Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - The Treatment of Africans in Ukraine and Steelo Brim on the Longevity of ‘Ridiculousness’

Episode Date: March 1, 2022

Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay discuss images of Africans experiencing racism while fleeing Ukrainian war zones (11:27), and react to President Biden’s Supreme Court nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson (40:39). Plus, ‘Ridiculousness’ cohost Steelo Brim joins to discuss the long-running MTV show and his ‘Wine & Weed’ podcast (53:34). Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Guest: Steelo Brim Producers: Trudy Joseph and Donnie Beacham Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yo, yo, yo, thought warriors. What is up? High learning is on. It is I, Van Lathan. And it's me, Rachel Lindsay. Rachel, we have to talk about something. No. We do.

We do. Whatever it starts out this way, I don't know. What is it? So, Rachel, we got a very nice direct message. From someone who we both are big fans. of. Okay. Aldous Hodge

reached out to us and told us that he loves the podcast and for us to continue doing what we're doing. You guys know Alde's Hodge nigger swollen as hell. Right. All right.

You know him? He has been in so many he was in. You know what he was in? The swollenness was really off-putting? He was at the invisible man. Did you see that? No.

You never saw. Hold on. I know, first of all, I'm not doing a movie thing. I'm not doing the movie thing. Don't do the, don't do the movie thing. But this is a new movie.

Let me tell you what you and Brian need to do. And everybody who is listening to this, Thought Wars, this movie got fucked because it came out when the pandemic was first getting popping. When they first,

when it was a... Oh, with the... Yes. This is a good movie. Oh, we'll watch it. It is scary. It is all fucked up. It is a good...

movie, the visible man that's like, take on the visible man, it's like a horror type of deal this time. You know, Elizabeth Moss, see your face. She's from a, um, handmade's tail.

Uh, really good. All this haj is in that. Super slow. Super swollen movie. It's like, you know, well, we don't have time to work out like you. So let you put a shirt on or something like that. But yeah, he's been in a lot. One in Miami. Yeah, yeah. All that. Um, straight out of Compton

Brian Banks story It's a movie star Yeah yeah yeah So he hits us up on Instagram DM And he says He's just shooting some support at us Because he really likes what we're doing on the podcast Apparently he did not hear the episode

Where I talked about my tweet about the mothers But he'll get there And then maybe he'll take it back He And I you know Came back at him with some praise Hey because he's playing Hawkman In the new Black Adam

movie, which is huge for me. Black Adams, a big movie. It's a big movie, but they put in the Hawkman. I don't think we've ever seen a live action, the Hawkman. I think we saw him on the, um, on like the Arrowverse stuff on TV. But in a movie, Hawkman is one of the coolest characters we've ever seen

Hawkman, and they got out of these black. So I hit him back. I'm like, yo man, you Hawkman. Appreciate the words. Rachel left this man on red. No, I did not. I wrote back. Later, just before the podcast started, you wrote back. I felt like,

I'm like, look, man, we're talking to all this haj here. All this hodge here. Rach. Rach. Rachel, with the Hollywood husband.

No, I didn't. I saw it. And I was like, ooh, and I was at work. And I was like, I got to go back

and I got to make sure that I respond to him. Because that's so, it's one thing to listen. But it's a totally different thing to reach out and show and say that you support us. Like, I thought that was everything.

So if I didn't do enough in the message, let me just speak now and say, That's above and beyond. And I think too often we think things, but then we don't give people their praise. We don't tell people what we're thinking. We keep that within. So the fact that he did that in him being this big, like, superstar, that was everything. So, you know, if you didn't get it and that, take it now.

Because that was, you never know who's listening. I actually maybe. Actually, maybe I actually sent a picture of Hawkman to the chat. Man, nerd it out. I nerded out. You know what? It's cute. You know what?

It was cute. I nerd out like that. I nerd out like that because, you know, it's just, that's raw to me. Like, you just get to be able to be Hawk, man. It's cool. It is. It's cool. You play like that when your kids, but then to realize that, it's a pretty big deal.

I play basketball with his brother. His brother's a nice little basketball player. He does this thing. They look alike? Oh, yeah, they do. They do. day like his brother his brother's got his own amazing career going as well like these it's it's crazy when the talent goes in the family like that his brother yeah yeah he's got his own

amazing career going right now like he's die hard with the vengeance long kids good night earlier on and stuff like that now he's on that uh what show is he on that like a c s i type of show or something like there was either some kind of like it was like a i don't know it was like a navy seal or something anyway But we would out, we would go out there, we would play, and everyone would be out there getting buckets and stuff like that. It's good, it's good stuff. So shout out to the Hodge brothers.

They're doing their things out here in Hollywood. It's tough, but they're making it happen. How was your weekend, Rach. Well, I worked, typical weekend, I guess. I worked the N-AACP Image Awards. Interesting. It was all virtual, which was, that was the interesting part. Carpets are back open, especially with the sags being on Sunday.

Carpets are open. They didn't have a carpet. They didn't have an audience. Everything was virtual. If you haven't checked it out, I think it's replaying again tonight. But it was great. People showed up. They dressed up even from their homes.

Black Excellence was there. Jennifer Hudson won big. Anthony Anderson did a phenomenal job hosting in front of no audience hosting. His mom was there doing a little thing with him. It was good. It was good to watch. When you work a carpet with black people, a black carpet. When you do a black carpet, do you bring a different energy than you do on a regular, like, red carpet?

Let's say you, I'm going to give you two different carpets. I want you to tell me how you switch it up. Let's say you're doing the carpet for the best man retirement home because, you know, they're going to keep doing those movies until all the people. If we get to retirement home. That's funny. That's funny. The best man retirement home.

Let's see you're doing the best man retirement home versus what's the Renee Zellweger one? Bridget Jones. Bridget Jones. Diary of Bridget Jones Part 6, the grandkids. Like how do you switch it up? Do you code switch on red carpet? I don't. I don't code switch.

At least that's what I tell myself. And then I'll go back and I'll hear an interview. and I'm like, hmm, you sound a little bit more comfortable, a little bit more loose. Right. When you work that opening of Tyler Perry's studios in Atlanta, then you did when you were on the carpet floor. I don't know. Yeah, I don't think I do, but apparently I do. It's within me.

Apparently there is a switch that goes on and off. I call switch. I guess the same switch that happens with the podcast versus extra, you know? Yeah. They say there's multiple rachals. To like millions of rachals over the galaxy. Rachel variance like on Loki. I code switch like a motherfucker.

But I go from nigger to nigger. Like I go from. I don't think I've heard your code switch. I don't know if I've heard it. You have. Because think about it. You have, but it's like I go from nigger to niggerer. I go.

down. And sometimes I code switch with white people purposely to get more niggerish to make them uncomfortable. You know? Do you? A little bit because it's like, it's like, you know, like the first

time I meet somebody new, I think I've told you this before and that white I asked them straight up. How many times have you said the N word in your life? You know, how many times have you said it? And it's so uncomfortable. It is for them, but it's delightful for them. Yeah. Anyway, I was just wondering, do you get a chance to cover a lot of all-black events for extra?

I go to all-black events. There's an all-black event. I'm there. They send you there. But you know what? And I thought about this. I'm like, should I feel a certain way that I'm sent there? And of course, that's never said.

But you know what? I'd be offended if I wasn't there. It's such a weird thing. I would be offended if it, you know, it's like, why am I not working in a age? So, and so you people don't get this. When I was at TMZ, it was like they give Van all the black stories. And sometimes you think they give me all the black stories. But then you're standing there.

And if somebody else gets a story and it's a black story, you're like, yo, why the fuck would you give that to them? Exactly. It's so weird. I was interviewing. I interviewed Samuel L. Jackson today. And I was in my mind, I was like, I better have Sam. Like Samuel better, like, it better go to me.

You know, sometimes if Billy has a relationship with them, he'll get it. But usually it comes, it goes to me. Fucking Billy. All this Hodge just responded. Yeah. You didn't even ask if we had permission to talk about his direct message. I don't think he cares. But he's a very sweet guy.

He's a very sweet guy. So nice. Yeah. Very sweet guy. We love all our thought warriors. We do. All our thought warriors. Van.

Van. I'll remember something that your mom said. She said that when you, when you like someone, you give them shit. And thought warriors, especially those active in the Reddit, who loves to give y'all shit.

It's all love. It's all love. Okay. He loves it. Okay. He loves y'all. Okay. What do you always say?

The most popping Reddit. subreddit out there. It was before. It was before. It was okay. You guys. You guys. We love y'all.

Now, we have some very, very not so awesome things to talk about. We have a guest on today. Stilo Brim from Ridiculousness is a guest on Higher Learn. Today he's going to talk about his new rap career. He's going to talk about his first look deal with MTV. He's going to talk about ridiculousness coming back for a brand new season. He's going to talk about his podcast, which is amazing, the Winding We podcast. He's going to talk about the big drear moment that happened on, I wouldn't call it a big moment, the controversial drear moment that happened on the wine and weed podcast.

