The 5th Element Podcast Network
476 episodes listed below
Loose talk, sharp edges, wide range.
"What's Good?" runs on restless curiosity and sharp opinion. Recent episodes swing from sanctions, betting on war, Olympic gender testing, Kanye coverage, dub music, Ethiopian elections, Instagram DMs, and interviews without pretending those subjects live in separate worlds.
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"What's Good?" is a restless weekly argument with itself, the news, and the culture around it. The show is framed by a loose personal runway before it gets to the main business. That runway matters. School frustration, bad weather, a cold finally fading, Chelsea dread, Easter calm, or a last-second April Fools joke can all become part of the episode’s texture before the harder subjects arrive. Recent episodes move through sanctions, betting on war, Polymarket, Ukraine and Iran, Olympic gender testing, Kanye coverage, Ethiopian elections, the Lumumba murder case, Instagram DMs, far-right AI rappers, peptides, and dub music. The range is wide, but it is not random in the usual empty way. The show keeps returning to power, incentives, public attention, media cowardice, and the ugly places where money turns other people’s lives into content. Music is not a side lane here. It is part of the same worldview, whether the subject is dub reggae, Kanye’s continued commercial ecosystem, interviews with Selah Sue and The Gallands, or the wider machinery around artists and promoters. The Past, Present, Future episodes open another register, giving Mayo A-O and Mikey J space to talk about memory, family, creativity, books, ambition, and the emotional cost of trying to build a life through art. Those conversations are calmer, but they still keep the show’s habit of thinking out loud. It can be funny. It can be irritated. It can be reflective without sanding off the roughness. The appeal is not polished neutrality; it is the feeling of a sharp generalist reading, reacting, connecting, correcting, and sometimes changing lanes mid-thought. Listeners get commentary that treats culture, politics, race, technology, sport, and music as one tangled public mess. The show works best for people who like opinions with fingerprints on them, not sterile summaries pretending to float above the room.
Made for: For listeners who like opinionated culture commentary that can handle music, politics, race, tech, sport, and media incentives in the same sitting. It especially suits people who prefer messy, human reasoning over polished panel-show neatness.
What sets it apart: Its strength is the collision of registers: personal diary, article-led commentary, music obsession, and guest reflection all sit inside one unpredictable feed. The show does not tidy its route too much, which makes the arguments feel current, irritated, and alive.
Welcome to "What's Good?", where I tackle a myriad of subjects: From Film/TV to Music, to Tech, Race & Society; Current Affairs and many more, through my eyes and the eyes of the writers I read. So if you take an interest in anything I feel like talking about any given week, along with the occasional interview with Friends of 5E, then this is your podcast. A 5EPN Original.
Based on 4 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Charlie Taylor makes cultural criticism funny by letting candor, curiosity and self-correction remain part of the argument.
Charlie Taylor turns "What's Good?" into a roaming conversation between cultural commentary and candid self-interrogation. Solo episodes move from personal frustrations into questions about prediction-market betting on war, Olympic gender testing, Kanye West and media…
Charlie Taylor takes you from war betting to dub reggae when your curiosity refuses to pick a lane.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A brisk, shaggy back-to-school rant that darkens into a bleak look at Polymarket and war betting.
Chai Taylor turns a back-to-school gripe into a brisk, blunt monologue about exhaustion and the grind of getting through the day. The delivery carries as much weight as the material: he backs up, corrects himself, and speaks with the kind of immediacy that feels lived-in rather…
A loose monologue that follows the money from coverage to bookings.
Taylor opens with a holiday catch-up before moving into Kanye, the coverage cycle around him, and the money trail linking outlets, promoters, and venues.
A loose, history-heavy chat that treats rock-hip-hop crossover as lived, messy culture.
Stephen Blush is here to talk through the run-up to When Rock Met Hip-Hop, with Charlie Taylor setting it up as a look at a new book due early next year.
A shaggy third interview that lands on timing, second-guessing, and attention to visuals.
Charlie Taylor makes a third interview feel loose and personal, with timing, memory, and the shift that happens once a project is out in the world doing most of the work.
Loose headlines, sharp riffs, Sunday rhythm.
Chaos, jokes, politics, and stubborn hope.
Football arguments with the edges left on.
News, jokes, panic, repeat.
Jabulile Majola says isiZulu songwriting feels immediate and heart-led, while English makes him consciously select words.
Charlie Taylor opens with Jay-Z's Super Bowl halftime plans and imagines using a vinyl-only stream to play Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life.
