Grits and Eggs Podcast – Episode 114: "Stop Saving Your Oppressors"
Host: Deante’ Kyle
Co-Host: Big Cat
Date: January 20, 2026
Episode Overview
This raw and unfiltered episode sees Deante’ Kyle and Big Cat dig into current events, music comebacks, issues of race, oppression, and cultural dynamics. With sharp humor and blunt commentary, the hosts discuss everything from modern hip hop and literacy trends to systemic racism, white saviors, and the necessity of resisting oppression. Through call-ins and emails, they also touch on Black identity in white spaces, coping with isolation, and the importance of community. The episode’s central theme is a critical analysis of why oppressed people should stop showing deference—or even protection—to their oppressors.
Key Segments & Discussion Points
Podcast Housekeeping & Catching Up
[00:58 – 05:12]
- Show logistics and how to get involved (Patreon, New Music Monday, advice submissions).
- Celebrating two years of the podcast going visual and approaching 250 episodes.
- Shout-out to loyal listeners, incarcerated folks, and community supporters.
Recent Hip Hop Events & Music Scene
[05:13 – 10:38]
- Recap of a Ty Harris concert: “You would never think at a hip hop concert that the star…would come out and play a grand piano and hit octaves you would only see at the opera. Ty Harris is phenomenal.” – Deante’, [05:14]
- Mention of meeting TikTok’s Aniko and reflection on affirming music and live performance culture.
- TI’s comeback: “I seen he just posted a video…he’s cut the locks off. Yeah, he’s back. High bald fade. TI, yes. As soon as he cut his hair, he’s back. The hat is cocked to…” – Deante’, [06:42]
- J. Cole’s “The Fall Off”:
- Discussion of his rapping life "in reverse" and mutual respect for his artistry.
- “Let a man have his moment, bro. If the album not good, we’re gonna have something to say. But I promise you, it’s gonna be a good album. J. Cole ain’t put out no bad album.” – Deante’, [13:57]
- Deep dive into the XXL 2010 freshman class (Big Sean, Freddie Gibbs, Wiz Khalifa, Nipsey Hussle, etc.) and the rarity of organic come-ups in hip hop today.
Literacy, Influence, and Positive Change
[16:15 – 21:32]
- Kai Cenat’s literacy push:
- “If this is going to get young men to crack a fucking book open... great for young men. Because then you get reading feminist and womanist literature, then you get reading American history, Black American history.” – Deante’, [18:12]
- Importance of humility and self-improvement in public figures.
- Critique and praise: Even if it’s a rebrand, the net positive for youth literacy and perspective outweighs the skeptics.
Systemic Racism and Oppression in Healthcare
[21:32 – 27:11]
- Shocking case of a Virginia nurse, Erin Strotman, breaking bones of Black babies in the NICU and being released on $25,000 bond.
- “There should have been no bond.” – Deante’, [21:32]
- “If a Black nurse was doing this, they would have executed her. It would have been no bond.” – Deante’, [23:26]
- Discussion of institutional power: people occupying ‘helper’ professions as vehicles for harm (parallels to policing and systemic abuse).
White Saviors, Panthers, and “Stop Saving Your Oppressors”
[27:11 – 34:55]
- White women attempting to join the Black Panther Party for protection rather than solidarity.
- “White women see an uptick of Panther content and ask if they can join… I'll join your organization as long as you will protect me. Now, they can’t depend on they men to protect them.” – Deante’, [28:46]
- Emphasis on the need for oppressed groups to organize their OWN coalitions before seeking alliances.
- “If you would like to seek coalition, you first must be organized yourself. You can’t co-opt a movement.” – Deante’, [29:44]
Key Quote
“Stop saving your oppressors. Now, the people in Minneapolis, Minnesota have been on fire with their resistance… Racist and self-proclaimed Nazi is attacked… and he’s saved by a Black man…. Stop saving your oppressors. You’re still being used and you won’t change his mind.” – Deante’, [32:02]
On Revolution, Resistance & Messaging
[34:54 – 43:10]
- The futility of showing mercy to those who seek your harm.
- “It does not make you benevolent. It makes you compliant. You worried about your soul with soulless people.” – Deante’, [35:15]
- “You cannot be non-violent with violent people.”
- Memoir to revolutionaries: If protesters catch their opposition slipping, don’t save them; doing so signals continued submission.
Love, Sacrifice, and "His and Hers" Series Spoilers
[43:10 – 51:22]
- Discussion of Netflix’s “His and Hers” and its harrowing depiction of betrayal, communal trauma, and justified retribution.
- “What are you willing to do for the people that you love?… When you make excuses or try to save the people who are willing to kill you, you become compliant in their behavior.” – Deante’, [49:40]
Reclaiming Rhythm of Nature & Personal Development
[51:22 – 58:26]
- Speaking on resilience, transformation, and understanding personal “seasons.”
