Latest / Black Box Theory Podcast / BBT #27 | A Game Glorifying Chicago Gang Culture, HBCUs Leveling Up, and Why Voting Still Matters

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BBT #27 | A Game Glorifying Chicago Gang Culture, HBCUs Leveling Up, and Why Voting Still Matters · Black Box Theory Podcast

• Thomas: Welcome back, episode twenty seven. Malcolm: no, man, how you feeling? Thomas: Yeah, I'm feeling good, feeling feeling ready for another episode. How about you? Malcolm: I complain, man. Bless. You know, another Sunday, woke up. I'm I'm blessed, man. That's all I can ask for. Thomas: That's real. That's that's that's how things are going, man. I mean, hey, we we got we got a good action-packed episode for you guys today, cut talking about everything from what some of you might have heard of Hood Warfare 2 all the way to what's going on in France and you know some some pretty big things going on in in financial world. You know, I've some of you might have heard about that big find a certain banking institution received. but before we move on, I just gotta go ahead and get the disclaimer out the way. everything that we are discussing here is from our perspectives only. and it represents just our thinking. It does not represent any other entities or larger portions. This is not financial advice. Please do your own research and make sure you consult with any professionals before making any moves. we're here to learn together. We're learning out loud and thank you for joining us for the ride. Malcolm: Yes, sir. Appreciate you you know, bringing us in as always. and now also like before we do get started, definitely wanna also shout out, I know you guys like anybody that follows like our Instagram story kinda sees like us when we post like a new milestone and stuff, but I'm gonna give you a huge thank you, man, 'cause we actually like super close. I think like last time I checked like we like twenty five streams away from like ten thousand streams total, which is like crazy to think about. just from like, you know, when we had first I think kind of like launched this podcast and this platform for us to even be able to like say that number as, you know, and associate that with the, you know, whether those streams are like through like YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, however you guys are listening or, you know, listen to our content, like just 10,000 streams period is just like an incredible, I think, feat for any platform, any podcast, especially us. so yeah, definitely, like I say, as always, just want give a huge thank you to anybody that tunes into us, listens to us, you know, or even discovered us, even if you don't know us personally. And like just just taking the time to listen to us and, you know, some of the topics and things that we break down, man. means the world to us. So yeah, man. Go I'm not gonna hold us up too long. But yeah, we can definitely go ahead and and and jump in. Like I said, Tom has kind of laid the land a bit by some of the stuff we're gonna cover for today. But yeah, like I said, first thing I wanted to talk about, man, there is a new viral and you guys may or may not have seen this is going like especially if you're not into gaming, this probably hasn't come on your timeline or you've seen it really, but one of the first things we wanted to talk about is this new game. it's a viral gang shooter. It's going six dollars called Hood Warfare Two. Right. And so for those of you that aren't familiar with it, Hood Warfare Two, it's an independently produced Call of Duty s style first person shooter and it's gaining a lot of traction online after debut I'm sorry, debuting on the PC digital distribution platform Steam, which is where a lot of people like download and play and and kind of like use you know, PC games. so it was released on October eighth. trended, got a lot of commentary, social media, and like a lot of people. There's six dollars, so quite a few people play. I, you know, bought it and played it. So with the there's a twenty there's been a 24 hour peak of eleven thousand seven hundred forty-two players. so it's not the most popular game ever, but like it's still that's a ton of people to be playing at the same time. now you may be able to kind of like tell just from like the title of the game, that it's not just, you know. Yeah, it's a it's a shooter game, but there are obviously we're we're covering it for another reason. so yeah, right. So more and we'll we can actually show a couple clips maybe to give some folks some context about like what this looks like and and and what we're exactly talking about. So give you guys some more background, it's a multiplayer first person shooter and it's a sequel to the first game based in twenty twenty three. Now it is set in the streets of Chicago and it sees rival gangs vying for control of turf. So there's a turf war game mode and the game also closed like Things like Team Deathmatch, free-for-all mode, capture the flag. And so like some of the names of the like team deathmatch is called Gangbang, Capture the F Flag is called Hit a Lick. And then there's a bomb diffusal mode called Destroy the Block and a Kill Confirm mode named Chain Snatch. So like you guys can kind of see from these the titles of the the game modes and just like the the like the type of like game like period, like kind of like what it is. It's it's obviously a ton of exaggerated gang stereotypes. different maps, including the suburbs, mall, the hood or I guess trench areas of of of you know, Chicago. and so like the actual right, and so like the people that made the game, it was developed by Trap Star Games, right? there isn't more information directly available from the developer's website. but most of the discourse online we've seen is that these were definitely is a Pretty good chance that these were made by like a couple white guy developers. and so there's not really much public information about the developers, where they're based, who they are. and yes, like I said, there's obviously been a ton of criticism, you know, obviously to his depiction of stereotypes, producing all black communities in Chicago, because Chicago is a lot more than just, you know, hood areas or like gang violence. So the game pretty much makes all of Chicago look like. they've kind of reduced it to just like these black communities, these low income black communities, that are focused on gang violence and then exaggerated humor about street culture. yeah, it's like I say they're hiding behind this label Trap Star Games. and so we can kind of show a couple clips. And there has all there's also been a bad a lot of backlash as well because like there have been like a couple like popular streamers that are like playing this game and like feeding into it. without really realizing