Charlie Taylor opens with Artcraft, an AI-made suite resembling Adobe apps and Microsoft Word, and calls it 'AI working for the people.' A report on Flávio Bolsonaro's Brazil campaign details Benjamin Netanyahu's video support, Brazil's defense links with Elbit Systems, and Lula's criticism of Israel's Gaza war.
Chai Taylor’s “What’s Good?” Ep.379 moves from his return to teaching and a 10–12-year history of rejected job applications into politics, gambling, and Birmingham youth culture.
Charlie Taylor covers three topics in episode 378 of What's Good: the IOC's decision to implement mandatory SRY gene testing for all women athletes at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Kanye West's commercial rehabilitation after selling swastika t-shirts and releasing a song called 'Hail Hitler,' and a long-form essay from Africa Is a Country on Nigeria's security crisis and the history of community self-defense from the Black Panthers to the Zapatistas.
Charlie Tyler explores how his identity as a second-generation British immigrant with Caribbean and Nigerian roots shapes his understanding of past, present, and future.
The host announces a fake April Fools joke about the podcast ending and discusses the timing of the episode release and weather.
This episode features host Chai Taylor discussing the Lumumba murder case and Instagram DMs, along with other articles, in a reflective and loosely structured format on the Film Podcast Network.
This episode explores the concepts of past, present, and future, discussing how the past shapes our present and future through personal memories and historical lessons.
Charlie Taylor discusses his health, the weather, and introduces a new miniseries, blending personal anecdotes with cultural commentary.
Charlie Taylor reflects on his childhood struggles and the process of unlearned behaviors as an adult.
Charlie Taylor rants about the deceptive nature of March weather and reflects on the ongoing post-COVID circumstances.
Charlie Taylor discusses recent events, upcoming film screenings, and a live music show, blending personal anecdotes with cultural commentary.
Charlie Taylor announces the end of winter, shares his joy about the sunny weather, and sets a positive tone for the episode.
Charlie Taylor's Ep.370 examines surveillance expansion, Russian influence operations after Wagner, and the Olympic ban on PFAS ski waxes.
A narrative reading of a historical account about a young black girl in 1913 Oklahoma, depicting the harsh realities of Jim Crow-era farming life.
A reading of a Guardian article about Jamaican journalist Claude McKay's experiences during the 1919 Red Summer in the US and his later life in 1920s London.
Ovie Okenarhe, founder of the O'Freedom Festival, answers 30 rapid-fire personal questions starting with his contemplative state of mind.
Charlie Taylor interviews Steven Blush, author of the upcoming book 'When Rock Met Hip-Hop,' the third in a trilogy examining rock music's cultural cross-pollination with other genres.
Charlie Taylor conducts his third interview with California-based producer NappyHigh, who opens by describing his experience as a firefighter during the January 2025 LA fires — watching 300-400 homes burn simultaneously, seeing cars bulldozed from Sunset to clear evacuation routes, and standing in a 10-block stretch where every house was on fire.
Host Charlie Taylor pays tribute to Jimmy Cliff and reflects on the podcast year, promising an upcoming interview.
Charlie Taylor discusses his upcoming hiatus, the depressing news cycle, and teases future interviews.
Charlie Taylor rants about the US Democratic Party's role in a government shutdown and broader political frustrations.
Host Charlie Taylor reacts to the news of Dick Cheney's death with a mix of irreverent humor and political commentary.
Host Charlie Taylor reports on Hurricane Melissa approaching Jamaica, detailing its strength, casualties, and government evacuation orders.
Charlie Taylor discusses attending a listening party for Jaden Clover's album and reflects on music culture.
Charlie Taylor breaks the news of D'Angelo's death and reflects on his legacy.
Host Charlie Taylor interviews a guest about a recent collaboration, discussing the ease of the process and the fun had.
Charlie Taylor marks two years since the October 7 attacks and the subsequent Gaza genocide, citing casualty figures and criticizing the ongoing violence.
Host Charlie Taylor interviews upcoming artist Kairos the Writer about his music career and growth.
Charlie Taylor rants about the Labour Party conference and their stance on Gaza, expressing frustration with political inaction.
The host rants about the end of summer and cold weather in the UK, setting a personal, conversational tone for the episode.
Charlie Taylor discusses far-right protests in London and shares a personal anecdote about a friend's mistaken concern.
The host discusses the coincidental timing of the Israeli President's visit to the UK and a conclusion that Israel isn't committing genocide, prompting protests from pro-Palestinian activists.
This episode discusses recent racist incidents involving St.
The host shares his first full viewing experience of Princess Mononoke in IMAX, reflecting on its environmental themes and timeless social commentary.
This episode features an interview with Dr.