I Am a Working Progress

the world. So you know, my body is a little tired, ain't. I ain't young, young whipper snapper like I used to be, but you know I had to be there with him and celebrate that. So your body wear, your body body is weary, but the heart of the mine is strong. Man. I've been today, you know. I woke up today and I was just going through the news and I've seen something with two people actually no one who's like a brother to me and another one who is um somebody that I saw love This lady is This lady is

the vocabulary police. I'm not because I'm not that great at it, but you know, but you you seem to be great when it come to me each other. I saw, you know, I saw something and it news today and it was with my boy Mace and five Year Farming, who was you know, a young brother that i've I like and I met and you know, we got a

good relationship with and it was this conflict. I haven't read everything through it, but I've seen five Year had an interview on Willow and Gillies men not Worth the Game podcast shout out to them, and he was talking how Mace gave him a five thousand dollar events when

he signed him. And then I see now that makes has come up there and he gave his point where I didn't really get to see his point of view, but you know, just I was just reading some of the comments, just based off what people were saying, you know, and even when when while on Gilly was like, what he don't give you five thousand hollars, that's crazy, like you know, and I was just and I had a perspective, you know, because I personally was signed and I had

a similar situation, not five thousand dollars, but you know, when people find out what you're signed for, what your deal is, you know, people always be always it's not it wasn't worth it. You worth more and this, you know. And and as I understand the business more and more and I look into it, you know, I didn't know who five year for him was, you know, I didn't when whenever May signed him. He wasn't this person that we know now we don't. You know, he got this

dope music. He's a dope artist, but he wasn't. He wasn't five year for him at that time. It makes seeing something in him, you know. He he looked and said, let dude is talented. And at the time, um, you know, even five year four and admitted itself and say, yo, that five DoD dollars was hitting. At that time, I don't have nothing. My man was like, yo, you bumming, you need to file. So Fabio felt that he was worth that was enough to sign a deal with Mace.

You know. He didn't coherce him into anything. He said, Yo, I see talent in you, and this is what I got to give. And the man accepted it. He didn't jerk on me. He did said, having to give you this and didn't give you this. You know, maybe Fabrio wasn't as skilled at the business. Maybe the people we had around him, wasn't as skilled with the business. He didn't understand what he was signing. But what I'm trying

to say is I don't see where Maze did anything dirty. Now, if he signed them for five dozen dollars and said on all your rights on your publishing, oh, your mass is knowing that even if we do get somewhere, you know, I'm gonna own all the stuff from you, and you know, then I think that's that has to be renegotiate that point. You know, you should never own anybody's masses and one things like it's just no way like. So those those

are issues that I see. But when you initially signed an artist, man, you know, I've I've been one of those artists you know, and shout out to my man Tone. Tone did good business with me, And there's people trying to cause confusion with that. But I was like, yo, I didn't have nothing. He took me off the street, pulled me, and you know, show introduced me to certain people until we actually got a deal. You know, I was a dude in the hood, starving, trying to figure

it out. You know. So a lot of people have this perspective that you know, you're supposed to give somebody a million dollars. A dude, they're just rapping that. You just see talented. I'm sure that he had to pay studio time for them to make music, you know. I don't know. I'm just giving my perspective. You know, I'm sure you had to pay studio time to make music. I'm sure they probably got music that hasn't been released.

But in the times that he's signed up, whatever the situation was, five Yeo got hot, you know, and his career took off. So I don't know all the particulars, but I know when people looking at five thousand dollars, oh that's all he gave you, I don't know if I agree with that. It was a few years. It was. It was the years, like probably a year or something before five Yeo got signed, you know, and five was like when we did an interview with five Yeo. I

remember five Yeo saying he was homeless. There was a time he was homeless. I remember him literally saying that. So for somebody who was homeless, and somebody invest five thousand dollars out of their pocket to give to you and then provide opportunities for you to make music, because they see a level of talent you and say, okay, well, when you get a deal, I need a percentage of it. You know what I'm saying. I don't see where that's doing bad business if I offer you, says he's saying.

I guess. I mean, I've seen it. I saw a line several um you know post, but I didn't like get into the details. But do you know if he feels like he was cheated or well, at first I didn't. I don't think he felt like he was cheating. I don't know, you know, because I don't. I don't do the gossip, and I'm not trying to cause be between two black men. You know, I know there's online discussion. When he was telling Gillian Wallow it, he didn't sound like he was angry. He sound like, you know, not

the decision he said. You know, he didn't sound angry. But did I heard another thing after mass which I'm probably watched Maze's video later on to see the full you know, conversation that he had about it. And then somebody put a clip of I think five year talking to Mason's and how much money you invested in my career? How much money you invested in me and then Mason, wait and about how much I invested in you? It's

something about what happened. I don't remember the exact thing, but it sounds like they was having like a debate and you so, so it sounds like there's some confused some level of confusion. But I'm just saying overall people's perspective making it seem like five thousand dollars was nothing and he should you know, he's supposed to do more for him. And I'm just saying at that time, first of all, nobody knows what makes has. You know what

I'm saying. Mass You know, nobody knows how much makes money makes has, So they're making that assumption based on what I don't know. And then they're not paying attention to the fact that somebody is taking a chance a risk when they invest in your advancement is just if you get something, you pay me back. That's all it is,

you know what I'm saying. So if if if i'm I see talented you, and if you actually have talent and we get somewhere, then you pay me back my my investment, and then we we work from a level of percentages. So you know, like once again, I don't know if he negotiated taking his publishing or his masters and all of that. But people being mad that all he got was five thousand dollars when he was actually somebody that none of us actually new to me. It's

a little crazy, you know. That's that's if somebody welcome to me and say, yo, I think you're dope. Man, I heard you do something, and I'm just gonna give you five thousand dollars for something that I think you're gonna do later. Most of us gonna take it if we ain't got nothing, unless we already built the brand for ourselves. Then you know, listen, my I've already built this brand, so I'm worth this. So you gotta You only can negotiate what you're worth, and when you have to,

you have to negotiate what you believe you were. Yeah, I mean you should. I don't know. I mean I think I see both sides, and I love it for you to you know, let me know, like, what was

the what is the point of all of this? Because you know, five thousand dollars, While it is certainly something when you have nothing, it also might be the five thousand dollars you need to pass up because there's a larger, uh you know, offer coming and you are you already tying yourself into something that is not really up to the standard of of who you are and what your potential is. Because there is a such thing as investing in potential, right And I'm not saying five thousand dollars isn't.

I'm just saying there is a such thing as investing in potential. So it would be good to know and understand both perspectives, you know, in terms of where they were and and you know, and how five ye old feels about the situation. I too, um as we see him and pass in several places, he seems to be a really really nice guy who was like really just you know, sort of to himself and trying to figure

out things. He's very talented and we know that. So I'm sure that you know, if he had to do it all over again, he probably would be more educated. You have different people around to help him. But when somebody takes a chance on you, um, you know, there is there is that there is people. There are people out here who um, you know, might not have a lot or may not be willing to even give a lot, but the small steps help you to build towards the

bigger thing. So I don't know, I mean, I think I'm sure that you will get all of the little menial details because it is something that's important, um, you know, and how they deal with it or how it all

shapes up. It's very important for this generation that's watching how black men interact with one another, especially with conversations about money, where people feel they have either been or you know, whatever they've been taking advantage of or they haven't, and just you know what that looks like, and that is I think how we deal with conflict resolution isn't being able to have these conversations. So that's my perspective. It makes sense. I just I just want people right

not to be so quick too. It's like beyond Beyonce said her first contract, you know, she only got fifty dollars, and people, well, you only got fifty. Now you have Beyonce. She wasn't Beyonce then, right, So we're having a conversation about the five year on now you know, in comparison of who he was then not taking anything from me. Obviously was talented and somebody seeing that, you know, but a lot of times as an up and coming artist.

I remember me not having nothing, and when they came whatever, the little twenty some thousands on events they gave me, and I was like, yes, you know, I couldn't wait, you know, and and other people got way more than me. But at that time, that's what I believed that was worth. I needed it. I believe that was worth moving. You know, in handsight, I probably would have said not let me wait. Because handsight and handsight, I realized how much I'm worth.

You know what I'm saying. I realized just forward. Yeah, I realized when my potential was a lot of people invest in potential that you don't know is there, and that in itself is a skill set, right, and it's supposed to be compensated for because when people invest in you prior to you even realizing who you are, it gives you a level at extra level of confidence to actually go to the next level because people have that

will belief in you. So don't we can't overlook those things, man, don't overlook those people who see something in you before you actually see something new, because those people value I agree. I agree. Well, other things are happening in the news, um, you know, Uh, one story that really stuck out and I hear a lot of people talking about it this week. But it's an interesting story where in Kenley, North Carolina, Uh, the new city manager, her name is Justine Jones, as

a black woman who just became the city manager. And I guess over the last two months, all of the members of the police force have resigned. Um it's all. I mean, it says entire police force resigns. But it's like, what does that mean, because you know, uh, entires and tires and tire and anyway, they say entire, so that

means everybody resigned. Um. And the chief, the chief of police is saying he wrote a Facebook post talking about, you know how she is creating a hostile environment for the officers and that it's her fault that all of these officers have resigned. And so, you know, it's interesting

because I don't know her. You don't know her, and I am not going to assume that every black person, every black woman, every anybody is right or does everything properly or she could be evil, nasty, room crazy or let's not say crazy, wrong word, but she could have issues all of that, right, and we don't know because we're not there and would make people feel hostile. But

what we do know, we know this. We don't know who she is and what she may or may not have done, But what we definitely know is how officers want a spot autonomy and do not want accountability for

their actions. So when a black so, it sounds to me, you know, but again we don't know, but it sounds to me like a black woman became city manager, which means she's supposed to manage the city and police departments somehow think they are separate and apart entity and that they can just work on their own and not have any accountability measures for the things that go on. And she probably said no. As city manager, policing is a

part of it. There's gonna be rules, regulations, budgets, checking the money, where the money is going, how it's being used, what's happening in terms of quotas and datas and all of that stuff. Data um, And I bet you they said this is how we're gonna We're gonna protest by all of us walking out. Me. If I was talking to the system, I would say, hey, bye bye. Now it's time for us to rebuild a department with people who want and understand what accountability looks like. That's my opinion.

But again, we don't know. Yeah, we don't know what

it just sounds. It doesn't make much sense to me that a whole department will decide that they're gonna quit when a black woman gets in office, like so every she's just completely focused into doing something wrong to all of your to the point where nobody wants to work, you know, And we've we've seen these type of activities in the past, you know, when black people are put in positions of power, you know, and and the white supremacist mind state says that I don't have to listen

to this black person. You know, I'm not letting this woman. Black women tell me what to do. I've been doing a certain way, and you know, they probably didn't want hunting office to begin, you know, so's it seems like that. But once again, like you said, we don't know all

the particulars. But it's just unfortunate that these situations just look so for Millia, you know, and we all we constantly have to deal with situations like this, you know, So people, people, this is a thing cops resigned and turning their backs on the mayor, you know, all of that because they feel like they have been challenged for

behavior that is abusive. It's offensive, it's abusive, it's criminal, and they do not like or want anybody to come into place and call them out publicly about it and also for people to um create again accountability measures right and in the city manager looks at budgets, looks at the money, and that's a definite no no because once you start looking, but the money is not just money in and of itself, it's money attached to uh, it's money attached to performance. So what exactly is half a name?

You're using all of this money, you're doing all of these things, but what are some of the other issues and concerns? Can you be less militarized? Can you respond differently in situations where there should be de escalation? Mental health? But what happened? So it's gonna be interesting to really read and focus and follow up on what has taken place, um, you know, in that situation. But my thing is based upon what I think I know. Again, we don't know,

but what I think I know. Justine Jones, a black female city manager, is probably about her business and these people who are primarily primarily. We know that that's the case all across the country, whether you black, white, whatever

you may be, is primarily male. And I can and I and I can say with no hesitation that I bet this police to apartment in North Carolina, Kenley, North Carolina is heavily populated with white men in the police department, and they're not gonna listen to any woman, and especially not a black woman. That's what I think. But sounds about That's what I think. You know what I'm saying,

because it sounds about white. So also in the Bronx, we've all followed the story of Junior has been several years now since Junior was murdered in a horrific scene um where the bodega owner didn't help him when he ran in after being chased down by how many men was involved in that many it was a lot like maybe six six people or whatever, and the bodega owner

closed the door or something has been closed. No, no no, I mean that day, at that day, Yep, he kicked Junior out and enclosed it or kicked him off the store, picked him out of closed the door and these men um were able to attack Junior. They beat him they stabbed him, right, stabbed him, beat him. Uh and he had to take himself to the hospital when he died. Um. Terrible fifteen years old, I think so fifteen or sixteen, very young kid, not a grown man. He died in

a very very horrific way. His family just was heart wrenching watching it. And over time there's been trials and there's been different things happening. Um. And now he definitely was fifteen years old. Um. And now there are two people who have been convicted of murder. Uh and and and they should be they should absolutely be. Um. You know, we call it justice, but really justice is more is junior not be in a trapped situation where people would

even his life. It's just more accountability. You didn't actual justice, man, because it's just lives lost family members, mothers losing their child. I'd say all the time, when when we kill each other, you know, we lose two lives, the person who's been killed in the person who did the killing, because that person's lives life will never be normal again if he's not in prison for the rest of his life. So it's just a lot. Yeah, No, it's it's it's it's really, really,

really really painful. UM. And then the last thing is a story that is now developing. UM. I feel like someone said to me today. In fact, it was Linda. She wrote it on our chat for the co founders of Until Freedom, how are we supposed to keep up with this ship? That is exactly what she said. Now you have this young lady, Brianna Greer Um who was she's she's a diagnosed schizophrenic. Her family she was having an episode. Her mom called the police, she called nine

won one. They came. Um, there's video when you see them carrying her. You know she's in an episode, fully in her you know, crying and probably uh uh, you know, crying and unable to follow whatever directions she's being given. So they had to grab her and drag her and they put her into the police car. And I'm not talking about what her family said, or what attorney Ben Crump, who was now her attorney, or what attorney Gerald Griggs from Georgia said. I'm not talking about what my son

and Tamika said. I'm talking about the Georgian Bureau of Investigations. They said she was put in the car with no seatbelt and the door was not closed complete she flew out of the car, hit her head, and six days after being in a coma, she died. This is the mother of three year old twins. Now I know there is an idiot somewhere saying, well, she should have complied, she shouldn't have done this, or she shouldn't brought The bottom line is that having a mental health problem should

not be a sentence of death. Not to mention, we're still talking about Randy Cocks in Connecticut, where he was arrested over a dispute where someone said they didn't The person he was in the dispute with never says he pulls a gun out on me. That never happened. But as he's in the dispute, someone else sees a weapon on him. They called to say these people are into it, which again this person never said they felt threatened to

any of that. But this the cops said, Okay, this other person pulled to say they saw a gun, so they arrest him. He is he was in the process at that time of um uh. He was like managing, if you will, a street like a uh what is that called? Um block party for someone else who had been killed. And he's like the head guy of this right. So he's out there managing things. He had the street blocked off so that people wouldn't drive down it, and someone pulls up and decide they're gonna go through anyway,

and that's where the dispute started. Its other individual calls to report that they think they see a weapon. So the police came, they picked him up, they arrested him, and while he's in the car, he's in there with no seatbelt on, handcuffed, sliding back and forth in the patty wagon and you know, we know there's no room that you can't do anything. It's nothing you could do. He falls to the side, hits his head, breaks his neck,

his back, other ailments, and he's now paralyzed. So this is like, lend this point, how much of this ship? How do we keep up with this ship? Because now it is it appears to me that they are intentionally not putting the seatbelt on and either leaving doors open or creating rough ride when we call it the Freddy Gray rough ride situation to deal with people who they feel are unruly, angry or whatever. Right, because we see in the video that Randy is like kicking the thing.