We'll talk about a lot of stuff. We'll have a lot of food with stealing a little bit later on. Before we get to any of this stuff that we're talking about, we have to talk about obviously the state of our world right now and what's going on in our world right now. And we're going to do that even as it relates to an interview that we had earlier this week on higher learning right on the other side of this spring. Did you know about one and three people with plaques psoriasis may also develop psoriotic arthritis, which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling? Does this sound like you? Listen to what it sounds like to be a million miles away.

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See terms at fandul.com slash predict slash bonus dash offer dash terms. Okay. Hey, Rachel, have you been keeping up with what's going on over in the Ukraine? I have, to the best of my abilities, Ben. It's hard not to, you know? Like, you say, at least I say, oh, I need a break. It's very heavy. You know what I'm doing?

More than watching videos and watching the news, I feel like I'm reading. That gives me a little bit more. Not that I'm trying to have space from it, but it protects my mental health in a better way, if that makes sense. So I'm keeping abreast of what's going on, staying updated, trying to share information on social media, but rather than watching videos,

I'm more into reading articles. Wow. So interesting. I'm exactly the opposite. Like, okay. I feel like I read more articles before, but as things are shaking out,

now that there's action to it and stuff, I feel like I find myself watching a lot of videos. How? That is actually very fascinating. that like I find myself that we're consuming it in two different ways. Either way it's fine. But like we're consuming it in a different way. It's just interesting.

It's just a little tidbit. So we had somebody on our podcast last week. Terrell Jermaine Star, some people just call him Jermaine. And he is a journalist that is currently in the Ukraine. And he continues to be in the Ukraine. You see him on his Instagram. He's wearing like a bulletproof vest helmet the whole night. nonsense press on it, very, very tumultuous time there in the Ukraine.

And obviously he's trying to be safe. Now, we had a conversation with him about the situation, the immediate reaction to the invasion. And he momentarily dipped his toe into some of the social norms, God bless you, into some of the social norms that exists there in the Ukraine. Well, we didn't really talk about because it hadn't become an issue. yet was some of the things in the Ukraine that look like mirrors being held up to American society. So over the weekend, there have been numerous accounts from African students who are studying

abroad in the Ukraine, the European country, that they have had trouble leaving, that they have not been able to board planes. They have not been able to board trains to leave. the Ukraine, that they have been, it's been Ukraine, citizens first, Indian, second, African's third is something that I saw somewhere. Have you seen these things as well, Rachel? I saw that. I saw that too. Yeah, we talked about this in the

group chat and that, uh, it seemed like a lot of people were having trouble leaving the country and the people that, a lot of the Africans, and we're talking about Nigerians, we're talking about Canadians, we're talking about some people from Northern Africa, um, who had been there. A lot of times after they were able to leave the country, they weren't granted asylum in some of the neighboring European countries where they expected to be able to flee to. Okay.

This comes as we're hearing some really interesting conversations coming out of that region. I want to give you guys three small pieces of audio right now. from journalists overseas and the way they're describing the refugee crisis that's happening

in the Ukraine and I want you guys to see if you can hear what's behind the code here. I want you guys to get through the language and see if you can hear

the code to hear Donnie, could you run that stuff for us? Now with the Russians marching in, it's changed the calculus

entirely. Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee the city. There will be many more. People are hiding out in bomb shelters. But this isn't a place, with all due respect, you know, like Iraq or Afghanistan that has seen conflict raging for decades. You know, this is a relatively civilized, relatively European. I have to choose those words carefully, too, a city where you wouldn't expect that or hope that it's going to happen.

I'm sorry, it's very emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes. and blonde here being killed, children being killed every day with Putin's missiles and his helicopters and his rockets. Now the unthinkable has happened to them and this is not a developing third world nation. This is Europe. One more. You said three. I got one more. Sure. As you're talking to us, Matthew, we're playing in the latest pictures of some of the refugees trying to get on trains or trying to get out of Ukraine. And what's compelling is just looking at them the way they're dressed. These are prosperous, I'm looking to use the expression. These are prosperous middle class people.

These are not obviously refugees trying to get away from areas in the Middle East that are still in a big state of war. These are not people trying to get away from areas in North Africa. They look like any European family that you would live next door to. Yikes. Rachel, what you think? I mean, who knew that there was an identity, a particular identity affiliated or attached to what a refugee is?

And it's interesting. You look at the definition of refugee and it does not assign a particular type of country, a particular look attached to the word, somebody who's fleeing. And that's what these people are doing. and the fact that they are so downtrodden at the fact that these people have blonde hair and blue eyes

or are coming from a European country, and that's why they're sad, and that's why this is so terrible, is really, really telling. And this is something that is being told in the media. Not even a conversation, not that it makes it better, but a conversation amongst friends or at a private gathering. This is something that they're putting out there.

And there's no shame in it. There's no correcting it. from the media on the other side who's receiving this, who's doing this interview, no one's saying, hey, that's actually incorrect or, hey, that's wrong or, hey, you shouldn't say that. They're allowing these thoughts to continue that this isn't what a refugee looks like. We should feel so sorry for these people because they look a certain way. This shouldn't be happening to them because they have blonde hair and blue eyes

and they don't come from third world countries. And it's not that it's, surprising or shocking, it's just more so disturbing and sad that people have no shame in having these type of thoughts, in these type of beliefs, and aren't afraid to publicly announce that they look at one group of people one way and another group of people a completely different way. And it's, well, that's a different topic that I want to get into later. So I'll just, I'm leave that there. So to what you just said, it's, it's not that they're not a shame. They don't know that they're doing it. You think so? Yeah. See, I disagree. Yeah. So they don't know they're doing it. So

when, so there's a detachment that a lot of these people have from their hand in any of this stuff. And I'm not talking about just Russia into Ukraine. I'm talking about all over the place, right? So like they look at a place like Iraq, Iran, places in Northern Africa, Libya, wherever you want to talk about. They look at refugee crises crises crises or crises. They look at those things. And they crises, crises, crises? Crises? You know, now you've said it's so many different ways.

I'm confused. My original thing was crises. Crisis? Now I'm confused. Don't hold me to it. I have no clue. they look at these things and I think these things are far away

from the world that they live in because they are in terms of like them being tangible. Like they don't see refugees coming into their country a lot of times. They don't see refugees leaving their country a lot of times. But they don't realize that a lot of the geopolitics that lead to refugee crises

around the world are directly being influenced and put into motion by the government's that are represented by them. They don't get that they're nothing, that they're involved in all of it, they're just the top looking down.

And now, when it's the inverse, when they see somebody who looks like them going through that, they feel some sort of conviction to speak on it. They say, that's not a refugee. I know what a refugee is. A refugee is someone who doesn't look like me, who is looking for asylum in a place that I don't really go that often, right?

And so the reason why they don't know that they're, and that's what they're doing that, because the term, refugee while it is just a distinction, it has a definition to them, a brown person looking for safety. A brown person looking for safety, being a brown person from El Salvador looking for safety in America, be it a brown person from Mexico looking for safety in America. A third world country, yes.

Like a brown person, safety, refugee could never happen to someone who just looks like. And by the way, as in everything else in America, excuse me, in the world, it's a greater crime when it happens to white people, right? It's just a greater crime. Sure. And this is my question. And the question that I would be asking a lot of people here, because my heart has been hardened a little bit, you know,

getting crotchety. I think you can tell. Are you? Yeah, I'm getting crotchety. You've been a little crotchety the last week or so. I'm getting crotchety. I'm like, I'm, I'm, I'm heartening. And I'm trying to not be this way.

Let's talk about it. Talk it out. This right here, everything that's happening. what it really makes me want to do is outside of the geopolitics that have to do with whether or not there's going to be a United States of America what's going to happen in terms of

what's going to happen in terms of the prices over here energy, all of those things that could affect me. What it really makes me want to do is say fuck it, let those white people fight out. We ain't got nothing to do with it. And the reason why and that is very unfair. But I'm looking at this

And this is a question I asked in a group chat Now we see there's an African her name is Craig's 26 year old medical student She told inside that African students were told of a Ukrainian's first policy when they struggle to move by the country We've seen this all over the place now There are people we should say that are blaming African leaders for their Unorganized Collection of their people in different refugee spots and the fact that they didn't have

any sort of infrastructure to get these people out of the country. It's a different issue entirely, but there are some people who are saying that. My beef is this. My beef is all the black people that I know all over the world, whenever we see something happen, we jump to the side of the people that are at the end of the injustice. And every time we do this, we get socked in our fucking asses by the reality that we are the niggas wherever you go. See, the reason why we were down with the Ukrainians is because we thought that they were the niggas. We thought they were being treated like some niggas. And wherever

somebody's, and we were told that. Whenever somebody is being treated like some niggas, we go, oh, okay, cool, we jump in. What we have to remember is, I'm sorry, is we are the niggas everywhere, everywhere. And it is the responsibility of black people here, in my opinion, to be concerned with the diaspora. And they're kicking the people in the ass over there and they won't let them to get to freedom safety. So whereas I understand that what Putin is doing is wrong, while I get the fact that what's going on there is a crime against humanity, it certainly is.

