This week on #TheFriendZone, we’re attending Bible Study. The Sortie of Schechem.
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Dustin Ross
Sometimes an identity threat is a ring of professional hackers.
Asante
And sometimes it's an overworked accountant who.
Dustin Ross
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Asante
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Dustin Ross
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Asante
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Dustin Ross
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Asante
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Dustin Ross
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Dustin Ross
Welco the Friend Every time I'm in the zone. My name is Dustin.
Francesca
I'm Francesca, also known as. Hey, friend. Hey.
Asante
My name is Asante.
Dustin Ross
This is the Friend Zone. Let's start the show. You don't sit your goddamn ass down with them spaces in between your teeth.
Francesca
It never gets old somehow, and I.
Dustin Ross
Have never meant it more than I meant mean it this week. And I mean that for sure, for sure, for sure. Now, if there's one thing that I hate right, it's a Republican. But today I'm not even talking about that. This ain't got nothing to do with politics. So just when you thought I was gonna take you there, I'm not. I'm giving you all the week off, okay? It's a lot going on in the world. Let's heal by talking about Toya Wright's ghetto ass brother, Casey. Okay? Oh, now y' all know. Excuse me, Toya Johnson. I should say Toya Johnson.
Francesca
Wait, who's tiny? Okay, okay. I'm like, wait, which.
Dustin Ross
Which mother of Reginae Carter.
Asante
Yes.
Dustin Ross
She has a brother named Casey. She's a beautiful, right?
Francesca
Beautiful woman, just like naturally.
Asante
Yeah, beautiful.
Dustin Ross
I mean, stunning. Reginae. Pretty like she. Toya. Toya is. Exactly. So. I've always loved Toya. And for many years she's had reality shows that chronicle alive a her. Her family members. You know, her mom has dealt with struggles, her own personal struggles, and they've chronicled that on camera and it kind of endeared me to her. Family and what was going on. We also know that tragically she lost two of her brothers. They were murdered and it was at the same time in a vehicle. It was very, very tough for her and her family. Right.
Francesca
Jesus.
Dustin Ross
She has another brother named Casey that was incarcerated and is now out who. Who has a vendetta against her. I just put it like that. She has a new show. They I should say, have a new show, Toya and Reginae that's airing currently on WeTV. The second season just started. And last season she had a moment with this brother Casey that I'm speaking about where he just expressed and displayed a sense of entitlement that was stunning to say the least. I ain't never seen nobody more entitled. He reminded me of Fantasia Barino's brother on that clip I always speak about from her reality show.
Asante
And he said since you won the.
Dustin Ross
Idol, you didn't change.
Francesca
Oh, God.
Dustin Ross
Okay. It was that energy, those vibes. Now I'm gonna play a clip of this and then we're gonna talk about his ass to make ourselves feel better. So here's what he said according to the neighborhood talk on a recent Instagram live that he did.
Francesca
Oh God.
Asante
Oh, God.
Dustin Ross
$20,000 a month and your uncle do music and you didn't bought online a twenty thousand dollar work a twenty thousand dollar watch that you met this dude three months in front my face nanny I that's your money. You do what you want to do but I told you wasn't for you this like red bones Me and Rudy been having all the hoes gang we know when a sweet we know when a ain't for you I'm your uncle I'm in the streets y' all green.
Francesca
No, he's talking about his niece and who she's dating.
Dustin Ross
He's talking about Reginae Carter. And all of this is rooted in him and his feeling that because Reginae's father is Lil Wayne who is in a hip hop icon. Okay. Rap music icon. Sometimes I hate saying hip hop sounds.
Francesca
Very sound like white people.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin Ross
So he feels like they could have helped him. Even though he's been incarcerated for many years. He feels like with that relationship, they were obligated to help him start his rap career or pass his music to whoever. Toya and Reginae have said that they have in fact passed his music. But because he feels so entitled, they don't even know where to start with him. Right. So he's doing a video video today where he's yelling and screaming at the camera about reginae's apartment being $20,000 a month in LA.
Francesca
Okay.
Dustin Ross
And some way he has linked that to an obligation not being fulfilled to him by them to support him in some way, mind you. He also mentions Reginae. I guess he's alleging that Reginae purchased a watch for her ex boyfriend Armand Warren. You know, they were together for a minute and very public with their relationship. Real cute couple. And I guess he said that she bought him a twenty thousand dollar watch after viewing him for three months in his face. I'm sorry, that's your money. That's your money. You can do what you want to do with. But you bought 20,000 in my fucking face. I'm your uncle. I'm in the streets. And he's yelling to whoever is misled into following him on Instagram. That's who he was yelling at into the camera. Now the reason he brought up Reginae's rent is because that was the topic of conversation on this week's episode of Toya. And Regine Toya went out to LA to just kind of have a chat with Reginae about her spending because her apartment is really expensive. She was like, let's look at some houses if you're gonna be paying $20,000 a month. You know, she was trying to organize her finances because that was a subject of conversation on the show between a mother and daughter about the way the daughter is living. And he has somehow attached him and his musical aspirations and dreams to that and decided to get on Instagram and yell and scream at it. So now a grown man, a grown ass man. It's actually Jack o' Lantern Asante because that's what his face is shaped like. He's shaped like a Jack o' Lantern and he is a scary monster of a family member. Nobody wants to deal with that. And don't nobody owe you any nothing. That's the if that's what your music sound like. Because if you have that problem, proximity to Lil Wayne, right? And two people who make decisions for Lil Wayne and access to resources he has. Why hasn't it caught anybody's ear even in jail? People make albums from jail all the time. Why isn't it caught your year and if. Why's it caught their ear, you know what I'm saying? What the do Toya and Reginae who are not artists have to do with you and your music career, right? And I don't know if nobody's ever told you this, Casey, Sir Humbug. I don't know if nobody's ever told you this, but you get more flies with honey, more bees with high. Whatever that. Whatever it is. You know what I'm saying? You get something with honey. You need to be nicer. Like what do you think you gonna scare Toya and Reginae into playing your music? We only know you because they let you be on their TV show.
Francesca
And that's so that was the alley a lot.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, because so you got the exposure. You people know who you are and you were paid to do that.
Francesca
So you used it to be what.
Dustin Ross
More do you want? What do you want them to do for you? And I hate people that think like that. They try to attach themselves to the success and accomplishments of loved ones or people that they feel they have some sort of allegiance to as if they owe them some. Don't nobody owe you. And with attitude like that, you ain't gonna get and you actually look like you smell like with that hoodie on yelling in the cameras. I'm your uncle, not mine. I've been told.
Francesca
Y crazy honesty. This is a young lady that young lady like and you're expecting her to.
Dustin Ross
Take care of you at the time of publishing. Today is Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Reginae and Armand broke up in 2023. Long long time ago. They broke up in 2023. Why are you even talking about Regina and her ex? Her ex, Armand.
Francesca
Oh, you said.
Asante
I'm hearing her mom.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, our mind.
Asante
I was a little Fred for a second. I was a little.
Dustin Ross
Ain't that movie called it something strange about the Johnsons? No, no, no, no, no, no.
Asante
Absolutely.
Dustin Ross
But not these Johnsons.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin Ross
But yeah, you know, I just wanted to get on that because I hate like that. Don't ever be that blessed enough to have a attachment or relationship with someone who's a successful in what they do. Learn something from them or if not, just celebrate their success. Because you happy because you love them. That's all you got to do, bro. You they don't owe him nothing. I hate that he's doing all that and like him are the problem. That's all I say. I'm just gonna leave it there. With that being said, welcome to the friend zone. We your house.
Asante
We've been in these streets 10 years.
Dustin Ross
Your middle look, it's a hard thing who want a family member like Casey? Not me, man. I would lie. I'd be like, I ain't never seen this.
Asante
I don't know in my life.
Dustin Ross
I told you if I was black China would nobody know I was related to Tokyo Tony? She could say she was my Mama every day on the Internet. And I'd be like, mariah care. I don't know her straight up. I would just lie and not be tested. Him. Anyway.
Asante
Hey, friend.
Dustin Ross
Hey, Sunday. How y' all doing?
Asante
You'd be like, oh, yeah. She lived in the same neighborhood as us.
Dustin Ross
And.
Francesca
I'm good. How are y' all doing? What y' all do this weekend? Everybody looks rested.
Dustin Ross
Well, good. That's good. Good. Lies this ring light. That's what that is.
Asante
But no, right back in the bed.
Dustin Ross
I had a good weekend. I actually got a lot of business handled. You know, I'm in a season of Come on. I'm the Road Runner expansion. So I took care of some business, the business this weekend, and I actually got a chance to see MJ the Musical again. I went to MJ the Musical.
Francesca
I love that.
Dustin Ross
Now this is like my third time going, I believe.
Francesca
Such a good show. I went with Kia Jade. Really? In what way?
Dustin Ross
Yeah, the cast. Yeah. You know, they brought new people in or whatever. Some good, some. Everybody was good. Nobody was bad. I'll say that. Everybody was good. But I had an interesting experience, y'. All. This has never happened to me at every Broadway show I've ever been to. This has never happened to me. So we're sitting in the theater, right? You know, I was feeling good or whatever. And so there was a part where Joseph, the guy that played Joseph, had said something to Michael Young Michael or whatever. And it wasn't supposed to be funny, but it made me laugh, so I laughed or whatever.
Asante
I was like.
Dustin Ross
Like that or whatever. No lie, y'. All. Like, 30, 45 seconds later, right? So, like, me and the people I'm.
Francesca
With, we all kind of scared.
Dustin Ross
Like, 30, 45 seconds later, they're like. This voice comes on that sounds like the voice that talks to the characters on Squid Games. So it's like a voice up in the Vogue, which I've done before at events. So this I just felt like, AI. But anyway, so the voice comes on. They're like. They're like, hold, please. And everybody kind of looks or whatever. And then they're like, actors, you may leave the stage. Actors walk off the stage or whatever. And they're like, everyone relax. Technical difficulties. Please hold one second. And everybody in the theater kind of like, looks. The lights come on. So I'm like, I done seen this a few times. You know what I'm saying? And this is not intermission. What the is going on? And I had just had a little, you know, a little faux pass.
Asante
I was like, what was it? All I did was laugh.
Dustin Ross
So everybody in the audience is kind of looking like, what the is going on? You know what I'm saying? So I look at my friends like, this is absolutely New York City. It's Trump. Let's get out of here. You know what I'm saying? This is not the intermission. And so people had kind of, like, started getting up. Everybody was kind of looking like, what's going on?
Francesca
Right?
Dustin Ross
And because with the way the world.
Francesca
Is, you don't know what that means for what's happening.
Dustin Ross
You never know. So, like, I, I. I had quickened. And so, you know, then about, like, three minutes into that, right? Of everybody kind of buzzing, like, what's going on with her? Whatever. They're like, thank you for your patience. Our show will resume like this real calm, weird voice. And then the actors came back out, picked it right back up, and it was only like, five minutes left in that part of the show until intermission. So then we went to intermission, and it was just the weirdest thing that they never explained. Never. And I just wonder, has anybody else? I'm sure it has had to happen in all the years, you know what I'm saying? But that was my first time, and so I was just a little nervous. It ain't the time for no time.
Francesca
Maybe when you have to pee.
Dustin Ross
So whoever it was need to put a plug Twitter.
Francesca
True.
Dustin Ross
Because it's not time for no mistakes like that. You have nervous, you know what I'm saying? So that's my Broadway story about this.
Francesca
I thought you were gonna say the voice was telling you to stop laughing, like telling the audience, black man in a three.
Dustin Ross
Shut up.
Asante
Please refrain from reacting out loud or something like what I say.
Dustin Ross
I was like, oh, okay, that signed it just like that. It sounded just like that. Dial on Squid game. I was so nervous.
Francesca
Maybe someone. Maybe someone in the comments works in production and will tell us what happened.
Dustin Ross
I tell you this, it was gonna be playbills everywhere, because I was gonna get. I was gonna work my way to that door, I can tell you that much. So that's what happened to me this weekend. How was your weekend?
Francesca
What about you with Santi?
Asante
Mine was good. It's funny that you keep talking about squid games, because I actually finished. I watched the season two of Squid Games this weekend.
Francesca
Oh, no.
Asante
I was crying, laughing, because I thought about you the entire time. Because when you said. When you said what you said about the entire season, you were right. Thank you. I was very annoyed. It was a Different tone this season, which I appreciated. I feel like the first season they were able to heighten a lot of different emotions. Whether it was like, how empty could be at certain points or whether how chaotic could be at certain points. And they're just downright gruesome. This one, I feel like they were like heavy parts, but it wasn't as heavy. And even the lighter parts were just stupid. Like the Thanos dude. I was like, okay, well, this is just. But yeah, overall though, I did kind of enjoy the season. I just hate that it was like a half season thing or like, it's a full season.
Dustin Ross
Didn't it feel abbreviated and interrupted? It felt like it ended right in the middle of an episode.
Asante
It's like when you watch a movie that's already like three hours long and then it's like into part one, it's like, bitch, why did you make it three hours long? And this is just part one of the movie. Like, this could. Like, why wasn't the whole movie in this whole thing? Well, a lot of movies. I didn't actually watch Wiki, but I know there are a lot of movies that have been like that. It's like, well, damn. What the. Like, even Hunger Games. The. The last part of Hunger Games is like, why are we doing this as a two parter? Like, y' all could. It's already been three, two, three other movies out this. But yeah, the point is the Square Games.
Dustin Ross
You pissed us off. This.
Asante
Yeah. Squid Games was annoying this season. I don't want to spoil it, but the dude on the boat, really? I already knew, like. Like Ben knew that there's a boat friend. See, I don't.
Francesca
I don't know if I want to watch it. Was it really gruesome?
Dustin Ross
It wasn't as gruesome no more than the first season.
Asante
It wasn't as gruesome. Like, because of the first season. I feel like it was always just.
Dustin Ross
Like, oh, shit, nothing but gore.
Asante
Yeah. But this season, because I don't know.
Francesca
If I could do that to myself.
Asante
This season, I feel like it wasn't even a lot of the games. Like, I feel like they did maybe it's only seven episodes. I feel like the games are only in maybe like two or maybe three of the episodes. And they were going by pretty quick. So it was like, okay, they ain't.
Dustin Ross
Know what to do. Yeah. At first I had high hopes because I like the way that they picked up the second season from the first season. Yeah, I like the way that was written. But that second season was Horrible. They can put that back in. I was gonna say something whole problematic, so never mind.
Asante
What about you? How was your weekend?
