1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,399 Speaker 1: You're listening to waiting on Reparations A production. I heartt 2 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: um Lingua franca. I'm dope nice and we are waiting 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: on reparations. So this week, I mean, I feel like 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: things still feel pretty bleak. Yeah, getting a new president, 5 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: uh president that uh told you know, billionaire hedge fund 6 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: assholes of nothing fun of them menally going to change 7 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: enders presidency. Uh So I mean like that doesn't give 8 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: me a ton of hope. Um, Fascism doesn't just go 9 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: away when Donald Trump leaves the White House, And still 10 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: we have to confront those thress you know, both to 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,919 Speaker 1: the body politics into our literal bodies in the streets 12 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: and in our homes. Um, until we figure out as 13 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: we spoke of in previous episodes of Recent that you know, 14 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: a suite of Paul seems to like heal the nation 15 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: more so than rhetoric can. And so I personally feel 16 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: like it'll be nice this week to take a lighthearted 17 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: turn from the usual gloom and doomersion that I think 18 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: comes with the reality of grappling with public policy in 19 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: America the way it has inflected hip hop. Am I 20 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: talking about stuff that it brings us to joy? Um? 21 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: I know you Mac just are really into comic books 22 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: in cinema and things like that. And so today we're 23 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: going to take a swirl, take a to world. I 24 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: think it's world around the world of after futurism, UM, 25 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: both in its embodiments through comic books, through video games. 26 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: We're going to speak with in the video game con world, UM, 27 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: how we got into that and sort of what brings 28 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: him joy in those regards, as well as kind of 29 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: unpack what after futurism is and speak briefly about how 30 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: it can inflect our politics um in the way that 31 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: it's represented in the music genre of hip hop as 32 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: well from artists like Lutin Clin, M F. Doom, Missy Elliott, 33 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: and Alminet people like that. The term after futurism was 34 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: coined by cultural critic Mark Dairy in a forty four 35 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: page essay from RIETEENEE entitled Black to the Future, in 36 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: which Darry who Admitaly, is a white author, interviews to 37 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: have a prominent black voices from musician and former Village 38 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: Voice writer Greg Tay to Tricia Rose, director of the 39 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: Center for Study of Race and Ethnicity in America. Brown 40 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: is also written extensively on hip hop um sci fi 41 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: writer uh Samuel Delaney, and drawn from these interviews, Dairy 42 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 1: came up with the idea of speculative fiction that treats 43 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: African American themes and addresses African American concerns in the 44 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: context of the twentieth century technoculture as afro futurism. More 45 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: generally beyond um are you know basic sensive, speculative fiction 46 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: is like science fiction like oh dystopia, dreaming of a future, 47 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: but it's also signification that appropriates images of technology um 48 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: so um. Within hip hop. As an example, you've got beatboxing, 49 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: making these computer computerized sounds with your mouth, or replicating 50 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: the sounds of a drum the scene physically with your 51 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: tongue and your cheeks and your throat, or you know, 52 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: doing the robot dance to like make your physical corporal, 53 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: corporeal form mimic that of like of like um of 54 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: a mechanized creature. Um. Even in the scratching and sampling 55 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: methods of hip hop, it's like the specific misuse and 56 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: conscientious desecration, Delaney UM said of after futures of hip hop, 57 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: it's um the specific misuse of consciousness desecration of the 58 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: artifacts of technology and entertainment media. So this blending of afrodias, 59 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: boric aesthetics and perspectives UM through the use of technology. 60 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: And so that's why I mean some might say that 61 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,160 Speaker 1: it's a stretch to include, like graphic novels broadly, but 62 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: particularly with regards to video games, to like place the 63 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: black body, the you know, black character within a technologically 64 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: created world um on the screen makes control with your 65 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: own controller, etcetera. Like I think it's an extension to 66 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: that some degree UM, as well as in graphic novels 67 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: like Black Panther um, where you've got this technological advanced 68 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: society UM. You know, like the way that those less 69 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 1: than literary forms like comic books can also be used 70 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: to imagine a different present, you know, a different twenty 71 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 1: one century, as well as a different future um enhanced 72 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: by technology. UM. And then you know, if you want 73 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: to just think just general, like after futuristic works, of course, uh, 74 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: people like O. G. Octavia Butler novels come to mind, 75 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: as well as you know, literary trends that wrote main 76 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: alive and well today with the likes of Nettie or 77 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: Kora fors BNTI series and novellas art of John Michelle Baski, 78 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: Yacht within music, You've got like the funky extra terrestrial 79 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: mythos of like Parliament, Cathelic, Delton thirty thirty, col Keith 80 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 1: thro in jazz. You've got Son raw Um Son Raw especially, 81 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: you know, he's got space age Egyptian alien thing going on. 82 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: You've got the incorporation of digital synthesizers, so you have 83 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: the literal technology as like a medium through which these 84 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: sounds are being created. Um. And then you know, I 85 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:28,359 Speaker 1: think the most modern popular block busting incarnation of after futurism, 86 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: and I think what brought it into like contemporary conversation 87 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: was of course Black Panther um. I. You know, I 88 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: feel like I would be remiss musically not to mention 89 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: groundbreaking work of people like Missy Elliott, particularly in our 90 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: music videos from the nineties that like felt very you 91 