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Damaris
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human
Rory
hey everyone, it's Kalpen. I'm inviting you to join the best
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
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Rory
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Mall
This is Daniel Cormier from the Daniel Cormier Show. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. Power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it.
Rory
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Mall
That's why you need a network that's
Rory
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Mall
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Rory
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Mall
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Rory
Visit totalwireless.com or stop by your neighborhood Total Wireless Store. Additional terms apply.
Mall
See totalwireless.com for details.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
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Mall
That's the cold opening. Welcome back. Middle of the week. How's everyone feeling?
Rory
So good.
Mall
We understand there is a little problem with Netflix that, like, the last three minutes keeps getting cut off. We're. We're working on it and trying to fix it. Apologies for the technical difficulty, but we're trying to be international, and I guess that was the price that we paid. But it will be fixed in due time.
Rory
And we will be international soon.
Mall
Yes, that. That as well. We'll have to do a post for that. Because right now international can't. I mean, if they see this, they
Rory
can hear it, can't see it.
Mall
Well, we'll do a social.
Rory
Soon you'll be able to hear and see it. Yes, internationally.
Mall
But how's everyone feeling? How's. How's everyone's week going so far?
Rory
Great, man, great. How you feeling, man?
Mall
I'm okay.
Rory
I'm okay. Coming out on. Off the birthday high.
Mall
Yeah, you know, did. Just did a little look Maxim for my birthday.
Rory
Regular shit look, Max. And what is that?
Mall
You're not trending. You don't know.
Rory
Okay.
Mall
Those that know? No, but yeah, just how you look Maxim.
Rory
Okay.
Mall
Well, that's pretty much it.
Rory
Congrats.
Mall
How's. How's your week been?
Rory
My week is good, man. Been chilling.
Mall
I mean, me and Damaris went to Applebee's. This isn't like a plug or anything, but I missed the neighborhood. Neighborhood bar.
Rory
Oh, you went to the bar to just like, when are. We ate at Applebee's. Okay. But yeah, I went to the bar.
Mall
With inflation, it's. It's still not bad. Like, I remember the 2 for 20s, they still. It's like, what, 2 for 25 now.
Rory
Okay.
Mall
The inflation is not that crazy.
Rory
Like, all right, so I'm not mad.
Mall
And this isn't a plug. I was just like, there wasn't anything around where we're at. And it was.
Rory
It was either absolutely turf doing. How's it doing?
Mall
I didn't. I didn't participate in that. But the spinach dip is still. Still incredible. And you can't go wrong with Applebee's mozzarella sticks.
Rory
No, you can't. But love a good apple especially. We got a good Bartender that as
Mall
well, you know, but yeah, it's been, been, been a week.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Do we want to get, get right into it?
Rory
I mean, that's what we here to do. That's what we do best.
Mall
Are we exhausted with lists yet?
Rory
You know, I am. I've been exhausted. Even if we are, I've been exhausted with list for about four years now. I'm listed out.
Mall
Complex put out their Hip Hop Media Rank power rankings for 20, 26. And again, per usual, like we've been saying for the last three years, Complex is the greatest platform of all time. And we thank them for including us in, in the power rankings. Thank you, Jordan. We landed at number seven, shout out to Jordan. Last year. We're at nine. I think the year before that we were at 12 or 13. I can't remember something like that. But I mean, we just, we're going up the ranks.
Rory
Yeah, man.
Mall
What do you want from us?
Rory
Listen, man, thank you to everybody that. I don't know if it's a voting committee or anybody over there at Complex, but in particular, thank you. Thank you, Jordan.
Mall
Yeah, it looks like there's about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, like nine people.
Rory
Oh, okay. So shout out to the whole, the whole nine.
Mall
Yeah. And again, I mean, it's. It's always great to be on these lists. Obviously it doesn't, like, really define everything, but definitely feel grateful for, for being acknowledged on the list at number seven.
Rory
Anytime you're acknowledged by, you know, peers and people in the, in the industry, you know, it's a cool thing. So thanks to everybody that acknowledges. Thanks to everybody that didn't acknowledge us and thanks to everybody that's upset that we got acknowledged.
Mall
Yeah, I mean, it's all part of it, so.
Rory
Part of the, the gumbo of entertainment and industry politics. Right.
Mall
Second year in a row that people have made their press rollout about us not belonging on the list. But, I mean, hey, man, who are we to fuck up tradition?
Rory
Listen, man, you know, I get it. That's part of it too, because there are people out there who, you know, echo those sentiments as well. So somebody has to speak for that side as well, of, you know, we shouldn't be here or this, that. And the third, there's people out there that feel that way. So, you know, I'm learning to understand that there's multiple sides of these things, and if there's people that speak to those sides, then, you know, that's, that's, that's part of it. It's a necessary. We need it.
Mall
Yes, we all need our be dick suckers.
Damaris
My bad. I'm sorry. Did I take it too far? I'm sorry.
Mall
Oh, it's fine. Sometimes there's just no self awareness that you don't realize. The things that you're saying are so contradictory to who you are. It's just. It's just interesting, but neither here nor there. Love to literally everyone that's on this list, love, congratulations to everyone on it. Again, it doesn't define you as a media person, but it is nice to be acknowledged. Shout out to Torre. Torre's on there.
Rory
Shout out to Torre.
Damaris
Oh, that's what's up. Shout out to him.
Mall
I can't find what number it is though.
Rory
Are you sure he's on there or you just was like, you know, having one of those moments where you're just looking and you thought you saw somebody and.
Mall
No, I. Oh no, I specifically looked. If we're gonna get our hater shit off. Well, no, Tori could have been ranked number 36. I know they only did 35, but Tory could have got that 36 slot.
Damaris
So he's not on there?
Mall
No, he's not on there.
Rory
I hate when Rory has an inside joke in his head. Like, I hate that. I hate like when he works his like material in his head.
Mall
Literally. I can't.
Rory
Like, I hate when he does that because I'm thinking like, okay, he's on the list and I'm. He's scrolling and I'm like, I will wear on the list. Okay, but. All right, see what you did there.
Mall
I mean, listen, I. I think a lot of opinion story has. Are absolutely insane. But I do think with the likes of people like Neon and I'm not, honestly, I'm really not here to. To hate.
Rory
Just.
Mall
Just reacting to the list. People that I don't think focus on hip hop media per se. Yes, you can go on a double date with a rapper on stream. I just don't think that really falls into hip hop media. And no, you know, nothing against Neon. I don't actually really know much about him whatsoever. I know he does a lot of numbers, but I do know that he's not hip hop media. So I thought that was like. I think Torre could have got that slot because he actually talks about hip hop in a weird way, but he is talking about hip hop in a journalistic way. But other than that, I mean, I think Wayne, okay, could have been on there. There was a few people that I, I think deserve to be on there that weren't and Some people that I just don't think are particularly hip hop per se.
Rory
But listen, man, Shout out to everybody that made the list. Shout out to everybody that was recognized. Shout out to the ones that didn't make the list but should have been recognized. Keep doing what you doing, keep putting work in and you know, one day that the recognition happens. But most importantly, keep doing what you love. Keep doing what you're passionate about. That's what's important here, to keep doing what you're passionate about. We all are part of this hip hop culture and, you know, whether we like it or not, we all have something to say about it. So, yeah, there's that, man.
Damaris
Shout out to Nadesca and Gina. I always want to shout out the women. Shout out to desk and Gina. Shout out, Gina, for making it this year. I advocated for you to make it last year.
Mall
So Lauren's on there too.
Damaris
Lauren? Yes, Lauren is on there. I love that. As on her own. Not with the Breakfast Club, but on her own. I love that.
Mall
Well, well deserved. And angina as well. And Adeska, definitely. Both, both belong on there as well. Do you think we could have got that 6 slot? This isn't white on white hate, man. It's not.
Rory
I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't think about those things, man. But, you know, I'm here to go back and forth about your thoughts.
Mall
Just haven't got.
Rory
What did you feel about the number six slide?
Mall
I think Anthony Fansano, like, you know, back and forth stuff aside. Like, I, I appreciate that he does music reviews because that's kind of a lost thing. I feel like in hip hop media now other, like, nonsense has taken over. But I mean, do his reviews ever define, like, ironically? Does it push the needle? Like, are we all stopping to really see if Anthony likes it? I'm going to go check it out type of thing. And, and I hope this doesn't come across as hate. I'm really just being unbiased in, in
Damaris
that I'm sure he has an audience that does.
Mall
Yeah, I mean, he does a lot, a lot of numbers. And again, I like that he does real music.
Damaris
You might not be in that audience, but that doesn't mean audience doesn't exist.
Mall
Yeah, I'm not mad.
Rory
I'm talking like Girl 6 right now. You seen Girl 6, the movie Spike Lee?
Mall
No, no, I've never seen it.
Rory
She was like a phone sex operator. Remember phone sex? You might be a little too young.
Damaris
So you. We have FaceTime now.
Rory
Right. But no phone sex. Like when you had to, like, call and your mother got the bill next month and saw that you called some. Yeah, some woman. No, Spikely did a movie about a girl, so you was just sounding like her. Just.
Damaris
Oh, so you think my voice is sexy and worthy of phone?
Rory
No, I mean, that's. That was. That's not your normal voice. That's why I looked at you. Like, why talking like that.
Damaris
Oh, because I'm calm today. I can't be calm. I be yelling.
Rory
You can be calm. I love it. I love the calm energy and a demeanor, but I just had to recognize it and just turn and look like. Why are you sounding like that right now?
Damaris
Okay, you got a break.
Rory
No, I didn't. I'm. I'm totally, like, flaccid right now. Like smurmy wormy. But I'm just.
Mall
I would hope it worked that I'm just. Yeah, like, I'm just bricked up at work.
Rory
I'm not doing that.
Damaris
You know, I thought I made it jump. My bad.
Rory
No, no, no, no, no.
Damaris
I'll go back to my regular voice.
Rory
I just was trying to, you know, just, you know, understand what was happening, but. Okay. It's all good. Yes. Yeah.
Mall
Congrats to. To Joe and Jada. Joe, you. You hated your way on the list. It worked. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Number four. Well deserved.
Rory
Oh, Joe and Jada. Yeah. Shout out to Fat Joe and Jada. Shout out to Kiss, man. They deserve it.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
Definitely put in a lot of work. I didn't realize me and Pete was just talking. They had 100 episodes or more than 100 now.
Mall
They've been consistent.
Rory
Yeah. Damn. I didn't think that I saw. I heard a hundred. I was like, time is flying.
Mall
Shit.
Rory
I was like, okay. If you've been networking, shout out to Kiss and fat.
Damaris
Our 500 is coming up soon, by the way.
