It's Always Personal

Test episode using the new Riverside studio tools. I'm just talking through a random sports talk, and providing an example of how I try to always talk sports online in a mature manner. Some eager sports fans think online exchanges about random sports topics is an invite to engage in the silly debates seen on First Take or Undisputed. There's often little, if any, discernment used to determ...

(The “evil” in this instance is perpetuating Men vs Women conflict, and then in particular the constant attack on and policing of the actions of all Black women. FYI) In this episode Wood talks about how he fully FW Women’s basketball phenom Caitlin Clark. But, can analytically question whether her taking her talents to Ice Cube’s BIG3 league could potentially tarnish her rising star - before ever...

IAP had to share some thoughts and/or reactions from Wood’s first listen to RnB/Soul artist Ledisi’s latest studio album THE GOOD LIFE. Moreover, Wood shares how a random musician spotlight video on The Gram underscores his unwavering support for RnB music. This prompts the sharing of how old school RnB groups, and the creation of soul/funk/RnB in the late-60s & 70s, is analogous to the changes “u...

Had to clarify, or tidy up, a few things on DBAD - (Just) Don’t Be a Dick. Which, dovetails nicely into how nihilism has taken over the culture, so much so that it’s irreversible. However, let’s also discuss Hulu’s drama series BLACK CAKE. Afterwards we can get into podcasting’s most popular dicks, and how they’re winning by being selected for choice duties when it comes to the promotion of certai...

Racism is still alive and well. But, long before some others see someone’s skin tone, (sometimes) they see whether a person is a full-fledged penis - a dick. “Being a dick” is widely accepted in the culture, and perpetrators have to put in years of unacceptable behavior before they’re finally officially challenged for their poor behavior. IRL, in the real world, “dicks” don’t get to mess up things...

Disappointment really should be able to help avoid repeated unpleasant results and/or experiences.

After her first MMA victory, both two-time undisputed boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields (the GWOAT) takes her victory lap with half-naked Instagram post. And you bet not say nothing to that engaged sista while she’s “talkin’ her ish!” With TikTok facing a ban in USA, let’s talk about freedom of speech, and what really constitutes “truth”, “fact”, as well as a belief in eve...

Look, plenty of time to focus on life’s struggles and battles. But, it’s paramount that one enjoy something in such a brief existence. So Wood takes full advantage of free time that can be spent enjoying various forms of entertainment! Check out commentary on the latest content impressing IAP - (Black folk) INFINITY SONG, new project on the way from saxophonist KAMASI WASHINGTON, DMV jazz band BUT...

Some observations the past few days: some of truly maddening activities underway on Black Insta, Capitol Hill is trying to ban Tik Tok, and Trump vs Willis rolls along in GA.

Let’s focus on something really personal like… ones (self) worth. It’s up to the individual to vet some of this random ‘game’ and‘jewels’ routinely dropped on all these podcasts. When’s the last time some of these guests really had a viable idea?

Salute to Skyzoo & The Other Guys for such a unique and brilliant album with the release of THE MIND OF A SAINT (Deluxe Edition). Sky & TOG’s seven new tracks conclude their audio-only rendition of FX’s popular series SNOWFALL - which spent 5 seasons centering on drug-trafficking mastermind Franklin Saint’s exploits in the Los Angeles drug game. Sky’s first-person performance as “Saint” underscore...

I asked the question a few weeks ago: Does anyone know what the check from YouTube looks like for 50 million views of a 3-hour video? Welp, Shannon Sharpe and Night Cap co-host Chad Johnson gloat about Unk’s unbelievably large haul for his internet-breaking Katt Williams interview. The funny thing is, Katt (further) exposed the concept of “plants” and “installs” while joining Sharpe in his pot whe...

The best selling type of entertainment - year after year - seems to be anything that features Black men in conflict. With an upcoming pay-per-view boxing match between Junior Welterweight champion Devin Haney and challenger Ryan Garcia possibly in doubt due Garcia’s apparent mental health status, Haney’s father Bill and Adrien Broner explored a contingency plan on social media. It’s boxing so ther...

