Angie Martinez IRL - Mona Scott-Young: The Woman Behind Your Favorite Reality TV Show

25:51So were you and Chris were then partners in management? Because I just started the management company, so we came into it as partners. Yeah. Wow. I never, you know, this all this time I didn't know that. That is so funny. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought he was already operating and then sought you out and then somehow you, the two of you became partners. Because remember there was Rush. So if you look at Busta was at leaders of, you know, leaders of the new school. So this was Busta going solo when we took him under violators. When there was Tribe Called Quest, Mob Deep, they were all at Rush. Yeah.

26:23So Rush disbanded, you know, I don't know what year was that, 95, 96? So like me, Mona, you were probably often the only woman in the room. Very often the only woman. How did you manage that? So different now to how we kind of maneuver. Me I never thought, people would ask me that question. What about all those times you were the only? I didn't even. I never thought twice about it because of my own headspace. You know what I'm saying? Like I was so in grind mode, it didn't even occur to me. First of all, I always say, I go through life not putting limitations on myself, right? So if you start to think about, I'm a woman, I'm the only woman, you start to create your own box that you start to box yourself in.

27:09So I try my best not even to think in those terms, right? And so I would just be in it constantly. Now, what is interesting looking back, right? And I don't know if you ever had this experience. I did realize that there was... kind of the girls and then there was the women who was just doing it that was like one of the dudes yeah right but then there were the girls that you they were in the business but somehow it was a different vibe they were around them yes right and so i'm like i was like why didn't i get why was it i in that you know and i guess it was because my own mentality i just it was all about the work.

27:51I remember Chris said to me one day, you're wasted as a woman. You would have made a much better dude.

27:59And I was like, I feel like there's a compliment in there somewhere. What was the occasion? Why did he say that? I think we had closed something. I'd done something, right? Pulled a rabbit out of my ass. I don't know. He was like, man, you would have made such a dope dude. You're so wasted as a woman. I was like, seriously, you know? Oh my God, Chris. But those are some of the defining things that when I think back, because in that moment, what I realized was that, oh, the things that are unique to my being a woman are my tools, right? My secret weapons. So what is it? Oh, the fact that I was able to get this done.

28:42Well, that's because we're more detail oriented. The fact that, you know, so I started thinking of my womanly wiles, my womanly gifts as that exactly. Gifts. Yeah. Not, you know, things to be used against me. Yeah. That's funny. I had one of those. It was, I was interviewing Birdman. So random. Because I, like you, I used to never think that. You know, the guys had to sit across the room or in the room with them or whatever. And we were doing an interview and it was intense. This is years later. I'd already been on there for years. It was an intense moment conversation we were having and he just stopped and he just looked at me and he was like, it was almost like he was saying too much and he was mad about it.

29:22And then he just was like, you know, you, I'm able to talk to you like this because you're a woman. I would never have this conversation with somebody else. And I never, nobody, nobody had ever said that to me. Right. But I realized, oh, all these years, that was probably in my secret toolbox without me even knowing it was my secret toolbox, is the ability to be vulnerable, to create a vulnerable space for people to share in a different way. But with the same energy of the do's. Like, I love the music just much. I knew the lyrics just as much. I knew that I can do the same thing just as much. But you were able to kind of tap into the thing that only you have as a woman doing this.

30:01Yes. I remember also going to this seminar once and listening to this woman CEO, and she said it plainly, and it just reinforced what I knew, but she articulated it. She was just like, you know, don't allow them to villainize the things that, you know, make you unique as a woman because they're threatened by that, right? So they use it against you. And so the emotion you'll hear, you know, oh, women are emotional. They don't belong in the business room. I use my emotion when necessary. I, you know, I connect with you on a different level because I'm not afraid to display that emotion. Right. And so that has served me in situations when I'm able to call someone and very clearly express like that was wrong because I know for a fact that you would not have done this.

30:56had I not been a woman, right? So that may be deemed emotional, but it's me being able to tap into my honesty, being not afraid to express my emotion in a way that I think only women can. And you can say, oh, you know, a man would never say that or a man... But guess what? A man would never be in that position because you would have never done that shit to him. So what are we talking about? You know what I'm saying? So it's leaning in. Yeah. And I lean in all the time. Yeah, that's so good. But I don't know. I think back then too, we just didn't think about it. We were just trying to get a job done.

31:29It was hustle culture. Hustle, hustle, hustle. Which to this day, I still hustle. Do you? Like, what? Because I just feel like the only thing that separates us is the grace of God and our ability to get up every day and go hard. So I'm never going to take that for granted. You know, people are like, why do you still do it at the level that you do it? Now, mind you, I'm enjoying it in a much different way. Right. Because that's what led. Oh, that was me. I'm sorry. That's what led to me in 2008 saying to Chris, I'm good. You know, I just don't want to do this anymore. Right. Because I spent so many years like being in service to, like you said, the clients, which again, I still loved it.

32:19It's still what I did. But then I realized like, what else do I want to do? Right? What else is out there for me? And I'd done that TV show with Missy, and I was like, oh, I really enjoyed this process. I'd like to do more of this, but I won't have the bandwidth because I don't know how to do this without giving of myself fully. Right? So I had to make a choice. And I was miserable at that point because I wasn't living up to my own expectations, my own potential. I was just doing what I did because I do it really well, but I'm doing it for everyone else. And I know there's more shit that I want to do, but I don't know what it is yet.

32:56But if I don't give myself that opportunity, I'll never know. So it was that cycle of, I know they need me and I want to do this, but I'm not happy because I want to do more. And finally, I was just like, I'm leaving. You know, I want to strike out. How do you take that? He didn't believe me at first. He was just like, yeah, yeah, yeah, right. Yeah, right. Where are you going? You ain't going nowhere. and um i don't say this as a negative thing you know because i feel like it really helped fuel the next phase of my life but i remember talking to him and he was like you're not gonna make it out there on your own yep wow but not in a negative way he didn't say Like he doubted I could, he said it more like, we are so connected.

33:43You are such an intricate part of the ecosystem that exists here that how will you ever be able to do anything else? How will you ever duplicate the success that we had here? Right. So I didn't take it as he didn't think that I had the ability to be successful. I think he doubted that I could go out there and have the same level of success. And so I was like, a word? I was going to say that had to fuel you. Watch. You know, like, that might have him just be trying to keep you. And listen, that's what I'd like to believe. He was like, all right, if she's going to do it, let me put a battery in her back.

34:20Because I know how to push her buttons. Because I'm so competitive. Or it could have been him trying to be manipulative in not wanting you to go. And wanting me to stay. And wanting you to stay. Yeah, I think it was a little bit of all of it. Of all of it. I think it was a little bit of a lot. So you had a battery in your back. Oh boy, did I. Yeah. Because, you know, I didn't even know what I was going to do. There was no clear like, okay, I'm going into television. I'm going to start my own management company. I had kind of all of these thoughts and ideas in my head, but I wasn't sure. And then we were still splitting the baby with Buster, right?

