1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: Wake that ass up in the morning. 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 2: Breakfast Club Morning. 3 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 3: Everybody is DJ Envy, just Hilarius, Charlamagne the guy. We 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 3: are the Breakfast Club. Lola Rosa is here and we 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 3: got some special guests joining us this morning. We have 6 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 3: Dante Banks and we have Kevin Freeman. Welcome, fellas. How 7 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 3: you guys doing this morning? 8 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 4: Tell the people who, well, who y'all are, first of all, 9 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 4: so they get some context. 10 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 5: I'm Banks, little Dirk's father, and I'm Kevin Freeman. I'm 11 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 5: the executive director for Little Dirk's non profit Neighborhood Heroes. 12 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 2: Okay, well, how was Dirk doing? 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: First? And foremo are you doing great and wonderful? I 14 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: just seen him this Sunday, this past Sunday, the spirits off. 15 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: You're looking forward, you know, this day in court freedom 16 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: as you know, that's just going to turn out to be, 17 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: you know, releasing him. But he's doing great. Wrong there. 18 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 3: Now you have a story as well. For people that 19 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 3: don't know your story, you want to put them onto 20 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 3: a little of your story. And who quote unquote Big 21 00:00:58,560 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 3: Dirk is. 22 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: Or Big Dirk is known in Chicago, in the streets 23 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: of Chicago, not for good, you know, but back in 24 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three, I got caught in the fares, myself 25 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: caught up in the fairs, and I received a life sentence, 26 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: and it took me almost twenty four years of twenty 27 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: six years to get up out of there. So I 28 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: spent most of my life, more life in jail than 29 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:23,919 Speaker 1: I did on the street. 30 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 3: And you got out at a twenty nineteen and at 31 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 3: the time your son. 32 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 2: Was this huge musician. 33 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: Yes, So how did. 34 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 3: Coming back into society work with you and your because 35 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 3: I mean you evolved. You've been in there for twenty 36 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 3: four years, twenty six years, and you came home. 37 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: So talk about that a little bit. I'm studying right 38 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: now today, you study learning. Even with the cars and 39 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: the technology of the cars, the telephone, you know, I 40 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: hit seeing pick up. You're still I figure all the 41 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: rest of whatever. It's just a bit much. I mean, 42 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: even with the cars, you know, I put it in 43 00:01:57,520 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: drive and go, you know, make sure that the heat 44 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: is working. But everything else is takes some time, you know. 45 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: And this is for everybody who's coming out of prison 46 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: for that long time. You know, all this's gonna be 47 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: new to us. It's gonna take us time to know 48 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: adjust to this new society. One of the things I 49 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: tell everybody, I spent almost almost about two weeks in 50 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: walmarts doing what just each hour you're going from in prison, 51 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: you're going from two suits. Now you're going there it's 52 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: twenty suits. So you're sitting there trying to figure out 53 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: all man so many choices. You go in from one 54 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: cereal to a whole sheef of cereal, and you're trying 55 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: to figure out, Oh, I never know these cereals existed, 56 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: So you're going from hour to hour. It's all adventure. 57 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 1: It's all like going to the musement park. So many 58 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: choices where you didn't have choices before, so it takes 59 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: time to go through there and really just get some choices. 60 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: You're just buying stuff to be buying it because you 61 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: can get it now. These type of things here. 62 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 6: So what was it like? You know, when you were 63 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 6: locked up and Dirky's here? What was out? 64 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 7: And he's climbing and he's rising as a star and 65 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 7: you're like you're you're seeing it, but you're not seeing it, 66 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 7: but like you're kind of you're calling home, you're feeling it, 67 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 7: Like what was that? 68 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: Like? Oh, that was amazing at first I'm on the 69 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: phone as any father, would, you know, go to school, 70 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: get a trade, go to college, you know, get a trade. 71 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: I don't want to hear about this. Everybody said it's 72 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: gonna be a rapp but you know, everybody said he's 73 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,519 Speaker 1: gonna play ball and different things like this. You know, 74 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: that's every kid's dream. So I didn't really take it seriously. 75 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 1: I'm focused on what I know. To be a true career, 76 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: you get something up under your belt, and every time 77 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: I want to rap, I want to rap. And then 78 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: I asked his brother, his older brother, which was d 79 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: Thing at the time, Dante Banks Junior. I said, is 80 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: he good? You know, is he good? Is he gonna 81 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: go anywhere with this? He said, yeah, he's good. And 82 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: then it was on one old What was that one 83 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: O six in part? I'm in prison and I look 84 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: up there I'm being one O six in part and 85 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: I said, okay, everybody in prison, he gonna be on 86 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: one of those signal parts. So every TV is on 87 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: one O six in part. We waiting on them. And 88 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: then that's when we found out, Yeah, he got a 89 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: little bus, he got busy, got a big. 90 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 7: Bus, and I see you like even just in talking 91 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 7: about it, You're smiling, and it's just I can't imagine, Like, 92 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 7: you know, just as a parent, it's like I want 93 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 7: my child to be successful and it's happening, and then 94 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 7: you're in a predicament that you're in and seeing it. 95 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 6: It feels good to know that, like. 96 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 7: He's carrying the family and things are working out and 97 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 7: then everything that we are, you know, seeing now happens. 