The Friend Zone Podcast | Episode: "Love Your Family"

Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesca), Assanté
Release Date: January 29, 2025
Podcast Network: Loud Speakers Network

Overview

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.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Family Entitlement, Reality TV & Boundaries

(Starts 01:01)

• Toya Johnson’s family drama: Dustin opens with a discussion of Toya Johnson (formerly Wright), her family’s public struggles, and specifically her brother Casey's feelings of entitlement and public outbursts about not being supported in his rap career.
• Famous relatives and obligation: The discussion critiques the toxic mentality that family members are owed something due to a relative's success.
• Dustin’s classic quote
  • "Don’t nobody owe you any nothing. If that's what your music sound like...what do Toya and Reginae, who are not artists, have to do with you and your music career?" — Dustin (06:46)
• Humor & honesty:
  • "He is a scary monster of a family member. Nobody wants to deal with that." — Dustin (05:34)
  • The hosts joke about hiding familial relations to spare themselves embarrassment, bringing levity to a tough topic.

2. Weekend Recaps & Pop Culture Check-In

(Around 10:07)

• Dustin shares an amusing and slightly unnerving story about suddenly interrupted technical difficulties at "MJ The Musical" on Broadway, making the entire theater anxious.
• Fran talks about soaking up rare sunshine in the PNW, attending a friend’s child’s birthday at a local arcade.
• Asanté reviews "Squid Game" Season 2, noting its shift in tone and decreased intensity compared to the first season:
  • "This one...even the lighter parts were just stupid." — Asanté (14:43)

3. Listener Feedback & Community Shoutouts

(Starts 22:13)

• Shoutouts to Black businesses, especially Oklahoma’s Crab and Catfish Company, praised for its success and multiple locations (22:13).
• Listeners discuss their New Year’s emotions, feelings of displacement, and stress around new beginnings.
• Detailed listener feedback on self-defense rights, racial identity, and the importance of authentic community connection.

4. Viral Video & Bible Story: "Love Your Family"

(Main story: 42:16 - 71:42)

• Inspiration: A viral TikTok where a little girl, Paris Jefferson, justifies fighting for her sister by quoting a Boosie Badazz lyric:
  • "If she play with your sister, beat her ass right now" — Boosie, "Love Your Family" (45:08)
• Dustin's epic Bible retelling:
  • GENESIS 34: "The Sortie of Shechem"
  • Dustin connects Paris’ loyalty to an ancient story: when Dinah, daughter of Jacob, is defiled by Prince Shechem, her brothers Simeon and Levi take brutal vengeance, killing every man in the city after convincing them to undergo circumcision.
  • The segment is punctuated with hilarious commentary and sound effects, making ancient violence both educational and darkly funny.
  • Memorable quote:
    • "If they play with your sister, be her ass. That’s the vibes here." — Dustin (54:32)
    • "That don’t come from Boosie. That come from the Bible." — Dustin (70:01)
• Host and audience reaction:
  • Fran and Asanté are audibly shocked and amused as the story unfolds, comparing it to Game of Thrones’ “Red Wedding.”

5. Wellness Segment: ICE, Community Defense & Resources

(73:56 - 96:02)

• Fran’s personal account: Anxiety after seeing an ICE van in her neighborhood.
  • "The intimidation...my whole energy shifted." — Francesca (75:26)
• Community Information:
  • 1-844-363-1423: Deportation Defense Hotline to report ICE activity (77:27)
  • Resources: Immigrant Defense Project (immdefense.org), National Immigrant Justice Center (immigrantjustice.org), ACLU immigrants’ rights guides, know-your-rights flyers (NYC.gov), and more — all links to be posted in show notes.
  • Emphasis on the need not to be numb or passive:
    • "We gotta really stop looking at it as if this is not...a personal problem." — Francesca (86:32)
• Hosts acknowledge complexity:
  • Nuanced discussion about lack of empathy for “I told you so” moments with deportations, especially for people who voted for harmful policies, without applying that to innocent families and children.

