16.) An Honest Conversation About Mero at HOT 97 + Friday Freedom (1/16/26)

Summary

The Ebro, Laura, Rosenberg Show

Episode 16: An Honest Conversation About Mero at HOT 97 + Friday Freedom
Date: January 16, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Ebro, Laura, and Rosenberg delve into the aftermath of their departure from HOT 97, offering an honest, emotional, and sometimes humorous look at industry shakeups, personal transitions, and the realities of legacy media in a digital world. They reflect on Mero’s new morning show at HOT 97, tackle how events unfolded internally and externally, and discuss their new direction through the lens of authenticity, change, and connection.

The hosts also devote time to answering listener emails and voice notes, engaging in candid "Family Matters" talk about parenthood and partners, and closing with their signature “Guru” relationship advice segment.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mero’s New Role at HOT 97 and Internet Reactions

• The "Congratulations" Controversy
  • Ebro addresses criticism he received for his congratulatory messages to Mero after the HOT 97 changeover. Laura and Rosenberg challenge Ebro, saying his "this is so great" language felt “off” given the circumstances.
    • [02:09, Laura]: “The reason it feels disingenuous… is the overall situation and the nastiness with which it occurred was not so great.”
    • [05:32, Laura]: “Nothing about it will ever be so great again. I understand, but you can’t separate you… and the way people read it is they’re… not separating.”
  • Rosenberg points out the internet’s hunger for drama and the inevitability of being misunderstood, especially as a public figure.
    • [03:24, Rosenberg]: "This tweet is going to be taken out of context and they're going to call him shady."
• Behind-the-Scenes on Hot 97 Departures
  • Honest admissions about their relationship with the brand and why none of them were rushing to re-sign:
    • [06:54, Laura]: “We were not [prioritizing Hot 97]. …Your connection to that brand had deteriorated.”
    • [07:17, Ebro]: “Once again, you have to separate things… For me, it doesn’t all go together.”
  • Laura recounts a never-released podcast episode with Cipha Sounds, showing the emotional volatility right after the split.
    • [07:24, Laura]: "We never put it out because we ended up getting into a screaming fight and all kinds of nasty words... I obviously needed someone to just be more of a friend."

2. Industry Reflections and Media Evolution

• The Dance with Corporations
  • The "dance" becomes a recurring theme, referring to playing the corporate game vs. staying real.
    • [09:07, Laura]: "Some chose to do a quick two-step, and some chose to put on their ballet outfit."
    • [11:03, Ebro]: "Now you want me in the center of the floor under the disco ball, twirling and acting like things is hunky dory. Nah, not doing that."
• Radio vs. Digital Media
  • They address the shifting value of radio in the age of podcasting and digital video:
    • [14:34, Ebro]: "Most people's interaction with radio is on YouTube. You're not listening to the radio."
    • Confronting false narratives around their departure—insisting they were not fired for poor performance:
      • [13:09, Laura]: “When people say we got fired…because we were failing… utter lie.”
      • [13:25, Rosenberg]: "Joe Budden...brought that up on his podcast... their ratings are great, so it wasn't performance.”

3. Listener Connections & Community Building

• Reading Listener Emails and Voice Notes
  • The hosts hear from a loyal and global audience, reflecting the community they've built:
    • [29:07, UK Listener]: "So happy that you started the show… listen in the UK every single day."
    • Advice to listeners on how to support the show, emphasizing simplicity and direct engagement on YouTube and Instagram.
      • [32:40, Laura]: “All she's got to do is keep rocking with us.”
  • Multiple requests for more music content and nostalgic segments like "Whitish Wednesday"; hosts tease new plans and upcoming announcements.
    • [26:55, Laura]: "We're going to have an announcement next week about the plans."

4. Personal Reflections & Family Matters

• Transition and Sentimentality about HOT 97’s Legacy
  • Laura and Rosenberg open up about the emotional impact of leaving a legacy institution and their feelings for their former colleagues and audience.
    • [21:31, Laura]: "I'm romantic... maybe it's because I saw everyone that day… for me, [Mr. C's] passing was the end of that era."
    • [22:04, Ebro]: "That brand is cemented in history... it is a part of New York City’s art and culture music history."
• Parenthood and Relationship Vulnerability
  • The show shifts into deeply personal terrain discussing parenting, postpartum realities, relationship challenges, and the pressures of performing parenthood for social media.
    • [58:29, Erykah Badu via Rosenberg]: “'You need to keep watering the flower that is your wife. Don’t forget she’s a little girl too.'” [59:03, Laura discusses Erykah’s advice]
    • [61:34, Ebro]: "Did I take enough photos of my 1 year old? Was my celebration... up to the standards of other moms?"

5. Humor & Memorable Show Moments

• "Dance" Metaphor for Corporate Compliance
  • Running jokes about who did the "corporate dance" and how they "refuse to be line dancers."
• Laura’s Legendary Laugh and Booger Stories
  • Listeners call out Laura's laugh as more frequent and unhinged on the new show, prompting an impromptu snort-laugh compilation conversation.
    • [39:06, Laura]: "I still want a best of Laura crazy laugh compilation though."
  • Gross but funny recurring “booger wall” parenting story.
• "The Gurus" Relationship Segment
  • Hilarious handling of a listener’s question about pursuing a taken woman who texts "I love you." Includes comedic “Satan” voice dispensing terrible advice.
    • [65:11, Laura]: “She has a kid and a man. I love her. Should I pursue a relationship?”
    • [66:06, Ebro]: “Congratulations. You played yourself. Get yourself together, bro.”
    • [66:25, Rosenberg]: “Don’t do it, bro. It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Ebro's Controversial Congratulatory Tweet:
  • Laura: “The amount of ‘this is so great’ feels very intense because even though it’s a great thing…it feels disingenuous.” – [03:07]
  • Ebro: “I’m not showing off for the Internet. I wasn’t even talking about them…I literally said the exact same things to Mero privately.” – [05:10]
• On Radio & Digital Change:
  • Ebro: “Most people’s interaction with the radio is on YouTube. You’re not listening to the radio.” – [14:34]
• On Legacy & Sentimentality:
  • Laura: “It defines me till the day I die. Nothing about it will ever be so great again.” – [05:32]
  • Ebro: “That brand, the brand is cemented in history… it is a part of New York City’s art and culture music history.” – [22:04]
• On Real Family Talk & Postpartum Support:
  • Rosenberg (via Erykah Badu): “‘You need to keep watering the flower that is your wife. And she’s never been through this either.’” – [58:29]
• The “Corporate Dance”
  • Ebro: “That dance is asking me to break dance… I’m not line dancing.” – [11:03]
• Listener Community Impact:
  • UK Listener: “It’s great to see you all back… Straight away.” – [29:07]
  • Laura: “All she’s got to do is keep rocking with us.” – [32:40]
• Funny Parenting Moment:
  • Rosenberg: “She started stashing the boogers.” – [48:34]
  • Laura recounts her own childhood “hidden booger wall” [49:00]
• Advice Segment (The Gurus):
  • Ebro: “Congratulations. You played yourself. Get yourself together, bro.” – [66:06]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Mero HOT 97/Internet Shade & Aftermath:
  [01:31–15:56]
• Corporate Dance & Radio Industry Real Talk:
  [08:51–15:56; 12:03–15:04]
• Listener Emails & Global Community:
  [22:29–29:07]; [29:07–41:50]
• Family Matters (Parenthood, Relationships):
  [47:54–62:26]
• Booger & Laugh Bits:
  [48:02–49:17]; [39:00–40:17]
• Gurus Segment (Relationship Advice):
  [64:04–67:34]

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Closing Tone & Announcements

• The episode ends with gratitude for listener support, teasers about “big plans” and new show features, and reminders to visit their Instagram for merch and to stay tuned for next week’s announcement.
  • [67:52, Laura]: “We have an announcement… on Monday.”

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Summary

This episode is a dynamic blend of unfiltered honesty, nostalgia, humor, and heartfelt advice. The trio isn’t afraid to be vulnerable about their careers, their families, their flaws, and their hopes for the future. Whether defending themselves online, sharing inside stories about the radio world, or navigating the challenges of new parenthood, Ebro, Laura, and Rosenberg keep it authentically real—and entertaining.

“Don’t call it a podcast.”

Transcript

[Ali Jackson]

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[Ebro Darden]

Just don't call it a podcast. Here we are. It's Blood in the Water. Get my shoulders warmed up to do the dance. It's Friday dance. It's the Friday dance. Yo, you know what we didn't cover this week? Wait, why the. Why the Ebro Laura Rosenberg band. Cut.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I thought you were gonna say something important, so I stopped. I stopped.

