From Gang Membership to Growth: Brandon's Journey of Redemption and Resilience - Part 2

From dodging legal bullets in the courtroom to navigating the perilous streets of Morovia and Duarte, Brandon’s story is one of resilience and redemption. Imagine facing a witness whose testimony could ruin your future, only to find a glimmer of hope through academic and athletic prowess. Join us as Brandon recounts the unwavering support of his father and the critical moments that nearly led him astray, providing a candid insight into the tensions between gang life and the quest for a better path.

Ever feel like you've outgrown your surroundings? We discuss the monotony and limitations that often come with staying in one place, sharing personal stories about moving away and discovering new worlds. From the challenges of adjusting to new cultures in San Diego to the heartache of losing a father, this episode underscores the significance of family support and the impact of emotional guidance. Witness how these experiences shape our perspectives and propel us toward personal growth and broader horizons.

Stepping into the cutthroat world of Hollywood talent agencies, we unpack the trials of social anxiety and the power of authentic representation in media. Learn how a keen eye for content can transform a career, even from the humble beginnings next to a trash can at Telemundo. We'll also explore the importance of staying true to one's identity, mentoring the next generation, and how genuine portrayals of Black experiences, like those in "Empire," can resonate powerfully with audiences. This episode is a testament to the strength found in authenticity and the transformative impact of genuine support and representation.

Chapters

• 0:15 Brandon's Journey Through Gang Membership
• 11:36 Outgrowing the Hood
• 15:15 Seeking Guidance and Pursuing Success
• 26:52 Choosing Between Job Offers
• 37:43 Overcoming Social Anxiety Through Networking
• 48:13 Navigating Talent Agencies and Content Research
• 57:30 Embracing Identity for Success
• 1:01:52 The Influence of Authentic Representation
• 1:09:02 Navigating Cultural Differences in Professional Settings
• 1:18:30 Impacting Youth Through Guidance

Transcript

Kali: 0:15

It's the Deep for the Week talk show. Are you ready to talk? Let's get deep for the week from you guys. So last week was very intense as we discussed Brandon's association with gang membership. Now Brandon left off at how long the judge was going to sentence him. Let's find out. And let's also find out the outcome of Brandon's life. Did gang banging cripple his adulthood or did Brandon turn out to be a great young man? Now I happen to know Brandon, so this was very um a very interesting. A lot of things he told us in this interview. I did not know about him, but it was very interesting to hear that Brandon um diversity also helped him become the young man that he is. So watch episode two, as we get deep and he tells us how gang membership molded and or crippled his adulthood.

BT: 1:11

Let's get deep, y'all it's funny because I was during that time, I was still fighting the case and, uh, when I what man this was, this was, this was fucked up, I was up there. Oh so I was. When I was in court, the judge, this lady man, mr Culberson, got up on the stand and ripped me apart. He's talking all of this bad shit. Like I'm a fucking, like I was Scarface or something.

Kali: 1:38

No, he didn't come to the witness stand.

BT: 1:41

That nigga came to the witness, he had his toe ass with that punch. Man, I'm telling you, bro, I better not never see that dude again. You know what I'm saying.

Kali: 1:48

I'm mad that you punched him like that, for real there.

BT: 1:53

When he said he was out to get me, he wasn't lying, because that motherfucker, not only did he get me kicked out, he's the one that got me kicked out. Then he came to my court and I'll never forget. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even got convicted. The judge was like the judge convicted me to the fullest extent of the law. She gave me class one felony um possession of sales with intent to distribute the highest you can get on that. You know what I'm saying. And she was like I'm like bro, so that even a lot of people don't know. But in California we got a little thing called the three strikes law. So if I would've got two more of those, I would've got 25 of life.

Kali: 2:34

And that's what's so fucked up about that law, because you can get in there, go in there on some bullshit and get 25 motherfucking years years, you know how many people have been there from just like stealing food and you know, like or stealing shit, that you know when they had that law where if you stole something for more than over $50 it was considered a felony and so they got three strikes from just stealing shit and really doing life, ain't that sad Motherfucking Clinton.

BT: 2:59

That was Clinton's ass too. You know what I'm saying. For all that shit they've tried to punt.

Kali: 3:02

That was Clinton too you know, people don't be knowing who be behind that shit and they be, oh, I love them. You got to do your research.

BT: 3:10

You better, you better. I'm in the court listening to the judge, and the judge was like I don't believe the minor, I believe it was too much evidence. There was this, that and the third, the people who came and spoke against them. I believe them. Blah, blah, blah. I'm going to give you, I'm going to convict you to the fullest extent of the law, young man, she said the only thing I'm not going to do is put you in jail. She said the only reason I'm not going to put you in jail is because of your grades. She says you, you. She said you're an athlete and she said you got a 3.6 GPA. She says I don't understand that. She says what I do understand is you have a chance to change your life. She said so I'm not going to put you in jail, but everything else I'm giving you. So, thank God, you know what I'm saying. So I had shit. I had a long ass probation. I had I can't tell you how many hours of community service I had If I get caught doing any motherfucking thing. It was a rap, it was all that shit, right, and?

BT: 4:19

But after that court, I didn't go back to school yet my dad took us to Denny's. It was me, my dad and my mom and my dad, my dad, my mom, my dad said something he's like son, you know. He's like I'm proud of you. He's like man. You know you handled all this like a man. You know what I'm saying. He's like I'm proud of you, man. You know I didn't expect that. You know what I'm saying. No-transcript talking to you. He's like you always hold your head up, I don't care what the situation is, and I never forgot that. You know what I'm saying. I never forgot that to this day. So I'm going to school, whatever I didn't stop doing. My dad said man, don't fuck this up. I didn't change. I'm doing the same shit I was doing at Mirror. I'm running around. I'm just doing it in Morovia and Duarte. Now I'm running around the streets. I got a car. Now you know what I'm saying. Morovia PD was not fucking around, they didn't know, was not fucking around, they didn't know.

Kali: 5:25

The sheriff was Sheriff was the ones.

BT: 5:27

They was the ones. See, people don't know Outs didn't have sheriffs. See, people don't understand In order to be a sheriff, you've got to do two years in the penitentiary. You've got to work as a guard or whatever. You've got to do two years in the penitentiary. So that's why sheriffs are so fucking mean in the penitentiary. So that's why sheriffs are so fucking mean is because in order to become a sheriff, they have to do two years in the pen in the California penitentiary.

BT: 5:49

So that's, why sheriffs are separate and that's why they have that swag about them. They irritate me. Oh, they're the worst. So I'm doing all kind of shit Same shit I was doing at Dena. I'm doing that with Roby and Duarte. Just, I remember Roby and Duarte. Just, thank God I didn't get caught doing no dumb shit. Same shit going on, right. And so anyway, senior year come, I get into college. I get into at least five colleges. Sadly, in my 12th grade year year, my father passed away from cancer, and that was really hard Because he found out he had cancer and three months later he Passed away. So you know, if you do the math, he was fine one day and three months later he's passed. So you gotta understand how much deterioration he must have had in three months. That's fast.

Kali: 6:48

It's traumatizing to see somebody go that fast. That happen that fast. That's crazy.

BT: 6:55

I think that was the worst part, because it wasn't one of those situations where I wasn't close to my dad. I was really close with my dad. He was the strongest man I've ever known. To see him deteriorate so fast and to see the strongest person you've ever known be the weakest person you've ever seen, at that young of an age. It hurt, it hurt bad, it's awkward.

Kali: 7:21

It's everything. It's so many emotions at once. That's how I felt. Yeah, I definitely know what you're saying. It's like my hero, my everything, that I gotta you know it. Just, it's a weird feeling. So, yeah, that that was. Yeah, I didn't know that happened that fast yeah, he had.

BT: 7:39

He had lung and brain and it spread, and by the time they caught it, it was just wrapping. You know, he had surgeries which just didn't do nothing but make it worse. You know what I'm saying. Let him less agile, and the whole nine. You know what I'm saying. So I had to watch that, and the fucked up thing this is the thing, though, and one of the reasons why I bring it up is because I remember, when he was all right, I went to him and was like pops, I'm going to graduate next year. He was like son, I'm not sure if we can afford college Now. That just crushed me, because my whole time, I'm thinking this is what I'm doing. The fucked up thing was, though, because he passed. That was the only reason I was able to go, because I was able to get financial aid. The reason I was able to get financial aid is because my mom didn't make enough money, and then my dad's income was no longer there, so when the federal government looked at the income, they saw it was only this, and so now I qualify for financial aid. So the only reason I was able to go to college so, in hindsight, the only reason I was able to go to college was because my father died. So the reason and I bring that and I say that for a reason, because it was, it's a through line and helped me that got me through a lot when I felt like I'm not, wasn't sure if I was able to, if I could keep doing what I was doing. So anyway, I get it.

BT: 8:57

I got into five colleges. I got into Morehouse, I got into Florida State. I got. I really wanted to go to Morehouse. That was my number one pick. The only reason I didn't go is because it was too far away from my mom. I didn't want to leave her and my father had just died. It wasn't me going nowhere, you know what I'm saying. But I did end up choosing San Diego State. So I went to San Diego State. That was my first cottage. So I was going to San Diego State. The Aztecs Go Aztecs. You know what I'm saying. I was going to San Diego State and changed my life. I mean, when I got down there, you know, bro, it was what I think a lot of hood niggas miss. See, I never, I never, I never, I never, I never. Not one time thought to myself when I'm 18 years old, I'm going to still be around the neighborhood. That was never a thought I had in my mind. In my mind, I was like when I'm 18, I'm the fuck up out of here, which is why you?

