WEBVTT - Raheem DeVaughn Full Interview 0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:03.960 This podcast is sponsored by Better Help Online Therapy. I'm 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:07.680 Michlene Maloof and I'm Nadi Adessi, licensed therapists and hosts 0:00:07.680 --> 0:00:10.200 of Getting Better Stories of Mental Health. Join us for 0:00:10.240 --> 0:00:13.560 discussions with Megan Trainer, Chris Bosh, Rebel Wilson, and more, 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:17.400 from discussing motherhood to immigrating to general mental health. Our 0:00:17.440 --> 0:00:20.720 guests are awe inspiring. We all struggle with the same things, 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:23.640 so let's talk about it and de stigmatize them. Find 0:00:23.680 --> 0:00:26.799 our new podcast, Getting Better Stories of Mental Health on 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:32.920 iHeart Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 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Whether it's through data insights that 0:00:58.120 --> 0:01:00.600 help you make informed decisions about bill thing, a team 0:01:00.680 --> 0:01:03.400 that works better as a team, or by keeping you 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:06.680 ahead of thousands of changing regulations so you can keep 0:01:06.680 --> 0:01:11.600 ahead of everything else like building up better team, grow 0:01:11.720 --> 0:01:19.039 stronger with a dp HR, talent, time and payroll. Welcome 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:22.080 to Money Making Conversation. I'm your host with Sean McDonald. 0:01:22.280 --> 0:01:25.160 I recognized that we all have different definitions of success. 0:01:25.200 --> 0:01:28.640 For some exercizable paycheck. Mine is helping people wake up 0:01:28.680 --> 0:01:31.399 and inspiring them to accomplish their goals and live their 0:01:31.520 --> 0:01:34.039 very best life. These are my passions and that's what 0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:35.760 I'm going to do for you. I want you to 0:01:35.800 --> 0:01:39.000 stop tripping over small challenges and prepare to rise above 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:41.720 the bigger obstacles that life will present to you. The 0:01:41.760 --> 0:01:45.280 Money Making Conversation interviews provide relatable information to the listener 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:50.320 by career and financial planning, entrepreneurship, motivation, leadership, overcoming the 0:01:50.440 --> 0:01:52.960 arts and how to live it balance life. My next 0:01:53.040 --> 0:01:55.720 guest landed at number seven on the top ten most 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:59.000 played Urban A c artists between the eight team, ranking 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:01.840 as the number one man independent Urban A c artists 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:05.000 of the year according to Media Base. While today's social 0:02:05.040 --> 0:02:08.240 climate has now begun to influence some to get involved 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:11.760 for promoting change, his chairit of work has been serving 0:02:11.800 --> 0:02:16.680 as an instrument of hope and empowerment since he founded 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:20.040 the Love Life Foundation, a foundation that focuses on improving 0:02:20.080 --> 0:02:24.360 live through social, educational and wellness development within as well 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:28.440 as outside of Love Life. Rahein believes in fight for causes, 0:02:28.520 --> 0:02:32.440 dealing with issues related to women's rights, domestic violence, HIV 0:02:32.680 --> 0:02:36.040 age awareness, among others. He's both a talented artist as 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:38.919 well as an inspiration to people across the globe. Please 0:02:38.919 --> 0:02:44.919 working the money making conversation my man, Raheem devon that 0:02:45.040 --> 0:02:51.000 I get it right, RhE I get it right. Well, 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:53.720 you know the beautiful part about you? And what right 0:02:53.760 --> 0:02:55.840 right now? What's citing you in right now during the pandemic? 0:02:55.840 --> 0:02:58.280 What's there? I mean, I'm in the d M area, 0:02:58.400 --> 0:03:02.280 you know, Merlin area, absolutely absolutely well you know, I'm 0:03:02.280 --> 0:03:05.919 a fan of what you are, what you represent. Always 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:09.600 been a believer of what you do on that stage. 