- 3 hours ago
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00:00Be smart, keep you sharp.
00:00:01And as far as the community, you know, I've been blessed coming.
00:00:05I'm born and raised here.
00:00:06I'm home, New Orleans, right?
00:00:08And I've come a long way and been very blessed along the way.
00:00:14So it's only right that any time that, you know, anything that I could do,
00:00:18as soon as I started getting any type of success monetarily for myself
00:00:23was to pay it forward and lift the hand to lead back.
00:00:30Yeah.
00:00:31And, man, a similar person, my brother, like, how do you use your art to uplift your community?
00:00:36How do I use my what?
00:00:37Your art to uplift your community.
00:00:39Inspiration.
00:00:40Inspiration.
00:00:41We needed it because we didn't have it.
00:00:44You know, one of the first things that I did when I was able to was open up a store in my community,
00:00:49you know, and give jobs to, you know, young people in my community.
00:00:54You know, they need to see it.
00:00:55They need to see us.
00:00:56You know, it's one thing to become an artist or become an entrepreneur or whatever,
00:01:01and then for them not to see you.
00:01:03But they need to find inspiration and motivation in what we're doing.
00:01:07I didn't have that.
00:01:08I had to find that elsewhere.
00:01:09And I found it in the wrong places at first.
00:01:13And then once I figured out that I could shift the energy and do different things,
00:01:18one thing that Ted said that was very important, and I said this to myself the other day,
00:01:22I said I got to start looking at myself as a brand, as a brand.
00:01:26And that just encompasses everything, not just our artists because we're not in those times now.
00:01:31This is the greatest time right now because you can just flourish in so many different things.
00:01:38But, you know, giving back to the community, for me, it's important that they see me.
00:01:45It's important that they're able to still tap into what I'm doing
00:01:50and for me to keep, you know, some of the younger guys around me
00:01:55so that I can still learn and still keep, you know, things moving.
00:01:59So with that, I want to piggyback off that, too.
00:02:02You know, I think you're a seasoned veteran in the game.
00:02:05You know, you've been around for a long time, too.
00:02:07So how do you keep reinventing yourself as a musician?
00:02:10Man, just staying young, just keeping young energy.
00:02:13Young is an energy.
00:02:14It's energy, right?
00:02:15It's energy.
00:02:16It's coming to the game and, you know, never looking like you need a favor,
00:02:20even if you need one, right?
00:02:22Hip-hop is the way we dress, the way we talk.
00:02:25Got to be looking good.
00:02:26You got to put that shit on, man.
00:02:27Come on, baby.
00:02:29You know?
00:02:29And, you know, and just keeping the young energy around
00:02:32and being able to continuously learn, right?
00:02:37My son is 20.
00:02:38I learned from him.
00:02:39You know?
00:02:41Yo, Dad, this is the new artist.
00:02:44I'm like, all right, this is him.
00:02:45Okay.
00:02:45And I want to be able to have that dialogue with him because we didn't have that when we
00:02:50was growing up with our fathers.
00:02:51It was like they wasn't tapped into what we was doing.
00:02:54You know?
00:02:54So it's, that's how I stay young.
00:02:56I keep that young energy around me, you know, the way I can learn from it and tap into it.
00:03:02So, Tess, my brother, you've done a lot in the game as well, too, man.
00:03:05Do you think you find more inspiration in faith or in fear?
00:03:09Most definitely faith.
00:03:11That's the foundation of everything I do since the beginning, you know?
00:03:18That's what leads me and that's what literally drives me.
00:03:23Fear doesn't even, that's not really in my vocabulary.
00:03:28I have an understanding that even, you know, when I jumped off the porch, when Wayne hit
00:03:32me up and asked me to, you know, manage him, we was figuring it out on our own early, I
00:03:39understood that, you know, there was going to be a lot of obstacles bump my head along
00:03:45the way.
00:03:45Still to this day.
00:03:46You know, I'm still ever, ever learning in this business.
00:03:49So, never been afraid of those type of things.
00:03:53I lean into those things because it brings learning lessons and valuable skills to help
00:03:58you grow.
00:03:59So, faith is what literally is the foundation of my entire career and fear just doesn't
00:04:05exist for me.
00:04:06How about you, Manu?
00:04:07Yeah.
00:04:09That's an interesting question.
00:04:12I think a little bit of both I feel like I learned from because the thing about faith is
00:04:16that you can live off that, right?
00:04:18When you can live off hope.
00:04:20And when I was in my situation, you know, and I was finding myself because I had never
00:04:25wanted to be an artist in my life.
00:04:27I didn't know nothing.
00:04:27I didn't start, you know, rapping until I was incarcerated, right?
00:04:31And, you know, and I was living off of faith.
00:04:34I was faithful that one day it would be better.
00:04:37One day I would get out.
00:04:38One day that I would be able to, you know, do something, right?
00:04:42But the fear of not knowing what I was going to be able to do is what drove me, right?
00:04:49The fear of coming home and having a three-month-old son is what made me kick into high gear because
00:04:59it's all about perspective about how you look at things and how you manage them.
00:05:04You understand?
00:05:04We don't get consumed with fear, right?
00:05:08We don't get consumed to the point where we don't, it disables us from moving.
00:05:13So for me, I think the fear pushed me to a point where I was like, whoa, that's a scary
00:05:18thought, not knowing what I'm going to do, how I'm going to feed my family, how I'm going
00:05:22to feed myself, how I'm going to feed my son because all I got is these streets and I need
00:05:26to get out of them.
