Get ready to journey through time and space, heading straight to the heart of the magnificent African empire of Mali. We promise you an engaging exploration of historical tales full of courage, triumph, and the resilience of legendary figures such as Sunjata, the exiled prince turned Lion King, and Shikari Richardson, the fastest woman alive. Hear the inspiring story of Cocoa Golf, the US Open champion, as we underscore the essence of nurturing talent and investing in a child's future.
Our discussion takes a riveting turn as we delve into the life and legacy of Deion Sanders, questioning the implications of his controversial exit from Jackson State. Are we asking too much from our celebrities? Together, we'll dissect the power they wield as catalysts for change and the societal expectations that often accompany their fame. Join us as we draw insights on work ethics, success, and the responsibilities of the celebrity sphere.
Buckle up for a time-travelling adventure tracing the roots of African history, from the legend of Sunjata Kita, the first master of the Mali Empire, to the dramatic rise and fall of this great empire. Uncover enchanting tales of the ancient Mandinka people, the Muslim influence, and the cultural richness of Kumbai Saleh, the capital of Wagadu. Stay tuned as we unravel the prophecy received by King Nori Megan Kanate, the rise of Soojado Kira, and the role of slavery in empire-building. So gear up for an unforgettable episode packed with inspiring stories, historical insights, and thought-provoking discussions.
Get ready to journey through time and space, heading straight to the heart of the magnificent African empire of Mali. We promise you an engaging exploration of historical tales full of courage, triumph, and the resilience of legendary figures such as Sunjata, the exiled prince turned Lion King, and Shikari Richardson, the fastest woman alive. Hear the inspiring story of Cocoa Golf, the US Open champion, as we underscore the essence of nurturing talent and investing in a child's future.
Our discussion takes a riveting turn as we delve into the life and legacy of Deion Sanders, questioning the implications of his controversial exit from Jackson State. Are we asking too much from our celebrities? Together, we'll dissect the power they wield as catalysts for change and the societal expectations that often accompany their fame. Join us as we draw insights on work ethics, success, and the responsibilities of the celebrity sphere.
Buckle up for a time-travelling adventure tracing the roots of African history, from the legend of Sunjata Kita, the first master of the Mali Empire, to the dramatic rise and fall of this great empire. Uncover enchanting tales of the ancient Mandinka people, the Muslim influence, and the cultural richness of Kumbai Saleh, the capital of Wagadu. Stay tuned as we unravel the prophecy received by King Nori Megan Kanate, the rise of Soojado Kira, and the role of slavery in empire-building. So gear up for an unforgettable episode packed with inspiring stories, historical insights, and thought-provoking discussions.
Sunjad Akhita, the exiled prince of the once great Ganon Empire, has returned to the gates of the capital to defeat the sorcerer King Sarmaru and bring peace to his Mandinka people. The once exiled prince was asked by the same people who exiled him to lead them in overthrowing the Moroccan invaders who had made claims to the broken Ganon Empire in all the golden wealth within its borders. It was prophesied that this child, born with legs he could not use until he was 70, would one day be a great king. And now here he stands at 18, aligning, weaving in between hand-to-hand battles and stabbing with his spear, dashing to and fro, slicing legs and making a great war cry. Every time his spear sheds blood he sees his gone.
Speaker 1:The fool saw Sarmaru wears an absurdly large headdress, making him stand out from the fight. Bad strategy. He grabs an arrow tip with a rooster claw and takes a deep breath. He draws, drawing out all the cries of victory and pain alike. He aims Sarmaru's men, see the arrow strike the evil sorcerer in the chest and all goes quiet on the battlefield. He falls, they retreat and today Sunjata becomes not just a man, not just a king. He becomes a legend. He becomes the Lion King, and Mali, his new kingdom, will become one of the richest the world will ever see.
Speaker 3:I don't think that's necessary.
Speaker 1:Hey everybody, welcome to CNA, the coolest alive. Today we take a trip to the West African Sahara, to the great empire of Mali, placed perfectly in the middle of some of the richest salt and gold mines on the planet. At the time, mali rose to greatness on the backs of three men, three mansas, of which I'm positive you have all heard of at least one Mansamusa, the richest man to ever live. Now, before we dive into the story of these great men, I'd like to take a moment and ask if anybody else has noticed that since the Montgomery boat brawl, where we watched our people rise up and oppose the angry colonizers who didn't want to move, they got damn boat. We watched our brother get jumped and my people ran, swam and threw folding chairs in unity. But since that incident, have you all not noticed that we have been winning Like, as a people? We have been fucking winning Like. There's so many different stories I've been noticing and I didn't know if anybody else noticed that Since then, shikari has come back strong.
Speaker 1:You know what? Let me. Let me put some respect on this woman's name. I'm sorry. The 2023 Budapest 100 meter world champion and officially the fastest woman alive, shikari Richardson, is back and busing on. Y'all Got to get them roses while they can get them, folks. You got to give them roses while they here. I love that. Look, I keep on. A little girl.