0:03:09.680 --> 0:03:14.600 Just starting that stage first, man, because your live performances, Man, 0:03:15.520 --> 0:03:17.799 keep you keep your in the chair watching going he 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:22.000 hitting every note and then put your understory groove into 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:25.520 the beat. How the significance of the live performer and 0:03:25.560 --> 0:03:27.880 talked to us about that, man, because that is always 0:03:27.880 --> 0:03:31.600 to me been a signature of orahin. Yeah. I think 0:03:31.600 --> 0:03:34.840 that that's one of the things that regardless of you know, 0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:37.720 who the manager is at the time, what label you on, 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:42.360 you know, how successful or on the rise you are, 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:46.800 that that connection that you make um as a live 0:03:46.880 --> 0:03:52.040 performer with the audience is just something that it's especially experience. 0:03:52.080 --> 0:03:54.160 You know, it's a spiritual thing. It's a it's a 0:03:54.240 --> 0:03:58.160 it's a connection. Um. You know that that if you 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:01.240 if you successfully make it and you connect with that 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:06.800 with that individual or those groups of individuals, um, they 0:04:06.920 --> 0:04:11.440 become fans, they become you know, uh, supporters of your 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:17.160 movement hopefully you know uh exactly you know, and come 0:04:17.480 --> 0:04:21.960 and coming from an independent background and grass rooms background, 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:25.960 that was something earlier that I just connected with and understood. 0:04:25.960 --> 0:04:28.719 They're like, hey, like if you're gonna be if you know, 0:04:28.720 --> 0:04:31.880 if you're pursuing this, then this is something that this 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:34.080 is this is the area where you need to really 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:37.839 like horn in or making records. That's cool. You go 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:40.680 find records, you can go create the wreckage, you can 0:04:40.720 --> 0:04:44.479 go create um, the marketing, you can go create these things. 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:47.040 But that that connection again that you make with the 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:50.479 audience is a direct thing, you know, um doing them. 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:52.160 I've always been that guy who was doing like the 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:55.279 meeting greets and stuff, you know. So um, in terms 0:04:55.320 --> 0:04:58.160 of my background and starting out how I started out 0:04:58.160 --> 0:05:00.919 in the Youth Street area you know, no WESTBC and 0:05:01.320 --> 0:05:04.080 doing the open mics, I learned earlier. I realized that 0:05:04.120 --> 0:05:08.160 I needed to have a tangible item that you know, 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:11.400 that the ladies and andy fellers can take home with them, 0:05:11.600 --> 0:05:14.240 you know what I mean, and something they could play. Hey, 0:05:14.240 --> 0:05:16.200 I like that tune? Where can I get it? You know, 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:19.080 this is before the digital age be able to just 0:05:19.160 --> 0:05:20.839 kind of pull it up on your phone or you know, 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:24.359 uploading to a digital platform where they can get you know, absorbed. 0:05:24.880 --> 0:05:29.159 So that's just became part of my quote unquote hustle. 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:32.920 Like just it just became. It just became law that, hey, 0:05:33.080 --> 0:05:35.400 was there's one person in the room or you got 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:37.719 fifty thou people in the you know in the arena, 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:43.120 that everybody deserves the same show, everybody deserves the same energy, 0:05:43.720 --> 0:05:46.800 you know. And um, it's just that it's just the connection, man. 0:05:46.880 --> 0:05:49.440 It's it's kind of for me. It's it's really becomes 0:05:49.520 --> 0:05:53.520 second nature, the second nature thing. Um. But I never 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:55.680 really I tried that to never take it for granted 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:58.720 or at the same time it makes that makes sense. Well, 0:05:58.720 --> 0:06:01.120 I never I never felt that. And knowing you, you 0:06:01.120 --> 0:06:04.000 know I should run you whenever, Steve Harvey, I was 0:06:04.040 --> 0:06:05.880 ever in d C. I I couldn't get you on 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:08.680 air enough. You know, come on, come on, man se 0:06:08.880 --> 0:06:11.680 in with us, sitting in with us, man, because I 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:14.560 was just a firm belief of you. But you know you. 0:06:14.880 --> 0:06:18.120 I made a note of your incredible live performing skills. 