The Sage Steele Show, Ep. 87: "When Your Own Community Turns on You" ft. Hodgetwins (Jan 7, 2026)

Host: Sage Steele
Guests: Keith and Kevin Hodge (the Hodgetwins)

Overview

In this candid and often provocative episode, Sage Steele sits down with Keith and Kevin Hodge—best known as the Hodgetwins—for an unfiltered conversation about their rise from humble beginnings to online stardom, their experiences within the Black community, the impact of absent fathers, political evolution, and why they feel their own community has, at times, "turned on" them. The episode balances humor, tough truths, and vulnerable storytelling.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining "Black Fatigue" and Challenging Black Community Norms

• "Black fatigue" is discussed as exhaustion from witnessing negative subcultures, particularly behaviors labeled as "ratchet" or "ghetto" (01:08–05:00).
• Keith and Kevin attribute much of the problematic behavior to broken families and absent fathers, especially as seen in viral videos featuring Black women (02:51).
• They argue there's a cycle of learned behavior and a lack of accountability:

  “I'm not saying it's the black man's fault...women have to take a lot of accountability for their own behavior…our culture has not been able to fix this." – Kevin (02:51)

2. Personal Stories and Humor from Their Dating Lives

• The twins recount vivid (and comedic) stories of violent ex-girlfriends and their eventual preference for Latina wives (07:16–12:01).
• Sage laughs and pushes back, highlighting the line between humor and honesty (09:01):

  “This isn't funny. Why am I laughing?" – Sage (09:01)

3. Evolving Audiences: From Fitness to Politics

• Initially, their fanbase was diverse, but delving into politics “gentrified” their audience, skewing much more white and rural (18:47–19:34).
• They openly discuss the moment they lost 15,000 followers in hours for defending MAGA hat wearers (21:41–22:10).
• Coming "out of the closet" politically is likened to coming out as gay due to fear of backlash (22:36):

  “It felt like a homosexual...it was in the closet and was scared to tell my parents." – Keith (23:00)

4. The Price of Authenticity & Career Risks

• The decision to keep a controversial post online marked a personal and professional turning point (24:29–25:45).
• While political candor initially cost them followers, within six months it led to greater popularity and opportunities.
• They emphasize never hiding who they really are, even if it means “career suicide” (24:30).

5. Trial, Error, and Building a Brand

• Early YouTube days were full of cringeworthy, sometimes misogynistic humor (26:05–27:37).
• Their trajectory went: fitness videos → relationship/dating advice (some intentionally bad)—including infamous bits like "Should I Sleep with My Stepsister?" (35:11).

  “I need to go back and delete a lot of those videos...I think the best advice I ever gave, there was none.” – Keith (33:21)

6. Adversity, Resilience, and the Twin Dynamic

• They describe getting fired as insurance adjusters for making YouTube videos, then going on unemployment—which became the opening they needed (40:14–41:18).
• Success, they say, came from seizing new opportunities—"getting outside your comfort zone"—and always having each other’s back.

7. The Impact of Childhood and Fatherlessness

• The loss of their father at age 14 (on their birthday) deeply shaped their lives (54:29–55:13).
• They discuss cycles of poverty and fatherlessness, and recurring patterns witnessed in their community.
• A local black pastor, Pastor Hawkins, served as a mentor, but, as Keith recalls, they didn't fully appreciate it until adulthood (62:17–65:14).

8. The Politics of Race and Community Criticism

• The twins are blunt in their critique of the state of the Black community—crime, familial breakdown, lack of accountability—and why their views have made them outliers (66:00–80:56).
• They cite culture, epigenetics, and learned behavior as reinforcing cycles of dysfunction.
• Race and politics interweave, with examples of Democratic Party loyalty and the political consequences of Black monolithism (83:23–84:20).
• Candidly:

  "I don't think they realize the negative connotation that comes to people's mind when you think of the black community...they'd rather put it on the white people, the white man." – Keith (79:26)

9. Wider Cultural and Political Critique

• The conversation expands to gender issues, the impact of female leadership, and critique of the “feminization” of society (87:18–90:24).
• They reflect on pain, betrayal, and lasting hurt from both relationships and professional environments, particularly in dealing with women in authority (91:08–95:19).

10. Identity, Acceptance, and Their Hope for the Future

• Neither Keith nor Kevin feel fully accepted by Black or white communities—particularly after openly supporting Republican/conservative ideas (76:07–77:09).
• Both want to "see the world and people for what it is" and raise their own kids to be accountable and objective (108:23).
• Their ultimate hope:

  "Hopefully one day black community will open eyes and see what's really going on...hopefully our message can bring people from the left and the right together more than what we are now." – Kevin (103:47)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On audience backlash:

  "Man, we put that video up and we lost, like, I want to say, like, 15,000 followers in, like, matter of minutes on Instagram. It looked like Bitcoin's chart going down." – Keith (21:41)

• On relationship advice:

  "Should I sleep with my stepsister? …that video went wild… We even acted it out and everything." – Kevin (35:11)

• On their twin bond:

  "If you had a twin and you like each other's best friend, like you don't really need anybody else…" – Keith (57:08)

• On lack of hope for change in the Black community:

  "I don't even think it's fixable at this point. It's just like, there's accountability in the black community. When you try to give people advice…they come at you like you're attacking the black community." – Kevin (68:51)

• On the effect of women in authority:

  "I know men have did a lot of evil things in history, but… there’s a special kind of evil in a woman that I haven’t seen in a man." – Keith (90:24)

• On growing up poor:

  "I remember we didn't have food. And there was this apple tree down the street… We would climb that tree… to pick some damn apples off his tree so my mom could make a pie. That's how poor." – Kevin (107:37)

• On legacy and purpose:

  "Just being in a position where I'm raising my son and my daughter to be like, accountable human beings. See the world for what it is." – Keith (108:23)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp (MM:SS) | Segment | |-----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:08–06:00 | Black Fatigue Defined, Community Critique | | 17:30–20:00 | Shifting Audiences, Going Political | | 21:00–24:50 | Losing Followers, Coming Out as Conservative | | 27:00–33:00 | Early Content, Relationship Advice, Comedy | | 40:15–41:18 | Losing Job, Turning Unemployment to Opportunity | | 54:29–55:13 | Father's Death and Impact | | 61:07–65:14 | Mentorship by Pastor Hawkins | | 66:00–80:56 | Accountability in Black Community, Political and Cultural Cycles | | 87:18–90:24 | Gender & Authority, Feminization, Betrayal | | 108:23–110:00 | Reflections on Family, Pride in Achievement | | 112:27–End | Summing Up, Embracing Authenticity & Resilience |

Tone and Style

Throughout the episode, the Hodgetwins maintain their trademark mix of irreverence and raw honesty, interlaced with self-deprecation, bold humor, and moments of real vulnerability. Sage matches them, pressing for clarity when needed, laughing at their stories, and openly respecting their forthrightness.

Final Takeaway

The Hodgetwins’ journey—marked by poverty, familial loss, risk-taking, and standing by often “unpopular” opinions—underscores the complexity of Black identity, political transformation, and the cost and value of authenticity. Their hope: that, by refusing to toe either side’s line, their story may inspire greater personal accountability and honest discussion, not just within the Black community, but across all of American society.