Black Bottom and Paradise Valley

Summary

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The Friend Zone Podcast — Episode: “Black Bottom and Paradise Valley”

Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesca), Asante
Date: February 4, 2026
Theme: Centering Black History Month through mental health, celebration of Black achievement, and the forgotten Black neighborhoods of Detroit and beyond.

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Episode Overview

This episode celebrates Black History Month with humor, candor, and an in-depth, eye-opening exploration into the history of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley—two historic Black neighborhoods in Detroit. The crew discusses past and present Black excellence, reactions to the Grammys, the importance of preserving history, and more. They tie cultural moments to mental wellness and community-building, highlight Black businesses, respond to listener feedback, and—as always—share the best in new music and television.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening: Black History Month & The Grammys

Timestamps: 01:31–12:11

• Dustin opens by wishing everyone a Happy Black History Month, expressing pride and focusing on “all things Black.”

• The hosts discuss a viral Essence Magazine segment at the Grammys: “What’s the blackest thing you’ve done today?” (Kirk Franklin's answer: “Probably use the N word with my homeboys.”)

  • Quote: “We know who you are. Kirk Franklin is black as hell… That just touched me. It’s something about being able to connect on a human level with people who sing gospel music.” (Dustin, 03:30)

• Shout-outs flow to Black creatives and winners at the Grammys, highlighting Olivia Dean (Best New Artist), and Duran Bernard’s win, which brought well-deserved attention to lesser-known but impactful artists.

• Dustin highlights studio owner Wheezy for her community spirit and work with Trap House studio yoga.

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2. Black Business of the Week

Timestamps: 08:12–10:31

• Dustin spotlights IMX Pilates and Fitness White Plains, a Black-owned Pilates studio in White Plains, NY, founded by five-time Emmy winner Marcel Lashley Kabore.
  • “Marcel is a global business strategist, a social entrepreneur and a five time Emmy award winner… and now she’s bringing her magic home… to the Pilates studio.” (Dustin, 09:10)

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3. Listener Feedback Roundup

Timestamps: 12:18–28:15

• The hosts respond to numerous listener comments from various platforms.
• Topics include the nuances of FaceTiming, group chats with Android “green bubbles,” the value of the iPod, separating phone and media usage, and supportive community for parents.
• Discussion of de-Amazoning life and migrating from Goodreads to The StoryGraph for book tracking.
  • “I love that we got a lot of messages that were similar… trying to de-Amazon their lives.” (Francesca, 25:53)
• The struggle of accessing audiobooks outside Audible; Libby’s pros and cons are discussed.

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4. Social Media Trends & Black Health

Timestamps: 28:15–30:35

• Shout-out to Kev On Stage’s viral tweet urging Black men to get annual physicals, highlighting stigma, ignorant responses, and the importance of community health conversations.
  • Quote: “We gotta stop being so fucking obtuse and being stupid for the sake of… I know the Internet is not the real world… But start having conversations with the people around you.” (Dustin, 29:12)

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5. Main Segment: “Black Bottom and Paradise Valley” (Black History Spotlight)

Timestamps: 34:05–64:12

Introduction

• Dustin illuminates the largely forgotten story of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley—two Black neighborhoods in Detroit.
  • Quote: “The words black bottom have always meant a good thing.” (Dustin, 34:36)
  • “Learned history and shared history is more important than ever… Let’s educate and edify ourselves.” (Dustin, 34:53)

Historical Context

• Black Bottom: A predominantly Black neighborhood, name originally referring to the fertile black soil. Grew into a vibrant hub due to redlining and the Great Migration.

• Paradise Valley: Entertainment, jazz, and business district adjacent to Black Bottom, famed for nightlife and economic self-sufficiency.

• Community Resilience and Culture:

  • Despite redlining, overcrowding, and neglect, the Black community flourished, fostering tight bonds and vibrant social life.
  • Artists, entrepreneurs, and athletes (e.g. Aretha Franklin’s father opened his church there; thriving jazz scene).

• Downfall and Displacement:

  • Mid-20th-century: Targeted for “urban renewal”—the city razed both neighborhoods for highway (I-75) and other infrastructure, displacing thousands with little notice or support (“only a 30-day notice to vacate,” 49:46).
    • Quote: “They tried to say, ‘Well, nothing’s gonna happen…’ even though the families that were on the highway sites received only a 30-day notice to vacate.” (Dustin, 49:46)

• Today's location: Stadiums (Ford Field, Comerica Park) and redeveloped commercial zones now stand where Black Bottom/Paradise Valley were.

Legacy, Memory, and Gentrification

• Discussion parallels similar stories of Black erasure in U.S. history—e.g., Seneca Village’s destruction for Central Park, Atlanta’s Lake Lanier.
• Call for oral histories and actively preserving Black history for future generations; shout-out to projects like the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library and the Black Bottom Street View virtual project by architect Emily Kutil.
  • Quote: “Archive as much history as we can. Talk to the elders in your family… If no one told you, be the person to start spearheading those conversations.” (Dustin, 60:03)

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6. This Week in Wellness: Tech Tips for Digital Declutter

Timestamps: 67:40–77:04

• Fran shares a listener tip (from Kareem) about using a NAS (Network Attached Storage): a personal cloud for backing up photos/files at home. Avoids monthly iCloud fees, improves organization, and enables remote access.
• Includes links and YouTube resources for beginners.
  • “It’s basically your server… you can access it from anywhere… like your personal iCloud without having to pay a subscription.” (Francesca, 70:59)

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7. Music Man & The Grammys Recap

Timestamps: 80:44–119:29

Versus: Mike Will Made-It vs Hit-Boy

• Recap of the versus battle and Beyoncé battle segment.
• Hosts debate the winner through the last five rounds (Mike Will comes out ahead).
• Lively sidebar on tribute performances (Mariah Carey MusiCares), discussing odd artist choices (Billy Porter, Kesha), and the nuances of covering Mariah.

Grammy Awards Highlights

• Celebration of Olivia Dean, Kehlani, Samara Joy, Duran Bernard, and more.
• Bad Bunny’s historic Album of the Year win and Spanish-language acceptance.
  • Quote: “He was like, I don’t even know how to say this in English, but he was expressing his feelings… It was sincere.” (Dustin, 115:17)
• Performances and tributes: Lauryn Hill, Lucky Daye, Bilal (standout), October London, Anthony Hamilton, Roberta Flack tribute.
• Other Black wins: Shaboozey’s country Grammy, Chlöe x Halle’s wins, further discussions on Beyoncé’s genre impact.

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8. Music Picks: “Listens Lately”

Timestamps: 122:55–136:00

Francesca’s Picks

• “Typical” – Bella & Destin Conrad
• “Flakito” – A$AP Rocky & Tokisha
• “Is This Love?” – La & Fable

Dustin’s Picks

• “East Atlanta 6” – Gucci Mane
• “Get Back Up” – T.I. feat. Chris Brown
• “High Key” – Ari Lennox

Asante’s Picks

• “RIP” – Normani
• “Kill the King” – T.I.
• “ATM” – Don Toliver

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9. TV Land & Pop Culture Roundup

Timestamps: 137:27–150:26

• Social media trend: Everyone obsessed with the TikTok “Liberian Girl” majorette challenge.
• TV updates:
  • Real Housewives of Potomac: Season ended, Karen Huger’s jail release episode, upcoming reunion.
  • The Traitors: Candace Dillard’s standout performance.
  • Basketball Wives: Series ends; hosts reflect on its impact for Black women on TV.
  • Married to Medicine: Shout-outs and a behind-the-scenes story from Dustin’s Broadway night and Dr. Heavenly.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Black Bottom] is where it was at. This was the Black downtown, Broadway, Las Vegas… a place known from here to Europe.” (Dustin reading Elaine Moon, 41:10)
• “They turned around and bulldozed the whole thing, gave families 30 days’ notice… All for a highway.” (Dustin, 49:48)
• “If no one told you [your history], be the person to start spearheading those conversations… The warnings given through history and the fact that history repeats itself will be lost.” (Dustin, 60:05)
• “Cher opened the Grammy envelope, then just walked off… I guess I walk off now.” (Francesca, 101:36)
• “When you saw that big black dress... I put down my rag. When I tell you I sat—yes ma’am!” (Francesca, on Lauryn Hill’s Grammy performance, 110:04)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Black History Month & Opening — 01:31
• Black Business Spotlight: IMX Pilates — 08:12
• Listener Feedback Roundup — 12:18
• Kev on Stage/Black Men’s Health — 28:15
• Main Segment: Black Bottom/Paradise Valley — 34:05
• Preserving Black History (archives, oral histories) — 55:00–63:41
• This Week in Wellness: NAS Storage — 67:40
• Music Segment (Versus, Grammys, Listens Lately) — 80:44–136:00
• TV Land & Pop Culture — 137:27–150:26

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Tone and Flow

• Conversational, warm, witty, and deeply rooted in cultural connection.
• Unfiltered insight on race, legacies, and community—always honest, often humorous, and frequently poignant.
• The trio create space for learning, celebration, lighthearted banter, and real talk surrounding Black history, achievement, and the ongoing fight against erasure and neglect.

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Closing Remark

Dustin’s Black History Month message:
“A little Black history for my Black history… Archive as much history as you can. Talk to the elders… or start being the one to do it. Otherwise, history is erased and forgotten.” (63:41)

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Transcript

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[Francesca]

Help is always ready before, during and after your stay. We've planned for the plot twists, so support is always available because a great trip starts with peace of mind.

[Dustin Ross]

Welcome to the Friend Zone.

[Francesca]

Every time I'm in the zone.

[Dustin Ross]

My name is Dustin.

[Francesca]

I'm Francesca, also known as K. Friend.

[Asante]

Hey, my name is Asante.

[Dustin Ross]

This is the Friend Zone. Let's start the show.

[Francesca]

I'd say, I'm sorry, surprised, but I know who you are.

[Dustin Ross]

So first of all, we're gonna start this thing off right. Happy Black History Month to you and you and y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Francesca]

Okay?

[Dustin Ross]

Happy Black History Month to everybody. And to that I say, okay, well,

[Asante]

we still got it.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay, that's for Patriot. Anyway, so the Grammys recently just passed, right? And in this being Black History Month, currently I'm just focused on all things black. I'm rooting for everybody. Black. I'm feeling black as fuck. I'm just black right now. And so on the Grammys red carpet, Essence, okay, A black magazine was asking people on the. On the Grammys carpets or attendees what the blackest thing they had Done that day was what? Thankfully, they only asked black people.

[Asante]

It says so.

[Francesca]

So great question.

[Dustin Ross]

One of the people that we stopped. That they stopped, Rather, we. I just think I'm that into it again, being black. And if somebody. Business ain't got shit to do with me. But one of the people that they stopped was Kirk Franklin, gospel legend and icon. Okay? Kirk Franklin. And when they asked Kirk Franklin what he had to. What the blackest thing he had done that day was, here's what he had to say.

[Francesca]

Oh, God. Today's the first day of black history month.

[Asante]

What's the blackest thing we did today? Today,

[Dustin Ross]

I would probably use the N word to one of my homeboys.

[Asante]

What did he say? Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

He said, probably use the N wor. Okay. He's like to one of my friends in the conversation, what's up, ma? And then they cut the video out, right? Okay.

[Francesca]

And once again, not what I was expecting.

[Dustin Ross]

Just like that. And mind you, this is Kirk Franklin. And that's why we use the opening clip that I use when they said. When Michelle Obama said what I'd say.

[Francesca]

I'm surprised, but I know who you are.

[Asante]

That's right.

[Dustin Ross]

We know who you are. Kirk Franklin. Kirk Franklin is black as hell. Okay? The nigga got a song called Stomp. They don't get no blacker than that. And it's a motherfucker. It's the jam. A song called stomp that's black. You know what I'm saying? His last name is Franklin. Very black. You know what I'm saying? Very black. I don't care nothing about Benjamin. What about Reetha? Okay. It's a black last name. Kirk Franklin is very black. And that just touched me. It's something about being able to connect and relate to on a human level with people who sing gospel music that makes it special. So shout out to Kirk Franklin. Happy Black history month. Use the N word, y'. All. With that, I say, welcome to the friend zone, your weekly look in all things mental health, mental wellness, and mental hygiene. Because I wanted to. Okay. How are you doing?

[Francesca]

Doing good. We got some sunny weather.

[Dustin Ross]

Really? Congratulations to y'. All.

[Francesca]

It was like spring was peeking through to just keep us going. That's what it felt like. Cause it was so beautiful. People were riding their bikes and out with, like, lighter jackets and hoodies. And I just felt like, March is next month. We're almost there.

[Dustin Ross]

Almost my life. Jennings. Must be nice. Must be nice. Cause we over here in frozen hell.

[Francesca]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

Literally frozen.

[Francesca]

Is it still snowing or it's just cold.

[Dustin Ross]

It's just cold. And it's a whole lot of dirty ass snow on the ground.

[Francesca]

Ice. Is it ice too? On the ground?

[Dustin Ross]

Literally and figuratively.

[Francesca]

Right? You see, I had to specify.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to everybody. You know what? Shout out to. You want me to tell you who one of the realest niggas is? It's Black History Month. We just gonna speak freely today. One of the realest niggas alive. Shout out to our girl Wheezy. Shout out to Weezy. Weezy, I see you. I saw the beautiful message that you posted about your Trap House studio yoga studio. I just see that, the beautiful gifts that you're giving to your neighbors, I just thought it was so wonderful. So I just want to give Weezy some love. Love you, Weezy. And shout out to you and what you're doing with Trap House.

[Francesca]

I felt the same way watching the Grammys. Right.

[Dustin Ross]

What a beautiful usage.

[Francesca]

The people that stood up there, you know, I want to shout out Olivia Dean because she's new or newer, I should say. And for that to be your first Grammys and your first award and that's what you choose to talk about, I just was really. I loved it.

[Dustin Ross]

Respect, like, much respect.

[Francesca]

Because you know, as a person in the industry, what you're putting at risk by having certain conversations publicly. And I love that she was like, fuck is what it is.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to everyone that's long and the freedom that we have as artists to express ourselves. And that's why we have to fight to protect that shit.

[Francesca]

Exactly.

[Dustin Ross]

Because we always have to be able to do exactly what Olivia Dean and Bad Bunny and Sza and Kehlani all did when they got up on their stage, which is speak clearly to our audience about things that are important. And sometimes that looks like saying fuck Ice. So shout out to them for having the balls as artists to do that. And shout out to Olivia Dean for winning the best Grammy that I think you can win in the world, which is best new Artist.

[Francesca]

And you know what? While we're shouting out, shout out to our siblings Claude and Chuck, who produced the Duran Bernard album that won the Grammy. That made me so happy.

[Asante]

They all, the three of them, part of the newsletter.

[Francesca]

Oh, nice. The three of them worked really hard on that. So that made me happy. I was like, much deserved, well deserved. And it made me happy to see everyone else's excitement over it too. Like, I don't know if y' all saw Kendrick hug Duran. Yeah, just all that love was just. It just was really sweet. So I'm happy.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to Duran. Shout out to Duran. Shout out to Duran.

[Francesca]

Yes, absolutely.

[Dustin Ross]

So not only did he win a Grammy, but so many people around the world got exposed to his great personality right through him running up to the stage and seeing how, just like how you just mentioned how Kendrick showed him love, how all the other artists that, you know, his peers were engaging with him and stuff, he was introduced to so many more people that night and he deserves it. So shout out to Duran and shout out to Claude and Chuck.

[Francesca]

Shit, I love y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Francesca]

Congratulations, brothers.

[Dustin Ross]

Right.

[Francesca]

Dustin Ross, you have a black business that you'd like to highlight for us this week.