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:20.480 I'm speaking aroun how you on you know to the 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:25.240 DC area, but global talent, singer, performer, poet. I'd like 0:06:25.279 --> 0:06:30.119 to believe um the pandemic hit. You know, comedic friends 0:06:30.120 --> 0:06:34.200 of mine couldn't tour, Musical friends of minds couldn't tour 0:06:34.360 --> 0:06:37.960 because you make your money performing live. And how did that? 0:06:38.000 --> 0:06:40.400 How did that handle? How did it affect you? And 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:42.760 then your bandmates? How did that? How did you how 0:06:42.760 --> 0:06:44.800 did that? How does that situation played out when it 0:06:44.880 --> 0:06:48.800 first shut down the country and playing out now, I'll 0:06:48.800 --> 0:06:50.600 be honest with you, like I kind of you know, 0:06:50.960 --> 0:06:53.680 you always heard the whispers of these times, you know 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:56.040 the times that we live in you know other it's 0:06:56.040 --> 0:06:59.680 from the biblical standpoint or just a common sense standpoint. 0:06:59.760 --> 0:07:03.359 So for me personally, I hit the ground running. I 0:07:03.440 --> 0:07:07.000 kind of I've always been, Um, I've been an independent 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:09.320 artist for the ten years. Man, make it look easy, 0:07:09.400 --> 0:07:11.680 you know, if it's if it's if it's a situation 0:07:11.680 --> 0:07:14.320 where I've had to spend my last to kind of 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:18.160 flip or to make to make it work. You know, Uh, 0:07:18.360 --> 0:07:21.320 it's pretty much like my it's from conception, like the 0:07:21.440 --> 0:07:25.600 music too, what happens on stage. Um, and having a 0:07:25.720 --> 0:07:28.040 very small team and individuals that I trust they can 0:07:28.200 --> 0:07:29.760 you know, that can help me bring my vision and 0:07:29.880 --> 0:07:32.600 life of course, but you know when this happened, I 0:07:32.640 --> 0:07:35.840 just really I started to kind of educating myself. Okay, 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:39.040 well what are the digital platforms? What how The first 0:07:39.040 --> 0:07:40.920 thing I had to ask myself is how I'm prepared 0:07:40.920 --> 0:07:44.120 to how I'm prepared? Am I for this moment right now? 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:47.280 Meaning like you know, if I if I could, if 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:49.560 I couldn't leave this house. You know, I got my 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:52.160 studio set up, I got my DSL lines who I had. 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:56.200 You know, that's technology that you know, uh the internet 0:07:56.560 --> 0:08:01.920 uh provider can service provider can for vibe you know? Um, 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:04.840 so so I kind of like jumped into that, uh 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:08.760 into that arena, and you know, and I quickly realized, 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:11.960 like you need to upraise some things. You know, you've 0:08:11.960 --> 0:08:16.480 been too dependent on certain things. And yeah, so I 0:08:16.720 --> 0:08:18.760 so I really dug into with that. I mean, of course, 0:08:18.800 --> 0:08:23.040 like definitely taking a huge uh financial hit on shows 0:08:23.080 --> 0:08:26.320 and the concerts, um and the touring and stuff for 0:08:26.360 --> 0:08:30.800 that nature. But I just I just really remain organic 0:08:30.880 --> 0:08:34.760 and and and and and creating activities for myself. Um 0:08:34.880 --> 0:08:38.160 the love the Love King Quarantine, I'll call it um. 0:08:38.200 --> 0:08:40.440 And definitely for that for that first eight weeks, like 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:43.240 I mean, I put myself on the schedule and the 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:45.840 regiment and just you know and really connected with the 0:08:45.880 --> 0:08:48.880 sayings and you know, around taking care of the day 0:08:48.880 --> 0:08:51.200 to day things that you know, dealing with the fan 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:53.719 and the adjustment of it all. And and it kind 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:56.559 of gave me something that even now gives me something 0:08:56.600 --> 0:08:59.599 to uh to look forward to, you know and to 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:02.640 because you gotta keep that audience going. You gotta keep 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:05.320 you you gotta keep