Estelle on Her Roots and Roses

You' the old thought warriors What is up? Hi Larnning is on is I Van Lathheran Juni. And it's me, Rachel and Lindseay. I haven't really checked the way this looks. Yeah, I've tried to tell you about it when I saw you in the hall. Can we get zoom on Van' hat just so everybody knows It doesn't say what they think it says. A red hat with white writing fromr a distance I will walk across the other side of the street. Oh, that's right. Hey I didn' even think about that when the guy gave me the hat. only thing I think of when I see red hats now. So I was driving into work this morning I was driving down Milroadse And I saw a gentleman and he's set up driving up and I saw he had set up up have other microphone. And he had a hat company. the hat company was because it's IFW This says, I am forever with you And I was like, that's a great message. I talked to him for a second. He's, Yeah, I know you, whatever, whatever. And I was like, yeah, man, give me a hat. I'll support you. I'll wear it on the show And so he gave me the hat, but I didn't even think about it. Does it come in other colors? that it comes got we're advertising for him. It does come in other colors. Yeah look can get it. I don't want them to think that that's the only option. So funny, we come into work two different ways. You came into work and had time to stop and have a conversation with someone. Beuse I get here hour and I Only have time to get here. Right. I only have time to get here. I get here early. I get here early, I get here. I wake up early. I'm up super early. but I upoy up fifteen minutes mom who works two jobs. I got a lot to do in the morning by myself. When was your juneenth weekend? It was phenomenal. We all We partied together and you didn't come. Y'all did? Yeah. I said when you announced it I was like, I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it. Also, Kalka did not provide me a time I texted her I said, done Okay, let me ask a question I bet you went and did some fancy shit ot til late at night, I actually did nothing. I canceled my whole day. I didn't work I was gonna do a meeting. The only thing I did is get my lashes done. I just wanted to enjoy the day lashes, d. But over. I'm mad I missed the Lakma Bock party. I really wanted to go to that. and I found out about it too late. You're mad you missed the Lakma bllock party. It was there So So' m, you missed the Lackma Block party but not h Saturday Friday withith the midnight boys and Jay and KJ and Starburd. party was on Saturday so it didn't conflict I was Lack. I wish I would have known about it was just a block party that was at LackMa. They had food, they had drinks, you could see the museum. Can I say something?? It was nice That does sound awesome actually. Saturday, I slepp in all day because we went to the doctor game that night. Can I say something real quick Uh I don't know if the glasses really worked with this hat. I'm just this hat is like shout out to I will shout out to my people I'm aware the hat though I told I I realize something Um And I think It's an interesting observation. It's not really an interesting observation. so it probably shouldn't be said on the podcast. But like I grew up in a city where There were no activations and stuff Yeah That's different I feel like American life can be broken down now to whether or not you live in an activation city or non activation city. See, I'm driving down the street in Los Angeles and every time I'm driving down a block, it's like, come to the American Express Sper lounge for this or Fucking somebody else is a pop up this and everybody is we're giving out this is activations everywhere. It's all kinds of activations this presented by fucking sprite. And oh, it's the spprite suummer sllam comeome st here and you go there and you go stuff happening. Baton Rouge don't have none of that. Most cities don't have any of that. That's what I'm saying th. LA. L but Dallas the I bet Dallas has some of it. Not like that, not Baton Rouge has none of that. Like the only thing the only type of activations they have Baton Rouge was they was trying to get kids hooked on credit cards at the different schools and stuff like that. Yeah. That happens at every college. But like Batonge There was never going you never go drive down the street in Baton Rouge and see like Amazon put something on. No, most cities here are not gonna see that. I'm sorry, man. I go I travel around LA. So these are the activation cities to me right now. cities where LA New York Miami. is very competitive in activations All right. but I was in Boston and I saw a bunch of activations, man I saw a bunch of activations there for though? Wast an event It wasn't for an event. But I was in Boston. I saw people in the Boston Commons. around the Boston Commons, there was different stuff people set up. They care about Boston So L.A. so I have to count Boston. So LA, New York, San Francisco, Hell activation. show has a lot going on. Activation cities. What I don't know is about Texas. I don't know if Houston and Dallas and places like that have activation different activations. New Orleans No activations normally But then The Super Bowl comes. Essence Festival. Essence Festival, crazy activations, all of that stuff. Activations around. I also went to see Chance the raapper at the Hollywood Bowl on juneteenth. You did that h? That was at night I did. It was a great show He brought out who BJ the Chicago kid who I just love. Haven't heard from him in a while, Well he's been up to U had a album like a year two ago, I think. And who else Gaply Brought out So good. Gu is a guapoli or guuale. I appreciate it's guale. Oh, I said guuapale. Gu It doesn'tatter Beautiful one, beautiful. Beautiful Yes. Vic Minsa opened it up, Denice. They do they do V Vic and and ch did. They didn't do cocoa butter kisses . At least I missed Vic, sorry, Vic U I didn't get there on time, but unless they did it before, but they didn't do it during chances set So that was like my juneteenth, something I did for juneteenth, which was a great celebration I enjoyed it. I'm a big chance the rapper fan And then Saturday All y'all need to go try out this place. We're really getting places starting to pop up in the valley. Black owned. It's called Brunch and sip Lounge only serve brunch every day of the week And when I say brunch, I'm talking I'm so particular about catfish. It's some of the best catfish I've ever tasted. They've got c I'm not even entertain that Shrimp and grits. They had blackened salmon and shrimp. They hadam chops It's called Brunch and sip lounge, Black owned husband and wife first one It is We about to be the new Turkeulay hut The first one is in Arizona, Scottsill, I believe. and this one is in Studio City and it was It looks great. It is so good Vibes are good. Got a DJ Upstairs, downstairs see a lot of Whats in these videos was all black. Okay. Uh no I'll go here. This looks this looks great. O brunch. So fantastic. Only brrunch, so what times so is brunch all day or is it just brch time U I important. I'm not sure. I think it closes at three Hey man, hey look, you know what this Sunday because I think I'm be in New York but next Sunday. Her learning meet upp at brrun and sip Uh You you gonna be going. Okay, do we should we go on Saturday to brunch and sit out of town b It's fourth of July weekend I'm going. Oh, wait, so I can't do that at then either ' we shouldn't do that. Correct. Should we go to brush it sip Saturay I'm down. Okay, let's go to brush this upside. I have a standing reservation already. I'll just expand it Let's go over here They got on It's so good. First clash and ty cash. They got a Hugo Spritz. That's what I'm on. Yeah, they got they have like a little Sritz section. I thought about you when I saw the Hugo Sritz It's So good And they open all day. So I did that the weekend for the weekend too. No. And it just opened Now at brush and Sip, this is a situation where we pat it down before they come in As I'm with dead. Why why would that be the case? Why would that be your question? Fris Why How many restaurants do you go to and that happens? Frisc I want to know what you got on you. The hat is having the hat is having an effect on you. Yeah I don't think that's funny when people are getting frised And they can they can frisk and they' like hey, gotta be being going. Are you putting a tea on it Are you putting a tea on? Fris? What is it? It's Frisk. Frisk come on. Frisk Issris You sound like you're saying Frisk Isisked But you frisk him Yeah, I'm just at this point in my life, at this point in my life now I'm, you know, just pet them down 'causeuse like it's I was talking let me tell you why. just please Listen, let me tell you why. 'cause I was on the phone with Ryan. I was on the phone with Ryan And Ryan was Ryan and his wife were going to a dakery shop in Austin Ry Ryan and his wife was going to a diery shop in Austin. They shot out to Kita hout to Lasanta Jones, the greatest cheerleader in McKinley High history Ryan married her because that's how we do Um, They were going to a decker shop He was telling me all about this Dakery shop that they were going to either in Flugerville or like right outside of Flugerville or something like that And He was like, yo, you know, at this diery shop. It got popping not too long ago. someone got killed outside the dec shop. They they got shot. In Flugerville. And yeah, it's like apparently it's going down in Austin or like Ryan said Austin be trying to get Austin led. He was like, Austin be trying to get a little ratchet. I didn't know notice about Austin. so I was just thinking about the fact that Once again, going back to Baton Rouge You know, you would go places in Bangonouge and the places that you would go to party or to have drinks or whatever. You know, every once in a while, somebody will be killed there sometometimes more than ever like you you know that if you go if you go to deeep Ellum You should catch it on the right Of course. The headlines you see from Deep EM is like Dep EleM nightlife, five dead. You know what I mean? Like so I was thinking to myself That's something that I don't really I don't really experience that much anymore with going to a place and they' getting popping right outside the place and stuff like that. you know, the guns in L.A. different stuff like that. So but I am down just so that I don't have to mix Uh my Zachery loving with murder riskom. I asked Ryan, I said, wouldould you be mad if you walk into this daerary spot with your wife if they frised you before you went in there? It' like what you got on me Are you okay We're just getting started It's feeling unkish What is wrong? That's not funny. justust patting somebody down It's gonna win you G anything on you I'm sorry. Jay, do you find funny? It's only funny to me. I get it. I don't know why It's funny. like why are you asking?cause he's not gonna to tell you if he's got something on him That's the purpose of the first game is to find that o'm smart guys Ill apologize. Should we get to show? Sh we get to? How we get to the show? I'm nervous for the show A are you? Yeah. I think This summer, fandou is the best place to bet on goals. Including equalizers. Uhh Follies? Yep, headters. Every goal is worth more on fandou. So let there be goals. 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Well, we have an interview at the end of this podcast. Weven a we to do it at the beginning because Stellle is joining us She's gonna to be on this pod today. I love Estellle her too. I really enjoyed having her on. Great energy, great Great spirit. Like you can feel it from the moment she walked in. veryery calming presence It speaks to mus Thataks her mus speaks her her her ability to place in the career. Yes, to be around for a very, very long time, entertaining us and giving us something to think about and being a good Remember of the community. All right, so let's start with I guess let's start with Jasmine Crocket Is that a That's serious, but go ahead. Is that serious? I mean, look let's to go ahead, Let's start with ask You's a little less serious in Iran, I think. Yeah. acccording to the Dallas Morning News Texas rep Jasmine Crocket, who lost the Senate primary to James Talerico this March, says that she does not plan to attend the upcoming state convention and instead is focusing on helping down ballot candidates across the country Rrocket also said that she's not sure whether black voters have united fully behind Talor Rico and the rest of the ticket. She said that the lack of black nominee for major statewide office could dampen enthusiasm among voters. Reminder that Talor Rico is facing off against Republican Ken Paxson in November. when she was asked if she would actively campaign for or with Tal Rico She reportedly said, quote, I have no idea I'm more focused on down valley races in general Now she also did speak about being the focus of so much attention despite no longer being a candidate in this race. Let's hear from Jasnet Giving get exactly what they want. Because wow There is you know, this I don't know it withs the call pxt then, okay thoughts and a lot of names for him. He's their candidate But y'all are still so focused on me I like I'm not running I'm not running, I'm not running. I'm not running. okay. So like focus on the people that are in the race. So if you have this urge to be like, o, Jasmine, this, Jasmine that, maybe use that energy towards, Kim Paxs and this, Kim Packax and that. Be last time I check No matter how much I end up being a part of the conversation. There is one person that is guaranteed not to become the next senator in the state of Texas, and that's Jasmine Felicia Frocket. So like, why even expend your energy So this is takaking social media by storm release threads. Oh, is a big on thads. I'm sorry, I haven't been on threads as much so I don't I don't Thads, the discourse that is happening right now on threads It's a little shocking to me becausecause mainly what I'm seeing are now there was a post up that was like highly inappropriate and was criticizing Jasmine Crocket personally for not supporting Taler Rico or going to the Texas Democratic convention, which is this coming up weekend. and they took it back, but they were they were dead wrong. Like they personally attacked her talking about not supporting her. Like it made no sense. It was clearly a personal attack Outside of that There are a number people, particularly black women that I'm seeing that are fiercely basasically saying Why does Jasmine Talico have to? support Jasmine I'm sorry. They got married Why does something that would really be unifying for Texas if they was to give m Unity is the key though, to this whole conversation. but why would they're like, why would Jasmine Tallera You want them to get married. Yeah, see? This is what happens when you start getting atad people. Am I okay? You get got at S They're saying why should Jasmine Crocket support James Talerico? She lost the primary. It's not her duty to support him. Why are people making it a black woman's responsibility to campaign for him. She doesn't have any right to do that. There's a lot of that kind of conversation going on and I am just Shock Buy it all because And this is the main thing I don't think people are coming just Jasmine coming again, coming to Jasmine Crocket saying Oh, you're a Democrat in Texas. you have a big platform. You were able to rally majority, well over majority of black votes to vote for you in the primary. You need to get on board and support James Talico. I don't think that that's just what's happening. What it is is what Jasmine Crockett said when she conceded and rightight after the primary ended. in March, right after she lost, Jasmine Crocket said, with the primary behind us Democrats must rally around our nominees and win. I'm committed to doing my part and will continue working to elect Democrats up and down the ballot T me It is just holding Jasmine Crocket to the very statement that she said, which I think it was the right one. The goal is to turn Texas blue. The goal is to unify. I understand people being upset that they voted for Jasmine Crocket and Jasmine Crocket did not win. I understand them being upset that the narrative was a black woman is not able to win in Texas And they felt like that was used against Jasmine Crockett. I get that then to say Jasmine Crocket has no duty or to Jasmine Crocket to even put she doesn't have a duty, but these are her words. This is what she said we should do. And then for Jasmine Crocket to put up this video of like, why y'all talking about me? Why are y'all making it about me? Well, it's not necessarily that. it's about unify to come together because for the first time in thirty one years, it seems that Texas could actually turn blue And even more so, the unifying message is important because she's running against Ken Paxton, who we know is awful for a number of reasons. but They're not even rally rallying the base to support him. The Republicans. John Corn has flat out said, I'm not supporting him. So that was another thing to the Democrats possibly win in this election if the Republicans are split when it comes to who they're going to vote for or support when it comes to who's going to get that Senate seat. So to me I just don't understand why we're