Decisions, Decisions feat. Tezlyn Figaro

she raped shot towns on speaking to the ground. And second we're gonna last cutting the kicking and at the end we leave it with just a lift, just firite, like you want to revisit, so your first like a listen jo folks like you slit all folks that we dick it. Do what you do? No, do what you do? No kiss, do what I do? Hey, hey, hey, welcome to laugh and learn here with my with my gorge yourself flaming row along with my beautiful co host. She looks okay today. She ain't no flaming role, but she

looks okay. What's your name, young lady? Jokes today we started earlier. You're doing okay, that's fine. We're showing out for company. You know you don't know how to act with right and who is our lovely I love the guest today Mrs hogan Um well, we have the lovely Testlam with us. I just have to say, first and foremost, it's an honor to have you on our show. Um and officially welcome you to the Black Effect networking family.

But I'm excited. I feel like we gotta Livia Pope in the building, so it's gonna be an interesting episode for sure. So thank you, Olivia Dope. That's the hood. Yeah, good Flame Manson, lady, please walk my very special guest, Miss Tesla and Figaro. We're gonna have a great conversation. She is straight with no chase to Lauren is straight with no chase. I'm gonna be the girl today. I'm gonna have them to be aggressive. I'm gonna be the girl. Thank you, Thank you first of all for having me.

It is so good for those who don't know straight shot now. Chaser is also a part of the Black Effect Podcast Network. And one of the reasons uh and I'm sure like you Flame wanted to was so excited about the Black Effect Podcast Network was the ability to network with other content curators and Uh, it started in covid and you're one of the first ones that came on with me. And because of COVID, we haven't had an opportunity to meet face to face um and really

just engage. And so it's taken all of this time, you know, for us to connect. And I look forward to meet you in person. So this is this is great, a great thing that Black Effect is doing by bringing these uh diverse voices to the table. Yeah. And if if anything we need right now more than anything else, test it's unity, good God, because we are divided, separated.

We were just at a political rally last week, a week before last and I, well, I am said, this is this is one time in history that he knows of that we have been This country is more divided than ever before. And it was very true. The words were so impactful. So let's dive into it. Girl, what we gotta do. We got five days away from the next election, you know, uh, you know we our brother

are comment our brother, I shared brother Charlemagne. Uh God, we talked about politics daily, you know, so it changes on a daily, daily, daily basis. And for many of us, just for clarity, I'm an independent. I'm not a Democrat

or a Republican. UM. I left the Democrat Party in two thousand and ten, although I do lean left on a lot of my policies, but I also do not ignore a lot of the conservative values that I was raised upon, you know, with my grandmother and my both grandparents on both sides that came through the depression and really raised you know, raised me with a lot of you know, conservative values where a lot of people, especially black voters, do agree with but not necessarily aligned with

the Republican Party or where conservative ism has become. So I try to always keep a very fair and objective analysis when I'm talking about the election, and so early on. With that said, early on, so there's a couple of things that we look at. One with historical data that that we have in front of us that we actually can look at to be able to tell us what

we've seen in the past. At the same time, we don't always look at what the weather was last year on this day to tell me what it's going to be. You know that the reality of what the weather is. I say that because you always want to know what is the current political environment, and so in my training is one of the first things that I talked about in my pushing line training is knowing the environment that

you're in. We can even see through climate change. That right now in l A, the temperature was very different this year than what it was last year. So you always take that into account, but you still want to look at the posts, at the data that we've had throughout the years. And so data tells us that usually whoever is in control usually loses in the midterms. Um, that's just a fact. They usually lose the House, the House,

and the Senate because most Americans are in patient. That is the American way, and so when things don't happen fast enough, people want to switch and they want to try something else. Just like in our relationships, we want to switch. Let me go see if the grass is green on the other side, let me go see what she working with. Let me go see what he's working with.

That's just the n pai mindset of the American So with that said, I was expecting to see Democrats lose quite a bit um across the country just based on data and also based on the ineffectiveness of the Democrat Party and not only their messaging but their ability to actually push the policy that we need. And I'm not talking about just last year and two years ago. I'm talking about what we have been fighting at least aggressively since two thousand six, particularly in the state of Florida,

or I did most of my politics. So when all of those things are combined and you look at what I call voter depression, which is very different than voter suppression.

When you mix voter depression along with voter suppression, that you see and those two things that are combined, in addition to the party in control usually losing in midterms, I was expecting a doomsday and on next Tuesday, however, because of Row versus Wade, because of all of the recent things that we have seen outside of just uh, the abortion issue, because it's not everybody's issue, by the way, but outside of that, what we have seen, not just polls,

but what we have seen is we have seen double the amount of folks coming to the polls in in person voting, not just early voting, but in person voting. If we use Georgia for an example, and usually flames m those early votes usually lean left. So what we're seeing now is possibly a motivated and engaged base in Georgia, which is the most important state. I know. We like talking about states everywhere, but using the control of power,

it's really gonna come down to Georgia. And so if Georgia continues on on what we see as of yesterday, then Democrats might have a chance to retain power, very slight chance, but the chance to steal there. But what I know about Republicans is they show up on election day in droves and can easily switch this. Uh, this the results. I hear you test and I agree with some instance that you have seen it, and especially with the voting thing, because I'm not voting my future. The

future looks too bleak. I need to vote my present. I need to just like you said, like as a comedian, you have to read the room. I need to see what's happening around in my world right now. What's happened in my world right now. It scares the hell out of me. But I want to ask you a question. As an independent, because independence normally don't win, do you think that that is splitting the vote? I mean, even though, like you said, you left the Democratic Party to become independent.

I know some great Republicans. I thought Ryan Paul, not that son Rand Paul, but I thought Ryan Paul was a great Republican when he was running for office back in the day. The Dad because he cared about people. That is what I want people to do. I need to see people who care about American people. I don't care your color, size, stature, whatever, but I think that people are not. They're looking like we need to vote

for the future. What's gonna happen in the future. The future is very, very scary, but the times that we live in is more scary because we see this. We can't see the future. So when you see it about the analytics from a year ago into what it is now,

it's scary to me. Because I got teenagers that drives, you know, I know, I was so excited about my kids get to an age to where they could drive, and then on petrofraed that they might be stopped by Ira Young, ridiculous over the top angry racist cop and just because they're black and they stand up for themselves. I trained them to do that that you know, I might I might lose my kids. People are not voting and coming out and droves to me because I think

the Independent Party splits the vote. I do. I think you guys know you're not gonna win and let me just be on. But I understand where you're staying. I want to stand with something too. I would love to

have voted for Bertie Sanders. But if I and I thought Bertie Sanders was going to get the nomination, by the way, um, but if I don't think we're gonna win and we only have two other options, if you vote independent and you know that we only have Democrats and Republicans, that's in the forefront, don't you think that does more harm to the party than good? Well, I'm really and and that's a great position that you put out there. Me saying that I'm an independent does not

mean that I am voting. I don't. I don't subscribe to voting straight party ticket on anything. Okay, yeah, my thing is about it because again I grew up in the gang banging era. So if I didn't, I didn't have to. I lived in a blood neighborhood. But let let me that. You better go ask l A about me and crishall mafia whoop. Anyway, the point is, did you put that little whoop out there as proof at me? But anyway, my point is I lived and I used that as a very real example even when I'm talking

to the homies. I lived in the Paru neighborhood, but all my cousins and my boyfriends was scripts. They was my best friend at ten years old one, so when we talked about age, we're talking about going back thirty years. So for me, that reality has always been a real thing to me at a fifteen year old Now, I'm just as nervous about her driving. I'm I actually more concerned about when I was driving and when she was driving because I grew up in the height of the

Game Bang era. So I wasn't just dealing with police as an issue. I was dealing with drive bys as an issue. I was dealing with inner city violence is issue. My neighborhood was the first neighborhood that had a drive by in my neighborhood. So a lot of these things to me are not new, but social media makes them more relevant and makes them more protinent. So with that said, connecting to the Gang Bang conversation, to it, I can live in a blood neighborhood and still be a cript.

My best friend and I told this story on the Breakfast Club. She was a great street crip. Her her brother was a rolling sixty. They were the only two crips that lived in my neighborhood. We all got along, we all had good relationship because when people don't understand his bloods and Crips worked together behind the scenes, just like Democrats and Republicans red and blue worked behind the scenes.

So my affiliation or what they call being a sympathizer, doesn't mean that I'm necessarily always gonna ride with one or the other. I've always with campaigns, I've always consulted Democrat candidates. I've always voted left because that were those were the candidates that were coming to my neighborhood, that were coming and and pitching themselves giving me access to them.

