1 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: As of August eleventh, hip hop has officially reached its 2 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: fiftieth anniversary milestone. In today's episode, my guests and I 3 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: are embracing this occasion by diving into her book title 4 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: Ode to hip Hop, Fifty Albums that Define Fifty years 5 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: of Trailblazing Music. 6 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 2: This book page tribute to the. 7 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: Legacy of hip hop through a thoughtful exploration of fifty 8 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: albums that have left an unforgivable mark on the genre's evolution. 9 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: My amazing guest, who has graced our show with her 10 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: presence on two occasions, has crafted a beautiful homage to 11 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: these fifty albums that not only defied and expanded hip hop, 12 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: but also played a pivotal role in shaping it into 13 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: the vibrant cultural force it represents today. So to my guest, 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: it's always a pleasure to have you on a show. 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: So thank you so much for coming back. How you doing, 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: how you're feeling. 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be back. 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 3: I'm feeling good, feeling great. 19 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: So I'm a little bit under the water, y'all, but 20 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,479 Speaker 1: we are gonna push through because I am so excited. 21 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: I'm super proud of my guests, this book Call Old 22 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: to hip Hop Fifty Albums that Define fifty years of 23 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 1: trailblazing music, was just it's so beautiful. I was telling 24 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 1: my guests before we started that it literally felt so nostalgic. 25 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: And also I feel like, and I don't know if 26 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: anybody ever told you this, but I feel like when 27 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: I was reading your book, hip hop to me felt 28 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: like a person that we knew, Like yes, right, yes, 29 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: Like I feel like hip hop mirrors individuals like you 30 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: and myself, along with black individuals who we know, who 31 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: have evolved over time into the present selves and evolution 32 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: very similar to the trajectory of hip hop itself. And 33 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: like I told you before, when I was reading your book, 34 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: it just felt so nostalgic because I remember when certain 35 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: albums dropping. I remember exactly where I was at, Like 36 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: do you feel that way about it as well? 37 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 3: Yes, definitely. They're like, of course, you know was born 38 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 3: in eighty nine, so Curtis Blow nineteen eighty. I don't 39 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 3: remember that myself, but like as the years progressed and 40 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 3: as I continue to work on this book, it was like, 41 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 3: oh my gosh, Like I remember hearing like, oh gosh, 42 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 3: like Missy Elliott for the first time and seeing her 43 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 3: music videos. I remember all these things, and so working 44 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 3: on this was really just like an incredible journey. It 45 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 3: really was. 46 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: Yes, you know you bought back something to my memory 47 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: is when I used to love eminem videos. 48 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, I'm. 49 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: Going to be obsessed with it. 50 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 1: So I know that you are a musical journalist, a 51 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: culture critic, and a DJ. But what inspire you to 52 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: write a book about hip hop? 53 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 3: Ooh? Well, thank you. So I am very grateful and 54 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 3: I will always shout her out. My editor, Ada Sang, 55 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 3: she was the person who reached out to me and 56 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 3: said this was back in February of last year, twenty 57 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 3: twenty two. 58 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 2: So she because I had just spoken to you before 59 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 2: around the time exactly. 60 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. So she just sent me a cold email out 61 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 3: of nowhere and was like, hey, girl, like, I think 62 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 3: that this could be something that would be great for you. 63 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 3: I think I have the right voice for this book. 64 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 3: Do you want to like hop on a video chat 65 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 3: and just talk? And I was like, yeah, let's do it. 66 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 3: So I think within twenty four hours we were already 67 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 3: talking and it just felt so natural. It was just 68 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 3: a natural exchange of ideas and information and concepts, and 69 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 3: I think pretty quickly we both knew that we were 70 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 3: going to be working together. So I am very fortunate 71 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 3: that that's how it came into fruition. But in terms 72 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 3: of me writing a book about hip hop in general, 73 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 3: I feel like I've been preparing for this my entire life. It's, 74 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 3: you know, something that I talk about my mom as 75 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 3: often as I can. She passed in two thousand and nine, 76 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 3: but she was the person who really introduced me to 77 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 3: you know, the to Notorious Big, to master P, No Limit. 78 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 2: To the Gilay exactly. 79 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 3: Yes, she was the person who introduced me to all that, 80 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 3: and then my brother introduced me to like DJ Screw, 81 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 3: and then my sister just is my right woman, Like 82 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 3: we throw artists back and forth and have been since 83 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 3: we were young kids. So yeah, this is really a 84 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 3: family effort for me. I really want to represent my 85 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 3: family as well as I can, and I think in 86 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 3: talking to them through the creation of this book that 87 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 3: really resonates. I think people can tell that this as 88 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 3: you were saying before, like hip hop feels like a person, 89 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 3: and I feel like it's another member of my family. 90 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 3: Me too. 91 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: I was just like wow, like I never thought of 92 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: hip hop like that until I actually read your book 93 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: and I was like, damn, this is like somebody I know. 94 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 3: Yeah exactly. Yeah, the overall growth, what has been a 95 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,799 Speaker 3: reception you received, because I think this book is amazing? Oh, 96 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 3: thank you so much. I will always be so grateful 97 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 3: for any outs of like positivity and just appreciation for 98 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 3: the work that I did. But yeah, thank you. Yeah, 99 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 3: the reception has been wonderful. I've been trying to save 100 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 3: as many like images that I can that folks have 101 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 3: been sitting because it is very beautiful book. Shout out 102 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 3: to yay Abe the illustrator. It's stunning. It's just a 103 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 3: remarkable piece of work. And I'm not saying that because 104 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 3: I'm a part of it. I think it's just really 105 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 3: it's a beautiful book. Yeah. So people have been like 106 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 3: taking their pictures with the book, like either just the 107 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 3: book itself or with the with themselves. Yeah. So it's 108 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 3: been really cute and cool to see all the excited 109 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 3: people like sending me their pictures and just giving me 110 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 3: really great feedback. It's been, you know, phenomenal just hearing 111 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 3: how people relate to it or even just having discussions 112 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 3: around like oh, you didn't put this in there, but 113 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 3: you put that in there and it's like, yeah, I did, 114 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 3: let's talk about it. 115 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,239 Speaker 1: So yeah, right, Have you had a chance to interview 116 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: any of the artists from your book or have any 117 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:45,839 Speaker 1: of them reach out to you about it? 118 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 3: So nobody has reached out yet. They did just come 119 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:55,679 Speaker 3: out like not that long ago. So I am hoping 120 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 3: that folks will start reaching out and if not, then, 121 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 3: you know, I think that that it will naturally happen. 