making this taking it back to the same argument that we were having in the primaries when Jasmine Crockett has called for unity and said that she would rally behind it. Why now or when asked, are you going to support James Talerico? Okay, maybe she doesn't go to the convention, fine asked, arere you going to support him? Your words are, I have no idea That's it makes it is It's hypocrisy And it contradicts your statement from before. I'm very serious about this because I'm very passionate about being from Texas about Texas having the opportunity to turn blue. and I think that I'm not saying forget. be upset like I said before, but I think that we need to come together and unify and not say, well, it's not a bllack woman's responsibility. It's not, But Jasmine Crockett herself said that this is what we should do. And I'm just not understanding the switch up. I'm not going to accuse her like other people are of being bitter or salty. I'm just trying to understand why is there a change up now And why are you not saying we should support the Democrat in the race. It'd be different if when Jasmine Crockett came out When she after she lost the race, she said, flat out, I'm not supporting James. I don't think he would be a good senator. This is why, but it's up to you. That's not what she said. I there is all this back and forth on stop telling black women what to do. stop telling Jasmine she had to do this. I don't look at it as we're telling her what to do. I'm looking at it as holding her accountable for the very words that she said Um Do you think that she's going about this dong Yes, but you know like I just don't understand and I don't want to do what other people are doing and making accusations about why she may not be supporting James Talerica or why she's changing her tune three months later. But what I will say is if the goal is blue And the goal is unity, which she which are her very words, then why all of a sudden is it well, I'm more focused on down ballot races. That's great. I think that should be important too. But when we've seen you fly halfway across the country to support The Sarah Why? We've seen you support Cin alad Why can you not then say We need to unify as Democrats in Texas to turn Texas blue. like Jasnine Crocket is putting her personersal loss animus against the political movement of James Talerico which didn't treat her very kindly in front of the project of Turning Texas Bloom I said I'm not going to assume why she's doing it. I'm just noting there is a lack of support I'm just noting that If I'm watching you support other Democrats who are running in races who are not down ballot races Governor of California is not a down ballot race. And you were coming to California to support Bisera in our own state, Texas, where You know, you've run in the local Senate or I don't know if you center, but you've run in the local conongress. You were in national Congress representing a district. It should be about the bigger picture at this point And it should be about Tney Texas Bl and using her own words, it should be about unity You don't have an opinion on this? I do Um, in my opinion is Hm probablyably an indictment of the entire framework of the R meaneing Even if we talk about coming together in the shared project of turning Texas Blue. You know Everybody else will sigh now that I couldn't give a fuck less about Texas turning do care about though is the people of Texas. The people of Texas, whether or not they have whether or not they're making a livable wage, whether or not they have access to health carere, whether or not they have schools that are functional. whether or not they are free from crime infested communities, whether or not infrastructure, the grid in Texas works. I care about all those things from a policy perspective, whether or not the women in Texas have die during childbirth because I care about all of those things, right? And so I would think that anyone that cared about those things would champion those things. And here's the deal. and the here's the fucked up part about the entire deal is that if you make it about you or your crew, is never about the people. And that is a problem whatever cohort that you represent You will run to the comfort of that cohort. beforefore you think about the entire spectrum, of issues that people face If you look at this set of problems for the people of Texas as a set of problems that the Democrats have to solve or that black women have to solve Well that black women Democrats have to solve. Well that white Democrats have to solve then you are going to sort of be siloed um into different spots in terms of comfortability. So the question is not whether or not Jazz and Crocket a lifelong public servant or at least a public servant that has been a public servant for as long as she's been relevant. She's relevant for being a public servant. I don't know if she's a lelong public servant but for the better part of, you know her appearance to us, that's what she's been The question should be about whether or not a public servant should serve Not what a black woman should do. Correct. notot what a black Democrat should do Shit, what's the best thing for the people of Texas? Maybe Jasmine Crocket doesn't believe that James Talerico is the best thing from a senate perspective people of Texas or maybe Jasmine Crocket believes. that helping down ballot is more effective. I don't know that, but what I do know is the project of turning Texas Blue, which in this political tugle war blood bloods versus Cripts thing that we have is very it's less important to me than having a conversation about U, because that would to me like bring excites a lot of these wounds. If we were having a conversation about like the actual policy that James should be. I get right. the actual policy that James Halerico was championing and how that would change the lives of Texas. It would be very easy to indict anyone that didn't want to support that. It would be very easy to say, hey, He's supporting Universal healthca in Texas Don't you think you should be with him for that But it's very easy to silo to split people apart if we make it about identity and cult of personality. and if we make it about them versus us and usth, that leaves the people of Texas high and dry. So the question shouldn't be, in my opinion, whether or not Jasmine Crockett is going to support James Talerico, is whether or not Jasmine Crockett is going to support the people of Texas. And if she believes that she's supporting the people of Texas by doing it the way that she is doing it G, but as a public servant, then people have to be able to litigate and talk about that So and if she thought that she was helping people out here coming to talk to Bisera or going to help APAC by talking to Wesley Beill, whoever she thinks she's held. All of that stuff is on the table to discuss U About Jasmine Crocket, but about Jasmine Crockett as a public servant, Jasmine Crocket as a political entity, not necessarily cult of personality or the identity of Jasmine Crockett Like I'm not going to tell black women what they feel like they have to do. I'm not going to do that at all, but I'm going say look Black maternal mortality is on the ballot likeike Black reproductive justice, the freedom of your sons, the freedom of your daughters, the freedom of yourself, that's on the ballot. The question is not whether or not you care about what she got to do, the question is about whether or not you care about yourself. Exactly. And I'm glad you said it that way. I think they're one in the same. And I think what was frustrating about watching this discourse on social media is we discussed this during the primaries about what people were making the race about, about what maybe people were using as leverage to run in the race And I'm I'm disappointed that we're here at this point. There's somebody who is representing the ticket who I think has great policies, and instead we're taking it back to where we were before and we're making it to your point about identity. And I think that you can have this conversation without even talking about that and just using the very words that were used by Jasmine Crockett. I think it is that simple. And then the question becomes, okay, so why did it change for you what is changing? And I think people have the right to ask you that question. When you are Excuse me, when you are asked if you're going to actively support Tala Rico and you say I have no idea and you're going to be focused on down ballots. I think that're you're Vagueess is somewhat giving an answer. And so then the question becomes, why do you not have an idea? Are you not planning on supporting? Are you planning on supporting somebody else? What is it that makes you say you have no idea now versus when you said we need a rally around the nominees? L I have the right to question that. When you do that, at least what I'm seeing with the discourse on threreats peopleeople attack you basically say you're not understanding bllack women, you're not supporting bllack women. I just don't think that that's what it's about. And to your point it should be about the policy. I just think that spepecifically people who can vote in Texas and people who are having this conversation are truly doing themselves a disservice by I think focusing. I'm not saying you can't be disappointed that the person you wanted didn't make it. I'm just saying the conversation we're having right now is not helpful. Jasmine Crocket ran on energizing the base The actions and the comments. since March are not reflecting that I have his I actually haven't paid much attention to it in terms of like what she's done or how she's done it.. We have a lot more to get and hear from Jasmine Crocket Um I'll say this, man . You know We as people are slipping into have slipped into, have been into been knee deep into a lot of just reckless, useless conversations. You know, The political process played out to where Jasine Crockett had to go give votes, James Talerigo had to go give votes. in that type of political knockown drag out fight Everything at the margins is going to be an advant disadvantage There's going to be advantages for her because she's a black woman and her ability to get a certain cohort of votes. There're going to be way more disadvantages because of the way black women are looked at and treated. He's going to have all of these advantages because he is a straight white male. seemingly insurmountable advantages in America. But then at the same time, there are going to be places that he is going to be vulnerable because the community is going to look through things that are going on with him and say, hey We don't like that. Yeah. This is a confrontation of identities And we've been doing this in politics for so long only worse off for the politicians It makes the politicians deities and avatars for your specific group of people. And when you start talking about them as politicians, you don't even talk about them anymore You start taking people that are old and calling them uncle and auntie You start taking people that are your same age and saying, hey, I see myself when I see this person I tell you one thing, man It's like politics I've said this before. It's the only game where we care more about the waiter than the food Lgitimately is the only game where we care more about the waiter than the food. You go into a restaurant The waiter is nice The waiter is from your town The waiter looks exactly like you. The waiter could be your fucking cousin The server could be your cousin. A you so and so kids What happens if you never get your food Or if the food comes out late or if it's undercooked, or like whatever or if the wrong order comes That's on you You're not communicating with the kitchen. You're not doing your job. It don't matter that you from Baton Roge, that you went to McKinley. None of that matters Like none of that matters Don't matter that you' a young black man, that you're an old black man, that you're a young black woman, that you're an older black. None of that matters. What matters? you got a job to do, man You got a job, I'm paying, this is a deal. You got a job. But in politics, we care way more about the waiter than we do about the food. We argue about what's good for an individual that is a servant that is supposed to serve people. This conversation should be oriented, not even around what's blue for Texas conversations should be oriented around what's good for Texas? What's good for the people of Texas I believe that Jasmine Crocket and James Salerico had designs And um plans for Texans that are better than Any MagA Republican could because I don't believe in that political movement And so I believe that that's something to support If she don't believe that, fine I don't I don't know what the hell going on. Maybe she feels like she too beat up for the race. I'm not going to tell her what she got to do. but what I will say is what you do do is interesting to me if you are a public servant.'s what if that's what you end it for. So that's all I will say is we can talk about it saying we can't talk. No not you. I'm talking to it's I'm talking to the people. Tking to the talking to the sisters You about to get kicked out You got to get kicked out the threads You have to be able to have these conversations. No. we can think some of it was how people were having it, which I think is fair because I saw some of that And I acknowledge that at the beginning. But some of the responses I'm seeing, I'm like, I want to talk to Reesea Colbert I trust that Reesei was in the comments. What did Reesey say? I don't know exactly I have to go back and look. But I trust Reesei. Re Reesey was I love Reesey Colbert And Reesea was riding I bit she was riding for jazz, right? Yeah.. But I can't remember how much she said exactly. So look All I'm saying is this, I get it. I'm not going be the one to go up there and T Black ladies what they should or should not do because I'm not I'm out of that I'm out of that game. Daddy But what I will say is while we are arguing over this type of shit Somebody drinking dirty water. And somebody's got somebody lights is getting cut off. Somebody can for they shit. somebody somebody put the person in office who is going to not allow those things to happen or whose policies we believe will not allow those things to happen or will implement better things So those things don't happen. Yes, you are correct. Threads. I gota check Hey, tap me in on what the conversation on threads is Becauseuse you know, I was really a big one. I was really into the King of Threads thing, but then You never made it. You never it never realized.. And it was it was because when I when Duran came here, it was just obvious. Like you he let you know you're not in in. Yeah. There's a group. But Duran, he's worked, he that's his that's his shit And he made me feel like, see, I put identity. This is what happens. put my identity as the King of threads over my subjects on threads who need me I know any I know that they need me All right, uh Donny, what's next? Y'all wantan tona talk about Iran? Let's talk about it. Now here's the thing about the Iran thing Um I I'm just going to give You guys An explanation of the Iran situation that I'm capable of giving Okay Has everyone listening to this podcast right now? Heard of the television show, The Wire we have. Have you watched the wire? Yes, you ask me every time Okay Donnny, did you watch it? I did. yes. I'll also listen to you and Jamile Sita Have you seen the wire Bernard I watched one episode. That makes a lot of sense, okay So When I was thinking about this The wire. A specific portion of the wire reminds me a lot of the U S Iran situation season Okay, so season three The first episode time after time. What happens at the beginning of that episode is that the towers come down. When the towers come down Towers is where the Barell organization their drug stronghold They had that motherfucker rocin twenty four seven for doping co That's the way the cops on a wire would say G going twenty four seven for doping co when the towers came down, Bdes who have fought for those towers consolidate their territory in West Baltimore They have to figure out something new to do They had to figure out how they were now going to move the product that they had without their home base So They went back out some of the corners in West Baltimore And when they got to some of these quarnters They met someone. They met a young man named Marlow Stanfield You guys know what that is Is it Stanfield or Stansfield? It stands for with S The reason why that just happened to me is because I used to call L Keith Stanfield. L Kith Stan'field. Y always correct. And L Keith went Van. Dan F That's how like I love that because like when you are actor nigga, you do Hey Van, it's Stan field. Marlow's a Stanfield as well. It's a Stanfield. Okay Um Before I go into this entire thing, I want to let you guys let you guys know something. This is not a one to one All right, So some of your favorite characters in this might be compared to some countries that you don't like, but this is my analysis of this entire deal and where we are right now Okay Um, the U.S, this is the US. Israel Iran warar. As Barksdale Stanfield War from the Y Okay First we have the US and Israel These are