The Rundown with Rene Knott
The Rundown with Rene Knott is a weekly online news and culture show which aims to keep St. Louis informed, inspired, and connected. Hosted by trusted journalist Rene Knott, the show highlights the people, stories, and moments that define the city.
The Rundown with Rene Knott
The 314 Day Episode
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Happy 314 Day, St. Louis!
In this special episode of The Rundown with Rene Knott, Rene celebrates the city by taking viewers inside one of its most iconic events — Nelly’s Black & White Ball, a night where the best of St. Louis comes together for a powerful cause.
Recorded at the event, this episode features conversations with Nelly, community leaders, entertainers, athletes, and changemakers who are helping shape the future of the city. From scholarships and charitable work to the pride people feel for their hometown, the night highlights the spirit of a community that continues to give back.
Guests share why St. Louis means so much to them, why events like the Black & White Ball matter, and how coming together can create opportunities for the next generation.
On a day dedicated to celebrating the 314, this episode is a reminder of what makes St. Louis special — the people, the pride, and the commitment to lifting each other up.
Happy 314 Day from The Rundown with Rene Knott.
The Rundown with Rene Knott is sponsored by I Got Dan and powered by Midwest BankCentre.
Well, thank you for joining us for this episode of the Run Down with Running Down. We're actually coming to you this time from which we're live, Jam. Of course, this video is a good one. We can we celebrate the reward for you.
SPEAKER_07Man, um, I have I literally have nothing to be unhappy about. You know, I'm just one of those people, um, I'm a glass half full type of person. Like, even if it's things, I I totally understand things could be worse. You know, I'm one of them people, I try to bring joy to people, man. Um, I know things do happen. Obviously, you have your moments, but the fact that anybody it's a lot of people that are trade with Nelly. So what do I have to be uh upset about? You know what I'm saying? And the fact that a lot of people portray this angry situation when they have so many other things that they could be thankful for is dishonest. You know what I'm saying? And I'm just thankful, man. I get a chance to have a great night with um my city, I get a chance to um thank all of the supporters and the sponsorships that 90% of them are homegrown. You know what I mean? And these are not local, just local companies, these are global companies that are homegrown right here in St. Louis. And we get a chance to come together, man, and have a great goddamn neat night. And we send kids to school, we uh we do make a wish, we bring smiles to people. You know, what we mad about, man.
SPEAKER_04If I were to take you back to the little kid, would the little kid look up to the big kid and go, oh, I knew he was gonna do this way back in the day? Or was there something along that way?
SPEAKER_07I think the little kid would definitely say, I didn't mean to cut you off, but I think the little kid would definitely say, I know he loved to do what he's doing. We didn't know for a fact that if he would be able to have a career in doing it. But we know he loved to do what he does. And the fact that I get to love what I'm doing and it's what I do for a living, again, it's a blessing which goes way into it about what do I have to be mad about? Look at you, chat. Yeah. Look at you, you're looking sharp. I see it. You ready for tonight? Don't mind everything.
SPEAKER_04Were you that clean at that age? Never. Never.
SPEAKER_07Never, never. Hopefully. You know what I'm saying? Um, but yeah, man. Again, look at that smile. Like, what are we doing?
SPEAKER_04I'll finish with this one for you. What does the future hold for Nelly? As you look towards the horizon, what do you see in your life?
SPEAKER_07I don't know, man. I'm just thankful. Um, I got my wife, I got my children, I got health, I got a um great career. We continue to give back. I don't know. Um if you would have asked me, I would have said just just to be here.
SPEAKER_08Yeah.
SPEAKER_07So being here is already goals that I I wouldn't have dreamed of, so continue to grow.
SPEAKER_04Cool. Thank you, man. Yes, sir. Appreciate your time. Have a great night. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. How nice is it?
SPEAKER_11Um, it's always great to be here. It's always great. I've come I've been coming since the first year. I've been here every year.
SPEAKER_04Why do you think Nelly has the staying power that he has in this community?