BT: 9:54

know what I'm saying, which is why, like when I see like career, like gang members and stuff you know what I'm saying I'll be like it's not a diss or a down, it's just. I just remember when I was Wanting to be out of that shit. I'm the fuck out of out to being at 18. I'm gone, I want to see and it wasn't so much of. I just don't want to see this street shit and I don't want to be.

Kali: 10:19

Oh, I mean. I mean, I think it's a mentality, you know, because I agree. I agree, I felt the same, Like you know, even with me being at graduating. I was pregnant when I graduated and I already had another baby, but I still was like I'm not. This is just not. I don't, you know, even though my friend it was a thing I know. You remember how many pregnant girls and I just was like I don't know what they label me as Baby mama welfare. I'm still finna go. I went to college too, so I get what you're saying. It's an urge. I think Everybody don't have that, because we still be looking at some people we can go pull up right now. They're still there.

BT: 11:00

You ain't lying. You ain't lying, bro, you right. I couldn't agree with you more. It is very much a complex, and my motherfucking complex was I'm a people person, I'm a worldly motherfucker. You know what I'm saying. I'm interested in shit. People would be like nigga what you like. You know what I'm saying. But again it goes back to I went to private school, bro. I didn't go. I didn't career do none of this. I went to private school. They got thrown into this bullshit and and and did what I did to survive it and then, as soon as I'm like I'm, I can get up out of it. I'm up out of it Cause it's. It's what you said more than anything else. I see what else was out there in the world, but also I don't know what other motherfuckers felt. It wasn't me being bougie or anything, but I just think the hood is boring as a motherfucker Boring. There's nothing to do.

Kali: 11:52

It's so fucking repetitive there you go, you feel me. I mean, if you don't like going to work and doing the same job, all that shit they be talking a factory or whatever then how you get up and go to the same fucking park that you've been going to since four, three years old playing in it. Now you in there, motherfucker at 40, smoking a blunt sitting on watching somebody.

BT: 12:14

I know, I know and I feel you, that's how I felt. I'm like this shit here. In all honesty, I was bored around the homies half the time. You know I'm saying I I didn't know if it was, I didn't know what it was at the time, I just knew I was fucking bored. I just knew the shit niggas was doing I wasn't interested in doing. You know, motherfuckers would even talk shit about me, like they don't want to do this. And the funny thing is, no, I mean, I never. No, I wasn't the type of motherfucker that would just go along with shit just because you, if I didn't want to do something, I'm like nigga, y'all go ahead, I'm through. You know what I'm saying. The motherfuckers used to talk a little shit but I just wasn't interested. I don't know, man, a lot of the shit felt lame, a lot of the shit felt bullshit.

Kali: 12:54

A lot of the shit felt I hate to say it, but beneath me, and I hate to say that, but that's how I get what you're saying, because now that I'm not from California I mean not that I don't live there anymore I'll watch, like people's functions you know, live when they go live and stuff and part of that makes me miss home Like right, Then I'll be like I couldn't even see myself being at that function. You know, like if I was still, you feel me Like I just don't like it just, and it's not to put them down Like I don't like it just I and it's not to put them down, like I still love a lot of them. People like to the point where, like I do want to see them sometime but like not at them, type of functions I do understand and it's like it's almost embarrassing to be like, damn, I used to be that girl chilling fast in the blunt with them niggas like you know, I just, but it is.

Kali: 13:40

but it's crazy to see that there are still 48-year-old thugettes. They still out there like chilling every day with these, you know. So, yeah, I know, and I watch it and I'll be like what has not triggered them to say like damn, I'm going to be 60 doing this. Right, I was 20, feeling like that, like I didn't, you know, I had bitches. That was 40, that was kicking it with us younger bitches. You know, yeah, that was 40 that was kicking it with us younger bitches.

BT: 14:05

I don't want to be like you, I had a lot of that.

BT: 14:09

When I got out, when I was going to San Diego, it was just such I'm still smiling about it. You know what I'm saying. I was like, wow, bro, this kind of goes and I know we've run a long time, but I this kind of goes to like what I, what I kind of will talk about when I get to my job part but it was. It opened my eyes up to what else was out there, you know saying and I saw how much bigger the world was. And then, you know, I saw, saw, that I love more than anything else. I took the hood with me and I say that in a good way. You know what I'm saying. I'm proud to be where I'm from. Damn it. You know what I'm saying. I don't look at it as negative in any way. I'm proud of it.

Kali: 15:03

Nothing embarrassed me about nothing I've ever had to do, been through. I understand it was part of where I'm at or where I'm going and all of that shit you know, right on, it's a part of you, it's a part it made you who you are.

BT: 15:15

And when I went down to San Diego you know what I'm saying wasn't nobody like me. You know what I'm saying. Like nobody was like me, like motherfuckers. I mean it was motherfuckers from LA down there, and you know what I'm saying and obviously the locals from Dago, and you know what I'm saying. But motherfuckers, there wasn't nobody like me. You know what I'm saying. I felt like a superstar kind of. You know what I'm saying, because everybody would trip on how I would talk, how I would-ass shirt. You know what I'm saying. Oh, you put the creases, y'all put creases and y'all shit like that. You know what I'm saying, that kind of thing. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 15:46

So then I'm experiencing that on top of just thousands of people I'm meeting, I'm just meeting some and I'm a people person. So I'm talking, I talk to every motherfucking body, and you know what I'm saying. I'm going to parties, and you know what I'm saying. Boy, boy, boy, san Diego was like living in fucking Alcindor. You know what I'm saying. I don't know if people know, boy, san Diego is nothing but bloods. You know what I'm saying. And it's smart. They got Crips and they got Bloods, but the Bloods is deeper, deeper.

Kali: 16:19

It's like, yeah, what is it Skyline out there, or some shit.

BT: 16:24

That's what it was. Skyline is deep as a motherfucker.

Kali: 16:28

I don't even know what the Crip Gang name is out there. That's all you know what I'm saying.

BT: 16:33

They got neighborhoods. I don't want to go to it, but they got a neighborhood and they got this stick on West Coast. They got some other shit. But you know I met niggas down there. I got down there and you know I met niggas down there. You know I got down there and you know, can't keep the hood off the kids, you know. So I remember I kind of hooked up with niggas and was fucking around. Really I just wanted to see, I wanted to know where I was at. You know what I'm saying. I wanted to know where I was at because I move around a lot. You know what I'm saying.

Kali: 17:01

I'm all over the motherfucking San Diego, so I want to know.

BT: 17:03

Okay, if I'm in East Dago, who's over here? You know what I'm saying, so I learned real quick. You know what I'm saying. Okay, it's Foddy's over here. It's West Coast over here. It's Neighborhood over here. It's Skyline over here. It's Lincoln over here. So Farrell Park over here. And man, I'm a nigga to this day. You know what I'm saying. Boy, boy, boy.

BT: 17:28

He's a cancer like me, and it was just a. We were very similar, both of us liked skiing, both of us liked to party. You know what I'm saying. But he was going to San Diego State and he was a year older than me, but then he got kicked out that year too. You know what I, he got kicked out that year too. You know I'm saying and but anyway, I was, I was kicking with him a lot, and you know I mean shit happened, shit happened, man, to where?

BT: 17:55

I mean bad shit. You know saying somebody ended up ended up dying. And you know saying it was just, it was just same old shit, like you know saying and. But so yeah, it was a little bit of that down there for me. I got kicked out from my grades, right? So so the day I kicked out from my grades. The day I find out, I had to call my mom and my brother because I had to tell him, like you know, and I thought that was going to be the worst call in the world, because you got to remember my dad just died. So now I, and the only reason I was really able to go was because he died. So now you mean to tell me nigga you done, fucked your school off. Pops died for nothing. That's how I'm feeling. I'm like man, my brother about to rip my head off. I call.

BT: 18:31

I'm like let me get through with my brother first, he going to be the worst. Then I'll call my mom second, because he going to be mad, she going to be easier. I called they both on the and my brother didn't even get mad. He said OK. He said so, this is what you're going to do. You're going tomorrow, you're going to go down there. He's like you're going to figure out what the JC is. Go down there, roll in the JC, figure out what classes you need to take, take them and then transfer back to a major school. He's like that's what we're going to do, not you.

BT: 19:03

I thought it was going to be nigga. What the fuck is wrong with you? You know, I don't think other people, I don't think Black people understand Black elders understand how much you got to give support to the youngsters, man, even if you know what I'm saying, you don't agree with what they're doing or how bad they fucked up. You was like them at once too, bro, and I don't think sometimes young Black people get enough love and I think that that's-.

Kali: 19:23

Too much tough love, too much discipline. I'd speak on that a lot, cause you know, I think, like my mom, she probably, like I, don't understand what the problem is. I did great because we were able to survive. You know what I'm saying, and take care we don't. We've never had to move back home. And so she equates that to I did my job. But I think back in our era a lot of us was raised without the love, just the guidance, and that is missing, and especially with boys. I think girls can do, but I think that's what boys they go to the streets for.

BT: 20:00

No, you're right, You're more than right and I agree. I agree Because that love right there, just it made it. I was like, okay, I can do this Made you not want to disappoint as well.

