S2 | EP 14: When Art, Culture, and Comedy Collide — Art Basel Special

Step inside a raw, unfiltered moment from Unc’s Arte Hause, where conversations about creative expression, cultural identity, community-building, and the evolving space for Black and brown artists took an unexpected — and hilarious — turn. What began as a thoughtful discussion about how Black creatives are reshaping Miami’s artistic landscape quickly spiraled into a moment that had the entire crowd erupting in laughter.
In this episode, we explore:
How Black and brown creatives are reclaiming space in the art world
The power of community-driven art experiences
Why Miami Art Week now feels more inclusive, expressive, and culturally rooted
The role of storytelling and humor in shaping creative spaces
The intersection of entrepreneurship, identity, and artistic freedom
You’ll hear the exact timestamps where the room loses control — crowd laughter that captures the joy, connection, and cultural pride that filled the space. This is the kind of energy you only get from live, in-the-room creative gatherings where everything is authentic, nothing is scripted, and people genuinely feel seen.
If you’re searching for clips about Black creativity, Miami Art Week, live storytelling, cultural conversations, artist panels, community building, entrepreneurial journeys, or laughter-filled real moments, this episode delivers it all.


CHAPTERS
0:00 – Welcome to Arte Hause
Opening energy, the room settles in, and the conversation begins.
2:45 – Setting the Creative Tone
Discussing culture, artistry, and the significance of this space.
5:20 – How Black & Brown Creatives Shape Miami’s Scene
A deep dive into representation, visibility, and reclaiming artistic spaces.
7:55 – The Stories Behind the Art
Personal experiences, early inspirations, and creative identity.
10:30 – When the Crowd Starts Cracking Up
The first big laugh of the night shifts the room’s energy.
13:10 – Entrepreneurship, Hustle & Creative Survival
Candid dialogue about building a path and navigating opportunity.
15:45 – Community, Collaboration & Cultural Impact
How collective creativity changes everything.
18:20 – The Moment Everyone Felt Seen
A story lands perfectly — both funny and deeply relatable.
21:00 – Unfiltered Truths About Being a Creative Today
Real talk about pressure, burnout, breakthrough moments, and resilience.
24:35 – Closing Laughs & Final Gems
Big laughs, final thoughts, and a powerful wrap to the conversation.

Transcript

Warm-Up, Nostalgia, And Intros

SPEAKER_01 0:00

What would you wanna put in a museum that reminds you of your childhood?

SPEAKER_00 0:04

That damn living room couch with the plastic on it. Plastic.

SPEAKER_03 0:08

You're not old enough to know about the plastic on the couch.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

You're being staying to it. Don't put oil on. Yo.

SPEAKER_04 0:13

DJ Fly Guy was playing every record my mama used to play. Luther Van Draws, Rick James, Tina Marie. So when I saw Graffiti and Breakdancing, it was like, oh my God, what is this? I want to be a part of it.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Before I love Brandy and Monica grew up on their music. I sang The Boy Is Mine when I didn't even have a boyfriend. Hello. Hello.

SPEAKER_04 0:30

Big shout out to your boyfriend.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

Please put your hands together for Mr. Kitty Bird. One half of Elevators Podcast. Give it up for Miss Crystal Vega.

SPEAKER_04 0:49

Yeah. Make some noise for Crystal. Hi, Crystal. Let me help you, love. Come on up. Make some noise for Crystal, ladies and gentlemen.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

Yeah. And one more round of applause for Miss Amanda Booze. Come on, Amanda.

SPEAKER_04 1:05

You gonna sit? Yeah, you sit together. Hold on, this is yours. Cut that on. How's everybody feeling? Uh, don't have me start cussing. I don't want my check to be weird. Do we have any Sagittarius in the building celebrating the birthday? Okay, I knew they were there. Hi, ladies. Hey, hey, hey. I'm blessed. I'm a Scorpio. My season is over, but big shout to all the Scorpios. I salute you all.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

Well, since we're talking about horoscopes, we Aries.

