August 14, 2025 • 27 mins
In this powerful episode of The Culture Collective ThoughtCast™, JuniorTheTruth™ sits down with special guest Thomas J. Few Sr. (thomasjfew.com) to uncover the most pressing threats to the stability and well-being of the Black American family. From generational challenges to cultural and social pressures, they explore the factors undermining family infrastructure and discuss strategies for preservation, empowerment, and resilience.
Tune in to gain critical insights, actionable ideas, and a deeper understanding of how Black families can strengthen their legacy and secure a future rooted in culture, unity, and purpose.
Keywords: Black family, Black culture, family stability, community empowerment, generational wealth, cultural truth, intergenerational support, social issues, Black American legacy, family infrastructure
Tune in to gain critical insights, actionable ideas, and a deeper understanding of how Black families can strengthen their legacy and secure a future rooted in culture, unity, and purpose.
Keywords: Black family, Black culture, family stability, community empowerment, generational wealth, cultural truth, intergenerational support, social issues, Black American legacy, family infrastructure
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Man, is this thing on my check? My check? One? Two?
Mike check? What's up with it? Family? What's the damn deal? Man?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This is Junior the Truth Man, and this is indeed
episode three of the Culture Collective Thought Cast Man.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
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Speaker 2 (00:28):
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Speaker 1 (00:40):
Man.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
So, I am a DJ host, jun you the Truth Man.
Thank you all so much, man for taking the time
to twoe in. If I had a million tongues, I
couldn't tell it. Once again, I'm your host. You can
follow me everywhere via social media. I can be found
with the handle Junior the Truth. That's j U n
I O R t H E t r U t H.
And that's over all the social media platforms man, each
and everyone. But if you really looking for me, you
(01:01):
can catch me over on www dot Junior the Truth
dot com. Yes, www dot Junior the Truth dot com.
That's all things Junior the Truth Man, So you can
come catch me there. Everything's over there, man. The catalog
is there, the links that take you over to the
YouTube channel, the Truth shop, man, the blog site, just
(01:24):
everything is there, so be sure to come check me
out www dot Junior, the truth dot com. But salu
to you all, man, once again, I want to thank you.
Today is a very very special conversation.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
A lot of you all who have been following the
different transitions of the platform. You've you've come across our
special guests of quite a few times. A lot of
you all have been asking for him to come back.
So you know, we're gonna bring him up with none
other adud Man. We're gonna bring up my brother Thomas
few Senior. What's up with you, Broke?
Speaker 1 (01:57):
It's good? What's good? Man, it's good.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Thanks for having me out.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I appreciate you, man, I appreciate you coming in man,
I really truly do. Man.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
How you feeling, bro oh.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Man, I'm blessed, bruh, no complaints, you know, just over
here winding down for the evening, relaxing Man about you.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Man, I'm good money man.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I just I literally just walked in the door, like
you know, acting like we don't we ain't talking text
like I just walked in the door from working from
a long day. Man, So trying to wind down myself,
but you know, we definitely trying to stay disciplined. So
I want to get this podcast in. I've been trying
to get you in, and you know, you were amongst
(02:35):
the first listing of guests that I wanted to have here,
So you know, I definitely want to get you in, bro,
and I wanted to, Like, we talk, you know, we
talk every day. For those of y'all that don't know,
we talk every day, and most of y'all do know.
But this is my brother. We've been friends forty some
odd years, you know what I mean, And we have
(02:58):
these real iron sharpening, ironing, iron sharpened, iron conversations, like
on a daily basis, you know what I mean. We've
had multimillion dollar conversations, you know what I'm saying. And
we've had a bad head whole conversations, but we talked,
you know what I mean. And and so we've had
conversations a lot over the probably about the last five
(03:21):
or six years, and we're just like, nah, man, we
got to get this on the podcast.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Man.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
We should have recorded this, man, we should have recorded that.
And so I wanted to come in and bring you
in to have this the continuation of just the conversation
that you know we've been having here on the Dollcast.
So I'm a I'm a I'm a pro you by
asking you, what do you feel is the biggest concern
(03:48):
for the direction of the culture. And when I say
the culture, you know, I mean us are people. What's
your biggest, uh point of concern? What's the biggest threat?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I think, you know, the biggest threat is never never
discovering and waking up who waking up truly who we
are and knowing where we come from and knowing what's
inside of us, you know, just never getting there. That
would be my biggest fear that you know, as a group,
just never ever get to that point where we understand
(04:21):
who we are and truly start acting like it.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Hm hmm.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
There's so much to unpack when you say that, bro,
When I really think about it, like the knowledge of
of of who we actually are and and I look
at that as a as a collective and then also individually,
you know what I'm saying, like who are you individually?
You know, like you know, I've been on this on
(04:49):
this self mastery kick, not even I've been, man, my
adult life has been dedicated to self mastery, you know
what I mean. But I've just allowed the world then,
you know what I mean to the things that I've
been doing and things that I've been pursuing, and I've
just been open and been transparent to the world. But
(05:11):
so individually who we are, who we are as collective,
you know what I mean? I man, I think that
that's that's that's remarkable. And I didn't expect you to
say that. Why did you say that?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I mean, it's just what I truly believe. I mean,
because you know, at the end of the day, we're
never going to become what we're supposed to be if
we don't ever recognize who we are and where we
come from and what sentenced. So I mean when I
look at when I truly think about our life's purpose
to me, you know, my what I what I see,
what I hear is our primary life purpose is to
(05:46):
become the best version of ourselves. How can we come
how can we become that person? If we never discover
where we come from and what's in us and what
drives us even we want to become the best version
of ourselves.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You can't even be like, you don't even know who
you are.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Yeah, and the and the water has been so muddied
for us, you know what I mean, as far as
the culture, the water has been so muddy, Like people
don't even embark on that journey, you know what I mean.
