Episode 298 | WNBA Controversy, Jesse Butler Case, Nolan Wells Update, Ye Partners with JD, Plus More

In this episode of the Faces of the Future Podcast Millz is back with an all new episode. With Rocket this week Millz dives into a week filled with controversial news. First he reacts to the controversy surrounding the WNBA and who is eligible to play in their league. Next he reacts to Stephon Diggs signing with the Washington Commanders and if that makes them an automatic contender in the NFC. Then he gives his reaction to Jesse Butler getting off on 2 counts of r*pe with community service, and gives the latest updates and findings in relation to the Nolan Wells case. Finally he gives his thoughts on the new JD and Ye partnership.

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:01

Oh my god, is that the faces of the future? How we doin' today? How we doin' today? How we doin' today? It's just another Monday. You know the voice. It's your boy Millie, I'm in the compound. Shout out to the fantasy league. Shout out to the loyal listeners. Roll the 300, just find out with us.

SPEAKER_05 0:27

I be grinding. Every mango, my first job was at the sonic. Felt like I was missing something, tryna find it. Know it's all about time and I try to time it. They gon' take it as weak, cause you show me kindness. This police see for my charges. I got money power. Can't forget the nights, I struggle, having money problems. Isolation, I got this to put me on the audience. People tell me they get happy when they see me smiling. I when traffic, niggas stab me, they like, bro, you got it. Where they deal from it, then I wrote about it. It ain't what you go through, it's how you go about it. Road blocks in the way, gotta go around it. Still jumpin' in the water when you know you drownin'. Still jumpin' out the plane. Parachute ain't even with you. Still think about the pain, still think about the issues. I was thinking what I gave. He had training meet my wishes. I was tryna make a name, I was hoping to get mentioned. Then was mentioned, then I feel like that's when niggas had the tension. Never quitting, I'm devoted, ambition. Niggas trippin'. Most niggas think they know it all, so they never listen. Guarantee you see the fake shit if you just pay attention. I just walked into the venue, gas stronger than the instant. Slam dunkin' like I'm ventin'. I came back when I went missing. I came back, I'm wearing Louie, I wear Prada, I wear Christian. Chevy on the hoodie, my phone, I forgot to mention. I've been feeling goody, getting racks, and that's my interest. Top back on vences and come heart the lenses. Start up the edge, and then we'll ride to the end of it. Our new beginners, we gon' get to the summer. Get back to business. We don't care about your feelings.

SPEAKER_07 1:52

Hope you stay there with us. It's just the mood I'm in. Roll the 300. You know summer's coming to an end. Shout out to the kids going back to school. She got her hands all on me. Why the money keep falling?

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Hands all on me. Yellow, but I give it all. The show don't stop. Rose word sway seeds, keep going crazy.

unknown 2:24

She got on me.

SPEAKER_03 2:35

She keeps on touching on me. She gon' make me spin it all. She the top of the pond. She keeps doing tricks, man. She knows she needs some diggers, somebody to vent to. I'm the one that she called. Wanna have fun with a nigga without all the issues. Girl, I know what you want. She livin' two different life, she lay hand on my tennis. Fuck that peanut, don't even mouth. Flew to Miami, that booty got fatter, she trickin' the scammer. She mad in it late. The pussy too five. She don't gotta pay. Don't even pull out her wallet on dates. She wanna leak with a nigga and play. Be back in her bed by the end of the day. Why the money keep falling?

unknown 3:09

Hands all on me. Yellow, why don't you give it all up? Left Risbankly, two ton AP. Money keep falling.

SPEAKER_02 3:17

Rose where Swayces keep going crazy. I'ma give it all.

SPEAKER_07 3:35

I know you feel the energy in the compound right now. Shout out to everybody that's been here since the beginning. That's still rocking with us. You know, we just getting started from the ground up. Let's get to it.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

You even make it a vision for money, pussy, nigga. You better let me go to the night. Situation with the niggas I don't want to do. Feminine fizzles. I'm on a minimum deep. Last month it was cheap. This month it's not cheap. Come like back, same job next week.

SPEAKER_07 5:51

Yeah. How y'all feelin' today? Got a little bit of summer left.

SPEAKER_04 6:00

Shout out to the city, shout out Jersey. So I hold you like my little one. Show you the premise, let you see this topic, don't come. Give you the member, I had dreams of a cold front. So I hold you like my little one.

unknown 6:16

So you the premise, let you see this topic, don't come.

SPEAKER_04 6:19

Give you the member, I had dreams of a cold front.

SPEAKER_06 6:23

Say it you all so you walk some, you walk so teeth at the tiger, falling deep on my title, so it's teeth.

SPEAKER_04 6:40

I can bite you, get what see what you might do. Besides, I'm the world going shit. With the winning chick, came from the bricks to a stage, a bossing on the bitch, lost in the mist. Features slipping on my dick, need me working on your grip, keep your fake, get the discs. They skipped over the difference in pain, full of the fist. Take your attention and stuff and dump your ass out of beats with the fake. Or it's the real life to be a thing. We exist and made dancing in the rage. Just to build something. Talk about it if you wanna build something. Niggas gotta stand down. Everybody not gon' do they job. Some stand around or serve. You goin' through it, this is over them. Who go bought and meet when I ain't got it? Fall asleep in the pocket, like a bitch in the lock. I be giving it small, fuck up the epile. Hope I got it upset.

unknown 7:23

No, you be timid, so I hope you like my little one. So you the premise, let you see this time, don't come.

SPEAKER_04 7:29

Give you the member, I had this dream, stop with cold fright. Big you oh stop, stay that you won't stop. No you be timid, so I hope you like my low one. So you the premise, that you see this time, don't come. Give you the member, I had a dream, stop with cold fright. Big you oh stop, stay that you both stop, stay that you both stop, stay that you need some, stay that you all stop, stay beat soft, stay that you all stop, stay that you need some, stay to all, stay beat so be so, stage, stage, yeah. So you give me lips, sometimes I give it back.

SPEAKER_07 8:33

I got a great show for y'all today.

SPEAKER_04 8:37

Let's get into it. I couldn't vibe with the niggas, they be telling story. They only tough with their friends, so I've got to go.

