Winning Against the Odds in a World of Gatekeepers

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We dive into the complex relationship between hard work and opportunity, exploring Anthony Mackie's controversial comments about Hollywood's selective promotion of talent, and debating whether LeBron James crossed a line by confronting Stephen A. Smith over criticism of his son.

• Discussing how Houston culture has influenced our speech patterns and behaviors since relocating
• Examining Anthony Mackie's claim that success in entertainment comes from being "handpicked" rather than purely earning it
• Debating whether Bronny James truly earned his Lakers spot or benefited from nepotism
• Analyzing LeBron's father-son dynamics and whether he's protecting or hindering Bronny's growth
• Exploring the balance between preparing children for adulthood while still allowing them to enjoy childhood
• Reflecting on our own career journeys and whether we were "chosen" or earned our positions through hard work
• Considering how information sources have evolved across generations

Think about your own success journey. Was it earned through grinding, or did someone open a door for you? Maybe it was both.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:16):
What's good, everybody.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Trends to Trophies
podcast.
I'm your host, ant, and I'mhere with my boys, unique
Artistry and Monte Corleone.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
You know what it is?
Girl, aye, aye.
So we got.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
We got something spicy on the day.
You know what I'm saying.
We're gonna talk a little bitabout Anthony Mackie I know
y'all done seen a couple ofinterviews with his comments and
then, of course, we're gonnatalk about that LeBron and that
good old Stephen A.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
On your ass, bron.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
On his mom.
Let me ask this real quick.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
It's random.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
Start us off, bro.
He's too goofy.
What's something that theHouston coaches have kind of
rubbed off on you?

Speaker 1 (00:57):
since you've been down here.
That's a good question.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Food because I'm getting big.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
I mean food is definitely a big one, bro.
Dang um.
What do cats in houston do thatI didn't start doing, because
I'm not a real hookah head likethat, because they're driving
crazy I definitely be swerving,bro.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
I be cutting people off and all type of stuff, bro,
but it ain't intentionalintentional.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Well, I got some boots and a cowboy hat, so I
guess that's probably what thatis.
That shit ain't never been inmy closet.
What's crazy.

Speaker 3 (01:31):
I don't have a prayer yet, but I'm not opposed to it.
I just haven't got around to ityet.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
My pops let me borrow his when he was down here, when
he left his stuff down here thehat or the boots, the boots
down here.
When he left his stuff downhere, um, the hat or the boots,
the boots, and they were likesome 900 boots and I wore them
to work.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
One time I was gonna say because I uh, I got mine
some steve madden's, I ain't gofor a cowboy, I got some.

Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, my boots is like they, some little zip up
steve steve madden what's someof the uh lingo, or something
that you you noticed or that youmight use yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
I feel like I was doing that beforehand, but I
don't know it wasn't it.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
I was too, but it wasn't as natural but give us a
difference.

Speaker 3 (02:19):
Say you say the way you say it, then say the way
they said.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
So I used to be like yeah.
So now it's like yeah, you knowwhat I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
You got a little swing on it I would say I don't
feel like my accent is thick,Like my E's and my R's, like how
?
I used to, that used to bethick, it's going to be like me.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
I ain't gonna lie some lingo I like.
It's a little phrase they saywhat for shit show for shit show
.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
I ain't gonna lie.
Yeah, I definitely be sayingthat I'm gonna shut up.
I'm like for shit show.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
I ain't gonna lie.
I like that.
I ain't gonna lie that's somecool lingo for shit show.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
I'll rock with that.
Kesson, you got a little swag,though that was something Like I
came down here.
You know, when you move to anew city, you kind of scope
what's going on.
He be like okay, he care, hecare, cool, he care cool, they
aight.
Man give them.
They props Boy, this dude, nah,nah, I said they aight, I ain't

(03:20):
said nothing.
Nah, nah, you know what you knowwhat's one Cause I was watching
Sauce Walker interview theother day and I be saying it and
I didn't realize I be saying it.
Like I be saying it the ooeyyou got you.

Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yeah, they rubbed that for you.
The ooey, nah I'm.
They ain't gonna be in my lingo.
I can't get on that one.
That mug is Shout out to him,though.
I can't shout out to him Onthat.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
I definitely hit that mug A few times, but alright,
so did y'all get a chance Tocheck out the Anthony Mackie
interview.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yeah, bruh, like he was wild.
He was wild.
When you watch the fullinterview you kind of see what's
up.

Speaker 3 (03:58):
What you mean, wild or no?
What was he wildin'?

Speaker 1 (04:00):
about.
I mean bruh was, was bro wassaying some interesting things,
but definitely like even justhow he was treating his sons,
kind of how he like, how he was,like I'm a man's man like yeah
it's just an interesting stance.
You know what I'm saying?
He's just a funny dude raisingthem to be men.

Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yeah, what you?
What you?
What are you saying?
There's something wrong the wayhe said it or the monster
behind?
The mindset all right, we canget it, we can dive into yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
I definitely want to dive into it, but I ain't gonna
lie, so I kind of wanted totouch on something a little
lighter before we get that far.
Did y'all catch what he saidabout 8 Mile?

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah yeah, that shit had me rolling.
He was like wait.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
He talking about me yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
But I rock with it.

Speaker 3 (04:42):
It showed you how much he you know what I'm saying
put into his artistry, yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
And that's what I rock with bro.
I was like dang.
I couldn't believe it.
Though when he said it, I waslike hey, he said damn, my
friends are really married.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
It made you like Eminem that much more.

Speaker 3 (04:55):
You know what I'm saying.
It gave you more respect.
It made you.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
And it's comedy when you think about it, because it
was a funny punchline.
So the fact that he broughtthat into the movie and dude
reaction was legit.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
It was legit he was shaking like damn Because I had
to think back.
Bro, I'm at work crying bro.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
He was shaking the mic like he was like it's real
life, bro, that whole interviewhad me weak though bro, dude is
a clown.
Yeah, did y'all catch old boy?
Uh, what's what's homie name,bro?
Light-skinned dude with it withthe locks on the uh pippy
podcast, oh uh I always forgethis damn name channing crowder.

Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yeah, channing crowder, shout.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
Yeah, Channing Crowder Shout out.

Speaker 3 (05:45):
Shout out to Channing Crowder, my bad Freaky dude, my
fault.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
He definitely a freaky diggy dude, but did y'all
catch him?
Call him out?
He said man, I ain't like howyou play Tupac.

Speaker 3 (05:55):
Yeah, straight up, I ain't because, nobody.
He said, the moms and thesisters loved it.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
I ain't going to lie and that's the best comeback you
can have because, as far aslike, if they feel like you
captured the essence of who hewas, at least at that time.

Speaker 3 (06:13):
And he said you played Tupac three different
times.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
You played him three different times, which I respect
.
Again, you got to respect itbecause even when dude was
talking about how he convincedcertain directors and stuff to
give him more movie time likehow Papa Doc's character wasn't
supposed to have that manyscenes when you think back.
You're like that's crazy,because I feel like he was
supposed to be in it that much.
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
It's kind of crazy.
With that being said, that'swhy I had a little issue with
him saying that people gethandpicked because he
contradicted himself.
Yeah, like how, you, how yousaying that you kind of got a
handpick when you put the workin.
You earned your spot, bro, youjust said you put in more than a

(06:57):
thousand hours training, butyou are you saying that you, you
ain't, you ain't?

Speaker 3 (07:04):
He still had to be, selected.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
Yeah, so that's what his he did, but by him doing all
those things it made him betterand prepared.
His mindset was different thaneverybody else's.
I give him that.
But yeah, you got handpicked,bro, because you put that work
in Like that's how I look at it.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
I would say that to the people like Lil' M what you
mean that boy hand-picked?
He ain't put no work in whatyou say.
50, yeah, he told him.
He told him to, but then todayhe was giving him the shot to
off the rip, off the rip becauseof who his daddy was.

Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, yeah, so I mean yeah it varies.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
It's gonna be, it's gone, it's gonna vary, okay.
But but you also have to lookat this.
Yeah, he's handpicked, helooked just like his daddy and
it's a, it's a show about hisdaddy, so it makes sense.
You know, I'm saying I wouldn't.
I wouldn't have went nowhereelse either.
I would have.

Speaker 1 (07:54):
So you feel like he was the most qualified off the
rip.
So it wasn't.
It wasn't necessary, it wasn'teven.

