‘How I Got Stabbed 7 Times & Survived!’| FT Amani Simpson | EP 194 [Part 2]

0:00Hey y'all, it's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair, where delivery and setup are as easy as a few taps on your phone. Picture this. You're relaxing in an old hammock, scrolling Wayfair's app when you spot it. A brand new patio set. Next thing you know, Wayfair delivers it right to your patio and sets it up. All you need a new girl too? Alright, Wayfair's got you covered. With Wayfair's room of choice delivery and fast expert setup on qualifying orders, life gets a little easier. Visit Wayfair.com or The Wayfair app. Wayfair every style, every home. With almost half a million customers and over a trillion dollars of secure payments, Bill isn't new to intelligent finance. It's the proven way to simplify bill pay and maximize cash flow. Want to learn more? Visit bill.com slash proven for a special offer. The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports. Right now, the NBA is heating up, March Manus is here, and MLB is almost back. Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself.

1:01That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app. For me, it's about staying connected to my sports. I can follow the teams I care about, get real-time scores, breaking news, and highlights all in one place. Download the Bleacher Report app today so you never miss a moment. Growing up around the mandem and proximity to all kinds of different stuff, you then start to see certain personas and characteristics that you're like, oh, but that looks like they're happy and confident and they're accepted and they got girls and they got that. And so me having that kind of low surface team, it kind of took me down a path which was really dark, getting expelled from school and went to county lines for a bit. I was in care for a bit, but arrested with an imitation gun. Yeah, like ultimately later on in life, I got stabbed as well. And so, yeah, I had an experience growing up and it's essentially kind of my reflections in the back of the ambulance. The night I got stabbed and my prayer and that's in for a second chance, so. Now listening to The In My Opinion Podcast.

2:04The home of entertainment brought to you by Sakali, DTM, and Usama. So get your drinks, snacks, relax, and enjoy. Yeah, cool. Let's move on to part two of the conversation. If you are joining us, we're here with Amani, like he's been in the industry a long time. And you may know him from his viral, was it a short movie? Yeah, short movie. Yeah, that what did a million views in four days was it? And that was back then, that was what, 2019? That was a lot of views back then, for that time, even this time. Even now, yeah. You know, some members are struggling. Tell us about that story and what it was about for people that haven't seen it. Yeah, so it was a short film that was made 2019 star in Javanweid. Yeah, big up Javan, and the boys at Wall of Entertainment, so per se. And to be honest, it was basically just my life story.

3:09I always say it's 85% accurate. There's still a few things that we had to dramatize, but ultimately it's the journey. But ultimately it's the journey of, you know, I kind of navigated my teenage years from having from a really like positive nurture in home. I've grown up in the end and having to navigate that. Where'd you grow up by the way? In food. And so yeah, just growing up around there, I got bullied in school quite early. I was quite, quite introverted. So then kind of having to navigate that and, you know, growing up around the mandem and, you know, in proximity to all kind of different stuff. You then start to see certain personas and characteristics that you're like, oh, but that looks like they're happy and confident. They're accepted in a good girls and they got that. And so me having that kind of low self esteem, it kind of took me down a path, which was really dark. I went to County Lions for a bit. I was in care for a bit, but arrested with an imitation gun. Yeah, like ultimately later on in life, I got stabbed as well.

4:11And so yeah, I had a had an experience growing up and it's essentially kind of my reflections in the back of the ambulance. The night I got stabbed and my prayer and arts him for a second chance one. So yeah, it's deep. Here's a deep film. Very deep moment. And obviously you're saying you got stabbed. What was that? Was that random? Was it gang activity? It was my fault. Yeah, it was my fault. I wasn't, you know, I don't take away from the responsibility of someone I was carrying a knife outside the house and, you know, saying I'm on whatever. But I stepped into the path that then I wasn't on that. I was 21. So it was long after I kind of moved away from that particular mindset. And literally for like two minutes or something, I kind of went back to 14 year old of money that just wanted to be enough. Wow. Yo, what's going on? What's up over there? And I ended up kind of running away from my path, essentially. I'm in face to face with these youths that had knives and stabbed me seven times. Wow. Seven times. I don't think for granted. That's why I wouldn't, when you asked people for like, how do you feel?

5:11Bless bro, listen up. I've seen, I've seen what that, that tunnel looks like. Potential look. You want a tunnel looks like when your life is flashing and you're like, well, like there's so much more. Are you sure the white light? Oh, bro. Is that true, by the way? Is there white light? It's not, my personal experience. Yeah. It wasn't necessarily a white light. It was my life flash before me though. And I felt very tired. And again, I should have probably given a trigger one into the audience. But yeah, sorry. Yeah, my eyes were very heavy. And I didn't think I was going to make it. And I remember, like if you're watching like a movie or a TV show and you're tired and you're just like, I know if I fell asleep or work, I won't get enough. You won't get enough. And so, yeah, it was the prayer that I, my mom actually came to the ambulance with my dad. Wow. And she was praying, like in tongues, she was getting in, bro. Oh. Like praying mom. We got praying mom's mom. Yeah. Wow. They got this serious. And yeah, like I think if she hadn't come to the ambulance and prayed, I don't know. I probably would have gone into panic and shock. But sometimes she came and prayed and changed the atmosphere and that space, bro. And all I could do is pray and just say, God, I don't want to die.