Francesca
It was good. It's. The weather here has been really confusing. I know. It's freezing in New York, right?
Dustin Ross
Yeah, well, yes, it has been, to your point. Yes.
Francesca
Right. Yeah. And it's, you know, normally around this time, it's like gloomy in the pnw and it just hasn't been. It's been like, sunny.
Dustin Ross
That's.
Francesca
Yeah. Relatively nice. I'm like, oh, we're dying climate change. Right. So we've been just enjoying the sun as much as we can because, you know, it's hard out here, but really just being outside type of weekend. You know the weekend when you're, like, going to dinner, doing some shopping, hanging out with friends. One of our friends, their son had like a birthday at like, a Dave and Buster's style spot, and we went there. We're like bowling blazer tags. So just like a more social, active weekend. As social as it can get out here. Yeah.
Dustin Ross
When you drive, do you lean into the door?
Francesca
Lean into the door?
Dustin Ross
What you mean while you're driving? Is that like, how do you sit in the seat? How do you sit in the seat? Are you sitting up? You drive like this. Like, do you lean?
Francesca
It's weird because my seat will be back, but I'll be sitting up, you know? But I do drive. I drive cute. Like, now my hand be at the bottom of the steering wheel. Like, okay, you see, she cooking.
Asante
She cooking, she cooking.
Francesca
I don't know why that made me feel cool, but, yeah, I'm super cute. Still driving out here.
Dustin Ross
Okay.
Francesca
Yeah, it's been so. It was cute. I like that, too. Then now, like, I can pull up. And I had a friend, we went to dinner the other day, and they were like, can you pick me up? I was like, I can, actually. The fact that people feel safe even asking me if I could pick them up makes me happy.
Dustin Ross
It's affirming.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
And I kept checking in with her the whole time. Like, you still feel good? You feel safe? She was like, I feel fine. Like, don't worry, but I'm not going.
Asante
To if you keep asking.
Francesca
I was like, I'm doing cute. Right. But anyway, you know, we still going around these parts. Do you guys any announcements or anything you want to let the folks know before we jump in?
Asante
Yes. Today is Wednesday. If you are listening to this episode as it is released, that means it's the last Wednesday of the month and we will be Doing our wind down at 8:00pm Eastern Standard tonight. Don't forget to join us if you are a member of our Patreon. If you are not a member, you can join us@patreon.com the Friend Zone podcast. So you can join us Wednesday the 29th, which is the date this episode is dropped or being released. If you're listening to this after the 29th, you can still see us if you join us over@patreon.com friendzone podcast because we will be posting the replay of the Wind down, but you will also have tons of other content over there to enjoy, whether it's seeing our lovely faces, hearing us commercial free or join, or enjoying our other shows such as the Binge or the Situation. Yes. For just a half a second, I was just. Mind you, that was what I was really doing this weekend. I had read ahead because sometimes I wait till like a day before to.
Francesca
Read and be stressed, but I'm shook.
Asante
I know we can't.
Dustin Ross
About what I hate.
Asante
Well, because sometimes the books. Because the books we've been reading as of late are good. So sometimes if I rewrite before, it's like, all right, well, I'm just locked in fresh. I'm glad I did not do it this week because I would have been pissed. Yes. So Parable of the Talents is the book that we're doing for the situation right now. So please join us for that and. Or let us know so far if you're already with us, how you've been enjoying it. It's crazy. It's crazy. But, yes, that's all I wanted to let the people know.
Francesca
You guys, she gonna throw lightning at us.
Dustin Ross
You know, she was like.
Francesca
It'S a great book for having fun. Come join us on the live stream.
Dustin Ross
Hello. They call me. You hear that? They call me the Aki way.
Francesca
The Aki Way. You know what? Yes. Asante. Join us for the live stream. It's always a ton of fun.
Asante
Please.
Francesca
Patreon.com/forward/the friend zone Podcast. Anything else, guys?
Dustin Ross
Not for me.
Asante
Oh, excuse me.
Dustin Ross
No, no, no, that's it.
Francesca
So let's jump into. Oh, wait, no, I have a black business, actually. So I was looking through, right? I was looking through the tweet prompt that we had put out, asking our followers on Twitter if they had any black businesses we should know about. That's always a good place, right? Because you guys sent us hundreds, literally hundreds of black businesses y' all felt we should highlight. And there was this one tweet by Candace Neal that said I just thought this was great because a lot of times we'll, we'll highlight smaller, more independent companies. But it's cool to kind of highlight the ones that are really out here too.
Dustin Ross
Hell yeah.
Francesca
Right?
Dustin Ross
That's motivation.
Francesca
It's such motivation for us. So Candace said we're in Oklahoma and we have the most seafood boil and fried catfish restaurants. We're called the Crab and Catfish Company. We serve seafood boils, fried catfish, fried lobster tails and special specialty daiquiris. We have five now and a sixth on the way.
Asante
I am listening.
Francesca
Six restaurants in Oklahoma and when I looked it up and it literally had 408 five star reviews on Google, which is right. I mean amazing.
Asante
I'm so.
Francesca
Y' all know I'm allergic but damn, it looked good when I was looking at it. They say I went on the website which is crab and catfish company dot com. I see Asante. I can see your hands. It says we are a casual dining seafood restaurant specializing in mouth watering seafood boils, delicious daiquiris and fabulous fried foods. Crab, shrimp, lobster tail paired with potatoes, egg, corn and sausage then topped with rich butter sauce and seasonings and catfish. So good it'll make your mama jealous. That's what we do. So put your bibs on and get your hands dirty. But nonetheless get ready for a fantastic seafood experience. They have online delivery. They also are on doordash and they are located on 809 Southwest 119th street in Oklahoma City. Well, that's one of their locations actually because they have six. So definitely check that out.
Dustin Ross
Get into it a fall face first.
Francesca
The hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday 11am to 9pm and Friday through Saturday 11am to 10pm so they're open. I also did notice that they're hiring too, which I could imagine with six locations. So in case you want to be.
Asante
Down, I'm sure be busy. They need help.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
If you're looking for some work, definitely check them out at crab and Crab and Catfish Co.com I love that. Right.
Dustin Ross
I see that going all over the country for them.
Francesca
That's so exciting. And for it to have that many five star reviews, impressive.
Asante
So I love some seafood.
Francesca
Every time I see seafood boils, I remember I would order it for my mom. Sometimes she'd be on FaceTime eating and I'm just like, I hope you enjoy it.
Asante
Your mama doing a whole mukbang in front of you.
Francesca
Cracking it. Right? Looks the little sausage with the corn.
Dustin Ross
Oh yes, Cream of Wheat.
Francesca
I'm sitting there chewing on spinach.
Asante
That's what when you first started talking about mukbang, I was like, I can't do it because I immediately thought about the seafood boils because I eat seafood.
Francesca
And I've been But I can be around it. I'm not one of those people that's so sensitive that they can't even sit. Like I can be around it. I just can't enjoy it. Y so we'll figure it out. But not good. Last week's episode titled Older Women Having a Good Time. Thank you. We shared our energy forecast for 2025 and discussed whether or not our government's recent stunts shifted our view of the year. Those of you listening had a lot to say. Who stood out to you?
Asante
Asante I would like to shout out Lexi Rich yet again. Lexi Rich in the gated community says Lexi Rich.
Dustin Ross
Not the broke one.
Francesca
I'm done.
Asante
It's the voice that you keep doing because it's the same voice.
Dustin Ross
You just did a fall face for it. Okay, let me stop making you laugh. Come on, Sante, what did Lexi Rich say?
Asante
Well, this is the same Lexi Rich that you was getting at.
Francesca
She was beefing with.
Asante
She says, first of all, she's already starting off wrong. Well, she all she want to know is she says first look, why Dustin always coming for me Laughing emoji.
Francesca
Okay, so it wasn't the first time, huh?
Asante
She said, I don't even remember my comment from a while back. But back, back, give me 50ft.
Dustin Ross
You ain't even mean it.
Asante
Well, because we was talking about so this was in reference to her responding.
Dustin Ross
To she posted no, not you.
Asante
She's supposed to know she well, she also says because she followed up with what she said or what she was reinforcing her point. Originally she was commenting about Karen and the whole Potomac thing. She says Karen needs to simmer down and if she comes back, she needs to have a whole ass special about her rehab and her concubine behind and white, black and Cherokee or whatever she kept seeing in the video. Friend, don't be answering that door. Talk to them through the thermostat. If you know, you know the thermostat. I am not in my 60s, child. I am of a certain age aligned with friend as I'm not in my 60s, child. Yes, because I thought she would. I thought she was 60 because she had made the point saying something about 60s, but she was including the women of the 60s. And she says as I'm listening, I am crying. My friends are going to be hollering and text me after Listening this week, shout out to you, Lexi. I wanted you to have a redemption arc because you just keep coming back for more and playing with us because you know that we are playing with you and we appreciate you.
Dustin Ross
We love you.
Asante
Love you, Lexi. Thank you so much. Yes. Thank you for being a great sport. I also wanted to shout out and send some love to hold on because a lot of you all had a lot of things to say, which I appreciate. I also want to shout out Ashley in the gated community. Ashley commented, friend, I felt that heaviness on New Year's too. Like Asante. I too spent New Year's Eve with people who are acquaintances. I don't know them like that. For real, for real. It was cool. We had somewhat of fun, but it wasn't my people. That heaviness hit. As soon as the DJ said, happy New Year, I looked around and was like, these are not my people.
Dustin Ross
Which is real.
Asante
Because that's where I was. I was like, okay, this is, you know, not where I'm supposed to be, but I'm happy to be on this side of heaven and attempted. Yeah, I'm happy to be on this side of heaven and attempted to. And attempted to live in the moment. I think it's. That's because I moved to DMV summer of 2024. I'm from Georgia and always live within four hours of family and about 30 to 45 minutes from friends. My friend who does live up here was sick for New Year's Eve, so that also didn't help. Just a weird time. But may God or whatever your belief system is, bless this year for us all. Shout out to you, Ashley. Yes, I felt the exact same way about a lot of what you said. I recently moved too, so I'm glad that you're staying in a positive spirit. So I want to send you love because I was feeling conflicted. But I also have to know that it's a new season for me and I'm working out kinks and there's always going to be some pain with the growth. And the pain don't mean it's hurt, you know, it's just, you know, you're getting stronger and we're gonna keep building. So I want to build you up and shout you out, Ashley, because you said you was a Georgia girl and you moved and you stepped out. You know, I left Atlanta many moons ago and then I just recently left New York. So as we start new chapters, we got to empower each other. So I hope I'm empowering you Ashley and I love that she spells her name A S H L E A but she put in Ashley But I like the spelling too. That's what I found out here in the streets. What did you find friend?
Francesca
So Handsome Mandela and the Patreon street said dope episode. As always, I totally agree with getting the tools to defend yourself as well as taking safe handling classes and CCW LTC classes depending on what your state calls them. Some states don't require them, but it's still good to have one because of state reciprocity laws. I also learned about self defense insurance. I never heard of that. To have kick ass. That way if you happen to get in a situation all you have to do is hand the arresting officer your self defense insurance card and say nothing. They're supposed to call your lawyer and everything else should be taken care of. The site is us lawshield.com I'd advise paying the extra few dollars for the plan that covers you in whatever state that you go to that covers your CCW ltc. Again, great show. Y' all have gotten me through some tough times. Help me elevate, help me see things from another perspective as well as the same perspective and brought me back to reality. Y' all are a true gift. Thank you Handsome Mandela. I love that name.
Dustin Ross
Thank you Handsome Mandela. And I ain't gonna argue with you because you got that blicky. So whatever you say.
Francesca
Yeah right.
Asante
Okay. Meanwhile I'm on US lawshield.com right now.
Francesca
Yeah, I've never heard of that. This is exactly why I want to have an episode just breaking down these things. I legit have never heard anyone talk about that. I also wanted to shout out Chris B. Who was talking about Elizabeth Warren. Chris B said hey indigenous person here.
Dustin Ross
Come on with it.
Francesca
They say she would have gone on perpetuating the 1256 Cherokee stereotype by having the audacity to present a 23andMe DNA test like it's supposed to be proof. If the indigenous community didn't hold her accountable, she would have likely continued lying. It feels more egregious in her case because she's in government. Not that that means much these days, but she would have or should have known the political and cultural implications. She knew well enough to check indigenous on applications. That's crazy. When it benefited her. But she never stopped to wonder why the box is even necessary for indigenous people in the first place. Also during the time she was a pretendian. That's hilarious. A pretending. I really want to name the episode can we? She didn't acknowledge or contribute back to the Cherokee community from my knowledge and only told her family origin story out of convenience. In the indigenous community, it's not just about who you claim, but who claims you. Claiming to be indigenous. And cosplaying as an indigenous person is very popular among the whites. And with these DNA tests, it's become ridiculous, comical, and even scary. I've heard of instances where white people would go to native communities expecting to enroll as a member with their DNA test. It's ignorant and entitlement. I'm sure it's not a coincidence it's become popular in this political climate because our existence, it is, Is a disruption of white supremacy. So you all hit the nail on the head discussing the importance of community, because community is why Elizabeth Warren and a lot of white people can't get away with claiming to be indigenous.
Asante
Shit.
Dustin Ross
Wow.
Francesca
All right.
Dustin Ross
You need to come on the show.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin Ross
You just told Elizabeth Warren ass up. He's like, God damn. I know that's right.
Francesca
That is. And you know what's crazy? I remember watching. I don't know if y' all saw this, because I know y' all watch Love after lockup, but do y' all remember the white man on there that was getting a check every month? And he's in prison, but he, like, is paying for his partner on the show. Like, he bought her a house, cars. Like, I'm talking about balling. Like, he was getting, like, well, I don't want to lie and say how much a month, but it was like a pretty big check because he was, quote, unquote, native. And when we were looking at him, we were like, native where? Not saying that natives have a specific look. That was a white man. That was a white man. So I get it. You do hear some crazy stuff going on.
Dustin Ross
1 256th of.
Francesca
Pretending.
Asante
Pretending they were spitting.
Francesca
Spitting. Okay, I had to read that on the show, but that's it. What about you, Dustin? What'd you find in the Twitter streets?
Dustin Ross
Well, let's talk about it, you know, because I am back on the Twitter streets, and I would like to talk about some of the things that I have found. This was funny. This is from a Twitter user named Nate Rerun. And he said the tweet says, quote, like, this still gags me. And listen to what he was referring to.
Francesca
What?
Asante
As soon as I heard I will vote, I remembered what it was.
Francesca
Me bopping my head until we got to that point.
