Akil and Hong are back! There were a lot of moving parts to the start of Spring semester here at SBCC (and everywhere else), but the workload has cleared enough for a discussion on Spring semester, the academic calendar being helpful in terms of managing time, and why SBCC can be a great place to work. After that, the talk about dining options on-campus, along with a few new spots they've been eating at around town, before discussing the new Kanye West documentary on Netflix and new albums from Nas and Earthgang, along with standup specials from Moses Storm and Whitmer Thomas.
Mentioned in this episode:
SBCC - https://www.sbcc.edu/
Student Athlete FAQ/Eligibility - https://www.sbcc.edu/counselingcenter/studentathletefaqs.php
SBCC Baseball - https://www.sbccvaqueros.com/sports/bsb/index
SBCC Check-In Tables - https://www.sbcc.edu/newsandevents/covid-19/check-in-tables.php
SBCC Cleared 4 - https://www.sbcc.edu/newsandevents/covid-19/cleared.php
Paloma Arnold - https://www.sbcc.edu/studentservices/dean_student_affairs.php
Angelica/Admissions and Records - https://www.sbcc.edu/admissions/
San Gabriel Valley - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gabriel_Valley
JSB Cafe - https://www.sbcc.edu/dining/jsbcafe.php
Taqueria Santa Barbara - https://taqueriasb.com/
Gino’s Sicilian Express - http://www.ginospizzapies.com/
4 Eggs and Pizza - https://www.4eggsnpizza.com/
SBCC Cafeteria - https://www.sbcc.edu/dining/
Sushi 29 - https://www.sushibar29.com/
Cristino’s Bakery - https://www.cristinosbakery.com/
Carp Kitchen - https://carpkitchen.com/
Guicho’s - https://www.guichos.com/index.html
Jeen-Yuhs - https://www.netflix.com/title/81426972
Virgil Abloh - https://www.gq.com/story/in-search-of-virgil-abloh
Cus D’Amato - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cus_D%27Amato
Jazzmatazz by Guru - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru%27s_Jazzmatazz,_Vol._1
Murder on the Orient Express at the Garvin Theater - https://www.theatregroupsbcc.com/shows
Earthgang - http://www.ghettogods.com/
Spillage Village - https://www.spilligion.com/
Outkast - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outkast
EPMD - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPMD
Gang Starr - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang_Starr
Nas - https://open.spotify.com/album/1tiCHRx9AI11hfcLmkGEXT
Live at the BBQ by Main Source - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmCWfJAPwbA
Trash White by Moses Storm - https://www.hbomax.com/feature/urn:hbo:feature:GYdyb-Q3PFLeZGAEAAAGq
The Golden One by Whitmer Thomas -
https://www.hbomax.com/feature/urn:hbo:feature:GXh8pKwPv4qjCwgEAAANU
WEBVTT
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Hong Lieu: hello, and welcome to another episode of SBCC vaquero voices - a podcast highlighting the unique voices that comprise our campus culture and how we're all working together to serve our students and the community at large. as usual i'm joined by my co host Akil hill.
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Akil Hill: was good y'all.
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Hong Lieu: And this is a very special episode because it's just me and akil running running the two man john today so.
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Akil Hill: Just the two of us.
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Hong Lieu: yeah we wanted to do kind of like a recap, I know it's been a while, since our last episode and there's just been a lot going on.
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Hong Lieu: So we've kind of wanted to give not only our guests, a little bit because we got some guests lined up we'll have.
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Hong Lieu: A good a good few episodes you know episode lined up for you, but we wanted to give everyone kind of be there for the start of semester, and also give allow for like a recap review of what's been going on, because there's so much going on right now in the world on campus.
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Hong Lieu: All over so I mean I mean it feels like our last episode was 8000 years ago but it's only been.
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Hong Lieu: You know, a couple months but it's.
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Akil Hill: Right.
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Hong Lieu: it's been a crazy time it's one of those things where I know that for a lot of folks you know the the the SPC has this like flow and schedule to it, where.
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Hong Lieu: Are the spring semester us our summer fall is this spring is this summer is this.
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Hong Lieu: And it's just been topsy turvy unpredictable I know the students have been feeling it.
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Hong Lieu: But just I don't know if it makes makes anyone feel better but everyone's been feeling it's like a universal kind of sentiment, right now, where it's like.
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Hong Lieu: You kind of know how things are going, but at any moment, you can flip and it's like it's not like a week to week it's like day to day hour by hour basis where you some news could come in and you have to pivot so it's just it's just wild you know, like.
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Akil Hill: You know it's crazy to I was just thinking about when i'm listening to you talk right now, and you know i've been at the college for a long time right, and you know I think 19 years but.
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Akil Hill: I kid you not, I think the way that we actually break everything into semesters it makes the year ago by faster.
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Akil Hill: If you are working in the end, like, I remember when I was working prior to Santa Barbara city college, obviously I was a lot younger.
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Akil Hill: But it seemed like the year was a years were a lot longer, but when you only break it into spring or fall or spring and fall and then you got two little summers sessions in between the year goes by faster at least that's my experience it.
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Hong Lieu: From a from a time management perspective it definitely helps kind of break things up, and it also gives you like some some kind of like milestone or reach like if you're in a point where you're dragging we could really go, this is only like X amount of weeks left in the Semester.
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Hong Lieu: Because, because it does feel like a fresh start every every semester.
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Hong Lieu: is like a fresh start, you see, you see new students coming in, you see, you know different kind of feel around the campus like like this campus Community does kind of like flow ebb and flow in different ways.
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Hong Lieu: And it really is on the Semester, you know the Semester calendar and the summer sessions, you know, going to be one summer session so.
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Hong Lieu: they're, not to say it's predictable, but there it really helped me coming in, as someone who didn't know much about academic you know the academic system coming in to hear it kind of gave me a nice pace of things and kind of.
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Hong Lieu: Predictability aspect to it, but these last couple semesters and just the whole the you know the last couple years of the pandemic.
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Hong Lieu: have just been very unpredictable and things have been moving very fast, and I know it's.
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Hong Lieu: Not to say the folks aren't able to handle it but it's probably not a familiar feeling for some folks where it's like things are shifting and pivoting like coming from the private sector private sector seems to kind of roll like that all the time, but.
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Hong Lieu: You know, when I was at the city, it was another thing, where you just kind of fake trying to figure out how things work and then you get into predictable rhythm.
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Hong Lieu: Where when I was first started here, it was kind of similar thing not that it was you know you know your your.
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Hong Lieu: there's always little nuances to the thing, but there was a predictable rhythm to things in terms of fall and spring and summer.
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Hong Lieu: But I feel like we're just throwing everything out the window just kind of going, but I mean I know your startup some year starts of semesters are always busy and that's predictable.
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Hong Lieu: But.
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Hong Lieu: yeah for me yeah it's just been it's been interesting.
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Akil Hill: I mean, for me the beginnings and ends are always just panning you know I mean I just everything coming at come down to you know, in the beginning, you know I deal with athletic eligibility so.
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Akil Hill: that's always just a heavy lift because you know but it's good it's good for the students i'm glad the students are back.
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Akil Hill: Competing and and being out on you know, on the field, or you know, on the Court just doing their thing you know so that's that's super exciting so.
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Hong Lieu: What if they started, what does the stars, Mr felt like for you.
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Hong Lieu: compared to previous kind of years, I mean, is it really just been wild there is.
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Hong Lieu: yeah it would have find that rhythm.
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Hong Lieu: In that, in that, in the craziness there.
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Akil Hill: A this semester, no.
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Akil Hill: Other semesters are better, but this muscles, for some reason I felt like it was more challenging you know I mean I don't know you know.
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Akil Hill: If it's I don't know if it's just pandemic fatigue slashed.
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Akil Hill: You know just the students feeling that way you know I.
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Akil Hill: Just haven't been able to get into a real good flow.
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Hong Lieu: You know and it's something where you know everyone was was we if this all happened over break in terms of the arbitron really kind of.
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Hong Lieu: Getting to the forefront, and having to enforcing the hand of policy decisions where we you know we started remote.
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Hong Lieu: And then, all this, we had a you know we rolled out cleared for and just just all kinds of things kind of piled on top of each other, then, on top of that, so I definitely feel.
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Hong Lieu: That you know in previous semesters even under the pandemic there was kind of an idea and we could you know the plans for kind of laid down ahead of time this was really you could tell there's a lot of on the fly kind of strategize and going on.
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Hong Lieu: You could definitely feel that so but yeah.
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Akil Hill: yeah I mean, and then you know the testing and all you know all of that, which you know i'm thankful for that you know we have.
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Akil Hill: testing on campus.
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Akil Hill: You know, and in even for me and saving that much closer it's right outside the building so i'm thankful for that, but yeah it's just you know just the paperwork and it's not what it.
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Akil Hill: Was and students are you know it just felt like a lot, you know it felt like a lot, but you know when you see the students out there competing.