So I voted left. I don't think and what I do, particularly what black voters, is we have to look at policy because the thing about it is if we're just saying, let's do the relate, because I know you do the night night late like late relationship talk, so I'm gonna mix that in there too. If you know that every time you're gonna you can come by my house at two o'clock in the morning and it don't matter. I can say all this ship, can I come here? That we do? Is it like, let's get into it? So

this this is how I look at politics. If you know that every Friday night you can come by my house and get something, leave me in the west spot, you know, flam And it don't matter what I say, girl, I'm not letting him come by, girl. Please, he already know what it is. Heated and this man is only gonna look at the action. And if he knows that, I'm gonna answer that door and give him something every single time and leave me in the wet spot. It don't matter who I call after that girl next time,

I'm not gonna be this girl. You know I don't play that. People respond by action. So the problem I've had with the Democrat Party, or at least how we look at politics, we have to be able to look at it from a lens to say, what have you done for me lately? And although I'm still riding with you like big Mama, that is still go bail your ass out of jail, but you're gonna cust you out all the way home. I told you asked what you was supposed to do. I'm still gonna ride with you,

but there are some consequences behind your actions. So what I say independent it is really just with the ideology of understanding. You just can't count on me to give you some. I still rock with you, and I rock with black people because black people vote for the Democrat Party. But I do not align myself with one party of the other because I need you to court me, I need you to date me, I need you to engage

with me. Let me give you real example, the GOP UH put over for coast of forty brick and mortar UH Diversity centers UH in rural areas and in the inner city in Georgia, almost forty brick and mortar over twenty of those UH centers. This had nothing to do with trying to get people to vote for a particular candidate herschel Walker whoever. It was simply just trying to explain people conservative values. They were recruiting people to understand

conservative values. Over twenty of those centers. Centers were dedicated specifically to Latinos to reach Latinos. They know that if they just because what people don't understand is although Latinos, which to me is the most strategic voters of all because in California, Latino's vote left, in Florida, Latino's vote right.

So they are UH recruited and engaged and courted and brought all the gifts and and and and and frank insance and all of the jewels and the promises because they know they have a possibility of losing that vote. Joe Biden himself told our own leaders, Al Sharpton, a CP, all of them at the beginning of the year. If you go get listen to the lead tapes from the meeting with the a CP. He told us, y'all better go line up with the Latinos because they are the

ones that have the power. He said that to us after just telling us black people, I owe you. He's the only president that said out his mouth black people, i owe you. Barack Obama didn't even say that. So when somebody is that comfortable, and then they put over twenty centers in the Latino community, they know they don't have to win all Latinos. They just need one or two per cent to flip the whole state. When we ask Democrats, why are you not making that same investment

to have the community centers. Guess what they're doing those centers. They're having family night, food night, they're doing citizenship ship training, They're doing all the things to galvanize that community. We ask Democrats, why didn't you do the same thing where we're doing radio and television. That's not enough. Why are you not engaging me, taking me out, calling me sometime reaching out to It was a guy he said, oh, you're gonna be in town. I want to haulier at you.

I did hear from from three weeks until I got in town. When I got in town, he said, oh, I thought you said you just gonna. Haven't heard from you the last three weeks. You gotta at least pretend like you know what I said, check in how you good? Everything straight? So what I'm what I'm always trying to navocate the Democrat Party to do is to recognize the yale we ride with you. Yes, we're gonna come bail you out jail, but I need you to put something

on my books. And the disrespect of that, of not even feeling like they have to earn our vote is why we have continued to be taking advantage of in the party. But it don't mean I don't rock with with Democrats, because I do. I've gotten candidates elected. I just did a training in Atlanta called Push the Line nonpartisan free training. Over three people came from all over the country to learn how to be a candidate and

operative or organizer. So not only do I vote for Democrats, I teach people how do go run for office if they think that their candidates are unacceptable. So that's a fine line between being an independent party. No, it's not an independent on the ticket and just this, and I'll be quiet when I say this. I work for Bernie Sanders and I am the only one that literally had a legal lawsuit against the Bernie Sanders Movement for anti black racism. So I don't give a damn who you are,

including if you sign my check. If you are not for black people, I call you out. So that go

for Bernard bi Biden, Obama, Trump, whoever it is. We have to have voices that say make sure that you're talking about black people and you're making the investment in black people that we deserve because you can depend on our vote TESTA let me jump in here, then, So what is the difference that you see being in the Independent Party being that you you know, stepped away from the Democratic Party for all the reasons that you just said,

which are all very valid. But have you seen that you've been able to give more momentum to folks being that you're independent. It's not a party, and that's what I'm saying. If you guys are referring to it as an independent party, it's not a party. It's an ideology. So I try to tell people there's a difference between a party and an ideology. So the perfect example is conservative is an ideology. It's how you see life. It's the lend you see it through. Your party. Who you

align with is a republican. Liberal is an ideology. It's how you see life. It's the lend you see it through. But a party is democrat. There is no independent party. There's not structure for independent, there's not a platform for independent. But in order to be a democrat, let me just do a game banging analogy. In order for me to say, Okay, I'm gonna be a role in sixty, i gotta have beef with Hoover. That's a part of the party. That's a part of Here are the rules. This is what

you need to do. If you're gonna be Peru, you need to have this. If you're gonna be a crip, if you're gonna be neighborhood, you need to have this. But I can have the ideology, meaning the be a what they call a sympathizer or lean the crips. I can go to the functions. I can be around, I can wear blue, I can lean towards you know, I like crips better for this reason. But it doesn't mean I aligne with a party. So the biggest thing to understand is there is no independent party. People can run

as an independent, but there's not a party. It is a two party system. Like Flame said, one is gonna win over the other. Independence vote, they lean one way or the other. It's not like you're going in and checking for independent. You are picking between a Democratic Republican if you're voting in a Democratic Republican primary or general election.

But there are positions under that which are the most important positions like mayor city council um, like judicial branches, which is the most critical thing, that have nothing to do with partisanship. So we only make it about Democratic Republicans, then pretty much what you're saying is telling people to only pay attention to governor and and and US Senate in US Congress when the real problems that get addressed are at the city level. If you look at what

California is doing. Since that's where you are flamed. When you look at the Reparations task Force that's on the city level, that has nothing to do with partisanship. That HR forty bill for reparations on the federal they haven't even put that on the table. It's actually getting done in California on the local level. So when you look at that, when you remove partisanship and you're looking for,

like with Flame said, what affects me right now? You want to talk about police getting pulled over, that's your city council, that's your chief of police. The sheriff is elected most cities. Some of them are different. Some run on Democratic Republicans, but for the most part a lot of places they're not running on partisanship at all. So the Independent Converse station really just wants you to ship your mind, or at least what I try to do to ship your mind on what affects you in front

of you. Flamee talked about police. That's what's the school board that's in front of you. Most school board positions don't run on party affiliation. Now you may know what that person is, you know because you can look at their policies and see who they are. But a lot of the school board positions have nothing to do with party. So if we're gonna vote on what's most impactful, that means it has nothing to do with Democratic Republican, but

what best serves you in your community. Two things test and first of all, in California, we have the greatest governor of all the governors of all the Union. We have we have our great governor, and we love our governor. Here what's his name, Lauren looks Pelosi's nephews, so you know there's always you know, more points. Seems to be one of the most fair people I've ever experienced. I've never met him personally, but what he has done for

the state of California, I think it's highly commendable. Secondly, when you were talking about voting locally, we have a like that girl, Alison Lewis who's down in Lakeland, Florida. She ran for city council. That's all she ever pushed on our platform was start locally. You got to start low, to put the people in and see who they are, understand them because they're going to grow now. People do

change throughout time. It's hard for me to believe that Clarence Thomas was never the same Clarence Thomas that he is now. But um, she always pushes that how important it is to start locally, to vote locally, to man, have these people step up to the level that you want them to be. So I know the importance of that. I just wanted to make sure that because you know, when you say independent, I always want to do people

vote independent all the way down the ticket. But then you you you made me very well aware of that. So thank you for explaining that to me. I want to ask you, test and what do you think because you remember when we had the election for Biden a couple of years ago, so many rappers and big names came out black folks and said, oh, hold your vote until we figure out what the black agenda is. What do you think the black agenda is? Before you answer, let me tell you what I think the black agenda is.

I think the black agenda personal it is. What is the black agenda? To you? Do you do you want your children to be I beliegues kids and get jobs and the CEO corporation? Do you want your kids to work in a factory or do you want what? What do you want? I always have thought that that was personal. Why they try to say because I never thought one person could speak for an entire community. I could never speak for the black community totally. I can never speak

for the gay community totally. I couldn't speak for all fathers. I just voiced my opinion. Sometimes people agree with it, sometimes they don't. But what do you think the black agenda is, Tess? And I'm dying to hear this. Yeah, I love I love the way you position, and I'll use you as an example. And you do a very

good job of bringing balance to conversations. So, although you do not speak for the entire LGBT community, you have been very clear that there are people like you that do exist within that community, which means you have the ability to also critique and love and also challenge. And so when you're seeing people who are saying you, you've been very vocal about how you feel that a lot of the l GBT policies have been forced on folks. So, and people get mad at you. I follow your work,

so I'm very familiar with you. You can Yeah, when people get mad at you and say, well, you can't speak for us, and you don't this and that You've always been very clear to say, I'm not trying to speak for you. I'm showing you another opinion, another view. Another lens through your glass is literally a lens. And what I love about because I go, I come into your I g at night and you and just giving

our love. Analogies, So when you want people to when you want, when people want to get their attention, what do they do? They type in caps? You tell people I need you to type in caps so I can see you. It's not that other people are not typing away, because I've been in there typing my ass off, not knowing that I needed to type in caps. Somebody to tell me you need to type in caps if you wanted to see you. Why am I saying that? Analogy?

When you're hearing people say this is the black agenda, it's not that they're not recognizing that there are other people in the comments making decisions. They're just saying, I'm typing in caps so that you can see their reparations are important to black people. I'm typing in caps so that you can see. Maybe health reform is important to people.

I'm typing in caps so you can know that all people who are part of the LGBT community are not all the same, so it's not one person speaking for another. It is just us understanding and having a maturity understand that yes, we are diverse, and they're way more voices on the other side. Like when you made the comment about you know, rappers saying we got an agenda, there were way more rappers and entertainers that we're all pushing for the Democrat Party than they were ice cubes. It's

just the fact. So I tell people all the time there is no balance in the challenge and the critique. It's just not. At the Revolts summit, um, I got into a big it went viral because one of the entertainers got up and said, it seems like you're mad at entertainers because I was talking about how we need balance with entertainers, meaning entertainers need to sit down with

people like me and let's get to understand. I can sing and rap, so I've entertained, I've had CDs out, I've done that too, but we have to have a conversation so that we can understand each other. Because the entertainers are very valuable with the having big um platforms

to say hey, y'all come look at this. They're like to me, the people in the caps, But then as people in the comments were flame and saying, hey, let me open to my platform with you so we can have a conversation, so we can get a little bit of understanding. And if we remove ego and understanding, we both bring value to the table entertainment as well as politics. And how do we have this conversation to see that there's different opinions. We move forward now to ask your

question on black agenda. I do agree politics is personal. I said this just on my podcast yesterday because I work a lot with people that push reparations. A lot of the folks in the reparations move and are very single issue voters. And that's okay, some people are very single issue voters. But I also advocate all the time that first of all, your involvement in politics should be what's personal to you, because that's what's gonna keep you

up at night, that's what's gonna keep you motivated. This is the hardest calling that I've ever had. It is not a career, It is a calling, and the only thing is gonna keep you battling the principalities that you have to fight is your motivation. So it has to be something personal. And I tell my reparation as friends who get mad, Oh it's all about reparation. No, it has to be. It's enough of us, enough problems in the black community for us all to get our hands

dirty and in something that's number one. We don't have to get everybody talking about the same thing. However, was personal to me. Mass incarceration. That's too personal to me because I watched an entire generation. A lot of my friends were about five teen years older than me, but I watched them get locked up behind the ninety four crime bill, all my homies that came from l A and lived in Oklahoma City. I watched first time non viting offenders, the same guys that saved my life in

particularly one. I'll tell the story all the time that say my life when a dice game went bad. That's why I thought it was so ironic on what happened this week, because it made me reflect on how it was supposed to be me flame. I was supposed to be identified that same night. So I can't forget about the people that rock with me and the issues that are affected them. I've never been arrested. I've never been a prison, but I'm motivated by my friends and mass incarceration.

I'm motivated by healthcare because both of my parents had inadequate health care and died as a result. But reparations are still important. So I think people need to understand that two things can be done at the same time. The black agenda is what's personal to you, But we cannot ignore the people in the cats because really what they're saying is these issues are not talked about it at all broadly, and they're conflated, and so they're just

trying to bring attendance to it. I got a question, Teslin, what do you think why do you think us as black people, and that's with the gay, straight or just with differences where we see things different, ain't gonnah to do with just sexuality. Why do you think we are so afraid to come to a table, sit down like adults, and have real, open, honest conversation to fix the problems more so than just keep adding more cold to the burner. Why are we are so afraid of that? What? What?

What is the fear? And I'm asking a very serious question why we can't just sit down at the roundtable, all different types from the black community, and hear each other and hear each other. Yeah, I think we do. We're doing that. Now. We have to be very careful and and you know, and I tell people this, and I give the again analogies. I love analogies and metaphors. You know, my sisters Semika and my son, they talk about accomplices. You know, we need accomplices in the game killing.

Mike talks about allies. I'm a military veteran. I was an M sixty gunners, So I talk about soldiers because soldiers are very different. And I give the analogy on boys in the hood. Everybody have seen boys in the hood, and you you had when it was time for trade to get in the car and really put in work. He did all that screaming and all that holler, and he got some ass off of it. Cried, did all

of that on knee long. But when it was time to put in work, when it was time to ask you to work, he said, let me out the car. His role was to go to more house and become a scholar. Excuse rolling that movie. Dough Boy was to put in work. And as a result of that lifestyle, he eventually died. I believe that people have different roles, and I don't think that we're not coming to the

table and have conversations. Where I think the problem is is people are sitting around thinking that everybody needs to be at the table. I'm okay with everybody not being at the table. I tell people all the time, I'm not Harriet Tubman. I'm not coming back to get your ass. I'm a hunkle one time, and I'm gonna leave. All this is trying to save everybody and try to get everybody on board. It's a waste of time. It's a waste of time. It's been proven biblically, whether people are

religion or not. Moses did not go to the Promised Land because he talked to slaves who were already free. So you're either gonna be about the going over to the land of milk and honey, like Joshua, what you're saying. I don't need us all. I just need about ten or fifteen people. I just need Gideon's army. Just give me three hundred, three hundred. That's what I was talking to my son about before this show. I said, give me a tangible number on what you think can shift

the culture in hip hop. Don't say we we we we Tell me a number. If it was a hundred artists that said I want to be able to say whatever I want to say in hip hop, find me a hundred that say, no, we're gonna shift the culture, and that that one hundred can make a difference. Gideon's Army started with ten thousand, but it was three hundred that made a difference. So I don't I don't think we're afraid to do it. We're doing it now. We just have to stop thinking everybody got to be at

the table. Let's just have enough dedicated to you, because that's really what it comes down. So it's only gonna be just a few that really does the work. And I agree and disagree with you, and I agree that we don't need everybody to tell But I disagree with you when you say you're not Harriet Tebman because you're in politics. You have no other choice but to save us. That's why that's true. But I'm not here, no, But

I'll tell you who I am. I'm I'm Deborah from the Book of Judges where she said General Barrock that was his actual name. She said General Barrock. You're either gonna free my people or he's gonna deliver through the hands of a woman. I am. I come from the Book of Judges, a warrior, and an old testament. I use Harriet Tubman as an example because my grandmother was a bus driver, and even when she drove the bus, she told me, if your ass ain't on this bus,

stop on time, you're gonna get left. And so I think it's important that people move with urgency, not always. You know, people love the favorite quote they love sharing about Harriet Tubman is you know I could have saved the thout. You know, I only say the thousand's whatever. What is it that more people knew the pe right? And so I try to push flame the mentality that you need to understand that everybody ain't gonna wait on you.

You need to move with it. If I say I'm coming to the we're going to the club at seven o'clock, you're as better be ready at seven o'clock. We moved differently when we understand that ain't nobody coming back. When we understand we ain't on colored people time, you don't get an extra fifteen minutes. Perfectly. I went to to see Joda see um uh, the New Addition Tour and the New Addition Tour that just that just finished. They started on time. That was the first time I've ever

been to a black concert. I'm out of getting my drink thinking I got an extra fifteen twenty minutes and I'm listening to Jodac Oh yeah, in the back. I'm like, what do they do? They started on time, So the word got around to people that were going to the concert and say, y'all better be on time because you're gonna miss Jelas, You're gonna miss Casey and Jeans, which is really who I came to see. When we understand

that it's gonna start on time, we moved differently. My training that I did in Atlanta started at seven a m. And I told people, I'm not Harriet Tubman, bring your ass here in late. If you want to, you're gonna get locked out. See, they're not used to political trainers speaking of it in that way. They used to saying, Oh, everybody, come on there and come on here and get a plate, come on in. I said, no, no, no, if you're not there on time, because you this is bootcap for real.

The military. The military strategic mindset is to send people away. When we do basic training, we don't try to keep people. We try to send you away because we only want the front line soldiers. So my mindset is not about getting people that don't know they're free, because if you don't know, you don't want to be free. In tooth out twenty two, you're not for me, deflame. Do you know all three people that came from all over the

country beat us to the door. They were there at six fifteen in the morning because the expectation was there. That ain't nobody waiting on you. So I do think it's important that somebody go back and get slaves and talk to him and big. That's not my role. My role is to tell you when I hunked this damn horn. I'm like the rapture. One time, I'm blowing the trumpet. One time you are the coming, are you not? And I have seen that work in the way I organize.

COVID made black people be on time because you know, we have broke doing COVID, Like you know, we show up late for everything, myself included. But COVID said the money tight, you better be there on time. COVID made black folk show up on time. You really look like you're about to say something. What you're about to say, Lauren, I was because we kind of talked about it. I wanted to shift a little because I'm curious to hear

your views. Teslin. Um. You know, this week we lost another beloved rapper in the community take Off was shot unfortunately and was killed. Um. I think he makes number twenty two within this year. So I just wanted to get your thoughts on what do you think in terms of the climate that we're living in where it just seems like violence is constantly at the forefront and ultimately, you know, we're just losing too many people at the

end of the day. Yeah, you know, again, going act to my analogy, my first funeral I went to was a twelve years old. It's always been a part of my lifestyle. I think social media and it amplifies things. For example, when Rodney King, you know, got beat up people was selling We've been saying in l A, this is what happens in l A. But it took the camera, you know, to be able to show people, hey, this

is the reality. When I watched the movie, when they see us and so many people were just devastated to see what happens in solitary confinement. I got so pissed because I said that, tell me, you ain't never went to go see nobody in jail, You ain't never putting no money on nobody's books. You are completely clueless on what brothers go through with solitary confinement. So, um, when things are hiden in that way, we've lost way more than twenty two black people this year, but those are

the ones that were highlighted. So when things are highlighted and in social media over the top and it's back to back to back to back to back to back, it makes it seem um as if it's something new and it's not. And also where we have to be careful with, like I said a little while ago about

we are coming to the table to talk. It's also important that there are plenty of non violent intervention communities all over the country that never get any light shined on them, never talked about, don't have the resources, don't have the things that they need to get to go into the community. Always talk about Sylvia. None in l A that has that's out there doing really trying to correct some of even the lifestyle she was a part of by being a Paru blood and she's over there

doing it on on pennies. So nobody talks about that in the lives that she has been able to save and touch a lot of O G s that really have come back and be like, hey, I want to be a part of correcting what it is that I started. I've been talking to d O C all this week Rapper Icon DLC is like, let's put let's let's do something. I want to change the culture that I was once a part of. Talking to um last week, uh C Mac c J Mac and what he's trying to do.

