Unglossy
Is influence built through hard work—or shaped by the choices no one sees?
Hosted by hip-hop legend Bun B, music industry veteran Jeffrey Sledge, and brand strategist Tom Frank, Unglossy cuts through the noise to explore what really drives creativity, influence, and legacy. No rehearsed talking points. No brand-approved answers—just honest conversations with people who’ve built something real.
Unglossy brings you inside the minds of artists, athletes, founders, and cultural architects to unpack the grind behind the growth: the risks taken early, the setbacks that sharpened the work, and the discipline it takes to turn ideas into impact.
If you care about culture, music, business, branding, or how ideas spread when effort meets opportunity, this is your front-row seat.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow @UnglossyPod and join the unfiltered conversation.
Produced by Merrick Studios — where culture takes the mic.
Episodes
108 episodes
RE-RELEASE: Marcus Samuelsson
Originally released April 18, 2024"I recently stumbled across this podcast and specifically the episode with Marcus Samuelsson. So tasty. I love how he explains cooking through sound."- Leon G.Witness cultur...
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Season 6
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Episode 44
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58:50
RE-RELEASE: Keenan Scott II
Originally released March 21, 2025In this episode of Unglossy, Tom and Jeffrey sit down with Keenan Scott II, a prolific playwright, poet, actor, director, and producer from Queens, New York. Keenan delves into his artistic journey, begi...
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Season 6
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Episode 43
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58:05
Owen Hanson (The Cocaine Quarterback): Fame, Fallout & the Fight Back
This might be the wildest story we’ve ever told on Unglossy — and that’s saying something.This week, Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank sit down with Owen Hanson, better known as The California Kid or The Cocaine Quarterback. Once a U...
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Season 6
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Episode 42
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59:05
Trill in Real Time: Inside the Making of TrillStatik 5
This week on Unglossy, we get rare, front-row access to hip-hop happening in real time. Tom and Jeffrey go full fly-on-the-wall as Bun B and Statik Selektah build TrillStatik 5 from scratch—live, unannounced, and completely unscripted—during Ar...
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Season 6
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Episode 41
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1:10:03
Soufiane “Souf” Bernoukh: Humor, Hoops, and Holy Buckets
Tom Frank, Bun B, and Jeffrey Sledge sit down with Soufiane “Souf” Bernoukh — the mind behind Halal Wrist and one of the most original voices in sports entertainment today.Souf shares how a childhood full of jokes, a late start in basket...
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Season 6
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Episode 40
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48:18
Noochie: Roots, Reinvention, and The Power of the Porch
This week on Unglossy, Tom, Bun B, and Jeff pull up chairs with DC’s own Noochie—the mind, mic, and movement behind Live From the Front Porch. What starts as a freestyle on his stoop evolves into one of the most important new stages in contempo...
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Season 6
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Episode 39
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1:16:12
Greg Street: Culture, Connection, and the Code of the South
Before algorithms and playlists decided what we liked, DJs like Greg Street were the algorithm — breaking artists, building cities, and defining what hip hop felt like. In this episode, Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank sit down with the leg...
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Season 6
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Episode 38
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1:15:47
New Era Energy: VIBE Reloads + Two Mothers, One Aché Debuts
In this special drop, Tom, Jeff, and Bun B introduce Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue, a powerful new series from Merrick Studios about love, loss, and the courage to heal out loud. You’ll hear why this show matters, why it belongs on ou...
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Season 6
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Episode 37
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47:10
Unglossy x Comic Culture: Multiverse
A stretch limo, three kids on bikes, and Pete Rock’s block—by the time the crew steps out, half the neighborhood’s there. That’s the energy of this Unglossy crossover: Tat Wza, Mickey Factz, Pete Rock, Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Fr...
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Season 6
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Episode 36
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1:11:48
The Future Is Conversational: Cardi, Kimmel, and Football
No guest, no fluff—just Bun B, Tom Frank, and Jeffrey Sledge turning up the signal and turning down the noise. We kick off with what’s cooking at Merrick Studios (Unglossy, Mixed & Mastered, Our Love/Hate Relationship with Comic Culture, Pi...
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Season 6
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Episode 35
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1:14:00
Michael Ford: Blueprints, Beats, and Belonging
This week on Unglossy, Bun B, Tom Frank, and Jeffrey Sledge sit down with Michael Ford, The Hip Hop Architect—a designer using rhythm and rhyme to reshape skylines. From leading tThe Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx to launching the Hip Hop Architec...
