Rephonic
Artwork for Higher Learning

Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay

The Ringer
Donald Trump
Democratic Party
Black Culture
Mental Health
Trump Administration
California
Diddy
Charlie Kirk
Tariffs
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Jeffrey Epstein
Drake
Artificial Intelligence
Jasmine Crockett
Stephen A. Smith
Sinners
Kendrick Lamar
Black Lives Matter
Reparations

Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes609Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Higher Learning

Latest Episodes

Fresh off a historic Democratic night, your favorite hosts are here to break it all down. Special guests Stacey Abrams and Shaniqua McClendon join Rachel and Van to talk elections till their faces turn blue. Plus, the gang opens up a new BBI investig... more

ATL, STAND UP! Higher Learning is taking over Atlanta for a special LIVE episode! With the midterm elections upon us, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock hits the stage to talk about what’s at stake for voters across the country. Then, things get wild wh... more

On today’s show, we are joined by U.S. Senate candidate for the state of Kentucky, Charles Booker. Plus, Rachel and Van discuss Stephen A. Smith’s personal clapback, streamer Hasan Piker sues CNN’s Scott Jennings, an Ohio pastor presents his second w... more

We have a special treat for you, Thought Warriors! Today we have the one and only F.D. Signifier in studio, as Van joins us from Chi-Town. Rachel, Van, and F.D. get into his humble beginnings as a teacher and small-time content creator, to his evolut... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Native Land Pod
Native Land PodiHeartPodcasts and Reasoned Choice
Ratchet & Respectable
Ratchet & RespectableDemetria L. Lucas
The Read
The ReadLoud Speakers Network
The Right Time with Bomani Jones
The Right Time with Bomani JonesPlaymaker and iHeartPodcasts

Recent Guests

Stacey Abrams
Author, entrepreneur, producer and political leader
Episode: Election Recap, Plus Stacey Abrams and Shaniqua McClendon Join the Show
Shaniqua McClendon
Senior vice president of politics at Crooked Media and political strategist
Crooked Media
Episode: Election Recap, Plus Stacey Abrams and Shaniqua McClendon Join the Show
Raphael Warnock
Georgia senator, pastor and author
United States Senate
Episode: Higher Learning LIVE in ATL! Senator Raphael Warnock, Deante Kyle & Big Kat, the First-Ever HL Draft
Deante Kyle
Co-host of Grits & Eggs
Grits & Eggs
Episode: Higher Learning LIVE in ATL! Senator Raphael Warnock, Deante Kyle & Big Kat, the First-Ever HL Draft
Big Kat
Co-host of Grits & Eggs
Grits & Eggs
Episode: Higher Learning LIVE in ATL! Senator Raphael Warnock, Deante Kyle & Big Kat, the First-Ever HL Draft
Charles Booker
Kentucky politician, attorney and community organizer running for the U.S. Senate
Hood to the Holler
Episode: Charles Booker joins the show, Hasan sues Scott Jennings and Stephen A. Smith claps back
F.D. Signifier
Video essayist and content creator who previously worked as a teacher and in juvenile justice.
Episode: F.D. Signifier Joins Higher Learning
Angie Nixon
U.S. Senate candidate in Florida; Democratic primary challenger
Angie Nixon for Senate
Episode: The Beautiful Women of ‘Living Single,’ Terrell Owens's Defamation Lawsuit, and Angie Nixon Joins the Show
Abdul El-Sayed
Physician and public health official running for U.S. Senate in Michigan
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate (Michigan)
Episode: The Cornell 7 Case, Eric Schmitt’s Basketball Blunder, and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Joins the Show

Hosts

Van Lathan
Media personality and political commentator
Rachel Lindsay
Attorney and television personality

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 16.7k ratings
  • Editing was a bit rough this episode

    The most recent episode has a lot of replay in sections, I have a feeling it’s because of the ads. Otherwise loved the breakdown of Soul Food relationship dynamics!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Jenni Nicole Morris
    United States13 days ago
  • Enjoy podcast . Audio was really low on latest episode

    I really enjoy the varied topics. Only complaint is audio was unusually low on Oct 20th ep. Even with volume at full volume

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    migt2007
    United States20 days ago
  • Great podcast

    Very informative and entertaining. Probably my favorite podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gipp715
    United States20 days ago
  • Please fix the audio levels!

