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It's April sixteenth, and we talked
to a state senator from Kentucky about gun
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control. Five time Grammy winner Robert
Glasper joins us, and the latest Jet
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Magazine cover girl and CEO of Slutty
Vegan joins us for your Black Business,
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those stories and more on The Black
Perspective. I'm your host, Mike Islan.
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Welcome to The Black Perspective, a
weekly community affairs program on the Black
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Information Network featuring interviews and discussions on
issues important to the black community. An
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employee was behind a shooting at a
bank in Kentucky this week. Four people
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are dead and nine were injured after
shooting at the Old National Bank in downtown
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Louisville. Two officers are among those
injured, one critically after being shot in
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the head. So we're talking to
Kentucky State Senator and Minority floor leader Gerald
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Neil today. How are you?
I'm just going fine. How are you
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saying? All right? I had
in my heart how I was going to
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start this interview. My first question
as unconventional question, and that is what
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are we dealing with? Now?
We're dealing with gun violence? But what
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do you call this other than workplace
violence? Well? I think you framed
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it, But the reality is that
gun balance is gun balance, and it
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has many iterations, and this is
one of them. You have gun violence
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in domestic relations situations. You have
gun violence in the street between people who
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are doing business with each other illegally
or otherwise. The iterations of gun violence
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come many form the proliferation of guns
in the streets as well as you have
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gun balance related to those who are
intentional with carrying AAR fifteens motivated by certain
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mental conditions, etc. Which is
probably the least of them, quite frankly.
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So it comes to many iterations.
The question is what are we going
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to do about this? We know
that the proliferational guns, the type of
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guns that are made available, the
way we check and review who should or
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should not have a gun. How
do we interceed what people we've done.
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We can't do it by showing a
blind eye and saying people just have a
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segmentmentent. Right. So there's a
lot to deal with when you start talking
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about gun violence, and it's hard
to frame it. People see gun violence
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in so many different ways and that's
why I framed it that way. And
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there's not a one size fits all
solution. So there's going to have to
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be some different methodologies that worked in
to address the different types of gun violence.
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I think the reality is that we
do know. There are two things.
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One, we are remists in our
responsibilities if we do not take steps
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to have honest conversations about common sense
methodologies to mitigate the scourge with gun violence.
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That's number one. There must be
a robust and willing and honest conversation
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with respect to that seeking solutions.
But the other is this, there are
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some solutions to some of it that
we already know. For instance, we
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had a gun band on assault rifles
for a period of time and noted that
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prior to that it was higher in
terms of the incidents of people losing lives
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lore when it was put into place, and then when it was taken off
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it's going back up again, so
we know it has an effect. Yeah,
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I'm glad you mentioned that, because
when there is something on, the
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numbers do go down with that.
How do we get it back on Why
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is it so hard? Now?
Well, it's a combination of circumstances.
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One, we have a very dedicated
group of financiers and business people who want
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to keep their profits up in terms
of the sales of guns of all kinds.
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They won't take all the limits off
so they can make their profits.
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We have dedicated NRAA that is out
there that's carrying that water, this messaging
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on behalf of those organizations. We
have a willing and open percentage of our
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citizenry that feels offended that you can
tell them what they can and cannot do.
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And the history and culture that's growing
up around this and were raised with
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guns as part of the psyche.
This is not something that's easy, that's
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for sure. But certainly we remiss
if we did not take some very deliberate
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steps which are born out of robust, honest discussions and a commitment to curve
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gun violence. We're talking with Kentucky
State Senator a minority floor leader, Gerald
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Neil. He is the founder of
the African American Community Agenda Initiative, which
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focuses on policy, research, development, and community education, and it brings
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together top policy makers and implementers for
the purpose of engagement, analysis, and
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policy scrutiny and leading to change.
Today, we're talking about gun violence,
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in particular the violence that happened in
Senator Neil state with the bank shooting at
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Old National Bank, and we're talking
about addressing yet another incident, and what's
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the public perception of this one.
I heard some talk yesterday because it touched
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the Kentucky governor and Tennessee governors.
There was talk that maybe now something will
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happen, Will this be something else
that passes even though it has touched some
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of the top leaders. Well,
if you're talking about the Kentucky governor,
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I think that he has already sensitive
to this issue, is supportive of common
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sense gun violence mitigation. You talked
about the Tennessee governor. I don't know
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where his head is on this particular
issue, but I do know that we
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have supermajorities legislators who pass policy.
We do the policy passing in terms of
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making the rules, and that's in
Kentucky and Tennessee. And there's supermajorities that
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have demonstrated resistance to even a robust
discussion about mitigating gun violence. So it's
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going to be problematic into the future. But I think there's no option to
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continuing the struggle, the fight to
communicate, to be effective, to listen
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carefully, and to at least have
a continuing discussion on how we mitigate,
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discourage because as you have just witnessed
once again, you can find that it's
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right on your doorstep, it's right
in your neighborhood, and in fact,
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you can affect people, if not
you, but people you know. Kentucky
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State Senator and Minority floor Leader Gerald
Neil, thank you for your time today
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to talk with us, and this
is going to be an ongoing issue.
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We'd like to hear more of your
perspective on what can be done to curb
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gun violence in this country. Thank
you for having me, and I encourage
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you to stay in contact to share
back. In twenty nineteen, when Disney
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announced that they were casting Halle Bailey
as the Little Mermaid, the Internet went
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crazy. Some were angry that they
dare put a black woman in the starring
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role. Others were elated, saying
finally there was more representation for little black
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girls to look up to. One
black fiction writer decided to address it with
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an op ed in The New York
Times, telling readers calm down. Black
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mermaids have been a part of storytelling
for years. The Black Information That Works
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Ester Dillard had a chat with her
in this week's edition of Color Between the
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Lines him Master Dillard on the black
Information Network chat with writers and authors who
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offer an added perspective for our listeners. This is the Color between the Lines
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on this edition of The Color between
the Lines. We're talking to a black
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writer named Tracy Baptiste. She pushed
back on the anger folks were having about
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a black woman being cast as the
main character of Disney's Little Mermaid back in
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twenty nineteen. In fact, she
wrote an op ed in The New York
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Times entitled Mermaids have Always been Black. And this year she followed up that
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article with a children's book called The
Mermaid and the Pirate. It's a tale
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about a black mermaid who meets up
with a black pirate. Welcome Tracy Baptiste
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to the b I N hi y, so, thank you so much for
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having me. Oh, I am
really excited to talk to you. A
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black mermaid and a black pirate,
two things we don't often see in movies
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or in books. You chose,
you chose to do that. That's right,
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that's right, And I chose I
chose to do it because it should
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not be that unfamiliar. The fact
is, you know pirates in their heyday,
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the Spanish main was the Caribbean.
Like, well, what are the
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people who lived there, right?
And I mean, you know, we
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are covered in water on this planet. It touches absolutely every continent, not
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every place of water touches is populated
with white people. And so I don't
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know why anybody would expect that mermaids
would only be white. Was this partially
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also because of the op ed you
wrote back in twenty nineteen, Well,
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you know, the op ed that
I wrote was because of a couple of
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things. You know, after Hallie
Bailey was cast as Ariel in Disney's remake
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of The Little Mermaid, a lot
of people started talking about, you know,
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how can a mermaid be black?
And there were people who were pointing
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to one of the books that I
had written, which is from the Jumbies
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series. It's a second book in
the series called Rise of the Jumbies where
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there are black mermaids and this other
character who's kind of the queen of the
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mermaids. Her name is Mama Chlow
and she comes from Caribbean and West African
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folklore. So people were saying,
of course, there have been black mermaids.
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You know, here are these stories
with black mermaids already in them.
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And for example, here's Tracy's story
that has black mermaids, and I was
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pulled into the conversation that way.
So I wrote the op ed basically to
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let people know, hey, not
only are there these black mermaids that I
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wrote about, but there are black
mermaids. Actually. The very first mermaids
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that kind of show up in world
history and in world storytelling is in Africa.
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There are cave paintings of mermaids in
South Africa, and there are mermaids
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in Persian culture, in ancient Chinese
and Japanese stories, in ancient Maori stories
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from New Zealand. There are mermaids
in cultures really all over the world.
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And that's what I wanted to talk
about in that op ed. What kind
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of reaction did you get to that
OpEd? I got mostly positive reaction to
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it. I mean there were a
couple of negative ones, but for the
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most part, people were overwhelmingly supportive
and had said that, you know,
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this was not information they had had
before. Like, people did not realize
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that mermaids didn't start with Hans Christian
Anderson writing A Little Mermaid. I'm like,
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no, Mermaids had been around for
literally thousands of years before that story
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was written. Even the Greek stories
that we know from, you know,
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from ancient Greece, were not the
first mermaid stories that existed in the history
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of storytelling. You have twenty one
children's books. I was like shocked.
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When I started doing some research.
I was like, oh my god,
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she is like all that and a
bag of chips. The latest was that
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series Joombes you were talking about,
and it's so detailed and intricate. Because
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I started listening to like your first
series of books and I was like,
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wow, this is for a much
older child. How challenging I guess was
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it to write this story for a
much younger reader, telling a story that
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and presenting a message to a much
younger child, Because you know, you
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can really get into your Joombes because
you can see what you write here.
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It's a lot different, right.
Yeah. A lot of people actually think
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that writing picture books is is easier
because they're less words. There are fewer
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words, you know. They look
at a story that's like two hundred words
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five hundred words and they think it's
got to be simpler. It is really
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quite difficult and requires a lot of
skill to write for the youngest readers because
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you have to get across the same
amount of emotion, the same ups and
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downs of a story, the same
kinds of themes, the same depth of
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meaning, But you only have two
hundred to five hundred words to be able
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to do in it. So it
requires a lot of skill to be able
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to do. I had always wanted
to write picture books, but I started
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out writing novels because just as you
said, you have way one gage and
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theme and character and so on.
So it took me a little while to
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become better, I think at writing
to be able to write Mermaid and Pirate,
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because I need to be able to
tell the story of these two characters
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from these two different worlds. I
need to be able to show their personalities.
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I need to be able to show
them getting in and out of various
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problems and solving these problems. And
I really only have a couple hundred words
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to be able to do all of
that in so it is it is one
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threading the needle. Writing for a
younger group of kids. Was it harder
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you think for you, or was
it was it just a you know,
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kind of a breeze for you to
kind of like move into that space.
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Oh, my goodness, not a
breeze at all. That's for sure.
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I have been trying to write picture
books for a long time, and it
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took me a while to learn the
skill that I need to be able to
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do that, because every single word
that you choose has to do a lot
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of work. When you're writing,
and you only have, you know,
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this many words, you're trying to
convey a lot without a lot of language.
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What's the overall message of this book
for parents? You know, there
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are a couple of things that I
hope readers and you know, kid readers
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and parent readers will get from this. And the first one is that your
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Meran and pirate come from two different
worlds. They don't speak the same language,
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and they still manage to communicate with
each other through the language of kindness
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and friendship. And I hope that's
one of the things that readers get from
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this, that you can meet somebody
from an entirely different place. You can
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have very different ideas or very different
culture, but you can be kind to
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that person and you can forge friendship
through your kindness. And then the other
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thing that I hope is that kids
get a real sense of, you know,
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this idea that you can communicate nonverbally, that you can that your actual
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speak louder than your words kind of
in a way, you can do things
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and people can see who you are
through your actions. You don't really have
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to say anything for people to understand
the kind of person that you are,
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because, of course, you know, when Mermaid speaks in her gloup glovity
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kind of speak, Pirate doesn't understand
her, And when Pirate speaks his arg
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and girder, Mermaid doesn't understand him. But they very much understand what each
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of them does for the other one
when they find themselves in a little bit
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of trouble. Wow. Good message. Where can parents find The Mermaid and
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the Pirate for their children. You
can find it at any bookstore, go
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to your favorite bookseller. You can
also find it online at any online bookseller.
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You can also go to my website
and find Mermaid and Pirate as well
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as all of the other books I
have written. That is Tracy Batiste dot
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com. That's t R. A. C. Y Baptiste dot com.
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And definitely you can find it at
your local library. Awesome. Thank you
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so much Tracy Beppiece for joining us
on the BIM. Thank you Esther for
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having me. The book is The
Mermaid and the Pirate. That's it for
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this edition of The Color Between the
Lines. I'm Ester Dillard on the Black
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Information Network. Thanks esther. A
few research reports about thirty four percent of
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millennials hardly ever prey and life changing
events like being in a pandemic has had
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an influence on that, and it's
not unrealistic for the percentage of people not
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praying to increase. That's one reason
doctor Alexander and doctor Angela Ikamoni wrote a
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book called Casual but Effective Prayers.
The book, published by the Trinity Broadcasting
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Network, shows how easy and simple
praying can be. For this week the
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Black Information That Works, Alexandria Ikamoni
talks with them on the New Movement.
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This is Alexandria Ikamone with the Black
Information Network, the Black Perspective, and
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I have a very special, very
happy I'm happy, I should say,
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interview coming up from you guys.
So let me introduce who I have in
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the studio. I have doctor Alexander
Ikamony and doctor Angela Ikamoni. How are
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you guys doing? Wonderful? Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. That's great,
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that's great. So we are here
not just to have fun. In chit
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chat. But we are here to
talk about something that was just released,
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a book, Casual but Effective Prayers. Really excited to talk about this book
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that is available everywhere. People will
get to understand exactly how they can get
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this book. But first I want
to really introduce you guys for those who
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do not know. So, you
guys are pastors, you guys are doctors.
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Yes, you guys are authors.
Yes, I mean what else is
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on the title? I mean,
I know, But let's tell the people
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who are you guys? What should
people know about what you do? Okay,
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I'm a mom three Alexandria Ikamoni Natasia
and aj mother of three American is
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handsome guy. He's sitting next to
me here, and I'm just so grateful
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to God that you know, I
am a counselor. Also, um,
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we are business owners. We own
a couple of businesses, and um,
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we're just living for God and just
be happy and joining our children and our
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life and Christ. I love it. Amen. Amen, Well it's not
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much to say any longer. Um, yes, we are past to us
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and and and of course we have
a school of theology. As you say
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that, it's called a busy school
of theology and chaplaincy. We've trained many
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chaplains, you know, Um,
we're counselors. Um. For me,
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I love to teach. I'm a
teacher, you know. I love to
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stay in that lane. And of
course i'm your husband and I'm married to
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this wonderful young lady, beautiful young
lady an by my side, and I'm
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thankful to good for that, you
know. And we have actually said we
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have three wonderful kids and we love
them awesome. I love to hear it.
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So you also have recognition, and
you're also well known within local government,
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statewide actually here in Georgia. I
mean you've gotten recognition from representatives,
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from senators and so forth. So
you guys are doing a lot, that's
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honestly. Of course you don't do
it for recognition, but you are being
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recognized by some of the state leaders
here, which is very commendable as well.
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I know, humbling you guys won't
say it, but I'm going to
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put it out there because you guys
are doing an amazing work within the state
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and across the country and internationally.
But we are here to talk about this
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book casual but effective prayers. But
let's really talk about the fact of millennials
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or people in twenty two twenty three, no matter their age, they're not
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really focused on praying. They're not
really focused on going to church. Tell
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me more about why any kind of
book related to prayers is necessary right now.
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Well, it's it's it's helped them
in this, especially through this COVID
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period, with the stress that they're
going through. Um, A casual prayer
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can help them. Simple casual prayer
can help them versus you know, you
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you know, go in thinking about, Oh I need to pray, what
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what should I pray? What should
I say? You know in my prayers?
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Something's very simple would help them to
overcome this stress you know that they're
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going through, especially throughout this period. Well, just to add to that,
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um, the millennial talking about them
and that study study is you know
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ould end and and you know,
um, yes, the highly pray these
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days, especially when peal released.
You know, they research for the organization
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that says that the millennia, they
about half of them hardly pray, you
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know, and that is true.
But one thing people have to understand is
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without prayers, you know, you
to live a victorious life. It's not
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that easy to keep the enemy from
you. You need to pray on a
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continuous basis, you know. And
because people, a lot of people,
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by the way, are intermediated with
prayers, you know, because they see
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it as it is difficult, you
know, they see it as a task.
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You know, So a lot do
not pray. And so what this
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book does is that it opens the
door that you can pray easily, like
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as you breed. You know,
you can pray that easily. You don't
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have to be a difficult anymore.
It don't have to be legalism any longer.
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And I had a preacher this morning
say that the one prayer you pray
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a day will not keep the enemy
away from you. Not the prayer you
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pray at meal time will not keep
the enemy far away from you. So
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we have to stay in prayers in
season and out of season. And this
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book gives you the opportunity to pray
very easy. For example, I was
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going to the book lunch and and
and some of the books you know fell
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you know, and in picking them
up, I said, I will not
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follow in my life in Jesus name. My marriage will not fall in Jesus's
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name, my business will not fall
in Jesus name, my ministry will not
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falling Jesus's name. As I'm driving
here today and my card is driving smoothly,
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I can easily just pray and say, my life will go smoothly as
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the card is going smoothly socially before
me. So this way they can pray
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so easily. That's why the book
really is tachin us. I love that,
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and I really want to talk about
the inspiration for the book. Why
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did you guys really decide to pen
the pages that you have here and why?
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Now? Well, um, great
question, by the it's a great
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question. But we met too many
people that really doesn't know how to pray.