Speaker 1:I'm so sorry but, she, she really she's a little girl Like she's. She's little little and she's young. Like I don't. Like I don't. I'm not attracted to young females, but I it's something about that little. She just exudes so much confidence Like it's just so palpable. It is so I, can you not be attracted to that? Like you have to be a? Really I don't know. But not only does she now hold the gold individually, she also was part of the female American real ear team that brought home the gold United States against Jamaica, side by side, the 100 meter champion against the 200 meter champion, richardson Jackson.
Speaker 2:She's closing fast enough. It's called for the Americans redemption. Redemption for the American team.
Speaker 1:Let's also be aware that the men's relay team also brought home gold. No allows 100 meter world champion as well. Now, black is black. So I ain't taking nothing away from Jamaica, who has held it down strong for years. However, to see them kids work so hard and to see them go through what they've been through especially her, all that negative press and to come back stronger and more focused, like that's what winning is about, that's what winning is, and also, let's give it up to Cocoa Golf. Thank you, where's my crowded? Thank you, thank you. Yes, beautiful beautiful black woman, black girl, man, and I'm loving it. Man, you know what I'm saying Like, get up, cocoa Golf. You just won the US Open.
Speaker 1:Hey, I gotta be honest, like I had never heard of her until like the US Open, and you know that's crazy, but then I do. I kind of stay in my own little bubble.
Speaker 1:So I, I miss a lot of things. You know, you're sitting around spending two weeks of your life learning about the Mali Empire. Like everybody doesn't have that kind of time. You know, like everything else kind of gets phased out. So you know, I don't, I don't see, I'm, I'm, I'm not usually up on. So you know, when I first saw her, I was like who is this, you know? And just to see her, the way she's, everyone talks about her, um, like her coaches, and you know, she's just a very level headed young lady. At 10 years old, she saw this, she saw this sport, she fell in love with it and she said she wanted to be the best. You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you. Some I learned about her.
Speaker 1:Her parents gave up their careers to focus on training their child, gave her the means to master her craft and train her body to maximize every single strand of her potential. That is the cost of winning folks. That, that is putting your all, that's putting everything, that's betting on. They bet on their child, they bet on their, they bet on their DNA. You know what I mean. Like you have to be able to do stuff like that Now, even with my son. You know he has an eBay store and you know me explaining to him like, bro, you know you can't take stuff to the school, but, bro, they can't stop you from having a fucking store. Like you know what I mean. Like you got, you have product, you know where to get the stuff, you know the flea market stuff, you know how to get these retro brand, the off dot, the knockoff, even the knockoff is like $500 now. And you know you, you, you have access to be able to.
Speaker 1:I was wondering about that Like being able to put a store in his hand. Like you know, of course, technology has made it way easier to be able to do something like that. Well, literally, it's just a matter of having some product and putting some products on a picture. You know putting some pictures on the internet, but nonetheless, like to have that power at your. You know, if you, if you fuel that kind of inspiration to your children, was like, dude, you could do this, this, this, this, like it's only going to be as big or as small as you want it to be. Like she made the decision she wanted to be mommy, daddy, I want to be the best tennis player in the world and you have to see that, like you have to know, you have to be honest with yourself. Now, a lot of people that made that bet didn't work out. I know a lot of people that made that bet they don't with homeless. Why?
Speaker 3:are you putting another mortgage on? I'm telling you, I'm going to be the best golfer, nigga, you drive trucks.
Speaker 1:Why are you putting our life on the line? What are you doing, like you know anyway, um, but that is, that is the cost of winning, though, like the cost of winning, like it's, you see, these conquerors, because I mean, all this is leading into, you know, the subject of the day. But you see, these conquerors, like I've always resonated with, like the guys like that, like, uh, the gang is cons, the, the, even you know cause, again, I'm, I'm American. So my first introduction to traveling the world was Columbus. That's the story, the first story they teach us.
Speaker 1:As I've gotten older, like today with this the Molly empire, you've learned, like, yeah, a lot of my, my understanding of the world is whitewash, the European eyes. But again, you're, when I was growing up, christopher Columbus, the fact that somebody just looked across the ocean and just like, yeah, I just want to go out there. You know, and sometimes it takes that thought, but a lot of us don't have the means to follow up on it. I mean, but that's the excellence we're supposed to strive for. You know, we're not, you're not supposed to not measuring your wealth and finances, but in, like, setting the next generation of success, like this season, the NFL began with 14 of the 32 teams having a starting black quarterback. That's the most ever in the NFL ever. Also, baltimore has the first ever all black quarterback stand.
Speaker 1:Now this is after years of racial stereotyping, of how mentally inferior us Negroes is, how we couldn't understand the complexities of leading the team, let alone turn the one in 11 Colorado into a top 25 team and under a year time, put some fucking respect on Dion prime times name. Please respect that man's name. I do not understand the hate for that man. I can't get it. I just don't understand.
