Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Beyoncé and Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary

Episode Date: February 7, 2023

Van and Rachel react to Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ not winning the Grammy for Album of the Year (16:01) and discuss the 50th anniversary of hip-hop performances (28:17). Plus, Black History Month brings out the racists (41:16). Hosts: Van Lathan Jr. and Rachel Lindsay Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Ashleigh Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yo, yo, thought warriors. What is up? Higher learning is on is I've had Lately Jr. Gosh, and it's me, Rachel Lynn, Lindsay, Van. Get to it. Tell them why you sound like that. It's not funny. You laugh.

It's not funny. It was a nervous laugh. I am sick. And it's just a downtime. Bozeman's sick. he's like not feeling well but I started to feel like I got a scratchy throat

that's always the first thing with me is the scratchy throat yeah okay the scratchy throat started to come in and when the throat came in I knew that it was going to be bad so I like a good civil American went and had the COVID tests

and as negative for COVID. Yeah. Which is kind of annoying, you know. If you're going to get pummeled by something, at this point you would hope that it would be COVID. I feel like, you know, I got like a, just said on Twitter, I got like the off-brand sickness, you know, regular shit.

But then last night, rough night, couldn't sleep. Today I'm thugging it. I'm thugging it and loving it. Wait, so you don't know what you have? It's some kind of colder flu. Well, there's a difference. When you want to, because if you have the flu, you can get Tamaflu. Remember, I just had the flu.

You have the flu, there are things that you can get that can help you, but you sound like you just want to tough it out. What's the remedy that we're working with right now other than separation? Because if y'all are watching this, this is a higher learning first. where I am sitting by myself in the studio and Van is doing the podcast from home, which everybody show Vance some love because he could have easily said he's not doing the podcast today. And here he is giving you all he's got. I don't need that, love.

This is the most fun I've had. This is the most fun I've had all day. I watch Jay Prince interview, a million dollars worth of game. I just watched a video. entitled, how bad was Tim Tebow really? That's the point of the sickness that I'm back. How did we get there?

Because YouTube is, I can tell you about this YouTube addiction. I got to get over it. I've seen it live. I've seen you go down a dark hole live. It starts off with just like you watch a video. I watch this video. I don't know why I watch it about. The Ivy League All-Stars playing the team from Japan in football.

I'm like, oh, that seems interesting. So we played them. The referee shot the cheap, but the U.S. people won. And after that, this is a video that, how good was Peyton. I'm like, I know how good he was, but maybe they know something I don't. So I watched the video, How Good Is Peyton? Next video, How Bad is Tim Tebow? Watched it.

How bad is Tim Tebow video? Watch it. How good was Michael Vick? I watched it. These are the videos that people are watching. And before you know it, I'm looking over at Boggs, and he's got the cold on his neck. I'm like, I haven't moved.

It's been three hours. And you're just in it. And YouTube is basically telling you what to what you've surrendered to AI. I'm sorry. I apologize. Van, what kind of sick are you? Are you one who like, everything hurts and like you can't do it and you can't do anything and like you need help with

everything and you're extremely needy. Are you that kind of sick? No, I have no choice but to be the other kind of sick because when I get sick, nobody cares. That's not true. So here's the deal. I went to Petco today. Okay. I got a cone for Bozeman. I got him some hip because I don't care about being sick, but my woes are a rabbit, the labbit pup of dogs, I want him to feel better. He gets allergies and then he bites on his fur, and then he'll create like a little wound on his fur because he's biting on his fur so much. Y'all should get shots. Copper has to get allergy shots.

Is that true? Yeah. Like three times a year. Three times a year. Cobb is very soft. We didn't talk about this last time. Copper gets a Brazilian blowout. Copper is the softest dog you could ever pet.

And sometimes there are repercussions for petting him, but it's worth it, you know? No, stop. Tony's not some kind of monster. I have a feeling you're that type, you're telling, you're acting like there's nobody there to take care of you or nobody wants to take care of you. But I have a feeling you're like, I'm fine. I'll go to Petco. I'm fine. I can do this.

I can do that. I feel like you're that kind of person. Well, the kind of person I am is a human being that deserves tenderness and loving care as well as others. And what I would say is that for me, you know, being sick is a gift. And I'll tell you why, how I look at this. I would get these terrible headaches when I was a kid, you know. It's terrible headaches I'd give so bad. But it would be worth it to get the headache because the most of the heart.

moment that the head excites, there's this feeling of euphoria, you know. The rest of this week, it'll be like Fight Club, you know? It'll be like Fight Club to where I'm Fight Club, he was like, you're going to see Fight Club, Rachel? Donnie, you see Fight Club?

Yeah, but it's been a minute. Remember Raymond K.S. Nope. Okay, so if Fight Club, they like Robb, like, they, Tyler Dern, takes this guy out back makes like he's going to kill him

but then he doesn't kill him and then he goes for the rest of the week his breakfast will taste better than any breakfast he's ever had before because the guy had a near-death experience so now he's going to be like super awesome about life and that's how I'll be for the rest of the week

when I recover I'll play basketball and be like oh look how great I feel and the sickness will remind me just how great it is to not be sick Because right now, I'm not going to push at you. I'm going through it. No, you look like it. Your eyes are swollen.