[Dustin Ross]

You know I do. So shout out to this black business. This is a black owned and operated Pilates and fitness studio that we actually met mentioned about a year and a half ago on the show. But it's open for business now, so we want to drive you guys in. If you're in the metropolitan New York area, White Plains, anywhere around there. So the business is called IMX Pilates and Fitness White Plains. It is the bio listed as a fitness center reinvented and reconstructed to help you achieve dramatic results quickly, regardless of your age, fitness level or goals. IMX Pilates and Fitness White Plains is located at 1,80 Mamaroneck Ave South Loft, White Plains, NY. So that's the area that it is. It is owned and operated by my girl, Marcel Lashley Kabore. Yes. Y' all know Marcel, we love her. A little bit about her. Marcel is a global business strategist, a social entrepreneur and a five time Emmy award winner who spent her life turning bold ideas into powerful change. After years producing and world shifting stories and building educational spaces for youth around the globe, she's bringing her magic home, this time to the Pilates studio. At IMX White Plains, Marcel fuses her passion for wellness, equity and transformation to create a space that feels just as good as it looks. Strong, smart and full of purpose. And this is only the beginning. As a visionary with a global lens, Marcel's Pilates and wellness journey won't stop here. It's the next frontier in her mission to redefine empowerment one movement at a time. So that's dope you can find, ain't it dope you can find them at. This is their handle on all the social networks. It's IMX Pilates White Plains. Simple. So just go to at IMX Pilates White Plains and you'll find all the information you have and go, go stretch out. Go up there and stretch yourself.

[Asante]

Marcel.

[Francesca]

Absolutely. That's so cool. And as always, every link that we mentioned on this episode is always in the description box. Whether it's the business, whether it's music, whatever it is we mentioned, you should find it easily down there. So. So let's jump into. Oh, actually, before we jump into the recap segment, are there any announcements or anything that you'd like for the audience to know that's coming up?

[Asante]

Yes. Apologies to the Patreon community. The live will has been rescheduled for tonight, this Wednesday, which is February 4th at 8pm Eastern Standard Time. All right, we apologize. We know you guys are busy. We know that you guys have lives. You're not available every Wednesday for these. We know that some of you guys might have been your first one. So come on down tonight. This will be the first one of the year. We love you guys so much, especially if you're part of the gated community. We know that you guys enjoy the content that we provide. And if you don't know the content that we provide, check us out [e-mail] the Friends on Podcast so you can get more information on the rest of those cool things that we do.

[Francesca]

Perfect.

[Dustin Ross]

What he said. And also, shout out to everybody that's purchased a ticket. I'm performing stand up comedy here in New York on St. Patrick's Day. That's actually Tuesday, March 17th. I'll be performing here at Cedi Winery. One more again. I went and turned that motherfucker out last year and so I'm doing it again this year on St Patrick's Day. Tickets are available at dustinrosslive.com so shout out to everybody. The show is performing so well. My heart is just so full of gratitude. But if you are moved to buy a ticket, you can just go to dustinrosslive.com click that link. It's in the bio because Fran, handle that. And yeah, I can't wait to see y' all on March 17th. That's it for me.

[Francesca]

Exciting. Round two, right? Last week's episode, which was our first episode, titled Year of the Fire Horse. Oh, actually, no, it was our second episode. Excuse me. Year of the Fire Horse. We shared our thoughts on how 2026 has unfolded thus far and how our sense of self, goals and hopes for the new year have been impacted. Those of you listening, those of you listening had a lot to say. Who stood out to you? Ahsante?

[Asante]

A lot of people stood out to me. A few people I want to shout out here in the Spotify streets. Let's See, one of the people that I want to shout out is B. The letter B. Very mysterious. I like the comment reads. I think it's my undiagnosed ADHD. But I love being on FaceTime while cooking, cleaning, slash taking my dog for a walk. Me and my cousins all live in different cities and we always facetime the group while doing other things. See, I can understand. Cause you know, we were having that conversation, friend, you know, have somebody and I felt you real hard on it. So I can understand, you know, the need to FaceTime or even being used to FaceTime. I am not used to FaceTime in those manners. So when it's like forced on me, it's kind of hard to reconcile what's really happening and what's being asked of me. But yeah, I thought that was a really funny comment. One other comment that I will share, there were a lot of comments shout out to all of y' all on Spotify. The last comment that I'm gonna share. Oh, the last one I'm gonna share is from Danny. It says I'm seriously considering getting an ipod because I hate that everything is on one device making my screen time go up. Lol. I need a separation between church and state. I love that it's perfect because when you pick up your phone, you just get distracted and go all kind of ways. And I've always been of the belief that the ipod should not have died. I feel like it was just such mine. It was such a great device. There were so many variations of it. You can have a screen if you want it. You can stick with the click wheel if you need it. You could get one to just clip on your shirt if you didn't need all that. So perfect. But Apple did their big one. They gave us the iPhone. Now we're just married to them and we feel like we need app on our life all the time.

[Dustin Ross]

I ain't ashamed about it.

[Asante]

Capitalism wins.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't want no Android or offensive Samsung. My motherfucking television in my living room and my sound system in my living room is all Samsung. So I actually with the brand, I just don't want your phone.

[Asante]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

And I don't feel bad about saying that. I definitely judge if we in a group message and it start coming up green. Who did it? Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Those vibes.

[Asante]

Whoa, what happened here?

[Dustin Ross]

And it is what it is. I ain't ashamed about it because I pay my dues when it comes to this iPhone. I've been around since before we could send Pictures. So unless you was emailing pictures and media back and forth, don't say nothing to me about my iPhone loyalty. Okay, Okay.

[Asante]

I feel like this is a safe space. So I'm just gonna admit because you brought from green bubbles, it freaks me out still. This is so weird and so dumb. I'm sorry. It still freaks me out that now that they like, you see the dots for them because it's like, oh yeah.

[Francesca]

Oh wait, if you have an Android, you see the dots.

[Asante]

Sometimes I'll be seeing the. With the Androids or my. The bubbles be green and I start to see that they type and I'm

[Francesca]

like, I noticed they added that to the group chat. I don't know if that's new if I'm just noticing, but now I can see. Okay. I was like, am I tripping? I will say this though, about Android and Samsung's. I love how they always making fun of us for being hyped about technology that they've had for years. And they're like, y' all are so corny because y' all all want iPhones and y' all be like, oh my God, we got the dual sim like Asante was talking about last week or two weeks ago. And people in the comments were like, oh my God, we've had that for years.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, we wouldn't know since we got iPhones.

[Asante]

But I still, I talked about something that I don't even damn need. So I don't even need like y' all had it for years, but what have you been doing with it? Like even I. I talked about getting that because it just lowered my bill, which is amazing. But I still don't even use that. Like, I'm like, why did I, you know, I don't even need to.

[Dustin Ross]

Been fine without it.

[Asante]

Been fine without it. And Android, y' all be doing too much. Y' all come out with these devices that are so high tech and they do so much. The cameras are so powerful, but then the software on the lenses on the. Or whatever the it is make the look weird. But we're gonna just bring it on

[Francesca]

back and we're open to it.

[Asante]

I am open to it. I told you I want that flip phone.

[Francesca]

I would never say never because I'm not saying ever.

[Asante]

I just don't like.

[Dustin Ross]

This is everywhere.

[Asante]

I like the snobbiness where Android people like, oh yeah, I think I don't. I just bought it because it's seamless. It's seamless for me. That's the only reason I'm with Apple. Because I got the computer and it

[Francesca]

works with every other device and it's just easy. That's not really.

[Asante]

Which is why it would make sense for me to get a flip phone. And it doesn't matter that it's an Android because I don't need to plug the flip up to my damn laptop because it's just a flip phone. So. Too much, too much, too much. Fran, what did you find out there in them streets?

[Francesca]

There were so many good comments. Lexi Rich on Patreon. Lexi, I also have to say I love your comments. I find you hilarious. And every time you comment, I see your picture pop up. I love it. It makes me.

[Dustin Ross]

Does she dance?

[Francesca]

Here you go. I feel like you said this the last time I brought up Lexi R. The name.

[Dustin Ross]

You know, Lexi Rich. It sounds like you was on Jocelyn's Cabaret. And I mean dance as far as like actual. The dance.

[Francesca]

That strip, they call it a midnight ballerina.

[Dustin Ross]

Right?

[Francesca]

So Lexi said. Lexi said.

[Dustin Ross]

Never heard that.

[Francesca]

You never heard that. You know the classy name. Lexi said, Listen, if you FaceTime me knowing I have toddlers, I won't be sitting still for longer than five or so minutes. This is for the people I speak to daily now with someone I don't speak to regularly, I will do my best to sit and chat, which rarely happens because the kids are always there. I step away at times, but it's an if you know, you know situation. When I call friends with children, I don't expect them to be focused solely on the call. Parents are literally always busy unless their kids are asleep. I agree with Dustin about scrolling. And I also. And also I scroll with my daily FaceTime person. No.

[Dustin Ross]

Damn girl.

[Francesca]

Kids are a different story.

[Asante]

Yeah, kids exemption girl.

[Francesca]

I feel like that is just. That's understood. I don't think anyone in their right minds would expect a parent put that

[Asante]

baby down and stalking me.

[Francesca]

I think that would be crazy.

[Dustin Ross]

What's wrong with you?

[Asante]

You know what I'm saying?

[Francesca]

That to me is like exempt from the rule. But I think it's just anyone else that has the availability and the space and free time, but they're just choosing to do 10 other things. That's when I find it especially extremely annoying.

[Dustin Ross]

What you doing, grandma? You know what I'm saying?

[Francesca]

It'll be half her face in the screen anyway. So I just know what it comes. What comes with that age range. She be talking to me with glasses,

[Asante]

just all nose in there.

[Francesca]

All I see is is the bed in the background. I'm like, girl, okay, but yes, Lexi. No parents. I. I understand. I feel like with my best friend, kids yelling and her pausing every two seconds just comes with the territory of speaking to her. You know what I mean?

[Dustin Ross]

It's entertainment for me, personally. Like, I would love.

[Asante]

Especially when the kids are funny, it's the best.

[Dustin Ross]

I encourage it, even. Like, Noah is a little older now, right? But I be telling Noah to cut up. And Jay be so mad, because anytime they have a discussion about something and I'm in earshot, I opine. And I said, I'll be on Noah's side, period.

[Francesca]

Me, too.

[Dustin Ross]

Like, every time, whether she ain't gonna be wrong. But even if she was to be, I would still be on her side. She's Jade's kid.

[Francesca]

I was talking with Jade the other day, and Noah comes and interrupts and is like, mom, I want to talk to you about this book. And just starts telling her about the book. Mind you. We're on the phone, and Jade is like, noah, like, do you not. That was important. And I said to Jade, you know what? Just call me back. I think it's so cool that she wants to tell you about this book so badly. Most kids do not find their parents cool enough to want to talk to them about shit. So I told her, take advantage. Don't even trip. Call me back when y' all are done. And I loved it. That's so cute.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't care what she do. I'm on her side.

[Asante]

I love it.

[Dustin Ross]

That's just it. You know what I mean? Like, and that even changing trickles down the dogs. Because Laney. Laney, you know what I'm saying? Like, we just. We be on their side. It is what it is.

[Francesca]

I also found Ball Head Queen on Patreon.

[Asante]

I love her already. I love her already. Okay.

[Francesca]

She said, hey, y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Francesca]

I live in Indiana. Naptown, to be exact. And ICE has rented one of the Marriott locations for the month of February. There's also a detention center called the Speedway Slammer, which is about 30 minutes away from my side of town. I really wish I could say something nice about my home state, but it's the birthplace of the KKK, so the hatred runs deep. Oh, and they passed SB 76. That's going to the house. These people are heinous. I'm worried for some of my neighbors who are Hispanic. Plus, we have a large Haitian community and many African immigrants as well. Onto a lighter note, I'm so glad you guys are back. I've been missing Dustin's humor, Asante's Secretive life and friends. Laughter, friend. Thank you for highlighting. Okay, so this is funny. The artist that I said. Tannerrell, that is not how you say her name.

[Asante]

It's not. How do you say it?

[Francesca]

Tenario to Nary.

[Asante]

I've never gotten it right.

[Francesca]

I'm. I'm. She's. She. This. Okay. Did the whole, like, sound out for me?

[Dustin Ross]

Okay.

[Francesca]

It's. Tenario had no right. I said, wait a minute. And then I went on YouTube, which I normally do, but I guess I was confident.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

I mean, thinking that it was YouTube. Do an interview. And sure enough, it said. And I said, oh, my God. I have been saying this beautiful woman's name wrong for years. So thank you.

[Dustin Ross]

With you so right.

[Francesca]

We sure do. But I apologize because that's absolutely beautiful.

[Asante]

Beautiful woman, beautiful music.

[Francesca]

Thank you, B Queen, for London letting me know she said she's amazing and hella underrated. I feel like she said, I feel like you played nothing without you a few years ago either here or on insecurity, the song that played after Molly accidentally texted Issa during the dreaded game night. I hope this year is beautiful for all three of you beautiful people. Y' all deserve it.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you. We love you. I don't even know you, but I feel connected it.

[Francesca]

I have two quick. It was just so many good comments. It was hard to pick. But Morgan on soundcloud. Let's do some soundcloud. Love, Morgan said. My boyfriend and I are in that era where we're heavily centered on discussing and planning for what's next in our relationship. And it saddens us as of late as late 20 somethings when we see couples out to dinner not speaking to one another. We went to a play last winter and there was a married couple

[Pharmaceutical Announcer]

we

[Francesca]

went to a play last winter and there was a married couple. That dead ass didn't say a word to each other the entire time. It's something we've made a promise to avoid and it helps us with getting to know each other more despite being in each other's lives for years. We've created silly word games that help us bond in moments where conversation is dull. Nonetheless, it's a bit scary knowing that it is a reality for some couples. Very true.

[Dustin Ross]

Living. Honey, I love your optimism and that is the beauty of youth, you know what I'm saying? Y' all are mature adults who made a mature adult decision to be together. You gonna get sick of each other and you're gonna look for. You're going to appreciate the fact that you can sit in Silence next to the. You're gonna be. That's gonna become one of your strengths. That. Yeah, y' all can just sit next to each other and do with ourselves. Yeah. And just don't stop. I'm giving advice. You know what I'm saying?

[Francesca]

And it's tricky because there are couples that don't say a word because they're tired of each other and have lost the spark. But there are also couples that don't say a word because they're just that comfortable where they don't always have to be talking. And it's just like, I'm as comfortable by myself not saying word as I am comfortable sitting next to you and not saying words.

[Dustin Ross]

So they could have been eating now. Later.

[Asante]

Oh, my God.

[Francesca]

You know what?

[Asante]

Kudos to y', all, though. Kudos to y' all for. Listen, for seeing that and deciding to

[Francesca]

make a show about it.

[Asante]

I just want you to know you're

[Dustin Ross]

not gonna want to play them games, the game thing.

[Francesca]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

You're not gonna want to do that in about five years, you know?

[Asante]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

You know, I'll leave you if you

[Asante]

could go either way.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's play a word game.

[Francesca]

And then lastly, Maria on Patreon said, I'm just listening to this episode, and it's crazy because I just created a story graph account earlier this week. I have been. I have a goodreads account, but I've been trying to de Amazon my life. And since Amazon owns the platform, I wanted to find another book tracking app. Love to see you talking about it. I love that we got a lot of messages that were similar of people d Amazoning. I love that their lives. And that was one of the first things they got rid of and also transitioned over to storygraph, which apparently it's easy to transition. You know, if you have any, like, lists and things. Apparently they've made it easy for you to bring things over. So, yeah, I love that.

[Asante]

Okay, so for the listeners. For the listeners that really be doing their thing, where do you get your audiobooks? So if you're not going to audible, you don't want to do it on, like, Spotify or any of the places you do your music, where do you go for your audiobooks?

[Francesca]

That's a good question. I've seen people say Libby in. In our Patreon comments. A lot of people say they. They rely on Libby. But I know one thing that's tricky with Libby is Sam, is that you have to wait. Is that you have to wait for the book to be available, which I find Interesting because it's audio, but I guess they want you to feel like you're at the library.

[Dustin Ross]

Like, stupid.