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And honestly, I've been holding back
saying this, but really and true
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that there's a young man, a
friend of my son. We went out
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to, you know, have lunch, and you know, we're talking about
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stuff that is happening in the home. And I said, you know,
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you can sit with your family,
you can pray with your family. You
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know, you know you be the
one to do it because no one prays
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and stuff like that, and he
said, but I don't know how to
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pray. I don't know how to
pray. And that touched my heart because
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we have met so many people.
I've traveled, you know, so many
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plays in the world and met people
who doesn't know how to pray. They
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don't know how to pray. And
then Christian, so many Christian in church
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really and truly you ask them to
pray, they don't know how to pray,
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so pray is become intimidated for them. And they can see someone praying
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a long, an eloquent prayer,
and you know, all these things,
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and they get intimidated because that they
don't pray, and because they don't pray,
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you know, it's it's I look, we look into that, and
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we spent time with God, you
know, praying to God how we can
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um overcome this, how they can
overcome this, So we can help them
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to overcome this. You know,
um um this um hurdle that they have
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to cross over. So um we
you know, pray. We spend time
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with God in fast and and prayer, and God inspired us to write this
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book which is casual but effective prayer, which is you know, the prayers
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are very casual, but they're very
effective, so they don't have to go
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to others eloquent and and you know
long, you know prayer for it to
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work for them. Just to help. You know what my wife is saying.
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You know, there's nothing wrong with
eloquency, nothing wrong with long prayers,
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nothing wrong with that. But it
doesn't have to be so it doesn't
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have to be legalizing. You know, my wife talked about something very very
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crucial, that it is God inspired. That's the very first wanted to discuss
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why this book came forth. It
is God inspired. It is not you
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know, anything else but but God
himself. Especially. They now they now
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after the COVID, they now that
the millionnia are not going to church any
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longer. They now that a lot
of our children, you know, don't
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see church anymore as a portent.
So yes, it is God inspired,
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God doing a great thing. They
now when pure research you just said millionaires
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hardly pray half of them, by
the way, hardly pray yesterday night.
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It's very portant. She also mentioned
about intimidation. A lot of people are
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intimidated, you know, by prayers. They sit like or I can endo
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this and so this way they can
pray easily, you know, like I
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said before, you know, pray
as easy as you breed, so you
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don't have to be difficult. You
can form a habit of prayers. And
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like I said earlier, prayers keep
the enemy from your door. If you
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want trouble in life, don't pray. But if you want to keep the
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enemy far away from you, you
get to pray. And this book help
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you to pray all the time.
You can pray with anything and everything.
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You know, traffic client, We're
going to come to that taking your shower
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prayers as I'm taking my bad Lord, wash me, cleanse me from everything
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that is not of you. So
it teaches you easy ways of praying.
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Let's not I want to talk about
is is the fact that there are some
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who knew how to pray, but
the one time prayer is not enough.
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We need to prayer continually. You
got to form a prayer habit, like
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my wife is saying, in season
and out of season, you pray with
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anything and everything as you go on
on your daily activities. That way,
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you keep the enemy very very far
away from you. And guess what,
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You're going to have a victorious life
when you pray. That sounds like the
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most important lesson from this whole entire
book, because what I'm hearing right,
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yes, I love that. And
you're also talked about who really this book
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is written for who should pick up
the book. The people who feel intimidated,
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people who feel like they cannot pray, or even the ones who have
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elaborate prayers, they can read this
book. But of course the people who
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are still starting out and learning and
growing, they can also pick up this
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book and read it. Is that
what I'm getting here, Let me let
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me, let me take it slowly. Yes, you're very corrected by the
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way it is. It is those
who don't know how to pray, and
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even those who know how to pray, even the gunman. You know.
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You know, if you knew how
to pray, you need to pray on
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a continuous basis. I thought the
Bible says in season and off season,
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So guess what it's for everybody.
In fact, it's good for the children,
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you know, like for example,
the children are cleaning that room.
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Yeah, we are arranging that room. They can pray with that. Parents
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can teach them to pray with that. You know, as I'm arranging my
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room, God re arranged my life. I'm putting my toys that were clean
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up everything good clean my life for
me. So from on set you can
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teach the children to pray. Casua, but effective I love that, and
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the book is beautiful. Of course, I have read it cover to cover
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and excuse me. A few of
my favorite casual but affective prayers. One
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was about cologne and perfume. May
my life smell and be as sweet as
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this cologne and perfume. Another one
is honestly the cheesecake because it's so simple.
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It's so simple, like cheesecake is
sweet. I think, Dad,
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that might be one of your favorite
casual but affective prayers. But as cheese
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because you love cheesecakes. Why I'm
saying that, Make my life be as
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sweet as a cheesecake, for sure, And I love that. And there's
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a wide range of prayers that are
in this book. But I wanted to
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ask each of you which casual but
affective prayer in this book would have to
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be your favorite one? Well,
my favorite is one of my favorites.
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I have more than one. One
of my favorite is the garbage truck prayers.
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It sounds silly. It sounds silly, but it's very effective. Works.
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As you put your garbage out of
your house and the garbage truck come
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to the garbage. You don't see
anyone running behind the garbage truck. Stop,
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Stop, giving about my garbage,
giving about my garbage. The garbage
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truck take the garbage away. Right, Okay, As the garbage truck leave
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with the garbage, you're gonna pray
your prayers to God. As this garbage
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is left my home, the truck
carrying the garbage away. God, let
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every garbage in my life. Let
every problem in my life. Let everything
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that smells in my life, anything
that is not You in my life,
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that's not working, let it go
as the garbage shruck take that. Let
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anything in my life that is not
working go, just like the garbage ruck,
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and never to return. In Jesus
name. Always say in Jesus name,
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in Jesus name. Amen. Well, like you said, I don't
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I don't know which one is better
than the order. They are all beautiful
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prayers. But like I said earlier
about the shower turning your bats, and
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you and you and you're watching your
body with soap, just pray with that.
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God, please me, God wash
me, watch me with his soup,
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and I shall be whiter than snow. Cleanse away every impurity in my
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life from me in the name of
Jesus Christ. It is that easy.
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You use the bathroom and you're flushing
your toilets further, as this waste is
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going, Lord, please, everything's
none of you in my life. I
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flush it away in Jesus name,
every difficulty, financial problems, every sickness,
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lorder, I flush it away in
the name of Jesus. Is that
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easy and it's that simple, And
that's why we are saying that prayers can
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be as easy as breathing. You
don't have to make it so difficult.
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You don't. And this book is
really a guide for even and if,
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like how you said earlier, you
don't know how to pray at all.
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There are so many different kinds of
prayers, so many different options for people
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to really apply to their own lives
that will make sense, from food to
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stoplights, to traffic, to showers
to lotion. Let me share one with
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you. Oh yes, feel free. I thought the book lunch. A
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lady was going home, went to
the gas station to pump gas, and
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she said to us, and she
was pumping the gas, she was praying,
408
00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:34.759
as I'm filling up this tank,
feel me up as I feeling like
409
00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:38.319
this tank to the bringing with gas, Feel me up to the to the
410
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:41.599
bring the same way. Feel me
God, financial I feel my back accounts.
411
00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:45.000
Fill it up in Jesus name.
You just prayed the heavy prayer.
412
00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:49.480
Yes it's cadull it sounds cadual,
but in the spirit Tram it's not.
413
00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:55.400
So it's very effective. Yes,
I love it. And you mentioned this
414
00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:59.200
earlier when you were talking about kids
while they're cleaning up, you know,
415
00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:02.920
they can also pray some of these
casual but effective prayers. So I wanted
416
00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:08.240
to really ask you guys, you
know, for kids, what is the
417
00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:13.880
benefit of getting them into the habit
of these prayers or praying in general,
418
00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:16.240
at such an early age. What
can that do for the family, the
419
00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:24.960
kids, the parents. Well,
I mentioned this before that in school and
420
00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:30.759
in they're surrounding, there's a lot
of pure pressure, a lot of stuff
421
00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:36.160
happening, you know, to these
kids where they go to school, kids
422
00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:39.039
picking them, you know, for
different purpose, different reason, and stuff
423
00:32:39.079 --> 00:32:44.519
like that. A lot of time
the parents, especially in these days where
424
00:32:44.839 --> 00:32:47.359
things are so hard and stressful,
parents don't spend a lot of time with
425
00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:51.680
their kids or spend a lot of
them teaching them how to pray. If
426
00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:54.759
they have this book and they can
read, and they open this book and
427
00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:59.640
they look at something there that can
stick in their mind. You know,
428
00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:01.960
they read it and it can stick
in their mind. When they go out,
429
00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:07.519
they can remember to pray this simple
pray and form a habit of praying.
430
00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:13.759
And after a while you realize that
anything that comes to their mind that
431
00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:16.119
they can use to pray, they
will use that to pray. It's from
432
00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:20.160
baby, the Bible said, train
up a child in the way they should
433
00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:22.240
grow, and when they get old, they won't depart from it. Once
434
00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:28.519
they start from the young, you
understand it will be a habit for them
435
00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:32.039
to use, especially when they face
difficulties and the parents are not around.
436
00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:38.400
I love it very powerful. From
when they are babes, honestly to two
437
00:33:38.400 --> 00:33:44.440
adulthood, carry that through their entire
life is very beneficial. Thanks Alexandrea.
438
00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:49.920
Robert Glasper is an American pianist,
record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger.
439
00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:54.200
His artistry bridges several musical and artistic
genres, mostly centered on jazz.
440
00:33:54.599 --> 00:34:00.079
Today. Glasper has won five Grammy
Awards and received eleven nominations eight categories.
441
00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:05.880
The Black Information That Works Ramsa's Jaw
spoke to the artist about his beginnings and
442
00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:08.840
his Blue Note Festival this summer in
Napa, New York. Thanks Mike.
443
00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:13.800
If you're a music fan and enjoy
jazz, rap and live jam sessions,
444
00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:16.280
we have a special treat for you. Joining us today on the Black Perspective
445
00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:21.159
is Grammy Award winning artist and headliner
for the twenty twenty three Blue Note Jazz
446
00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:23.920
Festival, mister Robert Glasper. Welcome
to the show. Thank you for having
447
00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:28.119
me. It's a rarity that we
get to talk to folks who have done
448
00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:32.440
so much and the honor is mine, So thank you, Thank you,
449
00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:39.719
absolutely absolutely so. For folks that
are maybe just getting acquainted and in the
450
00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:44.000
spirit and tradition of what we always
do around here, share a bit about
451
00:34:44.039 --> 00:34:46.119
yourself of our audience, tell a
bit about your upbringing and sort of what
452
00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:50.360
led you to the career path that
you're on right now. I got into
453
00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:52.599
music my mother was a piano player. Well I used to call her Whoppe
454
00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:57.159
Goberg as a joke because she was
sister act Whoopi Goberg. All day,
455
00:34:57.239 --> 00:34:59.840
she would, you know, singing
the clubs in the week, jazz clubs,
456
00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:00.800
R and B clubs, all the
clubs were in the week. But
457
00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:04.960
then she was the minister of music
at the church on Sunday you know.
458
00:35:05.239 --> 00:35:09.239
So so that that was my you
know, R and B jazz experience with
459
00:35:09.320 --> 00:35:13.920
my mom, and then on Sundays
when my mom having the church experience also,
460
00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:16.719
so you know, there was a
lot of different styles of music coming
461
00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:20.920
in and out of my house in
my life, and she took me everywhere.
462
00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:22.679
So I was at all her rehearsals
and a lot of times I was
463
00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:25.159
at her shows when I was a
kid, because she had liked me to
464
00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:29.480
be watched by babysitters, you know
what I mean, she if my aunt
465
00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:30.639
can watch me. I was with
my mom, so I was always around
466
00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:35.360
music. I got into piano playing
late, kind of like twelve years old,
467
00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:37.519
which is kind of late for pianists. Normally they started when they're like
468
00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:40.480
two, you know, when they're
really good, you think, oh,
469
00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:45.039
you started when you were three,
you know. But once I started,
470
00:35:45.159 --> 00:35:46.920
I got good fast. I was
soaking up all that music earlier on,
471
00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:50.280
you know, so somehow, you
know, I just got I got good
472
00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:52.400
fast, and I um, I'm
going to the High School for Performing Arts
473
00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:55.800
in Houston, and then from there
I ended up getting a scholarship to go
474
00:35:55.960 --> 00:36:00.960
to New York to School or New
School College, which is where I met
475
00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:06.639
Balal, great singer Ya. We
met our freshman year, first day of
476
00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:08.679
school. They called us up to
play a song together. They just had
477
00:36:08.719 --> 00:36:13.840
a list of people and according to
your level, they would call you up
478
00:36:13.880 --> 00:36:16.800
with other people to just jam one
song. That's freshman and they called me,
479
00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:21.519
I'm Balal up on the stage together. So that was like ever since
480
00:36:21.559 --> 00:36:23.880
and then we've been like this.
So that started my whole thing. Man
481
00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:28.599
Balal got signed Dan the Scope Breakers, met him, started working on music
482
00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:30.000
in the school, in the dorm
room, in my dorm room at the
483
00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:34.480
school, did a demo, he
got signed. I ended up I ended
484
00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:37.280
up working with Jay Diller because of
Balal with Balu, and then I ended
485
00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:40.800
up working with you know, Common
and Erica and the whole thing. All
486
00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:44.239
this while I'm in college, you
know, And I started working on my
487
00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:47.360
own little demo and I got signed
on Bluno Records. So now I'm touring
488
00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:51.639
with my my own band. But
then I was also touring with Balal,
489
00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:54.519
you know, opening up for Erica
and Time all these other people, and
490
00:36:54.679 --> 00:37:00.920
that that just started my whole dual
traveling situation with you know, hip hop
491
00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:05.519
and and being doing doing jazz.
You know what, I mean from there,
492
00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:07.639
that's where it started. While in
New York. Well, the exciting
493
00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:12.719
news in your world at present is
that coming up in July, you're going
494
00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:17.119
to be taking the stage with Mary
J. Blige, with Nas with a
495
00:37:17.199 --> 00:37:21.880
chance to rapper. And this is
all going down at the Blue Note Jazz
496
00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:27.400
Festival Nasal Valley. So tell us
more about this upcoming event and what folks
497
00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:30.519
can look forward here. So Blue
Note, the Blue O Jazz Club,
498
00:37:30.639 --> 00:37:34.280
this started off. I do these
residencies every year at the Blue Note,
499
00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:37.679
and it came from that Roctober fest. I'll do like a month every October
500
00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:40.559
with a bunch of special guests.
So and then and the Chapelle will come
501
00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:44.239
through and rock out. We have
a great time. We're like, yo,
502
00:37:44.320 --> 00:37:46.679
we gotta make this an actual festival
because the way it's feeling to be
503
00:37:46.840 --> 00:37:51.079
festibal. So end up doing this
festival. And the cool thing about it
504
00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:53.440
in a small town. So we're
bringing all these dope big names and and
505
00:37:53.840 --> 00:37:58.760
Dave Chappelle everything to Napo is a
small town, which kind of speaks to
506
00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:00.920
Blue Note. What the Blue Note
is. You know Blue Note, and
507
00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:04.920
you know it's the it's that one
personality, that one note in the in
508
00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:07.199
the in the scale that's a little
off, but it pierces you in there,
509
00:38:07.239 --> 00:38:08.960
you know what I mean. It
pierces you with your soul. And
510
00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:12.400
we kind of refer to that like
the blue note. That's kind of how
511
00:38:12.400 --> 00:38:15.400
what this festival is because it's like
we're bringing these big names making this thing
512
00:38:15.559 --> 00:38:19.280
in the small town. So it
pisses a certain way, you know what
513
00:38:19.320 --> 00:38:22.400
I mean. And it's the connection
of jazz and hip hop that we're celebrating
514
00:38:22.440 --> 00:38:27.639
this year with that, So it's
all the all these amazing hip hop artists
515
00:38:27.639 --> 00:38:30.599
and R and B artistsarted influenced by
jazz, and we're having them intertwined with
516
00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:35.639
jazz artists that are on the bill. And you know, you got Nas
517
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:38.679
who y'all knows, Nas Chance,
the rapper Dal Soul. Those are all
518
00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:43.719
people that when you hear their music, it's undeniable how much influenced they are
519
00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:47.639
by jazz music. Yeah, I
believe in naz um NAS's father was a
520
00:38:47.800 --> 00:38:53.719
jazz musician, so absolutely, Dae, yeah exactly, exactly know Dame Chappelle,
521
00:38:54.039 --> 00:38:59.559
his thing is small towns, So
it's just kind of like perfect synergy,
522
00:38:59.679 --> 00:39:01.079
perfect the linement of the planets I
want to take a look at this
523
00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:07.880
lineup again because there's rather more artists
that will be at the festival. It
524
00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:10.800
is a festival in fact, and
so um talk to us a bit about
525
00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:16.960
how the lineup was curated. A
lot of this is us just get another
526
00:39:17.000 --> 00:39:21.159
phone, like who want to because
so many of these people are our friends.
527
00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:22.800
You know, this is a big
famithering union. We're not like,
528
00:39:23.199 --> 00:39:25.679
none of this is like, let's
call it. Let's try to get this
529
00:39:25.800 --> 00:39:30.159
person. We don't know this person, like everybody on there we know,
530
00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:34.079
and we've had the relationship in some
form or another with everyone on there.