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: know today feel very retrofuturistic, but at the time had 92 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: a very like space ag ahead of its time vibe. 93 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: And then today people like Janelle Monet um with her 94 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 1: like weird obsession androids things like that afro futurists or 95 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: reimagining public policy through um that afro diasporic blended with 96 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: technology technology lens um. In two thousand sixteen, afro futurists 97 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: and art curator Ngland the Fleur through a hat in 98 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:29,679 Speaker 1: the ring for the Detroit Mayor's race, collectingdition signatures needed 99 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: to get her name on the ballot to challenge Mayor mcduggan, 100 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: the first white mayor in the majority black city since 101 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy three. And akin to some of the splitting 102 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: images guests we've had on this show, people like Sean 103 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: Patar and paper Boy Prints, the Fleur credited her unconventional 104 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: background as an art curator and someone that identifies mostly 105 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: with afro futurism UM to reimagine you know what that 106 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: meant for her reality, to reimagine their role with politicians. 107 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: She said, as a curator and artists have learned how 108 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: to bring people together to solve problems creatively UM and 109 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: to be a good organizer and a good researcher. Her 110 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: platform included plans to focus on UM ending water shut off, 111 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: stopping city foreclosures, are vitalizing and beautifying neighborhoods, and in 112 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: eradicating poverty. As a native detroitter, La Fleur also co 113 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: facilitates the Detroit Culture Council, which organized the strategies for 114 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: artists to be better representative at the city government. And 115 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: what I really love about Lafleur's campaign is that she 116 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: launched her campaign the dance party called Detroit at the 117 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: feature at the headquarters of creative activist collective One Mile, 118 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: and it featured after a futurist space capsule created by 119 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 1: Detroit Architecture and Design form firm, a cookie like what 120 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: a way to fun. And I mean, That's what I'm 121 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: all about. It's just like making politics, making politics fun, 122 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: making them at a party somehow, um and so I 123 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,359 Speaker 1: just really love that. But I hope in UM subsequent 124 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: episodes is an afro futurist collective in Atlanta that has 125 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: been really uh central to things like the push to 126 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: close the Atlanta Jail and re imagine that space as 127 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 1: like a wellness center and like a community building space. 128 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: UM and I really really love to talk to them 129 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: about their work. So we'll dive more into the political 130 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: implications of afro futurism, hopefully in an episode to come. 131 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: But today we're going to focus on the fun ship 132 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,959 Speaker 1: the Nurstion, and we're gonna speak with rapper Mega Ran 133 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: along the way. So we're here with rapper, producer Master 134 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: Show oh Man and now author of a brand new memoir, 135 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: dream Master. I wanna give a welcome to Raheim jarbo 136 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:14,839 Speaker 1: a k A Mega Ran. I always I always joked that, 137 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: like I wish this was live so there would be 138 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: like an audience for when I like introduced people, plus 139 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: like the you know, the gun shots or whatever. So 140 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: how are you? How are you doing? Man? I'm good man. 141 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 1: You know, made it limp through a crazy year. You 142 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: know that goes. But you know, just I've been I 143 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: learned a lot throughout this past year. So just been 144 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: learning to apply it and uh and making the most 145 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: of the situation. You know, the reinvention and you just 146 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 1: finding new you know, sources of inspiration and creativity have 147 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 1: been a challenge, but but you know it's something that 148 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: I welcome. So it's just making the most of it. 149 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: You know, I feel you. So how long have you 150 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: been working on the memoir? Man? This has been like 151 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: five six years of me just you know, I read 152 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 1: a chapter here, a paragraph there. You know, um up 153 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 1: until literally November, I was still writing because um me, 154 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: you know, as as a writer, like it's never really perfect, 155 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 1: you know, until it's you know, even when it comes out, 156 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,079 Speaker 1: you're like, oh, man, I could have said this way 157 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: and did this, you know. So I was like in 158 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: an over editing phase that everything time I read it, 159 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: I was like, oh yeah, I could add a little more. 160 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I can see this. So I forgot about that. 161 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: So even now that it's done, I'm like, man, I 162 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: forgot to talk about scribblege or this this this particular 163 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: moment that was really big to my life. But my 164 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: editor gave me a lot of great advice. She was like, 165 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: save it for the next book, you know, like think 166 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: about it that way like anything. Definitely, you definitely think 167 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: you're gonna do the next book. This guy to be 168 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: the next book, I guess. You know, there's you know 169 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: that there's always the next album, you know, like when 170 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: you make movies, you're thinking about sequels and stuff. So 171 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: you know, so it helped me to think differently about it, 172 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: like this doesn't have to be the final peace, you know, 173 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: like did anything about the like you know, anything about 174 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: kind of Light of Fire of Urgency to at least 175 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: get this first part of it done. Absolutely, I was 176 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: like man, the world is up in smoke. I've had 177 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: a harry up. We may not have a world left. 178 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: And also like, um, you know, in a serious note, 179 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: my father passed this past year and that really got 180 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: my button gear too, because um, the book ends at 181 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: two thousand eighteen. It was like at a very particularly 182 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: great moment, like a high to end the book AT's 183 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: me getting againness world record and so oh it's four 184 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: let me see it's right here, let me read it. 185 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: Uh since for the most songs to reference reference video 186 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 1: game franchises. Yeah, so it's one of those like number 187 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: of doing a thing a lot of times, so like 188 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 1: it's yeah, it's a little weird and funny, like basically 189 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:19,679 Speaker 1: just puts a target on my back, like as a 190 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: hundred and thirty of these now, so if anybody like 191 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: wants to aim for something, yeah, one and you know 192 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: it's like oh the guy who jumped broke the most 193 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: times or somebody just has to do it one more time. 194 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: You just gotta want to do it a little bit 195 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: more than that other person. And uh yeah, so the 196 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: guy kiss me up in uh just a weird random 197 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: email like hey man, I'm with Guinness and we know 198 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: you make a lot of music about video games. Just curious, 199 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: how many songs do you have? And I was like, uh, 200 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 1: you got a minute. So I started going through accounting 201 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: and U and I'm like, yeah, I have a hundred thirty, 202 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,959 Speaker 1: like about Mega Man particularly. He was like, oh, well 203 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,959 Speaker 1: this is definitely the most songs I't want particular. He 204 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: just knew it off the bat, like, yeah, this is 205 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: this is by a long shot, this is a record. 206 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: He's like, so, you know, if you're ever in London, 207 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: It's one of those things that people always do to us, 208 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: you know, independent artists. Yo, if you're ever in my town, 209 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: I got you. And it's like London, Like how often 210 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: am I in London? So I decided, Yo, what how 211 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: many times am I ever going to get this type 212 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: of opportunity. So I was like, well, actually I'll be 213 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: in London next month. Was I going to be in 214 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: London next month? No? But I con sure make plans too, 215 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: So I called on my homies, I'll put up you 216 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: set up a little mini tour in London and just 217 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: made it happen and like because I was like, I 218 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 1: gotta take advantage of this opportunity, like you know, you 219 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 1: might not work there, you know next year when I 220 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: want to do this. So uh so yeah, I just 221 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: went out there for that. But we based a tour 222 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: around it and had a really good time. And I'm 223 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: glad you you we went on that tangent about the 224 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: Guinness Big Or Records because this particular episode we're talking 225 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: about just like black nerd um and hip hop's relationship 226 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: with things that people consider to be part of nerd culture, 227 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: like hip hop's relationship with comic books and anime and 228 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: vice versa and the cross between them and stuff like that. 229 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: So what to you, what does nerd them mean? Like 230 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: if somebody, if somebody says nerd you into that nerd ship, like, 231 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: what do you imagine? What do you imagine that they're 232 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: talking about? Man, I've heard that. I'm sorry. Let me 233 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: let me let me say another thing to our audience 234 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: is um and this is this is according to wick 235 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: to uh your your wiki page. But but Mega Ran 236 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: is one of like the forefront um artists in the 237 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: sub genre of nerd core. Is that what be a 238 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: fair thing to say? That would be a fair thing 239 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: to say? Yes, So okay, so can you can you 240 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: explain to heads what nerd core is and how you 241 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: found yourself in that space in hip hop. Okay, So 242 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: nerdcore is, at least to me when I first heard it, 243 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: it's a subgenre of of whatever you attached to it. 244 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: So it could become nerdcore hip hop, it could become 245 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: nerd core rock, nerd coore, whatever um gets attached to that. 246 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: It's usually people who have a deep interest in things 247 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: that people who may consider nerdy are a little French. 248 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: So you got he sorry are the coast? Mariah is here? Mariah? 249 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: What up? Good? We were only six minutes in, but 250 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: I was. He was just telling us about what he 251 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: was explaining what nerd core hip hop is and his 252 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: journey into it. He just just started, So where go on? 253 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 1: Go on? Mr Rand Okay, Uh so yeah, nerd core, 254 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: as I learned later, at first I just thought it 255 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: was nerd core hip but then I learned that nerd 256 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: cork can attach to any other genre and anything that's 257 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: about nerdiness. You know. I think the term came from 258 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: m c front a lot who just came up, was 259 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: coming up with a word to defind what he was 260 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 1: doing because it was so different um, and then people 261 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: kind of lashed onto that and thought it was interesting 262 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 1: like news uh you know, outlets and CNN and some 263 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,439 Speaker 1: other people started wind up talking to them about it, 264 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: like this is some novel news thing that smart kids 265 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: are doing, you know, and and it kind of like 266 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 1: backfired on it a little bit, you know what I mean, 267 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: because it's like when the when the mainstream gets involved 268 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: with those things that we really love, they kind of 269 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: they're like, look at this quirky thing, you know, and 270 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: they really turn it into a joke or a parody 271 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: or something like that. So so I feel like that 272 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: kind of happened, and and for that reason it's maybe 273 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: it's remained very niche, you know. But um but yeah, 274 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: a front of Life told me that it's just music 275 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: from a perspective of someone who is very much into 276 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: and a fan of things that, you know, people considered 277 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: to be nerdy, whether it's video games, comic books, coding, 278 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: you know, like the Life of At least at that time, 279 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 1: it was like the Life of the I T. Guy 280 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: who also had bars, you know, So that that's kind 281 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: of what it was at that time. And then it's grown, 282 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: you know, as nerd culture has become synonymous with pop culture. Um, 283 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: you know, there's a huge segment of nerd or YouTube 284 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,440 Speaker 1: rappers who are um like right on the pulse of 285 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: what's hot and like instantly making rap songs about you 286 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: know whatever, the new anime, the new show, the new 287 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: Marvel movie, you know, things like that. And so yeah, 288 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:54,400 Speaker 1: it's become kind of pop culture rap. But I think 289 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: it began as just the the kids who were into 290 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 1: the things that nobody thought was cool and and trying 291 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 1: to either make them sound cool or at least speak 292 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 1: at a high level of knowledge about those things. You know. 293 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 1: So the initial nerd core stuff, I didn't even know 294 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: what was going on in like it just I knew 295 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: if it sounded good at a beat, But if you're 296 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: you know, making a song about coding or whatever, like 297 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 1: in two thousand seven or whatever, for me, I was like, 298 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: what is this? So around that time I kind of 299 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: took a break from hip hop and started making, uh, 300 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: just making beats and playing around and playing video games again. 301 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: And I discovered these things on emulators, which is the 302 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: way to play really old Nintendo games on your PC, 303 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: you know. So I started playing Mario and Sonic and 304 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:44,640 Speaker 1: all that stuff, and I was like, man, these games 305 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: are so fun. And I think I paused the game 306 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: on Mega Man and the music continues to play, and 307 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 1: I was, as I'm walking away to get a sandwich 308 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 1: or something, that come back and I'm like, yeah, that 309 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 1: kind of slaps, like you know what I mean. So 310 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, I wonder if I slowed this downpped it up, 311 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,640 Speaker 1: you know, flipped it, I could make something good out 312 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: of this. So I did. I literally did that. I stopped, 313 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: I put the tracks into like Reason or something else, 314 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: and started messing with them and coming up with beats 315 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,959 Speaker 1: that were sampling video games. And uh, I had like 316 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: ten Mega Man beats and I was like, you know what, 317 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna just do a Mega Man EP and just 318 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: have some fun with it. And so we did. And 319 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 1: I was really scared because I thought, you know, Capcom, 320 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: the company that makes this, is gonna find me and 321 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: like sue my black ass, you know. I was like, oh, 322 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 1: it's a rap. So I created. I mean, this is 323 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: back in the days of my Space, so that now 324 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: I remember I was following you back then, so I 325 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: remember I remember all this. Okay, you're O g O 326 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: O g uh Internet MC like myself, so fans, thank you. 327 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 1: So yeah, man, we were. Um. I was like, let 328 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:01,880 Speaker 1: me make a separate MySpace page because I don't want 329 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: this to get like deleted or something with me doing 330 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: all this copyright stuff. So I made another page. And 331 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: I was very much inspired by like what MF. Doom 332 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: had done prior Rest in Peace, what Dell was able 333 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: to do with Deltron, like all that was so influential 334 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 1: in what I was trying to do was take you know, 335 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: hip hop heads who also are into nerty stuff and 336 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 1: just make it dope, you know. And and so that's 337 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: what I did. I was like, all right, well, I'm 338 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: gonna become from random then to Mega rand and that 339 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: would be like my second identity or something. And uh 340 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,640 Speaker 1: so then I get an email. It's from a dude 341 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 1: that capcom was like, hey, we just heard this thing 342 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: you did. And I'm like, oh what meat now rap 343 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: Like the dude was like, but you know what, man, 344 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,479 Speaker 1: this is really cool. We've let everybody hear it at 345 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 1: the company and they love it. Would you like to 346 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: I think Comic Con was coming up, and he was like, 347 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: would you like to come to San Diego Comic Con? 348 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 1: And I was like what, Like I had only read 349 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: about comic Con my entire life. And it was such 350 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: a big like, you know, it was like that that 351 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: that untouchable holy grail of nerd them. Yeah, I had 352 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:22,120 Speaker 1: read about, you know, and they were like, you could 353 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: come and be our guests, you know, because this thing 354 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: is kind of blowing up on the Internet and we 355 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: want you to kinda sit here and you know, sign autographs. 356 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: And I was like what, you know. So that was 357 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: the beginning of my my relationship with them. And uh 358 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,199 Speaker 1: and through that someone, I think someone maybe interviewed me 359 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 1: and was like, oh, you make nerd core and I 360 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,239 Speaker 1: was like, what's that? And that nerd coor? And I 361 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:48,120 Speaker 1: realized that I was kind of operating parallel with this 362 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,399 Speaker 1: thing called nerd coors, you know. And I think the 363 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: only time I had heard it, at least a little later, 364 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: was Shardish Gambino said it in a song, but he 365 00:22:57,800 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: didn't say it in a very nice way. He said 366 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 1: like ef nerd car. Honestly, I think it was like 367 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 1: a part of a line where he was just saying, like, 368 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: different genres and subgenres in places, you're trying to classify 369 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 1: me and get all those you know, I just do me, 370 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: you know, that kind of thing, so it wasn't necessarily 371 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: a shot, you know what I mean. Like so, but 372 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:20,879 Speaker 1: then I started meeting the people who were doing it 373 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: because they were also having concerts around San Diego, like 374 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: being invited out by a lot of different companies to 375 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: do stuff, and and they were all really cool dudes. 