00:05:27I don't want to be here forever, you know?
00:05:30So I think the fear kind of drove me.
00:05:33So what advice would you give to your younger self to avoid on the way up, man?
00:05:38My younger self?
00:05:40Don't scare the money, man.
00:05:42Don't scare, don't, don't not scare the money, you know?
00:05:45I found myself bumping my head early on in the game because I just didn't know and I didn't
00:05:50have the information and then I had to learn and unlearn some things, you know?
00:05:55We come from like, you know, violent backgrounds and, you know, these backgrounds that we come
00:06:02from, you know, these issues as young black males that we had growing up and then you get
00:06:08into the game and you think that you're coming through the game with some of that energy and
00:06:12all you're doing is really scan away your opportunities and you're putting yourself in a position that
00:06:17people don't want to invite you to the Essence Festival, you understand?
00:06:22So that's what I would tell my younger self.
00:06:25It's not to, you know, disassociate yourself from the opportunity.
00:06:31Essence, how about you, brother?
00:06:33Oh, man.
00:06:35I don't know if I would tell my younger self to do anything different.
00:06:40I think my experiences that I went through and had to learn from built who I am today.
00:06:45You know what I'm saying?
00:06:47So, like I said, I'm content with all those things that I had to go through along the way
00:06:55because it built who, you know, the person you see in this chair today.
00:07:00I would just tell, you know, I would give my younger self confidence and understanding that,
00:07:07you know, you could do it because at some points, you know, all we had, in the beginning,
00:07:12all I had was faith to lead by because, listen, I was just figuring it out.
00:07:16I didn't go to school to be a music manager or understood anything.
00:07:20Literally, I was, you know, Wayne saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself based
00:07:24off us being best friends.
00:07:25So there was times when I didn't know what I was doing, so I would just tell my younger
00:07:29self, have confidence.
00:07:31You know, you know you got it.
00:07:32You're going to figure it out because that's what it is.
00:07:34And like I said, I accept all those things along the way as far as the journey, but I probably
00:07:39just to stay with confidence knowing that you could do anything you put your mind to.
00:07:43And when it's all said and done, what would you want your legacy to be as a man and as
00:07:49a manager?
00:07:53Man, that's a tough question because I really just started thinking about this.
00:07:56I just had a son three years ago, so my perspective kind of shifted.
00:08:01You know, at one point, you know, all those accolades and all those amazing artists that I
00:08:06was able to help architect me and my team to build up to, that's one great thing.
00:08:12You know, lately now, last couple years since I had my first and only son, you know, I've
00:08:18been thinking about, you know, pouring it, you know, the things that really matter outside of
00:08:24the success and the type of man that he's going to see in those core valuables and principles
00:08:30that I live by to make sure I'm doing more of that.
00:08:34That's why I'm in education and giving back and the community and all those type of things.
00:08:38So it's kind of shifted.
00:08:39I still haven't figured that part out, so I can't really answer that question because
00:08:43I literally really just started thinking about that at my big age right now when, you
00:08:48know, I had my first child.
00:08:50That's real, though.
00:08:52What do you like your legacy to be, man?
00:08:53I think I want my legacy to be inspiration.
00:08:55I think I want my story to be inspirational, very inspirational for those that come from
00:09:03turmoil, whether they're coming from the streets or they're coming just from just any kind of
00:09:10deficit, you know?
00:09:11And the way you start, you don't have to end that way.
00:09:15You understand?
00:09:15You know, I come in contact with a lot of younger artists, with a lot of younger, young black
00:09:20men, and I try to just tell them that the opportunity is greater than the problem.
00:09:24You understand?
00:09:25We don't all have the answers.
00:09:27We're all still trying to figure it out.
00:09:29But inspiration to me is something great.
00:09:33I want them to look at me and say, damn, he went through all that.
00:09:37He went through all that and did this.
00:09:39That, to me, is a greater thing.
00:09:43And as all of you know, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop this year,
00:09:48too.
00:09:49And both you guys are very important to that genre.
00:09:52So, Mano, without hip-hop, where do you think you would be?
00:09:56Oh, that's a scary thought, baby.
00:09:59Say it, say it, baby.
00:10:01That's a scary thought, man.
00:10:04That's the thing about hip-hop.
00:10:06It saved so many lives.
00:10:07It saved my life.
00:10:08And I'm not ashamed to get up here and say that.
00:10:11It saved me, bro.
00:10:12I'm not going to act like I'm some polished person.
00:10:17I came.
00:10:18Listen, right?
00:10:19It was a real journey to get here.
00:10:21And without hip-hop, I wouldn't be sitting here.
00:10:24I would never have been invited to Essence Festival.
00:10:26I've never achieved some of the things that I've achieved in my life.
00:10:29So, yeah, that's the thing about it, right?
00:10:33So, we kind of sometimes focus on some of the negative aspects of hip-hop.
00:10:37But the positive thing is that it gave so much light and opportunity to so many young
00:10:42black men, you know, so many families, you know.
00:10:46And I'm one of them.
00:10:48Taz, what does hip-hop mean to you, man?
00:10:50Oh, man.
00:10:52I echo the same thing Manuel said.
00:10:54Like, it definitely changed my life.
00:10:55I say it all the time.
00:10:56I say it all the time.
00:11:01But if I wouldn't be doing it, it's probably what I'm doing right now.
