Year of the Fire Horse

Summary

The Friend Zone Podcast: “Year of the Fire Horse”

Episode Date: January 28, 2026
Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesca), Asante
Network: Loud Speakers Network

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Episode Overview

This episode welcomes listeners into 2026 with an “energy forecast”—an annual check-in on personal goals, the state of the world, and the ways listeners and hosts are navigating the balance between ambition, mental health, and the heavy realities of current events. Against a backdrop of social and political upheaval, the trio explores journaling as self-reflection, the symbolism of the "Year of the Fire Horse", community activism, and the power of staying present. Listeners are treated to classic Friend Zone warmth, humor, and vulnerability, plus music and TV recommendations that reflect the mood of the moment.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Vibes: Petty Resolutions & Keith Sweat Wisdom

• The hosts kick off with a humorous recount of a Breakfast Club interview with Keith Sweat.
• [03:04] Dustin Ross shares:
  • “I want everybody cheated on me to do bad.”
    This petty mantra becomes the running theme for the year—extracting gems and leaning into truth, even if it’s messy or raw.
• The episode’s vibe embraces forthrightness, boundaries, and letting go of fake positivity.

2. Snow Day Stories & Winter Comfort

• The group swaps snow day comfort food stories.
  • Dustin describes making “a pot of black eyed peas with smoked turkey necks,” noting the importance of winter rituals and feeling “fat and sassy.”
  • Asante talks about adapting TikTok recipes and the joys of communal gaming and cooking.
• [04:38] Francesca asks: “How was your snow day?” sparking cozy, detailed conversation about home, food, and community.

3. Community Recommendations: Black-Owned Book Tracking

• [13:51] Black Business of the Week:
  • Francesca spotlights The StoryGraph – a Black-owned, modern, mood-based book tracking platform, praised for its positive user environment versus the more critical, sometimes toxic Goodreads.
    • “I am so happy y’all put us on... I’m much happier energetically. And I love that it was created by a Black woman and a Black man. So that makes it even better.”
      —Francesca [15:08]

4. Listener Letters & Tech Talk

• A recap of supportive listener comments regarding old phones, cloud storage trust issues, and security risks with outdated devices.
• Hilarious community solidarity around having “ancient” iPhones.
• [22:33] Francesca reads:
  • “Apparently the 12 lets out more radiation than any of the other phones. Why the 12 specifically? I don’t know... but y’all had some perspective that was making me [pause].”

5. Pop Culture & Reality TV Reactions

• Deep dive into reactions to the Mary Cosby documentary (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City), with both Dustin and Asante finding it heavy on “feelings, not facts.”
  • “It was stuff on there that Mary was dead ass wrong for… but the rest... it wasn’t anything concrete in that documentary that made me feel any way.”
    —Dustin [27:33]

6. Energy Forecast: Setting Intentions in a Chaotic Year

[42:13] Francesca introduces the yearly "energy forecast":

• Journaling as a time capsule—looking back on stressors and successes.
  • “Are you reliable in the shit that you want to do?”
    —Dustin [46:10]
• The value of tracking growth, keeping promises to oneself, and honoring progress.

Personal Check-Ins and Reflections

• Dustin:

  • Laser focus on goals, organizing love life, and “eliminating” anything interrupting progress.
  • Candor about the political climate:
    • “The world is literally a prolapsed butthole right now.” [48:07]
    • Expresses frustration with recent elections, impacts on immigrant friends, and the need for boundary-setting.

• Asante:

  • “Another year of optimization” — moving to Charlotte as a life upgrade, eyeing next relocation, holding space for self while acknowledging service to others.
  • “Even though the conditions of things overall are how they are, I’m just still going to keep fighting.” [54:36]

• Francesca:

  • Reflects on personal seasons: hibernation, renewal, and now, “Year of the Fire Horse”—an energy of power, reemergence, and action.
  • Notes resonance across Chinese astrology, numerology, and intuition: collective shifts from “shedding” to “being ready to run.”
  • Observes the tension between self-care boundaries and the call to community action amid political and social crises.

7. Navigating the Present: Political Reality & Community Responsibility

• The trio examine how to “hold two things at the same time”: pursuing personal dreams while facing societal breakdown.
  • Francesca: “There’s a through line... I feel this generation has gotten really comfortable with boundaries. But... therapy-speak language has given us quote-unquote power to actually disengage from each other, as opposed to it strengthening and fortifying our relationships.” [64:16]
  • Dustin: “Sometimes you have to think about what situations serve you... We in a season of efficiency over here.” [51:14]
• Discussion on protests, ICE violence, and how even filming (as opposed to intervening) has become normalized.
  • “This is a time where we’re all going to have to ask ourselves, how can I muster up the strength, if necessary, to physically get into the game?”
    —Dustin [67:00]

8. Small Acts, Big Impact: Volunteering & Local Action

• Francesca shares getting involved with soup kitchens, supporting local children, and emphasizes heart-centered, offline activism.
• Encouragement to find “your role”—big or small—in the community, and not make service about optics or social media.

9. Wellness Segment: Creating Healthier Tech Habits

• Practical tips for reducing phone addiction:
  • “We have a rule... as soon as we get into the restaurant, we put both of our phones in my purse.”
    —Francesca [93:41]
• Discusses mindful eating, intentional communication, and the physiological/psychological benefits of phone-free time.
• Debate over FaceTime and multitasking etiquette; the generational gap in digital behaviors.

10. Music Man & TV Land: Cultural Recommendations

Music Segment [112:01+]

• Music History:
  • Shoutout to J. Cole’s birthday, “We Are the World” recording (Jan 28, 1985), and 10th anniversary of Rihanna’s ‘Anti.'
• Song Picks:
  • Salt – “God Protect Me From My Enemies” (Fran)
  • Tone Stith – “Fly” (Fran)
  • Tanerélle – “Feels Like Love” (Fran)
  • The Kid Laroi – “Cold” (Dustin)
  • Absolutely – “I Just Don’t Know You Yet” (Dustin)
  • June Tabor – “Conversation Pit” (Dustin)
  • 42 Dugg & Skilla Baby – “Thick” (Dustin)
  • Ari Lennox – “Mobbing in DC” (Asante) & general praise for her new project ‘Vacancy’
  • Dawn Richard & S. Fidelity – “Play” (Asante)
  • Girlfriend – “Deep” (Asante)

TV Highlights

• Hitmakers (Netflix):
  • All hosts rave about this music songwriting show for giving overdue shine to writers and producers, especially star Blue.
    • “She was the head team on Renaissance [Beyoncé].” – Francesca [149:11]
• Real Housewives of Potomac:
  • Dustin previews Karen’s post-jail episode and the upcoming red-themed reunion, with special attention to Wendy Oseffo’s look.
• Kim Wayans: “Still Got It with Izzy Fabulous” (YouTube)
  • Comedy fans recommended to subscribe.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Boundaries and Self-Trust:
  “Are you reliable in the shit that you want to do?... We worry a lot about trust in other people, but I think it’s more important to 100% trust your goddamn self.” —Dustin [46:13]

• On Today’s World:
  “The world is literally a prolapsed butthole right now.” —Dustin [48:07]

• On Political Apathy:
  “I have very strong feelings about this. Very strong feelings. Because what’s going on right now is literally out of control.” —Dustin [74:37]

• On Generation & Boundaries:
  “I feel this generation has gotten really comfortable with boundaries... but therapy-speak language has given us so much... to actually disengage from each other.” —Francesca [64:19]

• On Action vs. Optics:
  “Putting yourself on the line can express itself in many ways. It doesn’t have to be you jumping at an ICE agent, obviously. But just: what are you doing for your community who is reeling after something like this?” —Francesca [84:52]

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Memorable Moments

• [03:15] Theme Introduction:
  “Wise words being quoted on the Friend Zone today. God damn it. I want everybody cheated on me to do bad.”
• [42:13] Energy Forecast Tradition:
  Fran opens the “energy forecast,” connecting it to journaling and personal archives.
• [74:37] Dustin's Passionate Rant:
  His frustration on political willful ignorance and the continuous harm against marginalized people.
• [93:41] Phone-Free Dining:
  Fran’s family rule to enhance presence and improve digestion—an example of small changes with big impact.
• [145:15] Hitmakers Praise:
  The hosts’ enthusiastic recommendation and analysis of the Netflix show, especially songwriter Blue’s brilliance.

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Closing Thoughts & Listener Call-to-Action

The episode closes with an encouragement to use this time as both a collective and personal “journal entry,” hoping that one day these stressful times become mere memories. The hosts invite listeners to share their own ways of navigating balance, activism, and self-care in the comments for future discussion.

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Additional Resources

• Black-owned book tracker: The StoryGraph
• Patreon for weathering the news & community: The Friend Zone on Patreon
• Music history: “We Are the World” & Rihanna’s ‘Anti’
• TV picks: Hitmakers (Netflix), Real Housewives of Potomac, Kim Wayans’ Still Got It, Chasing Atlanta

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Time-Stamped Key Segments

• [03:04] — Keith Sweat’s “Do Bad” wisdom
• [13:51] — The StoryGraph Black Business of the Week
• [27:33] — Mary Cosby documentary reaction
• [42:13] — Energy forecast tradition and journaling
• [64:19] — The dark side of “boundaries” and collective inaction
• [67:00] — When to film and when to intervene: new activism questions
• [84:52] — “Putting yourself on the line” in big and small ways
• [93:41] — Creating phone-free rituals
• [112:01+] — Music highlights, including J. Cole, “We Are the World”
• [145:15] — Hitmakers (Netflix) deep dive

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In Summary

“Year of the Fire Horse” is a powerful, introspective episode that balances laughter, hard truths, and actionable hope. The Friend Zone crew gives us the space to process a chaotic world while showing that even small shifts in our personal and community habits can be revolutionary. Their blend of honesty, empathy, and humor makes the episode a nourishing listen for anyone seeking inspiration or just a sense of “not being alone” in turbulent times.

Transcript

[Asante]

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[Dustin Ross]

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[Asante]

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[Dustin Ross]

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[Francesca]

We've all been there. You hold on to a coupon, hoping to cash it in at the store, but then you forget about it and suddenly you've got a mountain of useless expired coupons.

[Dustin Ross]

Do you think this one's still good? Free milk.

[Francesca]

Oh, mate, that expired in 1993.

[Dustin Ross]

Dang it.

[Francesca]

Fortunately, there are better ways to save money. Like by switching to Geico, you could save about $900 on car insurance without ever touching a coupon.

[Dustin Ross]

Ooh, how about this one? Half off floppy disks.

[Francesca]

Now you should try a bit of spring cleaning.

[Dustin Ross]

It feels good to save big. It feels good to Geico. Welcome to the Friends.

[Asante]

My name is Dustin.

[Francesca]

I'm Francesca, also known as. Hey, friend.

[Asante]

Hey. My name is Asante.

[Dustin Ross]

This is the friend zone.

[Francesca]

Yeah. What you over here being messy for?

[Dustin Ross]

That's right. I think that this year, you know, because sometimes mess is entertaining, right? It just depends on how it is contained, right? So sometimes it's entertaining and that this is literally break breaking news. That's what this is. Because this literally just happened. At least it just came across my desk. I was watching an interview on the Breakfast Club. Shout out to the Breakfast Club. I was watching the interview on the Breakfast Club where Keith Sweat, iconic legendary RB singer, songwriter, producer, was being interviewed. And Keith Sweat was sitting up there talking about having over 30 years in the game and still being relevant in R B spaces and able to tour as a headliner. And he had on some, like, Louis Vuitton sunglasses, which, you know, old niggas love. He was popping his shit, you know what I'm saying? And so shot, you know. And so he set up there and he started talking. They were asking him about some of the inspiration behind some of his songwriting, some of his big hits. And I don't really think a lot of people know that Keith Sweat actually wrote all that music and produced a lot of it too, but he did.

[Francesca]

I didn't know that. Right. But anyway, where the money resides.

[Dustin Ross]

So he said he was talking about how his song Make It Last Forever was inspired by someone that cheated on him or whatever. And DJ Envy asked him if he ever goes back on Facebook and checks to see how the woman is doing.

[Francesca]

What? That's such a niche question.

[Dustin Ross]

He got such a niga answer.

[Asante]

Let me tell you.

[Dustin Ross]

Let me tell you. I want y' all to hear what Keith Sway had to say, which I felt to my bones. Here we go. I'm funny. I want everybody cheating on me to do bad.

[Asante]

To do bad.

[Francesca]

How many people?

[Asante]

Was it anybody? Now that's the.

[Dustin Ross]

That's the. That's people mentality.

[Asante]

Well, yes.

[Dustin Ross]

Wise words being quoted on the Friend Zone today. God damn it. I want everybody cheated on me to do bad.

[Francesca]

Oh, my.

[Dustin Ross]

To do bad. Those two words. Do bad. Two words for two fingers. I hope everything you even think about crumble. And I felt that in my soul. That can apply to infidelity in relationships. That can apply to people that did you wrong. In business, that could apply to a no good, lowdown ass friend who switched up on you and did you dirty. That could apply to your mailman who decided to stop putting the mail in the box the same way. Whoever then did you wrong.

[Francesca]

I hope they do relatable.

[Dustin Ross]

That's right. And the way he said up there, she said, ooh, how many people was it? He said, anybody?

[Asante]

You know what? I'm feeling that.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay. Something we can take with us. I told y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

That's the theme this year. We are extracting gems that we can use. Okay. It's something to lean on. That's gonna be the focus as we move forward with the top of the show this year with that being motherfucking said. Welcome to the Friend Zone, which is your weekly look at all things mental health, mental hygiene and. And mental grudge. Cuz, who in the hell want you to be doing good if you did me wrong? Okay, so that's where we at with it. Shout out to Keith Sweat. I'm about to listen to.

[Francesca]

That was hilarious.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. What's going on, friend? Asante. How y' all doing?

[Francesca]

We're doing good. How was your snow day? Y' all had some relaxing time, I'm assuming?

[Dustin Ross]

I cooked same.

[Francesca]

Ooh, wait, tell us. Tell us more.

[Dustin Ross]

I cooked wintertime food. I made a pot of black eyed peas with like smoked turkey necks and, you know, all that shit. I made cornbread. I made green beans and red skin potatoes mixed up the black way. I made. I did. I baked some chicken. I made some macaroni and cheese. What else did I cook? That's it. I had bought some. Some potatoes that I was going to mash, but I decided to Cut up the little baby reds and put them in the green beans. Anyway, so I do both, but that was it. I just made a bunch of winter heavy ass food set up in here. You know, fat and sassy. Like that's what I did. I sat up here, ate good. Okay.

[Francesca]

Best thing to do during a break, what you do.

[Asante]

Wow. I cooked as well. See, I cannot stop hearing you say.

[Dustin Ross]

That about need some bread, get all fat and sassy. That white girl, you know what I'm talking about. And most importantly, Ty do too. He'll put that in there.

[Francesca]

Just before the first flakes fell, people.

[Asante]

In north Mecklenburg county prepared to be.

[Francesca]

Snowed in for the weekend.

[Dustin Ross]

But agree a weekend wave of snow.

[Asante]

Will mean less people on the slick roads.

[Dustin Ross]

We'll probably sit around and cook some soups and eat bread and desserts and just get all fat and sassy. What you could.

[Asante]

I cooked as well. So, you know, I was looking at a bunch of one pot recipes. You do know what I cooked you. You see that one pot he got.

[Dustin Ross]

I got one of those.

[Francesca]

What's his name? Chop, Chef Chop, something like that. Let's shout him out because he's a great.

[Asante]

This brother out because he be cooking it up. He was put on to me.

[Francesca]

He chopped something.

[Asante]

One stop chop.

[Francesca]

There we go. One stop shop.

[Asante]

This man be cooking. He. I just seen that nice pot. It was. It kept going on my timeline. Is that what you call it on tick tock. Still a timeline?

[Francesca]

Well, yeah. Fyp.

[Asante]

My fyp. Thank you for that. You know.

[Dustin Ross]

What does that mean?

[Asante]

You for you page?

[Francesca]

The for you page.

[Asante]

Okay. Anyway, I like his pot. I'd seen it a bunch of times and I got to him cooking it and I was like, oh, a brother cooking in one of these. And then I saw. I saw it was literally the one pot. So is that what they call it? The one pot meal?

[Francesca]

Yeah, yeah. And that seems to be his thing. Like scroll down his page.

[Asante]

That was the one I landed on because I had me some chicken stock and some chicken and I was like, you know what, I need to recreate this recipe. So I was up in here chopping up veggies and putting them in the. The stock and making the rice and the chicken. I was in cleaning chicken and cleaning up after that. And I'd made soup the day before, so. What kind of soup?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, I love soup.

[Francesca]

I got me.

[Asante]

This is so funny. You know how y' all know I be on my game. So on my video game, one of the girls that I play with, she be Cooking all the time. So everything she cooks.

[Dustin Ross]

We literally one hand in one room, one another.

[Asante]

No, we literally in between matches on the game, she'd be like, hold on, I gotta go do XYZ and be gone for like 10, 15 minutes. Like I'd be like, damn, girl. But like, so what happened?

