Decoding 40

We’re talking about hip hop y’all! But first, this week starts of with the round the table check in and particularly Rick’s mission to quit cigarettes and and stay smoke free.  

So what are you giving up for the New Year?  The crew runs down some of the priorities they’ve put forward in order to live more abundant and fearless lives in 2020 and beyond.

When was the first time you fell in love with Hip Hop?  From Rappers Delight to Eric B for President, we all can remember the first time Hip Hop touched are spirits. This brings us to a heated discussion on whether or not we should separate the art from the artist.  Does a person's body of work outweigh the trauma they may inflict on others in their personal life? And, why does it seem like black artist always seem to be scrutinized worse than their white counterparts?

You’ll hear all this and more in this week’s episode of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram and  Patreon.

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion.

The guys start off the show catching up with one another and talking about the latest happenings in their lives. It’s a mixed bag of expensive deli sandwiches, trainers, viral kids, potty training, working seven days a week, and a commitment to self care.

This week’s topics include threesomes, Trick Daddy’s recent skirmish with the law, the reformation of the bail system in New York and the potential unintended consequences. The crew also talks about the dramatic swell of homeless people who now populate the streets and trains of New York City, jail food versus public school trip lunch, government block cheese, life in the Reagan era, food stamps in undergrad, and a few other laughable moments.

This Week’s Libation is Tin Cup Whiskey and has an amazing effect on the crew.

You’ll hear all this and more in this week’s episode of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram and  Patreon.Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion.

The guys continue to catch up on what they’ve been up to bringing in the new year.  Predictably, the guys have been catching up on movies and shows that they normally wouldn’t have time to watch. We mention two Netflix projects, Eddie Murphy’s My Name Is Dolemite Kevin Hart’s Don’t Fuck This Up.

We start the show discussing if we have evolved into a culture of oversensitive people? Where are the The Jetsons? And, why haven’t we achieved that level of technology in 2020? We then start to discuss Tesla’s newly designed Cybertruck and some of the technological advances that we have been able to witness.

Then the great debate of the show has us discussing the cost of integrity.  How much would it take for you to sell out to star in a Popeye’s chicken sandwich commercial? 

We also managed to possibly cross the line on Lizzo, Stevie Wonder, Kenan Thompson or maybe Keenan Ivory Wayans, Quavo, Eddie Griffin, Katt Williams and heaven help us, even our enslaved ancestors.

This Week’s Libation is El Tesoro Tequila Resposado and has an amazing effect on the crew.

You’ll hear all this and more in this week’s episode of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram and  Patreon.

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected]

Welcome back to our eponymous 40th episode.  

We had to go big for this episode. And, we mean CBS big! We welcomed actor Stephen Hill to the studio to discuss his brilliant career and some of his coolest moments in television and film. Hill’s television credits include “Law & Order: SVU,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Political Animals,”, ”BLUE BLOODS, “Boardwalk Empire”, “Lewis & Clark” and “Luke Cage.” His most recent work includes Steve McQueen’s feature film “Widows,” the play “Manhood” at the National Black Theater, and the Netflix series “Maniac.” Hill’s "Magnum P.I." character, a military veteran who flies helicopters, shares a distinguished trait with his father, who was a Vietnam veteran chopper mechanic.

In This Week in Racism, we consider Stephen’s inability to get the coveted blue check of Instagram on his account as a possible signal of racist intent.

Stephen also talks about the Tales from Shaolin: Shakey Dog project and the reaction from Ghostface Killa. The film features an original score by indie Hip Hop producers Jake Summers, Eno Noziroh, and Wino Willy, Shakey Dog also stars Ninja N. Devoe, Angel Sanchez, Nasser Metcalfe, and Clinton Lowe - with special appearance by elusive Hip Hop super-producer Megahertz. Produced by Jeremy Sample, Stephen Hill, Marquette Jones, and Janie McFadden along with screenwriter J. Michael Neal and director Louis A. Moore.

This Week's Libation is Four Roses Whiskey and we give our review, but our reviews get upstaged by Stephen’s Pappy Van Winkle story.

NOTE: If you haven't watched Boardwalk Empire, there's a Spoiler Alert at 33:34-36:55.

You’ll hear all this and more in this special edition of Deco

The Decoding40 crew would like to extend a Happy New Year to all our listeners. We wish you health and wealth in the new year!

This end of the year episode starts off with the spirit of Kwanzaa. Vin introduces us to the unknown eighth day of emoji. We then talk about our worst holiday drunken/hangover story?

The next segment Mack brings the tea and talks about Gabrielle Union hair controversy on America's Got Talent which somehow goes left and we end up discussing Nick Cannon’s coon versus magnate personas.  

We wrap up the show meandering through topics that include kids taking heroin to school, the Starz series Power and its believability, and some of the top 5 shows of all time.

You’ll hear all this and more in this special New Year’s Eve edition of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram and  Patreon.

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion. 

Mack decided to introduce the crew to healthy snacks that can be best described as flavored wood.  Alaric is getting ready to head to Miami and breaks down Art Basel, a wonderful art fair that transforms Miami into one big work of art.

