The Stoop · Hana Baba and Leila Day

Finding Joy in the Sounds of Blackness

February 6, 2025·26 min·2 clips

Nikki Giovanni reveals how enslaved Africans secretly communicated after drums were banned.

This episode of The Stoop explores the sounds that embody Black joy, communication, and culture across the diaspora. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba introduce a favorite episode celebrating Black History Month, which also features an interview with the late poet Nikki Giovanni. The episode collects personal audio submissions and stories from various Black listeners and creators. Contributor Sarah Bilal identifies "hyping up" someone with loud, proud encouragement as a quintessential sound. The hosts discuss the versatility of "sucking teeth," a sound used to express annoyance or disgust that is common across African, Caribbean, and Black American communities. They reference a 2015 attempt by some French public schools to ban the sound, which inspired artist Greg Frite's song "Le Tchip." Nikki Giovanni identifies the drum as a foundational sound, explaining how enslaved Africans used it for communication until it was outlawed, leading to its replacement with finger snapping and tap. Activist and scholar Shah Noor Hussein describes the blend of chants, songs, horns, and chatter at a San Francisco protest against the military coup in Sudan as a sound of Blackness. Another voice chooses Black laughter in all its varied forms, stating you can often identify a Black person just by their laugh. The episode reveals that the sound of gum cracking or smacking is a recognized, if sometimes contentious, cultural sound. A poignant story from host Leila Day details her father's Omega Psi Phi fraternity scar and how fraternity brothers sang at his funeral, embodying a sound of community and loyalty. Nikki Giovanni shares that what makes her laugh and smile now is simple, like successfully cleaning her fish pond and enjoying a glass of wine in the evening. The segment on protest connects drumming at weddings to its use in political demonstrations, highlighting a persistent optimism within Black activism. The tone is celebratory, conversational, and reflective, weaving personal narrative with cultural commentary. The style is a curated audio collage, blending host banter, listener submissions, and interview clips. Listeners interested in diaspora cultures, linguistic anthropology, or everyday Black joy will find this episode enriching. Those preferring structured interviews or single-topic deep dives might find the collage format less engaging.

As heard by us

A warm, sonic meditation on Black memory and everyday joy.

The Stoop treats Black history as something lived in full view all year, not something tucked away for one month. It begins with the fatigue of nonstop news, then moves toward the voices and stories that keep people going.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a Black History Month listen that starts with yurt and ends in memory.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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