SPEAKER_01 1:45

Welcome to the Hill Top Glove Podcast. We are at the Boys and Girls Club today. Yeah. With our friends at Kids Gloves, which is a program that we do uh every week where we educate the youth on how to do podcasting, and they are actually producing us today.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Woop woop. So let's roll. Yeah. So this is actually our season finale. We've recorded a lot of episodes this year. We talked to a lot of interesting people. We've gone between here, Charleston, Charlotte. We made that thing happen. And I think Newberry, too. I almost forgot. Oh, I missed that one. Yeah. Newberry. We went to Newberry. Oh man, we actually went to go see a really dope art facility.

unknown 2:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:33

I said it like it's some kind of special art gallery.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Art gallery. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:36

We haven't dropped that episode yet, but it's a huge painting behind us with like a bunch of historical black people. It's so cool.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

It's really cool. We talked to a really good, uh, really good guy. He was the owner of a coffee shop in Newberry. And he he let's go and tour his store while it was closed. We got coffee made and stuff like that. And the coffee was really good. Oh Mike. You like it.

SPEAKER_04 2:59

Yeah. So you guys gotta watch that episode when we drop it. So how do you guys feel being on our episode? Because we're usually in the background watching you guys.

SPEAKER_05 3:10

I feel like it's a good experience to learn how to do a podcast and do other things and watch it.

SPEAKER_00 3:18

Speaking to that mic, girl, speaking to the mic, don't be don't be shy.

SPEAKER_04 3:21

Have y'all learned since us being here, have you guys learned a lot? Because this is probably like our third third year, I think. Second year being here.

SPEAKER_05 3:30

Yeah, I learned a I learned a lot, but I always knew how to talk because yeah, I'm a good talker, so it it's it's good to put it to a good use.

SPEAKER_03 3:41

Okay, okay, okay. I feel like I learned how to like speak better, like improve my speaking, like talk to people.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

I've noticed you're getting really good at pulling questions out of the hat. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:53

You know why?

SPEAKER_01 3:53

You know what I mean by that?

SPEAKER_04 3:54

Because he's a Virgo.

unknown 3:56

Oh, that's my friend.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

If you all haven't already paid attention to it. This young lady, oh my lord. Oh really? I ain't telling you.

SPEAKER_04 4:06

September 9th.

unknown 4:06

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

Yo, okay. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_04 4:09

Gemini's better. That's why she's producing. Woo! Nah.

SPEAKER_05 4:15

I'm staying out of this. You know, you gonna stay out of it? I'm the best sign ever, you know. Okay. You two signs are one. But you is.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

I'm a kid.

SPEAKER_04 4:23

I am Gemini. Y'all two people on one.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

Yeah, two spirits and one. I like H2. It's not a big two-faced.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

We got a dichotomy of uh two different types of energy.

SPEAKER_04 4:36

No, you're not two-faced.

SPEAKER_03 4:40

I'm so nice. Leos and two. Leos are uh lions.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

Leos are interesting. You guys are lions. Leos are in charge.

SPEAKER_05 4:48

I'm a butterfly. No, I'm real. That's what it is. I'm a lion. It is a butterfly.

SPEAKER_00 4:54

Gemini? Gemini? I never heard that. Twins. Yeah, that's the first time I heard twins.

SPEAKER_05 4:58

We is twins.

unknown 4:59

That is.

SPEAKER_00 4:59

Yeah, you twin? Oh, it's even bigger. Even bigger. Oh my goodness. Okay, no wonder. That makes sense now. That makes sense. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_05 5:08

Yeah, I know y'all couldn't see it because we don't look like button, but y'all looking right.

SPEAKER_00 5:12

Yeah, y'all favor. Y'all favor.

SPEAKER_04 5:16

But um if you guys could access anything, what would you want to ask us? This is a free range episode for you guys.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:23

And for us.

SPEAKER_03 5:24

What did y'all get from starting Hilltop Glove?