He's mad, he's cursing and they know, how do they know how to deal with that? But what do you do when your schizophrenic and you don't even have ability in this moment to reason normally because you are going

through a manic moment. But this is this is where you know, we talked about the law changes, and we talk about qualified immunity, and we're talking about why these things are important, right because if the police are constantly able to utilize they didn't know or they fail threatened, and you know, those things are grounds for them not to be prosecuted or not really be held accountable. Right, then then why do you have to know? Why do

you have to do things right? Right? If if I'm on a job and i don't really have any expectations and I'm not gonna be held accountable whatever happens, they'll put me on desk for a second, You'll take it out of the you know, the public's money and pay people, and it will be all I don't know, real accountability for me. I could constantly continue to be negligent, to be you know, not do my job properly, to to to be purposely purposely do things that are negligent, you know,

and there's no accountability. So when we look at these situations, if officers knew that, listen, if something happens to this over to the right here, it's totally on me. I'm gonna be charged, They're gonna take the money out of my check. My family is not gonna be able to survive the level of carefulness that they will utilize. You know that the professionalism that would be utiful utilized every time would be way different. Officers don't really have any

accountability for anything, and they don't here. And I would add to what you just said that the other piece is when we say defunding the police, this is what we're talking about. We're not saying demolished police departments in every city and don't have police. What we're saying is there's a funding imbalance. There is no reason. And this gets me into my thought of the day too, why the police even need to respond to a schizophrenic attack or or moment whatever you you know, I don't. I

don't know the appropriate term. I'm sure there is one. Um, there's no reason why officer with a gun and a page, which is the car, which is even more stressful to a person who's already having a psychological moment of of of of of outbursts. Right, they're already going through something.

The last thing you wanna do is escalate the tension, right, and so the right the appropriate things should be that officers arrived with someone who is specifically trained to deal with mental health issues, and that the officer is there to protect. Of course that in that expert. Of course that expert needs to be protected. I would never say just send you know, people into anybody's house unprotected. I

wouldn't even say that. But the officers should be secondary, very slow to engage, and it should be someone there who has the ability to talk them down, work within the situation that's happening, and help to get this this this individual to feel comfortable enough that they will look say, should be the first thing we focus on, and it's not, and it's about punitive, it's about all of those things.

And and that's why police shouldn't be sent to these situations alone, especially so absolutely the dead Brianna's mother says something that and we're talking about Brianna grit because you know, we're still fighting for justice for Brianna Taylor. That's right. But Brianna's mother says, I feel so bad, like it's my fault because I called the police and I should never have called. My thought of the day is that there is a serious, serious disconnect that has to be

addressed between our seniors. Some of our our our most valuable and it's our pride, our our our prize possession. The elderly people in our community, right, these are it's just like our babies. Our seniors and our elders need to be protected and loved on and and and they meet all the beautiful things that life can give because they gave us life and they have maintained and fought and been through so much for us to be here.

There is a serious disconnect between that generation and our generation where it is rare that if your loved one is having some type of problem or attack or whatever, meet you and me and most people that that are our age. We're not calling the police. We're not suggesting that we're not picking up the phone to call No One one for most things unless we absolutely feel like

there is nothing else that can be done. But our seniors, right they have been trained because of how just society says the only way to deal with our issues a lot of times is through law enforcement. So when you feel like you don't your back is up against the wall. It's like, we gotta we believe. They believe the right thing. This is there's nothing wrong with how they think. Right. They believe that the people they pay, who are supposed to be an authority, should come and solve the problem.

And they don't expect that their loved one is going to be killed. They don't even even when they say ray ray and them is down the street and something's going on over there and I feel nervous. They do not want you to come here kill. They want you to come get him, figure it out. What they But where we are having a disconnect is that what our people need to understand is that nine times I'll attend,

these people are not coming to help. They're not coming to add to solve, to provide resource because they don't have because because they don't have the skill set right because when they come to our community care but appear exactly that there's a level of empathy and compassion that is not present in the police. When they come to our communities, they've already been taught that our communities are dangerous. You have to be on You don't have to be

aware that everything is next. So they come there with a level of adrenaline level, a level of fear, you know, a level of anger pre all those things that automatically incites more of a confusion. Right, So if I'm just arguing with my brother and the police come on, like what is going what's going on? Put your hands like, yeah, we just talk. What are you talking about now? The aggression? You didn't come and say, hey, what's going on? Man? What seems to be the problem here? Just let's just

calm down. They don't come with that. They come with this level aggression. They're pulling out their guns, they're pushing people away who actually are trying to defuse situations and telling them to get out the way and all that, and then it's causing more confused because you don't put somebody's brother or mother and now it's an issue between

that person now. Is so they haven't been given the proper understanding of even how to de escalate most of these most of these officers do not have the escalation skill set. Not just a training, it has to be a will, right. A lot of these officers in two police that have a position. They don't want to have a position of protect and serve. They don't think they serve you. They think they're above you. So they come to your community with this level of energy that they're

in charge. They get if they called for ice whel and you're looking at you and you're looking them back, and they come out and want to prove to you that they're tough on you. There's a lot of these these machismo offices, right, So we have to understand that in our communities. We have to understand that. And that's why we can't create that right and and and so that is like a part of a larger dialogue which

we should really be unpacking as well. Uh, you know in the next few weeks, um is this issue around the shootings, the violence we just talked about Junior. Those

types of incidents make our elderly nervous. It makes them scared, and they should by the way the videos have been Remember we went through at the beginning of the year, several videos coming out of men taking robbing, knocking people down, uh, hurting elderly people, pushing people trying to run in their home, and it was like every day that stuff probably hasn't stopped.

It may have calmed down in some places now that people are sort of getting back to work and things are moving, but still there are there are incidents happening every day. People are nervous, They are afraid. They should not have to be fighting in their community. They should have to be walking through their communities looking over their shoulders because some of these young punks, these these these these they absolutely need their asses with They need people

to really pull their codtails. And what we have to do is make sure that folks know that in many places around this country there are anti violence, prevention and interruption specialists that you can call that will help figure out what is wrong, what's going on with people, what

is his cities? And people from your community that you actually know that you're seeing and you know that you don't probably don't know that that's what they do, but they're actual people in your community who are credible messengers, who you actually respect, who you've seen grown, and some of them you've seen change from being one of the agitudes to being able to, you know, deflate any situation.

So I think we's it's our job, you know. And I've been having this conversation with our mayor, with all of the you know, the crisis management system is what they've called. And how do we amplify that message? How do we make sure that it's publicized that people are doing this work, so that our elderly says, oh, you know what, I could call these people? Who? Who? Who does that in my community? Right? Who? How do we

identify with those people who? Do I connect? What's the number for those people when I see situations you know, or have situations in our community? Right? So we we pishous support this, yeh, the police because at the and the day, it makes your job easier. You ain't gonna go over there deal with right where you ain't gonna intensionally have to hurt nobody. You don't have to get into situation that you're not even skilled to deal with, right,

or even want to deal with. So you should be calling, hey, they've got a situation over there. You guys handle that and let us know if you need our assistance. Right, That's the way the liaison system should work between the

crisis management system and the police. Yeah. Absolutely, so that these are things that we have to make sure we and I'm now committed that we have to get into the places where are elderly and our seniors are because we have we have been so narrowly focused on really important work of of getting into the hearts and minds of the Keyshas and the ray Rays and the pupils and the neat meets and all of the people in

the community. And that is awesome, and we have to continue to do that work because that is the demographic that we have until freedom and our organization, that is our demo, right, that's what we work with. But now what we realize that in order to help that group, we also have to educate and work with our elderly community so that they know there are other resources and so they are not part of Crime Bill nineteen ninety four,

because that's what's happening right now. They're trying to pass Crime Bill nine two point oh, which means that the same crime bill that was I was dealing with violence and drugs and all of that that put a bunch of people in prison in ninety four that we all you know, there's always people talking about Bill Clinton and Joe Biden's um their role in that super Predators, which Hillary Hillary Clinton said, those have been top of the mind in terms of the election um for president and

just the conversation in general. Well, it also is happening right now. And again, the that the excuse that has used most times when you're talking to people who voted for that bill is that the pastors and the seniors that they were asking for something to be done and they supported the crime bill. And that's because it's out of fear. And so we cannot repeat these same things when we know our history teaches us that more law enforcement, more cops, and more money for police. It's never been

the solution. If it was. If it were the solution, we wouldn't be in the situation game right now because they have money. So here we go again with one of our friends, and um, it's a friend that that he's not just offering. This is our brother that we are talking with today. I love this new format that

my son has us doing for the show. He decided that after a few years of us doing street Politicians, that he wanted to shake up the program and a little bit and really get to know more about each person. And the people were interviewing their personal lives, their stories, how they got to wear are in addition to them talking about our topic of the day. UM, but this particular person, we've been on a journey with him for

