Ear Hustle

Ear Hustle & Radiotopia

Ear Hustle brings you the daily realities of life inside prison, shared by those living it, and stories from the outside, post-incarceration.

  • 5 minutes 46 seconds
    New Episodes Start Next Week!

    The Ear Hustle team has been hard at work on a whole batch of new stories from San Quentin, the California Institution for Women, the Central California Women’s Facility, and beyond. They’ll be in your feed starting next Wednesday, March 5 — but Nigel and Earlonne are here now with a little sneak peek. 

    Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    26 February 2025, 10:01 am
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    Revisiting “Camp Grace”

    Next up in our “sleeper hits” series, our editor Amy listens back to “Camp Grace,” a 2021 episode that she had started producing until she was sidelined by COVID. In it, we follow a group of kids to Salinas Valley State Prison to spend two days with their dads, whom they hadn’t seen in years. Through music, crafts, and games, the idea behind Camp Grace is to put aside prison personas and reconnect with fatherhood. But relationships strained by incarceration can be hard to fix.


    Big thanks to the team at The Place 4 Grace: Karen, Jenny, Candace, Sandra, and Maria.

    We also want to thank campers Alex, Geneva, Andrew, Angel, Gigi, Eli, and Christian, and their dads, Jose, Peter, Frankie, Gilbert, Gabriel, and Ramon, as well as Angelica and Theresa, for talking with us. Thanks also to Alma, Jen, Adriana, Officer Muros, Officer Guevara, and Warden Atchley at Salinas Valley State Prison.

    This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams and Rhashiyd Zinnamon.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    12 February 2025, 10:01 am
  • 44 minutes 48 seconds
    From the Vault: Crew No. 7

    California relies on incarcerated firefighters to fight fires like the ones that have engulfed Southern California this month. But once these men and women are released from prison, they can have a hard time finding jobs on civilian firefighting crews. Back in 2020, Nigel and Earlonne spent time at a Ventura fire camp designed to help bridge that gap. In light of the recent fires, we’re sharing this episode again.

    Thanks to Bay Salmeron, Andrew Morales, Levi Rosier, Barrett Brown, and Eric Kesselmark for sharing their stories. Thanks also to Michelle Garcia, Jeremy Brandt, and Michael Salas at the Ventura Training Center.

    You can donate to Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s fund for incarcerated firefighters here, and listen to the Fire Escape podcast here.  

    This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams and David Jassy. 

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    17 January 2025, 10:01 am
  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    Revisiting “August 21, 1971”

    In the next installment in our “sleeper hits” series, Earlonne listens back to the episode “August 21, 1971,” about George Jackson and one of the most significant days in San Quentin’s history. E talks about why this was an essential story for Ear Hustle to tell, why it was a tricky one to tackle, and reflects on his personal connections to this history and its long aftermath. 

    Mentioned in the episode: 

    Episode 61: August 21, 1971
    Day of the Gun documentary from Bay Area news station KRON4
    Freedom Archives’ 99 Books project
    Ear Hustle interview with Angela Davis

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    8 January 2025, 10:01 am
  • 38 minutes 23 seconds
    Last Memory: Linda

    Linda’s mom brought her to a Catholic Mass because she had a sense her daughter was on the verge of something, and needed help. Thirty-seven years into her prison sentence, Linda wonders what would have happened if she had listened to her mom, and Nigel and Earlonne visit the same chapel to see the place through Linda’s memory. 

    This episode was scored with music by Derrell Sadiq Davis, Antwan Williams, Fernando Arruda, David Jassy, Bruce Wallace, and Earlonne Woods.

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Need some Ear Hustle merch? Check out the new items at earhustlesq.com/shop

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

    Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support Ear Hustle. Thank you! on.prx.org/3s6RrL5 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    11 December 2024, 10:01 am
  • 31 minutes 54 seconds
    Last Memory: Leisha

    Leisha didn't plan on getting pregnant. And she certainly didn't plan on giving birth in prison. But on the day those two red lines showed up, Leisha found kindness in an unexpected place.

