The Heavy Show

Summary

The Friend Zone – "The Heavy Show" (Oct 15, 2025)

Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey, Asante
Podcast Network: Loud Speakers Network
Theme: Mental health, current events, culture, and community with warmth and signature humor

Overview

This emotionally charged episode, aptly named “The Heavy Show,” sees hosts Dustin, Fran, and Asante grappling with grief, nostalgia, and the tumult of current news. They open with the breaking news of R&B legend D’Angelo’s death and reflect on his enduring cultural influence, before pivoting into a broader conversation about neo-soul, community, nostalgia, gentrification, identity, and the increasingly distressing state of current political, environmental, and social affairs in America. Despite the heaviness, the hosts maintain their organic camaraderie, humor, and community-centered spirit.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mourning D’Angelo’s Passing

Timestamps: 01:31–07:47

• The show opens on a somber note: R&B icon D’Angelo has died at 51 from pancreatic cancer.
  • Dustin: “This is a great loss for a lot of people personally and a great loss for a lot of people all over the world who loved his art. So rest in peace, D’Angelo.” (01:57)
• The trio brainstorms a tribute: Lucky Day, Miguel, and potentially a female artist (Selena Johnson) or the Soulquarians would do justice to D’Angelo’s catalog.
• D’Angelo’s impact on neo-soul and culture is explored:
  • Asante: “He was like, neo soul, but still, like a little hood...what a cool motherf---er. And then the music was so, so good.” (04:15)
  • Fran: “Sadly, he did speak on the pressure he felt becoming a sex symbol after the Untitled video...he felt pushed in that direction and didn’t necessarily love because then people became more fixated on his look than on his music.” (04:50)
• Reflections on his artistry, musicianship, and how his rise paralleled changes in 1990s R&B.
  • Dustin: “This is once in a lifetime talent, once in a lifetime artist, original. No one sounded like him, but the music still had traditional and classic elements that were familiar for us.” (06:15)

2. The Neo-Soul/90s R&B Renaissance & Its Afterlife

Timestamps: 07:47–16:04

• Reminiscing on the 90s and the cultural significance of neo-soul artists like Maxwell, Erykah Badu, and Jill Scott.
  • Fran: “Especially for a kid like me that was like the earthy kid in the hood ...this is my era is coming in.” (08:19)
• Genre creation and the fear associated with the “sophomore slump” — referencing Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun interview.
  • Asante: “It damn near created a new genre and opened...it paved the way, because really, it was Erica that opened that door.” (10:22)
• The importance of artists who blend technical skill, originality, and authenticity.
  • Dustin: “That’s what makes musicians and artists special and magical, is that they can marry these technical components with their own original interpretation. That’s the magic.” (07:02)

3. Music Nostalgia & Evolution of Black Community

Timestamps: 16:04–20:48

• Community, identity, and nostalgia through the lens of music and changing neighborhoods.
  • Quick takes on MTV’s decline, the absence of Black and Latinx communities in certain cities, and the shifting nature of music discovery.
  • Fran: “I loved MTV when I was younger…just music all the time...I miss that.” (18:09)
• Tribute to Ananda Lewis, the influence of VJs, and reflections on Woodstock ‘99’s chaos.
  • Asante: “She was such a staple...VJs were a big deal.” (20:03)

4. Mental Hygiene: Mustiness on Public Transit

Timestamps: 24:05–31:04

• Dustin recounts a humorous yet harrowing subway encounter with a musty passenger, sparking a real talk about personal hygiene and public etiquette.
  • Dustin: “Why? Because what the f---? I ain’t never bag of onions under my arms. God damn it. I believe in aluminum.” (24:08)
  • Fran: “Some people don’t know the difference between deodorant, antiperspirant. ... The quality of clothing ... polyester will hold a smell.” (27:09)

5. Gentrification, Community, and Harlem Memories

Timestamps: 31:31–36:41

• Laugh-out-loud stories about memorable transit experiences, Harlem’s cultural shifts, and the sense of shifting community as neighborhoods gentrify or become unrecognizable.
  • “You know, over there, it goes from corner to corner, block to block. That changes, like, you know what I mean?” (Dustin, 33:10)
• Nostalgia for authentic connection and the importance of neighborliness.
  • Fran: “I always think of that train. I always think of that…” (31:47)

6. Friendship, Making Community in New Cities

Timestamps: 43:32–47:36

• Fran shares a TikTok story about organizing meetups for Black women in Portland and the relief and joy of finding community, especially as a parent hoping to foster connection for her kids.
  • Fran: “I love that she is creating this thing, this energy around all you, keep laughing around women needing sisterhood and friendship and community.” (46:25)
• The hosts underline the importance of intentionality, safety, and boundaries when meeting new people and forming new bonds.

7. Navigating Non-diverse Spaces & Identity

Timestamps: 50:41–54:19

• The psychological toll of being “the only one” — e.g., Black or Asian kids in predominantly white communities, referencing pop culture (Love is Blind).
  • Fran: “You don’t want Noah of all kids in a school where she’s the only Black girl, what is that gonna do to her personality? Especially at a crucial time as a preteen?” (48:57)
• Subtle and not-so-subtle codes of communal recognition (the “nod”) and how that can be lacking or fragmented in transplants/new cities.

8. Immigration Patterns & Community Absence

Timestamps: 55:11–60:34

• Fran expresses bewilderment at the absence of a Dominican community in Portland, though there are Puerto Ricans and a “bustling Haitian community.”
  • “Not have not met a Dominican person. Not one. How is that possible? There’s no Dominican restaurants out here. Not one.” (55:28)
• Dustin on the sense of community among Dominicans in NYC (“10 out of 10, you know what I’m saying? Uptown, baby.” 57:38), offering a contrast.

9. America’s Collapse: Natural Disasters & Dysfunctional Leadership

Timestamps: 63:16–69:24

• Fran highlights the unreported devastation caused by Typhoon Halong in Alaska and lack of FEMA aid/official response.
  • “Our government, because of the cuts with FEMA...are not helping…It’s not even in the news news.” (63:16)
  • Friend: “Authorities said more than a thousand people were sheltering at schools and other community locations. Terror.” (66:32)
• Concerns about media control, censorship, and how the right-wing is allegedly buying up platforms to erase or control narratives.
  • Asante: “You couldn’t even tag Portland…that was very calculated, but it’s just such a commentary on what is going to happen as things progress.” (69:24)

10. Governmental Failures, A1 (AI) Confusion, and American Frustration

Timestamps: 91:19–95:45

• Hosts bemoan budget cuts to special education and disability funding, recalling the reprehensible political discourse (circumcision myths, misuse of “AI” as “A1”).
  • Friend: “Education Secretary Lind McMahon confuses AI with A1.” (92:01)
• Reflections on “how did we get here?” and collective exhaustion.
  • Dustin: “We tired, we worn out. Okay. It’s not easy to do this and deal with these every day. And they just as crazy as they look and sound on television.” (94:56)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On D’Angelo’s artistry:

  • “He was like, neo soul, but still, like a little hood...what a cool motherfucker. And then the music was so, so good.” – Asante (04:15)
  • “This is once in a lifetime talent, once in a lifetime artist, original…” – Dustin (06:15)
  • “He. He. I don’t know that he said he regretted it, but he just felt pushed in that direction and didn’t necessarily love because then people became more fixated on his look than on his music.” – Fran (04:50)

• On the importance of community:

  • “I love that she is creating this thing, this energy around all you, keep laughing around women needing sisterhood and friendship and community.” – Fran (46:25)
  • “When I was speaking to that, they would be laughing. We had a good time. … So, like, I really enjoyed my time living up in a community that was largely populated with Dominicans.” – Dustin (57:11)

• On current events' absurdity:

  • “If you can’t even find the decency as a person walking on this earth to have a heart enough to want to protect the funding for special education and special needs education in schools...” – Dustin (89:27)
  • “Education Secretary Lind McMahon confuses AI with A1...Come on, bro. A1.” – Friend & Asante (92:09)

• On being Black in non-Black spaces:

  • “Every time a black person passes. I be like, hey, black person...I know people be like, there’s a bitches that have crazy.” – Asante (53:00)

• Humor amidst heaviness:

  • “Why? Because what the fuck? I ain’t never bag of onions under my arms. God damn it. I believe in aluminum.” – Dustin recounting a NYC subway story (24:08)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:31 — D’Angelo tribute: mourning and discussing his influence
• 07:47 — Neo-soul’s impact and 90s nostalgia
• 16:04 — Shifts in MTV, the role of Black VJs, and Woodstock ‘99
• 24:05 — NYC subway mustiness and hygiene banter
• 31:31 — Harlem stories and gentrification
• 43:32 — Building community in new cities/TikTok meetup story
• 47:36 — Parenting and Black children’s experience in white-majority spaces
• 55:11 — Where are Portland’s Dominicans? Immigration patterns
• 63:16 — Alaska typhoon, government neglect, and media censorship
• 91:19 — US government failures, “AI” confusion, despair & dark humor
• 98:36 — Miguel’s new album as a “bright spot” (episode wrap-up)

---

Tone & Language

The trio navigates tough and heavy themes, infused with unfiltered honesty, compassion for the community, signature inside jokes, vivid personal stories, and playful banter (“I wish I could have got my delicatessen before they closed. Cats Delicatessen…” 34:29; “That’s how I know I can vocal produce an artist. Cause I know how to sing. I just can’t do it.” 15:05). Throughout, they reaffirm the show's grounding in Black experience, regional culture, and the search for wellness and connection amid chaos.

---

Takeaways

• This week’s episode is a reminder of collective grief, nostalgia, social upheaval, and movement toward connection and healing.
• Listeners are encouraged to stream D’Angelo’s music for the soul and his family, build intentional community wherever you are, and stay vigilant and hopeful despite mounting political and ecological stressors.
• The hosts’ blend of humor and candor provides levity and reassurance even as they admit: “Sorry for all the heaviness and bad news, but that’s just where the world is at. We gotta be real with it.” (98:25)

---

Next Episode

The next episode promises to check in on new music releases (Miguel’s upcoming dark & sexy album) and, as always, more honest conversation about community, culture, and wellness.

---

Transcript

[Dustin]

Morning, Zoe. Got donuts.

[Asante]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Dustin]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you teach me. So, Dana.

[Asante]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at t mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them.

[Friend]

It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[Dustin]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Friend]

Nice. Je free.

[Dustin]

You heard them. T mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition. So what are we having for lunch?

[Friend]

Dude, my work here is done. The 24 month bill, credits on experience beyond for well qualified customers + tax and 35 device connection charge credit send and balance due. If you pay off earlier, Cancel Finance Agreement. IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs 1099.99 A new line minimum 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Oklahoma Speed Test Intelligence Data 1H 2025.

[Dustin]

Visit t mobile.com to realize the future America needs what's needed from us to.

[Friend]

Face each threat head on.

[Dustin]

We've earned our place in the fight for our nation's future. We are marines. We were made for this. Welcome to the Friend Zone.

[Asante]

Every time I'm in the zone, my name is Dustin. I'm Francesco, also known as. Hey, friend. Hey.

[Friend]

My name is Asante. This is the friend zone.

[Dustin]

Welcome to the Friend zone. And this week we want to start things off a little different. Lee, we literally just got some terrible news that R B legend and music icon D' Angelo passed away at the age of 51 years old from a battle with pancreatic cancer. So we just want to give some love to d' Angelo and his family and also Angie Stone and her family. We know that they shared a child together, so.

[Asante]

Right.

[Dustin]

That obviously means that their families were connected too. So this is a great loss for a lot of people personally and a great loss for a lot of people all over the world who loved his art. So rest in peace, d'. Angelo. I think a really great way for us to pay tribute to d' Angelo is by doing the tribute. Right? So everybody knows when music icons pass away, they have tributes at award shows. Let's plan the tribute now, y'.