the last several years as family. And you guys know that one of the big things about street politicians is that we always have good friends that are out here doing great things in society that we're able to talk with and hopefully UM share something that you all don't know about them, and so forth. Today. Uh, our brother that's joining us is a TV personality, a serial entrepreneur. They're buying up so much stuff, a whole new world

of investing and having restaurants and businesses. UM, the father of four children who I call my nieces and nephews. Very very dear to me to watch him as a father, UH be there with his family and very very for it. Probably the most important thing that he does every day is deal with my crazy sister, Yandy Smith Harris, who is his beautiful wife. Thank you for joining three politicians, min d C. Thank you for having me, Thank you,

thank you, thank you to me. I appreciate this opportunity. Listen, man, you know, you know I just recently heard that you just got off parole. So congratulations, probation. Thank you. Think it's pretty much the same thing, right, So yeah, put in for early requesting. They let me off all three and a half years early. Wow, I know that feeling. It feels like things just lift off your shoulder. Man. They got as I feel like a new man that I don't have to send an email that actual permission,

cannot go somewhere or leave out the country. So now it's time to really explore life and see what's out there. As far as um traveling. You know, one of my dreams were to uh travel outside the country and go to a lot of places that you know, I never thought was possible. Wow, that I didn't know about the earth. I knew you were released from probation, but I didn't know that you submitted for early release. That I didn't

even know that that was possible. So that's amazing. That must be a testament to how you've been living your life since being released. That basically the system understood that like, this is not the guy that we need to be worried about, because it's very clear that you are a family man, a businessman. You're living your life in a certain way. Uh, and it's what it's supposed to happen. Right. We have hardships, track challenges, trials, especially coming up young,

run up in the hood. Shit happens, and then we're supposed to grow into adulthood and ask it. What is the Bible quotes is when I was a man a child, I did childish things. But when I became a man, I to do man things. And that's that's what I see from you to that, thank you, thank you. I appreciate that, son d C. Now, I know you hate interviews because I know you hate interviews, you know what I'm saying, And and you hate public. You hate being public, like you know what I'm saying that, So I know

that the word hate. He doesn't really, he doesn't really, he doesn't really like it, you understand I'm saying. I prefer, I prefer if I can to be behind the scenes. Um, I really don't like being in front of the camera. But I embrace it now just because I see that we all currlate to each other. You know, we all sent share the similar the same story, and my story may help someone else out and you know, make them navigate and find a way to overcome it. So I

embrace it. But I'm not the one that running jump in front of the camera. But you catch me, you know, I'm I'm gonna talk, I'm gonna open up and I'm gonna share. But how was that process getting like front of me? Getting Like when I first heard that she was gonna be in the show, I was like, this is does I know this is a process for him because I know he don't even like knowing you for years, knowing when you always the person in the cut just you know, people know who you are, but you never

was trying to get attention. You was always a person who got attention and never tried to get it. So how was that process for you? Just getting on TV? What was that process like for you? So the first time I was offered to be on TV, I decline because I just I didn't. I didn't think I was made or cut out for TV. You know, I knew that you had to give up your privacy. I mean people will be in your business, and um, you know, first I wasn't living right and I just wasn't ready

for that attention. You know. Um, I prefer to not be talked about. I prefer to be able to eat in peace and and just have have that that that mental space. Now people worried about what I what I'm doing. Um, I think it's kind of like, you know how like being in the streets we get money quietly. You know, we really didn't know how to do it out and the open in front of everybody. Everything was like them in my in my case behind closed doors. So that's

how it was like moving, you know, in silence. So you know, when they were talking TV, I was like, that's just putting the spotlight on us. So I didn't know how to function. Mm hmm. That's a Frank Lucas mindset right, right. So you know you have yan Dy, you have Mona, you have all of them keep saying you know, at one point you have to try something new, you have to transition, you have to you know, you know, they just kept convincing me, convincing me that you know

can I just said, hey, what the hell? You know, it's something new, that's that's why not give the try After a while, So you were the cameras were in your house, but you was not on the show at some point, so you was like running around on corners and being out the way while the candy right, and I know you was like, hell, no, it's way too many people because we did we did a lot of the season before this one with you guys, and it was too much for me. And I'm used to cameras

and it was just too much. It's just so many people. They're telling you, you know, well, we know you don't feel like if we know you need a nap, we know you're tired, but we really really really really need to come to your house and sit there with you, and we really need you to just do stuff, living your life, talk to your kids. Nobody wants to talk to their kids in front of the camera, Like why.

I remember when I one time, like the very first time, I was going away, um, and it was cameras in my house and I pulled my son in the room and closed the door on the cameras and UM doing behind that door. Uh me. I was actually trying to tell my son I was going away, but I was like crying, and I remember, Um, the camera guy was like oh in the producer was like, oh, man, come on, please share this with them, and I was like, white,

share this with y'all. No, no, you can't. You can't see me crying, like you can't see me this vulnerable, Like I'm not ready for that, and they did a little convincing and and I just said, you know what, Um, I did it, you know. And that's one of the scenes that a lot of people I remember and hold daily to the hospital because it was it was real. It resonates man, And that's one thing about you that I've always said, Um, this is a very authentic person

and relatable. So when I watched you, it gave because prior to you, you know, and then Pat it was I was like, I'm not I would never It's just not something that I could even relate to. So watching brothers that I respect that moving to certain man and have certain ethics and codes that I bye bye doing it the right way, even when he was being vulnerable. It just didn't look like it was bullshit. You understand I'm saying it was. You can tell it was authentic.

And every time I've seen you on the show, I knew it was authentic. But a lot of people don't know that prior to level hip hop that you was an entrepreneur, that you have businesses, you had studios, Like, like, what what businesses did you have prior to even being all so so I pretty much tried everything UM, I had car service business, like I had Cadillac trucks, UM, some convergent vans and UM. I remember I used to have contracts with the record labels for artists when they

come in town. I tried to car service thing. For a while, I had a studio. I was managing Vado, and the main thing of having the studio I was looking for artists and I wanted to have a home for artists. I I haven't. I wasn't even charging people at that time. I just wanted people to work. So I tell him to come to the studio and just make to stay home and record and hopefully I'll, you know, I'll find the next the next thing, you know. And I was dipping and dabbing in real the state. But

you know, I was all over the place. I was all over the place trying to flip a turn of dollar the same way I am now. I think I'm a little more over the place because my wife have she won't let me sit down. She won't let me rest, even even though you know, we're not like super rich and that, but we we don't have to, you know, we can we can sit down for a little while. But she she she just don't stop. I'll be wanting to just you know, take care of kids and take

a few days off. She she works in her sleep, So I think that that makes me want to go hard to to just to see how work. I think it'd be like I gotta I can't be sleep, I gotta keep up, you know. So it's it's like, that's what having a black woman, a strong black woman, that's what it looks like for black men. It always has,

you know, That's how I roll. It's to really charge the machine constantly, keep you going and keep you on and like you know, knowing your value and your worth and you know, to help you um keep leading and I and we're gonna talk about the dynamics of you and Andy also, but I do think that I've watched you grow even and how you support her in business, because then you are such a behind the scenes and she is such a in front of the everything in

running her mouth ideas, do you see us with the commercials? And I see y'all. I mean, she's a lot. She's a big, big, big personality. And so I know when she starts businesses, you're doing the usual mendces you quiet, You're like I'm you know, I'm gonna come, but I'm not gonna say too much. This is your thing. I don't want to be too and then she's like, hell no, Like I know I started these businesses. I know I didn't ask anybody whether they wanted to. I know I

didn't get anybody's input. But now I expect that the whole fair Emily has in charge of keeping the business is going. And I have watched you grow into being like now on, yell, I gotta know all the products. I gotta be able to sell and speak to and because that's what it's supposed to be about, right right, yeah, listen any anything I don't know about the products and he's definitely uh taking time teach me, and she showed me. Um. I remember when I first came home and she introduced

me to the product. I didn't know if it really worked for real, for real, and she was like, just try it, right, just try it, because I thought it was like a gimmick. Right, I'm like, you know, but then it actually worked and then I got hooked. And then she just you know, taught me about skincare that you know, I used to wash my face with dove soap. I didn't. I didn't know the difference between uh serum

and Clinton Clinton. I didn't. I don't. I don't know what I washed, washed my face and out the door, like, But now I know, and I'm you know, I'm taking better care of my skin and being my taking teaching our kids to do the same thing, and also able to teach people how to do it, you know, especially men, you know, because I'm pretty sure there's a lot of men like myself that just washed their face and gold with the same soap they washed their body. Yeah, that's

what I mean. That's what I was actually in your house when you were away and we she made me do a commercial and she was like, Mike, what do you watch your face with? I'm like, I watched my face with silver water like regularly. She's like what I'm like, Yeah, that's what most black men do. That's that's what we was taught. We ain't have no little serums and all that stuff. And she walked me through it and listen,

you won't do this today, you know. So ever since then, I've been a lot more so thanks to my sister and for making me take more pride in my skin. Kid.

