FRESH AIR Weekend: Best Of – Jill Scott / Riz Ahmed (Aired March 28, 2026)

Episode Overview

This Fresh Air Weekend episode, hosted by Tonya Mosley, features two in-depth interviews with acclaimed musician Jill Scott and actor-creator Riz Ahmed. Jill Scott discusses her return to music with her first album in a decade, her artistic roots, and formative influences, while Riz Ahmed explores the personal and cultural inspirations behind his new spy series "Bait" and his modern reimagining of "Hamlet." Both conversations delve into themes of identity, authenticity, and navigating public versus private selves in their respective industries.

Interview 1: Jill Scott – On Legacy, Roots, and Returning to Music

Key Themes & Discussion Points

• New Album & Hiatus

  • Jill Scott released "To Whom This May Concern," her first new music in a decade.
  • The single "Pressia" (03:53) explores themes of being pressured to conform, secrecy in relationships, and the pain/strength of authenticity.
  • Jill speaks on taking a break: “It was a mix of living life, trying to find my way back... I’ve always loved writing, from the first time I read Nikki Giovanni’s poetry.” (06:30)

• Literary Influences: Nikki Giovanni

  • Discovery of Nikki Giovanni at age 12 or 13 was transformative (06:41–07:04).
  • Inspired Scott’s songwriting and poetry: “She made the ordinary so beautiful… it was the place you wanted to be.” (07:04–07:23)
  • Plays a track, “Ode to Nikki,” in homage to Giovanni’s style and impact (07:31–08:26).

• Family & Upbringing in North Philadelphia

  • Raised by her mother and grandmother in a multi-generational, matriarchal home.
  • “Full of love and humor. My mother and grandmother competed for my attention… through humor, sometimes.” (10:29)
  • Her grandmother instilled spirituality; her mother modeled resourcefulness and independence—fighting to fix up their home and provide opportunity (12:27–13:56).
  • A house full of music: “My mother’s music was very rooted in womanhood… My grandmother’s music was very rooted in Jehovah, God. My music was rooted in verses, Hip hop, storytelling.” (14:17–14:52)

• Growing Into Music & Performance

  • Discovered joy in singing and writing from a young age. Public acknowledgment began with a memorable ninth-grade performance of “Theme from Mahogany.” (17:26–18:25)
  • “Something shifted… I finished the line and then silent. And then that was it. That was the moment. Like, oh, you like it too.” (18:25)

• Breakthrough & Artistic Community

  • Emerged from Philadelphia’s spoken word scene; discovered by Questlove at a poetry reading (19:19–19:51).
  • Story behind writing “You Got Me” for The Roots: “All happened in one day... I sang the words, recorded it, and then forgot about it.” (21:13–21:57)
  • Reaction to hearing Erykah Badu singing her words: “That’s Erykah Badu. I made it.” (22:38) Initially surprised, then recognized the magnitude: “Erica will tell you herself, she doesn’t sing anybody else’s music. I didn’t know that… This is a door.” (23:06)

• Mentorship & Lessons from Legends

  • On giving advice to younger artists: “I’ve learned when somebody wants something from you, you give them a task. If they handle the task and do it well, you can proceed.” (24:32–25:07)
  • Memorable encounter with Aretha Franklin: “She said, ‘Go to the corner and get me two hot dogs with cooked onions and mustard.’ And I went, yes… I had the number one album at the time.” (25:36–25:56) Takeaway: Humility and earning your stripes.

• Embracing “Auntie” Role

  • Now values guiding others through a combination of compassion and tough love: “Wherever I can help, I am into it… I like this. This is the auntie portion. She’s a little tougher and I like that part.” (24:28–26:44)

Memorable Quotes

• “I could smell the lotion between my grandmother’s legs when she would braid my hair. When I read Nikki Giovanni, I love that. I want to write like that.” – Jill Scott (06:43)
• On Aretha Franklin’s request: “I think I had the number one album in the country at that time. Yes. And I went to the corner and I got those hot dogs and I brought them back… I don’t even think she ate them.” – Jill Scott (25:36)
• “There’s nothing wrong with being mature. There is nothing wrong with growing up.” – Jill Scott (26:45)

Key Segments (Timestamps)

• [03:53] “Pressia” single excerpt and discussion
• [07:31] “Ode to Nikki” track
• [10:29] On growing up in a multigenerational household
• [17:26] Realizing her singing talent
• [19:19] Meeting Questlove and breakthrough moment
• [25:36] Aretha Franklin story and its meaning