[Friend]

All.

[Dustin]

So who do y' all think should sing and be part of the tribute? I think lucky day should be part of the tribute. He's new. I think that he'll be. He's a great live performer. We can let Lucky Day get in there. Who do y' all think should sing Untitled? How does it feel?

[Asante]

Oh, gosh.

[Dustin]

That's a. I think Miguel could get in there. Miguel could get in there.

[Asante]

Yeah, well, Miguel. Yeah, Miguel. And he's on his. His press run right now, so.

[Dustin]

Yeah, we can have Miguel and Lucky Day.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

So they're confirmed. Who else? Are we gonna have a woman in there? Because, you know some women that could get in there and sing a one, two, as well. Send it on by d'. Angelo. I think a woman could sing that beautifully. Where's Selena Johnson? Is she available? Because we need. We need a. I want to see his.

[Asante]

His crew, the Soulquarians.

[Dustin]

Oh, yes, absolutely. If they up to it.

[Asante]

Get some quests. Get some quest love in there, you know, some. Erica. I think that would be beautiful. For their crew to come together and send him off. I'm still so sad. I can't even, like, process. We literally just found out. I literally just found out right before.

[Friend]

It just happened.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

Literally. Breaking news. Breaking news. We just found out. So, like I said, tribute, pay respect. And also.

[Asante]

Yeah, I remember when he first came out, like, how he made you feel.

[Dustin]

Yes. I remember that album.

[Asante]

Cool.

[Dustin]

At the time, my brother and sister were hanging out a lot in the clubs and shit. So, like, they was playing all the new shit. And I remember them, like, being in love with that album. I remember how much it meant to them and mean to me. You know, I was young. I know, but I knew. You know what I'm saying, I knew that sound was right.

[Asante]

So I loved him because I obviously was super fan of the whole neo soul movement that had kind of hit the scene. And I remember him specifically because he was like, neo soul, but still, like a little hood. He had, like, his braids and dug out neo soul. Yeah. And it was so interesting. Cause how he looked and how he sounded were very different. And I just thought, wow, what a cool motherfucker. And then the music was so, so good. He's so handsome. So cool.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Asante]

And then every song that dropped was just, like, amazing. Like, he. In my opinion, he just never missed. And then, you know, sadly, he did speak on the pressure he felt becoming a sex symbol after the Untitled video. It was something that he. He. I don't know that he said he regretted it, but he just felt pushed in that direction and didn't necessarily love because then people became more fixated on his look than on his music. And I know he just expressed that being really challenging because after a while, we just didn't see him as much. You know, he seems kind of like, become a bit of a recluse, and then we'd be so excited when he'd pop up. Remember, he was elusive. Yeah, he popped up with the. What's the album? The Messiah.

[Dustin]

Yeah, the. Something in the. The Messiah.

[Asante]

Black Messiah. The Black Messiah, I believe. And I remember I went to the show because I was so excited. I think it was in New York. We went to the show to see him because it'd been so long, and the album was amazing and the show. We were all in the audience just so happy to be witnessing him again, you know, in his presence. And just like, what this new iteration of his work and his sounds and. And he's just. He's just amazing. I'm very devastated.

[Dustin]

This is once in a lifetime talent, once in a lifetime artist, original. No one sounded like him, but the music still had traditional and classic elements that were familiar for us. The instrument.

[Asante]

Church kid. He's. Yeah, in the church.

[Dustin]

And you felt the musicality, you know what I'm saying? Was something that affected and touched a lot of people, um, while his music was still fresh and young and. And fun, even though it was serious at the same time. So just a great loss. And one of the. In my lifetime, at least one of the last artists of that caliber when it comes to musicianship, when it comes to. He played instruments.

[Asante]

Remember the video when he was playing all the. All the instruments.

[Dustin]

That's what I'm saying. That's.

[Friend]

That's.

[Dustin]

You can't get away from the foundational elements when it comes to the arts. And we live in an age where people have strayed from that and just attach themselves to things being sensational and popular as opposed to rooted in actual talent and skill. And d' Angelo was one of them people. He was one of them special. That's what makes musicians and artists special and magical, is that they can marry these technical components with their own original interpretation. That's the magic. And he was one of the artists that understood that. So that's why he's being grieved by so many people and will continue to be forever. You know what I'm saying? This is like losing Prince real. It's like, on that level. So, like, yeah. Rest in peace, D'. Angelo.

[Friend]

Brown Sugar debuted July 3, 1995.

[Asante]

And I. And I remember loving it, like, being like, whoa, who is this? This is so good.

[Dustin]

You know, what song had me.

[Asante]

Damn, Damn.

[Dustin]

I love cussing. So this is what I'm saying. This is something that meant something to me. Like, I, you know, send it on.

[Asante]

Oh, him and him, Maxwell, Erica and Groove. The. The impact that they had on my life growing up. Just seeing them, you know, just them being in an industry that at that time was very, like, pop group focused, right? We had, like, the boy bands and the pop girls. And so to see them with their soulful asses. Jill Scott, you know, and coming in with the natural hair with the cornrows and the head wraps and the braids, and I was like, wait, wait. Yeah. It was like. Especially for a kid like me that was like the earthy kid in the hood. It was like, wait a minute. Like, yeah, this is my era is coming in, you know, and it felt so cool to be seen in that way. And. And, I mean, let's not even get started on their musicality, but they really cut through in such a wonderful way.

[Dustin]

You know, you was a cold piece when y' all defined a whole new genre.

[Asante]

A new genre of music.

[Dustin]

Like, excuse me, like, the way you do it is so new that it's a new version of. But it has these traditional elements. Right. So we're calling it. But in a new age.

[Asante]

Yeah. And it's crazy. I just watched because we just. Mama's gun just hit 25 years. Right. We were having that convo yesterday. Mama's gun just hit 25 years. And there was an interview I watched over the weekend of Erykah Badu and is on the Complex YouTube channel by an incredible journalist that I was unfamiliar with. She's phenomenal. I believe her name is Aria. And it's about an hour and some change, and it's just a great interview about Mama's Gun, about the process of making the album, what each song meant. You know, how it felt at that point to come into that sophomore slump that people always fear as an artist because her first album was so phenomenal. Like, we're saying, it damn near created a new genre and opened. It paved the way, because really, it was Erica that opened that door. And was she scared? She was a mom at that point. She was going through a breakup with Andre, Andre 3000. You know, it was so much happening at the same time, and it was so cool to see how she was talking about riding through that pain of the breakup, riding through the excitement of being a new mom, riding through the sophomore slump that people were put projecting on her. Also being a very different artist for the time, Right. You have Britney Spears.

[Dustin]

Yeah, that was different.

[Asante]

Street Boys. Then here you come with the juke joint video that was based on references from the Color Purple. Like, you know what I mean? Like, you just. This is very, very edgy.

[Dustin]

From Dallas.

[Asante]

From Dallas with grills in the head wrap.

[Dustin]

People are surprised to know that about her, that she's from Dallas. But yeah, Erykah Badu is Dallas royalty. Like, I so again, shout out to d'. Angelo, rest in peace to him. Buy and stream his music so that his family can have a little piece of something. You know what I'm saying?

[Asante]

And buy and stream it for your soul. Because it is just beautiful, timeless music. Beautiful, timeless music that we don't see anymore. I hate to be that old person.

[Dustin]

Well, we have a Pink Panther, but.

[Friend]

It truly defined us.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Friend]

I thought the music. That music, like, defined the time.

[Asante]

It did. It did.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Asante]

That golden 90s era that a lot of us, like myself included, have not let go of.

[Friend]

Yeah. I mean, and it shouldn't be let go of. Like, unfortunately, R B is just one of those genres where it just doesn't get enough. So imagine being like a sub genre, but like, to the point it's an amazing sub genre. Neo soul and all that. It just like, goes so hard, which is why this hits so hard. Back to this. So just prayers and blessings to the family. And again, everybody go listen to some d', Angelo because beautiful, beautiful music.

[Dustin]

Merzyk.

[Friend]

That's when it was called Merzic. That's how good it was.

[Asante]

I can legit remember seeing the like for some reason. There's certain artists that I remember very specifically the first time I saw them on tv. And he's one of those, because the cornrows, the jacket, the look, the face, the sound, it's just like, what's happening. What.

[Friend]

When they say first impressions matter.

[Asante]

For some reason, him and Alicia Keys, funny enough.

[Friend]

Oh, yeah.

[Asante]

Is another one that. I remember her coming on the screen with those braids and the piano.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Asante]

And then she had like a. It was like a tight suit. I think it was like blue and white or something like that. And I remember. I think it was like a denim suit that was tight. I might be tripping, but that's how I see it in my head. And she comes on the little beads at the bottom of the braids, and.

[Friend]

Then she shaking them and shit.

[Dustin]

And they came out there and got down on that piano and got.

[Asante]

And to me, that was that element of, like, something being right and wrong. Right. Because you don't see a girl like that in front of a piano. So that's what made it so cool at the time, you know? And I was like, who is this? She cut through from me. D' Angelo cut through for me. Maxwell is another one. Y' all remember seeing Maxwell? I was like, who is this?

[Friend]

Yes.

[Asante]

With that face and that hair and then the sound of the music with his high pitched ass voice.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Asante]

It's like, what am I experiencing right now?

[Dustin]

Maximum wasn't no joke. I remember. Oh, y' all remember Submerge.

[Asante]

What?

[Dustin]

So yes. Yeah. Shout out to Maxwell. Shout out to everybody. Shout out to Neo soul man. And don't try to redo it either. Just make your soul. You know what I'm saying? Don't try to recreate it.

[Asante]

But it's hard though, I think when you are a creative and you grew up on a genre of music, when is your turn? You can't help but have those elements. I told y' all when I used to be in the studio with Claude, he would be like, okay, Erica. Because I would go into these neo soul ad libs. And he was like, we don't have room for that. It's a pop record. I'd be like, just let me, let me. Let me get the end of the song a little bit. You know what I'm saying?

[Friend]

We'll make this pop. Make this pop.

[Dustin]

I wish I could sing because I feel like that's how I know I can vocal produce an artist. Cause I know what. I know how to sing. I just can't do it. But I know, like, you know how to.

[Friend]

You need to instant know where the notes belong.

[Dustin]

I could, I could totally vocal produce 100%. I'm talking about with my voice. Like, you should do it to see.

[Asante]

What would come out. No, you.

[Dustin]

I could do it. I'm telling you.

[Friend]

I just always wanted to vocal produce an India Sean record.

[Asante]

Oh, my God.

[Friend]

Just because you know how her voice is. Look, we talking about soul too. I would just do something to her.

[Asante]

We talk about her new music video.

[Friend]

I can't wait.

[Dustin]

Hell yeah.

[Asante]

She has the horses. And who is that beautiful girl on the video with her? They look so good together. I was like, this is nice.

[Friend]

I love this.

[Dustin]

Now fucking around.

[Friend]

I always love her.

[Dustin]

She's having a moment. For real. For real.

[Asante]

She really has been so consistent. I mean, it's always consistent, but the videos, I'm like, come on, budget. Y' all better be pouring into my. My sister like that.

[Dustin]

She's got star quality. For real. India Command Even with those beautiful sets, the horses, all that shit, you focus on her.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

As soon as she comes on that screen and you hear that angelic ass voice, you know what I'm saying? Like, come on, man. India Sean is the shit. And she bad on top of that. She's cute, right? It's a total package. And seeing her win, Asante introduced me to her and seeing her win, like just. It feels so good. I remember watching her sing at the Aloft in Harlem and at the time, oh my God. Being like, yo, this is like I'm in the presence of a real fucking singer. Like she a real professional singer type shit. And look at her.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

Some shit just be destined.