So it's a lot of Willie D. Scar Face. It's a lot of people that's trying to do They ran for office with it D and Scarface ran for office. So it's a lot of people that are trying to go on the opposite, but they don't get the attention that it comes, and so we have to be very careful of that. Black culture is number one, not talked about as if this is the only part of our culture, because it's not. There's black excellence in our culture as well.

There's black academics in our culture as well. There's black talent in our culture as well. There are community activists in our culture as well. We cannot allow white supremacist talking points that sometimes even we pick up in our desire to want to change our community, and we subconsciously, unconsciously pick up those talking points to say, oh man,

we just killed everybody, We just dined it. But there's crime in every community, white on white crime, Asian on Asian crime, Hispanic on Hispanic crime, and that particular loss would take off rest in peace had nothing to do with wrap. It was a dice game gone bad. And I know plenty of people that got killed at night. Again, my own personal story being at the wrong place, wrong time, was a result of a dice game. So we just I'm just very careful and trying to conflate that issue.

But I do recognize and realize that that music has a lot of influence, it's on our culture. But I also realized flame, I got a fifteen year old little girl. She's going to a K pop commercial concert today. She loves K pop. Now me, I listen to ratchet music all day long. That's just not what my baby is into, you know what I'm saying. So it comes down to

how do you raise your children? Flame? You talk about it all the time, regardless of people have issue to take issue with you and how you present to the world. You always remind people, but what about my three babies? What about my baby is going to college? What about the positive things that they're doing. At the end of the day, you cannot dispute the receipts, And when it comes down to how we're raising our children, that is a family conversation. And I don't hold music as responsible

as raising my baby girl. That really comes down to me and the example that I said and the expectations that I said. But yes, music does play influence into that. So I do I want to do a follow up to that. Then, I'm curious to get your thoughts on the fact that certain prosecutors are using rappers lyrics actually to basically prosecute these cases. Um Young Tug and Gonna as an example of that. I know recently, you know

Gavin Newsom, mark beloved governor. You know that's basically passed the law of saying that that was not allowed in this state. But it seems like more and more this is becoming a practice. So how do you think, Um, I'm curious to hit your thoughts on what you think about music actually being used against you know, rappers in the culture that you know in their lived experiences. Yeah, I just did a segment on that and revoke news.

And I believe in the First Amendment right, particularly when it comes to black people, especially when it comes to black men, because then it would be a slippery slope and it could easily go to Hey, Flame was doing a comedy set about killing somebody and how she want to kill somebody. Oh, girl, I could just if I if it was me, but I just kill knock him in the head, and then something happens and then all of a sudden, now you were suspecting crime that you

never committed. So, because this system is not set up to give us fair justice based on what we know, it is important to make sure that evidence always prevails based on somebody's you know, what they may have said in art. However, at the same time, I come from the generation where people didn't talk on phones about their dirty work. They didn't sitting right now that this social media era with these gang bangers online and YouTube and

telling on themselves. Basically, if you tell her on yourself and you are putting out literally you know, I killed Jojo, and Jojo come up dead and they saw that your asked was that Joe Joe's house? On your cell phone and on the camera. Because you can track everywhere that you are and that is able, you don't have to use the rap lyric for evidence. You can use a simple fact that you was at Joe Joe's house and we see you was on the phone and we so

to me, it's the evidence over anything else. But the the people are conflating the conversation between how should we change our music versus what actually works in court. So I had attorney um A Marisa y'alla, who's running for state attorney in Florida, speak on this and she was very clear about we cannot let those things conflate and all merge in the one because there's different, you know, different conversations the court of law. It should be innocent

until proven guilty. This justice system has always for black people and particularly black men, has always been guilty until proven innocent. So we have to be very careful. Now we want to have the culture conversation on should we produce better music? Should we do that? Out of that that's a different conversation, and they don't believe they belong together. Tesla. And for the record, if I'm accused of busting somebody

to the head, I probably did it. But but I see and I talked about this on Love Lounge, and I talked about this, and when I'm in my stand up, I do think that the music set some mood in the younger generation on a different, different demographic from my era. And let me say that, so I don't offend nobody, because well, I really don't give a fuck. Uh. I think the music says the mood Ousley Brothers, Frankie Beverly

and Maze reata Franklin Glady's night. Those put you in a mood to where you wanted the whole hands, feel good about yourself, make love, make babies, what have you? Some of these new music and these kids be whatever they drugs they're using now, Uh, this trap music, it's it's the same, like it's the same. See, this is what I try to say. So so my generation of thirty five to the forty five, this ain't this is

the same music. When when people saying, who are these kids, I'd say, we're ain't parents that we brought in gangst the rap, So this ain't new music to me. I am a alumni of Little Kim. I come from the lineage of Little Kim. I am a descendant of n w A, so this ain't new music to me. These are the parents that had children the average uh in the early nineties. Remember when Thanks for My Child came out, and you know they put uh Karen was a Karen White when she put that song out. There was a

height and teenage pregnancy in that era. When I was sixteen in high school, both of my best friends had babies at sixteen, at sixteen, so their children now are in their late twenties. That era of the gang banging and the rap and all of that, and what I came upon. These are the children of the mothers and the parents that had them at sixteen and seventeen years old. Now does age make a difference, No, because my grandmother.

If we go back and look at my grandmother, when did they start having babies eighteen nineteen twenty some even younger than that. My family in Louisiana, because they started very early and had ten twenty kids. You know, by the time there was twenty five, big, big families, So it's not always an age thing. And yes, culture does make a difference when I want to get buck with somebody, Yeah, I'm gonna put any forty, I'm gonna put in some gangster rap. I'm gonna putting a little kim. That was

the zone that I was on. But that, to me is not a new thing. That has always been a part of our community. But again, at the same time, it really comes down to the individual kid and what they're into. My baby is a K Pop BT s. She go to every BT and we fly all over the country to go to these things. I love it. She don't listen to me the stallion I do her Mamma do. She don't listen to any of that. So she she gravitates to what she likes. And so there

is still some individualism. You know that we that we must take accountability for in our in our house. There are certain things that I know you would not tolerate from your son. How do I know that because I would know that he would have never got that scholarship if you tolerated everything that he wanted to bring to you.

Whether you live in l A or not, what everybody else doing in l A wasn't what your child was doing because the results show so I do think that it's a parent thing more so than and my daughter. Thank you God, because then help us walk over me. I am tougher than I am, the toughest piece of lunafoor you ever seen. Until it comes to my daughters. I don't know why they just and they take advantage of it. That is the Yeah, that's how it's supposed to be. So I would ask you, you raising a

child in this error? How did he get the scholarship? You in l A. It's gang banging everywhere? How how did that have? Wasn't the music what I mean? How did that? That's a that's a good question for you. How were you able to keep him from escaping making those types of decisions? It wasn't that what he wasn't confronted with him. He grew up in the house with me and and and let me be very transparent that I have always lived in a zip code that was

above my means. And when I say that, I'm not saying that like I felt like I was better than anyone else. But I learned once I had children, Because before I had children, it didn't matter to me. But once I had children, I learned that the better the zip code, the better the p t A. The better the p t A, the better the school system. See, they always want to say as the teachers, p t

as direct and drive the school system. So when I learned that we lived in a better zip code, because I didn't have any money, I wanted to work in the community that didn't understand me while being a part of a community that could not stand me. So I could not work, not because I wasn't talented, but the gays didn't like that I didn't dance to the beat, and the straight people didn't understand me, even though I kept showing up and showing up. So that was a

real hard where is for me? Meanwhile, trying to maintain raising three kids, I'm black listening in the game community. I couldn't work in the straight community because if a male comedian would book me on the show or something, he would get ragged on and they would say, oh, you attracted to that, why you got flame on the show, You must want to sleep with flame. It was never any of that but my son to me, which is why I never did a reality show. Tesla. I've been

offered three times the reality show Big Money. Even before I got with Lauren as my manager, I didn't want to sell my son out. My son and you see me, you need you know my presentation, y'all see my dress when I'm on Instagram and Facebook, how I showed to award shows or what have you. My son still respects me as his father. That was something I will not relinquish for all the money on this planet. I just won't give that up. My daughters go girls, wish you washing? Anyway.