Speaker 6:Dion, tell them I'm not playing to make you feel good about me. I already feel good about me. I'm good message for the youngsters out there in the oldest old school, not old fools. Fast, what about me would make you think that I care about your opinion of me? Fast, your opinion of me is not the pain that I have of myself. You ain't make me, so you can't break me. You didn't build me so you can't kill me. You know what God. God established me so you ain't nothing you could do to me. I've been dealing with this foolishness since Pee Wee football man. I've been him. I've been a difference maker, a game changer. I've been that guy. So what will change now that I'm coaching? Not a darn thing. I'm not even playing the game and you got an opinion of me. I'm not even on the field.
Speaker 1:I don't get it. Why do y'all hate this man so much? Like really, yeah you. You, the guy just scrunched up face thinking, oh Dion, I thought this was about the Molly Empire. This guy tricked us. Shut the fuck up, we're gonna get there. You nerd, I'm leading you down the path. Just stay with me. I'm not gonna explain what the fuck you you. Let me explain what the fuck you hating greatness for. Like, I have a work associate who likes Dr Umar, which I would say I think he is a great thinker. I don't agree with a lot of his views, but that's life. You know, you ain't supposed to. You gotta agree with every fucking body, but I don't mean, you know, I think he's still a great thinker. Like he's a thinker. You know, as a man who I see myself as a philosopher, I like other men or women. I like other people who can think. You know, think for themselves. Problem is, men like that tend to attract men who can't think for themselves, and that's where it gets dangerous. So anyway, he played this clip for me.
Speaker 7:So this was bigger than football. This was about the survival of the HBCU.
Speaker 5:It's bigger than D-On Especially. No, no, no. Stop trying to stop trying to get celebrities a past. Charlie Mayne no, you're blaming an individual, I'm not blaming him.
Speaker 7:I'm blaming black men for not being men, but you know what? Listen, I'm blaming us for not being men. That was an unmanly move. Can you admit one thing?
Speaker 5:D-On could have went down in history, brother. Are HBCUs chronically underfunded? Of course. Were they chronically underfunded before D-On? Yes. Were they chronically underfunded after D-On? Yes. What are those reasons that they're chronically underfunded?
Speaker 7:Because we, as black men have not come together to create the funding source to make sure they survive. I don't want to hear about the government. We have two of you FD blacks.
Speaker 5:You're interviewing them every day I'm with you, so you got low low donor low donor low alumni donors right. Low endowments Correct, that's an us problem.
Speaker 7:He's part of us. Why you keep exhibiting?
Speaker 5:celebrities. He's one person.
Speaker 7:They're not better than us. He's one person, okay, but the point is that one man could have been a catalyst for a movement that would have revolutionized the survival of HBCUs.
Speaker 5:Why does the movement stop just because he left? Hbcus will still be there. You're missing the point Exactly.
Speaker 7:Hbcus wasn't just about Frederick Douglass, but if Frederick Douglass would have pulled out, it would have hurt it. The underground railroad wasn't just about Harriet, but if she would have pulled out, it would have failed this is?
Speaker 5:the black movement wasn't just about King. What do you want?
Speaker 7:Three years ago, they were struggling and he could have helped save it, and for him to pull out of Jackson state. The way that he did it before making sure the HBCU system survived, to me was selfish. He chose money over the movement. Charlamagne and celebrities do it all the time and y'all want to give him a pass Nobody get no pass.
Speaker 5:I don't care who beyond San.
Speaker 7:Jose, he had a chance.
Speaker 1:First of all, first, first, first of all. First of all, deion Sanders is giving me personally about 30 years of entertainment. Like I'm not sure what more you want from the man. Oh, why we as a people feel that this man should give up on his own dreams for a college that wouldn't even make sure the fucking water work. Remember there were games of football team had to live out of hotels, prime paid for out of his pocket. We always want someone to make it and give back with this amount of mentality. Like if he's in the same projects in me, a situation I'm in, and I see him working and grinding every day, never at the parties, never smoking with us, never fighting, never pulling guns. His focus is sports and schools. You see the nigga Deion. The nigga's leaving, going to practice, nigga coming back, going to sleep. Like you know what I'm saying. Like that's the nigga life. You know what I'm saying. Like he's focused on sports and school. He's handling business.
Speaker 1:Now, while you may not have the same physical gifts, that work ethic will get you somewhere. If you following that work ethic of a winner is going to get. It's always going to lead to success too. Like if you watch men who lead other men like they, the strong men tend to follow. You know what I mean. They tend to follow. They follow, to an extent like you have to what they say.
Speaker 1:Where you, you, you imitate. Like you imitate the artist that you like. Like when you're a writer, like when I used to do rap, I would listen to it. What are my favorites artists? Was at the time I swear it's like my whole rap style change and it was sounding more like that person and I don't know. It wasn't something that I was mentally thinking about doing, but, like you're a fan, you know what I mean. So you're a fan first and then you're learning the art also while you're a fan, until eventually you start to learn your own way to walk off of that. You know what I mean and there's nothing wrong with that. You know what I mean. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But bottom line is he is handling business.
