Raymond Moore

Episode Transcript
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Siobhan (00:00):
Hey y'all. Welcome to decking realitea. This is
Siobhan first, apologies for thelack of episodes, the last two
weeks, life has been absolutelykicking my ass. I started a new
job. Technically, I startedthree new jobs in the last two
weeks. One was just a weekendgig that didn't work out so

(00:21):
well. One was at a comedy club,which I was really excited
about. But the third, or theactually, the first one I had
started two weeks ago, was at alocal bar. I'd signed up just to
do a couple nights a week, butit looks like it's gonna turn
into a full time position, whichI couldn't be more excited
about. It's been a while sinceI've been in the local bar as a

(00:44):
bartender, and I forgot how muchI missed it and how much I love
just that camaraderie andcommunity and sharing people's
lives that way. I am blessed tohave found this little place.
It's run by this badass woman,who just the more I learned

(01:06):
about her is I'm blessed I foundanother unicorn to have in my
life. She not only owns a dopebar with a kick ass logo, that
when I first the first time Iwalked by I was like, Oh,
that'll be my bar, that'll be mylocal place. But then to find
out how active she is in thecommunity, and then all the

(01:26):
things that she did during thepandemic, to not only keep her
business afloat, and keep all ofher employees employed and
making money. She took it a stepfurther and got even more people
employed and really saved like awhole section of the little town
that I live in here inCalifornia. And it was
absolutely amazing. Maybe she'lleven let me interview her one

(01:48):
day. Bye, but so I'm veryexcited about that. But I've
been very busy kind of gettingup to speed and doing that.
Managing new jobs and my painprotocols and my self care
routines, and then somescheduling conflicts and some
bullshit came up. And that's oneof the other reasons where where
the why there wasn't anyepisodes. And you'll hear more

(02:10):
about that later in a futureepisode. So yeah, it's been a
wild, crazy two weeks. Buthopefully, now that everything
is getting settled in, we willbe consistent and putting out
episodes every week on Tuesday.
I have really excitinginterviews lined up and starting
to get them on tape on on tape.

(02:33):
There we go. Let's do itourselves. Yeah, so today's
episode, I talked to RaymondMoore, I met Raymond at a local
bar down the street from the oneI'm working at. We just started
shooting the shit. And he had areally crazy story. And he was
busting out in his Norwegianaccent. And so we sat down and

(02:56):
had a conversation, theconversation just as a trigger
warning, he does drop the N wordduring the conversation, we get
into a race conversation. He wasan East Bay guy who went to
Norway, and we talked kind ofabout the racism there versus
here. We talk a bit about hismusic and growing up and kind of

(03:20):
the biggest takeaway is that Igot from Raymond and you can
really feel it when you'retalking to him, or when you see
him interacting with someonethat is kind of maybe looking
for a fight as he does have thiscalm energy. And he's always
smiling and to hear his storyand hear how he has maintained
that composure and goodworldview was just moving and

(03:45):
inspiring again, I'm so gratefulthat I found this place and have
been meeting so many of theseamazing people. And then I get
to share these experiences withall of you. And can't wait to
hear about all your experiencesin the joy that you're finding
out there in the world. So, rollAjay, pour a drink or grab a
coffee, whatever your pleasureis. And listen to this episode

(04:08):
with Raymond. Love to you all. Alot of people yet because I'm
still new to like the wholearea. Everything.

Unknown (04:15):
So Lou was trying to get me to talk to me. She's
like, you're not talking to me.
That's like, yeah, I will talkto you, of course. And then no,
we talked about it. She said youwant to give me a 10 You took
five for me. 20 Because all Ihave is a stack of 20s I said so
when I come outside. I only gotTony's no no. You can't What can

(04:36):
I say? Okay, where we're justgonna drop it. I said you got
anything against me? againstyou? Drop it.

Siobhan (04:52):
Like, and then like everybody's kind of giving you
shit sometimes. I can't doanybody shit anymore. Like and
even when it's hot. Even whenit's on like, good fun sometimes
you're just like, I'm fuckingdone with everybody's bullshit,
you know? Thank you for water,which isn't always great, but
it's what happens. Oh, you'revery welcome. Can I get you

(05:14):
anything else? I'm just gonnacheck our levels. Because there
we go. You just want to saysomething.

Unknown (05:23):
Okay, hello. Perfect.
All right.

Siobhan (05:27):
So welcome Raman to the ducking reality world. All
right. So the pod is kind ofabout people sharing their
stories and what they've beenthrough. And when we met at the
bar, what, two weeks ago, threeweeks ago, you were telling me
how you grew up here in the Bay,and then went to sweet Finland,
Norway, Norway. We Mike and Iare having a fight about that
the other night because I waslike, he was like he was in. I

(05:49):
think he had seen Stockholm. AndI was like, No, Sweden. I don't
know why we didn't get Norway.
Where the neighbors? Yeah. Sobut how did you end up going? Or
why don't you tell us kind of alittle bit about your story.
Your words like, who you are,how you ended up where you are,
and what you've been working on?

Raymond Moore (06:06):
I am Alameda City native. I've not been here since
the 70s. So I'm in school here.
Got a lot of trouble here attimes. And I was pretty good
kid. But I wasn't a normal kid,though. For an example, for
example, meaning like, when Iwas like 14, I was like, into
weightlifting. Alright, alreadyknow me. So I was like, bigger

(06:26):
than all the other kids muchbigger and much stronger than
them too. So it's like, when Iwhen I became a freshman, so I
was gonna play football, right?
So we all go into the weightroom to workout. So I go up in
there, and then I'm stacking onplays, they see this little 14
year old guy stacking on platesright by about 250 300 panels.

(06:50):
And I'd start hitting like hewas not shit. Work. Well, what
are you doing? 15 Man, you hitme like that. Like that. So you
know, I was known around herefor being a little a little
strong Qi Gong man. Like mysound my friends is coming baby
man because a man body with ababy face.

Siobhan (07:14):
Baby man coming down the pike.

Unknown (07:18):
So I play a lot of sports. I'm a baseball player. A
deal of boxing, littlewrestling. I did a little bit
Eric. Yeah. Try it. I'll

Siobhan (07:27):
see what you like.
Right. Right. Right. Nice.

Unknown (07:29):
So then, you know, I got into the music business. My
cousin he has signed withAtlantic Records. Right. So when
he signed he, he brought mealong. So when you go do shows
and travel the United States, Iwas with him. Awesome. Yeah. So
you know, I've been like,hanging out with all of them.
Fill me with a bar famouspeople. You know? That's back in

(07:49):
96. Yeah, yeah. So did that fora while. Then. I met this girl
from Norway out here. So she wasstaying at a friend's house. And
I go and visitors and we becamefriends. And then one thing led
to another and now she gotpregnant. And then we got

(08:11):
married. I knew her for like,one month and I married her.
Wow. Yeah. So we got married.
And then we got on a plane andwent to Norway. And I was there
for 20 years.

Siobhan (08:21):
Oh, I didn't realize it was about a girl that got you to
go to Norway. That makes a lotmore sense.

Unknown (08:29):
Why not all places Norway. Yeah. So my plan was
only to go there for like twoyears. Maybe? Australia. Check
it out. For 20. I love it over

Siobhan (08:41):
here. Yeah. What made you eventually come back?

Unknown (08:45):
Well, she and I was having issues and then I sound a
little work issues. I was havingweather issues because some of
the work I do is working outsidebecause I was in the
construction field there. So itwas so cold and I'd be freezing
for eight hours. It'd be likeminus 25 I'm like I'm going home

Siobhan (09:09):
yeah, Kelly boy in like a cold country doesn't seem like
it

Unknown (09:13):
could take no more than two. So all of that played a
role for me. So I couldn't evenget home either. I was broke. I
was real bro. I was doing realbad. So one day, they got this a
game called Nabu log and Nabulog is like, let's say you was
playing out blue log, right. Andlet's say you want a million

(09:35):
right? Now, let's say I'mplaying now blue log also. And
let's say I live three blocksdown. Now just because you won
that million and I live threeblocks down. I'm going to win
100,000 What? Yeah, that's fine.
That goes over there. So So oneday, I had like, for example, 25
bucks, and I was like, It's mylast 25 bucks, man. Should I do

(09:56):
it? Should I play it? And I waslike I play it. So I played it.
Then I went to a party right andnow we at the party we drink in
a good time. And then my phonego ding Oh, 100,000 Right,
right. Let me see. Let me see.

(10:18):
Look. They owe me man. Congrats,man. That's great man. Got my
airplane ticket. Got off Wow,man, somebody's looking out for
me. Yeah, cuz I was in a badplace.

Siobhan (10:31):
Yeah, it's you're not the first person I've heard with
that, like kind of story wheretheir last like whatever, they
gamble it on something and thenit pays off like, Well, that was
the universe like, rewarding youfor belief in them or something
like I but that's incredible.
When $100,000

Unknown (10:47):
crooner kroner that's only like 15,000 10,000.

Siobhan (10:55):
But still, that's a nice chunk of change. Yeah.

Unknown (11:01):
Right. Right. Right. So I was happy about that. You
know, I mean, so you know, butokay, what I was doing, I wasn't
just in the construction field.
I was also in a solar sailindustry. Oh, yeah, I was
dealing with. Okay, like whenthe scientists make this product
cost Elysium. You know,selenium, or selenium. It comes
from the mountain and it lookslike a stone. And on the edge of

(11:24):
it, you see this silver, youmight think it was silver, but
it's not silver dough is trash.
So we cut that part off, andthen we wash it, and then we Sam
blow it and then we put it undernot a microscope, but an x ray
camera. So so we can see insideof this mineral. So when we look

(11:48):
inside this mineral, if we see,like these black dots inside of
them, that means it got to goaway. So then we take it into
this room where we put our handsin this box and got gloves like
this, and we hold on to thenasal, and then we step on the
pedal. So I'm stepping on apedal, it's gonna spray this
sand, right and then but itdon't look like sand. It looked

(12:10):
like a light. Oh, so So now whenwe hit in this Elysium, when you
see sparkles, that means you arehitting that stuff that you post
a beat here. So when you see thesparkle disappear, that means
it's gone. And you got to bevery fast. And you got to get
all love, and you got to sprayup the whole thing. So I was
working for this company, right?
And we was like, it's not like30 of us. And you know, this

(12:32):
business is a trillion dollarbusiness. Right? So we was in
competitions with like, hugecorporations, right? I got like,
200 people, you know how to time30 We was producing the most
Elysium in the whole Norway only30 people. Holy shit. Oh, we was
working hard. And now.

Siobhan (12:54):
Wow, what do you like?
Do you guys just have longershifts? And most companies like
how did you or was it just we

Unknown (13:00):
were 12 hour shifts?
within 12 hours? I do like, oneweek gone during I get like a
week off. And we gone like this.
Yes. Right. It's very nice. It'svery fun.

Siobhan (13:12):
Yeah, just sandblast and shit all days.

Unknown (13:14):
Like cutting. Yeah, you know me, using like these big
songs like this. And then wemight have like, some big blocks
of the release. And so we stackthem like this. Boom. And then
now we turn on a song calleddoor and it's in the dislikes.
And so you know, the block likethis study slice until about

(13:35):
like this. So you might get likefive or six pieces out of it.
And then we send it somewhereelse. And then they do
something. They send itsomewhere else and they do
something with it. Yeah.