Asante
Yep. No, I won't.
Francesca
You gotta be kidding me.
Asante
They dead ass serious inside a trump rally. They minted with their stupid asses.
Francesca
This is at the rally, y'. All. He hired those people.
Dustin Ross
They were performing at the rally, y'.
Asante
All.
Dustin Ross
They said, so shout out to him. He said, this still gags me.
Asante
I'm gonna start being real ignorant being like, that was AI y'.
Francesca
All.
Asante
Did any of y' all see that? For real? Was y' all there? That was AI.
Dustin Ross
Also, I want to give a shout out to the twitter account. They have the range or it's actually at have the range. Thanks to them, I just discovered mail lady Monday. Do y' all know about mail lady Monday?
Francesca
No.
Dustin Ross
So there's a mail carrier, a U. S. Postal service carrier who has mailman. Male Lady Monday freestyles and where she covers. She covers old songs and then adapts the lyrics to her experience as a mail carrier. So this week she's singing according to the melody of are you there somebody? By aaliyah and she's talking about people's dogs not being on the leash and her not delivering their mail. And she, she was like, I' ma spray this whole bottle. I mean this whole bottle talking about.
Asante
That, that spray for the dog.
Dustin Ross
So it's funny. So just check that out. Male lady Mondays, you should be able to find that. And that's it. I got some other stuff, but I will vote for Donald Trump. Took me out.
Francesca
I'm shy.
Dustin Ross
Welcome to the friends.
Asante
Every time I this podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all in one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online. Whether you're just starting out or managing a growing brand, Squarespace makes it easy to create a beautiful website, engage with your audience and sell anything from products to content to time. All in one place. All on your terms. Introducing design intelligence from Squarespace. Combining two decades of industry leading design expertise with cutting edge AI technology to unlock your strongest creative potential, Design Intelligence empowers anyone to build a beautiful, more personalized website tailored to their unique needs and craft a bespoke digital identity to use across one's entire online presence. Start a fully custom on brand website with Squarespace's latest AI enhanced website builder, Blueprint AI. After a few questions, Squarespace's interactive design system transforms basic information about your brand or business into an elevated online presence with curated premium quality content automatically added and matched to your profile and aesthetic. And measure your end to end online performance with powerful website and seller analytics. Get insights on top traffic sources, understand how your reach is growing, track sales metrics and learn where to focus new engagement. It's all the data you need to scale your brand or business. Fully integrated and clearly displayed. You guys know that we have supported Squarespace, or rather they've supported us for a very long time. I've used Squarespace for a long time. Actually. If you go to heyasante.com that website is made with Squarespace. It's been made with Squarespace. I'm gonna have to go log in and use some of these new tools and give it a redesign. So y' all should check my website out this time, heyasante.com and if you follow me on any of the newer social medias, y' know that that's the website. So if y' all go check it out again, it's made with Squarespace, but I'm gonna redo it with Squarespace in like a week or two using some of these tools and let y' all know. So y' all just check in with me and see how that goes. If y' all want to see for yourself how it goes, before I let you know, go to squarespace.com for a free trial. And when you're ready to Launch, go to Squarespace.com friendzone to save 10 off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's 10% off your first purchase of a Website or Domain. At Squarespace.com.
Dustin Ross
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Francesca
That means that we can jump into this week's episode. Dustin Ross, it's all you. What you got for us this week?
Dustin Ross
So this week for the hot button, I wanted to talk about something that, you know, kind of came across my desk this weekend. You know, on along my journey or in my travels, shout out to Spiller Boy TV, aka James Caldwell. Spiller Boy TV. On YouTube he always says, you know, in my travels I ran across. So in my travels, I ran across this account on the tick of the talk. Now, do you all know or have you heard of the Jefferson sisters on Tick tock and Instagram? It's like Jefferson sisters official. Their sisters, London and Paris. Well, they're cute. The cutest black family. Cute black little girls. Their mom takes great care of them, family loves them. The oldest little girl, London, or Paris, she. She's known to have a bit more spirited of a personality, right? And so sometimes, you know, she gets in trouble. They record them, you know, talking to her about whatever the issue was or whatever. So this weekend, I saw a video from the Jefferson sisters account where Paris had beat up a little girl, you know, and they were asking her why she did it or whatever, and she said that the little girl was fighting her sister. And she was like, I was. I had to help London. Had to help London. So you know what I'm talking about.
Francesca
Difference in their responses. Yes.
Dustin Ross
So I'm going to play the first video and then we're going to come back to this, and then we're going to move towards the bigger conversation I want to have. So here's the video where Paris, who's one of the Jefferson sisters, is confronted by their mother about.
Asante
For.
Dustin Ross
Basically, she's getting in trouble for beating up another little girl outside that she said was trying to mess with her little sister. So listen, I am so scared.
Francesca
Let them see your hands. They all bruised up from fighting. Why you do that? Come on to London. You was taking care of London, helping London out. But why? Who told you that? Goosy. Goosy told you to do that? And he said, everyone play with my sister. Be her ass up. Here's that man ain't tell you no mess like that.
Asante
Okay, okay, okay.
Dustin Ross
Now follow me. So the little girl beat the girl up outside and told her mother that Boosie. Okay, little Boosie.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin Ross
Tasha K. Boosie had told her that if somebody missed, your sister beat her ass up. Right? That's what she said. Now the video next cuts to a clip. This is a real thing. It sounds like something this little girl made up, right? But sure enough, there's a song by Boosie called Love youe Family. And it goes like this.
Asante
If that's your sister hugging right now, hug your family.
Francesca
Hug your family. If she play with your sister, be. No.
Asante
Hey, you see, in the song, Boosie said.
Francesca
Now, I don't know how that little girl. That's the biggest question this record.
Dustin Ross
How did she know that? How did she know? Love your family.
Asante
All right, how did she know that?
Dustin Ross
But in that song by Little Boots, how does she know that? And he said, if she play with your sister, beat her ass right now. Person who.
Asante
You know what I'm saying?
Dustin Ross
So first of all, shout out to little Paris Jefferson, because she knew and she followed the codes, you know, Boosie, you know, I. I hate Little Boosie. It ain't no secret. The love is hate the man, right? But that was hilarious, that that little girl knew that lyric from love your family by Boosie and took it to her. Her little spirit, right? She said, she told. He said. He said, if you play with your sister, be her ass up. That's what. That's how she answered it. But he said, if she played with your sister, beat her ass. And now, as a black man of a certain ilk, right, I come from that. I'm from Flint, Michigan. You, your sisters, your siblings, your brother and sister, that's a bond. Friends, cousins, loyalty. You know what I'm saying? And so it got me to thinking when I read that. I'm like, the way she said it and the fact that it was a sentiment and a cold, right, that has reverberated all the way from my generation down to now, out of the mouths of babes like, you know, little Paris, right? Jefferson. I said, that sounds like a tale as old as time. It must be something that's been going on since the beginning of time. Now, she may have been on her 20, 25, you know what I'm saying, and applying it to Boosie, but they was doing that back in one, you know what I'm saying? Like, the first year ever, they was doing that, according to what I found out. And as a person who, you know, I like to call myself a Bible scholar, kind of in the vein of them people who get them honorary doctorates, I feel like, you know what I'm saying, I'm a Bible scholar, and I remember a story in the Bible that reflects that sentiment. So today, this. This week, God damn it, we're going to talk about a little story that I decided to call love your family, right, the sortie of Shechem. Now, I don't know if you know what a sortie is, right? But a sortie, it's a noun that means armed attack, okay? Or a mission, right? So again, we're gonna have a conversation called love your family, the sortie of Shekham. I'm about to tell you the story.
Francesca
Let's name this week's episode that, yep.
Dustin Ross
Love your family, the sorty S O R T I E of Shechem. S H E C H E M so let's get to it, y'. All. We going to Bible lessons, baby. And it's coming from me. So you already know I'm about to give it to you straight and no chaser.
Asante
You have preface this with Boosie. So I'm like, That's right, because you.
Dustin Ross
Gotta, you know.
Asante
And I'm trying to.
Dustin Ross
Shecum Shechem. S c. Excuse me? S h e c H e m. So, like, she and Kim.
Francesca
C H e m Sheckham.
Dustin Ross
Okay, yeah, I'm gonna tell you about that. We about to check him and shack them because that's what went down. But this story actually comes from the Bible, Book of Genesis, chapter 34, okay? So if you want to follow along in the text, okay, you know, that's what you.
Francesca
Stop bringing my Bible down.
Asante
Bring your.
Dustin Ross
By all 66 books, you know what I'm saying? But so this story takes place in the book of Genesis, chapter 34, okay? And it is involving Jacob, okay? Or who I like to call Israel Jacob. Like ATL Jacob.
Asante
Please, please.
Dustin Ross
Israel Jacob. Israel Jacob. Okay? I mean. I mean, okay, but the story. The story is connected to. To Jacob, right? Now, Shechem was a city, and it was a person, right? Shechem was a city. It went down in Shechem. As you can hear, I added sound effects this week. There are police sirens to reflect some of the depravity and the ghetto living that was going on in Shechem at the time, right? But Shechem was a city in the promised land of Canaan. Now, we all know what that was. We all know the story of the promised land and who occupied it and everyone wanting to take ownership of this land. But Shechem was a city that was named Shechem because it was led by Shechem, who was a prince, and he was the son of the Hivite chieftain named Hamor. Okay? There's a lot of names in here, so follow me along. Follow along with me, right? How more think about Jaja Gabor, if you remember the name, you know, Hamor, at least that's what helped me. And he was a Hivite chieftain, right? Now, the Hivites to me sounded like black people. I don't know why, but I just feel like if they was Hivites. That sound like some black people sound like the Hivites could dance a little bit. They may have had a disco or, you know what I'm saying? Somewhere, a stone room with a dirt floor that was trampled on from dancing to the beat. But he was a son of a Heavite chieftain, a Hivite chieftain named Hamor, right? And so in this city, it was the site of many, many important events, right? Which included, like, the first appearance of God to Abraham, right? The burial of Joseph took place in Shechem. And the coordination of Rehoboam and Shechem is one of the oldest cities in the world. So, you know, just to give you a little background on where we at. Where we at, what we doing, you know what I'm saying? So we all know a little history of Jacob. He was a key figure in the Bible, a founding patriarch of the nation of Israel. He was the grandson of Abraham and Sarah, who was old as hell when she had babies. And he was also the son of Isaac and Rebecca. So that's Jacob. Now, we do know that everybody have a past. And we do know that Jacob was up to some trickery when he tricked his twin brother Esau out of that birthright. Remember that?
Francesca
Okay?
Dustin Ross
So. And he got his father's blessing. So everybody do have a past. That's just a little bit of background on Jacob. But Jacob had one and only daughter, right? Dinah, that was her name, like Washington, but she no black. So Dinah, who was the only daughter of Jacob, you know, they living in Shechem. Shechem is popping. So she's like, you know, I want to go outside and like, you know what I'm saying? Be with the women of the land. That's what Genesis 34:1 says. It says, dinah, the daughter of Leah, born to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. So much like the city girl said, girl, it's Friday night. It's Friday night. Okay? The fridge on full, house on clean. Fridge on full. Baby with the grandma. I'm good. What we going? What we doing? That was the vibe, right? So she was outside in Shekhem. So as she went outside to visit these, you know, visit Atlanta. So she was by herself and she was walking through the city, and she encountered Shechem himself, who was the prince. He was the son of the chieftain that ran shit there, right? When she encountered him, he fancied her. And trigger warning to all who are listening here, there's an assault involved, right? So she runs up on the prince. He sees her. She was alone, by herself. She was on her way to meet up with her homegirls, and he assaulted her. Now, it's in debate. It's debated amongst Bible scholars whether it was an actual sexual assault or some other type of defilement. But something happened, okay, that wasn't supposed to happen. And so, of course, you know, after this. This situation takes place or whatever, she runs back home, right to her father, tells Jacob what happened, right? She gets there. She tells Jacob, you know, dad, I was just assaulted by Shechem or whatever. And, you know, she's distraught or whatever, he just kind of sits. Jacob don't do nothing, you know what I'm saying? So I guess it's not Israel. Jacob is. He ain't real Jacob. He ain't real Jacob. Because he didn't do nothing. Like his daughter told him this thing happened and he was kind of passive about it. And so he sat on it for a few hours. And while he was debating all that, deliberating all this in his head, like going back and forth with the anger that he had, but also the decision that he made immediately not to retaliate against this prince, right, because it would obviously be challenging to avenge this, you know what I mean, against the powers that be, essentially that's running the city. So he decided to just sit down and not do anything. While he's thinking about this, Dinah's two brothers, Simeon, right? And I was about to say Leon.
Francesca
Leon.
Dustin Ross
Simeon and Levi, which is just as black. But so while she was, Jacob was mulling over all this in his head. His son Simeon and Levi were returning home. They had been out tending to their livestock in the, you know, out or whatever. So when they get home and find out what has happened to their sister, they're livid, you know what I'm saying? Live it about what had taken place, livid about the fact that their father hadn't done nothing and they're concerned about their sister again. If they play with your sister, be her ass. Right? That's, that's the vibes here, right? So they own that they on that Paris Jefferson at the time. And, and Jacob, the father is like, no, we're not doing anything about this. Like we're just going to. It's horrible that that happened and I'm upset that they did. They defiled my daughter, but I'm not going to. Don't do anything. Because the brothers Simeon and Levi had started playing and partner was like, yo, we finna ride out, out. You know what I'm saying? They was on that. And Dinah was most interesting about this account is that there's not really any record of Dinah's take about all of this. And I did a little bit of Digger Deepen when I was researching and other mentions of sexual assault and rape in the Bible. Like that the woman like in the. There's a, an issue of a sexual assault against a woman named Tamar in the Bible, right? And there's really never a first hand account of the woman's experience because it just wasn't recorded back during those times, which is so crazy. They're not Insane. The victim, right? In fact, it's getting. Getting any worse. But anyway, I want to get too dark, so. Because we already talking about something dark. So the brothers are on one. They tripping. Like, you know, basically, we finna it up. Like, this is. That's it. We're going. We're getting that livestock. We're gonna go throw it at these. So Jacob is like, no, no, no, you know what I'm saying? He's really passive or whatever and didn't really want to do anything or whatever. So they start planning their revenge or whatever, like, daddy, we doing it anyway. And they didn't really share with Jacob what their plans were, right? So as he's in the. In the room, basically, like praying and just hope, leaving it to God or whatever, there's a knock at the door. They look up, and Shechem himself, the one who performed the assault against dying, against Dinah, he shows up to the house because, remember, he was in. I don't even know if I mentioned it, but he was infatuated with her when he approached her. Like, he was. He was into her, right? He had to have her. And because he was a powerful person in the city of Shechem, the city was named after him. You know what I'm saying? He had named the city that he had the juice. And so he basically, what he wanted. He. He got what he wanted. And once he fixed his eye on something, that was it. He was so bold and brazen and the times were so bright, archaic, that he went back to the crib and he had the balls to show up at the house like, I want to marry your daughter. You know what I'm saying? I want you to give me your daughter's hand in marriage after assaulting her, right? So Jacob, Simeon and Levi, they all like, yo, what the do you mean? How you gonna come up to our crib? Whatever. So as they. He's holding the brothers back, like, you know, no, don't get him. Don't get him, basically, or whatever. And he just pleads to them that, like, yo, you know what I'm saying? I. I really. I'm in love with her.
