- 2 days ago
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00:00It is Alicia B with the all new Morning Rollout and we are back for another installment of the Detroit Culture Shifters.
00:06And this young man was brought to my attention and after I saw what he's been doing in the Detroit area, I knew I had to bring him on.
00:14His name is Barry Jennings. You should already know who he is because he's a part of the Uprising TV network.
00:19Good morning. How you doing?
00:20Good morning. Good morning. Thank you so much for having me. I'm real honored to be here.
00:23I'm excited to talk to you because one of my friends, Asia, DJ Venus, she put me on to you.
00:28And once I started doing a deep dive, I was obsessed. So let's start at the very beginning.
00:32Tell me about how you started Uprising, how you got to the name, like what was the process of why you wanted to create this network?
00:40First off, I want to shout out Asia. Thank you so much for thinking of me when she asked for people to come on the show.
00:45But all right. So with the network, man, OK, first and foremost, it started because I was making music at one point.
00:52I was rapping at one point and there wasn't there was like there was like a huge gap between like what the local like there was a need for local media, local like on the ground media, not versus like channel two, channel four, things like that on the ground media.
01:07And there wasn't nobody doing it at the time. And I said, there's way too many rappers coming on the scene at the same time.
01:15All of us is not getting on. Let's be real. All of us is not getting on. But somebody needs to document what this scene looks like.
01:21And then that evolved into more than just musicians and then evolved into. All right.
01:25Maybe I could produce some shows because there's no TV networks, at least the people that look like me that are producing these shows.
01:32So I'm like, OK, hold on. And that's what Uprising Network started.
01:35I love that. I love that you saw a gap and decided that you were going to fill it.
01:39Because I think a lot of people will notice the gap and don't realize that they can do the work to like make it work.
01:44So when you speak of gap, what were some of the things that you wanted to highlight within the city that you felt like, you know,
01:54people like me who are outsiders who are just coming into the city didn't necessarily know?
01:58Was that a reason of why you wanted to also use the platform?
02:01Yes. The main goal is was what really is the trigger is that in the mainstream media, Detroit is always just looked at as destitute as every city has is gritty areas.
02:16Of course, every city has gritty areas. But I give I'm of course, because I'm a traitor.
02:20I'm very hypersensitive to whenever it's highlighted in the media.
02:23They show the broken down buildings, the abandoned neighborhoods and the crazy areas.
02:29And it's like Detroit, the sun shines here, too, in Detroit. Right.
02:32So when you look at the logo and you see the brown hands and the sun shining, it's like I want to show that the sun shines here, too,
02:39because you're not going to see it nowhere else in the media. It has to come from people that's actually here doing the work.
02:43I was going to ask you about that because I noticed how intense I thought it was an intentional decision to add that into the logo.
02:48So I'm glad that you said that, because I do think that as someone who moved here, my idea of Detroit was skewed.
02:55Obviously, I knew the good things because obviously you hear the big things like Motown and, you know, the people who have come from Detroit,
03:01which you don't hear about what good is happening within the city.
03:05Yes. Within the city, you hear all like you said, the destitution, the broken down families and the projects and everything.
03:12So I'm glad that you were intentional about making that happen.
03:15And you specified brown people with this.
03:18I know that you spotlight black and brown creatives, talents and just the culture at arms.
03:24So what does real representation mean to you?
03:28And how do you take that responsibility into making this network?
03:32Wow, that is a great question.
03:35What is authenticity?
03:37First and foremost, it has to be like the traitor.
03:40We go. We go.
03:41We can. We know if you real a mile away.
03:43Oh, yeah, y'all do.
03:44We know if it's real or not.
03:45So that's the first thing.
03:47Like it has to be from people like there's there is.
03:51I feel like the bookmark was like the Detroit going into bankruptcy and how the coming back from it.
03:58Oh, Detroit.
03:59The recipe, so to speak, is starting to fade a little bit.
04:02And there's a new Detroit happening.
04:04And I want to keep that alive.
04:06And the only way to do that is to tell the stories from authentic Detroiters.
04:11And there's no way there's no other way around that.
04:13I won't have it no other way.
04:14And before we deep dive into those authentic stories, I obviously know that with any business, there are ups and downs and middle ground.
04:22So what has been one of the biggest challenges trying to create independent media, especially in the climate that we're in, where independent media is being like stifled, essentially?
04:33So what has been the hardest part for you to keep going on it?
04:36Well, in the beginning, the hardest part was getting people to understand this is a community.
04:43We all need each other.
04:44Yeah.
04:46Detroit has always had this crabs in the barrel mentality where are only one of us going to make it out?