34:55Because he was kind of straddling both Chris and I. And then Missy came with me. And so I knew I had that, my core. And then it was like, okay, what else can I do? And I met this incredible woman by the name of Gail Federici, who was, you know, those pivotal people that you meet in your life that come at the right juncture. She had built the John Frieda Company from scratch, right? And her daughters were the two young girls that were in the commercial back in the day, the two blonde young girls. And she and I connected and she was the most motivational, encouraging. You are incredible. She poured into me like in a way that I feel shaped the next iteration of who I became.

35:44Wow. You know what I'm saying? It was like things that I didn't think I was capable of. She was just like, no, I meet special people every day. I know, you know. And she was so sure that I was like, well, goddamn, I guess I am, you know, Destin. I guess I am the shit. And so it was one of those crucial moments in my development and my, you know, next phase of evolution, my evolution. Isn't that funny how you could have had so much success already, but still the impact of just like one person, a woman, of course, to come along and see another level. Exactly. Yeah. Because had you ever had mentorship before?

36:25No. Was that a mentor or was it somebody that just kind of... She was a mentor, a partner, a friend. You know, we had a blast while we were doing all the many things that we did together. But yeah, I mean, when I think about the traditional sense of having somebody to look at, right? As much, like I said, my mother and I were this in the early days, but I think a big part of it was because we're both so strong-willed, right? And I watched this woman doing all the things that she did. So yeah, in a very classic sense, I had a powerhouse woman that I watched navigate life against all odds. And she just happened to be my mother.

37:07So that was my very first impression of what a woman is capable of, despite obstacles. and then moving through life I had the women on the wall that I tore out of the Essence magazine they were mentors in my head because I was following their journeys and seeing what they had been able to accomplish and then meeting Gail in the flesh and realizing that you know what she did for me Gail? She demystified the notion that anything and everything is possible Because she operates in this space, and I'll tell you why I say it in present tense. She operates in this space that there is absolutely nothing that you cannot do as long as you get up in the morning and you take a fucking breath.

38:01You are alive. Right? That was your biggest accomplishment. You woke up. Right? So anything else that you set your mind to, now that's on you. What did you do today to take you closer to that? How did you, you know, take a step towards that goal? Oh, you didn't? Oh, then the reason you're not there is because of you. Because everything else is just noise. And if you get stopped by the noise, held back by the noise, that's on you, right? Because when she tells the story of meeting John Frieda in a hair salon and then building this, she tells the story of, you know how we came up. You know the John Frieda products.

38:36I know the products. I don't know the story. You know how we ended up with the name being this big? I used to go into CVS every single day and I'd watch people passing, you know, our product on the shelf and going to the next product. So I just go back up to them and act like a customer and be like, hey, why didn't you pick this up? Did you not realize? What are you looking for? Oh, I'm looking for something for frizzy hair. Oh, this is frizzies. Did you know that? Oh, I didn't see the word frizzies. So she's like, so then I'd go back and I'd make the word frizzies bigger. And it was like, we look at a product on the shelf and we think, oh, my God, there must have been marketing geniuses.

39:09sitting around. She's like, no, I went into CVS and I just asked the person who didn't pick my bottle up why they didn't pick it up. And that thinking and approach started to shape the way I thought and approach the things that I wanted to accomplish. And I'm like, you have this idea that it's larger than life. No, these are just normal people. Even Bill Gates was a normal person with an idea. No, I'm just kidding. Okay, we won't talk about the Bill Gates of today. We'll talk about the journey of how he got here. Okay. I'm just saying, like, you know, there's nothing that separates those folks from us except, you know, willpower, opportunity, and even opportunity, right?

39:53People will say, well, they were born with a silver spoon or they can't. I'll tell you something. Janine Ritore, who is my mother, cannot read or write. Came from really a small village in Haiti. How the hell she found herself in New York City to have me there, right? Well, that is sheer willpower. That is sheer wherewithal, right? That is sheer figuring it out as you go along and not allowing anything to tell you that you can't.

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43:55How does she... How are you now? Oh, my mother, she lives with me. Oh, my God. No, no. Oh, my God. And again, I want to be careful because I'm talking about the normal 14, 15, that age. Of course. When you're finding your voice. Most kids just stay at home and argue with their mother until they get past that phase, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is usually 18. But wait, so she must be so proud of you. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I understand. And I understood the assignment when she handed over the reins, because my mother is the matriarch, of course, with my sisters and the extended family.

44:35And, you know, she was the person that figured it out. And so I, you know, carry the torch now. Uh-huh. Is it official? Like officially? Well, I'm a matriarch. You know, like everybody comes to me. I'm the youngest daughter, but I am the one that keeps everyone together. Right? The holidays are at my house. I'm cooking for Thanksgiving. That kind of thing. Wow. She's okay with this transition. My mother? Yeah. Yeah. She's, unfortunately, you know, early onset, you know, Alzheimer's. So she comes and goes. She has the days where she's completely lucid. But she's 94. She's going to be 94. Wow, God bless.

45:15Yes. How lucky are you, though, that you had all this time with her? And still looks great. Has her, you know, a bit of mobile now. she's in you know it's hard for her to move around but still here honey still here that's god once you get to like there's like an age group where everybody is dealing with i can't tell you how many friends i have who are in the caretaker mode of their parents or their parents are dealing with early onset or or full onset or you know literally i can tell you show you three friends who are in the same same thing it's not as it's not an easy thing it's not it's not an easy thing in life to navigate?

45:52How are you navigating that? It's hard because of when I talk about the impact that she had on me, it's because I watched this person, like I said, who had so little access and available do all these things. And what I know about her is that there was always so much more she wanted to do. So as I watch her cognizance slipping and I'm often sad about, did she get to do everything? Did she, you know what I'm saying, really have the opportunity? And now that I'm at a place where I'm like, she always wanted to go to, let's go to Africa. You know, she's bound, you know, in the chair and she can't really move around.

46:36So it's hard for me. And I think there is a side of me that I struggle with that does not want to fully accept that. Right? You know what I'm saying? which is in direct contradiction to how I try to live, which is every day in the moment, seize it because, shit, tomorrow's not promised. So that's... You look away a little bit. Yes, yes. And I struggle with that because I know it's the wrong thing to do. And I struggle with that because I know I'm probably gonna regret it. Right? When I think about, shit, she was right there, and I should've captured the stories, and I should've, you know... You should.

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47:52When we first started this pod, we were getting ready to start the pod. Somebody on my team was telling me, because my grandmother was like 85, and I was telling all these stories. She was... My grandmother was the shit, like funny. She was just whatever. She was the shit. I would tell stories about her. and somebody had the idea that I should do a legacy interview like put her in the chair yeah and get the story of my family because she came from her father came from Cuba in his 20s she married you know Puerto Rican man and just everything just the family and do this legacy and so in my mind I was like oh yeah I'm gonna do it's gonna be great I'm gonna have all the time in the world but you know I'm running around doing blah blah blah blah and she passed suddenly from cardiac arrest and I was never able to do it and now I say the same thing about my mom my mom's young healthy thank god in her set her in this goddamn chair but i say you know i i don't want to make that mistake i'm gonna get my mom in the chair and have that thing you give to your grandkids you know you just have it in the family have a thing absolutely but i say sorry i kicked you but i say that to say like uh we you're not alone in that we all do that in that um but it's not too late she's still there she's in your house now the stories make the moments the stories now go down the rabbit hole they you know because she's in and out so So it's like she'll start out very lucid and then I'm like, that's not to be that.

