For Better Or Best Podcast

***Please excuse the audio glitch in the beginning of this episode***

In this Meta World Peace episode (number 37), Charles and Shireen sit with close friends/chosen family Bridget Kelly and René Daniela for a warm, funny, and honest conversation about real friendship in your 30s - showing up, building a village, and celebrating each other through every season.

00:00 - 03:18 Charles opens the show mid‑obsession with rewatching his own IG stories, setting the tone for a hilarious conversation about self‑love, storytelling, and friendship energy.

03:18 - 04:56 Shireen steps in as the “phenomenal host” while Charles showers her with praise. Bridget and René join as official “friends of the pod,” kicking off the theme: Thank You for Being a Friend.

04:56 - 05:27 Shifting to positive friendships: Shireen reflects on leaving behind the 10% of negativity and choosing to focus her energy on the 90% of supportive, loving friendships.

05:27 - 06:36 A conversation inspired by KevOnStage: choosing to acknowledge positive comments first and how that shift changes your emotional landscape.

06:36 - 09:40 Charles’ IG story ritual exposed: The group roasts Charles for watching his own IG stories on loop at full volume for 24 hours straight, even static photos with music. A masterclass in New York trolling-as-love-language.

09:40 - 11:01 The Newer Friends Who Became Family: Shireen and Charles reflect on how Bridget and René, despite being newer friends, consistently show up — flights booked, schedules rearranged, no hesitation.

11:01 - 12:38 Friendship Methodology: Intentionality & Inconvenience; Bridget breaks down how adult friendships require time, intention, and sometimes inconvenience — and why showing up matters more as life gets fuller.

12:38 - 14:46 The Alaskan King Crab Chronicles: A comedic detour into René’s obsession with telling people she gets “Alaskan king crab” at their house — not snow crab, not blue crab — Alaskan king crab. A running joke that reveals how reciprocity shows up in their circle.

14:46 - 20:54 Building a Village & Being a Villager; René shares her perspective as a single, globally raised woman who pours deeply into her friendships — and why having a village requires being an active villager.

20:54 - 25:30 Full Cup Friendships & Re‑Categorizing with Grace; René explains how she starts everyone at 100%, gives grace, and adjusts expectations based on reciprocity — without taking things personally. A powerful framework for adult friendship.

25:30 - 33:19 The Five Pillars of Successful Friendship: Communication, Presence, Prioritization, Quality over quantity, Showing yourself friendly, plus a bonus: giving grace.

33:19 - 34:47 Celebrating Growth & Being Each Other’s Cheerleaders; Charles reflects on his Art Basel evolution; from plus‑one to having “Charles Beloved Productions” on the screens, and honors Bridget and René for being unwavering supporters through every season.

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This Christmas‑Eve episode starts with jokes and ends with real life. Charles and Shireen are no strangers to silver linings, so the two open up the "Kevin Durant episode" talking about about grief, friendship, entrepreneurship, mental health, and the wild ride that was 2025. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to stop delaying your dreams… this is it.

3:19 - What If It All Works Out?  Reflecting on risk‑taking, the promises of 2026, and the sudden loss of DJ Commando and why Charles is done bottling emotions.

6:31 -Shireen touches on losing Chyna; reminder that tomorrow isn’t promised and why you should “start today.”

9:02 - Check on your strong friends! It's important to double‑check on your people, reading their energy, and being intentional beyond social media.

12:03 - Stop waiting on your dreams; the Kuykendolls share how grief pushed them both to stop delaying the things they’re called to do.

14:58 - Laying the groundwork; Charles explains why he wasn’t ready for entrepreneurship five years ago — and what changed.

19:42 - Money vs. Power ; Choosing creative control, building the right team, and scaling without losing yourself in the process

24:45 - The podcast almost ended; the metrics said “quit,” but purpose said “keep going.” And then Revolt called

30:11 - Celebrating 2025; Dubai with the kids, Essence Fest, Cannes, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Afrotech, Oxtail Off - and still being nervous about what’s next.

