
Loading summary
Target Advertiser
This is an Iheart podcast.
Mandy B
Guaranteed human peace to the planet.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
This is Charlamagne Tha God. From the world's most dangerous morning show to Breakfast Club, Nissan wanted to test the capabilities of the new Pathfinder. But not in the lab, not on paper. So they went looking for the most creative minds they could find and asked three kids to imagine the ultimate adventure. Then a Hollywood director and his stunt team brought that drawing to life, turning imagination into a real, measurable test of the power of Nissan. Every challenge is 100% real. No tricks, no shortcuts. Just pure V6 engine power. That's quality, reliability and durability. Discover how the new Nissan Pathfinder turns the unthinkable into the unforgettable.
Target Advertiser
Back to school is here, and Target has everything families need to help head into the school year feeling confident and ready to do their thing. From school supplies and stylish apparel to accessories kids actually want. Target makes it easy to check every box on your list at a great value. We're talking backpacks starting just $5 and up to 60% off school supplies. Plus, kids can express their style with brands and collabs they love, like Love Shack, Fancy Cat Jack Overtime, and customizable Owalla bottles with stickers, charms, and much more. The prices parents want and the brands kids love all in one place at Target.
Mandy B
Yes, it's me again. We prepped. It's the time for empowerment. And I've got a mess message for you. You gotta think about sexual health no matter what. Where, where. With who.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah.
Target Advertiser
Yeah.
Mandy B
To all you lovers out there, ain't no judgment. This is your cue.
Bethenny Frankel
Guess who's.
Mandy B
Guess who. Guess who's back. It's time to talk about pre special prophylaxis, a part of HIV pre. Talk to a healthcare provider and visit carefortheculture.com to learn more. Hey, everyone, it's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Hearsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay, the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 or Barnes and Nobles or wherever you read your books. Again, that is note holds barred, a dual manifesto of sexual exploration and power written by yours truly and my co host of the Decisions Decisions podcast, Weezy. 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. Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo. Welcome to another episode, Selective Ignorance, baby. I'm your host, Mandy B. And babes, we are getting into all of the ignorant shit this week. First up, and this is America. Half of America took their asses to New York City this weekend to witness Jay Z for his three show concert series at Yankee Stadium. And we have thoughts and so do other people on the Internet that we feel the need to respond to. Furthermore, we are getting into Noah Wells death and timeline and whether or not we as a community are at all safe being the only one in a space of color.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Nope.
Mandy B
And the conversations that you should probably be having with your children, then, of course, this is not a sports podcast. But the WNBA responds to the Republican letter in defense of Caitlin Clark.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Come on now, dawg.
Mandy B
Y', all, you know we talked about it before. Can we have sports without racism? Well, you know, y' all know our answer to that already. I know it cannot. And then in celebrities say the darnest things. Guys, Kodak Black has a new group name called the kkk. And no, we're not leaning into Kodak Black and the crazy things he says. But we are going to get into the misinformation that's online and how the continuation of false narratives and misinformation is a detriment to our community. And baby, we're also gonna do all of this with some laughs and some jokes in between. Cause I'm starting off being real selectively ignorant, baby. But before then, let me introduce the guy sitting next to me. We got my super producer, OG Pod, legend in the game, a king. What it do?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I'm living the dream.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
You are living the dream.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
What's up, y'?
Bethenny Frankel
All?
Mandy B
You are living the dream. Actually, because you got the magazine, we're shaking. You got this magazine, we're shaking before me and Jahoo spent our hard earned
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
dollars swiped on that thing.
Mandy B
I ain't even got it. It's on the way.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, I haven't got no shipping, no checking number. Yeah, no nothing.
Mandy B
Hey, y', all, did you want to go ahead for the people watching the tape?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And we doing it like.
Mandy B
Yeah, we started off this.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
We started off story time.
Mandy B
It is story time. Well, because I need people to know why you are also named the OG Pot legend. For the people who come in and are new here. For the people who are like, why do I have to care about these voices in the podcast space? You know? But also Maddie, Eve, Cole. Fuck that.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Shout out to Dreamville.
Mandy B
I am sick of not being a part of the Dreamville care packages that go out. I just cussed niggas out for not sending me the hoodies.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, yeah.
Mandy B
With the fall off.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
With a fall off drop.
Mandy B
When the fall off drop.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah.
Mandy B
Shout out to yomi, who's not here,
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
because Big Yom Yomi.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yomi, Yomi, Yomi.
Mandy B
Our team is on Yomi, Yom. Big Yomi is on tour.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes, yes.
Mandy B
With Cole, Crazy and Jordyn. So she's doing all the fan content. Just so super freaking dope. I love it. She manifested it.
Bethenny Frankel
Yeah.
Mandy B
And then this guy walks in.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Shout out to Dreamville, man. Listen. So, as always, I love a good story.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Of course, I do too.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You know, I'm big on relationships.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, you are.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And you know one of my good homies over there, Felton Brown, he's the vice president of Dreamville. Me and him go back, man, for. Even when he was doing the blog shit, he had a joint called Part of Me Duke. And he's. He's just. He's just overall just dope human being. But Anyway, he had FaceTimed me a few days ago, and he's like, yo, yo, yo, look, look, look.
Mandy B
And he go ahead and slide it out.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And when he showed me the. He went right. He went right to the shit. And he's like, yo. I was like, what the fuck? He's like, bro, this is what we was working on. I said, yo. And he's like, what's your addy? And I'm gonna send this one to you right now. I was like, I'm gonna buy it. He's like, nah, I'm gonna send you this. I'll still buy it. Cause you know it's dope. But what's so fascinating is 144 pages of just pure excellence. And I'm just gonna summarize for everybody.
Mandy B
It's the whole magazine, by the way. Y' all print 144 pages.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
144 pages. But what was so dope is that Cole, I guess he saw a Void in how hip hop is being represented from what he came up under, which is real rap journalism and the blog era. Yeah. So what he did was assemble damn near the avengers of this fucking rap journalism shit. So, I mean, I'm just gonna read off some of the names, and then some of them are friends of ours, too. I mean, starting off, you had editor in Chief Bonsoo Thompson. I mean, that's also the guy, you know, Big Bonsoo. Jerry Barrow. OG Yep. Shit. Philip Sung, he's the design director. Shout out to him. Then we. Then we gonna get to it. Then we gonna get to it. We got Imhotep. Tim Hotep. I said Imhotep. Cause it's a shit that she about to get into soon. Nah. Shout out to Tim Ho, Chep, Ivy,
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Annie, Paul, the legend.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I always fuck her name. Evannie.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out to Eva.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes, yes. Paul Cantor. Let OG you know what I'm saying? Shit. Maurice Garland.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out, Maurice.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Shit. Jermaine Hall. Lauryn Hill contributed to this song.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Wrote her own shit, man.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Jermaine Hall. John Kennedy. Shout out to jfk, you know, William Ketchum.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out Will Ketchum.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Keith Nelson.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out, my brother. Keith Nelson.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Sean Malcolm. Shout out to you. Shout out to Sean Malcolm.
Mandy B
Shout out to Sean Malcolm.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out to Sean Malcolm. Shout out to.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yo. Shout out to.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out to my brother. Yo Phillips.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Mr. Mac.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You know what I'm saying? I'm not omitting everybody. I'm not omitting anybody on purpose. These are the hitters right here. Name a Jordan.
Mandy B
It goes, it goes on.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I feel like you gotta buy two of these. But anyway.
Mandy B
Yes.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So in there, it has a lot of editorial think pieces. One of the dope shits that's in here is Lil Yachty and his pops. They gotta spread a feature with him and his dad, and it's phenomenal.
Mandy B
Oh, wow. Pops kind of fire.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, man.
Mandy B
Pops kind of, baby.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yo, you see,
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
she didn't get to the editorial.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's how it starts.
Mandy B
Y' all know I'm that age. It could be the son or the daddy, baby.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So any you have some behind the scenes stuff with Cole and his processes. But then they have all these feature stories, man, and Glorilla's in there. They featured her. But when felt it hit me, man, I'm trying to get to the page, the spread, man, he fucked my whole day up. I shed a tear.
Mandy B
Oh, not you.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, it's interesting because I'm always in the mindset that, are we forgetting who we are in this modern day hip hop culture. We have so much divisiveness in our culture between ageism, between who we like, who we don't like, and we don't celebrate each other enough. We don't celebrate you enough. We don't celebrate you enough. You know what I'm saying? Why. Why do we have to, you know, have 50 million downloads or some shit to be celebrated? No, it's true. Nah, we put in the work already. We put in a lot of work. Shout out to us, too, for, you know, under a year, doing this podcast.
Mandy B
We hit a million, y'.
Target Advertiser
All.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You know what I'm saying? You know, big si.
Mandy B
A million dollars. We got a screenshot. You know, people don't believe numbers if they don't see it, right? Yeah, but now they got the AI to Photoshop.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Nothing to do with what happened. Yes, everybody's cynical about everything.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I'm trying to find the actual spread, but they did a dope feature of the late, great Combat Jack.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out to Long live Combat Jack. Long live Reggie O'.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Sey. Shout out to Cole back in 2014 when he put out the Forest Hill Drive album, the best album. He only did three interviews that year, and we were one of the three. And that's intentional. He didn't do a lot of press back then, but he identified.
Mandy B
Wow. Y' all got one of the Forest Hills drives interviews.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, it was us, Angie Martinez. And I forgot who the third one was. Forgive me.
Mandy B
2014, was that not Elliot? The Crown series.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I don't know if he did a Crown.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, he didn't do it.
Mandy B
He didn't do a crown?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, he probably was doing that at the time, but he didn't.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That was. Yeah, it might have been, but. Yeah, it might have been. For more sense maybe.
Mandy B
Cause I remember one of them years, I flew back from Vegas to New
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
York to go to a car to
Mandy B
go to it, but it might not have been for Sale Drive.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, they did a tribute to DJ Clark Kent. Rest in peace. They also did one on Dallas, Pennsylvania.
Mandy B
Oh, wow.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They showed some of the photography with the mural and stuff like that. But he did the feature on Reg on Combat, and I thought that was super dope. But just to give y' all the backstory with that, yeah, Cole was part of that. And he came up on the show.
Mandy B
What do you remember about that?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We did a phenomenal interview with him, and Combat bought his son to ask a couple questions. Shout out to Chuma.
Mandy B
Oh, wow.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And, man, it was dope, man. And Shout out to Brian Summers, who shot the imagery for it that went viral. The black and white with Cole's face on there. It's just so much history. And this is the thing that I appreciate these guys for even look, Cole is a fucking multi platinum generational talent, generational artist. He don't have, like, for him to have time to do this shit and have the intentionality and care and concern about this shit. I thought it was outstanding, man. So shout out to the whole team. And I guess that is a testament to his team too, right?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, for sure.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But, yeah, man, shout out to them.
Mandy B
I love that. I love it, I love it, I love it.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And you're gonna get yours. Yours is probably in your fucking.
Mandy B
No, it's not. I don't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
In the hallway, in your crib right now.
Mandy B
I don't even have my fucking tracking yet. Do you not think I haven't been looking for it?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I definitely checked my email, like, multiple times to see if they had sent that shit out. It's cool, though.
Mandy B
It's cool, though.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It's cool.
Mandy B
It's cool, though. I need it before the 17th.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, I definitely need mine before I need to drop this week.
Mandy B
Oh, that. Wow.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, that's.
Mandy B
That's fire.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Crazy, right?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, you.
Mandy B
Do you know the artists who.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Who even did the writer?
Mandy B
The.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
The artist.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, the artist. I don't know who did this.
Mandy B
I wonder.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. It's Dash Arts. Illustration by Dash Art. And shout out to Paul Cantor. Who wrote this? I didn't even get a chance to. Obviously you saw me open it up. Right? So I didn't. I didn't know who wrote it. I didn't know Bones who wrote it.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But I had a feeling Paul did because he did a article on Reg in the Vulture. I remember that way. So, yeah, shout out to Paul Cantor. Man, this is so dope, by the way, y'.
Mandy B
All. And all of this to be said if you haven't. If you're like, under a rock or comprehension skills just starting all the way there. Aking. You are probably the longest Potter that I know. Like, you were potting before.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I probably had a child.
Mandy B
You said 2010.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I was a fucking child. My nigga.
Mandy B
The Combat Jack show.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So officially, 2010.
Mandy B
2010.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But when we really, really went in overdrive, we figured out, oh, shit, we can make a loud thing now. That was 2013. As loudspeakers was formed then.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Right.
Mandy B
Even that.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So that and a half, three years, it was more so like, all right.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
We just.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
The home. It's a lunch table. We just. We just have.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It's incubation.
Mandy B
You were potting four years before I got on a microphone. And then, like, just everything about Combat Jack and loudspeakers birthed all these black potters to be able to do what we do today.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
The pot father.
Mandy B
And then y'. All.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Damn. I didn't even shout out to Paul Kennedy, he said, by the time of Combat's tragic death From Colon Cancer December 2017, the show amassed 450 recorded episodes. Yo, we've been. We was on a run. I don't even know the number. We just was going.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah. 450 episodes. Crazy.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Crazy.
Mandy B
Damn.
Bethenny Frankel
That's crazy.
Mandy B
And that was before Patreon. That wasn't bonus.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, that wasn't bonus.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
We just.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, yeah. Here's episodes.
Mandy B
Y' all was talking. Yeah, y' all was talking.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I just want to add when you said we was talking. So when I do the episodes, right, you know, when I'm in the program and shit like that, you know how much on average, how many words we speak on this pod?
Mandy B
I don't even want to know.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
30,000. That's a book minimum.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Damn. Shit.
Mandy B
Oh, wow. Wow. Most of it be you. We also got the king of headlines. You want to put some respect on his name. Jason, John Lee Pop Blessing, all the yap niggas.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
What up, what up, what up, what up, what up? What's going on, man? I'm still recovering from my fomo.
Mandy B
Okay.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I came today in all my blues.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Are you sure?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I can't. I mean.
Mandy B
I mean, you could catch a flight after we record.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I could still catch a flight to see, like, how you got to pull up.
Mandy B
Like, I did look it up. If I want Delta, I think four is, like, the only one. And then I would get in at like. Or maybe it's four something. And I would get in at 7:58, and then I'm like, plus traffic.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Where would you get in at? LaGuardia. That was JFK, so we had to do LaGuardia. Newark, I feel like it would have one of those.
Mandy B
Newark would actually be closer to us.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You just take the GWB and boom.
Target Advertiser
Yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, man.
Mandy B
Oh, yeah. It might be Newark. Might be the way. Well, there's a lot of flights to
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Newark, but I came in today in my blue, you know what I'm saying?
Mandy B
In an Atlanta hat, bro.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's not gonna change, yo, but.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, the wild shit. All Atlanta niggas in the group chat. Yo, where you at?
