This week on #TheFriendZone, we imagine what it would look like to build a museum dedicated to ourselves and the things we'd choose to tell ourselves.
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Dustin Ross
Paramount is now the home of all your BET favorites.
Francesca
That sounds nice.
Dustin Ross
With all new episodes of all the Queen's Men.
Asante
You stand up when you talk to the queen.
Dustin Ross
Plus a whole new world of movies like Gladiator 2, I must have Power. Original series like the Shy.
Francesca
Life comes at you fast whether you ready for it or not.
Dustin Ross
In live sports like ufc.
Francesca
Unbelievable new home.
Dustin Ross
Welcome to paradise. Same family.
Asante
That's all that matters to me.
Dustin Ross
Your BET favorites are now on Paramount plus subscribe now. Introducing Taco Bell's new Jalapeno Citrus salsa. With bright citrus, real red jalapenos, guajillo chiles. Usually you add sauce to the food,
Asante
but when the sauce is this good,
Dustin Ross
the food is just there to get the sauce to your mouth. That rolled quesadilla. Not a rolled quesadilla anymore. Now it's a sauce shovel. Taco Bell's Jalapeno citrus salsa.
Asante
Get it with any item on the
Dustin Ross
Cantina chicken menu while it's here. The participating U.S. taco Bell locations for a limited time only while supplies last contact store for availability. Welcome to the friend zone.
Francesca
Every time I'm in the zone.
Dustin Ross
My name is Dustin.
Francesca
I'm Francesca, also known as.
Asante
Hey, friend.
Francesca
Hey.
Asante
My name is Asante.
Dustin Ross
This is the friend zone. Let's start the show.
Francesca
I'd say I'm surprised, but I know who you are.
Dustin Ross
You are. That's right. And as a matter of fact, this is so bad, we're gonna do it twice.
Francesca
I'd say I'm surprised, but I know who you are.
Dustin Ross
That's right. So everybody knows that. The BET Awards went down this past weekend. I missed them in Los Angeles. Super Dope Awards. Actually, it was an elevated BET Awards this year. Lots of. Yeah, everybody looked really good. I don't know if you've seen some of the red carpet standouts. Eva Marcille looked incredible. Sean Ross killed the carpet. Like it was so many people. It was a good year at the BET Awards this year, but that don't mean we had good stock on the carpet or people with good sense on the carpet. I enter, I bring to you Shay Bucky Johnson, which I still say sounds like a middle school, right? You know who Shay, you know who Bucky is from Flavor of Love. And love and hip hop, Miami and Atlanta. Shay Johnson.
Francesca
Think.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, yeah, her name was Bucky. Her name was Bucky on Flavor of Love. That's where she comes from. And so when she's credited these days, people refer to her as Shay Bucky Johnson. And the Bucky is In quotations, but I always felt like that sounded like the name of a middle school she go to. Shay Bucky Johnson. Yeah, so I'm.
Asante
Put her in.
Dustin Ross
Shay Bucky Johnson. Anyway, her and little Scrappy were walking the red carpet together at the BET Awards. Now, anybody that knows anything about love and hip hop knows that those two have no business being together on a red carpet, a black carpet, a wood floor, a mat, a rug, a runner, nothing. Because they're bad news for each other. First of all, Scrappy embarrassed her publicly on television multiple times. There's an infamous scene, iconic scene from Love in Hip Hop Atlanta, from one of the reunions where Shay ran off of the stage after Scrappy embarrassed her in front of his ba. His oldest daughter's mother, Erica Dixon.
Asante
Erica.
Francesca
Okay, so.
Dustin Ross
But I want to show you how dumb these people are. So listen to what they had to say, because people were shocked to. To see them on the red carpet together. Like, what do you mean? Y' all are walking this carpet together, holding hands. What the fuck is going on? And so the interview is on the carpet asking questions. I want y' all to hear what they had to say. Here we go.
Francesca
Are y' all back dating again? Like, what's going on? Yeah, what's going on? Y'? All we doing? We're just having fun, doing us. And wherever it takes us, that's where it takes us. Having fun in a romantic kind of way. And hopefully I get pregnant.
Dustin Ross
So that was Shay Bucky Johnson.
Francesca
They're going with the flow.
Dustin Ross
They're going with the flow. She said, we're just gonna see where it takes it. And then right before the clip, she said, and I hope we get pregnant okay.
Francesca
I didn't even catch that.
Asante
Ms. Scrappy.
Dustin Ross
You know, they asked Scrappy how he felt about, hey, that's my dog, man. I. I love her death, man. That's what he said. And then I want you to hear this next part.
Francesca
He already told me that if I want another baby, he'll give it to me, and not with no strings attached. So I might take him up on that offer. What does that grabby. What number is that for you? I want another baby. What number would that be for you? Six.
Dustin Ross
Oh, wow.
Asante
I've been counting.
Dustin Ross
Wow. Wow way. Let's break it down. Let's break it down.
Francesca
6.
Dustin Ross
You know, for him. She has one. When the interviewer asked him, scrappy, what number would that be for you? He said, huh? She said, what number would that be for you?
Francesca
He.
Dustin Ross
His mouth was literally open. He said, and Shay. Bucky Johnson said 6.
Asante
6. Yep.
Dustin Ross
I've been counting.
Asante
Yep.
Dustin Ross
They're both. I also want the record to reflect. They're both 42 years old. 42. And like Michelle said in the beginning, a good sister. Michelle Obama, like she said in the beginning, I'd say I'm surprised, but I know who you are. I know who both of them are. Love and hip Hop fools that still after. You know, you go through things in life as a layperson, right. A civilian, if you will. And you learn from them. You go through things. You. They call it bumping your head. Right. Imagine learning these same lessons in front of how many millions of people watch Love and Hip Hop every week? Little Scrappy has been on Love and Hip Hop Atlanta since the first season. Really now after like their 12th, 11th season. Something like that.
Asante
Oh, wow. Ending.
Francesca
As in like the show is over.
Dustin Ross
Show is ending. Done.
Asante
Done. So.
Francesca
And still I thought I see the day.
Dustin Ross
He is the typhoon of bad decision making that he's been in since he first fucking came on the screen. How long? Shout out to our good. It's still June. It's still Pride Month. When do it becomes. That's really. When do.
Francesca
How do I always think becomes Shout out.
Asante
Carrie, she said she promised the baby no. No strings.
Dustin Ross
No strings attached.
Francesca
Yeah, I would like, like. Well, no, actually, I wouldn't like.
Dustin Ross
I didn't know they called child support a string.
Asante
No. Right.
Dustin Ross
Having no child support attached. He don't believe in paying child support. He be in and out of court about that shit all the time. Bambi has been explicitly clear about where he is, where he wasn't showing up as a father today. Three kids who are adorable, by the way. I don't know if you ever looked at.
Francesca
They have three.
Dustin Ross
They have three children. And his daughter.
Asante
He's got three children with Bambi alone.
Dustin Ross
Three with Bambi alone, one with Dixon, and another one with another young woman.
Asante
Wow.
Dustin Ross
Yeah. And so all his kids are pretty, though. For real. But anyway, so it just is amazing to me. 42 years old, 10 years on TV. Shea Bucky Johnson was on TV before. Loving him. Hip hop even started because she comes from Flavor of Love. And y' all still doing this. Same damn dumb. Still doing this. Same damn dumb. Grow up, okay? And stop doing stupid to get attention. Loving hip hop is over. And I don't see nobody else picking up that. That y' all putting down. So if this is an attempt to try to garner some attention or revival television career, it ain't gonna happen based off of this this is gonna make people stay tuned. Yeah. This will make people run. So I just wanted to keep you all updated on that because I couldn't believe when I had seen that. I was like, what are they doing on this carpet together? And they're talking about babies and no strings. It was just. It was madness.
Francesca
Yeah. Who else would be? This is exactly what they needed.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
Maybe they're getting what you did because of it.
Dustin Ross
Okay, well, I listen if maybe people calling me dumb and stupid is the access point to opportunity. I'm never gonna get certain things out of life.
Francesca
It beats like that.
Dustin Ross
Never gonna get it in vogue. Never gonna get it. Never gonna get it. Okay, because I refuse. This is crazy as. And you should see them up there. Like it's funny. Y' all motherfucker's 42 years old. Get your together with kids about to be six, according to Shay. Bucky Johnson. Yeah. So anyways, with that being said and understood, welcome to the Friend zone. Your weekly looks into all things mental health, mental wellness and preventative, you know, condoms and, you know, preventative condoms and, you know. I don't know, whatever you can to block it. That's what we need. Hey, friend. Hey, Asante. How y' all doing?
Francesca
Hey, y' all had better days, right? True.
Dustin Ross
My allergies. Whooping my ass right now.
Francesca
I was just about to ask you. I see your nose.
Dustin Ross
I just took two Zyrtec to try to like. I'm gonna fight through it.
Francesca
So it's even in the summertime for you.
Dustin Ross
Spring and summer, even winter. Hell, I don't know when the trees is doing anything. I just know they bothering me.
Asante
Dustin, have you ever seen. And you as well, friend. But it's probably a no for both of you. There is this movie called. The name it escapes me. It has Martin Short in it. It's from the 80s. They shrink down and they go into this.
Dustin Ross
Man, honey, I shrunk the kids.
Asante
No, that's a different one.
Francesca
That's the other guy. Yeah, Rick Moran.
Asante
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, in this. I thought about this because you were talking about your. Your. Your sinuses and stuff. And I thought to myself, I wish I just shrink down your allergies. I wish I could shrink down and go in and fight them for you, Dustin.
Francesca
Like.
Asante
Like watching these people be injected into this nigga's bloodstream and be in a spaceship and she is old ass movie. I remember watching it as a child and just being.
Dustin Ross
I sound like it is too loud.
Francesca
I mean, why do you feel like. I know you're Talking.
Asante
You can sneeze me out.
Dustin Ross
It doesn't matter.
Asante
I'm just for you.
Dustin Ross
Feels like there's a flash mob on my nose.
Francesca
Dancing.
Dustin Ross
Yes.
Asante
So I want to go in there and shoot them for you.
Francesca
You know, that sucks. I can't imagine. Because it's just all day. All day miserable.
Dustin Ross
Okay. That's why you keep playing with me up in here, you know, like Jocelyn said.
Asante
Oh, God. Anybody keep.
Dustin Ross
Anybody keep playing me up in here. That's how I'm feeling because I'm stressed out from this goddamn allergies.
Francesca
I'm sorry. I hate that for you.
Dustin Ross
Thank you.
Francesca
Do you guys have announcements before we jump in?
Dustin Ross
I do. We one week out. One week out today for my Chicago show. So if you're in Chicago, it's time to push the button. July 7th, I'm at City Winery in Chicago. I'm coming back. This is my second time. Yup. And then July 9th, two days later, I'm right down the road in St. Louis. So y' all got a week in St. Louis. You got a week and two days. Come fuck with me. DustinRossLive.com I wrote some good jokes. I'm gonna be doing my good joke telling, I promise. So come see me, please. Dustinrosslive.com Everybody had a good time. You don't believe me? Go to the comments, see what they said. Everybody had fun, you know, so come on and be a part of it. Be. Wouldn't you like to be in that number? Okay. When they last you to come back to?
Asante
Now. They really want you to come back to some cities now.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Asante
So.
Dustin Ross
DustinRossLife.com I'll see y' all on July 7th, Chicago and July 9th in St. Louis.
Francesca
And that link is in the description box for easier access. We also rescheduled our live stream from last week. We apologize for not being able to show up, but we will be live streaming this week. Wednesday. That's July 1st, I believe. Same time as always. 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific. And we'll have a good old time with LA Chat. There was a lot of new people. Thank you, guys. Sorry that we couldn't be there for you. But we will be there this week.