the barkdails in this situation. Okay They are the Barksdales, they are just like the Bardaales because they are on the same side with two different objectives the leaders. Okay. What Avon wanted was territory Avon was a gangster by nature. He wanted corners. He actually didn't want the corners. If you listen to what Avon said to Stringer, Avon didn't say I want those corners Avon said I want my corners Avon believes that this territory in West Baltimore is his what is right He has a right to this territory from either having fought for it in the past or having a long standing connection to it. He thinks he is entitled So this territory He wants his corners the Barkes had had those corners before they moved into the towers. Avon By the right of the pass They are mine Does that sound like anyone to you Yes, BB Sounds like Israel Far right factions in Israel believe that the whole Middle East is their block They're blind You listen to what my hook be told Um Tom Carlon. He says it would be cool if they took it off Gaza, the West Bank, the Gon Heights parts of southern Lebanon or Iran, Israel wants its corners. That's what Israel wants What Stringer wanted was economic And it was always economic with Stgger Stringer was an exploitr by nature He was down for all of the gangst of shit in the world onlyn if he could extract a profit out of it. The moment the cost was too high inger was that R right? He didn't stand for anything He didn't believe in anything He was about anything besides what he could get out of someone or something. If the war had too high of a price Stringer thought the war was irrelevant. That is the USA. We are now and have been in our entire history, grand exploiters of this world. Every single U. S. intervention in its history, to making the US richer. Even when we went in and saved the world in World War II What we then did was establish ourselves as the center of manufacturing in the world and gave ourselves a jive Gigantic Hit start in the New World order Controlling the flow of money. Got everybody to use the dollar. There's always something in it for us. in the warard Normally that's the way you want to look at it, but that's the point of the United States. Our imperialism and domination has always been in service to capitalism and is especially now. So everything is a cost benefit analysis with us. So now that this war of choice has too high a political price We're not willing to pay for the ass kicking or we are willing to pay for the asking. Well, we are According to MOU. Well, we're paying for the asking. can you know what that means? We should change our acronym We're not USA anymore. What are we BDSM We pay to get our ass kick then we like it. Who has the wit You know who. All right. So then the rest of the Gulf Nations, that's the new day co op They've been controlling the product for so long with their arrangement. they just want the drama stopped so business can get back movement. By the way Prop Joe, that's the Saudis They move in a sinister silence and have hidden their hands on almost Ething They never have to quite commit to fighting themselves they are able through maneuvering and relationships to tell other people when they have to do it give incentives for other people to do it and to stay back behind the scenes when it's really, really time to get your hands dirty. they are one of the most sinister forces in the entire region All right. Obviously the Iranians here are who The Iranians are Is it Marla Yeah Yeah, yeah. sorry. Rryans are the Stanfields. The Stanfield. Once again, this is not a one to one So don't get mad, be like, oh man, there's not a one to one. okay Iran suffered way more damage in this war. then Marlow and Christas Snoop suffered in their war. Bea really when you go back and look at it, which I did Uh they whooped the shit of the barsts. Yeah. They whipped the shit out of the bars They were still att least to the rest of Baltimore At first, overmatched And they were overmatched because of the reputation of the barstals The reputation of the Barsdales was that These niggas get busy And when it's time to fight They will fuck over anyone Um But the Stansfields knew Weibbeay was dead Excuse me, Webe was in jail Thinkking was dead. and that Barksdales did not have the type of muscle that they used to They realize bar sales were a little bit weaker then they were letting everybody else know All they really had to do was hang on For a while Chris Snoop And Marlow went underground They couldn't be out anymore The war changed the way they could move around They had to put some shadow over them They knew that they could outlast them. And when they outlasted them, It would be good for them What happened in this situation is the war itself made them realize how important control of the corners were and their decision to fight was just as important as their ability to fight That is Iran. Iran's decision to fight the United States of America in this entire war was much more important than their ability to fight because there were two war aims by the Americans in this entire thing Well bunch of war aims, but were two different ways they went have b it The Americans had tactical aims, which was how much damage they could do to Iran and they had strategic aims lo aims, they pretty much They did them. They beat the shit out of Iran tactically But strategically, they didn't accomplish anything. Nothing. As a matter of fact, strategically all they did was make Iran understand they couldn't kill them that they were powerful, which is what happened to Marlow and them. The bar sales ain't got shit. Now they're kind of making us into the men Okay When Marlow realized that all the muscle was gone, You realize if held this position They would win Even if they had to go away for a little while. win, they would win, they would win The Iranians understood that the U. S. does not have the political resolve to finish what they said they wanted to do which was to change the Iranian regime and completely obliterate the Iranian nuclear intelligence intelligence. They could never do that because be too much. of an endeavor. The country doesn't have the political will for that because the war wasn't sold to the country because the war itself doesn't have real utility. There's no reason to go to war Americans aren't quite as stupid as what you think they are. And so because the political will didn't exist, you couldn't do what you needed to do, which means This negotiation right now The entire negotiation, the whole MOU is one thing Bringing Iran into the new day co op. That's what this entire thing is And at the end of the Barksdale Stanfield War What eventually happened was the Stanfield organization was solidified. as a major Power in Baltimore Everyone else knew that they had to be contended with So the only thing you could do was bring them into the new day co op and have them sit right next to Pp Joe right next to cheese, right next to Hungry man, right next to all of the other people. That's all you could do And that's where we are right now What this MOU does is take a whole bunch of investment from the surrounding Gulf countries, give it to the Iranians Trump came out and said that the Iranians have a right to their ballistic missiles. O people in the the region do. The Iranians deserve parity. They deserve respect Their roue nation status has now been revoked by the United States of America Now if we were to get into a whole political endeavor, a historical political endeavor about Rogue nation status and the United States miserating different countries with different types of damn sanctions and all of that stuff. We could have all kinds of conversations about what you thought Iran deserved, how Iran treats its people, all of that stuff, what you believe about the world and how the United States should be able to designate a country. All of that stuff is right there. But one thing that is not up for debate is that in this MOU bothoth the investment into Iran from financial situation if they were in fact to do all of the things MOU says that they should do And the stature in which we treat Iran gives them a seat at the table alongside Other nations that make up the Gulf Coast countries. and A seat at the table with the United States of America. So your strategic goal change the regime embarrass the regime. Y strategic goal to do all that and you created a greater enemy than you had before, which is exactly what happened to the Barsts. Now, I'll say this, some foreboding things that came out of the show Okay What remains to be seen is what happens. a relationship between Avon and Stringer here because this relationship between Avon and Stringer the United States being Uh stringer stringer and Israel being Avon, you guys Avon was a gentleman gangster. We loved him the purpose of our analogy ue Remember what happened here One dayad One in jail In this situation BB net and Yahoo. might end up dead. In this situation, Bibin Net and Yahu might end up in jail where Avon went Also, Donald Trump. might be Politically Deceased after this Political L could be over in November the midterms. Those guys also ended up turning on each other Once they realized that their visions weren't just misaligned actually at cross purposes with one another blew up the entire thing and led to really A new status quo in Baltimore. All it is is tingent upon doing one thing, which is what Stringer and Avon did in the Barksdale Stanfield War The wrong nigga to fuck with Pick somebody who was ready for that pick somebody who wasn't running from that And they weren't on the same page with what or why they wanted to do. Stringer Dg, hey. ust get to take the package. We can do all of this stuff. will be cool. Avon is like, no. I want what's mine That is exactly what happened here. What happened here was that for whatever reason Israels almost psychotic need to annex every part of the Middle East We thoughtought said The United States' want and need to economically dominate everyone But it turned out those two things were at cross purposes So Now You have little enemies and big problems The Iranians know that they can control the strait So the MOU gets you into a situation to where for throughout the rest of this negotiation, you can talk about, you know, the blending down nuclear assets you could talk about Ballistic missiles. you could talk about all of that stuff, but they know Now with precedent Anybody jumps stupid with them They can deprive the world of twenty percent of its oil. which then leads to its fuel and its fertilizer and all of that stuff. That to me is more valuable than a working operating nuclear weapon So Now for the rest of the time You got to do with Marla until He he ended up Flashing out and going crazy in one of the worst kind of weirdest endings in wire history. That's the way I explain to wholeope thing I think it deserves a hand claap. Thank you. That was very good. Thank I appreciate it. It was very good. and captivating, I will say at the same time, especially if you watch the wire If you did watch it I haven't watched it. I'm sure how many times have you watched the whole thing I only watched it once. So I have sometimes like refresh my memory this. Okay, wow. No, don't apologize.. I just I've only swatched all once so I have to be up today, but And I don't how to make the comparisons they there after, but like where we are right now with Avon and Stringer It looks like Marlow ' still going to get have the upper hand here. Well Marlow already does, but Stringer and Avon are still fighting They're not going to come to an agreement I w' pull this out of it say Avon again. BB is not going to stop attacking Lebanon.. He ran on permanent war. run on expansion. like elections are coming up, are they not? Like this is what he's his whole thing has been on and he really hasn't been able to carry that out in the way that he promised And now that elections are coming up, he's got to keep doing it. U.S. doesn't want to do that. Iran doesn't want to do that. So where are we right now? If they continue to attack Lebanon then the MOU is going to fail. Now I know they have this sixty day thing back and forth, but even this weekend. It was Iran's refusing to negotiate. Iran's pulling out. Now Iran's back at the table. Like it was all this back and forth. It really seems like we say this, I feel like every time lately we've been talking about what's going on is there's no end in sight I don't even know how you get there Netanyahu is very matter of fact about what he wants. Iran, very matter of fact about what they want. I mean, all the concessions are pretty much What do you think Netanyahu wants for Iran? for Iran Yeah What do you think I think that he wants their, I don't think that he wants them to have no nuclear weapons. And I think that he wanted the U.S to attack and destroy. He wants a failed state in Iran. Yeah, right. That's what I mean, like completely come in tactical, like they I mean, I know Trump ran on regime change, but obviously he was not successful now, but completely decimate Iran to where they cannot function.. Yes I But none of that, as we've seen, does not look to be possible. Right. So where like we're stuck with This just seems like it's just never going to end because in this MOU, when you look at it We gave them everything they wanted. We gave them more than everything More than the whole JCPOA and the way he criticized it, we're giving them money to rebuild. We're unfreezing their assets, billions of billions of dollars that they're going to that they're going to come into. No regime change, allowed to keep whatever they have A I correct as it is. Well And the people who are negotiating the table, like when at least when Obama did it, he had people who were like well informed understood what nuclear weapons are make as opposed to Can't interject please, which is why the JCPOA looked like it did. Yeah. The reason why the JCPOA looked like it did was because these people were so well informed that they were able to say, okay This is the best possible scenario that you could come to from dealing with the Iranians. Like the best possible scenario that you can get to is one that deals with this nuclear question that Iran Lab by the Iyotola. The Allla never sprinted for a nuclear weapon. But what he did do was keep the nuclear question alive, not just in his country, there were hardliners inside of Iran that wanted them to spreint toward a nuclear weapon. He actually kept them at bay because he knew that that would lead to annihilation. At the same time, he left that question unresolved on the world stage as a bargaining chip That's also to get the world to look away from what was going on inside of his own country because Of course, if you are seen as a dictator, that gets used as pretext to come in and fuck you up, right? No matter how The fact that we got to drink shitty water and our women can't control their bodies. and it doesn't matter what we're going on if it looks like something's bad happening, we have to go over there and free them. We have to give them free. R? So he I'm not no one would accused the deceased Ayatolla of being a moderate But he was a good politician in that he was able to walk a line. using the nuclear question as something to captivate the West and using that same question as something to keep the more hardline people inside of his his his country at bay. And he also sometimes would put a moderate in there. Sometimes he would mix things up to make sure that those people now those hardliners They killed him. Those hardliners now run the government. they run the government. They have control of the Strait of Hormz, which they will always have no matter what the United States says Also Probably at some point with the vast resources that they're getting will make an attempt to develop a nuclear weapon. Well Why would they not? Right? And not even just that they were hardliners before and now that they' lost people They've lost family members. These people have been k you know what I mean? So it's like they're motivated even more than they were before. So all that to say I mean, okay, cool, y'all got this MOU, but it's just with what with what Israel ising, there's just no end in sight. even as we speak right now, even as we speak right now politics of this whole thing haveave these guys handcuffed Netanyahu is handcuffed by want his nature Everyone that's saying that Smoschers and Ben Gvere who are making Netanyahu act like that, they just don't know very much about Benjamin Netanyaho. Benjamin Net Yahoo is of the Lacout way of thinking, this is what he wants So I don't believe that somebody is making BB. I do believe that there is that they gave him a lifeline to get out of some of the political trouble that he was having, the criminal trouble that he was having in Israel. I believe that he's probably needs them, but at the same time There's not a lot of restraint that's going to be shown in Israel, period. The people that are coming behind Uh Netanyahu It is probably not going to be they're probably going to beholden by the same types of things, which is the fact that people want this war. in Israel, they want this war, this stuff is polling well over there. like the stuff in Gaza, there isn't this huge a populist ground swell in Israel right now based on