The Beat with Ari Melber

April 13, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Ari Melber reports on new fractures in President Trump's MAGA base as he feuds with the Pope. Semafor's Margaret Carlson joins. Plus, MS NOW’s Jason Johnson and Middle East Institute senior fellow Brian Katulis break down the latest developments in the Iran war.

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BONUS: Top Republicans are attacking what they call “woke” politics, and even passing laws designed to “stop” a supposed woke agenda. The singer who first brought that concept to the culture, in “Master Teacher,” Erykah Badu, reflects on social justice, culture and “woke politics” today – one of several topics the four-time Grammy winner tackles in this extended discussion with MSNBC anchor and music obsessive Ari Melber. Badu discusses her singing, deep links to hip hop, personal evolution, spirituality and approach to the music industry and business in general, including her new cannabis line with “Cookies.” She also reacts to earlier moments and videos from her career, and engages with an “assessment” of her work that an artificial intelligence chat bot generated by drawing on public writings about her music and its message. This in-depth discussion is the newest installment of “Mavericks with Ari Melber,” a series of interviews with artists, musicians and cultural icons (Aired in 2023)

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April 10, 2026; 6pm; The U.S. is preparing for a new round of peace talks in Pakistan. MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports on the latest developments in the Iran war and is joined by Max Boot, a senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Plus, Melber delivers a special report on AI, labor, and humanity, and is joined by The Atlantic’s Thomas Chatterton Williams and Jelani Cobb, dean of Columbia University’s School of Journalism.

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April 9, 2026; 6pm; President Trump lashes out, issuing new threats toward Iran despite the current ceasefire. Plus, Melania Trump makes a rare public statement, denying any association with Jeffrey Epstein or knowledge of his crimes. And, hear MS NOW's Ari Melber's special report on Jay-Z’s legendary career.

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In this podcast extra, news anchor and music journalist Ari Melber delivers a special report on Jay-Z’s life & career, drawing on the rapper’s dense lyrics, his classic albums “Reasonable Doubt” and “The Blueprint,” and original reporting on the history, culture and politics informing how those albums resonate today — amid their anniversaries and the Yankee Stadium shows. From New York’s poverty and crime in the 1990s to today’s promises of a better future by tech and business elites, the report probes the rigged stakes and double standards facing working people and hip hop. Melber has reported extensively on hip hop on his program, “The Beat,” including a 2022 breakdown of a Jay Z verse that the rapper released as “Hov Did.”

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