Rory
Well, we've past 500.
Damaris
We're past 500 if you count Patreon. But yeah, officially five. Like our regular episodes.
Mall
Rest us.
Rory
Are you proud of us?
Mall
I am proud of everybody.
Rory
Yes.
Mall
For sure.
Rory
They only gave us six months.
Damaris
And it's our five year anniversary coming up too, y'. All.
Rory
They only. That's what I said. They only gave us this month is
Damaris
our five year anniversary.
Rory
Gave us six months. You know, every year they seem to be mad that, you know, complex recognizes us and, you know, is ranking us on the list amongst the conversation of the people of a complex. Like, you know, listen, man, it's Just all part of it, man. If y' all haven't noticed, nobody's getting me upset anymore. I'm not like, I love that. I just don't have it. I just. Because I really. I don't know these people. I'm never gonna go back and forth arguing with. I don't know these people. Like, never met them. Have no issue with these people. I don't know none of these guys, man. But I love everybody that's doing work and is passionate about what they do.
Damaris
You love them. Remember you used to get on me when I used to say that I love people? You don't love people.
Rory
No, actually, I love the people. I said, I love when people are passionate about what they're doing and love what they do. I like that. Like, get upset and be passionate. I don't understand it. Sometimes I'm kind of confused because I'm just not. My energy is not there like that. But, you know, it's like, oh, sure, I'm sure somebody feels like that, too. Like, you know what I mean?
Mall
Yeah, that's the beauty of the Internet.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Like, you can find someone to agree or disagree with you. Any crevice of the Internet, it's right there, man.
Rory
I just, you know, shout out to all of the. And shout out to the artists and the people that we talk about. Shout out to the work that they put out. Shout out to, you know, the producers and, you know, things like that that make this all the ecosystem of hip hop. Everybody has a role, everybody plays a part, whether you like the part that they're playing or not. That's subjective. I'm not here to, you know, argue that, but, you know, number seven, it is. Thank you. Complex.
Mall
It's very, very mature of you, man.
Damaris
Yeah, I like that.
Rory
Hey, man, you know, it's either that or cheese sandwiches in the. In the clinks, and I'm not doing that.
Mall
Yo, look at the options.
Rory
Yeah, it's only one way or another with me. There's no in between. Yeah, yeah. I'm on either this side of the spectrum. So it's just like, let me just stay over here and drink my ginger tea and, you know, just relax, man.
Mall
Yeah, me and Demer. When did Kai, like, fake retire? I mean, I'm always in sport. Kai, I wasn't sure if he stringed
Rory
it all this shit after his. The streamathon, Right. The Mafia, thon, whatever it's called. Shout out to Bronx legend Kai Sanat. Yeah, he just announced. He announced it in January that he was quitting Streaming, which we know he wasn't gonna quit streaming. We all called it a break. Let him step away from it. He was passionate about other things, you know, wanted to get into fashion and things like that. And this, you know, Kai is so. It's like, you know, that streaming. And we talked about it, for him to do what he did, that takes so much time and effort and consistency of just being, you know, after a while, you just mentally, you need a break. And so I knew Kai Sanat wasn't done streaming. You can't. That's like, you can't be done. That's what you do. This is who you are. Like, you're one of the greatest that would do that. But I think a break was necessary. Let him go try other things and find other things that he was passionate about. I just think it was interesting that he saw his ranking on the complex list and announced the next day, like, oh, nah, I'm coming back. I went from number one. He was number one last year.
Mall
Number one last year. Yeah.
Rory
Number one to number 13 this year, I think.
Mall
Yeah, Something like that. Yeah. Number 12.
Rory
Number 12 this year. Yeah.
Mall
Right behind on the radar.
Rory
Yeah, Cotton. Like, he didn't like that. He said, whoa, whoa, whoa. Y' all got me fucked up. Like, I'm not going from number one to number 12. Let me come back and do a mafia thon seven for your head, tops. Yeah. So he's probably gonna stream for six months straight. Something that none of you could ever do. Like, Kai not going to. He not going to take a shower. He going to fast for 60 days on camera, no sleep. Kai going to do some unbelievable. When he come back.
Damaris
I'm looking forward.
Rory
He like to. He, like, Kai is like the Gandhi of, like, streaming.
Mall
Okay, okay, you're going to land this. I'm on the plane.
Rory
He not going to drink water. He not going to eat. He just, you know, for the better. Cause, you know it's all gonna be for the better.
Mall
Cause of Irish IRA hunger strike is what you.
Rory
Yeah, he going. He gonna do something. Like, he not gonna just come back and start talking to the camera. He not coming back like that. You know, he done come up with a whole new. His team got together and they said, nah, this is what we doing on the Comeback. Kai gonna come back. He gonna, you know, no drinking water, no eating.
Mall
You gonna look like 50 when he did that movie.
Rory
Yeah. Kai not gonna blink for a week straight. He gonna do something incredible on the Comeback. Like, he's been playing. He's been waiting for this Moment for a week straight.
Mall
Complex, please. Right to the top.
Rory
Yeah, man. None of you cannot blink for a week. I'm not gonna blink for a week. You don't show you how he locked in. He's just gonna be looking right at the chat.
Mall
Chad.
Rory
I'm still not blinking. Day six. No blink. We ain't got time to blink. Might miss something.
Damaris
Might miss something. As funny as.
Mall
Do you guys think they should have paired Jim Jones, Mayno. Dave Easton, Fab. Like, together. Because they have Jim Jones at 26,
Rory
but he's done some interviews solo. Yeah, he's had some. Some moments and things like that.
Mall
I just feel like the four of them have gotten, like, some. Some viral clips here and there that were definitely.
Rory
None of the other guys from let's rap about it made it.
Mall
No, not that I saw.
Rory
Okay. So, yeah, maybe because Jim has probably made it more of a thing where he's sitting down one on one with guests.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
And things like that. But shout out to Jim too, man. You know? Shout out to anybody that made the list, man. Happy for everybody, man. Do your things. Do your things, everybody.
Damaris
What you think we got to do to be number one?
Rory
I don't know, Damaris. I couldn't even. I don't know. I'm. I'm not going to not blink for a week straight, I'll tell you that. That's not going to happen. So, you know, and he's still in my floor. Kyle come back and juicy. What if Kai juicing? I was the first on the Streams juice.
Mall
That's true. Yeah, you were.
Damaris
They used to say, yeah, that was like your flu game whenever you hear he was just hungry and funny.
Rory
Yeah, but you know, Kyle gonna come back. He gonna try to, you know.
Mall
Yeah, but so, I mean, sometimes that's the problem of being, you know, the first one through the door gets shot like. Yeah, the first generation hip hop, they got over so the next generation could profit. You're doing that with the juices.
Damaris
No, even the next generation got over, too. It was a couple generations.
Rory
Kai can't juice longer than me, though.
Mall
Look at what n want to.
Damaris
Look at what niggas want to compete with.
Rory
Yeah. Kai can't. He don't want that problem. Kai can't. He can't go. He can't go.
Mall
But he. He's going to dance while. While he's juicing, though. You just be sitting in the chair. Kai be doing somersaults and cartwheels.
Rory
Yeah, Kai might.
Mall
With Lizzo.
Rory
Yeah. He might start wrestling. Wrestling somebody on Stream while he juicing. He might take it to. Yeah, I'm not doing that. Yeah, gotta be very calm when you juicing. But shout out to Kai, man, if he is coming back. Shout out to Kai. Shot.
Mall
Drew's gonna dress up as you next to him on the stream. I could already see it.
Damaris
All right, let's be messy. Who y' all think is too high? Who y' all think is too low?
Rory
All right, I'll let y' all have it.
Damaris
I know. Rory been down.
Mall
No, I don't know. I don't like. I. I don't have a huge, strong, like, strong opinion about the media list like that, to be honest.
Damaris
Okay.
Mall
Because I think it's. It's very. It's very similar to rapper list at this point. Because I think everyone on this list for the most part, has their own community. Of course, things overlap and viral moments happen, but everyone kind of has their own lane for the most part. Like, if you're into more of the journalistic, you have Rob Markman right there. You want some messy. You got some messy people on there. So I don't know if there's anyone that I would like completely move. I mean, Cam is sports, but Cam still, you know, if he's beefing with Dane, we'll get some hip hop stuff there. But I mean, I guess you could. You could make an argument that that cam is maybe 1% hip hop and 99 sports.
Damaris
Okay.
Mall
But he is still Cam, so everything he does, I feel like he's hip hop.
Rory
Oleg. Kev should be higher.
Mall
I agree. I. I said that last year too. Kev.
Rory
Kev, I think should always be then 17. He definitely needs to be hiding. What was Kev last year? I feel like he was hiding that last year.
Mall
Kev. Last year ranking was 21. So it's 17 now.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
But I felt Kev should have been higher last year as well. Kev. Kev. He has one of my favorite platforms. It's cool to see guys like Big bank up there. I like to see that shout out to Bank.
Rory
He had a big. He had a big moment with Thug. Yeah, I remember when that dropped, he definitely.
Damaris
That was the most viral video.
Rory
Yeah, that was that. Yeah. He was all over the algorithm when that dropped.
Mall
And outside of that, like, of course, because it was Thug and was everything going on. He conducted a really, really, really good interview. Yeah, like, that was some journalistic shit, the way he handled that. That entire thing. So good. Good to see Big bank up there. Phrase love coming off the Jay Z interview. Yeah, it's really. It's really kind of just neon. Is the one that I'm like, yeah. I don't know.
Rory
I mean, if you're gonna have Shannon Sharp up there, you gotta have Cam Newton up there. That's just my. My take on that is.
Mall
But is. Is it hip hop? Just if you interview someone that happens to rap and not even talk about
Rory
rap, you got Shannon Sharpe up there. You gotta have Cam Newton up there. Okay, yeah, you got Shannon there.
Damaris
Or we could just not have Shannon there.
Rory
That's what I'm saying. If you're gonna have Shannon there, I think that Cam needs to be somewhere. Cam Newton needs to be somewhere on that list. No.
Damaris
Why did they say he was there.
Rory
Then? He have a. He had. He had. He had Meg this year. Was that last year?
Damaris
I think that was last year.
Rory
Last year.
Damaris
Sharp has an ability to get deeply personal interviews out of his subjects. And while he's more of a generalist than most on this list, many of his best conversations involve rappers. Whether it's his Bat Kevin Gates interview or his revealing chat with G Herbo, his team chops up clips and post them all over his IG Creating enough conversation. You could learn plenty from the highlights alone. I don't know, guys.
Rory
I'm just saying, you know, and shout out to Shannon.
