- 9 hours ago
Born in New Orleans, Popeyes has long been part of the culture, flavor, and traditions that make Louisiana special. Celebrating NOLA Flavor with Popeyes brings those connections to life through an engaging conversation between ESSENCE Girls United Content Editor Danielle Wright and Reginae Carter — celebrating bold stories, cultural pride, and the unforgettable flavors and memories rooted in New Orleans.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00All right, so let's get started, because today we are with Popeyes.
00:03But I want to ask you first, what is one family meal or tradition
00:07that immediately takes you back to your childhood?
00:10Oh, my childhood?
00:12Mm-hmm.
00:14So my mama wasn't a chef.
00:15But I would say macaroni, cheese, sauce, berry steaks would take me back to my childhood.
00:23Okay, okay.
00:23But my grandma?
00:24Mm-hmm.
00:25Bell peppers.
00:26Ooh, I love me some bell peppers, girl.
00:28Combo.
00:30Red beans and rice.
00:31I'm sorry.
00:31I love it.
00:32You thinking about it now, huh?
00:34I love it.
00:35I love it.
00:35So you've kind of grown up in the public eye while building your own career.
00:40How has your family's influence sort of shaped the woman and the entrepreneur that you've become today?
00:46Well, I see my parents just work their behind off to get where they're at,
00:51and they always push me to do the same, to always follow my dreams
00:56and just push myself to the fullest.
00:58And never give up.
01:01Yeah.
01:01So I just feel like that's like the epitome of me.
01:04Like, I literally walk like that.
01:06I talk like that.
01:07Yeah.
01:07So you got to feel it.
01:08And it definitely shows out in your confidence.
01:10I feel like no matter where I see you, whether it's Essence Fest, whether it's you doing something
01:14amazing on social media, you always bring your confidence with you.
01:18So I love you.
01:19So whether it's food, fashion, or business, speaking of confidence, authenticity seems
01:25to guide everything that you do.
01:27What has staying true to yourself been so important?
01:31Staying true to myself has been important because I'm only me.
01:35I only can be me, so that's the only person I can be.
01:39Also, just having that relationship with God and just making sure that I am true to myself
01:45and everything that I do or I do give out or I show, I just know that I have to
01:53stay authentically
01:54true to myself while I'm doing it.
01:56Yeah, I love that.
01:57I love that.
01:58So what is one lesson that you've learned that you hope young women watching today will
02:05carry with them as they build their own path?
02:08Oh, well, I would say just be true to yourself.
02:14Never give up.
02:15And don't let nobody tell you what you can and cannot do.
02:18I'm really big on that.
02:20Like, you can do whatever you put your mind to do.
02:23Yeah, and I love that.
02:24Yeah, I feel like, you know, I have been watching you since Tiny and Toya, baby, okay?
02:31When the OMG girls were starting, okay?
02:35And, you know, I just, I feel like you have really always shown up your authentic self no
02:40matter what.
02:41Like, even in all of the projects that you do, like, you're not going for nothing and
02:45I love that.
02:46And I feel like watching you, I'm trying to adopt that energy, especially because I feel
02:51like being women in media sometimes, it's like, no, don't play with me.
02:56Don't play with me.
02:57So I love it.
02:57I love it.
02:58Oh, well, thank you.
02:59Well, just sitting here right here, just meeting you.
03:01We've met before, but re-meeting you again, seeing you again.
03:05You're doing an amazing job.
03:07Your confidence is peeking out the world.
03:11All right.
03:12So beyond the food, let's talk about New Orleans a little bit because it's famous
03:15for second lines, festivals, and block parties.
03:18What is a specific hometown tradition or hidden gem experience that you think everyone needs
03:24to experience while they're here in New Orleans?
03:28I know there's so much.
03:30Like, they be trying to get me a crawfish in Atlanta.
03:34I mean, like, please.
03:35No.
03:35Like crawfish.
03:38What else?
03:39You have to go to a Mardi Gras.
03:42You have to eat Popeyes here.
03:44Period.
03:45Dang it.
03:49And what else?
03:52A snowball.
03:53A snowball.
03:54Okay.
03:54I've been hearing about that, but wait, really quick.
03:56What's the difference between a snowball and a snow cone?
04:00It's a cone and a ball.
04:02No, I'm just kidding.
04:07No, really, it's like a cone and a snowball.
04:12Is it, like, thicker?
04:12It's, like, more flushy.
04:14It's more, like, um, it's more, like, um, it's more, like, um, it's more snowball-y.
04:19Like, I feel like a cone is, like, more icy.
04:21Yes, yes.
04:22Like, a snow cone is, like, more icy.
04:24Okay.
04:25Yeah.
