Inside this episode...

Intro: Announcing the winners of the 2nd Annual Obsidian Awards!
0:00
Celebration of Ketanji Brown Jackson's appointment to the Supreme Court!
0:50
Discussing our favorites for Best Movie
3:23
The elephant in the room: 'The Slap' (or: Kim reads Will)
5:51
The actions of a man who loves a woman who does not love him back?
10:41
Hoping for a moment of leadership...
12:44
Screw that!
13:10
Could you forgive him?
17:32
Announcing the Winner for Best Movie
22:58
Announcing the Winner for Best TV Show
26:12
Announcing the Winner for Best Music Album
28:31
Announcing the Winner for Best Podcast
34:01
Announcing the Winner for Best Book
40:20
A discussion on Dave Chappelle and the use of the 'B-word'
46:05
Announcing the Winner for Person of the Year
51:41
Outro: A curation born of multiple colors and patterns...
55:54

Links

Official Winners Page for the 2nd Annual Obsidian Awards

Transcript

Jason: 00:01Yeah, this is The Rhythmic Lens, a podcast that explores arts in life by ciphering on the events, new releases and issues of the day by the editors of The Obsidian. You can find us at theobsidiantoday.com/podcast. I'm Jason.

Kim: 00:23I'm Kim.

Ron: 00:24And I'm Ron.

Jason: 00:26Excellent. Good to see y'all good people.

Kim: 00:28You too.

Ron: 00:29Good to see you.

Jason: 00:31Hey, check it out. Tonight. We are excited to announce the winners of the Second Annual Obsidian Awards for Excellence in 2021.

Kim: 00:44Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to "The Rock"!

Jason: 00:50That's what I'm talking about. Yes, y'all we'll be announcing the winners for following categories: Best Movie, Best TV show. Best Music Album, Best Book, Best Podcast, and it is true, Person of the Year. But first, but first. Everybody get up and clap your hands. We need a quick congratulations to Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was appointed as the first Black Woman Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Ron: 01:33Yeah, yeah, we need to celebrate this today. You know, definitely take a moment and just appreciate and also, you know, tomorrow, we're going to be right back on folks. You know, we need more people of color. We need more women on that Supreme Court. We'll be right back in people's behinds after that, but today, we're gonna celebrate.

Kim: 02:02Yes. So exciting.

Jason: 02:06Thanks. Excellent. Excellent. So we're not going to delay this. I had a list of about 25 things I wanted to say. And that's, that's less than the 78 that I had. So, uh, but I'm not gonna say anything. I'm just gonna jump right into announcing this year's award winners. For again, the Second Annual Obsidian Awards for Excellence in 2021.

Ron: 02:38Awesome.

Kim: 02:39Yes. Second Annual you said number two.

Jason: 02:43This is the deuce.

Ron: 02:45Well you know the Academy Awards is celebrating their 94th and Grammys are celebrating their 64th. And the Obsidian Awards are celebrating the 2nd. So you know that's like right in line 94-64-2.

Jason: 03:02Starting to feel old, man. That's funny. So let me just go ahead. Do you want me to read these nominees?

Ron: 03:19Why not?

Kim: 03:20Yeah, do it.

Ron: 03:21Let's go ahead, let's jump in.

Jason: 03:23All right, check it out. Kim. Ron. Yes. For best movie. Let's do it. The nominees for Best Movie are Judas and the Black Messiah. King Richard. One Night in Miami, and Summer of Soul. Best Movie?

Ron: 03:51Well, I just have to say to what I'm pulling for is is definitely that One Night in Miami. That's my my personal favorite of all of them this year and all these movies were great. But I just love that combination of Malcolm and Muhammad and Jim Brown and Sam Cooke. And just all brought under the same rubric by Regina King masterfully. Man, for me, that was the moment. That was a moment of the year.

Kim: 04:23Okay, I think I love that movie too. And it was actually my number one until I watched Summer of Soul and now I'm all about Summer of Soul. I thought it was just an absolutely beautiful film. So well put together. And to me the theme of it was just black people are so incredibly beautiful. Like it just it just resonated with Black is Beautiful black is beautiful. In every frame, in so many different ways. It was just such a such a beautiful celebration. I keep saying that word beautiful, but I can't help it.

Jason: 05:01That's beautiful.

Kim: 05:02I really loved it.

Jason: 05:05You know, some great films here. But I have to say that, you know, as as much as I was entertained, the thing that kind of gave me a bit of pause and change was Summer of Soul. It's the fact that it was buried for so long in someone's basement or someone's archives or something like that, that it happened in the Summer of Love. Same summer of Woodstock, but got no pub, right. Got no love. So that's what I gotta go with. Check it out. I want to know who the winner is. So Ron, could you please do the honor?