33:56 - Health, fertility, new IPs & hope will be the focus for 2026 

Peace, normal blood pressure, new ideas, their 10‑year anniversary, leads us back to consider:  What if it all works out?

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It's our Shaq/Scottie Pippen episode y'all! This week the Beloveds needed to keep spilling the tea about the chaotic blessings of their big move, sharing how much transparency and patience was required both at the bank and driving the streets in Houston.

00:02:17 – Kuykendolls recall their most stressful season while moving.

00:04:25 – Triple financial strain: From Airbnb rent, old mortgage, and new house costs.

00:05:02 – Exhausting daily school commutes highlight the unsustainable setup.

00:06:27 – Shireen's birthday wish: forget the party, just sell the house.

00:07:31 – The cash buyer’s funds never materialize, leaving them stuck in limbo.

00:10:32 – Shireen’s corporate job/credit secures loan when Charles’s business income disqualifies him.

00:19:36 – Breakthrough: A local Houston lender offers a bank statement loan, restoring hope.

00:23:43 – Multiple low appraisals force tough negotiations and transparency with friends.

00:25:53 – The family finally moves in; kids are thriving, Mama Tina is settled, the vision for their 40s affirmed.

00:27:47 – A rental solution emerges just in time, preventing double mortgage payments.

00:30:08 – Reflection: This Houston era brings relief, new opportunities, and entrepreneurial energy.

00:31:24 – Houston praised for affordability and generational wealth potential compared to LA.

00:32:25 – Downsides: Houston drivers and road rage frustrations.

00:33:50 – Anecdote: Shireen's first cracked windshield from trucks in fast lane.

00:34:35 – Fashion differences: Houston’s stricter dress codes vs. LA’s laid‑back, homeless chic vibes.

00:36:41 – Food comparison: Houston’s diverse, flavorful scene far surpasses LA’s (sorry to our LA friends😂)

00:37:21 – Houston cost of living perks: cheap gas, bigger homes, better quality of life.

00:38:07 – Career reflections: centralized travel, bookings and business connections are still strong in LA, despite them leaving.

00:38:46 – A good friend reminds them they still own their LA house — future possibilities remain open.

00:39:00 – Now comes the excitement for Houston adventures, gratitude, and promise of a new season.

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We're back! Season 4 opens with a healthy dose of chaos and comedy: Essence Fest highs, a big move to Houston, scammy movers, bird invasions, trap house apartments, and finally a realtor’s offer. Episode 33 is a rollercoaster of "broke" dreams and big laughs.

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Season 3 finale! We did it, Joe! Every season there's a moment of questioning whether or not to continue the pod, but the outpouring of love, support and encouragement has grown more and more, so we will keep the party going. Shireen and Charles circle back to the Oxtail Off and how they forgot to mention their silent partner; ChatGPT. Shireen says she and Charles were early on the AI bandwagon, and he credits Morgan Debaun, CEO of Blavity for explaining the benefits of it. At Afrotech, it was introduced as a "thought partner", meant to be asked specific questions to provide ideas and layers you may not have considered before(1:02-6:50). Detailed prompts provide detailed outlines or decks. Paying max $200 for a completed deck from AI versus a few thousand was a win! Shireen chimes in to share that she uses AI for personal and professional things. The company she works for warned everyone to be cautious when using, especially when it comes to sensitive data. She also warns everyone not to input any confidential or proprietary information for your own protection, you never know who could potentially access it later. Shireen says her only concern is for the youth, who don't necessarily have the writing/comprehension skills, they just want to turn their brains off. Charles jokes that if he were apart of this upcoming generation that he would be dumb, he would've relied on it for everything, since he claims to have been the king of Cliffnotes(IYKYK) back in high school(7:48-16:01). Charles admits to going back and forth in the comments defending his use of AI in place of human creatives, but emphasizes the importance of discerning when/where to apply it. Switching gears, Charles says it would be nice for AI to clone them for all the travel they have coming up this summer, since that schedule is the main reason for season 3 coming to a close. Charles lists all the amazing events he's got on the calendar(18:21-24:03). Shireen shares her excitement about CJ's birthday party, saying its his first one in a while, they usually take trips to celebrate. She looks forward to planning the next installment of Oxtail Off and all of Charles' accomplishments. This next season will be even more abundant! Both Charles and Shireen are grateful for the continued growth and hope to see y'all outside in these streets! Run up and tell Charles if he's funny in real life, Shireen has too much second hand anxiety for anybody new trying comedy. Have a great summer and we'll see y'all soon! Keep up with us on IG @forbetterrorbestpod and follow us in the off season! @beloved1906 @miss_deme Like, Subscribe, Comment, and Share! xoxo

