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Black Excellence — Transcript

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0:11Hello everyone and welcome to ZPR, Zano
0:14Project Rethink. I'm Frank Zano and I
0:17keep I have to keep talking about uh
0:19Safari Studios, my new home. And we are
0:23located here in Connecticut. If you have
0:25any needs for a podcast,
0:27talk show style, a photo shoot, the
0:29space is awesome. And you should come.
0:33This is my first full studio
0:37uh uh you know, episode with one and
0:40only uh some of you have seen and missed
0:42uh somebody said bring back Nancy
0:44Forville is in the studio with me. Guys,
0:46before we start, do not forget to
0:49subscribe, follow us, share these videos
0:52because I put a lot of passion into it.
0:54Nancy, welcome back to ZPR. We've missed
0:58you for a while.
0:59>> Hey, I thank you so much Frank for
1:01having me um on the show.
1:03>> Yeah.
1:03>> How has life been so far?
1:05>> Good.
1:05>> Traveling?
1:06>> Traveling.
1:07>> Work?
1:07>> Work.
1:08>> Yes.
1:08>> Um and just working on a couple of
1:10projects, but um I I'm loving it. I'm
1:12loving life.
1:13>> You look rich.
1:15>> [laughter]
1:17>> Thank you, Frank.
1:19You look great, too.
1:20>> Well, I know.
1:21>> You look very wealthy.
1:22>> Thank [laughter] you.
1:24Thank you. So, you did call me and you
1:26said uh you've been busy. Uh you've been
1:28going to St. Martin's? A lot?
1:30>> Yeah.
1:30>> And that uh there's a topic during your
1:32travels that you saw and it's trending
1:34on social media and you think that I
1:36would have a uh uh
1:37a thought about it that would be
1:38interesting and you want to learn and
1:40you want your friends to learn from it.
1:42So, here we go. Here you are in the
1:43studio. Yeah, what is it?
1:45>> Well,
1:46I was traveling to St. Martin and and uh
1:48you know, I saw a group of girls. They
1:49were lovely. Um but they all had this
1:52shirt uh and it caught my eye because it
1:56all said black excellence.
1:58And so
2:00I was wondering cuz I the first time I
2:01ever heard of the word black excellence
2:03was during
2:05um I would say the '60s and '70s, right?
2:07During the civil rights. They talked
2:08about black excellence. And at that
2:10time, black excellence probably meant to
2:14um you know, to dress apart, to be
2:16educated, just the way W. E. B. Du Bois
2:18discussed black excellence or uh the
2:22black tenth, right? Um so
2:25I didn't know what they meant because
2:27to me, I saw girls that were on
2:29vacation. But
2:31to me, they didn't look that proper. So,
2:33I was wondering like what did this black
2:35excellence mean?
2:37Um and and what were they trying to
2:39portray um by wearing this um shirt? I
2:42think I know what it means, but I wasn't
2:44sure. Just by their demeanors, but just
2:46by the way they were, I I wasn't sure.
2:50>> Yeah, I saw it. I I I've seen a little
2:52some
2:53It was a a party, I believe. And then I
2:55saw a flyer.
2:56>> Mhm.
2:57>> That somebody sent to me asking if I
2:59would like to come with him. And he said
3:01it was a black excellence event.
3:03>> Mhm.
3:05>> And so the the title alone just uh
3:08said it No, what does it mean? Are they
3:12going together
3:14as black people who are excellent? And
3:16they're having a conference to just
3:17inform each other how they are
3:19excellent. Or what does it mean that
3:21you're you're having a black excellence
3:23event? Is it a showcase, you know, like
3:25we do the showcase of products and
3:29services, you know, the expo?
3:31>> Okay.
3:32>> So, it was just
3:33>> a scholarly event?
3:34>> No, it is evening and you know,
3:37they said it's a black black excellence
3:40event.
3:40>> Okay.
3:41>> No, actually black excellence awards.
3:43>> Oh, okay. Is it an award ceremony?
3:44>> So, I I would say to him, I said, "Well,
3:45then I don't belong there because I
3:46don't think that I go around saying that
3:48I'm a um a my black excellent man."
3:52>> Okay.
3:53>> But your point, yes, you've raised a
3:54point which is the when you when you
3:57told me I took a little time to think
3:59about it and here is what I I see,
4:02right?
4:03So, you're a black person and you are
4:04going out on an airplane or a a a cruise
4:08something like that and you have a
4:10t-shirt that is announcing to the world
4:11that you're excellent. Okay. First
4:14problem right there.
4:15>> Mhm.
4:16>> If I if I were to be in the same space
4:18with you, you've you have alienated the
4:21public already.
4:23>> Yeah.
4:23>> Because if you are proclaiming that
4:25you're excellent
4:26>> Mhm.
4:26>> and it means that those around you at
4:28anywhere you are, at the airport, in the
4:30restaurant, whatever it is, and they see
4:32something that they need to correct they
4:35better not try to correct because you're
4:36already saying you are excellent.
4:38>> You're already perfect.
4:39>> That's correct. So, how dare anyone even
4:41think of correcting you. Even if a wad
4:44of cash fell out of your pocket,
4:46nobody's going to tell you, "Ma'am,
4:48you've dropped your money." Because,
4:49hey, an excellent person is not supposed
4:51to drop
4:52a wad of cash. So, that is the first
4:54problem I saw with it. And I mean it
4:55seriously that you can't be walking
4:57around with this kind of placard on you
5:00saying I am excellent.
5:02>> Mhm.
5:02>> It's an alienation. People would stay
5:05away from you. In fact, it will make
5:07people even now begin to dig deeper to
5:09see what is excellent about this person.
5:12>> Mhm. Um I think I think that um
5:16and secondly, the next thing is, okay,
5:20we know, you know, that there are things
5:22we as a black race and whatever, we're
5:25working on. There are things we're not
5:26happy with. We see the massive
5:29population of
5:31single parent households and the kids
5:34dropping out of school, the fights, the
5:36violence,
5:38the
5:39decadence. We've seen it. We know that.
5:41It's You know, Bill Cosby, this was a
5:43whole thing he wrote a book about when
5:45he said, "Come on, my people." Remember,
5:47he co-authored with a Harvard professor,
5:49right?
5:50>> Well.
5:50>> Okay. So, when you wear these as an
5:52adult
5:54and the young ones are looking at it,
5:56what you're doing is affirming that
5:58nothing is wrong with their behavior.
6:01>> Do you have any children?
6:03>> Yes, ma'am.
6:04>> What are their ages?
6:05>> 4, 3, 2, 1, 6 months.
6:09>> And where are they? Who are they with?
6:10>> Their mothers.
6:12>> How many mothers?
6:13>> Three.
6:14>> All right. That is not like excellence.
6:16The fact that you're here is not like
6:18excellence.
6:19Unless that's the name of a building,
6:22but I'm assuming it's not.
6:25So, you are not showing black excellence
6:27to your ancestors
6:29or to your mother, your grandmother, or
6:31anyone. Do you understand?
6:33>> Yes, ma'am.
6:33>> From here on out, in this court,
6:35whatever you do in your life while
6:37you're on probation, you need to ask
6:38yourself two questions. One,
6:41is what I'm doing something that could
6:42potentially result in me
6:45being
6:47revoked and sentenced to prison for 20
6:49years. If the answer is yes, don't do
6:50it. If the answer is maybe, don't do it.
6:52Do you understand?
6:53>> Yes, ma'am.
6:53>> All right. Good luck to you.