People don't even embark on that journey. Can you imagine?
Can you imagine a scenario where your culture has been colonized?
(06:28):
You feel me, your your people, your group of people,
your demographic has been colonized.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
You've been marcalized. You feel me.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
You've been you've been, uh, just under the thumb of
a system, and that system tells you who you are.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
And you believe it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Mm hmm. Don't sound it is crazy. I don't just
sound crazy, it is crazy. I mean really, as we know,
people are you know, trained and condition to take the
path of these resistance. So it's a lot easier for
somebody to tell you who you are than I'm trying
to discoverage yourself, Like what it takes work to go out,
(07:07):
you know and go on that journey of self discovery
and figuring out who you are and what's in you
and where you come from. That takes work, that takes
energy and etc. It's much easier to let somebody else
just say this is what it was, this is what
it is. You just accept it.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
It's easy. Damn.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Bro, Damn bro. See men, I told you, and you're
starting this. You're starting you're starting it already, Bro, Like,
what is what is? What is it about us?
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Man?
Speaker 2 (07:33):
That we just we seek the path of least resistance?
You think that's a characteristic of us, Like we just
seek the past, the least resistance.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I mean, I'm not gonna say it's just us, but
I mean definitely in us. You know, that's that's you know,
that's for sure. You know when you look at you
know our actions and how we operate and how we
continue to move. I mean, we're definitely not trying to
make the sacrifices that it would take the truly get
us to where we're supposed to be. I mean, that's obvious, damn.
(08:01):
And we rather go you rather go to the easy route,
you know what I mean. We get comfortable, you know,
we get out here, we got our house in the suburbs,
and you know, that's it, you know what I mean,
We're not really pushing to go to the next level
and to get what we really really supposed to be
going in the end, we just take the comfort.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
What's comfortable? What's that level? It sound like you cut
us out. It sound like you cut us out. What's
that next level?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well, I mean just saying going to the next level.
I mean yeah, like I said, we'dne went out here
and got degrees. We didn't move to the suburbs, did
all that, But what's next?
Speaker 1 (08:30):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Why does that have to be the end of it?
You know what I mean? We need to continue focusing
on having our own building, our own doing.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
You know, there we go owner.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
It's about you know, it's about true ownership, you know
what I mean, like really owning something. So we got
some then then you got some power, then you got
something to work with.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Ooh, you about to see I'm gonna have to change
the name of the I have to change the name
of the the of the of the episode because you
didn't already kick the door in.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Bro. All right, Bro, I'm just gonna do this, and
I'm gonna say this, fuck you.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
One of my biggest hiccups is we're always talking, right
and you and I had a conversation following the African
American Wellness events in Columbus, Ohio this weekend that featured uh,
David Banner, a lot of you know people there, different
community organizations, governmental entities, so on and so forth, And
(09:29):
you and I had a conversation based on something that
David Banner said when afterwards and he was on social
media talking about basically that there was a lot of
good talking about our issues and whatnot. You and I
had the conversation and we both said, man, we sick
of talking.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Mh. That's what That's how we do is talk, bro.
We talk talk, talk, talk talk, But we.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Don't own anything. We don't own anything. And so for
those of you all who don't know, I have a
very hard time with the black elitists. I have a
very hard time with the people who identify as black leaders.
(10:14):
I have a very hard time with people who think
that they are the upper crust of the culture.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
I have a very hard time with that.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
And that is because all of these people who are
the elitists slash upper crust so on and so forth,
are you are literally used as a tool of the
establishment and the system and the systematic entities that are
in place that keep us in this space that we're in,
(10:50):
and so I have a real hard time with I
have a real hard time with these people. Plus I
believe that that whole concept is bullshit because these niggas
don't own nothing.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
We don't own anything. We don't own. We don't even
own the culture anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Bro.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
It has been commercialized and it's been sold. We don't
own it. We don't own the music, we don't own
the fashion. We don't even own the goddamn cuisine any or.
We don't own any of the culture. I said, the music,
I said, the fashion, the cuisine, the visual art. We
(11:31):
don't own any of it. Bro.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
It's all been strict from us, you know, commercialized and
sold and resold and resold, that's all of it. But
we're not selling any of it. It's none of ours,
none of this are We generate the ideas, we generate
the inspiration, but we make none of the prophets off
of them.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
They've even they've even it's so bad, bro, they have
even been able to commercialize are the I call it
our anguish, like the anguish of the culture, the addictions.
You understand what I'm saying, the ailments, the illnesses like
they capitalize on that.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Right. Motherfucker is addicted to liquor. Yep.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
How many liquor store when you go to the hood, Bro,
you can buy liquor on every corner you feel me,
And who sells it to you?
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Or it ain't us? Bro, you ain't liquor store nowhere.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
You might find a card too, that's black home, but
you're not finna find those black owned liquor stores nowhere.