SPEAKER_07 8:44

Oh my god, is that the faces of the future? Welcome to episode 298 of the faces of the future podcast. It's your boy Millie. Rocket's on vacation today. So, you got a solo episode, but we're gonna get to it. There's a lot to discuss. But before we get into today's episode, if you're listening to us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, tell a friend to tell a friend about today's episode. Click that click that big red subscribe button, that follow button, you know, leave a comment, leave a review. The subscribers help the show grow. As you guys know, we're on the road to 300. So when episode 300 drops, all our content's hitting our Patreon first. So head over to the Patreon right now, uh search MBT Network and subscribe. That way you'll get our whole back catalog, the new catalog, and all the future shows that we plan to create. Um, also, before we get into today's episode, make sure if you're in the South Jersey area, we got our third annual back to school drive with Cob Cuts in conjunction with Logan Township. There's gonna be free supplies, free food, free haircuts for all the youth in the area, K through 12. So if you're in the area, if you know somebody that that needs help, or you just want to come come celebrate with the community new school year and things of that nature, we're doing that on August 30th. It's a Sunday. So everybody should be free. Pull up, and if you can't, just tell a friend to telephone, you know? Um before we get we're about to get into today's Monday rundown news. There's a lot to discuss. A lot of a lot of different things have transpired. I'm sure, I'm sure our listeners have been talking about the things that we're gonna go over. Um the first thing I want to discuss is uh the WNBA and Entis Cantor, man. Entis Cantor uh goes by Entis Cantor Freedom now. Um he's a former NBA center. He announced that he intends to enter the 2027 WNBA draft, saying he identifies as a woman and believes he satisfies the league's eligibility requirements. Um and another former NBA player, Royce White, um, has since announced a similar intention. Um this all stems from um uh people around the WNBA, things of that nature um considering allowing transgender athletes into the WNBA. And there's been split split reviews amongst the W. Um Sophie Ken Cunningham came out and said um she's not in support of it essentially, that keep the league for women. Some other NBA uh WNBA players have came out and supports that they'd be open to it. We've seen guys um like on the 520 podcast, uh 520 in the morning podcast uh respond to this saying some of them were like they shouldn't allow it. Others think that um it would be good uh for viewing, good for TV ratings. Um and since this news broke, as we as I got on air today, um the WNBA is now going into talks and discussions amongst the league, the commission, um trying to define uh what a woman is, essentially in the league guidelines. Um because a lot of discourse surrounding um this canner, and this free uh canner freedom coming out, um brought up that brought up that specific wording that's in, I guess, uh the WNBA guidelines when it comes to who can compete in the WNBA. Um so I'm gonna I'm gonna play his clip about his announcement. I'm gonna go over him, give my thoughts, and then and then I'm gonna pose a question to the to the to the compound to the loyal listeners in in relation to what they think about it. So here is um Ennis Freedom. Um this is comes directly from his Instagram page. Um take a listen.

SPEAKER_00 12:18

After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I am officially declaring myself a WMBA prospect. If simply declaring who you are is all that's required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WMBA. My team and I have carefully examined the WMBA's eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self-identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declared my eligibility for the upcoming WMBA draft in May 2027. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices. I am simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone. The rules that represent the very values many WMBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for.