[Dustin Ross]

Her character just be getting shot up for them 15 minutes? No.

[Asante]

So that's why you can't just. So there's like a lobby before you go into the game. So we just be sitting in the lobby talking shit sometime and having a good ass time. But she always be cooking and talking some good ass shit. So she had this recipe for like baked potato soup. So I was like, you know what? I could chop me up some potatoes.

[Dustin Ross]

Like I could do this little bacon, little cheese. Yes.

[Asante]

My God, today I didn't make enough because I was scared I was gonna make too much. So then I ended up making not enough. And I was like, you know what? It lasted some more.

[Dustin Ross]

I love. I love cooking. And my friends, it was a party around the corner and my friends had randomly came over here because they was around the corner type it was. I had just finished in Black Eyed Peas. So, you know, them was lit drunk, you know what I'm saying? It got quiet. They was loud. As soon as they hit that back.

[Francesca]

Up, you grounded them.

[Dustin Ross]

They started tapping that fork at me.

[Francesca]

Grounded them.

[Dustin Ross]

It was right before the big snow too, so it was cool. But yeah, you know.

[Francesca]

Well, we didn't have a snow day out here.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, really?

[Asante]

So we didn't have any snow.

[Dustin Ross]

You went out to eat?

[Francesca]

Did.

[Asante]

We were not supposed to go.

[Francesca]

No. Yeah, I mean it's cold. It is very cold, I'll give you that. It was like in the 20s and 30s, which was. Felt arctic for out here. But we didn't get any snow. But, you know, I was concerned about everyone on the east coast. My mom and all my friends. And we were supposed to be in Atlanta actually last weekend for our friends. Shariel. Happy 40th birthday, Shariel.

[Dustin Ross]

Love you.

[Francesca]

We love you so much. And we hate it.

[Asante]

Hate it.

[Francesca]

You do. We hate that you couldn't have your birthday. Damn, you were lying. We hate that you couldn't have your birthday experience as planned. We were all supposed to fly out and just. Just have a ball. But obviously that got rerouted. But we'll be back. Yep, we will be back in April. So I hate that for all of us. We were excited to see each other and. No, we just were home. I was cleaning, doing laundry right it was crazy, though. I feel like I haven't heard, like a snow day like that in a while. Right? Y' all haven't had to sit in in years, I would say.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't really remember everywhere, too. It was right outside.

[Francesca]

I mean, even Texas was like, their flights were grounded and they were having a lot of electrical issues, like with their power, their grid. So. Yeah. Interesting times. Interesting times.

[Asante]

I'm so glad my power didn't go out.

[Dustin Ross]

Me too. I thank God.

[Francesca]

Yeah.

[Asante]

I just want.

[Francesca]

I know people are concerned about that.

[Asante]

I was not any of the ones. And I pray for anyone that had to experience that and that was not prepared. Prepared because I know people were cleaning out them grocery stores and things were emptied out. And then some people. It wasn't even that bad. So I know there were these tick tocks of people being like, raise your hand or put a finger down if you're one of them people that, you know, bought too much stuff and nothing happened outside. Well, I was one of those people where stuff happened outside. So, like, the roads were so iced out here. They were talking about how you weren't supposed to be on them and you kept hearing, like, different, like car noises. I don't want to say. But yeah, crashes. Yeah.

[Francesca]

That's so scary. And that was my concern too, with the ice, which is still going to be a problem throughout the week because of how cold it is. So just hoping everybody stays safe. Drivers, everybody.

[Dustin Ross]

Even those shoveling, either. If you have a sidewalk in a driveway, don't be half assing. If you're going to get out there and shovel, go and shovel the full width of the sidewalk, not just the path. Go on and take your time. Do it right. That's what I suggest.

[Francesca]

That's real. That's something I had to learn because I never had to do that before. But now I realize I'm responsible for a whole sidewalk.

[Dustin Ross]

And then it becomes. You don't want your shit looking raggedy, so you want to make sure you go all the way up to the edge of the grass with the. With the shovel so that it's clean and straight.

[Francesca]

I know you, so I already know.

[Dustin Ross]

How y' all stepping on your block, so.

[Francesca]

Well, I wasn't doing it, but I was.

[Dustin Ross]

But don't you.

[Francesca]

I was in the window, like, yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay. He. He ain't gonna have. I almost said something, but he ain't gonna have that looking raggedy at all. He gonna have it lined up.

[Asante]

You know?

[Francesca]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

So good.

[Francesca]

Well, I'm happy that everybody's safe. And praying for all of our listeners to be safe as well. Let's jump.

[Dustin Ross]

Get you a rag. One last winner tip. You know, I'm from Michigan. Get you a rag and wipe that salt off your shoes and shit. Wipe your salt off. Wipe that salt, all that salt off of your shit, your bags and real shoes and boots. Don't let that salt eat your shoes alive. And you also need to. What else y' all need to do? Wash your cars, too, because that salt, all that salt will take your car up. So go to the car wash, you know what I'm saying? And get all that off your cars, too.

[Francesca]

How did Mom Donnie do with his first.

[Dustin Ross]

He was outside helping people shovel their way out that were getting stuck in the streets. He was on top of everything with the trains. He was handling his motherfucking business. Great job there.

[Francesca]

Nice. I was curious.

[Dustin Ross]

Fantastic job.

[Francesca]

Nice shout out to Mom Donnie. Well, let's jump into the black business of the week, shall we?

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesca]

So I was complaining during the lituation, which is our. What did you call it? Asante? Our book show.

[Asante]

Welcome to the book show.

[Francesca]

It's our book club on Patreon, which you should absolutely check out. We're currently reading a book titled Culpability by Bruce Holzinger. Thank you, Asante. You are phenomenal at picking books. Here we are, for those of you.

[Asante]

Watching Reading the Rabbits. Yes. We got some stuff to talk about, y'.

[Francesca]

All. We really do. And you were right about, like, three things. But we'll get. We'll get there when we get there. But we're having a phenomenal time with these books. It's a really great book club. And our listeners, like Asante calls them Reading Rabbits are really engaging. And they heard me complaining about Goodreads, which is like a book tracking app or pay or, you know, website that also has an app. And it's great conceptually, Right. It helps you keep track of, like. It's like a virtual or digital bookshelf. You can keep track of everything you've read. You can keep track of books you're hoping to read that you're currently reading. You can see reviews, comments, recommendations, recommendations, you know, new books that have been released.

[Asante]

Right.

[Francesca]

Information about classics. And it's just a good way to kind of be, like, consumed by the book world. But I found the app to be very negative. Every book I've ever looked at on there, it's like people are hyper critical in a way that's like overstimulating. It's like they write these long paragraphs Everyone's. But book readers also tend to be really snobby Shade. So I guess I'm not surprised, but.

[Asante]

I just felt like scholars.

[Francesca]

Yeah. You know, and they just are so nitpicky about different things. And even books that I love. Yeah, they're just going in. And I get it. Not everyone's going to like the same books. Right. But it just seems overwhelming, like, damn, y' all go hard to critique people's books. And so I just didn't want to keep staying. I didn't want to be on there. And our listeners were like, well, you shouldn't be on there because there's a black owned right there. Like there's a. Okay. And I was like, so excited. So many of you too. Literally. It was comment after comment after comment. Like, how do y' all not know about the story graph? And so I said, well, let's make it a. So the story graph, it's the storygraph.com and it was founded by Nadia Odenayo. She's the founder, CEO and sole developer. And then she has a co founder by the name of. By the name, excuse me, of Rob Freelo, who's the chief AI officer. And they're also joined by Abby Walker, who is their support for product and also their admin. Okay, so the storygraph is an all in one platform for your bookish needs. Right. And when you scroll through the website, it's actually pretty amazing. They get. You can get smart personalized recommendations. Recommendations. You can discover books by mood, which I love. They have like a tab based on your moods. You can read with friends and add live reactions to specific parts of the book. That's amazing. And comments are locked for other participants. That way there's no fear of spoilers, you know, so it's based on like what you want to access in that part of the book. I mean, that's really cool. I can see us having a lot of fun with that. I feel like we should find a way to integrate this into more engaging engagement with our listeners. Yeah, especially the commentary. I think that'd be really funny. But they have reading challenges, a reading journal, content warnings as well. You know, sometimes you're reading certain things and you're like the same book, you know, making sure that doesn't contain anything that'd be too triggering custom tags and lists. Like I said, reading challenges. And a queue as well that you can maintain for books that you're looking forward to reading. So it's really comprehensive. I am so happy that y' all put us on because I checked it out, signed up already. And I'm much happier energetically. And I love that it was created by a black woman and a black man. So that makes it even better. So the storygraph.com is the black business of the week. All right, now let's jump into the recap segment. Last week's episode titled we back. Thank you, Dustin Ross. We are back from winter break. It was a shoot the shit episode. No hot button, no segments, just whatever wanted to come up. And as always, those of you listening had a lot to say. Who stood out to you?

[Asante]

Asante Shout out to everybody in the Spotify streets, especially everybody that congratulated or congratulated, welcomed, welcomed us back. A lot of y' all said y' all missed us. We missed you all.

[Francesca]

Was really nice. It was like an outpouring. We missed y' all too.

[Asante]

Last week. We had a lot of fun just starting the show back up for you guys and you guys had a lot to say about that. I want to shout out in the Spotify streets a few people. First person I want to shout out is Misaki. Misaki says, be careful with the hard drives, friend, because they can crash and you could still lose everything. So I was suggesting to you to get an external. Right, like, all right. But no, I'm suggesting to you to get an external hard drive. But that's just so you can have something in addition to. Because we're so reliant now on the cloud and I feel like why are we just relying on this cloud? And plus that's a subscription. It's just too much. It's a lot. So I'm a little bit older and around these parts, I'm still going to have some external storage. So that was my suggestion to you. But I do want to caution you that there is still fault as Misaki stated. So that's why I chose that comment.

[Francesca]

And I mean, obviously, yeah, anything that's a piece of technology, there's always going to be a fear of it being corrupted or some shit. But I just need to get that shit off my phone, right? Really. And I'll figure out the rest later.

[Asante]

Well, friends, speaking of your phone, Jen says friend, I had the iPhone XS Max the 10 up until I was gifted the 17 Pro in November. If it wasn't for that, me and my girl would have still been rocking.

[Francesca]

Let me tell y', all, the outpouring of support that I received.

[Asante]

The old phone people.

[Francesca]

That'S an opportunity.

[Dustin Ross]

The old phone people.

[Francesca]

I'm still laughing at you being like You're a modern woman.

[Asante]

You are.

[Dustin Ross]

You are a woman of today. I don't understand.

[Francesca]

That's so funny. But I was amazed at the people who had phones that were older than mine. I said, wow, wow. Some people had tens.

[Asante]

Candy says, same friend. It's me and my iPhone. My iPhone 12 till the wheels fall off. Like, a lot of people, me listening to y' all on my iPhone 11 while Dustin is dragging friends, Oregon friends out to 12.

[Francesca]

That's so funny.

[Asante]

Like the comments, I had a six.

[Francesca]

Before I went to the 12. I'm literally. That's when my.

[Asante]

You were on the six.

[Dustin Ross]

So what you waiting on the 24. You only do it with the double.

[Francesca]

Listen, I just saw the ad for the 18, and it looked like there might be some new technology.

[Asante]

You were just like, q, so we'll see. Or you were think. Or you was thinking about because you know there's going to be a foldable iPhone.

[Francesca]

I didn't see that. I did see that. No, listen, everyone was making me laugh in the comments because it seems like a lot of us have a 12 or an XR, which I didn't even know what that was. I said, which one is the xr? I missed that one. But there was a comment which I was looking for. And I don't know if you deleted your comment because I literally couldn't find it, but someone was talking about security risks of having a really old phone. And then that's the first time that I was like, I'm listening. And they wrote a whole thing. They work in it, I believe. And they were like, after a certain phone, Apple literally, basically, like, doesn't care about the phone anymore, and they don't supply protections. And apparently the 12 is about to be that phone. And so they said, yeah, you can have it. We get it. Like, it does work the same. You really don't need to upgrade. But you do have to consider that, like, as far as the security risk.

[Asante]

So they said, at least get you a 14 or something.

[Francesca]

At least a 13, girl. So that's the part of the first comment that, you know, made me reconsider my stance. Yeah. As well as someone saying the 12, allegedly. Because I didn't do any research. So I don't know. Apparently the 12 lets out more radiation than any of the other phones. Why the 12 specifically? I don't know. Like I said, I didn't look into that. But, you know, y' all were. Y' all had some perspective. That was making me.

[Asante]

Well, friend, what did you find out there in those streets. Go ahead and take the reins on the comments.

[Francesca]

Well, call her. Honey said, I have a 12:2 screen cracked. I can't hear calls without speaker or headphones, but I'm not exchanging.

[Asante]

Oh, honey.

[Francesca]

And then the Friend Zone account, which wasn't one of us, said, wait a minute, the wheels are falling off on that one.

[Asante]

I approve that one. I do. It wasn't me, but I approve.

[Francesca]

Wait a minute. Oh my God, love, she said, I can't hear, I can't see.

[Asante]

Like, you're gonna need to do something. You don't have a phone anymore, sweetie.

[Dustin Ross]

What can it do? That's what I was over here trying to deduce a paper and determine like, well, what does the damn phone A.

[Asante]

Weapon in case somebody's robbing you. Oh, you cut me with your.

[Dustin Ross]

You can't scroll up because you slice your finger.

[Francesca]

Oh, that was so good. Now this one is a serious one. Lovely Leslie said, After learning about child slavery in the Congo for Cobalt, that's needed for these devices. I've scaled back on how often I buy a new device if there's no need to upgrade or replace, if that isn't a position for our asses. Thank you, lovely Leslie, for reminding us of that. And then lastly, yes, but not a new one. Lexi G said, I started reading consistently in August of last year and have read 36 books.

[Asante]

Come on.

[Francesca]

That is amazing.

[Dustin Ross]

Come on.

[Francesca]

Since August. Y' all are so inspiring and it was rewarding and inspiring. Book five right now for 2026. Also, I love Claude on TikTok and the whole booktok community he's cultivated and definitely has been motivating for me to read more. I just finished the Bluest Eye and life changing is an understatement. Can't wait to continue reading with y' all this year. Then the last one I actually have is a question for the two of you. Emmy Hale said, first of all, welcome back y'. All. And second, speaking of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, I'm dying to know whether or not Dustin and Asante, the HBO docu series about Mary Cosby.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes, I actually have so shout out to Carlos King. Him and I did a whole video about it that lives over on his Patreon and I think there's a teaser on his YouTube channel as well. But we went into full depth. I wore a Salt Lake City Mormon blue suit to talk about it.

[Francesca]

Wait, what?

[Dustin Ross]

I had on a blue suit with a tie to talk about. Cause he's talking about trick shit. So I wore a suit and we talked about it. As far as how I felt about it, you know, niggas hating. I felt like a lot of people in the documentary. It was a bunch of feelings as opposed to facts. I felt like her sister was a hater, public hater, number one, talking about he bought Mary BMW. I'm looking. Where am I? I want BMW. She. They just. They was jealous and mad that Mary got on tv. The people in that church, some of them were off yelling and crying, talking about, I never leave you to marry, and all of that stuff. It was just extreme, you know what I'm saying?

[Francesca]

Who are the people? Just you. Mainly friends and family, parishioners of the church. Parishioners got you.

[Dustin Ross]

And so, you know, but it was just people. There were. There were people making. There were people.

[Asante]

They.

[Dustin Ross]

Nobody ever really said Mary did this to me. A lot of people said. I felt like Mary was this type of person and she was the type that did this. And then, you know, it was just a lot of feelings, with the exception of this one man whose daughter had lost her life in a car accident. And Mary had told the story in an iconically comedic way on the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. And I can understand how that would be hurtful to somebody that had lost their kid in that very situation she was describing. Now, that I did think Mary was wrong about. But the rest of that shit that was in people, you know what I'm saying? Like, it wasn't anything concrete in that documentary that made me feel. Anyway, all it did was make Mary a bigger reality star, because now people want to watch the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City even more. So it was a big miss for me. What say you, Asante?

[Asante]

I do say the documentary was counterproductive because I feel like it was one of those things that was made to, like, look. Make her look a certain way. Which I feel like they were mapping it out very well. Like, you know, Mary could look this way because there were some things that were pretty heinous. Like, you know, girl, you did do xyz. But I feel like. So, yes, I did watch it. I was actually shocked by some of what I saw in it.

[Dustin Ross]

Like, what? Cause I wasn't shocked by shit.

[Asante]

That's the thing. Like, it wasn't shocking because it was anything new. It was just shocking because it was like, well, damn. Like, y' all doing that, too. Like, what? For me, like, the. The church stuff with the money. Like, when some of them were talking about how they were giving up that, like, the man that was On. That appeared on the show. I didn't. I don't remember his name.

[Dustin Ross]

I remember Cameron. Yeah, yeah.

[Asante]

That whole thing with him. So there was a gentleman that had appeared on the show Housewives. And sometimes when people appear on Housewives, you're like, okay, I don't know if this is real or not. Right. But apparently. So this documentary kind of like pulled back, like, gave us a little bit more insight to this man that appeared on the show. And apparently he had been fucking Mary.

