Season 3, Episode 10 of Jahmi Roc’s Jottings dives deep into Jamaica’s original popular music, mento, with special guest Dr. Daniel T. Neely, ethnomusicologist and mento scholar. Host Jahmi Roc (Racquel Bernard), along with Nikkita “Nuclear Blackness” and DJ Papalotl/Buttahfly, trace mento’s roots, its relationship to ska, reggae, and dancehall, and the politics of “slackness,” tourism, and cultural ownership. Along the way, they unpack the viral “Hill and Gully” riddim, Caribbean crosscurrents with Calypso and Cuban son, and how folk sounds live on as resistance, memory, and joy—plus a surprise drop-in from the Original Shinehead.

In this electrifying episode of Jahmi Roc's Jottings, host Jahmi Roc a.k.a. Racquel Bernard is joined by Nikkita "Nuclear Blackness" McPherson and DJ Papalotl for a deep dive into one of the most iconic moments in recent music history — the Beenie Man vs. Bounty Killer Verzuz battle from May 23, 2020. The trio unpacks the cultural earthquake that was this livestream event, from the joy it brought to millions during a global pandemic to the glaring issue of artists not being compensated for the massive streaming numbers they generated.

The conversation takes a rich historical detour through the roots of dancehall and its undeniable fingerprints on hip-hop and global music culture. They explore the power of sound systems as community institutions, the bold political and social commentary woven into dancehall lyrics, and how Jamaican migration carried this vibrant culture across the world. The episode wraps on a deeply human note — reflecting on how music, and this battle in particular, served as collective healing when the world desperately needed it.

In this deeply intentional episode, host Jahmi Roc and returning guest Nikkita "Nuclear Blackness" McPherson take listeners on a serious yet necessary musicological journey through six songs that either challenge or perpetuate sexual assault culture — timed to honor Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

The duo examines a compelling range of reggae and dancehall tracks, unpacking everything from communal calls to action to deeply troubling examples of adultification and rape culture. Highlights include a breakdown of the solidarity anthem "Stand Against Rape" by various artists (featuring legends like Marcia Griffiths), the haunting and polarizing "Daddy" by Queen Ifrica — inspired by her own real-life trauma — and the controversial 90s dancehall hit "Freaks" by Vicious, which prompts a sharp conversation about the over-sexualization of Black children.

The episode doesn't stay in the darkness, though. It closes on a note of warmth and hope with Buju Banton's "Butterflies" and Skip Marley & H.E.R.'s "Slow Down" — both used as models of what consensual, loving expression can sound like in music. Throughout, the hosts weave in definitions of sexual assault and consent, call out the interlocking systems of patriarchy, colonization, and capitalism that sustain rape culture, and remind listeners that healing resources are available.

📞 Crisis Resource: Text HOPE to 741741 — or as mentioned in the episode, text HOPE to 64673, a resource through the RAINN organization.

Sometimes the journey IS the music. 🎼✨ In this deeply personal episode, host Jahmi Roc (Racquel Bernard) opens up the notebooks on her decade-long PhD journey at UCLA — from coining the term Empress Epistemologies to mental health hospitalizations, a failed exam, losing her teaching eligibility, and rebuilding from scratch. She traces how this very podcast was born out of necessity, why Black women's voices in reggae deserve scholarly attention, and what it means to still be standing on the eve of her dissertation defense. This one is for everyone carrying unfinished, scary, important work. A setback can be a set-up — and this episode is proof. 🎓🌿

Jahmi Roc's Jottings is available on Spotify, Castbox, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

In this episode, Jahmi Roc a.k.a. Racquel Bernard shares her personal story of survival through domestic abuse, homelessness, and mental health crises. The song "Last Time" is a culmination of years of healing through music, starting with initial recordings in Pasadena and refined over time. Racquel details the abuse she endured, including verbal, emotional, and physical intimidation, and her struggles with mental health. Despite these challenges, she found solace in music, faith, and play, emphasizing the importance of coping mechanisms like singing, dancing, and writing. She encourages listeners to seek help and support, highlighting the power of community and resilience.

In Season 3, Episode 4 of Jahmi Roc's Jottings, host Jahmi Roc (aka Racquel Bernard) reunites with Nikkita "Nuclear Blackness" McPherson and welcomes UCLA Musicology Professor Jessica Schwartz for a deep-dive into hurricane songs performed and/or written by women in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The trio explores four tracks — Jamaica Strong by Aiesha Barrett, Melissa's Tears by Jahbella Wright, Abby Dallas's Jamaica remix of What's Up, and Hurricane Melissa by Felena Hue — unpacking themes of resilience, communal healing, colonial history, environmental justice, and the power of music to "human" us through catastrophe. From the reggae one-drop beat to AI-generated vocals, no stone — or palm tree — is left unturned. 🌴🎶 This episode is part of an ongoing partnership with Kingston 12 Hi-Fi. Also available on Castbox, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Host Jahmi Roc (Racquel Bernard) sits down with her dear friend and co-parent, Mitiyiana "Miti" Thompson — a native Angeleno, postpartum doula, and travel nanny — for a rich conversation about music, identity, and Los Angeles. Mitiyiana shares how music first moved her emotionally, the power of radio stations like Power 106 and KJLH in shaping her, and how albums like Amy Winehouse's Back to Black mark entire chapters of her life. The pair explore West Coast pride, Beyoncé's artistic evolution, and music as a tool for social change. The episode closes with Mitiyiana revealing her new passion: directing music videos, including one for Jahmi Roc's track Sweet Like Mango.

In this episode of Jahmi Roc’s Jottings, Jahmi breaks down the story behind her first purely reggae/dancehall release, “Sweet Like Mango”—from hearing Dale “Dizzle” Virgo’s “Becca” riddim alone at home, to channeling the butterflies of a new romance into the hook and verses. She shares memories from the song’s first live performance at Project 43, the crowd’s “more mango!” reaction, and how a busy season releasing “Write Your Name,” “Liberation Night,” and the “Write Your Name” House Remix eventually led to “Sweet Like Mango” becoming the high-energy finale at her single release party. Jahmi also takes listeners behind the scenes of the music video shoot with director Mitiyiana, being styled by Reggae Moms in summery, cute, and sexy thrifted looks, and filming across Southern California backdrops that match the song’s warmth and playfulness. She reflects on what it means to finally drop an all-reggae/dancehall track with a Jamaican producer like Dizzle, how it feels to fully speak in Patwa through the music, and why she hopes the hook lodges itself in listeners’ hearts as a little mantra of new-love warmth.