[Asante]

Really.

[Friend]

Yep.

[Asante]

And watching her perform is the best that's on her.

[Dustin]

Some supposed to be destiny, you know what I'm saying? Okay, just do, man.

[Friend]

Destiny's Child. Okay.

[Asante]

No, I. Wow, this is some crazy news. I feel like my childhood is like. I know because if you said that came out in 95. Yeah. I was still really young.

[Dustin]

Speaking of music news, I heard MTV is shutting down all their European channels.

[Asante]

That crazy is after 40 years, I think it's right. What the heck.

[Dustin]

Even though mtv.

[Asante]

That's more nostalgia though. Because I mean, for real. For real. I didn't even know what was going on with that channel. I didn't even know it was still a channel, to be honest.

[Friend]

Even after reading.

[Asante]

Yeah, I didn't know.

[Friend]

Oh yeah. I mean I knew it was still around. I did know that. But like, honestly, it's a programming, friend. Honestly, it's like, what do channels do to your point, friend? Like maybe that's all.

[Asante]

Maybe. I mean, MTV as we knew it.

[Dustin]

Yeah, yeah.

[Asante]

In terms of like the mid music videos and the dance shows like that that I'm sure as a production company I would see on certain TV shows it would say like MTV at the bottom.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Asante]

So I knew they still had that going, but I didn't know what was. What is an MTV channel now in this.

[Friend]

Right? In this era of ridiculousness, when people would tell me that what the is that? And then I got caught, watched it once. I was like, this is what happens on MTV now.

[Asante]

Is that still a thing?

[Dustin]

Still a thing. And they play it all the time. Chanel west coast at this point.

[Asante]

Rob Durdick, Wow, man. I heard he's like a gazillionaire off of that show.

[Dustin]

Shout out to them. I hope they continue.

[Friend]

They should have snatched up influencers. They should have brought back VJs. We could have done some Digital drops. Like, I loved MTV when I was younger. And even reading Mama Tina's book and them talking about spring break and all that stuff, I knew we'd been, like, far removed from that type of programming. But just how amazing it was. Like, just music all the time. Whether it's the music video or artist interview or artist acoustic set. It was just anything music that you could ever want. And I miss that. The VJs. We were into the VJs. It didn't matter what year it was from. Was it John Norris, back in the day, all the way up to Sway and then Caduce and Suchin Pac and all these.

[Dustin]

Kennedy, Kennedy, yeah. Ananda Lewis, rest in peace.

[Asante]

I feel like people did not speak enough about Ananda.

[Friend]

Ananda Lewis was the girl, like, not even just mtv. I feel like she was on MTV and bet like Ananda Lewis.

[Asante]

Because there was a lot of uproar that BET did not say anything, no tribute. They didn't even mention her passing during their recent award show. I mean, nothing. It was like silence, which is crazy to me. She was such a staple of the fabric of music at the time. VJs were a big deal. Like, I remember obsessing over Ananda because she's so gorgeous and natural. Remember, she's a natural beautiful woman.

[Dustin]

Long pretty legs, long arms, long hair. She was gorgeous.

[Friend]

She was a beautiful woman and she presented well. So it's not like we were just looking at her. She was like, asking the question. She was having fun, living the moments he wanted to live. Yeah, she was really, like, in it. And then we respected her. Talking about in it.

[Asante]

Yeah, I was just watching. It was a documentary. I think it was on Netflix. Maybe it was on Netflix where they had redone. What is that big concert from back in the day where it was so many people? No, the other big one. For some reason, it's Escape Woodstock. Remember they tried to read Woodstock 99? I remember it and how it was so fucked up. Like the things that were happening, but not only the things that were happening because people were wilding the fuck out, but also the corners that were cut in producing it because they didn't have the finances for that firefight. It was awful. Like they were showing people laid out, passing out all kinds of horrible shit. They didn't have systems for the trash, so people were just walking through fields of garbage. And Ananda was in it because she said that she had to work. You know, at the time, the VJs were a big part of the scene. And she Said it was mortifying. Like, people were being assaulted and injured. And mainly people that were like VJs or DJs or in production were being attacked. And it was like mobs of people running towards them. And she was like, she had to go out there and work. And she said, no matter what was happening, she had to go out there and work. I was like, girl, I would have had them put me in the year Sprinter.

[Dustin]

As the Lovers and Friends festival files their nails, not us. You know what I'm saying? Like, well, damn.

[Asante]

The consummate professional, you know, Rest in peace. To Ananda Lewis, too.

[Dustin]

Rest in peace for sure. I remember Woodstock 99. I remember that. I do. I remember them recreating Woodstock. I remember being fascinated by it.

[Asante]

I remember all of that wondering if they were going to be able to recreate the magic. Those audiences were so massive. I have never, to this day, understood how it's possible to have that many people in one area, like. Cause my brain can't wrap itself around the idea of being one of those people in the middle of that. And then the. You know, different artists are gonna have different effects on the audience. So they had, like, Fred Durst, I think it was.

[Friend]

Hell no.

[Asante]

He, apparently from Limp Bizkit, had them going crazy. Like, they was, like, pushing each other and he was, like, raging with them. It kind of felt. I don't know. Remember, last we heard of him was in the video Vixen book. Remember?

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Friend]

Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.

[Asante]

He popped up. We were like, what?

[Dustin]

What the.

[Asante]

Who knew? But it kind of gave. What's this recent concert, Astro World. Like, that same sort of ominous energy that he kind of had. The crowd just. He was, like, raging and acting a little dark up on that stage and how it affected the audience. They said it felt like an entity came over them. Just how everyone just started getting real dark and aggressive and interesting. Doc.

[Dustin]

It must be, I'm sure.

[Asante]

Oh, I can't even imagine. The smell. All those days.

[Dustin]

Musty.

[Asante]

Especially with all the trash.

[Dustin]

Guess what happened to me the other day? Y' all swear to God I'm gonna tell this story. Guess what didn't happen will never happen to me.

[Asante]

The timing of that, please.

[Dustin]

So why? Because what the fuck? I ain't never bag of onions under my arms. God damn it. I believe in aluminum. But anyway, so somebody didn't know I was on the train the other day, right? Going downtown. I was on the express train. Which means that the time spent on the train with the door closed is longer than typically Right, right.

[Asante]

Passing more stops.

[Dustin]

This guy gets on the train. It's packed, right? So I'm standing against the doors. This guy gets on the train, stands in front of me, stretches his arm across, and he's in front of me and this girl. So I started smelling something. And I'm like, oh, no.

[Asante]

Oh, I know this.

[Dustin]

Yep. He had a dress shirt on, some pants. He was attractive. He was just musty, you know what I'm saying?

[Asante]

Long day at work.

[Dustin]

I was. Ain't that long. Eight hours. God damn. What was you doing? So, but. But I could smell it. So I started like kind of doing like this or whatever. And I turned around, it was a girl to my left. And she was literally doing like this.

[Asante]

Damn, that must have been.

[Friend]

Don't tell me y' all made eye contact.

[Dustin]

So we listen. So I know y' all did. So when I looked up and she looked up and we both had our fingers on our nose like this. So she started laughing first, which made me start laughing. We was doing. We was doing like this. And so I took my. I took my phone out. Let me see if I still got the note in here.

[Asante]

You wrote a joke.

[Dustin]

Seven days. What is this, Thursday? So it was on Thursday. What did that say right there? We tracked. I put that on my phone and.

[Friend]

Put it into her face.

[Dustin]

And we was cracking up when I say it was so funny. And we were. We were going between 42nd street and Aster Place, or not as 14th Street, Union Square. You were going between that section of four or five.

[Asante]

That stretch.

[Dustin]

Oh, my God. I mean, stretch. I thought I was gonna. I was outta here. I'm like, this is chemical warfare.

[Friend]

It was.

[Dustin]

It was horrible.

[Asante]

My thing is, I know he smelled it. Or maybe he had to smell a blot. Like a blindness to it.

[Dustin]

He knows, I think that people don't care. They don't care. They're more convicted in their. They're more focused on their conviction to not wear deodorant for whatever reason. I know some people. It's a faith based thing or whatever for some people, I guess, or health.

[Asante]

Based thing where they just.

[Friend]

How can it.

[Dustin]

But that don't that mean it's bacteria for health reasons?

[Friend]

Some people have skin conditions and some.

[Asante]

People just perspire easily. Like. Yeah, it's a lot of reasons, but.

[Dustin]

I think I will walk around with a bounty under my arm if that was the case.

[Asante]

But also, some people just don't use.

[Friend]

Yeah, some people don't.

[Asante]

Deodorants that are strong enough to hold them through the Whole day. If they're like at an office. You know, it's a lot.

[Friend]

Some people don't know the difference between deodorant, antiperspirant.

[Asante]

You know what, too? The quality of clothing.

[Friend]

Oh, yeah, that's another big thing.

[Asante]

Because a lot of shit is just that polyester. You know, polyester will hold a smell.

[Dustin]

Like, but the smell gotta be there to be held. That's my thing.

[Friend]

Because it causes that moisture in those amplification.

[Dustin]

And if you're a person. Person, this is about personal responsibility, right? If you. It is. If you don't wear deodorant and you know that you have the propensity to stink, right? You need to be a person who showers or bathes or washes up multiple times in a day. Why would you want to do that? Yeah, like I said, chemical warfare. You putting that out against your co workers, your people in a train, in the communities. Please don't do an uber pool. You know what I'm saying? I. I just. For me, if you. It's on you. If you know that you might stink, get it together. You know what I'm saying? And if they make. You need to make accommodation for that, you know what I'm saying? If, you know, it's possible if you're a person that don't wear deodorant because it's just not fair to the rest of us. We literally were trapped because the train was so. Was so packed and he was literally like, right here. So it was literally like, right here. He was taller than me, and it was literally, like, right here. I was still on track.

[Friend]

You funky? I saw this video, and I hope it wasn't AI, but it was literally a woman who had her arm up and a. He literally sprayed her arm. And then she got mad.

[Asante]

That's so New York.

[Friend]

And in my mind I'm like, was.

[Asante]

It on the train in New York?

[Friend]

I don't know if it was either on the train or the bus, but it did look kind of MTA ish, right? But when it happened, in my mind, I'm thinking like, he held her down. She should be like, too. If it was something.

[Asante]

Yeah, that's good.

[Dustin]

Need to be grateful, man. Must is very strong, too. When a person is musty, it's not like a. I've never seen or heard of anybody being lightly musty. It's always like a slap in the fucking face, right?

[Asante]

I remember someone I was close to, they went like full natural. Like their diet, their hair, their body products, and, you know, same thing happened to me, I sort of made this transition with what I was using. But for some reason, natural deodorant just has like a different effect on, like, you know, we all have different chemistry. So for some people, it might take a little longer. Also, it's a lot of factors that determine how it's gonna. How it's gonna express on your body. Right. So it was such a challenge because the pun, it was so pungent, you know? And then you want to be respectful, right? Of. Of transitions in life.

[Dustin]

I'm waiting on a pronoun. How about you, Asante?

[Asante]

No. And they.

[Friend]

I met. You caught that? I caught that right at the top.

[Asante]

But they just struggled with that. And it was so challenging because you never want to make your friend feel, I don't know, that's sensitive shit, like breath smelling or like, you know, underarms.

[Dustin]

But if you're close, y' all can tell me though.

[Asante]

And that's what I was gonna say. If you're close enough, though, that should be received. I want you to be like, yo, your breath's a little.

[Dustin]

Please tell me ye.

[Asante]

Or like, hey, you smell.