SPEAKER_01 5:27

What do you mean? Like money?

SPEAKER_03 5:29

No, like like what did y'all like doing this? Like, what did y'all get?

SPEAKER_00 5:33

What do we get out of it? Oh.

SPEAKER_04 5:36

Hmm. Well, I like I like talking to people. I like hearing everybody's story. I feel like everybody has a unique story and they have to, you know, you have to pull it out of them while you're talking. So I enjoy that with the conversations.

SPEAKER_01 5:49

I feel like adults, a lot of times, like the conversations that you you have when you're younger, like we stop having those conversations and really trying to like talk to the people uh as a as a as a person and not just a mask that they wear all the time. So we're always trying to drill down a little bit and have real conversations.

SPEAKER_00 6:09

I think that's like the the main goal of a good interview is to not just speak to the person at their status or what they're presenting to public, like I said, the mask, but to figure out what they are. This is my my dad would say what they're really here for. And so when you do that, you learn some really cool things, and you start to peel back the layers of that onion and get down to what is at the center, and it makes it cool because I'll tell you like this we surprise ourselves, and we even and the guests surprise themselves too about the things that they're willing to share and and discuss. Uh so that makes it really cool. I like that.

SPEAKER_01 6:53

I just like the conversations like you could say networking and all of that, and uh getting to know people in business and all of that, which is cool. It's cool, but I like the conversations, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 7:02

Yeah, we meet a lot of people, like a lot of people.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Oh, okay, they do their job today. Go ahead, y'all. Um, you know, but she's right. We meet we meet so many people, and not just the people that we talk to, but the people that are connected to the people that we talk to. And a lot of the guests that we have on the show, they'll introduce us to other people that they think would be a great fit for the show that would get something out of being on our podcast. So a lot of the people that you all spoke with this year and saw that came in as guests that did um classes and were on a podcast with you all. The reason why they were there is because of talking and discussion.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Maybe that's a good thing to uh we we need to explain exactly what Kids Gloves is. Yes. Um, this is a project that Kevin started um, I guess last August. Two August. Yeah, it's probably coming up too. It's probably starting our second August. Yeah, yeah, yeah. At the Boys and Girls Club uh to teach podcasting to the youth, um, which y'all are interested in. Yep, cool, right?

SPEAKER_04 8:05

You know what I like about this is you we get to see you guys grow. So when we first started coming out here, you guys are literally like so small. I'm not even gonna lie. I can we can run the tapes back. But now, like a year later, we get to see you guys grow, talk, and mature and be more confident in yourself and how you talk to each other.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

Because that's the secret nugget. Yeah, it's not really about the technology and the cameras and all of that, it's about teaching everybody to talk.

SPEAKER_04 8:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:30

And and uh converse with adults like it's not a problem at all. It's not. We're all the same. Yeah. And uh so usually what we do is we'll bring in some guests that we've uh a lot of times it's people that we've interviewed on our podcast, and we bring them in uh and they do a lecture one day and then sit down and do an interview with the kids, and uh and we post it on their YouTube channel. And y'all like and subscribe.

SPEAKER_00 8:57

Yeah, check it out. Kids gloves. Yep, kids gloves. And it's interesting to see the difference in the interview with us as opposed to with you all, because the questions that you have and the way in which they respond is gonna be different. Oh, yeah, they have a lot more fun with you. Yeah, they do. I'm not gonna lie. Not to say that they're working with us, but when when they come to us, they do present themselves in a way that they know, okay, this is a professional situation. Yeah. I want you all to take me seriously. They're more relaxed with you guys. Yeah, sometimes we actually have to make our guests relax.

