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August 18, 2017

We Are in the Future (2017)

One of our producers, Neil Drumming, has recently become fascinated with Afrofuturism. It's more than sci-fi. It’s a way of looking at black culture that’s fantastic, creative, and oddly hopeful—which feels especially urgent during a time without a lot of optimism.

Prologue

Ira and producer Neil Drumming visit a comic book store in Philadelphia to try and help Ira understand Afrofuturism. (9 minutes)

Act Three

The Black Sea

This American Life commissioned an original song, “The Deep,” from the hip-hop group clppng., featuring actor and Hamilton performer Daveed Diggs. The song is based on the underwater mythology of the 90s Detroit electro band Drexciya. (6 minutes)