Aba fam, Welcome to another episode of Brown Ambition. I am your host, Mandy Woodrif Santos and whoo it has been It has been a week, ba fam. I am still recovering from afro Tech. I don't know if I had told y'all, but I was invited to attend by Blavity CEO and multi Brown Ambition host. I think she's been on the show two times at least Morgan Debon and I had been invited by her last year, but
a lot was going on. I just had a baby, and then of course there was a bunch of you know, I was back and forth to Atlanta, traveling for some family stuff. It just wasn't a good time. Last year it was in Austin. But when I got the invite this year, something just said, you better get yourself in that room. I had not been to afro Tech, which is alarming to me. I think I might have gone to one of the smaller offshoot conferences, more local or
regional ones that they have hosted over the years. But for those who are not in the know, afro Tech, God,
how do you describe it? We're talking about a professional It is where black professionals get their damn life and come together with a mix of entrepreneurs, CEOs, business founders, business leaders, job seekers, students, more experienced professionals who are looking for new opportunities, or simply want to be in a community that feels like safe, that feels like us, that feels like in the backdrop of the twenty twenty four election that we just went through, y'all, I can't
think of a better place to have landed just a week later than in the smack in the middle of thirty five thousand, yes, thirty five. I did not even know the scope of this thing, y'all. Thirty five thousand people descended upon Houston, Texas for Afrotech. I have never been to something that big in my entire life as far as like a conference goes. I mean, the scale of it, I just could not. I mean I just would turn the corner and I'd be like, wow, that
is amazing. Wow. Look how the stage design. Look at the presentation, Look at the MC's, Look at how they have you know, even small details like the yard, I mean not a small detail, but Howard University, y'all, they did the damn thing. They had something in the front
called the yard. Which was it was. They'd be out there at like eight thirty am, bumping, having the DJ going and the food trucks, and you would be you'd be at a conference talking to people about professional goals, and you could walk outside and do the damn Cuba shuffle and go back inside and get right back to business. And that is how we do. I cannot think of a more incredible space to be in as a black professional. And I when did I spend I spent maybe three Yeah,
I spent three days at Afrotech. I actually missed some of the most exciting parts. At the end, they had the they had the Black Party, which is like their big celebration. At the end, there were, you know, some some celebrations that I had to miss, and I did it for a good reason though. I had to come back to New York to see my little brother. He has a short film that premiered at the Urban World Urban World Film Festival here in New York City, and
I was so proud of him. And honestly, if y'all haven't attended a film festival in your town, they are all over the country. So if you live near a major city, chances are there is a film festival in that city or nearby. I really encourage you to go because there is amazing art that is being created by whether it's budding filmmakers or veteran filmmakers, but there are some really incredible stories out there that won't get a chance to be seen unless you go to these festivals.
And it was maybe my second or third festival that I've ever gone to, which is kind of embarrassing because I live in the film capital of America kind of right apart from la and maybe Atlanta, I don't know, but it was really extraordinary. And then I logged on to like Instagram yesterday and Morgan from Blavity in Afro Tech she was posting, and I mean, I gotta give it up to Morgan. I can't believe how poised she was.
I mean she was everywhere. She was introducing the whole conference, kicking it off, she was on multiple stages a day, she was working the crowd, she was in lord No, she was working behind the scenes with partners and making sure everybody was having a great time in her team. My god, at Blavity, I mean black excellence, black f and excellence. But I saw that there was like a bunch of like hot takes on social media about whether
or not afro Tech is worth it. Some people were saying that it was too expensive and calling out a price of eight hundred dollars for the conference pass. And like any conference, there are multiple levels of access, right, there's a student pass, there's I had an executive pass, which is like for more I think more senior professionals. And there was a corporate sponsor pass, and forget some other ones general pass, And yeah, they come at different
price points. But let's say you had spent eight hundred dollars on that conference, as long as you came with a plan and a purpose for being there, as long as you maybe went to i don't know, ten percent of the gajillion different incredible sessions that they had, as long as you hung out there for I don't know, three to four hours a day, even though they had programming from like eight am until five pm and then additional events in the evening. Even if you did that,
I think you would get your money back. You would find the value there. And that is a fraction. Not only is that a fraction of what I've seen some in person massive conferences cost, but it's a fraction of like what some online professional development courses can cost, right like. And this is in community, in person with real people. And I went through this expohole, y'all, and I couldn't the scale of it, the scale of it. There were
the hugest brands, I mean, American Express LinkedIn. There was a whole damn TwixT integration because Mars Wrigley was a sponsor and the CEO was there. Who knew Mars Wrigley's CEO was black?
I didn't.