You have a bet you will find you will find
uh the uh uh. This is gonna be ignorant. Bro,
this is gonna be ignorant. But we're gonna say, you're
gonna find the slurpy Indians. You're gonna find the the
some one of them standies a Pakistani's or something. You're
(12:54):
gonna find that. You're gonna find some Africans from like
a booney mama. You're gonna find God damn.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Bro, Bro, we're here.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
You feel you're gonna find any of everybody man to
sell the liquor to us, but us man, they man,
it's been a number bro's. So with that being said, Bro,
what I got to listen to?
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Like? What am I listening to? A black elitist for
you feel me? What what I what? I'm what am
I listening to? Uh uh? A black fraternity.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Because they give the illusion of success. They give the
illusion of you know, the exception to the rule I
made it. They give the illusion. But at the end
of the day, we know when stuff go down. These
people never have any power influence. These organizations never have
any power influence. They don't make anything move. It's just
it's a show. It's a front. It's something to make
(13:58):
you feel better about yourself. Like, oh, we marched today,
we walked down the street. We should feel good about that. Oh.
You know, back when they had the million man, million
Man March, we all marched. You know, we brought a
million million black people to the you know, to this
area in march. But what did it what move needle?
Did it move?
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Right? How many millions of dollars did they raise?
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah? Not not for them though, for other people.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Yeah, if it was if it was a hundred, if
it was a million men there, why didn't everybody pull
out one hundred dollars you feel me and put that
in and and and put that in the in their hands.
And then they put that into the ever man. Man, Yeah,
we got to start talking before they be trying to
come give us the DOFU treatment.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Really little bro, Yeah, we.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Either gonna talk or we ain't.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
We can stop it.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Now, brow we keep going, Let's keep.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Let's keep going in man.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
No, Bro, I'm I'm I'm saying man like, it's it's
and this is what this is what I'm this is
what the black elites just thing is for me.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Right.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
You get people who are in these positions, They're in
positions of perceived power. They work their way up within
you know, different branches of government and government officials and
so on and so forth, and it's only perceived power.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
They have no real power.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
They have a bomb, they offer, they have a time
that they have to report, they got somebody that they
got an answer to. And there is no ownership. I
was saying that people are in these governmental spaces and
these places of perceived power, but they have no true
power because there's no ownership, Like we don't own anything.
(15:37):
You understand what I'm saying, Like it's crazy, bro, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I mean we talk about these title chases all the time,
you know. I mean that's definitely big in our community,
you know, people trying to you know, whether it be
in the corporate world and politics or whatever. They go
after these positions or titles. But like I said, when
it comes down to actually making some movements and change
or making some things happen within our community, they they
still don't have any power. It's obvious. They always got
(16:02):
asked somebody permission where they you know, they feel you know,
it's like they're scared to make that decision and do
something for their own people. So it's you know, it's
just title. It's just another show, another front that make
it seem like you're doing something when you're really not
having that much.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Of an impact.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
That's critical, bro, And I just look at it, like,
you know, I'm in the space where, Bro, I don't
really have it to do, you know what I'm saying,
Like I really don't have it to do, and I'm tired,
and I.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Just to me, it's just bullshit, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And I am in a space where I have to
minimize bullshit in my life, bro, Like literally, I have
to oh.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
This piece at all costs, man. You know, That's where
we at at this stage, and like we talk about
this every day, like you know, if it's not contributing
to my piece, to my purpose, to what I'm focused
on and what I'm suppos accomplished in this life, you
gotta go.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Yeah, all love it, bro, like it ain't no, no, no,
it's airs a bus about it.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Like every bit of it. Bro, it gotta it, gotta it,
gotta fleet.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
And so I'm just I think ultimately, man, when it's
all said and done, I'm just I think we're in
a very peculiar place, Bro, I really truly do. And
I think that I believe a huge part of it,
and I never thought about it from your stand from
what you said, which was, we have to get to
a space where we really are pursuing who we are, right.
(17:25):
You gotta pursue who you are. You gotta pursue who
you are. You gotta pursue who you really truly are.
And I think that that helps. So let me ask
you this. The title of the show was uncovering the
Biggest Threat to the Black Family. What do you think
is the biggest threat to the Black Family?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Bro?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Honestly not keeping it together? Now, you know, working as
the team, the unit that you are, you know what
I mean? We got so many families that are divided.
You know, well for whatever reason. You know, there's you know,
having children out of web, like getting married, getting divorced.
You know, just whatever came in to start dividing, you know,
or you know, maybe not prioritizing the family, or you know,
(18:11):
focus on your career more than you are than your family.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
It could be a.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Myriad of things that could be you know, contributing to
our family's demise and you know, divide. But we it's
it's definitely a major threat to us as a culture,
you know what I mean, because that's where the power
is in that unity in the family, you know. I
mean that's where how we grew up. And we were
close with our family, close with our you know, not
only our immediate household, but our cousins was like brothers
(18:36):
and sisters, like we had a whole unit. It was
like a trib you know that all worked together, and
you know, we were able to make things happen because
we stuck together. But now everybody seems to be you know,
divide left and right. You know, you see it every day.
