Black Prose

This was the perfect time for my old friend Jordan Edwards-Wilks and me to catch up after 12 years. We went to school together and sat next to each other in Religious Studies, where he used to copy my work. I didn't know he could rap, sing or even play an instrument at the time. I just remember him being very intelligent, funny and always up for having a good time. I guess this was one of his best-kept secrets. But over the years, I have watched him — from afar — blossom into his stage name Jords and establish himself as an artist who is vulnerable with his words and sound. In this episode, the Croydon rapper and songwriter thanks British rapper Cadet for his success so far and talks about why meeting Wretch 32 made him get his hair locked, the nuances of the Black music scene, dealing with jealousy in his career, and the new album on the way. Jords won't tell me the name of the album — despite making a few guesses — but has shown me the song list. And I must say, I think we are in for a treat. Follow Jords on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to his music on Spotify and Apple Music.  Check out his organisation called Pickni Uniforms. Listen to his podcast Almost A Conversation on Spotify and Apple. Follow Yolanthe on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Black Prose on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.  Subscribe to the Black Prose Podcast newsletter on Substack. Produced by New Strange. Artwork by Matt Munday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I first slid into Tobi Rachel Akingbade’s DMs in August 2015, she told me two things, right off the bat, that have never left me: don’t be afraid to approach new people and remove the word ‘aspiring’ from my everyday vocabulary. So it was only right to have my mentor as the very first guest on Black Prose. I speak to Tobi about navigating the newsroom as a Black journalist, her new role at Buzzfeed UK, going viral for the wrong reasons, the consequences of the Mel Made Me Do It (#MMMDI) joke she made on Twitter, and how she managed to interview Jennifer Hudson with no voice. She’s pursued Black excellence for all of her career as a journalist and has practically done it all, including interviewing some of our favourite celebrities on the red carpet and writing a story about Chrissy Teigen’s butthole, but now Tobi is ready to give herself the opportunity to be mediocre and get celebrated for it. Follow Tobi on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to her podcast Yellow Cup on Spotify, Apple and Soundcloud. Follow Black Prose on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.  Follow Yolanthe on Twitter and Instagram. Produced by New Strange. Artwork by Matt Munday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join journalist Yolanthe Fawehinmi as she interviews Black writers — across all mediums — about their come-up, lessons learnt and writing rituals. Follow Yolanthe on Instagram and on Twitter. Follow Black Prose on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Produced by New Strange. Artwork by Matt Munday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices