Hey. How's it going.
Susan Reese here.
This episode, I had a wonderful
conversation with Ruby on,
an extraordinary walk and let's see. The list
of all the things she does is really
long. So
she is a performing song artist.
So in other words, you know, she writes
songs too as well as performs.
She's a model.
She is an activist.
She loves to cook.
She's funny. She's she's very funny.
She's beautiful. While I said she's a model.
So, of course, she's beautiful.
But she's beautiful inside, which to me
is the best kind of beautiful.
What else?
You know, we talk a lot about what's
going on in the world and
how she feels about her place in the
world as, you know, I talk about how,
I feel about my in the world. It's
weird times out there, folks. So
I just... Every everyone who knows Ruby knows
her, of course, from the fact that she's
a fun phenomenal artist,
but also, you know, she tours a jack
White and Ryan Adams and and Sam and
Ruby and and all this stuff and
it's fantastic.
However,
I wanted to talk to Ruby has Ruby,
not Ruby as all these other things.
So,
I really dug it. I doug my time
with her, and I hope you dig it
too.
Alright. Here we go. Oh, and I almost
forgot If you haven't already subscribed on itunes,
please do so,
and
I think that's it. Oh, hey, human podcast
dot com if you wanna check out the
website.
Okay. Now for Reals Z's, here we go.
Hi, Ruby. Hi. See news.
Today, we've got Ruby Ama on fu. So
exciting. I'm very excited to to have this
conversation. Can't wait to you meet you. So
hopefully won't disappoint you. I know it's not
gonna disappoint me. I'm really excited. I'm excited
to. And we have some wine. Yes. Delicious.
Because humans love wine, People And the brand
of wine is called simple life. Mh.
Right? What about to that? Here's to that.
So telephone folks
who may not know your awesome miss what
Ugh.
What it is that you do. Starting with...
I mean,
you were born in Ghana. Yeah. I was.
You're an immigrant. Yes. God forbid. Flat right?
Yeah. Full eye. I think God you're an
immigrant when you a bed and yeah trying
to be an immigrant now. It's more complicated
business. It's so complicated,
but it's so funny because I didn't become
a citizen.
Of the states until I was in my
early twenties. Wow. And that was
2.
First,
you know, we had our green cards, which
now I hear is exceptionally hard to get.
And very expensive. All that. You know. Mh.
So when we came to this country, we
were really blessed to have sorted all of
that out in the beginning. Yeah.
So we came... You know, we basically came
here with that kind of sorted. Or or
you swapping mom dad. Mom dad
sister brother and myself. I'm I'm the middle.
And so we got on the plane. I
was
1 month away from 3 years old. My
sister was 5.
My baby brother was 4 months old. Wow.
I.
Just for a moment to think about try
traveling Yeah. With small children that far. And
not just on a vac
moving to a new country. Major your deal
sure. Yeah. Yeah.
So So...
What was the impetus? Why did they decide
to move here? My dad,
at the time, he was a computer programmer.
Okay. And he was the eldest to 4
boys,
and his father had passed away when he
was, I think 5 years old.
And as the eldest, and especially in that
cult sure you take care of the family.
Sure. And,
you know, by any means. And so the
best opportunity for my father to do that
was to leave donna
and to make money, you know, more money
and then send it back to the family.
So he was considering jobs in
different parts of Europe and also the states.
And
the job he chose was in Nashville, Tennessee.
Random. Yeah. It it was
amazingly so, But you know what?
We had some friends,
my parents had
come up and their, you know,
early twenties with another wonderful couple dis seminars,
and
another couple called the.
And they had moved to Nashville, you know,
differing times. Mh.
So when... You, I think that was also
1 of the reasons my dad considered
Nashville.
But
they couldn't have been better and the opportunity
job opportunity for him could not have been
better, and
our family was really taken care of and
protected. And and when we came here, it
was truly just...
I felt like everything was
laid out. Like... It was the American Dream
as it was supposed to be. Yeah. The
way originally was...
That's right. Yeah. You were absolutely right. Yeah.
The way that the way that our fore
father were lack of a better Yep. Pool
to dig from. Right. Pool the dig from.
Pull the women. Yeah. That that was that
was what they wanted, was that people could
come from anywhere. That's right. With with with
open arms as as opposed to.
Shin guns.
Yeah.
What do I get
Yeah. Has evans these days? Yeah. It's it's...
You know, And... So it really.
Gosh. I know. And it really hits home
for me to see what is going on
right now with
with everything. And with with
with people who
are trying to come to the states for...
Or or other countries even from their own
for differing reasons, you know, oppression in within
their,
countries and which is, you know, really big
1 that... Obviously, a lot of us are
talking about right now and we know about
what's been going time. It's really easy for
an American. And who has a pretty... Even
even those who don't have a great life.
It's still a billion times better than some
of the people in these countries are just
ravaged. Yeah. And and we really have no
idea. Most most Americans
can't even fathom it. Mh. And and
And into that end, I think that's why
what comes off as,
lacking
empathy is just
it's just true ignorance. Yeah. And, you know,
it's funny when when I was coming up,
just his children do, you hear words, and
I remember as think I was about 8,
and I heard the word ignorant. I think
a teacher used it sith ignorance, you know?
And I was like, oh, but ignorant. That's
a word that we use on the playground
to make fun of other kids. We say
you're ignorant. Like, I didn't, you know, but
I didn't I would hear it said. Like
oh, you're ignorant. You're ignorant, you know, people
would laugh about it because to me, I
translate as stupid or as, you know, incapable
of... I think it's often translated to be
stupid, but it's not. It's it's a lack
of knowing lack of education. It's just lack
of lack of knowledge. Very young people
intellectual like people who have the capacity
Knowledge
could be very ignorant. That's right. Yeah. And
if there's something that I don't know,
I will use that word for cell, and
not think anything about it. And then that's
that's the that's
that's the way I wish more and more
people were to not take it as threatening
word, but as a word's, like, you know,
if you say, you know, I'm ignorant to
this, it's like an opportunity. To If we
live in a culture right now, I feel
like
there's AAA
villain to intelligence.
If you're smart, it's somehow vi and that
the dumb you are,
the more you're in status quo. I know
I know that's not exact. I mean, that's
hyper, of course, But
it seems like the dumb down of humanity.
I only not just talking about America. Yeah,
think on America till the day as long,
but it's not just here. Well, but what
you're saying really does resonate with think talking
about being a kid in school again, Like,
think about who was made fun of. Who
was called the nerd in a geek. Yeah.
You ever recall anything heavy duty because the
color of your skin or we... Was that
not really because you went to nice schools.
Yeah. Yeah. Up in a... I was lucky.
I was lucky,
you know, in the first part of of
of my life in Nashville Tennessee and in
the states. And in the south, by the
way, let's Yeah. You know what's funny is,
you know, my parents
did a good job of making us feel
safe with an the environment that they move
us to and the schools
that they, you know, sent us to,
but as much as my parents wanted to,
I think
continue that protection,
it's expensive to... You know, that... That to
protect your children
in this country,
is expensive.
And... What do you mean by that? Expense?
Like,
even something is where where are you going
to put them in day?
You know, is it gonna be a day
that you never gonna be well fed and
taught or you gonna, you know, because the
ones that are they're cheap?
You're gonna sit your children. They're gonna sit,
you know, kids in out every. Yeah. And
they're not gonna... They're just gonna sit there
and they're up educated. There's no... You know,
there's not gonna... In the interaction.
And
the school systems,
also, you know,
everyone's talking these days about montessori schools versus
public schools or private schools versus public schools.