Vin shares his upcoming Christmas versus bills woes and we come up with some ideas that might even help you. We all take a moment to acknowledge a few loved ones we lost.

Mack and the crew share their angst and curiosity about researching their ancestral roots. We all hope to find greatness in our past generations, but shutter to think of the possibility of having murderous ancestors. And, we touch on the effects of transgenerational trauma and how we hope to heal from that for our children’s sake. 

Next, we discuss a couple of news items including the story on Jorge Porto Sierra, the man arrested for reportedly trying to “barbecue” pedophiles. And, we talk about Manny Pacquiao building 10,000 homes in the Philippines and how that effort has been undermined by his anti-gay comments. Our final news topic is the muppet looking, Michelle Passley, who was arrested for driving a school bus full of kids while under the influence of alcohol.

You’ll hear all this and more in this Friday’s edition of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram and  Patreon.

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion.

The crew opens up with a few movie reviews for your consideration that include Martin Scorcese’s latest acclaimed film, The Irishman now playing on Netflix.  Mack also gives his quick take on the romantic drama, Queen and Slim, and his experience at a theater in the Hamptons. L.O. gives light on a new concept of anger that is pervasive among New Yorkers, especially, and many of our listeners are probably included in his sample pool for continued study. 

We discuss the use of pronouns based on one’s preference when not easily perceptible based on physical appearance. Next, we ask the question: how old is too old to have children? We then turn to politics, as Rick gives his hot take on Michael Bloomberg running for president and his late and clumsy apology concerning “Stop and Frisk”.  Having entered into the presidential race does Bloomberg have a chance or is he just another distraction. 

This Week's Libation is Sazarac Rye Whiskey.  It's a smooth full-body flavored whiskey that doesn't have the normal Rye bitter after taste.

We wrap up the show discussing Colin Kaepernick and the public workout he put on a few weeks ago.  We talk about the social and media impact that Colin’s display could have with all of the visuals that were at play.

You’ll hear all this and more in this Friday’s edition of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram, and  Patreon.

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion.

The guys are back in the studio after the holidays and talk about the movies they’ve been able to catch during the break. L.O. caught My Name is Dolemite with Eddie Murphy on Netflix. And, Mack gives his hot take on Black and Blue starring Tyrese and Naomie Harris.

The guys get into various road rage tales and honking courtesy. L.O. tells a crazy story of the time he caused an accident—with his mind. Vin tells us about one of his worst and most embarrassing road rage incidents. Alaric talks about how he might be raising the next generation of road ragers. Mack also shares his game of chicken on the highway with a Caddy driver. The lanes are merging into one. Guess who wins?

The guys then move onto discussing Uber and other taxi services and the hazards of getting a driver with extreme body funk. Would you lower a driver's rating for a car that smells awful? Alaric shares his theory on flatulence and how that affects the odor of the car.  

Vin shares the struggles of being a delivery guy and customers that do not tip. And, this leads to a bigger discussion about how having a side hustle is now mandatory to survive in the city.

You’ll hear all this and more in this Friday’s edition of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram, and  Patreon.

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion.

Alaric starts us off with his brush with international criminality and tells us how he lands in detention in a 5-star hotel. Apparently, when you travel to Indonesia you better have your papers together or you better have your paper together.

 This Week's Libation is brought to us by Eagle Rare a full-body Kentucky bourbon whiskey with a robust taste and a hint of history that embodies that ole Kentuckyian heritage. 

In This Week in Racism, we discuss the Byron Allen vs Comcast case that has made its way to the Supreme Court and the impossible standard of an old law. We also discuss Monique vs Netflix. Monique has brought a discrimination case against Netflix for unfair wages.  Does Monique deserve more than the $500k she was originally offered? Are offers based on legacy or the power to draw an audience? Or both?

You’ll hear all this and more in this Friday’s edition of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram, and  Patreon.

Programming note: We will be taking off next week to enjoy Thanksgiving with our families and friends. We want to wish all of you a wonderful and safe holiday!

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion.

We start this episode off with a visit from Bobby, everyone’s favorite bear hunter. Bobby is stunned that his hunt in New York may have come to an abrupt end as his favorite bear is no longer a bear.

Mack tells us about the reactions he's getting from various people while on his weight loss journey. He even gets called Tyler Perry. We later find out why.

Alaric is dealing with the terrible twos and is literally pulling out hair he doesn't even have anymore.  Vin suggests developing a new behavioral tool—The Baby TAZER. A modestly powered zapper to get the baby’s attention and put an end to their nonsense.  Vin also discusses what is going on at the job and educates the crew on some bizarre, yet interesting hiring standards of our public transportation authority. 

L.O. tells us about his visit to the passport office and the menacing kid with a feces-filled diaper who caused havoc for everyone. Next, Mack shares his experience at the doctor’s office for a seminogram to make sure his boys are still swimming strong.

You’ll hear all this and more in this Friday’s edition of Decoding 40. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram, and  Patreon.

Want to be our Whiskey Warrior of the Week? Or, do you have an event or product that you would like us to attend, sample and promote? Then, please send us an email to [email protected] to start the discussion.