, culture, mental health, and politics, brought to you by Apple Music.
The summer of 2020 was marked by an unprecedented awareness for--and anger about--the continued injustices Black people and people of color in America and worldwide face. The ensuing protests, activations, and social media fury inspired musicians around the world to speak out about their own experiences, with some going on to record music that speaks directly to the moment. Hosted by Apple Music's Ebro Darden, The Message is a series that aims to further the dialogue about the unrest and inequalities in the United States and abroad via intimate conversations with some of the most prominent voices in the culture today, who also create exclusive playlists of the songs inspiring them to keep pushing forward.
Guests include Jon Batiste, Erykah Badu, Jon Stewart, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Common, Vince Staples, and many more. Follow to get the uncut and unc
HOSTED BY
Apple Music
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Message with Ebro Darden have?
The Message with Ebro Darden currently has 40 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Message with Ebro Darden about?
Welcome to The Message, an interview series about music, culture, mental health, and politics, brought to you by Apple Music. The summer of 2020 was marked by an unprecedented awareness for--and anger about--the continued injustices Black people and people of color in America and worldwide face....
How often does The Message with Ebro Darden release new episodes?
The Message with Ebro Darden has 40 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Message with Ebro Darden?
You can listen to The Message with Ebro Darden on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Message with Ebro Darden?
The Message with Ebro Darden is created and hosted by Apple Music.
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