And I know that when my parents when
our family first moved here, my parents,
were initially, you know, concerned
about what
would we be taught in this place that
In Ghana
there are certain
assumptions about America and American children and the
lack of discipline
that sometimes
they have, like, we do not talk back
to our parents. We don't... There's there's a
certain level of respect that you that you
learn that carries over into your life. So
not so that you're subs servant,
but just so that you can give the
same respect that you want for yourself. Like
a 19 fifties America. I'm I'm idealistic
19 fifties America. Well, that's I... That's the
thing is I I have a hard I'm
even knowing what that looks like. Because when
I think of 19 fifties, I also think
about exactly because. I think when I when
I hear 19 fifties, I'm also thinking about
Jim Crow and where... Yeah. Wouldn't be able
to sit where. I say that as a
white person, of course. A white 19 fifties
ideal. Mh. What kid obtain, don't talk back
to your teachers and don't talk about your
parents. But in yeah. In the 19 fifties,
black people were being rounded up and hung
for.
So, I mean, Yeah. And that's not even
that long ago. It's still it's lost my
mind all the time. When I stopped it,
people talking about all the stuff going on.
And I'm like, we have We haven't outgrown
that. We haven't learned from anything, and it
was just yesterday. I know. And it really
was. And that's in the states and think
about South Africa and it was ce. Less
time or steven lester time. So, you know,
so what I'd say when I say it's
expensive
to protect your children here,
you know, just
anything that is is healthy
or save,
it's gonna cost more, whether the neighborhood you
choose for instance. So that's good if you
are... If you choose to live in a
neighborhood
that,
you know, the crime rates are lower, it's
gonna cost you more. If you choose to
put your your child in a school system
to keep their minds safer to keep their
minds, you know, educated or and safer or
whatever, if gonna cost you more. So,
you know, my parents wanted to continue that
for the whole time.
But it got expensive with 3 children. With
3 children and was sending money back to
Ghana
and, you know, to take care of the
family back there as was the, you know,
mission as well. It's expensive. And and
my parents
worked
tirelessly,
and even for what they did and how
much they worked day and night, there's still
only so much you can do. Mh So
at a certain point,
you know, the the private school
education had to be modified. And luckily,
we ended up getting into
megs and Martin luther your King Magnet, you
know, meg magnet, Martin luther your King Magnet.
And it's they explain the magnet school some
you might not know. Management schools an amazing
situation where
if
you're...
If you are a child or your child
shows promise in
in school. And
es sc
promise
you can have an opportunity to get an
education
that
an otherwise elite school, like, for Nashville, that
would be, like, Ends sw, you know, or
Mu montgomery bell Academy or Harbor call. There
there are schools that you have to pay
30 plus thousand dollars a year to go
to to get an education that you know,
the magna school system gives you, and you
go there for free. You you test in,
and then you get selected in accepted. So
does doesn't it mean that there are different
kinds of teachers or
the... That there's only a small... Is I
know, like, the the students. Yeah. The clusters
are overrun and less kind stuff. So my
school isn't placing you in a Montgomery bell
or the and its own school. It's its
own school. It's its own school, and there
is a focus on,
on in... How should I say this?
There is a focus on
the elevation of education? Yeah, wouldn't it be
something if every school just had that in
general? Wouldn't it be? But see, there we
go. There's the division of
versus poor black versus. Why? Right. Whatever whatever
division might you wanna throw down. Yeah. It
should be that schools are just fucking awesome.
Schools are just exactly. And that that's a
great education that we're turning out bright,
excited minds
It's not reality, and it's a... I don't
feel like that should be utopian nor do
I feel like it should be Polly to
like that. Yeah.
Yeah. It's it's and it's not... And and
these are things that we're trying to to
change, you know, especially also in Nashville with
our school board, you know? And,
there are some great things that have dumb,
but there are some things that have not
been addressed and and we're in the time
now where we really have to address those
things.
And as you know, going back to money,
like, money is a big thing. And if
a teacher
feels
you know, that they are not being valued
by the system.
It's going to affect. A lot of times
it just naturally affects how they perform. K.
The same thing for me if
I have a show where somebody's giving me
a thousand bucks to perform a show.
I'm going to
try harder
have... Maybe even have an extra rehearsal,
you know, with my brand for because I
can afford it. Yeah. Because I can afford
it,
whereas if I have a show and they're,
like, you know, 250
that's for your take.
My band members are not gonna want to
even maybe rehearse once. We're gonna have to
do a line check and rehearse at the
venue. There's nobody wants to be as excellent.
It's just the way it goes, and you
can't say, oh, you should always be excellent
all the time. Yeah. That's true when you're
stressed out about
everyday things like, how to pay your bills,
how to feed yourself, and you want to
to, you, you know, going back to the
band thing,
you know, when you want to give people
what you know they are worth. If you
want to show them that you value them.
Yeah. And if you can't, you're gonna feel
shame for that, and it's going to express
itself. That's not like, Bob goes into work
as an engineer and that morning. His boss
is like, today, we're gonna pay you 250
dollars. Thank back to you Right. To 2000
dollar worth of engineering
That's great analogy. It's a strange thing that
creative go... I know we're jumping around Lopez.
It's a strange thing that creative
Yeah. Everybody wants to absorb creativity. Mh. Mh.
Since the dawn of time. Mh. The Gods.
Yeah. You know, loved it. They would... On
mount of olympus, the write down going, yeah.
Play on. Play on. Yeah. And yet,
nobody wants to value it at anything. It
should be just given I don't get that.
I don't know anybody can go to their
job every day Expect to be paid and
then turn around and look at
someone who's creative, and I don't care any
creative cancer,
musician, writer
doesn't matter. You know, any of those things,
a painter
that somehow it's okay. To not value them.
You know, that's humanity. That's yeah. A a
lack of understanding of how humans value each
other. It is. It is. And
I can't say that it doesn't ba me
still even though I have been,
you know,
a creative for my proportion
for, you know, yes.
Forever, and
it's still frustrate me and it's still
baffles me. It's still something I'm trying to
figure out,
you know, and as we continue forward in
this
industry in entertainment industry trying to
Now every day we're trying to figure out
how can you monetize this? How can you...
How can you continue to do this
and still put food on the tape and
keep a over your head and pay your,
you know, your rent or your mortgage. Most
of us, it's rent. Let's be honest, you
know? And how can you
do that
without,
you know, I mean, gosh,
I don't know
many people in my situation who don't have
second careers or, you know, jobs or thirds
or... Exactly.
You know, And this company included? Yeah. Yeah.
Me too. And this is the thing is
that people don't...
They don't want to know that. Mh. They
just want to see,
you know, the art
without knowing what the sacrifice was to create
the art. Yeah. Well, and I think
going back of here shows, like, Mtv crib
probably did a major disservice because
all a sudden it appears like anyone that
sits down to do music is just sort
of eating bond bonds doing laps in their
Infinity pool. Oh, yeah. But that's not the
reality now. Just... And it's true that over
the history of time artists,
again, dancers answers, musicians, painters, whatever.
Have died penn list. Yeah Not not knowing,
you know this. And not having the
experience of having, quote, unquote, A6I
don't know what success means. I mean, that's
such a made up board anyway. Yeah.
But we can... You can talk about specific
levels of success. The specific divisions of success.
And if you're talking about financial systems Insurance
is always nice. I...
That is nice. That's the thing. And... Takes
the bulk of my income. Really? Yeah. Yeah.
It is felt very expensive. And I remember
being on the phone this January with my
insurance company
and asking why it had gone up almost
100 dollars. Because you aged to hear. Because
I aged a year. Mh. And nothing else
had changed and and they also, you know,
gave me some bs about how,
you know, well, it's how... Well, this is
true, but it's also something that is a
break in the system. Is it just function
in the system
about the cost of health care are rising,
which is true. So they're trying... They're having
to take it from people. But at that
point, they're not...
There's no rhyme of reason to whom they
take it from. They just take it. Well
not only ain't that, but I mean they
they go totally on statistics. And whether or
not you are an elite athlete
or, you know, sitting on your couch weighing
400 pounds. It doesn't matter. Yes. Statistical data.