SPEAKER_04 1:34

Big shout out to my Aries. My wife is the Aries. My youngest child is an Aries. So yeah, I love Aries.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Look, listen, everybody looks amazing, by the way. I always love coming to art basel events because I feel like it's a family reunion. We did this last year. It feels good to be back on the stage with you.

SPEAKER_04 1:51

I love showing up with you guys. You smell great every year. Make some noise for Elevate Hers.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Thanks.

SPEAKER_04 1:57

If you haven't heard the podcast, they're amazing.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

Yes, yes. We love your McDonald's bread. We see what you did there.

SPEAKER_04 2:02

Yeah, I had a whole leather jacket, but it's hot.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

Yo, it's it's it's real hot. Welcome, welcome to Miami. I know you're in LA now. Who's this Miami?

SPEAKER_04 2:10

Yes, it's very hot. But it's beautiful. Beautiful people. McDonald's chicken tenders taste like Jesus made them. Did y'all have the chicken tenders? Swear to God. Learn? No. Okay, great. I knew you felt.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

We have a new sauce too. There's a new sauce going around. So you guys gotta try it. It's like a Chipotle ranch sauce, but shout out to McDonald's for bringing us here on this stage at Unk's house. Of course, we're gonna have a conversation about art, culture, and just a lot of influences that it's had on us in our career as we're on air talent. There's so much that comes into the fold when it relates to art. So I love that we're out here doing it. I love it too.

SPEAKER_04 2:45

So let's get started.

SPEAKER_01 2:46

Let's do it.

SPEAKER_04 2:46

How many unks do we have in the house? Do we have any unks in the house? If you're 40 years or older, you're a you're an unk. I was gonna curse, but uh I was gonna ask you that.

SPEAKER_01 2:56

What what's the age group for unks? 40 plus?

SPEAKER_04 2:59

Unk is definitely 40 and up.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

Okay. Y'all agree with that? 40 plus?

SPEAKER_04 3:03

40 plus? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Okay, I see some heads. I see some heads, all right.

SPEAKER_04 3:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

I agree. I agree. So on both of our podcasts,

First Encounters With Art And Music

SPEAKER_01 3:10

we talk about cultural influences as it relates to art, music, and culture. I want us to take it back. Let's start the conversation with the first influence you had, like growing up, that introduced you to art.

SPEAKER_04 3:25

My first introduction to art was graffiti and breakdancing. That for me was like fish out of water. I've never seen it in my life. My mom grew up playing Osley Brothers, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Luther Vandross. Big shout out to DC, uh DJ Fly Guy, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 3:43

Yeah, that's oh, he's been killing it. DJ Fly Guy on the ones and two. Keep it. We've been having it live all night.

SPEAKER_04 3:48

DJ Fly Guy was playing every record my mama used to play. Luther Van Dross, Rick James, Tina Marie. So when I saw Graffiti and Breakdancing, it was like, oh my god, what is this? I want to be a part of it.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

Music. It was music for me.

SPEAKER_04 4:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Um, I know my mom's gonna kill me for saying this, but I remember like being in the backseat of the car and she's driving. And obviously, I'm born 1993, so you're gonna have to help me here. Give me a check. 93? I was born in 93, right? And I remember being in the back of my mom's car. Literally, word for word, reciting little Kim lyrics, crush on you. Wait, which little Kim? How old was I? When did they come out?

SPEAKER_04 4:27

Wait, old school is Little Kim to you?

SPEAKER_00 4:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 4:31

How many people were outside when Little Kim was outside? Thank you. Gee, I felt like an old man.

SPEAKER_01 4:41

We're 90s babies.

SPEAKER_04 4:42

Y'all are literally 90s babies. We got any more 90s babies out there?

SPEAKER_00 4:46

That's my 90s babies.

SPEAKER_04 4:48

Best era ever.