04:26Because, like, literally, like, I've been talking to so many people, and they're, like,
04:30oh, my God, I got to get me a snowball so hot.
04:32And I'm, like, what is that?
04:33Because I heard of a snow cone.
04:34I need to get a snowball, girl.
04:37So, let's talk about NOLA music for a little bit because it literally marches to its own
04:41drum from bounce to jazz.
04:43Who or what is currently on your playlist when you want to channel that authentic hometown
04:48energy?
04:49Okay.
04:50Let's see.
04:51So, y'all know I like to bounce a little bit.
04:53Shake a little bit.
04:54Um, I love me some, like, Hot Sizzle.
04:57Okay.
04:58Um, Teasy.
04:59Mm-hmm.
05:00I will never, ever, ever get tired of Sissy Noby.
05:05Period.
05:06Love of Sissy Noby.
05:07Period.
05:07Um, yeah, and, of course, my dad.
05:09Love it, love it.
05:11Oh, of course, of course.
05:12Of course, my dad.
05:13Like, literally.
05:14But, like, oh, my God, I love Sissy Noby so much.
05:16My favorite is when he's, like, because I'm crazy about my boyfriend.
05:19Oh, that's my song.
05:20Period.
05:21I love that song all the time.
05:23Because I, I, so I'm from Houston, and I live in New York now, and, like, whenever I be
05:28playing New Orleans Bounce, they be like, wait, what is this?
05:30And I feel like they can't keep up.
05:32Oh, no.
05:32But it's okay.
05:33It's okay.
05:33They'll get there.
05:34They gotta get with it.
05:36Exactly.
05:37Because, listen, y'all, y'all be making it in a circle.
05:41Okay?
05:41I be like, I could do a little square, a little rhombus, but I can't do a little circle,
05:46baby.
05:46I teach you how to throw it in the side.
05:48No, seriously.
05:50All right.
05:50So, wind you down a little bit.
05:51So, you know, New Orleans is a city that literally never apologized for being loud, colorful, and
05:58bold.
05:58How has embracing, you know, that NOLA boldness shaped you to navigate your own, like, career
06:05and personal growth?
06:07I guess everybody in New Orleans, honestly, like I said, they don't, they don't care.
06:12They do what they do.
06:14It's so, like, the hospitality is just so great.
06:16People really support you out.
06:18Like, they really love you out here.
06:19They really support you.
06:21I feel like that's what I carried on with me.
06:25Like, I'm very, I'm a supportive person.
06:28I love, I love, I love love.
06:30I love to give love.
06:32I love to support others.
06:34So, I guess just staying true to myself and just being authentically me, I definitely feel
06:39like that's, that's my New Orleans side in me.
06:41And the raw, the real, the like, you can't tell me nothing, really.
06:45And you can't.
06:47So, winding down.
06:49So, you've obviously built this very incredible platform, especially honoring where you're
06:54from.
06:55What advice do you have for the next generation of young black women looking to step into
07:00their own power and really reclaim their space?
07:03I would say, make sure you know what you want to do, plan it, and execute it.
07:13Like, but also just, like I said, make sure you plan it.
07:17Make sure you really, like, sit down by yourself and really, like, plan what you want to do and
07:23go for it.
07:24And don't let nobody stop you.
07:25Yeah, I love that.
07:27Because I feel like sometimes it's like, obviously, being on the ground, you being a
07:32content creator, speaking to so many content creators, the number one piece of advice they
07:36always say is just do it.
07:38Just do it.
07:39But I agree with you.
07:41Because I feel like sometimes you need a plan.
07:43You need to be able to lay everything out on the table and be like, all right, how do
07:46I get from A to B?
07:48You know?
07:48So, I love that.
07:49So, we're about to play a this or that game.
07:52But before we do that, we have some lovely Popeyes here.
07:55I kind of want to take a bite.
07:57Can we have a little piece before we continue on?
08:01Literally.
08:01Because I'm like, you can't be in New Orleans without a little something.
08:05I'm going to take a little chicken piece real quick.
08:08All right.
08:08Hold on, y'all.
08:09I look a little ugly when I eat.
08:11So, just give me a second.
08:13Right.
08:13I'm going to need you to pause for it.
08:14We said a little pause.
08:17Oh, forget it.
08:18I love that.
08:23Okay.
08:23I would have some gum in my mouth, though.
08:26I always got to make it a little better.
08:29There you go.
08:30Oh, you did it the classy way.
08:32I just did it, girl.
08:35Oh, that's good.
08:36This is so good.
08:38They're making this brush somewhere.
08:41It's so crunchy.
08:44I'm sorry, y'all.
08:45I'm talking while I'm eating.
08:46My mom would be so disappointed in me and my manner.
08:59Sorry, girl.
09:00I'm a slow eater.