polling to stop all it is and get back to peace the country seems to have been fundamentally changed by october seventh I don't even want to say that I'm saying that while there have always been liberal movements that have risen up in Israel in protest It seems as if u, there's been a heartening or Um bubbling to the top. a mainstreaming of some of the hardline attitudes towards the Palestinians that have always existed in Israel was what you need to exist in an apartheid state U But now geopolitically, you're just wipe them all out seems to be the notion. So Drawing out of southern Lebanon, which is what the Iranians would want. They want a withdrawal. Which is what the U.S agreed to. Like get out Yeah If Netanyahu does that, He is going to face intense scrutiny They might say that they're going to do that. They might say, Hey, we have a ceasefire right here is Those troops come out of there He's going to face intense like the sun on him scrutiny from people inside of it Um But the Iranians are gonna to use that as a reason to maintain control of the straight and never to be quite It's an interesting situation That was created almost entirely by the United States of America's decision enter into a war of choice where they strategic Abitions were both Murgy and politically costly Even if they had wanted the people to rise up, like they said, they didn' do nothing to help that happen 'Cause that was't what they really cared about. Yeah. All right Thank you for thank you guys for giving me twenty minutes on the wire out here Sometimes what we gott to do. I thought it was fun. Anway U do' you want to talk about Bill Mar next? Yeah, let's talk about Let's Allry, on Friday I He had a episode of his show real time with Bill Marr He wrapped up a panel segment that included F of the show, Rokana. and asked his panel guests to explain the Obama presidential center to him, which had just had his opening ceremony this past week You guys were both at the Obama Library? No Do we have a picture of the Obama liibrary because it looks like Nar. It looks like something aliens built in Dubai. I like it. fair. Why do it cost eight hundred fifty million dollars? Yeah. I don't understand why progressives like this. Cn't that know, money be better spent on something else, Who's going to go to this? Why do we need a? What do you think? Why Why does anyone need a presidential library? Th these monuments to somebody's ego out of office? It A you anyybody here in this audience planning to go to the Obama presidential library? Sure. There you go. Reiling Pitical T ' fucking liion. You're not going to the old probleam. at a time at a timeeruary in Chago. Elon Musk is talking about sending people to Mars. You're telling me that spending you thousand dollars So you know what's funny? I went to the Nixon one Where is that 's in Loma Linda, It's like out here Oh, is's out here. Y Belinda Your Belinda? Okay. Either your Belinda, it's is where iss it It's yourour Belinda. Yeahah, I went to the Lomel Linda, Y Belind. I get because one of those is a place where people live to like one hundred and twenty years old. It's a blue zone. There's a blue zone. I think's your Belinda L whatever I went there I went to the Nixon library Okay, and you liked it. you it It's a museum. It's history. It' phenomenal. Yeah We this is this is I mean, Bill Bill Mre saying this does not shocking to me. Like one, he just seems to complain about everything and T. Like, yeah, like you brought this this hit you a certain way. This is your topic. wasas it? H me a certain way, God damn. Mage. I don't know, you tell us. Oh shut up You're not supposed to play into it. You're supposed to go out van. No. because it make me feel bad Yeah Okaykay, so no, the reason why is because I This is Dick Rodin. so F. This is Dick Ryan for Bill Mar. Oh my God. this is the on he own Obama Dick Get off Obama nuts. You think Bill Mars dick riding with this? Yeah Okay. Oh, oh, you don't know Hayden is a form of dig rotin. Okay, okay Look, I just I just blew Jade's mind Hayden is a form of dick rod. Yeah And people don't know that People think Dick Rodds is, Ohh, man, you're the illest nigga. But when youre always on a nigga. Dick You know, it's whatever whatever it one way on this podcast h. Always being hatating for no reason. Okay hen for no. hating is a form of dig Rck. Youre right. That's very true. And so this right here is interesting to me. This is some tan suit bullshit. He's got a presidential library Everybody has a presidential library This is the type of shit that we're talking about. You're talking about the fact that it was It was, lookook, eight hundred fifty million dollars for a presidential library, That's a lot of money That's a lot of money If I was talking to Barry, Barry, Barry pays for it Well, the it was probably for. I was probably found. Yes. if I was talking to Bar, I would say Hey, Barry Might we have done it before Okayay Hey fifty. I'm fucking with you Barry Mightly have done it before. Okaykay? But it's privately funded. peopleeople want to spend their money on shit. To me, that's like looking at a nigga with a cybertruck. The nigga driveving the cyber truck. I look at you like, you crazy but I'm like, yo, that's what you want to do with your money. You buy the cyber trruck, you dumb Fucking corny ass bitch. Damn. I hate s. serious? I don't like it, man. I can see you on one You can see me in a cybertruck I don't think they're corny like that. So that's I'm not knocking you with that. I just could see like R Y your your stature in in a cyber trruck.ike I see you rolling down the window with a all black no, no, no, no bear toly. you fuck with the cyberruck Oh, do I want one? No But but you don't think they're corny I don't think they're corny. Interesting. I'm not calling because becauseuse I don't want you to think that I'm saying want date in a I'm definitely I actually wouldn't want to be in one. I don't think they're safe.. I don't know But look, my thing is this look I'm saying when I see somebody in a cybertruck You want to go do that Go do that, right? That's your thing points that Bill Maar are making and these are problems that I have when people there are so many things to criticize Barack Obama about So many things, if you wanted to, you could criticize Barack Obama about. You talk about his presidency. You talk about some of the foreign policy stuff, some of the disappointments, some of the early immigration stuff. All of that stuff is fair game. But they never criticize Barack Obama on that stuff. That's not what they do criticize Barack Obama. on stuff that they don't criticize other presidents on, whichich is the thing that makes it look racial Because everybody has a presidential library The presidential library is something that you get a bunch of money to. It's how you show how much people love you. Oh, I need all of his money for my library. I need all his money for my stuff. That's what you do. Everybody has one. His is swagged out. They play basketball. Draon was there. He dunk the ball So like I saw all of this stuff, but just to make this a deal, it seems like you want to kick the niggot in his nuts. It seems like to me and this's the last thing I'll say is that they just don't like how black and excellent Barack Obama is. I'm not about to worship Barack Obama and my politics are to the left of Barack Obama, but the nigga is black and excellent And he doesn't try to not act like it He doesn't try to dumb himself down so y'all can understand it. He doesn't try to act like his family isn't beautiful. He doesn't try to act like he doesn't have a great marriage. He doesn't do anything to make you guys more comfortable with the fact that this is a black man who was also the editor of the Harvard Law Review and you have nothing better to do with your time than the hate on the library that was given to him through love and donation. Yeah, because Barack Obama and his family don't fit their narrative And it's like what Michelle Obama was saying in her speech when she talks about how all these things that were thrown at him, her, their family, that weren't thrown at any other president's family because they weren't bllack and he it never they never saw him rattled ever And so they continue to poke at him because he doesn't fit what they want him how they think he's a black man should act or a black family should be or whatever it may be. And the reason I'm like was so flipping about The topic is because I don't think Bill Mre is that stupid. He's trying to be so aloof in this clip when he's like, why do you need this? Why did to your point, all the presidents have one, which I think Rocana said something like that. And then when people clap to say they would actually go because this museum is going to be different from any other president museum and the way things are looking Right now, it seems like we'll never have something like this again. Of course people want to see something that is historic for a different reason. Bill Maar knows this. This to me, when I saw this, I'm like, oh, of course he did this because he knows this will go viral. He knows people will talk about it. He's not stupid. He might be racist. This might be a racist racist Um a discussion on his part. I'll say it like that. but He knows what he's doing. When Roana sits there and explains the importance of the representation of Barack Obama to Bill Mare, like he's a fucking third grader. I'm watching this and I'm like, off course he gets it. He's just doing it to do it. And that's why it was so annoying for me to watch because I'm like, why is Roocana explaining this to you? and then relating it to himself and talking about how it encouraged him and sparked his political career and what it show these things and even watching the way it was televised. I don't even know if you saw the Lego representation that Iran did about Trump watching the ceremony on TV. It was beautiful. It's bigger than anything that you've ever seen. George Bush was enjoying himself probably more than Barack Obama himself. He was gittdy having a good time. There is so much love and appreciation for even to your point, you're left of Barack Obama, but you can still recognize the excellence of it. There is so much of that that is given to him more than you to have seen really any other president that Bill Mar is just doing this shit to do it I I agree with you But I'm gonna be real with you I don't let Let me tell you why I do, I do agree with you. but I don't agree with you. It's okay. You can disagree. Maybe not But I will. Okay. so let me tell you why I belieelieve Bill Mar You believe which part? I believe that ' I'm gonna to stop doing this I believe that Bill Mare is genuinely eved by Barack Obama's presidential library Rachel, there' a I agree with you. Right. There' a thing. There's a thing and I'm running up against this thing And I don't know how to explain it don't like Niggas. They don't like them They don't, broke. I don't know how to tell y'all. They don't like they don't like it. They don't like that type of shit They don't like that shit, bro. I'm like You I'll be just having casual conversations and somebody'll say that, I'll be like Yeah, this other person has that. they've done that I know just feels different L I know it feels different to you I know it feels differentarative. No, it feels different to you because Niga feels different to you That's what feels different Black people feel different You know the construct of this thing. That presidential library is not supposed to fucking exist because he wasn't supposed to be able to do that Any celebration of him is a celebration of ego. It's a celebration of all these things that don't have to do with genius or hard work. Those things are white things Black men have is ego Black men have is hubris. Well black men have is Audacity Audacity even the way that Obama described it. That's what black men have What white men have is work ethic and focus and ambition and all of those things. And so when you're going to a different library, you're celebrating that stuff. You're celebrating the story, but you couldn't be doing this has to be Big. shhiny in Chicago eight hundred fifty million dollars penis. That's what it has to be. It has to be that because a black man has it. That's what it did., I'm so glad that Bill Mahr doesn't count himself as one of our allies anymore I'm so glad. if there's one thing that I'm glad that the last ten years did is to get white boys like that out my section We ain't playing, no Mclemamore. Get out my section We like get out my section We might be playing Mac Miller But get the fuck out of my section, man Now we're not playing Mclemore. Get the fuck out. Stop acting like you one of us Stop acting like you down. Like you say nigga and you did you lost your mind because ice cube wasn't with it. Like so like get out, get out the section. happen Bill more. Yeah, like get the fuck out. And now he's so scarred by that. he's got to go and talk about Barack Obama. This is Tansu bullshit put that legal dress in tent. Keep the war criminals out your mother fucking library though. If you want me to get on his ass, I get on his ass, now D me get on his ass. you don't that part. I agree with about him being annoyed. I agree this in the water. I agree that part. but what I don't agree with he doesn't understand why it's a big deal. No that's and that's what that is annoying to me that he keeps doing that he we know you get it. You get this is why you're annoyed. You're annoyed because it is a big deal. It's you get him to be this way in him. That's why he could be friends with like rappers. That's why he that's that's the type of niggas. That's the that's the top of nigga Right? That's why he could like, I remember back in the day and this is when I was stupid I remember back in the day when I would hear Bill Mare talk about like juvenile, like back that ass up. He'd be like, this is the way I like blah blah I' be like, Oh, shit, yeah, okay, Bill Maar. You didn't know. That's the pinnacle of blackness to him The pinnacle of bllackness to him is you a f mother fucker what you back that ass up and that is. That could be, I can understand why he feel that does. This right here This threatens his order. These are wh white men White men have Ps sometimes Let them friends be pets And and they don't even know they are or they don't know that they're treating them like a pet. They don't know that they are exotic animals. Not dogs but like exotic animals. And by the way Sometimes the pets don't know that they're pets and sometimes when you get a little bit more You realize that you're a pet and then you go, h what Barack Obama is for Bill Ma Bill Mars actually Obama's pits Obama is his senior. Barack Obama Oh is somebody that he has to look up to. I couldn't have done that And that drives him fucking crazy is upuppety nigger. I used to be your guy. Shut up Please clip that Please Stop calling me out But you've wr this isposing me at all time on this podcast. But it's good. You said it like you used to and the more you watch, the more you understood what was going on. Don't listen to me when I say anybody is a good person. You never said he was a good person. I never said he was a good person. been for a long time, man. You absolutely never said that I watch For adults with Crohn's disisease or ulcerative colitis symptoms Every choice matters. Trumphia offers self injection or intravenous infusion from the start Trmphia is administered as injections under the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks, followed by injections under the skin every four or eight weeks. If your doctor decides that you can self inject trmphia, proper training is required Tremphia is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease, and adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, serious allergic reactions, increased risk of infections or lower ability to fight them, and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, get checked for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection flu like symptoms or need a vaccine. Explore what's possible. Ask your doctor about Tmphayia today. Call one eight hundred five two six seven seven three six to learn more or visit Tmphiaradio. com All newew Sundays at nine, exclusively on AMC and AMC plus. I st. I'm a rock star now an Rice's Imortal Universe comes what Vulture calls the most momentous event in fictional rock history. Thousands of f L. I want millions It's my This is the Vampirelessist Dot. All new Sundays at nine, exclusively on AMC and AMC pllus, streamed now. But more for Obama watching him, Dick Rod Obama, get the fuck outt of here. h Yeah, in a recent interview with WFA and Sports Radio Nick's owner, James Dolan confirmed his acceptance of the White House invitation for his team while noting some unspecified details still needed to be worked out. Let's hear from JD Are you looking forward to the celebration at the White House the as matter of fact, thank you for asking me that. We just did receive an invitation did from the White House, which we accepted We still have to figure out the details, etcetera. But You know, yes, of course. I mean, you know, look, I invited the president to come down for the game. rightight. He is a friend. I've known him for thirty for