Who knew the CEO of the Honest Company was black? I didn't Afro Latina. And not only that, but I got to go to a dinner right and sit right next to the CEO of Honest Company. And that's the kind of magic that can happen at afro Tech. And Yeah, I'm one hundred percent. I'm sold. I am so grateful to attend. I will be back unless something crazy happens. I'm going back in twenty twenty five. It's going to
be in Houston again. And in fact, Houston made November what is it November sixteenth, which was the last day of the conference, they declared it afro Tech Day. Let's go go Morgan like that is so amazing. So I'm just in awe. It was a wonderful experience. I'm not even like probably the target exact target audience for afro tech because I'm not a prof I'm not a professional who's like working their way up at these at tech corporations. But I still got huge value out of it because
I am a professional. I'm a working black woman in the world, and it's just magical to be in community with other people who are just wanting more for themselves and wanting to connect and wanting to learn. And i mean just the level of spongery. I'm saying spongery not ain't a word, but the level of openness to learning new things and feeling like you are getting you know, you're at the forefront of some really essential information for
your career. I mean, it was just incredible. So listen, I will ride for Morgan and Blavity any damn time. So everyone on the internet who's saying it's too expensive or it's just for people who want to go there and meet a husband, which is so sexist coded like so so sexist, so misogynistic, because you know what, like, if you're a dude, I would say, you probably have.
Better odds finding a WiFi at afro Tech and probably got more potential for that too, because, like all things, black women were there front and center. So I think that's just all bullshit. I think if you went with a purpose, a plan, and you were someone who was going to push yourself outside your comfort zone and not let things like, yes, we are a lot of us are introverts. Yes, a lot of us struggle in huge, over stimulating environments. And if there's one thing afro Tech is,
it is a loud, proud, in your face convention. They have so much to get in front of you, like they have it's music, it's of course, it's speakers and lights, and it's massive, and you're walking from oh you're walking miles and you're not even leaving the building, right, So.
It's very stimulating. And yes, I too struggle with that, and I too would have to go recharge myself and get back out there. But it is like some experiences are not worth that. Like I don't know every birthday party for four year olds that I have had to attend in the last year that have overstimulated me to within an inch of my life, I wouldn't say that those were necessarily worth my own happiness, the worth it
for me. But afro Tech, that is worth pushing yourself, putting yourself past your own boundaries and like pushing yourself through your comfort zone to really take full advantage of it. So that is what I have to say about afro Tech. Now about today's episode. Today, we got some company in the studio, Brown Ambition, and I don't even really know how it all happened, but it happened, and I'm not
gonna I'm not gonna question it. I'm just gonna say that I got to interview the one and only Matthew Knowles, Yes, Beyonce's dad. I don't know what else to say it.
Matthew.
Of course he is so much more than that. But Matthew Noles, oh my goodness, is the guest on Brown Ambition today. Matthew Knowles. What can I say about him? He's a visionary, an entrepreneur, he's a renowned music executive, he's an author. He advocates for education and for empowerment, and you're going to hear today how he is advocating for us to understand our bodies in an even more holistic way. So that we can get in front of
potentially harmful diseases that maybe in our DNA. Yes, Matthew Knowles is an ambassador for twenty three and meters and you'll hear today on the show how that was born out of his own experience of being diagnosed as a rare case of a male with breast cancer. So he has taken that experience and I feel like it is just the nole's way right to take your experience, turn around and say how can I save some lives? How can I use my experience to improve the health outcomes
for others? So that's what he's here to talk about now. Of course y'all know him as the founder of some of the biggest acts and music like Destiny's Child and of course Beyonce, and he has a wealth of experience and insights to share. You may not know it, but he's actually a professor in the UK. He has also taught in the US, so he is not to be
played with, Okay. So I talked to Matthew about everything from the work he's doing with twenty three and Me to his early days as an entrepreneur, to the types of content, the types of lessons that he focuses on teaching as an educator, we have us a good old time, and you know what, as an interviewer, I've learned a lesson too through this conversation. You'll hear and I actually kept this in the show. You'll hear at a certain point where some of my questions. Even though I'm having
a great time, I feel like we're getting along. I usually keep things pretty casual, but Matthew has a boundary and he's kind of like, here's my boundary, and let's just pick a different track. And I was like, let me keep that in the show because it's just real. And at the end of the day, as an interviewer, I'm really trying to play the role of the audience. So I hope that I hope that y'all enjoy the interview. I hope that you get a lot out of it.