Siobhan (13:43):
Oh, wow. That's so interesting. What do they use
that for?

Unknown (13:47):
Oh, they melted on solar panels.

Siobhan (13:49):
Oh, okay. Oh, so is that like the thing that what
makes the solar panels like thatshiny black? Reflective?

Unknown (13:55):
Right. Oh, all right.
Yeah. Wow. Dealing with that. Iwas dealing with also was signed
with a hip hop close brandcompany from Denmark. So it was
it was real big too. So like,they got these international
fashion shows in Denmark. Sothen, you know, when it happens,
then I gotta go to your to andthen I you know, I wear their

(14:15):
clothes. And, and I doperformances there. You know? I
mean, yeah, I mean, was he?

Siobhan (14:22):
Yeah, because it I mean, in my brain I because I've
never been to Norway, so I justassumed that Norway is mostly
white. Yeah. Like the diversityover there is was there it was
there. Like, is there muchdiversity? I don't want to sound
ignorant, but I really have noidea. Like, I would just think
it's mostly white people andlike, how many people have like

(14:44):
kind of transplanted out there?

Unknown (14:47):
Well, you know what, like, what I went through in
2000. Yeah. So in the littletown I lived in was called
Porsgrunn. Port coulomb, yeah.
Porsgrunn so When I first gotthere, like if I'm in the store,
like people be looking at melike they never saw a black
person before, you know, I mean,like, I'm like a white man like,

(15:07):
because they never saw somebodylike you. But as the years went
on, it seemed like a flood ofpeople started coming in from
all over the world. And then itbecame normal. I made those look
stopped, because it got normal.
So it is a lot of diversity. Oh,well, that's

Siobhan (15:25):
nice, because you also speak fluent Norwegian. Yeah.
Which just seems which isn'tfunny. But it does seem funny
when you're in a barn like justoutside of Oakland. And there's
like a black guy out with hisNorwegian language you made up
like kind of a crazy languagewhen you hear it. I get it, but

(15:46):
it's it was kind of a trip andit's but it's awesome that you
went and you did this hugeadventure kind of by yourself.
Well, I mean, with your lady atthe time, but it's that's
incredible.

Unknown (15:57):
So she and I, we traveled the world together. She
and I so you know, and we stillgood friends and stuff. Yeah, I
first go out there. January.

Siobhan (16:06):
Nice.

Unknown (16:07):
For today,

Siobhan (16:08):
yeah. And now is your kid over there to

Unknown (16:10):
to I got a 21 year old and I got a 19 year old. Nice.
Yes. And then I have a daughterhere. She's 31

Siobhan (16:18):
Oh, very nice. That's amazing. I think like the three
of them closer know each other?
Well.

Unknown (16:25):
They know each other because my my daughter I brought
her to know right before.
Oh, nice. Yeah. BecauseI had troubles with her as a kid
because I had her when I was 17.
So me and a mother. You know, wehad issues you don't let me see.
Yeah, you know, gang. So then Ileft because I couldn't even
find my daughter. I tried tofind her before I left but I
just couldn't find her. So Ileft. She found me though, when

(16:47):
I was there. Oh, nice. Yeah. Sothen we talked on the phone. She
was crying to be with you. So Igot her ticket. Florida, Norway.
She gave me Hale.

Siobhan (17:00):
How old was she when she got

Unknown (17:01):
13? Oh, wow. He was tough though. He was like, I go
to work. She's supposed to go toschool. But I get phone calls.
Hey, man, it's your neighbor. Ithink I think you have a party
downstairs in your house. A lotof kids and now I'm like, Ah,
man, tell the boss, I gotta go.
And sometimes. And this washappening all the time. And I
didn't call it from the schoolthat she had been going. And she

(17:23):
just give me straight hair islike, I don't know if I can do
this. Because we both in anothercountry, and I'm trying to
establish myself. And at thesame time, we're getting to know
each other and you drive menuts.

Siobhan (17:39):
That's a lot to deal with. Wow, right. Right. Right.
So how did you make it throughwith her?

Unknown (17:44):
So So you know, it came to a point because one other
thing her mother did not tell methat she was having some type of
mental issue. So when I'm seeingthis behavior going on, what is
this? And then she's got to tellyou

Siobhan (18:02):
think since she's already there?

Unknown (18:05):
I've got to tell you, but you know, she got a with a
call Ella bipolar son? No. Imean, so I started taking her to
see the doctor now. Get usmedications. But it just it just
wouldn't work because I can'tprogress in this country. You
know, I'm trying to get ittogether in my head. On on being

(18:26):
able to adapt, and she got tolearn to adapt to but we're
gonna be able to adapt if it'sconstant. Right. You know, I
mean, as I said, I got to sendyou back home. Sorry, you gotta
go back to your mother. Youknow, I don't want to do it. But
I don't know what to do. Right?
No, I mean, I'm still ayoungster myself, try to try to
understand my situation. Youknow, it's not easy. I sent her

(18:49):
back home. She was mad about itfor a long time. She kind of
turns with it and said she wassorry for everything she had
done. Yeah, don't worry aboutit. He was just a kid. So all
learning experience. Yeah,

Siobhan (19:03):
it's hard when you're like, I forget, like, as I don't
have kids, but like, as aparent, it's hard to like, from
what I can see, like balanceyour life with your kids life.
And then, so many parents justgive up their lives for their
kids. But then they get a littleolder and they get like this
resentment towards their kid, orlike, your kid doesn't realize
that you're a person. Like, Iremember when I first realized

(19:25):
my parents were people, you knowwhat I mean? Like, their lives
are fucked up to like, they'rejust doing the best they can for
me. And like, sometimes theyfuck up and make bad decisions.
And it's like, alright, well,that was a shitty decision. You
could have done better but but Iget why you made it like, and I
have no like, hate towards youfor making that decision. But
like, just say again, I fuckedup to like, but as a kid, that's

(19:48):
kind of cool that she also waslike, you know, I was going
through it and I'm sorry forthat too. Because I think that
can be really healing when youkind of own your side of the
street. Right, right. Right.
Yeah.

Unknown (19:58):
So you know That That went well she and I have contact
to the day since I came back tothe States. She already came
visit me three times. Nice. So Igot two grandkids. You know she,
she got two kids. I'm agrandfather.

Siobhan (20:16):
Do you like being a grandfather?

Unknown (20:18):
No, I haven't even met him yet to call him back.

Siobhan (20:22):
We've only been back in the States for like two years.
Yeah.

Unknown (20:25):
So I'm like, when are you gonna bring them? Because
she Kiki coming by herself? Likeyou got to bring them to know
Bobby's sending them gifts andstuff. You feel

Siobhan (20:33):
me? Yeah. And she Where does she live in the US? Texas?
Oh, nice. But in it, you've beenback for two years, but it's
COVID. So it's like, the timewarp is like the COVID. Time
Warp is a little different.
Right. Right. Right, exactly. Sothat's amazing that she's gotten
to see her three times over thistime period. Right, right.

Unknown (20:51):
Right. Right. Right.
Definitely. You know, when theCOVID Hit him, you know, the big
change happening here

Siobhan (20:57):
in California has been shut down longer and harsher
than I think anywhere in thecountry. Like our shit still not
really open. I was in Denver acouple weeks ago. And you
wouldn't even thought COVID wasa thing anymore. Like people
aren't wearing masks like therearen't masking mandates places.

(21:18):
It was It was wild. It was wildto be walking around. Because I
mean, here in California, youstill can't go into a bar
without showing your max guardsand your mask and all that shit.
But Denver wide open. Likealmost no one I saw was wearing
masks. Wow. Like, how comethey're like that? And we're
like this. It's crazy.

Unknown (21:36):
Yeah, you know, different ideas. I mean,
different perspectives.

Siobhan (21:42):
Different in different like amounts of people to like
Denver's not as populated as weare here in the Bay. But still,
it's like, how come they canhave their life back? Right,
right, right. You want to stopthrowing people out of the bar,
because they don't have theirfucking back scars, or they
don't want to show it to me, youknow, like that. It's just
sometimes you got to do what yougot to do. And you got to play

(22:04):
the stupid rules. Right. So nowthat you're back here in the
states in your you got your justrecently we were talking about
this earlier, Off mic, but youhad just recently gotten
injured. Yes, yes. So you'redealing with that. And then
you're building back up yourmusic career?

Unknown (22:21):
Yeah, yes. I'm trying to get back on the road again.
So I'm having fun right nowdoing it making it again. I just
one day, you know, since I'vebeen back to the States, I
didn't make no songs until acouple months ago. That's when I
started. I just woke up one dayand I was like, I got this idea.
So I just put it down on paperwith the studio coordinate.
Yeah. Then I recorded like threemore songs.

Siobhan (22:45):
That's amazing. So but like, how do you even go find a
studio? Or did you already knowone around here like,

Unknown (22:51):
well, a friend of my first a friend of mine sent me
to a studio. There's a veryfamous studio here in Alameda
and is over there by highstreet. So one of my friends
sent me over there and then Irecorded one tuner and now this
guy who I was dealing with, hisname is Mike. And Mike he does

(23:12):
music for like, too short. He 40Snoop Dogg. Hey, Bob.

Siobhan (23:18):
Holy shit. That's a

Unknown (23:21):
very famous over there.
Yeah, you know, got plaques onthe wall. Alright, cat No, very
busy. Yeah, busy for me. So Iwent over there, recorded one
song, and then I was supposed torecord more songs, but he just
was too busy. So then I had togo somewhere else to go find me
a new studio. So I went on theinternet, found a studio and
then I went to go look at it. Itwas beautiful, nice equipment.

(23:44):
And the guy I was working withwas a young guy. And he was very
nice, too. So me and him. Weclicked yummy. Oh, nice. All
right, right. Good.

Siobhan (23:56):
Yeah, cuz you were saying you're shooting your
first music video for this newsongs at the end of the month?

Unknown (24:00):
Yeah, so I'm gonna shoot not box

Siobhan (24:03):
not box can you give me give me like the
hook for that.

Unknown (24:13):
The hook is really a hook in a way. The way the way I
formatted that song is it's notnormally formatted. So you just
have to hear for yourself. MaybeAlright. Alright. Well, we'll
link

Siobhan (24:29):
that in the show notes.
For sure. And then we'll link upthe web the video when you put
that up, too. Right. So what wasyour fate when you got to
Norway? Norway? What was likethe hardest part of that
transition? Was it like thelearning the language? Was it
the culture shock

Unknown (24:46):
learning language was very difficult like when I first
started going to there's noreason class right? So I'm gonna
sit in class and he's speakingin a region No, no English
whatsoever. I'm like, Okay, wow,I do I understand nothing what
he was saying. So what I didwas, I stopped going, right. So
I said to myself, I'm going toblend in with society. And as I

(25:09):
go on, I'm gonna pick up fromyou know, just like, I started
picking up when I went back,then I just go in and did it.

Siobhan (25:17):
Oh, so going in like cold was too hard going in, like
after you'd been there for alittle while, like, kind of mix
it in and just listen to it all.
That's actually really smart.
It's a good way to kind of go atit.

Unknown (25:30):
Right, right. Right.
You know, I mean, so because inNorway, if you don't know the
language, you're not gonna get ajob. That's mandatory. As
mandatory. I went there, I gotmy certificate. So then when I
go look for jobs, I gotta showthat certificate that I could
speak it and understand it,right.