Mandy B
Yeah, yeah, we're in a group chat. Our group chat right now. Him sending all the goddamn Sean shout
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
out to Sean fal, all Atlanta niggas. I'm like, well I'm like, I can't. Saint was like, yo, I'm sick of you. I was like, I'm sick of me too, bro.
Target Advertiser
Back to school shopping is about more than just checking off a list. It's about helping kids feel confident walking into a new school year. Whether it's a favorite notebook, a cool backpack, or the perfect pair of shoes, Target is there to make a big difference. Target is showing up for families this back to school season with a huge variety of school supplies, apparel and accessories that help kids do their thing and express their personal style. And with low prices all season long, parents can feel good about getting everything they need at a great value. Think backpacks starting at just $5 and save up to 60% on school supplies. Plus, Target has the brands and collaborations kids are excited about, including Love Shack, Fancy Cat and Jack Overtime, and even personalized oala bottles with stickers, charms and more. With the prices parents want and the brands kids love, Target has everything you need for back to school shopping all in one place. Because when kids feel confident heading into the school year, parents feel good too.
Mandy B
Hey, you planning a little adventure tonight? Knowing your status is part of staying protected against HIV keeps it hot, keeps it sexy.
Target Advertiser
So stay naughty and stay informed.
Mandy B
Cause keeping it real about HIV prevention is part of the vibe. When you date, stay up to date on your HIV prevention and sexual health. To learn more, talk to your healthcare provider and visit care for the culture.com
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
awkward time to ask this, but. Hey, did you download the trail map?
Mandy B
Yeah, no, I don't need to.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I. I don't understand.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
You're trusting your signal out here.
Mandy B
I'm trusting T Mobile. They have the best network. And if we end up in bumtots nowhere, well, we've got T satellite for backup.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Whoa, I don't trust my carrier that much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We'll just use your phone as a flashlight.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
With America's best network and T satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And if you switch today, you get
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line for four lines. Find out more@t mobile.com or visit your local store. Best Mobile Network Based on Analysis by Ooklab Speedtest Intelligence data 2h 2025 with 24 monthly bill credits and 4 eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers with autopay plus taxes, fees and $35 connection charge per line, credits and imbalance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Contact Us Finance Agreement example $299.99 Moto Edge 5G required T Satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky. Included with experience beyond or $10 a month. However, news monthly cancel anytime visit t
Bethenny Frankel
mobile.com this is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Let me be blunt. Most dog food is junk. It just is. And I'm not feeding junk to Biggie and Smalls. That is why they eat just food for dogs. It's real, 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize, not mystery pellets pretending to be health. I switched. The difference was obvious. Better digestion, better skin, more energy. Dogs who actually feel good instead of just surviving dinner. Here's the thing. You care about quality. You make an intentional choice to be healthy. So why are you gambling with your dog's health? So let's think about our furry babies. Go to justfood for dogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code. Just try it. Because once you see the difference, you're not going back.
Mandy B
Well, guys, this last week, last week's episodes were recorded early.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes.
Mandy B
So I didn't really get to give you guys my experience in Nolan's for Essence Fest. Now, here's the thing. I don't have much to say about Essence Fest because I went there for work. I was at the convention for two days.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes. How was Essence though?
Mandy B
What I will say, Well, I didn't go to any of the concerts.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Okay.
Mandy B
I was like, I went there last year as well and worked every freaking day. I had an on stage moment at the Dome. We were. We had an interview. I was working. And then I left right after. Because I went to New Orleans last year right after OKC in the south of France.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
True.
Mandy B
So by the time I got to New Orleans, babe, I was tired.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
You was like, all right, enough of this.
Mandy B
This year I was like, you know what? I'm gonna enjoy New Orleans. I have no friends that enjoy New Orleans. So my boyfriend met me on Sunday once I wrapped up work and we got to explore New Orleans. I will say, in terms of Essence Fest, the Internet is very much a liar. The longest line at Essence Fest at the convention center, call it reparations, if you will, was Target.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, yeah.
Mandy B
Oh, my God. Whatever P and G products y' all wanted, if that is reparations for y', all, this boycott that we allegedly Are supposed to still be on is cap.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I just had to argue with somebody about this.
Mandy B
It was the longest line. All the days I went, I will say beautycon. Wonderful. I never saw so many bitches jumping for coochie wash in my life. They was throwing out the her fantasy box. They got the budget of fashion Nova, man.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Her fantasy box.
Mandy B
It's coochie wash.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Okay, but what is it like?
Target Advertiser
What?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It's coochie wash. Is it good?
Mandy B
I ain't used it before. Okay, so this is not an ad.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That wasn't direct. Ask you.
Mandy B
Ask me when I wash my kuchi with. Do you. What the hell, Ak? But no, it was. It was dope. I actually just got to enjoy New Orleans for the city that it is. I ate. I made sure I didn't take my skinny girl shot before I went. So I didn't take it for a month just so I could eat in New Orleans this year.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah.
Mandy B
So I ate. I am. I told y'.
Target Advertiser
All.
Mandy B
One of my. The joys of life for me is live music and live bands. So went to Frenchman Street. Went to. You know, was on Bourbon street every night. But let's get into it. Few things that I realized. Here goes my selective ignorance.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Okay.
Mandy B
Oh, babe, we're gonna start off with the first one. Starting off with the culture of New Orleans. And by that, I did not know the Nolan's hey, baby accent was everyone's. I thought it was a black accent.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, you didn't realize.
Bethenny Frankel
Hold on.
Mandy B
No, I thought it was for the niggas. No, I thought it was the Lil Waynes. I thought it was the masterpiece of it all.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, no.
Mandy B
I've only ever in my life. And yes, I haven't been to New Orleans that much. But I thought it was our accent. Baby, I'm there. I'm not even gonna lie. I think I asked about three or four different servers. What's your ethnicity? Because they're coming up to the table. I met an Asian and about four white people that sounded like fucking Master P. Yeah. And I'm like. I felt like at any moment they were gonna say the N word. And I was just listening extra hard because they sounded black.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I'm surprised you didn't know. Cause there's viral videos that have been going viral for at least a couple years.
Mandy B
I didn't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They assimilate very well.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I didn't know last year there was an Asian man who owns a restaurant down there. I forget what his name, but he came from Korea, I think, or Taiwan. But you hear him Talk New Orleans, baby.
Mandy B
I didn't know. Oh, my God. We was walking by. There was one of the doormen outside of the hotels on Bourbon Street. And the music started playing, and he just started dancing. So I started dancing with him, and he said, don't get me started. You urban. And I'm like, white. Hold on. White. Like, if he was in Georgia, I would think there was a Confederate flag on the back of his pickup truck. And he just. You heard me, baby. And I'm like, oh, my God. Secondly, I felt like I was in gta. The NPC characters on Bourbon Street.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, yeah.
Mandy B
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They still let you drink Hennessy and all that shit.
Mandy B
Hennessy. First off, I was on shrooms. Molly and liquor. Okay.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Jesus Christ.
Mandy B
And literally felt like. Literally felt like I was in fucking Chimchi.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I'm starting to see spaceships on vacuum.
Mandy B
I saw all the aliens from the spaceships on Bourbon Street. It was crazy. We went into one bar, and we were just looking around, and it was like, this isn't real. Like, our bartender left us to go twerk at the front door. The security guard started doing the bout. Started just shaking her. The security guard. Babes, what are you securing? Not us.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
That ass.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That ass is secure.
Mandy B
So that was crazy. Okay. And so all of that happened. Uh.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, here you go.
Mandy B
Here we go. I also.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Any disclaimers before you do this?
Mandy B
Okay. No, actually, no disclaimers. I believe in black love, and I want my sisters to find love in black men. And I know it's hard because there's already a lot of groups of men that are not available to us.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
A lot of sense.
Mandy B
You know, we can start.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Or ineligible.
Mandy B
I mean, we could start with the incarcerated, and that's. Let me get through it. Let me get through it. We could start with the incarcerated. Even though that's, you know, we're against the system here. I get it.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Sure.
Target Advertiser
Yeah.
Bethenny Frankel
Yeah.
Mandy B
So, ladies, I know. Unfortunately, black men are incarcerated at larger rates than we would like, but the
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
apps help bridge that gap.
Mandy B
We don't. I don't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I'm just saying. I'm talking about real black love.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
All right. I'm just saying.
Mandy B
Okay. Secondly, commissary, y' all know, we got the gays. They don't want us. Ladies, it's okay. And we're not homophobic over here. We love all the letters, but they ain't for us. Okay? Then we got the black men that want to play in snow. What we gonna do about that?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They like that. Pure white.
Mandy B
Can't do nothing about that. Right? So, okay, and pure white. Then, of course, depending on your age, depending. There's also. Then just groups of people that are available to you. Then you got geographic location, proximity, all that.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
There's a lot of filters that.
Mandy B
Why black men? Do we have to create another group of men that make it hard for black women to find black love?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Which group of people is.
Mandy B
I was on Canal Street. I wanted in New Orleans. Eight blocks, we gonna get into it. Eight blocks, about 20 niggas a block.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Okay.
Mandy B
And I'm looking and I was like, comment section. Are these the Greeks?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
The comment section gonna go crazy.
Mandy B
So, okay, was it the Q? I was like, NBA season's over. This isn't the Lakers.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Why couldn't I have been there to watch her, observe her from a distance?
Mandy B
So I'm like, what is happening here?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You just couldn't keep going, right, baby? Nope, baby.
Mandy B
Now, I done seen them in Harlem. I done seen them on the belt line, but ain't nothing like this group I done saw out there in New Orleans. So these brothers, by the way, I looked it up because I was like, this is a different group. They are. I think IHLs are their name or is their group or something like that. Basically, they the Christian Israelites. Well, hold on, let me keep going.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Not Christian.
Mandy B
Well, what are they?
Bethenny Frankel
See?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, the Israelites.
Mandy B
Here we go.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They go by the Bible. The Bible was.
Mandy B
I don't think it's the same Bible. I don't know what it is.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I believe they go by the Old Testament. I believe.
Mandy B
Oh, I'm sure they do.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And I think their thing is just a principality thing, not necessarily the religious aspect, but I know they do preach that, you know, the children of Israel are in the Americas.
Mandy B
Well, let me tell you this.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
As we walked, that's all I know.
Mandy B
As we walked by and I started hearing their preachings, I look at my homegirl.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Did you stop?
Mandy B
Hold on. I'm gonna tell you. I look at my home girl, and
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I said, oh, man,
Mandy B
would you like if your nigga did this on a Saturday, like, would your pussy get wet? For a nigga who came out on a corner with all his brothers spewing these thoughts, I said, would your pussy get wet? Didn't think so. So then I look at these brothers, and I just look and I look at all of them. Mind you, there's a lot of them dressed up. Some of them got little robes on. By the way, I've never seen a group of mids like this in my life, not one nigga was over a three. And I was like, okay, these are the black incels. That's what this group is. I'm okay. This is not gonna end up. I haven't seen. I hadn't seen it in person.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Lord have mercy when I say I tried.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
I was trying.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I was trying. Y' all saw I was trying.
Mandy B
Not one N was over at three. So anyways, we're walking by to go to this party called Queerspace. Shout out to Monica Simpson.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Shout out to more season than you see.
Mandy B
I know. So we're just walking past them, and they're, like, saying something to this white group of people. And we don't engage. We just look at our homeboy and we laugh.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Okay. Oh, no. Damn.
Mandy B
The master of the purple and gold must have felt attacked in his soul. Or perhaps he doesn't believe women can chuckle because he goes to ask us a question on his microphone. By the way. Hey, hey, hey, ladies. Are y' all the heads of your household and do you pay bills? And then, baby, we looked around and we said, yeah, we do, actually.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Damn.
Mandy B
We pay our own bills. And he goes in. It's cause you don't know how to shut your mouth. It's cause you're loud. It's cause as women, you need to learn to be subservient to the man. That's why you gotta pay your own bills. It just starts going. And then so I go, oh, fuck,
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
nigga, I know you did it.
Mandy B
I get pulled away. I get pulled away. Of course I said, fuck, who pulled you away?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Rk.
Mandy B
Shout out to rk. Well, I was actually. We were done working, but I was with the people I'm working with.
Target Advertiser
Right, right, right.
Mandy B
And they were like, yeah, this isn't a podcast. Yes. And then we came up to the party because they're like, this isn't a podcast.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But that's what Mandy at home, I
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
wanted to go back.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I got a podcast, though.
Mandy B
You serious? But I wanted to turn around. But as soon as he said that, mind you, I'd already walked about three, four blocks hearing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Hearing their thoughts, the whole thing. Yeah, right.
Mandy B
So, ladies, if on Saturdays, he puts on a purple and gold T shirt and says he's going to the park, we're going to the corner. First off, you woulda ugly nigga. He not above a three. I'm gonna tell you now. I saw them all. Terrible.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I saw them all.
Mandy B
I saw them all. But thirdly, if I said, secondly, I don't know the man don't Respect. You probably don't like women, and you should be beware because it's given.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They preach the structure that's in the Bible.
Mandy B
Yeah. No, no, no. They preach with them niggas in Afghanistan doing all at the park, holding hands without no women because they don't want women to enjoy parks. Them niggas in Afghanistan, gay as hell, too. Trying to just be gay. That's what's happening here. That's what's happening here. How do you keep women from enjoying parks? Music, like, everything in life. And so, no, no, no. There's a journalist.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I don't defend them, but I think that there's women. There's women. No, what I'm saying. There's women who are a part of that, too.
Mandy B
There is a journalist right now. He went and started walking around the park in Afghanistan. These niggas real friendly. He's like. He's like asking all the N on the lawn, like, how is this fun? Where's the. Like, y' all just like to party with no women. Mind you, he gay, right? He gay, white, gay journalist. And he's going around, he sees two of them getting real friendly. He's like, hey, what are y' all doing? And they run from each other. He's like, oh, y' all are really touchy and affectionate without women around, huh? And it's like, it was really, really interesting and telling because there's also, like, women journalists out there right now who are going to certain parks early enough to just see the park. And as soon as the park's open, they have to leave because they're women. So, by the way, we'll talk about this later if you haven't yet. There have been 140 laws that have banned women's rights in Afghanistan. And again, we talked about it last week. Right. Well, Texas is looking to add the Bible into public schools. When one does it, another does it.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You talk about it a lot, though. Upholding what?
Mandy B
Patriarchy? And when I tell you, if y' all look at what's happening in Afghanistan right now and again, and we'll talk about it. I know. You know, they tried to brainwash us that Afghanistan is this terrible, terrible fucking land of people because of Osama bin Laden and all the things that happened here in 9 11.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You ever heard of Poppy?
Mandy B
But those are. But those are. There are women and children and families over there navigating normal life, too.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, that's right.
Mandy B
And it's just sad to see, like, that that is their reality. So look into that also. Look into these Israelites, bitch. Because ill the ghetto. The ghetto. Would you. What I want. You just heard what I want. What you about to ask?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I think life's about balance, right. So my thing is, would you have a one on one conversation with a member of the Israelite nation?