[Dustin]

Cause I don't want to go out like that.

[Friend]

Cause we gonna laugh about it.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

Okay.

[Friend]

Handling that movie.

[Asante]

But not every friend we know. Our friends. Not every friend. Are you tired? It's crazy.

[Dustin]

Are you sick when you smell little iceberg?

[Friend]

Are you a little bit white? No. But on the other side of all of that, though, I miss having, like, moments on the train with people. I don't know why. Y' all know I love a stranger. For whatever reason.

[Dustin]

He was talking about Smooth the Hustler. Remember that? Asante? When we was on the train, that lady was talking about her neighbor, Smooth the Hustler. And y' all didn't know who it was.

[Friend]

I knew it was some rapper.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Friend]

She was sitting next to one of our other friends, harassing them. That was a fun train ride. That was a fun train ride. We've had a lot of. There have been a lot of fun moments. The training, I know, is not like, like the best place to some people, but I've had a lot of fun ass moments also.

[Dustin]

Walking to the train. Remember when we left Fury House that time and we was walking down.

[Friend]

That's why I stopped, because I knew you were gonna go somewhere. And his house.

[Asante]

By my old house.

[Dustin]

Yes.

[Friend]

Yeah. Mind you, I always think of that train. I always think of that. That particular Dustin is trying to.

[Dustin]

That was so funny. We saw this guy who, first of all, we were laughing at rest in Peace to Cookie Tookie. We were laughing at Cookie Tookie videos on YouTube when she used to say, full coverage cunt. Okay? And we. We used to laugh at that. And then we saw, or as she used to say, 1, 2, 3. Get off them dicks. Wanted to get off them dicks. And so we were reciting that high as balls, walking down Lennox Ave. And on our way to the train.

[Asante]

Lennox Ave. On our way to the train.

[Dustin]

And we see this. This person who we knew, but we didn't know them personally, but we knew who they were and the way they was walking. We started laughing from afar because we didn't know it was them. So once we got up close enough to recognize the face. Look at Asante. Once we got up close enough to recognize the face, we completely. We were in shambles. We lost it on Lennox Avenue.

[Friend]

You ever heard the expression doubled over with laughter?

[Dustin]

That literally happened. We were tripled over. Like, Jesus.

[Asante]

I missed that block. What a great neighborhood.

[Friend]

Yes.

[Dustin]

It was time for me to go historic. Yeah, I mean, things had changed a little bit on. On my block, where I was at specifically. And, you know, over there, it. It goes from corner to corner, block to block. That changes, like, you know what I mean?

[Asante]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dustin]

Which was cool at first, but then it started being a little bit much. Not everybody spoke to me when I'd be coming in and out. All the people say, what's up? Like, hey. But it still be like you right there, though. You know what I'm saying? So it was time.

[Friend]

Do you remember how it was in my building that.

[Dustin]

What did he say when they was arguing?

[Friend]

That's why I'm a legal ass. So I can't. Give me a real bitch. Give me a real.

[Asante]

I love Harlem. What a journey.

[Friend]

I love Harlem forever.

[Dustin]

There used to be this motherfucker, this person that worked at the deli, Asante's house, and on everything I love this person used to be flirting with me when we'd be in the deli. Right. And it was the last. You just would never have expected it. Asante. Am I lying?

[Friend]

No, he's not.

[Dustin]

He's always be it.

[Friend]

There was just a lot of stuff going on in my neighborhood. It just was. Harlem was just. Harlem just had a lot going on.

[Dustin]

I ain't sure I should have went on and did it too, if I should have went on and fucked. Because, look, it closed down.

[Asante]

I mean, it's still.

[Dustin]

It closed down. They rebuilt it and they have a different staff, so.

[Asante]

Oh, yeah, those aren't bodegas now they're delicatessens.

[Dustin]

Damn. I wish I could have got my delicatessen before they closed. Cats Delicatessen. I wish I could have got my delicatessen one time.

[Asante]

Yo.

[Friend]

Oh, my God.

[Asante]

Oh, it always feels weird going back. Feels like a different world.

[Dustin]

Like how your life could be, man.

[Asante]

Listen. Walking back now.

[Dustin]

You just took a walk, too. You and Claw when you was here, right?

[Asante]

Well, we went around.

[Dustin]

Oh, I thought y' all went by where you. Where you used to live at.

[Asante]

No, I mean, I still go there, cuz. For reasons. Yeah.

[Dustin]

I thought you went, like, to where you used to live at back in the day with. I thought that's where y' all were walking. Okay.

[Asante]

No. Hell no. We ain't got no business in them projects. Anybody walking through there?

[Friend]

Anybody taking a stroll?

[Dustin]

It's been so many times I've been in, like, east New York, 4:30 in the morning, walking type by myself, leaving somewhere or whatever, so. And I've never felt God forbid and knock on wood and glass, but I've never felt. You know what I'm saying?

[Friend]

I don't know.

[Dustin]

And sometimes I'll be like, you is tripping and you need to get. Get the fuck out of that.

[Asante]

Yeah, it's a little. But New York is a little bit of both, right? You walk through and there is an air of, like, this is how people walk through neighborhoods. It's really not a thing. But there's always, always you err on.

[Dustin]

The side of caution, you know what I'm saying?

[Asante]

There's always a possibility. No, but a lot of why I don't go back to that block in particular is because it just. Too much. Too many terrible memories. I think, you know what I mean?

[Friend]

That I get it.

[Asante]

I just don't have any interest in kind of rel living and even the people. And not on some, like, oh, that was my old life. Not on some weird bougie. But it's like a lot of the I went through was crazy in that building. And I don't want to see a lot of those faces.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Asante]

And walking through that, there's literally no. And where that project is in Harlem, you literally have no reason to walk over there. You know what I mean? Like, it's not like a main Street. You have to be visiting something over there.

[Friend]

I know exactly.

[Asante]

You know what I'm talking about.

[Friend]

I know exactly what you mean.

[Asante]

There.

[Dustin]

It's over there.

[Asante]

No. This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all in one website platform designed to help you stand out and Succeed online With Squarespace's collection of cutting edge design tools, anyone can build a bespoke online presence that perfectly fits their brand or business. Start with Blueprint AI, Squarespace's AI Enhanced Website Builder to get a fully custom website in just a few steps, using basic information about your industry goals and personality to generate a premium quality content and personalized design recommendations. No matter where you start, your website is flexible to what you need with intuitive drag and drop editing, beautiful styling options and unrivaled visual design effects on brand AI content and more ways to list what you offer with no experience required. With Squarespace email campaigns, all the tools you need to engage clients, promote your services and grow your business are built in so you can set up email automations to stay connected, nurture your leads and save time while seamlessly integrating your offerings into beautifully designed templates that drive bookings and sales schedule emails that reach your audience at the perfect time, keeping your business top of mind and driving long term growth Like I've said before, my favorite part about Squarespace is that you don't have to have any experience. Most of us don't. Most of us just know how to code from the MySpace days. But those days are long gone and now I know this is very daunting and intimidating for most people to sit in front of their computer and say how do I build a website? And I think Squarespace has done a phenomenal job of helping you figure it out step by step. And the best part is that it still looks beautiful regardless of your skill level. So make sure to head over to squarespace.com for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, head over 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 [e-mail] forward/friendzone the first.

[Dustin]

Few weeks of school are in the books and now is the perfect time to keep that momentum going. IXL helps kids stay confident and ahead of the curve. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're brushing up on the math or if they're diving into social studies. It covers math, it covers language arts, it covers science and social studies too, all the way from Pre K through 12th grade with content that's engaging, personalized and yeah, actually fun too. And in case you didn't know, IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. i know how well IXL works as in an aid and a supplement to what your kids are already learning because my family members have used it. I have some bad kids in my family, okay? And they needed a little help to sit down somewhere and focus. And IXL aided them greatly in that way. Now you can make an impact on your child's learning and get IXL now. And the Friendzone listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com friendzone Visit ixl.com friendzone to get the most effective learning program out at the best price.

[Friend]

We all know that hosting guests is a year round feat. And as we come upon the holidays, it's even more important now than ever. And one thing that I love is shopping for things that make my house look cute.

[Dustin]

Cute.

[Friend]

And there's a great place that you can do that at. As the holidays approach, get what you need to personalize your home with Wayfair. Shop holiday decor for every room in the house. Whether it's Christmas trees, wreaths or inflatables for the front yard, Wayfair is your one stop shop. Refresh your guest room with bedding, linens, throw pillows and accent chairs for Way Less. And make holiday hosting a breeze with quality cookware that will wow any guest. Plus get free and easy delivery, even on the big stuff. No more huge delivery fees on furniture, holiday decor and more. I have ordered plenty of things from Wayfair, but one of the things that I love most, I got a dining room set off Wayfair. It's a clear round table and it came with these two white chairs. It looks really, really classy. And then you can always put like a blanket over it and dress it down. But it's a statement piece because I just love when you get little pieces of furniture that you know you're going to keep for a long period of time. And I've had this set for a few years now, but that table, I put that thing through the ringer and it's still standing. Okay, get organized, refreshed and ready for the holidays. For Way less head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W A Y F A I R.com Wayfair Every style, every home.

[Dustin]

Ever since I've known you, friend, you have had like a personally curated environment that leads to like peace and your favorite word, ease. Ever since I've known you the first I'VE known you to have two New York apartments, and then now the home you have in Oregon, Every one of them has been like, I'm gonna have it this way. I want this this way. I want to, like. Like to. And I don't mean just like, you know, style choices.

[Asante]

I mean, like, energetically to.

[Dustin]

Energetically to. To function in. In a manner that makes you, like, easy and calm.

[Asante]

To make me function, Mind you, my.

[Dustin]

House is painted black, but it gets the same thing done, you know what I mean? Like, Jay called my house, let me tell you how raggedy.

[Friend]

Jade.

[Asante]

Oh, God, Jade.

[Friend]

What did she say?

[Dustin]

So, you know, I'm calling. I had a bar cart, right, that rolled, and I kept all my liquor and stuff on there. I don't even drink, really, unless I'm, like, social out being social. But I keep it here for, like, when people.

[Asante]

Cause you have gatherings. Yeah.

[Dustin]

So in this house, I have an actual. I got a bar, a real bar. You know what I'm saying? Like, this cool. Jay, go say the bar and grill. Talking about my apartment.

[Friend]

You should open you a bar and grill one day on her ass.

[Dustin]

I said, you know what? You're such a restaurant person ever since you got that. Why would she say that to me?

[Asante]

She is so funny. I love Jade.

[Dustin]

Me too. I love Jade.

[Friend]

I found myself harassing her a little bit more.

[Asante]

Yeah, I love her. I miss her. It remind me. I saw a girl, a young black girl that had just moved to Portland, I think, and she had put out a video on TikTok. Being like, it's hard making friends here, y'. All. Like, is it weird if I asked y' all to be my friend? Right? But I'm like, it's really that type of place where you gotta be so intentional. And I saw she put together a gathering of black women who were feeling the same way. Either they had just moved here, or they'd been here and just haven't had the best luck. And it was. She like, told them, let's meet up at a cafe. And they met up, and it was like a.

[Dustin]

Fought each other.

[Asante]

Maddie's Portland turned into a Zeus audition.

[Friend]

That's dope.

[Asante]

No, but it was so cool just from her one prompt.

[Dustin]

That's dope.

[Asante]

And then she was like, this is crazy. I don't know if I'm crazy for asking this. She was like, am I corny? Like, do I sound, like, lame? Asking, like, will you be my friend? And then she said people were writing in being like, oh, I'm trans. Is that okay? Or Oh, I, you know, this, that and the other. She was like, honey, as long as you're not. Not stabby. Yeah, killery and stabby killery. I don't care. Murderous, like, just come. I'm not looking for anyone to be anything other than.