Siobhan (25:47):
Oh, wow. I didn't realize that sometimes. You
know, I haven't traveled a tonout of the US, unfortunately,
like a couple vacations. Butthen I think we forget so
quickly, like how, one how luckywe have it here in this country,
but how other countries havesuch different laws and rules.
And like that, like the factthat you can't get a job in

(26:07):
that, like here in America, youcan get a job almost anywhere
without speaking English. Right.
Right. Right. Which is great forpeople you know, but it's also
kind of frustrating for people.

Unknown (26:18):
Yes. Yeah, of course, because they don't understand.
Right? Yeah. Can I get a talk orcome with a brutal foreign
example? Yeah, you know, I mean,but but I'll tell you the best
country though best country Ivisited was Turkey. I love
turkey. Turkey Turkey was a realculture shock for me. Yeah, more

(26:38):
than Norway. So when I was inTurkey right is like when I
started walking down the streetguess what they thought I was
they thought I was somebody overthere they thought it was 50
cents ever I went wow babyscreaming running toward me.
Hello people running toward me Ifed Nicole for pulling me into

(27:00):
the stores my man Pullman justOh come on. 5050 Come on store
for Come on man. Buy my clotheshe he says something turkeys to
a little boy the little boy runup come back with some tea.
Daniel run off again coming backwith some clothes then they
start playing 50 cent it washappening with a man the big
bucks want to take a picturewhat you can go on the back I

(27:25):
got back taking

Siobhan (27:29):
is gonna be going to Turkey. Like no

Unknown (27:36):
right right. So so we were staying in a five star
hotel right? This hotel washumongous and they had
everything there. You don't evenhave to leave that hotel for
nothing. Right? Wow. So we wasthere for two weeks. So I was
laying on the sunbed right. Andtwo Turkish men coming approach
me. Excuse me, sir. Would youlike to join the contest? I said

(27:59):
what is this contest? He saidwhat a contest is we'll give you
this basketball and then withthe ball it's gonna be a
surfboard in the swimming pool.
So you got to jump on thesurfboard and try to close as
you can to the other side andthen it's gonna be a person
holding a basket and you got totry to shoot the ball making
inside the basket. He said wouldyou like to try tries alright

(28:21):
man great man great we from fromAmerica's oh yeah so because in
this hotel is just full ofRussians and those Turkish
people they complain aboutRussians all the time they say
the air again this net net netsand they always win and all the
contest is there so to be like Iknow you can get them from

(28:43):
America no you so win thecontest was going on I know as
last one to go so I'm watchingall these men hop on a surfboard
is very difficult. You know Imean, so they hop on a surfboard
and go little being total ballis almost impossible to get over
there to make it right. So whenis my turn to do say ladies and
gentlemen. We have an Americanpro basketball player here and

(29:08):
he make the shot. Everybody wasclapping I'm like so he's okay
go ahead American gave me theball right I never got on a
surfboard before I ran andjumped on surfboard I didn't
move nowhere though. I juststood there and I'm you know I'm

(29:28):
trying to balance on it is veryhard so as I go nowhere so I'll
just do a hook shot look hard asI can I fell in the water right?
And when I came up the guys downhere waiting for me come up
here. It's amazing. You Oh my.
You hear everybody in the hotelscreaming Wow. And then my kids.

(29:51):
Oh Daddy you amazing how youdoing?

Siobhan (29:59):
Best friends from that competition

Unknown (30:01):
that was so fun. But throughout the whole process
when I was there is alwayscompetitions. So they always
wanted me in the competitionever since I made that shot,
right. Yeah. So they got justone just one last competition
now whoever won the competitionis going to be crowned Mr. Long
Beach because the hotel iscalled Long Beach. Right? So so
we was doing his last littlethings, and then I want

(30:25):
everything. And everybody in thehotel screaming Yeah, he's gonna
miss the Long Beach. They got myhand up. So everywhere I went
from now point, everybody wantto talk to me. Hey, Mr. Cooper.
That's the way to do a vacation.
Right, right.

Siobhan (30:46):
So is that but is that the only reason why Turkey was
your favorite spot? Or whatelse? Was it about Turkey?

Unknown (30:51):
Well, okay. I mean, Turkey was funny. Like, we went
a river rafting, right. So as wecome into a point, we got to
take a break. So we pull it tothe side and everybody's
standing around, maybe eatingsome drinking. And there's a
little monkey running around,right, the little monkey saying
hi to everybody. But the monkeydidn't say hi to me. Whoo. Oh,

(31:13):
he was terrified. He startedscreaming when he saw screaming
start running hold on peoplelegs, jumping all day. And then
my wife and my kids laughing outdaddy, the monkey scared of you.
I don't know why I tried to goto him. He will not be my
friend.

Siobhan (31:31):
Oh, wow.

Unknown (31:34):
That was funny. I mean, it just so many funny episodes
there. You know me? Yeah, it'sonly funny episode. So Turkey
was nice in the food. Turkeygasoline.
Great food. You know Turkey hasone. The best food in the world
before you know that right?

Siobhan (31:53):
I didn't.

Unknown (31:54):
My food is great. Yeah.

Siobhan (31:56):
I don't know if I've eaten a lot of Turkish food. Mm
hmm. You know, what's a commonTurkish Turkish?

Unknown (32:07):
Okay, like, like, in Norway, a communist turkey. This
is very famous. Have you everOkay, Bob? They got K Bob here,
but it's not the same. So theircake, Bob's is just awesome.
That's a common dish.

Siobhan (32:21):
Okay, what is a K Bob?

Unknown (32:24):
I mean, they got two styles of a cable. They got one
that can look like a burrito.
And they got one to where? Itcould be almost like a man.
What's that brand called? Youknow? Some bread. It's like,

Siobhan (32:38):
like a hoagie. Not a hotdog. Oh, a PETA?

Unknown (32:43):
PETA pocket. Yeah. And they make like this all song.
Oh, awesome.

Siobhan (32:49):
I do like a stuffed PETA. Right? Yeah. Oh, what was
your so how many countries haveyou been to? You said you've
traveled the world. Well,

Unknown (33:02):
I've been around I've been to. I've been all around
the Caribbean. I've been some ofthose islands. I've been to
Turkey, Thailand, Germany.
Sweden, Poland. Or Ireland.

Siobhan (33:30):
That's amazing. I can't wait to be able to travel like
that.

Unknown (33:34):
I love Ireland. Ireland is so nice.

Siobhan (33:37):
Yeah, I've heard it and I of course like I have like
ancestors from there but haven'tbeen there yet. Oh, you

Unknown (33:45):
gotta go see is nice.
You know, they drink in early inthe morning. The party starts
when they wake up. Oh, yeah.

Siobhan (33:51):
I observed a lot of Irish men from in Boston. You
know, we've got a big Irishcommunity there. So I one of my
first jobs I worked the counterat a coffee shop. And in the
morning some of the guys wouldbe coming in or like they would
stop in on their way home fromtheir nights. Like let me grab
some doughnuts for the wife andkids after a night of drinking

(34:13):
so they just you know have acoffee with maybe a little
Bailey's in it to help them getthrough the morning

Unknown (34:19):
that's how it is man by law turkeys like the guy took me
to his house right and got a bigbackyard and he'd be shooting
discs you know desk so you knowhe came with a shotgun to me so
you're not shooting shotgun? Ofcourse I'm not to shoot. You
want to try to shoot the discs?
I never did it before but I trywhen he start popping them on

(34:40):
popping mall down

Siobhan (34:52):
how did you learn to shoot?

Unknown (34:53):
Shoot, shoot. Was it The eye. The reason why not to
use the eye cuz I'm a pitcher.
I'm a pitcher, and I'm gonna hitthe balls too. So I'm very
looking real king at something.
Yeah. So I'm designed to do it.
I don't know.

Siobhan (35:19):
I can't see anything unless I'm aiming for something

Unknown (35:26):
right, right, right, right. So in in Norway, I was
doing our freestyle battling. SoI was traveling the country in
Norway. Batterman cats andfreestyle. And so one day, I
went to a concert right? And itwas like, they got freestyle
battles going on. And you know,I got many acts one. And I'm

(35:46):
just a spectator, right? So I'mstanding there, and I'm watching
this freestyle battle. He wasone of the reason guy and some
guy from Africa, right? So like,battling with each other. Now,
the reason dude, I'm listeningto is there he rapping in
English to okay, I'm listeningto his lyrics and he's racist.
With his lyrics. I'm like, what?
Oh, hell, no. I said, who wasthe person? Give him this

(36:09):
concert. I want to speak withhim. And then I show you then
somebody showed me. I told himwho I was. He said, he know who
I am. He said, Yeah, I saw yourmagazines and stuff. I said,
Yeah. Okay. Yeah, you can comeback here. So right on. So I go
back there. And I say, I want tobounce that case and go to the
site and ask him, so I went tothe other side. Ross, I won't
bother you do? He's like, no. SoI was back to another side. What

(36:33):
other guys is asked, Hey, y'all,he said, No. So we started
talking, and then out ofnowhere, he comes. And he got
his finger in my face. How aboutyou? I'm like, Whoa, you want
it? Here warning. I said, Oh,you can't get it. So then I told
the boss man that he won't itnow Right? Yeah. Okay, you guys
go man. So I can't wait to seethis. So he called me and him

(36:54):
out. He went first. You know myface rabid racist. Buddha,
water, water, water. Oh, call meall kinds of names. I'm like,
okay, okay. And then it was mytime, right? That's right, man.
Do you got this biggest mostinstrumental? I forget what it
was. I said, but you got that.
He's got a spin that man hespent that beat I started

(37:17):
dropping my loves on that boy.
Know what he did? He got on hisknee starter bow when you're not
Muslim. That's what he wasdoing. The whole crowd was
screaming like they see MichaelJackson right and I'm just
spitting all over do he gets upand walk off the stage I took
over the whole show

Siobhan (37:42):
can get into one min.
Rock just to watch. Like to flyfor this? I gotta shut that
motherfucker down and take over.
Yeah. So how did that guy notget his ass kicked?

Unknown (38:01):
No. in you know, in Norway, they don't fight so
much.

Siobhan (38:06):
Right? But if he's up there, like being real racist,
like, I see, because if thathappened here, he probably
wouldn't have walked off thestage.

Unknown (38:15):
Of course, of course, of course. He would have been in
big trouble. But you know, outthere they got a different
school of thought. You know, Imean, like, somebody come up to
me and call me nigger. It is abig deal. But people really
don't get like you know, it'snot like that. Because I have
many episodes like I'm sittingat a bar and I got like 3030

(38:39):
Guys right we sitting therehaving a good time. Some white
guy come over here. Bang bang onthe table because I'm because
I'm on the black one here, rightbang on the table. What are you
doing here? So I'm sitting hereI'm drinking my drink. And I say
Hey, sir, please go sit down. Iwould advise you and he just
going off and going off he'sstill going off and then all my

(39:00):
friends do Oh, you see about 30Cats yelling in the region
cussing him out. Man I'm tellingyou go sit down you don't get
hurt out here messing with meman. You don't know you message
me because I didn't catch itlove me out there. They love me
down real guy man man we'd likeyou Thanks man. We're gonna

(39:23):
crown you the first black Viking

Siobhan (39:32):
Wow How did it happen a lot like I mean I just

Unknown (39:38):
Well, it can happen a lot sometimes I got I got like,
let's say I went out on threethree weekends in a row for
example it can happen like thatright? So I come home talk and I
talked to my wife about it andthat shit man you know I want to
do nothing nobody was justignore I'm just keep ignoring or
as I am no, no, but they keep itbut if they follow me right You

(40:00):
know, oh man, I don't know ifI'm gonna flash mine you know
enough is enough.

