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- [00:00]
Lauren LaRosa
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
- [00:04]
Shopify Business Owner 1
I get a lot of questions about how I run my business and keep everything operating smoothly and the answer is Shopify. One of the biggest advantages is discoverability. Shopify puts my products in front of customers wherever they're already shopping. And for my store, whether it's a mug, a shirt, or a hoodie, all the raindrops can get something special to call their own. I'm so pumped because Shopify is going to show up at our Black Effect Podcast festival this year in a big way way for all of our small black owned businesses that partner with us. Build your store, own your audience and create something that lasts. Start now@shopify.com Ben this is Wheezy WTF
- [00:47]
Wheezy WTF
from Decisions Decisions, ladies. Let's talk about taking control of our sexual health. That's grown woman energy. You may think HIV affects someone else somewhere else, but the truth is it's impacting our community. And some of us are being hit harder than others. Black women make up just 13% of the women in the US yet account for nearly half of new HIV diagnoses amongst women. Taking care of ourselves is community care. Know your options, ask questions, and protect your peace and your body. That's using your power. Sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences
- [01:26]
Liberty Mutual Spokesperson
and Doug. There's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.
- [01:35]
Wheezy WTF
Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird.
- [01:38]
Lauren LaRosa
What is this, your first date? Oh, no.
- [01:40]
Liberty Mutual Spokesperson
We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Together we're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.
- [01:46]
Wheezy WTF
Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.
- [01:47]
Liberty Mutual Spokesperson
Anyways, get a'@libertymutual.com or with your local agent.
- [01:51]
Lauren LaRosa
Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.
- [01:54]
Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the Enhanced Games. Some call it grotesque, others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all. Embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
- [02:11]
Liberty Mutual Spokesperson
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on £10. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
- [02:18]
Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Listen to Superhuman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [02:26]
Lauren LaRosa
I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything. And everybody knows you don't lie about that, right? Lauren came in hot. Hey, y', all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa. And this is another episode of the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversation that shaped the room. Baby. Now, as you guys know, we love a good check in behind the scenes of the grind here at the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. We are counting down until it is Mother's Day and I will be with my family. We do a traditional mother daughter sleepover that I'm really excited about every year when we do it because I just love getting together with family. So that'll go down this weekend. So I'm basically preparing myself to be able to just be relieved of all duties for the weekend to really enjoy my family kind of not be at work is. It's a little hard for me because I still be want to, you know, watch what's going on, but to really just enjoy. I've been having a lot of conversations about like, peace. I'm reading this book. We did an interview at the Breakfast Club, which is already live with Tim Ross, who is a former pastor, former comedian, podcaster, author, and Tim Ross wrote a book called the Missing Piece. So I was reading that book in preparation for the interview. Didn't finish it before the interview, but plan to finish it. And in this book, it's like, it's a work through kind of like self help guide. But it's not your traditional self help book where it feels like all the fingers are pointing at you. You know what I mean? Like, sometimes you can read a self help book and it's like, dang, this book makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world going through this. Like not even an author understands what I'm experiencing. And so I love self help books that don't make you feel that way. I feel like the last one I read that was kind of like that. Even though it's not self help, I guess it is self help. It's advice because she just ranked in Amazon's, you know, top number one in a parenting and advice column on Amazon. Just hilarious is to deaf duty parent, which was very much like it was. She was telling stories, but it made you, you know, be able to like set a list of priorities and things you want to do better. And I don't even have kids, but this book is like that. So through stories about his life, Tim Ross is teaching us how to really understand, like really protecting peace. I think we always talk about, I'm protecting my peace. I'm protecting my peace, honey. If it disturbs my peace, it ain't for me. And we ain't protecting Nothing at all. And I think the reason why I can admit that that all of this time that I thought I was protecting peace, I wasn't really protecting anything was because I really didn't understand what was driving me to a place of of no peace. And I didn't understand that somet I was the point of no peace. So what am I protecting if I'm causing a storm like I, you know, and in turn if I'm causing a storm, I'm living in a storm. So yeah, that has been something that I have been just kind of sitting with and reading and thinking through. So I'm in a really good space after doing so and after speaking with him. Please go check out his interview on the Breakfast Club. I think it will give you a hug. I love interviews. I feel like a hug. I always say that about Angie Martinez's interviews, but I also think the interview that he did on the Breakfast Club combined with his book will help you be really, really honest with yourself. And that is my goal this year is to get better at being honest with myself and when I'm honest with myself, to get better at actually executing the things that I don't like, when I'm fine and I'm honest about myself and to big myself up about the things I do like and I do love when I'm honest with myself. So let's get on into the latest this is Wheezy.