122 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 3: You know. I think now that I have this published 123 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 3: piece of work, it's going to start, you know, building 124 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,559 Speaker 3: those stepping stepping stones for me to start being able 125 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 3: to have these kinds of conversations with the greats that 126 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 3: I did mention in. 127 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 2: This right right now. 128 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: Did you encounter any challenges or surprises why researcher or 129 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: write a book, because. 130 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 2: I know you did a lot of research for this. 131 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 3: Absolutely. Yeah. I think the biggest challenge was just trying 132 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: to find as many albums as I could to start 133 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 3: out with. There are so many underground artists who have 134 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 3: been working actively for either whether it's like underground artists 135 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 3: from the past ten years or the past thirty years. 136 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 3: Some of those artists are not immediately like quote unquote googleable. 137 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 3: So I did my best to try to you know, 138 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 3: salvage as much of or I'll rephrase that, I did 139 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 3: the best that I could to piece together all of 140 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 3: those you know, like holes in the fabric of hip 141 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 3: hop that we don't traditionally knowledge, whether that be women 142 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 3: or underground artists like I mentioned, or you know, queer 143 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 3: artists or anybody like that. That's what I was really 144 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 3: trying to focus on, was like, how can I start 145 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 3: out with a very strong blueprint and then start kind 146 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 3: of reworking it and retooling it and then get to 147 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,559 Speaker 3: this place where I have fifty albums period? Right? 148 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: You know, one of my favorite things that you did 149 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: with the book is you use a chronological approach to 150 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: the albums, which I thought was very creative. So you 151 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: started when hip hop started in nineteen seventy all the 152 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: way up to twenty twenty two. How do you think 153 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: hip hop has evolved over the years, and how did 154 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: you reflect that evolution of your book? 155 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 3: Another great question, come on always. 156 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 2: Yes, So I thought that was really dope. 157 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 3: Thank you, I really appreciate that. Yeah. Again, shout out 158 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 3: to Ada. She was the original first list that I 159 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: sent to her was like every single year of you know, releases, 160 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 3: and she was like, wait a minute, let's try something different, 161 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 3: Like you don't have to just stick to like ninety 162 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 3: ninety one, ninety two, Like let's branch this out. If 163 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 3: there were five or four albums that came out in 164 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 3: like ninety four and you want to write about them, 165 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 3: just go for it. So I think I had a 166 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 3: lot of freed I did. I don't think. I know, 167 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 3: I had a lot of freedom to just do what 168 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 3: I wanted to do. And I'm so grateful for that 169 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 3: because it really allowed me to give a different perspective 170 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 3: I think on the evolution of hip hop. 171 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 2: I think a lot of you definitely humanize hip hip hop. 172 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you. That means a lot to me, it 173 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 3: really does. And yeah, I feel like the evolution of 174 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 3: hip hop has been absolutely you know, mind blowing. Yeah. 175 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 3: But then fifty years, Yeah, and it's only it's like 176 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 3: it's only fifty years, but it's also fifty years. Like 177 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 3: that's insane, right, But yeah, it's just incredible to have witnessed, 178 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 3: you know, as much as I have. Again, you know, 179 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 3: I know, I'm only I'm turning thirty four soon, so 180 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 3: I'm not you know, quite fifty, but it's been amazing 181 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,359 Speaker 3: to be of this age and to see and experience 182 00:08:59,440 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 3: all the. 183 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 2: Things a rack we grew up with it. 184 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly again, another family member a moment, like it's like, 185 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 3: you know, we grew up together and it's been like 186 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 3: my brother, I believe he's let me do my math. 187 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 3: I think he's forty two, so he's just a hair 188 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 3: younger than hip hop. And my mom was born in 189 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 3: sixty one, so she was alive and super super interesting. Yeah, 190 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 3: she was super interested in hip hop, like almost immediately. 191 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,959 Speaker 3: So I think that's I know that that's why I 192 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 3: am the way that I am and why I'm so 193 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 3: obsessed with this genre because it's literally been instilled in 194 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 3: me since I was a baby. 195 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 2: Listen. 196 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 1: You know, I was about to say, I'm like, listen, 197 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: if Rob Banks don't have you in a VIP section, 198 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: this man, everything you do I know, and that's the thing, 199 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: and this is something that is really interesting. 200 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 2: That's my favorite artist, y'all. 201 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, by the way, Rob Banks, he's a Florida rapper. 202 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 3: He's been rapping for about a decade and you are 203 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 3: absolutely right. It's like it's I don't even know if 204 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 3: because I was waited, I'm like, where is he at? 205 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 3: Because I know she's gonna put him some where? And 206 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 3: you're correct. I'm like, Yo, this is Rob May's biggest fan. Yes, 207 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 3: I am someone that if I get a message from 208 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 3: you know, the universe, higher power, God or whatever that 209 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 3: tells me like focus on this artist, or focus on 210 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 3: this sound or this movement or this region, I'm like, 211 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 3: let me do that. So I was really called to 212 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 3: like the Florida rap era and starting from like twenty 213 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 3: ten all the way up to like twenty seventeen, right, 214 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 3: I feel like I was one of the first and 215 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 3: most active people covering that scene and he's a part 216 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 3: of that. So it was It's a long story, but 217 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 3: basically God told me like, hey, he's one of those 218 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 3: artists you should champion, and I was like, all right, 219 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 3: I'll do it. That's why I'm like riding for him 220 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 3: because I'm like, hey, somebody told me to do it, 221 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,559 Speaker 3: so I'm gonna do it right right now. 222 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,079 Speaker 1: Were there any artists or albums that you found particularly 223 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: influential or essential that we're not including your book? 224 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 3: Yeah? 225 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: I have one. 226 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I can't wait to hear it. So I 227 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 3: would say there are two acts that I feel like, 228 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 3: had I had a bit more time, I probably would 229 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 3: have gone back and added them in. So one of 230 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 3: them is Public Enemy, you know, I think that they 231 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 3: are absolutely important and essential and so pivotal to the 232 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 3: creation and evolution of hip hop. I respect them deeply. 