Looking at Black people in the cyberspace daily, in particular Black men, we appear to just be “…tossed back and forth… blown here and there by every wind of teaching…” (Eph. 4: 14). Podcasts, sports debate shows and social media are just today’s weapons of mass destruction. Let’s talk about “gangbanging” (sorry, sincerely), Netflix’s RUSTIN, some boxing (high waves), and the highly-anticipated ar...

Podcasts are just not the home of truth, proof or evidence. Retired NBA champion Kevin Garnett mentioned on his podcast “LeBron is on that new BAALCO!” And now James is a steroids cheat… What a podcast host/panel chooses to believe or cast aside is interesting.

So much more going on besides the latest and greatest in The Culture... Fearless podcast host Jason Whitlock and his guest, documentarian Vince Ellison, discussed all of Dr. Martin Luther King's sordid tales in 1950 & 60s America, but never go anywhere near former President Donald Trump's current dealings... Whitlock and Ellison assert that the King-led Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the...

Quickly, topics include The Charles Coleman Podcast addressed the messiness of Club Shay Shay, new entrepreneur Jadakiss passionately spitting about hustling on a recent feature with Benny the Butcher, what the Word (Rom. 14:13-23) urges us about ‘stumbling blocks’, and Christian rapper Dee-1 speaking of college as a means of options in response to Gillie da Kid… laying stumbling blocks for his li...

So I’m not misunderstood, and no one can just hurl “coon” at me for actually advocating for inequity. I do have a classic example of when I, along with most of all other people, encountered… accepted inequity. And it worked for a great deal of us!

Who knew the NBA All-Star Game and Harpo’s problem with Sophia had the same solution. No, I’m not advocating that Adam Silver take Celie advice to beat Bron, KD and Giannis. But, much like professional boxing, the NBA has an inequity problem - as in there’s just not enough of it present. Before you hurl insults, please, just hear me out. Because the NFL is ballin’, and it’s long lived up to its ni...

Award-winning sports journalist William C. Rhoden isn’t concerned with his Draft Kings or Fan Duel parleys, apparently. The Forty Million Dollar Slaves author descended on Super Bowl week in Las Vegas looking to assign Black NFL players to various social justice initiatives. Is this really the group of Black men we’re going to rely on for our leaders? If so, why?

As a longtime hip hop fan I was "pandemic-late" on Masta Ace & Marco Polo's fantastic 2018 LP A Breukelen Story . The world slowed down and I kept seeing the album from hip hop veteran Ace with a weirdly spelled title. I enjoyed it enough to make a note of the arrival of the duo's sophomore album entitled Richmond Hill . The follow-up project's lead single "Life Musi...

With the recently released AMERICAN FICTION film garnering all sorts of mainstream attention and critical acclaim, I thought I'd be remiss if I didn't support Ava Duvernay's latest film ORIGIN . Origin can't boast of 5 Oscar nominations including for nods for Best Film, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor but Duvernay's battle to get the movie made sounded like it was importan...

The new movie American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright has garnered five Oscar Nominations. Amazing! But, is Cord Jefferson's directorial debut really that good? Wood takes a look at the trending movie, and wonders if he himself is actually "Monk Ellison" (Jeffrey Wright). Also, why are we listening to Gillie da Kid for marital advice, and to learn what's, or which type of woman...

We seem to be enthralled with what happens after putting a mic and a camera in front of a struggling celebrity, artist, or athlete. Oh, can't forget to throw in something to smoke on, unlimited alcohol and several years severe clinical depression, limited income and overall irrelevance. Katt Williams is latest go full Masked Magician - and the culture was lit for the first weekend of 2024. Sam...

After covering boxing for nearly 17 years at Yahoo Sports veteran, and award-winning, combat sports journalist Kevin Iole eyes some new challenges in 2024. Similar to Premier Boxing Champions finding a new home for the coming year, Iole has announced his plans to continue reporting on the sport he's devoted decades to starting in June 1981. We talk about the new online home for Iole's boxi...