Selective Ignorance: Ep. 50 | Black History Month: Mr. Morale & The Lemon Pepper Steppers

Summary

Podcast Summary: Decisions, Decisions — Selective Ignorance Ep. 50 | Black History Month: Mr. Morale & The Lemon Pepper Steppers

Date: February 10, 2026
Hosts: Mandy B & WeezyWTF (with producers AK, Jason Rodriguez, Aaron A. King Howard)
Network: The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts

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Main Theme / Purpose

This Black History Month special of “Selective Ignorance” dives into the complexities of Black history, cultural ignorance, and generational learning (and unlearning). Mandy B leads a candid, often comedic, conversation exploring historical and current Black experiences. The episode covers racist laws, propagation of negative stereotypes, the evolution of Black pop culture, the intersectionality within Black identities, and the fun debate over what headlines might look like if the internet existed during key moments in Black history. In classic “Decisions, Decisions” style, the episode’s playful vibe is grounded in real talk about how Black Americans make sense of legacy, identity, and change.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Histories and Blackness in America

Timestamps: 02:17 – 09:00

• Mandy B shares her Caribbean lineage, experiences in a multicultural Florida, and the gaps in Black history education she received (“My lineage is Caribbean…Most of my family is here on green cards and visas. My family's roots is not rooted in America.” – 07:00).
• Discussion of New York’s diaspora: many Black New Yorkers with roots in South Carolina due to the Great Migration (05:09).
• They address “biracial ignorance” and “leaning into ignorance” as a way of approaching history with openness.

Notable quote:

“There is so many New Yorkers with South Carolina roots.”
– Mandy B (05:29)

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2. Black History Education—What Was Missed?

Timestamps: 09:00 – 16:10

• Mandy admits to only learning about Fred Hampton through the film “Judas and the Black Messiah” (10:42), highlighting how mainline history education is limited in scope.
• Discussion about how Black history in schools is often reduced to a handful of figures (MLK, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver), and the deeper stories often left out.
• Local celebrations: Zora Neale Hurston festival in Eatonville, FL, and the importance of first Black towns.

Notable quote:

“Yes, we only got 28 days to learn Black history, but also, they limit it to maybe five people.”
– Mandy B (13:51)

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3. The Folding Chair, Swimming Myths, and Living Black History

Timestamps: 16:10 – 19:00

• They discuss the folding chair as a new Black historical symbol after the viral Montgomery brawl (16:10).
• Debunking the myth that Black people can’t swim—rooted in historical exclusion and danger rather than biology.
• Intertwined with humor and pride about contemporary “living Black history” moments.

Notable quote:

“The folding chair is different now…that’s like a crown.”
– AK (16:25)

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4. Reclaiming and Inventing Language

Timestamps: 19:00 – 23:07

• A playful segment about racial slurs for white people: “cracker,” “honky,” “peckerwood,” “Ofe”; their origins and reclamation.
• The hosts discuss how “Karen” has become a contemporary slur, and riff on names and their declining popularity.

Notable quote:

“Karen is now a slur that white people really don’t want to be associated with.”
– Mandy B (21:53)

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5. Racist Laws in America—History and Present

Timestamps: 24:22 – 36:07

• Discussion of historic racist laws:
  • Sundown towns: Towns that kept Black people out after dark—a practice not limited to the South but found even in places like Bel Air and Compton (25:59).
  • Miscegenation (interracial relationship) laws: Not repealed nationally until the 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia. Personal anecdotes about growing up as a biracial child in the South/Florida.
  • Reflections on how integration is still fraught with social critique and skepticism.

Notable exchange:

“So miscegenation laws were the prohibiting interracial marriage, cohabitation or sex…these laws existed in 38 states. The Supreme Court ruled all these laws unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.”
– Mandy B (30:22)

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6. Interracial Relationships and Public Perception

Timestamps: 31:45 – 46:53

• Hosts react to NFL player RG3’s post defending his interracial marriage, critiquing “colorblind” rhetoric:
  • “Never let skin color determine your love…” (read aloud at 32:16)
• Conversation about public figures and their white partners: Omari Hardwick, Eddie Murphy, Ice-T, RG3, et al.
• They joke about how “doing white woman right” means not having to explain or justify your choice or centering whiteness in your relationship narrative.
• The group discusses Barack Obama’s presidency and how a white wife might have changed Black Americans’ support.

Notable quote:

“There's a difference between ‘my wife is white’ and ‘I have a white wife’... when you're constantly talking about your white wife, like, that sounds a little bit crazy."
– Aaron A. King Howard (43:45)

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7. Recent and Surprising Black History Legal Changes

Timestamps: 47:10 – 48:52

• The CROWN Act: New York law (2019) prohibits discrimination based on natural hair in workplaces/schools.
• Anti-lynching law: Not passed as a federal hate crime until 2022 (!)
• Revelations about how much Black people’s experiences are shaped by recent legislation.

Notable quote:

“Lynching did not become a federal crime until March of 2022.”
– Mandy B (48:47)

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8. Lemon Pepper Wings as Black History?

Timestamps: 48:53 – 53:00

• Playful take on Georgia House Bill 1013, proposing lemon pepper wings as the official chicken wing flavor of the state.
• Hosts debate the seriousness (or not) of such legislative moves, referencing Lou Williams, strip clubs, and southern culture, but note this doesn't address real issues like homelessness or political inequity.

Notable moment:
AK describes the bill’s sponsor as “the lemon pepper nigga” and jokes about putting his face on the seasoning (51:26).

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9. Black Twitter Headlines: Internet in Historic Moments

Timestamps: 54:24 – 61:38

• Jason, the editor of Bossip, revisits the art of writing internet-favored headlines as if moments like Rosa Parks' bus protest, Malcolm X’s prison release, or Jackie Robinson integrating baseball happened today.
• Playful, irreverent approaches: “Not gonna do it: Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat for Salty Soup Cookies in bigoted Birmingham” (58:07)

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10. Modern Black Culture through the Eyes of Ancestors

Timestamps: 61:40 – 69:32

• The group imagines what past Black figures might think of:
  • The Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake beef (“Our ancestors would pretty much all be Kendrick stans.” – 62:35)
  • TikTok dances and viral moments—likening them to minstrel shows or juke joints.
  • Changes in music, from freedom songs to hip-hop and protest music; reflection on the depth and sometimes harmful messaging in hit songs (i.e. “What Would You Do?” by City High).

Notable quote:

“Music’s supposed to reflect what's happening in society…That was someone's experience.”
– AK (68:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We didn't land on Plymouth Rock, the Rock was landed on us.” – Aaron A. King Howard quoting Malcolm X (02:17)
• “You being conned by Edison…open your third eye, brother!” – Aaron A. King Howard (15:33)
• “When homie jumped in with the Timbs, it really is kind of like history, redefining, cause like, he’s swimming, he’s swimming.” – Jason Rodriguez (18:03)
• “I don't like the pro-Black men who have the white wives. Cause I don't see how…that's the hypocrisy in that.” – Mandy B (40:45)
• “Lynching did not become a federal crime until March of 2022.” – Mandy B (48:47)
• “Making it rain on them GOP hoes.” – Retro Bossip headline (55:38)
• “Cracker Jacks…Ooh, you could say Cracker Jacks in baseball.” – Mandy B (61:16)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:17 – Opening Salvo: What this episode will cover, personal Black history intros
• 09:00 – Ignorance & Black History Education
• 16:10 – Black inventions, folding chairs, swimming myth
• 19:00 – Reclaiming slurs (playful discussion)
• 24:22 – “This is America” Laws: Sundown towns, racist legislation
• 31:45 – Interracial relationships and media framing
• 47:10 – Modern legal advances: CROWN Act, anti-lynching
• 48:53 – Lemon Pepper Bill and Atlanta culture
• 54:24 – Simulated Black History Headlines
• 61:40 – How would our ancestors react? Culture, music, and current trends

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Overall Tone and Style

• Casual, comedic, and honest—mixing irreverence and critical insight
• Mandy B and guests share personal stories and laughter while confronting heavy realities
• Language is frank, peppered with slang, humor, and Southern and New York cultural references
• The show excels at weaving in lived experience and cultural critique with pop culture fun

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This lively, wide-ranging episode offers both laughs and substance. It's a celebration of Black history’s deep roots and ever-evolving branches. It spotlights how much remains unlearned due to systemic erasure, how Black identity defies a monolith, and how everyday culture (from language to lemon pepper wings) both challenges and reclaims Black legacy.

Whether you’re looking for historical perspective, fun debates, or just a deep belly laugh, this episode sums up the “Decisions, Decisions” way: keep it real, keep it Black, keep it moving.

Transcript

[Mandy B]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. This episode is brought to you by the Burbs, a new Peacock original starring Emmy Award winner Keke Palmer. The mystery comedy series follows Samira, a lawyer and new mom who moves with her family into her husband's childhood home. While the peaceful suburb of Hinkley Hills may look picture perfect, it doesn't take long for the buried secrets of the cul de sac to be unearthed.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Let's just say it's to keep your.

[Mandy B]

Friends close and your neighbors closer to the situation. Every episode of the Burbs is available to stream now only on Peacock.