Listen, mine are not, and I see basketballs over your shoulder. What's that? What's happening right there? That's my rack of basketballs. Why do you need that? Because I, what do you mean? Why do I need it? Are they, like, signed?

No. So I have, okay, first of all, I don't know. saying why, you know what I'm saying? Like, why is that wrong? I have two NBA basketballs, like official NBA basketballs right there, and I have two skill balls that I used to practice ball handling all.

And then I have one college ball. What's you practice it for? Different runs, excuse me. Like, if you go to a run at UCLA, or a run where there might be any, there that, you know, play in any pro league, they don't want to play with the college ball. And the college ball is basically what everybody plays with, the Wilson Evolution, if you go to any of these gyms. So depending on the run you're going to, you want to be able to have

a different ball. So I go, if I go to, you know, because that NBA ball is a different ball. Oh, okay. So real, so you're saying real ballers have these type of basketballs just like ready to go. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is sometimes diggers have extra money to spend on stupid shit and they buy shit off Amazon and it's basketballs. Got the rack and everything. It's just new. I hadn't seen it.

I was curious. I cleaned out my office. So do you notice I got more books back here on the shelf? Look at this. Wow. Yeah. I got books. I got this thing that I got Greece's little book.

I got this little bit. I got LSU held it. You know, I got two-distance strangers script. right here. I put some different stuff into it. It's nice, man. I know that it's nice. And I don't need your approval.

You're not being very, see, Rachel? You're not being very compassionate. I told you, he's a grumpy sick. He's a grumpy sick. Grumpy. Nobody grumpy. I don't understand why it happens to me. I didn't do anything.

I wake up with a scratchy throat. Do you have, just try to sleep with a scratchy throat. I had weird dreams last night. Yeah. It's so weird. Do you have weird dreams with your sick, Rachel? Yes, I do, because I'm delirious. I have weird dreams.

I had dreams last night that I was in the guy called the Hatchet Man. So, wait, you were like a murderer? No, I was in Mexico. And I was leading, this is a fact. I'm not even joking. I was in Mexico. and I gave this long speech about that I would take my hatchet

and hack through everybody for my family. And then everybody started clapping and then I was the hatchet man. And I was driving in like a red car trying to get to some sort of border but I wasn't going north. I was going south. And I had a red hatchet

with a red hatchet blade. I don't know why. And I was, and I got in the car and everybody was, happy because I told them that I would kill them all from my family. I was the Hatchet Man. And that was the dream. I was just driving around as the Hatchet Man trying to get out.

I'm not sure what's going on with that. To be a long time to get to sleep, I was watching old Howard Schnurdy reviews. I would look up the meaning of the color red. There were three different red things in that dream. Red car, red hatchet, Hatchet handle, hatchet blade. Hatchet blade. What does Red mean in terms of a dream?

I don't know. I had said you should look it up. Donnie, Ashley, anybody know? I was actually looking up The Hatchet Man. And there's a movie from 1932 called The Hatchet Man. It stars Edward G. Robinson as a Chinese man. He plays a man named Wong Loh Gitt. Yeah.

More you know. So a white man is playing a Chinese man? Yeah. It looks like the entire cast is white people playing Chinese people. Oh, my gosh. That's not right. Yep. I'm against that.

Like, fundamentally. Let me make sure that Hatchet Man isn't in my YouTube plays that I fell asleep. It's like it plays. No, there's no Hatchet Man. Oh, my gosh. I'm looking at the cover of this movie. He kills. She brills.

He kills. She thrills Hatchet Man. Listen. Okay, look. Guys, we have to do the... Rachel, how are you feeling? You have to go somewhere after this, right? Yes, I'm just having one of those days.

Just one of those days. But I'm not sick. So at least my health is okay. So I'm going to take that as a blessing. I don't want to air things out like that. that. I just having a day. They're on me.

They're on me today. And it's not Brian before anybody else tries to put that on. He's wonderful. Brian's wonderful. You know what it is? I know you didn't watch our season. And I don't want you to. But people were so anti-Bryan.

And there's this guy, there's this guy who spoils Reality Steve, who spoils the seasons, and he got it wrong. So he said that I picked my second guy. And the audience, his name is Peter. And the audience immediately fell in love with him. So that's who they wanted. And then mid-season, reality Steve switches. And he's like, no, actually, I'm hearing it's Brian.

So people wanted it to be Peter. And so, like, that became a whole thing. And then, like, we had a really emotional breakup on the show. And people have just always been against Brian who's a sweetheart. Fuck reality, Steve. I got all jokes aside. Reality Steve making it hard. Brian is one of the most stand-up motherfuckers around.

I fuck with Brian heavy. If you fuck with Brian, you fuck with me. Brian, I like Brian. Brian is himself all the time. He's a very nice man. And I don't know who this reality Steve is. he might be nice too, but I can't, I can't abide by him treating Brian in a specific way.

He didn't. It's the fans. He just got the spoiler wrong. I apologize publicly to reality Steve for what I just said. So reality Steve said it and then after that people were mean to Brian. Yeah, they're just, they were hard on Brian and they've always been hard on him. So people have never, they, like there's a lot of fans who are like,

I can't believe Rachel and Brian are together that they made it. So any kind of rumor that comes out, if we don't post pictures, they're like, they're not together. I knew it. They're ending. And like, Brian and I are solid. Like, we could care less.