SPEAKER_07 13:15

So there you have it first from uh Ennis Cantor Freedom. Um, those of you who don't know, he um used to play for like the Oklahoma City Thunder, I believe, um, some other teams around the league. Um he's been he's been known most recently for his political and social um statements surrounding a bunch of different topics. Um and I think, I mean, I think he's ch challenging uh I think this is more of a political and social um statement. Uh also I don't he says he's not playing, but I think it's also a play on what um what people are willing to allow to happen when it comes to um these athletic games, these sporting events. Um just based on the discourse that I've seen, um I feel like the WNBA should should and and probably more than likely will now that Ennis Ennis and um this and this other um NBA player have came out and said that they want to declare for the WNBA draft, they should define what essentially a woman is when it comes to the league at hand. Um my opinion on on that is I think if if they don't, then you'll see a lot of people like Ennis um coming out and almost making a mockery of the W. Now I don't think that's good for branding. Um I know there were some WNBA players that were in support of um allowing allowing any type of player into their league, but I think that just makes a bigger controversy. Yeah, if if if they allowed it to happen, yeah, it'd probably be good. People would probably watch to tune in to see what would happen, but I think that I think that goes against all the hard work that the women that are that are in the league that have been there um have worked so hard to get there. Um I'm all for um transgender athletes playing professional sports, but I believe that they should have, I personally think they should have their own league, their own professional league, um when it comes to that. That's the way they can compete. Um compete at a high level as well. Um because then if you don't, that just opens up a can of worms, kind of like we discussed if you have guys like Ennis or or other men trying to do X, Y, and Z when it comes to the W, which was made specifically for women in women playing basketball, you know. So I feel like the league as a whole, they should have their conversations, they should, they should put down the requirements if they do allow it or they don't allow it, and then go from there, and then allow the brand to be what the brand is gonna be at the end of the day. Um but the the question I have for the listeners is say they do, because the WNBA hasn't came out and stated that oh, they're they're they're allowing transgender athletes to play in the WNBA. It's been a conversation surrounding um a deaf a bunch of different topics. Specifically, there's this um I don't know her name of the top, but there's a transgender woman in like a tier two league over in Europe, I believe. Her highlights have been going viral lately. Um a lot of different news platform sports news platforms have been covering it. And they they were saying that the W should allow her to play in the league. Um so I'm interested to I'm under I'm wondering what what you guys think. Should they allow should they allow transgender athletes to play in the WNBA? Does it dilute the brand? Does it elevate the brand? Does it make it does it make it more entertaining? Um or should there just be a separate league in in a whole? Um I feel like also to continue on my point before, if this happens, it's gonna open up not just for basketball, but but for other sports in general. Um on the grand scheme of things, I don't think they're based on my lines, I don't think there are a lot of transgender athletes trying to play in women's sports or vice versa. I think this is more of like, it's like I said it before, a political stance in terms of what people are people want to push in the media or want to put push on on the grand scheme of things. But at the end of the day, I feel like the eligibility should should be determined um based on the guidelines that WNBA um has set. So they're gonna have to make a decision um on how they come out and address these guys. But also on the grand scheme of things, what if nobody just drafts you and it's then what? Now you're just looking crazy, now you're just looking dumb. But I mean it's it it's been a talk. Um I'm interested to hear how this plays out. Um does does does the league have the right to make rules different from the NCAA? Does do they have um rights to make rules separate from the Olympics? Um my thing is Ennis, can you even claim like discrimination if if they if if they don't accept you? Like how how is there a play on that? If if you're saying this is not for real, if you're saying that, if you're saying that you're doing this because of the stipulation and the wording, like what's what's your end goal here? What are you trying to get out of this? Um are you trying to help bring media attention to the W? Um Because I think they're doing a good job already doing that with the with the play. Um the stars that are rising in the league. So so so what's really your end goal? And it's because I didn't really I didn't really grasp on what you're trying to do. Are you just trying to, like I said, make your political statement? Are you trying to are you trying to actually enter or are you trying to make a mockery of the league? Um does the WNBA need to clarify that their their their rules immediately or they can like wait, is this is this pressure added on to the W? We'll see. Time will tell. I know they're discussing it as we're speaking on air, but I mean like I said, time will tell when it comes to when it comes to this whole this whole league um conversation surrounding athletes and women in sports and things of that nature. Um some more Monday rundown news when it comes to sports. Let's stick on the sports topics. Um it says it's official, um, the Washington Commanders have signed four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefan Diggs. Um the deal was reported as a one-year contract with the NFL reporting initially um putting the value at 10 mil, um, while other sports reports have cited incentives that could bring the total value higher. Um a couple of the major storylines are is Diggs is a Washington, D.C. native. Um, this is his hometown move. Um He said before in the past that he wants to play for his city. Um And we all know that the commanders are trying to build around um their star, young star quarterback, Jaden Daniels. Um Diggs comes, brings, brings to the docket four Pro Bowls, multiple a thousand-yard seasons of history of being a high volume target um and experience in big games. Um he also has a big reputation of demanding the football, so we'll see how this connection from from Jaden Daniels to to to Stefan Diggs works. Um I'm not sure if the controversy is gonna be good for the locker room. Um, but I just know at the end of the day, Stefan, he just needs to perform. Um we've seen elite level play from him um in the past when he was with the Vikings. Um he had a he had a little run this past year um when he was with the Pats. Um but we've also seen a lot of injuries when it comes to him. We've seen a lot of frustrations, we've seen a lot of public disagreements, and like when I talk about the locker room talk, um outside his personal life has been of drama late throughout the whole summer. Um and Willie will he produce the way he's been producing in the past. I mean, he's getting older in age. So I mean there's a lot riding on this. I I know it's a one-year, a one-year deal, um, but the NFC East is one of the toughest conferences in in the NFL right now. You got you got you got the Eagles who have been humming lately over the last few years, dominating, dominating the division. You got a young New York team, um, a Giants team that's hungry, um, that's trying to win. They have a lot of pieces up there, up in the Meadowlands that um that are slated to to to to to to make a move. You have a new head coach, all of that. So it's like what are the commanders gonna do? Um I know I know Jaden had had a big year his first year, he had a hit, he had an injury his second year. So there's there's a lot riding on this commanders team and how they're building around um this young star quarterback, but I'm interested to see what will happen when it comes when it comes to the season play. If if they're gonna be as high powered as they were in year one, um when when Jaden when Jaden entered the league. Um although they lost to to the Eagles um in the first round matchup, I still feel as though there's high hopes when it comes to when it comes to the future of the commanders. Um But is Diggs still a wide receiver one? They gave him 10 mil. Um I don't know if he still is. I personally don't know if if Stefan Diggs is still a wide receiver one. Um he has to show me something this year. The injury bug has been him a lot lately. Um and I d I just really don't know if he's gonna mess with J. Um I think I think it has high potential when it comes to on paper, but you have to realize we're not getting this nefan from five years ago. We're not even getting the Stefan from three years ago. This is an older guy. Um like I said, it's been in the media. Is his mind even focused on football? Is he focused on other things? Will he be able to produce? I think he needs to come in, step in as a, as a, as a veteran leader, help these young guys, kind of like, kind of like guy Jaden. Um, help him navigate, be that security blanket that he that that every quarterback needs. Um when it comes to being a young star. I think that's the role that he's gonna play when it comes to when it comes to the league as a whole. I mean, not when it comes to the league as a whole, but when it comes to the commanders and the role he's gonna play and them being a prominent team in the NFC East and the NFC in general. Um I think though, even if he isn't a wide receiver one, I believe that him being a part of this organization makes them a serious contender to make a run. Because the the offensive firepower is crazy. Um you know Jaden's coming back with a chip on his shoulder, wanting to prove himself. Um you hear all these talks about these other quarterbacks in the league like Jackson Dart. Um, you hear you hear the consistency talks about Jalen Hurts being the top guy in the division. Um I think this pro, I think this team has a lot to prove, man. I feel like they're they're slightly getting overlooked. And I've said before in the past, on past episodes, they're what they're one of the dark, um, one of my dark horses when it comes to NFC. When they're healthy, they're a scary team, and I don't think many teams are gonna want to play them just based off of just off of the offensive firepower that they have. So, I mean, we'll see how this plays out. There's a lot of there's a there's a lot of factors that could play into this. Um But I mean, we'll see. We'll see. Um I definitely want you to leave your thoughts in the comments um when it comes