Ron: 05:51I just had to mention one thing though. Before we rock that winner. One of our nominees... Some something happened? I think we need to speak on it. It happened on one of those other award shows... It's the movie King Richard. Yeah, you know? We got to talk about it man! What was your boy thinkin'? Will? Will Smith.

Kim: 06:25Oh, yeah. Well, okay, if we're gonna do this now, then. I don't want to tarnish what I think Jason... I think we got it, man. I think we got it. Summer of Soul, I think that's the winner. I'm gonna try to predict all of them correctly. I want to win. But I'm okay, so to speak on the Will Smith thing. Yes. The thing. There's so many things and people said everything. But what I haven't heard is just something that comes directly from my perspective. And that is looking at his acceptance speech. I was really kind of like, I was offended by everything and disappointed by, by by the slap and all that. But it was, it was kind of offensive to me. That this 350 Millionaire is up there making excuses and saying, you know, he's overwhelmed by what he's called to do. And he's fiercely defending and protecting. And I just, not only is it like, a lame excuse to try to put excuse himself with that, but like, I'm coming off a day. I'm a teacher. And I kind of want to say to him, don't you dare ever pretend to know what a lot of the people out there, especially these past two years, who are truly overwhelmed by what they are called to do, and who they are called to be on a regular daily basis.

Kim: 08:09Like the frontline workers, like teachers, like how dare you try to say that what you were talking about that you're trying to excuse your behavior, because you're called to do and be, I just, it just really didn't sit well with me. When I know what my I'm talking about. I'm chatting up my pair educators, my principals, support staff of all kinds other people who are on the front line, I just feel like it was it was kind of sick for him to put that out there like this millionaire superstar, pampered in every way that that he can't bear the burden that he's called to do and who was called to be. It just really rubbed me quite the wrong way. And there was many things that I disliked about it. But that was one of the things that really resonated with me.

Ron: 09:06So it was the speech that really set you off.

Kim: 09:09I mean, well, the slap was...

Ron: 09:11Well, yeah...

Kim: 09:14The not taking responsibility and then I'm looking at all of the people there and they're all like you know, the faces of seriousness and I'm, I'm like, Y'all don't even really know like, what the real work that's being done out there. That's not being appreciated. It just it just really... It's one of the reasons I don't watch the Oscars anymore, too, is because you know, people take themselves so seriously. And it's like, Dude, you are making millions and billions of dollars, doing something that you love that you are as pampered for cater to in every way, shape or form. I'm not saying you can't have problems, but don't try to excuse yourself for slapping somebody because you were...overwhelmed by your responsibility and what you're called to do as a rich ass actor.

Ron: 10:04No. I got it. You know, and I think, Kim, honestly the Internet and the court of public opinion has come down on this question on the side of your sentiment for sure. And I share that sentiment. I also see, well, there's two things I see on this. One, and I don't know if Kim, you're gonna get mad at me...

Kim: 10:36I'm ready. Better not be a joke.

Ron: 10:41It's not a joke. Well, actually probably was a joke. But I don't know if you guys have seen there's, Dave Chappelle has been presenting on Netflix, this special by a comedian called Earthquake. And so is this kind of, you know, kind of an older brother that you know, been around away and kind of an elder statesman that Dave Chappelle is pushing up, elder statesman, comedian. And he made some observations to me that seemed like that are explaining what happened in a way that I think is probably on target. And he said, these are actions of a man who loves a woman who does not love him back.

Ron: 11:34The reason I say that is because the whole thing happened... Chris Rock was just telling the standard cap type jokes that they tell at these events all the time. And yeah, it's unfortunate that Jada has this condition that's causing her to lose her hair. I think it's great that she shaved it just like the Congresswoman, the Congress person that that has the same condition. she shaved her head. Uh huh. I think that's empowering. You know, I kind of, you know, I'm partial to a shaved head. But what I saw was that Jada looked over at Will as if to say, "Are you really going to just sit there?" And then that's when he got up and did all that. So my reaction is similar to yours Kim, he should not have got up. He should not have tried to Not take responsibility, should not have tried to, you know, glorify himself, like he did in the acceptance speech. And he still hasn't apologized, I think sufficiently to Chris. So. Yeah.

Ron: 12:44But the second angle I have on this, I'm thinking is that I'm really prayerful that somehow Chris, and Will get together and figure out how they can turn this into a leadership moment. For you know, not only all people but especially for our community. So that's all I'm gonna say,

Jason: 13:10Man, screw that! Hey, I hear what you say leadership like. First of all, we all know that what Jada leaned over and that she did say something to Will, I watched her lips and she said "Go up and pull his hair".

Kim: 13:30Oh, really?