Mall
But hip hop, I would have to, like, just go through the whole list of what he did for the year. As far as guests, I do remember the Kevin Gates one. I don't remember the G Herbo one like that, but I don't. Again, like, I. I watch Shannon depending on the guest. I'm not super tapped into everything that's on Club Shay, So I don't want to speak like, I know that he shouldn't or should not be on that list. Trap Lord, Ross, I think, is an incredible researcher, puts together really interesting documentaries on YouTube. But is he crime or hip hop?
Rory
He's crime in hip hop.
Mall
Okay. Just because you do a. An amazing documentary on serial killers that they just happen to rhyme words together too.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Does that make it hip hop?
Rory
Yeah, it's part of it.
Mall
He ain't talk about one song in the King Von documentary.
Rory
Other things to talk about. It's still hip hop. Still hip hop. He's covering all corners of hip hop, not just the music. You touch into the meaning behind the music. The words behind the music.
Mall
I went to click the NBA YoungBoy Baton Rouge video he did. And I didn't learn one song. I just know that there's a crime wave in Baton Rouge. That is absolutely insane.
Damaris
Do you know any King Wow songs?
Mall
Yeah, not like. Like, I wouldn't know what to type in, but if you played a King Von. So I'll be like, oh, yeah, I know this.
Damaris
She.
Rory
Yeah.
Damaris
You know. Okay. You know, took it to the O. Yeah.
Mall
Okay, that's enough. That's unfortunate for her.
Rory
Listen, man, it's a classic song.
Mall
No. Vaughn had some songs.
Rory
Did they play that as soon as you land in Chicago?
Mall
Didn't they play in the airport?
Rory
Oh, here, take it to the hole. As soon as you touch down, they playing that. Hell yeah.
Mall
I don't know if that's what Vaughn was.
Rory
No, he wasn't. It was a different. Oh, he told.
Mall
He's more of a midway. Yeah. Airport guy. He's closer to that. Take it to the Obi and o' Hare airport is hilarious.
Damaris
It's actually very funny.
Mall
But no, I. I do appreciate what Trap. Sometimes I think he. He goes a little extra and a little outside the lines. Like when he was doing the big U wearing the gang on his hat and like, got. I think that's a little much. But he does. He does great research. I just. Sometimes I think it's an odd thing to be so obsessed about is black people killing black people. Yeah. It's a strange thing to dedicate your life to researching, but we're different strokes for different folks.
Rory
Yeah. Always. It always will be the Englishman.
Mall
I don't know what to tell you,
Rory
but again, shout out to Complex. Shout out to everybody over there. Salute to Jordan and yeah, man. Looking forward to the work we put in this year and next year, climb a little further up that. That ladder and see what else people got to be mad about next year.
Mall
No, Angela Yee, really. And I think her show does numbers. She has viral moments. She has good interviews. I think Angela Yee deserves to be on this list. She was on it last year as well, I think pretty high. And I think Angela's stayed consistent in my opinion.
Rory
What about Angie? No Angie Martinez?
Mall
No Angie either. Which I thought. Like, I feel like Angie's just so much like on the Mount Rushmore. Like, no matter what she should, she could be dead quiet for a year and she still, to me, deserves to be on a list. Sway as well.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Like, those are just people that are staples. No matter if they retire today, they're still hip hop power ranking, in my opinion. But I was shocked at Angelique. I think she deserves to be on there. Even the stuff that she does with B Dot and Mayno when they come on the show. When Kaz goes on the show. Like, I. I think her show. I kind of preferred the split with the Breakfast Club. I think Angela's great by herself, and I think what they did at the Breakfast Club is great as well. I'm just kind of shocked she's not there.
Rory
No Melo, 7pm in Brooklyn.
Mall
Now, if you have Shannon Sharp, I. I would say that Mello should be up there.
Damaris
Yeah. Had an amazing J. Cole on. Like, I was gonna say I had an amazing Cole interview.
Rory
Yeah. Like what? With no Melo. Like, they ain't with Melo.
Damaris
Yeah, they're probably gonna try to say that it's more of a sports platform, but.
Mall
But again, I mean, I think Shannon. I think Mello may interview more rappers than Shannon Sharpe.
Rory
No, it ain't me.
Mall
He definitely talks more hip hop than Cameron.
Damaris
Yeah.
Mall
Both had J. Cole interviews. That's probably like the. The most hip hop both of their platforms have had. And I think Melo probably does more than that.
Rory
So I'm.
Mall
I'm with you. 7:00pm Brooklyn, definitely shout out to Frazier.
Rory
Frazier's there, number 14. He had the J interview. So, yeah, you gotta go mellow. Mellow Had J. Cole.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
I'm saying, Mello gotta be up there, man. You gotta get mellow. Gotta get some love on that list. Next year, shout out to mellow on Cash, 7pm in Brooklyn.
Mall
I mean, Meryl's up there, you know, just getting his Hot 97 show up and running. But I mean, when him, Kaz and Mello are together on that show, it's a hip hop show. Yeah, it's definitely not a sports one, but, you know, congrats to Elliot Wilson on his twins. Yeah. I mean, number 32, Elliott, obviously is, you know, was preparing for that and everything. I think Elliot, you know, is going to focus for the remainder of the year, And I think 20, 27, Elliott's going to get back in the mix.
Rory
Yeah, you got twins now, man. You guys, it's different at home now having twins with.
Damaris
At that age. You got some strong sperm, yo. That's what's up. You would think that, like, when you get older, you won't be able to produce multiples. You wouldn't think that.
Mall
Shoot oatmeal.
Damaris
I don't. I don't know where he went. I don't know where he went with it.
Rory
Nah, listen, I don't. I don't know. I don't know him and Elliot's relationship. I don't know.
Mall
Yeah, I was replying to what she Said, I don't. I don't know. No, I never been to the clinic with Elliot.
Damaris
No, I'm just saying, like, you would think if you get older, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, you lose, like, you know, sperm strength, but, like, sperm count.
Rory
Your sperm count is low.
Damaris
Yeah, but he's shooting twins at, like, 55. Like.
Rory
Yeah, Elliot's 55.
Mall
I have no idea how old.
Damaris
I put 55 on him.
Rory
Yeah, you putting Elliot at 55. How old is Elliot?
Mall
55. Nailed it.
Rory
Hey, 55, Elliot. Yeah. Twins at 55. Yeah, that's like. That's like hitting the half court shot at the garden during the halftime. Like. Yeah, you get twins at 55.
Mall
Scary. I mean, congrats to him. I would just be.
Rory
I'd be petrified. I would be like, excuse me. Like, as soon as it's doctor two, we're having twins. Yeah.
Mall
Yeah, I kind of noticed that. With. Unless I grew up with you or went to school with you, I don't, like, know my male friend's age. That's just, like, not a conversation you have with. With your male friends.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Like, unless I know what. Great. Like, we weren't agreed together. I know we're close, but if I met you after 22 years old, I don't know you.
Rory
Yeah. If I met you as an adult.
Mall
I don't know.
Rory
I definitely probably don't know your age. Like, I'm.
Mall
Unless you announce it, like, on your birthday. Yeah, like, I wouldn't.
Rory
And I'm terrible with remembering birthdays. Don't even tell me your birthday.
Mall
I know everyone in Palooza's birthday is just because I booked the flights. Like, I've memorized everyone's birthday, but even then I found out, I was like, damn, y' all are old.
Rory
I feel like if we was in high school together, we're the same age.
Mall
I don't know, because that, like, 14 to 18 gap. Well, I guess it depends when the four years is.
Rory
Yeah. But now if I. If I. If we still. If we hanging out and I'm 35,
Mall
it's like 17 to 21. That's a difference for sure.
Rory
Well, because you're out of high school. That's what I'm saying. If we are in high school together, we're the same age.
Damaris
No, I don't know. Y' all told me. Y' all told me that the. The seniors I was dating when I was a freshman are creepy, so. No, they're not.
Mall
100 are. Adam. Just with puberty happening in those years yes.
Rory
Creepy.
Mall
But like, the freshmen look like children when they walk in that first day. Compared to a seniors, drastically different.
Damaris
I don't know because of puberty, but
Mall
I hear you well, women go through puberty before us. We still look like Pip squeaks when we're 14.
Rory
Yeah. Senior dating the freshman is just like, that's it. What's up with you, man? What are you doing?
Mall
Listen, she's. She's mature for ages. She can't even relate to guys.
Rory
Yes. But again, congrats to Elliot Wilson on the birth of his twins.
Mall
No. Adam, 22.
Rory
Oh.
Mall
Debated.
Damaris
Oh, I thought. Oh, I. I'm so. You can take that out.
Mall
No, leave it.
Damaris
I thought we were clapping.
Mall
We've debated this the past few years that he has been on it. I feel like Adam's platform shifted from what he was doing with, like, the underground soundcloud. Adam was one of the, you know, first people to interview some of the bigger artists before they got a big break. But his platform shifted to, like, reality tv gang violence.
Damaris
Like it's baddies, but for gang members.
Mall
Yeah. And I don't know if that's hip hop. I think that's like, actually kind of wild if you would consider that Hip hop.
Rory
Okay, so he shifted a little bit.
Mall
Yeah. I mean, his entire platform, I. I feel is not really music focused like that, which is. I mean, whatever. He has a niche.
Rory
People on this list whose platforms are not music focused. You just talked about Trap Little Ross. Right.
Mall
Well, I don't know if the gang members that Adam interviews also. Rap. NBA, Youngboy raps.
Rory
Yeah. No. Very successful. Yes.
Mall
Gang Von rapped.
Rory
Mm.
Mall
But I. I could make a case that Whack 100 should be on here. I get why Adam's not, but. But Wack Whack controls a whole platform. Like, we may not be on Clubhouse like that, but Clubhouse is still a very, very active platform that. Yes. Maybe it's a lot of paperwork parties and not super music focused, but Wack Whack talks music a lot. You may not like his takes, but he. He controls a whole platform.
Rory
Yeah, for sure.
Mall
So, you know, I'm not saying maybe top 10, because whack, like, being a media personality isn't even really his job. It's just something that he does as well. I think top 35 whack should be
Rory
up there
Mall
for sure.
Rory
Not mad at that. Definitely not mad at that. No worry about mall.
Mall
I never ask you for anything on my birthday. That's not true. But today I'm going to ask something of you on my birthday. Can you please stop overpaying for great wireless?
Rory
That's what you want for your birthday?
Mall
That's what I want.
Rory
You want me stop paying.
Mall
That's how selfless I am.
Rory
I like that.