09:04I would love to be on a Popeye's commercial just to eat the food.
09:09I swear.
09:12Call me for y'all commercials and I'll just eat the food all the time, actually.
09:16What?
09:17Why are we taking our...
09:19Sorry.
09:20I took a big bite, y'all.
09:22I didn't even realize.
09:23My bad.
09:24But it's okay.
09:25Popeye's is happy.
09:26They're happy.
09:26Hopefully, I don't have no crumbs.
09:27All right.
09:27So, we're going to get into a little this or that game.
09:31All right.
09:31So, Popeye's spicy chicken or Popeye's mild chicken?
09:40Spicy.
09:41Okay.
09:42Of course, you got to have a little spice.
09:43Okay.
09:44Here's a little bit of a tough one.
09:46Okay.
09:46Mardi Gras or Essence Fest?
09:50Ciao.
09:53Essence Fest.
09:54Ciao.
09:56Ciao.
09:57But I still love a little Mardi Gras.
09:59I still love a little B.
10:00Yes.
10:01I love...
10:02But you know, one thing about Essence Fest is celebrating and bringing black culture together
10:08and, you know, just bigging up all black.
10:11And I just love that.
10:12Period.
10:13Period.
10:13All right.
10:15Beignets or pralines?
10:19Pralines, I thought.
10:20Oh, pralines.
10:21My bad.
10:21My bad, y'all.
10:24Is it pralines or pralines?
10:27Oh, nobody know.
10:29Y'all see it.
10:30Like, you know, all this we make up, all right?
10:33Oh, it depends on who's tomato, tomato.
10:35Okay.
10:38Um...
10:39Oh, my gosh.
10:41Not for giving me these hearts.
10:42I know, it's a little hard.
10:43I think I would say beignets.
10:44Beignets?
10:45With some extra, extra powder on them.
10:47Okay.
10:48Love it.
10:48Love it.
10:49My mom is so obsessed with beignets, so I'm definitely taking her to Cafe Du Monde.
10:54Literally, she's been begging.
10:55She's been begging.
10:56All right.
10:57Here's one.
10:58Okay.
10:58Me, personally, I feel like there's an obvious choice, but you're from New Orleans, so you
11:02may say different.
11:03A crawfish boil or gumbo?
11:08I feel like there's only one right answer here.
11:10I mean, I would say gumbo.
11:12Really?
11:14Yeah.
11:15Have...
11:15You ain't had my grandma's gumbo.
11:17Okay.
11:18I'm about to say, because, girl, I'm...
11:20So, you just going off...
11:21I feel like I'm not going to get full.
11:24What?
11:24With just the crawfish, bro.
11:25I need some gumbo.
11:26I need, like, some stuff in it, some, like, some sausage.
11:31Listen, I be having all this stuff in it.
11:34I need, like, five potatoes, three corns, maybe one or two sausages, and a four pound.
11:39See, I don't like potatoes.
11:39I don't like corn.
11:40What?
11:42I won't...
11:42Yeah, I know.
11:44My mom tell me my taste buds got to grow up a little bit.
11:46Yeah, maybe a little bit right now, because you're missing it.
11:49You're missing it.
11:50A little bit.
11:50It's essential to the bull, girl.
11:53All right, so here's a fun one.
11:54Nola Bounce or classic Southern hip-hop?
11:58Oh, Nola Bounce.
11:59Okay, period.
12:00That was obvious.
12:01Of course.
12:01And then winding down to my last one, a dress po' boy or muffaletta.
12:08A who?
12:10Muffaletta.
12:11Muffaletta?
12:12Yeah.
12:12Girl, that sounded a little Spanish.
12:14Oh, no.
12:15I'm going to do the po' boy.
12:16I love being a po' boy.
12:18I just had a po' boy yesterday.
12:20I love a po' boy.
12:20I just had a po' boy yesterday.
12:20I love a po' boy.
12:20Hot sausage po' boy.
12:22Okay.
12:22Okay, quick question.
12:23Where can the audience get a really good po' boy from?
12:28I would say Mondays.
12:30Okay.
12:31I really like Mondays po' boy, but I don't know because I don't know who else have a good
12:36po' boy, but Mondays, every time I come out here, they po' boys be good.
12:39All right, so I'm going to have to stop by po' boys.
12:42Do it.
12:42But before I let you go, Regine, for those in the audience that want to follow you on
12:46social media, where can they find you?
12:48Okay, you can find me on Instagram at itsreginecarter.
12:53Period.
12:56Yeah, everything is Regine Carter.
12:58All right, perfect.
13:00Well, thank you so much for chatting with me, Regine.
13:02And make sure y'all eat some Popeyes over the weekend.
13:05Thanks, y'all.