04:51And we fighting to the death for it.
04:53But I don't I've never looked at it that way.
04:55I always looked like if we all sitting in the same room together, look at the three of us in this room.
04:58And we reach out and touch each other.
04:59Why is it that we can't exactly pull each other up at the same time?
05:03So what the hardest part for me, like I said, was trying to get people to understand that there was a community when the community that you see now in Detroit did not exist when I started.
05:11Wow.
05:12None of this.
05:12These creator clubs, the to be productions.
05:16None of that started when I was here when I started.
05:19So to see that grow, not to say that I have the hand in making that happen, but I definitely was an inspiration to a lot of it.
05:26And I hear and I hear that when I see these people in person.
05:29So the biggest thing was that Indian finances.
05:32So with because of finances, I had to learn how to do everything on my own.
05:36I shoot.
05:36I write.
05:37I edit.
05:37I jump in front of the camera if I have to book the talent.
05:41But I'm the executor from A to Z.
05:46So I had to learn that because of the finances.
05:49And it's like, all right, I know money talks.
05:50And if I'm getting started and I really don't have no experience under my belt, how can I get people to take me serious and show that this is a serious project I'm working on?
05:58So I had to learn all this on my own to show how serious I am.
06:03Right.
06:03And then that's when people started taking me a lot more serious and I saw more elevation happening.
06:07Exactly.
06:08I think once you invest in yourself, people want to invest in you.
06:11Yes.
06:11But you can only do so much.
06:15And I think that the fact that you were able to understand that it's all on you and you needed to be the one that can facilitate it.
06:22I've always said that if I do have a company where I'm having employees, I want to make sure that I know every single thing that I'm asking them to do.
06:29Yes.
06:29Because if I'm asking them to do and I can't do it.
06:31Right.
06:32How dare I?
06:32Yes.
06:33And then on top of that, I loved that you were also talking about a linear community.
06:37Because I think one of the things that I love about Issa Rae is that she says that she always tries to work horizontal and not vertical.
06:43Because you should always come with the people who are rising with you.
06:46Yes.
06:46Because you never know.
06:47That might be the next Spike Lee next to you.
06:49Yeah.
06:49And you just missed out on that opportunity.
06:51So I'm glad that you not only shared that, but also I'm going to assume shares that with the people who are a part of your network.
06:59Yes.
06:59Because your network is stacked so far.
07:00You got some good people on there.
07:02Come on now, Ask Jizz.
07:04Yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:05And the best part about it, I didn't know any of these people to begin with.
07:11It's me hitting the ground running on my own.
07:14What you see right now is my team.
07:16Wow.
07:16So on projects, I bring people in.
07:18So that's one of the most things I'm proud of.
07:20I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.
07:22So all those people that you see on screen on the network, they eventually became friends and they eventually became my peers and things like that.
07:28But none of this was, it's literally like I just put one seed in the ground and I just kept watering it and watering until it bloomed.
07:34But yeah, the people that you, the gen that you named, that is my star player.
07:38That's for sure.
07:39And all the people that's come through the network on camera and behind the camera for that matter.
07:44I'm really appreciative of them.
07:46And speaking of that, what's a moment or a project through your network that's made you think, yeah, this is why I made this.
07:52This is the envisioning coming into reality.
07:55Like what is a moment or even a project, like I said?
07:58Oh, I've had quite a few of those moments.
08:02I can say, I'm going to name a few of them.
08:07So the first time was the launch of the Uprising Network.
08:10When I launched the network, it was mostly, fast forward a little bit.
08:15When I had the launch party, I had everybody like we dress, I need a black tie event.
08:22We dressing up.
08:23And surprisingly, most of my rapper friends that is usually in rapper uniform, they came dressed.
08:30And I had more than half of the people that was at that launch party.
08:33I did not know.
08:33They showed up on the strength of, oh, this is a new idea.
08:37This is something that we can get behind.
08:38So I felt like I was making it then.
08:40Then I threw another event in 2020, like two weeks before the world shut down.
08:45Wow.
08:45And people showed up.
08:46I had this place called, now it's called Crea Cafe.
08:51We threw it at Crea Cafe, slapped it out.
08:53I sold all of my merch.
08:56That's when I first started selling my black on Operator History hoodies there.
08:59Sold out there.
09:00And that was another moment for me.
09:03Another one is when I did, we did the second X-Gen show and we did it at Ale Club.
09:08Sold it out.
09:10And again, this all started just from an idea I had in my head.
09:14And isn't that so incredible?
09:15How like an idea that you probably second guessed a bunch of times is turning into something that you couldn't have ever even fathomed could be possible.