[Asante]

It is stupid, because sometimes you have

[Francesca]

to wait 16 weeks and you're like, wait, not you.

[Dustin Ross]

You know, to the idea, right? Bitch, please.

[Asante]

Yeah, so I think. I think actual libraries are, like, given certain, like, licenses to rent out a certain number of audiobooks per title. And the fact that Libby, like, actually regulates that. It. Again, it. To echo what you're saying is so annoying. Like, y' all should be, like, a separate. Because that's when you started talking about Libby. That's my problem. Yeah, it's connected to those other libraries. It's not its own, like. Or maybe you need that. Well, yeah, it is. It's not. You don't. It's not like they have their own dedicated access to audio books. And I'm like, girl, that's the only thing. If I was. If I was like a book worm. Worm. And, like, I want to connect this to my library or whatever, that would be cute. But they're missing the audience. That's us. Okay, we need something else. But, yes, leave those comments below. Grant, any more comments that you find?

[Francesca]

No, that's it for me. Dustin, what'd you find in those Twitter streets?

[Dustin Ross]

So I just have one this week that deserves our attention. Shout out to Kev onstage. He tweeted a video where he. He quoted the video with a tweet that said, all I said was, I had my annual physical black men go to the doctor. Right. He accompanied that with a video showing the responses that he got to that tweet. Oh, no, there are so many people. And I'm not gonna say you and y'. All. Cause I know the people that are listening to this show weren't a part of that.

[Francesca]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

There's so many people who are so God damn ignorant. The first. He literally said the tweet said, I just had my annual physical black men go to the doctor. That's it. Responses, oh, he got a thumb up his ass. He got fingered.

[Francesca]

What?

[Dustin Ross]

Why? You don't need to do that. You just need to pray and work out. No, it's all a scam. Just like the wildest responses in the world to a tweet that said, I had my annual physical black men go to the doctor. We gotta stop being so fucking obtuse and being stupid for the sake of. I know the Internet is not the real world, and I don't be around people that respond to that. Would respond to that tweet like that. I don't know no people like that, but somebody did. Somebody typed that. So start having conversations with the people around you. That's all I got to say. I'm just gonna leave it there. I ain't even gonna go too far off because it's Black History Month and I don't want to go off on the black people that responded to that. But just know that that is out of fucking order. And shout out to Kev on stage for highlighting it. I love this trend that him and Brandy, the Millennial manager whose account I love on Instagram, and T.S. madison, who I love in real life. I love the way that they put these rude commenters on the quote unquote Summer Jam stream Summer Jam screen. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Put these on blast and get that off your chest and respond to them and twist the knife. Cut, slice, stab virtually with your words. I'm saying, saying. And that's it for me this week.

[Francesca]

That means that we can jump into this week's episode. This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. Squarespace Is that all in one spot? That makes building a website actually feel easy. Whether you're just getting started or enhancing your thriving business, it's got everything in one place. Every dream needs a domain. Squarespace domains make it easy to find the best name for your business at one fair, all inclusive price with an no hidden fees or add ons required. Every Squarespace domain comes with advanced privacy and security tools included to ensure your domain remains online and protected. Plus, Squarespace provides everything you need to bring more of your dream to life. Whether that means building a website or adding a professional email service, don't wait to claim your name. Invest in your dream domain today. Get that new domain discovered fast with integrated Squarespace SEO tools. And every website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto generated site map, and so much more. So you show up more often on search engines and bring in more of your ideal customers. We talk about how much we love Squarespace. A lot of us have used it for our personal brands. A lot of our friends have as well. And the best thing about it is that building a website can be intimidating or expensive. But with Squarespace it feels easy to do and they walk you through every step. Squarespace.com's FriendZone for a free trial and when you're ready to Launch, use code FRIENDZONE to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com friendzone for a free trial and use Code FriendZone to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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[Dustin Ross]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment

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of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent

[Francesca]

to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes See full terms@mint mobile.com this week's episode is a Dustin Ross production. We're going in cold.

[Dustin Ross]

That's right.

[Francesca]

We have no idea. Right. Let us know what's going on this week, Dustin.

[Dustin Ross]

According to the streets. That's my specialty. Anyway. So this week I want to start things off with a comprehensive statement that I think is important. And it's especially important to make during Black History Month. Right? The words black bottom have always meant a good thing.

[Francesca]

Always.

[Dustin Ross]

They have always meant a good thing. Black bottom good. Okay, equate that.

[Asante]

Jesus.

[Dustin Ross]

Now y' all know.

[Francesca]

Is that the episode title, Dustin?

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, baby, it's part of it. We can make it that the words black bottom have always meant a good thing. Now y' all know it's Black History Month, and we are living in a time where learned history and shared history is more important than ever. We're learning that, right? People are compromising archival record keeping. They are compromising. They are literally rewriting history, revising history to suit their. Whatever their agenda is. So it's time, you know, I see so many videos where people are asked questions on the street, you know, to fill in the blanks. What is the black response to this? Or ask questions about little known facts in black history. And they fail miserably because I think a lot of people are just simply not. Not sitting down, talking and sharing stories about what happened in the past, right? And so since this is our damn podcast, that's what we fitting to do. You know what I'm saying? It's Black History Month. Let's educate, okay? And edify ourselves, right? And y' all know I grew up in Michigan. I grew up. I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. I lived in Detroit for many years before I moved to New York City. And so Michigan history is something that's important to me, especially Michigan black history, okay? Because it's a very strong black culture and presence in Flint and in Detroit and in Grand Rapids and in Lansing and in Saginaw and all these cities in Michigan that we need to know more about, especially when it comes to our history as black people, when it comes to entrepreneurship, when it comes to ownership, homeownership, land ownership, things like that. We need to know about black stories where that happened to encourage us as we move forward. We're all familiar with Tulsa, okay? And the black Wall street situation in Tulsa. We're all aware of that history and may we never forget it. But there were other communities and other places in the country where black people congregated and thrived out of necessity. And one of those places was Detroit, okay? A lot of people don't know about this area in Detroit called Black Bottom, okay? Black Bottom. Black Bottom was the name of this neighborhood in Detroit that we're going to talk about today. And we're going to get into the history of it, what it meant to black Americans, to black people, what happened there and what is going on in that area of Detroit today. If you're from the city and you don't know about this, listen up. If you do know about it, talk about it to some damn Body. You know what I'm saying? Like I'm about to. Because this is something that people need to know about. So let's talk about black bodies. Black Bottom was a predominantly black neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan.

[Asante]

I'm sorry, it was just the way you said it that time that got me. Every other time I've been with you, Black Bottom.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay.

[Asante]

Cause you've been saying it like that. But the way you hit it that time, just.

[Dustin Ross]

And it's not even June.

[Francesca]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

Right? Black Bottom. Love them, by the way, the national treasure. Okay? Put a award. Em. They need that medal, the Kennedy Medal or whatever that thing is. Black Bottom. Anyway, in this case, Black Bottom was a predominantly black neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan. Usually that term Black Bottom or the name of that area has been used to apply to the entire neighborhood. But there was a subsection of Black Bottom called Paradise Valley, okay. That some people consider. Excuse me. To be separate, but it was all in the same area. So Black Bottom and Paradise Valley was a part of Black Bottom Bottom.

[Francesca]

Okay?

[Dustin Ross]

Now, if you're familiar with the Detroit area and the downtown area, where Ford Field is today part of where the sports complex is, Black Bottom and Paradise Valley were bounded by Brush street to the west, the Grand Trunk Railroad tracks to the east, the Detroit river itself to the south. And it was bisected or cut in the middle by, excuse me, Grasshead Avenue, which is a main thoroughfare in Detroit. If you ever been in the area north of Grand Boulevard, north of Gratiot Avenue to Grand Boulevard, was defined as Paradise Valley. So even though people call that area Black Bottom, and it is typically assigned to represent the culture that lived there, the times, the area, the people, the name Black Bottom itself actually came from it being a reference by the early French colonial settlers who had settled in. Because in that part of Michigan, because it had very dark, very fertile topsoil, okay? It was found in the area. So that's where the Black Bottom name actually came from. And it later on, it just represented the black life that was occupying the space.

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Dustin Ross]

But, yeah. So this goes all the way back. During World War I, Black Bottom was home to a lot of Eastern European Jewish immigrants. And during the Great Migration, the influx of the southern black people that came up to Michigan for jobs, like in the auto industry and the factories and shit, a combination of that and what we now know to be redlining. You guys know what redlining is? Okay. Which is inherently racist. But through a combination of those two things, this area, Black Bottom, became a majority black neighborhood within Detroit. Detroit Okay. As Black Bottom grew, it became very lively, filled with, like, jazz clubs and nightclubs, bars and things that were owned by African Americans at the time. Let's talk about how this happened. Right?

[Francesca]

Isn't it interesting how redlining always starts off as, like you said, it's always racist and trying to corral us into small corners that are usually, you know, neglected, and then we turn it into a magical place and then suddenly they want it back. It never fails. Never fails.

[Dustin Ross]

Never fails. So Black Bottom and Paradise Valley in Detroit, they both ended up being areas that provided housing and, like I said, entertainment for the African Americans. That the African American population in Detroit, right, from, like the 1920s through the 1940s. This happened because the black people at the time were refused interest to entrance to most of the white neighborhoods, really all of the white neighborhoods. They were not allowed to rent or buy homes there. And they were crowded into the black bottom area where the rent was actually higher and the housing was in poorer conditions. Right. Because it was so densely occupied. The Paradise Valley section of the area consisted of black owned businesses where African Americans could shop and eat and relax and just function as citizens in peace. This is at a time when segregation was a real thing. Black people were not allowed entrance into places, businesses, neighborhoods. It just was not happening. They weren't employed by these people, nothing. Like I said, most of the area's inhabitants had migrated north to work in the factories where they could make a whole lot more money than they were able to make in the southern states. So there was a lot of promise here. Right? There was Paradise Valley, like I said, which occupied all of the nightclubs and restaurants and stores and actually attracted a lot of white people because, of course, the food was good, the parties were good, the clubs, you know what I'm saying? So it ended up turning into a kickstarter for integration because in Paradise Valley, the black people and white people would sit next to each other and function together as one. And it kind of was the model for actual integration in Detroit. There's a writer named Elaine Moon, and she has a article that she wrote titled Paradise Valley. And in that article, she said, quote, it was the black downtown, Broadway, Las Vegas. She called Paradise Valley a place where of fun, brotherhood and games of chance. She said, a place known from here to Europe. In the 1930s and early 40s in Detroit, a night on the town for black people or white people was not complete without a stop at Paradise Valley. It was here that integration began, where black and white first sat side by side for eating and Entertainment. It was here that many politicians got their start sowing seeds in Black Bottom. It was here that ball players found a haven when they were ostracized from white hotels and restaurants. So at this time, the black athletes, although they were being used for their abilities, they couldn't even mix and mingle and use their money that they were making anywhere else. So it was a very important district in Detroit because of the neighborhoods that surrounded Paradise Valley and Black Bottom passing these restrictive covenants that prohibited black people from purchasing or renting property. Everybody, like I said, was densely populated and confined to this Black bottom area. In 1941, there was an orchestra hall in that space and it was named Paradise Theater. And this is where. Yep. This is also a space in the city where Reverend C.L. franklin, who was Aretha's daddy, embattled and storied, but that was her daddy. And this is where he initially established his new Bethel Back Baptist Church, right there on Hastings Street. So this was where it was at.

[Francesca]

Wow. Yeah, okay.

[Dustin Ross]

Like Beck said, they definitely. Two turntables and a microphone. Where is that? This is where it was at. So even though it was so densely populated, it was poor, right. And actually, actually one third of all the black Detroiters lived within this one neighborhood. So because of this, the homes themselves, like the infrastructure was all fucked up, you know what I'm saying? It was sweeping wave, right? So the houses here would hold like three to four families in one house, right? Because people could not find housing anywhere but in this area. And they were forced to figure it out and share because of this overcrowding, diseases, crime, and even like vermin, like rodents and stuff ran rampant. So again, this is something that was caused by income inequality and redlining. And this also deferred housing upkeep and maintenance. So the buildings and the city was. The area was falling apart structurally and it deteriorated. Specifically the housing conditions. While the entire city of Detroit was struggling with the lack of adequate housing. At the time, Black Bottom actually had the poorest of the living quarters. It was really bad. Some of the homes were single room homes, multiple people in them, no cooking facilities, no indoor plumbing. That type of shit. It was real. But like black people, do we make lemonade out of lemons? You know what I'm saying? If nothing out of something, this arrangement, even though it was fucked up, ended up fostering a very tight knit community. Community, you know what I'm saying? Because people are forced to rely on each other and help each other out. And while this was happening and we were strengthening ourselves in that way and supporting our own businesses. We, we were no longer at the time putting our money into these businesses that wouldn't even let us in the door. We started pouring the money even though it was raggedy buildings that were ours. So we were supporting them, shopping from each other. There was a concentrated effort to do that okay by everybody. Because of this, the city obviously had their eye on the area and they saw the poor conditions right. As an excuse to raise raz the area. In other words, basically bulldoze everything. And they looked at it as a space of opportunity for them and they selected this neighborhood. When the city planners were preparing the area for the thoroughfare known as the new i75, which we all know is a major interstate, major highway in America. And it goes north and south straight through Detroit, all the way up through Flint, the state of Michigan, basically. And you can take 75 all the way from Flint to Atlanta, right? Yeah, you don't never get off the expressway. So Detroit's urban renewal project as it was, it targeted these blighted areas for raising and reconstruction. The author Thomas Segrew, in his book the Origins of the Urban Crisis, Race and Inequality in Post war Detroit, he said, quote, city officials expected that the eradication of blight would increase city tax revenue, revitalize the decaying urban core and improve the living conditions of the poorest slum dwellers. Overcrowded, unsanitary and dilapidated districts like Paradise Valley and the Lower east side of Detroit would be replaced by clean, modern, high rise housing projects, civic institutions and hospitals. Now what did that sound like to y'? All? Some bullshit starts with a G. Gentrification, the usual. Hello. So the destruction of this neighborhood with no warning and no effort on the part of the city to provide any sort of like housing alternatives or assistance was catastrophic for black people in Detroit at the time. Like it imploded our personal communities, our economy, all of that, it fucked Everybody up. In 1958, the Wayne county, which is the county that Detroit sits in, the Wayne County Road Commissioner predicated that little difficulty, or excuse me, predicted that little difficulty would be experienced by families facing displacement because of highway construction. So they tried to say, well, nothing's gonna happen, y' all will be right, it won't be no difficulty. Even though the families that were on the highway sites received, get this y', all, only a 30 day notice to vacate.

[Francesca]

30 days.

[Dustin Ross]

And the county commission, the Roe Commission made no efforts to assist these families in relocating. Imagine, you can't get a house nowhere because of racism, right? The place that you do get is completely fucked up and falling apart. And now the city tells you, you know what, you got to go in 30, you and your family, Right? Remember, it was multiple families in these homes. You got to go within 30 days.

[Asante]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

What the.

[Asante]

We all shouldn't have any difficulty.

[Dustin Ross]

It's crazy.

[Francesca]

So what was your, your intro, Cliff? I'm surprised, but I know who you are. Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

And that's on Michelle becoming. So after World War II, 2/3 of the physical structures in Black Bottom have been classified as aging and substandard, Quote, lacking modern amenities or sitting in significant disrepair. The city government then determined these areas to be slums and designated those remaining after the highway const for clearance through a series of revitalization projects. Right. So they're taking this land, basically. Black Bottom and Paradise Valley both face destruction for the construction of medical and city run institutions as well as public housing projects. So that was the sale. We're getting rid of everything. We're tearing all this shit down and we're building a hospital, city run institution facilities and public housing projects. Okay. They had a federal housing act in 1949 that was passed and it ended up funding all the demolition. Y' all know how they do. They gonna find the money for what they want. Of course, the city of Detroit at the time sent photographers out to document these structures. And those photographs are now housed in the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library. So if you're in Detroit ever and you're interested in seeing what the area looked like, or photographs of the actual Black Bottom, of Paradise and Valley areas, where but for deconstruction, you can find them at the Detroit Public Library.