376 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: So just like I felt a real family atmosphere, like, oh, me, 377 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 1: and these guys are they love hip hop? You know, 378 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: first first and foremost. I wanted to make sure these 379 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: guys had a love and appreciation for hip hop culture, 380 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: and they did, you know, and on top of that, 381 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: you know, bringing something new to the game, you know. 382 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 1: So I had nothing but but love for it. And 383 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,199 Speaker 1: then from then on, I just we just started all 384 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 1: operating in the same circles, meeting up at shows, then 385 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: touring together, and it just created this really interesting niche 386 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: that I I had no idea about, you know, like, uh, 387 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: but it was a lot easier than trying to impress, uh, 388 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: you know, the most stoic of hip hop heads who 389 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: are at a show like all right, but then like yeah, 390 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I have my arms, I have a cowl 391 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: on my faith and you know, but you know, it 392 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 1: was it was such a welcome difference from that, you know, 393 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: and and at the same time, I still it took 394 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 1: me a lot of courage to do this. But eventually, 395 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,120 Speaker 1: when I was playing those shows with the stoic arms crossed, 396 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: you know, mcs, m ces UH, I'd make a reference 397 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,919 Speaker 1: to a game and they'd be like, yeo, I remember that. Okay, 398 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: let let me talk to you about this, and then 399 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: you find out that we had so much in common 400 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: those kind of Since the beginning, it's been my goal, 401 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 1: and I don't know how successful I've been at it, 402 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 1: but to try to unify these worlds like I just 403 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 1: wish they weren't they didn't feel like such night and day, 404 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,199 Speaker 1: you know, because we're all nerds. I think anybody that 405 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,919 Speaker 1: could put words together and make them rhyme, it's a 406 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,439 Speaker 1: nerd and something. Yeah you know what I mean, like 407 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 1: you know something and you're using those eighth grade spell 408 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: of words to this day in those raps, So like 409 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: what is your I mean, I think like nerd core 410 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 1: and like sub genres of hip hop like this, and 411 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,679 Speaker 1: and the idea of like of you know, kind of 412 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,360 Speaker 1: tying in loosely to the idea of afro futurism. Like 413 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 1: you know that we can we can be super space 414 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: marauders and you know, fighting aliens and slaying dragons and 415 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,640 Speaker 1: you know all you know all this stuff. We're not 416 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:47,199 Speaker 1: just like oh, you know eighteen eighty two, like you know, 417 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: reconstructions grow like we we you know, black people can 418 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 1: be all of these things. Like I think, I think 419 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: it's like really important for you know, this kind of 420 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: music is very important for expanding our ideas of what 421 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: like blackness can be. UM And I wonder if you 422 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 1: have experienced any like pushback in the other direction, Like 423 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: I feel like I see sometimes where people are like, oh, 424 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: that ships you know, Matt Corny of the ship's whack, 425 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: but that ship is white, like any sort of responses 426 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: of that's where people are trying to constrain what you 427 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:20,479 Speaker 1: know counts is blackness based on like who like is 428 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: typically cast as like the central characters in like a 429 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: subgenre like the video game culture or within the like 430 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: a field like coding and things like that. Oh yeah, 431 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: I hadn't even thought about it. But in the very beginning, 432 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: the very first uh like imagery I used to create 433 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:43,239 Speaker 1: this Mega Ran universe was a black Mega man. So 434 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: is the character that was, you know, for forever a 435 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 1: white kid, you know, and we shaded him black or brown, 436 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: and a lot of people were like yo, what the 437 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: hell they And they come to me and tell me 438 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 1: that that was literally the moment that they were like, 439 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: all right, I gotta sets, you know, and they will 440 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 1: come to me. And I've even had, you know, people 441 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 1: of color come to me and be like yo, Like 442 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: it made me think like yo, why why can't we 443 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: be in that space? Like why can't we be the protagonist? 444 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 1: So I can't, you know, And it really created some 445 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 1: dialogue in that space and and I I wasn't necessarily 446 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: trying to do that, but as I realized later, like yeah, 447 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: like why can't we be the person in the spaceship 448 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 1: or the the leader or things like that, And so 449 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 1: it's definitely helped to challenge I think a lot of 450 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: those roles to the point now where I see it 451 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: when video games come out and it's like, oh really, 452 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: the white dude, Oh where this? Like, you know, I 453 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: see those conversations happening like and it's like that's dope. 454 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: Like I really think that we need to be doing that. 455 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,400 Speaker 1: We need to be challenging all the things that we've 456 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: been supporting for years, like for representation, and for a 457 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 1: long time, it's just been in the back of our head, 458 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: like throughout the eighties especially, like we love the eighties 459 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 1: that we have, we romanticize eighties culture, but the majority 460 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 1: of eighties culture was super white, yeah, and or super racist, 461 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 1: like you know what I mean. It was like, oh 462 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,399 Speaker 1: they had the Asian guy. Oh he's the nerd, you 463 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: know what I mean. Like it was super racist and problematic, 464 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: you know, But as much as we you know, enjoy it, 465 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,520 Speaker 1: we forget about those moments, like we kind of shifted 466 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: out of our head, which is crazy. But I think 467 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,040 Speaker 1: now we're finally starting to realize that y'all, like it's 468 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 1: not acceptable to do that today. So you know, I've 469 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 1: been watching Cobra Kai with with like a like a 470 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: fine tooth comb, you know. Nowadays, I'm like, I really 471 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 1: enjoy this, you know, and I like the changes that 472 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: they've made, you know, to to make this I think 473 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: at least a little more accurate for modern you know. 474 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: So I appreciate that. So between when you first were 475 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 1: like knowingly in the nerd core space and now, would 476 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: you like, have you noticed there's been an increase of 477 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 1: like other black nerd core artists or oh yeah for sure. 478 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: Um what we started and I noticed when I was 479 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: going to conventions, I would maybe see the same one 480 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 1: or two you know, um women men that were like 481 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:23,479 Speaker 1: trying to be a part of this space. And and 482 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: so after a while we kept seeing each other. I 483 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: was like, man, we we gotta click up, like when 484 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 1: we see each other, you know, that's how we do. 485 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: We just roll deep like yeah, we're the black kids 486 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: at the epicn you know. And and from then we 487 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: started a group and we called it the MPCs the 488 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: Nerdy People of Color Collected and and as and as 489 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: a cool dual meeting because in the game, the NPC 490 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: is that non player character. It's the person who comes 491 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:49,959 Speaker 1: up and just he's like, oh that way, you know, 492 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: and you can't play them. They don't really help you 493 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: a whole lot. They're super bit player and uh, and 494 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: that's kind of how I felt. Plc s were in 495 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: the convention space and in the nerd space, like, yo, 496 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 1: we're here, we support it, we spend money, we participate, 497 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 1: you know, we have uh deep seated obsessions with this stuff, 498 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: you know, but we're not necessarily included. So what I 499 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: started doing is happened NPC panels at these conventions like 500 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: all right, we're gonna get all the kids of color 501 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: to come up and talk about your relationship with nerd culture, 502 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: why it's important, why we need more representation, and to 503 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: continue to challenge that that that way of thinking. Because 504 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:32,239 Speaker 1: I've had so many friends to be like, yo, when 505 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: do you come into my town And I'm like, oh, yeah, 506 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: I'm coming to Joe Joe con, you know, and this day, 507 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 1: and they're like, oh man, that's the white people ship. 508 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: I ain't going to like you know, I've had so 509 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 1: many people tell me that, like yeah, I ain't. I 510 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: ain't really doing that. And I remember being on a 511 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 1: tour with Open Mike Eagle and we did a convention 512 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:58,240 Speaker 1: in Canada on like a Saturday. We had off and 513 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 1: and I remember him telling me like I never been 514 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: to a calm before, and I was like, Oh, you're 515 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 1: gonna love it, man. All the anime that we talked 516 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:06,239 Speaker 1: about on this ride and people dressed up as it 517 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 1: there on the people just people just to this comic 518 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: book chacters. And and afterwards I was like, yo, jea 519 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 1: have funny He's like m I guess, you know, and 520 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 1: I said, what you mean. He's like, yo, I didn't 521 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 1: feel welcome at all, you know. He's like, I'm gonna 522 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: just be honest. I didn't see any people of color. 523 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: I didn't see any any programming based around diversity or 524 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: anything like that. And I didn't really feel I didn't 525 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: feel it, you know, And and it made me think 526 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: like wow, Like convention spaces have a lot of work 527 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: to do. And that's when you know, we started the NPC, 528 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 1: and now any convention I go to, I asked them like, 529 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: if y'all want me to wrap, then I got to 530 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: speak to you know. And uh. And so therefore we 531 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: always make sure that it's in the programming that we're 532 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: gonna talk about diversity and really challenge traditional thought in 533 00:31:51,800 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 1: those spaces. Do you know, like Griselda, Yeah, saying it's 534 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 1: not like text all the time about wrestling, it's really hilarious. 535 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: I was just about to say, nobody would dare be like, oh, 536 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,959 Speaker 1: this is nerds, nerd core exactly, you a nerds something like, 537 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 1: you know, it might not might not go well. Like 538 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 1: I always like Wu Tang, you know, like for me, 539 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: the way Wu Tang loved you know, kung Fu is 540 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 1: the way I love video games, Like it's the same stuff. 541 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 1: When I heard Inspected Deck say swinging to your town 542 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: like your neighborhood spider Man, like I lit up, you know, 543 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: and that was a moment in me, like the light 544 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: bulb was like wow, like you can do this, like 545 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: you're not a weirdo, you know what I'm saying. And 546 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: so it let me know that people were like, we're 547 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: all we all grew up on the same stuff. And 548 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,479 Speaker 1: absolutely wrestling I think is you know, they have wrestle 549 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 1: coms now to like conventions where people who are fans 550 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 1: of wrestling go you meet old wrestlers, you know, you 551 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 1: hang out and do a promo like Rick Flair section 552 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: and pretend you're commentating this match over here. Like so, uh, 553 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: it's it's very similar, you know. Like I said, Me 554 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 1: and Me and West text about wrestling constantly, Like did 555 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 1: you say you know before the pandemic he was always 556 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: at the a w in the front row and show 557 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,240 Speaker 1: absolutely man so like but yeah, like you said, but 558 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: no one would dare call them like nerd rappers or 559 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 1: anything like that. But so that's where I I don't 560 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 1: necessarily know where the distinction and the separation comes in, 561 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: you know, like while is a big wrestling fan as well, 562 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 1: and um smoke, there's and a few other guys and man, 563 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 1: it was just yesterday I saw a crooked eye post 564 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: um something on Twitter saying like when why He's like, 565 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: why is there such a separation between nerd? What's that 566 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,320 Speaker 1: that nerd ship and hip hop? Like? Why do we 567 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: treat nerdy rappers so different? And what will that meant? 