Deed theft is a predatory practice where homeowners, particularly vulnerable populations like immigrants and elderly individuals, lose their homes through fraudulent paperwork, forged signatures, and deceptive tactics such as fake water bill payments or tax lien sales. This issue has gained significant attention in New York City, leading to the establishment of an official Office of Deed Theft and advocacy for an eviction moratorium to protect homeowners. The complexity of the issue requires collaboration between the mayor's office, the attorney general's office, and the state legislature to implement comprehensive solutions including expanded legal protections, estate planning resources, and increased enforcement against predatory actors.
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Chi Ossé's Blasian Agenda | Victory Light Ep. 180Added:
The subway is kind of the subway. I say city bike everywhere or try to say bike everywhere.
>> I'm I'm trying to more just because it feels nice.
>> The biking.
>> Yeah.
>> Or the train. Oh, yeah.
>> Oh, the train also feels nice. But >> yeah, >> especially you can probably speak to this just living in Berlin.
>> The train feels nice >> sometimes.
Yeah. I'm not mad at the train. I'm not mad at the train. I guess you get you from point A to point B. If you're really thirsty, >> train feels nice.
>> If you're really quenched for water and then you get that good drip.
>> Yo, that cold. That [ __ ] is always cold, too.
>> It's always cold. That [ __ ] is always cold as a [ __ ] And no matter what the weather is outside, it could be 100° in that station. That water drop is like >> from a glacier. I got bit by something on the train before.
>> Oh, that's why you don't >> I got bit by something on the train before. Yeah. Yeah. A spider. I got bit by a [ __ ] spider on the train before which is so crazy. That's that's like that's a crazy like Spider-Man ass story. I got bit by a spider on the train before. Bit me on the back of the neck. Like black spider bit me on the back of the neck.
>> Sam Jackson spiders on this [ __ ] TRAIN.
>> [ __ ] I'M TRYING TO GO TO BATHROOM.
>> You got like the worst superpowers.
>> Yo yo this is old. This is the oldest diarrhea. Diarrhea.
You got linkers, bro. You got the You got They said the show weapons light up yo-yo that they used to sell on the train.
Yo.
>> Yo, I can sell candy for half price.
It's crazy.
>> I'm dead.
>> Yo, I now have the ability to sell candy for my basketball team, which is not really what I'm selling candy for.
>> Oh my god.
Yo, what's up y'all? You know what I'm saying? This is Victory Light, you know what I mean? I'm the kido. And today's a very special episode, you know what I mean? Because sometimes we get a little, you know, I mean, we have fun up here all the time. Sometimes we get a little serious, you know what I mean? And uh, you know, when we hit serious topics, we got to bring in the experts. You know what I'm saying? So, I am surrounded by experts today. Okay. Like I said, I'm the camera, the human dur cuz I keep it wavy. You know what it is? V all day.
>> Ch is in the building. Friend of the show. You know what I'm saying? front of the pod.
>> The homie front of the pod been here several times, you know, and uh you know, in different locations, you know.
>> Yeah, I miss where we have the Dallas BBQ.
>> The big Henny colada.
>> I can't believe that contract went up.
The Henny colada. I thought it was coming today. I I didn't know if there was a DBBQ on street, but I was like, "Yeah, I'm sure it's at a Dallas."
I go and some [ __ ] ass like boutique next door. This is not Dallas barbecue.
>> So, I'm starting the podcast off a little irked and annoyed, but it's okay.
I'm sure we'll get through it and be okay.
>> We'll be fine. You know what I'm saying?
Shout out to the [ __ ] >> We can still fly in a henny colog.
>> Yeah, of course.
>> It'll be It'll be melted by the time it gets here, but >> you can Uber eats it.
>> You can Uber eat.
>> Yeah, they got him in the cooler bag.
>> Dry ice to keep that [ __ ] cold. Yo.
>> Yo. And it's the tipsy bartender guy from Tik Tok delivering it >> like is he still around? cheat man. Let me tell you something. This is going to MAKE YOU OH BOY. YO, the way he says home is he I have not heard that name in years.
>> I fell into like a hole like of the tipsy bartender like reals like on you on YouTube or shorts, whatever they call on YouTube.
>> And yeah, he's still doing the damn thing. Not drinking any of it.
>> Yo, he's the number one consumer and or supplier of red dye number 40. Has that been banned or outlawed yet? Is it officially like >> red number 40?
>> Red die number 40. They've been working or I think the RFK has been working towards >> casting out.
>> It's like it's part of the maja movement.
>> As long as I'm just happy MSG is off the hit list of of like the health people.
You know what I mean? MSG, >> you know, >> that was an Asian hate crime.
>> You know, >> they were coming at MSG. Because my parents own a restaurant, not because um >> Yes.
>> Do they own a restaurant?
>> They did.
>> Okay. That's why I said that.
>> She was also blazing.
>> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
>> And he's not just saying that to sound exotic. True. It's true. And get a bottle waitressing job at Starlets.
Okay. It's really It's really just true to this.
>> Okay.
>> So, we are here today with Ch. And of course, y'all know who it is. You know what I'm saying? It's Mran the man of the hour. You know what I'm saying? the day and the week and the month and the year and the millennium the producer of this here show Victory Light. You know what I'm saying? And all things if you see something if you see me doing something and then you're like, "Yo, that's a cool thing that Merillo did. Min is probably behind it." You know what I'm saying? And he's here today facing the camera. You know what I'm saying? And I feel like he's nervous, but he's not. He's chilling.
He's the coolest [ __ ] in the world.
>> Is this your first time on camera?
>> I think. Yeah.
>> On the show.
>> Wow. I'm getting the men debut.
>> I know. Well, it's diversity higher. Um, >> yeah. A >> So, how did that how did that come around? Was men like, "Hey, so I'm marrow. Can I can I maybe do an episode?" Were you like, "M, I wanted to pull you on."
>> I've been telling for the longest. I'm like, "Yo, bro, like you're you're you're [ __ ] hilarious." By the way, just FYI, you know what I'm saying? You got like there's there's a you know, >> Yeah.
>> it it works.
>> Yeah.
>> He's like, "No, man. You know, >> I I think he brought me on because I have a degree from a liberal arts college."
>> Yes.
>> Yes. And you are an active Twitter user.
I know that that's a fact.
>> Yes.
>> You use Twitter.
>> I do.
>> Saying so.
>> And he can't fire me for the things I say.
>> You feel what I'm saying? I'm just like, how can I fire somebody that says things that are not as bad as the things that I say?
>> Then that's very hypocritical. You know what I'm saying? So I would never the men got to Yo, I'm If I'm Jay-Z, he's Blake, bro. Like as long as I'm alive, yo, man's a millionaire, you know? Stop playing with him. You know, it's men trying the freaky man. Come on, baby.
Sorry. Power six.
>> Yo.
>> Wow.
>> Yo, Chris. Yeah. A Chris on some church [ __ ] now. Like, >> is he?
>> I don't know.
>> He was cuz he was on Epstein's flight logs. And so this was a whole like I think during his heyday, which I guess during the rush hour kind of saga. I think >> he was just on like various Epstein flight logs that were uncovered during that.
>> I do call rush hour a saga, but >> criteria collection [ __ ] >> Was Jackie Chan?
>> Yeah.
>> Was Jackie Tan on those planes, too?
>> No.
>> Oh. Oh no. I thought you said Jack rush hour.
>> I was like damn. I was like stupid make a rush hour reference and then be like >> was Jackie Chan a rush hour.
>> No, but he um he might have retired.
Yeah. He hates his daughter.
>> Lesbian daughter. Yeah.
>> Yes. So yeah, Jackie Chan super conservative.
>> Hates his le I think he doesn't like doing action movies anymore.
>> He had a whole dramatic turn I think in the kind of like mid2010s.
>> What?
>> He owns a conversion CAMP IN BEIJING.
NO, I'M KIDDING.
You see what I'm saying?
>> He can say that. I can't cuz he's Chinese.
>> He'll start the Asian ones, bro. If he says that [ __ ] >> Chinese [ __ ] like, "Yo, THIS I TOLD YOU MOTHERFUCKERS."
>> YO, I don't Jackie Chan have shers on Twitter.
>> He got to >> maybe. Yeah. For the Jackie Chan fans, >> the Jackie Chan community.
>> The Jackie Chan community.
>> They don't show up in my timeline.
>> The Chan fans is okay. Shout out to them. But uh listen, you know, we're here to talk about some some serious stuff, some fun stuff. But you know, let's start off with the reason that well, not the reason you're here. You're here because you're cheat and we love you. But you have been very much so vocal about D theft. You know what I'm saying? Came up to uh Mornings with Melo on Hot 97, 6:00 to 10:00 a.m.
on your FM dial. You came up there and we talked a little bit about it. Um, I'm from the Bronx. So, I'm like, "Yo, home girl, I was with you."
>> You know what I'm saying? I'm like, I'm like blanking on the name, but y'all came up there and y'all y'all basically explained De theft to me for the first time cuz this was the first time I was hearing about it.
>> But I had seen little things here and there, but just not kind of like dove into it. And y'all got into it like very like nittygritty. Yeah. Yeah. on a super granular level >> and provided resources that people could go to and all of that kind of stuff.
>> And it went kind of wide, you know, people were like, "What is this about?
What is this about?" And then >> now it's like it's really it snowballed into a thing. Like shout out to you for kind of like leading the charge on that.
>> Um, >> you know what I'm saying? Big up big up.
>> Uh, because now there's an official office of deed theft, you know what I'm saying? For New York City. So another round of applause for that. Thank you.
>> Yeah. Well, I mean I I think something also um important or interesting to note at least in my opinion is >> I think the way in which these sort of different offices and different kind of >> like you know >> people in government have kind of been working together. So I think you obviously have been doing this for a while. And then um Leticia James from the you know the New York AG has been doing this for a while too. And I know that >> I think you her office has been kind of putting together some of these initial reports and studies on the increase >> increasing prevalence of deed theft. Um >> and she going to be mad at me cuz she told me about it first. It was actually her first cuz we interviewed her >> at was it Junior's cheat or not?
>> I remember that. I remember that you spoke to her at >> cuz we were like she was like she's like I'm from Brooklyn [ __ ] >> I should have said that. Listen, I think a lot of people in the political space have been speaking about de theft for some time. I think this was a year where it reached newer heights, right, in terms of it becoming a larger conversation, not just for us within, you know, government, but but across, you know, the city, across the country.
And, you know, I'm getting, you know, texts from people from from across the world about it. Um, I really want to credit, you know, Evangelene, who was on the show with us last time we were on Hot 97. you know, she's one of the the leading figures behind the People's Coalition to Stop Ded theft. You know, this is a coalition of of victims of deed theft, advocates against deed theft. Um, just regular people who have had enough of some of the craziness that's that's that's happening within our city, especially within black New York and and the theft of our homes. Uh for those who are listening, you know, deed theft is a process where someone can basically steal a homeowner's home.
