All the Way featuring Trinidad James

Summary

Pour Minds Podcast — "All the Way" feat. Trinidad James

Date: September 12, 2025
Hosts: Drea & Lex P
Guest: Trinidad James (Rapper, songwriter, producer, creative director, fashion icon)

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Episode Theme:

This episode centers on authenticity, creative evolution, relationships, boundaries, and the realities of success, all tied together by the hilarious and candid energy of Drea, Lex, and special guest Trinidad James. The group dives deep into personal growth, industry shifts in music and culture, modern dating, friendship, masculinity, and navigating public perception—all with their signature blend of wisdom, comedy, and realness.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Authenticity, Leadership & Boundaries

• Trinidad James on Leadership & Boundaries

  • "When a man is leading correctly, life is perfect ... whatever correctly means to both of you, life is grand. The big G, man." (03:10)
  • Discusses how setting boundaries and vision is key for both personal and collective success. He emphasizes the importance of not only being great individually but inspiring and elevating those around you.
  • "You are not the master of anything you don't have students in." (07:33, 34:34) — A mantra from James’ karate instructor about true mastery including uplifting others.

• Lex & Drea on Uplifting Friends

  • Lex expresses her joy and sense of duty in ensuring her circle feels comfortable and supported:
    • "I am so uncomfortable if the people around me are uncomfortable ... if I can connect the dot for you, I'm gonna connect them dots." (09:21)
  • Discussion about not wanting to be the central leader, but instead celebrating when friends surpass one another.

• Discernment and Emotional Maturity

  • "If they don't see that vision for themselves, ... you doing it to no end and you wasting your time." (13:02) — Drea
  • Trinidad highlights the importance of recognizing when your 'support' is actually harming or hindering, noting emotional maturity means sometimes stepping back.

2. Being Unapologetically Yourself — Fashion, Art, and Black Experience

• Style and Evolution

  • Trinidad reflects on the evolution of his unique style and the freedom from caring about criticism:
    • "I am a gun with no safety...there's no governor on me. I'm going 300 miles ... because I've done it." (20:25)
  • Connects his self-expression in art, nails, hair, and fashion to his personal journey and Black experience.
  • "This is my Black experience. I ain't never been able to change it." (22:06)

• Loneliness & Family

  • Talks openly about growing up effectively as an only child (despite having siblings) and balancing the desire for companionship and self-sufficiency.
  • Discusses dreams of fatherhood and only wanting the number of kids he can afford:
    • "Stop having more children than you can afford." (26:33)

3. Modern Relationships and Family Expectations

• Shifting Family Values

  • "The family dynamic is not what it used to be. Nobody values family no more." (29:42) — Lex
  • The group critiques how expectations and contracts of relationships need to catch up with the reality of modern life. Many people enter relationships and parenthood without understanding themselves or each other.

• Generational Suffering & Self-Preservation

  • Lex and Drea highlight previous generations' suffering to maintain families and the stigma today around putting personal happiness first.
    • "Our mothers suffered. Our fathers worked way too hard, and our mothers suffered. Nobody wants to hear that." (31:20) — Trinidad

• Jealousy & Competition Among Women

  • Trinidad, sharing from working with many women in music, observes the mix of support and cutthroat competition.
    • "I am trying to cut this bitch's throat." (12:22)

4. Masculinity, Sexuality, and Public Perception

• Challenging Stereotypes

  • Trinidad talks about embracing fashion choices (heels, nails), confronting assumptions about his sexuality, and the historical context of Black male performers dressing flamboyantly (Prince, Isley Brothers, pimps, etc):
    • "I've never kissed a man, been kissed by a man, had sex with a man ... If a man look good, he look good." (77:16)
  • Challenges men to do what feels authentic, not what they see others doing.
  • "Do not do what other men do. Do what is good for you." (76:19)

• Influence and Authenticity

  • "Because everybody is so influenced by influencers, ... that's what throws people off." (78:38)
  • Emphasizes that everything he does is intentional, not for clout but for self-expression and love of art.

5. The Music Industry — Going Viral vs. Genuine Artistry

• The Role of Social Media
  • Discussion on whether artists need to go viral to succeed:
    • "You have to have a social media presence, period....But if you know that your work ethic is trash, forget about it." (54:34)
  • Cautions on the trap of chasing attention and virality over substance and originality:
    • "People are lonely ... they're not investing into other people. They want to be valued through what the Internet thinks." (60:21)
  • Lex notes a drop in artist development and investment in real talent:
    • "Now ... artists are getting a one song record deal so they can push this song because they see it going up on TikTok." (57:04)
  • Trinidad comments on industry shifts:
    • "Corporate is not culture. Corporate is the bank for culture. Corporate uses culture in order to be rich, to stay rich." (57:36)

6. Conspiracy Theories & Multiverse Talk

• Playful Deep Dives
  • Lex’s theory: Pigeons are man-made ("I've never seen a baby pigeon" — 63:56)
  • Drea jokes about COVID as conspiracy.
  • Trinidad shares his "everyone has a double" theory, stemming from spotting a doppelgänger in NYC.
  • They discuss the 'multiverse' idea: with every life choice, a different “version” of us exists elsewhere.
    • "Which version of yourself would you like to meet ... ?" (72:07–73:10)

7. Music Recommendations ("The Bop")

• Lex: “La Roux” (self-titled album; 2009), especially "Bulletproof" and “Cover My Eyes.”
• Dre: Chris Brown & Bryson Tiller’s "It Depends" (sampling Usher’s "Nice and Slow")
• Trinidad James:
  • Loretta Lynn – “You Ain’t Woman Enough” ("Penmanship. Insane." 87:16)
  • Sly & The Family Stone – "Family Affair"
  • AMG Twins – "No Gimmicks" ("Turn up time" 88:31)
  • Also mentions Glass Animals' "Heat Waves" and excitement for The Clipse's new album.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Mastery and Leadership:
  • "You are not the master of anything you don't have students in." — Trinidad James (07:33, 34:34)
• On Family and Suffering:
  • "Our mothers suffered. Our fathers worked way too hard, and our mothers suffered. Nobody wants to hear that. Especially not people from that generation." — Trinidad James (31:20)
• On Boundaries in Relationships:
  • Lex: "Once we stop reacting and there's nothing. Oh, you're done." (19:28)
• On Being a True Leader:
  • "A great leader got his mama in check, his daddy in check, his girl in check." — Trinidad James (96:00)
• On Masculinity & Fashion:
  • "Do not do what other men do. Do what is good for you." — Trinidad James (76:19)
• On Women's Competition:
  • "I'm trying to cut this bitch's throat." — Trinidad James (12:22)
• On Industry Authenticity:
  • "Corporate is not culture. Corporate is the bank for culture." — Trinidad James (57:36)
• On Support:
  • "We all need somebody to lean on. Lean on me..." — Lex P (50:13)

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Important Timestamps

• 03:10: Trinidad explains the importance of being a leader and setting boundaries.
• 09:21: Lex on her sense of responsibility for uplifting her friends.
• 13:17: Drea and Trinidad discuss emotional maturity.
• 20:25: Trinidad reflects on becoming unapologetically himself through struggle.
• 22:06–23:08: Discussion of loneliness, only-child syndrome, and intent to be a great father.
• 26:33: Trinidad on only having as many kids as one can afford, sparking a broader talk on responsibility.
• 29:42–31:20: Critique of shifting family values and generational sacrifice.
• 34:34: More on leadership: “You are not the master of anything you don't have students in.”
• 54:34: Trinidad on going viral versus traditional music success.
• 63:54: Conspiracy theory segment (baby pigeons, doubles, multiverse).
• 74:40: Transition to discussion about masculinity, style, and sexuality.
• 77:16: Trinidad: "I've never kissed a man ... If a man look good, he look good."
• 87:03–88:48: Music 'bop' segment with recommendations and lively banter.
• 95:18–101:28: "Pour Your Heart Out" Q&A: Love, boundaries, moving in, and what to expect from a partner.

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Notable Culture, Language, and Tone

• Real, Unfiltered, and Laugh-Out-Loud: The whole podcast keeps a “drunk therapy with friends” energy, mixing deep insights with jokes, shade, and playful cussing.
• Empowering & Honest: Both hosts and guest push listeners toward honest self-reflection but also affirm authenticity and carving your own lane.
• Pop Culture References: Frequent shoutouts to artists and Black cultural icons, quick-witted callbacks, and inside jokes (e.g., “Magic City cheeks,” “French tip girl,” Prince).

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Additional Highlights

• Support for Black-owned Businesses: James talks about Edmonds Honor rum, his sock line (DAD: Destroying All Doubt), and the importance of supporting Black entrepreneurship.
• Advice Column: Trinidad offers honest, sometimes brutally direct, perspectives on listeners' relationship dilemmas, emphasizing the importance of knowing who you are and accepting or walking away from partners whose behaviors don’t meet your needs.
• Closing: James previews upcoming projects: Atlanta Dream sports collaboration, new music, and a focus on inspiring and protecting culture.

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For Listeners:

This episode is a masterclass in self-knowledge, refusing to conform, and building genuine connection. Expect both wild, laugh-out-loud banter and pearls of wisdom—from surviving in the music business to knowing when to walk away from both romantic partners and friendships. Trinidad James brings vulnerability, insight, and humor, making this an essential listen for anyone seeking to live "all the way"—and on their own terms.

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For full effect, grab a glass of something "poured up" and get ready for an episode that’s as deep as it is hilarious, as real as it is refreshing.

Transcript

[Dre]

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[Trinidad James]

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[Lex P]

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[Trinidad James]

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[Trinidad James]

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[Lex P]

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[Trinidad James]

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[Lex P]

Before we get into today's episode, we've got to celebrate the black effect Podcast Network is turning five. Five years of powerful voices, unforgettable moments, and a community that keeps growing. This is the power of the platform. Now let's get into it.

[Trinidad James]

When a man is leading correctly, life is perfect. When a man is leading correctly, whatever correctly means to both of you, life is grand. The big G, man.

[Lex P]

What?

[Trinidad James]

Big R, big A, big N, big.

[Lex P]

Fucking D. I'm not gonna lie. I feel like every time something has gone wrong, it's because it was that switch up.

[Trinidad James]

Yes. Is the worst.

[Lex P]

It's inevitable.

[Trinidad James]

The switch is the worst. I can speak that. Cuz I'm the switch up king. Yeah, I'm the switch up king and.

[Lex P]

I hate it, cuz, you know, I.

[Dre]

Did do my research. You a Libra?

[Trinidad James]

Yeah. It's a part of.

[Dre]

I believe it.

[Lex P]

Why y' all lie?

[Trinidad James]

But. But I don't lie.

[Dre]

Well, no, I want to finish here though, about boundaries.

[Trinidad James]

But so, boom. Because we are traditionally and, you know, doctrine to lead. A great leader knows to set boundaries. A great leader has to set boundaries. A great leader has to have vision. Vision allows you to set boundaries because you could see that she's gonna. My life.

[Lex P]

Foreign. What's up, y'? All? It's your girl, Lex P. And it's.

[Dre]

Your girl Dre and Nicole.

[Lex P]

And you are tuned in to another episode of Poor Mind, where a drunk.

[Dre]

Mind speaks sober thought.

[Lex P]

We got a guest today.

[Dre]

We got a guest today.

[Lex P]

First of all, we have rapper, songwriter, music video director, creative director, and a fashion God in the building. You know what I'm saying? Swag on 10 at all times. We got Trinidad James in the building.

[Dre]

Exactly.

[Trinidad James]

Ladies.

[Dre]

Now you gotta tell the people what Cheryl does just now off camera.

[Trinidad James]

So for everybody watching, first of all, it's a blessing to be here. So you gotta make it here. You gotta earn it to be here. So I was saying to him, today is just a great day for me. But also, one of the cool things is I love fun facts. I love fun culture facts. So, you know, we clocking. We started off clocking, and before we was clocking, everybody was saying, what's that, T? Right, right. And we love it. It's just a saying. Whether you heterosexual, heterosexual, d d. Whatever. It's. It becomes a part. Cuz that's what culture, our lingo, it just becomes a part of it. Right?

