Donkey of the Day Recap

Episode: 16-Year-Old YN Breaks Down In Court After Being Charged As An Adult For Murder

Date: February 26, 2025
Host: Charlamagne tha God (with DJ Envy and Angela Yee)
Podcast: Donkey of the Day, Power 105.1 FM (WWPR-FM)

Overview

In this episode, Charlamagne tha God awards "Donkey of the Day" to Sean Simpson, a 16-year-old from North Carolina who broke down in tears after being charged as an adult for the murder of Zaquavius Dawkins. The hosts use this incident to explore cycles of youth violence, the impact of new laws, the failures of intervention, and society's responsibility to prevent such tragedies. The conversation is raw, blunt, and filled with personal reflections, urging listeners to reflect on cycles of violence in the community and the real human cost behind viral moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Case Background and New Law

• Summary of the Crime: Sean Simpson, 16, is accused of murdering Zaquavius Dawkins and attempting to murder another victim.
• Emotional Court Appearance: Simpson broke down in court when informed he would not see freedom anytime soon.
• New North Carolina Law: A recent policy allows teens of Simpson's age to be charged as adults for certain crimes, intensifying the consequences for young offenders.
  • [02:10] DJ Envy: “Busta Rhymes, Donkey of the Day for Wednesday, February 26th goes to Sean Simpson...charged with first degree murder as an adult...a law change...went into effect in December...”
• Victim Background: Dawkins was killed while running an errand for his disabled mother.

2. A Cycle That Never Ends: Personal Reflections & Societal Failure

• Personal Story: Charlamagne shares his own experience as a reckless teen, highlighting how easily one can get into life-altering trouble.
  • [03:27] Charlamagne tha God: “I mean, truthfully, this was me at 16 or 17...I went to jail for assaulting Barry with intent to kill...trouble is easy to get into and hard to get out of. And none of us have the time stone from the Marvel Cinematic Universe...”
• Cycle of Violence: The hosts lament how these shootings repeat throughout generations and aren’t “teachable moments” as hoped.
  • [03:27] DJ Envy: “I would say this is a teachable moment, but...I haven't seen too many of you learn yet. All of these are reruns, sadly. I don't understand why we aren't breaking this cycle.”

3. Consequences and Regret

• No Sympathy for the Perpetrator's Tears:
  • [08:08] Charlamagne tha God: “But for me, it was him breaking down, like, realizing what it is...too late...I do not feel sorry for, like, yo, come on. Like that little boy not here no more.”
• Regret and Destiny: Stressing that every choice has permanent consequences, particularly violent ones.
  • [07:05] DJ Envy: “But this ain’t no movie, dog. The Quavius is dead for real because Sean Simpson made a choice that he is clearly now regretting and that he clearly can't change. And destiny is not a matter of chance. It's always a matter of choice.”
• Memorable Metaphor: The desire to "rewind time" and the futility of regret.
  • [03:27] Charlamagne tha God: “When you see this young man, Sean Simpson, break down...don’t you think he wish he had a time stone so he could rewind the time and not do what he did?...Of course he would.”

4. Failing to Intervene Early

• Treatment Comes Too Late: Discussion about why Simpson is only now getting mental health treatment after committing a crime.
  • [06:01] Charlamagne tha God: “He is being held in the Gaston Adolescent center...undergoing treatment...But why wasn’t he getting this treatment before he committed a murder?...There had to be signs...but those signs were clearly ignored. But of course, we don't get people help until it's way too late.”

5. “Take an Ass Whipping” vs. Gun Violence

• Escalation from Fights to Gun Violence:
  • [04:20] Charlamagne tha God: “Kids, you gotta learn to take an ass whipping. Even if it goes viral, so what?...Would you rather go viral because you got your ass beat in school or...because you in the courtroom getting charged with murder?”
• Cinematic Parallels: Comparing real-life events to classic films, emphasizing the grim reality.
  • [07:04] Charlamagne tha God: “I was ready to say Boys in the Hood, Ricky.”
  • [07:05] DJ Envy: “But this ain’t no movie, dog.”

6. Discussion of Gun Accessibility and Society’s Attitude

• Normalization and Glorification:
  • [08:39] DJ Envy: “People used to come back blasting too...I think now it's heightened because if it's recorded and goes viral, not a world sees it as opposed to just your hood.”
  • [09:21] Angela Yee: “But I didn’t know. Now it seems like every kid has a gun. Like, not just small guns. I mean ARs...shotguns...Uzis.”
• Cycle and Desensitization:
  • [09:54] DJ Envy: “The cycle doesn’t ever break. This has been going on for a long, long time...gun violence has been prevalent for a long time.”
  • [10:04] Angela Yee: “It has, but it seemed like it’s gotten worse in the last couple of years.”

7. Where Is Sympathy Directed?

• Empathy for the Victim and Family
  • [10:50] Charlamagne tha God: “I'm sad for the little boy. Mother who not here.”
• Questioning Who Failed:
  • [10:46] DJ Envy: “Something failed. I feel sad for the situation of the cycle that never seems to end.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Charlamagne tha God [03:27]:
  “Trouble is easy to get into and hard to get out of. And none of us have the time stone from the Marvel Cinematic Universe...don’t you think he wish he had a time stone so he could rewind the time and not do what he did?”

• Charlamagne tha God [04:20]:
  “Kids, you gotta learn to take an ass whipping. Even if it goes viral, so what?...When anger rises, think of the consequences. Would you rather go viral because you got your ass beat in school, or because you in the courtroom getting charged with murder?”

• DJ Envy [07:05]:
  “The Quavius is dead for real because Sean Simpson made a choice that he is clearly now regretting and that he clearly can't change. And destiny is not a matter of chance. It's always a matter of choice.”

• Charlamagne tha God [08:08]:
  “But for me, it was him breaking down, like, realizing what it is...too late...I do not be feeling sorry for, like, yo, come on. Like that little boy not here no more.”

• Angela Yee [10:04]:
  “It has, but it seemed like it’s gotten worse in the last couple of years.”

Important Timestamps

• [02:10] — DJ Envy introduces the Donkey of the Day recipient and the case details.
• [03:27] — Charlamagne shares his own youth and the nature of “easy trouble.”
• [04:20] — Reflections on handling fights and virality vs. real-life consequences.
• [06:01] — Discussion about missed opportunities for early help and system failures.
• [07:04] — Movie analogies and tragic comparison to “Boys in the Hood.”
• [08:08] — Charlamagne expresses lack of pity for the teen shooter, focusing on the irreversible loss.
• [09:21] — Discussion on how gun culture has intensified and desensitized society.
• [10:50] — Empathy directed toward the victim’s family.

Conclusion

This episode of Donkey of the Day delivers a sobering discussion on youth violence, the consequences of split-second decisions, and the ways both individuals and systems fail vulnerable youth. While acknowledging the complexity behind the headlines, Charlamagne and the team emphasize accountability, the necessity for early intervention, and re-centering empathy on the victims and those left behind. It’s an emotionally charged conversation highlighting that cycles of violence are not new—but they are, tragically, still very real and in need of urgent attention.