WEBVTT - Replay* Hip-Hop and Humanitarianism 0:00:05.160 --> 0:00:07.040 What's up, family, it's your girl to Mika D. 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:10.640 Mallory is your boy, my son general and we are. 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:13.400 Your host of street Politicians, the place. 0:00:13.080 --> 0:00:15.520 Where the streets and politics. 0:00:14.960 --> 0:00:21.000 Means my son, lennond I. Because of our scheduling today, 0:00:21.079 --> 0:00:23.080 we have our guests coming on a little earlier than 0:00:23.120 --> 0:00:25.320 we thought, so we're gonna have to cut some things. 0:00:25.320 --> 0:00:27.520 And that's okay with me because I have one thing 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:29.800 in my thought of the day that I would like 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:32.440 to talk about today on this year show. 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:34.760 Well, are you trying to get straight to the nitty 0:00:34.760 --> 0:00:35.800 gritty going to. 0:00:35.840 --> 0:00:46.440 Make some people upset? I believe in holistic wellness. I 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:50.159 was a kid growing up, my parents rarely gave us 0:00:50.240 --> 0:00:57.520 medication because they believe wholeheartedly in holistic wellness. Right now, 0:00:57.640 --> 0:01:03.000 when we travel to Africa, we learn that in the 0:01:03.040 --> 0:01:08.000 garden they grow different types of medicines that are currently 0:01:08.040 --> 0:01:11.720 being used for things that we use in terms of 0:01:11.959 --> 0:01:15.040 actual medicine, not just holistically. 0:01:14.480 --> 0:01:21.440 Today, well, the ingredients pretty much the ingredients medicine. 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:28.240 So anesthesia is growing in the gardens of Africa, specifically 0:01:28.240 --> 0:01:30.800 in Ghana. And you know that if you go to 0:01:30.840 --> 0:01:34.680 get a leg arm amputated, you two full whatever baby 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:37.280 have a not a baby. But certainly if you have 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:40.600 termination of pregnancy, if you have any type of search 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:43.440 be that requires you to go under, you have to 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:45.800 use anesthesia in order to be able to do that. 0:01:45.880 --> 0:01:48.360 And stesion can be very dangerous too, which is why 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:51.920 when we were in in the botanical gardens in Ghana, 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:54.200 the gentleman said, you can't touch it, play with it 0:01:54.240 --> 0:01:58.760 tasted nothing right until and I asked the dumb question, well, 0:01:58.800 --> 0:02:00.760 how do you just have it out here? What if 0:02:00.800 --> 0:02:02.440 someone puts it in their mouth? And he's like, well, 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:05.640 why would anybody be eating trees? And I was like, oh, okay, 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:10.600 See again, those are negative or stereotypes that get into 0:02:10.600 --> 0:02:13.680 your head about Africans. And it came out of me 0:02:14.200 --> 0:02:18.440 right there in the park in the garden. But if 0:02:18.440 --> 0:02:20.639 you're going to get something serious surgery done, you need 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:24.600 your anesthesia so that you can not die from pain. 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:29.360 I think there are people in our society that need 0:02:29.400 --> 0:02:33.320 to take their medicine, or if they don't know that 0:02:33.360 --> 0:02:37.040 they need a medicine, they need to get it. And 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:41.240 if there is a holistic way to approach their conditions, 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:44.079 then they need to go heavy into that as well. 0:02:44.280 --> 0:02:48.680 And sometimes holistically we might not have the right formulas 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:52.720 or whatever. But you need your medicine. People need their 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:56.480 insulin right once they have diabetes that gets to a 0:02:56.480 --> 0:02:59.960 certain level, they have to be able to take their insulin. Yes, 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:04.120 you could clean your body. My mother definitely with her diabetes. 0:03:04.400 --> 0:03:08.079 Her and my father got on an extreme workout schedule, 0:03:08.480 --> 0:03:12.520 seven miles a day, walking in the morning. They ate better, 0:03:12.720 --> 0:03:15.000 They did all the things you could think of, and 0:03:15.040 --> 0:03:19.200 they were able to change your trajectory of her diabetic 0:03:19.320 --> 0:03:25.320 situation very much so. But she still needed her medication 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:28.280 to help with some of the other challenges. She was 0:03:28.320 --> 0:03:31.280 seeing things on her hand, you know, she was feeling 0:03:31.280 --> 0:03:33.720 like when she was cooking, it was worms and different 0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:37.320 things because she was having hallucinations because of the diabetes. 