[Ben Higgins]

You can scroll the headlines all day and still feel empty. I'm Ben Higgins and if youf Can Hear Me is where culture meets the soul. Honest conversations about identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Celebrities, thinkers, everyday people. Some have answers. Most are still figuring it out. And if you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story, this show is for you. Listen to if youf Can Hear me on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mandy B]

Nuevas en siertos, planes unlimited. Hey guys, welcome to another episode of Selective Ignorance. However, before we get to this week's episode, I want to remind you guys to purchase my book, no Holds Barred, a dual manifesto of sexual exploration and power. So feel free to go to your local bookstores, preferably queer owned, black owned or woman owned, to support them. But also just click the button on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, or wherever you read your books. Again, that is no Holds Barred, a dual manifesto of sexual exploration and power written by yours truly and my co host of the Decisions Decisions podcast, Wheezy. Make sure y' all get that. Now let's get to this week's episode. This is Mandy B. Welcome to Selective Ignorance, a production of the Black Effect podcast network and iHeartRadio.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

We didn't land on Plymouth Rock. The Rock was landed on us.

[Mandy B]

Welcome everybody, especially my classmates, to a very special episode of Selective Ignorance. I'm your host, Mandy V. And baby, we are going to educate and entertain this week with a little bit of black history for Black History Month. Now we are getting into some they really tried it history up at the top. Talking about wild racist laws. Laws that were made specifically with race in mind that you probably won't believe and some that also just got criminalized here in the US of A. Which again will probably surprise many of you. We're also going to have a little bit of fun with talking about ridiculous propaganda. We're talking black on black crime.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Black on black crime was way before our time.

[Mandy B]

And negative black stereotypes on, you know, on us placed by other people. But the fun part of this is going to be also bringing up what the headlines may have been if the Internet existed during historical black moments. And then, of course, we're talking vernacular, we're talking fashion, we're talking music. And again, hopefully some of y' all are educated. So hopefully some of y' all lean back a little bit from your ignorance. But more importantly, hopefully we make you laugh this episode because it's all about our history, baby. Apparently, half of mine. But here on Selective Ignorance. And once again, I am joined by my super producers. We got someone who has zero black history in them. We have Jason, who you talking about? Okay, I guess you're Puerto Rican.

[AK]

Wow.

[Mandy B]

Okay, my bad. I forgot Puerto Ricans had black history a little bit. Y' all mulattos somewhere. You know what? Maybe you gotta bring some Puerto Rican history and connected to black history. Although Schomburg said it, you got Latino history or Black History Month.

[AK]

Don't nobody bring Fat Joe. It's already good.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I got my brother covered. I got him covered.

[Mandy B]

You got Mr. Rodriguez covered.

[AK]

That was Big Taino right there. Big Taino.

[Jason Rodriguez]

But the Schomburg center in Harlem that collects black artifact is founded by a Puerto Rican.

[AK]

Let's go.

[Mandy B]

We don't get it.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Okay, Puerto Rican named Schomburg.

[Mandy B]

Listen, listen. This is me leaning into my ignorance.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Well, you know, I mean, that's colonization.

[Mandy B]

Who refuses to allow Hispanics to say the N word. But we'll get into that later, too. Anyways, we are also joined by OG Podcaster with the Brooklyn Black History. We got eight kings here in the building.

[AK]

Yeah, man, my people is straight. That sound like she did. That sound like she's from New York. My matrilineal side is from South Carolina. Fort Mott, Saint Matthews. And they migrated during the northern great migration. And they also went out west too. Oklahoma, Chicago, and Florida too.

[Mandy B]

Yo, I ain't gonna hold you. There is so many New Yorkers with South Carolina roots.

[AK]

Well, that's what it's about. So the opposite. I mean, we could get into it later, but summer vacations was coming down to the South. That's when everybody like, oh, these New York niggas.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, this is home, nigga.

[AK]

Shut the up. You know what I mean?

[Mandy B]

But talk your shit. Yeah, well, I'm also joined right alongside the king of headlines himself.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

We got Jason Jolly Pod blessing all the yap niggas.

[Mandy B]

Period. Period. Now you're American, right? Black American.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I'm a black American.

[Mandy B]

Are you black American, too?

[AK]

Absolutely Black American with a little bit of Caribbean. Caribbean. My matrilineal. You know what I mean?

[Mandy B]

You just want to keep saying matrilineal at this point.

[AK]

Good, because that's the womb, that's the vessel, that's the spaceship.

[Mandy B]

Well, and my. Here go me leaning into my biracial ignorance.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

J. Paul, the podcast, ladies and gentlemen.

[AK]

Not Drake, not Aubrey.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

She don't sue nobody. Oh, yeah.

[AK]

I won't sue nobody.

[Mandy B]

Oh, I be waiting.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Put that evil on Ricky Bobby.

[Mandy B]

I be waiting. I'm mad. Somebody took the lawsuit. I wanted.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Not.

[Jason Rodriguez]

You was waiting. You was sitting on one.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I wanted.

[Mandy B]

I wanted the lawsuit. Somebody sued Lays a couple years ago for the bags being half full. I said, you know what?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Bitch stole my laws.

[Mandy B]

Bitch. I kind of wanted to suit for that. No, but it's gonna be interesting because not only did I grow up in the Florida education system, public school system, as well.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

You're so lucky to be here.

[Mandy B]

My lineage is Caribbean. So, like, my dad is here on a green card. Most of my family is here on green cards and visas. Like, my family's roots is not rooted in America.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Okay.

[Mandy B]

No, I know you put a target on them. I mean, my dad moved here when he was 13 years old. Both of his parents were Jamaica. So I know my shit is rooted in the motherland. It's not really rooted at all here. So, like, my lineage doesn't. I mean, unless they came earlier.

[AK]

Well, the Arawaks and the Maroons, I mean, they might have came from here and went to Jamaica with the Arawak.

[Mandy B]

But that's what I'm saying. Like, it's possible. I also feel like Jamaica is an interesting melting pot because of course they were colonized, but you have blacks there, and then you have Chinese. So you have Chinese Jamaicans, you have black Jamaicans. And so it's a melting pot. But it's not white and it's not. Our history is not American. And so growing up in Atlanta, British.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Colonized by the British.

[Mandy B]

Yes, they were by the British. But growing up in Orlando and going to public schools, most of my classmates were first generation black Americans as well, because a lot of their parents were from Haiti, were from Jamaica, were from mostly the Caribbean, and even again, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, Colombian, everyone had parents from other countries where, as a millennial, a lot of my classmates, their parents didn't even speak English. So it was like, I mean, my.

[AK]

Dad is from Barbados.

[Mandy B]

Yeah. When we Got sent letters home. There was an option for what language. So French, Spanish, English. That was often like how they even handed out things to go home to your parents. So growing up in Florida is a melting pot. But I'm really excited to get into the history of me now. Cause I was born here.

[AK]

That's right.

[Mandy B]

I'm blank. Also, the limited education I was given growing up. So I wanted to start off, as we always do, with embracing and sharing ignorance that we're a little embarrassed to admit. But here we are. Because since then, we've learned. And so for me, again, leaning into a little bit of my education growing up, I have been taught so many things as an adult about my history. So I would say the first one, and probably my favorite class that I took did come from my first year of college. Shout out to cuny. Shout out to Lehman College in the Bronx. So my first year, of course, you get to pick. What is it when you pick the.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, your electives.

[Mandy B]

Electives.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah, electives.

[Mandy B]

I was really interested in African American studies, so I took that my freshman year. I also want to let y' all know I'm a non traditional college student. So I started school in 2014. So I was 23, 24 years old when I started college. And so African American studies was one of the things I wanted to get into my favorite class, probably in college to this day. Learned so much. It was also a huge proponent in me removing myself from religious beliefs. Because you really get to learn about these goddamn slave masters and our ancestors that really fought to get us the truth or to get us to freedom and things like that. Right. And so having done that class, but most recently learning more and more about the people that made a difference, I had no clue who Fred Hampton was.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, man.

[Mandy B]

Until Judas and the Black Messiah dropped.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, damn. So that was.

[Mandy B]

That was like last week. And so I wanted to share that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Hey, Jason, that was yesterday.

[Mandy B]

I want to share that because specifically in Florida, and maybe just because the history is a lot different than a place like Chicago or California who really were home to the Black Panther Party. And again, my dad being Jamaican, that wasn't like I knew more about Bob Marley and Rastafari than fucking Black Panther Party. And so really seeing that movie, seeing how young he was, I believe if I'm not. If I'm not mistaken, he was 20.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

When he got killed.

[Mandy B]

He was kind of like 22 or 24.

[Jason Rodriguez]

I think he was younger than that when he got killed.

[Mandy B]

Yeah, younger than Tupac.

[Jason Rodriguez]

I think he was like 20 when he got killed, he was 20.

[AK]

And mind you, they had started that in 18, 18 in their teen.

[Mandy B]

And so seeing the wyans now compared.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

To very different y ins, very different.

[Mandy B]

Wyans, Very different wyans. And so, for me, I was like, whoa. Knowing that Florida has now reversed and taken away critical race theory and what they're removing and what they're being particular in teaching regarding black history, it was really interesting how much I've learned as an adult, was limited in my youth of what I was really taught. And so it's interesting that so much about our history, unless you go to a black school, unless you get the privilege of going to an HBCU older. And let's see, you're with a parent that's actively teaching you your history. You're ignorant to it, and you literally don't know.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, my mom was that mom in elementary school who would, like if it was a black holiday, MLK Day or. I think she came one time for Juneteenth. We were like, first, second grade. She was the mom who was gonna come to the school and be like, yeah, I'm gonna bring y' all some snacks. But then I'm gonna speak and I'm gonna talk to y' all about what's. You know, I'm gonna tell y' all some history. Because she wasn't coming at the school in that kind of way, but she just wanted to make presentations just on some. Like, in case you haven't known this, or in case you're not being told this, here is some information about the civil rights movement and things like that.

[Mandy B]

Yeah. Cause it was very limited with what they taught us. Right?

[Ben Higgins]

Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

You're not gonna get a lot of.

[Mandy B]

It was Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, if that. Rosa Parks.

[Jason Rodriguez]

I don't even think I'm saying. Yeah, well.