the connection going. It is a job, 0:09:05.640 --> 0:09:07.240 you know, as much as I love what I do, 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:09.920 and you have to maintain you create this brand and 0:09:09.960 --> 0:09:12.120 then out the blue they tell you you can't step 0:09:12.160 --> 0:09:15.320 on stages anymore. Just the list of things that we 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:18.600 that we kind of restricted and constricted zoom. So I 0:09:18.600 --> 0:09:20.720 had to I had to do, you know, creatives. I 0:09:20.720 --> 0:09:22.920 think that that's where you know, the hustler comes in. 0:09:23.600 --> 0:09:27.480 Um that the ambition of h and curiosity. You know, 0:09:27.679 --> 0:09:31.320 it's it's a it's a it's a it's a trying time. 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:35.439 But I try to find a good and everything. Absolutely, 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:38.439 and yeah, all these programs are you know that program 0:09:38.520 --> 0:09:43.640 protection pro payroll protection program did that? Was any of 0:09:43.679 --> 0:09:47.480 that stuff an asset are available to an independent artist 0:09:47.559 --> 0:09:50.679 like you who had a traveling band and made you 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:52.360 you know, you're living the v alive and all of 0:09:52.400 --> 0:09:56.960 a sudden the American said shut down was any of those? Definitely? Definitely, 0:09:56.960 --> 0:09:59.320 I mean being transparent. You know, I got some issues 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:01.719 and I'm sorting out with you know, of course I 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:08.160 RS but it's it's it's definitely it's been beneficial. Um 0:10:08.200 --> 0:10:10.480 but but but I also try to make sure that 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:16.079 it's not something that I make myself like live. You know, 0:10:16.960 --> 0:10:20.640 my friend, look look the country shot. Okay, you know 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:23.480 I told all my comedicy friends, so they got a 0:10:23.520 --> 0:10:25.559 six hundred dollar a week check. Go get it. Okay, 0:10:25.600 --> 0:10:27.760 you gotta go get it. You gotta go get you, 0:10:27.760 --> 0:10:29.760 gotta go get it. They make it available to you. 0:10:29.760 --> 0:10:34.199 But you know, I applied for the payroll protection program. Okay, yeah, 0:10:34.240 --> 0:10:37.439 because because the second quarter were no income coming, they 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:40.240 cut down advertising, media, sales and everything. You couldn't do 0:10:40.320 --> 0:10:44.320 live events, you couldn't even advertise because we're no advertised advertising. Okay, 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:47.760 so you know, as to shut down a lot of 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:52.600 major events and second and early third and so now 0:10:52.640 --> 0:10:55.960 we're looking at the at the at the one as 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:59.200 a possibility. And then you hear about the Football's Pack 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:01.760 five and the Power five talking about they may shift 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:05.200 all their games to the spring. So it's so much uncertainty. 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:08.560 And then but Jen, you still have to be right, 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:11.640 You still have to be the poet. You still have 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:14.280 to you know, stand forward and stand straight and be 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:17.800 a leader during these pandemic times. And when I say that, 0:11:18.520 --> 0:11:21.480 you you you know, this has been an amazing years 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:25.840 for as incredible deaths. I consider the death of the 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:29.480 sudden death of Kobe Bryant to be, you know, world shattering, 0:11:29.600 --> 0:11:34.439 and then the the the basic murder of George Floyd 0:11:34.679 --> 0:11:37.319 in front of the nation's eyes and eight minutes, ever 0:11:37.440 --> 0:11:40.680 lower eight minutes. How has that? How has that affected 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:44.600 you as a musical artist, as a family man, you know, 0:11:44.760 --> 0:11:47.319 a leader in this country and being a man of color. 