Mandy B
You know what? On this podcast, y.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Just to. Cause I think that. Look, I don't. I've seen them. I haven't engaged with them. I do understand if that's the construct that they are operating in, then they're just gonna give you that. Cause everything else outside of it, they're trying to in their mind. Correct.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah. They think this is the proper way to live.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Correct. So that's the part of it. You know what I mean? And I think that having dialogue, them
Mandy B
thinking that this is the proper way
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
to live is a problem because they're going off of the script. They going off of the book.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
They are taking. I mean it's the same thing that it's basically a conservative movement, right? And they're taking those parts of the Bible to try to subjugate people and police people's behavior, specifically women's behavior. Man, fuck that and all of that shit.
Mandy B
Same way they took nature boy down. I need them to take these niggas down. Well, they ain't lock them away, but
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
they not hurting nobody.
Mandy B
They hurt my feelings.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh God, I'm hurt.
Mandy B
FBI.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Wait, did you. Yo, she said FBI.
Mandy B
Gord, get em.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I don't know. This FBI ain't the same FBI.
Mandy B
Get him out of here. Get them out of here.
Target Advertiser
Back to school. Shopping is about more than just checking off a list. It's about helping kids feel confident walking into a new school year. Whether it's a favorite notebook, a cool backpack, or the perfect pair of shoes, Target is there to make a big difference. Target is showing up for families this back to school season with a huge variety of school supplies, apparel and accessories that help kids do their thing and express their personal style. And with low prices all season long, parents can feel good about getting everything they need at a great value. Think backpacks. Start in just $5 and save up to 60% on school supplies. Plus, Target has the brands and collaborations kids are excited about, including Love Shack, Fancy cat and Jack overtime, and even personalized Oala bottles with stickers, charms and more. With the prices parents want and the brands kids love, Target has everything you need for back to school shopping all in one place. Because when kids feel confident heading into the school year, parents feel good too.
Mandy B
Hey, you planning a little adventure tonight? Knowing your status is part of staying protected against hiv. Keeps it hot, keeps it sexy.
Target Advertiser
So stay naughty and stay informed because
Mandy B
keeping it real about HIV prevention is part of the vibe. When you date, stay up to date on your HIV prevention and sexual health. To learn more, talk to your healthcare provider and visit carefortheculture.com
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
awkward time to ask this, but hey, did you download the trail map?
Mandy B
Yeah, no, I don't need to.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
I don't understand. You're trusting your signal out here.
Mandy B
I'm trusting T Mobile. They have the best network and if we end up in bumtots nowhere, well, we've got T satellite for backup. Whoa.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
I don't trust my carrier that much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We'll just use your phone as a flashlight.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
With America, America's best network and T Satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible. And if you switch today, you get free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line for four lines. Find out more@t mobile.com or visit your local store. Best Mobile Network Based on analysis by Ooklab Speed Test Intelligence data 2H 2025 with 24 monthly bill credits and 4 eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers with autopay plus taxes, fees and 35 connection charge per line credits and imbalance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Contact Us Finance Agreement example $299.99 Moto Edge 5G required T Satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky included with experience beyond $10 a month. However, News Monthly cancel anytime visit t
Bethenny Frankel
mobile.com this is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Most dog food is marketing, not nutrition. That is why Biggie and Smalls eat just food for dogs. Real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. And yes, I do see the difference. Better digestion, healthier skin, more energy. Dogs that feel better. My babies. If you've been on the fence about switching, stop overthinking it. What's more important than your furry babies and their health? Go to justfood4dogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code needed. Just try it.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Allegedly.
Mandy B
Let's get into this is America won't
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
got you slipping though.
Mandy B
You said you had fomo. The entire country has been talking about over the weekend. Jay Z's concert series in Yankee Stadium. Now what's crazy is this was talked about so much a couple months ago when it released it went. It sold out immediately Then we had the Roots. Then they added the Third Day. Then we saw the Roots was also this. Since then, he has also added la, Paris and London.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yep.
Mandy B
So it's giving concert series. It's giving tour. When you do this. This is giving tour.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, this is giving tour.
Mandy B
We are recording this on a Sunday, y'.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
All.
Mandy B
So we are recording this prior to a king's belief that we are getting a new album tonight.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So I've been. So far, all of my predictions have come true. The cutting of the hair, Nas, Eminem, and no Takeover, he totally bypassed. He didn't even play the beat. I think they played the beat later in like a medley with Eminem when Eminem came out. And. But so far. So my theory again, as Mandy said, you know, we're recording this the day of. But I'm thinking because to your point, giving the rollout of the concert stuff, maybe he performs a new album and we get the album on the walkout of the stadium. Right. Which leads into more shows, which leads into an eventual announcement of him doing the Super Bowl.
Mandy B
Oh, you think he's Super Bowl?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Pretty much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I mean, if you're gonna. I think if you're gonna do. I think all the stuff, the momentum he's created for himself.
Mandy B
Not only that, he even said in response to. Even his decision to have Kendrick last year, who had a bigger year than Kendrick. And essentially, when we look at what
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
we're seeing right now, yeah, he's setting himself up.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He's setting himself up to have one
Mandy B
of the biggest as a rapper.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Let me touch, Let me touch la, Let Me touch the uk, Right. Europe. Right. By then, I mean. Oh, my other theory, too, is. Cause he didn't play any Rihanna records in the. You know, at the end of the end of the two nights, he was doing a mixed bag. Right. He hasn't played Run to Town yet.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Run to Town, Yep.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Rihanna's coming out tonight.
Mandy B
Oh, gotcha.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, I can see that.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
She been hanging around in Harlem, going to the fish spots with asap. Rocky, she's in New York.
Mandy B
You know what I mean? I was gonna say she is there asap. Just had a show in Newark.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah.
Mandy B
I think two days ago.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Come on now.
Mandy B
They're definitely in New York.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, I can see Rihanna coming up tonight.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You might have to hop on.
Mandy B
Okay.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I ain't gonna hold you. You gonna get on this flight.
Mandy B
I ain't gonna hold you.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
What's up?
Mandy B
I will be crushed if Rihanna gets on stage. Only because Rihanna stopped putting out music before I was going to Concerts and had this access I got. Now a bitch was broke.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Right, Right.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
While Rihanna was at stage, we never got a chance to bring in concerts.
Mandy B
I never got to see a Rihanna concert. And I think that's why I don't really have too much FOMO with this. Not only did I just get to see Jay Z phenomenally perform with an orchestra, which is now what I'm about to chase. I'm mad. I didn't realize Jeezy was doing it for summer leagues.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Those Jeezy shows look crazy, especially in Vegas.
Mandy B
Yeah, he likes to. So to me, I really want to see that. But I also went to Blueprint 3 tour here in Atlanta. So where Jeezy. It was Jeezy and Trey Songz. And I'm just, you know, I'm not Antoinette. All my New Yorkers have been like, bitch, what is wrong with you?
Target Advertiser
I can't even.
Mandy B
I can't even talk to you this weekend. But I'm just not a huge fan. But I think seeing the love that y' all have, the group chats, how we're talking about it, it is a moment.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean, we don't see, you know, his last tour was 4, 4, 4. But we don't see Jay on stage a lot. We haven't seen him on stage a lot over the past few years. So it's like, it's good to see this and it's good to remind people that he is who he is. And, like, you know, we'll talk about it. And going a little bit more about how people's perception of him has changed to some degree over the years in comparison to what it was when he was in his height. But he is who he is. His art is his art, his music is his music. And the legacy of what he stands for in hip hop is forever.
Mandy B
As a woman, I will also say. And this is. Y' all ain't gotta mention this. Y' all ain't gotta expound on this. But he was in a white shirt on stage.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Mm.
Mandy B
In his arms. It was the first time I, like, you know, like, looked at him. Because all of.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, he definitely was doing some push ups.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, no, no, no, no.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
$100 a day. No, no. The dudes was looking like, wait a
Mandy B
minute, 56 years old. And I say that.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Six years old.
Mandy B
So I'm walking around New Orleans with my boyfriend, who y' all have met.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yes, yes.
Mandy B
And all these men kept approaching him. They kept coming up to him, dapping him. Brother, I see you, like, and I'm like, I said, damn, baby, all these hitting on you. Like, I don't mind it because he finds.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But that's it. You call that a hit? So when I met the homie, what did I ask him?
Mandy B
When I met him, they're crossing the room. When I met him, they're crossing the room.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Hold on. So I'm gay. I asked him, I said, what's your workout regimen?
Mandy B
No, that wasn't gay because we were at a table. But these are grown men. We're walking on the sidewalk and they're like, hey, yo, brother. Hey. We're at the bar. Hold on. I see niggas cross a room and beeline to come and like just dap him up and speak to him. So I'm like, this is gang.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Strangers though. That niggas he knows are all strangers.
Mandy B
I'm like, gang, yo. So hold on. He explains to me because he's a man of a certain age who has kept himself up. And it was all black men too. Ok. And he's like, it's like when black men do it to black men, it's appreciation for me keeping up with myself.
Bethenny Frankel
Sure.
Mandy B
And them saying like, I see you, brother. Like, keeping up with yourself.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mandy B
Still thought it was. Really? Because I guess that's the way to compliment me.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I mean, we had to. He ain't pat him on the butt like, yeah, yeah, good job, captain.
Bethenny Frankel
Very close.
Mandy B
I mean, no, no, no.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Was it the Israelites?
Mandy B
There was niggas rubbing his arms.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, no, that's crazy. That's. Wow. I'm not.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
This is a crazy question, but, like, what was he wearing? Like, what was the thing that made like, nothing.
Mandy B
Button ups and white beaters. Okay, fair enough.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I mean, here's what I say, right?
Mandy B
First off, not the. What was he wearing?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Cause I'm saying, I'm like, why was.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You prefaced it though?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Cause I'm like, why are niggas like, what was going on? Did he have like a Jamaican arm?
Mandy B
He was dressed like y'.
Target Advertiser
All.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He was just like, y' all catching his arms.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But like, listen though, we like, Jay
Mandy B
Z looked good though. I would've touched Jay Z hard. And I ain't never said Jay Z look good, but look, he look like he keeping up with us. Beyonce, I see you, girl.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But look, we're like, we are. We have lost a lot of black men at ages that way too young.
Mandy B
Okay?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And so if you. If it takes you being a little gay to give another man flowers to amplify this idea that we should be healthy and that people should keep themselves together and encourage that behavior. Be a little gay.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Look, I complimented.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It's all right. You want to be gay a little bit or you want to die?
Mandy B
I love that.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That guy was six' seven. That's like four' eight, my nigga. Yeah, like that. What? First of all, no, no, no. Look, I complimented you on your calves.
Bethenny Frankel
He did.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Remember? Cav muscle. I. Oh, this Doing his. Doing his toe steps and whatever that. But I wasn't. That wasn't me trying to. I ain't want to touch his calves. I'm just acknowledging. Like, he said, yo, we all look for inspiration different ways. Like, oh, I need to get my together now.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Black men.
Mandy B
I encourage you to encourage black men to stay healthy.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Hey, be a little gay brother. Be a little gay brother. Don't be scared. Don't be scared. Be a little gay brother.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Tell that until somebody pinch you on your butt.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Tell that other man how you feel about him, King. Tell that man how you feel about him.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Just don't. Just don't touch his body. Don't touch his body.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Don't touch his body. Don't touch his body. But tell him how you feel about him when you see him, because you
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
going to hear Mandy, the voice of man, you gay. Gay.
Mandy B
And then you just got to hear his.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Speaking of. No, I'm stopping.
Mandy B
No. There we go. That is not the transition here.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I just get sick of this.
Mandy B
So, y', all, Jay Z did what he did at the Roots picnic, and he offered us more freestyles in responses to things like Target. He also mentioned Colin Kaepernick as well. And here's the thing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We should play the freestyle.
Mandy B
Oh, see, first you saw the outline producer. All you had to do was drop it in the notes, but you don't got it, so you ain't playing it.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It's the Epsilon song.
Mandy B
But it's okay.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It's the Epsilon.
Mandy B
It's okay. It's okay. Cause I'm not.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I played in post. I played in post.
Mandy B
Yeah, I'm not a fan. I didn't post. So Jay Z hits the stage, does these freestyles at Yankee Stadium. And of course, people like last time dissected the raps. Now I'm gonna kick this off to Ja.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I actually wanted y' all to go first. But
Mandy B
you know what? I'm just gonna summarize it. So Isaac Hayes, founder of Fan Base, Took two.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's a shameless plug. It's crazy.
Mandy B
I mean, okay, whatever, nigga. I'm an investor at this point I need. How do I get my money back? Okay. He took to ironically, a different platform. I thought this was.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Bro, you.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It's always a different platform.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
What's the name of this show?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Every time I got look back.
Mandy B
He's the founder of a. A social media app, but he always screenshots his tweets on threads. On threads.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
On one, whatever. So he's not that shit.
Mandy B
His thoughts on other platforms. Even though he owns a platform. Isaac, we got to talk about that. My brother. All right. He says Colin Kaepernick is paying for the autopsy of Nolan Wells. Meanwhile, Jay Z is dissing Colin Kaepernick at his show for settling with the NFL after Jay Z himself assisted in derailing Collins social justice movement. This is tone deaf and simultaneously on brand for him. Can't make this shit up. Thoughts Take it away.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Cause y' all know he's missing a lot of information there. That's one too.
Mandy B
Okay.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It seems like he shows up when there's any one of Arbery's adversaries. That's when we see these tweets and these conversations Jay Z addressed. He didn't diss Kaepernick. He addressed the target and hypocrisy of people putting it on his shoulders when motherfuckers go to Target every day. Didn't you say you was in New Orleans and you saw the longest line in the motherfucker?
Mandy B
Longest line.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So we boycotted Target for two months. If that. If you go by Target today, if you people watch. I had an argument with one of my friends from the west coast, and she was going on and on, and I said, I'm gonna go there and I'm gonna film this shit. So you can see the hypocrisy of us black and Latinos. We scream and you yell on social media, but we show up in these places. Cause guess what? The prices.
Mandy B
Wait a second. Wait a second. Ignorant. Can we. Can we just not group black and Latinos in for this? They weren't a part of the boycott. Latinos weren't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
All right, fine. You did like.
Mandy B
We not. We not. We're not grouping them in this.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Got you, got you, got you.
Mandy B
They always do their own shit.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Well, guess what? What? Lie are screaming. Shout to the mountaintops on social media. And they go show up at these places. Ain't stopped buying Amazon products. Is waiting on this right now as we do this episode.
Mandy B
Did y' all get your JZ30 albums from Target?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I've seen. No, I haven't got one yet, but
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I don't have record players I need.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, it's the album. No, I probably won't, but I'll buy it for y'.
Target Advertiser
All.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I want to get it. No, no, I want Rock Nation to give me that. Now I'm. I'm entitled now. I'm entire. I want that shit from them.