Mall
Unlock your savings with $25 a month on the Forever Unlimited Plan. It's a permanent price with no contracts, no price hikes. You keep the same phone you have or three phones that you have, same number, but you save up to $600 with all the phones you have add up 600 times, four times, whatever you got right? Right now stop overpaying and switch to a fair price@boost mobile.com based on average
Rory
annual single line payment of AT&T Verizon and T Mobile customers compared to 12 months in the Boost Mobile Unlimited plan as of January 2026. For full offer details, visit Boost Mobile.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investors Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available@public.com Disclosures hey everyone, it's Kal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.
Mall
This week on the podcast I am
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project Hail Mary, Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.
Rory
I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections and it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo. Is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point, it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply, emotionally affected me. And I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
Listen to Hearsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or
Rory
wherever you get your podcasts.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
This Mother's Day celebrate all the women who make life brighter with a gift from Pandora Jewelry. Choose jewelry that reflects what she means to you. And the moments you share make it even more meaningful by personalizing your piece with an engraving in your own handwriting, something no one else has, either a date, a name, or something unique to you. Because the best Mother's Day gift says more than I love you. It says I appreciate you. It says, I see you. Find the perfect Mother's Day gift at your local Pandora store or online@pandora.net Ryan
Mall
Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
I'm told it's super easy to do@mintmobile.com
Mall
Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3
Rory
month plan equivalent to $15 per month
Mall
Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra default terms@mintmobile.com. Pivoting over to the Stefan Diggs trial, I have been busy the last two days, but I did see some clips of her on the stand. Stefan Diggs was charged with felony strangulation and a misdemeanor assault and battery. The accusations are from his former personal chef. Says that he slapped and choked her during an argument in December 2025. He denied the allegations and the trial has started. I did see they dug up a video of her dancing after the alleged assault and I've been told she sounds kind of nuts on the stand. Is. Is that the case?
Rory
Yes. And. And the trial's over.
Mall
Okay.
Rory
And what was the final he's been found not guilty.
Mall
Okay, got it. Where do we think this this came because they said that they were intimate at some point too. So is it a, a result of that? Maybe.
Damaris
I think my wish was trying to get a payday. And he ain't, he ain't take it. He ain't like so ended up at trial. But I don't know why a lawyer would take this case. That's what confused me.
Mall
But where's the. I don't know. That's such a short, short minded goal. Like, if you're his chef, why wouldn't you just. Your payday would. Just being a full time chef that you could do for years.
Rory
Yeah, but if you have his sex.
Damaris
I was going to say when you. Intimately.
Rory
It's different now. You don't want to work, you don't want to keep it professional. Lines are blurred. Then I end up saying, okay, well, you're not cooking for me no more. I'm not paying you anymore. Now you upset. You trying to get more money out of me because I fired you. And whatever, whatever happens. And now we end up at trial. You know, like, don't shit where you eat.
Mall
Literally though.
Rory
Yeah, Like, Yeah, but that's what happens.
Mall
Especially we, we. We can safely assume that Stefon Diggs has been a little promiscuous in his life.
Rory
Fair to say? Yeah, fair.
Mall
Responsibly. Whatever. Whatever. If you have that many hoes, wouldn't you not want to fuck your chef? So she could cook for you and the hoes?
Damaris
But you ain't never had. You ain't never had some food that made you was like, ooh, wait a minute. After I get this done eating this plate, I'mma eat your ass. You ain't never had no food like that.
Mall
I have. Look at Maul.
Damaris
But you went out, you had a flashback.
Rory
Just, you know, I just thought about what you said. That's just think about what you said. That's it.
Damaris
You definitely had a plate like that before.
Mall
Well, I mean, I'm glad that the truth did come out because again, from what I've seen that this, this seems to be.
Rory
I'm here to say the movement is starting.
Mall
Oh God.
Rory
The Men Too movement has started.
Mall
I'm sorry. Stephen A. Smith are starting this.
Rory
No. 2. The men too.
Damaris
Men too.
Rory
Men too.
Damaris
Okay.
Rory
Men too. I'm just saying that I think the days of just settling and, you know, paying out of court, like just to just let the situation go away, I think a lot of dudes is gonna start looking at this like, yo, that shakedown shit is over with. Like, I'm not getting shaked down just because I don't want to Go to court and don't want to have to go through all of that shit.
Mall
I hear you. I just think a lot of those people that settled were guilty.
Rory
I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that.
Mall
I think we just run into cases like what happened with Hov, where it's like, nope, nice fucking try. Stephon Diggs obviously would have the money to settle, but if you did not assault a woman, no fucking way. I'm not.
Rory
It's different with Stephon because he's a high profile athlete. Yeah. You know, Jay Z's a, is a married, successful artist, entrepreneur, businessman. But he's a little, you know, he's a little older. He's a. Stephan is still active, young NFL star.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
So I think a lot of the guys around, you know, other athletes are gonna start looking at that like, yeah, hell nah. Like, I'm not getting shake. Shaked down for that. For some shit that I'm like, nah, fuck that. So, yeah, man, I'm just saying pay attention to what happens from here on out when it comes to these athletes and these, you know, these young guys, you know, getting these accusations put on them. Like, I just think that a lot of these guys are gonna start to approach this thing just a little differently as a result of this.
Mall
Yeah. And I mean, it's, it's unfortunate too, for the people that are innocent but settled because of the, the PR image of it all. Like, a lot of times you'd see a headline, stefon Diggs arrested for assault. And then that's what 90% of the people are, are only going to see. They'll never see the acquitted. They'll never see. So forever brands just have in their head, like, wait, isn't that the guy that. Didn't he hit a girl or something?
Rory
Exactly.
Mall
So I do understand that part of like, this is that I have to settle and this is extortion. But it, in the long run, it could suck even more if I have this on my jacket, even if I beat the case. So I get both sides of that. But I, I do like what he did, what HOV did, if you didn't do this type of nasty, hell no, I'm not.
Rory
Yeah, let's go to court.
Mall
There's not an NDA in the world that could make me feel.
Rory
If you think, oh, it works. You saying I did that to you? Okay, well, let's get your lawyers, get your team, and we can present it to the court and then have our day and we'll see what the court says. That's when you know you ain't got none of that shit on you. When you know you walk with a certain morality and a certain moral compass, and you're just like, that's not who I am. I'm not doing that.
Damaris
Yeah, if I hate when shit like this happens, because it's like you give people who actually have a case just more you. You make us look crazy. You know what I'm saying? Like, just.
Rory
Yeah, that's the. That's another part of it.
Damaris
I hate that shit. Like, you make this look crazy. Which, obviously, one woman doesn't speak for all women, which. I've said that a million times. But it's like, now you're just another reason for someone to doubt real victims, and that's just corny.
Mall
No, I. I hear you. I mean, like, even, you know, back to the. The jussie somewhat, it's like, yo, you really over people that are actually victims of hate crimes. Right, But. And maybe I'm being naive and romanticizing logic of human beings, but I feel like what Hov did, didn't. I don't think that stops a real victim from wanting to go to court with their abuser like that.
Damaris
Oh, wait, you said hope.
Mall
Wait, like, when Hov. I mean, obviously they put all the information that made no sense. He wasn't even in the same place as the girl. Like, she. Oh, that nothing matched whatsoever. I don't think any real victim saw Hov win that case based off clear and sheer evidence that this was a shakedown and went, nah, I'm not gonna. I now don't want to take my abuser to court, but I could be wrong. Oh, no, I very much could be wrong. I don't know.
Damaris
But yeah, I hear you.
Mall
And even this case, again, from my understanding, people are saying she sounded insane up there. Like it was clearly.
Rory
Well, the lawyer had proof of her getting paid, even though she said she didn't get paid. There was video of her dancing and things like that after she said he was assaulted. Now, to be fair, you know, even that could be a little, you know, misleading because I know people that have been in abusive relationships, and you would never know.
Damaris
Yeah, very true.
Rory
They seem very happy. You go over to the house, you know, the couple seems like they in love. This down the third, and then, you know, you leave. Everybody leaves the game night, something happens. He ends up putting hands on her for whatever reason. It's just like, you would never know that people are going through that is what I'm saying. So, you know, to Me, the video of her dancing after doesn't really mean anything to me. I didn't really care about that because like I said, I've known people that were in abusive relationships, but you would never be able to tell. Oh, for sure. But the fact that they had proof of her getting paid and she said she wasn't paid, I think to me that was kind of like when Shorty
Damaris
was like, what's your name? I said, oh, you gotta get your lie game up. You can't let em catch you off guard with it. Like.
Mall
Yeah, I mean, you don't think Johnny Depp started the, the Men Too movement like he was.
Rory
It was different for Johnny Depp though, because he's not from my culture. Okay, so it's different now on a bigger scale in the Hollywood. I'm sure he shook up a lot of things and people were like, oh shit. Like, Johnny came out of that. Like, damn, he was going through something crazy. But in our culture, you know, we, we so used to guys going through shit like this and then they paid for it to just go away, not go to court. They settle out and then they're rewarded with, you know, awards and, you know, things like that. And you know, I mean, they're, yeah looked at as the culture, as somebody that's so significant and so powerful and so important. And it's like this got nasty on his jacket though.
Mall
Yo, Johnny Depp, the whole trial did not look at her.
Rory
Yeah, that's, that's the energy. That's the energy. You're going to like, you can't even look me in my.
Mall
Like I won't even look offensive, bro. I forgot who asked him like that. Is it true that you said you would never look at her again and the whole time he just going like this on the stand, like, I'm never looking at her again.
Rory
Never. Like she's dead to me. Like I will never look at that woman again. That's the type of energy you have when a woman is trying to do something like that to you. And you know that none of it is true. That's the type of energy you walk with though. Like you can't even look me in my face no more. I would never give you the respect of looking you in your face. Yeah, I respect that from Johnny Depp.
Mall
I still have to watch that full documentary that's on Netflix, right? Yeah, that Johnny Depp one. Yeah, I have to watch that.
Damaris
That's kind of messy though, because there are some, a lot of people that believe he got away with some of that stuff on technicalities.
Mall
Okay.
Damaris
There was some stuff that really wasn't fully covered. And because it was a defamation, people
Rory
always feel like that about cases. Oh, nah, there's technicality. It's just that the third. It's like, okay, but you say that when it's like the person got off.
Damaris
Yeah.
Rory
But then if the person is found guilty and they're saying, oh, well, they didn't really prove what I did. It's just that women do go through shit like this, so some men fall victim to that, too.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
Where it's like, it wasn't proven that I ever did this to her or did that. So, you know, it's two sides of it. I'm just saying, with things like what Stephan went through, you know, just some of the lies that she was caught in, I think is what hurt her case and her lawyer's defense.
Mall
Yeah, Yeah, I hear that.
Damaris
God bless all parties involved, man.
Rory
You know how we do prayer is still involved even though we ain't praying.
Damaris
Yeah. And what's black people pray? Why is it that black people prayer is always, I'm praying for you? That's the.
Mall
That's as far as the prayer go.
Damaris
They better hope God was listening when they said that, because that's the only. That's as far as the prayer.
Mall
I don't know if that's a black people. I think that's just a Christian thing in general.
Rory
Yeah. Ain't praying for you. Praying for you. No, you're not.
Damaris
Mom, when the last time you pray for somebody?
Rory
I pray every night.
Damaris
Last time you prayed for somebody last night. Who you pray for?
Rory
My friends. My family.
Damaris
So you don't do, like, specifics. Like, you don't say, damn, I hope I'm Mary. Beat this cancer.
Rory
If it's a situation like that.
Damaris
Yeah, okay.
Mall
Ma just be doing shout outs in his head before bed. Yo, shout out to my mom and my sister. God. Yo, shout out to my nephew.
Rory
It was a good day. Thank you.
Damaris
You pray for us?
Rory
Yeah. I just said friends and family.
Damaris
We friends.
Rory
I spent more time with Rory in the last 10 years than I've spent with my entire family.
Mall
That checks out.
Rory
You think that me and Rory are not like. You think I don't like Rory. He's not my friend.
Damaris
You would like somebody and not be your friend.
Rory
You can like somebody and not be your friend. You cannot be around somebody the last 12 years the way me and Rory have been around each other and not
Mall
be friends on the road every goddamn day.
Damaris
It's.
Rory
Yeah, I See him more than I see my family, my blood. Are you sending me, like, not saying I'm happy about it. Like, I'm not saying that either. Yeah.
Damaris
Clear that up for sure.
Rory
I love Rory.
Mall
I knew where you were going with.
Rory
I'm not saying I'm happy that I spend more time with him than anybody else in my life, but it's just, like, you know, that's what it is. So absolutely. Like, that's my guy. That's my brother.
Damaris
So we're friends. Like, we're all friends. Peach, hold my hand.
Rory
Peach is sick. Now you're sick. That's how Goldberg. That's how Goldberg got this NBA shutdown. It was that right there. That move right there. The entire NBA shut down because Rudy Goldberg did exactly what ump just did. Entire NBA. Yeah, entire NBA was shut down. And the bubble.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
He.
Rory
Rudy Coburn created the bubble season.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
That was Rudy Goldberg.
Mall
Or end up being a chef. And Stefan situation right there, man. You saw it on camera.
Rory
That's why you can't hire no, you know, cute chefs, man.
Damaris
He know when he hired that girl, he saw that ass.
Rory
Come on, now.
Damaris
You ain't give a. About that girl face.
Rory
Nice little body. That steak them come upstairs, put that in the crock pot, and.
Damaris
Ah. Low eight hours.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
Come over here in this man cave and me tear that ass up. I saw my. That's my chef. I'll be like, yeah, all right. Chef, huh?
Mall
She was the most qualified chef.
Rory
That's just. That's your chef. I know chefs. Chefs don't look like that.
Damaris
Don't do that.
Mall
You could be a fine chef. I've seen.
Rory
Listen, there's a difference between a chef and a woman that can cook. Look, all right, okay, we're not doing that. I know chefs well.
Damaris
Dre is in culinary.
Rory
Gordon Ramsay don't look. Gordon Ramsay ain't got ass like that.
Damaris
Dre is in culinary school.
Mall
Who?
Rory
Drea Lord. Listen, Dre, isn't Dre about to become a chef?
Damaris
Yeah, she's in culinary school.
Rory
Shout out to. Listen, first of all, that's fire. Shout out to Dre for doing that. Wait.
Mall
All right, but I gotta ask with.
Damaris
Oh, and Victoria Monet just graduated from
Rory
culinary school, but Victoria, she's engaged. Married.
Mall
No, Divorced.
Damaris
They were never married.
Rory
Okay, well, I thought they were engaged.
Damaris
Her and her baby daddy broke up.
Rory
Okay, so Victoria Monet, single, but as far as we know.
Damaris
As far as we know, yes.
Rory
Just Grammy Award winner. She is now a cult. She graduated from culinary school, so she's on her way to being a chef can sing, can dance, and can cook.
Mall
But here's my thing with Victoria Monet and Drea. If you only have that many hours of being a chef, I think it's great if you can graduate from culinary school. I'm sure you're a great chef, but you got to put the hours in as well. Coming out of culinary school, your rate can't be that crazy. But you're also Drea and Victoria Monet. So are they fresh out of school chef rate, or is it a Victoria Monet rate? Which rate to hire you as a chef, Is it at Draya?
Rory
Being a chef is like Shaq being able to shoot 90 from the free throw lines. She bought the average 60. Like crazy. Dre being a chef, man, that's like making Jordan 6:10. He would never lose, but people would
Mall
book Dre to cook Kraft Macaroni and cheese for fucking 5k an hour.
Damaris
But just because you go to culinary school doesn't automatically mean that you want to get into being a chef. Same as if you go to nursing school. It doesn't automatically mean you want to become a ICU nurse. Sometimes you could go into, like, staffing. Sometimes you can go. Go into consulting. Like, there's different avenues you can go into. I don't see Victoria Monet nor Dre being someone's personal chef.
Mall
No, I. I can see Drea doing, like, cooking content that's taken seriously because she graduated from culinary school.
Rory
Now, Victoria could really fuck him up, though. She become a personal chef for Beyonce, for the Carters. Her and Beyonce in the kitchen just talking shit and just. She cooking.
Damaris
They cooking in the kitchen and in the studio.
Rory
That album gonna be crazy.
Mall
What?
Rory
That album gonna be crazy. And then Dre, you get Dre in the kitchen with, you know, Wemby.
Damaris
Oh, my God.
Rory
Wendy gonna win 12 rings.
Mall
Leave that young soul, Wemby going. That untainted soul, Wemby going to win 12 rings.
Rory
If Dre is his chef, Draya is
Damaris
in a happy relationship with dreams.
Mall
I'm not saying she's not.
Rory
I'm just saying it's gonna motivate Wemby on a different level, knowing that he has Drea as his chef.
Mall
Well, Stefan Diggs has an opening.
Rory
Yeah. I don't know if. I'm so sick, though. I could see it happening, Stephanie.
Mall
Dre is so sick, too. I can see it happening.
Rory
Stefan is the illest. I could definitely see Stefan doing that. Yo, I just heard you just got your culinary degree and all. That stove is mad cold. Over here. What we doing? You know, that's how step on.
Mall
Gonna shoot it. Just so happens I have an opening. Yeah, yeah.
Damaris
You step on them two can't link up. That's like Nas and Jay looking linking up. Like, you can't. When it come to hoes, you can't. They can't link up. It's gonna be way too much fun. Ain't shit gonna get cooked or done.
Mall
That'll get caught at number one if he does the marathon. Stream with them, too, with Dre and Stephan. Did what?
Rory
Yeah. He right back to number one. You get caught right back to the top of the list.
Mall
Not a single rap talked about still number one.
Rory
It's funny, because I thought about going, oh, I told. I think I told her I thought about going to culinary school. It's just that that schedule is so, like. It's crazy, man, that.
Mall
I mean, if. If we ever get to retire, if that day ever exists.
Rory
If it ever.
Mall
If.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
I mean, I think I signed my soul dotted line, period. But if I do ever get to retire, that is one of my goals in retirement.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Is to do something.
Rory
I want to do that. I want to. I want to. I want to go to culinary school, and I want to get my pilot license.
Mall
Okay.
Damaris
Okay.
Rory
I want to do that. I want to fly planes. Not commercial. Maybe not commercial, but. Well, I just want to have my pilot's license. Yeah. I just want to have my pilot's license.
Mall
Those guys are like retired Navy pilots.
Rory
Not all. My homeboy. My homeboy I went to high school with, he's a pilot for. I forgot airline that definitely didn't go to the Navy, yo.
Mall
Different type of Navy.
Rory
Yeah. No, I didn't do that.
Mall
I can see you in a little Cessna.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Cruising over the Bronx.
Rory
That's fire, right? Take my girl up like you're going on a date to Jamaica, and I'm flying. Come on, fam, Y', all. Y' all stream let me stream that. First date, we're going to Jamaica. I'm flying, though. She don't even know. She think we going to JetBlue. Not happening.
Damaris
You know how motherfucking mad I would be if A said he was taking me to Jamaica? And we go and get on this little ass plane and he driving or flying.
Rory
That wouldn't be that.
Mall
Yeah, that's cool.
Rory
You sucking him the whole way to Jamaica. Nigga do that.
Damaris
No, nigga. Get us there safely. I don't like nobody doing that.
Rory
He's a pilot. He.
Mall
I'm not trusting PE To Cover.
Damaris
If I didn't know pe. If I didn't know pe, could took
Rory
your ass to Turks, Curacao, all kind. You ain't know none of them that got you there.
Mall
That's true.
Rory
So now we on a date. You don't know I got my pilot's license. I'm saying, yo, what's up? We going to Jamaica. You hype. I go. We go to Tita Burrow instead of jfk. You like, what we doing? You see me loading the plane. You like, wait, you got a pilot? Yeah, I'm a pilot.
Damaris
I would be terrified. I'm not gonna lie. I would be terrified. Terrified.
Rory
Cut it out. Show me your group chat as soon as you find out. Show me. Show me. You texting the group chat as soon as you find out.
Damaris
All your girls chat is going to be. Y' all pray for me. This saying he flying, but obviously, you
Rory
see, he's a pilot. Like, he.
Damaris
Yeah, but we had three mimosas before we got out here. I didn't know you was the one flying the plane.
Rory
Oh, no, that's different. No, that's different. Like, if y' all drinking and you see he about to do, like, that's.
Mall
Well, that's. I mean, that's.
Rory
I'm talking about y'. All. It got. He get in the car, going to the airport. You think you going to jfk. He take you to a private airport, and you get on this little ass plane, put y'.
Damaris
All.
Rory
Put y'. All. Y' all put y' all luggage in there, and you like, oh, you're the pilot. Like, yeah, I'm a pilot.
Damaris
If we just start dating. Sure, if it's a. That. I've been dating for, like, six months, eight months, and I know him well.
Mall
Nah, I know you were sneaking out, getting pilot hours. Peace.
Rory
That's fine. That's gangster.
Mall
No, no, for like a. Just getting to know someone. Yeah, that would be.
Damaris
Yeah, it's like. That's a nice surprise.
Mall
Mall's really good at guessing weights, too, so, you know, you'd be safe.
Rory
I know what side of the plane you got to sit on.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
I'm like, you could probably just grab your luggage, know exactly what it is you want. 37. Sit over there. Put your. Put your carry on over here. Put your luggage on this side. Gangster. You not not going. You not going to Jamaica.