So I just think that's really you know, having a
major impact on us as a whole.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
So man, I believe I agree with you one hundred percent,
and I think you summed it up. You know what,
I realized, and I realized it and I never really
realize it to this degree. I think our need for
like our need for individuality is one of the biggest
(19:18):
threats to the black family, like our need for think
about it, bro like our need for individuality, Like everybody
think about this space where we're talking about now, like
mama gotta have a life. Oh, daddy gotta have a life,
you know, like we just said, like it's for us,
it's peace at all costs, like that that he needs peace.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
You feel me.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Everybody has a need for individuality, and even now with
the you usher in the social media era, and everybody
has a need for individuality and you need it all
the time.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Like you hear people talk about.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Stuff like like it's cool, Like like fuckers talk about
never being married, never being chosen, Like it's cool that
team no kids. I ain't got no kids. I'm fifty
with no kids. Team Like it's cool when we know,
especially from the culture, like you were born to be
(20:21):
a husband, Like we're groomed to be fathers.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Women were groomed to be mothers. And to be wives.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
You know what I'm saying, We're groomed, excuse me, to
have our own individual our own families. And it's a
family unit. And I've never seen this much emphasis on individuality,
Like even when you came through the history books and
you think about history historically speaking us coming from you know,
(20:54):
tribal communities. Rather you believe your lineage goes back to
Africa or if you're a linear which is indigenous to
this land, to the Americas, it was our tribal like
we come from the Bible lineage. It was never about
the it was never about the individual. And I think
that this our need for individuality is a is one
(21:18):
of the biggest threats to the black family bro Yep.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
And you know, I could definitely see that perspective. Ashore
never thought about it that way, but you know that
is true. You know people are trying to you know,
everybody want to stand down. Everybody want to be up front,
what ind and what it hadened, what it was when
you know, I think things worked a lot better. Is yes,
you know, we were all a unit. We operated as
a unit, we moved as a unit, we made decisions
(21:43):
as a unit.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
But people got.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
That feeling of individualism because they embraced their roles in
the unit. Like, everybody felt important, everybody felt value because
everybody was focused on their particular role and wasn't necessarily
trying to do what somebody else is doing or trying
to be, you know, something else that they weren't meant
to be. They got in there, did their role, and
they perfected that role, did to the best of their ability.
(22:06):
As long as everybody was doing that in their roles,
the unit operated so much better. Unit want everybody wanted.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Everybody won.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Bro from the time you started working the lawn war
and you perfected cutting grass, you understand what I'm saying
to like washing cars or whatever, Like, whatever your job was,
it was a part of the unit, and it was
a part of the greater good, and the greater good
one like the unit one this individuality. Like think about that.
(22:36):
Think about how many people are a part of families, right,
and they put their hands on things and they pick
up things that are outside of the family unit, and
they give those things just as much, if not more
attention than the family unit. And you feel me and
then the scale becomes unbalanced, right, especially for those of
(22:58):
us that you know, have kids and and spouses and
so on and so forth. And people pick up stuff
outside of the family unit, outside of the house, outside
of this, whether it's rather it's church, whether it's a
Greek letter organization, rather it's work, whether it's friendship, friends,
hanging out with your boys, motorcycle riding, you feel me anything, man,
(23:26):
Greek letter organizations. I don't know if I said that
or not. It is stuff that coupon club. I don't
give a fuck. Like, you pick up this stuff and
it's outside of the family, and you give that more
focus because that's an opportunity for you to express your individuality,
Like you can express your individuality through these different outlets.
(23:47):
But it's meanwhile, it's having such a negative impact on
your family.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
You have to ask, you have to ask, at what costs?
You know what I mean? At what costs is it
worth for you to go pursue whatever this endeavor is
over your family? Like how much you how much are
you willing to impact your family? How much are you
willing for things to go bad while you're going after
this pursuit.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Yeah, that's yourself, that of individuality, of individuality, because somewhere
along the line, being a part of this family. This
family unit is not good enough. You understand what I'm saying.
And so we reach and it was it's no longer
become good enough for people to define themselves within the
role of their family. You understand what I'm saying, Like
(24:35):
it ain't good enough for motherfucker to say, Oh, that's
junior to dad, like he a dope.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Dad, that's junior.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
The husband that's junior, the that's junior, the uncle that's
junior to cut like you feel me, no longer is
good enough now it's junior the truth, you know what
I'm saying. Like, Nah, somewhere along the line, individuality became
more important than black family m And I've never I've
(25:01):
never when you go through like I said, historically, I've
never seen it before. You have individuals who like stood out,
you know what I'm saying, and they done remarkable things
in the culture for the history of the culture. Like
we look at historical figures, but how many of them
were historical figures didn't have a family, you feel me.
(25:22):
So you had you had the the uh uh uh
doctor Martin Luther King juniors, you had the Malcolm X's,
you had all these people, but they had families, you
feel me, Like they literally had families. And I'm pretty sure,
you know, excuse me, the work that they did outside
(25:43):
of the family was a lot, like I'm sure, but
the end of the day, they had families. So I
don't know, man, I think the individuality like that, I
think our need for individuality is one of the biggest threats.
And I didn't even come with that until I literally
start talking. Bro, you froze, if you're there, you might
(26:09):
have to go out and come back in.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Bro, there you go, there you go, my bad droptor no, nah, yeah, no,
it's cool. Let me kick this other one out hopefully. Damn.