98 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 7: How did that feel when you heard when the indictment 99 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 7: come down and things of that nature. 100 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: Uh, you know, from being in there and knowing what 101 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: he up against. Now you run right there so I 102 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 1: can be with him to help him through this, because 103 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,359 Speaker 1: being in affairs ain't no small tasks. You know, this 104 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 1: is a big thing. They don't They don't give no room. 105 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: They just snatch you up with it almost and put 106 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: you in a hopeless situation. You know, everybody goes in 107 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: kind of got to fight their way out to show 108 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: and prove that this is what it is. You know, 109 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,039 Speaker 1: it hurts to know that he have to go through 110 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: what I just went through. I have to deal with 111 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: this system now. It hurts real bad. You know, first 112 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 1: losing the oldest son and to the streets, and now 113 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: losing him to the government, you know. So that's why 114 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: I'm their hands on, lawyer's hands on with him, telling 115 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 1: him every step of what to do now and how 116 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: to fight this. 117 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 4: Being a person of faith, you know, you know all 118 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 4: is the best knower and planning. But when you lose 119 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 4: your son, you know, to to murder, and you lose 120 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 4: a son to the to the jail system, how. 121 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 2: Does that make you feel? 122 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: Like? 123 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 2: Just your faith? How did that test your faith? 124 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 1: Oh? It does test your faith, and test your faith 125 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: in a way that you have to be a parent 126 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,039 Speaker 1: to understand what I'm saying here. It really tests you, 127 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: you know. But just like you said that faith, you know, 128 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 1: everything belongs to a law. The don't actually belongs to me. 129 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 1: He just used me as a vessel, but it belongs 130 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: to him. So I just about to be patient for 131 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: what's going on here and trusting him and continue to 132 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: make do out with your supplication that he brings about 133 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: the victory that we are looking for in a situation, 134 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: a relief that we're looking for. 135 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 3: When you came out, you know, you made it your 136 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 3: business to change right, to make sure you were out 137 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 3: there telling the kids the right way to go about things. 138 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: And to try to be a positive in the community. 139 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 3: Do you ever look back and be like, do you 140 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 3: wonder if it was ever Calma, what happened to your 141 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 3: kids because of some of the things that you did, 142 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 3: even though that you changed you a different person? Do 143 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 3: you ever think about that or look at life like that? 144 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: Now you try to not as in Karmo, not as 145 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: in Karma, but you look at us though, like I'm 146 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: on the phone with them, don't visit telling them, don't 147 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: go this way, don't go this route. I'm frowning up 148 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: on this. I'm talking against this gang bang and selling drugs, 149 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: what we're doing to the community. You know, you go 150 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: to prison, you become a man. You see things that 151 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: you ain't see before. You know, you're enlightened now, you know, 152 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: you see your rown. So I'll never want to have 153 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 1: my sons to go down that role. But at the 154 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: same time, he don't go down that road. He just 155 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: go down the road which rap and different things like 156 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: this put him in the same category or just a 157 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: little different. You know, they look he's still saying, Hey, 158 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: you might not be selling drugs, he might not be 159 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: doing these things right here, but they look at a 160 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: rapper the same way. 161 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 3: You know. Also, you know I wanted to ask about 162 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 3: his case so much because the Dirk that we knew, 163 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 3: that I knew personally, he was such into giving back, right. 164 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 3: He would call all the time about the things that 165 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 3: he wanted to do for Chicago in the area that 166 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 3: he grew up and the things that he wanted to change, 167 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 3: and how he wanted to give kids an opportunity that 168 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,119 Speaker 3: they would think more than the street and have things 169 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 3: to do. 170 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: So with his organization. 171 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 3: Is his organization still out there being able to help 172 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 3: or as a lot of those funds and things been 173 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 3: pulled from that? 174 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: Absolutely? 175 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 5: Absolutely, And so this goes back to twenty twenty. You know, 176 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 5: just this didn't just happened yesterday, you know, sitting down 177 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 5: with Dirk Banks, you know, I remember the day when 178 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 5: he was like, cav you know, this is my my vision, 179 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 5: this is what I want to do. 180 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:03,239 Speaker 1: Because he was already doing. 