233 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 3: And then also A Ball and nim JG. I love them, Yeah, 234 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 3: coming out Hard or anything, any of their albums I 235 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 3: feel would have been so beneficial to this book. And 236 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 3: and just like, looking back, you know, on the process, 237 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 3: I'm like, man, you know, if I had like one 238 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 3: more week or one more month, like what would this 239 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 3: list of look like. That's the funny part about it is, 240 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 3: I think it would have continued to evolve in right, I. 241 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 2: Was gonna say, Nelly. 242 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 3: Oh, Nellie, Yes, yes, yes, I'm like even with the 243 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 3: don't touch in the fashion, but I'm like, even with 244 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 3: the band aid and stuff like Nelly air Force one Girl. Yeah, 245 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 3: he was super influential, super influential. 246 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, But I was like, Okay, let me see she 247 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: why she didn't put him in there. But I was 248 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: also very happy that you gave Luke his flowers Because 249 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: I was born in New York but I was raised 250 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: in the South, so I grew up on Luke, and 251 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: I don't think that Luke gets a lot of credit 252 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: for the role he played in hip hop. 253 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 3: I agree one thousand percent. He's somebody that took a 254 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 3: lot of hits for a lot of hits, a lot 255 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 3: of hiss and he doesn't, as you said, he doesn't 256 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 3: really get the respect and the recognition that he deserves. 257 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 3: I think partially it's maybe due to the fact that 258 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 3: not everybody sees like Booty Shape music as reputable or whatever. 259 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 3: But honestly, like that's that's my bread and butter, Like 260 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 3: I love that shit, like it activates me, you know. Yeah, 261 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,679 Speaker 3: So I deeply respect him as well, and I'm glad that, 262 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 3: as you said, I was able to include him too. Yeah. 263 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, child just had a memory when I was a 264 00:12:57,960 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: child working to his ship. 265 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 3: I was popping my love back right, You're back exactly 266 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 3: brown right. 267 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: Another thing that I love is how hip hop has 268 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: had a significant impact on fashion and style. Where were 269 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: some of your favorite fashion moments from hip hop? 270 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I would say the number one like fashion influences 271 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 3: for me, it's probably low kim Oh. I see, yes, absolutely, 272 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 3: seeing how she started and how like her style evolved 273 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 3: and she just kind of found exactly who she wanted 274 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 3: to be visually aesthetically and. 275 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 2: She looked like us exactly. 276 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, right exactly that was and also Missy 277 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 3: you know about her like from you know, the like 278 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 3: I put in the book, from the inflatable jumpsuit to 279 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 3: Adidas tracksuits, like everything that she did was like I 280 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 3: remember sitting there and being like, man, I wish I 281 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 3: could dress like her, or man I wish I could 282 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 3: afford that or whatever, you know, right right, you. 283 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: Know, I feel like hip hop played a very important 284 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: role in providing representation and challenging stereotypes of black people 285 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: because I feel like with hip hop, you realize that 286 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: black people are not monoliths. 287 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 3: Correct, absolutely, And that's again one of my favorite favorite 288 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 3: parts about hip hop is there are so many ways 289 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 3: to be and to become and to exist, right and 290 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 3: every like I like, definitely in the beginning, it was like, 291 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 3: you know, more East Coast oriented more about like the 292 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 3: issues that were going on in that area of the country. 293 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 3: But as it didn't take long for like it to 294 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 3: hop over to the West Coast and they talk about 295 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 3: their issues and then South came into the picture. So 296 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 3: it's like, it's there are so many ways to live life. 297 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, so many ways to be black. 298 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 3: Thank you exactly. It's so so many beautiful ways to 299 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 3: be black. And hip hop, I think is an incredible 300 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 3: vehicle for people to kind of experiment and explore what 301 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 3: it means to be black and to be human, you know. 302 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 2: Right right now. 303 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: Hip hop has often been critique for its portrayal of 304 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: balance and misogyny. Where were some of the criticisms in 305 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: the genres response to them that you explored in your book. 306 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I didn't go into detail about every single 307 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 3: artist's allegations and Dub Dub dub my goodness, I really 308 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 3: it would have been a whole different story, you know, 309 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 3: it wouldn't have looked like this, And that, you know, 310 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 3: was something that I had to reckon with because on 311 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 3: the one hand, I don't want to negate the experiences 312 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 3: of people who were abused or assaulted at the hands 313 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 3: of these people. But on the other hand, it's like, 314 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 3: this is a book that is celebrating the genre. So 315 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 3: I did take a section later in the book to 316 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 3: talk about hip hop and misogyny and the violence that 317 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 3: certain acts have enacted on people, and you know, I 318 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 3: just kind of laid it out, like we have to 319 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 3: do better. And it's not up to the women and 320 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 3: the you know, the queer folks and the folks who 321 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 3: have been you know, at the hands of these you know, violate, 322 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 3: violent abusers. You know, it's not up to them to 323 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 3: move the needle. It's up to the people who are 324 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 3: enacting those things to do what they need to do 325 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 3: to be better people and better artists and better community members. 326 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 2: Right, how do you think it is now? But misogyny. 327 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 3: Goodness, I think it's not as stark as it was before, 328 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 3: but I think it's still bleeding through for sure, especially 329 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 3: when we like when we talk about like a sexy 330 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 3: red you know, and people are like, I don't get it. 331 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 3: She's this, she's that, she's blah blah blah, and it's like, well, 332 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 3: maybe she's not for you to understand. 