Home Podcasts The Idea of...
The Idea of...

The Idea of...

Bassey Ikpi and Mike Andrews 74 Episodes Jul 29, 2026

Bassey Ikpi and Dr. Michael Andrews explore the intersections of Black culture, family, art, and mental health. As children of immigrant parents, xennial creatives, and parents raising sons in competitive soccer, they bring the full complexity of their lives to every conversation. The podcast is a space for nuanced discussions that don't fit neatly elsewhere, blending intellect, joy, and righteousness.

Episodes

The Idea Of... Three Mirrors: A Hovchella Weekend (An Extra Innings Episode)
The Idea Of... Three Mirrors: A Hovchella Weekend (An Extra Innings Episode) Jul 29, 2026 01:11:16 Three concerts. Three cities. Three completely different versions of the same question:Where do I belong now?Mike takes listeners on a deeply personal journey through one unforgettable weekend—seeing J. Cole in Charlotte, Chris Brown and Usher in Washington, D.C., and Jay-Z's historic Extra Innings concert at Yankee Stadium. But this isn't a review of the shows. It's a reflection on what happens w
The Idea Of... The Death of Expertise
The Idea Of... The Death of Expertise Jul 22, 2026 01:22:04 What happens when everyone has a platform, but nobody agrees on who to trust?Bassey and Mike begin with an honest conversation about mental health, unpacking the subtle signs of depression, anxiety, and the challenge ecognizing when something feels "off" before it becomes a crisis. What starts as a conversation about emotional health quickly expands into something much larger: the state
The Idea Of... Compassion Before Commentary
The Idea Of... Compassion Before Commentary Jul 8, 2026 01:08:42 This week starts with soccer......and somehow ends with parenting, grief, race, and what happens when tragedy collides with the internet.Mike and Bassey unpack everything from World Cup coaching decisions and why infrastructure matters more than raw talent, to the emotional culture of international soccer and why some countries seem to know how to win before the game even begins.Then the conversat
The Idea Of... Lauryn Hill's Flowers
The Idea Of... Lauryn Hill's Flowers Jul 2, 2026 01:35:19 The World Cup may have brought us into the conversation, but this episode quickly becomes something much bigger.Mike and Bassey unpack why soccer finally feels different in America, how Black athletes have transformed the global game, and why creativity—not just discipline—changes sports forever. Along the way they explore racism in international fandom, North African identity, and what it means t
The Idea Of... The Blackest World Cup Ever
The Idea Of... The Blackest World Cup Ever Jun 24, 2026 01:22:39 This week, Mike and Bassey wander through a conversation that begins with Michael Jackson and ends somewhere between the World Cup, social media outrage, Black leadership, and the challenge of remaining human in a culture that rewards performance.As Bassey revisits a decades-old biography of Michael Jackson, the conversation explores our tendency to turn celebrities into myths instead of people. F
The Idea Of… The Age of Uncertainty
The Idea Of… The Age of Uncertainty Jun 17, 2026 01:10:01 This week, the conversation takes a turn inward. If you've ever felt stuck, disconnected, uncertain, or simply tired, this conversation may feel familiar.Mike and Bassey begin with a listener comment about music, parenting, and vulnerability, but quickly find themselves exploring something much deeper: what happens when confidence fades, motivation disappears, and the version of yourself you&#
The Idea Of... The Long Game of Parenting
The Idea Of... The Long Game of Parenting Jun 7, 2026 01:46:58 What song can make you cry before the first lyric even starts?This week, Mike and Bassey compare their personal "Cry About It" playlists and tumble into a conversation about James Blake, Jeff Buckley, Donny Hathaway, Billie Eilish, Kanye West, and Jay-Z—artists whose music doesn't just entertain, but evokes something deeper.But as often happens on The Idea Of..., the conversation exp
The Idea Of... Selling Crack
The Idea Of... Selling Crack May 27, 2026 01:36:20 This week on The Idea Of…, Bassey & Mike start with a conversation about podcasting, originality, and the strange feeling of hearing your ideas echoed back through culture. But what begins as a conversation about creativity and influence quickly turns into something much deeper.The two revisit last week’s heated Drake debate and unpack what was really happening beneath the surface: communicati
The Idea Of... Iceman
The Idea Of... Iceman May 20, 2026 01:54:53 This week, Bassey & Mike take a deeply personal trip back to Brooklyn — not just the borough, but the memories, emotions, and versions of themselves still living there. From Prospect Park scars and Nostrand Avenue apartments to the strange grief of watching places change while realizing you’ve changed too, the conversation becomes less about geography and more about identity. This episode star
The Idea Of… Roasts, Race, and Public Consumption
The Idea Of… Roasts, Race, and Public Consumption May 13, 2026 01:41:10 This week, Bassey and Mike go deep into the cultural event that is the new Michael film—and what it unlocked emotionally for a generation that grew up watching Michael Jackson in real time.They unpack the brilliance of Jafar Jackson’s performance, the impossible weight of portraying Michael, the trauma and complexity of the Jackson family dynamic, and the reality that Michael wasn’t just a superst
The Idea Of... Homie-Sexuals
The Idea Of... Homie-Sexuals May 6, 2026 01:27:28 This week, Bassey & Mike return with a conversation that starts in music—but doesn’t stay there.From revisiting Mos Def and Black Star to questioning what happens when artists are ahead of their time, the conversation quickly turns inward. Because somewhere along the way, the culture feels off.And that’s where “Homie-Sexuals” enters the chat.Not as a joke—but as a lens.What does it say about u
The Idea Of... Joe Jackson
The Idea Of... Joe Jackson Apr 29, 2026 00:40:39 In this solo episode, Mike steps in while Bassey is out and takes listeners through a layered reflection on culture, media, and fatherhood.He explores the surge of emotionally charged stories involving Black men and Black women, questioning whether timing, amplification, and media cycles are shaping how we interpret reality. Introducing the idea of “racialized noise governance,” he breaks down how

Recommended