I hope, honestly you get to know Matthew like I did, as much more than the father of one of the greatest artists in history, and get to really appreciate his work. Oh and just stay tuned for the part where he he shows us a little bit of his music talents and talks about how he has a writing credit on one of my absolute favorite Destney's Child songs. All Right, I'm gonna take a quick break and be right back
with my interview with Matthew Knowles. All Right, Hey, be a fam we have some very special company in the studio today. That's what I say when we have a guest. I don't say guests, I say company. I am from the South, I'm from Georgia. I'll know when we have company. We take the plastic off the sofa, we get the good plates down, and we say hello and welcome to our guest today. And hey, you can hardly even believe it, but mister Matthew Knowles, welcome to Brown Ambition.
Hey, I'm mag Mandy. You're from Georgia. From Alabama. Well, from the South we are.
Yeah, what do you call us? I mean, now you're in Where are you at? Now?
Are you in La Orange County, California? You know my wife and I we we live in Houston part time. We live here part time. We live in London part time.
Oh wow, Okay, what are we doing this? Seasonally? Is there a certain season? Do you leave Houston in the summer? Because that heat I hear is intense.
It's not seasonal. It's it's more holiday fest of time. London. I teach every quarter at the in College of Contemporary Music, so that song calendar four times a year, and then you know, most of the times. I've done twenty four speaking events this year, twenty four around the world, so we live a lot on the AirPrint planes as well.
Yeah, and I mean, I am excited because I feel as if, well, I haven't I should just start by saying, it's been a hell of a week, right, Honestly, I am in this season where when I sit across from someone who I know is an incredible parent or at least has more experience than I do, the first thing I want to do is just say, you got any
advice for me? I have a four almost a five year old he turns five this year, and I have a one year old, and I mean, this is a very intense week, and I'm just wondering, like, as a dad, have there like what advice do you have for parents who are trying to figure out sort of like how to keep the vibe hopeful and you know, hopeful and forward looking during a crazy time like this.
Well, I'm I'm older than probably most of your audience. So I've seen this before. I've seen it probably three or four times in my lifetime. This too shall pass, and it just prepares us. You know, whenever there's challenges in our life or failure or mistakes, I view those Mandia's opportunities, opportunities to grow, opportunities to get better, opportunities to learn from the mistakes, also known as not going to vote no. So so you know, it's an opportunity
for us. And I think we keep hope alive and hopeful with our kids. Our parenting skills were always find out what they are passionate for and with and and surround them with all the support. When I found out Beyonce Slane wanted to get at a young age and entertainment, and we got a vocal coach, we got the tools that they needed. So it's always about being hopeful with our kids. I don't think we give them the do them and glow them. I don't think in parenting kids needs need to know everything.
Mmm not. They don't need to know everything. Just enough, I mean just just enough, just enough to get through.
Well.
I did see that you you had joined Beyonce in Houston to support Kamala Harris's campaign. Is that right? I think I saw a photo. Yes, Yes, what was that experience? Like?
It was amazing experience, amazing energy. The venue that it was in was literally seven blocks from where my wife and I lived. We had only been there once, but it was set up for soccer, and I had never I didn't even understand that thirty thousand people could get in this venue. And so it was so much energy and so much security, security that I had never seen before, scary security. So it was it was an interesting night. I didn't found out until later that there had been
a bomb threat and that's why I was delayed. Uh So it was it was deleted somewhat couple of hours. So it was a long night.
Oh man, Oh I didn't. I hadn't heard that. Well for you, I mean, I know you recently you have been doing some speaking engagements and have been sharing I mean, obviously, you developed, you produced, you managed one of the most iconic groups in his story of music and one that means so much to me as a little girl growing
up in the nineties and early two thousands. But the business behind that, I know you've been talking a bit about the branding of you know, a group like Destiny's Child and then to Beyonce, And I saw this graphic where there are all these different, you know, elements of building the brand of Beyonce and Destiny's Child from like marketing and worldwide engagement and global engagement. Did politics ever
come up? I you know, seeing Beyonce now sort of take the stage with with Kelly and support Harris for you, like, is that something that you would encourage as a manager for someone who's maybe not necessarily seen to be in that, you know, On the political side of things.
Well, politics is in business, Mandy, not the politics of government, but the politics of relationships and how decisions are made certainly follow the same concept. There are politics in business that you have to build those proper relationships with. That's why it becomes very important relationship building. So there is a similarity there. No, I don't get that involved today in the governmental politics. I did when I was younger,
much younger in Alabama and demonstrating and desegregating. I never went to a black school, Mandy, and I'm seventy two years old until I was a junior in college. So my mother went to high school in Cretit King and Marion, Alabama, and when she moved to Gaston, Alabama. My mom she was ferocious in the movement, and so I integrated elementary, Junior, High, High School, University of Tennessee at Chattanoogood. So from the that regard guards, I was speaking last night to a
group of young people. You know, I've been beaten, spit on, electric prodded, all the things that young people today have no clue of what a colored and white water fountain looks like, or bathroom that we had to go to. And really, because of that, because the lack of history, don't have the appreciation of how important it is to vote.
