Ear Hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, and that’s what listening to the show feels like: a raw, often funny, and always surprising peek into the reality of life inside prison. Hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods co-created the show that launched in 2017 while Earlonne was incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, where Nigel was a volunteer teaching photography. Since Earlonne’s release in 2018, the show has expanded to include stories from prisons across the state, including the California Institution for Women, as well as stories about getting out of prison and starting over, post-incarceration. From finding romance, to grappling with a life sentence, to trying to parent via 15-minute phone calls, Ear Hustle stories deliver what This American Life host Ira Glass calls a “"very real” and “untragic” take on prison life. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a network of independent listener-supported podcasts. Discover audio with vision at radiotopia.fm and learn more about Ear Hustle at earhustlesq.com.
https://www.earhustlesq.com/
episode 2: Misguided Loyalty
Tommy Shakur Ross grew up in South Central Los Angles in the 1980’s. As a boy, he was seduced by what he saw as the “glamour” of gang life. Thirty years later, he is still paying the price for giving his most to a gang that ultimately brought the kind of fame he wishes he’d never earned.
Ear Hustle is produced by Nigel Poor, Antwan Williams and Earlonne Woods with consulting editor Curtis Fox, outside production advisor Pat Mesiti-Miller and executive producer Julie Shapiro.
Thanks to Tommy Shakur Ross for telling his story. The excerpt from Larry Davis’s book, “America’s Conduct: Inner City Escort” was read by Joshua Burton. Additional music in this episode was provided by Jeff Atkins, who is also incarcerated at San Quentin.
Find out more at earhustlesq.com where you can also find out how to send us a question (by postcard) that might get answered on a future episode. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks to Mail Chimp and Bombas for supporting the show.