thirty years and I'm very proud to bring the team to work.. You said you were privileged out of sitting president came to the garden. firstirst time ever for a finals game. First time ever for any NBA finals. That's right. And then you guys get to go back and be celebrated for the entire country to see at the White House at some future day Yes Wow How do you think you're curious, you think you think I'm okay with it? You think I think the next should go Whoopie says she thinks they should go. Did you see Whoopie's think comment? Well what did Whoopie say? Whoopie basically was like they should go because she wants the black man to stand. in our house and remind all those people as we tri to rem this is a quote, As we tried to remind the vice president that when you destroy one part of history, you're destroying all of our histories. So she thinks that they should go and represent be representative since I mean almost all of them are black except for one Is that it on the t? Yeah, they got some niggers with them. Yeah I don't agree You de let you go. Well, I mean I gave James Dollan a compliment after they won when I said I wish the cowboys owner would take a step back. and let people who should be running the team run the team to allow them to get to have the success love Jam that they could possibly have. I do not love James Dolan. But James Dolan, who accepted the invitation. on behalf of the team from the White House and said we accepting it is the James Dolan that people complain about is the controversial James Dolan that people have talked about since the moment he stepped into ownership with the Kicks. And is the James Dolan who's been friends with the president because they do share things in common including sexual assault allegations. who's been friends with him for thirty years and put that friendship over the voice the feeling and even the power of his players and coaches who don't look like him and even crazier is when and it's not just even talking about like what Trump represents has represented over the thirty years that they've been friends, all of that kind of stuff. It's just even the timing of it. You're coming off of a White House event where A UFC fighter calls Michelle Obama, a black woman, a man president and the administration have nothing to say about it. undernder an administration where the policies that are being implemented directly affect the black community in a very negative way. It is fully against them. you're talking from an administration As I believe it was Sonny Hoston who said on the view when she was talking to JD Vance where and Wpy Goldberg were saying Black people don't feel seen or like we're even a part of or considered in the decision making when it comes to the administration. And you're going to tell You're going tell whoever he was talking to, we accept it And it's an honor because that's your friendship And he's basically showing that he believes in his power or really is asserting his power over any kind of consideration of his players. He's basically, I feel like saying I'm the owner, you're my players. This is what we're going to do. And we all know the history of Trump with the NBA. No team has been since he's been in office. And so now you're going to go because you're friends with him and that's what's more important than anything else. And now you're putting your players in a bad situation, right? With players who've been outspoken against Trump We know that Josh Hart has We know that Carl Anthony Towns has been like veryery much a social justice warrior. I think he won an award for it and You're putting them in a situation that's lose, lose. If they don't go, people are going to have something to say. If some of the team goes and some doesn't, it shows a fractured team rather than a unifying team, which is what caused them to win championship. And then if they do go, your people are going to complain. So it's just a bad situation overall. What you should have done is you got the invite, you go to your team, you consult with your team. Your coaches, your management, and you ask them how they feel. and as a team, keyword being team, it's not you and then the team. You go in there and ask them how they feel about this if they want to pursue it and then you make the decision after that. That's what it seems like other owners have done. But that's not what James Dolan does because that's not how James Dolan functions as an individual in the society and as Yeah, that you're right. Everything you just said is correct I do think that like There will be probably no social costs for any member of the New York Ns that decides they w't go to write I'm not saying that you said that. I'm just saying that like You know There have been teams that I support that have won that have gone to the White House, right And we cut up on wheels in that bitch. I'm like It is a video that will forever They tried to recreate it, I thinkast. Yeah Inda So look, going to the White House Um For this president is not something that I think that, you know, that I would I'm not I wouldn't do it, right? I wouldn't do it U, I will say that like as professional athletes, These guys get to make a decision about whether or not they go and what they do when they do go. Um I can't play wholeer than now in terms of that. I've been in some really, really places. Your point about James Dolan is correct. James Dolan, this is his rebellion This is James Dolan's rebellion saying that like while the NBA seemingly has this top down non Maga stance. It's almost the inverse of the NFL to that degree, the NFL seems to be completely on board with MAGa in terms of the ownership. everything about how many people are in with President Trump Don't know offhand numbers as far as the donations that would have come from NBA people, but there is a different culture. So I would have expected there to be less at least out front P peopleople that were supporters of the president, James DZolan, someone who's known for a long time, and he's rebelling. He's rebelling in his space and saying, Hey, my team's going And I was willing to throw away the NBA championship for for my allegiance to Donald Trump. I was legitimately willing to completely ruin the vibes, have President Trump show up And it took the Wu Tang clan at halftime to come out and the funniest thing about that is The Wu Tang Kan I'll tell you how the Wuan Can actually cleansse the garden They actually cleed the garden Be of their authenticity So when I was watching that Half of the Wu Tang Clan was going. the Wu Tang Klan ain't nothing the fuck with. The other half of the Wu Tan Kan was going Ay the Woo Tang Klan ain't nothing to fuss with They were trying to shot it up foot a garden couldn't because they too real The realess of New York The fact that that fuck came out of here cleanse them of the fake New Yorker That was in the suite up there surrounded by a bulletproof glass. That guy had been living in Florida for a long time. That's not real New Yorker like. Wu Tan Klan that's real New York. The fact that they said the Wu Tan Klan' done the fuck with that saved the garden that night. The Kicks felt that And they went out there and they got busy. Whether or not they go to the I mean, they lost Wait, Wu Tank didn't perform for Trump or did they perform after? Nigga they won that game. Oh, so they were game four. Yeah. okay. Okaykay Niga that was the game where they were I didn't realize we switched to game four. All right. N, they won that game. They would that was the big one. They won. So all I'm saying is look They go, they don't go, whatever You can go and actually make a statement if you go You cannot go and make a statement. The players that go and don't make any statement will be looked at a certain way This is James Dolan U deffinitely trying to get his championship winning franchise to endorse President Trump in a way. I just hope he doesn't try to do it for the players who if players decide not to go I hope that he doesn't retaliate. I doubt that he could. There's a CBA and all that type of stuff. Right. There's a CBA. Yeah. I would imagine that any player that didn't want to take a trip could take a tri. The CBA says it it's a tradition, not like a requirement. Right. So I don't think that there's anything that he could do. Those guys will have to be asked to buy it Thats something the guys that do go be asked about it. We'll see what the team decides. Maybe the team decides Uh, that They don't want to go and What you could do is if everybody decides they don't want to go and there's four guys going, then the White House might cancel it because the White House might not want to look crazy So the Kicks are still in control about whether or not they go to the White House. Well, we know Robinson will go M, he said that's bullshit Did he say that? Yeah, he on both sides of that You what I'm saying He' fifty fifty just like his free throws U, all right I want to talk about something that's really has really been like I love this man I tell you I something real quick I love people Do you? I do I love people I love watching people celebrate I've been thinking about this As I grow older, I've what Do I want more than anything And what is it? I want to be a reason people celebrate I want to inspire celebration and cooperation amongst people. Now it's But the way my anxiety is all set up, I get outraged and I go on I probably went too far with the Obama thing and get I get mad. I get mad, I get upset I get passionate. I love to see people enjoy their life and themselves. And some of these profound crimes that we talk about in this podcast, the reason why they move me so much is because every time when somebody's hungry, it's hard to laugh. You know when somebody doesn't have a house, it's hard to fall in love. It's hard to get all of the great things that are about life art and inspiration and celebration and togetherness. these systems that we've created rob people of that. And we have this big capitalist thing And that's what the World Cup is. It's for money and it's this and this and that, but there's something more to it, man. There's a cultural cultural thing here to where you have to go to somebody else's culture, you have to fucking land where they are. you have to experience their food, you have to go to their clubs. Because that's where your team is at. You can't just be about yourself. You have to be about Japan in Houston And it's really, really moving to me. Donny, play some of these videos. Play the Japanese guy in a Texas cllub Pain I like He doesn't even know that that's from Rush hour And they kind of look, Now watch. Now watch them go too far. And watch the brothers. Look at the brothers. The brothers is like, notah, this neer going too far Right He getting it You walk, walk They're going crazy This is what I love to see Okay. How did that my old video? Yeah. He about to take the shirt off the whole night. I'm fucking with this. I love this. Donny, play play give me a compilation of this Look, they they're eating a barbecue. Their minds are blown. think that they hate us. They just ain't never been to the Bass P shop. They don't know about ranch. You know what I'm saying? Look Look, gallons of milk. Gallons of milk, jerky Howid they dancing around like bridges look, I'm just I'm talking about look Is America, that's W that from the fucking Daily wire That's tough. But like that's what that said. That'orry that's tough. But listen Look, it's even bringing them together. It's even bringing us. So I'm saying that even beyond that, even when you see, I saw this video, I wants to find this video. of a Mexican guy. in Mexico watching U I think is it Korea that's playing down there? watchatching an Asian lady Feed a taco to her boyfriend And And he goes and he smiles because people are in love. peopleeople are celebrating Last thing I'll say about this is the fact that America doesn't invest into this worldwide soccer culture Shs O deevastating cynical and really putrid hubris This is a worldwide celebration around one thing And we take more pride in the fact that we don't do it than the fact that we do when you it's it's hard to kind of quantify until the World Cup comes around, but you see just how much of a celebration this is Ebody bringing their different culture. Soccer itself is a sport that is reflective Oh togetherness of the world because everybody plays it, but everybody plays in a different way. The Germans play German soccer, the Brazilians play Brazilian soccer, the Italians play Italian soccer play culture is like reflected in the game, which makes the game that much more beautiful and that much more of an experience. And it's like being around LA and seeing people have so much fun just to be a part of this. That's human shit. And I am inspired by that. Yeah, it's I mean, you said it so well. It's inspiring and it makes you smile It's simple things that are exciting people and bringing them together. Of course it's the sport, but it's like the little moments that it's like dancing feeding someone a taco, justust like all coming together. Nobody's paying attention about what you necessarily look like or where you're from. It's like you're all here to celebrate something and culture is a part of that as well. It's not just about soccer, it's about the culture that comes with it. And then for it to be here, you know, you have culture in New York Miami. places, but like not as intermix like you do, like what we're seeing right now is these people are coming into Houston and Dallas. Yeah, like you don't get that culture. It wasn't really until I left Texas and I went to New York that I was like, oh, wow, this is like a totally different thing. And so I think it's cool for people to see, not read about it, not watch about it, not have these preconceived notions. You're experiencing it in real life And you're realizing Joy is the same language, laughter is the same language, dancing is the same language. likeike all of that is so beautiful. And they're sharing it. And as you said, we talk about things that are so heavy and there is so much to pay attention to and to complain about. But these simple things are just bringing people so much joy, whether you're out experiencing it in your own city. or you're experiencing it on your timeline. I'm like you when you posted this, put this in our chat, I'm like, yeah, I'm like really enjoying watching these videos too. reallyally is a beautiful thing. So hopefully we don't forget it What I'm tell you I mean, we will, but look, I'll tell you this, I'm going to enjoy this. I've decided Ill told Joey. want not to get a kit You know, I gonna get my own kit. I mean kit So soccer kid. A jersey, I think, is called a kit I'm not sure. Okay well, it's a kid. I'm gonna get a kid and then America Turkey Sunday Thursday. Thursday excuse me, it's Thursday. I'm going to watch it. I'm going to watch it with the people I am mister World Cup now I am going to the World Cup. The World Cup is here for another what month here in LA or something like that I don't know how long it' in LA. but it just goes on for another month. I' missed the World Cup. I'm an experience this. I'm an experienced How whereere are you going Well, I'm go around Engleood where everybody's hanging out we go watch. I saw the Bosnians Bosnians had nothing but blue Ione walking through the streets of Innglewood. S shout out to them. By the way, you know guys, you know, here's the thing A lot of people jumped in it was a joke. People were like, V, I know I hope you know that they're crips in Inlewood You know hope the equryptse everywh is a Until july nineteenth is what is what Jay says. I take your time. I'm saying, I'm with all the gangs, okay? don't try I'm at every game. I'm in every yank I can't wait to see videos and pictures of you One with the people out celebrating wait I want you to be out there dancing I will definitely d. Yeah. That's what I want to say. All right, let's get outt of here with some AI sciss Yeah, Sisa took to Instagram on Saturday to slam artists using AI music generators such as SunNo Alleging producer Diplo had equity in the company and was trying to train it on quote the best and brightest black minds of writers and producers. Sissza said We make up thirteen percent of the American population, yet influence the world with our sound and perspective. Iin heard a white AI song, yet, we have no protection in legislature, medical or creative, the easiest to steal from. Do not give away your vibranium Do not train AI with your genius Yeah, Jade I wanted to bring you in on this one becausecause as an up and coming artist because I get Sizzo like really went on a ran about it because the Atlantic did that article where and basically had the database where you could put your name in and see if u or like your songs are being used to train AI And, you know, her whole thing is she they're using black artists and black songs. And then like in one of her One of her posts, she talks about her niece who's an up and comoming artist who's worked really hard, doesn't even use her as a resource or try to use her name you know, to build her own Um presence and She's like, that's taking away from them. Like how do you feel about this? You're an up and coming artist, very talented. As like the state of music, you have people like Diplo who