0:03:37.520 --> 0:03:40.440 So I'm saying today that there are people out here 0:03:40.680 --> 0:03:43.360 that need to take their medicine. And I'm not talking 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:47.160 about will Wile Willie who's running up and down the street, 0:03:47.200 --> 0:03:50.560 because you know, we often will say, okay, people need 0:03:50.560 --> 0:03:54.040 to take their medicine, and we assume were associated with 0:03:54.480 --> 0:03:58.200 somebody who's just you know, out of control. They look 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:01.400 like they tripping, and we say they need to take medicine. 0:04:01.640 --> 0:04:07.840 There are people who are high functioning, depressed, they have anxiety, 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:12.360 they are dealing with mental health issues. They're high functioning, 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:16.600 they look wonderful, they look perfect, got it going on, 0:04:16.960 --> 0:04:24.440 dressed nice and all of that, but they nasty, nasty attitudes, miserable, negative, 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:32.960 damn there, ready to die by suicide, eating disorders. There's 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:36.599 a lot of signs that people are dealing with mental 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:40.480 health challenges that are not getting addressed. People do not 0:04:40.640 --> 0:04:43.520 have the right formula, and as a result, we are 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:45.960 dealing with a lot of crazy things. And I of 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:48.480 course can't tell the story of right now or at 0:04:48.560 --> 0:04:51.039 all of what it is that I experience that made 0:04:51.080 --> 0:04:54.279 me feel this way, but it really is on me 0:04:54.839 --> 0:05:00.840 that we have to start encouraging people to seek professional 0:05:01.120 --> 0:05:04.520 help for a variety of issues that you may be 0:05:04.640 --> 0:05:07.960 dealing with and get the type of help necessary now. 0:05:08.240 --> 0:05:10.080 At one point, I had a doctor that wanted to 0:05:10.080 --> 0:05:12.760 put me on riddily when I was really depressed, and 0:05:12.839 --> 0:05:16.000 I chose not to do that. But we found something else, 0:05:16.839 --> 0:05:19.279 and I take that medicine and it is very helpful 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:22.960 to me to keep me balanced so that my anxiety 0:05:23.000 --> 0:05:27.960 does not take over to where I'm aggravating you, aggravating everybody, 0:05:28.000 --> 0:05:31.240 lend everybody around. I got an attitude. I'm snappy, I'm 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:34.240 not feeling good. I can't rest. People need to take 0:05:34.240 --> 0:05:35.040 their medicine. 0:05:36.040 --> 0:05:38.640 I mean, I agree, I agree, you know, I also 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:41.679 agree that a lot of shit is mind state. 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:45.560 Right. There are a lot of different individuals. There are 0:05:45.600 --> 0:05:47.279 some individuals. 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.760 That they required that they're not going to be able 0:05:49.760 --> 0:05:50.920 to fix it theirselves. 0:05:51.360 --> 0:05:54.000 Right, They're not going to be ald a dollar back. Right. 0:05:54.000 --> 0:05:57.480 There are some people that need to go to or rehab. Right. 0:05:57.520 --> 0:05:59.359 There are some people that don't need to go to rehab. 0:05:59.400 --> 0:06:01.400 Some people say I'm gonna kick this ship by myself 0:06:01.440 --> 0:06:04.040 and then completely stop doing it. Some people are sick 0:06:04.080 --> 0:06:07.360 that you they've been diagnosed with sickness and they've been 0:06:07.400 --> 0:06:13.360 able to holistically change their their trajectory. Other people can't 0:06:13.440 --> 0:06:16.520 do it. So I think it's it's individual based, right. 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:18.520 I think you have to know you. I think you 0:06:18.520 --> 0:06:21.080 you you have to be able to make proper assessments 0:06:21.080 --> 0:06:24.240 of yourself like and then and then if you, if 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:26.160 you have the right doctor, then they'll be able to 0:06:26.240 --> 0:06:28.159 make that assessment. Right, They'll be able to make an 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:30.560 assessment and say, wow, you've been doing what I don't. 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:32.039 Maybe you don't need this medication. 