SPEAKER_04 9:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

We have to let them no, no, you're good, you're calm. Um, you can talk about what you want to talk about. We aren't here to hit you with gotcha questions. This ain't uh the Breakfast Club. You ain't gotta worry about Charlemagne and Envy popping up on you. Just hilarious. Not gonna start yelling and fighting. Yeah, we ain't dark the other day, we ain't doing none of that. This ain't big boy in the morning. We ain't rolling at you like that either. So, what's cool is a lot of them don't realize this, hey, y'all really aren't doing none of that. Like, no, and they'll have really open, honest dialogue with us, which is good. But when they see y'all, they know up front, these kids ain't gonna attack me. They want to actually talk to me and they're happy, which is cool. So I like to see how they're like even with Robert, like looking at how yeah, it was it. I like the energy, it was just cool. So it's fun to see.

SPEAKER_04 10:12

Oh, yeah, he's a birthday. Remember Robert guy who had what did he do? Bulletin band aid. Yeah, he has our birthday too. I forgot about that. His birthday september.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

Birthday twins.

SPEAKER_03 10:22

I like it. What was your favorite hater? Hater. Favorite?

SPEAKER_05 10:27

I don't like y'all.

SPEAKER_04 10:27

That's that y'all did?

unknown 10:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

That's a good question. Gosh.

SPEAKER_04 10:32

I liked um Dogon's episode with you guys.

SPEAKER_05 10:35

I like the cooking episode.

SPEAKER_04 10:36

I was about to say I I did like Chef J's episode because DJ?

SPEAKER_01 10:41

I wish that oh, last week. I wish we'd have got that recording down because that would have been a good interview too. We had some technical difficulties that day. But uh, yeah, we had a Jay Live came through and showed y'all a little bit about how DJing works.

SPEAKER_04 10:55

Is there anyone that you guys that we didn't bring in that you guys would like to talk to in any career field?

SPEAKER_02 11:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:02

That's another part of the kids' glove.

SPEAKER_04 11:04

Cosmetologists. Yeah. We could probably find Nail Tech. Okay. Speaking of the mic, girl, speaking of the mic. Nail tech.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

There you go.

SPEAKER_05 11:12

Like they have something to demonstrate on, not just talk. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

Because I think that's why y'all like Chef J so much, too. Is because she actually cooked something and gave you a demonstration and you were able to see and actually partake in the product. Yes. It connects.

SPEAKER_05 11:26

I like hands-on.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Hands-on. I figured. Gotcha. Yep. Mm-hmm. Interactive, yeah. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 11:32

What else y'all want to know about us?

SPEAKER_05 11:34

What made y'all start doing podcasts? Ooh, this is a good question.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

There's a couple of facets to this, y'all. So just to break it down so y'all know a little bit about us. My brother, myself, and Mike, we've known each other since high school. Y'all knew each other a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 11:54

I've known him all my life.

SPEAKER_00 11:56

I know y'all since high school. Since high school. Mike's known us since high school. And then Kevin worked with Tamaya on other people's podcasts and shows. They would do photography, videography. No, not even just ideas. Watch this. They work separately doing other people's work, right? And what we realized is, and this is something that's interesting, we never did something for ourselves. Yep. We were always doing for others. And that's fine. That's good. It's a beautiful thing in that. But there are times and places when you learn, and they learn from watching things crash and burn, and some things ain't work out the way they need to work out that hey, we know how to do it and we know how to make it work properly.

SPEAKER_04 12:35

So we can behind the scenes so much for everybody else, and now we're in front of the camera. So yep.