to the fact of what Stefan's gonna do this year, when it comes to working with Jaden, um, if if if if the commanders are a real contender, if if this is just gonna be another another hyped, hyped up signing that that pans out to nothing. I mean, we'll see. Um while we're sticking on NFL news, I wonder if you guys saw um if you guys saw what happened with uh Max Crosby and Kirk Cousins. Um, there's been there's been some reports about they had to get separated at practice. Um I believe Max hit cousins a couple times, um, and they have a certain protocol, so they I guess they put both of the players on on leave to miss a practice or so on Saturday and Monday when this airs, I believe they'll be back because they have Sundays off. Um but there's been a lot of reports on ESPN, Barstool, things of that nature that have talked around um, I guess, etiquette when it comes to preparing for a season. Um when I look at this, um I I wonder if this is if this is, I know Max says he's happy to be in Oakland, things of that nature, but I wonder if this is him, him him just making a point of him not really wanting to be there. I know he was supposed to, he he originally was supposed to be somewhere else at the start of the season, and that and that fell through. Um I don't know. Usually, based on what's my football experience, like when you see when you see a defensive player trying to make a point um during practice, especially hitting the starting quarterback, because those of you those of you that don't know, those of you that have never played on a sports team, whether it be in high school, I mean a football team, whether it be in high school, whether it be college, whatever, one of the first rules when you're in practice, don't touch the starting quarterback. Don't touch the starting quarterback. If you do, you're probably gonna run a mile. You're probably gonna run a mile. Or you may be kicked out the practice. So I don't know what Max was really thinking when it when it when it came to this, but I mean, things got to fix up. I mean, that's not a good look on the organization. I mean, I wonder what Tom Brady's, he's over there on the yacht, um, floating in the sea, while his team's over here fighting in practice. I mean, you got to get it ready for the season, man. As much as we, as much as we talked about, as much as we talked about the the NFC East being tough, I mean, the AFC West, I would say, and I'm biased, obviously, because I'm a Chiefs fan, but I think they're they're they're the toughest division in football. They're the toughest division in football by a landslide. You got the Chiefs, you got the you got the Chargers, you got the Raiders who who can compete, win, win, win, win, win, win healthy. Um, and then you got the Broncos who just won the division last year. So I mean, maybe it's a cultural thing. Maybe it's trying to toughen up and change the identity of the Raiders. Um I would say Oakland. They're in Las Vegas now, but you know what I meant. Um when it when it comes to the when it comes to the uh Raiders as a whole, but I don't think hurting your starting quarterbacks is gonna get you where you need to go. I don't think it's gonna get you where you need to go at all. Um But we'll see how this pans out. I wonder I wonder if if this will shake up chemistry in the locker room as well, if if this will give uh what's his name, Mendoza a chance to a chance to you know show itself getting reps with the ones while cousins is out. I know it's only a few practices, but something like this could really mess up the chemistry of a team. Um so I'm interested to think, I'm interested to hear what all my football guys that that that tune in week and went out, like should a defensive guy be punished for hitting a starting quarterback, especially when you're building a culture? Or or or or or should you allow your defensive guy, your your quote unquote most tenure, one of your most tenured guys on the program, set the tone of what camp is going to be like. Because there's been there's been times in the past um where I've been on programs where it's like that's just the way you set the tempo and the tone for practice as a whole, going into camp leading into the season. I know they've been a losing organization. So, I mean, there there could be some grace to it, but I mean on the grand scheme of things, when I look at it, it's like there's there's there should be no answer, or there should be no question of whether you should or you shouldn't touch the starting quarterback, even if you're trying to make a point. You could do it other ways. You could do it other ways. But I mean, Max Crosby, I mean, tighten up, brother. Tighten up. I don't know what you're trying to do there. And Tom Brady, get off the yacht, come back, get your team in order. Because if not, if this is if this is the storylines that are gonna be happening where your team's fighting internally, you guys are gonna finish fourth in the division again. You're gonna finish, you're gonna finish fourth in the division again. And I don't think you want that. I think I think you're your organization is yearning you have one of the best fan bases in football. So you gotta get it together. I mean, I'm happy. As a Chiefs fan, I'm happy. You feel me? Patty's in practice, doing his Dougie, his knees looking right, and I'm over here looking at the headlines. Oh, we ain't gotta worry about them now. We ain't gotta worry about them at all. So, I mean, I mean, time will tell. Time will tell when it when it comes to when it comes to how how this organization stands to work through this. Um, but yeah, I mean, sticking on sticking on some more Monday round news, Monday rundown news. Um There's been some updates in the Nolan Wells case. We're shifting it off of sports. There's been some updates in the Nolan Wells case. Um, I know we talked about it a few weeks ago uh when it when it when it came to this the initial reports. We had came on air. They had they had done like a brief autopsy, waiting for for um more details to pop out. Um so I'm gonna give you a few updates on on what's kind of transpired over the last few weeks since we last talked about it. Um so what we do know is Nolan Xavier Wells is 18, was 18 and was found near um Horn Island, dead in Mississippi on July 6th after disappearing during a July 4th boating trip. Um the biggest development is that the cause and manner of death are still officially undetermined, and that was something that we were we were trying to figure out um when this when this news first broke. Um the Wells family has conducted independent autopsy also that also concluded that the cause and manner of the death are still undetermined, and said that foul play could not be ruled out. Um a state autopsy has been completed as well, but its results have not yet been publicly released. Um it's it's extremely important because um there has not been official determination of no of why Nolan was murdered, and that's that's one of the biggest things of like what happened to this kid? What happened? And it's still unknown. We're still trying to figure out, and it's been it's been over a month since this whole tragedy unfolded. Um so one of the major pieces that we realized was um the cell phone. The cell phone of Nolan the Wells, we we discussed this before, um, had been recovered. Um and it said the Wells family and attorneys and local district attorneys' offices have agreed to conduct um a joint um inspection on the phone's contents. Um the phone could potentially provide info about Nolan's communications and activities surrounding July 4th. Um we still don't know what's exactly on the phone. Um me and Rocket had discussed before that um that a lot could be telling just based on kids in this generation video recording and things of that nature, but also it could be one of those situations where um his phone was down. He's having time, you might not find too much info on there. But I think I think it will play a major part in if they do find evidence that that's documenting that day um that could that could potentially lead to more information surrounding the cause of death, um, where he was left, who could have potentially potentially done it. Um Does the phone cooperate um his his alleged friends in their story based on the 911 calls, based on what they have told authorities or what they have kind of like disclosed based on the conversations they've had so far? Um I mean there's a lot to be learned when it when it comes to this, to come to this as a whole. I mean, as information has continued to transpire, some more developments have unfolded um after the phone. The phone was the biggest thing at the biggest the biggest thing at first, but now what we realize is there's been threats connected to the case as well. What I mean is um news reports have have taken a very serious turn, and it says authorities have charged three people with allegedly making threats against individuals connected um to the Wells investigation, including a judge, a witness, and government officials. Um one woman from Ohio was federally charged after authorities alleged alleged she made multiple bomb threats against the Mississippi government offices. Another individual at a reporter of Illinois has been charged in connection with alleged threats against witnesses in the case. Um authorities say um the threats um included threats to kill a witness. There was also an earlier investigation into threats directed at people connected to the case, prompting federal involvement. Um the FBI has assisted the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, although local authorities remain in lead um the lead investigative agency on this. Um there's a lot of things to discuss when it comes around this. I mean, why are people making threats um to witnesses um when it comes to this? Are they trying to deter them from talking? Is it gonna really make a difference when it comes to the threats as a whole? I mean, the investigation is in the early stages. I think this should just make it make people want, make the authorities want to investigate even why, why people are making these threats as a whole. But as I continue to listen and continue to read and continue to understand like the facts that are starting to unfold when it comes to this case as a whole, it's it's a scary thing. It's a scary thing. I mean, we try to give we try to give the friends um and the families associated with the friends grace at first because we didn't understand um the magnitude of what was happening. But when you're looking from the outside, looking in, it's kind of hard to continue to give grace. It's kind of hard to continue to give grace. And the reason I say that is because someone has to know what happened to this kid. Someone has to know. And the fact that you're not coming forward just makes it even that more suspicious, in my opinion. In my opinion. And I say that because if you're calling, if you're calling Nolan Wells your friend, if you're calling Nolan Wells your true