In episode #60 we welcome Rock So Fresh crew member Art Lien to the studio to discuss:
• First and foremost Rest In Peace to Kobe Bryant, Gigi Bryant, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Ara Zobayan, Sarah Chester, and Payton Chester.
• We discuss the death of Kobe Bryant and how much of an impact he had on the whole world and to us.
• Why we and people around the world are grieving the death of Kobe, what we were doing when we found out and how much of an influence he is to us and others. What Mamba Mentality is to us.
• We talk to Art about his beginnings in dance in Taiwan as a locker (dancer) and find out about his time in America's Best Dance Crew. See Instant Noodles. Maruchan Ramen? Nissin Noodles?
• Art's beginnings in school as a business student, then leading to becoming design student.
• Art eventually got down with our bboy crew Rock So Fresh, we talk to him about how he got introduced to the crew.
• Art's introduction to Rock So Fresh was through being an art intern for Miguel Angel Godoy, an artist/muralist that has roots in San Diego as well as Atlanta and now in AZ.
• Miguel Godoy and how he was a big influence in our lives as a bboy, artist, human being, father, husband and more. There are people that unknowingly represent themselves as a model human, Godoy represents that.
• We talk about toxic masculinity and the effects it can have.
• Mental health is a big topic around the world. There are available therapists in all types of fields that help. We go over our own experiences with therapy and how it has helped us.
• A lot of the discussions on mental health lead back to Kobe and his life model. i.e. - father of four daughters and how he led a great father/husband role. This happens through the podcast.
• The idea of a man and how a man is supposed to be in the dating scene. Dating one and being done, falling in love? Or experiencing a variety of partners you learn from and eventually settle?
• Toxic masculinity in the hip hop scene, homophobia and the problem with machismo. We reference back to an older podcast with our homie Jed. See podcast #30.
• Art defines how traumatic experiences can affect a person throughout life. Emotional healing through therapy.
• Mental health therapy should be practiced often just as your body needs a massage or relaxation.
• Destijl and Art recount how they talked about couples therapy... inside of Pure Platinum strip club among strippers!!!
• Communication and how it can be deciphered differently based upon the type of person you are.
• Art breaks down the etymology of DEMON. Accepting your demons and not necessarily fighting them, but welcoming them in to become an ally.
• The empathy of Americans vs. coming together in a tragedy. Is it just in the moment or does it last to let people show empathy in the long run.
• Art drops a ton of knowledge based on his learnings in his journey to become a therapist. We go into depth on mental health, love, our experiences through therapy and more. Almost every angle we hit leads us back to talking about Kobe Bryant and how his life model is the ideal platform to look back on. The tragedy in the passing of Kobe has shed a lot of light on people around the world and how they really should lead their lives day to day. There have been multiple tributes, vigils and gatherings to honor the late Kobe Bryant as his life lessons affected many worldwide. There is so much more we talk about so listen in and laugh about our weird tangents that break off from all the therapy and Kobe talk. We also end our podcast with the usual ending of what we've been listening to since the last podcast.
- Thank you Kobe Bryant for all the championships and life lessons we never knew we would embrace into our own lives. This one hurts, a lot.... but in this tragedy we've realized we must improve upon ourselves to better serve us and those we love. RIP MAMBA, Mambacita and all those involved.
- Peace... Destijl out!