    Thanks to Katie Turner and Samantha Bhatia at Poetic Justice for connecting us with Leisha. 

    This episode was scored with music by Darrell Sadiq Davis, Antwan Williams, Fernando Arruda, David Jassy, and Earlonne Woods.

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support Ear Hustle. Thank you! on.prx.org/3s6RrL5 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    27 November 2024, 10:01 am
  • 45 minutes 50 seconds
    The Wrong Line of Business

    Earlonne's here with his "mystery" episode, and it's a doozy. He tells Nigel a redemption story wrapped in a drug-trafficking story, and, along the way, dives deep into several subjects we swore we'd never touch. Buckle up. 

    Thanks to George for telling his story. He co-authored a book about moving past gangs and criminal thinking; you can find that here. Thanks also to Tanaya for the rap and listener alert, and to everyone else we talked to for this story. 

    This episode was scored with music by Darrell Sadiq Davis, Antwan Williams, Fernando Arruda, David Jassy, and Earlonne Woods.

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show. 

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support Ear Hustle. Thank you! on.prx.org/3s6RrL5

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    13 November 2024, 11:01 am
  • 15 minutes 30 seconds
    My Understanding of This Place: Nigel & Earlonne

    Over the past two episodes we’ve been hearing about “memory places” at San Quentin: ordinary-seeming spots that become extraordinary through the eyes of people who spent time there. In this extra mini-ep, Nigel and Earlonne take us to their spots, and down Ear Hustle memory lane.   

    This episode was scored with music by Earlonne Woods, Antwan Williams, and Derrell Sadiq Davis.

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    6 November 2024, 10:01 am
  • 42 minutes
    My Understanding of This Place, Part 2

    In the second part of this two-part series, Nigel reveals to Earlonne the final stops in her memory-tour of San Quentin, culminating in an exploration of the prison’s former death row. 

    Thanks to Shaka for speaking with us for this episode. 

    Special thanks to Lt. Guim'Mara Berry for letting Nigel and our inside team explore and record inside East Block. 

    This episode was scored with music by Earlonne Woods, Antwan Williams, and Derrell Sadiq Davis.

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    30 October 2024, 9:01 am
  • 48 minutes 49 seconds
    My Understanding of This Place, Part 1

    Nigel — with help from our team inside San Quentin — has been cooking up an episode that her co-host knows nothing about. Without giving too much away, we can tell you that it involves visiting a part of the prison no one on Ear Hustle had seen before … with, of course, a few detours along the way. Part 1 of a two-part series.  

    Special thanks to Lt. Guim'Mara Berry for letting Nigel and our inside team explore and record inside East Block, and to Rabbi Paul Shleffar for hosting us inside the chapel. 

    This episode was scored with music by Earlonne Woods, Antwan Williams, and Derrell Sadiq Davis.

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    16 October 2024, 9:01 am
  • 46 minutes 43 seconds
    Election!

    Incarcerated people in California can’t vote, but that doesn't mean they aren’t tracking electoral politics as closely as many of us on the outside are. In this episode, Ear Hustle’s inside team reveals the winner of its San Quentin presidential poll, while the outside team travels to the Central California Women’s Facility to see how people there would vote, if they had the opportunity.   

    You can find information about registering to vote here

    Thanks to everyone who spoke to us for this episode, including: Juan, Jerry, Oola, David, Lee, Wesley, Mario, Jose, Shawn, Raymond, Jessie, Cristian, Luis, Cesar, Tomas, Adam, Daniel, Michael Tulo, Bostyon, Greg, Cory, Hardeep, Matthew, and Katy at San Quentin; Lanika, Wendy, Tameka, Latoya, Erica, Amy Lynn, Elizabeth, Mariam, Rosa, Mei, Lori Ann, Charity, Jasmine, Kaieesha, Diamond, Elisa, Debanee, Kaylee, Tina, and Cleo at the Central California Women’s Facility; and Lakshya with Split Ticket.

    This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams, David Jassy, and Derrell Sadiq Davis.

    Big thanks to Acting Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women, and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

    Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. 

    Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
    2 October 2024, 9:01 am
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