[Ebro Darden]

It wasn't. It wasn't that important. No, I was gonna say, yo, for everybody watching us right now, Laura and Rosenberg, just like many people on the Internet, tried to ridicule me for how I congratulated Mero on mornings with Mero.

[Unidentified Caller]

No.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'll die on this hill. You need to take the L. What?

[Ebro Darden]

It's not a win or a loss scenario. No, no, no, no.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Not. Not on. No, no. Not. Not on the L on the. On him. On the. On the language you used. Being weird language to use. That's the L you need to take. Why?

[Ebro Darden]

Because I said it's so great.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You said, this is so great, and.

[Ebro Darden]

I said salute, and there was a salute after it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, salute was clean.

[Ebro Darden]

No, but it's the whole thought. I thought.

[Laura Rosenberg]

What? Ibrah. The reason I know people are not wrong for feeling that you were saying something like, weird is because when I first came to the group chat, and said, I have it confirmed. This is what's happening. Your reply was almost the same in.

[Ebro Darden]

Our chat because I think it's great.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's awesome. I know I'm going to speak for Laura even though we didn't talk because I can. Her silence speaks volumes. Laura and I both felt like you were being like, all right. Like the amount of this is so great. Feels very intense because even though it's a great thing for them and these are people who we like. So it's a silver lining that it's people we like. The reason it feels disingenuous.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Is the overall situation and the nastiness with which it occurred to was not so great. So when you label it as none.

[Ebro Darden]

Of this is great, I'm not thinking about. I don't wait success with my situation.

[Rosenberg]

I looked at it different. I just, I were like, this tweet is going to be taking out of context. They're going to take it out of context and they're going to call him shady. I knew what you meant, bro. I knew what you meant, but. And then the follow up video of you at your Apple Studios. Studios that you've been for what, 10 plus years.

[Ebro Darden]

But that wasn't even a follow up. It was like two separate times. It didn't even happen at the same time.

[Rosenberg]

I understand we're talking about the Internet. They took both of them.

[Ebro Darden]

And look, I'm not showing but see, this is clear. Be clear. I'm not even talking about the Internet because they're gonna especially Twitter. First of all, there's always going to be haters of me on Twitter just because I'm an opinionated person and I don't like their faves or whatever.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

I'm talking about you and Rosenberg. I wasn't even talking about them.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, every. I think everyone here. I didn't speak to them all. I think everyone here not named Ebro thought this is so great. Came out weird. I bet if we did a vote, everyone here would be like, nah, that wasn't the right language to use.

[Rosenberg]

And I as they're going to make it into shade.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, based on the response, clearly it was not good.

[Producer Griffin]

Right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So we were my hunches. Right.

[Ebro Darden]

So it was not so great no.

[Rosenberg]

Matter what you do, bro.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But it wasn't so bad either. No one like you didn't get like crushed on it.

[Ebro Darden]

No, it's just there are a few people who said I was. Honestly, the only reason I'm bringing it up right now is because a I was Actually shocked because I didn't think much of it when I did it. Right. Like, I don't. I don't get on social media and. And literally go through how I'm saying things and thinking about how it's going to be received. I don't put that much effort in the social media.

[Rosenberg]

I know you don't.

[Ebro Darden]

So when I tweet, I'm just like, this is what I thought. Boom, done. Who you know, like. And in that scenario, I literally said the exact same things tomorrow. Privately, I was like, yo, bro, this is so great. You earned it. You deserve it. This is great for the station. This is great for you. This is great for the city. Like, this is great. Like, I couldn't.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But that's the problem. That's the problem. Let me explain. Other people may be more like me. Maybe this is who you authentically are. And if so, God bless you. Congratulations. You're on a more elevated plane for me as someone who spent nearly 20 years there. And yes, listen, I can openly admit I played a part in the end of it. We all played our own parts. Whatever. Maybe not Laura, but me and Ebro certainly played a part in the end of it. All of those things. I'm just being honest. Hot 97 will be in my heart forever. It defines me till the day I die. Nothing about it will ever be so great again. I understand, but you can't separate you. And the way people read it is they're probably more petty and, like, I am. So they're not separating. And they're like, nah, bro, nothing's so great. So. So it's not even that they're being bad people. It's that they are seeing it from the standpoint they might see it, which is like, come on, fam. How great is it really?

[Ebro Darden]

I get that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I believe that you meant it. I do believe you meant it well. That's why you could tell I wasn't as effusive.

[Ebro Darden]

I was like, this is really cool, yo. Based on the fact that there were. There were. There was an opportunity for us to resign contracts, and none of us were racing to resign the deal.

[Laura Rosenberg]

We were not.

[Ebro Darden]

You guys clearly.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Actually, Laura, it's your fault too. She wasn't rushing either.

[Ebro Darden]

You guys. You guys clearly were not prioritizing your connection to that brand because your connection to that brand had become. Had deteriorated based on who was managing the brand and how being managed.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Ebro Darden]

So once again, you have to separate things. You got to unpackage things now. You're right. For me, it doesn't all go together.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's a really fair point. And it took me a month, so I'll tell you guys this. So Seif and I did a podcast. We did a one EP the Monday after it all went down, and we never put it out because we ended up getting into a screaming fight and all kinds of nasty words were said, and it blew up.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, I need to hear it between you and Sif. Yeah, about. Well, do you not want to tell us?

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no, I won't.

[Ebro Darden]

I won't.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I won't get into this. I can tell you the general of it. The general of it was I wasn't ready. I thought I was fine, and I wasn't ready for sort of a hole scythe to be. To play, to play devil's advocate and to push back when I was like, they did this and they did that. And him being like, well, what about you? What did you. I wasn't up for that. I, I, I thought I'd be fine with whatever. I obviously needed someone to just be more of a friend. And it went. He ended up apologizing. I apologized. We deleted the episode.

[Rosenberg]

Deleted it. So I can't hear it anymore.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no, no, no, no. We have, I'm sure Emilio Sparks, my producer, could send it to you. We have it, but, but then we recorded again a couple days ago, and I was in more of a place to say or to hear him more clearly to be, like, when he, you know, Because Cyphe very good at playing the. Cyphe can do a corporate dance. If Cyphe wants to do a corporate dance, he's down for music. S. Oh, by the way, I told Cypher about the dance.

[Ebro Darden]

He loves. He loved it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

S down for this.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, listen, man, they're professional. We should have Dancing with the Star. So it's called, it's called Dancing with Corporations.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, so. So he was just pointing out to me, and I hadn't really thought about it this way. Like, hey, man, I hear what you're saying about how nasty it all went down, but basically, let's not pretend like you were like, I was doing the dance. The problem is your man Rosenberg. I didn't even attempt to pick up the shoes. I never even went to, like, the second it started, I was like, I, I was eye rolling. I was nasty. I was not here for any of you. Yeah, so. Yes, so. So as a result, I still don't think it had to go down the way it went down. I never crossed some sort of crazy line, but I also can't pretend that I was a team player.

[Ebro Darden]

The way it went down was more based on what they needed to do to run their business.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ebro Darden]

Then it had anything to do with being personal. Right. Like it wasn't. We. I've never had a thank you though.

[Laura Rosenberg]

A quick thank you.

[Ebro Darden]

Fine. I've never had a negative experience with.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The powers that be.

[Ebro Darden]

With the immediate powers. Right. Like I had a negative experience with the, the owner. Right. But never with the immediate. I never had like a back and forth that was contentious or, or anything. Like there was no, there was no evidence. But I knew that. I knew that, you know, there was potential that they may want to go in a different direction.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, and you said, I mean, you still, while it never was negative, you still said things that were inflammatory or.

[Ebro Darden]

Not about them, but no, no, no.

[Laura Rosenberg]

About the situation.

[Ebro Darden]

Here's the plot twist on Ebro Laura Rosenberg show.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And by the way, it's Friday freedom. That's why we're just letting it go today because it's Friday freedom.

[Ebro Darden]

They agree with the things I was saying. They want them to change. It's not. We weren't at odds, right. We, we were at odds maybe with how it was being handled, but I wasn't going to get on the radio every day and act like everything's hunky dory. I don't do that. That dance is asking me to break dance.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, and there's.

[Ebro Darden]

Now you're asking me to. Now you're asking me to do all. Bro, you're not. I'm not line dancing. I'm not line dance. I'm not lining up and dancing. I could dance a little bit, two step in the corner, maybe play the wall. But now you want me in the center of the floor under the disco ball, twirling and acting like things is hunky dory. Nah, not doing that well.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Also, I think there is, I think there's a certain bit of me and Ebro's radio nature that is the way you do this is you air it out on the radio. That's what like old school radio is like. Now we're getting into with management. That's a built in part, but of like the classic jock thing.