Mandy B
Wait, you on payroll?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No. Oh.
Mandy B
Cause you know that's the conversation on the Internet right now. Who? Rock Nation.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Painter.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Right?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah.
Mandy B
Okay.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Everybody's broke, yo.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They love. This is like I said before, why are we not celebrating this nigga? He's 56 years old, doing it at a high level. All these 25 year old niggas can't do nothing. They got no capital. Anyway, the whole point of the matter is that's Cap. Yes, he mentioned about the Colin Kaepernick. Cause he took the check and he said, I'm not mad that he took the check. But he also signed. When you take the check, you sign something. Cause you can't talk about it. And to Jay's point, I haven't heard Kaep talk about the NFL since. We know he tried to get the job a few times. Right, Whatever. The whole point of the matter is, why are we focusing on Colin and Jay Z? What are we doing as people? We just arguing about these millionaire niggas not showing up. Come on, man.
Mandy B
Kaepernick in that situation, I can only. I can only compare it to this. Like when you have a friend who's in an abusive relationship and they leave, but for whatever reason, they take they ass back. Now I don't care. I can't care anymore. Like if they did this much to you, took away, like not only your earnings, your money didn't stand for what you stood for. Didn't see your blackness and all this stuff. I hated when he went and tried out. There's so many other things.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Well, he's a football player. That's the other part of it.
Mandy B
Go coach in college. Like to go to the same league. Nigga, take your ass to Canada. There's other football leagues. Like there's other ways he could have still been a part of his love for football without going back to the league that did all the things it did to him. So for me to take whatever money he signed and now we can't hear from him. I don't want to hear from it anymore.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But also your people that look like us said they was going to boycott the NFL. Right? People did say that, huh?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yep.
Mandy B
And then Jay Z.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, no, no. Even beyond Jay Z. Niggas still watch football, bro.
Mandy B
Oh, they love football.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, yeah. I never stopped watching tailgates.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Never stopped the viewing parties at the bars and lounges hadn't stopped. So what are we talking about? It's bro.
Mandy B
So then let me ask you, Ja, how do you view Isaac's take on this?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Take a deep breath first. Cause you know, I'm ready.
Mandy B
I feel like he got his points.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Man, this is getting clipped up, too. Cause this mastermind over here.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
So actually, when it comes to this particular take, to me, this isn't necessarily an original thought of ikea. A lot of people feel this way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cause I know who he is.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I know he is.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I know who he is. Ooh, I know who he is.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Stay my New York ass out of this Atlanta ass business. Yeah, I know who he is.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
There are several people who feel this
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
way about
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Jay Z in general. This particular freestyle mentioning Colin Kaepernick. And I do wanna zoom out a little bit and move a little bit away from even just Ike and address something that's a little bit larger than Ike and how this whole situation plays out. To your point, there's a Target down the street from my crib. There's black people there all the time. I haven't shopped at Target in a minute, but when I go past there, the parking lot's full and there's niggas getting out of the car going into Target. Right? I'm happy that people boycotted Target because you're not ever really gonna see me caping up for no corporation or no company. I don't give a fuck if these motherfuckers fold or their stock prices go down, whatever it is. But also, I know a lot of people didn't boycott Target. And also, I don't think that Target is the number one enemy of black people, okay? Like, they're a company acting like a company. They were in support of BLM when it was popular to do so. When Trump came in office and started reverting dei, they tucked tail because they didn't want no smoke with the administration. Just like a lot of schools and other companies. The lady who stole the Knicks trash can was probably the last person who will be at J.P. morgan as a DEI. Yeah, it probably won't be any more of that, but our good brother Van Lathan has a viral clip that has gone around a lot over the past year. And he describes society dick riding to oblivion. And I think in order to be a better society, in order to have better public dialogue, we need to Undickify society. Like we need to undignify society. And I appreciate Van for calling that out for what it is. It was funny, but it also rings true. But I want to offer a solution to that, because Van called it out as a thing. But I want to offer a solution to what we should do to undickify society. And what I think we need is the Usher Terry Raymond IV method of undickifying your life. And I've said it on this podcast before, I've said it other places. But what that means is subscribing to a method of thought that says, if I'm gonna tell it, I gotta tell it all. Let's not leave out any parts of anything. Let's tell the whole thing, right? So in that vein, Jay Z is my favorite rapper ever. I think Jay Z is unequivocally the goat of rap music. I don't think it's particularly close with anybody. I don't care who your favorite owl is. I don't care who your favorite emcee from Compton is. I think it's Jay Z. Everyone else gets in line. But I think we have to be able to slay our faves. We have to be able to slay the people that. Because I fashion myself to be a real N, and to me, a real nigga is. The metric of a real nigga is not whether or not you can take to task and call out the people that you don't like or the people that you don't know. The metric of a real nigga is, can you take the task? The thing that you love the most? Can you say the real shit about the thing you love the most? And although I don't think this Jay Z freestyle was necessarily an attack on Colin Kaepernick, there's some things that need to be clarified with how he posited this freestyle. Colin Kaepernick, the settlement that he got from the NFL was in conjunction with another player named Eric Reed, who was his teammate at the time. When Colin started kneeling. Eric Reid started kneeling beside him.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
At the end of that season. That was college, which is crazy.
Mandy B
So many people like that detail. Forget that part.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, it wasn't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And he was ostracized, too.
Mandy B
He was.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But here's the thing, right? He was ostracized, too. But Eric Reed was able to get. He got two contracts after that. So he kept the job. Kept kneeling and kept his job. Colin Kaepernick was blackballed.
Mandy B
So he will also say because of the decline of how he was performing
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
as well, though he wasn't declining.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I don't think he was declining. He was still playing well at that point. But I think Colin Kaepernick was the loudest voice. Obviously.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I don't think Eric Reed loud and light.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That too.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's the problem.
Mandy B
You think that was the problem?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes, Loud, light with a big ass afro.
Mandy B
Wait a second. You think him being biracial was the problem?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Nobody remembers Ed Reed.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, the part.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, the part.
Mandy B
The issue was that he was light skinned.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I'm just looking at it. What was. What's the identifier? White people know who Colin Kaepernick because of what he didn't look like. He didn't look like Michael. Michael Porter Jr. Nobody knew he was
Mandy B
the quarterback of the 49ers that went
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
all the way with a big ass afro look with a biracial.
Mandy B
Wait, wait, so you think that's why also people only know oh boy from Kansas City. Who Mahomes. Cuz he like. I mean cuz he a biracial too.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But guess people he's no n know
Mandy B
who Cam Newton were. People know the quarterback.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
People know the people know the quarterback attributes.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And is it Colin at the time was very open and. And with the afro, the symbolism.
Target Advertiser
Right?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, he. He became the symbol white household number. Oh, that's Colin Kaepernick.
Bethenny Frankel
Yeah.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Without even. They never see him play Colin Kaepernick.
Mandy B
I will say I wanna bring up a tweet if you don't mind. Before we get into Noah Wells, I did see something interesting because how you said you had to know how to call out your faves too. Now I don't know if both of these people are fans, but I do like the take on this. So Teslin Figaro, she took to Instagram to actually comment on the freestyle by saying Jay Z said boycotting target without boycotting other entities is picking and choosing. However, the Target boycott organizers explained on numerous occasions why Target was a target by saying you can't boycott everything at once.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Correct.
Mandy B
So is Jay and others that agree with him picking and choosing to not understand how boycotts work? Selective ignorance. Then my son hopped in there as well and said the crazy thing is Charlamagne keeps saying it even after he intervened intervened them and they explained it. The reality is people don't understand organizing and boycotting.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, I mean, and I think that's true too. I mean that's why we see so many people.
Mandy B
I see that. But it's the picking and choosing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We're dumb. That's it. Everybody's dumb. We got it. We lost our way, bro. The civil rights mean nothing to nobody no more. Because we don't look at that at.
Mandy B
Wait, aide.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Context. No context. We don't look at it. We know it exists. We don't study it and see how do we implement today.
Mandy B
I agree.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We just know it as a historical footnote. That's it.
Mandy B
Well, yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I mean, we're at a point now where, and this has been said numerous times, but like, people don't want to sacrifice anything like our convenience. We've placed convenience at, at the top of everything. Anything that interrupts our convenience or our monetary happiness is just like, ah, whatever. I don't have time for that. But I want to clarify a couple things about what Jay said because the way he posited when he said he took a check.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reed. Colin Kaepernick filed his lawsuit first. Eric Reid filed a separate lawsuit. Eventually they combined their lawsuit together because they were both being represented by the same lawyer.
Mandy B
Okay.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Ultimately, the NFL settled the lawsuit, more than likely because.
Mandy B
With an NDA.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Right, with an NDA. But here's the thing about even the NDA the NDA was about. And this happens with all pretty much civil lawsuits where you settle. You can't talk about how much they paid. You can't talk about the conversation that happened in the negotiation. It doesn't stop you from talking about. There's no public record anywhere that he cannot talk about the NFL. The reason I know that is because two years after this settlement, or maybe four years after this settlement, he did his Netflix series Colin in Black and White. And in Colin in Black and White, one of the first things that he talks about in that doc is that the NFL combine is like a slave auction. And you're poking and prodding black men and you're dehumanizing them just based off of athletic attributes and all these things. In 2023, he did an interview with NPR and the interviewer asked him about how he feels about the NFL if they've made any change, if his kneeling did anything. And he said straight, no, I don't think the NFL has changed anything. I think that they are still doing the same old things that they always did. And I wouldn't put them, I wouldn't give them any goodwill or any benefit of the doubt. So in regards to the non disparaging thing, he, Colin Kaepernick is still saying the things that he's saying about the NFL and he hasn't been sued for it. So he's still talking about the shit that he's talking about. But the thing that Jay did, in saying it that way, made it seem like. And then he says the line about, I'm the one who can't be controlled. And he was making it seem as if, well, you took the check. So they control you, but they can't control me, which isn't. Which isn't actually what happened. Now, people can argue about whether or not they feel like Jay did that on purpose to be petty or whether that was him just saying what he's saying and him not understanding what actually happened in the lawsuit.
Mandy B
But, I mean, in hip hop, in music, raps are up for interpretation all the time.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So, like, I just don't understand.
Mandy B
And it's a freestyle. I just don't. And whether it's really a freestyle or not is.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, I mean, they're not. J.J. don't write. It's him. Yeah, it's him saying a rhyme.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, that's what Jay does not write. I know that's hard to believe, but he does. I didn't believe it.
Mandy B
He don't write, but maybe he practiced it in his mind. He conceptualized.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You don't got ghostwriters like your man, but go ahead.
Mandy B
Whoa, who's my man? We not gonna talk about that. My man's is Cole. He's on the tour right now. Can't wait to go next week.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
J. Cole. Not cold.
Mandy B
I said cold.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I know. Cause you know you done.
Mandy B
You done.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Freestyle is an elastic term nowadays that just encompasses you're saying a rhyme that has never been released on a record, on a beat, whatever.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Right, right.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But I think that. Listen, I think that there is plenty of fair criticism for Jay Z and the things that he's done. And I think what we have to get to is a point where we all. Me included, and everyone listening and everyone watching, we have to fight the reflexive instinct, that gag reflex when we have the dick in our throat and we
Mandy B
hear someone really gay that, yo, who got dick in our throat? Pride month was last month, man.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Listen, you have to fight. You have happy pride. Sendo. You have to fight.
Mandy B
Extend them.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yes.
Mandy B
What is that?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
We have to fight. Fight the reflexive instinct to defend our favorite thing just because we hear something. An uncomfortable criticism about said thing.
Mandy B
Wait, gag reflex is your favorite thing?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Dick in the throat?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, when it's. Dick in the throat. When you have Beyonce's dick in your throat.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Jay Z's context. I'm trying to. I'm trying to have favor With Roc Nation over here, buddy.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I am. I get it, I get it, I get it. When you hear something about somebody that you love or don't like, you need to. Don't just immediately step back. You can step back for a second and just be like, hey, let me look at this. Let me look at this thing and see what's being said and see if it has any merit. I'm not canceling Jay Z. If I could go to the concert tonight on a PJ and hop on a helicopter that uses a spotlight, I would be in that motherfucker, swinging around, happy as shit.
Mandy B
So you're saying you also don't care about climate change? Change. Okay, no.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yes, I'm going to see Jay Z against climate change. Yes, I'm going to see Jay Z. We going to burn up the ozone layer and all that. And I'm g. Go and rock out to whatever the fuck's going on. I'm not canceling Jay Z. I'm not going to malign Jay Z. I. I still have a certain respect for Jay Z, and that's just going to be what it is. But if you're going to tell it, tell it all, stand in what it
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
is, tell it that, tell it off just to. I don't understand, put a bow on it.
Mandy B
Cause we gotta get to know about us.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Why us as a community keeps. Regardless of what Jay Kap. Why are we not organizing? Why are we not standing on principles? Why are we lying on social media saying we're boycotting something, but we're going in these stores anyway?
Mandy B
And no, I don't lie to the people. I be up honest on here. I tell it all. Don't I say too much?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Why you say much?
Mandy B
I actually say way too much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, you do.
Mandy B
But it's honestly like I. And I be trying to get y' all to share more, and y' all do, and then y' all be regretting a little bit too. But I think I share a little bit too much. I gotta like, I gotta start. I gotta reel it in because I even told my too much. I was. No, no, no, no. I shared way too much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It's too late.
Mandy B
I shared way too late now. No, no, no, no. It's way too late now.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It's way too late.
Mandy B
No, it's way too.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, it wasn't canceled. The toothpaste don't go back in the tube.
Mandy B
No, no, no. It was the Molly. That girl is not invited no more. Oh, my God.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
So no Molly and no Grace.
Mandy B
That bitch had me no Molly and no Grace.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No Molly and no Grace.
Mandy B
Them hoes gotta go, okay? Them hoes gots to go away. And Molly and Grace sound like some white bitches. I don't need to hang around anyways because I would be the only one of color around.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And they leave you stranded somewhere.
Mandy B
Let's get into it. Over the 4th of July break, unfortunately, a story hit. It's our timelines. Nolan Wells was. Damn it, did I keep calling him Noah? I'm sorry. Nolan Wells.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Nolan Wells, yeah.
Mandy B
Nolan Wells went missing after a boat day with his white friends. And of course, they came back to land and said amnesia. They didn't know what happened. As the investigation has continued, they have said that he decided to stay with another group of friends. The group was like, nah, that nigga ain't say he was gonna stay with me. His body was found. They are saying that Ben Crump has taken on this case. We have Tyler Perry, who has agreed to pay for funeral costs. And then we do have Colin Kaepernick, who is paying for a private autopsy. And this is because, allegedly. And by the way, correct me if y' all saw something else, why this is being done is because had he drowned, which, of course, is going to be the assumption of a black person around a body of water. Had he drowned, there would have been water in his lungs. And apparently, with the autopsy, what was found so far is not given that a drowning happened. A drowning happened.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah.
