It’s been a minute. Okay, it’s been more than a minute. July 2025 was the last time we actually dropped a proper episode of Brews, Beards, & Shipwrecks. But the mics are hot again, the recording light is blinking, and I’m back with my man Nomadik Vagabond to catch up on everything we’ve missed.
We didn’t just sit around twiddling our thumbs during the hiatus. Life happened. And as we have a tendency to do on this show, we grabbed our drinks, fired up some cigars, and ping-ponged back and forth on the shipwrecks and successes of recent memory.
Here’s a taste of what went down.
The Brews & The Beards
You can’t have a show called Brews, Beards, & Shipwrecks without checking in on the essentials. Nomadik was sipping a Rodenbach Classic—a sweet-tart Flanders Ale that he described as “refreshing... low ABV and super digestible.” He specifically didn’t want that American IPA vibe where you drink one and feel like you “just ate a loaf of bread.”
I’ve been sticking to my Athletic Brewing Company beers lately. I was sipping on their Free Wave, an non-alcoholic hazy IPA that hits the spot without the hangover. Nomadik brought up the genius of non-alcoholic coffee stouts. He reminded me of a brilliant morning routine: “I’ve done that before... in the morning, I had a cigar and one of those non-alcoholic coffee stouts, and it was fantastic. It’s like a cold brew [coffee], but just fizzy.”
Note to self: Buy more NA coffee stouts.
As for the beards? Nomadik is out here smelling like Church. He threw in some shea butter and frankincense oil, making him smell like he just walked out of a Paschal (Easter) liturgy.
Me? Well, I recently broke my beard oil bottle and haven’t replaced it. So, naturally, I reached for the tallow skin cream. It warms up nicely in the hands and goes into the beard great, but as I confessed on the show: “For the first few minutes of the day, I smell a little beefy. There is a slight beefy odor.”
Nomadik’s immediate response? “Is that Lenten?” (It was not).
Flavor Fest 25: A Christian Hip-Hop Family Reunion
I finally made it out to Tampa for Flavor Fest, hosted by Urban D and Crossover Church. It was the 25th anniversary of the Christian hip-hop conference, and 12-year-old Jamey would have peed himself.
There were absolute legends in the building. PID. Mike Peace. KJ-52. Watching PID rock the mic was incredible. They aren’t just coasting on nostalgia; they proved they still have the bars and the energy to move a crowd.
But another real highlight was the networking. I met Urban D (Tommy Kyllonen) for the first time. As an Orthodox guy walking into a hip-hop church, I felt a little out of my element at first. But in a wild twist, I found out Urban D has a Greek Orthodox background in his family tree. (I totally failed to mention I was Orthodox at the time—opportunity missed!)
I was also down there promoting the new Royal Ruckus record, Let’s Be Together Today. It was a stark reminder of how the industry has changed. I didn’t have CDs of the new album to hand out. I brought old CDs and T-shirts, but telling people to “go stream it” just feels different. As Nomadik pointed out, “For me, half the thing I love going to concerts is getting the concert merch... if I go to a show now and there’s no merch, I’m like, what’s going on?”
Fatherhood, Fitness, and Dropping 60 Pounds
Nomadik and I are at opposite ends of the parenting spectrum right now. He’s navigating life with a 21-year-old and a 19-year-old, trying to balance guiding young adults who are working and navigating college. Meanwhile, the Bennett family expanded two months ago with a new baby girl.
The sleep deprivation is real. My coffee is stronger, my beard is wilder, and the perspective shift is real. Which brings me to my health update.
Over the last six months, I dropped 60 pounds. It wasn’t just about aesthetics this time. I had some health scares, some hospital visits, and some new medicines that forced the issue. As I put it on the show, my motivation changed: “I’m about to have two children under five. I know what it’s like to lose a dad when you’re little, and I don’t want to create a situation if I can help it.”
I’m lifting heavy, skipping the marathon training (which weirdly made me gain weight), and feeling better than I have in a long time.
The Locust and The Future
Nomadik dropped some heat of his own. He’s stepping into a new space job-wise, and on the music front, the Shadow of the Locust crew is grinding on Mighty Army Cometh Volume 3. It’s about 75% done, featuring the whole squad, plus a new member, Ilmerillion.
I’m actually featured on a Locust track for the first time ever, and I got to record it in the studio with Jeremiah Dirt producing me on the vocals.
As we look ahead, we’re planning to bring Brews, Beards, & Shipwrecks back more consistently. We want more guests, more stories, and more insights into living well.
Until next time: Keep your glass full, keep your beard oiled, and keep navigating those shipwrecks. Peace.
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