181 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 5: The work, He's like, Okay, but let's let's do it 182 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 5: for real, for real, And we say for real, Foreral, 183 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 5: let's get a registered five oh one C three and 184 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 5: let's really truly you know, look at the impact that 185 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 5: we can make. And one thing that we landed on 186 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 5: and still to this day, it is like dirt, this 187 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 5: is your vision. This is your vision, and it's going 188 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 5: to be our jobs. When I say our jobs, my job, 189 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 5: the board of directors and those that support we're going 190 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 5: to help bring it to life and to be able 191 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 5: to look back and see from twenty twenty and all 192 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 5: the amazing work that he's done. And as you know, 193 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 5: in media, you know a lot of folks don't want 194 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 5: to talk about the great things and the positive things 195 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 5: that individuals are out here doing it. 196 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: He didn't do it for that. He did it for 197 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: the fact that he know that. 198 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 5: He said, keV, these are things that I wasn't able 199 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 5: to experience when I was a kid. So now that 200 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 5: I'm in position to do it, I'm all in, let's go. 201 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 5: I'm the voice. So I'm like, all right, So sitting 202 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 5: with him, I mean all around the clock. When I 203 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 5: say around the clock, I mean, as you know, he's 204 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 5: coming from the studio at three fold in the morning 205 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 5: and he's. 206 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: Kind of like, listen, this is what I want to do. 207 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 5: And I'm digesting and I'm saying, okay, from all the 208 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 5: things that I'm hearing, all the things that I feel 209 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 5: your passion. We created four foundation pillars based off the 210 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 5: things that Dirk Banks was truly invested in wanted to do, 211 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 5: and it started off with neighborhoods, Prosperity, emerging leaders, health 212 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 5: and wellness. So with all those four different pillars, there's 213 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 5: a bucket of work that lives within area. And so 214 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,599 Speaker 5: when we talked about real high level, you know, the neighborhoods, 215 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,559 Speaker 5: you know, think about all the national disasters that's happened. 216 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 5: You know, takes me back to Houston several times. With 217 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 5: the hurricanes, there's a lot of seniors that had to 218 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 5: go through the destructions of their properties. Where Dirk was like, look, 219 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 5: let's get some boots on the ground down there. Let's 220 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 5: get folks that can help restore their community and store 221 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 5: their homes because you know, it costs money to get 222 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,839 Speaker 5: folks out there to cut down trees or stay on 223 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 5: the power company to ensure that these lines are fixed 224 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 5: and safe. You know, when we look at prosperity, you know, 225 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 5: and I could laugh and we laugh about this to 226 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 5: this day. When celebrities or athletes whatever think about doing nonprofits, 227 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 5: you know, you always hear back to school, let's do 228 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 5: backpacks and Thanksgiving, let's do turkeys. And we would say, 229 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 5: you know what, good for those that do that because 230 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:34,680 Speaker 5: it's need helps. But for Dirk, he's a thought leader. 231 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 5: He's like, you know, prosperity to me for back to 232 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 5: school is let's get some financial literacy programs together. So 233 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 5: we took a group of kids that are in our 234 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 5: cohort to learn about financial management. Money management. Shout out 235 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 5: to Bank of America in the City of Chicago Treasurer's 236 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 5: office for spending those hours in weeks with these young 237 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 5: boys and girls to be able to educate them on things. 238 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 5: Like Dirk said, he didn't have, you know, the information 239 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 5: that now that these kids were able to walk away with. 240 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 5: And you talk about those turkey drives, Derk would always say, 241 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 5: you know what care what do people do with these 242 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 5: turkeys that don't got homes of cook them in? You 243 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 5: know what are they doing with them? So we're like, okay, 244 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 5: let's get some hot meals that's ready to be served. 245 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 5: So shout out to the Boston market of the world 246 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 5: where tens of thousands of families got hot meals that 247 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 5: didn't have to wonder and you know how am I 248 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 5: going to cook this turkey? Now that I got it 249 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 5: where I'm I gonna cook it at. So you know 250 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 5: those last two pillars health and wellness, you know, cancer survivor. 251 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 5: Shout out to his wife, India, my sister where they 252 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 5: got together, said we're gonna do a Mother's Day honors 253 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 5: where we're gonna recognize these black women that are going 254 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 5: through cancer. And as you know, unfortunately sometimes that they 255 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 5: go through the route of chemotherapy, they got to shave 256 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 5: their head off. Now you know, we're going into a 257 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 5: beauty supply store to put a unit on your head. 258 00:11:54,800 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 5: Ain't probably what you want to do right right, but 259 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,839 Speaker 5: you know what that would do to one self esteem 260 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 5: going through that. So what we were able to do 261 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,559 Speaker 5: is shout out to India and in Kelvin as well, 262 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 5: who's on the management side with Dirk's Foundation, is that 263 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 5: they were able to get celebrity stylists to create custom 264 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 5: units and get hair in advance of Mother's Day. So 265 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 5: now in their day that we recognize them, they can 266 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 5: feel good and we know when you feel good, Deonza, 267 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 5: you look good, you feel good, And that's what we 268 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 5: were able to do. But last, but not least, and 269 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 5: it ties into one of the things that really I 270 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 5: know that lives with Dirk the most is that emerging leaders. 