Knowing the 'Point of it All' (w/ Anthony Hamilton)

bring kindness? Do we bring mercy? Or do we bring doubt? Do we bring confusion? Do we bring negativity? Or perhaps maybe we bring something in between those two spectrums. I don't know, but it is something that we must ask ourselves. See, I asked these questions to help clarifying for myself what I bring into the world each and every day. Now, some of you may know that I have life tattooed in my mouth and it serves as a reminder of the very essence of my being, and that is that

my name is Dawn Day and I speak life. That's what I do. But also every day I know that I have to make a choice in how I choose to show up in the world. I have to choose to be positive. I have to choose to be optimistic. I have to choose to be kind, I have to choose to show mercy. I have to choose to live my best life on purpose and for a purpose. And I don't saying like it's going to be easy, but when it comes down to it, we have to realize that we have the power to create the lives that

we want. We have the power to create the environment that we choose to exist in. We have the power to show up, to exist, to be to floors, to ignite, to edify in our best self. But we can only do that when we choose to show up to live our best life. Okay, I know that was a lot, but I say all this to say because I'm so

excited about who's coming on this episode right now. And I'm talking none other than Grammy Award winning recording artist, singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist, author, actor Dad and I would even venture to say poet Anthony houlds and legs and gentlemen, now listen. This is a very nostalgic moment as we were going through the process of booking Anthony, because it just took me back to my days at Harvard University, and Anthony was like that sound truck. The point of it all, Charlene,

it's just the big bones. Oh my gosh. So you can imagine this moment. But I also say all this because so I sat down to talk with Anthony about his latest single, Mercy, what it means to be a man, how to paint a picture with music, and of course what it means to have and to show mercy and all lives. So, without further ado, it's time for your dose of vitamin D. Get right with me and get excited. Hello, Black King, how are you en? I'm doing well. I'm

doing well that I'm speaking to you. I appreciate that. I like the love. I like that. Stop. No, it's nothing but a reciprocal thing, because um, you were kind of the soundtrack to my year in college. Okay, how university? So this is a turn back and you know, I'm so I'm so did I say I'm so. I'm so excited to dive in to talk about this track, Mercy

that're releasing to give a glimpse over your catalog. But more important, ess to Hamilson, We're going to dive into the inspiration um behind this music, because I think it's the soundtrack that I think carries your voice. You hearing me. I appreciate it. I appreciate it, and I have to definitely thank Page for linking us up. And I'm so excited. So um, you're doing all right? I am. I'm good. I'm in Atlanta in the studio with Jamain de Free

and uh every Bellinger came through today. Yeah, so we're here going ham. I saw your I G. Yeah, I saw your I G. And I was sitting there. You didn't tell me what you didn't tell me? You want what tell me? Anthony? Let talk about No, I don't know what you're talking about, but let's let's talk about some things that we we can't talk about. And you know, I was sitting here, I was talking to a friend and listening to your music. Uh. It reminds me of a dark liquor, a drink like maybe a Colne Yang

or whiskey. How you talk about something now you're talking about it? Now? What's your drink? My drink? I like a little bob makes you do thing that the drink down? Yeah, all like a good bourbon, a good whiskey whether the American whiskey or or you know, it's something something from Afar. It's it's just a good drinking. It's a man's drink, a good old whiskey, bourbon or something. You know, talking about a bob. Oh, you saw how deep it And that's what I feel like, even when we talk about

the drink. That's what I feel like your music does. It's like that that smoky, feel good, safe, sweet, I'm with my people kind of thing. Yeah, that's what it should feel like. Yeah, that's what a ship feels like. You know. I think, uh, you know, when you can resonate with things that remind you of your yourself. The dog, that dog, brown, that gravy, that that come on piece of golden corn bread, come on, that silky cat but'll you know, all that stuff just kind of sounds like music.