[Ebro Darden]

Yes. And it's also a way to relate to the audience because they also work in places where they have issues with management. It's relatable. We just by the way, as much as, as much as our job is seen and clearly people revere the opportunity. And despite the fact that, you know, podcasts and the Internet has acted like Radio hasn't mattered in a hundred years.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Crazy.

[Ebro Darden]

Now all of a sudden, it's.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, it's the biggest congrats you could ever. Here we go. No Ebro. Our job was irrelevant, but someone who's already been successful got the job. And people are like, this is the greatest moment of your life. But we were losers. I mean, no one cared about it.

[Ebro Darden]

But it's all marketing and narrative. By the way, I need a hive, man. I. I'm hiring a hive.

[Rosenberg]

Y' all hiring a house?

[Ebro Darden]

Yes, we have our thoughts.

[Rosenberg]

What are you talking about?

[Ebro Darden]

But listen, they spend money with us, and I'm gonna take that money and give it back to them to be a hive.

[Rosenberg]

Okay, but they don't have to be a hive. They're Fox. That's who they are.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, Fox, Hive, whatever. What do you mean?

[Laura Rosenberg]

But I'm trying to.

[Ebro Darden]

What do you want, though?

[Laura Rosenberg]

What are you hoping to do?

[Ebro Darden]

We're gonna do narrative shaping. We're gonna tell the story. The Ebro Laura Rosenberg story is going to be told. You know what I'm saying? We're not going to just allow these. These podcasters and. And this Internet world to act like I haven't supported artists and made sure. Money in their pocket.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, no.

[Ebro Darden]

And we weren't successful.

[Laura Rosenberg]

We didn't get ratings.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, yeah, we just had a job. By the way, I never even heard that one. That's never.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, no, no. A lot of the time when people say we got fired when they hear the word fired, it's because we were failing and not doing well, which is an utter lie. In fact, I'm tempted to. To just leak all the text messages from upper management about how great we were doing every single week. Couldn't be better. I won't.

[Rosenberg]

I won't right now do that. But I will tell you, you know who did bring that up? Joe Button. He did bring that up on his podcast. He's like, their ratings are great. So it wasn't performance. Yeah, I saw a clip. Somebody sent me a clip, and I was like, thank you, Joe. He definitely did say that.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, because. But also, I've talked to Joe behind the scenes, and he know. He knows what he. He knew. He knows about our plans. He. By the way, the plans that we're talking about that are plans were plans before this moment. That's the craziest part.

[Rosenberg]

Well, because we had a feeling. Guys, come on. Let's not act like we.

[Ebro Darden]

There is a feeling, but. There is a feeling. But there's also this Laur St. Huh? And you guys know this. I've had an issue for years that our content that we do every day on the radio was not being packaged well and. And placed in video form on the Internet, and it wasn't being marketed, which is why right now, when we're doing this show, there's people who only operate in the Internet space and only operate kind of in the podcast. They're like, yo, man, this show's fire. I love what y' all are doing. It's like, yo, so you never turned the radio on?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Never, Never.

[Ebro Darden]

You. You don't even listen to the radio. And that's the plot twist of even where things are going, where people are talking about radio and is. Because most people's interaction with the radio is on YouTube. You're not listening to the radio.

[Rosenberg]

Two different audiences, and if you're not.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Marketing on YouTube or marketing on Instagram.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, then nobody see stuff.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So that's one of the things that we're actually excited about, is the opportunity for people to actually see our stuff. And I guess that's where I'm going to end up getting. That's where the saltiness comes in for me, is because I'm like, oh, seeing the party. I know that opening day this week, they had food. Everyone was there. The big party. Yo, when I tell you the lack of excitement that existed. Now listen again, I take my own part in that, too. But that's the part where you're just like. And let me tell you something, a lot of people right now, if you seem too happy about the changes, just go ahead. If you see my wife in public and keep walking the other direction because she's. Because she's making a list and she's checking it twice.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, God, I have to call her.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Back off the ledge.

[Ebro Darden]

No. Hit the dance music. Some people got to do the dance they see the writings on the wall they got to do the dance they got to do the dance Heavy. Yes, they got to do.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Some did do the dance. Some chose to. Some chose to do a quick two step, and some chose to put on their ballet outfit.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I didn't expect anything less, though.

[Ali Jackson]

I just.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I just appreciate. I appreciate those who did a quick. Oh, thank you, man. Good to see you.

[Rosenberg]

Can I tell you with versus the ballet with me, I keep getting from the trolls. They keep getting, like, screenshots of the studio. You know, like after we left or right when we were leaving, they added some new wallpaper because, you know, I was the one that talked about the roaches and the homeless people. And Complex posted that article and I forgot the writer's name at Yo Petty. Laura was about to, like, let me find her and give her a piece of my mind. But I was like, chill, chill, chill. Because in the Complex article at the end, she was like, we checked with the department of. And there were absolutely no complaints. Right. And, well, the union.

[Ebro Darden]

The union has something else to say about it.

[Rosenberg]

Hold up. Yes, yes, yes. So they keep sending me pictures of the studio, and I had to tell some. Like, I clapped back one time on how we haven't been at 395hudson in years. But I also wanted to be like, I got emails and I got pictures and I got several complaints to SAG AFTRA to prove my point. But Rosenberg, I'm choosing to just, no.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Listen, I'm doing the same.

[Rosenberg]

You know what I mean?

[Laura Rosenberg]

I think that's the best thing to do. And that's why I, I had to tell my wife to delete a few comments. I had to say, hey, settle down, it's all good. It's all good. But, you know, that's. That is why I love her.

[Ebro Darden]

But you also, but you also have to say in all of this, right? Hit the dance music.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm getting tired.

[Ebro Darden]

Could have got busy, bro.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And we didn't.

[Ebro Darden]

You know why? Because I'm not a fake, phony, fraud. I'm not a fraud.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And we're privileged. And we're privileged. We have other jobs, too. We don't have to dance in the same way.

[Ebro Darden]

Yes, yes, that's very important. What you're saying is very important. But I'm also just not okay with the dismantling of brands that I care about and the treatment of people who work there who deserve better from an ownership who has the resources to do treat them better. And it's not. And has broken promises many, many time and times and has lost trust.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, so. So this is, this is. That's a really good point, Ebro. And that the, the main thing I used to say to people when they would ask me and you. I had this conversation with Rory and Mall 3 months ago When I did their show and we talked after on the air, they were like, what's going on over there? And we're chatting. The main thing, when people would ask me how I felt and I would tell them, honestly, I was very open. If you saw me in the street, how are things going? I don't know. I might say. I might go, I love my team. I don't love the place that I'm at That was the same thing. I love working, yo. It's hard to say no to getting paid, to waking up talking to your friends every morning. But I am sad for what the brand is and I don't like being a part of it as it's entering this phase. I don't want to be here for it.

[Ebro Darden]

But also for people on the outside, and this is important for people on the outside who just hit that button every morning and tune in and listen, right? There is a certain reinvigoration and freshness. Newness is great, right? The, especially in morning drive, right? Like barrel in the morning. That newness. A New York kid, a Bronx kid. That's why I said it's so great. That's how we got here 18 minutes into this program. That's why I said it's so great. Because I recognize as somebody who's been doing this for 30 years that, that an homegrown talent, somebody from the town, somebody that people already have a relationship with, that they've seen kind of grind their way to a moment getting celebrated, especially after, you know, whatever went on with him and, and Jesus and whatever he's, you know, the podcast, like, that's, this is really great. This is really, and I couldn't think of another word like awesome is like, it's great. This is great. So.

[Rosenberg]

All right, all right.

[Ebro Darden]

And, and, and, and you know, for anybody else out there who gets on social media and you're constantly like spinning around, figuring out what you need to say and not just being your true authentic self, you get this button. Cuz I listen for better or for worse, whether you love me or hate me.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Congratulations. You played yourself well. I think that's, I, I, I think that's true of all of us, to a fault. And I'm with you. I just in closing, it could be if the station could find great success, the station could last for 30 more years. Put a gun to my head, ask me if that's going to happen. I'd say no, I don't think so. However, it could happen. However, for me personally, and I can only speak for me, who got here in 2007 at the tail end of the, of the true, like glory of Hot 97. I got here at the tail end and I was blessed enough when Ebro put me on to get that opportunity and work with my heroes.

[Ebro Darden]

To me.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The place that I knew, I don't know why this is the associate association in my head, maybe it's because I saw everyone that day because of the loss Mr. C. Passing for me was the end of that era. Like, that was the end for me. I knew in my heart when we all were together, you know, and like literally Angie and Ms. Info were on stage with us all together. That family fat Man Scoop was still there. That version of what the place meant to me, I, when I walked, it's never been the same for me ever since.