Jason: 13:31Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. This is what I told my kids. And instead, he slapped him. But a slap, a spit in the face, or pulling someone's hair, is meant to demean. It's, you know Will should have taken out his white gloves and slapped Chris a couple of times across the face. Challenged his ass to a duel. "You have offended my, my good looking bald wife". Yes. You know. I mean, honestly. The whole thing, like you said Kim, it's just disappointing. You know, he didn't shoot a baby. Right on live TV. He didn't strangle a baby. Sorry for babies. But, he slapped a man. But I think it was more than that. You know, it's not a gut punch. It's not a chop to the throat. You know, it's a slap man. It's like a spit in the face, pulling his hair meant to demean another person. To belittle. And that to me, was the worst.

Jason: 14:46I mean, Jada didn't need "saving" for Christ's sake. Now my sister pointed out, we were talking last night, she pointed out and this is a quote from her. She's like "Demi in G.I. Jane was a bad bitch! Yeah. Yes. Like she was tough. My sister saw it as a compliment, like your, riggity raw right now! You bringin it with your bald self, you know? So this, whatever Jada was thinking, this whole damn things on Will. And I don't know the brother, he surely as hell doesn't even know I breathe on this Earth, and that's fine. But, you know, I'm entertained by him. And you know, like, if you were a clown, or part of a dance troupe, I'm entertained, you know, like, go, go, go! But this is tainted some shit for me on him. Oh, yeah. And, honestly, it wasn't the physical part, it was the messages sent to demean somebody. That shit ain't cool, man. That's hurtful.

Ron: 15:58And, and that's why I'm hoping that somehow these two brothers, I'd say these two kings sit down somehow, and figure out how to actually turn this into something that it isn't right now. Because both of them honestly, I feel have produced a lot of very high quality works, whether or not you like the the corny stuff that Will Smith has done or whether or not you like Chris Rock's comedy. I think that these are two very hardworking brothers who really practice a craft and practice with excellence. And, you know, obviously, the vote for the Academy Awards had nothing to do with the Slap. It was already all in the bag. And he won the award, and it was a good movie.

Jason: 16:52I gotta ask both of you. Ron. Yeah. If it were you who got slapped in the face? On Live internationally live television, people in Japan and Australia? "Did you see the the slap?", you know, would you forgive?

Ron: 17:16Would I forgive him? Yeah, I could do it. Absolutely. Yeah. I think that if he asked me sincerely, and was contrite and explained to me what was going on in his head and his heart, behind the scenes, in a private conversation. Yeah, I could forgive him.

Jason: 17:32Okay, Kim, would you forgive him? If he came up on stage and slapped the snot out of you on international live television?

Jason: 17:46Hold on, everybody. She is thinking deeply. I just want you to know the silence speaks volumes.

Kim: 17:54I think it's forgivable, but I personally would not forgive him if he smacked me in the frickin face. Hell, no, I would not. But there's a gender thing in there, too. So, um, that's a thing. I think it is forgivable, I think I can see if Chris Rock wanted to forgive him.I think that it is a forgivable thing. For me personally, though, if he did that to me? No. No. But again, it might be slightly different. For a lot of people if he smacked a lady in the face.

Ron: 18:37Oh, yeah. We couldn't even couldn't even have this conversation.

Kim: 18:41Not that I'm a lady. But I'm a female. But I wanted to ask you, Ron, what if you envision, what is something that you think that they might be able to do to kind of create something good out of something that I'm just curious? Well, because I believe that they I believe you as well, I think that there is potential for that. And they do have a lot of money and a lot of power and a lot of influence.

Ron: 19:08Well, I think that's a very public and contrite apology, public, from Will to Chris would do a lot, because there's a lot of toxic masculinity in this moment. And they could come out, you know, saying, Look, you know, whatever happened between us, this is not something that we want our kids to do. So what we're going to do is we're going to raise awareness of this, and we're going to try to teach people how to not have these kind of moments. And they actually put some money and some work behind it.

Kim: 19:47Kind of on the violence aspect.

Ron: 19:48Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like there's other ways to express yourself.

Jason: 19:52Don't you think that should be all Will's money? Why would Chris?

Ron: 19:57I think it should be all Will's money. Absolutely. But I think that If Chris extends a hand out to Will to give him an opportunity to do this, that would be a very big thing of Chris to do. And that would be asking a lot of Chris. So that would be Chris saying, Look, you know, my personal feelings behind this is one thing, but I really want to help. You know, other people not have these moments. So that will be asking a lot of Chris. So that's why I'm saying it's a big deal on both of their parts.

Jason: 20:29Two quick things. One, I would say, if that does happen, Obama should invite them invite them both over for a beer.

Kim: 20:38You can you can invite them on Renegades.

Jason: 20:43It'll be light beer, low carb.

Ron: 20:46Let's go back to the awards.

Jason: 20:48Hey, I said two things. My last thing is, if it were me, I'd spend the rest of my life plotting the greatest revenge ever. And it wouldn't be physical to hurt somebody, it would be to humiliate them and feel satisfied. And then I would say, hey, let's talk.

