The Cinematic Soul

The Price of Protection | Revisiting The Bodyguard (1992) | Ft. Ang B. Freely

What does it cost to protect someone the world believes belongs to everyone? For the Season 3 finale of The Cinematic Soul, I’m joined once again by Ang B. Freely to rev

Breaking the Cycle | Revisiting Is God Is (2026)

What happens when revenge becomes your identity? And what does healing look like when you’ve spent your entire life carrying someone else’s pain as well as your own? Thi

Freedom Had a Voice | Revisiting What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)

The Cinematic Soul is where we revisit Black films, look at how they were made, talk about what they get right, and what they leave behind. This week, my friend Brittany

Do You Know Where You’re Going To? | Revisiting Mahogany (1975)

This week on The Cinematic Soul, I revisit the 1975 cult classic Mahogany starring Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams. From the moment the opening runway sequence begins,

The Wiz, Mentorship & the Stage That Changed Everything | Ft. Keith Myles Sr.

The Cinematic Soul is where we revisit Black films, look at how they were made, talk about what they get right, and what they leave behind. This week, I’m joined by Keit

Why Do Fools Fall in Love Didn’t Tell Frankie Lymon’s Full Story

The Cinematic Soul is where we revisit Black films, look at how they were made, talk about what they get right, and what they leave behind. This week, we’re revisiting t

Why Get On Up Hits Different Now | Chadwick, James Brown, and Legacy (2014)

In this episode, let’s sit down for a deep conversation about Get On Up and why Chadwick Boseman’s performance as James Brown still feels so powerful. I break down the fi

The Cost of Genius | Ray and the Legacy of Ray Charles (2004)

The Cinematic Soul is where we revisit Black films, unpack the culture behind them, and celebrate the stories that stay with us. Today we’re talking about genius. The ki

The Sound That Changed American Music | Cadillac Records (2008)

The Cinematic Soul is where we talk about movies through the lens of Black culture, history, and the music that lives inside these stories. The sound that changed Americ

Dreamgirls (2006): Effie White, Beyoncé, and the Legacy of a Black Musical Classic

Dreamgirls (2006) remains one of the most influential modern Black musical films. In this episode of The Cinematic Soul, I sit down with Shani Showbiz to talk about the l

Crooklyn Raised: Why Spike Lee’s Most Personal Film Feels Like Home

In this episode of The Cinematic Soul, I sit down with one of the most important films of my life, Spike Lee’s Crooklyn. A movie that raised me. I share what it was like

The Jacksons: An American Dream and the Making of a Music Dynasty

In 1992, ABC aired a five hour event that felt bigger than television. The Jacksons: An American Dream is ICONIC! It was a Black family story told at a scale we did not s

Remembering The Temptations Beyond the Hits

In this episode of The Cinematic Soul Podcast, we sit with The Temptations and talk through why it still resonates decades after its original airing. Rather than treatin

The Five Heartbeats (1991): Brotherhood, Betrayal & Black Music Magic | Season Premiere

Season premiere baby! 🎙️ This week I’m diving into The Five Heartbeats (1991) — the music, the brotherhood, the breakdown, and why Robert Townsend really gave us a Black

Two Can Play That Game (But Should We?)

What happens when love turns into a chess match? Vivica, Morris, Gabrielle, and the messy brilliance of Two Can Play That Game. We got Shanté’s 10-day plan, the soundtra

How Stella Got Her Groove Back: Romance, Regret & Real Life Mess!

*Sorry for the delay! There was an issue uploading and I had to talk to Riverside support for two days 🥱* Angela Bassett. Taye Diggs. JAMAICA! This week on The Cinematic

Hip-Hop Soul Cinema: Brown Sugar & the Era of Black Love

Let’s go on a soulful deep dive into Brown Sugar (2002), one of the most beloved Black romantic comedies of the early 2000s. This episode of The Cinematic Soul explores h

Mackin’, Hangin’, and Growing Up: The Legacy of The Wood

What does it mean to grow up Black, goofy, and just trying to see who can get the most numbers? This week, I revisit one of my all-time favorite films, The Wood, and the

On and On: The Makings of Claudine

This week on The Cinematic Soul, I’m revisiting Claudine with all of my thoughts and reflections. From Diahann Carroll’s layered performance to James Earl Jones redefinin

The “Forever” Episode

Mara Brock Akil dropped a gem with Forever! This coming-of-age love story that hits deep. From family scars to first love and flashing lights, it’s layered and loud in al