Interview 2: Riz Ahmed – On Bait, Belonging, and Reimagining Hamlet

Key Themes & Discussion Points

• “Bait” – Concept and Personal Roots

  • New series “Bait”: British Pakistani actor Shah Lateef auditions to become James Bond, triggering both personal and public upheaval.
  • Ahmed drew explicitly from his own experiences: “The week it got revealed I was in Star Wars… I got banned from my local supermarket for suspected shoplifting… I’m not shoplifting. I’m Star Wars man!” (36:14–36:42)
  • Examines how public personas and private realities collide: “Life sometimes feels like one big audition… the gap between that public self and the messy vulnerability of our private selves is often huge.” (31:01)

• Symbolism of James Bond

  • Bond as an unattainable archetype: “He is the ultimate symbol of success… decisiveness, desirability, being in control, unflappable, invulnerable. In chasing this symbol, is he abandoning himself?” (32:30–33:51)

• Title “Bait” and Its Multiple Meanings

  • The single word encapsulates themes of being visible, loyalty, cultural ties, home, internet trolling, and the protagonist being lured or trapped: “Only in retrospect we realize… we accidentally stumbled on the perfect title.” (39:06–40:12)

• Reimagining Hamlet

  • Inspired to adapt Hamlet after connecting with the text as an outsider: “It didn’t feel like an antiquated piece to me. If you put it in my community, in my experience, this is right now.” (42:28)
  • The classic soliloquy “To be or not to be” reinterpreted as an act of resistance: “It’s about fighting back against oppression, even if you lose everything. It’s a dangerous idea.” (46:49–48:00)
  • Use of rhythm and rap influence: Ahmed likens Shakespeare to music and rap, “In the same way when I listen to rappers, I don’t know what they say the first time around, but I’m totally rapt, engaged, I feel it emotionally. It’s the same way… Your first experience of this thing is supposed to be like music.” (48:26–49:55)

• Pirate Radio and Early Creative Roots

  • Grew up immersed in London’s vibrant, multicultural musical scene: “Pirate radio station culture was everywhere… MCs on microphones broadcasting from the roofs of housing projects locally.” (51:08)
  • The skills of performance and improvisation acquired from this culture translated directly into his confidence as both a rapper and an actor. (52:30–53:13)

Memorable Quotes

• “Life sometimes feels like one big audition… but actually, the gap between that public self and the messy vulnerability of our private selves is often huge.” – Riz Ahmed (31:01)
• “It’s about fighting back against oppression… It’s a dangerous idea, actually. It can get you arrested, you discuss that openly to this day.” – Riz Ahmed (47:00)
• On Shakespeare: “Your first experience of this thing is supposed to be like music. You didn’t catch all of the words, but… you receive an electric charge of rhythm and melody and musicality, just like rap music.” – Riz Ahmed (48:26)

Key Segments (Timestamps)

• [29:44] On fasting and cultural identity during auditions ("It's the Holy Muslim month, Ramadan...")
• [36:14] "Star Wars man" supermarket story (public/private contrasts)
• [39:06] Deconstructing the title “Bait” and its layers
• [40:28] Encountering Hamlet as a teen and recognizing its relevance
• [45:27] To be or not to be – radical reinterpretation and performed excerpt
• [48:26] Shakespeare as music; hip hop’s influence on his delivery
• [51:08] Pirate radio and creative beginnings in London

Notable Moments

• Jill Scott recounting performing errands for Aretha Franklin at the height of her own fame, a lesson in humility and "earning your stripes". (25:36)
• Riz Ahmed telling his “Star Wars man” supermarket story, highlighting the absurd juxtaposition of fame and daily life (36:14).
• Jill Scott and Tonya Mosley discussing the importance of mentorship, generational wisdom, and embracing one's own role as a guide to others (24:28–26:44).
• Riz Ahmed reframing Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy as a call to resistance, not surrender (46:49–48:00).

Summary Takeaway

This double feature of FRESH AIR Weekend offers a rich exploration of artistic identity, resilience, and the complex negotiation between public expectation and private authenticity. Whether through Jill Scott’s lyrical exploration of self and community or Riz Ahmed’s genre-bending, personally-rooted storytelling, both interviews are testaments to the enduring power of creative voices who honor the past while pushing boundaries in the present.