- [06:17]
Wheezy WTF
WTF from Decisions Decisions. You know, a lot of us grew up not fully trusting the healthcare system. And honestly, the system has given us plenty of reasons to feel that way. But now it's time for us to take control of the conversation, to take control of our sexual health, learn the facts, ask questions and advocate for ourselves. That's how we start changing the story. So let's talk. We like to think HIV is something that affects other people, but it is hitting our own community hard. Black women make up about 13% of women in the US but account for nearly half of all new HIV diagnosis around women. And being proactive doesn't mean you just don't trust your partner. It just means you trust yourself enough to stay in control. So know your options, ask questions and protect your peace and your body. That's real power. Because protecting yourself isn't embarrassing, it's responsible. Sex is normal. Protecting yourself should be normal too. Actually, it's kind of badass. Taking control of your sexual health is grown woman energy sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences.
- [07:26]
Shopify Business Owner 2
A lot of you ask how I actually run my business behind the scenes. And honestly, Shopify is the reason it exists. For me, Shopify is the place where I took this little idea I had and turned it into a real business. It's the platform where I own everything. My store, my customers, my community. When I started my storefront, Shopify made it just so easy. With just a few clicks, I was ready to share my vision with the world. And the best part, Shopify literally gets my products everywhere. People Shop, Google, YouTube, TikTok, the Shop app, even ChatGPT. I still remember the first ever sale I made for my fashion brand embellished. That little notification cha ching cha ching cha ching is music to my ears and Shopify made it all possible. I'm so pumped that Shopify is going to show up at our Black Effect Podcast festival this year in a big way for all of our small black owned businesses that partner with us. Plus shop pay, the purple button is a game changer. Fast one click checkout. If I don't see it when I'm shopping, I'm stressed. So I love knowing my customers get that same trust, trusted experience. Build your store, own your audience and create something that lasts. Start now@shopify.com Ben Save on family Essentials
- [08:41]
Safeway/Albertsons Advertiser
at Safeway and Albertsons this week at Safeway and Albertsons, fresh cut cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple or melon medley bowls, 24 ounces are $5 each and wild caught lobster tails are $4.99 each. Limit eight member price plus selected sizes and varieties of Doritos, Lays, Cheetos, sun chips and Kettle cook chips are $1.99 each. Limit for member price. Hurry in. These deals won't last. Visit safewayoralbertsons.com for more deals and ways to save.
- [09:11]
David Eagleman
If you're into tech, you'll love this. TikTok is a live lab where users post instant reviews of the latest trends. Download TikTok and check it out.