[Dustin]

I'm so glad that worked out. That's cool. They should continue that.

[Friend]

I see so many TikTok videos on in Charlotte of just people and I feel bad. I don't. I. When people ask me how Charlotte is, I'm straight up and I'm like, you know, I don't really go out, I don't do much. But for me, Charlotte it. Charlotte is more than.

[Dustin]

That's what he told me.

[Friend]

Look, Charlotte is more than doing this thing for me. But I realize, you know, for the social people, right, There's a whole thing. And on Tick Tock they've been going back and forth. But also, don't forget Charlotte is a transplant city. There are a lot of people that have moved here. So when you see people talking on Tick Tock, they have different opinions versus people that have been here for a little bit longer, however much longer. Right. So some people are saying, you know, Charlotte's whack. There ain't places to go, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. There are places to go. I don't know them, but I suggest you do what Fran just this person did. Because I feel like there were so many people, there's so many threads that happen. I've realized a lot of Charlotte people are on threads too, or there's a community on threads that I found rather. And I think that it's dope to connect in different cities and just find different circles and places that you like to go to or even I guess try new places out because you've seen them on social media because that's a big thing. Everything you see is just something to experience. Right? So how do you get out there, experience it? You can either wait for somebody to tell you to do it or you could just go try something on your own. And I think it's dope. That girl was like, I'm just gonna, you know, it was so cute.

[Asante]

And then because I watched her first video, all her follow up videos, you know how TikTok, that's kind of how the algorithm works. Then she kept popping up and so I started liking them to engage because I'm like, this is great. I love that she is creating this thing, this energy around all you keep laughing around women needing sisterhood and friendship and community. She's a mom and so, you know, she got to meet other black moms, and that's important, too, right? To have that network?

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Asante]

She's a wife, you know, like, there's a lot there. And I just thought it was so cool.

[Dustin]

All the kids hair gonna be done now. All the little black girls came to the party.

[Asante]

Yeah. And most importantly, little black girls having other little black girls to go play dates with, you know, that. That's so important. You know, I tried my best with the boys. When they come to find them some black friends out here, it's not the easiest. I found some, you know, luckily. But I think I've realized the value in that, you know, having other little black boys that they can go hang with and experience this type of life with other little black boys. To me, that's, like, ideal.

[Dustin]

Absolutely.

[Asante]

As opposed to them feeling othered, you know, in a city like this. So I don't know. I just thought it was so great. I'm like, what a great thing to have done.

[Friend]

Please don't let them feel othered, because I don't want nobody looking like, sorry, I don't. When all of that happened, all I thought about was that man on Love is Blind. And I just, like, couldn't stop the. The Asian man that don't like himself.

[Asante]

Oh, God.

[Friend]

Because you could tell he was so othered out as a child.

[Asante]

I mean, an Asian man in Denver, Colorado. And that's a lot of why I told y'. All. Initially, after I moved here, Jade and Tristan and Noah had come. They had done, like, a road. A family road trip, which they tend to do. And they did it on this side just to pass through here. And they came and got to experience it. And they loved Portland. I'm telling y', all, when people come here, they're like, oh, shit. I fucking get it. They loved it so much that they. Jade was like, I think I'm gonna move there too. And Noah, remember? And Noah was so excited. She kept saying, it's like a clean New York. It's a pret in clean New York. And Noah kept, like, asking me, like, do you know when we're gonna move there? Do you know when you move there? And what I think came down to it was that there's. You don't want Noah of all kids.

[Dustin]

Yeah, right.

[Asante]

In a school where she's the only black girl, what is that gonna do to her personality? Especially at a crucial time as a preteen?

[Dustin]

I didn't want them to movement.

[Asante]

I was sad in the term, like, in the sense that it Would have been fucking aw. To have them in a house somewhere that I could just drive to or, you know, come pick them up. They come get me. We can go on our trips together. My partner and Tristan get along well. My partner and Noah have a really fun, cool bond. And so that to me and my partner Jade, like, it just was all great. And it would have been so fab. Noah and the boys, having them together for summer, her being the only girl in the crew, it just so good. But alas, I completely understand. When we started talking about the school systems. Look at Dustin. He's over here, happy. When we started researching the schools. Cause Jade was like, help me find the diverse schools. I was like, yeah. And then it's like you said, Ahsante Patrick from Love is Blind. That's when you end up with that person. Even though at this point, no, that would never happen.

[Friend]

I was thinking that the entire time. I was already thinking, like, yeah, no, she would have been fine. I feel like she probably would have been born here. Especially with. To your point about all y' all there. Yeah, like, with all y' all there, Noah, like, would have, like, clung to y' all even more. And we travel and stuff, so Noah would have been more. More than all right. She probably would have loved all that open space and all that. But to the other side, like, you know, I'm glad she's still, you know, doing her thing out there.

[Asante]

I am.

[Friend]

I am.

[Asante]

It's a lot to consider, though. That's what made me sad watching Love is Blind. Because it wasn't just Patrick. Right. It was also the Asian girl, Anna, I believe her name was, who was in the same boat of, like, having been raised around white people her whole life. And you know what? This is gonna sound a little crazy. There's this crew of friends, these little boys, four little boys. They ride past my house every day. Clearly it's on the way to something they go to. I don't know if it's a park or some type of team. And it's three little white boys and one little black boy. And every time they pass my house, I pray for all of them as children. But I pray for him. And I tell him, I hope you are okay, my son. I really do. Because you just. I can't imagine he's okay.

[Dustin]

Have you. Have you gone outside and had a conspiratorial nod with him yet as he passed? I think you should do that, too.

[Asante]

I do. You always wave at them. They wave back. They're very, very kind little kids. But you know what? I noticed I'm gonna get killed for this. A lot of the black people I've met that are from here, a lot of them don't have that. They don't. Not like I know the nod. When I see a nod, that means you're not from here a lot of times. At least let me speak. Let me say that this in my experience, yeah, I'm not going.

[Dustin]

This is your show. You can say what the fuck you want to say.

[Asante]

I'm not going to put a blanket statement no more. So, you know, you don't want to speak on a whole, that isn't right. The ones I've experienced personally. It's just there's a missing element. They don't give you that look, you know, you pass each other.

[Dustin]

You know any amazing Frankie Beverly songs, just start checking in with friends, you know what I'm saying? Like what?

[Asante]

The girls, the women are different. The women, I will say the women I've passed are always top tier energy. But it's something with the men. They don't look up, they don't give head nods, they don't do the like, what's up? You good? You know, it's just like a. It's only two, three of us out here in this store. You would think.

[Dustin]

I know. How are you?

[Asante]

You gonna look at me and be like, hey, okay, that's awesome.

[Dustin]

Hey, girl.

[Friend]

You like?

[Asante]

Hey, black person. I say that every time a black person passes. I be like, hey, black person. A lot of times they'll look and be like, hey, I know people be like, there's a bitches that have crazy.

[Friend]

You know, friend, you know, that's my type of carrying on.

[Asante]

That's so cool to me when a black person's passing on their bike or riding whatever their hoverboard, whatever the they be out here doing it makes me.

[Dustin]

Like, hey, you know, listen, friend, that's trash. That's, that's, that's cold. It's in you. You know what I'm saying?

[Asante]

That's why I find it crazy when someone don't have that. Cuz I'm like, what you got going on? But you know, it'll be a Patrick, right? It'll be like a Patrick, like love is blind. I'm sure he don't give head nods.

[Dustin]

To Asians, but I know you and.

[Asante]

He want to date one.

[Dustin]

Your perspective is different. You have an opportunity. I mean, I'll come to infuse it, right? Yeah, they don't have it. You can infuse It. Hey, hey. You know what I'm saying? That's right. Like, all right then. Okay.

[Friend]

This is so random. This is on brand in a different way. You know what used to make me laugh and me up a little bit?

[Dustin]

What? In New York.

[Friend]

I don't want to say who I used to hang out with, but hanging out with. With sometimes mixed people or Hispanic people that don't speak Spanish and then someone speak Spanish to them and them going like, I don't speak Spanish. I don't know why. That used to just take me out.

[Asante]

This is Mandy. That would happen to Antoinette a lot. Antoinette, she's always like, I feel terrible there with speaking Spanish.

[Friend]

I don't know why they used to just take Latino.

[Asante]

That's all you got to say. Put your arms up.

[Dustin]

Oh, God.

[Friend]

I just feel like there are just so many things that happen and there's just so many different types of cultural things.

[Asante]

That's another thing there even less Latinos. I don't. I have not seen a Dominican person yet, mind you. I have been here. You know what's crazy? It's four years this week.

[Friend]

Damn.

[Asante]

Isn't that crazy?

[Dustin]

Proud of you, girl.

[Asante]

I cannot believe. First of all, what the fuck? Four years. That's kind of scary to think about the way time moves. It don't seem like I've been gone that long. But yes, four years. Not have not met a Dominican person. Not one. How is that possible? There's no Dominican restaurants out here. Not one. How is that possible? It's such a foodie city. Dominicans tend to like, they'll pull up. You know what I'm saying? Like, if you go to Rhode island, think of like even how Washington Heights, like that is a community. You hear me? So I remember thinking there has to be a Dominican neighborhood somewhere because Dominicans will pull up. I always assumed in every city there's a Dominican neighborhood. And there's just.

[Dustin]

I sure hope so.

[Asante]

There just isn't out here. And that's so mind blowing to me. Puerto Ricans a little. I've met a few. You.

[Dustin]

But moving to diamond changed my life.

[Asante]

I bet it did. Going to Dyckman used to change my.

[Dustin]

Life, so it changed my life. I, I. Every day was a winding road. It was just. I like, it was incredible. And I used to love walking through there outside of. Of finding men that I was, you know, having a great time with, like my neighbor, it was a grandmother and a grandson. He was like 13 when I first moved in. And when she, they would argue sometimes and she would Knock on my door and be like, dustin, can you talk to him? And I'd go right over there and be like, what the fuck you over here doing? You know what I'm saying? Like, I would let him talk to me the way he would talk and we would talk it out, you know what I'm saying? It was community like that.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

And coming from Flint, Michigan, that just resonated with me, you know what I'm saying? And I felt I was so received so warmly. They was teaching me Spanish and shit, like all kind of, you know. I love that. Anyway, like on some comedy, it would be funny. When I was speaking to that, they would be laughing. We had a good time. So, like, I really enjoyed my time living up in a community that was largely populated with Dominicans.

[Asante]

Like, man, I love my. My folks.

[Dustin]

10 out of 10, you know what I'm saying? Uptown, baby.

[Asante]

No, I love. I used to love going to Washington Heights and it's crazy. I always told my mom, why wouldn't you moved to New York? You didn't stay in the Heights, you know what I'm saying? Because she moved to Queens, actually. But, you know, when people migrate, like, she's staying wherever her family's at, she don't know. Her uncle and his wife were living in an apartment in Queens in Astoria, and she stayed there. That was kind of where she got her footing. She was 17, which is crazy to think about a teenager pulling up, didn't speak the language. And then. And then she moved to Harlem, which I said, what a pivot. From Astoria, Queens moved to Harlem. That's where she met my dad. Sorry to that, lady, but thank you. They got me out of it.

[Friend]

Yes.

[Asante]

At least they got me out of it.

[Dustin]

I'm sorry you had to go through that, but. Yes. You know what I mean? Yes.

[Asante]

You know, but I just. I always wonder how different my life would have been if she would have moved to the heights. I used to love the heights, though. Even just walking through. Yes. Me and my friends would just put on tight jeans and go walk through the Heights. That was fun.