[Ebro Darden]

And by the way, Rosenberg, that's okay. In life, nothing, nothing can say the same.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And I like, I like, to me, you know what it is? I'm romantic and you guys know that. And I'm emotional and I believe there's no one in history maybe who loved the station more than Mr. C. So in spite of the fact that his last shows were on 94. 7 the block, there's something poetic about him leaving this earth being the end of Hot 97 for me. You know what I'm saying? There's something poetic.

[Ebro Darden]

And by the way, and that's the Hot 97 you loved and the Hot 97 you, you want to dreamed of being on. Right? And now there's a new generation.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

And there's.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That version will be something else and.

[Ebro Darden]

That version will be something else. And that brand, the brand is cemented in history. Whoever owns it, whatever they end up doing with it, however they manage it, it is, it is a part of New York City's art and culture music history.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, Natalie, well, Natalie wants ELR to blow up so big that we cop it. So we got to get to this show. Let's get to this Friday freedom, please.

[Rosenberg]

Let's go, let's go.

[Ebro Darden]

Listen, we got things to get to. It is ELR showmail.com if you want to email or Ebro Laura [e-mail] we get to your emails and voice notes. There have been big complaints.

[Unidentified Caller]

If you're the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, you know, having a trusted partner makes all the difference. That's why hands down, you count on Grainger for auto reordering. With on time restocks, your team will have the cut resistant gloves they need at the start of their shift and you can end your day knowing they've got safety well in hand. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Ebro Darden]

From producer Griffin that your voice notes of six minutes, five minutes, four minutes, even three minutes are too much. That's right, you guys, to get on your voice note if you're gonna send one and get right to it, you know what I'm saying?

[Laura Rosenberg]

I would say. I would say max it out at 60 to 75 seconds.

[Rosenberg]

Yes, that's.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's what we're looking for.

[Rosenberg]

Shoot for one minute, bro. Just shoot for one minute, please.

[Ebro Darden]

Back on. Back on the 13th, Lauren sent an email. She wants to big you up Rosenberg for speaking on Bill Maher. Being on the right side of Israel made my husband leave the room. So thank you for that. I get tired of his red pill Hodge twin. I'm an independent and everyone is terrible nonsense. I heart you all. And I also enjoy Mero and might check out his show. Keep up the awesome content. So shout out to Lauren for that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But made her. Made her husband leave the room.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, because her and her husband clearly beefing over the side of the history that he's on right now.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Listen, it's very. I gotta say, it's very hard for people. It's. They don't. It. It's hard being taught one thing your entire life and learning that it's not what you thought. But as I always say to people who care, I go, don't worry. I love being American. And it's a complete lie. Also, don't feel so bad. It's cool, bro. You don't need to make people guilt you. It's not. You don't need to feel guilty for having those feelings. I'm sorry. You don't. Every Pratt. Most countries we'll talk about have some bullish, and it's hard for people to accept it when they realize how bad it is. And it's happening in real. The history is happening in front of us right now. So thank you for that, Lauren.

[Rosenberg]

All right, I got one. Ebro, go ahead.

[Ebro Darden]

Laura Styles.

[Rosenberg]

All right, this is from Camille, I believe. Hey, guys. I cannot express how happy I am that you guys saved me from having a void in my life. Loving the podcast. And Blood in the Water has so much, such a great ring to it. All right, let me get to it. After years of playing commercial music, can you guys please have a segment highlighting some of the amazing R B artists or even hip hop that do not get mainstream shine? So she gives some examples and says maybe have some influencers come on the show to talk about it. She says there's a lot of people who do a great job introducing new artists creatively. So I would highlight some amazing artists out there. And the whiteish Wednesday addition to the show had such a great feel. So this is what I had in mind. Also. Congratulations, Rasan Bus Rasan. We were in the same circle at Penn State. So happy to see the man he became and glad he's with you guys. Tell him I said tang said, hey. And wait. He was definitely ratchet in those psu streets, really missing cast one's energy, the energy he brought to the show and sometimes even shawnee culture.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, yo, why the sometimes even shawnee culture? That's a lot of people. I do that.

[Rosenberg]

I know, I know. So, first of all, tang, I love this. And, yeah, shout out to rahsaan. And we've experienced ratchet rahsaan ourselves. Okay. We've seen him in action before. He was a change man. But, you know, it's hard for us to have any music on the show right now on YouTube, because we'll get flagged. So that's one of the big reasons that whitish Wednesday is not, you know, we got plan.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, no, we got. And we got plans. Right? So there will be music. There will be music talk. And hopefully with this captive audience that we guys have, you guys being locked in with us, we'll be able to really help artists cut through. Right. And really focus on some things and get some feedback from you guys.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And by the way, these plans aren't far off. We're going to have an announcement next week about the plans.

[Rosenberg]

Right, right.

[Ebro Darden]

Phase a. Phase.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no. Like, phase one of being able to get music. Get whitish Wednesday. All those things that. That gets mentioned in my. In my email that I have here.

[Rosenberg]

Okay. What do you have?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Let's see. Fam. Long time friend of the show. As a new socal resident, you guys were my connection to nyc, and when they canceled your show, I was completely heartbroken. I'm so glad you guys decided to keep the show going on YouTube. Also, we need griff to step up the sponsorship game so you guys can get enough money to not only get paid, but to recruit shawnee and cast and bring them over to your show, and we can replace juanito's goofy ass with hot rod rick. Come on. That's terrible. Hey, yo. Also, let's get some merch going. We need. There's blood in the water, and we got plans. T shirts, hoodies, hats, p. S. Get some of your celebrity friends to make some new drops for you guys and some custom music because rosenberg is struggling.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, listen, custom music. We got plans. Drops and all of that stuff on the way.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, we got plans.

[Ebro Darden]

Merch manager laura styles. What do you got to say about the merch?

[Rosenberg]

Merch is on the way. It's actually out right now. So we have, you know, go to eberg, go to our instagram Rosenberg on Instagram. There's a link in, in the bio, so make sure you cop a little something.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, don't, don't sleep on the merch. Go to the Instagram and hit that link in the bio. And, oh, and, and for sponsorships. Yo, listen, if there are people out there listening who have a big business that spends money, please do reach out to Griff. But, you know, obviously that's part of the plans too, and finding some sort of brand that makes sense to associate with. Why not? You know what I mean? Listen, we appreciate the support. We can't get into a business where it's like, yo, shout out my mixtape. Here's a hundred shot. I got a little flower business for 200. We can't. It can't be that. But if you have like a real, you know, a big business that you're a part of that spends money on marketing, great opportunity to, to hit our people.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, man. Let's see. We got a voice note. Are the voice loaded up and ready to go? Let's get to the voice notes. We got people checking in from the uk. You want to go to Stuart Rosenberg.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, here we go. Stuart.

[Unidentified Caller]

Laura Rosenberg. So happy that you started the show. Straight. I listen to the podcast in the UK every single day. I couldn't believe it when I seen you on Instagram saying the actual show was no more. And then I was overjoyed when the new show was announced. Straight away, it's great to see you all back. It's great to see the old man leaning into the full old man these days. I saw a video clip doing the gurus or lining up for the gurus, and I thought, that man is old before. So well done in that. Accept it. Also, great numbers. So if you can just use your great numbers. One second. All Dad's Podcast. Brand new podcast. Not just dads, because mums actually make the world go around. But if you are a dad and you do struggle, then just check us out. All Dad's Podcast on all podcasts platforms. And again, thank you for bringing the show back so promptly.

[Laura Rosenberg]

All Dad's Podcast. Thanks for starting straight away. I love the Brits. Always say straight away.

[Ebro Darden]

That's a good expression. Straight away.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Better than right away. I like straight away.

[Ebro Darden]

Straight away is good. And I, I do want to shout out to the people, there were individuals who thought that we was moving too fast, getting right back on the horse and making sure that we was. You know what I mean?

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Putting up shots right straight away.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, I think straight away. I Think for us straight away was the move.

[Rosenberg]

I think so too. And I, and I, I got some feedback from some people that they actually enjoy being part of us building the show. You know what I mean?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, that's what makes it, that's what makes it a thing for people.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, we give them behind the scenes look and we tell them about our plans or that we have plans.