6:13It has to be something for me to do on this earth. And if you give me another chance, I'm going to live for you. And I'm going to live to help steer young people from darkness. That was my prayer. Wow. And then I had this tingling sensation in my toes. And I could just adrenaline rush and it worked me up. Wow. Wow. Wow. So I'm feeling it right now. Yes. That is crazy. I'm feeling the vibe. I feel like the Holy Spirit is here. So you then obviously you're going through that. Sorry. When you actually got stabbed, were you still in the county lines? No, I'm not. So I came back from crunch when I was 16 and then went to college and like, turned my life around, started listening to, I finished that poor dad done. Yeah. And then I started to think about trading. Yeah. And then at 18 is when I went my, my misses. And then I started my business like when I was 18, I was doing under 18 parties. Organization called aviard. I can say used to do under 18 parties. And so it was actually promoting one of our events that I got stabbed. Oh, yeah. So it wasn't, it wasn't even literally like, like I left my house,

7:17was playing Monopoli with my little sister and my cousin from America. I was like, I'm coming back to my mafe here. And I went out, got involved in this stupid. This is a fight kind of basic. Someone, someone had an argument outside the club. Someone's back up installing and I just went back to four in a row. Like, yo, what? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just, I was going, I want to be involved. And again, it's my fault because I still am into their part. Into a situation that I could have, I could have been an active bystander. It isn't. Hello. I see a fight over the road. You know, you know, I could have done that. Obviously, we didn't, we didn't always grow up feeling that empowerment to call the police, but I could have done it. I wasn't involved. Yeah. So yeah, that's what, that's what got me. No, that situation as well. Like, it's so quickly. So quickly, didn't it? Yeah. It's zero. You cannot see it coming like, yo, this is kind of like what I'm talking to you. So long story short, I was driving my dad's Volvo. Oh. You guys not know, Volvo, the long back car. Yeah. You ain't pulling up outside the club with that. Yeah, you got to park it around the corner. Put me on your insurance kind of thing.

8:17Yeah. Yeah. And so it was a few roads away. So these mana come out and they've gone to like go and do whatever they're doing to find these use that I've taken this, this thing that they stole. And then basically the mandum that I've taken it came flying down the high road, crashed the thing. And then yeah, basically one of them ran down my road, was both of them ran down my road. One ran down my road and then the other one ran back towards the club. And because I'd already committed to seeing where I'd gone, I ran out to the road. And almost in like a days, like called the mandum that was standing outside the club, thinking it was the mandum that I knew. Oh. And so. Oh. Actually caught me 15. Oh. Oh, man. Geez. Yeah. I don't take for granted that I get to tell the story. Yeah. And you know, and not your family. Family and crime watch. Yeah. And did you get justice? Or I forgave them. That was a justice. Yeah. But you know what it is, I didn't, it wasn't straight away. And I will say that like rule talk, I forgave them until I see them. And then I have to forgive them in person. And that's possibly because of my faith.

9:19But I think it's also because of the work I do with young people. I meet young people every day. Yeah. That's done a madness. And they've got involved in something or peer pressure or they grew up in pain and trauma. And they've gone and done something crazy and they're sitting in jail now. And they're like, raw, like I made a mistake. I wish someone had helped me. That split second. So I now look at these youths that have done that and said that maybe someone missed them when they were younger. Maybe they had an undiagnosed need where they grew up in an abusive environment. And they've grown up with this pain or peer pressure or whatever and they've carried a knife. Same way that many of my peers, including myself, could have been on the same staff role. Very easily when you're growing up in ends, there's that pressure to move in a certain way. And so who am I to judge them? Because I'm hoping that they've turned their life around and that they're married. Because I know enough, man, that I've done that. Not even just married, but just even just broken generational curses come out of jail, managed to pattern their work. Managed to start a little thing, doing some positive in the community mentoring. So yeah, I can't hold grudges.

10:20And ultimately what they did is they opened this road and this door for me. If they hadn't done what they need to do, which ultimately I believe is good saying like, I needed this to happen for you. I wouldn't be doing this. I wouldn't be doing this seriously. I wouldn't have been doing that. I would have done a little church ministry, little helping the youth in that. But like, I have a very God bless unique platform. I can't take that for granted. I wouldn't come any other way. It's a big platform. And what I was going to ask like, again, maybe like if you can kind of educate people as well. Because I feel like there's people that's out of like our type of environment looking and thinking, oh, why are these kids going around carrying knives? They don't really understand it. They feel like everybody carrying knives are going out there to try and harm someone else and they don't understand so much protection sometimes. Yeah, exactly right. Where people have come close to like, I remember I've considered it growing up. Do you know what I mean in it? Like in the end, and I'm like, I've gone to a situation where I almost got stabbed.