- [09:26]
Lauren LaRosa
Speaking of bigging up. Okay honey, okay. And conversations and Conversation starters. Complex the magazine or complex.com the outlet, however you remember them or reference them as, has dropped their official 2026 power players list. Now this list is a list of the most powerful people in the media game right now in hip hop media. So it's the Hip Hop Media Power Ranking list. Now this is their 4th annual Hip Hop Power ranking list. And the tagline of the list is in a year with no dominant stars and no breakout moments, the people shaping rap conversations matter more than ever. And guess who was on the list? Ya girl, I am on the list. I came in at number 22, which is honestly amazing, because 22 is my favorite number. 11 and 22, I feel like those numbers are just like perfect numbers. And whenever something in my life signals those numbers, I feel like it's like a. It's a reminder that I'm on the right path. Kind of like an. I was gonna say an attention thing. Not an attention thing. Like a. An alignment thing. Like, I'm. I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing because I'm running into my. You know how people say, like, your angel numbers? I feel like 11 and 22 are that for me, even numbers all together make me feel good. Like 22. But, yeah, so I made the list. And for me, one of the big things in, like, you know, anything that I do is I want people to talk about the work, and I want them to talk about it in a real way. So it was fire to me to be placed on this list, because the way that I was ranked had everything to do with the work that I do every single day. And, you know, I think that it's dope. And a lot of times when you're in it and you're working and you're figuring things out, especially if you're new in a space, it's like, you never want to. You always want to remain teachable, and you never want to be like, you know, like, you know, those people who are just, like, things are going well for themselves, so they're too full of themselves. And it's like, yo, bro, relax. Like, what goes up can also come down. You never want to be one of those people. So that's like, my goal is to never be that. But I, you know, I told myself, like, you got to be okay with celebrating yourself as well, too. So my description on the list, they list that last year I was not on the list, because I wasn't. And I remember Charlemagne and Nyla having a conversation about this list and him mentioning that me and Nyla should have been listed on this list. When they list what I'm known for on complex.com they say I'm known for on the ground reporting, balancing out the Breakfast Club with some stone cold facts. And there's like a small, like, almost like a forward. Speaking of books written by Jordan Rose, who is one of the. Who's one of the personalities over at Complex. It says in a hip hop media landscape cluttered with clickbait, Lauren LaRosa is doing the legwork. Her role on the Breakfast Club is to inform the audience and her co host about current events. She got a start at tmz and her commitment to getting a story has taken her to the biggest stage. Bringing the same intensity to Slate Rumors. Will Drake pop up with Bad Bunny at the super bowl at clock it. That was my exclusive. When I shut that down completely. No, that was not happening, period. And serious stories as seen in her insightful coverage of the Diddy trial. Now, they did ask me some questions. They asked two questions. They said, what is one thing that I like about rap right now? I talked about the fact that I love that women are running rap. Like when you think about some of your favorite summer anthems, even some of your favorite songs with the guy rappers like Luther with Kendrick Lamar, you think of SZA Dochi is out here. Lotto, Cardi B, Glorill love. I still play Old City Girls, to be honest with you. Like, I was just listening to that the other day and I saw Dababy who is, you know, he has a song pop that that is climbing the charts. He went got Gorilla and Karia Young Miami are the Supergirls of the Supergirls of the City girls. Like the women are. They're where it's at. And not only are they where it's at, but they're making the music that makes you feel good. Like, I think we sometimes can get so into this like beef mentality of like the back and forth between like the Drake and the Kendricks and things of that nature and forget that like sometimes people just want to have a good time. Like I, I feel like at one point in time in music, the goal used to be who's going to have the song of the summer. I don't even know if people care about that anymore. Like it's 80 degrees outside right now and I don't know what we putting on when we get in the car unless we put on one of the girls. And there's nothing wrong with that. I'm happy for all of the ladies that rap. But I'm saying like the new songs that are big, that are breaking, like it's very few far in between. And Complex actually acknowledges this in the opening of, you know, this list and kind of explaining how they were able to compile the list as well too. The second question they asked me is, what's one thing you hate about rap right now? I said how low the barrier of entry is. I'm a social media girly. So basically like I'm not knocking social media, don't get me wrong, but. And I live and Thrive there. And I'm thankful to God that we no longer have to wait on the machines to power us up. Most of the stories that I break, I break them first on social media. Twitter is my like, that's a huge platform for me and breaking news and Instagram. And then I take it to here, the podcast, the Latest with Lauren LaRosa and the breakfast Club. Right. And then it picks up by other outlets like Complex. Shout out to them for always picking up my content. Shade Room, Hollywood Unlock, Billboard shoot. Even TMZ has picked up a few of of my stories. Yeah, y' all know how that go. But I say I continue. But I do believe there should be artist development and not just the tracking of an artist or their talents via social