Ear Hustle is a non-fiction podcast about prison life and life after incarceration created by Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, both formerly incarcerated, and Nigel Poor, an artist who volunteers at San Quentin State Prison. In 2016, it was selected by the Radiotopia network as the winner of its Podquest competition, and the following year released its first season. It was the first podcast to be entirely created and produced inside a prison.
In 2018, California governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne Woods' sentence, citing Ear Hustle as a significant contributor to his reformation as an American citizen.[1][2] Since his release, Woods has continued to co-host the podcast with Poor from outside prison, with Poor recording some parts in San Quentin with new co-host Rahsaan "New York" Thomas. Ear Hustle was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting, and won a Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award in 2021. Its thirteenth season began airing in May 2024.
History
Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor at Ear Hustle Live at Polaris Hall in Portland, Oregon
In March 2016, the Public Radio Exchange's Radiotopia network put out a call for new podcast ideas via an initiative called Podquest, with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It received 1,537 entries from 53 countries.[3] After two rounds of judging, Ear Hustle was selected as the winner and added to the Radiotopia network.[4] Its first season began on June 14, 2017. Ear Hustle was the first podcast to be created entirely inside a prison.[5][6]
The show is produced by Earlonne Woods, Rahsaan "New York" Thomas, and Nigel Poor.[7] Co-creators Woods and Antwan Williams were inmates at San Quentin State Prison for the first three seasons of the show. Woods was serving a 31-years-to-life sentence for attempted 2nd degree robbery due to a three-strikes law before having his sentence commuted in 2018. Williams was serving a 15-year sentence for armed robbery with a gun enhancement.[8][9] Poor is a visual artist in the San Francisco Bay area who volunteers at the prison. Woods and Poor cohost the show while Williams does the show's sound design, working in San Quentin's media lab to record music and effects, including foley work.[5]
Prior to Ear Hustle, Poor ran a photography class at the prison during which one of her students proposed making a documentary. Due to the complex and time-consuming bureaucratic challenges associated with unusual prison activities, she decided that audio would be easier to manage than video. The show was still challenging to create, in part because none of the three producers had a background in audio production, but also because of prison administration red tape. The prison also went on lockdown during production, halting work and requiring additional administrative steps to both create and release the audio.[9]
On November 21, 2018, producer Earlonne Woods's sentence was commuted by California governor Jerry Brown. His commutation includes reference to Earlonne's work on the podcast.[1][10] As of Season 4, Woods continues to make the podcast from outside prison, while Rahsaan "New York" Thomas was announced as a new co-host for recordings done inside San Quentin.[11]
By September 2021, Ear Hustle episodes had been downloaded over 54 million times.[12] On October 19, 2021, co-hosts Poor and Woods released a book on the podcast, This Is Ear Hustle.[13]
Synopsis
The term "ear hustle" is prison slang for eavesdropping.[5] The show features interviews with inmates who share their stories and opinions on topics like cellmates, solitary confinement, race, morality, pets, religion, gangs, and family. Woods said that the show chose the topic of cellmates for its first episode to ensure the show was relatable, since most people can relate to having a bad roommate.[14] In an interview with Rolling Stone, Poor said the show is "about everyday life inside a prison. How do you survive? How do you deal with family, love, depression, having children, finding meaning in life? It addresses important issues about being human and how prisoners can be contributing citizens."[9] The series is not overtly political, but Poor emphasizes the way the show can have a humanizing effect, making listeners care about the men they hear on the show and wonder why one of the hosts might serve a life sentence for attempted robbery.[9]
