Ear Hustle

Sports in prison are more than just games. They can be an outlet for stress, the realization of dreams deferred, or a positive way to prove oneself to peers and family. In this episode, one player battles for acceptance and a spot on the San Quentin baseball team, a two-time Super Bowl champion goes from partying with the Patriots to living in a 5x9 cell, and resident sports reporter Rahsaan “New York” Thomas attempts to win a one-on-one basketball game on behalf of all the nerds. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Going to prison in your home country can be disorienting enough. What about when you’re new to the culture, don’t speak the language, and are thousands of miles from family and friends? Three Americans describe their experiences of incarceration in Japan, Thailand, and Iran. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

What does it take to be bonnaroo in prison? We explore the creative ways people inside transform and beautify their physical selves and their living environment, using whatever they can find within prison walls. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

At Ear Hustle, we hear more from listeners about music than almost any other topic. In response, we bring you the Ear Hustle Mixtape, including stories about an unlikely instrument that’s been showing up on the yard at San Quentin, Native American sweat lodges and music, and getting the band back together post-incarceration. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We bring you stories about the ups and downs of making bail and the bittersweet taste of freedom when you know you’re about to lose it. Plus: Nigel confronts a man with no regrets, and Ear Hustle says goodbye to a friend of the show. To find out more about the Ear Hustle 30-Day Challenge, and to participate with us, visit earhustlesq.com/challenge. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

August 21, 1971 was the deadliest day in San Quentin history, and it’s still a painful topic, both inside the prison and out. At the center of the story was a Black revolutionary named George Jackson. Who was he, and what makes him so controversial, even today? As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. More on George Jackson and the Adjustment Center incident: Freedom Archives’ 99 Books project 50th anniversary article by Kevin Sawyer, an editor at the San Quentin News “Soledad Brother” 40 years later “Day of the Gun” documentary from Bay Area news station KRON4 Making Contact’s radio documentary “The Struggle Inside” New York Times narrative of August 21st Los Angeles Times looks back at the day, and the trial of the San Quentin Six British documentary about the weeks after August 21, 1971 Dick Nelson remembers August 21st, 1971 Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ear Hustle’s eighth season launches on September 8th with a dramatic account of one of the most notorious days in San Quentin’s history: August 21st, 1971. By sundown, three guards and three incarcerated people lay dead. Fifty years later, the events of that day remain intensely contested, and emotions raw. We break down what happened, and why it still matters today. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

With just a few weeks to go before Ear Hustle returns with Season 8, we wanted to introduce listeners to a new show that’s been in all of our headphones: Life Jolt. In this first episode, “The Before Times,” incarcerated women look back on the uncertainty and dread they experienced in those early days while they waited to receive their sentences. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Leslie has served more time in prison than anyone we’ve ever interviewed on the show: over half a century, for a crime committed when she was 19. Four times, the parole board has deemed her fit for release. Each time, California’s governor denied it. What does it mean to live a meaningful life when nearly all of it is spent behind bars?As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. You can find out more about Nigel and Earlonne’s forthcoming book, This Is Ear Hustle, at thisisearhustlebook.com. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits, sign up for our newsletter, and shop for merch at earhustlesq.com.Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A year after George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer, the Ear Hustle team and friends talk about their first interactions with cops, the role of empathy, and whether those relationships can ever change.As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits, sign up for our newsletter, and shop for merch at earhustlesq.com.Find out how Talib has been doing since this episode originally aired, in the Ear Hustle Plus episode “Where’s Talib Now?” To listen to all EH+ bonus content, sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Toothpaste, ramen noodles, sneakers, coffee creamer. If you want to shop from prison, it’s either the commissary or a prison-approved package catalog. These packages offer a connection to the outside world, but sometimes they make the distance seem even greater. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits, sign up for our newsletter, and shop for merch at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Can you have an Xbox in your prison cell? Is it OK to say “inmate”? How have stimulus checks affected the prison economy? Ear Hustle listeners have questions about life behind bars. Our team went to find answers. Catch a Kite is back! You can find more information about Nigel’s forthcoming book, “The San Quentin Project,” here. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A small Israeli bakery in downtown San Francisco has offered first jobs to dozens of lifers just out of prison. Four employees share their stories of adjusting to life on the outside while working at Frena Bakery. As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Marcel and Angie each spent years in prisons determined by the gender on their birth certificate, not the one they identify with. Being trans in prison comes with complications — from where you live to personal safety — and a whole lot of prison politics. As always, big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Visiting a loved one in prison is both emotionally intense and constrained by countless rules – from how much PDA is too much PDA, to what kind of candy you can eat inside. One year after California prison authorities suspended in-person visits due to COVID-19, we bring you stories from and about visiting rooms, and hear how families are adjusting to video “visits.” As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A lot has happened since we got behind the mics to record Ear Hustle’s first season. As we begin our seventh, we catch up with three people whom listeners first heard from inside San Quentin, and hear about the twists and turns their lives have taken since. Rauch first appeared in the episode Looking Out. Ronnie first appeared in the episode Kissing the Concrete. Curtis first appeared in the episode Left Behind, and later in the episode I Want the Fairy Tale. As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