And what the stakes are. You know. One of the things that I was grappling with what to say to the Brown Ambition audience as toally, I ended up coming on at like four in the morning and basically saying
what was on my heart. But one of the things I thought about was how my generation was given this impression that your generation, the ones who came before, is the Mlks, John Lewis is the Shirley Chisholms, that they had done so much fighting and that they had one period, you know, and I think what we're in now, and I mean, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this too, but it sounds like this unlearning of the fact that this is not We can't take it for granted. It's
not done. The fight is so not done. In fact, it maybe starting, you know, from further behind in many ways and like where we thought it was, and that has rocked some people's worlds and terrified them in a way that doesn't seem to be terrifying you, because of course you seem to have experienced, you know, that level of social unrest and unjust and where things aren't fair, things don't work out for the home team all the time.
Yeah, life is not fair in my opinion, So I seldom used that word was it fair or not? Was it injustice? You know, I used those type of of of scenarios. But you know, so I just think that also, we've made a lot of progress as black people, and we can never forget that. And I think sometimes we forget just the population of America. We are only thirty eight million people. There's two hundred million white people, and to have done all the things we've done with such
small numbers is absolutely amazing. And I think we lose sight on that. Sometimes we lose sight on what a small number of people have accomplished with a majority number of people. And so I have hope. I help hope in your generation. This election showed us a lot of data one being educated versus those that aren't educated, and how the thought process. You know, you can easily fool
someone who's not knowledgeable. If you don't understand how a car operates, then you can tell mechanic can tell you anything, and you'll buy into it that you need a new radiator, okay, you need a new battery, okay, because you're not knowledgeable. And that's what happens. Is why I really press about knowledge. I use the word knowledge rather than education because knowledge is to me more important having the knowledge of something, because you have the Bolls smarts of something. I'm a
college professor. I'm saying this doesn't necessarily give you to give you the knowledge that you need. That's where I would give hope, because we've come a long way, and I would want her to understand again why it is important to vote. Why is it is it important to build relationships? Why is it to understand different cultures, how they think, how they operate, it's important to understand that we're all different. Cultures are different, how they decision making
is different, how they build relationships are different. Uh And, and people that are successful they understand that.
Talk to me a little bit more. I'm just curious about that knowledge versus education.
Uh And. And to give an example, if a professor taught entrepreneurship out of the textbook and had never been an entrepreneur, I take offense because he or she would not have the knowledge of what it means in the day to day of what an entrepre entrepreneur has to go through that's not in the book, the mental aspect of it, the importance of understanding the financial aspect of it, and what we as Blacks have to go through to
run a business versus our counterparts. Because that's an example. Yes, you could get a take the course from someone who taught it that never has been an entrepreneur, and I guarantee you that course will be totally different from someone who's an entrepreneur that teaches the course. First of all, for me, I throw half of that stuff out the window because it's not applicable. It's just textbook filling up pages in a book that's never going to be used.
What are the things that you were like, we're skipping that chapter.
Because that's the knowledge I have. Yeah, I'm on call in what's very important going to move the needle for you as an entrepreneur?
What is that I'm an entrepreneur?
Well, I mean I'm not going to get into teaching the class with you.
No, I'm curious, but like no, no, I obviously absolutely let me know. I'll sign up. I'll go to London whatever school you're teaching getting get a proper course. But I'm just curious, like high level, I'm very curious to hear, like high level, what are the like tenants of entrepreneurship that you're like, this is the stuff that's going to separate your success from failures for me.
For me, it's a simple as to who the what, the why, the where the who the what the why the where? Who's the customer? What is the product? Why should my customer buy it? And what is are the distribution channels? That's the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Now I can go into the different distribution and how that works. I can go into marketing and how that works, but basically it's those four elements and when you build out from the foundation. Uh. Then you hear some people say, what's
the word that's used, systemic racism? I use the word structural racism. When you build a house, you first build a foundation, the structure of it. When you build a business, you first build a foundation, the structure of the business. Then you go into the systems. Then you go into putting in the light system, the heating system, the air conditioning systems, and a home. But you first build out the foundation of it. I keep like real that that
has worked for me. I guess coming from Alabama, people keep things very simple. Uh. Sometimes we make it more difficult than it really is. And there's no need for that often.
I mean, from what I'm hearing, it's for you. Have you defined your customer? Have you defined the need that they have? Do you know why they would need what you want? And do you know how to get it to them?
Yes?
Am I? How am I doing?
Who the who? The what the why? To where you got to a on that one? Mandy? Oh?
