

Popcast
The New York Times
The Popcast is hosted by Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The New York Times. It covers the latest in popular music criticism, trends and news.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Episodes
Mentioned books

15 snips
Oct 23, 2025 • 1h 4min
Erykah Badu Interview! On D’Angelo, Radical Empathy, Love & Hip-Hop
Erykah Badu, the iconic singer and songwriter known for her neo-soul sound, shares her unique journey in music. She reflects on her early studio days and her kinship with D'Angelo and Questlove. Badu discusses the importance of creative control and her philosophy behind making music on her terms. She also touches on her role as a muse, radical empathy in today's society, and how social media has affected her self-perception. Badu even leads a breathing exercise, emphasizing its power before her captivating live performance.

11 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 1h 12min
Remembering D’Angelo, A Classicist Who Moved Us Forward
Toray, a veteran music journalist known for his insights into R&B and neo-soul, joins Joseph Patel, a journalist and documentary producer who interviewed D'Angelo. They explore D'Angelo's unique journey, discussing the groundbreaking sound of 'Brown Sugar' and the evolution in 'Voodoo.' The duo reflects on the vulnerability faced by Black artists, D'Angelo's enigmatic interview style, and his collaboration with Questlove. Memorable stories from their interviews reveal D'Angelo's brilliance, while Joseph highlights the political resonance of 'Black Messiah.'