media. Numbers or engagement for a moment is what I meant. The writing of this is all over the place. We got to have them edit that. But yeah. So I'm excited. I'm excited to be on this list. And we're going to talk a little bit about the list and just some of the people that I watch a lot for what I do in news that I big up or my friends who made the list that I'm excited to see. Now, I told you guys that Complex talks a lot about the fact that there isn't really, like, in a. Like people that are making narratives in hip hop right now. So it's so important to have, you know, talking heads who actually do that. Complex makes the point that the storylines of the past years have gone cold. There's no new dominant star and no big singles or albums with true staying power. To make this list, a platform or a person has to regularly address issues and topics related to hip hop. They have to be a place where news gets broken. Okay, I love to be known as that or where rappers want to appear. It's the conversation you're causing. And to me, this is important because I feel like that was always the goal. Like, I have a platform called Brown Girl grinding all common spelling and we are like the group chat on Instagram and I'm going to expand it to so many other places. But the tagline of the brand is by black women for the world causing conversations that shake the room. That is the tagline of the podcast, if you guys have not noticed as well, because that I think when you're able to cause conversation, conversation carries. It can carry from friend to friend, family member to family member, generation to generation, man to woman, but it lasts. It's not something that's like a flash in a bucket. If It's a conversation that is like good, it's engaging and it does what it needs to do. So speaking of people who do that, I do want to take a second to actually highlight some people from the list. In no particular order, honestly, I started from the bottom of the list and just scrolled down. So Rob Markman who is listed at number 35, he is last on the list. I definitely think he should have been higher. They list his features as genius. Just my thoughts, which is his own platform where he talks straight to camera just about some things in hip hop that are going on and giving his thoughts, providing very thoughtful information and insight. A lot of industry insiders as well too. Wayno is also a person who does similar content like this that didn't make this list but should have and then interview ever. And they say that he's known for top notch interview skills and integrity as a pundit. Now when Rob Martin does any of his sit down like breakdowns, like he's a person for me in a, in a time right now where a lot of hip hop personalities and I was going to say journalists but like I'm trying to think like who I consider an actual. Oh, probably Frasier, who's on this list is probably someone I actually consider a hip hop journalist. Like I think when I think of hip hop journalists I think of like a B. Dy. I think of, you know what B. Elliot Wilson used to do with rap radar. Like that is a very serious like title and it's a very like I'm a journalist but I can spin across various genres, not just hip hop. A hip hop journalist. I feel like those are the people who they create lists that actually like make sense or make you think. They're very deeply embedded into culture, into lyric, into song, into rap. They're like the. I'm a fashion girly. So us fashion girls, we love archive pieces because they're hard to get. No one knows much about them. You know everything about them. So you there's a chance to educate. But they're also normally like very rare. They look good, they last, it's just they're very sought after. Hip hop journalists are like the archive archivist. I don't even know if that's the word. But they archive what is our culture of hip hop. They make sure that we're able to find these pieces and these artifacts that matter, that are one of one that need some explaining, that educate, that really, really, really matter. And there's not a lot of even understand enough about hip hop and its History from the origin to where we are now to do that. And that's why I said, I don't know who I would even think of in that category outside of, like, maybe very few people. But, yeah, shout out to Rob Markman. Whenever I'm trying to break down something deeply, deeply hip hop embedded, Rob Markman and B Dot are people that I look to see. The conversations that they're having as, like, research and things that I might not understand, or I reach out to them and ask questions. And he says one thing he hates about rap right now is the way hip hop has been infiltrated with paid agitators who run up fake streams and use bots to give the illusion of something real. I hate the toxic side of Stan culture and fans who pick their favorite artists against hip hop as a whole. Next on the list is Elliot Wilson at number 32. Last year he was number 17. He dropped on the list. He just hasn't been around. I did an interview with Elliot Wilson last year sometime, and he was telling me how he was getting back into the things. And I. I was telling him in the interview, like, your strong point is this. It's having the real conversations one on one with the artist. You and B Dot were in a stoppable force. But, I mean, I guess that's over. Get back to this, like, because there was, like, trolling going on at one point, and I'm like, you know, I was being honest with him. Like, you're too old to be doing that. Like, you're too respected and coveted and you should look at yourself that way. And then he just kind of, like, disappeared. But I know he was going through some things in his personal life that he shared with me off the record. And then I saw on this list, I did not know he announced he had twins. And it's not with the person he had been married to for a very long time. So that kind of explains the absence. Elliot, take your time. Get your real life where it needs to be, and we will see you soon.