But what I want to know right it's being formally concerated, you know, I know at that time, like you you expressed how he was telling your son that she was going away and you was vulnerable and you was crying because I know that feeling, you know, as you sat in that cell and you sat away from your family, Like what was the mind state like re entering society when you when you came, Like what did you say to yourself? You're away from your family, away from your wife,

You're away from all these things? Like what did you say to yourself to keep going and to motivate you when you got back out here? I think I had I had time to myself to reflect on the decisions I made, you know, to my whole life, you know, from from the beginning, you know, um, just all of bad decisions I made, all of if what I could

get over if I had the opportunity. And after I got past that, you know, I was just trying to figure out how a plan and how can I be a better version of me and so I can be a better virgin, you know, a father to my son, a husband to my wife, and a better son to my mom, and better brother to my brothers. You know, I just I just wanted to be a better me.

You know, So after after reflecting on the decisions I made, you know that that was my main focus because I started seeing that, you know, the things I put first, UM, where I put love at that shouldn't have been loved UM as far as like materialistic things and and and partying and you know, just just in just in general. So I wanted to make sure that when I came home, you know, I had I can execute a plan. Um.

I could be more involved in my kid's life. I could be a better husband, I could be a better brother. And you know, I could open up more. I don't have to be so closed, you know, I can. I can I speak more. I can tell people how I feel. I don't have you know, I was so close. You know. We were taught not to express emotions and keep them locked in and hold them, you know. And I wore a good poker face, you know. I learned how to smile when I really want to frown. You know. Um,

I wore a good mass. You know, I did it, really, I did it majority of my life. And sometimes it's such a habit that I do it now. And I catch it and I try to communicate because I'm smiling and I'm really piste off. But I learned to say that, Yo, listen, I don't really like that. This is what me. This is how it made me feel and able to work through situations and and um move past it. And because of that, I'm able to have great relationships. Mm hmm.

That's so powerful, because I was when we decided that we wanted you to be our guests. My son he called me up, he said, Yo, I want to do in DCS. And what we do with every guest is we talked to each other about how we feel about the individuals, so we know what direction we're gonna take in the in the interviews, and you know, we traveled

all the time. My son and I and a bunch of us are always together and I I've never been around people this much that are formally incarcerating as much as we do now that this is the work that we're very much engaged in, and there is very they're very similar um characteristics, if you will, or things that I think all of you guys do, and that's one

of them. The whole like you know, laughing when you're really not happy but trying not to lose it, you know, on people like always trying to maintain a level of like, let me not engage in anything, because I could go from here to here real fast. So I don't want to. I don't want to even get into conflict. I'm not trying to and I'm and here, i am, I'm over there, like tell him, Mike, y'all say nothing, but man if yo, I'm trying not to let that. You know, I don't

want that side of me to come out. Also, the quiet space, like you have to We all know, Linda, myself, all of us know we have to leave my son sometimes alone and let him just have his quiet space for thought because he goes into these moments when he has to be able to recall read, especially after we've annoyed him all day. Because imagine Dandy and out of reason, why are we so close, because we're very similar and Linda also, we always got something to say. We're telling

you what to do, how to do it? Pull your pants up? This ain't right, what's wrong with your skin? Your hands ain't right? You gotta say it like this, this work. We were annoying, We know that, but it's all for a good a good cause. However, y'all need space, and so I just want to say that I identify now that those of us who want to be good allies to return and citizens also have to understand that there are certain things that take time to develop out

of them. But I don't know if my son, you've been out for a long time, and I don't know if you have you have developed out of those things. I mean, it's it's it's it's a space like you know it's and it's your sanity like you you develop it from being incarcerated, right, because the moves that you're make incarcerated and culture your life certain people. You gotta watch things. You gotta be very observative, You gotta see

everything that's going on. You gotta say less because the more you say, the more people feel like they know you, they get comfortable with you. It puts you in a position to where you might have to do something to somebody. So and it's similar in these streets, and it's similar

just in every business. A lot of people that they say things and do things, and there's a level of energy that I know, in different forms they might not survive, right, But I understand that so me evolving into this space, I need to take time for myself. I need time to unpack, I need time to think about things because a lot going on, you know, and I'm a very meticulous and calculative person. I like that. I don't like to make a lot of mistakes. I don't like to

say things that I don't know about. I don't like to, you know, just be speaking just for the sake of talking. So I found myself like secluded a lot, you know, and like Mandec said, I understand what my story can mean to somebody else. So I've become more of a public figure. I made myself public, but like when we first the working each other, I never was really public. I would tell you stuff and be like, yo, y'all need to do this, this and that. You're like you

do it. I'm like, nah, I know what I'm saying, but I don't want all the public stuff, so you know, it comes. That's That's one of the things that I say, Like when you women incarcerated, you become a lot more introverted. Even if you're not, you can be, but it gives you, like you need certain times just a quiet and in sanctuary. M HM. So you got out earlier than was expected, right, Um, no, I tried to put an emotion to get out earlier, but it was it was denied. But I was released

to the halfway house. So I had nine months halfway house. So that's what you know. That's people usually get non months to a year. Some people get six months, but unfortunate I was, I got no months. So what was that like the halfway house? I don't I'm not really

had many conversations with people about that period. Um, the halfway house as people getting reintegrated back to society and um, some people don't have nowhere to stay and and and it gives them a couple of hours out to go find a job and and you know, um, and you know,

just to get on their feet. But for some people like myself, if you have somewhere to go, then you know, they don't want to just throw you out there and you be stranded and don't have you know, lack of opportunities, don't have nowhere to stay, and then you can start committing crimes again. So they gives a little bit out of time. See what you can handle. M hmm. But you guys had a mansion. Yeah, so they kicked me out. As soon as I got there, they kicked me out.

You know, they said that I was getting special treatment. And you know, you know, listen put like this, I was blessed to be able to not have a stressful bid right that my kids was to I didn't care. Um, you know, I was okay financially. The only thing that was worrying is that was missing moments in my family life. That's the only thing that that this causing stress. But

other than that, you know, it wasn't for me. It was a learning process, right, I got to learn me and um, you know that was important because I was I was living fast and no time, I wouldn't go to prison where I would have been, you know, and and and focus on how can I make myself for a better person. So I remember in one of the reunion episodes, and it was another powerful moment, you know, when you was talking about how you felt like you was groomed to be a drug deal. Yeah, absolutely absolutely

that was. And a lot of people, you know, like I say all the time, I have conversation with people, and I said, the first vision of success I've ever seen was a drug deal. I didn't see no lawyer. I didn't see nothing. The person who had to call wanted the money, year I wanted the girl to respect. I wanted was a drug dealer. So that's that was my image of what success was. So that's what I wanted to be. So explain when you when you said that,

What was you thinking when you said it? So when I when I was thinking, like when I was young, and I take you back to like I was six years old, like pretty much not able to comprehend um, real good. I remember someone in my family used to take me down to Soho in the village and they used to give me a which I learned later was a pack of drugs and put it in my tell me put it in my dip my underwear, brother and play the video games. And in every like thirty or

forty minutes, she said, ask me for it. And I never knew what it was until I told my mom and my mom uh baby father, and the end up getting into a fight because I I overheard him saying he gave my son drugs. So later on, you know that same person, uh you know was was was coaching and golden me to become a drug dog, you know. Um. And then he and then what happened. It was when you know, my mother, my mother, baby father left and

then my mother had her situation. There was no one around to protect me, so I had to defend for myself. And those were real vulnerable moments that you know, I needed to make money, I needed to eat, I needed I needed, I needed sneakers, you know, I needed. I just needed things and I had no where to get it from. So that person really was like, well, you know, you do this, you do that, and you just watching and observing, and then I just took off from there.