friend, you should be more than willing to come forth and give your accounts of the day leading up and after. And you should have nothing to really hide. You should have nothing to, but that hasn't been the case based on what I've read, based on what I've read. And I'm starting to wonder why these kids aren't trying to be more upfront about everything that transpired. Why are you lawyered up? Why are you being sheltered? Why haven't more investigative reports and facts coming out that the day leading up, the day of, the day after? I know the 911 calls, I know, I know they caused a lot of confusion. They called a lot a lot of discourse between one community and the next. But at the end of the day, when it comes to this, Nolan Wells is dead and his parents still have no answers. And that's a sad thing to see. Like, I'm tired, I'm personally tired of seeing black kids, black people go away on vacation, go go go hang out with their friends, and come up missing, come up dead, and no one doing nothing about it. There's no sense of urgency, it doesn't seem like. To come to a conclusion or to figure out what really went down. If this is any other case, any other kid, any other person, I feel as though there'd be a quote-unquote speedy trial. I mean, we just got done talking about Carmelo Anthony, how quick that trial went. Yeah, I'm not trying to compare the two cases, but I'm trying, I'm comparing the diligence of the work of the officers and the d in the justice system when it came to figuring out what actually went down. Because again, if the rules were reversed, and Nolan Wells was the victim, but someone else was the victim, if you know what I mean. I feel like more info and more details of things that that transpired probably would have came into the fold. Probably would have came into the limelight. But that's not the case here. So it's frustrating, it's frustrating to read. You feel me? Because if it was just a if it was just a one-off thing, it's like, oh, it's one kid that happened, yeah, it'd be super sad. It'd be like, okay, this is this is this is this doesn't happen often, but this is a continuous thing that continues to happen. Even though I don't have kids, I can only imagine how a parent feels now. I'm gonna say a black parent feels now. Sending their kid out into the world, sending their kid out into the world and not knowing and having to pray every night that their kid comes back home safe. Not because they did anything wrong necessarily, but because the world doesn't necessarily value them. And it makes it just seem like they're super disposable. So if things like this don't strike a nerve in you, don't make you frustrated, don't make you wonder, don't make you curious, don't make you want to make things right. I don't know what will. And especially with all these different platforms trying to cover this case and talk about this case and shine a light on this, I think there would be more pressure on authorities to get this information out. Let the people know what's going on. That's just not the case here. So, if you're listening, I would love to hear your thoughts. I would love to hear your opinions on on what you actually think went down, what you actually think happened. How long do you think this case is gonna take to develop before somebody is is charged? Or not charged? How long before we get a cause of death? Or do you think we're just gonna be waiting in limbo for a long period in time based off who this kid is, what this kid looks like, where it happened in Mississippi, or not? Let me know. Let me know in the comments. Let me know in the comments. I mean and as we're continuing on serious cases like this, the reason it the the the reason it really the reason it really frustrates me is because you have a kid like Jesse Butler. Jesse Butler, who's a teenager who just got who just got his rape case dismissed, a white teenager who just got his rape key uh rape case dismissed. And got and got let off as essentially a minor. I'm gonna read this story because this type of thing should infuriate you from all ends, no matter what race, what creed, what color you are. This type of thing, I uh I in my opinion, just shouldn't happen. It just shouldn't happen. But it happens all the time. It happens all the time, and that's and that's and that's why I brought up the the disparity in how and how and how cases are treated, the due diligence of research, who's actually on trial, who gets a speedy trial, who has to wait, whose facts get swept under the rug. I mean, you tell me if it's right or wrong. You tell me if I'm if I'm just jumping off the ledge or not. Tell me if something needs to be fixed. So we have we have Jesse Butler. It says Jesse Butler was a Stillwater, Oklahoma teenager who was originally charged as an adult after allegations involving two teenage girls. The charges included rape, attempted rape, rape by instrumentation, strangulation, and domestic assault. It says Butler ultimately pleaded no contest to 11 felony counts in 2025. He was originally facing as much as 78 years in prison. Instead, Butler was given a youthful offender status, which allowed him to avoid prison and complete rehabilitation, counseling, and community service. The crazy part about this is on August 3rd, 2026, a judge formally dismissed the case after Butler completed the requirements of his youthful offender supervision. So this means he didn't they dismissed the entire case after after he completed the requirements of defender supervision. After being originally charged as an adult for raping two teenage girls. Again, but you have a kid like Carmelo Anthony who doesn't get the same grace. Granted, the different cases, the different cases in different places as well, but just how the system views and handles kids that are around the same age is drastically different when one looks like Carmelo Anthony and one looks like a Jesse Butler. So it goes on to say he completed the requirements without violation, and because he was about to turn 19, the youthful offender supervision ended, and he did not serve a day in prison. And don't get me wrong, the victims' families have been extremely critical of the outcome. Extremely critical of the outcome. And they should be, because how do you go from facing 78 years in prison to getting a slap on the wrist and saying, oh, you just have to complete community service, you just need to get canceling. He pleaded no contest, which means he knows what he did was wrong, essentially. Allegedly. And he still doesn't serve any time. I think that's wrong. I think it's messed up. I think it sets a bad precedent on how our how our system operates and what people can get away with certain things. And I feel as though I think more young men will come up, and not even not even just a black or white thing, just in general, thinking that they can get away with stuff like this when it's not okay. And this also goes to the conversation about what privilege and family connections can get you and how far it can get you. I'm gonna give you a little more background just to give you a little more detail of like the type of family that this this kid comes from and the connections he potentially could have, and how it could have played a potential potential part in this is all legend, obviously, but play a potential part in how he got a slap on the wrist. It says Butler was a prominent high school baseball player in Stillwater, and his father previously worked as director of football operations at Oklahoma State University. And the judge who granted the youthful offender status also had ties to Oklahoma State as well. And a lot of these connections are part of the public controversy, but um, in my opinion, they help establish that he received favorable treatment because of his family connections. I mean, he was being charged for using instruments on somebody, strangling somebody. Don't you think he should serve time? Or should he just be walking around free? It's not it wouldn't make a difference if you did it to one woman or two women or whatever it may be, but it's not like he only did it to one person, he did it to two different people on two different occasions. But yet it's oh, you get a useful defender, slap on the wrist, go to community service. Yeah, that'll teach him. That'll teach him. This kid's gonna be walking around on somebody's campus next year. This kid's gonna be walking around on somebody's campus next year. Like nothing happened. And these two, these two young teenage girls are traumatized for life. They're traumatized for life. So know that doesn't make it okay. This just shows people what you can and can't get away with. And I think I think it's a I think it's a it's it's it's this should be a fine line. There should be no gray areas when it comes to things like this. It'd be different if reports came out and said that there was a disparity, or or he came out and went against the charges and said he was not guilty and tried to fight the case, but it was no contest. It was no contest. So you tell me, you tell me what should have been done. How should how should courts, no matter what state you're in, the United States of America handle something like this? How do you draw the line between charging someone as an adult versus a kid? Is it the crime? Is it how big they are? Is it their family connections? Is the is it is it the color of their skin? How do you draw the line? Should he be should he be tried as a criminal in a different type of case? I don't know if that would make make a big difference. Should it be pushed up the ladder? It says that the case is being referred to federal authorities for review. So we'll see. I mean, there could be a potential civil lawsuit coming from it from I assume like the victims, that type of thing. Um but yeah, that's the biggest thing to me is that how how could how could someone plead no contest and walk away scot-free? And walk away scot-free. It's just it's just not right. It's just not right. So those are two those are two cases that I want you guys to pay attention to, our listeners. Pay attention to the Nolan Wells case as it continues to unfold. Details continue to come out. Watch closely how they treat the potential or alleged, don't even have suspects really yet, but people that could potentially be suspects, how speedy they try to get this done when it comes to Nolan Wells versus, you know, do your research on this Jesse Butler case too, and how how they let this this young man walk free after pleading no contest. So and to wrap it up, just so so just so you know what no contest means. I mean, says Butler can uh pleaded no contest rather than entering a guilty plea after the trial. Um so it doesn't necessarily call him guilty, obviously, but the writing's on the wall. I'll just put it like that. The writing's on the wall. So, and some more Monday rundown news, you know, everybody's favorite sports host, Stephen A. Smith, came out publicly. Came out publicly uh apologizing to Kyrie Irving as he should.