Mh. If every year, we were able to...
I mean I could probably run circles around
my insurance agent, honestly. Right. I mean, I
I'd probably beat. And elaborate through whatever. But
they don't look at that. They just got
your your age group,
color of your skin. Right. You know, how
much the money you make, all that stuff
because... Yeah. You know? And it's it's ridiculous.
Yeah. And someone's making a lot of money.
Ours well when we know that. Yeah. We
know it's broken the broken systems. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. It is. You know, and there have
been years where I have sent, you know,
no to health insurance by principal alone, and
there been years where I have had to
say no to insurance by a lack of
lack of income, and then there, you know,
been where,
you know, I just make it work.
And
it's it's it's still hard. It's hard. I
don't
think in my adult life I've ever had
a year where I don't worry
about paying my bills.
And that is
shocking to me as I say it out
loud
because of
of, you know, the amount of work I
continue to do, you would think that... But
you know what this like, I'm going back
teachers because the same thing applies,
I think teachers should make as much as
doctors. I so wholeheartedly agree. That is the
way it should be. I so So... And
and the requirements for their education should be
held to withstand as well. Yes. I am
appalled that some of the... You know, when
I baby sat for my friends kids or
whatever and the things that... I'm like, why
did you learn that? Mh. You know. Mh.
Some some of the teachers. And III
think teachers police officers, all these guys. I
mean, my gosh yes
Yes. They're all doing god's work. I know.
You know. Yeah. We need to take the
money away from some folks
and give it to others. I don't even
know. I mean, Terrible to say. I don't
know. I mean, I think an opinion is
in if you're paying a baseball player who's
exceptional his job granted, but if you're paying
them 200000000 dollars a year, and and there
are 5 and 4 year olds who can't
get health and... You know, can't get... Go
to see the doctor, or who do go
to the doctor and then end up with
medical bills completely destroy the family. Yeah,
that's a broken world. Let's talk about this.
What do you think why do you think
that there are a lot of people not
everybody because I know a lot of people
with a really, really hefty income who do
give back. Absolutely. Sure. Why do you think
that
there are people
who make an exorbitant amount of money who's
who don't naturally say, I am going to
give away this percentage because I don't need
it. What do you think that is?
I mean, I think that's probably a couple
different things. Things 1 ego, and I don't
mean Ego like, on the shit. I mean,
Ego, like your ego versus your soul. It's
somewhere in they think that they're not that
they're not deserve, They probably work very hard
for the money. Yeah. Or maybe they inherited
it. Whatever. Whatever it is.
I think there is an
an inherent
thing that happens to a human being where
they
become a person, and they either see themselves
as an individual. Mh.
Going through the world, or they see themselves
as part of humanity. Wow, that's that... I'm
the only way I resonates. Yeah. The only
way I can look at it because it
seems to me
that the people...
And it it's directly correlates with how they
feel about themselves. I will say it until
I'm blue the face. Nobody treats another human
being Mh.
Except for how they feel about the. You're
absolutely right. Yeah. So the man or woman
walking down the street that can't look in
the eyes of the homeless person. Mh.
That really doesn't much to do with the
homeless person. It has to do with their
own feeling of them. Themselves. Right? Right. Maybe
maybe they're wealthy and they somewhere in them.
They don't feel worthy of that, and so
they over overcome by buying a, you know,
400000
dollar car. Mh. To somehow feel worthy, but
it's my experience. I can only speak from
my experience that
no matter what your wealth level. I mean,
I'm not rich. Obviously like. What the people
I have known and the peep the company
I have caps.
That money
absolutely
emphatic does not buy happiness. Yeah. In fact,
for some, it causes more misery because they
try and fill this God shaped hole, and
I referenced God And it doesn't matter whether
you're religious or not. It's an expression. Right.
You know, to fill a gods shaped hole,
Right. Well, never work. It it's an infinite
amount of empty. Yeah. Right. So what are
you gonna do? So that... That's a long
winded answer to. Should absolutely resonates it completely.
And I wish it weren't the case. I
mean, I don't know what happens.
Every soul has its own journey. I guys.
And and I I personally believe in rein
incarnation. So I believe that, you know, maybe
in the last life, I was at deck.
I have no idea. Why. I don't know.
I mean, I the same. I feel like
every soul
as they move through kind of experience
all these different things. And wow. You know,
I was the rap.
I was raped. I was a murderer.
I was murdered. I was black. I was
white. I was you know, Asian. Was native
American. I had smallpox. I gave blankets that
had smallpox on them. You know, I don't
know. I I don't know because I don't
know. And nobody parents should speak to knowing.
Right. And be emphatic about any of that
stuff. Mh. You know, All we can do
is Yeah. See what resonates to ourselves, but
right Ryan. I don't get it. I don't
know why a baby born
comes up and
says,
I'm gonna be a jerk for the whole...
For my whole life. And I'm gonna think
these people are worth less,
and these people are worth more based on
the virtue of how much money they make
where they came from the parents are
it's crazy to me. Yeah. That's me. And
there are plenty of people that might even
listen to this that get irritated by this
conversation because it resonates them that they behave
that way. Right. Right. They have every right
to. It's their life, but it's unfortunate to
me. It's unfortunate. And add to that, you
know, there are things and there are influence
is that each 1 of us have had
from birth to also inform us.
And, you know, it... Yeah and I'm not
even just saying, oh,
who raised you? You know, That's definitely a
huge part of it. Who raised you and
how did they raise you, but there also
comes a point when you as an individual
start to receive the world in a certain
way and perceive the world in a certain
way.
And
And that's a
decision, and that's a personality choice. So within
that, the the
that we have all had have informed
who who we are and how we believe
ourselves to be in the world to be
and what we deserve and what we owe.
Yeah. And who's to say? I gratitude this
is normal parenting couple. Mh.
May raise soc path. Mh. Steve Jobs.
So about. He's just associate app that used
his
his personality to become what he became. And
you have like a bunny, there's yours girls
in the cars. Right. See what I mean?
Who's to say? Does that have anything do
with their parents?
We weren't. We weren't there though. That's the
thing too. You know? Who's we weren't... We
we weren't there. Nobody's sat down and talk
to see jobs parents. I always say look
at the first example, you come from a
family life 3 children. As do I?
My brothers and myself are
so different. Really raised by the same people?
Mh Are... I mean, are your siblings very
similar or
we... Under what we're very close. You know,
we have definitely a red thread
that joins us and,
the way we perceive the world, And that
might be rare or that maybe because we
did kind of have a shock to the
system and move here, and we were,
you know, very much with entire family was
really,
you know, in the new... Like, a a
nuclear family in that way. But but like,
for instance, like, our We're also... Each 2
years apart that may make a difference like
how about you and your siblings are you
different 7 years. So... That also... Of course,
that has to do a lot with it
too. And that's the world changes. And as
is the parents change and as the world
changes, like, there are definitely different ways of
raising. And I think that's the thing. Like,
we were all 2 years apart. 2 and
a half isn't. So you're basically You know
little puppies, you know, falling Together. Yeah. Yeah.
You know, together and so we're experiencing life
with a 2 year difference 17 a team.
Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah. So you
fascinating. Go to school, you getting a great
education that also includes music,
in. Yeah. Yeah. So so, you know, I
I went to Hu fog,
academic magnet here in Nashville downtown.
And you know, and and children came from
all over the city. We didn't even have
a, you know, Metro didn't
fund
school buses.
You know, because it is, you know, it's
if it's a lot. Yes. It would've...
It would been an expensive fleet to go
around the the city to pick up children
in all these varying. Yeah. Places. So that
was a lot of strain and work for
parents. I remember
myself and many of my friends, we rode
the metro school bus when we might have
been even too young to even do that.