Speaker 2 (07:59):
It wasn't even the most qualified.
It's probably the first personthat he asked you see what I'm
saying, and just him, being himtrying to portray his father, he
probably like hell.
Yeah, let me, you know what I'msaying.
Let me give it a shot yeah, youknow, I guess.

Speaker 1 (08:11):
I guess that's fair because there's probably other
situations, like other biopicsand stuff, where people were
asked and they was like nah, youget an actor to do that or
whatever.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yeah, but even if, even even when you think about,
uh, basketball players yes, it'scertain basketball basketball
players, bro, that I feel likegot handpicked, like Bronny,
like he got handpicked.
That was totally unfair to thewhole NBA, absolutely.
But I mean, yeah, you know, incertain situations, yes, yeah.

(08:39):
However, I feel like there's alot of talented people that get
these roles and jobs and stufflike that because they earned it
, they put their time, so youdon't feel like Bronny earned
his slot.
No.

Speaker 3 (08:50):
How come?

Speaker 2 (08:52):
I seen him put the work in, but he just not.

Speaker 3 (08:58):
He had an unfortunate injury, life-threatening injury
.

Speaker 2 (09:02):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (09:03):
And then he battled back.
He was a 55th pick, ain't likehe was a lottery pick.
And then they said some teamswere going to select him earlier
, but they didn't do it just outof respect for LeBron.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
That's the problem, dog, but that's the thing they
would have gone to select himearlier, so he would have been
selected.
Hey, I just don't think so.
I saw the shows that they wereum having with them little kids.
I was watching them with mywife and it was.
It was players that were waybetter than him, bro, like you

(09:35):
know what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
So to me it's like all right, bro, like I
understand, he the 55th, yousaid 55th yeah I understand that
but the thing is also I'm gonnajust say this it's so you that
drive when they could it wasn'tit?

Speaker 2 (09:50):
well, I can give you that, I can give you that.

Speaker 3 (09:52):
So that that drive wasn't that good.
I ain't gonna say he, you know,I'm saying he wouldn't get
drafted, he ain't gonna put inthe work, he probably gonna be
good, but the drive wasn't deep.

Speaker 2 (09:59):
Yeah, yeah all right, but this, this is, uh, this is.
I guess this is where I want tomake my point, then, because I
can accept that argument.
But for him to get on theLakers with his dad you know
where he's like that main personwhere he going to get his kids

(10:20):
some time Like that's unfair.

Speaker 3 (10:23):
There's nepotism at its finest.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yeah, had some time like that's unfair because
nepotism at its finest.
Yeah, because there wasprobably better players that
probably should have deservedthat spot on the lakers, not
brownie.
He probably should have went toanother team and he probably
would have ended up going to thed league or something, because
he, you know, he ain't goingwith it because it happens in
real life all the time that'sthe nba bruh.

Speaker 3 (10:43):
It's not a lot, it's not right, it's not a lot of
slots for this job.
Yeah, my son's only dream is toget to the league and I'm in a
position to make that happen?

Speaker 2 (10:52):
hey, but see, nah, for me that was ego.

Speaker 3 (10:56):
He wanted to play with his son before he retired
yeah, that's, that's ego brolike come on bro like that's
totally unfair to people thatshould have deserved that spot,
and this is where I get it, asfar as I can battle back with
Bronny's mindset.
He said he just wanted to gethis name called.
He didn't say I wanted to playwith my pops.
Yeah, lebron did.
I can give him that man, lebronwanted to play with his pops.

Speaker 2 (11:17):
I just felt like he didn't Sorry to cut you off.
No, you good, good, but I justfelt like I just I saw him in
those Videos, in those likeCamps and stuff.

Speaker 3 (11:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (11:27):
And yeah, bruh, he put the time in For sure, but it
was just.
I just feel like he was betterplayers, bruh, like yeah, but
but see, I can't.
I'm battling myself With thatone Because, yeah, he deserved
To be in the nba, yeah it is howhe, how he got in, how he got

(11:47):
there.
Bro, like it don't sit rightwith you yeah, like like mackie
say it's hand-picked, but that'sthat's.
That's the one situation that Ican say that that happened
hand-picked.
I don't know no other situation, mr mackie, but I think.

Speaker 1 (12:02):
I think that's the thing you gotta think about,
though it's so many situations,because, okay, so there's
another conversation that we'rehaving that we're not having
right gatekeepers.
You know what I'm saying.
So I think about that, becausewhat he's saying in another, in
another way, is that there'speople don't matter, don't care
what you bring to the table youthe middleman favorites.

(12:22):
You know what I'm saying themiddleman essentially, yeah, the
gatekeeper would be like amiddleman in a situation.
However, I don't know how thatworks like I wouldn't know who
the gatekeeper is.
The gatekeeper could be at thetop.

Speaker 3 (12:34):
Technically, he could be the dungeon boss you know
what I'm saying and, just like,success is given right, that's,
but that's what I'm saying.
It's kind of so you need agatekeeper aka a middleman or
you agree monte said what now?
You speak in another language,mom look in like even, even in

(13:02):
the world of acting.
Okay, you need a middleman,would you agree, montay?

Speaker 2 (13:07):
yes like.

Speaker 3 (13:08):
So that's why I'm saying I think if we talked
about this before, it's going tobe relative to the situation.
You know I'm saying right, whenyou need a middleman, you need
a gatekeeper, and you don't.
It's more rewarding when you doit yourself.
You know I'm saying and you getget to the thing yourself.
But even in the acting youmaybe, maybe you could.
You know I'm saying touch onthis and but like, even in the
acting world, like you alwaysneed some type of middleman yeah

(13:32):
, bro, connections is everything.

Speaker 1 (13:34):
Because people got to realize in media there's so
many other pockets.
It's not just that somebody gota script.
They all of a sudden get abunch of actors and then we
start doing shit.
You know, I'm saying you got alight, you got stage, you got
you got scripting, you gotcasting.
You got so many differentpockets of people who got to do
their motherfucking job, to makea project work, and so there's
a lot of collaboration thatneeds to happen.

(13:55):
So sometimes you the top dog,sometimes you the middle man,
depends on the project.
You know, I'm saying depends onwhat's happening with that
situation.
But he even stated that, right,so we was talking about um.
He gave a weird analogy so Iwanted to bring that up, but he
was talking about these littlewhite boys who get on and have
like a five-year run and thenthey disappear.
You know, then they they afarmer somewhere.

(14:16):
You know what I mean.
Like they don't.
They didn't really ever havethe passion for acting in the
first place.
Somebody saw that they weretalented, wanted them for this
project.
They got famous, did a coupleother projects, but that wasn't
where they got used but that'swhat usually happens, right,
because people want a specificnature.
You gotta think about, bro, ifyou've been studying and working

(14:37):
your whole life or something,you ain't no pushover.
You're gonna have standards,you're gonna have a way.
You want shit done, you knowwhat I mean it's gonna be a
different vibe if you go getsome green person who ain't even
been in the acting world beforeany type of situation, it's not
just acting.
You're gonna be easier tomanipulate them.
So you know what I mean and youcan pay them less that's funny,
you said it.

Speaker 3 (14:56):
Right, that's funny, you said it because then, how
many you think about it?
How many movies or shows you'veseen a scene where somebody
says have you ever thought aboutbeing a model?
How you ever thought aboutgetting an actor.
Yes, yes, bro and then they endup doing it, and then it'd be
something, it'd be a horribleexperience for them, and now
they hate it.

Speaker 1 (15:15):
Now they in a dark place that's a lot of creeps,
bro, and not to mention not evenjust that, but, like he said,
creeps he not lying, bro, likesomebody somebody asked me that
when I had my first job atwalmart, he was like you ever
thought about modeling?

Speaker 2 (15:29):
I was like, nah, not for real.
He was like bro, you can model.
He's like, you know what I'msaying.
I was like all right, you knowwhat I'm saying.
Like I walk with him orwhatever.
He was like lift your shirt up.
I said what, man, you don't getaway from me.

Speaker 3 (15:47):
What Walmart is this?

Speaker 1 (15:50):
What Walmart is this?

Speaker 2 (15:53):
Hey, take a wild guess West Florissant.
You got it right.

Speaker 3 (15:58):
Shout out to the hood .
Bro, that's no way.