531
00:39:34.159 --> 00:39:38.159
So this is me and Dave and
the people from the Blue Note Club who
532
00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:42.000
book a lot of great artists as
well, just getting on the phone or
533
00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:44.679
sitting down and be like I like
this person, this person, like this
534
00:39:44.679 --> 00:39:46.679
person. Let's bring this person there
then we can you know, It's all
535
00:39:46.840 --> 00:39:51.159
it's a lot of people who have
like minds. What happens at this festival
536
00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:54.440
also is what makes it different from
any other festival. I played all the
537
00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:59.119
festivals, like I played most.
I played ninety nine per in the festivals
538
00:39:59.159 --> 00:40:05.480
in the world, and this one
is different because somehow we're able to give
539
00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:08.800
it the vibe of that you're in
a small jazz club, but you're not.
540
00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:12.320
You know, it's like ten thousand
people a day or something, you
541
00:40:12.360 --> 00:40:14.519
know what I mean. You're not
in the small jazz club, but you
542
00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:19.079
feel like it's intimate. You feel
closer to the music, closer to the
543
00:40:19.239 --> 00:40:22.880
artist with all these artists. When
you go to any other festival, each
544
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:24.440
artist does their show. That's what
they do. They each do their show,
545
00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:28.320
and that's pretty much it. Everybody
does their show. Here, they
546
00:40:28.440 --> 00:40:30.519
do their show. But you don't
know who's gonna pop up with him here.
547
00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:32.960
It's like a jam session. It's
up being a jam session. Well,
548
00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:36.960
that person before three o'clock, he
might be on stage, Robert.
549
00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:39.800
At seven, this person might jump
up with this artist. We've had three
550
00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:44.119
or four or five artists on the
stage at one time that were just there.
551
00:40:44.400 --> 00:40:46.400
Some people weren't even on the bill, weren't there to perform. Some
552
00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:50.519
artists just came to be in the
vibe and hang out. I was there
553
00:40:50.599 --> 00:40:52.920
last year. He wasn't. He
didn't he didn't perform, he was just
554
00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:55.239
there to hang out. There's so
many artists that came, and that's to
555
00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:58.280
be on the side of the stage
hanging and you're like, oh, you're
556
00:40:58.360 --> 00:41:00.440
here, what are you doing there? Yo? Well, you know,
557
00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:02.639
and this like very very in the
moment, very much like a jam session,
558
00:41:02.760 --> 00:41:07.039
very improv The improvisation part is what
makes it brings the hip hop in
559
00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:10.559
the jazz together, you know what
I mean. The festival is very much
560
00:41:10.639 --> 00:41:15.320
built on the improv and in the
moment, and it makes you the audience,
561
00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:17.599
feel like they're a part of it. That's that's That's actually what I
562
00:41:17.679 --> 00:41:23.760
was going to say is that there's
kind of like a magical quality that accompanies
563
00:41:24.039 --> 00:41:28.360
It's like part and parcel to jazz
music, but also part and parcel to
564
00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:35.159
live music, and the ideas that
this experience, this song, this arrangement
565
00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:39.199
only exists in this moment, and
it only exists for those present right here.
566
00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:43.719
And so that magical quality is something
that I'm sure a lot of the
567
00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:49.159
folks who attend appreciate about, you
know, the Blue Note Jazz Festival.
568
00:41:49.239 --> 00:41:52.239
So I want to talk about that
too. The Blue Note brand itself,
569
00:41:52.440 --> 00:41:55.760
for those who are unfamiliar, UM, I recognize the brand is legendary.
570
00:41:55.800 --> 00:42:00.920
So how does this festival in particular
extent the legacy of the Blue Note brand.
571
00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:06.000
A lot of people tend to connect
it with the label Blue Note.
572
00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:12.119
Okay, the jazz Blue Note,
the Blue No Jazz Club, which has
573
00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:15.719
been around since like the forties or
something. You know, it's been around
574
00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:17.519
for so long, so it's had
all the grades. It's had elephants,
575
00:42:17.559 --> 00:42:21.599
drugs, had ascapedis in its head. John Coltrane has had, It's had
576
00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:23.440
everyone, you know what I mean, all the great artists heard be handcocked,
577
00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:27.320
career, you name it. But
it didn't stop there. The Blue
578
00:42:27.360 --> 00:42:30.679
Noble is also very eclectic and the
people that brought in so you know,
579
00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:34.440
you go in there and you'll see
R and B artists, you'll see you
580
00:42:34.599 --> 00:42:37.440
know, you'll see Shaka Khan.
You're going there, you don't know who
581
00:42:37.480 --> 00:42:38.679
you're going to see. Nasa has
been on that stage. You know,
582
00:42:38.840 --> 00:42:43.519
so many different people have blessed that
stage, not just in the jazz form,
583
00:42:43.559 --> 00:42:45.599
you know what I mean, but
so many other genres. So it's
584
00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:50.239
just a community of black music,
you know what I mean, bringing it
585
00:42:50.320 --> 00:42:54.239
all to one, but it all
has the backbone of jazz, which is
586
00:42:54.280 --> 00:42:58.960
the spirit of the spirit of sharing, the spirit of in the moment,
587
00:42:59.079 --> 00:43:02.079
the spirit of stepping out on nothing, hoping there's something that's the faith of
588
00:43:02.199 --> 00:43:06.039
it, you know what I mean? Just then trusting the music. It's
589
00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:07.880
a beautiful thing when you have so
many people that can that can do that,
590
00:43:08.119 --> 00:43:12.280
that are okay with Hey, I
don't know what's gonna happen, but
591
00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:15.079
let's see what happens, all right. So let's let's talk about your work.
592
00:43:15.840 --> 00:43:21.000
And you know, we mentioned that
you are a Grammy Award winner.
593
00:43:21.639 --> 00:43:28.480
Um let's talk about your recent Grammy
award. And I wanted for those again
594
00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:32.639
who aren't intimately familiar, I want
to talk about the Black Radio series in
595
00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:37.400
particular. So tell us a bit
about Black Radio that the series, and
596
00:43:37.480 --> 00:43:39.760
then talk to us a bit about
your recent Grammy win, what that was
597
00:43:39.840 --> 00:43:43.840
like, how it feels to win. I'm not sure what number Grammy that
598
00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:45.159
was, but I know it wasn't
at first. So when I first got
599
00:43:45.199 --> 00:43:49.960
signed the Blumo Records in two thousand
and five, I was already doing shows
600
00:43:50.039 --> 00:43:52.280
with Q Tip, most dev Common, you name it. I was doing
601
00:43:52.320 --> 00:43:54.960
shows them already by that time.
I started. When I got signed a
602
00:43:55.000 --> 00:43:59.199
blue up, I have to make
a decision where I wanted to do the
603
00:43:59.280 --> 00:44:02.639
album, where I want to mix
all those things together or not. I
604
00:44:02.800 --> 00:44:07.079
chose not. I chose to do
my trio records first, more straight ahead
605
00:44:07.159 --> 00:44:12.400
jazz records first, to pretty much
led my foundation. Prove to all the
606
00:44:12.679 --> 00:44:15.360
people who are going to doubt me
that I can play this thing. Get
607
00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:19.079
the respect of that first, because
after you get the respect here, you
608
00:44:19.159 --> 00:44:21.519
can do anything you want. You
can't go the other way around you go.
609
00:44:21.639 --> 00:44:23.199
You can go from jazz into other
genres, but you can't go from
610
00:44:23.239 --> 00:44:28.119
other genres into jazz. Never happened
in the history of jazz. Never get
611
00:44:28.159 --> 00:44:32.679
the respects. It was a great
point. Just doesn't happen. So learned
612
00:44:32.719 --> 00:44:37.320
from the history. I'm like,
okay, Miles Day was heard, Okay,
613
00:44:37.320 --> 00:44:39.360
I see what happened there. Let
me do that and it worked,
614
00:44:39.400 --> 00:44:43.400
So I did that. I started
to do Black Radio record because it was
615
00:44:43.400 --> 00:44:45.599
like those are my fourth record.
Now, I think it's time for me
616
00:44:45.639 --> 00:44:47.840
to go ahead and branch out and
do some other things and expand the music.
617
00:44:49.199 --> 00:44:52.920
Because black radio was nothing but what
I was doing live. I was
618
00:44:52.000 --> 00:44:55.599
doing shows live with Common and Q
Tip and Balao and Lettacy and all these
619
00:44:55.760 --> 00:44:59.559
different people sitting in with me.
That was my real life. So I
620
00:44:59.880 --> 00:45:02.119
was put that on wax. I'm
starting to understand the title too. Yeah.
621
00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:06.519
Black Radio. Yeah, this is
what black radio would look like if
622
00:45:06.599 --> 00:45:08.360
I if I was curating it.
That's what it was sound like. It
623
00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:12.039
feel like. First three or four
times I tried to do it, it
624
00:45:12.159 --> 00:45:14.840
was a fail because too many artists, too many schedules, too many managers
625
00:45:14.880 --> 00:45:15.719
to me, labels, and you
know, I couldn't get it together.
626
00:45:16.280 --> 00:45:19.559
I went on tour. My manager
called me, oh, I don't know
627
00:45:19.559 --> 00:45:22.079
what happened, but everybody's developed on
next week, but I'm in Europe.
628
00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:23.280
What you want to do? I
was like, well, I'm coming back
629
00:45:23.920 --> 00:45:28.519
this record the rest of the tour. Flood La did the record in the
630
00:45:28.719 --> 00:45:31.039
six days ahead. Literally took one
week to do black Radio. You know
631
00:45:31.079 --> 00:45:34.239
what I mean. Half of the
song is a cover song because I didn't
632
00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:36.920
have enough songs. Because it was
happening with such a short amount amount of
633
00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:39.360
time, I just did cover songs. It was quicker and it did what
634
00:45:39.480 --> 00:45:43.840
it did. The universe everything in
line and we ended up winning Black R
635
00:45:43.880 --> 00:45:46.440
and B Album of the Year.
Eight years and buy pandemic happened and I
636
00:45:46.519 --> 00:45:50.760
felt like a musical first responder.
I was like, they need something and
637
00:45:50.960 --> 00:45:53.719
my fans have been asking from another
black radio for eight years. I was
638
00:45:53.800 --> 00:45:58.679
like, it's gonna be hard as
head to do a black radio album during
639
00:45:58.679 --> 00:46:00.960
the pandemic. You can't get artist
in the studio. All my black radios,
640
00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:04.199
the artist came in the studio.
You work with the artist. So
641
00:46:04.280 --> 00:46:07.199
it's very, very hard. But
I was able to get get it done.
642
00:46:07.320 --> 00:46:09.360
You know, may sending files back
and forth and ba bom boom,
643
00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:12.639
and we're able to get it done
and we do the withering. I think
644
00:46:12.679 --> 00:46:16.360
that's a testament to you know,
your creativity and your talent above all else.
645
00:46:16.599 --> 00:46:21.320
So listen. I know we're short
on time, and I was gonna
646
00:46:21.400 --> 00:46:24.039
make a joke about black radio for
I'm gonna make that joke. So let
647
00:46:24.079 --> 00:46:29.760
me just ask, besides the Blue
Note Jazz Festival, what's next for Robert
648
00:46:29.760 --> 00:46:31.320
Glasper? What can we look forward
to? I have a new record coming
649
00:46:31.360 --> 00:46:36.800
out in a few days with my
band, The Dinner Party. So Dinner
650
00:46:36.840 --> 00:46:42.199
Party is a band that I have
with Kamassi Washington, Terrace Martin and producer
651
00:46:42.320 --> 00:46:45.079
Ninth Wonder. It'll be out.
I believe April fourteenth got you? Got
652
00:46:45.159 --> 00:46:47.480
you? Well? How about this? Why don't we Uh, let the
653
00:46:47.559 --> 00:46:52.679
people know where they can get more
info on the album, but also on
654
00:46:52.840 --> 00:46:58.719
you personally, your social media and
of course the festival. My IG is
655
00:46:59.320 --> 00:47:02.199
my name. I don't play no
games like people like Strawberry thirty nine,
656
00:47:02.280 --> 00:47:07.800
twenty six. Somebody somebody gonna follow
that. Yeah, No, everything's me.
657
00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:12.639
So I'm going to my igpage just
Robert Glassber okay, the one blue
658
00:47:12.679 --> 00:47:15.960
check because I got a lot of
the posters out there that want to try
659
00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:20.440
to be me. I want to
thank you for your time today. Obviously,
660
00:47:20.679 --> 00:47:22.480
you're welcome to come back anytime you
drop an album, anytime you do
661
00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:24.480
any man. If you just want
to hang out and have a conversation,
662
00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:29.960
the Black Information Network will welcome you
with open arms. And it's been a
663
00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:32.639
joy. Once again, ladies and
gentlemen, the one and only Robert Glassper
664
00:47:32.840 --> 00:47:37.119
thank you for having me for the
Black perspective. This is Ramsay's job.
665
00:47:37.480 --> 00:47:40.719
Mike back to you. Last week, Jet Magazine made us return to newsstands
666
00:47:40.800 --> 00:47:45.840
for the first time since twenty fourteen, and on the cover of this special
667
00:47:45.920 --> 00:47:50.719
issue was Levey Vegan, founder and
CEO Pinky Cole. Pinky Cole is an
668
00:47:50.840 --> 00:47:53.920
entrepreneur that has proven that anything is
possible if you are willing to put the
669
00:47:53.960 --> 00:47:58.679
work in, and with the success
and recognition, there will be challenges that
670
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:02.400
present themselves as well. The black
information that works on med Gordon talked to
671
00:48:02.519 --> 00:48:07.320
the cover girl about the growth of
her brand and the collaboration with Jet Magazine.
672
00:48:07.960 --> 00:48:15.079
Mad Thanks, Mike, I'm here
with the industrious entrepreneur, Pinky Cole,
673
00:48:15.360 --> 00:48:20.559
my girl, How you doing?
Industrious? Industrious entrepreneur? Don't happen
674
00:48:20.639 --> 00:48:23.039
what it means? It just felt
good. Industry is entrepreneur. I just
675
00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:29.280
because everyone calls you every year,
everything, Pinky, everything to tell me,
676
00:48:29.320 --> 00:48:35.320
just start making up some stuff.
Industry is entrepreneur. Thank you,
677
00:48:35.480 --> 00:48:38.599
thank you, Thank you so bige
Man. Look, I'm gonna tell you
678
00:48:38.639 --> 00:48:43.480
something I did. I think my
first interview with you standing in your first
679
00:48:43.599 --> 00:48:49.199
restaurant, which feels like an eternity
ago um, and what threw me off
680
00:48:49.280 --> 00:48:52.599
the first time that we talked at
that Slutty Vegan was how fast that brick
681
00:48:52.639 --> 00:49:00.960
and mortar came from you cooking in
a like the kid, then getting your
682
00:49:00.960 --> 00:49:07.440
truck, then getting brick and mortar. Yeah that was eight months. Yeah,
683
00:49:07.719 --> 00:49:10.239
that's what it was. A lot
has happened since a lot has happened
684
00:49:10.280 --> 00:49:15.840
since then and pre pandemic, Like
I said, eight months brick and mortar,
685
00:49:15.920 --> 00:49:19.840
you got your thing going real real
fast. Then you I believe you
686
00:49:19.960 --> 00:49:23.840
opened two more restaurants then the pandemic
hit. Yeah, how did How did
687
00:49:23.960 --> 00:49:28.239
business for you and how did you
pivot? During that time? Business for
688
00:49:28.320 --> 00:49:31.960
me got better. So while like
businesses were falling apart and people were closing
689
00:49:32.000 --> 00:49:36.880
their doors, right, I was
opening more doors, yeah, because what
690
00:49:37.039 --> 00:49:40.360
I learned later is that everybody was
feeling emotional, right, and we are
691
00:49:40.360 --> 00:49:45.199
all emotional creatures and people A lot
of people look to food to satisfy that
692
00:49:45.360 --> 00:49:51.480
emotional need. Um, and business
went through the roof, right, So
693
00:49:51.800 --> 00:49:55.039
you know, I used to be
shy about talking about that because unfortunately that's
694
00:49:55.079 --> 00:49:59.320
not the story for a lot of
other businesses. But for Sloody Vegan,
695
00:49:59.519 --> 00:50:02.199
we really made our mark in the
pandemic, And I don't take that for
696
00:50:02.320 --> 00:50:06.760
granted, right. We just really
like hunkered down and like locked in on
697
00:50:06.840 --> 00:50:12.079
the marketing, the operations, which
is ever ongoing, right, And we
698
00:50:12.280 --> 00:50:17.599
realized that people really love the idea
of having the experience at home and just
699
00:50:17.719 --> 00:50:21.679
having an experience in general. So
like when I look back, I'm like,
700
00:50:21.800 --> 00:50:23.400
I don't know if I would have
still had a business had the pandemic
701
00:50:23.679 --> 00:50:28.280
not happen. So now we're here
where we are today. You're opening up.
702
00:50:28.519 --> 00:50:32.039
You opened up in Brooklyn, you
have one now in Truest Park,
703
00:50:32.079 --> 00:50:40.199
which where the Braves play and Harlem
Pinky. Let's let's talk about the expansion
704
00:50:40.559 --> 00:50:45.000
of the restaurant. It's like I
tell people all the time, like the
705
00:50:45.039 --> 00:50:49.840
restaurant business is no joke. It
is probably one the hardest the hardest businesses
706
00:50:49.880 --> 00:50:52.760
to get into. And you've made
it look like child's play. I'm not
707
00:50:52.880 --> 00:50:57.519
gonna lie. You made it look
extremely easy. What's the reason for that?