Asante
Yes. Thank you all for supporting us. I apologize. It was completely my fault this week that you did not get to see our lovely faces. It's been my fault a few times, but I am in the middle of moving and y' all know that that is hectic. We love you all so much and we do not take you all for granted at all. So for you all that just showed up and rocked out in that chat and had a good time nonetheless, thank you for those of y' all that said f this, I. I understand. I apologize and we love you. See you tonight, July 1st, 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Can't wait to be there with you.
Francesca
All right, Ahsonte, you actually have the black business for us this week?
Asante
I absolutely do. If you're feeling coffee, then have something for you. There was a woman on Shark Tank a couple of years ago. I believe she is a Kenyan entrepreneur by the name of Margaret Nyambo. She has a company called Kahawa 1893. I don't know if you've ever heard of this coffee company, but the website looks dope. The coffee looks really good. But the company sources company from African farms and created a system where customers can directly tip women coffee farmers through QR codes on product packaging. They gained.
Francesca
Oh, that's fire. Right Nice.
Asante
They gained national.
Dustin Ross
Eddie. Half. Money. Money, money. Remember Eddie Murphy, Raw? He said that African woman took you ad.
Asante
Half.
Dustin Ross
She said half.
Asante
Oh. They did gain national attention after appearing on Shark Tank. And now they sell through major retailers including Trader Joe's and Keurig partnerships. So if you want to find out more information on Kahawa K a H a w a 1893.com Kahawa 1893 I
Dustin Ross
hope I'm saying when somebody I like responds favorably to the flirtation, I'll be
Francesca
like, you know what? Yes.
Asante
So that's just the practice again. Kahawa1893.com if you want more information on their company. Specifically. Specifically. Or you could check them out again at Trader Joe's.
Dustin Ross
Google.
Asante
Look them up on Shark Tank. Watch them.
Dustin Ross
Beautiful black woman, please go buy it from Trader Joe's so we can support them their relationship and keep themselves.
Francesca
Yeah, I'mma look, I don't drink coffee, but I'll buy it.
Dustin Ross
Just I buy it. I know enough coffee heads. They need to be called that too, because all that shame. And he's a pothead. We here. You're a coffee head. Okay.
Francesca
And they be mean and grumpy if they don't get their morning cup.
Dustin Ross
I'm scratching my nose because of allergies. This how they be when they don't get their coffee.
Francesca
I remember my mom trying to wean herself off of Bustelo.
Dustin Ross
Oh, yes, that block. Yeah. And that yellow packaging. Shout out to Bruce. They need to do merch.
Francesca
I remember the smell. They have merch.
Dustin Ross
They do.
Francesca
They do.
Dustin Ross
I'm gonna give me some Bustelo merch.
Francesca
That's cute. Jade of all Jades has an event coming up this weekend.
Dustin Ross
Yes, right.
Francesca
Let me pull up the flyer. It is the Juneteenth Reloaded with Jade of all Jades. She said, what's the 4th of July? Let's just call it Juneteenth again. She's having smoked brisket biscuits, smoked chicken quarters, smoked oyster mushrooms. All proteins will be served with homemade hibiscus barbecue sauce and a pickled vegetable medley. Southern style potato salad, slow smoked baked beans and sea island red pea and sweet corn salad. Are you kidding me? Listen, can Jade be my mom?
Dustin Ross
Go eat.
Francesca
And then it's red berry Sorel. I mean sorrel.
Dustin Ross
Excuse me,
Asante
I want me some sorrel. I don't care, friend. That's what it is. I look, I love some Sorel.
Francesca
And then she got cardamom spice carrot cake with brown butter buttercream.
Dustin Ross
God damn.
Francesca
This is just the beginning. So on Sunday, July 5, from 3 to 7pm, it's at Deep Dive BK in Brooklyn. That's 246 Patchen Avenue. Pre orders strongly encouraged. You can go on Jade of all Jades on Instagram to see the fly yourself. And and for more information on how you can pre order. So had to shout out our sister.
Dustin Ross
Absolutely.
Francesca
Y' all caught this. That's this weekend. And also just have a safe weekend overall. I know it's a big weekend for those who are going to be outside for the festivities. So last week's episode titled To Catch a Brick. Thank you, Dustin Ross. It was a roundup of hot topics, also known as the things you need to be aware of so you can gossip sufficiently. You're welcome. With love. That was all Dustin.
Dustin Ross
I love writing the show description on my week. I love it. Oh, thank you. Yes.
Francesca
Those of you listening had a lot to say. Who stood out to you? Asante?
Asante
A lot of people stood out to me. I wanted to shout out in the Spotify streets. First of all, shout out to Maya Taylor. Maya said, oh, no. Yeah, Maya says, ooh. Dustin's listen lately was everything I needed this week.
Dustin Ross
Cause Dustin, thank you.
Asante
Last week you were playing some jams, but it was just different things going on. But I loved it. You always got the jam, jam, jam. So Maya was some your jams last week? I also want to shout out Jess Breeze. Just Breeze's comment reads, paying a subscription for my doctor. Just reminds me of the Black Mirror episode with Tracy Ellis Ross where everything was a subscription service. Yeah, Idk if I could get with that yet. When we were talking about it, I thought about it like, I didn't. I didn't think, take it that far. When we were talking about the subscriptions last week and will you take it that far? It does give me hesitation and pause because I think about like the ones that are out now where you can just, you know, get your contacts or whatever and then how that can become more invasive over time. All the way to that Black Mirror episode. I just didn't think about that. So I want to shout you out
Francesca
for like, how many more add ons are they gonna keep making you pay for?
Asante
Yeah. Or like, how. How dependent they're gonna try to make you on their systems.
Dustin Ross
Yeah. I'm telling you know that telehealth industry, it's something rambunctious.
Asante
Right.
Francesca
I still can't believe it's a thing. I know I'm old school, but I
Dustin Ross
know I need to see the doctor. How you know what's wrong with me and I ain't there? You need to see it. Yeah. And move my balls around and shit. You know what I'm saying? Like, I need to be at the doctor. Yeah.
Asante
Yeah. Last comment I wanted to read is from Zara Zarino. Zarino Tisari. I hope I'm saying your name correctly. Zarino says, I think my issue with Chloe's music is that it's very young ho scorned Cody and I can't relate. The young ho scorn took me out and I had to make sure I shared that. Young ho scorned. I feel like you should, like, use that for something. But yeah, that's the last comment that I want.
Dustin Ross
Why you don't like her talking to the commenter. Why I don't like ho. I wonder why, like, Chloe be getting a hard time from motherfuckers. Like, for real, think about it. They just said her. I don't really know much of whole scorns.
Francesca
Yeah.
Dustin Ross
I don't know her music. That means every song she's made as a solo artist falls under the umbrella. Very young host scorn.
Francesca
Is it? Do y' all know her songs? I only know like one.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, same.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin Ross
I love her, so I can't really.
Asante
I've heard a lot of her music in passing and I've enjoyed most of what I've heard. There are certain songs I've been like, I don't really need this. But not. I've been like, turn that off or she can't sing or what's her perspective?
Francesca
No, I don't think anybody can say that. You'd be crazy. I just don't relate. You know, there's some sounds that I'm personally aged out of. And it's not just her, so I don't. It's. For me that's more where it comes from. I would never say she can't sing or isn't talented. We've seen her produce, we've heard the vocals. Right? So. Yeah.
Asante
Well, Sereno just says that it gives young ho scorn and that's why the young ho scorn is just so funny. I'm so glad it got this much air time. Thank you Z. That's it for me. Fran, what did you find out there in those streets?
Francesca
Lee John, who is one of my favorites. I always appreciate seeing your face pop up in the comments. Le John. But he said, Fran, I had been seeing my PCP for the last five years. January 1st she switched over to the MD VIP system. That's crazy. First of all, MDVIP, excuse me, this is health not right.
Dustin Ross
Everybody is a priority.
Francesca
Like relax. I hate it because I really trusted her. I understand it, but I hate it. She and her sister are really good black doctors in my area and they had so many patients that it was affecting patient care and their out of office time for themselves and their families. You couldn't get in ASAP for health issues and even scheduled appointments had long wait times. I hate that her and her sister had to switch to this model. I just can't find it in me to pay a $1200 annual membership and also pay premiums co pays deductibles for certain visits. I just couldn't find it in me financially. But the full body tests sound really good. I really feel bad for the older community who are on tight budgets. You can't afford this new VIP model. They're losing out on long time trusted providers that they built relationships with. The whole system is messed up. I didn't even think of that. How doctors who had their the patients already then switch over to the membership or concierge model and that essentially cuts off people you've had relations with. See, I'm from New York. You have a million doctors growing up just period. Because that's just the energy of the city. Like doctors come and go. So unfortunately I was never that kid that had that one doctor, you know
Asante
the one that knows.
Francesca
I'm sure.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, I went to Dr. Burner.
Francesca
Your whole life like your whole childhood. He was my admired that that's so cool to me because that you know, you have a relationship, they know you by name. They know your chart. I didn't have that experience. So for me, we had beef.
Dustin Ross
Because, bitch, I forgot about them shots. So I remember how that felt when you gave me those shots. Yeah. So every time I see you low key, I'm ready to throw them. Every time.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin Ross
To this day. Oh, yes.
Francesca
Darian says, let me say this. I went to the Millennium Tour, or whatever it's called now, and Pretty Ricky put on a show even with just three of the. People were begging for them to do more songs. And they already did a lot. It was so good. B2K, however, got out there and only did maybe three songs we knew, then went into solo performances. Raspy did a lame ass Michael Jackson, bitch. J Boog did his you got served routine with his dad, Bod Fizz did some random song we never heard and asked, who's your favorite member? And everyone screamed, omaria. He was so embarrassed.
Dustin Ross
Why would you ask that? Like, why would you ask that? He should have said, who's the cutest member?
Francesca
He was so embarrassed and mad and screamed, y' all ain't got no love for Fizz. And then she writes. And then they write, excuse me. Anyway, Pretty Ricky in four, and you ain't lying. I didn't watch, but I heard Pretty Ricky mop them. Everyone I know that watched that, they said it was embarrassing.
Dustin Ross
Yep. And it was absolutely what they said. First of all, Pretty Ricky, we knew. We knew it was gonna be a bloody.
Francesca
I mean, y' all said it.
Dustin Ross
We knew it.
Francesca
Y' all, both.
Dustin Ross
They had. It was exactly what happened when Trina and Eve had their verses. While we love all of Eve's music, you know what I'm saying? And Eve was pregnant, and she couldn't say nothing. And that's why she couldn't fly at the time. So they had to do. She was over in London and Eve. Trina was in Miami, but, you know, they friends in real life, so it was like a love fest.
Francesca
Right?
Dustin Ross
Right. Trina whooped her ass because Trina had all them street records that, like, they just come on, you know, you know him and them beats and shit. And it was so. It was so. It was such a victory that after it was over, Trina was walking down the steps and she was like, come on, I'm ready to turn up. It's time. It's time to turn up. I'm ready to drink and smoke. And then the mic just went off. But it was the same thing. The street records get you every time.
Francesca
Every time I heard it was bad. Ali Said regarding wearables, not sure if you all are familiar with a brand called Lumia. This is a wearable blood pressure monitor that you wear as an earring. Stop. They said that you wear it as an earring. I never heard of that. And it's super cute. For those of us with quote, unquote, invisible illnesses such as pots, these wearables are very useful for tracking your heart, your high heart rate and low blood pressure points throughout the day. To each his own. But there are definitely benefits to wearables. However, all these wearables do is track. They do not correct, regulate, or prevent any issues. That would be next level.
Dustin Ross
Great.
Francesca
And obviously, Ali, yeah, you. If you need it for your friend illness, of course, that makes sense. You should absolutely use it. I'm talking about people like myself who are using it to just know If I hit 10,000 steps and then became obsessive and fixating and just this whole optimization culture of wearables. That's who I was referring to. Obviously you have a serious need for it. Like literally life based. And that's just not who I was talking to at all.