[Francesca]

He's a parishioner.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesca]

All right, now.

[Asante]

And he had given her. He'd given her a bunch of his money. Apparently they had people from the church working in their house and living in their house, and a lot of it was just kind of odd. So, like, Dustin's saying, there was nothing concrete. It was just a bunch of feelings. So I didn't feel like anything in there was to make me be like, she should be off the show now. As much as it was just like, all right, well, y' all just told me more about, like, y'. All. Y' all elaborated on some things that make her look bad. Sure. But are y' all gonna bring her on some charges or something? Not that she needs to be. I just didn't. The documentary wasn't for me, as salacious as it was supposed to be, I guess. So I was like, all right, well, I didn't need to be here.

[Francesca]

Whoa.

[Asante]

But I know a lot of. But I know a lot of people, you know, wanted to give the opinion of the documentary was so bad or so trash or, you know, it was so good that, you know, why do y' all still like Mary? I just didn't feel like the documentary gave me anything. I was like, all right, well, that was some stuff that I knew. We elaborate on some things that I knew. And thank you. I didn't actually need the context like what Dustin was saying about that one man being upset about his child. That was context that did live with me because I remember that moment happening on the show. There was a moment on the show where Mary's literally at this woman's house and she says something really crazy and she's talking about it, like, really wide eyed, and it comes off funny. But it's also like, why are you talking to these kids like this? Like, why are you? And you're talking about something so heinous and crazy. I remember that moment on the show. And so when they were giving that context, I was like, well, damn, that was fucked up. But I was also like, all right. I didn't actually need any more context because I knew that was fucked up in that moment. Y' all's production chose to show that on the show. But I guess it was like, all right, we're gonna take receipts from what y' all showed us on the show, along with what we feel and have felt for all these years and what we know about her and make it a thing. I was just like, I didn't.

[Dustin Ross]

It was stuff like this one. And then we can get off of this, right? One guy said that he gave Mary a card on her birthday with a thousand dollars cash in it, and she never said nothing to him about it. And so that's why he mad at her.

[Francesca]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

You feel me?

[Francesca]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

But then it would be stuff on there that Mary was dead ass wrong for. But it was. And it's not funny. But hearing her speak in an exaggerated heightened tone and cadence, like that was funny. Here's an example. She was in the pulpit, and somebody recorded her on a hot mic saying that God had told her all the people were poor and she didn't want no poor people around her. But she was saying, oh, my God. So you know how Mary's voice sounds. And she was. And it's a hot mic, so you don't really see her. You just hear, I don't want God touch a pole. That's how I know you pull God touch pole. I want no poor people around me. The way she was saying it, it was so ridiculous that it was funny. You know what I mean? And that's what I'm saying about the documentary. That in addition to people who were holding grievances and grudges over, you know, it just was one of those situations.

[Asante]

But I have to also accept that I'm a little desensitized, as I'm sure we all are to some degree, to some of this, like, corrupt church stuff. That's. So that's why I was kind of like, okay, like, you know, which is. Which sucks. It's bad. I'm not saying that, you know, how I feel is like, fuck that shit. Cause whatever. It's just like, eh. That's why I'm so indifferent about it.

[Dustin Ross]

I said that when I watch it.

[Asante]

But I get it, you know, Like, I. I get it, but also, like.

[Dustin Ross]

I understand your ass to do that. You know what I'm saying? Like, who told you to go kiss her ass like that? That's not getting closer to God. If it is, you need to do some real work studying the Word and understanding what all of that Means and. And working on your spirituality because it should never be tied up in a human being like that to that point where you are ignoring your own physical needs to demonstrate some allegiance or loyalty to a fucking human being. Mary Cosby at that. You know what I'm saying? So I had trouble finding the. I don't know, like, they gave us.

[Asante]

The background friend of, like, her grandmother, Big mama, how she had moved out to Utah and started this church and. And, like, how she had businesses. Like, they were giving us, like, the foundation, the groundwork.

[Francesca]

Yeah.

[Asante]

So for me, I was already a little lost after they were like, you know, like, we knew what Mary did. Like, you know, she married the grandfather. And so, like, after they kind of talked about that, I was kind of off it. I was like, well, why don't y' all still go to the church after this anyway? So that's why I'm so, like, I don't know who I'm supposed to feel for here anymore. Like, you already kind of knew what time it was, but y' all still did it, so. And now I watch this, so I'm another number. That's how I. Like, I just didn't get it. But, yeah, the documentary happened. Mary Cosby. For some people, it just made them love her even more because people went against the grain or they're going against her. So, yeah, to answer the comment, we watched the documentary.

[Francesca]

I might check it out. Out of curiosity, Dustin Ross, would you find in those Twitter streets today must.

[Dustin Ross]

Be petty day, because as I opened up the app to. I almost feel like I need to play the rolly sound bite. A win and sound bite again. And I actually will hold on a second, because we got more breaking petty news.

[Francesca]

Oh, no.

[Dustin Ross]

Fresh off the Twitter press. Mary J. Blige tweeted this 36 minutes ago. She tweeted a meme that says, not a single person who tried to play me ended up in a good situation. Be careful. God is sensitive about his baby girl. And she signed it mjb.

[Francesca]

Signing it is crazy.

[Dustin Ross]

It's just so, as you can see, based on Mary J. Blige's epiphany and also the reflections of Keith Sweat at the Breakfast Club this morning, we're in a petty mood, a messy mood over here today. Okay? Mary J. Blige sending shots. We all know the recent legal ongoings that have been, you know, taking place in her world. Keith Sweat sending shots to whom it may concern a hit. Cause we don't know who the women are, but they heard him say that anybody they heard him say that on the Breakfast Club. Here we are. That's it for me this week. There's no need to look any further. Further.

[Francesca]

Before we. Jump in. Jump in. Do you guys have any announcements or anything you want the listeners to know?

[Dustin Ross]

Yes, dude, go ahead. Tay. Your name started with the A. Mine started a D. So you gotta go first.

[Asante]

Well, it is the end of the month, so for our gated community, something very special is happening. For the first time in 2026, we will be having our Wednesday wind down. That is correct. If you are listening to this episode, the day that it drops, that is January 28, 2026 at 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time. We will be going live on Patreon. That's patreon.com the friends on podcast. If you join, you will get more than those lives that happen every Wednesday because if it on Wednesday you will be able to get a recap of or a rewind of it. We'll replay it, you'll get to rewatch it and you'll get to see us talk about whatever we're going to talk about on Wednesday along with other premium content, which includes our book show, which we were talking about earlier, which is the situation. We discussed the book that we're reading, which is Culpability. Join us. We're reading our second set of chapters. We just got started. So join us early on in case you want. Or just watch us talk about the book and then start reading the book if you just want to, I guess get some sort of like preview if you will. And we're also watching the Netflix show His and hers starring Tessa Thompson. And we are reviewing that on our. Our TV show. No, our TV recap show, which is called the Binge and that I see a lot of people have actually commented in on the Spotify streets that they have finished the series already. Well, you need to watch us talk about it from week to week because there is still things that need to be discussed and that are all. That's all the things that you're going to get on Patreon. Other things that I might be forgetting. But the most important thing not forgetting, actually one thing that I will make sure I mention, we have a discord because the discord has to be shouted out. Fran has done a great job of.

[Francesca]

Mentioning developments is what they call themselves because they say we neglect them.

[Asante]

Yes, I want to make sure I shout out the discord. Y' all doing y' all thing over there as per usual. So there are many fun things over on Patreon. Sign up, up. Have fun with us. And that's all I want to talk about. Dustin, please let the people know what you've got going on.

[Dustin Ross]

So on Tuesday, March 17, which is St. Patrick's Day here in New York City, I am performing, doing stand up comedy at City Winery here in New York City. So you can go to. Thank you, man. Y' all can go to citywinery.com back back on a boy on the road. I'm a hoe.

[Asante]

I was just a girl on the road. I'll never forget her in that moment.

[Dustin Ross]

Tuesday, March 17th at 7pm here in New York City at City Winery. I'll be performing. You can go to citywinery.com and just search my name, Dustin Ross. It'll pop right up. And I can't wait to see everybody. We got new jokes, new shit, new ways to make you laugh and make your shoulders shaking them seats. They serve drinks and food. So you gotta be satisfied in many ways. So I just suggest everybody come on out again. Those tickets are on sale right now. That is Tuesday, March, March 17th at 7:00pm here in New York City.

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you.

[Francesca]

I also wanted to mention also links, as always, are in the description box for easy access. I also wanted to mention that our social media clips are now on YouTube shorts. As always, I'm very excited about you guys have been showing us so much love. Last year was the first year that we, after 10 years decided to join social media in a more active way, you know, with social media clips. Thank you to Ty the Robot Ty, our editor and engineer, for encouraging that and nudging us in that direction. And it's been really fun having another way, having another way to connect with y'. All. And for those of you who are not on the Patreon, it's a cool way for you to get a teaser of what the experience is like, watching our reactions as we facilitate each episode. So check us out on YouTube. Just type in the Friendzone podcast in the browser and we'll pop right up. And then of course, we are on Twitter, we are on TikTok, we are on Instagram Blue Sky. Apparently we're about to be on Spill as well, so. Right. So check us out wherever people are, I guess you can say. And with that being said, let's jump into this week's episode.

[Asante]

Now that the holidays are over, you might be feeling like you've got a big spending hangover. The drinks, the holiday food, the gifts, it all adds up. Luckily, Mint Mobile is here to help you out Cut back on overspending on wireless this January with 50% off of unlimited premium wireless. You guys, Mint Mobile is the greatest way to save on some great premium network service, okay? If you have a device and you need some service and you want some savings, Mint Mobile is the place to go. Okay? Mint Mobile's end of year sale is still going on, but only until the end of the month. Cut out Big Wireless's bloated plans and unnecessary monthly charges with 50% off 3, 6 or 12 months of unlimited. All plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. Use your own phone with any Mint Mobile plan and bring your phone number along with all your existing contacts. You guys, Mint Mobile is one of those things that you have if you need to save some money, but you don't want to cut back on the service, okay? I'm talking about the customer service as well as the wireless service. You need to talk on the phone, you need to send those texts, you need to log on to those apps. Mint Mobile's got your back, okay? This January, quit overspending on Wireless with 50% off unlimited premium wireless plans starting at 15amonth at mintmobile.com friend that's mintmobile.com friend limited time offer upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months or 180 for 12 month plan required. $15 a month equivalent taxes and fees. Extra initial plan term only greater than 50 gigabytes. May slow when network is busy. Capable device required. Availability, speed and coverage varies. Cementmobile.com Adobe Acrobat Studio your new foundation. Use PDF spaces to generate a presentation. Grab your docs, your permits, your moves, AI levels of your pitch. Gets it in a groove. Choose a template with your timeless cool.

[Dustin Ross]

Come on now. No, let's flex those tools. Drive, design, deliver, make it sing. AI builds the deck so you can build that thing. Do that, do that, do that with Acrobat. Learn [e-mail] do that with Acrobat.

[Francesca]

We've all been there. You hold on to a coupon, hoping to cash it in at the store. But then you forget about it and suddenly you've got a mountain of useless expired coupons.

[Dustin Ross]

Do you think this one's still good? Free milk?

[Francesca]

Oh, mate, that expired in 1993.

[Dustin Ross]

Dang it.

[Francesca]

Fortunately, there are better ways to save money. Like by switching to Geico. You could save about 900 on car insurance without ever touching a coupon.

[Dustin Ross]

Ooh, how about this one? Half off floppy disks.

[Francesca]

Now you should try a bit of spring cleaning.

[Dustin Ross]

It feels good to save big. It feels good to Geico.

[Francesca]

So this week's episode is what I like to call an energy forecast. We do it at the top of the year every year, and it's kind of like a. It has a similar effect of like, a diary entry. You ever looked. Are y' all diary people? Were y' all ever people that journaled or. No, the fact I've tried.

[Asante]

I tried, you know, I've tried multiple times. It just don't stick.

[Dustin Ross]

I always start diaries for girls. I'm not saying it is now. I'm just saying, like, I always feel like diaries was for girls growing up, so I never had one one. But I would have. Now that I'm progressive in my views, I definitely would have it, but I didn't know. You know what I'm saying?

[Francesca]

Yeah.

[Asante]

I've always tried because I've always understood the importance. Like, I grew up watching the Star Trek like that. Like, every episode was like a log entry. And then I remember watching Doug, and every episode was like. Like he was writing in his journal. And so I remember, like, thinking, like, damn, this is crazy. Because it's like a personal time capsule. You get to, like, look back, review those things. But even getting the. The moments down, it's like, no, I need to live in those moments and just try to hold on as long as possible. If they transfer my camera roll on paper, you know, I'd be grateful. But touch and go with all mediums.

[Francesca]

Right. And. And you hit it on the. You hit the nail on the head, because it is. Whatever. No, it's a time cap. I love looking back. I'm kind of in and out of journaling. I'm not one of those people that's, like, really a stickler for it. Like, some people I know have journals for the past. Like, 10. All these journals, I kind of go in and out. But what I do appreciate about it is when you find one and you look back and see the shit you were stressed about. Yes. Because you're like, that person ain't even in my life no more.

[Dustin Ross]

Wow.

[Francesca]

Or that financial issue I was that felt so big at that time, that's just not even my reality anymore. Or most importantly, the things that I remember listing out were my dreams, like, certain measures of success or just certain things I wanted to hit, to see that I did hit all of them. And I think sometimes it's easy to forget that because you're in it or you did it and you forget to look back. The life you have now, you really fought for it or pushed for it or hoped for it, even in the smallest degree. Yeah. You know what I mean? So I think it's important to have those time capsules documented or archived in some capacity so that you can look back and appreciate something and. You know what I mean? I think it's important because it's so easy for us, especially as humans, to always want, want, want. And in that wanting to forget what you wanted before and what you've achieved and what you've gotten, I think it's helpful. It really is helpful. So we do this energy forecast because I think it's important to look back at the year. You know, I love listening to the episodes, the energy forecast of years prior to see what we were feeling at the top of the year. What are the things we had in mind for it, what, you know, maybe some goals we had. I think Dustin is a great example because in one of the forecasts, he was talking about hoping to get on stage, you know, for his comedy setups and tours. And then now look, we're watching it happen. It's actually. And even you dreaming of being a nightly host for a TV show, like, things. We're gonna watch all these things unfold. You know, we each had our different goals. I know Asante and I had been entertaining, moving, you know, and got the hell on. And look at us. We're what, three, four, and five years in at this point? So it's just nice. It's nice to look back and be like, oh, I'm so proud of myself. I think it's. It's good to see also that you do what you say because that creates more trust in you as a person. We worry a lot about trust in other people, but I think it's more.

[Dustin Ross]

Important to 100% trust your goddamn self.

[Francesca]

Are you reliable in the shit that you want to do? Like, that's actually more important.

[Dustin Ross]

It ain't about body types either, because we can all trust our gut.

[Francesca]

You know what? So I wanted to check in with y'. All.

[Asante]

Oh, my.

[Francesca]

About 2026, right? So far, we're about a month in already, which is nuts. It feels like that flew by. But what were y' all thinking before the year turned right at the end of 2025? Is it matching up with the energy now that we are here in 2026? Are you feeling any differently? Are you feeling like, yep, this is what I thought this year was gonna feel like? Like, are things starting to unfold? Just anything that you're feeling energetically well personally.

[Dustin Ross]

Right. We'll start with the things that we can control. Right. So when it comes to my personal life, when it comes to the things that I'm applying focus to right now, they are going in the right direction that I want them to. You can never predict. Predict the outcome of certain things, but you can damn sure plant some seeds. You can definitely make it known that you're available to be considered for certain. You know, I'm just speaking about professional opportunities now, but so that part, yes, I'm grateful for my love life. I'm trying to get control over and. And organize it as best as I can, so.

[Francesca]

You're lovely.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. We'll see what happens. You know what I'm saying? Not in the way of, like, being in a relationship, per se, but just having clarity on, like, having a focus. You know what I'm saying? Like, loving someone and. And narrowing the focus of it in a way that is healthy, whatever that looks like. So you know what I'm saying, y'?

[Asante]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

So tell us.

[Asante]

Sorry. I said that's good.

[Dustin Ross]

Y' all just can't even, like.

[Asante]

You know how you. You know, how you presented in the past, though, so it was very. I'm. I'm just myself really quickly avoiding saying.

[Francesca]

Like, I'm ready to do this. He's like, so, you know, I'm gonna.

[Dustin Ross]

Focus and, yeah, like, just apply a concentrated effort to streamline my personal life as much as I can in a way. And this ain't got nothing to do with people and specific things, whatever, but, like. Like, you know, you just never know what might happen with certain stuff, so that's that. The world is ablaze, child. The world is literally a prolapsed butthole right now. And so I feel like, you know what I'm saying, that part of the world and of my life and my experience, yes, that also is going the way that I thought it would because I knew we were doing doomed in November when people chose to vote for not Kamala Harris.

[Francesca]

Right, Right.