11:23And then you know, you get home. You think like, what? Yeah. I don't know if you can speak on that. Yeah, I think you're spot on both of you have highlighted it. You know, you grow up in these environments. There's that pressure. There's a lot of young people that have been caught carrying because I grew up in this environment. And because of, you know, the fact that my mom's block is here. And the rest of the man that are here are active and have got beef with this block. I'm not even involved. But if they asked me what block I'm from, that's smoke for me. 100%. Because I went school with somebody that's potentially I'm dead because of that. So yeah, ultimately, you know, there's a lot of young people that are carrying out of fear. And they're carrying out the idea of, you know, it's better that I have it. You know, what's that? What's that saying? It's a rather be judged by 12 than carried by six. That's it. Yeah. You know, I'm saying I've rather that. And so again, I'm not saying that we shouldn't, like there's enough people out there doing good works around knife crime. And, you know, big up fuzz that's going to be taking the knives from the youth. But not even, but I think it's super important to try and campaign away from that and not make knives as easily accessible.

12:29But you have to go to the root cause of why would someone want to carry a knife? Yeah, exactly. But I think, I think, you know, when we, when we look at young people, we have to try not to demonize them. There's choices. But there's a lot of pain. There's a lot of pain growing. Young people are growing up in the trails of what former generations have done. You know, we're talking about home ownership and different things like that. Like, look, it's all going to grow up and be able to own a house or, you know, a lot of the jobs that they're learning about in school or they're being prepared for. They're not even going to exist by the time they finish school. They're just going to wipe it out. Wow. So you're growing up in all these environments and hope is low for some young people. Yeah. But that you deal with systemic racism and oppression. And, and, you know, the parent, not having that home structure, not having a right. But there's a saying that I think it's probably sums this up really, really, well, everyone, well, most people I'd assume knows that they're saying it takes a village to raise the child. Yes. A lot of people don't know the full saying, which is, yes, it takes a village to raise the child.

13:33But if that child does not feel the warmth for the village, they will burn it down. Do you feel it's warmth? And so we look at the young people that are burning down the city, their environments, their lives. Like, archers off, like, what potentially has been missing in their life that has caused them to walk through this journey with that much pain. So I don't judge people. You know, I do love to bring evidence to what my brother says. That's his, that's his, that's his, that he's going to bring the statistics. Because I want people to understand the youth unemployment rate in the UK currently stands. Sorry, sorry, the unemployment rate in the UK currently stands. No, the unemployment rate in general stands at between 5.1 to 5.2%. But the youth unemployment rate for young people aged 16 to 24 is 16.1%. Are there 20 out of what? I don't know if you've got it there. You've got the number. What number? How many people? No, I don't have the number.

14:33Don't unemployed million young people. Don't have jobs. Yeah, but now to add that. So this, now this stat that I'm going to tell you comes from 2021. So, so UK review by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities reported that black African young people face the highest youth unemployment rate at 26%. So I've given you three levels there. Yeah. Generally unemployment is at 5.2%, and then youth unemployment is around 16%. And then unemployment in black people. So black youths 26%. 26%. So to his point, the reason why they're burning down the village is because they're not getting the support they need. The highest since 2015. So it's getting worse. And what I would say, and I'm very conscious, not to take away from the perspective of our black boys and girls now through it. But this is a national picture. This isn't like you think about like towns up north that were really like fueled by industry and factories. And those factories are no longer there. No longer there. Breaks it or whatever.

15:33And they're available like these youths are growing up with nothing. And actually, I remember watching Idris's documentary about knife crime. Yeah. And actually, some of the places that are the highest kind of knife crime stats in the country are not even London. Yeah. I think it's worth it. It was years ago. I think I think I think if you're from there, don't cost me. I feel like I feel like the place was green. I might be wrong. Okay. There's there. Please check it. But there's somewhere outside of London that has like the highest stats. And don't get me wrong again when you look at the prison justice, you know, the justice system and stuff like that. Like black boys, particularly are overrepresented in spaces. But yeah, we can't be naive as a society to say it's just us. Like even people that are are native to the country if you want to call it that. Young white boys, white boys, white English, like they're being left behind in stats. They're underachieving. They're more susceptible to certain things. It's pain, man. Young people are growing up in pain.

16:34And for a lot, you know. And obviously, you went through your situation and you promised God that if he gives another chance, you're going to go forward and serve young people. Right. So now one may say you are paying it forward. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Come on. That's what I'm saying. Well, what way are you helping young people? How are you supporting them? I've seen you release a documentary of how you're doing it. Cool paying it forward. This is what I love. There's a common. Extraordinary. Yeah. For the people that haven't watched it, you know, I've used that. Yeah. What are you doing to support young people? Yeah. I relaunched Aviate as a, as a, as a CIC, which is basically a community interest company. And yeah, it was always with the vision of empowering young people through digital media, Edgittainment, which is why I loved when I came in. Yeah. Yeah. So we were going to set all the trademarks dispute because my thing's different. My thing's different. It's different. It's different. It's different. It's different. It's different. Yeah. Well, you approve. Yeah. Yeah. I love that.