Uh basically through fraudulent paperwork, forging signatures, telling someone they're going to pay off their water bill, but actually having them sign off their deed away. Sometimes it's getting like distant family members involved, foreclosure fraud. Uh it's a really sick act, right, of of stealing people's homes. And they mainly prey on on immigrants, on elderly ladies. And you know, I've I've as someone who grew up in in central Brooklyn, I've seen this happen. I've seen my community displaced. And yeah, I I took it up as as a primary issue over the past couple of years. And um have been advocating for for change from our our governor so that she can implement an eviction moratorum for our mayor to open up an office. And you know, over the past couple of weeks, we've been seeing some progress, especially on the mayor side of things. But so much [ __ ] work left to do.
>> Yeah. Yeah, man. Cuz like like you said, it's it's it's a real issue, bro. And like people have been talking about it for a while, but like you said, it's it's gaining traction and and drawing eyeballs now because >> there's video out >> and the situations that like you know those kind of like anecdotal like those instances are so [ __ ] egregious, bro.
>> Like you know cops coming to people's doors or like just random people showing up at their door. Yo, you got to guys, you got to get out. Like what do you mean we got to get out? M you know like you said elderly people being taken advantage of if they put a lean on your house and they send you a letter in the mail >> and you don't get that letter you don't know if there's a lean on your house and then some you know predatory landlord type of scumbag >> this is public record they go on yeah let me see what houses up are here in distress and I'm going to just buy this one this one this one this one this one and then they go and they kick you out of your house and you haven't even gotten a bill >> exactly well I'm kind of actually interested in like >> almost like the systemic like sort of larger, you know, ways in which and why this is happening because I think it might have been on I'm sure you said it in a million places, but I think it might have been on like democracy now where, >> you know, part of the reason this might be increasing is because people are starting to realize that these neighborhoods are becoming attractive.
If you're like a real estate developer, you're like, I want in on whatever is happening in Bedstey, Crown Heights, like the price is only going to go up.
Something I guess I'm also interested in is like, and you're kind of alluding to this, the >> I guess I'll call it like the legal gray area of deft because I think it seems like there's more explicit versions like forgery and like straight up just, you know, trying to lie about stuff. But then I I feel like >> I'm curious to hear about how you've come across some of these more like murky instances of like almost like fractional ownership, right? like those kind of speculators who are like I'm going to buy 16% of this family member, 16% of that family member and then I have a majority and all of a sudden I can, you know, force the sale. And so >> yeah, I guess like I'm I'm curious as to how much of that you've come across and how I don't know maybe these different offices and departments are coming together to combat like kind of larger issues.
>> Absolutely. So the issue of D theft is is such a complex one, right? I think that's why it's been able to fly off fly under the radar and and flourish for as long as it has because it's taken both elected officials, victims of it, potential victims of it, you know, a little bit of time to understand what's happening to them and and what to be aware of. And, you know, you hit the nail on on its head, right? There are some more in-your-face fraudulent activity that takes place when it comes to deed theft, like fraudulent signatures and fraudulent paperwork. Um, but there's also technically legal versions of it taking place, right? when you know a family member dies and they left a house behind and they don't do any estate planning. You know, say a predatory brokerage or real estate company wants that $2 million home in and Bedstey, they'll reach out to some distant cousin that no one knows who, you know, they'll assist with some legal, you know, legal paperwork and legal advocacy to to to fight for them to get a stake within that home, which creates legal troubles for the actual family, right? Um, and sometimes they don't have those funds to to lawyer up and and fight up against it. And you know what I've been arguing for arguing for when it comes to this issue of deed theft is for one for us to broaden the definition of it, right? Not just so that it's in that very, you know, explicit form of deed theft or fraudulent paperwork, but we're also looking into, you know, foreclosure fraud and the tax lean sale, right?
Which is technically a legal process that that takes place within our our city and state. uh taking a look at guardianship, right, and estate planning and um you know the statute of limitations so that like when someone doesn't know that this happened and you know until five or or 10 years later um they have the ability to fight for their house back, right? So I I've been advocating for a lot of the a lot of the leadership of the governor and the state legislature to step in broaden the definition of deed theft. Um because when you look back on especially our history as as black people, just cuz something is legal doesn't mean that it's just and fair and right. Right. You look at Jim Crow, you look at segregation, you look at slavery. Um and I I compare a lot of those things to to what's happening with the theft of black and brown people's homes. So we need to broaden the definition of deed theft.
Something I've been remained committed to is is putting pressure on the governor to advocate and put forward an eviction moratorum for homeowners who are dealing with deed theft so that homeowners who feel like they're they're dealing with some of these cases can at least stay in their homes uh and and have some time to, you know, fund raise money to to lawyer up to fight these legal cases to figure out, you know, if if these cases are actually deaf or not.
uh because they're so complex and because you need, you know, some TLC from, you know, an experienced lawyer to go through some of these cases in order to fight pe fight bring people to justice.
>> I think that's a huge issue, too, is just the fact that like, you know, again, >> the taxing thing, it's like, yo, this thing is coming in the mail. It's also available online. But guess what? Nana is 88 years old, right?
>> You know what I'm saying? Big mama's 78, right?
>> Like, they're not internet savvy. You know what I'm saying? They don't know.
They can't even pair their Bluetooth headset. You know what I'm saying? Well, how are they supposed to get to this information?
>> Exactly.
>> You know, and the other part of it is like, you know, uh, talk about advocating.
>> You're not just advocating, my brother.
You out there using them, uh, you know, speaking about broad, okay? Using them broad ass shoulders out there. You getting active in these streets, okay?
You got fullback NFL shoulders, my guy.
Okay? And you know, come on. I got to call you. You know what I'm saying? This guy's higher bench more than all of my shoulders combined. Are you Cuz I think it's been about a year since you came on this show.
>> How much stronger are you?
>> What's Have you been your P?
>> I think I gained 25 lbs since I was last. Straight muscle. Well, maybe a little >> maybe a little, you know, ch here and there, but straight muscle. We've been pushing iron. Pushing and pulling iron.
What have we talked about this last time? Pumping iron. Pump. See, I still do this [ __ ] I don't even know the terminology.
>> No applause is on a pump for putting on 25 lbs of Yeah.
and I've been obvious >> and I've been competing in in in some weightlifting and powerlifting competitions. You know, we we'll get to that in a second, but yes, that is true.
I you know, I've been been putting my body on the line for my constituents. Um you know, I think it's it's resulted in my arrest, uh a pretty violent arrest by the NYPD. Um you know, raised a lot of attention around deed theft. Um, you know, I again have been in conversation with the mayor and his team. Even prior to him getting elected, like when it was when he was campaigning, he was like, "Yo, what? Can we do a run endorsement?"
I was like, "This is a huge issue in my community." Again, like not every he was representing Queens at the time. I don't even think he he knew much about the issue. And, you know, he spent the time to to learn about it. Uh, his team spent the time to learn about it. They came out with a policy plan during the campaign about opening office to prevent deed theft. And you know, months later, you know, he's the mayor now. I'm putting my body on the line to defend a constituent from a potential eviction.
And, you know, days later, we we finally get to announce the the office to prevent deed theft, the mayor's office to prevent deed theft. And you just asked about, you know, what what we'll do, how will it it work within our current system. What's really important about this office is that it's it's working on circumventing a lot of the communication that is is has been lacking up until this point from various different city agencies, state agencies, uh attorney general's office, district attorney's office, and at least creating a space where, you know, we're we're opening up that communication and making sure that not every single individual who's supposed to be working to prevent deed theft is working in a silo. Um, so this office is going to be doing awareness campaigns. So, letting people know about how to prevent themselves against deed theft. Uh, educating them about estate planning. Um, aiming to connect them with legal assistance when they're dealing with deed theft or if they need to get their house back and corresponding against with the district attorney's office, attorney general's office on getting their legal enforcement uh, involved in cases where they see deed theft come through.
That warms my heart because I was about to say I was like, "Yo, we need as people as a community, you know, us, you know, we need to, you know, and and like >> it's AAPI month, so you know, Asians are included in this, you know, our elders."
>> Why'd you only point at me? You can you can point at him to >> both. You know what I'm saying? We got two Asians in the house. You know what I'm saying? Asianware Asian awareness month.
>> It's Asian awareness.
>> You got You got two Asians in front of you >> to be aware of.
>> And I wasn't aware.
>> What if it was called Asian Beware?
Be weird. I gave you fair warning.
Beware. Yo.
>> Yo, that's how the Jackie Chan shooters are going to be charging.
>> You told me. Beware. Don't ever step foot in >> and picking again.
>> You're not valid here.
>> You're not valid here. I told you I don't want no trouble.
>> Now you have found yourself in a world of trouble. Yo, I'm like, damn. That's how that's how Jack's fight song, by the way. Oh, I don't want no trouble. I don't want no trouble. And he whoops 20 [ __ ] asses with a dish towel.
You know what I'm saying? And and [ __ ] Lego.
>> So back to Jackie Chan. Does he actually know how to fight?
>> Yeah.
>> Like [ __ ] [ __ ] >> cuz I know cuz I know Bruce Lee was like trained.
>> So the thing about a lot of Chinese kind of action stars is a lot of them get their start as stuntmen >> and like and in Asia like they go through all this crazy training.
This is important for Asian awareness cuz he's making us more aware now making everyone aware and so they go through a lot of physical training and like it's way more intense than anything American actors are are doing. And so like by the time someone like Jackie Chan can star in their own movie, they've already done all the crazy [ __ ] >> And so, you know, that's why they're able to do these stunts and like and and it looks it looks real cuz they're not faking anything. Whereas clearly I've thought about this a lot, but if you if you watch a lot of >> the months to do it, >> I know >> if you watch a lot of American action movies, you'll notice that they they do a lot of cutting.
>> Oh yeah.
>> It's like some Marvel [ __ ] and it's like you throw a punch and then it come it cuts to the other person because those people can't actually fight. So they have to like use movie magic >> to, you know, create the idea that these people are fighting. Whereas if you watch like an old Jackie Chan movie, they'll do the [ __ ] in like one take.
They'll do like a whole scene and like people will actually be pulling, you know, busting moves and doing >> all [ __ ] like, "Yo, that [ __ ] really jumped through the rung of a ladder, bro." Like in real time in one take like these two [ __ ] will fight with like a I don't know, a chicken leg or some [ __ ] like >> crazy.
>> And like they'll sometimes they'll have they'll do like 10 takes of, you know, him jumping through a window, >> but he's just like, "Yo, I'm not doing my own like, you know, not precious about shit." Meanwhile, >> I am now aware >> right Asian-American history month. Is that your lesson of the day?
>> Meanwhile, in America, they had to have a dude on set cuz I had to fall down in a movie.
>> Really? Like just literally just fall.
Yeah. Like not fall dramatically. Not crazy. I was like, why can't I >> Did you ask to do Did you ask to do it?
>> I did it. I was like, I'm doing this.
Like get the [ __ ] out of here. So crazy.
>> To be fair, remember what happened last time? You didn't have someone to hold you. You jumped and fell.
>> That was That was horrible.
>> Hurt your back.
>> That was not good. Really?
>> He was doing a photo shoot. Was this the zombies movie?
>> That was the Yes. Vampires. Vampires.
