Be Optimistic
Keep your head to the sky.
First of all, let’s kick off Black History Month 2026 like this. Turn it up!
What We’re Up To
Hey y’all!
Hope all is well on your side of the inbox. Things are good over here, even if we’ve been living in a snow globe for the past couple of weeks. It’s cool though, because the sun is setting around 5:30 these days, so that means that spring is right around the corner.
We’re wrapping up our winter break, and prepping for the upcoming season of episodes. We’ll be recording new ones soon, and you should have something in your feed around the time of the next newsletter! With that said, let’s get into it.
Shameless Plugs
If you don’t already, don’t forget to follow us @troypodcast.bsky.social on Bluesky, @troypodcast on Instagram and on YouTube.
If you enjoy the content that we're making and you're looking for ways to support our independent podcast, here’s a little something that you can do:
Please leave us a 5 star rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser or Goodpods.
Cop something from our online store, Nuthin’ But A Tee Thang.👇🏾
However you choose to support, know that it is greatly appreciated as always. 🫡
What We’re Watching
Fallout Season 2 on Amazon Prime
If you’re familiar with the Fallout video game series, this show sticks pretty closely to the events of Fallout: New Vegas in terms of storyline, locations and themes, but the plot is slightly different due to the main characters being created specifically for tv. If you haven’t played the games, that’s fine, you can jump in blind and still be able to follow along. There are some similarities to Silo on Apple TV, but this one has a more comedic undertone.
In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits. Based on one of the greatest video games of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them above.
The season 2 finale is dropping on Wednesday.
Check out Fallout here.
Also, get into this list of movies curated for Black History Month from Black Film Archive by Maya S. Cade👇🏾
What We’re Reading
Mariah Carey covers the latest issue of Billboard.
Mary J. Blige announces a Vegas residency.
J. Cole says The Fall Off will be his final album.
Raphael Saadiq speaks to Vibe about Sinners and D’Angelo.
The Michael Jackson biopic gets a new trailer.
Boxer Jarrell Miller got his wig knocked off during a fight, then blamed his mother. Yes, you read that correctly.
What We’re Listening To
“Let ‘Em Know” by T.I.
We usually reserve this space for albums, but Clifford cut those braids off and immediately got to rappin’, rappin’, so we had to share this one. If the new album is gonna be like this, sign me up.
BTW, this ain’t T.I., this is T.I.P. on this one. IYKYK.
Check out “Let ‘Em Know” here.
You Down Wit’ O.P.P.? (Other Peoples Podcasts)
The Questlove Show
So, Questlove has a new-ish podcast. It’s pretty much Questlove Supreme, but without the rest of team. He’s doing the same format, but solo, and the guests aren’t always musicians, so that makes it different, I guess? Anyway, it’s still a good listen. The latest one just dropped today, and he’s talking with Mannie Fresh.
The Questlove Show builds on the award-winning Questlove Supreme podcast, bringing listeners into intimate, one-on-one conversations with peers, influences, and friends. Hosted by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, each episode uncovers the unexpected — from morning rituals and hidden talents to the art and experiences that shaped a guest’s journey.
Listen to more episodes of The Questlove Show here.
Random Internet Shenanigans
Ludacris reunites his Disturbing Tha Peace crew (Shawnna, I-20, Chingy, DJ Infamous) and a rapping goat for an early Super Bowl commercial.
Here’s a clip of Selena doing a cover on “Sensitivity” by Ralph Tresvant. This video was posted 13 years ago, and I’ve never seen it until today.
And before we gonna, here’s the video that we will post every February. He may be a little tipsy, but Bobby was onto something.
Closing Time
That’s it for February, we’ll see y’all next month. We out.