I think I got you all right.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Yeah, But I was just the only thing I was
saying was that it was just it's just funny that historically, man,
all of these people who did major things that had
major contributions to the culture had families. Mh you feel me,
there was no, it wasn't too many people. Like even
when you talk about Nat Turner, you understand what I'm saying,
(26:45):
Like he had a he had a wife, you know
what I'm.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Saying, because you got to think about it for them
people to be able to go out and do those
great things. They had to have a support system in
order to make it happen. M. Everybody had to play
that part in order for all them pieces to come together.
Nobody was able to do will do those types of
things by themselves. It was a win for the unit.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Mm hmm. The individual has become bigger than the unit
man
Man, is this thing on my check? My check? One? Two?
Mike check? What's up with it? Family? What's the damn deal? Man?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This is Junior the Truth Man, and this is indeed
episode three of the Culture Collective Thought Cast Man.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yes, sponsored by the Black Gentleman Grooming Company.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Man, be sure to go check them out www dot
the blackgent dot com. We do have a line of
all natural, handcrafted grooming products specifically with you in mind,
so be sure to come check us out at www
dot the Black gent dot com.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Man.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
So, I am a DJ host, jun you the Truth Man.
Thank you all so much, man for taking the time
to twoe in. If I had a million tongues, I
couldn't tell it. Once again, I'm your host. You can
follow me everywhere via social media. I can be found
with the handle Junior the Truth. That's j U n
I O R t H E t r U t H.
And that's over all the social media platforms man, each
and everyone. But if you really looking for me, you
(01:01):
can catch me over on www dot Junior the Truth
dot com. Yes, www dot Junior the Truth dot com.
That's all things Junior the Truth Man, So you can
come catch me there. Everything's over there, man. The catalog
is there, the links that take you over to the
YouTube channel, the Truth shop, man, the blog site, just
(01:24):
everything is there, so be sure to come check me
out www dot Junior, the truth dot com. But salu
to you all, man, once again, I want to thank you.
Today is a very very special conversation.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
A lot of you all who have been following the
different transitions of the platform. You've you've come across our
special guests of quite a few times. A lot of
you all have been asking for him to come back.
So you know, we're gonna bring him up with none
other adud Man. We're gonna bring up my brother Thomas
few Senior. What's up with you, Broke?
Speaker 1 (01:57):
It's good? What's good? Man, it's good.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Thanks for having me out.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I appreciate you, man, I appreciate you coming in man,
I really truly do. Man.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
How you feeling, bro oh.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Man, I'm blessed, bruh, no complaints, you know, just over
here winding down for the evening, relaxing Man about you.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Man, I'm good money man.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I just I literally just walked in the door, like
you know, acting like we don't we ain't talking text
like I just walked in the door from working from
a long day. Man, So trying to wind down myself,
but you know, we definitely trying to stay disciplined. So
I want to get this podcast in. I've been trying
to get you in, and you know, you were amongst
(02:35):
the first listing of guests that I wanted to have here,
So you know, I definitely want to get you in, bro,
and I wanted to, Like, we talk, you know, we
talk every day. For those of y'all that don't know,
we talk every day, and most of y'all do know.
But this is my brother. We've been friends forty some
odd years, you know what I mean, And we have
(02:58):
these real iron sharpening, ironing, iron sharpened, iron conversations, like
on a daily basis, you know what I mean. We've
had multimillion dollar conversations, you know what I'm saying. And
we've had a bad head whole conversations, but we talked,
you know what I mean. And and so we've had
conversations a lot over the probably about the last five
(03:21):
or six years, and we're just like, nah, man, we
got to get this on the podcast.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Man.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
We should have recorded this, man, we should have recorded that.
And so I wanted to come in and bring you
in to have this the continuation of just the conversation
that you know we've been having here on the Dollcast.
So I'm a I'm a I'm a pro you by
asking you, what do you feel is the biggest concern
(03:48):
for the direction of the culture. And when I say
the culture, you know, I mean us are people. What's
your biggest, uh point of concern? What's the biggest threat?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I think, you know, the biggest threat is never never
discovering and waking up who waking up truly who we
are and knowing where we come from and knowing what's
inside of us, you know, just never getting there. That
would be my biggest fear that you know, as a group,
just never ever get to that point where we understand
(04:21):
who we are and truly start acting like it.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Hm hmm.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
There's so much to unpack when you say that, bro,
When I really think about it, like the knowledge of
of of who we actually are and and I look
at that as a as a collective and then also individually,
you know what I'm saying, like who are you individually?
You know, like you know, I've been on this on
(04:49):
this self mastery kick, not even I've been, man, my
adult life has been dedicated to self mastery, you know
what I mean. But I've just allowed the world then,
you know what I mean to the things that I've
been doing and things that I've been pursuing, and I've
just been open and been transparent to the world. But
(05:11):
so individually who we are, who we are as collective,
you know what I mean? I man, I think that
that's that's that's remarkable. And I didn't expect you to
say that. Why did you say that?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I mean, it's just what I truly believe. I mean,
because you know, at the end of the day, we're
never going to become what we're supposed to be if
we don't ever recognize who we are and where we
come from and what sentenced. So I mean when I
look at when I truly think about our life's purpose
to me, you know, my what I what I see,
what I hear is our primary life purpose is to
(05:46):
become the best version of ourselves. How can we come
how can we become that person? If we never discover
where we come from and what's in us and what
drives us even we want to become the best version
of ourselves.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You can't even be like, you don't even know who
you are.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Yeah, and the and the water has been so muddied
for us, you know what I mean, as far as
the culture, the water has been so muddy, Like people
don't even embark on that journey, you know what I mean.