[Dustin]

I put on sweatpants. Yes. I'm telling you.

[Asante]

Same, same.

[Dustin]

Yeah. You know. Oh, wow. I mean, just. And just. I'm a people person, you know what I mean? Like, I'm a people person.

[Asante]

Yeah, I was at that time, man.

[Dustin]

Like, I'm telling you, like, woo. But yeah, anyway, I don't even remember what we was talking about.

[Asante]

It's just a journey, King. It's just a journey. But I was saying that there's no Dominican neighborhood. And that makes me very sad and confused. I'm like, maybe the Dominican migrations just didn't really hit.

[Friend]

They're like too far west, right?

[Asante]

Too. Too rainy. Fuck that. The Puerto Rican. There are Puerto Ricans here? Okay, yeah, yeah, a little bit. I wouldn't say there's a Puerto Rican neighborhood, but there's like two Puerto Rican restaurants. So there's a presence here. There's a presence somewhat. I went to the restaurants. Don't know what kind of Puerto Ricans they are because the food tastes different. But they're here and that's all that matters. And if in the off chance that there's Dominicans listening who are in a Portland, I would love to know where y' all are at.

[Dustin]

K Lok, motherfucker.

[Friend]

Hell yeah.

[Dustin]

Drop the.

[Asante]

I can't possibly be the only one. There's a bustling Haitian community. That's fire to me.

[Dustin]

Sak Passe.

[Asante]

Okay, Let me tell you, they have neighborhoods, they have restaurants, they have influencers. Like, they are here. So that's been awesome. But just the Dominican presence, it's hot as sight. I didn't know that was a possibility.

[Dustin]

Hopefully this is your version of what that brilliant young lady did on TikTok. And you get, you know, the fucked.

[Asante]

Up thing is then all these Dominicans will write me and I'll be like, yay, hey, you're here. And then that's it. I just need to know.

[Friend]

Well, yes, I'm just kidding. I thought about that early on.

[Asante]

I'm kidding.

[Friend]

I did think about that early on, but I just.

[Asante]

You know when that, you know when that person texts you like, I'm in your city and you're like, have fun.

[Friend]

Look, thumbs up, mind you.

[Dustin]

And just. Just send a new Thursday. And then they surprised you in time, huh? I had other plans. Hands. That'd be the worst. I'll be feeling so bad. Got your mouth already for some orange juice and able to swallow in the container.

[Asante]

Crazy. No, I don't want to come off me. I just. I'm a. I'm a solo bird.

[Friend]

Look. You like your inside. Yeah. You be creating whole worlds inside. So it's like what go outside for?

[Dustin]

Honestly, anybody that's listening to this, the expectation level, I think is already set. You know what I'm saying? So anybody that's listening to this, I'm sure that they'll know going. Going in what's possible. You know what I'm saying? Right. I think they'll know. So.

[Asante]

And they know too, like, we're strangers. At the end of the day, right? Like, like sometimes, sometimes people will.

[Dustin]

I hate to have to fuck you up like a. On the street.

[Asante]

Sometimes people will DM me and say, can we go grab coffee?

[Friend]

No.

[Asante]

And in my mind I'm like, do you realize that I have no idea who you are? Like, that's crazy. What would make you think that I would say yes. And that is hard because you don't want to come off like rude. But I really don't know who you are. You could be like.

[Dustin]

And that's a safety issue, right? And I don't think that those same people that send stuff like that to. I'm sure all three of us, I think that they would have the same reaction if a complete strange or sent.

[Asante]

Them something that they've never seen, never met, send them a message talking about can we go get coffee? It's like, oh, this is.

[Dustin]

There's something outside my neighborhood sound like a ship pulling a goddamn whale. I thought it was a whale. The way crazy happening these days. I said, it's free. Is Willie. Is Willie free from.

[Friend]

Now a lot of sea life.

[Dustin]

What was the one from. What was the one from SeaWorld? What was that big ass wedding from Seaweed, the famous one. That was Willie. I thought it was another name for the.

[Asante]

Or am I thinking of the movie Free Willy?

[Friend]

I'm kidding.

[Dustin]

I don't know. Hell. But yeah.

[Asante]

Wait, speaking of, of. Of water and sea life and all this, I do have to say apparently there was a typhoon in Alaska and. And people have lost their houses. You see literal homes floating in the water. There's a ton of people unaccounted for. And our government, because of the cuts with FEMA and all the other cuts that they have made and just the fact that they're using the National Guard, I don't know, to play in Portland. They are not helping. They're not being helped. It's not even in the news news. It's the oddest thing. I just found out about it by Alaska natives literally begging people to talk about this because no one is reaching out to them in a government capacity. Isn't that scary?

[Dustin]

Horrible.

[Asante]

Somebody in the comments was like, trump probably doesn't realize he's president of Alaska. Like knowing his ass like with the shit that be coming out his mouth really is that he doesn't care. Right. He has this other agenda, the. That's unfolding. But yes, I don't know. I'm like, I. I've made a note of it so that we could mention it on our show. I don't even know how we can help really, because they're being locked out of media. It's the oddest thing.

[Dustin]

And it's a lot of Alaskan right now.

[Asante]

Are you seeing it? The. A lot of Alaskan natives being like, yo, why isn't anyone helping us or.

[Dustin]

Talking about how long or how long? They've named it Typhoon H A L O N G either how long or how long.

[Asante]

Right. And for us to not know anything literally has not popped up in the news. Not once. At least not that I'm aware of. The guys, sorry to hear that on social media.

[Dustin]

West. It's western Alaska, Western Alaska. So it's on the western side of Alaska.

[Asante]

2020 plus people from when I last watched the native speaking, which is probably like earlier this morning, are unaccounted for so far. 20 plus family members. And you see the houses floating. I know.

[Friend]

I see. From USA Today, updated 11:30 this morning. It says one person died and doesn't were rescued in Alaska. Flood waters from the remnants of that typhoon. Former typhoon along which passed by Japan and crossed over the Pacific Ocean into western Alaska. Alaska brought damaging winds and coastal surge with water levels reaching over six feet above highest tides. According to the state's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The typhoon's remnants damaged roads, communication lines and an airport Runway. Homes were flooded and entire homes were swept away. Authorities said more than a thousand people were sheltering at schools and other community locations. Terror. That's what. A woman was found dead. And I don't know how to pronounce the name of this, but I will try. Quigg Quig Quillin GOK Excuse me, I hope I'm saying that correctly. KW K W I G I L L I N G O K. So I'm probably not saying that appropriately, but the population of that place was about 400. The woman was found dead.

[Asante]

402.

[Friend]

Two people from the same community were missing.

[Asante]

Imagine the government not.

[Friend]

Not talking about any of this.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

But building a ballroom.

[Friend]

Come on.

[Dustin]

Come on, man. Come on, come on, come on.

[Asante]

And. And the worst part is where these. Where the help is being deployed to is in Portland.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Like where nothing is happening except for people in costumes and white people riding naked on bikes. Bikes in front of the ice building. Like that's what's going on over here right now. Which also crazy work. Y' all saw the video of all the little dicks on bikes. But anyway, this is crazy that this is where the help is needed and it's not being Deployed.

[Friend]

And it said as of yesterday, that same storm, that same typhoon was making its way east and the conditions were improving along the western part of the state. But forecasters warned another storm system could bring more coastal flooding in some of the same. Same.

[Asante]

Gosh. Insane. I don't know. I just had to mention it because.

[Dustin]

This is a bad news episode. This a badass news episode. We sorry, y'. All.

[Asante]

Yeah, but it's. It's.

[Friend]

Yeah. What we gonna do?

[Asante]

Crazy out here. When I saw. I couldn't believe it. I could not believe that this is happening here.

[Dustin]

People, man. God damn. If we're talking about a town that has a population of 400 people, y', all, they already having a hard time in Alaska. They already having a hard time.

[Asante]

Devastating. And the natives, you know, luckily it is scary too that we're hearing a lot about how the Republicans. Right. And the right wings have been purchasing a lot of media. Like I think now they're purchasing Tick. Didn't they purchase Tick Tock?

[Dustin]

I think so.

[Asante]

Or not Tick Tock as a whole. But the American.

[Dustin]

The government is algorithm or some shit.

[Asante]

Yes, they bought. They essentially bought the American algorithm. And they were able to do things like even when people were trying to tag Portland, for example, to see what's happening in Portland. Right? Because if he's saying, oh, war ravaged people were like, there's one way we can see how true that is. Let's see what the people that are on the ground in Portland are saying. On a TikTok type platform, you couldn't even find Portland. Like, it wouldn't even come up. And to me, that was so. Obviously that was very calculated, but it's just such a commentary on what is going to happen as things progress.

[Dustin]

Total and complete infringement upon our constitutional rights. That's what it is.

[Asante]

You couldn't even tag port. Like, if you put Portland in your caption, you know how it'll have a color? Yeah, because it's like a live link or whatever you call it. I don't know the proper terminology, but it would just be flat. It'd just be white. You can click it. Nothing. And I'm like, that's crazy that they have. Obviously that's why they bought it, right? To be able to control the narrative. But that is crazy. And that's crazy to me that the Alaska conversation just happened by chance to pop up on my feed. I wouldn't have known otherwise, guys. Just because a young lady. And I think it was Char. I think it was Char that had actually reposted It. And. And that's how it came on. Yeah. SH says so because we follow each other. You know, SH is a journalist, so.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Literally wouldn't have known otherwise. And that's scary that they're taking away that ability for TikTok to be this global platform where we can stay tapped into each other. You know, they're taking away that connection.

[Friend]

They are.

[Dustin]

And guess who's getting recommended for, like, the CEO of Tick Tock or executive position at Tick Tock?

[Asante]

Baron. Right. Trump's son.

[Dustin]

And he's like, 19.

[Asante]

I was just about to say he like 18 years old.

[Dustin]

Yeah. Dei, honey. D E. Ain't that something? Well, they say Dei for me, not for we. Yeah, that's what that is right there. One thing about it is, right now, it's tough for everybody. We facing a lot of insurmountable financial odds, and we need to save money now more than ever. If you're still overpaying for wireless service, okay, then it's time to say yes to saying no. At Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no. No contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees, and no bs. Here's why I said yes, and I really did, to making the switch and getting Premium Wireless. For 15 bucks a month, you can ditch overpriced wireless and their jaw dropping monthly bills, unexpected overages, and hidden fees. Plans at Mint Mobile start at just 15 bucks a month, y'. All. All plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. You can use your own phone with any Mint Mobile plan. And you can bring your phone number along with all your existing contacts so you don't have to worry about that switching over the phone stuff, you know, New number, who this? Those texts you gotta send? You ain't gotta do none of that. It all comes with you. Okay? I use this. And you should, too, y'. All. Years ago, if I had needed this, I would've used it then. If I needed in the future, I use it again. Mint Mobile is where it's at, y'. All. Are you ready to say yes to saying no? Make the [e-mail] friend that's mintmobile.com friend Upfront payment of 45 required, equivalent to $15 a month limited time. New customer offer for first three months only. Speeds may slow above 35 gigabytes on unlimited plan. Taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. Our nation has always counted on us.

[Friend]

To win, to fight for what better.

[Dustin]

Could be to secure our future. We are marines. We were made for this. Mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless. And if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should. One, it's $15 a month. Two, seriously, it's $15 a month. Three, no big contracts.

[Friend]

Four, I use it.

[Dustin]

Five, my mom uses it. Are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a try. @mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of 45 for 3 month plan.

[Friend]

15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See mint mobile.com.

[Dustin]

Anyway, speaking of Shar Charself who goes by Shar says so on all social media platforms. Shar, I say you get your ass back on Instagram on Sundays and start doing your Sundays with Shaw. I used to love that. Did y' all used to watch when she was sitting in her purple chair and do the news news on Sundays. She would do Hot Topics on Sundays.