    Volume of the pod (very quiet) vs volume of the ads (very loud) are vast. Please level this out, makes the pod unlistenable on most speakers and earbuds

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PainosaurusDeath
    United States20 days ago
  • Incredible

    Podcast Addict
    5
    aculanicki
    24 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some appreciate perspectives that challenge their thinking and bring new viewpoints to current issues.
Several listeners say Van can interrupt Rachel, dominate conversations, or ramble, and want more space for her contributions.
Some listeners object to particular takes or repeated topics, while others value the candid, wide-ranging format.
Listeners often praise the hosts' humor, chemistry, and mix of informative political and pop-culture discussion.
Audio levels draw recurring complaints, particularly when the spoken segments are quieter than the ads.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Charles Booker joins the show, Hasan sues Scott Jennings and Stephen A. Smith claps back
Q: Why do you reject the usage of the term defund the police, and as somebody holding the lever of power, what would you like to see policing be?
Booker says he advocates fully funding community safety, including prevention, accountability and partnerships with law enforcement, faith leaders and community groups. He argues police should not carry the entire burden of mental health response and other community needs.
Charles Booker joins the show, Hasan sues Scott Jennings and Stephen A. Smith claps back
Q: What are you doing this time to connect with Appalachian Kentuckians or those rural counties who voted for Trump?
Booker says years of consistent messaging have built trust, while rising living costs have made voters more receptive. He describes creating statewide campaign infrastructure and mobilizing tens of thousands of volunteers despite being outspent.
Higher Learning LIVE in ATL! Senator Raphael Warnock, Deante Kyle & Big Kat, the First-Ever HL Draft
Q: How should the Black community hold accountable public figures who flirt with MAGA, and better express the seriousness of the moment?
Warnock says Black people have always held differing opinions, but urges people to focus on organizing, registering voters and reminding their circles that voting matters.
Higher Learning LIVE in ATL! Senator Raphael Warnock, Deante Kyle & Big Kat, the First-Ever HL Draft
Q: Why is this election specifically so important?
Warnock says the election is a moral moment that will determine the country's character, and urges people to stand against corruption, bigotry and attacks on democracy.
Election Recap, Plus Stacey Abrams and Shaniqua McClendon Join the Show
Q: What is the brand of politics that should be endorsed and pursued by the Democratic Party?
McClendon says voters primarily want government to improve their lives, especially by addressing affordability and material needs. She argues that corporate money can obstruct effective policy and that Democrats should focus on delivering tangible results.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Higher Learning

What is Higher Learning about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay bring a candid, often opinionated perspective to conversations about Black culture, politics, sports, entertainment, and current events. Their twice-weekly discussions combine news analysis, personal stories, humor, and debate, with occasional disagreements between the hosts. Interviews add perspectives from elected officials, political organizers, journalists, athletes, activists, and creative professionals, who discuss topics such as voting rights, public policy, racial justice, sports activism, and the entertainment industry. The range is a distinguishing feature: electoral strategy and community issues sit alongside music, television, celebrity controversies, and lighter cultural conversation. Listeners loo... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Higher Learning?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Higher Learning. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Higher Learning and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Higher Learning get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Higher Learning, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Higher Learning?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Higher Learning, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Higher Learning have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Higher Learning has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Higher Learning?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Higher Learning:

1. The Ringer-Verse
2. Native Land Pod
3. Ratchet & Respectable
4. The Read
5. The Right Time with Bomani Jones

How many episodes of Higher Learning are there?

Higher Learning launched 6 years ago and published 609 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Higher Learning?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Higher Learning?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Higher Learning from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Higher Learning?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Higher Learning. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Higher Learning?

Recent guests on Higher Learning include:

1. Stacey Abrams
2. Shaniqua McClendon
3. Raphael Warnock
4. Deante Kyle
5. Big Kat
6. Charles Booker
7. F.D. Signifier
8. Angie Nixon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days