Speaker 1 (16:02):
Yes, sir, but that's real situations like people get
invited.
Y'all remember that episode ofsmart guy when they do he was.
He brought him back to the crib.
He was like you could be incommercials.
He had them doing like a littlesurfing game or something I
think I remember that yeah nasty.
That'd be the thing, bro.

(16:23):
Go and hit up arcades like you.
53.
Why are you here?
Right by yourself, right?
You know?
I mean like that's it's strange, but it happens in all kinds of
fields.

Speaker 3 (16:32):
I was gonna say you by yourself, you ain't got no
grandkids with you no like, no,no you say that.
No, imagine when we had, uh,your daughter's birthday, and it
being an older guy just inthere bro by herself.

Speaker 2 (16:49):
Oh yeah, nah, nah.
I asked myself why are you herebro?

Speaker 1 (16:53):
but that's the thing, because because you there but
think about, in a lot ofpeople's situations, bro, it's a
, it's a baby mama or somebody,or it's a mom by herself doing
the party, and so you know, Imean like be sticky situation
yeah, it's a different, it'sjust different.

Speaker 3 (17:08):
Yeah, that's sticky but just uh, to bring it back
around, bro you gotta, you gottathink people, people mean you
know I mean like it ain't, itain't even, just like look,
because I want you to payattention to like it's not just
creeps.

Speaker 1 (17:21):
People, bro.
People give constructivefeedback and then people give
destructive feedback.
And then people givedestructive feedback.
Yeah, and that shout out to uhraising cane.
And uh, uncle marvin said thatthe other day.
Uh, you know what I'm saying,so, um, I didn't watch it.

Speaker 3 (17:34):
You just messed up the whole episode, so I
appreciate that just because ofthat phrase, just the whole line
bro.

Speaker 2 (17:39):
Hey guess what happened in it.

Speaker 1 (17:41):
No, no but for real, bro, destructive criticism, and
it made me think, and I was likebro, because somebody will say
something to you thattechnically is correct, but the
way they deliver it tear youdown.
You know, I'm saying we go backto uh, shout out to rest in
peace, kevin samuels.
But same situation when you'redelivering the message right,

(18:01):
sometimes you may be saying theright thing, but the way you
deliver it is messed up.
So when you was talking aboutpeople like going out for trials
, maybe this they first audition, they didn't tour into them.
You're fat, you're not theright shape.
Sorry, we're looking forsomeone taller.
Sorry, we're looking forsomeone prettier.
Yeah, sorry, like, like legitbro, like you'd be like you just

(18:22):
don't do it like dang like it.
It just everybody ain't builtfor that.
That's all I'm going to say,because you may have talent, but
you got to have thick skin too.

Speaker 3 (18:29):
How many times have you felt?

Speaker 1 (18:31):
that A couple times, bro, you got to understand.
Especially for those listenerswho don't know I'm not a very
tall guy.

Speaker 3 (18:40):
I'm talking about just in the world of acting and
roles.
That's what I'm saying.
So, okay, go ahead.

Speaker 1 (18:49):
Like when, as a smaller guy and I'm not like
super muscular or nothing likethat you go into like an
audition or you go into ameeting and you be like dang
this cat tall, like well, helook like a model already.
You know what I mean.
You kind of compare yourselfand that can psych you out.
You know what I mean.
Not to mention if somebody giveyou some negative feedback, or
even it could just beconstructive.
But if you already in your headabout it and then somebody be

(19:10):
like, hey, no, I'm sorry, we'relooking for someone different
for this road, you're like, whydid I even come here?

Speaker 3 (19:13):
right, kill your confidence.

Speaker 1 (19:14):
Yeah, I mean and I ain't gonna say necessarily
kills your confidence, but ittake your wind out of yourselves
, like when you like, thinkabout when you get ready to run
a race.
Right, you mount up, mount upon the line.
You got a position that youknow you solid, you finna, push
off and be able to get somemomentum.
But think about if your footslip off that block right before
you get off that mud bro.

Speaker 3 (19:34):
It takes all the wind out your sail, bro.
And then now you got to reset.

Speaker 1 (19:37):
Yeah, like it's just a different energy, your
confidence there, you feel likeyou can do what you need to do,
but you're like dang, now Igotta catch up.
So it's a different, it's adifferent mode, that's all.
But I don't know, I feel likewhen you, when you, when you
take his comments and you lookat it kind of like as a blanket
statement.
It's true again, it's true in alot of situations, but the way

(19:59):
he said it kind of made it seemlike those who do work hard
won't get paid for, like itwon't pay off for them, right?
But unfortunately, in a lot ofsituations that does happen.
You know what I mean likesomebody may work 20 years for
something, then boom, like itnever happens, like go to
college all day you know, 30years old and never get that job

(20:20):
.
Never get that job.
They start doing somethingcompletely different.

Speaker 3 (20:22):
That's why you said you need to diversify your
repertoire.

Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (20:27):
Because if you just stuck in one niche, yeah, your
opportunity is going to be slim.
You know what I'm saying Becauseyou didn't diversify your
arsenal.
You know what I'm saying to beable to do different things, to
be able to go get thosedifferent roles.
It's like we said before.
You know what I'm saying Y androse.
It's like we said before.
You know I'm saying y'all gottaexpand your hustle.

(20:47):
You know I'm saying one thingdon't work, y'all just stagnant.
You can't be just stagnant andjust quit.
That's why I just gotta pivot.
Where am I?

Speaker 2 (20:54):
that's why I went the uh, the computer science route,
because it could take you in somany different lanes you know
what I'm saying Likecybersecurity and building
computers and games and shitlike that, like you can do all
type of stuff like that withcomputer science.
So that's kind of why I chosethat you can go so many

(21:17):
different lanes.
That makes sense, though it'slike a highway in Houston.

Speaker 1 (21:21):
That was a good one.
But I feel like that's somegood advice because a lot of
people who grew up in povertythey end up having the benefit
of working like multiple jobs,right, so you end up learning
that you good at certain thingsyeah, right, am I good at
cleaning up?
Am I good at counting money?
Am I you know what I'm saying?
Am I good at using my body tomove things?
You know, I mean whatever.

(21:42):
And then you start building onthose skills.
Kind of early on I was thinkingabout that, uh, me, and my wife
was talking about that kind oflike our how we grew up and she
didn't really start working tillcollege, like she didn't really
get a job till a little later,and like I'm like man, I've been
working south 15, like you know.
I mean like when I think aboutit, so my, I've been building
those skills for a long time andI've been I had started in
customer service so I think nowI'm like oh, nigga, I'm really

(22:04):
good at talking.
Oh, I wonder why, like, you knowwhat I mean like I've been
doing that thing for 20 years.
You know what I'm saying that'sfunny.

Speaker 3 (22:11):
You said that real quick cause I wanted, I guess,
to bring that up you just saidlike she didn't start working
until you said college yeah,like, so like that time thinking
about that age yeah and thenwe've talked about when we was
talking about our daughters andthem working and being out the
house, so it's not crazy to havethat mindset that I said as far

(22:31):
as them staying longer in thehousehold, because if the
situation's fine you know whatI'm saying they taking care of
and they doing the right thing,yeah, they not gonna probably
wait for a little minute.

Speaker 1 (22:42):
I think it's a level of independence, because
everybody matures differently.
You see it now, like somepeople are probably wait for a
little, a little minute I thinkit's a level of independence
because every everybody maturesdifferently.
You see it now, like somepeople are mature super early,
like they want to have their ownbusiness 10 year olds with
their own businesses becausethey have a just a level of
independence.
And then there's 30 year oldwomen who still live at home,
don't plan on moving out oftheir parents house.
You know what I mean?
That's just they don't havethat level of independence.
They cool being dependent onsomebody else.