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:37.680 You know, maybe they be pharmaceutical companies are not inclined. 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:41.640 To tell you nothing. Now I'm not telling doctors. 0:06:41.120 --> 0:06:42.680 Work for the pharmaceutical companies. 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:46.400 Depends on the doctor that you have, right if you 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:48.800 if you have somebody that you you believe in that's 0:06:48.839 --> 0:06:52.760 properly invested in you. I've I've had doctors that have said, 0:06:52.839 --> 0:06:56.760 don't take that medication. You know, doctors that have said, oh, 0:06:56.800 --> 0:06:58.880 they said, give the kids, don't give them that ship. 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:00.760 No, we not prescribe. I mean you none of that. 0:07:01.279 --> 0:07:03.320 Just let that baby do this and take the baby 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:05.240 home and give them this and make sure they eat 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:10.160 this way. So there are doctors who are personally invested 0:07:10.400 --> 0:07:14.280 in your safety over then just selling medication. 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:16.560 So like you know, like you said, there are people 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:17.160 who need it. 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:18.680 There are people who are not going to be at 0:07:18.680 --> 0:07:21.920 a function with all medication because it's the way that 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:26.600 they're wired. I'm myself, I'm a person that's very rarely 0:07:26.680 --> 0:07:30.560 had medication, Like with the exception of me having a toothache, 0:07:31.080 --> 0:07:33.240 Like the toothache was probably the only thing that I've 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:37.040 ever said to myself, I got to take some painkillers 0:07:37.040 --> 0:07:42.320 for because the shit was dramatically or allergies, with the 0:07:42.320 --> 0:07:45.240 exception of me taking xytext because the shit is just 0:07:45.360 --> 0:07:48.160 my eyes is watering to the point and there's no way, 0:07:48.320 --> 0:07:51.320 no shit I could do the issue to the point. 0:07:51.520 --> 0:07:54.040 With the exception of those two things, there's very rarely 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:56.000 a time that medication was. 0:07:55.920 --> 0:07:56.880 Something that I was into. 0:07:57.400 --> 0:08:01.200 Well maybe, and that's okay. I'm not suggesting that everybody 0:08:01.240 --> 0:08:04.520 needs medication, and I'm not suggesting that they are not 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:07.280 again holistic ways to deal with your issues, because there 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:10.520 certainly can be, because I you know, one thing I 0:08:10.560 --> 0:08:13.800 know for sure is that when dealing with my son 0:08:13.920 --> 0:08:17.040 typer activity when he was young, the main thing the 0:08:17.120 --> 0:08:19.120 doctors kept saying to me is, if you don't want 0:08:19.120 --> 0:08:21.480 to put him on medication, you have to stop the 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:24.080 sugar in take. You can't let him have a bowl 0:08:24.080 --> 0:08:28.880 of cereal at home or a French toast with syrup 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:31.560 and then send him to school, because when he gets 0:08:31.600 --> 0:08:34.040 to school, he's gonna be high and then low, and 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:36.959 there's all types of agitation that goes on in between it. 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:39.920 So you gotta do vegetables. You got to start out 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:44.360 with an egg sausage, you know, cup of milk, whatever 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:47.680 it is that helps them to feel better and not 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:52.680 be you know, feel full, but not be so rouled up. 0:08:53.200 --> 0:08:57.120 So I understand that. I'm just saying that there are 0:08:57.720 --> 0:09:00.199 some people who have not even because you made a 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:03.600 powerful point, made an assessment of what's wrong with them. 