[Asante]

That's dope.

[Dustin Ross]

So. But by 1954, listen to these numbers. 423 residences. Remember, there was four to five families in each home. So multiply that times four or five. 109 businesses, 22 manufacturing plants and 93 vacant lots had been condemned for the freeway project. That's what they took out for the freeway project that I've driven up and over so many times and never even knew any of this history.

[Francesca]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

The Federal Highway act of 1956 ended up funding the rest of the highway construction over Hastings street and the surrounding city blocks. The Chrysler Freeway ended up bisecting, so cutting in the middle. The rest of the Lower east side, including Paradise Valley and Black Bottom, and the Edsel Ford Freeway also cut through the northernmost part of Paradise Valley Valley, Black Bottom and Paradise Valley were replaced themselves with private housing from the Gratiot redevelopment project. We put names on this, the city, Detroit. The city of Detroit itself also supported the construction of Lafayette park, which was a modernist residential development designed and intended as a model neighborhood containing residential townhomes, apartments and high rises with commercial areas. A lot of the many former residents. A lot of the former residents of Black Bottom ended up being relocated to what? You guessed it, the public housing projects. Okay. Such as the Brewster projects, legendary projects in Detroit, and the Jeffries Homes. The Jeffries Homes was later demolished in 2001, and the Brewster projects were demolished in 2008 just to tie it in on that story.

[Asante]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

In 2000, the last three structures of paradise Valley were officially raised and a Michigan. I thought this was cool. A Michigan historical site marker sign actually sits on the former intersection of Adams Avenue and St. Antoine street, which is again, where Ford Field is where the Lions play. And it exists as the last physical marker of the neighborhood. So I'm glad they at least did that.

[Francesca]

Damn.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Today this area is occupied by Harmony Park. I can't tell you how many times I done went park. It used to be a place called the Detroit Fish Market in Harmony Park. It was a nice restaurant where you could like dance and shit at nighttime. We used to party in there on Martini Mondays. I just was at a restaurant called Fixin's in Harmony park when I was in Detroit for my show in December. Harmony park is incredible, but I feel bad knowing all this shit now that I enjoyed the area, man. Comerica park, where the Detroit Tigers play and they have lots of concerts and shit, and Ford Field, where the Detroit Lions play. All of those things occupy the area where Paradise Valley stood. And so now we have to ask ourselves, how can we remember this? Right? How will we remember this? There's an architect again. Shout out to the arts and people who have talent and skill that they can apply to preserving black history, Right? Shout out to Emily Coutil. She's an architect and she plans to recreate the neighborhood virtually using photos from the Detroit Public Library's Borden Historical Collection, which I mentioned earlier. And she's doing this through a website called Black Bottom Street View. The website is purported to also feature oral histories from past residents, which. How much more accurate can we get than that, Right? Actual retelling of people who live there. In September of 2022, the Federal Highway Administration awarded Detroit a 104 million doll grant for the i375 project, which would get this. Demolish the current 1.62 mile long sunken highway and construct a proposed lower speed boulevard at street level. This Project was supposed to start in 2025, and when it's complete, it'll reconnect the streets that were cut off by that sunken highway for. For decades. So now they raised the. It took it away from everybody, only to now tear that shit up. And they're going to try to rebuild it, but it won't be black owned and operated. So what are your thoughts on Black Bottom in Paradise Valley in Detroit? First of all, have you all ever heard about that?

[Francesca]

I never have. I'm not surprised, though, because it reminds me of. Did you hear the story of Central Park?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, Seneca Village.

[Francesca]

Seneca Village. And it was the same thing, right? It's like the thriving black community, black businesses, black churches. And it completely got demolished to make space for Central Park. And a lot of people, like you were saying, you go to that park, you go to these areas. And a lot of people aren't even aware of what's. What lies underneath it, figuratively and literally. And I think that that's crazy to think about as you navigate different parts of different cities and not even knowing what was sacrificed for these things to be created. So I'm not surprised.

[Dustin Ross]

And think about High.

[Francesca]

I never heard of it.

[Dustin Ross]

Like, think about how iconic since they created something that people don't even think twice about. The origin of when it comes to Central park, you just associate that with New York City and it is literally a compass for how you can traverse the city. Like, things are the east side and the west side. It's the nucleus of. Of New York and New York City, Manhattan. That's a main character, literally. And the fact that it was stolen from not just a community of people, but a thriving black community of people, it's just wild to me. Asante, have you ever heard of Black Bottom or Paradise Valley?

[Asante]

No, I have never heard of it. But it was really interesting to hear. And it was so dope to hear how black people are. Unfortunately, we get pushed into situations and we're always gonna to, you know, lift each other up as best we can or try to make something out of nothing. And to see that it was Paradise Valley, like, what a name. And then were to be like the beginning or the inception at a time where it was so critical to have those images in your head of, like, integration. You know, I just can't even imagine that today. And it sucks that that was taken away. And it's unfortunately back to the clip you played at the beginning. Like, it's like these things are not surprising, but they're still super unfortunate. They suck. And there's history about. I won't talk about things in Atlanta's history. Oh, gosh, Dustin, do you remember Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when that unfortunate, unfortunate event was discussed? And then Camille Grammer was like, there, now we've said it. That's what you just did. I'll tell you about it afterwards because it was a terrible moment. But, yeah, continue, please.

[Dustin Ross]

Like Lanier. That's why they. Every time somebody go out there day, right? Yeah, every time. Them. They pull them down every single time. Because that's a real community of people

[Asante]

that they literally set up.

[Dustin Ross]

Didn't they burn that neighborhood up and then build the lake on top of it?

[Asante]

I think they did something. Community on fire.

[Dustin Ross]

Crazy when you think about that. And now and. And for years, people have gone missing. Freak accidents, all kind of shit. To this day, it is still continuing to happen on Lake Lanier. And it makes even the most skeptical of different realms or whatever. It makes even the most skeptical person start asking some questions, you know what I'm saying? Because why the fuck is this continuing to happen in this area? But it is. It's a very real thing. We not even gonna get on Tulsa, Oklahoma, and black Wall Street.

[Francesca]

Right, right, right.

[Dustin Ross]

And the last survivor of that massacre just passed away. We're not even gonna get on the legal fight that they've been enduring for years. Okay? And it just makes you think twice. So my thing with this, I was encouraged to just archive as much history as we can. As much history as you can.

[Asante]

It's important.

[Dustin Ross]

It's so important. You gotta talk to the elders in your family. You know what I'm saying? Find a common ground. Make them feel comfortable. Cuss a little bit bit. Make them feel comfortable so they can start telling you all the real details of. And you can start keeping a record. Creating and keeping a record. When it comes to your personal family history, where y' all came from, if no one told you, then be the person to start spearheading those conversations with elders in your family and composing and compiling some sort of tangible record of your history. Because otherwise generations go and go and go and go, and it literally is erased and forgotten. And the lessons that are learned through that history and the things that motivate us to move smarter, the. The. The. The warnings given through history and the fact that history repeats itself will be lost. And that's a very dangerous space for us all to be in, especially our kids. I ain't even got no danger damn kids. And I'm talking to myself, like, don't you forget about your grandma.

[Asante]

Right.

[Francesca]

You know, so it's so important. I'm glad I never heard of Black Bottom. And like you were saying, there's. I. I'm sure this is a story in every city. Yeah, every city has it. I was just trying to look up because I was remembering. Remember when they were destroying that neighborhood in Philly where they threw an actual bomb?

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. In 85 somewhere. 85, was it?

[Francesca]

Yeah, it was in 80. 85 in May because of the move, Black Liberation Organization that was really working to restore and fortify the neighborhoods. They were thriving. They did actual bomb on the row houses. So every city has that story. And I'm grateful that you put a song to this one because I never actually knew about the Detroit version of it.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you.

[Asante]

What was the name of that library?

[Dustin Ross]

You said it's a Detroit Public Library, but I'm going to tell you the collection at the library.

[Asante]

Yeah. Just because I think that's super dope. And when I think about, like, know when you have to preserve these things, like, the library is an important resource. Resource. I know I was talking, you know, trash earlier about Libby, and Libby is a great resource because it is connecting you to the concept of the actual library. So make a trip and go see that. Because I think it's super dope when we are informed and we can see things. Like if we can't make it to the museum, going to the library to check that out would be super, super dope. So then when they do, you said that artist, the architecture, they're reconstructing that neighborhood or they work virtually. Oh, just virtually. Yeah. So, you know, seeing it virtually and then being able to like walk in. Because if they decide to kind of connect that to like some sort of tech program, you could like walk the neighborhood and see it kind of come alive in real life. That would be super dope to already kind of know or to connect those pieces together from what Dustin shared on

[Dustin Ross]

the show 100% and find some inspiration in all that. So if you go to the collection, Asante is referencing photographs that the city of Detroit sent photographers out to document at the end of the Paradise Valley and Black Bottom era before they bulldoze it for the highway. Those photographs are now housed in the Burton B U R T O N. So the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library. So just look up Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library. And as far as the virtual neighborhood that is planned and is being created by the architect Emily Qtil. That's her name. So Emily Last name K U T I L. So. So check her out. You can google her. That is supposed to be created on a website called Black Bottom Street View. I'm not sure of the current status of that project, but you can find her in Bugger because we need this to happen.

[Francesca]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Asante]

So that's it.

[Dustin Ross]

A little black history for my black history.

[Asante]

Especially after Friends episode last week. I think it was so important that you shared. There's not a lot of mediums where we're getting a lot of black history, you know, through art, we do get it. So it's important in places like this that we can just talk about it the way you so eloquently did. But it's the way you so much black bottom every time.

[Francesca]

Thank you, Dustin Ross.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you very much. And that's it for this week's hot button.

[Francesca]

Let's jump into this week's segments.

[Asante]

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[Dustin Ross]

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[Dustin Ross]

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[Dustin Ross]

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[Francesca]

This week in wellness. So if you remember last week, I think it was last week or maybe the week prior, I was talking about how I spent a big chunk of my break just in. Just organizing, right? Auditing, organizing, setting myself up for the new year. And I mentioned removing 10,000 plus pictures from my phone, but not necessarily knowing how to organize it, what to do with it exactly. And a Lot of you wrote in with tips and hacks and all kinds of really helpful emails, but one email in particular by a listener named Kareem stood out to me because I ended up researching what he suggested and I was like, oh, I might consider this. And then I thought this was helpful information for everyone else.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's say this on to something.

[Francesca]

And also, Kareem, the way that you organized this email just scratched a wonderful itch in my head. It was just like bullet points and links. And I was like, damn, this person must have a high pressure job. You get just feel was so well organized. But they said, hey, Fram. I was listening to the Friend Zone and wanted to share an idea that might be helpful as you think about storing photos, videos and other important files you might want, Right? You might want to look into something called a nas, which is short for Network Attached Storage, despite the name, it's basically a personal cloud that you own. It lives in your home or office and quietly backs things up in the background with no constant managing required. And then he lists out why it might be useful for you. Okay. Oh, that's insane. That's what I was like, what? Automatic backups. He said many NAS systems can automatically backup iPhones, icloud photos and, and your whole computer, so things are protected without any extra steps. He mentions redundancy, which unlike a single external hard drive, a NAS usually has multiple drives inside. So if one draft fails, your other files, your files, excuse me, are still safe on the other drives.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay, so far I'm on his side.

[Francesca]

Okay. It's one organized place. So photos, videos, documents, your campaign media, which I mentioned, he said can all live in one spot instead of being scattered across multiple drives and multiple devices. Which makes sense to me. Right? He said it's also great for campaign work because it's an easy way to store, share and archive photos and videos from events, social media or press without worrying about losing anything. And very. And one thing I, when I looked this up that they mentioned as far as this point right here, is that because it's basically your server, it's a server, you can access it from anywhere as opposed to your drive. If you don't have it with you, let's say you need it for something. You're. You're like, I left it back in Oregon and I'm in New York and this is like, oh, it's my server. I can just go to my server. It's there, there. So that to me was like a huge sell because you just always have it with you. It's like your personal icloud without having to pay a monthly subscription.

[Asante]

Right.

[Francesca]

Essentially you pay on the front end. You buy the hard. The hard drive. Yeah, the hard drive.

[Asante]

Right.

[Francesca]

It is expensive. I will say that when I was looking at the prices, they ranged anywhere from like 500 to thousands of dollars. But I also understand you're paying for a personal icloud essentially. So you want to be top of the line, right?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, I know. I want all the bails and whiskey.

[Francesca]

He says that you can, like I mentioned, you can access anywhere. So you can securely get to your files from your phone or laptop or wherever there's Internet. And it grows with you. Right. Because you can add more storage later instead of having to replace the whole drive. You can continue to add drives to it.

[Dustin Ross]

The gift that keeps on giving.

[Francesca]

Yeah. This is brilliant. He said I use one myself. And while it can do lots of extra things. He said said mine even records TV from an over the air antenna and stores entire TV series which in these days when a lot of our shows are no. Are being taken off of streaming services.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

And music videos and just a lot of things that only fans. This is a cool way to kind of build your own library and archive.

[Dustin Ross]

I love this. I love this. So this is right.

[Francesca]

He also said the nice part is that you don't have to use all of the features. At its core it's just a very reliable, no low stress place for important files. He says if you're curious, these are very beginner friendly starting points. And then he lists.

[Dustin Ross]

He is great.

[Francesca]

That's what I was like. You scratched Kareem. You scratched an itch.

[Dustin Ross]

Did you go to his Instagram?

[Francesca]

I did not.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's find out what Kareem looks like and what is interesting. Let's find out what his interests are. I might know if he don't like and he's not attractive. I might know somebody that might. I might know a woman, you know or whatever. You never know who's Kareem? I like the way he did this.

[Francesca]

Kareem, tell us more. He mentioned the Synology Nas. Which nas. Not nas. Here I go. Which is. Which is beginner friendly brand. And he said says this is actually the one that he uses. So if you want to look into it, that's spelled S Y-N-O-L-O-G-Y.com Synology.com he also sends me a what a NAS is and so you can look on the synology.com they have a tab called what is NAS? If you want to get more information, NAS is like. And then he sent me a YouTube overview as well.

[Dustin Ross]

Comprehensive.

[Francesca]

Thank you. That's why I said that's his name.

[Dustin Ross]

Me.

[Francesca]

There are a lot of short step by step videos that he kind of put me onto. And then he wrote, no pressure at all. Just wanted to pass along an option that could work better and doesn't require becoming a tech person overnight. Best. Thank you, Kareem. Right.

[Dustin Ross]

And I mean best.

[Francesca]

So once again, a nas, which is network attached storage. It's essentially a dedicated high capacity file level data storage server connected to a local area network and enables authorized users to store and retrieve data from this centralized location. They say it's ideal for home or office. And NAS devices support file sharing, media streaming and automated backups.

[Dustin Ross]

I love this.

[Francesca]

Right. It's amazing. If you want more info. Actually, there's a YouTube video that popped up for me when I was doing my research that the. The channel is Jimmy tries World and the video title is everything you need to know before getting a NAS from a newbie's perspective. I'm gonna link that below, but I really love this video. It's about 30 minutes long, but he walks you through everything like he has it in front of him. He explains exactly how he use it, how it works, the different features, pros and cons, which is, you know, important. So.

[Dustin Ross]

So it's a great video from Kareem, but it felt good. Okay, and this is. You said that he's. This is from a newbie's perspective, right?

[Francesca]

The YouTube channel I mentioned.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesca]

Right. Someone that's just stepping into it.

[Dustin Ross]

I love it. It's a new take on Green screen.

[Asante]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

He's green to it and he's screening the item. Also, this is called NAS and it's a cloud, personal cloud. Yeah, nas, nudes and stuff.

[Asante]

That's what you can store on there.

[Dustin Ross]

Nas, all that, that's what you can put on there. You know what I'm saying? A good thing, friend.