BT: 20:13

That's right. Not only did I have confidence that I could do it, and now it gives me more confidence, because now I'm doing it for other people too. Now I don't want to disappoint my people because they showed me this love, now I got to do it. Other people too. Now I don't want to disappoint my people because they showed me this love, now I got to do it. So I got my black ass back in. I remember it was a JC called Grossman. I get back in there, I'm going to JC, I'm doing my class or whatever, and then I come back home. I come back home to Dana and I transferred to Cal State Northridge. So I'm going to Cal State Northridge and this is where this is like. Now I'm getting up to speak to where I'm at now. So I transferred to Cal State Northridge and I'm majoring in business and I kind of just think OK, I know I want to go into entertainment, but I just don't know what that is. So I saw I go, and that day I look in the book.

BT: 20:56

It's a book where they had all the majors and I see something that said radio, television, film, and then they had that was the umbrella. And then, underneath that, which was like your subcategory it was, it was something called media management. I said, well, that sounds like business and entertainment. I was like I'm going to change it to that. So I told my people, I told my mom and brother, hey, this is what I'm doing. They were dead and out of grief. That was hot. They're like what you mean? Like that sounds like some bullshit. And I was telling him. I was like, man, just trust me, you know what I'm saying. And they was not with it, but I did it anyway. And to this day my brother's like see, I'm glad you didn't listen to us, you know what I'm saying. I did it anyway. I switched my major right.

BT: 21:32

So now I'm in this major and I'm doing all these classes. I'm doing like screenplay classes and all these weird motherfucking classes. I'm like I know what. I need to go talk to my counselor. So I set a meeting with my counselor and I go in there and there's like seven students in his office and they're all like they're eating pizza and playing around and I'm like what is this? And then my counselor looks at me and then he looks at all the other kids and he says I want everyone out of this room except for Brent. So everybody leaves.

BT: 22:03

And then the guy says his name is Bob Gustafson. Bob says to me how can I help you, young man? And I look at him and I say I was like man, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. And he smiles and he says you know what he says. That's probably the best answer you could have gave me.

BT: 22:22

He said I deal with kids all the time that think they know the world and they don't know shit. He says the fact that you understand that you don't know shit tells me that you know a lot more than you think you do. So he said I want you to give this young man a call. His name is Benny. I said okay, so he writes this number down and this is a guy named Benny. And he said Benny works for NBC. He said give him a call. I said okay, so I give Benny a call. As soon as I walk out the office I give Benny a call and me and Benny hit it off and he sounded black, you know. And me and him hit it off and he says he's a director of research, programming research for NBC.

BT: 22:57

Like I don't know, what, I don't know what. None of that means Still lost, still. So he just tells me. He ends up the phone though he says, man, you want to come interview for an internship. I don't even know what an internship is and I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like, all right, well, meet me up at NBC on this day. At this time I was like, okay, so I go. And I'm so green I don't even know how you tie this tie for me. You know little things like that makes you miss your pops, you know.

Kali: 23:28

So he's like yeah, so he tied.

BT: 23:30

He's like man you're going to have to learn how to do this man. You know what I'm saying. So he's helping me tie the tie To this day. I know how to do it and I'll teach my with the one suit that I own. You know what I'm saying. It's all baggy and didn't fit. You know what I'm saying. And I go up there and I'll never forget this because I mentor a lot of young ethnic kids at my job in media in general. They have a whole mentorship program at my job called the Sync Program, and it's modeled after me, the sync program and it's modeled after me. So I do a lot of it. What I tell a lot of kids I mentor.

BT: 24:11

When I walked into the NBC building, that's what changed my life, because when I walked into that building I looked around and I was like I saw all the pictures of all the TV shows and the Today Show and Woopty Woop and Live with Regis and Kelly. You know what I'm saying. I'm just looking around and I'm like nigga. I was like I don't know what they do in this motherfucker. But this is where I need to be. It all came full circle because I told you I wanted to be an entertainer. I just didn't know what that was. Once I got into that building, I'm like nigga, this is where these people is. That that I, that I need to learn and I can know what they do. You know, I knew, I knew it automatically.

Kali: 24:50

Right, somebody gave me the right number.

BT: 24:54

Somebody gave a nigga the right number. So when I was. So when I go, I go up the elevator and the elevator opens and I see this black dude with a with with Timberlands jeans and a T-shirt on, and he starts laughing when he sees me. He said you, brandon, right? I was like yeah. And he was like did you do all this for me? Did you dress up for me? I'm like yeah, man. I'm like yeah, and he's like, oh, man, you have to do all that for me. And he's laughing. Look at me, I'm lost. I'm like what you mean, bro? So he takes me to his office and he's facing me and he's quiet. He doesn't say a word.

BT: 25:30

So they taught us about something in school called the elevator speech, and that's that's. If you catch us. It's a metaphor If you catch yourself in an elevator with someone who's an executive, you got to know what to say. And if you don't know what to say, you need to figure out what to say. So that's what's called the elevated speech. That's what they teach you, right? They say don't say, don't not say nothing. You got to say something. That's the point. But you got to learn what to say. So you have to learn how to talk to executives, so you have to learn enough to be able to speak the language. That's what it means, right? So I think it is some elevated speech type thing.

BT: 26:04

And I'm like well, yeah, man, so my name is Brandon and you know I'm very passionate about TV. He's like yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like hey man, you ever seen this video? This nigga's watching Rap City. So I'm like and then he's like have you ever seen that video? And I'm like I'm like is this a fucking test? You know what I'm saying. And I look again and I'm like yeah, and he's like you like the song? And I'm just looking at him, I squint my eye. He's like do you like the song, Bro? I'm like I hate this kind of rap, bro. I don't know, I don't like this kind of shit. He's like me neither Me, neither man.

BT: 26:39

This nigga talking about rap for 30 minutes. At the end he says man, you want to come intern with me? I said yeah. And he's like all right, man, be here on Monday at 8 o'clock. I was like okay, so I now start intern.

BT: 26:52

So there's five interns and there was only one. That was my competition, my vice president. She came up to all the interns and she put us on the wall like the fucking police. She made us line in the office, she made us line up on this wall and I'm like what the fuck is going on? And she's like listen, she says I do this every year with my interns. She's like you're going to do all the research with us.

BT: 27:20

So this was a programming research department. So basically what they do is they, they test shows. So when I say test, what they do is I don't know if you know what pilot season is, but that's when, like, all the new shows go to TV. So so before they put them on on networks or S5 platforms, they test them. So she says you guys are going to test the pilots, you guys are going to look at all the research. You're going to watch the pilot.

BT: 27:41

A pilot is the first episode of a show, like a premiere. You're going to watch the pilot. A pilot is the first episode of a show, like a premiere. So when it's a new show, they only shoot the first episode and then they test it and then, if the network likes it, they'll pick it up and then they'll shoot the whole season. That's how it goes. So that's why they call it pilot season. So they had all the pilots shot already. So that was all on DVD. So they gave all the interns the pilots. So we're supposed to watch all the pilots. Then we're supposed to look at the data, and then we then they wanted us to come up with our top three picks. There was like eight shows, eight pilots. So I'm all right. So they give us all the pilots. And one of the pilots stood out to me because it had seven episodes. Now I told you a pilot is only the first episode. So I'm like, why does this motherfucking show have seven episodes? So I guess apparently this show had shot the whole season.

Kali: 28:29

So I'm like okay, we're ready, we get chosen, we're ready to go.

BT: 28:34

That's what it was. So I'm like, well, what is this one? Because I want to see this one, because this one got seven episodes. So I popped the motherfucker in and it's a little show called the Office. I was there when this motherfucker was a pilot. They hadn't picked it up yet. So I'm like, let me watch this shit. So it's about people in an office and that's all that's what it is, and it's dry humor, right? So, number one, I'm from the hood. I don't even know what dry humor is, let alone like it. You know what I humor is Harsh.

Kali: 29:03

Like, get to it, Talk about my mama, my daddy cuz and your mama Exactly Say nigga five times.

BT: 29:10

You know what I'm saying, you know what I'm saying, you know what I'm saying. So I watched the whole season and I'm laughing the whole time and I'm like my nigga, I'm not the demographic for this show. If I like this show, If my black ass from Dina likes this show, all of America's going to like this show. So I go to my manager, the dude that hired me. I'm like bro, have you seen the Office? Did you see the Potty? I mean that shit funny as hell.

BT: 29:32

He's like man, did you see the UK version? I said there's a UK version. He's like go back to the tape library and go get the UK version. He's like. You'll understand more because the UK version is the original version. The American version was made out of that I was like all right.

BT: 29:47

So then I'm like in my mind, I'm like, man, bro, look, I don't even like dry humor. Ok, I like this show, though I was like, wait, a UK show. I'm like, bro, I don't even, I'm never even seen a show from the UK Like there's no way I'm going, I get it and I put it in and I'm laughing more than I was laughing on the American version and I'm like, bro, this is a fucking hit. So when I go, so at the end of the thing, the vice president lines up all the interns again and she asked each one of us. She says it goes one to one to one. I'm the last person. Nobody chose the office. Not one of those interns chose the office as their top three picks. It comes to me and I just start going off. I'm like, man, y'all better pick up the office. If y'all don't pick up the office, y'all gonna lose. And woo, woo, woo, woo. I'm not the demographic for this show, but I love it. So everybody going to love it. Trust me, I'm, I'm hella enthused about it and then I'll never. I'm my.

BT: 30:44

My VP sat back very patiently and she says she, let me talk. And she says young man. She says I'm, I'm, so I love your enthusiasm, she's like but let me tell you something this show will never see the light of day. And it's so funny because now it's the. It's one of the biggest comedies ever, and so my point with that was I had a knack for this, for what I do before. I knew you know what I'm saying and I'm almost done.