Dustin Ross
I'm really sensitive.
Francesca
Knuckleheads.
Dustin Ross
Yeah. I'm sensitive about pots. Cause Sean Ross just went public about having it and I've been doing that for years. Yeah, like, he's been dealing with that for years. And I never knew about pots. I never even heard of it, but I watched it, you know what I'm saying? Through him. So hearing her bring that up, that makes perfect sense. And yes, utilizing wearables, in that case, for sure.
Francesca
Absolutely. What about you, Dustin Ross? What you find in them Twitter streaks,
Dustin Ross
Man, Let me tell y'. All, first of all, this is just one tweet this week. Shout out to Glen Toons. G L E N N Tunes. He said true story and captioned it with a meme. I love a good ghetto meme. But he captioned it with a meme that says MAGA Alphas. And it's a picture of Kyan Rittenhouse's ugly ass and CHUD the builder's thick neck ass. Thick neck, little ear ass. The motherfucker look like a damn. What does he. A kid's cup. A sippy cup with them things on the side of it. That's what he looks like and shit. But they're both crying and it says MAGA Alphas. I got a kick out of that.
Francesca
What the hell?
Dustin Ross
Two bitches ass white men that deserve every piece of hell that they're given from the world and life in general. And they're crying. So cry hard or hoe. And we're making fun of you here on the Friend Zone. Thank you. Glenn Tunes on Twitter. That's it for me.
Francesca
And that means that that's it for this week's episode. Just kidding. That's it for the intro.
Dustin Ross
I got to go
Francesca
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Dustin Ross
Paramount plus is now the home of all your BET favorites.
Francesca
That sounds nice.
Dustin Ross
With all new episodes of all the Queen's Men.
Asante
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Dustin Ross
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Francesca
at you fast whether you ready for it or not.
Dustin Ross
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Asante
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Dustin Ross
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Asante
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Dustin Ross
Minutes on Monday dot com.
Francesca
This week's episode is an Asante production. Let us know what we're talking about this week. Asante.
Asante
This week we get to talk about ourselves.
Francesca
Nice.
Asante
I decided that I wanted to do something very not too crazy. I feel like sometimes I. I pick topics that either go all the way too crazy or too technological. So I just want to do something simple and fun and cutesy and in the realms of, you know, our own personal understandings because it just deals with ourselves. So I had a question that I wanted to ask the two of you and all of you out there listening, right. If anyone had to understand who you are without meeting you, and you could only show them, let's say five. If you could only show them five objects from your personal museum. Because that's what I wanted to theme this on. What would bake the exhibit? So this week I want us to think. Sorry, Jasmine Sullivan has been in my head for, like, well, forever. But Masterpiece just kept coming up over the past week. And you know that song when she's like, every part of me is a vision. Like, you know, just art. I just think about people as art. And then, you know, Tyler, like, I just think about if we had our own personal museums, what would we put
Francesca
in those for producing that? Sorry I had to throw that in there.
Asante
Don't. Don't apologize. Shout out to Chuck.
Dustin Ross
I thought about Chuck and Claude. I was in the club on Sunday, y', all, and the DJ played. First of all, it was an amazing party. So I was already on Cloud 10. The DJ played a white set, and when he played Party in the USA
Francesca
and that club, he knew something. It don't matter how old you are, what city you're in, everybody's.
Dustin Ross
I just. Just hearing that knowing that who is responsible for it is, like, mind blowing. Shout out to Claudia and Chuck. Cause them n got some hits anyway.
Francesca
Oh, my God, it's so funny.
Asante
So, yeah, I basically wanted to. I wanted us to curate our own personal museums. So the way that we're gonna do this is, you know how museums are set up. They have different wings. So we're gonna go wing by wing and talk about what we would put in our museums.
Dustin Ross
One wing,
Asante
okay. To sparkle this is. We're gonna start off because we all have to begin somewhere. And this part made me think about the midnight train. But it's the origin story wing. So where. Where everything began. So if you had a museum, what type of things would you put in your museum? Or what representation would you want for your childhood? Your origin story wing. So there could be childhood objects, whether it's a toy that you liked or loved, or if there was, like, photos that you really resonated with that you'd want to showcase, or these are things that would showcase you as a person if they existed in your museum.
Dustin Ross
Okay, well, friend, would you like to go first?
Francesca
No, you go. I'm still thinking.
Dustin Ross
No problem. So first things first. I want to put all of my spelling bee trophies in that.
Francesca
Oh, my God. Yes.
Dustin Ross
I used to come in first place.
Francesca
Me too.
Dustin Ross
I always. Yes, I was smart. So we're gonna put those in there as well as all of my, like, my meep test. Y' all don't know what that is, but it was like a.
Francesca
The citywide test.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, I did well. Got a 27 on my ACT. So I went on my scholastic memorabilia to be on display front and center. Because no matter what was going on in my life, and I've been down eyes been mighty bad, but I was always smart. Okay, you could take that to the bank, baby. So, yes, that's what I'm putting in my shit, friend. Next to your stuff, your trophies. What else you putting in there?
Francesca
That's what I thought was so cute because I had the same citywide test, all that. I love being that. But shout out to those. I had my mom. And I do remember this because I still do it now. My mom said ever since I was little, I was always obsessed with lists. So if it was like Christmas, I had my list of the things I wanted. If it was like groceries that needed to be reammed on, I had a list she says I fixated on. So I always had a little journal that was just lists. And I would. I wish I could, like, see them, you know, when you're little, just to see the things that I was, like, worried about or thinking about. Even journals in general. I guess I wasn't, like a big journaler, but I had journals at different points of my life, like middle school, high school, some in college. So I think that because. What's cooler than being able to sit back and. And read what you thought?
Dustin Ross
Real memories. Yeah.
Francesca
You know, especially what you thought was, like, a larger than life situation at that time.
Dustin Ross
Like, girl, Fuck him.
Francesca
Okay. And I have this ritual where the night before my birthday, I write a letter to the next year's version of myself. I don't know why. I've done this for a really long time. Because it's so nice. On your following birthday. Yeah. To sit back and read it. You kind of see what you were going through that year.
Dustin Ross
That's really dope.
Francesca
It's cool.
Dustin Ross
I'm too old.
Francesca
Because sometimes you forget. Yeah. And it's just a breakdown of, like, what I was feeling that year, things that happened, whatever. Experiences I just didn't want to forget about. And so I would just want all those little journals and lists and letters in a box just to kind of have an archive of my experiences that's mine. What about yours? Asante.
Asante
In the museum of Me, for that first part, there's this T shirt that I am wearing in this photo. So literally, the museum, the exhibit. Right. It would be the photo of me as a child. And then it would have the shirt that I'm wearing on the side of it. Because the shirt literally reads, I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble comes to, trouble finds me. And I feel like, as a child, and there are just so many moments in like. Like now even, where I be thinking of me in that T shirt. Because trouble just finds me. And I'm like, was this destiny? Can we change the T shirt? No. But I always think of that. That picture in that moment. Like, I don't even know what's going on in that picture. But every time I see it, I'm just. I love it. So I feel like that is genuine art for some reason.
Francesca
So you have multiple pictures with that T shirt?
Asante
Yeah, there is a couple of T shirts. A couple of pictures. Me with my mom has one. I think she has, like, a. Some digital one somewhere. But I know she's got a physical one in her house that I've seen. And I'll just be laughing every time.
Dustin Ross
Where is our stuff? I want to know where all my is. Where is your shirt? I want to know where my.
Francesca
And not even that kid, but I mean, from a couple years ago that I'd be like, what happened to those shoes?
Dustin Ross
I had an Echo Unlimited tracksuit that, speaking of the millennium, that I wore to the millennium tour. Came up in conversation last night on the phone with my boy Troy. Shout out to Troy. But I looked up and also, happy belated birthday to one of my best friends, Latroi. We love you, Latroi.
Asante
Happy belated. That's who I thought Happy belated, Latroi.
Dustin Ross
This is my other homeboy, Troy. Another guy named Troy. But. No, but happy birthday, Latroi. Love you, best friend. Anyway, me and Troy was on the phone talking about like. Like throwback and vintage gear. Friend, you know you love finding good.
Francesca
You already know.
Dustin Ross
We were talking about that and he brought up Echo. We were talking about what label brands and stuff we used to wear back in the day. Rockaware, you know, all that.
Francesca
They're both.
Dustin Ross
Yeah. You feel me? And look, the lady said Lady Anicha. So anyway.
Francesca
Which I never wore.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, I. I never messed with FUBU either, personally.
Asante
But anyway.
Francesca
Oh, my God, I just got the cutie. This FUBU jacket. Don't do that now. Today, True. Today you're right.
Dustin Ross
Right. Go pick up. Go look at your letters from them years and watch what I'm saying. Don't wear no fu. Not on the list. Right. Okay. So we was talking about the clothes and. And I was like, man, I had an echo jogging suit that I wore a couple years ago to the millennium Jewel. Where the fuck is my jogging suit? I done moved and all kind of shit. I have no. I. When I think back to what happened to it, I have no idea. And I'm so fucking pissed, I'd be
Francesca
thinking it's those moves too, right? Like, maybe there's a bin somewhere. Yeah. Because sometimes I'm like, there's so many things that I just don't know where they are that it makes me wonder if through these moves I've had In the past 10 years, there's been bins that just were taken or out of sight, out of mind. And I just didn't think, you know, you have so much stuff. You're not gonna remember everything in your house until you need it, man. And then you're like, what.
Dustin Ross
What the happened to my. And sometimes I'd be like, damn. Is that the only way that the ancestors can communicate with us is by taking shit? So they just like, that's it. I'm trying to talk to you now.
Francesca
That does happen.
Dustin Ross
Where's my clothes?
Francesca
That does happen. There's certain rings that come in the house. House, yes.
Dustin Ross
Okay.
Asante
Imagine there was like a show or series, and it just shows like people,
Dustin Ross
dead people taking your.
Asante
It don't gotta necessarily be dead. Like, what if it is?
Francesca
Like, tell me otherwise.
Asante
Yeah. Like, what if it is like another, like, rep, right? He gotta turn into a damn zombie, Frank.
Dustin Ross
And they're like,
Asante
Where this tonight? Okay. Before we get too far off, also
Dustin Ross
before we take one more Step. Happy birthday, Noah. Shout out to Noah, Noah, happy birthday. Happy birthday. Yes. She looks so cute. I went to her birthday party and represented for us my little poofy butt. Noah, we love you, girl. And you look very cute at her birthday at your birthday party. Anyway, woohoo, gone. You know, we. Noah.
Asante
Okay, we, we. We're leaving. The origin story.
Dustin Ross
That is part of the. We was there when she was.
Asante
No, it's part of the origin story.
Francesca
I told Jade. I gotta get Noah a name. The gold classic gold name chain that you get. Teenager.
Dustin Ross
Oh, it's time. That's a ride.
Francesca
A little Noah forts and Carol name change.
Dustin Ross
You know me, look my old uncle ass. You know, as soon as I seen her. Hey, baby. And then I put something in her hand. Thank you.
Francesca
Hey baby.
Dustin Ross
I was like, you look so cute. She's like, thank you, Dustin. Yeah, anyway, happy birthday, Noah.
Asante
Happy birthday, Noah. Okay, this is actually good though, because I want to. There's gonna be different wings in this museum. We started off with where, you know, our origins begin, but there should be a wing for relationship. Well, not should be, but per our how we're designating this museum. And feel free to add your own wings. I just wanted to give us like somewhere to start. I don't want to be like, let's do a museum.
Dustin Ross
What was your.