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Akil Hill: It kind of makes it all worth it, so you know gotta get out there and support our athletics, I know baseball is our baseball team is doing really well right now I think they're like a five game winning streak.
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Akil Hill: tennis is doing, you know pretty well.
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Akil Hill: You got it, you know just get out there and support you know softball all this, you know all the spring sports is good to be out in you know the open, you know.
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Akil Hill: Which is a benefit of living in southern California.
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Hong Lieu: yeah and and I feel like just get just getting through that process jump through those hoops and getting everything done and getting out there is a weird.
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Hong Lieu: But you see that see the athletes are actually out there and thriving and doing well, I mean that's that's awesome so yeah definitely.
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Hong Lieu: don't have to get out there and support and.
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Hong Lieu: Do we can, especially depending on your coven sensitivities outdoor sports, you know the outdoor seating so there's there's there's less concern terms of ventilation and stuff so.
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Hong Lieu: there's definitely a sport that will work also our our theater is kicking up again, so you know if there's a show coming into spring.
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Hong Lieu: get your tickets setting it's murder on the Orient Express but I will confirm and get get that in the show notes as well, so just kind of.
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Hong Lieu: Not to say everyone's I mean that's the back to normal, because it the new normal is going to be something else, but just to get kind of back into that.
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Hong Lieu: semi predictable rhythm of this semester means this this, and this, and this this and this So hopefully we're we're kind of inching closer to that.
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Akil Hill: yeah I agree this feels that way.
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Hong Lieu: yeah so I did confirm or murder on the Orient Express Is this the play going on till march 19 at the garden theater.
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Hong Lieu: But also, while while I mean just in general I guess it's it's it has been crazy and wild but I mean this is a chance to shout out.
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Hong Lieu: faculty staff students administration all around I mean in the Grand scheme of things, think it spin as.
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Hong Lieu: Smooth as you could it could be, I mean there's little things here and there, that you could have changed and kind of adjusted.
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Hong Lieu: But, overall, the process hasn't been you know that mean there could have been a crazy line at the check in tables, the first day back on the 22nd but there you know it was pretty reasonable.
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Hong Lieu: Clear for price pickups but, but in the Grand scheme of things that transition has been a success and there's some.
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Hong Lieu: Back end advantages to go into clear for, and you know I haven't heard anything about any issues in classes, or anything like that, so the Faculty and students have kind of rolled all the all the policy changes as well, so.
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Hong Lieu: shout out to everyone for really coming together as a community and making this kind of work as as well as it could.
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Akil Hill: yeah absolutely I mean i'm there's so I mean I feel a sense of gratitude for you know the leadership and how you know people kind of rally together, and you know I saw a few committees, you know.
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Akil Hill: When we were kind of prepping for returning back to work, and I know paloma has done an amazing job.
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Akil Hill: You know just making sure things run smoothly over here and student services, you know Angelica you know my boss, you know have has has done an amazing job so i'm definitely thankful and people were working hard man, people are definitely working hard out here to make sure that.
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Akil Hill: You know our institution continues to the operating in a smooth manner and so i'm thankful for that you know so.
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Hong Lieu: there's always room to kind of.
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Hong Lieu: Do the same things can be done a little better this.
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Hong Lieu: Net, but overall, they they've done a great job.
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Hong Lieu: And I can I can definitely vouch for that my boss markers on president's cabinet.
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Hong Lieu: And I know they've been putting in long hours, both in meetings and after work kind of doing stuff Dean Dean Evans, and it is.
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Akil Hill: That midnight oil I I played video games with Dean, sometimes and I i'm afraid to even ask them what is next available time is.
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Hong Lieu: Because it just isn't coming so.
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Hong Lieu: But yeah so shout out to everyone, thanks for all the hard work, everybody.
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Hong Lieu: I know the semesters and busy that's why that's why we haven't been recording for a little while but we're back and we're going to keep it moving you know that's that's kind of what will we do.
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Hong Lieu: yep so so with no guest, I guess, we never we never did our how we got to SPC akil.
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Hong Lieu: So.
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Hong Lieu: You know, like, I mean you know as a segue, I guess, we can kind of kind of kind of play that cover both of us, you know and just see how it goes.
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Akil Hill: All right.
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All right.
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Akil Hill: Well, I mean i'm you know I i'm from Santa Barbara my wasn't really born i'm an incident of our but my father was in the military, so I was born.
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Akil Hill: overseas, and then I basically when he got out of the military my mother's originally from Santa Barbara and so when he got out of military, we decided to move back to Santa Barbara.
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Akil Hill: graduated from celebrate school i'm just gonna say it in the mid 90s 9494 SBA says, you know, then I left.
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Akil Hill: You know I just remember when I was in high school I just felt like I needed to be around more black people left and went to school down South Mississippi.
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Akil Hill: And so shout out to black history month to so speaking of that, and so, then you know I realized the south wasn't you know after I was in Mississippi I was like I gotta get this off wasn't for me, you know so basically make links long story short.
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Akil Hill: I moved up to the bay area and then after the bay area I came back home to Santa Barbara.
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Akil Hill: And you know I start working, then I eventually basically ended up at Santa Barbara city college and started off in the bookstore and then.
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Akil Hill: came to emissions and then i've been emissions pretty much ever since so that's kind of most of my story in a nutshell.
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Hong Lieu: And you said 19 years that's that's nothing to be death and, if need that right there that's.
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Akil Hill: What we try and get those scalpers man.
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Akil Hill: I will say I mean, I will say.
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Hong Lieu: This Center part of all the jobs i've had all the career path i've taken this is the one place where it's not uncommon to see people that have been here 10 1520 you know 30 years there's other places i've been you know five years is a lot 10 years.
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Hong Lieu: yeah what are you still doing here, you know your hopper you're not burnt out yet.
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Hong Lieu: But yeah so in terms of having that community, and you know talk about institutional knowledge.
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Hong Lieu: And you know the the listening to your respecting your elders and listening to the knowledge that they share like it there's definitely something to be said for folks that stick around a long time and i've seen kind of ebbs and flows over the years and kind of.
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Hong Lieu: help you put things in perspective when you need it so like.
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Hong Lieu: If it has been nice to you know see folks around campus that i've been able to lean on and just just pick their brains, not by any particular but, just like you know just just getting an idea.
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Hong Lieu: of how things were how things are to them, and you know it's it's it's a big advantage it's a big be kind of Nice nice thing to have for sure.
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Akil Hill: yeah I mean, I feel that you're absolutely right, you know I started thinking about my department and how many people.
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Akil Hill: i've been in here 19 well i've been on the calls for 19 years and then there's other people that are just within my department.
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Akil Hill: I have been here longer than me so i'm not even up I think i'm like third in the office there's a couple other people have been here longer than me in the office and so like that institutional knowledge is definitely here and and that that speaks volumes also you know that.
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Akil Hill: The challenges there's some challenges that come along with being here for so long to is like you know it's always you know I try to.
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Akil Hill: Keep myself fresh you know what I mean because it's easy to kind of go on autopilot like i've been here I know what I do I know you know how things are done or you know we didn't used to do it like that, so it's just you know, trying to stay.
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Akil Hill: Looking at your job, through you know, a fresh set of lenses is always a good thing and it doesn't feel like 19 years but at the same time it kind of does.
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Akil Hill: Well, you got to look at it just be like 19 years.
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Hong Lieu: That that and that's another kind of accolades you can hang your hat on right there I haven't raised the child to adult age who bustling eight and i'm just like I don't even know how i'm going to get to the next day you just to get anything but it just ends up happening, I guess.
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Hong Lieu: yeah.
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Akil Hill: It goes quick too, because I start hanging out with friends, they started driving and start, and then you know.
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Hong Lieu: But they might get a turn then you gotta turn the surveillance state on be like tapping their phone.
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Akil Hill: you're so funny that.
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Akil Hill: Like you know, unfortunately, my daughter still doesn't drive, so I still get intimate time with their like in the mornings picking her up and dropping her off and.
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Akil Hill: You know, you know, I was like when I was her age, I wanted to drive, but you know my parents couldn't afford a car so.
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Akil Hill: You know, we had that one dude in the in the in the clinic that had a car and everyone was always in it, you know so.
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Akil Hill: But i'm not in a rush, you know tougher to drive in a lot of people should not drive like and i'm glad i'm thankful for that, but this summer I think she's ready to get out there on the road.
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Hong Lieu: yeah I was definitely not a driver I didn't even drive and drive to like out of college, because I was.
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Hong Lieu: I got my license when I was 18 it took me a while to get my license because I got the opportunity to get my license suspended a year for some high school to gain any that we won't need to get into here.
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Hong Lieu: So yeah I didn't get my license 18 and I was, I was just not a good idea of just terrified of driving you know because la is.
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Hong Lieu: Is a PIC drive I mean I grew up grew up in East la the Western San Gabriel valley Monterey particle hambro that area it's kind of if folks that don't know it's the area right next East la.