6:55>> So, they go out dressed very
6:57inappropriately, which attracts very
6:58undesirable
7:00male partners. You're telling them that
7:02the fights in the public, the loud noise
7:04in the public, the anti-academic
7:07sentiment, all that it's okay. Because
7:09what else do you want them to think
7:11about when you say you're excellent?
7:12>> Right.
7:13>> Okay?
7:14But
7:15I think
7:17Now, this is my wild I think
7:20we put these things on t-shirts and wear
7:22them comfortably because in our heads or
7:25in the heads of those women,
7:27they
7:28know something
7:30and they think that the only way that
7:32they can
7:33re-educate the public to look away from
7:35what the public knows about them is to
7:38inform the public that we are excellent.
7:40>> So, it's a promotion?
7:42>> It's not a promotion. It's a a
7:44redirection.
7:45>> Mhm.
7:46>> So, you step out into public as a black
7:48woman.
7:49>> Okay.
7:50>> You know already, you've seen it in the
7:52media and from your own black people
7:54who've called out the behaviors, right?
7:57>> Mhm.
7:57>> So, you feel like if I don't put
7:59something on me
8:00people might look at me and remember
8:02those things that our own black
8:04celebrities have said on television
8:06about our behaviors. So, you you're
8:08covering up
8:09what that is is to mask what people know
8:13about.
8:15>> So, me wearing a black excellence shirt
8:18would basically project that, "Hey, look
8:21at me. I'm a good one.
8:22>> That's correct.
8:23>> I'm a well-behaved one. I I may be an
8:26educated one. Trust me."
8:28>> that's correct. Yeah, exactly. Something
8:29like that because why else would you say
8:31to people, like I used to joke all the
8:34time when we were in high school, it's
8:35always the very physically unpleasant
8:38girls who keep saying, "I'm pretty. I'm
8:40pretty, you know." And throw their hair,
8:41right? If you truly were, you wouldn't
8:43be saying it. It's the same thing
8:45wearing a placard on your shirt saying
8:47that
8:48black excellent. If you really were
8:51because you see, excellence is not
8:52something you hear or read. Excellence
8:55is something you see.
8:57Beauty, you don't read it. You don't
8:59hear it.
8:59>> It's already projected. Sorry.
9:01>> Beauty, you see it.
9:02>> Mhm.
9:02>> You understand what I'm saying? Hard
9:04work, you don't hear it. You don't read
9:05it. Hard work is something you see.
9:08Proper etiquettes and conduct, you don't
9:10read it. You don't hear it. You see it.
9:12Because we all know in our heads as
9:14human beings that are certain behaviors,
9:16certain mannerisms that we expect of
9:19people in society regardless of skin
9:22color.
9:22>> Mhm.
9:23>> Okay? So, when you have to make me read
9:26your excellence, it means that you know
9:28you know that it is not seen.
9:32>> Okay. But, black people are excellent at
9:35things, at certain things. We're good at
9:37sports. We're good at music. um
9:41comedy, right? Richard Pryor,
9:44uh Eddie Murphy. We're good at it. Like
9:47we're we're good at certain things. It's
9:49it's in our genes,
9:51um certain things. I would say
9:52athletics.
9:53>> Being good at something is totally
9:56different from you going around
9:57announcing that black excellent. Are you
10:00talking about all black, the race, is
10:02excellent? That's totally different.
10:05>> Mhm.
10:05>> And number two, when you say we are good
10:07at, yes, we are good at it.
10:09>> Mhm.
10:09>> Okay?
10:11Even the question of sports, we say it
10:13all the time, blacks are
10:16good sports.
10:19>> It's in our genes.
10:20>> No, we are not.
10:21>> You don't think we're good at sports?
10:23>> Because
10:24>> basketball, we dominate football, we
10:26dominate a lot of different sports.
10:29>> No, we don't.
10:31>> We don't?
10:31>> No, we don't at all. You see, there are
10:34>> football
10:35>> two types of sports.
10:37There are two types of sports.
10:38>> Okay.
10:39>> There are which we call popular sports
10:41>> Mhm.
10:41>> because they are played outdoors.
10:43>> And everyone sees it.
10:45>> That's correct.
10:45>> Okay.
10:45>> And number two, you ask who consumes
10:47those sports.
10:48Which products do you think are more
10:50popular?
10:52Commodities.
10:53Commodities are more popular because
10:55it's consumed by a large number of
10:58people. Not necessarily that the product
11:01is of good quality. It's just a
11:03commodity.
11:04>> Okay.
11:05>> It can be afforded by the masses. So,
11:07when it's afforded by the masses, then
11:09many people see it and they think that
11:11therefore you dominate in that sphere of
11:14the industry, but it's not true at all.
11:15So, let me give you an example.
11:16>> Sure.
11:17>> Maybe you haven't thought about it. How
11:18many disciplines of sports goes to the
11:20Olympics? About 31, 32.
11:23>> Yeah.
11:24>> 31, 32.
11:25>> That's a lot. Yeah.
11:26>> Okay?
11:27>> Mhm.
11:28>> Different sports.
11:29>> Different sports.
11:29>> All right. For the last 100 years,
11:33which of this out of this 31, how many
11:36of those you black countries come home
11:38with in gold?
11:40>> Um, I would say maybe
11:43>> Two.
11:44>> Only two?
11:45>> Mhm.
11:46>> And what are those sports?
11:48>> Running, which is the running is also
11:50the 100 meters and the marathon.
11:53>> Okay.
11:53>> That's one discipline.
11:54>> Okay.
11:55>> The other one is basketball.
11:58>> Okay.
11:59>> Now, what what happened to the remaining
12:0129 31?
12:03>> We're not dominating at all.
12:04>> Exactly. [laughter] So, the sports that
12:06people see, commonly see,
12:09it's the one. Who really watches soccer?
12:12Which where the blacks, Africans and
12:14Caribbeans call it football, but it's
12:15not American football, soccer.
12:17>> Soccer, I would say it's the blacks,
12:19Africans and Latinos.
12:21>> Yeah, but even in even in the UK,
12:23>> You Yeah, well, you're
12:25>> hooligans, yes.
12:26>> Yes.
12:26>> What class of people really get get
12:28hooked on this thing and screaming and
12:30drink beer and break tables when their
12:32team loses?
12:32>> All classes.
12:33>> Not all classes. You never find any
12:35serious guy who really
12:37>> Yes, there there are classes. There's
12:38all
12:39>> I'm saying I'm saying when you say
12:41football, you talk about Messi and
12:43people are buying the merchandise and
12:44wearing it. You're not going to be
12:45walking around Greenwich or Darian and
12:47finding kids spending their money on the
12:49merchandise of Messi and Ronaldo.
12:50>> Oh, yes.
12:51>> But I am saying Michael Jordan's
12:54sneakers is consumed largely by
12:57low-income communities across this
13:00country. Some may have it signed
13:03That's the truth about it. So, what I'm
13:06saying is that there are certain types
13:07of sports that are consumed by the
13:09masses. Society is always the
13:12divided between the bourgeoisies and the
13:13proletariats. The masses and then the
13:15few who are at the top, they are
13:17seriously consumed with things that they
13:18can sit indoors and entertain and watch,
13:22okay?
13:23So, those two sports are popular
13:26and we do well in those two sports. So,
13:28it makes people think when they use the
13:30word sports, black are great in sports.
13:32When was the last time a black man won
13:34the swimming?
13:35Javelin?
13:37Archery?
13:38Gunnery?