[Mandy B]

And then I. Yeah, same in Florida. We got the conversation around. Is it Sojourner Truth? I believe so, because she was from St. Augustine. Or am I. No, I'm confusing. Sorry. That's Zora Neale Hurston.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, okay, okay, okay.

[Mandy B]

She's Zora Neale Hurston's from central Florida. So there's a Zora Neale Hurston festival every year.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, that's dope.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah, that's really dope.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's kind of hard, though.

[Mandy B]

There is. There is. And it's art festival, Black art, all these things. Elementary school comes out, and you have different performances.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

What is it?

[Mandy B]

So it took place in Eatonville.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Eatonville.

[Jason Rodriguez]

That sounds.

[Mandy B]

Eatonville is the. Is the I think it's the first black city. If you can do this.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, it's not straight in.

[Mandy B]

It's the first black city or town in central Florida that's recognized.

[AK]

Wow.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Okay.

[Mandy B]

So it would kind of be like, how. If we talk about Tulsa and black Wall street and what that community was, Eatonville, Was that in Florida? And so, yeah, very limited, I would say. Yes. We only got 28 days to learn black history, but also, they limit it to maybe five people.

[AK]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

And that's it.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And that's the whole conversation.

[AK]

You never did everything they had, like, book reports.

[Mandy B]

They didn't, of course. But again, like, what was just like.

[AK]

What did they give you?

[Mandy B]

I mean, again, Zora Neale Hurston was big that I was into, but again, you want to ignorant. Malcolm X was fine. So I dug into Malcolm X a lot like Detroit Red. Is that you, nigga? And then again, if y' all know me, y' all know I love Denzel. He had the movie X. Like, I always like. And I used to. Back in the day, I'm a Florida girl. I used to thought I wanted a New York nigga. You know what I mean? So everything about Malcolm X was like, oh, my God, he's Malcolm X. Malcolm X. Malcolm X. But like, for me, yeah, we had book reports and things like that. But again, it was very. It was very elementary. All the way up through high school, the teachings of black history didn't really get deep or dark or. It's like. It wasn't surface shit. It was very surface.

[AK]

George Washington Carver.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah. Peanut butter.

[Mandy B]

Peanut butter. What is it, the light bulb?

[AK]

Edison.

[Mandy B]

Edison.

[AK]

Yeah. Is it. It's Thomas Edison, right?

[Mandy B]

Is it?

[AK]

Which is. So.

[Mandy B]

Wait.

[AK]

Con Edison.

[Mandy B]

Con Edison. Look at you. Hold on.

[AK]

Who's the con in Edison?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Who's the con? Who's the con?

[Mandy B]

Not who. The con in Edison.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

No, because I got to open your third eye, brother. You being con by Edison.

[AK]

Oh, we gotta. Speaking of Thur. We get a little bit of Thurgood Marshall, right?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's a crazy dress. What are you doing?

[AK]

She caught it, too, though.

[Mandy B]

She did catch it.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

She did catch.

[Mandy B]

I'm not gonna lie. And I also want to say tomato, tomato, Bo. That's crazy. But, yeah, I think the inventions were another thing that we often talked about. And I do. And I hope we have some in here. I did want to get to some. I mean, let's get into that. Over the last couple years, didn't we learn that the folding chair was invented by black people?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

We did.

[Mandy B]

And that was because of what happened in Alabama. The Montgomery Bra actually became a part of black history that we got to witness.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

A cherished piece of black history.

[AK]

Listen, I thought it was the folding chair is different now. Yeah, you see that shit? That's like a crown.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And we. I feel like we kind of established our. We pushed ourselves forward as a people with that fight. Because not only did we see a brother who was solo initially fight off all of these angry white men, we saw the brother that came to help him.

[Mandy B]

Wait, the one that swam in Timberland.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Timberland. Boots, full clothes. That's a breakthrough by ourself. We can swim, niggas, so don't try. We can swim.

[AK]

Hold on.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

We can swim.

[Jason Rodriguez]

That was history during my kids three month.

[Mandy B]

You cannot speak for everybody. Cause as a girl who has to travel with my sisters. Oh, no, no, no, baby. Let's be very clear. I'm one of. It's the Florida girl or the half white girl in me that allows me to go be a mermaid. A lot of my friends do not know how to swim and won't get into waters.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

So not getting into water I can understand. But damn. Can't swim. Yeah, damn.

[AK]

Y' all niggas need to learn about sexual swim, bro. You learn.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Y. What if you gotta swim to help your sister beat some white girl?

[AK]

That's when you'll know. That's when you'll know.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That is when you'll know.

[Mandy B]

That's when you'll know. I'm trying to think, like. So if you're like, right. If you were born in New York, there's not a lot of swimming pools. And they tell you to stay outta Orchard Beach.

[AK]

So where are you just go to ymca. You had Betsy Head park. But spaces like that were dangerous. Like you had to go to. You might get robbed.

[Mandy B]

This is what I'm saying. The swimming pool be in danger.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Be dangerous.

[Jason Rodriguez]

You know, the swimming is a myth. Like, the swimming and black. It was a myth that, like, that made people want to keep their kids not going into the pool.

[Mandy B]

Right?

[Jason Rodriguez]

Like it was a myth. This whole episode is going to sound conspiratorial, but it's not. It was like white man. It was like white man shit. Who was like, you know, you can't go swimming because of this or that or whatever. Or either that or like white kids, like, trying to drown black kids. So then it became like, oh, we're not going to go fuck with the pool. You know what I mean? So it's like, that's why, like, it's funny. To say. But like, when homie jumped in with the Timbs, like, it really is kind of like history, like, redefining. Cause like, he's swimming, he's swimming. You know what I mean?

[Mandy B]

By the way? By the way. In boots that are very heavy just to walk in.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, you filling with water and then try to kick. I can't believe, dawg.

[Mandy B]

The strength.

[AK]

And he made it.

[Mandy B]

The strength. He made it.

[AK]

Time to get there.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah. And start getting swam over there, pulled himself. Cause that wasn't even no low ledge. He had to pull himself up onto the dock to get on it.

[Mandy B]

Now real quick, what y' all not gon do is make me be the only person that shared my ignorant not knowing black history moment.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yo, but I thought that was a good take. I thought it was funny, but I thought it was good. No, it was true. It's limited, right? It's always mlk, George Washington Carver. Like, it is limited.

[Mandy B]

Okay. Anything else that y' all didn't know about before we get into some. Some laws and some. This is America and all the things.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Well, go ahead, Jay. There isn't anything in particular that I thought about that I didn't know about, But I did think that maybe we should, like, share some information with the audience that they might need to know about that maybe they don't know.

[Mandy B]

Okay.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

So, like, my ignorant thought was, like, let's bring back more slurs for white people. Let's bring back some of the old ones. Like, let's bring back honky. Honky was always one of my favorite ones. Cause it's funny, but it's like honky. Like, it just feels good to get off somebody acting a fool. You call them a honky.

[AK]

Like, watch the Jeffersons.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bring back George Jefferson. Yes. Bring back.

[Mandy B]

Oh, they just had all the white slurs.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

All the white slurs.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Pecklewood. Bring back Pecklewood. Like, Peckawood is always one of my favorite ones.

[AK]

That's the best show to bring that shit back.

[Mandy B]

You know what's crazy? Whenever I say cracker, and maybe. Cause it's such a southern thing to say, when I used to say it, people would be like, you're not allowed to say cracker.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, I remember when.

[Mandy B]

Hold on. You were on season one.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Of Charlamagne's show. The God Honest Truth, the de.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Crackification of America. Yes.

[Mandy B]

And that was the first thing. And there was conversations about how that may have been a lot for the first episode of that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, without going too much inside baseball. Yeah. There was a lot of Conversations on, like, is this. Like, are we wilding?

[AK]

Right.

[Mandy B]

The fact that cracker, when they look at me, it's like, as a. I can't say, like, the N word. Like, cracker is apparently like, the N word.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I've never seen a white person offended by cracker.

[Mandy B]

Now, by the way, we're not talking about the crackers that you eat. So I ended up doing the history on why cracker became such a slur. And it is because they was cracking whips.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Cracking the whip.

[AK]

Yep.

[Mandy B]

On the slaves. And so there is. There is some historical 100% slave master.

[AK]

Or what that represents in a position of power, if you really think about it. The cracker.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

The cracker.

[Mandy B]

But it brings it back to them being tyrants and fucking being terrible.

[AK]

That's what they don't want.

[Mandy B]

Right. And so when I'm calling someone a cracker. Cause they white and it's their ancestors that did the bullshit. They're like, but I don't crack whips. You know? Like, I don't think.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah, it's a loaded term to them.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, yeah.

[Mandy B]

I'm not gonna lie. That's the white word. I still like using colonizer.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, but see, for me, colonizer. I wish. Even with cracker now, it's like, they don't have enough. Like, it doesn't bite enough. Cause I feel like they're not offended by colonizers.

[Mandy B]

I'm not gonna lie. The fact that we came up with a nickname that now white people are offended to be called is Crazy Karen.

[AK]

Oh, Karen.

[Mandy B]

Karen is a word. Karen is now a slur that white people really don't want to be associated with. And for anyone out there named Karen, 2026 might be the year you need to change your motherfucking name. Karen is now a Slurpee.

[AK]

You think they've been naming their kids Karen?

[Mandy B]

Like, I don't think knowing is named Karen anymore.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I know.

[AK]

That's crazy.

[Mandy B]

That's a. That's a name that has to have dropped in stock. No one is naming their child Karen unless they are also supporting ICE and Trump voters.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Boom.

[Mandy B]

That's the only way you are naming your daughter Karen in 2026. Make it make sense.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

The other one I wanted to bring.