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Hong Lieu: And when I was growing up, it was still a suburb but by now it's been you know.
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Hong Lieu: We my diaspora of people kind of filled it up and it's become you know part of La if you want Chinese food in La.
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Hong Lieu: you're going to go to St Gabriel valley and we're kind of part of the family now where, when I was going to be felt like la felt really far away, I didn't feel suburban.
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Hong Lieu: But just seeing that kind of changed over the years and then you know with high school down there and then went to college at cal poly San Luis obispo shout out to the mustangs and then.
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Hong Lieu: went back to La after I graduated was working in video games and did other stuff and then came up here to work for the city of Santa Barbara.
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Akil Hill: With.
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Hong Lieu: You know, with your mom at the library did 12 years to the library and then.
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Hong Lieu: Was it, you know, been here spinning represent, so the thing about what you were talking about earlier.
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Hong Lieu: About you know staying updated always learning, you know after you've been somewhere, it was the kind of thing that at the library, where I was you know, I was updated with the technology.
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Hong Lieu: But there were some personnel shifts and things that happened and I I didn't update my personality like there's there's kind of concessions that I could have made in hindsight.
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Hong Lieu: That maybe i'd still be the city as well, but same time like.
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Hong Lieu: i'm a stubborn guy in some ways to so that that was like yeah it was one of the things where I could see where yeah something so but but i'm here now and.
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Akil Hill: yeah yeah no it's it's.
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Hong Lieu: it's yeah it's an interesting.
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Akil Hill: But yeah i'm in.
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2019 2019.
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Hong Lieu: I December of 2018.
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Hong Lieu: So my first.
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Hong Lieu: Year was 2019 yeah.
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Hong Lieu: So still so i'm a relative baby in terms of SPC.
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Akil Hill: yeah you are you definitely.
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Hong Lieu: You know I mean some folks look at me like i'm still kind of like like longtime veteran I tried to like blah blah blah like that everyone I talked to is like.
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Hong Lieu: 10 years like I said and it's like i'm i'm trying to get there, and I, hopefully, will, and I hope I hope I haven't of institutional knowledge to kind of pass muster and get the job done but yeah I still I still have that data stay humble in that respect so.
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Akil Hill: yeah absolutely I mean I think that's you know i'm my time here in Santa Barbara city college i've definitely come to cherish and appreciate, you know and and the more that I kind of reflect upon it's like.
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Akil Hill: You know some of the challenges that we that we face as institution we're not only alone in those challenges, you know other institution other places are grappling with the same problems.
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Akil Hill: But I do say that our sense of community here at city college is is unique within itself, you know.
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Akil Hill: You know there's not another Community college like right around the corner or down the street, so there is, I think, a real.
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Akil Hill: Commitment to try to get things right around here and sometimes we we do it, and sometimes we don't, and so I i'm appreciative you know.
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Akil Hill: of my time here and and what a Santa Barbara city College has given me, and I know that a lot of people that we've interviewed on the show.
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Akil Hill: What would echo the same sentiments about just being in a state of sure like gratitude and and also being like Okay, we gotta do better y'all you know, like you, can we can do two things at once.
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Akil Hill: And you know, while we have been dealing with a lot of change changes in leadership over the past, you know five years we can say you know i'm you know i'm definitely.
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Akil Hill: You know in it for the long haul and see kind of like what you know, the current leadership is trying to do and get done and so really respect that and and and.
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Akil Hill: Just honor that, as well as old Presidents in the past, you know I mean you know I just gotta Be careful at.
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Akil Hill: You know just stroking a brush of that person's good that's person bad I mean because we're complex, you know and institutions.
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Akil Hill: are complex, in that way there's things that we do well there's things that we don't do well and and that can be.
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Akil Hill: Basically, reduced down to our own lives there's certain things that in our own ways that we do well and certain other things in their own lives that we struggle and have challenges with and that's the nature of being on the planet, you know.
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Hong Lieu: yeah i've had a lot of jobs, you know my earlier life, you know I i've done all kinds of things transcribed videos.
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Hong Lieu: worked in acupuncture school delivered pizzas worked at wiener sets all like i've run the gamut and and you know private sector public sector and i've done it all, and this is definitely.
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Hong Lieu: One of the, if not the best job i've ever had best career i've ever chose and and and especially i'm grateful to Santa Barbara city college because, like I said when I split from the city, I was.
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Hong Lieu: In a place where I thought I was going to be at the city forever I didn't think i'd ever leave the city of Santa Barbara because it was such a great job.
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Hong Lieu: So I was kind of in a place where I was like yeah there's a little bit of imposter syndrome that keeping like could I do this new job because i've been doing the other end for so long.
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Hong Lieu: And did I do the right thing by levy because I had a good thing, there and did.
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Hong Lieu: Could I do you know what i'd be okay here and and how welcomed I felt here it's University College, how much my team supporting me when I first started out and how much they I just felt like everybody had my back that I talked to and everyone just gave me that opportunity to be me.
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Hong Lieu: i'm yeah i'm eternally grateful to Senator so you got it because, like I said in terms of I could have changed parts of my personality kind of.
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Hong Lieu: work better with some administration changes that happened, you know, a decision, I remember the library, but when I came here they didn't ask that of me.
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Hong Lieu: You know they let me do it.
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Akil Hill: and
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Hong Lieu: Do the work that I need to do and and get in where I fit in essentially and I will be eternally grateful to SPC for that, and I know.
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Hong Lieu: You know, talking to students and and a lot of folks it's a similar situation for a lot of folks where Santa Barbara city college.
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Hong Lieu: gives a lot of folks that that little sense of belonging that you know in in a lot of in in if you don't get it from other places, you at least know that you can get it here, and then the.
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Hong Lieu: People here for the most part, you know there's always there's always room for for this stuff but, for the most part.
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Hong Lieu: everybody's down to the to get in where you fit in and kind of find your find your place and it's it's been beautiful to see, and it was beautiful for me to feel on an individual level as well.
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Absolutely.
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Hong Lieu: So there it is that's how you know, like in in moving right along to our goodie in Section I will I will kick it off, and because I wanted to give a special shout out to our campus dining options that are back open.
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Hong Lieu: The gsb CAFE is open until March 10.
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Akil Hill: gsb let's go.
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Hong Lieu: And the gsb CAFE is.
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Hong Lieu: I mean, it was a revelation you know, like discovering the day's be CAFE and the government dining room, because you know, like I said I work downtown Santa Barbara you know, like.
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Hong Lieu: I had heard whispers about the gourmet dining room gsb but, as well as things were like downtown in the Mesa it just feels like worlds apart like.
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Hong Lieu: it's too far from reality i'm going to go, but now that I once I started working here and being exposed to JC the first time, like.
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Hong Lieu: I mean if you downtown lunches it's like you know, inflation is bad, but the downtown legislations real bad there's a couple places that have opened up now, where you get lunch for a reasonable price, you know the C street tuck idea.
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Hong Lieu: And you know geno's has always been there for exit pizza you get around 10 bucks but, for the most part if you're getting a drink with your.
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Akil Hill: lunch.
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Hong Lieu: you're spending 20 bucks minimal you know.
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Hong Lieu: And so gsb I was there yesterday salmon with a side and a vegetable $9 with the campus car paved campus cards take 10% off $9 you can't beat it it's it's unbeatable and it was like high quality food.
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Hong Lieu: The burgers excellent they've switched Fries from like the these to have just a big basket Fries which I missed, but they said a lot of folks who are need all the Fries so now they hand cut Fries and do.
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Hong Lieu: A potato than fry that until you have a big old steak Fries so yeah it for folks that maybe might be new to campus and don't know about gsb.
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Hong Lieu: Please go before March 10 and try gsb.
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Hong Lieu: You will do.
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Akil Hill: They change the Fries.
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Hong Lieu: yeah it's not a big old season for the season Fries were.
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Akil Hill: bombed but man they're seasoned Fries for everything.
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Hong Lieu: But they were saying that that folks weren't finished the Fries and I used to see it where people will get to large Fries just are like half of it away, I mean that's will never be me but.
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Hong Lieu: i've i've grown up from a very.
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Akil Hill: very young age, like not built like that.
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Hong Lieu: home not waste food.
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Hong Lieu: I mean i'm fat and probably had health problems because of it, but, but you know my principles my principles that's all I got so yeah I would never waste a single Friday by word but yeah so but they switched to the steak Fries.
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Hong Lieu: they're pretty good.
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Hong Lieu: So they're not season like that, but there's still like you can tell the fresh cut they they put the care into.
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Akil Hill: yeah gsb was my go to for a long time to as well, like the burgers I used to get the colby burger all the salads are good.
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Akil Hill: For a while they were selling I don't know if they still are, but they sit the milkshakes used to be like.
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Hong Lieu: You don't have the milkshakes right now but.