Ron: 21:06That's probably how it will go down. I think, you know, when Chris figures out his routine on this, it's going to be lethal, you know?

Kim: 21:19And Will will deserve every single laugh. Yeah. But just to throw out another angle on that there have been people who've said that it's very chauvinistic. What he did, because Jada could certainly have spoken for herself. She, he, there's so many other ways he could have handled it. But to, to put it on, like, I'm, I'm defending my woman, like, and then to bring up that he was defending the actresses. I was like, okay, you know, I think that that's there. To put it to have the both of them want to make something of it. I think there could be another angle besides the violence one, which is like, how can we support women in Hollywood?

Kim: 21:59How can we support, use our status, and our money, and our influence, to get female directors hired and especially Black female directors hired and actresses and okay, and promote people in production? You know what I mean? Like, you could go to the aspect of like, okay, you want to protect women, you want to take care of women, you have a lot of more power than a lot of women in Hollywood do. So put your money where your mouth is.

Ron: 22:26To me that's creating a moment of leadership, and that is creating something good out of this. Yes, absolutely would be. So that's what I'm praying for these brothers to do.

Jason: 22:39Damn it he's interrupting another award show...because I was hoping you were going to open the best ass movie of the year!

Ron: 22:49All right, all right. The last 15 minutes, maybe we'll have to edit that...

Jason: 22:58Best movie!

Ron: 22:59Right. Best Movie. Here we go. This is the voice of The Obsidian audience who have voted. And this is what they have said. I'm opening the envelope.

Kim: 23:13I'm so excited.

Ron: 23:16And the winner of The Obsidian Award, The Rock for Best Movie is...

Ron: 23:26King Richard.

Kim: 23:28Oh! You got to be freaking kidding me!

Will Smith 23:34Now I don't mind you saying we hard on these kids. You know why? Because we are! That's our job to keep them off these streets. You want to check on the kids? Let's check on the kids. We got future doctors, lawyers, plus a couple of tennis stars in this house.

Actuality 23:51The chances of achieving the kind of success that you're talking about. It's just very, very unlikely.

Will Smith 23:57Okay. You make no mistake, but I'm gonna let you make it.

Kim: 24:00Are you serious?

Ron 24:03Playing the role of Richard Williams. Venus and Serena's Daddy.

Kim: 24:09Yeah, that's it. They're coming out. My earphones are coming out.

Jason: 24:14Hey Kim, come back. Come back. Hey, we gotta finish this awards show man!

Kim: 24:19Okay, let me just say... let me just furthermore...

Ron: 24:23Don't talk bad about our audience now.

Kim: 24:25I wasn't saying this, but I'm gonna say it. I think every other actor in the film was better than Will Smith. I did not enjoy his performance. I didn't think he deserved an Oscar for what he did. I will say that it was a really beautiful film and I enjoyed the story. So to take the Will Smith element out of it like okay, but hmmm.

Ron: 24:59Now to be fair, about half of the voting occurred before the Academy Awards. So we don't know what happened to the rate of voting after the Academy Awards? I think just on its own rite, as a work of art, I think the story itself is what's being rewarded, the story of the Williams family. It is a beautiful story, those two powerful sisters, Venus and Serena, and the fact that that success was intentional. And it was created by a person who had a vision, although, you know, that person was very imperfect. That was clear. But that person had a vision, made it happen, and it was a black family that made all this happen. So I think that in a lot of ways, that's a larger message that kind of transcends the Will Smith Chris Rock. situation.

Kim: 26:10Okay.

Jason: 26:12Check it out, Kim. All right, Ron. Yes. Best TV shows.

Kim: 26:18Yes. Please move on.

Jason: 26:19Thank you. Yeah, nominees are Lupin, Muhammad Ali, a film by Ken Burns. Snowfall. Season Four. Dave Chappelle, The Closer Best TV show. Ron? Yeah. You want to announce it? Or we gonna talk some more about the Slap?

Ron: 26:49All right, I guess in the interest of keeping the show moving. I guess we should go ahead and announce the winner.

Jason: 26:56I wanna know! I've been waiting!

Ron: 26:58I have some thoughts about some of the shows. But yeah, I feel you. Yeah, we blew our budget. All right. So the winner of the Best TV show. This is the word, the almighty word of our listeners and readers. Best TV show is...by vote of The Obsidian audience...

Ron: 27:27Lupin.

Jason: 27:30Nice. Nice.

Actuality 27:33would really love to help but I think you're wasting your time, Lupin won't be back. I was framed...I'm not guilty.

Kim: 27:51I love Lupin. Yes,

Ron: 27:54Yes. Yes. It was a great show. It was a great show. I liked the first part of season one better than the second part. But I think both parts were great. And yeah, It was very clever. I liked the actor a lot. It was quality television.