Don't You're making me hungry? You know? That was another thing I gotta thank you. I had to come in here and adifying you because it was because of Sister Big Bombs. You told me I was beautiful, thank you and enjoying my curves. And I think that's what I love about this. And I don't know if you had a glimpse to know. But vitamin D is about that vitamin D. This podcast is about shedding light. It's a

pun off of my name, Dawn Day, Okay. And so I'm going in there and I'm diving, and as I go onto the music and the lyrics, I can't help but wonder even as you're starting. Now, you grew up in North Carolina, North Calkilaki, as they say, yeah, Charlotte, North calass shot of North What made you take a chance on your dreams? I had to. It was just so deep, it was living, it was starting to live its own life inside. So I had to go with it,

you know, they had to tend to it. I had to make sure that I took it to the city, to the big cities in New York City and allowed it to grow. And uh it birth the man and the music, birth some stories. So it's just it was just who else supposed to be from the beginning, from the womb, even before the womb, and I was putting the womb, I was put in there with music. Come on, and they never left. Come on, and now you're singing

your song, I'm saying, So I'm not lone. Yeah, I wanted you to add that to the breaking zone, the break of do yeah, uh, thank you. And so I guess I talked about that a lot because people don't realize, you know, what the push came through. And I think this push that I'm gonna discuss is gonna lead up to the single that brought you where you are right now,

entitled Mercy. But coming up to to New York, a lot of people, um don't necessary take heed to that of the plight I guess of a black man and and understanding that, you know, coming from a family down in North Karaca Lackey, you know, a farm, you know, when you really had to go out there and strive.

I don't know if people oftentimes see the adjustment and the shift and understanding why some things may have seemed like a ditch or a rock or a stem in the way was actually a stepping stool or something to propel them forward. And I guess I just wanted to get some more insight as an encouragement as to why

that is so in your life. You know, I've been I've encountered a lot, seen a lot of experienced a lot, and uh, you know, I learned to take those moments that seemed like ditches and branches and things that seemed like it was obstruction to my view. And uh, look through them there was a different color that was a different shade and huge. Um, if you use those things and I'll learned how to paint with it with my pen and uh, you know, I use it as leverage.

I didn't. I didn't allow it to create fear in a barrier between me and where I was going, you know. So I learned. I learned to use the things that that that that were tangible and sometimes would be pain, sometimes it be happiness. Uh, those things started to create a new fabric and uh that fabrary became music. Oh and the way it's knitted up and down and all the round and splashed with different colors. And like you said, that painted your life. And realize in those moments that

can comfort, the camp for tactic can shield. It also is a way there to express your personality. And so um, when we're thinking about that painting the music, right, I'm wondering when you got to this point and you know, and pawing off one of your head singles, what's the point of it all? The point of it all is I love you love. It's the point of it all. That's the reason. That's the ingredient, that's the thing that sustains you. That's that's that thing that motivates you and

encourage you. Um. It's the reason. It's the reason why we call and make sure you got Did you get home okay? Um? How was work? How you feel? Are you cramping bad? Baby? Is there anything I can get you? Um? You know That's what That's what it's about. That's what a man does. You know, people, he tried to do that, be that for that. And you know what I think is so amazing is that you speak so much about what it means to be a man, stepping up to be a man, being a father of six sons and

even taking a glimpse. I was watching, um, your series you did with Mr Harvey from Mentoring Mondays, and you admitted to yourself that you said, wait a minute, I grew up without a father, But yet you can still stand boldly in your manhood and expressial emotions the way you do. How is that you know you can't harbor bitterness and you can't expect for someone even your father, your mother, you can't expect for them to be perfect. You can't expect for them to be what your idea

of them should be. UM. People can only be who they are UM until they change. But people are always pretty much honest in their moment, you know, whether they're messed up or disconnected or just not interested, that's who they are at that moment. And uh, you know, me and my father there now really cool. We've been cool for maybe wow, maybe sixteen years. Uh soul like we talked a lot. You know, I don't hold no. I don't ask him why he wasn't what happened those moments.