We don't post pictures for anybody. It's approval or for attention. We don't try to monetize it. Like, we're good. We're just out here living our lives. Have you ever witnessed Brian eat a hot dog? I think so. I can't imagine to be eating a hot dog.

A hot dog is like a food It's one of my favorites You like a hot dog I love a hot dog So what do you put on a hot dog? Just mustard You just have A piece of bread

And a wiener and just A mustard That's it Yeah Nothing else going to the hot dog No What do you put Digger all kinds of shit

The fuck it's like a lot of stuff maybe a little sourcrow onion maybe a little oh maybe a little maybe some different types

maybe a little chili oh I hate chili you're like a little chili you're from Texas so you hate chili what don't stereotype me like that I'm trying not to

but you know so I just can't I can't imagine Brian just enjoying the dog it's all kinds of foods that I feel like only reserve for people who like to eat. I feel like a hot dog is one of those. Because, you know, a hot dog is kind of off-brand.

I love them. Whatever. I have no idea what I'm saying. Look, let's check this up. Y'all, bear with us this podcast. I don't care what they say. Bear with us. For adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters.

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involve significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Manage your activity with our consumer protection tool. Restrictions apply. See terms at fandual.com slash predict slash bonus dash offer dash terms. Let's, uh, there's no big deal in the day. No, everything's kind of light today. Everything's

kind of light. And we're just going to get right into what happened last night. The meltdown was sufficient as Beyonce failed to win the album of the year Grammy. Everyone just knew she was going to win. Although I must shout out John to Austin, who didn't think that it was going to happen and was telling everybody to get ready for it. Now, she won awards for best traditional R&B performance,

best electronic dance recording. She's got 88 nominations, and she is now the most winning in it. This grammy lady, grabby person, grabby human, ever. Yeah. 32 wins. Renaissance did not win album of the year. And it should not have. The beehive makes me sick.

You guys are insatiable. You cannot be pleased. You're never satisfied. This woman, this one, man, shut up. This woman, made history last night. She won. Beyonce made history last night.

Stop. She made history. It's a huge milestone. Her speech was beautiful. She was emotional. She was humbled. She was so appreciative of this accolade of, you know, like where she, she stands in the test of time when it comes to her, her artistry. this was a huge night.

I don't think it was that big of a deal that she didn't win album of the year. This woman, sorry, you and get on to me again. Beyonce is the most awarded, is it performer or woman performer? Because Donnie says has woman performer. I thought of all times. I think it's performer period, right?

That's what I thought. Ever. Ever. You guys, let that sink in. Shout out to have this man. Beehive. I think before this win, she was the most awarded woman. Oh, she was already.

Got you. Yeah, like Beehive, chill out. This woman just made history. I don't understand why we're upset over her not getting album of the year. How many Grammy says she went last night? Three? Three out of the four. Guys, Renaissance was not the album of the year, and you know it.

It wasn't. All right. So, number one, I thought, that song is fantastic. It's not the album of the year. You thought it was the album of the year? So, yeah. Look at the category.

Shut up, man. Bring up the category. Bring up the list. Bring up the list. Album of the year nominees. Album of the year, 2023. Gosh.

Donnie, relax, bro. Grammy. Doddy, read the list off, for us, please. We got Harry's House from Harry Styles. Voyage from Ava, 30 from Adele, Unvarano Centi by a bad bonnie. Easily could have been. Renaissance by the Beyonce.

Good morning, gorgeous. Mary J. Blas. In the silent days, Brandy Carlisle, Music of the Spheres, Coldplay, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, Kendrick. special from Lizzo. Okay. So loaded category. It's album

of the year. It's always going to be loaded. You really think out of everything that you just heard it's Renaissance. Yeah. Can I say something, please? Please. Okay. I think that Renaissance was

a very brave album that pushed musical limits. I don't typically like Beyonce's music that much. like I I like lemonade and I like the Beyonce album

but and I like assorted Beyonce songs like a lot like sweet dreams is my jam do

do do do do do do do I'm we get and we know it we know it

turn the lights on so I may be getting to it but I really felt Renaissance was a groove and it was also like a captivated everybody, right? Of all the albums that were talking about, Harry Stiles' album's great, Bad Bunny's album was great. And maybe this is kind of me being in a cultural prison, but Renaissance just had everybody in a tizzy.

It was like, it was so celebrated. And this is obviously Bad Bunny and Harry Styles and all the rest of these are as to celebrate too, but it was, and part of this is also, is like, for me, It's a recognition of who Beyonce is. It's recognition of that Blimeonet didn't win. It's a recognition of Beyonce being the most awarded Grammy performer, but never having won album of the year. Well, I agree with that part. I agree. It's like, so you're saying we should have just given it to her because she should have already won it?

No. No, she should have already won it. I think there are better albums that she had. And I think a lot of people agree she should have won this category in the past. But just because she made history last night,

I don't think that that means that she has to win album of the year as well. She didn't win all those Grammys last night. I don't believe that. I actually think that Bad Bunny's album should have won. You like Bad Bunny's album better. Do you think, did you hear Harry's house?