Let me just say, women, I wish you washing. They started as girls, but boys. You know, it was important for me, as a black person and in this country, for my black son to respect his black father. That was he to show him love and understanding and patience. And I always provide even when we didn't have money, even when I was blacklisted, I knew how to hustle. Oh, and there's a hustler in me, that girl in me gonna get it and then and me gonna stand for it.

So you are perfect. So I and this is why, because you probably you know, I knew all your story. This is why your story is so important. As you're having these conversations, you can use because when people relate to on politics is real people's story, even the candidate. When we teach candidates how to do speeches, it's me, you, us. If you actually listen to a candidate speech, they'll start at saying, hey, I'm telling figure, Oh, I'm from here,

I'm this is this. Then they'll say you, you know flame you and I relate because we both have teenage kids with and then they go to the US, MEU, US, US, you and I together we can make a difference. Pimps and pastors got the same format. By the way, would you like to hear it? I've seen it. I watched it, and show you when the pastor got robbed and then show this closet with all the Ostrich is right, But

I'm talking about literally the speech for man. I talked about this on Ghetto Boys, Me, you, US, pastor me the Lord, send me the Lord. You know I'm I'm the I'm the the chosen one. You know, God ordained me. Then you you know when you in church and he say, I know I'm talking to somebody in here, I know I'm touching on somebody here, and you'll be saying there and it seems like you're talking to me. That's the you part, and then the US. All I need is two of us to touch and agree, and let's get

this building fund and let's get this house. Me you US. I'm giving you the literally the speech formath that they use. Pimps do the same thing. Me. I'm a pimp. Look at me. Look at my clothes. I'm looking good. Don't you want to be with somebody like me? Do you go to the to the prostitute. You're not doing as well as you could be. If you was with me, we'd beat out of out the US. ME and you together,

we can take over the world. The me you US speech format works with engagement, and it works the same way in politics. So what I like about your story is not so much of as of saying what tells on the music sound good? I like your story of the MEU US Tell me about you? How were you able to do it? Because when you tell your story that no, I was able to deal with all these

different levels of obstacles. I made the personal choice and the personal decision to live above my means in the right neighborhood for the right reasons, to raise my child, and I refused to sell my soul. I got that same story. We don't have to be of the same gender, we don't have to have the same lifestyle. But I got the same story. I was divorced. I have my

child and wedlock. We got divorced, and I made the decision to not shake my ass or sell my ass or sell my soul, to be able to take care of my child, to make the decisions so she can be the example that I want her to be, like my mama was and my mama mama was. So when it comes down to and we really want to talk about how to move the needle in politics, it comes down to sharing our personal stories because can nobody challenge

you on that story. People can challenge you on your position on Nancy or the governor, or this and this and that, but people can't challenge you on how were you able to do it? How did you go above and beyond? What decisions did you make. I've been on Fox News on and off for six years. They've offered me to bag multiple times. Before Candice Owns was Candice Owns. They offered me the bag. I've never got a dime from Fox News. I refused to sell my soul even

when I needed the money, Nobody put me in the game. Now, my mama, my daddy, they're both from the ground. Nobody was in politics, nobody's in law, nobody in my family. I got this ship out the hustle and the muscle. So when I give that story to people, you can't challenge it. And that's how we make the change within our community. That's how I know your whole story. I know your story because I am intrigued by your story and people are moved by your story. Maybe you should

run for office. I'm sending you a girl. I could be there and look at I say that. I say, whatever state it is money, because that could be the I could be the winner and the first lady at the same time. I could be I'm gonna do all this hechy week. And Lauren always caused me an anomaly because Lauren knows the backlash because Long is my manager. She knows the cancelations that I get because I speak how I feel, and I always say speaking for numb

one community. I love Dr Marke Luther King and what he was as a freedom fighters civil rights leader, but I was never with his tactics because if you put your hands on me. My natural reaction is to do whatever I need to do to get you up oft from me, and the damn shall ain't walking away. Oh yeah, and that's why I hate when the community boxes me up. But thank you tesling for that, because I'm not speaking to try to ruffle feathers or I'm not speaking to

try to get likes or dislikes. This is who I am, this is how I feel, and I don't change me. I want, I don't change me. This is it. But you know, and although you don't speak for one community, and I know you have to say that all the time because I have to say it too, so I understand why you're saying it. At the same time, they can't take away with community. You're a part of you know what I'm saying. So yeah, no, you ain't speaking more community, but you ain't gonna like, you can't erase

who I am and how I present. So while when somebody said, well, you don't speak for the black community, yeah, I don't speak for the black community, but god damn it, I'm black. Though you ain't gonna make me question like who I am. I'm just one part of it. And so the story it is unique, and that's why people gravitate to you. I didn't have to do research on you. I've seen every show that you've done. I've been over your lunch and you checked me one time I came

your Loveland. I'm like, oh, let me shut up in flame check my ass. But because I said, you wanna know why you checked, I said one day, I said, you were talking about Corey hawk them and I said he was a mainstream and he was like, he is mainstream. I don't care what you say. And I think you thought I was saying. I wasn't saying that he wasn't

um accepted by the mainstream. I was saying that the positions he takes are so I'm standing on this regardless of what everybody else is saying that that mainstream quote unquote you know what they consider mainstream may not accept his words. And that following week I was gonna hit you up in the inbox, but I let it alone. But that following week was when Corey checked um earthquake and then he did, yeah did you see it? And he and Corey and Corey himself said I ain't like

the rest of them. I'm not like mainstream. I don't do what they do. And that's what I meant, you know, when I was saying that the lovely you know, when I'm on a lovely okay, but I said, yeah, that's fine. But what I say, I respect it though I respect people that it's about consistency. With me. We don't all have to move the same way, but be consistent. And one thing for sure you've been is consistent. And if that means, hey, I'm gonna check tessla, hey check you,

you ain't discriminating the same way. Man, I'm straight shot, no, Chase, I don't discriminate on nothing. It is. And you know what I admire the most about strong women, especially strong Black women or strong African American women, is that I see it. You know, I am and I say this

all the time. I want I emulate black women. I emulate a strong black woman when I'm playing my brow when I'm on I feel like the most powerful trans woman king it ever is because I feel strong and I feel encouraged and powerful because look at the examples, you know, and I say this, and I've said this before. Two things happened or two years ago to say, different people, both black people Abraham's longs to Georgia. They cheated her

and Gilliam lost in Florida. They key to him. The difference was the strong black woman went to the battlefield, she went right to work, went right toward as a general and flip Georgia blue. The other guy went to the hotel room and got caught with his pants down. Literally. That don't change Andrew Gilliam's politics. I still like his politics. I just hate that where he went in his mind emotionally,

because they love to say women ain't strong. Save Stacy Avon showed us a tank and and Gilliam showed us a weekly and can I give you some breaking news and down This is a shameless plug. I got a fiction book online called Katy's Letter on Amazon. I've been writing about these politicians. They've been putting their pants down. He got caught up. Now, that might be what he'd like to say. But in two thousand, Florida's my stomping ground. In my book Katy's Litter, it talks about mental illness.

It's it's a call girl's service where she lobbying. Actually a person that was the governor also was having sex and buying dope. And all of that. That is a very normal thing in politics. And again that Andrew could have been experien is when he was experiencing. But I just want to put on the record. I put two books out about that in two thousand and four. Teams before all this happened, they've been doing this ship in the in the hotel room. This was just a matter

of getting caught. And it always, like I said, it comes down to people that you know that really just do the work. I want to say this, and I know I'm sure y'all run out of time. I want to piggyback on when you said, you know, sitting at the table and having these conversations, and why this conversation

was so important to me. I don't want to say the person's name, but there was somebody that wanted me to do an event with with someone from the trans community, and but it was a comedy, it was in a fun environment, and my schedule wouldn't allow allowed for it. And I believed it worked out that way for a reason because I want When I got the invite to come here, I was like, oh man, this is perfect. Because it wasn't that I didn't want to sit down

with somebody from a different community. I just felt it was critically important to sit down and have a conversation so people can see how we engage. There's time that me and you we do something down the road that's

funny and ha ha and ki ki. That's fine, but I thought it was important that that one it's not in a in an environment where it's just all about a joke, that it's in an environment that you can sit down with somebody from the trans community, LGBT community, or somebody like me and actually have a conversation as real people. Because one of the things you always say that I appreciate what you say when you talk about advertisment, like I brushed my teeth, I used to paste, I

use the oldorant like everybody else. So although those conversations are important to be at the table, it is important how we engage, and we need more conversations like this. I appreciate Charlotte Magine bringing you on, Otherwise I wouldn't have never known about you. I love my boss. I love you. Yeah, you can be funny and people still

respect what you bring to the table. I look at the comments you get overwhelming response, even from people who may not even align with LGBT, they say, but I respect you know how you put it down, and so that matters too. You can be funny and also be taking serious at the same time. Should I think I'm funny, but people still take me serious. So I'm glad we had this conversation because I didn't want to um. I didn't think me doing an event with somebody else, and

the schedule just didn't allow it. But I didn't think that was the best way to show me engaging with somebody at that particular time, because it could either dumb down what I'm trying to do or make it seem like we're making a mockery out of something, rather than having this conversation. And I always say that test and when they when they want to send one of the trans girls to come to the Forefront to speak, they always found the angriest, most disgrunted one. But it's never

me because I don't want. I choose not to be the spokes first. I've never signed that for that. I'm an entertainer. I want to make people laugh and feel good, even though I want to push my politics. And what you said is very true. I always think that people hear you clear and better if you shove it to him and then you close it with a funny because it makes the impact not so hard, but you still hear the message. And sometimes my impact they just I think they just don't like it coming from me. Is

that what it is? It's interesting that's because I think that that's a good point to and I and like Flames that I've always called her an anomaly for this reason is that when we have conversations and if I don't understand something, it's educational, it's not confrontational, it's not hostile. And you know, with my other job that I do, I do work with the trans community a lot, but I often find it that it's almost like they forget that they're black first, and they forget that we actually

have this shared experience. It automatically goes to, oh, I'm the victim of you're oppressing me. So I think that's caused a lot of issues of where it's like I can't have this conversation with you because it's already starting off in the negative space. We have to come to the table in a capacity where we're actually trying to learn one another. And that's also to why I say, I think it's really messed up because a lot of

flames transistors. It's almost like they're negating her experience. You know, her vernacular, her ideology, what they talked about when she was coming up is very different from now with certain words that are being used within this within the space and this community. But she's being ridiculed for that, and it's not okay because that was her lived experience. Don't deny what she lived through to validate what's happening now,

you know. So it's all of that coming together. So that's why I appreciate the space that you know, we share with me in Flame because it's always a space of learning and camaraderie. It's never a space of oh I'm the victim or I feel like you're persecuting. That's not what this is. And let me speak line and to you. You need to allow that to be enough.

Like when you say we need to come together, I'm gonna say again one of the first trainers that I do where I say it's all about we, but it falls on me if they don't never come to the table, if they don't never get it. Moses had a one person to communicator Moses said, I don't know what to say. You've been the chosen one to go. It don't matter. Flame but said the all day and talk about I don't want to speak to nobody. Don't want to speak nobody. God has called you to speak, So get over that.

All this time at what you don't want to do, don't have nothing to do with it. You've been in position and place for a reason to say what you're saying, and you can deny and you can talk around it, and you can say whatever. When you've been called to

speak on certain issues, you've just been called. Period. And so when Moses was called the free the slaves and he said, I don't know what to say, I'm not equipped to say, God said, don't worry about I'm gonna seing you a are and I'm gonna seeing you a communicator. So Lauren, you are the communicator. That's it would only take two. It did nobody go back and say, well, what about if we get all them at the table? What about? No, all it took was two. I don't

even have that. I don't have an agent, a booker, a manager, of publicist, nothing, So really, all it take is one. When something that's been putting you to speak, is to speak truth to power. And you can look at what people what how they respond to your message. If God called me to speak, you better send a check over here more than you have. Oh my god, you know, I just experience having this converse stations with you and just hearing you out and listen to your

passion about it. And if more of us would get these younger, the younger demographic involved in politics, young before they get the limitshes on their record, before they get the hiccups, because we can't have hiccups and getting they can have all the hiccups in the world. We can. I can. I tell you that. I guess somebody elected that was arrested twenty one times. I got a cocaine fell and elected that was arrested twenty one times in Orlando, Florida.

She ran there, Florida, So we're in Florida. Ain't surprised, baby. I say that because I don't want to interrupt you, but I say that because the ones who've been through it, the ones who have been through the fire, they are the ones that bring for a peer gold. We can when you look at the compton who the mayor of Compton. We're only talking about five people to the polls when we talk about lower these lower level positions that are the most impactful. I say that because I need the

homies to wake up. Because guess what if the homies wake up, the former gangsters that they wake up and they want to do an insurrection on the capitol. They ain't hiding, no, no, no, damn uh tables. They're getting witted. Those are our soldiers. That is our civil war army, that is our lazardus. No, we need to hiccups. Bring me, bring me the ones with the heads. I was saying that they keep us out if we got the hecups. But those are the ones I trust. I've said this publicly.

I don't trust. They don't keep us houses. That's why we need you a part of it. So you just told the story how they tried to keep Can I can I bless you for a moment. You just told the story how they tried to keep how they tried to keep you out of it. They couldn't keep you out of it. They couldn't stop what was in you. So we have to just get the people that's willing to believe what's in you out hear what you're saying.

And I'm not discounting, you know, getting them when they're young and all, because it's much better to get somebody before they're young, before they're broken. But I'm speaking on what God has called in my life. I go, I go teach in the prison, I go the It's about the least of these for me. I want to get the ones where they say you ain't you ain't no good, don't nobody won't you like you said, the straight community, don't,

the gay community, don't this. And I want the ones that's willing to crawl, that's willing to get on glass. Those are the ones that's going to survive. Those are the warriors that we need now. I need the ones with the hiccups and we can get them elected. It's just simply just not true. Those just don't organize that way. Those are the ones that I trust the most. Has I said that I want to preach. I don't want

to preach it that has lived his whole life. Holy I want somebody because he been in the world or she been in the world. You know, they experienced every So when you when I'm telling you my story, I'm telling you might live the experience. If you have something similar and you went through it, you'll understand exactly why I'm at at that moment. So yeah, I get you with that. It's just that because we're black and we get a blemish, they seem to be able to get

away with it. And so I'm glad that you expressed that that somebody was arrested cocaine and you were okay felling one. And not only that she read see this they because again, remember I'm talking about local politics. That's the most powerful thing. That's where you get I'm not talking about where on Congress and Senate, you know, where

they're running ads and all that type stuff. I'm talking about on the local level where it's literally just your high school, your church, and a couple of the folks that's going to the polls. When she ran, she ran against seven people, one of them was former Miss America. She got called even online Facebook, drinking, all types of ship you name it. But what they could not take from Regina Hill go look her up was the work. The woman come after trenches. They cannot outwork her, They

just cannot out hustle her. So again I'm not talking about Congress I'm not talking about Senate. I'm not talking about those positions. I'm talking about city council, city council, in your precinct, in your area, in the community where people are. You're talking about literally three or four precincts that make a decision. If you just get four or

five hundred early absentee voting, you can win. Those are the ones that decide who gets the grant, what after food programs get the money, Where do we how do we take care of this redistrict, and how do we That's where the power is there. So if we are looking at local we can get former convicted folks and all kind of blemishes elected because we make the choice. Nobody's coming in and spending two million dollars on advertisement

and all that time. I know what you're saying, like if you're trying to you know the war knots and the hert and you know the Senate, But that ain't where our power is. No damn way. All they're doing is going up there will argue with with two some people some people. They're not gonna get ship done. Where we get something done is on the city council level, on the mayor level, on the I tell people you go outside, you can get involved in anything you want.

There's a commissioner for water and salt in Florida. There's somebody that's literally over the ship and the water. So if you don't like something in your community, I don't like the way to stop size is okay cool. I don't like the mets sit on the metro plan board. If you don't like the way your school these are These are positions that we actually control. It is no day, it's us. We can get these people done. I'll be glad when we can talk about this offline and anytime.

You don't mind me doing a shameless plug text push the line all one word, p U s H D line all one word, the six six six six. I do free trainings on this. I show you the numbers. I show you how four thousand people, two thousand people out of a district of two hundred something thousand people, only four thousand made the decision. That's not a lot of numbers when we look at internal, So we have

to start looking that way. We need them people. We need the people with the blemishes because they know the story. We need you. You can only advocate for what you've been through and that's why we need people like you. And if you believe that they people you will be here today. I'm gonna need you to go ahead and be my campaign manager day because I think too testms.

But to your point to everything that you're saying, I think it's gonna require a bit of reprogramming because everybody doesn't have the ideology nor understand that that their vote really matters, you know, especially in today's climate, there's so much you know, back in stuff, half nont know how you can really suppress your vote, especially among us when our vote really really matters. So it's gonna take some reprogramming for people to actually understand the impact that they

can potentially have. And it doesn't matter about the blemishes or what you've got in your past. It matters about the work that you're willing to do and will continue to do. So I think it's gonna take some re programming. Well, you said it at the beginning of the show. Well when Flame said, I look at what's in front of me right now. The police. The police is a city official, has nothing to do with Warnock or herschel Walker are.

So if we if I were to just go on the conversation with most people get on conference that they want to talk to me about federal politics. I'm always redirecting it back to local because that's my job on what I do, not not just because you wanta talk about I'm gonna directed back and and show you how you the next candidate damn one like that's important to send its important. Yeah, got got to, got to, got it. But that's not the change that impacts you. It's just not.

And so these are This is where these conversations, you know, really matter. And if Flame really believed that they have that much power, then Flame wouldn't be standing here today because they try to put you out the game too. We just need people to know how to move past the days and believe in what they've been called and don't stop. Can't stop. That's what we need on the local list, they can kiss. I tell people all time, you go to hell. That's why I don't run a nonprofit.