SPEAKER_00 12:43

And so now they're like, hey, why don't we make something for ourselves? And the idea of it, the the crystallization of making this happen was actually because of the pandemic. And if you all don't know my brother, he my brother can talk. He likes to talk, he likes seeing people. And one thing that sucked about the pandemic was we couldn't see people, we couldn't go and interact and be out in the community with folks. And we wanted to make sure that we could still engage our community, still be active because we've always been active in our communities, whether it be with politics, whether it be with working at y'all thought this is the first time we've been at a boys and girls club. My brother and I, we've worked at boys and girls clubs since we've been in college. We've been coming in and teaching classes to kids and students. I worked at a university, worked in education. Yeah. Yeah, that's why we come in and so comfortable and relaxed. Like we already know what it is. And so we were like, hey, why don't we figure out a way to speak with people and have these discussions that we're having behind closed doors? Because my brother and I, we always get on the phone and we'll sit and talk for like two hours, right? And we'll be talking about a bunch of different things. And we're like, it'd be cool to put these on tape, but to also get other people's input. And so when it was time, when the time came, I'll say when the time came, when we realized, all right, we really got to make this happen. It was at the end of 2020, and we're like, hey, we're actually just gonna start this project. We're gonna bring in Mike and we're gonna bring in Tamaia, and we're gonna put together our own podcast so that way we can be able to make this thing happen the way we want and have full control of it. And we started online.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

Yeah, we didn't have any of this gear, none of this, none of that stuff. We just started with a computer. Virtual.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

Yeah. No, everybody was zooming. Everybody was zooming? We was out there zooming. But we actually used something. What was the name of that darn thing? Zencaster. Zencaster. We use Zencaster that we use as an app.

SPEAKER_04 14:32

And then Riverside. A recording app. So you can virtually call somebody for a podcast.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 14:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

It's kind of like a FaceTime, but it records.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

And it goes to the cloud. And then from there you can download it and edit your um audio and stuff like that and put together your podcast. But what was cool about it was convenient because we could speak to people where they were at. They could be at home. I'm going to tell y'all like this too. This is something funny so y'all realize how serious this is. We used to do it in the mornings on Saturdays. Yep. Every Saturday morning. It's like 1 a.m. Yo, 8, 9 a.m. One interview. And we would all be ready and get up and do the thing.

SPEAKER_04 15:11

Kevin used to get mad at me because I used to be laying in the bed recording the podcast. I would have my microphone like sitting up, like I'm laying in the bed, but the podcast, the mic is still right there. He's like, Tamara, are you laying down when you record? Because you sound muffled. I'm like, yeah. So now I have like a little setup.

SPEAKER_01 15:27

So we got a little bit of a time. We spent $20 on the first mic. Yeah. And then when you need more, you get more.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

Uh-huh. Like, matter of fact, the the equipment that you all use, the small, the recorder.

SPEAKER_04 15:39

The interface.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Yeah, the interface. That was our first in-person interface that we used. Isn't that cool?

SPEAKER_05 15:46

So we're important, huh?

SPEAKER_00 15:47

Yeah, y'all are important.

SPEAKER_05 15:48

We learned it from you guys.

SPEAKER_00 15:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:51

Wait, how'd y'all how we did this right here? Kevin did the logos.

SPEAKER_04 15:54

Kevin does everything.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Yep. That's why he's you ready? When y'all ask who what a producer is, that's Kevin. That's a producer. So when we ask y'all, hey, somebody has to be the producer, we're asking you to be Kevin. Kevin. When we ask somebody to be the behind the scene information person to make sure everybody's in line doing their thing, we're asking you to be Tamaya. When we're asking you to come in and sit and say, hey, I want to make sure that the equipment's working well, that the that the the um the technical side. Um for instance, how we post the stuff and everything, but we're asking you to be Mike. When we ask you to come out here and put your questions together and talk well and eloquently, we're asking you to be me. That's why I bother you so much. Because I can see that you have the skill. Yeah. So um everything that we do, it has a purpose. And so even when we work with you all, we try to make sure that we implement that and that you all see where that comes from. So nothing's done without purpose.

SPEAKER_04 16:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Yeah. No waste of energy.

SPEAKER_04 16:53

What are the questions y'all got? Man, I like this.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

Yeah, this is fun.

SPEAKER_03 16:57

Access anything.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

Anything.

SPEAKER_03 16:59

We're in the hot seat. Yeah. Who was y'all's favorite person in the this year?