271 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 5: And we talked about those students that Dirk has taken 272 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 5: the time and exposed to his college and career readiness Corehort. So, 273 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 5: going all the way back to twenty twenty two, we said, 274 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 5: you know what, all these young black boys and girls 275 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 5: that got passion, what are you passionate about? Because we're 276 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 5: not going to just say go to college just to 277 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 5: go to college. We want to make sure that there's 278 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 5: programs and opportunities that align to what you're interested in. 279 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 5: And now that we know, now when we go take 280 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 5: these college trips to more House back in twenty twenty two, 281 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 5: we flew them from Chicago to Atlanta and they got 282 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 5: to learn about the programs, they got a chance to 283 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 5: learn about career day where the Atlanta Hawks, their executive office, 284 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 5: had a round table with these young men and educated 285 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 5: them about careers in the NBA and it's not just 286 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 5: about being the basketball player, it's about being marketing, it's 287 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 5: about being hr or even real estate what we didn't 288 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 5: know about, you know. So with that, you know, being said, 289 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 5: you know, and shout out to NASCAR as well, because 290 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 5: after we left the Atlanta, we went over to Talladega 291 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 5: College and NASCAR hosted them for the career Day. But 292 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 5: the list goes on. Year after year. Went to DC, 293 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 5: Dirk gave over three hundred fifty thousand dollars in scholarship funds. 294 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 5: Three hundred and fifty thousand scholarship funds. So students who 295 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 5: are looking to go to Howard and students who are 296 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 5: already at Howard that caught a jam to say, you 297 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 5: know what, I don't know how I'm going to be 298 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 5: able to finish this semester. You know, the Great Scrant 299 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 5: was able to provide those students with an opportunity. Last year, 300 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 5: we came to New York, came to Queens with Saint 301 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 5: John's University. Students had an opportunity to learn about those 302 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 5: programs and then their career day was spent at Sony, 303 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 5: spent at Alamo Records. So everyone can't be the next 304 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 5: little dirt, but everyone can't be that guy behind the production. 305 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 5: And this is exposing these young black boys and girls 306 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 5: that Dirk has been doing for a long time. And 307 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 5: the lights haven't gone off. 308 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 2: Now you can see it, I mean you could see it, 309 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 2: you know, and his faith walk. 310 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 4: You know, you can see it, you know, and even 311 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 4: when his name his last album or the album before 312 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 4: last almost healed, like you could see that he was 313 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 4: absolutely positively trying to make you know the right moves 314 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 4: and take the right steps to just be a better person. 315 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 7: I was gonna ask y'all the last thing that he 316 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 7: did before he was taking into custody, it was the 317 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 7: big prayer event that he had and you've received the 318 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 7: keys to the city. 319 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 6: But the mayor, I believe it was the mayor. 320 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 7: Got a lot of backlash after he was arrested in 321 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 7: and I think, you know, there were certain people and 322 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 7: things that like step back. So how hard has it 323 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 7: been because the organization is tied to Derek, Like, are 324 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 7: y'all facing opposition or people still like, no, we know 325 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 7: he's a good person. 326 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 5: You're going to face the opposition just being a young 327 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 5: black artist, a young black man and young black woman. 328 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 5: There's always going to be trials and tribulations. And if 329 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 5: we allow one situation like that to stop us what 330 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 5: we're doing, and we're losing the focus of what his 331 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 5: true mission was. 332 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 2: Yes, I want to ask. 333 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 4: You something to uh Dante Man, because looking at your 334 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 4: bio and I love this. You said when you got 335 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 4: released from prison, your bio said, you had to first 336 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 4: forgive yourself for adding to the demise of your community. 337 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 2: What did that realization? 