People don't even embark on that journey. Can you imagine?
Can you imagine a scenario where your culture has been colonized?
(06:28):
You feel me, your your people, your group of people,
your demographic has been colonized.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
You've been marcalized. You feel me.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
You've been you've been, uh, just under the thumb of
a system, and that system tells you who you are.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
And you believe it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Mm hmm. Don't sound it is crazy. I don't just
sound crazy, it is crazy. I mean really, as we know,
people are you know, trained and condition to take the
path of these resistance. So it's a lot easier for
somebody to tell you who you are than I'm trying
to discoverage yourself, Like what it takes work to go out,
(07:07):
you know and go on that journey of self discovery
and figuring out who you are and what's in you
and where you come from. That takes work, that takes
energy and etc. It's much easier to let somebody else
just say this is what it was, this is what
it is. You just accept it.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
It's easy. Damn.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Bro, Damn bro. See men, I told you, and you're
starting this. You're starting you're starting it already, Bro, Like,
what is what is? What is it about us?
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Man?
Speaker 2 (07:33):
That we just we seek the path of least resistance?
You think that's a characteristic of us, Like we just
seek the past, the least resistance.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I mean, I'm not gonna say it's just us, but
I mean definitely in us. You know, that's that's you know,
that's for sure. You know when you look at you
know our actions and how we operate and how we
continue to move. I mean, we're definitely not trying to
make the sacrifices that it would take the truly get
us to where we're supposed to be. I mean, that's obvious, damn.
(08:01):
And we rather go you rather go to the easy route,
you know what I mean. We get comfortable, you know,
we get out here, we got our house in the suburbs,
and you know, that's it, you know what I mean,
We're not really pushing to go to the next level
and to get what we really really supposed to be
going in the end, we just take the comfort.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
What's comfortable? What's that level? It sound like you cut
us out. It sound like you cut us out. What's
that next level?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well, I mean just saying going to the next level.
I mean yeah, like I said, we'dne went out here
and got degrees. We didn't move to the suburbs, did
all that, But what's next?
Speaker 1 (08:30):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Why does that have to be the end of it?
You know what I mean? We need to continue focusing
on having our own building, our own doing.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
You know, there we go owner.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
It's about you know, it's about true ownership, you know
what I mean, like really owning something. So we got
some then then you got some power, then you got
something to work with.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Ooh, you about to see I'm gonna have to change
the name of the I have to change the name
of the the of the of the episode because you
didn't already kick the door in.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Bro. All right, Bro, I'm just gonna do this, and
I'm gonna say this, fuck you.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
One of my biggest hiccups is we're always talking, right
and you and I had a conversation following the African
American Wellness events in Columbus, Ohio this weekend that featured uh,
David Banner, a lot of you know people there, different
community organizations, governmental entities, so on and so forth, And
(09:29):
you and I had a conversation based on something that
David Banner said when afterwards and he was on social
media talking about basically that there was a lot of
good talking about our issues and whatnot. You and I
had the conversation and we both said, man, we sick
of talking.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Mh. That's what That's how we do is talk, bro.
We talk talk, talk, talk talk, But we.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Don't own anything. We don't own anything. And so for
those of you all who don't know, I have a
very hard time with the black elitists. I have a
very hard time with the people who identify as black leaders.
(10:14):
I have a very hard time with people who think
that they are the upper crust of the culture.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
I have a very hard time with that.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
And that is because all of these people who are
the elitists slash upper crust so on and so forth,
are you are literally used as a tool of the
establishment and the system and the systematic entities that are
in place that keep us in this space that we're in,
(10:50):
and so I have a real hard time with I
have a real hard time with these people. Plus I
believe that that whole concept is bullshit because these niggas
don't own nothing.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
We don't own anything. We don't own. We don't even
own the culture anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Bro.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
It has been commercialized and it's been sold. We don't
own it. We don't own the music, we don't own
the fashion. We don't even own the goddamn cuisine any or.
We don't own any of the culture. I said, the music,
I said, the fashion, the cuisine, the visual art. We
(11:31):
don't own any of it. Bro.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
It's all been strict from us, you know, commercialized and
sold and resold and resold, that's all of it. But
we're not selling any of it. It's none of ours,
none of this are We generate the ideas, we generate
the inspiration, but we make none of the prophets off
of them.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
They've even they've even it's so bad, bro, they have
even been able to commercialize are the I call it
our anguish, like the anguish of the culture, the addictions.
You understand what I'm saying, the ailments, the illnesses like
they capitalize on that.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Right. Motherfucker is addicted to liquor. Yep.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
How many liquor store when you go to the hood, Bro,
you can buy liquor on every corner you feel me,
And who sells it to you?
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Or it ain't us? Bro, you ain't liquor store nowhere.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
You might find a card too, that's black home, but
you're not finna find those black owned liquor stores nowhere.
You have a bet you will find you will find
uh the uh uh. This is gonna be ignorant. Bro,
this is gonna be ignorant. But we're gonna say, you're
gonna find the slurpy Indians. You're gonna find the the
some one of them standies a Pakistani's or something. You're
(12:54):
gonna find that. You're gonna find some Africans from like
a booney mama. You're gonna find God damn.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Bro, Bro, we're here.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
You feel you're gonna find any of everybody man to
sell the liquor to us, but us man, they man,
it's been a number bro's. So with that being said, Bro,
what I got to listen to?