[Francesca]

It is. And I think because icloud. A lot of why I didn't want to deal with it is iclouds get hacked. I mean, I'm sure NAS could get hacked in some capacity too, but I just didn't want to deal with all that. And then of course, the expense of paying for something monthly.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Granted, you're paying on the front end, so it kind of may work itself out, but then you're done. That's it. It's not an expense you have to worry about every month. You just pay for it on the front end. And then the difference too. That's a one time payment, right? Whereas on icloud, I feel like they be changing the prices. Oh, we're raising this, raising that. I feel like I'd be getting Apple emails saying I got charged. Half the time I don't know what I got charged for. I'm just like, this is different.

[Dustin Ross]

Thing about it is if you pay up front, right? And you get your money's worth, if you do the math as far as, like, how much you paying for icloud now and shit, but with you in particular for friend, you gonna get your money's worth because you know you gonna have yours for a long time. You ain't gonna get a new nas.

[Asante]

We gonna have a new N. You don't have to.

[Dustin Ross]

You ain't gonna. You.

[Asante]

You.

[Francesca]

According to Kareem, I just keep adding to it. You don't have to do that anyway, that's how you. That's just how I.

[Asante]

That's just me.

[Francesca]

But yes, Kareem, you put me on. I'm very grateful for all of you that just are so brilliant and keep us informed. Just the way we try to keep you informed. I just thought that was helpful for everybody because a lot of people were writing and saying that they too were trying to be more organized and figuring out their shit with all these dame files.

[Dustin Ross]

So I love that. I love smart shit, like, right. And I love the fact that our audience is smart.

[Francesca]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

That makes me feel good. Have y' all seen how that everybody's been sharing the. Your algorithm post on Instagram?

[Francesca]

No.

[Dustin Ross]

You can, you can see, you can go to the Instagram settings and you can see a AI overview of your algorithm for the year for Instagram or whatever.

[Asante]

Somebody likes telling me that I'd like

[Dustin Ross]

to share mine with mines.

[Asante]

Oh, God, I'm scared to look at mines.

[Dustin Ross]

Mine says, I already know what mine's gonna say and I actually, I'm gonna show mine on the screen and I would like for you, Francesca, to read it. Go to my story. You can go to my story and tap see your Instagram, your algorithm when you view mine, which Francesca is about to read.

[Francesca]

Audience, I'm scared.

[Dustin Ross]

Francesca, please read it.

[Francesca]

It says lately you've enjoyed quality time with loved ones, staying updated on global happenings and reading in depth reporting with me. Where did you say that is? I didn't see that.

[Dustin Ross]

My Instagram story. Go to my Instagram story. And. And that's custom. That is a custom summary of what my algorithm on Instagram currently is. I'm smart. That's all I want. I don't know what y' all thought it was. Yes, I'll be watching fights and shit. But you see, when you summarize what I'm taking in over here, it says I'm reading in my voice. It says lately you've enjoyed quality time with loved ones, staying updated on global happenings things and reading in depth reporting. So I felt like the only right song to add to that is made my whole faint by future. All you have to do is go to my. If you go to my Instagram story.

[Asante]

No, not my personal right.

[Dustin Ross]

Listen, I'm about to get you to. For you. If you go to my personal Instagram story and you see where I've shared my algorithm, it'll leave you. It's a button there to push for you, for you to get yours.

[Asante]

It's a prompt.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, you could probably get your ass in my mc.

[Francesca]

Oh, mine says lately you've been into fitness gains, Portland's property scene and checking out new eats.

[Dustin Ross]

A cool. I'm trying to tell you, it's literally me.

[Francesca]

I was gonna say mine is gonna be food, homes and fitness.

[Dustin Ross]

That's literally what it is.

[Francesca]

Literally what it is.

[Dustin Ross]

What's yours, Tay?

[Asante]

Lately you've enjoyed humor that hits the right note. Creating beats, which I don't know where

[Dustin Ross]

that one came from.

[Francesca]

Creating beats.

[Asante]

I don't know where that one came.

[Dustin Ross]

You over there making music, scratching and

[Asante]

sampling and staying driven to succeed.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes, Lord, I'm proud of us. We gonna clap for our phone.

[Francesca]

That's so cute.

[Asante]

It is.

[Francesca]

I love that. But yes, Kareem, thank you. If you're interested, those of you listening, NAS network attached storage and like I mentioned, I'll post the link. I'll post the links that he put put into the emails just to share that with you guys and I'll also post a link to the YouTube video that I found. Very informative. So that's it for this week in wellness, this week in music.

[Asante]

We are back with more news. In the Music man segment, a lot has happened. There was a versus this past week. Weekend.

[Francesca]

Yes, there was.

[Asante]

Did either of you catch any of the verses?

[Dustin Ross]

No, I watched maybe 10 minutes. Same. I saw the first 10 minutes and then I had to leave. I didn't even. I knew that it was happening, but I thought that it hadn't happened yet. And I found out yesterday that it happened days ago. So I started watching it. But I had to leave and do something important so I couldn't Finish it.

[Asante]

I had no idea what's happening. I was on. I was on the Apple tv, and it wasn't even, like, on anything main. I accidentally hit the music app, and I was like, oh, there's a versus right now. Mike Will made it versus Hit Boy. I caught the last ten minutes of it. I caught the perfect time because it was right when they were having a Beyonce battle. And then they couldn't go Beyonce for Beyonce, which was. It was really funny. It was dope. It was dope. Because, you know, they're both. So. They both have such hits.

[Dustin Ross]

I mean, hell, yeah.

[Asante]

You've got Hit Boy. He played Trophies with Drake, One Train, asap, Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, and more. More Mercy with Kanye Weston, people. And then, you know, Travis Scott, Sicko mode. Mike Will, he had a bunch of records. Black Beatles, Ray Shermer, Humble Kendrick Lamar. No lie. Bands will make her dance. No, Tight. Like, you know, they both just had such big records that they were playing back to back. And, you know, they had a time. I didn't see who the winner was. I didn't stick around because I was. I was busy when I caught it,

[Francesca]

and I was like, damn.

[Asante]

I didn't know Mike Will was the winner.

[Francesca]

I mean, let me. Shut up.

[Asante]

Look, he was. Who won to you?

[Francesca]

No, I think. I think I saw that.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm so glad my sirens is going. So I have to mute my mic. I don't know what to do. Go ahead, friend.

[Asante]

She said you're muting. Oh, somebody on. Look, I just see it's not giving me any official. Where do I go for the official winner? Because they gave me a Facebook comment, which Google that is. Look, Google. Look, Google. That was inappropriate for you to give me the Facebook comments for this.

[Francesca]

Google is a mess now.

[Asante]

Like, y' all got this AI going on here and something crazy like that.

[Francesca]

Throwing anything up there as a search result now.

[Asante]

All right, Complex. They have everything up here. Shout out to Complex. Complex. They literally have who played what per each round.

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Like, oh, yeah, that's what I saw. It was that on Complex's YouTube channel where I had clicked it to watch it, but like I said, I only caught 10 minutes.

[Dustin Ross]

I want to work with Complex, Right?

[Francesca]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Has always been such a dream.

[Francesca]

Like, and they've been around.

[Asante]

So they just posted the rounds. They didn't post an. An actual winner, so.

[Dustin Ross]

So, well, let's pick a winner.

[Francesca]

How many rounds they say winners. Has that been a thing?

[Dustin Ross]

There's scorecards that people create. Yes.

[Francesca]

And people create the brand. Like, the Actual brand. Have they ever said, this is the winner? I never heard that.

[Asante]

I've never heard of, like, an official, but I don't know. And that's why even those. I don't know if there's, like, a trusted one that people go to. So you're right, because they want to

[Francesca]

celebrate people's champ thing. Whoever we decide. Yeah.

[Asante]

But again, they went 18 rounds. They started off, you know, Kendrick versus Kendrick. He started Humble was the. How they opened.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's use the last five songs. We're gonna crown the winner based on the last.

[Asante]

You want the last five rounds? Okay, so we're starting from round 13. Oh, no, no. There's too many rounds, right? 14.

[Dustin Ross]

It was 18, right?

[Asante]

Yeah. So we're starting 14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18. Yeah, look, we're starting right at Beyonce.

[Dustin Ross]

I was guided. Okay.

[Asante]

All right, so Mike Will made it through on formation, which was hot. You know what I'm saying? Like, you can't go around.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, it's a. It's a good battle record.

[Asante]

Now, I will say that comes off of round 13, which, you know, was sixth round. But we're. I just want to be fair. Hit Boy had just ended his round with Bow down.

[Dustin Ross]

And what had.

[Asante]

Oh, for that one he had. Mike Web played Move that Dope. So he went from. So, right. So it was. It was Move that Dope versus Bow Down. It was like, damn. Like, what do you do in the situation?

[Francesca]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay.

[Asante]

And so that's what Michael was like, I have formation in the bag. So, you know, if that's how for

[Dustin Ross]

me, because that's Future versus Beyonce. Do you know?

[Asante]

Exactly, exactly, exactly. So to go from future vs. Beyonce to Beyonce vs. Beyonce was like, all

[Dustin Ross]

right, I feel better about making that choice because I don't have to betray one of my favorite people.

[Asante]

Well, you went. So you remember Bow down was like that. That dual record. Bow down slash flawless. So he ran it back. So it went formation from Mike Will to Hit Boy's flawless from there.

[Francesca]

Come on, Hit Boy.

[Dustin Ross]

Formation for the win. But go ahead, head. Okay, so from there, who played formation again? Mike Will made it, right?

[Asante]

Yep. Mike Will made it.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay, so Mike Will made it.

[Asante]

So then Mike Will goes into Bugatti Ace Hood Future Rick Ross versus a new Bugatti. Right.

[Dustin Ross]

Go ahead.

[Asante]

I already know where. How this is about to go versus Travis Scott BER and Frank Ocean's Carousel Bugatti.

[Dustin Ross]

Mike Will made it again.

[Asante]

Then we went to Michael made it no. 10 type to versus drop the world little. Little Wayne feature.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. And I love that. That song. Oh my God. No type though. Michael made it again.

[Asante]

And. And it's important to note that Ray. Ray Shimmer came out. Both of them at this point.

[Dustin Ross]

Michael made it has one, cuz that's three out of five. But we can continue with the last two rounds.

[Francesca]

Did they perform or they just.

[Asante]

Yeah, they. They performed. They was on. Both of them was on stage. I saw Sway Lee and I was like, oh. And then I seen.

[Francesca]

That's cool.

[Asante]

Then I seen another one. I was like, okay, they both here. That's dope. People think that Sway Le is Ray Shimmer. They just. They're like, where's Ray Shimmer? And they're only looking for Swee.

[Francesca]

I'm like disrespectful. Did anyone else perform? Do you know?

[Asante]

I. I didn't watch the whole thing, so I'm not sure who all came out. I just saw that they were out on. On that part. I was like, damn, that's fire. And I wondered who else I missed. Next round, Turn on the lights. Future versus Woo. Rihanna, Turn on the lights. I don't know. And that was.

[Dustin Ross]

Mike Will made it. Right?

[Asante]

Michael made it versus Hit Boy.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, he watching them at this point, but go ahead. Even though Wu is a strong battle record too. The way that.

[Francesca]

What hard.

[Asante]

So round 18. Round 18. Because I remember I didn't finish this. This it. It's unclear what happens here because it says Rake it up slash mercy. So I guess. So Mike Will may have played both his records. Or I guess, I guess this is where. Because at one point the reason I turned it off is they were trying to figure out if it was going to be over or not. And it was a little disorganized. Yeah, it was a little disorganized just towards the end, maybe. Like, I don't know if they would if. But maybe that was because they were feeling it so much. They were like, let's keep going. Let's keep going. Anyway, Mike Will plays Rake it up and Mercy. And then Hit Boy encounters with niggas in Paris.

[Dustin Ross]

Which Hit Boy? Come on.

[Francesca]

They didn't even know.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Track washes them. Two songs.

[Francesca]

Yeah, that's a big one. Damn.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, at least he finished strong.

[Francesca]

Does Swizzy be saying Zaza Zoo?

[Asante]

Yeah,

[Francesca]

every time he does it, I die a little bit inside.

[Asante]

So that was the verses. I'm gonna skip a story. Y' all know what happened to Mariah Carey, but we're just gonna say it real quick. Mariah Carey was honored by the Musicares as person of here Mimi deserves.

[Francesca]

You know, I'm a lamb.

[Asante]

There was a. A tribute. We don't have to talk about all of the things that happened in the tribute, but a lot of beautiful people performed, and it was a great moment.

[Francesca]

Was it a bad tribute?

[Dustin Ross]

We going past that? We are so not.

[Francesca]

I didn't see this tribute. Where was it?

[Dustin Ross]

Thank God.

[Francesca]

Missed it, friend.

[Asante]

Okay, hold on. Let me just go through some of the people. So Jennifer Hudson, she performed Vision of Love Weaving into I Don't Want to Cry. Billy Porter.

[Francesca]

Billy Porter.

[Asante]

Billy Porter did Always Be My Baby and Teddy Swims did Without you and Foo Fighters. They also did tracks from Mariah's unreleased grunge project, Someone's.

[Francesca]

Oh, now that's cool.

[Dustin Ross]

Cool it is, but not in a tribute. Go ahead.

[Asante]

Oh, right. So that happened separate, like it was.

[Dustin Ross]

It don't belong.

[Francesca]

No. He said. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

So I'm being crystal clear.

[Francesca]

Oh, I need to look this up. I'm assuming this is on YouTube.

[Asante]

I didn't see the. I didn't see the entire show. I just saw clips of the Foo Fighters doing their thing, and I was like, damn, this is fire. And then I got on Twitter and I saw what else happened, which was Billy Porter doing Always Be My Baby, and I was like, oh. Which made me want.

[Francesca]

I can't believe they had Billy Porter do Always.

[Dustin Ross]

I can't believe it, friend.

[Asante]

You didn't see anything about this?

[Francesca]

I didn't. For some reason, I completely was out the loop.

[Dustin Ross]

He looked haggard.

[Francesca]

Oh, no.

[Dustin Ross]

He sounded a fool. It sounded like a parody. And I can't believe they played with Mariah like that.

[Francesca]

Oh, did they show her face Reaction?

[Dustin Ross]

She was mouthing her lyrics on autopilot during the whole. She was just singing the words to each performance and mouthing to try not to look like what she. She didn't want her countenance to betray her.

[Francesca]

It reminds me of Prince. Remember when they were doing the Prince? He kept looking at the camera like it was an episode of he's not done.

[Dustin Ross]

Keep going, Asante. Who else is in the tribute? You see his emo here? He looked like if Deborah Cox was emojis. Nobody's supposed to be here.

[Francesca]

Oh, it says Billy Porter says he was sick. That's what happened.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, okay. Well, that would make sense.

[Francesca]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

I do have a heart. Well, who else was in the tribute? Tay

[Asante]

the only. I just made quick notes. Teddy Swim was there there.

[Francesca]

Teddy Swim can sing, so I'm.

[Asante]

Who else was there?

[Dustin Ross]

Dustin Fastest Buster Rhymes and Shant Moore did baby, if you give it to me, I give. They had Shante Moore in a Mariah

[Francesca]

Carey tribute sing Crazy work.

[Dustin Ross]

Now, a lot of people were upset about the next performer and selection, but I'mma go out on a limb here and say that I see the vision. And when she. Cause it was a woman. When she was singing the chorus, I got it. Why it would have worked. They had Kesha in the Mariah Carey tribute, which I know, friend. I just wanted to see your face in that beautiful lighting design. But they had KE in the tribute, and she was singing obsessed.

[Asante]

How does she sound?

[Dustin Ross]

Think about the.

[Francesca]

That's the part that you saw the vision.

[Dustin Ross]

She was singing that, and then she was singing the. Up in the bar. You know how she sing. She was singing that part.

[Francesca]

This is such an odd line.