6. Music Man Segment: New Releases, Hot Takes & Faves

(96:48 - 132:01)

• Rihanna’s “Anti” turns 9 (97:02)
  • The hosts reminisce about the album, its genre-bending sound, and enduring impact:
    • "It was eclectic, abstract...showed growth." — Dustin (98:55)
• Music news and opinions:
  • Bruno Mars & Sexy Red’s "Fat, Juicy and Wet": Fran and Dustin strongly dislike the track, criticizing its inauthentic vibe and Bruno’s gang-referencing lyrics (101:31).
    • “It just feels cheap...I hate it.” — Francesca (104:15)
  • NLE Chopper’s Playgirl photo shoot and accusations of “gay baiting”: Dustin eloquently defends NLE and challenges both straight and gay critics to let artists be themselves.
    • “He’s playing into the image of the 1970s male sex symbol...Why does that equate to gay baiting?” — Dustin (109:28)
• Music picks:
  • Fran: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti’s "Timeless", Queen Quinn "Worst Behavior", Briar “Through Our Hands” (121:54 – 126:19)
  • Dustin: Stunna Girl “Need a Gangster”, Larry June & 2 Chainz "Bad Choices", Spice “Cool It”, Ayesha Erotica “Yummy Righteous Remix”
  • Asanté: Travis Scott “4x4”, 41 Tata/Jin Carter/Kyle Rich “Chill Guy”, Tyler The Creator, Chris Brown & Young Thug “City Girls” (132:01 – 137:48)

7. TV Land: Reality Roundup

(138:38 - end)

• Real Housewives of New York Finale:
  • The Bryn scandal; likened to Phaedra’s legendary lie on RHOA (139:57)
  • Reunion show anticipation.
• Real Housewives of Potomac:
  • Karen Huger legal trouble and self-directed rehab (141:44)
• Watch What Happens Live:
  • Quad Webb’s candid, no-nonsense style in her guest appearance.
• Must-See TV:
  • Love After Lockup, Love & Marriage: Huntsville, Reasonable Doubt, The Traitors, Married At First Sight (standout: Keisha Knight Pulliam’s hard-hitting after show interviews), Mean Girls NOW THAT’S TV app (noted for its confessional and cousin dynamic).
  • "Season two, episode three of Mean Girls is one of the funniest episodes of Now That's TV content I have ever seen in my life." — Dustin (151:04)

Memorable Quotes

On Family, Boundaries & Entitlement:

• "Don't nobody owe you. And with attitude like that, you ain't gonna get s***." — Dustin (07:46)

On Sibling Loyalty:

• "If they play with your sister, beat their ass. That's the vibes here." — Dustin (54:32)
• "That don’t come from Boosie. That come from the Bible." — Dustin (70:01)

On ICE & Community:

• "You don't have to interfere physically, but you do have the right to film it and protect the people in your neighborhood." — Francesca (78:34)
• "We're all a lot more connected than I think we feel comfortable admitting." — Francesca (86:32)

On Music & Authenticity:

• "Being that girl...what makes it attractive to us is the authenticity." — Dustin (103:19)
• "Gay baiting is them that y’all pay to watch on OnlyFans...that's gay baiting. Just because he has a sexy aesthetic, that's not gay baiting." — Dustin (112:08)

Notable Timestamps

• [01:01] Introduction to main show and Toya Wright/Reginae/Casey discussion
• [06:46] Dustin goes in on entitlement and family boundaries
• [42:16] Introduction to the "Love Your Family" viral video and transition to Bible story
• [48:01] Dustin’s retelling of "The Sortie of Shechem" (Genesis 34)
• [71:42] End of Bible story; reflection on sibling loyalty
• [73:56] Fran’s wellness segment: confronting ICE, resources for immigrant defense
• [96:48] Music Man: Rihanna’s "Anti", Bruno Mars/Sexy Red, NLE Chopper
• [138:38] TV Land: Reality TV, must-watch picks

Resources, Links & Actions

• Deportation Defense Hotline: 1-844-363-1423
• Immigrant Defense Project: immdefense.org
• National Immigrant Justice Center: immigrantjustice.org
• Know Your Rights, ACLU: aclu.org/immigrants-rights
• Black Business Highlight: Crab and Catfish Company – Oklahoma (crabandcatfishco.com)

Tone & Takeaways

• The Friend Zone remains unapologetically Black, empathetic, and joyfully irreverent, blending social critique, cultural commentary, and community care.
• The episode’s anchor story brings Dustin’s unique “hood scholar” voice to the fore, proving that pop culture and ancient wisdom can collide for both laughs and deep lessons.
• The hosts consistently encourage listeners to be community-minded—whether it’s checking entitled relatives, advocating for immigrants’ rights, or calling out fake inclusivity in music and media.

For more episodes, additional content, and the Patreon Wind Down, visit:
patreon.com/thefriendzonepodcast