17:34You don't really have issues with Michelle Obama. I want to approve of it. I was going to approve of it. But yeah, just spending time with young people, just trying to give them a bit of hope, opening doors for them, partnering with organizations that have the right heart for the issue. You know, there's lots of people that want to do tokenism and stuff like that. But yeah, we've begun to build a relationship with Goldman Sachs and Hogan-levels. Open Love was as a law firm and obviously Goldman Sachs is a investment bank and so I'm the patron of a project called the Amani project Yeah, I'm it started Sorry, I don't say something. He did not name it after himself. They chose to name it after him, because he might be as a bit Thank you for highlighting I'll be real because I did struggle with the name. Yeah, I always laugh and say I don't think I'm I'm too British For this my name to be on the on the thing you know That's what they do to America, but I don't like it's they're very much This is my thing and this is my name

18:37I think again that because it isn't for me about ego. It's just about service Like I was really not really on that I was trying to I campaign for about four years Yeah, and then when I started to understand actually the the power of Like bro, like own that like done something for the youth and this you should be proud then I've changed my thing But actually what I did in the meantime is I found out what Amani meant, which is a strength in Kiga Which you got you got you got none. Yeah, Kiga's it's Kiga. You got nothing. I think you got it Well, it's an area. Yeah, that's a lack of language Kiga Kiga Kiga G.I.G.A. I mean me strengthen and in Arabic. It means Okay, okay, so I then instead of making it about me I went and said what is the what does the name mean? Come on to give them No, Rwanda. Sorry. It is Uganda actually. He's right. He's spoken your primary. It says primary spoken to Uganda They might be and it might be I've a tribe. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, it's easy. You got to get

19:49So just so we run a program is previously been done over six months where we work with Black teenagers specifically that need a second chance So that could be anything from underachieving the school to being care experienced Coming off the roads to coming out of jail And we give them another chance. We're like the first rung on their journey of hey like actually what do I want to do And then we paired them with mentors from both of these organizations And we'll teach them you know life skills and and begin to build that soft kind of Skills and those confidence and open doors and then ultimately try and get them into the next pathway for some of them It's well done like you you completed this you done it like well done take another step for some people It's employment some people go uni some people yeah, you know, they go back to the college So yeah, really really proud of it man really proud in the documentary And we released uh, yeah, it was celebrating five years of of impact and we're about to start our fifth cohort now Oh Some people talk about it one young people now, man, so wow

20:51He's about it about it. Yeah, you're actions. You're actions. I feel like for me. Thank you guys No, come on man. That's what we're here for because I feel like for me the the issues like you know like you said a lot of people talk Yes, yes, it's me so Kylie here and you people have come to report to you that we've been looking at the stats And what we have found is a lot of you people are watching this content for free without subscribing Hey y'all it's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair where delivery and setup are as easy as a few taps on your phone Picture this you're relaxing in an old hammock scrolling Wayfair's app when you spot it a brand new patio set Next thing you know Wayfair delivers it right to your patio and sets it up all you need a new girl to all right Wayfair's got you covered with Wayfair's room of choice delivery and fast expert setup on qualifying orders life gets a little easier Visit Wayfair.com or the Wayfair app Wayfair every style every home with almost half a million customers and over a trillion dollars of secure payments Bill isn't new to intelligent finance. It's the proven way to simplify bill pay and maximize cash flow

21:57Want to learn more visit bill.com slash proven for a special offer The bleach your report app is your destination for sports right now the NBA is heating up March madness is here and MLB is almost back every day. There's a new headline a new highlight a new moment You've got to see for yourself. That's why I stay locked in with the bleach your report app For me it's about staying connected to my sports I could follow the teams I care about get real-time scores breaking news and highlights all in one place Download the bleach your report app today so you never miss a moment You Please do better now you know better subscribe and once you subscribe comment that I've subscribed because so Kylie told me too And till next time to the young kids, but you don't give them the way out. Yeah, I feel remember like we've an all-time Yeah, we had so many outlet like, you know, I'm talking about the other communities and as you can go to where there's sports music Go there's leaking. Yeah, there's different Michigan. There's connections. You can go to for help

22:59Yeah, you know, you know, you know, change your life. So I'm saying to you We have so many outlet but all of that and it's crazy to me because now Because of technology and everything like that. There's so many outlet like so many careers and things like that That kids can look into like why are we why aren't the government wherever it is Putting money into this infrastructure to build some of these things to kind of so kids can actually sign up to like it's crazy I would come from a slightly I agree with you then so I think we have to give content. I love the fact that you guys are about facts, right? So for the last I might have been decade or so. There's been like decimation of you services Yeah, yeah, that's a lot of shutdown etc various different governments have like got rid of loads of Benchmark things in the in the in the kind of early intervention of a young person That being said this recent government labor government have begun to Put investment back in they just released I think about a month ago the The youth strategy national youth strategy, which I would encourage anyone to read and it's just talking about I guess what

24:01Their recommendations are around the the sector comes to you know begin into to Put young people first have a child first approach thinking about what's the ways that Government should be invested. So there's lots of different bits of funding now that are coming up for different areas that are really You know high priority them to get certain funding in order to try new ideas and stuff So again, I'm not saying that it's going to replace billions of pounds that have been taken out of the sector But I think as with anything things are cyclical right and this is another cycle where we begin into build and hopefully You know whoever comes into power sees the value in investing in young people I personally think that as soon as they we get the youth vote coming in I think that's where the investment will really start to come because You know as soon as you give a 16-year-old the ability to vote now Now you now you need to yeah, you got to sell to them. Yeah, I think right now where where they're not an important stakeholder They can sometimes I will help the youth later but as soon as you bring them into the conversation investment has to be he's right and to back that up as well

