At North Kern State Prison, incarcerated people are being trained to do what staff cannot: provide peer support, whether it’s with addiction, cellie drama, or just adjusting to prison life. Nigel and Earlonne pay a couple visits, and hit some walls along the way.

This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams, David Jassy, Dwight Krisman, and Derrell Sadiq Davis.

Big thanks to PIO Lt. Huckleberry and Warden Hixon at North Kern State Prison, as well as PIO Lt. Vogel and Warden De La Cruz at the Central California Women’s Facility, for allowing us to spend time with their peer-support programs.

Thanks, as always, to Warden Andes, Lt. Berry, and Sgt. Graves at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and Acting Warden Padilla, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women for their support of the show.

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Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

From obsessive body-building to extreme tattoos and other transformations: stories about the ways people in prison think about and try to change their bodies. Plus: “the California body,” explained.

This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams, David Jassy, Dwight Krisman, and Derrell Sadiq Davis.

Big thanks to Warden Andes, Lt. Berry, and Sgt. Graves at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Padilla, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Vogel at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

Ear Hustle is coming to the East Coast! Get your tickets at earhustlesq.com/tour.

Help us reach 1,000 donors by June 30. Make your gift today at earhustlesq.com/donate.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

Nigel says no matter where you are, everyone has a story to tell about a hug: good, bad, or awkward. Earlonne isn’t buying it.

Thanks to Alonzo, Deonza, Harmon, Maurice, Ralph, Carlos, Michael, and Rocky for speaking to us on the yard at San Quentin.

This episode was scored with music by David Jassy, Antwan Williams, Earlonne Woods, Derell Sadiq Davis, and Bruce Wallace.

Big thanks to Warden Andes, Lt. Berry, and Sgt. Graves at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Vogel at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

Ear Hustle is coming to the East Coast! Get your tickets at earhustlesq.com/tour.

Help us reach 1,000 donors by June 30. Make your gift today at earhustlesq.com/donate.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

For our latest installment in the ”revisiting” series, Nigel and Earlonne time-travel back to Season 4 and the uncertain futures of men who were living on San Quentin’s now-shuttered death row.

Big thanks to everyone who shared their stories with us for this episode: Al aka Watson Allison, Abu Qadir Al-Amin, Lt. Sam Robinson, and Lonnie Morris.

This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams, David Jassy, and Rhashiyd Zinnamon, and a remix of our theme music from listener Ingibjörg Friðriksdóttir.

Thanks to Lt. Sam Robinson and Warden Ron Davis for their support of this episode.

Big thanks to Warden Andes, Lt. Berry, and Sgt. Graves at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

Ear Hustle is coming to the East Coast! Get your tickets at earhustlesq.com/tour.

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.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

The last time Domonica saw her dad, he was behind prison glass and she was just six years old. Now, more than two decades later, they’re trying to rebuild their relationship. But a few things stand in the way.

This episode was scored with music by David Jassy, Antwan Williams, and Bruce Wallace.

Big thanks to Warden Andes, Lt. Berry, and Sgt. Graves at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

Ear Hustle is coming to the East Coast! Get your tickets at earhustlesq.com/tour.

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.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

The letters come from all over: incarcerated men and women listening to Ear Hustle on their tablets, fans tuning in from as far as Australia and the Philippines. Most of the time, the feedback is positive — but not always. On this first-ever letters episode, we follow up with a few of those listeners.

Thank you to Caroline, Gabby, and Jennifer, for talking to us for this episode.

This episode was scored with music by David Jassy, Antwan Williams, Dwight Krizman, and Bruce Wallace.

Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

Don’t miss Ear Hustle Live on tour! Get the scoop at earhustlesq.com/tour.

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.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

From beatboxing, to blues, to a song of praise once heard in the Met Museum, musicians in San Quentin have created some indelible songs. And we have featured a number of them on Ear Hustle. In this episode, Earlonne and Nigel listen back to some of their favorites.

You can hear more of the music we’ve featured on Ear Hustle here, and watch Silas Farley’s “Songs from the Spirit” at the Met here.

Thank you to Matthew “Redbone” Brown III, Jason “Jukebox” Griffin, Tam Nguyen, the Mexican Nationals Band, David Jassy, Lemar “Maverick” Harrison, Charlie Spencer, and Richie Morris, for playing music for us.

This episode was scored with music by David Jassy and Antwan Williams.

Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

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.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.

Earlonne brings his second selection from the archives: an episode from Ear Hustle’s first season about how people care for each other in a harsh place.

Dealing with aging and death is never easy. But in prison, these issues are fraught with extra challenges, both emotional and physical. Meet two inmates serving extended sentences who grapple with the idea of dying in prison, and have also stepped up to take care of their fellow aging prisoners.

Sound design for this episode is by Antwan Williams, with extra music tracks supplied by JB Burton. Thanks to Lonnie Morris, Richard Lathan, and Andres Eric Watson for sharing their stories. And special thanks to Anthony Marzett for being on the receiving end of Andres’ shit talk.

Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Avina at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.
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.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX.