Tag: Jemele Hill is Unbothered

Spotify Celebrates Black History Month With the Launch of Frequency Zine

February 13, 2023

Black voices continue to be left out of the cultural narrative. So in 2021, we launched Frequency—what’s become our year-round global initiative to celebrate Black art, entertainment, creativity, and community. Its mission is brought to life by programs like the Ripple Effect Sunday dinner series and the Free Studio creator residency. Frequency is the home for Black expression as it shapes how the future sounds. 

This Black History Month, we’re continuing our support by unveiling Frequency Zine, a new social series focusing on dynamic artists who embody the boundless future of Black music. Throughout the series, we’ll highlight six Black artists across Frequency’s genre-specific playlists, including Indie, Dance/Electronic, Rock, Pop, and more. The first artists to be featured in Frequency Zine include Austin Millz, Bree Runway, Chiiild, Connie Constance, Foggieraw, and Kelela. 

Along with the playlists, each edition will feature a digital cover, custom photoshoot, and interview videos. Fans can follow Frequency on Instagram and Twitter to check out Frequency Zine as soon as it drops.

Frequency is a part of our ongoing commitment to support creators from historically marginalized communities and foster equity in the audio space. Read on for some more ways Spotify is highlighting Black creators across our platform this February. 

Black authors step into the spotlight with Audiobooks

There’s always more to learn about Black history and culture, so this month, some of our listeners will also receive recommendations for Audiobooks they can sink their ears into, like The 1619 Project developed by Nikole Hannah–Jones, Son of Elsewhere by Elamin Abdelmahmoud, We Over Me by Devale Ellis and Khadeen Ellis, and Finding Me by Viola Davis, which has been nominated for a Spoken Word Grammy.

The Audiobooks Hub will also be taken over with five curated shelves highlighting titles by Black authors within some of our most popular genres. These shelves consist of The Classics, Mystery & Thriller, Editor’s Picks, Lost in Love, and Be Inspired. Some of the titles you’ll find include:

  • More Myself by Alicia Keys: A book for fans of Alicia Keys with great music tie-ins and full-cast narration from Alicia Keys herself, as well as America Ferrera, Bono, Clive Davis, Craig Cook, DJ Walton, Jay-Z, Krucial, Leigh Blake, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Swizz Beats, and Terri Augelo. 
  • Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson: This multigenerational story was in President Barack Obama’s reading list picks for 2022.
  • All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson: A series of personal essays from a prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist. 
  • Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert: This brand-new rom-com from a popular British author is sure to be a hit for lovers of YA novels. 

Black podcast creators continue to set the tone

In addition to the Frequency Zine and our curated Audiobooks shelves, we’re also proud to showcase thought-provoking conversations from some of Spotify’s top Black podcast creators.

The Unbothered Network is a groundbreaking podcast and production company created by award-winning journalist Jemele Hill. Unbothered seeks to elevate the voices, stories, agency, and nuance of Black women by producing high-quality audio experiences on Spotify. The slate of shows including Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Sanctified, and The Black Girl Bravado offers conversation that builds community, all through the power and intimacy of podcasting.

We Said What We Said with Rickey and Denzel recently returned for its fourth season exclusively on Spotify in all video. Each week, longtime best friends Rickey Thompson and Denzel Dion dish on all things pop culture, sex, partying, struggle, love, and more. We Said What We Said is a show with bold advice, hot takes, and risqué storytelling.

On The Ringer’s Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay, the hosts dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.

Spotify is committed to creating space for Black creators and fans to express themselves year-round, and as we move forward in 2023, we will continue our support on and off our platform.

Looking for more on the diverse and exciting sounds coming from Black artists around the globe? Check out our playlist This Is Frequency.