Damaris
No, I'm going, but I'm gonna.
Rory
You overly going, nigga. You going. You ain't never met a that could fly a plane. You to me. I'm going. I Know you going, I'm going. If a girl take. If a girl play. Yeah, we going here. She's like, all right, come on. Like, we gonna go to. And I'm thinking the whole time, like, oh, shit, Shorty, she booked a trip. Like, all right. We get to the airport, and she's the pilot.
Mall
I would think she was a DEI
Rory
hire, but definitely dei, but you know what I mean, we still support that. I'm definitely going to Turks if Shorty's flying. What you think I'm gonna be like, nah, I don't trust you. Yeah, I don't trust women.
Damaris
You don't like women driving you? You don't trust women drivers.
Rory
Your pilot is different, though. Uber don't drive me, but you can fly me, though. Yeah, it's a different attention to detail. Like, once I see her put the headphones on and she start talking to the control tower. She know what she doing. She knows. She read the. She read the tail number. See, 7, 9, 8, 1. On our way to church. I'm like, oh, this is gangster. Once he start running, I'm like, oh, she know what she doing. Yeah, we going, nigga, what stream? That's a stream. If there is any pilot.
Damaris
If there's any pilots listening to this slide in our DMs.
Mall
Once she starts saying Cactus 1A, I'm like, oh, all right, cool.
Rory
We got it. Come on, man.
Damaris
Look at what it take for you.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
Like, I'm getting right on that flight. Like, it is what it is, and if we go down, fuck it. That's the way I went out.
Mall
It's romantic.
Rory
A romantic chick. She was a pilot. Yo. They was going to Turks. Bad weather. Look how I go out.
Mall
Not happy.
Rory
Yeah. Like, fuck it, man. Fuck it. He met Shod. Yo, Shorty was a pilot. My ain't never dated no pilot. I mean, none of my homies ever dated a pilot. Yeah, I'm going out like that.
Mall
She was a pilot, but did not check weather very well.
Rory
Yeah, it's all right. Yeah, it's a di. It is what it is. No worries.
Mall
What if. What if Shorty could, like, drive a boat?
Rory
What do you mean driving a boat? Like, like, how Meg drive the boat or.
Mall
No, no, no, no. Like. Like, she's. She's getting the. The sails up.
Damaris
Oh, gangster.
Rory
That means she had a father in her life.
Mall
Gangster. That is true. Yes.
Rory
Yeah, those are all green flags. Those ain't red flags. She know how to raise the sail on the ship. This is an asset. We need to keep her around. If My homie got a girl and she know how to sell, and they break up. I'm mad at my homie. She ain't do nothing, bro. It was you. She's a sailor. How you lose that? Like a chick that know how to sail. She can sail a boat.
Mall
Smells like longitude lattice.
Rory
Little. How you lose that?
Mall
She got, like, the microscope on the map.
Rory
Like, she can actually sail the seven seas. And you let her go. What the.
Mall
We could weather any storm.
Rory
Like, how did you. How do you lose a woman that knows how to sail a ship?
Mall
Yeah, you're the problem.
Rory
Get the. You. It's you, bro. It's you. It's definitely. You're the problem. We gotta just be real with each other. Dumaris, if you bring a guy here, he's like, oh, he's a pilot. You know that. I'm like, okay. Da, da, da. And y' all flying private around the world. He got his own little Cessna. And you come in here and y' all broke up. I'm. It's you.
Damaris
It's me.
Rory
It's you.
Mall
100.
Rory
It's you. I don't. Don't tell me what he did.
Damaris
What if he beats me?
Rory
What, you gonna cry in the Mazda or the Cessna?
Mall
Oh, my God.
Rory
What, you gonna cry in the Benz or the photo?
Mall
And two moving, full effects.
Rory
You gonna cry in the bench or the plane? Which one? I'm just saying, you gotta pick your battles, man. The battle. He's a pilot. What are we talking about? I know.
Damaris
I had a pilot kink. Like, this is like, we're fighting.
Rory
I'm just saying, like, we just don't meet. Pilot. When have you ever met a pilot?
Mall
No, Anytime I. I get on Delta, I look right at the pilot go, you know what? He can hit a woman. I'm fine with that.
Damaris
Come on.
Rory
I understand this. Had to do LA three times. LA and back three times. Today he go home, no food. I can understand how things got a little crazy.
Mall
Two turnarounds in one day.
Rory
Yeah, like that. Man ain't supposed to go home to no cold stuff.
Mall
I don't know how he clear this up.
Rory
1600 to LA today he flew 1600 people to LA. Today he come home, he ain't got a meal.
Damaris
Ma is playing.
Mall
Everybody all right?
Rory
He's.
Damaris
He's joking.
Rory
All right.
Mall
Is 100 joking? Mall Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock bet, Which you know is Florida Sportsbook. Everyone knows that.
Rory
That's a fact.
Mall
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Rory
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Mall
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Rory
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Mall
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Rory
So you know what that means, right? Rory?
Mall
What's that?
Rory
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Kalpen (Kal Penn)
Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable investment index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available@public.com Disclosures hey everyone, it's Cal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.
Mall
This week on the podcast, I am
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary Massive Sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.
Rory
I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I mentioned narrating some of these sections and it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply, emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah dude, me too.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
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Mall
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Kalpen (Kal Penn)
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Damaris
Speaking of retirement plans, outside of being a chef, I wanted to get into like, like nascar. Like, like knowing how to like work cars and like that.
Rory
I think you want to work like in the pit or you want I
Damaris
want to work in the pit. I think that is so cool.
Rory
Move fast enough to work in the pit though. You see how fast some people be at the moon.
Damaris
I know. But you they were. They work out and they work.
Rory
That would be 36 on the pole with the mash. She's like, where is the bolts? Yo, I. Move, man. Move. Move, dog. Move, move, move.
Mall
Try to crank that.
Damaris
First of all, they have, like, this.
Rory
That slipped back 30. 30 places, 30 positions with this.
Damaris
But I saw this woman doing, like, the. She was in the pit, and she had, like, the knee pads on. Like, she, like, slid to the car.
Rory
It looked so cool, the marriage. I. I would want to set up a camera and put a fake pit right here and just see how fast we just gonna put bolts over here, screws over. Just see how fast you can.
Mall
I was just about to say, I'll sacrifice my own car for that content.
Rory
Yeah, Like, I want to see how fast you think you can move. Just change a flat. Matter of fact, that's what we're gonna do. Take one tire off the car. We'll have it jacked up and everything already. You just gotta put the tire on one tire.
Damaris
Okay.
Rory
I want to see how fast Damaris could do that.
Mall
Now, granted, does she have the drill shit that NASCAR has, the bullshit that I have in my car when I get a flat? Cause if you got the little drill, you all right just pulling.
Rory
I know drill. You got the regular. But I'm just saying we'll take that into account. But I still want to see how much time it would take, because it shouldn't take more than, let's say for Demaris two minutes to do that.
Mall
But I can see even with the gas, she'd be like, get $5 a gallon. Like, no, we trying to win the race.
Damaris
No, we trying to win the race. I don't know. I always thought that was so cool. I want to get into Grand Prix and all of that racing. Like, I think that's. Like, I said I wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby. Like, just. Yeah, I had a friend make a joke, and he was like, you got a gambling problem. I can see your ass going and betting on dogs. Like, you down bad.
Mall
You had the greyhound track, yo, betting on dogs,
Rory
bro. You have a problem betting on dogs? Hey, fam, what's up, man?
Mall
And at those tracks, like, you don't even. Like. At least the horses you like. You get some background on the dogs. You just be like, yo, three.
Rory
Yeah, like, you betting on dog. And them niggas be at the track all day long.
Mall
Yep.
Rory
I'm like, fam, you've been here for 13 hours just betting on dogs.
Damaris
Oh, shit.
Rory
Yeah. I'm glad that was never, like, a advice of mine.
Mall
Gambling Nah, I couldn't do it. I'm too emotional.
Rory
Yeah, man, I knew I didn't like gambling. I gambled one time at the casino, and when that lady got up and my money had to stay at the table, I didn't like that feeling at all.
Mall
No, it's.
Rory
My money just gone. That's it. Like, yeah, go back to your room.
Mall
Now, who got casually take. Take your chips like it.
Rory
They don't even look you in your
Mall
eyes, yo, at all.
Rory
Like, you put the money down and you roll some shit, and the number don't hit, and they just get that little cane and pull your money. And you like, the don't even look at you. He'd be like, his eye on the dice the whole time. This nigga's wrong. He lost fair. You gotta look at me and take my money out my hand.
Mall
And then you start getting in now like, nah, maybe I didn't see the blackjack the right way. And they pulling the cars like, no, no, let me add that up again. Sir, you lost, sir, you lost.
Rory
Yeah, you try to add like you can't read the cards fast. You like, no, no, wait, wait. How much was that, fam? You lost, bro.
Mall
Just.
Rory
Just go ahead and walk away. Take your money and put it back in your pocket, man.
Mall
Yeah. I found out yesterday that Damaris had a gambling problem. I've known her for so long, never knew that side of her. I've been to Vegas with her, and I didn't even know that.
Damaris
Yeah, it's bad.
Rory
Yeah, Gambler problem.
Damaris
That's why I don't, like, get involved. Because once I do it, I don't know how to stop. You know, some people, once they start drinking, they don't know how to stop. They gotta get drunk. I used to have a real bad blackjack problem. Like, back when I lived in Syracuse, I would be at the casinos all the time. Like, even during COVID when they was only, like, letting, like, a couple people through the door. Like, I was in line.
Rory
He was on the list.
Damaris
Yeah, it was.
Mall
You're being in line to get the casino was crazy.
Damaris
It was. It was bad.
Rory
They had you on the list. And I just bet money good. Like.
Damaris
Like, daily. Like, throughout everything. Like, if you talk to the people I talk to daily, anything that's just like a question or a challenge. I bet on, like, what you want to put on it. Like. And they just. Like, damaris. I just, like. I just want to see if it's going to rain today. Like, you don't have to put money on that. Like, it's.
Rory
Oh, okay, you want. Yeah, that's because one of my.
Damaris
Somebody I know is involved in the stock market, and he was like, I would teach you, but I can't trust you to do this because you'll lose everything.
Rory
Well, like, day trading.
Mall
Yeah, that's just a fancy way of saying gambling.
Rory
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't.
Mall
That's just premium gambling at the end.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
It's acceptable. Like, oh, you don't have a problem. You day trade.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Like, no, no. You're an addict.
Rory
Ye. Yeah. That is a cool way of saying, like, I'm a gambling addict. Like, yeah, you just gambling, bro. You gambling on stocks.