0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:53.040 It's just specially from mends. I mean, the good, the 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:56.800 good in it is that my my way, my mind 0:11:56.840 --> 0:12:00.320 works in the way I'm wired like it. You know, 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:02.600 every day I wake up trying to thinking, you know, 0:12:02.679 --> 0:12:05.000 thuls being thankful, and I say, what are trying to 0:12:05.040 --> 0:12:08.040 be alive with the time to being you know when 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:10.520 I say that, um, it's kind of like, you know 0:12:10.640 --> 0:12:12.240 what a trying to be in love with the things 0:12:12.160 --> 0:12:15.600 that you love, you know, whether that's my spiritual aspect um, 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:18.360 still being in tune with what your art. You know. 0:12:18.840 --> 0:12:21.520 I heard some artists like the interviews or like saying 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:24.640 like like slat out, like they can't even create right now. 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:28.920 It's been a total you know what I mean. Like 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:32.320 I got retorts coming out my new single, which Marvin 0:12:32.440 --> 0:12:34.760 used to say it's old, and Marvin Gaye is speaking 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:38.480 about everything that I've seen, you know, my my journey 0:12:38.880 --> 0:12:42.080 you know, uh, after things that we see now, you know, 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:45.520 it's a lot going on, just just in my city. 0:12:45.920 --> 0:12:48.720 You know, in d c um this past Saturday, they 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:53.120 had a drive block where almost thirty people were shot 0:12:53.640 --> 0:12:57.600 as people dying like damnly, like you know what I mean, Um, 0:12:58.200 --> 0:13:01.480 just just on top of everything else going on in 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:04.839 the middle of a pandemic. Um, you know, understanding where 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:09.080 the economy is. It's kind of like it's like, wow, 0:13:09.280 --> 0:13:11.840 these are the things that Marvin talked about, you know, 0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:18.800 and it's amazing, amazing. Yeah, there's far too many of 0:13:18.800 --> 0:13:21.959 of you dying, you know. Yeah, yeah, and it's it's 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:25.760 but yeah, and it's deep because you know, I'm one 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:27.760 of those people that feel like history repeats it so 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:31.040 I just really repeat itself right before our eyes and 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:35.600 so so so you said you're single. Is it out now? Um? 0:13:36.040 --> 0:13:39.320 Actually it actually drops on for this moment. Okay, okay, okay, 0:13:39.320 --> 0:13:41.600 now let's go down that. Yeah, you gotta come to 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:46.680 me now. Okay. Now, social media goes out. You know 0:13:46.720 --> 0:13:49.040 I got a million social media followers. I'll drop it 0:13:49.040 --> 0:13:52.360 on Friday, you know that Friday PM, and then I 0:13:52.400 --> 0:13:54.320 put it in my newsletter that goes out on win 0:13:54.400 --> 0:13:57.760 to the name three thousand followers. That sounds good. That 0:13:57.880 --> 0:14:00.960 sounds so that's what the Independent's gotta do. Independence gotta 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.319 gotta stay with the relationships they believe in them. Okay, 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:08.360 this is a reconnect you and I. Okay because you 0:14:08.400 --> 0:14:13.720 know I love Missa Rahe Okaye, appreciate that. So let's 0:14:13.760 --> 0:14:15.640 talk about that single. Let's talk about this single. You 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:18.599 know you mentioned Marvin Gay, you meant you know, you 0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:23.840 know that Mercy, Mercy? What's going on? Those those those 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:26.640 songs resonate today. There was about the Vietnam War that 0:14:26.760 --> 0:14:28.920 he they're talking about. You still talking about the injustice 0:14:28.960 --> 0:14:31.680 in the streets all that period you had John Carlos 0:14:31.800 --> 0:14:36.320 and Tommy Smith. You know, just seeing now these marches 0:14:36.360 --> 0:14:38.760 and then like you're talking about then then these out 0:14:38.800 --> 0:14:42.080 of control levels of violence and just not just in 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:45.160 Chicago but happening all over this country. And guess who've 0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:51.360 becoming the victim? African Americans? Yeah, you sit down, Rahin 0:14:51.680 --> 0:14:53.960 what comes out of you? What what is the direction 0:14:54.120 --> 0:14:56.560 of your What message are you trying to say in 0:14:56.640 --> 0:15:00.960 your music? Now? Man? So you know, of course, like 