I could care less as long as you he said. I love him and he loves me. And you know, you go from where you go from. I like to go from where it's comfortable with, it's pure and it's beautiful. I don't have to go back to that place, not for that, not to not to have a relationship with I appreciate your birth and help to birth me, and

uh yeah, you're gonna be my father. Just not holding grudgers, learning to let love uh flower your life and uh yeah, I think a lot of people want to just hang on the stuff so they could have something to do or hang on have an excuse to to being a mood or funk or to hold something against something it find a way to love that person in spite of their flaws, um, you know. And sometimes it's not easy because each situation is differently, each everybody has a different story.

Things happen to people. People are hurt, people are physically armed, and you know, so they have a different attitude and that's a different uh depth of a pain that sometimes we don't understand. So I get it. But but to the minute I can, I can choose peace. That's what I want a man, which is perfect to which we're about to segue too, because even what you said, despite that your father not being there, it sounds like you granted him a bit of mercy, right, a little mercy,

just a little bit. Oh, And I love that because it's one thing to talk about something m but it's another thing to walk, to live, to truly reside in it. Yeah, And to know when we understand about a backbone of what a father is and to say I'm not looking at what yesterday because it is the accepting and now, because now is what we have the gift in which we are to present it to one another. H you've allowed yourself to free up to receive exactly. So let's

talk about this track mercy. You mentioned with your father that it was about an understanding of who he is right now. We are valuing now, but yet understanding perhaps what he's gone through. Talk to me about this track mercy you have mercy. Uh, it's a man who stands vulnerable and and open, not weak by no means, but

it's vulnerable man who's got afraid to expose. Um at that place where he cries, where he he yearns, and he you know, and and he you know, he has fears and certain things, um, allowing people to to see that place. I think sometimes people look at a man as as just this cement shelled. Um. But we we have feelings. We we worry about things like providing for our family, um, you know, protecting our kids, um, being

a husband, being a wife and father. These are the things that we we we uh, we have on our mind, alge. So sometimes we need a little mercy, Sometimes we need a little forgiveness. Sometimes we need a little love, a little more love. UM. So it speaks, it speaks from that from that perspective, and just say, you know, untie, until you walk through my shoes. You can never him sing my blue Who never sang my blues? Untie? You felt the pain of them broken. Man, Then and only

then can you understand Anthony? You know what you sound like you're saying. You're asking for somebody to see you have a little meercy, have a little see. It's a beautiful record and it and it features Tamika Mallory, who's uh, who's been an amazing um just amazing soldier out here fighting for justice and being being a voice for for so many people and standing up for men and women of color. And I felt her spirit was in the place where where she could speak to me and encourage me.

And that's what she doesn't begin another song, and and then it goes in children, such a beautiful testimony of a man. She says, I'm not your enemy, I'm your energy. What you know, I was in this house and I started screaming, right because I said what? And it goes back to me even falling in love with your music for all of these years, because it's just about edifying. And we talk about edifying, it's just being a reflection of the light. Yeah, and you said, we just need

a little love. And I'm thinking to myself, well and listening to this track of talking about all the things that have been carried, and it's saying, hey, no, one's not saying that, oh I shouldn't be caring it. It's just saying, see me as I carry it exactly. And if I stumble, and if I'm late with the where you think I should be or or till your time. But you have been appointed to just know that I was carrying something and man stummered along the way. But

don't count me out. And uh, you know understand that that, you know, being a man is sometimes he has to deviate and has to you know, to pick himself up when people don't think he should fall. Um because like I said, people picture a man. The truth meaning of a man is someone who's always strong, who's always uh brazilient, and who doesn't cry. But real man cry, real man. Uh Yeah, I crown stage. I don't. I don't hold it back. My fans know if I feel it, if

it hits me, I do it right there. That's it's awful. Yeah, it's powerful, it's um. It's I guess essentially it's kind of like being a light anyhow, of just saying essentially, Um, a light isn't bothered about being blocked. It doesn't matter who sees it shine. The only purpose is to be seen. And like you said, it's so easy to carry, to cover and to block, But to sit there and to expose and to stand there, that's another story, that's another dimension.

