Ang, 24, has her own podcast titled ANGCODE, which as a listener, I learn something new or look crazy in public laughing really loud to myself. She resides in Lynn, Massachusetts and touches on hard topics alongside her special guests. I got the chance to speak with her about her background, we touched on Charlamagne Tha God’s Ignorance, and what a great weekend with her is like.

 

Describe your show in three words:

Bold, Funny, Unapologetic.

What’s your favorite thing about having your own podcast?

My favorite thing about having my own podcast is that I love talking and sharing my experiences with people, I love hearing people share their experiences with me, I love sharing my opinions about shit, and I love making people laugh. It’s kind of a sense of community, and I love the support that I get. I never realized how many people are in my corner and how much support I had until I like started this podcast. I love how people see things in me that I didn’t see in myself.

That’s the best feeling yo!

Yeah, I love having my own podcast. I love hearing that people that I don’t even know fuck with me, thats the shit! There was one time, I went to this bar and I’m with my homies, his name is Boogie, and I’m sitting with Boogie and the waitress comes over. I could tell she wanted to tell me something, then finally near the end of the night, she was like “are you Angcode?” and I was like “Yes”. She was like “I love your podcast, I listen to your podcast and I really love what you do. I think you’re so funny and I didn’t want to be awkward and ask you at first! I think that you’re really inspiring.” Her saying that to me made my entire week. Just like little moments like that, where people I don’t even know are listening to what I have to say and I’m making you think about certain things or challenging how you think, especially making people laugh or entertaining you in any type of way. I really love that!

Can you recall a memorable guest on Angcode?

There’s been so many [guest] that I really appreciate and I love that were on my show. I think the most memorable one was Queen’s Company. They’re an amazing group of women from Boston who host events about women empowerment. So much enlightenment and laughter, [overall] just positive vibes. I love being around women who are powerful, unapologetic, and empowering. They were all of that and more… The energy was crazy, it was great.

What is your favorite moment during a show?

We had a conversation about robot sex, before the robot sex was trending on social media. Someone briefly mentioned it on social media, I was on twitter and I went off with it. I put it on the show, and I promise you–I’m not saying that I blew it up, but a couple weeks later, the conversation started becoming a “thing”. I felt like that conversation was hilarious! Also, talking about my dog and a dildo, that was hilarious.

How do you engage with your listeners? 

I use Twitter; Twitter is one of my biggest platforms, I have a hashtag, #angcode. That’s where people quote things we said on the show and that’s how I encourage people to share their thoughts. If you dislike what I said on the show I encourage listeners to use the hashtag so I can see it. Twitter is where you can share your thoughts, you can type out what you’re thinking.

So far, you are about twenty episodes in. It seems as though you’re a natural at the whole podcast thing. Would you ever take up radio?

Yeah, I would love to take up radio. I actually want to take it a step above radio, I really admire Desus and Mero. The Bodega Boys! So raw and so unapologetically themselves! I would love to be on TV, that’s where I would love to be. Would I love to be on radio? Yes, I would love that too. Shit, I just want people to hear that I have to say, because I have so much shit to say and I wanna make people laugh. Whatever is in my path, I’ma let it come into my life!

Yes, speak it into existence! What’s your pre-show ritual? What is it that you do to get it all out so you could have all that energy?

I just jam out, I’ll go on Twitter to see what’s trending, I’ll go on the Shaderoom to see what’s up; but yeah, I jam out take a couple hits, maybe a shot or two and laugh with my friends.

I can tell that you’re a proud Dominican, Do you identify as a Afro-Latina? If so, Why?

It’s interesting that you asked me, I do identify as an Afro-Latina. You know, a lot of Dominicans don’t really acknowledge their blackness. The reason I identify as an Afro-Latina is [that] I know that you could see my lips, my curves, my hair… they’re not Eurocentric traits. I am very aware of my blackness and I kinda became aware in college. I wish I knew about Afro-Latinidad sooner in my life, because growing up I never knew about it and I didn’t identify as Black or as an Afro-Latina.

What does it mean to you as an Afro-Latina to have a platform like your podcast?

As an Afro-Latina to have a platform it feels good. I like to be able to use it to interview other people, to help people learn about me, and learn about people that are like me. I’ve had conversations on there before about my blackness. Actually, this reminds me of another episode I had with a guest, his name is Josh Odam and he had a brand called “Free Negro University’’. We talked about Latinos using the “N” word. I loved that episode, a lot of people reached out to me because of that episode— because I was able to use my platform and talk about some real shit.

 

 

I listened to your thoughts on the Charlamagne Tha God/Amara La Negra interview. I definitely agree with you, and you were really saying some real shit. If Charlamagne Tha God was in front of you, regarding the interview, what would you say to him?

If Charlamagne Tha God was in front of me, I would tell him:

“I see your worth ethic, you’ve come a long way, and I feel like you’re better than that. You are better than coming into an interview and being the way that you were. Even though I know that there are certain things you need to say and do to get those plays, but it doesn’t mean that you need to belittle a community. Especially a community thats trying to consistently be validated.”