708
00:50:57.840 --> 00:50:59.800
And I know it's not easy.
I know, I know there's a
709
00:50:59.840 --> 00:51:01.719
lot of work behind any of a
great team. But what is the reason
710
00:51:01.920 --> 00:51:07.480
for you think is your success?
Slutty Vegan has always been a passion project
711
00:51:07.559 --> 00:51:10.000
for me, and you know me, outside of all of this, right,
712
00:51:10.840 --> 00:51:14.760
I ain't never start my businesses,
any of them for money, right
713
00:51:14.880 --> 00:51:16.800
Like, that was never my motivation. I just wanted to create something really
714
00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:21.760
special that people fell in love with, that they really enjoyed and liked that
715
00:51:21.880 --> 00:51:23.480
they can go out and tell the
world about it so that other people could
716
00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:28.320
come back. That was my mission
and to help people reimagine food. I
717
00:51:28.440 --> 00:51:34.840
think the authenticity and the realness,
like I am the quintessential element of slutty
718
00:51:34.920 --> 00:51:37.719
Vegan, like my personality, rawness, my realness. When you go in
719
00:51:37.760 --> 00:51:42.159
a slutty Vegan, you're gonna get
the personality, the rawness and the realness.
720
00:51:42.440 --> 00:51:45.280
And then on the flip side,
I am a philanthropist. I love
721
00:51:45.360 --> 00:51:47.239
to help people. I like to
see other people when I love to give
722
00:51:47.360 --> 00:51:51.960
people opportunity who deserve it, right, And we do that same thing with
723
00:51:52.039 --> 00:51:57.639
the Pinky Co Foundation, giving people
opportunities who deserve it, allowing our resources
724
00:51:57.719 --> 00:52:00.519
to be literally a funnel for people
to get to the next step. And
725
00:52:00.639 --> 00:52:04.039
I think people fall in love with
that. You don't really see. I
726
00:52:04.119 --> 00:52:06.559
mean now you do, which I
can appreciate, but once upon the time,
727
00:52:06.800 --> 00:52:10.880
you haven't really seen a lot of
businesses and the grassroots phase really given
728
00:52:10.960 --> 00:52:15.280
back in a way that we've given
back, Like on the foundation side,
729
00:52:15.320 --> 00:52:19.480
we've given fruits and vegetables, we've
paid LLCs, we've partnered with the Department
730
00:52:19.519 --> 00:52:22.960
that Juvenile Justice, We've we've allowed
people to be able to walk across the
731
00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:25.679
stage by paying their balances off.
I can go on and on the right,
732
00:52:25.960 --> 00:52:29.960
right, But when you talk about
success and why people love the brand,
733
00:52:30.320 --> 00:52:35.039
I humbly believe is that realness,
the authenticity, and the willingness to
734
00:52:35.159 --> 00:52:37.480
give back to people so that they
can climb on their elevative success too.
735
00:52:37.760 --> 00:52:40.400
So what is success for you?
Like what? You kind of mentioned it
736
00:52:40.519 --> 00:52:45.400
right there? But I was about
to say that because so you go from
737
00:52:45.480 --> 00:52:49.800
passion project, right, it's a
passion project, but now it is a
738
00:52:49.960 --> 00:52:52.280
thing and not just a passion like
you know, a passion project is a
739
00:52:52.320 --> 00:52:55.000
truck. That's what in my mind, it's a truck you're riding around.
740
00:52:55.000 --> 00:52:58.639
You got a couple of trucks,
all right, passion project? Okay,
741
00:52:58.639 --> 00:53:01.719
you got a breaking mortar project.
No, this ain't. This is more
742
00:53:01.800 --> 00:53:06.679
than that. It's evolved. Letty
Vegan is my passion project and that's why
743
00:53:06.760 --> 00:53:10.159
it continues to work. Right,
So evolution happens to all of us,
744
00:53:10.360 --> 00:53:15.320
right, But as I elevate,
my passion has never died. As I
745
00:53:15.480 --> 00:53:16.559
grow and go to the next leup, this is how I know that this
746
00:53:16.719 --> 00:53:21.440
is my purpose because no matter what
level I enter in my life, this
747
00:53:21.639 --> 00:53:25.079
is still consistent to the things that
I love and my ethos and my alignment
748
00:53:25.159 --> 00:53:29.679
and what I want to do.
Like that still remains the same. When
749
00:53:29.719 --> 00:53:31.159
I talk about what success looks like
for me, and I said that it
750
00:53:31.280 --> 00:53:36.960
evolves because although it's always been a
passion project, success for me at first
751
00:53:37.480 --> 00:53:40.679
was having everybody know the name of
the business. Right now, success to
752
00:53:40.800 --> 00:53:45.559
me is being able to unlock generational
wealth for my children because now I got
753
00:53:45.639 --> 00:53:51.480
to right, I didn't have that
right. And tomorrow success may look like
754
00:53:51.960 --> 00:53:54.800
making sure that my soon to be
husband and our family have what we need
755
00:53:54.880 --> 00:53:58.760
so that we can be able to
unlock more doors for other people and create
756
00:53:58.800 --> 00:54:01.400
more generational wealth. So that part
evolves all of the time. But what
757
00:54:01.559 --> 00:54:07.360
remains the same as the goddamn passion
project that I created on August six,
758
00:54:07.760 --> 00:54:15.480
twenty eighteen, and that is literally
like never wavering, and you gotta see
759
00:54:15.519 --> 00:54:17.039
me in action, right, So, like I don't go to the restaurants
760
00:54:17.039 --> 00:54:22.039
as much anymore because I'm always traveling, moving, opening these stores and doing
761
00:54:22.079 --> 00:54:25.639
all that. But what's consistent about
me is the experience. And I'm like,
762
00:54:25.800 --> 00:54:30.920
because this is a passion project,
you gotta abide by what the experience
763
00:54:30.119 --> 00:54:34.079
is people gotta have a good time. They gotta come and sleddy Vegan and
764
00:54:34.119 --> 00:54:36.840
feel like this is the best place
on earth. And I ain't talking about
765
00:54:36.880 --> 00:54:38.360
Disney, you know what. I'm
saying, Like it gotta feel like that
766
00:54:38.519 --> 00:54:42.519
across the board. And if it
don't feel like that, then I'm not
767
00:54:42.719 --> 00:54:45.400
passionately in my passion project, you
know what. And the funny thing about
768
00:54:45.400 --> 00:54:47.000
that, you know, people talk
about Chick fil A all the time.
769
00:54:47.039 --> 00:54:50.480
You see the memes, you see
the jokes, you see the how people
770
00:54:50.760 --> 00:54:52.920
trick fil A, and it had
a certain kind of brand. Doesn't matter
771
00:54:52.960 --> 00:54:54.880
what story you go through, you're
to get a certain kind of service.
772
00:54:55.159 --> 00:54:59.039
How do you create that when you're
not able to be there? Of course,
773
00:54:59.159 --> 00:55:00.239
when you first start, did you
were there all the time? You
774
00:55:00.400 --> 00:55:04.639
felt pinky coal in the building.
When you can't be in every location,
775
00:55:04.800 --> 00:55:08.360
how are you able to create this
experience at every Sluty Vegan that you go
776
00:55:08.440 --> 00:55:13.920
to? All right, And I'm
struggling with it right now. It's a
777
00:55:13.960 --> 00:55:16.320
good problem though, right, so, like I'm coming from a good place.
778
00:55:17.000 --> 00:55:21.679
It's a good problem because how do
you scale culture? Right? There's
779
00:55:21.719 --> 00:55:24.480
no like specific book to scale the
kind of slutty Vegan culture that I need
780
00:55:24.519 --> 00:55:27.559
to scale, like, there's no
book that can do that for me.
781
00:55:28.480 --> 00:55:30.760
So we are really creating a blueprint
in real time. When you walk in
782
00:55:30.800 --> 00:55:35.239
a slutty Vegan, we screaming at
you whatever, slut like we hugging you.
783
00:55:35.480 --> 00:55:38.440
I mean pre pandemic, we were
hugging you right like dancing with your
784
00:55:38.519 --> 00:55:42.920
music is booming and giving you that
experience. It gotta feel the same way
785
00:55:42.920 --> 00:55:45.199
when you go to Truan's Park.
It gotta feel the same way when you
786
00:55:45.239 --> 00:55:46.639
go to Brooklyn. It gotta feel
the same way when you go to Harlem
787
00:55:46.840 --> 00:55:50.960
and Athens and Birmingham. And if
it does not feel that way, then
788
00:55:51.000 --> 00:55:53.760
we've missed the mark on what Slutty
Vegan represents because people don't really come to
789
00:55:53.840 --> 00:55:57.400
sluty Vegan for the food. The
food is great, right, but they
790
00:55:57.440 --> 00:56:00.880
come for the experience and they leave
with the food. There's a difference,
791
00:56:00.159 --> 00:56:05.079
and we do it differently than a
lot of other restaurants. So we got
792
00:56:05.199 --> 00:56:07.440
to make sure that that experience is
a one. Do we miss the mark?
793
00:56:07.519 --> 00:56:10.840
Sometimes? Yeah? We do.
And that's the frustrating part because if
794
00:56:10.880 --> 00:56:16.280
I'm in Atlanta and we have locations
in New York and sometimes they tie it
795
00:56:16.320 --> 00:56:20.880
and they don't feel like it.
That means that there's a disconnect somewhere that
796
00:56:21.039 --> 00:56:23.320
we got to make sure that our
culture is in tip top shape so that
797
00:56:23.400 --> 00:56:28.559
we can continue to scale. But
it's a good problem because it gives us
798
00:56:28.599 --> 00:56:34.239
new opportunities to get creative around how
we make that experience consistent, because that
799
00:56:35.039 --> 00:56:38.360
is more important to me the money. So now you have partnered with Jet
800
00:56:38.440 --> 00:56:43.119
magazine. And when I say partnered, I mean covered. Okay, um
801
00:56:43.440 --> 00:56:49.559
jazine? How did that come about? So? I was at Essence Festival,
802
00:56:50.679 --> 00:56:52.280
and one thing about me is I
always shoot my shot. Come on
803
00:56:52.400 --> 00:56:55.639
now right. I never let an
opportunity pass me. Like if I'm in
804
00:56:55.679 --> 00:56:58.960
the room with somebody and I want
to connect with them, I want to
805
00:56:59.000 --> 00:57:01.239
partner with them or don't swip them. I'm opening up my mouth because my
806
00:57:01.320 --> 00:57:05.400
mother always said it close mouth,
don't get fair. So I walked up
807
00:57:05.440 --> 00:57:07.639
to him. He had Jet on
his shirt, and I said, Hey,
808
00:57:07.719 --> 00:57:09.000
I'm Pinky, you know slighty,
Oh, I know who you are.
809
00:57:09.000 --> 00:57:12.320
Blah blah blah. He said that
his name was Dyln Golf. He
810
00:57:13.480 --> 00:57:15.599
is the president of Jet Magazine.
We started politicking and chopping it up.
811
00:57:15.760 --> 00:57:19.400
And then I said, I got
an idea for you, and he's like,
812
00:57:19.480 --> 00:57:21.239
let me here, and I say, you need to make me Jet
813
00:57:21.280 --> 00:57:23.039
Beauty of the Week, like I
am one of the leaders of the culture,
814
00:57:23.199 --> 00:57:27.599
like really like pushing the culture forward
and the energy and the authenticity and
815
00:57:27.639 --> 00:57:30.159
all that good stuff. And it
would be really dope to do like a
816
00:57:30.239 --> 00:57:34.440
digital campaign. And because we all
know Page forty three has always been icon
817
00:57:36.000 --> 00:57:38.960
has always been Iconic Beauty of the
Week. Every young black woman wanted to
818
00:57:39.000 --> 00:57:42.039
be Jet Beauty of the Week.
So I'm just like, I'm running this
819
00:57:42.159 --> 00:57:44.199
play down off the top. I'm
like, all right, let's do it.
820
00:57:44.480 --> 00:57:45.760
So he called me back like two
weeks later, and he like,
821
00:57:46.880 --> 00:57:50.719
Pinky, I thought about what you
said, but let's go even bigger.
822
00:57:51.119 --> 00:57:57.039
He said, Let's do an exclusive
collector's edition copy but with you. So
823
00:57:57.320 --> 00:58:00.239
every single article in there will be
lifestyle, would be family, it would
824
00:58:00.239 --> 00:58:05.719
be business. So the whole magazine
is Pinky Cole and all the Pinky Cole
825
00:58:05.840 --> 00:58:08.960
Enterprise brands, um, which they
have never done before. No, they
826
00:58:09.039 --> 00:58:14.239
have not. Yeah, what does
that feel like? It feels very humbling.
827
00:58:14.880 --> 00:58:19.639
And I'm honored because when you think
about Jet that started in nineteen fifty
828
00:58:19.719 --> 00:58:22.480
one, right, um, and
all of the people. This was a
829
00:58:22.679 --> 00:58:27.159
Negro weekly magazine, yeah right,
that had all the weekly news of the
830
00:58:27.320 --> 00:58:31.119
Negroes in America doing whatever it was, whether it be politics, lifestyle,
831
00:58:31.280 --> 00:58:36.400
family, crime, like they had
everything in that right. Um. But
832
00:58:36.719 --> 00:58:42.280
to be able to help to reignite
a flame that is never dimmed, right
833
00:58:42.679 --> 00:58:45.920
you just you know it was preserved
but never dim To be able to be
834
00:58:45.039 --> 00:58:49.760
an anchor in helping to reignite that
in a way where I can be a
835
00:58:49.800 --> 00:58:52.360
cover girl. I'm not worthy,
but I'm so grateful. Um. Yeah,
836
00:58:52.360 --> 00:58:57.079
I don't say that. Yeah you're
worthy. I'm not worthy, but
837
00:58:57.159 --> 00:58:59.360
I'm great. I think you're I
think you're very worthy. You know,
838
00:58:59.480 --> 00:59:02.039
there's a lot of people like when
you look back at Jet, Yeah,
839
00:59:02.119 --> 00:59:07.400
I'm talking about you got the best
and the brightest and the most iconic.
840
00:59:07.679 --> 00:59:10.079
And I'm nowhere where I want to
be yet. But I'm on my way
841
00:59:10.800 --> 00:59:15.320
to be able to at this stage
in my career, to be able to
842
00:59:15.400 --> 00:59:17.760
do something so iconic and impactful.
When I say I'm not worthy, I
843
00:59:17.880 --> 00:59:21.440
know that I'm worthy even what God
has for me. I know that there's
844
00:59:21.480 --> 00:59:27.400
no question but for the level of
essence that Jet provides, it's a big
845
00:59:27.480 --> 00:59:30.840
feat and I don't take different friends. That's amazing. Thank you, called
846
00:59:30.880 --> 00:59:34.599
everybody, thank you so much,
thank you, Thanks mad We, thank
847
00:59:34.639 --> 00:59:37.440
you for joining us on the Black
perspective and look forward to continuing to have
848
00:59:37.679 --> 00:59:42.800
needed conversations for the black community.
Next week, I'm Michael Land on the
849
00:59:42.920 --> 00:59:44.400
Black Information Network.
1
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.080
It's April sixteenth, and we talked
to a state senator from Kentucky about gun
2
00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:09.039
control. Five time Grammy winner Robert
Glasper joins us, and the latest Jet
3
00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:14.800
Magazine cover girl and CEO of Slutty
Vegan joins us for your Black Business,
4
00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.480
those stories and more on The Black
Perspective. I'm your host, Mike Islan.
5
00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:24.079
Welcome to The Black Perspective, a
weekly community affairs program on the Black
6
00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:29.359
Information Network featuring interviews and discussions on
issues important to the black community. An
7
00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:33.600
employee was behind a shooting at a
bank in Kentucky this week. Four people
8
00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:37.920
are dead and nine were injured after
shooting at the Old National Bank in downtown
9
00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:42.880
Louisville. Two officers are among those
injured, one critically after being shot in
10
00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:47.880
the head. So we're talking to
Kentucky State Senator and Minority floor leader Gerald
11
00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:50.880
Neil today. How are you?
I'm just going fine. How are you
12
00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:54.439
saying? All right? I had
in my heart how I was going to
13
00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:58.880
start this interview. My first question
as unconventional question, and that is what
14
00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.439
are we dealing with? Now?
We're dealing with gun violence? But what
15
00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:06.840
do you call this other than workplace
violence? Well? I think you framed
16
00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:10.959
it, But the reality is that
gun balance is gun balance, and it
17
00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:15.159
has many iterations, and this is
one of them. You have gun violence
18
00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:21.079
in domestic relations situations. You have
gun violence in the street between people who
19
00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.599
are doing business with each other illegally
or otherwise. The iterations of gun violence
20
00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.959
come many form the proliferation of guns
in the streets as well as you have
21
00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:37.719
gun balance related to those who are
intentional with carrying AAR fifteens motivated by certain
22
00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:42.920
mental conditions, etc. Which is
probably the least of them, quite frankly.
23
00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:47.760
So it comes to many iterations.
The question is what are we going
24
00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:52.000
to do about this? We know
that the proliferational guns, the type of
25
00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:56.879
guns that are made available, the
way we check and review who should or
26
00:01:56.920 --> 00:01:59.959
should not have a gun. How
do we interceed what people we've done.
