Breaking the Barrier with TAJ & Will TAJ and Will

The podcast's one hundredth episode! Much love and appreciation for our listeners and viewers, whether you were part of the convo since Episode One, Episode 50, or just recently --- thank you all for rocking with us! On this milestone episode, TAJ & Will tackle the podcast’s most heralded topic: separating the art from the artist. Can you enjoy R. Kelly’s music while knowing he was found guilty of charges that include sexual exploitation of a child and sex trafficking? Did you rush to hear Kanye’s Donda album despite everything he was saying just a couple years ago? And how do we determine if someone linked to an artist is “guilty by association”? Do you tune into NFL every week with knowledge of how Colin Kaepernick was silenced? A lot of layers to this topic, and the both of them get into all of it. Then, as promised, they have a special announcement on the podcast’s one hundredth! Rock with us! 



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IG: @breakbarrierpod, @ryals____  

Twitter: @breakbarrierpod, @tajfcruz, @therealryals  

Email: breakbarrierpod@gmail.com

One away from the podcast’s hundredth episode! Big announcement coming in Episode 100, so don’t miss it! In Episode 99, TAJ & Will hold no punches against the anti-vaxxers of the NBA, and they discuss whether LeBron James should speak up on this matter, plus the vaccine becoming politicized and agendas targeting the Black community. Then, they talk about the social media outage that had Instagram and Facebook down, and they imagine what society would be like if the social media platforms never came back.

Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0qneYn1sQUikJknAXVjKjA 
IG: @breakbarrierpod, @ryals____ 
Twitter: @breakbarrierpod, @tajfcruz, @therealryals 
Email: breakbarrierpod@gmail.com

Kick it with us for this chill episode! TAJ & Will have some meaningful therapy talk after TAJ talks about having his first ever therapy session this week. Then, they talk about the representation and impact of Rihanna's Fenty show and the unfortunate truth about how things unfolded with Britney Spears and the conservatorship. TAJ & Will also find parallels between their respective emotional experiences watching Shang-Chi and the Black Panther, both getting the full Marvel blockbuster treatment. Then, they discuss R. Kelly being found guilty of all charges after 11 sexual abuse victims testified against him.

Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0qneYn1sQUikJknAXVjKjA

IG: @breakbarrierpod, @ryals____

Twitter: @breakbarrierpod, @tajfcruz, @therealryals

Email: breakbarrierpod@gmail.com

In this episode, TAJ & Will unpack some of the layers of Netflix's Clickbait limited series, from race to workplace privilege, plus the pros and cons of social media. They also talk about its parallels to the real-life coverage of Gabby Petito and discuss "missing white woman syndrome". Then, they touch on representation at the recent Emmys. Rest In Peace, Gabby Petito.

Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0qneYn1sQUikJknAXVjKjA

IG: @breakbarrierpod, @ryals____

Twitter: @breakbarrierpod, @tajfcruz, @therealryals

Email: breakbarrierpod@gmail.com

TAJ & Will had a blast recording this one. In this entertaining episode, they disagree as they discuss Nicki Minaj's COVID-19 vaccine tweets (9:50). They also talk about the influence of celebrities like Nicki Minaj and Kyrie Irving on the public, and they get into Kyrie's mysterious tweet mentioning his "mask is off" (16:45). Other topics include the US Women's Gymnastics Olympians calling out the FBI and the system for enabling the abuse of gymnasts by Larry Nassar (36:00), the podcast's thoughts on the screening process for deciding on the best therapist for you (43:55), the latest Verzuz battle between Fat Joe and Ja Rule (0:30), the MET Gala, the US Open Women's Final, and more! Rock w/ us! 

Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0qneYn1sQUikJknAXVjKjA

IG: @breakbarrierpod, @ryals____

Twitter: @breakbarrierpod, @tajfcruz, @therealryals

Email: breakbarrierpod@gmail.com

TAJ & Will start the episode with a tribute to barrier breaker and legendary actor Michael K. Williams, and they talk about the memorable characters he played throughout his career (3:00). Afterward, they congratulate Derek Jeter for being inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame and talk about him as a role model (17:00). Then, for the 20th anniversary of September 11, they both recount their experiences of that day as kids (26:00), the trauma that comes with seeing September 11 unfold at a young age (30:40), xenophobia, and TAJ shares his emotional experience at the 9/11 memorial in 2009 (36:40). They end the episode with their thoughts on the Texas abortion ban and rape (41:25).



Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0qneYn1sQUikJknAXVjKjA 

IG: @breakbarrierpod, @ryals____ 

Twitter: @breakbarrierpod, @tajfcruz, @therealryals 

Email: breakbarrierpod@gmail.com