[Dustin Ross]

Kesha was having fun, and I enjoyed her. People can say what they want. I don't care. I'm gonna say it. I enjoy Kesha singing themselves obsessed. It was a fever dream of sorts. But the rest of that. Okay, somebody needs what Me. Where is Mia X When you. They should have had Mia X do the last song from her album. When she be like. She got a song called I Think Somebody, and they go, I think somebody need they ass whip. They ass whip. I think somebody want their wig split. Well, let them have it. Somebody they ass with. That's what they needed. Okay.

[Francesca]

Yikes, y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

Because it was horrible. And to me, if we gonna do a motherfucking tribute in Grammy week, it's. It's not a difficult formula. All you need is people who can stand there and just sing their asses off. Don't make. Change the arrangement. Billy Porter's arrangement of Always Be My Baby felt like a Vegas, you know?

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

A Vegas review.

[Asante]

Still laughing about cash.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what it felt like? It felt like, remember on Sister act, when Whoopi Goldberg and then was singing in Vegas at the beginning, before she was a nun? That's what Billy Porter's cover of Always Be My Baby was like.

[Francesca]

Oh, I have to. Okay, so if this is on YouTube, whoever missed it, I will post the link if it's on YouTube. Cause I don't know. I have to look.

[Asante]

Frank, he was up there. He will always be my baby.

[Francesca]

Oh.

[Asante]

I was like. Oh, like, he was really like.

[Francesca]

And the crazy thing is, say what we want about Billy Porter, you can never take away his vocal ability back in the day. I don't know if he's been preserving it. You know, I can't speak to. Because, you know, It's a muscle.

[Dustin Ross]

But he have not. Pray tell he will, but he has not.

[Francesca]

Damn.

[Asante]

Wow.

[Francesca]

Why this is a weird lineup for Mariah. I'm like, I know people wanted to

[Dustin Ross]

be who was doing K when they came up with this lineup, you know what I'm saying? Because this seems like it was something behind this thought process. I just put it like that. I've never seen anything. And again, even Jennifer Hudson, who y' all know I love and will defend until the death of me. Y' all know I've been loving her since we were introduced to her at the American Idol audition and she was struggling with that black spaghetti she strapped. I've been down since then. Okay. Last year, Jennifer tributed Mariah Carey and sang Vision of Love and executed it flawlessly, brilliantly. Had the room just full of emotion. I don't know what happened this year. I don't know why Jennifer was singing that song the way she was singing it. Hope everything's okay. That's what I will say. And also, she looked gorgeous. I don't know if y' all seen her at the actual Grammy ceremony.

[Asante]

Yeah, she was looking through.

[Francesca]

She was sitting. So I didn't get the full.

[Dustin Ross]

She was. And that's on June anyway. But I don't know what the fuck happened, but somebody needs to literally be popped behind this. They need to go to all the producers need to hold their hand out like this and be popped because it was a fucking shame when the. Joe. Joe, the singer and songwriter Joe is walking around healthy and that clip of him murder We Belong Together by Mariah Carey is still circulating. Why wasn't he chosen? You know, Tamar Braxton, beautiful voice, self proclaimed lamb. Why wasn't she singing in this tribute? Why in the fuck would y' all put Shantae Moore, one of the only people who can whistle for real? Why would you put her on?

[Francesca]

She could have literally had any. Any other song.

[Dustin Ross]

The big songs that can't nobody else sing. She could have handled them. I'm so disappointed.

[Francesca]

Nobody's saying my all

[Dustin Ross]

what I will say. Okay. That the Grammys did get right. They awarded Eve a trophy.

[Asante]

Well, this was the musicares.

[Dustin Ross]

They awarded Eve a trophy for her portion of the Roots hit you Got Me, which they gave a Grammy 27 years ago ago to the Roots and Erykah Badu because Eve was not credited on that song. And we all know for years her and the Roots hated each other over. And they made up eventually. But she got a Grammy for it. And if you go to the Grammys website. She's credited as a two time winner. Now we know she previously had one for what's the song with Gwen Stefani, Let me blow your mind. And now she has a Grammy for you guys.

[Asante]

Did I say rich girl? No, I'm just kidding.

[Dustin Ross]

I think that's so special. Special.

[Asante]

So a lot of fun things happen at the Music Hairs. We're moving right on into the Grammys. A lot of fun things happened this year. A lot of people. They did an opening medley with all of like the new artists and I thought that that was cute. Did you guys watch the Grammys?

[Francesca]

I did.

[Asante]

You watched the whole thing?

[Francesca]

I did. Did I? In and out. Because I was cleaning, you know. So you have it on. I'm cleaning the kitchen kind of in and out. But for the most part I did watch.

[Asante]

Okay, well, I mean a lot of fantastic things happen this year. Dustin, you said you watched as well.

[Dustin Ross]

Yep. In and out like friend. I was cooking. I actually made shrimp nachos. I'm going back tonight, cuz. They were so cool. I'm gonna make some more tonight.

[Francesca]

Keep it in your bag.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, the grocery bag for those.

[Asante]

Those of you out there listening. The Grammys happen. I'm sure you watch. But for the sake of the same conversation, what you guys think about the Grammys this year? What you love about them, what you. What did you see maybe that you missed? And what did you dislike about him? If you want to share as well,

[Francesca]

I mentioned earlier, Olivia Dean, first of all, I was happy she won.

[Dustin Ross]

Me too.

[Francesca]

She definitely deserves a great project. It felt like a lot of that feeling of like, yes, this person deserved that throughout the night. So I felt good about that.

[Dustin Ross]

Kelani.

[Francesca]

I didn't see Kalani.

[Dustin Ross]

They awarded her in the pre show.

[Francesca]

Okay. That's what I was gonna say. People kept mentioning certain people and I was like, I didn't see any.

[Asante]

What did she win, do you know?

[Dustin Ross]

She won best R B song. And I'm gonna tell you now, both are for folded. Yep. It won two Grammys.

[Asante]

Nice.

[Francesca]

Oh, nice.

[Asante]

Yeah. That was a big record. So good for her.

[Francesca]

Nice. Yeah. Right. With all the renditions, like huge records.

[Dustin Ross]

So that's Myra Badass Joy won another sh. She won her sixth Grammy.

[Asante]

Nice.

[Francesca]

Damn.

[Dustin Ross]

I love Samara Joy people. I don't really listen to a lot of jazz, but I love her music.

[Francesca]

She wins every year, I feel. Which is so amazing.

[Dustin Ross]

She was. She finally. She finally lost the category this year. She was five for five last year. Oh, now she's six for Seven, but that's okay. What in a. She's still six Grammys deep, right? Yeah, but bad flat out, you know what I'm saying? Let me go into Kelani's Grammys and so we can identify the category she won in. Yes. She won for best R B song and best R B performance for Folded.

[Francesca]

Nice. Congratulations, Kehlani.

[Asante]

Congrats.

[Dustin Ross]

Let me get your clothes.

[Asante]

She been working hard.

[Francesca]

I'm trying to think of the performances, like, who stood out.

[Asante]

I did enjoy Justin Bieber's performance. I did.

[Francesca]

I didn't understand the being in boxers part.

[Asante]

People always go, here's how I framed it, right, friend? So people always bear it all on the Grammy stage, you know, or, you know, award shows in general, whether it's Billboard or whatever. Like, you know, doi did it re. She did it on an award show where she got up there and pretty much undressed. Dot had been undressed at one point. A lot of people do. Justin's in this era where he's bearing it all to us. So he was down in boxers. Yes. And reminding us what he does. And for me, I, like. I appreciated that moment, if that's the way that I read it, you know, in my whimsical mind, I was just like. Cause I was like, okay, Justin Bieber's and this boxers. What's going on? But then I was like, oh, he doing that record that I like from TikTok. And so then watching him and hearing him, because at first I was like, I hope he don't do too much. Because, you know, when people are on stage, like, trying to build the beat and all that, it might. It can come across as, like, all right, well, he might have signed up, bit off a little bit more than he can chew. But he just had to get it going in the beginning, and he just got. Had to focus on doing that. It didn't have to be like, what is this set gonna look like? And how am I gonna wow the people? He just got up there and sang, and I was like, you know what? I don't listen to enough Justin Bieber after watching that performance. So that was a highlight for me.

[Francesca]

Yeah. And I laughed how he had to come back out because I think he forgot to, like, turn it off or whatever it was. Did you see that?

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Then he just walked off. Okay, fine. Funny. Funny. Not funny. Was Cher.

[Asante]

Cher.

[Dustin Ross]

No. Yeah.

[Asante]

No. Hilarious.

[Francesca]

And the winner.

[Asante]

Everything about. No listen from start to finish, apologizing

[Francesca]

the whole time behind him while he was talking as a. As a black.

[Asante]

As a black. Gay that, you know, consorts, doesn't really consort with the guy. The white gay functivities. Cher is one of the things that I've appreciated and have grown to appreciate more and more through the years. And watching her when she walks out, just, you know, being herself, her whole speech, you know, I thought her speech was dope because she was just really speaking from the heart, you know, she. She's the type. We don't really see her talk a lot. We see her out and looking good and it's like, damn. But for her to give that speech. And she was like, you know, she had got dropped from her label and then she dropped Believe and gave her a new life and all that. And I was just like, damn, this looks

[Dustin Ross]

so.

[Asante]

To move from that beautiful moment, because I told you she had me rolling when she walked out. But then she gave us that beautiful soft moment to switch over to her. She's like, all right, I guess I walk off now.

[Francesca]

And then literally just slowly walked off, went to the back. I was like, where is she walking to? And then you saw the producer come out.

[Asante]

The producer is telling her to come back out as Trevor. Noah's like, yeah, you know, Cher like making time for her to come back. And then he runs up and interrupts her as she's doing. I'm like, what? Well, he interrupted her.

[Francesca]

It was confusing in the beginning. In the beginning. He interrupted her immediately. So I was like, what is happening? It just all was funny.

[Asante]

Yeah, it was hilarious.

[Dustin Ross]

And it's Shar. We don't care. We love Shar.

[Asante]

So she opened that up and said, luther F. The winner is. And then they show Susan audience.

[Francesca]

I was no, the part where she was waiting for the teleprompter to tell her who the winner is. So she's staring at the screen and then she's holding it and then she realizes like, oh, shit, I gotta open.

[Dustin Ross]

I love Cher.

[Asante]

She didn't even know to open it up and down. She just. She literally just saw Luther on that top and would thought it was and

[Francesca]

added banjos to it.

[Dustin Ross]

Her and AE had probably just smoked a blunt on the way to the Grammys and shit. You know, he probably be having her ass feeling good. You know what I'm saying? She don't give a damn. She happy right now. But what I love about the Grammys and award shows in General, because the VMA, the VMAs do this for me sometimes too. I find new artists that I actually like and I fuck with performers.

[Francesca]

Who was it for you?

[Dustin Ross]

Who Are you fucking with the girl? Lola Young. She actually won a Grammy that night, too.

[Francesca]

I've liked her. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

I had never heard of her. I said, well, who's this child right here? So she was good. And then the motherfucker named Somber. I like Professor Artist, too. That was good. You know what I'm saying? And that was my second time seeing the Alex Warren performance and being impressed because he got down. Shout out to my boy Nelson that was singing in the choir for Alex Warren. I see you, Nelson.

[Asante]

Let's talk about this Alex Warren performance friend. Did you catch that?

[Francesca]

I don't remember.

[Asante]

So Dern look.

[Dustin Ross]

And performs like an evangelist.

[Asante]

Okay, so is it.

[Francesca]

It's not the Ordinary song, is it? No, that's somebody else.

[Asante]

Okay, so I don't know the records. Let me not.

[Francesca]

You know the one. No, this is a different artist. Never mind. No, I don't. I don't know. I must have missed that. Must have been a snack break. Bathroom break.

[Dustin Ross]

It was during the best new artist performance collective. It was during that.

[Asante]

The. The beginning when they did the. The collaboration. Well, no, so the beginning.

[Dustin Ross]

Medley. Medley of best new artist performances. When Olivia Dean performed yet.

[Asante]

Yeah, he was so that. Hold on. Because.

[Francesca]

Yeah, Alex Warren, the Ordinary. Yeah, the Ordinary. Okay. So that is his song.

[Dustin Ross]

It was good.

[Asante]

I was just.

[Dustin Ross]

It was very. It was thematic. It was just good. I was like, oh, this is good.

[Francesca]

I mean, that record is massive. It's breaking all kinds of. I saw them say it's breaking all kinds of, like, Tik Tok records records and social media records.

[Asante]

So in the best new artist segment and not in the correct order, it was Cat's Eye, Leon Thomas, Olivia Deem, the Marias, Alex Warren, Lola Young and somber. During this, I saw Alex Warren perform, and I. And so during his performance frame, you could see he kept, like, checking with his monitors, like, he was off. He was off.

[Francesca]

He was singing behind the choir. And I was like, oh, shit. I do remember that. So.

[Asante]

So I didn't see his performance the first time. I was actually on Instagram and I saw this clip. You know when people post those little. Their stories, and this might have been why Beat Making came up on mine, but it was like when your monitors sound like this and you have to perform at the Grammys through it, and the monitors sounded crazy. They sounded like what he had to listen to sounded insane. So the fact that he was singing through it and then when he was getting to those good parts and he was delivering on those good parts, on those real good parts, I Was like, damn. The fact that he could even hit any of that and hit those parts

[Dustin Ross]

while listening to that, I would have

[Asante]

been pissed saying the same thing. When I was watching it back, I

[Francesca]

was like, my first Grammys, my. One of the biggest songs out and y' all up my monitor.

[Dustin Ross]

So I would have took a Pepsi to that board. Whatever board they was using, I would have just took a Pepsi and doused it. I been so mad.

[Asante]

Yeah, so that was during the. The best New artist tribute or best New Artist spotlight segment. There were a lot of artists that performed. I didn't mention them in order, but again, there were some good ones. Like you said, Dustin Somber, he needs

[Dustin Ross]

to do fashion campaigns. Like, the way he Somber was the

[Francesca]

one with the, like, glass. Like, broken glass suit type thing. I don't know what the proper name for that, but, yeah, the mosaic tile.

[Dustin Ross]

He needs to do fashion for real. Like, he needs to, like, model and do fashion campaigns. He can quit singing. You know what I'm saying? Like, he just. He has the look and the body for it. He has the body.

[Asante]

He's.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what? He is lithe, right? That's what he is.

[Asante]

Standout. I want to mention Reba McIntyre. So here's the thing. Reba McIntyre performed for the first time.

[Francesca]

I don't get that.

[Asante]

At the Grammy.

[Francesca]

What?

[Asante]

And the fact that they kept saying that. I was like. Like this. I don't know how.

[Francesca]

What I saw when she said it on the red carpet interview with E. And she was like, it's my first time performing. I was like, excuse me. After what, 40 years? How is that possible? It's Reba.

[Dustin Ross]

First of all. Shout out to Reba. She was one of the first artists to go congratulate Bad Bunny after he made his statement about Ice Out. She was one of the first artists after. What's the. After Jelly Roll played dumb. And she was one of the first artists to go congratulate him. Reba has always had good politics. She's always been on the correct side of things, and I think that that. That's important, especially in the industry as fucked up as country music.

[Francesca]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

You know what I'm saying? Reba always been a real one. So shout out to Reba, a single mom that works two jobs, loves her kids, and never stops.

[Francesca]

She recently lost her son.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, wow.

[Francesca]

She did mention that. Yeah, she mentioned that on the pre show. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Much love to Reba, y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

Take some food by the Rebus. Take some. Some. Some fry some fish. Make some spaghetti and a salad and. And Maybe take like, make some breadsticks too. And make sure you wrap them in foil, okay. And put that in a plastic bag so they don't get stuck, soggy or hard. They just stay right and take that round the rebas. Go down, take some food round the rebus.

[Asante]

Do you hear his twang around the rebas?

[Dustin Ross]

You gotta take something around the rebas. Right now they're having a hard time. Just sit with them.