SPEAKER_11Um, because he put the energy out in the city from day one. Um, and the city, you know, the city became famous in hip-hop. Um, and it became famous to a lot of other cities that weren't aware of how cool St. Louis was or and uh was or whatever it is. And and um I think that you know, him doing this every year, the people of the city look forward to it. The people that's not from the city look forward to it. It's just a thing, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_04Thank you. Appreciate you telling me fun tonight. Excuse me. KMO V Anchor. I I am on the scene now with breaking news. I found the new light of the SCL Airwaves. How are you doing?
SPEAKER_01I'm great, so excited to be here.
SPEAKER_04What makes this night so special for you?
SPEAKER_01Well, it's my first black and white ball, but I've heard so much about it since the very first day I moved here, and the room is already electric and the event hasn't even started, so I'm so excited to be here.
SPEAKER_04So you had to do it up. So tell me about putting this outfit together.
SPEAKER_01Well, I went to the West County Mall, stopped in a few stores. St. Louis has great shopping, so it wasn't hard to find.
SPEAKER_04How are you fitting into St. Louis? Do you feel like it's home?
SPEAKER_01Yes, I'm from Mississippi. Each person that I meet here in St. Louis has some sort of Mississippi tie. So St. Louis has been the perfect home for me so far.
SPEAKER_04Welcome to St. Louis. I wish you many years of success.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much. Thank you.
SPEAKER_05Oh my god, them my man right here. Oh my god. Hi, what's the saying no? You tell me what's no, no, you can't interview me. I'm interviewing. Oh my god, well, tell you what, you're looking good, man. You are looking so good. And we want to thank you for all you have done, all that you continue to do for St. Louis. How important is that?
SPEAKER_04I want to say thank you very much. It's very important. Yeah. Because uh the majority of my adult life has been here in St. Louis. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this has become home. Yeah for me. Yeah, yeah. And I think our people, and I'm talking about the black community, needs a proper representation. And I think you and I are bringing it.
SPEAKER_05Well, I tell you what, I'm gonna tell you, I know you're bringing it because I know when you did one of your first hosting gigs, I was like the little young guy, a gateway classic, Earl Wilson. Wow. So remember you came and you were there for the students, for the teams, and you did a great job. And you know what Earl Wilson said? I ain't got no money, but I want you to eat some barbecue.
SPEAKER_04I mean some barbecue right now. How cool is that? I miss him, man. I miss him. It was it was so beautiful. I think that's when I first got my understanding of what it means to be a part of this community. Yeah, yeah. What it means to give back. And so from that day forward, it's been it's been a blessing. Well, that's what it is. It really has been a blessing.
SPEAKER_05You have been a blessing. Tell everybody how they can find up with me.
SPEAKER_04Thank you. You can keep up with me. I've got the run downwards ready not. Okay, that's on YouTube and also on TikTok and Instagram. Of course, I'm on Instagram all the time. Okay and on Facebook, just and then who knows in the future.
SPEAKER_05Well, I'll tell you what, we're working on some things. Well, I'll tell you what, you keep working because you make work look so easy. And so thank you. So, for all you do, guess what? Them your people, St. Louis. We want to thank you, man. I was gonna say, he, my people. Right there. Right there. Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_04How are you feeling tonight, first of all?
SPEAKER_15I feel good, man.
SPEAKER_04I woke up this morning, so I'm actually I'm great. What does a night like tonight do for you as far as being awake and being a part of the community?
SPEAKER_15Um, it's it's just it's always a good thing. To see what he does with the Make a Witch Foundation year after year and to give the scholarships away year after year, it's always a great thing. It even inspired me to um start my own um scholarship program, the City for Youth Foundation and the City for Youth um scholarship program. Not sure if we're going to introduce it tonight or next year, but it just put it on my heart to create that. So I got with a few people, I got with my wife, my mom, uh Ricky Whittington from um from Plaza to uh just get it together, yeah. But it's it's a great thing.
SPEAKER_04How important is that for you, passionate to get back to the city of St. Louis, to get back to the next generation of St. Louis?
SPEAKER_15Um, it's very important to me. Like it's the future. It's like raising kids. Like these are my boys. You know, um, so how great is it? How is it to you raising good kids? Because that's what we're raising with the future as well.