Do doesnn't seem doesn't wrap. so it's kind of convenient for him to be invested in some of this U what does how does that make you feel as an artist as a creative when you see other musical artists either supporting it and then the ones who are speaking out because this isn't going to stop It's not and it's It's scary. It's At the end of the day It's just exploitation. and I feel like There are no regulations around this and there haven't been and It just kind of gives everyone a free for all to use any voice, any sound, anything they want to create, whatever it is they want to profit off of it, especially off a black artist and like I've been seeing it's crazy because I've been seeing so many people come out over the last like month of their voices being used. And these are independent artists. these are artists who don't have Huge labels backing them notot huge teams. So I mean, it's a scary thing because it's taking away from the hard work that A lot of people in this industry do in order to get where they want to as an artist and create music for their audiences and their people. And I think too, like It's I mean, not only is it doing that, but it's taking away, it's also just environmentally like disastrous, you know what I mean? Like this is affecting This is affecting so many things. on so many levels that I don't know. I I'm nervous. I feel like a lot of my friends are nervous and you know It's kind of one of those things where it's like where's the solution to it? I don't really know what what solution, what where Where are people taking this? How can we put different regulations in place? Why do you think it's happening Did you say why or how? Wh? Um I mean, there's the ability to do it, you know what I mean? I think when people have access to things and to tools They're going to take advantage of them. Little deeper. What's the impetus for this? What's the impetus for removing an artist from a song makes it easier I mean, it takes it It takes money, time, effort, everything. cheaper. It's cheaper. and especially like producers I think more producers are willing to do it because it That is a tool that can, I mean, they don't even have to Timin So Timalin Diplo So I'm not to speak for these guys donon't know them that well. But but Timberlin and Diiplo or whomever else, insert other names. comes up with a song. The AI allows these guys to do a couple of things. Number one, to be less collaborative Now. I don't have to tell you, I don't have to go back and forth with a singer or a rapper about the way I want this thing in my brain to sound are the control. And then also It's cheaper. Once again We I would really I wish I wish I so wish I was sm becausecause everything that I say is so elementary on this topic when it was we thought that there was this patriarchic American thing cars were being made in Detroit Detroit was this great American city at one point the richest city in the entire world and cars were being made there. it was a big source of national pride Only it wasn itt capitalist endeavor because as soon as it was cheaper to make cars somewhere else or make the parts for cars somewhere else, you're going to make them there. And then those people have to figure out how they live with the next forty years of infrastructure ruin because it no longer exists there And we think that music is this incredible artistic expression and it is But that art is a part of the commerce that we're talking about, the capitalism that we're trying to figure out and all of that stuff. And if in fact There are ways lo is going to be on the other side of this one day. One day it' going to be people because Diplo makes beats. O day is going to be people going on. I don't need you either Right? Because if I know how to prompt AI to come in and and make a beat and if I know how to write that code, I don't need Diplow I'll need like Kanye one time was talking about the fact that he couldn't get the drums right for stronger Right? He couldn't get the drug right. So he had to go to Timberin for Timlan to get the drums right on the song, and then Timbl and got the drums right on the record And Timberland was like, like I'm the king and he was going back and forth. But think about the type of cross polonization that has to exist in creative spaces in order to get the sound that you want. You have to connect with people and do all of that stuff. money has to exchange has been trust built. like that's a humanistic experience but it doesn't have to be. If it is all just about selling something, you don't need humans at all And and that is the scary thing when you're getting to a point where you don't need the people in there. At first it starts off with the producer going, Hey, I have a song and I don't want to have to tell somebody how I think to sing. I want to listen to what they got to say. I want the song to be sung exactly way I want it. and I don't want to have to deal with nobody. boom. Eventually, he' going be out the loop Eventually this stuff is just going be produced by itself in the whole not. There's just all kinds of places it could go. But the one thing is All it is is At what point do we prioritize the experience of human beings people over the product that we enjoy We just kind of were talking about it when we're talking about real experience and watching people's actual reactions and joy. And like that's something you can't recreate. That's something that you can't type into some kind of chat, bot whatever, and it spew it out. That's the reason we're so joyous about seeing that is because it is genuine It's something that is real. And I think that even I guess the irony to me is you know, somebody may be like a ziplower or whoever may be using this kind of thing and saying, you know, they're considering themselves a creative because they're putting it together, but it's like you're putting it together or you're collaborating by stealing the sound of other people's v And I think the other part of what Sis is saying that is so important is it goes to something deeper within our own history as black people. She says, I don't hear AI artists sounding white They sound a particular way. And that is because black voices, black music is so influential and such a dominant force in all genres pretty much of the music industry. And so when you look back at history and you see how people's voices and their likeness in certain ways, as far as their stage presence was stolen by white artists and it was used for them to gain popularity and success. You're doing that again right now. with AI. It's just E was AI all of this like pabooing AIs AI' all over again. You're So you literally can take a black voice And first off, steal from black artists, create a black voice and put a white face on it Literally what you're doing. And and to your point, Jade, I don't know legally What can be done? because because the crazy thing too is we're talking about it. But if you're on social media Instagram and you're trying to use a song for your real. When you look at trending songs O like what's for you M like a lot of them are AI. I didn't realize that. So there's so many there's like this trend on TikTok about all the aunties reallying into this one song and it's an AI artist. You literally have to go and Google, Is this a real person to find out it's an AI artist. So you're promoting it without even realizing you're promoting it because there's there's no like There's no note There's no reg AI ar A music Yeah. when that Sar thing or whatever came out was making videos and showing like our black historical figures doing animalistic stuff. likeike there used to not be any kind of note on it. So I don't know what's going to have to happen here because It's just like it's just all getting out of control. And it takes away genuine talent and experience and it takes that away from us to be able to experience it to as consumers I'm so glad they stopped that man. Oh See, I didn't say, I didn't get into the specific I didn't get into the specifics because I knew you would start laughing and you did it anyway. I glad they stopped that. They got. That was de Because who were they using? U, It's always us. It's never accidental they purposefully used us in so many ways were still from us But like I don't I might not look at Bill Clinton a certain way. They ain't using him. They're using black people. It's never accidental. It's never they're all it's always us No, I'd be interested with us. I'll be interested to talk to my man. What's my man that made the BBL Jerzy song? Do you remember him Oh, I feel like I met him out. I met him in person somewhere Yes, yes, yes, yes. like that BBL Drezy song is a hit rightight? The original one And then when metetro Bo fl I'll be interested to see what he thinks about this Like I'll be interested to see what someone who It's kind of coming up on the AI situation using it it's a part of what he what he does U I'd be interested to see what he thinks about like D the guardrail should be There's going to be King Wonius The there're going to be some guardrails at some point. The question is what should they be Okay. Before we get out of here guys, we promised you an interview with Estelle, her life I love music. exist. This episode is brought to you by the active cash credit card from Wells Fargo. That's a mouthful, but that's because it packs a lot in Earn unlimited two percent cash rewards on purchases with it big or small So whether it's buying tickets to the game and grabbing a coffee it earns unlimited two percent cash rewards on purchases. Say it with me The active cash credit card from Wells Fargo. percenter Learn more at Wellsfargo. com forward slash active cash terms apply Let's talk about Payoni's disease, or PD It's not widely talked about And some men may feel reluctant to bring it up But it's more common than you'd think PD can happen when scar tissue builds up under the skin of the penis, causing a curve or a bump during an erection that for some men, may lead to pain during intimacy and impact mental health A trusted urology specialist can help diagnose PD and walk you through your options, including nons surgical treatment Visit talkaboutpD. com Will she ever perform with Kanye West again We askwer all these questions on the other side Okay guys, we have a friend of the podcast in the house right now Singer voice actress, actress. rarapper songwriter former Black lady English lady All different types of ladies. Goes by one name. One name. One name. That says a lot It's Stle. Hi. h lear to give it up for. Hello, how you feeling? Of all those things I named, which one defines you the most? Oh my goodness. Oh, that that's the one name. Let's go with the one name. The one name' ax. It is a flex. It is, it is. They say they say van to you. Jones or Lhan. They say Van Jones and Van L but it's always a second. No one just comes up to me says it's Van. because the one name there's like a it's a real thing. It's a real. It's like a mantle. It is. Anna, Stle, you know what I mean? Those are the things. Thank you.'s like a that's always a great comparison, first of all m and more because she's legendary and she's been here. since before before But like it's an man. It's like it's my great grandma's name you know, A. under the she walk so I could fly act You know, is it's an honor to have this name and it to be the singular thing. Yeah I I went to The Hollywood Bowl. I think it was this year. And I went to John Legends showow, friend of the podcast. and you surpriseed the audience by coming out. And as a person who sat in the audience lost their minds. I'm not even kidding. I was like, I was with Kalia and I was like, o my gosh, I obviously we love you here too, but just Get that reception. You performed song new song from your album Roses Roses. But then you did, you know have some great heads. And people just like, what does that feel like? You're timeless when it comes to this because everybody, I think John must have been singing a slow song and people were just, you know, like in their fings, sit down He's like, I got a special guest. Boom. peopleeople dancing clapping. It was like a really beautiful thing It's the consistent response to me that blows my mind with that song with American Boy. It's eighteen years Since we put that out eighteen years. craz. eight years. That does not seem like that was eighteen years ago. What happen. Have no clue. We lost four of them to COVID, but here we are. But like it's the consistent reaction that like, oh my goodness eople love the song and it's literally what I prayed for. So like part of me is Oh my goodness, this is crazy. Part of me is like, thank you God Yeah Yeah It just brings people so much joy.'s just fun to see. And then like you created something that eighteen years later, it was like it had just dropped that night. And may it continue for the rest of my actual life and beyond. like its that's the point of this song, like these songs for me. don't I don't make music that how does it I'm not here for stagnant music. I'm not here for just a moment. I want to My things' always legendary and legacy and orver with anything I've done. you know, that's what takes me so long. And that's what kind of is my whole The song itself Harkens back to a time where we were really feeling good, man.. We were feeling good. Y. music made us feel good. Yeah. We were still hopeful whatever reason. We also were feeling good about Kanye. Yes at that time. Yeah. Where are the chances that you'll ever perform that record with him again? You know what's crazy? He's actually performing it now in Europe Oh, he performs it which is Wild Why? Beuse he ' all right, so we've performed that together a total of maybe four or five times. Oh, in total in eighteen years. Total. Okay. So it's always a surprise when I see him before me. I'm like, okay, thank you. That's nice. Running up. Areciate it. You know, like But I've been working on that record that's been my record for twenty, you know, twenty years, total real talk. So Um, I'm just happy that Again, people get ded from it, whatever, you know Yeah. But you don't see yourself performing with him again? I don't think so. I don't think you know, it would have to be a real phone call and a definite conversation and a one eighty and his personal perspective on life You know, I don't think I need to anymore I don't think there's a reason for me to actually do it unless ike, oh, this gonna to save somebody's life? is this, you know? The record has done what it needs to do You are an artist and you understand though brain in the mind of an artist And listen, I got to be honest with you about something. Go ahead. The glasses are. I'm scared. Iit back as well. So look, I've been thinking this for a while Because there's two things that are butting heads Yeah One is Our want and need, our very real want need to live in a society in a community where we hold people accountable and where we have people do and act in ways are humanistic and think about other people, right? We don want people to be assholes Same time, there's this understanding You creatives are crazy. Y' guys are insane. Over time, there are levels to it. Don't get me wrong. Like you go back and people go, o my go You know, Vincent Van Ggh, great painter, cut his ear off, sent it to somebody, which is wild. The Niggle was going through some shit. you know, and you look at creatives and highly creative people And as we you know, more concerned with the overall good acting of the individual, but we also have people who are wired a little bit different. The question becomes How do you balance those two things? If it's Kanye, if it's whomever. like how do you balance minds that don't work the same as ours with the fact that We want to be in community with them and we need them to stand up for things and stuff. How do you art artist, this whole conversation? whereere do you stand? Are you talking about like the perception of the audience or are you talking about? I'm talking about just as these things continuously get litigated in real time. Be you could go back and look at James Brown's Wikipedia right now and you'd be like, God damn. But like we're litigating these things in real time. Should we hold a special different set communal standards for our artists because they're not operating on the same Waverlyy Is that what do you think Oh this tough 'cause I'm 'causeuse I'm you know Admittbe I give a lot of grace for a lot of things and a lot of people because I find myself in these scenarios too, right? Right. And then there's a point where I'm like, Nah because Because I could have did that and I didn't. And then I say to myself at the same breath Yeah but that's that person's journey can't do nothing about that person's journey It's their choice and it's what they I believe it is what they came here to do. Like they they chose this before they came here I can't do nothing about that personally unless I'm physically in the room and be like And then If I leave the room, they're gonna say or do it anyway, you know So it feels a little like, a you know, like, um I feel like Humans are human And I'm trying not give vaguesw, but like I feel like humans are human and they're gonna human, if that makes sense. So should we separate it? like as consumers, right? I'll give you an example. I'll