13:39Table tennis? The list is long. Russia,
13:41the United States, China, and Japan goes
13:43home always massive load of gold.
13:48Now, 54 countries in Africa, about 10 in
13:50the Caribbean, makes you almost close to
13:5260 black countries on Earth, and they go
13:55to an Olympics that has only 31 physical
13:57discipline sports, and we come home
13:59always with only two.
14:01Are we really good in sports?
14:03If you take away those two sports, and
14:04they are no longer making money, and
14:06they are eradicated,
14:08would we show up at the Olympics ever
14:10again?
14:11>> Probably not.
14:12>> Exactly. So, that a statement we've
14:13made, and we've repeated it because
14:15there are people who made it popular.
14:18Pelé made soccer popular than anyone.
14:22Then after him came Maradona. That's
14:25correct, okay? And then currently we
14:27have Messi and Ronaldo who made these
14:28sports very popular. So, you go to
14:31England and you have something called
14:32the soccer hooligans, and these are
14:34beer-drinking, bearded white English
14:36boys who just
14:40But if you are in England among the
14:43bourgeoisies and the high class,
14:44well-educated, maybe they're looking at
14:46cricket and, you know, other other
14:48indoor sports and stuff like that.
14:50>> Cricket is is is played by the masses.
14:53>> Yes, so So, that a statement blacks are
14:55good in sports, and you name me which
14:57ones we are good at. And Michael Jordan
14:59made basketball very, very popular all
15:01the way to the hinterlands of
15:03Nepal and India and everywhere you go,
15:05Michael Jordan, you understand? And
15:07Muhammad Ali made boxing very, very
15:09popular. So, this is why people think
15:11that we dominate in those areas.
15:14Germans, up to recently, I don't know,
15:16there must be one or two of them, never
15:17liked comedy.
15:19>> Mhm.
15:19>> Charlie Chaplin went to Germany, I think
15:21in 1910 something and the place was
15:24empty because Germans just don't sit
15:27down and be laughing at them.
15:29So, if you're going to compare Chris
15:30Rock and Germans as oh well, then blacks
15:32do well in comedy. There are many
15:35cultures that don't fancy it. But we
15:37come back to this idea of that we walk
15:39around saying black excellence, right?
15:42And as we are talking it came to my
15:43mind, we are the first to tell people
15:47that don't judge me based on my skin
15:48color. Even if you walk into a store
15:51and the store is about to close and say
15:52oh we are sorry we are closing. Oh, it's
15:54because of my skin color. Today you
15:55close earlier. You close an hour
15:58earlier. You understand? Okay, so we are
16:00the first to tell the world don't judge
16:02me because of my skin color.
16:04But guess what? We are also the first to
16:07always use color almost becoming an
16:09adjective
16:11to describe everything we do.
16:12Black excellence.
16:14>> Mhm.
16:15>> I'm black and proud.
16:17Black is beautiful.
16:19>> Because
16:19>> Blacks don't crack.
16:20>> Because it was put down for so
16:22for so long.
16:23>> saying is we are the first
16:25to announce to the world that we should
16:27not be judged based on our skin color.
16:28Is that not true?
16:30>> That is true.
16:30>> point that anything you do, unless you
16:33do it as a black person, then the other
16:34is not going to say you're doing it
16:35because of my skin color.
16:37Otherwise, anything that happens between
16:39a black person and non-black and a
16:40non-black person
16:42is it because I'm black?
16:44But we are also the first.
16:46Do you see the contradiction I'm trying
16:47to paint here?
16:48>> I understand what you're trying to say,
16:50but a black person cannot run away from
16:52this skin, right?
16:54>> the whole point I'm making.
16:54>> The But the But you're saying that
16:57we're saying we're black and we're
16:58proud. You're saying that
17:00>> no. I am saying we are the first to
17:02announce to the world don't judge me
17:03because of my skin color.
17:05>> But we are judged by our skin color.
17:07>> You are not understanding what I'm
17:08saying.
17:08>> Maybe I'm not.
17:10>> [laughter]
17:10>> We are the first to announce, we said
17:12it. Martin Luther King said it. We say
17:14it till today. We accuse policemen,
17:16anyone who pulls us over because I'm
17:18black.
17:19>> So let's say we were not black, we were
17:22white.
17:23>> Hold on. Hold on. You know what I mean?
17:24Hold on.
17:25>> But I am contradicting that
17:27>> Okay.
17:28>> to the fact that
17:29we, those who are saying don't judge me
17:31based on my skin color, we are also the
17:33first to use that same skin color to
17:35describe everything we do. Now, do you
17:36understand the argument I'm trying to
17:38make?
17:38>> Yes, I understand.
17:39>> So there's a contradiction there. If you
17:41don't want to be judged by your skin
17:42color, then don't use your skin color as
17:44a prefix to anything you do. I'm black
17:47and excellent. I'm black and I'm proud.
17:49I'm black and I'm beautiful. Blacks
17:50don't crack. I'm black and I'm good. You
17:53are drawing attention to the very thing
17:54you are saying to people, don't focus on
17:57that.
17:59>> And I think that
17:59>> There's a problem with this t-shirts
18:01that you're talking about.
18:03>> Sure.
18:04Right, but let's say someone
18:08Okay, so we see it all the time. Kids or
18:10I'll say, I'm walking down the street
18:11and I'm black and I have a hoodie on.
18:13And if I was a white kid and I had a a
18:16hoodie on, I think they would just, you
18:18know, leave me alone. But because I'm
18:20black, they want to interrogate me. They
18:21want to ask me more questions.
18:24>> Yes, you said the state you said it. I
18:26am black with a hoodie and I'm walking
18:28down the street. If I were white.
18:31Have you tried being white and wear it
18:33and [laughter] then wasn't judged? So I
18:35cannot comment on if I were. I don't
18:38know.
18:38>> Okay.
18:40Okay.
18:42>> I've I'm black. I've worn hoodies when
18:44it's like spring, back in college.
18:47Nobody ever
18:48said anything to me just because I was
18:49wearing hoodies.
18:51Eminem wear hoodies. White kids wear
18:53hoodies. So to say
18:55I have to associate something to my
18:57clothing. How did you know that your
18:58clothing is not appropriate for a black
18:59person? First of all, did the police or
19:02the woman or the person who told you
19:04said
19:05your clothing as a black person is not
19:07appropriate. Shouldn't go together.
19:09>> No.
19:11>> How did you know that a hoodie
19:13on a black is the reason a person is
19:14correcting you or pulled you over?
19:17>> I don't know. They just I guess they
19:19found a black person
19:20>> you yourself know that a hoodie has a
19:22question mark. Otherwise, you wouldn't
19:24bring attention to it.
19:25>> Right.
19:26>> You know why you're wearing the hoodie.
19:28Your inner feeling
19:30have you covered your face.
19:32So, you know it. Otherwise, you wouldn't
19:34say that a hoodie was the reason I was
19:35pulled over.
19:38You see, there are little things we hide
19:40in the things we do, which is very, very
19:43disturbing.
19:44>> Mhm.
19:44>> And we have to think about it. Why would
19:46anyone at all have clothings on?
19:49So, you say, if you dress like this
19:52>> Mhm.
19:53>> but you are
19:55in a very five-star restaurant and
19:57screaming and banging the table and
20:00because of the way you dress, they
20:01wouldn't
20:02call you out.
20:03>> Oh, no. They would call me
20:04>> Exactly.
20:05>> Because of the way
20:05>> you wear a hoodie coming to my
20:07restaurant, let's say it's a three-star,
20:09and I say, "No."