49:09She's like, yeah, but just like really understanding the history and getting all those nuggets. We had a Bose, you know, Bose, of course, was here right before you today. She was in here and she was telling about her husband who she lost, but she was saying that he had cancer and she took care of him the last couple of weeks. It was like quick. He had two weeks left when they said the treatment wasn't working and she took a picture of him every single day from the day they said it's not working and it's terminal and she took these photos of him every day because she wanted to be in it and have the memory of all these days and now she has so I don't even know what's the point of sharing that story except that all of us are trying to figure out how to navigate these moments with people that we love with also real life going on at the same time yep and not to beat yourself up right because that's the thing that I try not to do because of course you know like I'm always like did I even and go into her room today?

50:04Did I, cause the day starts, the phones start ringing, you go crazy and I'll be right there in the house. And some days I don't even get over to, you know, so I have to be more intentional about that. Maybe that's what we were supposed to talk about today. So that you can go do that. Way more intentional about that. And it's so crazy you talk about Bo's with her husband. Cause I had a little scare with my husband. Recently? Yeah, last year, as a matter of fact, I believe Jesus, when it was my birthday. So February, mid-February, last year, we were going to Vegas to celebrate my birthday. We were going to see Janet.

50:39Missy was there and everything. And yeah, he had a doctor's appointment, went to the appointment, and they found a mass on his kidney. And they were like, it is so big. So, you know, that's the long weekend, the whole, what is it, President's Day weekend or whatever. They were like, it needs to come out on Tuesday. So I had just gotten to Vegas on Thursday. He went to the appointment on Friday. He was like, oh, I'm just going to come because what the hell? Nothing's going to happen between now and Tuesday. And God forbid, at least we had Vegas. So he comes and we're like going out and we're at the Janet concert.

51:14And I'm like dazed because in the back of my brain, I'm like, what the fuck just happened to our lives? And we came back and he had the surgery and it was very aggressive. And so in the struggle to get the tumor off of his kidney, they ended up having to take out the whole kidney. but they punctured his colon. Didn't know. So we're sitting in the hospital and what was supposed to be, oh, this easy surgery, he's healthy, he's got two kidneys, he'll be fine with the one. The whole day goes by, he's not feeling better, but then they go to release him the next day. And as we're leaving, he just starts throwing up.

51:49And I turn right back around, and yeah, they found that he was septic. And so then what was supposed to be this quick turnaround ended up in ileostomy bag for like three months. Wow. And so when she talks about nursing her husband, I was just like, it was a blur to me right now when I think about it. Right. But it was like three times a day I had to administer IVs and getting up in the middle of the night. And it was like automatic pilot. And during the day I'd be on the phone, you know, working. And it was, you know, they got it out when they took out the kidney. He's, thank God, 100%, you know, healthy.

52:27Yes, yes, yes. Back to his old fighting weight. How long have you been married though? We've been together. Our son is 28. So we've been together 29 years. And we've been married 2005. Wow. How does that work? How does the dynamic of you being so, I don't know, successful, busy, having so much on your plate? I mean, the way it works is because none of this could have happened without the dynamic that exists between us. If I had gotten pregnant with anyone else, my trajectory might have been very different. This man took that baby bottle, he was like, I got this, go. No, we're not getting nannies.

53:11His mom eventually ended up coming to be with us and stuff. But even then, he was like, she can't drive, she can't get around. these kids were on some old dance class, gymnastics, this, that, you know. He was a stay-at-home dad. We just reversed the roles and he was in it, in it, and everything that I had to go out there and do, I did it with no stress, without thinking about, are the kids okay, without thinking about what the hell is happening at home while I'm out here, you know. And... That's not... what you're explaining is not a small thing. Exactly. And not something that every couple could manage the dynamic of that.

53:54No, because you are not talking about even a guy who he was in the business because by the way, we met, he did security for Busta. So that's how we connected. So he understood the business, but because he understood the business, right? He should have had a bigger problem with me running these streets. But also. This is a dude, Brevoit Brooklyn. used to do security. So you can imagine the mindset, the attitude where he comes from the environment, but wanted something different for our kids, wanted something different for our lives and had no qualms about it. I mean, of course there were moments where he felt like, you know, whatever.

54:36And we talked through them and got through them, but it wasn't like he was insecure or he felt like it made him less of a man. Right. And I've talked about that often because the question I always get is, how do you balance it all? How do you have it all? Listen, there's no secret formula. I can't even tell you I figured that shit the fuck out. We just worked on it. It was work, you know, making sure that our relationship was safe with me on the road and him staying at home, making sure that I never made him feel in any way, shape or form, right? Less than. Not that it even occurred to me, but...

55:12How do you do that? So there's a woman now who's dealing with that now and the husband is open to it, but they're still navigating the early complications of what that could feel like. What do you say to that? You have to be conscious about it because let me tell you, it is very easy and not intentionally or maliciously to be selfish with what we do, right? Because it becomes all about our schedule, our what we're doing, our, you know? And there were times like I'd come into the house from a day that was like, ah, right? And I come in with that same energy And he'd be like, do you want to leave and come back in?

55:47Because you're home now. And so I had to consciously be like, okay, I've got to have a different energy when I come in the house so that I'm not bringing all of my shit from the day in. And when he became the person that I was talking to about it or the person that was helping me figure shit out, it gave us a different dynamic. Now he was in every sense my partner in this. He wasn't out there, you know, on the road with me. He wasn't in the meetings with me. But all of the decision making, all of the thinking, all of the strategizing, all of the, this was my sounding board. This is the person that, you know what I'm saying?

56:29Well, this is what happened to the - How lucky are you to have found that? Listen. Because for a lot of successful women, that is very challenging to find that type of partner. Absolutely. And I know it. I take it for granted sometimes, yes, because I'll be looking like, you know, what is that little thing where they're like, he's mine? You know, look at him. That's yours. you know but it was the most incredible blessing because i would have never been able to move the way that i moved without thinking at all about what's happening with the kids what's happening with the home what's happening with our back end of our lives right it was almost like i was out there hustling throwing it back he was catching it making sure the trust is in place the investments are in place.

57:16You know, so I never say ever that I did this on my own. Right? That's why I'm so crazy about, like, when people like Mona Scott. No, the woman you're talking to today is Mona Scott Young. Yeah. And it's not just because I like the last name. It's because this is how I got here. This is who I am. It's a good last name, though. It's a good, it's a great last name. Forever Young. You know, I got songs. I got hashtags. It's so good. Yes. It's so good. Good for you, Mona. You figured it out. I feel like that's a big thing for successful women is trying to figure that that part of life out. And that's a whole nother conversation.

57:51I'd be like, well, what are you looking for? Literally, when I was at the Michael party, I sat down, this young lady sat down next to me. I know she had no idea who I was, but she was like, so what do you think about love? And I was like, huh? And then I, oh, you've had a couple of cocktails. OK. And I was like, what do you mean? Have you been able to find love? Like, I swear to you, this is random as hell. I don't even her name was Ashley. I happen to remember her name. Shout out to Ashley. And she was just like, are you in a relationship? Have you been married? I said, yes, for a very long time.