Asante
I want her.
Dustin Ross
I want her to be my wife. Can y' all give me her? Or whatever, right? Jacob, the daddy who ain't, he just says no. He doesn't try to avenge the fact that this has happened. Really doesn't even address. He just says, no, like, you defile my daughter. And I'm just not. I'm not even going to respond to the request. I'm not responding to or hearing your request. Right? Meanwhile, Simeon and Levi going the off, like, tearing down, trying to get to this prince and get him or whatever, even though such a big undertaking to take on, like, what's really gonna happen. So they're going off. The prince is there begging, you know what I'm saying? Like, and. And it gets. Word gets back at this point, because obviously, if he's traveling all the way to the house of Israel, Jacob and his. You know what I'm saying, his children or whatever, that means that there's communication going on for, you know, the. Would it be a foot cade? It wouldn't be a motorcade because they didn't have no. A camel cade. Maybe it was a camel cade. But there had to be some line of communication. So the. The word got all the way back to Hamor, who was Shechem's father. And he was the chieftain, right, of the tribe, the Hivites. We, the Hivi, do the Hivi at the Hivite. So the word got back to him. He's. What the. Do you mean this didn't Went to that crib after doing this? What's wrong with this idiot, right? So much like many stories we've heard where there was a monarchy or a familial ruling element, the son up, the father tried to go fix it, right? So him and, you know, the king's men, the chieftain's man or whatever, they all go to the house, right? This is a crazy story, y'. All.
Asante
I read ahead. I'm sorry.
Dustin Ross
They go to the house.
Asante
I wanted to be able to. To follow along, and I got too ahead of myself, and I couldn't stop. Oh, baby.
Dustin Ross
Oh, baby.
Asante
Oh, baby.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, okay, sweet. So.
Francesca
Oh, no.
Dustin Ross
You know, no.
Asante
Oh, no.
Dustin Ross
So they're going off. So I'm right.
Francesca
Oh, no.
Dustin Ross
Oh, no.
Francesca
Oh, no. Get us off the Internet. What is wrong with you?
Asante
You're not even ready.
Dustin Ross
Whatever happened until. Okay.
Asante
So.
Dustin Ross
So. So how more comes, right? And he's like, my dumbass son. This is what I mean about him. I should have. You know, I should have wore. Well, I don't think they had condoms back then. Maybe they did, though. What do you think they used? Cheesecloth, lamb, anything? Yeah, lamb.
Francesca
The black box.
Dustin Ross
That was. No, that was the lube. Anyway, so he gets to the house, and he's like, yo, I'm so sorry. Like, I don't know what the is wrong with this. You know what I'm saying? But we can make this right. They, like, if you allow your daughter Dinah, right? To marry Shechem. Then we'll give you our daughters. You know what I'm saying? You got sons. He was like, we'll give you our daughters and then y' all can come live here with us. Commingle in our lives. There's land for you to build. We can get into business together. Like, we can really blend our families and try to make this right. Because he's infatuated with your daughter. And I know he didn't this all up. So can we, you know what I'm.
Asante
Saying, do this or whatever, friend, intermarry with us. When I saw that word intermarry, I was like, what in the.
Dustin Ross
What that means?
Francesca
I feel like this is about to be the red wedding from Game of Thrones.
Dustin Ross
So. So, so he was like, let's just, you know, let's do this or whatever, basically, right? So, of course, Israel Jacob, Israel Jacob, his stupid ass is just, you know what I'm saying, sitting there like. Like, no, I'm just not listening to anything. And I just, you know, he's very passive in this situation. Meanwhile, her brothers are Paris Jefferson to the right to the boy, you know what I'm saying? To the. They like, no, like, they need to fix this, right? So Shechem, the prince after the father, the Hamor, after he leaves this plane, get offers this proposal, right, to kind of fix this mess. Shechem then says, you know what, Listen, Jacob Simeon Levi, like, please give me favor in your eye, you know what I'm saying? Like, can I just name a price for the. The bride price, whatever you want. And then y' all can come have this land, live with us. Like, we can just make it. Like you can roar together or whatever. So the brothers look at each other, whatever, because remember, they had already had a plan on how they was going. They were already on go. They were going to attack these people or whatever, right? It was interrupted by this surprise arrival of Shechem at the house, which, with this proposal. And they never thought that the assailant would come to the. You know what I'm saying? To the house with it. So this happens. Jacob is just there, you know what I'm saying? And so the brothers look at Shechem and his father and they're like, no, we're not accepting this because our sister is defiled, but it would be a disgrace to her to be with an uncircumcised man. So we're not giving you. We're not giving her to you to be with us.
Francesca
Plot twist.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, like what? Ari Lennox say, can I be in that hood?
Francesca
Oh, you know what?
Dustin Ross
Can I get on that hoodie? Right? So that's. They was on that. Like, first of all, y' all got. You sign. You got a personal problem. You got some inner and apparently outer.
Francesca
How did they know that?
Dustin Ross
Because it was a custom of the tribes where they were from. Okay? So they knew that. They knew what?
Francesca
They knew his folks.
Dustin Ross
Unless they like dick. They might have liked a little dick every now and then. You never know because they was there. Don't make me talk about Sodom and Gamara. But anyway, so this happened. So they tell him, no, like, that's not. That's not cool. They was like, but if you and your daddy, Hamore and all of yalls men in that tribe get circumcised, right? Then we'll consider y' all clean and we can get this deal done, son. But y' all gotta do it and you gotta do it now, right?
Francesca
I'm so lost.
Dustin Ross
That's right. I was too. At this point, back when I first read the Bible, I was looking like Beyonce.
Francesca
It's like, what this gotta do anything, right?
Dustin Ross
Confused. So. So they told him that though, right? They was like, no, because if we are, you already defiled my sister. Like, you're not going to, you know, disrespect her, defile her anymore. You know what I'm saying? It's not gonna happen happen, and you're not going to disgrace her. And so they agreed to it. Shekham, it was so in love with her and so infatuated by her, and he wanted her to be his wife so bad. He looked at his father, they was like, we gonna do it bet. And immediately they headed out to get the done, right? So they get back to the city and they instruct all the men of the city to come to the temple or whatever the community center was. It may have been a gentleman's club, I believe something to that effect. Because if all the men gathered there had their dicks out, it sound to me like, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
A shake house.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, you know, a juke joint. Hell, at that time, you know what I'm saying? But anyway, they probably had all kind of tambourines and leather covered drums, you know, it's all kind of bales, maybe whistle, so. So, you know, so they call all the men of the city to come to the temple or whatever, and they tell them like, yo, this is what's going on on. He's getting married to Dinah. Shechem being him He, Shechem, is getting married to Dinah and all you are getting your. Your tops dropped, basically. That's what he said. You know what I'm saying? We're about to. Everybody's getting remodeled, right, in order for this to work. So of course they are. So underneath this rulership and. And dedicated to, you know, the tribe that they all agree to it immediately. And everybody in the. In the city, all the men get the. You know, they get circumcised. I just put it like that. All the men. So the whole village, right. Undergoes the surgery of the man to be compliant and really start to mix these families. And then the prince, Shechem can be happy, you know what I mean? And we'll all be rolling, basically.
Francesca
So as this happens, I can't put my leg up.
Dustin Ross
So neither could they, because they had got snipped, okay? They got their dicks French braided at that time. They couldn't do nothing.
Francesca
Oh, my God.
Dustin Ross
So after they got through, you know, getting their ends clipped, all the men, you know, healing up and. And at that time at night, okay, on that cowboy Carter horse that was at the beginning, the beginning of the Beyonce ball.
Francesca
Look at that horse. Look at that.
Dustin Ross
Look at that horse.
Asante
She gone.
Dustin Ross
Okay? So as that's going on, in the middle of the night, Simeon and Levi got their swords. They went into the town, that very land that they offered them to occupy for that. And because the prince, the chieftain, he got them, all the men are all weak and unable to fight back.
Francesca
Oh, my gosh.
Dustin Ross
They went to. Do you remember what that. What that trans sex worker said in the back of that car on taxicab? Confessions about carrying that knife through Chicago. That's what they did. They went through that village, and literally the first thing they did was killed every male that they seen on their way to. To the palace to get their sister because, remember, they had given her to Shechem to start their family together because they had all agreed and underwent the circumstances.
Francesca
Trade off. Yeah.
Dustin Ross
They went straight. They killed everybody in their path, okay? Went to the temple, got the prince and the chieftain under that sword, got their sister back, continued the carnage on the way out, then went back through, rolled over the dead bodies and started pillaging. They took everything that was in that city.
Asante
Oxen and their donkeys, sheep, oxen, donkeys.
Dustin Ross
They took property, gold, precious metals.
Francesca
Damn.
Dustin Ross
Came back, took all the children, all the women.
Francesca
Okay?
Dustin Ross
Now all the children, all the women. They killed everybody and took everything of value that tribe had, the Hivites.
Francesca
Wow.
Dustin Ross
Yes, they did. And so they got their sister back and when they got back to their home, Israel Jacob, what did he do? Asante. It was. It was. It was the name of Nicki Minaj's tour. Oh, it was Gag City. Cuz everybody was dead. They had gagged when they seen them coming in on them horses like you said from. And look at that horse. Killed every body on some. You damn right. The red wedding. Hell, the black from New Jack City. Remember at that wedding in New Jack City when they killed everybody? It was like that, you know what I'm saying? Carnage everywhere. They have been their sister. Because what did. Let me tell you why they did it. I'm gonna tell you why they did it right now.
Francesca
That's crazy.
Dustin Ross
Here's why they did it right here.
Asante
Oh my God.
Francesca
Right now.
Dustin Ross
Hug your family.
Francesca
Hug your.
Dustin Ross
That's why.
Francesca
You are so.
Asante
Wow.
Dustin Ross
So they cleaned all that up, you know what I'm saying? Got their sister. When they got back to the house, of course they nothing ass. Daddy was mad that they had done it and he was scared, running scared. He was like, you know, the. The tribes, the. The Canaanites and then the parasites, they're going to get us. Which was the surrounding tribes in the area. And of course they were outnumbered by all them people. So he started tripping and, you know, he felt like they had to leave or whatever. So he prayed to God and God directed him to another area. And they got up out of there. Okay, but not before they got down on the Hivites for playing with their sister like Boosie said. So when I saw that video from little Paris Jefferson, okay, you knew that, okay? Boosie said if they play with your sister, beat they ass up. Okay? That's what he meant right there. And that ain't on no Boosie. That's on the Bible. Okay? So. But again, another reason that I was motivated was to tell this story was because he don't get the credit for riding for your sister. That don't come from Boosie. That come from the Bible, okay? Wrong. Wrong baby. Okay? So I just wanted to share that with everybody.
Francesca
You know what I'm saying?
Dustin Ross
That story. And I wanted to remind everybody to love your family, okay? Even if it means you got to do a sortie on a. Okay. If you have to do an armed attack and get down on a. You love your family. And if anybody put your sister beat her ass. And that's it for this week's hot button on the friends on.
Asante
It was crazy that Shecum was just such an. Like that that he would defile her in the beginning and be like, I'mma marry that woman. It's like, what?
Dustin Ross
That's how it was back then. They ain't even though the act because I did. I had a lot of questions, like, what you're having right now when I was researching putting this together. And I looked up like, was it even taboo, you know what I'm saying? To. To assault, you know, like that back in the day. And it was still a represent. It was not non consent for the most consent, it really was no consent, but you had to at least ask a woman to be your wife, you know what I'm saying? Or be involved in those type of situations. So it was still as reprehensible to assault a woman, you know what I'm saying? But it was just done under the guise of different terms. It was still assault going on, but it was just under the guise of what they assumed to be consent at that time. But it was still a fucking weird, fucked up thing to do, what he did.
Francesca
And they treated us like cattle. It's like, oh, you know, property of trade, our daughters for yours. Like, what the fuck is happening right now?
Asante
Even to a greater point of you not being able to find, like a lot of accounts of women or women's stories or sides in the Bible. That's a little concerning as well. Yeah. But, yeah, great episode, Dustin. Thank you for opening our eyes to that story and entertaining us with that as well.
Francesca
So smart with every Bible, Bible study. Thank you so much that I can share.
Dustin Ross
That's right. That's how I feel about Dr. Joy, to be honest. You play with Dr. Joy, I'mma beat your ass. That's how I feel. Love, Dr. Joy. Yeah, that's it this week.
Francesca
And that's it for this week's hot button.
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Francesca
So this week in wellness, I wanted to tell y' all a very quick little story. I was driving to Sephora to re up on my skin care shout out to Josie Marin Argan Oil Body Butter. But that's not about that, as I'm driving, I see a van that cuts in front of me right before we're about to get in the highway. I know I'm already. Oh, Lord on pins and needles. No, Okay.
Asante
I was about to say.
Francesca
Well, let me not say never, but I doubt it. And the van that cuts me off is an ICE van. Oh, yes.
Asante
Shit.
Francesca
And it made my entire body just tense up because it's like, you hear about this thing, you know what I mean? And then to finally see it in front of you, and not just finally see it, but to know that clearly that means it's been driving around your neighborhood. And y' all know that I have been telling y' all about these white men. The random knocks door, which I got my no soliciting sign. Let's hope that they abide by it. But anyway, so I see this van and it just. I hated how it made me feel. Like it's crazy how you. Like, clearly there's nothing that they can do to me. I guess you say there's no threat to me personally. Indirectly, yes, like my family, but not to me personally. And I still feel that feeling like I.
Dustin Ross
The intimidation.