09:23I couldn't stop it if I wanted to right now.
09:25Literally.
09:26And that's the beauty of knowing your purpose and walking in it and knowing that it's bigger than you.
09:32And that even the things that you imagined are probably very minuscule to what the plan is going to end up being.
09:40Yes.
09:40I love that.
09:41I love this for you.
09:42Okay.
09:42So let's deep dive into the network.
09:44Because I'm curious of how like you decide who gets to be on the network.
09:48Obviously, you're open to anyone pitching to you.
09:52But what comes into the producer and to the director of this mindset of, okay, you get a slot on here, but why?
10:00You got to be doing the work first.
10:01Okay.
10:02You have to already be doing the work so I can meet you where you are.
10:05I love that.
10:05And then we go from there.
10:08Because if you're not willing to put in the effort on your own, I can't help you.
10:11Say that again.
10:12Come on now.
10:12I can't make you drink the water after leading you there.
10:16I can't.
10:16So you have to be doing some sort of leg work before I get in the mix.
10:21And once I see you doing it and I see the potential and I see you serious about it, it's like, oh, okay.
10:25Well, that makes sense because I'm serious too.
10:27So that's where that relationship tends to happen when we both are passionate about what we want to do.
10:32Now, there are instances where I see somebody and I'm like, yo, they're really funny.
10:35If we put some time behind that or maybe see just what happens, because of course every show isn't a success, we'll see what that looks like.
10:43So it all depends on my intuition.
10:46A lot of the times I just go with my gut feeling, but a lot of it is people that's already doing the work.
10:50I love that.
10:51And based off of what I've seen through not only your work as just you, but also as the owner and operator of this network, I can tell that you're really good at the idea of pivot.
11:02And understanding when one thing doesn't work, that doesn't mean that that's necessarily a bad thing.
11:10You just have to figure out how to re-envision it.
11:11So what's that mindset for you?
11:14When do you know that you need to pivot and is pivoting hard for you?
11:17Because it seems like you're really good at it.
11:19That comes from a lot of my personal relationships over the years where it's just like I have it's so at this point in my life, I really have no problem with detaching from people, ideas, places.
11:42Because I have no, it's like, okay, because life goes on.
11:46Life goes on.
11:47All these ideas I may have had in the past that didn't work out.
11:49All these people I planned things with just didn't work out.
11:52It's like, okay, life goes on.
11:53What's next?
11:53Like I'm not the type of person to sit and be like and feel bad for myself for an extended period of time.
11:58I give myself a couple days.
12:00And then after that, all right, what are we doing next?
12:02And speaking of what's next, what is next?
12:04What's next is I got my first docu-series on the network called Girl Meets World with Lana and Adana.
12:12And that just showed up.
12:13Come on, Lana and Adana, come on.
12:15So we spent the summer together pretty much.
12:18And I just documented her journey that she's going through a transition right now as well.
12:23And I don't want to say too much because I want people to just tune into it.
12:26But I'm very excited about it.
12:28I think it's about to be some of my best work.
12:29And it's definitely elevation for the network.
12:31It's more heavier, weighted content.
12:33It's going to be multiple episodes.
12:35It's something where I'll be like, man, at some point I'm going to be able to put this on streaming
12:38or this type of work on streaming platforms and try to generate some revenue from it.
12:43Can't wait for a partnership between you and a streaming platform for sure.
12:46I can't wait myself.
12:47I can't wait.
12:48I feel like I kill it too.
12:49What would you want it to look like?
12:52Like if you were to be able to put it on a streaming platform, let's manifest.
12:56What streaming platform are you thinking of?
13:03I'm pretty, I don't really, that's a good question because I never thought about that.
13:07I never thought what, like I have, I just want to be where the people are.
13:12I don't want to be on a, I don't want to, I can't say I don't want to go to a platform
13:16that isn't well known.
13:17I mean, who wants to go somewhere where nobody's checking it out?
13:20Right.
13:20I want to go somewhere where just where the people, where my message is going to be heard
13:25the most.
13:25Like I want to, I don't want to get lost in the mix.
13:28I want to be, I would love to be a priority.
13:31I know I got to work my way up to that.
13:32That's asking for a lot to get in the gate.
13:35But with the experience that I have, why not?
13:37Why not?
13:38Why not?
13:39That's the question.
13:39That's always the question.
13:40Why not?
13:41Why not?
13:41Take a swing.
13:42I know I can do it too.
13:43The worst thing they can say is no.
13:44Yeah.
13:44And then based off of the way that you operate, no ain't the final answer.