[Lex P]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

Today this brother got on IG and he was like, you know where clock the tea came from? He said one of his old boys. And that's how he said it to one of his old boys. So Told him that. Basically, that whole idea of what's that tea? It comes from the word information. In the word information, the T is silent. So it's like, what's the T Like? I want to know what's really going on. I hear what you're telling me, but I want to know what's the T? And that just blew my mind.

[Lex P]

That blew my mind.

[Dre]

Blew us too. He heard it.

[Lex P]

Cause when you first explained it to me, I was like, huh? But I was like, when you really.

[Dre]

Think about it, if you say information, she is silent.

[Lex P]

If you ask me to spell information, after I done had a few of them Thai drinks, I'm going to say S H U n at the end.

[Trinidad James]

Poured up.

[Lex P]

You know what I'm saying?

[Trinidad James]

She poured up.

[Lex P]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

That's a poured mind.

[Lex P]

Ain't no tea in there.

[Dre]

Information.

[Lex P]

Information. Like how ludicrous would say it.

[Trinidad James]

You got to look down and up when you say the song.

[Lex P]

It's like a dive.

[Trinidad James]

She dived in.

[Lex P]

Yeah. It ain't no tea in there. That's why I got to know. What's the truth?

[Dre]

You got to know.

[Trinidad James]

Come on. But what's the tea?

[Lex P]

Okay. I love a good fun fact. So how are you?

[Trinidad James]

I am blessed. I am busy, I am grinding. And it's all the things. Yes, all the things. To be honest with you, like I said to you before we started, I'm a journeyman, so I'm going to travel and I travel for greatness, not just personal greatness. Really good OG of mine, he was helping me with some karate stuff back in the day. He said that you are not the master of anything that you don't have students in. And that really stuck with me because I was like, yeah, for myself, personally, yeah, I'm great. But like, what about the people around me? What can I say about them? What can I speak for them? Like the people that's, like, consistently around me and they are a reflection of you. If you the boss and all that boss energy that everybody is, you have to look at the people around you because they are reflection of your energy. They are a reflection of who you are as a man or a woman. And if your people ain't like you, that is a reflection of you, you are to blame. You can say that. Hey, man, I'm showing them what to do. Nah, bro, they doing what you allowing them to do and what you're showing them to do. And mind you don't get it mistaken, you got some people that's going to mess it up and they're going to do right. It just ain't going to do right. But once again, you are not the master of anything you don't have students in.

[Dre]

So do you feel like in saying that, do you feel like we're responsible for the people around us? To a certain extent.

[Trinidad James]

What I truly do believe is that you are not in control of your success. You are in control of the momentum of your success. So you are the developer and the designer of your ecosystem. Your ecosystem, ecosystem has everything to do with the tone that you set, and that attracts the people that come to you. People will come to both of you, right, Because y' all are attractive, but people stay because y' all are addictive.

[Dre]

And that's a fact.

[Lex P]

And you ain't lie, Trinidad.

[Trinidad James]

Right? You see what I'm saying? So to be able to understand that I would ever like. But at the end of the day, it's like, okay, once somebody get addicted to you or whatever is like, as time goes, it's like, why am I addicted? It can't just be lust. Whatever. Lust runs out.

[Lex P]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

You know that, Right? Right. And so to take it back to what you're asking me, it, like, I feel that that is a. You are in control because you set the tone for what you attract.

[Dre]

Okay.

[Lex P]

It's so crazy that you are talking about this, because on God, I promise. I had a conversation with Belyn today when I was getting ready, and I'm getting ready, and I was just like, man, I am so uncomfortable if the people around me are uncomfortable, and I'm talking about my circle. Everybody has to be comfortable. There's no way I can sit in the things that I'm doing and feel like, oh, well, she on her own. They ain't got shit to do with me. Like, I have always felt like that. Like, it's my responsibility to put all of my friends in the greatest position that they can be in. I'm not, you know, up there. I ain't no, you know, Jay Z, Beyonce, but I feel like if I can connect the dot for you, I'm gonna connect them dots. You know what I'm saying? It's so crazy that you said that, because I was, like, feeling like I was feeling like that. Like, is that my responsibility, though? Is it? But I'm like, you know what? That's what makes me happy. Like, me being in my position, but also making sure everybody around me straight. You know what I mean?

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Can I ask y' all a question? Can I ask y' all a question?

[Dre]

Sure.

[Trinidad James]

And this is a little bit of a hot take, but. Well, actually, let me ask you this, because you're talking about it because I identify what you're saying is a part of it where not your pride, but more of, like, the competitor in you is like, I want to be, like, the boss. I want to be the person that y' all depend on in my friend circle. Is that a part of it too?

[Lex P]

You know what? It's not, though. Because, honestly, I really feel like. Because people think that, like, I'm the funny friend, whatever.

[Trinidad James]

Right, right, right.

[Lex P]

But I'm like, these motherfuckers around me are way funnier than me. Like, I always say that I don't want to kick my feet up. I be wanting them to be more. I want everybody around me. Cause as soon as I can kick these little corns up, I'm doing it. So I don't feel like that. I don't feel like I want to be the leader. And it has to be me, me, me. Cause I feel like my light is always gonna shine. Like, she, like, Draya is a boss. Like, when we first started Poor Minds, and it was like, immediately once we started making money, she was like, oh, yeah, I'm starting Muse Beauty. And it wasn't like I was feeling like, oh, my gosh, Dre has surpassed him. I was like, yeah, bitch, I got muse beauty on right now. Cause as soon as them Rihanna checks come in, hey, I'm finna kick my feet up on a Muse Beauty brand trip. You know what I'm saying?

[Dre]

Well, you ain't even gonna have to be on the brand trip.

[Lex P]

I'm going. I don't care. I' ma still go. But I say all that to say, no. I want everybody around me. Like, if you surpass me, hell, the yeah.

[Trinidad James]

I love to hear you say that. Because I work with so many women in the line of business that I do. And it's intentional, and I just real. I never realized it until I started working with women. I was like, man, y' all are out for each other. And out for each other, where it's like, boom. You can get behind it the way you say you can get behind your friend. But then there's the other side of it, where it's like, I am trying to cut this bitch's throat.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

I'm like, whoa, what about the hello Kitty? Flowers and chocolate and boyfriend? It. Whoa. Not slit her throat. Yeah, slit her throat.

[Dre]

Women are just very competitive. A lot of women, I feel like, are very competitive by nature, but I just don't think that's how you win in life. Like, I definitely think you win by pulling other people up and helping other people now. But in saying that, I'm more of the type of person, I will push people around me, but I'm not going to push you more than what I feel like you want to be pushed, because I can't want more for you than what you want for yourself. And I think a lot of the time, us as people, when you love somebody and you care about them and you feel like they not living up to their full potential, you want to push them. But if they don't see that for themselves or they don't see that vision for themselves, then sometimes I kind of feel like you doing it to no end and you kind of wasting your time, too.

[Trinidad James]

Yours too. And.

[Dre]

Yeah, exactly.

[Trinidad James]

Right. Right now. No, no, I agree with you. I agree with you. You really have to. I mean, discernment, what you said right there, the word that pulls to me is discernment is so important for you as a boss, you know, whatever version of a boss you feel you are to be able to discern are you. For me, I am. One of my superpowers is being able to understand when I'm hurting you and you don't realize I'm hurting you. And I was like, oh, I gotta get myself out here. I'm doing you a disservice. And that goes both ways. It can go even on a relationship.

[Dre]

That's emotional maturity, that is.

[Trinidad James]

Cause I feel like I'm great to everything.

[Lex P]

I'm great to everybody. But maybe I do need to take something. Like, maybe I'm hindering you.

[Trinidad James]

You're too great. You're too great. And the thing about it is, like, the more that you should never have to talk about greatness because it shows itself.

[Lex P]

I agree.

[Dre]

I say that all the time. I feel, like, greatness, confidence.

[Trinidad James]

Why are we talking about greatness?

[Dre]

If I'm confident and I really feel myself for real, do I really gotta sit here and be like, oh, I'm so confident. I'm that girl all the time.

[Trinidad James]

Are you kidding me?

[Dre]

It's quiet and you can feel it in the room.

[Lex P]

I saw a video the other day, this girl talking, and she was like, that is the number one red flag of somebody who's always talking about, like, I'm such a good person. I'm so this, I'm so that. I feel like if you are really all of those things, you don't have to say it.

[Trinidad James]

Never.

[Lex P]

We always talk about how people be Like I'm so funny, I'm so goofy.

[Dre]

And it's like our girls be like, I'm a girl's girl. That is my number one red flag when I like meet a new woman and I'm possibly about to become friends with her if she just be like, I'm such a girl's girl. I love women. It's just always a red flag cuz it's like if you a girl's girl, it's going to show.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Dre]

Like if you really have other women's back and you really be looking out for women and you really want to see women succeed, I'm going to be able to naturally see that in you. You don't have to tell me all.

[Trinidad James]

The time for sure.

[Lex P]

And with the men too cuz they, I'm such a good guy. I'm a great guy. Like you know, I don't, I, I don't do all that capping. That's how they saying that.

[Trinidad James]

No, no, no, you look, you look when it comes look you're talking to man. So it's one of those things. It's like you can't talk about greatness. The only thing that you should ever talk about is what you're doing if people not realizing it. And that's another thing too because if you're doing something great, you feel like it should be recognized. That's the only time where me personally, I draw the line. And I had to learn that because I'm the one that person. I ain't telling you about nothing. If you don't know nothing I do, then I don't care. But I've learned especially, especially now. And I was selfish for a long time. I only had to focus on being Trinity Nat James. So I was super selfish. That's an easy business for me because God made it that way. But when I started doing like my own clothing brand and sock brand and other things, I was like, oh my God, why do I got kids? Because they feel like real kids and so they eat my money up. And I don't always do business right as far as like oh, I make a mistake. But I love being able to afford first of all to make my mistake.

[Lex P]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

Because I want to learn it myself before I hire somebody else to make the mistake. I'm not trying to hire you to make the same mistake that I make. And that's why you have to have good understanding of what you're doing. And I say all that to say where being able to now in this space, being able to see okay. The responsibility of, like, not being so selfish, basically, and pouring in, poor, pouring in.

[Lex P]

Hey, I'm pulled up.

[Dre]

Little word play.

[Trinidad James]

Count the porns in there. Count the pores, baby. But not just all in all, just being able to now, now in the place that I'm at with everything going on is like, man, I'm super, super focused. And it takes away, it feels from who I used to be, which was like, super, super free. And I'm more and more tied down to my businesses, and it feels like I'm working for my businesses. And the goal is to be able to make your businesses work for you.

[Lex P]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

And it's a great, great journey for me. But I would never wish the path that I'm on on anybody else. You know, anytime I'm talking to somebody, I'm always speaking for them. Where it's like, bro, I've walked through seven, seven thousand fires. And I saw the fire burning, and I was like, I'm still walking in it. Because I'm not really one of those people that get scared of things or people or things like that. It's like, I'm gonna do it or whatever. Like, if it don't kill me, well, hey, you know, next fire, right? But I say that to say back to what we was talking about with that fork in a row, when it's come to, like, if you are a great person, you don't talk about it, but if you're doing great things and they're not being recognized, you should talk about it.

[Lex P]

Okay.

[Trinidad James]

And that's the point.

[Dre]

It's not being overlooked.

[Trinidad James]

Yes. And people should know. Because if your goal is to scale, then people need to know what you're scaling. That's business. You personally and your character and who you are as a woman, who you are as a man. Let that speak for you. Let the other person brag on it or whatever. One of my most funniest lines from I think future somebody was like, it's like when a girl bragging on how you them, that's when you're doing some good. But if you say, if I'm telling you, girl, I'm finna do.

[Lex P]

I'm gonna pour your mind, girl, those be the lamest one.

[Dre]

And then when it happened, you be like, that's it.

[Lex P]

That's all. That's what you was talking about. Pour me a sip.

[Trinidad James]

I wanted to pour and you gave me a sip.