Speaker 1:If you start to follow a man who's successful, you're going to become successful because you're going to start making successful decisions, successful thoughts. You're around. Especially if you surround yourself with successful people, you almost have no choice but to become more successful. Hey, because either they're not going to want you around at some point if you're stagnant and they're trying to move forward. Because, like you know, those vibes don't work, like those waves don't work when people they split off. One friend starts going on this huge trip and becomes a superstar and other friend oh well, you left me. It's like no bitch. I'm trying to chase my dream. Like that's my dream. I understand we have a friendship, but my friend, like you, can't allow that to. You know what I mean. Like you're supposed to have your own dreams. You follow a successful man. You will be successful Period.
Speaker 1:Now, if you don't believe me, just look at the young men he is raising over there, and I'm not even talking about his actual kids. No, that man is a leader of men and he's turning boys into men in his program. Jackson led the SWAC with a 90% student athlete GSR or graduation success rate tied with old Miss and Mississippi state for highest in the state of Mississippi for the years prime was there. So what that means is, yeah, he has Louis bags, but the man gets results. He has built those boys up from core principles and hard work and you can see it in his sons and the way they carry themselves on and off the field. He brought the spotlight to the HBCU programs and he brought money to that program and every program that touched it got money from it. Everybody who he played that was their biggest grossing game wherever they went.
Speaker 1:Jackson state that last year, maybe the last two, yeah, I think the last two, they the second the first year. The first year was the pandemic year. I think they went four and three. The second year is like they went 11 and two, then the last year was 12. One, I think they won the championship.
Speaker 1:So you know he turned that whole thing around, got them money and nobody that man never said did I say from the get, go, if I get the opportunity to go, I'm going. Like this ain't, this is a stepping stone, like this is a stepping spot for me, like this is not my goal. What do you want from people? I don't understand man. Now anyway, now he's at Colorado, I love what he's done, like I'm recording tonight and this is actually. They actually just lost to Oregon for the first loss of the season, but as of now they're ranked 15th in the nation, lost to a top 25 team. Nothing to drop your head over, and I promise you he's not If certain things he said that resonate with me so deeply that unless you share that winning mentality, you'll never really understand it.
Speaker 6:My motto when I was seven years old is I believe. I got the Jackson state and I started saying I believe, and they thought it was something new. I've been believing for a long time and I'm not going to ever stop. Now it's about time for you to look to that person next to you and say I believe, I believe. I mean, you got to feel it, you got to embed it, you got to embody it. Don't just say it with your neck all slanted. You got to put your neck up right and say I believe, I mean, I believe that's right, without a shadow of a doubt. You got to believe, you got to want it, because everything you want is going to be something in front of it that's going to keep you away from it. So you're going to have to fight. You got to roll your sleeves up. You're going to put Vaseline on your face. Ladies, take your ear rings off. You don't take your lace runoff, baby. You're going to have to go get it.
Speaker 1:You're going to have to go get it. When you're focused on your goal, when you are focused on winning, nothing else matters. You don't have time to consider who likes you, who don't, why they don't what they doing, it don't matter unless it fits within my plans of winning. The real issue is jealousy, and first you know what. At first I thought it was envy, but then I realized I really didn't know what the difference was. So I had to look it up and, honestly, it was kind of interesting because basically, okay, basically, envy isn't an emotion that occurs when one person wants something Another person has, whether that thing is a material possession or perceived success Notable for status is one of the deadly sins.
Speaker 1:Envy has been studied extensively in the fields of philosophy and psychology. Well, one of the things I learned was that envy tends to come when someone feels inferior to another person's success or status. These people feel dissatisfied with themselves. Their self-worth is weakened by seeing another man succeed. So we go back to the mentality of the man watching him and the man mimicking him, and let's guess which one has a higher chance of succeeding.
Speaker 1:If I'm watching Deion, hey, no deal, man, they got away running man. Man, that nigga Jerry Curd. Look where the hell man Deion had a fly-ass curl. Well, like yo, like you know like, or the guy that's just like yo. Let me go talk to this dude. Hey man, when you run, what, what all do you? When do you? When do you train? Dude, can I train with you? Cool, cool, big, all right man, what are you eating, like? What are you doing? You know, like dude, I want to know what the fuck you doing, because I got to get there. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:I always say, like jealousy, envy, jealousy, they can be healthy. Like there are two distinct types of envy. You have malicious envy and benign envy. Malicious envy focuses on a person who has the envy thing and involves an act of wish for that person to not have that thing. Like all you hating ass motherfuckers wish a LeBron to break a leg, or Prime will hear your hating ass videos and quit coaching. Like it ain't gonna happen, bro. It's a dirty, malicious want that serves no real purpose of goal other than to not see someone win. Like that's it. You just don't want them to win. You, actually, you, achieve nothing. There is nothing coming in this from you. If LeBron breaks both his legs, nothing, you gain absolutely nothing but the joy of knowing that this man is unhappy in his life Like you. Like something is really fucking wrong with you, jesus Christ, oh my God, like that's weird.