BT: 31:16

They offered me a job at the end of that internship. They was like listen, we're going to offer you the temp position and then we're going to make it into a full blown analyst position. But she's got to attempt for three months. I was like I'm game, yes, but I told her this was the summer before my senior year. I didn't graduate college. It was like. I was like look, I got another internship at Warner Brothers for the summer. Is OK If I go over there for the summer, because I just it's a different type of research and I just wanna be more, I just wanna have broad, exactly.

BT: 31:48

I wanna have a more holistic view of research in general. She's like I think that's smart, go ahead, but you gotta promise you'll come back. I'm like for sure I promise. So you kind of see where this is going. You got to be thick, you got to be. You got to be no joke. To be a woman in media straight up, I ain't going to sugar fucking coat it for you. And then to be an executive and be high up, you got to be a bad motherfucker. She was a bad motherfucker back then. This was like oh seven or something like that. This lady was no motherfucking joke.

BT: 32:17

I learned so much from this lady. She didn't take no shit. She didn't take no shit and she spoke her mind. I just learned so much. She called me in the office along with the GM and was like young man. They always called me young man back then.

BT: 32:33

She was like young man, we want to offer you an analyst position over here at Warner Brothers. And I'm like I kind of smiled. And then my boss is in there, the black dude, and then her mile. And then my boss is in there, the black dude, and then her, and she's like why are you hesitating? And I'm like uh, and she's like do you have another job offer? I was like, and I do. And she says where? And I said, over at NBC, she says, just like this.

BT: 33:00

She says so the fuck, what? Not only do you have to choose, you have to choose. Now. I'm like this motherfucker. And she says well, this is how much you're going to be making, this is your package. And I'm like I'll take it. I'll take it, you know, as they told me. I'm like, oh, I'll take that. So I'm like, look, but look, can I go back to NBC as a man, face to face, and let them know on Monday morning that I'm not going to be taking this position? I'm going to be taking this position with y'all. And she says I respect that. Yes, you may. So I go over to NBC.

Kali: 33:33

I'm thinking they're going to be cool.

BT: 33:35

You know what I'm saying. I go over to all my managers the guy who hired me, the black dude, all of them. I go to all my managers first and they're all ecstatic. They're like, oh my gosh, brandon, that is fucking awesome man, you got to take that. That's a great opportunity. I go to that VP lady and I'm telling her I'm like hey, you know, this is what happened, the one that told you that the show wasn't.

BT: 33:54

I was like, look, they offered me a full-time analyst position or whatever. Blah, blah, blah. She's sitting there listening to me and she says put your ID on my desk, go wait outside my office and I will have security walk you out. That's what that motherfucker said and that's the last time I ever talked to her. She's still in media, she's still at NBC. I've seen her at conventions and all that. She still won't fuck with me. That motherfucker was still mad about that shit. You know I didn't graduate, I still got a year. She says can you? Can you come to school? Can you go to school at night? I said, yeah, and she's like go to school at night, come to work during the day. I'm like all right. So I was a full time analyst. This was a position that you're not supposed to get unless you have a degree. So I was a full time media research analyst and I hadn't even graduated yet.

BT: 34:44

My counselor, that guy that told me about this shit in the first place, that Bob got. He told me. He said, brandon, I've worked for Counselor at Northwest for over 15 years and he said I've never seen a kid be able to pull something like this off. I've never seen a kid get a full-time position in any media company before they graduate. He was like you're the first one and because of that he calls me back to talk. I talk on panels and shit like Pepperdine and shit like that. He calls me back to this day to talk on panels just because of that. I go to Warner Brothers, the CW happens and the new CEO comes in and lays off 10,000 people. I was one of those people. So I had shit. Know, I had shit. Man, I had just graduated, just got a felt like I had just got like a life. You know what I'm saying. Like I just started my life, I started my career. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 35:36

So, when he hit me with the layoffs I was motherfucking hurt man. I'm like man, like shit man. So I remember I was kind of fucked up man. I was laying in my bed one morning and then I get a call. I get a call from one of my old professors.

BT: 35:55

But he wasn't only a professor, he was also the research director for KNBC. So KNBC would be NBC, but your local station, so the local NBC affiliate we see in LA. So he was the research person for them. So he called me. He was like hey, man, I heard about what happened to you. I was like, damn, how'd you hear about that? He's like man, it's a small industry. He's like man, you want to come temp for me for a little while? I'm like until you get back on your feet. Pretty much is what he said. I was like, yes, man, and I was like man, why did you think of me? He said you're the only student I've had in six years that got an AMI class. And it's funny because his class that he taught was the media management class.

BT: 36:29

I'll never forget like it was an anchor. He was a masculine dude. Everybody knew this dude man. I'm not even going to say his punk ass name, but he was an anchor for Los Angeles for a long time. He was cool as shit to me. Every day I'm talking to him every day because he sat right next to me and then one of his little cronies, some young guy, was there with him and the dude was acting like he didn't know me. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 36:47

And I went up to him. I was asking him about a news story. I was like hey, man, so what ever happened with this? And the dude said to me he was like it was a TV of all around news. There was all kinds of TVs around. And he was like if you there, you know what I'm saying. And I looked at this motherfucker, like Nick, what the fuck did you? Just Like, bro, we was out on the street, bro, I was slept as shit out there. You know what I'm saying? Like what, you don't want to talk to me because you got your little car on your head, what the fuck? And then you clown me. I'm like all right, so I can't say nothing. I don't say nothing, all right, man.

BT: 37:21

So the news director comes up to me and he says he says hey, man, we got to move you back to the floor or whatever. I was like, oh, okay, you know. And then he says to me he says you know what he says. He says you know what man he's like? You know, I see something in you, son. And he says but you know what, you'll never get anywhere sitting here, and at the time I didn't know what he meant.

BT: 37:43

So these salespeople I speak a little Spanish, you know what I mean, and they were the salespeople for Telemundo, nbc on Telemundo. So they had set me right. The only place they could set me was right next to this. Literally, it was a fucking trash can. So I'm working on this little desk next to this trash can. It was very degrading, but that's the only place where they had for me to sit.

BT: 38:08

And the Hispanic salespeople saw me because they all go to lunch together. And they saw me because the elevator was right where I sat and they were speaking Spanish, but they were talking shit. They were pretty much like look at this motherfucker over here sitting by the trash, and they was all laughing and I'll never forget that. I'll never forget that and it saying I'll never get that out. And it hit me what that guy was telling me he was like what he was telling me was the only way you're going to be successful, the only way you're going to make some of yourself is if you get your ass up and network. That's what he, that's what he was trying to tell me, you know what I'm saying.

Kali: 38:48

I mean that just a big thing it is.

BT: 38:52

It'll make or break you. I'm glad you said that you work with your kids with that, because I work with mine too. I'm working with them right now my daughter right now because that's something that I'm helping her with. It's crucial. It will make or break everything. You know what I'm saying? Social anxiety.

Kali: 39:08

I mean, I don't know, when it comes to entertaining, I don't know what to quite call it, or when you have to present something. I don't know if it's social anxiety, I don't know what to quite call it Performance anxiety, but it's a big thing. She had it, my 10-year-old. She had it bad. So now I make them do all kind of speeches in front of people. You know, that's true. I love it, you'll be able to give a Martha the King dream speech. Okay, tell her Mama.

BT: 39:33

You better get her Mama. You better get her Mama.

Kali: 39:36

Bear, I wish my mom would have did that to me. You know, I was really really shy at the wrong moments.

BT: 39:40

you know, at the wrong moments you know, I understand completely, but you know and you know what, and I don't think it's just and I just don't. I don't think it's just a you or me problem either. I think it's a black problem in white spaces.

Kali: 39:52

It's crazy that you say that and I think too, it arises to a lot of the way our parenting was, and it's not their fault. It was the way they was parented because of the movement and stuff, but like we were forced to, like you know, be seen, not heard, type of thing, so you know, our talents were crushed and silenced because of that, you know.

BT: 40:13

I think I agree, it is definitely our generation it is. That is definitely an issue and it's definitely an issue. That's why I'm glad you're working with your kids, because I am too, because I don't want to that. I want to break. I want to break that cycle right there.

BT: 40:28

I remember my pops didn't like it. He worked for the railroad and then he went into the corporate part. The only reason we went into the corporate part is because they were paying more money and he did it for us. Otherwise he would have stayed on the ground level. That's what he liked. When he got into the corporate level he had to interact with him more. He had to make speeches and shit.

BT: 40:48

I remember when he died he left a VHS and it said sixteen hundred format. I said I mean, what the fuck is this? I pop it in one day. And it was. It was my dad practicing a presentation and he you could tell how nervous he was up there and he was practicing in front of his white colleagues. It was all white colleagues and I remember one of them made a joke. It was just a little joke, but he was up there real serious, and he's going through it. And then the white guy made a joke about something and I remember my dad looked up and he laughed it off. But I know my dad and he was one of those. He was mad, right, because he was like man, I'm going to get through my shit, you know what I'm saying. Like, nigga, I ain't one of y'all Like. You know what I'm saying. So you know like I'll never forget that. I started networking more but my boss at KNBC was like hey, man, there's a position over at this company called Nielsen, so Nielsen is the one who does is hiring.

Kali: 41:43

I was like what he was like yeah, you want to interview. I was like absolutely.

BT: 41:46

So I ended up getting that job and and that was a lot, that was that was it. That was that solidified me then, because that was a major research company and they and I was a trainer, so I flew. I had to fly. So the first day they gave me, the first day I got there, they gave me an American Express corporate card, a laptop and a phone. You know, I felt like I was motherfucking Tom Cruise or something. You know what I'm saying. I'm like they just gave me a. You know.