Asante
What would be in yours? All right, these are the types of wings that I'm setting up. And if you have other types of wings that you want to add to it, don't be scared. But I did want to do like a relationship swing. Like whether it's like friendship things or family, community, I feel like that is different for everybody. So for some it would probably just be, you know, a hallway of all the I loved and or hated. But for others it might, you know, look like all the different, you know, people that I, you know, work hard for or love or all the best, you know, relationships that I've had. Whether it was, do, you know, school, tutoring, mentoring type stuff or business. Great relationships. What would your relationships wing look like?
Dustin Ross
The basement.
Asante
The basement? Yup.
Dustin Ross
As a matter of fact, a walkout basement. Absolutely. A walk out basement. That's what they look like. Okay. You can just go down, go through the hill and then walk out to the future.
Francesca
Oh, well, the family one would just be a black void. Open it. Remember that scene in the Midnight Train when she was like, you better jump in. She told me to get out.
Dustin Ross
I'm about to pass out, friend.
Asante
And it was still. It was still for a moment
Dustin Ross
Agnes ass. She in the museum, too. In that same outfit in the train. My petticoat and a top hat.
Francesca
Relate relationship with friends. Well, my friend was one would be so cute. Yeah, I've had such a. I've had a charmed life when it comes to friendships. I really have. I've not had a bunch of bullsh drama and falling out and just not been my reality. So it would be souvenirs from all of our trips. Because one thing I have done is traveled a lot with my friends, and so it would be souvenirs from Brazil. Me and the girls, like Jade and Crystal and Kia, we've gone to. We've traveled Europe, all over south of
Dustin Ross
France and, you know.
Francesca
Yeah, south of France.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin Ross
God damn. Over there talking too much. But damn.
Asante
That's all I'm gonna say.
Dustin Ross
Oh, my God. And what you went shopping for? Oh, my God.
Asante
I was like, so y' all just
Dustin Ross
gonna go there and do that, like, at the same time?
Francesca
Those are two different at the house. Like, how we bringing this back?
Dustin Ross
Y' all are.
Asante
I want y' all to have a TV show so I could watch y' all go go crazy.
Francesca
But, yeah, just mine would be my travel souvenirs and just. I don't know. That's it with my friends. I just love my friends.
Dustin Ross
My friends and family. Wing would definitely be pictures and videos more than it would be any, like, physical items. It would definitely be things centered around, like, actual things that you can look at and take you straight to a moment. You know what I'm saying? And I don't know, since this is all fictionalized, we would just have to pull them from my mental library, not necessarily my icloud, you know what I'm saying? But it would just be pictures and videos of moments that represent the definition of those specific relationships, things that we each only share, things that, you know, it would have to be an explicit haul because you gotta be 18 up to go down one hall.
Asante
An explicit hall.
Dustin Ross
Well, because some of the most impactful conversations took place nude. So, you know. But, yeah, gonna say, well, nobody. And the red velvet curtain you walk through to get in. You get to the door, it's gonna be somebody with a deep voice. You coming in, baby? Oh, yeah, yeah. But no, but it would just be memories, pictures and videos that reflect, like, specific moments in time. That meant a lot to me. I've had some magical, magical moments and some moments where I really just, like, took it all in and was like, pause. But where I really, like, took it all in and was like, wow, this is an incredible feeling. So it would just be that kind of shit for family and friends.
Francesca
I love that.
Asante
And men.
Francesca
You know what? I'mma not do my mom like that. One thing I appreciate about my mom, and it would be her room, I guess, would be just her Caribbean ness. Like, she really changed my life with how she made sure I kept connected. And I was at NDR every summer or Puerto Rico, you know, and just her trying to show me, like, very humble beginnings, you know, like where I had to go get my water if I was using water for the day to shower, because they didn't have a shower. Or you had to go get the food you were going to eat for the day because they didn't have a fridge. You know, just those types of things that were really crucial to me growing up. And just the culture of the Caribbean. Caribbean, you know, the plantain, the mangoes and things that are still really important to me today. And just the music, the people, the charm, all of it. So it would be a Caribbean room for sure. Because it's just priceless. It's priceless. And I'm grateful for her. And, and because, you know, sometimes when people come to America, they separate themselves because either it's trauma or sometimes it's a lot of pressure having to like, send stuff back and whatever the reasons may be. But my mom kept that very tightly knit for me so that I wouldn't forget where she came from and what my roots are. So that would be her. Her way. I think that's.
Dustin Ross
And I'm glad that you are. Are proud of your culture, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
Because so powerful. Love it.
Dustin Ross
Speaking Spanish with you, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, that's one of our things.
Francesca
And you love dyke women.
Dustin Ross
I love dykening with. From the core of my being. Okay.
Francesca
My place in the barbershop.
Dustin Ross
Yes. And the. Oh, all I can do is exhale. But yes. I love speaking Spanish and shit. We have fun doing that with each other. I know it makes you laugh, so I'm glad that it's important to you. You know what I'm saying?
Francesca
It so is, you know,
Asante
relationships. I would want to. I would need a big room for this, this, this exhibit. Because it's going to be so many different things. I would want to put a bed in there.
Dustin Ross
Okay.
Asante
But above the bed, it would just be like a bunch of, like a mirror. I always wanted that see a bunch
Francesca
of like, you opening portals. I'm good.
Asante
Look. Portals. Bubbles. No, I want a Bed with, like, a bunch of, like, dream clouds over it kind of.
Francesca
Oh.
Asante
And then in each of those clouds, it kind of has, like, all good thoughts. Because all of, like, my relationships, whether, like, personal family, friends, like, I just want nothing but the best for anybody that's in my life. So it's like, part of my experience.
Dustin Ross
I want some of y'. All. I'm sorry, go ahead.
Asante
I said for people that are in my life. So I would want to do something that's really, like, dreamy and almost delusional. People like, oh, this is so delusional. So it's like I'd want the dream clouds to actually be gold or something random. Also, I want golden dreams for y'. All.
Dustin Ross
Sound like an air quad.
Francesca
Sweet
Asante
gold, not brown or yellow gold. Well, is this smug?
Francesca
Is this la?
Dustin Ross
It's a smog.
Asante
I don't want to die in la. They got earthquakes and shit. If I died from the smog or the earth earthquakes in la, I'd be very pissed. I'd be like, out of all the things that could have got me out
Dustin Ross
here, I feel like when you die in an earthquake, you die gay. Like you Vogan at a ball.
Asante
He's milking the rest.
Dustin Ross
That's my last pride joke. Okay. Damn. I know. It was funny. It's earthquake
Asante
also. That was killing me outside of the bed. I would want to do, like, a cafeteria. A cafeteria for, like, my relationships. Like, I just think about when I was younger being in the cafeteria and how much fun school was. Not that I'd want to go back to school. So it'd be funny to have, like, cafeteria scenes with my friends now, you know. Oh, so imagine like, you imagine, look, adults doing, like, childish things. Like, we're going to the like. Well, we used to have the cafeteria in New York, so they became bougie. Bougie. But imagine a cafeteria style restaurant that's not cafeteria where we could have one. But it's like a good cafeteria would be hilarious.
Francesca
Someone give her a show. I would put the train. Me and Claude, that's where our friendship was really, really formed. But us, by us having to commute up to Riverdale every day on the one or nine train. Back in the day, it was a nine train. That would be my. Because he's just. I mean, that's like my sibling at this point. We've known each other since when? Since I was 13, 14. And think about that. That's crazy to have someone in your life you've known since you were 13. Your first year as a teenager. And now I'm 44. And we talk every day.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
And we talk every. Like, that's my brother for real. So he'd have his own wing we love so much. He'd have his own wing for sure. What's the next one?
Asante
We're gonna go. Some of these are crazy. I just made a list of the different types of wings that I could do. So it's like, I'm just trying to choose where we could go without getting too crazy. Let's do pop culture.
Francesca
Oh, okay.
Asante
If there were. Because I struggled when I did this, when I was like, this could be. This can literally be anything you want it to be. If you had to represent or if you wanted yourself representative, your pop culture interest or things that you just felt like were important for the time or they even just mean something to you, what would be as part of your exhibit in this pop culture wing?
Dustin Ross
Biggie's kuji sweater and Versace. Okay. Number one. I was obsessed. Shout out to my brother. My brother had me deeply immersed in rap culture, New York, hip hop culture specifically, and West Coast. Shout out to Damon. So I was fascinated by like New York street style and shit as a kid. Like when I was like 12, 13 years old, same. So I'm talking about my brother woke me up out the bed. Videos used to come on at 2. They used to repeat Video Soul. I think it was at 2:30 in the morning or whatever. And when the One More Chance video came out, Damon woke me up to watch it. Look on my soul like, that's so cute. So definitely have all of that. I would definitely have the jersey, the baseball jersey that Mary J. Blige had on in the Real Love video. Because y' all know how important Mary is to me.
Asante
Yes.
Francesca
And the fish, he looks so dang cute.
Dustin Ross
All of that stuff. And then let me think, pop culture wise as well, what would I have? Probably an ode to Vibe magazine in his heyday. Because Vibe magazine was critical to my understanding of rap culture and hip hop and what was happening in New York. I knew about the Tunnel nightclub before I was even able to go. I remember when I was gay on the inside and not talking about it. I saw an article in Vibe where Mary J. Blige gay on inside. Where Mary J. Blige was, was at a gay party with a drag performer named Harmonica Sunbeam. And I remember seeing that in Vibe and thinking like, damn. So it's like celebrities, that's cool at the gay shit. And like, they letting people know they there. I'm like, so that means that the gay shit can be in the conversation. This is how my little mind was operating at the time. Like, this can be like a regular
Francesca
look at the importance, too, right.
Dustin Ross
In media and representation and in journalists being courageous enough to even put an article about gay shit and Vibe at the time. We could really take this deep if we really dig into that. But we're here for that kind of conversation. So, yes, I would have a shrine to Vibe magazine.
Francesca
I love that. I love that. What about you? I'd have my CD collection, for sure. That little booklet for
Dustin Ross
the big square one.
Francesca
Yeah, the big square that you unzip it and then you have the. The. The booklets. What was it?
Dustin Ross
The liner notes? Yeah, the liner notes. And then the CD on top.
Francesca
Yeah. And then the CD inside in between it. So that was. I would have that. So you'd see all my music, all Mama Ryah Carey albums. See Aaliyah.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
I'm trying to think. I mean, it was so much Odyssey, Mary J, all that. That'd be. First and foremost, my Metro cards. Because you gotta know where the kids. Even the. When you're from New York and you're in an elementary or middle school, you get free Metro cards. And they're like green and white. Well, they were. I don't know what they are now, now, but they were like these green and white Metro cards. So you always knew as a kid coming from school, because you get the free swipe. I think you got like a free swipe and a free transfer. So those. And then your grown yellow and blue Metro cards and tokens. I remember tokens.
Dustin Ross
Ciao.
Francesca
That's how old I am. They had a whole. The bus tokens, they had a little hole in the middle of them. And you'd buy your tokens for the day. Gosh, we owe.
Dustin Ross
Real memorabilia. I wonder. I'm sure you can buy that online somewhere, huh?
Francesca
Ebay, right? I would think you could buy some. Some MTA tokens. I'm sure we have some. I'm sure my mom really digs. And some old purses and boxes. We probably have a little token somewhere there. But I would love that. I would love. You know, my street wear, too. Like, gosh, sometimes I wonder, like you said, where is that stuff? Because in. In high school, man, me and Claude,
Dustin Ross
y' all had that shit. Yeah.
Francesca
Are you kidding? Because we was both little, you know, little street heads. We'd have the Jerbo and the Mecca, Kelly Hansen, Cybertech.
Dustin Ross
Where is all of it?
Francesca
My little Helly Hansen Raincoat even though it wasn't raining, but you just wore it for the look.
Asante
Styling.
Dustin Ross
Hell, yeah.
Francesca
Tim's. The Parasuco jeans.
Dustin Ross
Beef and broccolis.