Speaker 3:Like you're weird.
Speaker 1:Like benign envy is more general. It tends to focus on obtaining the desired object or achieving the desired status, minus the ill will toward another person. That is a healthy envy. I think it's okay to measure yourself to another man, like, and I think mentally healthy people either realize yeah, I'm not willing to put in that work, so let me send my fat ass back and watch LeBron do his thing and appreciate the image of excellence, family and fatherhood he's given us for 20 fucking years, or I decide to work harder and chase that goal. That's a healthy way of dealing with it, like okay, I want to be LeBron, I'm gonna work my ass off, I see how he works. Cool, you know, and we all know why you don't like Dion. And this is. We all know why you don't like Dion. It's just swag, it's just winning that life of 40 years strong, a lifetime of great decisions and focusing on goals.
Speaker 1:I have friends who genuinely believe that any black man that becomes famous for anything is in the Illuminati Jay-Z Illuminati. Any rapper that grows from ghetto success to Hollywood is a clone Gucci man a clone now. Or he sacrificed a loved one for 15 minutes of fame as if the only way we can we as black people can be successful is through witchcraft or letting the white guy fuck us in the ass. Like this is ridiculous, like that's ridiculous, like they they quote unquote whoever they are already been they've already been so successful in breaking us down from within that we can't even believe that. We're just fucking dope as hell. Like we are dope. Y'all understand that. We are so dope. Our culture, wherever it touches it, just makes it fucking better. It's like cocoa, it's like chocolate and milk, the shit. Just it's just better. Like what the fuck? Everywhere we go, man, it's dope as fuck. They came appropriated all our shit, everything here, jazz, music, everything we turn, great, they turn around and try to cut it off.
Speaker 3:Like you know, they gonna change this nil shit out the deal Like they gonna do something about this shit Cause we're they are not.
Speaker 1:But anyway we'll. We've allowed, like Christian thoughts and beliefs, to hold us back from learning about who we are Like, where we come from, for real, like before the boats brought us here and changed. There's proof that we stood on these shores way before Columbus even imagined the world beyond. Their landing, mali, men and women landed and began to spread their names, words and customs 200 years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue. When the Europeans finally got here, they saw mosques and black men with turbans, mali and gold spear tips. There are proven sites, stories, historical accounts of black men fighting whites alongside Native American tribes, south American pyramids resembling the beginning stages of the African mastery of the art, meaning that pyramids in Egypt have been standing for centuries before the South Americans tried their hand at it, but it was clearly inspired by African architecture. It takes a different breed of man to walk his own path Shit. It takes an even stronger breed to carve your own path in greatness. But that's exactly what today's topic did. And now introducing the epic of Sunjata, the Lion King.
Speaker 1:Sunjata Kita, first master of the Mali Empire, was born around 1220 AD. He was born a prince of the Mandinka people, and the wanting years is what is known as the Ghana Empire, as the ancient Mandinka people themselves called it, wagadu. It is important for us to remember these ancient names and stories because most of the stories we know come directly from those ancient people through griots. Griots are the ancient form of history keeping. They are like the bards in medieval Europe Do pop out with a loot, start singing songs about some epic fight the king had or battle the king won. But that was a way for the people who couldn't read or write to keep stories alive, and that's how we know a lot about our African history through these griots. In the story of the Mali Empire, and Sunjata Kita in particular, the griot community kept this story alive for 800 years until it was finally written and taken to the great city of Tembuktu, which during this time, was one of the greatest cities for learning, commerce and culture in the whole world.
Speaker 1:During this same time, I'd remind you that in Europe, england is French, the fucking Irish slaves. London has 10,000 people. Kumbai Saleh, the capital of Wagadu, has 20,000 people. The Mongols, genghis Khan, have taken over the largest area of any empire to ever exist up in Europe and Asia. Europe is broken, ready for the taking, throwing a thing called a bubonic plague, with 30 to 50% of the European population died off due to them just being dirty ass motherfuckers. What God do at this time has lasted for over a millennium. From 200 AD to 1200 AD, they thrived An African based society with African based beliefs, african gods and a working society. This was an Africa untouched by white Christians at this time.
Speaker 1:However, the Muslim influence has definitely gotten its hands on this area of Africa, if for no other reason trade, islamic capitalism. This is the Islamic golden age, not just for capitalism, but also for science, culture. But being in Islamic state allowed this area of the world to do trade with the known Islamic world, which, at this time, reached from the western borders of Wagadu all the way to China. This was a very important and strategic move by the nobility of the tribes that made up Wagadu. Wagadu was made up of 12 separate tribes. These tribes all worked as like a federation and the Ghana. That's why they ended up calling it.