You know? Yeah. Just like, just get on
and then your for downtown and I got...
You know, but but we also...
We learned, you know, a lot from that.
And
What all that to say,
I learned the value
of not only
an elevation of education. I learned the value
of
of thinking
beyond
what you might
perceive your limits to be.
Does that make sense? Yeah.
Absolutely.
So,
you know, it's... I'm I'm I'm laughing inside
about something my fault,
who is now
a life coach and he, you know, project
manager,
trainer and stuff.
He sent my sister and I, this this
this
forward that he had seen things tend to
not say in business, Like, phrases that you
should take to pull out of your life.
Just... And 1 of those was does this...
Does that make sense? Does that, interesting. And
I was laughing inside. I said that I
see that Yeah. Well, it's a great... I
know fascinating anything a lot. You have to
say just. You so. Know. And the list
is full of things. Like, don't say, I'm
confused or don't say, you know, Like, there...
It's just to be, like,
you know, I need to write And I'm
sorry.
Or is 1 of them, but it's, like,
well, well, in an in and roundabout way,
But the the big 1 is, like, 1
of the big ones is... Does that make
sense? I just realized that, you know, because
it's it's it's
discounting that that person isn't gonna take their
time to process that.
Patronizing. Yeah. It can't it can be. But
for me when I say it, it's truly
it's truly that. It's true I'm really good
It that sounds Does that sound weird? That's
what I say when I said, does that
make sense? And I feel like does that
sound weird. Yeah. Anyway.
So
did you experience any kind of weird
hate
or anything like that? I mean, did that...
You know, my stuff came
in an interesting way, my stuff came
as I was an immigrant as I was
a child with
a, quote unquote, funny accent. Oh, you had
an accent back then? Oh, my goodness. I
had a... I guess I'm says. Yeah. No.
I had
a super thick
West African accent. I talked like this, and
I said my words like this,
and sometimes people would make fun of me.
And... But it... Sometimes they would just giggle
because it sounded different to them and children
our children and they're just discovering things, and
they don't really know how to react
to things. And so
I would speak in a away and the
giggle.
But what I found to be
really interesting or
I I guess ironic is
went there was
a 2 year period
where
from the private school
system,
before I got into megs.
There were 2 years where I was
in this particular
public school,
and I
was made fun of more than I ever
knew
possible.
And...
But I was
called things
walking down the hall
for the way I dressed and the way
I spoke and from the country I was
from.
And the biggest phrase that I would hear
every day, and I knew I would hear
it every day walking down the hall.
It's funny now in a way.
But not really, but I was called African
booty scratch.
What is What does that mean?
What does that even mean an African booty
scratch? I think, you know, kids find these
little catch phrases, and this is the catch
phrase of the time.
And,
you know, they had asked, like, did you
did you, like, ride on elephants? Did you
swing in trees like month use you monkey,
Like, there were all these things.
That children would say to me.
And
it's it's it's tricky.
Those came from
my
fellow,
shall I say people who were the same
skin color as myself.
Those were the only people who made fun
of me. What?
And I've struggled with that fascinating. I struggled
with that for really long time. I struggled
and struggled and struggled because For me,
I'm, you know, I struggle to be a
fighter,
you know, because I was also
raised to choose peace over
anger and choose peace of violence.
And
so in those times, I... You know, I
was like, I'm not gonna fight. I'm not
gonna some money in the nose. You know,
I'm not gonna show and express my sadness
in this other way that's not helpful and...
You know, conducive too.
Progress.
But I was always... I'd go home and
be why Why? And I sit in class,
and I'd asked myself why? Why Why is
this happening Why? Is this happening.
And it wasn't until I was I was
older
that it was a light bulb that came
off to me that
you know, I had... I started having grace
for
for my
you know, fellow,
brothers and sisters in this way.
Because at the time,
the word my nor was the buzz phrase.
Was the phrase that people were using, and,
and and also, affirmative action was being discussed
when I was
coming up.
And I can only imagine
that children were going home and their fam...
Their families and their parents were having these
discussions.
And, you know, and saying, like, you know,
because I don't know if you know this,
but within the African American community,
affirmative action was considered something that most people
didn't even want
to
to be a part of. Being called a
minority
was what most didn't want to be associated
as.
We wanted to
just have everybody wanted to just have equal
bearing equal place. We didn't want anything those
special. Nobody want special treatment. Sure. Sure. Yeah.
It it... It it puts you in this
other place. It causes you to be more
excluded. It more excluded. It causes you to
be more included.
So here I was in this situation as
a child.
I was even more of a minority
than my African American brothers and sisters.
And so
to get that
magnifying glass off of them. Mh. They didn't
want it to get that magnifying glass off
of them. They would say, look at her.
She's even more minority than we are. Oh,
look at her. Early from...
Yeah. So to make fun of me
to to
to
my differences
cause them to be more accepted. That's exactly
what I was saying is people treat other
people based on how they're feeling about themselves.
Right. It's like, you know, there were jews
in concentration camps
that killed jews. For the nazis. Mh. Because
as long as they're looking over here. They're
not gonna complain. Yeah. Right.
Yeah. You know, and
it's pretty wild, then I think once I
realized that, you know, and I didn't have
this misplaced anger. I lost all the anger
for it.
And I lost for you at that point.
Well,
I then
seventh... I was in seventh grade. Wow. When
I finally got school They're like, Yeah. Yeah.
No. It was... I I cannot deny that
and I won't deny that because I know
it's what's carried me through and it's what
it's what has caused me to survive. Do
you find that children or adults are more
cruel when it comes to that kind of
thing or ignorant? 158
percent children or more cruel. Mh.
It's adults. They're because they're more...
That's right. Because children are more forward
because even my off as a child. I
would say some things
to, like, my my my I remember, there
was, like, children just say things. Like, I
remember my dad had a friend.
Who came over
and his breath smelled. And so
I said, I and I thought I was
being cute. And I said Daddy,
and I
asked him to come down to my ear
level so I could tell him. I was
like, his breath smells. I knew that that
man could hear me. I knew that I
was saying that out loud, but I thought
it was cute. Right. I got a biggest
spanking for that, you know. But that's the
thing is that children
don't always know you can't say that. You.
For an honest racist to a du races
any day. Yes. I'd rather know where I
stood As far as That's right. You know,
the company I keep you. That's the 1
the Ira say about Yeah. Trump is say
what you will about him. He's... I think
a nut job, but I think he's a
bird dog. I think he is flushing out
the races and the homo folds and the
x oh, most sorry. G what I mean
that he... He came in and just flushed
all those people out. Mh. Which
say what you will, but I'm I'm happy
to know who the people are that are
those people because it's not my vibe, you
know, and they... Yeah some of them... They...
I have friends. I was like, what?
The you believe this? How did I not
know that? Mh.
Now peace be with you, but on I
go because... Yeah. That's a great phrase peace
be with you, but on that go.
That is really great. I do never look
at peace
go.
I really love that. You know and I
I find that in so many different aspects
of
of of the experience of life of living
in a journey is you're gonna meet so
many people whom you don't agree with, and
you're gonna meet,
you know, people you have to
you have to still live within and exist
around.
And you have to find a way to
just say, you know what?
Yeah. And I'm... Here's the thing, and I
said this before we started the tape Is,
I I welcome discourse. I do. As long
as it doesn't get violent Yeah. Or insane.
Yeah. I mean,
I am all about having a different differing
opinion in that includes. I mean, I want
to know what the race thanks. I do.
I wanna know what the, you know, anti
semi thinks. Yeah. Because if I don't know.
Yeah. I I don't feel safe with the
unknown. Yeah. I wanna know too. I I
definitely do. I wanna know. And, you know,
and I really don't encourage the behavior, but
I know and not know. Right. And for
me, it also allows me to
to try to seek
what that person is going through or has
gone through
to get to that point because it is
true. Nobody is born
a racist. Doesn't see know your is once
No.