[Mandy B]

Back or you didn't want to be a mom or. And you want them to have a hard life. Fuck this Karen bitch.

[AK]

Karen Cracker Karen.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

The other one I wanted to bring back was Ofe. Ofe is a very nuanced one that you don't hear a lot of people.

[Mandy B]

That sound French Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Ofe. Ofe is like another. Is like another good slur for white people that I don't hear enough.

[Mandy B]

What is ofe mean?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Honestly, I don't even know what the history of ofe is. I just know that, like, you talk, you hear, like.

[AK]

I don't know if I should type this in myself.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, red fox. Like Red fox might call white person Ofe. Like, it's like a old. It's like an old slur that people have kind of retired at this point, I feel like. Cause it sounds old, but ofe is definitely one of my favorite white people slurs.

[Mandy B]

Yeah, I'm not mad with bringing white people's slurs back, actually. I like that. And I like that ignorant take.

[AK]

That's a good one.

[Jason Rodriguez]

I think ofe is like Europe tribe, like, slang, by the way. I'm just trying to, like, catch up.

[AK]

I can see that.

[Ben Higgins]

What do you do when the headlines don't explain what's happening inside of you? I'm Ben Higgins, and if you can hear me, is where culture meets the soul. A place for real conversation. Each episode, I sit down with people from all walks of life. Celebrities, thinkers, and everyday folks. And we go deeper than the polished story. We talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope. We get honest about the big stuff. Identity when you don't recognize yourself anymore. Loss that changes you. Purpose when success isn't enough. Peace when your mind won't slow down. Faith when it's complicated. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out. If you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story, this show is for you. Listen to if youf Can Hear me on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mandy B]

All right, well, let's get into this Is America, baby. And we're gonna start with they really tried it history. And we're gonna talk about some wild racist laws that some of y' all may or may not know existed when they got, you know, taken away and all the things. And, boy, is this really interesting. We'll start with. Let's start with this, because this is actually something that they say still exists definitely here down in the South. So there were sundown towns and laws. So most prevalent before the 1950s and technically, quote unquote, in illegal after 1968, this enforced racial segregation, often with signs telling people of color to leave by sunset. Now, most recently, if you haven't yet, this conversation was brought about in a more modern way with the film that Aaron Pierre pretty much made his, you know, breakout star in in the Netflix film, where he was in a town that pretty much showed their racism. What was it called?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

It was called Dan. I watched that joint too.

[Mandy B]

It was so good.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

It was. It was called Rebel Ridge, Rebel Ridge.

[Mandy B]

Rebel Ridge.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Rebel Ridge.

[Mandy B]

Rebel Ridge. And they talked about it. So database of sundown towns you went, which I'm actually shocked about this. Are these towns that they say were one time sundown towns? Because right here you're listing Bel Air, California, Compton, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Palmetto, Georgia. These are actual sundown towns.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah, I don't think I knew that.

[Mandy B]

Compton or Bel Air was ever considered sundown towns.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Well, Compton was white for a very long time. White people fled Compton, and when black people started to move in, white people moved out. And that's how black people essentially took over Compton.

[Mandy B]

So do you want to hear an ignorant thought just now? Run it again. Yeah, again.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Cause it's gonna come another one.

[Jason Rodriguez]

And there's phrases for all this stuff. That's what. When people say white flight, that's what it is.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's what comes from.

[Mandy B]

So not gonna hold you. I didn't know there were sundown towns and segregation like that out in California. I thought that was the freedom link.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, okay. Yeah, Yeah.

[Mandy B]

I thought that you go out west to that was where the American dream took place. Because you had New York that was still just very much prominent within the first time. Thirteen, you know, whatever. But then everything below the Mason Dixon was the south. And this is where most of racism took place. So for me, like, to see Bel Air and Compton being considered sundown towns, and there's actual history around it. Again, something that I wasn't taught in good old Orlando, Florida. So very interesting, come to think about it. The only thing about the west coast that I remember being taught in terms of black history was the King fires. Rodney King and the beating of Rodney King, the riot. But even that was from an Asian and black and police force like angle, and then it was fucking Tupac. I don't know much of California black history.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Well, the thing was, I don't know a whole lot about California history, but I know as far as the west in general was obviously where a lot of native people were.

[Mandy B]

Right.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

But even up until, like, the, like World War II and like the 1940s, like when they had. When they were Japanese, like, internment camps on American soil, like, they were in California, they were in Wyoming.

[AK]

Pacific Ocean is right there.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, they were. They were in those areas where all of this wild racist shit was happening. So it does seem like they have a good pr, I guess, where it seems like California is a place of, like, freedom and liberalism.

[AK]

Rodney King happens because it was tension. It was crazy back then. It's just that we didn't have social media until nothing until that happened. We was like, okay, it's just palm trees.

[Mandy B]

And that's why I, like, yeah, California had good pr. Cause even in our history books, outside of the Rodney King meetings, there's very limited, like, actual documentation of history for us. Now we know in the west, so.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Now we know the organization LA also has, like, a really bad history with their police. Actually, a lot of stuff. Did national police forces do, like, in New York, Atlanta and different places. Like, was pioneered in la. Like, there was just, like, one racist police chief. I forget his name. But, like, he. He set the, like, precedent. And a lot of the policies that, like, people experience now, came from LAPD in, like, the 60s and 50s.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

If I'm not. If I'm not. If I'm not mistaken, I feel like I could be. I think this is correct. I could be wrong about this. But I think, like, the. The crash units in LA and, like, having militarized police and police forces, those level of resources tanks and all that kind of. All of that started in California.

[AK]

Well, look, NWA is not talking.

[Mandy B]

I was gonna say with attitude.

[AK]

They're not talking about police violence in New York.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[AK]

They're giving us a microscope of what's happening in their community.

[Mandy B]

In their community. Yeah. Yeah. All right, let's get into this other law. By the way, why they gotta make it such a hard word?

[AK]

Miskinidation.

[Mandy B]

You haven't heard? Miskenna.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Miscegenation.

[Mandy B]

Miscegenation.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Miscegenation.

[Mandy B]

So it's like miscellaneous miscegenation laws now? Miscegenation laws, y'.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

All.

[Mandy B]

This is where it's gonna be interesting. Don't laugh at me with your Puerto Rican ass.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

All right, so this the origin of Mandy Miscegenation. Exactly.

[Mandy B]

Miscegenation is the origin of media miscegenation.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

B.

[Mandy B]

It was the law that prohibited into. Actually, no, my mama and daddy was never married, so this really wasn't me, but maybe. Get into that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Let's get into that.

[Mandy B]

Never mind. The second line is me. So miscegenation laws were the prohibiting interracial marriage, cohabitation or sex.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

No, snow bunny.

[Mandy B]

Enacted as early as the late 17th century, these laws existed in 38 states. At various times, the Supreme Court ruled all these laws unconstitutional in Loving versus Virginia in 1967. And there was a movie made about it, loving in 2006. So 16, 2016. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

No, you're good.

[Mandy B]

In Florida, which, you know, gotta bring this up too. The US Supreme Court struck down Florida's interracial cohabitation ban in the McLaughlin vs. Florida case in 1964. So my mama and daddy followed the law when they declared the hurdle together and made me. I will say it was interesting though, Florida, my mom walking around with three black girls. They always thought that she was the babysitter. So until she opened her mouth, then they was like, oh, yeah, nevermind. She definitely laid down with a black man to make these babies. But yeah, I wanna get into a fun conversation about this law specifically, because there is still in 2026, constant fucking conversation about interracial dating.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, this is Dr. Umar's favorite law. Listen, this is his favorite law of all time.

[Mandy B]

My God. Most recently though, RG3 posted a picture of his family on. What was it, Martin Luther King weekend?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yes.

[Mandy B]

Do we have. Do you want to pull that up and read what his caption was? And also just. We'll get into the overall controversy of what we've specifically been seeing happening around the conversations around black men and white women specifically.

[Jason Rodriguez]

All right, so he says here, never let skin color determine your love or how you treat people. I didn't fall in love with Gret because of her skin color. I fell in love with her heart. An incredible wife, unbelievable mom and beautiful soul. Love recognizes what's inside. Thankful to know what real love is.

[Mandy B]

Okay, Jon, you're shaking your head.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Well.

[Mandy B]

Cause like, I just wanna know. Cause this would be nice if a nigga said this about my mama. So I be wanting to know what the.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Because I'm shaking my head. Because as I'm listening to it, if you didn't know that it was RG3 saying that, you would think that it was like one of these corny white women saying that. Like that sounds like what a white woman says about a black man. That she's fetishized and that she has. Oh, love is love. And all of this other shit. Like, I don't see color and blah, blah, blah, all of this shit.

[Mandy B]

I think that was the line, like the love has no color. Love has all of this. It's a removing color. When also photographed in the picture are four beautiful, beautiful girls. Hold on.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, you talking about the kid.

[Mandy B]

That 100% will exist as black women for sure. So like, to bring up like the no color thing because of your white wife, while you're being pictured with girls that will not pass and will not ever get the privilege of a white experience and actually will be thrown into the world because of their color. That's when I think this whole we don't see color can't be publicized or even mentioned in that way.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Because you're completely, like, not acknowledging the experience that your own kids will actually have to.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, you're disavowing the whole fact that it's like, okay, fine, like, you're married to a white woman, but, like, your. That doesn't make. That doesn't make you white. That doesn't make your kids white.

[Mandy B]

No.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, they're gonna experience a lot of shit that you're gonna need to prepare them for, and they won't be able to go out in the street and say, don't call me a nigger. My mom's white. I'm not gonna cut it.