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:07.320 They don't even understand the issue, but they just go 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:12.040 out in the world making other people's lives miserable. And 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:13.960 I just think, you know, there's just got to be 0:09:14.040 --> 0:09:16.120 it's just got to be a better way. So I'm 0:09:16.160 --> 0:09:20.439 just suggesting that people find out what you mean. Right 0:09:20.520 --> 0:09:23.079 if you and your family members saying, wow, like you're 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:26.959 so mean, or you're in the workplace and you feel 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:28.800 like people don't really want to deal with you for 0:09:28.880 --> 0:09:33.240 some reason, or you find yourself feeling like you're always alone, 0:09:33.280 --> 0:09:36.560 like in your you know, you're always like at odds 0:09:36.640 --> 0:09:39.600 with the people around you who you should have positive 0:09:40.120 --> 0:09:43.720 for the most part, relationships with, or you know, you 0:09:43.760 --> 0:09:47.760 find yourself constantly hearing from people that you offended them, 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:51.480 or you upset them or whatever. You try to find 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:53.880 out is there something going on with Maybe I'm dealing 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:56.880 with depression and therefore it makes me negative. Maybe I 0:09:56.960 --> 0:10:01.400 think negatively all the time. That's actually an issue. I'm 0:10:01.400 --> 0:10:04.120 not going to say it's a mental health crisis, but 0:10:04.160 --> 0:10:08.079 it's an issue. You automatically come from a negative place 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:12.280 when you respond. That's not healthy, right, And a lot 0:10:12.320 --> 0:10:15.040 of people don't even know because we've never been taught 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:18.960 about the signs of mental health challenges. We've never been 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:23.880 taught about anxiety. Like white folks know that is a thing. Okay, 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:28.160 they get medicated for anxiety, they get therapy for anxiety. 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:32.079 Black folks have been dealing with anxiety for eons and 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:34.960 we've never been taught that. We never knew what it 0:10:35.040 --> 0:10:39.280 meant to have hypertension issues as a child. We never knew. 0:10:39.559 --> 0:10:41.560 And we really do need to try to get to 0:10:41.679 --> 0:10:44.400 the core of some of the issues we have. And 0:10:44.480 --> 0:10:48.280 if you need medication, take it. And if your medication 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:52.320 makes you feel funny, because some people when they take 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:57.080 medicine it makes them feel tired or not themselves, they 0:10:57.120 --> 0:10:59.800 can change it. But you have to be committed to 0:11:01.040 --> 0:11:04.800 trying different things and figuring out what is the right 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:08.680 formula for me. You can't take one medicine and be like, 0:11:08.720 --> 0:11:10.720 that's why I'm not gonna do that anymore. And you 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:12.760 have to do your research, but you got to be 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:15.440 committed to your well being and your mental wealth for real. 0:11:16.200 --> 0:11:17.040 I agree. 0:11:18.400 --> 0:11:21.640 Well on that note. Our guest is already here, so 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:29.480 let's bring them in and introduce them. Okay, family, So 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:33.080 speaking of our friends, you know, you hear us all 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:36.640 the time with our inside outside joke that so many 0:11:36.640 --> 0:11:39.200 of our friends are doing powerful things across this nation, 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:41.720 and we bring them on as our guests. 0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:42.080 Why not. 0:11:42.520 --> 0:11:44.120 It's our show, So we do it how we want, 0:11:44.120 --> 0:11:46.600 and we invite our friends to come and talk about 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:50.000 the work they're doing. And you know, we have an 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:53.960 incredible change maker who's joining us today who is a 0:11:54.000 --> 0:11:57.160 friend to us personally as well as a friend to 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:02.600 the community in New Jersey abroad, the entire New Jersey, 0:12:02.679 --> 0:12:06.600 but of course in Newark. And that's Counselman Do Pray Kelly, 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:10.440 who is better known to most of us as Do 0:12:10.600 --> 0:12:14.400 It All. So we're gonna get into some special things 0:12:14.400 --> 0:12:18.280 about what this gentleman has been able to do going 0:12:18.320 --> 0:12:23.560 from being a platinum selling artist to the first the 0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:27.280 first person to go from being an artist at that 0:12:27.480 --> 0:12:32.040 level to being elected to a political office in the 0:12:32.080 --> 0:12:35.480 city of Newark, New Jersey, and so, as I said, 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:40.320 he's making waves across the country, certainly across the state 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:43.880 of New Jersey, but specifically focusing on his activism which 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:48.320 has turned into his political career in the city of Newark, 0:12:48.320 --> 0:12:51.240 New Jersey. Thank you so much, Counselman for joining us today. 