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Like? What am I listening to? A black elitist for
you feel me? What what I what? I'm what am
I listening to? Uh uh? A black fraternity.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Because they give the illusion of success. They give the
illusion of you know, the exception to the rule I
made it. They give the illusion. But at the end
of the day, we know when stuff go down. These
people never have any power influence. These organizations never have
any power influence. They don't make anything move. It's just
it's a show. It's a front. It's something to make
(13:58):
you feel better about yourself. Like, oh, we marched today,
we walked down the street. We should feel good about that. Oh.
You know, back when they had the million man, million
Man March, we all marched. You know, we brought a
million million black people to the you know, to this
area in march. But what did it what move needle?
Did it move?
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Right? How many millions of dollars did they raise?
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah? Not not for them though, for other people.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Yeah, if it was if it was a hundred, if
it was a million men there, why didn't everybody pull
out one hundred dollars you feel me and put that
in and and and put that in the in their hands.
And then they put that into the ever man. Man, Yeah,
we got to start talking before they be trying to
come give us the DOFU treatment.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Really little bro, Yeah, we.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Either gonna talk or we ain't.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
We can stop it.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Now, brow we keep going, Let's keep.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Let's keep going in man.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
No, Bro, I'm I'm I'm saying man like, it's it's
and this is what this is what I'm this is
what the black elites just thing is for me.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Right.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
You get people who are in these positions, They're in
positions of perceived power. They work their way up within
you know, different branches of government and government officials and
so on and so forth, and it's only perceived power.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
They have no real power.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
They have a bomb, they offer, they have a time
that they have to report, they got somebody that they
got an answer to. And there is no ownership. I
was saying that people are in these governmental spaces and
these places of perceived power, but they have no true
power because there's no ownership, Like we don't own anything.
(15:37):
You understand what I'm saying, Like it's crazy, bro, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I mean we talk about these title chases all the time,
you know. I mean that's definitely big in our community,
you know, people trying to you know, whether it be
in the corporate world and politics or whatever. They go
after these positions or titles. But like I said, when
it comes down to actually making some movements and change
or making some things happen within our community, they they
still don't have any power. It's obvious. They always got
(16:02):
asked somebody permission where they you know, they feel you know,
it's like they're scared to make that decision and do
something for their own people. So it's you know, it's
just title. It's just another show, another front that make
it seem like you're doing something when you're really not
having that much.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Of an impact.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
That's critical, bro, And I just look at it, like,
you know, I'm in the space where, Bro, I don't
really have it to do, you know what I'm saying,
Like I really don't have it to do, and I'm tired,
and I.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Just to me, it's just bullshit, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And I am in a space where I have to
minimize bullshit in my life, bro, Like literally, I have
to oh.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
This piece at all costs, man. You know, That's where
we at at this stage, and like we talk about
this every day, like you know, if it's not contributing
to my piece, to my purpose, to what I'm focused
on and what I'm suppos accomplished in this life, you
gotta go.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Yeah, all love it, bro, like it ain't no, no, no,
it's airs a bus about it.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Like every bit of it. Bro, it gotta it, gotta it,
gotta fleet.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
And so I'm just I think ultimately, man, when it's
all said and done, I'm just I think we're in
a very peculiar place, Bro, I really truly do. And
I think that I believe a huge part of it,
and I never thought about it from your stand from
what you said, which was, we have to get to
a space where we really are pursuing who we are, right.
(17:25):
You gotta pursue who you are. You gotta pursue who
you are. You gotta pursue who you really truly are.
And I think that that helps. So let me ask
you this. The title of the show was uncovering the
Biggest Threat to the Black Family. What do you think
is the biggest threat to the Black Family?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Bro?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Honestly not keeping it together? Now, you know, working as
the team, the unit that you are, you know what
I mean? We got so many families that are divided.
You know, well for whatever reason. You know, there's you know,
having children out of web, like getting married, getting divorced.
You know, just whatever came in to start dividing, you know,
or you know, maybe not prioritizing the family, or you know,
(18:11):
focus on your career more than you are than your family.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
It could be a.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Myriad of things that could be you know, contributing to
our family's demise and you know, divide. But we it's
it's definitely a major threat to us as a culture,
you know what I mean, because that's where the power
is in that unity in the family, you know. I
mean that's where how we grew up. And we were
close with our family, close with our you know, not
only our immediate household, but our cousins was like brothers
(18:36):
and sisters, like we had a whole unit. It was
like a trib you know that all worked together, and
you know, we were able to make things happen because
we stuck together. But now everybody seems to be you know,
divide left and right. You know, you see it every day.