338 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 4: When did you get that realization that you had actually 339 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 4: caused a lot of problems in your community? And how 340 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 4: did you know that you know you had to forgive 341 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 4: yourself for adding to it? 342 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: It was actually when I became because you got to 343 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: reflect on your path, you got to change a lot 344 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: about yourself. So when you're change a lot about yourself, 345 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: you start looking within life. Oh, I had these principles, 346 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: I had these mores, I had these values. This is 347 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: the way I used to think. And you challenge with 348 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: these things now because now you see it's not going 349 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: to change who I am, my character and my outlook 350 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: on life. So these are the things I did. Plus, 351 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: one of the biggest things of seeing these young guys 352 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: come in to prison coming in, I mean day by day, 353 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: every week, they bringing a bus load in, and my 354 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: heart just keep going out to them because they don't 355 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: know what's going on. They have no idea what they're 356 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: up against right here. So you got to start programs, 357 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: try to educate them on the legal aspect, start getting 358 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: in this court and fighting for your life back. Because 359 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: you just sit there affairs, you sit there, that's it. 360 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: You got to get up and fight, you know. And 361 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: if you don't, and like say, you'll be there for 362 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: the rest of your life. Man. 363 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 4: What is needed to break the generational cycle of just 364 00:16:58,320 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 4: violence in Chicago? 365 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: We're working on that daily. I mean, Boose is on 366 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: the ground daily. I work with an organization called Chicago Cred. 367 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: Well we go around in. One of the main things 368 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: we're doing right now with the Chicago Cred gun violence, 369 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: gun reduce, reducing gun violence in the transforming a way. 370 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: But at the same time, we starting now the program 371 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:24,360 Speaker 1: a non aggression teaching them non aggression. You know, it's 372 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: hard to tell them young guys to put the gun down, 373 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: but know what we're gonna teach them is no aggression. 374 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: Don't be aggressive with that gun. You know, only use 375 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: that gun to defend yourself. Only use that gun to 376 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: defend people who trying to come in your house. But 377 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 1: don't go out looking for nobody. So guys who coming 378 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: out of prison, guys who know what it's about, we 379 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: got to stay on the ground. We got to give 380 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,880 Speaker 1: back We got to be the ones about that change talk, 381 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: in that change behavior. We can't be OG's and then 382 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: hanging out with a young guys doing just as versus 383 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: they doing. You know, we got to get out there 384 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,239 Speaker 1: and tell them, and we got to sacrifice. I have 385 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: to do this, you know, because a lot of them 386 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,400 Speaker 1: gonna be hardheaded, a lot of them gonna push us away, 387 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: a lot of I'm gonna tell you out dating, you know, 388 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: gonna sit down somewhere. We got to stay on the 389 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: front line out there because we got to get them 390 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: neighborhoods back to the place where they can be or 391 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:16,360 Speaker 1: kids can come back out and play grandmamas and mamas 392 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: can sit on the porch and walk. Stores can be 393 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: utilized for not just hanging around there, you know, used 394 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: for you know what they use for and be a 395 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: pillar of the community. 396 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 4: So, you know, we just a lack of resources like education, 397 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 4: like lack of opportunity, all of. 398 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: That, all of them, all of them, all of them, 399 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: you know. And what we got now with what's going 400 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: on in politics is gonna be even harder fight for us. 401 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: You know, trying to shut down the board education, you 402 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 1: know education, Yeah, you know, trying to do these trying 403 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 1: to attack the healthcare, trying to attack the veterans. You 404 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: know now that the whole American is waking up, So 405 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: it puts more of a burden on us to try 406 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 1: to help because people that's already down for the stay down. 407 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 1: We ain't got no opportunities to for him to come 408 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,199 Speaker 1: up because the administration ain't giving us the opportunity for 409 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: them to come up. 410 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 3: Can you give us an update on on on what 411 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 3: you can on Dirk's case and how it's going on. 412 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,640 Speaker 3: I know he go not bond, but can you give 413 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 3: us an update of what's happening and how his fans 414 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 3: can support because it's been really quiet, you know. 415 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. Now, one thing, like I said, well y'all had 416 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: the question, y'all ask Kevin how people looking at him? Now? 417 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: It ain't a place I go. It's not a place 418 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: that I go a phone called I don't get what 419 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: he gets one support. Ain't nobody like turning a back 420 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: on him? What saying it nothing negative about other than 421 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: you know a love if you love blob here and 422 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,200 Speaker 1: now or podcast who's trying to get some type of 423 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: recognition about saying something negative about him? But overall ninety. 424 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: Everybody's there in a priory support. You get many, many letters, 425 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: you know, keep your head, keep going on, You're going 426 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: to get up out of this, you know, things of 427 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: that nature. Health. So the support is one hundred percent. 