25:06Yeah, that says it is a national youth strategy is a 10-year UK government plan aimed At improving youth well-being safety and opportunities by empowering young people Co-produced with over 14,000 young people Yeah, it's focused on providing access trusted adults creating 250 plus youth centers So that means it seems like it's coming back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I was on I was on a commission The former children commission of for England And created this thing called the center for for young lives. Mm-hmm. And she did this report Called the commission on young lives and so I was one of the expert voices and there was a few other different Leaders that came around that and and some of the recommendations that we put forward I know have essentially been lobbied to the labor government around what they should be doing in the space for young people So again, I think one of the things I've always tried to do as I become a little bit wiser in the way that you want to make change Is you got to be in the rooms? You've got to be part of the policy conversations You've got to be able to talk to the youth

26:07But then also talk to the decision makers and have both people and then actually be a conduit to bring those voices into the spaces with young people With with the leaders because a lot of the people that are in those spaces Don't always have that lived experience. And so I'm going to same thing you said about the 14,000 young people You know, you're working with youth groups that are like we're not just putting your standard you know kind of Prefect head girl head boy type level like you're like we want to mand them That's what you want to have any conversations because then you're getting a full spectrum of that lived experience Experience and insight. That's how I think things are going to change and then it's just about long-term sustainable investment So what what what road do you think like the parents have to play making sure obviously Yeah, kids are not They really must go and down the wrong path massively. Yeah, yeah When I when I think of like my life, especially like if you go and look down in a lot of like things that like A lot of the kids that get into like bad things. Yeah, most of them. We're not even born here

27:10So I feel like when you grow up in places like Africa you have like certain type of disciplines And then a lot of our parents are like Moving to this country and they're just kind of like focusing on working And then obviously kids like myself obviously lucky. I didn't go down that Um, yeah, perfect, perfect. Yeah, I find myself well. Okay, cool Wasn't living with my mom at that time, and my dad's just constantly working. He's doing like 60 hours shifts like So he's going to work at night coming back in the morning. So he had no clue Well, you're getting up. We was dead. You know, I mean, I'm coming from that Being taught to do things in a certain way and being disciplined. You're moving to a country where like I can't tell the teacher the shop and nothing's gonna stick in the shop I'm saying There's no discipline that comes with that. No one can do nothing. Oh, you mean that physical

28:12You got Then you got your parents that are not really in the picture. Yes, they're in the picture But not also they're not active in the picture. So how important do you think like It is for the parents to also play the part massively. Make sure that it's hugely important because children are ultimately the responsibility of the parents No matter what's going on in government My your the parent has first and foremost the responsibility of the child I think it's when the parent doesn't or isn't able to manage that well because of various different factors that the government then steps in and supports that that child and the family But then also I think there's a there's a real call to action for the village around children back to what I said before Because if a parent is struggling because they've got mental health challenges or they've They're working crazy hours or like what does that village look like around children? I would I would hope that Every child For one way whether it's school whether it's a faith community whether it sports activity whether it's you've club whether it's We're like family circle. They should have they should have somebody that sees that something's going

29:17Like wrong and kind of draws them a little bit closer. Yeah in a safe way to say I see that something's not going right for you But I'm part of the village. I know that your mom's working really hard or your dad's working really hard or someone's To weigh in your life, and so I'm gonna step up and try and do something I think that's the village mentality that sometimes feels a little bit lost because everyone's on this individualistic Yeah, that's grinding and I need to make it which is kind of the way society is wired us to be But I think as soon as we begin to go back to some of those principles of you know each of these young people is these are kids These are children, you know, like they're growing up and they're in pain And if I have the ability to invest and take time and even just help one person Like how how you know, what's the impact? What's the impact? What's that saying you can you can light a candle And by lighting a candle it doesn't take your flame like you know You can light a thousand handles and still be a light right so I think that's it. It's just we got to You've got to spend more time doing that as a society Yeah, but I just feel the work that you guys are doing and it is amazing like especially helping young people before they get to that point of of no return

30:23Because I had a brother that went conscious. I mean, I'm when one that happens you kind of lose them It's very hard to get them back So and I applaud people like you because you could just be leaving your life. You're married You know, I mean like you could just be going out enjoying yourself by the fact you're Yeah, I still enjoy Well, I mean, you're devoting your time to help young people a lot of people. We're just here It doesn't happen that young people are around us Yeah, but good on you guys open young people around you because you know, I it's paying it forward like I mean not to be on I mean, I was a cheeky body. Yeah, not to be on the nose of the documentary Like just generally like someone did it for me. Yeah, you know, I was 16 I didn't believe in myself and a mentor said like there's something in you bro Like something that you've got and I believe in you and I'm gonna give you an opportunity Based on who you showed me to be that you are right now. I'm only gonna take you as being that person I don't care about your reputation. I don't care about your past your part like broke Like this is a new for a slate. No one had done that for me before I think the more times we give young people the ability to to make mistakes because everyone that's an adult has made a mistake

