A '90s Philly Childhood: Nintendo with Grandma & Black History with Police Officer Dad – Rob (Pt 1)

Welcome to the Season 4 premiere of Cultureful! To kick off our new season exploring family identity, family rituals, and personal history, host Jess Lin sits down for a two-part conversation with Rob—a Black American writer, DJ, professor, journalist, and host of the Plants and Beats podcast. Watch video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/X8qda5EisrQ  In Part 1, we step into young Rob’s inner world in 1990s Philadelphia. Rob shares how childhood family traditions—like playing Tetris and Game Boy with his grandmother and walking to the corner store—shaped his early life. We also explore the complex family dynamics of his upbringing, from his mother's accountability standard to the deep lessons on racial identity, safety, and local Black history passed down by his father, a former police officer. ---------- In this episode, we cover: Grandmother & Family Rituals: The contrast between his father's memories of a strict disciplinarian and Rob’s warm bond playing Nintendo, cards, and running daily errands together. Growing Up in 90s Philly: Row home culture, street sports, and navigating inner-city life. Black Consciousness & Fatherhood: Lessons on racial identity, police encounters, and why toy guns weren't allowed at home. Unspoken History: Historical context on Philadelphia's 1985 MOVE bombing. Early Dreams: From aspiring meteorologist to discovering a passion for creative writing and dreaming to be an athlete. ---------- Episode Links & Resources Listen to Rob's podcast, Plants and Beats. OUT NOW! Listen to Jess’ interview on Plants and Beats on Cultureful’s backstory and her disability and fertility journeys. Check out our Latinx Voices Collection playlist for Latinx Heritage Month!  Book Mentioned:When Black Meets Blue (Memoir by Rob's father Connect with Rob: IG @byrobbell @plantsxbeats and @al0efi Part 2 drops next week—follow or subscribe so you don't miss it. ---------- Credits Produced and edited by Jess Lin. Executive production support by Ruben Gnanaruban. Support the show ---------- Join the Cultureful Neighborhood: 🌐 Our Hub: Linktr.ee 📩 Host Notes & Reflections: Newsletter Sign-up 📺 Watch on YouTube:  YouTube Channel 💖 Support the Show: Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi 📸 Connect and Comment on Instagram: @thecultureful