Siobhan (40:06):
It breaks my heart that that shit still happens like I
don't understand it i i knowthat that's just there many
words but like, I don'tunderstand anyone hating someone
for if you don't know themright, right like you hate
someone because of the way theylook like what? Why Right,
right? It's crazy. Yeah, likeit's like, Wait, do you just
hate redheads? Like, becausethey read here like, No. So why

(40:28):
do you hate someone because oftheir skin color? Or because of
like their sexuality or like, Inever will understand that. And
I always ask people like,especially when they're racist.
I'm like, so but what about it?
Like, do you know someone? Likewe were saying, when you first
moved there in the early 2000s,most people may not have even
seen a black person like that.
All right, I can get thatcuriosity of looking. Or like,

(40:51):
hey, I want to meet that person,because it's something kind of
novel, but not like, Oh, I hatethat person. Because I've never
spoken to or seen someone thatlooks like them. Like, I don't
even understand where that comesfrom. And I know I'm not like I
just then to hear and see peoplethat have to deal with that,
like and coming at you. Thegrace that you have to just let

(41:16):
it roll off your back isamazing. And I never I think
people need to like take thatinto account more often.

Unknown (41:23):
Definitely. Definitely.
You know what it really helps,like, when many times when I
come back for a visit here, andpeople asking me questions, and
maybe that come up and a manwill be calling you the N word.
Man, do you give me one ofthese? I'm glad. He's why not?
Man, let somebody do me. Like Isaid, Listen, it might be 1
million people calling you thatyou ain't gonna find a body.

(41:46):
It's gonna be said to you manytimes. You know, I even met a
guy at that same show I told youabout right. So after I got done
when I was in the back room, ablack man walked up to me right?
Excuse me? Are you from Oakland?
I said yeah. He said, Man, Iknow your cousin. You start

(42:07):
dating my 10 year old mom. Idon't even know who you like
man.
He told me who his cousin wasright. I know him. He said Yeah,
I heard you was here. He saidman, but I didn't think I was
gonna run into you see, it'scrazy. I found you

Siobhan (42:33):
although it's probably easy to pick you out in a crowd
out there.

Unknown (42:38):
Right right. Right is not so many Americans do not
know why but I ran into a fewlike, ask some buddies who was a
Jehovah Witnesses right? Theycan knock on my door one day and
say hey, we went to JehovahWitness I saw y'all Americans
may come on in. So they came inI was like, I want some cookies

(43:00):
and coffee. So we've seen thattarget can come visit me any
doubt like y'all man, you know,so they kept coming in one one
day at a party going on? And andhe came by and it's Amina
reporting.
Me. Can we join? I said sure,man, they came in here they got
drunk

Siobhan (43:26):
when people pass the booze

Unknown (43:31):
right. I never seen them again after that.

Siobhan (43:35):
They were probably grounded.

Unknown (43:38):
By God since right back home.

Siobhan (43:40):
Yeah, your mission is over. It was cool. Oh, wow. But
do you think it was worse therethan it is here with the racism?
Or is it just

Unknown (43:56):
not even Norway's very peaceful? So it's worse here is
way worse here. You know, like,over there, as we look in in the
MENA region, people are fed upwhat they see over here?

Siobhan (44:12):
Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, what people think outside of
America about America,especially in the last few years
is like, depressing. And how,like, kind of low that we become
in like, kind of trash, right?
Yeah, definitely. And peopledon't want I think most
Americans don't realize itbecause so many Americans don't
talk to people that have livedoutside this country, which is

(44:35):
also kind of a mindfuck. Whenyou meet people from Europe and
that have traveled soextensively, are the people here
that I've met that have traveledextensively, they just have such
a bigger worldview. But mostpeople that I speak to are like,
well, we're the best country inthe world like a long time ago,
unfortunately.

Unknown (44:56):
So is like speaking on that like when I when I first
went there in 2000 isn'teverybody loved America?
America? Yeah, yeah. So damn,when the war happened, you know,
when the Twin Towers went downand war went down, America
started going down, down, down.
Everybody was mad man, I wascatching hell over there because
of that, you know, so I was likesome sometimes I'd be walking

(45:19):
down the street but Americanright here like, just one guy.
He tried to gather up a lot ofboys to come jump on me in front
of a nightclub because I camefrom United States, right? He's
like, that guy. I think hecalled me from United States,
everybody, let's kick his ass.
And then everybody was like, no,no, we know him. He Cool, man,

(45:40):
dude, like, I'm gonna go kickhis ass myself. So I was like,
Okay, if he come up to me, Ijust got to do what I have to
do. So, I'm a fighter. Yes, I dofight. I used to back in the
day. So I do boxing. So when hecome in, I'm doing mathematical
movements in my mind on whathe's going to do. So I'm gonna

(46:02):
do this, and I'm gonna do this.
And he did exactly what Ithought it was over.

Siobhan (46:09):
Well, it's more like self defense.

Unknown (46:12):
You know, I had to put up with the right grace and it
was over. I didn't want to tryto beat them down. And then
everybody listen, because inNorway, if you fight and people
aren't gonna like you. So whenyou lay on the ground, I was
yelling in their language that Idon't know who this man is. So
when this man finally woke up,he still wants to come to me.

(46:36):
And I and then I'm telling him,Please get him. Right. Because
if he take one more these, Idon't know if he don't make it.
Get that man. So they got himaway. And then I didn't seem
like much and then one thenwalking down the street. And we
bought the cross paths. Now thehonest I do right here. So as we
cross paths, he goes on bumpedme like this bomb. I turn

(46:58):
around, look, he but he justkept walking straight. And I was
like, Man, he's gonna try andmess with me. So later on that
night, we crossed paths again.
So I spoke with him. I said,Man, I gotta ask you. Why are
you messing with me, man? Isaid, Oh, that right? Yeah, man.
I smell a cigarette. He'slike, Okay

(47:20):
Right, right, right. I put thetest down right there. He's
smoking, man. Just leave mealone. No prize what you do?
Yeah.

Siobhan (47:29):
And we already laid him out.

Unknown (47:37):
Right, right, right.
Right. You're gonna go throughthat trouble. And I don't want
to give him no troll. I'm justtrying to be cool, man. But that
is out there testing though.

Siobhan (47:48):
But I mean, yeah, dude.
Just to hear it's worse here.
Like, if I don't know,

Unknown (47:55):
is different is like, the difference is this. America
is brutal. And violent. Yeah.
Versus Norwegian racism. They'regoing to use economics on you,
meaning they're gonna make italmost impossible for you to get
a job. This is how they usetheir racism they dangle shoot
to darlin nothing, but they'regonna try to stop you from

(48:16):
having money.

Siobhan (48:20):
Yeah. Fuck.

Unknown (48:23):
So you got to have connections. And you know, when
I told you I was doing a solarcell. Yeah, the reason why I got
hooked up with decks I knewsomebody.

Siobhan (48:30):
So yeah, you needed to have that personal connection in
order to get in. That's mostly

Unknown (48:34):
how it was happening for me because I always knew
somebody was getting me in.
Yeah.

Siobhan (48:40):
Yeah, and then it's like, well, is the overt racism
worse than like the systemicright racism. But then here in
the US, we have both because,you know, like, people keep you
from getting a job because itcolor your skin or your name or
whatever. And then, like, youknow, there was a meme the other
day of this white woman Her namewas I forget what it was, but it
didn't sound white. It soundedethnic. I'll say like, that's a

(49:03):
shitty thing to say to you. Butit was, you know, it probably
sounded like a black name. Andsome girl was like, how many
resumes this bitch doesn't evenknow how many times her resumes
been thrown in the trash. And Iwas like, that's funny, but it's
also like, fucking sad and true.
Right? And it's like, how do wefix that? Like, memes don't fix
it. Like, how do we fix it? Likewhy does that happen? Yeah, it

(49:24):
just I always go back to like, Idon't understand like, how you
train someone to hate someonethat they don't know. Like,
little kids don't hate eachother.

Unknown (49:32):
Right? Right. Right.
You got to you got to teach themyou got to teach them teach them

Siobhan (49:37):
the difference you know, and like, why do we teach
difference? Shouldn't or likewhy is different bad? Why isn't
different just different? Whycan't we just accept it?

Unknown (49:48):
Right like like, like when you spoke about
applications get thrown in thetrash. Sometimes I saw they they
throw my application in thetrash in front of my Face balled
up. Well, no, I Okay. Obama isnext. And it was happening many
times.

Siobhan (50:09):
Yeah. The fact that you can talk about it and you seem
so just matter of fact, isdisheartening. And like, your
strength for that is reallyincredible. And I know it's,
it's just something that you anda lot of other people kind of

(50:31):
have to resign to live with. AndI just sometimes think like, we
don't, nobody takes a momentenough to recognize that. It's
like that, that thing of like,you know, thank God, black
people just want reparations,because if they ever like
decided to actually take backwhen they were own, like, we'd
all be fucked, you know what Imean? Like? And it's like, we

(50:53):
recognize that and like, I don'tknow, do something do a part of
I, I wish I could, like, fix itall. You know, like, you know,
or just heal a little part ofit, or just, I don't know, it's
just a part of the world that Ijust like, everyone wants to be
better.

Unknown (51:14):
No, everybody should want to be better, but not not.
Not everybody. Yeah,unfortunately. So, but you know,
I've been going through thisforever. So it just, it just
became normal.

Siobhan (51:25):
Yeah, that's it, maybe that's why it feels so like,
gross to me that you do talkabout it. Like, it's so normal.
And I had this conversationwith, you know, I've worked out
the last year that I worked inOakland, I work for mostly, like
a black run company. And most ofthe time, I'd be the only woman
or white person in that room. SoI've gotten to learn a lot more

(51:46):
and see it and like I've seen,like, I've had someone telling
me like, oh, racism is not thatbad anymore. And like, Have you
been out with, like, all blackpeople, because the way people
get treated is different. Like,and I sometimes think that. I
mean, you can't know how someoneelse's journey is. But like,
when you can take a moment andyou watch and you see things and

(52:07):
you're just like, wait a secondlike that. What the fuck is
that? And it's just like,sometimes even the energy that
comes towards some like that,that group of us that would be
Oh, it was different. And I'd belike, this is I, I don't
understand it. And it's justpeople suck. I don't even know

(52:28):
how to.