[Asante]

I'm not really as active on ig. I'm way more active on Twitter on the Tick, right on Twitter and Tick Tock. I'm not really active on ig. I'll pass through here and there, just see what's going on. But I didn't see that. I always see what Char posts on on Tick Tock though.

[Dustin]

She need to get back on there. I missed that. It used to be so good. And XD need to start playing music on Instagram again on Sunday days.

[Friend]

I'm sick of y'.

[Dustin]

All. Yeah, I'm sick of y' all starting get my mouth all set for some orange juice and Ain't but a swallow in the container. I'm sick of y'. All Assar Sundays with Shar xd. We need the XD Sundays too. On Instagram. I need my entertainment back and shout out to, you know me to tell you who still goes live on Instagram. Shout out to my girl Passport Cudi. She still be going live on Instagram like early in the morning, talk about, you know, she's an author. She's written a couple books about like astrology and dating and stuff like that.

[Asante]

I didn't know.

[Dustin]

And so she gets on there and talks about like just dating and relationship issues and sometimes she'll incorporate the Zodiac or whatever, but she'll ask questions and engage with the audience every morning. Usually like 7:00am, 8:00am right around there. She'll be on there and I get on there and be engaging, popping my shit in the comments. Yeah, I love that.

[Asante]

I'm always impressed with people that integrate lives. And I do see that on TikTok. You do make money off of that too. Like, a lot of people say that's actually. Actually part of their, like, financial.

[Friend]

I don't understand that, like, because I just saw the clip of Lala. Lala Anthony. Well, is it still there on.

[Asante]

On live?

[Dustin]

Anthony? It's still Anthony.

[Friend]

She was on, like a Tick Tock Live or one of those. And north was in the back, one of the other babies.

[Dustin]

North, yeah.

[Asante]

Northwest.

[Friend]

Yeah. And they were talking about. They were like, by Buy a Buy, they were telling you these things or something, right? The Galaxy. They were like, if y' all buy a Galaxy, we'll shout you out. And they bought the Galaxy. And so, like, the things that they buy, they, like, do little funny things to your face and, like, put filters.

[Asante]

It's like a cowboy hat and a mustache.

[Friend]

Yeah. She was like, how much is a Galaxy? And they were like 400. But it was really only like $20. But it was still like, somebody just gave you $20. Like, in my mind.

[Asante]

Oh, yeah, they were making money.

[Dustin]

Northwest. And whoever the other young child was, young lady that was with her, they came on there and turned Lala's Snapchat. Was it Snapchat or Tick Tock, whatever it was, or something like that.

[Asante]

That's so cute. That's another thing that Snapchat apparently is like, back or been back really well.

[Friend]

Snapchat just sustained for a long time, and then they've been popping back out.

[Asante]

But the glass, apparently it's one of the bigger platforms. Like, they pay.

[Dustin]

I heard they pay good on Snapchat.

[Asante]

Yeah. Who knew? Because I really don't use Snapchat at all.

[Dustin]

I never used it because it sounded like it hurt. Snapchat, like, damn. You know, it just sounded like it hurt.

[Asante]

I opened the app the other day out of curiosity, because I was like. Cause remember, back in the day, you didn't even know how many followers you had. Do y' all remember that? And it was never about follower count. And so you never knew. And I went on that there. And now it shows your follower account. And I was so shocked.

[Friend]

I was like, oh, my God, there's a follower count. There's a Snap score. You have like a whole profile page. Because before there wasn't a profile.

[Asante]

You gotta. You gotta create an avatar now, or whatever they call it. The little cartoon version.

[Dustin]

It'd be pouring on there.

[Friend]

Yeah, I told you. Well, look, Snapchat had to sustain. But Snapchat was one of Those original, like, apps that had the camera on lock. And I feel like it made your camera, like, look nice or whatever. But when I was watching one of the last seasons of Hell's Kitchen, they did, like, a social media thing where they casted people from social media. And one of the women was. She was one of those people that cook on social media. But I remember her being on Snapchat. Like, you know, Snapchat, it'll show you those types of videos. Instead of doing, like, on Tick Tock, the pages go up and down to the new videos. Snapchat will have, like, the Snapchat stories, like Instagram. So it's like stories of, like, cooking or stories of people doing woodwork or stories of this. So I remember seeing this woman's stories of her cooking on woodwork. Woodwork. But I remember her not being the best cook on Snapchat, so it was interesting to see her. Why you say that, Tay? You know how people just got little habits about them that ain't as clean as you would like, you know, they.

[Asante]

At home like the cap popping up on the.

[Friend]

Or like, you know, you gonna lick your fingers and then just keep going. And it's like, well, I guess it's you and your husband, so go ahead. But I'm still a viewer, and I don't want to see that.

[Asante]

Give me the fantasy of cleanliness.

[Friend]

So to see her like that on there, I was like, why are you on Hell's Kitchen, girl? But I was like, I guess the Snapchat Piper over here.

[Dustin]

That's what you said.

[Friend]

Asante. Yes.

[Dustin]

Well, yes, now you're dirty. Nasty. That's what. What's your nasty ass?

[Friend]

She lucky. I can't remember her name, cuz I sure would have said her name cuz I was like, what are you doing up there, outer ass? Come on.

[Asante]

And people, I'm whole, like, shows on. On Snapchat, like an actual series that. It's just so interesting what they've become. Because all I remember from Snapchat was Snapchat to me was always the, like, sex site. When people were like, sending each other, posting the leaks. Yeah, it would come and go.

[Friend]

It was just posting the lead. It was legit. Just Snapchat.

[Asante]

Like when a man would be like, snapchat me, I would look at him like, I know what you are. Are.

[Dustin]

Right.

[Asante]

That's what it gave.

[Dustin]

Sure. Wait on it.

[Friend]

Wait on it.

[Asante]

Yeah, that's how I felt about it. But no, it is apparently a very lucrative.

[Friend]

Yeah, you can send money on Snapchat.

[Asante]

Oh, you can.

[Friend]

Uhhuh. There's like a cash app link in there on there or something. I think be doing all kind of on over there.

[Dustin]

I want to deal with one of them. I'm about to start. I'm not active on Snapchat or Tick Tock, none of that. And I'm.

[Asante]

Which is surprising for TikTok because you would be. I could see you doing really well doing Tick Tock lives, especially like cracking jokes. Cracking jokes, you know, with your followers and. And talking to them and just having that engagement. I feel like you would love it.

[Dustin]

We're gonna see, you know, we're gonna see what things we're gonna see. See.

[Friend]

I couldn't get my name on Tik Tok this platform.

[Asante]

I feel like once I have land and I start pivoting more into that side of things, like sustainable living in a. You know, with space and like, as I'm. I actually want to learn with the people who watch me, like instead of coming to them, like, okay, this is how you do this. I want to come on some. I don't know how to do this. We're going to figure it out together because I think that's great. We can like learn to make. To plant seeds and grow food and what the different seeds need and how to plant them. You know, like, I want to go through that journey once I'm in that space. That's probably when I'm gonna pop out of social media a little bit more.

[Dustin]

You got to get to Prada overalls. They're so cute.

[Asante]

Future had them on Prada overalls to garden is crazy.

[Dustin]

Yeah, it's the perfect thing to wear. You wear overalls out there.

[Friend]

It's perfect.

[Asante]

Wild like Khalees, when she be walking.

[Dustin]

From the back, I'm just in body paint, basically. I'm like, khalees, come on.

[Asante]

I'll be like, girl, I can tell.

[Dustin]

You being farm the table, girl, that produce is fresh. You hear me?

[Asante]

You hear me?

[Dustin]

She looks great. She looks great.

[Asante]

She's always been beautiful. But no, I'm. I'm positive.

[Dustin]

Her green wedding dress wearing ass. Where y' all getting married? The cotillion Easter dress.

[Asante]

That's my plan, friend.

[Friend]

I do want some land. Like I. I've been thinking and I want.

[Asante]

I want land, right?

[Friend]

Like, I wanna. I wanna grow some my. So my sister that live on the west coast, she's talking about moving back south too. And she's got a green thumb. Like she can.

[Asante]

She can grow Mom's best friend, yo, she can grow some People are so talented that. So talented. And I want to tap into that. I come from a farm family. Like, my mom, her grandparents, her mom, they all were farmers. And I'm like, I know it's in me. And I've always had that desire. I just never had the, you know, space. And now I'm like, I need to get in that. It has to come at some point. And I would love to be able to share that.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Dustin]

I'm not a girl.

[Asante]

You're not just straight. Show her.

[Dustin]

Hey, we talking about farming. Okay. We talking about land.

[Friend]

Okay.

[Dustin]

I'm not a grower.

[Asante]

Oh, yeah. I mean, some people aren't.

[Dustin]

Not my thing. Ain't my thing. You know what? I'm not. Hey, not my thing.

[Asante]

This is the part where my mom be like, Dustin.

[Dustin]

Oh, God, I forgot. I mean, I'm sorry, mama.

[Asante]

No, but that would be. That would be a really cool pivot online or something.

[Dustin]

My bad. Maybe I should just say it'd be.

[Friend]

Dope to have land. I just feel like it'd be dope to have, like. I'm obsessed with the idea of space. And I used to kind of think about, like, owning, like, buildings and stuff like that, but, you know, it's a whole lot of managing people and different types of conditions, but, like, with just land to grow food and.

[Dustin]

Man, that's a lot of managing, too.

[Asante]

That's a flex. It is.

[Friend]

I mean, no, I'm not trying to do the whole nine by myself, but, like, just thinking of, like, little ways to, like, start off and, like. All right. You know, I got, like, a couple tomatoes in the back, so you know what? I'm just do a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

[Dustin]

Can I request something for you to grow?

[Friend]

What's that? That's already there.

[Dustin]

Like, that.

[Friend]

That's literally. That's really the first thing.

[Dustin]

I'm gonna come help you teal the land.

[Friend]

Okay.

[Asante]

We have.

[Friend]

I met a cousin.

[Asante]

Wait, you have a cousin that. What?

[Friend]

I have a cousin that. That grows some things already.

[Asante]

Oh, so the skill is. Is there.

[Dustin]

But look, since we talking, my friend had a whole thing in her basement. I'm talking about. It was like. And, hell, yeah. All that, like, fans and all in the ceiling. I went downstairs and was like.

[Asante]

Oh, new way.

[Dustin]

Oh, my.

[Friend]

Don't you dare close your eyes.

[Dustin]

I heard the angelic voices. For real. It was crazy, but it was good to see. And it also was delicious, too. It had a different taste. I could taste hints of citrus. It was. It was really, like. Yeah.

[Asante]

That's always interesting to me when they start infusing it with things. We have a persimmon tree. Remember I told you that the. The squirrels be wilding out on our tree. They so dang selfish, just greedy. And so now this is the first time that I was like, I'm going. Actually, my neighbor was like, we're gonna get those persimmons like we got figured out. I scared I'm gonna have to harvest them a little bit earlier. Just trying to learn, like, how the fuck do you do this? Because the. These birds and the squirrels and the bugs, they just love this tree and it's very hard to get them. And we also have black babies carries.

[Dustin]

Spray a little Clorox cleanup on it. That'll keep their ass.

[Friend]

I was gonna ask, is there like a natural repellent? Like, can you go get.

[Asante]

Well, this man walking past. This man walking past one day.

[Dustin]

I don't like the way this story starts.

[Asante]

No, no. He. He overheard me on the phone with someone complaining about how I never get to eat them. And I was like looking up at the tree, standing outside, and he walked past. He was like, I'm sorry to bother you. You. But FYI, throw a little cayenne pepper on them. The ones that you want to harvest, they. The. It'll.

