Keeping it real. That’s a phrase that we hear a lot. Mostly heard when folks want to emphasize that they are remaining true to a cause. Whether it’s about personal style, scholastic excellence or progressive enlightenment there are various ways that an individual can endeavor to “keep it real”. From my lengthy experience in sci-fi, nerd culture and overall geekdom I have come across two standout podcast examples of our title phrase. First, Afronerd Radio. This is a podcast that I stumbled across on itunes about three years ago. Since that time I have listened with great interest to the musings, interviews, reviews and well deserved cultural self-checking that is a trademark of the Afronerd style. This is where I learned about writer, Chad Hunter and his Monster Man series. The podcast introduced me discover the lyrical hipness of Adam Warrock and Charlie Tuna. The team of DBurt aka The Afronerd, Daryll B, and Capt. Kirk are unique in their pragmatic approach to progressive cultural discussion and their heartfelt enthusiasm for nerd culture. Afronerd is a guidon bearer of the geekdom standard and for creative positivity. In true cognoscenti fashion they cover everything from films and books to alternative music. Importantly, they address the representation of diverse cultures in both sci-fi media and mainstream media. I feel that this is where the Afronerd crew really stands out. One the one hand, they provide a logical assessment of the manner in which mainstream media represents ethnicity. Conversely, the team does not hold back in their discourse on the imagery and representation that diverse cultures self-perpetuate. Afronerd presents a mature and insightful platform for nerd culture and I recommend their podcast to everyone who enjoys pop culture. Check out their cool new website Afronerd.com which also links to the podcast.-Stewart
While the Afronerd Podcast is a taunt appraisal of geekdom, my second example of “Keeping it real” in the realm of nerd takes a slightly different approach. Geek Syndicate is a UK based podcast that is hosted by the team of Barry Nugent and David Monteith. This podcast is a 100% four-color splash paging, time jumping jammie dodger arena of fun. Nugent and Monteith come out of the blocks at full speed and they invariably launch into immediate hilarity. Despite the light tone of the podcast, the Geek Syndicate guys are also true comic cognoscenti and talented creators. Their podcast provides a refreshing perspective of all things geek . There’s the usual holy trinity of comics, games and movies but the guys also throw in some of their personal experiences. This is what I listen to on the drive home from work. Geek Syndicate manages to find the perfect balance between joviality, infotainment and creative inspiration. Just like the Afronerd podcast, the Geek Syndicate has a permanent spot at the front of my listening queue. Have a look at their great site. –Stewart.