Kim: 28:17Yeah. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Jason 28:20That would have been my pick too. That would have been my pick.

Kim: 28:23That was definitely my pick. For sure.

Ron: 28:24Alright. Lupin, Okay. Cool.

Kim: 28:28All right. I'm happy again.

Jason: 28:31Hey, Kim. Ron. Best Music Album of 2021.

Ron: 28:39Yay.

Ron: 28:40

Jason: 28:41Here are the nominees. Back of My Mind? By H.E.R. Yes. Ledesi sings Nina. By Ledisi. King's disease. By Nas.

Kim: 29:00And they like that too.

Jason: 29:04And hold on, let me shake my wig real quick. An Evening with Silk Sonic. Silk Sonic. Featuring Bruno Mars and Anderson .paak.

Kim: 29:16Can I give just a little tiny special extra rock right now to Jason for getting Ledesi's name right.

Jason: 29:26Nobody knew about that before you said it, I think but you know, thank you I'll accept this rock.

Ron: 29:35I think that that Ledisi is all of our favorites. Yes. You know that album was so special. Oh my goodness. so special. Yeah. She just channeled Nina.

Kim: 29:48Hey, I'm wearing I got Nina on my shirt today. I know y'all.

Ron: 29:53I mad at that.

Kim: 29:55It was kind of a spiritual experience for me when I first heard it, it was just unbelievable. Love it.

Jason: 30:05Well, bravo.

Ron: 30:06Jason, do you have any favorites on this?

Jason: 30:08I'm in line, right? I'm in line. I mean, I because she could have completely ruined her life and reputation. If she couldn't have done justice, right. It's like trying to sing Marvin Gaye. It was like Madonna tried. I Want You or something. It was like...

Ron: 30:30Madonna?

Jason: 30:31I swear I think so did back in the day, and I Want You by Marvin Gaye is one of the most badass, you know, singles ever.

Ron: 30:41Oh man I'll tell you what, that album honestly, you know, most people say, Oh, your favorite Marvin Gaye album? What's Going On. What's going on. My favorite Marvin Gaye album? Is I Want You. Hey, that album. Have you all heard that album? Man.

Jason: 30:58That album and Here My Dear. Oh, a true double album. But yeah...

Ron: 31:06Keep us on point.

Jason: 31:07I apologize. I apologize that I brought that up but you know, Ledesi did such an amazing job. And she did Nina right. And her listeners.

Ron: 31:23All right. Let's see what The Obsidian audience says. Best Album. Here we go. Okay. Gonna open up the envelope. These, the results have been kept very secret by our tech team.

Kim: 31:39The big old technical team?

Ron: 31:41The whole team. All 'em.

Ron: 31:49The winner for Best Music Album for Excellence in 2021 is...

Ron: 31:57Silk Sonic.

Jason: 31:59Silk Sonic. Silk Sonic. I'm gonna shake my wig.

Actuality 32:03<Lyrics from "Leave the Door Open" by Silk Sonic>

Ron: 32:33What was Anderson Paak doing? He looked just like Laurence Fishburne in "What's Love Got to do it?" Y'all remember?

Jason: 32:41Funny- Did Ike have that wig?

Ron: 32:46Ike had that when they were trying to expand their audience to reach all the Beatles fans and whatnot. And he was rocking that wig that exact wig that's where he got it.

Jason: 32:59That's a slapping...

Kim: 33:00The Exact One?

Jason: 33:01...that's a slapping person's wig...

Ron: 33:02Yeah. The actual exact one. Yes, Kim. The one with Laurence Fishburne's sweat on it...

Kim: 33:10That's worth a lot of money right? Okay, Silk Sonic their you know, their album was great. Yeah, it was great. It I don't think it was as unique. You know? Or like new you know, never heard before kind of unique melding two spirits. Two souls in a unbelievably powerful way. But...

Ron: 33:40You mean like as opposed to Ledisi Sings Nina?

Jason: 33:43Yeah. I think that's what she's saying.

Ron: 33:46I don't know how you can even articulate that any better than you just did. I think that's it. I got nothing to say after that.

Kim: 33:58It's okay. They're good.

Jason: 34:01Mercy Mercy Me. Alright. So Kim, Ron. Yes. Best Podcast. Let's do it. 2021 Best Podcast. The nominees are...Questlove Supreme. Questlove. The Midnight Miracle. Chappelle, Mos Def, Talib Kwali. Jamelle Hill is Unbothered by Jamelle Hill, and Renegades, Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen.

Kim: 34:41Springsteen?

Ron: 34:44The Boss y'all.

Jason: 34:48And the Boss. Obama and the Boss.