But the what men's talking about was a Rolling Stone photo shoot where they were like, "Hey, man." You know, they always want to They want to get >> on set.
>> Yo, [ __ ] Yo, they you know how they do, man. They get the like photo, you know, like I'm I'm sure you know.
>> And like now a goofy one. What were they like?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Like a silly, you know, whimsy. And I was like, "Brother, I'm I'm so whimsy. What whimsy? What's whimsical? Like, yo. SO, I'M JUST LIKE, ALL RIGHT. SO, they're like, "Yo, can you just like kind of jump on the couch so we could get like a like a shot of you like diving up the couch >> when you missed the couch, >> bro? I did not realize that the couch was a sectional >> and there was like a bar, A METAL BAR IN BETWEEN two section." Yeah. HIT THE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN. Cuz I WAS JUST LIKE, "YEAH, I'LL DO IT."
like immediate like ah and like I text >> calling the union.
>> Well, I made him do like 10 MORE TAKES AND I TEXT I'm texting cuz I was like yo I don't look like a [ __ ] right now. I was like I don't look like a [ __ ] but that [ __ ] hurt but that [ __ ] hurt. O I was like damn. I was like I'm feeling that [ __ ] right now bro cry.
>> I would have abused you know >> Judy Garland generation's Judy Garland.
I'm like MIGHT AS WELL BE >> THIS generation's Jackie J. Mero is Judy Garland. Judy Garland >> directed by Sam Levenson.
>> You know what I'm saying? Like crazy.
>> You on Euphoria?
>> I can see that. Have you been watching this season?
>> Yo, I I can't You know why I can't watch it?
>> Because my son just turned 15.
>> Yeah.
>> So I'm like, [ __ ] Like I'm just watching >> Twitter the movie. It's like every single Well, I guess X the movie.
>> Every single 4K the movie. It's [ __ ] 4 movie.
What is going on?
>> Yo, >> what is going on?
>> Listen, I asked myself that day. I asked myself that every single day when >> I'm done. I think I'm Do you watch the last episode? The I think I'm seen the last two seasons.
>> Oh, you haven't seen this season, you guys?
>> Oh, I watched the last season. I was like, I don't need No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Cuz the first two seasons are pretty decent.
>> This this third season >> is just so Zena So Zena's like a warlord or something. They're saying >> she's an arms dealer.
>> Arms dealer. It's there Breaking Bad.
There's white people saying the N-word.
There's Nazis. There's >> toes getting cut off. I'm like, go back to high school.
>> It seems like my understanding is that when it first came out in like 2019, >> people were there was a lot of shock because people assumed that this is what kids were up to in high school. And whether or not that's actually true, it caused a lot of moral panic. But I think by now people are like, "Yeah, like this is not like high school." High schoolers are not up to this. This is not what high schoolers are doing. They're probably on their phone.
>> By now, this is not what people in their early 20s are doing either. Like, what are you doing?
>> She's driving over the She's driving over the the build the wall.
>> She's driving I'm I kid you not, you guys haven't even watched this, so you think I'm sounding crazy. She's in Mexico and sets up like a ramp to drive over to build the wall. Come on, dog.
>> In a in a four-wheeler in a truck >> and drives over the the wall.
>> The car gets stuck on the Sorry, I don't >> It's like a crossover.
>> Well, okay.
>> Cinema.
>> This actually brings us, speaking of theft, >> actually back to Hollywood and media workers and arts workers of all kinds.
Um I think just a few days ago you introduced a bill announcing the freelancers fund >> which allows um the city to pay for >> um freelancers so that they don't have to go through the hiring agencies that are you know usually not paying them.
>> Yeah.
>> And so you know just to kind of give some stats and these are a bit old but um I think in 2019 as of 2019 one in three workers are freelance in New York they have generated a collect of 31.4 four billion dollar.
>> I knew it. I believe that.
>> And I feel like that's it's probably only gone up by then just given the way that >> are you a freelancer here?
>> We're not answering that.
>> I know you're in front of the boss, right?
>> What's what's HIPPA but like for worker protection?
>> Yo, WHAT'S LIKE VERBAL OCEAN?
WHAT DO WE >> NO, I I I bring this up because at least in our experience and I think according to some stats, a lot of freelancers in New York happen to be arts workers of all kinds, right? Film and TV, you know, media, publishing, art, you know, all types of art. And so, >> I don't know. I guess I I guess I'm curious as to what your thinking was behind introducing this bill and whether you know some of those things were taken into consideration when thinking about the plight of freelancers and how >> Yeah, I mean it seems like it's a problem that's only going to get worse.
Um whether or not that applies to me, >> I won't say, >> but it doesn't.
>> Well, so much of like so much of what I do in government/politics, a lot of it comes from just personal experience.
like the broker fee bill. I was like, I don't want to pay a broker fee anymore, nor should anybody else have to do that.
And I was a freelance worker before I was in politics. Like I was I was working in nightclubs. I was promoting parties. I was sending invoices to different establishments.
>> And they said net30 on the on the invoice.
>> I don't know why it's I don't know why I threw this party in February and it's July and I still have not been paid my $200. Yo, which is ducking >> that I need that I need the $200 that I need. And you know, obviously, you know, I know a lot of freelancers. My partner's a freelancer. He has like multiple companies who have yet to pay him back for different projects that he's worked on. And there is a bill that currently, you know, got passed, I think, a little bit of a decade ago called the Freelances and Free Act, which I guess allows freelancers to report some of these missed payments to the city of New York. Um, but sometimes, you know, they even after the the city of New York goes after these vendors, you know, the freelancers are still not not getting paid on time and your rent doesn't wait for you to get your check.
You know what I mean? Your bills doesn't your stomach doesn't, you know, you you need that money sometimes in in a in a life or death situation. So, that's how I came up with this bill. And and what we're we're aiming to do is it's going to be like a freelancer's payment fund.
It's like a little bit of like a city a city Venmo. Like when when someone a freelancer sends their invoice that goes over net30 and the vendor is chilling and still not paying them back, the city or not the city, the freelancer can go snitch on the on the vendor. Uh report report the fact that they haven't been paid in net 30 or net 60 or however uh long it took for for them to get paid.
Not next. Not 60.
>> You're sick. [ __ ] bro. 60 and [ __ ] bro, you got you go TO HELL. PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SOME COMPANIES ARE LIKE JUST NET 60 at, you know, maybe some freelancers who make a lot of money, maybe it's like net 60, you know, >> like I'll get around you or something like that.
>> I'm like looking at men and he's like just stop talking like my boss is right there. I know stop.
>> So So the the city would would give a upfront payment to the the freelancers so that they get that money immediately.
Um, and the city will go after the vendor, get that money back, and then also sue the vendor, which will also create a revenue source for the city.
>> Well, I'm also curious, and this kind of in some ways I feel like this kind of relates back to the deed theft thing where it feels like it is so hard to chase people down >> for money. And I'm thinking even in in the de theft case and you know I mean I feel like there are these instances where even if you the homeowner go to court and you win after like what like 14 months or whatever. So again it's taking this huge human toll on your life and then maybe if you're expected some kind of like settlement or reparations like don't like some of these people who are owed who owe you money just like disappear and you just can't find them and like you know and so >> I mean chasing someone down for money is like a full-time job. That's how bounty hunters, right? You came from, >> you know what I'm saying? I don't have time to be a bounty hunter and teach biology at Walton High School in the Bronx.
>> This is crazy.
>> You don't have time to be a bounty hunter and like a graphic designer in New York City. You know what I mean? So, you got to pick one one of the two. And I hope it's, you know, obviously your trade and not hunting after someone. But the city should be working for all of us, right? And that's what this bill would aim to do. it would replace that that search for the person who owes you money, right? And when you get a email from, you know, a freelancer as a vendor, you're probably like, "Oh, whatever. They're not going to do anything about it." You get an email from the city with that city official.
You know what I mean? We know where you are. We know where you live. We know how much you owe >> and you're going to pay it back. You know, >> YOU GET AN EMAIL, BRO. YOU GET AN EMAIL FROM ago >> with your middle NAME IN IT.
ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO LIKE THREAT PSA?
Like you looking directly into >> this is the still image of you like >> right >> you will pay back.
>> I'll say it to the camera to vendors that owe freelancers money. If your freelancer sent you an invoice for net30 and you owe them $1,000, $2,000, $3,000 after we pass this bill, the city knows where you are. You'll get an email.gov.
We'll find you. We'll get that money back and we'll find you.
>> Guess what? And not at 3,000. It's 3500 cuz you got to pay. Yeah.
>> Cuz you got to pay for the guy that did all the work to hunt your stupid ass down.
>> I thought I thought it was like a government vig.
>> Yo, listen, pal. We're going to Listen.
I'm New York City. All right. I'm the freelancers fun. This is great. I got I got Listen, she started my thing. All right. But this is what we're going to do. You're going to get this money up front, right? Okay, the vendor over here, this guy. Listen, you come here.
Come here, you [ __ ] You come here. Get over here. Listen. You're paying 10% juice on this. All right.
>> You like one kneecap or two.
>> Yeah. Yeah. How do you feel about that, huh? You see what they doing in Euphoria with the toes, right? I'll take you there, [ __ ] All right. All right. It's cool. I got it, G. All right. But yeah, nah, bro.
Like, listen. [ __ ] like that [ __ ] used to make me so mad because yo again >> I depended on that [ __ ] like for l for literally like yo I got to pay my phone bill because everything that's everything >> it's like a boxer bro like you you lead with the jab like I lead with this phone every all the motion I got is from this phone if this [ __ ] turns off because I don't pay the bill >> I can't make no money you know what I'm saying so >> that $250 that's inconsequential to some person is very consequential to me >> absolutely >> you know what I'm And I need it today, not in 2 months. You know what I'm saying? So, >> yo, again, if you net 60 of [ __ ] [ __ ] you, dog. I'm I'm very like like, yo, invoice here. Boop boop. I just sent it immediate. Yeah.
>> Don't send it to me. Send it to the account, bro. He's going to hit you back within a day or two.
>> It's a form of wage theft, you know, and and and people need to get paid on time.
A third of New Yorkers are are freelancers. It's not just some, you know, side hustle for a lot of people, right? This is how especially in the city of of New York where a lot of creatives and artists and and whatnot like this is their livelihoods and [ __ ] around with people's livelihoods is you know in in tangent with the de theft stuff is is something that I I take personally you know >> you know what I'm saying and look so I'm sitting here and yo I don't know if y'all feel this way but I'm sitting here with two young Asian men you know what I'm saying >> is this the most you've ever been called Asian on any type of >> so crazy was I I mean the thing is like I my grandmother's ch like full Chinese.
>> She thinks my grandmother >> she's full Chinese.
Uh her jeans are full Chinese.
>> She thinks she's black and all she does is send ME DR. UMAR VIDEOS.
>> I'M NOT KIDDING.
>> I'M NOT KIDDING. I'M NOT KIDDING.
>> She just sends me Dr. Umar videos.
>> Papiano Chinese. Every every text she sends me, it ends in a red heart, a green heart, A BLACK HEART.