That's why I don't run for office. That's why I don't take donations. I tell people because I always want to be in the position to tell you to go to hell. I don't want you thinking you own me at any time so I can't actually speak truth to power. And and if I can continue to do this and give people like you to say ship, you know what, tells them might have something here. Maybe I need to run the city council. Or if you don't do that, work on somebody's campaign. Everybody is not a candidate, work

on the campaign. If you don't like the way Democrats are advertising towards us. I don't like no fucking no vote. That was trash. Guess who runs those campaigns, white folks. It's not that we can't use entertainment. The director communication is on the win. We all vote the white folks that got on the LinkedIn profile. I know how to reach out to diverse communities who know how to reach out better than me, so they get the jobs. So we gotta get the jobs. In politics, the operatives we

need to be, the organizers and the candidates. We really have to do this at a local level and stop being so centered on federal That's not what affects your day to day life. It makes a difference, but it's not what's gonna be the quickest impact that's most relative to yous. I just felt the tour with you and Lauren we're gonna call it three and a half women. You know you playing, So you're playing. But can I

tell you what God really working on? Somebody in Atlanta just reached out to me and said they wanted me to do a one night at a comedy I think it was what's in Atlanta? What's the blackest called comedy? The comedy? Uh, comedy act theater? If something else, I'll tell you what it is. One comedy acted. It was some comedy spot black owned. Oh yeah, it's called the h Oh Shoots. I can't think of it. I didn't. I gotta look it up. But he had just said he said why don't you come? Because he came to

my training and he said why don't you come? And I'm saying this to put this on the record because I would love do something with you. He said, I talked to the comedy owner and you should come. Do you know a night there? And I said that upwn, yes, uptown. That's exactly he said. I talked to him about you, and I think you should do And I was like, oh, that'd be interesting. I said that would be cool, like

a town hall with a twist. You know. In conversation we have some spoken words, some drinks, some music and really just you know, have a conversation, um and moving this forward. So I'm down, says I just want to put on the record so you manager you hear it too. That's how I meant the testing. I didn't mean that we would go there and just do jokes. I mean that people really do receive it easier when it's familiar

to them. So we're sitting around like Auntie Knee's uncle cousin and letting him be a part of the conversation. It makes them understand us more because even on the road, I do this thing called if you ain't scared to ask it, I ain't s get the answer it where I give you apple opportunity to ask me anything about myself. It makes people feel like they're part of this show.

It also makes them feel important enough to hear exactly what you're saying because you're having the conversation publicly with them about it. So you, Tamika, Mallory, Lauren and me, we could call that three and a half women. Oh yeah, I'll be the host. And how do you you ain't heard my straight shot? No chase, after dog Talk, after Dark Talk, talk about anything. I don't want to be dispectful, but both P words and the politics, I'll mix it up like ain't nobody being I'll talk about size and

all kind of you want to talk about. Somebody that can put this politics thing together, baby, I'll break it out. I put all the metaphors from the sex, to the relationship, to the men, the women, the whole nine to get people to really because politics is a relationship. And if if you look at how you manage your raggedy ass relationship and what you're tolerating your relationship, it makes sense

in your politics. It really do. And if you start having some boundaries in your relationship, you're gonna see boundaries in your business, you're gonna see boundaries in your politics. You're gonna move through the world differently. So I have very candid conversations my little I g live so no I would love to do something. It's time and that's really how you make the change, one on one interaction. And we can't just keep saying what they're gonna do.

They gonna know we gotta do I said with my training, because I trained year round, I run a business. But I said, this year I was so frustrated because the Democrat Party ain't building a bench, and I got tired of saying, when you're gonna build a bench, build a bench. So I said, you know what, I'm gonna do it. I don't give a damn, don't nobody to show up. I'm have no money. I'm gonna do it online. It don't take number forty dollars for me to do a zoom.

I had two hundred some people show up in July. I had a hundred and some show up in uh touring to something in June, a hundred and something in July, and I was in tears when I saw three hundred people come from all over the country shout out to our Black Party and puff for helping me on the financing to make that free. Three hundred people came all over the country to the cops in a beautiful center to train people. I said, the devil is a lot people really do want to learn how to do this.

They set there for twelve hours straight on a Saturday in the rain to get this understanding in a real training on how do we move forward? And then I just did another one on October twenty two. People online, I'm doing another one in December. I gotta get a free spot. I can only hold thirty people at a time. But I'm gonna be there all day to do thirty at a time to get sixty people. Because I said

flame about two thousand twenty four. I am going to train two thousand twenty four people my damn self, not the Democrat Party, not the Republican Party. Ain't no more waiting and talking on them. Damn that what am I going to do? And I'm gonna say this and then our clothes at the end of the day. And I tell people, you don't have to be a religious person. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. We ain't got nothing where about it. If I just disappear into existence, then

it is what it is. But what if I'm right. All the time we hear people say the goat, the goat, the goat, the greatest, all time, to go. We're always calling people to go. But at the end of the day, when it is all said and done, some people say it's gonna divide the from the tear. The New International Version talks about the goat and the sheep. There will become a time where the goat will be divided from the sheep, and the question will be who has been

about the shepherd's business. The shepherd's business are those for the least of these. The shepherd's business are those that went to see them in prison, those that were hungry, those who had the scuffs, those that had the blemishes, those who were told they were no longer good enough. Only the shepherd's business. Only those who have been about the shepherd's business. Not those that just go along to get along like sheep, but those who are the shepherd's business.

That's why I always redirect that question and say, yell, people do need to talk to the people without the blemishes, but I want the ones with the blemishes, because when it's all said and done, that's the shepherd's business. And that is who will be That is who will be exalted, that is who will be recognized, those that are about the shepherd's business. And it's up to us. And I can't say, well, you know, the Democrat partner did nothing. You know, I sent an inbox the flames, she never

followed up. I'm doing it regardless. You do what you're doing, you don't, you don't because I have to be accountable for what I've been called for, and I'm telling you now speaking into your spirit and your soul for everybody to hear. You two are accountable for what's been put in you. That's how I know your whole background. I don't have to look it up research doing it that you've touched me, you've touched many other people, and you're gonna continue to spread that message whether you like it

or not. So keep going around the burning bus. I don't want to be the spot. It ain't about what you don't want to be. I don't want to be it either, but it is what it is. This is what we've been called to do. So buckle up, dig in, get comfortable, ma'am, because it's time. And look. I was in Atlanta. I did all I could to avoid the burning Bush this past weekend. Sometime too, they drive you to a honey, get the burning bus to drink. That's what you know. Moses was an alcoholic, so I do

my pastor, but honey, I'm also honey. I drink it up. I do they drive you to drink in this business. So I'm nowhere near perfect. I showed my cleavancee I'll do all that, but at the same time I over that I've been called. They said, maryly Magdalen was a whole. But guess what you know who you know who that rider was. When all the disciples went to sleep, guess who was by the tumb. It was Mary Magdalen. Baby.

She said, if he can change me, the one with the blemishes, the one with discuffs, when it, when it got time, when it when ship got heavy, the disciples went on home and went to sleep. Mary Magdalen said, I'm gonna stay by the tune, even if they killed me, I'm gonna stay by the tune. She that was the one. They said, Oh you know, she was just a whole or whatever she was. She'd been through enough to know I'm gonna go ahead and stay by the tune. Because if he can do it for me, he showed enough

can do it for himself. And has she not has she not been always? And has she not been by the tumb? Nobody wouldn't have witnessed him rising when he rode She went and woke them niggers up. These were the same ones that saw all of the miracles. It was married and said, get up, because he is now rose. So I loved. The images to me are always the ones that are called to do a different type of work and orchestrate a different type of people. And I

love the I trained with Jack and Jill students. They're they're the elite, and I do Jack and Jill students. They love me. I trained with them like two or three d them a month, So I deal with those types of populations. But I know I've been specifically called for those that's been through something because I've been through something, and that's how we get this conversation going. And we need people that aren't afraid to lose something. I need you to lose something before I need you to know

what I mean not to have nothing. I wasn't nervous and COVID because I've been broken. I know what I mean to not have six eight months. But y'all needs run around and nervous. There was Oh my god, you just hit me in my head. Girl, if you don't knock it out and get out my head. I was just talking to somebody yesterday about the interview I did with horrible decisions, and I had something to say, gonna come out after you. I say, I know how to

do broke. That's the difference. I've been broken I never broke. I'm a hustler. I will never be broken. I have been broken, but I've never been broken. Yeah, baby, that don't shake me. I ruined number four for being in flame. Mat A n s ain't never scared because I ain't never scared. In fact, COVID made me because I started losing weight, because I gained like forty pounds over five or six years, and COVID, where everybody was gaining weight, I was losing because it showed me that I had

been living. What was scaring everybody else was my normal and I it made me say, well, damn, have I what's wrong with me? Because I know what it means. I've lost over twenty plus family members. Every single I've lost at least one or two family members since the year two thousand until COVID two thousand twenty. There's times where I don't have a check for six, eight, nine months. But see, I'm a hustler, baby, I'll uber. I went. I had a six figure business a month, three hundred

employees in Orlando. I lost it all. I had to go back and being sub to teacher and fifty dollars a day. I'll sell shoes at dealers for twelve lot. I'm a hustler for show for show, So when COVID had I don't understand what everybody was tripping on because this was my normal. You know, it's my normal thing to expect to be, to not have for eight, nine, ten months, to not have a mom or our daddy or somebody you can call and say, hey, can I borrow money I've been at I left the house at

eighteen with the shirt on my back. So COVID to me wasn't what everybody else. I've always experienced death. I've always had sudden death in my life. In fact, if three months happened and something ain't going down, I'm wondering what what's going on? Cause I'm used to a cycle of three to four months or something tragically happening. So those are the ones that that know how to survive.