M hm wow. Yeah, I mean I think that's with so many things, like we think of that only what we're listening to you. That's obviously a really harsh situation and an example of like destruction and whatever. But it's the same with women and how we learned to use our body right for whatever we need. Right. We're taught

by other women from a very very young age. And it's not but it's not like they're giving you something to you know, and making you sell yourself, but they're showing you that when you do certain things with your body and you act certain ways, that that will help you get things that you want, and it only turns into a worse you know, people behaving in very promiscuous

ways later on life. So the way in which we train our children and I watch you guys insulate your kids very much, um, you know, to keep them from these influences, these outside influences. There are a lot of people out here who don't have the resources you have. You know, they don't have the resources we have. My son is the same insulating as children as much as possible.

People don't have that. You're living in the projects right now, or living in any community that is marginalized and disadvantage, and you've got a parent may be locked up, maybe not even you know, maybe deceased. You've got a mother who is you know, working two jobs, maybe whatever she's got to do, because two jobs could be a whole lot of different things to mean that she's going to

the hospital and whatever. She could be going to the stripper pole at night and doing something else in the daytime, trying to survive. What are you The people that are catching those kids are folks that have that. That's all they know, you know what I'm saying. So this is why breaking the cycle is so important and why It's so important for the two of you and others like y'all to do this work of telling your story because then people will see, oh, wait a minute, that's what

this looks like. You know, I need to insulate and protect our kids. So and let me move on to another question. You know, I'm the one on here that runs my mouth. Um, coming back home, you're coming back to a different end, right, not the same woman that you left. She's now years later. How long were you did you do? Four years? The four years of a lot happening. Four years, she's grown, she's become even a

bigger personality. She's found social justice in this time period that she's now full fledged into fighting for justice and causes. How do you feel returning into this this new situation with your new wife And the beginning, it was scary because I'll watch what, you know, what the police do to protests. You know, there's you know, most of the time they get valent with them, you know, especially black protesters, you know. So it's it was me being scared for

her safety, you know. And I understand the call she's fighting for, but but I'm I'm looking at it from a point of view like we need, you know, me and these kids, we need you. You know, I'm not I sacrifice anything, but I can't sacrifice losing you, you know. So I sacrificed myself. I sade adricee my freedom. I sacrifice anything, but that's something I can't sacrifice. So her

safety for me was number one, you know. And um and after that, you know, just talking to her and and going out there with her and understanding the cause. Then you know, then I became less worried, and I in the bigger picture, and I knew she was in certain instance, she was safe, you know, I knew that y'all was safe, and I felt then I felt better

about that, and you know I did. The only thing I could say is because she got a strong will is the supporter, because this is something I can't even stop, you know, in in in it would be easier for me to support it than go against her, you know. So watching you know, I'd like to talk about just the public thing, because I know it's tough, right, So watching your relationship with your mother and your wife publicly, right and seeing that play out in the public, and

it's crazy because we have so much similarities. Right. I watched your relationship my mother. God blessed them. My mother passed, I mean your mother. My mother passed a few months ago, and we had like a similar relationship, like right, Like she was more like my daughter sometimes than actually my mother. Right. So I'm watching you and your mother go through these things where that's not, that's not that's the same relationship

of me and my mother. That's what I'm saying. I'm watching I'm literally watching it, and I'm like, you, this is the same way that my mother looks at me, like I'm like, I have to do everything for her. Then she gives me this guilt trip and all of these things. Even when she's wrong, I'm still wrong. Right. So I'm I'm watching this play out and I'm you know, I met your mother when we was on the reunion. So and she's a beautiful a I've seen her all

the time. She's a dope. First, watching that relationship play out and watching the play out between You've got two strong women that you both love and it is playing out a tic like, how is that dynamic? I mean it's hard, right because um, I'm my mom's protector, right, so she feels like she's losing me and she's not coming first, and she feels like she should be coming

first before anybody and everything. And I feel like she has a husband, you know, and she had a household and in the in the in the family outside of me. Now is my time, you know, And and you know, I have to, just like her husband, put her first. I have to put my wife first. But still that doesn't take away to love I have for her because I'm her protector and provided to as well. But this is my household over there, and try to mess up

your household. Please don't do that to me, you know. So. But it's the fact that I know, and I'm gonna say this, you know, I know it's not my wife, right, and I just know that the insecurities up and what my mom's going through. Um, not to say it's her evil, because you know she's gonna be watching it, so you know it's not her evil. But I know sometimes when you just love strong, it's gonna you're gonna crash. It hurts.

It hurts. I mean, we all go through it. It's it's it's just a natural thing, especially for a mother. Because here I am, I have a son. He's swinging three, they're they're having a baby, and I'm very all in stuff and giving my opinion, and what generally works is they just let me do whatever I want to do. Nobody wants They just like, do you however you want

to do it. It's fine, But I'm I try my best not to be disrespectful because at that point then people starting and by the way, my grands child's mother is very strong. She's very strong. She's not gonna just let me talk to her any kind of way. It's just not gonna happen. So you know, it's it's a

it's a real personality thing. And that's why I was asking you about as Yandy is now you know she's she she and not saying that she was soft spoken before, but she certainly has had a realization of her power over the last several years. And now here you come back and it's like, all right, wait a minute, we do I want things to be this way in my household. That had to be an adjustment your mama. Why it's

a lot going on here. Yeah, so you know a lot of I came home right not fully understanding you know, all the things you know I left and for so many years I was like, I had this. I'm the man in the house. You know this, these these, this is what we're doing, this is how we're doing it. But I come her man, yeah, he's all over the place, and it's like, all right, you know, um, okay, let's go down. Number one is I don't like this place we live in. So we were moving and she looked

at me, but I like this place. I did this place nice. Now I don't like it. But why And then she I was like, I want to move to Atlanta. She's like, but I want to stay here. I said, I want to move. Um, I had to sit down and explain the reasons why you no. I so I couldn't just say I want to move. I had to listen, these are the reasons why this is these, these are the things that's important, and I just think that would be good fie family. And then she understood and then

it works out. But before I went I would just say no, this is what it is, this is what we're doing, this would doing. So now I learned to take my time and uh, like the reason behind you know, my actions or what I want to do. It's it's a process of being more of a partnership than being afore when you, yo, this is what we're doing a movie movement, and then understanding you you have a powerful black woman who in her rank is a boss. So now you can't look at and and and look, yeah,

you know I'm gonna get all that. So you know, so I gotta, I gotta, I gotta gotta meeting with bosses. And now it ain't like, Yo, now we're doing this. Now you're sitting there with the bosses playing and look, this is why the best move for us to make. So now it's it's sanctioned on both sides. So I know it's a lot, man, I know it's a lot. You've got a black woman strong. Black marriage is a tough thing. How is like, I know it's up, and you got a public marriage, you know what I'm saying.