[Dustin Ross]

And so I'm watching these things unfold that we saw written out in a literal playbook that people chose to ignore and not take seriously and then vilify the people who did take it, heed the warning, and took it seriously. Now we're watching the real time, real world effects of it play out. It's tapping a whole lot of us on the shoulders in ways that we never thought we thought it would. We worried about our friends and families. With one of my dear friends who actually lives in Minneapolis that I hadn't spoken to a while and didn't even know they had moved to Minneapolis, is living in Minneapolis as an immigrant. And so their. Their parent is afraid to come out the house. It's like a lot of that. This is. And these are people who have been abundantly positive in their contributions to society, to the world, who have accomplished great things. I wish I could talk about who the people were, because y' all would know. But. But it's like that. So we're seeing real world effects of something that a lot of people were cavalier about and.

[Francesca]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

Casual about which they should not have been. So that part, unfortunately, I hate to say that it's going the way that I thought it would, because I wish it was going different, differently. And that's it. I'm just. Look, I'm at a place in my life where I'm determined to do my best. I'm determined to. To try my best. It's a lot of I still want to do. I've done a lot of things that I'm so grateful to have done, and they have fortified me in ways that were definitive and helped me understand who I am and what I have to offer to the world. And so I'm just on that path, get out my way, because I am. I am really trying. You know what I'm saying? So if you are interrupting my progress or my flow or my path forward, you're gonna be eliminated. That's where I'm at in my life right now.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

You feel me? And I ain't even trying to talk no big. None of that, but just when it comes. That's what I mean when I say, like, narrowing my focus. Like, sometimes you have to think about what situations serve you, which ones don't, what situations you operate. Because I'm a person who believes in service to others. That's a big part of who I am. In my friendships. I try to be present, show up, and really give it my. That has to be reciprocated. We just. In a season of efficiency over here. So that's it. Franzante, how about you?

[Asante]

It's funny that you ended that with efficiency, because I was thinking to myself, like, how this is another year of optimization for me. So I'm just trying to optimize. Moving to Charlotte was about optimizing. And I've been here, and I have to continue to optimize and figure out, like, how I'm going to move into new markets, how I'm going to spread my time. Like, there are just certain Things that I haven't been able to, like, get a hold of while I was in New York because I feel like I was so in the mix. So now that I've been able to be out of the mix and strip back the layers, and as my least fastly approaches ending, I'm considering, like, my next step. And I just know that I am not staying here. Not that there's anything wrong with this place. It's actually a great space, and I appreciate it so much, but I'm just really trying to focus on what's next and trying to figure out. Figure out what that's going to look like. Like, I already know what it's supposed to feel like, but trying to set myself up to make sure that it, like, matches. Like, the things match. So y' all know, this year I, like, I want to. Well, I was thinking about how I want to get a car this year. I'm thinking I want to push that back some more, give that some more time, because I want to get a car, but I want to get also the right car, so.

[Francesca]

The one you have.

[Asante]

Yeah. So, like, having the money is one thing, but also, like, you know, driving things is going to be the next thing, so I'm gonna have to just spend time. Really. It's a. It's another year focusing on myself, which. It sounds selfish, but I feel like I've done not enough. I don't feel like I ever do enough, but I feel like I've done so much for other people that I can afford just a little bit of time to myself. And I still just need to show up when possible where I can. And I'm just really, really sad that I wasn't able to do that this weekend. But this year, you have no control over that.

[Dustin Ross]

I know, but still neither one of y'. All. Hell, me.

[Asante]

I know.

[Dustin Ross]

I'll too. You know, we have no control over that. That was.

[Asante]

I know. I know that we did it, and that's why it's, like, I don't feel bad that it's anything that I did in particular. I just feel bad that something happened, which is still just a weird place to be in, but y' all know I'll be there. But as far as, like, how I feel about this year, like, I feel like this is going to be a good year. Year. It's going to be. You know, last year wasn't a good year, but we still, you know, took it for what we could. So I'm going to do more of that this year and try to make it better. Even though the conditions of things overall are how they are, I'm just still going to keep, you know, fighting. I know that there was a time where I just really felt defeated, and now I still feel like there are things that need to happen, but I need to be part of, like, strengthening, you know, toughening up and really getting out there and really being a part of, like, helping make things better. So that's what I want to do. I want to be of service some more. But I know I need to, you know, fortify myself even more in doing so. So.

[Dustin Ross]

So I get in the Corvette, you.

[Francesca]

And this Corvette, trying to play smarter.

[Asante]

Smarter and harder at the same time. So Corvette. I see why that could, you know, work, but no, no Corvette. Sorry, stinker. But yeah, I hope I answered your question, friend. I always feel like.

[Francesca]

And there are many more questions to come.

[Asante]

Oh, God, it's a questionnaire. No, I'm just playing. Go ahead.

[Dustin Ross]

What about you, Francesca?

[Asante]

Yeah, we want to hear some of yours.

[Francesca]

So what I find interesting about this year is how sometimes you can intuitively tap into the feeling of a year without necessarily knowing why. Like, the past couple years, and I've mentioned this here on the show, I've been on, like, you know, some of my friends podcasts, but specifically getting Grown. I was on their last episode of last year, and we were sharing our thoughts on 2025 and just the years prior, and I was saying how I felt. I won't say I was hibernating, but I felt like I was in a very. Those are very personal years that I hadn't taken time to really focus on things that were important to my life outside of creating and work. You know, I've been vocal about, like, my relationships with my friends just being someone that shows up more, that's more reliable. That sort of became a priority for me, especially in the past couple years, knowing how important community has been feeling in this time. Yeah. And just really, I know that it's. I have felt that I have fallen short in those ways. Like, I show up for my friends in terms of, like, if they need to call me to process something, figure something out. I'm definitely the person that I think most people feel comfortable doing that with. But I fell short in, like, you know, there's someone has this thing they want me to come to. You know, I'm always, like, finding a way to get out of it. I might not be the most engaging when it comes to calling all the time, texting all those things. And I really wanted to work on that. And I have, which has been really nice, you know, so things like that, like even driving, that was important to me as a human being. Working on my health, like I felt like quarantine kind of wiped me out physically. I completely became disconnected and disengaged on a physical level and mentally, just even reversing the effects of that working on family shit, you know, so stuff with my relationship, like, I just felt like my life needed my attention. And when I saw that even in the Chinese New Year, last year was the year of the snake shedding. Right. It's a lot of renewal. And to me that made so much sense. And then this year in the Chinese New Year, it's the year of the horse, the fire horse, specifically, which feels like a lot more power, but, you know, it feels like power like you, you're coming back into your body. Think of a horse, their body, their muscles, how they're out, how they run, as opposed to the snake and the shedding. And I didn't even realize that those were the two years. And even if you're into numerology, last year was nine, this year is one. It's a restart, rebirth. You're starting like a fresh canvas. And so regardless of what your belief systems are, I noticed a through line, you know, in all of them. Right. This idea of last year was we were in a very hibernating, letting go, renewing, shedding. And now it's like we outside and I almost feel like. Like I was feeling that way and I've been feeling that way. Cause there's conversations that we have had about friend zone and things that we want to get the ball rolling on for this year specifically. And I know that a lot of what hasn't gotten us moving is because I just was like not ready. And then now we're feeling that way, you know, so I'm like, it's all. There's a through line of needing to put yourself in the through line.

[Dustin Ross]

Really trying. For years I've been fighting the fight.

[Francesca]

Like, but go ahead. But I love that. And then even the through line, like with how that aligns with the greater world, right?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Because there's a lot of shit happening that we're witnessing and there's this fear that's being instilled in us to not say anything. Right. A lot of creatives, a lot of celebs, a lot of people that are more front facing are scared to speak up, to speak out, to say anything, you know, to even people that are putting their bodies on the line protesting. Y' all know I'm in Portland. We're one of the heavy protest cities right now that the president is trying to step on. In a lot of ways. It's right now it's Portland, it's Minnesota. I hear they're headed to Vermont. Like, they're picking and choosing which cities, you know, and seeing the protests and the people putting themselves out there and. And rest in peace. To the young man, I want to actually get his name Pretty. It was Pretty, right? Pretty, who was killed. Alex Preddy, who was killed this past week while protesting. You know what I'm saying? Even Renee, who was killed because she. Renee Goode, who put her car in the way. And not even in the way, because I don't even think that's what really happened. You know, they're gonna spin their narratives, but she was being vocal. Situation in her neighborhood. This was her neighborhood. She was speaking up. And all the other protesters that are putting their bodies in the way and incurring large harm and injuries. And you see all. You hear all the ways that people in our fields are getting scared because they're getting, like, agents coming to their doors. I mean, haven't you guys heard? They're receiving emails about, hey, this tweet, or, hey, this, you said on your podcast. So shit's very, very real right now, and it really is a make or break. I told you. I was in my car the other day and saw the ICE van, and I hated how my body felt. Like, I was like, oh, that's so.

[Dustin Ross]

Had a literal reaction to it.

[Francesca]

Yeah, that visceral reaction where you're like, wow, I hate that. Because these are losers, right?

[Dustin Ross]

100%.

[Francesca]

These men are literally losers that are signing up for this job. And so the fact that they can make your body feel that way, I hate that. I hate that. And I hated that in that moment, I didn't know what they were doing on that street, but it was that feeling of, like, if you see something wrong, are you going to get out and put yourself in position to help? Because I saw that they were discussing someone. I wish I knew his name.

[Dustin Ross]

I was trying to find just now. I was looking for the name of the young man that was murdered by ICE on New Year's Eve. The black man. The black young man. I can't think of his name, but he. They keep bringing up the fortunate murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretty, but I want to make sure we include him.

[Francesca]

Keith Porter.

[Dustin Ross]

Keith Porter. Thank you. Keith Porter.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesca]

That's what I was looking for who was killed by an off duty ICE agent in la. Yeah, yeah. And the agent claimed he was responding to an active shooter and literally had nothing to do with Keith Porter. So, man, you know, and that's what I'm saying. Like, I was trying to remember the name. They were saying that they were. Is it. I don't know if it was in Minneapolis, but they were grabbing another black man, actually, and putting him in a van and he was yelling out to people, stop filming and help me. You know what I'm saying? Like, what? And it reminds me, do y' all remember that episode of Black Mirror where they were walking around just filming shit? I remember. This was such a long time ago and it was an eerie episode to watch because now when you look at footage, that's exactly what people look like. They're standing there trying to get the footage that they can upload to Facebook or Twitter or wherever the hell, as opposed to, like, doing something about it. But then you ask yourself, are you going to put yourself in that position? Like, are you actually going to get in the way? I've seen so many women. You know, I've mainly seen black women, too. No, right. Yelling, putting themselves in position, cursing the ICE agents out, telling them no matter who, they're not allowed. Yeah, just like you get the fuck out of our neighborhood. And very specific black neighborhoods too, that are showing up and showing out. So I don't know, it's just. There's a through line there. Right. I'm just, like, being extremely present in ways that you probably haven't been before. Whether this is on a personal level, whether it's on a community level, family, friends, there's a through line of. Of, you know, I feel this generation has gotten really comfortable with boundaries. I don't have to do this, I don't have to do that. I don't have to do anything. I'm not comfortable. Oh, I can't respond to your text. It gives me anxiety. We all, like, do this thing where we're also, like, incapable and incapacitated. You know what I'm saying? I don't know. I almost feel like the therapy. Speak language has given us so much, quote, unquote, power to actually disengage from each other as opposed to it strengthening and fortifying our relationships more than ways.

[Asante]

To understand what's going on about each other.

[Francesca]

Absolutely.

[Asante]

Like, all right, because this is how I'm going to excuse my terrible behavior or me and my.

[Francesca]

And I have agency, so you have to respect that. All those words as opposed to why do I have anxiety when I get a text? Why does it take me so long.

[Asante]

To get a different who I love?

[Dustin Ross]

How can I no longer have the anxiety? I don't want to explain it away. I want you to remove it.

[Asante]

Right. You feel me, and I'm really feeling back those layers.

[Francesca]

Yeah. And to me, that's what's missing in a lot of that dialogue. We're just happy with. Oh, I get to be this person that decides these things, and I have the right to do so. And you can't push me. And no, you can't say I'm a bad friend because I haven't responded to you in a month.

[Dustin Ross]

That's why you do have to cuss at your kids. I'm sorry, but there's a line. It's only certain words like ass, damn in hell. You know what I'm saying? You stick to them three, and you stick to them four cuss words. You'll raise some really fortified children for real.

[Asante]

You said you. You caught up on the morning show.

[Francesca]

I am caught up on the morning show.

[Asante]

Jennifer Aniston's character, her father, this conversation that they were having, he was like, there is a war on critical thinking. That whole thing he was talking about, you know, how relatable they. That was to politics, how relatable that just is just for literally every day, like, operations, whether you're at home with your family, whether you're out with your friends, let alone taking it to the polls. You know what I'm saying? So just even the Black mirror conversation, I feel like we randomly talked about that, or you brought that up. That we talked about that.

[Francesca]

We definitely did.

[Asante]

And I feel like we even might have. And I might be making this up, but I feel like we might have talked about that Black Mirror moment when it happened. And you even said, like, it. Doesn't this look like how society's gonna be? Like, doesn't this look exactly.

[Francesca]

So it's like, yep, lo and behold, yep. And it's so. God, nothing irks me more than seeing someone being. And granted, yes, we do need footage. Right. That's how we were able to see what happened to Alex Preddy. That's how we were able to see what actually happened to Renee Goode, as opposed to what the ICE agent was saying happened 100%. You know, so I get that's the part that's kind of tricky. Right. We do need the video evidence. Evidence a lot of. What's the problem with this Keith Porter shooting from New Year's is that there's no video. And so that's kind of what's like, okay, we do need that. But at the same time, it's so enraging to watch all the people filming and not actually helping listen in the moment, you know what I mean?

[Dustin Ross]

You have to know what the middle ground is. The middle ground is figuring out exactly what you said earlier.

[Asante]

Earlier.

[Dustin Ross]

Are you willing to take certain risks with your physical safety, with certain consequences, with all of that in the name of what you believe in? That's where we at with now. So you do have to. It's. It's one thing to retweet, it's one thing to share and, and it's one thing to take video. And all of those are necessary components that are part of a larger solution. So we do need. Because everybody's not going to have the same bravery or the same willingness to risk certain freedoms and certain things.

[Francesca]

Your life at this. Right.

[Dustin Ross]

So there's going to be a mix of everyone needed. But you do have to think about, okay, your role there being a physical. A physical component necessary in your survival. And everybody's not a person who's willing to get into a fight in the street or a person who's willing to. A person. A person who even can handle being in confrontation with other people. That's difficult for a lot of people. But this is a time where we're all going to have to ask ourselves, how can I muster up the strength, if necessary, to physically get into the game? When it comes to protecting our freedom, saving our own lives, and demanding respect and dignity as human beings, that's something we have to ask ourselves. So while a lot of us may be the people who just want I'm record girl and talking all that shit, it's time to really think about what you're willing to. To do in order to get to a solution. And I'm just gonna leave it there.

[Francesca]

Yeah, I think the. What's helped me is I've asked myself, God forbid I was grabbed outside by an ICE agent because they're grabbing anyone. This ain't even a thing of who looks like what speaks like what. They're just grabbing anybody, anybody seeing it. And so I asked myself, what would I want someone to do for me in that moment? You know, if someone's. If I'm getting grabbed by these men being put in a car, men with masks, unmarked cars, all these things, what would I want someone to do in that moment? Like, what would really make me feel like I'm gonna be okay? And it's really someone jumping in like physically to me. And I know that that's scary because you really do have to do what you feel you're capable of. But I think in the same way of us having this thing of oh, boundaries and all that, it's like, I think it's too late, late for those things of like, oh, I don't know if I'm comfortable with that. It's like we're at the point of critical mass. It's like it's critical at this point. It's critical.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm right back where I was when they was putting the kids in cages at the borders, right. I've been vocal on this show for years, since it first happened, that that was something that was physically and mentally triggering, emotionally triggering for me. I'm right back there when I see the video of that little five year old boy being arrested in handcuffs.

[Francesca]

Liam.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, I'm right back there. I'm right back there. The, that physically facilitated that to me. There is a debt to the world and the universe that will be paid at some point in some way for them. That's according to my personal beliefs and my personal constitution of spirituality. Right. I believe that you pay back to the universe what you owe and there's certain things that you're just not, not supposed to do. There's no, there is nothing that can legitimize certain acts that are evil like that. That's a five year old child in the cold, crazy with cuffs on, confused about what the is going on and.

[Francesca]

Being used to, to lure out his parents.

[Dustin Ross]

So like, so for me that, that represents. That ain't about no immigration, that ain't about nothing patriotic, that ain' nothing but pure evil. The fact that Pam Bondi sent a letter to the governor of Minnesota saying we'll come out, we'll pull ice out if you hand over your voter rolls in writing. That's what she sent over there. So I have trouble finding sympathy for people who choose to follow that sort of school of thought. I have trouble finding sympathy for people who voted for any of this in any capacity and are now bitching and moaning and complaining. Yeah, I'm one of them people. I have trouble find finding sympathy or a to give about you because you knew that all of this was possible. It just wasn't hitting you yet and you were okay with it happening to everyone else. I don't even have no kids. But seeing a child in that position does something to me in, in a physical way. Certain things you're just not supposed to do. It's just wrong. And none of this can be justified by any political slant or take or anything really. Anything relative to legislation that's a moral, human crime, humanity.