BT: 42:15

I'm like, nigga, what part of the game is? Y'all get this. You know what I'm saying. I'm like, well, I can use this motherfucking credit card and I ain't got to pay my own fucking credit card, nigga, and I ain't got to pay my own. I'm like, oh bro, I was mind blown. I didn't even know, bro, that job was a trip. Now I'm flying all the way because we have Nielsen has clients everywhere. They're a TV ratings company. I'm going to Denver. I went to Tampa twice. I'm flying to Seattle. I'm going to Portland. I'm going to New York. Every city I went to, I stayed in a hotel and then I'm paying for the hotel with my corporate card and then I'm paying for all my meals on a corporate card. Back then they didn't have no restrictions. I didn't have a $30 limit.

Kali: 42:56

Oh yeah, I know. That's why I made a lot of my money them corporate cards, I feel it they sent or free cars. They took them cars wherever the bar.

BT: 43:06

You hear me? When I was in Portland, my motherfucking dinner was $100, and it was just me. You know what I'm saying. I'm older.

Kali: 43:16

Do you really have to eat that much? You like ain't nobody gonna tell me shit. Either you look back a couple times like they really ain't seen shit.

BT: 43:25

Give me the lobster. You know what't sin shit. Give me the lobster. You know what I'm saying. Give me the lobster bits, nigga. You know what I'm saying.

Kali: 43:31

Egg butter. Okay, you know what I'm saying.

BT: 43:35

You're like shit. I'm like man, nigga, I didn't make it. You know what I'm saying. I don't know what making it is, but I think I did it. You know what I'm saying. I'm not really sure what the criteria is for it, but I think I'm there. You know what I'm saying. So that was my. It changed my. That changed me. You know what I'm saying. I'm like, you know, just flying everywhere and doing all this shit. So I was. It's crazy, because I was a trainer, I trained on the products, and this guy that came in, one of my trainers in LA. He was a black dude. He sat in the back of the classroom the whole time, didn't say a word, and then he waited for everybody to leave. And he comes up to me at the end of my training and he's like hey, my name is so-and-so. He's like man, you seem to have a lot of passion for TV. You know what I'm saying For TV research. Now, I don't have a passion for TV research, but I do have a passion for TV.

Kali: 44:24

But I'm like oh yeah, hell yeah man.

BT: 44:26

I'm never passionate. You know what I'm saying. Well, man, that's my dream. You know, I don't give two fucks about the data part. You know what I'm saying. Now, I'm not even good at math, bro, but he's like man. He's like, but I don't see it much. He's like man. You want to go to lunch? I was like bro, like I told you. He's like bro Roscoe. Oh, because Nielsen was on Sunset, so I was like bro Roscoe's, literally walking distance. I go there damn near every day for lunch. He's like. He's like let's go. So we go to Roscoe's and lunch. He tells me he's the research director for ABC and he would like me to like to hire me.

Kali: 45:04

And I'm like you lying bro, and he's like no, like I want to hire you.

BT: 45:07

He was like look this is what we're going to do. He said my boss is making me, making me, making me interview 40 people. He said so. He said I'm going to interview you towards the end. So it's going to be about two months before you hear from me again. He's like I'm going to call you. He's like I'm going to have you come down. It's going to be like a rare interview, but it's not. You're going to come here, but once you get in my office, we're just going to bullshit. He said the next day you're going to get a call from HR. But the next day I get a call from HR. Hr's like yeah, brent, we're so excited, we want to leave. I don't want to leave where I'm at for no less than 60. She says Brennan, this is a great opportunity, this is a lot of money.

BT: 45:48

I'm like well no, I don't want to leave for 10,000. She's like well, brennan, that's all we have on our budget. We really wanted you. Now in my mind I'm like oh man, this nigga, this nigga, fuck me up.

BT: 46:03

This nigga fuck me over, bro. But she hangs up. She's like you know, it was nice to meet you, we'll keep you in the mind down the line for other positions. I'm like, okay, you know what I'm saying. I hang up the phone. I'm almost like man, this nigga ain't shit. He didn't know what he was talking about. I get a call back. It's the HR lady. She says Brandon, I just talked to the director over there. We really want you. You know what? We found some more room in the budget. We're going to offer you the 60. I was like I'll take it, I'll be there on Monday, I go and I start working over there. It was great until I started getting hated on. I don't even think I'm going to go into that, because you know it really doesn't even matter. Just know that I was.

BT: 46:48

I worked for ABC for a little while, about three years. So I'm working at ABC for three years and I get a call from that guy. His name is Keith. I get a call from Keith coming back from Disneyland and he's like hey, brandon, I got a position open. He's like you want to come interview? I'm like yeah, man, so I go and I go, I go interview.

BT: 47:05

And now, look at this time. I don't even know this is a talent agency. I didn't even know what a talent agency did. I didn't even know that they really exist. There are three major talent agencies in the world, not the United States, the world. There are three top talent agencies. Number one WME William Morris Endeavor. Number two, caa, creative Artist Agency. Number three, uta United Talent Agency. Now, at this time remember those names At this time, I'm working for WME, the number one talent agency in the world, not the US. I told him straight out I was like Keith, I'm interviewing for this job. He's like Brandon, can you write a bulleted email If somebody asked you for an analysis for a TV show? Can you write a bulleted email about an analyzer show? I was like Keith, I do that every fucking day. That's what I do. He's like you're hired. I'm like really.

Kali: 48:00

He's like no, you're hired.

BT: 48:01

No, he's like I'm still building up this department. I need somebody like you. I was like, all right. I was like can I be completely honest? He's like yeah, I don't know what this company is and he fell out laughing. He said Brandon, I really didn't either. He's like you mean, you were old school studio network people. He's like this is a talent agency, have talent in everything. We have talent in movies, films, digital, digital book People write books, e-sports, people who write e-sports, influencers. Right, he was like you know, this is a, this is a full, big time Asian world. I'm like oh, wow, and I just actually sounds cool. So I took the job over there. That was amazing. It was amazing. It was.

BT: 48:44

It was talent agencies are the shit. They're like okay, if you, okay, when people think of you work in Hollywood, right, people usually think of like Sony or Warner Brothers or ABC or Disney or Fox, right, talent agencies is the real Hollywood, because we all the talent works, we represent them. So we deal with nothing but talent. So, as soon as I get there, I mean I'm on the phone with Marlon Wayans, I'm on the phone with whoop-de-woo, whoop-de-woo, whoop-de-woo, whoop-de-woo, whoop-de-woo. I mean all these stars, what's the name? What's the name? Soleil Moon, frye, punky, punky Brewster. You know what I'm saying. I'm having meetings with all these stars, bro. That's because I work for them. I didn't realize that yet I work for them. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 49:30

So what a talent agency does, what I do at a talent agency, is I'm a media researcher. I probably should have explained that I'm a media researcher. So it used to be called TV Research, but because of, like S-Pod. S-pod is subscription VOD, which is Netflix, hulu, paramount Plus all the streamers, it's no more TV research, it's called content research because of streaming. So you can't just play TV anymore and say content, so what content? What I do, what a content researcher does for a talent agency, is so say, like we have a client, like a client that's in a TV show, it don't matter what, it don't matter what, and it doesn't matter the platform either Client's in a TV show. The TV show say it gets picked up for a season two, right? So that means that every piece of talent that's on that show, from the director down to the star, has to go and renegotiate the contract. So if we rep a star on a TV show and the TV show got picked up for another season. So that's when we come in. So you probably heard, like most people, of an agent. Everybody knows what a Hollywood agent is. Okay, I work for them. So the agent comes to me and be like Brandon, all right, I don't know fucking Tom Cruise, patrick Dempsey, or fucking Kevin Hart. Kevin Hart, he's on a show on Peacock. There are Peacocks on Peacock for season two. We need to go renegotiate the contract so we can get more money. They come to me.

BT: 51:02

What I do is I put together a PowerPoint presentation and I analyze the show. I show, using data, using statistics, how good the show is doing, how good Kevin Hart's show is doing versus other dramas on Peacock. How is doing in its time slot? So if it's on a network, if it's on Fox or ABC or something, how does this show do from 8 to 9? How does this show during every other show that's airing in its time slot? How does it do versus ABC and Fox? How does it do versus cable? How does it do versus other dramas on the network? How does it do versus its lead-in? Its lead-in is the show that comes before it. Does it beat its lead-in? If it beats its lead-in, well, that's great, because if it beats its lead in, that means it's bringing more people to the network. So that means it's bringing people who are not watching the network, which means the show is highly engaged. People are highly engaged with the show because they're bringing motherfuckers from other platforms over to Fox to watch their show. You know why? Because it beats its lead in and then it beats its lead out. Its lead out is the show that comes behind it. So now it's a tentpole. So that means that it's beating its lead in which behind it. So now it's a tent pole. So that means that it's beating its lead in, which also means it's bringing other people from other platforms, from people that weren't even watching Fox but are coming over just to watch your show and they're leaving when the show's over because it beats the show.

BT: 52:15

The viewership beats the show. That leads out of the show. So the show that comes on after. So people are coming to the show and then, when the show's over, it's leaving. So you motherfuckers are coming to the show and then, when it shows over, it's leaving. It's leaving. So you motherfuckers are going to pay us more money because our show is a very valuable show and from eight to nine o'clock on Mondays on Fox, motherfucker, and we know it.