Ron: 34:51The President and the Boss. Alright, look. I'm gonna put in. I'm gonna put in for Barack. I'm putting in for Barack. I'm thinking Barack is gonna win this. Did you all see Barack? Going back to the White House the other day?

Kim: 35:08I saw a picture.

Ron: 35:09He went back to the White House for the first time since he left office. Now this is really interesting because usually, when a President leaves office, they're invited back to the White House like two years in to unveil the portrait. That did not happen. Just another dis by the Orange Man, that he didn't invite Barack back to do the portrait and maybe Barack...Maybe he was invited, and Barack was like, "No, hell no, I'm not coming back".

Jason: 35:47"You gonna serve me Big Macs and cold fries. Nah I ain't coming back". Wasn't Barack wearing a beige suit. (laughs) With like, four buttons beige suit?

Kim: 36:05That's funny. I think Renegades was really good, Very, like comforting. I found it like comforting. And you may be right, but I think I'm predicting Questlove might win. That's what I think. Yeah.

Jason: 36:22You know, I dug all of these. And I've changed my mind over time. But it was just so unique. I thought, even though I don't live in their world, I thought The Midnight Miracle was something so drastically different. Even when I was like, no, I've never been in that situation. No, I don't remember that song. You know, everything was so cool, man and the music and everything like that. I mean, I don't remember what they talked about. Because again, I didn't necessarily relate completely. You know? Like after this. I got to do the dishes and stuff. So...

Ron: 37:06I know, they don't have no dishes to worry about..

Jason: 37:11So, I'm just gonna splash it out there. I'm just gonna say The Midnight Miracle.

Ron: 37:17Let's see who the audience picked. Okay? Because you know, the audience is all knowing, you know, we got some smart, progressive people. Best Podcast. Here we go. I'm opening the envelope. Its hermetically sealed. Unseen by human eyes.

Ron: 37:43And the winner of Best Podcast is...drumroll...Questlove Supreme. Questlove!

Actuality 37:53"People citizens of the world what's up Questlove welcome to a special Friday. QLS live..."

Ron: 38:27So you got how many right so far Kim? You were pulling for Lupin and for Questlove Supreme? So I think you're winning. Nobody picked King Richard. And nobody picked Silk Sonic. Correct. I mean, I'm talking about us. So far Kim, you winning.

Kim: 38:53Yes. I need a win today.

Ron: 38:55You are most in touch with the wisdom of the Obsidianites.

Kim: 39:01Okay, I like that. Obsidiverse?

Ron: 39:06I liked that podcast. The Questlove Supreme.

Kim: 39:08He's very impressive. And I also think he seems when he's interviewing and stuff, he's very relaxed and smooth and just chill. I just also think he must be just super, super nice. He just seems like he's really nice.

Ron: 39:26I think you're right. Doesn't he have that vibe? That he emanates. And you know it's interesting not to bring up the slap incident again. But you know what the award category was that they were announcing when Chris Rock was up there?

Kim: 39:44Right?

Ron: 39:45That's when Quest got his his Oscar for Summer of Love.

Jason: 39:49He was like gottdammit!

Ron: 39:51So Will just wrecked that moment for Quest. Right?

Kim: 39:55Yeah, definitely.

Jason: 39:55Wrecked it for every winner. Nobody's gonna remember who won nothing.

Ron: 40:00Just gonna remember that Will Smith lost his mind. But anyway, okay, all right, that's enough. We're not going to talk about Will anymore. 'Cept for when we talk about Best Book...

Kim: 40:11I know! We can't avoid it! Speaking of...

Jason: 40:20So, Kim, Ron. Best Book 2021. This is for The Rock, and the nominees are: 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah Jones. Spike. By Spike Lee, even though he's a Knicks fan. The Devil You Know, by Charles Blow. And Will by Will Smith. Yeah. All right, that's our nominees. That's for Best Book.

Ron: 41:06Which is your favorite book, Jay?

Jason: 41:09Hands down 1619 Project. And the more that people hate on it, the more I even like it, you know?

Kim: 41:17Yep.

Ron: 41:17Amen Preach!

Jason: 41:19So many people are like, "Well, hey, you got that information wrong". And then it's like, "Oh, so all the other information in your history books, that you wrote, has been so effing right? Up to now? MFs?" Come on. Shut up, handle it. Deal with it. It's an amazing, amazing book,

Ron: 41:39People need to read 1619 because really makes a lot of sense. It explains this experience of America, for all Americans a lot better than the mythology that, you know, has been taught. So I think that if people would actually embrace and inform themselves of what 1619 is informing people of, I think that America could actually become 10 times greater than people think that it is.

Kim: 42:20Yeah. If people actually read their true history, there's no way that you couldn't be moved. Unless you are just evil. Well, maybe some people are. Yes, I agree. 1619 Project, no question and I'm using it in my teaching. And actually this week, Nicole Hannah Jones, my students got to interact, not interact, but watch. We had a session where Nikole Hannah Jones came with the illustrator of the Born on the water book, and they did a talk with students. And it was really cool.