00:11:05I have a thirst for giving back.
00:11:07I've always had a thirst for helping, you know.
00:11:10And the things I'm doing right now in using the platform that's been built with me through
00:11:18hip-hop to take advantage of it is, you know, probably teaching and educating, building these
00:11:24music degree programs, these internships, you know, training the next minds to become
00:11:30the next Cortez, Brian, because we still need that.
00:11:33You know what I'm saying?
00:11:34We got a lot of the talent, you know, but like Manuel said, we don't have exposure and
00:11:39representation matters.
00:11:40So there's a lot of executives, you know, that needs to be taught the game, you know.
00:11:48So I think that that's still a void in our business that needs to grow even more.
00:11:53So purposeful for me, probably if I wasn't doing hip-hop and what I'm doing right now is
00:11:58trying to uplift and create change and create their next, those next generations of the
00:12:04black leaders behind the scenes.
00:12:05So to help our artists and to help themselves to keep control of our culture, you know, so
00:12:10we can keep some of this money in our pocket and understand how big and the things that
00:12:14we can do with it.
00:12:17And Mano, earlier you spoke about inspiration, my brother.
00:12:20Yep.
00:12:20What continues to inspire you to create?
00:12:23Just life, just the hunger for more, just knowing and feeling like, man, nothing feels
00:12:29better than being alive, no matter everything that we're going through, right?
00:12:33We got days where we feel down, some days we don't want to get out of our bed, but if
00:12:37you really look at it and be like, man, what's better?
00:12:40What's really better?
00:12:41You know what I mean?
00:12:42Like, kind of focus that energy and just, you know what?
00:12:45I don't believe in having bad days.
00:12:47You know what I mean?
00:12:47Every day is a great one.
00:12:49I mean, it's going to be some bumps.
00:12:50It's going to be some bruises.
00:12:51But we got to accept the fact that that's just part of the journey, you know?
00:12:57So that's what keeps me going, man, knowing that there's so much more to do, knowing and
00:13:01feeling like I haven't accomplished.
00:13:03I'm not the biggest artist, but I feel like, you know, hip-hop gave me the opportunity to
00:13:09branch out and do other things.
00:13:11And it's so much more to still do, you know?
00:13:15So I want to continue to keep pushing, baby.
00:13:18What about you, Taz?
00:13:20What inspires me?
00:13:21Yeah, what continues to make you, like, inspired?
00:13:24I think that, for one, like I said, I have a three-year-old, so I need to keep making
00:13:31money to make sure his life is totally different from how I came up.
00:13:35So that's probably my lead inspiration right now.
00:13:38I still love the game.
00:13:39I still love this.
00:13:41I still wake up every day and love listening to music, love helping people, the people
00:13:48that come into my life, whether it's the young executives that's in my office or the young
00:13:53artists that I work with that still have these dreams.
00:13:56You know, I still feel, get that joy out of someone coming to me with the hope and the dream and
00:14:02ask, like, Taz, can you help me?
00:14:05And the fulfillment of reaching those goals, you know?
00:14:08So I still got that tick and that buzz that makes me keep going, even though it's been a lot
00:14:13of years doing it right now.
00:14:15Yeah.
00:14:16Well, gentlemen, thank you so much for coming up here and speaking with Essence today.
00:14:20Mano, Cortez, Brian, y'all give a hand for these two gentlemen.
00:14:23Thank you for having me.
00:14:25I appreciate y'all.
00:14:26Love.
00:16:08Oh, yeah.
00:16:38Oh, yeah.
00:17:08Oh, yeah.
00:17:38Oh, yeah.
00:18:08Oh, yeah.
00:18:10Oh, thank you.
00:18:18This is up and make it real funny.
00:18:25This is up and make it real funny.
00:18:30Oh, that's me.
00:18:34Hey, we love you.
00:19:18I'm a nigga in the Chevy, I'm proud.
00:19:21And I'm taking one of these, hold on.
00:19:23On the top, roll up a whole zone.
00:19:25You gon' hit the weed, bitch, hold on.
00:19:28I'm a nigga in the Chevy, I'm proud.
00:19:30And I'm taking one of these, hold on.
00:19:32On the top, roll up a whole zone.
00:19:35You gon' hit the weed, bitch, hold on.
00:19:37Baby, I'll picture that nigga snake, nigga's racks.
00:19:40And I'm far away from that nigga's bucks.
00:19:41Put it back, don't want fun in the trap.
00:19:44I'm gonna wreck my mom, I can't relate.
00:19:45Then I made that shit back now.
00:19:48What you talking about?
00:19:49The car to the wrong versus in the parking lot.
00:19:51Walk through, kick and pick that check up,
00:19:53then I'm walking out.
00:19:54When you see the coat, man, you the one that everybody wants.
00:19:59I'm the one who got you going to do.
00:20:02I'ma buy the road, another jerk.
00:20:03I'ma pay so I'm something you got in the front.
00:20:06I'm a nigga in the Chevy, I'm proud.
00:20:08And I'm taking one of these, hold on.
00:20:10On the top, roll up a whole zone.
00:20:13You gon' hit the weed, bitch, hold on.
00:20:15I'm a nigga in the Chevy, I'm proud.
00:20:17And I'm taking one of these, hold on.
00:20:20On the top, roll up a whole zone.
00:20:22You won't hit the weed, bitch, hold on.
00:20:25Run her back to the house, what she did.