333 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I just hate's number one. 334 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 3: Oh my god, let's talk about. 335 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 2: It, because I know a lot of sexy reds. 336 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 3: Oh my god, thank you so much for saying that. 337 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 3: Like I was talking to my sister about this, like 338 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 3: last week, I was like, there are so many women 339 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 3: that I know who are her, and these are like 340 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 3: my friends, my cousins, my auntie. 341 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: Girls, and we grew up with like and maybe they 342 00:16:58,040 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: might not be up in New York, but they definitely 343 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: the South exactly. 344 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 3: They are around and maybe if they're in New York, 345 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 3: they just have a different accent. 346 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: But you know that girl, you know, sexy reds And 347 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 1: I just hate how they just try to come at 348 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: women that look like that, but not even understanding that 349 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: there's a lot of women that can relate to sexy 350 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: Red than a woman who's like a Jordan Wood aesthetically. 351 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 3: Yes, you know what I'm sadly exactly. Yeah, Like if 352 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 3: you walk out of your door, you're gonna see a 353 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 3: sexy Red before Jordan Woods' gonna meet sexy Red before 354 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 3: Jordan Woods. It's just that's just life. And I think 355 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 3: that this like idealized, like shiny social media facade, I 356 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 3: think it is really affecting people's brains, yeah, because and 357 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 3: affecting their brains because they like, she doesn't like to 358 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 3: wear makeup, you know, and she's like, you know, I 359 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 3: like myself the way I am. You know, I'm thick, 360 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 3: and you know she's like, you know whatever, Yeah, she's 361 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 3: like she's she's a phenomenal representation of her city. 362 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 2: And definitely St. 363 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 3: Louis, Yeah exactly, Yeah, yeah, yeah. 364 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: That's a problem. Need to go to Saint Louis. 365 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 3: Good. 366 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:01,520 Speaker 2: If you go to Saint Louis, you will see a 367 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 2: lot of sexy red. 368 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 3: Yes. 369 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: Yes, Now, who are some of the pioneering female rappers 370 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: that you believe they have had a significant impact on 371 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: shaping the genre and breaking down barriers? 372 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 3: Mm hmm yeah, I mean I feel like we've already 373 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 3: been talking about them because that's how important they are. 374 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, mister Elliott, Yeah, that's female rappers are running it. 375 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 3: Oh currently, yes, absolutely, and throughout the you know, the 376 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 3: trajectory of the genre. But definitely right now, I am 377 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 3: so excited. I'm having so much fun just listening to 378 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 3: these new artists Loger Brook, Maya the Dawn, Sexy Red, 379 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 3: as we said, Gloilla, Kim the Man. There are so 380 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 3: many artists that I'm just like head over heels for 381 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 3: and I just can't wait to see how they continue 382 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 3: to grow and develop. 383 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 2: Now I'm curious, who is the greatest female rapper of 384 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 2: all time in your opinion? 385 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:56,119 Speaker 3: That's that's a good one. That's a good question. 386 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: Give me your top two or three? No, give me 387 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: no, no no, give me the greatest people rapper first, and 388 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 1: then nimmi your top three. 389 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 3: Okay, I can do that. Okay, all right, Well, I 390 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,360 Speaker 3: would say that Missy is just in my mount rushmore 391 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 3: of all kinds of artists, So I will give that 392 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 3: number one spot to her, especially because she can vacillate 393 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 3: between singing and rapping and kind of melt those styles 394 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 3: into something completely different that nobody is able to duplicate. 395 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,679 Speaker 3: So she's one of one, she's number one, she's the 396 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 3: only one. So that's that's my answer. And then two 397 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 3: and three or you know and other you know artists 398 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 3: in the top three, I would say definitely Kim. Her 399 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 3: vocal ability, the way that she uses her voice is 400 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 3: just unmatched, unparalleled. And after that, I would say, man, ma, ma, man. 401 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 2: Wow, you gotta think this hard. 402 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 3: No, because I'm like, because I'm like, oh, it could 403 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 3: be this, Like I'm thinking it could be Nikki because 404 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 3: of like how much she contributed and how much how 405 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 3: much of a force she was when she first started, 406 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 3: and not saying she's not still one, but when she 407 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 3: first started, I feel like she was that girl and 408 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 3: it was undeniable, and she was the blueprint. She was 409 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 3: exactly for that era, like she was an icon that 410 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 3: people had not had for a while. So yeah, I 411 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 3: would I would give that to her. 412 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: Honestly, I would echo those same three women. I think 413 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 1: for me, the greatest, the greatest women rapp up all 414 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: time is definitely, to me, Nikki. I think Nikki is 415 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: just I think if we didn't have the Nikki print, 416 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: I think that a lot of girls would not be here. 417 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:38,919 Speaker 3: That's a fact, that is a certified fact. I was 418 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 3: listening to like me and my sisters, just like right 419 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 3: around and listening to music, and there was a song, 420 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 3: an early song by I Believe Baby Take and yeah, 421 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 3: she's fun. Yeah I should have mentioned her in full 422 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,640 Speaker 3: millions so many other girls, but yeah, a Baby Tait 423 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 3: excuse me, a Baby Tait song came on and we 424 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 3: were like, is this Nikky? And it was her and 425 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 3: it was like, oh, snap, it's not Nikki. So that 426 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 3: was I think one of her early pieces of work. 427 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 3: But that just goes to show how powerful of her influences. 428 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, but I will say I did grow up on 429 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: Look Him, and I used to be obsessed with Look Him. 430 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: And I used to remember when she came up with 431 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,479 Speaker 1: her videos like how mean licks or no matter what 432 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: they say? 433 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 2: Oh my god, So. 434 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 3: I'm praying that Nikki and look Him can do a 435 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 3: song together because, oh my. 436 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 2: God, I would lose my ship. 437 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 3: The internet would melt the fuck down, like. 438 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: The world gonna stop, like it's a rock. But I 439 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: have a feeling it's gonna happen though. 440 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 3: I think so too. I really do, because I know, 441 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 3: like over the years, they've gone back and forth between 442 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 3: being like, oh beefing, I respect her to like fuck 443 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 3: that bitch, you know. So it's like, right, girl, you 444 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 3: know which which way is it gonna go? Like next year, 445 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,640 Speaker 3: we'll see what happens. But I would hope. I would 446 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 3: hope that I'm passing out, ain't we all? Now? 447 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: However, hip hop has played a pivotal role in social 448 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: and cultural issues, especially for marginalized voices. 