(23:03):
So it's just like I think it'show you develop them too,
because a lot of that is yourchildhood.
If you don't ever establish alevel of independence, you won't
ever know what that's like youknow what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (23:13):
So, and that's that's a good thing about us being
from where we from I think Isaid this before too, because we
do we used to do multiplethings in one role, but when we
came here, one of those thingssimplified, yeah, bruh.
Yeah, like we did one of thosethings that we used to do like

(23:36):
13 different things for thatrole.
Now we do one of them.
Oh yeah, it's lit.
That's why we get promoted.
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (23:42):
I literally talk about that at work, bro.
People like it's not even thatI say, it's other people who
come from like out of state andcome here.
They have that same mindset.
They be like when I'm here asthis role, I did all the x, y
and z, now I only do this.
They were like and I'm kind ofbored, I'll be weak.
Bro.
It's hilarious because Iunderstand exactly where they
coming from, because it's Iain't gonna say it's easier to

(24:04):
succeed here, but you have a lotmore opportunities because you
don't have to be a jack of alltrades like you do back home.
Yeah, like you gotta be adiamond in the rough back home
to be able to like get certainopportunities here them us is
plentiful.
You know what I mean, so it'sjust different.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
Monte, I wanted, I wanted you to speak on why you
feel like on that interview,anthony Mackie's mindset of
masculinity was off.

Speaker 2 (24:31):
It's not necessarily masculinity, it was the.
It was the.
I'm raising my sons to be men.
And the specific comment waslike if somebody come in the
house like you, the man of thehouse, you supposed to take care
of your mom?
No, he not.
He is, he's a kid bro.
He's not supposed to know howto protect his mom.
His mom supposed to know how toprotect him.

(24:52):
You see what I'm saying?
Like that doesn't make sense tome.
If somebody come in my house, Iexpect my wife to go grab that
and go handle it.
I don't expect my son to dothat.
My son is young.

Speaker 1 (25:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (25:04):
That's crazy to me.
You know what I'm saying, justthat it was nothing else.
But I don't agree with raisingthem to be men.
Young men, raise them to be men, and that is 15 to 17.
When they young, let them bekids.

(25:30):
Man, let them kids be kids,because we are the people who
had childhoods and stuff likethis.
So let we want.
I would prefer my kids have achildhood and not me trying to
raise them too early.
You know what I'm saying.
Like being too responsible.
You know the onlyresponsibilities that you should
have is pretty much taking outthe trash or doing some, taking
the dishes out the dishwasher orsomething like that, like

(25:50):
cutting the grass, you know likeit shouldn't be nothing, that
that you gotta remember to stayon top of, or or like some type
of manly thing that you you'retrying to teach them because
that's something you gotta get,because Because they mind ain't
even ready for that yet.
You know what I'm saying.
So you're teaching them to bemen, but really they ain't ready

(26:12):
to be men.

Speaker 3 (26:14):
I'm not a I guess on the same page, but you don't
know, because I was raised likethat my father, when he would
leave, he would say are you theman in the house?
Protect, you know, protect thehouse.
So with me they gave me a senseof duty and responsibility and
it made me learn how to be aware, because now I start watching

(26:38):
my father closely and what hedid around the house, so then I
can be able to emulate it.
So that's where I probably Ithink he was going at it with it
.
I think I could agree, I guess,with the making sure you put
that responsibility and thiswhole Harley on that kid.
You know what I'm saying, but Ido believe at 14, 15, they need

(26:58):
to be getting the tools to beable to do that.

Speaker 2 (27:00):
That's what I'm saying though.

Speaker 1 (27:01):
You know what I'm saying, like 14, 15, 17 and I
think with context.

Speaker 3 (27:04):
I think that's what he was saying, because he had he
had several sons, I think hewas saying the oldest you know,
what I'm saying, and then onceyou get the oldest in line.

Speaker 2 (27:12):
He gets the rest.

Speaker 3 (27:15):
He teaches the other ones.
Some of these parents are, youknow, putting their
responsibility on their kids.
Yeah, and they feel thatpressure.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
You know, I'm saying and I think people will agree
with that and be more on that.
That's that's kind of what I'msaying, because he's a big
influence, don't you know?
Like, don't tell people thatman.

Speaker 1 (27:33):
You know I'm saying because the way and I get what
you're saying because the way itcame off, we got to be mindful.
In this day and age too, withthis climate, it it can sound
like abuse.
You know what I mean, becausehe didn't specifically say what
happened, but he did say stufflike he know, like if dad get
mad, you, you know what I'msaying and that could.
That could allude to manydifferent things.
We don't live in his house.

(27:54):
You know what I'm saying.
So we just.

Speaker 2 (27:55):
I think that was I say it from experience, because
I didn't live with my dad, Ilived with my mom, so I was the
dude who actually had to protectthe crib.
Yeah, you had that pressure onyou, like I was bro, I'm talking
about hearing arguments,jumping out the shower,
butt-nicking on boyfriends.

Speaker 1 (28:13):
Yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 2 (28:14):
All type of stuff.
You feel me Like I fought herboyfriend on my 21st birthday,
bro, because he put his hands onher.
So I really her boyfriend on my21st birthday, bro, because he
put his hands on him.
So I really was that.
I was protecting the crib and Idon't me having to do that.

Speaker 3 (28:27):
I grew up early you feel like you're around your
childhood a little bit yeah, bro, like because I I shouldn't
have had to do that.

Speaker 2 (28:33):
You know, I'm saying like I shouldn't have had to
step in that way, but I ain't Iain't blaming my mom.

Speaker 1 (28:39):
You know, I'm saying like I ain't blaming nobody, but
my pop should have been there,I think and I think that was the
note because he was an activefather he can kind of balance
the scales a little bit.
You know, I'm saying he ain'tgonna put them in position to
have to do that and have thatpressure all the time right.
But they should definitely havethe wherewithal to know like,
hey, if something do crack offand I'm not here, yeah, you

(29:01):
don't go hide like you need tobe able to defend if some crack.
You know what I mean.
But I also get that as a as akid.
That needs to be a last option.
That don't necessarily need tobe something that they like when
I need to bust in the houselike oh, what you doing, like
you know.

Speaker 2 (29:16):
Like I said, though, he should be teaching them the
tools early, though you, youknow, and that's one, but that's
one part that he did notmention.
Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
He needed to.
He needed to say that as well.

Speaker 1 (29:27):
Like those specific words you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (29:29):
It's like hey, I need my son to defend and I'm giving
him the tools, I'm providingthe tools for him to do that.
It's like hey, like it's themessage that you send it.
You know, what I'm saying.
It wasn't the messenger.

Speaker 1 (29:41):
You know what I'm saying, which is wild to say,
because if you think about likehis experience and has he been
in the game 20 plus years- yeah.
And he still hasn't been puttingthose like necessarily top
level conversations.
So he's like I've playedCaptain America.
I've played in some of the mostnotable movies like quotable
movies at this point, in some ofthe most notable movies like

(30:03):
quotable movies.
At this point, however, I'mstill not in those conversations
.
But there's a, a white man, whocould come into the game.
You know, I'm saying, be in twomovies and then all of a sudden
, oh he, academy award winner.
You know, I mean global, likewhat but?

Speaker 2 (30:15):
but he made a good point.
He said they have runs, that'salso true, he said they have run
, they come in and just notsustained for a long period of
time yeah, of excellence likedenzel, absolutely, yep, you
know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (30:30):
And they able angela bassett too, who it took her
forever to get in the war broshe been getting roles for eons
now, not to say she old likethat, but you know, I mean for a
long

Speaker 2 (30:39):
time.
But she has man you, bro, likehe said she should have got that
for, uh, the tina turner role.
Like are you crazy, bro?
Like that was what what's lovegot to do with it man, that was
produced like a black movie, butI promise I had the same.

(31:00):
I heard somebody say thisbefore, but I had the same thing
.
I thought she was tina turnerfor real bro.
I straight thought that was herso good you thought it was her,
tina turner.
I heard making movies, butthat's how you know it's a good
role, because that's how I feltabout j-lo and selena like I was
like that wasn't yeah, that'snigga, nigga who?

Speaker 1 (31:19):
Hey, that's Selena, bro, Like that's the same chick.
You know what I mean?
I mean, at least that's how Ifelt as a kid, Like I ain't seen
it in a long time but when itwas out, that's how I felt.

Speaker 3 (31:29):
I never watched it, brother.

Speaker 1 (31:31):
Really Well.
I also had three sisters in thehouse my boy.
I probably seen a lot of thingsthat other yeah, so unfortunate
.
Yeah, you know.
Niggas on the couch with ajukebox and I just had to, you
know.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
You know, I haven't seen it Endure you know, either
it's the five heartbeats or yousaid you haven't.
Yep, either the five heartbeatsor something else.
I could have sworn.