And I'm just wondering, how how is it that one if you don't have a representation of a black man, how does one carry being strong and vulnerable at the same time. I think being honest in those moments, those true moments, um, you know, and being okay and being secured in those moments will help you develop, you know, the true meaning of being a man. You start to feel like, Okay, I'm vulnerable, I feel this, I'm okay,

and I'm surviving through it. So that strength and surviving and making it through and you know, and you start to develop these characters and characteristics and and textures to to who you are UM. And you see yourself growing in certain ways, and when you identify your growth, that takes you to another level of becoming a man UM and then you start to be responsible and start to take care of that growth. And then as you grow

more and you be more responsible. There you are, you're starting to create your own image of a man um that's true to you. Um. And then sometimes you see uncle Uncle Jr. Granddad, big big Daddy Rob like you know what, I think, I'm starting to look like him and act like him. I must be a man now, you know. It's always nice when you can see that

reflection and to know that you've grown more. But it's so interesting, and I think and UM, sometimes people kind of disregarded to walk in your authority and to have dominion over your life because it's a promise that's guaranteed. But it's something that I've heard you saying countless times and interviews about knowing who you are going further and

where you're going. Just like you said multiple times here, I'm not looking back, so I can't keep counting what happened yesterday, the day before that, and why that propelled or sometow handered me from going where I am going right now. But it's interesting that what I see when I see a black man oftentimes is that there's no room to be when I as a woman who I have never been in any type of trouble with the law,

having gotten held back. When I can stand out on the street and I hear the police and I'm getting nervous because I'm standing next to black man. That's only one plight that one has to to carry. H And here I am because I gotta be strong to look after your back. Who do I lean on? And I think just looking at society or today, that's what I see. A misunderstanding. Yeah, yeah, being misunderstood. The black man has been misunderstood so many times. Um. And when you misunderstand something,

you fear it. And uh, I think that's what the outside racist and people who don't, who don't understand who we are, um, start to fears and you know, I want to destroy, take us out, get rid of us. And then then you have been envy how amazing we are, how powerful and creative and just beautiful who we are full lips? Why those strong back? Uh. Yeah, So that's a lot. We have to That's a lot we we Uh, we have to face a lot. So what would you say, what do you see right now? We've had so much.

You see the movements that Tamika Mallory is doing. We've seen the widespread of what the life of George Floyd has done. When we see the likes and the hopes of what Kamala Harris is doing in the White House, what do you see the state of America now? And what do you hope mercy brings? We have so much work to do, Kamala Harris and and uh so many others me you, we all have a lot of work to do. We have to start to create value amongst ourselves and to know that that value is just as

special as any other race. I think, Uh, we start to govern ourselves and according and treat ourselves, treat ourselves with dignity and uh and not responsibility on old white men's to uh to save us. Um, to be our own savings. Um. But but this song will be the soundtrack to somebody getting to that place and where they can feel located to go there and to treat yourself with mercy. Yeah, treat yourself with mercy and and and

see the value. And you camelists, it'll be nice to have someone there close too close to the home base, and somebody who can speak to talk. Hopefully she stays uh connected. Um. You know, people ridicule about her past, um, but we all you know, we've all done something that

we wasn't so proud of exactly. Then we grow and so now this allows how to be in our new and our new this um maybe the song or brain peace to someone of wake something up in someone, Oh, remind somebody that you know, although I didn't see where you coming from, what you're going through, I think I understand that the song connected me to it and uh yeah, maybe didn't play it in the White House. Why not?

Why not? And that's when I look at you and I look just look at your career, I look at your messaging, and it's a career that I say, why not? Because when you talk about just being authentically you speaking to Edify, speaking to him Lift, speaking in the sense of a black man speaking as a black man without a father, you know, just more so of being a black man who understands and in many cases overstands to know where we're going, Yeah, to know how we're doing it.