568 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 1: Adding in those those those cool, cool or tough elements 569 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 1: I think into the music is Uh, it's interesting cause 570 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: I think Prontolo said, he's like, you know how rappers 571 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 1: are usually the coolest guy in the room. He's like, 572 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 1: I'm not, and therefore that's what nerd corey is. It's 573 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 1: it's the opposite of that. It's the cool dude in 574 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 1: the room making music, you know. And of course that 575 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,440 Speaker 1: sounds like something you would you would be closeted about, 576 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 1: you almost you know what I mean. You'd be like, yeah, 577 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:31,799 Speaker 1: I make a little do a little you know, but 578 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,000 Speaker 1: you know, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna be out there, 579 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 1: you know, but I do a little you know thing 580 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,080 Speaker 1: in my house, you know, And that's I think what 581 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 1: a lot of nerd core is. It's not braggadocious in 582 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: that way. Um, but there is a guy. His name 583 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:50,040 Speaker 1: is White t Cracker, and uh he's amazing. Um, first 584 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: of all, the best name ever. But so as you'd imagine, 585 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 1: he's a white dude and um, but he's like a 586 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 1: professional hacker and uh so he did faces, websites and things. 587 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 1: But now he's like a good guy hacker because when 588 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:07,479 Speaker 1: you get so good at that, companies will hire you, yeah, 589 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 1: to protect them. So he's worked for Facebook and Tinder 590 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 1: and all these other people. And and what he does 591 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,480 Speaker 1: is he's called himself a digital gangster. So in his 592 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 1: early raps, he's threatening to like you, you know, I like, yo, 593 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:28,799 Speaker 1: He's like, I got your address right here, you know, 594 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: like I'll put you know, I'll picture of a dick 595 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:37,279 Speaker 1: on your website, you know what I mean. I was like, 596 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:40,480 Speaker 1: this is the most true to self thing I've ever Like, 597 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: this is amazing because like, yeah, it's like, all right, 598 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna say I'm gonna shot you when I'm 599 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 1: not gonna do it, but I can get your address, 600 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 1: I can people your Facebook password. Yeah. So I was 601 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: I say that to say, like, there's some of the 602 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 1: most creative people that I've ever met with in this 603 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: small like genre of nerd core and chip tune and 604 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 1: other stuff that I've been able to like find myself 605 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 1: in these spaces where people take a game Boy and 606 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:12,160 Speaker 1: be like, oh man, I can have that and make 607 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:13,879 Speaker 1: beats out of it, you know what I mean? And like, 608 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:16,800 Speaker 1: you know, so these are like super smart people, super 609 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 1: creative people who were you know, kind of the wallflower 610 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: in high school and uh, but like our geniuses, you know. 611 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:27,120 Speaker 1: And I think that there's absolutely should be a space 612 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: for for that in what we do in our culture, 613 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 1: and like we should encourage, like we were saying about 614 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 1: people of color to be a part of that, Like 615 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: we have we have folks who but unfortunately feel like 616 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 1: it's that white people ship and so they won't necessarily 617 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: take that step, you know. So I think that it's 618 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: up to I guess people like me and then my 619 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: generation to kind of open that door. So what I 620 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: always try to highlight, and you know, it's shine a 621 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:55,359 Speaker 1: light on guys and guys that I see doing this 622 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:58,319 Speaker 1: that are really good at it, you know, And I'm like, yeah, 623 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: we got to encourage this because It may not become 624 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: the new cool you know, ever, but I think that 625 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,200 Speaker 1: every little bit counts, you know. Yeah, it inspires a 626 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 1: sense of like self assuredness in the young gamers and 627 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: the young comic book for people and the young like 628 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:20,360 Speaker 1: science fiction readers, where it's like yo, like yeah, like 629 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: I think this is cool when I stand by that 630 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: rather than like showing away from or hiding who they 631 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 1: are because they don't. Role models that are like that 632 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:32,360 Speaker 1: are showing them, you know, how to be confident in 633 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:36,439 Speaker 1: themselves and their interests. Yeah, it's kind of happening now. 634 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,399 Speaker 1: I'm seeing, like, especially the YouTubers, the YouTube side of things, 635 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,720 Speaker 1: I'm seeing kids who are you know, they are cool, 636 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: Like they're wearing the hippis you know, fashions, and and 637 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 1: they're rhyming you know, technically very well, but about anime, 638 00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:50,959 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. They'll name a song after 639 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:53,680 Speaker 1: an anime or a comic book and just go in, 640 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:57,239 Speaker 1: you know. And and I've seen like more and more 641 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 1: where a lot of these kids are like really cool 642 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: about it, you know, Like I think what we started 643 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 1: with was something that was a little more nerdy and 644 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,880 Speaker 1: and shy about the thing we were doing. These guys 645 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:11,839 Speaker 1: are like very very proud of what they do as 646 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:13,919 Speaker 1: well as being able to say I can also wrap 647 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,279 Speaker 1: better than you, you know what I mean? Like that's uh. 648 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: I think that's something that I'm seeing in the new 649 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:22,719 Speaker 1: generation of kids, which is really cool. So, um, when 650 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:27,640 Speaker 1: does the memoir coming out? I'm hoping next week. I 651 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 1: have copies in my hand that I am shipping out 652 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 1: to stores and things. I had a really hard time 653 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:37,120 Speaker 1: deciding how to put this out, Like I can release 654 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:40,440 Speaker 1: an album in my sleep, but yet you know, the 655 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 1: world of books is a completely different things. The book 656 00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:48,439 Speaker 1: is available right now for three order on Amazon and 657 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 1: uh and so our quickly to be next. Um, where 658 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 1: can people find you at? Oh, you can find me 659 00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:58,319 Speaker 1: a Mega ran dot com or on Twitter at Mega Ran. 660 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,400 Speaker 1: It looks like Meg Ryan when you look real closely, 661 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 1: like real fast too long, it's like a capital capital 662 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:12,880 Speaker 1: are Like, was that Meg Ryan? But it's Mega Ran. Um. Yeah, 663 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:14,840 Speaker 1: you'll see a black Mega man and you'll know it's me. 664 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:18,799 Speaker 1: Um when everyone's a you got any new music that's 665 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:22,080 Speaker 1: gonna be coming back shortly after the book or Yeah, 666 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:24,680 Speaker 1: what I want to do? First We're releasing the physical 667 00:39:24,719 --> 00:39:27,320 Speaker 1: books and then We're going to do an audible version 668 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 1: with some other like bonus little pieces as well as 669 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:33,400 Speaker 1: music sprinkled throughout, and there would be new songs that 670 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:36,240 Speaker 1: you can only get if you get it on audible. 671 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:41,600 Speaker 1: That'll be happening in February. I have to ask you 672 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 1: a question, Yeah, all right, what are what are you 673 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:46,879 Speaker 1: nerd ing out on right now? Like if I was like, yo, 674 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:50,200 Speaker 1: you guys, what's the thing that you're most nerdy about? 675 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:54,879 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm really nerdy about public policy? Nice, Yeah, 676 00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:58,960 Speaker 1: she's like a politics, not even just like oh, the government, 677 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,880 Speaker 1: you know, everyone's every wants obsessed with, like the federal government. 678 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,680 Speaker 1: But I'm like, oh, you know, how do we get 679 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:09,120 Speaker 1: funding for local nonprofits to life be the homeless? And like, oh, 680 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:12,560 Speaker 1: this this group of you know, lobbyists are trying to 681 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:16,719 Speaker 1: get us to build a you know, affordable housing development 682 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:19,960 Speaker 1: in this area, like lurking the local government. It's just 683 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,680 Speaker 1: like the weirdest, nerdiest thing that I just can't There's 684 00:40:23,719 --> 00:40:27,000 Speaker 1: no there's not like a community of like you know, 685 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:32,719 Speaker 1: I guess there is probably out there our community like 686 00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:39,680 Speaker 1: dive with. But I feel very lovely. Let's let's get 687 00:40:39,719 --> 00:40:42,799 Speaker 1: this cracking. We need the policy nerds to unite. They 688 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:46,759 Speaker 1: got they got to be out there a Facebook group 689 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:52,600 Speaker 1: or some good Um I'm into I've always been into 690 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:54,960 Speaker 1: movies and stuff, but I found that, like in the 691 00:40:55,040 --> 00:41:00,839 Speaker 1: last few years, I've really gotten super nerdy about hip 692 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:04,680 Speaker 1: hop and rap music, you know what I'm saying. And 693 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 1: you gotta you gotta, you gotta be on clubhouse then, 694 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:09,040 Speaker 1: or you're on clubhouse. No I'm not, but I'm betty 695 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:14,400 Speaker 1: hearing about it. What is clubhouse? Well, it's just this 696 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:16,800 Speaker 1: might also be aging you guys and myself. Do you 697 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 1: remember the party line? Did you'll have a party line 698 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 1: in your area, Like you call this number and like 699 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 1: everybody's on there just chatting. And if you, uh, like, 700 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:29,319 Speaker 1: if you you talk to somebody and you like make 701 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:32,200 Speaker 1: a connection, you'll be like yo, press one to send 702 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,160 Speaker 1: them to like a private room invite and like this 703 00:41:35,239 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: was like a real cool thing when I was a teenager. 704 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:39,560 Speaker 1: And uh so it's like that you just get on 705 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:42,880 Speaker 1: him as a big conference call and like some rooms. 706 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:45,279 Speaker 1: Like last night, we're in a hip hop nerdy nerdy 707 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:49,360 Speaker 1: hip hop group with Dart Adams and Apathy and soft 708 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:51,799 Speaker 1: Funk Dust and a bunch of guys telling these like 709 00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:54,719 Speaker 1: obscure stories, and like the day that we found out 710 00:41:54,719 --> 00:41:57,799 Speaker 1: the doom passed, Just Blaze came into an r i 711 00:41:57,840 --> 00:41:59,799 Speaker 1: P Doom room and was like, yeah, I got like 712 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:02,359 Speaker 1: been tracks with with doing I would I'm gonna play 713 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:04,120 Speaker 1: a little bit of them and tell you a little 714 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:08,319 Speaker 1: bit story. And we were like, yo, what like So 715 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:11,359 Speaker 1: there's been really dope, like hip hop nugget rooms where 716 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:14,280 Speaker 1: people have been just like sharing all kinds of like 717 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:17,880 Speaker 1: hear stories and the like, you know, just seeing the 718 00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:20,200 Speaker 1: really cool stuff happen in those hip hop rooms where 719 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:23,120 Speaker 1: people are just sharing stories. I'm like, Yo, this is dope. 720 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:26,319 Speaker 1: Of course there's a lot of ratchetness on there, but 721 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:28,920 Speaker 1: but you know you gotta sift through that for the ins. 722 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:30,719 Speaker 1: But yeah, that on the app and if I have 723 00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:35,560 Speaker 1: an invite, I'll send you on both points. Yeah. Yeah, 724 00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:41,759 Speaker 1: this has been an ad for clubhouse Man. All right, 725 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 1: that's gonna do it for us today. My name is 726 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 1: Dope Knife and we are Waiting on Reparations. See you 727 00:42:48,239 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: next week. Waiting on Reparations as a production of I 728 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:57,319 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Listen to Waiting on Reparations on the I 729 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,960 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, 730 00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 1: M