449 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 2: How do you think hip hop has. 450 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:10,680 Speaker 1: Contributed to shaping cultural identity and community among black individuals? 451 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 3: Another great question? Thank you? Yeah, you know I got 452 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 3: to come correct when I talk to you child every time, 453 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 3: every time, three out of three. Yeah, I would say 454 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:27,359 Speaker 3: that hip hop has been so essential to just the 455 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 3: cultivation of black culture, black culture, black culture, that part. Yes, 456 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 3: if we really want to be honest, like everything that 457 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 3: has come about in this country because of black people. Yeah, 458 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 3: but hip hop exactly is like the force that has 459 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 3: transformed this country into what it is. And not everybody 460 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 3: wants to admit it, you know, but it is a 461 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 3: very very instrumental part of you know, the way that 462 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 3: we talk to each other, the way that we like 463 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 3: communicate with each other and like relate to each other. 464 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 3: I feel like there are the friendships that I've made 465 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 3: and the relationships that I've built over the past like 466 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,360 Speaker 3: several years or decades or whatever, are rooted in hip hop. 467 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 3: And and these experiences and these songs and these albums, 468 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 3: these albums and these artists like this is this is 469 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 3: literally my life, And yeah, I feel like so many 470 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,159 Speaker 3: people can relate to that. Yeah. 471 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 1: I literally just about to say, it's a means of 472 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: storytelling and sharing narratives that might otherwise go on told 473 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:43,159 Speaker 1: within our experience, the black experience perfectly said Yeah, like 474 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 1: I've listened to music and I'm like, damn, this is 475 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: the soundtrack of my life in this moment. Correct, And 476 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: that that'd be like blowing my mind because I'm like, wow, 477 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: I can't believe this is aligning so perfectly. 478 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:55,880 Speaker 3: It's kind of like freaking me out a little bit. 479 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 3: But yeah, it's always, you know, such an appreciated and 480 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 3: such a beautiful experience. 481 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 2: So how has your relationship with hip hop evolved over time? 482 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 3: I would say I've gotten incredibly closer to it. I've 483 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 3: always been like, you know, like this, I'm like twisting 484 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 3: my fingers, you know, like it's me and hip hop 485 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 3: to the very end. I've always been a big fan, 486 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 3: and now I feel like a level of responsibility when 487 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 3: it comes to sharing you know, new music or championing 488 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 3: new artists. You know, I feel like I have I'm blessed, 489 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 3: you know that I have arrived at a point where 490 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 3: people do look to me for advice about their careers 491 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 3: or about you know, production choices, or about even just 492 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 3: trying to figure out, like what artist should I listen 493 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 3: to next? You know, people are you know, like starting 494 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 3: to kind of come to me with those kinds of questions. 495 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 3: And so I feel like now I'm not just like 496 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 3: a fan, I'm like a not a I guess I 497 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 3: am a part of it because you know, I wrote 498 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 3: a book about it. But yeah, definitely, I'm thinking. Yeah, 499 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:07,480 Speaker 3: I'm thinking like in a sense of like a producer 500 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 3: an mc a DJ, well, I do DJ. Okay, I'm 501 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 3: a part of it. I'll just leave it. I don't 502 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 3: know what I was thinking. 503 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: I mean, you definitely are a part of it, and 504 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:17,400 Speaker 1: especially with this book, because I don't think that there's 505 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: anything else better that a person can do besides pay 506 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: homage to something or somebody. 507 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 2: You're definitely a part of it. 508 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 3: Thank you, Thank you so much. That means a lot. Yeah. 509 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: So from your book, are there any like hip hop 510 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 1: artists or songs or albums that resonated deeply with you? 511 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 3: And if so, why, Man, I would say the thing 512 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 3: or the project that I was the most in tune 513 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 3: with when I was writing it? Probably was. And this 514 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 3: is kind of unexpected for me because I'm not I'll 515 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 3: just say the roots. I'm not, you know, from the 516 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 3: East Coast, so like I didn't immediately gravitate to them 517 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 3: as a child. And again, my mom and my brother 518 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 3: and my sister were all kind of like living in 519 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,679 Speaker 3: the same sphere of like interest in music, right, So 520 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 3: my mom didn't listen to like t na's or jay 521 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 3: Z or whatever. Then I wasn't listening until I got 522 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 3: older pretty much. So yeah, the roots. I feel like 523 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 3: I knew there were singles when I was younger, But 524 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 3: when I sat down and like started listening to this 525 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 3: album over and over and over again and like really 526 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 3: relating deeply to it and listening to the love and 527 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 3: the adoration that was poured into this project, That's when 528 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,919 Speaker 3: I was like, Wow, like this is this is what 529 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 3: it's all about. You know, this is like it's not 530 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 3: just about what you grew up with or what you 531 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 3: have a close connection or a tie with. It's about like, 532 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 3: how can you sit with the project then? How can 533 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,120 Speaker 3: you really relate to how it how it fits into 534 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 3: your life and how it fits into the mood and 535 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 3: the moment that you're in. 536 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 1: Right, And speaking of family, what role do you think 537 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: hip hop plays and bridge and generational gaps within black 538 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 1: families and communities? And the reason why I asked is 539 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,199 Speaker 1: because you spoke about how your love for music was 540 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:03,199 Speaker 1: birthed through your family. 541 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 3: Yeah, man, I think that. 542 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 2: Oh you're smiling so hard, yeah, because it's like. 543 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,439 Speaker 3: Man, I was just I had a little note today, 544 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 3: like I was gonna tweet this out and I was like, girl, 545 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 3: you have enough to do. Just worry about that later. 546 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 3: But I had this note where it was like, I 547 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 3: keep my family alive through my writing. My family name, 548 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 3: my family essence, like all the things they It's all 549 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 3: so important to me to be able to relate it 550 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 3: back to the way that I was brought up, in 551 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:33,680 Speaker 3: the way that I was loved through the genre. And 552 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 3: it's so clear to me through like you know, through 553 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 3: social media platforms like Twitter or x or whatever, and 554 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 3: you know, like Instagram and TikTok. 