Unknown (52:29):
Well, people do so.
Yeah. When do I know you likelike, when my ex wife when I
tried to tell them about myexperience? She wasn't
understanding. I was like, youjust don't get the black
experience. Because you got yourown experience. You're not with
me all the time. So you don'tknow what's going on. Right?
Yeah,

Siobhan (52:49):
yeah. And I can I understand, like, I don't, I
can't, I don't understand yourexperience, but I can kind of
empathize with it. And I can saylike, well, I have seen like
this, this and this like, sowhen, you know, one of my
friends are saying like, Oh,yeah, no racism happens. And
another one's like, well, it'snot that bad. I'm like, well,
one, how are you telling someonewho's ever different? Like,
color or whatever? Like, how areyou telling them what their

(53:12):
experience is? Like? They're,you're like, No, you know, it's
not that but no, they just toldyou it was. So fucking listen,
first of all, right? Second,like don't just count someone
else's experience, because youdon't know it. Right? And like,
if someone's telling you like,hey, racism is real bad. Like,
well, guess what? They have thatexperience. So it's true. Like I

(53:33):
one of my girls, she is an Asianchick. And she said, like, in
the last year, when all theattacks started to happen after
COVID was the first time she wasafraid to walk down the street
by herself. And she was like,35, and she's like, at least I
made it to this age. And Ithought, like, that's too like,

(53:54):
one she's now like, afraid towalk down the street by yourself
just because of the color of herskin. And too, she's like,
grateful that she got to be soold before she had that feeling.
Like that's a shitty kind oflike, wait, you went you went
you like, it's almost like,she's like, I knew how lucky I
was to have not had that.
Because so many of her friendsand our friends do have that
fear. And it's like, somethingthat I don't even have something

(54:17):
to compare that to other than,like, I'm a woman. And if I walk
down the street late at night,it's scary. And like, you know,
women we always had like thisthought in our brain, like
someone's trying to kill us. Youknow, like, I can look at it
that way. But like, it's stillnot something that like is at

(54:40):
the forefront of my brain kindof in the same way that you have
to have that guard up.

Unknown (54:46):
Well, I experienced one day in Oslo, Oslo, the capital
of Norway. So Mina, Filipinofriend of mines, we walking down
this main street call caller Hanand calahonda the Main Street
where you can walk to the castlealso they got nightclubs all on
that street right? So we walkingdown the street MEMA Filipino

(55:07):
home and we hear screams wehearing glass breaking what's
going on up here? So as we getcloser we see people fighting
and it looked like it was likemaybe about 20 skinheads and it
was powering all theseforeigners and they just
fighting it Me and Me and Myhomie we just walking like that
happened right through a stormright? So memahami we stood in

(55:32):
the middle of the storm andwe're just looking like this
this crazy stuff though is itwas in the region women right
here and like about five Nazisman her and beat her up right
there and he ran off startthrowing glasses and beating up
people over there beating uppeople over there they run and
pass me my Filipino friend he'srunning past

(56:04):
meanwhile, friends don't laughwhen I was I guess not just
running fast as my weird, but itwas funny. It was funny. It
wasn't funny that the violencethat happened but it's funny
that Jesus ran past us. Yeah, itwas see as the same. Like I was
like, Okay, that's cool, too.
Yeah, you know me. And then likeanother time I'll be walking
down the street and Nazi woke upand thought, you know, Hitler

(56:27):
signs shit, right. So I'mstanding there talking to my
friends. I see a Nazi going likethis. Oh wait, he's walked off
those are the best reactions.

(56:51):
Right? Right. Right. Right.
Exactly.

Siobhan (56:53):
Like, yeah, they're trying to get you and you're
just like, oh, yeah, that's Oh,yeah, that's a good point.
That's a good one. Yeah, it wasgreat guy, great guy. You should
follow in his footsteps and godie. And I think well, humor, I
think is like, I will, in thedarkest moments, I will crack
the most inappropriate joke thatI can. Because I just think it

(57:17):
you got to cut that tension. Andlike, or you get gets, you'll
get so angry that you fuck up?
In what end up in jail? Like,yeah, like, you got to kind of
cut that tension somehow.

Unknown (57:32):
So I used to have a bad temper when I was younger. But
as I grew, and as I have put theright information in my mind, I
don't have anger issues. Zero.
You really, really, really,really, really have to do
something to get me angry. Youdo I just can't get angry.

(57:54):
That's amazing.

Siobhan (57:58):
What kind of work did you do to get you to that point
where you're not in like, orwhere you release that anger
that you are holding on to?

Unknown (58:05):
Well, you know, what, as time went, you know, I
started gaining more knowledge.
No, you know, in 2013 is when Ireally was digging in
information. Daily, not feedmyself feed myself and I'm going
out traveling, doing this doingthis learning things. And I it

(58:27):
just, it just left me

Siobhan (58:32):
nice. Like, what kinds of things were you learning
there? Like everyday things?
Were you getting into, like,self help stuff? Or like, you
know, like writing or like,

Unknown (58:40):
like, like, I might learn about some history? And
I'm a history guy. I lovehistory. So mainly mainly to
history stuff and stuff likethat. Yeah, I mean, you know,
and then learning aboutknowledge itself. That's the
that's the key is the knowledgeitself, because if you don't
have not to sell, you're gonnabe having some issues maybe.

Siobhan (59:01):
Yeah. Yeah, I think knowledge itself is kind of like
the whole goal in life. Right,right now, like, if you know
yourself, and you can controlyour own shit, then you can
control the world.

Unknown (59:11):
Right, right. Right, right now, as I said, That's
power right there. And that'show I that's how I trained
myself. That knowledge itself,so it all works out.

Siobhan (59:20):
Yeah. And then a lot of that passion, you get to kind of
put into your music to whichmust help, like, where you get
to put all that kind of anythingthat does come up, I imagine is
where that's where you kind ofput

Unknown (59:34):
our channel like, like, like, if some bothered me on my
channel into exercising on mychannel into the music. You
know, I mean, like, like, I gotmy phone and I'm on this app.
The app is called rap thing. Sowhen you sign up with this app,
also, they got like many beats,right? So you choose a beat, and
then it's gonna bring you overto like a studio that they got

(59:56):
on the phone. And then you know,you play the guy. You gotta have
headphones. All so then you hita big rap on it and then you mix
it down with the look thing andthen you know, I make like 5678
songs in one day.

Siobhan (01:00:09):
Wow.

Unknown (01:00:12):
So then I go lay down play dominoes

Siobhan (01:00:21):
Domino's on the phone is fun, cuz you can't hit the
Boneyard. Like how do you getthe real fun on the phone? Yeah,
I even played Domino's andyours.

Unknown (01:00:32):
I'm addicted to it. I can play it after 24 hours.

Siobhan (01:00:35):
Oh shit don't even know if I remember how to play
dominoes anymore. No, I haven't.
Yeah, I haven't played

Unknown (01:00:44):
fives though, but yeah, that's how I channel my stop
filming or or, or go for a walk.
I'm always walking on the beachall the time. You know, I got
wet my ankle weights. And whenmy headphones on I did go do me.
Yeah,

Siobhan (01:01:03):
I do the same thing.
I'm surprised we haven't seeneach other because I spend as
much time as I can on thatbeach. Oh, I am I there was a
guy the other day that I saw andhe's like, every time I'm here,
I see you. Like, hey, I'm here.
Because it is yeah, I am similarI channel I've learned to
channel some of my shit. And I'mstill a little angry about stuff
that I have to let go of. Butmost of the time I'm good about

(01:01:26):
like channeling it in or keepingit kind of internalizing it, and
not letting people see it. Whichis sometimes hard. But the and
I'm still working on kind of mypassions to channel some of that
stuff into. But that'sincredible that you've learned
to kind of do that. And, likedid you have an example of how

(01:01:47):
to do that? Or did you justfigure out like, I need to know
myself in order to control myworld

Unknown (01:01:56):
well, of course that, you know, I mean, like, when I
was younger, I always was aseeker. Mm hmm. For knowledge
for information, but I was stillbeing a bad kid. But I still was
doing more to my life than whatI was doing. You know, because
environment I was in you know,kids out there doing it doing
it. But I know something else Ineeded to do. So I kept on

(01:02:19):
looking for it kept on lookingfor it. The journey was on right
and then I got on an airplane.
Learning the journey feel goingwell, me. Yeah.

Siobhan (01:02:29):
Yeah, but that's amazing that you you always have
just had that drive and knewthat about yourself. Yeah,
that's important thing to have.

Unknown (01:02:38):
That's my shrink. Wrap.
Man, you gotta be strong likepeople be like, even with since
I've been back people beentrying to test me man. I just, I
just don't deal with it.

Siobhan (01:02:53):
Yeah, yeah, well, it's like that when someone's rude to
you, you have the option oflike, you can fight or you can
walk away like, and you alwayshave options and like, sometimes
that neither option is a goodone. Sometimes. Like it's like,
as long as you're choosing it,even if you choose the one
that's like might not look thebest like at least you chose it

(01:03:16):
instead of like just standingthere and waiting for shit to
happen.

Unknown (01:03:19):
Like like at least one day some some some may want to
fight me because I told himdon't comment in where so he got
all mad at me and I want to knowto just you know, just talk to
me normal man to talk to youknow, my I stopped talking to
him. He's still trying to get myattention but I'm talking this

(01:03:40):
way so other than that, if youcome into space now you say I
talk to you no more. You'regonna be violating right now.
I'm excited dealing with you nowyou know, man, and if you try
some because I am a securityguard. I will rescue you. And
I'm gonna make that clear when Icome to get you. I'll make it
clear everybody know I'marresting him.

Siobhan (01:04:01):
Citizens

Unknown (01:04:08):
please guide me sir.
He's arrested. right to arresthim. I'm a I'm a security guard.
I can show you that I have hisright to arrest his man for
breaking the law.

Siobhan (01:04:23):
And sometimes I think people need to be slapped like
hate crime tickets like you callsomeone that word like there
should be like maybe thereshould be a ticket for that shit
like or something or

Unknown (01:04:33):
is it Norway?

Siobhan (01:04:34):
Really? That's amazing.

Unknown (01:04:36):
Oh yeah, you pay a lot of money if somebody's coming in
where and I call the police andsay did the oh we pay a lot of
money.

Siobhan (01:04:42):
Wow, really? Oh, wow. I kind of love it. I mean, not for
any other words, but that one,you know, like, call me a bitch
call me and like just Don't callanyone that word. You know like
it Right, there's just an I had,you know, growing up, I've

(01:05:03):
mixed, I have some mixed cousinsand I have cousins that you
know, have friends. And we wereI had like a party and two of
them. Two guys were in like mykitchen. And one of them was
like, oh, you know, he said itto someone else. And he said it
in like a caring, like, youknow, like, Hey, get me a beer,
my brother, the N word. And Iwas like, oh, not my house. And
he was like, what? And I'm like,not at my house. And he was

(01:05:23):
like, oh, it's all good. It'sall love. And I'm like, No, I
don't give a shit. That was notmy house. And he's like, You
can't tell me I'm like, No, Ican't because my house that was
allowed, like, I don't care ifyou do it in love. I don't care.
Like, I just don't want it toenergy like me. Maybe you don't
mind it, but maybe some of myother friends. I do know they
mind it. So just don't use it.
Right? Like, I'm not telling youcan't use it outside, just not

(01:05:45):
in my house. And it was like athing. And then it was like, oh,
yeah, that's the crazy whitegirl that yells at you for using
words. And I'm like, Yeah, I am.
i Right. What do you want, butyou want to fight me? Like, I'm
gonna fight me because I careabout my other friends. That's
on you. Like, let them fightyou.

Unknown (01:06:08):
Like, we was at a party in a cabin, and this is in
Norway, right? My ex wife motherwas having a party. So this
cabin was huge. So we're in aswimming pool area. And I'm
sitting in a hot tub. I'm fullyclothed, sitting in the hot tub.

(01:06:28):
I'm drunk. And then and there'sanother guy. He was the son to
my wife, my ex wife's husband.
Okay. And my first time meetingthis guy, too, right? So we
sitting in a hot room over here.
And he said, Amy, he will callanother man. She Excuse me?