Francesca
Yeah. The way that the world creates these things, you know, with the fear mongering, because it just drove in front of me really quickly and it's just my whole energy shifted. So I started doing some research because I just felt really anxious about it. I was like, you know what? I can only imagine the people that are affected by this daily, how they must be feeling. Like you're hearing a lot of stories that people are starting to share about ICE raids, about ICE's presence in general. The way I've seen TikToks being shared of them going into schools and snatching children right now. Shout out to the teachers and administrators that have put themselves on the line to not allow it. I actually saw someone on TikTok because, you know, TikTok also aggregates local videos that are around you based on your location. So I saw someone literally two blocks away showing an ICE truck in front of a school. And the way he pans made it so sad because he shows the ice truck and then he pans over and it's a school with a playground of children just innocently playing, not having any idea that this van is sitting across the street. And also, why was it just sitting across the street? You know what I mean? Like, I didn't like how it made me feel. So I was like, you know what? I am going to the same way that last week I Put together as many links and directories and just what I saw from other people kind of putting together here and there. I went online and just started doing research on ways that we as a community, which I'm saying is the big theme for this year more than ever, can be useful in our neighborhoods, in our cities, in our states with these ICE vans that are clearly rolling through these streets feeling. I heard they have a quota. I heard they do. Quota, yeah.
Dustin Ross
Oh, my God.
Francesca
I don't want to speculate on what that quota is because you know how the Internet is. There's a lot of misinformation. Yeah. But there's a, a lot of conversation about them having a quota they have to fill. So that is what made me be like, okay, let's get some information out there. So the first number I wanted to talk about was the deportation defense hotline. And this is if you are witnessing an ICE raid or other immigration related law enforcement, if you're witnessing it, obviously a lot of people are not going to feel comfortable getting involved or trying to stop it. It's a felony. I understand it. A lot of people are not going to put themselves in that position. But the least you can do is serve as a supporting role. Film it. Film the truck's license plate, film the officers, film the situation. And you can call the deportation defense hotline and let them know what you've witnessed. Send them the information. So at least whoever is being harassed in that moment, there is some. Yeah, there's a documentation, there's proof, and they can be and can be sent to who? It needs to be sent to their family, their legal representation. That number for the deportation defense hotline is 1 844-363-1423. Once again, that's 1-844-363-1423. Like I said, I know a lot of people don't feel comfortable because it's a felony, but you don't have to interfere physically, but you do have the right to film it and protect the people in your neighborhood. Also, they don't have the right to ask you questions. You don't have to answer anything. And if they ever try to enter your home, they have to have a warrant. The only thing I will say with a lot of the advice I was reading online from like lawyers and legal counsel and just different orgs is that they're leaning on the fact that the government would be paying attention to the Constitution. And there's a part of me that feels like, is that even a government that cares, you know what I mean, like, yeah, this don't strike me as a government that you still have quote unquote rights. So it's a little bit tricky, but at least knowing your rights is better than not, Right?
Asante
Right.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
I also think I also found a website called the immigrant defense project.org this website through me googling it came up. So clearly it's very popular because it was on the first page, an amazing website, immigrant defense project.org it has what they call ICE raids toolkit and it says defend against ICE raids and community arrests. They have a 57 page toolkit. It's a comprehensive guide, an organizing resource to fight back against the Trump administration's efforts to criminalize communities and deport millions of, of people. So this is a, a guide to explain how you, in your neighborhood, what you can do, numbers you can call, just all the resources. They also have appendices, which makes it like 207 pages if, if you want to read, you know, the larger document. It's a document explaining ICE's actual enforcement tactics. Like they have the actual guides from the ICE agents. It also reports raids so that you can understand the range of strategies. It's like an interactive map as well that shows you where they have pulled up on people. There's press coverage as well on the human toll of raids, where they've spoken to people who have been a part of them, which also helps humanize individuals because I see a lot of jokes online and I get it where people are like, well, y' all brought this on yourselves. That's a really hard conversation to have, you know what I mean? They also have know your rights flyers, posters, infographics and videos, emergency preparedness tools, and like I said, the ICE materials, which is their actual training and trading and guidance that the agents actually use on how to conduct these home raids. So really important website. They're doing amazing work. Once again, that's the Immigrant Defense Project.org and even Penn State law. Shout out to Penn State. They had a whole PDF that they posted from the American Immigration Lawyers association. And it's a Know your rights. If I stops you in public, they have a PDF that's know your rights. If I. If ICE comes to your workplace, if ICE visits your home, if you see them in the community, it's a breakdown on what to do in all of those instances. I'm going to post all of these links, by the way, in the description box. I'm just saying them so that you. Yeah. So that you can look into it. If you're listening the last the next one, I should say is also the National Immigrant justice Center. That's immigrantjustice.org they show you how to create a safety plan in case you are a caretaker or you're in a household with people who could be vulnerable right now. They even show you samples of what judicial warrants look like. So if ICE does come to your job or your house and you ask them for a warrant, which they need to be able to enter, you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll know what it has to say because they could just give you a paper, you know what I mean? Then you won't necessarily know if that's even the warrant that they need to come in. So it shows you what it should say and what it should look like, as well as 24 hour emergency support, right? It has local numbers based on the state and city you're in. So immigrantjustice.org that's the national Immigrant justice center, so you can actually look into the laws and policies in your own city and state. The aclu, which stands for American Civil Liberties Union, they also have an immigrants rights tab on the website. And this one, you can select the scenario literally based on, like, if you look on the website, it shows you you spotted ice. Like kind of like I did, right? You spotted ICE while driving. You spotted, like what to do in all these different scenarios. They have a whole drop menu so that you can understand and feel comfortable on how to move forward in a way that's safe for you and safe for the community. Prepare you from multiple angles, prepare you for multiple situations. Now, this one was a little laughable, but I'm still going to mention it. NYC.gov.
Asante
Okay.
Francesca
Interesting, right? Because they would pop up.
Asante
Oh yeah, that is interesting.
Dustin Ross
Of all places, after we just saw Eric Adams having that lunch with Donald Trump.
Francesca
NYC.gov but anyway, they create the problem and give you the solution. Ain't that something? Taylor's oldest time, they had PDF downloads with flyers that you can post in your neighborhood. Know you're right. Rights with ice. Know your rights. Resources for immigrants. What I did appreciate though, is that it was in 11 different languages. Because, you know, New York is a melting pot. So it had legal help workshops, information for caregivers, but also very laughable.
Dustin Ross
Like, how dare you?
Francesca
Like, what? Part of me, I don't know if it was my tin hat, but I was like, are they just making that website to see who's visiting it? Checking IPs, you know what I mean? I'm like, maybe when you download it, you're also downloading something else. I don't know, I just felt really uncomfortable.
Asante
Don't documenting.
Francesca
But it's a hit that pops up so at least you can get the information. And then lastly, I did have to shout out Convergence immigrantsmag.com It's a magazine for radical insights. That's what it says on the slogan. They have an immigrant rights tab with books on labor organizing. They have tons of writers that have columns and articles and all kinds of resources and directories that they've put together. Two of the articles that stood out to me, one of them was how to Support Immigrant Communities during ICE Raids by Xiomara Corpenio. And the article, she says it's organized solidarity by knowing the rights of undocumented immigrants and most importantly, having rapid response resources, meaning knowing what to do immediately, as you see in the moment, in real time, which is obviously the most important. And then the second article that stood out to me was one that said first they came for the immigrants by Max lbaum. And he says how the hate mongering and divisiveness is more of a reflection of a deeply rooted problem. This is a global crisis and it's that idea that we talked about of people seeing it happening to other people and thinking that this is an other problem and not knowing that this is going to come for all of us. Us in one way or another. Whether it's the climate change, whether it's the government, it's coming for all of us. So it's, we got to really stop looking at it as if this is not what I see people saying. Like this is not a personal problem. You know what I mean? Yes, it is. Actually. We're all a lot more connected than I think we feel comfortable admitting. So just some resources I wanted to shout out. You have articles, you have flyers you can print out, you have PDF files, a little bit of everything that I just wanted you to find what works for you. Like I said, everything is going to be listed in the description box. But honestly, seeing that damn truck and you know, my family in New York, just the discomfort of the, like, it just feels like I know, I don't even know. I don't even have the words.
Dustin Ross
It's unsettling to say the least. It's unsettling to say the least.
Francesca
It's a very, very unsettling time. And if I felt that way, I could only imagine, you know what I mean? And it just, I literally went home and immediately sat down on my computer and started compiling as many resources as I could to take advantage of this week's wellness segment. So I hope that's useful if you're someone that works in that field or has links of your own, something that I may have missed that you think is really valuable, please pass that on and I'll make sure to read that on next week's episode. And I'm still also compiling GoFundMes that you guys have sent me throughout the week so that I can also shout those out because we're still gonna support the LA fires. It's not like, on to the next one type thing like most of us do online, because it's just a lot to take in at once. But, yeah, I thought you were gonna.
Dustin Ross
Say you went home and immediately made us. Made yourself a drink.
Asante
I mean, but you said you went.
Dustin Ross
To your computer and started. I thought you would say, I mean, I came home and immediately. Awesome, you know?
Francesca
No, immediately got to work because I just was like, man, that shit's. This is. Is crazy.
Asante
Like, thank you for doing.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Asante
In the earlier part of your conversation, like, I know you hear you saying it's weird seeing people on the Internet trying to do the whole I told you so thing.
Francesca
Right. Oh, y' all did it to yourselves. Look how y' all voted. Pulling up the polls.
Asante
Like, it's just not. It's not productive and it's not productive.
Dustin Ross
It's only funny when they're Trump supporters. And I. I don't mean funny like it makes me laugh because there's nothing funny about families getting separated, but it's.
Francesca
Only those who voted against the interests of their own families. Partners those.
Asante
When it's satisfying.
Francesca
I understand that, but.
Dustin Ross
But not people who. Everybody that's getting deported and affected by these hateful, harmful ass policies are not Trump supporters at all. You know what I'm saying? So that's why you have to be careful about reacting that way to news about people getting deported. Now, if you see a headline about this person who voted for Trump is now experiencing this consequence.
Francesca
Yeah, yeah, that's a different.
Dustin Ross
That's a source of satisfaction for me. But I'm gonna be real with you. That's not cool to watch people, these families getting separated and, like, children being snatched and.
Asante
Yeah. Even vote, like, honestly, across. Across the board. Like, even for the people that have to deal with the repercussions of being stupid. Like, it's just. It sucks because they're like, there's this whole system in place, place to be this heinous and up. So all around, it just sucks. To look at. And I think that's why I kind of like try to stay away from the I told you sos because I can't even get, I can't even put myself in the mindset of, yeah, look at you now. It's really like, this is really.
Dustin Ross
Okay, I'm gonna tell you why. I mean, on a human level, I understand exactly what you're saying, but the reason that I can is because of people. Like there was a girl who was in California and she was saying how she had voted for Trump, almost all for Trump, you know what I'm saying? And, but when I saw that the baby that she was talking about, the child tax credit, right? And, and so then of course, when she made this video and posted it saying how she was all for Trump and now that this is happening, yo, I don't know what's going on. Of course they tore her ass up, right? Like that's what you get, dummy. Like, blah, blah, blah. She made another video after that. I don't want to hear that because y' all act like my one vote was the one vote that made him win. It was a lot of other people who voted and that ain't my problem just because I don't want to hear it. So, yeah, I'm laughing at people like that and I'm very beyond satisfied when I hear that they're suffering horrible horrific consequences in real life impact to their, to their day to day existence. I laugh harder because you. That, that, that type of that comes from it. There was another white lady who was on video saying that she boohoo. I'm not crying. I might go have a taco. All this other. She doesn't care because I consider them to be sub humans.
Asante
So I don't give a damn about.
Dustin Ross
So those motherfuckers, like, I laugh, I don't have, have no type of. Not only do I laugh, I encourage and root for their, their disdain and pain. Because you, you are going out of your way to instate these people in state, these systems that are causing the suffrage because you don't care about it affecting somebody else. And so that's my thing, you know what I'm saying? I don't give. They can burn for all. I cannot burn. No relation to nothing that's going on. No, I just mean, you know, for.
Asante
I don't want nobody confused.
Francesca
Yeah, yeah.
Dustin Ross
You know what I'm saying? Like I don't.
Francesca
And honestly, it's a, it's a complicated conversation because you also don't want to sound the way white people. When they're, like, not all white people.
Dustin Ross
You know what I'm saying? Right, right, right.
Francesca
So it's very complicated. It's very complex, and I get it. I. This is one of those times where it's like, I see both sides. There were a lot of Latinos talking crazy. Like, I mean, so I see how there's sort of that disconnect of, like, can I feel bad for y'? All?
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
You know, when I see. As a child of an immigrant.
Dustin Ross
Right.
Francesca
And, you know, like, I also have a different perspective of the work that it takes to come here. The. The dreams that are sold when you come here, the treatment of you, like. Like who you are. Like you said, people view you as subhuman. Like, there's so much. It's just so complicated. And my heart breaks seeing the children being snatched, most. Most importantly, because they have nothing to do with this. They're just following their parents to their parents, trying to get a better life for them. You see the videos on Tick Tock of the men in the fields grabbing the strawberries and putting them into the Driscoll's clear package and saying that for every box that they fill, mind you, a box. Not the Driscoll's packaging, but a box of the Driscoll's packaging, they get $2, and that's back breaking labor. They're over for hours in these fields. Like, that's the type of shit that I like. You know what I'm saying? Thinking of my mom when she came cleaning offices with these white men, sexually assaulting and harassing. And she's there at nighttime, you know, barely can speak English. And they know that, and they probably know she's here with no family, you know, she has no support, working for pennies. So those are the people that I'm thinking about. So, yes, it's complicated.
Dustin Ross
I agree.
Francesca
Like, and I understand when people are laughing, but I also understand those of us who are not.
Dustin Ross
It's deeper. It's deeper.
Francesca
Yeah. Yeah. But I had to put those numbers out there, regardless of what side you were on.
Asante
Thank you, friend.
Francesca
Those are numbers. Because it's one thing to hear about ice. Sometimes things feel so, like. What's the word I'm looking for? Where it's like, you don't even think it's real because you don't experience it. And then when you see it, you're like, holy. Because it's, like, on your turf now. And to see that truck was just, like, out of this world. So those are the numbers. Like I said, every single thing I mentioned will be listed. I just wanted to make sure and put it out there for you guys to hear. And that's it for this week's wellness segment.
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Asante
Sign what?
Francesca
The app. Yeah, sure.
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Francesca
Anything to help, I suppose.
Asante
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Asante
Alright, y', all, we are back with another week in music. The first thing that I would like to say to get us started is I want to wish a happy birthday to Rihanna's Anti.
