- 14
- Episodes
- 7
- Ratings
- Bi-weekly
- Cadence
- 2025
- First episode
About Black Horror Journal
Black Horror Journal is a podcast where creativity, Black History, and pop culture intersect with horror.
- Publisher
- Starr Rocque
- Category
- society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 8 Sept 2025
- Latest episode
- 2 Sept 2026
Latest episodes
14 episodes in the feed.
2 Sept 2026
A Brief Origin Story About The Saxophones Getting Louder
This is a brief episode exploring the origins of the "Saxophones Getting Louder" meme made popular using unnerving music from the 1991 film "Boyz N The Hood." It's being introduced to newer generations via social media. Saxophonist Kirk Whalum knew exactly what he was doing when he created the cacophony of riffs as the backdrop of a horrible scene in a classic movie. Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal) on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque)on Threads Listen & Subscribe Available on all major podcast platforms. Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts iHeartRadio SEO Keywords Saxophones getting louder, Boyz N The Hood, John Singleton, Kirk Whalum, Stanley Clarke Research https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw5A8t0Bt8W/ (https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw5A8t0Bt8W/) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101507/ (https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw5A8t0Bt8W/)
2 Jul 2026
Meet The Minds Behind 'The Ratchet Killer'
There's a new slasher in town, and for now, we know him as "The Ratchet Killer." Listen as I interview twin brother director duo Rasheed and Saeed Green, who independently created "Ratchet," a horror movie that takes viewers on a journey through an urban landscape with a unique twist. Here, they discuss the filmmaking process and how sometimes you may get caught up in something you're not morally aligned with, much to your detriment. Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal) on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque) on Threads Listen & Subscribe Available on all major podcast platforms. Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts iHeartRadio SEO Keywords Ratchet Movie, Rasheed Green, Saeed Green, The Urbans, Clifton Powell Ratchet Movie on IMDB (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31721184/)
3 Apr 2026
The Black Exorcist Drama: Abby Deserved Better
In this episode, we explore the legal drama that derailed "The Black Exorcist" and caused it to fall into obscurity until it resurfaced as "Abby," the story of a Christian woman possessed by a demon that ironically frees her, for a brief moment, from her life of being everything for everyone, possession through a patriarchal lens, and more. Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal)on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque)on Threads Listen & Subscribe Available on all major podcast platforms. Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts iHeartRadio SEO Keywords Abby 1974, The Black Exorcist, William Marshall, The Exorcist, Eshu Research "Abby" Full Movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvSwjBAYpp0&t=20s Eshu - Yoruba Orisha https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eshu https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/26/archives/screen-abby-about-a-black-family-and-exorcism.htm https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/28/movies/carol-speed-dead.html?searchResultPosition=1 (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/28/movies/carol-speed-dead.html?searchResultPosition=1) https://filmbunnies.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/abby-hoed-william-girdlers-abby-1974/ (https://filmbunnies.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/abby-hoed-william-girdlers-abby-1974/) https://www.dreadcentral.com/editorials/521122/abby-is-not-your-rip-off-of-the-exorcist/ Sugar Hill: Supernatural Payback x A Brief History Of Voodoo https://share.alivepodcastnetwork.com/sugar-hill-supernatural-payback-x-a-brief-history-of-voodoo
20 Feb 2026
Mantan Moreland: The First Black Person To Die In A Horror Movie
In this episode, we take a look at Mantan Moreland, who became the first Black person to die in a modern mainstream horror movie. Moreland has a complicated legacy rooted in vaudeville and as the poster child for Black stereotypes in cinema, but his death in 1968's "Spider Baby," was symbolic of Hollywood's, and by extension, the world's troubling relationship with Black Lives in real life, and on film. We also explore how the erosion of censorship under the Hays Code and the end of the Civil Rights Era played roles in his career as well. Black Horror Journal On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal) Listen & Subscribe Available on all major podcast platforms. Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts iHeartRadio SEO Keywords Mantan Moreland, Bamboozled, Spider Baby, Duane Jones, Night of the Living Dead, Vaudville, Spook, Coon, Minstrel, Horror Movies, Black Horror, Black Guy Dies First, Horror Movie Tropes, Black History, Cinema History, Hays Code, Censorship Research On The Film That Introduced the Trope Of The Black Guy Dying First (https://crimereads.com/on-the-1968-film-which-introduced-the-trope-of-the-black-guy-dies-first/#:~:text=In%20the%20early%20days%20of,like%20%E2%80%9CFeets%2C%20do%20yo%27%20stuff) The Hays Code (https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/censored/walkthrough/film1) Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Fought to Keep 'I Love Lucy' on Air Throughout Her Pregnancy (https://people.com/lucille-ball-could-not-say-pregnant-on-tv-11823942) Spider Baby (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI_497erdgk) Horror Noir: Blacks In American Horror From The 1890s To Present (https://www.amazon.com/Horror-Noire-Blacks-American-Present/dp/0415880203) 10 Horror Movies That Shaped Black Horror History (https://share.alivepodcastnetwork.com/10-moments-that-shaped-black-horror-history) Mantan the Funny Man: The Life and Times of Mantan Moreland (https://www.amazon.com/Mantan-Funnyman-Life-Times-Moreland/dp/188766470X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HLFRX3PS93X1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JH3YU8xOM0uL5asqq1Bywwu3Ooey6k2PWO5OPBFDnQMIScVh1bb09F3VCSzKt7Q_Q3yTV41FfPA-TpASZypiHLntxgVNLSqawezlaxQNYVygGJ-Kj8nrRz9dzRVdbvJl.oKPx-Jgsh-qkp9eK4kWiesdK19kBeOp52NdsISaa5Lo&dib_tag=se&keywords=mantan+moreland&qid=1771549331&s=books&sprefix=mantan+moreland+%2Cstripbooks%2C200&sr=1-1) The Black Guy Dies First (https://www.amazon.com/Black-Guy-Dies-First-Horror/dp/1982186534/ref=sr_1_1?crid=A1N3L6BKS5Q7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2xPh_ijmsJoSEutvWXAs-3c1KjesdM3KmMOtPeqLvqbTdwubNYCcrrUuetR_3tUtSDAS7P6Ct9wzRF-qrm0kj12lfAU3Wjk0LKZxzdQx3ZTp5K2YtNl_vLTYNpimfqwF.Ljf9Ztg-OZzntMTGzy7Bafbn3R83fwRHCa3ZD7YBt2w&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+black+guy+dies+first&qid=1771549394&s=books&sprefix=the+bla%2Cstripbooks%2C2584&sr=1-1)
17 Jan 2026
5 Horror Movies We're Looking Forward To In 2026
The five movies and/or TV/serieses that we're looking forward to watching this year include, "They Will Kill You," "Ratchet," "Night Patrol," and more.
2 Jan 2026
How Emmett Till's Lynching Inspired "The Twilight Zone"
Emmett Till takes a quick dive into how the lynching of Emmett Till in 1955 inspired then rising talent Rod Serling to create his iconic tv show, "The Twilight Zone." Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal)on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque)on Threads Listen & Subscribe Available on popular podcast platforms. Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts iHeartRadio Deezer PlayerFM Podcast Addict SEO Keywords Emmett Till, The Twilight Zone, Rod Serling, Civil Rights Era Research https://www.history.com/articles/emmett-till https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/early-run-censors-led-rod-serling-twilight-zone-180971837/ (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/early-run-censors-led-rod-serling-twilight-zone-180971837/) https://www.ithaca.edu/node/45197#:~:text=Born%20in%20Syracuse%2C%20New%20York,the%20golden%20age%20of%20television (https://www.ithaca.edu/node/45197#:~:text=Born%20in%20Syracuse%2C%20New%20York,the%20golden%20age%20of%20television). https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/arts/television/jordan-peele-twilight-zone.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/arts/television/jordan-peele-twilight-zone.html) https://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/2010/09/censorship-and-twilight-zone.html
16 Dec 2025
When Cicely Tyson Was Ebenita Scrooge
How "A Christmas Carol," the classic Charles Dickens Christmas ghost story spawned remakes and reimaginings in unexpected ways, including a version that starred Cicely Tyson as the first Black woman to play Scrooge. Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal)on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque)on Threads Listen & Subscribe Available on popular podcast platforms. Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts iHeartRadio Deezer PlayerFM Podcast Addict SEO Keywords A Christmas Carol, Cicely Tyson, Ebenita Scrooge, Ebony Scrooge, Vanessa L. Williams, A Diva's Christmas Carol Research https://www.history.com/articles/christmas-tradition-ghost-stories (https://www.history.com/articles/christmas-tradition-ghost-stories) https://www.jezebel.com/bah-herbug-a-history-of-female-scrooges-1793853705 (https://www.jezebel.com/bah-herbug-a-history-of-female-scrooges-1793853705) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694082/ (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694082/) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0270317/ (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0270317/) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130883/ (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130883/) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0642719/ (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0642719/) https://www.oxfordcastleandprison.co.uk/about/news/why-do-we-tell-ghost-stories-at-christmas/ (https://www.oxfordcastleandprison.co.uk/about/news/why-do-we-tell-ghost-stories-at-christmas/) https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/12/27/for-enslaved-people-the-holiday-season-was-a-time-for-revelry-and-a-brief-window-to-fight-back/ (https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/12/27/for-enslaved-people-the-holiday-season-was-a-time-for-revelry-and-a-brief-window-to-fight-back/) https://variety.com/1997/tv/reviews/ms-scrooge-1117329571/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9C4aaPDoYY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9C4aaPDoYY)
2 Dec 2025
Robert Johnson: The First Member Of The Illuminati?
