Podcast Corner: MF Doom and the potential youth culture card provide decent shows
MF Doom gets a five-part series from the BBC.
From the Irish Rights Music Organisation, the revamped Imro Chats podcast is a monthly show exploring the topics, challenges, and opportunities shaping the music industry here. This month’s episode is hosted by Anne Marie Kelly, who discusses the potential of a youth culture card, which could provide 18-year-olds with €100 to engage in cultural activities.
Inspired by similar schemes in Italy (€500), France (€150), and Spain (€400), she explains how culture minister Patrick O’Donovan and his department are actively seeking stakeholders and partners in relation to the card.
We hear what a group of 17-year-olds from Youth Work Ireland would use a cultural card for: Jazz and music festivals, museums, and even sporting events are noted. They point out how cost is indeed a barrier — with trips to Dublin, tickets, and travel often out of reach. They also point to a perception gap; many young people simply do not see museums, art, or smaller venues as being “for them”.
Kelly discusses the plan with one of its champions, Fianna Fáil TD Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere. He frames the culture card as “transformative”, helping to keep pace with European neighbours and signalling to young people that the Government actually cares about them. We also hear from venue owners and musicians who back the idea from the industry side. They say a culture card could tip decisions towards going to gigs, supporting emerging acts, and helping keep ticket prices within reach for younger audiences.
If it sounds like that’s a lot to take in from one 40-minute podcast episode - well, it is. It’s in-depth, well explained, and features a variety of voices. It wouldn’t sound out of place if it were syndicated to radio stations - and who knows, it might even force the issue on getting the youth culture card through the budget later this year.
A five-part series from BBC Sounds, this show pays tribute to the enduring legacy of ‘your favourite rapper’s favourite rapper’. Across 20-minute episodes, it traces MF Doom’s journey from Long Island to Leeds, where he spent his final years before his death in October 2020.
Featuring a specially composed soundtrack by Matt Helders and hosted by BBC 6 Music presenter Afrodeutsche and Adam Batty, the series covers the creative highs of DOOM’s career while building towards a deeply sad conclusion.
As Batty reflects near the end: “If he had been living in his own country, it might not have happened at all.”
