Ice Cube and Mike Epps are bringing their on-screen brotherhood off the porch and into your earbuds. The two entertainers have launched Listen & Laugh, a new podcast that draws directly from their chemistry as Craig and Day-Day in the Friday film franchise — and, according to Cube, from their real-life dynamic as well.
A Friendship That Started on Set
The pair first shared the screen in Next Friday in 2000, with Ice Cube reprising his role as Craig and Epps stepping in as his cousin Day-Day [1]. More than two decades later, that working relationship has evolved into something the duo is now ready to share publicly. In a YouTube comment following the trailer drop, Ice Cube wrote that "people will see that me and Mike relationship is very similar to [our Friday characters] Craig and Day Day but in real life" [1].
That personal connection is baked into the show's visual identity as well. The podcast set draws inspiration from the iconic front porch of the original 1995 Friday film, grounding the new venture in the franchise's cultural roots [2].
What the Show Promises
The trailer for Listen & Laugh — released on Friday, October 30 — positions the podcast as a wide-ranging conversation show that refuses to stay in any single lane [1]. Music, entertainment, sports, and pop culture are all fair game, and the guest list previewed in the trailer reflects that ambition.
Artists confirmed to appear include Dr. Dre, Lil Dicky, Benny Blanco, The Game, and T.I. On the comedy side, Cedric the Entertainer and Bill Burr are among those stopping by, while former NBA player Jalen Rose rounds out a diverse early lineup [3].
The show's official description sets an intentionally unguarded tone: "From the streets to the suites, Last Friday to first crushes, big breaks and heartbreaks, classic stories and new debates, the conversations get real. The guards come down, the stories get personal, and nothing is off limits. Cube's gonna make you listen and Epps is gonna make you laugh. And sometimes, it will be the other way around." [1]
The Format and Where to Watch
New episodes of Listen & Laugh are scheduled to drop every Friday at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT, available on YouTube as well as major podcast platforms [2]. The weekly cadence — and the deliberate choice of Friday as the release day — is an obvious nod to the franchise that brought the two together.
Why This Launch Matters
The podcast space has become an increasingly attractive arena for celebrities with established audiences and long-running public personas, and Ice Cube and Mike Epps arrive with both. The Friday franchise has maintained a devoted following for over 30 years, and the decision to anchor the podcast's aesthetic and energy in that world gives Listen & Laugh a built-in identity that many celebrity pods struggle to establish from scratch.
The guest mix also signals genuine cross-genre reach. Pairing a hip-hop legend like Dr. Dre with a comedian like Bill Burr, or a music producer like Benny Blanco with a sports personality like Jalen Rose, suggests the hosts are aiming for the kind of unpredictable, chemistry-driven conversations that tend to generate clips and cultural moments [3].
What to Watch Next
The real test for Listen & Laugh will come in its first several episodes — whether the Craig-and-Day-Day dynamic translates from scripted comedy to unscripted conversation, and whether the high-profile guest bookings deliver the candid moments the show's description promises. Watch for early episode performance on YouTube, where comment engagement and view counts will quickly signal whether the duo's fanbase is showing up, and whether new audiences are finding the show beyond the Friday faithful.