Keep up with us on IG @forbetterrorbestpod and follow us in the off season! @beloved1906 @miss_deme

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It's giving double date! We've got our first married guests, close friends and chosen family Jessica and Marcus Cromartie on today's episode. Charles kicks it off by sharing how he met Jess in NYC many years ago, while she was building her influencer profile. Now 10+ years later, they've been apart of each other's journeys into marriage/parenthood. Marcus joined the friend group 5 years ago, citing that he and Jess became friends first. He fit in with Charles immediately, blending the friend circles organically. Jess talks about becoming a curly hair influencer when she started building her following but didn't want to be limited to hair brands, she wanted lifestyle/travel partnerships as well. She recalls her audience feeling slighted when she moved to LA and started straightening her hair as part of a rebrand(2:12-8:23). Jess' brand has evolved over the years, and gained more of following with every milestone, from her travel/beauty moments to family content. They went viral on Shade Room with their new baby. Charles asks how she has thick skin, Shireen asks Marcus how he got accustomed to it as well. Having been in the NFL, Marcus was familiar with hecklers and haters and pays them no mind. He expresses pride in how creative she is with content ideas and how vulnerable she is online. Marcus explains his level of focus and faith that helped him in the NFL and helped him pivot. He got his MBA during the pandemic and transitioned into being an agent and encourages people to ask themselves, "why not you?"(9:04-16:59). Shireen shifts the convo to how they met, on Hinge, and they were both looking for different things. Jess says she was being intentional in looking to date and Marcus admits to looking to have fun. It was the pandemic so no one knew what to expect. They met and became friends and after a few months Jess was ready to commit and Marcus wasn't sure, in the middle of figuring out his next career steps. Shireen advised Jess to cut him off while he figured himself out, saying nothing will make a man come back to you faster than leaving a man alone. Marcus was honest and honorable about where he was and they took a step back before deciding to build a life with each other(18:19-26:05). Charles mentions how connected he was with his bonus mom growing up, noting that Jess stepped into her role as a bonus mom. Jess took her time bonding with MJ, Marcus' son, and now having their daughter Kendall, the blend has been great. Marcus always prioritized being a present father, which Jess loved. Marcus acknowledges that bonus mothers are under more pressure to create that support and gives her praise for letting him lead and helping her customize her role(27:22-34:06). Shireen asks Jess about her transition into motherhood and what challenges she's faced. Jess had a bit of anxiety around life changes but thanked God for having an easy baby. Marcus jumps in to praise her for giving birth naturally in their living room. Sharing that content helped with the numbers online as well! Marcus tells first time parents to be patient and communicative with each other, because everything changes rapidly. Jess speaks about sleep training the baby at 5mo and how that has helped her prioritize her self care and more time for her and Marcus. Marcus stresses that putting their marriage first makes them closer and makes them better parents. Charles shares the turning point in his union with Shireen was a couples trip they took with Jess and Marcus that reminded them how much they love each other. Shout out to solid friends who grow with us and make our lives better!

