FROM THE ARCHIVES: Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates on BLACK PANTHER, Chadwick Boseman, and Writing

This February, we’re celebrating the 8th anniversary of the release of BLACK PANTHER! We dug deep into the In Proximity archives to re-release this iconic conversation with BLACK PANTHER director Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Ta-Nehisi is a journalist and the bestselling author of books like BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME and THE MESSAGE. He has also written successful comic book runs for CAPTAIN AMERICA and BLACK PANTHER, and hosted the WAKANDA FOREVER podcast back in 2023. On this special re-release episode, we combine the two parts of Ryan and Ta-Nehisi’s original conversation, where they dive deep into their experiences telling T’Challa’s story for BLACK PANTHER, the impact of hip-hop music and art, Ta-Nehisi’s decades-long writing career, and their mutual friendship with the late Chadwick Boseman.

CHECK OUT THE ORIGINAL EPISODES
Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates Episode 1
Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates Episode 2
WAKANDA FOREVER: THE OFFICIAL BLACK PANTHER PODCAST

SHOP OUR PROX BOOKS RECS ON BOOKSHOP.ORG

LEARN MORE AND READ THE TRANSCRIPT AT PROXIMITYMEDIA.COM

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(00:00) Celebrating the anniversary of BLACK PANTHER the film
(01:51) PART 1: Meet Ryan Coogler and Ta-Nehisi Coates 
(02:21) Ta-Nehisi’s production company, Maceo-Lyn
(06:40) Howard University, meeting Chadwick Boseman
(11:18) Hip-hop, poetry, and genres 
(15:04) Tupac Shakur
(18:27) How Ta-Nehisi’s hip-hop aspirations pushed him to writing poetry
(21:54) “Art that feels like it’s always been made”, A PROPHET, GET OUT, MOONLIGHT
(29:20) PART 2: The beginning of Ta-Nehisi’s writing career
(33:24) The 20-year-old journalist
(36:45) The Case for Reparations
(39:55) Writing the BLACK PANTHER comics
(41:58) Toni Morrisson, James Baldwin, BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
(45:31) Takes on T’Challa’s character
(49:59) CREED
(53:33) Prox Recs

IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA
Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo
Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian
Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson
Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino
Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana
Editors: Patrick Epino, Ken Nana, Ben Caloza, Cedric Wilson
Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz
Production Assistant: Polina Cherezova
Associate Producer: Celine Mendiola
Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana
Production Intern: Ben Caloza