Ear Hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, and that’s what listening to the show feels like: a raw, often funny, and always... more
Linda’s mom brought her to a Catholic Mass because she had a sense her daughter was on the verge of... more
Leisha didn't plan on getting pregnant. And she certainly didn't plan on giving birth in prison. But on the day... more
Earlonne's here with his "mystery" episode, and it's a doozy. He tells Nigel a redemption story wrapped in a drug-trafficking... more
Over the past two episodes we’ve been hearing about “memory places” at San Quentin: ordinary-seeming spots that become extraordinary through... more
In the second part of this two-part series, Nigel reveals to Earlonne the final stops in her memory-tour of San... more
Nigel — with help from our team inside San Quentin — has been cooking up an episode that her co-host... more
Incarcerated people in California can’t vote, but that doesn't mean they aren’t tracking electoral politics as closely as many of... more
Wali was on his way to make a life-altering decision when a book made him reconsider. Shaka’s 40 years on... more
It can be hard to admit, but some people are more comfortable inside prison than out. We meet people who... more
The countdown is on! Earlonne and Nigel give listeners a taste of what’s in store this season: some controversy, some... more
Our team inside San Quentin explores the complicated acts of crying and Hula dancing in prison, reports on the joys... more
Celebrating our 100th episode last year got the Ear Hustle team thinking about all the stories we’ve told since 2017.... more
In this collaboration with the venerable live-storytelling project The Moth, we share one man’s story about using a medical condition... more
We’re introducing you to one of our favorite recent podcast discoveries. In 1997, a racially motivated attack and its aftermath... more
What’s it like to serve out a prison sentence alongside your mom? At the Central California Women’s Facility, a handful... more
When he was growing up, gang life gave Larry confidence, purpose, and an identity. But after years behind bars, the... more
For our latest Catch a Kite episode, we’re taking advantage of a new tool: the electronic tablets that recently became... more
In honor of Mother’s Day, some decidedly un-Hallmark-y stories about incarceration and motherhood. Thanks to Mary Behun, Reggie, and Kat for... more
Inside prison, as well as out, some of us cling to stuff and some of us let go. In this... more
Twelve years ago, Nigel asked San Quentin resident Greg Eskridge to write a list of everything he owned in prison.... more
A bucolic garden, six kinds of breakfast cereal, and around-the-clock bedside vigil: How one California prison is trying to mitigate... more
We’ve never based a whole episode on a poem before, but this one, by Sky, took us by surprise. It’s... more
Season 13 is coming soon; in the meantime, here’s a glimpse of what’s going on in Ear Hustle Plus, our... more
In honor of our 100th episode (!), Ear Hustle revisits our very first one – “Cellies” – this time with... more
When she was in her 20s, Shanna was the victim of a violent attack. Ten years later, she’s ready to... more
Nigel and Earlonne visit the largest women's prison in the world, the Central California Women's Facility, and speak to five... more
Can a prison be haunted? And why are good ghost stories — inside or outside of prison — so hard... more
If San Quentin were a magazine, what would it sound like? Ear Hustle’s new team inside – Sadiq, Steve, Tam,... more
Producer Rahsaan “New York” Thomas takes us inside the parole-ordered transitional housing he’s been living in since getting out of... more
Prisons weren’t designed for older folks, and the California Institution for Women is no exception. Nigel and Earlonne pay a... more
Inspired by the classic This American Life episode “24 Hours at the Golden Apple,” the Ear Hustle team documents one... more
It’s summertime! Which means the Ear Hustle team is off cooking up a new batch of stories for our next... more
In honor of Pride month, we’re serving up some of our best stories about the LGBTQ community inside prison, including:... more
Is there such a thing as a prison uniform? Turns out, it takes two podcasts to answer that question. Nigel... more
Over at San Quentin, a new preacher has started drawing crowds on the yard. He’s charismatic, soft-spoken, and devout. He... more
Imagine you’re an archaeologist tasked with going through someone’s garbage. What will you learn about their habits and desires, their... more
Can incarcerated women dye their hair? Do they have enough tampons and pads? What makes them happy, and how realistic... more
For years, we’ve asked incarcerated people to speculate on the difference between life inside a men’s prison and inside a... more
What’s the difference between an over-under and a lower-lower? How many pairs of underwear do you get in prison? And... more
San Quentin’s population is changing, and a lot of the old ways are dying out. But some prison OGs don’t... more
Over at San Quentin, a new preacher has started drawing crowds on the yard. He’s charismatic, soft-spoken, and devout. He says he’s... more