And a lot of people are going to die for no reason. This shit really fucked with me. It's hard for me to look at that shit. I get it. I get it. I this is what I will say. I definitely believe that those people on on television, wherever they are on air,

saying differentiating what a refugee looks like, I think they know exactly what they're doing. Interesting. Why they are making the separation. You don't say blonde hair and blue eye and not understand what you're doing. These are people, like I said, having a casual conversation.

These are journalists saying this. They're professionals. They know exactly what they're saying. I have a hard time believing they are that ignorant. I just don't think that they care. That's just my take. Now, in regards to, and this is what I said, the other side of what I want to talk about, about what's happening in the Ukraine and the way they are treating specifically black people.

We'll just say that. We know that they're injustices towards, I believe they said it was one, the Ukrainians are getting out. Two, with Middle Eastern, three blacks. And I think that there are also some Latinos I saw that are struggling to get across the border as well. in regards to that it's i know that there are a lot of people first of all when we had terrell germane star on i did not know that there were injustices being done to afro-ukrainians or africans or black people in the ukraine i didn't know that there was a history of racism i have since researched that and have seen that from prominent afro-ucranians who a lot of

Africans went there in the 1950s through education. They either married or had children with other Ukrainians, and there's a whole community there, and they have experienced a lot of racism even to this day. Didn't know all of that. Not saying it isn't something that didn't exist, just didn't know about it, didn't do the due diligence and researching it. It's hard for me to adopt the mentality of not caring about or not. not caring about what's happening or maybe more so I should say that that's not our fight.

Because that's what I've seen people say. This is why you don't jump in. This isn't our fight. I feel like that's generalizing what's happening at the border and applying that to all the Ukrainians. There are people who are trying to flee this country. It doesn't mean that every single Ukrainian has adopted a racist mentality where they are prohibiting Africans or black people from crossing the border. This is obviously something that's done within the government. and this is something that's happening with the soldiers that are implementing this.

I'm more so disappointed in we are seeing the Ukrainian president speak out on so many different things. This is obviously at this point a worldwide issue. It's everywhere. Everybody has picked this up, not just in the United States. Why have you not spoken out about it? Why are we not hearing anything from the Ukrainian government about we're going to rectify this? We've heard from the Polish government. The Polish has said, that is not us.

We are allowing anybody to come into our country. That's the Ukrainian soldiers who are preventing people from hopping on trains or from entering into the country at the border. I'm more so disappointed in that, but I don't want to sit there and say, at the end of the day, I feel like having empathy towards what's happening to the Ukrainians in the country because of the Russian invasion. I still feel that. There are people who are losing their lives, their well-being, everything they've known,

they're being displaced and there and there's a lot of sadness and confusion and lost there there. I can't separate myself from that because there's racism at the border. I guess that's that's where I'm coming from at this point. But I am disappointed in the Ukrainian government. They have not said one thing. To the best of my knowledge, I have not seen anything yet from them. So you are unequivocally right. It's not even doesn't begin to you are without a doubt right. This is my situation. Number one. I get it. I get it. So, all right, we should say that Nigeria has condemned the treatment of Africans there.

The president of Nigeria, there's about 4,000 Africans there, said all who flee a conflict situation have the same right to safe passage under the UN convention. You guys, there is international law and precedent in place to how to handle a situation like this. This is not in any way. This is not in any way something that has to do with politeness. This is something that has to do with the way things should go according to international law. All right. Just as Putin violates international law in invading Ukraine, there are standards to be met to facilitate refugees leaving your country and to accepting refugees into another country.

let you know that. He says in the color, he said, in the color of their passport or their skin should make no difference. Should make no difference. Okay. This is my deal. This is my deal. This is what I'm talking about. You're right. Empathy. Empathy is very important. Empathy is, hey, what's going on is wrong, empathizing with the people. What I've seen, though, and what I'm wondering, I'm wondering always about what's best for. for black people. What's best for black people politically, emotionally, economically. What's best for black people? And there's something that happens when, and it's also up to us to be more, if we're going to get involved in these situations, if we're going to get involved in these situations with

political thought and with support, even one tweet or whatever, it's up to us to be a little bit more informed. And that goes for people, that goes for us here at higher learning as well before we dive into something to get kicked in our ass about it, right? So it's up to us to be more informed about the sort of I can't find a word right now. How things go into other places. It's up to us to be more informed about that. But

I feel like there is this residual pain that gets involved when we go out on the limb, we get involved in something and once again we get treated that way. I feel like over time, that actually ends up being worse because the misinformation and the disinformation and all of those things that go into that weaponize a side and a part that to me is insidious.

There are people out there that don't want black people to pay attention to world events, that don't want black people to get involved in world events because it keeps us more docile and it doesn't make us feel like we have any stake in this world. what I'm saying is I look at what we need to be doing for the diaspora and I feel like it is really necessary that we be involved

and knowledgeable on things in the world but that we prioritize our first question in my opinion my first question should have been what happens to the black people in the Ukraine

that's what I should should have said. I should have been like, what's happening in Ukraine is terrible, but it didn't dawn on me to be like, okay, there are black people in the Ukraine. What is going to happen to the black people in Ukraine? And we had a whole black person in a Ukraine on this podcast. I didn't ask him and he didn't say anything about it. And to me, that is a failure from Van Lathen to the worldwide diaspora because now I'm mad at the Ukraine. and it's unfair to be mad at them because they're being attacked by a foreign power right now.

But I see black people every time that they're there and they can't leave, they're at risk of being killed. And it's not even their fight because they're not even from there. Right, right. You are 100% right in what you're saying. And it's not just your failure. It's a failure on my part as well.

But I think the reason that your first thought wasn't, how were the black people being treated? treated in the Ukraine because your first thought was, these people are at war. These people were invaded for all the wrong reasons. And your thought is these people are just trying to escape. So in your mind, it's like these people are at war. That's their first thought is to save their lives. You're not thinking, oh, they're going to treat black people the same way that they're being treated by the Russians. You're not thinking how in the world are they still going to find time to be racist in the middle of a war, which, and I don't think you're wrong for thinking, not thinking racism first, thinking about the humanity of these people. But humanity is showing us time and time again the strength and the power of racism, that even when you're down and out, you still think that people who are a darker skin are the scum of the earth. It shows how deeply rooted, the hatred for the color of our skin is worldwide.

And I think the other thing that it makes me think, too, is how can you ask the UN, the West, African countries to stand with you when you aren't even standing for everybody that's a part that's trying to get out of that country? That's my thought. How are you going to ask us to help you and be there for you when you are pushing mothers and children to the side, leaving them out in the cold, for hours to escape this country when, you know, you're not even looking at us as human beings at this point.

So don't ask us for help when you can't even treat us like human beings. So I get you. That's my struggle. So as a general update on what's going on, there were talks held earlier today between Russia and Ukraine and Belarus. We're at the border in Belarus. talks last for about five hours they decided that they would come back

a couple of days from now and have more talks five hours talks some sort of negotiations the Russian invasion of the Ukraine not going so well Ukrainians put up a damn good fight against the Russian forces yeah yeah throw for a loop

oh yeah over the weekend over the weekend Vladimir Putin uh rattled the saber a little bit by putting his military forces upgrading their level of readiness

and that includes some nuclear forces which is scaring some people. I just want to say one thing before we get out of here. It makes no sense for you to be fearful of a nuclear war and I'll tell you why. There are two reasons you shouldn't be fearful of a nuclear war. Number one, it's remotely, it is ridiculously unlikely that a nuclear war will happen for this.

It could happen. There are all kinds of little incidents that could set it off, but Putin knows that everyone he loves and everything that he wants, everything that his mind turns to ash in the event that that happens to. All right. So number one,

mutually assured destruction has been the best deterrent to nuclear war for decades and it's going to remain the best deterrent because everybody dies in that case. Number two, there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop it. So that's the second thing. So I've seen a lot of people getting upset about that.

I get it. It's a scary thing. It's most likely not going to happen. And then number two, there's nothing you can do to stop it. Like absolutely nothing you can do. All right. It's terrifying. Can I say, can I, I got to, I got to tell you this.

I don't know if you saw this, but we mentioned Terrell Germain Star. He is a black man, been living in the Ukraine. A lot of people have been wondering, Terrell, what is your take on what's going on at the border? You know, where are you? We haven't heard you report about it. Well, Terrell has put out a tweet. And I'm not sure if you saw this. And I would love to know what your take is of it.

Oh, I have not seen this. I would definitely like to see this. So Terrell said, I don't know anything about the border crisis with refugees. I am a one-man show. Impossible for me to cover every subject. Please stop asking me about it. Thanks.

Your thoughts? The answer is so, insufficient that it's bordering on disrespectful. There is absolutely no way. Absolutely

zero way that that response is in any way suitable. I am beyond disappointed. Yo man, every time they take niggas and they give niggas these spots,

and they put them in these fucking positions, they always get to a point where they wash their hands like Pontch's pilot on some shit. And that's not the fuck while you're there. If that's the case, then what's the point? I don't want to go in on this, nigga, because we just had him on a podcast and we just spoke to him, and he seems like an all right guy. I don't fucking see how in any world that response is sufficient or appropriate.

