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At the crossroads of heritage, innovation and empowerment, Shaping the Future of Culture brings together dynamic HBCU alumni who are redefining what’s possible –for their communities and beyond. Guided by a powerhouse moderator and HBCU graduates, this conversation will explore how HBCU’s laid the foundation for personal evolution, cultural contribution, and professional growth.
From entrepreneurship to entertainment, tech to the arts, these alumni are not only breaking new ground –they’re building it for the next generation. Uplifting communities through meaningful connection, we’ll celebrate how HBCUs shape visionaries, and how those visionaries are now shaping the future of culture.
Join us for a vibrant, truth-filled exchange about legacy, leadership, and how Connecting Changes Everything –especially when the roots run deep
From entrepreneurship to entertainment, tech to the arts, these alumni are not only breaking new ground –they’re building it for the next generation. Uplifting communities through meaningful connection, we’ll celebrate how HBCUs shape visionaries, and how those visionaries are now shaping the future of culture.
Join us for a vibrant, truth-filled exchange about legacy, leadership, and how Connecting Changes Everything –especially when the roots run deep
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Spread my wings and never to dim my light, you know what I mean? Always go for what's in my heart.
00:07Coming into Howard, I came in on a full track and field scholarship.
00:12My coach told me I wanted to major in a theater, and he was like, you know, we got a problem because the schedules conflict.
00:20So I felt like I tricked everybody, and I did film production, majored in film production and minored in acting.
00:26But along my four years, you know, it was Professor Kim Bay, you know, she was just like, okay, that was a decision you made, but don't ever let anybody stop you from doing what you want to do.
00:41You know what I mean? And that was for me acting.
00:43So upon graduation, I got offered a pro contract for track and field, but in my heart, I wanted to be an actor.
00:52So I turned that down, went to L.A., and the rest is history.
00:55So, you know, I stand by her words. I take it day to day.
00:59That's right. Don't let anybody. Yeah, make some noise. These are really good.
01:04Don't let nobody tell you what you want to do. Armani, what about you?
01:07They done gave it all away.
01:10That's the problem with being at the end of a panel. You get all the good answers.
01:13I'm going to go to you first, Dex. Question.
01:14No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
01:16I think one of the two things, two things I really took away from going to HBCU was the first one was mind your business.
01:24You understand? Like, I think your HBCU experience is going to be yours no matter what it is that you're doing.
01:29There's a party going on.
01:30This is the first time I'm on a campus, you know, like that's about maybe a quarter mile wide, but it's some girl's house that live right over there.
01:37And we don't even got to ask their mom or wait until they leave so we can go.
01:39Like, it was just a mind your business thing, like pay attention to what you're supposed to do.
01:43And the second thing that's most important is I had a girl I was dating with whose parent was on, like, the advisement kind of board.
01:51So it was like if classes was closed, I could still get in and, like, you know, things like that.
01:56But I just started abusing my power a little bit.
01:58You know, I started flexing my muscles.
02:00And one of the things that I remember taking away from that moment was when she told me, she said, your success is your fault, but so is your failure.
02:10You understand?
02:10And, like, that's like whatever it is that you do is because you did it.
02:15It's not because, you know, you can't blame somebody else.
02:17And especially when you're in a position where you have the tools and you're still making mistakes.
02:22I love that.
02:22Success is your fault, but failure is too.
02:25That's a good point.
02:26Whatever you do, whatever you put in, you're going to get out.
02:29That's a really good point.
02:30I love this.
02:31I want to ask you all, you know, we have future rising leaders here who are incredible.
02:37Make some noise again for our future rising leaders, HBCU students and grads right here.
02:42What would you tell them about what to keep with them on their journey from their campuses when you think about even just your experience in the world as black men and think about the leaders that you are because who you became on those campuses?
03:00I'm sure you still carry some experiences, some knowledge, some knowing of who you are because your environment shaped you.
03:06What would you tell them about who to remember that they are as they go into the world and create their own acting schools, music schools, all the things that they want to do to be the next rising leaders that they are?
03:49Remember this room.
03:49Remember this room.
03:50Remember this energy today.