428 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 1: And I love that about him because that tells you 429 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 1: what the person he is when no one is trying 430 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,719 Speaker 1: to you know, look at his downfall to something that 431 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: we can now say, Hey, look at him. We told 432 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 1: you about not this type of thing here. Oh, that's 433 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: a beautiful thing now. And one more thing I'd like 434 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: to speak. I'm sorry, no, you go ahead. And it's 435 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: every time I do bensidim what he called just like 436 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: Kevin said, he always got a new idea. I said, man, 437 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:24,719 Speaker 1: get in there and look at this case. Let's get 438 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: focused on this. But he got a new idea. Hey, 439 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: what do you think about a hospital? What do you 440 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: think about a school? What do you think? You know, 441 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: it's always something new what he's trying to do up 442 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: in there, as far as trying to do out here. 443 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,879 Speaker 7: The help you mentioned like just how he has so 444 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 7: much positive support from fans and people and like people 445 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 7: not backing away from what he's doing in the community. 446 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 7: But I remember in December when they tried to get 447 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 7: the bond that and he was mentioning the prosecutors tried 448 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:50,719 Speaker 7: to paint him out to be like this, like super 449 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 7: dangerous person and you know all those things. How do 450 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 7: you have conversations with him? Because you said he's focused 451 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 7: on new ideas, but are there ever times where he's like, yo, 452 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 7: this is like like I can't believe this is happening 453 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 7: to me right now. And then things like that happen 454 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 7: and he might lose faith or might lose sight, like 455 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 7: does that happen at all? 456 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: Well as as a human you you sitting in there 457 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: looking at four walls. You know, you've been told to 458 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: stand out for count You've been told these things something 459 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: that you ain't normally used to. It's gonna have this 460 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: effect on you. Yeah, but you know you always bounce back. 461 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: You always look at the greater picture. Cause as a Muslim, 462 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: we look it said to ourselves, what a liar is 463 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,360 Speaker 1: doing for us greater than what they doing to us. 464 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,359 Speaker 1: What a li is doing for us right now, building 465 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: us to be a better man, is greater than what 466 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 1: they trying to do to us and trying to tell 467 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: us now, So he definitely he definitely a building. He 468 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: was telling me that. You know, when he came in, 469 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: there was like four Muslims on the block. He said, 470 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: Now it's seventeen Muslims on the block. So he in there, 471 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: he o, people are converting, converting, you know. Yeah, so 472 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,119 Speaker 1: that's a good thing. So he and there, you know, 473 00:21:58,280 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: keeping it going, keeping the work going. 474 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 4: You know, what do y'all when y'all call out here 475 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 4: and y'all do these press hits, what are y'all hopes? 476 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: What are y'all trying to do? We're trying to bring 477 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: a real look, what's really? What is junior? I called him? Junior? 478 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: What is him? What are he supposed to be looking? 479 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:19,360 Speaker 1: You know how you pose to view him? Don't take 480 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: allegations and make him a fact. Don't take allegations and 481 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: making a conviction. You know, allegations are just that, These 482 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: are allegations. Give us a chance in court to prove ourselves. 483 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,679 Speaker 1: Give us a chance, you know. And this one thing again, 484 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: we shout out the mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson. When 485 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: they try to attack him, he said, don't give it. 486 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: The brothers, you guys said, give him his chance in court. 487 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: And it's what we actually about give our chance in 488 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 1: court and we approved that all of this there's nothing 489 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: but falsehood and lives. 490 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 7: You know, when you talk about going places and wanting 491 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 7: the conversation to be just fair for him, even if 492 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 7: people are going to have their opinions, how hard is 493 00:22:58,760 --> 00:22:59,919 Speaker 7: it for you? 494 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,159 Speaker 6: And you can answer this if you want to. I know, 495 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 6: it's a legal situation. 496 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 7: So for instance, like I know I've seen reports of 497 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 7: like there were like text messages that allegedly were like 498 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 7: between Dirk and the guys who are who they threw 499 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,120 Speaker 7: the murder charges at for the d thing, And then 500 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,360 Speaker 7: they have the verse from his song Aha, and they're 501 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 7: trying to pin that like, Yo, this is you saying 502 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 7: what you did? How hard is it to grow up 503 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 7: against stuff like that? Just because legally they're talking about 504 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 7: that every single time he goes in the court. 505 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: It's not hard if you get all the information. But 506 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: I will refer I have to refer all of these 507 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:40,679 Speaker 1: things than I have to refer all these things to 508 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,879 Speaker 1: the legal team, because you know, this is some of 509 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 1: the things that they would have to answer and give 510 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: them deep understanding. He got three great lawyers on the case. 511 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: You know, Drew Finley. Yes, he's good. Jonathan out in Chicago, 512 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 1: Brandma and he got the lady, what's Christie O'Connor. So 513 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: he got three good lawyers. He out of California, drew 514 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: us out of Atlanta, and Jonathan Raymond is out of Chicago. 515 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: So they working around the clock. They constantly keep us updated. 516 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: You know, I talked to them regularly about the case, 517 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: and so it's going good. You know, all these text messages, 518 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: these things here there on top of all this, and 519 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:26,199 Speaker 1: like I said, give them us day in court and 520 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 1: they approved. You know, what's the what what's the real 521 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: truth about these text messages? Right? 