>> YO, >> she's the one family member. She's the one family member who hosts Quanza every year.
>> Yo, >> she got them press.
>> So, she is >> she is a Chinese woman, but you know, she says we sometimes when we're all together, as in we and the proverbial Africans, like the original man. She Yeah. Yeah. She is veryentric.
She's very Yes. And very committed to the Chinese people came from Africa movement.
>> Yo. Okay. Listen, [ __ ] it. That's a move. There's so much WASHING GOING ON.
THAT'S NOT EVEN like nothing.
>> I love her. I love her. I love her.
>> That's 80,000 on the wild stuff list.
>> This is This is Yeah. This is the most I've ever been called Asian on a on a podcast cuz sometimes like sometimes like people really leave me out of the conversation and I really grew up with like this side of the family. She does like she has tapped into her Chinese heritage and we celebrate Lunar New Year every year and eat a lot of Chinese Chinese food and you know I'm tapped into to to my ch Chinese heritage but like obviously I'm not >> I'm black passing.
That's the name of the episode.
>> Black P.
So, yo, so yo, I feel I feel But yo, take a not so serious, but kind of serious. I feel I feel good, right?
because I feel like there's I feel like there's like like kind of like a fundamental shift happening. I don't know about the rest of the country, but like in New York in particular where the stuff that I grew up, you know, like that my dad was telling me like this is how [ __ ] should be.
>> Yeah.
>> Is like and it never was like that. You know what I mean? It was always like very hyper capitalist like you know what I'm saying? Like now it's more and like again like I'm in Jersey, you know what I'm saying? So like I and I pay taxes, they're high, you know, whatever. I don't complain cuz I'm like, "Yo, I got four kids. I go to the school. It's great." You know what I'm saying? Like the facilities are great. Everything's great. Teachers are, you know, very communicative. Like everything's everything's good.
>> So it's just like I feel like New Yorkers get mad because it's like, yo, I pay taxes. Where is this [ __ ] going?
Like there's still mad potholes. thisa and I think what they're missing is >> dog New York City is New York City. It is [ __ ] enormous. It is a it there's so many it's such a crazy web you know what I'm saying that like there's no real way I mean there is and I feel like that's the shift that's happening.
You're seeing your taxes at work >> makes workingclass people feel okay with paying taxes. You know what I'm saying?
and being okay without being okay going away from like the sing for millionaires and billionaire [ __ ] that is like super prevalent in like our community bro which is crazy to me cuz I feel like you know we think like yo this [ __ ] made a lot of money so he's smart >> when it's like typically it's like no it's that's he's not smart he's just unethical he's not paying invoices he's 9,000 [ __ ] like he's just stiffing people on bills like all of that >> just like just bad ethics you know what I'm Well, I mean, something we I feel like we've talked about something I think we appreciate about the work that you do and have done is that >> I feel like a lot of it is very easy to understand.
>> You know what I mean? A lot of it is like here like someone's not paying you on time. Here's a way to either like help you out with that or to find a way to, you know, eventually make it better or again deft. You can go to this office. You can go to this place.
>> Yeah.
>> They will be able to answer all of your concerns. It's sort of like translating >> government services to people who like might not know that these things even already exist cuz you were saying that the >> the FE act was passed like 2017, right?
>> And so I feel like yeah, it seems like there's a lot of messaging and making things easy to understand but also very material that I think we kind of appreciate. And I guess I'd be curious as to whether or not that's maybe a trend you've been noticing in the work you do or whether that's like a very deliberate like sort of driving principle for you in the kind of bills you introduce and the work you do dayto-day.
>> Yeah, I think it's like absolutely my north star in what I do. Like so much of government is inaccessible um confusing and sometimes intentionally uh unavailable to the people. Like even when you're like sometimes when I'm applying to like renew my passport and I'm just confronted by all these damn words. I don't know if it's like ADHD or like lack of TikTok or whatever, but I I just can't it's hard to to digest all of that on top of all the other [ __ ] that I have to deal with in in my day. I find my role in government as an elected official just to make people's lives a little bit easier. you know, identifying problems that uh make our lives more expensive, make them more complicated, and I try to find a solution that makes sense to people, not only so that they know that that it's something that um you know, I'm fighting for, but so that I can let them know how to tap into to the fight, so that we can fight for it together, right? Like even again this this broker when we ban force broker fees. Um you know many people were working against us and and trying to push that bill past the finish line. But we were able to get the public involved by explaining to them the problem. Uh breaking down with them what the strategy was here and getting them involved so that they can aid us and making it you know a public issue for government. Yeah. For making noise for for the government to take seriously.
So, it absolutely is a northstar of mine to to solve problems that actually tangibly change the day-to-day lives of New Yorkers. So many people feel disengaged by their government, don't care about voting anymore. And I I sometimes do understand that, especially when it comes to elections that happen on the federal level, mainly within like the House of Representatives and the Senate based off of like how it's just a swamp over there. But when it comes to local governance and and your elected officials, like there is actual [ __ ] that some of us, not all of us, get done that can really improve your lives on a day-to-day basis. And I think that's beautiful. That's so dope that that that I have the power to do that. Um, and that engaging people to to be part of that power um is is something that I've I've I've practiced over the past couple of years. I think that that's the feeling that I'm feeling, right? Is that this new kind of like class of like politically active or like act like like actual political people, politicians, like people in government, >> Americans are tired of like [ __ ] right? Like, and I think when they see somebody that's young and engaging and talks to them like how they want to be spoken to and like like men was saying, like makes things digestible. Like, dog, I didn't need to I didn't need to go to law school to understand what she just told me. You know what I'm saying? Like, I didn't I don't know what the [ __ ] deed theft is. But he explained it to me in a way that was digestible that I understand now. And now I'm going to call my grandma and be like, "Yo, that them dudes that be knocking on your door every day, like, send them to me."
>> Yeah. you know, and like going back to my own childhood, >> like I was always in like government offices with like my aunt and like this and that translating and sometimes even if there was somebody there that spoke Spanish, it was still like a [ __ ] and I'm over 40 so I can say this word. It was still like a [ __ ] rigma roll to get like [ __ ] done like, "Yo, you got to fill out 30 forms. You got to do this.
We need 16 forms of ID." Boom boom boom blah blah blah. And I'm just like, "Uh, D, do you have this, this, this?" And she's like, "Motherfucker, I came in >> with a paper bag with a [ __ ] avocado in it. I don't know how to do any of this."
>> And then like extending that out to like now as a grown man, >> like >> seeing my kids get access to information and stuff that I never had access to, like stuff like estate planning, >> like financial literacy, like just basic [ __ ] Yeah.
>> Like, you know what I mean? Like, yo, how do you save money? How do you keep, you know, how do you like refinance your your home if you own a home? Like like you're talking about Brown Souls of Brooklyn. How do we keep this in the like how do we keep how do we plan uh do estate planning here so we could do the same [ __ ] that the white people have been doing for decades, bro? But it's just like hand, yo, I'm going to sell you the house for a dollar, John. This is how we're not going to pay taxes on this [ __ ] Like it's like, you know what I mean?
And again, to men's point earlier, it's all very gray.
>> None of it is like explicitly illegal.
It just feels wrong.
>> Yeah.
>> You know what I'm saying? Like, yo, you're cheating, bro. You're cutting corners. Like, >> you know, the teacher walked out of the room and you looked at the answer key.
Like, that's you're cheating. But >> the teacher didn't see you and I'm not a stitch. So, >> yeah.
>> Did you cheat? I mean, I truly believe that the politics of yesterday, and we're in a very transitionary period, um, of the politics of yesterday, was was set up to leave people like all three of us out of the mix, right? To leave people confused, to use political jargon that doesn't actually get to the point, not necessarily because they weren't working for anybody. They just weren't working for us. They were working for, you know, billionaires and millionaires and corporations and landlords and healthcare companies that were lining their pockets, right? So making uh making the fight confusing for us and and including you know the the other guys and and giving them you know uh some type of leadership is is is what has disenfranchised you know our communities for for some time and and I think we're seeing a shift in that right I >> I truly believe that a lot of politics is getting more democratized by using social media by being more accessible by electing more normal people who speak our language right I think more people are able to get involved and support individuals like myself, which means that individuals like myself can fight for the many rather than the few.
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Victor is not responsible for any sort of >> I think this actually brings us into um something we want to talk to you about which is >> I think this like burgeoning idea of black socialism in New York. And so I I was this is like this might have been a few months ago.
>> I was scrolling through Instagram and I saw a friend of mine a man named >> Terra >> and he was hosting some kind of get together in his backyard. I I think it was his backyard and I zoomed in and I'm like >> is that you G and I was like wait a minute and so again with that piece of information in mind I guess I'd be curious to hear about maybe your experiences the past few months kind of being a member of and maybe like organizing it kind of like you know is is it afro like afro you know that kind of movement in New York and I guess >> the importance of black socialism in New York to you and to you know how you think it fits into the greater New York political scene or sphere.
>> Right. Well, well, let's I want to explain what what socialism means to me, right? I think socialism always poses the question of of who's in power, right? And currently, um the power structure is wildly imbalanced with our within our society, right? The 1%, the billionaires, uh the corporations are in power off of the labor and the backs and sometimes the exploitation and suffering of the workers, right? and of the many and I don't believe anyone understands the experience of the exploitation of labor more in this country than black Americans. So it feels inherent to be a black socialist. And you know I I truly believe that black socialism you know and and many of our our histories as as as a as black people um have been led by by black socialists and and and has been watered down over the years. I think Martin Luther King had very, you know, socialist ideals and maybe, you know, identified it as a a democratic socialist himself. Uh Malcolm X, right?
Uh Philip A. Randolph, a lot of the leaders within, you know, the labor movement, not only here within New York City, but across the country, uh were were black socialists. And I I see socialism, especially as a black person, as uh the tool of change and shifting that power from the very few, from the 1% to the many and to our communities um in all aspects of society, whether it's our our public services, education, healthcare, um you know, you name it.
And you know, I I I've got very I got a lot more involved within um you know, organized socialism over the the past year. I joined um or rejoined the Democratic Socialists of America um especially off of the the winds of of of Zoron getting elected. And you know, I've been able to to get to know a very incredible community here in New York City, uh, within the Democratic Socialist of America, uh, which is the the there's a caucus called the Afrocialism, Afro Socialist Caucus, uh, which is filled with a lot of a lot of amazing, you know, black people, black socialists, um, who are are fighting, uh, the fight that that we need to see across the city. and not only getting more black people engaged within black socialism, but also educating people about what socialism means for for our people.
>> Hello, that part. You know what I'm saying? Because cuz two things, >> words mean things. And a lot of [ __ ] think they know what socialism means and they do not. Number two, it must make you very proud to be a black passing Asian man and be accepted into the afroism caucus.
>> You know what I'm saying?
>> I was going to ask if you were going to say that makes me an Asian PASSING BLACK MAN.
YEAH, IT DOES. YOU know what I'm saying?
>> Um, and I I want to hear more about maybe your experience rejoining um DSA over the past few months because I've been reading this book recently called Hyperpolitics by Anton Jerger. And it kind of posits this theory that over the past maybe 10 years, like ever since Trump first got elected in 2016, political engagement has sort of become higher than ever, but without association to political institutions.