[Lex P]

You gave me a sip, a little drop. You know what I'm saying?

[Trinidad James]

That's the type of to make a woman hate You. Oh, but don't tell you that you hate you. I think that's the worst type of thing. The hate that the woman does not speak is the way a be wanting that reaction. He want to piss you off so much, you say, I hate you, and then a be happy.

[Lex P]

I'll tell you this, though, but women, you go ghost. They be like, the ghost hate the.

[Dre]

Ghost hate the worst kind when we're reacting.

[Trinidad James]

Throw in the towel.

[Lex P]

When we're reacting, we still care and we're still into it, and we want you to. We going back and forth. Once we stop reacting and there's nothing. Oh, you're done.

[Trinidad James]

Forget about it.

[Lex P]

You're done. It's a wrap for you.

[Dre]

It's a wrap, buddy, Actually. Yeah.

[Lex P]

Okay, so before we get into the first topic, I do want to talk. I love to talk about this. I love to talk about your style.

[Trinidad James]

Okay.

[Lex P]

Because one thing I will say is I can appreciate people that march to the beat of their own drum and they're different. Unapologetically yourself. Because when you first stepped on the scene, like, it was different, but it's not like how it is now. So talk about that progress from when you first stepped on the scene with your style and who you are versus.

[Trinidad James]

Now, I think, though, all those fires that I spoke to you about. Are you drinking a dirty Martin?

[Lex P]

No, she drinking. No, we drinking. Y drink.

[Trinidad James]

I was about to be jealous. That's right.

[Lex P]

We drinking.

[Trinidad James]

Oh, yeah, yeah. We. We admins today. Okay. I was so jealous.

[Dre]

I like a dirty martini.

[Trinidad James]

Martini with three olives. I was lime like an olive. I was so jealous. For two seconds we was beefing.

[Dre]

He was about to say, give me shit.

[Trinidad James]

Oh, man. Black owned. Black owned. Don't judge me, period. But the. Those fires that I spoke to y' all about, those 7,000 fires, this industry has burnt away my caring energy to a lot of things. I am. I am a gun with no safety. I am. You know how people be talking about, like, automatic sticks and stuff like that, but it's illegal to have a switch. It's like, you got that puke here. Yeah. It's just like, for me, it's like I've stripped away my safety. There's no governor on this car. Like, I don't know if y' all car ladies like that, but if you are a car woman, cars that come from when you rent a car, if you ever realize, hey, I can't go past 110 because they have a governor on the car. So you don't speed and do something stupid. There's no governor on me. I'm going 200 miles, but I'm going 300 miles. I can handle you because I've done it. So now what you've seen is somebody that started ahead did not realize that they were ahead and really trying to catch up with themselves. So all you've been seeing is the progression of everything that I've just been. Been through. Like, this is just what comes to my mind. I'm not trying to impress, I'm not trying to influence. Right. Honestly, I'm just moving to that drum.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Because I'm the only one I feel that can hear. Feels right to me. When people have a problem with my nails, my heels, anything that I do, my hair, you know, just. This is my black experience. I ain't never been able to change it.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

You ain't never seen me get a haircut, so you know what I'm saying? It's like when you see me get.

[Lex P]

I wish very nasty to cut.

[Trinidad James]

This is just like when you see me cut my hair. Know that I ain't doing nothing else. Know that I hit for 100 million, know that I'm married. Know that I got a kid on the way, hopefully five. And don't talk to me. Don't talk to me.

[Dre]

You want five kids?

[Trinidad James]

I want one or five.

[Lex P]

How many you have kids?

[Trinidad James]

I have no kids.

[Lex P]

You have no kids, so you want.

[Trinidad James]

One, one or five?

[Lex P]

See, I'm like, I have to have one or five. That's what I'm saying.

[Trinidad James]

I understand. Because we lonely. Right.

[Dre]

And I'm my only child, so I can speak to that.

[Trinidad James]

So I have four brothers and four sisters, but I grew up by myself. So I have only child syndrome.

[Dre]

Okay.

[Trinidad James]

And I've got this far by myself. I didn't grow up with my brothers and sisters. I grew up with my mama. I grew up with my dad some. So I understand that you can be as successful as you want to be by yourself and be lonely. Yeah, I'm lonely, but I'm not alone. I'm alone, but I'm not lonely.

[Dre]

Right the other way around.

[Trinidad James]

I'm alone, but I'm not lonely. And so I say that to say with the one of five. Right. I am going to be an amazing father. So I'm already claiming that that's already a part of my DNA. Like an amazing. And so my.

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[Trinidad James]

To separate myself Knowing when I'm taking you down I'm making you lame. I'm hurting your value. If I am not adding value to you, I am not doing good by you. That's the truth. And that's the same thing with my children.

[Lex P]

That's a quality my child.

[Trinidad James]

Right, right. You know, and. And the one to five to more answer your question is what I can afford. Stop having more children than you can afford.

[Lex P]

That's a word that's controversial.

[Dre]

Now, talking about this before on the show. Cause I said I agree with you.

[Lex P]

Now you shaking it up.

[Trinidad James]

Shaking up.

[Lex P]

I don't like that he shaking it up. You getting like, ty, you shaking it up.

[Dre]

He's shaking, but he ain't lying, though.

[Lex P]

Okay, So y' all feel like if people can't afford it, they shouldn't have kids.

[Dre]

I've said this before. One more is time.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah. Don't walk into somebody's life to give them more than you can help with.

[Dre]

That's crazy, because you already putting them at a disadvantage.

[Trinidad James]

That's crazy. By doing that, you're going to stop her for nine months. You're going to stop her, and then you're going to put her nine months on your nine months. If you ain't ever been even good at balancing more responsibilities with your life or your jobs or ever had other type of kids. Like you're like a business or a dog or like, I don't know, like things, you know, that you had to actually take care of. You don't know what you're doing, so. All right, cool. The first one, I'm gonna give it to you. You deserved it. She wanted it. Great. Y' all did it.

[Lex P]

But moving forward.

[Trinidad James]

2, 3. 2, 3. And you're not at 2, 3 level. That's scary.

[Dre]

And it's a choice.

[Trinidad James]

It is a choice because you know what to do with your business. You should. I mean, I'm a grown man, and I've been in control of my business forever. You know what I'm saying? That's right.

[Lex P]

I was about to say no, but then I was like, you know, you're right. You're right.

[Trinidad James]

You're right.

[Dre]

You know, And I mean, vasectomies are available, and they're reversible. Just wanted to put that out there.

[Trinidad James]

Th percent but you see, that's thing. People don't want to invest in their sex life. They don't want to invest in it. They just want to. Yeah, they just want to be together. They want to be addicted to lust because it's crazy.

[Dre]

People are addicted to making children.

[Trinidad James]

Oh yeah.

[Lex P]

Readers.

[Dre]

Yeah. Some people, they. They like have like a. They get turned on and aroused by the idea of making children. It's like a certain word. I can't remember what the. The term is called, but it's like a real thing.

[Lex P]

Well, I think. And that has to go with control too. Because sometimes in situations with. With women I can speak on because I'm a woman. I've seen. So a lot of times a woman will have a baby because either she wants to. To trap the guy or she wants to. She thinks it's gonna help the relationship. It's gonna bring us together. And then on the male side, it'll be like they're doing that because a control thing. Like they wanna have tabs on this woman. They wanna. So if you have my child, you have to answer to me whether. Especially when the woman is more successful too. Because a woman that's more successful and you're dating somebody who is not as successful as you, they know that you walking out that door like that and.

[Dre]

Don'T come back no more.

[Lex P]

Once you walk out there, don't come back no more. And they'll do it. They'll do it. But they be like, let me shoot it up. Shoot that club up. But that's why I'm not gonna lie to you. Like, I just feel like the family dynamic is not what it used to be.

[Trinidad James]

No, it's not.

[Lex P]

Nobody values family no more. Why not?

[Trinidad James]

It needs to. Well, what I'm gonna put out there on the table is that the contract needs to change. I think the contract. Our expectations are not meeting the quality of life. People are expecting tradition because traditionally this is how things went. But in reality, if you really look at it, people don't know how to be in a relationship and then end up having kids before they understand how to be in a relationship. That's true. People date people and people think that the people that they have sex with the most is. That's your personality. And that's not the case always. However, this is your sexual person. But if you're not truly understanding or taking the time to understand who that person's character is, that's not your person. That's Your fuck buddy.

[Lex P]

You are very emotionally intelligent. You are.

[Dre]

You are. And I also felt like something just spoke to me when you said that and then when you spoke on that. I don't know. I also just feel like back in the day, to a certain extent, I do think that there were happy families, but I think it was also a lot of suffering. And people don't really talk about that. Like, a lot of suffering to make the family dynamic work.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Dre]

And now people don't care to really do that anymore. Like, it's kind of like I'm choosing me. I do want my kids to be happy.

[Lex P]

I do.

[Dre]

I don't want them to experience a broken home. But also, if I'm not happy in this situation, I'm not just staying for the sake of my kids. And I feel like a lot of people don't touch on that. And that's something that went on a lot back in the day with our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, et cetera.

[Trinidad James]

Our mothers suffered.

[Dre]

They did.

[Trinidad James]

Our mothers suffered. Our fathers worked way too hard, and our mothers suffered. Nobody wants to hear that. Especially not people from that generation.

[Dre]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

But when we look at it as the intelligent adults that we are at. You suffered, honey. You're not living no type of life that your mama lived. You're not going through that, girl. No. You did that. I'm not doing that.

[Lex P]

I agree.

[Trinidad James]

And because your mother is still a woman, it's a part of that where it can go both ways. Where she could either be like, that's my daughter, or, like, I hate that bitch. Your own mama.

[Dre]

Cause you doing something that she didn't do.

[Trinidad James]

Your mama could be your biggest hater as a woman.

[Lex P]

And I'm so blessed. Jeez, rest in peace to my mother. But I'm so blessed. Like, I had a mother that was, like, my biggest fan.

[Dre]

My mom is my fan.

[Trinidad James]

I'm not your biggest hater.

[Lex P]

Oh, my God.

[Dre]

I used to tell her I was my mama, too. Yes.

[Lex P]

But I see a lot of women make videos, and they're talking about how their mom, like, was their first hater. But. But I'll say this, though. You have to realize, first of all, a lot of times, they had the baby to keep them to keep your dad, and it didn't work. So every time they look at you, you're a reminder. And I'm not saying that it's okay or that it's not or whatever. Cause I'm not judging. Cause I don't know how that feels. But I will say, like, I had a situation Years, years ago. And this guy was just like preaching to me, like, oh, my mama worked two jobs. She did this and she did that. And I talked about this, where I was like. And I told him, I said, you mom was depressed. You keep telling me he hated grease. You keep telling me how much of a woman that your mom was. And she had two jobs and she was taking care of all four of y'. All. Y' all was in a two bedroom apartment and she made it work. I said, your mom was depressed, she was suffering. And I'm surprised that she made it to her 80s. Cause she was ready to jump off the bridge. She couldn't take it no more. Goddammit. You better be lucky she made it to your graduation. Hoad, nigga.

[Trinidad James]

But it's the truth. That's the thing.

[Lex P]

You know, we brag about black struggle. It's not.

[Dre]

That's what I was thinking.

[Lex P]

Who brag about. And then we condemn people who like, oh, yeah, I grew up with a pool in my backyard. They be like, uh huh. You ain't been through nothing. You ain't been through shit.

[Dre]

Or not even. Or they condemn people who decide to leave relationships that they unhappy in and just be a single parent.

[Lex P]

Yeah, of course, the breakthrough.