While we work on our next season, launching March 3, we’re excited to introduce you to a new podcast series that we love, and think Ear Hustle fans will too. “Suave,” from Futuro Studios, tells the story of a man sentenced to life without parole when he was 17 years old, and his friendship with acclaimed journalist Maria Hinojosa. You can find more information about “Suave” here. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

One in five incarcerated people in the U.S. has tested positive for COVID-19, and here in California, more than 100 people have died in prison. In our final episode of Season 6, we hear three stories from the California outbreaks, and remember the lives of those in the San Quentin community lost to COVID-19. As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. You can find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a listener-supported network of independent, artist-owned podcasts. To support Ear Hustle directly, go to earhustlesq.com/donate. Thanks so much, and wishing you happy holidays from the whole team. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In 1990, Leonard attacked a female hiker off a trail along the California coast. Three decades later, we hear the rest of the story, and explore what accountability and survival really look like. Warning: This episode contains a graphic description of a sex crime. Some listeners may want to skip this one. If you or someone you know have been affected by sexual assault, you can get help by calling the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 800.656.HOPE. As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Incarcerated people have long played an important role in firefighting in California. Now, in the middle of the state’s worst fire season on record, formerly incarcerated people are poised to play more of a role. We visit with a group of men just out of prison who are training to become professional firefighters. As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com Get some Ear Hustle masks, shirts, and other merch, now in time for the holidays. 25% of all proceeds go to Mount Tamalpais College (formerly the Prison University Project). Check out our store at earhustlesq.com/shop Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Back before the pandemic, Nigel and Earlonne joined Jenn White (WAMU’s 1A, formerly WBEZ) on stage in Chicago for a conversation about how Ear Hustle came to be and some of the show’s most memorable moments. As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Incarceration doesn’t just separate a parent from his or her child, it changes that relationship forever, often leaving wounds that may never heal. We talk with kids who have incarcerated parents, as well as a formerly incarcerated mom of four, and hear why sometimes acceptance is the only way forward. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For our first-annual Ear Hustle Cook Off, four formerly-incarcerated people replicate meals they used to make inside their cells, using only the tools and ingredients they would have had access to in prison. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Six cubic feet. That’s how much stuff each incarcerated person in California is allowed to have in his or her cell. The few personal objects you keep with you in prison are precious. But what’s left behind can be just as meaningful, as relics of a former life. Now available on our website: Ear Hustle face masks! Bonus: 100% of profits from merch sales through September 30th will go to the Prison University Project. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the show. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Being incarcerated doesn’t always mean staying in one place. Ear Hustle kicks off Season Six with stories from inside the vans and buses that carry people to and between prisons. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. The National Suicide Prevention Line can be reached at 800-273-8255. Aly Tamboura, who appears in this episode, now works for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which financially supports the production of Ear Hustle. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ear Hustle will be back with new episodes starting September 9. In the meantime, we talk with people experiencing the COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin and other California prisons, firsthand. Plus, we’re not the only podcast sharing stories and highlighting voices from prison and post-incarceration. Here are a few other shows to check out over the summer: The Secret Life of Prisons, from the Prison Radio Association in the UK Featured in this episode: “The Arrival” Birds Eye View, made by women in the Darwin Correctional Centre in Australia Featured in this episode: “Making HERstory” Uncuffed, produced by men incarcerated at Solano and San Quentin state prisons in California for KALW Featured in this episode: “Sky Boii” and “Maserati-E” More songs by Remus Sam Langi at the bottom of the page here Life on the Outside, produced by Lucy Copp Featured in this episode: “Mother California” Snap Judgment’s story “The Officer” Voices of San Quentin on Instagram @VoicesofSanQuentin Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits, and a list of more shows about life inside and post-incarceration, at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Getting out of prison means freedom, but this liberation often comes with caveats. In our final episode of the season, three formerly incarcerated people describe the unwelcome surprises that were waiting for them on the other side of the gates. Plus, Ear Hustlers respond to the murder of George Floyd and recent protests.Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com.Find out how Talib has been doing since this episode originally aired, in the Ear Hustle Plus episode “Where’s Talib Now?” To listen to all EH+ bonus content, sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Hollywood loves stories about fugitives on the run, but in reality that lifestyle is anything but glamorous, especially for those who get pulled in along the way. One woman reflects back on six years spent on the lam in Mexico, after her husband was charged with murder and their family fled south.We’re nearing the end of our first-ever spring fundraiser, and we need your help. If you can spare a little to support the show, go to earhustlesq.com/donate. Thank you!Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com.Find out how Talib has been doing since this episode originally aired, in the Ear Hustle Plus episode “Where’s Talib Now?” To listen to all EH+ bonus content, sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Every season we answer questions from listeners in our Catch a Kite episode. This time around, formerly incarcerated people lend their experiences and lessons learned to a group of kids currently incarcerated at a juvenile facility in Madison, Wisconsin. We’re in the middle of our first-ever spring fundraiser. If you can spare a little to support the show, go to earhustlesq.com/donate. Thank you! And check out our new, limited-edition T-shirt, featuring an illustration by listener Anna Hicks. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Four women share their stories of loving incarcerated men, and the challenges they face in maintaining their relationships, staying hopeful about an eventual reunion, and carrying on with their lives on the outside. We just launched a month-long fundraiser. If you can spare a little to support the show, go to earhustlesq.com/donate. Thank you! And check out our new, limited-edition T-shirt, featuring an illustration by listener Anna Hicks. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