31:27Even if you give off this oh, yeah, I'm all right now. No things finding. Oh my gosh. How dare you bro? Like there's stuff in your past There's stuff in your past. There's things you don't want people to know So let's not just And I for a night leave the whole world blind and and who about seeing cast the first stone all of these things bro We're growing up with young people that are making mistakes as we all did And if they have the ability if we have the ability to to provide a platform to give some encouragement to open the door Give man some work experience Show them. Oh, yeah, she come around for dinner. Whatever like all of that stuff begins to plant seed in your mind What's possible? So it's crazy though. These are people are violent. Did you see this crazy thing that happened? Red red bandana versus blue bandana. Let's all meet up to fight. I haven't I have an opinion about that And I'm not saying it's not true because that equally. I'm not on the ground I know people on the ground there and there's some real threat But I think these things gather momentum because we share them And we talk about them and people do videos and I've seen so many videos about it I think it's great

32:28But I wonder if there is a negative effect of fueling these things you know like back in the day really bad analogy But you know like before when people used to like streak and football matches Yeah, yeah, and you know they stopped banning it now now it's always been banned But now I'm not even gonna give you the airtime. Yeah, yeah I'm not even showing you if you run and do whatever that's fine. I'll just Edit out. Oh, no, no, I'll just go into the crowd I'm not even giving you thing the security would do what we need to do if there's a threat and there's something But we're not giving you the airtime because that's what you're looking for So I wonder if in all of these some somebody's situations that by fueling it We're actually tying into somebody that's sitting online that's made this narrative not saying in this situation But it's easy now to put AI stuff out there and force news force flags Do not get spread around and everyone starts moving in fit. Do you think social media is killing our people Mom I saw Dylan's dad make dinner like actually cooked and it was straight Fire he said it was blue apron assemble and bake all the ingredients showed up pre-chopped and he just laid it out on a baking sheet and no cap

33:34Dinner was on the table in like 25 minutes apparently it's chef designed and it has like over 40 grams of protein That's a lot right? So maybe try it just stay in you can be the next Dylan's dad blue apron give $50 off your first two orders plus Free shipping with code stir 50 terms and conditions apply visit blue apron dot com slash terms for more Hey y'all it's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfarer where delivery and setup are as easy as a few taps on your phone picture this You're relaxing in an old hammock scrolling Wayfarer's app when you spot it a brand new patio set Next thing you know Wayfarer delivers it right to your patio and sets it up All you need a new girl to all right Wayfarer's got you covered With Wayfarer's room of choice delivery and fast expert setup on qualifying orders life gets a little easier visit Wayfarer dot com or the Wayfarer Wayfarer every style every home with almost half a million customers and over a trillion dollars of secure payments Bill isn't new to intelligent finance. It's the proven way to simplify bill pay and maximize cash flow Want to learn more visit bill dot com slash proven for a special offer

34:41I Think elements of social media are for sure Yeah, I think that Social media as a whole has many many positive benefits many many things that you can use it right media if you use it right Screen time. I believe on font font a firm believer that screen time should can be growth time The amount of things like listen how many times you watch a meme is or or real and you're like right as much like save it on your Is the ground thing you learn something It's where the algorithm especially when you're growing up is based on Things that are maybe not necessarily Editamin come on uplifting or inspiring and they're constantly kind of narratives that are kind of negative I think if that begins to be your daily But I think I think ultimately You know, we have to embrace technology one of the things that I'm going to do next is is getting into the digital space and You know trying to find ways what I found the way should I say finding a way to engage young people positively through their devices

35:46But I think the more that we begin to embrace it and we see AI as as a tool for us to use rather than being used by it I think we'll be able to to to make some real progress in some of these areas that we're struggling with around narrative and around Yeah, just mindset and stuff, but yes, it's definitely a it's definitely a tough Environment if you haven't got people guarded and guard railing it, you know very very tough Yeah, and yeah, my young people I know they got it hard. They do have it a lot harder than us. I feel like the village is decimated People don't have much time. Yeah Back in the day, but you could go to your cousins house You can go to your friends yard. Like do young people even visit their friends I don't think they're going to different ends anymore. Yeah, I think I think that stuff like, you know We say like you could travel from one ends to another and like not necessarily say you're safe But it's it wasn't an automatic g-checkting And I think also that is probably affecting the way that young people feel like free to navigate like navigate the world

36:47You know, I don't talk about that. So I feel like sorry to cut you off. I feel like that. There's a you had to Yeah, there's no I have to go down there because but now it's like we don't have to we can jump on the phone Face time now face time. You can just communicate You know, so it's like you know, I mean I could see someone across the world now, but back then you kind of have to take the risk wherever it was Spend time with you to build with you. I have to be in person MSN zone you're gonna do so much Before you run out of And that we used to play in the park You used to be in the park You used to play go-to-go Now is that you only play football if you're booking a five-hours-high pitch That's in the level of Yeah, I think even I'll tell my conversation in a young person every day and then they'll talk about first dates and they'll talk about Hackerson Yeah, oh, bro, it's different. They're growing up now with like the mindset that you might you must have been about 15 Because you're growing up and you're seeing these things as normal