SPEAKER_00 4:49

Listen, yes, best era ever. That's why I was in the back, like, hey yo, shorty, won't you go get a bed?

SPEAKER_04 4:54

Leto.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

How old was I?

SPEAKER_04 4:56

See-through.

SPEAKER_00 4:57

Probably like four or five. And she was very mad. But yeah, art. It was art for me. What about you, and you had music for me for art?

SPEAKER_01 5:04

I would say art. So my first introduction in art was my late uncle. Um, his name was Ludovic Booze. I come from like a Haitian and Jamaican background. So my uncle's Haitian, he's a Haitian artist. He would just Nabu Lee, where the Haitians at? Where the Jamaicans at? All right. Oh, yeah.

unknown 5:24

We out here.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

It's Miami. You know we're here. So he had artwork in Haiti, and he was just a well-known artist. So he was like the patriarch of a family. So for me, like I was born into like seeing art surrounding like my life.

SPEAKER_04 5:38

That's incredible. Um, I think that for me, like when I think about the black family and the roles that, you know, are responsibilities of the elders to the youngest. I didn't have many of those. Did y'all have like some? I mean, you just mentioned your your feelings. Like, did you have old hairs that really taught you the game?

SPEAKER_00 5:58

Yes. Oh my God. My aunt. Like, that was like my go-to for things I didn't want to talk about with my mom. And that's where you get the real game, right? Like your sister or somebody have sisters. I had brothers who was gonna snitch on me. So I would have to go to my aunt. And she had the best information because she knew more than me, more than my brothers, and stuff like that. So I think it's super important for us to constantly look to our art. And sometimes it's not necessarily somebody who's necessarily older than you, but somebody that like can still give you game, like you know, an unk or aunt. Um, but yeah, my aunt was always putting me on game.

SPEAKER_04 6:30

What age do you consider unk, by the way? I said mine. I said mine, but what do you consider unk?

SPEAKER_00 6:36

Over 50, I'm not gonna lie. And maybe it's because I'm in my 30s, I'm like trying to push it further.

SPEAKER_04 6:40

Is anybody over 50 out here? Oh 50, 50? Okay, all right. You look good. Some of y'all are 50, don't want to say it. It's okay. It's okay. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 6:49

I would say 45 up. I think the 40s is still young, and I think because of what Crystal said, like, I'm in my 30s, and honestly, I feel like I'm in my 20s. When I say the 30s, the 30s is the best. Like, I really don't feel my age. But I want to double back on the mentor question for you, Kenny. What do you feel like Unc should be doing? We're at Unk's house. What do you feel like Unc should be doing to help the next generation continue the legacy of art and culture? I know we talked about ageism this week too.

SPEAKER_04 7:18

Yeah, ageism is real. I experienced it all the time. But I think that you know, we need to hold on to black culture. I think black culture has enriched us in such a way since the 90s when you were created. Um because we created, you know, a trillion-dollar industry, and we don't necessarily own that industry. And now with all the music and all the death, misogyny, and destruction,

Unks, Aunts, And Mentors In Culture

SPEAKER_04 7:45

I think we gotta reset the table. So I think it's our responsibility, mine and my peers to reset the table and kind of bring guardrails back. Because I I'm not not a hate keeper, but we do need gatekeepers.

SPEAKER_01 7:57

I agree, I agree, yes. Oh, y'all can clap? Yeah, we have to clap. Come on now. We we love the crowd interaction, we love it. So I overheard that there is 30 different black artists that are displayed all throughout this venue. So if you haven't checked it out, definitely head on over to some of the rooms and check that out. But I want to pose this question to us. I want to take y'all back to like your childhood era. If someone had to go into your home, right, and they had to put a piece of something in your home, whether it's something that dealt with fashion, music, beauty, um, hairstyles, VCR, what would you want to put in a museum that reminds you of your childhood?

SPEAKER_04 8:38

Go ahead, go ahead, Crystal.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

I got two. I would say that damn living room couch with the plastic on it.