Thank you? I mean you said that you wouldn't call it systemic racism, but structural racism. I mean, we can keep it Alabama simple, but tell me more about structural racism and it's its role in you know, the in the life for a young black entrepreneur, like the people who listen to our show who want to start their own businesses. Where do you see that potentially causing them issues? And then how to overcome that?
Yeah, I think when I look at straight structural racism, it's four pillows to that basic pills. You know, one is education and knowledge because if you don't have the knowledge then and by the knowledge also allows you to get a good job or run a successful business, which then allows you to live in a certain neighborhood because if you lived in some neighborhoods, then you have I then dealt with uh, you know, liquor stores, grocery stores
on every block, and the culture of that neighborhood. So for me, it all starts with knowledge and education which allows you to build out and how you live in the way that you live. That It's as simple as that for me. And because I'm older, you guys don't understand that during integration, the only people that really integrated were Black people. We integrate it, we allow other cultures into our neighborhood. When I grew up Mandy and maybe
with your grandparents. We had black grocery stores, we had black gas stations, we had black nail salons, we we had black businesses in our neighborhood. And then we integrated. And then we moved out into the suburbs and left our core neighborhood behind. And now as we see those neighborhood and say, don't look the same. So I always think we were the ones who integrated.
And something was potentially lost in those communities absolutely over the same time. Well, how.
And then social media and then social media doesn't help us uh today because we get so much false information on social media. It's it's it's sad. It's very sad that our younger generation have to endure uh social media and and and some not understanding that what they're reading is not even truth and actually believing it. Uh. Social media has done a lot of damage in my my uh my thoughts.
Do you think it's a necessary evil?
I use social media for marketing. I just don't have a desire a concern to want to communicate with someone that I really or get angry or upset with someone's comment that I don't even know. For all I know, they could be a ten year old and here I am getting upset because I read something you know, and so I don't. I don't. LinkedIn is where I live on social media.
Oh love a LinkedIn profile as.
Because that's where business people live, There's where educated, knowledgeable people live, and that's where I live. I live on LinkedIn. Well as a company, we do other social medias, but I don't get involved.
Well it helps to have that buffer, right, Yeah, So tell can you? Would you mind talking about the business now? I mean what is it? Because yeah, I, like you said, many people may not know that you are a professor and you're doing these speaking engagements. But what's your How has your business structure? Your business strategy is sort of changed over the last couple of decades.
Well for me, and I say this with a lot of gratitude, you talked about building Destiny Child to the number one female group in the history of music, and Beyonce is a number one female are in it? Uh? And and in growing that business, you understand the music industry is about intellectual property building IP, and when you build IP, it allows you and perpetuity to help income. So fortunately, thirty five years later, when I look at
my business. Three fourths of it is mailbox money, simply going to the mailbox every quarter, every semi annuals.
That residuals. That's playing boot Delicious and it's like, correct, correct, Well you're welcome because all those Survivor plays yesterday for med.
You have you ever looked at the liner notes? So who wrote Survivor?
I mean maybe once upon a time, but you know what notes.
You've got a computer, just google the writers of Survivor and tell you audience, It'll only take you thirty seconds to do that, because you're good on your computer.
I'm so good, okay, Survivor. I'm like, who reads liner credits anymore? And you don't even have a physical album to look at now.
People that movedone in England read line of credit. Japanese culture reads line of credits.
Composed by Matthew Knows, Beyonce and Anthony Dent. Is that correct?
That is correct?
That's your whole like that's some that's your whole nest egg right there.
Of blessed. I've written some number of songs in my career.
Uh wait, wait, what lyric did you come up with?
I came up with the melody more so than the lyrics, which quite frankly, that's actually me humming on the song and saying what are used to? What? What?
M That's actually me really Okay, mister Knowle is a singer too.
So I'm not a sound.
You don't want to like, nothing, you want to like contribute? Okay. How many other songs are you secretly backing vocals on?
Well, most people don't realize that. At music World Gospel, we built a number one gospel label in the world with Leandrew Johnson, Trinity five seven, Brian Courtney Wilson. So everybody's focus have always been on Destiny Shall and Beyonce and Solange and Kelly Michelle, but us, but quietly I've done more outside of that in the music industry, you know, building that number one. Had had a country label compadre
for years, for almost fifteen years country label. At the opportunity with Music World Sanctuary record label to do Last Earth Wind and Fire Song with Maurice, I did see Sha Ka Khan and in London Symphony Cool and Nick Gang, last two Old Jay's records, Sunshine and his Soon. I can go on and on, but that stays on the radar and I'm good with that because I like being under the radar. It's a good thing sometimes being under the radar.
I mean, you're known as the mastermind of like the number one girl group, like you said.
But you have to understand that for twenty years I managed Beyonce. So why am I not known as the mastermind behind Beyonce?