Harry Styles is the one who won. I haven't heard it all of it, but from what I've heard, heard, I really, really like it. And I also don't agree that that Beyonce pushed, how did you phrase it? You said she pushed what did you say?

The genre? The category? She pushed her musical limits. Oh, you said she pushed her musical limits. Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, I agree with that. That blended melody dance, R.B. She gave us some... No, no, I agree with that. It was...

And when artists step out like that, And they're brave and it works. I feel like it was something to be celebrated. You don't. No, no, no. No, that's not true. I did not like it when I first heard it. And then I've heard, I like pieces of it way more.

You like cuff it? I love cuff it. I love the remit. No. You don't like Alien Superstar. Wait a minute. Hold on. Wait a minute.

Do you know which song Alien Superstar is? I will when I hear it. Let's listen to it real quick. because I don't think that you have the right song. There's no way that you don't like this song. But people say that. The DJ Boots is conducting a troubleshoot test of the entire system. I'm one of one.

I'm number one. I'm the only one. You can't tell me you don't fuck with that. I don't like that. It's not for me. That's enough. It's not for me. And that's okay.

But I do think that there's great songs on the album. I just, listen, I just think everybody was expecting her to win it because of, it was such a historical night. I like Beyonce. Don't do that. Don't do that. Did you see what happened with Diplo and Beyonce? So when Beyonce won, I don't know which one it was, but when she won the award and she went on stage to accept it. And at that point, that's when she became the winning.

however you say it, the most awarded performer. What's the correct title to say this? She's the one of the most grannies. What the Diplow? Thank you.

One of the most grays. I can't get it out. Sorry, it's been a long day. She's one of the most grimmies. When she was going to walk on the stage and they flashed the camera over to Diplo, people believe he mouthed and it did look like this.

It's what Twitter's saying. They bought that. Really? And it became this whole thing on Twitter. I'm calling Diplo right now. Hold on. See if you answer. Hello.

Diplo. Yeah. Is it true that when Beyonce won her Grammy that you mild, she bought it? No, I said I'm glad to be part of it. There you go. Thank you, Diplow. Bye. It was dope.

It was televised. Never had a dance music televised before. Fantastic. Didn't think so. Appreciate you, man. Let it all. Peace. What did he say?

say he said? He said that he didn't say that. That puts that to bed. What did he say? He said he said he was glad to be part of him. They never had dance music televised before. Well, great. Twitter didn't see it that way. Twitter didn't see that way. It was a whole thing on Twitter.

Glad he cleared it up. I don't know if he's cleared it up on social media or not yet. Great. Thanks, Diplo. Diplo is an incredibly nice man who... I didn't say I believed it. I didn't say that you said that you believed it. But look it up. Diplo is an incredibly nice guy who is literally one of the most giving down-to-earth relatable artists. Look up the video. I want you to see it.

I don't think he would have said that. No, I believe him. I just want you to see it because you've even seen it. But I'm glad he cleared that up because that was a huge thing on Twitter last night. People are not going to believe

that was actually Diplow. Yeah, I've heard him talk before. Yeah, it was actually Diplow. So I didn't think that I didn't think that Diplow would have said that. But also I think this, I think a lot of people

are just pissed off with the Grammys seem to not want to give Beyonce the biggest honor that they have. And they've given it to everyone else. And people think, Rachel, that if Beyonce doesn't get album of the year, then it doesn't allow her to achieve a certain reverence in Grammyhood.

And they also think, particularly that black artists don't get album of the year enough. We could talk about the fact that the last time of black artists won this was it? outcast, it might have been outcast, black woman, might have been

Lauren Hill. You know, it's, it's, there's something, there's something, there's something that, that seems,

like, I don't give a fuck. But that's what people are really talking about as much as anything else. Um, I would feel that way if she didn't win

all those other Grammys. It's just, I get it. It's hard for me to have, any type of sympathy. I get it. You want to win album of the year.

Obviously, it's the biggest honor. It's celebrating all of your work, the whole body of work. But she has 30-something Grammys. Like, if you saw her speech, she's fine. She was very moved by this honor, and she should be. I think she'll be fine, guys. This episode is brought to by WeatherTech. Everyone knows Winter is the MVP and make it a

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Spectrum business. So visit Spectrum.com slash business to learn more. Restrictions apply, services not available in all areas. Should we talk about more stuff from the Grammys or is that it? Do you want to talk about the hip hop? We had to talk about the hip hop. That was the big draw. So the reason I wanted to watch the Grammys, yes, I had to work them. But everybody was talking about the 50th year, 50 year anniversary of celebrating hip hop.