03:52Remember this power today when you go back out into a world where it don't always look like this.
03:56It don't always support you like that.
03:58But remember that HBCU, really remember this because it's real, you feel it, and you take this same mentality and you go out into the world and you make sure you apply it.
04:07And then next thing you know, it really turns into something for you and you start cultivating this environment no matter what you're doing.
04:13And it happens in your living room.
04:15It happens at your church.
04:16It happens in wherever you're at.
04:18But make sure you remember this energy because it will change and shift as you continue to go throughout your career.
04:26I would just say, just know that you're capable.
04:29You're going to succeed.
04:31If you get through an HBCU, you can get through anything.
04:35You're good anywhere.
04:37Also, just keep in your back pocket.
04:40Just know that that's home.
04:42Your HBCU is home.
04:43Always go back.
04:45Always give back.
04:46Always mentor.
04:48And however you do it, whether it's money or mentorship, just remember where you come from because that's what keeps these HBCUs alive.
04:59Damn.
05:00They took the answers.
05:00Oh, my God.
05:01Armani, I was mostly calling you.
05:02I'm so sorry.
05:03What am I supposed to say?
05:04They took the answers.
05:05Armani, sing something.
05:06Sing, lift every voice and sing.
05:07No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
05:10To both of y'all points, though, to both of y'all points, one is most important, what you just said, is paying it forward.
05:15You understand?
05:16Like I said, I just emphasize sacrifice, but even if you're not the person that had the sacrifice to make sure that the next person can eat, make sure that whatever that wealth of knowledge is that you're taking in, make sure you're just as willing to give that wealth of knowledge out to the next person under you, to the next person that's coming into the HBCUs.
05:34And just keeping that level of community, that other thing is just Alphonse is absolutely right.
05:41I think it's like there's not every room that you're going to go into that looks like a HBCU.
05:45There's not every room that you're going to go into where there's someone like-minded or someone that is willing to, you know, lean and benefit or just lean to your benefit because you are black.
05:55Sometimes black may work against you, but always remember that you are the light bulb.
05:59In your room, in your world, in your life, everything, you are the light bulb.
06:03So, yes, clap it up.
06:04I heard you ready to clap, sis.
06:06Don't hold back your clap.
06:08If you want to clap, you clap.
06:09Okay?
06:10We at home.
06:10We at Essence Fest, okay?
06:12And speaking of, you know, this is the suede stage, and you all represent Brotherhood so well.
06:17I love seeing, I always see you out in L.A.
06:19You be with your boys, with your wife.
06:21I always see you with your family.
06:23I see you out with your people, too.
06:25Talk to me about how Brotherhood shaped your HBCU career and how important it is to maintain Brotherhood as you get outside of that.
06:35And just friends from your HBCU, because some of us have sisterhoods and all the different type of hoods, but talk to me about Brotherhood and Armani.
06:43I will start with Armani.
06:44Armani.
06:45Yeah, Armani.
06:46You.
06:47You sure.
06:48I'm throwing you the lob now.
06:50A blank canvas.
06:52You got it.
06:52Right, right.
06:53Usually I got something to work off of.
06:56But Brotherhood, yeah.
06:57Brotherhood is super important, and I think especially, you know, just the matriculation of being in a college in general is like the same way.
07:05As it was in public school, it's like you get to grow up and experience everything together with these people.
07:10I've got to wear boots, I've got to wear ball shorts, and I've got to wear suits with all of the same people.
07:15I still have people from my HBCU on my team with me right now.
07:19Wow.
07:19So that was, for me, it was super important of always being able to say, like, this is what's going to keep me grounded.
07:25This is what's going to make me feel like I'm at home no matter what level of success I'm at.
07:29This is the people, you know, somebody that's going to run in and, like, you know, we're all living together.
07:32This is the person who's not going to do the dishes.
07:34This is the person that's going to leave the laundry in the washing machine for a couple days.
07:37Like, it just keeps me feeling like, oh, nothing changed.
07:40You understand?
07:41And, like, I love being able to experience new levels of life success and, you know, with the same people I started out with.
07:48I love that.