- “We do not live in a natural world… We have to reclaim the rhythm of nature.” – Deante’, [51:58]
- “Acceptance is ultimate gratitude. What I have now is enough.” – Deante’, [57:13]
- Instruction to identify your season and move with patience and self-awareness—not against the natural rhythm.
Community Q&A: Voicemails & Emails
[58:45 – 93:20]
1. Black Identity in White Spaces ([58:45 – 67:31])
- Caller (mixed race, rural Michigan) asks how to reconnect with Black identity and community.
- Advice: Remote/virtual connection, visiting nearby Black-owned spots, seeking out genuine community even if not in direct proximity.
- “You gotta find spots where you can go where your folks is at. I understand how that could be difficult in northern Michigan.” – Deante’, [66:48]
2. The Hotel Brother, White Uncle Andy, and Conspiracies ([67:31 – 74:19])
- Caller connects the archetypal “hotel brother” to the “White Uncle Andy” conspiracy theorist.
- Discussed: The importance of critical thinking and not letting conspiratorial thinking distract from reality and actionable change.
3. Surviving Portland, Hobbies, and Divorce ([74:32 – 79:10])
- A Houston-to-Portland transplant caller asks for hobby recommendations after job loss and impending divorce.
- “First of all, the first hobby is a good divorce lawyer.” – Deante’, [76:49]
- Encouraged to seek out personal passions, consider relocating to Blacker spaces, and find gratification through community or creative pursuits.
4. Working in Corrections, Black Officer Dilemma ([80:10 – 85:47])
- Black correctional officer asks if he’s a “fraud” for working in a system that oppresses Black people.
- Strong affirmation: “You are not a fraud. You’re doing a service that most won’t do, and you’re actively combating the power structure in that building. If you leave, they ain’t got nobody.” – Deante’, [84:03]
5. “Is my cousin a coon?”—Intra-community Critique ([86:14 – 93:20])
- Email: Dealing with a family member who rejects historical context for Black struggle in favor of “accountability.”
- Deante’ and Big Cat break down the dangers of “coonism,” liken it to denial rooted in a will to appease whiteness.
- “The coon aspires to evolve into something he will never be… it’s a hypnosis. It’s hard to spot a coon out in the wild, the camouflage game is strong.” – Deante’, [91:48]
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On Letting Go of Mercy for Oppressors:
“It does not make you benevolent. It makes you compliant. You worried about your soul with soulless people.” – Deante’, [35:15] -
On Literacy and Self-Improvement as Resistance:
“Literacy is a pathway to liberation. They didn’t want us to read when we was enslaved. Now you can’t pay a nigga to read.” – Deante’, [19:37] -
On Seasonality and Rhythms of Life:
“We do not live in a natural world… We have to reclaim the rhythm of nature.” – Deante’, [51:58] -
On Black Joy and Survival:
“How do we preserve certain cultural practices that have brought us joy throughout our oppression?... These are very fine lines to walk.” – Deante’, [90:42] -
On the Power of Community:
“You already have community… even if that’s remotely… find somewhere you can go once or twice a month and spend time in community with people.” – Deante’, [62:27]
Episode Tone and Style
- Highly conversational, irreverent, and unsparing.
- Jokes, black vernacular, and sharp social critique blend seamlessly.
- The hosts alternate between humor and heavy, real talk.
- Listeners are frequently reminded: “Stop saving your oppressors,” and are encouraged to seek empowerment, honesty, and community.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Hip Hop Comebacks & Critique: 05:13 – 14:19
- Literacy & Public Influence: 16:15 – 21:32
- Racism in Healthcare: 21:32 – 27:11
- Panther Politics & White Saviors: 27:11 – 34:55
- Oppression Messaging & Protest Tactics: 34:54 – 43:10
- "His and Hers" Analysis: 43:10 – 51:22
- Seasons, Acceptance, & Nature: 51:22 – 58:26
- Voicemails/Emails (Community Q&A): 58:45 – 93:20
Concluding Thoughts
This episode is a dynamic blend of cultural commentary, music analysis, and tough-love advice, all delivered with grit, humor, and a strong pro-Black perspective. The recurring message is clear: stop seeking validation from systems and people who have proven themselves to be hostile—focus on self, community, and authentic liberation. As always, Deante’ and Big Cat push for growth while keeping it unapologetically real.
Memorable Send-Off:
“If you’re a coon right now and you’re trying to breathe a white man’s air, go to the tallest mountain with the shortest gun and give yourself one to the dome.”
—Deante’ Kyle, [93:15]
Next Up: Deante’ closes by reminding listeners to join Patreon—“It ain’t nothing but $8”—and keep showing up for the culture, on their own terms.