Especially when you see
you see children,
babies existing. Yeah. Together. Yeah.
They do not have any concept of it.
So... Well, it's somewhere.
Trump as an example. Again and all the
people who love Trump. I'm not dis you.
Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. I'm just
using this as an example.
The thing is is, you know, when when
he started things started really cooking,
they they started to get the,
the nazi, you know, the Hitler reference back
and forth with Trump, like, always like Hitler.
Yeah. I heard that.
And it's funny because
yeah speaking to that you have to be
taught, but
guess who's doing all the teaching these days.
It's not it's such as the parents. It's
the media. It's it's social media and it's
news.
And honest to god, it's private prem television.
You watch... I don't... You know, like, you
turn on... I don't know any of these
Cr shows. You turn on Most of these
shows Yeah. And who's the perpetrator. Is it
a nice looking white new? Right. Not so
much. Right Yeah. I mean, they've they've kinda
now they're... It's, you know, latinos or the
bad guys or whatever it is or Muslims,
you know, that makes me insane. Because I
have plenty of lovely Muslim friends who wouldn't
hurt to fly, of course. And
they're scared out of their wits right now.
Of course. Scared of you know we with
their their families and and the people we
know and exist
with... We are all in the same date
in the same state as what is going
on.
And it's,
you know, it's who... For, you know, and
for me,
it's who I don't know that oftentimes I
am Lee of, and,
you know,
and I know that I have been lucky
to have been surrounded by people, even growing
up in the south,
even in the mid of all these things
that have happened. And, you know, that I
can say, I've my stories to tell. Yeah.
You know, and I'm not saying there has
never been
an outright,
you know,
scenario where I have experienced
racism from people
you know, who are not my skin color,
because I have definitely experienced that as well.
But when I was older and wiser and
also able to know that that... I'm so
that I learned. It's in seventh grade that
that comes from a place of
of fear
and of self
judgment.
Yeah.
In in an interesting way.
But the south gets, you know, south gets
bullied up for being filled up with the
with the racism and all that, but I
come from Washington state, and you go over
the mountains to Easter Washington
plenty of that there too. I mean, it's
it's
it has no boundary. It doesn't. It's everywhere.
Right. It doesn't make a difference.
Yeah. And I do believe that it definitely
comes from what you don't know. It is
the ignorance thing again. Well, I think you
spoke it so well and you said that
other kids in your school
with your same skin tone as you put
it, you know, would point at you and
say, well, balance from Africa. Right. At least
down not from Africa. Right. And I think
that
that is an unfortunate It's that... What is
that old poem see I keep using Hitler
It's such a great example. You know, the
Nazis, you know, came through and asked for
the Jews, and I was in a jews.
I didn't say anything. And came through and
asked for the black. I was in black.
So I didn't saving anything, And then they
wanted the G, and I was in G,
so I didn't say it that Yeah. And
then, eventually, there was nobody left to speak
out her me. Yeah.
And again, that's the whole point of freaking
humanity. Yeah. That's where did we forget. That's
we are human bean. That's right. And somebody,
I may joke the other day, and then
I heard the joke again today from somebody
else Was like, well, I must be on
everyone's mind that is it true that the
only way to unify us as a world?
Is for an alien invasion.
Just like that raining
Ring it on.
Honestly
like they're?
That's really weird
bringing it on because that would definitely
unify. I'm like,
I believe it's it's black is an African
American don't even know anymore. I'm so... For
myself. Sure. Yeah. Well, you know... So when
I when I became a citizen in my
twenties, that's the first time I started calling
myself in African. Americans. Literally you are. Yeah.
Because literally, I am,
you know, and that was always hard for
me
before, you know, because
they're
because at the time when this was all
going down where I felt kind of os
sized in a in a way that I
didn't understand
it was the time where the the the
phrase African American was the used and utilized
term. Right?
So I was like, wait.
You know, I'm African... I'm, like African and
you are African American.
So how is this such a different thing,
why do we differ so much? But
So I was African, and then I became
African American ever since I was little filling
out these consensus things and filling out these
test scores. Is a very good go. Yeah.
I just was... What I would see these
terms, They didn't have anything for me. They
didn't have anything for me
because
also, when... You know, back in the day
when I was little and and coming up
in school,
I think the forms have changed now, but
at the time,
it was white,
black,
Pacific island,
native American,
they're, Asian,
Hispanic,
there were these terms. But the... You know,
the only ones that had a color association
were white and black.
And when I picked up a cray box
of crayon. Sure.
I colored
my skin tone brown. It took a brown
crayon and colored my skin tone brown. I
took a black crayon and colored my hair.
You know, or, you know, us shoot doing
a picture of my friend, Christy Percy Gardner,
I would take a peach colored Crayon and
color her skin. And take a brown crayon
and color her hair.
So I didn't understand why I was made
to choose a color
to to deal with that. But but again,
that was something that was created before my
time that I was still learning to understand.
And now I know that the terms
black and white,
you know, come from
a beginning of time almost kind of thing
where when
the separation was needed,
to to differentiate
slaves versus non slaves,
good versus evil,
all these things, these these words these colors
black and white we're used. And to this
day, I still find it in our vocabulary
is you know, you've got,
you know, the the the the black knight
is the evil knight. The white knight is
a good night. You know,
you scared of the dark codes and
lights and everything. You know? And there's a
song that you know, because I grew up,
I grew up,
Christian, and there's a song that we would
sing in church.
Over blood of Jesus, it washes white as
snow. And every time in my mind, I
would say, how can blood wash white? That
makes no sense, and that's how I knew
it was a social program.
So I've always fought against that social program
because I think that there is a subconscious
way
that we do
continue forward
in our society.
So
I am a person who,
you know, if if you want to in
need... If you feel the need to call
me a color,
call me a color by a cray box.
We are all colored. Yeah. Right. If you're
using a cray box. Sure. Yeah.
So
so that's... You know, that's what I... So
I say I say brown and people like,
oh, brown people are Indian. And it's a
Was like no. Brown people are Hispanic. I'm
like, no. Wow Indian people are Indian. The
ground. Greenish brown. Yeah. It's like, Indian.
You know, it's like everyone wants to be
like, oh, brown people are Spanish It's like
a simple football. But you know Hispanic people
are Hispanic. Indian people are Indian. Right?
Why is it that white people are white
and black people are black? And I know
that it's because, oh, it's so hard to
kind of see everyone and classify them in
their own original way. You know, but it's
like, okay. Well, then if you have to
choose a color, can we choose the real
car? This is my frustration with what you're
saying right now, it it's... It makes so
much sense. And I get frustrated when I
hear, especially when I hear why white people
say.
Well, they just... Why are they so worried
about this. I'm like,
try
try being in their shoes for 5 minutes.
For, I don't know,
567
hundred years I mean, how long has a...
You know. Do you know what I mean?
Yeah. It's not just in America.
And there's yeah. That's the last 250 year.
I mean, yeah. The thing is is everyone
is...
1 of the things I wanted to talk
about today was perspective on all the stuff
going on out there with the Black lives
matter, and then that immediate,
I think.
It kinda gross respond of all lives matter.
Yeah. Well no shit. All lives matter. Of
course, all lives matter, but you're missing
the points. Yeah.
Yeah. And it's so easy for somebody who
looks like me. Be like, law, lives matter,
and, you know, what... Why...
Well, there's a reason why we need to
say black lives matter or, you know, whatever.
There's a there's a yeah. Real reason for
that. There is a discrepancy
in that being a true reality,
and being something that,
you know, is expressed in the way we
live and the way we we view things
and and and the way our interactions are,
and
even statistics, the way statistics are laid out,
like, you know, going back for a millisecond
to,
even the way health insurance works,
they list, you know, African Americans as
being more prone to diabetes and more prone
to heart disease and things like that. So
the older I get,
they're gonna continue put me oh, she's she's
1 year older. So now, you know, because
you know what? 1 day, she's probably gonna
have diabetes.