0:12:51.840 --> 0:12:54.680 Thank you Tamika, Thank you Mice for having me. 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:57.200 I really appreciate all the work that you guys have 0:12:57.280 --> 0:12:59.280 been doing over the years. 0:12:59.520 --> 0:13:03.559 You know, it's very special as needed. So I salute 0:13:03.600 --> 0:13:06.000 you guys as well and say thank you. And before 0:13:06.000 --> 0:13:08.520 we even begin, man, I just want to say, we 0:13:08.679 --> 0:13:11.640 just got some bad news here in Newark, New Jersey. 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:14.000 I just want to say rest in peace to our 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:18.640 Lieutenant governor. You know, Oliver passed away today. 0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:24.520 I'm sure you both of you probably met, Yeah, you know, 0:13:24.280 --> 0:13:26.200 and I think she you know. 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:31.560 She's all about that woman empowerment and having our black 0:13:31.600 --> 0:13:33.319 sisters do their things. So I know she was a 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:35.760 big fan of yours to meekause that's why I just 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:39.120 wanted to say rest in peace today to her and 0:13:39.160 --> 0:13:41.040 her family and condolences to her family. 0:13:41.679 --> 0:13:43.120 Wow, that's so sad. 0:13:44.000 --> 0:13:50.280 Yeah, go out to her and who hosted in New 0:13:50.320 --> 0:13:52.920 York City. York Man, it's crazy New Jersey. 0:13:53.480 --> 0:13:58.760 Yeah, definitely, So let's get all into it. I mean, 0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:01.000 I know that folks are going to want to know 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:05.160 about some of the specific work you're doing there in Newark, 0:14:05.320 --> 0:14:08.800 But I really want to hear first of all as 0:14:08.920 --> 0:14:10.480 do it or I want to hear from Do It All. 0:14:11.200 --> 0:14:17.800 I'm about that transition, and it was their transitional. It 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:21.040 is just another stage and level in your life. And 0:14:21.120 --> 0:14:25.440 you still feel extremely connected to the culture, to the music, 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:28.320 which I believe that you do. But what it feels 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:32.800 like to be the first to go from being a 0:14:32.800 --> 0:14:37.120 platinum selling artist to now being an elected official. What 0:14:37.240 --> 0:14:39.680 are the great things about it? And what are some 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:42.120 of the areas that you feel are a little difficult 0:14:42.160 --> 0:14:42.840 and challenging. 0:14:44.240 --> 0:14:47.320 You know, first of all, I'm never going to stop 0:14:47.320 --> 0:14:51.120 being hip hop ever, you know, I tell people that 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:53.400 I am with hip hop looks like growing up. 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:57.120 You know, I get to govern in the same blocks 0:14:57.120 --> 0:14:59.120 that I grew up on. I mean, born and raised 0:14:59.160 --> 0:14:59.960 in these areas. 0:15:00.320 --> 0:15:03.040 I get to governose streets where I jumped gates and 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:07.960 ran from police and was involved in mischief, and also 0:15:08.080 --> 0:15:11.040 those same blocks where I learned how to galvanize people 0:15:11.080 --> 0:15:17.640 and you know, pass out community events and get involved 0:15:17.680 --> 0:15:21.840 in community events. And it's the same area that myself 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:23.080 and Red Men set on. 0:15:23.000 --> 0:15:25.600 My porch and we talked about when we were ten 0:15:25.720 --> 0:15:28.040 years old. We talked about the changes we were going 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:29.280 to bring to our community. 0:15:29.720 --> 0:15:33.640 That's why manifestation and words are powerful because we talked 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:37.000 about that. And it's only really powerful to me just 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:41.680 because in hindsight of actually living it and doing it now. 0:15:41.800 --> 0:15:46.920 So it's just an amazing thing that I get to. 0:15:48.520 --> 0:15:49.000 Allow of. 0:15:49.480 --> 0:15:51.360 You know, I've done some things that made my mother 0:15:51.480 --> 0:15:55.600 have a you know, disgusting her face when I was younger, 0:15:56.000 --> 0:16:00.200 and I was able to see that, I guess the 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:02.800 the you know, lack of better word, see that frown 0:16:02.880 --> 0:16:06.800 turn upside down, you know. And and through my work 0:16:06.800 --> 0:16:09.960 in the community, through my work as a hip hop artist. 