It was a big deal. We didn't know what the performance was going to look like. It was a performance that was curated with Questla. black thought, put it together. L.L. Cool J was very much so involved. He kind of emceived the whole thing, but we knew it was going to take us through the decades of hip hop. Before L.L. even started, he said, we could not bring in everybody. It was impossible. But later on this year, we're going to cover hip hop. According to Harvey Mason Jr., there's going to be a big documentary. I think it's going to come out in August or September that's going to really delve into the history of hip hop. I interviewed Dougie

fresh on Saturday, and he did not seem thrilled. He was not there at the Grammy, so at least he didn't walk the carpet, I didn't see. He was not thrilled at what this performance was going to be because he said there are five areas of hip hop, and this performance was not going to cover all five areas. So if you're not going to do that, then you're not doing the performance justice. It's watering it down. So all that to say, I enjoyed the performance, but there were a lot of lot of hip hop artists that were missing, so I understood the disclaimer. I thought the most exciting parts were seeing the OGs in hip hop take the stage. I wasn't really into the new people on stage. And I thought it was interesting who they chose to represent hip hop currently

on stage. Here's what I think about it. I'm looking at the list. I'm looking at the list of people that are on there, right? This is what I think. Number one, I did watch it. I heard that they fucked over in Louisiana, no cash money, no limit. Man, I, the South, the South period. The South period. Okay. You know, it is what it is. This is my thing. Somebody was going to be mad. And that's what he's been. I don't think that there's any way you can do a 50-year hip-hop thing and not have Dougie fresh in there. I just think that's impossible. I don't think he wanted to, I'm telling you,

I don't think he wanted to be a part of it from what I talked to. Cool, but somebody was going to be mad. You know what I'm saying? Somebody was going to be super pissed off that they didn't get the call because hip hop is, can sometimes be

an art form where it's hard to have longevity where it's hard to, especially for some of the, the pioneers. years of hip-hop. So for a lot of people, their entire life, their entire life is what they contributed to like this thing that has blown up and become maybe the biggest musical art form in the world. It's just like an NBA player that played in the 40s or the 50s. They didn't get the money. They didn't get the acclaim. But every time it's an NBA golden year fucking

understanding party, they're going to be there. Hey, it's, it's Walter Long, the famous kangaroo man of the buffalo sabers. He invented the wraparound marsupial shot and used it to score a whopping 11 points a game in a time where they were only averaging 40 points a game in 1953. This guy, Seta, there it is. Give it up for Kangaroo Walt. Kangaroo Walt is coming to all the old time of brunches. His whole life, because after he had played the NBA,

a nigga had to go manage a bank, okay? Kangaroo Walt had to go do something else. His whole life is what he built. So there's a lot of people. So there are a lot of kangaroo waltz. There's a lot of people in hip-hop. That's kangaroo waltz that, like, they didn't go on to, like, I saw JJ Fad and Super Sucle.

J.J. Fad get mad. Y'all know J.J. Fad's supersonic. Okay, y'all know you. When they first started allowing hip hop at the Grammys, J.J. Fad was one of the groups that were first nominated for a Grammy as part of hip-hop. So you would think that they would have been there. They would have thought they would have been there, but they weren't, and they were mad.

And the thing is, it's like, you know, if you're putting people out there, would you think that J.J. Fad would have to be there? I mean, I think Super Sonic is. is very influential and instrumental in hip-hop, especially women in hip-hop. Shout out to Rupus Records. But they want to be,

they watching people get so much money and fly around and go to France and all that shit. And they want two people to know I had a part in that. If I can't be that, that was built on my back. And I understand it.

But not everybody was going to go there. Well, hopefully they get it in, you know, the documentary. I hope they're a part of it because you're right, groups like that and so many others. I thought, like, we would have loved to have seen on stage

and it couldn't have been everybody. I thought it was interesting that, like, Big Boy was there to represent outcast, but there was no Andre 3000. Method Man was there to represent Wu-Tang, but nobody else from Wu-Tang was there. That was interesting to me. I was like, well, where's everybody?

Because he had, like, what? That could just be, like, group dynamics and shit like that. But, but, but, but, but, it leaves me asking the, the question. You got Wu Tang behind you. The sign is behind, the logo's behind you, and it's just Method Man. And I kept waiting for other people to come out. I just found that that was interesting because all of the locks was there. You know, public enemy was there.

Once again, though, you don't know what's going on sometimes with people. I don't. You know, so it's like, you don't know. Maybe it's a situation where Jada and might be on better terms and some of these other people that are going on. It's like we, who know? knows. Quest-Love was on his Twitter, and he answered this. Shout out to Quest. General questions answered about last night. Some are asking

if we are playing a race-your-game. So, yeah, I don't play that. So in answer the questions of why wasn't da-da there. One already booked. Two, declined our offer straight up. Three, a third option I'm not going to get into. Interesting. We decided to issue those who passed away and give flowers to the living. For starters, I learned with VH1 honors, not all rappers are good emcees and bad carry. Ryoki is a dangerous look and way too many legends passed so somebody's estate was going to be here. That's ridiculous if somebody came at him about erasure. This is the man who had the film Summer of Soul. It was all about something that was erased from our culture that he was bringing to a whole new generation that we forgot about. That's ridiculous.

But you know you can't please there, but you know how it is. Hello, Beehive. Like people are going to get us. find some find a reason to get upset about something. Are you trying to prove something? You want you looking for some comics.

I just think it's, it just makes me so, like this woman had a beautiful night and people are so mad about Alamo the year. This woman, I always say about everybody, this man, this woman, this group. I just watched this beautiful.