give you an example. I was just in New York And I was sad like I typically am and It was kind of like a boiler room situation. And they start playing ignition.? The remas Tough break it. dobody. was It was a mix It was a mix it was a mixed party. like I was say like equal black and white. Mostly men though at this party And the men they just lost their minds, right? And I'm sitting here and I'm just looking back and I'm with my home girl. And I said I mean, I do like that song, but I just didn't feel right dancing to it.. Black girl comes up to me and she just looks at me I wasn't doing anything. but she kind of looks at me and she was like, girl And I'm from Chicago. And I was just like, I know girl. And she just kept on walking. And then I said it to another guy in the group. I'm like, Yeah, everybody's over here dancing technition. I mean, losing their minds. Oh yeah. I taap my foot. She said And then he goes, well, you were just dancing the Michael Jackson? No said I said because that's not the same thing.. And he goes, I mean, I don't I don't disagree with you, but I'm just saying. And so it was kind of one of those things it was kind of one of those things where it's like goingo back to what I'm originally saying, it's like What as consumers, like, do we, you know humans will human to your point We're learning things move it. Yeah. like how do we move around? Be we're learning things in real time about people we regarded in such a way that it's sometimes hard to let go of that in light of what we're learning. Whatever you say we will do, Astale makes the rules on this. I know This is the finalist after this, we gonna decide right now, y'all can listen to our Kelly all summerere if y'all want Please D is making. Please. Thank Dale. It' for me, specifically R Kelly and Nid down for me, it's so much that we visibly and grew up seeing and I've done the whole personally I've done the thing where I was like, o, I mean and then after the fact we saw the video of him with a fourteen year old and after the fact he was still You know, you still listen to his music. I'm not going to lie And I still was too stepping to happy people And so it's a little like knee jerk reaction when it comes on, you're like, o, wait, wait, wait. Oh no You know, some other things is just like personersonally do what you feel I'm not doing it. I'm not missing with it I'm not going out Like I'm not too stepp into it. I'm not body rolling in the club. and I do that with a lot of artists who I don't personersally agree on the way that they treat women and the way that they move through their life. L I'm very much like that. I'm the one that's in the club with my friends like, you know M, I see you when I have you on video. Like I had videos on some of the hobies like, arere you really? this is this is you being like early this week? This how feel messing with them, but like it's a very it's a touchy thing because I just keep thinking My sister, my cousins, my brother, my like, you know, like family members whenever I think about them. I don't ever want it to feel like I'm outside here being me for my family. I never want my sisters, my nieces and my nephews to feel like Well she's she's dancing to his heart, right? if a man treats me that way, you know? like with because that's a real, you're sending off flares to me. and I just don't, I'm not with that What is What does your decency cost you in this industry, if anything. Oh little. Oh yes. Oh ye it costs me fuck cast people Like people stay away from me with it whichich is good to me likeike and I like it. I enjoy it. like it's nice to come and say hi, but generally I feel like that my energy just repels Fuck it Has it want to a bad phrase? Has it always been that way for you? or did something happen where it just came Okay. I realized it. Okay It wass happening down the line But at first I was kind of like, well, how come I wouldn't get invited to this party? How come I wouldn't get? And subsequently I was like, oh, thank you, thank you God Appreciate you, you know, Thank you for keeping me out that mix, you know And I love it. I'm a big fan of Don't invite me, please You know, if I'm supposed to be there, I'll be there and if I'm not. I am so good to be at my house. I enjoy my home It's lovely there guitar My backyard is beautiful Um I know we were just talking about that before. The album, the latest album that you just had staya. Stay Alta, you collaborated with a number of people. Great people, Friend of the show, Turand, Bernard H addored Dice, which I know you have a story about kind of like how he doing yeah, like what he was doing during COVID and how that inspired you in chang things for you Um, Teacher Moses. Teacher Moses. I New Orleans. New Orleans bab. But also La Russell. Yes Now we talked about La Russell on the podcast. I have to ask you. justust I mean, you know Well, I have two questions. One, what did what did we misunderstand it? Like what did you think when when his viral heaven sent song Creators man they brains You know, you know, like did we misunderstand it? I'm asking like I'm not judging here, not in this moment. I'm just saying, like, you know, do we mis understand what were your thoughts in Would you return the favor of maybe being being? I've done something for his records, so we did that in my session. so I don't know. mayaybe it willll come out But I think this and I said this at the time whether what he said was true or not, whether whoever believed what they believed v was Terrible timing Yeah and it's not People have said it before. Other arters have said similar things and they're not cancellled and they're not pushed away. it was just wild timing to me. And it wass just like, bro, Did that need to be said in that way in that moment? or like what was what was what was the point? What were we trying to get to That's always my question. What were we trying to get to? What What was that reason? U you know, I was always my hard what was the reason? I'm always very much like What are we trying to get to? when we say things as ars and that's my issue with with things We're afforded so much grace as artists and is not censoring. It's not saying don't say the thing. have a point to it Throwing it any air to throw it in the air like a bomb Oh ye You hurt so many people and or you could help so many people. Just give it context and give it something you know, donon't just land some things there and say because I'm anized. ' then that gives the rest of us such a hard little battlefield to like navigate or to, you know, walk around when we're trying to have our freedom of speech and our singular thoughts and our. This is how I believe the world is, you know? it puts pressure Unnecessarily on everybody I love the acknowledgement of As an artist, you're given so much grace. And so I feel like what you're saying with that is there's a responsibility that you have as artists that sometimes peopleeople play with or don't respect. Yeah I also think with Ala Russesoll with that situation is that What people are really saying is the grace can't come before the accountability So if you bring up Donald Trump or Jeffre Epstin, Jeffy Epstein's date But if you bring up Donald Trump or Jeffrey Epstein, you know, we're still in an active search for the truth in the Epstein situation. We're still You know, under the thumb of the MAGA regime I think people want to see the comeupps and the ility for some of this stuff before we start saying we all human and God made us all, which we know. By the way, I don't think you know we have fun with the Lore Rsell Clip. He didn't do anything that was cancelable, right? L even Even some of the ways and this is a self scout we have to do, even some of the ways people did respond to put his whole entire life and movement under the crosshairs. probably that was a overreaction But that was wild. And so, you know But you know, these are your friends so people. Wh' just wd. if I count now the people' to I'm I'm looking for this right now.' amazing. you got all the controversials right here. But you you also do have one of the nicest guys ever. I want to give grace to him, John Legend. Yeah. onene of the nicest men ever. Now we can't get John to do our podcasts and talk to John pretty regularly. Yeah John hit me up me John have hold. I called John. his nephew was playing football. Yeah. Nphew plays for I think oh miss No, Ohio. who's his nephew? from Ohio But I think his nephew pled w it. So I hit John me and John talking to John, but can't get John on H higher learning. Right. L loveve to have John Legend on H high learning. John you had it. John is a friend. He is a friend. He's a nice guy, great guy Yeah. Okay, good human Music You've been doing music for a long time. Start over in the UK Yeah All right You start over in the UK doing music doing rap. you guys rapping over in the UK. But don't la. Why are you laughing? Why are you laughing? UK rap first of all, hold the they out to get me personing out here.. Wait a minute. Wait a second. Wait it's mad UK rappers that I like. Okay. Especially rememember the Drake era when he was putting all of those guys on and stuff. Yeah. the I was the guy the really popular gu Stormsy. Stormsy is I love storm. A lot of these guys I like Yeah. and I like the way they rap. I that the't what d they Theyin't do the cama I come do it the.. did the v. Not quite like it but with it that go with it? What is? ts the be like I like the way they rarap in the grime shit. I like that shit But I like all of that shit. I it comes from over there. R rememember Craig David. Half the content' gone. he was talking about. I like all of that shit U crazy. So leegend is Craig David at home? No, no, no. A leegend. No, no, no. She't f feel me in L legend. Yeah. What do you feel like Hip hop is right now. likeike where do you feel like music is right now? Is there room for creativity? I hear people like Lizzo talking about the fact that it doesn't really matter the work that you put out.. If the algorithm isn't promoting your work and people just not getting your music What do you think about this? think I think that that's personal projection. That's probably where she's at with it. and that's okay. She's allowed to have that opinion. That' the algorithms do The algorithms do factor I think And I've always said this, it doesn't matter if your music is good going to reach you who is going to reach. And There's a peopleople miss there's a huge live components that low artists, especially nowadays aren't trained for. They're trained to be online and to be online. And then you gott to get in front of people and actually perform that on repeat in the same way you put up as many content videos, you actually have to go do those shows too to gain that audience so that whether the algorithm hits or not You have a career. And a lot of artists don't pay attention to that side of it. They just like, Oh, if I just do these videos, we good. You have to do videos and perform. There's no seven ways about it today And it's a frustrating realization you know, and from my perspective. becausecause I didn't grow up being like, hey, ye.. Now I really have to be like, hey, or edit some video from every single thing I do every single day and that's part of my job now You know, on top of actually living and trying to be Say more about that. it's and it sounds like first as much time as a video editor As a singer and as an artist. like I spend as much time either getting videos or being reminded to post a video as I do writing songs. living my actual real life and just doing things that come with My real life And it's just like, o got that too But then when I have to go do my shows, I get excited. I'm like, o good, okay, this segway is gonna to be like this I spend so much time. put an effort into my live shows You have to put that equal amount of effort into video and content And to me, that's the difference. L you have to do both now. You can't just do one or the other. Yeah, you know, But good music, if it's good, if it's from an honest place, I should say that. ' good as subjective E from an honest place is going to hit the people it's meant to reach. period, like there's no there's too much evidence to that being the truth. But how do you go from an artist like her who Everybody was listening to her shit. She had these massive huge hits. They were everywhere to understanding But this for anyone, not specifically talking about her, to understanding that your share of people's consciousness might be smaller now. Like if you are a pop artist or an artist that has This many fans and then you wake up And either those people have moved on to younger artists or different artists or the wave you were on has changed. How do you get back into the front of your brain and go, okay, I'm this type of musician slash artist now I don't think it's even that That perspective, I think is you do music, right You're a singer, right? sing And keep the main thing, the main thing That cannot be the forefront of your entire career Fanss a fickle Pop fans of Fickle Popular So if you're not poping anymore, then you just don't sing anymore, so then you just don't do music anymore. This is who you are, and this is your heart, and this is what makes you breathe. That's you do And I don't see any of the other ways around it. So My thing is when it comes to and and I've ' been heabing, nabbing heabving, nabbing. You know, I take two quotes to mind. One is Quincy Chan said that he got the message from I think Louis Armstrong or one of his OGs. So like learn how to live in the valleys, as well as the hills, the peaks, right? That's one thing And how you learn to live in the valleys is you diversify You go and learn, you study, use that time to like be a different, expand yourself as an artist Go perform Go watch your favorite artist perform. Go learn how to do something that's going to help you eventually. because This is what always happens You know, you do that this always happens So just go learn some shit, you know, go and Go and do something else. Do something else that feels authentic to you And in the other ch singers will sing ane Rppers will rap so rap Do the art that you came here to do All the other stuff is subjective to time and people and popularity and that's great But I've been here as an artist, I can say this. I've been here since I was seventeen You know, in various forms and fashions. and I've I've managed to make a living doing this and other things. but I, you know Core of it. Do this This is my job. this is my thing. This is who I am It's the thing's part not who I am. It's part of my purpose You know, it's part of the thing that helps propel me into the world to do the thing I'm actually here to do, which is Bring love, bring healing, bring light. do all that stuff. It's nothing. It's not about it's It's not about the fame of the popularity. That's a great part of it Not going to lie If that didn't happen, I still have to bring love. I still have to bring light, I still have to bring healing. I still have to show up So let me just let me go and learn how to do that the best way possible in the in betweenetweens, you know or while I'm doing some other shit You're very grounded. You're very no, really, like even just like hearing the way you talk about it because when Van brought up, you know what Lizzo said about the algorithm and I've heard other artists share a similar sentiment. It feels like like when you talk about having to make videos and stuff that feels like business, where when I hear that statement that he said Lizo made it feels like you're putting your creativity maybe basing it off the algorithm, which, you know is not the same thing. Which is fair. she came in right at that time too, right? Do Do you feel like though there's pressure and maybe this is where an artist might get lost, pressure from the industry, pressure from the business of music that you have to create something, maybe for somebody who's came up in that time that has to go viral or appeal to the algorithm. and then you get you lose yourself in your creativity in that I'm sure there is I mean, do you need to take on that pressure? Do you need to Do do you have to take on the pressure? Do you have to be that person? Do you have to be like Oh no, it's giing away too much power. It's giing me too much power. Like and I feel like as as somebody, we're alchemists. is this is the Artists could be crazy part. there's two sides to it. You could look at yourself as an alchemist, we transmute energy into words and melodies and shift people's energy and casinos create magic Do you have that much Beauty and not power, but you have that much energy in your hands. Why are you worried about? the pressure from this thing that's ever changing and that probably won't be here when you're still making and singing these songs. Why are you worried about that? I'm like, Dude, what you came here to do That's always my thing. L, o, do what you came here to do everything will open itself out as you stay and do the thing you're supposed to do. I know it sounds simplistic, but it's quite literally that for me. and I've pro personally I've proven this point over and over again. Whenever I get Okay well, what's next Let's go when I write songs I literally just I am sing this song into my phone and I'm gonna go and