SPEAKER_00 17:04

I already know. I've been waiting for this question. I like Merv Jenkins. I ain't gonna lie, I had so much fun that day. Um, uh, Dr. Merv Jenkins. He he was uh he was a former principal educator, um, but he was also a uh hip hop artist and etc. Man, this man has done a lot. But uh he he lives in Charleston and uh we went to his house and actually did the episode. Oh yeah, that's great one. Place was swanky. It was one of like it was cool. Like we talk about we travel places, well, we get really good hospitality too. I will say that. Shout out, shout outs to everybody um that has been on our podcast that has welcomed us in and given us great hospitality. We've enjoyed, we've enjoyed the entire experience. It makes it easier for us to do our job when we know we're welcome. And a lot of these folks, they really reach out, they make time for us, they give us spaces to come into. I'm gonna tell you I like this. Um believe it's last year. We even last season we did a um episode at a baseball park.

SPEAKER_04 17:58

Yeah, a baseball stadium.

SPEAKER_00 18:00

And we got we got the cart blanks, we got use of the entire inside of the what people call the the flies uh box seats, the suites, the suites, it was a suite. And um the you you don't realize you don't know until you ask, right? And this is why we ask you all like she put this question to you on a lot of a lot of kids, they'll say, Well, we can't do stuff, we're just kids. No, ask. Yeah, ask. All you're gonna get is a yes or a no. And I remember my dad telling us this when we were kids, and we because we were afraid of doing certain things, and my brother will tell you, man, you don't know, just ask, because we would be surprised about the people that say, Yeah, we'll get on your podcast. Like, we're talking about people that work on television work on TV, reporters, um, literally the congressman, the gentleman that came and spoke to you all, Jermaine. Like, we went to school with this gentleman, but we would think, hey, are you gonna actually come speak with us? Yeah, just ask. Say, say, say, will you do it? Um, and so we get the information that we need, and so it's awesome. It's awesome. And so we've learned and uh a lot of things. I um one of the biggest things about podcasting that I've learned is it's okay to make a mistake, it's okay to fall and pick yourself up. There's been many times when I've been in charge of that board over there and I didn't hit record. Yes, yeah, and we've done entire episodes, yeah, and we were filming documentaries, yeah, it happens, did not hit the buttons.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

We had to bring them back. Town set. Oh had a great interview. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 19:23

Or sometimes, like with me, I forgot to call people to check in to see if they were actually gonna come or available for their episode. So we'll be waiting for them to get there, and they canceled. Yeah. And I just you just gotta follow up with people. So we learned.

SPEAKER_06 19:39

That's like I was like people not researched. What's where I got to create my own name? I create my own stuff. I mean this had been dog game on me.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

You say you're Dog West, aren't you? I'm West. What you're a legend, man. Wow, no, like for real, for real.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

Y'all know who Yeah, I see it before.

SPEAKER_01 20:05

Wow. Yeah, we see you walking out of that street for I mean, it's been 20 years.

SPEAKER_06 20:10

Like you said, you got people who tell you. You don't worry about people. You do what man says.

SPEAKER_00 20:16

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 20:19

Stay and then go get God. Exactly. That's right.

unknown 20:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 20:24

I I walk around every day, 10, 15 miles, every day. Yeah. A bunch here have food back for me. I do what God gives. I don't retire with my own personal because I ain't got no girlfriend. Not because I don't require. Yeah. I got me. I'm running from them. I'm being honest. I'll be doing it now. I'm gonna do what's funny with us. Hey, that's what's in the stuff on Facebook. Speak for yourself. Exactly. Exactly. Young young people, just stay in school. Quit listen to other people meeting over. You couldn't like show them. What is wrong with your mom? You take your parents, they'll put the phones into your hand that's wrong. And the grandmom and the granddad, come on, you know, 14 years old. It put me at like told me, lay back there in the street like this. I went back to my dad himself, because I was smelling myself at the time. When he took me and stuff like that in my 14th, and I've been screaming ever since I went back to you, just what you need. Yeah, kill my something. Like, you big kids.