20:12I mean, what is wrong with that? There
20:14are clothings that are appropriate for
20:15places, but to say that I'm black and
20:17I'm wearing a hoodie, well, you are
20:19saying something louder than even what
20:20we think it is. You are saying that a
20:23hoodie is not even appropriate in the
20:25first place, let alone one by a black
20:27person, because I don't know where
20:28hoodie was ever categorized by anyone
20:32as inappropriate.
20:34So, we go from I'm black and proud. We
20:36say this in the '60s. I'm black and I'm
20:38beautiful. But, if anyone should say
20:41that,
20:42>> Mhm.
20:42>> which You look among all the groups in
20:44the United States, no one Asians don't
20:46go around with any t-shirts, you know,
20:48>> saying they're in and proud.
20:49>> That's correct. Even the Latinos
20:51[clears throat] don't do that.
20:52>> Mhm.
20:53>> So, it this tells you that the people
20:55are aware of something themselves first
20:58for you to wear a placard.
21:01>> Right.
21:02>> A placard only says that I'm trying to
21:04tell you that what you think you know
21:05about me and it's not true.
21:07Instead of you acting it for me to see,
21:10you want me to read it.
21:13>> So, black people should stop wearing
21:15this black excellence or stop promoting
21:17it? Should we just
21:19>> I promote it in the first place?
21:21>> What are black people promoting when
21:23they wear the shirt?
21:23>> The ladies who said that black
21:25excellence The ones you met on
21:27Yeah, what did they say excellent?
21:30>> I don't know.
21:31>> Exactly. So, you could say
21:32>> I couldn't tell what exactly that they
21:34were
21:35>> asked me if she didn't stop promoting.
21:36No, no, no. I'm not a police on
21:38anybody's wardrobe. I'm only dissecting
21:40what
21:41>> what you see.
21:43>> What you're telling me.
21:44>> Mhm.
21:45>> Would you feel comfortable wearing that
21:46T-shirt?
21:48>> Personally, no.
21:49>> Exactly. I wouldn't wear a T-shirt
21:51saying I'm excellent.
21:52>> Mhm.
21:54>> Even if I'm a handicap, I wouldn't wear
21:55a T-shirt to say I'm a handicap. I'm
21:57sure you will see that I'm a handicap.
21:58If I'm black, I'm blind and I have a
22:00cane, this man is blind. You don't need
22:02a black guy, right?
22:03>> Yeah, I don't need to wear a shirt that
22:05says I'm black and I'm proud. Um, you
22:07know, there are there are different ways
22:09to You could be You could just be a
22:11proud person.
22:11>> What you say? You see, people read the
22:14If I am able to read into it, I'm sure
22:16other people are reading into it. When
22:18you wear a T-shirt or a slogan in public
22:20saying I'm black and proud, what you're
22:22saying is
22:24as a black, I'm not supposed to be
22:25proud. That's correct. Okay? So, you
22:28feel that there is nothing in me that I
22:30should be proud about. When you look
22:31deep into you, when you look into your
22:33history, you don't see anything that
22:36makes you naturally just feel Yes.
22:39Those who truly feel it because they
22:42have it, because it's shown in their
22:44history, because people see it, they
22:45don't even remember if they are proud.
22:48>> It's just oozing out of you.
22:49>> That's correct.
22:51So, when you hear that, and this goes
22:53for any other group, it means they are
22:56aware that I look inside me. I want to
22:59walk around when I go out and ask
23:02myself, what do people see
23:04when they see me?
23:06>> Yeah, like you want to have some
23:07character, you want to have good
23:09demeanor, you want to have good
23:10behavior.
23:10>> That's correct. Now, we're going to have
23:13to be stereotypical in this discussion.
23:15Not every black person has these manners
23:18and behaviors we're talking about.
23:20But do you think that when you step out
23:22as a black person that you feel
23:24confident that that's what people see,
23:26these positive attributes attributes you
23:28just listed?
23:29>> Yes.
23:29>> No.
23:31>> No?
23:31>> No. They see Zano.
23:35But if they have to see black Zano, then
23:37the attributes you mentioned is not what
23:38they see in their mind before they met
23:40Zano. They might say, "Mercy, he's an
23:42exception. I met this black woman. She's
23:43really different."
23:46>> [laughter]
23:47>> That's correct.
23:47>> She's different because she's
23:48well-behaved.
23:49>> That's correct.
23:51>> Hmm.
23:52So, you're saying the perception that is
23:54out there, the perception in the of the
23:57world of black people is that
24:00these people could be questionable. Yes.
24:02Beware.
24:03>> Oh, yes. Yes. We see it. I will know
24:05that one will complain that I walk into
24:06the store they were looking at me. Even
24:08if it's because your hair was so
24:10beautiful and they were looking at you,
24:11you wouldn't think that it's because of
24:13the hair. It's because I'm pretty. You
24:15think it's because of what you also know
24:17about black people.
24:18>> Man.
24:19>> So, people just looking at you,
24:22you think it's because of what they knew
24:24about black people because you know it,
24:25too. Of course, you live in a black
24:26neighborhood. You've seen plenty of it.
24:28You're not blind.
24:29And it's clear.
24:30So, that is why we become really What
24:32are you looking at? We are only ones who
24:35always ask people, "What are you looking
24:36at?"
24:37>> [laughter]
24:42[laughter]
24:42>> You know, and then I have talked to
24:44myself, "Why are we so concerned about
24:46me? People look at me. I I like that
24:48they're looking at me."
24:50Why not?
24:50>> You love the attention.
24:51>> No, not the attention. Human beings, we
24:53have eyes and we are attracted to many
24:56different things.
24:58So, when people are looking at me,
24:59because I don't have anything that I'm
25:00worried about
25:02that you're going to see.
25:04So, when people are looking at me, I
25:05don't I just know that human beings look
25:07because I look at people also.
25:09There is something, the way you wear
25:11your hair, that it will make me look at
25:13you. But, we are the only ones who
25:15always question to the point of pointing
25:17people, "What are you looking at?"
25:19Even when black people look at black
25:21people, not just white this time.
25:23>> She was staring at me.
25:24>> That's correct.
25:25>> [laughter]
25:26>> They use the N-word and say, "What are
25:27you looking at?"
25:30>> But, black people are not are good at
25:32something though. The way good We don't
25:34we have some type of excellence that we
25:36carry?
25:37Uh pride or
25:39>> If you were white asking me this
25:41question, then I might try to answer
25:42you, but you're black and you're asking
25:43me this [laughter] question. So,
25:44>> Why am I asking you?
25:46What are we good at? What are we
25:47>> Yeah, what are you asking this?
25:49You know, and you you in the beginning
25:51you said we're good at poetry, we're
25:52good at sports.
25:54Yes, but I've just told you. It is the
25:56popular ones that people kind of, you
25:58know, we consume. If you go to Haiti,
26:00yes, I know soccer is very popular.
26:02People would stop work, they would leave
26:03work early, and and and
26:06just go and watch soccer. If you go to
26:08Africa right now, in Kenya especially,
26:10you will never see a single Kenyan local
26:12club
26:14people wearing their merchandise.
26:17It's Messi, it's Ronaldo, it's Chester,
26:20it's uh
26:21>> Ronaldinho.
26:22>> All the uh European descent. They have a
26:25whole betting industry plays on only
26:27European soccer teams, not in Africa.
26:30Same in Nigeria.
26:33Same in Nigeria.
26:35Okay?