One crime is treated differently than all others, both inside and outside prison. People who commit sex crimes against children are often ostracized, abused by fellow inmates, and deemed beyond rehabilitation. On this episode, we talk to victims and perpetrators about the causes for, and impacts of, these crimes. A note: This episode includes disturbing content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Please use discretion in listening. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The relationships between incarcerated people and the correctional officers who guard their prisons are often as bad as you might expect. But sometimes, they’re a lot more complicated.Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter or send a question (by postcard) that might get answered in a future episode.We particularly want to hear from incarcerated people and their families about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting them. Information on how to get in touch is on our website.Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support, and to CBSi’s “The Lost Tapes” for sponsoring this episode.Find out how Charles has been doing since this episode originally aired, in the Ear Hustle Plus episode “Where’s Us At Now.” To listen to all EH+ bonus content, sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As the Coronavirus pandemic locks down parts of America and the world, we revisit an episode from 2018 about how the San Quentin community manages a prison lockdown. During a San Quentin lockdown, the prison grinds to a halt, and men are confined to their cells 24 hours a day. What causes a lockdown, and how do guys survive the wait when boredom, uncertainty, hunger and isolation can push them over the edge? A heads-up: this episode contains discussion of suicide and self-harm — listener discretion is advised. You can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter and or send a question (by postcard) that might get answered in a future episode. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In prison, almost everyone has a nickname, and whether true or not, nearly every nickname has a story behind it. If that story is good enough, it might just become the stuff of legend.A heads-up: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised.Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter and get the details on our T-shirt design contest. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Acting Warden Ron Broomfield for their support of the new season, and to Native, Article, Sony Music Entertainment, Wrongful Conviction and Stanford Children’s Hospital for sponsoring this episode.Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In honor of the launch of “Over the Road,” Radiotopia’s new show about long-haul trucking, Earlonne and Nigel talk with a formerly incarcerated truck driver about being a woman in a male-dominated profession, and about how she stays safe on the open road. This episode is part of a network-wide project to welcome “Over the Road” into the Radiotopia family. Head to overtheroad.fm for more information about the show. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Back in 2016, our podcast network, Radiotopia, made the Ear Hustle dream a reality. In honor of Radiotopia’s annual fundraiser, Nigel and Earlonne dream a little about what other podcasts they might make one day. To support the network that supports Ear Hustle’s dreams, visit radiotopia.fm today. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Surprise! In this season four bonus episode, Earlonne sits down with Ear Hustle co-founder and sound design contributor, Antwan “Banks” Williams, who was recently released from San Quentin after serving 13 years in prison. The two talk about Antwan’s time inside, the person he’s become during those years, his work with Ear Hustle and his musical ambitions for the future. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson, Warden Ron Davis and Krissi Khokhobashvili for their support of the show. And thanks to you, as ever, for listening. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Tom was a cop; Jason was a teenager in a gang. One night in 1997, they had a violent encounter that Tom describes as “inevitable.” In our season finale, Tom and Jason relate the story of that night, and the series of events that unfolded in the years afterward.Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their support of the show, and Native, EPIX and BetterHelp for sponsoring this episode. And thanks to you for tuning in through all of season four!Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Historically, death sentences in California have led to eventual execution by the state. But these days, public opinion and state protocol are in flux, and the future is uncertain for those on death row at San Quentin.Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their support of the show, and Native, EPIX and BetterHelp for sponsoring this episode. And stay tuned for our season four finale, in two weeks!Find out how Lonnie Morris has been doing since this episode originally aired, in the Ear Hustle Plus episode “Where’s Lonnie Now?”. To listen to all EH+ bonus content, sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Sleep, soundtracks and signing in prison — the Ear Hustle crew tackles questions from listeners about these topics and more, in this season’s “Catch a Kite” episode. Plus, we’ll share some of our favorite listener-generated Ear Hustle theme remixes. Spoiler alert: harps ahead. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their support of the show, and Lantigua Williams & Co. and BetterHelp for sponsoring this episode. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Getting a job after serving time is crucial to rebuilding your life, but a criminal record inevitably gets in the way. Four people share stories about how their time inside both helped prep them for jobs outside and impacted their getting back to work. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also download and remix our theme song (remixes are due Aug. 31, so get yours in soon!!), sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. As always, thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their support of the show, and Lantigua Williams & Co. and Audible for sponsoring this episode. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Running a prison takes a lot of work, and not just by the staff running the place. At San Quentin inmates work regular jobs, earn pennies on the hour and often supplement their income with a side hustle. Find a full list of episode credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also download and remix our theme song (do it!), sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks also to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their support of the show, and Article, Lantigua Williams & Co. and Native for sponsoring this episode. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