And so I just think it's so powerful because in

this day and age, we need to understand. And when Tamika was in the beginning of this track and she's sang see me, and all that you're saying is until you see me, see me where I'm coming from, see me where I'm going, And I hope that this track becomes kind of like the the the the soundtrack to the Beating of America's heart, Because whether it's mercy for that child, whether it's mercy for that black man, that black queen you know, UM, for for the struggling cousin,

uncle friend, just hold on and have a little mercy for us so that what we can see what we're doing. M h. And although we haven't necessarily got to it yet, by the time this interview was gonna be aired, you're gonna have performed at the Bounce Awards. Tell us a little bit about why your involvement is so important. You know, it's just being a representation of what I feel. Um. We are UM through my music, through the way I

walk and father and cared myself. UM. It's always important to show to plan a seed for someone, for someone's child, you know, to be that father figure, to be that man, that that voice, that writer, that author. UM, it's so important to have a stage like that to share it on UM especial. You know, music connect you to people and things and and and moments and create memories and uh, maybe I can help make somebody's memory special. Well, you so dear mine many times over. And it makes me wonder,

like who inspires you? Everybody? I'm I'm connected to all that's beautiful and pure. Uh and even some stuff that's not so beautiful, that's that's still something in it that I could I could appreciate. Um. Yeah, I just just waking up for gratitude. Come on, it's inspiring. Um. My kids they love on me. My friends they see me and appreciate me. But who kept you through those low moments? My lord, my Lord and my pres and you know

my savior does um happen? Yeah? And I have solid, solid friends and people that I go to really understand like, Okay, even though he's just a so called entertainment, he's still a man. He still needs a place to uh, the same place to be in Land and you know they allowed me to do that, and I go in there, lay down. But you know we're here that when we

talk about comfort and we talk about being. So you know, I listened to the Clark's Sisters a lot, and they have this song like no matter the winds may come your way, but I'm just resting in my father's hands. It's the same testament of your saying if sometimes you just gotta let go, black man, you ain't got to

hold everything. I see you. Yeah. And and for for men to really hear that and believe it, it'll take a lot of pressure, blood pressure and everything else to go down, you know, because we feel like we have to hold it all and do it all. Why and women need to not put that pressure on a man. I think when we all hold hold up, I end the bargain and and and and and take care of what we're supposed to take care of, it balanced the weight on the other. Now what you mean that woman

puts the pressure? Is there an expectation? Yeah, it's okay to have expectations. That's that's good as long as they're balanced and as long as you're not expecting something from some from from your spouse or partner that that you're supposed to do as well. I think a lot of times unbalanced expectations, uh, unhealthy and uh, you know, we put our stuff on other people, many women and uh yeah. One example is you know, I don't I'm not supposed

to be your happiness. I'm supposed to answer your happiness. You need to have your own happy, and you need to have your own joy, and uh, don't expect for me to be that because you know I will never be consistent with what you feel it should be and how it should be delivered. When you have your own, you can dictate and habit and have control of it. It's yours and you share yours, and we connect ours together,

small piece because we're not wasting energy on expectations. We we we have we have about to create our own um happiness. It belongs to us, so we're not looking out for it. Oh my gosh. And when you're looking through your happiness and somebody else, you become I think you've become more judgment Come on, what you're looking for? Something that point the finger that I want to be happy, but that don't look like it. I don't like that that shirt ain't. I don't like that shirt. I don't.