She's gonna have heart disease, and that is
so
not a progressive mind to thought. That's not
No.
10 It doesn't take a mind soc economics.
I mean, a white person
who eats like crap because maybe that's all
they can afford because let's be honest, poor
people Yeah. Eat, like, crap because they can't
afford the organic food and the healthy food.
So they eat crappy food. Mh. And they
going to be pre just, you know, they're
they're predisposed to get diabetes and Right. Heart
attacks. And, you know, all that stuff. But
again, like you were saying. It's a you.
Yeah. You've been placed into this little tiny
box.
It's ridiculous. And it frustrate the crap on.
Yeah. It's so about. It's it's it's it's
really frustrating. I have so so many thoughts
on all of that you just said, but
I think if we have another
another cast where we're talk about food. I
would love to dig into that separately. You're
a big chef person Well. I'm am a
cook
Seriously we can cook and shuffle voice.
Well, the main difference is training. Oh is
professional training. Okay.
And you also
have to clock certain amount an hours where
cook for people. And then you become a
chef. Yeah. But, you know, the the main
the main thing is to have professional training.
Okay. It's is the big 1, but but
but also in an equally
large part of it is is cooking for
people, like, in public. Like, cooking full. We're
cooking for other people and not just, you
know, you're cook. Like, and even some people
who are trained, I have friends who are
trained and culinary school, and they will not
call themselves a chef, You know, if they're,
you know, if they're private cooks or whatever
all these different things, but
I'm still trying to sort it through and
sort it out, but I know that all
of my my friends who are in the
the food industry they really looked down on
on when people will call themselves chefs. They'll
be like, I'm a cook. Or, you know,
chefs you know, are a certain thing. You
know, there's there's a hierarchy to it. I'm
still trying to learn it. All I know
is I'd love to.
Right. They're, you know, and I'd love to
talk about that more. Unit 1 day. Yeah.
Sure.
You know, but back to
I identify myself with it all now.
Because, you know, what I'd also realized the
more and more I learn about
my American culture
because I am now also an American I
chose that when I was in my early
twenties.
So I very much
studied it in a way that when Maya
Angelo says black. When doctor mountain luther for
King Junior said black.
You know, that, yes, these were terms that
were given
to our people
to
to put us to, to, you know, to
put us in this place and in this
lower position, it's, like, you know, nigga,
black, like these things is that were given
to say what we were, but to also
differentiate
us from
you know, another person, another people.
It's a reclaiming. It's almost a reclaiming of
the word.
Which I am learning and discovering, even though
you know, I can't say
I can't say that I am saying, like,
okay. Even though I under stand that it's
a reclaiming because of the oppression that was
put on a person. You know,
it's something that I still... I'm working through
how I feel about it, but I understand
the use of taking the word black and
making it a positive and not a negative.
I very much understand now more than ever,
where that comes from and why that's important
to say black lives matter because you know
what? The majority of people don't think is
I think,
don't perceive like, oh, we're all colored.
If I got up on the... The... At
the capital building downtown,
and got a bull and said, we are
all colored. We are all colored. We're all
colored.
Everyone would have a differing differing opinion, but
most people would say,
hell to the no. I'm not colored because
they don't want what comes with that term.
And there are other people that would also
say, hell to the no. They're not colored
because they don't know what we've gone through
being called colored a whole lives. Did you
have a colored bathroom? Did you have a
colored
restaurant diner counter?
There's there's
differentiation.
So you,
you know, you can't just say, oh, we're
all this and then not expect people who
have experienced the history tree of it. Right.
And know what that history is to say
that it's equal that you can just gloss
over it. But
it's still a struggle for me because in
the same way that,
you know, we're trying to take backwards words
and take the negativity out of them and
make positive.
I struggle with people trying to reclaim the
inward.
I really struggle with that personally
You know, But it's, like, like, ra culture
or something or Whomever. Yeah. Not just even
rap culture, I mean it's used in in
our communities.
It's not... You know, I definitely... Like, I'm
not a person who says, like, oh, it's
this this, you know, this person started or
that person started it or whatever.
You know, because I
I feel that it is just in is
so ingrained
in
society,
this word and it, you know,
in in every
society
without saying too much. I'll say that.
But it's something that I struggle with and
I'm like, I don't really want to
reclaim a word that was
gifted.
Shall we say
too much to to to to, you know,
people of the certain skin color to my
skin color,
should say that, you know, you are negative,
and you do not deserve
equal respect. I don't want to reclaim that
word.
You know,
but I would love to also spend more
time
having conversations
with
anybody who does say that word as a
reclaiming word. Like, I would love to sit
down with Jay z and have a converse
station. And I think that he would probably
educate me on some things that I haven't
thought about. Alright, Cheesy. If you're listening. Yeah.
Yeah. Me with he could be listening right
now right now. You know, and I really...
That's the thing. Is I I respect him
so much. So I'm like, you know what?
The Could sit down and talk to him.
Maybe there'd...
I would see a reason. That's just stuff
to me that's such an important thing that
dialogue is everything. Yeah. The dialogue is everything
because we cannot... The only way I can
perceive you Ruby. Mh. Is through all of
my own experiences Right. It's the only way
I can understand you. Mh And for me
to say, oh, I get what you're saying.
Mh. I'm not really? Because I'm not you.
You know? Right I can't be in your
mind or your body your soul. So I...
All I can do is sort of
it's like a little bit of a guess
work thing Yeah. Right? So I I agree.
It's important to go to the store for
sac conversation Yes. The conversation is so... Even
if you don't agree important. Yeah. Here are
the words coming from the person that is
the 1 saying. And instead of reading about
it or are we're getting your information secondhand
hand,
again speaking to the black lives matter somehow
it's being bastard and being
meaning, you know, oh, the Black lives matter
movement just wants to you know, shoot at
cops or something or You know what Say
his Does who the... And that that is
not a part. That's like saying at all.
Oh, Of course not ridiculous And unfortunate the
ignorance that is per protruding.
And I just,
you know,
I just know that it's going to be
1 person at a time in terms of
education. Yeah. It's really going be 1 person
at a time, you know, and with all
that is going on and you know, and
I wanna talk a minute about,
you know,
the the crimes that are going on that
that cops are committing
within the community and then the community also
then re... In the retaliation retaliation committing
as well. And,
you know, this is something for me that
it breaks my heart on every level.
And on both sides.
Have I experienced
law enforcement,
who has abused power? Yes.
Have
Experienced law enforcement
who has upheld
their responsibility?
To serve the people? Yes.
What have Experience more of the latter
of the good. Of the good. So when
when now I'm hearing because of some poisoned
apples and some rotten apples within the system.
Who are making things a terrible place and
I get so angry about that.
I also feel
that
you cannot generalize and say,
we're are all this way. They are all
this way. Just in the same way,
that some idiots
who are shooting cops
because they're angry.
Right that does not just about going on.
But unfortunately, now a lot of people are
clump all. Of course. That's what we do.
It's like the thing. It's just like you
know, the... It's... It happens
all the time. Really. And it's so frustrating
because the people that are shooting at cops
That's wrong. Period. And you're probably showing people
that are good police officers. So really you're
navigating innovating your own cause because you're gonna
take out the good cause. Which there are
way more good cops and there are bad
props. There are. You know? And but there
are violent people of every
car and creed
religion and whatever. And they do not represent
the the whole. Right? But the media, that's
not A good freaking story. Isn't it? No.
It's not, you know, And
I heard something today. I was saying... I
like the Joe Rogan podcast.
I'm not really into the M mma fighting
thing which he talks a lot about, but
he has some really interesting guests and
I listen to 1 today.