Rachel, you're so on it today. Big Rachel. Energy. I watched this video about this Rot Waller. Did I make you think of a Rottweiler? You literally went from

Big Rates Energy, so I'll watch this video about a Rottweller. He was a nice Rottweiler. That was friends, became friends with a Black Panther in Siberia. They live together. This woman adopted a Black Panther from a zoo.

And the planters name is Luda. and basically the Rockwaller adopted Luna. Was this on YouTube today, man? Yeah, it was. Like, what? Me and Bowes were watching a video about the Rob Waller and the Black Panther. And we're just like, I'm looking at Bozeman. I'm like, I love you, bro.

I just love animals, man. Shout out to everybody that came out to P-22 day on Saturday. I was not feeling well, so I did not go. I just love animals. That's what you should think about when you're trying to hurt Beyonce like you are. I'm just joking everybody. Rachel loves Beyonce. Don't get mad at me, guys, with the joke.

Ha ha, ha, ha, ha, fuck me. Should we talk about the spy balloon? Oh, yeah. I'm not as up on it, but we can talk about it. Okay. I'm not either. I want to just say something to people about the spy balloon. China spy balloon got shot down.

Everybody's talking about the spy balloon Everybody is Pontificating About the spy balloon And what should be done Y'all niggas don't know Nothing about the spy balloon

Okay And when I'm saying niggas I'm not talking about black people I'm talking about all of y'all Y'all. Y'all don't know nothing about the spy balloon Y'all know it's in the spy balloon You don't know what pictures The spy balloon's supposed to be taken

Y'all don't know when to shoot the spy balloon down Y'all don't know nothing about the currents And the air That blow the spy balloon around Y'I don't know nothing about the spy balloon All of this talk left and forth What people should do I can't believe it

What do we? You don't know a motherfucking thing About that motherfucking balloon It's okay that you don't know nothing about it. Don't rush to the Twitter, to the Instagram, Snapchat, and start talking about the balloon.

You don't know shit about the balloon. They shut and put the balloon up there. I was about to go learn about the balloon. I was about to a deep dive. About the balloon. But I was like, why? Why? Why?

I'm on YouTube looking up, you know, classified shit times that the U.S. has shot down other planes, what U.S. spy planes. You know, I'm looking at spy planes that fly so high. They're almost in space and the Russians getting into it with the spy planes and shut down. I'm like, you know, just make your life easier. Don't think about the spy balloon. You know what I think it was for people is right, before that information came out about the spy balloon,

there was that U.S. four-star general who predicted that we would have war with China in 2025. So, like, that came out, and that was a headline everywhere. And then it was like, bam, here's this Chinese spy balloon. So people are, you know, like, conflating the two and are like, this is what he was talking about. So I got some real easy facts for people that digest. In a digestible way, the Chinese are,

spying on the U.S. The U.S. are spying on the Chinese. The Russians are spying on the U.S. The U.S. are spying on the Russians. Everybody's spying. Okay. There might be war with the Russians in 20,

excuse me, with the Chinese in 2025. There might be war with the Russians in 2023. Nothing you can do about it. You're wasting your breath on Twitter, talking about the spy balloon, getting arguments about the spy, balloon going back and forth about what should be done about the spy balloon.

You don't even know what the spy balloon is made out of. You have no clue. It just, it bothered me. I was also sick. So, like, you know, it bothered me. Can we move on from the goddamn spy balloon? It was actually a conversation because, you know, I was working all weekend for Grammys. It's like, well, we'll move with, we'll move forward as usual.

But, you know, if something does happen, because of shooting down the spy balloon. And I was like, I think we're going to be okay, guys. I think the crammy's going to go. The show's going to go on. I'll be so crazy if they stop the grambies because of the balloon. I like that shoot. People were talking about that.

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trust. Like your offer, accept it. Schedule pickup, and we'll come to you with a check in hand. Your car, your timeline, your terms. Visit Carvana.com to sell your car today. Carvana. Pick up fees may apply. It's a black history month, Rachel, do you feel different? Um, I gotta say, what day, today is February 6 as we record this. This, we're six days in. I feel like this is the least amount of, like, like, energy that I've put into Black History Mom this year. Does that make sense?

What do you normally do? Well, I mean, we won, I don't know if it was last year or the year before, we had special episodes come out. So, you know, like we were really focused on bringing something to the audience in honor of Black History Month. Last year, I wrote an article about a Black historical figure, something that they've done, how they've made history last. So I focused on that.

And I feel like this year, I'm like, oh, it is Black History Month. And I just haven't been as focused or paying attention to it in the way that I have before. Well, we're still doing that. We're having Penile Joseph on. Well, we are, but you know what I mean. We're still doing that. No, no, I think it's important that you take so responsibility for what you just said. I don't know.

I never have special energy. I'm going to be honest with you. It's like, I like it. Well, I like about Black History Month is not the way Black people. celebrate Black History Month. I like to watch how white people celebrate Black History Month. And are you usually pleased how they celebrate it? No, but I'm always entertained.

You know, you know what happens to me sometimes? And I don't know if this happens to other black people. Sometimes I wonder how. How what? Because, like, so look at the Black History Month stories that we have here. We have the Columbus and Miami Police, the police, the apartments painting a cop car in order of Black History Month. Like we have a school apologizing after serving chicken and waffles in Black History Month,

which I'm not sure is even like a bad thing. I'm not, I mean, it's tone deaf. They served watermelon on the side. It's a bad thing. I think that's what crosses the line. It's a bad with a side of wall or melon. That mill doesn't even go together. Now, the vendor here, is this, are these people black or no?