(01:06:50):
That's it. Man did not tell youmy name. What's my name? No. No,
oh, no, I don't know. I mean,not by man. He said My best
friend is black man. I call himthat all the time. You don't
care? I said, Do I know you?
What made you think you couldsay to me because you got a
black friend? I don't know. Youmay and then stuff started
getting nasty. Man. He got allbad. Not all bad. I'm like, why

(01:07:11):
they can't just call me by myname. Right? I told you my lane
when I met you. There you callme anything else. But when I
told you while we're beingdisrespectful.

Siobhan (01:07:27):
Amen to that. Right.
You know, and I hate that I havea well, I have a black friend.
So. So what? You have one blackfriend, a girl that sleeps with
a black guy. And she's like, I'mnot racist. I slept with a black
guy. Oh, so you let one blackdick inside you. So now, you're
okay with everything else thatyou just said was real ignorant.

(01:07:48):
But you want Nick? No, no,that's not how it works.

Unknown (01:07:53):
Right. Right. Right.
Right. I think that a lot ofthat going on? I unfortunately.

Siobhan (01:08:00):
Yeah. Well, hopefully, things are starting to move
forward, at least in a betterdirection. Like, slightly more
people are aware of it. Becauseit's so in our faces now with
all the shit with the cops. Andyou know, we've seen it, there's
no denying it. You know, like, Ithink some people used to really
try to deny it, or if theydon't, you know, if they're in

(01:08:22):
areas of the country that aren'tthat diverse. They're like,
well, it's not that bad herelike, well, one. If you don't
have that many black people inyour neighborhood, or Spanish
people or Asian people like thenyou can't speak on it. You know,
like, I lived in a town inupstate New York where there was
like two black families in thatwhole town. And people would say

(01:08:42):
shit, and I'm like, well not youknow, not Harold, he's
different. I'm like, so you likeHarold but you don't like other
people that look like him thatyou don't know for no reason? Or
like you're talking about shitthat you have no like they have
these deep opinions on somethingthat they've never experienced
or seen. Like you've never beento like you've never had actual
soulful you can't say like sosoul food. No good. You know,

(01:09:04):
it's that kind of shit. Like,you know, ignorant. Yeah, it's
just the ignorance isoverwhelming in some point. Oh.
How at this point in the world,are you so ignorant? Like
there's the internet, there's TVlike it's everywhere. Like
there's no reason you can'tlearn. There's no reason you
can't like. It's like you saidyou found your knowledge and

(01:09:26):
you've seek more knowledge andlike history is a great place to
go. Or like I loveautobiographies because I love
seeing other people and howthey've gotten through their
shit. But like, you know, if youknow your history, you won't
repeat it or just, I don't know,take a breath and think outside
your box once in a while. I justI don't know this was not a

(01:09:49):
topic I thought we'd get into Ithought we were gonna be heavy
on the music and not on the racebut it just is such a because
you've had such a to ajuxtaposition of living
somewhere that so different

Unknown (01:10:00):
is relevant to talk about Yeah, early definitely is
relevant. Yeah, because it'shappening. It's real. Yeah, it's
real. But I me personally, Idon't pay attention to that
racism shit. All my friends I'vegrew up where I grew up in a
diverse place Alameda, right?
That's my junior high school. Iwas the king of

(01:10:26):
the king in my junior high dayssince I was the bigger guy
picking all the kids like I toldyou, right? So like I was an
advocate for the week. So so soall low, who was weaker than me
knew I was on a team. So thisone white guy, he nerd in I can

(01:10:48):
sit him like a family member,right? So he came up to me one
day, amen. fraidy keep messingwith me, man. He keeps saying
I'll kick my hand. And I toldFreddie that you was my cousin.
And he said now Raymond AngelGod he black. He worked in Maya

(01:11:10):
so he gave me tell him he's aman keep talking Friday for me.
He said we ain't cousin becauseyou black. That's it. Don't
worry about it. I'm gonna talkto Fred. How you doing? He's
Hey, man. What's up? I said me,you know, Josh, is again. I know
gentleman Kiki's last. I saidno, you weren't. That's my
cousin. Danger cousin. He why? Isaid look, Freddie. If you mess

(01:11:32):
with Josh, buddy, I'm going tohave you for dinner. Okay. So So
Josh, Josh, Josh told his mamawhat I did. So I was mama come
and give me gifts and see ifwe're protecting us. And I was
doing it for all the kidsbecause even to this day, one
day when I was in Norway, right?
It's a guy I'm seeing for like,2530 years and he lives

(01:11:53):
Australia. But we grew up here.
You know, man, he was like mybest friend too. Right? Like
deal. So he's like, Damn, man, Imiss you, man. That I can't
believe I found you. He said youknow what? How much money do you
need? To turn how much money doyou need? That's the $2 is no

(01:12:15):
I'm serious. Man. Tell mesomething was a man. I can't
tell you that. I said if youwant to give me something to and
I just take him right. He's me.
I'm gonna tell you why I'm gonnado this. I remember when people
used to mess with me. You alwaysused to let them know man.
Nobody used to mess with me man.
That's why I'm doing this man.
I'm paying it back man. Like3000 bucks

Siobhan (01:12:37):
Nice. Wow, I wish my childhood people would give me
some money for shit I didn'tprotect anyone.

Unknown (01:12:48):
Yeah, I was that guy.
No, but you know what here nowmete out a stigma on my name
because I was fighting a lot butI was fighting them like it
wasn't me. Because that's cooleridea. They used to come to that
school people don't even knowjust to find me so cuz I had
named Oh he big and stuff. Soone day I'm walking out of class
right and it's a rainy day and Igot my books in my coat and I'm

(01:13:12):
walking to the bus stop. Why islike three cars full of Asians
sitting? Waiting? I don't knowwho was waiting for right and
the next day? No, I just see alot of Asians get out of a car
right? And they run in metowards me Ryan I'm like, Are
they coming at me? Coming fullspeed to man. I have to drop my
bus as they got closer. I saw Isaw nflt drop my books. The

(01:13:36):
first one I came in my radius. Ihad to rock this knock box. You
know me and it was like 10 knotsright like 10 By myself. Right?
Right. I was knocking next notboxes though. So so so so they
all ran. I made them run back tothe car. So they ran back into
car today. And then they droveoff and shit right? So a couple

(01:13:58):
years ago when I was in Norway,one of my friends brought that
up to me. Man I remember youfought like 10 cats and you will
love that she was amazing

Siobhan (01:14:14):
you had a front row seat.

Unknown (01:14:17):
He said man he's never seen no shit like that dude, man
Yeah, I don't know like when Iwhen I walk around Alameda
people who no doubt come up tohim but that's a legend right
here known as a legend nice one.
Yes. Yes. I don't play no games.

Siobhan (01:14:41):
I'm nice until I have to kind of

Unknown (01:14:47):
know but a lot of that was going on, man. I mean, that
was common for me all the time.
Even I don't even know thesepeople. My principal like
Raymond YZ people come beforeYes, man. I don't know. I never
seen them before. Hey, justhearing about my name, you know
me and they come and follow metrying to get some street cred,
right Ryan? I'm like, Man, I canlet them beat me up. That's what

(01:15:07):
I ain't gonna do. Yeah. I gottafight back here, but you better
be careful cuz they, you know,they might be able to weapons
too. So yeah, yes, they mightwell, what I'm gonna do right
but coming to me that's all I'vebeen trying to do my my
business, they all kept comingand getting beat up

Siobhan (01:15:31):
so maybe it's a good thing that you'd have done that
playing to Norway.

Unknown (01:15:34):
You know what? That actually saved my life when I
did that because of like, likeI'm saying to you, people, I
don't know. It's coming for me.
So around that time. It was aman from San Francisco. He came
around here. I guess he heardabout my name and stuff, too.
Right. So there's like, yeah,man, what's the name said when
he see you may. Like someone sawhim. I don't know him, man, but

(01:15:56):
he talking bad about you? Andlike, whatever. So one day I
seen him like, Yo, Mama kick youaway. I don't even know you
ain't messing with me. Do you?
Look you like whatever does so.
You know, he started talkingabout guns and doing all this
man info what? I don't know. AndI. So as it got closer, full of
time for me to go to Norway. Isaid to myself, Man, I want to

(01:16:22):
see this guy, have a chat withthem. And now it's kind of
dropped in rice. I walk intowalking in the neighborhood in
this neighborhood is to just beinfested with crime and
criminals and drugs and stufflike that. Right? So I'm walking
through this neighborhood lateat night. And I seen him and
he's with another guy I knew wegot. So the guy that I knew. I

(01:16:44):
put him in a headlock first,right? Boom. Yeah, Randy, come
on rainy, man. Come on. Stop,man. I said, Man, why I keep
messing with me, man. He's okay.
Ramming. So I let him go. Nowthe real guy who I got issue, he
was standing right there, too. Isaid, was so chill. You want it?
Cuz I'm ready for you tonight.
All right, man. I want noproblems with you. Oh, no

(01:17:07):
problem. Simple as that.

Siobhan (01:17:14):
And but that takes a huge amount of discipline to for
you to just walk away. Like,because I know, I know. If that
guy had been talking shit aboutme to everybody else, like I
probably would have thrown somemore words its way. You know,
like, I would have been like,Oh, you don't want it then? What
the fuck? You're talking shitabout like, yeah, being a little
drunk. And

Unknown (01:17:36):
you know what, I always give people the chance. Always
do manage many times. I haveproblems with cats. I might call
him up and say you want to dothis with me. Come outside. No,
we want peace. Okay, you got it.
I'll leave it alone. We willalways give you a chance. If you
want peace, you got it? Becauseit's not me.

Siobhan (01:17:59):
And still, that's a discipline way to go through the
world. Like because, again, it'syour knowledge itself that like,
yeah. Because you know yourselfand you know, what to give your
energy and whatnot to? Exactly,but that's a talent. And the
fact that you've trainedyourself to do that are like
inherently have done that. Yeah.
Is a gift.

Unknown (01:18:23):
Yes. Yes, it is. It is blessed to be that way. Because
a lot of people used to thinkotherwise by me, like I was
saying, when they always hadthis the wrong idea. Because
they never truly got to know me.
Now those who I grew up with,they know me, right? But
somebody who don't know me, sowhere are you gonna judge me?
And you're just gonna, you'renot gonna do right because you

(01:18:45):
don't know me. Right? You'llknow what I think you don't know
what I know. You don't knownothing. Right? Well, it goes

Siobhan (01:18:51):
back to like that. Why someone would be judging you
like, if you don't know youdon't be judging you. Like, you
know, I mean, I met you in a barlike, two weeks later here you
are in my apartment. We'rehanging out chat and we've been
having great conversations likebecause I could tell who you
were after I talked to you. Youknow, like we a 10 minute
conversation like Oh, this guyis like a fucking real

(01:19:12):
interesting nice respectful guy.
Like not a carer where in theworld like, you know what I
mean? Like? Yeah, like becausebut if I just seen you, like,
could judge you I guess it's notmy nature but I guess you know
what I mean? Like we're hangingout on the street corner you
roll smoking. You know, like, Ijust it is that thing of the

(01:19:34):
judgment I don't like I keepsaying I don't understand it.
And it's I keep trying tounderstand people for that like
so I can because I get angrywhen someone judges and then I
judge them

Unknown (01:19:50):
well, if you're gonna judge somebody, make sure it's a
righteous judgment. If you'regoing to do so, I mean, me. I'm
not judgmental at all. You knowme I give the person the first
time you're gonna talk with meand then I'm understand you and
then then I'm gonna judge youfrom that point.