SPEAKER_04So I want to say thank you for what you guys are doing. Thank you for being here tonight. And as you look to the future, are you still smiling? Are you still feeling good about the things to come?
SPEAKER_15Oh man, I smile every day. I I I don't know what it is about me, I just smile. I wake up, um, somebody's over there crying, and I walk past them grinning. I I'm a smiler, I just smile all the time, so I'm always happy. I walk past my son every day, every time I see him, and we just smile. No reason he ain't said nothing to me, I ain't said nothing to him. We just smile. I see Kiwan. Every time I see Kiwan and walk past him, I just start smiling. I just smile all the time.
SPEAKER_04They're photobombing now, and I've just called it old G. Um, that means you're calling me old. No. Yeah. I call him OG too. Okay. All right. We are OG. We're all old G, that's why we got gray hair. There you go.
SPEAKER_02You doing alright? I'm good. I'm great. I'm Kiwandafoe.
SPEAKER_04I know who you are. I'm Kiwando Foe. You know that?
SPEAKER_02Uh okay, we're gonna.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's Kiwanda Fo on. It's okay. It's good, man. That's what happened when you retire. It's you're not retired. You're just taking a break. And I'm taking a break. Taking a pause. This is a pause. Get our next there. Um the number is 636 now. Um a night like tonight means what to you guys?
SPEAKER_02Uh everything. Everything. It's like it feels like a whole year of work, and then you're able to get back what you earned.
SPEAKER_04Is it amazing that after all these years, you guys are still relevant, that you're still doing things, that you're still making it happen.
SPEAKER_02Uh I do. I appreciate it. Especially just came off tour, and you really realize when you see 15,000 people screaming every city over 70 cities, and you know what I'm saying? Like everything's sold out, you're like, oh, okay, we got something going on. You know what I'm saying? Then you come back on page.
SPEAKER_04There you go. There you go. How y'all doing? When you started out, did you think it would be like this? Did you think that, you know, years down the line we're still gonna be hip hopping and and touring and everything else?
SPEAKER_02Um, that's what we were aiming for. Yeah. Like even when we did our music, we said we need to be lifetime and something bigger than just a rap. So I do believe it. I I always thought either we're gonna be the greatest ever, or wasn't nobody gonna see us at all. Or it wouldn't understand us at all.
SPEAKER_04I'll laugh, I'll laugh. I'll leave you with this one. What is the advice you give to that young star out there who wants to get where you guys are?
SPEAKER_02Um, I say do your homework. Just because you're not in school don't mean there's no homework for you. You know, study what you're trying to get into. You know what I mean? Study what it takes to get there. Uh, listen to podcasts, listen to other people's journeys. Um, be friendlier. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Be friendlier and just understand that business is worldwide, no matter what. When you go to business school, they don't say you're going business for Coca-Cola. Yeah. It's business. So handle your business, be on time, and look nice. What do you say? What do you say, Mom?
SPEAKER_05I'm gonna stop.
SPEAKER_02Great to see you.
unknownWe got a business.
SPEAKER_12How cool is it to be out on a night like tonight, out of uniform and so dapperly done up in black? Man, I love it. Uh, was able to come to this event last year for the first time and really enjoyed my time for a lot of reasons. You get to meet a lot of interesting people, um, and just to be able to see Nelly give back to the community that has supported them so much is inspiring. What do nights like tonight tell you about the city of St. Louis, the people of St. Louis? Um, just the support, and they they ride with you uh from the very beginning, whether things are going well or not. Uh it's a strong community, they care, and um I'm glad to be a part of it.
SPEAKER_04As manager of the Cardinals, do you feel like there's a weight on your shoulders, Stu, not just for your team, but because you kind of carry the city as well?
SPEAKER_12Uh yeah, but that's why you wake up every morning. I it'd be tough to do it in a different city that didn't care as much as St. Louis does, man. So even during the down times, you do feel that pressure, but it it's what wakes you up and you want to continue to improve and get in the right direction. So um, I love that part of it. I was talking to Billet III earlier, and he's saying that big things are coming in 2026.
