Introducing: Noble Champions

In this episode, Santi sits down with musician and creator Vince Staples, comedian and actor Wyatt Cenac, and acclaimed writer and academic Kiese Laymon for a candid and thought-provoking conversation about patriarchy—its impact on individuals and society, and what it takes to break free from its grip. Kiese reflects on a pivotal childhood experience at a 2 Live Crew concert, the profound role male touch played in his upbringing and how, for men, the act of receiving touch often demands a kind of vulnerability that patriarchy teaches them to fear and reject. Wyatt unpacks the influence of male figures in pop culture on his early ideas of masculinity, and how patriarchy teaches men to equate strength with silence. He reflects on the emotional toll of this conditioning, describing how the refusal to express vulnerability in relationships can feel isolating. Vince offers a critique of how systems of slavery, capitalism, and religion have worked together to obscure self-awareness, distorting the ability of individuals to imagine themselves outside the constraints of imposed identities and collective ideologies. Together, Santi and her guests explore how patriarchal systems have shaped their identities, relationships, and creative work while sharing the steps they’re taking to move beyond its shadow, and imagine a path toward a more equitable future.

In this episode, Santigold sits down with actor and activist Shailene Woodley and Odille Zexter-Kaiser to discuss how stepping away from technology can nurture a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us. Shailene shares insights from her years of consciously minimizing her reliance on technology, while Odille reflects on her experience as a member of New York City’s Luddite Club—a group of high school students who chose to limit their tech use in pursuit of a more intentional, grounded lifestyle. Together, they examine the profound impact of technology on our relationships and explore the benefits of embracing a more mindful way of living. Note: The sound quality on this episode is perfectly imperfect. The irony is not lost on us. I guess since it’s an episode about stepping away from technology (one of our guests was even calling in on a flip phone), the tech gods decided to mess with us. Think of it as a lo-fi tribute to living intentionally. Thanks for rolling with it!

Episode 1 with John Jennings and Terence Nance dives into Afrofuturism and the power of human imagination in shaping our future. In a time of global uncertainty, art that envisions a better world is essential. Santi sits down with acclaimed graphic novelist, comic book author, illustrator, and professor John Jennings, alongside artist, filmmaker, and musician Terence Nance (creator of HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness) for a rich discussion. Together, they explore the tools of imagination, the role of rituals, the concept of deindustrializing oneself, nonlinear time, and much more.

On this week's episode, Santi is joined by Idris Elba and Dan Kovalik to discuss "cancel culture" through the lens of perpetual growth. They cover the origins of the concept, how it has evolved to become a relevant and modern societal and political topic, and the effect it has on culture.

In this episode, Santi and her guests, Bun B and Resmaa Menakem, talk about intergenerational and racialized trauma, how our ancestors' and our own traumatic experiences can often set the tone for how we view and interact with the world around us, and the deep-rooted effects that have on our communities.

In this episode, Santi and her guests, Saul Williams and Mary Annaïse Heglar, talk about the intersection of race and climate change, and how it impacts the future of our world. They also touch on Secretary of State, Antony Blinken’s recent trip to Africa, the landmark climate legislation just passed by the U.S. Senate, and the assassination of the former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba.

In this episode, Santi and her guests, Olivia Wilde, and Rebecca Walker share their experiences as mothers who are creatives. They discuss the challenge of balancing motherhood and their own creativity, explore the concept of working mothers "having it all", and Rebecca relays her experience as the child of another creative mother, Alice Walker, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple.

In this episode, Santi rallies her longtime friends Questlove, Angela Yee, and Tunde Adebimpe, who are fellow artists, industry insiders, and cultural critics, to try to tackle the question, 'What exactly is Black Music?'. They discuss complex issues like what happens when you step out of the genre box - specifically when Black artists are making music that’s left outside the 'Black Music' box, who built the box, and what’s the bigger impact of caging in or boxing out music and the artists that make it? All this while geeking out about some of their favorite seminal recording artists like Bad Brains, Nina Simone, Fela Kuti, The Last Poets and more.

Santigold sits down with artists Yasiin Bey (aka. Mos Def) and Sanford Biggers for a profound and far-reaching conversation about the relationship between art and spirit - how spirituality informs their work, creativity as a spiritual ritual, how art mirrors culture, and the toll the act of creating can take on artists.

Introducing: Noble Champions