Episodes
Season 1 (2017)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
1
"Cellies"
23:33
June 14, 2017 (2017-06-14)
2
"Misguided Loyalty"
27:36
June 28, 2017 (2017-06-28)
3
"Looking Out"
23:47
July 12, 2017 (2017-07-12)
4
"The Shu"
28:26
July 26, 2017 (2017-07-26)
5
"Catch a Kite"
28:03
August 9, 2017 (2017-08-09)
6
"The Boom Boom Room"
28:19
August 30, 2017 (2017-08-30)
7
"Unwritten"
30:00
September 13, 2017 (2017-09-13)
8
"Left Behind"
35:19
September 27, 2017 (2017-09-27)
9
"Gold Coats and OGs"
24:05
October 11, 2017 (2017-10-11)
10
"Getting a Date"
33:27
October 25, 2017 (2017-10-25)
Bonus
"Songs from S1"
22:35
December 20, 2017 (2017-12-20)
Season 2 (2018)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
12
"Firsts"
39:03
March 14, 2018 (2018-03-14)
13
"Dirty Water"
36:02
March 28, 2018 (2018-03-28)
14
"The Workaround"
32:51
April 11, 2018 (2018-04-11)
15
"Thick Glass"
35:39
April 25, 2018 (2018-04-25)
16
"Catch a Kite 2"
32:14
May 9, 2018 (2018-05-09)
17
"The Row"
42:22
May 23, 2018 (2018-05-23)
18
"Down Low"
33:22
June 6, 2018 (2018-06-06)
19
"So Long"
41:36
June 20, 2018 (2018-06-20)
Season 3 (2018)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
20
"Birdbaths and a Lockbox"
39:21
September 12, 2018 (2018-09-12)
21
"Future on Ice"
40:02
September 26, 2018 (2018-09-26)
22
"This Place"
38:35
October 10, 2018 (2018-10-10)
23
"Catch a Kite 3"
30:04
October 24, 2018 (2018-10-24)
24
"The Big No No"
36:27
November 8, 2018 (2018-11-08)
25
"Prime Real Estate"
37:21
November 21, 2018 (2018-11-21)
Bonus
"Big News: It's Time"
5:00
November 24, 2018 (2018-11-24)
26
"Bittersweet"
45:00
December 12, 2018 (2018-12-12)
Bonus
"P.S. Asking and Giving"
6:00
December 17, 2018 (2018-12-17)
Bonus
"Bonus: Road Trip"
14:29
January 16, 2019 (2019-01-16)
Season 4 (2019)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
27
"Excuse Me on the Tier"
35:21
June 5, 2019 (2019-06-05)
28
"Respect the Paper"
35:36
June 20, 2019 (2019-06-20)
29
"Kissing the Concrete"
30:20
July 3, 2019 (2019-07-03)
30
"I Want the Fairy Tale"
44:34
July 17, 2019 (2019-07-17)
31
"Inside Music"
46:10
August 1, 2019 (2019-08-01)
32
"Snack Money"
41:49
August 14, 2019 (2019-08-14)
33
"Life Shows Up"
37:55
August 28, 2019 (2019-08-28)
34
"Catch A Kite 4"
32:26
September 11, 2019 (2019-09-11)
35
"Chicken on the Bone"
41:11
October 2, 2019 (2019-10-02)
36
"Tell Christy I Love Her"
43:55
October 16, 2019 (2019-10-16)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: Antwan Williams, Journeyist"
22:52
November 15, 2019 (2019-11-15)
Bonus
"A Message from Ear Hustle"
6:00
November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: In It for the Long Haul"
11:14
February 20, 2020 (2020-02-20)
Season 5 (2020)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
37
"Myths & Monikers"
42:12
March 4, 2020 (2020-03-04)
38
"Locked Down Again"
46:07
March 18, 2020 (2020-03-18)
39
"Us and Them"
59:17
April 1, 2020 (2020-04-01)
40
"Sorry Means Nothing"
46:07
April 15, 2020 (2020-04-15)
41
"Hold That Space"
50:15
April 29, 2020 (2020-04-29)
42
"Catch a Kite 5"
45:33
May 13, 2020 (2020-05-13)
43
"Tired of Running"
49:47
May 27, 2020 (2020-05-27)
44
"Nobody Comes Back"
59:53
June 10, 2020 (2020-06-10)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: Summer Listening"
34:10
July 22, 2020 (2020-07-22)
Season 6 (2020)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
45
"The Gray Goose"
51:26
September 9, 2020 (2020-09-09)
46
"The Christmas Boxes"
52:14
September 23, 2020 (2020-09-23)
47
"The Great Ear Hustle Cook Off"
45:37
October 7, 2020 (2020-10-07)
48
"Are You Listening?"