SPEAKER_03 8:46

You're not old enough to know about the plastic on the couch.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

You be stacked to it, don't put oil on. Yo, in a New York City summer, you stuck to it. I would say that, and then another piece of like home decor. I don't know about y'all, but my grandmother used to have like these glass cats. So, like a leopard, and it was like glass. Have you guys ever had any of those? My grandmother had elephants like that.

SPEAKER_01 9:13

So they had it in the house. I still got it in the house?

SPEAKER_00 9:17

No, they don't that's gone. So the leather, yeah, the couch, the plastic couch, and the and a glass leopard.

SPEAKER_04 9:24

And a glass leopard. My grandmother had elephants. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 9:28

I want to take y'all back because I feel like I'm not the only one. I feel like growing up, I was a muralist of my own. I would cut stuff out of magazines. I had one wall in my room. I mean, like, Vibe magazine, ebony, jet, team beat, team Vogue. Like, I would literally cut stuff out and like created a vision board, and I would just have it plastered all over my wall. And it's crazy enough as I'm saying this on the stage. A lot of the stuff I cut out somewhat manifested in my life. So I'm like, that stuff is real. Like, I feel like that was like, if I could take that wall, I have pictures of it. Like, it just reminds me of a time when it was just like we were so innocent and we just loved like just being like infused in culture, music, like the energy of it. It was just vibes.

SPEAKER_04 10:09

I love that. I would, I would, my mom used to make shells out of cinder blocks and plywood. And she would have the plants growing throughout the ply, and they used to have these little cubbies. I used to put my little army soldiers in. I I that for me was like one of the main things of my childhood. And then incense. She burnt non-champa back in the 80s.

SPEAKER_03 10:32

Nonchampa.

SPEAKER_04 10:33

And I used to smell that, and I burn it in my house still. So those are two things that really take and fried potatoes. My mama makes the best fried potatoes in the history of the world.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

So in the history, is her history. You know, you must be at McDonald's. We're in McDonald's house now.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

Hello. She's still here with us potatoes. I have a question for you guys. So if you can place three things in a time capsule from black culture that you want to really preserve for the next generation, what would it be?

SPEAKER_04 11:02

Wow, that's a great question. Three things I want to preserve in black culture. First of all, our style. We are an impenetrable, you know what I'm saying, people when it comes to style. And I think style gets caught up in the brand names now. And I think they get caught up into like

Preserving Black Culture: Style, Thought, Belief

SPEAKER_04 11:20

what they think they should get off the mannequin versus their actual personal style. So I wanna I want to encapsulate style. I want to encapsulate free thought. I think we're free thinkers. I think because of social media, we're so indoctrinated on what we think we should do according to the algorithm. So I want to get out of that mindset. And then lastly, I think I want to like encourage people to have self-belief. I think we seek validation so much now. We wake up every morning, we're competing and comparing as soon as we pick up the phone. And I just want people to be confident again. I just feel there's a lot of insecure people not only making decisions in corporate America, but leading creative, you know, missions like music. Like, first time in history, music is not defining a culture. Because I know the death misogyny, you know what I'm saying, the destruction can't be leading culture.

SPEAKER_03 12:16

Right.

SPEAKER_04 12:16

So tech would be your music. Tech would be the number one thing leading you guys. So I don't know. I just think music is our is our is our safe place and we don't own it anymore.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

I agree. I kind of want to challenge us. Let's let's let's do it for this year. Like, is there anything this year that you would say you would want to put in a time capsule? I feel like if I answered that, I would say definitely Beyoncé's Renaissance album and the visuals. She prepared for this.

SPEAKER_04 12:44

She said ludicrous.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

She said ludicrous. Idiot. Um I also would say our fashion. Like just black and brown fashion, your your Hanifas, your your Brandon Maxwell's. There's so many. Like, I feel like we just have so many influential fashion designers. Like a lot of that stuff, I would definitely want to put in a time capsule. And for sure, the music.