Francesca
Yeah, the beef and broccoli. I remember these five panel hats. I don't know if y'. All. If that was popular, where y' all were from. They was like the little racer hats kind of. It was like they kind of were tight on your head. It was five panels, like.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, I know. We never caught five panel heads, but I know exactly what you're talking.
Francesca
You know what I'm talking about.
Dustin Ross
Sometimes you kind of flip the brim. Yeah. Yep.
Francesca
You know exactly the one.
Dustin Ross
Nylon. Usually.
Francesca
Spike Lee used to wear them a lot.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
And, like, in his movies, I was kind of like his style and. But I used to love those. Claude used to rock the hell out of a five panel. You never not saw him. His aesthetic was these massive, oversized, dark blue overalls with his Timbs, the five panel hat, and, like, a T shirt. That was always his shit. He always looked like tlc. That was his shit. I was always in, like, the more Aaliyah aesthetic, you know, with the belly showing, oversized pants, just tomboy enough. But you see this midriff with the hair out, like, just super cute. It's funny, because the boys were asking me the other day when how old I was when I got my piercings. I was like, don't get ideas. But I had to tell them the truth. I was like, I was 14 when I got my nose ring. I remember begging my mom. She was cool with it. So I've had it for all high school, all college, and such a big part of my aesthetic. I remember I told her, it's just a part of who I am. You gotta let me see. I'm stepping into my look. She was cool enough to understand that, though.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
Like, imagine your parent being like, this child is trying to build an aesthetic, an identity. And she was like, you know what? Go ahead. She told me to give her reasons why I felt she should do it, that I should do it, and I did, and she bought it.
Dustin Ross
And. Yeah, those are.
Asante
Those are always such great moments, right? Like when you're younger and your parents, like, you're like. You're like, I have to, like, do something different or, like, you know, show them, you know, that I, like, I need this, or, I mean, this. And then they're like, okay, yeah, because,
Francesca
you know, a piercing, especially on your face.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, that's huge.
Francesca
And honestly, my mom, she's very, very strict, you know, she Was laid back in certain ways. My mom was strict. She was a strict Caribbean lady. But I don't know what made her
Asante
maybe like that was the thing she was like.
Francesca
She just sort of felt. Yeah, she just sort of felt like that is what it is.
Dustin Ross
I. I don't think I would trip about like that if I was a parent. Y' all know me, as long as your grade's good, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
And I think that's what I had on my side. I was such a solid child. She kind of was like, I mean, listen, you know, I already got into good schools and she knew that wasn't gonna change.
Asante
Yeah, I wouldn't have tripped on that. Like me today. But me today also would trip on other types of piercings. Like why do you need a dermal? Or whatever y' all doing well.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, that's grown up shit.
Francesca
It would depend on the piercing.
Dustin Ross
A nose ring, a second or third hole in your ear. I'm not tripping, right? Cutting your hair in a bob for my daughter or son. Who knows how the dice gonna shake
Asante
when you have a baby, right?
Dustin Ross
But cutting your hair in a bob I wouldn't trip about in high school, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
She never cared about hair stuff. Yeah.
Dustin Ross
Only thing I would make my kids wait for. You would have to be 18 to get a tattoo.
Francesca
Tattoos. I knew you're gonna stay tattoo.
Dustin Ross
Cause it's just too permanent and the removal process is too much. You just have to be 18 once you turn 18.
Francesca
And imagine the tattoo you would have gotten at 13. It would have been so goofy. Now you gotta sit with it.
Dustin Ross
I will never forget Winnie the Pooh. My cousin Misty's friend. Shout out to Misty. I love you, Misty. Misty's friend had a tattoo of Winnie the Pooh smoking weed. And when Misty asked her why she got.
Francesca
See what I'm saying?
Dustin Ross
When Minnie the Misty asked her why she got that shit. Cause you know, Misty is like me. She don't give a fuck what she say. Missy was like, girl, why, why you get that? And Misty said she's like, cuz I like Winnie the Pooh and I like Wee. And we laugh. But that's a prime example though. I hate the tattoos I have now. And I was 25, you know, that's
Francesca
why I have no tattoos. Because there's a part of me that feels like I have changed. Changed so much that I know I would have hate. Like especially when I got into. Especially when I got into my real heavy spiritual era. I know I would have gotten some goofy spiritual tattoos and now I would have looked back like, girl, you know, why did you have.
Dustin Ross
What's the one everybody has? It looks like the number 30, but I know that's not what it is. It's like three with two dots. Like the three with the two dots thing. Everybody has that.
Asante
Somebody tried to make me get that.
Dustin Ross
No, no.
Francesca
No disrespect, but I just know me. I would have looked back like, man, put that on me. So that's.
Dustin Ross
I would have got some easy E tattoo. I would have easy NWA Mount Rushmore on my back or some my would have made crazy me with a gun. You know what I'm saying?
Asante
All kind of just somebody we know has an ohm.
Dustin Ross
Oh, for real. I'm telling you, a lot of people have that tattoo. That's how I know it.
Francesca
I mean, it's classic. It's like getting an ankh.
Dustin Ross
And I knew it meant something, but in my head, you keep going. It's like the number 30. Why do people have.
Francesca
Those are all the ones. Eye of horse. All of those. All of those. Okay.
Asante
Oh, welcome to the friends.
Francesca
Every time I'm in the.
Dustin Ross
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Francesca
That sounds nice.
Dustin Ross
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Asante
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Dustin Ross
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Francesca
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Dustin Ross
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Francesca
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Dustin Ross
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Asante
That's all that matters to me.
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Asante
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Dustin Ross
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Asante
Okay, I forgot where I was. Okay, we're in the pop culture. I had an idea for my exhibit. I'd want to do a bunch of like really big TVs, right? But like I'd want to do the old really big oversized TVs, like the, the, the floor model. The floor model heavy ass tv. And on that tv. So I'd want one of those. Then I'd want like a regular flat screen or projector maybe. And then I'd want like one of the newer advanced flat screen or projector or whatever. Like is the next thing we're gonna move all the way into, right? So like on the earlier tv, I'd want Like whatever you thought was cool. VHS porn.
Dustin Ross
Debbie does Dallas.
Asante
That's what you think when you think of that type of tv. Someone putting in that tape.
Dustin Ross
Me and Damon found out about a porn star named Beverly Hills that had huge breasts and her name was Beverly Hills. And me and Damon, to this day we'll bring it up and laugh for hours. To this day
Francesca
we should name this.
Dustin Ross
That's so funny to this day like we laugh about that. But anyway, VHS porn.
Asante
I wanted to play the Beverly Hills exhibit. No Texas Tea.
Dustin Ross
Also I want to put Debbie does that. Dallas is a hard ass name for a porn. I don't give a what nobody say that's a cold ass name. Debbie does Dallas. Like that. If you. I would be a rapper and name myself Debbie just to have a. If I was from Dallas Debbie, I would come out as Debbie and then have my first project, my mixtape be Devin does Dallas and go the off. That's a hard ass name for a porn. You might be Sally.
Asante
So it can be my Sally the slammer.
Francesca
The slam pig.
Dustin Ross
Slam pig.
Asante
So yeah, I'd want one TV to or the oldest TV to not play porn, but I'd want it to play, you know, whatever was like very relevant to the VHS era. Like I can't think of like that thing except for like Blockbuster maybe. Yeah, Family Video is just the company, you know, Family Video. But I'd want the TV to play different things, right? So like maybe the box even or things like that. Things that were important to us does. And then I want the middle TV that's like a regular fat back slash regular standard flat screen. Because I was giving some away and this man was like, is this a smart tv? And I was like, I don't think it is. He's like, I don't want it then. And I was like, well, bye bitch. Look, meanwhile, go to Best Buy. These were donations. Like you know, you know you have the right to refuse, but why so rudely?
Dustin Ross
I bet you want it if I break it over your head.
Francesca
Head.
Asante
And to be real, it was cheap enough to where I could have just been like, you know. So on the other TV I'd want to play like the box, not the box I'd wanted to play. Just things that are important for the time. Pick something pre. Pre. Well, I thought about the box music videos, but that's what I'd want to play on the first. So it's like I'd want the box to play. I'd want the box to play on the original. Like the big Fatback TV. And then I'd want TRL to play on like the middle TV and then on like the newer TV. I don't know if it'd be like YouTube or just show all the streaming services have taken over or what, but I kind of want it to like a Cash Cobain. A Cash Cobain. Yes. We'll go from Kurt Cobain to Cash Cobain. Because I used to love that team spirit video.
Dustin Ross
Me too.
Asante
Like that just coming on.
Dustin Ross
That's.
Asante
That'd be great.
Francesca
Play that.
Asante
What? Okay. That is the pop culture wing. I also want to do video games in there, but I will leave that alone just because the way that video games have changed and like, like gone from we're just gonna play on a controller to. Or like you need an actual system to where you can just do it on a USB or a cell phone.
Francesca
Or even how they look.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin Ross
Helmet on. Looking like a fool.
Asante
Dustin.
Francesca
But even how they look. It's just such a crazy time.
Asante
They have suits. I'm excited because I know that this might piss you off.
Francesca
Suits.
Asante
Well, okay, so not even suits. You can literally buy like a stand. It's like a little floor pad, and it has like that elevator rotary, like, flooring. And then you can, like, lock yourself. It looks like you. You know those kids, when they have those gates and they're like walking around, it's like you can put yourself, like on this gate. And so like when you're walking on the pad, it's like you're walking and moving in the game, but then you wear other. Like, you can wear like a vest. So when they shoot you, you feel the shots. And. Too invasive for me. But, you know, they're. They're making this super immersive. They're making it very, very immersive. There was a guy on Instagram. I wish I knew.
Francesca
I mean, I guess we should have seen that coming.
Asante
This literally bought. There's a guy on Instagram, he actually had bought one of these things. It's like a haptic something thing. And I didn't follow the pad, you mean. Yeah, like, it's literally like a. It's like a floor pad, but it's like all directional. So it's not like you just. Just like a treadmill. Like, but you can walk any which way because it only goes with so far. And you're in, you know, using a character in a whole game. But the way that technology is becoming this immersive is scary. But also I need, like, it needs to be documented. Like, these kids are going to grow up doing treadmill walkie suits. And it's like, will you just get a controller? Like, just press the button. We don't need. I don't need to feel the game. I just want to play.
Dustin Ross
I'm old school. I want to hear them buttons clicking when we fighting each other on the neck. It's supposed to be like a snowball.
Asante
Yeah, but you playing with someone that got gloves on, it's just like.
Dustin Ross
Right. We both crazy.
Francesca
But also, one thing that I was actually just saying just yesterday is how different even video gameplay is now, because the. You know, we have a full house this summer with nephews.
Asante
What are they playing? What they playing? Tell me what they playing.
Francesca
No, here's the thing. When we were. Because they have the. The third floor. That's their, like, game room, video room, TV room. We just let them have it.
Dustin Ross
Kid ca.
Francesca
When we were the Kid Cave, literally, when we were little, video games meant everybody was just sitting around. Right. One TV screen, and we're all playing. But now it's different. They all have their own.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
Some console. Yeah. Like, there's one on a share. Nintendo Switch.
Asante
Yep. So one's got a handheld or something. Somebody on itself.
Francesca
Someone's on the.
Asante
And some of them be playing three different games at the time. And I'm like, why are you doing that?
Francesca
Like, this is so fascinating. They're all together up there, but everyone's in their own world. And I just feel like that's. That speaks so much to the kids of today, where it's. That's just. We never would have done that.
Dustin Ross
Never, you know, never.
Francesca
That would never would have been a thing where everyone is on a different thing. One kid is on a Game Boy every. A Playboy Portable. Playboy. Not Playboy.
Asante
What is it?
Francesca
PlayStation Portable.
Dustin Ross
That's in my room,
Asante
right.
Dustin Ross
Second floor,
Asante
Lock and step.
Francesca
The PlayStation Portable, which I didn't even know was a thing, and the other kid was on the. The virtual meta thing. What's it called?