- [20:57]
Wheezy WTF
This is Weezy. WTF from Decisions, Decisions. You know, a lot of us grew up not fully trusting the healthcare system. And honestly, the system has given us plenty of reasons to feel that way. But now it's time for us to take control of the conversation, to take control of our sexual health, learn the facts, ask questions, and advocate for ourselves. That's how we start changing the story. So let's talk. We like to think HIV is something that affects other people, but it is hitting our own community hard. Black women make up about 13% of women in the US but account for nearly half of all new HIV diagnosis around women. And being proactive doesn't mean you just don't trust your partner. It just means you trust yourself enough to stay in control. So know your options, ask questions and protect your peace and your body. That's real power. Because protecting yourself isn't embarrassing, it's responsible. Sex is normal. Protecting yourself should be normal too. Actually, it's kind of badass. Taking control of your sexual health is grown woman energy. Sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences.
- [22:06]
Shopify Business Owner 3
Okay, so quick behind the scenes moment about my business. Because people always ask me like, how do I actually run everything? So Shopify is literally the platform where I turned this tiny idea into a business. Before this, I was really just like popping up at any in person event, any vending opportunity I could, which I still do, but I wasn't really as focused online. I was like, you know, the websites are going to be too much to build out. I'm not like a super techie person, even though I can make things cute. And I didn't want to put up a website that would run my customers away. I wanted it to be efficient, to be easy. And Shopify helped me build brown girlgrinding.com out. Once I switched to Shopify, it finally clicked like, okay, I can actually do this. It's not about it being tough, it's about using the right platform to make it easy. Shopify takes all of the guesswork out. I build my own store, I manage my community, own my own customer relationships. Plus this is my favorite thing. Shopify gets my products everywhere. I'm able to link stuff through Google, YouTube, TikTok, Shop the Shop app, even ChatGPT and Instagram, which is very important for me. And Shopify's AI co founder, sidekick, game changer, let me tell y'.
- [23:18]
Lauren LaRosa
All.
- [23:18]
Shopify Business Owner 3
Right, so it's helped me not only optimize my site, it helps me look at my sales trends, it updates my product skills. All the stuff I'm absolutely not an expert in. But it's like having a genius business partner that never sleeps. And right now the Bronco Grinding storefront and the Black Effects storefront is busy and Shopify is handling all of the heavy lifting. I love that for us. I am pumped, like so pumped that Shopify is going to show up at the Black Effect Podcast Festival this year in a big way. And I will be there preaching this platform to all of the small black owned businesses that partner with us. So if you've Been sitting on an idea. Or if you're ready to scale, which you've already started, this is your sign. Go to shopify.com Ben if I can
- [24:01]
Lauren LaRosa
do it, you can do it, too.
- [24:02]
Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced Games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
- [24:19]
Liberty Mutual Spokesperson
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on £10. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
- [24:26]
Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Listen to Superhuman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [24:32]
David Eagleman
There are times when the mind becomes a difficult place to live. This is David Eagleman with the Inner Cosmos podcast. And for Mental Health Awareness Month, we're dedicating a series to understanding the mind when it struggles. I'm joined by doctors, researchers, and those with lived experience. We'll talk with singer songwriter Jewel about anxiety.
- [24:54]
Mental Health Guest
I started living in my car and then my car got stolen. I was shoplifting. I was having panic attacks.
- [25:00]
David Eagleman
I was agoraphobic and making it through hardship.
- [25:03]
Mental Health Guest
To be present is a learned skill, and it's hard to be present.