00:20:27Showed out, we in bed.
00:20:29On the floor, all up against the fridge.
00:20:32In the bed, frankly, ain't doing tricks.
00:20:34All this, all this, cuz I'm rich.
00:20:36She thinks she's smuggled, she thinks she's sick.
00:20:39But I break all shit, no favorites.
00:20:41And I think all the team made your risk.
00:20:43And by me, some, if you want to listen up, nigga.
00:20:47I feel it's already free.
00:20:48And by me, some, if you want to listen up, nigga.
00:20:51I feel it's already free.
00:20:53You better start playing.
00:20:54Some, nigga, I feel like you.
00:20:55Come on.
00:20:56I feel like you, nigga, I feel like you.
00:20:57And I always be a few, nigga.
00:20:59I feel like you, nigga.
00:21:01I feel like you, nigga.
00:21:02Somebody.
00:21:03I love, that was a good song.
00:21:05Somebody.
00:21:06Okay, so, hello, y'all.
00:21:08Say hi back, say hi back.
00:21:10Don't be like that.
00:21:11Look next to you and say hi to somebody you don't know.
00:21:14Keep looking, keep looking, keep on looking, keep on looking.
00:21:17Hey, hey.
00:21:19I see you in the red, girl, what's up?
00:21:21What's up?
00:21:22All right, so, we're gonna break out a whole other panel.
00:21:25It's gonna be dope, so I ask you to sit up
00:21:28and act like you want to be here.
00:21:30All that chicken and stuff, eat that later, okay?
00:21:32And give my guy, his name is,
00:21:35I'm gonna let him tell you what his name is.
00:21:36I'm gonna tell you what he does, though.
00:21:37Guess what he does?
00:21:39He's the entertainment editor for Essence.
00:21:42His name is Oaklawn Jones,
00:21:44and he is one of the best moderators I just seen.
00:21:46Give it up for him, y'all.
00:21:48Come on, clap, don't be that.
00:21:49If this was you, if this was you.
00:21:52How you doing, I'm back.
00:21:55All right, y'all.
00:22:06Up next, we're gonna meet three home-time heroes
00:22:11who took their talents from the bayou to the big leagues.
00:22:16Coming to the stage, we got Langston Galloway,
00:22:19Greg Monroe, and Alfred Payton.
00:22:21Y'all clap it up for these gentlemen.
00:22:23Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen.
00:22:24So, my first question is actually for all three of you guys.
00:22:29In what ways do you think being from Louisiana
00:22:31contributes to your authenticity as a professional athlete?
00:22:35How do you feel when you go first?
00:22:43横 ahora.
00:22:53You can go first.
00:22:55You want me to go first?
00:22:56All alright.
00:22:57How you guys doing, you guys doing good?
00:22:58Good, good, good.
00:22:59But uh, yeah, nah, being from Louisiana,
00:23:01I feel like, uh, it, it, it, I think what I'm feeling
00:23:04It drives a certain authenticity for, you know, getting out the mud, being able to find your own niche, being different, you know what I mean?
00:23:16Like, I think everything that I've accomplished in my career and continue to do has been out the mud, got it from nothing, you know, made something out of nothing.
00:23:24So I think that's what has kind of molded me and continued to build me to the man and the person I am today.
00:23:29How about you, Greg?
00:23:34I think for me, I think it's a certain level of uniqueness we have here, especially culturally.
00:23:41But I think as far as Louisiana players, all of them that I've met and played against and I think of myself, it's toughness when I think about people from Louisiana and what we try to bring to the game.
00:23:56All right, I don't know about you, my brother.
00:23:57Yeah, I think the same thing.
00:23:59Just like the toughness that we have, a lot of things that we went through coming from down here.
00:24:04But especially like, you know, us three too, like having to go through Katrina and just all the things that we, you know, we had to go through growing up.
00:24:11It makes us different.
00:24:12So Langston, you played in the NCAA, the NBA, and the G League.
00:24:17What about growing up in Baton Rouge prepares you to play all three?
00:24:21I think being able to see so many people around me that have pushed me to the point that I'm at in my career, whether that be my parents, whether that be my friends, whether that be acquaintances that I've met over the years.
00:24:39And I've seen the difference between, you know, being able to get out and go and play at St.
00:24:45George University in Philadelphia and so many people that, you know, had the opportunity, much more talented than me, much more gifted than me.
00:24:52I mean, it really, it brought a lot of like desire, hunger, and want that I was like, hey, look, I got to get it every single day because nothing's going to be given to me.
00:25:02I'm a 6'2", you know, I'm a little guy.
00:25:04I'm not the fastest.
00:25:05I'm not the quickest.
00:25:06But, you know, I work the hardest.
00:25:07And that's how I always carry myself, being from Baton Rouge.
00:25:11Now, Greg, you kind of had a similar journey, except you also played ball overseas too.
00:25:15So what about that experience impacted you the most, both as a professional athlete and as a man?
00:25:22Well, as far as going overseas, going overseas just made me understand how much I love basketball, I'll say.
00:25:31You grow up and you love the NBA.
00:25:34It's the greatest job in the world.
00:25:35And you kind of get the feeling that if you're not in it and you don't play there, that you kind of failed.
00:25:40And what I've learned going over there and play is that there's great basketball all over the world.
00:25:45And, you know, you just find your own love and understand that you love the game more so than the league.
00:25:50But it's a great experience over there.