Siobhan (01:20:09):
Right? Exactly. Yeah.
Like, get to know someone alittle bit before you make your
judgement. Because how manypeople could you How many
amazing people have you missedit already in the world just by
judging a book by its cover?
Like, think about it in thatrespect, like, what you could be
losing by judging? Versus like,Oh, I'm, you know, guarding
myself or, you know, no, no,think about the opposite. Like,

(01:20:31):
take a moment and think like,how many people have I judged
harshly when then, like, haveheard something after the fact
about how either nice they are?
Or like, they did somethingincredible, or like, they
survive something like, and thenyou're like, oh, that's probably
why they're a little you know,they're a little cage or
something like, Oh, thatexplains it. Now. They're okay.
Like, how about you just givethem the benefit of the doubt of
knowing their experience beforeyou judge them?

Unknown (01:20:54):
Exactly. Exactly. A lot of Judge judgmental people out
here.

Siobhan (01:21:01):
Yeah, and it's almost like where did where does that
entitlement to judge come from?
Like, is that just inherent insome people or is that also
taught?

Unknown (01:21:13):
Probably, probably. Not enough never know. It could be
taught it can be learned fromTV. Tea, you know, people
watching bad TV and screw yourhair up, man. I don't watch TV
me. Never in my house, I don'twant you to buy my mom my

(01:21:33):
brother. I'm always into thephone. You know, getting some
typing information stuff andplaying dominoes or rapping.

Siobhan (01:21:43):
You're always creating

Unknown (01:21:44):
Yeah, I'm always creating was creating I've been
you know, I've been I've beentrying to get a voiceover job.
Oh, yeah. Cuz I have I have thiskid voice and said that that do
very well. Yeah, you know youare a booty box. You know? Yeah,
you know me doing voices.

Siobhan (01:21:58):
Oh, and I didn't realize they were all you that's
all me. That's awesome. Oh, Icould hear you doing a voiceover
job. That would be a good gigfor you. I think

Unknown (01:22:10):
I can do very well. Got to go high pitch voice so I made
I made I made a song the otherday where I'm using my deep
voice in the high pitched voiceand we're having a conversation
with each other. Oh, nice.

Siobhan (01:22:28):
Yeah, it's funny. Oh, I want to hear I do like blue box
that it's got me shaking my hipsreal fast. Oh, that's a good
one. I can hear that in theclub.

Unknown (01:22:37):
As a club banger? Oh yeah. I'm not totally done with
that tone yet. Because when Ilisten to it, I hear something
still I need to do some morevocals on certain areas to
fatten it up a little bit. ThenI'm gonna be done. So I'm hoping
they turn my money back on soon.
So I can go back in here and putin two more hours so I can be

(01:22:57):
totally done with it and put itout

Siobhan (01:23:01):
nice. That'll be exciting.

Unknown (01:23:04):
So but they already start playing it. A friend of
mine gave it to in Florida andhe'd been passing around to some
nightclubs out there. And he'slike man, they put on a boombox
man club Florida man she's not awoman reacted man he's going
nuts. I said that right he saidman I tried to call use him and
I was gonna FaceTime you so youcan see he's Amanda was bumping

(01:23:27):
booties

Siobhan (01:23:35):
somewhere

Unknown (01:23:38):
All right, right. We're trying to get that rolling. So
yeah,

Siobhan (01:23:43):
that'll be a fun music video to shoot.

Unknown (01:23:47):
Right right. I want that video to be very unique
though. Okay, different. I don'twant to be just the normal type
of video I wanted to bedifferent. I wanted to be a
straight creator maybe you knowlike Well Matt more like I might
want to have special lightsgoing. You know me something

(01:24:08):
different.

Siobhan (01:24:08):
Yeah, you don't want just some like big ass bitches
dropping.

Unknown (01:24:14):
Right right. I want I want it to be a special look.
Yeah, it is a special littletune.

Siobhan (01:24:19):
Yeah yeah, that'd be fun right right now I'm
interested to see whichdirection you'll take it in.

Unknown (01:24:30):
You know, keeping the positive keeping the role in
essay you know, man as I can doman happy to you know see
another day every day. And neverknow where we're gonna go. I
think a friend of mine I don'tknow she died yet but I got one
week left.

Siobhan (01:24:48):
That's terrible. Yeah, that's, I just heard about
someone that lost like threedifferent people to fentanyl.
And I was like, is that like isare we going through it? I'm
about to go through like anotherround of that fentanyl stuff. I
thought it was kind of off thestreets. But it sounds like it
might be back. Just sodisappointing. Like scary

Unknown (01:25:15):
serious business out here. Serious business.

Siobhan (01:25:19):
Yeah. All right. Well, I think I don't really want to
get ended on that depressingnote. But yeah, life is short
and it can suck some days. Butit's all about getting back up
again. Back up, right. What'sHow do you get back up when

(01:25:39):
you're having a bad day? What'slike your Do you have like a go
to

Unknown (01:25:48):
start rapping

Siobhan (01:25:50):
music, or exercise?
Yeah. Same music, I feel likebecause it's like the energy
exchange. It's how I kind ofhelped my whole day or like, if
I have to be somewhere and theydon't have any music playing
after like, 20 minutes. I'mlike, Alright, I need to put my
own headphone in. Like I needsomething because this is not
like music, I think is just the

Unknown (01:26:13):
music is therapy.
Actually. If you if you listento the right kind of music now.
A positive tone. Some you mightwant to grow to make you
happiest? Because you know theenergy.

Siobhan (01:26:24):
Yeah. Oh, yeah. So I use music to Lupin I deal with
the chronic pain injury. And soI oftentimes use music to like
loop my little pain mantra onto.
So it's like, if my pain is toobusy, like, get into that beat,
then I don't have to think aboutit. And I and then certain music
will help like, you know, I willlisten to like some genres more

(01:26:44):
than others because it's likethat energy vibe of that kind of
music is right in kind of mysweet spot for some pain. And
then it's like another paindays. I can't listen to that
music or I can't listen tosomething that's too harsh
because it's like, you. I can mybody can almost feel that energy
from the music.

Unknown (01:27:02):
Oh, yeah. You know, it's all it's all about the
moods about those moods. Youknow, each song brings a
different mood. Yeah. In themood is very is very important.
Because just because your moodcan change in the second. Put on
some Stevie Wonder and then I berelaxing. Yeah. So yeah, music

(01:27:32):
music is king.

Siobhan (01:27:33):
Yeah. And so for someone like you that can create
music and write music issomething that like, I am tone
deaf, for one and two, like justyet talent and to be able to put
your whole self into somethinglike that, I think is just
something I appreciate. It's atalent that I'm always in awe
of, because you do influence andyou can like tap into someone so

(01:27:55):
deeply with music in a differentway. Definitely take a
superpower

Unknown (01:28:01):
just by the size of power. It is a power. Definitely
definitely. Because you can havecontrol. Music can bring
influence. And as we see likethe you know, gangsta rap, that
influence that was bad for thecommunity. That was very bad.
No, I used to be on that tiptoo. Against the top. You know,

(01:28:23):
but I grew out of that style.
But kids hearing that I'mhearing them little kids playing
that stop cussing and talkingsexually with little kids. Man,
this is wild,

Siobhan (01:28:40):
man. But it's like most of that, too, is hard. Because
most of those guys are rappingabout their real life. So it's
like, or not most, I guess, somesome of those. Some of those
guys are friend. But you know,it's i That's why I always think
it's like, music is so personal.
For the most part. But yeah, butI agree that gangsta rap did

(01:29:01):
kind of hurt a lot. Of course,

Unknown (01:29:05):
of course, because I remember when I was younger, and
I was listening to it, and I sayto myself, Why are black kids
into this gangsta rap music? Iasked myself that Why am I in
two hours like what happenedhere? So and when I start

(01:29:26):
thinking like that, that waslike when I'm chained down it's
the beginning of me seekingmyself right right you know, I
mean, it's like this is this isthis is strange, but I still was
doing it but I'm still trying tounderstand why is it happening?
And I may so as I grew, then Iunderstood right now I got it.
It's all bad. Talking aboutkilling people and stuff, man. I

(01:29:48):
still do talk about well,

Siobhan (01:29:53):
I'm boy,

Unknown (01:29:53):
I'm more I'm more I'm more like, I'm be honest. I am a
soldier and I And I'm arighteous soldier too. So if I
do talk about some violence isonly because it's being towards
those that is hostile. That'sit,

Siobhan (01:30:10):
right? It's like appropriately directed,

Unknown (01:30:15):
right? Appropriately directed exactly to who needs
it, right. So other than that,I'm not going around Trump. I'm
a tough guy. You know, being asoldier is like, for me, when I
consider myself as a soldier, Inever been in the military. But
for me, a soldier is somebodywho shows respect. These are the

(01:30:36):
attributes is called respect,integrity, compassion, love, you
know, but then there's thatother side to where we do as
soldiers got a job to do ifnecessary. That's it.

Siobhan (01:30:56):
violence isn't? How do I want to say that? Violence is
an option, but not your first goto

Unknown (01:31:05):
right, right. Exactly.
Exactly. So you know, that's mebeing a soldier. I'm always
wearing boots. You know, man, Iwear camouflage. Camouflage,
man, you've been in themilitary? No. Usually
imagination. That's all I tell.
You find out yourself. Justthink body why you think I look

(01:31:27):
like this? Yeah. Because that'sjust who I am. So I tell them I
am a soldier for the Most HighLow, you know, I mean, I'm one
of them soldiers. So I will dieand kill for what's right.
That's it. That's it.

Siobhan (01:31:43):
I think that's a valiant thing to strive for.

Unknown (01:31:47):
Man. I mean, we got to have people like this because
this is insane people out here.

Siobhan (01:31:52):
Yeah. And you need people that will respectfully
step in when need to be and saylike, Hey, that's not right. And
this is, you know, and safelyand like you said, like, you're
not going for violence. That'snot your first thought. That's
not your first action. Like, ifit gets to that point, you will
end it, but you won't start it.
Wow, no

Unknown (01:32:10):
stars share our few to be a shitstorm. But I want to
finish it if you want to gothere. Right. You know, like,
let me tell you, I used to hangwith some very bad boys in
Oakland once upon a time, right?
That's probably like 16. So Iget a phone call. Like, Hey,
man, would you come ride withus? I was like, Okay, I don't

(01:32:30):
really know what's going on. ButI'll just go ride with these
crazy cats in the desertstraight riders and these dogs
and right so we go somewhere.
Dang, tell him what's going on.
But I see guns is round two,right? And it's probably like 10
carloads of cats, you know. Nowthese cats what they go do is
they go to other street cornersand want to get them boys off

(01:32:54):
the street corner so they couldset up their corner there. So
the edge is starting to shootout. So I was involved in St.
Bob. I wasn't a shooter, but Iwas dead right. And I got shot.
Oh, shit. See, because theopposition was shooting with a
12 gauge. So you know we shoot a12 gauge you know, Buck shots

(01:33:15):
come out yet I got hit in thehead. Oh, right. I believe. Oh,
my God, you let me know. So Ihad the buckshot sitting right
here for a minute. So you know,as last night I get that out. So
I'm only 16 Welcome to my mama,man. I gotta tell you what this
is. Right. So I lied to her. Ididn't want to tell her I was

(01:33:40):
around that shit, man. Ishouldn't cool, right. So I told
her I shot a BB gun. The BBbounced off the wall came back.
You know, so I had to go getsurgery. Right? So he took it
out. And it couldn't be capsuleis like your baby. So when I
looked at the baby, you know,you can see the love. No, no,
baby, right? I'm glad Karpeleseither.