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Hong Lieu: The best experts so.
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Akil Hill: Remember those.
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Hong Lieu: yeah the chocolate chip.
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Akil Hill: chip yeah so.
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Akil Hill: yeah man, we gotta get out and support the gsb.
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Hong Lieu: And also, and also like as someone you know I gotta shout the cafeteria to Gavin here is held me down, maybe, maybe times, I know I know folks don't want to want to hear it, but.
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Hong Lieu: They got.
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Hong Lieu: They got tacos on Thursdays at the cafeteria for dollar 50 each.
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Hong Lieu: If you get for tacos for tacos with a drink for five bucks so if you're living if you're feeling that you know live and cheap or whatever frugal I should say.
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Hong Lieu: And you for tacos industry for five bucks I mean I grew up in an era of.
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Hong Lieu: You know, food trucks in La when you get the dollar tacos that era has passed us all by like I feel like it's not sustainable, I don't know if it should.
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Hong Lieu: I don't know if the dollar taco should ever return because of how thin the margins aren't how much you've had to sacrifice, to make it happen.
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Hong Lieu: But to get for tacos and a drink for five bucks that's close enough, I feel like I could get that so I gotta gotta give a shout out here, and I mean spaghetti meatballs in the chicken burrito will still hold me down every down there.
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Hong Lieu: was once gsb goes away.
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Hong Lieu: How many something for those days when I can't leave campus so the cafeteria definitely will hold it down and full disclosure if you to be tell you what kind of alarm alarm.
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Hong Lieu: I.
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Hong Lieu: For tacos and then what the gsb yesterday so.
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Akil Hill: yeah man.
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Akil Hill: I don't know.
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Akil Hill: I don't know I don't know if I will be able to come clean like how you just did.
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Hong Lieu: yeah I.
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Hong Lieu: I cuz I mean even the folks I went to lunch with us, we didn't know cuz cuz we agreed to go to lunch, and I was like okay.
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Hong Lieu: But it's like 1030 I was like I need to break i'm going to go to the cafeteria get a snack you know just going to get a bag of chips or something.
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Hong Lieu: But then i'll talk was on like what oh my God for tacos five bucks with a drink so yep made that happen, and then I was, like all get us out and i'm going to be they had a famine special so I got the salmon with the rise of green beans.
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Hong Lieu: And I got to be too so yeah.
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Akil Hill: yeah I mean you're right, I was up at a.
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Akil Hill: cuckoo was super cool goes on the Mesa and I just was tripping off the prices.
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Hong Lieu: You know, like the cuckoo's taco is huge, though I mean.
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Hong Lieu: yeah I mean it comes with being from time stuff but.
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Akil Hill: But yes like.
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Hong Lieu: Probably getting up there.
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Akil Hill: $14, for you know $13 $14 for a burrito i'm like man inflation's real out here and that's not even what to drink.
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Akil Hill: And you know you got to come through with the Aga fresca you know that's at least $3 for a small, you know so but yeah man shout out to.
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Akil Hill: The gsb and the calf calf has come through for me to some crunch times, where you forgotten your lunch, you need that little afternoon pick me up like I you know I used to get the cookies.
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Akil Hill: From the cafeteria I don't know if they're still making those some of the baked goods in the CAFE and the cafeteria is also really good, and I know everyone's on campuses at least even one chicken strip if you eat meat, you know I mean.
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Hong Lieu: So chicken strips and Fries are probably fueling like.
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Hong Lieu: 40 40% of the.
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Hong Lieu: Population at any given time at any given time I just see if you're walking out with chicken Fries I mean and it used to be, you could get the chicken stir Fries.
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Hong Lieu: and be either for under five bucks but it definitely made sense to so buddy I mean it's probably still a great deal now and.
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Hong Lieu: And oh yeah.
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Akil Hill: yeah yeah we'll send out a doodle poll.
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Hong Lieu: How many people on campus is.
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Akil Hill: At the chicken.
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Akil Hill: strips and Fries.
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Akil Hill: that's probably like 99% of employees have tried that.
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Hong Lieu: yeah enter an interval around town i've been getting a lot of takeout you know a lot of takeout.
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Hong Lieu: forex forex and pizza.
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Hong Lieu: sushi 29 downtown across from China 2 billion in losses from there and then christina's bakery good leader.
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Hong Lieu: i've been doing a lot of christina's maker, because I love their baked goods but they're the Mexican food up to tacos on the weekend, you are solely on Fridays cheeseburger on Wednesday wednesday's can he does, on Thursday, why do I know all these because, yes, I read them all.
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Akil Hill: well.
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Akil Hill: I am I wasn't say two things real quick one is one thing I love about going to cafeteria it used to be like this and, obviously, you know code has changed a lot, but I would always enjoy.
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Akil Hill: You know the students that were working in the caf you know I think there are a lot of international students.
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Akil Hill: And it's just it's cool to be able to have that little brief interactions people from different places, and you know a lot of their students were from like Sweden and.
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Akil Hill: Other other countries and so that always was like kind of cool because you know just talking to them, asking how the Semester is going and how they're made terms and all that just those little you know pockets of of real, genuine conversations for a short period of time, so and then.
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Akil Hill: You know I live in carbs so.
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Akil Hill: there's some shots you know i've been hitting up to there's a new story on carb avenue is called car kitchen it's kind of like a.
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Akil Hill: Whole they, if you like, pastrami.
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Akil Hill: I really, if you like, pastrami they make the it's called the new yorker it's a house they make their pastrami and house, you can also buy it by the pound but it's just so good this.
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Hong Lieu: buttery oh.
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Akil Hill: man like carp kitchen and it was also cool is they have a whole bunch of dislike different types they make.
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Akil Hill: They make like.
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Akil Hill: All kinds of like pre packaged meal for dinner so so everything is kind of like waiting like their mashed potatoes are good, they have their baked goods it's just a small tiny you know quaint a business it used to be were crushed crushed cakes were.
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Hong Lieu: Oh yeah so that yeah so everything i've been i've.
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Akil Hill: i've from there is good and super friendly you know they recognize me every time I come in and say hello, I sound they kind of hooked me up gave me some some bread and just.
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Akil Hill: Just a great place to go if you in the carpinteria area also we chose another one of our favorites it's an Italian spot the meatball sub aka the Jeff Walker.
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Akil Hill: baseball coach said when she always talks about the meatball sub and I think Andy Gill, to also was talking about it as well, so that's the kind of the go to the spaghetti and meatballs are good just those two.
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Akil Hill: Local restaurants and carp definitely for in the area, you got to give it a shot.
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Hong Lieu: I just tried to destroy me at gc I will definitely try to astronomy a car page views pretty good.
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Hong Lieu: But I gotta I gotta try congregation and we chose oh yeah I was not sure about them when they open, but then, all you had is trying once portions are great.
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Akil Hill: Questions are really good.
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Hong Lieu: And and yeah the customer service great just just a good spot.
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Akil Hill: yeah so I mean that's kind of where i've been kind of in the we're in the warehouse lately we've been living so.
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Hong Lieu: yeah.
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Hong Lieu: yeah alright.
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Hong Lieu: alright.
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Hong Lieu: That car kitchen was was this with a fine alright, moving on higher higher learning, you want to kick us off this time with you.
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Akil Hill: i'm in i'm gonna come.
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Akil Hill: Correct I really been enjoying the kanye West.
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Akil Hill: Three part series on netflix I do you know the name of it on a genius.
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Hong Lieu: je n y O U H s.
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Hong Lieu: yeah.
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Akil Hill: yeah and man listen.
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Akil Hill: I so many memories.
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Akil Hill: Get unlocked when I watch that and and you know so i've been really, really, really enjoying that and.
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Akil Hill: Would highly recommend men, did I know kanye West, you know everyone kind of is always in the news or recently has been in the news more so now than I would say I don't know, I mean the past couple years but.
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Akil Hill: To go rewind and go back to his old stuff and really see.
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Akil Hill: him it's basically they the premise of the series, is he had a couple people basically document his struggle up until releasing his first album right and and so it's just.
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Akil Hill: And it's just brilliant I it's recorded like on the old school.
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Akil Hill: Like 90s early 2000s video cam quarter it just gives me that nostalgic vibes and just really what it really took for him to actually ascend to where he's at in the music industry and there's a lot of lessons to be learned, you know, even if you're not a hip hop.
303
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Akil Hill: head or a fan but there's a lot of lessons, you can derive from that they do a brilliant job of showing his mother their relationship.
304
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Akil Hill: by people in the inner city of Chicago what they're faced with.
305
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Akil Hill: And then, even within the industry of hip hop itself this how people try to get over on people, you know it's just there's so many lessons so.
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Akil Hill: You know don't think like kanye I don't want to you know, listen to it because of what you may know, in the media, I would definitely urge everyone to check that out.
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Hong Lieu: And and that's The thing is, like time you today yeah he's he's pretty problematic.