27
00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:04.640
We can't do it by showing a
blind eye and saying people just have a
28
00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:07.599
segmentmentent. Right. So there's a
lot to deal with when you start talking
29
00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:12.599
about gun violence, and it's hard
to frame it. People see gun violence
30
00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.680
in so many different ways and that's
why I framed it that way. And
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00:02:15.719 --> 00:02:19.759
there's not a one size fits all
solution. So there's going to have to
32
00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:23.439
be some different methodologies that worked in
to address the different types of gun violence.
33
00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:28.159
I think the reality is that we
do know. There are two things.
34
00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:34.479
One, we are remists in our
responsibilities if we do not take steps
35
00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:44.360
to have honest conversations about common sense
methodologies to mitigate the scourge with gun violence.
36
00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:49.400
That's number one. There must be
a robust and willing and honest conversation
37
00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:53.000
with respect to that seeking solutions.
But the other is this, there are
38
00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:59.319
some solutions to some of it that
we already know. For instance, we
39
00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:05.240
had a gun band on assault rifles
for a period of time and noted that
40
00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:09.759
prior to that it was higher in
terms of the incidents of people losing lives
41
00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:14.520
lore when it was put into place, and then when it was taken off
42
00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:17.000
it's going back up again, so
we know it has an effect. Yeah,
43
00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:22.039
I'm glad you mentioned that, because
when there is something on, the
44
00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.000
numbers do go down with that.
How do we get it back on Why
45
00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:29.919
is it so hard? Now?
Well, it's a combination of circumstances.
46
00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:36.120
One, we have a very dedicated
group of financiers and business people who want
47
00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:38.879
to keep their profits up in terms
of the sales of guns of all kinds.
48
00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:43.000
They won't take all the limits off
so they can make their profits.
49
00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:49.159
We have dedicated NRAA that is out
there that's carrying that water, this messaging
50
00:03:49.479 --> 00:03:53.400
on behalf of those organizations. We
have a willing and open percentage of our
51
00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:58.960
citizenry that feels offended that you can
tell them what they can and cannot do.
52
00:03:59.400 --> 00:04:02.120
And the history and culture that's growing
up around this and were raised with
53
00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:06.800
guns as part of the psyche.
This is not something that's easy, that's
54
00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:11.879
for sure. But certainly we remiss
if we did not take some very deliberate
55
00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:17.120
steps which are born out of robust, honest discussions and a commitment to curve
56
00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:21.920
gun violence. We're talking with Kentucky
State Senator a minority floor leader, Gerald
57
00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:28.199
Neil. He is the founder of
the African American Community Agenda Initiative, which
58
00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:31.600
focuses on policy, research, development, and community education, and it brings
59
00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:38.199
together top policy makers and implementers for
the purpose of engagement, analysis, and
60
00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:42.680
policy scrutiny and leading to change.
Today, we're talking about gun violence,
61
00:04:42.839 --> 00:04:46.959
in particular the violence that happened in
Senator Neil state with the bank shooting at
62
00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:53.480
Old National Bank, and we're talking
about addressing yet another incident, and what's
63
00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:57.920
the public perception of this one.
I heard some talk yesterday because it touched
64
00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:02.120
the Kentucky governor and Tennessee governors.
There was talk that maybe now something will
65
00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:06.279
happen, Will this be something else
that passes even though it has touched some
66
00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:10.639
of the top leaders. Well,
if you're talking about the Kentucky governor,
67
00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:15.920
I think that he has already sensitive
to this issue, is supportive of common
68
00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:19.839
sense gun violence mitigation. You talked
about the Tennessee governor. I don't know
69
00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:24.480
where his head is on this particular
issue, but I do know that we
70
00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:30.519
have supermajorities legislators who pass policy.
We do the policy passing in terms of
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00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:33.480
making the rules, and that's in
Kentucky and Tennessee. And there's supermajorities that
72
00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:41.199
have demonstrated resistance to even a robust
discussion about mitigating gun violence. So it's
73
00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:45.399
going to be problematic into the future. But I think there's no option to
74
00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.480
continuing the struggle, the fight to
communicate, to be effective, to listen
75
00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:55.439
carefully, and to at least have
a continuing discussion on how we mitigate,
76
00:05:55.560 --> 00:06:00.519
discourage because as you have just witnessed
once again, you can find that it's
77
00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:03.839
right on your doorstep, it's right
in your neighborhood, and in fact,
78
00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:08.439
you can affect people, if not
you, but people you know. Kentucky
79
00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.759
State Senator and Minority floor Leader Gerald
Neil, thank you for your time today
80
00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.839
to talk with us, and this
is going to be an ongoing issue.
81
00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:18.480
We'd like to hear more of your
perspective on what can be done to curb
82
00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:23.040
gun violence in this country. Thank
you for having me, and I encourage
83
00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:26.879
you to stay in contact to share
back. In twenty nineteen, when Disney
84
00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:30.319
announced that they were casting Halle Bailey
as the Little Mermaid, the Internet went
85
00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:34.199
crazy. Some were angry that they
dare put a black woman in the starring
86
00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:40.079
role. Others were elated, saying
finally there was more representation for little black
87
00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:44.199
girls to look up to. One
black fiction writer decided to address it with
88
00:06:44.199 --> 00:06:47.360
an op ed in The New York
Times, telling readers calm down. Black
89
00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:51.560
mermaids have been a part of storytelling
for years. The Black Information That Works
90
00:06:51.639 --> 00:06:56.560
Ester Dillard had a chat with her
in this week's edition of Color Between the
91
00:06:56.600 --> 00:07:00.680
Lines him Master Dillard on the black
Information Network chat with writers and authors who
92
00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:08.879
offer an added perspective for our listeners. This is the Color between the Lines
93
00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:15.480
on this edition of The Color between
the Lines. We're talking to a black
94
00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:20.600
writer named Tracy Baptiste. She pushed
back on the anger folks were having about
95
00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:26.120
a black woman being cast as the
main character of Disney's Little Mermaid back in
96
00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:29.680
twenty nineteen. In fact, she
wrote an op ed in The New York
97
00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:33.319
Times entitled Mermaids have Always been Black. And this year she followed up that
98
00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:38.839
article with a children's book called The
Mermaid and the Pirate. It's a tale
99
00:07:38.839 --> 00:07:42.800
about a black mermaid who meets up
with a black pirate. Welcome Tracy Baptiste
100
00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:45.879
to the b I N hi y, so, thank you so much for
101
00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:48.480
having me. Oh, I am
really excited to talk to you. A
102
00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:53.560
black mermaid and a black pirate,
two things we don't often see in movies
103
00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:58.639
or in books. You chose,
you chose to do that. That's right,
104
00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:03.199
that's right, And I chose I
chose to do it because it should
105
00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:09.160
not be that unfamiliar. The fact
is, you know pirates in their heyday,
106
00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:13.000
the Spanish main was the Caribbean.
Like, well, what are the
107
00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:18.959
people who lived there, right?
And I mean, you know, we
108
00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:26.000
are covered in water on this planet. It touches absolutely every continent, not
109
00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:31.480
every place of water touches is populated
with white people. And so I don't
110
00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:37.960
know why anybody would expect that mermaids
would only be white. Was this partially
111
00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:41.360
also because of the op ed you
wrote back in twenty nineteen, Well,
112
00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:45.519
you know, the op ed that
I wrote was because of a couple of
113
00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:50.440
things. You know, after Hallie
Bailey was cast as Ariel in Disney's remake
114
00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:54.519
of The Little Mermaid, a lot
of people started talking about, you know,
115
00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:58.840
how can a mermaid be black?
And there were people who were pointing
116
00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:03.559
to one of the books that I
had written, which is from the Jumbies
117
00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:07.759
series. It's a second book in
the series called Rise of the Jumbies where
118
00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:13.799
there are black mermaids and this other
character who's kind of the queen of the
119
00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:18.480
mermaids. Her name is Mama Chlow
and she comes from Caribbean and West African
120
00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:22.000
folklore. So people were saying,
of course, there have been black mermaids.
121
00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:26.000
You know, here are these stories
with black mermaids already in them.
122
00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:31.200
And for example, here's Tracy's story
that has black mermaids, and I was
123
00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:37.279
pulled into the conversation that way.
So I wrote the op ed basically to
124
00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:41.960
let people know, hey, not
only are there these black mermaids that I
125
00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:48.080
wrote about, but there are black
mermaids. Actually. The very first mermaids
126
00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:54.240
that kind of show up in world
history and in world storytelling is in Africa.
127
00:09:54.159 --> 00:10:01.840
There are cave paintings of mermaids in
South Africa, and there are mermaids
128
00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:09.480
in Persian culture, in ancient Chinese
and Japanese stories, in ancient Maori stories
129
00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:13.840
from New Zealand. There are mermaids
in cultures really all over the world.
130
00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:18.279
And that's what I wanted to talk
about in that op ed. What kind
131
00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:24.799
of reaction did you get to that
OpEd? I got mostly positive reaction to
132
00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.639
it. I mean there were a
couple of negative ones, but for the
133
00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:33.240
most part, people were overwhelmingly supportive
and had said that, you know,
134
00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:39.639
this was not information they had had
before. Like, people did not realize
135
00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:45.320
that mermaids didn't start with Hans Christian
Anderson writing A Little Mermaid. I'm like,
136
00:10:45.799 --> 00:10:52.360
no, Mermaids had been around for
literally thousands of years before that story
137
00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:56.919
was written. Even the Greek stories
that we know from, you know,
138
00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:03.039
from ancient Greece, were not the
first mermaid stories that existed in the history
139
00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:07.559
of storytelling. You have twenty one
children's books. I was like shocked.
140
00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:09.799
When I started doing some research.
I was like, oh my god,
141
00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:16.159
she is like all that and a
bag of chips. The latest was that
142
00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:20.279
series Joombes you were talking about,
and it's so detailed and intricate. Because
143
00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:24.440
I started listening to like your first
series of books and I was like,
144
00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:30.440
wow, this is for a much
older child. How challenging I guess was
145
00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:33.440
it to write this story for a
much younger reader, telling a story that
146
00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:37.000
and presenting a message to a much
younger child, Because you know, you
147
00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:41.279
can really get into your Joombes because
you can see what you write here.
148
00:11:41.480 --> 00:11:46.679
It's a lot different, right.
Yeah. A lot of people actually think
149
00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:52.159
that writing picture books is is easier
because they're less words. There are fewer
150
00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:56.360
words, you know. They look
at a story that's like two hundred words
151
00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:01.399
five hundred words and they think it's
got to be simpler. It is really
152
00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:05.639
quite difficult and requires a lot of
skill to write for the youngest readers because
153
00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:13.840
you have to get across the same
amount of emotion, the same ups and
154
00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:18.080
downs of a story, the same
kinds of themes, the same depth of
155
00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:22.279
meaning, But you only have two
hundred to five hundred words to be able
156
00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:26.360
to do in it. So it
requires a lot of skill to be able
157
00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:31.120
to do. I had always wanted
to write picture books, but I started
158
00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:35.240
out writing novels because just as you
said, you have way one gage and
159
00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:39.879
theme and character and so on.
So it took me a little while to
160
00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:43.600
become better, I think at writing
to be able to write Mermaid and Pirate,
161
00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:48.759
because I need to be able to
tell the story of these two characters
162
00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:54.600
from these two different worlds. I
need to be able to show their personalities.
163
00:12:56.120 --> 00:13:00.480
I need to be able to show
them getting in and out of various
164
00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:05.480
problems and solving these problems. And
I really only have a couple hundred words
165
00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:09.840
to be able to do all of
that in so it is it is one
166
00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:13.679
threading the needle. Writing for a
younger group of kids. Was it harder
167
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you think for you, or was
it was it just a you know,
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kind of a breeze for you to
kind of like move into that space.
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Oh, my goodness, not a
breeze at all. That's for sure.
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I have been trying to write picture
books for a long time, and it
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took me a while to learn the
skill that I need to be able to
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do that, because every single word
that you choose has to do a lot
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of work. When you're writing,
and you only have, you know,
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this many words, you're trying to
convey a lot without a lot of language.
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What's the overall message of this book
for parents? You know, there
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are a couple of things that I
hope readers and you know, kid readers
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and parent readers will get from this. And the first one is that your
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Meran and pirate come from two different
worlds. They don't speak the same language,
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and they still manage to communicate with
each other through the language of kindness
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and friendship. And I hope that's
one of the things that readers get from
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this, that you can meet somebody
from an entirely different place. You can
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have very different ideas or very different
culture, but you can be kind to
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that person and you can forge friendship
through your kindness. And then the other
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thing that I hope is that kids
get a real sense of, you know,
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this idea that you can communicate nonverbally, that you can that your actual
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speak louder than your words kind of
in a way, you can do things
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and people can see who you are
through your actions. You don't really have
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to say anything for people to understand
the kind of person that you are,
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because, of course, you know, when Mermaid speaks in her gloup glovity
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kind of speak, Pirate doesn't understand
her, And when Pirate speaks his arg
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and girder, Mermaid doesn't understand him. But they very much understand what each
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of them does for the other one
when they find themselves in a little bit
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of trouble. Wow. Good message. Where can parents find The Mermaid and
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the Pirate for their children. You
can find it at any bookstore, go
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to your favorite bookseller. You can
also find it online at any online bookseller.
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You can also go to my website
and find Mermaid and Pirate as well
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as all of the other books I
have written. That is Tracy Batiste dot
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com. That's t R. A. C. Y Baptiste dot com.
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And definitely you can find it at
your local library. Awesome. Thank you
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so much Tracy Beppiece for joining us
on the BIM. Thank you Esther for
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having me. The book is The
Mermaid and the Pirate. That's it for
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this edition of The Color Between the
Lines. I'm Ester Dillard on the Black
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Information Network. Thanks esther. A
few research reports about thirty four percent of
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millennials hardly ever prey and life changing
events like being in a pandemic has had
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an influence on that, and it's
not unrealistic for the percentage of people not
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praying to increase. That's one reason
doctor Alexander and doctor Angela Ikamoni wrote a
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book called Casual but Effective Prayers.
The book, published by the Trinity Broadcasting
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Network, shows how easy and simple
praying can be. For this week the
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Black Information That Works, Alexandria Ikamoni
talks with them on the New Movement.
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This is Alexandria Ikamone with the Black
Information Network, the Black Perspective, and
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I have a very special, very
happy I'm happy, I should say,
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interview coming up from you guys.
So let me introduce who I have in
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the studio. I have doctor Alexander
Ikamony and doctor Angela Ikamoni. How are
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you guys doing? Wonderful? Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. That's great,
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that's great. So we are here
not just to have fun. In chit
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chat. But we are here to
talk about something that was just released,
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a book, Casual but Effective Prayers. Really excited to talk about this book
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that is available everywhere. People will
get to understand exactly how they can get
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this book. But first I want
to really introduce you guys for those who
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do not know. So, you
guys are pastors, you guys are doctors.
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Yes, you guys are authors.
Yes, I mean what else is
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on the title? I mean,
I know, But let's tell the people
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who are you guys? What should
people know about what you do? Okay,
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I'm a mom three Alexandria Ikamoni Natasia
and aj mother of three American is
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handsome guy. He's sitting next to
me here, and I'm just so grateful
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to God that you know, I
am a counselor. Also, um,
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we are business owners. We own
a couple of businesses, and um,
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we're just living for God and just
be happy and joining our children and our
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life and Christ. I love it. Amen. Amen, Well it's not
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much to say any longer. Um, yes, we are past to us
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and and and of course we have
a school of theology. As you say
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that, it's called a busy school
of theology and chaplaincy. We've trained many
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chaplains, you know, Um,
we're counselors. Um. For me,
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I love to teach. I'm a
teacher, you know. I love to
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stay in that lane. And of
course i'm your husband and I'm married to
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this wonderful young lady, beautiful young
lady an by my side, and I'm
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thankful to good for that, you
know. And we have actually said we
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have three wonderful kids and we love
them awesome. I love to hear it.
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So you also have recognition, and
you're also well known within local government,
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statewide actually here in Georgia. I
mean you've gotten recognition from representatives,
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from senators and so forth. So
you guys are doing a lot, that's
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honestly. Of course you don't do
it for recognition, but you are being
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recognized by some of the state leaders
here, which is very commendable as well.
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I know, humbling you guys won't
say it, but I'm going to
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put it out there because you guys
are doing an amazing work within the state
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and across the country and internationally.
But we are here to talk about this
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book casual but effective prayers. But
let's really talk about the fact of millennials
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or people in twenty two twenty three, no matter their age, they're not
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really focused on praying. They're not
really focused on going to church. Tell
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me more about why any kind of
book related to prayers is necessary right now.
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Well, it's it's it's helped them
in this, especially through this COVID
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period, with the stress that they're
going through. Um, A casual prayer
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can help them. Simple casual prayer
can help them versus you know, you
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you know, go in thinking about, Oh I need to pray, what
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what should I pray? What should
I say? You know in my prayers?
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Something's very simple would help them to
overcome this stress you know that they're
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going through, especially throughout this period. Well, just to add to that,
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um, the millennial talking about them
and that study study is you know
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ould end and and you know,
um, yes, the highly pray these
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days, especially when peal released.
You know, they research for the organization
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that says that the millennia, they
about half of them hardly pray, you
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know, and that is true.
But one thing people have to understand is
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without prayers, you know, you
to live a victorious life. It's not
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that easy to keep the enemy from
you. You need to pray on a
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continuous basis, you know. And
because people, a lot of people,
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by the way, are intermediated with
prayers, you know, because they see
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it as it is difficult, you
know, they see it as a task.