SPEAKER_04You smile. So, how good do you feel about 2026?
SPEAKER_12I feel really good uh for a lot of reasons. We have a lot of young guys, they're gonna take their lumps from time to time, but the future looks really bright. So, we're positioned to do some really good things starting in 2026 and beyond. Thank you, Ken.
SPEAKER_05Great to see you. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_03How exciting is tonight? I'm very excited, Rennie. And you know, first and foremost, it's great to be with you. Thank you. Um, St. Louis has such an authentic voice, and you're someone that helps contribute to that. So I want that to be known first and foremost. But to see people come, civic leaders, elected officials, community folks, our folk come and just be in a room for a good cause, advocating for young people to be able to go to college, make a wish foundation is truly special.
SPEAKER_04What does that say about a guy like Nelly? Because obviously, he could be anywhere in the world, but he chooses to stay here in St. Louis.
SPEAKER_03Well, one, let's be clear. Um, what I love about Nelly and many people similar, when you can get people from different backgrounds, different spaces in a room and remind people that it's one St. Louis for one great cause, it's always going to be a positive turnout. So I applaud Nelly for consistently doing it every single year. And I think it's reminding, again, our city that we have a great story to tell, and it's even more reason to show up.
SPEAKER_04How easy is it for a guy to get dressed up for a night like tonight? Because you know, the women are wearing all kinds of different dresses and sequins and all, and we're just walking around in black suits and tuxedos.
SPEAKER_03Well, first, um, I have a two-year-old son, and it's a Sunday night, so it's very difficult to get dressed up. However, um, I'm very fortunate I was able to get out. He gave me the okay. Um, but no, I tell you what, it's always easy for a great cause. And again, I love dressing up, being able to show up for a great cause in our community, so it means the world. How is daddy life? You know what? I tell people all the time the days are long, but the years feel short.
SPEAKER_04Does being a dad also kind of come into your mind as a politician? In other words, you gotta set the stage for the next generation.
SPEAKER_03Oh no, 110%. Every day it reminds me of my wife, but not just my son. So many families' children remind me why. And again, that's why I'm proud to not only serve our community of Missouri Senate, and I'm hoping to get an opportunity to serve them even further. Always a pleasure to see you, sir. Thank you, man.
SPEAKER_04Big How you feeling?
SPEAKER_00I'm good. How are you feeling?
SPEAKER_04All right, so what's the performance going to be today?
SPEAKER_00The performance tonight is going to be a little mix. At dinner, we're gonna give you a different flavor. We're gonna give you some old school RB and then some contemporary pop. And then at after dinner, we're kicking off the after party with some originals that we have, of course, for our new single. And then we're gonna rock the house with some hip-hop classics and some rock and roll.
SPEAKER_04So when you're rocking the house in front of someone like Nelly, is it a little different than just your average audience?
SPEAKER_00It it is, it is definitely, it's different energy. So there's two phases to tonight's party. So the first energy is it's a different audience than what's gonna come for the after party. So, but yeah, the energy is awesome, the stage is amazing, they have it decked out every year like top tier. So it's always a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_04Well, great seeing you. Looking forward to a hell of a performance tonight. Thank you, love.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, Rennie.
SPEAKER_13Oh, hello. So tell me about the toy donation. So the toy then the toy donation is for over 3,000 kids in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, and High Ridge, Missouri. We started about two weeks ago, and we're about halfway into it. So we're also gonna be doing the uh tornado kids that were affected in St. Louis City and Friendly Temple Church three days before Christmas.
SPEAKER_04Why is that important to you? Why is it important to you to say, hey, I gotta help these kids out instead of just look at your own life and take care of your own family?