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Hong Lieu: yeah he probably has some some mental health things that baby treater untreated yeah he's he's got a lot of issues his his album output in the past few years has been inconsistent, you know.
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Hong Lieu: But, but you have I mean if you put on those glasses and you look back at that era of kanye he could he never missed he could do no wrong everything was a class.
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Hong Lieu: Every beat he made was revolutionary like I I am i'm conflicted about the kanye west of today, but I have unconditional hundred percent pure love for that that era of kanye and all as artistic output is artistic messaging at the time, I mean.
311
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Hong Lieu: All the things that he did, I mean it's hard to quantify without actually being there and being of age, like the idea of.
312
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Hong Lieu: of him, like he wasn't even allowed to be like a full hip hop and because I was still like delta air of tim's.
313
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Hong Lieu: And you had to be gangster he I mean he brought the kind of backpack aesthetic sort of, so to speak, they call them backpackers because of his.
314
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Hong Lieu: backpack where he brought that backpack aesthetic into hip hop he brought the underground a lot of underground artists into mainstream awareness.
315
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Hong Lieu: He produced some beats and did some things in terms of.
316
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Hong Lieu: it's not just the sped up soul sample it's just the assistant layering of the soul on the on the traditional drums on the on that the east coast drum brakes a you're getting.
317
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Hong Lieu: and putting that soul flip on it and just and then and then going and producing another album and getting that you know, like having that Chicago.
318
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Hong Lieu: That footwork sound as a backdrop to some of the some of the BT different common I mean it it just it the artistry and the skill and the quality and the level that he was at consistently in that time.
319
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Hong Lieu: I mean it's just unbelievable so so to have that catalog and to be able to kind of look back and see in the moment how these things happen.
320
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Hong Lieu: Like when I was watching it and saw like him and most def dropping the two words versus.
321
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Hong Lieu: Just hearing that I mean they were just kind of sitting kind of.
322
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Hong Lieu: Kicking in the studio and just also just like classic just like spills out because it was.
323
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Hong Lieu: It was just about the creation of that time he was just hungry, there was no money to get in the way there was no fame to get in the way.
324
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Hong Lieu: He was just really hungry and really creative and he was smart enough to have someone come in and record all that, like like you know document this creative process and you think about.
325
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Hong Lieu: Virtual ablow who passed away, you know a few months ago 41 he was the creative designer Lou Bhutan, but he started as kanye West creative director.
326
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Hong Lieu: So, and he was another spirit, who was really just about purely about creation it really just.
327
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Hong Lieu: care deeply about the creative process about artistry about about letting people you know be free and express themselves and and so he had a kindred spirit in in Kenya at that time, and it was.
328
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Hong Lieu: seeing this documentary and you know there's three parts, we only the first two parts have been released as of this recording.
329
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Hong Lieu: I don't know what the third part is like supposedly it's the later era so we'll see what that's like, but these first two parts of that that's really what spoke to me, is just the freedom and which he was creating.
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Hong Lieu: And and and just to help here has expression was that time because he hadn't been clouded by the industry.
331
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Hong Lieu: He hadn't been clouded by the fame that got to his head or the expectations and pressure that come from dropping classic after classic I mean to follow up a classic with another classic and then to actually do it.
332
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Hong Lieu: Because you know you talked about there's a sophomore slump and music where folks.
333
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Hong Lieu: Are get kind of get caught up in their head, how do you follow up that first album you way your whole life to put that first album out.
334
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Hong Lieu: So you know kind of you have it all laid out it's gonna be a classic because it's the build up it's your life's work in that first album.
335
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Hong Lieu: So how do you where do you go from there, what does that second out like and Connie drop four or five classes in a row, you know it was college dropout to lead registration.
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Hong Lieu: To graduation to eight awaits and then to the dark twisted fantasy that five album run is an all time run and it's one of those things where I don't know about Connie today because it just it's done is output isn't even being different but.
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Akil Hill: yeah.
338
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Hong Lieu: it's just one hour, she was at an apple.
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Akil Hill: Well, I meant look, I think, also you know it is you know, a part of.
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Akil Hill: You know, we talked about earlier in the show about you know there's things that we get right and there's things that we don't get right and how we're all complex than a lot of ways.
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Akil Hill: And you know my thought on on kanye is like it's it's it's who he is you know, and I think that we say all the old kanye I want the old kanye it's like know kanye is kanye and people go through life.
342
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Akil Hill: And you know you're faced with situations and tribulations and you know that isn't.
343
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Akil Hill: We can't separate the two is basically what i'm saying you know what I mean like I yeah I know that that five album run was hot.
344
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Akil Hill: And what he's producing now or what's being released now maybe not be maybe it's not like that, but.
345
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Akil Hill: You know, like we gotta love him holy you know i'm saying like like just to be able to be like.
346
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Akil Hill: Okay i'm not really good I can't really get down with what you're putting out now as much as I was getting down.
347
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Akil Hill: With what you were dropping previously However, I see you in your entirety you know and and and you know all the challenges that he may be facing or with mental health and.
348
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Akil Hill: Those type of issues, but you know, like I just i'm just like yo you know I see you as your whole self kanye you know and that's just kind of my thought process, one of the things that I really.
349
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Akil Hill: You know, and I know there's probably you know young people trying to you know you know come up and and being a.
350
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Akil Hill: hip hop industry and stuff and they should watch that, because it really shows.
351
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Akil Hill: It shows the struggle of of.
352
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Akil Hill: You know what you actually have to do right and so with music, we see the end game, we see it, after the album's already been produced it's already dropped.
353
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Akil Hill: The videos are already out but we don't see what it took to get to that point and so that's why the documentary or the three part series is so good, because people don't see.
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Akil Hill: That.
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Akil Hill: You know, and they in and so on netflix when when they when they released it, you see, like what he was doing, and you see how.
356
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Akil Hill: You know, he was trying to get studio time and people were like dissonant mile people were giving them the runaround people were like he was asking for 15 minutes of I think it was a.
357
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Akil Hill: ludicrous session he's like yo can I use I get at least the last 1015 minutes of your time you see the how everyone's trying to come up.
358
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Akil Hill: And you see how people are kind of shady with each other, you know, there was one I don't want to spoil too much, but there's an interaction between kanye.
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Akil Hill: And ludicrous where I thought it was like dang that's cool man like you know basically kanye was out in the parking lot trying to talk to him he's trying to finish the song and he's like yo.
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Akil Hill: i'm trying to do this rolled up his window, and you know he's sitting the G wagon ludicrous a CIT in the D wagon kanye out here on his foot hustling you know, like this is.
361
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Akil Hill: Just a lot of lessons and the last thing i'll say also, too, is, we all know, like what you were saying on that he started off as a producer.
362
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Akil Hill: And he basically got get pigeonholed in that space for a long time and he's trying to break out that bowl and we all can relate to that sometimes even within our own jobs where where people only see you as.
363
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Akil Hill: The person that works in admissions and there's you know I mean or the person who is only does this and the reality of it all is that people are more than that.
364
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Akil Hill: And and and we need to recognize that you know people will be like yeah you know, a kill he works in admissions he's the mission guy.
365
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Akil Hill: Well, you know we all know, everyone's more than what they just show up to work for, and so the video does a great job at showing him kind of like triumph it or overcome what he had to overcome to actually to become a rapper and so.
366
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Akil Hill: that's that's another lesson that I felt was really, really special and a lot of ways and.
367
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Akil Hill: In the ultimately the relationship with his mom.
368
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Hong Lieu: yeah I mean that's and that's where I kind of these first two parts have been a great kind of document of the come up.
369
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Hong Lieu: And i'm very curious where par three goes because part three, is not been released as of this recording part three, is going to be, you know they haven't they haven't seen each other for 1015 years.
370
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Hong Lieu: And then he links up back up with him, you know, for some of his later output.
371
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Hong Lieu: i'm curious what that's like because that that'll kind of show you the other side that the come up and then the influence the industry influence.
372
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Hong Lieu: His life in the limelight, which is just unbelievable amount of pressure and stuff and just seeing how that changes him, you know, like it's it definitely has, I mean he he's not pulling that mega hat on college dropouts coming.
373
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Hong Lieu: chillin with Jay Z.
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Akil Hill: So George Bush don't like black people.
375
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Hong Lieu: That was that was what like late register man yeah I mean he's always been a polymath creative and very like all kinds of different ways, and you know virtual ablow and other person similar in that was in his fear and it's just yeah.
376
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Akil Hill: We all kind of do that on a small scale is too, though I mean think about how many people, you know get a certain job and they start to advance and start to move up the ranks and then they.
377
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Akil Hill: When they become different people right like and then the connection with you, like all of a sudden, like they don't have time to have conversations with you anymore.
378
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Akil Hill: The chickens are there in and so again it's like.
379
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Akil Hill: The higher you kind of go up on, if you want to call that the scale things shift and things change and relationships are lost, and we know people that are like that.
