The Message with Ebro Darden

Apple Music

Welcome to The Message, an interview series about music, culture, mental health, and politics, brought to you by Apple Music.The summer of 2020 was marked by an unprecedented awareness for--and anger about--the continued injustices Black people and people of color in America and worldwide face. The ensuing protests, activations, and social media fury inspired musicians around the world to speak out about their own experiences, with some going on to record music that speaks directly to the moment. Hosted by Apple Music's Ebro Darden, The Message is a series that aims to further the dialogue about the unrest and inequalities in the United States and abroad via intimate conversations with some of the most prominent voices in the culture today, who also create exclusive playlists of the songs inspiring them to keep pushing forward.Guests include Jon Batiste, Erykah Badu, Jon Stewart, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Common, Vince Staples, and many more. Follow to get the uncut and uncensored interviews delivered to you every two weeks, and subscribe to Apple Music to listen to the guests' playlists and add them to your library.

  • 50 minutes 6 seconds
    Residente

    Puerto Rican artist Residente has never been one to mince words in his songs, which may make the title of his latest album, LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTAN ("The lyrics don't matter"), surprising to fans. But despite the seemingly dismissive name, Residente still has a lot of big topics on his mind, and in this brand new conversation, he sits down with Ebro to discuss them. In this wide-ranging interview, they talk about his mental health struggles while writing his single "René," his desire to push himself out of his comfort zone, and speaking out against the Israeli siege on Gaza.

    Listen to Residente's The Message playlist, only on Apple Music,

    29 April 2024, 4:00 am
  • 37 minutes 18 seconds
    Van Jones

    Back in 2021, the Black Lives Matter movement scored a definitive victory: Derek Chauvin, the police officer who murdered George Floyd, was found guilty on all three counts. In this conversation, originally taped in the wake of the trial, Ebro speaks to Emmy-award winning political analyst, author, and activist Van Jones about the conviction, as well as his ongoing work to reform the carceral state and get Black people out of prison.

    Stream Van Jones' exclusive Message playlist only on Apple Music.

    15 April 2024, 4:00 am
  • 22 minutes
    Bianca Belair

    In this special Wrestlemania episode of The Message, Ebro talks to WWE superstar Bianca Belair about her work with her husband, fellow wrestler Montez Ford, to connect Black people with their culture. They also discuss mental health and Bianca's goal of changing the world's perception of what a female wrestler looks like.

    Listen to Bianca Belair's Message playlist only on Apple Music.

    1 April 2024, 4:00 am
  • 42 minutes 34 seconds
    Vince Staples

    In celebration of The Vince Staples Show premiering on Netflix, Ebro throws it back to his 2021 conversation with the Long Beach rapper about mental health, his path to being a full-time rapper, and hip-hop's sudden inclusion in the Super Bowl.

    Listen to Vince Staples' Message playlist only on Apple Music

    18 March 2024, 4:00 am
  • 28 minutes 42 seconds
    Willie Jones

    In this interview recorded in 2022, country/hip-hop artist Willie Jones joins Ebro to talk about his Message of taking care of your mental health, and how he put that message into his song “Get Low Get High” with Jon Batiste and Michael Todd.

    Listen to Willie Jones' Message playlist, as well as his series The Cross Roads Radio, only on Apple Music.

    4 March 2024, 5:00 am
  • 48 minutes 16 seconds
    Common & Chef Lauren Von Der Pool

    Ebro throws it back to Black History Month 2021, when he called up rapper Common and his friend Chef Lauren Von Der Pool for a conversation about nourishment and resilience through good eating, hydration, and getting enough sleep.

    Listen to Common and Chef Von Der Pool's Message playlist only on Apple Music.

    19 February 2024, 5:00 am
  • 50 minutes 50 seconds
    Jeymes Samuel

    The Message returns just in time for Black History Month! This week, Ebro talks to filmmaker-writer-producer-musician-composer Jeymes Samuel about his Message to "obey your crazy." They also dive into his new film The Book of Clarence, discuss building the soundtrack with "Black gods" Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, and Lil Wayne, and Jeymes shares some secret easter eggs about his last film, The Harder They Fall.

    Stream Jeymes Samuel's The Message playlist only on Apple Music.

    5 February 2024, 5:00 am
  • 51 minutes 31 seconds
    Billy Porter

    On this brand new episode of The Message, Ebro sits down with Grammy, Emmy, and Tony-award winning singer and actor Billy Porter to talk about his message to always believe in yourself, and how he amplifies that message on his new album Black Mona Lisa.

    Listen to Billy Porter's Message playlist, exclusively on Apple Music.

    11 December 2023, 5:00 am
  • 49 minutes 11 seconds
    Tony! Toni! Toné!

    For the first time in 25 years, all three founding members of Tony! Toni! Toné! are back onstage together. Brothers Raphael Saadiq and D'wayne Wiggins, along with their cousin Timothy Christian Riley, changed the face of R&B in the late 80s and early 90s, and now they've reunited for a tour, and possibly a new album.

    In this special episode of The Message, the trio sits down with Ebro to talk about their legacy, reuniting after all these years, and their Message about spreading love through music.

    Listen to Tony! Toni! Toné!'s Message playlist exclusively on Apple Music.

    NOTE: After this episode, The Message will be moving exclusively to Apple Podcasts. Episodes will now include music from the artists' playlists, and will be available to Apple Music subscribers. Follow the podcast on Apple Music to hear this episode with music, and to get notified when new episodes go live.

    9 October 2023, 4:00 am
  • 56 minutes 10 seconds
    Royce da 5'9"

    Today on The Message, Ebro is joined by Grammy-nominated Detroit rapper Royce da 5'9" for a wide-ranging conversation covering everything from racism in the music industry to therapy to family trauma. Royce's Message is all about accountability, and he's got some thoughts about how everyone can better open up to the world around them through personal responsibility.

    Listen to Royce's exclusive Message playlist on Apple Music.


    25 September 2023, 4:00 am
  • 30 minutes 3 seconds
    Lecrae

    In today's episode of The Message, originally taped in 2021, Ebro sits down with rapper Lecrae to talk about his Christian faith, the work he's doing in his community, and watching Kanye West figure out his own faith in the public eye.

    11 September 2023, 4:00 am
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