BT: 52:32

So, see, the thing about it is, I'm the one, I'm the person who is the data person, who knows this shit. The Hollywood agent doesn't know any fucking thing I just talked to you about. He comes to me for that and then they bring me in the room when they're negotiating with Fox. So if we're negotiating with Fox, we go in the room with the Fox executives it's Hollywood agent, it's me and we go and we're talking to six fucking Fox executives on why you motherfuckers need to pay us more money. I use it doing that. So that's what I do.

BT: 53:02

I'm an expert in content research, television and film, digital shorts and influencers on TikTok and shit. That ain't my lane Now. Now, social social media is my lane, because social media has a huge impact on viewership and what people watch and what they don't watch. So it's a part of my narrative and this thing that I teach my mentees it was me, my background makes me successful. See, I'm not scared.

BT: 53:30

I've worked very well with talent. They don't let every researcher or every content researcher like myself Like, if you ask me, well, does everybody? No, I got a department of I don't know seven, eight people or whatever. No, I'm the only one that these motherfuckers call in to actually renegotiate with network executives. Not every researcher does that. You have to have the personality, you have to. Agents have to trust you in order to say, hey, brownies, you come in here and talk to these Fox executives with me. They don't do that for every researcher. They do that with Brandon Thompson because I have proven that I can be in a room and I can do that and I can be successful. But what, what? Why is? Because I'm not, I can't even say the motherfucker man I want to tell you, but he's one of the kings of comedy. Ok, so he's one of the kings of comedy.

BT: 54:20

I have signed that dude and one of the things he, one of the things I time, one of the things he was like man. He's like man. When I met you, I just knew you wasn't scared, bt. I just knew you wasn't scared. You know what I'm saying. But he wouldn't. He's right. Like like, when I meet talent, I don't fucking. You've been in 10 movies. You got million dollars, nigga, that don't mean shit. I guarantee you I've had more fun in my life than your motherfucking monkey ass, ass. So I don't look at these motherfuckers like they the shit. You know what I'm saying. You niggas ain't shit. I don't give a fuck how much money you got my nigga, I'm on my way up to get that same amount of. You know what I'm saying. It was harder for me to get up in this motherfucker than it was for you, you know what I'm saying so honestly, I feel like I done earned a way more.

Kali: 55:11

My confidence is way bigger than it, don't you know?

BT: 55:15

yeah, fuck that. You know what I'm saying. That black girl, black boy, magic Nigga. I get that. I understand that, because for a long time I didn't, I was, I didn't, I wasn't embracing it, man, I was hiding, I didn't, I didn't have confidence in these rooms. I had to get to this position you know what I'm saying by by trial and error. There was a gang of times I went into. They asked me to meetings. One time I was at Warner Brothers. I was asked to a meeting. I was asked to a meeting. I started talking. Everybody in the meeting started laughing. I didn't even have enough courage to look. I got through my presentation by literally looking at the paper, because if I knew, if I looked up, I heard them laughing. But if I seen it, I don't know if I would have been able to come back to that job. That's how much they didn't try to embarrass me. All they've ever done is try their nephew.

Kali: 55:59

They want they, they, they don't want my ass up in there and they've never had and that shit is strong like that, like it's a hand-me-down uh industry like that. That industry is it's a lot about who you know and a lot of industries, really, not just you know. So you, really you, when you and when you come from nothing you don't have nobody named to use and say you know so and so sent me, youso, sent me. You really got to go hard. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 56:23

You absolutely do, and I've been doing it for 18 years and one of the things I wasn't supposed to make it I used to like when I first started there wasn't many Black people anywhere, whether it was at NBC. Wherever I was at and when I would, especially whether it was at NBC, wherever I was at, especially on an executive level, when I would run into these motherfuckers in the hallway, I'd be excited as fuck Like another black person. Bro, we walk down the hall and I'm like you know what I'm saying. As soon as they get close to me, they get on their phone. They avoid talking to me.

BT: 56:58

I said you know what, bro, if I ever become successful, this is the shit I'm fucking changing. I said you niggas is sellout. I said if I fucking get big enough, this is one thing I'm changing and I do. That's why I do mentorships and all this shit. You know saying because I said I was going to change. And I am, you know saying because I remember being like man. What the fuck I just felt so alone. Remember being like man. What the fuck I just felt so alone, so ostracized. I can't even talk to the Black executives. That's here. I'm just alone in this shit.

BT: 57:27

And all I did, bro, was I just kept fighting, I just kept fighting, I kept fighting, I kept fighting. They were not going to push me out of media research. I know they didn't like the way I talked. I know they didn't like the way sometimes my slang came out. I know they didn't like the way I walked. I know all of it. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 57:42

But one thing about it was out of everybody who came up in my generation and shit like meaning in media research who were around my age, I'm so fucking glad that literally there were 10 of us. There's only one person left and that's me, and I'm so glad it's me, because you know what, bro? I'm not saying that they didn't deserve. I said I deserve what I have. You know what I mean. And cause I? They, they did everything in their power to try to get me to quit, bro, and at different jobs you know what I'm saying At all these jobs they all in some way, you know what they did wrong, though you know what they did wrong, though you know what they did wrong.

Kali: 58:20

And like with a lot of people they do they compete with. They were competing with you and you were competing with yourself. Oh, oh, you know what I'm saying, you said it. And like that is a big fucking thing, like everybody wants to be something. And then, and another thing, another thing, like when you get to a certain point, success, real successes. And like when you get to a certain point, success, real successes, and like it. You know, it dings to me when I hear people say that because people think you know, you, they, they related to cockiness, because they're not on this level of intellect, emotional intellect either. But when you get to a certain level of, um, success, all you want to do is help and reach out and teach, and you know, show others, you can do this too. And so the people that are not like that, that I kind of want to gatekeep and don't want to talk to and look down and I don't want to talk to you, I don't, you know, it's it kind of I can't fuck with that energy, you know. So the program you're doing that's, like that's and then, too, like you're teaching people that you ain't.

Kali: 59:20

You know people, a lot of people stay in the hood Cause they like feel like I can't be myself. If I be successful, I gotta be a nerd or I gotta be. You know what I mean. I can't dress the way. I got to change my whole life. Everything I know, like you know, and that means I got to disassociate from's go to like we need to be taught that like and that's like. I think that's like one thing I like. I love the acceptance like I don't. You know how they accepting Snoop and his you know like he ain't got to change his. You know like that I promote that in a real big way. But you got to be really confident to get to that, to that'm going to walk in just like this.

BT: 1:00:04

It's funny that you bring that up, because that was going to be one of the things I ended off with, because that's something that I teach to every single mentee that I've ever had.

BT: 1:00:18

That is one through line that I've always taught them is they teach us that where we come from and who we are is a detriment, but it's actually the thing that's going to make you the most successful, because of the shit that we've fucking been through, the shit that we had to see, the pain that we had to endure when we were coming up, the shit that we didn't have. You know what I'm saying A nigga couldn't ride down the street without getting pulled over All that kind of shit that we've been through. Yeah, it was fucked up while it was happening, but what we didn't understand was God had a bigger plan for us and God was putting us through a lot of that shit because we were going to use that and that. Oh my God, yes, you know what I'm saying. And what it does is it made us I mean, unique is an understatement it made us unlike most other people. Sorry, but that's what the fuck it is, and it became and they look at it as cockiness.

Kali: 1:01:19

but I just know that I walk in a whole different light because of what I've been through.

BT: 1:01:23

There it is and it shows, because when I have my insight, the things that I talk about they're very black and white in media. You know what I'm saying. Because of my background, because of who I am, because of all that shit, I've never lived in a black and white world. Of course I don't now. I'm 43 years old. When motherfuckers asked me, they asked me once they were like why the fuck is Empire doing so good when I was over there the executives.

BT: 1:02:02

I was an analyst. I never got called in to no big meetings. One day my director came over to me and said hey, man, you got to come to this meeting. I'm like what meeting? He's like yeah, come on. I'm like what the fuck? They don't never invite analysts to that meeting. They invited me in there for one reason. They said Brandon, all these executives, they're like Brandon. We were wondering Very political. They're like do you have any insight on why not power? The one with it was on Fox. The one with um, um, um, um, um. It was on Fox. The one with um gosh dog. What's the light-skinned nigga? What's the light-skinned actor everybody loves? Terrence, terrence Howard.

Kali: 1:02:48

Yeah, Empire.

BT: 1:02:49

Empire, thank you. They was like why is Empire doing so good? And I'm like honey ask me huh, they're like we can't, we can't, we can't figure it out. They had their whole qualitative program and research team, everybody. I was like can I be honest? They were like that's why we brought you in here. I was like I'll put it to you like this Whether people want to believe it or not, black people tell you what's popular. I was like if it's not popular to us, it's not popular. We make things popular. I was like if it's not popular to us, it's not popular. We make things popular.

BT: 1:03:22

We control creativity in a whole lot of ways, and I said so if we say it's cracking, it's cracking. People will follow suit if we like it and when it comes to certain things in media, television is one of them. So I said the reason why this one is doing so good is because we're watching it. Why are we watching it is the question that you should have asked me. The reason why we are watching it is because it's true to us. The worst thing that you could do trying to talk, trying to make a show about African-American and has an African-American narrative it better be the truth, because if it's not the truth, if it's not real, it's all it's going to do is backfire, because we are not accepting that. Now, on the flip side, if you do it and it's true to us, we'll be your biggest fans and you'll make more money than you ever even expected. I was like but you just don't. You got to tell. You got to be real and tell our story the way we want it told or it's going to backfire. I said Empire. I said Empire. I said I don't know. I said it's one scene. I said and I don't like to bring this scene up to y'all, but the reason I bring it up to y'all is because every Black person not every Black person, but the majority of Black males around my age is going to understand Saw this scene and was like I'm watching the next episode for sure.