[Trinidad James]

We there, you know, I mean, not just therapy. Hey, that's the thing, man. That, that is. All these things are important because all these things affect everything that's going on. The type of music that you hear, the type of fashion, the type of just approach that we take with each other when we see each other out in the wild.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

You know, your mindset of whatever your roster, men looks like it's a reason that they're there. And then whatever your roster, you know what I'm saying? It's the reason why they're there. You know, and you, you build these different layers to protect your heart, protect your business. Both of you in the midst of it. And on the other side, it's good, like, to really take it back. What you said is like, really? Women stepped into that place. Us as men, we've been there, bro. We've been like having boundaries and doing bullshit.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

We've been having our cake. Eat it too. Trying to our best to be the most P. That we can be whatever type shit. But now women have said like, okay, it's our turn, it's our time. We're doing it, it's happening. And that's what you're seeing right now. And for, because of that, the word tradition, it can have a really negative connotation. To it because of the fact of when people love tradition, when it works in their favor. But when, when, oh, things change and it doesn't work in their favor, then you got people, you know, going crazy.

[Lex P]

It's crazy because a lot of men, they hate patriarchy, but they created it literally.

[Dre]

Yeah, I mean, he said a word too, when he said boundaries. Men have always set boundaries.

[Lex P]

Oh yeah.

[Dre]

They don't negotiate on their boundari boundaries. And us as women, we will every time. If a man is unhappy with something, he's going to leave. It doesn't matter how the other person feels. It's about me and my peace and my sanity. If I'm not happy, I'm leaving. Women, we will try to like, conform and we'll try to make things work and we'll try to give grace and do all of these things. When it's like you've already bended so much on the boundaries that you already said and now you looking in the mirror, you don't even know who you are anymore.

[Trinidad James]

What are these boundaries that you put there? Somebody that maneuvered around them. When your boundaries start getting, you know, criticized or conflicted, it throws you off as a person, spiritually, mentally, physically.

[Dre]

Why do you think it's easier for men to do that though, like to set boundaries than it is for women?

[Trinidad James]

I mean, traditionally we are taught to conquer. Traditionally we are supposed to lead when what? In the midst of when I do these type of interviews and men always DM me and be like you, you are this, this, you a traitor, you a trader. Right. And I'm just telling the truth. It is what it is because I look like this, I present myself like this and then I have conversations like this.

[Lex P]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

But the. Ask your question one more time.

[Dre]

Oh, I was just saying why do you think men. It's easier for men to set boundaries than it is for women to set boundaries.

[Trinidad James]

Right. And so to answer that question from my opinion, is we when? Well, that's what I was going to say. When a man is leading correctly, life is perfect. When a man is leading correctly, whatever correctly means to both of you, life is grand. The big G man.

[Lex P]

What?

[Trinidad James]

Big R, big A, big deep.

[Lex P]

I'm not going to lie. I feel like every time something has gone wrong is because it was that switch up.

[Trinidad James]

Yes, it's the worst.

[Lex P]

It's inevitable.

[Trinidad James]

The switch is the worst. I can speak that cuz I'm the switch up king. Yeah, I'm the switch up king and.

[Lex P]

I hate it cuz you know, I.

[Dre]

Did do my research You a Libra?

[Trinidad James]

Yeah. It's a part of me.

[Lex P]

Hold up.

[Dre]

I believe it.

[Lex P]

Why y' all lie?

[Trinidad James]

I don't lie.

[Dre]

Well, No, I want to finish hearing about boundaries.

[Lex P]

Okay, go ahead.

[Trinidad James]

So, boom. Because we are traditionally and, you know, doctrine to lead. A great leader knows to set boundaries. A great leader has to set boundaries. A great leader has to have vision. Vision allows you to set boundaries. Because you could see that she's gonna fuck my life up sometimes. Because that's what I speak about. The. And if you ever do the T on me or the research on me, any woman that would have an issue with me is because the switch came, and it's like, why the fuck the switch? But because I had the vision to see that I'm not good for you. Not that you're not good for me. Cause I'm not good for you.

[Lex P]

And you were honest with that. Like, you told them that. Like, I'm not good for you, but.

[Dre]

Not good because of the vision that you are.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah. Where I'm going and what I'm seeing, who you are, where I'm going and where I'm seeing, where you are and what it takes for you to be where I'm at. It's not fair because I already see where you're at. I don't have the extra time to put that work into you. I need you to already be beating me.

[Lex P]

I'm like you equally yoked.

[Trinidad James]

I want you to even be better than me. Be better than me.

[Lex P]

A lot of men don't want that.

[Trinidad James]

I don't care. Like, I don't care. Like, I'm an incredible leader, so I don't care.

[Dre]

And I think you're more so talking about visions aligning, too.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah. Like, you're like, you don't care. Don't do the same thing I do or work for me. You know, I either want that type of wife or, like, a great vision, it aligns. I want to support you. President, first lady, you know what I'm saying? Type vibe. Like, be doing great shit that I could show. I just want to show up. And my presence is a present to what you're doing because it's already lit. It's already lit.

[Lex P]

You got bars for days.

[Trinidad James]

I live a real life like, this is you for real all the time.

[Lex P]

I know it all the time.

[Dre]

I can see it, too.

[Trinidad James]

But to answer your question, which it kind of puts me in a. In the. In the doghouse is I don't always communicate that switch. As I had. As I grew older, you be Ghost. And that's the Libra that. Because some people to me don't deserve to know. It's like, bro, I'm out of here.

[Dre]

That's me.

[Trinidad James]

I'm out of here. That's what I'm saying. Like, I'm happy to tell you nothing.

[Lex P]

Fuck you, nigga.

[Trinidad James]

What are you talking about? Take it up with your mama.

[Lex P]

No, take it up with your mama.

[Dre]

But I'm like, hey. Until I'm not like, hey, like, I'm gonna. I don't just. I truly feel like I have never just 100% ghosted somebody I was dating. I feel like I told you what you were doing that I did not. Like that was irritating me or it needed to change or it didn't work for me. And then if you didn't change it, then if I stopped talking to you and I cut off communication.

[Lex P]

I'm not wrong.

[Dre]

And I don't necessarily feel like I owe you that because I'm done talking. Like, I don't care. I feel like people keep talking when they want to work things out. I think when you stop communicating with somebody that's clear that, like, I'm done with these. I'm over it.

[Trinidad James]

Ghost hate. I'm out.

[Dre]

It ain't nothing else to talk about.

[Trinidad James]

And. And so to go back to what we're saying, it's I same exact person. Like, I have deep prayers because I be having a lot of things going on. So I be having to ask God for. We be having conversation. They get really, really deep. And when I get out of a really good prayer or a really good meditation, sometimes things just pop to me. Like, I need to cut you off.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Like, it just literally, like, just like, oh, what the hell? Like, I'll ask God, who do I need to cut off? Like, what's going on? Like, something I don't feel spiritually right. Who do I need to cut off? And if it show me my girl, you are gone.

[Dre]

And I feel like God, but I feel like God will show people too. And that's where a lot of people be fucking up. Because God will show you. And then they be like.

[Lex P]

Well, Jesus, I didn't say him.

[Dre]

And that's why you can't ask for what you not ready for.

[Lex P]

I really feel like this episode is so crazy, cuz I. And I'm not. Look, y' all know she got both.

[Trinidad James]

Hands up, so she ain't lying.

[Lex P]

I'm telling you, last night, that was in my prayer. I said, God, please protect me from the people that are not supposed to be around what we thought you was thinking of that boy. What? She was. God protect me. That's what I said. I just want to live. No, but I did. I did. I said that because I was like, I am. I'm very forgiving. I. Like, I am just like my own worst enemy. But I will say I did pray that last night. I was like, man, please protect me from the people that I have to watch. I like to be around people that like, I know you got my back. I know we locked in and ain't no switching up. You know what I'm saying? So I had that prayer last night, and honestly, I'm now at the stage where I feel like I'm more emotionally intelligent to where I'm paying attention to the signs, because that used to be me. I would pray. I would pray. God just show me, and he would show me. And I mean, it would be like, bitch, I had God cussing, get your ass up off that floor, bitch. And I would be like, but I love him or I love her. This my friend. And I just wouldn't listen. But I feel like now it's like, girl, you're gonna save yourself a lot of pain and heartache if you just listen and pay attention.

[Dre]

Now, before we get into the first topic, I do want to talk about your career a little bit.

[Trinidad James]

Okay.

[Dre]

Because everybody knows you as this amazing artist, but I want to talk about you a little bit more behind the scenes as, like, a producer and a writer, because you're an amazing producer and writer. So could you touch on that a bit little?

[Trinidad James]

Be. It started back in 2015 when I first got a chance to do a record for Rihanna and DJ Mustard. It was the first time somebody ever asked me to come and do writing, and Rihanna didn't show up. So I didn't get to meet her, and Musta didn't show up either, so. Damn. But the beautiful thing about it, I. I still took advantage of the opportunity because he sent beats, and so I took one of the beats, and actually I made a song, and that record ended up going gold, and I made a good. It helped me build a whole fan base on the west coast because I showed up.

[Lex P]

Yep.

[Trinidad James]

And from. I'm a big sign of. I didn't go to school for anything, so I don't know anything. I just experience things and learn from there old school shit. And so in 2015, when that happened, it, you know, made me more privy to, oh, I'm all right. I'm a write for people. I'm a write for people and, you know, wasn't landing nothing, landing nothing. 2016, nothing. 2017, nothing. And then 2018, I don't know, God just said, all right, it's time I got better and caught some stuff for Kevin Gates. Then helped launch Bhad Bhabie's career. And then from there it's just like people now, when you do something in my industry, kind of like for the first time or success comes there, everybody come under that door that you open, like, oh, hey, can you write for her? Can you write for her? Can you help out with her? Because nobody knows how to help women or work with women. They just like to make money off women. And once I realized that, I was like, you know what? Let me take my time and actually try and make these women cold at what they do. Everybody was. Everybody was cool with a woman being cool. Oh, she cool. Oh, she cool. They didn't want them to be missy be, you know what I'm saying? And even in the midst of Lauren, like they persecuted her through everything. You know what I'm saying? It's hard to be great as a woman. And I saw that and I could share greatness because I feel in my spirit, I'm great. So I was like, I got extra greatness to share. And so that helped me to then go from writing music to about like 2020, becoming a creative director. But this artist, boom, I was working with her, we caught this crazy record.

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[Dre]

You can make a.

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[Trinidad James]

Not because we want to brag about it. That's why you don't see me talking about it. Me talking to you about it now is because you asked me and I appreciate that question. But we come into people's lives, women's lives, to make you incredible. Because nobody's trying to make you incredible. I'm trying to make you incredible.

[Dre]

Yes, because you do a lot of creative direction for a lot of music.

[Trinidad James]

Hair, makeup, nails, directing it, cover, whatever. Like we have been able and blessed enough to work with a lot of women in R B and rap to do all these things, you know, and it's just one of those things where it's like, because I've spent so much time working on my craft and not really chasing fame, so that's why it's like I'm famous as the fuck. But at the same time, if you ask a certain person, they'd be like, what you talking about that nigga for? All I know him for is I'll go everything. And I feel you, bro, or whatever. But you not.

[Lex P]

You don't know me.

[Trinidad James]

You don't know me. You don't know what's going on, bro. And that's totally fine. Because the artists that I like, you don't know what's going on with them. What is Andre 3000 doing right now? We have no clue.

[Dre]

But he doing a lie.

[Lex P]

I can bet you that's dealing with that flute.

[Trinidad James]

Flute and dropping shoes, throwing Drazz albums, just being great, you know? And once again, what do we say about greatness? It goes unspoken.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

So I believe that the most high, my ecosystem, my universe around me helps me to be great. And I'm once again. What did my karate instructors teach me? You are not the master of anything that you don't have students in. So I'm not looking at these artists or these young women that we work with as students or anything like that. But we are more here to be your accountability partner, because accountability in my industry goes so far. If it was only. If it wasn't the two of you, this would be so hard by yourself.

[Dre]

Oh, yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Not you couldn't do it. Not that you couldn't do it, but because y' all have each other. That's what makes this shit incredible.

[Lex P]

We all need somebody to lean on. Lean on me. Come on. You felt it. What? To lean on.

[Trinidad James]

Big lean.

[Lex P]

Big lean, Big lean. Not the little.

[Trinidad James]

You know. So that's what it is. It's like, you know, I got dad socks on. That's my brand. Dad is a nickname that I was given a long time ago. It's an acronym for Destroying all doubt.

[Lex P]

Okay.

[Trinidad James]

A lot of people just like, your, like, people got spirit animals. I'm like your spirit father.

[Lex P]

Okay. I like that.

[Dre]

I can see that, though. I can see you being a spirit father.

[Lex P]

I can, too. Like, I am pleasantly surprised. Like, we met you at the BET Awards. I was like, okay, he cool. Like, he cool. But you are actually very extremely intelligent. I like that. We see each other. Ty, we over here having a ball. What we drinking today? Okay?

[Dre]

So in honor of our guest, Mr. Trinidad James, we are gonna call this.

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One the Double Duck.

[Lex P]

The Double Duck. Yes. See them hill? They clicking. They clicking period. I gotta dance.

[Trinidad James]

Anthony, play with me.

[Lex P]

Hey, that was lit. I like that. Hills is clicking, baby.

[Dre]

I wish we had a roast.

[Lex P]

Yes. So this one is the Double Dutch.

[Dre]

It has some. A black owned bourbon. It has some coconut liqueur. We have some passion fruit puree, some lime juice, and some pineapple syrup. And then we've garnished it with a dehydrated pineapple and a skewered lime wheel. So this is the Double Dutch. Yes. Cheers. Y' all have a fabulous episode. And it's so good, so good. Could you tell us about Edmond's honor?

[Trinidad James]

So shout out to you.

[Dre]

You brought us a little bottle.

[Lex P]

I know. That's right.

[Dre]

We love a gift.

[Trinidad James]

I love just learning. I don't know anything. I just learn shit. But shout out to Amazon. Shout out to my brother Eric. Have known Eric for a long time from basketball. Cause that's my background. And he is like the global ambassador for kind of really just putting people on black owned spirits. He's immaculate with black owned spirits and he's honestly been teaching me. So Edmonds Honor is one of the brands that he's been showing me. And I've been kind of like, you know, coming to their events and seeing what's going on here in Atlanta locally. And I don't think they're from Atlanta, but okay. Just in general for me, I just love supporting black owned businesses that make sense. I love when we do great business. Yeah, good business is cute, but great business is not that easy. And when people do great business, I, for me, I like to just salute it and you know, support it.

[Dre]

Which is like a umbrella for different black owned brands.

[Lex P]

Oh, so they're getting us a little something something.

[Dre]

Ten to one, Sierra's rum is also under prom. What about wow, Uncle Near.

[Lex P]

Now who is Ernest?

[Dre]

I forgot. I forgot the E. He was close.

[Trinidad James]

Look, he was close.

[Lex P]

I knew who Earnest is. I know little Ernest. Ernest. I know Ernest. You know Earnest round the way. Okay, that's who you got. You got him confused. That's all right. I knew what you meant. Good thing that Ernest over there, nearest right here. That's all you meant. That's all right. That's all right.

[Trinidad James]

But Amazon, everybody, you know, if you come to Atlanta or they in different parts of pockets of the US if you like supporting black owned spirits. Uncle Neris, you know, for me, I'm not signed to anybody. I just like supporting black owned business when I can. You know, when I. When I am doing one of these spirits, you will know for sure. For sure. Because the bottle will be nice.

[Lex P]

Oh, no, that's right.

[Dre]

The creative bottle. And I love it. It's delicious.

[Lex P]

It is delicious.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah. This drinker had you messed up.

[Dre]

I feel it coming.

[Trinidad James]

Too many of these.

[Lex P]

We like. Almost there.

[Trinidad James]

Hey, hey. All right now.

[Lex P]

All right, Dre, go ahead. What we got? What we got?

[Dre]

Okay, so for topic number one, we really wanted to talk about, can you be successful as an artist today without going viral first? Because obviously you came up at a time where we did. I mean, social media was, I do feel like prevalent, but not what it is now. Like now you have so many people that are literally getting signed and becoming artists because they had a clip go viral or a song go viral. So how do you Feel about that. Do you think that is something that is necessary for artist's career today?

[Trinidad James]

I think that you have to have a social media presence, period. I think that if you started Music today in 2025 and you did not care nothing about going viral, I believe that if you. But you're a great artist. Like so, like I use Sexyy Red, right. It was. You didn't know anything about her and now she is everywhere. She's a goddess, right?

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

With. With the Internet really helped Sexy's career. But if she never had the Internet and she really just stayed consistent, oh, she'd still go crazy. But it's just according to who you want to be. You see a lot of people, once again, tradition. It clouds what success looks like for you because you think it's supposed to look like this. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Sign a $3 million deal, however. But it's like, man, don't sleep on the independent grind if that's who you are. Because the other side, which is not the independent, it comes with a lot of ghost stress that you don't know about. And like, you, you know, you have a bunch of money, but then it's like, how do you feel as a person? And to some people, they're like, man, I don't care. I want to be rich.

[Lex P]

Yeah, okay, cool.

[Trinidad James]

Hey, sure. But that has a toll that it takes on you emotionally and consistently. And you got to look at the consistency of these people who, you know, move that are not independent compared to like how somebody is when you come and they're successful and independent. So to answer your question, yes, you can be. But if you know that your work ethic is trash, forget about it.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Lex P]

Now correct me if I'm wrong. Cause I don't know anything about the music industry, but I do feel like industry, like the record labels used to invest in artist development. Like when music was good. They're like, we're gonna push this record because it's a good record. Now, like artists are getting a one song record deal so they can push this song because they see it going up on TikTok and it's like I feel like that's why people feel like certain genres are dead and stuff. Because they feel like it's not a hit if it's not viral on TikTok. So do you feel like that's what's happening and why people feel like music is so bad now because the record labels aren't investing in artist development and pushing actual good music?

[Trinidad James]

Yes, that's that. That is A part of it. So, yes, for you not to know music, you definitely said some real good stuff. I mean, I'm about to say she.

[Lex P]

Some things that I hear and I'm like, this song is ass. And then I'll hear some songs that I was like, I discover an artist, I'm like, what the.

[Dre]

I always say, I feel like Lex could have been a AR in like another life if this wasn't her career. That could have been like, that's probably Barry Gordy.

[Lex P]

Is he still alive?

[Dre]

He is alive, still legend.

[Lex P]

My bad.

[Dre]

He's still alive.

[Trinidad James]

To answer your question, corporate is corporate, man.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

And corporate is not culture. Corporate is the tool that use. Corporate is the bank for culture. Corporate uses culture in order to be rich, to stay rich. Artist development, it really should start with the people around you. That's really where it should start. Because what I think has happened is this is labels, when they did it, they did it for so many years. Spending money into artist development.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

That they put the formula on the table for you to learn it and do what you need to do. Labels look at it now, it's like, man, I'm not going to spend that more money on that. It's like, I showed you what to do. Take the blueprint and do it. Because the ones that do it, we want to come in when you doing it. Because we showed you how to do it. You wouldn't know how to move like a label if the labels never showed you how to do it. And people take the information that they learned when labels was spending money on artist development and they're the ones who come and now show other people, this is how you do this or you shouldn't do that, or you should do this or you shouldn't do that. So I feel like big labels, they are looking at it as like, why spend it on that? Like, the blueprint is out there. TikTok will show you everything. YouTube will show you everything. YouTube is a world within the Internet.

[Dre]

Do you feel like people chasing virality is like killing their creative juices? And, you know, are you sacrificing originality for clicks?

[Trinidad James]

It's a choice. It's a choice. Nobody knows anything. People just want to be seen.

[Dre]

That's true.

[Trinidad James]

People are lonely.

[Lex P]

Attention is so bad.

[Trinidad James]

Attention is at all time high.

[Lex P]

We seen people on the Internet eating corn starch. And why are you eating corn starch?

[Trinidad James]

I want your attention. I want you to talk about it right now.

[Lex P]

Why are you eating corn starch?

[Trinidad James]

Because you going to talk about me.

[Dre]

On your Podcast right now and you talking about them.

[Lex P]

I'm just saying.

[Trinidad James]

But how the corn starch people, like.

[Lex P]

Oh. Oh, yeah. This was the movie.

[Dre]

We was waiting.

[Lex P]

I just think it's.

[Dre]

We made it.

[Lex P]

No, literally, I. And like, I.

[Dre]

It's different when you eat corn starch, though, because some people. What is it called? Some people have pikas, where they, like, literally need it. Cuz I think they have, like, low iron or something like that.

[Lex P]

They don't need it. They just need to take their iron pill.

[Dre]

Well, yeah, but they do it because it's more of a craving because of something else going on with, like, their iron or whatever. Versus people who are literally getting on the Internet just eating corn starch just so they could go viral.

[Trinidad James]

Smacking myself in the face with a tail.

[Dre]

Yeah, it's a little weird.

[Trinidad James]

I want your attention.

[Lex P]

Yes. It's crazy, but.

[Trinidad James]

But as you know, just like a child, it's like people are. They are lonely and alone. It's just a different time because people are getting lost in the attention of the Internet. They're not. What's happening is, I think that they're not investing into other people, and they want to be valued through what the Internet thinks about them and not their neighborhood. Like, your neighborhood has no value no more.

[Lex P]

And that's so crazy to me because I feel like being valued on the Internet, but not being valued in the. In real life, it's crazy.

[Dre]

And also, thinking you valued on the Internet, but you're not actually being paid is crazy. I mean, a lot of people be just wanting to go viral. They won't even be making no money.

[Lex P]

That is true.

[Trinidad James]

That part of it right there is where it's like, that's what's messing up. The people who just like it. I'm lit.

[Lex P]

And then they be lying. They'd be like, well, I'm getting paid for this on TikTok. If your video is under a minute, I know you ain't getting paid.

[Trinidad James]

Forget about it.

[Lex P]

You.

[Trinidad James]

You're a liar.

[Lex P]

You're lying.

[Trinidad James]

I know that you're lying.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

What are you. Who do you. Olivia Pope. You're lying.

[Lex P]

Yes. It's just. I think we're in weird times because, like I said, like, I just feel like when I came up and the Internet became a thing. Right? You actually, though, you had to have something about you. You still had to have that it factor. You know what I'm saying? Oh, my gosh. What was the girl's name? I can't remember. JD had signed her a long time ago. I'm sorry, I can't remember her name. I've been drinking. It's the wrong. But she used to get on YouTube and she would sing and she could just sing Dandria.

[Dre]

Oh, yeah.

[Lex P]

And she could. I mean, she could sing. Oh, my God. And it was like that when Jackie Aina first came on the scene, like, she really knew how to do makeup. Like, it wasn't like, oh, she can do makeup for like dark skinned women. No, she could do makeup for anybody. You know what I'm saying? So I feel like when I came up, I was like, I don't. What you had to do something. You know what I'm saying? I feel like it's just so different now. But it's bled over to music now too. It's bled over some music now. Cause you can just do a little. When Sierra did the one two step, that was a hit. They trying to do the 12 step, but it ain't giving that.

[Dre]

And everybody be remixing everything too sometimes. Which I feel like is kind of a little bit, in my opinion, killed originality. Like, I know artists have been using samples for a really, really long time, but now I feel like he said all time high.

[Trinidad James]

No, a thousand percent. It doesn't. People are not chasing originality the way they used to. And it's unfortunate. It's very, very unfortunate. But at the end of the day, you have to stand on your standards.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

That's what you gotta do.

[Lex P]

Because. And to go to your point, samples used to be like. You had to really listen to it. Like, is this. Yeah. Is that a sample? Now they're just taking the whole beat and they'll add a snare on there.

[Dre]

And be like, the words too.

[Trinidad James]

The hook too.

[Dre]

Yeah, that's why they just taking everything.

[Trinidad James]

Everything.

[Lex P]

Okay, all right, we gonna move on to the next topic. Cause we is getting chatty. I love a good, deep convo.

[Dre]

Me too.

[Lex P]

We be getting to it today. Okay, so topic 2 is believe it or not. Okay. We're gonna talk about conspiracy theories. Like, what's a conspiracy theory that you fully believe? Or you be like, okay, y' all tripping like it's not. You know what I'm saying? Now we have some written down, but I'm gonna talk about mine.

[Dre]

Okay, what's yours?

[Lex P]

That. This is stupid. But I don't. I believe it. I really do think it's true. Like, I believe that pigeons were man made. Why? Because I have never seen a baby pigeon. I don't see baby pigeons. I see pigeons that be like, what's up ho ass nigga? Can I have some of your sandwich?

[Dre]

What if they being protected until they can fly away?

[Lex P]

No, pigeons were man made. Pigeons are not real.

[Dre]

I don't feel like every baby. I don't think you meant to see every baby of something.

[Lex P]

I've seen every baby. The only thing I haven't seen a baby of. I haven't seen a baby pigeon. And I haven't seen a baby Samuel L. Jackson. That's it then. He might be man made too.

[Trinidad James]

Damn.

[Lex P]

I'm just saying.

[Trinidad James]

Damn.

[Lex P]

Pigeons aren't real.

[Dre]

There go a baby pigeon. Shay pulled it up.

[Lex P]

I don't know what that is you.

[Trinidad James]

Talking about in person.

[Lex P]

We just discussed in person.

[Dre]

That could be AI.

[Lex P]

That could be AI. You see pictures all day.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah, I hear that.

[Lex P]

You can show me. I have never seen a baby pigeon in person.

[Trinidad James]

Brandon. I ain't never saw one either.

[Lex P]

So you can pigeons in person. Who is that?

[Trinidad James]

Samuel J. I don't believe it.

[Lex P]

I need to meet.

[Trinidad James]

That's a girl.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Hell no.

[Lex P]

What I'm. What I'm saying is. Oh, that might be him for damn.

[Dre]

That is Sam.

[Trinidad James]

That nigga look grown as hell.

[Lex P]

But I'm saying we gonna stop.

[Trinidad James]

We gonna do that.

[Lex P]

But I say all that to say because I feel like in New York you see pigeons everywhere. You never see a nest. Where are they going? Where are you? You done took my sandwich. You done grabbed my chip. Where? And they just go in the alley with other big pigeons. Pigeons aren't real and you cannot convince me that they are. That was a man made experiment that got taken out of hand.

[Trinidad James]

You wanna say yours or you want me to go?

[Dre]

I feel like for me it's COVID 19. I kinda do think that that was a conspiracy theory.

[Lex P]

A little.

[Trinidad James]

I wanna throw my drink. Where the Edmonds at? Good God almighty.

[Lex P]

Now you can't say that a little bit. We lost a lot of. It's a lot of fallen soldiers. It is for COVID 19, but I.

[Dre]

Feel like it been a lot of fallen soldiers that have happened with a lot of things that people think are conspiracy. Conspiracy theory.

[Lex P]

Oh, but you think that was like something that people. That it wasn't like an accident?

[Dre]

No.

[Lex P]

Oh, okay. That makes sense. Now. It's spitting. Yeah.

[Dre]

I don't want to say something else that I think is a conspiracy theory, cuz that's real controversial. But I ain't going to say that.

[Lex P]

No, I want to know.

[Trinidad James]

You sure?

[Dre]

Yeah, I'm sure. It's another virus.

[Trinidad James]

She like to do that. That's what she do.

[Dre]

It's another virus, though.

[Lex P]

But it's back in the day. Oh, we not gonna talk about that. What I'm thinking, sip my drink.

[Dre]

What do you think, Trinidad?

[Trinidad James]

We gonna move forward.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

I believe that everybody has another person look like them. So what happened to me one time, I'm in New York City, I'm moving around. I like to walk when in New York. Cause I like to just walk with the city and catch the flow. And we walk in, me and my guy, J.R. actually, he would be right here now. And we walking and this guy coming down on a bike. White guy on the bike or whatever. Boom, boom. I stop so that he can go. Because you know them bikes, they run the world. You can't tell them niggas nothing. We keep walking. We go two blocks and we make a right as we walking up on this block that we're walking up on. Boom. This guy walking towards me, inside of my head, I'm like, oh, my God. That's the same dude I just saw on the bike. But he not on the bike in a different outfit. The same, exact, same, exact white man. I didn't say nothing because I'm like, I'm a conspiracy theory. I want to sound crazy. My guy, jr, he said, ain't that the same dude? He just said it out of the blue. I said, nigga, yes, that's the same person that was the same. And there's no way possible that he would have took the bike. It's no way possible. I mean, and then, look, if it was twins, well, then God work in mysterious ways, right? Sure, sure.

[Dre]

And he do.

[Trinidad James]

And he do.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

We don't doubt him now. No, but what is the odds? Yeah, like, come on, like, God wanted. I'm not looking for white men in New York. Like, that's not why I'm outside. Like, oh, let me go find these Caucasians, baby. We not doing that. That's not what we're doing. Right.

[Lex P]

Right now, you know, I'm with you on that.

[Trinidad James]

We like Caucasian hunting out here we night.

[Dre]

So I'm not enough of it.

[Lex P]

I'm with you on that because I. Another conspiracy theory that I believe is I think that every time we make, like a life changing decision, right? I think, like, space. I'm about to start talking about space again. Y' all know how I get. Yeah, space is the most interesting thing you will ever dive into, learn about. Yeah, it is crazy. And once you get into it, you can't stop.

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[Lex P]

So I decided to believe like every there is. I can't talk about how big the universe is because you can't fathom it. You can't really understand it. But I truly think like every time we make a decision, it's like another planet. Like if you go right instead of left, there's another planet that went right and you're down here going left. But this is what your life would have looked like. I do think like there's different planets and we're all it's a different version of us.

[Trinidad James]

Okay?

[Lex P]

It's a Different version of us.

[Trinidad James]

I actually agree with you.

[Lex P]

Yes. Like, if y', all, like. And people gonna be like, lex, you sound crazy. But if y' all understood how big the universe is. I'm not just talking about the Milky Way, because the Milky Way is big as fuck, and it's a to the whole thing.

[Dre]

Small to the universe. Yeah.

[Lex P]

And we can't even see, like, past a certain amount of light years. If y' all think that Earth is the only planet with living human beings, y' all are crazy.

[Dre]

Oh, I for sure believe in other beings 100%.

[Trinidad James]

Which version? I'm asking both of you this question. Which version of yourself would you like to meet that wasn't the version? That's right now.

[Lex P]

I would like to meet the version of me that stood on business and was, like, unapologetically herself.

[Trinidad James]

Oh, yeah. Like, just like the Billy Badass.

[Lex P]

Yeah, like the badass version that was just like, I don't give a fuck.

[Trinidad James]

Right.

[Lex P]

Cause I give a fuck.

[Trinidad James]

I do. Right, right, right. No tears. Like, she don't cry.

[Lex P]

I would love. Cause I would love to see, like, where she is right now. Cause she's on another planet. I know she rich as fuck. Living, having a ball.

[Dre]

Oh, I don't know. It's like, I feel like I done forgot the version of me that wasn't scorned by life. I would love to meet that version of myself, because I don't even feel like I remember that person.

[Trinidad James]

Okay.

[Dre]

Because I feel like when you really think about it, for most of us, like, trauma started as a child, so you don't even really remember that version of yourself and how happy you were and stuff.

[Trinidad James]

So just an unscorned version of yourself. Like, what?

[Dre]

She would be unscathed version.

[Trinidad James]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Lex P]

Okay, what's your version?

[Trinidad James]

I would love to meet the man. I went to four years of college, got my doctorate. Like, just the education version of myself. Like, just like that person, like, went to school, didn't do no street shit, no rap shit. None of that. Just, like, traditional version of myself. Yeah.

[Dre]

If you would have took that route.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah. Like, it was really good in high school, really good in college. Really, like, just. Just killed it.

[Lex P]

Like, hey, it's out. I'm telling y'. All. It's out there.

[Trinidad James]

No hair, got the waves, a little fade. You know what I'm saying?

[Lex P]

I feel like by the time, like, a Earth can reach, like, another type of Earth that's out there. Like, it's gonna be way. Like, we're gonna be long Gone. Yeah. It's gonna happen, though. It's gonna be somebody that figures out how to travel light years or to get something. It's gonna be somebody that comes along.

[Trinidad James]

They show us in the movies, they travel, you know, multiverses all the time.

[Lex P]

And they. And they go through, like, the black hole and it takes them over.

[Trinidad James]

Spider man got 17,000 versions of them since thinking. Got a Mexican version, an Asian version.

[Lex P]

They had a pig version.

[Trinidad James]

A pig.

[Lex P]

A pig. A pig they was cutting up.

[Trinidad James]

What's that?

[Dre]

It really is a pig version of you out there in the universe.

[Lex P]

It is.

[Trinidad James]

He better have some good shoes on. I'm gonna be pissed if any version of me don't have good shoes on.

[Lex P]

He gotta have a nail, a good seal.

[Trinidad James]

What if none of. Oh, any version of me. But it has some good shoes on. I'm gonna fight and kill the out of them.

[Lex P]

I'm glad you brought up your shoes.

[Trinidad James]

Yes.

[Lex P]

Because it's gonna bring us into the next topic.

[Trinidad James]

Let's get it.

[Lex P]

Now it's time to get into the be Bow.

[Dre]

The beat about the be About.

[Lex P]

Yeah. So today we're going to talk about masculinity and sexuality.

[Trinidad James]

Okay. Oh, talking to me about this is we going viral?

[Lex P]

Right? The good topic. Well, because I think it's important to have a conversation about it. Because, I mean, I'm gonna be blunt.

[Trinidad James]

Put my feet there.

[Lex P]

Look, this is the room talking. I'm gonna be blunt. I think a lot of people probably look at you and be like, oh, he gets his nails done. He wears heels. He's gay.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Lex P]

You know, he likes men. But, you know, if we go back, Isley Brothers, they used to love a good heel and a crop top. And a crop top.

[Dre]

They did.

[Lex P]

Prince used to have them. Cheeks out.

[Dre]

Cheeks out, baby and I twerk. Our Prince was fine.

[Lex P]

That's what I'm saying.

[Trinidad James]

Moving the cheeks, too. He used to not just, like, turn around, let me shave my cheeks right now. That thing used to go crazy. Magic City cheeks.

[Lex P]

Make it vibrate.

[Dre]

Make it. Make it vibrate.

[Trinidad James]

Prince had Magic City cheeks.

[Lex P]

I'm telling you, he knew how to make that. Right cheek, left cheek, bound.

[Trinidad James]

Practice that.

[Lex P]

I want to talk about this, though. Your style, right? You know, people will look at you like you're a certain type of way. So talk about it, though. I'm gonna let you talk about it. Yeah.

[Dre]

Cause I wanted to talk about your nails. Cause when we met you at the BET Awards, I was like, oh, my God, your nails are so fab. You got Better nails than me.

[Lex P]

I'm not creative.

[Trinidad James]

No competition.

[Dre]

It ain't no competition. But it is, though. Cause, I mean, you ate with it.

[Lex P]

I'm just a French tip girly. I don't do much. I'm like, if I had somebody that could do them like that, I would get em.

[Dre]

Yes, me too.

[Trinidad James]

Whenever y' all in la, I'll take it to the girls. Okay, Sachi, what's up, baby? But so all right, man, do not, as a man, do not do what other men do. Do what is good for you. I do not want any man or any young man or your son or anything to be like me. Because he, first of all, he can't. He cannot. The how I got here is a journey. I'm a journeyman. I'm on a travel. I'm on a journey for greatness. What I do in the midst of with myself, it is totally and solely for me. I've never kissed a man, been kissed by a man, had sex with a man, man had sex with me. None of that. If a man look good, he look good, right?

[Lex P]

But even you saying that, they'll be like, ah, but I feel like, what's wrong with that?

[Dre]

Cause nigga be like, I mean, I.

[Trinidad James]

Don'T even look at that's locker room shit.

[Lex P]

You know, if a nigga fine or not. I don't care what men say. Y' all know if a nigga fine or not.

[Trinidad James]

Niggas always know. Like I literally heard somebody say the other day, yesterday, maybe he was like, a couple days ago, he was like, oh, yeah, you know, the east side nigga fine. Or here, that's what they known for. And in my mind, I was like, he just said that or whatever, but. But that's what they the pretty boys like back in the day. Like, oh, I'm the pretty boys?

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

You calling another man a pretty boy or whatever could be looked at as like, hey, man, what the hell?

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

But once again, the obvious in the room is like, bro, he looks better than you. Look at him.

[Dre]

Look at you.

[Lex P]

If you can call somebody ugly, you can recognize somebody's unattractive. You can recognize that they cute when their greatness speaks.

[Trinidad James]

When their greatness speaks. Like we said, the great person not going to say nothing.

[Lex P]

Right?

[Trinidad James]

You're going to do the talking because that person is making you feel uneasy. So I say all that to say where it's like everything that I do is intentional is not lucky. I have never chased clout because God did not make me that way. If you look at My birthright of all go everything. And Trinity James, that's how I started. If you look at that man, where he started, anything that I'm doing now should not surprise you.

[Lex P]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

Because I've always once again walked to the beat of my own drum. The issue that is happening now is that because everybody is so influenced by influencers, that's why influencer is literally a million dollar job.

[Lex P]

Literally.

[Trinidad James]

You know, so that means that you can make yourself a leader. You can make yourself influence people because of that. That is what throws people off, because they're looking at it as like, you're a bad representation. They're looking as like, hey, you're a leader. I think that you're a leader, but you're not the type of leader that I want you to be. And it's like, whoa, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. What I say, you should more pay attention to what I say and then understand why I do what I do. Because what you do for yourself should always still be based on, like, why you feel this way. When I get my nails done consistently and to this level. Because I love art. Like, I. I would have never been a French tip girl. I would have. I would have never been. I just. I would have never. Just because, I mean, look, look at me.

[Lex P]

I just love to express myself because.

[Trinidad James]

I don't want to talk about how great I am. I want my fashion. I want myself to express that. When, like, it's not like Prince started off cheeks, he got to cheeks, he.

[Lex P]

Grew to the cheeks.

[Trinidad James]

He grew to cheeks. You know what I'm saying? And I say all this to say where it's like, anybody, Everybody will still always have a problem with me presenting myself like this. Like this, like this.

[Lex P]

I love it. I love you.

[Trinidad James]

But that's the thing about it. Like, for me, I. And even women have a problem. But, like, I. I've been living a great life.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Like, in my journey, any woman that I've ever dealt with, they met me like this.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

You know what I'm saying? Like, and I. And it's never been a problem because a woman could tell if you're not a man.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Lex P]

It has nothing to do with your shoes.

[Trinidad James]

You can have none of this. I will. I could take you to some men that if we just put them right there, you'd be like, Jesus Christ. This. Finding this gay as hell. And he ain't got none of this stuff that I got on right here. None of this. I mean, waves, abs, all the tatted at the neck.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

All that Whatever you think.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Or whatever. And he don't want nothing to do with y'. All.

[Dre]

No. It's so funny that you said that, because I was literally just gonna ask you that, like, has you being how you are, as creative as you are, wanting to express yourself the way that you do, has it hindered your dating life? But you already answered that. But something that really comes to mind for me is that back in the day, like, I feel like. And not to compare you to a pimp, but pimps used to dress real flamboyantly and they were really expressive with how they dress, and nobody ever considered them gay.

[Trinidad James]

And you know that that comes from the aspect of when you are really free. You everything. You a man, you a woman, you everything. Like, oh, this shit look good on me. Like, this is me challenging the universe. I ain't even seeing y' all no more. I'm in a different spectrum. Like, I don't even see these nails. I just have these nails. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't. This my Jordan one right here.

[Lex P]

Okay.

[Trinidad James]

You know what I'm saying? This my Jordan one, you know, that is just. Once again, you are looking at the black experience from a free perspective. Like, I started off this particular topic on. I am not trying to influence you. I am not trying to give you pointers on what to look like or who to be.

[Lex P]

Right.

[Trinidad James]

I am just truly walking to the beat in my own trip.

[Lex P]

I love that. And I think the confidence shows too. Like when you're doing certain things, cuz you're trying to be something people. That's when it comes off, like, weird.

[Trinidad James]

You can't even talk. You can't even talk about it.

[Lex P]

Yeah, yeah. It's like, not who you are.

[Dre]

Okay, well, now it's time to get into the bop. Hey, the bop bow.

[Lex P]

The bop. Bow, bow, bow, bow, bow.

[Dre]

So the bop.

[Trinidad James]

Tell me about it.

[Lex P]

Is our music that we've been jamming this week.

[Trinidad James]

Oh, nice.

[Lex P]

So I have been cleaning. I've been in a cleaning mode. And I listened to an album. I want to say this album came out maybe in like, let me see. I have to look it up. 2009. And when I say this is one of my favorite albums. And I was like, you know, the mind is so interesting because you cannot listen to something for a very long time. And then when you hear it, it's like, oh, yeah, this album came out in 2000, 2009. Do y' all remember the band Larue this time, baby.

[Trinidad James]

Running through. Yeah. Come On.

[Lex P]

So the album that they had dropped in 2009, I'm not kidding, is one of the best albums ever. Like start to finish, no skips. Now if you like the electronic dance music type music, you'll like it. If not, don't even listen to it.

[Trinidad James]

You've been to Vegas a couple times, you'll be yes.

[Lex P]

But you know the reason I like this album and I replayed it, I was listening to it is cause they had that bass in there. So it kind of gives like not. It doesn't give like hip hop vibe, but you can hear that bass in there.

[Trinidad James]

Okay.

[Lex P]

And the thing she was talking about like struggling in relationships and going through it and there's this one song called Cover My Eyes and she's talking about how she's in love with this man and she saw him with another woman and she had to cover her eyes. I'm like, we all going through it, bitch. You know what I'm saying? And I was listening to it and I was like, wow, this is what we call a perfect album. And I think I talked about it a long time ago, like when it was Wind Down Wednesday. But I ran it back the other day and I'm like, man, I think this is an album that you would appreciate.

[Trinidad James]

I'm gonna listen to it.

[Lex P]

You have to listen to it. It's the first album. It's the album that has Bulletproof on it done. So just listen to it and I'm. I'm going to hit you in like a week and see what you think about it. Let's do it today because it's so good from start to finish. Okay, so that's my, my bop of the week. Laru's first album is the self titled album laru. If you into the different type of music, go listen.

[Trinidad James]

Get my phone. Jay.

[Lex P]

Yeah, put that on there. Put that on.

[Trinidad James]

There you go. I'll let you go.

[Dre]

So my five of the week is Chris Brown and Bryson Tiller have a new song. It's called It Depends and it's actually because we were just talking about samples. Usher is on the song cuz they use a sample from Nice and Slow and I really, really love this song. I love, I, I love when people do do samples the right way.

[Trinidad James]

I knew that song was I ain't look. I literally got that song queued up to listen to because I said Chris Brown been first of all, shout out to Chris Brown. God is good.

[Dre]

Yes.

[Trinidad James]

But they don't really work together like that. Chris Brown and the Price and Tell.

[Dre]

They Don't.

[Trinidad James]

But Chris Brown, strategically. Don't nobody work hard in Chris and Brown in R B. I agree, but he's strategic. The timing. I said, it's like when he waited to work with Drake. When it did, no guidance.

[Lex P]

That timing was crazy because everybody's like, do they hate each other?

[Trinidad James]

Exactly.

[Dre]

Biggest songs ever, man.

[Lex P]

What?

[Dre]

It was such a good song. Still. I still didn't know Guidance.

[Trinidad James]

And Chris Brown, the person who dropped 30 songs, 40 songs, the album, when he wait, he'll. It's like, y' all keep thinking. Y' all keep thinking, then boom. I know that song. Good.

[Dre]

No, it's good. I know it is. I promise. You could trust me. It's a really, really good.

[Trinidad James]

I know.

[Dre]

Like I said, I love when people do. When people do samples the right way.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Dre]

So I love it. It's really good.

[Lex P]

Bryson Tiller shout out to Usher, too. Yeah. Bryson Tiller is fire.

[Trinidad James]

Oh, Bryson tells a problem.

[Lex P]

Very slept on. Sometimes I feel like now what you been jamming?

[Trinidad James]

Ooh, you know, I'm all over the place. So what I've been loving is two songs. All right. Three songs. I'm a lie. Give me three songs on the album.

[Dre]

Give us three.

[Trinidad James]

The three songs. One is Loretta Lynn. It's a song called you'd Ain't Woman Enough.

[Lex P]

Okay.

[Trinidad James]

The lyrics on there are insane. The lyrics on there are insane. Insane.

[Lex P]

Loretta Lynn.

[Trinidad James]

Loretta Lynn. You Ain't Woman Enough. Forget about it. Penmanship. Insane.

[Lex P]

Now, what genre is this?

[Trinidad James]

This is Americana, 1960s, trying to be the perfect woman or whatever. And still ain't enough.

[Lex P]

Oh, Lord, have me so.

[Trinidad James]

You know what I'm saying?

[Dre]

It's like Betty Wright.

[Lex P]

Yeah. Okay.

[Trinidad James]

Okay. There it is.

[Lex P]

Yeah, there we go.

[Trinidad James]

Come on. The next song is Sly in the family stone called a song called Family Affair.

[Lex P]

Okay.

[Trinidad James]

It's a family affair.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

It feels so good. I just love things that just like. I wasn't even in cleaning mode. I was just in thinking mode, and it came on, and it made my complete body feel good.

[Lex P]

Yes.

[Trinidad James]

That's it. Okay.

[Lex P]

Oh, my God.

[Trinidad James]

Thank you very much. And then last song, completely different genre is some twins from Atlanta. They called the AMG Twins.

[Lex P]

AMG Twins.

[Trinidad James]

AMG twins from Atlanta. They got a song called no Gimmicks.

[Dre]

No Gimmicks.

[Trinidad James]

And it just feel like when Future was ready to go and be that man. Okay. It made me feel like, oh, my God, this is crazy.

[Lex P]

It's turn up time.

[Trinidad James]

That's a turn up time. It's turn up.

[WashablesOfAs Advertiser]

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[Dre]

Up song.

[Lex P]

Yeah, let me put. Let me add that on in there. Okay. I got another song I want you to listen to, too. It's called Heat Waves by Glass Animals. It's kind of like in that same genre of what I was giving before. But listen to that song, too.

[Trinidad James]

Glass Animals. Oh, done got it.

[Lex P]

All right. That was some good bop.

[Dre]

Now those were some heat. So now it's time.

[Trinidad James]

Oh, the album was Eclipse. I'm sorry, y'.

[Lex P]

All. Oh, the new album.

[Trinidad James]

The new album for the.

[Lex P]

Oh, my.

[Dre]

I was thinking.

[Lex P]

So wait. Quick story time. Cause now he said that I was riding in the car the other day, and I had to make a snap. I made a snapchat. I said, I don't know what's going on. Cause I usually. I don't listen to a lot of rap music. And I said, this album is for boys, but I like it. It is so good. Them niggas was on there preaching. I said, this is for the boys.

[Trinidad James]

But I grew up on rap.

[Dre]

We knew that they be rap.

[Lex P]

That album is so good because we always see Pusha T. Yes. Malice said.

[Trinidad James]

Malice said, wait, hold my.

[Lex P]

Let me let y' all know why I'm big, bro.

[Dre]

Y' all forgot about me.

[Lex P]

Oh, and he reminded us real quick. That album, no skips.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

I really listened to the whole thing. I was like, dang. I was driving through Washington. I said, dang.

[Lex P]

Real rap.

[Trinidad James]

This is good.

[Lex P]

When people talk about real rap, they rapping like, this is what they were.

[Trinidad James]

Talking about from the top.

[Lex P]

Oh, yeah, it's good. It's good. I was like. Cause it's crazy. Because my friend was like, oh, the Clips just dropped a new album. I was like, I don't know, like, you know, like, I'm just. I listen to stuff. I dibble and dabble. I said, let me run it. When he did that tiny dasker, he was, yeah. I said, oh, let me go see what he talking about.

[Trinidad James]

That's why I stay out of people beef. That's why I stay out of people beef. Because I just want to hear the music. I'm here for the music. You are not, my friend.