>> And so it's kind of like the idea that like everybody is political, but then like you know, membership in institutions is is lower than ever.
>> Yeah. They're talking the talk, but they're not doing this. They're not in the booth. So now >> yeah it's like everyone's everyone is political everything is political now right but like what does that actually mean or how does that actually translate into meaningful >> um to the to you know to the things that you're doing how does it translate into meaningful like mobilization >> towards real you know action towards getting things done and so I'd be curious to hear about I guess your experience with >> yeah with membership because like I I would presume that maybe these are a lot of things that you had already believed in but I guess how has being a part of a greater organization maybe either giving you hope or maybe giving you new perspective on the importance of those things like being involved in a community that is greater than yourself.
>> Yeah, I find it to be a bit of an oxymoron to be a self-identifying socialist but also not be a part of a organized or a socialist organization.
Right. But I think in order to organize the masses uh and organize workers and you know organize our democracy, you can't be unorganized or disorganized yourself. You know what I mean? Um >> the main part of that word is social.
>> Exactly. Social the do political man.
>> Yo, I'm I practice doism >> and I I've had a journey in terms of my my relationship with New York City DSA.
um sought their endorsement in 2020 when I was first running for office and I was very new to the scene of politics and did not receive the endorsement. So you know left the organization and existed within politics and within governance for some time obviously very much aligned with the org. Um I would say especially after Zoron won uh his his primary I was meeting just a lot more people who were a part of the organization who kind of organized me in right and it's a group of it's an organization filled with like dedicated organizers people who are spending their personal time on this this this mission and on this project of just making our world better right improving the lives of workers of of black people of of those who have experienced exploit exploit it and uh various different ways and and I've seen this organization who are are filled with a lot of volunteers um who are paying dues um win a lot of great things within the city and the state not just you know election but um you know they've they've they've pushed the governor to to tax the rich to fund our our public services they're continuing to advocate advocating to do that doing that right now we're continuing to advocate the governor to do that right now um you know DSA has been able to to pass good cause eviction, which is basically a form of universal rent stabilization across the the city and state of New York. Like these are real tangible wins that are improving the lives of of of my neighbors. And being a part of an organization that is filled with dedicated people who just want to make our lives better um is something that I I gladly rejoined and that I'm I'm dedicated to to this day. And to people who are listening, join DSA. join DSA.
Yo, you know what I'm saying? My pastor tell you, you have to listen to Chi. He knows what he's talking about. And you know, in my day, we talk about CH and you know, people of this like that. And you know, Americans don't understand socialism.
>> That is the reality. my song. You know, in the American occupation of the Dominican Republic, you know, we have an election. We elect Juan Bush. Juan Bush want to nationalize bananas and sugar and things that are agriculturally native to Dominican Republic and the United States did not like that. So then they singing the Marines.
>> You can't have shooters if you don't if you don't have a war chest.
>> That's right. You know what I'm saying?
>> Who? Someone's got to pay the shooters.
>> You know what I mean? And so Those are volunteers.
>> Yeah. But yo, so and here's another thing cuz another friend of Shout out to Hassan Pike, another friend of the show.
>> Shout out.
>> I feel like the biggest knock on him and that people always say, "You're a millionaire. How are you a socialist if you're a millionaire?" Yo, you can have money and be a socialist fan. Doesn't mean that we're all on bread lines.
>> Well, that's the thing. There's bread lines right now.
>> Right now.
>> There's bread lines right now.
>> You know what I'm saying? Like I'm LIKE, "BRO, I SHUT THE >> people right now.
>> People are losing their jobs right now >> as we speak." You know what I'm saying?
and it should and it's just like going like this, right?
>> So, what have you got to lose?
>> You know what I'm saying? To quote the [ __ ] >> You've only got you've only got things to gain though, I think. And and we're seeing that we're seeing what socialism looks like with a socialist mayor at the at the helm of our city. It seems like >> you know what's crazy? People that were like completely that I know personally like you know what I'm saying? This is like and again our communities, you know what I'm saying? Like our blocks, you know what I mean? Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, >> you know, you know, regular working- class people who through no fault of their own. You know what I'm saying? And like, well, some Let me shoot some bail to some people cuz some of you [ __ ] are just some of you [ __ ] are just stupid.
>> Just ignorant.
>> Just ignorant just because some of y'all are just uninformed or or misinformed, >> right?
>> And all it took was something like Zoron being like, "Yo, >> we have issues with the snow."
>> Yeah. if you are out of work and you want to make some money. Yeah.
>> You can come shovel snow, bring some ID and you'll get paid $30 an hour. And that the whole And that was just like >> Yeah.
>> Like people and they were like, "Yo, he could do that."
>> Right. Right.
>> But okay, this I think this goes back to the messaging thing. Hasn't that always been a thing for but I think the effectiveness is that is in the messaging is that people >> publicizing it, getting the word out about it. PEOPLE THINK HE INVENTED it now.
>> It's Yeah.
>> Like I'm like, "Oh, [ __ ] If it was me, I'd be like, "Yeah, hell yeah. No, that was it." Nah, bro.
>> I mean, as long as it changes people's minds about what they, you know, previously thought about socialism, right? And I think that's >> putting putting putting the practice of of what being a organized socialist looks like. It's not just the policy that exists, but it's communicating that to the masses and and getting people engaged within labor or whatever.
>> Yeah. What do you think? cuz I like being in politics, you talk to constituents, you talk to people a lot, you're always outside, >> you know, engaging with people. What do you think is it? What do you think it is that makes us I say us like I'm the guy on form road or in Fulton Mall like so cynical >> about like that movement, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. Cuz it's like, bro, it's better for you.
>> You're like a workingass person. You know what I'm saying? Like you like live in this society. Like all these things are things that will be improvements for you. You know what I'm saying? Like you could that 3500 that you had to spend on some surgery >> to hit your deductible, which is $5,000 before you even get coverage.
>> You know what I mean? Like that affected you in a major way. If healthcare was free, you wouldn't even have to think about that. Well, first and foremost, I think uh Bedstey, the Bronx, form, wherever, I think people are cynical about government in general, right? So once you bring up uh socialism which is is is is not even maybe it's become more mainstream over the past year but uh was pretty foreign to to a lot of people and maybe in the only sense that they've known of it.
been taught to them or told to them in a very negative way or in the the breadline storyline, right? Um I think there's been a widespread uh you know wellfunded push back against the the democratic socialist movement, right? When Bernie was running for president like look how much both the right and you know the the center threw at him right there.
Socialism in and of itself is a threat to those who are exploiting, right? To those who have have ruled, for those who are in power of our country, right? And and I think they're they're very threatened of any rise of that. Um so when that does happen, when there is an individual who's running as a democratic socialist or with socialist ideals, I think there's a lot of money and media and power that is organized against that that seeps into the the mindsets of of the many. See, and we had Dinkens, y'all.
>> Dinkens was a democratic socialist and look how they took him out. You know, >> something I'm actually interested in is again going back to this idea of like people disengaging and sort of feeling hopeless. But also, I think I think at the same time those people I think to your point, Maro, because I think you've dealt with a lot of this with people, you know, during Zoran's campaign is like these people don't believe in the promise of socialism or that the again this idea that government can actually help them. And I'm curious as to how you feel about maybe some of the critiques that have been leveled at even like Zoron now over the past few months because I I I remember seeing this big sort of not big but I think a couple people in the Democratic establishment have sort of been accusing him of maybe depriving black and Latino people of access to power because he hasn't had a black deputy mayor. I mean this is maybe back in like January or February. And I I mean I I think first of all, >> come on, >> the last mayor, Eric Adams. I mean, again, like literally I think >> with Donald Trump. Who said that? Some guy named like the the epitome of a person you would like this ideal New York person that you know comes from again a working-class neighborhood in Brooklyn and like look how look how he turned out.
>> Yeah. I think just my prime or go-to response, and I just spoke about this at a press conference recently, was >> I mean, first and foremost, look at the facts when it comes to some of our democratic socialists within the city and state, right? Yeah.
>> I'm a democratic socialist. If you never have to pay a broker fee again, it's because of a democratic socialist, right?
>> If you are are dealing with with deed theft, right? and you were concerned about black home ownership, um, about displacement and gentrification. We had a whole ass black mayor who had a good four years and could have put together an office to prevent deed theft. And, you know, now we've seen some change and we have a democratic socialist as mayor and a democratic socialist council member who's been advocating and sounding the alarm on this issue. And finally, the city is is taking a larger step in addressing an issue that protects black homeowners. Right. So, I I just want people to look at the results rather than getting hung up in maybe just a lot of the false narratives that are being thrown out there. And I think a lot of people are are looking at the results and some people are changing their minds, right? And I think we just all of us who who identify as Democratic socialists, whether we're council members or the mayor, need to continue just doing our job and and fighting for our people and and and putting forward real results that improve the lives of of >> New Yorkers. Yeah.
So what do you say to all like the bad faith arguments that are like yo like well you know if you like you don't understand what it costs to maintain a brownstone so you know if the Smith family wants to sell it to you know like blah blah blah blah you know holding company then that should be up to them and blah blah blah blah blah blah and I'm just like yeah but that's 99.9% of the time that's not the case >> right >> you know what I mean and like you said like companies and third parties will get in and shake [ __ ] up. So that what what was becoming >> a peaceful, you know, mediation of like division of assets or whatever because yo, that's I didn't realize that until I bought a home.
>> I was like, "Oh shit." Like this is a >> this is like a placeholder >> for like equity. Like this is something that like if [ __ ] goes very wrong, >> I know that I still have a place to live.
>> You know what I'm saying? Like my children, I could hand this down to my kids. They can, you know what I like they can come out of school or do whatever. If they're in debt, if they're down bad, if something's going on, >> I know that they can depend on, yo, >> the home that you grew up in as a child is still there. It's still under our family name >> and it's just getting passed down. So, >> you know, a lot of people, you know, look at that and and and somehow find >> a way to make that a negative.
>> Yeah.
>> You know what I'm saying? And like it it like it just conf like it >> it just like confounds me because I'm just like dog this doesn't what is your argument? You know what I'm saying? Like this is too much money. People fight over >> infighting within the family. Like dog this is not this is not reality. The reality is that this is generational wealth. Well not gener not wealth but like I mean fam >> a $5 million a $5 million brownstone to like a working class family. Yeah, >> they're going to stretch that >> forever.
>> Also, a lot of a lot of these homeowners, especially within the communities that I represent in bedside and Crown Heights, a lot of these homes that are owned by by black folks, you know, these are are mainly seniors. A lot of them worked for the city, worked for the government, right? They were able to buy these homes when these homes were cheap as [ __ ] right? when no one wanted to move to Bedstey, when there was no city investment in Bedstey and they were able to buy these homes, right? Still to this day or they're living on on fixed incomes, right? And you know, they're not the wealthiest, right? That that that that people maybe pit them out to be. And I do really believe that, you know, home ownership is one of the only sources of black generational wealth, at least within New York City and and New York State in my belief. And um it's my job to make sure that those homeowners uh especially those black homeowners um you know are are kept safe or not being exploited are given the right tools in order to protect themselves. That's my job and and I think I'm doing it well.