Speaker 3 (31:51):
She threw it on one time, or the temptations.
Like if I seen it, it was byaccident, whoa, you know, I'm
saying and I didn't just sitthere and watch the whole movie,
so I've never just sat thereand watched the movie.
So one of them temptations.
This is the thing.

Speaker 1 (32:04):
I ain't gonna put that on him because that's not
one of the movies that we sawbut I will say that you, it's
different cultures, because thetemptations is a biopic that's
telling a story.
Five heartbeats is not real.
Like them.
Okay, they based, they tooklike stories from a bunch of
different groups and threw theminto one movie.

Speaker 2 (32:21):
What's the other one that y'all talking about?
What you mean?
It's one that everybody betalking about, because I ain't
seen none of them.

Speaker 3 (32:30):
A new edition show.
Oh yeah, I seen that you gotFight or Temptations the old.

Speaker 1 (32:36):
Beyonce movie you talking about like biopics.

Speaker 2 (32:39):
Yeah, like the group Type of thing, cause it was the,
it was the five heartbeats andthe temptations, and somebody
was like I was like, yeah, Imean you talking about like On
the part of the movie Nah.
Somebody said that Cause I saidI ain't seen it.
I mean absolutely.

Speaker 1 (32:53):
Cause as a black, look cause.
I be like hey, we finna watchthis old movie.
She be like I don't want towatch it.
It's like 30 years old I'm likeyou need to watch this.
You need this for the culture.

Speaker 2 (33:06):
Hey, what's y'all all-time favorite movie though
the Wood nigga.

Speaker 3 (33:08):
Yeah, he said that he did.
Yeah, that's my favorite moviefor a long time.

Speaker 1 (33:13):
Hey yo Mark, dance fever hun.
I ain't gonna lie, I like.

Speaker 3 (33:19):
Don't Be a Menace to Society.

Speaker 1 (33:22):
Yeah, Menace to Society.
Code Boys in the Hood code.

Speaker 2 (33:25):
For me A Bronx Tale.
A Bronx Tale.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
Yep Legit Romantic ass.
Nigga Bro, that story was dope.

Speaker 2 (33:33):
That story was dope man, I mean it definitely was
dope you know what I'm saying,but it definitely was like
ghetto.

Speaker 1 (33:36):
Romeo and Juliet.
That's what it was.
It was like a ghetto Romeo andJuliet.
That's what it was.
It was like a ghetto Romeo andJuliet type shit.

Speaker 2 (33:41):
Bruh it was.
See, I didn't even look at itlike that.
I looked at it because bruh waslike he was down, but he was
just like I ain't rolling withy'all, bruh, today you know what
I'm saying and straight skipdeath.
And then same day, the personyou look up to get wet in front

(34:02):
of your face, man, what all?
Because of a what a black woman.
Always, bro, you did.
Oh, it's always over a womanperiod.

Speaker 1 (34:12):
Yeah, true, no, a black woman, I'm just saying
yeah, an african-american man anafrican-american, because that
was uh same same, uh sameactress who played uh keisha and
billy.

Speaker 2 (34:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was a very good movie, yeah she
was cold but all right.

Speaker 1 (34:28):
So y'all touched on it, right, and I let's go ahead
and get back on it, becausewe've definitely talked about
anthony mackie, I think.
Do y'all have any finalthoughts on that?
Like?

Speaker 2 (34:34):
anything.
Anthony mackie man I meandefinitely accomplished.

Speaker 1 (34:37):
Black man doing a lot of great things and he's an
active father.
Shout out to you know, everyaspect of what he's doing hey, I
it's.

Speaker 2 (34:44):
It's really shout out to him because he said in the
in the beginning I don't give afuck what y'all think.

Speaker 1 (34:49):
I mean you could tell , like if you, even when you
peep, because I've watched likewith him and the avengers, but
he don't he just be saying stuff.
He a real dude.

Speaker 2 (35:05):
I feel like he'll be one of us.
He's just like one of us.
If somebody was to be like hey,we finna pay y'all all this
money to do this, All right,cool, we ain't finna be like oh
yeah, we got bread.
We ain't finna do all that wegot bread like we ain't finna do
all that.

Speaker 1 (35:21):
We're gonna be humble we're gonna act like how we you
know, how we always act well,see, and I think that's got a
lot to do with, like, how youcome up to and what would drive
you in the game.
So I had I ain't watched thewhole thing, but brandon t
jackson was talking about theother day and what what you were
saying was he didn't go plastic, like even though he'd been in
hollywood.
You know, I'm saying this wholetime he didn't do what they

(35:42):
call go plastic, where youbecome a mannequin you know, I'm
saying he's kind of floatingaround.
So definitely shout out to him.
But I want to get back on thislebron and steven, a stuff man,
because, because I did, I wantto hit it from multiple angles,
like I want to hit it from thedad angle, I want to hit it from
, like, if y'all was in theirshoes, like what would you do?
Type of situation.
But I also want to talk aboutfrom brownie's perspective, bro,

(36:04):
because y'all touched on itlightly like dude just wanted to
get drafted, so that's a lot ofpressure that's coming along
where he just wanted to play,you know I mean.
So I definitely want to talkabout all of those things, but
y'all can jump in wherever youwant.
I'm sure y'all just want totalk about.
Actually, let's start off withthe father.
Let's start off with the fatheraspect.
When it come to Stephen A'scomments, did y'all feel like he

(36:24):
was wrong for coming at LeBronAbout how he Like the fatherhood
aspect?
Did you find anything wrongwith those comments at all?

Speaker 3 (36:32):
So I think.
I think what it is.
Stephen A, it was the platform.
He did it.
You know what I'm saying On hisplatform when he said what he
said.
Like, just like you said StevieNA has said before LeBron had
ways to get in touch with him.
You know what I'm saying.
So it should be vice versa.

(36:53):
If you got something to say,you can't be going on your show
and saying, as a father, Iimplore you stop.
Nah, you pull up on me, or you.
You know what I'm saying.
Um, go through the channels toget in contact with me right
don't go on your platform.
You know I'm saying to do thatnow, like lebron for him putting
up on steven a.

(37:14):
Um, I can't say I wouldn't, Iwouldn't have done that.
You know what I'm saying.
I can't say I wouldn't havedone that.
You know what I'm saying.
I can't say I wouldn't havedone that If I was a thinking
man I wouldn't have done that,in that you know what I'm saying
.
Situation, but with the contextof what happened.
They were saying that Bronnysaw Stephen A during a game or

(37:38):
something and then his bodylanguage like shut down, they
doing a game or something andthen his body language like shut
down.
So seeing your son shut downbecause you see him looking at
another man and you know thesituation I'm gonna be pissed
too you know, I'm saying lookingat my son so that's why he went
to him that when he did duringa game in the third quarter at a
timeout so mellow said um, hegotta let brownie be a man like

(38:02):
he.

Speaker 1 (38:02):
He let him into this game, and part of this game is
learning how to deal with all ofthat energy and everything.
So you can't be out here tryingto save him, right?
You, you, you let him in thegame, like that's like.
That's like you letting yourson go to the military and then
be a mad because he getting shotat you.
Let him go, bro.
That's part of the process.
That was part of the point thatI was trying to make.

Speaker 2 (38:23):
Yeah, like you, you brought him in to be under your
wing, but that's, that's justnot fair, bro.
Like yeah, because you youtrying to be a daddy as well,
absolutely on the court runningdown the court with him son,
when I get down here, throw methe ball right.
You know, ball Pass the ballRight.
You know, we did that, lob lastnight and you just throw it up

(38:44):
just like that.
I got it Like dog, come on.
Y'all making plans at the crib.
Dog, come on, dog.

Speaker 1 (38:50):
Yeah, I think that's the thing, though I get the
instinct because you want toreact as a parent, but also bro
20.
You know, want to react rightas a parent, but also bro 20,
like you know.
I mean like he a little olderthan the 16 year old.
He ain't come straight out ofhigh school like you did and in
the league trying to deal withall this.
He's had a little bit of timethis season.

(39:10):
You know what I mean, so yougot to let him toughen up.
He been under your wing allthis whole time like we.

Speaker 2 (39:17):
My thing is, it's like brian bro, we know you got
power bro in the NBA.
It's cool bro.
Like just yeah, yeah, you ain'thad to do that one though, bro.

Speaker 1 (39:26):
I think, bro, at the same time.