26:36So, what I'm saying is um
26:39if you say, "Aren't we good at
26:41something?" Well, it's not a question to
26:43be discussed, are we not good at
26:44something? If we are, let those who see
26:47the things we're good at
26:49maybe we are very, very excellent
26:53in announcing that we are excellent at
26:55doing bad things.
26:58>> What do you mean by that? Like we're
26:59excellent at
27:01>> announcing that we are excellent at
27:04doing very non-excellent things. You're
27:06asking me what are we good at. An
27:08example is a group of women wearing
27:10t-shirts saying I'm excellent.
27:11>> I know.
27:12>> We are excellent at marketing ourselves,
27:14we think.
27:16But no. Every group
27:18>> We're excellent at
27:19doing bad things. Listen, that's what
27:21I'm trying to say.
27:23>> Every group in this world
27:25are known for something. Every.
27:27>> thing.
27:28>> Yes, you know, Asians, you think about
27:29martial arts, you think about you know,
27:31diving and all those kind of classical
27:33sports, right?
27:34>> Yeah.
27:35>> Uh you think about Eastern Europeans,
27:36you think about ballet, you think about
27:37classical music, classical dance, chess,
27:39you know, and all those kind of things.
27:41You think about Indians, you think about
27:43management and you know, they are astute
27:45in academics and
27:48So, everyone is good at something.
27:50>> Yeah, black people are good at singing,
27:52dancing.
27:53>> So, that is a
27:56Mozart
27:57put together the fifth concerto
28:00105 years ago
28:02at the age of five.
28:04And it's still being played and studied
28:06in many institutions across the world.
28:09Classical music. A five-year-old. How
28:11about Beethoven?
28:14Bach.
28:15Chopin.
28:18>> I know.
28:20>> Are we 105 years ago?
28:23Do you know any music, black music 105
28:25years ago that's still being played and
28:26studied in classical
28:28ballrooms across this world?
28:31>> Not to that extent, but there are people
28:32who travel all the way to Africa to know
28:35how to play certain instruments because
28:38you know, they they want to know how to
28:40how to play it.
28:42We don't have anything that
28:43sophisticated.
28:44>> I'm just simply You said music and I'm
28:47bringing you to understand what music.
28:49When I was in college, I was made to I
28:51was made to take music appreciation as
28:54an elective, right?
28:55I Nobody ever told me to write about a
28:57conga
29:00or a a
29:01piano.
29:05So, what is a music? We keep telling
29:07people
29:08we created the instrument that play the
29:09music. We created a mathematical
29:12which directs music production.
29:14Did we create the instruments or the
29:16appliances or the electronics or the
29:17equipments that
29:19>> No, which instruments did we create?
29:21>> I don't know the name of them, but there
29:22is like the
29:23>> So, you seen you seen one of the most
29:26>> from West Africa. People travel there
29:29>> One of the most expensive concerts you
29:31can go to is a
29:33symphonies, right?
29:33>> Mhm.
29:34>> Which of the instruments used in the
29:35symphonies did we create?
29:39Okay, when Mozart played the music 105
29:42years ago, the fifth concerto
29:45the instrument was what?
29:47He was a pianist. I'm a Beethoven. He's
29:49a pianist. Okay.
29:52What instrument? The cello?
29:54The violin? These are most popular than
29:56what you're talking about.
29:59>> But that's
30:00that's a Western thing.
30:01>> I'm not asking. Yes, it is. I I I admit
30:03that.
30:03>> Yeah.
30:04>> Yeah. But there are certain things if
30:05you talk about it, you have to talk
30:07about where did it come from? So, I'm
30:09asking you
30:12when was the last time
30:14a plane load of Polish people, a plane
30:16load of Japanese, Chinese, Germans, you
30:18name it, heading to Africa just to go
30:20and play conga and come back?
30:23>> I don't know a plane load of
30:26African people
30:26>> all the time.
30:27>> Yes.
30:28>> Where? Where? Where?
30:29>> There are dancers, there are musicians.
30:31>> but I'm asking which one?
30:33>> I don't know. I don't know.
30:34>> Then why do you say that people are
30:35going to Africa all the time?
30:37>> But they do go.
30:38>> Who is they?
30:39>> Students.
30:40>> Which students?
30:41>> Students of dance, students of
30:42>> Of what dance? Classical dance?
30:44>> African dance.
30:45>> Exactly. You're taking Yes, you're
30:47taking West African dance, you go to
30:48West Africa.
30:51But that doesn't make it most popular in
30:54the world that there is a whole industry
30:56built around it. Ghana doesn't even have
30:58a tourist center devoted solely coming
31:01learn how to play the the maracasho the
31:04No.
31:05You see, I keep saying to you there are
31:07certain things that are popular and
31:08consumed by the masses. So, it means the
31:10thing become popular. But people talk
31:12about this African music as as if you
31:15know
31:17Today go and watch any of the African
31:19musicians performing on stage.
31:22And you would see more than you can see,
31:25especially when they are from the Wolof
31:27region, Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Gambia.
31:3190% of their band members are white.
31:33They use guitar.
31:35They use piano, synthesizers,
31:38mixers that were made in the West.
31:42So, what is the part of the music we're
31:43talking about?
31:45We You and I live in a community in
31:47areas where yes, we consume this type of
31:50music. It's true.
31:52>> Yeah.
31:53But there are no schools, official
31:55schools and official
31:58>> I understand. Yeah, but I mean people
32:01I was just thinking about people who
32:03travel to West Africa. They go into
32:05these villages to meet with people to
32:07help them understand the instrument and
32:10to you know, develop
32:12>> an industry or some educational thing.
32:16>> It's not an official industry, but it's
32:18it's there. It is there.
32:19>> that popular. I'm from Africa, right?
32:21I'm from West Africa. I lived there
32:22long. I've seen it. It's not as you say.
32:24People go
32:25to visit and then while they are there,
32:27they want to try it. African dance.
32:29There are two girls now in Ghana.
32:31It would take a lot of Ghanaians to beat
32:32her.
32:34She's good. But
32:36>> that is a hobby, not something
32:38you know, that popular in the house,
32:40like you're saying.
32:42>> Because there's not an official school,
32:43so you're calling it a hobby?
32:45>> because it's not an official school.
32:47Because it's not Why would they build an
32:48official school unless the the item or
32:50the product is, you know, there's a
32:52demand for it, then they will build
32:54something about it.
32:54>> Right.
32:55>> Yeah, but there's no demand for it, you
32:57know. So, for me, I'm not saying one is
32:59better and one is No, I'm just saying
33:01what is popular, right? If you mention
33:02Chopin, most students If you mention
33:05Beethoven and then Bach and Mozart and
33:07Oh, the names the list is longer
33:09than anything. So, let me ask you to
33:11mention also, really, 100 years ago or
33:14anywhere I go in the world, three black
33:17musician names.
33:22>> I don't
33:22>> Let me start. Mention three classic
33:24musicians that the world knows.
33:29>> I don't know any.
33:30>> Mozart, I've just said the names. You
33:31studied in school.
33:32>> No, I thought you meant any black one.
33:34>> No, no. Just any.
33:36>> Yeah, Mozart.
33:37>> Mhm.
33:38>> Um Bach.
33:40>> Okay.
33:40>> Yeah.
33:41>> All right. You made it very quickly.
33:43Now, name three.
33:44>> [laughter]
33:45>> Three black
33:46>> Yeah.
33:47>> I don't know of any.
33:48>> See, I was I was in Germany and I was
33:50talking to a group of German I said Nina
33:52Simone and they jumped.
