Stop, Look & Listen

🌟 What does it really take to build a world-class music festival from scratch? On this episode of Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Billie-Jo Aasen, CEO of The Festival Company and the visionary behind Mudfest, Canada’s largest motorsports and music festival. 🚜🎶 Billie-Jo shares her journey from a tiny Canadian town to producing major festivals across North America,...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ host LeTroy Gardner sits down with legendary multihyphenate Hakim Green of Channel Live—artist, activist, scholar, and cultural architect—for a powerful conversation about legacy, purpose, and the soul of hip-hop. 🌍🔥 Hakim takes us back to East Orange, New Jersey, sharing how early hip-hop influences shaped his worldview, his time as a background dancer f...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Jimmy Rios, CEO of Rios Business Advisors and Next Level Credit, for an inspiring and practical conversation every entrepreneur needs to hear. Raised in Queens, NY by Colombian immigrant parents, Jimmy shares how his family’s entrepreneurial roots, lessons from his father, and a relentless problem-solving mindset shaped hi...

What happens when life hits you head-on—and you refuse to stop? 💥 This week on Stop, Look & Listen, host Troy (LeTroy) Gardner sits down with the unstoppable KELZtango for a powerful, unfiltered conversation about resilience, creativity, and purpose. After surviving a serious car accident, KELZtango opens up about his unexpected journey into rap, navigating the music industry, and why mental...

What happens when a country boy from Georgia follows curiosity all the way around the world?  This week on Stop, Look & Listen, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Dr. Djelani Hamm—mindset coach, author, educator, and African travel consultant—for a powerful conversation about purpose, culture, and transformation. From chasing dreams in music and acting 🎶🎭 to discovering his life’s calling th...

What happens when a real estate investor stops chasing just the money and starts building with purpose? 👀🏡 In this week’s episode of Stop, Look & Listen, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Fuquan Bilal, Chief Visionary Officer of NNG Capital Fund, to unpack his incredible 25-year journey from real estate hustler to community-focused leader. Fuquan reveals the light bulb moment that transform...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Marcus “Skalez” Braxton — entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and the definition of resilience in motion. 💯🔥 From growing up in one of Washington DC’s toughest neighborhoods to rising as the CEO of a thriving digital streaming company, Marcus opens up about his remarkable transformation. He shares: ✨ His journey from the stre...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ LeTroy Gardner sits down with 18-year-old filmmaker Austen Hamel, whose journey from shooting short films at age 10 to premiering his first feature film “The Wanted” is nothing short of inspiring. 🌟 Austen opens up about: 🎬 His creative process and storytelling approach 👨‍👩‍👦 The impact of family support on his filmmaking dreams 🏔️ The unique challenge...

Join host LeTroy Gardner on this week’s edition of Stop, Look & Listen as he sits down with the dynamic and multifaceted Joshua PK White! 🎤 As the CEO of Jay White Enterprise, Joshua wears many hats — DJ, producer, engineer, author, minister, and music consultant — all while staying rooted in his faith. 🙌 Born and raised in Miami as a preacher’s kid, Joshua shares how his upbringing fueled h...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Kenneth L. Johnson, the Emmy Award–winning sound designer and founder of Artistry in Sound. 🌟From growing up in South Central LA to crafting the soundscapes of some of Hollywood’s biggest productions, Kenneth shares his incredible journey — one of resilience, reinvention, and representation. 🙌🏾🎙️ In this episode: Escaping...

What happens when music meets the universe? 🌌 This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Amanda Falkenberg, the visionary composer and creator of The Moons Symphony 🪐 — an awe-inspiring orchestral masterpiece inspired by NASA missions and the wonders of space. 🚀 From her early days as a pianist with the Australian Ballet Company 🎹 to collaborating with NASA sci...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎤 host LeTroy Gardner sits down with the incomparable Melba Moore — Tony Award-winning actress, Grammy-nominated singer, and Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree. 🌟 With over 60 years in entertainment, Melba shares insights from her powerful memoir “This Is It: Marvelous and Getting Better,” opening up about her journey through faith, resilience, and reinvention....