Target Advertiser
Mm.
Mandy B
And so now they're. They did hire a private autopsy report. The parents have been doing a phenomenal job getting this story out there.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
They have strong people, too.
Bethenny Frankel
Very strong.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I watched this story.
Mandy B
Very strong.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And I would be crushed if this happened to my son. And they are standing strong in the
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
fact that, like, they know their child, bro.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
They know their child. They know something is not right with this situation.
Mandy B
I agree. I do. So the conversation that I want to have. And, Dee, if you could pull up the clip, we'll play this. But the conversation that has really hit the Internet has been the conversations around if we, as black people should be the only ones in the room with a group of white people that both black men and women and children are not safe ever in a room full of white men and women. And so with this being a child, I do also want to say some names of people that lost. I came across this page, and I would love y' all to follow her. She dope. And, yes, I'm saying that about a white woman. No, her page is that dad love, if you could play this Clip for us. Real quick to have a quick check in with all the white parents, white parents. How are we talking to our children who have black friends?
Target Advertiser
Because the black community is talking to
Mandy B
their children about if they can trust their white friends.
Target Advertiser
So how are we as white parents
Mandy B
talking to our white children about how they are to show up for the their black friends? I had a conversation with our white son and we also have to have conversations with our black children about potentially not trusting people who look like their parents. That those people who look just like the parents who surround them and love them might not be the safest people for them to be with. They might not be the people who are going to have their backs. So white parents with white children. Are you having those conversations about how your white children are going to show up and bring home their black friends? Yeah, right.
Target Advertiser
I want to just.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I've seen a lot of videos on social media from our white counterparts. I seen one video where the gentleman was saying that he made the reference that these rich families that have white children who have black friends, if something happens, they're not protecting that black child because the interest goes beyond the child, it goes to the parents now.
Target Advertiser
Right.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And in this case, we have one of the friends whose mom is a judge.
Bethenny Frankel
Yep.
Mandy B
You know what's up?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
She's violating her oath or her protocol by even talking about this publicly. Cause when she talks about it, she may be swaying, getting biased, the bias when somebody with her position is not supposed to mention anything because her son is part of the investigation.
Target Advertiser
Back to school shopping is about more than just checking off a list. It's about helping kids feel confident walking into a new school year. Whether it's a favorite notebook, a cool backpack, or the perfect pair of shoes, Target is there to make a big difference. Target is showing up for families this back to school season with a huge variety of school supplies, apparel and accessories that help kids do their thing and express their personal style. And with low prices all season long, parents can feel good about getting everything they need at a great value. Think backpacks starting at just $5 and save up to 60% on school supplies. Plus, Target has the brands and collaborations kids are excited about, including Love Shack, Fancy cat and Jack overtime, and even personalized Oala bottles with stickers, charms and more. With the prices parents want and the brands kids love, Target has everything you need for back to school shopping all in one place. Because when kids feel confident heading into the school year, parents feel good too.
Mandy B
Hey, you planning a little adventure tonight? Knowing your status is part of of Staying protected against HIV keeps it hot, keeps it sexy.
Target Advertiser
So stay naughty and stay informed because
Mandy B
keeping it real about HIV prevention is part of the vibe. When you date, stay up to date on your HIV prevention and sexual health. To learn more, talk to your healthcare provider and visit care for the culture.com
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
awkward time to ask this, but hey, did you download the trail map?
Mandy B
Yeah, no, I don't need to.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I I don't understand.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
You're trusting your signal out here.
Mandy B
I'm trusting T Mobile. They have the best network and if we end up in bumtots nowhere, well, we've got T satellite for backup.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Whoa.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
I don't trust my carrier that much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We'll just use your phone as a flashlight.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
With America's best network and T Satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible. And if you switch today, you get free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line line for four lines. Find out more@t mobile.com or visit your local store. Best Mobile Network Based on analysis by Ooklab Speed Test Intelligence data 2H 2025 with 24 monthly bill credits and 4 eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers with auto pay taxes fees and 35 connection charge per line credits and imbalance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Contact Us Finance Agreement example 299.99 Moto Edge 5G required T Satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky. Included with expensive experience beyond $10 a month. Audible News monthly cancel anytime visit t
Bethenny Frankel
mobile.com this is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Let me be blunt. Most dog food is junk. It just is. And I'm not feeding junk to Biggie and Smalls. That is why they eat just food for dogs. It's real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize, not mystery pellets pretending to be healthy. And once I switched, the difference was obvious. Better digestion, better skin, more energy. Dogs who actually feel good instead of just surviving dinner. Here's the thing. You care about quality. You make an intentional choice to be healthy. So why are you gambling with your dog's health? So let's think about our furry babies. Go to justfoodfordogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code. Just try it. Because once you see the difference, you're not going back.
Mandy B
I wanted to add for those of you who are new here, I'm My mom is white who May be new here.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Who are you? Who these podcasting with these mics?
Bethenny Frankel
Listen, you know what I mean?
Mandy B
But I present as a black woman. My mom is white, and I went to all black schools growing up until my freshman year of high school. I went to Dr. Phillips, which was predominantly white, but I went because it was a magnet program. I went for no, you know what's crazy?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Art.
Mandy B
Nice television product.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
There you go.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, okay.
Mandy B
Yeah. I was recording announcements, and I was learning and editing. That was the magnet program. And I'll never forget it. Freshman year, I went to a party. It was the first time I came home drunk.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Okay.
Mandy B
And my mom actually had a conversation with me because there wasn't ever fear around me being around my people. But she knew the access to drugs that the white kids had, like, little to fewer supervision. Like, the parties that were being held, the drugs, the liquor that was available.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's a lot happening.
Mandy B
And they were wealthy white people, right? So I remember a conversation and her fear of me going to these white places, not only because of that, but without people. Like, my friends, shout out to Chris Warren. That's my homeboy, who ended up bringing me home that night. And, like, he walked me to the door. My mom was grateful, and she literally asked, too. Like, were more of y' all there, like. Or was this that? And it's just a conversation I'll never forget, of course. Also getting really scolding for being drunk as fuck. But I had never had that conversation with her before when I had hung out with all my friends that looked like me when I did sleepovers, when I spent the night. But this was my first time going, like, being around white people, right? Ninth grade. My mom is white, but all of our neighborhoods, everything was black. And so seeing this take place, she know her people really brought me. It brought me back to that. But also, like, she had been someone who ran away from home. And of course, we already know black people took her in. My dad is black. Like, her friends when we were growing up black. And so. And it's interesting because to know that that conversation was had in. What was that, 2003? 4. We are in 2026, and these are conversations somehow that we're still having. And it shocks me to know that this hate is still being taught because these three white kids, keeping it a secret or not being told, that means their parents, which are my age, are still being taught this hate.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It never went nowhere.
Mandy B
And I can't. Like, a part of me being a millennial, seeing how we blended growing up As a biracial, seeing the blending of things, also knowing that that was taught, but also knowing how much we as a community had the Internet, have unlearned so much of this to see that my generation, 30s and 40s, are teaching their kids to be.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It never went nowhere, Mandy. Mandy. It never went anywhere. If the course correction wasn't done 40, 50 years ago and you had the residual effect of the 60s, some of them, people in the 60s didn't like that shit that went down. They didn't like that it was equal civil rights being discussed. They didn't like what Martin was talking about. They didn't like what Malcolm was talking about. They didn't like what Mega Evans was talking about. So as things, quote, unquote, started trending a different way, they still harbored that anger, that pain towards another group of people. That's why you hear narrative now. Go back to where you came from or get up out my area or all the things. Like, they never went nowhere, Mandy. And unfortunately, look where we had today. As you pointed out, it's 2026 now.
Target Advertiser
I don't have.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
What are we gonna do after November?
Mandy B
I don't have children. But I'm curious then, like, even we had a conversation similar to this about, you know, when I go out and I leave, whether my friends want me to or not and vice versa, what then should the conversations be? Because we're not sitting here, as, you know, parents of. Of children that may be dealing with this. What should our conversations be? Because there have been adults as well, who we have seen, unfortunately pass away under these same circumstances. Right. So we have Ashley Janay, which was recent, but that became a race thing, which it did look like that wasn't the case. We have Lauren Smith. I want to call out these other names. I don't know if y' all can. Tamla, that's the one. She's the one who went with her.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That was the woman here in Atlanta.
Mandy B
Tamla Horsford, Peter Spencer, Kyle Bassinga, Kendrick Johnson, K' Wan Charles, Gloria Bambo, James Beard, Lauren Smith, Elijah Weatherspoon. These are all names of black adults. I think Elijah was the only child here, but these are all.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, and Kawan Charles and others like, I've been.
Mandy B
Yeah, but these are.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
This list is longer.
Mandy B
This is not all, but these are the ones that we know that over the last, you know, recent decade or so, have literally fell victim to being the only black person in the room.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's also, before I know you, about to cook up some sous chef type shit. Yo, a lot of those incidences, too. The one thing that's prevalent is that they deemed it a suicide or they deemed that they took their own life. So there's nothing past that. And it seemed like that's just the default, you know, the young blood who was chased down by the three pickup trucks and call him the N word. And they found his body decapitated. And they said. You know what they said? They said, oh, they told the parents, the animals, the wild animals.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Wild animals got them right. You got no head, but the animals got to you, bro.
Mandy B
There's lynching, there's drugging, there's. I mean, everything at this point, maybe poisoning, there's. Because so much prove it. But that's what I'm saying.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's what they say, prove.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It's sad, but over the past several years, just give it to us just to add some names because I've been writing about. About a lot of these cases on bossip for at least the last three years.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I know you got fatigued.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, it gets old because it's the same old pattern of information, the same cycle of how they treat it all and over again. So Trey Reid, found in Mississippi. Hanged himself. Allegedly. You mentioned Kyle Basinga. Javon Givon in Albuquerque said he hanged himself. Where's this other person? Torrence Medley, Same thing. Got found near a golf course in Wisconsin, hanged himself.
Mandy B
There's one right now, and I can't get the name, but if you guys look, there is a. They're trying to get more national news on it, I think. Mississippi. There was just a hanging.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Another one in Mississippi.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Another one? Yeah.
Mandy B
Another hanging recently, like in the last two weeks?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yep. Denorris Richardson. Several years back, there was a child who died at school, wrapped up in a gym mat, I remember that. Fell through the bleachers and got rolled up in a gym mat and suffocated to death. And no. No one knows anything. No one saw anything. So there's all these cases that happen over and over and over and over again, and they always come to the same conclusion almost immediately, oh, it was a suicide. And kind of just keep it moving. So, like, this is not. Unfortunately, this isn't a new thing.
Mandy B
And do you think we're going too far, though, at all by just instructing us to stay. To stay away from all white people, like, not all white people, like that. I'm saying, is it silly for parents to say, you need another black friend if you're gonna hang with these white people? If you're gonna go to this Party. You need to have another black person there. What is the real solution here? Is that not like.
Bethenny Frankel
What.
Mandy B
What is it? I don't know.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I don't see like, if you have. Yes, I would like to see more black children have at least a co pilot, another black melanated person with them to say, all right, let's just make sure we got each other at all times.
Mandy B
Is that realistic?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It might not be. I mean, I don't know how many. I don't know how many black kids live in their neighborhood. I don't know how many other black friends Nolan Wells had, whatever the case was.
Mandy B
But if possible, the fan base, red meat. When I said that there has to be more than 13% black people in the country, they're like. They said I hadn't traveled enough to the Midwest where there's not black people,
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
there'll be no black. I know people that grew up in Iowa that they see black people. There was one other black person in their school of a thousand.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They don't have interaction.
Mandy B
So that's what I'm saying.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So how are you gonna be taught something different?
Mandy B
But that's what I'm saying. So how are we realistically gonna avoid that?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, that's the thing. I know.
Mandy B
What's the answer? Oh, it's given ignorant.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That kid Nolan spoke to his parents that same morning. Hey, son, you going out there? All right, see you later. There's no later. Right, Right. I don't know how long they've been in that town. I don't know the origin story of his parents and how they got to that area. Yeah, but perhaps this is not working.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, we need to get back on our Plessy versus Ferguson. We need to get back on our separate but equal.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Because if they're not responsive to how do they view people of color? Are they still with the three fifths Bullshit. We less than.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, that's the thing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Cause if that's what they're being taught, then the behavior is not gonna change.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, that's the other problem.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Because if you listen to the enhanced audio, he's. Give me my phone back.
Mandy B
The way the enhanced audio with Nolan
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
and the friends, the video was, so.
Mandy B
Oh, wait, there was. Cause they're saying there was an argument.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, there was, yes. There's a video. In a video, you can't see who's arguing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's the part. But you can hear.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, you can hear this circling around all the boats. You hear people arguing in the background and there's some type of back and forth Going on. Yeah, yeah. I don't know how you police this situation, but it's like, you know, there's a. It's crazy this is happening right now because over the past, I would say I've been seeing it for maybe the past two months or so. There's a trend on social media of black people walking up. If they see a black person with white people, they'll walk up to them. Hey, Kim, just making sure you good.
Mandy B
Yes, I see, I see.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Make sure these white people not fucking with you. Like, Whoopi, Whoopi, whoop. And it's gone two ways. I see one video where the white people laugh along because they understand what's being said.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Right, right.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But there's another recent video where it went left, and I dropped it in the chat. I don't know if y' all got to see it.
Mandy B
No, I didn't see it.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
So black guy does the same thing. He's walking down the street. I think he's in New York. He sees a guy sitting on a curb restaurant eating with some folks that look white.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, that's the homie. That's the guy. He does. He went on a plane and he said, yo, if you're not racist, don't give up your front yard, your first class seat to a black person.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Right?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
A black person, right.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So he does that.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
He says the thing to the black guy, hey, I'm pretty sure that you good. And the nigga was mad, right? He was vicious. Yeah, like, pissed. I got up out his seat and was ready to fight this dude because, nah, these is my people. You don't know me. You don't know me.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And who he thought was a white man, man was actually biracial.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Biracial.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And he showed him. He's like, my daddy.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
My daddy black. He pull out his doing 23andMe on the sidewalk. He's trying to prove that he's black. And I was like, this video was crazy as hell.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But what was the end game after it, though?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, the nigga apologized and he said, I'm just trying to look out for you. And they hugged and they hugged afterwards because he's like, yo, I'm just trying to look out for you, bro. Yeah. I'm sure he was doing it partly in jesting.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's part of. But that's his content.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Yeah, that's his content.
Mandy B
I think this does become difficult when. And we do acknowledge that there are allies. We do acknowledge that. We all have. I met your white friend and we embraced after I was like, damn, you know this white motherfucker.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But even Mike Wahlberg, there's always a white Mike. But look though, there's always a white Mike.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But white Mike is ubiquitous in the black community.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We don't work in Mississippi. They ain't teaching us.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, that's the part of the thing of this story is that the reason there's no good faith is because in Michigan, still Michigan, I don't know where
Mandy B
in Michigan, but Detroit, you got a couple like this is.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You're not in Ann Arbor, Michigan. You know what I mean?
