00:00Hey, what's up? I'm Rodney Rakai. And I'm Gia Peppers. Listen, man, I got some bad news, Gia.
00:09What's the bad news? Today is the last day of Essence Fest 2016. Man, it went by so fast.
00:13It really did. I just got here, and it's now over. Like, I have no idea what I'm going to do.
00:18It's not quite over because we are still behind the velvet ropes with Verizon talking to our
00:22favorite celebrities about what inspires them because Verizon inspires all through technology.
00:26That's right. The hashtag is Verizon Inspires, and the entire weekend, we've been using that,
00:31but make sure you guys go on Instagram, Twitter, all of that to see all the great moments because
00:35there's been so many great stories, so many great quotes we've been doing all weekend.
00:39So I'm sad it's over, but I'm still inspired and ready to see the next group of amazing celebrities.
00:46Listen, we're going to go out with a bang. I promise you. If nothing else, you're going to enjoy it.
00:50Oh, man, we have Essence Royalty in the building, Miss Mickey Taylor. I am amazing.
00:55It's so nice to meet you. Hi, Miss Mickey. How are you? You look beautiful.
00:59Well, y'all matching. Y'all cute. Y'all matching.
01:01I'm sad. How about that?
01:03Y'all look good, man. You look amazing.
01:05We have the Verizon Samsung tablet here. It's filled with some amazing quotes.
01:09We just wanted you to choose one so that we can see which one most spoke loudly to the person
01:13who's the matriarch of so many great moments here at Essence.
01:18Well, I will tell you, the one that stuck out in my mind was Dr. Maya Angelou, who said,
01:24I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
01:29but people will never forget how you made them feel.
01:32So I'm pushing that one.
01:34That's already up on the screen, so you're good.
01:35Wow, how fantastic.
01:37But, you know, it is no coincidence that that's my favorite.
01:41You know, as a beauty authority and certainly the leading influencer for women of color for 30-plus years,
01:47that is what people stop me or women stop me the most to say.
01:51You know, you made me feel beautiful.
01:53I always felt affirmed.
01:54I turned to your pages first.
01:55I just love you.
01:56And that's what's important, how what you, the takeaways that you gave women.
02:02And, you know, it really is validation.
02:04I always say that, you know, the creator was satisfied when he created each of us as divine-inspired originals.
02:10So if I can just help us to know that and to know our value, then it's been a good service.
02:16Awesome.
02:16All right, man.
02:17Hit.
02:18Yes.
02:19Yes.
02:19Yes.
02:19Hit yes right there.
02:20Yes.
02:21All right.
02:21Let's see the quote that you chose.
02:22Gia, you got it.
02:24All right.
02:24When it comes.
02:25Take your time.
02:26Take your time.
02:27No rush.
02:27Here we are.
02:28I am where I am because I believe in all possibilities.
02:32Whoopi Goldberg.
02:33Yes.
02:33Why did you choose that quote?
02:34Okay, one, I love Whoopi.
02:38Grew up on Whoopi, I think.
02:41And I believe in that quote.
02:44I believe in, you know, I believe in the unbelievable, you know.
02:50I think where I am and how I've gotten here thus far, I think a lot of people counted me out in such a way.
02:56And a lot of things that I've done, people would say, well, that'll never happen before I did it.
03:00And then I did it, you know.
03:02And a lot of my friends, and I'm pretty sure you two, it's just here you are.
03:07Mike Muse, you're pretty gifted yourself, man.
03:10We all know.
03:11I had you the other day run down a list of all your achievements and accomplishments.
03:14The one thing you didn't really touch on too much that I really want to hear more about is My Brother's Keeper.
03:17That program being a brand ambassador for it.
03:19What does your role entail and what is the program looking forward to doing in the future?
03:23Man, thank you for that acknowledgement, brother.
03:25I appreciate you for that.
03:26So President Obama's are at this district called My Brother's Keeper.
03:28Essentially, it's to provide resources and opportunities and access for young men of color from cradle to career.
03:35My specific role, though, is focused on young millennial entrepreneurs and develop that space.
03:40Young men of color, we over-index in sports, music, film, fashion, technology, but we don't own anything in that space.
03:44So my job is to go around the country, getting us to change that narrative and how we see ourselves.
03:49Awesome, man.
03:50Awesome, awesome.
03:50Mike Muse, man.
03:51The Muse of so much stuff.
03:53I love it.
03:53I really, really love it.
03:55So how do you ladies give back in your own communities?
03:57Obviously, it's hard to follow that.
03:59But how do you guys give back in your own way and make sure that you guys are making an impact, a positive one?
04:04I'm really big on tapping into youth.
04:07I definitely have about two to three mentees that I definitely connect with on a weekly basis, checking in as far as school, education,
04:17and thinking that it's very important for me to be a leader to them and setting a great example.
04:23So I definitely make sure that on a weekly basis, I check in with them and to guide them and not to deter them and encourage them more.
04:33Yes, absolutely.
04:34Same for you, of course.
04:35I definitely am working with several different music organizations.