Siobhan (01:34:04):
Yeah, you're kind of lucky. They

Unknown (01:34:05):
did. Right? Right.
Right. You're lucky. Right? Theyknow they know baby. Because you
know, khopoli blah. Well, we'rewhere are you? How did you get
this? Right?

Siobhan (01:34:14):
Where's the BB gun?
This came out of that I don'tknow. Yeah. Hit me in the face
and I threw it away.

Unknown (01:34:28):
Right but but I was you know what? So you know, as I'm
trying to find myself in thatperiod, my baby mama. I had a
baby on the way too, right? I'monly 1670s I got a baby on the
way I'm hanging with these boys.
People get shot down and there'sa black on black crime too. So
like I'm saying, part of my pathof understanding was being in

(01:34:50):
that situation and seeing thisright. I can't do this. So I got
away from it right? I got awayfrom because then I know what it
is. I experienced it. So thenthe boys who I was hanging with
when he was doing it, they gotrich from selling drugs, right?

(01:35:10):
Big houses, cars. And then I youknow, I was walking down the
street and dad come and pull up.
Oh, yeah, what's up, man? Wedon't you want this car dude?
No, I'm good. All of them boysnow they either dead or in jail.
Yeah. And I'm free. Smart moveright?

Siobhan (01:35:32):
Yeah marry right right

Unknown (01:35:33):
cuz I was using my head man I was my mind was somewhere
else because their mind was onlyon one thing I have plenty to
think about you know me I'm likeI gotta look up these options
here if I keep hanging with themI might get killed out right?

Siobhan (01:35:50):
Yeah or you're in jail Yeah cuz you can't be swinging
like that and not expect to getcaught up in something in
something either something rightand something right now is
either gonna be the cops oranother guy.

Unknown (01:36:03):
I let that shit go now they did on jail and shit. I did
the right move now one of myhomies he'd been in jail since
96. Right? And he's still inhere. So before he went medium
had a conversation one day,right? We was in one of my
friends, childhood friends, heplayed NBA, right? So we was in

(01:36:26):
his backyard talking one day. Some and my friend. He said he
worship the devil, right? He's adevil worshiper. He said, The
devil gave me cards. The devilgave me a house and all my
money. He's a gardener. He gaveme nothing, man. I said, Man,
you wrong. I say I'm tellingyou, the devil going to do to
you. He said. I said he's gonnabackstab you hang on backs by

(01:36:49):
me. And so one day, we was inLos Angeles, me and my friends
because we shouldn't have musicvideo in Los Angeles, right? So
we watching the news. We were ina hotel room and watching the
news and is losing in Oaklandand we see a car on the freeway
being chased by like 100 policecars, right? I'm looking at that

(01:37:11):
car like, hold on. To the TV. Ilike I just want him cuz I was
hanging right there. Right. Sowe got getting on the phone
trying to see what's going on.
It's not right. To damage her.
When they finally caught up withhim. They shot him like 13 times
oh shit and beating after theyshot him. And then when the

(01:37:33):
ambulance came, they didn'tdrive off. They stayed there for
like a few more hours right? Butthey finally took him down he
bet he when he went to jail. Sosome years went by and as cousin
I was right. He happened to calland I'm there so Hey, man, I
want to talk to you. I mean, howyou doing? Hey, what's up bro?
He's uh you know what I'm sayingone thing and this guy's a big

(01:37:55):
boss in his email said one thingshe do you about the only cat I
really can't respect our deerbecause that conversation we had
and you told me that you was100% Right I told you bro No, I

(01:38:17):
told you man don't don't messwith Satan man. He gonna
backstab you he said he did toshot me 13 times

Siobhan (01:38:25):
back right he's lucky he lived like

Unknown (01:38:29):
and then and then we in their data race right in one of
those prisons and he got staffall time still living

Siobhan (01:38:36):
holy shit boy boy you got like what nine legs for left
shot 13 times and then stabbedfor four wow and he's been in
jail that this all these allthese

Unknown (01:38:54):
years since 96 Now I heard he could have got out but
he keep getting called withphones right put the phone down
and get out man Are you a

Siobhan (01:39:08):
12 year old girl put that phone down for one week

Unknown (01:39:18):
Right right right man I hope you get out one day no you
know me Did his time you know mebut the reason why he went in
there though because he probablya shadow a fan. These were some
heavy cats

Siobhan (01:39:35):
you were like on a razor wire have gone either way
then like you're in the car fordrive bys or you know that
shootout you know like that's athe fact that you pulled
yourself back away from thatespecially because I can imagine
like that money and stuff is sotempting. So it goes back to you
just being disciplined and thatself knowledge of like, No, I

(01:39:56):
could do this but it's going toonly give me this where if I do
this then I can get XY and Z andhave like a better life. You had
that kind of forethought, whichis. Exactly. And you stood up to
the peer pressure of. I'm sureyou guys been like, come on,
come on. You can make money. Youknow, like you're like, yeah,

Unknown (01:40:15):
not even faze me.
Because already, you know, Ihave my mind already made a Must
I made up my mind, it don'tmatter what you say, because I
know what's right for me.

Siobhan (01:40:24):
But that's still a strong thing, like a strong gift
to have. Because I make up mymind and I'm, I'll be done and
then I'll be like, alright,well, this will make you happy.
So me, it's not that big of adeal for me to you know, I'll
sleep later tomorrow. You know,it's I am and I'm fairly
disciplined. But I don't know ifI would have been a little bit

(01:40:46):
of saying no to like that moneyin that. Yeah, like that I would
have FOMO

Unknown (01:40:55):
but money and everything. No, it's not even. I
love my life more than money.
I'll tell you that. And youknow, I don't want to have
nobody over no money. Yeah,that's just go get a job. Might
not be rich, but at least youhappy whatever it is that you
have.

Siobhan (01:41:13):
Right. That's it and it gives you that added layer of
safety

Unknown (01:41:17):
know exactly, exactly.
Yeah. Gotta worry, you know,who's gonna come get you because
of what you're doing? You know,you wait, what to solve, right?
So you're just selling drugs andshooting people. You live by the
gun, you die by the gun to thatlike, Well, for me, you know, I
made I made a lot of baddecisions in my life. And I made

(01:41:39):
a lot of good ones too. As it'slike,

Siobhan (01:41:42):
yeah, it is. Yeah, and sometimes I think we get too
into like, the judgment of ourdecisions like this decisions,
either good or bad, or thatone's either gonna be good or
bad. And it's like, they're justdifferent paths. Like, you could
choose one that you thought wasgonna be the bad one. It turns
out to be the best one or youchoose one that you're like,
This is it. This is the bestpath ever. Everything's gonna be

(01:42:03):
golden after this. And thenyou're like, Oh, fuck. Oh, shit.
This was way worse. Like, andthen I think some people get
caught up in like that coursecorrection where they're like,
but I already made thisdecision. So I can't change it.
But it seems like you've beenable to pivot when you needed
to. Really well.

Unknown (01:42:24):
Luckily, because, you know, I always been a little
boy. You know what, I grew up. Iused to go to church. All my all
free will as a little kid. Like,like, when Sunday's came? Well,
where my mom will wake up when afamily wake up, I've gone. So
when I go home I by way you nowmy church? At church

(01:42:51):
right, right, right. So So thatright there, you know was was
the start also, you know, giveme that brain food that I
needed. Yeah, me suppose I cangrow. It's like a seed being
planted. So I blossomed,eventually. Because, you know, I
was like reading the Bible andstuff like that when I was a

(01:43:13):
kid. And you know, I was thetype of kid to go around like,
my grandmother lived around oldpeople. So when I go visit my
grandma to go would not knock ona door. It's like, can I take
the garbage out? Do you need meto do anything? Not even asking
for nothing, but I just askedhim and I'm like, Yeah, I do
this if you come here everyWednesday I give you 75 cents.

(01:43:33):
Okay, gotcha. I'm gonna followpeople.

Siobhan (01:43:37):
That's smart. Where a hustler?

Unknown (01:44:02):
That's, that's who I am.

Siobhan (01:44:03):
Yeah. Yeah. And I think the world is better to have you
in it.

Unknown (01:44:10):
You know, a friend, a friend, a friend of mine in
Norway said, Hey, man, if peoplein the world thought like you, I
think we have peace out here.

Siobhan (01:44:19):
There you go. Yeah.

Unknown (01:44:20):
He always say that to me, too. Because he see I've
never driven

Siobhan (01:44:24):
right. Yeah, every time I've seen you've got a smile on
your face. And even I've seenyou one night when at the bar
when some guy was kind ofpushing your buttons and I saw
you do just like walk away andyou're like, yeah, that didn't
faze you, man. That guy's aloser. Like

Unknown (01:44:43):
I don't want to share my energy with you. That's what
you got to offer. Yeah. You'reyou're not worthy of my
conversation. To get it right,you know, I could I could drop
some gems. Sorry, but you're notworthy.

Siobhan (01:45:01):
Yeah. Cuz they probably they wouldn't be able to take it
anyway

Unknown (01:45:04):
anyway. Right, right.
Exactly.

Siobhan (01:45:08):
I think your friend from Norway is right. We'd more
people thinking the way that youdo in the world that would be
better place

Unknown (01:45:12):
it would do I think so too mad because you know, I want
to do is have fun and see myfriends have fun like if I if my
friends ain't got and I gotthey're gonna have because I got
you know, man and I don't expectnothing back either. I mean you
got some money and I got my akaadult as well.

Siobhan (01:45:31):
Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah.
Because like you said you reapwhat you sow. So if you put out
the good, you'll get the goodback.

Unknown (01:45:40):
Exactly, exactly. And you know, he's been coming back,
though.

Siobhan (01:45:44):
Good. It's gonna keep coming back to not box. And the
booty drop. Box woody box. Allright. Well, Raymond, thank you
so much for joining us. Thankyou for having Yeah. And we will

(01:46:05):
look forward to hearing all yourmusic and seeing those music
videos. Oh, sure. Sure. Allright, I'll have a good day. So
you guys can all look forward toseeing this not box music video
in a few weeks. I willdefinitely be posting that on
the IG once it comes out and onFacebook. Link into that,

(01:46:28):
because I know y'all want tocheck that out. We'll also link
to all ravens music in the shownotes. Thank you so much for
listening. Join us next week,hit us on the social media. Let
us know what you think of thisepisode and all the other
episodes. Don't forget to ratereview and subscribe to the
podcast. Check out our websiteat tackling reality.com And

(01:46:51):
remember that the good stuff iscoming. Keep an eye out for the
joy in life. If you're havingtrouble just stumbling upon it.
Then go find that fucking joy.
Make some create some setyourself up for success. Look
for the good. Take the bad as itcomes and help find your
community and if you can't findone, build one. Join ours. Love

(01:47:14):
to you all. Have a great day.
And we'll see you next week.

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