FANTI

This week, Tre’vell and Jarrett do their absolute best to give the gift, the voice, the Queen that is BEYONCÉ the FANTI treatment. 

If you've been living under a rock for the past week maybe you missed the news about Mrs. Knowles Carter and her reinterpretation of Disney's The Lion King for her movie Black is King.

We'll get into what's so great about Beyoncé (SPOILER ALERT: Everayyythaaaang!) and take time to dissect a few of the criticisms the multi-talented star has received for the film and in her career so far. 

Is Beyoncé using "Africa" as a costume or is it merely another example of African Americans desire to reconnect to their stolen roots?

Is the artist guilty of cultural appropriation or is it appreciation?

We'll take a deeper look at the artist's love letter to the continent and parse through a few of the milestones of her long and successful career.

But first...

A Tough Question

This week, Tre'vell would like to know if it's necessary or even preferable for a Black person to have a Black therapist? 

DIS/Honorable Mentions (Black is King Edition)

This week, Jarrett has an honorable mention for Yemi Alade whose work on "Don't Jealous Me" was impeccable. You can pick up her latest album, Woman of Steel, here. Costume Designer Zerina Akers, Colorist Robert Crosby and Lead hairstylist Neal Farinah along with a team that included Nakia Rachon Collins all did what needed to be done. 

An honorable mention to Mrs. Tina Knowles-Lawson for gifting us with the gift!

And last but certainly not least…

An HONORABLE mention to the one and only Blue Ivy Carter who came through and made it all look easy!

Show Notes

Read more from Tshiamo Malatji,Tineka Smith, Luvvie Ajayi and Judicaelle Irakoze here, here, here and here. 

Click here for more information about the Max Fun Drive Finale show. 

Click here for more info about Jarrett's show this Saturday, This Comedy Show is No Joke. 

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

This week, Tre’vell and Jarrett are joined by guest and Stonewall Community Foundation Executive Director Jarrett Lucas for a complex and complicado conversation about what it means to be an ally. 

Being referred to as an "ally" is something many see as a badge of honor but along with the badge comes the task at hand. Allyship isn't just about words or labels. It's about actions. Ideally, the non-performative kind.

But first...

This week, we're taking a look at the 2020 Emmy Nominations. Who was nominated? Who was snubbed? Who's watching Blackish for Anthony Anderson? We have the answers to all your Emmy questions.

This week, Tre'vell has an honorable mention for THE Shea Coulee who secured the crown and the bag in the latest season of Ru Paul's Drag Race All Star. Congrats to our new Queen!

Also, an honorable mention for Ramy Youssef and the Hulu show Ramy for being the first Muslim-American sitcom to receive an Emmy nomination. 

Indian Matchmaking on Netflix receives an honorable mention for being the perfect show to catch our attention while many of us are at home. 

Jarrett has an honorable mention the second week in a row for MSNBC's Joy Reid whose new primetime show The Reidout is dominating in the ratings as well as an honorable mention for actor Tiffany Boone. Boone's guest appearance in Little Fire’s Everywhere deserved all dem tings and we can't wait to see their next project. 

An honorable mention to Love, Victor for being binge-worthy fun!

Lastly, an honorable mention to Pierce Freelon and their very endearing Daddy Daughter Day video.

Episode Notes

“But make no mistake, this pain is also a teacher. This pain has taught me to use the words we, they, and all with precision when talking about injustice. This pain has taught me that protest is always about bearing witness and only sometimes about winning.”

Jarrett Lucas on the Stonewall Community Foundation website article titled “Black Pain. Black Power.”

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

This week, Tre’vell and Jarrett are talking about hip hop mogul Curtis Jackson, better-known as 50 Cent. 

The rapper turned actor, producer and sometimes internet troll has been in the news cycle recently due to a string of comments he made while visiting Lil Wayne's radio show where he labeled Black women as bitter and angry while ridiculing them for failing to be exotic.

[caption id="attachment_66122" align="aligncenter" width="384"]

 Unlike Fiddy, who hails from the exotic isle of...South Jamaica... Queens.[/caption]

We'll discuss the misogynoir, toxic masculinity and just straight-up immaturity behind some of the rapper's worst public moments and discuss what it is about 50 Cent that made audiences love him in the first place!