33:54>> Mhm.
33:54>> They jumped. They loved this woman. You
33:56know, she moved to France for a while.
33:58>> Mhm.
33:59>> What was her instrument or what was her
34:00main musical genre?
34:01>> Uh she was
34:03>> a classical pianist.
34:04>> Yeah. She's a Yeah, she's a pianist and
34:06singer.
34:07>> Classical pianist. Not just pianist. She
34:09was a classical pianist. A good one,
34:11Nina Simone.
34:13>> Not only good at classical piano, but
34:15she used music as a revolution in this
34:17country. Do we remember her? No, but we
34:19remember Beyoncé. Because Beyoncé Wait,
34:22listen carefully.
34:23>> Okay.
34:23>> Beyoncé is a popular music.
34:25>> Right.
34:26>> Nina Simone is not a popular music.
34:28>> No.
34:29>> It's a classical music.
34:31It would outlive all these Cardi B and
34:34all of them.
34:38So, which one really should be studied
34:41to give us quality?
34:43Is this the behind-shaking with giant
34:45floodlights on stage or manage or this
34:48woman who revolutionized classical music
34:51in this country and fought right you
34:53know uh discrimination with it?
34:55>> Yeah, it would be nice
34:56>> We don't know what excellence is if we
34:58can't talk about it.
34:59We don't.
35:02>> We don't.
35:03>> No, we don't.
35:03>> You're saying black people don't
35:04>> Yes, we don't.
35:06>> How so? Like
35:07>> Or if we do, we would build Nina Simone
35:09statue everywhere. We will force our
35:11children to listen to her music. We will
35:13make her music a requirement in all high
35:15schools.
35:17>> Mhm.
35:17>> If I say her name now, I won't many
35:19people they don't even know who I'm
35:20talking about.
35:23So, we don't know excellence.
35:26>> Mhm.
35:28>> And you were talking to me earlier about
35:29genes. Yeah, what was your question
35:31about that?
35:32>> Well, when I was
35:33>> you said the reason they say black
35:34excellence is because what? Go ahead.
35:36>> No, I was going to say is it
35:38black excellent is it in our genes? What
35:40are What are you saying? Is it Is it
35:42something genetic or is it
35:45excellence because of our education or
35:47is
35:47>> said that they say that blacks have the
35:49best genes.
35:50>> Right.
35:51>> Could that be the reason we say black
35:52excellence?
35:53>> That could be it.
35:53>> I've also long time ago I used to you
35:57know hang on to that statement where
35:58they say blacks have the best genes.
36:01Because I was young. The thing is we all
36:03like for people to say good things about
36:06us.
36:07So, when you hear good thing, you don't
36:09even want to take time to examine or
36:11even dissect it because it's good. As
36:14long as it's good, it's fine.
36:16Only when you hear something that is a
36:17criticism, then
36:19we go off the rail.
36:21>> I mean, the first time I've heard about
36:23black genes being good is during slavery
36:26when they tried to breed blacks.
36:28>> We say blacks don't crack because we
36:30have the best genes. We say it all the
36:32time. All right?
36:33>> And I also at one point I used to parrot
36:36that thing. I used to say it. I love it
36:38when I hear it.
36:40Because everybody likes when they say
36:42good quote good things about you.
36:44>> Mhm.
36:46And you don't believe that black people
36:48have good genes?
36:49>> It's not a question of believe. It is
36:51only recently
36:53I began to really look into it.
36:54>> Mhm.
36:55>> And I said, "No, we don't. We don't have
36:57good genes."
37:00>> Why? Why don't you think we Cuz if genes
37:02were strong we're
37:03>> No, no, no. In in the evolution of human
37:06beings when we we began to
37:09build society.
37:12What are the three things every society
37:14provides, fight hard, work hard to
37:17provide its people for sustenance and
37:20not die?
37:23And to survive.
37:24What are those three things?
37:27>> I don't know. Stability.
37:29Peace. I don't
37:30>> No, no, no.
37:32Tangible things.
37:34>> Shelter?
37:35>> That's correct.
37:35>> Okay.
37:36>> And?
37:37>> Food.
37:37>> Plenty of food and?
37:39>> Drinkable water.
37:40>> That's correct.
37:42>> Mhm.
37:42>> Why did why did we focus on those three?
37:44Because it would guarantee what?
37:46Survival. And so people focus on those
37:50three things to provide for their
37:51people. First thing they have to do is
37:54to provide those three things.
37:56Internally, biologically, we survive on
37:58food, oxygen, and water. You miss any
38:01one of those 7 days or 10 days, I don't
38:03know how many days they say for water,
38:04you're dead.
38:05>> Right.
38:05>> Externally, we rely on shelter,
38:07clothing, and food
38:09>> Mhm.
38:09>> for physical survival.
38:11>> Right.
38:11>> So
38:12societies and human beings focus on
38:14those things to build and provide for
38:16their people in abundance and reserve.
38:18>> Right.
38:19>> Okay.
38:20So I began to think when I hear this we
38:23have the best genes and I ask myself
38:26if when I was being created, God asked
38:29me
38:30what is the genes you want?
38:32>> [laughter]
38:35>> For the things you've mentioned that
38:37societies
38:39try to create
38:41what genes would you ask for?
38:43>> Uh
38:45I would ask for physique.
38:47>> No.
38:48>> Intelligence.
38:49>> You just have to name one. There are two
38:51parts of the human body, the physical
38:52and the you know.
38:54So, which one would you ask? Would you
38:55ask God to make you so you don't crack?
39:00>> No.
39:00>> And yet live in squalor.
39:02>> No.
39:02>> Okay.
39:05If we look into the world today, let's
39:06be honest and put all emotions aside.
39:08Which societies have we seen have
39:10provided the best shelter, best safety
39:13methods, medical systems, all the good
39:15things we mentioned for their people?
39:18>> Um I would say
39:20uh Western and Asian.
39:21>> That's correct.
39:22What genes did they use because they
39:24don't crack?
39:25>> They crack. They definitely crack.
39:27>> Exactly. But we are flooding to those
39:29countries where they crack.
39:31>> Because of development.
39:32>> No, no, no. I'm just saying yes, okay,
39:34fine. Now, let's go back to something I
39:36want to bring your attention to. All
39:38right?
39:39Once upon a time, it's a Bible story and
39:40I've read the Bible a lot and I love the
39:42stories in the Bible because it teaches
39:44me something to think ahead.
39:45>> Okay.
39:46>> Not to rely on the Bible stories as
39:48events that happened and it's It really
39:50means nothing.
39:51>> Mhm.
39:51>> But it teaches me to think ahead, right?
39:54>> Okay.
39:54>> So, once upon a time, there was this
39:56handsome man who was a king and he was
39:59building this
40:00you know, community for himself and his
40:02people. And God saw his work. God loves
40:06his people. And he called him out and he
40:08say, "Hey, listen. I can see that you
40:10want to really provide for your people
40:12and build a great kingdom.
40:14What do you want me to give you
40:17of all things on earth, name one thing
40:19you want me to give you. That gentleman
40:21was Solomon.
40:22>> Mhm.
40:22>> What did he ask God? Give me what?
40:26>> I don't remember.
40:28I don't remember.
40:30>> You went to a Catholic private school.
40:32>> I did.
40:33>> You don't know what Solomon asked God.
40:35>> No, I forgot it.
40:37>> Solomon said, "Give me wisdom."
40:39>> Okay.
40:40>> Where does wisdom belong?
