Dope Black Dads Podcast

Back in the 1930s, love was about survival—one person brought money, the other ran the home. By the 1990s, polarity and attraction became the focus. But in 2025? That’s not enough. Today, real connection needs three things: survival, desire, and alignment.In this episode, Marvyn Harrison explores how blurred gender roles, economic independence, and new expectations around emotional intelligence have reshaped what it takes to build lasting relationships. He asks the tough questions:Can you survive together?Do you still desire each other?Are you truly aligned in values, money, health, parenting, and vision?If you’ve managed all three, you’re not just lucky—you’re rare. Listen in to rethink love, dating, and marriage in a modern world where commitment is harder, but also deeper.

Launching this Father’s Day, Not Just a Day, A Legacy is a deeply personal and culturally relevant essay series and visual campaign from Marvyn Harrison — founder of Dope Black Dads. Through intimate letters, storytelling, and healing guidance, the campaign invites fathers, children, and communities to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine legacy beyond absence.

When my son was born, I thought I had to choose between staying home to give him everything or going back to work and risking missing the moments that matter. But the truth is, you don’t have to choose. From September, eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to school age could get up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week, over 38 weeks a year — worth up to £7,500 in savings. That’s not just money back; it’s time to work, breathe, build, and still be present for your child. Apply by 31 August.Check your eligibility at childcarechoices.gov.uk#ChildcareChoices @educationgovuk #ad

Today’s episode is a throwback episode with Kate Ferdinand — mother, entrepreneur, and host of the award-winning podcast Blended. We discussed what began as a WhatsApp group is now a powerful platform supporting Black and mixed-heritage fathers across the world.In this episode, Kate and Marvyn explore how our own childhoods shape the way we parent, the importance of emotional honesty, and how to have age-appropriate conversations with children about race, identity, and belonging. It’s a powerful discussion about masculinity, legacy, and learning to be the parent you needed.

From Kool Herc’s Kingston-style block parties to Kendrick’s Grammy sweeps and Carti’s moshpit mayhem, who really ran rap every year since 1979? In this definitive timeline, we break down the Big 3 artists of each year, blending mainstream dominance, cultural impact, and lyrical integrity.Featuring heavyweights like LL Cool J, OutKast, Missy, Future, Nicki Minaj, and J. Cole, this episode challenges revisionist history and makes room for the artists who actually defined the sound, the streets, and the stats.Was Drake too dominant to leave off 2019? Should LL have been #1 in ’87? Did we underrate Future’s run? Is Kendrick now the GOAT closer? We’ve got facts, footnotes, and a lot of fire takes.Whether you’re an old-head, new-school, backpacker or trap loyalist, this episode is your hip-hop history cheat code.

⚡ THE CHALLENGEI forced my household to try twenty one penny pinching moves in one week. No edits. No mercy. WHAT HAPPENED• Hack 3 sparked a shower time race • Hack 7 killed takeaway cravings • Hack 14 slashed our energy bill in thirty seconds • Hack 21 broke my Netflix habit and the kids survived FULL LIST1 Kill phantom power at bedtime 2 Daily smart meter checks … all the way to 21 Rotate streaming subs like a pro WHY LISTEN✔ Zero cost entry ✔ Kid approved fun ✔ Laugh out loud dad banter

What does the government’s new health plan actually mean for your community?In this exclusive, no-holds-barred Q&A, Marvyn Harrison sits down with Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to ask the questions that matter most to working-class and Black British families.We dive into:The postcode lottery in careWhy Black men aren’t trusting the NHSWhere the money’s really goingAnd how this plan could actually save lives—or just become another empty promiseThis is the conversation the government has to hear. And you need to hear it first.

What’s it really like being Education Secretary? In this powerful conversation, Bridget Phillipson marks her first year in post by speaking openly with Marvyn Harrison and young voices from Dope Black Dads. She reflects on the teacher who changed her life, discusses her priorities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and sets out her vision for mental health in every school. This episode goes beyond policy, it’s about care, culture and community.Topics covered:Why representation and personal connection matter in educationReforming SEND support for families and schoolsEmbedding mental health into the school dayCreating an inclusive education system that works for all

Is there still honour in hip-hop? Can rap teach us how to be better men?In this episode, we take a deep dive into the extraordinary journey of Clipse—brothers Pusha T and No Malice—uncovering what their story reveals about masculinity, loyalty, and principled living. From “Grindin’” lunch tables to Louis Vuitton runways, we walk through their full timeline, pulling out the life lessons embedded in their rhymes, career moves, and public silence.We explore how No Malice left the rap game for a higher calling, why Pusha T confronted giants like Drake and Kanye, and how the Clipse reunion has become a masterclass in grown-man artistry. Beyond the beefs and bars lies a deeper philosophy: patience, boundaries, spiritual audit, and the refusal to compromise.This is more than a fan tribute. It’s a roadmap. For fathers, brothers, creatives, and thinkers. For anyone navigating manhood in a world that constantly tests your moral compass.Featuring critical moments:The legacy of Hell Hath No Fury and DaytonaThe Kanye fallout and GOOD Music exitThe calculated silence in response to Jim JonesThe rollout of Let God Sort ‘Em Out and what it says about ownershipDiaspora echoes through minimalist Neptunes beats and patois slangWhy Drake had him banned from Canada—and why that doesn’t matterClipse didn't just make music. They made a code. And it still holds.