SPEAKER_03 13:06

For sure. What about you, Christian?

SPEAKER_00 13:08

I was gonna say music, but then I'm thinking just like throwback stuff. And to y'all, to y'all's point, fashion. I would put gold name earrings. The big gold name earrings. Like that was just such a staple. And you already know fashion always recycles itself. And then hairstyles, like the twists. I don't know if you know what I'm talking about, like half twists right here with and then the hairs curling. The bands different curls. Yeah, and the curls. Bantu knots, Bantu knots.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

I love that. I remember I wanted a nameplate necklace. Shout out to the local flea markets. I missed the flea markets. I wanted a nameplate necklace. They had the nameplate belt.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

Never the belt. My mom didn't let me get none of that stuff. We trying to hoard the nameplate uh earrings in my house.

SPEAKER_04 13:55

You know what I would blow up though? I would blow up social media and get rid of it. Really? Absolutely. And I don't care who makes money from it. The internet is the most evil and sadistic thing that exists on the planet. It's evil. It has women. I was in I was in Memphis last week. And I don't know if y'all listen to the Kenny Burns show, but I had this commentary about gene draws. Girls wearing jean draws. And it was the most where is he going?

SPEAKER_01 14:30

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 14:32

No, they were in the club twerking, and it it was like they were possessed. It wasn't even like sexy or tasteful. It was just nasty. And I think it's the fa I was about to curse. I think it's the internet's fault.

SPEAKER_00 14:45

No, I disagree. I think I think Kenny Kenny's trying to get us mad up here. Girl, I think everything is what you make it. Like there's a lot of people who make something. We have so much access to like resources with the internet now. I disagree. Everything is what you make it.

SPEAKER_04 14:59

See underwear in the club.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

I mean, I know. See that.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

So listen, that I disagree with. But you know what's funny? Crystal and I had this this quest. We said this this week. We want to have a party where we bring back wearing business casual in the club. Business casual in the club.

SPEAKER_00 15:18

Do where you ask. Remember the rest when we were wearing blazers with jeans and peplum tops. You remember that? I know you was, I know you was in the club.

SPEAKER_04 15:28

You know I'm the second black designer

Time-Capsule Picks: Music And Fashion

SPEAKER_04 15:30

ever in a luxury boutique before Virgil and anybody. You ain't know that. Ryan Kinney was the who remembers Ryan Kenny when I ch Okay, thank you. I was working for Rockefeller Records. I was the vice president, and Jay-Z wore my button-ups and changed clothes.

SPEAKER_01 15:45

That's fire.

SPEAKER_04 15:46

And we were, yeah, trying to grow up hip hop, but it hasn't worked.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

So we look we were the living legend up here. That's fire. I love that. Yeah, we bring it back business casual in the club. We got to. I think I think we should leave a little something, you know, for imagination sometimes. So I agree with that.

SPEAKER_04 16:02

I I love imagination. There's no mystique anymore. Black women and brown women are the most beautiful, most equipped, most incredible. Did I say incredible?

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Now you can't say all the three things to get a round of applause. Give it to you. And I hate it. And our handy go ahead and give it away.

SPEAKER_04 16:18

And I hate that they give it away so easily these days. Sorry. Some of us, some of us. No, I mean the fashion. The fashion.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

I want to talk a little bit about Art Basil, though, because I think that, I mean, well, I'm new to Miami, right? You know, you grew up here born and raised. So Art Basil um has just been really incredible for me to like step into. And I think that I have been very blessed to step into it in a time where the black culture has really, really made Art Basil what it is today. Um, and I just want to talk about that a little bit, about how we really just be putting our foot in everything.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

And making it so much better. Black people and brown people make things so much better, and I love that. Um, I feel like, for those who don't know, Art Basel started overseas, I think Switzerland in the 1970s. It came to Miami, believe it or not, in 2002. And I'm I first experienced Art Basel in 2016. And I will say from 2016 till now, I feel like black culture literally has its foot on the necks of Art Basel. I feel like we have taken over as it relates to the art, the music, the culture, the events. And I feel like the city is buzzing at times like this, and I just love seeing us represented in this way. Which is why I'm even happy to be here tonight, because I feel like we're literally all over this place, and not even just the art that's on here. You as an individual, what you have on, your hair, your fashion, your style, who you are. You are art. Like it's literally our birthright. So I love that.