40:42Intelligence.
40:43>> Yeah.
40:44>> To rule my people. Provide for people.
40:45According to the Bible story, he built
40:47one of the most sustained kingdom of
40:49abundance.
40:50>> Mhm.
40:52>> Mhm.
40:53Trade.
40:54Network of trade. People coming from all
40:56places to trade
40:58with his kingdom.
41:01He became also a wise man who was able
41:03to
41:05resolve conflict among his people a way
41:07nobody has ever
41:10You see it?
41:10>> Mhm.
41:10>> Conflict resolution. To bring peace to
41:13his people in abundance in terms of gold
41:15and trade and all kinds of things
41:17because he asked for wisdom.
41:19So, if
41:21the genes that produce wisdom
41:25And God said, "What do you want from
41:26me?" What genes would you ask for? The
41:28one Solomon asked for, the one that
41:29gives intelligence so you can provide
41:31for your people. And you said it
41:32correctly. We look at the Western world,
41:34that's why it attracts everybody. They
41:36have been able to build these
41:37communities for their people. Do we have
41:38a good genes?
41:40When you look at Haiti, and look at my
41:41country, and look at Sudan, and look at
41:43South Africa where they're chasing
41:44Nigerians,
41:46and look at Nigeria.
41:49>> No.
41:49>> Okay. So, what genes is it we're telling
41:51people we have the best genes?
41:54You better think twice before you answer
41:55now.
41:58>> When I think of genes, I think of just
42:00the genetic makeup, our DNA, right? What
42:03are we able to survive? What are we able
42:05to
42:05>> I'm telling you
42:06>> Resilience, right?
42:07>> No, what is resilience? Resilience is
42:09not in the genes.
42:11>> Resilience is a
42:12>> need of something we we summon
42:15to uh traverse
42:17uh uh
42:18uh
42:19a short-lived problem. I am saying to
42:22you, human beings have known for only
42:24one thing and one thing only because we
42:26want to survive, the primary instinct.
42:29Okay? So, we build
42:31sustenance and survival by pro-
42:34providing for our people better
42:36environment.
42:38>> Okay.
42:39>> Yes.
42:40>> So
42:40>> And when we look at the people who have
42:41created this environment, it's evident
42:43because of all of us flooding to those
42:45places.
42:47If you were asked
42:48for genes, a better gene
42:54>> Well, I asked for it.
42:56>> [laughter]
42:56>> You told me already.
42:57>> What did I What did I tell you? Wisdom?
43:00>> Well, I'm giving you the example of the
43:01Bible and Solomon. He never said, "Lord,
43:04make me to live long and never crack."
43:06>> Yeah.
43:07>> No?
43:08>> He said, "Give me wisdom."
43:09>> That's right. And he built a kingdom
43:11that was really
43:14envious to many people.
43:16Yes, of course uh uh pride overtook him
43:19and he became a womanizer. People
43:20traveled
43:21Queen of Sheba, all these people
43:23traveled to go see this man, not because
43:25he doesn't crack. People came from far
43:27away to see this man and bring him gold,
43:29not because he has six-pack on his
43:31stomach. People came from everywhere to
43:34just marvel at what this man have
43:35created for his people and his people
43:37were respected when you go out, not
43:39because he has long fake hair and nails
43:42and eyelashes and big and fat. No.
43:46>> Because he was wise, he had vision.
43:48>> That's right, because of the genes he
43:49has. So, I would rather have God give me
43:52those genes
43:54and not simply going around and saying
43:55we don't crack, yet we live in squalor.
43:58So, no. I would not even repeat that
44:00thing we have the best genes. In what
44:01competition is it?
44:04>> Because there's no competition.
44:05>> That's correct.
44:06>> Right.
44:08>> So, I saying and that takes us back
44:10again to going around and telling people
44:11I'm excellent. It's the same thing. Why
44:13do we all we are the only ones melanin
44:16melanin makes you this. We are the ones
44:17with the best melanin. You see, if you
44:20have some other things that are so
44:22important to many people so important
44:25that you've created not you, but it came
44:28from your background.
44:29>> Right, as a group.
44:29>> And people, you know, hang on it and
44:32flood to your place. You're not going to
44:34even say anything about yourself. You
44:36can have a broken tooth tattoos all over
44:38your body as a white person and you know
44:39very confidently, if I go to Africa, all
44:42they'll lay the red carpet for me.
44:44>> Mhm.
44:46Just because as a group you're okay.
44:48>> That's correct. You come from that
44:50group. You're not even going to say I'm
44:51white. I'm excellent.
44:53>> Mhm. No.
44:56So, we should stop
44:58this or should we
44:59>> No. I don't tell anybody. I just I just
45:01dissect things as you pose them to me. I
45:04think about
45:05>> Mhm.
45:05>> And I'm telling
45:06>> That's contradictory in a sense because
45:08>> That's what it should allow you to
45:09understand is you're not going to stop
45:11them wearing the t-shirt because it's
45:12inside them. All right? So, they are
45:15going to Who Who Okay, look at Eminem
45:18for example, right? He's He's rich. I
45:21mean, platinum of the platinum, right?
45:23So, he has a lot of money.
45:26Would you say that when you look at
45:27Eminem in public standing next
45:31to Kodak Black or
45:33or Mayweather or any just pick any of
45:36them black musicians. Who Which of them
45:38if you look at their clothings and their
45:40bling and their watches and their
45:41collections and their cars, which of
45:42them would you say is really rich and
45:45better?
45:46You would the black musicians.
45:48>> Mhm.
45:48>> Yeah.
45:49But, look at him.
45:52Why? Because he doesn't need the
45:54exterior to tell you anything.
45:56The guy was raised in a trailer park.
45:58>> Mhm.
46:00>> But, still look at it. He doesn't need
46:02anything to hide the trailer park.
46:05Why?
46:08Look at Taylor Swift.
46:10Let her appear with Cardi B or Nicki
46:13Minaj or any of them in public and you
46:15would think that these ones are richer
46:17and better than her.
46:20Because she doesn't need anything. Not
46:22because of her music, because of
46:24background alone.
46:26No.
46:29So, I I want us to recognize and not and
46:33not point fingers at the black people
46:35who wear the excellent t-shirt or who
46:37scream in public melanin and that's the
46:40best God created. We don't cry. It's
46:42because we feel we don't have anything
46:45that I think.
46:46You see you see you see a Japanese
46:50before you meet them.
46:52This part is going to be very important
46:54to you to listen to. You see a Japanese
46:56before you meet them. You see a Chinese
46:58before you meet them. You see a German
47:00before you meet them. You see an
47:01Englishman before you meet them.
47:04>> Because of the way they dress.
47:05>> No. I say you see them before you meet
47:08them.
47:09>> Okay, so all right.
47:12I mean you can see a Japanese why?
47:14Because of their features?
47:15>> I say you see them before you meet them.
47:19>> Explain that.
47:21>> There is no corner of the world where
47:22you don't see a car, an electronic, you
47:25know, that you doesn't this is Japanese,
47:27this is Japanese. So at least you are
47:28having an image of the people already in
47:30your head before you meet them. You have
47:32certain adjectives in your head before
47:33you meet them. Same with the white
47:34American, same with the European, same
47:36with the Germans. You see BMW and
47:39Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen everywhere.
47:41Their military tank that they created
47:43history all the
47:45That's correct. About you see it. You
47:47know about it before you even meet the
47:49German. All you're going to say ah.
47:52But the black person,
47:54you don't see them until you meet them.
47:59>> I see.