Po, I don't see how you can say that. When is black people at the border, my G, respectfully, if it's not your expertise, you need to make it your expertise. Like, if it's not what you do, you need to make it what you do. The reason why he was on his podcast in the first fucking place is because he was black. Let's keep it all the way funky. There are a myriad people we could have spoken to about that issue. The reason why he was on there is because this is a podcast where black ideas, black thought, and black experiences are at the forefront.

And we put him on here because he's having one of those in Ukraine. You do not get to punt on your blackness for political reasons. I don't trust him anymore. I don't want to say too much because I want to give him space to come back on this podcast and explain that. but that right there we can't live with that rachel no i have been looking i have ever since we've had him on the show i've been constantly paying attention to what he's doing to make sure he's okay to to stay in touch with what's happening on the grounds in ukraine but when he came on this podcast he talked about representing himself as a black man in the ukraine well if you're

about that and you see that black people are struggling and are suffering it's one thing if you say I can't get there. I'm reaching out to people. I'm trying to understand what's going on so I can provide resources, which I could have sworn I saw a tweet about that. But for you to shut it down and tell people to stop asking you, you're not involved with it, you don't want to know about it, then what are you doing there?

That's my, I'm confused. You're supposed to be there representing for the people. That's how you came on this podcast. So I'm confused as to how you can be one thing on this podcast, but then tell us to stop asking you questions because it's impossible for you to be everywhere at the same time. Black people are in that country suffering. You have a voice, you have a platform. There are things that you can do. I just saw you put up your cash app for support and help. I'm not against that, but you also got to be down with helping us. You are one of a kind there because you have

so much. You have the attention of the entire world because of the platform he's created. And you're telling people not to ask you about what's happening to our people at the border, that doesn't make any sense to me. I was appalled when I saw that. And that's why I wanted to bring that to the podcast. I missed it. You know, I had to reach out to him and asked him to help me contextualize what was going on. He didn't respond. Yo, all right, man. That was a big deal of today. We're going to come back after this break. Did you know about one in three people with plaques psoriasis may also develop psoriotic arthritis, which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling? Does this sound like you. Listen to what it sounds like to be a million miles away.

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Ask your doctor about trim fire. Tap this ad to learn more about trim fire, including important safety information. This episode is brought to you by WeatherTech. Everyone knows winter is the MVP and making a mess. You don't need weather tech floor liners in the summer unless you hit the beach or go camping. Then you'd want a cargo liner. Or a road trip goes sideways, ketchup goes rogue, ice cream drips. Yeah, you'd be pretty happy about those weather tech seat protectors.

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No, it's no. You had it right the first time. It's ours. It's ours. We love legal eagles. We still don't have the legal eagle. hug, hug. I want that kind of, I want that time.

Oh, we do. I put it in and post. It's always in. Every podcast. It's in there. Oh, really? I never hear. Yeah.

Get them right, Donnie. Oh, excuse me, Donnie. D.B. D.B. Donnie Brasco. How many times did you get Donnie Brasco? That kind of slowed down in recent years. I got that in middle school a bunch.

But yeah. You got throw back. Did you ever get Donnie Walberg? No, never Donnie Walberg. Donnie Darko. I got a few times. Donnie Darko. You ever get Donnie Trump?

You got the same name. You got the same name as Trump. All I got to do is take out the beach him and put it into Trump. All right. The Senate has begun work on confirming Kajani Brown Jackson. Contagy. The Senate has been work has begun. What did you start?

On confirming Kintaghi Brown Jackson. to the Supreme Court. President Joe Biden's Supreme Court pick Katachi Brown Jackson, KBJ, has been preparing for a high-stakes confirmation battle to become the first black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a judge on the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. So the judge, Lindsay, did not get his Supreme Court.

cream quarter point tea. I was hoping that it would happen. He didn't get it at the end. The process is going to, of course, move to the Senate now to where these things have become increasingly circus-like in recent years with a crescendo during the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, which was literally like a soap opera at that movie, The Contender, rightfully so. Rightfully so, by the way. Okay.

Rachel, your thoughts? Well, I went to a Senate confirmation hearing. being that of my dad's. It was not drama-filled. They unanimously confirmed him. We just kept it going. Judge has a sparkling clean

record. But in the case of Katanji, Katanji, right? Donnie? Katan. You got it. Katan.

But in the case of Oh my gosh. In the case of Katanji Brown Jackson, sadly, it's going to be a battleground not because she's not qualified. That's the thing that's the most disheartening about it all.

She's clearly qualified to step into this role as being the first black woman on the Supreme Court. You mentioned that she is currently on the Court of Appeals, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit. Whose spot does she take when she stepped in?

Merrick Garland. Oh, wow. None other than the Attorney General someone else who should have had a seat on the Supreme Court. But that's whose seat she filled, showing that she is extremely qualified. Prior to that, she was a district court judge. She has worked as a public federal defender. She has went to Harvard undergraduate Harvard Law School.

This woman has dedicated her life to the law to learning about the justice system. She worked on a commission that was a part of federal sentencing guidelines. And she is more than qualified. She's young, too. She's going to bring an amazing perspective. You know, some of people are pointing out that because she was newly appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals this summer, replacing Merrick Garland, she hasn't written an opinion as an appellate judge yet, but she's written over 500 opinions as a district judge.

And, you know, a lot of people like to pay attention to that because they like to determine, you know, how liberal or conservative the person is. She's liberal. She's definitely with her background, once she's younger, with her background as obviously a black woman, a public defender, and her history of labor-friendly rulings, she's going to be an amazing, amazing addition to the Supreme Court, more than qualified. And I'm sick of hearing the other side talking about, oh, she was nominated on the grounds of identity. Ronald Reagan picked Sandra Day O'Connor because he wanted a woman. Donald Trump picked Amy Coney Barrett because he was trying to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat. So it's been done before. Miss me with all of that other stuff. She is more than qualified and I'm so excited to see her take her seat. She is going to pass Senate confirmation.

She just has to. I love the identity conversation because obviously a judge is picked on identity. And most of the times it's political identity, right? Yes. The question is always who appointed you. It's like it's like it's not like they go out. It's not like they go out and they go, I want the best judge. They go, I want the judge to advance my particular agenda or not my particular agenda because maybe it's not going to happen right away, but my particular realm of political thought, you know? And so identity is always a determining factor. Number one, we're dealing with someone who's uniquely qualified, of course. course. I like Lindsey Graham's tweet.

Lizzie Graham says that that the tax, that this is all because of the radical left. The radical left has run over President Biden. Both Mansion and Sinema's both said that they are Mansion. What did he say? Mansion said, he looks forward to meeting with Judge Jackson

before determining whether or not to provide his consent. All right. He said he was evaluate Judge Jackson's record, legal qualifications, and judicial philosophy to serve on the highest cordon of land. Senator basically said the same thing. Okay, now I will read, I will up and down the line.

It seems, it seems that this confirmation might be less contentious than past confirmations. It seems. Than Amy, Connie Barrett? It seems that this could potentially be less contentious

than past confirmations. Obviously the Senate numbers are different. Which is a huge, huge thing, but it seems like this can be less contentious. I will now revisit my take. Okay. The take that I said when I said that this was

something that was awesome but it didn't really move me as much. Oh. Yes. Welcome back. Welcome back. Welcome back. There should be like a boomerang take. It should be like, boomerang take.

Okay. Let me go into this a little bit further and a little bit deeper and say that I've listened to a lot of people who had opinions on this and I've heard a lot of people. And I can understand how being dismissive of this is actually a bigger problem than having the take on it. I get that.

I want you to understand what my heart is saying here. To be dismissive of something this particularly historical is putrid. I get it. And if I came off, as dismissive. My bad. I saw, I saw we.

As I used to say when I was a kid. I saw me. And he's like, man, you just ate all the brownies. I saw we, daddy. You know what I mean? Now, this is my point. And this is where I'm coming from. I desperately believe,

desperately believe that black people are in the eighth inning of their American existence. Explain. So the, like how many strikes? Oh, we're just getting the, we're just getting the back. We're just getting the back.

We're just getting the back. Okay. So let me tell you. Now, a lot of people look at it and say we're actually more like in the fifth of the sixth inning, right? Okay. I think America is an extra innings, okay? So, so.

So I think America is an extra in. Okay. But I think we're in the eighth inning, meaning I think we're at that point to where it's like, hey, we're down 6'4, we need some runs. Like, we need some runs. We need to get some people. We need some runs now.

Can't fuck around anymore. Every batter is super important, like we need some runs. Because when you get to the ninth innings, now you're just hoping that somebody puts the bat on the ball, puts it over the fence, and you got a hard run. Now your chances are really well. We're in the eighth. We need some runs, okay?