So I just think that's really you know, having a
major impact on us as a whole.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
So man, I believe I agree with you one hundred percent,
and I think you summed it up. You know what,
I realized, and I realized it and I never really
realize it to this degree. I think our need for
like our need for individuality is one of the biggest
(19:18):
threats to the black family, like our need for think
about it, bro like our need for individuality, Like everybody
think about this space where we're talking about now, like
mama gotta have a life. Oh, daddy gotta have a life,
you know, like we just said, like it's for us,
it's peace at all costs, like that that he needs peace.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
You feel me.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Everybody has a need for individuality, and even now with
the you usher in the social media era, and everybody
has a need for individuality and you need it all
the time.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Like you hear people talk about.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Stuff like like it's cool, Like like fuckers talk about
never being married, never being chosen, Like it's cool that
team no kids. I ain't got no kids. I'm fifty
with no kids. Team Like it's cool when we know,
especially from the culture, like you were born to be
(20:21):
a husband, Like we're groomed to be fathers.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Women were groomed to be mothers. And to be wives.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
You know what I'm saying, We're groomed, excuse me, to
have our own individual our own families. And it's a
family unit. And I've never seen this much emphasis on individuality,
Like even when you came through the history books and
you think about history historically speaking us coming from you know,
(20:54):
tribal communities. Rather you believe your lineage goes back to
Africa or if you're a linear which is indigenous to
this land, to the Americas, it was our tribal like
we come from the Bible lineage. It was never about
the it was never about the individual. And I think
that this our need for individuality is a is one
(21:18):
of the biggest threats to the black family bro Yep.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
And you know, I could definitely see that perspective. Ashore
never thought about it that way, but you know that
is true. You know people are trying to you know,
everybody want to stand down. Everybody want to be up front,
what ind and what it hadened, what it was when
you know, I think things worked a lot better. Is yes,
you know, we were all a unit. We operated as
a unit, we moved as a unit, we made decisions
(21:43):
as a unit.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
But people got.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
That feeling of individualism because they embraced their roles in
the unit. Like, everybody felt important, everybody felt value because
everybody was focused on their particular role and wasn't necessarily
trying to do what somebody else is doing or trying
to be, you know, something else that they weren't meant
to be. They got in there, did their role, and
they perfected that role, did to the best of their ability.
(22:06):
As long as everybody was doing that in their roles,
the unit operated so much better. Unit want everybody wanted.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Everybody won.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Bro from the time you started working the lawn war
and you perfected cutting grass, you understand what I'm saying
to like washing cars or whatever, Like, whatever your job was,
it was a part of the unit, and it was
a part of the greater good, and the greater good
one like the unit one this individuality. Like think about that.
(22:36):
Think about how many people are a part of families, right,
and they put their hands on things and they pick
up things that are outside of the family unit, and
they give those things just as much, if not more
attention than the family unit. And you feel me and
then the scale becomes unbalanced, right, especially for those of
(22:58):
us that you know, have kids and and spouses and
so on and so forth. And people pick up stuff
outside of the family unit, outside of the house, outside
of this, whether it's rather it's church, whether it's a
Greek letter organization, rather it's work, whether it's friendship, friends,
hanging out with your boys, motorcycle riding, you feel me anything, man,
(23:26):
Greek letter organizations. I don't know if I said that
or not. It is stuff that coupon club. I don't
give a fuck. Like, you pick up this stuff and
it's outside of the family, and you give that more
focus because that's an opportunity for you to express your individuality,
Like you can express your individuality through these different outlets.
(23:47):
But it's meanwhile, it's having such a negative impact on
your family.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
You have to ask, you have to ask, at what costs?
You know what I mean? At what costs is it
worth for you to go pursue whatever this endeavor is
over your family? Like how much you how much are
you willing to impact your family? How much are you
willing for things to go bad while you're going after
this pursuit.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Yeah, that's yourself, that of individuality, of individuality, because somewhere
along the line, being a part of this family. This
family unit is not good enough. You understand what I'm saying.
And so we reach and it was it's no longer
become good enough for people to define themselves within the
role of their family. You understand what I'm saying, Like
(24:35):
it ain't good enough for motherfucker to say, Oh, that's
junior to dad, like he a dope.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Dad, that's junior.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
The husband that's junior, the that's junior, the uncle that's
junior to cut like you feel me, no longer is
good enough now it's junior the truth, you know what
I'm saying. Like, Nah, somewhere along the line, individuality became
more important than black family m And I've never I've
(25:01):
never when you go through like I said, historically, I've
never seen it before. You have individuals who like stood out,
you know what I'm saying, and they done remarkable things
in the culture for the history of the culture. Like
we look at historical figures, but how many of them
were historical figures didn't have a family, you feel me.
(25:22):
So you had you had the the uh uh uh
doctor Martin Luther King juniors, you had the Malcolm X's,
you had all these people, but they had families, you
feel me, Like they literally had families. And I'm pretty sure,
you know, excuse me, the work that they did outside
(25:43):
of the family was a lot, like I'm sure, but
the end of the day, they had families. So I
don't know, man, I think the individuality like that, I
think our need for individuality is one of the biggest threats.
And I didn't even come with that until I literally
start talking. Bro, you froze, if you're there, you might
(26:09):
have to go out and come back in.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Bro, there you go, there you go, my bad droptor no, nah, yeah, no,
it's cool. Let me kick this other one out hopefully. Damn.
I think I got you all right.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Yeah, But I was just the only thing I was
saying was that it was just it's just funny that historically, man,
all of these people who did major things that had
major contributions to the culture had families. Mh you feel me,
there was no, it wasn't too many people. Like even
when you talk about Nat Turner, you understand what I'm saying,
(26:45):
Like he had a he had a wife, you know
what I'm.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Saying, because you got to think about it for them
people to be able to go out and do those
great things. They had to have a support system in
order to make it happen. M. Everybody had to play
that part in order for all them pieces to come together.
Nobody was able to do will do those types of
things by themselves. It was a win for the unit.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Mm hmm. The individual has become bigger than the unit
man
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