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You know, So a lot do
not pray. And so what this
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book does is that it opens the
door that you can pray easily, like
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as you breed. You know,
you can pray that easily. You don't
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have to be a difficult anymore.
It don't have to be legalism any longer.
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And I had a preacher this morning
say that the one prayer you pray
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a day will not keep the enemy
away from you. Not the prayer you
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pray at meal time will not keep
the enemy far away from you. So
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we have to stay in prayers in
season and out of season. And this
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book gives you the opportunity to pray
very easy. For example, I was
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going to the book lunch and and
and some of the books you know fell
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you know, and in picking them
up, I said, I will not
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follow in my life in Jesus name. My marriage will not fall in Jesus's
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name, my business will not fall
in Jesus name, my ministry will not
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falling Jesus's name. As I'm driving
here today and my card is driving smoothly,
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I can easily just pray and say, my life will go smoothly as
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the card is going smoothly socially before
me. So this way they can pray
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so easily. That's why the book
really is tachin us. I love that,
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and I really want to talk about
the inspiration for the book. Why
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did you guys really decide to pen
the pages that you have here and why?
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Now? Well, um, great
question, by the it's a great
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question. But we met too many
people that really doesn't know how to pray.
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And honestly, I've been holding back
saying this, but really and true
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that there's a young man, a
friend of my son. We went out
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to, you know, have lunch, and you know, we're talking about
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stuff that is happening in the home. And I said, you know,
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you can sit with your family,
you can pray with your family. You
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know, you know you be the
one to do it because no one prays
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and stuff like that, and he
said, but I don't know how to
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pray. I don't know how to
pray. And that touched my heart because
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we have met so many people.
I've traveled, you know, so many
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plays in the world and met people
who doesn't know how to pray. They
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don't know how to pray. And
then Christian, so many Christian in church
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really and truly you ask them to
pray, they don't know how to pray,
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so pray is become intimidated for them. And they can see someone praying
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a long, an eloquent prayer,
and you know, all these things,
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and they get intimidated because that they
don't pray, and because they don't pray,
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you know, it's it's I look, we look into that, and
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we spent time with God, you
know, praying to God how we can
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um overcome this, how they can
overcome this, So we can help them
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to overcome this. You know,
um um this um hurdle that they have
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to cross over. So um we
you know, pray. We spend time
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with God in fast and and prayer, and God inspired us to write this
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book which is casual but effective prayer, which is you know, the prayers
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are very casual, but they're very
effective, so they don't have to go
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to others eloquent and and you know
long, you know prayer for it to
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work for them. Just to help. You know what my wife is saying.
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You know, there's nothing wrong with
eloquency, nothing wrong with long prayers,
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nothing wrong with that. But it
doesn't have to be so it doesn't
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have to be legalizing. You know, my wife talked about something very very
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crucial, that it is God inspired. That's the very first wanted to discuss
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why this book came forth. It
is God inspired. It is not you
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know, anything else but but God
himself. Especially. They now they now
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after the COVID, they now that
the millionnia are not going to church any
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longer. They now that a lot
of our children, you know, don't
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see church anymore as a portent.
So yes, it is God inspired,
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God doing a great thing. They
now when pure research you just said millionaires
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hardly pray half of them, by
the way, hardly pray yesterday night.
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It's very portant. She also mentioned
about intimidation. A lot of people are
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intimidated, you know, by prayers. They sit like or I can endo
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this and so this way they can
pray easily, you know, like I
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said before, you know, pray
as easy as you breed, so you
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don't have to be difficult. You
can form a habit of prayers. And
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like I said earlier, prayers keep
the enemy from your door. If you
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want trouble in life, don't pray. But if you want to keep the
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enemy far away from you, you
get to pray. And this book help
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you to pray all the time.
You can pray with anything and everything.
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You know, traffic client, We're
going to come to that taking your shower
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prayers as I'm taking my bad Lord, wash me, cleanse me from everything
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that is not of you. So
it teaches you easy ways of praying.
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Let's not I want to talk about
is is the fact that there are some
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who knew how to pray, but
the one time prayer is not enough.
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We need to prayer continually. You
got to form a prayer habit, like
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my wife is saying, in season
and out of season, you pray with
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anything and everything as you go on
on your daily activities. That way,
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you keep the enemy very very far
away from you. And guess what,
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You're going to have a victorious life
when you pray. That sounds like the
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most important lesson from this whole entire
book, because what I'm hearing right,
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yes, I love that. And
you're also talked about who really this book
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is written for who should pick up
the book. The people who feel intimidated,
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people who feel like they cannot pray, or even the ones who have
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elaborate prayers, they can read this
book. But of course the people who
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are still starting out and learning and
growing, they can also pick up this
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book and read it. Is that
what I'm getting here, Let me let
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me, let me take it slowly. Yes, you're very corrected by the
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way it is. It is those
who don't know how to pray, and
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even those who know how to pray, even the gunman. You know.
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You know, if you knew how
to pray, you need to pray on
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a continuous basis. I thought the
Bible says in season and off season,
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So guess what it's for everybody.
In fact, it's good for the children,
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you know, like for example,
the children are cleaning that room.
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Yeah, we are arranging that room. They can pray with that. Parents
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can teach them to pray with that. You know, as I'm arranging my
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room, God re arranged my life. I'm putting my toys that were clean
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up everything good clean my life for
me. So from on set you can
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teach the children to pray. Casua, but effective I love that, and
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the book is beautiful. Of course, I have read it cover to cover
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and excuse me. A few of
my favorite casual but affective prayers. One
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was about cologne and perfume. May
my life smell and be as sweet as
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this cologne and perfume. Another one
is honestly the cheesecake because it's so simple.
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It's so simple, like cheesecake is
sweet. I think, Dad,
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that might be one of your favorite
casual but affective prayers. But as cheese
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because you love cheesecakes. Why I'm
saying that, Make my life be as
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sweet as a cheesecake, for sure, And I love that. And there's
371
00:28:44.119 --> 00:28:47.920
a wide range of prayers that are
in this book. But I wanted to
372
00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:52.200
ask each of you which casual but
affective prayer in this book would have to
373
00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:59.119
be your favorite one? Well,
my favorite is one of my favorites.
374
00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:06.240
I have more than one. One
of my favorite is the garbage truck prayers.
375
00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:11.480
It sounds silly. It sounds silly, but it's very effective. Works.
376
00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:15.480
As you put your garbage out of
your house and the garbage truck come
377
00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:22.359
to the garbage. You don't see
anyone running behind the garbage truck. Stop,
378
00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:26.480
Stop, giving about my garbage,
giving about my garbage. The garbage
379
00:29:26.519 --> 00:29:30.799
truck take the garbage away. Right, Okay, As the garbage truck leave
380
00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:34.000
with the garbage, you're gonna pray
your prayers to God. As this garbage
381
00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:38.680
is left my home, the truck
carrying the garbage away. God, let
382
00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:45.079
every garbage in my life. Let
every problem in my life. Let everything
383
00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:48.279
that smells in my life, anything
that is not You in my life,
384
00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:52.839
that's not working, let it go
as the garbage shruck take that. Let
385
00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:56.720
anything in my life that is not
working go, just like the garbage ruck,
386
00:29:56.799 --> 00:30:00.000
and never to return. In Jesus
name. Always say in Jesus name,
387
00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:06.359
in Jesus name. Amen. Well, like you said, I don't
388
00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:08.559
I don't know which one is better
than the order. They are all beautiful
389
00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:15.319
prayers. But like I said earlier
about the shower turning your bats, and
390
00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:18.480
you and you and you're watching your
body with soap, just pray with that.
391
00:30:19.079 --> 00:30:23.000
God, please me, God wash
me, watch me with his soup,
392
00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:29.160
and I shall be whiter than snow. Cleanse away every impurity in my
393
00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:33.240
life from me in the name of
Jesus Christ. It is that easy.
394
00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:38.440
You use the bathroom and you're flushing
your toilets further, as this waste is
395
00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:42.559
going, Lord, please, everything's
none of you in my life. I
396
00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:48.039
flush it away in Jesus name,
every difficulty, financial problems, every sickness,
397
00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:52.279
lorder, I flush it away in
the name of Jesus. Is that
398
00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:56.359
easy and it's that simple, And
that's why we are saying that prayers can
399
00:30:56.519 --> 00:31:00.920
be as easy as breathing. You
don't have to make it so difficult.
400
00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:03.799
You don't. And this book is
really a guide for even and if,
401
00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:07.160
like how you said earlier, you
don't know how to pray at all.
402
00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:11.519
There are so many different kinds of
prayers, so many different options for people
403
00:31:11.559 --> 00:31:15.440
to really apply to their own lives
that will make sense, from food to
404
00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:19.519
stoplights, to traffic, to showers
to lotion. Let me share one with
405
00:31:19.640 --> 00:31:22.960
you. Oh yes, feel free. I thought the book lunch. A
406
00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:27.319
lady was going home, went to
the gas station to pump gas, and
407
00:31:27.480 --> 00:31:30.839
she said to us, and she
was pumping the gas, she was praying,
408
00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:34.759
as I'm filling up this tank,
feel me up as I feeling like
409
00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:38.319
this tank to the bringing with gas, Feel me up to the to the
410
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:41.599
bring the same way. Feel me
God, financial I feel my back accounts.
411
00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:45.000
Fill it up in Jesus name.
You just prayed the heavy prayer.
412
00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:49.480
Yes it's cadull it sounds cadual,
but in the spirit Tram it's not.
413
00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:55.400
So it's very effective. Yes,
I love it. And you mentioned this
414
00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:59.200
earlier when you were talking about kids
while they're cleaning up, you know,
415
00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:02.920
they can also pray some of these
casual but effective prayers. So I wanted
416
00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:08.240
to really ask you guys, you
know, for kids, what is the
417
00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:13.880
benefit of getting them into the habit
of these prayers or praying in general,
418
00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:16.240
at such an early age. What
can that do for the family, the
419
00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:24.960
kids, the parents. Well,
I mentioned this before that in school and
420
00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:30.759
in they're surrounding, there's a lot
of pure pressure, a lot of stuff
421
00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:36.160
happening, you know, to these
kids where they go to school, kids
422
00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:39.039
picking them, you know, for
different purpose, different reason, and stuff
423
00:32:39.079 --> 00:32:44.519
like that. A lot of time
the parents, especially in these days where
424
00:32:44.839 --> 00:32:47.359
things are so hard and stressful,
parents don't spend a lot of time with
425
00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:51.680
their kids or spend a lot of
them teaching them how to pray. If
426
00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:54.759
they have this book and they can
read, and they open this book and
427
00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:59.640
they look at something there that can
stick in their mind. You know,
428
00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:01.960
they read it and it can stick
in their mind. When they go out,
429
00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:07.519
they can remember to pray this simple
pray and form a habit of praying.
430
00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:13.759
And after a while you realize that
anything that comes to their mind that
431
00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:16.119
they can use to pray, they
will use that to pray. It's from
432
00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:20.160
baby, the Bible said, train
up a child in the way they should
433
00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:22.240
grow, and when they get old, they won't depart from it. Once
434
00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:28.519
they start from the young, you
understand it will be a habit for them
435
00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:32.039
to use, especially when they face
difficulties and the parents are not around.
436
00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:38.400
I love it very powerful. From
when they are babes, honestly to two
437
00:33:38.400 --> 00:33:44.440
adulthood, carry that through their entire
life is very beneficial. Thanks Alexandrea.
438
00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:49.920
Robert Glasper is an American pianist,
record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger.
439
00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:54.200
His artistry bridges several musical and artistic
genres, mostly centered on jazz.
440
00:33:54.599 --> 00:34:00.079
Today. Glasper has won five Grammy
Awards and received eleven nominations eight categories.
441
00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:05.880
The Black Information That Works Ramsa's Jaw
spoke to the artist about his beginnings and
442
00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:08.840
his Blue Note Festival this summer in
Napa, New York. Thanks Mike.
443
00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:13.800
If you're a music fan and enjoy
jazz, rap and live jam sessions,
444
00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:16.280
we have a special treat for you. Joining us today on the Black Perspective
445
00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:21.159
is Grammy Award winning artist and headliner
for the twenty twenty three Blue Note Jazz
446
00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:23.920
Festival, mister Robert Glasper. Welcome
to the show. Thank you for having
447
00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:28.119
me. It's a rarity that we
get to talk to folks who have done
448
00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:32.440
so much and the honor is mine, So thank you, Thank you,
449
00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:39.719
absolutely absolutely so. For folks that
are maybe just getting acquainted and in the
450
00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:44.000
spirit and tradition of what we always
do around here, share a bit about
451
00:34:44.039 --> 00:34:46.119
yourself of our audience, tell a
bit about your upbringing and sort of what
452
00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:50.360
led you to the career path that
you're on right now. I got into
453
00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:52.599
music my mother was a piano player. Well I used to call her Whoppe
454
00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:57.159
Goberg as a joke because she was
sister act Whoopi Goberg. All day,
455
00:34:57.239 --> 00:34:59.840
she would, you know, singing
the clubs in the week, jazz clubs,
456
00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:00.800
R and B clubs, all the
clubs were in the week. But
457
00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:04.960
then she was the minister of music
at the church on Sunday you know.
458
00:35:05.239 --> 00:35:09.239
So so that that was my you
know, R and B jazz experience with
459
00:35:09.320 --> 00:35:13.920
my mom, and then on Sundays
when my mom having the church experience also,
460
00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:16.719
so you know, there was a
lot of different styles of music coming
461
00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:20.920
in and out of my house in
my life, and she took me everywhere.
462
00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:22.679
So I was at all her rehearsals
and a lot of times I was
463
00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:25.159
at her shows when I was a
kid, because she had liked me to
464
00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:29.480
be watched by babysitters, you know
what I mean, she if my aunt
465
00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:30.639
can watch me. I was with
my mom, so I was always around
466
00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:35.360
music. I got into piano playing
late, kind of like twelve years old,
467
00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:37.519
which is kind of late for pianists. Normally they started when they're like
468
00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:40.480
two, you know, when they're
really good, you think, oh,
469
00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:45.039
you started when you were three,
you know. But once I started,
470
00:35:45.159 --> 00:35:46.920
I got good fast. I was
soaking up all that music earlier on,
471
00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:50.280
you know, so somehow, you
know, I just got I got good
472
00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:52.400
fast, and I um, I'm
going to the High School for Performing Arts
473
00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:55.800
in Houston, and then from there
I ended up getting a scholarship to go
474
00:35:55.960 --> 00:36:00.960
to New York to School or New
School College, which is where I met
475
00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:06.639
Balal, great singer Ya. We
met our freshman year, first day of
476
00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:08.679
school. They called us up to
play a song together. They just had
477
00:36:08.719 --> 00:36:13.840
a list of people and according to
your level, they would call you up
478
00:36:13.880 --> 00:36:16.800
with other people to just jam one
song. That's freshman and they called me,
479
00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:21.519
I'm Balal up on the stage together. So that was like ever since
480
00:36:21.559 --> 00:36:23.880
and then we've been like this.
So that started my whole thing. Man
481
00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:28.599
Balal got signed Dan the Scope Breakers, met him, started working on music
482
00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:30.000
in the school, in the dorm
room, in my dorm room at the
483
00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:34.480
school, did a demo, he
got signed. I ended up I ended
484
00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:37.280
up working with Jay Diller because of
Balal with Balu, and then I ended
485
00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:40.800
up working with you know, Common
and Erica and the whole thing. All
486
00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:44.239
this while I'm in college, you
know, And I started working on my
487
00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:47.360
own little demo and I got signed
on Bluno Records. So now I'm touring
488
00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:51.639
with my my own band. But
then I was also touring with Balal,
489
00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:54.519
you know, opening up for Erica
and Time all these other people, and
490
00:36:54.679 --> 00:37:00.920
that that just started my whole dual
traveling situation with you know, hip hop
491
00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:05.519
and and being doing doing jazz.
You know what, I mean from there,
492
00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:07.639
that's where it started. While in
New York. Well, the exciting
493
00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:12.719
news in your world at present is
that coming up in July, you're going
494
00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:17.119
to be taking the stage with Mary
J. Blige, with Nas with a
495
00:37:17.199 --> 00:37:21.880
chance to rapper. And this is
all going down at the Blue Note Jazz
496
00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:27.400
Festival Nasal Valley. So tell us
more about this upcoming event and what folks
497
00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:30.519
can look forward here. So Blue
Note, the Blue O Jazz Club,
498
00:37:30.639 --> 00:37:34.280
this started off. I do these
residencies every year at the Blue Note,
499
00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:37.679
and it came from that Roctober fest. I'll do like a month every October
500
00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:40.559
with a bunch of special guests.