I think we can all agree: It’s high time we devoted a full episode to the music of San Quentin. Thanks to all of the musicians who talked with us for this episode, and shared their songs. Find a full list of credits at earhustlesq.com, where you can also download and remix our theme song (do it!), sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Thanks also to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their support of the show, and Article and Lantigua Williams & Co. for sponsoring this episode. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

How does dating work in your 30s when you’ve been locked up since you were 15? How soon do you share your incarceration history with new love interests? And how the hell does online dating work? Recently released men and women muse about all of it, and one former San Quentin inmate tries to make a beeline from the gates to the altar. Thanks to Article and the American Red Cross for sponsoring this episode. For a full list of credits and to find out more about the show, head to earhustlesq.com, where you can sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Serving a prison sentence is hard, but getting out isn’t exactly a cakewalk, either. A lot depends on who’s waiting for you, what you have lined up on the outside and how you handle the regular pressures of life after incarceration.Thanks to Article and the American Red Cross for sponsoring this episode.For a full list of credits and to find out more about the show, head to earhustlesq.com, where you can sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Hardly anyone writes letters anymore. On the streets it’s all texting, posting, sharing and liking. But in prison, pens, paper, envelopes and stamps are highly prized, and still considered an essential lifeline to the outside world.Thanks to Article for sponsoring this episode.For a full list of credits and to find out more about the show, head to earhustlesq.com, where you can sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.Support our team and get even more Ear Hustle by subscribing to Ear Hustle Plus today. Sign up at earhustlesq.com/plus or directly in Apple Podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ear Hustle is back with season four! Let’s get oriented: to a new format and a new inside host, and through the stories of guys learning the prison ropes in Reception, while they wait to find out where they’ll serve their time. A heads-up: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence. Listener discretion is advised. Thanks to HelloFresh for sponsoring this episode. For a full list of credits and to find out more about the show, head to earhustlesq.com, where you can sign up for our newsletter and order a T-shirt, sticker pack or mug. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ear Hustle is back with season four, starting June 5. Mark your calendars and tell your friends! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ear Hustle will return with season four later this year, but in the meantime, here’s a timely bonus episode. Nigel and Earlonne hit the road and drive south to interview the man who commuted Earlonne’s sentence in November: Governor Jerry Brown. Thanks to Governor Jerry Brown and Evan Westrup, Governor Brown’s press secretary, for sitting down with us. Ear Hustle is produced by Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods with help from outside producer Pat Mesiti-Miller, who also comes in to lead the sound design team. This episode included music by David Jassy and Antwan Williams. And, a big thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their continued support of the show. Find out more about the show at earhustlesq.com, including where to get one of our awesome mugs. Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As the annual Radiotopia fundraiser wraps up, we bring you one final missive of the year, including an appeal for support, a chance encounter and a musical offering from the inside. What a season! Deep thanks to our listeners, to Dwight Krizman, Richie Morris and the other guys from Quentin Blue, and as always, to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their epic support of Ear Hustle. And to Radiotopia, the network that brought Ear Hustle to life! Donate here to support Radiotopia, and all of the shows it helps make possible. Happy holidays to all, and we’ll catch up with you in 2019. In the meantime, sign up for the Lowdown to stay informed about all things Ear Hustle. Love, Team Ear Hustle (Nigel, Earlonne, Pat, Curtis, Julie and Erin) Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices