11.) Friday Freedom, Trae Young Trade, + The Gurus Devolves (1/9/26)

Summary

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The Ebro, Laura, Rosenberg Show – Episode 11

Friday Freedom, Trae Young Trade, + The Gurus Devolves

Date: January 9, 2026
Hosts: Ebro Darden, Laura Styles, Peter Rosenberg

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Episode Overview

This Friday edition of The Ebro, Laura, Rosenberg Show delivers its trademark mix of social commentary, personal stories, hip hop news, and listener interaction. The crew discusses political controversies, the big Trae Young NBA trade, ongoing drama in the hip hop world (Cam’ron, Jim Jones, and 50 Cent), and brings on the weekly “Friday Freedom” email segment. They wrap with the “Family Matters”-inspired family chat and an unfiltered edition of “The Gurus” advice segment.

Tone: Real talk, playful ribbing, and plenty of humor, punctuated by Ebro’s “Congratulations, You Played Yourself” button.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Political & Current Events Roundup

(01:25–05:53; 06:13–07:59)

• Proud Boys Lawsuit:
  The hosts react to news that the Proud Boys are seeking $150 million in damages, and discuss the implications if such a payout were to happen.

  • Ebro: Raises alarms about “militias…loyal to an administration but unaccountable to anyone” (02:24).
  • Rosenberg: “They should get their 150 million. That’s an obscene amount…” (05:01)
  • The panel decries the broader trend of U.S. institutions failing to hold extremists accountable post-Civil War; mention of the killing of a white, lesbian woman by ICE, sparking discussion about racial justice and how even allies are marginalized by mainstream culture.

• Minnesota Welfare Fraud Scandal:
  Ebro spotlights the $250 million welfare fraud case in Minnesota, clarifying the main ringleader is a white woman, not the Somali community often scapegoated in coverage.

  • Rosenberg: “Pretty sure that’s a white lady from Minneapolis.” (06:16)
  • Ebro: “Amy Bach is her name...Congratulations, you played yourself.” (06:31)

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2. Sports: Trae Young Wizards Trade

(08:06–10:34)

• The panel’s verdict on Trae Young’s trade request from Atlanta to the Washington Wizards is relentlessly critical and comedic.
  • Rosenberg: “You know the level of not caring about winning in life that you have to have to ask to go to the Washington Wizards.” (08:22)
  • They discuss the comfort factor (connection with an exec) but emphasize that the Wizards have long been a place where ambition goes to die.
  • Ebro: “Bradley Beal couldn’t do it. John Wall couldn’t do it. Hell, Michael Jordan couldn’t do it.” (09:11)
  • Rosenberg: “Get that money, my guy. You’ll be all right. Congratulations, you played yourself.” (10:36)

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3. The “Cozy Cardigan Guru” and Family Banter

(10:42–13:24)

• Ebro's sweater game becomes a running joke.
• Rosenberg: “I don’t like it when you start rubbing on your chest as much.” (10:57)
• The hosts joke about Ebro’s rumored bunker (“Been getting built for a long time underground,” 11:58), and riff on the different reactions wealth triggers in Black and white communities (12:45–13:23).

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4. “Family Matters” Segment

(13:50–21:04)

• Laura shares an idea from Rosenberg’s wife, Natalie: a Family Matters segment with each host telling a personal family story, complete with the TV show theme song.
• Ebro: Confesses to losing the battle to keep his toddler Selassie in her own bed—after years of boasting about boundaries.
  • “Big L…right now, L, Selassie’s running.” (15:12)
  • Rosenberg enjoys Ebro’s new “scramble” as a parent: “It is exciting for the people now to see Ebro scrambling. It’s a new season, a new storyline.” (17:43)
• Rosenberg shares how his daughter Maya only laughs when neighborhood kids do something, not parents—he’s humorously jealous of her favoritism.
• Laura’s daughter Kenza is in a booger-picking phase, leading to comedy about inherited habits (“This is in your DNA, Kenza,” Ebro, 21:17).
• Booger Confessions:
  The segment devolves into comical adult confessions about picking their noses (“I pick my nose and flick boogers from time to time.”—Ebro, 23:43) and Laura revealing she once kept a collection behind her bed poster.

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5. Friday Freedom – Listener Email Segment

(27:55–45:40)

• Listeners check in from around the country, offering support following the show's abrupt radio exit, sharing their own transitions, and asking about the hosts’ relationships with former co-workers.
• Hot 97 Departure:
  The trio respond at length to listener questions about their exit from Hot 97 and the status of Shawnee Culture, Juanito, and Cast One (32:06–40:20).
  • Ebro: “I’m just trolling Shawnee. I love Shawnee to death.” (32:06)
  • Rosenberg: “I am happy that Cast, Juanito and Shawnee are still…employed. Like, that’s a silver lining.” (33:30)
  • The hosts’ partners are angrier than they are.
    • Rosenberg: “She’s madder than I am, obviously. Like, it’s hit her like, you know.”—about Natalie (34:44)
    • Laura echoes similar feelings at home.
  • Ebro: Explains the lack of an official send-off: “I always knew that our end there would not be a celebrated ending. They can’t afford it…” (38:54)

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6. Music News & Hip Hop Gossip: Bruno Mars Tour, Cam’ron & Jim Jones Beef

(46:09–55:46)

• Bruno Mars:
  Laura breaks news of Bruno’s new “Romantic” tour and anticipated album. Ebro is hyped; Rosenberg is skeptical stadiums are justified, but concedes the hits.
• Cam’ron vs. Jim Jones:
  Laura breaks down the resurgence of social media shots between Dipset members, with 50 Cent fanning the flames for attention.
  • Ebro: “This is all…promo because…Jim, Mayno, Dave East and Fab dropped their freestyles…Cam and Mase have a podcast. 50 Cent trolls everyone… It’s all algorithm hustling.” (54:54)
  • Rosenberg: “If it was real problems, guess where they wouldn’t be? On the internet.” (55:50)

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7. “The Gurus” Advice Segment

(56:09–61:43)

• A listener seeks relationship advice: She’s in a new relationship where she’s finally being “cared for” and allowed to be in her feminine energy, instead of over-extending herself. She’s unsure how to express appreciation (for his birthday) without going overboard, given old habits.
  • Laura: “Don’t let your insecurities or your past cloud you from showing the love that you actually feel.” (59:40)
  • Rosenberg: “This is the perfect spot to do something that’s just genuinely thoughtful and not about big price or anything.” (59:46)
  • Ebro: Struggles with the overthinking, gets schooled by Rosenberg and Laura on Guru etiquette, leading to banter about Ebro’s poor Guru skills.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (by Timestamp)

• On White Supremacy Accountability:
  Ebro: “One of the major problems in the United States…is that we have rewarded white supremacists, Nazi-negative, domestic terroristic behavior since the Civil War.” (03:17)

• On ICE Shooting Incident:
  Rosenberg: “If you thought there’d be any sort of different reaction…because the lady was white—congratulations, you played yourself.” (04:22)

• On Trae Young’s Wizards Trade:
  Rosenberg: “You know the level of not caring about winning in life that you have to have to ask to go to the Washington Wizards.” (08:22)

• Booger Heritage:
  Ebro (re: Laura’s daughter): “She is feeling the comfort of her legacy. That’s right… Live your tradition, and embrace your heritage.” (21:59)

• On the Hot 97 Exit:
  Ebro: “I always knew that our end there would not be a celebrated ending… The new company doesn’t have reverence and regard for the history…” (38:54)

• Algorithm Hustling in Hip Hop:
  Ebro: “It’s all algorithm hustling. Because if it was real problems, guess where they wouldn’t be? On the internet.” (55:50)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Proud Boys / Political Commentary: 01:25–05:53
• Minnesota Welfare Fraud: 06:13–07:59
• Trae Young Trade: 08:06–10:34
• Cardigan/Bunker Jokes: 10:42–13:24
• Family Matters Segment: 13:50–21:04
• Friday Freedom (Listener Emails): 27:55–45:40
• Bruno Mars Tour News: 46:09–48:23
• Cam’ron/Jim Jones/50 Cent Beef: 52:08–55:46
• The Gurus: 56:09–61:43

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Closing Notes

This episode features classic ELR Show banter and the trio’s unfiltered take on family life, hip hop headlines, political news, and their own evolving careers. Not afraid to mix the absurd with the serious, the show is required listening for fans wanting both laughs and candor about the radio industry, new beginnings, and modern culture.

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Contact: Email Friday Freedom questions/comments: [e-mail]
Follow: X/Twitter (@theelrshow), TikTok (@ebrolaurarosenberg)

Transcript

[Laura Styles]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Ebro Darden]

Filters and describe what you're looking for in your own words. Simply type what you want and Cargurus Discover instantly services real listings that match your exact needs. It's no wonder Cargurus is the number one most visited car shopping site according to similar Webb's estimated traffic data. Buy or sell your next car today with [e-mail] Go to CarGurus.com to make.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure your big deal is the best deal. That's C-A-R-G-U-R U S.com CarGurus.com Just don't.

[Ebro Darden]

Call it a podcast. Hell, get down. Do it again. Do it again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hold on. Wait for it to let me get to the end so I can restart.

[Ebro Darden]

Get down. It's the Ebro Laura Rosenberg show. Good morning, everyone. We are back again, Friday edition. A lot of things lined up. We have Laura's rundown. That's right, the rundown with Laura Styles. And it might get low down. Low down. When it gets low down, Rosenberg, what happens? It gets low down. All the way down.

[Laura Styles]

Hell.

[Ebro Darden]

Florida takes us to hell, yo. It's a Friday freedom too, you know. We got your emails. Can email us ebro Laura rosenbergmail.com We also have the OGs. That's right, the original gurus. And you can email them the original gurus gmail dot com. But first and foremost, I didn't get to this this week.

[Laura Styles]

Okay.

[Ebro Darden]

But it's been on my mind. Where you going, Rahon Bascom. Run the clip of these proud boy lawyers talking about them getting paid, please. Going to empower people that are loyal to the president but beyond the reach of the law if they are given money, which it seems like the president is trying to do. You know, the proud boys are seeking $150 million in damages. The Department of Justice is currently opposing that, but we don't know how that's going to play out. We're going to have a situation very similar to what we've seen in other countries where you have essentially militias or.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Paramilitary forces that are loyal to an.

[Ebro Darden]

Administration but unaccountable to anyone or any institution.

[Laura Styles]

And paid with our tax dollars.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Precisely.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, shout to that guy. I framed that incorrectly. That was actually someone speaking against Them getting paid and. But articulating that the proud boys won $150 million. Hit the button, yo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That is congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played yourself well. And. And this person, that gentleman speaking right there, said the President was considering it. Luckily for us, the Department of Justice finds it a pro to be a problem. The same Department of Justice that's always aligned with the President. We'll see where it goes. But I just had to get that out the way early in the program today because I. I have been watching that for a couple of days, and my brain just couldn't fathom.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo.

[Ebro Darden]

But as we. As we articulated a few days ago, we. One of the major problems in the United States of America is that we have rewarded white supremacists, Nazi negative, domestic terroristic behavior since the Civil War.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Over and over.

[Ebro Darden]

We have not. Over and over again. People do not get held accountable. They get pardoned. Then no one goes to jail. None of that. And a lot of it falls in this kind of American exceptionalism idea where we think we're better than we actually are. We're terrible. A woman got shot and killed. A mother got shot in the face by an ICE agent.

[Laura Styles]

An American, a US Citizen.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right. And this isn't the first person killed by ICE agents.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah, there's so many.

[Ebro Darden]

The first one, I think that that has been caught on feeling film and got national attention.

[Laura Styles]

I believe so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And by the way, if you thought there'd be any sort of different reaction or outrage because the lady was white, congratulations. You played yourself. Apparently, these people view a white lesbian woman who's on the side of justice and looking out for her neighbors. They view her just as bad as they view people of color because there was no sympathy whatsoever.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, and they immediately, immediately started jumping to her sexual orientation, her pronouns, her pronouns, calling her kid an orphan.

[Laura Styles]

Disgusting, bro. People are disgusting.

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, no. It's bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's bad. Congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played yourself.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, but the Proud Boys, they. They. They should get their 150 million. That's an obscene amount of money we're talking about. That would. That's like a dangerous would. Would change the trajectory and impact of the Proud Boys. Amount of money.

[Ebro Darden]

1,000.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How much money have they ever had? They could not have ever. I think they've been fringe enough. I don't think they've been sitting on any sort of money like that.

[Laura Styles]

I mean, right now they're making ice money.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, because you mean they're working for ice.

[Ebro Darden]

That's the word.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. But if they get the 150 million. They don't have to do the dirty work of ice. They can hide in their. In their caves and do their work.

[Ebro Darden]

Speaking of hundreds of millions of dollars, did you guys see, you know, the. The Somalian community got pegged with the whole fraud, the government fraud and welfare fraud and all of this fraud in Minnesota. But the real ringleader of all of the fraud, the $250 million Minnesota welfare fraud scandal, has been ordered by a judge to forfeit her Porsche and luxury goods. That's a. That's a white woman, ladies and gentlemen. That woman is. Congratulations. You played yourself.

[Laura Styles]

Saw the picture. Doesn't look Somalian.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, listen, I don't know what everyone in Somalia looks like, but I'm pretty sure that's a white lady from Minneapolis.

[Ebro Darden]

That Minnesota $250 million fraud. Let me look up this woman's name. We got to start putting a name with this.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

With this sort of behavior. Let's see. Her name is. Wow. They do not want to put her name in those stories. Amy Bach is her name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played yourself. The alleged Mastermind behind Minnesota's 250 million dollar Feeding Our Future fraud scandal tied to the Somali community is facing forfeiture of Porsche property, designer handbags and millions of dollars after a federal judge approved a preliminary order. She had $3.7 million in bank accounts and cash also.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So did it directly tie to Somalian people or no?

[Ebro Darden]

Well, it directly tied to the Somalian community, some of the Somalian community, because a. There were people working with her who were from that community.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Got it.

[Ebro Darden]

And those people have, by the way, already been in trouble and arrested. So this whole thing coming out at this time was only seized by the JD Vance's on online and the Elon Musk's online so that they could start working to create all of this chaos in Minnesota. Tim Walt stepping aside as governor. Tim Walsh has been actively involved in trying to get these people held accountable for the fraud. And they, like, they make it. Biden administration.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right, right, right. They make it sound like Tim Walls was just like, he's into it. He's part of it.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. What else you guys got today for hitting the button?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, man. What other. Oh, we did. I forgot to mention this yesterday. Trey Young going to the Washington Wizards. Congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played yourself. Wait, he asked for a trade and that's where he ended up. Or he wanted to go there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He not only asked for a trade, he asked to go to the Washington Wizards. Congratulations, you played. You know, the level of not caring about winning in life that you have to have to ask to go to the Washington Wizards.

[Ebro Darden]

And there's no world where he knows something that we don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He. No. The only world that exists, I believe, is that the original executive who traded to draft him is now an executive with the Wizards. And so it was a, it was a safe and comfy landing spot because the league now basically believes what a lot of the players had believed and fans have believed, which is that Trey Young's vastly overrated. So he wanted to find a landing spot. Obviously has not worked out for him in Atlanta over the last couple of years.

[Ebro Darden]

And he wanted to go, what happened to all the ice tray and, and all the. I mean, there was moments. He had moments in the playoffs with Atlanta. There was moments like, why how has it spiraled so out of control? Why is he a bad guy? What's happening?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I, I, I. Things come at you quickly in this league and, and all of a sudden people get hip to things. You look at 24, 25 last year he was averaging 24 points a game. Now he shot a terrible percentage from the floor. 41% from the floor, 34% from three, which isn't God awful. And average 24 points and 11 assists last year. You know, the guy still puts up numbers this year he's down a peg. He's at, he's, it still shoots 41% from the floor. He's got 19 points and nine assists a game. But by the way, those are still pretty good numbers. But they just decided in Atlanta he was not the guy there. There it is not working out there. And he requested a trade and wanted to go to Washington. All I, I'll be honest, I have not followed the trae Young fall off very much, but when I heard he requested Washington. As someone who grew up in Washington and still in many ways considers, you know, D.C. home, congratulations, you played yourself. It's never good Ebro. It's ne. Listen, Bradley Beal couldn't do it. John Wall couldn't do it. All right? Gilbert Arenas could do it. Hell, Michael Jordan couldn't do it. No one can do it. So Trey Young is not going to be the guy to do it in Washington. It's going to be miserable.

[Ebro Darden]

But damn it, you know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Get that money, my guy. You'll be all right. Congratulations, you played yourself. Good restaurants down there now.

[Ebro Darden]

Now here at the Ebro Laura Rosenberg show. You may have noticed the last couple of shows, my sweater game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Never seen anything like this.

[Ebro Darden]

How you guys feeling about cozy, the cozy cardigan Guru. That's right. Garbage.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't like it when you start rubbing on your chest as much. But like, that part. Nah, I'm not into that part.

[Laura Styles]

But what happened? You went. You went shopping and you just was like, let me cop some of these.

[Ebro Darden]

Nah, nah, I've had these for a while. You know what I'm saying? I just, you know, these are kind of like winter garments that I break out on, you know, when I'm cozy around the crib. You know what I'm saying? And since we're heavy broadcasting from the crib, even though we do have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, there are plans, folks.

[Ebro Darden]

Big plans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big plans.

[Ebro Darden]

Never forget, we are blood in the water. That's right. Sharks are circling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I like that. I like today's sweater. I like today's sweater even more than yesterday's sweater.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, yesterday's sweater was just a black sweater.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right? This, this one, this one's got something to it. This is sit by the fire weather.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. This is getting ready for the Now, Laura and Rosenberg. One day we will have to bring the family in to our other plans, the bunker.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, oh, yeah, that's right.

[Ebro Darden]

That's on the horizon.

[Laura Styles]

God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Been getting built for a long time underground now. Do you.

[Ebro Darden]

Has it been that long?

[Laura Styles]

It's been a conversation a year and a half.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's been a conversation. Been a conversation for probably two years.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah. Rosemary, you know what's so funny is like, okay, I have Ebro, right? Building his bunker, right? And then on the other side, I have one of my best friends and business partners, Sharifa, who is obsessed with the bunker situation.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, I took her up there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

She saw.

[Laura Styles]

Oh, she sold. She is making plans. She is figuring this out.

[Ebro Darden]

She got plans.

[Laura Styles]

She has plans to join other plans.

[Ebro Darden]

Griff says. Griff says construction started a year and a half. Yeah, because I bought the land in 2023. At the end, like maybe beginning of 2020.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I would like some freedom Friday Freedom emails about how rich Ebro is. Continue.

[Ebro Darden]

Listen, you know, when a black man gets some money, everybody celebrates.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know.

[Ebro Darden]

It's when a white man gets to money, people go, f out of here. Where's the F out of here?

[Peter Rosenberg]

If a white. Even if he doesn't come for money, if he gets any money.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, and no, no, no. A white Jew.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I had to come for money.

[Ebro Darden]

Nobody wants. You had upstairs when you was a kid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I had upstairs. That's right.

[Ebro Darden]

You had an upstairs. But anyway. Yeah, so permits and everything done. 2024, 2025. We started construct late 2024, 20, 25. Yeah. Okay, I owe you. Griff says the Sweater is giving Mr. Darden's neighborhood.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big time.

[Ebro Darden]

It's giving Mr. Darn's neighborhood. Listen, put a poll in the chat there, Louie. Oh, God. Do they like the sweater game? All right, throw it up. Look, coming up on the show, we have to get to the gurus. We will get to the rundown and the lowdown. And now, Laura, you were saying when you were out the other night, Rosenberg's wife, Natalie.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Had an idea.

[Laura Styles]

Oh, she came out with. She. She gave me a suggestion for a possible segment, and I really like it. She thinks we should call it Family Matters. Play the little Family Matters theme song, and each of us take turns discussing one thing that's happening with our family, our kids.

[Ebro Darden]

This is real hokey.

[Laura Styles]

A partner, but I like it because we do it. We do it anyway.

[Ebro Darden]

This is the type of corny carrying on I like.

[Laura Styles]

I like it.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, I got the theme song ready.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Laura. Doing like, a cool dance. The Family Matters theme song is not, in my opinion. That sound is so 80s.

[Ebro Darden]

You.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't understand. Y' all people don't. They don't understand. The kids don't understand. What a good theme song.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, the corny guitar is a saxophone coming in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Time for the big old hook. This makes family life feel so fun.

[Laura Styles]

I know.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, guess what? I'm currently holding an L, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not fun.

[Laura Styles]

Big L. Okay.

[Ebro Darden]

That's fine. It's beautiful. It's amazing. It's fun, actually. It's light. It's cool. Big L, right? Now, after all the years of me talking about, you know, with Issa, when Issa was a kid, you know, she slept in her own bed. And Selassie's not gonna run the house. She's gonna be in her own bed. You know, I keep track of wins and losses. Right now, L. Salasi's running, Selassie's running.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rough shot, huh?

[Ebro Darden]

Just last night, Salaci was in the bed. What happened was we got set back from. Remember we had strep in the house over the holidays?

[Laura Styles]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

And so when the toddler gets sick, you want them in close proximity, monitoring, breathing, making sure they're comfortable. So then she ended up being in the bed, you know, trying to get her comfortable after we got better with strep. Then it was just kind of like, okay, she's fine sleeping in her bed. But then we'll wake up at four, four in the morning, and it's like, okay. And then I Have to come to work. And where I use the. The room where she sleeps, my studio is right there. So I'm going to end up waking her up. So she ends up going into the bed, usually around 6 anyway. So if she wakes up at 4, what are we doing? Right, what are we doing? I'm getting up, going in there and laying down in her room. Or I'm going to just go get her and bring her into the bed because I got to get up anyway and leave her in there with Jack.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So she's waking up at 4 and now you're bringing her into the bed?

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, but the last couple of nights we've been sitting in the bed at 8:00', clock, 8:30, and she just starts getting comfy. And then we fell asleep and she slept in the bed the entire night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, congratulations.

[Laura Styles]

You played yourself of Mommy and Daddy. Don't you dare rip this away from me.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, and when we were on vacation, we had the crib, you know, I mean, look, it's a vacation house, so you don't have that much space. Her crib is in our bedroom. Issa sleeps in the other room in the vacation situation. And so her crib was in the room. So she ended up in the bed with us on vacation damn near the whole vacation or damn near the whole trip. Oh.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, she's. Oh, she's in the bed. No, she's in the bed. It's actually.

[Laura Styles]

You're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Actually, It's. You're in her bed. Congratulations. You played yourself.

[Ebro Darden]

Luckily, luckily, me and mom are on the same page, and we're going to start to do the work to unwind this over the next week or so.

[Laura Styles]

All right? But.

[Ebro Darden]

But when I travel, I have a feeling it's going to fall apart again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm gonna sit back, sip my coffee and watch.

[Laura Styles]

Could happen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I've been waiting. No, listen. I've been patiently waiting, like Eminem once said. And 50. I've been patiently waiting to see Ebro in a situation when all of a sudden everybody's. It's not. It's not all going perfect because he nailed everything. Everything was just boom, boom, boom. She's on point. So it looked like he just knew everything. It all clicked. So it is exciting for the people now to see Ebro scrambling. Is a new season, a new storyline we'd ever seen.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, wait. Based on what I said, it feels like full scramble.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not yet. It feels like on the road to scrambling, yo.

[Laura Styles]

Because Selassie is an independent baby.

[Ebro Darden]

Nah, Selassie got Selassio had you on the ropes. Ryan.

[Laura Styles]

Selassie will give you that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ish.

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, no. She'll have you on your heels. You think you're on your toes for a second, but then she's just quick. Starts moving and she's. And she's persistent. You know what I mean? She. Yeah, she still. She knows how to apply pressure. And she works her angles. Salacio, work her angle. She'll go from super, super cute to daddy, I love you. Love you, love you. Butter them up to full waka upside your head, scratch your eyeballs out and then go. Sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nah, come on, man.

[Laura Styles]

They manipulate dead ass, bro. Yo, these kids are smart.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I got. I wish they're smart. I wish I could show you guys the video. I probably could if I sent it to Bascom. Yo, Maya. Yesterday. So our close, close friend. I think I may have told you guys that one of our best friends moved to New York, my friend Allison. And Allison has a daughter, Evelyn, who's just turned nine. Okay, I think just turned nine. When I tell you that she is the cat's pajamas to Maya. I mean, Maya thinks this nine year old, everything that she does is the coolest thing possible. The funniest. She laughs at everything she does. And last night was one of the all time best. For some reason, they were over here and Evelyn was just pretending to sneeze and Maya's laugh, because Maya hasn't really gotten into laughing yet. I don't know what. What's normal. And when babies start to laugh a lot, she will only laugh at very specific things like.

[Laura Styles]

And they laugh and then they. They get serious, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, I just sent Bascom the video. We'll see if he could put it in the system. Yo, she's doing this when. When Evelyn's sneezing, she's hysterical. And I'm like, that's so good. You like that, huh? And I go, ah, shoo. She looks at me like, honestly, what the wrong with you? Like, I know you didn't come in here and just ruin this joke because I know. Because Evelyn sneeze now. That's funny what you're doing. I don't like it. I don't like what you're doing, and I want you to stop it. Yo, she looks at me so nuts. I was like, oh, I'm sorry. I'm not your cool little friend.

[Ebro Darden]

They love other kids. Hit yourself with the button because we don't curse on this program. And double whammy. It's a family. This is the family segment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Please edit that somehow. Congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You Played yourself.

[Laura Styles]

Anyway, really quickly, though, Kenza is going through her discovery stage where she's discovering boogers in her nose, and I can't.

[Ebro Darden]

Get her to stop picking her mother. No, no, no, no. This is in your DNA, Kenza. I know this is a part of your genetic makeup. Booger picking.

[Laura Styles]

She. Peter, she's on the couch like that, and I'm like, kenza, don't do that. Your hands are dirty. You're gonna get sick. I'm trying to fight. Find different ways of telling her to stop picking her nose. She's like, but it's fun.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, my God. By the way. It is genetic, by the way.

[Laura Styles]

But it's fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can't you. Can't you just explain the. Isn't this a parenting moment to teach the truth?

[Ebro Darden]

Rosenberg, stop it. No, this is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is a truth moment where you say, we all pick our nose. You don't just sit there and do it.

[Ebro Darden]

She doesn't care about the truth right now. She is feeling the comfort of her legacy. That's right. Wait, Laura, were you doing it yelling the elders?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were you doing it for the elders? Laura, were you doing this in. In front of people, too?

[Laura Styles]

I. I was a loose picker, bro. I was in my nose. I had a collection.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm disgusting boogers. Laura stored the boogers.

[Laura Styles]

You don't remember me telling you that in my. In my. Next to my bed, on the wall, I had behind a poster, I had a bunch of them collected, and my mom discovered it, and she whipped my ass.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now that'. That's. That's a.

[Ebro Darden]

That's a. Kenza. Kenza. Live your truth. Live your tradition, and embrace your heritage.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, by the way, your heritage is the craziest. I can't stand you doing it for the elders. Y.

[Ebro Darden]

Picking, but not picking boogers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, play that.

[Ebro Darden]

Play that. Bismarck.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know.

[Laura Styles]

I wanted.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I wanted to. Yo. So. But did you try saying to her, hey, yes, we. Sometimes people pick up, pick their noses. However, I would like you to go ahead and not do it in front of people. That's not appropriate.

[Laura Styles]

It's rude. I told. I told her that, and she said, yes, mommy. Okay? I was like, look, we can go to the bathroom. I'll give you a tissue. You can clean yourself up. She just says, yes, Mommy, and next, you know, like, two hours later, I turn around, and she's, like, doing something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can you ask you guys an honest question? This is obviously risking myself, and I'm exposing a lot here.

[Laura Styles]

Okay?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is there anyone in the world who doesn't sometimes pick Their nose. Privately, of course.

[Ebro Darden]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who doesn't? Who doesn't?

[Laura Styles]

Oh, doesn't. I don't believe them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, is there.

[Ebro Darden]

Everybody picks their nose, bro.

[Laura Styles]

Everyone does that.

[Ebro Darden]

I pick. I pick my nose and still flick boogers from time to time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no, you're flick.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You roll and flick sometimes.

[Ebro Darden]

Nah, I'm a rolling flick, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's dirt. It's just dirt. Nothing.

[Ebro Darden]

No, listen, man, you, yo, and anybody out here lying, you're a liar.

[Laura Styles]

No, because I picked my nose, but I have a tissue.

[Ebro Darden]

Like, yo, yo, congratulations. You played yourself. You're not gonna. You're not gonna convince us that you were stashing and storing boogers and now all of a sudden you've evolved to be some like, pristine booger picking machine only. Get out of here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I only pick boogers with a tissue handy.

[Ebro Darden]

Get out of here. One thing I've always wanted to is the reason you go get these $9,000 nail jobs is so you can sit up and cave. Creep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

Get all up in your nasal passages with some expensive booger picking nails. Get out of here.

[Laura Styles]

My God.

[Ebro Darden]

Long ass nails are meant for booger picking.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, this is a.

[Laura Styles]

Do you think these are luxurious scoops?

[Ebro Darden]

That's right. Now you're talking.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're like Fritos poops on your fingers.

[Ebro Darden]

But for boogers talking.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, Laura. He had been. He had been holding that one. He'd been waiting.

[Ebro Darden]

I've been waiting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The fact that she just said, well, no, I do it, but I have a tissue. No, bro, I'm gonna keep it real too. There might be people out there in the world who've been like, I was on the west side Highway. I. I pulled up to a light. I swear I saw Rosenberg just digging in his nose and flicking out the window.

[Ebro Darden]

1,000%. It's after 1,000%. You had pulled up next to. To me and seen me in deep knuckle, deep.

[Laura Styles]

Scraping his brain.

[Ebro Darden]

Ah, getting to it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is what I hate.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is what Friday Freedom is all about. All right, hold. Let's palette cleanse. Bascom, you have the video of Maya. This is the story of the 1. As the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, she knows the only thing more important than having the right safety gear is having it there when you need. That's why she partners with Grainger for auto reordering. So her team members can count on her to have cut resistant gloves on hand and each shift can run safely and efficiently. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click granger.com or just stop By Grainger. For the ones who get it done.

[Laura Styles]

Okay, okay, let's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's palate Cleanse.

[Ebro Darden]

Two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pretty good. That's pretty. Good job, Evelyn.

[Laura Styles]

Nope, doesn't have it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Might cry from it.

[Laura Styles]

That's how it's done.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you see the face she gave me?

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah.

[Laura Styles]

She was like, bro.

[Ebro Darden]

She was gonna punch you in your face.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Kind of terrible sneeze is this.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, not only that, but you're interfering with my connection I'm having right now. I'm making a friend. Here you come.

[Peter Rosenberg]

She loves. No, she loves. Evelyn is so cool to her. She thinks it's all funny.

[Laura Styles]

That's so cute.

[Ebro Darden]

No, that was amazing. I was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Stop.

[Ebro Darden]

Made me laugh out loud. That was amazing. That. That little baby's got the cutest little laugh.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know. And I barely gotten them. So when we get them, it's like, amazing. You're like, oh, my God.

[Ebro Darden]

No. But even the way her face scrunches up, like the whole realization. The whole thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Evelyn's. Evelyn's mom. Allison calls. Calls Maya Scrunch Face Killer. Because she hits. She loves that scrunch nose. You guys ready for some freedom to be free?

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, listen, it's Friday Freedom, where you can email Ebro Laura Rosenberg at Gmail. Do we have the Ebro Laura Rosenberg band available to set off Friday free?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, man. Playing their favorite hit.

[Ebro Darden]

The Dietle Deedle Bop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's right.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right. Friday Freedom. Your time, your space, emails and voice notes. How do you feel? What do you hate? We got it all for you on Friday Freedom. Did Griff send us this stuff over?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He did. He did. We got emails for you, Palace.

[Ebro Darden]

All right. How many emails? How are we doing out here?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Our Friday Freedom's cool. We got a few so far. Gotta. Got a bunch.

[Ebro Darden]

All right, all right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Looks like about.

[Ebro Darden]

Here we go. Shout out. Shout out to Dominique. Hit us with a quick one. Love to see the show. Still going. Looking forward to the actual formatted version. All of you get the button, though. What for? No mention of uncle murder. 2025 wrap up. It was really good. And you all. And you all are mentioned. Have a good day from Chicago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know if that's a button, but. But I appreciate that. Shouts to Mayno. I mean, shouts to Uncle Murder.

[Ebro Darden]

Did you even hear it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I did hear it.

[Ebro Darden]

And what did he say?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you know me. I didn't. I didn't care for it because he literally just said Ebro's name five times. Act like no one else left the radio station.

[Ebro Darden]

But what did he say about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just like that? Hot 97 is a mess. Enough is enough is enough. Was fired, then later happened. Then they got rid of Ebro, and then, you know, blah, blah, blah, see you later, Ebro. And then, blah, blah, blah, blah, bye, bye, Ebro. And I'm like, damn, Murder. It's a. It's.

[Ebro Darden]

So. That's why. So. So to this woman, Dominique. That's why I didn't come up, because I was. I didn't even hear it. Second of all, Rosenberg didn't want to bring it up because all it mentioned was me, and Laur was in Thailand.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And she was in Thailand. So I. I didn't hear it till late, though. I only heard it a couple days ago, so.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, and. And Baskin said it was 17 minutes long. They're always long.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But listen, it's gone too far, bro. 17.

[Ebro Darden]

You.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can wrap up the year in hip hop in five minutes.

[Ebro Darden]

Nah, there's a lot going on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

17. Although the. The time is what makes it funny. That's how murder gets to add his humor in, is he needs. You need the room. So I get it. Shouts Uncle.

[Ebro Darden]

All right, Laura, what you got today?

[Laura Styles]

Here we go. This is from Venetia. Good morning, fam. I want to start off with a huge congratulations to you guys on your freedom and can actually be able to do what you want to do best. You guys are an inspiration, and I applaud you all. I have deleted the app and completely gave up listening to that other station. However, before I completely jumped ship, I did hear 2.5 seconds of Shawnee culture. How did his voice get clear? Was that part of his contract?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, stop.

[Laura Styles]

I'm asking for a friend. Anyway, many blessings, continued support, loving thoughts.

[Ebro Darden]

Here we are. It's blood in the water. No.

[Laura Styles]

I'm telling you, Peter, people have told me this. They're like, all of a sudden, he's so clear.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How is it funny? How is it possible? How is it.

[Ebro Darden]

So look, we got. We got to do some house cleaning, though, before. Rosenberg, before you get into your email, because there's another email here from Ellie. She says, hey, elr, Ellie here. Ten plus year fan. For the past year, I've been nervous about y' all leaving the show at the radio station. We shall not name. Hearing that it was abrupt and unofficially announced that y' all would not be coming back on was incredibly heartbreaking. I am so thrilled that y' all were able to get YouTube and the podcast going so quickly. I think it was a great move to Retain and help console the fox. Admittedly, I listened to the first five minutes of Flex following Monday morning and have not turned on the station since. Y' all were the only reason I listened to the station. The big question comes up since Ebro had some veiled words about Shani during episode six. As a fat cousin, can y' all elaborate on what's going on with the relationship with the other cousin? Shani, Cass, Juanito, together as a radio family, y' all felt like blood. Family and cousins. What's going on? So happy to still have y', all. I have to say. I'm just trolling Shani. I love Shani to death.

[Laura Styles]

Yes. Yes, of course.

[Ebro Darden]

I was at birthday the other day. Me and my lady was there hanging out. It's love. I talked to him the other day. I called him after I threw the shots at him, laughed and giggled about the shots I threw at him. Shawnee's in a situation where he's got to do his job.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Like, if he's opening the mic every day and he's in that space, A, he's got to protect his income. There's no telling what could happen with that new company. B, you know, that's. That's. That's his job. And he. And he's up there with Juanito, whom we love, and cast one, who we love, and Mia Bell, whom we love. And whatever the new iteration becomes, those will also be people that we like and care about and love. And so they got to do their job. And their job is to turn on that microphone and figure out a way to compel people to tune in and entertain. Will we throw shots at them from time to time? Absolutely. Will I troll Shani? Because now all of a sudden, he's got bits and skits and he's on time and his voice is clear. Will I troll him? Because now you're up there doing the soft shoe, trying to keep your gig, but you're a revolutionary Rastafarian who doesn't quote. But you're out here, you know, scrambling to keep a paycheck coming in. Absolutely. But that's because I love.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And by the way, he would have. You would have made those same jokes no matter what. Ebro, everything that you said to make fun of Shawnee is the same things you made fun of him for to his face.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But obviously, and I appreciate the email because it is an odd situation, and I will say I am happy that cast Juanito and Shawnee are still, you know, assuming they want to Be there are still employed. Like, that's a silver lining to what has happened simultaneously. It is weird, right? Like, I didn't picture it happening this way. I kind of pictured when it would all go down. It would all go down. So it is. There was a moment of like, damn. Like, I just didn't expect it this way. But if there's any sort of silver lining to it, I think it's that a next week when, when people find out what the new show is going to be. I really like and, and, and care for those people too. And I'm happy that our people are over there still doing work. You know what I mean? So it is awkward. It is uncomfortable. I'm not going to lie to you guys. I don't like, I want to hear Shawnee. I, I want to. And I've watched his clips that he's posted because I know Shawnee's kind of been leading the ship. So I want to get to see Shawnee and be proud of him in that moment. But I also haven't like, turned the radio on very much either. Like, that's just being honest, which is a bizarre thing. Natalie said that to me the other day.

[Laura Styles]

She.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because she's madder than I am, obviously. Like, it's hit her like, you know.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, I've noticed that about jazz too. Jazz is really.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, she's hot. Natalie's hot about it. She's like, jazz is angry. I turned on the station.

[Laura Styles]

Same in my house, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, same. I turned on the station when we were driving once. She was like, turn that.

[Ebro Darden]

She.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was like, it's a mix show. You know, I wasn't even tripping off. I want to hear what's going on. She's like, turn it off. And she's like, you know how weird it is for me as a born and raised New Yorker who always had Hot 97 programmed first to now she's like, you will never hear me play it ever. Like, and I get it. It's. It's protection of us and defensiveness and I understand.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. So help me understand that. Is that. Is that just because, like, the people closest to us, they want to be mad for us? Or is it. Or. And this is another thought I had, is it because they saw us sacrifice time with them and, and, and tailor their lives and our personal lives to do that job for so long that when something ends in that fashion that feels like we weren't appreciated, they're not accustomed to understanding how the game goes?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, all those things you said you said a mouthful there. I think it's all those things, right, Laura? I think. But I think the main thing is, like, you treated my person like crap. Because. Because in the end, you know, and this goes sort of back to the DJ Vlad conversation the other day about him saying we. Us acting ungrateful. Yo, Hot 97 is in my soul. Like, I will forever be. I. Guys, I was there for 18 and a half years. I will be Peter Rosenberg from Hot 97 to some degree, literally till the day I die. So it's part of me. I love Hot 97. But. But I'm not gonna say that the last moments weren't disrespectful, because they were so. I think because of that. I think because it was. It ended nasty, that's going to make our loved ones particularly hot rather than if it had cleanly sort of. We just parted ways. Yeah.

[Laura Styles]

And they also.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Laura Styles]

And they. They are also super close to it. So they've kind of experienced all the BS that we went through. Do you understand what I'm saying? Like, every. You know, obviously I can't name the things that we went through, but so they know. So at the end, at least on. At my house, particularly upset. And. And it's funny that you said it, because I didn't know that you guys were going through the same thing. But it's mostly because they've been riding.

[Ebro Darden]

With us with every single thing I've had to tell. I've had to tell jazz to relax. Why is that playing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because this is family matters again. We're back, baby.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, but it's. It's Friday. Freedom.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay, okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You had to tell her just like.

[Ebro Darden]

Ain'T like, nah, nah, you know, me too. Like, nah. Yo. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That's. Listen, we were. I was there for 22 years. Shush. Maybe longer, but let's call it 22. I think 23. In. In. In multiple capacities, was at one point vice president of three radio stations for the former owners of Hot 97, Kiss FM 119 RXP. I did many things there. Established many, many things there. Help people a lot. A lot of things. I've had conversation with Flex recently just about how thankful he is for the work that I helped him do and supported him on. Or Angie Martinez thanking me and like, all of that kind of stuff. Like, so when a company or any corporation is bought, the new company doesn't have reverence and regard for the history or what the brand meant or means. It's all about looking forward. I always knew that our end there would not be a celebrated ending.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ebro Darden]

They can't afford it. They couldn't afford to allow us to be on some like week long campaign tour to end. They wanted to try to make it abrupt during the holidays when they knew people weren't paying attention or were busy doing other things when the ratings books were in influx and so that they could start something fresh and new like they're about to start on Monday, Tuesday I think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think they announced Monday and it.

[Ebro Darden]

Starts next week whenever it is. Yeah. So yeah, I never anticipated it being smooth once, once new ownership came in and especially the way I saw new ownership managing the brands.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ebro Darden]

And by, and by brands. This isn't also, by the way, what you see going on with Hot 97. You know, BLS is also a part of that family.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

You know, and, and so much love for, you know, our, our, our OGs and elders over there at, at WBLS as well. You know what I mean? That's family. So listen man, shout out to everybody who want. But those are all. None of the is talking that we're doing. None of the, you know, poking and, and trolling. It comes with any ill will, you know what I'm saying? At all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You mean to our people.

[Ebro Darden]

To our people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, I have some slight ill will, but not towards our people at all. And yeah, and again, we're not mentioning anything about what the plans are for the station but you know, I've reached out to some of the people involved and given my love and blessings and support and like I said, I ultimately that brand is Hot 97. Super important to me and I would love to see it prosper in the future. So. All right, let me get to an email. Friday freedom. Let's see.

[Ebro Darden]

Friday freedom. Let's go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have a few things here. All right. Isaac Ebro, Laura Rosenberg. Sorry, Ebert Roseberg, Laura Styles. What up, homies? This is Isaac out of Denver. I've been listening to you all for decades and was scared the day you all left Hot 97 because there was blood in the water.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh man, it's blood. Here we are. It's blood in the water.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then a day later you were back on YouTube and podcast apps. That's what's up. I do have some need for that guru talking advice. But I really just wanted to let you know that you got love coming out of the Mile High city. Congrats on the love and the numbers. You guys will be fine and have control of your message and support. Of the culture. That's huge.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah, I have one that's similar. Let me jump on this real quick. It's from Irwin. Excuse me, Irvin. Good morning from Long Island. You guys are the best trio in the YouTube universe. When one door closes, God opens another one, and you guys kick that door down with more creative control of your content. So I think this show will be award winning. Keep your foot on the neck of naysayers. The they will fuel for your success. One love. DJ Gotti fought for life. Hashtag Blood in the water.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, man, they really like Blood in the water. I thought y' all was hyping it when you were like, nah, they love Blood in the water.

[Laura Styles]

So funny.

[Ebro Darden]

They really love it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, they're into it. It was a moment in time. I. When I heard you say it, it couldn't go on. I told you, Laura, the reason it really happened was Ebro just casually said it to start the show. But I was so obsessed the first day with seeing how our show was doing that every time I'd go to YouTube, like, Yo, are people watching? I'd hit it, and I just hear Blood in the water. And I just kept hearing it over and over again. And now here we are.

[Ebro Darden]

It's Blood in the water. That's right. Not a shark is circling. I gotta shout out nasally. NBA, Dominican entrepreneur, mom living of two, living in Whitestone, Queens. What up? She says, living light, despite my cranky husband, although he has his reasons. Anywho, she wants curved to come back. Oh, naturally. Curve's not coming back yourself. No, it's not. It's not. Curved is not coming back. But she also wanted a job. But Nas, I hate curved.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let me just get it all out. I hate curved. Yeah, I, I, I invented Ride or Die. Very proud of it. I hate it, too. Let's. Let's move on.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, who curved?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I think curved. I think you came up with curved or didn't we? Isn't curved kind of a thing?

[Ebro Darden]

Griff says it was a team effort.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but isn't curved also kind of a ripoff? Like, I think curved is also done in different ways in other places.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ride or Die. At first, we were smoking. And the problem with Ride or Die was, though Ride or Die took real work, like, you were really relying on people to give you a lot. And so it's time when we ran.

[Ebro Darden]

Out, let's be honest, we didn't. We covered every scenario. Griff. We did 400 ride or die. 400.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is that true?

[Laura Styles]

Yeah. Trust me, Griff knows he has them all.

[Ebro Darden]

Here go the deal on Ride or Die. We'll see how this. We'll see how much blood gets in the water. But maybe we could archive them one day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, let's see.

[Laura Styles]

We'll see. See, we'll see.

[Ebro Darden]

Maybe we could archive them one day. I also want to shout out to. Let me see here. This is. Her name is Loose, like Kenza's middle name. Loose Marie Mack. She says she truly admires the way we uplift culture, community and honest conversations and wanted to take a moment to share her work. She's a Dominican American children's book author and producer, creating culturally affirming stories for children and families rooted in Afro diasporic identity, family and social emotional learning. She's got 2D animations, children's books. She's created over 25 short animated videos, won awards. She has a book called the Secret Platano which is number one on Amazon.

[Laura Styles]

Oh, nice.

[Ebro Darden]

Episodes currently streaming on Quality TV and Kids BE tv. Most recently, she released a bacha. Bachatika is how you say it.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah, like a little bachata.

[Ebro Darden]

Bachatika. With Contolo Press. A joyful musical celebration of culture, rhythm and family bonds. Anyway, I was shouting her out because she sent us email for Friday freedom. And you guys should go look her up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

She's in here building.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right. She's doing it all look for.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah, and also big shout out to DJ Tommy Riz. I don't know. He goes hard. No, he's going hard campaigning for us. I love him, so just wanted to acknowledge him.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, there you go. Friday Freedom. Get your emails over Ebro Laura Rosenberg at Gmail. Laura, are you ready for the rundown with Laura Styles?

[Laura Styles]

Give me a little.

[Ebro Darden]

She's not ready.

[Laura Styles]

Give me a little something.

[Ebro Darden]

Ebro, Laura.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The ELR band. The ELR band.

[Ebro Darden]

The ElR band. Excuse me. Here we go now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What you got there?

[Laura Styles]

So this is breaking news, especially because this is someone who Ebro has a huge, huge amount of love for. And we love him too. We love him too. Bruno Mars has announced the romantic tour.

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, no. We're gonna throw. You know, we're gonna throw up a Bruno Mars appreciation episode.

[Laura Styles]

We have to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We have to.

[Ebro Darden]

When I get this music, we going full Bruno Mars appreciation.

[Laura Styles]

He's taking his BFF Anderson pack, AKA DJ Pee Wee, and they're going on tour.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, man, I love it. I'm at the shows.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

You know, that's the first concert I took easy to was a 24 karat magic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow. Really?

[Laura Styles]

Oh, yes.

[Ebro Darden]

Right? We don't have to double back as a family. And maybe make it Selassie's first concert.

[Laura Styles]

Wow, nice. So Preso goes live. It's right. Right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When's the out? What's the date?

[Laura Styles]

Officially, tickets are. Are on sale January 15th.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But what's the. What's the. What's the album? Is there an album?

[Ebro Darden]

It's called the Romantic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So the album is called the Romantic. And this.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right. He announced that too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And did he. Does he give you. Did he give us a date for the album or just a tour?

[Ebro Darden]

I've heard rumors circulating that it's a February album or late January. February.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's called the Romantic. Right. Valentine's Day. Kind of feels like.

[Ebro Darden]

Talk about it. Talk about it.

[Laura Styles]

Oh, this is gonna be so much fun. I love this. So, yeah, I'm excited about it. And kicking off in Vegas, April 10th. Excuse me. Is the. No, the concert.

[Ebro Darden]

Family trip to Vegas.

[Laura Styles]

We might have to do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, I might.

[Ebro Darden]

I might have to wait till they come.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can catch it. I feel like there's, like, four arenas here. We could catch it. I think I saw them on for the last one for that Tour. E Bro, 24 Karat Magic. I saw him in on Long Island. Great show.

[Laura Styles]

Okay, wait, look.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Great.

[Laura Styles]

August 21st and 22nd at MetLife Stadium.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, Stadium. Selassie will be two and a half.

[Laura Styles]

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Ebro Darden]

Headed towards three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, so he's stadium. Bruno's going stadium too, huh?

[Ebro Darden]

Nah, he needs to, bro. He could do it. That's Bruno Mars, bro. People forget, man. People forget. This guy has catalog. He's a phenomenal performer. Songwriter like Bruno does not. He. I don't think he's appreciated.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I kind of agree with you, but I still wonder, does he have, like. I know people love Bruno. Like, his songs are mad popular. Does he have 60,000 coming out each night?

[Ebro Darden]

How many shows is he?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Two at MetLife?

[Ebro Darden]

Back to back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Back to back at MetLife.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, all I know is when he did Brazil and some other places.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, Brazil is different for it. They. Yeah, that's.

[Ebro Darden]

It's. No, it was crazy. I think people will try. Depending on how many stadiums he's doing, it could be a thing where people travel to the area to check him out at Medley.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How many? Well, how many dates? Lord. You see all the total dates? Is it like. Do you see the whole list?

[Laura Styles]

Let me see, let me see. I don't know how many. This is too small, but it's A lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a lot, though.

[Laura Styles]

It ends October 14th in. In Vancouver at.

[Peter Rosenberg]

At a stadium.

[Laura Styles]

Also, it doesn't say here, but I'm sure that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's just. No, listen, I. I'm a big fan. I. It took me time. I didn't love Bruno at first, and then I really.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't care.

[Ebro Darden]

It's yourself with the button.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is that a button? To have not always been a Bruno Mars.

[Ebro Darden]

Lutely. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Congratulations. You treating Bruno Mars like he's Stevie Wonder needs to calm down. He's really dope. Okay. He's not a life changing. Oh, my God. He means so much to me. Like, he's an incredible talent and pop artist. I. He's dope.

[Ebro Darden]

Yes.

[Laura Styles]

You don't got that Bruno Mars song that really, like, hits you, pierces your heart.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pierces my heart.

[Laura Styles]

Talking to the moon. Let's go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it does not pierce my heart. It pierces my, like, vibe sensation. Like, I like Versace on the floor. 24 Karat Magic. There are songs I love to hear. I turn them up loud and jam out. What I'm saying is he doesn't like, emotionally affect me. No, no, not at all.

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, no, listen. What Rosenberg is saying. Fine. And. And I'm. And I'm fine with you saying it because, you know, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So my only question is, will that still translate? I'm not. This isn't like negative. Will it translate to stadiums? All. I mean, No fire, bro. Don't. Don't get us white.

[Ebro Darden]

Don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't get our show. Don't get our joints down because you're playing Bruno off your phone. He's got pure fire. I just. A lot of times the. The people that do stadiums just have like a really intense connection with their base. But listen, I under.

[Ebro Darden]

So you don't. You don't feel like he's got a. The rabid fandom like that, like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I underestimated Chris Brown's rabid fandom, and he sold out MetLife multiple times.

[Laura Styles]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, and by the way, and remember, Bruno just nailed that Lady Gaga.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, yo.

[Ebro Darden]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Whoa. Yeah. That was crazy. Hey, yo, that. That joint with that die with a smile and the. He got that international banger.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't forget, he's got a lot of stuff.

[Laura Styles]

This is a family show, Rosenberg. Everyone's gonna wait. If you can take your kid, you will.

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, I'm going to take a two year old.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it's gonna, it's. It's gonna be a great show. We'll, let's see how much these tickets cost too, because you know, these stadiums are gonna.

[Laura Styles]

Do you need a ticket for a two year old?

[Ebro Darden]

Absolutely. You need to take it for everything. No, it's not an air, it's not a flight.

[Laura Styles]

It just feels like it says, like, why?

[Ebro Darden]

Well, first of all, she'll be over two. She'll be two and a half. And you know, they start charging you after two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Damn, that's so whack.

[Laura Styles]

Right?

[Ebro Darden]

By the way, I could be wrong. I'm assuming they're gonna, they're gonna take it. Me for a two year old, they like give up. But anyway, that's all you got in the rundown. I noticed this week we did not get to the Jim Jones.

[Laura Styles]

Wait, wait, wait, that's coming right now. The lowdown, because this is.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, switch to the lowdown. It's messy.

[Laura Styles]

To the lowdown because it's messy.

[Ebro Darden]

Rosenberg. Get on your, get on your job.

[Peter Rosenberg]

With more styles.

[Laura Styles]

Guys, I, I, how did this, I mean, I know there was tension between Cameron and Jim Jones, but I guess it, it's back and it's public now because they started trading shots on social media. And then 50 chimes in. And you know when 50 chimes in, he's just going to stir the pot. So you, you gotta. All right, so Cam's post, which basically kicked all of this off, he said something not directly to Jim Jones, but Jim Jones knew it was about him. He said, how are you worried about me when your heat off and rent due? When your heat is off and your rent is due. And then Jim Jones hops into the comments, making it clear that he thought the shot was, you know, about him. And yeah, it says, damn, I hope y' all can chip in and get the heat back on. That's what 50 wrote. Okay. And in the same screenshot, you, it's kind of hard to follow, guys, because the, the grammar and punctuation is not there. Right? But Jim Jones says, do your shoe, punk.

[Ebro Darden]

I think he meant do your show.

[Laura Styles]

Oh, okay, okay, okay. Smelled shoe. And then Cameron says, what's wrong, capo? Your heat is off too. I didn't know. Is hate for you to be, I hate for you to be 50 years old with no heat. What's your Zell, bro? I got you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't ever enjoy this beef, to be honest with you. It's not fun.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah, it's not, it's not what you want. And then, you know, they started taking out like, there's a screenshot of like a Video of Jim Jones, like, getting some food from, like, I don't know, it looks like a lady who's either selling it, but like somebody outside, 50s, making fun of it. He's saying it's cold as a. Over there. Eff it. You know, just making fun of the whole thing. So I just hope that this doesn't turn into.

[Ebro Darden]

I also saw Jim put up a video of him walking around his film studio that he had. Listen, this is all. While this is not what you want to see. No. I have to admit that I see this all as promo because at the end of the year, Jim, Mayno Davies and Fab dropped their freestyles over 50 cent records, which was promoting their podcast. Cam and Mace have a podcast. 50 Cent trolls everyone and is fine mixing it up with memes and things like that. Which then ultimately I. I gotta. I'll bet $50,000.

[Laura Styles]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

That within the next eight weeks. Well, because it was 50 Cent. I was 50. 50,000.

[Laura Styles]

Okay.

[Ebro Darden]

Within the. Within the next eight weeks, 50 Cent is promoting a show, a movie or something. So all of this gets them hot and keeps them talked about in the algorithm. To me, it's sad to see people who we, you know, who we like not getting along. Cam and Jim. I don't think 50 was cool. It's cool with Cam because remember they had a thing. And remember when Jim Jones and them jumped, didn't they jump on stage with 50 Cent when Cam and 50 had something going on? So that. That happened. So anyway, I say all that to say at the end of the day, this algorithm hustling is working out for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's always algorithm hustling in the end, isn't it?

[Ebro Darden]

It's all algorithm hustling. Because if it was real problems, guess where they wouldn't be?

[Peter Rosenberg]

On the Internet.

[Ebro Darden]

On the Internet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know. You know what I feel like they could really use?

[Ebro Darden]

Wow. Griff said 50 Cent announced something yesterday.

[Laura Styles]

He stays announcing something. He always has a project.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Guys, you know what I feel like they could really use, though, honestly?

[Ebro Darden]

Huh?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The original gurus.

[Ebro Darden]

Let's get to it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Come on, bro. Hold on. This. This will help. This will help. Laura, this will help clean it up real nice for you. Here you go.

[Laura Styles]

Breathe in. Ah, that's right, Rosenberg. Sprinkle the Zen.

[Ebro Darden]

The original gurus. Gmail.com. if you would like to send us a problem you have. I am now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, wait, wait. We didn't. We didn't say that you're going to start giving out email addresses at the beginning of the set.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, wow. Oh wow.

[Laura Styles]

So I'm really the garbage man.

[Ebro Darden]

I got to sit in the back of the bus.

[Laura Styles]

Chill, chill, chill.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is crazy.

[Ebro Darden]

So I gotta pick up trash.

[Laura Styles]

We have rules and regulations.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm invited.

[Laura Styles]

Wow.

[Ebro Darden]

Sitting in the back of the bus.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know how it got the back of the bus. That's crazy.

[Laura Styles]

All right, here we go. The original gurusmail.com the original gurusmail.com your destination.

[Ebro Darden]

White man telling me when I can and can't talk. This is crazy.

[Laura Styles]

It's where you email us now. Rosenberg. Who needs our help? Who's out there? Who?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The original gurus. Gmail.com the original gurus. Gmail.com your destination for clarity.

[Laura Styles]

Zen. Zen. Zen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right guys. I'm a 32 year old woman and I met a 34 year old man in mid October. From the start, we hit it off. Great conversation, great dates, and overall he's been a genuinely good person, Pays attention to details, remembers the small things and does thoughtful gestures and honestly makes me smile and feel happy again. We're still getting to know each other, so I'm not saying this is anything super serious yet, but I do feel that if we continue moving forward, this could become something. Here's where I need advice. I've only had three real relationships in my life and this experience is completely different from anything I've known before. In my past relationships, I was always the provider, the planner, the giver, the one constantly ten steps ahead. With this man, I feel safe enough to relax. He brings out my soft girl side and I find my myself and my feminine energy instead of always operating in my masculine. I genuinely enjoy feeling carefree and supported. That said, because this dynamic is so new to me, I sometimes worry. I want to make sure he feels appreciated and that the energy feels reciprocated to him. His birthday is coming up and I've been thinking about doing something nice but unsure that it might be too much or too soon. He hasn't expressed any concerns. In fact, when we talk, we both openly say we appreciate each other. I think my fear comes from my past experiences more than anything he's done. I guess my real question is how do you show appreciation in a healthy way when you're used to over giving? And how do you trust a good thing without letting old insecurity sabotage? Or do I simply need to shut up, stop overthinking and enjoy the ride? Lastly, I just want to say I've been a long time listener since I graduated college in 2016. Even when I moved To Rhode Island. I downloaded the app just to keep listening every morning. I love the YouTube version of the show. No commercials. More authentic. Well, there may be commercials one day, and you can really feel the evolution of the platform. And, Ebro, you've always been a guru. Thank you for everything you do and for creating a space where conversations. Conversations like this feel safe and real. Please feel free to share this on the air. Okay. They met in October. That was the. That was the thing I had to remember was how long they've been dating. Because the real. The overall answer is you need to chill and enjoy the ride. But specific, but specifically for the birthday. Guys, is there an answer to how she could show appreciation without ODing?

[Laura Styles]

So I think it depends on what he likes. You know, there's some people who don't want, like, a big celebration. They just prefer, like, a quiet one or. Or, you know, something more intimate. But I just say if you want to get him something, a little gift or however he likes to be celebrated, just do it. Don't overthink it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Laura Styles]

Like, don't let your insecurities or your past kind of cloud you from showing the love that you actually feel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the perfect spot to do something that's just genuinely thoughtful and not about big price or anything. Like, this is, like, he always talks about how he loves. You know, I'll use me, for example. Vintage shirts. And you went on ebay and you bought them just a shirt that was $75. And you were like, I know you love this band here, or you always mention this team. And I got like, it's. To me, this is a perfect spot to just show you. Listen to him. And you want to give them something thoughtful, not some huge demonstrative thing. It's been three months.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, wait, wait, wait. That's why I'm not a guru. Why is this so complicated for her?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because they've only been dating for three months, and she's used to, I guess, having to be the person in relationships who does everything. And in this early relationship, he's sort of been caring for her, and she. She doesn't feel her footing of kind of how to be. I don't know. It does sound like she's over complicating it. But, Ebro, this is what makes you not a guru. Our job isn't to question why she feels.

[Ebro Darden]

No, no, no. I asked you. I didn't ask her. Stop being a hoe. I'm trying to. I'm new here. You're gonna have a new guru. I'm trying to learn. So I asked a question.

[Peter Rosenberg]

In two days, you've called me a hoe twice. We're gonna have to wrap that up. There's no oh, my God.

[Laura Styles]

And throw it away. What are you doing?

[Ebro Darden]

So you prefer she was being a dip.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm not. That was not remotely being a sniff. I'm just saying our question. When you ask the question, this is what makes you not a guru. Listen to the email and answer the. And answer the woman's email. You started saying, well, what? You're saying, well, what's so complicated? And I'm saying, we don't know.

[Ebro Darden]

She doesn't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

She's asking us. Why is she making it so complicated. Now you want to throw all kinds of bitches in hoes.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, no, I was asking you why is it complicated. Maybe you had some insight into why she's making it complicated.

[Laura Styles]

We're talking it through and we're telling her she's overthinking it. So listen, we're just gonna wrap this up right here. Don't overthink it. Do something from the heart. Something special. Don't overdo it. And show him appreciation on his special day, man.

[Ebro Darden]

A gift on his birthday. It's his birthday, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's his birthday. Yes, birthday.

[Laura Styles]

So say the guru. Sometimes guru.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yo, I'll be honest. Hold on, I'm keep it real with you, Laura. We should talk over the weekend. No, you and I gotta talk. No, you and I gotta talk. That was for day two. That was horrible.

[Laura Styles]

Now we have to have a meeting in the guru department.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, this is not good.

[Ebro Darden]

You know, when I show up, I show up.

[Laura Styles]

That cardigan is not working. Yeah, okay.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm cozy. I'm cozy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All kinds of images. And Laura, did I, like, say anything crazy when he asked the question?

[Laura Styles]

No, you did.

[Ebro Darden]

I felt like you were attacking me. I'm insecure about my position.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Then write us an email. I'm happy to help you out, but, like, you don't have to go all kinds of. And hoes. First it was the Stephen A thing. I'm just trying to protect my job. He calls me a hoe. The man already cost me a hoe. He already cost me one job. He wants to cost me number two. Why don't you call. Oh, by the way, now you want to have Becky lynch on the show. He he.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, bring Becky Lynch. Yo, Becky lynch, pull up, man. Let's talk about this. This pip squeak ho ass bitch.

[Laura Styles]

Oh, my God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, she did not say that. She did not say pip Squeak ho ass bitch. All right, man, we got to wrap it up. The weekend clearly is needed. It's time. And Laura, let's delegate. We'll discuss whether Ebro will be a guru woman Monday.

[Ebro Darden]

Hey, wait, wait. You gonna revoke it already? I'm getting fired from another under revision.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, yeah, no, pending.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm pending.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, no, this is. This is pending. We got to discuss it over the weekend. There's a lot to deal with. Let me. Where's my outro music? Damn it.

[Ebro Darden]

Look, you're the one that needs to be pending. You can't even hit a goddamn button.

[Laura Styles]

I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, my button's been freezing on me, and I don't up there.

[Laura Styles]

God.

[Ebro Darden]

It's the curse of the old job.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Have a great week. That's called. That's called the curse of Shawnee. When a drop's not ready, it's the curse of shy cult.

[Ebro Darden]

E. Rosenberg. Subscribe, man, just don't call it a podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the story of the 1. As the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, she knows the only thing more important than having the right safety gear is having it there when you need it. That's why she partners with Grainger for auto reordering, so her team members can count on her to have cut resistant gloves on hand and each shift can run safely and efficiently. Call 1-800-granger ranger click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

[Laura Styles]

If you are a podcast host, listen up. This one's for you. My name is Ali Jackson. I'm the host of Finding Mr. Height, a dating and relationship podcast that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I've been doing for four years now.

[Laura Styles]

Sharing my positive and practical approach to dating that's built on my own life experience. And I wanted to share another experience that I've had my secret behind monetizing my show. It's called Red Circle.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I was just telling my colleague.

[Laura Styles]

About how much I love their platform. With Red Circle, not only am I getting a seat seamless hosting experience, but I also love the support I receive in ad sales. It's not just typical ad sales either. It's targeted opportunities based on my show and my life. And the platform is super simple. You just set your preferences and Red Circle matches you with sponsors that align with your show. You can vet every opportunity and their platform gives you great analytics. More recently too, my Red Circle team has brought me opportunities outside of my podcast on social media to really augment the podcast partnerships. Bring them full circle. I just can't recommend them enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you want to give it a.

[Laura Styles]

Try, go to redcircle.com to get your free trial. That's redcircle.com commerce.com for a free trial.