But first…

A Tough Question

If you're following Jarrett and Tre'vell on the medias social, chances are you saw Jarrett's tweet about our current state of affairs.

This week, we want to know how you're coping during COVID-19 and how you strike a balance between being cautious and living your life.  

DIS/Honorable Mentions

This week, Tre'vell has an honorable mention cooking for the Queens Chloe and Halle and their latest album Ungodly Hour. These young sisters did what needed to be done and have all of the range.  

Jarrett has an honorable mention for MSNBC's Joy Reid whose new show The Reidout.

An honorable mention to playwright and show-runner Katori Hall who joins Bullseye with Jesse Thorn guest host Tre'vell Anderson on NPR this Friday to talk about her new show P-Valley. Both Tre'vell and Jarrett took over the Bullseye desk this week. You can catch Jarrett's interview with Da 5 Bloods' Norm Lewis here. You can stream P-Valley here. 

An honorable mention for Jarrett, from Jarrett for the anniversary of him breaking the Melania Trump speech plagiarism story. 

Lastly, a special mention goes out to friend to the show India Arie who helped get us together about something we mentioned on last week's show. We've never been so pleased to be dragged!

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

This week, Tre’vell and Jarrett talk to former A&R executive Drew Dixon about the documentary "On the Record." In it she comes forward to tell her story of an alleged sexual assault at the hands of hip hop mogul Russell Simmons. 

We'll discuss the intersectionality of race and gender Black woman face in the hip hop community and the ways in which misogynoir, white supremacy and toxic masculinity work to silence Black woman in the #MeToo movement. 

Please note, this episode includes a frank discussion about the emotional and psychological trauma of sexual assault.

But first…

Pass the Popcorn

This week, we enter into an entanglement with the news story about Will and Jada. You don't need the last names. You know which Will and Jada. If you somehow missed this story in the news cycle you can catch it here. 

DIS/Honorable Mentions

This week, Jarrett gets things started with an Honorable Mention to Victor Jackson, a Black lgbtqia icon in the making. You can check out "He Belongs to the City" here.  

A special mention goes out to the late Naya Rivera who tragically drowned this week during a Lake Piru trip with her son. Naya's role as "Santana," the bisexual and talented teen on the hit Fox show "Glee," remains iconic. 

Other mentions that sit in a more nebulous state include Viola Davis on the cover of Vanity Fair as well as the first African American photographer to shoot a cover for the esteemed magazine, Dario Calmese. We don't know what took them so damn long but kudos to Dario and we can't help but Stan Ms. VIOLA DAVIS!

Keeping that same energy, Tre'vell has a mention for producer Tony Cervone who recently revealed that Scooby Doo's Velma was always intended to be a lesbian. 

Lastly, an honorable mention for Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard on Netflix. If you're not watching it...catch up here. 

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

West came onto the scene in the aughts as a producer wunderkind and created classic tracks for artists like Jay Z, Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys. He soon pivoted into a career as a rapper and gained fame in 2003 with the hit song "Through the Wire." Even then, as Kanye rapped through a jaw wired shut after a car accident, audiences could see the drive and determination in Kanye the artist. 

Kanye changed the course of hip hop. Without Yeezy you have no Drake. No Tyler. No Cudi. 

But Kanye's ride to the top has been a bumpy one. 

There was the untimely death of his mother early in his career which many have speculated as a reason for his various mental breaks. There have been numerous antics in front of and behind the cameras. Not to mention the marriage to Kim Kardashian which left many fans stunned!

It hasn't been easy to be a Kanye fan. Jarrett and Tre'vell dissect the good, the bad and the what the heck of Kanye the artist, Kanye the advocate for Black lives and Kanye the (alleged) presidential candidate. 

But first…

Pass the Popcorn

This week, we're not throwing away our shot to talk about Hamilton in movie form. It just premiered this past weekend on Disney Plus but some people have a bone to pick with the production's artistic choices, specifically its decision to leave the topic of savery largely on the cutting room floor. If you missed Jaclyn Firedman's twitter thread on it you can catch it here. 