58:22How did that happen for you? And this was random. Young girl sat down next to me and that was the first thing on her mind. And so a lot of times I'm like, well, what are you all looking for? Because honestly, I didn't even know what I was looking for. I knew it when I found it, but I didn't even know I was looking for it. And what it was for me was somebody who got me to stop. because I was a runaway train with my energy and my aggression, that hustle, what I needed to do to be competitive and to not be overlooked in the room when I'm in a room with a bunch of alpha males. So it was every day the person who was able to get me to say, eh, you're home now.

59:05Not many motherfuckers could do that. You know, like, what would you say? You needed a security person. More and more importantly, made me laugh. Oh, that's great. Do you know what I'm saying? Like cracking up, laughing even to this day, you know, makes me laugh. That's beautiful. So it's like, what are you looking for in your dude? And I probably would have never thought twice about the dude that does security for Busta. What? Yeah. You know, that's no fly zone, especially for us navigating. You can't be, what is that saying? Eating where you shit, whatever. Yeah. Where you work, I should say.

59:44Yeah. But yeah, no, it's all about what you're looking for, man. Does Busta take any responsibility for this? Of course he does. At first, he hated it. And then he was, you know, he'll talk about he was the best man at the wedding, made his speech. I brought them together. What I have put together, let no man put asunder. Did he say that? He does, yes. He totally takes credit for the relationship. Totally. Nothing there surprises me. Nothing at all about it. So, okay, so now, so you start loving hip hop, which you're already at this point, you're ready to like, do something for you, right? Like this is a, you're out of your comfort zone.

1:00:25I'm out of my comfort zone. I know I like television. I'd made the rounds of Hollywood, met a bunch of different executives. And then Yandy, who was also my protege, you know, she came in to violate her straight out of Howard, trying not to go back to school. I was like, girl, this is not for the faint of heart. But she was in it and then eventually she moved on to her own and she started managing Jim Jones. And I've told this story, I was figuring it out, I was doing a little bit of product stuff with Gail. We launched a makeup collection in Boots in London and then I was still kind of, okay, managing Missy and stuff.

1:01:01Do I want to take on more clients? And then Yandy came with this opportunity with this show that she had. And so that was really about like, shit, we know this world is crazy. Lord knows, you know, can nobody tell me none of the crazy shenanigans that they've watched. No one who's been in this can tell me that that shit ain't true. I know the regular person is like, she makes it up. It's scripted. Shit. You know, some of the stuff that I witnessed coming up, it was like just pulling the curtain back on the world. And that was lightning in a bottle. Yeah. And then your life changes? Does your life change?

1:01:38Not right away, shit. No. Because there was the period in the first, I don't know, two seasons. It was a sleeper hit. Right? Hey guys, so I was scrolling through this Bright Living track list the other day and I immediately started arguing with myself about what should be there, what shouldn't and why. And it's very easy to do that. Arguing about songs like California Love and Still Not a Player and Definition. There are so many songs, so many moments, so many memories. and this is just a snapshot of where hip-hop was and where it's going. That's what Sprite gets. The past 40 years, they've been celebrating artists who define the culture, and now they're turning the conversation over to the fans.

1:02:16And if you're like me, the real fun is getting into the why. Why do these songs matter? Why does that line hit? Why did it change hip-hop forever? And now I can't promise you any answers, but what Sprite will give you is a good time figuring it out. Check out the full Sprite Living Tracklist and break down the stories behind your favorite bars at livingtracklist.genius.com. This is the Sprite Living Tracklist. Obey your thirst. On the under$3 menu at McDonald's, a McChicken is$2. Because when you're craving a McChicken, you deserve a McChicken. And now that McChicken is just$2 with McValue. Limited time only.

1:02:52Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher for delivery. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. You know us, or rather, you know them. Tony and Candice, Nina and Lance, Spike and yes, the chicken. We've played a lot of iconic characters over the years, but today we're showing up as ourselves to tell you about Podlandia, AO Rewatch, our brand new podcast. Each week, we'll revisit an episode of Portlandia from the very beginning, breaking down the sketches, exploring the backstories of our most iconic characters, revisiting the Portland locations you know and love, and opening up about our creative process.

1:03:26How did any of this get made? Why do we think that was a good idea? We're ready to talk about it. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guest stars, collaborators, and friends, including director Jonathan Kreisel, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin, legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song, a melody. Well, I thought he was going to write, I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia Ayo Rewatch on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:04:01Thank you. Hey, this is Hayes Davenport and Sean Clements. We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook. Every episode, we're trying to help our guests improve their careers by mainly focusing on how they can help us improve our careers. The show is famously super accessible, so you can easily jump into any of our 650 episodes and understand what's going on. We recommend some of our recent episodes with Ben Stiller. The definition of what is a movie has kind of changed anyway, too, right? What do you think it is now? It's images and words being spoken, captured by some sort of technology. Danny McBride.

1:04:34He loves Boba. Oh, that's fantastic. And you make it on, you make your own. That's great. I call him Taro Reed. That's a good name. They're all named after cast members of American Pie. Yeah. I call, I don't, I never looked up if she was in this, but I call him Leachie Sobieski. Yeah. I don't think she was in American Pie, but I still like that. Haven't looked it up. Haven't looked it up. She was prominent around the same time. Then Mary Steenburgen. Why are you guys talking to me? I'm worried. Why are you talking so down to me that you think I don't understand your little play game? I just really am trying to set you up for success here.

1:05:12Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:05:22Everybody in the industry was like, oh my God, what is this thing buzzing about it? Everybody was talking about it online. The ratings were still kind of on and off because I don't think people... Yeah, it wasn't an explosion. In my memory, I feel like it was an explosion out the gate. The first season, no. And it was the second season and then with Atlanta coming on. That's where it kind of went. Exploded. But what happened in the first season was a post-show conversation that I don't think the networks have ever seen. Usually a show goes off the air. That's it. People are waiting for next week.

1:05:56This, the conversation, and it was right at the tip of social media. Right? So I hosted the first screening at my crib, and I just invited all the bloggers, they were calling them at the time. Right? And so they all came, and they started this kind of social media community around the show. And so I remember the network would constantly be like, it's so crazy. Right? It's Wednesday, and people are still talking about the Monday show. We've never seen that kind of engagement. and it would run right into the following week. So that is really what kind of cemented it into the cultural zeitgeist where people, but the ratings were still fledgling.

1:06:36And then when it all kind of came together with Atlanta, it just exploded. But what's happening with you at the time? Are you like, first of all, you had your battery in your back. I had my battery in my back. Did you call Chris ever and say, huh? It is so funny. I remember we were shooting a scene and that was when I still kind of went to set every day and we happened to be shooting. I was looking down, I looked up, I was like, oh shit, this is our old block. It was like on 21st Street when we had that office on 21st. And I was like, oh, I wonder if Chris is there. Imagine if I saw Chris and literally I did this.