44:27
October 21, 2020 (2020-10-21)
49
"On Stage in Chicago"
95:06
November 11, 2020 (2020-11-11)
50
"Crew No. 7"
45:26
November 25, 2020 (2020-11-25)
51
"The Trail"
52:26
December 9, 2020 (2020-12-09)
52
"The Bells"
61:31
December 23, 2020 (2020-12-23)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Presents: Suave"
37:18
February 17, 2021 (2021-02-17)
Season 7 (2021)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
53
"Sugarbutt's a Snail"
48:18
March 3, 2021 (2021-03-03)
54
"Hot Trash"
50:14
March 17, 2021 (2021-03-17)
55
"Marcel and Angie"
31:25
March 31, 2021 (2021-03-31)
56
"Lifer Bakery"
43:01
April 14, 2021 (2021-04-14)
57
"Catch a Kite 6"
46:55
April 28, 2021 (2021-04-28)
58
"The Whole Shabang"
45:34
May 12, 2021 (2021-05-12)
59
"Cracked Windshield"
43:07
May 26, 2021 (2021-05-26)
60
"Home For Me is Really a Memory"
68:06
June 9, 2021 (2021-06-09)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Presents: Life Jolt"
38:55
August 11, 2021 (2021-08-11)
Season 8 (2021)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
61
"August 21, 1971"
56:24
September 8, 2021 (2021-09-08)
62
"Do It Movin'"
50:40
September 22, 2021 (2021-09-22)
63
"Stormy Monday"
57:36
October 6, 2021 (2021-10-06)
64
"Taxx Is Tripping"
56:06
October 20, 2021 (2021-10-20)
65
"Counting Lines"
55:08
November 3, 2021 (2021-11-03)
66
"Yard Of Dreams"
54:37
November 17, 2021 (2021-11-17)
67
"Tray, Tumbler, Spork"
55:51
December 8, 2021 (2021-12-08)
68
"Camp Grace"
41:03
December 22, 2021 (2021-12-22)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Presents: Written Off"
34:48
December 29, 2021 (2021-12-29)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: A Call From Sacramento"
4:46
January 26, 2022 (2022-01-26)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: Making Trouble"
6:20
February 23, 2022 (2022-02-23)
Season 9 (2022)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
69
"15 Minutes"
19:56
March 2, 2022 (2022-03-02)
70
"Boots and Max"
28:11
March 16, 2022 (2022-03-16)
71
"Is Your Name Alfredo?"
36:21
March 30, 2022 (2022-03-30)
72
"Gabrieleen Silver Queen"
45:39
April 13, 2022 (2022-04-13)
73
"What Is This?"
41:49
April 27, 2022 (2022-04-27)
74
"Catch a Kite 7"
40:52
May 11, 2022 (2022-05-11)
75
"Last Memory: Michael"
29:34
May 25, 2022 (2022-05-25)
76
"Last Memory: Ryan and Earlonne"
51:08
June 8, 2022 (2022-06-08)
Bonus
"Ear Ear Hustle Presents: My Mother Made Me"
34:01
August 3, 2022 (2022-08-03)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Presents: Uncuffed"
25:33
August 24, 2022 (2022-08-24)
Season 10 (2022)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
77
"The Five Senses"
37:55
September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07)
78
"Actual/Factual"
46:25
September 21, 2022 (2022-09-21)
79
"Some Darkness and Some Light"
55:44
October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)
80
"Pockets"
45:46
October 19, 2022 (2022-10-19)
81
"Fences"
43:30
November 2, 2022 (2022-11-02)
82
"Wishful Thinking"
47:25
November 16, 2022 (2022-11-16)
83
"What's Dangerous About Trees?"
45:15
November 30, 2022 (2022-11-30)
84
"Karen"
40:19
December 14, 2022 (2022-12-14)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: Sam Quentin"
27:46
January 11, 2023 (2023-01-11)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: Welcome Home, New York"
18:43
February 22, 2023 (2023-02-22)
Season 11 (2023)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
85
"Dream On"
48:50
March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01)
86
"OGs Got Hella Tricks"
37:46
March 15, 2023 (2023-03-15)
87
"Saber-Toothed Cat"
41:54
March 29, 2023 (2023-03-29)
88
"Do You Know Who I Am?"