Is that something that you want to be known?
No, it's just a question. If I'm the master mine of Destiny Shaw, wouldn't I be the mastermind of Beyonce. I didn't stop managing her to twenty twelve and she started in nineteen ninety two. That would be twenty years.
Yeah.
Would that when wouldn't I have architect her career just like that architect Destiny Shall career? Would that be a Beyonce if there was not a Destiny Shaw? Was that a strategy? I want you won't want to answer that question?
Well, the Jackson five, Michael Jackson, there's so many examples of the group being the launch pad for the you know, an individual star to come out of the Supremes.
You ever heard that girl group Supremes?
Of course?
Yeah, that boy.
I was trying not to say justin Timberlake, I got stuck on that. I'm like, damn it, who want to say the size?
Just there you go.
Diana Ross was the Supremes And then I panicked because I couldn't think of the lead singer of the Supremes was, and I was like, damn it, I should know this as Diana Ross.
Mister Knowles, you have such a great spirit. Mandy, Oh, thank you very much.
I mean you are Beyonce's I mean like you were Beyonce's dad. I don't understand what that even must feel like for you. I mean, she is so huge now, but she's still a human, She's still your baby girl.
Well that's what I really enjoy today because there was a time it was it was extremely difficult to manage your kids, and there was a time that I was more her manager than her dad. And now I'm one hundred percent her dad, and I love that.
Make some good memories, Like it doesn't have to because I'm in New York now, so it's like I don't want to have to just fly down for the emergency. And the last memories I have of him are being really sick. And you know, what are you and Beyonce do if you're just like dad and Beyonce, What do you in so Lauge? What do you guys?
Do you just hang out at the house? Nothing? Nothing, you know, elaborate, just simple things that normal people do, you know, just hang out and have fun and talk and laugh and eat.
Do they ask you? Do you ask them to fix things on your phone? Like my dad does all the time? What are you like?
I'm not why. I don't normally. I know my bones pretty much fixed by the time I get to them.
Do you send them a lot of YouTube links about conspiracy theories?
No, we text a lot. We text a lot. I don't send them any negativity. It's all positive stuff. I don't out that much about the industry. Just the other day Beyonce called me for my opinion on a business matter. But we don't do a lot of that. It's more just dad stuff. How are you health wise? I'm asking her and she's asking me, and how is life? We don't get into the business conversation hardly at all.
How long did that transition take? Was it difficult? I imagine it might have been.
Well, it always is difficult. But the wonderful thing is Beyonce never got another manager after me and I hope that is because I prepared her for the industry that she didn't need another manager. I hope that I prepared her to be fourth generation because I'm third generation entrepreneur, and I'm very proud of These are the things that consumers and fans and they don't really think through and understand it because most people would have gotten another manager.
She did. She started a company. How about that?
And do you think, oh, go ahead, No, I'm.
Just so proud I am of that's good to see.
How proud I mean. I don't even obviously I don't know her, but I have. I have been led to believe that you don't have like a lot of legitimacy until you have an agent or a manager in that And I mentioned to you, I do negotiation coaching. I just had a manager, I'm sorry, an agent and I and who hadn't been responding for days and days, and I'm doing the conversation, and I'm like, why do I
think I need this? I don't. Actually, it's very empowering when you start to trust yourself to handle a conversation and trust in your own and so I feel like it's on doubt, it's on it's you know without doubt that the reason, you know, Beyonce was able to start her own company and move forward with that confidence was because at some point you must have instilled in her a lot of knowledge where she felt like, I got this.
I have been to the mister Knowles School of Business and Entertainment business And how does that make you feel?
Yeah? Well, I said, it's a beautiful, wonderful filling. And the same with Solange. I mean, so I just don't have a manager. She runs her own company. They grew up like I grew up. I grew up with parents that were entrepreneurs. You know, in the summers in Alabama, you go down to your grandparents, and my grandfather on three hundred acres of land and would lease out some of that land to the paper mill. And he was
a farmer. Just to come Celtic. My grandfather with lis out one hundred acres of land, get paid for it, and then go behind them and farm. In other words, they paid him so that he could bar and then he was a regional moonshine distributor. Thus, Sir Davis, that's my grandfather.
I'm gonna say, how how does that feel?
So what I'm saying is is that we've all lived in an entrepreneurial environment. Third generation, myself, fourth generation. Now, my grandson Jules starts out a top model. He's done versace everybody. He runs his own business with his mom, and one day she would give him his wings and he'll flop out of the legacy of our film.
I mean the generation. I won't be long before Blue Ivy has I mean, does she already have an LLC? I'd be surprised if not. She got song credits and Grammy's right, yeah, what Yeah, I got to ask you, as a granddaddy, like, what's it like? What's that relationship like with Blue and the little ones?