[Friend]

The squirrels spicy, right?

[Asante]

And I was like, damn, I want to the squirrels up. But also, they are so greedy.

[Friend]

It's just pepper.

[Asante]

That's what he said. I don't know, friend.

[Dustin]

Tell the crows y' all got to get these squirrels. I'm tired of these squirrels on my tree.

[Asante]

Listen, you could split the harvest, right?

[Dustin]

Remember? So just keep repeating, get the squirrel, get the squirrel. That's all you gotta do. Yeah.

[Asante]

And I told you I tried to have a convo with the squirrel last time and was like, listen, I'm not saying you can't have none, but at least let us get some. You know what I'm saying? It was eating it in front of me and spit scene.

[Friend]

Girl, you better get that cayenne pepper.

[Dustin]

I'm so afraid.

[Asante]

Stem at me. I was like, I was. Will you.

[Dustin]

I'm afraid of a squirrel or a chipmunk jumping on me. I am seeing them like them. I'm afraid of that.

[Asante]

Especially when you're walking towards them and they're not walking away and you're like, oh, okay.

[Dustin]

And they jump and move so fast. I would. I would definitely knock one out. But they jump and move so fast. Like I'm a. If I catch it, time wise, they.

[Asante]

Are so greedy that it's crazy. Crazy like crazy the way they just be eating over here. It's just like, wow. I know you got to do your thing in survival, but damn, there's no part of you that's like, damn, let me leave her one.

[Friend]

No friend. They looking at you like you can eat anything that you want. I'm gonna take.

[Asante]

That's true. Right there's like, you don't know we from the trenches. They're like, we gotta get it.

[Friend]

We look forward to these. We look forward to this.

[Dustin]

That's what they don't need to call. They need to have animal control. Not the National Guard. I need goddamn animal control.

[Asante]

But everyone I know that like gardens or gross food, it just be such a battle. Like even rabbits as cute as they are be up people's gardens.

[Dustin]

That's right.

[Friend]

You better get your traps.

[Asante]

Don't talk. Let's not even talk. What'd you say? Get some traps. Did you say make a coat?

[Friend]

He did, Yep. Look, Bo get you some traps so you can catch some rabbits and make the coast.

[Asante]

Could you imagine? The boys come and I'm like, I made you scarves.

[Dustin]

Little mittens, a muffler even.

[Asante]

A muffler. That'll look good with the shiesty, right?

[Dustin]

Okay. Hell yeah. Elevated and elevated as a 08, I'd have one on.

[Friend]

I think you just did something for the hood. I think you just did something for the hood.

[Asante]

Oh, a muffler is crazy. But no, that's my goal at some point. I'm just hoping it's kind of. It's. It's challenging because you listen to shit from the government like, can we even buy a house at this point?

[Dustin]

I know, I know.

[Asante]

But the way the market and the economy and the interest rates and it's just so daunting. I hate that shit.

[Dustin]

A bunch of dumb ass people. A bunch of dumb ass people. People with up motivation have literally ruined people's lives. When I saw two days ago that they had cut all that funding for the special education program.

[Asante]

I saw that yesterday. If you disability programs, if you can't.

[Dustin]

Even find the decency as a person walking on this earth to have a heart enough to want to protect the funding for special education and special needs education in schools.

[Asante]

But that's a large act. Ask when you consider.

[Friend]

I mean.

[Dustin]

Yeah, I just. I don't know. I guess I'm just a different person because some stuff it's like. Like that right there is just literally reprehens all of this handcuffing and zip tying kids. Like, if that don't do something to you and make you say, hey, this is. It's got to be another way to fix whatever problem y' all think y' all say y' all fixing. It's got to be another different way to do this, man. Because that's. It's just. I don't know, man. That's just.

[Asante]

But even the way that they're cutting corners with everything, right? How. How many food recalls have you seen in the past month? I mean, it's every week. Just last week. Oh, don't get the tuna from Trader Joe's. Oh, don't get the shrimp from Walmart. Oh, don't buy. It's like, to this point, we go grocery shopping. You just gotta pray over your food. And hopefully the best, because you know that the surveillance, the. The food monitoring. Excuse me. Systems have been cut. And so you just gotta eat and pray, literally. And I saw. I saw there's a measles outbreak in South Carolina. I was just like, wow.

[Friend]

From a.

[Dustin]

That looked like he got measles sitting up there in the.

[Friend]

In.

[Dustin]

In Washington, D.C. ruining everything and talking about Tylenol and circumcision and autism.

[Asante]

Oh, my God. I still can't believe they said that out loud.

[Dustin]

I. I just.

[Asante]

Circumcision. I'm like, what corner of YouTube is.

[Dustin]

Why is it okay to play with people's lives like that?

[Friend]

What the.

[Dustin]

Is serious to these people? Any damn thing. I just don't understand, man.

[Asante]

The wrestling lady, McMahon. Linda McMahon, McMahon's wife is overseeing. Is she overseeing the education.

[Friend]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Cuts from. Like, what are we do.

[Friend]

Like, is that the one that was saying one?

[Asante]

The one that was. What?

[Friend]

The A1stak. When they were talking about the AI initiative, but they were saying A1.

[Asante]

Shut up. Come. Are you serious?

[Friend]

Let me.

[Asante]

It was her saying A one. Oh, my God. There's a part of me that's like, are we being punked? Maybe we did die.

[Friend]

Education Secretary Lind McMahon confuses AI with A1. USA Today, April 12, 2024, 25.

[Asante]

Come on, bro. A1.

[Dustin]

And she's ugly.

[Asante]

I don't know, yo. I just can't remember.

[Dustin]

She looked like Barney Fife from the Andy Griffith Show. Don Knotts. That's what she looked like. You ever seen Don Knotts? You know what he looks like? Look up. Don Knotts. K, N O T S. That's exactly what she looks like. Looks like.

[Friend]

She made the. She made the comment while speaking at an event focusing on educational innovation.

[Dustin]

Said something dumb.

[Asante]

The Irony.

[Dustin]

I can't stand her ass.

[Friend]

A school system that's going to start making sure that first graders or even pre Ks have A1 teaching in every year. That's a wonderful thing.

[Dustin]

A1. This don knots he played. He played Barney Fife on Andy Griffith. That's Don Knotts. Now Asante. Do you have a Picture of Linda McMahon Handy so we can do a screen screen situation? No. Where's your telephone at?

[Friend]

Actually hold on. Here we go.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Asante]

And did it. Oh God, no. Yo, look out of here.

[Dustin]

Look.

[Asante]

Those watching on Patreon.

[Dustin]

This for Patreon.

[Friend]

Wow.

[Dustin]

That's her. The Andy Griffith Show. That's her right there.

[Asante]

Y And isn't the mayor of New York, Mayor Adams about to take over housing? I don't know the housing authority.

[Dustin]

I don't know. Maybe doing pull ups.

[Asante]

That's what I heard is his. His next pivot. Apparently he got. He's being positioned for that which is mortifying the housing authority.

[Dustin]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Oh my God.

[Friend]

Yep.

[Asante]

Y', all.

[Dustin]

I don't even know what the to say behind that.

[Asante]

We have global listeners.

[Dustin]

Pray for us please. For real.

[Asante]

And we all need to be praying for each other really. Because yeah it's a global issue, but damn. Pray for us. We are.

[Dustin]

I want y' all to know that what they present to you as what Americans think, what Americans feel and we none of us feel that way. None of us. None of us.

[Asante]

Right.

[Dustin]

Of us feel that way.

[Asante]

Can't even say that either.

[Dustin]

One, two, three. Okay, okay.

[Asante]

U.S. you got to clarify.

[Dustin]

I'm speaking for.

[Asante]

Pull up a couple YouTube.

[Dustin]

None of us feel that way. Okay. None of us are on that. We get it over here. So help each other to us.

[Asante]

They wouldn't be listening to us if. If it were anything otherwise.

[Dustin]

And we tired, we worn out. Okay. It's not easy to do this and deal with these every day. And they just as crazy as they look and sound on television. They're that crazy. It's that crazy. And we have had it hearing Trump.

[Asante]

And then what's the other Christy. No gnome ugly. Did you see her over here in the roof that of the federal building.

[Dustin]

Oh, with them snipers on a roof.

[Asante]

With the snipers pointing down towards innocent process protesters that were literally just standing there, just standing there and they had snipers pointing down. And then she's gonna go on TV and say that this was one of the worst rebellions she's ever witnessed and.

[Dustin]

Said that glam.

[Asante]

Asante. She compared us to Hamas.

[Dustin]

Portland.

[Asante]

Portland. Where people are out there in frog Costumes, humping friend moved like Portland. Even though I knew all this already. Because we've discussed this, right? In terms of, like, how the government will pretend things are happening just so that they can circle back and be like, see, we told y' all once they deploy, you know, military folks. But to be here and hear her say that when we literally saw there was a lady with a chicken costume looking up at her. I don't know if y' all saw that clip that went viral. A white woman in a chicken costume just standing there. And Christine. Ome and. And the snipers are, like, looking at her with the guns pointed. Just a lady in a chicken costume. Like, it's just odd. Odd. It's just odd. I don't even know what to do.

[Dustin]

Ain't nothing you can do but just live safely and watch your damn bag stay alive.

[Asante]

Right? I don't know anything else. Y' all wanna.

[Dustin]

Yeah, I'mma tell jokes about all of this. Okay. We're gonna talk about how everybody mama look. Everybody kids. We gonna do all this. That on stage so you can come see me. November 30th. Lincoln. Bio. I have been wanting to say in one of my parallel worlds, I'm an only fans superstar. Oh, link in bio. But 01 top 01 creators. Okay. Hey, but you can hear me tell dirty jokes on stage. Live November 30th at the Comedy Zone in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Asante is running through things. You can. You can catch me there. [e-mail] if you're gonna be in Miami. Okay. Being Veneto. Okay. To my Comedy show on December 4th at the Miami Improv. Y' all know, as a comedian, playing the improv is a rite of passage. I sold out the improv in Dallas. I sold that out in Houston, the Addison Improv. So hopefully Miami does the same thing. December 4th. Pull up dustinrosslive.com and more to come.

[Asante]

Lincoln. Lincoln. Bio. We. I was gonna. Oh, no. The live stream isn't next week, is it? It's the week after.

[Friend]

Yeah. No, we still got another week.

[Asante]

Yeah. Okay. I didn't.

[Friend]

Oh, yeah.

[Dustin]

End of the month, right?

[Asante]

End of the month. All right, well, that's it for us. Sorry for all the heaviness and bad news, but that's just where the world is at. We gotta be real with it.

[Dustin]

We down today.

[Asante]

On a bright note, I did see Miguel on the Breakfast Club, so he's on his promo tour, which means we get an album. He did say it's coming out next week, actually.

[Friend]

Good oh, yes, the album.

[Asante]

So hopefully that'll be some respite for us.

[Dustin]

But anyways, I hope he makes us cry. I want he said, he said it's.

[Asante]

His most personal low key darkest. He said it's dark and a little horny. Those are his descriptors.

[Friend]

Okay.

[Asante]

So I was like, oh, interesting.

[Dustin]

The red light is on.

[Friend]

I'm into it.

[Asante]

He's in his what was the Rihanna's rouletted R rated R rated r era when they get real dark with it. But yes, at least we'll have some some music hopefully hold us over. We love some miguel but yes, that's it for us this week. Hang on in there, y'. All. We are hanging on in there too. With the clip.

[Dustin]

Said the birds don't sing.

[Friend]

Your magic.

[Asante]

We'll see you guys next week. Bye.

[Dustin]

This is the friend dollar.