34:43
April 12, 2023 (2023-04-12)
89
"Catch a Kite 8"
36:19
March 29, 2023 (2023-03-29)
90
"Abundant and Passionate Trash"
1:08:11
May 10, 2023 (2023-05-10)
91
"The Preacher"
47:59
May 24, 2023 (2023-05-24)
92
"Articles of Hustle"
53:22
June 7, 2023 (2023-06-07)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: Pride Month Special"
51:13
June 21, 2023 (2023-06-21)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Presents: Violation"
37:35
July 5, 2023 (2023-07-05)
Season 12 (2023)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
93
"2 Hours on the Yard"
51:56
September 6, 2023 (2023-09-06)
94
"Once You're in the Ocean, You're Going Everywhere"
56:02
September 20, 2023 (2023-09-20)
95
"Transitional"
40:39
October 4, 2023 (2023-10-04)
96
"San Quentin: The Magazine"
1:05:36
October 18, 2023 (2023-10-18)
97
"Do You Think There Are Ghosts Here?"
40:47
November 1, 2023 (2023-11-01)
98
"That World"
48:45
November 15, 2023 (2023-11-15)
99
"Shine Some Light"
43:46
November 29, 2023 (2023-11-29)
100
"Bunkies"
49:01
December 20, 2023 (2023-12-20)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Extra: A Sneak Peek at "Cellies, with Commentary""
11:20
February 14, 2023 (2023-02-14)
Season 13 (2024)
#
Title
Length (minutes:seconds)
Original release date
101
"A Rock Across a Lake"
29:23
March 6, 2024 (2024-03-06)
102
"What's Up, Michael Freeman?"
52:33
March 20, 2024 (2024-03-20)
103
"Five Mirrors"
46:09
April 3, 2024 (2024-04-03)
104
"Hope Lacquer"
50:50
April 17, 2024 (2024-04-17)
105
"Moms"
43:44
May 1, 2024 (2024-05-01)
106
"Catch a Kite Nationwide"
33:36
May 15, 2024 (2024-05-15)
107
"Crocasacks"
50:53
May 29, 2024 (2024-05-29)
108
"Daughters"
44:44
June 12, 2024 (2024-06-12)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Presents: You Didn't See Nothin"
33:14
June 26, 2024 (2024-06-26)
Bonus
"Ear Hustle Presents: The Moth"
36:12
July 10, 2024 (2024-07-10)
Reception
In a Rolling Stone article about the show, Tana Ganeva called it "a fascinating, harrowing and also deeply entertaining look into life on the inside that runs the full gamut of emotions."[9] She also praised its originality, "[using] prisoners' storytelling skills to show what it's like to spend decades behind bars."[9] The show's unique lens and intimate first-person storytelling is noted in most reviews. In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Lexi Mainland wrote "The runaway hit “Ear Hustle” ... never takes a broad look at criminal justice policy or employs Voice of God narration. It instead offers the even more illuminating dialogue of individual prisoners."[15]
The New Yorker's Sarah Larson said the show "might be the best new podcast I’ve heard this year" and described it as being "about the creativity required to live a satisfying life—or even a sane life—in prison, and is itself a product of that creativity."[8] In particular, she praised Williams' "evocative, pitch-perfect sound design".[8] Galen Beebe's review for The Atlantic called it a "brilliant series" which "return[s] some of the humanity that the carceral system removes and provide[s] a link between inmates and outsiders."[6]
Multiple reviewers noted how funny the show can be, despite often dealing with serious topics, and how uncommon it is to find humor in media taking place in real life prison settings.[8][9][16]Vulture'sNicholas Quah noted a particular story a prisoner told about a frog in episode three: "a moment of levity in a setting often described in the worst of terms, a productive kind of conversation between the specificities of a person and the overpowering context of his incarceration. That, in a nutshell, is the juxtaposition that defines Ear Hustle."[16] Quah contrasts standard prison narratives told entirely from an outsider's point of view with the interplay of insider and outsider perspectives provided by the hosts of Ear Hustle, with stories primarily told through Woods' and Williams' words and perspectives, and Poor in an active role adding "key narrative housekeeping".[16]
