‘It’s UATL’ podcast: ‘Sistas Who Kill’ and why we’re obsessed with true crime
Like any good idea, the “Sistas Who Kill” podcast was spawned out of COVID-19 pandemic boredom.
Best friends and co-hosts MaRah and Taz were like any other Atlantan, stuck inside, left to their own devices.
While MaRah was binging podcasts, Taz was heavy on documentaries. The thought of doing their own podcast wasn’t new, but they couldn’t land on a theme or topic.
That was until the Tucker High School grads caught wind that two sisters who were at Tucker around the same time, Jasmiyah and Tasmiyah Whitehead, were being accused of killing their mother. The twins went on trial in 2016, and the two best friends found themselves obsessed with the case.
“It’s the backstory,” Taz told the “It’s UATL” hosts. “I want to know how they got there. What brought them to that point?”
The duo dug into the Whitehead sisters’ relationship with their mother and how the media portrayed Black women accused of serious crimes.
“News outlets are missing the mark when it comes to Black women and our stories, even how Black girls are raised in the household,” MaRah said.
The pair launched the first episode of “Sistas Who Kill” on March 11, 2021, and opened up about their journey as Black women in a crowded true crime podcast space.
This week’s episode
The hosts also dig into Usher’s response to an inquiry from Forbes about his relationship to Sean “Diddy” Combs after the latter was tried in 2025 for federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Co-host DeAsia Paige reflects on her interview with Usher the year before the trial.
More recently, Paige stopped by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to report on customers dealing with hourslong delays because of TSA staffing shortages.
In more celebratory news, the ladies discuss 404 Day and how Atlanta’s iconic area code (and the culture that comes along with it) will be celebrated this week and weekend.
This week’s Rent Free segment finds the hosts reacting to the “Bachelorette” cancellation news.
Related reads from UATL and AJC
Follow the stories that inspired this week’s episode.
- 16-year-old twins charged in mother’s death
- WATCH Usher and AJC, part 1: Super Bowl and marriage talk
- What is ‘404 Day?’ And why are Atlantans talking about it?
- Should the Atlanta airport privatize security? TSA woes raise the question.
- ‘Bachelorette’ debacle highlights how we normalize domestic violence
Talk to us!
We want to hear from you! Got ideas? Feedback? Email us at uatl@ajc.com.
Want to hear yourself on the pod?
Drop us a voice note!
Use your phone’s voice recorder to send us a message on Instagram @itsuatl. We may play your response on a future episode.
Roll credits
“It’s UATL” comes from DeAsia Paige, Nedra Rhone, Najja Parker, Isabelle Kerby-McGowan, Cara Shillenn, Gavin Godfrey, Shane Backler, Ron Williams, Matt Gannon, Kishuna Joseph, Keith Lovely Jr., Megan Nadolski, Samantha Stamler and Janel Davis.
About the Author
Gavin Godfrey is an editor and Team Lead for UATL, the AJC's Black culture franchise. He's an award-winning writer and editor from Atlanta who's covered everything from OutKast to the water boys. Before joining the AJC, Gavin worked for Capital B Atlanta, CNN, and Creative Loafing.