0:16:10.400 --> 0:16:13.600 I have to give a lot of props to my 0:16:13.720 --> 0:16:16.680 first manager, Hot Feast for Reid, who managed Laws of 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:19.520 the Underground Muslim brother. You know, when you think about 0:16:19.560 --> 0:16:21.760 Laws of the Underground, we didn't really curse too much 0:16:21.760 --> 0:16:24.760 in our records. We never really called women the B word, 0:16:24.840 --> 0:16:27.720 and you know, which was good when I started the 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:31.040 campaign because they didn't have anything negative to reflect on 0:16:31.480 --> 0:16:32.680 from my hip hop career. 0:16:33.320 --> 0:16:37.320 And he really he really kept us on point. 0:16:37.480 --> 0:16:40.720 You know, here he has three three black males, three 0:16:40.760 --> 0:16:45.320 black men who come from single mother homes, who didn't 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:48.240 have fathers in the house. He became our dad on 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:50.960 the road. And then you know, we got money early. 0:16:51.080 --> 0:16:54.320 So you know, especially when you get money, it doesn't 0:16:54.320 --> 0:16:57.720 come with instructions, especially when you never had any money. 0:16:58.200 --> 0:17:01.160 So he was that guy that kind of kept us grounded. 0:17:01.240 --> 0:17:03.920 And he would say stuff like this. You know, if 0:17:03.960 --> 0:17:06.160 I said something with a B word in a song, 0:17:06.640 --> 0:17:09.400 he would say, oh, that's dope. Who are you talking 0:17:09.440 --> 0:17:12.320 about your mother? Your grandmother? And I would get defensive, 0:17:12.480 --> 0:17:15.639 like you me and my grandmother. He said, well, see 0:17:15.680 --> 0:17:17.920 just the way that you just swollo up when I 0:17:18.080 --> 0:17:20.840 when I asked, was that about your mother? People are 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.359 gonna if you disrespect women, that's how they're gonna feel 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:24.320 when they hear that word. 0:17:24.400 --> 0:17:25.840 Or so he challenged us. 0:17:25.880 --> 0:17:28.439 But he never told us to change anything, you know, 0:17:28.520 --> 0:17:31.640 he just challenged us to be better, to think differently, 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:33.280 to change the mindset. 0:17:33.520 --> 0:17:37.199 And one time, you know, in this documented I've been 0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:40.639 wearing Nork on my power and clothes for you know, 0:17:40.720 --> 0:17:41.720 since I was nineteen. 0:17:41.800 --> 0:17:46.239 I'm fifty two now, you know, so it was just like, uh, 0:17:48.119 --> 0:17:49.679 I'm sorry, it. 0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:50.159 Was you know. 0:17:50.240 --> 0:17:52.840 So one day he asked me in the studio, he said, 0:17:53.359 --> 0:17:55.000 what have you done for Nork Lady. 0:17:56.000 --> 0:17:57.119 I got defensive again. 0:17:57.200 --> 0:17:59.320 I'm like, oh, I wear NOWK on my hast, I 0:17:59.359 --> 0:18:02.119 got it on my clothes. I always represent on every 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:05.240 television show. He was like, no, I didn't ask you 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:07.840 about representing. I asked you, what have you done for 0:18:07.920 --> 0:18:10.840 the city of North Lady. And I really didn't have 0:18:10.880 --> 0:18:14.240 an answer, you know. And it hit me like, wow, 0:18:15.000 --> 0:18:15.560 here it is. 0:18:15.640 --> 0:18:19.200 I'm bragging about my city and I'm pulling and taking 0:18:19.240 --> 0:18:21.560 away from my city, but I'm not pouring it back 0:18:21.640 --> 0:18:24.640 into my city, you know. And I started to take 0:18:24.840 --> 0:18:29.160 my hip hop money, you know, and try everything right, everything. 0:18:28.840 --> 0:18:31.919 From community you know, the book bag drive, the turkey. 0:18:31.560 --> 0:18:35.440 Giveaways, all of the low hanging fruit stuff, which is important, 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:39.200 but in the community world, it's really the low hanging fruit. 0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:39.600 Stuff, you know. 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:43.400 And I just started to do that, and by doing that, 0:18:43.520 --> 0:18:46.959 it started putting me at the doorsteps of the residents. 0:18:46.440 --> 0:18:48.240 And my friends and my family. 