00:25:53As far as a man, I mean, you just see in a whole other world.
00:25:56I mean, you see in things that we grow up in school, reading in books.
00:26:00You're actually in it in real time.
00:26:02You get to experience it.
00:26:03Your family gets to experience it with you also.
00:26:06So that's definitely the upside of going overseas.
00:26:09So, Alfred, take me back to the moment that you signed with the Pelicans.
00:26:13And what made you proud to be able to do what you do best at the highest level for your hometown team?
00:26:19For me, signing with the Pelicans, that was a very proud moment.
00:26:24I think, like, for these guys can attest to, like, they have a lot of teammates.
00:26:27Like, when we go on the road and a guy say, like, oh, I'm going home, and you ask him, like, where will you stay at?
00:26:32He'll be like, well, I got to go 30 minutes or, like, an hour away.
00:26:34Like, no, I really stayed.
00:26:37Like, my grandma's house is about 10 minutes from the arena.
00:26:39So, like, I'm really from here.
00:26:40I think that was one of my, like, one of my proudest moments.
00:26:43And then, you know, just being able to, you know, play in games and, you know, afterwards being able to see, like, my third-grade teacher coming to my game.
00:26:50My, like, old candy ladies coming to the game and stuff like that.
00:26:53So, that was kind of, like, yeah, like, that was, like, one of the proudest moments, like, just seeing people that knew me from, like, when I was small being able to come and support.
00:27:03So, speaking about your third-grade teacher, like, in life, just in general, was there a teacher, coach, or family member that really kept you on your toes as a young athlete?
00:27:14I mean, I think it'd take, like, a village for real.
00:27:16But if I had to, like, point to one, like, my grandfather.
00:27:19My grandfather was on me a lot about, you know, making sure I work on my game, taking me to the park, making sure I'm, you know, shooting with my left hand, working on my left hand, little stuff like that.
00:27:28So, if I had to point, point to one person about my grandfather.
00:27:31Greg, same question, brother.
00:27:33One person?
00:27:36It was a couple?
00:27:38I mean, I've definitely had some positive influences over, you know, different people.
00:27:42I started really young at the park.
00:27:45I had some great coaches at the park ball level.
00:27:50They just taught us discipline and what it meant to actually work at a very young age.
00:27:55And I think that definitely stuck with me throughout every level that I was able to go to.
00:27:59How about you, Lance?
00:28:00Do you have any, like, mentors or, like, somebody special that helped you stay on your game?
00:28:04Yeah, there's been a lot of people that have helped me over my career, my pops, my uncle.
00:28:09But I'll say the most challenging was playing in high school.
00:28:14My high school coach, I was in the eighth grade trying out for the team.
00:28:18And, you know, there was moments where I felt like, man, I want to quit, man.
00:28:21Like, you know, he pushed us to the limit, you know, a lot of dudes that were on my team.
00:28:24And so, as time went on and, you know, I started realizing, you know, what he was instilling in me, you know, hard work.
00:28:31He's cussing us out.
00:28:32But, you know, we running, we doing, you know, diving on floors, doing all type of stuff.
00:28:36But it really made me mentally stronger.
00:28:39And it built me, built the character that I needed to kind of persevere through everything I've been through in my life.
00:28:44So I think that those were moments that really kind of, you know, transformed me into, you know, my career going forward.
00:28:50And this question is actually for all three of you gentlemen.
00:28:53I'm going to start back with you again, Langston.
00:28:55How have you been able to give back to Louisiana since you become a professional athlete?
00:28:58Yeah, I've been really excited about all the efforts that I've been able to do here in Louisiana, every city I've played in.
00:29:08But especially here in Louisiana, we're coming up on year eight of the Langston All-Aid basketball camp.
00:29:15We have it in Baton Rouge, July 28th, 29th, this upcoming summer.
00:29:19We've started to do court restorations.
00:29:22This is our second annual court restoration.
00:29:25We have a gala coming up as well.
00:29:26So that weekend has really propelled, you know, our foundation into something special.
00:29:33And it's not just myself.
00:29:34My wife has been a huge benefit to helping with that whole process and everything that we've accomplished.
00:29:40So, you know, just taking it one step at a time and figuring out, hey, how can we continue to just not just impact Baton Rouge,
00:29:45but impact, you know, more and more cities across the state of Louisiana.
00:29:48I've been able to give back in some of the same ways as well.
00:29:53So my foundation has been doing basketball camp for over 10 years now.
00:29:59We actually have a gala coming up as well at the end of this month for a scholarship program that we've been doing for over 10 years now.
00:30:06And so it's just been fun to give back.
00:30:08We've been doing mentoring programs at elementary schools.
00:30:11My mother has been a big help in scheduling and coming up with ideas to affect the community around us.
00:30:19And so it's been fun.
00:30:21It's always fun working with the foundation and giving back, helping the people that helped us.
00:30:25I think that's the most important thing.
00:30:27And just understanding that we appreciate, you know, everything that the community gave to us as we came up.
00:30:33We, you know, all try to do as much as we can to give back.
00:30:38Yeah, same thing.
00:30:39You know, I've had camps.
00:30:41We've done kickball tournaments.
00:30:43I have my own foundation.
00:30:45We've done all kinds of things for kids.
00:30:48Taught them how to play instruments.
00:30:50Taught them how to write a poem.
00:30:54All kinds of – teach them how to dance moves and things like that.