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Take it easy! We're all coming down from the high of the Oxtail Off this weekend, and this time EP BK is in the guest seat! Charles and Shireen both share their gratitude, relief and exhaustion that comes with pulling off such an awesome event. Shireen explains how the joining of cultures is so important to her, since Charles is African American and Shireen is second generation Antiguan. Charles shares that his first time making oxtail was during the pandemic, and he barbecued it *cue side eye*(1:30-7:20). After practicing a few times, Charles decided to host a cooking competition and only advertised it on Close Friends. It grew legs organically, with 200 people showing up to their house. Charles came in second place, and JerkMuva (a Jamaican chef from The Bronx) took home the first place prize. People approached Charles during Art Basel last year about it and he admits to feeling fear about scaling it without the backing of Blavity House Party. BK reminds Charles that folks consistently show up and show out for him because of how fun he is and points out that there is a hunger for more Caribbean/West Indian centric parties/events(8:12-19:09). Shireen requests grace in addition to feedback about whether or not the event was authentic enough, saying it was all about creating a balance. One of their friends called Charles half genius half psycho for going from 200 people in his house to 2000 in an outdoor venue. He admits to downplaying his own personal brand sometimes because he's so focused on the logistics. The number of people who bought tickets doubled the week prior to, adding more pressure on Charles. This was a 2 year old idea, no initial sponsors, Charles paid for things out of pocket, similar to the early days of R&B HouseParty. Giving back to a community organization has always been apart of Charles' branding. Having lost a friend a couple weeks ago, Charles gets emotional, explaining that community empowerment is what he wants his legacy to be. FoodCycle LA feeds the unhoused in LA, so Charles made sure to match the dollar amount awarded to the chef, to charity(22:16-32:43). Shireen says she sees Charles being the next Tom Joyner, creating music led experiences for generations. Charles throws it to Bridget, who is working on a new album that sounds like nothing she's ever done. She says she cringes at the word reinvention when it comes to music, she calls it more of an extension of what goodness already exists. Bridget says she's making this project for herself and is fine if her usual audience doesn't love it. She says its hard to separate yourself from your art and that her takeaway from Charles' experience is to be authentically yourself and know that at every stage, it is enough. Less reinvention, more reinforcement of what is already aligned. You'll find your people and your people will find you.

To donate to FoodCycleLA, please click the following link:

https://www.foodcyclela.org/donate-money/

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Back in full effect, Charles and Shireen are joined by their long time friend, music manager and visionary Gordan Dillard. They kick off talking about being a transplant in NYC and hustling. Coming from the Bay, Gordan was motivated by the music industry culture on the east coast. NYC provided lessons and pressure for him, when he was living in his aunt's basement, interning at a label and working at Aldo. Gordan says he always wanted to be an A&R and knew that it was an "eat what you kill" situation so he laid the foundation early(2:13-10:09). Charles reminds G that their group of 4 friends were called The Finesse Boys, wearing suits to work and finagling to get themselves into parties and networking events. Gordan started managing producers before artists and explains the differences. As talent, your team is an extension of you. Charles asked Gordan why he would never be an artist and he says he likes to be low key and strategize behind the scenes(12:39-20:02). Gordan relocated to LA for opportunity. He says he wasn't ready because he felt ike he didn't accomplish everything he wanted to in NYC, but says he eventually wants to move back to NYC when he makes more strides. Shireen says he would never have grown his business if he hadn't left and he's grateful for it. Gordan gives Charles and Shireen their flowers for how they've built their lives and community. He hopes it comes together similarly for him when its time to have a family. Charles asks how G knows when an artist is a star. G says when you're on the right path, you'll just feel it. He tells the story about how he became Doja Cat's manager, how nothing was forced. He connected with a homie in Miami who told him about her, casually played her music and he was in. He explains his vetting process, how he needs to get to know an artist and see how hard they work and how focused they are before committing. Most artists are opportunists because they need to find people to help them get to the next thing. If you're not creating the strategies as a manager, they'll leave you(22:17-31:31). G says its important to weigh the sacrifice, and how elevating changes the people you call friends. Everyone isn't always happy for you and sometimes folks' behavior doesn't fit the new level you're on. Everybody can't go! Friendships in our 30's means we understand everyone has work and responsibilities. G mentions taking care of his mother and how his lifestyle has changed so he can't slow down. Charles shares the story of going to Coachella with Gordan when Doja Cat headlined and how impressed he was with her performance and watching the progression of Gordan's vision. Started in Gap and Aldo, and we're a far cry from there now! #VATTax