No, that's a huge vendor. You see, you see that truck. Yeah, see them everywhere. Hey, I won't let you guys. Armark is racist, guys. I want y'all to know this. Seriously, I don't give a fuck what happens. Armark is racist.

Armark is another company that are prison profiteers. Worth Rises, Bianca Tilek, go there read about Armark and how they have taken over a lot of serving meals inside of prisons, and they're part of the privatization. They don't care about that. They don't know. Our mark is exploiting. Our mark is the company that exploit.

I remember when they came to Louisiana Tech, and it was like, oh, my God, we can make a waffle now. I used to like the shit in how it was before. But they are a company that benefits from the cultural system here in America, serving terrible meals, substandard meals to prisoners inside of prisons everywhere and making millions and millions and millions and dollars

off of them. I'll put anything past them. They probably do better this month because they seem to like to change it up for Black History Month. This isn't the first time that they've done something. But like I look at stuff like this and it's so obviously stupid, right? That I just have all

kinds of questions. You know, I just wonder what happened back in the day. You know, I was at the gym, I was watching three white boys play 21. I was thinking to myself, there's just no way these motherfuckers enslaved us. Not these guys. I'm watching them. They're having a time of their lives. The ball's going out of bounds. It's not hitting any room, bouncing, clanking, off the side and ha ha ha. Like, just, there's no way. That's how I know it had to be some really devious evil shit. I asked my dad this question one time.

I was like, dad, you know, probably leaving a football game or something like that, watching some Negro run through a white guy playing for you think. It's like, how did that happen? My dad goes, you know how they enslaved this son? And I'm like, how? He goes, because they try. Hmm. Interesting.

And I wonder when I look at stuff like this, are they trying now? Are they trying us? A hundred percent. I just can't believe that no one in the goddamn fucking police station looks at this. Payton Dashiki on the second fucking side of a cop car. I just don't think, I'm too, I think that they know that that's bad. They're fucking with us. That was my immediate thought when I read that story about the police car

when I read about the meals that they're serving in these schools, these racist mills. They know exactly what they're doing. And they would fall back on, oh, we were just trying to honor Black History Month. Oh, we didn't realize it was offensive like they're doing in these two stories that we're talking about. They absolutely know what they're doing. Nobody's dumb here. Nobody's dumb.

Do you feel bad for the kids that didn't get chicken and watermelon? Because aren't they the real losers here? That did not get chicken and watermelon? They took it off the menu. Like, think about that. No, because if they are trying us and we let them, right? Like, oh, well, my kid really does like that.

Or, oh, like, this was a nice change up in a meal. They don't normally get to have meals like this. No. It's just so funny, like being black, two of the most delicious things, objectively delicious, are racist. You know what I'm saying? It's not like some other things are racist that taste terrible. You know?

Clam chowder or something like that. It's like two universally delectable things are racist, chicken and watermelon. Great. Can't eat it like you work. I want you, while you're going down these dark, holes down YouTube. Do it with Black History. Do it with like Google Black History Month. I want to see where that takes you. Google some of these stories. I want to see where it takes you. I want to see what you end up discovering. No, because at the top of this, you talked about

you like to sit back and be entertained. I'm curious as to what, you know, as you're doing your little YouTube journey, what you would stumble. We can't get that. We can't get that. a warning. I'm sorry. It's not for me. It's more for the listeners. What you would stumble across as you just, you know, went on a search journey. I'd be interested. Report back. Tell us what you find.

Well, here's the thing. I'm very intentional about the way that I consume black history. No, no, no. But this really wouldn't be you really consuming black history. This is white people's efforts to participate in black history. That's what you said you like to watch. I'm talking about. Yeah, that probably wouldn't go so well because they always do it something, right?

The things you would discover. It's like it's just the vendor that says, we apologize, unintentional insensitivity, unintentional, what's Donnie doing? Unintentional insensitivity. Donnie, can you, you don't tell me what to stop talking about. I'm just keeping you all honest. That's all. You're welcome.

That is sassy. All right, let's get into one more topic. okay. We talked about the spy balloon. People don't know about the spot balloon. I just can't believe they served the chicken and the watermen. Okay. Massachusetts prisoners who donate organs may get less prison time. Inmate should be able to donate organs or bone marrow in exchange for reduced time in prison. According to a proposed bill in Massachusetts, donors were received at least 60 days, but no more than one year off their sentence.

Two state lawmakers, both Democrats, claimed the bill, would restore bodily autonomy to incarcerated people. God bless you, Rachel. Thank you. State Representative Carlos Gonzalez said that providing more potential donors could help patients in need of transplants to get life-saving care. Rachel. I'm for this.