Speaker 3 (39:27):
I want to give my son a job bro.

Speaker 1 (39:30):
If you got the power why not Well?

Speaker 3 (39:35):
make him sweep the floor.

Speaker 2 (39:36):
Nah, and have him go, because he, not he Bronny is
not LeBron, so LeBron shouldhave been like all right, even
though he in all these camps,let me put him through college,
let me get him in the NCAA.
You know what I'm saying.
But he was probably thinking,hey, we finna get you on a team,

(39:57):
we finna.
You know what I'm saying.
But the long-term goal, thatprobably would've Made him
better bro.

Speaker 1 (40:02):
I think it's also Confidence, bro, cause you gotta
think Bron probably see him Atthe crib Letting loose.
Kept throwing it Behind hisback, dribbling off of stuff.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
Throwing it off the wall.

Speaker 1 (40:12):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (40:12):
Doing all kinds of crazy stuff.

Speaker 1 (40:14):
And then Exactly, but that's the problem.

Speaker 3 (40:16):
They saying this, though they say he's been
balling in the G League though,so you got to watch the other
side of it.
You know what I'm saying.
He putting in the work.

Speaker 1 (40:25):
But that's my argument.
I think that it's the level ofcompetition.

Speaker 2 (40:28):
See, I fell off my basketball.

Speaker 3 (40:31):
Bro.
They say that boy is G LeagueGOAT right now.
I'm not surprised by that.

Speaker 2 (40:37):
My point is he went to G League.
I'm not surprised by that.
My point is he went to G League.
That's what.

Speaker 1 (40:39):
I was saying he was supposed to, though Mello was
over there too, wasn't he?

Speaker 3 (40:42):
In the beginning he was supposed to.
He was a 50-50 pick, bruh what?

Speaker 2 (40:47):
expectation was he supposed to have?
Now I'm mad at Bron what Yo sonshould have had.
A spot Solidified it is thoughFor 10 years.

Speaker 3 (41:01):
Well, I think Ain't nobody contract 10 years.
That's soccer, yeah.
That's football yeah.

Speaker 1 (41:07):
Football.
I get what you're saying but,Nah, that's just bullshit, man.

Speaker 3 (41:13):
I get the perspective though, because it's a fair
perspective, but I just ran itreal quick because I want to
throw this out, because we'vebeen harping on that for a
little minute.

Speaker 1 (41:20):
I mean we definitely been Chopping everybody.

Speaker 3 (41:21):
Like when y'all Hear about Information and you
Through your ears, you know whatI'm saying, not through your
phone and like that you hearabout it.
Where do you go To seek thatinformation?
Where do you think to go first?

Speaker 1 (41:37):
Depends on the level of information, but I'm gonna go
to google first to see whatpops up.
So it's not necessarily that Itrust google, but I want to see
what sources already have thistype of information up and then
I'm gonna start sourcing thosethings it's crazy how, like even
with that, though, like at ourage, I think our age group we're
gonna say that google, google.

Speaker 2 (41:59):
You know, I'm saying the end, the uh group after us
social media okay, I was justtalking about the group before
us the news tv the news yeah,absolutely the group before them
newspapers so well it.
Yeah, you right, it's probablythe news.
However, for me I'm callingsomebody.

(42:23):
It depends on what it is.
Yeah, you know what I'm saying,like word of mouth type of
thing you need to verify, yeah.
If it's somebody that I heardsomething from, depending on
what it is shoes, clothes, deathin the family or something like
that.
I'm probably going callsomebody that that probably know
you know I'm saying, and thenthey probably gonna find out and

(42:45):
come back to me where I canverify it.
You know, it depends all right.

Speaker 3 (42:49):
So yeah, you want us information to see what's going
on.
That boy big trump, where y'allgoing that's different.

Speaker 1 (42:56):
I mean that's different.

Speaker 2 (42:57):
I can see it and read it.
You know like.

Speaker 1 (43:00):
Definitely I mean, but I think, like to your point,
it's so many different forms.
Yeah, cause, like bruh,sometimes On YouTube they got a
whole news Like little section.
You can go and get All theupdates On what's going on
Politically right now, so it'slike it depend on what you
frequent.

Speaker 3 (43:15):
So many different avenues.

Speaker 1 (43:16):
Yeah, yeah bro, like they got it everywhere.

Speaker 2 (43:18):
But If you not getting Information, man Like
you slacking.

Speaker 1 (43:24):
It's out there, but what I like Is what he said,
cause it's different avenues.
So even with, let's say, youwanted To get some Information
out to the masses, depending onyour Target audience, now you
know when you should Probably gofirst.

Speaker 3 (43:36):
Yeah, but why?
Has it got to be it's crazy nowBecause it's got to be A
strategic thought.
Yeah, it used to just be here,put it out.
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (43:47):
It's saturated, it's too.

Speaker 1 (43:49):
Nah, that's the right word.
The market is saturated bro.

Speaker 3 (43:51):
That's what I'm saying, social media is the New
source For news, though.

Speaker 1 (43:55):
But even so, I think that that's saturated, it's got
to go into social media, but isit valid news?
I think that's what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (44:01):
That's the thing it's not valid yeah, but that's what
people are running to.
Yeah, you know I'm saying outthe rear also yes, because it's
making them stupid.

Speaker 1 (44:13):
I'm I don't disagree but look at tiktok, bro.
Look at.
Look at how many things peoplelearn from just scrolling on
that app.
People learn like, don't get mewrong, some of it is dumb
because they making play-dohcookies and stupid shit like
that, but like did you see, thegirl who said she, she was like
hey y'all.

Speaker 2 (44:33):
So I'm mad because my baby daddy gonna tell me my
baby daddy gonna tell me that uh, that he ain't gonna pay my
light bill and that's myhusband's responsibility.
I got emoji eyes.
I was like what?

Speaker 3 (44:50):
As soon as I heard that I just turned it off.
These people make me sleepy bro.

Speaker 1 (44:55):
Like immediately.
When I hear something like that, I shut down.

Speaker 3 (44:58):
The mindset that pissed me off is the husband
though.
Why Is you okay with her doingthat and asking for help from
another man?
That's like this.
Like all right, let me say this, because this is when I'm going
to say this, because this issomething I guess I've thought
about several different times.

(45:18):
You know what I'm saying.
So I pay child support.
You know what I'm saying.
So I pay child support.
You know what I'm saying.
I have my kids, but if I'm witha woman and she has kids and
that guy's paying child support,I really don't feel comfortable
you know what I'm saying Withme being with this woman and her
.
You know what I'm saying kidsaround my household and he pays

(45:42):
child support.

Speaker 1 (45:43):
You feel like he paying bills in your house type
of.

Speaker 3 (45:46):
Thing.

Speaker 2 (45:46):
Yeah, I can understand that Like if y'all
was staying together.

Speaker 1 (45:50):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, like he with them.
Yeah, we won.

Speaker 3 (45:53):
You know what I'm saying, because some dudes be
cool, kicking their feet up.
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (45:57):
Oh, absolutely not.
That's crazy.

Speaker 3 (46:02):
No, but it's common bro.
In our mindset it's crazy, butit's very common bro.
It's actually very common, Likemy wife gave the card to our
son.

Speaker 2 (46:12):
But that's what I'm saying, no, it ain't like that.

Speaker 3 (46:14):
Dudes is cashing out after you know what I'm saying?
Bd.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
Man, y'all need to be judo chopped in the neck bro.

Speaker 1 (46:24):
Bro, you got to understand.
It's cats out here begging formoney, bro, and then they look
like, say a dude like me.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
Say a dude like me that is paying child support.
You know what I'm saying.
And I'm grimy Like and I getwith a woman you know what I'm
saying and that guy isn't payingchild support.

Speaker 2 (46:50):
And I'm like bro man, you should put the dude on
child support so we can get somemoney like that's wild bro
niggas is disgusting, that iswild.

Speaker 1 (46:53):
He's sick.

Speaker 2 (46:53):
It's like bro, because I'm like no cash, like
that, I've seen bro I've satthere and you've been around
this type of I've watched a dudebeg a female for money.

Speaker 1 (46:57):
Had bread but was on the phone like begging her for
money.
Like hey, you think on thephone, like begging her for
money.
Like hey, you think I'ma beable to come through and get
that.

