In My Bag with Nkwa Asonye: Recent Episodes
Nkwa Asonye, Jr.
New York-based sportscaster and musician Nkwa Asonye delivers entertaining commentary with special guests. Between special treats and performances? Nothing's off-limits. New episodes every other Friday.
The third edition of #TheCrossover features ESPN host Skubie Mageza where he revealed what he listens to before a show (3:54), when he decided he wanted to work in sports (12:06), and his favorite moment working at ESPN (19:50).
Follow Skubie on Instagram!
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inmybag/message
To kick off the season's third episode, Nkwa talked about the MLB relocation drama in Oakland (1:08) and reflects on what he's learned about Juneteenth (23:30). ESPN's Skubie Mageza pulled up to #TheCrossover (9:15) to talk about his journey to Bristol...and his favorite music to get his going before he goes on-air.
Follow Skubie on Instagram!
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inmybag/message
Nkwa welcomes producers Tye Brown and Cam Fletcher to the second edition of #TheCrossover where they unpacked a "legendary" basketball church league story (1:06), talked about their musical inspirations (11:23), Cam's reaching #1 on the iTunes charts last summer (25:52), and decried load management in the NBA (32:49).
Follow Tye on Instagram! | Follow Cam on Instagram!
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inmybag/message
In the season's second episode, Nkwa had words for PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan after he skipped out on an event at his alma mater with zero notice (1:21) and laments what's happening to the industry in light of the layoffs at The Athletic (32:30). #TheCrossover welcomed producers Tye Brown and Cam Fletcher to talk about their start in music...and a not-so-verifiable basketball story.
Follow Tye on Instagram! | Follow Cam on Instagram!
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inmybag/message
Nkwa welcomes basketball player and Yale alum Brandon Sherrod to the first-ever edition of #TheCrossover. They covered how (and why) Brandon took a gap year to sing (1:13), how he got started in music (9:35), how NIL affects the Ivy League (16:50), and why the Celtics are so...disappointing (23:50).
Edit: Brandon Jennings committed to Arizona before hooping in Australia, not UCLA. At least it was a Pac-10 school.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inmybag/message
In the first episode of the season, Nkwa talks about why it took so long to bring the show back (1:05), how the NBA Finals are a blast from the past (7:58), and shares a personal story involving the late Rev. Tim Keller (39:38). Basketball player and Yale alum Brandon Sherrod was the first guest on #TheCrossover segment (22:10) where he talked about his start in music off the court.
Follow Brandon on Instagram!
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inmybag/message
To wrap up Season 2, NBA reporter and podcast host Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson joined the show to talk about his start in the business and...what exactly is going to happen in NBA free agency. wink-wink
Check out all of his latest work on ScoopB.com!
Photographer, minister, and entrepreneur Danny Hamilton joins Season 2's penultimate episode to talk about his creative vision, marriage (or the potential thereof), and the relationship between ministry and the arts.
"The title 'life coach' is awful, and everyone knows it." Spoken like someone who truly owns the role. Amy Tietjen joins this week's episode to talk about dealing with pressure, the beauty of stillness...and yet another reason why cheerleading is a sport.
You can learn more about Amy's work at https://metamorphosislifecoaching.net/
In a (rare) sports-free episode, educator and activist Olivia Roach joins the show to discuss activism's role in the classroom, the legacy of late artist Nipsey Hussle (RIP), and America's ongoing religious identity crisis.
Digging into the vault this week, Philadelphia-based podcast host Zach Simon took a trip earlier this month to talk about some former MVP that signed a big contract. (And no, not the one in Los Angeles.)
Follow Zach on Twitter (@HotStoveCast) and visit his website for all episodes of his project, HotStoveCast.
Producer, singer, and songwriter Jaime Vozo joins the show to talk about quarterbacking his first project (18:17), his newest song (44:52), the importance of patience in the creative process (1:09:26), Grammy-winning organist Cory Henry’s controversial tweet involving the church (1:36:53)...and the ultimate recruiting pitch for Kevin Durant. (2:04:45)
(And yeah, you'll never know that number.)