[Ebro Darden]

Yo, once again, Ebro Laura Rosenberg at Gmail or the ELR show at Gmail. Claudette says she wants to thank us for our efforts to provide content to the Fox. She wants to say thank you for that. She's been a fan for a very long time and she's blessed to be able to share the journey with us. She celebrated our highs and cried with our lows. Recent one and recent one, no exception. She says I'm not crazy that they have broken up my extended family. She's not crazy about it. And while I still have love for the crew that remained at the station, I am not ready to turn them on nor do I know if I ever will. My midlife challenge though is that I am not active on social media or content apps and I want to be fully supportive of you and what's to come. Would you mind listing out what sites, blogs, apps or whatever the lingo is so I can start that journey? I may need to take a class, lol. But I need direction. Love you guys. Keep pushing through all these barriers because I'm here for it. That's Claudette.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And what, what kind of sites does she need help figuring out everything?

[Ebro Darden]

Basically she. It's it. If she found us, that means she's seeing us on YouTube.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Okay, that's good. She's good.

[Ebro Darden]

That's good.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Let's not over complicate it.

[Ebro Darden]

So Claudette, you got the best part of it, the YouTube part. Just stay with us locked on the YouTube and pay attention. Subscribe. Clearly she knows how to email, but I think she wants to support the Patreon probably. Oh, she only uses YouTube. Get her IG and Facebook. So Claudette, Claudette send us. Do you mean Griff needs to get her?

[Laura Rosenberg]

I don't understand. I just don't get this Ebro. She's hearing the show. What needs to happen?

[Ebro Darden]

She wants to support everything.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, she just wants to support everything. All right. So the only way she really needs to support is to keep watching the show and we will tell her in detail how she could support the show. Like for example, you could go to the Ebro Laura Rosenberg Instagram page right now. Go to the link in bio and buy some merch. That's a way to support the show. We'll have a big announcement about the future of other programming that you could hear next week, and we'll explain it to you. All she's got to do is keep rocking with us.

[Ebro Darden]

There you go.

[Rosenberg]

That's it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Don't get nervous.

[Ebro Darden]

All right, Laura Styles. What you got, fam?

[Rosenberg]

Here's one. Okay. It's from Lori. I just want to say thank you for continuing your show. I'm a listener from Portland, Oregon. I typically hate talk on the radio, but a couple years ago, when I discovered your show, I was so excited to be able to listen to people discuss life in a genuine way and have real opinions. So when I heard about the radio letting you go, the quickness in which I subscribe to your channel on YouTube, this is what I needed. I am incredibly grateful that you guys are continuing to provide this content. The idea I have is putting up a weekly music playlist that we could all listen to, include a top pick from each of you each week. It could be new music, classic music, whatever. Just a weekly vibe playlist of an hour's worth of music. And last note, I would absolutely love to hear you guys discuss heated rivalry. The books or TV show right now. I don't know that show.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Which show?

[Rosenberg]

Heated rivalry. Do you know it?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Laura. Come on, Laura. Get your boat. Chin shake. Yo, Ebro. She may not be up to the task of the BCC or the BNN or the. You know why?

[Rosenberg]

I don't know. Do you know? Heated rivalry, bro.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Heated rivalry is about two hockey players who fall in love.

[Rosenberg]

Okay?

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's a big gay. It's a big gay hockey sex extravaganza.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, wow.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's got people talking. I think the. I think the two leads are a couple of hot dudes. They were at the Golden Globe. They were all over the Golden Globes. It's a big HBO Max, by the way.

[Ebro Darden]

Never heard of anything.

[Rosenberg]

Never heard of it? Never.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I have a new drop for both of you guys because I'll be honest, it happens a lot. And rather than get mad, rather than come up.

[Producer Griffin]

Hold on.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Listen. Rather than me get irrationally. I'm putting on myself. Rather than me get irrationally angry when you guys don't know something. I'm just gonna play this. Because that's Ebro and Laura with half the things I that I bring up. But this one, I will say, didn't really make it to my world until a few weeks ago. I heard I forget where I saw. And then they were at the Golden Globes and, you know, listen, you just.

[Rosenberg]

Found out about it, bruh, a few weeks ago.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But, Laura, it's like, it's. You should know it.

[Ebro Darden]

Now that you mentioned it, I saw a story on my algorithm.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Here we go.

[Ebro Darden]

About gay hockey players.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Was it that?

[Ebro Darden]

Well, I thought it was. I didn't watch it long enough, first of all, to, like. Because I, like, I'm not in. Okay, there's two gay athletes. All right, who cares? I don't care.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But you. It was probably about the show.

[Ebro Darden]

Probably was, but I didn't watch it long enough to know that it was about the show. Or was it really based in truth about some. Because I definitely have seen athlete. You know, like, I saw another thing about a football player recently who was gay, and I was like, oh, good friend.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I may be making this up. I may be making this up, but I think it comes from, like, a series of books that are, like, tantalizing sort of grocery store. They looked at each other across the locker room, you know, like that. I got a. I got a good email.

[Ebro Darden]

You guys are gonna like, I go for it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Thank you for not wasting any time and getting right back to it. My wife of 25 years saw how distraught I was after the last show at 97. Then she got real when I told her you were back with the new show. Quote, you need to apologize to Rosenberg for all the night nurse crap, the privilege comments, the baby physical therapy bs. They don't know you like that, and they certainly don't know your sense of humor. And the Rosenberg dog pile started after you said all of that, so. Pipsqueak Peter, I formally apologize for my past emails. I'm a fan of Jace. You were at least my third favorite person on the old show. I said what I said because your unraveling is legendary and your buttons are easy to push. I did it for entertainment only, to amuse the fox and to hear Ebro push you even further into the phantom zone of unravel. I occasionally tap into Cheap Heat, and you're my third favorite person on that show. And if I listen to Juanette, you're my favorite after Billy June with this parasocial thing. And I sincerely apologize. That said, I'll be listening. Just saying thank you all for coming back so quickly. I miss cast and Shawnee, but glad Griff is on board. The show is coming together nicely. We need your voices more than ever. The voices that won't play the game or cowtow to the other Sycophants. Love to all.

[Ebro Darden]

No, that's good, Danny.

[Rosenberg]

Wow, that was a nice one, Danny.

[Ebro Darden]

It's good stuff right there, man.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Speaking of which, I saw a couple days ago, Laura. Ebro. Ebro. Tried to weigh in and try to get on Becky Lynch's good side after.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right after me again.

[Rosenberg]

Kiss ass, bro.

[Ebro Darden]

That is Becky the Beast Lynch.

[Rosenberg]

Wait, wait, that is Becky.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He's trying to come up with a good.

[Rosenberg]

I know, I know. What is he. What did he say? He's, like, tweeting at her. Like, what is he doing?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, he just like, she. She said. She went after me and called me Pipsqueak Peter again. And then Ebro. I'm just noticing something right now. I. I have to say this. Ero, it's Friday. Freedom, right? We can say whatever we want, right?

[Ebro Darden]

Go ahead.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Okay. Okay. I've been noticing this in the comments, and then since I read in the comments, I'm feeling it in real life. Have you noticed that since we started the Internet show, Laura's laughing has gotten crazier and more frequent than ever?

[Rosenberg]

It's the same.

[Ebro Darden]

I don't know. I saw that. I saw that email, and I don't believe it to be true.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, it. Yo. It just. No, I'm gonna. I'm gonna ask. I want either one of our producers or a fox to produce a Best of Laura crazy laugh so far. And you will hear she's. No, she's on another.

[Rosenberg]

Why are you acting brand new?

[Ebro Darden]

No, because here's the deal.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm here for it. I want it.

[Ebro Darden]

This is good news to me. I don't. I don't want some sort of laugh track. I'm not participating in that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Rosenberg]

And it's just not true.

[Ebro Darden]

And it's also just not true. And. And also. Okay, it reinforces what I've been saying is most people. Because when we did the show before, it was broken up by music.

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Right.

[Ebro Darden]

And most people had never seen a full show video.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So you mean they. You mean they didn't know that Laura was already crazy is what you're saying?

[Rosenberg]

Yes, and I'll say yes to that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You think. Do you think it hasn't changed at all? And it's just my ears, because I've been seeing it in comments. So I was so used to Laura being crazy that when she randomly.

[Ebro Darden]

Like, how many crazy Laura drops. We have.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I have some, actually. Hold on.

[Ebro Darden]

We have a litany, a plethora of Laura snorting. Hey, hey.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Hey.

[Ebro Darden]

Come on, man.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah. You know what? I Guess you're right.

[Rosenberg]

The snorting could have stayed guys, legendary.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I still want a Best of Laura Crazy Laugh compilation though.

[Ebro Darden]

No, it's easy to pull off. All you gotta do is listen to one episode.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I from one episode. If you just did quick cuts of her, like, ha, it would be. It would be amazing. I want it. I want it. All right, what do you guys got?

[Ebro Darden]

We got to get to a voice note.

[Rosenberg]

Let's go.