>> I'm doing well. God damn it. You know what I'm saying?
>> If we can going off of that and if we can maybe come up with a like triumvirate of sorts.
>> Mhm.
>> Let's say there's you. Let's say there is the AG Tish James' office >> and there is the Mandani administration.
>> Let's say they're all sort of work all you guys are working together to you know work towards Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. De theft protection.
>> So I guess I'd be curious as to how maybe and this is going to be a little more straightforward informational but what is the ideal way in which you see those three parties working together?
like how like what would you do versus what would you know the administration do versus what the AG is doing you know and kind of like what is the ideal maybe like working relationship to sort of enact change on both a preventative level to protect you know people living in these homes but also I don't know maybe on a legislative level or just anformational level right like what what is the ideal sort of working relationship between those three parties >> throwing the ball you know >> yeah well you know of Of course, I know you have uh only 10 digits, >> but there are other players who are are missing in this piece here, right? I I truly believe that deed theft is a crisis in in New York City and in New York State in order for it to be treated as a crisis, I I I believe that the governor again needs to implement an eviction moratorum. She has the power to do that, to push for that. um she's not included within that triangle, but that would allow us to all have the time to There you go. Diamond to to to to fight for for homeowners who are dealing with this before they're pushed out onto the streets, right? Um aside from from Hokll actually doing that. And to those of you who are listening, call the governor's office, tell your elected officials on the state level to pressure the governor to implement evict an eviction moratorum if you care about black displacement and and stopping black displacement and deed theft. Um, but in order for for for all of us to do that work within that triangle, you know, I see myself as the advocate, the person who makes noise, the person who can apply, you know, this issue, the pressure of this issue on our other electeds. You know, the mayor obviously opened the office to prevent deed theft. And that office will work with, you know, the the individual who's dealing with potential deed theft and getting them uh, you know, some level of communication or answers from the attorney general's office. uh pressure the AG's office to open up a case if there is deed theft which could potentially you know keep them within their home and and put them on the pathway on getting their home back. Um in addition to that I see that that that deed theft office on also working with the state legislature on all more legislation that needs to be passed in order to to to end deed theft. So that's expanding the statute of limitations for those who have been victims of deed theft. That's creating a citywide seasoned assist zone so that uh deed thieves cannot harass and call and send mail to our homeowners. Uh you know, that's advocating for the state to fund more estate planning and legal representation. Um as well as the city to step in and do that as well. So that's how I see us all circumventing our powers um and actually putting a end to this theft once and for all.
>> Yeah. And Hokll's up for re-election.
>> She's up for re-election. She doesn't have a Democratic primary. Well, how many Republicans listen to this?
>> Yo, probably a couple. I I don't know.
>> Maybe. Maybe some hate listeners or whatever.
>> You think so? Okay.
>> Yo, remember we used to talk about like smoking weed and [ __ ] like porno and [ __ ] and then [ __ ] talking about socialism and [ __ ] like that. [ __ ] [ __ ] still here sometimes.
>> I thought you were going to be like like Joe from Bayon. LIKE I THOUGHT I thought that was about >> It's both. It's both. It's Joe from from Bushwick and it's is it's Jose from Bushwick and it's Joe from [ __ ] Bayon. both saying the same [ __ ] which is crazy. I never thought I'd see today.
>> What do they call they call the horseshoe theory, >> you know?
>> Yeah. And we we right the [ __ ] in it right now.
>> Okay. Well, speaking of theft, I I feel like Mera, we have to address um something a theft that she has committed himself.
>> Oh, yeah. That's right.
>> That of swag theft.
>> Yeah.
>> So, if you'll remember um in let's I think maybe the beginning of February, maybe the middle of February.
>> February. Uh again, you came up to the uh 97 offices to talk about um the deed theft problem that's been happening in the city.
>> And at the same time that you were up there, >> a certain popular underground New York rapper saying was >> also there at the same time.
>> Happened to be friends of ours. You know what I'm saying?
>> And you know there was there was a green room and you guys kind of cross paths.
>> Shut the little bro. You know what I'm saying?
>> I think I I kind of intro the two of you guys. I'm like, gee, this is Xavier so Xavier so this is council member >> Chio Joseph >> and then I think I convinced you guys to take a picture >> and then you posted it and now everyone seems to believe that you are a savant and a very knowledgeable underground rap >> head somebody's biggest fan >> you were at the release party >> I was at the release party I got invited to the release party >> at the van skate park >> at the van skate I never felt older in my life >> people told me they were born in 200 eight.
>> Oh yeah. Yeah.
>> I never It's really rare in the world of politics for me to feel as old for me to feel old in a space. And I felt haggarded.
>> If you felt old, >> imagine the hole. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know what I mean? And I was just like, but you know what? I feel young again. You know what I'm saying? See [ __ ] >> I feel young. I felt really old. I think I had a confrontation with my mortality that night with the bright lights of a deep dive into other kind of internet underground rap that the other 17 and 18 year olds were listening to. Did you get your one taste that at that event and you were like, I'm done.
>> I got I got my one taste and you know I I met him at Hot 97 thanks to you guys and very nice kid. Sent him to like send in my sibling group Chad and my siblings knew who I was. I think I and my older brother knew who he was too. I just think that like I'm sometimes in this own world of politics that sometimes I miss out on some of these moments. You know, politics has stolen my youth away from me.
>> Yeah. And listen, and I'm I'm >> politics has stolen my youth away from me, so I'm missing out on I am chopped unc to quote Mike Wil, my [ __ ] I'm glad you said this because I don't ever want to hear a politician being like, "Yeah, I was outside turning up, bro."
Like, "Yeah, I was I was n it was just me, bro. It was me, Davies, Jim Jones.
We was doing the artist to artist podcast and then after that we was smoking hookah. You know what I'm saying?
Up and down.
>> I'm being up and up and down doesn't exist anymore.
>> Up and down is not that's the most chopped up thing I've ever That's the most chopped down thing I've ever heard in my entire life. Up and down. Go to Up and Down. Up and Down has been closed for like years, right?
>> It had has to be like 8 years. Wait, there was >> I was about to name check limelight.
>> That [ __ ] got crazier. That's crazy.
>> See, I don't even know what that is. At least I knew it was the Yo Hassan just slay back. You know what? You call yourself a New York.
Yo, back there sweating upset. HE'S LIKE, I I DROPPED A DJ IN THAT LINE. LIKE, it's an institution.
It's a church. Um, no, no, no, no. I didn't I didn't do that deep of a dive into >> Okay.
>> more underground underground rappers, but you know, someone asked me the other day, I was on a podcast the other day >> and someone was like, "How do you align or identify yourself with rage?"
>> Like like Playboy Card, >> Playboy Cardi Rage. And I had to like I think I had like a decent answer about that, but I I had to just check in with my my family group chat just to to make sure that we were talking about the same thing, you know?
>> Well, it's funny cuz I was just like, "Yo, um I did the pitchfork thing and I did like the perfect tan and my Perfect T album was Dilate."
>> Yes. Was it Was it Dit?
>> Yeah, it was Cardi D.
>> It wasn't I am music.
>> No, >> but you were listening to IM Music.
>> I was at the time.
>> Okay. I think I saw that.
>> You know, I'm like I said in the video, I'm a member of the Cardi community. You know what I'm saying? And everybody was like, "Yo, like, yo, this [ __ ] pandering, bro. [ __ ] out of here."
>> I still think self-titled is the best one.
>> I know that's probably a whack take and probably >> I remember reading some tweet like maybe a year or two ago.
>> That's cuz it's like I like his old [ __ ] >> I know that was like that was my freshman YEAR OF COLLEGE.
>> I REMEMBER HIS time to this.
>> That was my sophomore year of college.
It's like I think people labeled it as in the self-titled is your favorite Cardi album if you're Asian. The Dit is your favorite if you're Mexican.
>> And A whole lot of ra Whole lot of red is your favorite if you're white.
>> That's pretty accurate though. It's pretty accurate.
>> What party album if you're black though?
>> I did this last one. I >> because you got Evil Jordan on there, you know, art music.
>> Yeah, man.
>> Um, >> YEAH.
>> YO, I can't I'm turning into songs in real time is crazy. Oh my god.
>> I am too though. I I really am too in my own way. I really am too. And I sometimes I think I'm speaking relatively normally right now, but sometimes just with the job whatever like the politician voice can come on like it's like that.
>> And I hate when it comes on when I'm like talking to younger people cuz I feel like what are you talking like what I sound like literally.
>> Um >> and also like I'm in a lot of schools too. I do a lot of school tours and at the beginning of my career I used to like explain that I was the youngest council member ever elected. They're like, "How old are you?" And I would tell them how old I am and they're like, "Damn, you old as shit."
>> So I'm like, "Yeah, I'm like I'm going to I I've been feeling a little older recently." Doc, so >> do not I remember working in a junior high being 24 years old and kids being like, "Yo, how yo mister, how old are you?"
>> 24. YO, YO, THIS [ __ ] MAD. OLD.
I'M LIKE, "BRO, your mom is 25."
>> I know. It's crazy. And they think their mom's old, though.
>> And they THINK THEIR MOM IS OLD. I'M LIKE, "BRO, LISTEN.
>> Let me let you in on a little secret, bro. You might be mine."
I'm very familiar with your mom. You know what I'm saying? We took She took me to the dance at Frankie and John's Pine on Williams Bridge Road. You know what I'm saying?
>> I've never been to City Island before.
>> No.
>> And I really want to go.
>> Can we Can we all go?
>> Yeah.
>> Actually, should we do that?
>> Hell yeah. I love pinina coladas.
>> What?
>> I guess you know that I've been talking about penic coladas. Pin coladas are so [ __ ] good.
>> Yeah, that's the only drink my mom would drink, by the way. She does not drink anything else.
>> And Oh, damn. We're talking about pinina coladas. And I love marish maroschino cherries.
>> Marishino cherries. Marosino cherries.
Red dye. Number 40. That's so good.
>> We can put together we can put together an itinerary resort for City Island.
>> Yeah. So, have you been to City Island?
I have a couple times prior to that everywhere.
>> Maybe I I don't know. I mean, I I used to get that that Samy's fish box.
>> City Island kind of gives Vietnam if you think about it.
>> They just need a couple of like Yeah.
Like a lot of plastic chairs. You're by the water.
>> You're by the water.
>> Asian conversation. You know, it's like you you can kind of probably smoke anywhere.
>> You could you could fish but also eat >> and like you you could fish but like the water's a little murky.
>> But but they they cleaned it up. I I I keep telling me they they cleaned up the water at Orchard Beach. So it's become >> broine. Yeah.
>> What?
>> Crystine get radioactive city on socialism.
>> Yeah.
>> And I ain't going to hold you.
>> I attributed to that. I was just like, yo, see before this [ __ ] the the Orchard Beach was dirty as [ __ ] Like you guys cheat, you guys, bro. It's a new wave of guys.