Speaker 2 (47:05):
You think you got enough for me To go through the
room and picked up a girl latertoo, nah, bro.

Speaker 1 (47:11):
I ain't gonna lie bro .

Speaker 2 (47:12):
That's shysty bro.
That's different I'm talkingabout.
I'm talking about Begging achick for money.
Nah, nah, that's crazy to me.

Speaker 1 (47:19):
Like cats be lowering themselves, Like y'all ain't.

Speaker 3 (47:22):
Like you disgust me, bro.
Like you watching them, likenigga, you disgust me.
You asking for this woman, forthis money, bro, yeah, nah.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
And begging.

Speaker 3 (47:30):
That's the thing you begging on.

Speaker 1 (47:31):
Begging.
Nah, like I understand beingdown, bad and like having a
situation.
Yeah, that's recurrent, that'syour personality, that's your
character.
Yeah, bro.

Speaker 2 (47:41):
Nah, now, okay, now what if she just been willingly
just giving it to you and youain't asking for it?

Speaker 3 (47:48):
Nah, bro, is that?

Speaker 2 (47:48):
okay.

Speaker 1 (47:50):
I'm going to get tricked off and see it's an
uncomfortable situation, becauseI think for me it depends on
how it go Right, because are wetricking off on each other?

Speaker 2 (48:06):
I'm paying for stuff, you paying for stuff?
I actually like you, or are youone of them girls who just
doing a lot?
You know what I mean?
No, so it was one of them.
All right, it was one of them,like real clingy so she just
paid for everything type ofthing you know what I'm saying,
but she always, always wanted tobe around.

Speaker 1 (48:17):
I can't do that.
I bet that in I could, bro inthe okay, that extra clingy
stuff, bruh Back in the dayBroke Not.
Having no job.
I see the benefits of it, butthat's why I was dumb.
I was walking and she'd haveeverything.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
You know I'm like that, bro, cause you remember
the situation when I was gettingfluid out Like I ain't feel
comfortable.

Speaker 2 (48:39):
It's weird, bro.
I'm talking about back in theday, bro, in St Louis.
No, I'm talking about, but minewas like A little more recent.
I know I'm saying this was backin the day, like when, when
bruh was hurting.
You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (48:50):
Yeah, yeah yeah, and, like I said, I get the mindset
Cause, like I was telling bruhthe other day, I was like when I
think the couple of girlfriendsI had All had cars, like I
ain't had no car or nothing Likethey used to come get me.
I don't want no scrub Scrub wasthe guy, but I kept a job
Hanging on the passenger sidehey glad, glad they wasn't

(49:10):
listening To that song.

Speaker 2 (49:11):
Like bro Cause they show it's like hey, hey bro, I
was.
I used to be walking girls.

Speaker 1 (49:16):
This nigga, we're getting all the girls In the
passenger side I would say backthen though yeah, passenger side
, I was cold at that cold at thepassenger side.
It's so funny too, bro, becausewhen I look back on old
pictures stuff, I definitely wasa white t-neck, like I ain't
used to have nothing on withsome cargo gas station white.

Speaker 3 (49:38):
T was it a gas station white, it was a haynes,
it was was fresh out of Walmartfive pack.
Where'd you get your white tees?
At Mate.

Speaker 2 (49:45):
Ooh, I don't even Right now.

Speaker 3 (49:48):
No, no, no, no, no, back then, Back then.
We can't get them in the gamenow.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
Right, uh, foot Locker.
Yup, yup, was y'all in the.

Speaker 3 (50:08):
uh, the long t-air the tall, tall t with the stick
on it.

Speaker 1 (50:12):
I used to have me a gown on every day.

Speaker 3 (50:14):
Y'all remember the.
Y'all remember the jackets, thefrom full locker, the diamond
jackets, the like little puffersthey were.
They had black and they hadlike brown ones.

Speaker 1 (50:23):
Yeah, everybody wanted like the black ones.
They had a dark green, a greenwith the orange on the side.

Speaker 2 (50:27):
Ah see, y'all remember they got to Stephen
Berry's.

Speaker 1 (50:30):
Yup, yeah boy, I had a big old blue coat from there,
a big old coat.

Speaker 2 (50:36):
What you mean?
Big old blue coat.
I had about 15 Of them, 999jackets.

Speaker 1 (50:42):
Nah, nah, the one I had.
I had a Duke one.

Speaker 3 (50:45):
I had a Duke blue devil.
When they got, I was comingdown.

Speaker 1 (50:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (50:49):
Bro, I had so many Of them.

Speaker 2 (50:51):
Hey, they fell apart, though, for real, yeah, stephen
Berry Was cheap as hell, but itwas.
Hey, it was Came in handy boy.

Speaker 1 (50:58):
But back then, bro, you gotta think about it.
So I seen a little meme and itwas showing all the groceries
you could get for like 50 bucks.
They filled up the freezer andthe fridge with all kind of
stuff bro All of it's unhealthyyeah.
But I mean it was at leastlunch and bacon in that mug.

Speaker 3 (51:14):
We got a bunch of snacks, killing ourselves boy.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
For a long time.

Speaker 3 (51:17):
Right, think about the stuff we was eating back
then, boy, we was getting abunch of stuff but, nigga, it
was bad.

Speaker 1 (51:20):
It wasn't as many chemicals, though, bro, it
wasn't nearly as many chemicals,I feel like it's way worse.

Speaker 3 (51:25):
Now we say that how can we prove that?

Speaker 2 (51:28):
yeah, we don't know huh yeah, we really don't know
how can we prove that unless weget a box.

Speaker 3 (51:32):
That was back then, you know you know how we gonna
prove it.

Speaker 2 (51:35):
Cause, and our grandparents died at like 90 95,
you feel me like.

Speaker 1 (51:43):
That's the thing, bro , and they just be like.

Speaker 3 (51:45):
Oh, he was just sick, you know, at 45.

Speaker 2 (51:48):
What was wrong with him?
All the chemicals?

Speaker 1 (51:53):
But see, I'm trying to eat good too.

Speaker 2 (51:54):
I'm like, I'm just trying to eat, like.

Speaker 3 (51:57):
That's why we had our trophies right now.
We had our trophies, yeah forreal Not even salads Cause.

Speaker 2 (52:01):
Y'all over here talking, nah, but I ain't I I
still do like chicken and stufflike that.

Speaker 1 (52:07):
I just you know like chicken, but hey, but think
about that think about ourperspectives, bro, because we
keep talking about like back inthe day and then we fast forward
until today.
You know what I mean.
Do y'all feel like going backto touching on some of anthony
mackie's uh comments?
Do y'all feel like Going backto Touching on some of Anthony
Mackie's comments?
Do y'all feel like Y'all had toface any of that?
Do you feel like when you atright now Is where you supposed

(52:29):
to be?
Do you feel like you had towork Hella hard to get here?
Or do you feel like you werechosen To be where you at?

Speaker 2 (52:38):
Bruh, I kinda feel like it was effortless.

Speaker 3 (52:41):
Effortless.

Speaker 1 (52:44):
Effortless, effortless, that mug echo.

Speaker 2 (52:50):
Nah, I feel like it was effortless.
You know it was like I wasthinking about my path, you know
, because I had a mentor thatkind of.
You know she kind of paved theway for me along the years.
You know what I'm saying.
But I feel like I earned that,though you know I didn't know
what I was doing, but she waslike he, a sponge, I see he.

(53:16):
She was like I see he soak upgame quick.
You know what I'm saying.
So she held my hand, bro, likebro, like she.

Speaker 1 (53:27):
Hey, this, is what you do like.
So you feel like it was kind ofboth like you showed and proved
, so she chose you yeah, so Iearned it.

Speaker 2 (53:32):
You know what I mean, but it earned me a spot for a
long time.
So, um, I just feel like, yeah,I I agree with some.
I agree with most of what hesaid, bro.
It's just certain things.
It's like eh, it was a littleyeah.
Yeah, you know the way it wassaid.

Speaker 1 (53:52):
What about you, Unique?
Do you feel like you was chosenfor this position, or you feel
like the work that you put inspecifically landed you in this
position?

Speaker 3 (54:07):
Both, like the work that you put in specifically
landed you in this position, umboth but initially I would say,
um, I work for this.
But the reason why I say both,because I wouldn't be in a
position without god, because II was thinking about this the
other day, before we eventhought about the topic for this
podcast, for this episode, andand I was just saying, I said it
out loud to myself and I waslike man everything I said I
wanted, I did.