SPEAKER_08 49:00

Take a listen. You know, the other day I did a special edition of the Stephen A. Smith show. So apologize to Kyrie Irving. Thought it was the right thing to do. I still think it's the right thing to do. He took a lot of heat over the whole vaccine mandate back in 2021 or so. And I was one of those people that was all over him about that. Thought it was selfish. Thought he had assembled a crew in Brooklyn and he owed it to them. Take the same risk everybody else was taking. But in the aftermath of all of that, and seeing so much skepticism, so many questions about what really transpired during the whole coronavirus pandemic in terms of what was going on in this country at that time. I was wrong. Kyrie Irving was right, and dare I say, villainized by a lot of people. And I put myself at the top of the list. When I watched Dr. Anthony Fauci give testimony on Capitol Hill, leading the fifth 111 times. When folks wanted to ask him questions about what indeed was scientific perspective and what indeed was stuff that was just being made up, I felt that it was the right thing to do to apologize. I've had days to reflect on it and I haven't changed my mind. I'm a grown-ass man. Right is right and wrong is wrong. And even though it was still right in some people's eyes for them to take the vaccine, and in others it may not, the point is the question, the skepticism, the cynicism was justified. Because Dr. Fauci showed that to us the other day by his unwillingness to answer questions, even though we understand he was protecting himself. It's the reality. A Republican by the name of Anna Paulina Luna has called for Kyrie Irving to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She tweeted, I'm calling on President Trump to give Kyrie Irvin the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his immense act of bravery during one of the darkest times in modern history. Simply here to say that when you're a conscientious individual, you have your questions. You don't deserve to be silenced, especially in the United States of America. Very least, you should be heard. And even if disagreed upon, your perspective should be appreciated and respected, not silenced and vilified. That's all I need to say about that.