People get that wrong. First of all, I'm a guy and guy, and when kids are two, three, four, most guys aren't as a grandparent, not not as a parent, but as a grandparent. With the girls, they don't have the same kind of relationship. With the boys. We throw them against the wall and throw throw balls and and and so it's it's a different relationship when they're young. I have a twenty year old grandson. People forget that
I don't know their jewels. But then my other kids are twelve and younger, so who would I gravit take more. It would be the sweeny or old grandson. That's just normal. And if the other kids get older, then we have more to share together. It's only one of me, so I can't spread all of me and be a great husband and and you know, so I have to you know, you have to parcel out how much time you can't? No, I mean, love doesn't go away, but the relationship is different.
And I'm just real about it. You know, people like, uh, Opal, she's a good she's a gonna do teenage. She don't want to talk to anybody that's grandpa.
You don't keep some Moather's Originals caramels in your pocket. That's just so funny. I mean that's the real shit that I love is, you know, the awkwardness of being a grandparent and like it's like, what do we do with these little kids? But when you go, what are you bringing a toy? Is she into Bluie? Are they into Peppa Pig?
So this is a beautiful thing about media. I do media training, and nobody puts a gun up to your head and say you have to answer questions. I'd rather get off the grandkids conversation that's not.
Oh my God, of course Jesus. So I'm sorry, No, he's that Gune. My heart dropped. I'm like, what, oh no, that's that's perfectly fine. Well, you mentioned health and I know that you have this. You have a really important and close to you partnership with twenty three and meters, and you have been very vocal about your experience as a cancer survivor. So what would you like to say about about that initiative and how people can learn more about that?
Well, thank you for bringing it up, because that's dear and important to me.
I h.
Five years ago, I had a sag white shoes, sheet of paper and a red pin and tittens dots on a white sheet of paper. That's one night when I took my T shirt off, That's what I saw and I didn't think anything of it, Mandy. And then the next day, same thing, and I asked my wife. I was like, did you buy new T shirts? What are these dots on my T shirt? She said, that's interesting, interesting because on your side of the bed there was these drops of blood and let me go back song.
In nineteen eighty I got a promotion to the medical division of Xerox. When we think of Xerox, you think of copiers. But they were leading modality for breast cancer and zero radiography, and I was fortunate to be their number one sales rep in the world. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you that I would be their number one sales rep in the world. And we trained on male breast cancer, so I knew some of the most important signs in that discharge. And I called my physician. He
had never had a man asked for a mammogram. And you know, only two percent of men are diagnosed worldwide. That's a twenty two thousand men a year diagnosed with male breast cancer. And I had surgery a whole bit.
And then I took a test for genetics and found out that I had a genetic variance or you can call it a mutation, which means for men with cancer, higher risks, not that you're gonna get it, higher rest of male breast cancer, prostate cancer, the number one killer of black men, and creatic cancer, short life expectancy with that,
melanoma for women, express cancer, and ovarian cancer. And after that point I had I made a lifestyle change because I knew if I didn't that I would be at higher risks, and I now I also sold MRI units first Black in America to sell MRI and CT scatterers.
And so I get an MRI every year of my prostate of my pancres, I constantly be three months get a blood test so I could look at my numbers with my prostate, and I annually get a mammogram because I have information and I have knowledge and I have data. I've lost about twenty five pounds. I have another fifteen to go because unfortunately cancer hard to disease, love obesity, and so that was very word to me to live. So I'm losing weight, change my diet. I walked two
miles every other day. I do all the things with a positive spirit. And that's why I joined twenty three a meter. Because young people, those of you that are listening and viewing in you have an opportunity to get a snapshot of your health right now by a simple
Salava test. Who wouldn't want to do that? Who wouldn't want to get a snapshot of their life when it could be at fifty or sixty if you live to that, And then now you have the information and knowledge, and now you can share that with your health professionals, and I since nineteen eighty was talking to women about the importance of early detection and getting a mammoground. Then you can go a step even further and get a genetic test. So that's why I'm so excited about being a global
brand ambassador for twenty three. I mean not on the ancestry side. Yes, we do that, but the company is transitioning back to why it was formed. Twenty three is twenty three chromosomes X and Y. We have twenty three each. The company was never named for ancestry. That just was too all people wanted to know who they where did they come from? Per Nigerian near at, But that was never the intent.
Do you need to get a new test or do you do you just send in a new sample to get this additional info about you like to the you know, so you're.
Talking one time. It's a one time thing.
I've done it before, like ten years ago. I think I got my.
God ago that was ancestry.
So I've got to do a new sample, but just.
One medical for the medical.