- [25:09]
David Eagleman
We'll talk with John Nelson about clinical depression and the brain implant that saved his life. What I learned is that procedure made me happy because I'm disease free. And we'll talk with leading experts like Jud Brewer about anxiety and John Hirschfeld about obsessive compulsive disorder and the science of how the brain can change. This is a month of deeply personal and honest conversations about what happens when the brain goes off course and what we can do about it. Listen to intercosmos on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [25:48]
Lauren LaRosa
Next on the list is DJ Head and Gina Views. I am so proud of Gina Views. The Head is my bro. Always looking out, always a phone call away. But Gina Views and not but. Because it's not a but. These two come together in a package deal, period. Gina Views. However, me and her kind of left our roles at our last situations. She was at no Jumper, I was at TMZ around the same time. And I feel like we've undirectly, like, you know, I wasn't calling her when I was going through things, she wasn't calling me. But as we were getting through it and, like, you know, hitting different notches on the belt and being able to, like, put different, you know, points on the board, we were cheering each other on. Because I think we just really understood what each other were going through. And I think, number one, we're just really good at what we do, if I do say so myself. And y' all know, I don't really. I don't even get into all of the talking too much about myself, but when I think about us, I think about what kind of helped us and is still helping us as we navigate this space is that we're really good at what we do, but we also really care. Like, we're really passionate. We really live and breathe what our genres are. Gina is a hip hop girly. She is going to talk you through lyrics and, you know, all of the things I can get into it, but that is not my ministry. And she is so good at what she does. For real. For real. But I'm really proud of her too, because I think that there are not a lot of women in the space who are as brutally honest as she is while also being able to have such adult personality that people want to come and talk to you. They want to hang out with you. Like, she's fun, she's the homegirl, she's sexy, she's sassy, but, like, she's not with the bullshit and she's not afraid to tell you and she's not afraid to be honest. And I think that disruptor that we see in her is what I want to see in a lot of the other younger girls in that space doing because it is a very male dominated talk space. DJ Head who sits next to her is, you know, amazing at just being supportive, but also made amazing. And it's. And it's very obvious in like, her rise was very amazing at, like, being a supportive. He's like, he's supportive and he's chill, but he's a force, very well connected. Not afraid to put his people on, not afraid to put her on. But I think he understood that, like, they were better together. And a lot of the opportunities that we saw him get over this last, like, year or two is all he's always centered the two of them and not just himself, but he's also really good at what he does too. His understanding of music especially, you know, being ingrained in a lot of west coast culture which people were paying so much attention to at one point. I think he used that in a really smart way to build something that lasts beyond the Kendrick drink beef moment. So shout out to them. Effective immediately. Available everywhere. Go watch them. It's one of my favorite shows to watch as well. When I'm Preparing, you know, for my artist interviews because they really get into the shits. Jim Jones on the list. Jim Jones, I want to mention he's number 26 on the list and was not on last year's list. But I want to mention him because I think with the let's Rap about it podcast and artist to artist with the platforms that he has and what he's doing, people like to drag him and like to troll him and like to, you know, come for him and dispute his takes when he talks about how relevant he is and who he thinks he's bigger than the music. But one thing that I will say is that quietly, he's building an empire in the media world off of that. He got tired of just being on someone else's platform responding to things, or on Instagram responding to things, and he made it something like the rest. The Less Rapid Body podcast, they're carving out their own lane, still very much growing, but it's working for them. They have an audience over there. Artist to artist. He has an audience over there and he's building out more. And I think he. One of the things I respect is that he took what he watched a lot of people do and he didn't say, oh, everybody's doing this, or because I'm not the first to do it, I don't want to do it. He would probably argue he was first in the space some way somehow, because that's just what Jim do. But he wasn't afraid to say, I'm going to do it now. I don't care who's already doing it, and I'm going to do it my way because if I build it, they will come. And I think that that's what this genre of, like, that's what you see a common thread in a lot of the people on this new list. It's like new media, like things are changing. You then got Nori Noriega, drink