Francesca
Wow.
Asante
That album came out January 28th in 2016. Anti has turned nine. Yes.
Francesca
Damn. How much time has passed? That's crazy.
Asante
Anti was an amazing album. I I saw this on Twitter earlier and I was like, I was just adding certain songs to my playlist again from Anti and I didn't even realize it's been out so long. So shout out to Rihanna. She's always been a legend and will continue to be a presence in music. I remember Anti having that moment of Sizza being on the intro for consideration and that having a lot of talk and scissor having made that deal with Rihanna that she could have the song as long as she was on it. And put more eyes on sza even though SZA was already a buzzing talent at the time. I just remember it was like putting her in a new place. I remember talking about how hard James Joint went with Fauntleroy. We all Dustin. We know how much Dustin loves Kiss it better and how he still wants Miguel to release that that track of him doing it work was a time with Drake. I mean there were just so many moments. Oh my God, please don't talk about needed me don't talk about let's not.
Dustin Ross
Talk about same old mistakes and Fran putting us on to to the original R to I ti of my tongue tame and yep.
Francesca
Damn.
Asante
Yes What a time. I just want to shout out Anti because it.
Dustin Ross
It's.
Asante
It's such a great album.
Dustin Ross
It's a classic. And it was snubbed by the Grammys.
Francesca
That Gotham y.
Dustin Ross
Only here for the night. Good night.
Francesca
Good night.
Dustin Ross
Good night.
Francesca
I don't know why I love that.
Dustin Ross
Let's not talk about. And you know, in the video, when she was running up on those fans.
Francesca
In Paris towards that crowd and just in the air. God, Yo. Everything about that era was so good.
Dustin Ross
It was a perfect album. It was. It was eclectic. It was abstract for her from. From someone who was making pop records that were fantastic, but formulaic. Right? So this was. It was Archer in this show growth, artistic growth for her. This one of my favorite albums of all time. I really. I really do love that. I really do love the Anti album.
Francesca
Yes, it was good.
Asante
And the final track on Anti with the deluxe version was Sex with Me, which, I mean, just phenomenal. Just don't know how.
Dustin Ross
Kiss It Better is a classic, though, right? I'm gonna give you some because whatever. Kiss It Better is one of my favorite songs. When that Anti album came out, I remember when it got to that damn song and I was listening to it in the living room floor of my apartment in Queens, I was like, oh, my God. Like, when I heard those guitar, it took me back to the 80s and like, that just. That music that made it just played on your heartstrings with the strings in the music and the other. The guitar and, you know, all that. So I just remember it. That's one of my favorite songs. It is a cult classic. She closes her shows with it. It's just one of them things, you know what I mean? It's one of them songs that really means a lot to us. So I love Kiss It Better and yes, Miguel, you do need to get off your arse and. And follow through with that cover that you promised us. You even leaked cover art for it and said it was on the way. So we feel some kind of. Oh, yeah, it was like a little graphic and like a snippet.
Francesca
What happened?
Dustin Ross
Said it was coming and we never got it, so I am upset. Well, love Anti, though.
Asante
Anti was a great moment and I have to shout it out for this very moment here. So thank you, Dustin, and thank you, friend, because we all had a great time with Anti, I think. I feel like we've talked about it a lot on this show, so when I saw the Intersect, I was like, well, we have to talk about Anti just even just for a little bit. And I just remember work being a moment because people enjoyed. They always enjoyed, like Drake's aesthetic and him and Rihanna doing a great song. They're like R B together. They always do some little magic together. So that was cute. But Rihanna just. She's always been one of those girls that we know is that girl and she's one of my Pisces sisters. So I had to give her some shine. That's it for that. I also wanted to shout out, you know, I always talk about music videos, new music. Not even in just videos because it's a new song as well. Sexy Red and Bruno Mars have a track out that has broken the Internet. The song is called Fat, Juicy and Wet.
Francesca
Hate it.
Dustin Ross
I'm with Fran on this. I ain't never been no Bruno Mars fan. I've always hated the act and the put on. I hate looking at him perform. I think he's talented as I recognize his artistry. I'm not a fan of him, you know what I'm saying? I don't like looking at him do his thing. So, like, you know, but I. But he a bad. He can write, he can sing, he can dance, he can do all that, produce all of that.
Francesca
That.
Dustin Ross
But I don't like him. So this, for me, I just. It totally missed me. And then the name of hey, Juicy ain't wet. Like, no.
Francesca
And then he talking about wanna join a gang and throw up a set. Like, it's just like, what are you doing, Bruno Mars?
Asante
You know, friend, this reminds me of.
Francesca
And she's pissing me off.
Asante
And this is.
Francesca
I'm sorry, I'm over it. Like, it's that weird thing where you want to not be the old crabby respectability politics.
Asante
Say what you got to say.
Francesca
And so you want to almost be like open to the different types of people who want to create. Because everyone there's. There's. She speaks to people. Like, there's people that she speaks to. There are people that live like her, that look like her, that act like her, that move like her, and she's speaking to that and that's only fair for her to exist. So I always want to show shut the fuck up in that respect. But then it just gets to a point where it's like, what the are you doing? And why. I almost feel like she's a fucking plant at this point. Because it just feels too, too much like there's a way to be that girl and do it in a flyway. You feel me? Like she could be that girl and do it in a flyway. But this just feels cheap. It feels.
Dustin Ross
Well, let's talk about it. Because what makes being that girl attractive to us is the authenticity, right? It's. If that's really who you are.
Francesca
For a while, it was. It seemed like it. Like, I. Like, I thought her tweets were funny. Like, she's funny. Even when I would see her in interviews, just, like, she seemed funny, but I feel like now it has snowballed into a caricature, and that's that Persona, and that's the part where I'm lost now. Like, now it's almost like in my mind, here goes the tin foil, right? They're like.
Dustin Ross
Discharge.
Francesca
Like, it's just like, come on, man. You have such a crazy opportunity not just to change your own life, but just the place that you have in music that's so hard to get to. And this is. This is like, I just. I'm lost. I'm sorry. I'm lost. And I hate it.
Dustin Ross
She said what she said.
Asante
Yeah. No, I love it. I actually love when you're very vocal about the things you don't like, Fran, because.
Francesca
Because it don't happen often on the show. I just don't care to talk about what I don't like, but this I really don't like.
Asante
Well, what I was gonna say early on was, for Bruno Mars, this kind of reminds me of when Daniel Caesar started making that freaky music. And Bruno Mars has always made, like, I guess, sexy music, but, like, that juicy and wet. Like, when I first.
Dustin Ross
Do you like the song Asante?
Asante
I don't. I like the idea or the concept of the song because I had somebody asked me, they were like, I'm surprised you don't like the song. And I was like, I like the idea of the song. I can see it going in a way, and I think I connected it this way. This feels like when Bruno and Cardi did a song together. But that song made, like, Cardi seem kind of cuter and less ratchet, if you will, even though she was still presenting herself. It was a crossover record, like I said, a crossover record for them. But I don't see in a world where I would. I already don't really care about Bruno Mars. Let's just be honest. So watching them cross over for me was like, okay, what? And so it didn't, like, add an appeal or give me anything more for him or for her even. And that's why I kind of was like, all right.
Dustin Ross
Well, to me, the only way crossover records like that work is if the person who is less likely to be in that mainstream lane is unapologetically themselves on the record in a way that's believable. It never works when the mainstream person tries to go over into the other.
Francesca
Because it low key feels like a crossover record for him. And that's the part that feels weird because it's like, I'm using this girl's street cred or like, her image to like. Because the way he's talking about gangs and throwing up sets, I'm like, bruno, what the are you talking about?
Dustin Ross
That's all you're gonna do. You're gonna be the first shot, cuz you ain't gonna. They ain't gonna waste their time fighting you.
Asante
I'm gonna say something, and you don't have to agree with this. This is where I'm probably gonna lose you. This is kind of how I felt and like, in a different kind of way. When I saw Katy Perry and dochi that video drop, I was like, this is interesting because it's like, don't you understand that? You know what I'm saying? Because, you know, Katy Perry is fly. And it was actually really dope for her, you know, budget to elevate doi that way. But it's like, do was already killing. She really, like, do something extra. Made her shit look hard. And it also kind of confused me on like, well, why is Katy Perry here then? Like, I wish. I wish Katy Perry actually would have just called us. Hey, girl, do this track and I'm gonna direct your and creative director and really put you on. But, like, I know people don't work like that, and that's just me being delusional. But as far as this record's concerned.
Francesca
You know what it feels like. You know those weird stories you hear about people, like, getting blood infusions from younger people? This is what it feels like to me, where it's almost like these young people, you're taking their life and energy there, you know what I mean? Like, tapping into something.
Asante
Trying to inject second life.
Francesca
Yeah. To revive something in you to. To is. I just hate it because who's gonna.
Asante
Be on the next record? Is he gonna go all the way over and get like, yeah, because it's.
Francesca
Just like, is this an ep? Like, are y' all about to put something out? Like, where are you going with this? What's the vision?
Asante
Because, like, what happened to the whole thing with him and old boy and, you know, they was doing the whole, you know, I think he's done now. He Just out here.
Francesca
Yeah.
Asante
Trying to throw up sets. Okay, well, so that happened. I wanted to at least talk about it. That was actually. I'm. Actually, I'm really happy that y' all talked about it because I was just gonna mention it and move on. So when y' all was quiet, I was like, exactly. But y' all had so much more to say, so that was very entertaining.
Francesca
And it's gonna work. That's the crazy.
Asante
Oh, yeah. No, it is. It is. It's. I already got, like, 10 million views on the video.
Francesca
It's gonna work. And you always know when it's gonna work.
Dustin Ross
Work.
Asante
I watched that clip on Twitter and I was like, okay, like. Like, that's really all I could say about it. And then when I started thinking later about, like, him and Cardi having done the record, and I was like, well, what was different about that for me? And, like, that's why I was able to kind of say, well, this is why I don't. With this record. But I can see it being a catchy record that people are going to be into because they don't really care.
Dustin Ross
About all the other or.
Asante
And they don't really have to. You know, it's music, it's subjective. If you like it and love it, that's amazing. If you don't with it, that's amazing, too. Everyone's going to stream what they want to stream. Speaking of other things that people like sometimes, and I love and I know a lot of people hate. Nle Chopper was on Playgirl. He did a Playgirl photo shoot. The Internet was in a tizzy. They are upset because they feel like he is gay baiting, which is something we've lightly touched on on the show. Friend. Like, I've tried to. To tell you that people have not been happy with Nle Chopper. They were not satisfied that he performed at the gay club, even though he was just trying to say he supports the community.
Francesca
Right.
Asante
There were straight people that said made him look gay. There were gay people that said he's gay baiting because he don't want y'. All. So why is he even there? It's like he couldn't satisfy anybody.
Dustin Ross
So dumb to me, but go ahead.
Asante
What I love about Nle Chopper is he's going to do whatever he wants to do. He's going to love himself. He's going to keep putting out music. Like, as long as if you are a man, a music artist, and you keep putting out music, that is the name of the game. So I love that he just continues to push records. And when he gets on social media, he doesn't make himself look like a.
Dustin Ross
Idiot because he's smart.
Francesca
Do y'. All.
Dustin Ross
Yes.
Francesca
Agree about.
Dustin Ross
I personally disagree vehemently. Yes. I disagree, number one. And he's already articulated this so smartly to me. He's playing into the image of the 1970s eras. Male sex symbol, gender bender kind of, you know, approach, right. In his own young way. Okay. He's. He. He is leaning into, like, sex appeal. And some of the looks are not common for most rappers who of this time adhere to a general aesthetic and behavioral code that does not equate to taking risks in your looking and fashion like that.
Francesca
That.
Dustin Ross
So what, he shot some sexy pic? It's Playgirl magazine. Of course, he was showing parts of his body. You know what I'm saying? And. And he was. He's been willing to wear clothing and fashion items that, again, deviate outside of the things that I wear, like big sweatsuits and like that. Why does that equate to gay baiting? He's not advertising that aesthetic. He's advertising the aesthetic to whoever it finds it appealing. He's an attractive guy, and gay have already said he looks good. Why would you be upset with him coming to perform at a gay. I'm talking to the gays. Why would you be upset about him coming to perform at a Gay Pride event? That's great that he was down to do that. You're not him. He's not. You enjoy the show and be glad that people are paying attention to our community enough to be willing to come perform for us. That's not gay baiting. He's not one time alluded to being bisexual. He's been very clear about his sexuality. That's a y' all thing, not a him thing to me. And I hate the fact that can't do. As gay men, we have. We have fought incessantly to have representation, to be able to be in spaces to do whatever. And the fact that we have someone who is not shying away from the attention that gay people give his music and his talent, you know what I'm saying? Now y' all feel like he's gay betting. When has he ever said. Said, I want to look sexy for the gay men? Look at my dick and my ass. He's never done that. Never. He's a sex symbol. And just because y' all haven't seen men in his profession do that or take that approach typically doesn't mean that he's pandering to gay people. He's not. Your gay ass is just looking and talking about it.
Asante
Yep.
Dustin Ross
That's the difference. And I just feel like it's so regressive and counterproductive for us as a group of people. People like everybody that looks sexy or shows sex appeal is not selling it to you with the intention of misleading you or selling you a fantasy that will never come to reality. That's not what they're doing. That's you making that up in your head. Let the be sexy and cool with gay people and down to engage with us. You know what I'm saying? That's what you should want.
Asante
Yep.