1:07:08Why was he walking across the street? So then I stuck my head out. I was like, yo, Chris. And he was like, yo, give me some of that love and hip hop money. and so that was you know we never really kind of got to talking about the show and the success but i mean people like shot cam and sunday would be like oh have you talked to chris he's so proud of you he's bragging on you you know but he never said it to me you know that was that was because he still wanted you to come back listen he was probably like yeah that was a fluke you lucked out on that that's that's funny um but i feel like you also became you were now a public figure Right?

1:07:44Well, that didn't come till later because, well, first of all, right, the show was like, in the early years, it was my Rolodex, the people that I knew, all of that stuff. So there was a lot of boots on the ground. And then when they're talking about the show in press, nobody else could, you know, talk about it as fluently because literally not only had I lived it, but I pieced it together, you know, based on the people, the world, the phone calls. it wasn't I think it was the reunion show when I hosted the reunion that's really what did it and then I also used to voice the intro yeah you know love and hip-hop the city that never you know it was that kind of thing so people became more familiar with my voice in the beginning and what was so crazy is like I'd be out and about and people would see me have no clue and then I'd be like, hi, excuse me, do you have, oh my God, you're the loving hip hop lady.

1:08:38Right. And, um, and then one year we were shooting, I feel like it might've been the first, no, maybe we had somebody else do the first reunion. I don't remember, but Jim Ackerman, the executive was like, you should be doing this. You know, the stories, you know more about the world. You should be doing it. And I was like, oh, whatever. Didn't even think twice about it. Whatever, whatever. We're producing it. We're putting it all together. We get to the day of the shoot. you know I'm multitasking because I'm still producing but then they're kind of prepping me to get in the chair and I remember sitting in the chair and I had on I had two earwigs in because I had the producer one in and then the you know the one for the producer giving me my cues and I remember sitting in that chair I was like um Jim can you hear me he was like yeah I was like you know I've never done this right he was like oh you'll be fine and the rest is history and the rest of this history where do you hold that now because you know it was it obviously hugely successful it's been analyzed Brittany was saying in her school they did a whole debate in college they did a love and hip-hop debate around the impact and the you know the negative negative negative right right you know but there's been those conversations over the years which I'm sure you've had and engaged so many and have navigate asked and answered dissected and where in the overall in your real life like what kind of place does it hold is it like like i mean listen it was instrumental in providing not only a platform for all the talent that was on the show jobs for other people a platform for me right this allowed me to have real cachet in the tv space because as much as there were thoughts around it it wasn't undeniable success and there were so many attempts at recreating and trying to reinvent that wheel and do you have another love in hip-hop you know but for me it was always like i keep kicking you i'm sorry no no it's because we're the proximity i was like no but i could do xyz right so it provided an entry point and i won't say it did not have um its downside i often call it a blessing and a curse, right?

1:10:53I said the other day to Suzanne, the albatross. She was like, I want you to stop saying that because this was a hugely successful show. Do you know how many people are navigating production and television who have never had the success that you had? So I have, you know, tried not to focus on that because it also, again, the criticisms, the critiques, the being shut out of certain rooms, the being looked at in a certain light and being limited, right, in terms of what people thought I could do because this was so massively successful. They erased everything that I had ever done before, love and hip hop.

1:11:34Like motherfuckers be acting dazed and confused about the fact that I successfully managed some of the top artists in, you know, in music, in the world. Yeah. Right. And was responsible for some of the earliest examples of brand integration deals. When you think about Tribe with Sprite, right, back then. I did Missy, Adidas and Reebok within months of each other. And if you understand how challenging that is, because those things usually have exclusivity. and periods where you can't even do another sneaker, let alone their biggest competitor, but was able to navigate that. Buster's Mountain Duet started as a radio spot, a 30-second radio.

1:12:20Lies, it started as a print campaign that then became a radio spot, that then became a global campaign. So nobody remembers any of that shit. It was like, love and hip-hop. The love and hip-hop lady. That's who I became. So that's what I, that's exactly what I wonder. What did that feel like for you? Somebody who had done all this work and yes, this, this one thing. And now you're the loving hip hop lady. Overshadowed. Listen, I'm human, right? I remember distinctly and I can't even pinpoint what it was exactly that happened, but social media was going crazy. And that's before we understood like, okay, let me go and see.

1:13:03Oh, you have one follower. You said you started this account today just to troll me. That's before we really understood that. Right. It just looked like the world was fucking coming for me and hated my guts. And, and I was front and center all the time. So nobody cared that there's a fucking entire building full of executives that are really making the final, final decisions. Nobody understood that there's a notes process where I say, no, we shouldn't do this. Look, she said this thing, she did this thing, but she regrets it today. And we should really give her an opportunity to come back and course correct.

1:13:38And can we just cut around? No, no. Because again, I did not own this thing, right? I'm tied to this thing. I created this thing. I built this thing, you know, but I don't have the final say so on this thing. Really? That's just a function of, you know, you sell a show, a concept to a buyer. you no longer that's why more and more people now are deficit you know financing paying for themselves controlling the product and then licensing it right but that was not the thing back then no and who knew right if i'd known then what i know now it would have been a very different proposition um so again people didn't understand any of that and just thought i was sitting around like, ha ha ha, let me figure out how to fuck up lives today.

1:14:28And, you know, it was insane. And then the other thing was, again, this was a world that had become normalized to me, because you've been in it. You've seen the crazy stuff that happens, right, at the party and the after party. And, like, everyone is shocked at the stuff that they're hearing about that happens in this industry. But I also knew and got to know a lot of the girlfriends and wives and realized that, oh, wow, okay, nobody's ever going to know how smart, how funny you are because you are walking in the shadow and you're happy to do it because it's affording the lifestyle that you live.

1:15:07but there's so much more to you. You might want to explore that. So it became a pathway that made it less about the backlash to me and more about, okay, they're about to vilify us. What are you doing with this moment? How are you about to leverage this shit? They'd be like, oh my God, I'm so grateful. How can I thank you? Go forth and prosper. Literally, that was my saying. Go forth and prosper. Do not let this shit be in vain. We out here catching bullets, right? Literally at times. But do not allow this to be the moment. This is not the moment. This is a means to an end. Do not unpack your bags.

1:15:49This is a pit stop, not a final destination. Who are you most proud of that took that advice? Every single one of them did in some way, shape or form. Not every single. There are a few that went left, right? or that got caught in the moment and stopped to with the shiny lights and then the train passed. But if you think about it, right, everyone from K. Michelle, who was in a deal she was unhappy with, thought that the world would never hear her voice literally, right, and being able to pursue country music to Cardi, who I do not take credit for because she came onto the show the first season and actually came back because she understood the opportunity.

1:16:33Right. But it did play a role. And I know she has mixed feelings about that, but I don't think you can discount even the reason why she came back because she understood it. But that's to her credit for understanding it because some people don't even get the opportunity. They don't get it. And it doesn't compute for them how to leverage this. Right. Yandy, of course, who started out as a gap toothed intern. and now. That's not a gap tooth. Listen, that gap tooth was deep. She'll tell you the story. My son, when my son was losing his teeth. You ain't have to bring that up. No, no, no. Because he would say, I say it because look at her now.