SPEAKER_07 50:39

So, if you're Stephen A, if I'm Stephen A, I'm apologizing too. Because I remember very vividly when Kyrie was going through his things when it came with the COVID, when he came through the whole things going against one of the books he reposted. Stephen A, you were giving him a hard, hard time. I'm just glad, I'm just glad you're giving him a public apology the same way that you tried to publicly tear him down. Just for him to be right. Just for him to be right. We saw Dr. Fauci plead the fifth 111 times, I think it was on the stand when it came to COVID. But you want to give Kyrie a hard time for taking that shot, not taking that shot. And I'm not talking about no shot on the court, I'm talking about that COVID shot. Hindsight's 2020. Hindsight's a motherfucker. But sometimes people aren't wrong. They're just early. I'm gonna reiterate again. Sometimes people aren't wrong. They're just early. But again, I'm giving Stephen A credit, credit where credit's due because he came out and publicly, publicly apologized, but it's like Stephen A, come on now, man. You were trying to put a dark light on someone who's a bright light in the NBA, one of the one of the one of the more well, in my opinion, one of the more well-liked guys, not just by NBA players, but but but NBA fans and lovers of the game. So that gives me a thought. Even for myself, how should we as media personalities attack and give our opinions on certain situations before we know the full facts about things? And the reason I ask that is because I'm giving my opinion on a lot of things, like just even the cases we just talked about in the segment before. You have a guy like Stephen A who's giving his giving his thoughts on what Kyrie should be doing or shouldn't be doing? Should we wait till we have enough facts to give an opinion on something? Or should we continuously give updates and listeners should allow our allow our uh opinion to to change as time goes on? Or should we just rush out and jump on a ledge and stand on our beliefs when it comes to something without necessarily having all the facts, even when the facts come out, because we see some some some talking heads, we see some media personalities do that as well. Well, those even though facts come out, they still stand ten toes down on their beliefs because they don't want to say that they're wrong. And the reason I ask that is because the way media is shifting, the way media has been, even for Stephen A to branch off and have his own independent thing, like where are the people that are gonna be the trusted sources, not these big conglomerates that are gonna push a narrative to push an agenda. Stephen A has a cult following of people that listen to him. You have people like people across like the Deontay Kyles that listen to him, that he's not sports, but the Deontay Kyles that listen to him. You have you have Skip Bayliss's, you have Gilbert Arenas, you have the 520 um pod the 520 in the morning podcast, you have you have the Joe Rogan's, you have a lot of different independent people that have built their platforms that people tune into on a high level. So you should be careful what you say because you can push a narrative, even if it's not intentional, you can push a narrative that could cause harm to somebody, that could shine a negative light that doesn't necessarily need to be there. But at the end of the game, we always say the gig is a gig. But I mean, how far can we go for a click, i.e., Stephen A. Kyrie Irving, because I'm sure he jumped out out there and talked about that because it was a trending thing, not really necessary. I mean, if you go back, I went back and listened to some of the commentary that he was having about it. I mean, granted, he's making points about you need to be there for your team. It's for X, Y, and Z. But at the same time, it's like, you know what type of time Kyrie Irving's on. You know where he stands. You know the cloth that he's cut from. So would it hurt a little to maybe to maybe take a step back before trying to bash him? You know what I like to see? When you have talking heads that are prominent like that, and athletes or entertainers that don't see eye to eye and they're going back and forth, whether it be through the socials, whether it be on their own shows, the best moneymaker is sit down and have that conversation on air. Especially now, I would love to I would love to see Stephen A and Kyrie sit in front of each other and see see how Stephen A reacts when he's sitting in front of him. It's no different than it's no different than when he got caught in the crossfires when it came to him talking about Bronny James and LeBron had to check him. And LeBron had to check him. But I think athletes are in the right to do so. And again, that's what makes the gig the gig. You have to, and that goes back to my point about how far is too far. Should you be able to just go on on a ledge and stand on what you believe on for the for the clicks or what you don't believe on for the clicks? I just think there has to be a fine line. Again, like like I said, I'm I'm glad he gave a public apology. But sometimes, bruh, stand on what you said, brother. Or sit down and have that conversation, man. As a media guy, as somebody who's who's who's who's who's who's been around and somebody who pays attention to the sports and things of that nature, that's the best bet. But I think sometimes, and then I'll close this segment out, I think sometimes that I think sometimes media we get ahead of ourselves. And we can take it off sports. We get ahead of ourselves when it comes to certain things. So we want to jump out, jump out to the fire, be trending, say something that's gonna get a clip. But sometimes the better content is to sit back and see how's this gonna how's this gonna unfold? How's this gonna play out? So, Steven, I'm I'm interested to see how you start to maneuver. Or if you just really don't care. Because you might not care at all. I don't think you do. I think your bottom line is probably I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get the attention on my platform. I'm gonna say what I have to say and address it later. What you did here. But I see you. I see the play. Um, continuing on on the Monday Rundown news, as we continue on, we're we're getting, we got a few more topics we want to we want to discuss. Um, okay. So there's a lot of news reports and speculations coming out talking about I believe it was MySpace is about to make a return or trying to make a return. Um this is a nostalgia thing for me. This is a big nostalgia thing for me if this is true. Even if it's not, I want to discuss kind of like what that world would look like if it did come back. And this this goes to this this goes back to my conversation. Sometimes you just early on things. I think Myspace was was one of those things that was super early on the platform when it came to social media and all that. It was a time, it was the IG before the IG essentially, before the Facebook, and that a chokehold on everybody. At least the generation a little bit above me in our generation, every coming up when it came to music discovery, when it came to taste level. It was that whole Tumblr era, MySpace era, where you really I always call it crate digging. It's not really not when you're listening for music, but also you're just digging or thrifting for for talent and new finds or the creative people across the world. Um, so I'm gonna I'm gonna give um the brief overview real quick Um of the speculation, the talks that have come up. And and then I'm gonna give my explanation of where I think this could go if they actually do come back. Because this is gonna open up a whole world for a lot of possibilities if the MySpace platform comes back, even if it's at the capacity that they were at, but I think there's evolution to that. So it says the owners of MySpace, um Chris and Tim are planning on planning an attempt to revive the platform. There is no announced relaunch date, but the owners have publicly discussed bringing the platform back. Um and this is fascinating, like I said, because before Instagram, before TikTok, before Twitter, before Facebook, before Spotify, there was MySpace. And the reason it was so big is because MySpace allowed artists to upload music. Um, you could build your own fan pages, you could customize your profile to the way you look. I feel like we learned how to code through MySpace without learning how to code, um, setting our backgrounds. I know some people had their favorite artists as the background, some people had their favorite cartoon or the favorite, the favorite anime as their background. You were able to set your top friends. You could have you could have music. You didn't have to be an artist to set your own fan page or set your own profile. When you went on MySpace, it was a thing where people come into your page and they see what type of person you are based on what your playlist is or the music that was playing when you entered the when you entered your page. That's when individuality and creativity was really a thing and it was really humming at the time. So, yeah, it's a nostalgia, but I think we're getting back to that era of that direct to consumer. It's been a theme we've been talking about for such a long time. And I think a relaunch of MySpace would emphasize that even more. Because outside of just customizing things with your profiles, you communicated directly with your fans, you're able to promote things, and and and it was especially it was especially, especially, especially, especially a top-tier thing for independent artists. Artists like Drake, artists like Wale, Nicki Minaj, this is how they, Chris Brown, this is how they really built cult followings, which through platforms like this. But the biggest question, the biggest question that people and consumers probably have is if MySpace do does come back with the with the shift in the social media landscape, who would make me take my attention off of Instagram, off of TikTok, off of Facebook, these other platforms off of YouTube, and put all my attention on MySpace. Why should I leave these platforms that have everything I need to come back to a platform that's just trying to revive itself that didn't even stick around before? Another question is, if I do go to MySpace, is it gonna come back as an anti-algorithm platform? Or is it gonna be just another consumer platform where they're gonna get us on? Things are gonna come up in cognitive chronological order to start. And then as they continue to build their database, build the user base, the number of users that are on the platform, they're gonna slowly shift into another advertising platform, another algorithm-based platform. Or is it gonna be the platform