[Ebro Darden]

What's the next one on the list after Stewart? I don't.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Who do you want? You want me? Just pick.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, just pick one.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Here's Lauren.

[Lauren]

Good morning, Ebro. Laura Rosenberg. This is Lauren reaching out from California. I will try to keep this quick cuz I know you guys hate a long winded message. Just want to say, you know, when me and my husband got the news that you weren't going to be on Hot 97 anymore, we were so bummed. But lucky us, we didn't have to go long without you all. So really excited that, you know, you're still here, still around, still doing your thing. I do want to say I know that when you guys were trying to decide what time to go live, you were thinking about your local commuters as you should. But as an early bird over here on the west coast, I just have to say great time, great time to choose.

[Ebro Darden]

Love it.

[Lauren]

Because now I can listen live and all of us, you know, early birds over here can listen live too. So, you know, you are reaching that many more people. You know, there'd be so many times where you guys would be speaking on a subject and ask callers to call in with thoughts and opinions and I'd be like, damn, I got something to say about this. So, you know, hopefully one day I'll be able to participate in one of those conversations. But yeah, really, really excited to see how the show evolves, what you guys do with it. And yeah, happy New Year and sending.

[Rosenberg]

So much love a. I love it too.

[Ebro Darden]

Positive email, positive vibes. Also we will have a phone number soon come.

[Laura Rosenberg]

We got phone calls. Yo era. This Lauren just reminded me of that. And this is totally judgmental because I have no idea what her race was. But for whatever reason, white initially is what hit me. I don't know, but it's been me. And I thought about you in this conversation too. One of the things that I think also got me in the Renee Nicole good of it all was that we just went through this run in history where white women at a lot of times were the butt of the joke, right? The Karen Thing, the Karen thing was not a great time for white women.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, if they were a Karen.

[Laura Rosenberg]

If. Right, right. No, no.

[Ebro Darden]

Or. Or name Karen.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But it also just sort of led to a lot of. But then there was like the stats on white women voting for Trump and there was like a lot of things that you were just like, oh, man. I'm not saying you're missing the point. I'm not saying anything's invalid that was said. But what I'm saying is it obviously when we get into things like that on social media, it paints everything with this insanely stupid broad brush. And, And Renee Good just reminded me, even though I don't know her, like, her level of activism just reminded me of the kind of white girls that I always knew in hip hop who existed, who at one point used to annoy me, by the way, because, you know, I wanted to be the only white person around. But, you know, like, it just reminded me of like these great ally women who have been around and I. I.

[Ebro Darden]

Don'T know, I was. I was birthed by one. What are you talking about?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Okay, so all the more reason. It's funny, I was thinking more of Carly Hustle. I wasn't even thinking about your mom.

[Ebro Darden]

I was thinking about Russell. Well, and.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And so many others that I've known over the years. Rappers, DJs, all kinds.

[Ebro Darden]

Here's the thing. But here's the thing. When you are a person of privilege, depending on the arena, right? Like, so, for instance, a way I could relate to this in a very small way is people see me as a person of privilege in media and in the industry, in the business. And so when I comment on something or I am mean to someone or dismissive of someone's art or I say someone's trash, no one gives me a pass, right? Nobody's going to give me a pass, right? And so then when I show up sometimes to be supportive, there's people who are like, get your bitch ass out of here. Nobody wants to hear what you have to say, even if I'm being supportive.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But, you know, that's. I'm in the exact same. I feel the exact same way on. All right, right.

[Ebro Darden]

And so that's just how the. I don't know the way our, the way our society is set up, bro, like it's a very toxic place. And so people don't have nuance. And also people don't give passes, right? So if you are of the white group, right, and that you're a white woman and 40% of white women voted For Trump. So it goes. No, but. But if you're really an ally, you fight through it. Well, no, you would just understand. Look, I get it. I. I get why you got. Because I'm the closest to you, so you're gonna take it out on me because I actually care about how you feel and what you're saying.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I know. Into that point, though, I had never even really thought about it in the last many years. It wasn't until I saw her that I was like, man, I kind of forgot about all the cool white chicks I've known over the years who were of that sort of ilk. Like, they're going to be outside. I just. I hadn't really thought about it.

[Ebro Darden]

They. You know, and all the cool white chicks. All the cool white chicks. The allies, the true allies are also very critical of their social counterparts, for sure. That are. That are the reason. Oh, the most.

[Laura Rosenberg]

They're the most critical.

[Ebro Darden]

Right. Are the reason many times we can't get progress because white women are either setting up black men to get killed, Emmett Till and many other or black towns getting burnt down because some white woman lied about rape, or using their white tears as weapons.

[Laura Rosenberg]

All throughout history, yo, you, bro had these conversations with these same people that I'm talking about. He was outside in the back of the club smoking the blunt, having this conversation.

[Ebro Darden]

I was.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And they were like, yo, I know that's just nasty past that. You know, that's. I'm just saying. I was just. And listen, I don't know the lady, who knows what she was like. A lot of people said a lot of different things about her. All I know is when push came to shove in this moment when people of color are being rounded up and pulled off the street, it requires brave people try to fight on the side of those people. They literally need you and need us. And I was just like, damn.

[Ebro Darden]

No, it's. It's. It's.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And would I be brave enough to be that? You know, Would I be out in the street?

[Ebro Darden]

Listen, I've known you a long time, and I'm.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The answer is no.

[Ebro Darden]

Say no.

[Rosenberg]

You're hurting me.

[Ebro Darden]

Confidently say, that is not what you would do. Now give you a microphone. Get busy.

[Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Is that a bad sign?

[Ebro Darden]

You might spit a bar, but is that a bad sign in physical harm's way? Not happening.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, I've been. But is it a bad sign that, like, in me, I'm like, I've been wanting to smoke. I'm like, I want to see these. I want to see Them outside where you are. Come to New York. But I don't want you to come to New York at all. And they're here. They're just not. I just can't believe how many they have in Minneapolis. They keep pumping them out.

[Ebro Darden]

The ELR show at Gmail. Ebro, Laura Rosenberg at Gmail. If you would love to be a part of Friday Freedom, we appreciate you giving us some time. Listen, we still have to get to the rundown and the lowdown with Messi Styles and Laura Styles, two different.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, we're not. We're not. It's preempted today.

[Rosenberg]

Really?

[Ebro Darden]

We're out of it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's preempted for something else. I got music.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, Family matters.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's a Friday, man. Family matters.

[Ali Jackson]

Friday.

[Ebro Darden]

It's a rare condition this day and age.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So we. On Fridays, rather than the. Than Laura getting into the muck and mud, Meyer, we do a little family chat instead.

[Unidentified Caller]

You know?

[Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

There's always family.

[Rosenberg]

We're all going through it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Speaking which Laura sent me a great booger article yesterday.

[Rosenberg]

Yes, man, she's still picking boogers. Do you know how many fit me? That article, though, I was cracking up.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's very. It was very funny. Without a booger wall.

[Rosenberg]

I sent it to you, too.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah. She started stashing the boogers.

[Rosenberg]

No, no, no. Right now she's just, like, all up in it, you know?

[Ebro Darden]

She's not living up. She's not living up to her.

[Rosenberg]

I'm asking, what are you doing with it? And she doesn't want to tell me.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The elders would be disappointed.

[Ebro Darden]

The ancestors are mad.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The ancestors. The ancestors. She's not doing enough. Speaking of which, I.

[Ebro Darden]

And if you don't know the joke there, the joke is because Laura was a boogers picker and a stasher and a collection maker.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah. My mom whipped my ass because she found out that behind a. A poster that I had was a rare collection.

[Ebro Darden]

That's so funny.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, so nasty.

[Unidentified Caller]

It is, too.

[Rosenberg]

So nasty.

[Ebro Darden]

Anyway, speaking of family matters, bring the video to the forefront. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Selassie is a piano savant.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Whoa.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, my God.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Let's take a look. See.

[Rosenberg]

Sam?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yay.

[Rosenberg]

That was a beautiful piece.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Now that's pretty good.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Is that little Stevie Wonder?

[Ebro Darden]

Y' all see it, right? You see it?

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Laura Rosenberg]

At the beginning, she has a. Listen, she has a poise to her. That's the thing. It's the poise, see?

[Rosenberg]

You see, it's the. The individual use of each finger. That I've been pressing because usually the kids will be like, well, that's the thing.

[Laura Rosenberg]

That's. I've. When Maya does anything that plays any sound, she like closed fist smashes it practically. Yeah. So to see, to see that sort of poise on the keys, bruh, that's pretty awesome.

[Ebro Darden]

Couple of things and, and, and I, I thought y' all was gonna hate, but now that you're not hating and you're on my side. Her back posture, like, what are we talking about?