1:17:08She's accomplished. She's beautiful. She's polished. She is an entrepreneur, a businesswoman, a celebrity on so many levels. So she has branched out to develop herself in every arena, right? Every last one of them, every last one of them. Jocelyn, I can't even leave her out of the equation. I watched her go from someone who said she never thought she'd see her name on a check to somebody who is producing her own shows, owning her own shows. So for me, every single one who has taken that opportunity and done something with this. Yeah. I'm sure even in those moments, there were good days and bad days, right?

1:17:51For you navigating the waters of that. Of course. opinions, negative stuff, whatever. All the things that come with - The bad days were bad. I thought I started saying that because I was saying I'm human, right? So then you try to have the shield on and you're like, oh, none of this shit. They don't know. They're just a person. Look at that. They have an egg for a profile page. Still, it felt like the world when it's all coming down. And yeah, there were times where I was just like, oh my God, I can't take it. Why am I doing this? It's not worth it. Hey guys, so I was scrolling through the Sprite Living track list the other day and I immediately started arguing with myself about what should be there, what shouldn't and why.

1:18:33And it's very easy to do that. Arguing about songs like California Love and Still Not a Player and Definition. There are so many songs, so many moments, so many memories. And this is just a snapshot of where hip-hop was and where it's going. That's what Sprite gets. The past 40 years, they've been celebrating artists who define the culture and now they're turning the conversation over to the fans. And if you're like me, the real fun is getting into the why. Why do these songs matter? Why does that line hit? Why did it change hip-hop forever? And now I can't promise you any answers, but what Sprite will give you is a good time figuring it out.

1:19:06Check out the full Sprite Living Tracklist and break down the stories behind your favorite bars at livingtracklist.genius.com. This is the Sprite Living Tracklist. Obey your thirst. On the under$3 menu at McDonald's, a McChicken is$2. because when you're craving a McChicken, you deserve a McChicken. And now that McChicken is just$2 with McValue. Limited time only. Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher for delivery. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. You know us, or rather, you know them. Tony and Candace, Nina and Lance, Spike, and yes, the chicken.

1:19:41We've played a lot of iconic characters over the years, but today we're showing up as ourselves to tell you about Podlandia AO Rewatch, our brand new podcast. Each week, we'll revisit an episode of Portlandia from the very beginning, breaking down the sketches, exploring the backstories of our most iconic characters, revisiting the Portland locations you know and love, and opening up about our creative process. How did any of this get made? Why do we think that was a good idea? We're ready to talk about it. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guest stars, collaborators, and friends, including director Jonathan Kreisel, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin, legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more.

1:20:20Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song, a melody. Well, I thought he was going to write, I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia Ayo Rewatch on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Hayes Davenport. And Sean Clements. We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook. Every episode we're trying to help our guests improve their careers by mainly focusing on how they can help us improve our careers. The show is famously super accessible, so you can easily jump into any of our 650 episodes and understand what's going on.

1:20:57We recommend some of our recent episodes with Ben Stiller. The definition of what is a movie has kind of changed anyway too, right? What do you think it is now? It's images and words being spoken, captured by some sort of technology. Danny McBride. He loves boba. Oh, that's fantastic. And you make it on, you make your own. That's great. I call him Taro Reed. That's a good name. They're all named after cast members of American Pie. Yeah. I call, I don't, I never looked up if she was in this, but I call him Leachie Sobieski. Yeah. I don't think she was in American Pie, but I still like that. Haven't looked it up.

1:21:33Haven't looked it up. She was prominent around the same time. Then Mary Steenburgen. Why are you guys talking to me? I'm worried. Why are you talking so down to me that you think I don't understand your little play game? I just really am trying to set you up for success here. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:21:59Did you ever think, though, that... I don't know, did you ever think not to? Did you ever think like, could you even pull the plug even if you wanted to? No. I think I could have in the sense that it would have been very uncomfortable for me to say, I'm done with this. I'm moving on. It would have been uncomfortable for the network to continue, you know, because I was again, that anchor for the franchise, right? There were days because what I did understand honestly was that, If I did that, it would be for selfish reasons because it would be because I couldn't stand the heat because I felt like I was, you know, I didn't want to be front and center.

1:22:41So what I realized is you got to take the good with the bad. Right. And if I think that there's all of these good things that are coming out of it, then me withstanding this storm is part of the job. Right. I can't be like, oh, look at how great this is for everyone. And even for me and my family and what it's afforded and allowed me to do. But I don't want another backlash. I don't want to be front and center. I don't want anybody calling my name and associating me with the negative stuff. But was it hard yet? Yeah, there were days where I was just like, oh, fuck me. Were there days ever that you felt like some of the backlash was warranted?

1:23:16No. No, never. Never because nobody got bamboozled. Nobody was, there were no hidden cameras. It's like, you know, when people are just like, I didn't know I did that. I'm like, how? You did it, right? On camera. And I would always say, I can only edit what you give. So don't give it. And then you won't be. And there were so many times where I'd be sitting with someone, because we would have what we call insight sessions, right? Where they would have their producers who they tell stuff to. And then the producers would run it up the chain and we'd get a written report. Okay, this is what Angie told me is happening in her life.

1:23:58She said, you know, she never cheated. But then I know that Britt just called me and told me that she saw Angie with this person. So I'd be like, go back to Angie and ask her, is she sure about this piece of information? That she was not at the club on Saturday night. Nope. Angie said she was not there. Okay. Here we go. Right? So cameras at the club on Saturday night? It's like, you know you were there. Why are you saying otherwise? You know what I'm saying? So it's like, and then of course it would be like, she set me up. I would never have known that you were at the club had you not been at the club, right?

1:24:44I would never have had this person telling me you're lying about this thing if you didn't tell me otherwise. And I would say, own your shit because that's the best way to navigate this. Control your own narrative. Don't let somebody else come in here with some information that you're lying about or that you are saying, you know, is who you are if it ain't really. Because there's somebody out there ready to pull the rug out from under you. You know you have to have like a, I say this with love, Morda, you have to have like a little hint of ruthlessness to be able to do that. Because my, because I'm so, like, you wouldn't know, but like, I overdo it.

1:25:25I'm the opposite of you, which probably stops me from doing some things sometimes, which I probably could have done. In terms of emotional. Yes, I'm too like, I would feel bad. I wouldn't say that because you know what? The part of it that people didn't see, the midnight phone calls, the talking them off the ledge, the crying with them when something, do you know what I'm saying? Because this is the thing. At the top of this, they would get the talk. They would get the talk. Literally, it was the means to an end. I would liken this to a bed of coals, because that was another formative thing in my life.