Dustin Ross
That's called normalcy, you know what I'm saying? Until you straight people who have decided to paint him as a or a gay guy because he's decided to lean into his sex appeal or whatever. Well, what the do y' all want? Just say it with your chest what you want. We don't like anything that even has a hint of femininity attached to a straight man because he ain't gay. And y' all want him, and gay is bad. Just say it how you mean it. My like, this is a stupid conversation, and I'm really disappointed and ashamed of the gay people who have been pushing that conversation. I'm ashamed of y'. All. He's not gay. What the is gay? Gay baiting is them that y' all pay to watch on. Only fans who jack off and say things about, yeah, you want my. You want this, you want this, and you know they straight. That's gay baiting. Okay. Just because he has a sexy aesthetic, that's not gay baiting. So I just hate it. To me, it's tired, scared, and dumb and elementary.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Asante
Unfortunately, it's a conversation to be had, and sexuality is always a conversation that's going to be a focus of our society. So. Well said to a lot of your points, Dustin. I appreciate you for expanding on a lot of it because these are conversations, unfortunately, that continue to happen. And for black men, it's so nuanced. Like, we want to be able to enjoy art, music, and be in rooms and even make our own whatnot. Not. But as people, straight, gay, whatever. Like, we want to be accepted. And in Ellie Chopper, he don't give a who accepts or not. He's out here trying to do his thing. And I love that he responds to anybody, straight or gay. Just very respectful because he knows what he's doing, what he wants, and he's very secure in everything that he's doing. And I just love that, like, as a young person, it's refreshing to see that. Especially because he's a hip hop, you know, hip hop hop. He's a rap artist, and especially because he's a. An icon that keeps making music, like, whether the music is good or bad. Bad. He is an artist that is pushing his artistry. And even though y' all want to make the conversation about other things, he is continuing to do what he's supposed to be doing. And I can with him for that because he's not doing it to gay. Like, he's not trying to gay bait, you know, he's doing Playgirl. He likes his body. He wants to play in other fashions because he's a fashion. That's what he's gonna do. Do y' all want to comment about all the other. That's Yalls business. Are y' all gonna still spin the record? Yes. Cool. Great. No. All right. I don't have to talk to you. All right. You want to have a conversation. Nle Chopper makes the time to have conversations with people about himself and what he's doing. And again, he hasn't embarrassed himself yet publicly. So I'm continuing to. With Nle Chopper, you have my support. And I just want to keep shouting him out because I shouted him out last week before any of this happened. And here he is back again with. With another scandal, which wasn't the focus, but he had dropped more music, which was my focus. So that's why I wanted to mention both. That's it for that portion. That's the artist dimension. Now I want to get into the listens lately so we can just start playing some music and, you know, wind it down for this here Music man segment. So, Fran, I want to know what you've been listening to. I know the Internet is. Is such a hard place. Like, you know, sometimes you get on and people are promoting music, and as a. Instead of just sharing the music, you know, that you like and saying, oh, I like this, or check this record out. It's like you're sharing a song because of something that the artist did wrong or because of something that you don't like or you wish they would have done. And now there's a whole think piece, and it's like, these are things that should not exist. And that's why social media should. That's why I have to limit my time on social media, because I can't control how it's used. I can only control how I engage with it.
Dustin Ross
Gay people. I'm just gonna say it. Y' all need to be talking, y' all need to be speaking out against the fact that he's not gay baiting. And you also need to be spe the up about that that DJ academics pulled on that discord with that 15 year old little boy asking him those sexual gay related questions. He's a Trump supporter.
Francesca
What?
Dustin Ross
Oh yeah, DJ Academics is on the discord with a 15 year old boy named no or something like that asking him if he would let all these people put their dicks in his butt. And if some girl told him, would you that guy? Yes.
Francesca
Wow.
Asante
Streaming.
Dustin Ross
And the little boy was like, like that's not right. I'm 15 and that's grooming. He was like, so I'm not having sex with nobody and she's over 18. That and he was over 18. That's grooming and I'm not gay. So like that's weird. Like. And academics and them kept doubling him and another voice, I don't know who the second voice was, kept doubling down on it saying very sexually explicit, disgusting things to this boy. Right. But the academics has been, he's already, we, we already know how much of a slob he is, but he's also been very vocal attending Trump rall pictures with Donald Trump, wearing MAGA hats, supporting Donald Trump, all that other. So that same pedophilia that they have decided to hitch their political wagon to and act like they're avenging the pedophiliac assault of children of America. You got his fat nasty ass sitting on discord talking about would you let him stick it in your ass? Would you let him you in the ass for this much money or would you what if he wanted to do it to you and ask would you let him do it to a 15 year old kid and then got online and defended it? Got online and got online and tried to defend it, talking about if that's this picture, what I seen this court, I'm definitely gonna be canceled. But you can't cancel what you didn't build. And y' all are, y', all, they need me. I'm not posting nobody unless these labels pay me. And all this other made another video doubling down on it, then came back and made another video talking about well, it was inappropriate. I just shouldn't have said it. It's a learning experience. You know, we're all learning and nobody's saying anything. So y' all speak up for that. Stop wasting time talking about dumb like nle chopper gay baiting. That's a waste of time when it's other real going on that y' all are being passive about and not not cat you know really cracking the whip on that's what the y' all need to be doing. Stop wasting time talking in circles about this if you're not gonna talk about the real because I don't give a a about nle chopper having butt cleavage. I don't care.
Francesca
Right.
Dustin Ross
It's stupid as to me like it's so dumb dog when y' all just letting other just skate the by and the world is literally falling apart online. Yeah but you want me to give a damn about what you think about him. Well he shouldn't be taking sexy pictures that skate baby. He ain't thinking about you.
Asante
This got an opportunity. He on he hot right now. He trying to make himself hotter.
Dustin Ross
I'm sick of sissies. For all I know it mean that gotta be too quickly. You know that's how I feel friend. I hate gays. I'm sick of these gay man do.
Francesca
We ever play the weekend and Playboy Cardi's timeless record.
Asante
Oh my God, no.
Francesca
I love that record.
Asante
I've been listening to the weekend over the weekend. It is so good this weekend and last weekend this weekend which is crazy.
Francesca
So the weekend Playboy Cardi timeless.
Dustin Ross
Ever.
Francesca
Since I was a chick and I.
Dustin Ross
Was a try to keep on come around she want to get hit it. I love them little horns.
Francesca
I was she singing my songs she want to dial it so crazy. Let me try and look up to see who produced it because I really love that production too. As soon as that beat drops. Okay. So I've been playing that a lot in the car and then this is an artist that actually tick tock put me on too. I don't know how to say their name. I tried to YouTube a an interview and this weird thing happens now with artists and interviews where they don't say their name.
Asante
Sorry.
Francesca
Oh, for the production of yeah.
Asante
It says Mike Dean.
Francesca
Mike Dean.
Asante
O.J. balta Pharrell. Williams.
Francesca
Should have known with the horns.
Asante
Yep. Mixing synthesizer. Yeah.
Francesca
Yeah. That record goes so crazy. I love it. So this artist I don't know if it's Queen Quinn. It's K W N. Have y' all heard of them?
Dustin Ross
I have, but I don't know.
Francesca
Dope artists out of the UK I believe and their song is called Worst behavior. It Skin Digest. Take your guess I'm f to swipe it Change your plans call your girls and tell them you ain't going to make it tonight know the club's meant to see you but we got our own Cut the last. Turn the base up. We going hit some nose for the bed. We don't need it sure as hell don't break it. Is need you on your words need you on your. Dustin, you can add that to that playlist. Need you on your worst behavior.
Asante
That song, I like that.
Francesca
Crazy, right? Shout out to TikTok for putting me on to artists. And then the last record. This is an artist. Her name is Briar. I actually heard this on a show. I just wish I had jotted down what show I was watching sometimes. Y' all ever watching a show and then you Shazam. In the middle of the show, rewind, find Shazam. Because I'm like, wait, what song is that playing in the background? But then I don't know what show it was because I have a whole playlist of Shazam Records. But her name is Briar, and the record is called Through Our Hands. And I just love it makes.
Dustin Ross
Because it's about making ice cream.
Francesca
No, this is how it goes.
Dustin Ross
Briar. Wonder.
Francesca
If we could go back backwards.
Dustin Ross
Before we heard the sun that's beautiful already.
Francesca
Before we said those last words if only we had found the lifeline Found a way to see night did find we were always holding too tight Slipped.
Dustin Ross
Right through our hands.
Francesca
Slipped right through our head Slipped right through our head okay.
Asante
Hell, yeah.
Francesca
Only human wishing we were per heart strings.
Asante
I like that.
Dustin Ross
I love you.
Francesca
You're going through a breakup. That's the one. Or if you're just reminiscing about a breakup. Right. Beautiful. That hook.
Asante
That's hard.
Francesca
Oh, that's hard. That's Briar. Those are my three for this week.
Asante
Faith, you better sing Dustin Ross, what you been listening to.
Dustin Ross
So first song I'm gonna play is by the Weeknd and Playboy Cardi. It's called Timeless. I love this song. I just heard it when Fran played.
Francesca
I love that we all looked at.
Asante
You like, wait, running it back.
Dustin Ross
Nah, nah. So the first song I'm gonna play is by this artist who for years has established themselves as just like, one of the traditionalists of music. You know how you have those artists whose music is not classical but, like, jazz centered and just, you know.
Francesca
Right.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, one of those, like, the old standards. So this song is called Need a Gangster by Stunner.
Francesca
Girl, you know what?
Asante
Wow, that was a good one.
Francesca
I should have known by his face. Is that D on the beat? I like that. Take trips and get fast money. You say you love me Daddy, can you sell these Packs for me My hit a lick and said put up these racks for me My hit a.
Instacart Announcer
Lick and tell me you can count.
Francesca
These blues up yo baby daddy broke and he can't pour dude he want to dream me and Chanel blow it back at the sex he be pulling on my hair when he hit from the back yeah, I know this good that's why you so attached yeah, I know this good that's why you so.
Dustin Ross
Attached that's why you so attached okay, a stunner girl. The next song I'mma play is by Larry June two Chains and the Alchemist. Yeah, this song is called Bad Choices. Then I want them to do a whole album produced by the Alchemist. Combo them together. Joint album, that's what they call it. Here we go.
Asante
Do not check me ho check that.
Dustin Ross
Apple watch Sam, your black pressure too high for me now that door dash oh, don't play with him. Slicker than the oil spill slim that's right man.
Asante
I got the rounds before.
Dustin Ross
I even had the car.
Asante
Look, I never tell you that I.
Dustin Ross
Didn'T do it I'm self made made to influence I turn your castle into a ruin seller the seasoning to Martha Stewart.
Francesca
You know what a sign with the.
Dustin Ross
Egg cockle Only thing we had was.
Asante
Spread with the ramen going spared on the pharmaceutical 12 come through and book them like bronze.
Francesca
It sounds like they sampled it.
Asante
Definitely do.
Dustin Ross
So that's that. I'm playing two more songs. So the next song I'mma play.
Asante
Oh my.
Dustin Ross
I know the next I'll play because we got to give it up to. I've been in a spice zone. I don't know why. I've been listening to a lot of Spice.
Francesca
I love that. I need more.
Dustin Ross
So this song is called Cool it by Spice. And I like it cuz she be like cool it with piece of Ice. Okay, listen.
Francesca
The ice like a liquor.
Asante
I love Spice.
Dustin Ross
I don't give a. I love Spice. Okay, so the last song I'm gonna play. The last song I'm gonna play is by Aisha Erotica and Mo Beats and it's called Yummy. The righteous remix of Yummy. I think of something Aisha Erotica. I think Asante gonna like this song. So tay, this one's for you, bro.
Francesca
I like it.
Asante
It's going digital.
Francesca
Oh, I need this Aisha erotica.
Asante
I like that beat.
Francesca
Oh, she came. Wait a minute. She's white. Oh.
Dustin Ross
So that's that song.
Asante
Well, thank you for that.
Francesca
That song goes though I added it.
Dustin Ross
To my drive with Piece of ice.
Asante
Four songs. All right. This week, I will be playing a few selections at random. The first song that I would like to play, Travis Scott is back. There's a video to go with this song. It's called 4x4. Here we go.
Francesca
Your toes.
Asante
So, yes, Travis Scott is back doing what he does. The video looks really cool. It starts off with, like, the little Columbia pictures, but it's a black woman holding torch instead of standard white woman. It's dope. The next song that I'm going to play is called chill guy. It's 41 Tata, Jin Carter, Kyle Rich. I'm obsessed, and I like this song as well. Here we are.
Francesca
You hate when I tell you I'm chilling, but I swear to you, you.
Asante
I'm just a chill guy. Yeah.
Francesca
I'm taking medicine all by myself what the.
Asante
By myself I get real hot, yeah. She don't usually feel guys.
Francesca
She got around and peeped. I'm a real guy. I just went to sleep and woke up I'm still high she tell me she hate the fact I get pill high to speak on emotions and I.
Asante
Stay mixing sprite with the potion like.
Dustin Ross
Pill now keep pouring up till I.
Francesca
Don'T even feel hot My overdose and.
Asante
I don't even realize she see the emotion.
Francesca
All this jewelry she thinking my whole life a parody like paradise and I'm nonchalant. That's why I love seeing little kids. You notice little kids can't stand still now. Like, they'll be in the grocery store. Like.
Asante
Yeah, I. It's just something about those. The. The. The new youth. They're. They're really on to something, especially with those dancy records. Especially that song. You know, there's a bit of depression discussed in it. You know, obviously, usage of. Of substances that I don't necessarily approve of. But the way they rap is just very catchy, and hopefully they can work through the other stuff. The last song that I'm gonna play is by Tyler, the creator. I know that. I think you play something from him. Friend off his last project, probably.
Dustin Ross
I play Sticky.
Asante
You play Sticky. Okay. Just kidding. Well, I'm not gonna play Sticky. You was gonna play Sticky.
Dustin Ross
We all.
Asante
It's finally.
Francesca
That's why I beat asking y', all now, did we play this?
Asante
Because that's why I said that, too. I was like, I know somebody wants to play something. Okay. The last song I'll play then is Chris Brown. Just because I love this song. And it's been. It came back up. This is city girls featuring young thug this was a moment in time. Have you never heard this song called City Girls? So when Chris Brown and Young Thug get their album together, Chris, they. They had an album together because, you know, Chris Brown make all he make, make tons of records. So people might have missed this. They did a record album together called Slime and be. And City Girls was one of the records on it. It was a video for it. I really loved the video. It was, you know, obviously he was doing this like Michael Jackson thing or whatever, but the video was cute. I really like the lead girl in the video. I like her and the three girls on the stage, or her and the two other girls dance on the stage while it's going down and Chris Brown's watching them. But I really love the record too. By the way, Chris Brown just released a video for his new record Residuals, which is really, really fire. Cuz Residuals is a really good song. And I was gonna play it, but City Girls just had me in a choco because it came up, you know, the. The for you radio. It played this song and I was like, I forgot how much I used to with this record. So City Girls is it. And then we going to move on. Here we are.
Francesca
Yeah, yeah.
Dustin Ross
Yo finally got a reason I can stay home Pretty little thing for me.
Francesca
To wait on you all day until.
Dustin Ross
The day gone California king and we can play home girl, you know I like it when you name get in your shake get in my face and I can't take it FaceTime makes me anxious and she looks so good I.
Francesca
Can taste it pat me don't stop it. You should be in tropics staining your body get dark milk chocolate you should be famous movies like N la you.
Dustin Ross
Know I've been the best man.