Speaker 1:The Europeans called it the Ghana Empire, because the king of Wagadu was known as the Ghana, so the Ghana. Well, he's basically, he's the emperor. While most of the people still very much believed in traditional African religions, on paper, the government and commerce were based on Islamic trade and culture, which was very important. This area of the world at this time was rich in mineral deposits. The land sat between the Sahara Desert to the north and a huge rainforest to the south, and in between, like some of the most fertile land, and his empire was built on gold, salt and yes, slaves, sorry folks, but we can't have any conversation.
Speaker 1:We can't have any realistic conversation about any empire that has ever existed and not mentioned the slaves that built them, including our own America to grave. Sorry, I have to be. I got to be unobjective when it when I tell certain stories or histories. Otherwise I can't give an honest view of the events or people involved, like sometimes, you just want to know the story. You can come to your own conclusion about right, wrong or other, but keep in mind this is a time where slavery was just a part of life. Slavery was a part of the world, not just in Africa. In Europe, europe was making slaves out of other white folks too, and in Asia it's just the conquerors. They took over your land and they made them in slaves. They made them in and women slaves, that's. That's how it worked.
Speaker 1:Slaves were a major part of moving both gold and salt, of which salt was more valuable than the gold. Salt literally changed the development of civilization. Salt eliminated the need to depend on the seasonal availability of food. So with salt we learned how to preserve our food. So now we can deal with cold months. So we got food saved up for drought. Like we can travel to distant lands. Different cultures mingle with other cultures that couldn't mingle before because they had to stay there at the food store. So now we can go further and our culture mingles with this culture and this turns into a whole new off-bridge of culture. And you know this is literally how humanity started working. You know salt, literally based, was the like, the basis of the jumpstart of our humanity becoming the way it is. Like armies, like war changed. Literally, it changed war Because armies cannot travel to distant lands. Armies could go further to take over more shit. Armies could go further to take over more shit. You know, we take over more people, we get further. And the worst salary is based on the Latin word salarium, or salt, because the Roman soldiers were paid in salt. But yes, people slaves mind the salt. It slaves mind the gold. But I'm not here to discuss the right sorrows and slavery in a time when that's just the way life was. I'm simply painting the picture of what God do. So that we are clear. We are talking about an illiterate, uncultured Africa. We're talking about an empire that lasted for a thousand years before Columbus ever sailed.
Speaker 1:Now, in 1100 AD, al Bakari, a very famous Moorish traveler, wrote about his arrival to the Waqadu capital, kumbay Salai. He wrote that the capital city actually consisted of two cities, 10 kilometers apart, but in between these two towns are continuous habitations. So it's like you got the main city, you got the suburbs. This is in the middle of Africa. This is 1100 AD. He wrote that the capital city actually consisted of two cities, 10 kilometers apart, but between these two towns are continuous habitations. According to Al Bakari, the major part of the city was called El Gaba and was the residence of the king. It was protected by a stone wall and function as a royal and spiritual capital of the empire. It contained the sacred grove of trees in which priests live, and it also contained the king's palace, the grandest structure in the city, and that was surrounded by other domed buildings. The name of the other city was not recorded, but in its vicinity were wells with fresh water used to grow vegetables. It was inhabited almost entirely by Muslims. Therefore, it had 12 mosques, one of which was designated for Friday prayer, and it had a full group of scholars, scribes and Islamic jurists. Because most of these Muslims were merchants, this part of the city was primarily a business district. These inhabitants were largely black Muslims known as Wangara, and are today known as the Mandinka.
Speaker 1:This man wrote from his own eyes, with his own pen, that he was amazed at the laws and structures of the empire. He described sitting in the audience of the king in a dawn pavilion with 12 horses standing outside of it, covered in gold and brood materials. Behind the king stood pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold, and on his right are the 12 sons of the kings of his country wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited with gold. At the door of the pavilion stood dogs of excellent pedigree they hardly ever leave the place where the king is and that he witnessed a justice system. He saw how the king allowed the 12 vassal states that made up his empire have a fair word of what went on in the empire.
Speaker 1:Around 1100 AD, the empire began to self-destruct, as almost all empires do. I really look for the best answer for the reason why I spent like two hours of my life to be able to give you the following one line. Remember this afterwards because I have a patron, but climate change is believed to have played a significant role in the fall of Wagadu. Over a thousand years, the climate had began to dry up and the Sahara desert began stretching into its land. Mother nature never loses. That bitch is undefeated.
Speaker 1:The people outside of the country are taking the opportunity to take lands. It's national lands and territory that led to less taxes being paid than no taxes being paid. Man, fuck you and them taxes. We don't need you because you can't even protect us anymore, and that was that the empire broke up. The Soso people were one of these territories and they were led by a sorcerer named Samarru Kante. I love these names, like I really do. I love these fucking names. They're so great, they have so much power to them. She's also known as Samanguru Samanguru, sumanguru Kante, which actually I found out, but I had already recorded that first part of the show, so I'm going to roll with Samarru, but I love Sumanguru. Had I heard that pronunciation first?