522 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 2: How confident are you? 523 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:39,360 Speaker 1: Uh as a Muslim? I'm confidence in the law as 524 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: a musclim and I just continue to make do uh 525 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 1: that this that we're victorious in this case, and you 526 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: know that a lot of grant us the relief that 527 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: we are seeking out of this. So looking at everything, 528 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: you know it's weak, hm, but we make sure continue 529 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: to trust. 530 00:24:57,760 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 3: What about with the government, because you know, the government, 531 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 3: as we've seen many cases before, they play a nasty 532 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 3: game where they try to make somebody look crazy so 533 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:09,640 Speaker 3: that the jury looks at them as crazy. From the start, 534 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 3: you know. I mean we see that a lot, a. 535 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: Whole lot, and who don't know that the person that's 536 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: been in the belly of the beast, you know, I know, 537 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: the fixing the game. Like That's why, like I said, 538 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: I stay on this case looking at from every angle 539 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: because I know they games. I know what they play, 540 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 1: I know their lives, their deception. I know they'll create something, 541 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,400 Speaker 1: you know, and create some witness, you know, out of somewhere, 542 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 1: out of the blue, and it's been somebody come along. 543 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: Don't nobody know, Like who is this dude? And they'll 544 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: put them up there to say some things, you know, 545 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: and everybody be like you know, so yeah, I definitely 546 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: know about. 547 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,640 Speaker 6: Them and you and your in your bio. 548 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 7: One of the things that you mentioned in here is 549 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:52,959 Speaker 7: how much time you didn't get to spend with your 550 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 7: kids because of your sentence that you had. Now, like 551 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 7: you know, in present time, hopefully you know perfectly when 552 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 7: Dirk is able to come home, what are you looking 553 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 7: forward to being able to do with him? I know 554 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 7: you lost the thing, but what are you looking forward 555 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 7: to do with Dirk? And like you know, just your 556 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 7: family Now, once y'all get through all the muddy orders, 557 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 7: the same. 558 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:14,479 Speaker 1: Thing we was doing when I got out. You know, 559 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: I'm constantly with them now. I don't want to get 560 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: my daughters. Man, but I got five children, Yeah, three 561 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: daughters and two sons. Then when we get off the 562 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:25,959 Speaker 1: should they be like, you ain't saying nothing about us? 563 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 1: I think. So I got three beautiful daughters and two sons, 564 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: one passed away. And one word. What we're looking to 565 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: do now is we're on another whole level now, you know, 566 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: going to see him talking to him, you know, minds, 567 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: I'm now combined now and we're just looking forward to 568 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: doing things now with the grandkids, raising them in the 569 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 1: right way, you know, in bedding and putting in them 570 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:54,679 Speaker 1: the things that his experience, my experience, the dudes and 571 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: adults in life. So we're just looking to be of 572 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: stronger family bond. 573 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 7: And I know y'all brought up India earlier and we 574 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 7: found out that they were married through like the new 575 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 7: music and the photo on the album. What conversation do 576 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 7: you and Dirk had before he decided to get married, 577 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 7: and like what are you talking to him as dad? 578 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 7: You know what I mean, Like what advice are you 579 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:14,400 Speaker 7: giving him? Or you know how what's that like? 580 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: Okay, now as a. 581 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 7: Muslim, as a mule, because it's different for you, right right, 582 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:20,919 Speaker 7: you got to get married. 583 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: You cannot like you sleep with a woman that you're 584 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 1: not married to. So these are my conversations to him. 585 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:30,159 Speaker 1: You have to be married. It's a great sin in 586 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,359 Speaker 1: Islam if you're not married. We don't believe in for nicasion. 587 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 1: We don't believe in adultery, you know, sleeping outside the 588 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: marriage and different things like that. If you're interest in 589 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:42,120 Speaker 1: his sister, then let her know through marriage that you're 590 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: ready to take on the responsibility of a husband. 591 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 4: So yeah, all right, as a Muslim, are you on 592 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,159 Speaker 4: him about the content of his music? Like, if you 593 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 4: know he beats his situation and comes home, are you 594 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 4: going to tell him that musically he should go in 595 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:55,399 Speaker 4: another direction? 596 00:27:55,800 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: He told me, Oh, he told me so, I've I'm 597 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 1: just keep saying I'm to do the life. Every time 598 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: I talk to him, he's learning more about his line 599 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: and what he's supposed to be doing as a Muslim, say, 600 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 1: and he's saying that, hey, I can't talk about these 601 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:13,040 Speaker 1: things no more. I can't walk this way of life 602 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,119 Speaker 1: no more, you know. So he already on point with 603 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: all this, you know, and that's one of the things 604 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: about you know, prison give you time to really reflect, think, 605 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:25,160 Speaker 1: you time isolation to read, study, So now you're able 606 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,440 Speaker 1: to you know, you ain't distracted about these brother things. 