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

The fact that her wrists are off the keys like she's. Nobody in this house plays the piano if that's in Issa's bedroom. Issa's taking some lessons and can like fumble through some things, but not. She can't even play. Mary had a little lamp. Like, it's not even.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Well, here's the thing. If you're serious though, I think this is. If you want. If you think someone's going to be a savant. Two is when you start with the lessons.

[Ebro Darden]

Is it? And that was gonna be my next three. Is it two? I was thinking three. Like when she could actually listen to somebody, give her direct.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Close. It's close. I would say it's in the next year.

[Rosenberg]

But you definitely need to nurture this. Like sometimes on YouTube, they have like little very preliminary lessons that Jazz could probably do with her to like mimic. You know what I mean? You have to nurture this though. You have to.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Hold on, hold on. Ash.

[Ebro Darden]

Griff. Griff says yes, lessons start now.

[Rosenberg]

Okay, let's go, let's go.

[Laura Rosenberg]

My friend has a two year old daughter who is showing an aptitude on the piano. He thinks she may be a savant. When would be the right time for her to start taking serious piano lessons?

[Ebro Darden]

Great question.

[Ali Jackson]

I can't believe he's asking.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Chat, you want an answer? Let's see. Short answer. Not yet. At least not in the way adults mean by serious lessons. Longer, more helpful answer. At 2, kids can show real music signals, strong pitch memory, rhythmic sensitivity, imitation, fascination with sounds. That's exciting. But it's also too early to diagnose savantism, so.

[Rosenberg]

Okay, well, just nurture this.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Free exploration, singing a lot, simple rhythm games, clapping, movement, listening to a wide range of music, short joyful interactions.

[Ebro Darden]

We're doing all that. All that to go. All that to go.

[Laura Rosenberg]

4. 4 to 5 is when. Formal piano lessons.

[Ebro Darden]

Thank you, Chat.

[Rosenberg]

Thanks, Chat.

[Ebro Darden]

Listen, I'll be honest with you. I prefer Gemini.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I haven't. Gemini. Is Gemini the other one?

[Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Ebro Darden]

Google's.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, Gemini Is good.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Let me guess, is that the one that people use the black guy voice on it? Is that why you like it?

[Ebro Darden]

No, I didn't even know you could do that. And I, I just type it in. I've never had it actually talk to me.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But you can't blame me for assuming that the answer would be the reason you like one more is because it sounds black.

[Ebro Darden]

Well, if it is the case, it's the best one in the world.

[Laura Rosenberg]

No, no, but you really can on when you use the voice ones, you choose the voice that you like.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

None of y' all have watched any of the videos I've sent you to the group chat of that weird guy who sits there asking AI questions and fighting with it.

[Ebro Darden]

Yeah, yeah, I've seen that. Or where he's like getting run over by a car.

[Laura Rosenberg]

He's like, I'm getting run over. Why aren't you helping? It's like, haha, that's funny. It doesn't look like you're getting run over. He's like, well I am. Do something about it. It's a crazy time folks.

[Ebro Darden]

All right, family matters, bring them back in.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, sorry. No, we already did the music.

[Ebro Darden]

We already did it but playing in the background.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So. So I just gotta say I don't want to get into specifics because plans are still being made, but yesterday my daughter turned one. We met, we talked about it on the show. Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Yes.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But yesterday Maya turned one. All the things, all the feelings. Wow. A year. Oh my God. All those things. But let me tell you about the level of self inflicted. Maybe it's not self inflicted, but whatever the amount of stress that has come into the deciding on and planning on a first birthday and how hard I have to work to just remind mom, she doesn't care. This is all about how you feel. So you should do whatever is going to feel good for you. But when it gets to the like, I just want it to be special for her. I'm like, babe, she ain't gonna remember. No.

[Ebro Darden]

Even in the moment, if it's special for her, if it's special for you, it's special for her.

[Laura Rosenberg]

She doesn't. Special for her is whatever we get hyped up about and are like, isn't this exciting.

[Rosenberg]

Right, right, right, right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You know, but like it's just. Listen, on a serious note, it's just another reminder. I don't want to over speak on my partner's stuff or she is my wife is who she is. But I will just say this whole thing is A journey we now make one year into this part of the journey. So listen, birthday was another piece of the journey.

[Ebro Darden]

I know Natalie listens or watches this program. Happy birthday to you, too, Natalie, because you literally gave birth.

[Ali Jackson]

Birth.

[Rosenberg]

That's right. Happy birthday, mama.

[Ebro Darden]

Literally birthed on this day. So big up to you, too. Now turn the. Turn the podcast off or turn the show off now, Natalie. I got to talk to Rosenberg.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You know, I could use it. Yes, King.

[Ebro Darden]

Yes, bro. You still got time. Tomorrow, Saturday. I don't know what happened on the day.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The day was not a big event. I took care of mine.

[Ebro Darden]

Turn up. Turn up, my g. Turn it up. Restaurant outfit. A cupcake in the middle of the table. Just a little candle, glass of wine, a nice note.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So listen, listen. I held that part down yesterday.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay, so you got into that.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I definitely held it down. I was aware. Flowers.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Celebration.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And it went over well.

[Ebro Darden]

Is there anything she's been saying that she's wanted to do but hasn't been able to do because of Mommy Dom?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Is it one thing? It's everything. You know what I mean? But that's a good thought. Like, getting into a specific. What could something be that she would really like to do? Yeah, I'm gonna think about that and make sure I continue to celebrate, because this is a transitional. Like, it's. I've seen, as the birthday was approaching, how it affected her, like the. Oh, my God, my baby's one. You know, it's. The whole thing has been amazing from the second it all started. It's been amazing and beautiful and hard and. And all of the things I like. Literally, it's hard for me to talk about my child and the whole thing in a. In a. I'm not good at having small talk about it anymore. When people come up and they're like, how's it going? I'm like, how much time you got? You want to sit and talk? Because it's. It's.

[Ebro Darden]

Oh, no, it's the hardest thing you've probably ever done in. In a good way and a bad way. Right. Like, it's all.

[Laura Rosenberg]

In all the ways and all the.

[Ebro Darden]

Emotions, the joy, the frustration, the fatigue, everything.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The fighting for your relationship, the. The, you know, just wanting to be good but messing up. The remembering postpartum. But sometimes you still get annoyed, and you can't help it because you're a human being. And even if you want to every second, remind yourself, this is your queen. She delivered your seed upon the earth, you know, and she went through a.

[Rosenberg]

Lot to get there a lot.

[Laura Rosenberg]

This is. This is a huge name drop. But Erykah Badu at some point reached out and checked in on how I was doing with it all. And when I told her, she gave me some really sage beautiful advice about what Natalie is going through and gave me some great reminders. You know, she said the most beautiful thing. I literally will get, like, emotional saying it, but I thought it was so amazing. It was maybe six months in, and I was talking about Maya and how Natalie's. And she was like, you need to keep watering the flower that is your wife. And she was like, don't forget she's a little girl, too.

[Ebro Darden]

That's right.

[Laura Rosenberg]

She's never been through this either. This isn't just the little baby girl. This is a human being who's also a little girl who's experiencing all of these things at the same time. And no one has a guy. We all pretend to be adults, right? We're all playing adult. But, like, Laura, you could obviously speak to this better than I certainly could. But I imagine that when you're a woman and you go through all this stuff, even if people show you love, no one's holding your hand through it. You have to just figure it all out.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, listen, I got emotional you reading that, you, you know, because it's the truth, you know, and it's like, I think that. And it's hard because I remember having these conversations with my partner. Not only are you loving every moment, loving that you have this brand new, beautiful angel in your life that you always wanted, the, you know, the ups and the downs, but just the internal fight of, like, postpartum is so wild. Like, the depression, the darkness. And then you feel guilty for feeling this way because you have this beautiful, healthy little girl. You know what I mean? And I know I have other, you know, I have really close friends that are going through their own, you know, trials and tribulations, but, yo, the postpartum thing is so deep. Like, one day you just wake up and you don't want to be around. You want to close your eyes and just, like, lean back and just fade. You don't want to be seen. You don't want to do anything. And then you have this child that you have to care for, and then you have to be, you know what I mean? On at each moment. And then you worry about your relationship. You worry about your partner. Are we still here? Are we still connected? So it's. It's. It's a lot, man. And she's right. You just have to keep watering the plant, watering the flower and, and talking and talking and.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Listen, I, I think some days I've done a great job. Other days I've been like, man, I could have been better today. I'd like to think we always land. No, not. I like to think I'm really happy with where we end up always landing on it. But, man, it's hard. And then there's the other part of family and with this birthday, other family stuff that's going on, worrying about pleasing other people and can't.