[Asante]

She started off the tribute with Trailblazer. And I only remember it because she was singing it and she was doing it because I was like, I don't know if I want to be like, you know, I want to see Rea perform, but I ain't want to be here. But once she started singing and performing and going in, I couldn't stop watching. So shout out to Rock Reba. They turned it out for. This sounds crazy, but they turned it out for that Imorium segment, cuz we went from Reba and the white folks did they thing. But once the niggas hit the stage.

[Francesca]

Hello. You know what? I put down my rag.

[Asante]

Look, friend, when you saw the camera pan to the other side of the

[Francesca]

stage, as soon as I looked up and saw that big black dress. Yes, sir, I put down my little rag of my life. When I tell you I sat.

[Pharmaceutical Announcer]

She.

[Francesca]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

For real.

[Asante]

Everybody and their mama came out for. For Miss. With Miss Lauryn Hill.

[Dustin Ross]

And turned out she had good energy, too. She was like. She had good energy.

[Asante]

She did. She did. It was. Was amazing to watch her perform because I haven't seen her perform many times, let alone on an award show, which this was her first time time performing back on the Grammys since she'd won her Grammy.

[Francesca]

Oh, wow. Really?

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Well, I guess that makes sense.

[Asante]

Yeah. And I thought that that was crazy that she. It was cute watching her interact or like smile when the other artists were performing.

[Dustin Ross]

Come on. Lucky Day.

[Asante]

Yes. It was beautiful to watch all the artists come out.

[Dustin Ross]

And Lucky Day got in there. Let's talk about showmanship. Let's talk about selling the performance to the artist audience. Let's talk about artistry and it being the way that you posture and you move on the stage, that was the shit I'm talking about. That's how you tribute someone, especially In Memoriam. Okay. Holla if you hear me. Y' all agree?

[Asante]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Dustin Ross]

I also think that we cannot even take a step further discussing this tribute until we say the word that needs to be said, which is Bilal.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Let me tell baby I stood up when he first of all, I stood up before he hit a note because I already knew.

[Asante]

You already knew.

[Francesca]

I said the fact that they brought Bilal out made me so happy. First of all, because I think he's so unsung. And when he was hitting. When he was hitting those notes at the end, My God, today I love me some bilau.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

I wondered who they were going to have sing that because I knew someone was going to sing. I just was like, who are they gonna have sing it?

[Francesca]

And what a perfect.

[Dustin Ross]

This is how you staff a fucking tribute.

[Francesca]

Okay. I know Rafael Sadiq has something to do with it. Cause, you know, he's the music coordinator of the world.

[Dustin Ross]

My God. Like, is it that hard? This was. Right?

[Francesca]

And you know what? Shout out to October London.

[Asante]

October London. Yeah, for sure.

[Francesca]

Nice to see him too.

[Asante]

I can't find a list, but I have everybody.

[Dustin Ross]

Great performer.

[Asante]

Anthony Hamilton, Thomas.

[Francesca]

The other Leon too. Right?

[Dustin Ross]

Leon Briggs, Griggs Bridge.

[Asante]

No, and I said Leon Thomas.

[Francesca]

No, they both came out. Both. That's what the other.

[Asante]

It was both.

[Dustin Ross]

Lewis, Leo, Leona, the singer, her daddy.

[Asante]

Because they did all that during the. The tribute with Roberta Flack. And then for Wycliffe to come out, it was just crazy. Crazy.

[Francesca]

I love Wyclef Sparkles.

[Dustin Ross]

I gotta take my hat off while we talk about the In Memoriam.

[Francesca]

No, you didn't.

[Asante]

You.

[Francesca]

Such a gentleman.

[Asante]

Rest in peace. Yeah, I mean, it was. It was a beautiful moment.

[Francesca]

And honestly, well done.

[Asante]

I just. I didn't know how to prepare for it. I was emotional several times during that performance and I was like, damn.

[Dustin Ross]

And who could ask for. We all know update, by the way, d' Angelo and Angie Stone. The son of d' Angelo and Angie Stone. Swayvo Twain is his name. He's a dope ass rapper. He. And he sings too. He had expressed that he had not been invited to the Grammys. Nobody had reached out what rap, right? Shout out to black women saving the day. Two in particular. Number one, Lauren LaRosa from the Breakfast Club. Lauren LaRosa reported on it. She also got in contact with the Recording Academy and put them in contact with the son of d' Angelo Angel.

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Asante]

She.

[Dustin Ross]

She facilitated that.

[Francesca]

So shout out to Lauren. Shout out to Lauren.

[Dustin Ross]

It's also reported that Lauryn Hill personally invited him to the rehearsal. Rehearsal as well. I don't think he was able to attend, but she invited him to come to rehearsal, be a part of all that. So shout out to those two for making sure that that bridge was created.

[Francesca]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

He could be there I thought that was dope, right?

[Francesca]

Yeah. Phenomenal tribute.

[Asante]

Yes. Great tribute.

[Dustin Ross]

Cheetah Woman, Rest in peace.

[Francesca]

All right, man.

[Asante]

But there were a lot of great moments at the Grammys. Trevor Noah was a great host. Lady Gaga had won a bunch of shit. Bad Bunny won a bunch of shit.

[Dustin Ross]

Bad Bunny won album of the year. First time that a Spanish language album won album of the year. Huge moment, huge acceptance speech. Hit the nail on the head on the eve of his super bowl halftime performance. So what a week for him was the biggest honor in music.

[Francesca]

He cried when he was sitting there, like, didn't get up for a while. And I love that he spoke in Spanish.

[Dustin Ross]

Me, too.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

And it was. It was. He was like. I don't even know how to even say this in English, but he was expressing his feelings.

[Francesca]

Yeah. Yeah. And I thought, considering. Considering the political landscape right now, everything that's happening, it just. I don't know, I felt. It's weird because sometimes I feel very like, ugh, the industry. So performative with certain shit. But I can't lie, him speaking Spanish did something to me. Whether it was sincerely overwhelmed by. By just everything that's happening right now.

[Dustin Ross]

And it was sincere, you know, when people are being performative and when they not, that was some real shit. He was overcome with emotion. And it's consistent with what he's. How he's shown up all this time. He's always been outspoken about the shit that's important, the communities his audiences think about. That residency he just did in Puerto Rico, you know what I'm saying?

[Francesca]

Right. And how he contributed to Puerto Rico's economy with the businesses. Yeah, he did a phenomenal job, I will say the first award, I forget which one it was that he won. And he gave that speech about fighting ice and hatred with love. I was like, I know most people felt the same way. I don't know about this, this round, but I know what he meant.

[Dustin Ross]

His heart was in the right place.

[Francesca]

In an ideal world, yes, we fight hate with love, but some people are demons and love is not going to work. So he meant well. But, yes, I really appreciated how he went about that. That last one.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, I thought he looked great, too. He was in Schiaparelli from head to toe. He looked great.

[Francesca]

The outfits, the clothing. I'm trying to think if there was. The clips looked great, if there was anybody that. And also, congrats to them on their Grammy as well. They're also on this week's episode of we sound crazy with C.L.

[Asante]

kelly.

[Francesca]

They got the Clips on there sure the hell did.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh God. My. My God, man, I cannot wait to watch. I can't wait.

[Francesca]

Telling you. Like, they're killing it. Claude's having a phenomenal month. But. But yeah, like I'm trying to think. I did like doi's dresses. She had different looks. Love the colors. It was like a purple and like a rust orange. And then the other one was some kind of like gems. Not gems. I don't even know how to call it. What the top was some kind of stone or something and she just looked great.

[Dustin Ross]

A piece beast.

[Francesca]

Yeah. How it was like jingling while she was on stage. Queen Latifah always.

[Dustin Ross]

And Dolce had that coming to America ponytail. Remember when Vanessa Bell Calloway don't you had that. She looked gorgeous.

[Asante]

Beautiful.

[Dustin Ross]

And she won her second Grammy. She won for best music video for anxiety.

[Asante]

Oh, yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

The song that people tried to say wasn't organic, but she had video of her writing it in her bedroom when she was broke and on YouTube.

[Francesca]

Y. Nice.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Shout out to DOI.

[Asante]

Yep. Shout out to DOI. Shout out again to Kendrick and SZA for their record. Luther. Yes. We were just laughing about the moment with Sher, but I wanted to make sure we gave them a proper moment. And also not a good place for me to land, but shout out to Billy Eilish. That Wildflower Flower record, song of the year. That was a beautiful record.

[Francesca]

Well deserved.

[Asante]

It was well deserved. That was such a moment. Because I don't even listen to a lot of Billie Eilish, but I have liked what I've heard of her in passing. And when I heard that record, I remember thinking, damn, this is like. Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to Billie Eilish. She heard her shit on stage too.

[Francesca]

And the fact that it's her and her brother, I love that. I don't know why something about that to me is so fucking fly. Like imagine you and your sibling just sitting in a room coming up with these monster hits. Like, I love that for them and I love that they've stayed close and nothing has. I mean, we don't know the back end, but I'm assuming they look like nothing has really changed, right? Their dynamic and working relationship. And I love that. I love that for them. She's so talented. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

So talented.

[Asante]

Love it. Shout out to everybody at the Grammys. It was a great time. That's it for the artist to mention portion of this welcome to the Friends.

[Dustin Ross]

Every time I listen. As a user of Rocket Money, I've had some of the most incredible experiences. Streamlining things and making sure that all of my needs are met using Rocket Money. The most genuine experience that I've had that I can share with you guys, that I would tell my friends and my family, which is you, is that this is a product that I actually love. Okay, it works. Rocket Money, you know, they have really streamlined my subscription process with all of the hidden fees that I discovered that I was paying. They eliminated that several different apps I was paying more than one fee for for the same app. I can't do that. So thankfully Rocket Money came to my aid and assistance. Rocket Money, for those who don't know, is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions. It monitors your spending and it also helps lower your bills so that you can grow savings. Rocket Money has tracked subscriptions and it also has the ability to cancel within the app with just a few taps. All of my subscriptions, that is you guys. And it saves me time and it avoids me so many unnecessary charges. You can help set budgets and goals for yourself. You can also get personalized insights and regular reports and you can receive real time alerts for large transactions, any upcoming bills, any refunds that you're owed, and the one thing that we all hate, that low balance alert. Rocket Money consolidates checking, savings, loans and investments into one single dashboard that makes it so easy and it gives us a clear view of our financial picture. Y' all. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to Rocket Money.com zone today. That's RocketMoney.com z o n e RocketMoney.com

[Pharmaceutical Announcer]

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[Francesca]

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[Asante]

Do y' all want to play music?

[Francesca]

Always.

[Asante]

All right, well, now we get to do the listens like I want to make sure now we get to do the listens lately portion where you we get to hear what we where we get to share what we've been listening to. Fran, what have you been over there playing in general? Jamming too.

[Francesca]

All right, so Bella and destin Conrad dropped a song called typical that I've really been enjoying and this is how it goes. Know how you do it I'm like a pressure make you sweat sweat sweat now I'm feeling babe the way I'm feeling on your body yeah yeah yeah chemistry you can't forget love how you can sit and get it whip, whip wait must wanna drown me truth is

[Asante]

you match your match I set you

[Francesca]

out on fireball I'm faking like I'm about to leaving online boy a little insecurity keeps it exciting boy you know.

[Asante]

That's nice.

[Francesca]

That's a good record. That's not right. Next on my list is flakito jody featuring toisha Love to asap Rocky and tokisha have a record and this is how it goes.

[Dustin Ross]

Pelly dancing love pretty handsome fell baddest tend to better claim it Harlem world like mason be I'm a real new

[Asante]

yorker to the timbo but it really

[Dustin Ross]

in a hood that I can't go

[Asante]

but I'm real pretty

[Dustin Ross]

lambo or benzo or benzo in a wide body like a big bone she a little chica but she thick Though had to put to in and out, get your back.

[Francesca]

I hate we didn't get to her part, but yes, that's the record I've been playing. And then lastly, let me try to find it. La, we love la. I love him since the Soundcloud days and Fable. It's a record called Is this Love? Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Wake me up in the morning smelling breakfast Girl you want I'm questioning your motives do you want me like I want you? Is what you said true? Tell me is this real life? This really what this is supposed to feel like? Home Me in a scratch on my back Kiss my neck I grab on your ass maybe I need love oh girl, I'm fainting. Know it's hard to trust Know them treated you wrong But I need to

[Asante]

know the truth Tell me what's the

[Dustin Ross]

deal Cuz it's you. So is this.

[Francesca]

All right? Those are my three for this week.

[Asante]

Lovely. Dustin Ross. What have you been over there listening to?

[Dustin Ross]

Some old and some new. First song I'm going play is some old this Gucci, man. East Atlanta 6. From my hood to your hood.

[Asante]

You know what it is? The official mixtape.

[Dustin Ross]

It just another day in the eastern. Just a young in the hood selling bricks.

[Asante]

Just another. Just another

[Dustin Ross]

girl, man, you just another. Hold up, man. Next song play this old too. I was out somewhere and they played this in the restaurant. I almost passed out cuz I hadn't heard this song in so long. That's the best for real. Like friend, you be like, oh, I was sitting at the table looking like Red S. Fred Sanford. It's the big one. I hadn't heard it in so long. This TI featuring Chris Brown is called Get Back Up. I'm only I'm only human, y'. All. I'm only human. I'm only human. I'm only human. Hey, when they push you down, you got the kick.

[Asante]

Hey, when they push you down, you

[Dustin Ross]

got the kid of the trophy of the ring, champion no matter what. Cause when you got the belt in the ring, people with jam, right?

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Dustin Ross]

All right, the last song I'm going to play is by Ari Lennox. This is called High key.

[Pharmaceutical Announcer]

It's been one of them days. It's about to be one of them.

[Francesca]

Nice. Come taste this creme brulee. Wash it down with a lemon drop.

[Dustin Ross]

So that's it for me this week.

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Asante]

All right, well, I'm gonna pass the baton from one chocolate star to another other one. Some old, something new as Dustin played. This is Grip by Normani. Okay. She still released a really good project. I revisit Normani and I like the music still and I haven't shared all of the music. So we're just going to keep sharing and wishing for a new Normani in 2026. I saw that she was recently on the Mask Singer and.

[Francesca]

Oh, I.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesca]

That creepy show.

[Asante]

That show. I've just never been into it.

[Francesca]

No.

[Asante]

But you know, it puts other eyes onto her.

[Dustin Ross]

I watched when Candy won because she my sister gonna tell me you need to watch the mad singer.

[Asante]

I really can't even hear you.

[Dustin Ross]

I watched when Candy won and my sister had called me like, you need to watch the mad singer because Candy fitting to win. So I caught all up on it and then I was off in being honest.

[Asante]

I'm just being honest, you know, that's okay. Maybe someone. Maybe Candy. Hey, maybe someone would do the same for Normani. I just have never watched the mad singer. But there is a huge market out there, people that watch. I see the audience, I hear people talking about it and tweeting about it and I'm just like go off. So in the spirit of going off, this song again is called RIP and

[Dustin Ross]

here is the With Kung Fu. Keep.

[Asante]

Yes. So that's Normani. I think that that record aged beautifully. It's dope. When artists do finally come back around and you have other work that plays when you're listening to an artist radio station. That's going to go nicely in the mix. I would also like to share with you since you talked about Ti Ti has dropped a new record. He has an album. He's announced that his upcoming album is actually going to be his last album. The album is titled Kill the King. Yes. The project is going to be like, you know, reflecting his career as a whole. And you know he's going to kill the king. So he couldn't see hair I saw

[Francesca]

as part of the rollout too.

[Asante]

Here's how well, well, Dustin let Let him know because that's of the record.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's running to the checker flag Running through the red light 12 get me gun it won't pull over till I'm dead Right. Riding to the sunrise. Dropping bags is a lot to you to me a little bit Let them not ship for the A cow in my lap Real dope boys in the trap the big yacht Balling like a big shot on my dick make room for your Gotta let them know I don't turn around Lip box solitaires All I do with big rocks I came from dilling rock all the way to hitchhike on the throne ain't what I'm on. She can kick. So that's T.I.