00:30:57So just trying to be out there, show positive influence and things like that.
00:31:01So just being out there.
00:31:04It's another question for all three of y'all, too.
00:31:06What advice would y'all give young athletes from Louisiana who aspire to follow in y'all footsteps?
00:31:12You want me to go first?
00:31:14I've been spending all summer with a 12- or 13-year-old travel team.
00:31:19Nah, man, honestly, though, listen.
00:31:22I think that that's one thing that I can honestly say I did growing up.
00:31:26I never thought that I knew everything about the game.
00:31:29I never thought that I was too big or too good to get coached.
00:31:34And I think that helped me moving forward.
00:31:36Just learning as much as you can.
00:31:38Appreciating the game.
00:31:39Don't ever take it for granted because I think I can speak for all of us when it has done a lot for us and all of our families.
00:31:46And so I know the work that we all put in.
00:31:48And so just stick with it.
00:31:49Listen.
00:31:50Believe in yourself.
00:31:52And you've got to be your biggest critic.
00:31:54You have to be the one that pushes yourself the most.
00:31:57And I think that's important.
00:31:58I think the biggest thing is, like, not getting caught up in social media.
00:32:03I think there's a lot going on right now.
00:32:05Like, people seeing other people getting five-starred, the five-star recruit, or this one ranked.
00:32:09And, like, none of that stuff really matters.
00:32:11You just got to keep working, keep your head down, be disciplined.
00:32:15You got to sacrifice.
00:32:16There's a lot of things that you could be doing, especially in New Orleans.
00:32:20You know what I'm saying?
00:32:20But if you really want this and you really, you know, want to go forward with it, be in the gym.
00:32:25You know, learn basketball.
00:32:26Like you said, don't be scared to ask questions.
00:32:28Don't think you're ever too good to be coached, things like that.
00:32:32Yeah, and the three things that I definitely use in most of my speeches and most of the time I'm talking to, you know, the younger kids is that, you know, number one, how much are you willing to sacrifice?
00:32:42That's number one.
00:32:42Number two, how dedicated are you going to be to the craft?
00:32:45If you really want this to be your end-all, be-all, you want to make it to the pros, and you want to make it be a professional athlete, how dedicated are you going to be to this?
00:32:53And number three, you know, how hard are you going to work to get it?
00:32:58Because it's not going to be given to you no matter where you're from.
00:33:01Like, especially being from Louisiana, nothing's, you know, we're at the bottom of the map.
00:33:05Nobody knows who you are.
00:33:06Nobody cares who you are.
00:33:07But, you know, how hard are you going to work to get that, you know, get whatever you want and make it, make a dream become a reality?
00:33:15So, Langston, when it's all said and done, what do you hope your city remembers about you the most?
00:33:21I think the biggest thing that I've tried to put on a lot of people's hearts and minds about myself is that, you know, number one, I've been able to get out the mud.
00:33:35Number one, that's definitely something.
00:33:37Two, being impactful, starting my own sneaker brand, Ethics.
00:33:42So, please go check us out, ethicsthebrand.com.
00:33:44And then three, you know, carving out a path for, not just for myself, but building a legacy.
00:33:51That's the three main things that I feel like is so impactful, being able to create that legacy for you, not just for yourself, but for your family and for those around you.
00:33:59And I think that that's what we continue to do with everything that we have accomplished thus far and continue to do.
00:34:05So, that legacy piece is huge for me and going forward for passing on to my son and my daughter.
00:34:12All right, Greg, same question, brother.
00:34:13Now, what do you hope your city remembers about you the most when it's all said and done?
00:34:18What would you want your city to remember about you the most when it's all said and done?
00:34:21Oh, it's the best now.
00:34:26Honestly, just a humble person that actually took pride in coming from here and making a name for the city, especially in basketball.
00:34:39It's not the forefront here necessarily.
00:34:43But also just, like I said, someone that's humble, that gave back to his community and just tried to love the game as much as possible.
00:34:52And now on the back end, just trying to spread it out and extend as much knowledge as I can to anyone in any way.
00:34:58How about you, Alfred?
00:34:58I just think, like, like a person of perseverance.
00:35:03I didn't have, like, the most normal journey to the league.
00:35:07And so I just wanted people to know, like, my story and know where I came from and, you know, switching high schools, going to a small school, Sunbelt, like a school that's not really known for basketball and, you know, being able to make the USA team, things like that.
00:35:21So just perseverance and then, and something that all three of us have been doing is, like, just being here in the community.
00:35:27Like, being outside, you know, kids can talk to us.
00:35:30We're not far away.
00:35:32These guys have camps.
00:35:33They're doing AAU, things like that.
00:35:35So just being here.
00:35:38Langston, Greg, Alfred, I appreciate you guys.
00:35:40Thank you for coming to talk to the Essence family.
00:35:42Tell everybody where they can find you on social media as well before we leave.
00:35:47You can find me, LaneGalloway10, all social media platforms.
00:35:51And then, like I said, Ethics the Brand, all social media platforms, ethicsthebrand.com.
00:35:55Check us out.
00:35:56Sneakers just launched shoot number two.
00:35:59Chapter three is coming up.
00:36:01So please go check us out and stay tuned.
00:36:03We've got a lot in store.
00:36:05On Instagram, I'm Moose Monroe 15.
00:36:07And definitely check out the foundation website, GregKMonroeFoundation.org.