[Mandy B]

Mind you saying that color doesn't matter when you literally have to address it in an Instagram post.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's the problem.

[Mandy B]

You can literally just address the love of your wife, the love for your. Like, once you have to bring in color, then it's not. Color doesn't matter. Because now you're addressing the naysayers, you're addressing the people that are impacting your psyche with the fact that you have created a family with a white woman. And then on Martin Luther King Day, you know the history. And that was the thing for me.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Like. Like, was that Martin Luther King's dream?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's my biggest issue with it, is that, bro, this man was assassinated for trying to ensure that black people get liberation, get freedom, get equal rights.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And that involves a lot of different shit. What I can guarantee you is very last on the list was so niggas could fuck some white bitches. Like, that wasn't all that the very last thing, if it was even on the list? But, like, that wasn't.

[Mandy B]

You think it was on Martin Luther King?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Hell, no.

[Mandy B]

Do you think. Hold on, hold on. When he thought of freedom and segregation and, like, did you think Martin Luther King, in his mind, thought freedom was we being able to fuck our oppressors?

[AK]

No, no.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That nigga got shot with water hoses, got attacked by dogs, got threats all the time were surveilled by the United States government?

[AK]

I don't think he.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

He wasn't thinking about no damn. Like, hey, let's get free so we can go to snow bunny parties. No, of course not. And we could drink and we could go to the like. That wasn't part of the thing. That's not the reason we doing it.

[AK]

Emphasis. But I don't think it was. I don't think he did anything to prevent messing with allyship either, you know?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, he wanted allyship for sure. Yeah. Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Okay.

[AK]

You know, people who are adjacent are part of the agenda or the movement itself, so to speak. You know, shout out to the Nubian white queens.

[Mandy B]

See what I mean?

[AK]

They exist.

[Mandy B]

Okay, so Nubian white queens exist. Can we come up with a list of what black men are doing? White woman partners. Right? Okay, I'll start.

[AK]

Okay.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

0Omari Harwig.

[AK]

Okay.

[Mandy B]

Omari Harwig got with a white woman who happened to be a casting director in Hollywood who pretty much was able to get him infiltrated into Hollywood, where he became a prominent black male actor. Now then he got into whatever beef he got with 50 Cent. And who knows what's happening with his career right now. But he does white woman, right?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I think the. I would say Eddie Murphy is on the top of my list of somebody. Cause like, Eddie Murphy don't get no static for being with a. For having a white wife.

[Jason Rodriguez]

That's cause he had a black wife first.

[Mandy B]

There we go. You know what I mean?

[Jason Rodriguez]

Does that count? Is anybody doing that? Yeah.

[AK]

Why he ain't stay black, though, Jay?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I was like, is that really the coat of arms that it should be? Because I'm like, he left the black woman to go get with the white lady. But nobody gives Eddie Staty for that. Everybody fucks with Eddie Murphy. We love Eddie Murphy. You're not gonna get.

[Jason Rodriguez]

But Eddie had a full relationship with her. Like, he was married. They had five or six kids. I feel like if you're just like popping out and you're like, ha, I'm playing in the snow.

[Mandy B]

Cause it's like, I'm not gonna lie. I'm say it.

[AK]

Playing in the snow is crazy.

[Mandy B]

Ice T does white woman right. Not only does he do white woman right. I love that he is so feminist that he lets her look like a prostitute every time they go out.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And you can't tell him shit about it.

[Mandy B]

Shout out to a man who is so confident that he allows his woman to also be sexually liberated and look like a bimbo every time she walks out. By the way, when I say these words, prostitute, I'm prostit bimbo, baby. I'm here for a woman being able to embrace her sexuality. Church especially right next to her man. And so the fact that not only does he, like, y' all can talk shit. This my queen.

[AK]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

And all white boy.

[Jason Rodriguez]

He was with a black woman.

[Mandy B]

First guy that allows her to be her and has never made that change. Has never felt like he had to explain his choice in a partner. I think he does white woman, right.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I mean, that's how you're supposed to carry it, though, right? Cause there's a difference between.

[Mandy B]

And also, Coco don't bother us.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's no history. Nothing came up about Coco. She never. There was never no, like, audio tape of Coco saying nigger in the past or no shit like that. Like, Coco is clean slate. Like, the worst thing you gonna say about Coco is, oh, she's a sex.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

A sexual image. And that's okay.

[Mandy B]

Okay.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

But I think there's a difference.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Shout out to Ice T's first lady, though. He was with this woman, Darlene first.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, Darlene. Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Oh, wait, was she right or not?

[AK]

She's the co host.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah. She was on the COVID of his power.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, that's IC's original. Yeah. The COVID of Power. The shotgun with the thong.

[Mandy B]

Oh, wow.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's Darlene.

[Mandy B]

Oh, wow.

[AK]

Darlene Ortiz. Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

But there's a difference between, like, Puerto Rican.

[AK]

It didn't take you long. So what is it? There's something here. There's something.

[Mandy B]

I ain't gonna hold you. There's a solid three, four names, last names that. Baby. You Hispanic.

[AK]

Right, Right, right.

[Mandy B]

You Hispanic. It's funny. Cause me and my best friend was just talking and somebody called. But the last name was white, but they were black. She was like, black people have the last name white. And I said, well, you know, the names come from the masters.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Like, so there's a lot of black people with white last names as well.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

For sure. Yeah. That didn't come from the motherland.

[Mandy B]

No. And did it and did it and in it. But yeah. Do we. Okay, so we have a list of three. We have Omari Harwick, Eddie Murphy, and Ice T. Are there any other black men that do white women?

[Jason Rodriguez]

That's a list of one to me. I feel like Omari is the only one that clears the bench because he went straight to it. He went straight to the snow. It was outside. Oh.

[Mandy B]

So because the other men started with black women and ended with white women, they kind of have markers, you know.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Not markers, but I feel like that, like, it's hard to pin down there. Like, RG3. You know what his preference is? You know what his choice is?

[Mandy B]

Cause, see, and that's why I didn't list. Like, I'm not for the. And I talked about this across all of my platforms. I don't like the pro black men who have the white wives. Cause I don't see how that's the hypocrisy in that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Right.

[Mandy B]

I don't see how you're pro black. Pro black, love pro black. All of these things. Create movies and films and music around blackness. And then.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Say the names. Say the names, man.

[Mandy B]

Oh, you got Jordan Poole. You have Childish Gambino. You have. Give me some more. I know. And it's Donald Glover. I know. I like to call him Between.

[AK]

I think we underestimate all two of them.

[Mandy B]

No, there's more of them. I'm at Donald Glover, especially in Hollywood.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Both of them.

[Mandy B]

Both of them.

[AK]

I think we're underestimating what it is to.

[Mandy B]

And then all the NFL. Goddammit. How about that? The whole NFL.

[AK]

These women are just merely feeding their spirit. They can't look on the outside, you know, for validation. They look internally. So maybe that's. Yo, she's looking at me crazy. Maybe that's part of why we see this.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

No, there's an ignorant name that popped up that I had to double check. I wanted to make sure there's an ignorant name that I could say that is on the list of people you're talking about. Oh, it's an ignorant name that are pro black, that are with a white woman. Sidney Poitier.

[AK]

Oh, no, slander.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

This was gonna say. I'm not gonna slander Sidney Poitier on this podcast. I'm just saying that Sidney Poitier did a lot for us and his wife.

[Mandy B]

I'm not gonna lie. As charming as he is, I ain't gonna hold you. I don't think Obama becomes president if he had a white wife. If Michelle was not black. I don't think we as a community, with all of the underlying issues we have in Snow Bunny would have even. We wouldn't have had a first black president if Barack was with a white woman.

[Jason Rodriguez]

And Sydney, by the way, has Sidney Paul, his first wife was a black woman.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Was a Black woman yesterday.

[Jason Rodriguez]

15 years.

[Mandy B]

Hold on. Look, you thinking. Do you think the vote.

[AK]

That that's a great. Wow.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

So the.

[AK]

The optics.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I'm inclined. I hear what you're saying.

[Mandy B]

Cause, baby, the conversation about Kamala was that her husband was white. That was actually an actual conversation.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I think there would be people who would raise that issue for sure. I don't think there's any doubt about that thing that I would say is that if the question would be is what would the allegiance be to? Would the allegiance be to the feeling about black men and white women? Or would the allegiance be to, all right, maybe I'm not with that shit, but this nigga might be president. I gotta eat that for this nigga to be president. To see a black president, I'll eat his white wife. Hey, yo, I'm not gonna lie, okay?

[Jason Rodriguez]

Okay.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

RG3 wife sounds crazy, but people might be willing to be like, ah, whatever, if we can have a black president. I'm not gonna trip off that.

[Mandy B]

That's just something that just caused me to.

[AK]

Know.

[Mandy B]

I don't know.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

But the point I would add to all of this is that there's a difference between my wife is white and I have a white wife. Like, if you keep going.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Keep going with that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

So if you. Let's say we were. Let's say we were hanging out in LA somewhere, right? And we're at a party and somebody says, oh, we're gonna go after this. We're go to my crib.

[AK]

Let's go.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

It's right down the street. It's right in Beverly Hills. Let's just go to my crib. That's not like flexing that. You live in Beverly Hills. You're saying, my house is right down the street. We can just go right there. We're near Beverly Hills. Let's go. There's a difference between saying that and, like, oh, why don't y' all come to my Beverly Hills house?

[Mandy B]

Okay?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, that doesn't read the same. So, like, when you're talking about, like, RJ3's case, when you constantly have to keep talking about your white wife, your white wife, your white wife, your white.