So and then and the Chapelle will come
501
00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:44.239
through and rock out. We have
a great time. We're like, yo,
502
00:37:44.320 --> 00:37:46.679
we gotta make this an actual festival
because the way it's feeling to be
503
00:37:46.840 --> 00:37:51.079
festibal. So end up doing this
festival. And the cool thing about it
504
00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:53.440
in a small town. So we're
bringing all these dope big names and and
505
00:37:53.840 --> 00:37:58.760
Dave Chappelle everything to Napo is a
small town, which kind of speaks to
506
00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:00.920
Blue Note. What the Blue Note
is. You know Blue Note, and
507
00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:04.920
you know it's the it's that one
personality, that one note in the in
508
00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:07.199
the in the scale that's a little
off, but it pierces you in there,
509
00:38:07.239 --> 00:38:08.960
you know what I mean. It
pierces you with your soul. And
510
00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:12.400
we kind of refer to that like
the blue note. That's kind of how
511
00:38:12.400 --> 00:38:15.400
what this festival is because it's like
we're bringing these big names making this thing
512
00:38:15.559 --> 00:38:19.280
in the small town. So it
pisses a certain way, you know what
513
00:38:19.320 --> 00:38:22.400
I mean. And it's the connection
of jazz and hip hop that we're celebrating
514
00:38:22.440 --> 00:38:27.639
this year with that, So it's
all the all these amazing hip hop artists
515
00:38:27.639 --> 00:38:30.599
and R and B artistsarted influenced by
jazz, and we're having them intertwined with
516
00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:35.639
jazz artists that are on the bill. And you know, you got Nas
517
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:38.679
who y'all knows, Nas Chance,
the rapper Dal Soul. Those are all
518
00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:43.719
people that when you hear their music, it's undeniable how much influenced they are
519
00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:47.639
by jazz music. Yeah, I
believe in naz um NAS's father was a
520
00:38:47.800 --> 00:38:53.719
jazz musician, so absolutely, Dae, yeah exactly, exactly know Dame Chappelle,
521
00:38:54.039 --> 00:38:59.559
his thing is small towns, So
it's just kind of like perfect synergy,
522
00:38:59.679 --> 00:39:01.079
perfect the linement of the planets I
want to take a look at this
523
00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:07.880
lineup again because there's rather more artists
that will be at the festival. It
524
00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:10.800
is a festival in fact, and
so um talk to us a bit about
525
00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:16.960
how the lineup was curated. A
lot of this is us just get another
526
00:39:17.000 --> 00:39:21.159
phone, like who want to because
so many of these people are our friends.
527
00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:22.800
You know, this is a big
famithering union. We're not like,
528
00:39:23.199 --> 00:39:25.679
none of this is like, let's
call it. Let's try to get this
529
00:39:25.800 --> 00:39:30.159
person. We don't know this person, like everybody on there we know,
530
00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:34.079
and we've had the relationship in some
form or another with everyone on there.
531
00:39:34.159 --> 00:39:38.159
So this is me and Dave and
the people from the Blue Note Club who
532
00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:42.000
book a lot of great artists as
well, just getting on the phone or
533
00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:44.679
sitting down and be like I like
this person, this person, like this
534
00:39:44.679 --> 00:39:46.679
person. Let's bring this person there
then we can you know, It's all
535
00:39:46.840 --> 00:39:51.159
it's a lot of people who have
like minds. What happens at this festival
536
00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:54.440
also is what makes it different from
any other festival. I played all the
537
00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:59.119
festivals, like I played most.
I played ninety nine per in the festivals
538
00:39:59.159 --> 00:40:05.480
in the world, and this one
is different because somehow we're able to give
539
00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:08.800
it the vibe of that you're in
a small jazz club, but you're not.
540
00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:12.320
You know, it's like ten thousand
people a day or something, you
541
00:40:12.360 --> 00:40:14.519
know what I mean. You're not
in the small jazz club, but you
542
00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:19.079
feel like it's intimate. You feel
closer to the music, closer to the
543
00:40:19.239 --> 00:40:22.880
artist with all these artists. When
you go to any other festival, each
544
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:24.440
artist does their show. That's what
they do. They each do their show,
545
00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:28.320
and that's pretty much it. Everybody
does their show. Here, they
546
00:40:28.440 --> 00:40:30.519
do their show. But you don't
know who's gonna pop up with him here.
547
00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:32.960
It's like a jam session. It's
up being a jam session. Well,
548
00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:36.960
that person before three o'clock, he
might be on stage, Robert.
549
00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:39.800
At seven, this person might jump
up with this artist. We've had three
550
00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:44.119
or four or five artists on the
stage at one time that were just there.
551
00:40:44.400 --> 00:40:46.400
Some people weren't even on the bill, weren't there to perform. Some
552
00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:50.519
artists just came to be in the
vibe and hang out. I was there
553
00:40:50.599 --> 00:40:52.920
last year. He wasn't. He
didn't he didn't perform, he was just
554
00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:55.239
there to hang out. There's so
many artists that came, and that's to
555
00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:58.280
be on the side of the stage
hanging and you're like, oh, you're
556
00:40:58.360 --> 00:41:00.440
here, what are you doing there? Yo? Well, you know,
557
00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:02.639
and this like very very in the
moment, very much like a jam session,
558
00:41:02.760 --> 00:41:07.039
very improv The improvisation part is what
makes it brings the hip hop in
559
00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:10.559
the jazz together, you know what
I mean. The festival is very much
560
00:41:10.639 --> 00:41:15.320
built on the improv and in the
moment, and it makes you the audience,
561
00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:17.599
feel like they're a part of it. That's that's That's actually what I
562
00:41:17.679 --> 00:41:23.760
was going to say is that there's
kind of like a magical quality that accompanies
563
00:41:24.039 --> 00:41:28.360
It's like part and parcel to jazz
music, but also part and parcel to
564
00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:35.159
live music, and the ideas that
this experience, this song, this arrangement
565
00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:39.199
only exists in this moment, and
it only exists for those present right here.
566
00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:43.719
And so that magical quality is something
that I'm sure a lot of the
567
00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:49.159
folks who attend appreciate about, you
know, the Blue Note Jazz Festival.
568
00:41:49.239 --> 00:41:52.239
So I want to talk about that
too. The Blue Note brand itself,
569
00:41:52.440 --> 00:41:55.760
for those who are unfamiliar, UM, I recognize the brand is legendary.
570
00:41:55.800 --> 00:42:00.920
So how does this festival in particular
extent the legacy of the Blue Note brand.
571
00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:06.000
A lot of people tend to connect
it with the label Blue Note.
572
00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:12.119
Okay, the jazz Blue Note,
the Blue No Jazz Club, which has
573
00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:15.719
been around since like the forties or
something. You know, it's been around
574
00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:17.519
for so long, so it's had
all the grades. It's had elephants,
575
00:42:17.559 --> 00:42:21.599
drugs, had ascapedis in its head. John Coltrane has had, It's had
576
00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:23.440
everyone, you know what I mean, all the great artists heard be handcocked,
577
00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:27.320
career, you name it. But
it didn't stop there. The Blue
578
00:42:27.360 --> 00:42:30.679
Noble is also very eclectic and the
people that brought in so you know,
579
00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:34.440
you go in there and you'll see
R and B artists, you'll see you
580
00:42:34.599 --> 00:42:37.440
know, you'll see Shaka Khan.
You're going there, you don't know who
581
00:42:37.480 --> 00:42:38.679
you're going to see. Nasa has
been on that stage. You know,
582
00:42:38.840 --> 00:42:43.519
so many different people have blessed that
stage, not just in the jazz form,
583
00:42:43.559 --> 00:42:45.599
you know what I mean, but
so many other genres. So it's
584
00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:50.239
just a community of black music,
you know what I mean, bringing it
585
00:42:50.320 --> 00:42:54.239
all to one, but it all
has the backbone of jazz, which is
586
00:42:54.280 --> 00:42:58.960
the spirit of the spirit of sharing, the spirit of in the moment,
587
00:42:59.079 --> 00:43:02.079
the spirit of stepping out on nothing, hoping there's something that's the faith of
588
00:43:02.199 --> 00:43:06.039
it, you know what I mean? Just then trusting the music. It's
589
00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:07.880
a beautiful thing when you have so
many people that can that can do that,
590
00:43:08.119 --> 00:43:12.280
that are okay with Hey, I
don't know what's gonna happen, but
591
00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:15.079
let's see what happens, all right. So let's let's talk about your work.
592
00:43:15.840 --> 00:43:21.000
And you know, we mentioned that
you are a Grammy Award winner.
593
00:43:21.639 --> 00:43:28.480
Um let's talk about your recent Grammy
award. And I wanted for those again
594
00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:32.639
who aren't intimately familiar, I want
to talk about the Black Radio series in
595
00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:37.400
particular. So tell us a bit
about Black Radio that the series, and
596
00:43:37.480 --> 00:43:39.760
then talk to us a bit about
your recent Grammy win, what that was
597
00:43:39.840 --> 00:43:43.840
like, how it feels to win. I'm not sure what number Grammy that
598
00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:45.159
was, but I know it wasn't
at first. So when I first got
599
00:43:45.199 --> 00:43:49.960
signed the Blumo Records in two thousand
and five, I was already doing shows
600
00:43:50.039 --> 00:43:52.280
with Q Tip, most dev Common, you name it. I was doing
601
00:43:52.320 --> 00:43:54.960
shows them already by that time.
I started. When I got signed a
602
00:43:55.000 --> 00:43:59.199
blue up, I have to make
a decision where I wanted to do the
603
00:43:59.280 --> 00:44:02.639
album, where I want to mix
all those things together or not. I
604
00:44:02.800 --> 00:44:07.079
chose not. I chose to do
my trio records first, more straight ahead
605
00:44:07.159 --> 00:44:12.400
jazz records first, to pretty much
led my foundation. Prove to all the
606
00:44:12.679 --> 00:44:15.360
people who are going to doubt me
that I can play this thing. Get
607
00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:19.079
the respect of that first, because
after you get the respect here, you
608
00:44:19.159 --> 00:44:21.519
can do anything you want. You
can't go the other way around you go.
609
00:44:21.639 --> 00:44:23.199
You can go from jazz into other
genres, but you can't go from
610
00:44:23.239 --> 00:44:28.119
other genres into jazz. Never happened
in the history of jazz. Never get
611
00:44:28.159 --> 00:44:32.679
the respects. It was a great
point. Just doesn't happen. So learned
612
00:44:32.719 --> 00:44:37.320
from the history. I'm like,
okay, Miles Day was heard, Okay,
613
00:44:37.320 --> 00:44:39.360
I see what happened there. Let
me do that and it worked,
614
00:44:39.400 --> 00:44:43.400
So I did that. I started
to do Black Radio record because it was
615
00:44:43.400 --> 00:44:45.599
like those are my fourth record.
Now, I think it's time for me
616
00:44:45.639 --> 00:44:47.840
to go ahead and branch out and
do some other things and expand the music.
617
00:44:49.199 --> 00:44:52.920
Because black radio was nothing but what
I was doing live. I was
618
00:44:52.000 --> 00:44:55.599
doing shows live with Common and Q
Tip and Balao and Lettacy and all these
619
00:44:55.760 --> 00:44:59.559
different people sitting in with me.
That was my real life. So I
620
00:44:59.880 --> 00:45:02.119
was put that on wax. I'm
starting to understand the title too. Yeah.
621
00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:06.519
Black Radio. Yeah, this is
what black radio would look like if
622
00:45:06.599 --> 00:45:08.360
I if I was curating it.
That's what it was sound like. It
623
00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:12.039
feel like. First three or four
times I tried to do it, it
624
00:45:12.159 --> 00:45:14.840
was a fail because too many artists, too many schedules, too many managers
625
00:45:14.880 --> 00:45:15.719
to me, labels, and you
know, I couldn't get it together.
626
00:45:16.280 --> 00:45:19.559
I went on tour. My manager
called me, oh, I don't know
627
00:45:19.559 --> 00:45:22.079
what happened, but everybody's developed on
next week, but I'm in Europe.
628
00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:23.280
What you want to do? I
was like, well, I'm coming back
629
00:45:23.920 --> 00:45:28.519
this record the rest of the tour. Flood La did the record in the
630
00:45:28.719 --> 00:45:31.039
six days ahead. Literally took one
week to do black Radio. You know
631
00:45:31.079 --> 00:45:34.239
what I mean. Half of the
song is a cover song because I didn't
632
00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:36.920
have enough songs. Because it was
happening with such a short amount amount of
633
00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:39.360
time, I just did cover songs. It was quicker and it did what
634
00:45:39.480 --> 00:45:43.840
it did. The universe everything in
line and we ended up winning Black R
635
00:45:43.880 --> 00:45:46.440
and B Album of the Year.
Eight years and buy pandemic happened and I
636
00:45:46.519 --> 00:45:50.760
felt like a musical first responder.
I was like, they need something and
637
00:45:50.960 --> 00:45:53.719
my fans have been asking from another
black radio for eight years. I was
638
00:45:53.800 --> 00:45:58.679
like, it's gonna be hard as
head to do a black radio album during
639
00:45:58.679 --> 00:46:00.960
the pandemic. You can't get artist
in the studio. All my black radios,
640
00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:04.199
the artist came in the studio.
You work with the artist. So
641
00:46:04.280 --> 00:46:07.199
it's very, very hard. But
I was able to get get it done.
642
00:46:07.320 --> 00:46:09.360
You know, may sending files back
and forth and ba bom boom,
643
00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:12.639
and we're able to get it done
and we do the withering. I think
644
00:46:12.679 --> 00:46:16.360
that's a testament to you know,
your creativity and your talent above all else.
645
00:46:16.599 --> 00:46:21.320
So listen. I know we're short
on time, and I was gonna
646
00:46:21.400 --> 00:46:24.039
make a joke about black radio for
I'm gonna make that joke. So let
647
00:46:24.079 --> 00:46:29.760
me just ask, besides the Blue
Note Jazz Festival, what's next for Robert
648
00:46:29.760 --> 00:46:31.320
Glasper? What can we look forward
to? I have a new record coming
649
00:46:31.360 --> 00:46:36.800
out in a few days with my
band, The Dinner Party. So Dinner
650
00:46:36.840 --> 00:46:42.199
Party is a band that I have
with Kamassi Washington, Terrace Martin and producer
651
00:46:42.320 --> 00:46:45.079
Ninth Wonder. It'll be out.
I believe April fourteenth got you? Got
652
00:46:45.159 --> 00:46:47.480
you? Well? How about this? Why don't we Uh, let the
653
00:46:47.559 --> 00:46:52.679
people know where they can get more
info on the album, but also on
654
00:46:52.840 --> 00:46:58.719
you personally, your social media and
of course the festival. My IG is
655
00:46:59.320 --> 00:47:02.199
my name. I don't play no
games like people like Strawberry thirty nine,
656
00:47:02.280 --> 00:47:07.800
twenty six. Somebody somebody gonna follow
that. Yeah, No, everything's me.
657
00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:12.639
So I'm going to my igpage just
Robert Glassber okay, the one blue
658
00:47:12.679 --> 00:47:15.960
check because I got a lot of
the posters out there that want to try
659
00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:20.440
to be me. I want to
thank you for your time today. Obviously,
660
00:47:20.679 --> 00:47:22.480
you're welcome to come back anytime you
drop an album, anytime you do
661
00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:24.480
any man. If you just want
to hang out and have a conversation,
662
00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:29.960
the Black Information Network will welcome you
with open arms. And it's been a
663
00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:32.639
joy. Once again, ladies and
gentlemen, the one and only Robert Glassper
664
00:47:32.840 --> 00:47:37.119
thank you for having me for the
Black perspective. This is Ramsay's job.
665
00:47:37.480 --> 00:47:40.719
Mike back to you. Last week, Jet Magazine made us return to newsstands
666
00:47:40.800 --> 00:47:45.840
for the first time since twenty fourteen, and on the cover of this special
667
00:47:45.920 --> 00:47:50.719
issue was Levey Vegan, founder and
CEO Pinky Cole. Pinky Cole is an
668
00:47:50.840 --> 00:47:53.920
entrepreneur that has proven that anything is
possible if you are willing to put the
669
00:47:53.960 --> 00:47:58.679
work in, and with the success
and recognition, there will be challenges that
670
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:02.400
present themselves as well. The black
information that works on med Gordon talked to
671
00:48:02.519 --> 00:48:07.320
the cover girl about the growth of
her brand and the collaboration with Jet Magazine.
672
00:48:07.960 --> 00:48:15.079
Mad Thanks, Mike, I'm here
with the industrious entrepreneur, Pinky Cole,
673
00:48:15.360 --> 00:48:20.559
my girl, How you doing?
Industrious? Industrious entrepreneur? Don't happen
674
00:48:20.639 --> 00:48:23.039
what it means? It just felt
good. Industry is entrepreneur. I just
675
00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:29.280
because everyone calls you every year,
everything, Pinky, everything to tell me,
676
00:48:29.320 --> 00:48:35.320
just start making up some stuff.