47:59>> And when you meet them, already you have
48:01a certain what is going to happen. It's
48:03unpredictable.
48:05Until they finish meeting you, then you
48:07go, "Hmm, okay."
48:10If it is Nancy.
48:12If it is not Nancy, and the other ones
48:14say, "Of course."
48:16I was saying to a friend recently
48:19who is going to open an Airbnb, and I
48:20said, "I can promise you one thing.
48:22I can mark 99.99%
48:25maybe 110%
48:26if a Japanese stays at your place, I'm
48:28giving him a five star before he even
48:30stays there."
48:31>> [laughter]
48:33>> Well, well thought.
48:35>> Are you asking me because you don't
48:36know?
48:36>> No, I'm asking because I want to hear
48:38your your your point. I want to hear
48:40what you have to say.
48:41>> The hotels around the world, I've always
48:42said it, Japanese would stay in your
48:44hotel room and leave and you never
48:46believe that uh
48:47>> that they were actually there.
48:48>> Exactly.
48:51They said a lady who moved to Jamaica
48:53>> Really?
48:54>> and opened an Airbnb, and she went on
48:56social media screaming.
48:57>> I think I know.
48:58>> You know what I'm talking about. And
48:59said,
49:00"Even if the millions I'm going to make
49:02is going to come from African Americans
49:03or black people,
49:04>> I don't want to
49:04>> I'm done with it."
49:05>> Mhm.
49:07>> The last Olympics
49:08happened in I think Brazil.
49:10>> Okay.
49:10>> Japanese athlete
49:13cleaned their own uh
49:14>> units
49:15>> village completely.
49:17The athletes bagged everything before
49:19they left.
49:22>> Right.
49:22>> That's what I mean by there are people
49:24you see before you meet them.
49:28>> Right.
49:28>> Okay? So, I'm just saying this for us to
49:30be
49:31>> uh to be conscious of
49:32>> conscious and empathetic to our blacks
49:34who keep using slogans. We must
49:36understand that it's because they don't
49:37feel that when they go out there's
49:39anything behind, you know, what's the
49:41movie that says, "All the forces are
49:43behind me." I think it's a Star Trek,
49:44right? Yes. They don't feel it. They
49:46don't know anything out there that they
49:48believe that people see before they see
49:49them. They know that.
49:51So, of course you have to try hard to
49:54make slogans and praise yourself and um
49:57all kinds of things. Excellent is not
49:59seen or heard. Excellent, sorry, is not
50:01heard or read. Excellent, you see it.
50:04>> So what do you say to the future, to the
50:06future black children who
50:08are looking to be excellent, are looking
50:10to
50:11>> No, no, no. No Nobody looks to be
50:12excellent. You know, you do the three
50:14basic things that are necessary to make
50:16you a valuable member of your community,
50:19okay? Be empathetic to other black
50:21people. Be considerate to people that
50:24all of us, even though we may be black
50:25in one community, we are different. So
50:27be considerate, okay? And I say it all
50:29the time. Be a hero unto yourself first,
50:32otherwise you're not going to be a hero
50:33to anybody. Be a hero unto yourself
50:35means don't allow yourself to fall into
50:37situations where decadence overtakes
50:39you, juvenility overtakes you. There's
50:41nothing cool about you going to jail at
50:43the age of 19 and tattooing your baby
50:45mama's name
50:46on your on your arms and work out and
50:49come out and then have a good car.
50:50There's nothing at all graceful about
50:52it. Go to school if you can. If you
50:54can't, go to a trade school and just But
50:56I can't tell anybody to do this. It
50:58would be very arrogant on my part. If
51:00you had asked me, "What would I tell to
51:02my children?" then that would be a
51:03different story.
51:04>> Well, what would you tell your children?
51:05>> I won't tell my children. They won't
51:08>> You lead by example?
51:09>> That's correct. You don't teach culture.
51:11>> Mhm.
51:12>> It is inherited. You see it.
51:15We are the only ones who try to teach
51:16culture.
51:17We are the only ones saying that the
51:18black people must unite. Black people
51:20need to change their culture. We say it
51:22as if it's something you can That's not
51:24the case.
51:25>> as a community.
51:25>> You can't.
51:26>> Or support.
51:27>> You don't set a project to unite people.
51:30You don't.
51:32There is something in the center that
51:33attracts them. You come to something
51:34because you have something to give into
51:35the pool.
51:37>> Oh.
51:37>> But if there's no pool for you to put
51:39anything into it, then you can't come
51:41>> together?
51:41>> That's correct. You won't come together.
51:43So you can see, we are the only ones who
51:44say things that other people didn't say
51:46it. It just happened. It will happen if
51:48it is there.
51:51Murphy said if something can go wrong,
51:54it will go wrong.
51:56We don't have a pool into which any
51:57black person will bring anything. We
51:59keep wondering, we don't support each
52:00other. No, it's not true.
52:03We don't have any pool in which the
52:04support
52:06can be brought.
52:07>> Mhm.
52:07>> So, that's why you hear black people
52:09have to change their mind their mindset.
52:10Have you ever seen Asian saying this to
52:12themselves or white people or No. Why do
52:14you say it? Because you don't have it.
52:16You only see the things you don't have.
52:18You only placate the things you don't
52:19have. You only shout slogans on the
52:21things you know I must have it. I don't.
52:25>> Because if you know you don't have
52:26something, you're constantly working on
52:28it.
52:28>> That's correct.
52:29>> You don't need And plus you don't even
52:30want others to know you don't have it.
52:32>> That's correct. That is the thing. So,
52:33we but
52:35>> That's why so many suffer.
52:37>> actually brings attention to us.
52:39So, you have a black excellent.
52:41>> I don't have it. I'm going to get it.
52:43>> to the coffee shop at the airport just
52:45because they almost forgot to put sugar.
52:46You threw the coffee all over the place.
52:48>> Mhm.
52:49>> But here you are, black excellent. You
52:51come to the gate late because
52:54you know
52:54>> Mhm.
52:55>> you're tardy by nature. And they said,
52:57"Ma'am, the gate is closed." And you
52:58break every glass.
53:01>> Mhm.
53:01>> But you have a t-shirt black excellent.
53:04You allow a guy with bad breath from
53:06jail to knock you out twice.
53:09But you have a t-shirt saying black
53:10pride.
53:11>> Mhm.
53:13>> So, when you see it, you got to be
53:15empathetic. You say, "This person is
53:16lacking something and just had a placard
53:18to announce himself." Not because he's
53:19stupid or dumb or anything like that.
53:22But the three things I've spoken about
53:23is this idea we have to be saying that
53:25we have the best
53:26genes. Not true at all. Genes has to be
53:30useful. Not to you because you don't
53:32crack.
53:34Genes have to make sure that your
53:36community doesn't crack.
53:38Your country doesn't crack like Haiti.
53:41It means these people have good chance.
53:42>> Mhm.
53:43But when your country is jacked up, like
53:46the majority we know in Africa and Haiti
53:48and all these places, you don't have a
53:50good chance.
53:54And with that
53:55Nancy, always great to have these social
53:58commentaries with you. You have a very
54:00special way of listening and of course
54:02throwing the good questions. And so,
54:05guys, [music] thank you so much. Please
54:08subscribe, follow us, share and of
54:10course let me hear your comments about
54:12Nancy that you've missed. [laughter]
54:14She's really
54:15excellent excellent woman
54:18and I thank you all very much. Until
54:20next time.
54:21This is ZPR.
54:23>> [singing]

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