04:40I like to focus on kids who already, you know, it's easier to help them when you have a way to help them and you know what they're looking for.
04:48So different music organizations from my hometown of Chicago.
04:51Chi-town, always out of Rep and Chi.
04:53Hey, Rep and Chi.
04:55From the Chicago public school system I've worked with, I've worked with a program called the Remix Project that's based in Toronto,
05:02and now they have one in Chicago.
05:04And they're like the new age, the new creatives of the Boys and Girls Club.
05:08It's amazing and different organizations in L.A., which is where I live.
05:11So I make sure that I reach out to the youth and the kids as much as possible.
05:16What do you attribute to that level of maturity that you have the most?
05:19I think first is my parents.
05:21You know, first of all, my parents are the ones who raised me up to be like this.
05:25You know, without my parents and my sister, I don't be the man that I am right now in front of you guys.
05:30So it's a major shout-out to them.
05:32But also I think it's my community.
05:33Well, my community brought me up a different way.
05:36They brought me up with a different sense of confidence and swagger that's different from a lot of people in the country and also a different sense of circumstances.
05:42You know, I may not have to have been in the hood where people are dying left and right, but where you're dealing with different trials and tribulations, you know, that result in a different sense of attitude and appreciation for this game and life.
05:55You know, so, you know, my community, my parents, you know, everyone brought me up a certain way that helped me realize things maybe earlier than the other human being and child.
06:05Awesome. I really appreciate your passion for the next generation of people.
06:09So what's the one thing you would tell a young kid who wants to be a singer, songwriter, a record label owner about the business?
06:17Like, what don't they know? What don't they see that you can get? What words of advice would you give us?
06:21With the glasses off of this, we're about to get real. We're about to get real on it.
06:25What I would say is this. Be as authentic as possible. Out the gate.
06:31If they don't believe in it and it doesn't work, continue to be authentic.
06:37You know, some people are just naturally dope.
06:42Yeah, right.
06:43And if you know you naturally dope, do you, man.
06:46There's the internet out here. There's so many different platforms.
06:48There's artists out here that aren't signed that's on the road touring, making more money than artists that are signed.
06:55Right.
06:56You know what I mean? So, you know, just really believe in yourself and be authentic as possible.
07:00So, and, you know, find people who really believe in you and, you know, don't doubt yourself, man.
07:06Just be, don't try to be a carbon copy of anybody else. Be yourself.
07:11I want to know your name, man. I want to know if you got a man.
07:14Hey, listen, man.
07:15I want to know, I want to know everything. I want to know your number and if I can come over and I want to know what you...
07:22Hey, listen, man. I want to know if you can do it all night.
07:26But you're telling me I'm just a friend.
07:28Hey, right.
07:28Telling me I'm just a friend.
07:30Hey, I've been waiting.
07:32I've been waiting all my life to sing that song with this brother.
07:36I'm going to go ahead and get my moment on, brother.
07:37I'm going to go ahead and get my moment.
07:39Let's go ahead and get this picture with our Verizon Samsung, man.
07:43So, we have this Verizon Samsung tablet right here.
07:45It's filled with some amazing quotes.
07:46We wanted to just have you pick one that resonated with you the most.
07:49So, go ahead and put that up there for the people.
07:52Boom.
07:52There you go.
07:53Boom. Yes.
07:54Yes.
07:54All right.
07:55Let's take a gander behind us and see which quote.
07:59I failed over and over and over again in life and this is why I succeeded the GOAT.
08:04Michael Jordan, man.
08:05What about that quote spoke to you the most?
08:07Well, you know, for everything that I've been successful at, I failed 10 times.
08:13You know, 100 times.
08:14For every movie that you've seen me in, there were several auditions that I went out for that I didn't get.
08:22So, you get told no over and over again and those that are successful just persevere.
08:27It's just being able to develop a thick skin, not, you know, crumble when you get told the word no and just know that what's for you is for you and just, you know, you got to see your own vision.
08:39How has Essence Best been for you so far?
08:41It has been amazing.
08:42I want to say that this is the third year that I've been here, but I want to say it's been the most, wow.
08:49I've been busy every single day.
08:52And I think so much has been poured into me in terms of my takeaway.
08:56Yeah.
08:56And I think I've poured into the lives of so many others that that giveaway has been a lot.
09:02So, to say I'm exhausted, but to say I'm refueled at the same time would be what it's been for.
09:09And so, the hashtag for this entire campaign, this entire weekend has been Verizon Inspires.
09:13And there are a lot of young girls who look up to you, who want to do what you do one day, be on power, maybe the next Duteri Norton.
09:19Tell them, tell me what you would tell them about the journey.
09:23What advice would you give them?
09:24Oh, my gosh.
09:25I would say for all the young people, young girls and young boys that want to do this, to maintain your integrity, stay grounded because it's a tough business.
09:36Remember that you will receive rejection.
09:39It's not going to be an easy road.
09:40No.
09:40But I guarantee you, if you really want it and you work hard and you believe in yourself, you can make it.