Asante
The Oculus.
Francesca
The Oculus. You know what I'm saying? Like, you walk up there and you're like, whoa, y' all are on the nuts, friend.
Asante
I just got rid of my.
Francesca
I don't even use it. Have it for them when they come.
Asante
I felt so bad. The man, he was like. He's like, I can get, like, $50 for this. I was like, sir, it's either $50, right? I said, sir, it's either $50 from you or leave it in my apartment and get a $300 charge for leaving it, like, you know, like. Cuz I don't want to throw it
Francesca
away, but I'm so mad we got those. I don't know what we were thinking because I literally never used.
Asante
Literally me of all people.
Francesca
Okay.
Asante
I used that thing a handful of times. Like, didn't revisit and join. I think it's because I got bad eyes. I don't know. I'm not meant for the virtual world. I have a. I have a real world, real life. So it's like I need the option to log off and just taking the headset off is. It's too much. I'm not there.
Francesca
But when I started getting friend requests on the screen, I was like, wait, people can see I'm on this? I don't know why. That, like, made me feel weird. And I had to figure out how to disable that part. Like, I was like, this is too much. So it's just not for me. But all in all, I was just bringing that up to just show how even how they play is so different. So different.
Asante
Yep.
Francesca
What a time.
Asante
Yep. Speaking of times, we are going to just do a couple more of the. Well, yeah, a couple more. That'd be a terrible place to end. I want to do one more haul or a haul for the hall of Regret.
Dustin Ross
Regrets.
Asante
Do you guys remember Jesus on the Midnight library? There was the Book of Regrets.
Francesca
How heavy it was.
Asante
Yeah. So this could be in the hall of Grits. It could include something that you wish you'd kept or you threw away, you got rid of too soon. Or for me, it could be any of the things that I am getting rid of in the middle of this move. I have just so many regrets right now in the middle of this move. I don't know how to answer this question that I asked, but I just want to share really quickly. I did not plan my next move carefully. There was something that I was working with and because that didn't work out, I had to come up with a new plan on the fly. And that really just like, like sent me in a tizzy. And I feel bad too, because I broke my word to somebody. Now there were other things happening, but still breaking your word. And like those things, like, those are things that really, like, I hate. So something that I wish that I. There's. There are plenty of things that I got rid of, like clothes and things. But when I think about things that meant something to me, I always think about when I was younger and I think about pictures. Like, I don't take enough pictures. So the pictures that I do have. Have. Are, like, special to me. And I have, like, a few pictures on my. Or I had a few pictures on my fridge, but those pictures are gone. Like, memories of friends. Like, those are the things that I regret losing because I don't keep a lot of those. So it's like, I have a. I think I got a couple with us from our McDonald's campaign, but I keep those, like, tucked all the way away.
Dustin Ross
Like, just looking at them pictures yesterday.
Francesca
Those pictures so cute.
Dustin Ross
Like Echo Jogging.
Asante
Like, I love, love. I love pictures. And I don't pick. I don't take enough pictures. But that I. I don't want to do a whole, like, exhibit of pictures either that I've been in and I never got to see or pictures that I did have and lost or things that I just think about or even if my friends brought pictures of, you know, things that they love about, you know, our relationship or whatever. But, yeah, a whole, like, photo exhibit. Like. Like unclosed pins. You know how they'll sometimes. To do that thing where, like, all right, just do a bunch of photos at once that'll be mine. All the lost photos.
Francesca
I love that. Dustin, you want to go?
Dustin Ross
I don't have a lot of regrets to keep it so real. You know what I'm saying? Like, the last regret I have. About two years ago, I slept with somebody that had been trying to sleep with me for a long time.
Francesca
Oh, God.
Dustin Ross
And I just was not. I wasn't really interested. It wasn't that the person wasn't attractive.
Francesca
I just wasn't drumming my pain with your fingers.
Dustin Ross
I wasn't into it. And then they called me on the right, like, literally just caught me. And this is after, like, over a decade of me dubbing this.
Francesca
Yeah.
Asante
Yikes.
Dustin Ross
And they called me, like, on the right night. And we slept together. And I regret it because now they can say that we did that. And I really wish I could take it back. It wasn't. It wasn't great. It wasn't bad. It just was like, you just needed some company. It wasn't that. It was just. I don't care. It just was like, you know, it just happened. Like, y' all know I'm not the type of person that just have sex with people just to be having sex.
Asante
Right.
Francesca
Nasty to me.
Dustin Ross
Like, it's gotta be some sort of connection, something. You know what I mean?
Francesca
Same.
Dustin Ross
And after over a decade, man. Yep. And it was like, two years ago, you know what I'm saying? And I like. And.
Asante
And, you know, I'M sorry, friend.
Dustin Ross
Like, that's just on some real. I really wish I could take that back on some real snatch. Really? What you wanted to snatch your dick back?
Asante
You know what I'm saying? Like you naturally.
Dustin Ross
Okay. Pulling my pants down, singing Janet Jackson come back to me.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin Ross
Cause I had. I gave it away. Give it away, give it away. Now that's what I heard that night. I was drunk. Know what I'm saying? It was just the right night. And that was looking good that night. I will give them that. But I just still wish I wouldn't have done that. Yeah. Now every time I. I even think about this person because we don't see each other a lot, you know what I'm saying? It's rare that we run into each other. Every time I think about him, I just see Latoya Luckett on that versus when she came out. Get with you. Every time thinking about it. Every time I see that man. Oh, and then the worst thing with that short hair. And I seen they ass at one of my friends birthday parties. Like about this was like, maybe it was about a year after I seen him at my friend's birthday party. And it was like a little drama attached to it too.
Asante
So, like.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, yeah, it was a little drama attached to it too. You know, I don't like no drama. So I just really was over it. And so I seen the person at the birthday party and you know, I had completely like ghosted though. And so they kind of like tried to speak or whatever. Like tap my shirt. Like, what's up? You know what I'm saying? I was like, whatever.
Francesca
Like that's the noise of it.
Dustin Ross
Like, I just, I wish I could take that back. And to me it was on the account I just gave Dick. Whatever.
Asante
But you know what I'm saying, Like,
Dustin Ross
I just, every time I think about it, I wish I could take a pencil eraser, the old school pink one with the. That was like an inch and a half long, and just erase that part friend. We need that lady. And erase it.
Asante
Oh, my God, please.
Dustin Ross
So that's my regret. Just being honest, you know.
Francesca
No, thank you. When I tell you.
Asante
Yeah, things happen, you know, I just
Dustin Ross
regret it, you know?
Francesca
You know the, you know the. Yeah. Because it's weird. I've been in like horrible relationships that you would think that's who I would throw in there, but more so it's those random people that you're like, you didn't even have. Like there was. What was the reason.
Dustin Ross
Yes, Hennessy for me, right?
Francesca
You know, I had a boy that I liked. I thought he was so handsome in, like, high school.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
We didn't even go to the same school, but we would always see each other at, like, sporting things and, you know, school things, like parties in New York. There's always, like, a scene, so you're always bumping into people, the circles. You know how it is. And so it was the same thing in high school, and I just thought he was. Was so handsome. And we would flirt, but it was never anything. Then we bumped into each other as adults one night at, like, a bar.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
And that's where the conversation was, like, we never. You know, we adults now. And the flirtation kind of changed. And I regret.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
Because of where that person is now. Yeah.
Asante
Friend.
Dustin Ross
Hit it, friend. That.
Asante
You.
Dustin Ross
You. I'm telling you, man.
Francesca
And it's just like, you be like, don't tell nobody, please.
Dustin Ross
God in heaven. Hey, you know who know? My friend Zach know. I told Zach. He was like, I mean, this why we. Friend Zach. Like, everybody got. They don't tell.
Francesca
Everybody want to know.
Asante
Wow.
Francesca
I got about two.
Dustin Ross
Zach was like, you shouldn't even give a fuck. I was like, damn.
Francesca
And then, you know, was the other bad ones, the rebound ones from the big relationship that really went wrong. And so that person that you went to next because you were reeling from that big one, that person, you come
Asante
here at a time, shout out to
Dustin Ross
the real people that don't say nothing, shout out to y' all that. That y' all you can have a history with, and it just never come up. It's never an issue, no matter what.
Francesca
Like, and each other, they don't do that. Weird. Like.
Dustin Ross
No. You know, that look, which I love that. I love that look. I literally, like, thrive.
Francesca
It depends.
Dustin Ross
I get energy off of that, right? It's got to be, you know, it depends. But I. It's a. It's a meme from Jason's lyric, I think it is when Jada Pinkett Smith is walking past Alan Payne. They in, like, a crowd of people, and she looking over her shoulder at him, and he, like, looking at her like, I be doing that, and I love doing that with people that I. You know, I love.
Francesca
Yeah. I mean, if y' all got it like that, it's understandable. But there's some people that you just. I don't even homer in the bush as memes.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
But anyway, you know me. That's my haul.
Dustin Ross
You. We same sex. We can fight.
Francesca
That's
Dustin Ross
because I want to. We got to get it in blood now. I hate I. You.
Francesca
Oh, God.
Dustin Ross
So anyway, so that's that hard. Now, can we please, please demolish that? Like the east wing of the White House? Can we. Okay, can we please bulldoze that wing?
Asante
You want the hall of Regrets to be seasonal?
Dustin Ross
Bulldoze.
Asante
Always closed for renovations.
Francesca
That stick of dynamite, that's what we need.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, the one that threw it out. Oh, my God. Somebody get on the dark web. We need some dynamite around this motherfucker.
Francesca
Crypto.
Dustin Ross
Okay, yeah.
Asante
Here is the last exhibit and the last question for this and we can be done. So for the last exhibit, I want the exhibit to be, well present for us, but it'll be the future for whoever sees it. Because I don't know if you guys remember, but earlier this year, I did an episode. It was on us being the new historians, and this is us being the new historians in archiving things that have happened so far in our own lives, pop culture, our experiences, all of the above. So for this exhibit, I want you to tell me something currently that you think deserves preservation. It can be an object, a memory, a feeling. This is a museum. You know?
Dustin Ross
I'm ready. You ready, friend? You can go first, ladies. You sure?
Francesca
Positive.
Dustin Ross
I would like to arc. And I didn't say this before because I believe it belongs in the Smithsonian Museum of Africa, African American history in D.C. the. The rhinestone bra that Trina is wearing in the Nan Nigga video, I won't accept that.
Asante
It was the first.
Dustin Ross
It was the first time we were introduced to Trina. It was the first time we ever heard her rap. And seeing her. If you watch the video for Nan Nigga by Trick Daddy featuring Trina, when you watch her enter into the party room in the video, and she takes her jacket off, and she's wearing this rhinestone bra, bra, and she got her hair, I remember, twist up in a ponytail. That changed me forever. Like, when I seen that. And she was saying all that nasty ass in that song. And. And if you really listen to the bars in her verse in that and his verse, it's. It's so risque and shocking, the things that they're saying. And I remember being in. What was I, 11th grade when that came out, and I remember being like, I could not believe that. And the way Trina walked in and had her chest out, she was, like, proud. Like, she walked in, she took that coat off and started saying the filthiest shit I had ever heard. And that changed me. And my. My. It changed my understanding of female rap all of that. So I want to permanently archive and protect through legislature. Trina's in law. Trina's rhinestone bra from the Nan video.
Francesca
Wait, so it could be anything in, like, the, like, pop culture. Like, I guess I'm trying to understand.
Asante
This is your museum, your exhibit, so
Francesca
if you want just anything in life.
Asante
Yep. So these are things that could speak to you personally or just your interest so it doesn't have to be directly. Like, I wish Dustin would have said, you know, his own panties with a bra and rhinestone. Like, no. Yeah, like. But like, if I walk you through Dustin's museum and I see the trainer bra. Sorry. Y' all know, I be struggling to just try to find the next thought.
