Yaaaaas. It’s lit. Deadass. Bless up. Thicc. No shade. Issa. Bae.
These commonly used colloquialisms originated from Black-American slang, and yet, you’ve probably heard Americans of all races repeat these phrases on any given day — especially on the internet. Just one scroll of your Twitter timeline will. Tell. You. That.
Black culture has quickly integrated and appropriated into greater American culture — except when it comes to podcasts. When was the last time you heard a highly produced NPR-style show where the host was speaking in a “blaccent”? Where’s the This American Life equivalent with a host who sounds more like Cardi B or Peaches Monroe than Ira Glass?
I’m Sam Riddell, and I’m an independent podcaster-turned-professional podcaster at Inverse who’s learning how to navigate when to use my very own blaccent. As a podcast creator and listener who grew up listening to, learning from, and admiring folks who use African American Vernacular English, I have…
