Sony Music Entertainment and Pharrell Williams’ production company, OTHERTone, have announced the launch of Drapetomaniax: Unshackled History. This new podcast series, hosted by celebrated journalist and cultural critic Michael Harriot, will delve into untold stories of Black Americans in history. Harriot, also known as the “Dean of Black Twitter,” will bring an unabashedly Black perspective to the series, with the first episode available now.
Drapetomaniax: Unshackled History will bring a mix of thorough research, humor, and a lineup of notable guests, including MSNBC’s Joy Reid, actress Yvette Nicole Brown, journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, and more. It aims to highlight key figures and events in Black American history that have been neglected in traditional textbooks.
The podcast will feature stories of figures like Rosetta Tharpe, a queer Black woman who was instrumental in the invention of Rock & Roll, and Forest Joe, a fugitive slave who inspired the creation of America’s first police squad.
Harriot, shared his views for the podcast: “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.”
Drapetomaniax: Unshackled History is produced by Sony Music and OTHERTone, with Pharrell Williams and Moses Ajibade Soyoola serving as executive producer and producer, respectively.
