PBS SoCal’s OUTSIDE THE LYRICS Explores LA’s Subcultures Bridging Music and Creativity Premieres on YouTube Channel March 17
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Chelsea Grosbeck
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Select programming will also be available to stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App. Members of PBS SoCal get extended access with PBS Passport.
Los Angeles, Calif. – March 17, 2026 – PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS organization, announced today the second season of OUTSIDE THE LYRICS. Hosted by Robeson Taj Frazier, PhD, writer, multimedia producer and professor of media arts and culture at University of Southern California (USC), and Perry B. Johnson, PhD, music scholar, cultural historian and lecturer at USC. The series is presented in association with USC Annenberg's Institute for Difference and Empowerment in the Arts (IDEA), which explores the redemptive and transformational capacities of media, the arts and culture. The second season explores Los Angeles’ rich subcultures and their intersection with music through the people who shape them. In four locally produced episodes, they explore the history of basketball at Venice Beach, LA's listening bars and spaces inspired by Japanese kissaten culture, graffiti and visual art, and the powerful intersection of fashion, music and identity. New episodes will roll out weekly on PBS SoCal’s YouTube channel starting today on Tues., March 17 and will be available to stream for free on the PBS app and on pbssocal.org.
Visual Arts – Tues., March 17 – “Off the Wall”
Artist Patrick Martinez sits down with Robeson Taj Frazier to discuss how his origins as a graffiti writer in East LA continue to shape his artistic vision of Los Angeles. Explore how the bold aesthetics, techniques, materials and perspectives of hip hop and graffiti inform Martinez's now internationally-acclaimed artwork, offering a unique lens on the city's diverse communities and landscapes.
Basketball – Tues., March 24 – “Hooper’s Paradise”
Perry B. Johnson joins Nick Ansom, founder of Veniceball, Venice Basketball League and Hoopbus, to explore the intersection of basketball and music. She uncovers how the courts are a crossroad for athleticism, creativity and community. From streetball’s rhythms to the beats that soundtrack the game, discover how Venice Beach has fostered a unique cultural ecosystem where sports and music collide.
Fashion – Tues., March 31 – “Change Clothes”
Robeson Taj Frazier and Perry B. Johnson examine the relationship between fashion and music with two LA innovators. Designer/stylist Brea Stinson discusses working with popular artists, while GRAY founder Brandon Gray reveals how his upbringing in South Los Angeles influences his custom designs for celebrities. Discover how personal history and identity merge in the city's fashion-music dialogue.
Listening Communities – Tues., April 7 – “Deep Listening”
Robeson Taj Frazier and Perry B. Johnson explore the rise of listening spaces in Los Angeles, tracing their roots to Japanese kissaten culture. At Gold Line, Stones Throw Records founder, DJ Peanut Butter Wolf shares his vision for bars that bring people together through sound. At the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, an evening with In Sheep’s Clothing and Temporal Drift reveals the power of collective music appreciation and the cultural traditions that inspire LA's contemporary listening spaces.
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About PBS SoCal
PBS SoCaluses the power of public media for good, strengthening the civic fabric of Southern California and providing our community with an essential connection to a wider world. As a local, donor/member-supported non-profit organization, PBS SoCal is available to stream on the PBS app and the PBS Kids App and reaches nearly 22M viewers across 7 Broadcast channels — including 2 primary channels, PBS SoCal and PBS SoCal Plus and 5 digital subchannels. With a commitment to make content available anytime and anywhere for free, PBS SoCal offers programming that reflects the diversity of Southern California and showcases the full schedule of beloved and trusted PBS content spanning Education, News, Environment and Arts & Culture. PBS SoCal also sparks the sharing of ideas at in-person cultural events and community conversations as well as prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by bringing bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to the community for free.
About IDEA
IDEA explores the redemptive and transformation capacities of media, the arts, and culture, with specific attention to what they illuminate about identity, difference, and power. We organize and facilitate media, critical theory, and art-based interdisciplinary education, research, and programming. Learn more about us at: https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/idea