BT: 1:04:38

I said there was a scene in it. I'm talking to them like this. I was like there was a scene in there when Terrence Howard's character, his son, his son was homosexual when he was young he put on some of his mama's clothes and was walking around the house with it. When Terrence Howard, when he saw that, he went and grabbed him and threw him in the trash. Can I said when I saw that, I was like, ooh wee, that is real. I know that hurts, that might hurt people's feelings. I was like but that's honesty in the Black community. Now I said it's shit like that. That's why we're watching this damn show.

BT: 1:05:15

They're all sitting back like whoa. I'm saying all that to the point of who we are and what we've been through is actually. It's actually, instead of it being pain, it's the reverse. Now, if you use it correctly.

Kali: 1:05:30

That's what I'm saying. You turn your pain into a payment, honey.

BT: 1:05:34

Woo, I might have to steal that one. That's so awesome. Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.

Kali: 1:05:39

Turn your pain into a payment. That's exactly what real ones do. You know what I'm saying?

BT: 1:05:46

I agree, but a lot of motherfuckers don't even know. So that's why I be telling you, because I remember this one girl I was mentoring. I was telling her that I was like man, all that shit you've been through, I was like you have insight that you haven't even tapped in, that you don't understand. I was like I bet you I can put three shows, I can give you three shows and say which one is going, which one's gonna crack, and I bet you you'll probably be. You'll pick one and be right. I was like you know what I'm saying. I was like I was like you know, I was telling him.

BT: 1:06:11

I was like you know what it's not, as I said, it's, you know, I was telling people my like, bro, it's not about I'll tell them the executive's at my job. So it's not about fucking representation, bro. It's about the best person for the motherfucking job. To be honest, I said, but with that. So I said it's not about Bridgerton, bro. It's not about just putting a black queen who we know she was an English queen and for sure she was white. It's not about just making that English queen white, bro. It's about showing narratives that represent us. It's not about pulling motherfuckers.

Kali: 1:06:53

Proper representation, not just the kind just to shut us up. Oh, just give them that so they can say we get you know that type of shit Exactly.

BT: 1:07:01

And I'll be sitting there talking to them Like, don't put this girl in this role. Ain't nobody going to watch this show? You know what I'm saying, but it's because of what I know and who I am. I know what motherfuckers are going to watch because I know the zeitgeist way better than they ever will. You know what I'm saying. So the gave me insight, more insight to the world than these motherfuckers could ever have or ever see. So that's why, man, we're kings and queens, bro, but motherfuckers need to be told that. Motherfuckers need to see why. No, bro, you turned that pain into a payment, like you said. You know what I'm saying Because you did, you went.

Kali: 1:07:36

all that go to waste.

BT: 1:07:38

Oh God, all that Exactly, it's a gift, it's a, it's an, it's an undis, it's a disguise gift and and and I I cause I'm one that uses it every day. When that whole thing about because I've come so far, like I don't get nervous no more, I'm not nervous in in in meetings, I am literally Brandon Thompson every day that I go to that job, like you won't be able to tell the difference between me now and between me then. That's how far I've come, because I know now you ain't got this. It's what you said and it's what every young minority motherfucker needs to hear. No, you don't have to change, bro. You can be you, and actually you have to be you, because if you're not, you really gonna lose your transparency is gonna be?

Kali: 1:08:23

what trends, what gets you in? You know, like that's what you know, I don't everybody's going to try to. Oh, let me, and maybe if I act like that person I'll get the job. That person already got the job, they don't need another one of that person you know.

BT: 1:08:38

You are 100% right. This is what I've noticed, my personal self. This is what I've noticed. Hollywood is very clicky, very clicky. Most jobs are clicky, most industries are clicky, but I would say fucking Hollywood, I think, is a level above that. It is very clicky and what I've noticed?

BT: 1:09:02

I know my place and I don't say that in a derogatory way, I said it in a correct way. I know that I don't go in there. I don't go into a room. I don't go over to six agents drinking at a bar because we're just at a function. I don't go over there. I don't walk over to them trying to fit in. I don't walk over there talking about the fit in. I don't walk over there talking about the shit they talking about. I walk over there talking about whatever the fuck I'm talking about. I don't order the drinks that they order. I order fucking Hennessy because I still my black ass still drinks Hennessy. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 1:09:32

To where these motherfuckers be like what is that? Don't worry about it, nigga. You know what I'm saying. I go over there and I bring them Brandon Thompson and that is the only way to do it, because otherwise, not only do they love it, because now it's a. I got a black friend, but a real black friend. You know what I'm saying. Of course, yeah, they want that token whoop-de-whoop, and they got that already though, but they ain't never seen me though. So when I come over there, being real, not let nobody punk me, not let nobody talk down or make a little motherfucking little, a little, a little a little, say some little shit that they would say to their other little counterpart that maybe their little counterpart will play that shit. But in my culture I don't play that shit.

Kali: 1:10:12

They want to be there so bad and they you know they'll take belittlement to be like man. No.

BT: 1:10:17

Yes, ma'am, I see it all the time Niggas getting sex played all of it. You know what I'm saying. That's how that shit happened with motherfucking Terry Cruz. I know the agent that I know that agent. I've worked with him. That agent actually cussed me out one day and I cussed right back at him. You know what I'm saying. But that same dude he's a fucking asshole that same dude that grabbed Terry by his balls or whatever he did. That shit happens all the time. You know what I'm saying. I see that it's like jail or something. You know what I'm saying. So it's like I bring them Brandon Thompson little Brandon Thompson, from Alcindina. I take him. I never forgot who he was. All I did was get older and smarter, but I'm still him and I take that in them conversations.

BT: 1:10:59

They love that people, these youngsters, be thinking well, I got to act like you know, no, bro, if you do that, it's going to be the exact opposite, because then you're not them. All right, you go over there and you try to be them. All they're going to see, all they're going to think in their mind is this motherfucker trying to be us will never let you be us. We might talk to you right now while we're drinking shit, because if you niggas ain't going to hire me to your kids' bar, I'm not about to show you all of me, nigga, when we over here sitting here talking bullshit at the bar. I'm only going to tell you so much the same way you're giving it to me, you see, I'm giving you the same. You're giving me game, recognized game. And then what happens Then? All they do is respect you, like, oh, this black dude knows what's up, but then he's not square either and he talks shit and we're a little nervous and I say we can't just talk to him. No kind of way. I really like Brandon, that's what.

Kali: 1:11:56

I built. You know that shit's crazy. I think that we need to be taught that shit more too, like, and we don't have to always be against it. Like you know, like I'll tell motherfuckers I can have a full meeting with two motherfuckers. I'm no KKK Period. You understand me.

BT: 1:12:12

Period. I love that you just said that I think you understand what I'm saying. It's hard to elaborate on that.

Kali: 1:12:19

That's a whole other show, it's like you know what I'm saying, but like you got to get past a lot of you know to get yeah, you do your ego, like that part of you that you know, enforces respect that you don't need.

BT: 1:12:34

Wow that you don't need Boy boy boy have I? I have had. I have had the need Boy boy boy. I have had the. You're hitting the nose on the head. It is very.

BT: 1:12:49

One of the ways that I try to fuck with you is to try to get you mad. Let's use angry black man shit on this. Nigga, you know what I'm saying and it's very hard not to, but it's what I had to, personally, let a whole lot of my ego go, a whole lot of that bullshit that really wasn't smart or way of being in the first motherfucking place. I had to let a whole lot of Altadena go in order to understand how to use my head, because all they were doing was using their head against me. You know what I'm saying and I'm going to tell you something all that rah, rah, rah that you know, oh yeah, nigga, but I beat your ass though. Nigga, you know what I'm saying. It's fine and dandy, I get it. And even though, even though, even if you do it, even if you know a nigga talking shit and then you just a street motherfucker being in mo fights and you beat his ass, right, but he's square, you know something happened. He might have said something you know, like whatever, but then, the hard nigga you know, the more street nigga beat this square nigga ass. You know what I'm saying. You just don't get no points for that, though, bro, and besides that, that's not my point.

BT: 1:13:53

My point is what I've noticed is, beating a person with your head and your brain is so much more fulfilling than beating someone up in a fistfight. Because they didn't black, I'm sorry, I'm going to say it right up Young black males. They don't. We don't think that we can beat these white boys mentally, and I and I and I'm going to tell you something Most niggas won't will never admit that to you, but I'm going to tell you right now niggas are scared of that shit. Niggas will be. That's why niggas use brawn. Oh, that's why niggas always got to use brawn. Oh, nigga, it's that Nigga woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, but your ass couldn't hold a conversation with this white boy for three minutes. You're scared of that, bro. That's why I was too.

BT: 1:14:37

I put myself in it, and you know what? I caught? A lot of flack, I got a lot of bullshit, I got belittled, but I did it though, my nigga, and because I did it, I learned how to do it, so I am one of those black niggas who can do that. You should see me in action. You know what I'm saying.

BT: 1:14:52

But one thing is what you said I had to let Altadena go because they don't know nothing about that. This dude ain't coming at me trying to pump me. He's talking to me like he would talk to one of his friends. So I can't take it as this nigga trying to pump me or whatever. What I can do is use my head to be able to figure out the words to let him know. I understand where you're coming from, but just don't get down with me like that man. Don't pat me on the back so hard. Man. You know like I get it. But, bro, you know, you understand I. You know, I just don't like that. I don't usually deal with. I don't none of my friends do that. I just don't like being touched. You know it's no diss to you and it's no problem that you just did that. I just don't like being touched man. You know it's that nigga. Well, you don doing. You know what I'm saying. Like being touched man, you know? Yeah, it does. It took me, I had to figure that out. I had to.

