E2- Why Romance Needs to Come Back | with Hak Baker
7/1/20261 hr 12 min
What if romance wasn't just about falling in love?
In this conversation of the Wodcast, musician, songwriter and poet Hak Baker joins Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans for a wide-ranging exploration of romance, brotherhood, community and the courage it takes to change.
Together they discuss the forgotten meaning of romance, why transformation is rarely a solitary act, and the idea of slaying the dragon within - the lifelong battle to confront our fears, ego and destructive patterns. Through stories of growing up in East London, finding his voice through music, and building communities rooted in care, Hak reflects on how real change begins not only within ourselves, but in the people who walk alongside us.
In a world that often celebrates independence above all else, Hak offers a different vision: one where friendship, creativity and shared responsibility become the foundations for a more hopeful future.
This episode is an invitation to rediscover romance, not as an ideal, but as a way of living, creating and changing together.
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Topics include:
- The forgotten meaning of romance
- Brotherhood and community
- Slaying the dragon within
- Personal and collective transformation
- Music, creativity and storytelling
- Growing up in East London
- Friendship, belonging and resilience
- The power of human connection
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Trunk Clothiers
https://www.trunkclothiers.com/
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Next Wednesday at 7pm GMT Benjamin and Mabel will go live on Substack for 30 minutes to reflect on the episode, and share some writing prompts using Haks ‘weight- baring’ words. Join them there, to share your comments, thoughts and connect with other listeners.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsBenjamin Aston· Host0:00
[birds chirping] [hammer tapping] [gentle music] Welcome to the WordCast.
Mabel Evans· Host0:06
Where we explore the power and beauty of words.
Benjamin Aston· Host0:09
We're your hosts. I'm Ben.
Mabel Evans· Host0:13
And I'm Mabel.
Benjamin Aston· Host0:14
And today, we have the joy to sit down with musician and poet Hak Baker.
Mabel Evans· Host0:19
Let's get into the words. So Hak Baker.
Hak Baker· Guest0:24
Hey.
Mabel Evans· Host0:25
Thank you for joining us at the WordCast, where we explore the power and beauty of words.
Hak Baker· Guest0:29
Lovely. I'm happy to be here.
Mabel Evans· Host0:31
It's a delight to have you. So your music, it defies genre. It takes us to a punk edge. It has the soulful reflection of folk.
Hak Baker· Guest0:39
Mm.
Mabel Evans· Host0:39
The raw energy of rap- Mm ... and grime.
Hak Baker· Guest0:41
Mm.
Mabel Evans· Host0:42
And the way you wield words to create entirely new emotional, complex landscapes is just remarkable, so we are so excited to dive into words with you today.
Hak Baker· Guest0:52
Well, that's quite the entrance, so I really appreciate that.
Mabel Evans· Host0:55
Well deserved, Hak.
Hak Baker· Guest0:57
[laughs] Thank you. Thank you.
Mabel Evans· Host0:58
Um, so our first question is what is your word of the day?
Hak Baker· Guest1:02
My word of the day is, uh, shenanigans. Shenanigans, yes, one of my favorite words. Feel it, like, uh, describes me and my friends and my circle for the past 25 years, I'd say. It's always been shenaniganful, yeah, so I'd say that's my word of the day, yeah.
Mabel Evans· Host1:22
Do you know where shenanigans comes from?
Hak Baker· Guest1:24
It feels, it feels like Old English. It feels fun. It