champs, number 25. I love Nori. He's such a sweet person. Every time I run into him, he always talks about how he gets his news from me, which is a lot of pressure when people tell me that. But I I with it because I know Nori has experienced so many generations of like, personality, media talent, journalists, hip hop, music culture. He's also dominating in the space and another person who's building business, very smart in the space. He just launched Rock Solid, which is Memphis Bleaks podcast under his Drink Champs like Network Flap flagship that he's building as well, too. And I love to see people who are in hip hop, understand the business and build the business because it sustains you longer than anything else. And he's been able to be relevant. Like, think about it. Nori the the rapper Nori Drink Champs now Nori the rapper, Drink Champs and businessman in podcast flagship. Up next, we have Gillian Wallow at number 18. And I think you just put Gillian Waller on this list. Not like, just like it's. It's nothing. But they're consistent. Like, you. You know what you're getting from them. People love them. People love to sit down and talk about them. I will say, though, this year I feel like I haven't seen their stuff circulate as much online. And I don't know why. I don't know if it's because they're quiet, quietly building other things. So, like, they're still dropping. They're still doing interviews. I know they did Pooh Shici's first interview when he came home, but I don't know. They've just been very, like. It's been like they're dropping and they're consistent and then they, like, they out the way. And normally with people as ambitious as them, we've seen their rise to, you know, everything that they're doing. Million dollars worth of game. That means that they're working on something. So I'm excited to see what is going to come next from them. But you got. If you got a list of people in the space that are impactful, it actually means something. Gillian Wallow have to be on the list because first of all, their focus and what they actually care about and their why of why they're doing it. Like, really wanting to help people who are coming behind them understand who they are so they're not throwing their lives away. That's always gonna get them placed on any list, in my opinion. And actually, I mean, it's Gillion Wallet or entertaining as. As well. Like, let's just get that to them. Bootleg Kev also on the list. Another outlet I watch a lot when I'm preparing for interviews. The guys from the popcast podcast, the New York Times podcast. I don't know how to say their name, so I'm probably gonna get this wrong. John Carmonica and Joe Casa Crelley. I like their interviews. I like their interviews because I feel like they're always very well researched. They have a very good rapport with a lot of the artists that they report on because they've been working in a space for so long. So this is not their first time meeting or reporting on or talking to the artist, but they're just, they're very well researched a lot and they're not afraid to ask questions. Like, and to be honest with y', all, a lot of people that are white in the hip hop space that are doing these interviews and all those things, a lot of times I feel like they're like either trying very hard, super disconnected, or they're. Their type of content is like, it might be good to watch, but it's not something I'm using to research because I don't know, like, it's a lot that's just going over their head. They're really good at what they do and it's very calm. There's no gotcha moments. It's not an attack. It's like an easy conversation to watch, but it's very well researched. Frasier Tharp, writer, journalist. For real, for real, like, actually a still a writer. So big up to him, especially for the Jay Z interview that he did, which was everywhere. It was a very well put together interview. Again, very well researched. This is what I mean when I say, like, hip hop journalists, like, there's like a specialty, like, that's like an art or a gift because you have to, like, remember so much information, different years, different drops, different releases, lyrics, like, and be able to like, effortlessly recite it and, you know, turn it into questions. Like, I don't think people understand that. That ain't for everybody. Everybody can't do that. But he does it very well, as we saw on display this year with that Jay Z Inter. Kai Sanat is on the list. And I saw some people arguing when the list dropped that Kaisanat hasn't turned on his camera all year. So why is he on the list? I don't ever want y' all to mistake his power and his impact with the fact that he has chosen to not play around with it and take. And take a break and focus and figure out how he really wants to impact. Kazana not reached a pinnacle that a lot of streamers are still fighting to get to today to the point where he was able to do what he's doing now. He's taking a break. He stepped away. And when he chooses to come back and turn that camera on in whatever way he chooses to, y', all, we will listen. We will listen. And. And I think the beauty of it is, is that he actually cares for something deeper. Like, it's not just about the streams, the W's in the chat, the subscribers, the money. Like, it's actually