Kali: 1:15:42

But it does. It takes some talk, it takes a lot, because you, you know you be like damn, you know you have to have a talk with yourself like I ain't no punk. And then I know you ain't no punk, but nigga, you want this, you know, so you need this. You feed a motherfucker. Like you really have to have a third person talk with self like, okay, but you know, you know you can beat everybody else. Okay, then what after that? You ain't got no job. Like this is not the. You know what I mean. Like you, really a lot of people can't grow past that a lot of people can't.

Kali: 1:16:08

I'm not a 50 something year old motherfuckers that's still in that position, in their position because of that uh, you know that approach they have.

BT: 1:16:17

You know what I'm saying me too, me too, and it is. It's sad because I mean, the only reason I was able to learn it is because I wanted to do something better with my life and I put myself in an uncomfortable position working for these companies. Because I was uncomfortable. You know it was hard, you know what I'm saying. But I wanted it for myself and I wasn't going to let a near motherfucker take my dream away.

Kali: 1:16:41

I don't care what I had to go through, y'all ain't taking you, not even, not even me, not even me.

BT: 1:16:49

So I just I, just one thing I did I just have my, kept my faith in God, bro, and I got up every single day and I, just I just put one foot forward and every single day God took that other foot and put it in front. You know what I'm saying, saying and that's, that's, and I and I kept going and I'm now I'm at UTA. So I went from WME back to Warner Brothers. I was only there for about three months and then I came to to where I'm at now and I've been here for 10 years. As a matter of fact, this is my 10-year anniversary and it's serious. It's serious at at these companies you get a 10 year.

BT: 1:17:18

You get a, you get a 15, you get a 20, and you get a 25. So this is my first one. So they got to interview me and they're going to show it in front of the whole company. I get this big-ass thing, this big-ass plaque and shit. It's major because if you can last 10 years at this company, not many people can.

Kali: 1:17:37

They have a high turnover.

BT: 1:17:39

Very, very, very high turnover, and so that's why this is a serious thing. So you know, not only have I been in this industry for 18 years, I've been 10 here. You know what I'm saying. So, yeah, that's where I'm at. That's pretty much my story, man.

Kali: 1:17:54

Yeah, so those are you like. I had a list of questions but you answered them all because I was just going to basically ask you how the gangbanging mold you, or the ups and downs, and what did you think it added to your life. But you answered them all. You were prepared. You probably pretty much knew what I was about to ask you but it was pretty much that I didn't I didn't mean to cut you off, but I just didn't want to forget.

BT: 1:18:22

Now I didn't. I really didn't know what the fuck he was about to talk to me about. You know what I'm saying? It's just my life narrative. My testimony touches those subjects.

Kali: 1:18:33

Yeah, I think, like all of that stuff that you were talking about, you know, like when they do gang outreach and stuff like those are the things they need to focus on more. Like you know, they focus on like getting people to peace up and all this like no focus on, like the reason why these kids are becoming like they're afraid to talk in corporate. You know they're afraid to to try to get jobs so they they go just for the slang and, like you know, they afraid to be in interviews and have to speak up and like all that shit. Like you know, all that shit needs to be. Our youth needs to be redirected big time, you know, I agree.

BT: 1:19:08

I agree, because, just the young man, over the past five years I mentored over 40 kids. I would say and that's one thing I'll tell you like these are all college educated black kids, though you know what I'm saying and you know what I'm saying. So a lot of them are already on the right motherfucking path. They're sitting there talking to me, so that means that they're at my company interning or in a trainee program or whatever. So you know they're already on the right path. You know what I'm saying, but I also talk to people who ain't, and you know I like dealing with the people who ain't more than the people who got their shit together, because the people who ain't remind me of me. You know what I'm saying and it's what you just said. One of the biggest through lines with them is they just don't believe they can do it Like they. You know what I'm saying. They used to be in the turf every day and you can see it in them that they got their magical person.

Kali: 1:19:58

You can see it in them when they get caught up, Like the ones that go to jail. The motherfuckers are innovators.

BT: 1:20:04

For real man.

Kali: 1:20:05

They sitting there making like you just made, what Like you just you made a. You know what I mean. So it's just the guidance and the. You know, I do know how to invent something, but they don't know where to start. Okay, I did invent it. You know they to invent something, but they don't know where to start. Okay, I did invent it. They don't know the next step Get a patent lawyer. It's like they don't know. Okay, now what? I don't know, who's teaching them this shit?

BT: 1:20:32

They just stay dreamers. That's what they say. A plan without strategy is a dream.

Kali: 1:20:40

Yeah, it's sad because we probably got a lot of great minds that come from where we're from, like, but they just don't have the guidance or they don't have a way out, like you know, or get out like you did. You know, you got school and so, yeah, that's why I'm doing this too, because, like you know know, I want to reach out to a lot. I'm trying to help people that were once in my position baby mama strippers, like girl that wants to be your story. You ain't got to be and and all up on this. You know, I'm saying like you can still take that with you because, believe me, I taught everybody where I came from and where I'm trying to go and where we're going with this. But you know, I'm saying you don't think you don't have to change your whole. I want to help those people, just like you said. I want to help those people more than the people that are already on their way.

BT: 1:21:26

Those are the people I'm going to go back to.

Kali: 1:21:28

You know what I mean. That's what we need more of People that go back for the people that think they stuck. I don't know how to dress different. Because of the way I dress, I can't do that. All those I don't know how to dress different. So, because of the way I dress, I can't do that, like all those you know.

BT: 1:21:43

Your whole movement is one of the reasons why I'm here, Like your whole get down, your whole movement. The things that you post, the things that you talk about. Don't think I don't see them. You shit, you want to make me and my wife's favorite and I think your ass knows that. You know what I'm saying, but you know what it's your movement. I'm behind your whole movement. I've been watching it for a while. You know what I'm saying and that's one of the reasons. When you asked me, I was like I'm dropping everything, Like I got so behind in my work because I'm doing this. But I believe in you and I believe in what you're doing. Thank you.

Kali: 1:22:14

Thank you, I mean, I really do. You know what I'm saying and because you're the type of person motherfuckers will listen to.

BT: 1:22:19

That's the thing it's like. You know. It's like a motherfucker in the neighborhood who ain't putting no work. The little homies ain't listening to him. You know what I'm saying, but the OG, they don't listen to that nigga. You know what I'm saying, you know what I mean and that's who you are Like. People will listen to you.

BT: 1:22:35

You know what I'm saying at and what you've been doing and your spirit and who you are to this day and how you didn't let nothing. Look at your spirit, look at what you've been doing and look at your spirit. Now, you know what I'm saying. That's a. That's a real fucking testimony. I can see god shining all through you. You know what I'm saying and that's one of the reasons why I'm fucking here. You know I'm saying if you ever need me for anything else, you just let me know and I'll drop whatever I'm doing. You know I saying I mean that from the bottom of my heart and I really appreciate what you out there doing for the fucking culture, because you don't have, you don't have to do any of it. You're choosing to do this shit, bro. You know what I'm saying and that's what I respect the most. So you know, saying God bless you.

Kali: 1:23:08

Yeah, and same the same, like, like, when you are chosen, you can't just, you can't just let it go. I mean you'll be it be knocking on your temple your whole life, like you, really. You know, I got the story. Like you know, I tell people all the time, like some, you know, your gift may be your wife that you walked away from or your ex or whatever. You know you get to heaven and I believe, like you know, whatever your concept of heaven and hell and when you die, but I have this like story I was told and it sticks with me strong, like, and I'll get ready to end it with that. And you know, like you go into heaven. Go into heaven, you finally meet God and he says, you know, before I let you, let's go through this warehouse, and it's a warehouse full of boxes and he's like you know, open that box and every single box are all the gifts and things that he tried to give you that you never opened up, and some of them are your talents, and you know what I'm saying and so you can get in your own way. You know what I'm saying. So, like, after that story, I was like, yeah, you know what you know, like.

Kali: 1:24:04

It's so many analytical stories that I know that I'm not hearing them for no reason. I heard that at a very young age and you know, it's just somebody just needs. Everybody needs somebody to reach out. You know, and somebody reached out to me, or I would have stayed that ghetto. You know everything that I was, which is nothing wrong with that, but you have to grow, you know, and so that's what I want to do. I want to reach out because if I just touch one or two, three people, they might touch thousands, and so my mission is complete.

BT: 1:24:35

Yes, I have nothing but respect for you. Yeah, so I want to thank you for you.

Kali: 1:24:41

Yeah. So I want to thank you for giving me your time. I know you're a busy person, you're a husband, you're a father, you work. I thank you for your time and joining me and chatting with me. I knew we was going to talk and get deep and stuff, and so I just thank you for joining us and keep me posted on anything you're doing in the future and again, tell the family and everybody I said hi.

Kali: 1:25:07

Thanks for joining the Deep for the Week show. All of my viewers and listeners. Again thank you for watching. Don't forget to like, share and add, subscribe and also comment. We'd love to hear back from you. Again, brandon, thank you for your time. I love to see Black men make it out and so I love your story, your testimony, and I love your transparency. Again, thank you for your time and we will talk soon. And again, thanks for watching the Deep for the Week show and if you want to be a guest on the Deep for the Week show, there's something you'd like for us to discuss or something you want to discuss yourself? Please feel free to comment below and we'll get that process started for you. We'd love to have you on, as we're always looking for guests for the Deep of the Week show.