Francesca
That's culture music. Like, culture does.
Dustin Ross
I guess. I guess I'm Britney Spears up in this. I talked about that in my show. How her head, her panties look like Nike headbands.
Asante
Why?
Francesca
Oh, I know what mine would be. The sneakers hanging on the line.
Dustin Ross
Oh, yeah.
Francesca
I feel like that's just so classic to my life in so many ways. The sneakers hanging on the line. That's it. That would be mine.
Dustin Ross
On Imaginary Players by Cardi B. She be like, God. She be like, God forbid something happened to the brim. You know what I'm saying? She was like, but if I die, put my motherfucking heels in Nelson Ave. And then she'd be like, box legend heard. I was like, damn, can you imagine? Like, a Miami song? Somebody's shoes dug into or hanging on the thing or either dug into some cement on the block.
Francesca
Like, y. Yeah.
Dustin Ross
So, yeah,
Francesca
Harlem. Okay.
Asante
Yes. For me
Dustin Ross
and Big L and Big.
Francesca
Literally on my block.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, Yeah. I used to show everybody that. What I cuz, y' all know I used to live over there. I was sure I'll be walking my little one.
Francesca
That's part of the tour.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin Ross
Walking around the blocks, walking be like, yo, you know, big ass yo for real. You know, rap be like.
Francesca
But then people be like, can I go take a picture in front of that? Just walk past. Okay.
Dustin Ross
I went to see the big pun one in the Bronx, too.
Francesca
I've never seen.
Dustin Ross
I went to see it. It was though. It was hot as hell that day. I was sweating by the time I got. I was over, like, this it. But, you know, know, it was still amazing. And it was dope to just be there, feel all that energy, you know?
Francesca
And, you know, speaking of murals, a last one for me too is the that big Keith Haring crack is whack mural that people play handball on that's a big one. Because when people. When I have a love for Keith Haring because of it. Because when I was little, he was the first vision of, like, art for me, you know, as a kid, like, seeing his murals on the handball court, on the walls downtown, on the street. And, you know, that was like, my first introduction to that introduction. Yeah, like, he really put me on to what artists are and how they contributed to the landscape. And so I have such a, like, love for him. And I know some people just like hearing, and they don't. You know, it's. For some people, it's childish. They're like, that's starter 101 art. And there are a lot of people that feel that way. And it's like, okay, fine, there's levels to art. But as to me, it' just a personal reason why I love Keith Haring, because I remember being little, seeing his art.
Dustin Ross
Like, wouldn't it make sense that his art style, since they want to classify it, is that. Wouldn't that appeal to a child's eye
Francesca
and make it character? Yeah, like, the cartoonish art that I've gotten from, like, exhibits over the years. And so it's all over all the boys rooms. And I love how they love it. Like, they're just, like. Makes them happy, all the colors that's in their bathroom, you know, like. Like, I just. I think it's perfect energetically. But, yeah, it's so cute. I love Keith hearing that. So the Keith Haring would be part of it, too. So the sneakers online and, like, the crack is whack mural for sure. And shout out, you know, one last one. De la Vega. Do y' all remember that? I don't know if y' all were in New York for that. There was a Latin dude that used to leave quotes on the street, and he'd write it in chalk and always sign. Yeah. And he would leave a quote, or he'd do a little sketch, and then he'd sign it De la Vega. And it's a very New York thing. But he stopped. He might have stopped before y' all came, but I remember he's another one that was, like, important to me as a kid because I used to think that was so cool because you didn't know who he was.
Dustin Ross
Never knew.
Francesca
Yeah, it's kind of like Banksy, Banksy. Like, you never saw this man.
Asante
You didn't know with the smiley faces.
Francesca
He would do smiley faces, but it was mainly quotes. And the quotes are really uplifting. Like, as a kid, you'd Read them. And, you know, you're going through things living in these neighborhoods. And he'd say something about, like, keeping your head up type, you know, it was just always something affirming about appropriate and appropriate. And you knew he was of the culture and from the neighborhood because of. He was saying, so you respect. So. Yeah. Because it just would touch you, even as a kid. Kid. And he was important to me because I would, like. It became a game, too, as a kid, because you'd be hoping you got to see a de La Vega quote and you'd feel special when you saw it. You're like, oh, he did a new one on 103rd, you know, and, like,
Dustin Ross
you run Park Avenue.
Francesca
Yeah. And Lexington. And so those. Those little things of New York, man, are just so important. I. I'm sure there's someone listening that knows exactly what I'm talking about, because I don't hear people talk about him a lot. And I remember when I finally saw what he looked like, I was so. It was like, whoa.
Dustin Ross
Like, what did he look like?
Francesca
Like a Puerto Rican dude from Harlem. Just a young Puerto Rican dude. But it was kind of shocking the first time I saw what he looked like. And that was when the Internet started, you know, Then now, suddenly people start trying to find people, and now that type of mystique kind of goes away. Started posting pictures of him actually doing the quotes. You know, it kind of killed it a bit. Little. Little bit.
Dustin Ross
But shout out to De La Vega
Francesca
if you know I'm talking about. You gotta leave comments because you might even have pictures.
Dustin Ross
If you know him, tell him you
Francesca
want to know him.
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
Send him my love. You were a huge part of my childhood and very affirming.
Dustin Ross
And we should have him on the show. If we find him, we should have him on the show one time for some New York.
Francesca
I would cry.
Dustin Ross
Yes. You might have to fly here for that. We'll do it in studio.
Francesca
Oh, absolutely.
Dustin Ross
And make a quote to you. Yeah. Take pieces with the chalk.
Francesca
Okay, so those are my three.
Asante
All right. I just had a random idea. I don't know if you guys even know what you. I know y' all have both been to Atlanta. Familiar. But there used to be this peach. Like, this peach statue downtown. Like, you used to be able to see it, like, right off at I85. I don't know why, but I want it, and I want it. I want it in my house. No, I want it in a. Like, for an exhibit. I think that that peach. That peach and the old. So. So Deaf billboard. I think there's another.
Francesca
Oh, imagine there used to be this
Asante
so, so deaf billboard. I want that. Like, I. I need it. I just need it. Like, those are art to me. Those are the things that I think about. Like, even, you know, they have the, you know, spelled out Atlanta downtown sign or whatever, whatever. But those old landmarks of those things, like the 1996 Olympics type things, those. A lot of that stuff has been either run over or redone, demolished. And yeah, it's either been gentrified or redone for the World cup or prepared for new gentrification after the World Cup. Like, who knows, right? But the belt line, it's given the city access and a great third space, and everybody's out there enjoying themselves. So that's great, Great. But I think that those little things that make Atlanta, Atlanta, like, I need those. That. That sign, that logo peach. Like, if we had those things, places like the belt line, you know, after so many years, people are gonna be like, oh, that's what makes it Atlanta, or the belt line or whatever it is. So, yeah, those were the things that made Atlanta. Atlanta. Atlanta is always itself. But seeing that peach coming into downtown or even so. So deaf. If you come from out of town and you're like, oh, but you. Yep, I didn't made it. It just. Those were the things I did not take for granted while flying down the highway at a very young age. Yeah, that is it for this week's topic. I wanted to just do something that was kind of nostalgic but not traumatic.
Francesca
It was fun. But you brought up some things.
Asante
I'm sorry, Dustin.
Dustin Ross
And the worst part of everything I brought up, it was me saying that
Asante
you should have had panties.
Dustin Ross
Oh, it's the worst part.
Francesca
Like, that's the. That's the real trauma. Well, I hope you don't take.
Dustin Ross
I was doing so good.
Asante
For those of you listening, I urge you to call up your friends. Y' all talk about some old stuff that you enjoyed and what you think would go in your museum, or ask them what you feel like or tell them what you feel like should go in their museum, you know, respectfully. Because if they curse you and say, bitch, I would put that in my motherfucking museum. This is what mice. Y' all just have a good time, have fun with it. This was something fun that I feel like we all do needed. And I hope you all out there listening, enjoyed. That's it for me.
Francesca
Let's jump into this week's segment.
Dustin Ross
Welcome to the Friends. Paramount plus is now the home of all your BET favorites.
Francesca
That sounds nice.
Dustin Ross
With all new episodes of all the Queen's Men.
Asante
You stand up when you talk to the Queen.
Dustin Ross
Plus a whole new world of movies like Gladiator 2, I must have Power. Original series like the Shy.
Francesca
Life comes at you fast whether you ready for it or not.
Dustin Ross
In live sports like ufc.
Francesca
Unbelievable new home.
Dustin Ross
Welcome to paradise. Same family.
Asante
That's all that matters to me.
Dustin Ross
Your BET favorites are now on Paramount Plus. Subscribe now.
Francesca
This is a Monday.com ad, the same Monday.com designed for every team. The same Monday.com with built in AI scaling your work from day one. The same Monday.com with an easy and intuitive setup. Go to Monday.com and try it for free. This week in Wellness. So you know how last week for the wellness segment, we were discussing this concierge model that most people are experiencing with their doctors now. And I also mentioned Function Health, which was that new startup where you send them a couple vials of your blood and they're able to send you up to a hundred plus panels from your blood, basically letting you know how you're doing from head to toe and helping you create a plan if any of those markers are lacking in any way in your life. So it's impressive. I'm still, you know, hesitant and we discussed all the reasons why a lot of you actually wrote in saying that you are either a part of one of those memberships, not necessarily Functional Health, but others because like there's like 10 plus that I saw on Forbes that are really taking over now. And then a lot of you said you were interested but also hesitant. And I'm so excited because J Wendy and Jess, I love Jess from Wendy and Jess actually hit me and said that there is someone who works with Function Health who is a friend zone listener.
Asante
Wow.
Francesca
They heard us discussing it.
Dustin Ross
It wow.
Francesca
And they chat. They're now in touch with me and so I'm absolutely going to have her on because I think it's interesting. Right. Because she it works with the company. So of course she's going to be biased in a way. Yeah. I mean let's be real here. But it's also informative, you know, so that we can have an informed opinion with whatever decision we decide to make. So I definitely thank you to Jess for connecting us. I'm gonna have her come on soon. But it just got me thinking like the fact that, you know, we got connected with her. If we have skin care questions, we can tap into someone amazing like Sean Garrett, who we love on this show. You know what I'm saying?
Dustin Ross
Yeah.
Francesca
If we have Nutri, if we have health and nutrition, we have licensed dietitians like Wendy and Jess. Like our reach is so wide, pretty much with whatever it is that we want to discuss figure out. Remember we had someone join us and break down insurance.
Dustin Ross
Yes.
Francesca
For one of the wealthy segments, the insurance lady who helped us understand what health insurance deductibles and co pays and how to sign up in the market and all the questions that a lot of us feel really inundated with when we're trying to pick an insurance policy. We've had people bless us with car insurance information. I mean it's endless list. So I really wanted to kind of tap into our listenership because I realized there might be things because I'm one person and I have very specific interests, but we have a global audience from all over that might have their own concerns, that might have things that they would love for us to tap into because we do have the network to get the professionals to come on and, and discuss these things. I just want to make sure I'm casting a net that's wide enough so that we are really tapping into all the information that we need. So I really wanted to kind of do, I guess a call out to our listenership of what are some topics that you feel wellness and health and mental health based that you would like us to have professionals come on, licensed folks, you know, people who work in those fields to discuss. I want to just make sure that I'm covering the gamut of what we could possibly be discussing because honestly, when I received that message about the function health executive, I just felt like we're so bomb, like we could bring that up. Now we just have someone that's going to sit and talk to us.
Dustin Ross
I love that.
Francesca
So I want to make sure that we can do that for everything that people are curious about out. So if there's a topic, like I said, wellness, and it doesn't have to be specifically wellness, it can be lifestyle. Right. Because a car isn't necessarily wellness. But it's still a part of how you get around. It's still a part of your financial wellness and just like a holistic approach to your life, we want to tap into all those questions and concerns that you have. So if you can email me at Fran or you can write into info atthefriendzone podcast.com which is actually a business email. So yes, you have any concerns questions. Otherwise please always use that.