Mandy B
You gotta.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But it's like in. But in Mississippi, you're not going to get black people in large to have good faith that. Oh, just you, right?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Michigan in, in Mississippi.
Bethenny Frankel
Yeah.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Big time.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Big time. So it's like we're looking at the situation with skepticism from the beginning. Then you get into the details of it. The judge is one of the kid's mom and she deactivated all her social
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
media along with the act that she violated and said.
Mandy B
So let me ask both of y', all give me one way that white people could be a part of helping or. You sound like you don't think so.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, I think it can be we gotta. Do you know how they go? You know how we do the foreign exchange shit, the program. We go abroad, they gotta come around. Not abroad, but within and just spend some time unlearn and relearn.
Mandy B
I agree with that.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Cause we don't be in their ass like that, bro. You don't ever hear white people say that they, they lost a son or a daughter in a black community. In fact, they'll come to the black community and we more liable to go take it to the pizza spot or to the.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, yeah.
Mandy B
They come back with a whole experience.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
They like, oh man.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. I find one. Find one. I bet you can't. You cannot find a scenario where that, that, that, that has happened.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, that's the thing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We. Am I wrong right now on the surface? D. You think of something right now, Case you just riddled off 10 names of recent shit, right? And that's. You add that to the. I guess hundreds of thousands.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Correct.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
All right. So.
Mandy B
But yeah, I don't think. No. A white man that went into a black neighborhood and, you know, came up
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
missing a white child that's missing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
The fact that we got sunset sun, sun downtown still in 2026. That's the problem.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, the thing is too, and I've said this about police brutality as well, they'll be like, well, Police kill white people too. Well, hey, check it out. If y' all don't care that y' all people get killed, that's y' all problem. Yeah, when our people die, we give a fuck. We give a fuck and we're gonna see about it. And we're gonna interrogate it. We're gonna investigate as you're gonna stay on it. And we're not gonna just let it go to the way when we hear something crazy about our people. If y' all don't have the same love and respect and care for your people, that's a y' all thing. They don't have nothing to do with us.
Target Advertiser
Back to school shopping is about more than just checking off a list. It's about helping kids feel confident walking into a new school year. Whether it's a favorite notebook, a cool backpack, or the perfect pair of shoes, Target is there to make a big difference. Target is showing up for families this back to school season with a huge variety of school supplies, apparel and accessories that help kids do their thing and express their personal style. And with low prices all season long, parents can feel good about getting everything they need at a great value. Think backpacks. Start in just $5 and save up to 60% on school supplies. Plus, Target has the brands and collaborations kids are excited about, including Love Shack, Fancy Cat and Jack Overtime, and even personalized Oala bottles with stickers, charms and more. With the prices parents want and the brands kids love, Target has everything you need for back to school shopping all in one place. Because when kids feel confident heading into the school year, parents feel good too.
Mandy B
Hey, you planning a little adventure tonight? Knowing your status is part of staying protected against HIV keeps it hot, keeps it sexy.
Target Advertiser
So stay naughty and stay stay informed.
Mandy B
Because keeping it real about HIV prevention is part of the vibe. When you date, stay up to date on your HIV prevention and sexual health. To learn more, talk to your healthcare provider and visit carefortheculture.com
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
awkward time to ask this, but. Hey, did you download the trail map?
Mandy B
Yeah, no, I don't need to.
Bethenny Frankel
I don't understand.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
You're trusting your signal out here.
Mandy B
I trusting T Mobile. They have the best network. And if we end up in bumtots nowhere, well, we've got T satellite for backup.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Whoa.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
I don't trust my carrier that much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We'll just use your phone as a flashlight.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
With America's best network and T Satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And if you switch today, you get
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line for four lines. Find out more@t mobile.com or visit your local store. Best Mobile Network based on analysis by Ooklib speed test intelligence data 2H 2025 with 24 monthly bill credits and 4 eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers with auto pay taxes fees and 35 connection charge per line credits and imbalance too if you pay off earlier, cancel contact US Finance Agreement example 299.99 Moto Edge 5G required T Satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky. Included with experience beyond or $10 a month auto renews monthly. Cancel anytime.
Bethenny Frankel
Visit team mobile.com this is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Most dog food is marketing, not nutrition. That is why Biggie and Smalls eat just food for dogs. Real 100 human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. And yes, I do see the difference. Better digestion, healthier skin, more energy. Dogs that feel better. My babies, if you've been on the fence about switching, stop overthinking it. What's more important than your furry babies and their health? Go to justfoodfordogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code needed. Just try it.
Mandy B
It's funny that you say that because this is not a sports podcast. But. But we do have white people right now rallying and caring about the safety of Caitlin Clark.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Caring? Caring about.
Mandy B
I don't. I don't want to get there because you said that.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Why? What case study do they have to source reference to justify their concern? Well, listen, nobody's trying to hurt that nigga list.
Mandy B
All I know is John was like, I got thoughts. Now for y' all that do not know, the Republican Party has decided to send a nice little letter. Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the wnba, Shut up. Questioning the officiating and defending of Caitlin Clark. It argues that Clark has been subjected to repeated heart fouls and excessive physical play since entering the league. And mind you, yes, they do. They say that this is racist, all right, because she is a white superstar in this league and the black players are hard on her. Now, Clark has been involved in several highly publicized physical incidents, including being hit in the throat, which. Which the league did put as a flagrant. Stephanie White has publicly criticized the WNBA officiating, saying Clark and other players do deserve better protection. There have been growing calls and what's crazy about this is I also feel like this is one of those things that it's always been happening, but now that the WNBA just has a larger spotlight on it, we're just seeing more of it. Babe just went to the WNBA game this weekend. Got to see the Atlanta Dream Angel. Reese was out, she was in a boot. But the Atlanta Dream played Portland, which is one of the new teams that just got added shout out to the team. And baby,
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
it was.
Mandy B
It was also just letting you know, even though it was at Parkway, the vibes that arena was more live than off.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, no, they get up in there.
Mandy B
They get up in there.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah.
Mandy B
Like, I felt like I was almost at a high school.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I could play a high school college at the feet.
Mandy B
Like, there's a guy that has front row seats and he was orchestrating. Ref, you suck. Ref, you suck. I'm like, oh, this is giving Garden, babe.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, it was just.
Mandy B
It was fun. It was about. But them girls was. It wasn't. No, it wasn't. Light up on that court. The falls, they was flopping like the World cup. They was throwing themselves. Nah, I ain't gonna hold you soccer players. But this flopping is crazy. But this has been a conversation now because now not only are we dealing with racism again, absolutely. We are dealing with politics. Involving themselves into sports.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
In the wnba, who would have thought?
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Who would have thought?
Mandy B
We thought they didn't even care about women. Y' all are taking away women's rights, yet now you care about this white woman in the motherfucking NBA and the hard fouls she is getting. Are you fucking kidding me? Republicans, there are bigger fish to fucking fry.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And what's crazy about it is, is that this story has. It meets at this crazy intersection of like misogyny, patriarchy, racism, white knighting entitlement. Like, entitlement, like it has all of these elements at play, right? So first and foremost, like. And shout out to my brother, David Dennis. He made this point on first take last week. And this is what athletes go through. When you are a big dog athlete, people are going to try you. Your peers when you play the game are gonna try you. When LeBron James was fresh in the league, niggas tried him. And right now, Victor Wembanyama is getting tried. They're gonna be physical with him.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's a counter.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, but what I'm saying is that when you're that one, when you're looked at as that one, people are gonna take it. They're gonna give you their best shot. They're gonna take it to you to see if you really like that. And so this is just what happens. Caitlin Clark is just that. But then the question I asked myself at first was, who's the best white American NBA player.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Player.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Maybe you say it's Austin Reeves. Maybe you say it's Cooper Flag. Maybe you say it's European joking.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, American.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, no, no. White America. White American players.
Mandy B
Hold on, let me think of a white American. I know Kevin Love is fine.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
He used to be. Also. Kevin Love is 59 years. Super flag. Like who?
Mandy B
The white man we ran into Kyle Corver.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But he's like two years younger than Kevin Love.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Kyle Corver was never as good as these new white boys. Right? But these white boys have probably heard,
Mandy B
wait, I'm mad that we ain't really ain't got no white Americans that's hooping like that. For real.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Say those three are the biggest. You know, if you want to. I mean, he's not one of the best, but, like, people respect. Respect Pritchard.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
People respect Donald Trump.
Mandy B
Just go back to Larry Bird. Okay? Larry Bird.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, right. People respect players like that. But in my mind, I'm like, Congress would never. The misogyny comes in. Is that Congress. These people would. These white boys have probably heard all kinds of shit on NBA course, gotten elbowed and gotten thumped and filed and all kinds of shit. Congress is not gonna write a letter to the NBA saying you have to protect these white athletes. And they're not coming out and saying it, but they're talking about, well, they're creating a hostile work environment. If there's any discrimination or retribution going on. Discrimination. So what you're saying is discrimination.
Mandy B
I think Paul Pierce and KG came out and said that when they played. And it probably wasn't the Garden back then, but in Boston, they would get called the N word.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He talks about the abuse that they were getting.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Russell Wilson, I mean, Russell Westbrook was gonna fuck a fan up in Utah a few seasons back because they was talking crazy to him. And he's not a nigga who's gonna stand around and let you talk that shit.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
As soon as he barked back, everybody.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
So where were y' all when niggas were experiencing discrimination and all this shit? Y' all was nowhere to be found. Cause y' all don't give a fuck. But now that this white girl in a league full of black women. So what you're saying is that these black women who make up the majority of the WNBA are being racist and making a hostile work environment that might violate the civil rights of Caitlin Clark, civil rights. We're playing basketball.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And you saw the picture that just came out. Who the new civil rights leadership in that organization, right? All white people. He'd have replaced all the niggas. It's like it was like two or three sprinkles of black women in there, and everybody else was, oh, wow, W
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
H Y T E. What has the
Mandy B
NBA's response been, though, Jon?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
So the WNBA has basically just said, you know, we're going to. And even the. What is her team. What is Caitlin Clark's team? Indiana. I forgot what their team is called. But they've basically said, like, hey, we're going to try to protect our players. The team is. We're focused on winning. Like, the players on the team are saying they're focused on winning, et cetera, et cetera.
Mandy B
And I want to add as well a quote from the Times Magazine with this happening. Clark is cognizant of the racial underpinnings.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Of course, she's always been, even in
Mandy B
college, her being a star. And I wanna quote her, just because this isn't us discussing Caitlin Clark as much as it's like the Republican Party now, just.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And white people at large.
Mandy B
And white people at large reacting to what she's experiencing. She says, I wanna say I've earned every single thing. But as a white person, there is privilege. A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been black players. This league has been kind of built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible. I think is very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate black women, it's going to be a beautiful thing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah.
Target Advertiser
So.
Mandy B
And she said that in the Times Magazine, after winning athlete of the Year
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
or girlfriend, she might have a black boyfriend or girlfriend or, you know, she.
Bethenny Frankel
I don't know.
Mandy B
I'm against girlfriend.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I'm against girlfriend.
Mandy B
I ain't gonna hold you.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We was at the WD was like,
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
yeah, I'll put my money on girlfriend.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I would get the benefit of the doubt.
Mandy B
You know what's crazy? We was at the game this Saturday and Crystal literally looks at me and I was like, do you think that's just a stereotype? Or you really think all these bitches is gay? And I said, well, I'll let you know when I go to WNBA All Star. I said, I'll let you know how the weekend goes, babe. Because I'm going to WNBL all star in Chicago this year and I'll fill the room out.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, they gonna be on you.
Mandy B
We'll see. I'm bisexual. The real gays don't like my son.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
They'll be like, hey, studmuffin.
Mandy B
They don't. I'm not a stud. And they know it.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
They're like, hey, stud muffin.
Mandy B
And all of a sudden they know it. They know once I like a dick with a pulse.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They experimental.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
They didn't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They just, you know, fluid one hit, a quitter type of thing. That's it. And they just go move on and do whatever they do.
Mandy B
Well, we do see the. What is. Oh, Caitlin Clark does have a boyfriend. Ooh.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Okay.
Mandy B
Connor McCaffrey. The couple met as student athletes at UOI University of Iowa and have been dating since April 2023. Now, we did see, but, you know,
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
black is over there.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Cop crazy Klopp. All right, who the one playlist?
Mandy B
Who the one that just wrote the book and came out. She's on. I can't remember her name, but okay, who the one that was married to Sheldon.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, Candace Parker.
Mandy B
Sheldon Williams.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, yeah. Kayce Parker. Yeah, yeah.
Mandy B
She's been delivered.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, yeah, she has been delivered.
Mandy B
And she was with Sheldon Williams for Madlon. Held that little nigga down. He went to Duke. Big head nigga was supposed to be good and wasn't. You know, I know my Duke players. Big head nigga was supposed to be good. Candace Parker came in, made that nigga house husband, and he still did it wrong. She went and found love in the cooch. Crazy. So Kayla Clark, there's still hope for her to turn. Not hope for her to turn gay. I don't know what I'm saying. Oh, he said kin Clark is not bisexual. Babe, you could go from heterosexual to gay in a quickness. You don't have to be bi.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You don't have to put it. Let me ask you something. What did you see her attributes that you assume that.
Mandy B
Okay, I ain't gonna lie. I'm stereotyping. It's the statue. It's the statue. This is why I don't ever climb trees.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I don't like her tunnel fits. Like you see a lot of WNBA women come in tunnel fits and they be. Some of them. You could tell the ones that is like girly and dressed up, but they
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
leaning into the ignorance of NBA players.
Mandy B
Oh, no, no. It's the ignorance. No, it's the ignorance of the summertime. First off, WNBA takes place during the summer and I literally had this conversation with Yomi with. With my man, and I was like, here's my issue with dressing. Because a bitch likes to be fly. You are in between dressing like a full stud or a hoe. It's hard to do the in between.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
What is the.
Mandy B
You either are a stud or a hoe. You gonna wear the baggy jeans and maybe have to put on a tank. But you look like a stud.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes.
Mandy B
Or actually, what's the word we called it? It's a stem.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, shit.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Stem.
Mandy B
A feminine stud.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Wow.
Mandy B
So you either a stem.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Too much. It's too much. It's too much.
Mandy B
What is too much? It's complicated.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Stem is real.
Target Advertiser
Stem is real.
Mandy B
Real thing.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's a regularly used.
Mandy B
Oh, look. Yeah. They call her a stem.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They call Yomi a feminine.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Is it an acronym or is it just a term that just refers to.
Mandy B
It's a term that refers to I. I be dressed like a sim.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It's going to come. It's going to be acronym.