I didn't have to get on pills and anxiety and then no disrespected people that needed therapy and anxiety and depression. But baby, this been This was my normal to me, and it made me say, damn, testing, if that's your normal, you probably need to change because why is everybody panicing? And that's when I started taking better control of my health. I love it. I love it, love it. Testing. You were such a great guest and so informed with you if I appreciate it, and you know all about me, girl,

you do better in some of these Hollywood producers. That's true. Well, I gravitate to your message. So you you you don't ever know who's watching you from afar, and you don't know you know who you're impacting and and sometimes we get caught up, you know, I'll tell people just everybody don't have to click like on on everything for you to know they're not liking you and digging. You don't get caught up on the likes and the responses and

the comments and all that. You are impacting people in ways that are far beyond you know, social media engagement. And so that's powerful to me, and it resonates with me, and it resonates with other people, and I hope to see you continue. Well, let me tell some we're gonna be following you to miss testing figure Roller, because girl, I'll tell your passion yo. That aggressiveness, I'm telling you.

And I hate when people affiliate black strong women, especially with being the angry black woman, because they they are informed. They are tired the bs. They are ready to make some changes to Whereas if you ain't ready to get on board with these strong black women, you better get the hell out of the way because they will steam roll you over. The black women will steap row you. Overrated women period. Women are truly to break out, including the women over and I ran these young girls that

standing up for themselves. Everybody is taking heed to the power of the woman and the ones that are not gonna be lost by the way, said why the hell you think I want to be a strong black woman? Girl? We love too like people get it twisted like I'm sweet as candy, but don't cross me though I also was an m C S gun in the military, twenty three pound weapons. Don't get that's the thug above your head. She looked all nice. Absolutely so we bring balance, but

that's just the black experience period. We have to bring balance. We we can't just be one way all the time. Some people call it cold switch, and I'm not switching. This is who I am. I just have balance, you know that that's it. And I and I'm passionate about what I believe in. And if you do call me angry, I can give you all the reasons I'm angry, and I want to know why you ain't angry about some of the things that that I'm bothered about. But I

don't see it as angry. To see this being like somebody Grandma Auntie, that give a damn about what's happening to my community. That's it. You're You're a change agent, that's what that's what you are, and I really have to appreciate. I have to say thank you for doing what you're doing. You're creating your own lanes, your own avenues for people to follow you. Everybody can't do that, Everybody's not built to do that. So you are truly a change agent. So I'm so grateful that we had

this conversation today because everybody needs different perspectives. That's the whole purpose of lack and learning is that, you know, we laugh about things, but ultimately we're learning. So you brought different perspectives for our listeners today, and I know that they're going to take so much away from this episode, So so thank you for all that you do. Thank you, and that's where we can follow you. Uh Tesla and Farrell spell t e z l y N f I G a R always the same way, same name, everywhere.

I don't change, I will be the same. I always say at the end of my show, use it, lose it, can't make you choose it. I mean that I'm like the FedEx driver and it ain't really me creating no lane. I'm just driving in my own space. I'm gonna drop this package off. You either pick it up. You pick it up, you don't. You don't if you don't like it your neighborhood. I'm not gonna beg you to pick it up. I'm not gonna ask you to sign for it. I gave you this gift. You like it, you like it,

you don't, you don't. We cannot be distracted behind trying to get people to get something that they don't want to get. We are in destiney moving time. Who's with us is with us, and Wayne's ain't. It's time to draw the land of the line in the sand dopeness.

And you can follow Lauren Hogan at Lauren our Money Bagram and Lauren Hogan on Facebook and on YouTube, and don't follow me nowhere because let me tell you what I'm going I'm going to know where about Lauren like a Monroe, Flame on Instagram, Marcus flaymar Parker on Facebook, Flame Memer on YouTube, and don't follow Flames Twitter because it's full of points. Well, I love pawn on it. Yeah, what can we stay there before we get out of here. I'm just loving these I'm just loving how they're just

putting these dick picks out here. I think it should be more. I've really been excited and inspired about how these artists been dropping. I've been keeping them in in order on who who's leading the pack. Some think y'all don't need to show that to nobody, not even a woman you're gonna sleep with, because it's right, good guy with some of the money, like Big Sean and we can talk about that. Ye Williams coming out, gonna take me out to the ball game. He really wasn't all that.

He wasn't better than Big Sean. Ass and just Williams place and take me out to the ball game and he brought his own back. Okay, okay, you have been such a remarkable guests. Thank you for coming on to laugh and learn with us. We owe your business and we owe this to you and Tamika and Lord, y'all need to put this together because I'm the type of artists I don't do anything behind the scenes. People terrible

at least you know, at least you know. At least you know, and I appreciate you ship, but showing up and being lovely and giving it to y'all. But all the technical girl don't ask me to do. I don't even know how to push their own switch nothing, you know, I look forward to it. I think they'd be great, and I it's necessary, seriously, like real talk, even if we do it once or you know, two thousand twenty

three is it. You cannot go into two thousand twenty four and sit up and talk about we're gonna look at what they're doing because the slaughter is coming, so either we're gonna be a part of it or not. Yeah, I agree. I agree with that whole heartedly. And oh I hate that people don't see that. We are so doomed either way. If they lose the Senate and the House, they're going to war. If they win, they're going to be more embolded and brash than they've ever been, and

they already out of control. So yeah, we still got to show up and clown at these poles. Early voting is we're pushing that. We've been pushing that on laugh and learned it's melody and if you you know, I know they're doing voted intimidation in certain places and a lot of people want to show because a lot of people want to get into this altercation. I don't want the altercation because I don't know that we're as a black people. I don't even know if we're prepared. These

people have, They've been collected forty years. You got two three guns and were banned labels and not ammo. And I'm sorry to say that, baby yo, Gucci and your rear bottom is gonna be shot up. No, you're right about that. I believe in the two way. And again why I want a lot of the brothers from the hood to get in the movement because they are the ones that's gonna come like we we can get them to put their guns, then stop turning it at each

other and come help. Let's find some of this white supremacy were getting somewhere because these others they're just not gonna do it. That's why we need different people in the movie. And I and and I appreciate people that are pushing voting me. I know that I'm speaking to a demographic that's not gonna vote at all. So I try to challenge him to say, if you're not voting in and who running in next year, who's running two thousand twenty four, because you have to do one or

the other. You're either not gonna vote because you don't like the candidates, you say they trash, okay, cool, then we're gonna run if nothing else for precic precinct chair dog catches something. Let's get some of this power and start taking control. Oh my god, thank you a girl. This episode should be called we are They? Because you said, who is that? We are there? We are ye? Yeah, that's it my thing. I always say it's all about weed, but it starts with me. I trained that in my

training flame. Because people think it's gonna be this big, you know, when you run for office. They think it's gonna because they train and all the trainers they tell, oh, you're gonna have a treasure a campaign manager of this and this and that, and that's not the reality. It's

really just gonna be you. You if you lucky, if you got one person, but really you're gonna be the one doing it all and and and when they get in it and they see that it's just them, they think, well, maybe nobody likes my message, and they get discouraged and they stopped. So that's the first session that I do to teach people. You're going to be by yourself. You need to be comfortable standing by yourself. And that's a very hard conversation, you know, for people to have. You

must understand that. And they say, well I don't want that, okay, cool, You have to understand that, so that that is the the ending message. You're absolutely right, we are that you are a fantastic lady. And I'm telling you, I'm gonna listen to you because I'm gonna get when I need to get charged up. Inspite I'm coming listen you, I'm gonna run and just punch somebody brobably one of my kids. Fire and Flame and road literally your name is Flame. And then I'm doing my job because that's what I

try to do. I try to just because I'm preaching to myself too. I ain't just talking to you. I got to motivate my damnself every day because it ain't the day to go by. I said, man, fun this ship, I don't know why we we're hard to do. We don't We're Swales. So I'm ministering to myself, so thank you for allowing me the opportunity. Fantastic, Thank you so much. Testing and figure out you ladies, and testing figure out on all social media platforms. He's also a part of

the Herd Black Effect Network family. Like myself and like ms Lauren, we are Thank you, Charlotte Magne, thank you, Look, thank you, will Pete, thank you Connor, that's the big checks. Thank you, Tiffany Has. We had a great time. This was a great conversation and so much needed. And I'm telling you you already where you where you located? What state? I go between l A and Okay, let's let's get this town hall together. To Mika, Malli is soldier, a

warrior general. You are a soldier, wary general. That thing there is damn damn show general because she put all the paperwork together and you know, I'm I'm the trans woman. King ain't gonna get past me. I mean, I'm zogie No, that'd be great. I hope we really follow up. Thank you for joining us on laughing learned test and we appreciate you. Lauren what's our motto here? Laughing learn. We are never trying to get anybody to change your mind.

We're simply trying to get you to use your mind, because my mind is a terrible thing to waste, and some of y'all is wasting my hand talking over and over and over again. So find yourself, fund your man, find your life, find yourself and enjoy it. Thank you, ladies, and Jim this this is he Yeah. Thank you. Don't miss an episode of Laugh and Learn. Listen and subscribe on the Black Effect Podcast Network, I Heard Radio app

or wherever you get your podcasts. Laugh and Learned Podcast is the production of the Black Effect Podcast Network and I Heart Radio. Our executive producer is Tiffany Hattish. Our theme music is by the one and only Christie Payne. Thank you guys. This is Flaming Row. Don't forget to laugh, Listen and learn,