Peripheries in Podcasting: A Rapper Against the Journalistic Flow

This study examines the politically engaged interview podcast Mano a Mano , hosted by Brazil's most popular rapper, Mano Brown. Through qualitative content analysis, the research investigates how Brown leverages his celebrity capital to propel debates from the perspective of peripheral communities. By challenging journalistic norms of objectivity and neutrality, the podcast creates a space to amplify underrepresented voices and topics. Brown's personal accounts and subjective approach fosters emotional connections with his audience through intimate, conversational interviews with a diverse range of guests, including politicians, artists, academics, and religious leaders. The study highlights how Mano a Mano incorporates elements of confessional journalism, building empathy while addressing issues such as social, racial, and gender injustice. Additionally, it situates the podcast within the broader context of decolonial approaches, emphasizing its role in amplifying peripheral voices and challenging dominant media narratives. The podcast's conversational chat-based format allows an intimate experience that transcends traditional radio's limitations, offering new possibilities for storytelling and audience engagement. Mano a Mano exemplifies the counter-narrative potential of podcasting and contributes to the evolving political and social discourse of Brazil's peripheries.