Born In Trouble

John X

People say change starts with a conversation, but are we having the right ones? From the mysteries of the music industry to the often misunderstood concept of sex, race and cultures. "Meet us at the intersection of technology, entertainment, music, relationships and everything thought-provoking dialogue should be!. Dive deep into the realities of being Born in Trouble!

  1. Jul 24

    What We Not Gon Do Is...

    Born in Trouble (July Ep. 1): Race Politics, DEI Myths, Social Media Brain Rot & the Future of Power Host John X reunites with Grant “City Wing King” Lancaster and Andrew Johnson (Men, Money and Marriage) for the first July episode of Born in Trouble, ranging from humor to a wide discussion on racism, Argentina’s history and demographics, and how race narratives play out in the U.S. They debate backlash to casting Black actors in fictional and historical roles, argue that DEI is scapegoated while “white entitlement incompetence” is ignored, and share personal experiences with hiring and promotions. The conversation criticizes social media for amplifying poorly processed information, links declining literacy and screen-based schooling to reduced recall and conversation skills, and touches on voting challenges in rural Black communities in states like Mississippi amid demographic shifts. 00:00 July Episode Kickoff 01:39 Afro Banter Reunion 03:18 Argentina Race Talk 06:40 History Of Erasure 09:47 Casting Culture Wars 11:44 Jaylen Brown And Control 17:13 Umar And Interracial Fears 23:46 Social Media Brain Rot 27:20 DEI Myths And Reality 30:56 White Entitlement Incompetence 33:02 Degrees Aren’t Intelligence 33:50 Illiteracy and Screen Learning 35:07 Phones and Keeping Kids Smart 36:31 Free Speech Shelf Life 37:34 Mississippi Justice and Racism 40:17 Demographics and Voting Power 44:25 Politics Bought and Sold 47:22 Jobs, AI, and K Economy 49:57 Near Death and No Patience 54:16 Youth Must Lead Change 56:58 Indoctrination and Culture Wars 01:01:21 Conversation and Closing Out 01:02:42 Stop Fearing Being Smart 01:05:06 Empathy as a Nation’s Test

    What We Not Gon Do Is...
  2. May 13

    The Conflation Conversation

    The Conflation Conversation: C Comeback, Community Survival & Relationship Reality Talk | Born in Trouble Host John X returns to Born in Trouble with Grant Lancaster, They reflect on aging, being “elders,” and why lived, immersive experiences and community history matter more than today’s phone-driven culture. The conversation critiques money as the central measure of “success,” compareing systems where needs were met without money, and warns that current politics and economic trends—including AI-driven job loss and rising foreclosures—threaten everyone while eroding community. They discuss race as an American construct tied to slavery, expressing a belief Black people have been the country’s moral compass, and debate immigration’s impact on community. They react to a viral clip about “scoring” an NFL/NBA boyfriend, emphasizing loyalty, service, and rejecting transactional relationships, then end calling for peace, reduced intra-community violence, and greater support for HBCUs amid Southern redistricting issues. 00:00 Welcome Back Update 01:33 Cancer Recovery Check In 03:23 Jordan LeBron Debate 04:41 Aging And Being Elders 08:36 From Immersion To Online 11:11 Money Over Everything 14:30 Systems And Reactions 16:59 Moral Compass And Politics 23:26 Not Becoming Oppressors 25:58 Conflation Congregation Explained 27:00 Housing AI And Foreclosures 31:58 Community And Immigration 37:30 Foreign Voices and Division 37:59 People Are More Alike 39:28 Switching to Relationship Drama 40:03 Clip Advice on Athletes 43:09 Serving Each Other in Love 45:05 Money Talk and Prostitution 49:58 High Value Men Reality 51:43 Beyond Transactional Love 54:20 Building Wealth Together 01:01:13 Peace Message and Unity 01:04:08 HBCU Push and Gerrymandering 01:06:47 Wrap Up and Personal Banter

    The Conflation Conversation
  3. Feb 24

    Chalking The Pavement

    John X hosts the third episode of “Born In Trouble” with guests Robert Brooks (in-studio) and Andrew Johnson (host of the Men Money and Marriage Podcast). The conversation ranges from reactions to a Spanish-language halftime performance and public discomfort with other cultures, to concerns that the U.S. is increasingly divided and “full of” contradictions. They discuss faith and the idea that there is only one God/Jesus, argue that protecting vulnerable children is a moral imperative, and condemn pedophilia while criticizing how high-profile cases and trials are drip-fed to distract the public. They talk about Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell’s alleged intelligence ties, and claim Epstein did not want Black people on the island, framing it as “white on white crime,” while cautioning against pulling Black people in as scapegoats. They revisit Michael Jackson, suggesting allegations were tied to power and music publishing, describing how he amassed catalogs (including the Beatles and Sony-related publishing) and used leverage in the industry, including returning Little Richard’s rights. The episode also covers immigration and business incentives to exploit undocumented labor, including avoiding taxes/benefits, and connects this to broader U.S. history and Manifest Destiny, arguing people are “coming back” to land taken from Mexico. They speculate about hidden history, restricted sites like parts of the Grand Canyon, and debates over identity, criticizing tribalism and the use of slurs within communities. Andrew shares concerns about his daughter’s future, rising costs, and the increasing age of first-time homebuyers; they discuss 50-year mortgages as “glorified renting” and how lack of equity could discourage divorce. They debate AI’s impact on jobs, suggesting timelines are exaggerated but warning about motives, and they argue screen-based schooling and phone dependence reduce creativity and critical thinking in Gen Z. They briefly mention hypocrisy around anti-LGBTQ rhetoric (including Grindr spikes during Republican conventions) and insist people should be judged by character rather than group identity. The episode closes with a warning about scapegoating, references to “ghetto loans” from mortgage work, commentary on hypocrisy in politics and culture, and a sign-off framing the episode as “Devil Worshipers,” with plans for future episodes and a possible one-on-one with Grant Lancaster. 00:00 Cold Open and Guests 01:02 Valentine's Day Banter 02:49 Welcome to Born In Trouble 03:40 Super Bowl Halftime Debate 05:47 Do We Stand for Anything 06:19 Faith and Protecting Kids 08:40 Immigration and Business Incentives 10:57 Division and Distraction Politics 12:35 Michael Jackson Revisited 15:02 Publishing Power and Catalog Wars 18:06 Epstein Network and Race 23:01 Manifest Destiny and Hidden History 25:34 Identity Tribalism and Language 28:55 When Did It Get So Tribal 29:16 Tribal Cities Talk 31:18 Parenting and Housing Fears 32:25 Looking Rich Economy 33:22 Fifty Year Mortgages 36:16 Aging Out the Demo 37:32 AI Jobs Reality Check 42:02 Screen Age Kids 45:05 Tribalism and Community 49:19 LGBTQ and Hypocrisy 54:17 Closing Thoughts and Signoff

    Chalking The Pavement
4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

People say change starts with a conversation, but are we having the right ones? From the mysteries of the music industry to the often misunderstood concept of sex, race and cultures. "Meet us at the intersection of technology, entertainment, music, relationships and everything thought-provoking dialogue should be!. Dive deep into the realities of being Born in Trouble!