Industry is entrepreneur. Thank you,
677
00:48:35.480 --> 00:48:38.599
thank you, Thank you so bige
Man. Look, I'm gonna tell you
678
00:48:38.639 --> 00:48:43.480
something I did. I think my
first interview with you standing in your first
679
00:48:43.599 --> 00:48:49.199
restaurant, which feels like an eternity
ago um, and what threw me off
680
00:48:49.280 --> 00:48:52.599
the first time that we talked at
that Slutty Vegan was how fast that brick
681
00:48:52.639 --> 00:49:00.960
and mortar came from you cooking in
a like the kid, then getting your
682
00:49:00.960 --> 00:49:07.440
truck, then getting brick and mortar. Yeah that was eight months. Yeah,
683
00:49:07.719 --> 00:49:10.239
that's what it was. A lot
has happened since a lot has happened
684
00:49:10.280 --> 00:49:15.840
since then and pre pandemic, Like
I said, eight months brick and mortar,
685
00:49:15.920 --> 00:49:19.840
you got your thing going real real
fast. Then you I believe you
686
00:49:19.960 --> 00:49:23.840
opened two more restaurants then the pandemic
hit. Yeah, how did How did
687
00:49:23.960 --> 00:49:28.239
business for you and how did you
pivot? During that time? Business for
688
00:49:28.320 --> 00:49:31.960
me got better. So while like
businesses were falling apart and people were closing
689
00:49:32.000 --> 00:49:36.880
their doors, right, I was
opening more doors, yeah, because what
690
00:49:37.039 --> 00:49:40.360
I learned later is that everybody was
feeling emotional, right, and we are
691
00:49:40.360 --> 00:49:45.199
all emotional creatures and people A lot
of people look to food to satisfy that
692
00:49:45.360 --> 00:49:51.480
emotional need. Um, and business
went through the roof, right, So
693
00:49:51.800 --> 00:49:55.039
you know, I used to be
shy about talking about that because unfortunately that's
694
00:49:55.079 --> 00:49:59.320
not the story for a lot of
other businesses. But for Sloody Vegan,
695
00:49:59.519 --> 00:50:02.199
we really made our mark in the
pandemic, And I don't take that for
696
00:50:02.320 --> 00:50:06.760
granted, right. We just really
like hunkered down and like locked in on
697
00:50:06.840 --> 00:50:12.079
the marketing, the operations, which
is ever ongoing, right, And we
698
00:50:12.280 --> 00:50:17.599
realized that people really love the idea
of having the experience at home and just
699
00:50:17.719 --> 00:50:21.679
having an experience in general. So
like when I look back, I'm like,
700
00:50:21.800 --> 00:50:23.400
I don't know if I would have
still had a business had the pandemic
701
00:50:23.679 --> 00:50:28.280
not happen. So now we're here
where we are today. You're opening up.
702
00:50:28.519 --> 00:50:32.039
You opened up in Brooklyn, you
have one now in Truest Park,
703
00:50:32.079 --> 00:50:40.199
which where the Braves play and Harlem
Pinky. Let's let's talk about the expansion
704
00:50:40.559 --> 00:50:45.000
of the restaurant. It's like I
tell people all the time, like the
705
00:50:45.039 --> 00:50:49.840
restaurant business is no joke. It
is probably one the hardest the hardest businesses
706
00:50:49.880 --> 00:50:52.760
to get into. And you've made
it look like child's play. I'm not
707
00:50:52.880 --> 00:50:57.519
gonna lie. You made it look
extremely easy. What's the reason for that?
708
00:50:57.840 --> 00:50:59.800
And I know it's not easy.
I know, I know there's a
709
00:50:59.840 --> 00:51:01.719
lot of work behind any of a
great team. But what is the reason
710
00:51:01.920 --> 00:51:07.480
for you think is your success?
Slutty Vegan has always been a passion project
711
00:51:07.559 --> 00:51:10.000
for me, and you know me, outside of all of this, right,
712
00:51:10.840 --> 00:51:14.760
I ain't never start my businesses,
any of them for money, right
713
00:51:14.880 --> 00:51:16.800
Like, that was never my motivation. I just wanted to create something really
714
00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:21.760
special that people fell in love with, that they really enjoyed and liked that
715
00:51:21.880 --> 00:51:23.480
they can go out and tell the
world about it so that other people could
716
00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:28.320
come back. That was my mission
and to help people reimagine food. I
717
00:51:28.440 --> 00:51:34.840
think the authenticity and the realness,
like I am the quintessential element of slutty
718
00:51:34.920 --> 00:51:37.719
Vegan, like my personality, rawness, my realness. When you go in
719
00:51:37.760 --> 00:51:42.159
a slutty Vegan, you're gonna get
the personality, the rawness and the realness.
720
00:51:42.440 --> 00:51:45.280
And then on the flip side,
I am a philanthropist. I love
721
00:51:45.360 --> 00:51:47.239
to help people. I like to
see other people when I love to give
722
00:51:47.360 --> 00:51:51.960
people opportunity who deserve it, right, And we do that same thing with
723
00:51:52.039 --> 00:51:57.639
the Pinky Co Foundation, giving people
opportunities who deserve it, allowing our resources
724
00:51:57.719 --> 00:52:00.519
to be literally a funnel for people
to get to the next step. And
725
00:52:00.639 --> 00:52:04.039
I think people fall in love with
that. You don't really see. I
726
00:52:04.119 --> 00:52:06.559
mean now you do, which I
can appreciate, but once upon the time,
727
00:52:06.800 --> 00:52:10.880
you haven't really seen a lot of
businesses and the grassroots phase really given
728
00:52:10.960 --> 00:52:15.280
back in a way that we've given
back, Like on the foundation side,
729
00:52:15.320 --> 00:52:19.480
we've given fruits and vegetables, we've
paid LLCs, we've partnered with the Department
730
00:52:19.519 --> 00:52:22.960
that Juvenile Justice, We've we've allowed
people to be able to walk across the
731
00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:25.679
stage by paying their balances off.
I can go on and on the right,
732
00:52:25.960 --> 00:52:29.960
right, But when you talk about
success and why people love the brand,
733
00:52:30.320 --> 00:52:35.039
I humbly believe is that realness,
the authenticity, and the willingness to
734
00:52:35.159 --> 00:52:37.480
give back to people so that they
can climb on their elevative success too.
735
00:52:37.760 --> 00:52:40.400
So what is success for you?
Like what? You kind of mentioned it
736
00:52:40.519 --> 00:52:45.400
right there? But I was about
to say that because so you go from
737
00:52:45.480 --> 00:52:49.800
passion project, right, it's a
passion project, but now it is a
738
00:52:49.960 --> 00:52:52.280
thing and not just a passion like
you know, a passion project is a
739
00:52:52.320 --> 00:52:55.000
truck. That's what in my mind, it's a truck you're riding around.
740
00:52:55.000 --> 00:52:58.639
You got a couple of trucks,
all right, passion project? Okay,
741
00:52:58.639 --> 00:53:01.719
you got a breaking mortar project.
No, this ain't. This is more
742
00:53:01.800 --> 00:53:06.679
than that. It's evolved. Letty
Vegan is my passion project and that's why
743
00:53:06.760 --> 00:53:10.159
it continues to work. Right,
So evolution happens to all of us,
744
00:53:10.360 --> 00:53:15.320
right, But as I elevate,
my passion has never died. As I
745
00:53:15.480 --> 00:53:16.559
grow and go to the next leup, this is how I know that this
746
00:53:16.719 --> 00:53:21.440
is my purpose because no matter what
level I enter in my life, this
747
00:53:21.639 --> 00:53:25.079
is still consistent to the things that
I love and my ethos and my alignment
748
00:53:25.159 --> 00:53:29.679
and what I want to do.
Like that still remains the same. When
749
00:53:29.719 --> 00:53:31.159
I talk about what success looks like
for me, and I said that it
750
00:53:31.280 --> 00:53:36.960
evolves because although it's always been a
passion project, success for me at first
751
00:53:37.480 --> 00:53:40.679
was having everybody know the name of
the business. Right now, success to
752
00:53:40.800 --> 00:53:45.559
me is being able to unlock generational
wealth for my children because now I got
753
00:53:45.639 --> 00:53:51.480
to right, I didn't have that
right. And tomorrow success may look like
754
00:53:51.960 --> 00:53:54.800
making sure that my soon to be
husband and our family have what we need
755
00:53:54.880 --> 00:53:58.760
so that we can be able to
unlock more doors for other people and create
756
00:53:58.800 --> 00:54:01.400
more generational wealth. So that part
evolves all of the time. But what
757
00:54:01.559 --> 00:54:07.360
remains the same as the goddamn passion
project that I created on August six,
758
00:54:07.760 --> 00:54:15.480
twenty eighteen, and that is literally
like never wavering, and you gotta see
759
00:54:15.519 --> 00:54:17.039
me in action, right, So, like I don't go to the restaurants
760
00:54:17.039 --> 00:54:22.039
as much anymore because I'm always traveling, moving, opening these stores and doing
761
00:54:22.079 --> 00:54:25.639
all that. But what's consistent about
me is the experience. And I'm like,
762
00:54:25.800 --> 00:54:30.920
because this is a passion project,
you gotta abide by what the experience
763
00:54:30.119 --> 00:54:34.079
is people gotta have a good time. They gotta come and sleddy Vegan and
764
00:54:34.119 --> 00:54:36.840
feel like this is the best place
on earth. And I ain't talking about
765
00:54:36.880 --> 00:54:38.360
Disney, you know what. I'm
saying, Like it gotta feel like that
766
00:54:38.519 --> 00:54:42.519
across the board. And if it
don't feel like that, then I'm not
767
00:54:42.719 --> 00:54:45.400
passionately in my passion project, you
know what. And the funny thing about
768
00:54:45.400 --> 00:54:47.000
that, you know, people talk
about Chick fil A all the time.
769
00:54:47.039 --> 00:54:50.480
You see the memes, you see
the jokes, you see the how people
770
00:54:50.760 --> 00:54:52.920
trick fil A, and it had
a certain kind of brand. Doesn't matter
771
00:54:52.960 --> 00:54:54.880
what story you go through, you're
to get a certain kind of service.
772
00:54:55.159 --> 00:54:59.039
How do you create that when you're
not able to be there? Of course,
773
00:54:59.159 --> 00:55:00.239
when you first start, did you
were there all the time? You
774
00:55:00.400 --> 00:55:04.639
felt pinky coal in the building.
When you can't be in every location,
775
00:55:04.800 --> 00:55:08.360
how are you able to create this
experience at every Sluty Vegan that you go
776
00:55:08.440 --> 00:55:13.920
to? All right, And I'm
struggling with it right now. It's a
777
00:55:13.960 --> 00:55:16.320
good problem though, right, so, like I'm coming from a good place.
778
00:55:17.000 --> 00:55:21.679
It's a good problem because how do
you scale culture? Right? There's
779
00:55:21.719 --> 00:55:24.480
no like specific book to scale the
kind of slutty Vegan culture that I need
780
00:55:24.519 --> 00:55:27.559
to scale, like, there's no
book that can do that for me.
781
00:55:28.480 --> 00:55:30.760
So we are really creating a blueprint
in real time. When you walk in
782
00:55:30.800 --> 00:55:35.239
a slutty Vegan, we screaming at
you whatever, slut like we hugging you.
783
00:55:35.480 --> 00:55:38.440
I mean pre pandemic, we were
hugging you right like dancing with your
784
00:55:38.519 --> 00:55:42.920
music is booming and giving you that
experience. It gotta feel the same way
785
00:55:42.920 --> 00:55:45.199
when you go to Truan's Park.
It gotta feel the same way when you
786
00:55:45.239 --> 00:55:46.639
go to Brooklyn. It gotta feel
the same way when you go to Harlem
787
00:55:46.840 --> 00:55:50.960
and Athens and Birmingham. And if
it does not feel that way, then
788
00:55:51.000 --> 00:55:53.760
we've missed the mark on what Slutty
Vegan represents because people don't really come to
789
00:55:53.840 --> 00:55:57.400
sluty Vegan for the food. The
food is great, right, but they
790
00:55:57.440 --> 00:56:00.880
come for the experience and they leave
with the food. There's a difference,
791
00:56:00.159 --> 00:56:05.079
and we do it differently than a
lot of other restaurants. So we got
792
00:56:05.199 --> 00:56:07.440
to make sure that that experience is
a one. Do we miss the mark?
793
00:56:07.519 --> 00:56:10.840
Sometimes? Yeah? We do.
And that's the frustrating part because if
794
00:56:10.880 --> 00:56:16.280
I'm in Atlanta and we have locations
in New York and sometimes they tie it
795
00:56:16.320 --> 00:56:20.880
and they don't feel like it.
That means that there's a disconnect somewhere that
796
00:56:21.039 --> 00:56:23.320
we got to make sure that our
culture is in tip top shape so that
797
00:56:23.400 --> 00:56:28.559
we can continue to scale. But
it's a good problem because it gives us
798
00:56:28.599 --> 00:56:34.239
new opportunities to get creative around how
we make that experience consistent, because that
799
00:56:35.039 --> 00:56:38.360
is more important to me the money. So now you have partnered with Jet
800
00:56:38.440 --> 00:56:43.119
magazine. And when I say partnered, I mean covered. Okay, um
801
00:56:43.440 --> 00:56:49.559
jazine? How did that come about? So? I was at Essence Festival,
802
00:56:50.679 --> 00:56:52.280
and one thing about me is I
always shoot my shot. Come on
803
00:56:52.400 --> 00:56:55.639
now right. I never let an
opportunity pass me. Like if I'm in
804
00:56:55.679 --> 00:56:58.960
the room with somebody and I want
to connect with them, I want to
805
00:56:59.000 --> 00:57:01.239
partner with them or don't swip them. I'm opening up my mouth because my
806
00:57:01.320 --> 00:57:05.400
mother always said it close mouth,
don't get fair. So I walked up
807
00:57:05.440 --> 00:57:07.639
to him. He had Jet on
his shirt, and I said, Hey,
808
00:57:07.719 --> 00:57:09.000
I'm Pinky, you know slighty,
Oh, I know who you are.
809
00:57:09.000 --> 00:57:12.320
Blah blah blah. He said that
his name was Dyln Golf. He
810
00:57:13.480 --> 00:57:15.599
is the president of Jet Magazine.
We started politicking and chopping it up.
811
00:57:15.760 --> 00:57:19.400
And then I said, I got
an idea for you, and he's like,
812
00:57:19.480 --> 00:57:21.239
let me here, and I say, you need to make me Jet
813
00:57:21.280 --> 00:57:23.039
Beauty of the Week, like I
am one of the leaders of the culture,
814
00:57:23.199 --> 00:57:27.599
like really like pushing the culture forward
and the energy and the authenticity and
815
00:57:27.639 --> 00:57:30.159
all that good stuff. And it
would be really dope to do like a
816
00:57:30.239 --> 00:57:34.440
digital campaign. And because we all
know Page forty three has always been icon
817
00:57:36.000 --> 00:57:38.960
has always been Iconic Beauty of the
Week. Every young black woman wanted to
818
00:57:39.000 --> 00:57:42.039
be Jet Beauty of the Week.
So I'm just like, I'm running this
819
00:57:42.159 --> 00:57:44.199
play down off the top. I'm
like, all right, let's do it.
820
00:57:44.480 --> 00:57:45.760
So he called me back like two
weeks later, and he like,
821
00:57:46.880 --> 00:57:50.719
Pinky, I thought about what you
said, but let's go even bigger.
822
00:57:51.119 --> 00:57:57.039
He said, Let's do an exclusive
collector's edition copy but with you. So
823
00:57:57.320 --> 00:58:00.239
every single article in there will be
lifestyle, would be family, it would
824
00:58:00.239 --> 00:58:05.719
be business. So the whole magazine
is Pinky Cole and all the Pinky Cole
825
00:58:05.840 --> 00:58:08.960
Enterprise brands, um, which they
have never done before. No, they
826
00:58:09.039 --> 00:58:14.239
have not. Yeah, what does
that feel like? It feels very humbling.
827
00:58:14.880 --> 00:58:19.639
And I'm honored because when you think
about Jet that started in nineteen fifty
828
00:58:19.719 --> 00:58:22.480
one, right, um, and
all of the people. This was a
829
00:58:22.679 --> 00:58:27.159
Negro weekly magazine, yeah right,
that had all the weekly news of the
830
00:58:27.320 --> 00:58:31.119
Negroes in America doing whatever it was, whether it be politics, lifestyle,
831
00:58:31.280 --> 00:58:36.400
family, crime, like they had
everything in that right. Um. But
832
00:58:36.719 --> 00:58:42.280
to be able to help to reignite
a flame that is never dimmed, right
833
00:58:42.679 --> 00:58:45.920
you just you know it was preserved
but never dim To be able to be
834
00:58:45.039 --> 00:58:49.760
an anchor in helping to reignite that
in a way where I can be a
835
00:58:49.800 --> 00:58:52.360
cover girl. I'm not worthy,
but I'm so grateful. Um. Yeah,
836
00:58:52.360 --> 00:58:57.079
I don't say that. Yeah you're
worthy. I'm not worthy, but
837
00:58:57.159 --> 00:58:59.360
I'm great. I think you're I
think you're very worthy. You know,
838
00:58:59.480 --> 00:59:02.039
there's a lot of people like when
you look back at Jet, Yeah,
839
00:59:02.119 --> 00:59:07.400
I'm talking about you got the best
and the brightest and the most iconic.
840
00:59:07.679 --> 00:59:10.079
And I'm nowhere where I want to
be yet. But I'm on my way
841
00:59:10.800 --> 00:59:15.320
to be able to at this stage
in my career, to be able to
842
00:59:15.400 --> 00:59:17.760
do something so iconic and impactful.
When I say I'm not worthy, I
843
00:59:17.880 --> 00:59:21.440
know that I'm worthy even what God
has for me. I know that there's
844
00:59:21.480 --> 00:59:27.400
no question but for the level of
essence that Jet provides, it's a big
845
00:59:27.480 --> 00:59:30.840
feat and I don't take different friends. That's amazing. Thank you, called
846
00:59:30.880 --> 00:59:34.599
everybody, thank you so much,
thank you, Thanks mad We, thank
847
00:59:34.639 --> 00:59:37.440
you for joining us on the Black
perspective and look forward to continuing to have
848
00:59:37.679 --> 00:59:42.800
needed conversations for the black community.
Next week, I'm Michael Land on the
849
00:59:42.920 --> 00:59:44.400
Black Information Network.