[Dre]

That song that the Clips had back in the day with Pharrell, I can't remember grinding. No. The hot damn song.

[Lex P]

Damn. Yeah. You know, for real.

[Dre]

But grinding was a great song.

[Trinidad James]

You just called out some just there.

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[Lex P]

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[Trinidad James]

Difference in someone's life, including your own, with a job in home care. These jobs offer flexible schedules, health care, retirement options and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime. Visit oregonhomecarejobs.com to learn more and apply. That's oregonhomecarejobs.com.

[Lex P]

Damn. Yeah, you know, for real.

[Dre]

But Grinding was a great song.

[Trinidad James]

Oh yeah. You just called out some shit just then.

[Lex P]

Yeah. Information. Information.

[Trinidad James]

Jason.

[Lex P]

That's a deep cut.

[Dre]

That's a deep cut.

[Lex P]

You know, I be what's my favorite bar? From the. From the clips. You know it.

[Dre]

The chinchilla.

[Lex P]

I put this on. My lord. My niece was P.O. when she felt chinchilla. Come on now. They been spitting for a long time.

[Dre]

We deepen our clips, baby.

[Trinidad James]

That's what good rap does. It makes women feel great. Men feel that's for great rap. Rap does.

[Lex P]

Yes. Yeah. And shout out to your every. We love everybody in the beast. We just. We just talk about. All right. Okay, so now it's time to move on. What we got next, Doria?

[Dre]

So first, before we move into the last segment, I just wanted to shout out my brand. Muse beautycollection.com. make sure you get your lip glosses, lip liners, matte liquid lipsticks, jelly blushes, eyeliner, mascara, all of the above. Muse beauty collection.

[Trinidad James]

What are you wearing right now? Jelly bush?

[Dre]

I am wearing the jelly blush, but I'm also wearing my chestnut lip liner. I'm wearing my. It's giving lip gloss. And then I'm also wearing the lip plumper combo.

[Lex P]

Combo.

[Dre]

Combo.

[Lex P]

And I got three, y'.

[Dre]

All.

[Lex P]

Chestnut lust and the glazed gloss.

[Dre]

Yes.

[Lex P]

Period.

[Dre]

Y' all see how juicy them lips look?

[Lex P]

They know. They know.

[Trinidad James]

They know.

[Dre]

So now it's time to get into our favorite segment of the show. Of the show, which is pour your heart out. If you have any questions, send them to ask poor minds gmail dot com. That's a s k P O u r M I n d [e-mail].

[Trinidad James]

I like that. Pour your heart out.

[Dre]

Yeah, they can ask us a little question. They used to write us testimonials.

[Lex P]

They already be writing the testimonials.

[Trinidad James]

No more it up. Pull it up.

[Dre]

Okay. Hey, beautiful women. My name is Larray. Can y' all please come to Charleston, South Carolina? I need advice on a relationship I was recently in. I broke up with my boyfriend because his mother was always calling him, like, every hour, even when we were on dates. Am I wrong for that? What you think?

[Trinidad James]

It can go both ways, man. When a man loves his mother, it's different, right? And it's not like a good man can't love his mother, too. I think that in her issue, and I could be wrong, I think what the issue comes is when you're not getting the attention that you need. Like when he doesn't know how to balance. Like I said, a great leader got his mama in check, his daddy in check, his girl in check. Like a great leader got everybody in check. Him and his mama are best of friends. Girl, you ain't never gonna match that. He love his mama.

[Lex P]

They.

[Trinidad James]

Damn, they're doing everything but fuck it. You know what I'm saying? They love each other, dog. You know, she made that nigga. But a great leader knows how to balance his time. And I don't think he was a great leader. And so I think she did the right thing.

[Dre]

Yeah. So you mean like more so, like if we're on a date, my mom.

[Trinidad James]

Know not to call or just like whenever a man feels like he has to answer every call from his mother or whatever, you know what I'm saying? It's like your mother can't just call you in the emergencies. Your mother should be able to call you. But if your mother here is like, she. If you have a great relationship with her, she already knew he was going on this date.

[Dre]

Right? Right.

[Trinidad James]

She already knew he was going on this day. Yeah. It's like she knew yesterday.

[Dre]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

You told her because y' all talk, right?

[Dre]

Yep.

[Trinidad James]

Right. So if you're a real leader, she's not calling you at 8am, 8pm every hour, p.m. she's not calling you during that time. You're not. So once again, if he's a great leader, you don't have to worry about those type of things. Now what I. A little bit of my devil horn or devil's advocate, is that just to make sure that you're not cutting them off and you're not trying to understand that dynamic that he has that, hey, I love my mother. And like, you know, because once again, girls be beefing with their mother. I would ever say you beefing with your mother. You don't understand what it is that I love my mama. Right. You know what I'm saying? And that can throw. Throw off the energy there, you know, if you. I, I'll judge a woman off how you treat your mama.

[Dre]

I agree. And I'll judge a man off of that too.

[Trinidad James]

Well, of course. As you should. Yeah, as you should. But I'll judge a woman off you treat your mama. Absolutely.

[Lex P]

Because you should. That says a lot about a person.

[Trinidad James]

Like, whoa.

[Lex P]

And even if it's not their fault, but a relationship that a person has with their parents says a lot about how they develop, for sure.

[Trinidad James]

How you care about your dad in his old age. Your mother, what type of things that you say about her is like, that's gonna stick with me, dawg.

[Lex P]

Same.

[Trinidad James]

It's gonna stick with me. Like, I'm not even trying to judge you. I am not trying to. But it's going to stick with me because I love my mother. Cause she's earned my love. You know what I'm saying? So it's just like, look, everybody's relationship don't have to be the same. But hey, if I really care a lot about you and I wanna build with you, that mean that might be a point in time where I need you to take care of my mama.

[Lex P]

Mm.

[Dre]

And if you treat your mama like that, like that.

[Trinidad James]

I mean, you gonna treat my mama like that now, we gonna have a problem.

[Dre]

I feel you. I have a friend that I actually cut off, like back in the day, because I didn't used to. Like, I used to try to turn a blind eye to it for a little bit, but eventually I was like, I can't be friends with you no more. Because I don't like the way she would talk to her mom. She would be so disrespectful towards her mom. And I just couldn't believe sometimes that I would see her talk to her mom like that. It was so off putting.

[Trinidad James]

You make me. You make my spirit feel the type of way. The way you treat the people in your family, people you say you care about.

[Dre]

Yeah, I agree.

[Lex P]

I agree. All right, question number two. Hey, Dre and Lex. Lex. I love, love, love how funny you are and how direct you are with things. Drea, I really love how you eat every outfit up. Moral of the story is, I've been with my boyfriend for almost four years now, and I always have to remind him to be romantic or to do small gestures for me, like buying me flowers or asking how my day was. Simple things like that. Things I believe I always do for him. Lately it's gotten more serious with me asking him to contribute more in the relationship. Since we'll be moving in together soon, I recently noticed that I've been the only one asking to spend time together or do anything in general. What should I do?

[Trinidad James]

So let's break it down into context clues. You spent four years with a man that you didn't move in with. Ooh. That's the first step. Okay, that's the thing.

[Lex P]

I'm with you on that.

[Trinidad James]

You spent four years with a man you didn't move in with. So that means you spend four years understanding what type of man he is, how he treats his house, is how you treat Yalls house. The things that's dirty in his house will be dirty in Yalls house if you don't clean it right. So you have to. Now I think she has to look at what type of woman are you trying to be? If you really want to continue to build four more years together with this person, how are you going to make up for his faults? Because some things are not going to change with him because the things that are makes him great. A man is only trying to be great, right?

[Lex P]

And I think we have to stop looking at people's potential. Sometimes you just got to look at a person for what they are.

[Trinidad James]

Yeah, that's who they are.

[Lex P]

This is who they are.

[Trinidad James]

And accept it and. Or not. Or run for the hills, baby. Run. Get out of there.

[Lex P]

Sometimes. Sometimes it's time to roll.

[Dre]

But if you going to stay with the person, sometimes you just got to be like, okay, this is who they are.

[Lex P]

Because I think. And I'm not even talking about the flowers. Why is he not even asking how your day was?

[Dre]

That's a little weird.

[Trinidad James]

The girls, 25 years from now, 20 years from now, they are going to be laughing at you because, girl, you stupid. Like, this is the era of being able to get the hell out of this. And you did like, girl, you're an idiot. You're an idiot. The. The girls, 10 years from now, telling your story or seeing your story, I'm like, oh, she's an idiot.

[Dre]

Yeah, she dumb.

[Trinidad James]

You're an idiot.

[Lex P]

You really don't have to stay because this is really.

[Trinidad James]

You spent four years with this man. Y' all didn't move in. That mean you got to come over to his place and see exactly who he is for four years straight.

[Lex P]

These are the two answer queen.

[Trinidad James]

There it is.

[Dre]

He ain't wrong, period. This was some good advice. It was from a man perspective, because I feel like we always be giving advice, you know, and they be like, oh, don't listen. I'm single, bitches. Yep.

[Lex P]

Well, now you got it from a man, so now you. Exactly. All right. Obviously, they know where to find you and all that good stuff, but what you got coming up, let the people know all that good stuff.

[Trinidad James]

I'm out here journeying the journey. We got our collab with the Atlanta Dream here coming out. I'm performing at the halftime show. We did clothing with them. I'm wearing one of our jackets that we did with them, the socks, Atlanta Dream logo. So, you know, more collabs with the brand. We got new music coming out, new project coming out. So that bag, which is awesome, ready for World cup next year. You know, getting the businesses together so that we make sure that, you know, we get some of that money on, that money on, too. But all in all, though, I mean, if you really want to know what I got going on, really tap in, because I'm really just protecting culture, combining culture, always trying to do something that keeps our people and people inspired.

[Lex P]

I love that.

[Dre]

Me, too.

[Lex P]

And I'm glad you reminded me. The World cup is next year.

[Dre]

It is next year.

[Lex P]

It's gonna be crazy.

[Dre]

It's about to be wild.

[Lex P]

I already know, but thank you so much. Yes. This was fun.

[Dre]

This is an amazing time.

[Trinidad James]

Pour it up. Pour it up.

[Lex P]

You know we gonna pour it up, period. And y' all make sure y' all tune in next week. What's up? See y'. All. Bye.

[Trinidad James]

Poor m's records distribution. I got the all the ways with me, everybody.

[Lex P]

Yeah.

[Trinidad James]

Make sure you tap in. What's the manufactory on that? Baby maker must be from Virginia Beach. She a rump shaker makeup brother double dutch playing with my paper girl? You the police? Are you my biggest hater? If you want to go, let's go.

[Lex P]

All the way go?

[Trinidad James]

Let's go? If you wanna go, let's go? If you wanna go, let's go? I say thug out the feds I get crazy off the man's half the things I done did I won't never get the cred until I'm dead or deceased on my unreleased release haters make a meme of me until my news nene leak for a Grammy I'm going John Cena, the bougie brother pretty nails my Chanel nina, her big dog pepper stepper her big diva Jerome need a pam baby with lips like Gina so let me know what's the manufacture? Oh, that baby maker must be from Virginia beach make her brother double dutch playing with my paper girl? You the police? Are you my biggest hater? If you wanna go, let's go all the way? If you wanna go, let's go? If you wanna go, let's go all the way if you wanna go, let's go? Are you my biggest hater?

[Lex P]

Hey, I'm going all the way? Hey, hey. Hey.

[Dre]

Thanks for listening and celebrating five years of the Black Effect podcast network with us. Keep following, sharing and streaming because the next five years are about to be even bigger.

[Lex P]

Sam.

[Trinidad James]

Foreign.

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[Trinidad James]

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[Trinidad James]

This is access to over 1, 300 airport lounges and every Sapphire Lounge by the club. And one card that gets you in Chase Sapphire Reserve the most rewarding card.

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[Lex P]

JP Morgan, Chase bank and a member.

[Trinidad James]

FDIC subject to credit approval.

[Dre]

This is an iHeart podcast.