607 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: You know. This is a this is a star, this 608 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 1: is an artist. He on the planes all the time, 609 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: He moving all the time, from the moment he wake 610 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: up to the moment he go to steep. He always 611 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: doing something. So saying, you know, he took his ship 612 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: how they became a Muslim in prison, I mean at 613 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: the prison when he came to see me, but then 614 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: his life took off from there. So now he got 615 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: a chance now to study. So everything that he needs 616 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 1: to know, he learning it right now. So he knowing. 617 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: He telling me like said, I can't talk about that 618 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 1: no more. I can't do this no more. I'm glad 619 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: that I got married. I'm glad I went this the 620 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: ration right here, because he's trying to see now. 621 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 3: Wow, we'll definitely send him and send him our love man, 622 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 3: and tell him that you know, we'll continue to pray 623 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 3: for him, man and support. 624 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: Him no doubt, because when I told him about this, 625 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: he said, that's beautiful them. They right there, they're gonna 626 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: keep it real. 627 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, we've been watching Dirk since the beginning. Literally 628 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 4: literally he dirt been up with vond and everybody. So 629 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 4: it's like we literally watched him grow up. 630 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: And also we can't forget about our main guy, Swiss. 631 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 2: Oh Swiss. 632 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,479 Speaker 1: Definitely shout out to that brother man and that is 633 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: Swiss is one of his biggest mentors. That's the one 634 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 1: who talks to him, keep him on point, different things, 635 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: like he always calls Swiss. They're always talking what direction? 636 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 1: What should I do? You know? And it's good to 637 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: have somebody like Swiss in this corner. 638 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 3: You know, absolutely appreciate you guys. 639 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 6: I have one more thing. 640 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 7: I just thought of that video of Willow when he's 641 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 7: talking to Dirk and it went super super viral. He's 642 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 7: telling him, like, you know, not to retaliate for the thing. 643 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 7: And then when ReViral, when all this stuff happened with 644 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 7: the with the case, when you first saw that video 645 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 7: and saw that moment of you like were there in 646 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 7: person or what, but like as a dad, like what 647 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 7: was that feeling like just to see somebody pour into 648 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 7: your son like that? 649 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 1: Beautiful? And I thank you appreciate its exactly. Report you 650 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: for that, because this is what we talked about. This 651 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 1: is why we practice no retaliation, because it's only going 652 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: to keep it going, you know. So I love that. 653 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: I love that you open up like that. So thank 654 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: you for that, you know, And I agree. 655 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 7: I'm sorry he could never he could never follow. It's 656 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 7: so positive and just done so many And when they 657 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 7: were in the studio and him and Gilly were sitting 658 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 7: there because that went so super viral because of everything 659 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 7: with the case, and I was just like Dan as 660 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 7: a dad, I wonder, like you know you watching that, 661 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:57,440 Speaker 7: like that's what's up. 662 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: Those the things I said, because we actually, you know, 663 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: we lost son. And I don't know if y'all know, 664 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: but when you lose a son and Islam, you have 665 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: to wash his body. Yes, so we have to wash 666 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: his body and washing the body and it's hurting, you know, 667 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: and watch my son body to get out out of 668 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: twenty six years and then have to bury your son. 669 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: You know, That's that's that pain there. It was like 670 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 1: you never get used to it, you never accepted, but 671 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: yet you accept it as a Muslim. But it's something 672 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 1: that's always going to be deep in you. So I 673 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 1: don't want them to see another parent hurt like that. 674 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: I don't won't see nobody have to go through that. 675 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: So it got to stop. 676 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 2: Do you put any blame on yourself? 677 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 6: Ever? 678 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 4: Like he was, like, man, because of your choices I 679 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 4: made twenty six years ago, I wasn't here the way 680 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 4: I probably needed to. 681 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: Be as a parent. You're gonna always say that, You're 682 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 1: gonna say what could I have did? What can have 683 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 1: did it better? Could I have said anything? Could I 684 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 1: do anything different to stop this? You know? But then 685 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: it'slam kicking. You were like everything you were supposed to do. 686 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 1: You try to the best of your ability, but that 687 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: struggle goes with thank you all the time. 688 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 3: Well, thank you all for joining us. Dante Banks, Kevin Freeman, 689 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 3: thank you so much, and please keep us updated when 690 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 3: you can. 691 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 1: Yes, sir, we'll do. And I appreciate you all from having. 692 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 2: Us, Absolutely appreciate you. 693 00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: Some morning it's the Breakfast Club. 694 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 2: Good morning, wait till ass up in the morning. 695 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 1: The Breakfast Club