enjoy life and see what happens So serious For the person who's not there, right?ike you like I said, you seem so grounded and you know, I don't know if that's how you were at seventeen when you came in or just over the years. Okay, So how do you get over the years you've come to this place? And it feels like very you're rooted in peace. I know you've talked about joy in the last album and every record on that album is rooted in that. How did you get there and how do you maintain that All right, I had to unlearn everything That's a wild statement. U, because it came at maybe thirty eight It was trying to like the whole T too phrase it right, it was not a breakdown but it was almost like a well, none of this is true. And it started to happen at thir A two. And then it just got when I was A two and they got real intense by the time I hit thirty eight I was like, oh, none of this shit true. This is insane. Everything is Yeah. wait M this is the truth and I found out family stuff and I found out things that were to to me were the absolute opposite. called my mom and had two or three. I like to call them interviews with my momum and my dad. like, So tell me this again None of that's real. L And you know And after it got to the end Well, it's never the end because I found out I found out some shit last month Um After I got to a point where I was like, okay, acceptance and surrender, this year is always going to change for me. It's always going to be different That's when there was almost like space for me to be like, well, what do I want it to feel like from here on now And how can I create from that point And the freedom Again, the surrender Oh, let me try some shit, the fearlessness that I don't know nothing of it all Let me try some shit That's what put me on this groundedness. And I wasn't I mean, the one thing I've kept since I was seventeen was singers sing, Cate is create I've always just done that You know, and that's the thing that's kind of opened the doors for me likeike in some way or another. if I get annoyed at Oh, this isn't moving or that's not moving Go go sing something. literally go stand in the middle of your room and sing and see if that changes the energy and the vibration of how you feel right now. And it does every time. Every time. And that's what I stick with. like that's my core, that's my north star Go create something, go put good energy in the world, go do something to change. You can shift this It's not the industry that's going to shift it to you. It's not these people, it's not the labels, it's not it's you And so that's my skin this spindle st. that's how I kind of But it was a shit though. It tellelling your mumy or dad like That was crazy No, that was really wild. Why would you tell me that? Right is a tough thing at, you know, the eight forty Like he's just sitting there saying? That's when they start breaking out the real shit though. Oh my goodness. That's when that's when you start to hear shit. That's when you I want to do a documentary where the documentary is legitimately U only Inviews with my mother, my sister and my grandmother. That's it. Yeah. It's called the women in my family. I just interview my grandmother interview my mother and then interview my sister. just like Three just their stories of the stories of black southern women, you know, through that because when you start talking about My mom, it's weird. When you start talking to your mom about the things that she's had to endure, the things that you didn't know and the things that she's had to make peace with. The men in the community that she's had to make peace with in order just to keep moving along. Like how did you do??ike How do you how are you not mad Then they tell you she goes, I am a little mad, but I love you more than I'm mad at them You know, s p So your mother's family is from Senegal. Your father's family is from Grenada. Yeah is the place I visit. Yeah how you like it. I've been there Interesting. Yeah. Tell me. talkalk to me. Tell me. Firsts Au Grenade is beautif Okay, Yeah A lot of other places in the Caribbean you go likeike The people there are there to make you feel like super welcome and whatever The people in Grenada are like, yo. Order this shit. get they work It wasn't It's like the I go home. Yeah, I remember it was raining real, real bad one time. have fun in Grenada. No way shit going any place away. It was raining real bad at one time, right? So like real bad at the house we that we had raining. So we just gonna go out get something to eat real quick. And there was we found a KFC in Grenada. Be it's different in Islands. We found a KFC in Grenada. And I remember the lady was behind the KFC and I was like, Yeahah, I kind of have a number four She goes, we don't have And I was like, all,. I was like the number five n We don't have that And I was like Sister What do you have? What do you have? Right? What do you have? And she was got she was like, we have the number three. I was like. guuess what I'm ordered. And you T me got the number three. No. They own their own time. Y. They own their own shit. This is islands across the board as far as I've heard. Okay, cool. But there are some islands that you go to that they are like but I will tell you something One of the guys in Grenada told me, he said Welcome to Grenada. This is thefrican of the Africa of the Caribbean I always remember he said that he claimed that he said this is the African Africa of the Caribbean. The one thing I remember growing up and so this is the story of my mom my dad. mom and my dad got together Split when I was threeight. My mom got married to a whole otherother Grenadian for twenty years And then they got divorced and then my mom and dad got back together and got married. I'm talking. So I' been in Grenadian cege my whole life, but didn't grow up with my dad And he was born in Trinada, raised in Grenada because by proxy of just work on my grandma at the time. and The one thing I do know R Grenadians, they are the most Educated on Black Pan Africa everything everybody that anybody I've met across all the islands and I grew up with the herbs and All of this stuff sitting on our counter. S people are having these times about like, o, cleaver and Black walnut and d I'm here like, yeah, you should see my kitchen. You should see my pantry. It's already y I know what that is. Nettle tea, okay. Source up. Source up. I have juice in the car right now. like this is not new to us, but because of that and because again, Africa, like my mom first generation, born in Senegal, raised in Sierra Leone, came when she was twelve to the UK, brought all of that with us, brought all of that with her, and gave it to us Like, this is who we are. Read these books. That's cute that that's what they te you at school, but here you go. So I grew up with some Militant parents, you know, like that knew what's going on And so that's all trickled down. That's will in me. Is there anything you have to learn learn about Black Americans you came over here because episode before this one. Oh. had We talked about a friend of the podcast. Oh no. David O' Yellow. And some of the things he talked about What did he say There's nothing We're not too much on David He's. But we keep coming back to this the wars, the diaspora warars and understanding of what it means to be a black American versus what it means to be black Pan Africanism any Were there any preconceived notions or anything things that you had to learn or relearn about Black Americans when you settled here in the States? I did. and this is one of the things that I'm happy that my parents gave me is like, listen Don't just go places acting like you know stuff. Like ask questions and listen So again, I came in, I would travel back and forth a lot by myself ord record saws around a lot of New York Americans New York Niggers N Black New York Americas. New York Niggers. Flat Bush Nigger. BX. BX. Let's go. But like I would sit and just listen and observe. And I never gave I tried my hardest not to give my preconceived stuff to them like This is not how I's supposed to go per the TV shows and the movies I've seen It's because America does an amazing job of Mckin to the rest of the world what things are supposed to look like. Right And that's where everybody gets ninety percent of their stuff from when it comes to America. So of course, I'm black, I'm looking at Black American TV and films and shows and I'm up on everything. And then you meet actual Black Americans and you're like, and I don't want to say that before anyone takes it out of context. It's not me going like, oh, look at it. It's like you meet people who look like you but have a different perspective on life And my best thing, my thing was just listen Just ask questions and listen And that's how I stay out the fray of that madness. Be the more I hear and the more I listen, I'm like, o Okay, this That them greens? Oh we make that. You know, and I just draw the comparisons more than anything else. And I think that's kind of to me, I listen for similarities versus differences You know, and I find there's a thousand many similarities. We are the same. We're cousins, we're brothers,'re sisters. we just are the same people. New Orleans to me is the closest And I guess then you get to the Carolina the closest to Africa. My dad came there one essence for had my mom, my dad come to see prrince For one essence. and my dad was like literally standing in the middle of oututside the hotel like, yeah, this is like this is like Senegal. This is like being in Ghana. Like he had a full out feeling like, yeah, this I could feel the red clay. Like, you know, that kind of energy. And I was like, this is why I like it. Yeah I was trying to move to New Orleans before I came to LA there's a feeling in the energy that's indndisputable And I just feel like there's too many similarities for us to beefing like this They're so much the same. Yeah. It's ridiculous. I think people just don't Basically what you said you did, you educated yourself and listened. and I think a lot of people do that. Or a lot of people just the human way and they Yeah. like they just accept maybe what they learned in school, which you just said. Your parents were like, read a book, read this book. It' literally in a book the truth. I think people are just and this just goes across the board in just general, just happy staying ignorant and just like staying in their place rather than realizing. It's easy to read a tagline and it' actually listen to the whole context and the tone of how somebody says some shit It's easy just to read a tagline and form an opinion I'm always like, well,, give me the whole thing. like It's lazy and boring there It's a little lazy. Yeah Before we let you go, we talked about stay Alta. What Well one I want to say for people who have not heard the album y, what's the one record that you would want them to listen to and why? And then tell us also what you're working on next. Oh goodness. So first of all, the album's been out for a year. so everyone is kind of catching up on recent press welcome. But it is again, when you make music You make it for people. you make it it to hit people at the right time in the right place. That's my consistency. The song that I want everyone to kind of go catch on this album is Roses' It' sample's first choice, it's a love thing It's my favorite record. It's one of the records that I would say this at my shows, it's dedicated to my great grandma and my grandma. My great grandma, who I'm named after, herer favorite rose is a white rose It's my favorite rose. It's my favorite flower I didn't know until like maybe twowo years ago. that this was her favourite flower. Parents be telling you stuff when they want to tell you stuff B it's just it was a huge inspiration for me. She was a huge inspiration for me with this album em remembering who I am, remembering that there are so many things that so many people and so many women in my family survived so I could fly I have so many similarities with my grandma coming to the UK and Being the person that would set up the dinners and like go and this is ne immmigration in the UK in the sixties and seventies Be the woman that was like, okay, so and so's wife came, okay, she can come and stay with us And I'm going to take care of her and her kids when she had to go work for a weekend and not see them kids and get kept on for extra long times. My grandma's house was the house with the kids and the fam. She would taking care of people She would go over people's houses and hang curs and like make sure that they had somewhere good to live when the British government was doing what they do what we're experiencing now is immigration. My grandma was that person And she moved to a whole other country in a late Chwinese early days by herself H husband wasn't that good you know I'm a grant it Her husband wasn't that good. And she did a lot by herself. So I think to myself, me coming here with everything that I've been afforded I'm how wild this dream and I'm doing it in such a Like I'm flying, you know? So that song for me is honoring them and everything they went through wherever, however they got to it they had to get to in order for me to be here to live, I want to live to be the person I am. And I found myself in some of the stories, I was like, yeah, I'm definitely the friend that has a few tol kits. L like I'm also the friend that does the dinners and like everyone can come around and like that's touch point, the community touch point for me and the homeomies So That song for me is my Hart, my thing, my favorite song to perform Like I cry almost every time we do it sayay almost because it means that much. you know. And it's a song about doing the work on yourself and also giving roses to the people who did the work so you could be here That's beautiful. Well said, than you for join us on H higher Learning this. Thank you for having me. Thank you for having me. It's all deep today All right, that's enough podcast for today. Listen, I double down on what I said before I want to go to what is it? pain and sip, what is it called Frunch and sip lounge. Brush and s. We'll go Saturday. We'll to brunch and sip I see some of the foods that they have. I'm interested. I want to see there I want to have some of the foods that they have. The first thing you're trying to catfish because you really try to shit on my opinion, but keep going I mean, iss not a why don't why can't Why can't I have an opinion? You can And why but why do you immediately discredit my opinion with catfish as if I'm not from the South, as if I don't have family from Louisiana, as if I like I didn't grow up eating these kinds of foods. I went to First Baptist Academy. I am not Baptist Academy. Okaykay? I don't know First Baptist Academy, got to do it try have some trauma But like that is like your trauma. I didn't bring up But why why are you discrediting my knowledge of caffeine? I'm just saying that like ed like what I'm actually gonna make you some catfish. ' I make some very good fried catfish. Yeahitely this is my thing. You're gonna be eating it like them I was about to say something nigorish? Well, what does I was gonna make a roll cup reference? No, I was supp to make a roll cup. Relax. I was not gonna make a fat make a fat eat a fat. I't to make a c. I know you're saying no'll turn down no catfish fat as me Okay, look, so look U I'm losing weight, but look, I'll tell you guys something else. I acknowledge that the other day you are. Thank you very much. I'll tell you guys something. It is not about that There are foods in Dallas that I wouldn't fuck with you about. Name them. Barbecue If you were telling me, you from Texas, you lived your whole life in Texas In Louisiana, that barbecue shit That's not a that's not our shit. You tell me I would tell you a small spot. I I would tell you some changes. But if you tell me, hey, it's like Van, I put you on some real bbecue, y'all know no realarbecue. I'd be like A, cool the barbecue shit is your shit. You know what I'm saying? Like that's the Dallas thing. Fried catfish. Mississippi, Louisiana, that's what I respect Let's have a contest. off the frine of the cafage. You and me Okay, well, mama will be here. No, no Jly No, no, no, no. you, I ain't going to getst your mom. No No So I I'm I not stupid. I'm go here. I am not stupid. I'm not going to against your mom. I would never. Fuck with her. I would never. She called out Mike Tyson. When did she go? She gets here to July. I'm not about to get knocked out. July first, Fuck with her I the fr c I' a disqualification.ealous. Disqualification. I know my limits But no but no, we'll see I'll see what because they you say they sh is good. I was wonder to who We're just We're just we're going We're going. We're going. Saturday Satday, meet us at Pain Sip, L.A. Brush and sit lounge Brush and sit louge Um, they ain't got like grass on the walls and nothing like that. Can't go to the ones with the grass on the wall. Grass on the walls. I don't know if they do that. Although I am gonna be in Atlanta not too long from now. maybe I' go to one of them I got to huck on me All right, take take caps off do not stop learning. Look, if you see somebody you go into a placeacem Frisco See what they got on them That so I want to see. Hey what you I got some money