37:48So that's where I say that the narrative is being crazy because I'm thinking that that's what I should be doing at 15 So therefore, you know young women are growing up and that's my expectation But in the challenge if you want to if you want to deep is that that then opens them up for potential grooming Yeah, getting older boys that do have the money To chat to young girls You know, let's be real some of us grew up and we saw girls in our class gone out of older boys No, I really said nothing because he was heartbroken. Yeah, I won't love of his life was going out to Delri It went to six four I think they are they but we didn't have the words to say that that's grooming. Yeah, it was grooming But we didn't realize it was what it was Like you're watching they have the same age as you driving yeah Right in a car and you know realizing that these are the kind of things where that's that's predatory behavior facts We didn't know and so Amongst all of this pressure People are getting groomed online People are kind of seeing that this is the lifestyle I need and so all of those things are affecting the youth's minds and and

38:53That's what we're up against So it's not it's not it's not Easy to to grow up now and and ultimately we have to all come together and fight to say how do we help our youth because yeah We're losing the battle if we don't and quickly just before we wrap up How do we change the narrative of what it means to be a young black guy? Because I feel like Growing up and I don't know if you're still the same now like if you're not playing football or being a rapper like it's not cool Yeah, I mean let's say you wanted to do drama Mm-hmm, you know a lot of people don't know that two-packed in ballet. Yeah So when I read that I was like wrong Yeah, but I was hidden from my spurs Like why can't I be on black way do ballet? You know classical music like how do we change the narrative of what it means to be a young black guy living in the UK? Do we reshape cool? Yeah, you know what it's um It's probably I would put marker in the sun and say one of my life missions man to try and work out how to how to do that Yeah, so you know you are up against the Andrew Tates of the world. Yeah, I mean who now are preaching a different from a masking that you

39:59Promise him if you yeah, listen, I don't I acknowledge that there are people in the world that's narratives. Mm-hmm. They always are Yeah, true. It's always gonna be me Come on everyone else that I'm around and how you navigate that Listen, you can always focus and put energy on stuff But ultimately we need to give a viable alternative to that youth and so Same way people were able to build platforms that are negative is the same way we should be able to build on that That's correct. Come on. Yeah, so that's all I'm really working on now We build digital platforms that tell the right stories, you know When I'm when I'm asked to make a short film. I have a responsibility as a storyteller to tell certain stories Even if there is a bit of pain and trauma What's the hope? What's the way forward? What's the yeah, how we had what's the solution and I think also, you know When we talk about role models you can have role models from everywhere lots of people are I say we need more role models We need people that are doing this and I'm like they're loads of them We just haven't found a way to market them to young people You haven't found a way to market these stories of everyday humans that are exceptional people that have you know

41:04They just my man runs a shop. Yeah, but just because he hasn't got a million followers online and is doing lit stuff like or a Bentley or a Bentley Or whatever like you don't see that as being successful Yeah, like I always say like I have my I have my dad in my house, and I'm very grateful that my dad is the man that he is And he taught me the principles I had but I didn't read my dad growing up 50 cent was my like that's my guy That was the the whole aura that you get me what my dad has consistently loved my mom for 30 years No drama no side children Not I'm just going to work did his thing as a Made it out. He's actually made it out of mud from Jamaica Hills like come here didn't like with you know and made it and so We have to find a way to to market these narratives and I'm not gonna reach everyone straight away But hopefully there's a generational shift That means that people can grow up and they can't say I didn't know that you could do that I didn't know that someone like me could do that It should be visible because we've got technologies to show that now We just have to find the platform. So yeah, what's your space now? What's your movie? I know that's not narrator. I want to change my brother. He always says something. Yeah, your reward is in heaven

42:09Mm-hmm. I would need to change that. Why can he not be here? Why can't he not be here like you talk about your dad and this man is a it's a real laugh super hero But what else don't you talk? He's a reward is in heaven. What do you know? No, but no get flowers here. I think there's a bit of both right I agree with you what like equally again, depending on your faith structure and everything Listen the ultimate mission is like when I when I when my time is up Mm-hmm. I got to meet my my heavenly father and he says Well done. Well done. Good news. Come in VIP section Oh, he says hey, I'll go another mission for you because you did well with that mission go back down I know we're ending but imagine that's that is the that is the possibilities of Universe, bro, if you want to talk deep like bro, who knows that I have a particular structure that I believe I believe I don't go to heaven I believe there's a certain way for me to get it. That's my belief structure, but when I get there

43:10That the amazing element of that is I don't know and I'm gonna be there like in wonder and or I mean Bro, what do you mean like I can go to this planet over here where we think there's no life? But it's what do you like it's actually mind what? Forever bro, I think you're gonna give you So beautiful to think that man, so I think that's it like ultimately I'm gonna use my time well You know they say that you got that you know your day your born the day you die in that dash That's not space in between I got one Jealousy the this one's completely off topic I was doing this because I want to get you Don't know we're wrapping up we're wrapping up. Do you mind see the matters happen at a bopters, bro? Yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, we don't know when I read you and then what'd you love think about that? I think I'm personally I'm more angry at the BBC for airing it and I'm not he pre-taped. Yeah, so it was two hours behind So it wasn't live and there was another word that was said when you know someone's exception in ward

