Listen up: The Basement Boyz Podcast break it down

SANDUSKY — People can listen to thousands of available podcasts. So what makes one originating in Sandusky stand out from the rest? "We say the things people are afraid to say," Brendarius Smith said. Smith along with Isiah "Zeke" Johnson and John Pace II make up a three-man team for the Basement Boyz Podcast. Each week, they meet at The Mohawk Studio on Wayne Street, record an episode and upload it to various digital platforms, which include iTunes, Spotify and, soon, YouTube. Johnson, who founded the podcast and welcomed fellow Sandusky High School graduates Pace and Smith as his co-hosts, categorizes the series "as a 'real' conversation between friends." "We each bring something different and unique to the podcast," Johnson said. "From the beginning, I wanted to create a group of people who could come together, as a collective, and have a creative space where we can share ideas and inspire other people to do the same thing," Johnson said. The episodes, each one can run as short as 40 minutes or as long as 90 minutes, focus on current events, entertainment, politics and the three R's: race, religion and relationships. No matter the topic, the three city residents boldly give their takes — sometimes comical, sometimes controversial — on these topics. For instance, during a recent episode, they spoke about: • The Grammys and how The Recording Academy snubbed black musicians from winning more awards • The coronavirus and how Pace learned, in a humorous fashion, he could continue drinking Corona beer without worrying about contraction • The tragic helicopter crash claiming nine lives, namely Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna; From this topic, Johnson posed a hypothetical question to himself and his co-hosts: "Would you rather know when you will die or when your significant other will die? "A lot of people are making statuses and tweeting (on social media), but actually putting your voice, image and words out there, on record, and letting the people know about your opinions, that's what it's all about," Johnson said. "Nobody from our area is doing anything like this. It's adding another level to the culture around here. Something like this is needed." The podcast also serves as a launching pad for Pace "Pohn tha God" and Smith "Bundy Smith." Both are recording artists going under their respective performance names. On Feb. 15, after a special podcast episode, both men will perform songs from their albums. Anyone can attend the concert, taking place at 7 p.m. at The Mohawk Studio. "All we are trying to do is create a community," Pace said. "Whether it's you listening to our music or the podcast, we want people to enjoy what we're putting out." Johnson's goals run in sync with his co-hosts' ambitions. "I really just want the podcast to grow and make this a national platform," Johnson said. "Plus I want others to also start podcasts. The more we have in the area, the better it will be for us, as a culture, and the industry."