And so everything I look at, when I look at like things that happen for black people, I go, did we score a run? Like, did we score a run? Like, did living life as being a black person in America get easier because it is? Are there any things that have happened that are consequential to our existence in America because this has happened? And that is a very, very dumb, very binary, very simplified way of looking at progress. It's not the ideal way. But like it's come to this point to where I'm going, okay, what does that mean for us? This means a lot in terms of her ability to be there in the Supreme Court for a long, long time.

It means that going forward, that's one less worry that we'll have to worry about on the court in terms of what may or may not happen. it means a lot of things. It also means a lot of things symbolically. I get all of those things. But my initial point was that it shouldn't be something that the Biden administration can use as a feather in their cap because we need things for them to deliver on right now because life is happening now.

Life is happening right now. And so initially I'm like, that's going to be good and Joe Biden's going to be able to go before black people in August or in September. or next year and say, hey, I delivered this. And we're not going to have any answers on voting. We're not going to have any answers on policing. We're not going to have any economic answers.

And he's going to be able to have done something unilaterally, which is obviously different. He can just appoint her and then they can vote on it and get it different than sort of some of these bills that we're talking about. I understand that. But I just need us to make sure that we keep our eyes on the ball in terms of what it is that we need. right away. That was the only thing that I was saying. I did not mean in any way to diminish

even though I did. It was not my intention to diminish what this means and how important this is for the sisters and how important this is for everyone. I just need these motherfuckers to get on their shit and get some shit done. Sure, sure. And I think we agree with you with that. You don't get to stop and say like your legacy cannot be that you appointed a black woman to the Supreme Court. That's not going to be enough. But we appreciate that you were doing it. We appreciate the representation what this means. There will be young girls who will look and say, I can because of what they saw with Katanji Brown Jackson. Like, there's just no doubt about that.

It means so much. She's 51 years old. She could be holding this seat for decades and decades. This is a big deal. And now for the first time ever, you're going to have the representation and the voice of a black woman who can speak to that experience. It means so much. I guarantee you Clarence Thomas' should. was oh you ain't the only one anymore what clarence thomas he's he's upset he's oh furious he's about to be

furious he's about if he could vote against her he would he's about to be held accountable you know what I mean he hasn't been held accountable yet you know what I'm saying they're gonna be at the supreme court dances and all of that stuff like there he's gonna be in there with his wife she'll be looking at uh huh would bring her would bring her stringy-haired ass and I'm just joking she's a she doesn't care about those She's a very serious stretch. Okay. But it is definitely a happy day in Black America that this is out there. It will be a happier day when she gets sworn in.

All right. Let's take a break. We're going to go to Stilo Brim of ridiculousness. We're going to talk to it right now. This episode is brought to you by Spectrum Business. Fast, reliable internet means everything for your business. And even this podcast, that's why I trust Spectrum Business. They keep companies of all sizes connected with internet, advanced Wi-Fi, phone, TV, mobile services,

Plus 24-7 U.S.-based support, millions of business owners already trust Spectrum business. So visit Spectrum.com slash business to learn more. Restrictions apply. Services not available in all areas. Transport your senses with Saltizanado's limited edition perfume mist collection. At Sephora, spritz on lush notes of rainforest orchid and crisp seabries with Hefresco Paraiso.

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MTV used to have mad motherfuckers on it. It did. Oh, Rachel was on MTV. Okay. I was going to bring this up. I was going to bring this up. My didn't last this many seasons. Rachel was on MTV.

It's one of my questions. MTV used to have Kurt Loder and fucking, Wilson, the other lady's name, Serena Altchul, and all kinds of people, right? Now they got three motherfuckers. Rob, Chanel, and Steele. Ridiculousness on MTV. All day long, all day long.

We have today joining us, my friend, my whole boy, one of the most multi-talented people in this entire town. Stilo Brim is joining us on higher learning today. How are you doing, brother? Thank you guys for having me. I feel like it's supposed to be like a long time ago we should do this. And like, you never invited me. So I was feeling some kind of way.

So I'm happy to think of here finally. Like, he'll come to my house. He'll eat out my food. Sounds about right. He ever once asked me to come on his podcast. I was like, man. That's crazy. Oh, I miss something.

Well, you know what? We are so happy to have you. We are. I miss something, though. He's also, to me, the one thing that Sterling's got two things going on right now that are really, really taken off. Of course, is the Wine and We podcast with my man, Chris.

How you say Chris's last name? Rinecker? How you say it? Rineker, Ryaniker, yeah. Rineker. Chris Rineker. I like that. I like that.

And then also, we're going to talk about your rapping a little bit later, too. We are. We are. We're going to talk about you. But the first thing I want to ask you, brother, is like, do you get tired of seeing yourself on MTV? Is the fact that ridiculousness is on all day long on MTV every day. Do you look at that as, yo, man, I'm super proud of that. Or do you like, I wish these motherfuckers would find something else to put on this network

because this must mean that they're struggling. No, I mean, I'm super proud. I mean, we, when you go into television in general, you can only wish to get season two or season three. So for us to be on season, we're filming season 27 right now, I got to be proud of it in a way. Of course, I watch. I see, I see the whole thing. And I'm like, okay, I don't know why we're showing so much of this show. And I'm on the show.

I think she definitely slowed down a little bit. But I'm proud of it, you know. Oh, Stelos, I know you didn't mean that to hurt me, but I too had a show on MTV called MTV Ghosted. Only got two seasons. Should have had more. That's neither here nor there. If you could have put in a word for me with the MTV folks, that'd be great.

We'd love to bring it back. But what do you think as a person who's had a show that was on and now off? And we've seen these shows come and go, but ridiculousness has stood the test of. time still going and there have been spinoffs of the show. What is the secret to the show? What is it that keeps it going on from season to season and, you know, doesn't get old, honestly. To answer is PC as possible, America. The video. Oh, we don't want that. No, no. I think what keeps it going is also, if we're talking business, probability, you know,

it's low cost to shoot the show. So it just makes a lot of sense for a network to really dive into that show because it's bread and butter. It's just an easy show to shoot. It's really low cost. And it's, it's evergreen. You can show up forever. You can watch it in the studio with no sound. You can watch it anywhere. So I think it's just the evergreenness to the actual show. And I guess our camaraderie as well. You know, we've built it over some time now. I think that I don't know if it's as easily duplicated.

So I think that we do a pretty good job on the show as well. So you got the wine and weed podcast, which I've been on twice. one time I was on whining weed the three of us was just chilling doing our thing but then the other time I was on wine to weed The other time I was on wine and weed The other time

I was on wine and weed Kind of went viral And it wasn't that good Is that true? I feel as though 100% is our only viral clip of all the time We need to be in later for that So but we had actually nothing to do

that to be honest. We had nothing to do with that. Okay, so I want to ask you a question in regards to that. We're not going to go back and relitigate what was said because people know and we'll want to get nobody in trouble again. I will say this. After that, we came back here and we talked about that situation. Rachel has some choice words for Drea. Okay. I'm not going to speak for Rachel. Rachel, do you want to tell Stilo what you call Drea? I don't even. A bird. I hear you. I mean, but it was.

Where's my friend? It was, but in that moment, it was an ignorant-ass comment. I don't know where it was coming from. I don't know. It's like she's better than that. So I just don't understand why she felt like she needed to go there in that moment. She tried to be funny. It wasn't funny.

And, you know, she's apologized. She's apologized for. She tried. She failed. She came out. She did the right thing. She took accountability for it. She apologized.

I don't need to go back there. But yeah, I did. I called her bird. Yeah, I mean, man, not the sound. My own thing is something else. What? The snake is something else. But you hear that sound?

Hell, I get me with the bird man hands. Oh, my question is this. Sterling, you, you, you, Drey's your friend. Like, she's a little. sometimes don't you think that it's only fair that we bring Drea on higher learning and maybe we talk about everything that's going on do you feel like that clip and everything that went around about that clip it was on the podcast you were there I were there do you feel

like it was completely in context what were your thoughts you're hilarious I don't I don't I don't think I definitely was in context I think they're like sometimes in media and when you interview, when you work in this day. And I want to say the power of editing because we leave our stuff pretty, I edited. But, you know, you, she wanted, I think Drey at that moment was making a joke. And, you know, you can look at society and say,

songs that say, I want a roughneck and I want this and I want that. I think she was trying to make a joke along those lines, and it just didn't hit and it probably wasn't the time and she's learned from that. Yeah. Yeah. Wait, I just thought about something, too. You just said it.

You do have editing power. Good job. You do have editing power. Did you ever think at some point that you should remove that as her friend from the podcast? Did you think about- Y'all are hilarious? I just, it just came to me, Stilo. It just came to me.

Did you ever think maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't just, you know, put that out there like that? Yeah, I always leave my friends that room and whoever comes on the show. number one, we do a show called wine and weed. So I already give people that, that clean and see because we're intoxicated. We're smoking weed and we're drinking wine. So, you know, I already know you're in a disadvantage. I got to come on. It's so good.

It shows great. This is one of the best podcasts. I'll be honest with you guys. It was one of the best podcasts. The guest list is fucking ridiculous. Like, the people that they've had on there is nuts. It's just one of the best podcasts out there. Go ahead.