>> Next time next time Hassan [ __ ] is in New York and wants to hang out, >> got to take beach. Yeah, you can take him to Orchard Beach, take him to City Island, have him go to >> The all four of us will go. All four of us will do it.
>> It'll it'll be on it'll be on stream and then like on stream, you know, like Kakee Jeff and the rest of the sort of establishment Democrats will be commenting in in the kind of like chat just like >> this is radical, >> right?
>> Yo, is this what you want, America?
>> Behavior needs to stop.
Is there going to be a bill to um denounce City Island?
>> Yeah, a bill to denounce island. Right, right, right, right, right, right. I'm surprised there hasn't been Well, no.
>> Listen, they're not denounc They they doing the opposite. This is what I love.
And this again, this might be part of why I feel the way I feel about this.
The movement that is going on right now with the DSA and everything. Uhhuh.
>> They are reopening La Marina.
It's happening.
>> Oh, wait. Really?
>> Yeah.
>> I again this is another thing that was before my time. So I don't know why I know I really don't know I love Marina Marina >> is uh the Hassan you know you as the resident you know DJ that is you know >> Hassan where you from >> has done many tours of uptowns >> the Heights. Okay. Okay.
>> Yeah. But he's not Dominican.
>> Not Dominican. Yeah. You know you never know if you are Dominican though.
You do you don't you don't >> if you're black you sometimes you never know if you're Dominican >> I thought you're saying in general >> I'm my mom says I'm allegedly Dominican >> allegedly >> you part Dominican no well >> okay >> yes I guess it has it's become memeified Dominican has become meified >> super >> and I mean they don't sorry never mind >> once you start once you start talking about THEY WERE PEOPLE ALL RIGHT, HERE. TALK TO ME. NO, but this is what I tell you. The further So, I'm trying to do the compass in my head.
East, west, right? The further west you are in the Dominican Republic and the older your family is, >> the higher the chance is that you're there this Haitian Dominican.
>> So, I'm Haitian. I'm Haitian. And yeah, maybe this we're, you know, unification.
>> Once Dominicans want to want to be nice to Haitians again, I think we're ready for >> We need to be the generation to lead that.
>> That's the Yeah. Yeah.
>> I'll broker between you two. You know what I mean? Cuz I'm like, all the old heads are just >> the border. Have you ever seen videos of the border between the DR and it's crazy. You think the border between the Mexican border, US Mexican, >> they got [ __ ] commandos out there, bro. They got Yeah. Crazy.
>> And they glazing Trump all crazy. I don't like it. I don't like it either. I hate the government, the administration out there. It's terrible.
>> Yeah.
>> Maybe I should run.
>> Like White Cliff.
>> You know what I'm saying?
>> Dominican White Cliff.
>> Yo, did he Did he Did he come close?
>> I don't I thought he was Didn't something happen where they were like, "Oh, you're not Haitian enough.
>> You're not Haitian enough." We seen a picture of you on a Ducati with the speedo. [ __ ] you're not No, we would never do that.
>> No, no, no. I thought there was like a citizenship thing maybe. I don't know.
That was before my time. But imagine if like Dominicans in Haiti, what was the island called? Tino.
>> Uh it >> Hispanola. Hispanola.
>> Oh, Hispanola. Yeah.
>> What if that's like the the the unification efforts? The unification of Hispanola.
>> It would be >> Are we going to get in trouble for this conversation?
Because But I'm like, yo, honestly, it might be the most powerful island in all of the Caribbean, bro. If the joint forces, bro, cuz there's a lot of resources out there. There's a lot of like strong willed people, you know what I'm saying?
So, you know, maybe uh, you know what I'm saying? Stop the infighting, you know, and uh, >> Ples and Jorts, >> rise up, you know, >> I can I can get behind the jorts as well.
>> Yeah. Hell yeah. So, >> yeah. My my my lifting coach, he's Dominican >> and he says he's not really tapped into his Dominican culture, but he lifts in jeans.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> He lifts in jeans. Yeah, you have to.
Yeah, that's Dominican [ __ ] I've ever seen in my life.
>> That's either Dominican or jail culture.
One of the two. You know what I'm saying? So, it could be both. You know what I'm saying? It could have been, you know what I'm saying? Teaching you how to [ __ ] You know what I mean? But get a sick pump, bro. You know what I'm saying? So, so let's talk about it. You know what I'm saying? uh you know um right now you know what's going on uh with you and uh because you know a lot of people there was like a lot of like buzz right with after the Zoron win there was like a very big like ground swell of like support for like young fresh faces you know what I'm saying it's it's still happening you know what I'm saying you're doing what you're doing you got ania Mahia in Jersey doing their thing and there's a lot of other people that are kind of like coming up you know following >> terms coming up soon I think you've endorsed a lot of different sort of candidates both local level but also on the more national level. Everyone from like what like Conrad Blackburn um was it Daria Daria Lisa >> Daria running is running >> for Congress running for Congress.
>> Yes. Claire Valdez as well. Yeah. Yeah.
So >> yeah. I mean I guess yeah I mean I guess I'm curious as to >> how involved you are in kind of like changing maybe the face of the Democratic party leading up to these midterms. I don't know whether how essential you think this kind of moment is and how how essential it is to almost like ride the ride the momentum that is coming off of you know the big win.
>> Yeah. I mean I think >> I I endorsed the entire DSA slate. So DSA is running numerous candidates who are running for state assembly and state senate as well as United States Congress. And I think it's really important for us as as a movement to secure those wins. Right? These are true dieh hard fighters for the working class, right? They're advocating to tax the rich. They're advocating to expand rent stabilization, not only across our our state, but across this country. Uh, you know, they're fighting against this affordability crisis that we're hearing so much against. And a lot of all of these candidates are not bought and paid for by real estate, by packs, by AP pack, you know, and and and I truly believe that with my voice with whatever platform I have, you know, I need to dedicate it to to these wins. These are future allies and colleagues of of mine in this overall project, right, of of again putting power into the the hands of workers of uplifting us out of this this dark time against pushing back uh against the the Trump administration and its attack against all of our rights.
Right? I see each of these leaders who are are running on the DSA slate as, you know, essential champions in this movement and making all of our lives better. And you know, I've I've been doing fundraisers and endorsement videos and even knocking doors for for many of these candidates because I really do believe in in all of our shared vision for for what the future should be.
>> Going back to the Zoron win and like your like rise in like popularity and like the social media stuff and everybody being like, "Oh, we like you're a likable guy." You know what I'm saying? Like and that's very important.
>> You know what I mean? To politicians because there's a lot of people, bro.
>> I think a lot of people I think some people don't like me though. I mean, but it's they don't like you because of WHAT YOU >> THEY DON'T KNOW ME, >> RIGHT? They haven't you don't you don't get to a million followers without having a couple of haters or whatever.
>> If you get no haters, you ain't popping, you know? Was uh I think it was >> Socrates that said, you know what I'm saying? Um but like I think that's I think it's important. You know what I'm saying?
Because low key, highkey, that's how Trump got an office by pretending to be like cool everybody. I'm just a regular guy. Like, you know what I'm saying? But like, when you are actually genuinely interested in the the well-being of the people in your [ __ ] neighborhood, man, like it comes through.
>> You know what I mean? And it comes through in you. It comes through in Zora. And it comes through in like a handful of like these these like this new crop of like leaders that are coming up, you know? And yo, as a washed, chopped, >> all right, >> I'm like, I'm I'm very excited about the [ __ ] And I'm like, you know, and my son is like seeing [ __ ] like that, like, yo, he got a picture.
>> When we did the Zoran interview, all my kids were like, yo, they took a picture and they didn't realize like the >> I think like three of them were like, >> friends. Yeah. Yeah.
Yo, yo, dad wants to take us a picture with his [ __ ] I guess his guy two him a school like >> whatever. Like, and then they took it back and it's like, yo, bro, this is the mayor of New York City, >> right? You know what I mean?
>> Do they know that now? Did they reflect that now?
>> So, I told them then and I was like, he's going to be the mayor of New York City. And they were like, what do you what does that what does that mean?
Like, they were like, what does that mean? What does that mean?
>> They're not New Yorkers either.
>> So, but salad to my 12-year-old. He'll try. He'll hook off. They be like, "You don't feel you got to come by. You got to come back at some point."
>> And that's what I'm saying. I'm like, if I can own a And that's what it is. Yo, I grew up in a in I so born and raised, you know, born in in Washington Heights, semi- raised in Washington Heights.
>> Parents all we all lived, you know, the immigrant like classic immigrant story.
Yo, grandma came first, >> right? Right.
>> Then here comes uncle, you know, this one, then auntie, whoever, then thing.
and it's 12 people in a three-bedroom apartment, you know what I'm saying? And then from there, you each break out on your own, right?
>> But because you had that like kind of like, you know, landing spot, you know, grandma's house, whoever's apartment, you know, whatever, you were able to save up money, work, >> right?
>> You know, and >> buy a home. And that's exactly what my parents did. So, you know, I'm like, and my mom was a public school teacher, my dad was an independent HVAC tech. And I was like, those are the types of people >> that were able to afford a home. I'm not even going to say easily, but like they were able to pay their bills. They were able to afford a home.
>> It wasn't so out of reach like it is today, >> right? Now, if you ask somebody 20 years old 20 years old, yo, do you want to buy a home? They're like, how?
>> Right. Right. It sounds like a joke.
Ridiculous. Okay, boomer. Like, yeah, after World War II, like when am I going to buy? It's $8 million to buy a one-bedroom, one bath in in some weird part of Queens. You know what I'm saying? So, >> I feel like that like >> kind of like jadedness like is starting to kind of like lift a little bit and like younger people are seeing a path to >> these things because of the movement, because of the DSA, because of what's every what's what y'all are kind of like leading the charge on.
>> Yeah. Well, I think also again to credit you and commend you for the work you've been doing. Just to kind of >> I think reconstruct the timeline a bit.
Um cuz I think you had rejoined DSA what in October of last year around like October 2025 Zorn wins and I know you were you were gearing up to primary Heim Jeff and then you had sought the DSA's endorsement. uh they they said no, but you continued to kind of work within the organization and continue to invest in it and it seems like there those dividends are paying for the entire organization at large, right? There's like more kind of >> mobilizing power now, >> to put it succinctly, they have more shooters than they ever did before. So, >> I think it's a pretty accurate time.
>> I couldn't have SAID IT BETTER.
I GOT AN email from Monday about that. I was like, >> you should Have you become a member?
>> Um, not officially.
>> You want to become a member?
>> Yeah, why not?
>> I'll send you the I'll send you my ref code.
>> Are you a member?
>> I am not.
>> Are you allowed to become a member? Are you member of the press?
>> I don't know.
>> That's a good question.
>> Just join and ask for forgiveness later.
I listen I asked for uh forgiveness. I don't >> exactly there you go.
>> You know what I'm saying? That's what we do. I'll send the link right after this.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> What time is it?
>> Okay.
>> [ __ ] Listen.
>> So, again, let's get into the fitness, >> okay? Because I've been feeling I've lost some I was 280 at one point. I lost a lot of weight, >> but I I want to with go. Uh, no.