His name was Michael Schmidt. Mh. And, they
were talking about...
Oh, shoot. There goes my train of thought.
Just numbers. Is that thinking about all the
other stuff? They were talking about the, oh,
Joe Rubin said, you know nobody talks about
all the great stuff that the police officers
are doing or that the African American communities
are doing or whatever. They Yeah. That's a
good story. But Right. Right
right. On both sides on all sides. It's
absolutely. Yeah. And it's just gosh. They wanna
deal with... Because it's crap. Sell
sensational
themselves. Mh.
Content
cells. And yeah. You know, of 1 police
to serve beating the crap a guy or
shooting a guy
clearly, in the wrong, the the police officer
are clearly in the wrong. They're not even,
you know, amount... The the the bulk of
the police officers every day, finding the good
fight, trying to help trying to serve did
it because they love human humanity, You know,
whatever.
Which does...
No. They don't. And which... This is the
thing, like, I think everyone is, like, which
does not discount that we have to deal
with why that happened and how that cannot
continue to happen. Absolutely. You know? And I
think that's
people are mistaken when they think it's gotta
be 1 or the other. I agree. It
doesn't have to be 1 or the other.
It have color be Right. Yeah. That's the
thing. It has to be... It has to
be all. You have to deal with it
all. You can't...
Gosh, You know what what was it, like,
To me like, if you
are angered
by the shoot it by by cops shooting
black people but not angered,
by black people shooting cops. You are also
part of the problem.
And that
that is true. And that is, you know,
there's, you know, it it
nearly... There's so many times where I just
want to burst into tears. You know, Like,
it nearly brings me to that point.
When I think about it and when I
talk about it because I don't
I don't know what the resolve is gonna
be because, you know what is pushing this
is fear. It's all fear.
Always
end money,
but that's fear too. Isn't it? I guess
it is. Yeah. That's a good point.
Yeah.
What are we afraid of and and and
end... Afraid of ourselves. Yes.
We're afraid to look within. Yeah. And minute
we look within,
there's a lot of heavy lifting to do.
Lot of heavy lifting. A lot of heavy.
Much easier to point at other people. Yeah.
You know, and people like, well, I only
have, you know, 70 to 80... 90 years
on the eric for. You know, Not gonna
have time to change the world. Nope. I'm
just gonna
do my own thing and stick to my,
and that's what most people do. And honestly,
that's is what most people do is they
say, I've got this amount of time on
the earth. You know, I'm gonna gonna create
my life
and
deal with my life, and then I'm gonna
be gone. And then I'm not and because
they think, like, you can't change the world
in 50 years and 60 years and 7
years and 80 years, so people don't dry.
Tell that to Martin Luther King junior. That's
right.
That's
na gandhi. That's absolutely right.
And that it always baffles me that people
don't get that and see that and say,
you know what? 1 voice
connecting with 1 voice. Connecting with 1 voice,
connecting with 1 voice,
and then that voice becomes the loud. The
loud. I totally believe that. Yeah. Absolutely.
So we just have to continue to share
that.
I think that's what it is is we
have to continue to to not be silent.
So what would you tell your children?
Should you have them
about. If I had if I have children,
I would tell them
don't be silent.
Don't be silent,
but also
educate yourself on what you're speaking about.
Yes, we are going to be
overwhelmed with a emotion at times.
And yes, there is a time in a
place to share
emotion
but also ask yourself, is this going
to create progress
or is this going to s full?
I really feel strongly about that, you know,
it's like,
if my
potential future
daughter,
knocks over her little brother.
I'm gonna ask her
what was the benefit of that? Or why
did you do that? Well, Was mad.
So you knocking him over and him hitting
his head on the end of a coffee
table on him bleeding.
Did that accomplish what you wanted to accomplish?
Did that make what you think he did
to make you upset? Did that fix
it?
Or is he now going to even more
angry because you hurt him.
And is that going to continue him hurting
you and not having any
you know, patience or,
you know,
or clarity to to treat you better next
time. For understanding.
Yeah.
And that's what I'll say. And that's what
I say even to
to myself
to my friends to people I don't know
to my fans?
How are your actions going to help and
not hurt? Do you feel like they listen?
I want to feel that. I want to
believe that.
And I
will always
continue to hope for that.
And that's why I I'll I will always
continue to speak forward
because I always hope
that somebody's
getting it somebody's really listening. And processing it.
Well, this conversation right here is is it
helps. I mean, that's the whole reason I
wanna do this pod cast is to make
the world smaller. And to maybe somebody listening
who be like, fuck, black lives matter. Wasn't
it, you know, or whatever it goes, oh,
I didn't think of from that perspective Or
Yeah. You know Somebody who makes fun of
immigrants or thinks that immigrants shouldn't be in
the country. Yeah. Right.
Right. You know? Well, here's a beautiful woman
who is an immigrant who has done quite
well with herself. Mh So is she not
okay with you? Mh. Yeah.
You have to be carefully taught in the
words of South Pacific. You remember that musical?
Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
Carefully,
carefully talk. Yeah. That's not is it. That's
it for sure. Heavy stuff. Say something. Let's
talk about something fun and festive. What do
you what projects you got going? Well,
when does this come out by the way?
Put this I mean next week? Okay.
Next week, like...
So not this week, but next... Yeah. It'll
don't... So I just launched this particular podcast.
So, I launched with 3 episodes. So in
a week I'll... I'll put up the next
signing. Yeah. I'm excited.
I'm currently working on
going to Newport Rhode Island for first time
in playing Newport Folk festival. Oh, it's exciting.
Which is wonderful.
And I have to admit I didn't know
what Newport Folk festival was. And this word
bulk, you know, it's something that sometimes has
has not
been a word that has served me. You
know, I remember when I first started doing
music and people wanted to compare me to
Tracy Chapman. And she was folk, and you
know, then I had to discover what this
word folk me, you know And it's like,
oh, it's your storyteller, You know, you're
your singer song writer and you're you're telling
a story I'm like, okay. That's that's folk.
But that's not folk. When you look at
the music, you know? And then when I
look at what I do, it's like, I'm
not that you know, now, but that's also
the progression of how music has changed.
So when I heard of newport folk festival,
I didn't really understand what that was. And
as I studied it, I realized that that
was
at the time this festival began
30 40 50 years ago,
that was what the type of music that
was,
you know, was prevalent.
So that?
The search. Yeah. Folk well folk music Right.
So it's was the newport Folk festival.
So it was Joan bae. As it was
Joan Mitchell. It was, you know, but but
also, Jimmy Hendrix it. So there you go.
Like, there were, you know, definitely people who
made their way. But now, even a festival
where New newport book Festival is the violent
fans. Is Ryan Adams is, my morning jacket
is Nora Jones is Leon Bridges.
You know, so Wow. It's this different thing.
So the name still holds because the name,
you know, has always been. So it's a
point of reverence.
Sure. But I'm excited because now I get
to, you know, experience this
amazing festival, which I think as much like
what woodstock was.
In in you know. So... But how do
you identify your own music, which is the
worst question ever when it really is, and
I may not even be able to answer
that
wealth for you.
But
I feel this way. Here's how I feel
about the type of music that I do
and also the type of music that I
think a lot of my friends do
is
if we had
the money
to market
to get our songs
in the people's ears.
On these stations who are only playing a
certain
type in realm of music.
If we had that money,
we would be
as popular
as any
of those people who are considered quote unquote
mainstream. I agree.
That's what I absolutely 150
percent believe.
Because if you think about the people who
have made it through that system, where you
had a label who was a mainstream label
who...
A label who believed in something that was
a little left of center and pushed it
and got other people to fund and push
it and put it on top 40 radio.
You might have listened to it at first
been like, what's that doing on this stage
and next to to this
bubble gum pop thing.