07:49I love that.
07:49Yeah.
07:51Go ahead, Lance.
07:52I want to hear what you got to say.
07:53I mean, it's when you go to an HBCU, you gain a family, extended family.
07:59You know what I'm saying?
08:00I'm not even going to just call it a brotherhood.
08:02It's family because I got sisters and brothers that we have lifelong relationships now.
08:09And we ain't got to talk every time, but best believe when we show up for homecoming, it's like we pick up what we left off.
08:16You know what I mean?
08:16I got my first agent, Charles King, because we had that Howard Bond.
08:23You know what I'm saying?
08:24And the network is strong.
08:25You always, you're always going to have a person that you can lean on.
08:29Whatever city you in, whatever job, I'm telling you, HBCUs, we look out for each other.
08:35It's different from PWIs, you know.
08:37But, yeah, I mean, those friendships that I developed while I was at my HBCU, I hold them close to my heart.
08:45You know what I mean?
08:46Yeah, yes.
08:46That's beautiful.
08:47Yeah, likewise.
08:48You know, my brothers that, my best friends that I went to high school with end up going to an HBCU with me.
08:54And one of them had got into a PWI.
08:56I didn't get into it.
08:58And I was like, hey, bro, I'm going to this HBCU.
09:01And he actually was like, you know what, I'm going to go with you.
09:04And we've been, you know, best friends ever since high school but until now.
09:08And then you meet new people who you end up becoming friends with and building relationships with.
09:12But like Lance said, it's a family.
09:14You know, the women who I wouldn't be an actor if it wasn't for Karen Brock Davis,
09:19someone who was a professor for me and became like an auntie for me.
09:22And then, you know, speaking of brotherhood, I wouldn't be on this stage if it wasn't for this brother right here.
09:26You know, so like these opportunities, right?
09:30Speaking about reaching out, I reached out to Lance about five years ago.
09:33I was like, man, how you be getting all the AT&T and essential stuff and how you be doing all these things?
09:38And he said, bro, it's nothing.
09:39I'm going to introduce you to somebody.
09:41He introduced me to our good brother Vincent.
09:43And the rest is history.
09:44He kind of been on the run ever since.
09:45And so those type of connections within the industry that only HBCU can teach you because you might reach out to a brother that went to a PWI.
09:54He ain't going to do the same thing.
09:55I'm just playing.
09:56They might do it too.
09:58But it's not the same.
10:00It's not the same.
10:01It's a little different.
10:01It was an easier.
10:02It's a little better.
10:03You know what I'm saying?
10:04I'm going to pop my shit.
10:04He threw the lie a lot easier, and it came with no type of ego.
10:09It came with no type of like, hey, I need this back.
10:11And so I think being able to reach out, being able to have a network, whether it's from your HBCU or within your own community, is really nice.
10:18I love that.
10:20Yes, make some noise.
10:21That's so dope, Lance.
10:22That's amazing.
10:23I love that.
10:25Okay, so, you know, connection changes everything at AT&T.
10:28And I got to say, the ladies in the building have connected with y'all in y'all work, music, on your films, on your TV shows.
10:37We love you all so much.
10:39And black women are being celebrated.
10:41The Essence Fest is for us.
10:42We're here on the Suede States, but it's for us.
10:44So I just want to ask you if you could pour into the black women in the audience real quick.
10:49Give them a word why you appreciate them, why you value them, why they are so important to your careers.
10:55Because black women now, we'll ride for you.
10:58Huh?
10:59Every now and then, we just want to know how you feel about us.
11:03So as we close, before y'all tell us how we can support y'all, my brothers, pour it on to the ladies in the audience.
11:10Y'all are beautiful.
11:12Y'all are needed.
11:14Thank you for holding us down.
11:15I'm not even going to call y'all fans.
11:16Y'all are supporters, and I appreciate you.
11:19You're just like family to me.
11:21I would be nothing without a black woman.
11:25You know what I mean?
11:25From my mother to my wife, my sisters, I celebrate y'all every day, and I will always hold y'all down forever.
11:35Likewise, I echo his sentiments.