[Asante]

he sounds amazing. Amazing. It's dope when artists, you know, they still just in fighting form. They in good shape. And with his. This being his final project, it's dope that he's sending it. He's not to sound dark, but the way share. She was grateful to be giving her flowers while she's still here because she doesn't have much longer. That's the way she said. I was like, damn, girl, why'd you say it like that?

[Francesca]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

Think about passing away.

[Asante]

But yes, TI he still gets to share this moment while he's still relevant in the landscape of hip hop. Cuz he has been gone for. I'm sure someone still wonders, where's TI So now he gets to be like, all right, I'm right here. Here's the final offering. But also go stream the ocean because it's just as great as Dustin proved playing the song with Chris Brown earlier. The last record that I'm going to share with you is from Don Toliver. This song is called One of my

[Dustin Ross]

favorite artists, by the way. I have understood that. I love Don Toliver's music. I do. He makes great fucking music.

[Asante]

Don Tolerov always had eyes on him because the music is always, always like supremely produced. Like, it's always some great. Like whether it's a club record, whether it's an emotional club record.

[Dustin Ross]

Makes you want to. It make me want to sing. I'm fixing to sing.

[Francesca]

I've never sat with him, to be honest. I'm not very familiar. I know who he is, obviously, and I've heard records here and there, but I can't tell you anything about his discography.

[Asante]

Yeah, there I have a few. I've had a few moments with Don Toliver and this new project obviously haven't listened to in its entirety, but he has a new project out. The name of the project is. Let me see if I can pull it up without pressing Play.

[Dustin Ross]

That's a dope title. It's like the colored girls who have considered in the rainbows and. You know what I'm saying.

[Francesca]

You know what, actually.

[Asante]

So the new project is called Octane. It came out Friday. This song is called atm. Here's how it goes. Goes.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's go.

[Francesca]

Strip club Canadian, you can pay me

[Dustin Ross]

Range are robust. She wanted in a tribe. Okay.

[Asante]

I'm feeling. So. Yeah. Don Tolliver.

[Francesca]

I like that. Like, what's that called?

[Asante]

Atm.

[Francesca]

Atm.

[Asante]

Okay. Don Toliver has moments. And this new project, Octane. I've been feeling this so far, but that was one record. I was like, you know, I think this is the one I'm gonna play. But there were a couple other ones that were in the running, but I have. I didn't even finish it, so. Because I kept running some of the back. That's it for the Music man segment, actually, I'm gonna leave. Just name one last thing, because it's at the very end for a reason.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't know if you're gonna say what I think you.

[Asante]

I'm not gonna say what you. I don't. I'm not gonna say. Whatever you think it is, I'm gonna say. Well, Natalie not got snubbed. No, I'm just kidding.

[Dustin Ross]

No.

[Asante]

There was just one last note I wanted to make about the Grammys. I don't listen to country music enough to have gotten into the category, but I did notice that they split the country. The best country album into two cats. They split it into best contemporary and best Traditional.

[Dustin Ross]

And I saw some Beyonce.

[Asante]

Right, right.

[Francesca]

The impact.

[Asante]

Right. But I. I thought it was interesting. And I saw the Internet say it was interesting that of course, two white men still won this. Those records.

[Dustin Ross]

Shaboozi did win a Grammy, though.

[Asante]

He did win.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't think it was in a country category.

[Asante]

It was. Yeah. So those were just for the. For album. He won for best country duo group Performance.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, it was country. Okay. Yeah. Shout out to Shaboozi.

[Asante]

Him and Jelly Roll. Amen.

[Dustin Ross]

Shaboozi won him.

[Asante]

Yeah, he might have. He was also known in some other categories, but I don't have those at hand right now to be sure if he won another one or not. I just.

[Dustin Ross]

Right there, dawg. You know what I thought you was gonna talk about.

[Asante]

Let's move on to Dustin Ross in the TV Land segment. Dustin Ross, what have you been watching? What were you about to talk about

[Dustin Ross]

this week in tv? Because it's kind of like a bridge between. I watched it, but it involves music, and it's on TikTok and Instagram. Liberian Girl. I can't stop watching them Liberian girl routines. Fran, do you know about this? Yeah.

[Francesca]

I love you, my very girl. It's so random. Why are they doing it to Liberia?

[Dustin Ross]

Did they turn around?

[Asante]

Oh, random.

[Francesca]

I didn't understand.

[Asante]

Now you know. Well, that was not what I was about to bring up.

[Dustin Ross]

It's so funny to me because how in the does that random ass clip from Liberian Girl by Michael Jackson turn into this phenomenal. And it's so funny because people are really taking it seriously. I just feel it like that. I have been entertained. Do you hear me? Oh. Anyway, I love you. And then they always start. They be the standing still. Or else they do this. They'll be like.

[Francesca]

And this is. This is like majorette culture, right?

[Asante]

You have to do it.

[Dustin Ross]

Liberia.

[Pharmaceutical Announcer]

You have to do it.

[Francesca]

My favorite part is when they turn around and go, yeah,

[Dustin Ross]

All the time. I love you.

[Francesca]

When I tell you TikTok is a special crazy place.

[Dustin Ross]

That shit is so funny, man. And shout out to them girls from that show from Bring it on that was also on Bell Collective. Sanjay and them and her sister Selena's

[Asante]

daughter said Bring It On. I thought about. About.

[Dustin Ross]

Ain't that the name of that show about them black girls dancing down south?

[Asante]

I think it's just called Bring It.

[Dustin Ross]

Bring It. Or is Bring it the movie?

[Francesca]

Bring It On.

[Asante]

Bring It On. It's the movie.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay. Bring it is the show. It's one of them. Y' all know who the. Hit it. Jermaine Dupri. Y' all know what this is, so. But they that challenge up. I just want you to know that the lady. The. The lady that taught them to. What's her name?

[Asante]

Coach something that Diana.

[Dustin Ross]

Coach Stormy. No, that's somebody else. That's the lady I thought was a lesbian. What's up? But y' all know she was sitting like a lesbian when she was telling that lady about that plate. I would never eat a plate like that. Oh, my God. I thought that's what I thought. That lady was a lesbian. But she's not. But her name is Coach, too. But the lady. What's her name?

[Asante]

Coach Diana.

[Dustin Ross]

Coach Diana. So she did. She did Liberian woman and the other ones did Liberian girl.

[Francesca]

Girl.

[Dustin Ross]

And they threw down. Do you hear me? I'm talking about. Shut that down. And it was so funny to me because people were flooding their comments like I was waiting on y'. All.

[Asante]

You know what I'm saying?

[Dustin Ross]

Is looking forward to them doing a Liberian girl challenge.

[Asante]

Bring It. It's the name of the show.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay. Yeah. Bring It. They brought it. It has been brought anyway.

[Asante]

And Bring it on again. Sorry. Keep going.

[Dustin Ross]

I love you, Liberian girl. So, yeah, TV land. First of all, the Real Housewives of Potomac ended its season officially right? Last week we wrapped up the story of the season. This week we got a one on one, sit down interview between Karen Huger and Andy Cohen, where we also got to literally watch Karen, walk. Walk out of jail, get in the car, go home, greet her family, her husband Ray, her sister Bridget, who don't play. You can look at her and tell she looked like the kind that hit her kids with a ruler. And then which. You know, that's. I'm not saying she abusive. I'm talking about like, that's how she gets.

[Asante]

I just felt a ruler.

[Dustin Ross]

And Karen's daughter Raven, so they all. We got to. And her son Brandon, who never really is around when they film. So it was so good to hear him talk about how happy he was his mama was home. That was great. So make sure y' all tune in of that. It's not coming on this weekend because the super bowl comes on, but the following weekend they return with part one of the reunion when they all have on them pretty red. So make sure you watch that. The Traders has been amazing. Season four. I don't know who's watching and who's not.

[Asante]

I'm watching.

[Dustin Ross]

Candace Dillard Bassett is one of the best traders I've ever seen on the show. She is really a joy to watch on that show. And she was also on watch what happens live this week too. So you can. Wherever you watch your shit, your DVR or whatever, you can watch that episode too, because it was really good.

[Asante]

This is a great return to TV for Candace.

[Dustin Ross]

Very much so, because this is where she shines.

[Asante]

And when she left, I felt like it was very early. Like, you know, because especially Potomac, I felt like was in the habit of, you know, keeping certain people around because they were doing things. So I felt like her leaving was very early. But I also understood her not coming back because she was pregnant. And I love the fact that she was enjoying that, you know, on the side. But also. So I didn't.

[Dustin Ross]

Protecting her piece and her placenta.

[Asante]

Yeah. So I didn't expect her to come on the Traitors and just completely captivate me every time they go to that sit down. Every, like, every time she's in that turret. Every time I see Candace, even when she's mad, she is bringing, like, really good, you know, captivating tv, especially to the Traitor's brand.

[Dustin Ross]

So I'm appreciating watching her the fashion. She's wearing really campy clothes. Like, she's totally committing.

[Asante]

So they really dress up and she really just like owns her.

[Dustin Ross]

She's committing to 100% and it's making her a joy to watch. And honestly, based on the way Candace looks and like, her. Her stature as a woman and stuff, I really want to see her do the Liberian Girl Challenge.

[Francesca]

You understand?

[Dustin Ross]

Can't you see Candace doing that first part?

[Asante]

You know, See, I was different. You can see it anyway all the time.

[Dustin Ross]

There's that. Let me think. What else do we need to talk about with television? Oh, shit. Rest in peace. We gotta have a fume real quick, y'.

[Francesca]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

I might have to take my hat off again. Let's just see. That's the spirit. Letting you know we let something go.

[Francesca]

Thank you.

[Dustin Ross]

Shawnee Henderson. Previously o' Neal announced that Basketball Wives is now returning. It's a wrap. Basketball Wives is done.

[Asante]

Really? Why?

[Dustin Ross]

It's a rap. She says she feels like now she wants to work on projects that reflect where she is. She's got some new shit coming. We know she's a first lady Queen of the pivot, by the way, because going from the creator of fucking Basketball Wives to being a pastor's wife. What a pivot. Queen of the pivot. And shout out to Shawnee, though. I always low key. I like Shawnee Oni Henderson. I like Shawnee Henderson. So whatever. But Basketball Wives is ending. So think about all the moments. Love it or hate it, Basketball Wives kept a lot of women of color employed for a long time.

[Asante]

It did.

[Dustin Ross]

And culturally, it mattered. It mattered. Non motherfucking factor. Jennifer Williams. When I do. When you do this, all of that stuff. You know what I'm saying? Food stamp. The food. Never seen a food stamp hitting somebody in the head with a purse. Jackie Christie. I'm a boss. I have chic. And she fanta chic. Jackie Christie finished the season with an iconic moment. Cause we all remember when she did this to her daughter Chantel on this season.

[Asante]

We all remember that.

[Dustin Ross]

I wonder how they feel about it being over.

[Francesca]

Like, imagine someone just being like. By the way, this show has been on for so many years, especially when

[Dustin Ross]

those ladies, like the. The ladies who have been around forever, like Jennifer Williams and Evelyn Lozada and Jackie Christie, they was making a good dollar on that show. For real.

[Francesca]

Damn.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, that'll be interesting. Jackie Christie is about to be on this next season of House of Villains on Peacock. It used to be on ebay. Now it's on Peacock, so you can catch her on there with Drita from Mob Wives and Tiffany Holler from Flavor of Love. They all on there together. So you should watch. Watch that. But, yeah, Basketball Wives is ending. Shout out to Malaysia Pargo. Shout out to Dre and Michelle. Shout out to Laura Govan. Shout out to. Yeah, Laura Govine. Shout out to Jennifer Williams. Evelyn Lozada, Tammy Roman. Who else? Brandy Maxill from that show. Yeah, it was just a lot of players on that show who made it. Yeah. Susie Kate. Catch him.

[Asante]

Royce Reed.

[Dustin Ross]

Royce Reed. Who was the only person who. Royce was the person who. Tammy put her hand in her face like this, being a bully, and Royce did like this.

[Francesca]

I remember that.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay. And she also did this by a pool.

[Francesca]

The original Liberian girl.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, the original. She love you. Yeah. So shout out to Basketball Wise, we. We just have to properly give it a fume. I think I'm going to do a deep dive on Patreon for our Patreon audience, where you can go to patreon.com the Friendzone podcast, and join us there. But Asante, I feel like we need to do a retrospective of sorts.

[Francesca]

They would love that I would join you.

[Dustin Ross]

We're gonna do that for our Patreon, you know, for Basketball Wives. We have to do that. So.

[Asante]

We will.

[Dustin Ross]

We will later on.

[Asante]

Oh, Black history.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to Brooke Bailey.

[Asante]

Celebrate them. Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

Brooke Bailey was a big part of that. So now I'm not giving no shout out to Sunday Carter. I never liked her.

[Asante]

No, absolutely not her.

[Dustin Ross]

Who else? I remember Jackie's like, Sunday.

[Asante]

Get that.

[Dustin Ross]

And hating. Hating on angel, who is now thriving on Married to Medicine on Bravo. One of the best additions to that cast of all time, bringing a totally different flavor. And I love that she still has a strong New Orleans accent, because y' all know I love me a New Orleans accent.

[Asante]

She's pretty.

[Dustin Ross]

Dr. Simone, gorgeous. A Proverbs 31 woman.

[Francesca]

What?

[Dustin Ross]

She's like, yes, talk to me. Proverbs 31 woman. Yes. That's what she said. Simone ain't know what to do. She was like, so it's just been great. Married to Medicine also has been good. I have. I have thoughts on that. That too. And you can also go watch Carlos King's recap with that, because on his Patreon every Monday, him and Dr. Heavenly recap the show. Oh, and let me give y' all a little background. I'll give you guys a little behind the scenes. This is something I would normally give our Patreon audience, but I give it to all of y' all because I love y'. All. So, you know Dr. Henley had made some comments, right? Dr. Heavenly had made some comments to Funky Dynamics. Eva speaking about men. And she was saying, I mean, a real man, not a gay man or no man.

[Francesca]

Yikes.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay, so that didn't sit too well with me. I made some comments about it And I spoke about it on air on another platform. And so Dr. Heavenly unfollowed me. We used to follow each other and stuff. She unfollowed me or whatever. And I know she has some feelings behind the thing. The statements that I made. I don't give a damn. It ain't personal. I just said what I had to say. But after that, she came onto our show Monday Night Live with me and Carlos. And it was fine. It's not personal for me. But I didn't follow her back and I don't believe she followed me back. So whatever. I wish her the best though with her congressional run and all that. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. I decide, hey, I was at Kandy's play on her debut in Aunt Juliet on Broadway. I want to see how she's progressed. Y' all know I love. Yeah, so I went to see her on Broadway. I went to see her about a month later. I think she has been on there for a month now. And I saw her, she was great. So comfortable, well adjusted with the blocking and just all the things that come along with performing over time on Broadway. I'm walking out the theater because I was sitting in the second row. I'm walking up the theater steps and I'm passing this lady and we're looking at each other. Cause we could kind of recognize each other or whatever. And so as we're passing, she said, dustin and I recognize our voice. It's Dr. Heavenly.

[Francesca]

Oh, so.

[Dustin Ross]

So I was like. I was like, hey, Heavenly, how you doing? I was like. She's like, good, good. I was like, it's good to see you. I was like, and congratulations on your congressional one. I wish you all the success.

[Francesca]

Thank you, Dustin.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you. But we was passing so I kept going or whatever. And so that was my little behind the scenes moment. I ended up running in the heavenly. You know what I'm saying? You know, cuz it ain't no. I do wish her the best for her congressional run. So that's my heavenly story for y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

And that's it for this week's story in TV land.

[Francesca]

And that means that that is it for us this week. We hope you enjoyed the episode. We love you so much and we will catch you guys next week.

[Asante]

Stay. Love you and protect your magic Liberia.

[Francesca]

We love you guys. Bye.

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[Francesca]

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