0:18:47.920 --> 0:18:50.520 Again and they started to see that I was serious, 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:52.960 and they asked me to be the voice. Just asked 0:18:52.960 --> 0:18:55.199 me to be the voice through hip hop, you know, 0:18:56.440 --> 0:18:58.840 talk for them and use hip hop to get the 0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:01.760 message across in the you know, in the community. 0:19:02.040 --> 0:19:04.560 And that's what we did, just just through hip hop. Man. 0:19:04.640 --> 0:19:08.159 So the neighborhood that I'm from, you know, Rod Diggers. 0:19:07.760 --> 0:19:10.880 From there, Queen Latiz was from there, Redman's from there, 0:19:10.920 --> 0:19:15.080 the artifacts, it's just so many people. So, like I say, 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:18.040 it's you know, this is what hip hop looks like 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:18.600 growing up. 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:21.920 It was just a natural transition. And on the other. 0:19:21.760 --> 0:19:26.240 Hand, you know, people love you until they don't. You know, 0:19:26.320 --> 0:19:29.080 everybody wants you to win, and you guys know about it. 0:19:29.240 --> 0:19:32.680 People when you're doing great things, you assume that, oh, 0:19:32.720 --> 0:19:33.600 we're doing great things. 0:19:33.760 --> 0:19:37.080 Everybody's going to be happy. And then when you get 0:19:37.119 --> 0:19:39.639 into it and the other one, then you start to 0:19:39.800 --> 0:19:44.920 understand and respectfully, how Malcolm X was killed, Howard Martin 0:19:45.080 --> 0:19:47.440 was killed, because you would think, like, wow, why would 0:19:47.440 --> 0:19:51.360 somebody want to hurt somebody that's doing something good? You know, 0:19:51.840 --> 0:19:54.720 But you know, you have your opposers, and people with 0:19:55.160 --> 0:19:59.040 your opposition and people with different you know, mindsets and 0:19:59.119 --> 0:20:02.359 different views and ideas that just don't match up with 0:20:02.400 --> 0:20:06.760 your So I think, you know, for me, going from 0:20:07.160 --> 0:20:09.399 hip hop to community. 0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:09.639 That's cool. 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:12.880 That was that's that's easy in the sense I did 0:20:13.040 --> 0:20:16.280 realize that community has a ceiling to it. When you're 0:20:16.280 --> 0:20:20.040 doing community things and when it comes to fostering change 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:24.560 and then governance, I had to find my footing, you know. 0:20:24.840 --> 0:20:26.840 To be honest, it's been a little over a year. 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:29.679 I had to find my footing and I'm still learning, 0:20:30.080 --> 0:20:33.639 you know, I'm still learning. But the politics is the 0:20:33.680 --> 0:20:37.239 part that is I'm not really happy with it. And 0:20:37.280 --> 0:20:39.639 I know my team always tell me stop saying that 0:20:39.680 --> 0:20:42.960 you don't like politics in politics now, which is true. 0:20:43.440 --> 0:20:47.200 But I still don't like the movement of it at times, 0:20:47.480 --> 0:20:49.840 you know, because I don't I don't come from the politics, 0:20:50.200 --> 0:20:53.280 but the politics is in all of those things. 0:20:53.320 --> 0:20:55.320 So it's a it's. 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:58.679 A it's not an easy task, but it's a worthy task. 0:20:58.760 --> 0:21:01.960 It's worth it, you know, I tell people all the time. 0:21:02.560 --> 0:21:05.760 You know, my partners, my DJ, he lives in a 0:21:05.800 --> 0:21:09.760 beautiful mansion in Miami. My other rap partner, he has 0:21:09.800 --> 0:21:14.240 a beautiful home in northern California, I live in one 0:21:14.240 --> 0:21:17.680 of my buildings on right in the hood, right in 0:21:17.800 --> 0:21:21.320 Central Avenue in Newark, New Jersey, and I'm right in 0:21:21.320 --> 0:21:24.640 the mix. How is that? How does that like? How 0:21:24.680 --> 0:21:27.359 does that feel like? Being amongst the people? 0:21:27.480 --> 0:21:28.040 Is that is? 0:21:28.160 --> 0:21:30.600 Do you feel like they receive you better? Do you 0:21:30.640 --> 0:21:33.800 feel like like, how do you feel living amongst the people? 0:21:34.200 --> 0:21:38.200 I love it. You know, I don't have to be here. 0:21:38.680 --> 0:21:39.920 I have to be here. 0:21:39.960 --> 0:21:42.440 And you said it's your own building, so. 0:21:43.040 --> 0:21:46.840 Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm in partnership with you know. I 0:21:46.840 --> 0:21:48.760 don't even tell everybody some of the things that I'm 0:21:48.760 --> 0:21:50.480 in partnership with the city because. 0:21:50.240 --> 0:21:51.320 We got a lot of haters. 0:21:51.359 --> 0:21:56.280 But you know, yes, yes, you know it's our properties, 0:21:56.320 --> 0:21:59.160 you know what I mean. So we're working, man, it's 0:21:59.400 --> 0:22:02.680 us being part of our own community. And to answer 0:22:02.720 --> 0:22:05.880