It's Always Personal

I guess as a content creator I'm just supposed to ignore the constant attacks from most of the black men I interact with online. I didn't realize expressing an idea could routinely draw the ire of brothers so easily. So, we discuss this on the episode. However, let's talk about supporting one another - shout to Coach Prime (Deion Sanders) for doing unprecedented things at Jackson St. Univ. I also had to touch on two well-written articles that discussed black issues related to Amazon's new urban series Harlem (a piece on ESPN's The Undefeated) and HBO's popular Succession (a piece on Refinery29). Apple TV+ series Swagger's first season came to an end with our look at DMV hoop's phenom Jace Carson life culminating with a reunion with his estranged father. While director/creator Reggie Rock Bythewood did a great job with this scene, I think it doesn't fully flesh out matters from the perspective of Grant Carson (Demetrius Grosse). 

This episode is not about politics, but an observation of how dangerous they're becoming. This episode's been on the shelf for a few weeks while I mulled over a few things. The topics I felt comfortable leaving in include the verdicts of the Rittenhouse and Arbery cases, and then where I am with all of the entertainment I swamped with currently. I know diehard Insecure fans think the series is really an all-time sitcom, but Issa & her team have failed us with this fifth and final season. Succession on HBO might be showing me a little bit too much about wealthy and influential white people. And, blacks folks on soc med are consistent, they tried to ruin Netflix's all-black cowboy western flick The Harder They Fall for me. 

I've long been amazed at Snoop Dogg's staying power and reinvention game. Admittedly, the last Snoop joint that I spent a lot of time with was "Deep Cover" in 1992. He returned to the music game last week as a part of West Coast royalty super group Mount Westmore. I clicked on the video to support Ice Cube, but for four brothers at or above 50 years old, the lyrics to "Big Subwoofer" had me having another personal conversation with myself. This Snoop topic had me looking in the mirror with regard to my own language (eg b**** and ho) throughout the years. Over the same weekend, Jay-Z's induction into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame went down (and LL Cool J too), and I had to appreciate Hov's rarely celebrated ability to grow up with his lyrical content - as he's went through several life events as a man. Sticking with entertainment, I had to touch on Apple TV+ and Kevin Durant's new series Swagger and whether the streaming service will make any in-roads with Black viewers. Correction: Dr. Dre inducted LL Cool J and not Jay-Z as mentioned in the pod.    

Had to give the IAP treatment to former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden's email problems, the LGBTQ community and others fallout after the release of Dave Chappelle's "final" Netflix special The Closer, and the inherent dangers of talking negatively about now twice beaten heavyweight Deontay Wilder following his third and final fight versus undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury. Oh, in the intro, we had to share how a "male" Karen, or Kenneth, intervened during one of season's final cycling outings while host Wood's travels took him into the Bluegrass State - on two wheels.