555 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 2: Wait collin Twitter X is crazy, ain't it. 556 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 3: Ain't it. I'm like, it's frying my brain after all 557 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 3: these years of knowing what it was, now I don't 558 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 3: know what it is anymore, right, go ahead, go ahead, 559 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,919 Speaker 3: But yeah, I feel like, you know, the the relations 560 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 3: that I have with the genre through my family is 561 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 3: absolutely reflective of so many other people that I've talked 562 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 3: to over the decades, especially since like I started really 563 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 3: really writing about ten or eleven years ago. That's when 564 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,119 Speaker 3: people started to kind of come to me with like 565 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 3: these conversations or these ideas about you know, like, well 566 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 3: I never thought about it like this, Like my family 567 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,680 Speaker 3: had this experience with this record, or even if it's 568 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 3: like a record that was sampled, you know, like a 569 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 3: like a James Brown sample and then you throw it 570 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,200 Speaker 3: into like a hip hop song or whatever. Like that's 571 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 3: another way of connecting. So yeah, I think that there 572 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 3: are so many different ways to kind of approach, you know, 573 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 3: that relationship element to hip hop and familial ties. But yeah, 574 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 3: it's I think it's just one of the most beautiful 575 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 3: parts about it. I keep calling it beautiful because it is, 576 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 3: you know, it is. It's life changing, it really is. 577 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you also spoke about your mental health and 578 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: how hip hop has been a hell and ointment for it. 579 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: How do you see the connection between the empowerment often 580 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: conveyed in hip hop lyrics and the enhancement of your 581 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: own mental strength and resilience. 582 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 3: Man, you said that one more time. 583 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,320 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, you know, it's so funny because I was. 584 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: I think the thing that I really love about this 585 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 1: book is because I know you through our past conversations, 586 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: and I love how you put pieces of you in 587 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: the book. So when you started off speaking about your 588 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 1: mental health journey, I was like, damn, I'm like, okay, 589 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: we're going there. But then then you spoke about the 590 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: role that hip hop played in it. So I just 591 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 1: often feel like when I'm feeling a certain way or 592 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: when my mental health is not always up to part, 593 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: I go to certain songs that always make me feel 594 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: good about myself. Absolutely, yes, So I wonder for you, like, 595 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 1: how do you see the connection between the empowerment often 596 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: conveyed in hip hop lyrics and the enhancement of your 597 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 1: own mental strength and resilience. 598 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 3: Yes, thank you for that. Yeah. I would say like 599 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 3: the first thing that popped into my head was an 600 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 3: episode that I had a manic episode. I would say 601 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 3: it was like in twenty nineteen maybe, and I was 602 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 3: obsessed with big crits album called what is it called? 603 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 3: It's the double album Forever It's a Mighty Alone Time, 604 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 3: And there's a song on there called get Up to 605 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 3: Come Down, and it sounds like triumph, you know, it 606 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 3: sounds like, you know, I built myself up to elevate 607 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 3: and to continue ascending, right, And that really matched my 608 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 3: manic mind state. So when I was manic, I was 609 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 3: obsessed and I was just running that song in my 610 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 3: head over and over again, and then I came out 611 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 3: of it. I was like, oh, like maybe it's not 612 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 3: about like Jesus's return as I was or but but 613 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 3: maybe it's about like my own you know, empowerment and 614 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 3: my own relationship to you know, elevation, whether that be 615 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 3: through a mental capacity or through like career or life 616 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 3: achievements or whatever. So with that as an example, I 617 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 3: love a lot of hip hop that is just like 618 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 3: outright ridiculous that doesn't really have like a clear message 619 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:04,719 Speaker 3: or you know. I can have like a like a 620 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 3: Black Thoughts song come up on shovel and it's like, man, 621 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 3: this is exactly what I needed to hear. So I 622 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 3: think being able to kind of you know, go back 623 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 3: and forth between you know, the projects and the songs 624 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 3: and the artists that are like, you know, in it 625 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 3: to to uplift and to inspire and then also also 626 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 3: just have a little fun with the artists like like 627 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 3: a Future or like a Raw Banks or whoever, you know, 628 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:31,000 Speaker 3: and it's like just in it to help people to 629 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 3: to get out of their their minds, you know, to 630 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 3: get out of themselves and to explore like life in 631 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 3: other ways. Right. 632 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: You know what's so funny When I was reading about Future, 633 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 1: I'm like, damn, I used to love me some future 634 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: when Dirty. 635 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 2: Sprite Too came out. 636 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 3: A moment. 637 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 2: I think I went to it was some festival. 638 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 1: I feel like it was made in America, and man, 639 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: I lost my ship, like I was going. I was 640 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: so obsessed that that's a classic album. 641 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 3: It is, and I had to put it in the book. 642 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 3: I was like, yes, I remember, I remember. Girl. I 643 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 3: was like in New York at the time, and I 644 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 3: was living in this like cramped apartment. No disrespect to 645 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 3: the girls that I lived with. It was a small apartment, 646 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 3: but and I didn't have an air conditioner, so I 647 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 3: just had a fan in the window, and so I 648 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 3: had I heard everything that came by, like in all 649 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 3: hours of the night and morning. And I'm not lying 650 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 3: to you when I say this, seventy five percent of 651 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 3: the shit I heard that summer was DS too in 652 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 3: New York, and. 653 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: I was everybody was going crazy in New York over Future. 654 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:33,920 Speaker 1: You know, He's another person who does not get a 655 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: lot of credit. 656 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, which is crazy to me because influenced so many 657 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,479 Speaker 3: I've been hearing people on the radio or a shuffle 658 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 3: or whatever, and. 659 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 2: I'm like, is that Future, No, it's not Designer. I 660 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 2: thought Designer was Future. 661 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 3: When he came out, that was a that was such 662 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 3: a befuddling moment for so many people who were. 663 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 2: Like, wait, it's not right, Chat, I know Future. 