0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:03.600 with the Marvel used to say, record is coming, it's 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:06.520 it's it's it's it's more old to you know, speaking 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:10.040 on you know, whether you're talking about COVID nineteen, talk 0:15:10.120 --> 0:15:13.920 about um, the climate of you know, where it is 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:16.480 to be a black man in this country after you know, 0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:20.480 all out of all and women, the things that we've accomplished, 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:24.160 you know, on this planet in a very short amount 0:15:24.200 --> 0:15:26.080 of time. You know that I've been here, that we've 0:15:26.120 --> 0:15:29.560 been here, you know, and it's still see um how 0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:37.120 prevalent um and detrimental um white supremacy is and also 0:15:37.400 --> 0:15:40.760 a social classic supremacy. You know what I mean, um, 0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:44.600 Because you know, like the Minister says fara times that 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:48.400 you know in previous um times that he's spoken is 0:15:48.480 --> 0:15:51.320 that like you know, all black folks ain't good, all 0:15:51.360 --> 0:15:55.040 white folks ain't bad. That's what I mean, you know 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:57.080 what I mean. So it's like when you really when 0:15:57.120 --> 0:15:59.520 you really, when you really pinpointed, you know, and I 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:01.360 just kind for like the world is in a place 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:04.480 where it boils down. You just have two sets of people. 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:06.680 You've got people that are loving. You've got people that 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:10.640 are uh carry that um that want to see change 0:16:10.800 --> 0:16:13.640 and you know across the gamut you know, and and 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:16.480 and and do their part um. And then you have 0:16:16.600 --> 0:16:22.000 people that are absolutely give zero you know, as you 0:16:23.360 --> 0:16:25.480 I don't want to use fans union show, but they 0:16:25.560 --> 0:16:29.080 really give zero percent concerned on to the things that 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:34.440 are going on. You know. And it's finally here, the 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.880 season of celebration. And no matter how you celebrate with 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:41.320 family and friends, whether you're preparing for reys, magos or 0:16:41.360 --> 0:16:45.400 Karamu lighting the Manura, are going to midnight mass, Coals 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:48.400 has just what you need to make those traditions special. 0:16:48.840 --> 0:16:51.880 Plus you'll find gifts for all your loved ones. 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Still living in and manually taking notes start 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:04.639 the new year with auto dot ai to generate automatic 0:18:04.720 --> 0:18:08.080 notes for meetings, interviews, or lectures. With auto dot ai, 0:18:08.320 --> 0:18:11.120 you can search the meeting notes, insert images, play back 0:18:11.160 --> 0:18:13.440 the audio, and share them with your friends or coworkers. 0:18:13.640 --> 0:18:16.800 You can capture action items, remember meeting details, and keep 0:18:16.840 --> 0:18:20.080 everyone informed. Auto dot ai works for in person or 0:18:20.200 --> 0:18:23.600 virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google meet. Sign 0:18:23.680 --> 0:18:26.080 up for free at auto dot ai or download the 0:18:26.119 --> 0:18:28.560 app for free auto dot ai. That's O T T 0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:32.240 E R dot ai. When you say that, so you 0:18:32.280 --> 0:18:35.639 know we're talking about the Love Life Foundation. That's when 0:18:35.680 --> 0:18:39.720 they started, correct, Yeah, yeah, exactly. I had been called 0:18:39.760 --> 0:18:42.720 on it do a number of different things, primarily in 0:18:42.760 --> 0:18:46.800 the domestic violence chector in the past, feeding the homeless, UM, 0:18:48.200 --> 0:18:50.480 any number of things that affect us as people of 0:18:50.520 --> 0:18:53.359 black and brown colors, you know, first and foremost in 0:18:53.400 --> 0:18:57.000 the in the cities. And I decided around fourteen and 0:18:57.160 --> 0:18:59.880 to start my start my foundation and love life down 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:02.560 station UM some of the most recent work. I mean, 0:19:02.600 --> 0:19:06.040 when COVID broke