SPEAKER_00 21:33

And I like what he's saying because just so y'all understand, part of what he's saying too is you have to be humble.

SPEAKER_02 21:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

And that's what one thing we learned from making a podcast or doing a podcast, being active in it, is learning how to be humble.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:44

There's oh, yeah. Oh, I remember our first alright, first season. I always bring this up. First season, we had an interview with somebody. Awesome guests. I'm not gonna even say the information on the name night. Awesome guests, well-known person. And I was asking certain questions, and the interview was starting to derail. It was getting emotionally hot. And I had to realize what was going on. We couldn't even see the person because we was we were virtual, right? So I had to realize what was going on. I said, Oh, humble yourself, bring it back down, let this person have that space. Right? And then the interview, everything went well after that. And so I that was something I learned from that first season. So now when I interview people, extreme humbleness. Remember that? Extreme humbleness.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

I think that first season, I think we all kind of felt like we were supposed to converse more. And then we figured out that it was more like just let them have a space for them to go. That's it. And then we just say enough little tidbits to push it, push it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:47

Yeah. And another thing we learned is, you know, who was the best talking on the mic out of all four of us? You know, who can have the best conversation, who's good at doing the intro, outro, flowing, uh, asking hard-hitting questions, you know, you gotta read people's energy. You gotta read your co-host energy.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

Yep. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 23:07

It's all a process.

SPEAKER_00 23:08

That's part of being humble, man, knowing that you do something well and what you don't do well, and letting others come in.

SPEAKER_04 23:13

Yeah, you guys are learning really well though.

SPEAKER_00 23:15

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 23:16

Yeah. I'm proud of you guys.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Yeah, man. Give me some clap. Give me a hand clap. So I know, I know we have to get ready to wrap up. Um, but before we close out, and this is our season finale. Yeah, this is our season finale. Yeah, it's our season finale. Yeah. Um, y'all ain't done. Yeah, yeah. Y'all got work to do. Y'all still got work to do. Do you do you all have any other questions for us at all? This is a chance to ask. Don't be bashful.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

Get educated. Stay in school. Preach. Get to education. Yup. Stay in school. Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_06 23:55

You know how you once you over you don't wait in my children.

SPEAKER_00 23:59

Yep. He ain't learning. I'm telling y'all how it is. You better get it while you can.

SPEAKER_04 24:02

Well, I would like to say this is the first time I've ever seen them this speechless.

SPEAKER_00 24:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:08

Um, because they they talk all the time.

SPEAKER_00 24:11

All the time.

SPEAKER_04 24:12

And they ask us questions.

SPEAKER_00 24:15

And it's facts. Them pickles that time got me bewildered.

SPEAKER_04 24:19

So now we know what to do. Put them on our podcast so they'll stop talking.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

Season five? Yeah, man. This is like y'all know this is this is the end of season five, all right? So five seasons. Five years, we're five years.

SPEAKER_04 24:37

A hundred and hundred and forty, fifty episodes.

SPEAKER_00 24:42

Episodes, yeah. So just so you all know, it starts a little bit at a time, starts small. You gotta grow something just like a plant. It's not gonna happen overnight. Okay? All right. So we gotta shut it down for this episode. What I always like to do on our episode, so y'all gotta do it today because I'm here. Y'all gotta do what we do. You ready? So, this is DJ and what? Announce yourself. Who are you?

SPEAKER_04 25:07

Taylor, Takara, Mike, Jamar, and Tamaya. And in the background, say aloud.

SPEAKER_05 25:14

Tyler. Cassidy.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

She said her name. She said her name. And we're with Oh, shout out the dog West. Shout out the dog. A legend. And for the Hilltop Glove Podcast and Kids Gloves, this is a season finale for season five. We love y'all. We appreciate you. Keep tuning in. Please like, share, and subscribe. If you love somebody as you better love somebody, please tell somebody next to you that you do love them and you appreciate them. And until the next time, peace.