[Mandy B]

Wife, you're identifying her as her whiteness first.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Hubert Davis went through this same thing when he got on that press conference and was like, I'm proud. I'm a proud black man. But, yes, I'm also proud of my white wife. I'm proud that my wife is white. Like, you sound crazy. You sound crazy. That sounds like a crazy thing to say. If you're saying your wife is white in reference to whatever. Just the fact that she's a white woman. Okay, fine. But when you're constantly talking about my white wife, like, that sounds a little bit crazy. You don't sound like you're. It doesn't sound like a good faith mention.

[Mandy B]

And I guess from a fake outrage standpoint of it, it goes literally back to our history and White women wanted black men because of the fetishism that they were stronger, bigger dicks, Mandingo, all these things. And then in the other sense, it was black men. And the white women were normally like. That was the prize. Like, white women were held to such high esteem in society that being chosen or being able to be with a white woman was seen as a badge of honor, essentially.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Well, and also, like, it's the same thing that the same thing that would attract a white woman during a certain period of time to a black man is the same thing that would get that black man killed because he's strong, because he's big, because he's a threat, as just being a black man. Like, they'll kill his ass.

[Mandy B]

Yeah, yeah.

[AK]

I just think we just miss one person who does white women good.

[Mandy B]

Who? No, no, no. The conversation was, black men, do white men partners good?

[AK]

Women partners? Right. In this case, I'm married. Right. Partner with whatever justice. Clarence Thomas.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, Jesus Christ.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Oh, man, it's true.

[AK]

I mean.

[Jason Rodriguez]

I mean, that's his ride or die.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I mean, yes, you will lie still, cheat for that man.

[AK]

Like, it ended.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Jesus Christ. I did not see that one coming out. You know, who didn't do black women right?

[Mandy B]

Who didn't do black women right? Who?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

No, who did white? Black men. Who did white women wrong. Who, like Jonathan Majors, did white women wrong. Like, he did it the wrong way.

[Mandy B]

He did it the wrong way.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, you did it the very wrong way.

[Mandy B]

He did it very wrong. And then got saved by marrying a.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Black woman right after Shannon Sharp. You did white women wrong, Brody.

[AK]

Sorry, Shannon.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Shannon Sharpe did it wrong.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Sharon, what's your man from Michigan?

[Jason Rodriguez]

University of Michigan.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, he's your brother. He did white women wrong.

[Jason Rodriguez]

He did it wrong twice.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Twice. Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

He spun the block back and tried to get a white woman remix. And still did it wrong.

[AK]

Still did it wrong.

[Mandy B]

Well, I wanna get to real quick, some recent laws that have taken place. So if y' all were unaware, this is crazy. The Crown Bill, that exists only in New York. The Crown act in New York was signed in July of 2019. And that is actually a bill that was passed to prohibit discrimination based on natural hair and hairstyles associated with race, including braids, locs and twists in both workplaces and school. That was really interesting. I got to live in New York when that took place. And y' all have probably heard my story. I actually left corporate America in July of 2019. But when I worked at Goldman Sachs, I remember crying because I had to go to My, my senior, my senior partner. I was going to Miami and bitch, I wanted braids. And I was the only black person on my team. I was like, I'll take them out when I get back. And I literally had to have a conversation with my mom because she's white, put me on a phone with one of her co workers because she didn't even know how to have the conversation with me. And I was literally in this corporate setting working at fucking Goldman Sachs and I was scared shitless to go to work with braids in my hair. And so that literally passed as I left my corporate career. Another one, which is really interesting. And more recent. Lynching did not become a federal crime until March of 2022. So it was officially and finally designated as a federal hate crime, making it punishable by up to now, 30 years in prison. But again, the Emmett Till Anti Lynching act was not signed until March of 2022, which is nuts.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Now, that's crazy.

[Mandy B]

This is where we like to spend our hard earned dollars in the state of Georgia. Georgia. Jason, can you pull up the clip that explains the Georgia House Bill 1013 that is looking to be passed by Georgia lawmaker Rep. Eric Bell of Jonesboro of Georgia.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Jesus, Jamal Christ, let's do it.

[Unknown Announcer]

What's one of the most Atlanta things probably ever. There is now a push at the state Capitol to make lemon pepper the official chicken wing flavor of the state of Georgia. State Representative Eric Bell, a Democrat from Jonesboro, has introduced House Bill 1013. Now, this is bipartisan legislation. It would designate lemon pepper as the state of Georgia's official chicken wing flavor, recognizing the cultural, culinary and community significance of lemon pepper wings across the state. Now, in an online release, Representative Bell acknowledged that this is a light hearted bill, but said it carries real meaning. He said, quote, lemon pepper wings have become a staple of Southern cuisine in Atlanta and across Georgia. Going on to say that lemon pepper wings are a fan favorite that bring people together across race, culture, class and community. And of course, you know, his statement also had to mention lemon pepper, Lou in Magic City, as well as Rick Ross and of course and the strip club. So we'll of course keep tracking this and let you know the fate of this legislation.

[Mandy B]

All right, I'm not gonna lie.

[AK]

30 steps back.

[Mandy B]

I ain't gonna hold you.

[AK]

Hold me when Lou will.

[Mandy B]

And the strip club gets mentioned in legislation. Legislation. Shout out to Lou Will. That is crazy. What are your thoughts on this? Because, yes, there's a lot of things that we fight for. What are your thoughts?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

So I Hadn't.

[Mandy B]

AK is laughing. He's laughing in Brooklyn right now.

[AK]

I'm on the first flight to Brooklyn.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

So I saw that this was, like, a thing, but I didn't see a picture of the person who was like.

[Mandy B]

He looked all of 35 years old.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And I should have only been in office. Somebody like, young. He looks like somebody who thinks, oh, this would be dope.

[Mandy B]

But don't we want. Don't we want the youth to get in? Don't we feel like the people are old and out there?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, I want the youth to get in and do some real shit. I don't want the youth to get in and do legislative content. Like, I don't want it to be a TikTok that you're using legislation for, bro. Like, that shit is like, you have time for that. You made.

[AK]

He looked like a lemon pepper nigga.

[Mandy B]

Don't do that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

He look exactly like.

[AK]

He looked like. If I made a product like a lemon pepper shaker, I would put his face as the representation of.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

He's the angel, mama. He look like.

[AK]

He looked like lemon pepper. Like, I see lemon pepper. Out of all the things in 2026.

[Mandy B]

I know that's going on. I know I ain't going to hold you.

[AK]

People are hurting out here. Homelessness is a. A crazy issue in Atlanta.

[Mandy B]

No, we.

[Jason Rodriguez]

We pushing for support, though, a.k.a.

[AK]

So the Republicans that.

[Mandy B]

Oh, here we go.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's all you want. You a worry about them homeless. Oh, oh, oh, we got that. Y'.

[Mandy B]

All.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Y' all niggas want some chicken?

[AK]

There was no.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, I'll vote for that. He's making some chicks 98 to 0.

[Mandy B]

Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Everybody, this is giving.

[Mandy B]

What is it? Who cloned Tyrone?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, that type of. Yeah, that's.

[Mandy B]

And unfortunately, you get voted into a position of power. And again. Yeah. This is what you use your voice for.

[AK]

What's cool in the other episode, Hungry as Fuck. Hungry AF Watch, they gonna have the Eric Bell lemon pepper some shit.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mandy B]

Oh, no, they did name their menu was. Was named. Pretty interesting. I'm not even gonna hold you. I. I ain't even gonna lie, but I told you lemon pepper was dusted on every single wing. Almost. Okay, I'm not gonna lie.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I put lemon pepper on my avocado toast, like, a couple days ago, and.

[Mandy B]

That shit was very Atlanta of you.

[AK]

Wait a minute.

[Mandy B]

This a lemon pepper nigga right here. Who puts lemon pepper on their avocado toast?

[AK]

Yo.

[Mandy B]

Hey, hey.

[AK]

You merged two different economic statues.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Highs and the Lows.

[Mandy B]

Residents of California would never.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, bro, look, what are we talking about?

[Jason Rodriguez]

A little.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Just don't OD on it, but just give it a little.

[Mandy B]

See a little dash.

[AK]

That's what happened when we get these fake storms.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

You start making up shit. You freeze this N dusted his avocado.

[Mandy B]

Toast with lemon pepper. I'm not playing with you.

[AK]

I might try that though.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I ain't gonna lie. That might watch. No, it sounds fire. It's quality season.

[AK]

I ain't gonna lie. JJ, if you ever had JJ fish down here.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, yeah, 100%.

[AK]

They season they fish with.

[Mandy B]

I'm not gonna lie.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Classic.

[Mandy B]

The seasoning all down here is very much. High cholesterol.

[AK]

Get high blood pressure.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Nigga, you just ate six niggas body weight in charcuterie a week ago. And now she said it's almost. Who got high cholesterol? You see how n do you see how they do?

[Mandy B]

We finish doing.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's all right.

[AK]

That's the advantage of being biracial. You can go.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

You can just switch whatever you want. You can just.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Oh, man, that was a black history episode.

[Mandy B]

We're not doing that as a black history episode. I'm a black woman.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

You are absolutely a black woman.

[Mandy B]

Black. I'm blacker than some black people that are all the way black.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Okay, I will never deny you.

[Mandy B]

Don't get me started.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I'll never deny you that Florida woman.

[Mandy B]

But you a. You a lemon pepper nigga. Now you and you and Mr. Bell gonna be right there the second you.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Going to be the.

[Mandy B]

You going to be the low sodium version of the lemon pepper. Have you ever shout out to me.

[Jason Rodriguez]

At the gala when the law gets passed.

[Mandy B]

All right, well, before we. Before we leave a little bit. I want to have some fun. Yep. And this is America. One of the things is freedom of speech and press. Now that was a part of the first amendment. And what's really fun about how we're intaking, you know, news now is that it's right at our fingertips.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

It is.