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Season 6
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Episode 34
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58:28
Chris Shepherd: Houston, Hustle, and Taste
James Beard winner Chris Shepherd pulls up to Unglossy with Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank to talk real kitchen life—no foam, all flame. He traces the glide path from Tulsa dishwasher to Houston icon, why cooking clicked when school didn’...
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Season 6
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Episode 33
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1:13:01
Hawaii Mike: Culture, Cannabis, and Connection
On this episode of Unglossy, hosts Bun B, Jeffrey Sledge, and Tom Frank welcome Hawaii Mike, a creative force whose journey spans road managing Mobb Deep to editing at The Source. Today, he is the founder of Chef for Higher, w...
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Season 6
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Episode 32
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1:25:47
Chef Teach: Hustle, Heat, and House of Mac
Chef Teach (Derrick Turton) pulls up to Unglossy with Bun B, Tom Frank, and Jeffrey Sledge to chart a wild route from Luke Records and Pitbull’s early grind to Miami’s cult-favorite House of Mac. We get into the origin of that legendary mac &am...
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Season 6
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Episode 31
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1:15:38
Andre Reed: Part 2 – Grit, Greatness, and Growth
Hall of Fame wide receiver Andre Reed is back on Unglossy with Bun B, Tom Frank, and Jeffrey Sledge for Part 2 of our conversation. This time, the Bills legend opens up about life after football and the season ahead—mixing wisdom, humor, and a ...
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Season 6
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Episode 30
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54:40
Andre Reed: Part 1 – Respect, Resilience, and Results
Bun B makes it official as co-host of Unglossy, and we kick things off with a legend: Buffalo Bills icon and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Andre Reed. From a small-town kid in Allentown, Pennsylvania to four straight Super Bowl appearanc...
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Season 6
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Episode 29
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52:31
Bun B: Culture, Burgers, and the Real Trill
In this powerhouse episode of Unglossy, hip-hop icon and cultural heavyweight Bun B (aka Bernard Freeman) joins Thomas Frank and Jeffrey Sledge for a deep, funny, and wildly inspiring conversation that spans decades — and industries.Fro...
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Season 6
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Episode 28
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1:13:59
Keenan Scott II: Poetry, Passion, and Broadway Dreams
In this week's episode of Unglossy, Tom and Jeffrey sit down with Keenan Scott II, a prolific playwright, poet, actor, director, and producer from Queens, New York. Keenan delves into his artistic journey, beginning with his early passion for v...
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Season 5
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Episode 27
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58:05
Shawn Barron on Mixed and Mastered
On the debut episode of "Mixed and Mastered," Jeffrey Sledge sits down with A&R visionary Sean Barron to uncover the untold stories behind modern music’s biggest stars. From discovering Drake on MySpace to shaping hits at Atlantic Re...
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Season 5
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Episode 26
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16:15
Introducing Mixed and Mastered
Unglossy presents a new podcast from Merrick Studios.Mixed and Mastered is the podcast where the untold stories of the music industry come to life. Hosted by Jeffrey Sledge, a veteran music executive and former VP of A&R at Atlantic ...
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Season 5
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Episode 25
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1:36
TT the Artist: The Evolution of a Multimedia Creator
Grab your red hat and buckle up, because we’re diving headfirst into the unstoppable universe of TT the Artist—a visionary multimedia maestro who’s danced her way through both music and film with fearless creativity. In this episode, TT spills ...
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Season 5
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Episode 24
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1:07:11
Mitchell Jackson: A Story of Resilience, Hustle, and Art
Tom, Mickey and Jeffrey are back for a new season of Unglossy. In this compelling episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Mitchell S. Jackson opens up about his remarkable journey from the tough streets of Portland, Oregon, to becoming a celebra...
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Season 5
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Episode 23
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1:12:13
Troy White: World's Worst Bank Teller to Marketing Trailblazer
What if your worst job became the catalyst for a legendary career in global marketing? Join us as we unravel the incredible journey of Troy White, who went from being dubbed the worst b...
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Season 4
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Episode 22
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1:03:19
William "Classic" Thomas: Breaking Through Creative Commodification
Have you ever wondered why your favorite artists are struggling despite millions of streams? Creative work isn't always valued as it should be, especially in the digital age. Join us for a hilarious yet enlightening talk with William "Classic" ...
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Season 4
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Episode 21
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1:02:48
