Mandalae Podcast
A Harlem-based podcast exploring fashion, culture, and entrepreneurship through conversations with local tastemakers and brand founders.
This is a street-level view of fashion and culture, told from a distinctly Harlem perspective. The show champions Black entrepreneurs and creatives, using a relaxed, conversational interview format to discuss everything from brand origin stories to opinions on the latest trends. It feels less like a formal interview and more like a candid conversation among peers in the community.
“The podcast's hyper-local Harlem focus and its championing of Black-owned fashion brands set it apart. Unlike broader fashion podcasts, its roots are firmly planted in a specific neighborhood's culture, giving it a unique voice and perspective.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Mandalae Shakur, this weekly podcast brings "Vibes" from Harlem, NYC, focusing on culture, lifestyle, and current events. The show features interviews with fashion experts, content creators, and entrepreneurs, delving into their origin stories, personal style, and the influence of Black culture on the fashion industry. Episodes are often recorded live from "The Bakery" in Harlem, creating a conversational and community-oriented atmosphere.
Credentials & credits
- Podcast Host
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02
- 03My Fav Brands: Coach, Zara, Bottega & Black Designers! #news #fashionJun 25, 2026 · 41s
- 04
- 05
- 06Vibe 78. "Add To Cart" Featuring @Cheesmalls (Live From Bakery Harlem)Jun 23, 2026 · 1h 00m
- 07
- 08Vibe 77. "Neighborhood Pop-Out" Featuring Black Fashion Brands (Live From Nordstrom)Jun 16, 2026 · 53 min
Notable episodes
- 01Vibe 78. "Add To Cart" Featuring @Cheesmalls
A representative in-studio episode that establishes the show's core themes of fashion as identity, Harlem culture, and the 'Add to Cart' catchphrase.
- 02Vibe 77. "Neighborhood Pop-Out" Featuring Black Fashion Brands
Showcases the podcast's on-location format and its mission to champion Black entrepreneurs, featuring rapid-fire interviews with multiple brand founders.
- 03Grandma's Style Lessons: From Christmas Clothes to Outfit Repeating!
A short, shareable clip that encapsulates the show's focus on the personal origins of style and family influence.
What you'll be asked on this show
Mandalae's style is conversational and direct, often opening interviews by establishing a guest's origins with a simple "Where are you from?". He then moves to their passion, asking questions like "What do you love about fashion?" before digging into their specific brand or career story. He uses a mix of foundational questions about entrepreneurship and craft, alongside more provocative, opinion-based prompts like "What's worse: fake designer or no swag?". A signature move is to drop in a seemingly unrelated, philosophical question about relationships near the end of the conversation.
Hosted by Mandalae, the show is a conversational interview format often recorded on-location, either at "The Bakery" in Harlem or at relevant events like a Nordstrom pop-up. The host frequently interacts with his off-camera crew, making the show feel like a group conversation. The tone is informal, using local slang and creating a vibe that is both relaxed and deeply rooted in its community.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
13 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“What's your name and where are you from?”
The standard opening to establish the guest's background and roots.
- Q.02
“What made you start your brand?”
A key question for entrepreneur guests to share their origin story.
mindset
3- Q.01
“What do you love about fashion?”
An early question used to tap into the guest's core passion and philosophy.
- Q.02
“What's worse: fake designer or no swag?”
A hypothetical choice used to reveal a guest's core style values.
- Q.03
“Who are people dressing for: men, other women, or social media?”
Probes the motivations and external pressures behind fashion choices.
craft
1- Q.01
“What separates your brand from other brands?”
Prompts guests to define their unique value proposition and identity.
culture
1- Q.01
“What separates Harlem fashion from other boroughs?”
A location-specific question that explores the show's central theme of regional culture.
money
1- Q.01
“What was the first product you ever sold?”
Used to ground the brand's origin story in a concrete first step.
trends
1- Q.01
“What's a fashion trend that needs to be left behind?”
A direct, opinionated question to get a guest's take on current trends.
advice
1- Q.01
“What advice would you give to young, up-and-coming entrepreneurs?”
A closing question that provides actionable takeaways for the audience.
future
1- Q.01
“What does success look like for you?”
Asks guests to define their personal and professional goals for the future.
relationships
1- Q.01
“Can a married person have a single best friend of the opposite sex?”
A signature non-fashion question dropped in to explore relationship philosophies.
personal
1- Q.01
“Have you ever bought an outfit just for pictures?”
A question to explore the guest's personal shopping habits and authenticity.
Signature segments
- · Host intro: 'Vibes with Mandalae, live from the Bakery'
- · Shouting out the crew (Chio, Comedy Coolga, Ron)
- · On-location interviews ('Outside')
- · Asking guests about relationship hypotheticals
- · The phrase 'Add to Cart'
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show books Black entrepreneurs, fashion founders, and cultural content creators, with a strong emphasis on those with roots in or ties to Harlem and NYC. Guests are typically there to share their brand's origin story and their personal philosophy on style.
- Chee Smallson Vibe 78. "Add To Cart" Featuring @Cheesmalls (Live From Bakery Harlem)
- Pusha Geezon Vibe 77. "Neighborhood Pop-Out" Featuring Black Fashion Brands (Live From Nordstrom)
- Amaari Barakaon Vibe 77. "Neighborhood Pop-Out" Featuring Black Fashion Brands (Live From Nordstrom)
- Belchezon Vibe 77. "Neighborhood Pop-Out" Featuring Black Fashion Brands (Live From Nordstrom)
- Cheo the Donon Vibe 77. "Neighborhood Pop-Out" Featuring Black Fashion Brands (Live From Nordstrom)
- Willie Escoon Vibe 77. "Neighborhood Pop-Out" Featuring Black Fashion Brands (Live From Nordstrom)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast appears to have brand partnerships, such as with Mishka Vodka, which is featured via product placement in some episodes. Given the focus on fashion and lifestyle, the show is a natural fit for brands targeting a culturally-savvy, urban audience interested in style and entrepreneurship.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host is Mandalae Shakur.
- What is Mandalae Podcast about?
- It's a weekly podcast from Harlem, NYC, that focuses on culture, lifestyle, fashion, and entrepreneurship, primarily through interviews with tastemakers and brand founders.
- What is the show's format?
- The show is a conversational interview series, often filmed with a live crew in-studio at 'The Bakery' in Harlem or on-location at events.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the podcast is listed as updating weekly.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The Mandalae Podcast is available on YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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