SPEAKER_04 17:50

Yeah, and a black couple owns this venue, so make some noise for them as well.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

So I want to play a game with y'all. It's called I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_04 18:00

Let's play games.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

I'm gonna name something. Okay. And y'all tell me if y'all are loving it. I love it. Actually, you you kick it off. Okay. I feel like you got something in mind. I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

It's perfect. Um, okay. I got a good one because this is, I feel like, relevant to today. Um, I'm loving it. Brandy and Monica on tour.

SPEAKER_04 18:20

I'm loving it. You love Monica was the first artist I ever worked with. Don't take it personal. Was the first record I ever worked in the music business. So I love Monica. I love Brandy too, though.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

I have a question.

SPEAKER_04 18:32

Please ask.

SPEAKER_00 18:33

So, are they doing like their individual songs? Because I feel like I only know one, like Brandy and Monica's song. Do not yell at me, do not jump in when I get up to the side.

SPEAKER_03 18:43

They're doing individual songs. They kind of go back and forth.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

Individual, yeah. They are doing okay, because I was gonna say I only know one song, so I don't know if I can sign up for a whole concert, but I know they're individual songs.

SPEAKER_04 18:53

Yeah, but Monica does hers. Brandy comes on, they go back and forth, and they bring out people in every market.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Okay, okay, I'm loving it. I'm loving it then.

Internet, Modesty, And Gatekeeping

SPEAKER_01 19:00

I'm loving it too. I I really love how she like both of them are bringing so many people out. I mean, Michelle Obama's at the show, Beyonce's at the show, Kelly's performing. I feel like there's so much love and support. I love Brandy and Monica grew up on their music. I sang The Boy is mine when I didn't even have a boyfriend. Hello.

unknown 19:17

Hello.

SPEAKER_04 19:18

Big shout to your boyfriend.

SPEAKER_01 19:20

Big shout out to him. Right. Kenny. She got a man. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_04 19:27

And she got a name too.

SPEAKER_01 19:29

We do, we do.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

You marry. We on the way.

SPEAKER_04 19:31

And I'm married 26 years with two grown humans.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

Period. Right. I'm gonna applause for that. I love that. That's a blessing. We need to see more of that.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

More marriage. More marriages in 2026. Uh-huh. Lock it down.

SPEAKER_04 19:43

At home, y'all heard that, boyfriends. More marriage.

SPEAKER_01 19:45

Gotta do it and lock it down. We dropping ins. That's where all the ladies here. Okay. All right. Quarter zips.

SPEAKER_04 19:54

Kenny got a quarter zip on now. This is yeah, this is actually an M-line quarter zip.

SPEAKER_00 19:58

It's like a Kenny do. Wait, the trend? Right now.

SPEAKER_04 20:02

No. You say what?

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Do you know the trend? The quarter zip trend?

SPEAKER_04 20:04

I know with the matcha. I'm not a matcha guy.

SPEAKER_00 20:07

Okay. That's why I made sure he was in the loop.

SPEAKER_04 20:09

But this is why the internet is wild. I mean. This is why you said let it go. Delete the internet. I mean, they're not even to put on the fly quarter zips. They're just like literally like, I'm not wearing Nike Techs anymore. You know, so I don't I don't know if I buy into it.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

I actually love it. I'm loving it. I'm loving it. I'm loving it. I'm loving it. And you know what I'm loving? I'm loving just the influence. Like I love that, like, we want to dress up. We don't want to, you know.

