Author Archives: Lillian Dunaj

Ear Hustle is a podcast that is recorded in San Quentin State Prison by former prisoner Earlonne Woods and visual artist Nigel Poor. The pair record in the prison’s media lab and interview prisoners who are willing to share their stories. The podcast allows prisoners to give listeners a direct look at what prison life is like – sharing the true reality of prison that Hollywood often glosses over.

I have included a link to episode 2 of Ear Hustle, “Misguided Loyalty.” This episode follows the story of Tommy Shakur Ross, a former gang member who is serving time at San Quentin State Prison for the murder of a rival gang member. What I enjoy about this interview is how it has been edited to create what sounds to be a seamless narrative told by Mr. Ross. There are times when Earlonne and Nigel interrupt Mr. Ross’s narrative to insert their own commentary, this was done post-interview and stands in for the questions that should be in its place.

This choice, to remove the questions from the initial interview and insert commentary, creates this feeling that you are listening to a seamless story instead of separate answers to the host’s questions. Given, this interview was bound to have a story-like resemblance no matter what. The episode tells us the tale about how Mr. Ross ended up in prison and his journey away from his gang affiliation as “Joker.” Still, had the interview been left with the original prompts and questions in place, it might have come across more probing rather than giving Mr. Ross a platform to tell his story. Removing the interviewer gives the interviewee greater control over their story and is one of the things I think makes this episode so engaging.

Ear Hustle is interesting in this respect because this is how most of their episodes play out. An inmate, or two, tell their story and it is edited together almost seamlessly with Earlonne and Nigel sprinkling in their commentary post-edit. It is an uncommon way to present an interview but I find it refreshing. This format really gives the inmates of San Quentin an opportunity to tell their story as raw and unfiltered as possible. I don’t feel like the interviewers are trying to guide the stories in any one particular direction, they just want to let it play out. I think that in a prison system where so much is regulated and there is little control over personal choices, this kind of interview format is one small way to give control back to the inmates.

If you haven’t checked out Ear Hustle I encourage you to do so, link below.

https://www.earhustlesq.com