Speaker 1:I would have used that one, but this shit is gaseous, so he lent the Susu. So he lent the Susu. Also, it's the people are Susu or Soso. So I like Susu more because a lot of these things, again, they're all tradition, so they've been passed down. So sometimes the translation is hey, it's being Europeanized, hey, by the time we've gotten to it. I don't care how much looking I do, I'm in my back of my mind, I'm like even this shit is like questionable, you know. So it's either Susu or Soso. So if you hear me while I'm into this story, go back and forth, Just deal with it Like it's the same thing.
Speaker 1:He led the Susu and overthrowing the capital city of Kumbai Saleh and then began taking over a lot of the other territories and combining them into an attempt to create the Susu army. So also during this time in the small kingdom of Mali, a hundred from the north comes before King Nori Megan Kanate with a prophecy. He prophesies that 200 will come to the king with a very ugly woman. Despite her ugliness. The king must marry her because she will bury him the greatest king Mali has ever seen.
Speaker 4:Great Ghana, kanote, there's a hunter from the north hill with a prophecy my king.
Speaker 3:Bring him forward. Yes, you may speak.
Speaker 1:I have seen the future of this kingdom and it lies within your golden loins.
Speaker 3:Okay, go on From you just bring the greatest empire Mali has ever seen. Okay, I like him. I like him. I live through time and will be told by griots from here until eternity, my king. Yes, I'm liking this. In time, two hunters will bring forth a woman you are to make your wife.
Speaker 1:Oh calm down, calm down. Baby, calm down, calm down. Yes, continue, my king.
Speaker 6:Continue wise hunter.
Speaker 3:Yes, the woman is the ugliest woman in the kingdom. Your highness, Say what now? Yes, yes, my king. She is very, very deformed and hunchbacked by far the ugliest in the kingdom. Bro, come on now, go marry your hunchbacked. What are you talking about? Yes, your highness. She is physically disgusting, but her personality will be phenomenal man get this nigga out of here, get him the fuck out of here.
Speaker 1:So sure enough, a few weeks passed and two hunters bring the king the ugliest woman in all the land. But it's the visualist presentation that kills me.
Speaker 4:Yes, gana kanote. It is nigga god A few hunters have arrived at our gates. They say they have found your new wife my king.
Speaker 1:Man fuck, no king Go meet your new wife. Say that bullshit. Right now sasamo Whatever man fuck what I do.
Speaker 3:I do for the future of my people.
Speaker 1:I bet you do.
Speaker 3:Man, what a.
Speaker 1:Bring her forward. So they bring her in face covered, but just from her walk you can tell she's horribly hunchbacked. And they present her in front of the king and the court and everybody's life. God damn, she has buffalo. Who is it? That's the king's wife. Stop playing. Look at, that's the king's wife.
Speaker 1:Put her mask back on I present you, your new queen, gana kanote, sokalon Kichu. The king stood on his beliefs, though, and he married her. That's the first time he's ever married a woman named Sosomo, and she was rightfully pissed. She had already had the king's first son, don Corrin, and she assumed he would claim the throne when King Kanote passed. Sokalon gave birth to Soojado around 1220 AD. However, he was born with the inability to use his legs. He couldn't walk at all, so she was like whew, Cripple cool. But on King Kanote's deathbed he left his son, his own personal grill named Balafasiki, which was a powerful symbol of the king passing his crippled son his kingdom. That's how important grills were at the time. This man's job, his life, was dedicated to telling the story of Soojado Kira, and from him spring songs and stories. Stories became epic, epic, turning to legends and myths. But this man's name, through all the years, will be remembered, and that's how we, as a people, have remembered who we are for millennia. So this was powerful, and so Sosomo was pissed, but after the key that, she was still able to put her son, don Karen, on the throne due to Soojado's weak condition. But Soojado never let it break him. He worked, he pushed himself, he was driven to one day reclaiming stone. In the age seven he finally stood on his own feet and took his first steps, not just for himself but for his man Dinka people. But now he was a threat and Sokalon can see the writing on the wall for that shit. So they wouldn't exile. But the day they left, don Karen sent the group by Lafasiki and one of Soojado's sisters to Soomaro Conti as a peace offering, because Soomaro Conti was threatening everybody in the region and his army was growing. But the prince went into exile, pissed, and would not return for many years Now.
Speaker 1:During this time the prince became a well-known man of valor and strength. His family settled in the territory known as Mima. But the king of Mima made Soojado one of his senior councils, like almost immediately. He was just that guy, like damn. He was just cool, confident, driven. He was just that guy. He had fought for the first seven years of his life just to stand on his own feet. And here he was still a teenager, on the senior council of a king's court. Years passed and he gets visitors from Mali who asked for the king's attention and they addressed the court.
Speaker 3:We have come in dire need of the return of the rifle king of Mali. Our lands have been conquered and our people enslaved and tortured by the evil.
Speaker 1:Sumon-Goon Conti and his dark magic. He sacrifices our women to his gods and his army grows stronger each day. We remember the prophecy and we come on our knees asking the rifle king to return and take his place at our head. Soojado Kita was ready. Remember. This is the king's guide. So the king gives him an army to start with.