Jaime's Instagram: jayvozo
Check out his newest song "He's All I Need" across all streaming platforms on Tuesday, March 12th.
Lawrence Woodmere varsity boys' basketball assistant coach Cody Pierre-Gilles joins the show to talk about the state of the game today - and why he's glad Manny Machado went to San Diego.
Singer-songwriter Tommy Versailles joins the show to discuss her new EP The Broken Palace, the rise of women in the industry, and the true love of her life - hockey. Taped at Complete Music Studios in Brooklyn, NY.
Tommy's Instagram: tommyversaillesmusic
Brooklyn-based artist and actress Alyssa Burgos joins the show to talk about balancing professional aspirations, being your own best friend, and growing up around the beautiful game of baseball - without having to pick a side. (Still wondering how that happened.)
Alyssa's Instagram: aroseburgos
New Year, new show! (Not really.) Vision Scope Entertainment Founder and writer Xavier Whittington rides shotgun for the season premiere. His new series First World Problems will debut on Facebook and YouTube in June. TRIGGER WARNING - Sexual assault is mentioned in this episode from 3:50-17:05.
Le'Veon Bell probably can't go back home. Those who consider The George Washington University home feel the same way after yesterday's news. So let's talk about it.
GW news: https://deadspin.com/the-real-story-behind-the-lewd-video-and-bitter-feud-th-1830223615
Ballots! (Go vote? Maybe?) Butler. (A chance to go back home to Houston.) Balderdash. (UMD's Board of Regents thinks we're stupid.) And...(sigh) Boston.
Ah, when friends get together. Dustin Petzold, editor-in-chief of Crooked Scoreboard, sat down to talk about the reboot of the site and the romanticism of baseball. Visit his work: https://crookedscoreboard.com/
Must travel? Bring microphone. Besides, where else can you get the US Open, New York Fashion Week, and a tribute all in the same podcast?
When you put an tech entrepreneur, author, and singer/songwriter in the same room, what do you get? You get Loren. "Crystals" and "Cold Kingdom" were performed live on-site. (Music begins at 16:01)
Band: Guitar - Asim Barnes, Cajon - Tariq Ballard
Her new EP "Cold Kingdom" is available on all streaming platforms!
Raif and Rose: The Death Letter (via Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Raif-Rose-Death-Letter-Second-ebook/dp/B07CSJBT9K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536289994&sr=8-1&keywords=raif+and+rose+the+death+letter
This week, Colin Kaepernick wins the NFL off-season and LeBron James loves LA. Two acts who likely SHOULD have been the headliners stole the show at Made In America, and...the jury's still out on one Kanye Omari West. Artist and entrepreneur Loren joins the show to talk about her newly released EP Cold Kingdom, available on all streaming platforms.
Many tangents. More fun. The extended interview from Episode II with budding NY lyricist NYJ.
Song @ 1:02:03 - "First Breath" (Available on Spotify)
The ladies take centerstage this episode. We bid adieu to ESPN figurehead Jemele Hill, have an ever-so-slight change of hears about Nicki Minaj, and try to settle the WNBA salary dispute once and for all. Rapper NYJ Music joins the show to discuss trends and influences in hip-hop.
References: WNBA Salary Database - https://highposthoops.com/2018/08/15/wnba-salary-database/
Forbes Article - "Basketball's Growing Gender Gap" - https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidberri/2017/09/20/there-is-a-growing-gender-wage-gap-in-professional-basketball/#56e58a4c36e0
Special thanks to High Post Hoops' Howard Megdal for both articles.
What would the very first episode be without an ode to baseball? Why are college athletics administrators allergic to accountability? Does "based on a true story" really mean anything? And if you're a creative in or around New York, what does any of this have to do with you?
Answer: just click play.
(Here's the "link in the description": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOZxT9MHAJU&t)