My brother, I didn't mean to cut you out. I appreciate it. No, but I always try to leave that room. So, you know, we reached out and we wanted to know she wanted to take it down. I think she just in that moment was like, I made this mistake. I'm going to live with this mistake. I'm a big dog, G. And I respect them for it and nothing else.

Yeah. So you've been doing your thing in this industry since you was in hardball. Why are you bringing up horrible? The hardball, bruh. Yeah. Hey. Hey. 11 when you call it Big Papa.

I love it when you call it. So there's a couple of things about Harbaugh that pissed me off. One is that Keanu Reeves act like, Keanu Reeves act like he had never heard Big Papa before. He was like, what is that? He's like, it was, come on, bro. You had never heard of his B.I.G. I don't know if Keanu Reeves or his character.

Or his character, whatever, but I got you. So you were at Harbaal. So, and then that is the point that you start. your career in entertainment and my man, it's been 20-some years. How do you stay relevant and keep growing and keep doing new stuff for 24 years? I know niggas that was hot five years ago that, you know, we both know them that can't get it popping. Like, how do you stay around and stay relevant and stay with the big ass house?

I don't want Harbaugh to be my first credit. That's your first credit. That's your first credit. I didn't, I wasn't. What is it? as an actual actor or anything. I wasn't trying to dive into the industry. I simply played baseball in Chicago.

I was pretty good at it. So they reached out to my school and my principal and was like, yo, we know he's really good at baseball. He should come and be in this movie. And then the rest was history. So that's how I got into, I guess, the TV and film industry. But I definitely wasn't something I was going after.

Even when I moved to LA, that wasn't anything I was going after. I was out here doing music. And I was out here working at A&R in management. And from there, you know, I just always try to reinvent myself. For me, I'm a person that don't really like rules. So I always look at things in different structures and say, well, who made that rule? And why is that rule in place? Is that a real thing? It's something to prevent us from doing this. So I just be trying to dream and create for people

who want to just keep created and don't really live in a box. And that's like a cliche or or as whatever as you can answer, but that's actually how I really feel. I mean, you know, go ahead, Rachel. No, go ahead. Go ahead. Finish. No, go finish your thought. The reason I was going to say that is that's true because every time you go over to his

grip, he got a new idea. He got something new to show. That's also ADHD. There's a lot of people going with me. I can't really control, but yeah. Word. So I like what you said. You've been tied to the music industry for a while.

And I thought this was really interesting because you said after quarantine it forced you to slow down and to look at yourself and your therapist, challenge you to pick up and complete something that you've always wanted to do, which is your own music, which I find so interesting. So can you talk a little bit about that journey, what led you to this debut single album? And it's an album too, right? Not just a single, right?

It's a little project. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want to call it an album. It's a project. So there's more comments. So there's more comment. Yeah, for sure, it's a collective of records or what I've been calling sessions to tie into me even still with my therapist, I've caught the record sessions.

But yeah, it's more sessions to come. I think all together to be 12 on the full project. Yeah, yeah. Talk a little bit about how you, you know, channeled that energy because, you know, some people in quarantine didn't feel motivated to do anything, you know, struggled in a lot of ways. For you, you channeled that into some creativity

to do something you've never done before. Talk a little bit about that. I think, you know, the pandemic was a make-and-break time for a lot of us. I think it was a time where you got to, if nothing else, sit with your own thoughts. As I, you know, even bring up different things within this country. It's not that it hasn't been going on for many years, is that we got time to actually sit. And if nothing else, look at our phones and see news and see this.

So I had nothing but time to sit with myself. And my therapist just challenged me. Like, I joke about, oh, that's ADHD. It's not in control. But, you know, and being a creative and my mind, always moving very fast and things I want to do, there are sometimes struggles in completing things and feeling like, oh, did you really, you know, fulfill that or did you really see that thing all the way through?

So my therapist challenged me to do something I always wanted to do. Music on this side of it wasn't necessarily it, but I always wrapped in high school for fun. It was cool. And from there, I just always have had thoughts and ideas and concepts. And I was like, you know, well, I should just do something for fun. If nothing else, if nobody listens to it, if it's not good, I could just leave it right here in my house.

Who cares? And my little cousin was here intern with me. He does music. And I actually bought him a new mic and a little setup, a little rig, and I was really buying it for myself, but he didn't know at the time. But I bought it for him, but he could do a little more music,

and I was starting doing a little records here and there. And from there, it's kind of how the project started. From there, it's been a lot of, it's been a lot of hard work. It's been a lot of, like, you know, I joked, I joked and said I was gonna name this project. Then nobody asked this. Then nobody asked me this. This is something I wanted to do for myself.

You know what I'm saying? It's just to be like, yo, you're doing this for you and you're doing it for the right reasons. So with me going into it, you know, I really wanted to just channel who I was. You know what I feel like it ain't always a lot of, I deem, you know, a lot of cool, you know, old school cool filling dudes in the industry, you know what I'm saying?

Like I'm a 33-year-old man, and I joke and, the first record is called Uncle Elroy, but I really am somebody, and I really, you know what I'm saying? And I'm really starting, and I'm really, all those things.

And I also just wanted to kind of break that mode of what we can create and what we should create. You know what I was going to do this, for me, it was like, if anybody asked this, I'm going to create what I believe, you know,

I want to hear. Word, right, right, right, well said. So, let's switch to basketball now. Let's talk about basketball. Yeah.

All right. I'm just ask you a straight question right now. You know, we play. we've played ball you'll you take really to be honest with you guys the most thing he takes most serious

in life if you ask me is hoop like he just like we'll be sitting around and somebody will be like like me and him all went to dinner with an NBA player an NBA player

the guy was with us we were at dinner an NBA player was there good NBA player too and he's like Sterling was like nah you know wasn't taking no shit off of him He was like letting them know.

Like, nah, I don't fuck around. Like, I'm a really good basketball player. I'm not, I don't, the rest of these little celebrity dudes out here that you're talking about, like, I'm a really good basketball player. So I want you to do something. Of the celebrity guys in the city that you've played with. Okay. I want you to give me a top five.

All the ones I play with. Oh. The ones you've played with. Celebrity basketball players. Give me a top of all. Celebrity. That word, first of all. Let me think of some people.

I mean, I think Chris Brown is Chris Brown is a really good basketball player. Right. Chris Brown is a really good basketball player. Ooh. Who's really? I'm trying to think. Because I'm going to tell you, just to let you know, this is from the Red Pill days. I had Jalil White on the Red Pill back in the day.

Okay. Urquil. Yeah. And shout out to Jililil. My God. I love Jilil. Jal's my man. I asked Jalil about, you know, because we had played in that downtown.

league and I asked Jalil and Jalilil said at that time that I'll be honest with you Jilil White said you're not fucking with him in basketball. Okay that's fair. Is Jalilil good? People say stuff. Huh? Is Jalilil on your list? No.

Not close. Not close. No. I'm a deal with you. Okay. I've seen Jalil. Jalil like. I got homies that like I play, you know, in this celebrity thing, you put people in certain boxes.

And you mean they you say yourself like, oh, if I'm texting some of the homies to get them, who you might text certain celebrities when you know it's going to be just the okay run. You know, it's not that competitive because they don't want to really play with the dudes who play D1 or in the NBA. And it's not fun for them. Now I understand that. I put you little in that text message group when I, you know, when I want to get the guys out and just the boys want to just talk and hang out. You get some shots up.

You know, that's cool. That's cool. But I'm not here really believing that I can compete on a high level. And some would say it's delusion. What level do you think you could compete at? How much time do I have the train is the first question. You have as much time to train as you go. Wow, Rachel, your month.

You got a month to train. Oh, a month. If you got it, you got it. Okay, I don't like that. It's true. I don't like what you do here, Richard. I will say if I got a truly trained, get at it, I'm talking two of days, I'm guessing,

because I'm really locked in at this point. I can go ahead and compete at the D1 level again. You know what I'm saying? I can go ahead and compete there. I can't compete in Big Three. Give me a month, I can compete in Big Three. Give you a month. You can play with the guys in the Big Three

because, you know, Nitty in the Big Three. I'm not saying all of them. I'm not saying I'm going to start and they're going to go to me as the MVP of the league. I'm saying. But you can compete for sure. And I'm going to put in some buckets. If nothing else, I'm a bucket.

Man, you know, I play with that. I try to apply the same delusion into life and me believe that I can do a lot of different things. Because me, it's like VIP. VIP is 90% mental. You walk up to that door, you let them know. You know what I'm saying? You fit as art as energy.

You move out of the way. They move out of the way. You know what I'm saying? On that court, I really believe there's nobody that can stick. me. Are there? They may be, but I believe there is nobody that can't. What's your position? I'm whatever the coach needs, but I'm a point guard. I love it. I'm a point guard, yeah. He's a combo guard that lies to score. Yeah, he's a combo guard that likes to score. Yeah, he's a combo guard that likes to score. Like, he can pass it, though. So we, we didn't complete the list, okay,

but we know Chris Brown is on it. We know Jalil. light is not. Yes. Where is Van? Van is now finally allowed me on his podcast, so he is now cracked the top six. No. No.