Mandy B
Like, it's. It's where you dress masculine or androgynous, but maybe you'll throw on a kitten heel or you'll put on makeup like you're not fully masculine.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
There's some element that says, I think I know something.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But here's the thing, though. Women love a woman person.
Mandy B
There we go.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Is a stem is a.
Mandy B
Hold on. You can read it out loud. Why are you whispering? This is a podcast.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Why the is it stem.
Mandy B
Hold on. Read what you just read that you
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
whispered in the LGBTQIA community. A stem or stem girl is a black or Latinx sapphic, which is woman loving women person whose gender expression falls somewhere between a student.
Mandy B
Yep.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
The term is portamental.
Mandy B
Oh, that's why you was with me.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, I love that portmanteau word of the day. It's portmanteau of those two words.
Mandy B
Okay, so they ain't have to put portobento. No, I only say that like, I hate when definitions put other words that. You gotta look up the definitions.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I love it.
Mandy B
Like, I hate that shit. You know, you didn't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Because our vocabulary. Yes.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I'm gonna say, what's the definition of portobello combined?
Mandy B
You're not gonna use portobello anytime it's combined.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
A portmanteau is like. I'm trying to think of combination. A combination of two words that we.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Blending the sounds, combining the two other. Blah, blah, blah, blah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I'm trying to think of a good example, but motor and hotel, breakfast and lunch. Brunch brunch. Right. That's a Portman's song.
Mandy B
So brunch, brunch. So stem is just the gay version
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
of stud and Finn.
Mandy B
Yeah, yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Got you.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It's racist, too. I get it.
Mandy B
No, it ain't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Because how they put stem on black and Latinx, A white girl can't be a stem.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, a white person can't be a stud.
Mandy B
You know what's crazy?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
White people can't be a stud.
Mandy B
I'm not gonna lie. White people are butch.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, butch.
Mandy B
This is. This is not a very ignorant conversation.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, no, no. I think this is some real shit, though. I've heard this from the community.
Mandy B
You're right.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
You're right that white people cannot be studs. Black women are. Women are studs.
Mandy B
White women are butch.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yes, you're right.
Mandy B
Because I've never. Never. I've never called a black lesbian woman butch. So, see, that's why.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Look. Yeah.
Mandy B
Butch is a race. Oh. It actually says butch is race neutral.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
But we don't put as a spokesperson for it.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's definitely AI.
Mandy B
Hey, y' all gotta Google.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Can y' all Google.
Mandy B
Can white people be butch?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yo, that's.
Mandy B
And they literally put a shit.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
This is crazy.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That look like.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I don't even know what's going on.
Mandy B
So Google. Google kind of.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That picture look like Giancarlo Esposito.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It does.
Mandy B
So it's like Google kind of phobic in whatever way. They could be phobic in this there.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So why do we have all of these names describing the same thing?
Mandy B
Can I also say I love how Caitlin Clark got us to this conversation?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
This is not on the bulldog.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And I want to go back to
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
something in a second.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So what's a bulldagger?
Mandy B
A bulldagger. I think that's gotta be white people.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, no, I thought. I thought. I don't know what the specifics.
Mandy B
Don't you love this show?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
What is bulldogger?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Bulldagger. Thought that was.
Mandy B
Bulldog is a slang term for masculine or butch. Lesbian. Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna say, while historically used as a pejorative.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Correct.
Mandy B
It has been embraced by some within queer and black communities as a term of pride. Oh, so it's. I'm a bulldagger. It's like happiness for being lesbian.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Don't clip this. Yeah,
Mandy B
this is actually how I'm gonna start the clip. I'm a bulldagger.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But no, but you know what?
Mandy B
And then we're gonna get into us talking about.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, but this is actually a good.
Mandy B
Your friends The Israelites, my friends, is crazy.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
God bless.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, but this is actually a good point about how people view these women. Right? Because even with all of the stereotypes and all this stuff about gender, because these same Republicans would probably make gender jokes about how these women are masculine. Right, Right.
Mandy B
I wonder if the Republicans would have came to her rescue if she openly had a girlfriend.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Probably not.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's a good. But probably not.
Mandy B
You know what I mean?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But here, but here's where, like, the, the, the, the. The racism and the patriarchy come into it and the white knighting. So, like, for people who don't know about white knighting, white knighting is generally also a pejorative that, you know, you see people say, like, bro, she not going to let you hit. Bro, she's not going to let you hit. It's usually in response to a man who is defending a woman from an attack, an unfair attack of some kind. You're inserting yourself in the situation, not being talked to to defend a woman. And people look at that as like, oh, you're just trying hard to be. Act like you're a representative. Act like you care about feminism or act like you care about women. And in this particular case, that's kind of what's happening because these 11 Republican men are assuming that these women need their help, that Caitlin Clark needs their help. Caitlin Clark don't need their help. Caitlin Clark is a basketball player. She's been a basketball player for a long time. She not no punk bitch. She knows what's going on on the court. She knows what the game is. Professional basketball players know what the game is. They don't need your help. This is like when you see a man trying to mansplain some shit, and they'll be like, oh, sweetheart, let me talk to. Don't call me sweetheart.
Mandy B
Don't call me sweetheart.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I'm not your sweetheart. I don't need you to come in and cape up for me. Caitlin Clark doesn't need y'. All. So y' all are jumping in this really just to virtue. Signal to your base that, yeah, there is white plight. Yeah, there is this. They trying to push this narrative for the last few years about white people are being discriminated against. Anti DEI is about white people. This is a part of pushing that narrative for going. Pushing forth this idea that white people are being discriminated against and that we have to stand up to it. Nobody's discriminated against Caitlin Clark. Some people just don't like her.
Mandy B
Yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And that's what it's gonna be. Some people don't like her mouth. Some people don't like her attitude. A lot of people like her game. She has plenty of fans. There's all kind of people who are in the go to the games who are wearing Caitlin Clark jersey. They're trying to crown her as the face of the league. And the reason your league is even one of the senators or congresspeople even said verbatim she's the reason why your league is even still around. Your league would be defunct if it wasn't for her. There's been a Asia Wilson, Candace Parker.
Mandy B
Keep going.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Tarazi Tarazzi. Cheryl Swoopes Witherspoon.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Teresa Witherspoon.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Teresa Witherspoon.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Swoop.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Cheryl Swoosh, Dawn Staley. There's black women.
Mandy B
Don Staley was the one in the book.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, right, yeah.
Mandy B
The one that just wrote the book.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Right.
Mandy B
There we go.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
So there's been black women who have been propping up this league and building it. The WNBA ratings have gone up every season. Caleb Clark just got there.
Mandy B
Yeah, right.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
So like this league, I mean, you
Mandy B
had Kobe Bryant before his passing, really trying to elevate the season.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Really trying to elevate. So this league has been growing. Caitlin Clark is a great, great player. And of course she's brought a whole different level of eyes to it. We all understand that for various reasons. But like there's now there's hate watching of the wnba.
Mandy B
I hate it.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
There's people who are watching just for Caitlyn Clark and there's people who are watching just to root against Angel Reese.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And they haven't even gone to any game.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And they haven't gone to any game. They're not supporting any way other than just do like this.
Target Advertiser
I win.
Mandy B
It was fun.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Shout out to the wnba.
Mandy B
Shout out to the Atlanta Dreams.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Fuck these Republicans.
Target Advertiser
Back to school shopping is about more than just checking off a list. It's about helping kids feel confident walking into a new school year. Whether it's a favorite notebook, a cool backpack, or the perfect pair of shoes, Target is there to make a big difference. Target is showing up for families this back to school season with a huge variety of school supplies, apparel and accessories that help kids do their thing and express their personal style. And with low prices all season long, parents can feel good about getting everything they need at a great value. Think backpacks. Start in just $5 and save up to 60% on school supplies. Plus, Target has the brands and collaborations kids are excited about, including Love Shack, Fancy Cat and Jack Overtime, and even personalized Oala bottles with stickers, charms and more. With the prices parents want and the brands kids love, Target has everything you need for back to school shopping all in one place. Because when kids feel confident heading into the school year, parents feel good too.
Mandy B
Hey you planning a little adventure tonight? Knowing your status is part of staying protected against HIV keeps it hot. Keeps it sexy.
Target Advertiser
So stay naughty and stay informed.
Mandy B
Cause keeping it real about HIV prevention is part of the vibe. When you date, stay up to date on your HIV prevention and sexual health. To learn more, talk to your healthcare provider and visit care for the culture.com
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
awkward time to ask this, but hey, did you download the trail map?
Mandy B
Yeah, no, I don't need to.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I I don't understand.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
You're trusting your signal out here?
Mandy B
I'm trusting T Mobile. They have the best network and if we end up in bumtots nowhere, well we've got T satellite for backup.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Well, I don't trust my carrier that much.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We'll just use your phone as a flashlight.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
With America's best network and T Satellite, we're keeping you connected in places you never thought possible. And if you switch today, you get free phones for zero down and only 25 bucks a month per line for four lines. Find out more@t mobile.com or visit your local store. Best Mobile Network Based on analysis by Ooklab speed test intelligence data 2h 2025 with 24 monthly book records and 4 eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers with autopay plus taxes, fees and 35 connection charge per line credits and imbalance to if you pay off earlier. Cancel Contact Us Finance Agreement example $299.99 Moto Edge 5G required T Satellite available with compatible device in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky included with experience beyond your 10amonth autobar news monthly. Cancel anytime.
Mandy B
Visit t mobile.com Most dog food brands don't really want you seeing how their food is made. Just food for dogs is the opposite. They actually invite you in. You can walk into any of their kitchens and see real human grade ingredients like chicken, beef, carrots and peas being prepared right in front of you. It's real food made in real kitchens. Nothing is hidden behind labels and that kind of transparency says a lot. Nothing to hide, everything to love. Go to justfoodfordogs.com and get 50% off your first order. Alright, last topic. Celebrities say the darnest thing. We have a clip here. Barely understand my man. He probably my native Floridian y' All Kodak took to. I don't know what. This is a stream. I don't know. He shouldn't just be.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I didn't even know Kodak did this kind of shit.
Mandy B
Me neither.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Talks to the phone, wifi. I didn't know.
Mandy B
I don't know. I didn't know he knew how to connect.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I think he playing with everybody right now.
Mandy B
I don't know. But this is what he had to say.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Say Kendrick, bro, you know what? I. I group? Our group called
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
kkk.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
We the kkk, bro.
Mandy B
Like we woke.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Like we pro black. Like we woke, bro. We woke and we smart and we Jew. We black Jews.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
We Israelite.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
You feel me?
Mandy B
You feel me? My father, father named Davis from the start of David.
Target Advertiser
You feel me?
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
You get it?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Like my daddy. His 1222, his birthday. 1222, my birthday. 6, 11. What that. What that mean? That means I'm a star. Update me. Kanye and Kendrick, bro.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He's spitting some.
Bethenny Frankel
That's him.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That group ain't never happening, but that
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
group is 0% chance.
Mandy B
This group, by the way, is supposed to be Kodak Black. Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah.
Mandy B
Hey.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's why I know he playing.
Mandy B
Well, he said it like. That was tweaking. He said, we gonna be kkk. Cause we pro black. And we woke.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I just want to draw people. I just want to make a distinction because I know how your mind works.
Mandy B
How my mind works.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I don't. And this is crazy.
Mandy B
Here we go.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He's not talking about the support your Israelites. I don't think he's.
Target Advertiser
What I said.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, but there's a difference between what he's saying and what you expect. I just want you to be clear on that. First off, that was a. That experience. I wish you never had that experience.
Mandy B
Oh, I had it on the belt line, too. This ain't the first. This is on the belt line.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Something tells me this is not gonna be the last.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, it ain't.
Mandy B
I'm in Atlanta now.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah. I never seen them. I never seen them.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I never seen them on the belt line before.
Mandy B
They be on the belt. They be on right in front of the Kroger.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah. Wow.
Mandy B
They be deep. I be like. I be like, crystal. Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I've seen videos how they organize their company.
Mandy B
They be right in front of the Kroger on the bed, like. And you know where else they be?
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Why?
Mandy B
You don't know Harlem but your ass stay in Brooklyn?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, they be in Brooklyn. They in Brooklyn.
Mandy B
I haven't seen them in Brooklyn.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, no, they all over the city. Yeah.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Yeah.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You see them?
Mandy B
Look, the way that we talking about them, like, day is a group of people you don't want to run into. I mean, like the kkk. I don't want to run into them niggas.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, I don't. But the Israelites ain't killing nobody. They ain't hanging nobody.
Mandy B
They're killing my brain cells, actually.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Well, that, you know.
Mandy B
But as I heard them speak, I was like, oh, my God. They put some goddamn.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Why? She stands on the same block, though. She who? I think you got to engage with them. You got to ask.
Mandy B
I got to engage with them. We'll have them on Selective.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Enlighten me.
Mandy B
Hey, if there is any Israelite out there that want to come sit on the couch, I will come in here. Open to understanding.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Wow. Your life.
Mandy B
Now, you can't convince me that you're right, but I'm open to sharing my platform. Sharing them out to share what selective ignorance might be.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I can't wait till they start asking her to read scriptures. Oh, yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's when it get different. That's when it get crazy in here.
Mandy B
I hate it.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I'm here for that.
Mandy B
Nonetheless. I wanted to talk about real quick the misinformation that I feel like is plaguing us. So I hopped in the comments of the. And there's a woman by the name of Magic Monet who said, people don't know the original Ku Klux was black men and the original Jews were black as well. Ku Klux is literally African language. Remember, everything is stolen from black people, then demonized, then used against us.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's how they treat us.
Mandy B
You ready?
Target Advertiser
Hold on.
Mandy B
So I go in. I see a couple comments like this. I look at the comments. They're like, 100%, sister, you were right. Spread the knowledge. Keep it going, y'.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
All.
Mandy B
Ku Klux. Actually, hold on. I got it somewhere else. Ku and Klux is not from the African language. And Klan also is not the Ku Klux Klan. KKK was founded by white former Confederate soldiers in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee, D.C. shortly after the American Civil War. There's names of the fucking six founders. And why do some people claim KKK was originally black?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Why?
Mandy B
Literally from misidentified or altered historical photos. Confusion with unrelated black organizations formed during Reconstruction and deliberate misinformation. Now, Jai, I know you're reading a book out of. I don't know if it was a. Went by a Different name. I'm mad you didn't bring it in, but you said you just read something about this while we're talking about ways in which we need to figure out how to get out of this state that we're in where we can't even be in a room by ourselves with these white people and X, Y, Z, L, O, M, N, O, P. One of the biggest things that we need to do first. And like you said, y' all know Rosa park name. Y' all know Martin Luther King name. Y' all know Malcolm X name. Y' all know that the civil rights movement happened and took place, but what do you really know about what they did and the organizing and the boycotting and what it took to get certain laws changed and segregation ending and all these things. And as I'm reading these comments, I'm like, oh. With all the knowledge at our fingertips.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Mm.