380
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Hong Lieu: And i'm guilty of that as well, and I will also say, as someone who tries to avoid you know, like I I tried to be this man of the people decide that it's it's a lot of work it's not easy, and it also I fail at it many times, I mean you know how many times I tell you how i'm a total sellout.
381
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Hong Lieu: sellout like it's okay to say it, but it's also like.
382
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Hong Lieu: yeah I tried to be that opposite that man with people who's who's always there for people always try to accommodate and and that's not easy, and I feel at that many times, so I definitely see the both.
383
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Hong Lieu: You know both aspects of this.
384
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Hong Lieu: So the things were yeah that that happens to everybody he's just an entity, he just another human being, going through this thing going through what he's going through.
385
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Hong Lieu: And, and you know he might have been given a more of a platform to kind of be free and creatively express himself, but at the same time.
386
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Hong Lieu: it's one of the things where these first two episodes show that that path does exist for everybody, but it's not an easy path to walk either so like.
387
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Hong Lieu: it's like gumdrops and lollipops on the way to making it, you know, like you really gotta hustle and grind you really got to work and he put in that work and and was it worth the cost is what you know I guess part three, will figure out by that.
388
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Akil Hill: yeah yeah I had the foresight, it also speaks to thinking about that the fact that he had the ability to have someone kind of documented.
389
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Akil Hill: It speaks to his foresight of him being able to really believe in himself like really be completely confident and who he is as.
390
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Akil Hill: As an artist and, since it has one document that I mean I really I just when i'm watching it i'm like wow what such a genius in a lot of ways, because he had unwavering conviction that he was going to blow up and he literally that all came into fruition and.
391
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Akil Hill: You know, one of the other things that I loved about it was you know it talks about you know shows his relationship with him and his mother.
392
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Akil Hill: And you know, as you know, you know you don't see a lot of that right you don't see a lot of new hip hop always gets that you know.
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Akil Hill: tag of you know it's you know it demonstrates or degrades women and all of that right and in of course that's true, I mean you can't sit here and say that there's not that element of disharmony in.
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Akil Hill: And hip hop, however, to see like what his mother meant to him and how she affected him and how she grounded him like we have to, we have to celebrate that because we don't see enough of that in the industry, you know and so.
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Akil Hill: it's just you know if you're going to tune in and watch it just really watch that dynamic between him his mother it's really a beautiful thing, and you know as someone who loves his mother dearly and is forever indebted.
396
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Akil Hill: To my mother, it was it felt real close to home, it close to home for me just because she really grounded him, you know.
397
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Hong Lieu: And and and her passing.
398
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Akil Hill: Is.
399
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Hong Lieu: is a big what F in his life in terms of both what it meant for him in terms of her being that grounding force.
400
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Hong Lieu: And in terms of his mental health going.
401
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Hong Lieu: forward because she was that growing force.
402
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Akil Hill: yo.
403
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Hong Lieu: So it's one of the things I think about Tyson and custom auto.
404
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Akil Hill: We would have.
405
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Hong Lieu: Never passes in my life because we saw how where Mike tyson's life became very problematic and spiral out of control.
406
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Akil Hill: yeah.
407
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Hong Lieu: Because of that last that humbling for, so I think of candies mom a lot like I think of custom auto and those kinds of situations that what if, but.
408
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Hong Lieu: But yeah it's definitely worth watching how are you feel about kanye the document, the document taishan.
409
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Hong Lieu: Of that whole process in that era of time because, even as someone who, I was in college and college dropout came out and it just.
410
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Hong Lieu: It was like it was a total paradigm shift, you know the term paradigm shifted become cliche cliche at this point, but it it's hip hop shifted at that point, it was it was a big change it was it was cool to live through you know honestly.
411
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Akil Hill: yeah it definitely was, I mean also to like you know you start to think about life and so much of life is about timing.
412
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Akil Hill: Like sometimes like you know we've all been in places right where you roll up to a place where you're like damn the line is going to be long and then you roll up and there's no lie and you're like.
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Akil Hill: So you're talking to the whoever's working the counter or the window there like and then you right wow there's no one here and there are no tell you well if you're here five minutes ago, the line was out the door around the.
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Akil Hill: corner right and so you're like so much in life is about just that timing, sometimes in life, you get on the freeway.
415
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Akil Hill: and smooth sailing but sometimes I like taking you know, on behind a big rig and you stuck and you can't get over and like, and so what my point in all this is when connie's album actually dropped the timing of it.
416
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Akil Hill: cannot be under understated because everyone was into that it was gangsta rap it was the east coast, the west coast and.
417
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Akil Hill: When his album dropped, it was like literally like it was like the College basically party and their song actually came through and so so much of life is just about when it happens at the moment that it does.
418
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Hong Lieu: And he rolled with a lot of a lot of setbacks, you know the car accident had a jaw wired shut all that stuff I mean it yeah.
419
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Akil Hill: yeah and you can even make the argument that if it wasn't for the accident, you don't get the College dropout how we get the cause.
420
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Hong Lieu: Is first singles through the wire.
421
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Hong Lieu: i'm yeah and he's yeah you can you can feel the slide mumble from his job he wired shut in a moment, you can you can feel the hunger and his voice.
422
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Hong Lieu: yeah and that and that chaka Khan loop, that was the classic.
423
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Hong Lieu: classic I mean in the moment it felt like it was just like a breath of fresh air because you know I grew up on that that.
424
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Hong Lieu: You know golden era mid 90s.
425
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Hong Lieu: That native tongues gang started when you went through to JASMINE test.
426
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Akil Hill: where he just has.
427
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Hong Lieu: A lot of he did a lot of horns, a lot of really jazzy stuff with his hip hop and and because gurus you know he's cute gang Starr he was bringing that that legit like like tough flow.
428
00:50:39.930 --> 00:50:41.820
Hong Lieu: To the jazzy loop so hearing Tommy.
429
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Hong Lieu: Do is sped up sold stuff it spoke to me because it was a natural evolution of that of that you know sound.
430
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Hong Lieu: And so to just bring that mainstream and then have everybody on the planet doing that kind of music for a couple years it was just like yeah and then come to blows up tell them quality but.
431
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Akil Hill: Most.
432
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Hong Lieu: He was a slump slum village he produced the slum village album, and I mean slum village dylan was in that group.
433
00:51:04.620 --> 00:51:04.890
So.
434
00:51:06.180 --> 00:51:09.420
Hong Lieu: You already had Jay dilip producing and you still brought kanye.
435
00:51:09.420 --> 00:51:20.850
Hong Lieu: is still found another layer to that sound that was like that slum village job of that and we kind of jumped out that one track into the feature, and he was yes, the new version of P ra he called himself so yeah I mean is.
436
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Hong Lieu: yeah yeah it's just one of those things where I hate to be that old guy like you had to be there.
437
00:51:25.890 --> 00:51:28.980
Hong Lieu: But I mean the kids that tell me who cares about tiny like.
438
00:51:29.460 --> 00:51:34.110
Hong Lieu: I really do care about kanya like I don't I don't want to eat meat anymore, but I.
439
00:51:34.170 --> 00:51:35.760
Hong Lieu: Do like I can't help myself.
440
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Akil Hill: You know yeah I just think about the people that are in the that were being recorded like in the early 2000 or they're making him like there's a scene, where he goes into it looks like it was a denny's.
441
00:51:46.770 --> 00:51:54.390
Akil Hill: And he's talking to these college students right and then i'm thinking now like, it must be crazy for them to watch that back and they're like.
442
00:51:55.170 --> 00:52:00.870
Akil Hill: that's me I actually met kanye like like there are literally in the documentary you know and.
443
00:52:01.770 --> 00:52:15.150
Akil Hill: I think it was kind of fitting for us to talk about the College dropout since we work at a Community college and we're not condoning dropping out of college that's not what we're saying here, but I think it's special in that way because.
444
00:52:18.150 --> 00:52:26.130
Akil Hill: You know, like also one other quick point, is it really shows how the impact of music and culture affects.
445
00:52:27.300 --> 00:52:34.920
Akil Hill: affects us and how it unlocks memories like you can be like haven't heard a song and even with like you haven't heard a song.
446
00:52:36.060 --> 00:52:51.870
Akil Hill: In like 15 years and then you hear it, and they are maxi transports you to a space and time and then you know, like even like we were talking about the remakes right there chaka Khan loop and, and so my mom will listen to that and she's like Oh, this is my chance.
447
00:52:52.890 --> 00:52:55.770
Akil Hill: To listen to this when I was at the party and then i'm like.
448
00:52:55.980 --> 00:52:57.150
Akil Hill: No that's my song.
449
00:52:58.740 --> 00:53:14.640
Akil Hill: I used to listen to it, you know and totally two different spaces and places in time, but the the feeling that is derived from that is absolutely like priceless you know and and that's why you know we talked about you talked about going out and seeing.