In this episode, we delve into the story of real-life Mississippi Delta blues legend Robert Johnson. He was a man whose life was shrouded in mystery and folklore that alleges he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for extraordinary music skills. He also inspired the character, "Sammie," from Ryan Couglar's "Sinners." Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal)on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque)on Threads Listen & Subscribe Available on popular podcast platforms. Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts iHeartRadio Deezer PlayerFM Podcast Addict SEO Keywords Robert Johnson, Devil at the Crossroads, Blues, Blues History, Sinners, Mississippi Delta, Mississippi Delta Blues Black Horror Journal Episode 2 10 Moments That Shaped Black Horror History (https://share.alivepodcastnetwork.com/10-moments-that-shaped-black-horror-history) Research https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Johnson-American-musician (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Johnson-American-musician) https://magnoliatribune.com/2023/07/13/robert-johnson-the-man-myth-legend-and-legacy/ (https://magnoliatribune.com/2023/07/13/robert-johnson-the-man-myth-legend-and-legacy/) https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/06/music-monday-blues-robert-johnson-honeyboy-edwards/ https://www.americanbluesscene.com/robert-johnson-death-certificate/
17 Nov 2025
Welcome to Haintland
In this episode, I interview author and editor Margeaux Weston. Margeaux has written several history books, and she recently launched Haintland on Substack, where she writes spooky tales rooted in the Southern Gothic. Here, we chat about her plans for making Haintland a place where other speculative authors and speculative enthusiasts can contribute to the community, how to write a good scary story, what the heck a haint is, anyway, and more. Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal)on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque)on Threads @AuthorMargeaux (https://www.threads.com/@authormargeaux)on Threads Haintland.Substack.com (https://haintland.substack.com/) Listen & Subscribe Available on popular podcast platforms. Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts iHeartRadio Deezer PlayerFM Podcast Addict SEO Keywords Haint, Voodoo, Hoodoo, Black Horror, Jordan Peele, American Horror Story, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, Horror Writing
3 Nov 2025
Sugar Hill: Supernatural Payback x A Brief History Of Voodoo
In this episode, we explore the cult classic Blaxploitation horror, "Sugar Hill" (1974), its depictions of voodoo, and a quick history of hoodoo vs voodoo. Connect @BlackHorrorJournal (https://www.instagram.com/blackhorrorjournal)on Instagram @Starr_Rocque (https://threads.com/starr_rocque)on Threads Listen & Subscribe Available on all major podcast platforms. Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts iHeartRadio SEO Keywords Sugar Hill 1974, Marki Bey, Richard Lawson, Voodoo, Vodun, Hoodoo, Zora Neale Hurston, Blaxploitation, Black Horror, Jordan Peele, Blaxploitation Horror, Blaxploitation music. Research https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/multicultural/traditions/voodoo/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/claiming-space-when-happened-when-zora-neale-hurston-studied-voodoo-haiti/ (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/claiming-space-when-happened-when-zora-neale-hurston-studied-voodoo-haiti/) https://womenscenter.umbc.edu/post/92522/ https://people.duke.edu/~ldbaker/classes/gradtheory/Hurston-HoodooAmerica-1931.pdf
20 Oct 2025
Meet MultiMind
MultiMind is a self-published author whose latest book "The Harlequin" is a YA horror-themed book that explores themes of manipulation in romantic relationships, reimagines Tulsa, Oklahoma, and more. In addition to the book, she also chats queer representation in horror, grants for creatives, and more.
6 Oct 2025
The Him Episode
Did the demons in "HIM" give anyone else carnival and/or BAM DanceAfrica vibes? Anyway, this is my review of the movie. The Jordan Peele-produced, Justin Tipping-directed, and written movie is an allegory for what people are willing to sacrifice to become greats.
22 Sept 2025
10 Moments That Shaped Black Horror History
In this episode, we explore Black Horror History 101 by breaking down 10 moments in TV/Film history that shaped the genre. We look at stereotypes, tropes, triumphs in storytelling, and more.
8 Sept 2025
Octavia Butler Knew
In this inaugural episode of Black Horror Journal, host Starr Rocque discusses the brilliance of author Octavia Butler, how she predicted the chaotic times we are living in, and what listeners can expect on future episodes of Black Horror Journal.
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- 5.0 / 5
- 5 ratings
- Spotify
- 5.0 / 5
- 2 ratings
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