11:37You know, I know my career wouldn't be where it is now if it wasn't for black women.
11:42I think from any age between 25 and 75, somebody know Lil' Murder.
11:47And they go come up to you and say they love you and they appreciate you and they treat you like you really the character, too.
11:52I hope you okay, I hope you all right, you know, I hope you don't die, you know.
11:57So all that type of stuff, it mean the world to you, man.
12:01And like Lance said, from my mom to my sister to my pretty baby, my wife, she couldn't come out here today, but she look just like y'all.
12:07You know what I'm saying?
12:08She do, she do.
12:09And they look us in the face and they let us know, they keep it real with us.
12:13And so that, it means the world to us.
12:15And y'all got a superpower that we just don't have.
12:17You know, being able to create life, being able to produce life, it means the world to us.
12:22My children mean the world to me.
12:23So thank y'all for doing that.
12:25And y'all way up here, and we just trying to catch up and support y'all.
12:28So I appreciate you.
12:32Sorry, Armand, I'm sorry.
12:34Yeah, what I'm supposed to say is that.
12:35I mean, you could sing, Armand.
12:37No, listen, listen, like, because they take everything I'm about to say, and I'm like, I was like, black women are superheroes.
12:43He said, y'all got a superpower.
12:45I said, fuck.
12:48You can sing it.
12:49Black women are superheroes.
12:51Black women.
12:53Listen, there is nothing.
12:55I know they're on the TV and film side.
12:57I'm on the music side.
12:58There has been nothing that started in culture, nothing that's stuck in culture, nothing that's lasted in culture that did not come from black women, that was not empowered.
13:07That was not uplifted by black women.
13:09Black women create culture.
13:10They create conversation.
13:12Me even having black women on my team showed, like, oh, no, now there's a beating heart.
13:16This is not just business.
13:17This is a feeling.
13:18This is, like, this is community.
13:19This is family.
13:20We all come from black women, everybody in this room.
13:23So I wouldn't be where I was if it wasn't a black woman.
13:27I'm pretty sure nobody on this stage would be where they were if it weren't for black women.
13:31And I'm always that person that's there to uplift and stand behind black women the way they stand behind me.
13:37I love it.
13:38That was great.
13:39You did great.
13:40So how can we support you all real quick as we wrap up?
13:43How can we support you all on what you have coming out next?
13:46Any way we can follow y'all and support you?
13:48Oh, man.
13:49P-Valley Season 3 is on the way.
13:50Yeah, I can't wait for y'all to see that one.
13:54It's going to be epic.
13:56I just wrapped up a new series called Lanterns on HBO.
14:00I can't wait for y'all to see that one.
14:02A couple movies dropping as well.
14:04And, yeah, it looked like somebody was dropping some bombs.
14:06Right, they're bombs.
14:07I'm like, come on, DJ.
14:08Where you at?
14:08But, yeah, so mostly a lot of films, a lot of things coming up.
14:11I can't wait for y'all to see it.
14:13Period.
14:14What's up, Lance?
14:15So we just finished 22 more episodes of House of Pain, so it is still running.
14:20It's been a blessing, and it's all because of you guys.
14:24I mean, we've been shooting since 2006.
14:27Wow.
14:28We just completed, I think we have, like, 411 episodes.
14:34They got to do a recount because I think it might be more.
14:36Wow.
14:36But it's the longest-running African-American sitcom out there.
14:41So, I mean, and it's all because of you.
14:44So I thank you guys.
14:45Continue to support it.
14:46You know, it's love.
14:49Ay.
14:50I can't tell you, but it's something coming.
14:52Ay.
14:52Something coming.
14:53What about you, Armani?
14:55But once again, my name is Armani White.
14:57My first album is coming out this fall.
15:02I'm going on tour, my first headline tour, and I'm also going on tour to support with T-Pain this fall.
15:09That's a major.
15:10Yes, yes, yes.
15:11Congratulations.
15:12We love y'all so much.
15:14Jay Alphonse, Lance Armani.
15:16We love you all.
15:16Thank you so much for being here at Essence Fest.
15:19We'll see y'all next time.
15:20We love you.
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