So I know that's a transition, you know. And I'm watching y'all. But I love the way that you'll transparent. At times, you get on Instagram, y'all might have an argument and you'd be like nah, and you're debating back and forth, and you allow the world to see that because I think for me, there's a lot of people that think certain things about relationships and marriages, and most people only show the good parts, right, They don't show the work that comes into it, the constant things that

you gotta do. Like what is that like? Um? I think it's a balance, you know, just creating a balance. And I think that marriage is something that we constantly gotta work at, you know, um, for for us, for our children, for our family, you know. And and as sometimes it feels like there's a lot of pressure, you know, um, just because there's a lot. There's a lot going on, Like she got things she want to do, and I've got things I want to do. Then we have the

children and responsibilities. We got to share it, and we crash. You know, we used to crash a lot. We don't crash as much now because we just learned communication is the key to success in our relationship. So we were always going to have to take time and not answer the phone and just talk and and and that's that's what's important. That's what help us get through. Just talk. Just you don't answer, I don't answer these are issues. How what's the solution? M It's like a dance, right,

And that's what they say. I mean, my parents always say that love is waning. It goes up and it goes down. You'll be in love and out of love in relationships, but you have to have respect. And there are other just very fundamental things that help you restore love, you know. And and the communication piece, I think it's so important, but I don't know what I'm talking about because I ain't got a man, period, So how about that. Anyway, it is really really good to have had you on

here to speak from. We don't people. I've never seen even dcs being interviewed, so this is a yeah, yeah, yeah, let's listen. Listen. I rememb gonna love. I was about to say, do you got to do this today? But now, but I'm happy, um for this opportunity. And plus I just feel like I'm talking to my family, So I really don't recognize this as an interview. Um, this is just a regular conversation to me, basically just telling y'all things that we already know. But you know, no, I

learned things I learned. Oh yeah, I learned that. I learned about the early release I didn't know or the early release. Um, I learned about a lot of things. I also have more of a perspective because I this. You know, Yandy is like one of my best, my closest friends, and I can see, I know when you first came home, there was a struggle she was, she was going through things. You know, you could tell she

was all like frustrated at times. Y'all were going through things, and I can see the happiness that she has now is shining through, and that generally comes from peace in your home, right like shining through the way that she She wasn't like I would all her to talk about work in the past, and she was there, but if you could tell something's going on now, she's like here, I got creative ideas, you know, fresh concepts, and that

comes from you having a settled mindset. And usually as women, y'all gonna say I'm crazy and no no, no, no, no, no, this and that. But usually when we have stability with our partner and somebody who is not stressing us out and making us lose our edges, and as this new thing, they're saying that I love that Nick Cannon has started messing with our pH balance because you're bringing me tricks

these problems that she got going on. We're usually pretty happy and we could do dope ship but when those things are off, we can't we're not functioning at the highest level right right. And plus you know, one of my one of my rules a long time ago is that I told you and don't bring gossip into the household. I don't care about who's with who. I don't care about no one else business, I don't care about who's making money. I think that takes away from the relationship.

You know. Um just you know, you know how people say pull pullot talk. There's a lot of stuff that we can talk about and other people business and focus more on our household and what we need to accomplish and be worrying about other people that they don't even know, you know, and and we have no we can't help, we can't do nothing. I just you know, I think

that too helped us a lot to as well. And then also I think one of the keys, like you said, Pillow, is also other people's opinions what you're going through, right, and when you when you get outside opinions of people that have opinion of your relationship, right, and they've got nothing to do with it, Like I don't care about what somebody thinks about with me or you or what we're doing right when we when you allow those things

to start festering, it causes confusion. And then most of the time people come from a perspective were they're actually doing worse than you are their relationships and don't even have it. They don't need Most of people don't even have a relationship right, and they take a they could take a fifteen minute clip of a real on Instagram or a picture and they saw telling you. They they'd tell you they'd set that picture and tell you, oh,

he doesn't blink one time. If you, if you have, if you, if you want to, you know, they just for one picture and tell you, oh, he don't want to be with her. She this, and she's that and she's this. So you you can't really let these people opinion affect your household because you'll be single, just like don't no, you know, no dispect to the single people, but you can't have people. Yeah, but that's my choice. It is it is by choice. But also I have

to speak up for the single people. I'm single by choice because I've been through life and I've seen enough ships to know what is what will work for me and what won't work for me, And I also can look at other people's situation and know off the bat

that right there, it's not gonna work. When if I if I if I need a couple, because I have a family member actually who just is constantly yelling and talking crazy to her husband, like they just they talk crazy to each other, but she SAIDs things to him in front of other people that is just not good. And I already know he's gonna find somewhere to go to deal with that, right because he's not gonna just they and they get drunk. It's just not a good situation.

Y'all actually know these people, but whatever they get drunk and they did, it's not a good situation. So I don't I agree that you have to be real careful about people's opinions entering your relationship or people's gossip or whatever. But there's also something to be said about people's experiences and if they actually love and care for you, it is their response ability to tell you when they see you doing something that's destructive or not taking care of yourself.

Because women have always had to sit down other women, whether they single, married, divorce, whatever it is, and say, sister, you're playing yourself or these are the things you need to do. The problem that I think exists. And my son and I argue about this all the time. Sometimes he's agrees. Most times we argue about men don't do that enough. There are not enough men calling other men to the table to say, I've seen these things and

it's not cool. You got you can't me and you can't You got this wife with a brand new baby at home and every night you in the street with me. That's it ain't cool. Who's helping her? You know? I know some men thatta do that? Right I have. I'm fortunate to have a few married friends, right and um they was they just they would you know, give me. Point is they have like been married for twenty years and a long time. And I asked me questions, how do you like, how do you stay happy for twenty years?

Because at some point we you know, we want to kill each other, you know, and trying to you know, find a way to keep this thing going. And they quick to give me advice. You know, I have I can, I can call them any second, and they just say, listen, it's the small things that count, you know. You know, it's not about big gifts, It's not about um, you know,

being a you know, not saying super affectionate. It's just about just sometimes just calling calling your wife and say you're the baddest thing I ever had, you know, making a day. It's just the smallest thing account and they actually work m and then and then then they was the one that called me out like, man, you're bugging you don't you don't leave flowers and this and do that. And I'm like no, like no, I don't. But I'm

getting better, you know. But lucky for me having been around married men that understand you know, certain things that you that you do. You know, I mean I haven't grown up and seen these rows of an example, and oh you know I didn't. I didn't. I didn't. I haven't been my first one and I've been to. I think it's probably his minds. And I don't really know people that's that I grew up with that's married like not. I could probably count on one hand so that I've

never seen that. It's very very very powerful. Listen. I just want to say, man, I'm proud of you brother. Just watching you involve into who you are today. You know, it's inspirational to me. Man. And I know It's a lot of people who come from where we come from, comfort where you come from, who look at you and say, wow, I know men DC's I know what he's been through and if he can do this, I can do it.

I just want you before you leave here. I's some young kids in all of the many projects, you know, dealing with a lot of stuff. He don't know how he's gonna make it out. He don't know if he's gonna survive. He's forced to hustle all these things, and he looks up to you. I want you to give him some words that you would say to him that were motivated m I would say, don't be scared to try new things right you know, um, just whether you

fell or used to see, just trying, you know. Um if if if things get rough, you know, just look around and if possibly changes, try to change the circle. You know. Um, that's important, you know, try to try to be around people that that's not gonna laugh at you for doing something new or going a different direction. People may not believe in you, long as you believe in yourself, because that's important. You know. People gonna tell your ideas and in't gonna work, or you're not going

to succeed. Don't pay that in my mind, you know. So I love that. I love that black men need to be told constantly try new things. That is a very powerful statement to black men, because some black men don't want to travel, right because they just don't know. They don't know what outside of this little area, what that means. They don't feel what is the word competent or well spoken enough or well cultured enough. Then in the community, you've got a lot of young men who

were like, all I know is the block. That's all I know, and I know is cell drugs. Maybe a little job. But being an entrepreneur, knowing that I I kind of know what type of joystick I want, right, I know where the thumb ain't right and this and that maybe I can actually create this because I'm a creative person. But nobody has ever to told them that they could do that and and become like, you know, the new game console, you know, developer. So telling young

black men it can't be passed over quickly. It's not like a little statement, try something different, try something new. I think that's a movement all by itself, right, thank you, thank you. What is the name of the restaurant because that Creeps Cres is that at the underground downtown Atlanta right this weekend, So I'm coming make sure you hit me. I'll be here but later then Dancing Creates. That was this supposed to start as like like desserts and whatnot.

And now after me and Andy went to the Maudi's right on um and Um she had she had these creeps and we noticed it was in a huge creep community in a you know, and she was like, you know, maybe we should get some creepes in Atlanta. And then we just started out pretty much as an idea and we turned that idea into reality. It's beautiful, diferent right, sounding different, right, We're trying new things, always trying new things. Man folk stuff, anything you try, it is going to

be anything outside normal. What black people do with it. Whatever the box they put us in, it's gonna be

white folks stuff. They're gonna say. Now then they start saying, you have money, that's white folks stuff, or if you could teach, that's white white folks stuff, right, you know, well give me all the white folks stuff, because yeah, I don't want to hear it, so I guess, right, Thank you all right, bet that's always inspired to see my brother man men DC is very humble, quiet, I know, men DC's men DC is y'all know the TVs made like they got one little glimpse of it when you

know he had gotten to the fight with with um Yetty's cousin trainer. You know they've seen that little thing that you know he got another side. But men DC has just grown. Man, he's evolved into somebody that you know is it's just and you can see that he's very intentional about being better, right, And that's what I say about a lot of people like that, that we don't get that most of the people who have been incarcerated, who committed crimes in our communities, they're not bad people.