Jemele Hill and Spotify Partner on The Unbothered Network to Elevate Black Female Voices—And Bring Season 3 of ‘Unbothered’ to Listeners

June 25, 2021

In 2019, award-winning journalist, culture critic, and multihyphenate creator Jemele Hill joined the Spotify lineup with her own Spotify Original Podcast, Jemele Hill is Unbothered. Now, she’s expanding her exclusive partnership with Spotify with two big moves: a third season of the critically acclaimed show—and her very own podcast network. 

The Unbothered Network 

Jemele’s new groundbreaking podcast and production company, The Unbothered Network, seeks to elevate the voices, stories, agency, and nuance of Black women, an audience she feels is often chronically underserved across all mediums. Jemele will be working in partnership with Spotify and her longtime representative Evan Dick (Exit 39). Together, this powerhouse team of creatives and executives will create premium content that drives conversations and builds community, all through the power and intimacy of podcasting. Spotify, Jemele, and her production company, Lodge Freeway Media, will identify and develop new exciting series for the Network.

“The Unbothered Network is more than just a content hub—it’s a space where Black women can hopefully see their full selves,” says Jemele. “There’s so much about the lives of Black women that hasn’t been fully explored, and so many of our stories have either been dismissed or overlooked. I’m also proud of this network because it not only centers Black women, but it’s also run by Black women. We can’t empower Black women if we’re not positioning them in leadership roles.”

“We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with the incomparable Jemele Hill,” says Courtney Holt, Head of Studios and Video, Spotify. “An acclaimed journalist, storyteller, podcaster, and creative—whose bold and authentic takes on social politics, sports, and culture have shined a spotlight on topics that are often overlooked. We can’t wait for her to continue her podcast and bring new and diverse talent to her network that amplifies and strengthens the voices of this important community.”

Jemele’s team of creatives and executives at The Unbothered Network include award-winning journalist Christina M. Tapper as Executive Producer & Head of Content, and Webby award-winning Creator/Producer Rich Boerner as Head of Operations and Production.

“I’m beyond grateful and excited to join Jemele and Spotify in building an audio home where Black women are primary,” says Christina. “I’m energized by the work of creating an expansive portfolio of premium podcasts for Black women listeners and by Black women creators at The Unbothered Network. We’ll tap into a variety of formats and genres to do just that.”

Unbothered Podcast Season 3

To top it off, the third season of Jemele’s podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered is set to debut June 28. This installment of the critical and thought-provoking show is sure to stand up among its previous seasons. And the first guests? Singer-songwriter-actor Mary J. Blige, singer-songwriter Jill Scott, and actor Michael B. Jordan.

As an arbiter of culture and a storyteller, Jemele is a pioneer in the audio space who has continued to expand her reach and global audience. Whether breaking down difficult conversations about national discourse, racial inequality, gender equity, activism, politics, entertainment, or cancel culture, Jemele isn’t afraid to have an honest, thought-provoking, always-entertaining analysis of American life, discussed in real time as it unfolds.

Tune into Season 3 of Jemele Hill is Unbothered, free on Spotify June 28.

Meet the Team Behind Frequency, Spotify’s Celebration of Black Culture, Creativity, and Community

May 18, 2021

We are proud to celebrate Black creators on Spotify—whether that’s on playlists such as RapCaviar, Feelin Myself, and African Heat, or through podcasts such as Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Dope Labs, and You Heard Me Write. But there’s always more to do when it comes to fostering racial justice and equity and lifting up underserved voices—and Spotify is committed to using our platform to do just that. 

So today we’re unveiling Frequency, a global initiative and holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform. Frequency was created in response to a climate in which Black voices in music, fashion, business, and more continue to be left out of the narrative, their contributions left underappreciated and underrepresented.  

Frequency adds to our existing work, such as Black History is Happening Now—a dedicated hub and narrative focused on the importance of celebrating Black history and people—and our commitment to further invest in Black creators through a $10M Racial Equity Donations & Giving Program. Now, Frequency marks an extension of Spotify’s ongoing commitment to and investment in Black voices. Through the rollout of new content, cultural partnerships, and an ambassador program, Frequency aims to further connect the Black community to upcoming and established Black creators.