In this inspiring episode of 🎙️ Stop, Look & Listen, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with R.M. Easterly, the visionary CEO and founder of Byio (By Invitation Only) — the first social media platform founded and owned by Black women 💻R.M. opens up about her journey from a young entrepreneur to a tech trailblazer, building a platform that empowers marginalized voices and redefines what community m...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ host LeTroy Gardner sits down with the dynamic actress and producer Larissa Dali! 💫 From her early passion for performing arts to her breakout role in Becky, Larissa opens up about her incredible journey through Hollywood. 🎭 Dive into her latest thriller Deadly Escape, where she delivers a gripping performance as news reporter Bianca Berry 📰. Larissa sha...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen 🎙️, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with the dynamic Cristina Santiago aka “DJ Roman” 🔥. From her journey as a student of the “game of life” 🕹️ to her deep dives into unorthodox insights, Cristina knows how to spark meaningful conversations. 💡As an active member of the $BALL and $VOOZ communities, she brings valuable perspectives on cryptocurrency and blockchai...

🔥 This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ LeTroy Gardner sits down with the rising star KimaxMarie! We dive into her brand-new single “Got Me” (released Sept 26th), her creative journey working with the legendary producer Rich Harrison (Amerie, Destiny’s Child & Jennifer Lopez), and what it’s like being the daughter of Total’s Kima Raynor and niece of Murda Inc’s Vita. 🎶✨🎧 Don’t miss this...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen 🎙️, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with the incredible Jebeh Edmunds—CEO of Jebeh Cultural Consulting, educator, author, and host of the Cultural Curriculum Chat podcast. 💡✨Jebeh shares her journey from growing up in Liberia to becoming a powerful voice in cultural competency. She opens up about: ✔️ Life as a first-generation immigrant ✔️ Her passion for multi...

📡 This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ LeTroy Gardner sits down with Scott Fehrenbacher, CEO of Worship Road Radio, to explore how faith-based media is being reimagined. From leading nonprofits to transforming Christian radio, 📻 Scott shares his mission to bring innovation, accessibility, and inspiration to audiences everywhere. ✨ Learn how Worship Road Radio is breaking barriers with new t...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, host LeTroy Gardner sits down with Dan Shinder — CEO & Founder of Drum Talk TV, the world’s largest online media brand for drummers! 🌍🔥 Dan shares how his love for drumming at age 6 sparked a movement that now reaches millions. 🧠🎶 From building a global platform without SEO or ads to creating a thriving membership community, Dan drops pure marketing &a...

On this episode of Stop, Look & Listen, LeTroy Gardner and co-host THE! Mario Washington sit down with DJ, producer, professor & author Amani Roberts (@amaniexperience) to dive into his new book “The Quiet Storm” 📖. From the golden era of the 1950s to today, we explore the rise, fall, and lasting legacy of R&B groups 🎤. Amani shares behind-the-scenes stories, industry truths, and shi...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ LeTroy Gardner sits down with Walter Harrison, CEO of WhoCameBy and Co-founder of Complementics. From discussing the intricacies of ad tech, data monetization, and product development, to sharing insights on geofencing and AI's role in tech, Walter covers it all. 🌐 They also dive into the ethical considerations of data usage, government surveillance, and t...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, LeTroy Gardner welcomes the multi-talented Afro Soul Princess, Chechii! Singer-songwriter and lawyer Chechii discusses her musical journey, her EP 'Mixed Emotions' and how her global experiences shape her distinctive sound, which blends pop, Afrobeats, and more.  💫 Uncover her thoughts on the global Afrobeat takeover, the importance of staying rooted in her N...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, LeTroy Gardner sits down with the incredible Dr. Kay Jacobs Pratt — pediatric critical care physician, author of The Magic Bonnet, and founder of a game-changing curly hair initiative for hospital patients 👩🏽‍⚕️ Originally from South Carolina, Dr. Kay shares her powerful journey to becoming a healthcare trailblazer in Chicago. Hear how she overcame burnout,...

In this powerful episode, Adaku Mbagwu—founder of Healed Hero and coach for firstborn daughters—opens up about her emotional journey 🌍. From a privileged life in Nigeria 🇳🇬 to facing hardship in the UK 🇬🇧, Adaku shares how early responsibility, cultural expectations, and family trauma led to depression… and how she found healing 💫.Now, she empowers other firstborn daughters to reclaim their voic...

This week on Stop, Look & Listen, 🎙️ LeTroy Gardner sits down with powerhouse vocalist Ms. Monet! 💫 From sharing the stage with legends like Boz Scaggs, Will Downing, and Huey Lewis to stepping into her own spotlight on The Voice and landing a Las Vegas residency, Ms. Monet’s story is nothing short of inspiring. 🙌🏾🎶🔥 She talks about: ✨ Growing up in the Bay Area 🎵 Her musical influences...