I don't like the way you said that. I don't. I don't want to watch this. I don't want to do so. So you know, we saw nick nick picking and creating moments of discomfort. But when you have you, like I said, you have your own joy, you all you wanna do is be around that person and just enjoy. Come on, Wait a minute, wait, did you hear what you're just said? Hold on and wait a minute. You said you talked about the joy, right, because that's the

ever blasting stay happy. It's for ever fleeting joy. And you said when you give with the other person, you enjoy them. Right. But then as a double on tundra, you're in joy. Stop playing with men? Is that what

you came to do? Go ahead now on purpose? He I love that you said that because I think oftentimes when we have those expectations that you talked about, and I think it's just so on target with even just your line of music, because it's about that love and it's about that relationship right when we come in, Like you said, the expectation I'm coming to take. But what if I just came to give into Edif I imagine that light just like you said, there's no such thing

as oh I have to because I'm lacking. I'm open because I'm ready to receive. I'm open because I'm ready to give. And like you even said in the song, until love, if God is loved, just the imagery of love is always open. The light doesn't try to stop where it's going to be shining. Like you said, like the synergy is like a flow, and it's like the evolution of like the sun. It's just the circular motion for me to you, you to me, and me to you. Thank you for that. Thank you, and I hope you

continue and I pray that you continue. I'm lifting with your music because we need to make sure we have more artists like you on the playing field. That talks about the wellness, that talks about the vulnerability, but more important that that speaks to music that we can all feel. Because when I'm getting in smokey roots, I can taste my chicken, I can taste my corn breads, I can taste my colar grains. Get that bread and some brown liquors.

But since we're talking about food, and I understand that you got a book. Yes, it's called corn Bread, Fish and Colored Greens, and uh, it goes behind the music. It tells the story of the songs and the relationships and the journey um from a young child or young boy to to a man and how these songs became, uh what they are and what you're here today. And there's some recipes, Yeah, that's recipes in the book. It's about six or seven recipes. Are you trying to feed me?

Feed the hell out you? And you watch tight? You watching me tight? You know there's some recipes, there's some scriptures. There's some amazing photos, um that I took just for the book. Um, it's a really great coffee table book. It's a great read. It's a it's a short read, but it's a powerful one. It's very raw and vulnerable and as a matter of fact, it's it's it's something. So what you mentioned pictures? Are you a photographer? No? Um, you know I can't capture some stuff, but na, I

have good visions. Uh, come on, and uh I see something. I know when it's beautiful. Um, I know where it should be placed. And uh yeah, but now I ain't a photographer yet becoming an entering I'm still growing. Yeah, I'm still growing. And you mentioned scripture. I won that. I love scriptures. I love quotes. What is the scripture like my scripture that I love? I have a couple but well too, Jeremy eleven four. I know the plans I have for you as to possibly not to harm

your plans, to give your hope in the future. And then I have because I actually have life tattered in my mouth. I love havocat too, death and life on the part of the time you want to say, I'm loving this moment, I do this each time. Okay, oh wow, uh so, But it's to do everything that your music does is to speak life. Yeah, what's the scripture that speaks life into you? You know? I like doing to others. I think it keeps everything and it's you know, proper place.

Um and that can embody so much. You know I love you, um so then in return, you know, I have a better chance of your loving me. I feed you, so return you you'll feed, you'll feed me, or you'll feed someone else. Um. I just think. I think when when we have that power, we have access to create um an outcome and we acknowledge it. I think it's something that's so powerful people don't really hear or you know, really know how important that is? What you mean, like

the power to create the life that you want? What do you ran create the life that you want, the reaction that you want, the anything anything. I think when you put good into something, it comes back. And that's what I like. I like to plant those seeds watch them grow and just keep giving and giving and giving love and giving love and giving love. I think that, Yeah, that keeps me, keeps me humble. Mm hmm, yeah, it

keeps me humble. It makes me feel beautiful to be able to, uh, to treat someone special, to treat someone how I treat myself, how I love me. I love you the same way. And when you talk about that, I talked about something called your life bank account, and it's it's that understanding how you are your greatest asset. And when you talk about treating, we have to define that there are deposits versus liabilities. I'm making a deposit, I'm making a withdraw. And I love what you said

because you said this earlier on. You said, hey, my music depicts that of the joy, the light, but also that of the dark. But in everything you're saying, in the acceptance of now walking who you are now, because you're able to love who you are, you see the battle or not the battle, but the balance of the again in the yank, I love that you have to have it. You know, balance comes peace and uh, there's a lot of healing that can go on this feast.