Mandy B
Y' all are even just refusing to look things up. You're told stuff that don't have them in a favorable position, and I'm just like, okay. But also, yes, black people were the first kings and queens. And I get that. But this idea that you just wanna take something and run with it. And I mean, mind you, we come in here too. If we're told something was wrong, what do we do? We leave. We keep looking it up and we come back and be like, damn, we further researched it.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Yeah, you corrected.
Mandy B
But what I'm liking now is I feel forced now. Y' all remember MLA format. Y' all remember having to cite your sources.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
You're right.
Mandy B
Even coming in here, I'm having to deep dive. Hey, summarize this. What are other resources for this? Bring me here. Why are people saying this? And AI needs to be used in a way to also just provide you more resources. And then you gotta go and read. Then you gotta go and click. And I'm just reading. So much misinformation. And it bothered me in this clip. Not that yes say no to drugs, absolutely. But also, like, we have encyclopedias at our fucking fingertips.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
As much information as you care to read, but you have to read curious about.
Mandy B
You have to read, you have to die stuff. Comprehension skills matter. You can freeze the headline, cross reference. Like, we're doing that now with what they're saying is happening with the Carmelo Anthony case. Is it being retried? What steps are we in now? Because unfortunately, when so many people convolute and add their opinions, things become a little jumbled.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No 100%. But I mean, what is the book
Mandy B
you're reading right now, by the way.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, it's actually. They talk about this in the same book that I talked about about last week, this nonviolent stuff Will get yout Killed by Charles E. Cobb. It just basically talks about World War I, World War II, and kind of the Reconstruction, the end of slavery and that transition period when the Civil War was over. And America is now trying to reconcile what to do with the race issue. And then in the south, they're trying to hold onto it, and in the north, they're trying to eradicate it.
Mandy B
And.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
And all the varying things that happened during that time period with where politics and race stood. Right. So there was politicians at the time who eventually understood, like, okay, this slavery thing is not tenable anymore. Black people are getting rights. Black people are becoming more aware, so we need to at least throw them a bone and try to, like, talk to them and communicate with them and give them some of the things that they want. And obviously, the Southern states weren't trying to hear that shit. And Southern politicians who were. Who were, I guess, perceived to be sympathetic to freed people, black people in general, were looked at as traitors to some degree. And there was splintering of white Democrats at the time who were like, no, we're not going for any sympathy or any empathy for black people, and we're gonna keep this shit. We're gonna hold the line on white supremacy. And so that's where you get groups like the Dixiecrats, who were basically Southern whites who were committed to holding that racist line, regardless of what other people at the time were trying to do, whether they were trying to give black people rights or being sympathetic to black black voting, suffrage, and all those type of things. But the Ku Klux Klan was not invented or was not founded by black people. The whole purpose of the Ku Klux Klan was to continue to make sure that black people were put in their place.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Subjugated.
Bethenny Frankel
Yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Kept in their place, and not get any type of uppity ideas of advancing in this society. And so I don't know, what was the person's point about or what were they trying to say? Who were the people they were trying to say were black? That invented Jew?
Mandy B
Well, they were trying to pretty much say, y' all aren't listening to what Kodak is trying to say. He right, he is Jew. And then that's the other thing. There's a difference between Jew and Jewish. There is one moment I gotta sneeze. I gotta sneeze so bad.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I hate that shit.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
When that should Be right there. Ready to pop.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Right there.
Mandy B
There's a difference in the context, however, they are also the same thing. Depending on how you're saying it, you have a say.
Bethenny Frankel
Ish.
Target Advertiser
Ish.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Ish is not ish. From the jbp.
Mandy B
But shout out to ish.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Ish is. It's like, it's not the.
Mandy B
No. Is that no. Here we go. Jew is a noun that refers to a person who belongs to the Jewish people. Jewish is an adjective used to describe someone or something connected to the Jewish people, religion, or culture. While both words refer to the same group of people, a distinction is primarily grammatical.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Amen. That references the Tablet magazine, which is a Jewish platform. You gonna talk to the mic that's biased. You gonna talk to the mic that's biased. We don't call ourselves blackish. Other than the TV show, though, whitish. King of Bears is absolutely, absolutely blackish. If you are, you are.
Mandy B
I mean, I'm monogamish. Monogamous.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Monogamy.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I'm somewhat ish. Now they say I'm somewhat ish.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That definitely sound like a book title. Monogamish.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
They say I'm somewhat ish, meaning, like, I'm similar to. I'm not the authentic.
Mandy B
Just claim your Israelite roots.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, I'm not. Well, no, I don't. I'm.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, I don't.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I understand that they're saying the 12 tribes of Israel, right, are supposed to be. Represent the black people in America, right? So that's when they talk about the Israelites. And with Kodak Black. And Kanye's even referenced that. A lot of people in rap have referenced that. But not the experience you had. Not that, but they're speaking from a heritage, a cultural perspective and religious perspective, but not.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, yeah, a lot of it.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Not that. See, she's gonna dig to every nigga.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
It's like, what the fuck these y' all niggas are on. Well, I mean, that's like, I would
Mandy B
have rather just a corner of Greek letters like, give me the dog.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
You imagine walked up to this and talking about, who?
Bethenny Frankel
Who?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I would have done it. Who let the dogs out?
Mandy B
I would have, what's up, y'?
Bethenny Frankel
All?
Mandy B
But them niggas I now don't even like the Lakers. Well, the Lakers are white. They white now anyway. They don't whitewash the Lakers. I don't even like the Lakers no more, bruh. Cause I don't saw them goddamn shirts. What the fuck that shit was.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Well, the thing, I mean, I don't know a whole lot about, like, the Hebrew Israelites. And that type of thing. I know the general idea.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Correct.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Cause like. And this. We'll get this out to people. Damn. Kendrick Lamar. Damn was pretty much. No, he's bringing up the greatest rapper of modern time.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He is.
Mandy B
You said Jay Z was that he's.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
No, he's the greatest rapper ever in all modern times. I think right now.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
And I would argue him about Nas, but that's another.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's another conversation we can go to another time.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Shout out to those guys.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
But the album Damn is pretty much about this whole thing.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yes.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
That's the underlying thing about Damn. He has these snippets where he talks to his cousin, his cousin Carl, who turned black Hebrew Israelite, and, like, some of those teachings and those things. It's essentially about who are the real Jews and who are those people that get to. You know, we talked the other week about black people and, like, our heritage. And if we're being land ownership. Land ownership. Are we being finagled out of our thing because we haven't had this history. And what they. To my understanding, what black. Black Hebrew Israelites are on is Tribe of Judah. Tribe of Judah and all of that. We are that. We are God's chosen people. The chosen people of God are the. Is the black man the original man, and not these other people who are telling this story. That's. That's what they're on. Again, I haven't studied that. I don't know anything about that. But I'm just telling you, I know that that's their story and they're sticking to it.
Mandy B
Would y' all want to go to a class? Y' all think there's a class on?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, yeah. Oh, for sure.
Mandy B
Y' all want to go on with Lakers jerseys and be a part of, like, a class in Lakers?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
I thought you being serious crazy.
Mandy B
Y' all don't. Because those are the colors. We go in with Lakers jerseys and we, like, sit and listen to these teachings. And as we sit there, we just write down all the things we disagree with.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
So my homegirl, I remember what she said now because she showed the video she showed me was the. The Latin and Israelites, which is the same.
Mandy B
The Jose lights.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
She called them Jose Teps. And I almost threw my phone. I almost threw my phone in the garden.
Mandy B
Jose Teps. Wait.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
I didn't even know that there was a Latin Israelite movement.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, yeah. So it's all together. It's just that they just represent the Latin because, remember, the 12 tribes were specific.
Mandy B
But not only that, you know, Latinx People also believe that they come also from Africa as well. But they're
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
the roots of that. But they're. But they're saying. But they're on the same wave, right? That they are the chosen people of God.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, no. Oh, no. It's the same exact thing.
Mandy B
Okay, I could be wrong saying this.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
The same block was the same. It was just them and they had the same soundboard. Everything was the same.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Everything was the same.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
It was no different. Right, but that's kind of how we
Mandy B
still can't say that even the nation
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
of gods on earth is not limited to.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
To.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
To is black and Latino. Right. If you're part of that particular proximity. You know what I mean? And that thought.
Mandy B
Okay, well, guys, we went over on time.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
No, Clarence, 13 exit.
Mandy B
It's your fault. You see how. You see? Do you see what I mean? Y' all don't even know. It'd be taking us 10 minutes to start the pod before we pop.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Shout out to Mandy boyfriend, though, for real.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mandy B
And kids, you shout out to him the love of man.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He's a part of this reconstructing of Mandy. You're not going.
Mandy B
Oh, I was about to say, don't turn my into an Israelite. I mean, he has thoughts that I question.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Oh, I'm sure he probably understands everything. I'm sure he is very aware. Aware of everything that we talked about.
Mandy B
I told him my thoughts on the N on the corner, and he was
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
like, yeah, yeah, yeah, right, right. Hold on now.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, you mean from a.
Mandy B
He asked if I was taking it to the pot. He said, boy, you just bring all your thoughts to the pot, don't you?
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what we do. That's what we do.
Mandy B
Anyways, guys, if you want to watch this episode, you know that you could tune in every Wednesday on the YouTube. It drops. I believe we do 12 o' clock noon on Wednesdays. Tap in. If you are listening to this on the Decisions Decisions feed, take your ass over and subscribe. You get notifications every time a new selective ignorance episode is dropped. And if you didn't know, babe, every Friday we drop bonus episodes.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
That's right.
Mandy B
Now you can watch and listen to both ad free if you join the patreon for just $5 a month.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
$5?
Mandy B
That's patreon.com withmandyb now. Thank y' all for tuning in. God damn, a bitch is gay gassy and it puts gassy in my throat. It ain't gassy in my ass.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Thank God, thank God, New Orleans.
Target Advertiser
I know it's a little.
Mandy B
It's a little stuffy in here today.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Anyways, guys, I don't want to know that part about Mandy. Like, I like how, you know, the
Mandy B
gas is up here. The gas is right here on my chest. Anyways, guys, thank y' all so much. Hope you enjoyed this episode. If you want to join in on the conversation when you join Patreon, you also get a link to our Discord, which allows you to join our community and talk talk about these topics, share your ignorance of the week, and really create a community.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Not a cult.
Mandy B
Not a cult.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Not a cult.
Mandy B
A community. Okay. Anyways, guys, thank y'.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
All.
Mandy B
Make sure y' all tune in Friday for the bonus episode and we'll be back next Monday. You already know this is Selective Ignorance, baby. Where curiosity lives, controversy thrives, and conversations matter. See you next week. You Peace. 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. Thanks for tuning in the 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.
Target Advertiser
King Howard.
Mandy B
Now do us a favor favor and rate, subscribe, comment and share wherever you get your favorite podcast. And be sure to follow Selective Ignorance on Instagram @Selective_Ignorant. And of course, if you're not following our host, Mandy B.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Make sure you're following her at Full Court Pumps.
Mandy B
Now if you want the full video experience of Selective Ignorance, make sure you
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
subscribe to The Patreon it's patreon.com backslash Selectiveignorance.
Mandy B
It's your girl, Mandy B. And you just tuned 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.
Target Advertiser
Back to School is here and Target has everything families need to help head into the school year feeling confident and ready to do their thing. From school supplies and stylish apparel to accessories kids actually want, Target makes it easy to check every box on your list at a great value. We're talking backpacks starting just five doll and up to 60% off school supplies. Plus, kids can express their style with brands and collabs they love like Love Shack, Fancy Cat and Jack Overtime and customizable Owalla bottles with stickers charms and much more. The prices parents want and the brands kids love all in one place at Target.
Mandy B
Yes, it's me again.
John Lee (Pop Blessing)
We prepped.
Mandy B
It's the time for empowerment. And I've got a message for you.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Guess who.
Mandy B
Guess who's back. You gotta think about sexual health no matter what, when, when, or with who. Yeah, yeah. To all you lovers out there, ain't no judgment. This is your cue. It's time to talk about pre special prophylaxis, a part of HIV prevention. Talk to a healthcare provider and visit Care for the to learn more. He's dribbling the ball with everything on the line.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
He's driving down the pitch.
Mandy B
He's facing price hikes. It cuts past him. Carrier contracts, tries to block him.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Oh, he leaves him in the dust.
Mandy B
He's at the edge of the box.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
He cuts past the nonstop group chat, trash talk.
Mandy B
He clears on goal. He shoots no unlimited data for $25 a month forever.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
Visit your local Boost Mobile store today to get unlimited data with a price that never changes. Boost mobile after 30gb, customers may experience lower speeds. Customers will pay 25amonth as long as they remain active on the boost. $25 unlimited plan.
Mandy B
Some so called SUV's feel more like toys. You need a real vehicle that'll handle real life. A real SUV like the all new
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
2027 Kia Seltos with its best in class interior room.
Mandy B
It'll make the others feel like toys.
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
Check out the new 2027 Kia Seltos X line.
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
It's real world ready Kia Movement that
Mandy B
inspires limited inventory available comparison based on
T-Mobile/Boost Mobile Advertiser
publicly available data regarding Cargo Room and
Mandy B
2026 entry All Wheel Drive CUVs as
Ja (Jason Rodriguez)
of May 2026 entry All Wheel drive
Mandy B
CUV class as defined by Kia segmentation. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
Release Date: July 14, 2026
Hosts: Mandii B, Ja (Jason Rodriguez), John Lee (Pop Blessing)
Production: The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts
This lively and unfiltered episode dives into the complexities of Black identity, non-traditional relationships, cultural moments in hip hop, safety in interracial spaces, and the insidious spread of online misinformation. Mandii B and her cohosts bring their signature humor and candor to dissect everything from Jay Z’s historic concert series to the tragic case of Nolan Wells and the nuances of navigating friendship and trust as Black people in majority-white environments. The show challenges listeners to reflect on community, accountability, and the importance of truth in the digital age.
Story of the Week:
Essence Fest Recap:
On Black Love, Dating & The Israelites:
True to Decisions, Decisions’ style, the episode is unafraid, hilarious, and deeply probing. The hosts toggle smoothly between intellect and entertainment, inviting listeners to get real about difficult topics while laughing through the discomfort. They embody authenticity, vulnerability, and push listeners to challenge their own biases as much as those of society—always with a side of jokes and side-eyes.
This episode is a masterclass in self-interrogation and community dialogue for Black listeners and allies navigating a world where misinformation, selective activism, and old prejudices refuse to die. By openly grappling with tough conversations—from how we hold celebrities accountable to how we keep our children safe—the hosts live out the podcast’s ethos: “Selective Ignorance, where curiosity lives, controversy thrives, and conversations matter.”
For full episode, bonus content, and community access:
Listen wherever you get your podcasts or join the Selective Ignorance Patreon.
Note: Ad breaks and housekeeping have been omitted for clarity.