No. No. Van can play basketball. Van can definitely play. Van knows his game, too. I put value in people who know their game. Like, if you,

like, somebody out who get out there and you understand what you're good at versus somebody who's just like doing too much, and you're like, fam, pick aside, do something. You know, box out, do something. Banking, but I'll say, okay, I'm going to say, Chris Brown, I'm going to say Trinidad James is decent basketball. I don't have many people though that I really be doing like, oh, they can really go.

What about Cuevo? People love to, what about Cuevo? People love to throw him in there. Cuevo's not bad. I put him on that list. I'm trying to think, is it anybody? You know, Mike? Yeah, but Mike don't play enough. Mike don't be one to play. Mike used to be able to definitely play.

But Mike, but he, but he, but he too, but I feel like since he didn't got so big for Crete and stuff like that, that that might be affecting his game. He's going to be a man. A nigga big, bro, bro. Hey, be honest with you. Man, uh, your boy, my boy, Calais,

he got Mike, Mike big now, bro. Mike a lot bigger than he used to be, bro. Mike big now, bro. Yeah. I got one more question for you. Mike big, yeah, Mike, Mike, Smith. I don't know. One last question for you, bro.

You got a first look at MTV Entertainment Studios. That's amazing, man. Yes. Frank goes to back. Like, first look at MTV. What kind of projects are you hoping to bring to MTV? Like, what kind of stuff should people expect from you and your first look deal? Rebellious projects, but also pure perspectives.

I'm just trying to tap into work across, tap into other youth, tapping to people who are young-minded who have different ideas, new ideas. But of course, I'm trying to create black stuff as well while I'm there. I mean, I don't know if there's a lot of black content. I joke and say,

you said it was just us three on MTV. Can't forget about whaling out. But I don't know if there's a lot of original content centered around people of color in TV. So I'm just trying to make sure that I am creating opportunities for us. Oh, amazing. Amazing.

All right. Before we go, tell us what is, when everything is coming out. Do you even know? Do you have, I know you got two singles out right now. Oh,

or have I seen two singles? Are those both officially out? I got two out. I got an Uncle Elroy feature of Fabliz and Aaron Ray right now. And I have acting out and feature Nomad P. out right now. And then I probably, yeah, I got another session coming out on,

actually March 11th, featuring Buddy and Aaron Ray. Oh, wow. Yeah, and that was called My Love. I'm super excited about that one. Yeah, Buddy is amazing. All right. Stilo Brim.

Thank you. Check him out. He's doing everything. Music, TV, first look deal, NTV, wine and weed podcast. He is everywhere doing everything, man. Continue success, brother. I'm going to come over to the crib soon.

Thank you, my brother. Hi, my boy. All right, my man. Thank you very much. So nice to be here. All right. You didn't like Sterling before that. You told me you didn't like him.

Do you like them now? Don't start rumors like that. Don't be like I am welcome. of all the guests we have on this podcast. Listen, I'm trying to figure out how I can be like Stilo. He has a successful show on the network I used to be on, just trying to understand the secret to the success. Burns out almost took me out.

Be honest with you, Burr's out almost did have a podcast. It's fucked up. I'd love to have Dre on the podcast. Yeah, we'll get her. She says she's not doing any podcast for a while. She said that she's all fucked up. So she's not doing any podcast for a while.

But if she does. I can't guarantee we will cut things out. We'll play it as is. We'll get her on here. All right. I want to get your opinion on this. GLP. We're in its ugly head.

This is Daryl Issa at CPAC on Friday, where he was questioning whether or not Vice President Kamala Harris really understands the black experience. The policies that she had to and propagated in California. What of those in California did she take to D.C.? Were there any that she left behind?

I don't that she left any behind. She certainly took the belief that the president was out of touch, was a racist, they didn't understand what black experience was like, and certainly didn't understand the school busing or any of that. So I don't think any of that's changed. But remember, this is a young woman who grew up with all the benefits. Her family, they're both, you know, a doctorate level. They, uh, uh, they enjoyed a beautiful home in a, in a good area of Oakland. And he, she enjoyed the best growing up. Um,

and so I'm not sure that her telling him he didn't understand the black experience. I'm not sure she really understands it. Okay. So look, I was that. I thought that was pretty straightforward. Uh, fucked up. Right. Mm-hmm. a lot of motherfuckers in the comments was agreeing with Darrell Issa. Okay. We kind of touched on this a little bit on the podcast, but were they agreeing, I didn't see the comments, but were they agreeing with him in the sense that was it this whole argument of she doesn't understand the African American experience because her parents are immigrants? Was it that that people were agreeing with? Because otherwise I'm not understanding where there's any type of, there's any other way to see this.

They were saying, and I put this up on Twitter, people were. like let's be honest what Kamala doesn't really understand the black experience he doesn't really get it a lot of people there were people that were putting up graphs and charts saying that there is a certain proximity to blackness that has to do with

poverty and has to do with this and has to do with that. That's so unfair because here's the thing and this is where I take offense to this kind of stuff so I talk about situations in my book where I was constantly told as a child that I wasn't black. Right. I was.

I was constantly told that I was a white girl. You're not black enough because of the job my parents had. Because I lived in an all-black neighborhood. I went to an all-black church. But because I talked a certain way, I went to a predominantly white school. A lot of my friends were white. I was told that I wasn't black, which is very confusing and traumatizing when you look in the mirror and you see a black person. Your parents are telling you you're black.

You're learning about the black experience because you are black. but your peers are telling you that, oh, you're not black enough, as if there's some measure that I don't quite fit or measure up to because I guess what I'm doing in my daily life doesn't equate to being black. And I think that this is extremely problematic within our own community. We have to understand the phrase that blackness is not monolithic. And here's the thing. I might come, or a monolith.

It's not a monolith. When I come from, I use it in the wrong way the first time. When I come from, if I come from a certain background or my parents have a certain job or I live in a certain house, have a certain neighborhood, that doesn't isn't ridden on my forehead. That's not something that I wear across my chest. When I step into the world, I am black. And my upbringing doesn't separate me from being black when the world is going to identify me in that way. And it is extremely harmful for black people to strip away other black people's blackness. just because I don't fit your definition.

And I just find this so, I just, how can we not get past this at this point? How are we not past that black people are not all the same way? And it's problematic for you to say blackness equals this. It's one thing when a white person is problematic because they're trying to tell black people how they're black. It's a whole other thing when black people are dismissing other black people. I just, this is something that, you know, it strikes a nerve with me. and it gets under my skin.

Yeah. Because stop telling people that they aren't black because they don't fit your definition. Okay. The world is going to tell me I'm black. Yeah. The world's going to tell you you're black. Okay.

Can we have some latitude to be? Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Okay. Okay. You with the comments? I'm not with the comments. I'm not with the comments.

Okay. Really to be honest with you, I'm not with the comments. First of all, because the comments are saying to Darrell, he's had the right to say that. I'm not with the comments. First of all,

I don't know about enough about a background. But I will tell you this, though. We'll tell you this, though. Is there no cultural definition of blackness? Because this is why I asked the question. This criticism is not exclusive to blackness. I've heard Jews say this about other Jews, Jewish and name only. I've heard some of our Mexican friends criticize my other Mexican friends.

my other Mexican friends that don't speak Spanish. You know what I mean? I have to. Like I've, this exists in almost every single culture to where, like, there was an episode of the Sopranos where Tony Sopranos, um, Tony Sopranos, um, Tony Sopranos, uh, uh, therapist, Dr. Melfy is talking to her, her ex-husband, her ex-husband, her ex-husband, who, who is Italian, just like Tony is,

but is further removed, in her opinion, from Italian, like, cultural mores and values than Tony is. And so whatever, whatever. She's criticizing him for it, you know, a different type. So what I'm saying is... And he's criticizing Tony for being... He's critical... For putting a bad name on Italian.

On Italian. Yeah, you know that, right? Right. So this criticism exists in every single ethnic group that I've seen at some point. Like, sure. And, you know, I remember working at TMZ. We had Jewish guys at TMZ who were religious.

And we had Jewish guys at TMZ who weren't religious. But they were all culturally Jewish, meaning they observed Jewish culture except for one of them who didn't do any of it. And they gave, they used to get on his ass about it. So I think this exists everywhere. I guess the question is because I don't think I don't have a problem with those things existing. because you can opt out of your blackness. You definitely can. And I've seen guys who've done it.

Seen it. Seen it many a time. I guess the question is what constitutes that, right? Because so you grew up in an all-black neighborhood. You went to all-black church. You did all those things, right? I do know people that I grew up with that went to all-white schools that were on the other side of town. And I got to be honest with you.