Ron: 43:05That would have been cool to actually interact with her. Yeah, she's impressive. She's impressive. Okay, who won? Who won? All right.

Ron: 43:15And the winner is... Will!, By Will Smith! I'm just kidding...

Jason: 43:24Yeah.

Ron: 43:28That'd be funny if it was...

Jason: 43:30Well, you haven't even opened the envelope?

Ron: 43:31No, here it is. Okay, the winner. By choice, popular choice by The Obsidian audience is... 1619.

Actuality 43:47Learning history made the world make sense. It provided the key to decode all that I saw around me. Black people, however, were largely absent from the histories I read. The vision of the past, I absorbed from school textbooks, television, and the local history museum depicted a world, perhaps a wishful one, where black people did not really exist.

Kim: 44:11Of course it is! Right? Of course.

Ron: 44:13There is justice in the world. Yes. So yeah, that one is down by law.

Jason: 44:20Amen. Amen. Well, Kim, Ron, Person of the Year Award 2021. We're actually at Person of the Year and the nominees are: Dave Chappelle, Nicole Hannah Jones, Questlove and Regina King.

Ron: 44:57Wow.

Jason: 45:01Who you like who you like?

Ron: 45:02Yeah, I'm kind of torn on this one. And I will say that I did hear in the back office with the tech folk, that there was an actual tie for this vote, and that the tie was broken by the very last vote that was cast yesterday. And so that is how close this was. But, you know, it's interesting. For me, I kind of went back and forth between Dave Chappelle and Nicole Hannah Jones. I think that they both made very big statements in their individual fields. And I think that they were both very significant, but I know Kim, you were saying that maybe you had some thoughts about Dave.

Kim: 46:05Yeah. So I do, really, I do. I love Dave Chappelle, and I enjoy his comedy. I enjoy his boldness and just bam, He just throws things out there. And we need comedians like him for sure. I like that he talked about being jealous of the Gay community's movement, how fast their progress has gone, as compared to like the Black community. I think that was a point worth making it I actually see that on a local level too, even in my own school. But I gotta say, watching this for a second time, just as a woman, I really would prefer I would like him to stop saying, "bitch", I don't like that he uses it. So I don't, okay, full stop. I don't like that he uses it. I was kind of going back and forth. I realized I want men to stop saying that word. Please stop saying that word. If you're quoting someone, it's okay. Jason.

Jason: 47:04Okay. That was my sister. It wasn't me. I forwarded the message.

Ron: 47:14Is this kind of like... Is it similar to the only people that should use the N-word...

Kim: 47:21Yes.

Ron: 47:22...should be black folk, basically? The only people that should use that B-word should be women.

Kim: 47:31That's what I'm saying that would be the closest analogy I would make. And I don't know if other women agree with me. I haven't talked to a lot of people about this. But I realized like it was stark to me the second time I watched it that every time he said it, which was a lot, it kind of stung a little bit. I don't like it. And I wish men would not use that word in reference to women. At all.

Ron: 47:57It's interesting.

Kim: 47:59I do really enjoy him.

Ron: 48:02I think along that line, it's funny, just to share some personal stuff. I think that my wife would agree with you. So I think I'm not going to use that word anymore. I'm not going to use it now that you brought it up. I mean, and hopefully, you know, other people listening to the podcast, maybe could consider making a similar kind of pledge, like, if you hear this, and you can understand why, certain people shouldn't use that N-word. And it extends to all cultures, actually, like, I know that there's a word that Queer people call each other that we should not use, right? And there's a word that Italians might call each other or Polish people might call each other that they can use amongst themselves. And you know, that's their own thing, and nobody else should use. Yeah. And as Ta-Nehesi Coates, said, he says, I can call my wife, honey, but I'm gonna have a problem if you do.

Kim: 49:11Right.

Ron: 49:11So there's certain words that are okay for certain people to use, and it's not okay for others. So I think it's in that category. I appreciate you sharing that with us.

Kim: 49:23Yeah. Spread the word. Well, so spread the word about not spreading word, you know? Yeah.

Jason: 49:31And Ron, so last hour, it was the last time you're going to use that that word?

Ron: 49:35 Did I use it earlier

Jason: 49:36Nah I'm just joking!

Ron: 49:40Rewind the tape!

Kim: 49:41Did Ieave for a minute?

Ron: 49:47I do know that I had been using it more than usual or more than before, usually because there's a phrase called "Bad Ass B", that is generally used as a compliment, but you know, that's along the same lines, right?

Kim: 50:06Yeah, I think so.

Ron: 50:08I probably shouldn't say it. So I'm not.