00:36:15And as well as the Big Easy League, if y'all interested in seeing some summer basketball,
00:36:20I started a program here.
00:36:22So it'll be on Saturdays and Sundays for the next few weekends.
00:36:26If you guys want to see some pro and college athletes playing here at home,
00:36:29that are all from here, from the area, from Baton Rouge all the way to New Orleans.
00:36:33On Instagram and Twitter, it's just Alfred, E-L-F-R-I-D.
00:36:38Definitely check out the foundation page, AlfredPing.org.
00:36:42And I'm around.
00:36:45Y'all making some noise for the gentlemen up here, man.
00:36:47Appreciate y'all.
00:36:48Thank y'all, man.
00:36:49Thank y'all.
00:36:50Appreciate it.
00:37:20All right, thank you, thank you.
00:37:50All right, take that one, this will be one up there.
00:38:13All right, take that one, this will be one up there.
00:38:38Check, one, two.
00:38:48All right, y'all, we got a special guest.
00:38:54Nah, come on, man, save it.
00:38:56Special guest.
00:38:57No.
00:38:58My man, Currency, from New Orleans.
00:39:00How you doing, brother?
00:39:01Morning, Ray.
00:39:02Welcome to New Orleans, man, I'm glad y'all out here.
00:39:03I don't know if this is your first time or if you're from here.
00:39:05It's never been this hot.
00:39:08This heat is new.
00:39:09It's never been this hot.
00:39:10What's up, Taz, baby?
00:39:11How you doing, my boy?
00:39:12All right.
00:39:13Never been this hot.
00:39:14I apologize.
00:39:15I didn't have nothing to do with it.
00:39:16Just shower often.
00:39:18Bring two or three shirts out.
00:39:19When you go out, you're going to be all right.
00:39:22So my first question, my brother.
00:39:24What does this city of New Orleans mean to you?
00:39:28Man, struggle and perseverance.
00:39:31We all been through so much.
00:39:33Everybody has their own story.
00:39:34But no matter what, we always come back to the city.
00:39:37We stay here.
00:39:38Even if we got places, other places, everybody still come back.
00:39:41You see, you can't keep Taz out of here.
00:39:43So that's what I mean, you know.
00:39:45It's home, for sure.
00:39:47How do you think being from New Orleans helps you as an artist and as a man?
00:39:51Well, very rarely in music, like in hip-hop, we only get a glimpse like every few years.
00:39:57So it make your lick like that important.
00:40:00When it's your time, people pay attention for a minute.
00:40:03So being from New Orleans, you're already an underdog in my industry.
00:40:06So they kind of count you out.
00:40:07So when you get on, they give it to you that much more because you have to work that much harder.
00:40:11You know what I'm saying?
00:40:12And then we got musical backgrounds.
00:40:14There's music at every corner.
00:40:16So I grew up in a card game house.
00:40:18My mom played oldies every day.
00:40:20There's jazz bars.
00:40:21You can go in for free and hear music all day for free.
00:40:24So, you know.
00:40:25So what was the inspiration in creating Just Life Records, man?
00:40:28Like, why did you do that?
00:40:30I needed a situation where I could put my friends into position.
00:40:34I was signed to cash money, but that was no way for me to make sure people who lived on my street
00:40:39was able to get money.
00:40:40You know what I'm saying?
00:40:41Like, that was just for me.
00:40:43So I needed to set something up to where, like, my clothing line is booming because my friends
00:40:47who designed and come up with graphic design, now they got somewhere to do that.
00:40:51My buddies who engineer music, they got somewhere to work in my studio and stuff.
00:40:55So it's just carving out of the lane for everybody close to me.
00:40:59What would you tell about the young New Orleans artists that wants to be a rapper but don't know how to get in the game?
00:41:04What would you tell them to do?
00:41:06Just be original.
00:41:08The thing is, once one thing is successful, people think they have to emulate that to match that success.
00:41:14But once they already have one, we don't need another one.
00:41:18So your thing is to put a twist on it and be original, you know?
00:41:22So as a Southern artist, do you think the South gets the respect that it should?
00:41:27Nah, but that's the best part of it.
00:41:31Because every time one of us break out, everybody know what we had to go through to do it.
00:41:36You know what I'm saying?
00:41:37So, like, when OutKast got the five mics and everybody was shocked and they got the source award and all that,
00:41:43you know, coming from where we from, for them to get up there and say the South have something to say,
00:41:47that still resonates, like, right now.
00:41:49And that's never going to wash off because we're not the birthplace of hip hop.
00:41:53You know what I'm saying?
00:41:55And we weren't, we had, we weren't making footprints early on when hip hop came.
00:42:00So we making our way now.
00:42:02So you and Jermaine Dupri, you have the song called Essence Fest.
00:42:05And this is, we have the Essence Fest right now, man.
00:42:07So, and being from New Orleans too, for my last question, my brother,
00:42:11how important and how special is the Essence Festival to you in the city of New Orleans?
00:42:16Well, a lot of artists that I would never have seen, you know what I'm saying, all my life.
00:42:21Anytime I came with my sister or my mom or something,
00:42:24I saw people that I would never have seen.
00:42:26So it's making things tangible.
00:42:28Then you got these setups like this where everybody do these panels
00:42:31and talking and sharing games.
00:42:33So all of that is big, you know?
00:42:35My brother, thank you. I appreciate you.
00:42:37Nah, I appreciate you, man.
00:42:38So we got today, man.