[Francesca]

That's what they're all that at this point. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

So that's where I'm at with it. I didn't mean to go on a rant, but like just. This is not funny. This is not. Yeah, this is very serious. And I just hate that it takes it go things going that far to a certain degree where we're gonna basically. I just hate that things have to go that far for people to have something click and understand that they should not have done that and they shouldn't do it again.

[Francesca]

Right. I just, I will say though, is yes, is crazy right now. This is something we haven't seen in this way. But isn't it kind of crazy seeing the white women specifically crying and being like, enough is enough.

[Dustin Ross]

We've been saying since Breonna Taylor, George, Floyd, Trayvon, and then co opting.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

It's just that part is like a really hard. Well, I don't even know if it's a hard pill to swallow because. Are we surprised? No.

[Dustin Ross]

And let me.

[Asante]

We're not surprised, but it can still be a hard pill to swallow because it's like the audacity almost.

[Francesca]

And let me tell you, saw a white woman tweet, can we go back to regular police brutality? And someone underneath wrote, oh yeah, we're only black people. Black and brown people are brutal.

[Dustin Ross]

That's willful.

[Francesca]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

That's willful. I have a bunch of white friends and white family members, okay, who are calling this exactly what the it is. They're not mincing words or trying to reframe this in a way. They are calling out these actions of these white people as racist and as everything else that they are. So any white people that choose to try to frame this any other way, that's a very willful decision. That's a willful take fake. And you know what the you're doing. Because this isn't something that is difficult to understand or difficult to determine and identify when we're talking about these actions and behaviors. And I have white people in my life, okay, that get it and know exactly what this is and call it what it is unprompted by me or anybody else that ain't white. So if you're choosing to. To try to shape it and frame it in that and. And all. All of that extra, you know exactly what you're doing and that's a willful, evil ignorance. Y' all know what the you're doing? I have very strong feelings about this. Very strong feeling. Because this. What's going on right now is literally out of control.

[Francesca]

Yeah. And truth be told, the. The handful of white people that I know on a personal level, they've been speaking out on. This isn't new information. This isn't, you know, like, they have been vocal. It's just landing a little bit differently because now white people are being shot in broad daylight and brutalized. And that's something that's shocking to them because it's like, wait, this doesn't happen to us. Hold on. You know, hold on.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, yeah. They call him a dictator. You know, you need. Sometimes, you know, you kind of need a little dictator spectator. What the things that. This is. Casually letting fly out his mouth in a way that is very calculated and intentional, by the way. You know, slow rolling. Certain things that are extreme. That just. That type of. Is just really difficult for me to just sit back and witness unchecked.

[Francesca]

Yep.

[Dustin Ross]

It's really challenging for me. I hate that.

[Francesca]

And it's interesting because I, you know, when you talk about the goals you have for yourself personally and the things you're working on, it's hard to. Well, I'll speak for myself. There's a part of me that feels crazy prepping certain things and trying to align myself with certain interests and doing certain things on a personal level while this is happening. It's like my brain. Brain can't think about anything else right now because it's just so serious. It's like, how am I, you know.

[Asante]

Be prepared at all times. You don't know what's next.

[Francesca]

Yeah. And it's just a really interesting position to be in because you just feel so silly thinking about anything else.

[Dustin Ross]

Right.

[Francesca]

You know, everything else feels so irrelevant.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, right. 100%.

[Francesca]

And. But at the same time, we know that that's not. Not sustainable as a human right. You. You also do have to keep your life going. Like, this is a tale as old as time. Right. There's always been conflict. There's always been war. There's always been issues with civil rights. This isn't new. And people still had their lives and still kept moving their day to day, still functioning. And it's just like you have to figure out how to do that, how to hold two things, if that makes sense at the same time. And I think that's what a lot of of us are experiencing right now. I see that. Even with content creators. Yeah. Just Trying to figure out where they fit in the landscape. I will say it's hard to. And I don't want to blame content creators because, you know, everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with. I understand. But it is hard when you're like, you know, you're trying to hold these two things and there are people that just not mentioning it at all. Like, it's just not. And I've never wanted to be that person that's like, you need to say something. Because who the are half these people anyway to say something? They probably won't even really add much to the landscape. But it's just a thing of, let's not pretend that this isn't happening. That's more so it.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, I think that's what it is. Right. It's not so much like you should be saying something. You're not. It's just.

[Francesca]

Right. You're not a political pundit. I understand.

[Dustin Ross]

I can't imagine how anyone can be seeing all this stuff is going on and not be moved to share some sort of opinion or take on that part. It's more so that as opposed to like a judgment for me, you know what I'm saying? Because I respect the game. Like, yeah, business is business. I have a very clear line between that. But this, as I said previously, bleeds over into an area that supersedes all of those boundaries. I guess that's the buzzword of this discussion. But that crosses all of those. Right? Right. This is now something that is just a human people issue. Right. Like, this is just a right and wrong. Like this. This is not about whatever. I don't want to keep going because I feel like I'm going to get mad, number one. And number two, we're going to get off track from what you've produced. So let's move on.

[Francesca]

No, I mean, this is part of it, right? We were saying there's no way to not talk about this when talking about 20, 20, 26 and how we're feeling about the year. But that really is my question for y'. All. How are y' all holding these two things? You know, if you have your goals for what you want to accomplish this year, you have. You know, I know Sante is thinking of what's the next city might be moving to. Dustin, you have your tour and there's other shows that are unfolding. We all have these things that we're planning and things with Friend Zone. So it's like, how do we hold or what are you doing to hold those two things at the same time.

[Dustin Ross]

What I'm doing is keeping it the fuck real. That's what I'm doing. I'm not. While I make great strides in my, my career and, and continue to do my best to make myself fit for certain opportunities by working hard. Right. That is more relative to my personal constitution as a man, a black man, a black gay man and shit. And like my work ethic and you know what I'm about, that's more relative to that. And so it's never going to stop. Whatever the conditions are that this world is in, wherever I'm living in my own way, I would still be a hard worker. I would still be goal oriented and focused on things like that so that part for me doesn't waver. What I am also doing is being very clear about, about the up nature of the that's going on right now and what that is and whose fault it is and what it looks like. So you damn right I'm sharing things. You damn right. I'm tweeting things. You damn right I'm boosting posts. You damn right. Speaking up about when I'm being interviewed. You damn right I'm making sure we're highlighting, you know, certain information that I feel is pertinent and necessary to be shared and consumed by other people. Yeah, I'm gonna do that. I like that lady said, I'm gonna do that anyway because that's how I am. That's, that's, that's literally I'm gonna do that, but even more so and even in a more focused, strategic manner. You know what I'm saying now, in these critical times, yes, I'm gonna do that. So that's what I'm gonna do. I'm just gonna keep it real. I'm gonna work hard and I'm also going to tell the truth about what the is going on in the world today and what it means for me and the communities and spaces I occupy. Pie. That's what I'mma do.

[Francesca]

Asante.

[Asante]

I mean, the only thing I really feel like I can do is continue like Dustin, keeping it real, acknowledging things that are happening. You know, I feel like sometimes we acknowledge things and we're like, oh, I don't want to take that in. All right, you can acknowledge it without taking it in, but you have to, you have to acknowledge it to some degree. Like, you just have to see what's going on. You have to see that there are things that are wrong and you have to figure out how you can help. Help. Even if it's a Support role. You know, if you don't feel like you're the loudest in the room, which is me, I don't feel like when it comes to politics, I'm the loudest. I still know right from wrong, so I feel like there's a power. I know y' all want me to speak up more, but I feel like there's a power in shutting the up, you know, Like, I don't want to speak up and say the wrong things. So when I am speaking up, I want to make sure I'm saying the right things. And I feel like a lot of people, if you're a content creator and you feel like there's something that has to be said or you want to say something, something, don't doubt that. It doesn't mean that everything you say is going to be right, but at least you're trying, you know, I feel like some of us have gotten so far away from wanting to empower ourselves with us, with what's right. Some of us want to just, you know, get the numbers or the views or the clicks or community or whatever. I feel like there is power when you and true community and numbers, when you have the correct information or the correct perspective or the correct intentions, and you can kind of, you know, mix and marry those things. Things to some degree. There are some heinous things happening right now. There are heinous things that have been happening, and I feel like, unfortunately they're gonna. They're gonna continue for however long, I don't know. But all I have to do, you know, all I can do is continue to acknowledge that things have happened and they will happen, and I can't ignore them. So I gotta just at least keep reading and writing and running and fighting and doing what I got to do to survive.

[Francesca]

Yeah. I think the only thing I'll say is my work is just gonna be a sign of the times, if that makes sense. I really won't be able to separate the things I want to bring to the landscape, you know, the conversations I want to bring to the forefront. I don't think I'll be able to separate them from what's happening. And that's just the reality of it. The content. Yeah. We have our fun shows because we are fun people and we'll always find time for that. But it's going to be a lot more of things that are in alignment with what we need to be learning right now, what we need to be doing right now, how we can help each other. And on a personal level, we've been we see when we pass, you know, the downtown here, there's, there are more people on the street, you know, so we have been volunteering more at soup kitchens and, and doing the things on a local level. That's what I'm saying. And you don't need to film those things. I've never filmed, you know, I've never posted or created content around it. So that's another thing. That call to action doesn't necessarily need to be posted or talked about or discussed. It's more so just on a like a heart centered level. Just figure out what your role is, how you can be contributing, you know, what you can be doing. Doesn't always have to be social media based. But I just seeing the tent cities growing out here, you know, we have felt compelled here in my household to help in whatever way, whether it's food, more donations, you know, volunteering, there's programs that we're also, we've also become a part of that have to do with the children out here who are mortified by what's happening. Right. And just being a backbone for them in these times as well. So there's things that can be done, done. Obviously we're all frustrated. So it's this idea of put yourself on the line, but putting yourself on the line can express itself in many ways.

[Dustin Ross]

There you go.

[Francesca]

It doesn't have to be you jumping at an ice agent obviously, but just like what are you doing for your community who is reeling after something like this? And I think my content this year, like I said, will continue to be a sign of the times. We'll just like I told you, I'm going to have those men, these men I found gonna come in, talk to us about guns, you know, and arming ourselves and the things that we need to know based on different cities you live in or states with the laws are like we're going to inform ourselves as best as possible. So it might not be the most. Absolutely. It might not be the most fun year of content, but it's going to be the most impactful, the most important. I think that's where we put ourselves on the line. You know that to me. Yeah, that to me is. Is what? How do you hold both things? That's how I hold both things. That's what that looks like for me on a personal level and that's just what it is. You know, the time for laughter will always be there, but shit is like not always funny and it has not been for a long time.

[Dustin Ross]

Like right now I didn't get sit here and got pissed off, right? There's a bird on my window, on the ledge of my window, outside of my window right here that I want to throw. I wish I had a ball of socks to throw at the window. It's a fat bird sitting right here on this, on this window ledge, just chilling that normally I would have been knocked on the window or something to move it out the way. I'm so mad right now, based on what we're talking about and looking at this bird that is taking advantage of the fact that the it looked like the same fucking one. All that sent away from over here. And it's taking advantage of the fact that I'm busy right now. I'm sick of everybody getting over on me. I'm tired of it. So chilling.

[Francesca]

But yes, I just wanted to check in with you guys, you know, see how you were feeling about this year. Because I know this is something that literally everybody's thinking about.

[Dustin Ross]

Everybody should be.

[Francesca]

I don't know who is not thinking about what's happening in the world, how they're feeling about it, what they can do about it, and most importantly, how do I move through the world with what's happening in the world. So just wanted to see how we could tap in and share our thoughts on that. Of course, those of you listening, we love to know how you're navigating this crazy shit that we're all witnessing and experiencing right now. And then you're supposed to just go to work. You're supposed to just do laundry, wash clothes, prep meals.

[Dustin Ross]

I work next to a bitch who voted for this.

[Asante]

Yep.

[Francesca]

No. You know what's the craziest part? I was at the gym and there was this doofy white man with the hat on being so aggressive with me because he wanted to get on the leg press. And it was very much like, I need to get on leg press. And I said to him, and you will, once I'm done. Can I jump in sets with you? No. And it was this aggression. He's huffing and puffing, rolling his eyes. And he did that thing I hate where he like stood by the machine, like waiting.

[Dustin Ross]

You'd be a standing bitch, right?

[Francesca]

And that's making me want to move slower. And so to me, all I kept thinking in my moment in my mind was, he's probably an ice agent. I don't know why it was that feeling of like, this is the part that sucks, is that they're just regular loser ass people who are around us at the gym, him at wherever and they just. It. That type of energy to me just translates in all kinds of scenarios or ass. Aggressive energy. And so I was looking at him and I just felt it in my spirit. I was like, I bet he's one of them. You could just feel it. And that part angered me. Like, they get to just move through the world. You don't even know who they are. I will shout out the hacker that posted. Yeah. The list of their names and docs. And we need more hackers. Where are y' all at?

[Dustin Ross]

Whistleblowers, hackers. Those are the real patriots.

[Francesca]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

And.

[Asante]

And.

[Francesca]

And also feeling that way, you know, like you. These motherfuckers are roaming in our lives and we don't.

[Dustin Ross]

In plain sight, number one. Number two, there's already been several cases documented where, pardon J6ers who identify with a bunch of like, extremist groups have been seen in. In the ICE paraphernalia and out, you know, operating as ICE agents with the ICE people or whatever. And are. Are working as ICE agents or so. That whole pool of people is occupied by very bad people.

[Francesca]

Bottoms.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Couldn't figure out what else to do with them guys. And now they're getting a little bit of power.

[Dustin Ross]

You and you black and brown people that's doing it and women that's doing that. Y' all ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You're the most reprehensible of all the.

[Francesca]

Truly.

[Dustin Ross]

Because your ass should know. But better. And it's only a matter of time before that same lens and energy and. And all of that is direct and harmfulness is directed towards you. And you don't feel even more stupid because you devoted all this time to being a part of this problem. And when it turns on you and your mama and your family and friends, and when they are at the brunt on the brunt of all of this, then let's see what you have to say. Hopefully you're alive to be able to say it.

[Francesca]

Did you see that video of the Mexican ICE agent? And he was telling the guy, like, I need to see your identification. The guy was like, for what? And he's like, because I'm saying so. And then the guy's like, but why me? Like, what's making you stop me right now? What did I do? And the guy tells him, because of your accent. And the dude goes, you got a accent, right? They literally both had Latin accent. It was so crazy to watch. I'm like, what plan planet are we on? It's so reprehensible when a black and brown. Like it angers me. Angers me. But anyway, there's always something and I'm.

[Asante]

Gonna go ahead and say ice Age and talking about don't touch my car.

[Francesca]

Don't touch my car, you lions.

[Asante]

I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't believe it.

[Francesca]

Anyway, Lord, cover us all. That's all I can say, my God today. But yeah, yes, definitely. Let us know how you're feeling and let us know your thoughts. Just wanted to put that out there. Hopefully we can look back at this time. Like I said, it's like a journal entry, right? As a time capsule where you're like, wow, remember when we were experiencing this? And hopefully life will be very different the next time we revisit this conversation. But we will see. Let's keep figuring it out one day at a time. That's it for this week's hot button.

[Dustin Ross]

Gas, snacks, tolls.

[Francesca]

This trip is draining my wallet. Yeah, but we'll be with family.

[Dustin Ross]

You're in a good mood.

[Francesca]

What's your deal? What's my deal? I saved at Metro with no activation fees and I got one line of 5G for just $25 per month. Kept the phone I love and a 5 year price guarantee on my top tech and data detour to Metro.

[Asante]

Get that more for your money feeling.

[Francesca]

Only at Metro by T Mobile, just bring your number. $30 first monthly, 25 after. With autopay not available. If with Metro T Mobile in the past 180 days, we've all been there. You hold on to a coupon, hoping to cash it in at the store. But then you forget about it and suddenly you've got a mountain of useless expired coupons.

[Dustin Ross]

Do you think this one's still good? Free milk.

[Francesca]

Oh mate, that expired in 1993.

[Dustin Ross]

Dang it.

[Francesca]

Fortunately, there are better ways to save money. Like by switching to Geico, you could save about $900 on car insurance without ever touching a coupon.

[Dustin Ross]

Ooh, how about this one? Half off floppy disks.

[Francesca]

Now you should try a bit of spring cleaning.

[Dustin Ross]

It feels good to save big.

[Asante]

It feels good to Geico.

[Francesca]

This week in Wellness. So I mentioned on last week's episode that I had made it a point to read more. During my break I mentioned that I read a book a week. Was so proud of that. I have continued that streak and that feels really good. Right? It's like I've set myself up for the turn of the year and the year as a whole. But I also had a lot of other tweaks that I have incorporated just so that I can spend less time on my phone, less time watching tv. That's a lot of people's goals. Every time I look around, like, do y' all ever go to restaurants or the. I know, Dustin. When you're at the club or just anywhere where you're out and people are on their phones. And that always blows my mind because it's like, what was the point of you coming out if you're just gonna be in? You know what I'm saying? Like, what was the point? We've. We. When we go out to dinner, we're always amazed at how many couples or.