They weren't trying to fuck with us. Like they really weren't trying to fuck with us. And either it was because their parents had made the decision that living culturally tethered to us was in some way going to hold them back from ascending in America or if you had to do with different factors. But it exists. So I guess the question is what constituted? I have been called a white boy just for the way that I talk. Sure. I remember my friend Nelson got on one of my other friends, his asses because he was like,

don't ever tell him that again. He was like, don't tell him that. He said, that niggum is going to go somewhere and you're going to be somewhere selling T-shirts on the side of the road. I'll never forget that. Like, never forget that he told him that. So I've been there before. It never bothered me because all of my friends were black.

I was playing a lot of basketball. I was playing basketball with all black kids. I lived in South Bad Roach. I went to all black schools and all of that stuff. I don't think that's the measure of blackness, but certainly there is one. And the question is, what would it be? Well, it allowed people to tell you that they've opted out of it.

I think it's very obvious when black people ain't fucking with other black people. That wasn't me. Right. I ran summer track with them. I lived in their neighborhood. Oh my God. Stop. I'm just joking.

I'm fucking with you. I lived in. You know, no, I know. I played in the neighborhood. I wasn't like, oh, I don't want to go outside because I go to a. predominantly white school. My parents instilled in me who I was, but it was hurtful when neighborhood kids or kids I ran with the summer track would tell me that I wasn't simply because of the school I went to or the way I talked where I spent the majority of my day. So I think it's, yes,

there are absolutely, I know too many black people who constantly opt out of their blackness, who praise when other people tell them they're not like other black people. But what I have a problem with Darylisa and maybe those people in the comments is he's saying she is not affiliated with blackness because she ain't linked to poverty because she's not poverty and struggle yeah exactly stop do first of all stop defining non-black people please stop telling black people about themselves stop defining us stop telling us what equates to blackness you of all people have absolutely no idea and so i do think that there that there are certain measures but poverty and struggle should not be one of them.

If a person opts out of being black and doesn't want to be affiliated or accept certain comments that are like, oh, you're pretty for a black person or you don't act like them and relishes in that kind of thinking, those are people who opt out of the black experience who don't want to be affiliated.

There's a difference. He said two educated parents in a stable home, I like to think I came from that. And we were some niggas. You did. We would, we were so, let me ask you a question. Seriously.

What was the most niggerish thing about your parents? Tell me the most niggerish thing about the judge and pretty hair. I don't know if I can pick something between them. Did they ever do niggerish things? Like, I remember my mom, Mason, the guy that came to cut the lights off. No, they didn't do.

That she did. That didn't do that. My mother had this plate. My mother had this bottle of face. And he had come to cut the lights off. Yes. Was he white?

Yes. And she was saying that God, wait a minute. She was saying that God said that her children were going to be in the dark. And she was afraid of that he said his feet. No. Oh my God. Yes, I swear to God. If she lying, I'm flying.

Like, if she lies, she was spraying Mace that defeated the guy who was coming to cut the lights off. I promise you. No. I swear. We don't have that. It was getting in people's fucking eyes. Woo.

Yes, I've been Mace pepper spray before. Yeah. Like, no, that, though, there's no moment like that. It would have to extend to my extended family, and I'd have to think about that for a second. Yeah. Like, it's a real nigger and shit. But by, wow, by way,

that has nothing to do with being black. Has it to do it being niggers. Like my, yeah, there's nothing to do it being black. And they said, shut up. Fuck, what? Yeah. Boy, see, that's what happens. That's what happens.

Actually, though, I'd rather you be that way than trying to be something else. Like, be overtly racist to me. I don't, don't do it in any kind of covert way. Just be racist. If you're going to be racist, just be racist. Now I know what I'm dealing with. Sports courts. We talk about bouncing balls.

Yeah. Sports corner. Let's get it on. One last, one last, one last topic here. And I don't want to, I want to cross the line of certain friendships and acquaintances that I have. But I don't understand the big fellow on this one. Shaquille, I love you. I love your whole family.

Shawnee, thank you for getting me at the Shack's Funhouse. Shout out to Sharif, shout out to Miles. Shout out to all of it. Shout out to the whole family. I love the whole family. I love you guys. Run this audio, Donnie. Shaq, we always play jokes.

Shack is a jokester. So if one of the rookies were being in a stall, he would take a bucket and use the bathroom in it for about a week. And then all of a sudden he'll pour it on them. That was Gary Payton. talking to Vlad TV about his playing time with Shaquille O'Neal saying that Shaq would pee in a bucket all week long. He didn't specify pee. He just said he's a bathroom.

Thank you. I was just about to say that. It is unclear if he went number one or two in that bucket. Okay. And then he would take the bucket and throw it on the rookies while they were using the bathroom. through. Do you have a friend in your life? No.

Thank you. If he was, he's former. Past tense. They would ever even think. Like, Shaq's a funny guy. So funny. This isn't funny. I'm struggling to find the humor in this.

The only person laughing is Shaq. And also, where was the bucket kept? You know what I mean? I just have so many questions were you keeping it in like your locker and your off. Like where was this where nobody realized that there was a bucket of piss and poop? Because I'm going to assume it was both. Right. Sloshed up in this bucket. I just, I don't understand.

And then Gary, why weren't you stopping him? Yeah. Why were you allowing this to happen? One day this could have been you. Yeah. This is so great. There's no humor in this. Shack, you're better than this.

It's disgusting. Has Shack responded? He hasn't yet. He hasn't. Do you ever smell weak old piss? Why would I have? I've smelled it. Why?

Because during the pandemic, I would like, listen. So during the pandemic, I was like at like one of my worst times, right? And I would take these drives. Like, and these drives would last hours. Like, there was nobody on the freeway. So I literally drove. to every part of LA. Man,

I drive out to Montclair, Rancho Cucumanga, just drive, drive, drive, drive, anything to keep my mind off. The crippling fear that I was going through,

right? Drive all over the place. Just drive, drive, drive, drive, drive. And there were no bathrooms. So you couldn't go into any place that used the bathroom. Every single bathroom was closed.

So what I would do was I would take a water bottle, like see these water bottles that drink out of? I've done it on a long road. trip. Right. And I would piss in these. How do you piss in them? Make it happen. How do, how could a, how could a woman piss in a water

bottle? You guys don't have that thing? You can? It's possible. It happens. It's possible. So I would piss in these right. Might not be pretty, but it's possible. I would piss in these and I would have them in the car and it got to a point to where literally in the car, I might have four these filled up with piss. Why? why were we not getting rid of them as soon as it happened?

I don't know. Why can you just pull over to the middle of anywhere? Like now that's a luxury that you have that we don't have. Can I be honest? I'm afraid of the cops. Yeah. Like so the reason why I can't do that, the reason why I never did that is because I'm afraid of the police.

And at that time, I didn't want to pull over and piss on the side of the road. I have the fucking cops stop me. And now I got a situation where I didn't got shot in my shit because I was taking a piss. So I'll just pissing knees And a bunch of people will catch me They would be like, oh, laughing him Pissing, pissing and be oh, look at a nigga from TMZ

He can't hold this shit And then one day I'm like I wonder what this smells like It's been in here for a while It's the worst thing I would imagine It's fucking terrible One day in

Yeah so the reality is that We're gonna end up there We're gonna end the parking podcast there Shack love you to death I would have stabbed you with a knife But ew, yeah. It would have stabbed you with a knife. That's all the sports corner.

When we come back on the next sports corner after this, we got to talk about the fucking Lakers and the fact that the shit is fucking horrible. I know the game against the Pelicans. It's terrible. I don't typically watch the games. Brian had it on and I was like, what is happening? No, you don't watch the WNBA. You watch the NBA.

No, stop, stop. All right, no fans, very serious question. Thank you for Stilo Brim. to being on the podcast today we give you we give you guys a fat hour 30 hour of 35 so we're not going to do serious question I guess we'll do it on Thursday I will have an unexpected

ally of the week this week I already know who it is there won't be an unexpected enemy of the week okay but who knows guys sure red it's thrilled stop it can happen it can happen but you know what people can expect on Thursday

what? A recap a discussion of snowfall Yeah, we got to do it. Okay, we're going to be three episodes in at this point. And it's good already. Two episodes in, it's good. It's going crazy. And also, I might be doing something on Green Room.

Rachel, if we haven't talked about this, I might be doing a weekly green room. And as part of that weekly Green Room, a part of this weekly Green Room, I know that you're not going to have time to do it. But as part of this weekly green room, I might. I might recap Rachel's season of The Bachelorette. Okay. I have to do a green room. Per contract. So let me go ahead.

Right. We might do Thought Warriors call-in green room situation where we could do like basically like a call-in show, you know? And I might, I might have to recap Rachel's season of The Bachelor. Because Rachel, I started, I started watching it and damn. No. Wait, you didn't tell me you so. Wait, how many episodes in?

Just the first episode? Just the first episode. It's just so weird to see you in this situation. It's so crazy. I have to pop on green room. No, I have to. Wait, wait. So I can't just talk.

I can't just talk to people about your season of the bachelor without you? Yeah, you can. I just got to hear it. Okay. This is interesting. Fucking Brian. I'll join you. Jesus Christ, Brian.

All right. All right. Take a thing caps off, but do not stop learning. I am Van Lathan Jr. I'm Rachel and Lindsay. Bye, guys.