13:48No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
13:49I don't, and honestly, there hasn't been, it's been, we just celebrated nine years of
13:58it.
13:58Congratulations.
14:00Nobody has ever told me no.
14:02No, no, that's right.
14:03Ever.
14:03I think it's because I just know how to get my point across.
14:06I know how to approach people.
14:08I know how, of course, I've proven that I know how to do the work.
14:11Anytime I approach anybody for anything, nobody ever says no to me.
14:16And I, that's one thing I pat myself on the back about.
14:18Cause I know a lot of people that, their credit is bad.
14:22So their credit outside is bad.
14:25So I know nobody has ever said no to me.
14:27And I'm proud of that.
14:28I think that's because you're strategic.
14:29You're not just going to these people all willy nilly.
14:32You've taken time to research them once, to know how you can approach them.
14:37Cause a lot of people are different.
14:38You can't approach people the same way.
14:40Oh, trust me.
14:42Yes.
14:42Trust me.
14:43The men, the management of personalities.
14:46Yeah.
14:46And people don't understand that that is one of the most crucial things when you're operating
14:52any sort of business is how to know how to speak to people and how to get people to see
14:58the vision that only you see.
14:59Cause no one's going to understand what you are manifesting more than you.
15:04So you have to figure out a way to get them this, to understand the assignment.
15:08You're right.
15:09And that's so hard to do.
15:10Yes, it is.
15:11Yes, it is.
15:12Everyone thinks this thing is light work and easy.
15:14We're just putting up films and putting up shows and just cutting the camera on and thinking
15:18that's it.
15:19There's so much more that goes into it.
15:20I don't wish I can really go into detail about that.
15:23I just ain't got to that point yet.
15:24Cause I feel like I'd be exposing some things, but at one point I got to tell my story too.
15:29And I, I'm, I'm actually at the point where it's boiling over and I want to get to the
15:33point to where I want to just start revealing some of these things where I've hit my head
15:37a thousand times where I have no, actually I've already got to the point where I don't
15:40mind sharing where I've hit my head.
15:42I do that pretty often on my Sincerely Yours series.
15:44I always talk about what's going on behind the scenes and how I'm feeling like, honestly,
15:47that's why I Sincerely Yours, but I do want to get to the point where I can,
15:53get to talking about some real deal things that I, I've really stumbled through to get
15:59to this point.
15:59Well, I'm excited to hear that when you have the time.
16:01In my book someday.
16:02Yes.
16:02Come on book.
16:03I was going to ask you if you were going to do your own docu-series.
16:07Jeanne had mentioned me doing a documentary once I hit 10 years next year.
16:11And it's, the thing about it is I, I, I, you never know.
16:16It's hard for me to tell my own story cause I'm in it.
16:18That's right.
16:18I need somebody else from the outside to help pull that together.
16:20And maybe you can take the next year to figure out who that curator could be for you.
16:25Cause you never know.
16:26Yeah.
16:27Okay.
16:27So a couple more questions for you.
16:29Okay.
16:29And what ways do you hope your platform and platforms to come influences or changes the
16:34narrative of Detroit, whether that's for residents, outsiders, or the younger generation?
16:39You know, I think that it's, um, you know, my platform is, I think Detroit outside, outside
16:49of my platform first, uh, I think that Detroit is already making that transition and turned
16:53around.
16:54Uh, I think that, um, with the uprising network, we can still be a space where our stories are
17:00being heard.
17:00People could always come and get the real from, or whether it's the interviews, whether I
17:04go and highlight different working out of different businesses or whatever shows I
17:07decide to produce, I just don't want to continue elevating what that looks like.
17:11Because again, it's a community of us that's doing it right now.
17:15I don't want to just say, you know, just take a lot of the credit, but I feel like with all
17:18of us sticking together, we can all keep doing that by doing what we already been doing.
17:22Absolutely.
17:23And for people who are trying to pitch to you, are you one, first of all, are you open
17:27to pitches right now?
17:29And if so, how do people go about doing that?
17:32Cause some people don't know what a pitch is or even how to go about that process.
17:38I'm open, I'm open to it for sure.
17:40It's gotta be, um, I just need to see somebody that's really passionate right now at this
17:46point.
17:46And if we, if we're going to do it, I just need to see the passion behind somebody because
17:52at this point, I'm not, this is, this is, this is a real thing.
17:58I can't, I can't halfway this no more, right?
18:01You got to be really passionate about it.
18:02Talk your stuff.
18:03Tell them what it's up.
18:04Okay.
18:05And you already know that this is Detroit culture shifters and we love to necessarily
18:10pay it forward.