DIS/Honorable Mentions

A dishonorable mention for closed-captioning and its inability to code switch and transcribe Black and Brown voices accurately. Let's hire more Black and Brown transcribers.

Also, a dishonorable mention to the NFL and all the other institutions making surface-level changes to appease Black people without actually listening to the action items Black people have demanded. 

Tre'vell has an honorable mention for Patrik Ian Polk for bringing Noah's Ark back for a special reunion show! Now, can we get a reboot?

A mention goes out to Ms. Halle Berry for first considering, then turning down a role as a Trans person. You shouldn't have done it to begin with but at least you learned something today, Catwoman. 

Lastly, an honorable mention is in order for Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham. Their new book, “Black Future,” is available for pre-order here. 

Show Notes:

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

Hope you made room for an all-new FANTI! 

This week, Tre’vell and Jarrett are discussing the complicated relationship we have with Charlamagne Tha God and the rest of the team over at "The Breakfast Club." 

The NYC-based syndicated radio show has been on the air since 2010 and has seen everyone from bestie in our head Mo'Nique to presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton come through. Guests can expect to have a candid conversation about hot topics and be grilled by hosts Charlamagne, DJ Envy and Angela Yee. 

There's no denying the show is a hit but sometimes in an effort to be provocative the show can let down its audience. It often traffics in misogyny, transphobia, ignorance and shenanigans. Not to mention the fact that it's received somewhat of a reputation as being the place for White politicians to go when they want to pander to Back voters.

We love that this platform exists and that Black voices have a place where we can talk about our triumphs and failures but we feel it necessary to hold the show's feet to the fire and call it like we see it. 

But first…

Pass the Popcorn

This week, we're celebrating the decision by BET to move forward with the 2020 BET Awards. Host, Amanda Seales did what needed to be done! Hat tip to everyone working hard behind the scenes to make the virtual event a success!

DIS/Honorable Mentions

This week, Jarrett has an honorable mention for the "Black People Used to Live Here" marchers shaking the literal tables on gentrifiers. 

View this post on Instagram

BLACK PEOPLE USED TO LIVE HERE! FIRE! FIRE! GENTRIFIERS!! A clip from today’s Uprising: A march for Black Womxn organized by @bringbrooklynblack @noiamreiss @corpus.nyc @hydropunkmedia @playgroundcoffeeshop @wekeepus_safe @equality4flatbush @nyc_shutitdown @guanabana.nyc

A post shared by Zakiyyah (@zwoods2u) on Jun 27, 2020 at 2:42pm PDT

An honorable mention and "Girl, you did THAT!" to Michaela Coel for her new critically-acclaimed HBO series, "I May Destroy You." The show deals with the aftermath of an assault and stars Coel as well. It's funny. It's chaotic. It's powerful. It's just damn good. Catch up here.  

Speaking of Black women doing their thing, a postumus honorable mention is in order for aerospace engineer Mary W. Jackson. You may be familiar with the name from the film "Hidden Figures" which was based, in part, on her life. NASA's DC Headquarters will be renamed after the great mathematician. 

Tre'vell has an honorable mention for Ms. Marsai Martin who recently took on the haters who had a problem with her hair for the BET Awards. Apparently, the library is open during lockdown. Salute!

Another honorable mention goes out to Imara Jones and their doc, The Future of Trans. You can check it out here. 

Last but least, an honorable mention (sort of) to all of the White actors this week who've been resigning from their roles as voice actors for Black characters. Y'all shouldn't have taken the jobs to begin with but good, we guess. 

Episode Notes

Read more about this subject from Tonja Renée Stidhum over at The Root. 

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

We're back with an all-new FANTI! 

This week, Tre’vell and Jarrett are joined by Emmy-award-winning writer and comedian Dwayne Kennedy for a new segment we've dubbed: The Bullshit. 

This time around, we'll take a look at performative "wokeness" and White folk's fake epiphanies. Does removing Aunt Jemima's image from the syrup bottle absolve a nation of hundreds of years of oppression? Do White folks realize Aunt Jemima wasn't even real? (as it turns out, no.)  Black people nationwide are fighting for rights, fighting for justice and allies are definitely needed. But make no mistake, some of the reactions from White America in the past few weeks just seem:

We love the solidarity but it would also be great if y'all could ARREST THE COPS WHO MURDERED BREONNA TAYLOR. 