(54:28):
God gave it to me.
Everything, everything I wantedto do, I ended up doing it.
You know what I'm saying.
Achieving it, I got through it.
So that just gave me more power.
I started saying things outloud when I was in the crib by
myself.
You know I'm saying speaking out, but um, but I definitely put

(54:49):
the work in, because I've beenthrough situations to where I
had to pivot and put in the work, you know I'm saying, to get to
the position where I'm at now.
You know I'm saying I could dowhat I want to do, um, but nah,
it wasn't.
It was earned for sure.
I'm still trying to earn.
You know what I'm saying.
I can do what I want to do, butnah, it was earned for sure,
I'm still trying to earn it.
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (55:08):
I like that mindset.
I like that mindset, I know youput in your work.

Speaker 3 (55:12):
Ain't nothing given over there.

Speaker 1 (55:14):
Hey, but I ain't even going to lie to you.

Speaker 3 (55:16):
He was a bum.
I'm going to let him fool youguys.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
Look, look, look.
Definitely didn't used to havethis vernacular, for sure.
Hey, when he was sitting thereTalking about you, used to beg
for money.
He was talking about himself.

Speaker 3 (55:29):
Look, look, look, my bad Sharice Let me apologize to
Sharice and Ashley.

Speaker 1 (55:35):
Nah, just kidding.
I don't even know no, sharice.

Speaker 3 (55:40):
Watch me have a homegirl Sharice.

Speaker 1 (55:42):
She be like dang, you don't know me, I know Sharice,
broa, look watch me have ahomegirl sharice.
She be like dang, you don'tknow me my bad, my bad I know,
sharice.
Look, I jumped off that windowthis is when I worked at
footlocker.
See, I feel like I vaguelyremember yeah, yeah, you
remember that story.

Speaker 3 (55:59):
Yeah, the boy ran came to the room.
People came home.
Yeah, I was under the bed.
Yeah, dog chased me.
Yeah, yeah, you remember thatstory.
The boy ran came to the room.
People came home.
Yeah, I was under the bed.

Speaker 1 (56:04):
Yeah, dog chased me, yep, yep, jumped the gate, yep
yeah, yeah, I remember thatthat's hilarious, definitely
just thought about that.
All right, all right now.
But so I for me, nah, but thisis my surprise job.
But, to be honest, for theposition I got now I definitely
feel like I was chosen like, andthe reason that I say that is

(56:24):
because I feel like my wholelife I ain't going to say my
whole life definitely I've beenpreparing myself to be in the
type of position that I'm inright now.
But when I look at theaccolades, when I look at for
real the resume of people whoare in my position, there's a
lot of schooling that I don'thave.
The resume of people who are inmy position, there's a lot of
schooling that I don't have.
There's a lot of experiencethat I didn't go get from other

(56:45):
jobs that would have technicallybeen the prerequisite for this
position.
So for me, that boy don't fitthe criteria at all that at all.
Look at all at all.

Speaker 3 (56:56):
No but the position is mine.

Speaker 1 (56:58):
I do now.
I do now because I've been init for a couple years, but for
the most part when I look atlike legit resume wise, I'm not
supposed to be here yet.
Like again I, you might not beat that level.
I have to take a step down mostlikely, I like pay, I'll

(57:27):
probably be okay right, but myposition with death, I I step
down a couple runs on the ladderfor sure, for sure so so what
advice would you give somebodythat's in the same position?
uh, for me, prepare so, like onething I'm doing right now is,
now that you own this level,even if it's not at the job or
the company you want to be at,right, because, like for
somebody like me, I definitelyalways had the aspiration to at

(57:50):
least spend a little bit of timeworking at like an apple or
microsoft or something like that, right, so, like that would be
like a long-term goal.
Uh, but prepare yourself forthat opportunity, because I am
in this position right now.
Right, I have a uniqueperspective.
So now I get to gain experienceunder this title.
Continue working at it, even ifit don't feel good, even if
you're not making as much as youfeel, like you should.
With that title, get theaccolades.

(58:12):
Something I looked up right iscertification.
So for, like, technically, I'min human resources, right, but I
guess my branch, right.
So when I look atcertifications, technically, to
be certified to the level that Iwant to be, I have to be
working in this field for fiveyears.
I've only been working in thisfield for two years, so stay put
.
You know what I mean.
Like that would be like.

(58:32):
One of my recommendations islike, don't be so quick to jump
to the next job without seeingwhat you can really do, because
this is a time for you to buildeverything, ain't gotta be a
jump up the ladder you know whatI'm saying.

Speaker 3 (58:44):
Get some experience under your belt absolute polish
yourself right now like getyourself to where you need to be
.
Don't be so quick to take thefirst opportunity you get.

Speaker 1 (58:51):
There's a reason why high school is four years before
you get to college like youneed to.
You need time to cook, but what?
They say let them cook bro,well, well to that to that point
I was.

Speaker 2 (59:02):
I was just thinking about, I was like hey, if yo, if
your company does offer that,uh, that schooling or whatever
yeah you know that that's thetrajectory that you're trying to
take tuition reimbursement.
You know what I'm saying takeadvantage of that, go to school
and by time you get to thatpoint, you might be, uh, four
years in and you got a degreenow, and that you, you just got

(59:26):
the job.
You know what I'm saying oneyear earlier, plus you got a
degree under your belt.
Absolutely so, use those typeof resources and stuff like that
darling like I definitely.

Speaker 1 (59:35):
I definitely feel that, but, um, to that point, I
don't.
I don't want anybody to feellike, whether you were chosen or
you worked hard to get to yourposition, that one is better
than the other.
Yeah, but I do feel like youshould recognize where you at
Right Because, like for somebody, like you said, if you are
chosen for your position,understand that that may be
temporary.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Like, understand you need toposition yourself just in case

(59:57):
this moves a different direction.
You know, I mean be be able topivot, but but, at the same time
, for those who have worked hardfor their position, understand
that it's okay for you to go forsomething different.
That seemed like it's out ofyour purview you know, I mean
that's okay too.
you don't have to just stay onthis linear path you want.
So I definitely wanted to throwthat out there, man, but uh, I
feel like this has been somesome solid conversation today,

(01:00:19):
man, this has been some dopestuff.
We've had a phenomenal episode.

Speaker 2 (01:00:24):
One more thing, but yeah, as a man, uh-oh, isn't it
an unspoken rule?
Okay, when you standing in thatstall, that that man next to
you ain't talking to you bro?

Speaker 3 (01:00:38):
He ain't supposed to be no dude right next to you.

Speaker 2 (01:00:41):
He ain't supposed to be like.
No in the stall, no in theurinal, nah we don't talk what
you talking to me for In thebathroom.

Speaker 1 (01:00:49):
We shouldn't really be talking If anything?
Head nod, what's up?
That's it.
It ain't work.
There shouldn't be no questionmarks.

Speaker 2 (01:00:56):
This dude is trying to give me a forlorn
conversation, bro.

Speaker 3 (01:00:59):
Nah, I'd be like hey bro, check it out, Bro what.
Check it out bro, don't eventalk to me, bro, I was like what
Nah no no, I was like hold onbro.

Speaker 1 (01:01:08):
I can't do it, bro, but I feel like, all right, you
know what?
Wait till we get out of hereFor token rules, right?
Because I feel like there's alot of things y'all be doing out
here that nobody ever educatedyou you know what I mean
Properly.
Come talk to your uncles.
You know what I'm saying, thebig bros, and we're going to let

(01:01:29):
y'all know that some stuff thaty'all doing out here that's a
little unbold, you know what Imean?
All right, but this has been tothe Trenches to Trophies
podcast.
Any last words, fellas.

Speaker 3 (01:01:41):
Fellas, if you love what you do, you'll never work a
deal in your life.

Speaker 1 (01:01:46):
I rocks with that, so figure out your why.
Ooh, that's deep.

Speaker 2 (01:01:51):
I just want to thank y'all for listening Everybody
that's listening.
I appreciate y'all.
You know what I'm saying.
Every download counts.

Speaker 3 (01:02:04):
And y'all the real mvps I love you all.

Speaker 2 (01:02:07):
Right he done.
Made a girlfriend all right,y'all.