00:42:39You know, y'all give it up.
00:42:40Again, hydrate yourselves while y'all here, man.
00:42:41Take care, man. That's right. Take care.
00:42:43All right, y'all.
00:42:45Thank you, brother.
00:42:47We're so loud.
00:42:49I'm gonna take you in the Chevy on prom
00:42:51And I'm taking one of these from home
00:42:54On the couch rental of a whole zone
00:42:57You gon get the weed so loud
00:42:59I'ma take you in the Chevy on prom
00:43:00And I'm taking one of these from home
00:43:02On the couch rental of a whole zone
00:43:04You gon hit the weed so loud
00:43:05I'm a ... in a Chevy on prom
00:43:07And I'm taking one of these from the club.
00:43:10All the cops roll up a whole zone.
00:43:13We want you to be told up.
00:43:15Baby, I'll picture that new snakes.
00:43:17Brace, and I'm far away from that new punk.
00:43:19Put it back on, I'm finding a trap.
00:43:21I didn't write for my podcast.
00:43:23And I didn't mean that shit back, man.
00:43:25What you talking about?
00:43:27We parked where I was in the parking lot.
00:43:29Walk through, kick it, pick that check up.
00:43:31Then I'm walking out, boy.
00:43:33You the one that everybody wants.
00:43:36I'm the one who got you going to dump.
00:43:39I'm about to roll another junk.
00:43:41I'm going to pass your house up if you're not in the front.
00:43:43I'm a dick in the Chevy on Chrome.
00:43:45And I'm taking one of these from the club.
00:43:48On the cops roll up a whole zone.
00:43:50You won't hit the week, told up.
00:43:52I'm a dick in the Chevy on Chrome.
00:43:55And I'm taking one of these from the club.
00:43:57On the cops roll up a whole zone.
00:43:59You won't hit the week, told up.
00:44:02I'm running back to the house where she did it.
00:44:05Showed out.
00:44:06We in bed.
00:44:07On the floor, all up against the frizz.
00:44:09In the bed, frankly, ain't no interest.
00:44:12All this, all this, cause I'm rich.
00:44:14She thinks she's small.
00:44:15She thinks she's sick.
00:44:16When I break hearts, no favorites.
00:44:18When I break hearts, take me to risk.
00:44:21Buy me something if you, let me hit something up.
00:44:24I feel it's already triggered.
00:44:26See, buy me something if you, let me hit something up.
00:44:29I feel it's already triggered.
00:44:31You see something, you think I would like to get it.
00:44:33Bring it back, you think I look good with it.
00:44:35Bring it home with dreams, you think I should hit it.
00:44:38In the morning, y'all can play like y'all her sisters.
00:44:40I want love, now I kick it with you.
00:44:42I smash, I got a dip in 15 minutes.
00:44:44Me and Kyle, Kyle, I left a big bender.
00:44:47Dipping in the Chevy, baby, you should slide one up.
00:44:49I want a d in the Chevy, I'm proud.
00:44:51And I'm taking one of these from town.
00:44:53On the crossroad of the ozone, you want to hit the weak, hold up.
00:44:58I'm a d in the Chevy, I'm proud.
00:45:00And I'm taking one of these from town.
00:45:03On the crossroad of the ozone, you want to hit the weak, hold up.
00:45:08I keep reading, chef's off, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:45:12I keep sleeping in the office.
00:45:14You know what I'm talking about, yeah.
00:45:17I keep sleeping in the Chevy, and they'll be so plain.
00:45:21Oh, my God, I'm feeling a little bit better, yeah.
00:45:25I I wanted to end it.
00:45:40I, I, what I can end this, obey.
00:45:46Obey.
00:45:53Obey!
00:45:54You ready?
00:45:55Go tonight, you ain't gonna mix it up, wind it up, work it up, bump it up, mix it up, pow, pow.
00:46:00Go tonight, you ain't gonna mix it up, wind it up, work it up, bump it up, mix it up, pow, pow.
00:46:04Go tonight, you ain't gonna mix it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up, pop it up,
00:46:34I'm gonna be here.
00:46:36I'm gonna be here.
00:46:38I'm gonna be here.
00:46:40What's happening?
00:46:42What's happening?
00:46:44I don't know.
00:46:46Bring me out of plastic.
00:46:48I've been acting brand new.
00:46:50Bitches acting like that running shit they really ran through.
00:46:52I spit at 524.
00:46:54I over-trap you.
00:46:56They thought I was gonna fall off.
00:46:58I hate to bring you bad news.
00:47:00Through so many rents a bitch can't even see the floor.
00:47:02From Atlanta to LA the only time I back is far.
00:47:04Rich niggas get you off.
00:47:06Get a penny to LA and let that nigga dry the boat.
00:47:08Be quiet.
00:47:10Let me pop off.
00:47:12Little club sloppy. Trump come home and get my rocks out.
00:47:14Herbie from the south. He tryna see me knock your socks out.
00:47:16Told them bitches me.
00:47:34No I can care.
00:47:36But do people like me and agar.
00:47:38All right.
00:47:40We have all my life to this.
00:47:42I 기억 you on paper.
00:47:44So I went down to LA.
00:47:48hop to LA and let the mayo.
00:47:50As I'm going downstairs I'm talking SP with CRIMAD by me.
00:47:52I'm going is rים is a littleective thing.
00:47:54I'm always off now and the next one I'm talking about.
00:47:56This is God to hell.
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