something Deeper for him. And he's out right now trying to discover what that is so that he doesn't miss that. And I think people who have purpose in their journey, the impact is that's legacy. He's out of here. And then they, you know, we get to the top five. On the top five, of course, Joe Budden, Charlemagne, this little man that works on the show called the Breakfast Club. Jadakiss, Fat Joe. Yeah, like, it's. I. I think it's a. There's a lot of people on this list. I ain't even gonna hold you that. I don't even know who they are whatsoever. Academics is number one on the list. I don't think that academics should be number one on the list. And no, it's not because we had our little scruffle on Twitter. I really could care less about that at this point in my life. Have nothing against him. I always say I respect them out of what he's built. I just don't agree on how he goes about things a lot of the times. But I don't think he should be number one. I think, and this is not because I work with him. I think Charlamagne is. Is number one. They have DJ Academics as number one, Joe Budden as number two, Vlad is number three, Fat Joe and Jadakiss is number four, and Charlamagne as number five. I will put Charlamagne as number one just because not only is his voice impactful and it impacts inside and outside of hip hop, and that's important for hip hop, but that might go over some people's heads, but the business that he's built and the way that he's been able to hire and employ and just change the lives of so many other people through hip hop and through a microphone, that's like there. Nobody in the top five of this list is doing that the way that he's doing it. I would then put Joe Budden at number two just because I think when you talk about elder statesman and impact, voice wise, that is him as well. And he's able to do a lot of the, you know, the callbacks to the lyrics and the conversation. Like, he really does this for real as well. I would put. If I'm choosing just from the top top five, I would probably. Yeah, I would probably put Academics as number three only because I. I feel like. I feel like he. I' ma hate that I'm saying this. He's louder. Like, I would put Joe and Jada there, but I feel like their stuff isn't it's. Not at the forefront as much. And I think that that matters with the people that I'm like, how I think about things like the disruptor, like their things don't disrupt as much. They did have the moment where they revealed that we were gonna get the. The J. Cole birthday mixtape. And when they did it, you see how crazy it went. But they don't do that often and. But we love them because you get. You get a piece of hip hop history in real time and a look back on things in a way that you just don't get it from other people because. Because of who you're talking about. Like, Fat Joe is one of the best storytellers ever. And Jadakiss is just so well respected and has experienced so much that you put them two together and it's cold. But yeah, I think I would. I would flop that. And honestly, the only reason why I wish that there was another option for top five, like, is there somebody else I would actually take out to put? I honestly might. I don't know. I would put the Popcast guys a little higher, if I'm being honest. I put myself a little higher too. Not top five, though. Cameron is on this list. I don't know if I'll put him top five, though. But I do respect the way that he's been able to build a business model for himself as well, too. I think once he settles in, all of the business that he's building, it's going to be up there like top five. But I see what he's doing with Revolt and I know how much they respect him because I dealt with them so much during all that. Dane Dash, Is he chairman of Revolt? Is he not? Conversation. But yeah, I don't know. I'm not mad at me putting academics at number three. I just feel like a lot of times he's loud but it's for the wrong reasons. And I think that there's. I think anybody in the top five of a hip hop list like this where you're balancing out impact, virality, substance. But also like, who do people care to listen to? People do care to listen to him. But I feel like Impact also, it impact matters as far as, like, what you're choosing a platform. And I feel like sometimes the things that he chooses a platform is still not like, I think that he could be. It could be he could be doing so much more with the platform that he's built, but he's built the platform and he did it early on before a lot of the streamers and things like that were being respected. And that's why I'm not mad at him. In the top five whatsoever. Take a look at the list. It's on complex.com. let me know what you guys think about it. I am honored to be on the list. I know people be like, I don't care about lists. I don't care about awards. It feels good to be recognized by your peers and to know that, you know, your work is not going overlooked. I'm Lauren LaRosa. This has been another episode of the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. And I tell you guys every single episode. Y' all could be anywhere with any open body, but y' all choose to be right here with me, my lowriders. I appreciate you guys. I'll catch you in my next episode. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.