out, UM, I had an opportunity to 0:19:06.280 --> 0:19:09.080 to to un serve being a service to the to 0:19:09.480 --> 0:19:12.399 first responders, UM, the nurses and the doctors, you know, 0:19:12.480 --> 0:19:14.679 providing home cooked meals for them, you know, as they 0:19:14.720 --> 0:19:17.159 worked around the clock to fight COVID. So that was 0:19:17.240 --> 0:19:19.680 one of one of the campaigns that we did UM 0:19:19.800 --> 0:19:23.479 over the you know, the first UM nine weeks. Uh. 0:19:23.560 --> 0:19:25.600 Then of course when you know, after the after the 0:19:25.680 --> 0:19:29.359 murder uh um a brother, and and and and the 0:19:29.520 --> 0:19:31.639 and the uprises that were taking place, we had to 0:19:31.720 --> 0:19:34.560 kind of slow down on that because in certain places 0:19:34.640 --> 0:19:37.440 just wasn't safe UM and and what was dope. I 0:19:37.480 --> 0:19:39.320 mean we had women like on the front line and 0:19:39.400 --> 0:19:42.199 we're cooking the food, delivering it, you know, risking their 0:19:42.280 --> 0:19:45.000 lights to deliver it. UM to the hospitals. Want to 0:19:45.000 --> 0:19:47.280 give a big shout out to uh to Alma's Catering 0:19:47.800 --> 0:19:49.879 and some of our other you know, partners with the 0:19:49.920 --> 0:19:54.040 Love Life Foundation here in the city. But if it's Baltimore, DC, Virginia. 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:59.480 We over the last man ten weeks, we serviced um 0:20:00.119 --> 0:20:04.359 any number of like first responders, nurses, doctors, people at 0:20:04.400 --> 0:20:07.399 the testing sites you know, as well as as well 0:20:07.480 --> 0:20:09.600 as those are this place right now because it's you know, 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:13.000 we're doing food banks most recently, um as well, you know, 0:20:13.119 --> 0:20:16.040 trying to just provide fresh fruits and vegetables for local 0:20:16.080 --> 0:20:18.440 families and stuff here with some of the farmers and 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:24.760 partner with them. So just local yeah, just local farmers 0:20:24.800 --> 0:20:27.520 they want to lend a hand. Um. You know. Prior 0:20:27.600 --> 0:20:30.040 to COVID, Uh, there was a school I adopted in 0:20:30.119 --> 0:20:33.480 southeast where we have a program along with Marketer's Table, 0:20:34.359 --> 0:20:36.720 my Foundation and a few other organizations on the ground 0:20:36.760 --> 0:20:39.679 where we provide fresh fruits and vegetables as well as 0:20:39.880 --> 0:20:43.399 uh uh you know, we have chefs come in and 0:20:43.440 --> 0:20:45.320 show them how to how to make the smoothies and 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:49.840 just healthy options alternatives or the youth and for the families. Uh. 0:20:50.080 --> 0:20:52.520 You know, I go to the school once a month, 0:20:52.760 --> 0:20:54.879 you know, when I'm in town and you know, you 0:20:54.920 --> 0:20:57.160 get on the first name basis with the kids then 0:20:57.800 --> 0:21:00.720 you know in Southeast and it's really cool experience. I 0:21:01.880 --> 0:21:03.719 things like that I missed, you know what I mean 0:21:03.840 --> 0:21:06.879 because of course you know, schools and shut down, um, 0:21:07.280 --> 0:21:10.080 you know, even going back into the fall. And that's 0:21:10.119 --> 0:21:12.040 that's the sad part about it because we know when 0:21:12.080 --> 0:21:14.680 I when I hear ab our online education and you 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:16.800 know who that's gonna affect. That's gonna be people of 0:21:16.920 --> 0:21:21.320 color because hard man, we don't have the WiFi, we 0:21:21.400 --> 0:21:25.360 don't have the laptops of the tablets to be able 0:21:25.359 --> 0:21:27.360 to if we do have it. You know, we don't 0:21:27.400 --> 0:21:30.879 have the parental structure because our parents are probably going 0:21:30.960 --> 0:21:32.600 to be work or their parents are probably gonna be 0:21:32.680 --> 0:21:35.240 working during the day, so they don't have them away 0:21:35.600 --> 0:21:38.320 come home fatigue. It's just it's just it's just a 0:21:38.440 --> 0:21:42.280 not a winning situation that we have to stay on 0:21:42.440 --> 0:21:44.639 top of and like that. So when I hear you 0:21:44.680 --> 0:21:47.360 talk about your love life foundation, I have to go, man, 0:21:47.720 --> 0:21:50.440 this is this is this is this is awesome. What 0:21:50.720 --> 0:21:52.960 could I do to help you know you guys taking 0:21:53.000 --> 0:21:55.920 donations or what's going on there? Right? Oh? Definitely, yeah, 0:21:55.960 --> 0:21:58.600 we constantly taking donations. UM. And like I said, with 0:21:58.720 --> 0:22:01.480 the donations, we do a number things. UM the Text 0:22:01.480 --> 0:22:04.760 School Scholarship Fund, which we assist on students and have 0:22:04.920 --> 0:22:07.800 been assistant students for the last six years with paying 0:22:07.840 --> 0:22:10.640