Okay, gosh, okay man. Knowledge is power.
But said that, I'm glad you said that because I didn't want people to not differentiate that there's a medical side of twenty three and meters and then there's an ancestry side, and you can get both. There's also a program that you can get both, and you can get cardiovascular for stroke, Alzheimer's heart disease. Medicine is changing.
Now does it get overwhelming? Sometimes? Though? Having all that knowledge, sometimes it's like, oh, man, I already deal with anxiety.
And you know it's just the opposite for me.
It calms you down. Yeah, I mean, I can.
Look at my by knowledge. So, Mandy, we just in the last three minutes had the opportunity to save lives. In the first thirty minutes, we didn't have an opportunity to save lives. Three minutes, we had an opportunity to save lives. To me, that's way more important than the first thirty minutes.
Uh, well, who knows. I mean, I think well one
I was. You know, that kind of work is so important, like talking about my dad, and I have been very open with the BA fam that's what I call our audience about my dad's journey, because before he had gotten sick, I had no idea how prolific kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes had been in my in my family and to find out, and I've shared with our audience, you know how four out of my dad's six siblings have ended up in and stage renal failure and my grandpa just
passed away from kidney cancer last year. So I think the work that you're doing is extraordinarily important to this audience, and it's it definitely is in line with the transparency and.
That you get a genetic health genetic text.
Hm hmm, yeah, I mean yeah, I absolutely, yeah, it's something that I'm definitely going to consider. I think that for me, just seeing the proof in my family's history and like, you know what's interesting. And I don't know if you had this experience too, but there wasn't a lot of chatter like I think it's great that you're actually open about it, but in my family, there was this like there no one was really outwardly speaking about it.
You know, it was sort of like an open secret, I guess in a way, and no one was like connecting the dots and saying like we all need to be like hyper vigilant and hyper aware of any of these warning signs.
Did you can already be hyper village and hyper aware eye technology, and that's getting a diagnostic test a mammoground or getting a genetic test. That's the only way you really are doing it the right way. To have the conversation that, yeah, three of my though in my family, four of my five dad's brothers die to prostate. Well, that's great, and that I know it put me at risk,
but I rather know genetically. Am I at rits the other way, I'm just having a conversation that I'm at ritz The other one, you get.
Like a do you get a medical because the thing is like information is knowledge. But then I don't want to look at these results in a vacuum. I'd rather because that's what happens when you know, you go to the doctor now and I get my blood results and it's like, oh my god, I'm going to start googling things. Then I get really I thought I had pre diabetes.
Turns out I didn't because I went on and so it's like, how do they offer them the side by side, Like let's have a medical doctor go through these results with you so you can like interpret them.
They do. There's there's oh good, Okay, I have different tiers and the final the highest tiers called total health. And with total health you get blood work as well as a salava sample and the doctor will call you and go over all of the results.
No okay.
On the one of the lower tiers, you get back the information uh you know, Vilia certified letter and then you're probably better off sharing it with your health professional. So it's two tiers. But the higher tiers, total health, you do get a conversation with a physician.
And this is something that folks can find out at twenty three meter dot com. Sure, yes, no, I mean for me, I'm just like, yeah, b a fan. We talk,
we talk a lot about health. And it's a shame you didn't get meet my co host Tiffany, but we talk a lot about health, and for me, it's always like it's that in conjunction with like actually having like a general practitioner and having a medical doctor to help interpret that, because yeah, it can beg Yeah, well, I was gonna say thank you so much, and I wish you are really healthy. I'm glad that. I'm glad to hear that the lifestyle changes you're making are working for
you and you seem very well. I know black don't crack, but it takes more than that to keep us healthy.
Rhymes.
You know, black don't crack.
It takes more than that.
Oh, it takes more. Okay, I got.
Bar I put that in a song.
Lord, apparently I need to.
Crack. It takes more than that.
Let me know if you want to put me on a credit on the song. I don't know, let me know. I'll get my own little survivor piggy bank. I'm working on it. Ambition. It'll be the Brown Ambition IP. But amen, Brown Ambition. Thank you so much, mister Knowles. I hope that you enjoyed joining us at the Brown Ambition Podcast and I wish you the best of luck.
Well, thank you so much, Mandy, And can I give a shout out if you want to book me to speak, go to Matthewnoles dot com.
Yes, thank you very much. And I'm sure you also can find out more and we'll post a link to that in the show notes. B a fan as well as a link to twenty three and me so you can learn more about that see how you can get your results. Well, thank you, all right, I'll spit into a tube. You got me, I'll do. We'll see what I got going on in here.
I hope. So it's important. Thank you, having a wonderful day. I don't know your your dad, dad, but tell them I say that hello.
I will do that.