SPEAKER_13Well, I was one of those kids that grew up without. So I understand what it feels like to grow up and not get a toy for Christmas because I was that kid. You know, I stood in the window while all my friends rode up and down the street in their brand new bikes, wearing their new clothes. Yeah. And I was afraid to go outside because I was embarrassed. So I felt like that no kid should ever go without opening up a Christmas gift on Christmas. How much was that lifestyle growing up, a part of your motivation to be who you are today? It was absolutely everything. I run a foundation called the R. Whittington Foundation, but I work here at Plaza Motor Company. I've been there for 21 years. I do commercial real estate on the side. So it is not my job, it is my passion. So we just don't take care of kids during Christmas. I'm actually the co-founder for the Black and White Ball for the education piece with Nellie that started back in 2006. We have graduated hundreds of kids through Lindenwood University, Harris Dow State University, Missouri State, and Missoula. I don't know what to say after hearing all of that outside of thank you. Thank you. I'm gonna say one other thing. The most important thing I want people to know about is that we have a program set up for the unhoused downtown. We take care of the homeless. And this is our 20th year. Every 90 days we feed them. We have a job placement program for them. We got 130 people off the street and got them employed. So that is one of my biggest accomplishments right there is taking care of the unhoused. Your heart is full, obviously. Yeah, but knowing that people are still struggling, is it at the same time heartbreaking? It is heartbreaking because sometimes it seems like you just can't do enough. Yeah. But you know what? It only takes one. I'm just one individual, but I've touched so many lives. So we're gonna continue to do the work. That'll be a part of the problem, but be a part of the solution. Thank you so much. Oh, you mean?
SPEAKER_04Thank you so much. First of all, I've I'm listening to you over here, and there's a great deal of excitement in you. How excited are you right now for Harristo State University?
SPEAKER_06I am tremendously excited, man, because there is so much potential at Harris Tow. I am a native St. Louis, and I grew up here in St. Louis, and here's what I believe in Harristo. I believe in the mission, and I am also a champion for Harristo because I have witnessed personally firsthand the amazing work of our caring faculty staff have poured into our amazing scholars and they have gone on to do amazing things, and so I am a champion for Harris Stowe. You speak from your heart. Tell me about the passion you have for Harristo. Well, you know what, Renan? I was uh I am passionate because this is a personal ministry for me. I consider it a joy to be able to help students who have a desire to go to college, but not only students who have a desire to go to college, those students who may have been counted out. That is a challenge for me because I, you know, I was not the 3.0 student myself. But here's what I had: I had a desire, I had community service, I had leadership, and someone took a chance on me. And so it's an honor and a blessing to be able to be that person to take a chance on other students.
SPEAKER_04Well, how nice is it to be in a room like this? Walking the white carpet and rubbing elbows with all the celebrities.
SPEAKER_06Yes, sir. You know, it is um, I count it all joy. I'm very grateful that Nellie has considered Harristo the only HBCU in St. Louis to be a partner and to benefit from this black and white ball. This is our third year. Um, this will be our fifth scholar who will be surprised on tonight. We never tell our scholars that's something that I personally elect not to do because I want to um I want the room to be able to see the authentic response and the array of emotions from the scholars when they find out that their debt will be paid for the rest of their college. And that's significant for the students that we seek out at Harris Stowe. We pride ourselves on seeking students with potential. And our goal is to help them, regardless of what their background is, regardless of what their financial circumstances are, to help them to see the possibilities of having a higher education. And what's really rewarding is to be able to watch them leave with the power of Harris Stowe and to leave with the power of an education, which is something no one can ever take from you. Thank you so much. Thank you, not just for this, but thank you for what you know.
SPEAKER_08Absolutely.
SPEAKER_04Thank you for keeping him alive.
SPEAKER_06Well, no, he keeps him alive.
SPEAKER_04Is that what it is?
SPEAKER_06Um, this is my balance.
SPEAKER_04Uh a lot of people don't know this, but I know this woman here. I think you are Jackie Joyda Cursey, right?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, last time I checked.
SPEAKER_04First of all, you look fabulous. Now, are you wearing regular shoes or sneakers?
SPEAKER_09No, I'm wearing regular shoes. Look at this. Look at this. Wait, wait, wait, wait. That's what we're talking about.
SPEAKER_04We brought it tonight. We brought it tonight. Being at an event like this means what to you?
SPEAKER_09You know what? It it means the world to me to be able to give her my time to come and support, you know, what Nellie's been doing, and uh, and then just to be out here to celebrate, because to celebrate each other, and and it's just and and it's all for a wonderful cause, and everything comes back into the community. Now Nelly has never forgotten where he's come from.