Mall
Yeah, it's. It's like if an alcoholic says, oh, sometimes I just overindulge. No, no, you're not going.
Damaris
But there's so much that goes, like, into it. Like, I remember I would be on the phone with him, and he'll be like, damn, Trump need to say something today. Because if Trump say something that's gonna make this stock go up or Elon
Mall
needs to tweet something, because this stock crazy. Yeah, that's so nuts that. That. It's like, that's where it's at now.
Damaris
Yeah.
Mall
Somebody could tweet something. It's like, all right, this stock just dropped.
Rory
Yeah.
Mall
Like, if I ever poor. Let me just text Elon. Yo, you could tweet today.
Rory
Yeah, yeah. Say something. Yeah. Say you're not with this today.
Mall
Yeah, but when we were in Vegas, I went down. I forget.
Rory
It was.
Mall
I think it was Sunday morning to go get some food in the lobby. I seen. I seen Reason playing roulette by himself. I said, you gambling by yourself.
Rory
He been down here all night. All night.
Mall
And I understand to a lot of people, that's very normal. As someone that doesn't gamble, often seeing someone that's your friend gambling by themselves. Like, you could have texted us. We could have, like, had a.
Rory
That's when you know, some friendship. That's when you know your friend got a problem. You catch him at the table by.
Mall
Let's get some pancakes, man. Yeah, man.
Rory
And let's go talk Roulette in the
Mall
morning is crazy to me.
Damaris
Hey, man,
Mall
but how much did you lose? The first. That first song.
Rory
I didn't lose a lot. I think I lost, like, maybe like 500.
Mall
Okay.
Rory
Once I. Once I hit. Lost 500. That was it. I was like, yeah, this. This is not for me. That just. It just don't feel right.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
Like, just walking away from your money like that that fast, too. But that happened quick. I said, yeah, no, I'm cool.
Mall
No, my. I left. Left Vegas breaking even. And that's.
Rory
That's when I pulled out. Like, even, like, in life.
Mall
No, I lost money. And then the last day, I got back to zero, and I was on a. I was like, nope, I'm back at zero. I'm fine with that.
Rory
Okay. So that trip, though, you still. Vegas still has your money, though, over the years.
Mall
I've only been to Vegas twice in
Rory
my life, but did you get. You gambled the first time?
Mall
Maybe, like, a little bit. I'm not. I enjoy, like, blackjack's fun when, like, you're with your friends, but I'll be at, like, the fucking $25 tables.
Damaris
It's not fun when you're with your friend. I like being there by myself. I don't know nobody. Two other people, strangers. I like when they're a couple and they're, like, so involved with each other that they're not really paying attention. But then they be around and busting, like, the table up sometimes. I don't know.
Mall
I just would. You have to figure you're probably going to lose your money, and I'd like to have fun while doing it. Like, I don't want to sit there quietly by myself when I'm gonna lose money and not even have fun. Like, with your friends. At least you can laugh, shoot the. Like, yeah, it can be fun.
Damaris
I'm not paying attention. I don't like that.
Mall
No, you can still pay attention to that.
Rory
No, Damaris is. You talking to a gambler, though. She's. She got a problem. So she's like, no, I want to be myself when I'm going through my problems.
Damaris
Like, yeah, like, I don't.
Mall
Like, I need my friends there. It needs to be the free drinks. So I'm kind of making up for losing money then. I'm fine playing blackjack. Blackjack's fun in that regard, but not for me.
Damaris
But that's why I be getting into sports betting with y'. All. With, like, I don't be knowing what the fuck is going on, but I'm just like, yo, so and so, going all the way. So and so going all the way. Peach told me that the center, the Timberwolves, are doing good, so.
Mall
But no. So sports betting, to me is. You have a fighting chance. I. I just feel like the casinos, you're like, no matter. You're going there to lose your money. At least if you have some knowledge of sports, you have a fighting chance. With sports betting, that blackjack, they cut in the deck, you, man, like, unless you're a Rain man, it can count cards like Kevin Spacey. I don't. I don't know what to tell you.
Rory
My homeboy just put 50, 000 on the spurs to win it all.
Damaris
Why you ain't never introduced me to that homeboy?
Rory
I don't know why I should just introduce you to somebody that just bet 50,000 on Spurs.
Mall
Oh, sounds like he has some, you know.
Damaris
You want me to introduce you to Fine and my. My equivalent to fine is 50,000 on
Mall
the spurs disposable income, where you can just, like, you know what? 50 on the Spurs.
Rory
Yeah, Yeah.
Mall
I think it's bad bet, though.
Rory
No, I think. I mean, especially coming off the spurs loss.
Mall
Yeah, definitely went up that way.
Rory
Yeah, I think it's a. It's a good bet. And it's not a. Now, listen, it's 50,000. So if the spurs, you know, lose, and it's like. But the spurs are one of the favorites to win it all. So it's kind of like, you know, you take it. That's what gambling is. You take that chance. But he just sent that ticket to me. I was like, I like it. Good bet. Good bet. 50,000 to get 290, something like that.
Mall
Keep me in the hundreds. Losing 50k. I don't care how much money I have. That would. Oh, my God, I'd be inconsole. Like, I wouldn't even know what to do.
Rory
Yeah, man. But then if you hit, right.
Mall
Yeah. And then I'm gonna get on that high and then put 100 again and then be down for 75.
Rory
What the Yankees doing? Let me see where they at. What the Yankees doing?
Mall
I take that. God complex. Yeah.
Rory
What the Yankees doing? That's how it happens.
Mall
No, thank you. But I mean, insider trading. Anyone out there quietly wants to hit me, I'm here for it.
Rory
Inside of training, I could be bought.
Mall
Sure, if you got a lick. I'm here to put up 50k. That's funny, but do we have voicemails?
Rory
You've got mail. Yo, what's up, Pod? This is D from Jersey. Quick question. I'm having my first kid later this year and looking through the paperwork. They give you certain options during the birth, like playing music. So I wanted to know, Rory1, if you played any music during your daughter's birth. Or Mall or Damaris. When you have kids, should you have kids? What's on the playlist during labor? Trying to figure out if I can Get a little fuego bass and some Wu Tang in the delivery room. But my wife's having none of that.
Mall
But that's sick.
Rory
Love the pie. Keep going, guys. Appreciate it. Thank you for that. Wu Tang in the delivery room is great.
Mall
You could play some odb, baby. I like it raw because that's why we're here.
Rory
Well, obviously, also, congrats.
Mall
Yes. Congratulations, and definitely hope you guys have a very safe and successful birth. I've talked about this before, though.
Rory
We.
Mall
We had Frank playing, and Kia really loves Rufus the soul. So it was Frank and. And Rufus.
Rory
Frank Ocean.
Mall
Okay. Those were the. The two during. During labor.
Rory
Yeah, I think. I think that's nice to kind of set that. That vibe for you, you know, for your mom, for the mother. Mother to be and, you know, kind of make her comfortable and as. As much as she can be.
Mall
I just think you're kind of trolling her if you start playing Wu Tang. Bring the pain. And maybe she doesn't have an epidural and, like, she's doing a natural birth.
Rory
Like, how's the pain? Jump around. Playing jump around while your girl trying to give birth is crazy, but shake that ass, bitch. Hands on your knees. Hands on your knees.
Mall
Breathe, breathe.
Rory
Hands on your knees.
Damaris
I would probably do. I would do. Well, I'm a woman, so I'm looking at it differently. I would do music that comforts me, so probably a lot of I'm a weirdo. Disney soundtracks, like the Black Cinderella soundtrack with Brandon, Whitney Mulan soundtrack, Anastasia soundtrack. Solange is a seat at the table. Like, music that. That relieves anxiety. Don't play no hyperactive shit when I'm over here trying to push a bowling ball through my coochie.
Mall
Yeah, no, I mean. I mean, granted, as much I like Rufus and I love Frank Ocean as well, but those picks were specific for Kia to, you know, have a calm environment of music that she likes. So. Bro, it's not your choice. You're. Yeah, you'll do the breathing exercises, hold her hand, maybe even catch the baby, but you're not doing anything. So maybe look at her playlist before you. You want to get RZA out the gate.
Damaris
I don't know. I feel like I wouldn't even want music, though.
Rory
You would just want.
Damaris
I want them people that like music overstate. Like, music is. Music is not background for me. Music will always be like, forefront. So if I'm hearing music, I'm focused on the music. I might just be like, I want silence. Because my. One of my sisters was like, that when she was in labor, she was like, I see that you're here. I acknowledge that you're here. Do not make any sounds. I need complete silence. When she was pushing. And I'm like. I feel like I might be that way. Like, I need silence.
Rory
Yeah. I'm different, though. Cause even when I take a shit, I play music. So it gotta be, like, the same. Like, you pushing.
Damaris
Yeah.
Mall
I don't know if I don't know the last time I've taken a silent.
Damaris
Yeah, you can't take silent.
Mall
Watching something, listening to something.
Rory
Taking a silent is psychotic.
Damaris
I think so.
Mall
It was funny that one time you in the office and you were playing Jadakiss, though. I just think to Jadakiss was funny.
Rory
I mean, it don't matter what I'm playing. Like, I just. You know what I'm saying? Like, I need to hear music. Something like. No, Going in the bathroom in silence and taking a. Is crazy.
Damaris
Y' all know I'm on the phone. I'm on FaceTime 24 7. Faith. That is the only time I will hang up the phone. I'll be like, I gotta call y' all back. I'll do anything else on my FaceTime. But when I'm taking a.
Rory
No, I'm not.
Mall
You can't.
Rory
No, I gotta call you back.
Damaris
And it gotta be silent.
Rory
You shouldn't be on FaceTime. I'm not. No. But like, music.
Damaris
Yeah.
Rory
Yeah. You need a little music. You need water running. Because water relaxes you. When you hear running water.
Mall
Just wasting water, right?
Rory
It relaxes. Yeah. That water let you relax.
Mall
Plenty of people that would like it.
Rory
Yeah. Just relax and play some music and, you know. No, just let it go. Drop the kids off.
Damaris
Silence. And I can't be doing nothing on my phone. Like, I. And it needs to be silent, and I need to concentrate.
Rory
You need to concentrate when you're taking a. What are you concentrating on?
Damaris
It's like this. Like. Yeah. I hug my knees and I just. I really focus silence.
Mall
To me, that's sick. But I can't even go to sleep with silence. So, I don't know, maybe you.
Damaris
You.
Rory
You play music. Taking a.
Damaris
Are you awesome.
Rory
You have to, bro. What do we.
Mall
I've never, like, oh, I'm watching a video on YouTube or something. Like, something.
Rory
A silent is crazy.
Damaris
That's crazy to me.
