When you love a place for real, you’ll tout its beauty while shooting straight about its painful truths. City So Real is a series of conversations about life and work in Chicago, right now.
You’ll hear some names you know, but mostly voices you don’t know. Either way, you’ll get stories that contrast beauty and struggle from all walks of existence: laborers and artists, activists and inventors. Host Kevin Coval will introduce you to a lot of folks who do their work under your radar.
Kevin is a writer and filmmaker who emerged in the spoken word and hip hop scene of the ‘90s. He grew up on basketball courts and Chicago’s Red Line, and got hooked on the stories of the folks he met on the train and at his aunt’s seder table.
Join us as we listen to the stories of the people who make this city so real.
kevincoval.substack.com (https://kevincoval.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
There is something about the fitness of writing. The exercise of it. Paris Rosenthal (https://www.parisrosenthal.com) has crafted a life that is equal parts best-selling author and revered personal trainer.
In this convo, Kevin and Paris track the discipline of both lanes through the lens of loss and discovering the life you want most. The tangents are plenty as Paris recounts the experience co-writing a #1 New York Times best-selling children’s book with her mom, Amy Krouse Rosenthal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Krouse_Rosenthal). Plus, you’ll hear about Paris’ insightful self-defined college major.
Get full access to Kevin's Substack at kevincoval.substack.com/subscribe (https://kevincoval.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
9 Oct 2026
Ashok Selvam
This is a conversation about trusting your journey. Ashok Selvam (https://www.instagram.com/shokdiesel/?hl=en) is a James Beard award-winning food writer with a passionate vision for how stories should be gathered and shared.
In this convo, Kevin and Ashok get into the heart of why journalism is best served by empaths. You’ll hear about Ashok’s childhood journeys along Devon Avenue and his drive to support/create worker-owned businesses. Plus, we catch some of the straight up truths faced by first-gen Americans in Chicago.
Get full access to Kevin's Substack at kevincoval.substack.com/subscribe (https://kevincoval.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
30 Sept 2026
Larry Miller
This week we roll through the evolution of a sort of OG of hip hop culture and organizing in Chicago. Larry Miller (https://www.instagram.com/larznaturalog/)’s supreme talent as an MC is equalled by his drive to make space for others at the mic.
Over the past two decades he’s been filling even more rooms as a DJ all over the city. Larry has navigated all kinds of neighborhoods with his ears low to the ground, and his dad’s massive record collection playing in his head. This is a conversation about how being attuned to all cultures fuels community.
Get full access to Kevin's Substack at kevincoval.substack.com/subscribe (https://kevincoval.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
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