Jason: 50:10Kind of like "ho" is short for "honey"?

Kim: 50:17(Groans)

Ron: 50:18That was Jason by the way.

Jason: 50:20I didn't make it up! I'm passing it on from...

Ron: 50:24I know you heard a male voice. I just want I made sure you know...

Jason: 50:27I'm not that clever...

Ron: 50:29That too.

Kim: 50:31Not the new way to spell home you know? H e a UX?

Ron: 50:37Oh yeah, like, Jazmine Sullivan's album. She won a Grammy for that, and by the way, you know we was pumping that on The Obsidian.

Jason: 50:45I told you I'm too slow for that. I didn't event know that. What else what else have they made up?

Ron: 50:51Shout out to Brian Matthews and Russ Gatewood because they were on that album from from jump. That new way to spell that word. Which I probably shouldn't say.

Ron: 51:09Alright, goodnight, everybody.

Jason: 51:14Have we announced?

Ron: 51:14No we have not announced. Person of the Year. Okay, here it is. Hermetically sealed. Super secure packaging, 3d printing new tech team. Thank you. Person of the Year. Who the nominees again, Jay?

Jason: 51:36The nominees are Dave Chappelle, Nicole Hannah Jones, Questlove, and Regina King.

Ron: 51:47All right, so let's find out who that who was a winner by one vote. And the winner is... Nikole Hannah Jones, author of the 1619 Project.

Actuality 52:05"What we're seeing is what we saw after the period of Reconstruction in some ways, it's not exactly the same, of course, but the slow rollback of of the rights of black voters of working class voters of voters of color, with laws that are making it more difficult to vote. With hyper gerrymandering that ensures a white minority can maintain power no matter what a increasingly diverse majority is voting for. I think that we are in a very frightening time. Our democracy prior to 1965 was predicated on exclusion. It existed because Black people were excluded from democracy. And it was really a democracy for White people. We're seeing something very similar occurring now. So we haven't had a true democracy or resemblance of democracy except for 55 years"

Kim: 53:00One vote! One vote matters!.

Ron: 53:05It was a deadlock tie between Nikole and Regina.

Jason: 53:09Wow. The Obsidian award rules... You'd have to do like roshambo to figure out who the winner was...

Ron: 53:19...if it ended in a tie? Oh,

Ron: 53:22It's never happened. So I don't know what we would do. I'm sure that we have some, some rules in the bylaws, right? That we could tap into...

Kim: 53:32We'd get the tech team on that.

Ron: 53:35So hopefully we won't have to deal with that.

Jason: 53:39We can't afford any more, diamond encrusted, obsidian rock. Come on. Budget, the budget.

Ron: 53:48We might have had to give out two rocks for that. Tie. Yes, yes.

Jason: 53:55So check it out. Let me recap this, because this was this was our Second Annual this was a big night. And we want to thank our audience for voting, for looking, viewing, clicking, listening. And we appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you.

Ron: 54:16Oh, and I also want to put out a special shout out and thanks to to Lillian Jenkins, who drove the promotions and marketing of the Awards show and did just a fabulous job. Getting the word out on Insta, and getting it out on Twitter, and getting out like press releases and all that so she definitely rocked.

Jason: 54:42Yes, thank you very much. Thank you very much. So let's review who the winners were for Best Movie. King Richard. For Best TV show, Lupin. Best Music Album, Silk Sonic. The Best Podcast, Questlove. Best Book, 1619 project, and Person of the Year, 2021, for the Second Annual Obsidian Awards for Excellence was Nicole Hannah Smith.

Jason: 55:18No... Jones!

Jason: 55:20That's some funny shit. I think we should keep that in there! Cause we've been talking about Will Smith so much...(laughs) I put all together in my little brain, they bumped into each other.

Ron: 55:20Say it again.

Kim: 55:41So funny.

Jason: 55:42It was Nikole Hannah Jones, y'all.

Ron: 55:44All right.

Jason: 55:47Hey, this should be unfiltered man. People gotta know, sometimes I've got problems too.

Ron: 55:52Sometimes that happens.

Jason: 55:54It's the way it is. And seriously, as always, we'll we'll keep you up to speed as we move forward in our 2022 Season of The Rhythmic Lens. We're going to keep you up to speed on the latest events and releases. So. I can hear it coming. The music. It was absolutely a joy. chopping it up with y'all- Kim. Ron. Thank you as always.

Kim: 56:26Thank you.

Ron: 56:27Yes.

Jason: 56:28Catch us at theobsidiantoday.com. A curation born of multiple colors and patterns. A field of flowers. A translucent, random act of atoms bearing weaponry, beautifying gemstones. We invite you upon this journey the price of the ticket measured by the distance traveled between destinations sought. Definitely check for the next episode of The Rhythmic Lens. Peace!