I think, I'm just kidding. I'm sorry. This is, this is sick. Because these are people who are incarcerated. Maybe some are you wrongfully incarcerated. And now you're basically bargaining their body parts, dangling it over them, and telling them that should you choose to donate, then, or become a donor, I should say,

it that way. If you choose to become a donor, then you get two months off your sentence, but not more than a year. And then these inmates are supposed to trust that if I'm going to sign a way that I'm going to be a donor, why would I trust that my life is safe with you? Because the whole purpose of you doing this is so that you can help other people who are in need of transplants. think of how they already think of you by dangling this in front of you as an inmate. They don't care about you. The system is already shown

it doesn't care about you as you're in this state. Not saying that some people don't deserve to be punished for certain things they did, but I'm just saying in general the whole prison system is messed up. And now I'm supposed to trust that you're going to still look out for my life

after I've pretty much said that I'm willing to donate because the whole purpose of this it's like a feeder system. We're going to take your organs and give them to people outside of prison who really needed because there's a shortage. It's almost as if they're like animals. And they're, do you get what I'm saying? Like, they're animals keeping them together so they can use their organs to give it to other people who they consider more valuable.

That's exactly how I take this situation. This is awful. Real quick on this, there's really not much more to add. I do want to get into something here. Because I don't know if you saw the back and forth between Jay Williams and Stephen A. Smith. Well, I should probably save that and do that Friday. But I'll say this. The thing that disappointed me about this wasn't this as much as the reaction to something that I posted on the Shain Room.

You know, I like to comment on the Shain Room comments. I like to get in there, drop a one-liner, get out. What did you post? I said America will never stop Feast you know Black bodies

And it was met with not one Not two, not three, not four Five, not six, not seven,

not eight, nine, ten people who said, hey, it's not only black people that are in prison.

It's all different types of people that are in prison. Why are you make it seem like it's only

black people in prison? Consider what's being asked of the incarcerated person in the situation. what's being asked is to give a literal piece of yourself for freedom.

A literal piece of yourself. Yeah. Consider what's being asked of you as a black person, a black woman, in this country, is to give a peace of yourself to exist peacefully in America all the time. To give a piece of your dignity with talking to the police, to give a piece of your safety when you're delivering a baby. Giving a piece of your sanity when you enter the workplace. America is always asking for pieces of black people.

And normally, what they tell you is that in exchange for the peace of yourself that you give to them, they'll give you the freedom and the safety that the people who don't have to cut appendices off of their bodies and souls get just for having been born to tell you that they're going to do you that that you're going to get that and then you get to a point in your life

where the remaining parts of you just want to fight and it happens sooner for some later for others so when I see this I don't necessarily think about the lawmakers that envisioned this and thought that it was a good idea. That's

business as usual. What I think about are the people that don't realize that they're being torn apart. I think about the people that are unaware that they're being asked to sacrifice and serve up pieces of who they are in exchange for something that is promised to them by birthright. And it's sad.

it's sad that someone would see this and someone would say, hey, this is not a bigger issue in terms of the way incarcerated people are treated in terms of their humanity and how it's looked.

This is just something for people that have gotten in trouble. All I'll say to everyone is just pay attention. Some of the things that were talked about and discussed in private rooms, smoke-filled rooms, are now being legislated. This donating organs for time off, it's so egregious that the prospect of it seems unsurious. but we're distracted. I am too.

Yeah. And this is the type of shit they try to get off. We're distracting. Can't happen. The standard that this sets is unacceptable. And I was aghast and appalled, but more, I was actually inspired. What I want to do is reach out to some of the lawmakers in Massachusetts that we mentioned in this story. them on here to have a discussion. These are Democrats, guys, that have been championed this,

at least in part, and have a discussion about why this is okay. Because look, I'm not going to get mad at you. I always get mad. People say, man, you get mad. No more mad. I've used up all my bad. In one interview earlier this year, I used it all up. I just want to know what the hell goes through people's minds, how this can be. So we're going to try to reach out to them and see if they'll come to fitness. You know what I'm saying? I hope they do. I hope they accept the invitation.

I hope they do too. Rachel, you're going to the Jonathan Majors premiere tonight? I love that that's what you're calling it, the Jonathan Majors premiere. Yes, I am. I'm going to work it and I'm going to attend it. You're going to work it? Work it. I need a glass of a water time.

Boy, oh boy. She was in it. She was in it. The hip hop. The hip hop. She was great. The hip hop tribute. You guys, don't let them take pieces of you until there's nothing left.

I got to go take some night quill. Van's very serious question of the week is, what do you do when you have a cold? You know, what do you do when you have the flu? Do you have the flu? I'm exhausted. Like, I'm going to be real with you. I was so surprised when those two COVID tests came back negative.

Mm-hmm. I was so surprised. I was like, there's no way I don't have it. You definitely have the flu. You sound just like me. No, I can sound just like you. Want me to do a racial impression right now? No, I don't.

We've been there before. No, but seriously, you should go get tested so you can get some medicine. because I'm I'm you have the flu that's exactly how I was in November and it and it rocks you it hit me harder than COVID um okay uh take these caps off but do not stop learning you guys I'm sorry if the podcast is poor quality I'm doing my best no we appreciate you being here um yeah what I'm sorry oh take you think Take your thinking caps off, but don't stop thinking.

He's Van Lathen, Jr. I'm Rachel and Lindsay. We'll be back Thursday. Healthier, hopefully. Bye, guys. Bye.