Rory
No, push it. You gotta play something. Pebble. Push it. When you're taking this for sure, that's top five.
Damaris
That's too much. I would be so over Rick Ross.
Mall
Push it to the limit.
Rory
Yeah.
Damaris
I would be so overstimulated with music while taking a. I would be so overstimulated.
Rory
Like, what would happen? You won't be able to.
Damaris
No, I just. It would, like, bug me. Like, it would. Like when I get overstimulated, like, my skin crawls. So if I'm hearing too many sounds or feeling too many things at once, like, I just want to crawl out of my skin, I wouldn't be able to do it.
Rory
Are you autistic?
Damaris
I. I'm not gonna lie. If I go take a test, there's a good chance I'm probably a little higher on the spectrum than most. I'm not.
Rory
Because, you know, it's harder for us to tell if women are autistic because women. One of the easier ways to sell if a man is autistic because men can't take directions when they're autistic. It's like, like that's one of the signs women can. Y' all can take directions and how to do things. Instructions.
Damaris
It's like that with ADHD too. Like finding out I had ADHD when I was younger. When you're younger, the boys, like, it's usually like hyper. The hyper part. So men are very hyperactive when they have ADHD when they're kids. Girls aren't really like that. Their mind is more hyperactive than. So ADHD gets skipped in young girls a lot.
Mall
Okay, well, yeah. If you are in fact on the spectrum, we could use you in fashion.
Rory
Based on available survey data, a significant minority of people still use Funny to Me in silence. A 2025 survey indicated that 66% of people regularly use their smartphones on the toilet.
Damaris
Okay.
Mall
Using your smartphone, numbers would be higher than that.
Damaris
The smartphone doesn't have to make noise. Like. Okay, yeah.
Mall
I mean, if you want to read an article. Yeah, that's true.
Rory
That's always been a thing. Reading.
Damaris
Reading is fine.
Mall
That's what you used to do was grab a magazine of the newspaper.
Damaris
Yeah, reading is fine. But the sound, the only sound I should hear is like my.
Rory
This is why Damaris being silent is crazy. Cuz it says time spent. Those who do not use phones, the silent group, which is Damaris, likely spend less than five minutes on the toilet while heavy phone users offspend over 15 minutes. The marriage be on that toilet more than five minutes for an hour.
Damaris
I'll be on the toilet for an hour, but in silence.
Mall
Oh, wait till y' all have kids.
Rory
I don't believe that that's going to be your he's not on the toilet for an hour. Hour in silence?
Damaris
Yes. I. There's no way use my phone and not have the phone make noise. I don't want the phone to make noise. You can read articles, you can scroll, but like, for it to be making noise or listening to music or watching a movie, like.
Rory
Some individuals specifically require complete silence to relax the pelvic floor and manage. Shy bowel syndrome. Oh, it's called parko presses. You have parko presses?
Damaris
I got Parco presses, my booty shy.
Rory
You have a shy butt bowel.
Damaris
That makes sense, though.
Mall
You got the pumps.
Damaris
Oh, that makes a lot of sense
Rory
because you tried anal that one time and got scared.
Mall
Okay, yeah, this might be tmi, but maybe Netflix will cut this part off. So when you're sitting there for an hour, are you wiping your butt in and sitting or you just got a shitty ass for an hour and then.
Rory
Oh, that should be itching.
Mall
Do you wipe and then just chill or like, we just sitting there?
Rory
Parko presses or. Shy bow is a common anxiety disorder characterized by the inability to defecate in public or shared restrooms. Okay, so she's. She's. Okay, maybe shy here. Are you shy at home as well? On the toilet?
Damaris
Maybe. I don't know.
Rory
Shared restrooms due to fear of being heard or judged. Affecting 7 to 32% of people. It causes severe distress avoiding public restrooms and physical therapy and physical issues like constipation and abdominal pain. Treatment involves behavioral therapy. Graduated exposure. So you graduated exposure to matrix. You have to expose your butthole a little more so it won't be shy and relaxation techniques.
Mall
Oh, yeah.
Damaris
See, I'll think about that for next time. I'm gonna try to go home and shit with music.
Rory
Yeah, just put some tunes on.
Damaris
I don't like, even like. The thought of it freaks me out.
Mall
I think giving birth in silence is crazier, but.
Damaris
But nah, that's some. You just got.
Rory
Well, giving birth is like. You have people around you, coaching you, talking to you, you know? Yeah, kind of like we had.
Mall
The music was loud. We had candles. We took. Cuz. Remember, we were recording at my house at the time, So I had all these lights. I brought all those lights.
Rory
You had a pod set up during your.
Mall
No, it's just.
Damaris
He definitely had a mic.
Mall
It was just. It was. It was.
Rory
You bought the shore with you too? You had the.
Mall
Well, we did film it.
Rory
Did you have the black magic? So you filmed it with one of the black magics we have here? No wonder we have no space on
Mall
a hard drive at the Scorsese angles. Yeah, it was all a one shot.
Rory
And he got mad. He's like, kid, listen, these are the lines, all right?
Mall
Okay. I need you to focus on me and the camera.
Rory
Keep your eyes here. This level right here. Kia, please.
Mall
But, you know, we did like mood lighting and candles and everything.
Rory
Okay?
Mall
Just make it a relaxed, relaxed environment.
Rory
That's cool. I'm not mad at that. I respect that, but. All right, well, we right back tomorrow, right, gang?
Mall
Yes, sir.
Rory
Unfortunately, it's good seeing y' all again. Thank you to Complex. Thank you. Everybody over there, shout out to Jordan.
Mall
Yes, sir.
Rory
Shout out to everybody that made the list. Everybody that didn't make the list. Tomorrow's. Well, next year is another year and hopefully we'll see some new faces.
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
Different rankings, but either way, we're all grateful to be a part of this coach. In this ecosystem, whether we love each other or hate each other, we're all a part of it, right?
Mall
Yeah.
Rory
And let's get used to it.
Mall
Let's challenge everyone on the list and off the list to let's bring some positivity into hip hop Media in 2026 and 2027.
Rory
After Iceman. We can do that.
Mall
Everyone has to say they love it to get off.
Rory
This is my redemption. I got some to get off after that, though. Yeah, we could. Kumbaya.
Mall
Is this your mic? You wearing 45.
Rory
I got some to say after this album drops. I got some to talk that. But we'll be back soon. Be safe, be blessed. I'm that nigga. He's just ginger. Peace.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
This Mother's Day celebrate all the women who make life brighter with a gift from Pandora Jewelry. Choose jewelry that reflects what she means to you and the moments you share. Make it even more meaningful by personalizing your piece with an engraving in your own handwriting. Something no one else has, either a date, a name, or something unique to you. Because the best Mother's Day gift says more than I love you. It says I appreciate you. It says, I see you. Find the perfect Mother's Day gift at your local Pandora store or online@pandora.net you know what?
Mall
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Kalpen (Kal Penn)
Spinquest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.
Damaris
Garnier is proudly partnering with the National park foundation, the official nonprofit partner of
Mall
the National Park Service.
Damaris
Garnier's support of the National Park Foundation's Service Corps program is enabling young adults and veterans to help care for and enhance the national parks that we all love. Want to lend a hand? Explore Garnier's partnership with the National park foundation and learn how you can help support our national parks@garnier USA.com NPF this
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem?
Mall
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Kalpen (Kal Penn)
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Mall
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Kalpen (Kal Penn)
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Rory
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Mall
at no additional charge.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
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Mall
All linked and talking to each other.
Kalpen (Kal Penn)
Check out Odoo at o d o o dot com. That's o d o o dot com.
Damaris
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
In Episode 490, Rory, Mal, and Damaris celebrate their latest jump on Complex’s 2026 Hip Hop Media Power Rankings, dive into the culture and politics of those lists, and reflect on recognition, competition, and what it means to have longevity in hip hop media. The crew also discusses streamer Kai Cenat’s return, controversial media figures, the Stefan Diggs trial verdict, dream retirement plans, gambling, and more, all with their trademark blend of humor, inside-jokes, and candid reflections on the industry.
The Crew’s New High:
“We’re going up the ranks… What do you want from us?” — Mall (05:45)
"Obviously it doesn't really define everything, but definitely feel grateful for, for being acknowledged… at number seven." — Mall (06:01)
“It’s all part of the gumbo of entertainment and industry politics.” — Rory (06:27)
Social Media and List Politics:
"I'm learning to understand that there's multiple sides of these things… it's a necessary. We need it." — Rory (06:40–07:04)
Notable Omissions & Surprises:
The Subjectivity of Lists:
“I don’t have a huge, strong opinion about the media list like that, to be honest… It's very similar to rapper lists at this point.” — Mall (19:42)
Kai Cenat’s “Retirement” & Return:
On Consistency and Longevity:
"They only gave us six months… every year they seem to be mad that, you know, complex recognizes us." — Rory (12:53)
“If y' all haven't noticed, nobody's getting me upset anymore... I don't know these people.” — Rory (12:57)
Stefon Diggs Found Not Guilty:
The “Men Too” Movement:
“The Men Too movement has started... I think a lot of dudes are gonna start looking at this like, yo, that shakedown shit is over with.” — Rory (39:23)
Cultural Nuance:
After-Hip Hop Media Ambitions:
“I want to go to culinary school, and I want to get my pilot license.” — Rory (53:22) “I wanted to get into like, like nascar... work in the pit.” — Damaris (64:57)
On Gambling (67:16–74:36):
“Don’t play no hyperactive shit when I’m over here trying to push a bowling ball through my coochie.” — Damaris (76:56)
“Second year in a row that people have made their press rollout about us not belonging on the list. But, I mean, hey, man, who are we to fuck up tradition?” — Mall (06:32)
“She can actually sail the seven seas. And you let her go. What the fuck?” — Rory (58:35)
“I used to have a real bad blackjack problem... even during COVID when they was only letting a couple people through the door, like, I was in line.” — Damaris (68:25)
The crew’s familiar mix of irreverence, banter, and playful mutual teasing is front-and-center throughout, with substantial detours into inside jokes, sex and dating hypotheticals, and personal confessions, but always circling back to industry insights and cultural commentary. Their approach is honest but not mean-spirited—with a genuine appreciation for the culture and those advancing it, whether acknowledged or overlooked by the “lists.”
Episode 490 is a celebration of upward movement for Rory and Mal in the hip hop media landscape, but also a reflection on what real recognition and passion look like in a crowded, sometimes chaotic, sometimes contentious scene. The episode covers the complexity behind “the lists,” applauds those carving out new spaces, and mixes frank talk on serious topics (like false accusation trials and gambling) with irrepressible humor, humility, and the reminders that longevity, community, and authenticity matter most.