1:26:01I remember seeing people who walk over coals and were able to do that by sheer willpower and the desire to get to the other side of what it was, and that's what allowed them to just barefoot go over those coals. So I would say think of this as walking over a bed of coals. It's gonna get hot, it's gonna hurt sometimes. You might even get burnt a little crispy, but do not stop here do not stop because then you will you know what I'm saying disintegrate so keep it moving so in your managerial way yes I was motivating them no I understand a little bit more like the how you maneuver the ship then I would say make sure you line up what you want out of this yeah do not do this for shits and giggles you should never be doing this because I want to be a reality star that should not be the goal this is a pathway a means to an end it should not be a I cannot tell you how many times I've said that and there's no one who can say they never got that speech because that was the entry speech entries right make sure what do you want to accomplish out of this what do you want to get what are your hopes and dreams and goals okay let's make sure you tee that up I will to the best of my ability weave that into the story wherever we can make sure that it's organic because you can't be in there message selling your wares like this is one big commercial yeah right you're still trying to make good tv if we can find the stakes in you wanting this thing so badly that it's live or die for you that you are ready to really put your heart and soul into this thing and let's find how it's impacting you let's find how the things what are the obstacles in that path let's build the story there and tell this thing as a backdrop, right?

1:27:46You're gonna, you wanna confront Britt for, you know, telling on you that you was at the club. Poor Britt is getting thrown into, look at you just got thrown into an episode of Love and Hip Hop. We're gonna do it at the launch of your event. Oh my God. Sometimes not the best idea, but it wasn't, it wasn't an attempt to kind of merged the worlds but listen again when i look at everything in life there's good there's bad there's the you know does it outweigh complicated it's all complicated life is complicated um would i ever say that i don't think it you know should have happened i don't think that there were many many who benefited from this i would never say that i would never say that and you know i bore the brunt I went through the fire and you walked over the coals I walked over the calls trust me I was not about to sit in them coals because then at a certain juncture the wheels in the training wheels came off and it was functioning on its own and so then it was like okay for me it's time for the pivot where do I want to go next well people keep telling me I make this shit up let's venture into scripted let's start to develop in that you know arena and then doing other shows right unscripted shows with other networks and branching out and stuff so so that was the point you did that so what do you just you stepped away from the show as no no no I mean I'm still still because I was what they call luck for life so for the life of the show I will forever be the creator EP of the show nice yes exactly but you're not in the mailbox money huh the mailbox money comes no matter what.

1:29:24Yeah, yeah, yeah. So then it allowed me to turn my attention. You stepped away from just being. From the day-to-day running of the show. Of the show. Got it. Yes. So people be like, yeah, so-and-so I don't even know who this person is, ma 'am. Because I don't, I'm not in it like that. Yeah. You just said I don't even know who this person is. I have no idea who this person is. So what now? What's the pivot now? Oh my God. Well, you know, I started producing, like I said, features. And so I did too. I just did the Mary J. Blige Presents. Yes. Be Happy. that was a Monami Blue Butterfly production.

1:29:55That was so good. We had so much fun making that. Developing, you know, in the scripted space across like series and features, both for theatrical and streaming platforms. I started producing tours. I did Missy, you know, the Out of This World tour along with the Queens of R &B. And that was like a little bit of taking everything that I've done and just supersizing it. I was like, yeah, I should be able to do this shit, right? They've all been on tours. Why can't I produce a tour, right? So Missy for me was like, that tour was the holy grail because it was such an incredibly executed. And I have to say it.

1:30:34It's not me tooting my own horn. I don't know if you saw it. Did you see it? I did. I'm so mad I missed it. This is over. How did this happen? No, did you see it? How did this happen? How did that happen? How did that happen? I don't know. Maybe I was going through something. Let me tell you something. The feeling that I had when I jumped on that plane to go see michael's what should have happened when i should have jumped out of this world came into you're right i should have jumped on a plane because it was a culmination of artistry meets excellence and execution you know everything that came on me into her head we were like it will be so and it will be executed to perfection right so every night we got this massive set on the stage And it was, we moved with 160 people on that tour.

1:31:21So, yeah. So anyway, more tours, more tours and more tours. And then a ton of stuff. Tyrese is a visionary in the truest sense. He just... Mona, if you do nothing else as a manager, you have to get the Teddy story for him. Help him get this Teddy story across the finish line. And that's the beauty of one of the things that Suzanne and I are doing together. because think about her legacy in music and her having you know um that history there so that is definitely oh i want to knock on wood because there's a lot we've had to he did he went into he he jumped into teddy's spirit for a second while he was here yeah and uh sang for us and also uh sat in the chair as if he were teddy and oh wow and did an interview and did a little bit of Teddy for me and it was when I all had oh my god it's so with Tyrese it's the Teddy Pentegrast or you know what I said there's that thing that they want to accomplish that I know that I know how to do and how to bring to fruition it is that there's so many dreams he has every day it's like I'd love to do this and I'd like to do that and how do you like this outfit I'm wearing I'm starting a clothing line right and and he has the ability what he needed and what I hope to bring is the execution yeah and the structure and the but the teddy is that thing it's his opus it's his thing it has to happen and that's the thing that is going to happen it has to good it is going to happen hey guys you ever sign up for a phone plan thinking wow what a great price and then a few months later it's like surprise your bill is higher we hate that with boost mobile you pay 25 a month forever that's unlimited talk text and data starting at just 25 a month there's no price hikes, there's no contract, and this is forever.

1:33:09Plus, Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network. They invested billions building 5G towers across the country. So what you need to do is visit boostmobile.com or head to your local Boost store today and get unlimited talk, text, and data for$25 a month forever. 5G speeds not available in all areas. After 30 gigabytes, customers may experience slower speeds. Customers will pay$25 a month as long as they remain active on the boost unlimited plan all right we're getting to IRL bowl and do we have a voice note for Mona yeah hi Mona I just wanted to start off by saying I am a huge fan of your career as someone who is a music lover and reality tv lover I've enjoyed watching you navigate between both industries I have a question with all the current changes happening in the tv space a lot of shows that have been on air for over 10 years coming to a close do you think this is a smart time for someone like me to pursue a career as a reality tv producer and do you have any current reality shows that you're watching or any favorite so many questions this is many questions your shows that you would like to share?

1:34:28That was many questions, Mona. That was many questions, but let's tackle the first one. Unscripted is always going to be a genre that works because it is much less expensive to produce than scripted. Of course, in success, it climbs up there with the fees, but there's always going to be the opportunity to pursue unscripted. But the thing is, unscripted is not limited to docu-follows, right? That's the mistake that producers coming into the game think. Unscripted This is unscripted. Exactly. This is unscripted. Formats are unscripted. Game shows are unscripted. Yeah. Crime shows are unscripted, you know, depending on the format that you do.

1:35:07So one, yes, if you want, if you aspire to a career as a producer, the unscripted genre will always be viable. Now, it is all about what is the offering, right? What is the content? And that is a, you know, that is factored by a combination of elements. whatever is happening in the zeitgeist what are people tuning into what is happening in the world right now finding things worlds people occupations spaces that we have yet to see exposed right that's always a way to find your lane find your footing um looking at what's going on whether it be on social media on the internet and figuring out how to give a version of that offering right on linear so it's like whether it's oh a tick tock trend or whatever how does this translate is it a game show idea that i could develop so you know to answer the question about whether with all of the changes because they have collapsed so they are very very there are much fewer outlets than there used to be but there will always be opportunity.

