Episode Transcript
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(00:13):
Let's roll up, it's a new high.
Good laughs and some good vibes.
It's a safe space to talk about all the dope things that's on our mind.
From world travel to philosophies, we stay stylish, come and rock with me.
.999It's a good time, we got the sauce to make champagne, which is reality, uh.
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We do it for the culture, gotta show them what we can be.
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This is the high life.
Yeah we old so fancy, keep it a G cause, we are family.
(00:38):
It's the debutante, we're London Bambi.
I'm, I'm the debutante.
Yo, yo, what's up, rock stars? Welcome to another episode of the Hood WZ Podcast with Me, your host, London Bambi, and I cannot believe we're on episode 24 already.
(01:09):
And today's episode is titled The Table, the Feast, and the Price of a Seat.
.999And it was inspired by one of my favorite people, whom others like to kind of turn into a villain or say she's a villain.
And that is Omarosa.
And I believe she was given an interview.
Somewhere.
And she said, if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.
(01:30):
And I remember thinking, wow, there's such a simple statement, but it sounds like a warning.
And it's kind of sounds like reality.
But then I started to think about the real question, which is What happens when the table that was built wasn't built for you? And when the menu is written in ink from a pen that you never got to hold? When the very people whom extended the invitations are the same ones who decided which parts of you to get served up for their benefits? So, today we're not just talking about a seat at the table, we're talking about the power dynamics of access, inclusion, and control.
(02:05):
.999We're talking about who sets the table, who gets to sit at the table, and who gets devoured.
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Because make no mistake, power doesn't just sit still, it moves, it shifts, and it recalibrates.
Always finding new ways to disguise itself.
And if you don't know how to move within it, you will find yourself eaten alive.
.999So today we're going to talk about the Feast of Power.
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Who gets fed, who gets starved and who gets served.
(02:29):
On a silver platter.
All right.
I know that was a bit intense, okay.
So I want to start with that idea of inclusion.
Put that word in your mind for a moment and take a minute to think about it.
.999All right.
To me, inclusion, or I call it the illusion of access, is to believe that if we work hard enough, behave well enough, make ourselves small enough, we will be granted entry.
(02:52):
But history have shown us that access is not about merit.
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It's about control.
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Now ask yourself this, when was the last time you saw someone truly invited into a space of power without condition? Without expectation of assimilation? Without having to compromise their authenticity just to stay? The reality is most seats at the table comes with an invisible contract.
(03:16):
.999Contract that dictates how much of yourself you're allowed to bring and if you step out of line, the same hands that pulled the chair out for you will pull that chair right from under you.
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So, what is the alternative you might be asking because One thing about me is if ever I see there's a problem with society, I also can find a solution.
(03:38):
.999And I would say for everyone who's listening that's looking for alternative to what I just stated is You build, you build, yes, you build, you create, you establish your own institution, your own infrastructures, your own means of sustaining yourself outside of the system designed to keep you dependent, because waiting for permission will have you starving while others feast.
(04:03):
.8985I will say this, I just read today that Dapper Dan is going to build like a.
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district in Harlem.
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And can I say I am thrilled about that? That's what I mean by you build your own.
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He's a perfect example of making space for his community and building, infrastructures.
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Because a garment district, like fashion district, and Harlem, bro, that's beyond, alright? Now, and with that being said, I want to be clear, you know, building your own does not mean being isolated.
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It does not mean rejecting collaborations.
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It means ensuring that your survival is not at the mercy of those who never wanted you to eat in the first place.
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That's, that's, that's all I'm trying to make clear now.
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Okay.
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Let's go into this.
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Think about the last deal you took, the last opportunity you accepted, the last room you stepped into, who was serving you and what were they really offering? Because the one thing about power is it doesn't just give, it calculates.
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It measures the cost of what it is offering against what it can take.
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All right.
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This is how people find themselves trapped in cycles where they believe they're advancing only to realize they're being fattened for the slaughter.
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The illusion of success is often just preparation for consumptions.
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Think about it.
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The job that lets you win, but won't let you lead that platform that amplifies your voice, but censors your truth.
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The opportunity that comes dressed as a blessing, but strips you of your autonomy.
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I mean, I think even there's this certain deal you could sign in a record label where you, you don't really own nothing.
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Everybody's just making money off of you.
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So situations like that.
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Again, you have to ask yourself, are you eating or are you being eaten? Take a moment.
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Think about it.
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Alright, so now I want to talk about silence, about how power thrives in the absence of resistance.
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There are entire industries built on the backs of people too afraid to speak, entire systems that sustain themselves on silence, on fear, and on compliance.
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Think about the first time you swallowed your truth because the room was too heavy, the consequences too high, the risk too great.
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But here's the thing about silence, it doesn't protect you, it preserves the very structures that keep you bound.
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i'm gonna be so for real right now, speaking up is not always safe, but neither is being silent in the presence of those who will devour you the moment your usefulness runs out.
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And so, I have to ask you to ask yourself this.
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What is the cost of my silence? What is it buying? And what is it taking from me? Let that sink in.
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Alright, and I also want to make another thing clear.
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There is no neutral grounding power.
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You are either claiming space or being displaced.
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You are either defining yourself or being defined.
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And the people who understand this don't wait for permission.
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They take up space boldly.
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They move with intention.
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They are not concerned with whether or not they are liked.
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They are concerned with whether or not they are free.
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Alright? So, again, another real question is, How do you move? Do you shrink yourself to fit do you wait for someone to acknowledge your worth before you claim it or do you take up space? Unapologetically understanding that if you do not someone else will and they won't hesitate to push you out All right, so I'm gonna try to keep this week's a little short because last week was a bit long.
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But before I close out, I want to say if the table wasn't built for you, stop begging for a seat and start building your own.
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Please, please.
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I'm tired of seeing this.
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Please.
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Okay, because the truth is access without power is just proximity to control.
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You're, if you're not designing a structure, you're subjected to its rules.
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That's something you really got to understand.
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This is why ownership matters.
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This is why autonomy matters.
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This is why self sufficiency is not just an option.
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It is a necessity.
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And here is the hardest part.
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I know this from experience.
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Building your own means trusting your own vision before anyone else does.
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It means moving forward even when the resources aren't there yet.
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It means understanding that the first table you build might not be perfect, but hell, it will be yours.
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Look, you guys see it.
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I, I have my two books out.
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I'm planning on launching more on my website.
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The one thing about me is I keep Black Balloon 70 afloat.
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I'm going to keep healing in that balloon because that's me building my infrastructure.
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And I have my own small clientele, which I'm grateful for, and I want you to know when you build something of your own, no one can put you on a menu.
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Whatever you want to build, start again.
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I'm talking to you through my own podcast.
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That's something else I build.
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Build your own.
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I'm gonna leave you with this, because I feel like I'm about to start rambling.
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You know how I can get there.
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But I'm gonna say this before I leave.
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I want you, right now, your life.
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Audit the tables you sit at.
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I want you to interrogate the invitations you receive and ask yourself, Am I eating or am I being eaten? And then I want you to decide what are you going to build.
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All right, guys, that's it for today.
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I hope I kept it short enough.
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Um, again, if this resonates with you, share it, I want you to reflect on it.
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And most importantly, act on it, be your own best friend.
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And as always, I want you to stay bold, stay loud and never let them serve you up.
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Thank you for listening to me this week.
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I appreciate you guys as always.
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And until next time, bye, I'm signing off.