Asante
I love that record. The next verse. Young Thug come anyway City girls man that you play Monet. So I thought about you. I should have let that part play and then did the Santana for you. But that's it. For the Music man segment.
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Asante
Now we can move on to TV land.
Dustin Ross
She got on, Babes. Vapes. You ain't with it, you better clock it. She got on. Okay. Welcome to TV Land, you guys. I really just wanted to encourage everyone that is listening to this. There's a few things you need to tune into. Now, I know that the Real Housewives of New York City have turned a lot of people off just by being who they are because you want the old thing back. I understand that. Okay? But if you just give it a chance, I think that you will have enjoyed this second season. The season finale was crazy. Bryn is a lion ass heifer, yo. And I really had high hopes for that, so. Can you believe she did that?
Francesca
That was. I. That episode blew me so much that I watched it twice.
Dustin Ross
Must see tv, right?
Asante
Spoiler. Tell me what happened.
Francesca
Oh, you didn't. Oh, you're not caught up.
Dustin Ross
I, I, you know what?
Francesca
You don't watch this Franc fell off.
Asante
Of New York like, a, a couple episodes into the season. I was enjoying the New Women, but I just didn't want to stay there. And I said I was gonna. I said I was gonna watch for the reunion, so I was gonna watch the reunions whenever I was.
Dustin Ross
Actually, you have to see this season finale of something.
Francesca
You just have to watch.
Asante
Okay, So I watched the finale.
Dustin Ross
I'm not gonna.
Asante
I'm sorry.
Dustin Ross
Just watch the finale.
Asante
That's what. Yeah, I'm gonna watch the finale and I'm gonna.
Francesca
That's true. Because you know who everyone is.
Asante
Yeah, I'm familiar. I already kind of know who I'm. I already kind of have a sense about a few of them already, so.
Francesca
Oh, goodly.
Dustin Ross
It's on the level of the lie that Phaedra told on Real Housewives of Atlanta season nine, when she was exposed for lying at their reunion. It's a moment.
Francesca
Oh, yeah.
Dustin Ross
Oh, yeah. Remember, she was the one who had told Portia that Candy makes. She. She's the one who made up the lie that Candy was trying to use a day rape drug on Portia.
Francesca
Oh, my God.
Dustin Ross
And all that other.
Francesca
Yeah, wow.
Dustin Ross
That's when we didn't see her ass no more. Like, qu said that good Candy Burris had benched her for the past few years. She hadn't been on television because Candy said she wasn't working with her. She was like, if y' all bring her back, I'll just.
Francesca
Hopefully.
Dustin Ross
So, yeah, I'll leave. Like, I don't have to be here or whatever. And so when Candy quit the show, they literally brought Phaedra back at the last minute to the seat. So she'll be on the next season. She's a housewife again. But it's only because Candy quit. Meanwhile Candy just posted that she's. She was in rehearsals the first rehearsal for Othello on the Broadway which her and she's produced a producer on it starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Francesca
She's gonna get a job.
Dustin Ross
Candy ain't. You know what I'm saying? Her entire rehearsals. Like we just witnessed the brilliant talent and we can't wait for to bring this. So she's doing her thing but nonetheless watch the Real Housewives of New York City. If you don't watch this season just watch the season and then tune into the reaction reunion. I'll do that.
Francesca
Is it. The reunion is out already.
Dustin Ross
Yep. Part one has aired and so we're.
Asante
Waiting on part two Y because I was gonna watch part one of the reunion but I'll go back and watch the finale and then make sure you.
Francesca
Watching that as soon as we finish.
Dustin Ross
Real Housewives of Fatomic was good this week as well. Mia was exposed as a liar. She been knew that baby was Gordon happening. So that was good. And in real time real life news carrying the headlines today according to our people that love B. Scott. Shout out. B. Scott. Shout out. Denver. They reported that Karen Huger has fired her lawyers after losing in court and she also requested that the court delay her sentencing until she completes the self imposed standing rehab that she's on. Now I do want to make sure that we notate that. Right. She's in rehab but it's of her own own choice or volition. Exactly. She's the person who decided to go to rehab and she's asking the court to delay her sentencing from the guilty verdict that she just received until she completes this stint in rehab or whatever. So we'll see what happens with firing your lawyers. For what? Carrying you is up flat out. Ain't no getting around that.
Francesca
She was below key. They needed to be fired because they were.
Dustin Ross
They shouldn't have done it in the first place.
Francesca
Yeah. Like. But the. It just didn't make sense. So much of that didn't make sense. I'm not saying she can't be accountable because obviously it takes two. Right. You. But I can understand how you would lean on counsel too. Like I don't know.
Dustin Ross
It was your job to advise me properly. That's why I was paying you. I get it. I just feel like they should have advised her not to go to trial. They should have advised her to take a plea deal. You know what I'm saying?
Francesca
They should have been like, yo, the video. There's no way it.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, and there's not Thomas Jefferson's concubine. I'm still trying to figure out what the that means.
Francesca
I want to know what she drank.
Dustin Ross
What kind of Suri county is that? You know what I'm saying? I'm Thomas Jefferson's concubine.
Francesca
Why does that like, I want to know why that came out. What did she think about?
Dustin Ross
I said, when she, when she was driving, was she wearing a. A dress and an apron? She had on a dress and a slip under it and a apron over top of it and hair and braids. Like, was you concubine Thomas Jefferson? What kind of was? You know, maybe she was listening to like a audiobook or something. I don't know.
Francesca
You know what? Maybe she. She like. Because sometimes I fall into weird YouTube history documentary rabbit holes at night when I can't sleep. And it was just there in her head. Who knows? But it don't.
Asante
She was on the AM instead of the FM and picked up a weird signal, heard some.
Dustin Ross
I don't know. But I'm glad she's a L I V E and so I just hope everything works out for her. Ray blesses heart, you know what I'm saying? He showed up to that scene and tried his best. He tried his best to help her, but Karen was just drunk. She was faced, you know, so whatever.
Francesca
He needs to be resting, but he.
Dustin Ross
Need to fire Karen. But that was a. That was great.
Asante
Great.
Dustin Ross
Also tune in to watch what Happens Live if you have an opportunity to watch the playback or maybe like access it via Peacock or something like that. This past episode of Watch what Happens Live was good. The guests of the night were Quiet Webb from Married to Medicine and Mia Thornton from Real Housewives. Quiet kept stopping Mia dead in her tracks. Quiet was rolling her eyes and making faces while Mia was talking. Talking all kind of. At one point in the episode, quad had the damn Watch what Happens Live cards in her hands and was dead seriously asking me a questions. And I don't know, I think she was holding the cards for like a game they were playing or something like that. But what I saw on tv, Quiet was literally leaning in with her legs crossed with the cars. Like, no, but would you do that if she did? Like breaking it down. So if you want a little bit of messiness, Quiet is always good on Watch what Happens, like live. But what makes it good is that it's not her being messy, just to be messy. She really, it'd be real moments like when her and Kenya Moore had they moment on the show that was a real, you know, disagreement, a spat they had. Yeah, this the way that she was flashing on Mia. It was real and you need to watch it. So tune into this week's episode of Watch what happens live. Love after lockup has been fantastic this season as well. I don't know if you guys are.
Francesca
Watching, but so many stories.
Dustin Ross
And it just, it just be amazing to me when they have sex. I am fascinated that these people are willing to have sex like that and talk about it on tv. It's just fascinating.
Francesca
Shower. Just come home straight from prison.
Dustin Ross
No, like, I mean you ain't seen none of the sharp objects you need to really cleanse your body. You ain't seen them in a long time. You know what I'm saying? So whatever projects so that as well also, you can't forget love and marriage. Huntsville, the season finale was explosive. It just went off. So the reunion is coming up. Three part reunion over the next three weeks. Go to Carlos King's YouTube channel. Watch the live we did Monday night. I broke a few things down on there and I got an opportunity to really address a lot of the criticism that Melody Cherie gets from her disposition. And I got a chance to address that criticism last night. I'm grateful for that because I feel like she gets. She doesn't get a fair shot. People like to start her story in the middle or at whatever point they discovered her. But there was a lot that happened before that to make her disposition what it is now. And that's the stuff that needs to be talked about. Yeah. And I think, I think it's going to be discussed at length at this reunion coming up. So make sure you watch that.
Asante
That.
Dustin Ross
Hey, also, what else am I watching right now? Reasonable Doubt on Hulu was good. We already talked about that. The Traders also watch the Traders. I'm a little confused. I saw a video, I don't know if you have seen this, but I saw a video where Robin Dixon and the other girl that was a wrestler, I can't remember her name, but one of the contestants that was a WWE wrestler, they, they had been I guess murdered and were. Were. Yeah, they had been murdered and they were given basically an interview. They had been given like an interview or whatever. Were giving an interview where they were saying. Giving their thoughts once they found out who the traitors actually were, like the interviewer reveals the traitors to them, whatever. But on this past week's episode, Robin didn't get murdered. So. And on the, on the. In the interview video I saw, she was like, that's why I got murdered. Because I had told Boston Rob Job that I thought that such and such was a traitor. But Robin hasn't gotten murdered yet. So I'm like jumping ahead prematurely or what?
Francesca
Yeah.
Dustin Ross
And I was kind of pissed off because Robin is still in the show. So I'm right.
Asante
Because I was just about to say I. I'm gonna. I'm one episode behind, but I'm not mad. Like, but Robin. What? That's funny. That's weird that they did that. But Traders is good.
Francesca
This season got published.
Dustin Ross
Also. One last thing I want to talk about about that. Damn. 90 or not 90 day fiance, married at first sight.
Francesca
I still gotta finish. I already know who you making that.
Dustin Ross
Face about because I just to watch people in real time make decisions and say things that are just completely insane is crazy. And they have an after show for that that's hosted by Keisha Knight Pulliam, AKA Yeah. And she. When I tell you, she be on there packing their asses up every week. And she. The person that I'm talking about, I really don't even want to say his name because he wants to be famous for his poetry book and I the.
Francesca
One that looks like pj.
Asante
Wow.
Dustin Ross
So he. He is obliterated in this most recent episode by Keisha. Not Pose with Love.
Asante
Love.
Dustin Ross
She basically tells him, I think MM gets frustrated because she asks you questions and you don't answer the question she asks you. You answer the question you want to ask. She's like, can you continue to do that here? It's like, I asked you a question and you won't answer the question I ask you. And can you understand how that would be frustrating for the person on the other side? Yeah. So I think that may be the disconnect because she has asked you repeatedly. Question, question. She kept doubling down on it and I was like, she was kicking his ass. So that was great. Also, we'll talk about it on Patreon when Asante has time. We'll connect our schedules and do another regroup, another deep dive because the reunion's coming up. So it'll be after the reunion of Baddies. But there's a show on now that's tv. The now there's TV app called me Mean Girls. And Mean Girls is currently in season two if we need, and it's comprised of a bunch of duos.
Asante
Groups of.
Dustin Ross
Girls who all have like Internet beef in real life or in the streets or who have previously been on shows on that network and have disagreements, you know, and problems that have carried over into this show, into this house. But what makes this week's episode of. And I think this is the third episode. Episode of season two, I believe it was, matter of fact. Let me open the app so I can be clear when I direct y' all to it, because this had me literally, like some of the jokes. So Mean Girl, season two. Yes. Episode three, if you go to the now that's TV app, if you are a person who watches that, I'm speaking directly to y'. All. This is not an invite to any other eyes. I'm only talking to the people that watch this stuff. Right. Season two, episode three of Mean Girls is one of the funniest episodes of now there's TV content I have ever seen in my life. What makes it so funny is that these.
Asante
These.
Dustin Ross
They're duos. So in the confessionals, there's two people instead of just one. So watching these girls, many of whom are first cousins, some are blood sisters, some are best friends that have been together for years, some are people who have been on other shows together, but they're people, they're in relationship with each other in some way. So there's a. A component, a dynamic of camarade, camaraderie that exists when it comes to laughing at inside jokes, whatever, that's bringing this humor to the show that does not exist in a lot of the other shows on this platform. So mind you, prime example, one of the girls showed up to the. To the first episode that they were taping when they arrived to the house, and she had a long sequin, like, ball gown on. So they cut to the confessionals, and.
Asante
This girl who's on there with her.
Dustin Ross
First cousin, she's like, she. Look at her cousin. Her cousin just busts out laughing. She's like, she got a product. Like, she going to the prom. She got a prom. And the other cousin is just like, her head is down. They laughing at silly. And it's bringing humor to this show. And that being said, in episode three of this season, there are countless moments because the fighting has started now, right? So there's countless moments of people being jumped, people talking about each other in ways, whatever. But in the confessionals, they're then laughing at each other and their behavior in a way that was so entertaining to me. So if you're a person that watches that Mean Girl, season two, episode three, watch that. It's so bad. I'm getting ready to literally make some clips of it when I take my afternoon break and send those little clips to Kid Fury because him and I.
Francesca
Watch this religious, y' all will.
Asante
Oh, my God.
Dustin Ross
That being said, that's it, y'. All. It's on you.
Francesca
And that means that is it for us. We love you guys so much. Thanks for hanging with us another week. Yet another week. We'll see you guys next week.
Asante
Stay black and protect your magic.
Francesca
Bye, y'. All. This is.
Dustin Ross
A real Etsy buyer review for handmade home decor by a real Etsy seller. I could not be happier about the quality or the wonderful personal message supplied with it describing its journey into existence. Discover original items created by real people and loved by real people just like you. Special starts on Etsy Shop.
Asante
The Etsy app.
Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesca), Assanté
Release Date: January 29, 2025
Podcast Network: Loud Speakers Network
This episode of The Friend Zone intertwines explorations of mental health, pop culture, family dynamics, and community resilience. The hosts tackle topics ranging from complicated family expectations and reality TV drama, to immigration anxieties and contemporary music culture. The centerpiece is Dustin’s brilliant and hilarious retelling of a Biblical story about sibling loyalty — inspired by a viral video of a little girl beating up someone for messing with her sister.
The episode keeps its signature humorous, unfiltered tone, offering candid social commentary, practical resources (especially in light of increased ICE activity), wellness tips, and a bounty of new music and TV recommendations.
(Starts 01:01)
(Around 10:07)
(Starts 22:13)
(Main story: 42:16 - 71:42)
(73:56 - 96:02)
(96:48 - 132:01)
(138:38 - end)
On Family, Boundaries & Entitlement:
On Sibling Loyalty:
On ICE & Community:
On Music & Authenticity:
For more episodes, additional content, and the Patreon Wind Down, visit:
patreon.com/thefriendzonepodcast