Actually, it was like pre-diabetic and my doctor was like, "Yo, you need to take this shit." And I was like, "What is this shit?" And >> I made a asking your labor.
I'm like, "Yo, this motherfucker."
>> Yo, this this [ __ ] is >> the [ __ ] >> Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to blow up Mer Spot about why why he's on the shot.
>> The jab.
>> I didn't know that. I didn't know that.
I like to say that because because it's it's really for that like cuz my pops has type 2 diabetes >> you know my mother-in-law >> there's nothing wrong with that at all >> right yeah so it's like you know um >> I feel like you know people that are like yo yo yo I just need to lose 20 pounds before the meal like that's not what you should be using for like if you're actually >> having like if your A1C levels are through the roof like mine were >> and I was like damn I feel so tired all the time I feel like weird I get cranky for no reason and my doctor's like yo Like I read your chart. Like we're honest with each other, bro. Like you told me that you ate a perk off the floor in your studio. So like >> we're very open and honest in our communication.
>> But it was mine. You know what I'm saying? I'm just saying it fell on the floor.
>> Uhhuh.
>> Uh so he was like, "Yo, you got to get on this [ __ ] bro. Like either like, you know, cuz I I was honest. I was like, "Listen, I'm I work in entertainment.
>> I travel.
>> I eat like [ __ ] You know, I'm often eating on the run, you know, etc., etc." So he was just like, "All right, man.
I'm like, "Look, do this." And, you know, 50 lbs later, I'm 230 lb back to my fighting weight.
>> Are you working out?
>> But I want to start lifting. Okay.
>> To >> build mass. You know what I'm saying?
And like get the chest popping and the traps.
>> Yeah.
>> You know what I mean? Like what what do like what is what's your you know what I mean? What do you do?
>> Yeah. So, >> to stay there, >> man. I've been I think I've been doing CrossFit for three years. I grew up as like a a runner. I ran a lot. I played some tennis. I think like cross country track and field is like the gayest sport you can do in middle school and high school. And you know, you're not on a team or anything. So like they didn't think that was something running in Vancland Park.
>> Running park.
Yeah. The tiny ass gay shorts. YEAH.
>> I was like frolicking in the >> I was in the woods of Vangor.
>> Just let him let him frolic. little frolic. You know, >> I was like I was going to say wrestling cuz I was like my son joined a freshman wrestling team and I was like whoa. I was like okay it's just like >> yeah I'm frolicking >> and I think it was like a couple years ago I was like I just I thought I think growing up I was like how do you get like I thought pecs were just something that that came just as a man.
>> Like I thought they would grow in. I think there was like exactly >> once I hit my titties coming as I was like where are my boobs? I was like where are my boobs?
>> Where are my [ __ ] I was like the rock boobs >> still flatch chested at 25 and I was like what is going on? No one taught me about this you know. So I I joined the gym and you know I was doing CrossFit which is a it's it's it's fun in its own right. a little more stamina involved and I started getting into powerlifting at the same gym. I have a a great coach, my Dominican coach. Shout out Coach Anthony. And you know, >> Anthony Santos is your weightlifting coach.
>> What's his name?
>> Anthony Santos, bro. The legend.
>> Anthony Aristi. His name is Yeah, you said it so fast. I thought you said Aristie after. So, um I >> Hey, anybody lifting in jeans?
>> Yeah, it's true.
>> Legendary. But yeah, I mean I I just started picking up the weights and it felt meditative. It felt relaxing. Um and it felt like I grew up playing a lot of video games and it felt like doing powerlifting and doing weightlifting was like I was just leveling up just in different weights >> and I was like gifying it a little bit and just tapping into just eating more protein. And at the end of like a really stressful political day, it was like the most simple act that I could do as an individual. I just p pick some [ __ ] up and put it down. Do you and >> Yeah, go ahead.
>> Yeah, I mean I just I've just been consistently doing it and my my boobs came in and I just started getting stronger and I felt really good about myself and I was like this is this is this is fun. And I I also think like and I' I've been speaking about the politics of powerlifting cuz like you always look on the left or even like as just like a queer or gay person. It's like look at these like you know some people don't take our community seriously.
>> Um or think they can bully queer people and these people on the right >> are trying to kill us, right? They got the guns.
>> Some I mean not all of them have the muscle and stuff. It's like the least we can do is like take control of our bodies. I don't even need you to be like skinny or buff or whatever, but like let's know how to protect ourselves.
Let's break up that bone density, right?
Let's let's start lifting weights. Let's make sure we're ready for for whatever whatever.
>> And I I I truly believe that's an essential step that every single socialist should take. You got to pick up the weights. You got to put that muscle on.
>> We got to live longer. We got to take our health serious. Uh, seriously. And it's something that I think vastly improved my life. I went to my first competition a couple weeks ago. I'm like lifting 500 lb on the deadlift. I don't remember what I said last time. What did I say? 300 lb on three last time. I think I was doing three last time. I'm like 4 500 lb on the deadlift. I'm just like, you know, pumping that iron and it feels really good and I and I want to, you know, when you're doing something and it feels really good and you're just I guess this is how like evangelist evangelists are like that. I want to like spread the the word. Yeah. Like pick up these weights.
It'll improve your life and and you'll feel really good about yourself and then we'll all get buff and sexy.
>> Yeah.
>> Well, because I feel like what well I feel like what what ends up happening speaking to your point about socials getting buff is that >> if you don't speak up or claim or care about these things, you end up with RFK sort of claiming the entire health movement and like all right secret right no >> RFK no I I completely agree I think I think the left needs to occupy that health space right because it's completely being dominated by like rightwing nut job >> and and with weird [ __ ] too. Like not even like actual like yo cuz yo listen the I think the health this is this going to sound crazy but it's true.
I think the healthiest [ __ ] that I've ever come across >> are the dudes that when you go to the park to hoop or do whatever the [ __ ] you doing in the park smoking L whatever >> are the guys doing calisthenics over there with the gloves on and [ __ ] and the soy no shirt right sweats and just straight doing handstands.
>> Are they political? Are they voting?
>> That's the thing.
>> That's the thing. We got to bridge the gap. We got to bridge the gap between We got to Come on. Where's our army?
>> Where's our army?
>> Are is it just you and Asan [ __ ] who are the prominent weightlifting leftists out there?
>> I don't know. But, you know, I lifted with him on stream last week.
>> Yes.
>> I can I can deadlift more than him. Um, Hassan, I think he did get me in the incline dumbbell bench press. It's okay.
We don't really do that at competitions, but but he's but he's Hassan. Shout out to Hassan though for being a a vanguard and leftists who are preaching the gospel of lifting. He's a he's a true solitariat.
>> Switari.
>> Switar got you know what I'm saying? Yo, also like uh with the with the lifting and [ __ ] like the um what are you repping out on the bench, bro? You know what I'm saying?
>> I'm at max weight.
>> My coach says I'm at 275, >> but I'm I really need to break that 300 pounds because I don't Pete Seth was doing bench press the other day on a video. You know, Pete, >> isn't it more he just does one?
>> He does one, but >> I thought that was Didn't Do you think it was fake?
>> Because I That's the thing. And I was talking to Hassan about this and my coach about this and like we think it's real >> really, >> which is bad cuz like that's I mean it speaks to the gospel. We got to get our weight up.
>> But you know what it is? They not natty.
>> Yeah, they're not. Well, >> cocaine.
>> They're not natty. They're using something.
>> They're using something.
>> Yeah, they're a trend.
>> They're doing tea. They're doing testosterone and they're trying to ban tea from from trans people.
>> Yeah, they're doing testosterone themselves. Exactly. They're doing that gender affirming care.
>> They're definitely doing that gender affirming care.
>> Yo, RFK doing gender affirming care.
>> Are you kidding me? He's doing too much gender affirming care.
>> I'm like, bro, you're not supposed to look like that at that age.
>> I know. I know. TRT demon.
>> Yo.
>> Yeah.
>> TRT demon.
>> Yo. Yo, listen. Get your weight up.
That's your [ __ ] hat up, dog.
You know WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S CHIO IN THE [ __ ] HOUSE. It's Victory.
You know the vibes, man. Men Tran. You know what I'm saying? Producing, hosting, starring, all that. Godamn. You know what I'm saying? What a how blessed I am to have such tremendous team. You know what I'm saying? I'm the K Merrell.
You know what I'm saying? Thank you to Ch for pulling up front of the show. You know what I mean? Our guy, you know what I'm saying? Brooklyn zone, man.
>> Just a legendary New Yorker. You know what I'm saying? And it's only just a beginning for him. Of course, menran, you know what I'm saying?
>> Happy Asian-American history.
>> Happy Asian-American History Month.
Happy Asian awareness month. Happy >> Asian beware.
>> Be awareness month.
>> I hope you are aware.
>> Top of the funnel tofu. Okay. And of course, you know what I'm saying? The man, the mysterious man back there who said one thing I think of the entire episode, but he's makes it sound like this. Real sexy that we could do ASMR.
Her son insane. You know what I'm saying?
Peace.
>> A victory like like >> yo, we were just talking about like drumless hip-hop and how you could just really say anything over those types of beats. Like >> Yeah.
>> You know what I'm saying? Like >> name a track we I I I haven't heard the term drumless hip-hop. Obviously I understand what it is, but what is a track that you would reference for drumless hip-hop?
>> Like anything the Alchemist produced.
>> You know what I'm saying? Like just very like simple >> piano.
>> Oh, what's his um >> what's his name?
>> Like Rock Marcy type energy. Like what's who does a lot of a lot of piano and [ __ ] Um Like Rod, I feel like Rod Wave does a lot of like >> Oh, no. But Rodwave is like a different drum because that's like drumless.
>> But sometimes it starts out, oh, I guess you're right. I guess >> cuz he's always singing about like being in pain.
>> He's like >> That's true. That's true. That's true.
That's true. That's true. That's true.
>> This [ __ ] ain't [ __ ] I go wow, Rod, that's how you feel, man. Wow.
>> Apparently, I I heard that he's like >> he's actually like a very genius level entrepreneur.
>> Oh, wow. And so, and maybe maybe there's a way to talk about this if we end up talking about like >> Rodwave and Live Nation, but he, you know, he owns his own booking agency and like touring agency. And so, you know, usually if you're a rapper, you would go to like Live Nation or whoever to kind of duel your shows. He has his own. And so, >> Wave Nation, >> it's like it's like the Rodwave agency.
I I don't know, but like >> so like whenever he does tours, he kind of he collects all of the profits.
>> Oh, wow. That's very smart. That's very smart.
>> Yeah. I don't know.
>> Smart. Yeah. Yeah.
>> And I don't know if this is true, but he might have like done some kind of touring booking stuff for Kanye as well.
His agency, not like not Rod Wave himself.
>> You like know a lot about Rod Wave.
>> I have to know a lot about Nation Tok. Yo, yo, >> I am probably like top 1% of Rodwave knowers.
>> Not listeners. No, no, no.
>> Like just like random Rodwave information.
>> Rod awareness. Ro fact Rod Wave awareness month.
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