[Dustin Ross]

Friend groups sit right across from each other.

[Francesca]

Sitting across from each other on the phone. I find that so rude. Like, we actually have a rule where as soon as we get into the restaurant, we put both of our phones in my purse. And it's a wonderful way for us to be 100%, 100% present while having our meal. You're gonna have more conversation, you know? Like, it's just. You have to put these systems in place.

[Dustin Ross]

And you can always keep a nice purse that way.

[Asante]

You gotta have a nice purse.

[Dustin Ross]

Cause you gotta have somewhere to hold the phone. So this works for everybody involved. Yeah.

[Francesca]

And it's a rule that we've incorporated in the house as well, where we're like, no one is having dinner with the phone in their face. Number one. I almost feel like it's. I don't even say. I almost feel like. I know this. I've read journals and studies that say you chew more and you digest the food much better. You break it down in a different way, and it hits your body differently. It works with your gut differently. If you don't have a phone in your face, if you don't have a TV because you're almost not even enjoying the food. Think of, like, when you get a meal and then you go watch something and you look at the meal like, damn, I don't even remember really eating it like that. Like, you just ate it. You didn't enjoy it. You didn't, like, savor each morsel and chew really, really chew through it. And I've noticed that. I get it. I mean, it's fun. You want to put on a movie. You want to put on a movie and chill and watch something. You know what I mean? I get that that's part of the experience. And I'm not saying you should never do it, but I mean more so in the mindless way that a lot of us do it on a daily basis. You know, if you're kicking it for the weekend and that's the vibe that's different than like, like I'm tired, I just got home. Let me turn on the TV and make some food and sit in front of it. Like that's where I started.

[Asante]

That's my show. I watch every time I have dinner when I come home or something like that, right?

[Francesca]

It's like, I think that's where we need. That's what it feels like.

[Asante]

It's so funny. Friends. I just saw a tweet where this person, they were like whenever I go to put on a movie, like a hour and a half, two hour movie, but I finished my food in the first three, four minutes. I was like, but all the people that were like, this is too real. And I was like, damn, I finished there too.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, I love watching on TV while I eat. I live alone so you know, I like the background noise. I eat while I do watch. And I'll have to talk about a lot of television content in my for work. So I eat, I watch it, whatever, you know what I'm saying? But I'm not doing that because I'm a robot and I think that's the difference. I also am a person who has a very, very healthy, healthy human, you know, social component to my life. So like being amongst people is a big part of who I am. It's 100% me. So you know what I'm saying? So I'm always gonna maintain that sort of experience of human connection. So I'll be watching shit while I eat, friend.

[Francesca]

But I bet you the food would taste better if you at least have one or two days where you just focus. Especially that good ass, you know, my shit be that good ass food you've been cooking. Imagine if you just focused on that meal.

[Dustin Ross]

I do, I enjoy every bite and still be watching the traders, you know what I'm saying? So like for me it go together, you know what I'm saying?

[Francesca]

And especially for families, that's a big one too.

[Dustin Ross]

Nah, that's different. If you live with anybody, that's rude to me. If we sit down to eat and you all on your damn phone like I pull a Tammy Roman so fast ass and knock that phone out your hand real, real quick.

[Francesca]

And I saw a study, I wish I had the, the study in front of me, but I did see a study a couple weeks ago that said specifically for children. If there's an activity that is consistent in their week that they know they're going to do with their family, like whether it's y' all all sitting, watching something together, or y' all all having dinner together with no phones. But it's something that's cons consistent. It has to do with all of you doing it together. It cuts down their levels of anxiety by such a high percentage. You know, there's things that I think you should consider. It's not just like, oh, don't do this, don't do that. It's like, no, it actually has an effect not only on your digestion. Right. But actually, like, your mental health, your sense of community. I feel the difference. When we just park our asses in front of the TV and don't talk and just eat and then turn it off and watch the plate. It's very different from when we sit at the table and talk about whatever's on our minds, whatever we're concerned about or experiencing, whatever we've read or something we heard or want to share. It's just different in your body.

[Dustin Ross]

This is a personal thing, too. But, like, that is something I really enjoy going to dinner and eat, having conversations at dinner or breakfast or lunch. Fourth meal sometimes. But, like, having conversation over a meal is something I really, really enjoy. Enjoy. I know I love going to restaurants and, like, you know, just. That's something I really enjoy. So for me, it's natural. I don't even want to sit down at a table with others. I go out to eat by myself a lot just because, like I said, I live alone. I don't have no children. So, like, yeah, you know, if you.

[Francesca]

Want it, you're gonna get it. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

And I will watch something on my phone while I'm there. Or sometimes I'll just. People watch, you know what I'm saying? While I eat, whatever. But I don't do that shit when I'm a part of a group. I'm not gonna be sitting down with another person at a table and watching my phone while we sitting at a table. That's rude.

[Francesca]

As to me, I do think it's rude, and I actually had this conversation in my house because he has a habit of multitasking while he's on FaceTime. Whether it's like, with his family or whoever.

[Asante]

Jump in my business right now.

[Francesca]

Then I think it's. It's so rude. Like, just sit your ass down.

[Asante]

Don't FaceTime me. If you go. If you got other things to do, face.

[Francesca]

Walking around and then being mad, far from the FaceTime. So the person's like, huh? And then he's like. I'm like, that's So I find that so rude. And. And now I. I said to him, when was the last time you were on FaceTime with one of your siblings or your kids or whoever? And you just sat the down and just sat with them, looked at their face and just had the conversation? And he literally was like. He started laughing. He's like, I don't do that. I always have something to do. I'm cooking or I'm at the gym. He'll be working out on FaceTime. And I just find that, well, me.

[Dustin Ross]

And my brother do it every day. Like, there's times where I'll be in the bathroom, my AirPods in my phone will be in here.

[Francesca]

He'll be in the shower.

[Dustin Ross]

Shaman is at the gym, at work, we do that too. I think that's like all the time. But I get it. I understand what you saying, but I also do it too. So I'm friend.

[Asante]

I'm your friend and I'm here to tell you friend, it's us. It's literally us. Because people have their use. Look, I'm not trying to read you when I say this used to have an old iPhone. So it's like you don't get the appeal of. But listen, look, follow me, camera. I'll turn on auto zoom. The reason that I say that is because you're not so tapped in where you feel like you have to have the latest. You have to be on the phone. You have to use those feedback features. You just use your phone to call, text, you know, do the basics. When people get their phones, they love those new features. They love the fact, like we were talking about last week, the old next tail chirps. People bought that phone just to chirp, even if they had nobody to chirp with. So some of them weren't even chirping right. We have these phones do all these things. Some of us don't use half the things that they do because we're like, all right, FaceTime. I guess we can talk on camera. That's cool. Like. Like now we think that's cool. Cool. People been thought it was cool. They talk on the phone so much that it's just a thing in the background. Whereas we're so strict, it's like you need to be intentional if you gonna FaceTime me, because we are FaceTime.

[Francesca]

Don't FaceTime me if you're busy. That's all I ask. What the fuck? How is that hard to. How. Why is that so complicated? Do not call me if you're busy. Don't.

[Dustin Ross]

The only Thing. I think I would if you're busy, right? It's one thing because to me, we don't have to be face to face for the whole conversation. Just on the good points. So I could be cooking. And if I'm making a point that I really want to communicate to you, I'll come get in the camera. I'll be like, no, Damon. Because then I'll go for it.

[Francesca]

That drives me insane.

[Dustin Ross]

Now, what would drive me insane? If you got something else to do, right? Call me later if you got something else to do, right? That's one thing. But if we're on FaceTime and you scrolling other apps.

[Francesca]

Oh, God, now that's different.

[Dustin Ross]

Don't be on FaceTime with me and you be on Twitter.

[Francesca]

I only noticed that with younger people though. Like. Like my little cousins, you know, or the boys, like, they'll be whole ass playing Roblox and you're trying to have a conversation with them. And I think it's so rude. But those are the things where I feel like people have gotten in the habit of being of their face being in the phone so much that they don't even realize when they're just being straight up rude. And I'm always so shocked when I go to restaurants and it'll be be a couple and one of them is scrolling and I'm like, yo, you don't feel crazy?

[Dustin Ross]

They don't like each other.

[Francesca]

That's what I.

[Dustin Ross]

You know how many people together don't like each other?

[Francesca]

Either that or they've been together for such a long time that they just.

[Dustin Ross]

Lavender Mary, she might be gone. You know what I'm saying? Lavender. Is it lavender if the lady is a and the man is straight?

[Asante]

I don't know. I've always heard lavender, right?

[Dustin Ross]

So I don't know, maybe it's maroon. It's probably navy. It's probably a Navy marriage. If the woman is a lesbian, the man is. It's a navy marriage. Hunter green.

[Asante]

Yeah, Friend, I feel you on the the phone FaceTime etiquette, but I feel like I've been told I'm strict when it comes to certain things.

[Francesca]

Well, let us be strict.

[Dustin Ross]

Let us be strict then.

[Francesca]

Okay? That's just what it is now. You know, when you call me, it's strict around these parts, period. Don't be making. Well, Jade is the only one that I let her slide because she's a mom wife. All the things Jade be making, all kinds of. Jade called me. She was painting the cabinet. I said, what is happening back there? She was changing her. Her kitchen completely.

[Dustin Ross]

It looks good too. But like, Jade is always doing stuff. I always get on her ass about that because she is always fucking cooking, cleaning, working.

[Francesca]

I mean, shadows me so much of my partner in that way where I, you know, on the gym, when you superset, you do two different workouts at the same time. I told him, you are super setting life at all times and it's exhausting. Just do one thing. So now he's trying to be more mindful, you know? And even at the gym, like, I get so irked when I want to use a machine and the person is sitting there scrolling through their phone because you are wasting if you're just taking time between sets. I get that because we all do that, right? Whether you're on your phone or not, you resting, and no one should pressure you. Just like the guy was trying to pressure me on the leg press. But it's different when you know, the time is extra being wasted because your ass is on fucking Instagram or TikTok. And you're inconsiderate. And I think that that's where I'm like, you would be so much more efficient in this workout if you just took your rest and then finished your sets as opposed to sitting there on your dang phone scrolling and my damn.

[Dustin Ross]

Phone way you need. Since we're using our phones, you need to pull yours out, friend, and turn that speakerphone on and go on and play. Ludicrous. Hell yeah.

[Francesca]

But you know, and when you. Even when I'm like, I don't know, sometimes I just look around. You ever have those moments and you're like, God, what has happened to us?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, it's called turning 40.

[Francesca]

Neck is bent into this.

[Dustin Ross]

I never gave a fuck about none of that until I became a real adult.

[Francesca]

Is that what it is?

[Asante]

We just old and grumpy now?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, we old and we don't you.

[Francesca]

Feel like it's like, bro, get out your phone. And it makes me catch myself. Like, I'll catch myself. I'll be like, how long have you motherfucking been scrolling? Get off your phone. But I realize I have to have systems and that's what works for me. Like, that phone goes in my bag as soon as I walk into the gym. Like, I'll maybe listen to some music or a podcast, but I'm not scrolling, scrolling. It's in my gym bag the whole time unless I have to change something. But for the most part, I'm listening to something long winded and don't have to Change for my workout. You know what I'm saying?

[Dustin Ross]

Friend zone.

[Francesca]

Like the friend zone, like a podcast.

[Dustin Ross]

Jade. Next d the read.

[Francesca]

Jaden.

[Dustin Ross]

You heard me.

[Asante]

Some people use that phone just to talk on it or listen to things. Some people be watching full fledged videos, movies.

[Francesca]

And some people don't even watch.

[Asante]

They'll literally be playing the movie movie. And because they're listening to it, they're like acting like they're paying attention, but it's like you're not even watching this. You're literally listening to a movie that is, you know, random and regular to everybody else. Like, oh, he's. That's random. But why not? It's like, all right, yeah.

[Francesca]

And I just, I just, I just, I think we just need to be. You know, we talk about this all the time, how your attention is the highest currency right now. Every app is trying to figure out how to keep you on there. And app ads, I mean, you name it. Your brain being stuck to your phone and your TV is what everybody, every company out there is battling out for. And you have to kind of think about that sometimes. Like, damn, that is kind of crazy. Everyone just wants my mind addicted to these fucking apps, to these phones, to these companies. Even shop when you shops, buy clothes online. They're emailing you every fucking week, new sale, this, that. It's like, relax. You know, everyone is just so hyped. And I've been trying to figure out, like, okay, what do I do to get away from having to be so addicted to all this shit. And a lot of it is, you know, carving out that three hours or two hours or even an hour, whatever it is for you to sit and read a damn book. Put your phone away. I told you, I keep the phone away from my body when I'm sleeping. Sleep, it has to be in another room. And that helps too, because I know some people, as soon as they wake up, they can't help but start scrolling. Like I'm talking about didn't brush their teeth, haven't had a drop of water, haven't even opened that cover up.

[Dustin Ross]

No wonder they clear phone case is.

[Francesca]

Yellow and didn't open the blinds and got that, let that sun hit your body now nothing.

[Dustin Ross]

And you already paste hit that tooth.

[Francesca]

You already know what's happening on Twitter and TikTok. And the thing is, and we all have been guilty of it, when you get on there ain't nothing new. I don't even know what we be looking for half the time when we scroll for so long.

[Asante]

What are you looking for we don't know.

[Dustin Ross]

I be high, so. But I understand what you saying.

[Francesca]

You know what I mean? You don't walk away from it more informed. Half the time it's just fomo. I don't know what it is, but whatever the case, just wanted to remind you to just. Even when you out with your friends, put that bat, put that phone in your bag. When I go into my friends houses, like when I'm in New York and I stop by Jade's house or Crystal's house, whoever's house, that phone stays in my bag. I even tell people like my partner, like, hey, I'm walking into Jade's house. You're not going to hear me.

[Dustin Ross]

Put your phone up here. Steal it.

[Francesca]

Like, he knows. No, you didn't. He knows when I'm with my friends, I'm not on my phone. So I'm most likely not gonna be very responsive. And it's an understanding that we have. Like, he's not like, what are you doing? You still there? He just waits till I hit him when I'm done. So I have to have my full attention in what it is that I'm doing. Even while I was like working, you know, I'll give myself time.

[Asante]

Don't you think that seem a little crazy? You telling people to put their phone up and tell their partners that they not just playing. I'm just playing.

[Francesca]

Right. Well, you know, if shit's toxic, then.

[Asante]

Exactly. If she's toxic. That's why I made that joke.

[Francesca]

Well, hopefully you're not in that type of situation.

[Asante]

Hopefully nobody is. That's the only reason I made that joke.

[Francesca]

But you feel me, it's like, let's just start devising plans and creating systems where you're like, my phone doesn't need to be a part of this. That's really all it is. Your phone don't have to be a part of everything that you're doing. And it's up to you to figure out where the phone can be removed, moved in that thing that you're doing. You're doing your laundry. Do your laundry. Just knock it out.

[Dustin Ross]

And I'm not sleeping with you if you got glasses on, because it might be meta. So you're gonna be a blind motherfucker. You gonna have the time of your life, but you might not be able to remember what anything look like. Cause I'm not fucking you if you got glasses on.

[Francesca]

I'm sorry, that reminds me, I was listening to Damona on Don't Call Me White Girl. And she. And she and was her co host.

[Dustin Ross]

Phelps.

[Francesca]

Phelps. She was like. She was like, are your glasses blinking? He was like, no. She thought. He was like, they're not, I promise. I'm like, the fact that we have to be paranoid about this shit, that was so funny. But anyways, just wanted to put that into your awareness. Right, right. Let's just look at our phone habits, y'. All. They are creating more and more addictions. Even I. I've joked about this before. The speed of which, like, with everyone speaking, the colors, the. Everything is just so fast. I feel like our brains. Ugh.

[Dustin Ross]

I just want it black.

[Francesca]

Just something to consider. Let me know if you are putting any systems in place for your phone addiction. Or maybe some of y' all are fl. Like, I don't have a phone addiction. Like, that's not. That's not something I'm battling. We'd love to know how that is and why that is. Just let us know in the comments and we'll read it on the show next week. And that's it for this week in.

[Asante]

Wellness, this week in music. Well, well, well. We are back again for a new year and hopefully it will be a fun year filled with some fun music. Some new songs and albums have already been released least. But for this first Music man segment, since it's at the end of the month, I would like to do something that I'm going to hopefully try to do for the remainder of the year. For the end of every month, I would like to highlight or shout out some sort of project, song, artist, album maybe. Well, that's a project, some sort of noun for just to highlight some musical piece of history. I feel like we are all can use some sort of musical facts every now and then. Something that we can share, some things that we might have known.

[Dustin Ross]

And I love music history. Let's roll.