18:11So before we do that, we've already talked about what's next for you.
18:15And with giving flowers where they're due, a lot of people don't typically take the time
18:20to share gratitude and just, you know, push other people up.
18:24Clearly you do that with uprising.
18:25So this should be easy for you.
18:27What is a person, a creator, an organizer, a community builder here in the Metro area
18:31who's doing good things, who may be having not the recognition that they deserve?
18:38Who is that for you?
18:40It can be one or a few people.
18:41Okay.
18:43All right.
18:43Well, I got one for sure.
18:46I got, I got one for sure.
18:48Cyrus from, um, he's right.
18:50He just, he's just been announced as the creative director of the city of Detroit.
18:53And I've seen Cyrus work his way up.
18:56I've seen him work with some of everybody.
18:58I've seen him taking photos of everybody and to put out books and everything.
19:01And for him to get that role as a creative director, and I know Cyrus personally, uh,
19:06and I'm like, I salute him cause that's a big role to have.
19:11Um, so creative director over the city is insane.
19:14And he's a young guy.
19:15I don't even, I'm not even sure if Cyrus is even 30 yet.
19:17I'm not even sure.
19:18Come on.
19:19Maybe, maybe, maybe early thirties.
19:21Maybe, maybe.
19:22Young folk really killing it, man.
19:23Yeah.
19:24So with Cyrus, um, I was gonna mention my girl Amber as well, but you said the recognition.
19:28She all over the place.
19:29That did, hey, come on.
19:30Yeah, she all over the place.
19:31Amber is really good.
19:32So go ahead and talk about her just in case somebody living under a rock.
19:34Uh, Amber threw me loops of, uh, oops a few times and different, uh, opportunities.
19:40She didn't have worn my merch and some of her promos.
19:42Uh, we done worked together a bunch of times.
19:44Amber is good people.
19:45Amber is great people.
19:46Um, she's, uh, social in the city by the way.
19:49Um, and she's all over the place.
19:50She's all over the place.
19:52I'm just, I'm glad, I'm glad to have somebody like her and, uh, phone number saved, you
19:56know?
19:57So, uh, for sure.
19:59I'm hoping one day I can meet her.
20:00Cause like, I've been to a few of like her activations that she's had and I've never been
20:03able to like put a face to a name for her.
20:07So I just know that she's incredible.
20:09Okay.
20:09Oh, she'll definitely come.
20:12For sure.
20:13I'm trying to get her.
20:13Okay.
20:15But as we wrap up, I just wanted to share my own flowers with you.
20:19I think that someone creating a platform as someone who has done it and continues to do
20:25it.
20:25I give you nothing but props and power because it is a hard journey that you are on.
20:30It is not an easy journey.
20:31And you choose to continue to not only uplift yourself, but other people.
20:34And I think that it, that it takes a real person to put the spotlight on other people.
20:41And I appreciate what you are doing not only for you and your platform, but also the city.
20:46And that is why you had to be here because you are indeed a culture shifter.
20:51That really means a lot to me.
20:53So for people that they need to find you, they want to pitch to you or they just want
20:56to know what is next with you and everything you have going on, share your socials and
21:00where they can find you.
21:01You can find me at the uprising.tv wherever that is the website link.
21:04You can take you to the website to see what we're doing.
21:06Uh, that is our Instagram as well.
21:08My personal Instagram is Barry dot T U N T U N stands for the uprising network.
21:12Uh, and you can find me pretty much there.
21:15Um, just send me a message.
21:17Um, I just want to say, if you pitch in the idea, just make sure you have the idea kind
21:23of thought out before you pitch it versus, Hey, I want to do a podcast.
21:27All right.
21:28What about it?
21:29Like, what are we talking about?
21:30What's the name of it?
21:31What, how often are you trying to do it?
21:33Uh, what is the guest?
21:34Is it just you and a host?
21:35Like what were we doing?
21:36So if you pitch in something, it just give me, make, make it as detailed as possible.
21:41So we can go from there.
21:42Yeah.
21:42It would even be better.
21:43And you can attest to this.
21:45If it's already a fully formed thing, like you already had the platform done.
21:49You're just asking for maybe a distribution.
21:53Yes.
21:53That would be incredible.
21:54That would be great.
21:55Well, thank you so much, Barry, for being here.
21:57I'm so happy to meet you too.
21:59I listen to you on the radio pretty often because I play the music for my ear.
22:02I play the music for my ear.
22:04So I listen to you very often on the way to work.
22:06Tell me so much more.
22:10But thank you so much for being here.
22:12I appreciate you.
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