that creators and consumers really are yearning for? If I'm MySpace, that's how I come back. I'm coming back as an anti-algorithm platform. I'm coming back as a platform that's it's your music, your page, your friends, your customization, no algorithm involved. I want to be the one to decide who I see and who I don't see, who I subscribe to and who I don't subscribe to. Not all this other stuff that Instagram's pushing to us, that X is now pushing to us, that the Facebook people are saying are pushing to them. Even YouTube's starting to suggest a bunch of things, even though YouTube's not as algorithmally forced as the Instagrams and the TikToks and all this other stuff. Yeah, they suffer stuff, but you can really subscribe to the stuff that you want to subscribe to. But if I'm MySpace, that's how I'm coming back. I'm coming back as the platform that's anti-algorithm. It's the platform of the people where you see what you want to see, not what not what MySpace wants you to see. If they come back like that, on a high-level standpoint, on a high-level standpoint, I think they have a real chance at competing. And then I think they need to go back to what they were doing before. Don't change that because that's what made MySpace MySpace. Keep the direct to consumer feel because that's the way the media landscape is going. That's the way music is going, that's the way art is going. I will continue to say on this platform that the mainstream media is going by the wayside. Independent creators are here to stay. And if you figure out a way, and I'm talking about MySpace, to make this a non algorithm. Platform that consumers can see what they want and not what you want, and allow the creatives, the businesses, the artists to find and search and connect with the people that want to find them, want to see them. Yeah, you can add a little subscription model here or there where you make a couple dollars off of the creatives. I'm not opposed to that. But don't force feed the consumer something that they don't want to see. That's off-putting. It's very off-putting. As someone who who who's who who hasn't used social media as much outside of posting the business, posting the brand. As a consumer, the algorithm stuff is what turns me off. And when I want to talk to other people that digest content on a daily basis or just want to use the platform to follow their friends, follow their family, that's the biggest turn off. Don't come in as trying to be a corporate, a big corporate giant, or anything like that. Make yourself the home for the independent creator and make yourself the home for the consumer that wants to see what they want to see and nothing else. I do believe the nostalgia is enough to kind of get this off the ground to start. Because there's a generation, a new generation that has no idea what MySpace is. So you can relaunch it as a new thing, but keep that nostalgia aspect to it. I think consumers, we see when it comes to like the 90s era, the early 2000s, a lot of things aren't. What we said, the wheels aren't really getting reinvented, they're just kind of getting twisted and altered just a little bit. With a new spin on it, a new taste on it, a new feel to it, but it's really the same thing, just repackaged. That's how I'm looking at it if I'm MySpace. That's how I'm looking at it if I'm trying to build a new platform that's gonna drive consumers. It's gonna drive users. But there's always that fine line of like, as MySpace, what are you trying to get out of this? Why do you want people to actually land on your platform? And once we figure out as users, as consumers, what that what that actually is, they won't make a decision. But shit, I wish I could customize my background on my profile page, have the branding all around it. I know on Instagram you can put the music on the little speech bubble quote and let people know what you're listening to. But what diff? But the big difference in the better feel is like when people land on your page, say I am running an ad and they hear the song playing on my profiles, they scroll. That's the mood I'm in today. Or if I could highlight my top followers who engage with me the most, that would make the platform appealing. Bring that back. Bring that back. I'd be happy to see that. But let me know, let me know what y'all think in the comments. Could could could Myspace make a return? And if they do make a return, will they compete with the IGs, the TikToks, the YouTubes? How do you foresee that looking? And if they come back, what would you like? What would you like MySpace to have? What didn't you like before from the old MySpace that you don't want them to bring back? Let me know. Let me know in the comments. Alright. I got one more topic for the day before we close out. Um today's episode. And this one is official. It says JD Sports partners with Yeezy. Um it says JD Sports has become the retail partner for Yeezy Footwear, bringing Kanye West slash Ye's footwear back into a major retail environment. After the end of the Adidas Yeezy relationship, JD has dedicated uh has a dedicated Yeezy section on its website. Um this first JD release is scheduled for August 13th, 2026, with multiple Yeezy products expected to hit the stores online. Alright, so you're you're probably wondering why does this matter? Um it matters because Yeezy was once one of the biggest, not once, it's still one of the biggest sneaker brands in the world. Um and then Adidas and Ye had massive success. Um obviously the partnership ended, and then Ye became largely independent, um, which put him on the market. And as we know, over the last few years, Ye's been going through controversy in the media, but also when that kind of died down, he obviously signed this deal with Gamma, and he's been building his value. He's been building his value, not just through concerts, but also his retail online with his $20 apparel, a lot of his items, a lot of his um sneak, not sneakers, but his shirts, his clothing that he dropped on the on the Yeezy site, we're going for super low. And when you look at it from a grand scheme of things, as someone that pays attention to the creative industry and someone who pays attention to the value that independent creators could actually have and actually do have when they put their mind to it. Despite all the controversy, Ye has been building his stock over the last few years. Not just from the shop, but from the shows, showing that he still has demand without the labels, without Adidas. Yeah, people see the shows and say, oh, it's sold out dates, people are coming to watch him play his anthems. But that's not just the case. He's gathering data from how many people buy his merch at the show. How many people subscribe to his drops? How many people subscribed to the early releases of certain things? Because I know when tickets went on sale and things of that nature multiple times, them things sold out same day, same hour, maybe even. So I think that a deal with JD is a smart move. And the reason I say this is because if you're a brand like JD, you're trying to you're trying to make, you're trying to make uh a huge impact in the retail, in the retail world. Yeah, some people know what JD is, but people don't know it to the extent of like Adidas, a Nike, uh I would even say like a Converse or a New Balance. So, yay, being the businessman that he is, the creative that he is, he partners with a brand that's a little less well known, shows the value that he has, and now he can come up, come in with the creative leverage that he wants to have, put his imprint that he wants to have on a company, and bring them to the limelight, and bring them to the forefront. And if he does this, and if he makes them one of the hottest brands in retail, just from this partnership, we're gonna have even more real conversations about star power and megastars. We talk a lot about Drake on here, talk a lot about Jay-Z on here. We even bring up Mike Jackson sometimes in terms of global influence, Beyonce, Rihanna. But Ye's on that throne too. Yeah's on that throne too. And it's and it's become to the point where it's undeniable. And there's no way around it. So I wonder if y'all think that is JD taking a risk? Partner with Ye based on his controversy? Does Ye still have the cultural influence to carry the sneaker game, to carry the fashion brand, the fashion game? To sell out of to sell out new merch and partnerships? Can he make JD competitor with the Nikes, the Jordans, the new balances of the world? Or is this just a play for him? Those are all the questions that are raised through my head. But the biggest one is can Ye become bigger independently than he was with Adidas? Can he do it? Or was that the peak? Or was that the peak of Ye, formerly known as Kanye West? You tell me. You tell me. We're gonna continue to follow this as he starts to release. His first release is August 13th. And I think if you're a creator, a musician, anything, media personality in this landscape, this ever-changing landscape that has a digital footprint, I think you should pay attention to this. Pay attention to this. And I'm not just talking about his partnership with JD. I'm talking about pay attention to the Ye rise, how he got his deals originally, what happened when he got his deals, when he left Nike, went to Adidas, when he stopped wanting to work with Adidas, how the media spun certain things, how he had to bounce back and build things independently to show his value, to show his worth so he could come to a negotiation table and be like, here's what I bring to the table. And then land a unique deal like this. And then pay attention also to how he elevates this brand, because I think he will elevate this brand. And I think if you if if you're a creator, if you're in this industry, I think paying attention to this storyline will show you how much these brands, these companies need us more than we need them. A brand is only as relevant as the consumers purchasing their product. And how do you get somebody to purchase your product? Through branding and having the cool motherfuckers rock your shit. And that's facts. That's facts. Period. But I'm gonna leave y'all on that note. That's all I got for episode 298 of the Face of the Future podcast. Like I said, if you're listening to us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, tell a friend to tell a friend about today's episode. Roll the 300, man. We got two more episodes to go. Go subscribe to that Patreon. Search MBT Network on Patreon. Subscribe. If you support us, that's the way to support us. I enjoyed this episode. Shout out to the compound, shout out to the Fantasy League, episode 298 of the Face of the Future podcast. It's your boy Millie. Peace. Oh my god, is that the faces of the future?