[Mandy B]

And as y' all know, I'm sitting next to the headline king, so I wanna have some quick fun with you.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Let's do it.

[Mandy B]

Hopefully you could figure this out off the dome. And if you guys are new here, this is the editor of bossip. And if you guys were on black Twitter back in the days, you absolutely have seen his mind in words.

[Jason Rodriguez]

100% Joe. What was the headline you did when Obama got elected?

[Mandy B]

Do you remember that?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, man, that was a classic one. The crazy part about the Headlines is that I write them and then forget about them. Like, I see them, I see people retweeting them, and I'm looking at what's going on. But, like, the day after, I probably couldn't even tell you what I said unless somebody.

[Mandy B]

Is this you? Can I read it, please?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

By all means. Can I read this, Mandy, please jog my memory.

[Jason Rodriguez]

All right, so it says here, making it rain on them GOP hoes.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, yeah.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Quote, bringing in big bucks. Obama has become the first president in history. Oh, this is a different one. To raise more than 1 billion during his political career.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, okay, hold on.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Let me find that.

[Mandy B]

Hold on.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, man.

[Mandy B]

Yeah, I want to read another one about Obama because I know you had him coming. That was Prime Time Bosses, too.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. See if I can find.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Oh, man, these are. There's so many that.

[Mandy B]

I know. There's so many. You ate.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Well, it got to the point where when something would happen in news, it didn't matter if it was political news, if it was cultural thing, whatever. It was, like, my mentions blew up. The boss's mentions would blow up. Like, where's the headline? Where's the headline? Where's the headline?

[Mandy B]

No, we needed it.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And so it got to the point where I was just coming up with this shit all the time because I just knew that that's what people were gonna expect.

[Mandy B]

And shout out to my mentor. I don't know if y' all are familiar with my history of also being a blogger, but shout out to Robert Littell from Black Sports Online.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Robert Littell. Yep.

[Mandy B]

He followed the same. The same guys in sports blogging at the time.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yep.

[Mandy B]

So, okay. I wanna have fun with you, though.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

All right, let's do it.

[Mandy B]

All right. Jah Internet exists during this moment in black history, and you need to create the headline to alert the people of what is going on.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, shit.

[Mandy B]

Let's start easy. Rosa Parks refuses her seat. What is the headline for this?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Rosa Parks Refuses to Get up. What kind of headline would I write for that? I would probably. All right, so here. So, you know, most of our headlines have, like, an intro.

[Mandy B]

Ooh, give us the structure.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, there's like a. The structure is. Normally there is like, a intro, a header, and then the actual meat of the story. So I would probably say something like, not gonna do it.

[Mandy B]

Okay.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Not gonna do it. Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat for Salty Soup Cookies in. I don't know what city she was in Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham. So Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat for Salty Soup cookies in bigoted Birmingham, Alabama. That would be something that would probably be like. I'd probably do something like slow hand clap.

[Mandy B]

Slow hand clap. I like that.

[Jason Rodriguez]

My brother.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I had to start coming up with different ways. Cause we couldn't like out call people crackers. I wanna call them crackers.

[Mandy B]

Soggy soup cookies.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Soup cookies is what I. Yeah, that was my euphemism for crackers. So we could keep our ads and keep our money. So like anytime you seen soup cookies on bossip in the headline or in the story, like I'm talking about crackers, but it just won't let me say crackers. Cause we gotta keep the money. My check gotta cash. So I just had to come up with other ways.

[Mandy B]

I like that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Okay, here's a controversial one.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Okay, okay.

[Mandy B]

Malcolm X getting out of jail.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Mm, mm, mm.

[Mandy B]

What's the intro?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Salaam alaikum. Alaikum salaam. Brother Malcolm X. Brother Malcolm X freed. Damn.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Let me think.

[Mandy B]

Ready to hit them Harlem streets?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Some shit, yeah, yeah. Some shit like that. Like, so brother Malcolm X celebrates freedom from. Freedom from his cell with outrageous Harlem hullabaloo or something like that. Give him some. Alliteration is always part of the game. So like you gotta find a way to get some creative words that you can have alliteration for.

[Mandy B]

So give me the whole outline. Give me the whole thing again from Malcolm.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

So it would be as Salaam alaikum. Alaykum salaam. Brother Malcolm X frees himself celebrates freedom from cell with holiday esque Harlemite hullabaloo.

[Mandy B]

I like that.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

We'll go with that.

[Mandy B]

I like that. I like that. Okay, last one. And this one is of celebration and change. Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in baseball.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Mm, mm.

[Mandy B]

Here we go.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

That's a good one. Mm. Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers.

[AK]

That's right.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah. Brooklyn Dodgers.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yes, Brooklyn Dodgers. So we'll. We'll go sawing bada Jackie Robinson. Brooklyn Dodgers. Brooklyn Dodgers. Bodacious bat Brother Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in baseball. Damn, I gotta come up with the last part. Breaks the color barrier in baseball.

[Mandy B]

Talk about the white people amidst white anger.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right?

[Mandy B]

You know what I mean? You gotta talk about the whites.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Cause they was upset. Okay, okay.

[Mandy B]

So they was upset.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Boom. So wing better. Brother Jackie Robinson bat bashing brother Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in baseball to the dismay and calamity of them crackers.

[Mandy B]

You can't say crackers.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah, you gotta say what's the soup comes.

[Mandy B]

The soup.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Cookie salt.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Cracker Jack. Cracker Jack.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Cracker Jacks. Ooh, you could say Cracker Jacks in baseball.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

[Mandy B]

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

[Mandy B]

A new way to talk about the.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Whites to the dismay of all the peanuts and Cracker Jacks. I, I, I might roll with something like that.

[Mandy B]

Okay, you ate with that. You ate with that. Okay, give him a round of applause. Round of applause. You ate with that. You ate with that.

[Jason Rodriguez]

We gotta start using peanuts and Cracky Jacks now.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Listen, listen.

[Mandy B]

Well, let's get out of this is America and get a little bit into celebrity, say, the darnest thing. So this is the pop culture portion of black history. Right. And I think we could just start off with, again, leaning still into the social media of it all. If our ancestors could see this. I would love to know what you think our ancestors would think about current trends, current fashions, and the things that are happening within culture. Okay, let's start actually here. What do you think our ancestors would have had to say about the Kendrick vs. Drake beef?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, as soon as Drake said, rapping like you're trying to get the slaves free.

[Mandy B]

Always rapping like you about to get the slaves free.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It would have been a rap. It have been a rap. Like he would have. No.

[Mandy B]

So our ancestors would pretty much all be Kendrick Stanton.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

100%.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Yeah. Martin would have went to the podium ASAP.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[AK]

Had a speech around that the Nation of Islam would have been.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, it would have been right above.

[Mandy B]

That's crazy. So Drake at all.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Drake.

[Mandy B]

Drake wouldn't have had no hope if our ancestors saw what was happening. Okay, I'm not mad at it. I'm not mad at it. What do you think they would have thought about TikTok dances and all of us dancing on our phones, thumbs up. You think they would have loved our TikTok dance?

[AK]

The minstrel shows. Like the, those are parts that have been with them. The ones that we see now. I mean, they just didn't have social media.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

They were doing it. I sure do like that jig you be doing.

[AK]

You know, even when you see, when you see some of the juke moves, like the Juke move Valley, they was.

[Mandy B]

Dancing in them little jazz Prohibition. They was getting in his little.

[Ben Higgins]

We saw it.

[Mandy B]

We saw it as sinners.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah. Preacher boy would have been right up in there, right on Tik tok. Preacher boy would have been Kabi lame.

[Mandy B]

Okay.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

He would have been kabby Lame. He would have been.

[Mandy B]

He would have been Drew.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

He'd have been one of his.

[AK]

Back then. He would he.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

All the shows he could put. Oh, man. Making fun of master. They would try to kill that. Day one.

[Mandy B]

I don't know if they would.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

You think that's funny, huh, boy? Got you a sense of humor, huh, boy? Come bring your ass over here. Let me show you what's funny to me.

[Mandy B]

Now, Juski wouldn't have been able to.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Do any skits outside if he was bad.

[Mandy B]

Yeah, there would have been. No, no, no, no, no.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

For brother Juski.

[Mandy B]

Okay, okay, okay. Well, let's get into some. Let's do music. Let's do music a little bit.

[AK]

Okay.

[Mandy B]

In terms of black music, we have, of course, Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. That, oh, my God, was incredible. A change gonna come by Sam Cooke. Say it loud, say it proud. Still I wanna get into kind of what has happened amongst our culture, specifically throughout history with music.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Okay.

[Mandy B]

We have jazz, we have country. Cause that's ours.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Rock and roll.

[Mandy B]

We have rock and roll.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Rock and roll.

[Unknown Announcer]

Of course.

[Mandy B]

Hip hop, all of it. How impactful would y' all say? Or do y' all have any thoughts on the impact of music throughout our history, specifically?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

I mean, you know, music. I feel like music has always. It's not just a hip hop thing. I feel like music has always. To your point about Billie Holiday, there's always been messages, I mean, even going back to slavery, right? Like, some of the songs that were sung were like freedom songs. And some of these songs were songs that were in code so that only slaves understood what was being. If there was gonna be an escape, if there was gonna be an uprising, whatever. It was like people were communicating through songs. I feel like our music has always had some substance to it and something to it that is for us, by us, that we can understand that even if the outside world doesn't know these words or these terms and that kind of thing that we know. And that's all that matters.

[Mandy B]

Yeah, this is going to be maybe.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, yeah. Come on out.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Well, Jo, you killed that before Mandy takes a job.