But it's scary, Anthony. We people say that all the time. Here's the thing that people I don't think realize. People say, oh, take a moment to heal. But just as oh, you were to fall right now, you were to scratch your leg, right, you're holding it. You remember as a little kid, whether you were out there put your nails around. So guess what. The only way that scab is gonna come because if you leave that band aid on the whole time, it's gonna stay wet. And when you take that band aid off,

guess what, there's a tingling. There's a hurting sensation when it's healing right, and it hurts to move. People forget that part when they talk about healing. Yeah, yeah, you have to expose it wound like you said. And uh, but it doesn't stay at wound too forever. It does if you keep it keep it covered. Cool. Wait and what you say, mercy, you said, can you see me? Because you were uncovering. I had to bring that back.

Look at you. Come on now, And you know what I also appreciate about what you said to It reminds me of quote that I've always lived by, and it's entitled what allows a diamond to shine? Are the multitudes of cuts that have been placed within it. Because just like you said, whatever wound, Like you said that there was that ditch, that was that stick, that was that muddy roll, that was that little, uh pothole in the road, you realize that's nothing but a slash is a depression,

is a lack of my father? Is it obesity? Is it working? Too harrible? When you decide to uncover Hello, somebody and that diamond because all that pressures that came decides to step into the light, you better shine better. And Mr Hamilton's you're shining out here. I appreciate it.

I hopefully keep it polished and you are and I want to thank you so much for um shutting some of your light not only about who you are as a man, but a man who is open and vulnerability and taking accountability for so many black men out there. I'm here to serve and uh hope, I hope it. It makes it makes it better, uh for so many people. So thank you for allowing me to having thank you for the platform, and uh yeah, let's do it again.

Let's do it. And you know what you spoke that but it maybe sooner than later that we will actually be connecting again, I'm gonna speak that right now. We're working on a few things, so it's would be it should be amazing. So thank you so much, and uh, mercy on me. Thank you. You got it, Dawn day all day, every day. Thank you, Thank you, beautiful. I

appreciate it. That was good, right. I'm so grateful for this conversation with Anthony because it's not every day, or at least for me, that I think about the complexities and the vulnerabilities of being a man, and I just keep thinking it back to the Tamika Mallory poem that opens up in the song Mercy, And you know what I think about. I think about the choice that she had to make to say that she would stand beside black men as a black woman in the space of

trying to survive and thrive in this world. She even had a moment where she said, I'm not your enemy, I'm your energy. What come on? Come on? And you know, I was thinking about the choices that we all make to build and maintain our relationships and grow as people. I think about how you need to make deposits in your life bank account and then paying to others life bank account so that you can pay it forward, and so on and so on. You see how that energy go.

I'm not your enemy, I'm your energy. And energy doesn't stop, it just keeps flowing. That's why you've got to let the ego. You gotta let the energy go. You gotta let the energy flow. You see what I'm saying with vitamin D. How each and every time that I uncover new things, Okay, back to it, we let that energy flow because we are all interconnected. And I'll acknowledge that there's more layers that sit on top of it, but at its base is where the pyramid is the strongest

and the most sturdy. Hence the foundation. You understand the foundation, and it's creating habits of choosing to show love to ourselves and others that brings out the best and us and you and we and all together. So if that felt good, and you can even use someone Mercy in your life, make sure you keep up with Anthony Hamilton's and what he has going on, and you can do so by following him on social media at Hamilton's Anthony

on Twitter and Anthony Hamilton's official on Instagram. You can catch us late at single Mercy on your favorite music streaming service. As always, you can catch us here in your phone or whichever smart defies you fancy, each and every Monday with more inspiring conversations and insights and guess what, if you are looking to get even more vitamins in your life, I want you to follow me at Dawn Day Speaks on Instagram and Twitter. And until next time, always remember you are your greatest asset.