450
00:53:16.350 --> 00:53:21.870
Akil Hill: The arts, you know the show that's opening up on what's camp is what's the name of that again you mentioned it.
451
00:53:22.650 --> 00:53:23.940
Hong Lieu: Bernie express it again.
452
00:53:24.000 --> 00:53:24.510
Hong Lieu: theater yeah.
453
00:53:24.570 --> 00:53:37.350
Akil Hill: yeah it's it's absolutely important that we honor and we show up and we support that because that's what art does you know that's how art makes us feel and and and it really communicates.
454
00:53:39.450 --> 00:53:47.190
Akil Hill: A lot for people who just are at a loss for words you know they're like I don't know you don't have to say that but, listening to that track, this is exactly how I feel you know.
455
00:53:47.640 --> 00:53:57.960
Hong Lieu: A lot of music I listen to I don't get the lyrics and the first pass I don't like I listen to music and Spanish I don't know half the Spanish but I respect the creativity and I just appreciate I just bask in the creativity.
456
00:53:58.290 --> 00:53:59.430
Hong Lieu: And sometimes that's enough for me.
457
00:53:59.520 --> 00:54:01.680
Hong Lieu: You know, like well if I go to up.
458
00:54:02.160 --> 00:54:05.190
Hong Lieu: You know I can't I don't know the vibe of opera fish out of water.
459
00:54:05.400 --> 00:54:11.940
Hong Lieu: But I will go and sit and bask in the creative creative juices, that are flowing and you feel something you feel a certain ways.
460
00:54:12.120 --> 00:54:12.480
Akil Hill: Maybe I.
461
00:54:12.570 --> 00:54:22.080
Hong Lieu: want to go out and make making an opera piece, but you might think about other things differently afterwards and that's and that's you know that's the beauty of art that's that's why the arts are so important absolutely.
462
00:54:22.410 --> 00:54:23.070
Absolutely.
463
00:54:24.390 --> 00:54:24.630
yeah.
464
00:54:26.190 --> 00:54:38.820
Hong Lieu: See, I was like yeah I don't want to talk about kind of that lead but it's easy because it was like it was so important like it's hard to it's hard to state how important that man was, to a certain part of my life, you know so yeah.
465
00:54:39.210 --> 00:54:44.820
Akil Hill: Well yeah I mean I think good artists, all of us recognize or sees a part of ourselves in them.
466
00:54:45.270 --> 00:54:55.860
Akil Hill: You know what I mean like and then we, there are certain artists, that really trance like there's certain artists like that you know you start thinking about like.
467
00:54:56.760 --> 00:55:02.100
Akil Hill: Like Michael Jackson and Prince and the Beatles and like you know.
468
00:55:02.790 --> 00:55:12.240
Akil Hill: there's those artists like Willie Nelson like there's those artists, where people can literally see themselves are part of themselves in that particular artists.
469
00:55:12.660 --> 00:55:22.350
Akil Hill: And kanye is just like one of those you know, and in that regard were a bit eccentric in a lot of ways, and you kind of see that in in the.
470
00:55:22.770 --> 00:55:36.060
Akil Hill: first couple episodes but that's a part of the great this is that that piece of being a little bit eccentric in like you're like I don't know if I would say that, or I don't know if I would do that but that's what makes those these type of.
471
00:55:37.440 --> 00:55:45.750
Akil Hill: Artists is so unique and yeah I mean, I think you know that's why music and art is so.
472
00:55:46.890 --> 00:55:52.740
Akil Hill: You know just a beautiful part of of our culture in this country, you know yeah.
473
00:55:53.670 --> 00:56:02.460
Hong Lieu: yeah good PIC worth watching on netflix i'll put the link in the show notes my PIC for this week I got a couple music PICs and then a couple of video picks.
474
00:56:03.600 --> 00:56:09.000
Hong Lieu: The new earth gang album actually as of this recording came out this morning at midnight.
475
00:56:09.660 --> 00:56:12.240
Hong Lieu: But I was looking forward to it so much that I did stay up.
476
00:56:12.480 --> 00:56:21.690
Hong Lieu: to it and let's do it again this morning because earth gang has been on that that kind of tear in terms of this is their second album so their first album.
477
00:56:22.260 --> 00:56:34.800
Hong Lieu: classic if you haven't heard there's the anniversary and what's amazing this album is amazing, I need a few more or less just let it sink in, but I feel like it's not a classic in the making, in between, they did that spillage village album and they also jumped on that.
478
00:56:35.340 --> 00:56:38.340
Hong Lieu: J Cole or revenge of the dreamers that compilation.
479
00:56:38.850 --> 00:56:46.110
Hong Lieu: I mean every every feature every song everything they've put out in the past, you know four or five years has just been on that level.
480
00:56:46.530 --> 00:56:58.170
Hong Lieu: Where if they if they keep at this they keep doing this for you know a few more years a few more albums we may be having to put them in the conversation of the best hip hop Doers of all time you know you got outcast you got.
481
00:56:59.820 --> 00:57:05.700
Hong Lieu: You got gang Starr you want to count, you know, during premiere you know they're not both mcs but as a duo.
482
00:57:06.180 --> 00:57:09.780
Hong Lieu: But yeah and you you're gonna have to put earth getting in there pretty soon, because they're.
483
00:57:10.530 --> 00:57:23.550
Hong Lieu: they're really holding it down so others can record and then the new nas record, you know black history month is this is, you know we're talking about hip hop but nas is just that dude where this album magic you did with it boy.
484
00:57:24.720 --> 00:57:34.860
Hong Lieu: The consistency with which nas is has been just really good to all time I mean his first album you talked about the pressure of living up to a classic album.
485
00:57:35.190 --> 00:57:35.760
Akil Hill: His first.
486
00:57:35.790 --> 00:57:39.000
Hong Lieu: album is a lot of people's greatest hip hop album of all time.
487
00:57:39.330 --> 00:57:39.630
Akil Hill: yeah.
488
00:57:39.660 --> 00:57:43.440
Hong Lieu: You know so it'll matic and then following up with it was where everyone gives it was written.
489
00:57:45.060 --> 00:57:50.670
Hong Lieu: They don't give it enough credit because it's still an amazing album but because it's not automatically hold it against him.
490
00:57:51.090 --> 00:57:51.420
Akil Hill: yeah.
491
00:57:51.450 --> 00:57:57.150
Hong Lieu: You know, he went with the shiny suit Nasir dominance, which is you know still good a little and even here, and he had some.
492
00:57:57.600 --> 00:58:09.570
Hong Lieu: he's had some interesting releases over the years that you wouldn't call absolute classics but his entire catalog I mean he's he's he's got classic sprinkled throughout his entire catalog you know still magic is a classic godson.
493
00:58:09.570 --> 00:58:10.800
Akil Hill: Is classic.
494
00:58:10.980 --> 00:58:12.180
Hong Lieu: You know and and.
495
00:58:12.240 --> 00:58:22.380
Hong Lieu: and his kings disciple albums that he put out recently have been pretty good and and this magic album is really good as well, so it just I just want to share that consistency and he's also you know.
496
00:58:22.920 --> 00:58:31.920
Hong Lieu: recently been changing his kind of lyrical content he's talking he's talking telling people how to invest in crypto you tell people how to invest in tech stock value entrepreneurs now like.
497
00:58:32.250 --> 00:58:34.950
Hong Lieu: His kids lyrical content has changed as he's gotten older so.
498
00:58:35.010 --> 00:58:47.280
Hong Lieu: it's kind of cool to see that career Arc where someone who still just lyrically just amazing has been able to kind of stay at that level but also change the content, because you know when he was nomadic nas is the hard to tell.
499
00:58:47.580 --> 00:58:49.530
Hong Lieu: You know, like New York state of mind and all.
500
00:58:49.530 --> 00:58:51.120
Akil Hill: That was just one of my.
501
00:58:51.210 --> 00:58:52.080
Akil Hill: favorite man.
502
00:58:53.010 --> 00:58:53.460
Hong Lieu: I mean.
503
00:58:53.670 --> 00:58:57.270
Hong Lieu: I still remember that is first verse was on that main source track live at the Barbecue.
504
00:58:57.990 --> 00:59:11.790
Hong Lieu: came out of nowhere, no one who the kid was at the time he just just killed it and it's like who is this guy and then you Paul w O matic and then just to just to have that I mean it's we're coming up on this is going to be the 30 year anniversary of the automatic dropping.
505
00:59:12.120 --> 00:59:12.660
Akil Hill: yeah like.
506
00:59:13.260 --> 00:59:17.760
Hong Lieu: To be in the game for 30 years and they have any sort of consistency.
507
00:59:18.150 --> 00:59:28.560
Hong Lieu: And it just be so good, and just still on the pulse of things, because now he's yeah it's this constant is change, I have to give it up a notch you know, like he may not be your number one but he's definitely your top five you know.