44:14You know and they edited it out. Yeah, but they refused to edit out the end word Yeah, so for me it's like what narrative are you guys trying to force up on us, right? Why is it okay for someone to say that but it's not okay for someone to free margin like say free margin like people so for me I'm angry. Yeah, you know They know hate for the first time But not for me. I'm angry at the BBC. Yeah, I don't want to get into the gentleman himself I don't understand enough about turrets So then cast judgment on whether or not he has internalized Issues that just came out via his disability, but it's the BBC that a whole accountable I agree I agree that and I think Delway Lindo said I was reading it today in the Variety in Variety magazine The thing that hurt I think the most I think or in paraphrasing was that no one came to speak to us after wow So, you know as much as yes, my man said what he said and as he said as a disability and we don't understand enough about that I'm in a space that I've been asked to come and do something and this is meant to be safe

45:14This is meant to be an environment that I come to work. I'm not expecting to hear that and if I do hear that what are you doing in order to keep me psychologically safe? And they didn't do that. Yeah, no surprise. I let alone air in it You didn't come to me as people you just let my going sit back down and mull over that that tells me that I'm not safe in this environment Which is why I always say why do we look for seats at other people's tables? Yep, so we can sit there we can collaborate and listen that not everyone's like that in the world But equally what I love about the states and I love about the idea of being on the continent is that we have spaces where it's Unapologetically ours. Yeah, that's nothing gonna happen So I think equally we have to continue to to elevate our platforms collaborate have a humanist mind of we're all here trying to do this thing But where I don't feel safe. I'm coming back to that place Because just to tell you they played it yesterday and it was still available in I player this Available bro bro listen, it's crazy. It's almost like they just try not rage. I feel like it's just one

46:15Yeah, just one man him to be angry man. I just felt like At this point, we just need to be our point where you just need to be we need to rise above things like this Overstand. Yeah, exactly overstand. That's it. I'm just not Yeah, not falling to wherever I know Because just to trick us out of our everybody's all angry now now. Attention is the vert to this now We need to stay focused on our cause what we're And and the thing that has been under Celebrated is that I was gonna say is that Ryan Kugler first black person to win that particular award Yeah, the most celebrated imagine black made film in history of this sort Like and again, what now what narrative are we focusing on it's not to say let's hold people accountable 100% we do change the systems do better But us as people I guarantee the fitness gonna be pushed more in our what's our groups and stuff is that And Kugler's achievement we have we have work to do as a people is what we do. Yeah

47:16No, let them take that take us for idiot. Yeah, how would accent? Yeah, you know my kids are half Jamaican. Is it I'll be in practice in Take man for idiot Oh, anyway, no, bro. Thanks for coming on man. It's been very entertaining You know, is there anything you want to have used and anything coming up any What they can find do you look up for yeah, I'm on on Instagram or money dot Simpson I Feels a little bit pretentious saying this but generally like if you if you google money simpson you'll see the websites and some of the work and stuff But ultimately I think the cool to action is just Each one teach one and then the community that you're in you can look at people at myself and loads of other people in the field doing work But you have responsibility of the young people in your village, so come on you can watch this and listen

48:17But ultimately you've got to do something yourself to help someone else. So that's what I would say guys What they got to pay they got to pay what? For wide pay it forward. Yeah, thank you No backwards. They can use backwards forward. So yeah, if you've enjoyed the episode Please make sure to like share subscribe if you listen to us on audio make sure you follow Just to make sure that when the episode comes out you get notified hit the bell the buzzer wherever you want to call it again notifications That's Listen guys. We're working on some exciting things. Let's so excited. I feel itching Like I want to snitch is it snitching? Is it leaking? No sharing? It's the whole time I can't tell you but if you want to be one of those people to find out first Just stay locked to make sure you sign up follow us on Instagram join the membership group because you guys will get Exclusive details of what we've got a plan facts. I'm under my proud of you guys. Appreciate you

49:17Thanks for having me. Oh, thank you, man. Thank you so much. I don't know why I thought that you thought that. Yeah The man never could have been doing anything else. Bro. We're here. We're here. We're here. I think community We've got a duty man. You know what it is because my dad's never said it That he's proud of me That's another episode. You're gonna say to my son every day. Exactly. I say to my dude every day And that's how it breaks That's like I thought that I feel as the bass in your voice as well. I'm proud of you Till next time guys peace Thanks for listening to the in my opinion podcast don't forget to like subscribe and share until next time peace Hey y'all it's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfarer where delivery and setup are as easy as a few taps on your phone Picture this you're relaxing in an old hammock scrolling Wayfarer's app when you spot it A brand new patio set Next thing you know Wayfarer delivers it right to your patio and sets it up. Oh, you need a new girl too

50:20All right Wayfarer's got you covered with Wayfarer's room of choice delivery and fast expert setup on qualifying orders Life gets a little easier visit Wayfarer.com or the Wayfarer Wayfarer every style every home when it comes to managing money Forget the hype and look at the results bill has a trillion dollars of secure payments powering our bill pay tools Instead of just moving money bill is powering the financial operations of nearly half a million customers So stop the guesswork and start scaling with the proven choice ready to talk with an expert Visit bill.com slash proven to get started and grab a $250 gift card as a thank you terms and conditions apply see offer page for details