664 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 3: It was like, Nigga, yeah, get out of my fucking face, 665 00:32:58,120 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 3: right right? Yeah. 666 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 2: So what do you hope readers will take away from 667 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 2: your book? 668 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:09,200 Speaker 3: Yes, I want readers to have a good time. Yeah, 669 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 3: I don't want them to overthink it. I just want 670 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 3: them to enjoy themselves. Or I want people to enjoy themselves. 671 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 3: You don't have to read the book from cover to cover. Fews. 672 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 1: I was just about to say that you could start 673 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:22,240 Speaker 1: anywhere in the book exactly. 674 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 3: And that's another thing that I really love about the 675 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 3: way that I was able to put it together is 676 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 3: you can hop in at any time. If you're born 677 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 3: in the eighties and you want to read about the eighties, 678 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 3: you can just hop right to those chapters. So I 679 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 3: think that's another part of it that I really appreciate. 680 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 3: But overall, I just want this to be like a 681 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:42,719 Speaker 3: fun time. I want people to remember, like as we 682 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 3: were saying at the beginning of this conversation, I want 683 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 3: people to remember how much fun that they had when 684 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 3: they first heard these songs I first learned about these 685 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 3: artists and these albums. I want people to just take 686 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 3: themselves for the ride of a lifetime and let hip 687 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 3: hop be the soundtrack truly. Yeah. 688 00:33:59,080 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel like you also made another good point. 689 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 1: I feel like once the pandemic hit, the music became trash, right, Yeah. 690 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 3: It was. It was like, on the one hand, it 691 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 3: was like, oh, people are like still creating and they're 692 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:15,359 Speaker 3: like finding you know, the energy with them within themselves 693 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:19,440 Speaker 3: to continue to like, you know, bring about art. Right. 694 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:22,359 Speaker 3: Was it all good art? Not necessarily right, but they 695 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 3: were trying. 696 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 2: There was nothing. 697 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:27,319 Speaker 3: Else to do right. 698 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,120 Speaker 1: And I also feel like I don't know why this 699 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 1: came to me, but even when I was reading about them, 700 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: about Mingos and you know, we all witnessed take Off, 701 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: Unfortunate and death and I was like, damn, Like it's 702 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 1: just like like we're really growing up with hip hop 703 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:44,359 Speaker 1: and so much is happening so fast, so fast. 704 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 3: And things. I talk about change with my sister all 705 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,440 Speaker 3: the time, Like my theme of the year is embraced 706 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 3: change and I hate change. 707 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:53,279 Speaker 2: Change being difficult for you. 708 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:57,280 Speaker 3: Yes, it really has. Even with just the book coming 709 00:34:57,320 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 3: out and like things shifting in my life. I'm like, 710 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:04,800 Speaker 3: how do I manage? How do I maintain? And change 711 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 3: is something that I think is we just all have 712 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 3: to go through it, and hip hop is no different. 713 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 3: You know, we're losing people, we're losing recipes sometimes and yeah, exactly, 714 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 3: and you know, I think there's always a way for 715 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 3: us to come back to center. But we'll never be 716 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 3: what we were, and that's okay, you know, it's it's 717 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 3: a part of the evolution. And you know, we'll see 718 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 3: what the next fifty years look like. Who's still with us, 719 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:36,439 Speaker 3: who's still creating, who's still producing. I'm so excited to see. 720 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 3: I'll be, you know, in my eighties and hopefully hopefully 721 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:42,719 Speaker 3: somebody will will ask me to write the next one. 722 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:43,440 Speaker 3: But we'll see. 723 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 1: Honestly, I'm so looking forward to see what's gonna happen 724 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 1: with hip hop because like, to me, I'm obsessed with 725 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:51,400 Speaker 1: jay Z and I'm like, damn, like, who can be 726 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:51,840 Speaker 1: jay Z? 727 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 3: Like yeah, yeah, for real. It's like I don't just 728 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 3: to be frank, I don't see like a jay Z neither, 729 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 3: you know, our current landscape at all me either or 730 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 3: even though this is not hip hop, Like I want 731 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 3: to go see Beyonce because I'm obsessed with her and I'm. 732 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,880 Speaker 2: Saying, oh, girl, bring some tissue because the way I 733 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:13,360 Speaker 2: was crying. 734 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:18,000 Speaker 3: Who But I'm just like, honestly like, this is the 735 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:21,359 Speaker 3: greatest artist of our time, Like correct, who is going 736 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 3: to be living at this time? Girl? 737 00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:25,160 Speaker 2: When you go see her, see me? 738 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:27,960 Speaker 1: Because when I tell you, sure, she is just like 739 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:29,719 Speaker 1: so I just always think about, like, who are going 740 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 1: who are they passing these torches to. 741 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 2: Need to need torches to need to. 742 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:53,239 Speaker 3: I mean, I will say, well, I know it's not 743 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:55,360 Speaker 3: hip hop, but I know people have been like talking 744 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:58,760 Speaker 3: about flickers of like Victoria Monique kind of like starting 745 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 3: to become a baby Beyonce. So I don't know where 746 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,399 Speaker 3: things are gonna had, you know, in the ahead, but yeah, 747 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 3: I've seen people like kind of bring her name up 748 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 3: as like a potential you know, successor. 749 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 2: I will say, and then we'll go back to hip 750 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:12,279 Speaker 2: hip hop. 751 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,879 Speaker 3: Okay, I just got introduced to her song oh mom Mama, 752 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:20,239 Speaker 3: Oh mama hood. Yeah, I love that song. I'm like, 753 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:21,520 Speaker 3: it is a perfect song. 754 00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:23,520 Speaker 2: What is perfect? 755 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 3: I've been blast of course, I'm like Texas Charlie Boy, 756 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:29,959 Speaker 3: you know, like yeah, so that like when I first 757 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 3: heard it, I had chills. I was like, oh right, 758 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 3: this is too good. 759 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, it's so cool. Now, how do you see 760 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:38,839 Speaker 1: the future of hip hop unfolded? And how does your 761 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:40,640 Speaker 1: book contribute to that conversation? 