SPEAKER_04 20:34

Okay, Amanda, hold on. Would your man wear a quarter zip?

SPEAKER_01 20:37

It depends on the it depends on the space.

SPEAKER_04 20:39

Gary, come here. He does not have all the quarter zip.

SPEAKER_01 20:41

It depends on the space, but he's fly either way. It depends on the shades.

SPEAKER_04 20:46

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Listen, there's places for quarter zips and there's places for Nike Tech. You just gotta know which one.

SPEAKER_04 20:51

I love that answer.

SPEAKER_01 20:52

I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_00 20:52

That was so beautiful. Gotta know which one. No, I'm loving it. And well, you know what it really is? I'm loving just like watching the influence happen in real time. You get what I'm saying? Like seeing the wave effect happen on social media of like black culture, and quarter zips are up 25% in sales. Literally. Like we really move the needle. I'm loving it. Even if I don't like quarter zips like the style, I like the movement.

SPEAKER_04 21:20

McDonald's, do you hear how many times they said I'm loving it? These two are professionals.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

That was a game.

SPEAKER_04 21:26

You really mean. Did you hear that? Okay, great. You're on your far.

SPEAKER_01 21:31

We really do love McDonald's. Like Crystal and I have had several McDonald's dates. Of all the times.

SPEAKER_04 21:38

You can tell, Heather, you can tell when they just start getting money with McDonald's. Shut up. I'm so I'm so tenured with McDonald's, but first of all, make some noise for Elevate Hers, ladies and gentlemen.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 21:52

Make some noise for Elevate Hers, ladies and gentlemen.

SPEAKER_01 21:55

We appreciate it. Shout out to our brother Kenny Burns.

SPEAKER_00 21:57

Make some love for Kenny Burns. Shout out to Kenny, even though he's being a little shady. You don't understand. That's what it is. I really eat this.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

She really does. Like we really do too.

SPEAKER_04 22:08

We all do eat this. We all do. We grew up on it.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Okay. I have one. You got one?

SPEAKER_01 22:14

What about 3D art? We're in art basel. I know you guys may have seen some of the art that's out there. Um, what about 3D art? Are we loving it?

SPEAKER_04 22:22

I love anything creative that is beautiful. Absolutely, I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Okay. Me too. I like 3D art. I think I'm into like paintings, like flat paintings and stuff like that, but I love me some like good 3D art. That's my thing.

SPEAKER_04 22:38

I don't know if I'm wearing 3D art shoes yet, just to I haven't seen that. Make sure. No, they definitely are doing all that.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Really? I've never seen that. That's fire. It sounds fire. Yeah, I'm into 3D art. Okay. Um, physical photos and albums. Ooh.

SPEAKER_04 22:53

I need physical photos. I'm loving physical photos. I think you should surround yourself with all the memories that you

Black Presence At Art Basel

SPEAKER_04 23:00

possibly can because life is so fleeting and short. You should definitely just be able to see your journey along, you know, along the way. So physical photos.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

I can see how people don't keep photo albums anymore. Like physical photo albums. And it's kind of scary. Like you could never sit down. Like when you bring your your your boyfriend home, back home, like are your family pulling out albums anymore? Like, are we gonna be pulling out our albums for like our kids to like embarrass them? Or are we gonna pull out our phones?

SPEAKER_04 23:29

Yeah, you can't print those out like the others, so yeah, it's just not the same. Bring back real photos.

SPEAKER_01 23:34

We need to bring it back. Honestly, my mom to this day still does that. And I used to be like a scrapbooker, like I would go to like different stores and get that. I feel like we need to bring that back. That's a lost art. Like going to the drugstore. You can even use your phone, email photos, like print them out. Like, I feel like we need to have physical copies and freeze things in time, but I I think that's a lost art form. We should bring it back.

SPEAKER_04 23:56

For sure. I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_01 23:57

I'm loving that too.