[Asante]

Okay, so for this first piece, JCole's birthday is actually today, the day this episode comes out. That's January 28th. Happy birthday, Jermaine. Yes. He actually has a song, January 28th. I'm not going to play it, but I thought that was interesting because that very same year. Year, since this was a serious or we. There were a lot of things that have been happening this year. That very same year. The January 28th song, 1985 We Are the World came out. Now the song came out in March, but it was recorded at our. I believe they completed. They did that group recording January 28th. And I thought that was so crazy. Now I was born in 88, but I remember for years Just seeing that, like, iconic, like, video of everybody and their mama in We Are the World. Lionel Richie.

[Francesca]

Yeah.

[Asante]

The Pointer Sisters, Cyndi Lauper in there.

[Francesca]

Michael Jackson and Michael being irritated at how long it was taking people to get their parts.

[Asante]

Okay, so talk about if you remember anything from this moment. What I guess friend, that would be your piece. Are there anything else? Are any other things that you remember from this moment? Because all I remember is just being young. Young and seeing just everybody and their mama. This was a moment that I like, got to kind of revisit as I was explaining to someone. You know that moment on stage where it's like Rihanna, Mariah Care, like everybody and their mom up there, like, this was like before that. That was all women's. This was, you know, this was way before. And I just remember thinking as a child, like, how did they get all of these, like stars in one place? Like, that's so crazy. Crazy.

[Francesca]

But this is Doc. I think there was a documentary that came out recently in the past couple years about the behind the scenes of how they got all those artists to come because, you know, imagine their schedules and shit. But if I remember correctly, it was after an award show.

[Dustin Ross]

That would make sense.

[Francesca]

That's how they managed to get. And even that is kind of intense to think about. Because imagine if you know anything about the behind the scenes of an award show, that's an all day event. I mean, you're waking up the crack of dawn to have hair, makeup, glam, and then the award itself is so many hours and then all this press and promo after. So imagine going through that and then going to a studio. Imagine how many hours.

[Dustin Ross]

I want to know who said no, right? I want to know who said they not coming. I also feel like for me, that was one of the first time prior to that. Now you gotta remember I was young when that happened. So prior to that, I just remember celebrities and stars being very. They were individual to me. I didn't really understand that. Oh, Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson are both singers. I just remember them being both superstars and not realizing that, oh, all these people do the same shit. They just do it in their own way type shit. That was one of the things that. That made me realize. I remember just studying everybody's movements and the way everybody was singing their part. And I remember Cindy Lauper's voice and I just remember like, We Are the World being like a big collaborative moment. I remember being proud of all the black people. And I remember the font for like the little Live a There's whatever that would play at the end of it. I remember that. I just remember. And I never was a real fan of the song, if I'm being honest, but when are you. You know, when it's those kind of songs, you just kind of are in support of the sentiment. But it wasn't like it was a beat that, you know, was groundbreaking for me.

[Francesca]

You know what I enjoy about it, Especially in a time like now, where music is how different everyone's voice was.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes, yes.

[Francesca]

And to me, that was the charm of the song, when everyone had their line, the different tones and, you know, the different range and how people chose to come in. And it's just like, wow, how excited, exciting to see all. Because now everyone sounds like.

[Dustin Ross]

We'Re living our own lives. I would have got in there.

[Asante]

I would have got in there.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay, y' all knew my part.

[Francesca]

But now think of now. We did some shit like that. It wouldn't be. The voices wouldn't be that different from each other, you know, because I think labels have pushed people to follow formulas of what's working as opposed to letting stars be who they are and be stars.

[Dustin Ross]

That's why we like Olivia Dean. Nobody sound like that.

[Francesca]

Yeah, I miss that. I miss stars being different from each other.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Who Sailor sound like Sailor? She knew. Can y' all tell her? Well, more on that later. Go ahead. Can you tell her apart from Summer Walker on that song House Wife?

[Asante]

Can I?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, I'm talking to y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Francesca]

I don't. I don't know it enough to say I've heard.

[Dustin Ross]

At first, I was like, which verse? I couldn't tell their voices apart.

[Francesca]

Who was who?

[Dustin Ross]

In a good way. It was. I wasn't trying to talk about them. Yeah, yeah.

[Asante]

No, they. They do sound similar. She's. They all. Yeah, yeah.

[Francesca]

That's my point. We are the world. Now we'd be like, wait, who. Who was that?

[Asante]

For the last piece of music history we can touch on, this is more. More recent.

[Dustin Ross]

There's a choice we're making.

[Asante]

And while you two are making choices, I want you to go ahead and prep your songs for, you know, the Listen Slate portion that will be coming up next. Unless you guys. She surely is. Is. She surely is. I mean, has been.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't care. Because we be we kids. To keep it a real episode. That's what I'm saying.

[Asante]

But that's why I've been over here gagging all the time, because I'm like, I get what Dustin's trying to say, but that's literally what the what FR was pointing at. And then when she points it right back, I'm over here. I'm super stuck. Okay, for the last piece, 10 years ago, Rihanna dropped anti.

[Francesca]

Damn.

[Asante]

I wanted to write. I can't believe a great album.

[Francesca]

Also, how much pressure that must be to try to do another album after 10 years. I feel like I would be like, y', all, I'm sorry it took too long. I'm not making music no more. You gonna get this makeup, these panties and my cute kids.

[Dustin Ross]

No, you gonna be happy about it.

[Francesca]

What we gonna talk about in this place? Point 10 years in.

[Asante]

Her baby daddy dropped some music too.

[Francesca]

He did it. I'm actually playing one today.

[Asante]

So, you know, Rihanna. This speaks to, you know, music knows no time, no bounds. Okay. She dropped this music 10 years ago. Could she drop something, you know, now? Yes. Would it be hard to follow up with this particular project, Anti? Yes, it would probably be difficult because anti was a great project, hence me bringing it up today and celebrating this 10 year anniversary anniversary.

[Dustin Ross]

I like lift me up. Heard that song she came out with.

[Asante]

You said you don't like it.

[Dustin Ross]

I like that song.

[Asante]

Oh.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Hey, I like that. So she was singing at the end and then. I like that smurf song too.

[Asante]

I didn't hear the smurf song.

[Dustin Ross]

It was like fast and upbeat. I was like, you know what?

[Francesca]

Damn, that was recent, right?

[Asante]

Yeah. Wasn't she nominated for something for that?

[Dustin Ross]

That, I don't know, you might be.

[Francesca]

Thinking that ice spice would be.

[Asante]

I was gonna say that's what I thought about, and I can't believe that happened. But that's music. So. Yes. Those are your two pieces of musical history moment. We are the world happened back in 1985. I just think it's interesting that. I mean, that was for the relief for Ethiopia at the time, but it actually came out in March. But J. Cole's birthday. J. Cole was born that year and also, you know, 10 years ago from today. Because January 28th was literally the basis of this history lesson. Rihanna released anti. So there you have it. Go back and listen to those.

[Dustin Ross]

Me feeling pretty. Oh, you about to make me listen to higher. That's my song.

[Asante]

Go back, listen, you know, friend in another world. Go back and listen to we are the world and my midnight library. Okay, that is it for your music history lesson.

[Dustin Ross]

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[Francesca]

This trip is draining my wallet. Yeah, but we'll be with family.

[Dustin Ross]

Finally you're in a good mood.

[Francesca]

What's your deal? What's my deal? I saved at Metro with no activation fees and I got one line of 5G for just $25 per month. Kept the phone I love and a 5 year price guarantee on my top tuxt and data detour to Metro.

[Asante]

Get that more for your money feeling.

[Francesca]

Only at Metro by T Mobile just bring your number. $30 first month and $25 after with autopay not available. If with Metro or T Mobile in the past 180 days.

[Dustin Ross]

Revitalize your bathroom.

[Asante]

Bathroom with big savings at Lowe's. Get up to 40% off select vanities.

[Dustin Ross]

And free delivery during our bath savings event. Plus get up to 40% off select shower heads.

[Asante]

No matter what style you're looking for.

[Dustin Ross]

We'Ve got you covered. Shop for your bathroom refresh at Lowe's. We help you save while supplies last selection varies by location.

[Asante]

Now we are moving on to the Listen Slightly songs to play portion of this. Fran, I know you said you have some selections you want to play. Go on ahead and let people know what you've been listening to.

[Francesca]

I do. So salt is back out. You know I love salt. They just released a new album called Chapter One and they have a lot of songs I like, but I'm gonna play considering the conversation from this week. God protect me from my enemies.

[Dustin Ross]

Sam. That would have been me playing that part. I would have been like I want to play that part.

[Francesca]

But yeah, the project is really good. They're singing a lot about their enemies and their haters and losers and I feel like it's just right on time.

[Dustin Ross]

Poignant, man.

[Francesca]

I also want to shout out Tone Stiff. Who? I enjoy Tone Stiff put out Stiff that always.

[Asante]

I love it.

[Francesca]

Tongue Ties me put out a record called Fly that I'd actually seen a snippet of on TikTok. It popped up on my FYP and he was asking people if he should release it and he actually walked through how he was making it. I love when artists do that and I was hoping he released it because it's a really great song and now.

[Dustin Ross]

That I comments 121 2, 3, release it. That's what you said in the.

[Francesca]

No, no. But I just, you know, scrolled on by, and then I was like. It popped up on my Spotify, so I was happy that he did.

[Dustin Ross]

He released it.

[Francesca]

And it's called Fly, and it's how it goes. I can't take it I'm so tired of waiting I won't lie to myself anymore I know better now than before yeah, no more slowing down I'm ready I'm just ready to go now can't waste another day I got it figured out I'll be a fool if I for the stars I've been down but had no love Same mistakes won't have me stuck I'm taking up on the Runway I've been running for too long and now I just. Nice, right?

[Asante]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what? That make you want to get dressed and spin around in your socks. Like, as you get dressed and spin.

[Francesca]

I'm visualizing it in your beautiful ass. Living room, too, with them windows.

[Dustin Ross]

Mooch is grassy is my sister.

[Francesca]

And then there's Tanner.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, no. Tanner. Adele is what I was thinking about. Never mind. Sorry. But I like Tanarell, too. I know who Tanarell is.

[Francesca]

She doesn't even look like a real person. She's so gorgeous. She has a record I. I heard called Feels like love. And it's so nice. I had to play it's your way without me. I wish you, But it's not a crown. Let me know you miss me. You know I can tell you know the places I could take you. I know the ways that I could.

[Asante]

Make you mine.

[Francesca]

Again I didn't know I would fall but it feels the way you know, right?

[Asante]

Yes, Lord.

[Francesca]

Those are my three for this week. Yes.

[Asante]

You over there jamming? Okay, Dustin Ross. What you been over there vibing, too?

[Dustin Ross]

A lot. I'm already telling you I'm gonna play four songs this week, so, so sorry. This one of the first songs. I can't stop playing this song. This song is by the kid Laroi and it's called a cold. And I am obsessed with this song.

[Francesca]

Who is I to think that I could fix you, baby? Who would I be if I didn't miss you, baby?

[Dustin Ross]

I hope that you know you were.

[Francesca]

Appreciated around my house. I still got up all of our pictures, baby. Cause I still love you that's how I feel at my core. Two different states that comes to you in between tour. I gave you everything I had and even more. Just understand it's not like me to.

[Dustin Ross]

Get My heart far away hey now.

[Francesca]

You taking distance and it's hard to.

[Asante]

Take Hey I tried everything to get.

[Dustin Ross]

Your thoughts to change Hey I tried not to listen when they always say hey, that's cold. Played by the kid. So this song is by this artist named. Absolutely. I don't know if y' all know about her.

[Francesca]

Oh, wait.

[Dustin Ross]

Sister. Yeah, it's her sister.

[Francesca]

Ray's sister. That's funny.

[Dustin Ross]

This song is called I Just don't know you Yet Live.

[Francesca]

I've been talking to you I've written stories in my head.

[Asante]

Of how it's.

[Francesca]

Going to go When I know that I know that you are spend forever with I've fallen for illusions this led by confusion I just couldn't understand.

[Asante]

Why.

[Francesca]

I'd be pushed aside Lost my dignity and pride I fallen for counterfeit I just don't know you yet.

[Dustin Ross]

So, you know, if you into that sort of, you know, rock ballad, you know.

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Dustin Ross]

I like her thing. This song is called Conversation Pit by June Tober.

[Francesca]

Oh, yeah. What's on your shoulders? Lay it down for right now Everything is all right it's been so hard but don't worry, we're fine. Love is so good I can share it all Take care of you I know your heart Lay your kids right down my pillow.

[Dustin Ross]

That's for everything. You can hip roll. You can roller skate, be a lesbian. You can do anything to that music. All right, the last song we've been vibing. We've been vibing. I'm going to turn this up. The last song I'm going to play is by 4:2, Doug and skillet baby. It's called Thick.

[Francesca]

Oh, I was just listening to.

[Dustin Ross]

I want the thick one.

[Francesca]

I want the thick one I want.

[Dustin Ross]

The thick one I want the thick one I want the thick one I.

[Francesca]

Want the thick one so many bitches.

[Dustin Ross]

So many it's hard just to pick.

[Francesca]

One it's hard just to pick one.

[Dustin Ross]

But if I got two but if.

[Francesca]

I got two I want the thick.

[Dustin Ross]

One I want the thick one I.

[Francesca]

Want the thick one I want the thick one I want the thick one.

[Dustin Ross]

I want the thick one I want.

[Francesca]

The thick one I want the thick one I want the thick one I want the thick one she want the.

[Dustin Ross]

Rich one Big pick one.

[Asante]

It's a gang of us in here.

[Dustin Ross]

We're trying to spend something. Wrist over 200.

[Francesca]

I got three of these.

[Dustin Ross]

Once I pay you for the baby, you could leave.

[Francesca]

CC she from DC Used to suck.

[Dustin Ross]

Dick free till she met a pen Just make you want to Dance. So yeah, so that's all my fix this week. That's all I picks this week.

[Asante]

Oh, wow.

[Dustin Ross]

I'll let you have that. I Linux because I already know what you about to do.

[Asante]

Well, which are. Look, I'll let you choose which are. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Dustin Ross]

I just let slay clean because I.

[Francesca]

Already knew I had one too.

[Asante]

I mean, girl dropped. So for those of you, I was going to do this next week because I was going to talk about her and give her a whole moment. But since we're already here and you guys have listened. Have you guys already listened to the project?

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, yeah. Yes.

[Francesca]

Oh my God, I sure did.

[Asante]

Any thoughts that we want to share since we're having Fun Mobbing in D.C.

[Dustin Ross]

First of all, mobbing in D.C. when she said, you know where to find me. Mobbing in D.C. i was like, this is why I love her. It is everything about the music. It's her tone, it's the writing. There is incredible production on this record. They did their motherfucking thing in the studio. Like, there's so much I could say, but you know, you got it.

[Asante]

Friend thoughts? Because I want to steal kind of something from what you said earlier and repurpose it here, but continue.

[Francesca]

Well, I loved Cool Down. It's towards the end of the album, it's when she's kind of like vibing out, you know, I'm always gonna gravitate towards those records, but it's nice. I think this felt like a little bit of older Ari. I know she was kind of playing around, which you should. I mean, that's what being an artist is, right? Playing around with different sounds and looks, working with different people. But I feel like this felt like older Ari at her age now. And so that felt nice. And it was like light hearted. Yeah, and it was lighthearted and she sounds great as usual. So I enjoyed it. I'm happy she's back.

[Asante]

Yeah. I'm loving everything about Ari Lennox. Her voice is so necessary. It's something that is so unique to what's happening right now.

[Francesca]

We are in the world, right, Ari?

[Asante]

She's not only have. She has a unique sound as far as her voice and as far as her production. So it's like she's like she's checking off all the boxes and she's not disappointing. Her newest project is called Vacancy. She's doing her thing on social media, acting like the Ari Lennox that we know and love. And the music, the music just came out on Friday of last week. So make sure y' all go run it up.

[Dustin Ross]

So proud of her.

[Asante]

So proud of her. So happy for her because this is.

[Dustin Ross]

An independent release, you know what I mean? This is her first release after leaving.

[Francesca]

Her label, so really, this is an independent release.

[Dustin Ross]

Really proud of her.

[Francesca]

That's big shout out to you, girl.

[Asante]

I've been seeing Twin Flame, I think might be one of the ones that I've been seeing around.

[Dustin Ross]

That's her single.

[Asante]

Yeah, yeah, the song that I'm gonna play, actually.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, you know what? This says she's on Interscope, so whatever kind of deal she's in with them. But this is her. This is after she left Dreamville. This is her first release after Dreamville.

[Asante]

Her departure from the label that. That, you know, everyone thought was going to, like, make everything come true, but it's the music industry. They had a nice relationship, you know. They did. They did make the magic that they had over there together. And now she gets to continue and make all the magic she needs to on her own. I love Ari Lennox. The song that I'm gonna play. Wow. I was really about to touch this song. Even though I said I'm not. You know what? I'm gonna play the first song just because Dustin did mention it. Mobbing in dc. Here we are.

[Francesca]

Sam. Hey. 2am on the Grand feeling crazy, only wanna call me baby you know how I am you don't give a damn what these say. You're talking so nice to me came in every fight with me so guess I like to fly to no love for the night show you I'm a fly I care for you darling if you want me to cut everyone off for you this is you put me through you know where I say you know where I be. This ain't calculus, no chat GPT tired of you saying that you're missing need you know my location.