762 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:47,760 Speaker 3: Oh? Yes, wow, the future of hip hop. I really 763 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:54,319 Speaker 3: hope that hip hop continues to take itself seriously in 764 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 3: some respects because I think that there are some artists 765 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:01,280 Speaker 3: like I was speaking about, like the Florida Wave earlier 766 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 3: in like the mid twenty tens, and I think, you know, 767 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:07,160 Speaker 3: those artists were really successful because it was just like 768 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:10,360 Speaker 3: a moment that folks were really interested in. But I 769 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:12,919 Speaker 3: don't think they took it seriously. And I think that's 770 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 3: why some of those artists are now kind of on 771 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:18,160 Speaker 3: the outs. I know, they were like a smoke purp, 772 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:22,839 Speaker 3: little pump like those kinds of artists. Yeah, and you know, 773 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:24,480 Speaker 3: and then there are other artists like Scheme masks A 774 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:26,799 Speaker 3: some guy who's from Florida as well. But he you know, 775 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:28,440 Speaker 3: like one of his first songs was like a Missy 776 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:32,520 Speaker 3: Elliott sample. So it's like these artists can either come 777 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:35,120 Speaker 3: with it and be like this is my home, this 778 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:37,800 Speaker 3: is my genre. I want to improve it and continue 779 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:41,000 Speaker 3: to see it, you know, become this big, amazing thing 780 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:43,360 Speaker 3: that's going to be here until the end of this world, 781 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:45,440 Speaker 3: or you know, am I just in it for the 782 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,480 Speaker 3: money and for the cloud and for this moment? Right? 783 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:50,440 Speaker 3: So I really hope that, like there's just so many 784 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:56,760 Speaker 3: like cloud thingies, like cloud chase situations and influencer situations 785 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 3: that oh yeah, and I'm that's what I'm afraid of. 786 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:03,160 Speaker 3: Afraid that those artists are going to become the at 787 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,560 Speaker 3: the top of the charts, you know kind of acts, 788 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:09,520 Speaker 3: and that would be really sad. But I hope, I 789 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 3: hope that hip hop, like I said, will start to 790 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:15,280 Speaker 3: take itself seriously and in terms of just being about 791 00:39:15,280 --> 00:39:18,240 Speaker 3: the craft and being about the connectivity with the audience, 792 00:39:18,719 --> 00:39:20,719 Speaker 3: because that's what it's about. It's about how are you 793 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:24,640 Speaker 3: connecting with the listener? How are you bringing life into people? 794 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:29,240 Speaker 3: And that's that's what I think it's about. So I'm hopeful, 795 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 3: fingers crossed that you know, hip hoppers of the future 796 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:35,399 Speaker 3: will take heed and I think that this book will 797 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:38,920 Speaker 3: be you know, it's like it's like capturing this moment 798 00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:41,840 Speaker 3: in time, oh yeah, moment, you know, and you know, 799 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:44,719 Speaker 3: hip hop turns fifty this year, so it's like, oh 800 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 3: my god, like, you know, this is the moment to 801 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:51,440 Speaker 3: really celebrate it. So I hope that this moment of 802 00:39:51,480 --> 00:39:54,640 Speaker 3: celebration continues. I hope it doesn't just end after the 803 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:56,719 Speaker 3: end of this year. I think that there's so much 804 00:39:56,719 --> 00:39:58,160 Speaker 3: more that we can do, need to. 805 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:00,560 Speaker 1: I'm just curious that you feel you had like a 806 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:02,879 Speaker 1: lot of pressure on your shoulders to do this. 807 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:07,759 Speaker 3: Absolutely, yeah, no question. Yeah, I was girl. I was like, 808 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 3: I ain't gonna say what I was thinking, but I 809 00:40:10,719 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 3: was like, I don't know if I will be here 810 00:40:12,239 --> 00:40:14,680 Speaker 3: much longer. I was like, this is too much pressure. 811 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:17,520 Speaker 3: People don't fuck with this. I don't know, but yeah, 812 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 3: it was. It was a lot of pressure. Not just 813 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 3: because I wanted to get it right for the sake 814 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,719 Speaker 3: of getting it right, but I also wanted to just 815 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 3: represent my family again. Yeah, I just wanted them Like 816 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:32,520 Speaker 3: my grandma she can't read that well, but she's super excited, 817 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:36,600 Speaker 3: and you know, she was just like I wrote a book, 818 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:39,960 Speaker 3: boy howdy. And I was like, I was like, yeah, Nanny, 819 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 3: I did. So. Yeah. It's just like that's why I'm 820 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:46,040 Speaker 3: doing what I do, because I want my family to 821 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:48,719 Speaker 3: be proud and I want people to know that you 822 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:52,360 Speaker 3: can cultivate this relationship with your loved ones through something 823 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:52,919 Speaker 3: like hip hop. 824 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:54,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, what was your sister? 825 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 3: Your brother? 826 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:55,160 Speaker 2: What did they say? 827 00:40:56,040 --> 00:41:00,719 Speaker 3: Oh, they're proud. My sister bought two copies. She had 828 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 3: bought one but it wasn't going to get here in 829 00:41:02,239 --> 00:41:04,880 Speaker 3: time for my first book event, so she got another one, 830 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:07,480 Speaker 3: and like other people at the book event were buying 831 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:09,560 Speaker 3: multiple books. I was like, Oh my god, this is crazy. 832 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:13,719 Speaker 3: But yeah, so my sister's super proud. My brother's proud too. 833 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:16,200 Speaker 3: He's you know, doing his grown man stuff. So we 834 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 3: don't talk as often as we used to, but he's 835 00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 3: super proud. And yeah, he just helped me out with 836 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:25,160 Speaker 3: an assignment the other day about Houston hip hop specifically, 837 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:27,080 Speaker 3: and it was like we talked for like an hour 838 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:29,879 Speaker 3: just about like our memories. And he was like, oh, well, 839 00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:31,879 Speaker 3: what was the first like chopping screw song you heard, 840 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:33,600 Speaker 3: for example? And I was like, oh, it was like 841 00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:36,560 Speaker 3: freestyle barohs. And then we started rapping it together. So 842 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:38,960 Speaker 3: it's like we have those moments where we're always like 843 00:41:39,120 --> 00:41:42,200 Speaker 3: connecting through this, and I don't think we would be 844 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:44,760 Speaker 3: the family that we are without hip hop yeah true. 845 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:48,320 Speaker 1: Oh man, Well, I just want to express my sincere 846 00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: congratulations on the creation of this remarkable book Old to 847 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:55,880 Speaker 1: hip Hop, Fifty Albums that define fifty years a trailblazer music. 848 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:59,640 Speaker 1: The analogy you drew between hip hop and personal growth 849 00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:04,680 Speaker 1: resonates deeply with me, emphasizing how the genres evolution mirrors 850 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: the transformative journeys of individual especially within the Black community. 851 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:12,440 Speaker 1: Your insights and the homage paid to these pivotal albums 852 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: are truly commendable. So thank you for sharing your passion 853 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:19,720 Speaker 1: and knowledge, allowing us to further appreciate the profound impact 854 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:21,080 Speaker 1: of hip hop in our lives. 855 00:42:21,719 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 3: Oh man, thank you so much. This was an incredible honor. 856 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:28,240 Speaker 3: I'm just so grateful. I can't say it enough, I really. 857 00:42:28,680 --> 00:42:31,680 Speaker 3: Of course, of course, of course, And to the listeners, please, 858 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:33,120 Speaker 3: if you want to reach out, if you want to 859 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:36,080 Speaker 3: keep in contact, please make sure to follow me everywhere 860 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:39,000 Speaker 3: at the Professional Homegirl and at the PSG podcast. 861 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:43,480 Speaker 2: And until next time, everyone listen. We pushed through. I 862 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:44,799 Speaker 2: was not rescheduling this. 863 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:46,759 Speaker 3: You did it. You did it. I'm so proud of you. 864 00:42:47,840 --> 00:42:54,920 Speaker 1: Until next time, everyone, Later, I long. The Professional Homegirl 865 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:58,080 Speaker 1: Podcast is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network. 866 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:01,960 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeart Ready, visit the iHeartRadio app, 867 00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:04,840 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows, 868 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:08,080 Speaker 1: don't forget to subscribe and rate the show, and you 869 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:10,760 Speaker 1: can connect with me on social media at the PHG 870 00:43:10,960 --> 00:43:11,440 Speaker 1: podcast