Later in the episode, we'll chat with journalist and friend of the show Shar Jossell about the term All Black Lives Matter—an expression of inclusion meant to amplify the voices of Black Trans people and others who face violence in the community. It's been met with some push-back, specifically by those who say it reminds them a little too much of the All Lives Matter movement as a silencing tactic in opposition to #BlackLivesMatter. 

Finally, Jarrett and Tre'vell will reveal their honorable and dishonorable mentions for the week and we'll dig into some listener feedback!

You can follow Dwayne on Twitter at @DwayneTKennedy, and buy his new comedy album “Who the Hell Is Dwayne Kennedy.”

Catch up with all things Shar Jossell on Instagram at SharSaysSo. 

DIS/Honorable Mentions

This week, Jarrett has an honorable mention for Joshua Johnson. Joshua's new NBC special is called Pride and Protest and explores what it means to be Black and queer in America today. It's really good and you'll catch a glimpse of a certain FANTI host doing their thing in it as well. 

Speaking of Tre'vell Anderson doing their thing, Jarrett has an honorable mention for Tre'vell's appearance in the documentary Disclosure. The doc features leading Trans creatives including Laverne Cox and Angelica Ross to discuss the way Trans people have been represented and misrepresented in Hollywood. It's streaming now on Netflix. 

Jarrett's got a shout out and honorable mention to all the TikTok teens and KPop fans who did what needed to be done this past weekend. We couldn't name not one BTS song but we love y'all all the same!

Tre'vell has an honorable mention for all of the Black reporters who've bravely shared their stories of systemic racism and holding folks accountable at institutions such as The LA Times. You can follow that conversation over on le Twitter with the tag #BlackAtLAT. 

Another honorable mention goes out to Brooklyn Liberation March organizers including Raquel Willis.

The “I Believe in #BlackTransPower” speech has been shared via clips throughout the week, but @mxalyzaenriquez captured it in full. Check it out below.
pic.twitter.com/doDomaXW87

— Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) June 19, 2020

Dishonorably speaking, Jarrett has a side-eye and "you tried it" for ABC network which canceled The Baker & The Beauty after just one season. The show featured a first-generation immigrant family from Cuba and was touching, smart and very funny. You can watch it here. 

Tre'vell has a dishonorable mention for those suffering from fatigue who've decided to give up already in the fight for justice. Remember: this is a marathon not a relay so prepare to be in for the good fight and the long haul because we're not going back!

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Episode Notes

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

This week, Tre’vell, Jarrett and the whole FANTI team are taking the week off in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. 

If you're unfamiliar with Juneteenth it's widely celebrated as the day African Americans received their independence in The United States following the abolishment of slavery. The actual history behind the date is a little more complex. 

What Juneteeth actually is is a commemorative of the date in history (June 19th, 1865, to be exact) when news of the 1862 (!) Emancipation Proclamation reached the enslaved people of the deepest parts of the former Confederacy in Galveston, Texas.

It is a day of reflection. A day of remembrance. A day of celebration. 

A day of independence. 

Click here to offer your support in making Juneteenth a nationally recognized holiday.

As we relax, relate and release so we can come back to fight the good fight, please enjoy one of our favorite episodes so far: Why White People Love Wakanda.

Since FANTI's launch white people have been emailing, texting, and DM-ing the hosts about loving the podcast even though they’re “not the target demographic”. In this episode, Tre’Vell and Jarrett ask the question: Uhhh…what do you mean by that?

A Tough Question: Should journalists vote?

That’s this week’s tough question, inspired by a New York Times article No Politics Till the 7th Date? How Journalists Stay Impartial. In particular, Tre’Vell and Jarrett responded to what journalist Peter Baker said:

As reporters, our job is to observe, not participate, and so to that end, I don’t belong to any political party, I don’t belong to any non-journalism organization, I don’t support any candidate, I don’t give money to interest groups and I don’t vote.