Speaker 1:Soojado begins marching towards his home city and in every kingdom he crosses on the way, he gains the support of the locals and the Mandinka people who have been driven away by the Soso. So Amaru eventually hears about this fight coming his way, so he sends an army of infantrymen to block Soojado's army. So the way this is usually worse is okay. Both armies have traveled days to get to the battlefield. We get to the battlefield and each side sets up camp for the night. Each side sets up camp for the night, put people on guard and get a good night's rest. So we cut these motherfuckers' heads off in the morning when the sun comes up, right? Nah, son Soojado leads his men into battle in the middle of the night on horseback. The griots say Soojado was in the middle of the susu like a lion amongst sheep. He destroyed the susu army and, up until this point, the susu army had had no real issues dealing with any opposition, so Samaru was pissed. This makes Samaru feel like man, I'm just gonna do this shit myself.
Speaker 1:So he gathered his whole army and they go down to meet Soojado on the battlefield they met in. Soojado outmaneuvered Samaru at every step until the susu finally retreat, but ever the patient strategist Soojado doesn't have. His men chased him. Remember, samaru was believed to be a real sorcerer. They had stories of him disappearing and appearing in other places during the battle. So even though Soojado won the battle, he still had serious doubts about how powerful Samaru Kanthi was. During this last battle, his griot Balafasiki and his sister had escaped Samaru and made it to the Mandinka camp. He tells Soojado about Samaru's lair and how he kept the heads of the other nine kings of the kingdom he had conquered. His sister tells him she was forced to marry Samaru, but during this time she learned his weakness and the way to break his dark magic. His spirit animal was the cock and it was also the only way to destroy him. He would need to stab him with the cock's claw to break the magic. This was like Samson losing his hair or Kill his heel. This was the one weakness unknown to anyone at this point and it would be the downfall of the evil sorcerer.
Speaker 1:The sun rises and Soojado and Samaru face off in the city of Karina the night before. The Soso army tried to sneak attack, but Soojado and his men were ready and the archer shot arrows with fire tips until the Soso retreated. This morning, soojado once again leads his men into the battle on horseback, and now they push the Soso army back until Samaru calls on his reserves to fight off the Mandinka attack. Now the tide of battle is turned and the Mandinkas are the ones falling back. Soojado sees his men fighting, fighting for their families, fighting for their land, fighting for him, the Lion of Mali.
Speaker 1:He decides that the annihilation of his people will not happen, not today, not. While he draws breath, he pulls back and falls behind his men and looks for his targeting. There he stands with a huge red headdress to invoke the power of the cock. Samaru leads his men as well, but right now he is unaware that the Lion of Mali is hunting and he has found his prey. Soojado clears his head, takes a deep breath and draws on his bow. Samaru is in the heat of battle. He pulls his spear from the belly of a fallen Mandinka warrior and screams a war cry to rally his men, but then his blood goes cold mid-crash as he sees Soojado's arrow flying toward his body, but Boosterclaw tip hits him in the chest and he falls, fully aware that his magic is broken.
Speaker 1:His men see this and begin a retreat. They drag the broken Samaru Kanti off the battlefield and into the depths of the northern deserts, never to be seen or heard from again. It's 1235 AD and the Mandinka people wants to conquer, not sit victorious, as Soojado keyed. Their leader unites his people under one name the Mali Empire. He will reign for 20 years, when the Empire he sets in motion will become one of religious freedom, safe trade and passages, fair laws and a standing army of 100,000 men who were well trained and provided the safety of the people.
Speaker 1:The Lion of Mali died in 1255 due to an unknown accident, but the griot sunk his song until it was finally written down in the 19th century. But by that time his nephews had already made the kingdom of Mali known around the world Two brothers, one who would dream of going west across the Atlantic Ocean to great unknown lands, and the other would dream of going east on his pilgrimage to Mecca. Both will make history, both will become legends in their own right. Abu Bakr II would take 2000 ships across the Atlantic to South America and the Caribbean, and Massa Musa will make a golden pilgrimage to Mecca that would become legendary. And we will get into that next week.
Speaker 1:Thank you guys for listening. I hope you enjoyed as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Please visit my Patreon because there was a lot of work. That's right, it's a cash grab, so you know, send me your cash app email and your password, or hit like it, right me.
Speaker 1:You know, whatever, love y'all, make sure you come back. Next week we will go into the story of the rise and the fall, unfortunately, of Mali and the greatness that is in Africa. We're going to stay here. I hope I paint a beautiful picture of Africa for y'all, because I love learning that it was this beautiful, so I feel I had to give a proper introduction to it. So we go to the story, because it's not just about old Massa Musa it was the richest man in the world Like it's a whole thing to it. It's a whole empire behind them. It's a whole culture, the Mandinga people, the Mandinkas, the Mandingos, you know. Anyway, I love you guys. Come back, hit like share, tell your people about it, love you.