[Dustin Ross]

Stop playing. Stop playing with her. Congratulations.

[Asante]

Literally how she just chose to start it off and I am proud of her. I'm happy for her. I'm celebrating her running up for Ari Linux. Nothing but flowers. Ari Lennox is someone that's been around doing her thing and we've loved her for such a long time. Thank her so much for having come on the show.

[Francesca]

I was going to say check out our episode with her too.

[Asante]

Check out episode with her. As far as artists that have been on the show that we still love and have flowers for, I would like to go on ahead and shout out Don Rashard. Yes, cl. Clap it up for Don Rashard. I'm. Thank you guys for doing that. Don Rashard is an artist that I have loved for so long, mainly because she's one of those artists that has just continued to persevere. You know, she's got the talent, she's got the work ethic, and she's got the catalog. Along with that, Don Rashard has a song out along with. I think this is the producer s fidelity. The song is called Play. This is how it goes. Yeah.

[Francesca]

We like the bug we like to play baby what's in your car Want you to stay baby we in a cat we about to slay baby keep it above we about to play baby It's a be to survive it's going to take go it's a groove Me and you we going to get physical we like to play baby yeah yeah, yeah we like to play I like that I can't break the rules with you Think that I can overdose on you it's dirty cuz you know a secrets too My body is a playground for you we like the we like to play baby what's in your car Want you to stay baby we in the guy.

[Asante]

So that's Dawn Richard just doing her thing.

[Francesca]

Nice.

[Dustin Ross]

Very nice. She just remix with Quinn. They need Quinn on, you know, shout out to Quinn.

[Asante]

Because Quinn has just been on my, like, heart, soul, and spirit and mind. And I've just, like, been meaning to, like, send her a message or something. Just where? Wherever you. I know. Yeah. Next I'm going send you a message. I think that this is a great year for music, Quinn. I don't know why, but I think that it is.

[Dustin Ross]

She been dropping.

[Asante]

I know she has, but I. I just feel like this is going to be, like, a really good, like, year for her music. I don't know what that means. I don't know if she's got stuff planned already lining stuff up. I don't know if I'm just feeling something. That's why I'm like, maybe I should reach out and see and. And see what's going on.

[Francesca]

You should.

[Asante]

But I just keep feeling something to hear that. So. But Don Richard just released that. This song came out because I think I saw it on Instagram January 14th. So, yeah, this song is very new.

[Francesca]

Very new.

[Dustin Ross]

Congratulations, Don.

[Asante]

Yes. This is off of S Fidelity's project. I'm not familiar. I believe they're probably like, a producer or something of the sort, but they.

[Dustin Ross]

Have a project title Trust Co.

[Asante]

It sounds like a what?

[Dustin Ross]

Like a loan and title Trust.

[Asante]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

Co. S Fidelity.

[Asante]

S Dot Fidelity. So I don't know if The S dot helps make it any more, you know, producer like, but investments. But the name of that project. The name of the project. Yeah, right.

[Dustin Ross]

Type. You know what I'm saying?

[Asante]

But the name of the project is called I guess I'll never learn. So I'm gonna check the actual artist out once because this project doesn't come out until March 20, 2026.

[Dustin Ross]

So I'm gonna listen to time.

[Asante]

I'm gonna listen to that project when it comes out. Just because I like the title of it and I love Don rashard, but I see that they worked with a bunch of artists on this. That's going to come out. I'm going to check that out and let you guys know. We'll come back to it. Last artist I want to play. This is all about the women this week because the sisters are doing it for who? Themselves. But I'm also helping. There's an artist named girlfriend that dropped. I talked about girlfriend one time last year. I believe Girlfriend. I just like that name. Like.

[Francesca]

It is cute.

[Asante]

Like it's a cute name. And I thought about Celine Dion when I was laughing in my head to my girlfriend. Girlfriend. But this artist, they dropped a project. I want to say this came out. Yeah. This year, January 16th. The song of the song. The title of the project is called honey water, which is cute. And this song, the song I played before was sticky situation, I believe. But the song that I'm going to play today is the called deep. Here's how it goes.

[Francesca]

That I think about you still It's a damn shame and to make it worse, I quit it first on the.

[Asante]

Rampage.

[Francesca]

Should I still be holding on at the same time? You can't say that you don't miss the cause and the facetime way we used to kick it through the night and just waste time. I know used to think about those days I I didn't really think I feel this way shaping in my stuck in our face and they see if it's feeling love won't change I think we let it go for nothing did we turn a s something know you still a part of me falling into dead.

[Asante]

So that's deep by girlfriend. I like that. That style of production that's happening in that sound. She's a beautiful girl as far as the voice. You know, she can sing, but I like the I feel like in a world full of everyone contending she can contend now how long they last, that's up to them, you know.

[Dustin Ross]

Do you like the damn song?

[Asante]

I like the damn. I like the I Like, the production of the song. I like her voice, and I feel like she's cute, so I. Like, she could be here for however long, so I'm paying attention. So, yeah, that's it for the Music man segment.

[Francesca]

Wait, I had a question before you move on. Did you bring up a show called Hitmakers?

[Asante]

Yeah. On Netflix.

[Francesca]

Yes.

[Asante]

Yeah. With seven on there and all them.

[Francesca]

Okay. I wasn't sure if you had talked about it. I did.

[Asante]

Oh, shit.

[Dustin Ross]

Is it any good, Friend? Oh, let's segue on that to TV land.

[Asante]

Fran. I knew that was a show that you were gonna like too, Friend. Because it's different than the. It wasn't competition style. It was more about the work. Even though they did have their reality moments, it was still about.

[Francesca]

Yeah. But it wasn't overshadowed. And I just, like. I was like, Ahsante told. I knew I said it. I was like, I feel like Ahsante talked about this. For some reason. I didn't watch it. And then it came up on my thing, and I was like, what is this? Clicked it watched it, and I was, like, pleasantly surprised. Amazing tv.

[Asante]

It was bomb.

[Francesca]

I just had to bring that up. Cause I'm glad that I remembered in this moment. Cause I have to tell you, like, you put us on. It is a phenomenal show. And if you love me music and the creation of music and songwriting and production and vocal production, you will love this show. It is so good.

[Asante]

Yeah, we need more like that.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm gonna watch that damn show.

[Francesca]

Oh, you would love it. It is so good.

[Asante]

It reminded me of, like, what we like. Instead of it being, like, a competition show about, like, the artist or, like, the, like, you know, the talent. It was like a kind of, like, midway behind the scenes of, like, what it takes to make an artist with those writers working and, like, what they have in their arsenal. So I thought that was super dope.

[Francesca]

And that group that. The two girls from Atlanta. Nova.

[Asante]

Yeah, because you had brought them up. That's why I remember bringing the show up to you, because I remember Charlemagne.

[Francesca]

Blue, the one that sings.

[Asante]

Yep, yep. I remember I was watching it, and I was loving them. And then I was like, this is who Fran brought up. That's why I brought. I remember telling you about them telling you about the show. Cause I was like, you have brought them up, Fran.

[Francesca]

And they were so dope on the show. And it's crazy because I love them, but I had no idea. Like, this was a whole different level of respect for them. And the production, obviously, is incredible. But Blue her songwriting.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesca]

Her voice, her ability to. Genre bends. Because whether it was country, R and B pop, she was the only one. I'm sorry to say it. In my opinion, that was consistently. I mean, it was like you were not getting nothing but a hit from that girl.

[Asante]

Literally, like, always gave you something that could work.

[Francesca]

And then she's like, interesting. Like the birthday song she wrote. That's a hard thing to do because it can be cheesy, right? A birthday song. She made it sound incredible.

[Asante]

And then I don't even remember how it went, but I remember them fucking that shit up.

[Francesca]

Everybody was like, oh, shit. And to me, she's so exciting and interesting, and she made me excited about music again. And I did wonder why she doesn't want to be an artist, but maybe she's like, I'm not messing with that side of shit. I'm a. I'm gonna just create. Cause she's so great.

[Asante]

Yeah, I'm talking.

[Dustin Ross]

You got me on the watch.

[Francesca]

I'm telling you, everyone is amazing in their own right. But that girl right there, everybody had. Everybody has to talk about her on social media. That's how you know when you get in that head. Like, I wanted to.

[Dustin Ross]

So what you gonna say to a friend, girl?

[Asante]

That's it.

[Francesca]

That's it in all caps.

[Asante]

Okay.

[Francesca]

No, like, wow, what a fucking phenomenal.

[Asante]

And it was so short, too. I was like, damn.

[Francesca]

Like, it was perfect.

[Asante]

It was. I was about to say it was paced really well, but, like, I wish.

[Francesca]

That there was, like, too much.

[Asante]

Well, so that's the thing. I wish that that was like, my. I wish I was binging, like, damn. I wish there was another season that I could watch after this. Like, not that it needed to be more.

[Francesca]

It needs to come back.

[Asante]

Yeah, it has to come back. Even if it's writers. I don't know.

[Francesca]

I think a new. I think this is a great show for highlighting writers. I. I know Claude would never do it, but I was like.

[Asante]

I felt so bad for that one writer friend. You taking me through there? I forgot.

[Francesca]

Oh, the. What was his. The one that was, like, depressed the whole time.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesca]

He was talented as hell, too. Just not confident. And it was killing me because I'm like, why can't he see how good he is? Like, he's like, I'm the only one that doesn't have a number one or, like, Grammys. And I'm like, I get it. That's so hard. But you're great. And I wanted to, like, shake him, but it's just man, that's a great.

[Dustin Ross]

So the songwriter you were speaking about, Blue, she already has, like. Like, number one records under her belt and Grammys and shit.

[Francesca]

Like Beyonce, she did Renaissance.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, really?

[Francesca]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

Really?

[Francesca]

Yes. She was the head, right? She, her and her production team, they were the head team on Renaissance.

[Dustin Ross]

Wow.

[Francesca]

And she is just. When I tell you you hear songwriting, you hear songs. You know when you're like, oh, this is really nice. It's like, no, she's just different. She's different. She's just different. I have chills.

[Dustin Ross]

That's so dope. You really literally look.

[Francesca]

I have literal chills talking about her. That's how she made me feel watching the show. And then she's so chill. I think that's what makes her so special. It's almost like she knows she got it, so she's, like, not trying to do too much.

[Asante]

Co wrote and co produced eight songs on Beyonce's Renaissance, including Cuff It, Alien Superstar and Virgos Groove.

[Francesca]

Come on.

[Dustin Ross]

All the good shit.

[Asante]

Won a Grammy for best R and B performance for their work on Beyonce's Black Parade.

[Dustin Ross]

And, you know, Black Parade. Y' all know how I feel about Black Parade. I love that song, the Renaissance. The whole damn album was good. So I don't care if she wrote a cough on that.

[Asante]

You know, Rihanna, Jay Z, Ariana Grande, Jasmine Sullivan, DJ Khaled, to name a faker, baby.

[Francesca]

Yeah. And then so Chill, which made her extra cool to me while everyone else was, like, getting involved in drama and bullshit.

[Asante]

She.

[Francesca]

She was like, I'm here to work. Like, I don't do that very much.

[Asante]

That.

[Francesca]

Yeah. And I just. Oh, I love her. If someone that knows her is listening or if she's listening. You are to her.

[Dustin Ross]

Come on the show.

[Francesca]

You are.

[Asante]

Shit. I want to talk to both. I ain't.

[Francesca]

No, Honestly, they're both great because the production is equally as valuable. Right. It brings you out as an. As a writer, so you need both. But I just. With her, I have a soft spot for songwriters, obviously, and that she.

[Dustin Ross]

Wow. Well, you're making me want to watch.

[Francesca]

Everyone should watch Hitmaker on Netflix.

[Dustin Ross]

Please watch. And while you're over there, go ahead and watch his and hers on Netflix too, so you can subscribe to our Patreon like Asante said, and join us for the binge because we need that too.

[Asante]

Yes. Now let's just go on ahead and move on to the TV Land segment. Music man segment is over here. Look, watch Hit Makers. Now we can move on to TV Land. Dustin Ross.

[Dustin Ross]

What You Got this week in TV shout out to the Real Housewives of Potomac. They had their season finale episode. And the season is over, y'. All. We can get on to what we really want to see, which is Karen sit down interview. They show Karen coming out of jail this week at the end. And we get to see next week because I saw a sneak peek of the first, like, five minutes that Bravo had released. And in it, Karen, you see her walking into the house for the first time, seeing her daughter, her husband Ray, and her sister Brittany. Seeing just Karen start to talk about her feelings, talk about her experience in jail.

[Francesca]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

And next week, we get a full sit down between her and Andy Cohen. Next week.

[Francesca]

Oh, wow.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. So make sure y' all watch next Sunday. And then the next week, the reunion comes on. They actually released pictures of all the ladies on cast in their dresses at the reunion. Wendy Oseffo looked incredible. Incredible.

[Francesca]

What's the color?

[Dustin Ross]

Red. They had to wear red. And Wendy had on a red Sergio Hudson and, like, strapless column gown to the floor, all sequins, and she had this big red feather coat on on top of it. Perry Shay has styled her, so you already know. Had her completely right. Showstopper, like, as a matter of fact, I'm gonna pull it up just so y' all can see it. Another person that really looked nice at the reunion was Kiana Stewart. And a lot of people felt like it was understated, but she looked really, really good, especially in the pictures that she posted. So make sure y' all check the those out. But that's what's going on with the real house size of potomac. Look at Dr. Wendy, y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Francesca]

Is the re. Oh, that is nice. Oh, she looks great. Is the reunion now current? Like, are they gonna ask questions about her, her situation, or was that filmed a long time ago?

[Dustin Ross]

They're definitely gonna ask. They just taped it, like, two weeks ago.

[Francesca]

Oh, okay.

[Dustin Ross]

So they're there. Wendy's in the first chair. They're gonna ask her all about that. So. And then Karen is gonna come.

[Francesca]

She can't say much. Like, legally, I'm sure.

[Dustin Ross]

I know they gonna ask her. Well, what can you say? Cause you say something, so that's good. You know, support everything. Anything that comes on TV that you want to support, support it right now. If it's a black show, God damn it. If it's a good show, period, support it. Kim Wayans has a new YouTube series that she came out with.

[Francesca]

What is it?

[Dustin Ross]

I'm going to tell you the name right now. Here it is. She's got a. A YouTube series called Still Got it with Izzy Fabulous. And she brings her comic, her classic humor to that. Yep. She launched a brand new YouTube series called Still Got it with Izzy Fabulous. And she stars as a life coach and quote unquote, sister friend, reminding us that age, wisdom and humor can all coexist.

[Francesca]

I just subscribed.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. So make sure y' all watch that.

[Asante]

Great.

[Dustin Ross]

That's right. Also for those who partake, and this is a niche audience, but they do exist and we're happy to support these creators. Right. Chasing Atlanta from the Chasing reality platform returns this week with season seven. So make sure that you. Those who partake.

[Asante]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Dustin Ross]

Those who partake. Those who partake, make sure you support that. You know, I'm gonna stand on Black Crystals creators.

[Asante]

I need to. I need to know the tea with Binge Worthy. That's what I need to know. Because this whole, you know, I don't.

[Dustin Ross]

Give a about none of that, but it is out there for you to watch. I know Binge Worthy, who is a really talented YouTube creator that was collaborating with them on that. I know he made a video chronicling his experience. So that is available for people who want to know about that. But I'm interested in the product which is show Chasing Atlanta, which returns, which highlights all these young black queer creatives in this Atlanta profiles their lives. It's a bunch of drama, a bunch of mess. It's good seventh season. So make sure y' all watch that. I think everybody involved. Yeah, you got a lot. The road is along with many a winding. Anyway, that's from the Fresh Prince. Shout out to the people who remember that from the Fresh Prince episode. You know, if you know. But that's it. It's a lot of other shit on TV we could talk about, but a show can only be. So that's it for this week in TV land and yeah.

[Francesca]

And that means that's it for us this week. We love you guys so much. Thanks for hanging with us yet another week. We'll catch you guys next week.

[Asante]

Stay black and protect your magic.

[Francesca]

Bye, y'. All.

[Dustin Ross]

This is gas, snacks, tolls.

[Francesca]

This trip is draining my wallet. Yeah, but we'll be with food family.

[Dustin Ross]

You're in a good mood.

[Francesca]

What's your deal? What's my deal? I saved at Metro with no activation fees and I got one line of 5G for just $25 per month. Kept the phone I love and a 5 year price guarantee on my top Tuxt and data detour to Metro.

[Asante]

Get that more for your money feeling.

[Francesca]

Only at Metro by T Mobile. Just bring your number $30 first month and $25 after with autopay not available. If with Metro or T Mobile in the past 180 days, we've all been there. You hold onto a coupon but forget about it and suddenly it's Expired.

[Dustin Ross]

Expired in 2020 12. Dang it.

[Francesca]

Fortunately, by switching to Geico, you could save about 900 on car insurance without ever touching a coupon.

[Dustin Ross]

It feels good to save big. It feels good to Geico.