Tune in and listen up. Join Award winning British-Nigerian writer Yomi Sode for Apples and Snakes: The Podcast.

You probably have heard of our host, he is our regular at every Jawdance, and has been doing incredible work lately. Yomi has won critical acclaim for his works published by Penguin (Manorism), is a Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship, shortlisted for The Brunel International African Poetry Prize 2021 and shortlisted for the T.S.Eliot Awards 2022. This is a very compressed acclamation of Yomi, because we’re here to talk about The Podcast.

Through conversations and performances from award-winning poets, rappers and artists such as Caleb Femi, Kat François and Eklipse, Yomi will explore what it means to be Black, British and a poet or spoken word artist. From the history of spoken word, the the power and pull it has for expression and political movement, this Podcast is an expanding catalogue of what it’s like to be a Black poet in Britain.

The Podcast Series 1

Featuring: Nii Parks, Caleb Femi, Zena Edwards, Eklipse, Malika Kegode, Khadijah Ibrahim, Casey Bailey, Que, Kat Francois and Reece Williams

The episodes in series 1 gave a greater insight into the journeys of some of the UK’s most celebrated voices, talking through topics such as poetry from the self narrative, poetry in education and music with spoken word.

This series was recorded in two parts per topic; each episode includes a discussion on a topic with artists reading a poem from their collection.

The Podcast Series 2

Featuring: Be Manzini, Tanaka Fuego, Josephine ‘Realitie’ Rollins, Adrian B Earle, Kenny Baraka and John Bernard.

The second series is back with a more condensed but equally honest lineup.

It will explore topics such as:

  • Well-being and the importance of looking after yourself as an individual rather than creating well-being platforms that are focused on other people.
  • What it is like to navigate this scene as a poet that has a disability
  • And also talking to those that are on the frontline when it comes to working with creatives that are traditionally referred to as ‘Hard to reach’

If you have listened to previous episodes and liked what you heard then please subscribe to find out when the next episode will drop, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

Season 3 is currently being recorded and will be released in early Spring 2023.

Listen to Apples and Snakes: The Podcast below, or click the ‘Share’ button to open in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.

Creative team

Apples and Snakes: The Podcast was produced by Natalie Fiawoo, with audio production by Drew Horley for The Lab Studios.