Spoiler alert: Tre’Vell and Jarrett don’t share this opinion.

DIS/Honorable Mentions 

Tre’Vell – Democratic candidates dropping out of presidential race

Jarrett  – Tatyana Ali

Tre’Vell – Oprah Winfrey

Jarrett – School cafeteria food

Tre’Vell – Chris Matthews 

Jarrett – Mercury in retrograde

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

 This episode originally aired in March of 2020.

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

This week, Tre’vell and Jarrett take us into the room where it happens: the newsroom. 

The past few weeks have seen the world galvanized around the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department as well as the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. The protests around the world have sparked debate about reform, defunding and restorative justice.  

Black people online and in protest have been sharing their experiences with Anti-Blackness and racism in all of our American institutions. 

While the nation attempts to decipher what defunding the police actually looks like, we are also seeing a push for an honest look at how welcoming (or not) newsrooms are to Black journalists. From the media's issues with inclusion to the way Black journalists like Yamiche Alcindor and Omar Jiminez have been treated for just trying to do their job to the shared stories we've been reading through the week on and offline, newsrooms and other forms of media have a long way to go toward parity.

Jarrett and Tre'vell unpack what they love about the newsroom and some of what they don't love about the burden of being a Black journalist.

But before we dive deep into this topic we've got…

A Tough Question

Black military and law-enforcement officers are under the microscope this week. Are you an African American law enforcement officer? Let us know how you're feeling at this time?

DIS/Honorable Mentions

This week, Tre'vell has an honorable mention for the newsroom of the LA Times for catching up and putting a capital "B" in Black people. Say it with your chest, next time!

An honorable mention to the honorable Mrs. Beyoncé Knowles Carter for her stirring digital commencement speech.

An honorable mention to young Black activists actors doing what needs to be done including Keke Palmer, Amber Riley and John Boyega.

A Dishonorable mention from Jarrett to Congressional Democrats for their Kente cloth stunts.

A dishonorable mention goes out to Georgia's voter suppression efforts happening right now. 

Finally, an honorable mention for everyone sharing their stories with the #Everyday tag. Click here to read more about it. 

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.

The world has been rocked by the recent killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died while in police custody. Video footage showed arresting officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of a subdued Floyd for close to nine minutes while he lay handcuffed, helpless and at a certain point: non responsive. Three additional officers stood by in witness. 

Outrage over Floyd's death has sparked world-wide protest for not only the officers to be charged but for accountability in departments and an end to police brutality. Daily peaceful protests have taken place in Minnesota, DC, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and as far as London and New Zealand.

Jarrett and Tre'vell give us their thoughts on the current climate, the protests as well as their feelings on the collective and individual trauma Black people face in a White Supremacist culture. 

We'll also talk to very special guest Dr. Joy DeGruy. She's a professor and author of the book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. They'll dive into why this current moment in our history is different than prior ones and how Black coping mechanisms from past generations may be doing more harm than good in the present.

We'll also talk about what we can all do to end oppression and highlight organizations that folks can donate to if they'd like to provide monetary support. 

[ As of publish date, Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder (bumped up from the initial charge of third-degree) while the remaining officers will be criminally charged. ]

How to Help

Now that we've all changed our profile pictures back from all-black, here are some ways you can help contribute to the cause and a few resources where you can find more information. 

Put your $ where your mouth is by making a donation to organizations like The Okra Project which offers free meals to Black Trans people or Southerners on New Ground - a training and leadership program that empowers Southern rural LGBTQ people of color, immigrant people and working class people in creating change. 

Register to Vote and Vote! 

Amplify Black Voices! Don't be a Karen in the struggle for equity. Amplify and elevate the voices of people of color, specifically Black people, and when they speak: Listen!

#BlackLivesMatter

#JusticeforBreonnaTaylor

#BlackTransLivesMatter

Episode Notes:

Go ahead and @ us

Email: [email protected]

@FANTIpodcast

@Jarrett Hill

@rayzon (Tre’Vell)

@FANTIpodcast

@TreVellAnderson

@JarrettHill

@Swish (Producer Laura Swisher)

FANTI is produced and distributed by MaximumFun.org

Laura Swisher is the senior producer.