New biography on hip-hop legend MF DOOM shines light on Boston influence

MF DOOM was a legendary emcee known for wearing a mask and keeping a distance from fame in a genre where artists usually embrace the spotlight. DOOM passed away in 2020, but his life is documented in a biography recently released called The Chronicles of DOOM: Unraveling Hip-hop’s Masked Iconoclast. In the book, Writer and journalist S.H. Fernando Jr aka SKIZZ sheds light on DOOM’s story, which includes his time spent right here in Boston.  Today on The Common, Darryl's conversation with SKIZZ and local hip-hop aficionado Dart Adams about the book and DOOM that aired on Radio Boston earlier this year. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Franz and Heroina Edouard and their family are among the thousands of Haitians who left their home country for a better life in the US, and made their way to Massachusetts. The Edouards shared their decades-long journey with WBUR reporter Simon Rios. Today on The Common, Simon joins us to tell us their story, and about their experience with the Massachusetts' emergency shelter system. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's been a minute, but Candice Springer, assistant director for WBUR CitySpace, is back to give you the low down on what's happening in the city this December. After a quick recap of the biggest musical movie event of the year ("Wicked"), here's what Candice recommends: Out and About in Boston Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) Now in its 15th year, MICE is New England's longest-running independent comics expo. At this totally free event there is something for everyone: workshops for artists of all levels, panel discussions and, of course, a marketplace where you can peruse comics and other work by dozens of independent artists -- just in time for holiday shopping! At Boston University's Fuller Building, Dec. 7 to 8. A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin This is the first of two opportunities to see "Home Alone" in Boston this holiday season. On Sunday, Dec. 15, head over to the Chevalier Theater in Newton for a screening of the holiday movie classic, and an exclusive moderated talk with Kevin himself, Macaulay Culkin. 'Home Alone' in concert Can't make it to the movies before Christmas? We don't blame you. Luckily, the Boston Pops is giving "Home Alone" its own treatment with a live score just after the holidays at Symphony Hall on Dec. 27, 28 and 29. This Month at WBUR CitySpace Curated Cuisine: Historian Jessica B. Harris on the culinary and cultural traditions of Kwanzaa James Beard Award-winning culinary historian Jessica B. Harris joins Tamika R. Francis, founder of Food & Folklore, for a conversation about the updated edition of her book, “A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook: Celebrating the Holiday with Family, Community and Tradition.” Additionally, guests will get to enjoy a spicy three-cheese mac and cheese, and holiday gingerbread with molasses whipped cream from the book after the event on Dec. 9. Ones to Watch: The Floor Lords empower local youth through the positivity of hip hop dance The Floor Lords, a Boston-based breakdancing crew, will perform at CitySpace on Dec. 11. After some dancing, they'll talk with WBUR arts reporter Arielle Gray about the crew's mission to empower local youth. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

When Jessie Little Doe Baird was growing up on Cape Cod in the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, she didn’t have a relationship with her native language. Now, she reteaches her language to her community and family through the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project, which she co-founded. Today on The Common, we hear Darryl C. Murphy's conversation with Baird on Radio Boston from earlier this fall. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

When a 2022 Supreme Court ruling ended nationwide protection for abortion access, Massachusetts abortion rights advocates predicted an influx of people from out of state seeking abortions. Now, WBUR's Martha Bebinger found the number of people who obtained abortion care from Massachusetts providers was up at least 37% in 2023. The increase was mostly driven by patients from outside the state. Today on The Common, Martha and Dr. Angel Foster, co-founder of Cambridge Reproductive Health Consultants, discuss the future of abortion access in Massachusetts. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's been a little over a week since President-elect Donald Trump won a second term in office over Vice President Kamala Harris. Regardless of how you feel about it, another Trump presidency is almost certain to leave a lasting impression on our political reality, including here in deep-blue Massachusetts. Today on The Common, WBUR Senior Politics Reporter, Anthony Brooks, and WBUR State House Reporter, Walter Wuthmann, join us to discuss reactions since the election, and look ahead to what the results could mean for our state. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

In August, Mayor Michelle Wu introduced Boston's first Office of Climate Resilience. She appointed Chris Osgood, previously Chief of Staff and Chief of Streets, as the office's director. Osgood joined us in September to discuss what Bostonians can expect from the Office of Climate Resilience in the coming years. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Happy Halloween! We wish you safe and spooky celebrations this week. That said, Tuesday, November 5th is the 2024 general election. And there is nothing scarier than getting to the polls unprepared. Five statewide ballot questions are before voters this November, and frighteningly, there are quite a few misconceptions about them. Evan Horowitz, director of The Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University, joins us in breaking down each question and outlines what is being asked of voters on Election Day. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Offshore wind projects like Vineyard Wind are set to be a huge part of our state’s energy future. But for such a huge infrastructure project, it’s not that easy to get out and see for yourself. For one thing, you need to charter a boat to take you out to look at the Vineyard Wind turbines located miles offshore.  This is exactly what a group of New England reporters did in September – including WBUR’s own senior climate reporter, Miriam Wasser. She joins The Common to tell us about the experience.  Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston's theater-goers are overwhelmingly white: 89%, according to a report by the nonprofit ArtsBoston. At the same time, more than half of the city's residents are people of color. Some theater companies are fostering inclusion with Black Out nights. Performances are taken off sale to the general public and made accessible with a code distributed to Black organizations and social media groups. Maurice Emmanuel Parent is an actor, educator and co-founder and co-producing artistic director of Front Porch Arts Collective, a Black theatre company promoting racial equity in Boston. He speaks with us about the history and intention of Black Out experiences. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.