SPEAKER_04You're the same way. All that you're doing in East St. Louis with your foundation and everything else. How often do people come to you and want leadership and want guidance so they too can give back?
SPEAKER_09You know, uh quite a bit. So I but you know what it's like it's just something that I Do you know? Uh, even when I'm working with young people and we talk about setting goals, having a plan, you know, and you know, it's not where you are, it's where you want to be, and understanding the importance of that.
SPEAKER_04So now you come tonight, you dress to the nines. Are you cutting a rug tonight? You're gonna do some dancing tonight, or you just showing up to be seen and then gone.
SPEAKER_09You know what? I think I'll be a little bit of a, you know, I'm gonna show up. I ain't gonna cut the rug too much.
SPEAKER_04You don't want to pull a hamstring.
SPEAKER_09I just come in from Germany. That's right.
SPEAKER_04How are you doing on the jet lag?
SPEAKER_09Oh my gosh, you know what? I'm hoping, yeah. You're not be up at three or four o'clock. Like, what's going on? Yeah, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_04Go get you some rest at the end of the night. Yes, because people want to see you, they want to see you and take an autograph and a picture and everything else with you. And you know, you and I, we go back. How far back do we go now?
SPEAKER_09Oh my god.
SPEAKER_04Big 20 20 years.
SPEAKER_09Yes. And we're gonna continue. Isn't it wild?
SPEAKER_04Wow. I know Jackie joined a curse. Yes. Uh, first of all, what do you think about tonight and being able to be around so many beautiful people for a great cause?
SPEAKER_14Well, it's important to see St. Louis come together to give back. A lot of times people come together just to have fun. This is a fun event, but more than that, it's an event is giving back in St. Louis. So I love seeing people come together to make sure people have more than they had, more than they had because of this gathering.
SPEAKER_04Does it impress you with the fact that it's from people from every different walk of life? It's not just the movers and the shakers, but it's the average shows as well.
SPEAKER_14Well, here's the thing everybody that comes in here is a star. So as you look around, you're not sure who's the celebrity who isn't, because everybody looks fabulous. I mean, it's amazing that people have really gone all out. Um, St. Louis looks great tonight.
SPEAKER_04We see Nelly here, of course, he's the one that's putting the whole night on. Jackie joined us here as well. Two people who achieved great things in life that could have moved and went anywhere else in the world, but decided to stay home. When you hear about people like that, what does it say about the potential of St.
SPEAKER_14Louis? There's no place like home. You can go anywhere you want to go, but as long as you come back and support where you're from, then all the great things that you do transfer here. So it's important that they have both done amazing things, but they haven't forgotten where they came from. So it's uh it's beautiful to see Nellie give back, uh, to see Jackie Joyner give back and see so many people come support those great calls.
SPEAKER_04I gotta ask you this. You guys approached me about doing a podcast, and I was apprehensive at first. What gave you the inkling that this is something that we could do, that this is something that we could we could grow and make into something special for our city?
SPEAKER_14Well, at the end of the day, St. Louis loves Rennie Knot. St. Louis loves Rennie Knight. St. Louis trusts you. Um, and it was clear that you still had a whole lot more to give back to the city. Uh so when I saw the opening and availability, I immediately said, let's get Rennie. And the fact that you even entertained doing this with doing this with us is a blessing beyond measure. Um, it's a wonderful opportunity.
SPEAKER_04In fact, I want to thank you for joining us. Well, I want to thank you for the opportunity. And I want to thank you not just for the opportunity for but for the thoughts that this could be something bigger than what it is right now. Sure.
SPEAKER_14Um, I've been an attorney here in St. Louis for the last 20 years or so. Um, and I haven't really been able to connect that to the larger community. So one of the things uh that I really like about this show is uh it's not just about the law anymore, but it's about celebrating St. Louis. I spent so much time focusing on the law. Now I want to focus on the law and say St. Louis is a great place. That's highlighting great people, great things, and St. Louis is a place to be. So we're doing it. We are doing it.