They didn't want to commit crimes. There was a level of desperation, there was a level of hopelessness that we all felt and we felt that was the way to get out of it. But to our core, we were all good people. A lot of I know a lot of good people. And you know a lot of people say there's no no on amongst Steve's and I believe that, but their honor amongst honorable people who feel the need to commit a crime. See, that's a different thing. You can be an honorable person and feel like you need

to commit crimes to survive. If you're just a thief and and that's just your nature, then there's no honor. But there's a lot of people in the streets who who commit crimes, who engage in illegal activities, who are honorable individuals, And if you give them different opportunities and put them in in circumstances and situations where they don't have to commit those problems, they will definitely not do it.

And you know, and I think and DCS is a testament to what you can do when you're given the opportunities, when you evolve, when you come home and you you you see the ers in your ways and you realize how it affects the people you love and your family, and it takes you out of you know, situations that you can be prospering. And you know, so I just want to salute them, man, salute them. A awesome guy. I'm happy. I'm proud of them, but I'm I'm I'm

proud of him. I'm proud of them, but I am most passionately happy for my sister because I know that having a strong man, strong black man ain't nothing like it. Shout up wants to get shout out to men d c's excellent interview. I hope people tune in and make sure you look go to Dancing Creeps right underground. Make sure story. I love that when he said when he first came on, he thought it was a gimmick, like his mindset is a certain way, right, and he's growing

out of that. But there was a time and he liked, everything is a hustle, everything is a gimmick, skin kid, like, that's white people stuff we don't create, you know, damn. And then he found out it actually works. And I know several people who use Yell skincare. The only reason why I can't say, oh, I use it every day is because my German tality put me on something eleven

years ago that works. And when you have something that works, more than likely, you know you're not gonna just change because your friend came out with something else, Like that's just not how it works. Um. But I have been a big supporter of Yell, and several people that I turned onto the product love it and they use it. Listen, I do it. I make sure I'm a scale, I'm a um zell skinning care for ye yell, I am a yell and skinning care fonetic. You know, so that

brings me to my I don't get it. This is some of the weirdest ship of it. Like we keep constantly seeing weirdowship. Right. So, over a dozen female inmates were raped, assaulted, and harassed in an Indiana jail after corrections officer so keys to their sale to the male prisoners for a thousand dollars. Like, how in the hell did he think that was gonna work? Like what was going through his mind? Like like it's some sick ship.

It's like it really is some sick things like some of the things that we see, like you so keys to the inmates. So they were just running into the sales. Twenty eight women found lawsuits. Like here's the thing that I wanted to say, do you know what the biggest problem is? But what he did, what he got money for it, That's what got him in trumble because I can tell you right now keys are being passed around for free, and it's been going on for decades, however

long incarceration has been going on. I was I was in the print, Well, you know what the jail I was in. There was no females in the prison. So for most for the most part, the males and the females are not in the same prison. So I don't even know. I don't even know the dynamic that this prison has to where uh inmate male inmate can get to the part of the jail anything with the female is to get into a cell and and doing anything.

I don't even understand. I didn't see it saying only other incarcerated individuals were going in to male inmates them them too, how Okay, So my thing is this, how so look who else was coming into jail. But the point I'm making to you, my son, is it had to be facilitated, which means that I'm not talking about outsiders. It could be staff, kitchen staff, it could be other specifically bill inmates. Okay, So then that means that somebody was allowing them. It's a it's called an enterprise, right,

this is tried. Somebody was. It wasn't just him, it had to be it is. It's two of them, is Jamie and David. So they must have been running a racket, That's what I'm saying. So all I'm explaining to you is that the only reason why you're reading this and it's an issue is because money was involved and these

women decided to sue. We have a friend, a very close friend who is a motivational speaker that is powerful and incredible, who was imprisoned for several years, a woman who tells the story of how the CEOs came into their cell. Her and another woman that was in there and has sex with them regularly and especially made sure that they got fallacio whenever they wanted it from these And they were young, Okay, they were not thirty and forty whatever years old. They were young, Okay, So I'm

gonna listen. I'm not saying that those things happen that. I'm just explaining to you that the only thing that makes this rise to being worthy of discussion, which is always should be worthy discussion, is that they got paid. Because it's not just what I'm trying to say. There's a dynamic. I'm not just told because it makes and officers have had relationship incarcerated individuals definitely. You know, prisoners and and officers have always had those things. There's it's

always happened. I know that I know that for sure. Yeah, but we're not talking about that because, by the way, because by the way, that sounds like the slave master and the enslaved individual relations every now and then. I'm sure there's CEOs that sleep with with prisoners, as you said, oh yeah, sure, but in a lot of cases, as it relates to the way in incarcerated individuals, they don't want to do it. I'm not saying they want to

do it. I'm not saying I'm not saying that's not I'm just saying that the dynamic of an officer being able to have access to herself is not new. That's something that mostly an officer the size and he's on the gallery, he can open the ceiling running and do whatever he wants to and even if she don't want it,

he can do that. But what it would take for another inmate to get from another wing of a jail to go into the female's wing raper didn't get back, and nobody seem like this ship had to be a real They had to be running something because it's so many officers in between the different sections of a jail where women are held in a man jail, that it had to be. This ship had it is more than just these two people that was involved in this situation. No,

I'm sure. But even in that, even in the scenario that you described where officer could go in the cell and do whatever they want, there's still many eyeballs turning away from that because the cameras are showing you going in and out of the cell. It's not like there's cameras.

That's what are you talking about in the in the you're telling me that in the jail down these halls and corridors there it ain't no, it ain't no. I don't know if now, but there was not one no, not one camera sing sing inside the blocks, not not one. That isn't that's crazy, that's but but I would hope that there is a way to be able to see and monitor. Right, the control room is supposed to see what is going on. The only thing in control room sees is like the doors that you go through to

get to the cell blocks. But there's no cameras inside the cell blocks. Mm hmm. Well, how does that help a woman or a man or anybody that's being assaulted, Because basically, if that's how they know, they would have been This couldn't happen if they had cameras inside the cell box, because if the camera would have courted all the time, so and nobody, the controller ain't gonna be like, yo, I'm involved in man. That is all types of federal charges.

I wouldn't necessarily I don't agree with that. I think that everybody you. I think if you're an officer who was doing something with an h incarcerated person, there's a couple of people that's know something about you going in there.

Ain right, you're going there often there's some energy, there's something that is going to bring cause people to see, but they don't want to see because nobody wants to be the one to be the whistle blower, to tell the story, to do the thing, and to have to be a part of what now becomes snitching or whatever. On your the colleague right. And someone said to me,

you know, have many correction officers in my family. And someone said to me one day that it is you don't when you go behind the gates, right, when you going behind these don't you know what they say? No, two doors open at the same time. So when you step into the jail, you become just as much of a prisoner as the prisoners, because anything can happen and people don't have your back in the midst of a situation,

you could die. So it's it's it's real. That is really sad, like that these women were being assaulted by men who just had access to them and nobody protected them. That's sick. That's unbelievable. Mhm. Well that brings us to the end of another episode of Street Politicians. Shout out to our guests, men, d cs. You know, I'm glad he's being released off probation because I know what that's like, early released three and a half years that he could

have still been doing and he led him off early. Man. Just seeing him continue to prosper being a father, entrepreneur, businessman, and just somebody who who I see as a role model, somebody who has evolved from the trenches from where we come from that young kids can look at and say it's possible. Man. So shout out to him and um, if you have any topics that you want us to talk about, send them to Street Politicians so we can

get your topics on. If you have any you know, ideas, if you have any yes, you want us to interview anything, let us know a Street Politicians on Instagram, d m U s and we'll we'll it. Will definitely work on getting that done, so once again, we love you. Mary is not gonna always be wrong my song It's not gonna always be right, but we were both all ways,

and I may always be authentic. Listen to Street Politicians on the Black Effect Network on I Heart Radio and catch us every single Wednesday for the video version of Street Politicians or I Women Dot Tv