SPEAKER_00 23:58

Okay, caviar on nuggets. Loving it.

SPEAKER_04 24:01

Nuggets.

SPEAKER_00 24:03

Caviar on nuggets.

SPEAKER_04 24:05

No, no caviar. No, I caviar on nuggets?

SPEAKER_01 24:08

Caviar on nuggets, absolutely. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 24:10

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

With the nuggets. That might be fire. That might be.

SPEAKER_03 24:16

What about you?

SPEAKER_00 24:17

I love it. I've had it. I like certain things separate, and I think that's one of those things that are separate for me. Like I like nuggets on the side and then caviar like by itself.

SPEAKER_04 24:27

I'm a hood baby. I need chicken nuggets and barbecue sauce, ketchup on my fries with a chocolate and vanilla milkshake.

SPEAKER_01 24:36

That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_04 24:37

I want one of those right now.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

Same. I can have a I can have Lick Florida right now. That would be fire. Okay, so before we close out, my last question for you guys is if creativity is culture and culture is community, then the people who raised us are the architects of our artistry. So who in your life deserves their flowers for shaping your creative DNA?

SPEAKER_04 24:56

Uh if you love your mama, say yeah.

unknown 24:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 25:00

My mother deserves all the flowers. I was raised in a single-parent home, and the way that she sees life is like an adventure. So even when

The “I’m Loving It” Culture Game

SPEAKER_04 25:10

Roaches was in the corner, or we I woke up in the morning in one apartment and moved to another one after school, she always made it seem like an adventure. And that's why I adore black women the way that I do. That's the reason I've been married to one for 26 years. And that's the reason that women will always be first in my life.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

I love that. I would have to say my dad. I feel like my dad, I grew up in a traditional household with both my parents, but I feel like my dad was like the creative parent. Like there was things I would come to him and say I wanted to do. And if you're a Caribbean, you already know, like, telling your parents you want to pursue a career in journalism as a television host or in media sounds crazy to them. They're like, we don't want to be a nurse, a doctor, or something else. And I'm like, no, this is what I want to do. So I feel like my dad was just like, go for it. Like, he literally came from Haiti and he seen the vision and he was like, you can do this. And I feel like still to this day, he supports both of my parents support everything I do, but I have to give it to my dad for sure because I feel like he's that creative, the creative brain of the family.

SPEAKER_00 26:13

Honestly, I think my story is very similar to Amanda's. I don't come from like a creative family. Like we only know like blue-collar work, you know? So coming out of college, I told my mom I had a plan. I'm like, I'm gonna be an entertainment host. Like, this is what I'm gonna do. And surprisingly, well, before that, I told her I want to be a lawyer. So I went from being a lawyer to being on TV, and she was like, Okay, cool. I was like, I got this. So she's like, Yeah. So, however, I didn't come from necessarily like a creative family, but shout out to her for being like, go for it. Because if she, you know, there's some people who say the opposite, and it makes it very hard on your creative journey when you don't feel like you got that support at home. So, yeah, my mom definitely is the the through and through backbone of my creative DNA. I love that. Yeah, that's beautiful.

SPEAKER_04 26:58

Well, I want to tell you both, you have amazing lights. You deserve all your wildest dreams. Make some noise for Elevate Hers.

SPEAKER_01 27:07

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, Kenny. Honestly, this is beautiful, Kenny. Thank you for being up on the stage with us. Me and Crystal love the that you support our podcast. We support your podcast. We can't wait for us to do more collaboration together. And shout out to all of you for being here tonight. This is just so dope for all of us to just be in this one space, sharing our love and passion for our culture and all things surrounding that. But um, I wanted to thank you. So, shout out to Kenny Burns. Y'all give it up for Kenny Burns up here on the stage.

SPEAKER_04 27:37

Thank you. All right, so check out Elevate Hers wherever you listen to podcasts. Check out the Kenny Burns show. And the dream is real.