508
00:59:28.590 --> 00:59:29.820
Akil Hill: Like yeah well.
509
00:59:30.240 --> 00:59:34.110
Hong Lieu: If i've been your top three or top two but he's he's definitely got to be up there because he's earned his.
510
00:59:34.110 --> 00:59:34.710
Hong Lieu: place like.
511
00:59:35.040 --> 00:59:45.210
Hong Lieu: it's it's what what what is greatness it's it's consistency, over time, like you to talk about boxing the true test of a champions not winning the belt it's losing the bill and getting it back sometime you know.
512
00:59:45.270 --> 00:59:56.820
Hong Lieu: yeah I mean everyone said I was gonna be rocky marciano or floyd mayweather where they never lose you know it's the person that loses and gets it back as a true testament champion and that consistency, over time, you have to be great over a long period of time.
513
00:59:57.090 --> 00:59:58.230
Hong Lieu: He would have the opportunity.
514
00:59:58.410 --> 00:59:59.520
Hong Lieu: to lose a bell and get it back.
515
00:59:59.880 --> 01:00:08.280
Hong Lieu: yeah and you know they there's no built in hip hop I said not ever lost a belt, but he's consistently always been punished for that punch in for that top you know top spot.
516
01:00:08.550 --> 01:00:19.680
Hong Lieu: Every time he grabs the MIC inputs now about he's he's trying to be the best that ever did it, you know so it's it's something that to do try to do that over 30 years it's probably exhausting and whatever it is, but yeah.
517
01:00:19.950 --> 01:00:20.670
Akil Hill: And I.
518
01:00:21.240 --> 01:00:23.880
Akil Hill: hope that you'll matic is no joke man that's I got.
519
01:00:24.000 --> 01:00:41.370
Akil Hill: I want one love is literally one of my top favorite hip hop songs of all time, I think it has to be my top three and man, and I also would say also, I think that's the only element ever got five mike's on source oh yeah sources probably not even around anymore.
520
01:00:42.180 --> 01:00:44.940
Hong Lieu: There are you're probably a few five Mike albums but yeah.
521
01:00:44.940 --> 01:00:45.180
Hong Lieu: yeah.
522
01:00:45.480 --> 01:00:46.770
Akil Hill: But I think one of the first.
523
01:00:46.800 --> 01:00:50.730
Hong Lieu: Yes, absolutely and that's never started chasing five bikes you know yeah.
524
01:00:52.200 --> 01:00:52.530
Hong Lieu: yeah.
525
01:00:54.210 --> 01:00:55.620
Hong Lieu: yeah and.
526
01:00:56.280 --> 01:00:59.820
Hong Lieu: Easy I mean the crew, he was rolling with stuff like yeah.
527
01:01:00.930 --> 01:01:09.780
Hong Lieu: No definitely that dude and in terms of when you start having celebrating the culture, you talk about black history month celebrate the culture does is an essential part of hip hop culture, you know.
528
01:01:09.780 --> 01:01:10.290
Akil Hill: yeah and.
529
01:01:10.320 --> 01:01:11.340
Hong Lieu: Even he wildly.
530
01:01:12.900 --> 01:01:18.660
Hong Lieu: We got him call that by jeezy talking about his bodyguards at the best versace quality but yeah so yeah but uh.
531
01:01:19.350 --> 01:01:29.580
Hong Lieu: yeah so I got to recognize and then the two videos visuals I want to Mr stand up special ones by Moses storm called trash white it's about him growing up poor he was he was a one of four.
532
01:01:30.180 --> 01:01:38.070
Hong Lieu: four to five kids with a single mom to live out a bus for a while I guess you're part of a cult that went South something but it's it's on it's on HBO and it's.
533
01:01:38.730 --> 01:01:47.700
Hong Lieu: Just talks about growing up poor and it's just one of those things that really spoke to me, as someone who grew up poor as well, like a lot of things, he says a lot of knowledge, he spits is real and it's it's a.
534
01:01:48.150 --> 01:01:51.210
Hong Lieu: it's just it's really funny too, but it's also one of those things where if the message is great.
535
01:01:51.990 --> 01:02:04.890
Hong Lieu: And then I may have mentioned before, on the show, but just want to really highlight it wouldn't are Thomas the golden one is another one who grew up grew up in Alabama and his his mom was a musician and you talk about.
536
01:02:04.950 --> 01:02:06.840
Hong Lieu: You know the people who hustle and try to make it.
537
01:02:07.140 --> 01:02:17.280
Hong Lieu: She was at the cusp of record deal major label record deal and ended up not getting it it just fell through and she ended up drinking herself to death died of alcoholism right.
538
01:02:17.310 --> 01:02:22.680
Hong Lieu: hasn't moved out to La so it's another one of those things where he moved out to La to become a you know comedian musician.
539
01:02:23.100 --> 01:02:29.340
Hong Lieu: And he has a special, but at the same time, he also sees sees her saw how it how that kind of.
540
01:02:29.910 --> 01:02:39.900
Hong Lieu: thirst for the limelight that chase that chase that dream affected his family in terms of the passing of his mom so yeah widmer Thomas the golden one and Moses storm trash white up with those links and show notes as well.
541
01:02:41.370 --> 01:02:43.110
Akil Hill: yeah good selections when.
542
01:02:43.410 --> 01:02:51.900
Hong Lieu: yeah yeah specials are white guys like I couldn't go all black history month, but at the same time, those are pretty good pretty good standard specialists and yeah the yeah.
543
01:02:55.410 --> 01:02:55.890
Hong Lieu: All right.
544
01:02:55.920 --> 01:02:58.260
Hong Lieu: All right, we made it just me and you.
545
01:02:58.860 --> 01:02:59.760
Akil Hill: Just the two of us.
546
01:03:00.180 --> 01:03:01.410
Akil Hill: We can make it if we try.
547
01:03:02.040 --> 01:03:03.240
Hong Lieu: Right us.
548
01:03:04.290 --> 01:03:04.680
Hong Lieu: So.
549
01:03:05.250 --> 01:03:07.620
Hong Lieu: We got some some great guests lined up for y'all this this.
550
01:03:08.160 --> 01:03:19.680
Hong Lieu: Coming up well we're going to keep that ball rolling, but we wanted to get out say hello, you know, let everyone know we're still here we're still doing it just like all y'all have been holding it down on campus yeah faculty students.
551
01:03:20.130 --> 01:03:23.610
Hong Lieu: y'all have been doing great, and we know it's busy we've been busy too, but we're here.
552
01:03:24.240 --> 01:03:28.440
Hong Lieu: yeah yeah any any final words to anything you want any more stable go.
553
01:03:28.740 --> 01:03:31.470
Akil Hill: No just you know happy black history month and.
554
01:03:33.030 --> 01:03:40.170
Akil Hill: You know check out the selections and you know i'm gonna have gsb to get those take Fries yeah.
555
01:03:40.260 --> 01:03:42.780
Hong Lieu: You know, like if you learn in this episode it's just.
556
01:03:42.840 --> 01:03:51.630
Hong Lieu: appreciate respect the culture, I mean add to it if you can but, if not just just enjoy the moment because, like you know those movies, that we talked about like.
557
01:03:52.050 --> 01:04:00.480
Hong Lieu: Hearing kanye and you know turn of the century, like, I did not put any kind of value that I did not put like a flag down and say this is going to be a landmark moment.
558
01:04:00.540 --> 01:04:01.560
Akil Hill: You know, it just yeah.
559
01:04:01.710 --> 01:04:11.520
Hong Lieu: ends up hitting that way and it's coming back to be over and over again, those moments, are all throughout our lives, you know you have that opportunity create that moment that just resonated your brain.
560
01:04:12.060 --> 01:04:12.630
Akil Hill: So.
561
01:04:12.660 --> 01:04:14.160
Hong Lieu: You know, even now, when it seems, things are.
562
01:04:14.160 --> 01:04:27.570
Hong Lieu: crazy and things are like like we are in the worst timeline or where the pits of the pits of despair like there's still an opportunity to to bask in the creative culture and just kind of find find that find those moments that will kind of keep you going.
563
01:04:27.900 --> 01:04:34.350
Akil Hill: yeah yeah I mean brilliantly said hon I mean I think that's what it is, you know I you know.
564
01:04:35.220 --> 01:04:54.300
Akil Hill: Again, I just wanted to tell people to watch it I you know I think you'll be shocked, because you know people similarities are far greater than their differences and you may not like hip hop, but you can definitely find some little piece of yourself in kanye guaranteed and yeah.
565
01:04:55.470 --> 01:04:56.910
Hong Lieu: that's right alright so.
566
01:04:56.970 --> 01:04:57.900
Hong Lieu: until next time.
567
01:04:59.850 --> 01:05:00.270
Akil Hill: All right.
568
01:05:00.570 --> 01:05:01.080
Hong Lieu: Take care.
569
01:05:01.350 --> 01:05:01.680
peace.