Love + Grit

Kyra Knox and Lady Alma are two dope ladies using their voices in different ways. Kyra is using her directing voice to make sure Philly’s basketball courts stay safe. Her passion for the arts created a project that Philly needs: the documentary Bad Things Happen in Philadelphia. The documentary discusses the impact of gun violence in city and highlights the non-profits working hard to create change. Lady Alma has been a legendary f...

Two people that are the voices of Philadelphia: Alejandro Bedoya and GoGo Morrow. First up, Alejandro is not just the Philadelphia Union’s team captain, but also a passionate advocate to end gun violence. He’s also on the board of Live Work Philadelphia whose mission is to grow and diversify the middle-income population in the City of Philadelphia. Add to the list of accomplishments: helping secure Philadelphia's bid to host matche...

Music and food on your mind? Khemist and Alisha Miranda are about to help sooth your musical and culinary requests. Philly is home to some of the greatest MCs and to add to the list we have Khemist. He’s a teacher, an academic and multi-instrumentalist who has released several studio albums and mixtapes. And now Khemist is working with organizations like the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Cultural Campus bridging gaps betwee...

Philly loves options and that’s what Meeka Johnson and Rene Melendez are serving. Johnson has done it all. She's known in Philly for her sense of fashion innovation. She's put in decades of work as a fashion stylist and consultant. And she's even created her own fashion-forward clothing line. But now we are obsessed with her All Black Everything Pop-Up, which is essentially the Black version of QVC on Instagram that exclusively hig...

It’s the Oscars of food and we have Chad Williams and Jamila Robison talking all things culinary. It was 10 years ago when his now wife Hanna Williams introduced the thought to Chad to buy the Rittenhouse Square staple Friday Saturday Sunday. Two years into the gig and right before the opening, Chad and Hanna would make their commitment to each other and the restaurant official by marrying in its kitchen. Now they have the best res...

Love + Grit celebrates all things Philly and the BlackStar Film Festival was full of Philly legends and up-and-comers including Emmy Award winner and Mural Arts Philadelphia Black Artists fellow Simone Holland. Simone initially came to the film festival as a cinematographer for another BlackStar Fellow project and returned a second time as a fellow herself. Live from the Daily Jawn Stage at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, Justin and La...

Philadelphia’s music scene has produced some of the most notable acts in hip-hop and R&B. Case in point Freeway and Julian King. This year, Freeway is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album: Philadelphia Freeway. He’s also using his platform to better his life as a spokesperson and health ambassador for the National Kidney Foundation and the organization he founded, the Freedom Thinkers Academy. Next up, Julian Kin...

It’s not that our hosts are always hungry, it’s that we have dope people like Justin Coleman and Dionicio Jimenez! Coleman's Bake’n Bacon food truck stepped on the scene in 2019 and has continued to meet his challenge of twisting bacon into all kinds of delicious goodness - like a bacon beer. And soon you’ll get to enjoy Justin’s new brick and mortar restaurant! Next up, Chef Dio is no stranger to Philly’s culinary scene. A true su...

Nikisha Bailey and Denice Frohman are two women taking arts and culture to new levels. Bailey wakes up every day and finds time to work on two things she loves: coffee and music! She’s a music executive who was named a 2x Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Player and owner of Win Win Coffee Bar, a brand handpicked by Goldman Sachs to be a featured vendor at its 10KSB National Summit. Next up, Frohman’s accolades list starts as a Pew Fello...

The Roots Picnic was loaded with legends and Black-owned businesses! Creative ambassadors Tina Dixon Spence, Shanti Mayers, Thomas (Tom) Davis and Kimberly McGlonn join Justin and Laiya for Philly trivia live on the Roots Picnic podcast stage. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we had to ask questions around Philly’s musical influences. Can you finish the lyrics to Eve’s Grammy award winning “Let Me Blow Ya Mind?” Can you...

We’re listening back at some of our favorite interviews and this week we have three dope guests: VINCINT, Dyana Williams and Charisse McGill! First up we’re celebrating Pride with VINCINT. You know him from the hit show The Four and hearing his voice in the theme song of Queer Eye that was based in Philadelphia. We’re also celebrating Dyana Williams aka the mother of Black Music Month discussing how Black music has touched everyone...

We’re listening back at some of our favorite interviews and this week we have Ellen Yin and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon! Ellen Yin’s name is synonymous with the hospitality industry. She recently celebrated 25 years of Fork, one of her many restaurants under the High Street Hospitality Group ownership. Ellen is also up for Outstanding Restaurateur in this year’s James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards. Another James Beard Award nomine...

We’re listening back at some of our favorite episodes and this week we have Questlove and Roberto Lugo! Did you know Roberto Lugo, born in the Kensington neighborhood of Philly, has been featured in museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art? He’s also behind the Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter mural right outside the Clay Studio building. Yes, Black Thought from the Legendary Roots Crew who Questlove is also...

James Jones, Lawrence Harrington and George Morse are representing Philly locally and nationally. First up, Harrington and Morse, both captains of the local Black Men Run chapter, explain the ins and outs of one of Philly's favorite running clubs which has been making its mark on the streets and communities of Philadelphia for over a decade. However, their mission goes beyond running, taking their core values of Brotherhood, Unity,...

Kimberly McGlonn and Jill Scott are two Philly queens making great moves in the “City of Sisterly Affection.” Black Ivy Thrift Store is an innovative shoppable museum that honors our past. You may remember McGlonn from her activism work and especially for her super dope store, Grant Blvd. McGlonn returns to the Love + Grit podcast to talk about her new project. Next up, Laiya has a one-on-one session with Philly’s own Grammy-award ...

Do what you love...that’s what Victor Tejada and Samantha Smith do. Tejada is improving small businesses through Delivery Guys, his food-delivery business. Launched during the pandemic, Tejada and his start-up have since been able to offer drivers significantly more opportunities, help small business owners keep more profit and employ drivers in the communities where they live. Next up, Samantha Smith is a young Philly actress who ...

Although he needs no introduction, DJ Jazzy Jeff “The Magnificent” is one of the most legendary artists to come out of Philadelphia becoming the first hip-hop recording to win a Grammy for best rap performance. DJ Jazzy Jeff is also one of the first hip-hop artists to take over our television screens. But there’s so much more to one of our favorite DJs, making history today during a groundbreaking performance celebrating the 50th a...

King Saladeen and Tiffani Barbour are taking Philadelphia’s arts & culture scene to the screen and Broadway! Self-taught and world-renowned visual artist King Saladeen not only recently worked on artwork for Netflix's ‘You People,’ but has also collaborated with the New York Stock Exchange, Neiman Marcus and much more! Also, the 1776 musical is launching its national tour in Philadelphia at the Forrest T...

Love + Grit is celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop and continuing to tell Philly's most phenomenal stories. Musical mastermind Adam Blackstone joins the Love + Grit family for many reasons. To name a few: he is the reason many performers (Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, among others) are your favorite live show artist, he is the reason that you are still thinking about many Super Bowl Halftime shows, and most importantly he is Philly. And ...