Dustin Ross
Business opportunities.
Francesca
Business opportunities, partnerships. That's always in the description Box. But hit me up, let me know. That way I'll be able to put together more curated wellness segments and conversations that are more unique to the things that our listeners are specifically interested in and in need of. So that's what this week's wellness is. And I'm definitely going to have the executive from Function Health come on to talk to us a little bit and give us some information. And Wendy and Jess are actually coming on next month as well because they have some new information, some projects that they've been working on that I think is really, really important. So a lot of good wellness and health and mental health conversations coming up. But like I said, I just want to make sure I'm tapped into what you actually are looking to hear. So that's it, right? That's it for this week in wellness,
Asante
this week in music. All right, y', all, I know that it is the music segment, but I have one story that ain't really music related, but we ain't going to be talking about over tv. For real. Y' all know I love my girl and y' all love her too. Megan the Stallion has returned to the villa. She was back on Love Island. I just want to report what y'.
Francesca
All. That's so cute.
Asante
Megan's the Stallion. I don't know if she got a, a residency at the villa and she could come every time, but I just had to shout my girl out. Last we heard you, you know, things weren't doing so well in her love life because of an ancient ass that he's no longer in the picture. She's back. She's promoting her business. Her hot girl swimwear had. It was a great promotion, a great plug.
Dustin Ross
Walmart, right?
Asante
I think so. I, I don't know.
Francesca
Smart.
Asante
I ain't going to buy the hot girl swim. Heck, you know I love you, girl. I ain't going by it, but yeah.
Francesca
Wait, and did all the girls have on her? Sweet.
Asante
I think she, I think she has men's clothes too, cuz I think the guys were wearing. I think the guys had on Megan's stuff too or whatever. Or they just kept saying, yeah, Megan.
Dustin Ross
I was like, my boy Kellen was in that shout out Kellen. Hell yeah. Kellen walked the wrong way.
Asante
Oh, but yes. I just want to shout out Megan thee stallion for showing her beautiful face and looking good and making money and having fun. That's what it's all about. You know, these are the things that are going to get her or keep her in good spirits in, in great shape and Fighting form and we love to see. That's all I really want to report in on music. You know, we just love to see people that we love doing good and Megan doing good and that's what makes me happy. Now we're going to move on to the listens lately portion of this program. Fran, I want to know what you have been over there listening to.
Francesca
So my favorite baby Rose dropped a video actually and a song called Let me go and this is how it goes. Mine I really like you but not this time maybe you should part of the plan don't try to save me cuz you don't understand maybe this is where I begin I'm letting go of you I take that chance
Dustin Ross
if you
Francesca
really mean it then won't you show me then if you love me let me go if you really love me Then let me show you if you really love me I love me some baby Rose. This came on on my shuffle this weekend. It's called special affair by the Internet. Need for your thoughts I know what you want I can read your mind even from behind and focusing your phone Let me take you home I want to take you home Just sorry that I'm here Don't plan on staying too long too long so you should commit sit your ass on this throne It's a special effect Better act like you know who I am who I am make you feel nice and comfortable trying to act nice Girl your cover you already knew that you already know that
Asante
you already knew that.
Francesca
Woo. I haven't heard that song minute that made me happy right? So good. And then lastly is. I don't know if I'm saying her name right. Leia. L A Y A Leia I think liar.
Dustin Ross
It would have to be sound like
Asante
it to me right?
Francesca
I would think you know maybe it show for Jumba Jumbo missing the song is called Luba and this is how it goes. Come on yo where you at right now? Where you at right now? Come on, where you at right now? Come on, where you at right now? Come on, where you at right now? Drinks and your cab is plugging don't budge when you feeling low key and the crib is too bleak can you hit that button? I'm coming while you wait no please. I'll be waving no fe you know you some fun want nothing When I get to your seat I'll be saving your seat get up in the front and something if your at the right
Dustin Ross
place
Francesca
call me when you can't say no then I'll send for you.
Dustin Ross
To know.
Francesca
Cute, right? It reminds me of like 702 very with Missy. Yeah, it got that. It also has a like early 2000s feel that. I don't know. It felt nostalgic when it popped. Popped up for me. So I was like, I gotta play that. Those are my three for this week, period.
Asante
Kirsten Ross, what you got for the people?
Dustin Ross
You know, for me this week we on some classic. We starting off with one of my favorite songs. Poor Georgie by MC Light and the Go. A little something like this.
Francesca
I met him in a club hanging out one night. He said, hello, I'm George. Hi. Like, how's everything going, huh? How you doing? Hope everything's fine. Ooh, and can I call you sometimes? Can I get the digits and the address so I could come visit? I gave him the digit. That wasn't a problem. Cause if he caused any, I would have to solve them. Cause George look good, damn good. And if I didn't, some other girl would. In my mind I hope for the.
Dustin Ross
Yeah, that's MC Life for Georgie. This next song, I really don't even have to say the name of it because soon as it come on gonna know it. And that's how you know it's a hit and it means something to people. Let's go.
Asante
That's all person I didn't know.
Dustin Ross
But it's got to be a better way. Better, way better.
Francesca
I'm a baller I'm a 20 inch crawler Blaze on Impala Diamond Rock Walla R10 hauler never leader not a Fowler Break these boys off I'm a 20 inch crawler bus a left or right I might have sight I'm so I'm bouncing off the road.
Dustin Ross
So the last song I'm gonna play is some white. Thank you. There's some white. But this one of my favorite white songs. It's called Lightning Crashes by Light live. Lightning crashes on the mother cries.
Francesca
Hopeless until it falls to the flow. The angel opens her eyes
Dustin Ross
the confusion
Francesca
sets in
Dustin Ross
before the doctor can even close the door.
Francesca
Lightning crash and old mother died Eyes. Her intentions fall to the floor. The angel closes her eyes
Dustin Ross
Lightning crashes by nine Beautiful.
Francesca
You got, you won.
Dustin Ross
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Francesca
Gorgeous record.
Dustin Ross
I would love to hear Fantasia sing that, but go ahead.
Asante
All right, first artist that I'm going to play, her name is Jade Monticello. I'm not sure which of these I. I've liked a couple of her songs, so I'm not sure which is the one that I had heard recently that I like the Most. Most. But I like both of these, so one of them got to do something. This song is called let's work it out.
Francesca
Let's work it out. Let's work it out. Midnight and I can't even sleep I know it ain't that deep but I can't stand when we don't speak I am hurting and I know that you are too but I don't know what to do right now I need you to prove your love is true hold me, baby show me that you care this I silence is so unfair I need to know that you'll always be there can we make up instead of us talking too much? I just need your touch just please let me know what's up let's work
Asante
it out all right, so that's.
Francesca
Let's work it out.
Asante
I like when. I like when people don't do too much and they take different, like, smaller risk and like, really establish that there's a perspective there. I feel like that's just live last. Oh, well, two more artists last. Next artist I want to play is name. Her name is Nomi. N o m I. Oh, yeah, I've been playing her. Did you play sweet Talk?
Francesca
I played both of her latest songs. Then.
Dustin Ross
Never mind.
Asante
I just have one more song to play then this song finish skew. This song is called Move on.
Francesca
I'm a man on a mission. I think my mission was ending with you how can you say I'm a villain when all that I did was make your dreams come true? I give you everything baby shed all my secrets you take to a to how you did me was unholy
Dustin Ross
and
Francesca
maybe that's the reason why your own spam in my phone I'm on a tone up so leave me alone room you had my heart in your hands I was your man yeah and maybe that's the reason that I'm sat on a phone while you're so down all
Dustin Ross
on your own wishing you could go
Francesca
back, you could go back wondering how
Dustin Ross
you're going to move.
Asante
All right, so that's Finteski.
Francesca
He did that.
Asante
That's finished. I don't know if he was playing Miguel's nachos or what, but I loved it.
Dustin Ross
I want to hear Kerry Hilson sing that song.
Francesca
Oh, interesting.
Asante
You took that somewhere. But I wanted him somewhere. That's it for the music man segment.
Francesca
Nice.
Dustin Ross
This week in TV watch Bell Collective. This past week at the BET Awards, Dr. Marie Monroe, who was one of the season one Belles, was there and just seeing her out at Motherfucking the BET Awards. She been on TV for six seasons, seven seasons. Like, it's good to see that. Those ladies should be at a red carpet event. And you know what I'm saying, getting pressed like that. They've been on TV for a long time, so I was happy to see that watch the show so that they can continue to get renewed. So that's currently airing on OWN right now. Great stories on there. We got some new moms that have entered the chat. You know, we always love an outspoken mother on reality tv. And we have two. Carrie, one of the newer belles, her mom and then her mother in law, who is extremely outspoken, have both been making really explosive scenes. I'm packaging it nicely because I'm talking about somebody's mama. Okay, Watch the show. There you go. Also, the Real Housewives of Atlanta just taped their reunion for season 17, so that should be airing within the next, like four weeks. And I heard some fireworks that took place at that reunion. Shout out to Parrish Shay, who has been responsible for styling Portia and Cynthia in their confessionals this season, as well as K. Michelle. I ran into Parachay at the club on Sunday. Shout out to Parachay and just support these shows. There's some great reality television from ensemble black cast that's on television right now that people should watch and support. So that's it for me from TV Land this week, y'. All.
Francesca
That's it for us. We love you guys so much and we don't take you for granted. We appreciate you for hanging with us yet another week and we will catch you next week.
Asante
Stay black and protect your magic.
Francesca
Bye, y'. All.
Dustin Ross
This is Paramount is now the home of all your BET favorites.
Francesca
That sounds nice.
Dustin Ross
With all new episodes of all the Queen's Men.
Asante
You stand up when you talk to the Queen.
Dustin Ross
Plus a whole new world of movies like Gladiator 2. I must have Power, original series like the Shy Life comes at you fast
Francesca
whether you ready for it or not.
Dustin Ross
And live sports like ufc.
Francesca
Unbelievable new home.
Dustin Ross
Welcome to paradise. Same family.
Asante
That's all that matters to me.
Dustin Ross
Your BET favorites are now on Paramount plus Subscribe now. Real talent is defined by what people can do, not where they learn to do it. So by stopping at the education section of a resume that you might throw away the perfect hire skills.
Asante
First.
Dustin Ross
Hiring helps you see talent others miss. Like more than 70 million stars skilled through alternative routes let their story unfold and gain a competitive advantage. Because hiring managers who start with skills are 60% more likely to find a successful hire hire skills first. Learn why at tearthepaperceiling.org, brought to you by OpportunityAtWork and the Ad Council.
Podcast: The Friend Zone
Episode Title: The Museum of You
Air Date: July 1, 2026
Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesca), Asante
Theme: Exploring the concept of curating a "Museum of You"—if your life were a museum, what would be in it? The conversation traverses childhood, relationships, culture, regrets, and what we want to preserve for the future.
This week’s episode centers around self-reflection, as the hosts imagine what artifacts, objects, memories, and symbols would fill a personal "Museum of You." Each host shares memories and objects that represent their childhoods, relationships, pop culture passions, regrets, and future aspirations. The discussion is designed to be lighthearted and nostalgic, with humorous and touching anecdotes throughout.
If you’ve never tuned into The Friend Zone, this episode is an excellent representation of the show’s blend of lighthearted pop-cultural banter, life advice, nostalgic storytelling, and mental health-consciousness, all bound together with camaraderie and plenty of inside jokes. The “Museum of You” theme is a memorable journey through the hosts’ lives and 90s/2000s Black American culture, inviting listeners to reflect on what artifacts tell their own story.
#TheFriendZone | info@thefriendzonepodcast.com
“Stay Black and protect your magic.” —Asante (119:00)