1:36:18You just have to really be nimble and you have to be aware of what's happening and you have to be creative about approach, right? To make sure that you could find your lane in the business. And then what are the things that I'm watching? I mean, listen, it runs the gamut. It's a variety. I am a huge crime show. You are? Oh my God, yes. Everything from procedurals on the scripted side to there is no way anyone will ever get one up on me okay I know every which way that I can be kidnapped or killed and you will not get one over on me um I love you know watching these shows where I see people do the craziest shit for a small insurance payment it's crazy to me I'm like really that was a$10 ,000 payout and you took out your entire family was it worth it you know but um yeah i'm developing some stuff in the crime space right now clearly you know something with 50 right well no 50 and i had hip-hop homicides oh him i'm a homicide there was that something else i thought anyway you know we talked about doing other things shout out to 50 curtis we talked about doing some other things but hip-hop homicides was a result of you know 50 and i were both at uh lionsgate at the time and we were in a room and he was like mona we should do a show about dead rappers and I was like what a show about dead rappers and it evolved that that was the idea in his head but even to the point where we had sold the show and it was getting he still wanted to call it dead rappers I was like we are not calling this damn show dead rappers 50 so we came out with hip-hop but yeah so in the crime space there's a podcast that I work with the two young ladies who have this podcast called sisters who kill Are you familiar with it?

1:38:02It sounds familiar. Yeah, so the two young ladies who host the podcast, they have a very unique point of view and take, right? So it's everything from, if I had did it, to, you know, who does this? Like the same conversation, and you feel like you're just sitting around watching a crime show with your girlfriends. And so we've taken the concept of the way they approach their storytelling and flipped it into a crime series. That'll be fun. Yes. Those were all her questions, right? Because there was many questions she had. I feel like there was one more, but it's okay. It was long. It was very, very long.

1:38:37Okay, quick in real lives and then a bowl and then we're done. Okay. In real life, where's my in real life? Look, I did all these cards for you and I didn't use any of them. Are my lips dry? I feel like... You can do it. You can do it quick. I had to take some allergy meds, man, because I was so good before in LA those 24 hours. I had no allergies. What do my lips look like?

1:39:00am i good or can i use a little you want to touch her up you can quick no no no i'm fine okay that's fine well we did hit some of these unknowingly okay all right good now let's go to my irls couple irls in the bowl and you're done see how easy it was fun was it good time you're so good thank you you killed it yeah you enjoyed thank you sometimes you don't know right sometimes i'd be and I'm like, and I'm into it, but like, I can't always in real time assess outside. But if I'm into it, I assume everyone must be. If I'm into it, I mean, uh, they, everyone must be okay. Okay. In real life, what are you most proud of?

1:39:43My kids. I almost said my daughter, but I want to say my kids, but my daughter only because she is the better, faster, smarter, funnier version of me. But both of my kids, my son is amazing. Justin, shout out to Justin Scott Young. I love you. So your kids. Yes. What about in your career? What are you most proud of? My ability to make dreams come true. That is a special talent. I'm a unicorn and I cross so many different genres. I do so many different things and I don't think many people operate that way. Make dreams come true. I make dreams come true in a very unique way. You're a Capricorn? No.

1:40:25What makes you say that? I don't know. I just thought that. I don't know. I just had that. You don't recognize this energy? Okay. Let me think. Boss energy. Highly creative. Either Leo or Taurus. Neither? Neither. This is special. What is the most special sign? Capricorn, like I said. Oh, gosh. Excuse me, ma 'am. Aquarius in the building. Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I didn't hear the applause. Aquarius in the building. Thank you. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. You can't come in here and produce my crew into clapping for you. But you see how I did that? Only an Aquarius can command a room in that way.

1:41:08Yes. Okay, sure. Thank you, everyone. I don't take it for granted. Thank you. In real life, how important is money to you? only to live not to make me happy you know only for the necessities in real life and the shoes in real life what should people care less about oh is there is this multiple choice or do you want me to what other people think because none of that shit is going to pay your bills or change your life in any real way as long as you could look at yourself in the mirror and you know the truth that's all that should matter at the end of the day what do you hope people learn from you in your story i am not a monster that that no that every and anything is possible every single day man i don't know people have their opinions but then i just say i shouldn't care about that know that everything and anything is possible.

1:42:08I promise you every day. I think the reason I have so much fun, people are like, oh, how do you do all these things? Only because I refuse to believe that I'm not capable of anything that I set my mind to. So anything that you throw at me and like my team never knows what they're doing from one day to the next. Guess what, guys? Today, we're going to be putting together a tour. Tomorrow, it's a movie. You know, because once we take that last breath, that's it, it's a wrap. no second chances no redo no do-overs so every single day I'm just like what feels that what do you credit feeling that your desire to do that not wanting to be in the place where I believe in my heart my mother is where she did not do it all in the time you know and I don't want to have that regret I want to know that when it's time for me to take that last breath that there's nothing that I thought about wanted to do aspire to that I didn't at least make the attempt at mmm so good for the clothes what is the ball a wild shot it's a wild shot okay pick it the universe says it usually I have one that I like the best and I'm gonna let you put at the top yes right here okay I'm gonna ask it to you after but you pick yours first and then I'll do mine this is my question I ask everybody whether you pick it or not okay got it all right this one right Right here.

1:43:30It might be very, you know. Ah. What is it? If today were your last day on earth, what would you be doing? Exactly what I'm doing right now. Because that was the goal for today and I accomplished it. What was the goal? To be here on the Angie Martinez show. I jumped on a fucking plane. What are you talking about? I got into glam at 8 a.m. I got dressed. I put on a coordinated outfit. No, but like doing whatever it is that I set out to do for that day. And if that ends up being it, I don't want to think about shit. I was supposed to do this today and I didn't. Well, I would be honored that this would be what you were doing on this day.

1:44:12I would hope today is not my last day, Angie. No, it is not. But I love that you honor this day as it is. That's amazing. Okay, and my question from the bowl that I love is if God were to text you right now, Mona Scott. Young. You got Mona Scott Young. Yes. If God were to text you right now, Mona Scott Young, what would it say?

1:44:37You woke up this morning. You're welcome. Because he knows, he knows that every single day that he gives me, I'm going to go with 1000%. I'm going to give it all. So he's going to be like, I gave you another one. Go forth and prosper. Mona Scott Young in real life.

1:45:00This is Mona Scott Young in real life.

1:45:25all about. It's not about the crowning winners or awards. It's about starting conversations, 50 tracks, generations of artists, endless debates. And Sprite didn't just put the lyrics on the cans. No, they went deeper than that. Bringing together hip hop experts, tastemakers to help unpack the stories and impact behind every track. And I got to host it. Check out the full Sprite Living Tracklist and break down the stories behind your favorite bars at livingtracklist.genius.com. This is the Sprite Living Tracklist. Obey your thirst. On the under$3 menu at McDonald's, a McChicken is$2. Because when you're craving a McChicken, you deserve a McChicken.

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1:46:41Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song. Well, I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia, AAO Rewatch on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y 'all? It's your girl Sam Jay. And we're the hosts of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together and iHeart Women's Sports. We're breaking down the biggest headlines. Naomi Osaka showing out. Shout-outs to you, Naomi. The viral moments. I've been obsessed with Kashawn Rock's boxing journey.

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