[Ebro Darden]

You can't. And the other thing I was going to throw in is you and your wife met on the Internet. Met on ig.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Twitter. Yeah.

[Ebro Darden]

Or Twitter.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Pre Musk Twitter, by the way.

[Ebro Darden]

And a lot of her world with her work is in Instagram, so she's in the algorithm a lot. There's also pressure that. And you talk about this when you're like, oh, I'm off social media, I'm this and that. There's also this pressure, constant pressure to show up on the Internet, not even for yourself and in the real world, to, to create things in the real world for the purpose of showing up on the Internet to impress people that you don't know on the Internet, which creates this level of stress where it's like, did I take enough photos of my 1 year old? Was my celebration of my 1 year old up to the standards of other moms and family's celebration of their one year old, you know, and all of that, those shenanigans that you.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Did our party. Did our party look as good as this party?

[Ebro Darden]

Exactly.

[Laura Rosenberg]

You know, and don't all these ideas. Let's not lie, guys. We live in a world now where so many ideas come from, what you've seen in other places and. Which is fine. But yeah, to your point, Ebro, you're. It's, it's. It's just the whole thing has been wonderful and, and hard and like, I had a really guilty feeling. I've had guilt. I don't know, Ebro, if you've had this, but I've had really guilty feelings about when travel comes up. Like, I'm going to Saudi Arabia in a couple of weeks for the Royal Rumble, and I hope to be on the show from there at least as much as I can. And I think I will be. But I have, I have a split of, of dread about being away from my family for like six days.

[Ebro Darden]

Yep.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And then also you're like, oh, man. Though when I'm there, I get to like, absolutely do Nothing.

[Ebro Darden]

Quiet time.

[Ali Jackson]

I just.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I just get to flip through the TV or hang out with a friend from work.

[Ebro Darden]

But by the way, all that's normal.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's okay.

[Ebro Darden]

Don't feel guilty about any of that.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And by the way, it's a dead even mix when. When the day before I leave comes Ebro, that feeling of dread of saying goodbye, you're like, oh, I don't want to go. I don't want to go. And then you get there though, and you're like, ah. And Natalie's great. Like this. I called Natalie when we went to Perth, Australia for wwe. I was about to board the flight and I go, babe, bad news. I don't have any Internet on this flight. It's like 17 hours. She was like, I don't care. You can't help me. She was like, whether you have Internet or not, I'm on my own. Just go enjoy yourself. What are you gonna do for me? I can text you while the baby's wilding out right now. What are you gonna do?

[Rosenberg]

Right, right, right.

[Ali Jackson]

It's nothing.

[Ebro Darden]

As a matter of fact, you're probably more of an annoyance because correcting in doing nothing.

[Laura Rosenberg]

So anyways, that was a serious family matters today. That was the one you couldn't afford to miss.

[Ebro Darden]

Boogers. Piano savant. And Rosenberg got a one year old now.

[Rosenberg]

That's it.

[Ebro Darden]

No. Can I get the music again? Just because I like it and I need it on the way out.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Ebert just wants to get us flagged back to. Ebert doesn't ever want us to make money.

[Ebro Darden]

It's a rare condition. Family Matters Friday. So we got. We got Friday freedom, family matters. And now it's time for the OGs, the original Gurus, as we wrap up this Friday episode of Ebro. Laura and Rosenberg. That's right. Can I get the harps?

[Laura Rosenberg]

When I. When I hit my. I hit my harps on time. You bro, you got to learn it. There's a time to it.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

The original gurus. Gmail dot com.

[Rosenberg]

That's right. The original, original gurus at gmail dot com. That's right. Where the gurus unite to shine the light. Who's emailing us? Rosenberg, who needs us? But you gotta really Zen when you're zenning Ebro. You can't just be like, zag, zag, Zen has to be like zen, Zen, Zen.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, my Zen wasn't. My Zen wasn't Zenith.

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Ebro Darden]

What about Ebro? Burn the sage. I could burn he bro.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Burn some sage.

[Rosenberg]

Vendor sage and Zen it together.

[Ebro Darden]

I got. I got some sage right here. Hang on one second. Ah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm gonna read a short one today, guys, because we're running a little long here. We spent a lot of time on the family matters. Okay, but this is a real one, though. The original gurus. Gmail dot com. Hi, my name is Lutando. Yeah, I think Lutando.

[Ebro Darden]

All right, let's go.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Lutando from Johannesburg, South Africa.

[Ebro Darden]

I was going to say sounded South African.

[Rosenberg]

Okay. Hi.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I have a female friend who tells me she loves me when we text.

[Ebro Darden]

Okay.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I'm 40 years old. She has a kid and a man. I love her. Should I pursue a relationship?

[Ebro Darden]

No.

[Satan]

Do it. Do it, bro. Just get out.

[Ebro Darden]

Do not listen to Satan.

[Satan]

Nah, it's going to feel so good. Get after it. Don't worry about her, man. He a. That's yours.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Go for it.

[Satan]

What could happen? You'll be fine.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, my God.

[Laura Rosenberg]

I led you wrong.

[Satan]

I've never led you wrong.

[Ebro Darden]

Trust me.

[Laura Rosenberg]

It's me, Satan.

[Rosenberg]

I just. I just pictured the devil from South Park. Rosenberg.

[Ebro Darden]

No, it's absolutely who it is. And second of all, the fact that you need to email us to figure this out. You get this button because. Nah, bro. Nah. Stop it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Congratulations.

[Ebro Darden]

You played yourself. Get yourself together, bro. A friend who texts you that she loves you, now, maybe she does want to throw the show. Maybe she does want you in the pantalones. Maybe she does want you. You know what I mean? To. To tickle her fancy.

[Laura Rosenberg]

But you're really going for it, huh? Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Don't do it, bro.

[Ebro Darden]

But I wouldn't do it.

[Rosenberg]

No.

[Satan]

I like how April was talking, though. That does sound pretty tight.

[Rosenberg]

I mean, I think we all agree. Don't do it.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Yeah, don't do it.

[Rosenberg]

Don't do it, bro. It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

[Laura Rosenberg]

In fact, pull back a little bit on that friendship.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Laura Rosenberg]

And listen, if one day she ever ends up in a different situation.

[Ebro Darden]

Wait, because the girl says she loves you. Like, she might just been like, love you. Talk to you later.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Or you. But it sounds like he needs to pull back a bit. Bit. Because he sounds like he's the one. Like, he.

[Ebro Darden]

Let me talk. Let me talk to Satan real quick.

[Satan]

I don't need to talk to me.

[Ebro Darden]

Does he need to pull back or pull out? Talk to a Satan.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Facts.

[Satan]

Pull out and hit him with that all over you. You know what I'm saying? No. Do it.

[Rosenberg]

Fight. Fight. No, we all agree. Don't do it. Back up. And yes, Rosenberg, I agree with you. You should probably pull back a little bit. Just a little bit. A little bit. Yeah. Don't feed into this because it's going to be a disaster at the end. So we're trying to save you, fam. Pull back. So say the gurus.

[Laura Rosenberg]

Happy Friday, everyone.

[Ebro Darden]

Yes. The Friday edition of eo Laura Rosenberg was a success. Hopefully you had fun. It got deep, too. It got deep.

[Rosenberg]

It got deep and funny. Don't forget, hit the link in our bio on Instagram to purchase some T shirts, right?

[Laura Rosenberg]

Oh, oh, and we have an announcement. We have about our plans. We have some plans to announce on Monday.

[Ebro Darden]

All right. Big, big announcement. Will Satan be involved in the announcement?

[Rosenberg]

You can't just be inviting him. He, bro.

[Satan]

I'm everywhere, baby.

[Ebro Darden]

Listen, when it comes to doing the dance, you want to get paid.

[Satan]

I'm always here. Shout out to my guy Charlemagne. Andrew Schultz.

[Ebro Darden]

Stephen A. Down.

[Satan]

No. Shout out to my people, man. I appreciate you. We're doing our thing. Tommy Loren, Charlie Arnold.

[Ebro Darden]

All right, now, quick, quick question. Satan, is it? Charlie Kirk is down there with you, bro.

[Satan]

No comment. My g.

[Ebro Darden]

Don't call it a podcast.

[Producer Griffin]

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[Ali Jackson]

If you are a podcast host, listen up. This one's for you. My name is Ally Jackson. I'm the host of Finding Mr. Height, a dating and relationship podcast that I've been doing for four years now, 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. And I was just telling my colleague about how much I love their platform. With Red Circle, not only am I getting a 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. If you want to give it a try, go to redcircle.com to get your free trial. That's redcircle.com for a free trial.