There are some things that he says that are problematic, and that’s just part of who he is. Cool keep doing you, but like there’s a difference between playing devil’s advocate and just being kind of disrespectful. The way he was going about it was just disrespectful. It was kind of like he was taking away any validity from what Amara was saying, it was kind of like bashing anyone who identifies as that [Afro-Latino].

I also feel like he was trying to make her seem crazy, like as if she was “complaining” and being “annoying”.

Yeah! He was saying things that were irrelevant. Like, he brought up Cardi B… He just completely decided to ignore the fact that colorism exists. Not only here in America, in the Black community, but also in the Latino community… Colorism is alive and it’s thriving. I just feel like he could’ve done a little bit of research before. Even still, if he wanted to play devil’s advocate he could of spun it a different way rather than come at her neck.

What would you say to Amara La Negra?

She held it down! She carried herself with class and at the same time kept it funky; keeping it real with Dj Envy as well, with everybody. I think that I would tell her:

“Thank you for representing!”

I also want to acknowledge the fact that I am light skinned, like I’m not someone who is dark skinned like Amara. Amara is out here representing for all of us in the Latinx community and especially for women who have dark skin. I hope she continues to use her platform to speak out against colorism and to defend herself against the Charlamagne Tha Gods out there.

Do your family members listen? What were their thoughts?

No, my immediate family, my mom and dad they don’t listen to it. You know I talk a lot about sex on it. There’s a lot of sex talk on it!  There’s a lot of things that are controversial, my parents don’t need to know about this. My mom doesn’t even speak English, so she’s alright. They do know that I host shows, and they know that I love doing that, they know that I love being in front of people. My siblings are supportive of me and I have some cousins who listen to it. My parents, they come from an old-school generation, they don’t need to know everything that I’m talking about!

I feel you! Listen, my dad definitely doesn’t need to know what I do on Saturday’s! 

[Both Laugh] Exactly!

What are Ang’s three pet-peeves?

Don’t ignore me! If I do something wrong, just tell me ! I’m very in your face, I am confrontational sometimes because I want to get to the bottom of things. I just want there to be some communication, like I can’t do passive aggressiveness, and I can’t do silent treatments!

When men and women, I don’t just roll with guys! I’ll be honest with you, but specifically men, I hate it when they have no consideration for a woman who’s gonna have sex with them. If I’m gonna have sex with you, please make sure you do a “scrub-a-dub-dub”![both laugh]

Or just be fucking prepared!

Like don’t be musty! There are some people that I’m just like “C’mon, you don’t care about me! Why would you do this to me!?”. I be taking it for the team, I eventually get over it, but c’mon take a shower before I get there!

I’ll even wait in your room while you in the shower…

[both laugh]

Cigarettes. Please don’t smoke cigarettes around me. I don’t like it, I don’t like the smell of it! Cigarettes are nasty, don’t do it to yourself people!

What’s a fun weekend with Ang?

I love hanging out with my homegirl Ami and Bry. We just be going out and shaking ass! Friday night, I would go to a bar, I would go to GoodLife and shake ass. I love getting smacked— not physically smacked—[both laugh]

Yeah, I know.

I love getting smacked, listening to music, vibing, and meeting new people. I love eating Ethiopian food, Ethiopian food be rocking. If it’s summer time, I’d go to the beach, I love being by the water. It calms me down, it brings me energy, it refocuses my shit. If I get a couple drinks in me, I could stay there all day! An ideal fun weekend with me would beach at the day time, and shaking ass in the night time !

Aye, I hear that! Where’s your favorite club to get low at?

Honestly, I be getting so turnt at Cure and Venue. Those two clubs… I. Be. Getting. Smacked. It’s in Boston.

I think I’ve been to Venue before, I’m not sure…

They’re a fun time! When I got to a club, I try not to be the driver so that I could get smiggity-smacked! One of my go-to spots is Good Life; Good Life in Boston, when it’s a good DJ, I just be vibing there, but when I wanna get low and drop it to the floor— oh how can I forget this! Hong Kong! Hold up, rewind! This place called Hong Kong, if I wanna get it low, shake my ass and not have to wear heels! Hong Kong, when you go with your group of friends and it’s a good crowd! I ripped my pants there one time! I didn’t have underwear on and my homegirl Kelsey— shout out to Kelsey— took the shirt of her back so I could tie it around my waist and I continued to shake ass. Hong Kong!

Your favorite songs out right now?

I love Miguel! He’s having a concert in Boston and I just bought meet and greet tickets, so I’ma meet him! I saw him in concert one time, it was like a outer body experience. I love him.

God’s Plan by Drake! “I only love my bed and my mom, I’m sorry!” When that line comes on, I restart the track and replay it like five times!

There’s a song, it’s actually number one in the Dominican Republic right now. It’s by Bad Bunny “Amorfoda” it’s blowing the fuck up right now. That’s my shit, I be singing it from the bottom of my heart.

Where can we find you ? (Social media)

You can find my podcast on Soundcloud, you can find it on the Apple Podcasts app, and I’m working on getting it on to Spotify. You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.