But the more and more you play it,
the more and more people recognize it and
said, like, you know what? I like
And I would say that about Erica Do,
I would say that about Nora Jones, I
would say that about the beatles.
I would say that about h year, my
friend, You know, I would say that about
Jack White. I would say that about so
many artists who
if you have an opportunity,
if you give them an opportunity to reach
the masses,
it happens.
So
the word pop music,
I believe
should be
allowed
to be really what it is, which is
it it reaches a a mass
population.
It is popular because it reaches the pop
population.
And
I just
wish for everyone I know who does
this thing this art.
If it's good art,
I wish for all of us
to get an opportunity to reach the masses.
I wish that too.
You know, it used to be the formats
of the radio where you could hear everything
Anything in a given an hour. Yeah. I
remember that.
Again, the systematic dumb down of Human humanity
It's serving someone. I'm not sure who it's
serving, but it's certainly serving someone. Right. And
that's why fear reign supreme and record labels,
of course. Everyone's to the job or doing
the wrong, you know, what... No? Yeah. And
then and the more bang for the buck
and what's what's the most dumb down sound?
What, you know, you know what I'm saying,
what's the easiest thing to put forward? You
know, because people are afraid of like, oh,
this is different. I don't know if I
like it. And so I don't know if
it's gonna work. But if you have something
that is simple and, you know, it's... Like,
that's why they call it bubble gum pop.
Mh. Who doesn't like bubble gum. Right? So
that's That's why that that works, but I
put... But again, like,
when Erica Bad do. Oh no no. No
no. No. Well, that came out.
I remember, I was like, whoa. Whoa Whoa.
Whoa. What is this? I love erica combined.
Right? Oh, god. But even going way way
back to the beatles like they were rejected
so many times times They love rejected. So
many times. I stopped posting the today. You're
very active on Facebook. I really... I love
your feeds. Oh, thank you. I I'd say
say all your Facebook games because you have
great fees. Well, you know, my my public
Facebook is just ruby on food so Facebook
dot com so slash Ruby On foods. Great.
You. Yeah. And, you know, in Instagram, I
do a little bit of a different energy,
you know, on my Ruby On food page
on Instagram. You know And I... Because I
think there's also different formats and a time
and a place for things on different, you
know, Sometimes I... Sometimes I cross and sometimes
I don't, Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for saying that
though. I tried to. No. Great. I I
try and re yours because you always... You...
I fine. You always have something really interesting
to say. Thanks Girl. Yeah. So I very
much. And I get excited when people as
I say use Facebook for good. Yeah. I've
got something. You know. That's something. Yeah. The
but y'all have to specify.
I know. It's crazy. Oh, my goodness. Yeah.
It's pretty wild, but, you know what? I...
On Facebook the other as but my my
point I was supposed to... It was on
Facebook with the other day. Some very dear
friends of mine who do a song
thing. They have, you know, 1 of those...
There's a million of them out there where
song writers kind of comp and all this
stuff. And they had a post. I'm not
gonna sit their names because physician's not. There's
no point to that, but okay, there was
a post that sits like, like,
if it's a hit song, it won't have
to work that hard to be on the
radio. And I just... I read that, and
it made me actually physically mad.
Because that is the absolute non truth. That
is it's a lie. It's absolutely a lie,
and it's prop this mythology that is it's
part of the problem, and it's it... You
look at... Let's just take country music because
that's... These people come from that world.
Okay.
The house that built me. Mh. 12 years
or something like that, getting pitched over and
over and over again. Yes. To know avail.
Who are you and I'm not looking? These
are number 1 songs that were not only
number 1 for a week, but several weeks.
Mh.
You know, who are who am I... Who
are you and I'm not looking as a
blake shelton hit
written by
my friend Bud, and it's sat around for
years. Nobody wanted it. Nobody touched in this.
And you... To your point, the beatles
No John. Richer Marks. I mean, you could
name the the list goes on and on
and on of people that thought blend and
died to either get a song her or
to get their art in general hurt. Right.
And to,
it's just a technology. I nobody knows what
it hit is. Nobody holiday just working working
and working. Yeah. It's crazy. So it's stuff
like that really frustrate me because I think
it's... Again, speaks to that instant gratification culture
that we have developed. Yes. Like, I'm gonna
write this and I'm gonna send it to
a publisher and the publisher is gonna play
it for the artist. And if it's really
a hit, the artist is gonna go yes.
It's it. And Us straight away. And it'll
be a hit, and it'll be, you know,
make Chili dollars and I'll have a big
user, and it's such a mythology. Yeah. That
isn't not how it works. It's right. And
many
incredible
books paintings, you know, dance. Me... Whatever it
is. Mh. Many of these things, years and
years and years go by before anybody even
noticed Yeah. That's right. That's absolutely right. There's...
Frustrate me. Yeah. It frustrate me too. It
frustrate me. Absolutely. Today.
Yeah. But I can't can't give it up.
I won't give... Well, you can't because it's
where you are. I mean continue I I
Yeah. No many times of people said to.
Well, why do you even do this? If
it says... Yeah. Well, Oh yeah because it's
in your blood. It's it is and in
there and not saying there haven't been times
when I wanted to walk away if for
walking away. But I think I'm through that
I'm over that now, knowing that, well, this
is... Like, this is what I... This what
I do you are. This is... Well, this
is... You know, I I am a musician.
I am a musician. I don't, yeah. Ruby
is a musician. Yeah. You've had a really
wonderful things. This past year. It's great.
Yeah. You know, I... Obviously, I haven't known
you your whole life, but I feel like
that people are starting to finally come to
their senses. I Oh, yes. You great. Thank
you. Thanks for saying that. Yeah. It's true.
I mean... And that must feel good. Yeah.
I'm I'm I continue to plug away, and
that's the thing is I...
I'm definitely a believer that they're all seats
planted And if you give up on nurturing
and watering seeds, you won't ever see the
harvest, and some things take longer to produce
a harvest than others.
And you just can't give up because you
never know when it's gonna... When it's gonna
sprout and bloom and bear fruit. And so
I just continue to to just nurture those
seeds I planted. Yes. So thinking goodness that
you didn't give up. Thanks. The world all
needs you.
Well, thank you. And
you know, well, it's cyclical isn't it, you
know, it's very cyclical because
if nobody gave a crop about me,
then I wouldn't have any work to do.
So Yeah. I wanna beat a good steward
of that. And... Well, And I think you
you're sing and you write and you cook
your truth.
And as long as there are people in
the world. Yes.
Being in their truth. Yes. Ever it is.
Yes.
I mean, yes. I I feel like there's
hope. Yes. I believe that I know. I
wanna believe that. And, of course, Have people
say, well, my whatever insert negativity
is my truth. And
for that I understand, you can't know Jesus
for that knowing Hitler, I get that whole
rhetoric. I get it. But I'm... I'm on
the side of truth and love. Yes. Me
too. Let's bring that.
That's right. We have to. And cheers to
that. Cheers to that.
Right nice that sound?
Yeah. We have to... We we have a
responsibility in those who know better, must do
better. Absolutely well put. Yeah. Absolutely. That's right.
Thank you for.
Thank you so much for choosing. I you
for trusting me. Yeah. I know. We'll do
another 1 when we tell you about cooking.
I love that. Yeah. Love I do enjoy
it culture. Yes. In food and culture. You
actually cook something I get to Eat sure.
Okay. Yay. That'd. It's exciting. Yeah. I... My...
I can cook, like, 5 things really, really
well. But, you know, by myself. I tend
to the quesadilla.
And I really... I gosh she is.
And you call it the quesadilla yeah. Oh
my god. Yes. Okay. I you. That's time
I know. That's serious. The quesadilla.
Okay. I have mastered the art of Quesadilla.
Have to make you 1 sometime time. They're
very good
Alright. Well, thank you, Ruby. Thank you, Susan.