Get your tickets for The Oxtail Off @ The Beehive on Sunday May 25th in LA! https://events.eventnoire.com/e/the-oxtail-off/tickets

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This week has been nonstop! Charles and Shireen kick off the episode with fatigue, citing their son CJ's recital, a Netflix screening and of course the Cowboy Carter concert. Shireen breaks down the process of paying top dollar for floor seats for Beyonce and the discovering how much more they spent compared to the website. After a bunch of calls, hemming and hawing and submitting evidence to AmEx, they managed to get part of their money back and were able to enjoy the concert (1:26-15:20). Shireen and Charles then discuss the screening of the new Netflix show 'Forever', produced by Mara Brock Akil. Charles and Shireen banter about being young and in love. Charles wonders if Shireen would have even looked his way in high school, Shireen laughs and says she was always a baddie but didn't date as much as Charles thinks. Charles claims to have always been a charmer and his 8th grade girlfriend "ruined" it once they got to high school and she invited him and someone else to her homecoming(16:09-26:24). Charles decided to never be a simp ever again! Being cool and focusing on himself was the play, after that. What Charles didn't realize, was that that's what a lot of the girls like, so he never talked to her again after that. Shireen shares a story about dating a jealous guy in college that always accused her of sneaking around and cheating. You know who accuses people of cheating the most? Cheaters! A random coworker of her man outed him to Shireen and in true Virgo fashion, she brought receipts and she never talked to him again after that. We've all had crazy experiences as young lovers, so glad we're beyond all that now.

Get your tickets for The Oxtail Off @ The Beehive on Sunday May 25th in LA! https://events.eventnoire.com/e/the-oxtail-off/tickets

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This week is all about that cash money! Shireen comes in hot, saying that Charles is having an existential crisis. Charles pretends not to know what that big word means so Shireen explains how introspective Charles has been in 2025, trying to establish the work/life balance. Charles still can't believe how much money he made in 2024, both of them have reached new heights in their careers. He also shares that he has spent more days of his life poor than he has spent living "rich"(1:34-6:23). When assessing how much their house cost compared to what many of their other friends have paid in other places, it was clear that they paid 3x more because they're in LA. They question if it's worth it long term, is LA a forever financial place? Charles' mother now lives with them, so wanting another child means that more space is necessary. Shireen says she wants to create generational wealth, so maintaining their quality of life might mean relocating. Charles mentions life insurance policies and how crucial it is now(7:40-16:15). Shireen points out that part of building personal branding means health has to be a priority, so get it while you're healthy. Charles announced he's officially launched Charles Beloved Productions, with Kareem and Shireen as business partners. Any time Charles got booked in the past it was through R&B HouseParty and now Charles Beloved is its own entity. Someone at AfroTech called Charles a "curator of Black joy" and it stuck. Charles says he's not getting outta bed anymore for less than the number he has in mind. He has no problem saying it with his chest(19:30-26:15). Shireen tells Charles he taught her how to negotiate for what she wants. Say your number and then shut up. Don't talk yourself out of your worth, start high. Charles enjoys working for himself, Shireen shares that she does not and that's ok. He knows business, how to scale and build and market and will bet on himself. Shireen set up the sharing of an update that Charles has, after he has been setting his goals for the year. He wanted to become an ambassador for a liquor brand considering how much his lifestyle/content matches. Finally the call came from Hennessy/LVMH. The Henny Beloved era is upon us!(26:15-33:25). Charles says this is a match made in heaven. God will give you the desires of your heart. Charles says he's had nights of questioning if he was making the right choices but he's always been patient in looking for signals and signs. Charles is ready to take the risk and sacrifice for alignment. Shireen confirms that whatever fell through or didn't work out, will never be God's best for you. Anxiety and faith can't live in the same house. Charles stresses that sacrifice is a real thing. You've got to be willing to go without. Normalize doing that to get after what you really want. Being responsible with what you've got will set you up for your future.

Get your tickets for The Oxtail Off @ The Beehive on Sunday May 25th in LA! https://events.eventnoire.com/e/the-oxtail-off/tickets

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