[AK]

Yeah, I didn't know she was gonna give it.

[Mandy B]

Well, no, bring it, Ash. I saw the list here, and I was thinking of other, like, songs that depicted black history that may have made it to be hit singles. Right. Like, I'm looking at this list. I don't even think we have NWA on here. Like, fuck the police. Oh, yeah. That was a huge part of how our culture was represented. I think another one on here that isn't showed. That is also dark would be TLC's. Was it waterfalls? Because technically that leaned into what we experienced within our community with the HIV and AIDS epidemic right now. There was a song that played in my living room this time, and it depicted a black family and a situation that I was mad and didn't understand. I was like, today this would not have been a hit song on the radio.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Uh oh.

[Mandy B]

And it leaned into such heavy stereotypes that I was like, now who the fuck made this a hit record? And it's a record by a group. One woman, two men. And it was a hit. And when I watched it as an adult, I was. I didn't like it. What would you do if your son was at home crying, hungry, and the only way to feed him is to.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Sleep with a man for a little bit of money?

[Mandy B]

And his dad is calm somewhere smoking rock now. And it's not a lockdown. I ain't got a job now. So for you, this is just a good time.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

But for me, this is what I call life.

[Mandy B]

And it was this depiction of blackness that I was like, hey, bro, all right. Not to the. Not the daddy being gone. Cause he doing rocking out of jail.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Every trope, they checked off everything.

[Mandy B]

This woman is selling a pussy to put food on the table. And I was like, for a little bit of rock for a little bit.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

A little bit of rock for a little bit.

[Mandy B]

And I was like, bro, this was. This was on 106 and Park.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, it's crazy, nigga.

[Mandy B]

This was on the radio. And this was at a time where we was getting out of, like, women being sexualized. I'm like, damn. So here we go. Being demonized that we gotta lay down to feed the kids that we had with the daddy that's now locked up. And I was like, whoa. We talk about, like. We didn't even get into all of the propaganda around blackness, right? You have black on black crime. You have that black people are lazy. You have that black women. We talked about, even in the digital face era, that they're the welfare. And I was like, whoa, this is a terrible song that is now ingrained into history because it was a hit on the livelihoods of black women at the time. And the deadest. Anyways, that song should have never made radio.

[AK]

But you know what?

[Jason Rodriguez]

People thought that was a conscious song.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And that's the thing. That's what passed for consciousness at that point.

[Mandy B]

It's like, that's what pass for consciousness.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

How f ed up are we? That's the Consciousness. We fucked up, y'.

[Mandy B]

All.

[AK]

Well, music's supposed to reflect what's happening in society, right? Sure. So that was. That was. That was someone's experience.

[Mandy B]

It was someone's experience.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

It for sure is someone's experience.

[Mandy B]

It was someone's experience. But that being pushed to be that record at a time where I think we, as black people were fighting against so many stereotypes and tropes. That is what blasted on the radios. And then we had white people singing that song about our experience. So to me, when we talk about. Okay, there's laughing with us, and there's laughing at us. Mm. As an adult, sitting back, watching the video and listen and seeing them dance to the lyrics.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

No, y' all gotta watch the video. I'm pulling up the video right now.

[Mandy B]

Because I felt offended. I felt, oh, these are some jigaboos. A white man made this song and made these singing. I was upset. Look. Are you looking at the video?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, I'm looking at it right now. Because I wanted to make sure, as.

[Mandy B]

An adult, I want y' all to rewatch this video. Of course. This is Claudia Ortiz. Who?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Or Claudette Ortiz. Claudette. Yeah.

[Mandy B]

Who is the most beautiful woman who ended up ruining a good music group. Cause she decided to sleep with one bandmate and have a baby.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

By the way, it's not legit.

[Mandy B]

It was messy.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

But the part that's even crazier, it's nasty.

[Mandy B]

You see the video?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah. No. So I wanted to make sure I got this right when I was back and watched the video. The sick part about it is, is that they're singing this song right? About this downtrodden black experience. And, like, Ryan, Toby, and the other. I don't even remember the other's name.

[Mandy B]

No one does.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And the other, like, they're just doing artist. They're just performing the song. Claudette Ortiz actually has to be the crack whore with the. With the. With the abandoned baby mom and all this. I'm like, in your own video where you're the artist, you're supposed to be the star, and you as the only woman in the room.

[Mandy B]

The only woman. The crackhead that got sleep. Got to sleep for a little bit.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Of money, threw a dollar face, and it bounced off, and she just looked down like they doing.

[Mandy B]

No, no, no, no. The dancing. The dancing to these lyrics.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, look at.

[Mandy B]

Look at.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And this. Yo, the dancing on this rooftop is like, this is the shit.

[Mandy B]

What would you do?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

This is the bad boy video. But you a crack whore.

[Mandy B]

But even that. But even that. So there's a bridge in this song. And it's when they're on the rooftop and it's literally talking to now black people. What would you do? Get up off my feet and stop making. Not excuses. So it's leading into the TR that black people make excuses for the predicaments that they're in when clearly we've talked about, like, the government having a hand in that clearly drugs being pushed into the communities and opportunities not being had for. But literally, at one point, they literally start telling black people, stop making Todd excuses. And they're dancing to some Republican shit.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

No, wait, wait, wait.

[Mandy B]

Can you look this up? Jay, who wrote this song?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yo, I said, Ryan told me why you rap? I think Ryan Toby wrote this. Right, Ryan? Oh, ho, ho, ho.

[AK]

Check this out.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Here we go.

[AK]

AK what would you do by City High was written by group members. Ryan Tobey.

[Mandy B]

Okay.

[AK]

Robbie Partillo. I guess that's the other.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Right.

[AK]

Wyclef Jones.

[Mandy B]

Oh.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, yeah. Yep, yep.

[AK]

They're listed as writers, but that could be a production thing. They may not, but this is it.

[Mandy B]

Black people make the group.

[AK]

It's pretty much the group.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, the song is called what would you'd do? But it could just easily be called. Called pull your pants up and stop sucking dick. And it would be like, the same message would ride. Like, it's crazy.

[Mandy B]

No, that song. That song is one that I want to remove from our history. I hate it.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, I hate it.

[Jason Rodriguez]

And I liked it when it was like sunglasses and do rags and chains. They're like, yo, we got it. We got one.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Like, there's no. Like, the. The only cohesion in the video is Claudette scenes being the crack horse. Like, everything else is just a good time getting money, doing diddy dances on a roof.

[Mandy B]

If Diddy dances to these lyrics, it's crazy.

[AK]

Throwing money at her.

[Unknown Announcer]

Hold on.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah. Somebody threw a dollar bill at her. Yeah. Hit her in the face. And then she just looked down at it. Like, why would you do that? Like, no, this is all bad.

[Mandy B]

Absolutely inappropriate.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

This is all bad.

[AK]

Yeah.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Fuck that song.

[Mandy B]

All bad, all bad, all bad.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Fuck this song.

[Mandy B]

Do we wanna.

[Jason Rodriguez]

That is black history.

[Mandy B]

I think this is. I think we did good on this. Well, y', all, thank y' all so much. We hope you were educated and entertained during our black history month episode. Again, if you want to watch the full video and listen to this ad free, make sure you join us over on Patreon. That's patreon.com withmandyb for as little as $5 a month. Again, you get the video and audio ad free. And now that we have our beautiful studio, so we're gonna start shooting some bonus content.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mandy B]

So we're gonna have fun with just some fun things. Nonetheless, make sure you educate yourself this month.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Do the knowledge.

[Mandy B]

February, it's only 28 days.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Is it 28 or 27 February 28th?

[Mandy B]

Well, no, but.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Oh, some years have changed. Some years have changed.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Some years. It's 29, right?

[Mandy B]

Oh, it ain't never 27. Florida education.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

28 this year. 28 this year.

[Jason Rodriguez]

We're stumbling.

[Mandy B]

2020. You got 28 days in this month to make sure you educate yourself. You don't lean into your ignorance, but you correct it. And you make sure that as you learn, you continue to share your knowledge with others. Because, baby, that's how we keep this thing going.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Amen.

[Mandy B]

When you learn something, make it your duty to drop the little nuggets to other people so that we can work on getting out of our ignorance and leaning into being educated brothers and sisters, you feel me?

[Aaron A. King Howard]

And protect yourself, Peace queen. Protect yourself. If you need to buy a folding chair or something to protect yourself, keep yourself safe out here, man.

[Mandy B]

Well, apparently if you have more than one floor, you need two guns on.

[Aaron A. King Howard]

Each floor if you are in the.

[Mandy B]

State of Georgia or any state that allows you to carry. And again, educate yourself on those ways that you are owed here in the US Of A. To protect yourself and do so. So protect yourself, Educate yourself. This is Selective ignorance, where curiosity lives, controversy thrives, and conversations matter. See y' all next week. Bye. Selective Ignorance, a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Jason Rodriguez]

Thanks for tuning in to Selective Ignorance with Mandy B. Selective Ignorance is executive produced by Mandy B. And it's a full Court Media Studio production with lead producers Jason Rodriguez, that's me, and Aaron A. King Howard. Now, do us a favor and rate, subscribe, comment and share wherever you get your favorite podcast. And be sure to follow Selective Ignorance on Instagram @SelectiveIgnorant. And of course, if you're not following our host, Mandy B. Make sure you're following her at Fullcourt Pumps. Now, if you want the full video experience of Selective ignorance, make sure you subscribe to the Patreon. It's patreon.com selectiveignorance.

[Mandy B]

It's your girl, Mandy B. And you just checked out my new podcast, Selective Ignorance. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you head on over and hit that subscribe button and check out Selective Ignorance every Tuesday and every Friday wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.