like the message that it's sending to like the audiences, especially younger younger kids who like are, you know, tuned in to to play games like these. But yeah, there's been a ton of backlash. So we'll we'll show kind of like a let me see if I can pull up a clip here really quick and you guys can kind of just see what it is that we're dealing with here, man. I'm go ahead and Thomas: Yeah. Well after you show that one I got a clip to show the opposite, like someone criticizing the game and then some of the psychology that some people have justifying the game. Malcolm: Yeah, it's it's nasty out here. Let me know, so let me know if you can yeah, you can hear this. Hold it down, Tweet. Cop that nigga ass. Says lacking. Right. So like bro, like I I I I so like just just from those 30 seconds, I think it's very easy for anyone that's listening could to kind of see what this game is about, what it's depicting, and like what's like like like like that that's that's essentially what the game is. Like it it is just shooting people, killing people in different game modes with those type of you hear the lines, right? you know, like like it's very you you you can tell like the people that made this game are not actually black people 'cause these are the most like exaggerated, Thomas: Stereotypical. Malcolm: stereotypical, kind of like what I imagine a a hood Thomas: Mm. Malcolm: black person or a gang or some a black person in the gang sounds like. Like these are very, very like Like like there's these are very extreme, I think, kind of like expressions that happen after you kill someone. and it's very Like I said, I think it's I think rightfully so. It's getting a lot of the criticism that it should be because I think it just kind of like it it just it just one, I think it sets up a very, very bad it just sets a very, very bad precedent. I mean not even precedent 'cause like people have been saying this and and pushing this out. Like even Chicago, I think like the the the violence has been dropping for the last like few years. I'd I'd like to think, double check that. But like this just this just like especially for people that who don't know any better. haven't been to Chicago, all they know is like what they see online. They listen to, you know, famous drill rappers that have come from the area. and that may be their entire kind of worldview of Chicago and of the city and of just like the black people that live out there. And you know, this game pretty much makes like all of Chicago. And I think it just sets it present for like all black communities and, you know, lower income, kind of like more, I guess, considered hood areas, as like, Basically making the whole city just seem like it's O Block. Like it's just constant violence and and gang war and and people fighting over turf. and it's like I mean, I get it, bro. Like I don't actually no, I don't get it. Like, I mean, they're obviously doing this to like, you know, get it make a quick buck off people being that pressed to play it and, you know, kind of like take take advantage of like you know, like what some people can may consider a joke. I think it's just like I I I'd be I'm particularly like more upset with some like the more popular streamers and stuff that are like pushing this stuff out there and making it seem like it's just a game. Cause I think when you reduce something like this to it's just a video game, it's just a you know, it's just a you know, it's just a game I'm playing, it's only six dollars, it doesn't really mean that much. Like that's exactly what the people that developed this game were hoping you'd say. They're they're hoping that you don't like read between the lines and see that like people are making like a joke in it, like a little they're making a game out of like some of the most like like s like something that literally sets back has set back our community like hundreds of years because like we've been brainwashed to think that like you know behavior and stuff like this is is okay for the sake of like street code and and you know just being where you're by being a product of your environment. So it's it's a little concerned, man. just how many people have bought this, especially like I'm I'm I'm especially concerned if you're a black person and you bought this. Call of Duty is one thing. I mean There isn't a a very there isn't an obvious, you know, like like like like you know, target of on one community or ethnicity in Call of Duty. Like it's just it's just shoot it's just it's a shooter, period. This game is literally it's literally just making fun of every single s black stereotype ever and putting it to a game where we are just like shooting each other casually. And there are just so many layers of issues that I have with that. and yeah. I think it should I think there should be a lot more backlash than than what I've seen online. But I said definitely curious to hear your thoughts, man. What you what you're thinking on this. Thomas: No, I agree with you a hundred percent. I think the the issue is for one, the game only shows black people. When you actually look at the gang map of Chicago, if you really want to just focus on gang culture, it's not only black people that are involved in gang activity. There are plenty of other communities that are involved in gang or illegal business or whatever you want to call it. so I think just targeting black people. Is bad. Targeting anyone, like even making a game like this, is bad. And I know people bring up the argument of GTA, mafia, like other games like that, but it's how they're representing the people. When you play GTA, it includes every race, you know, it includes everybody. It's not targeting a specific community. And it actually has a story. It actually has a plot. It actually has things that go on. It's like you're watching a movie, but playing it. And when you look at mafia, it's the same thing. Like like literally, I'm looking at an Instagram comment of a clip. I'll show you guys a clip in a second of a popular streamer reacting to the game. But someone literally says, Ain't see no one complained when they used Italians and so on for the mafia games, laughing emoji, laughing emoji, laughing emoji, B so Fr, which for people who may not know what that means, is for real. and it's like Well, yeah, no one's gonna say that about the mafia because think about how they they show people, like how do they show black crime organizations like BMF, whatever? If you well, I'm not gonna I'm not saying BMF is a crime organization. That's not my business. I I'm just somebody reading off the internet. But versus how they show the mafia. They show the mafia as Italian dudes with suits, handling business, having having businesses who just might kill a person here and there over respect or whatever the case. Black people, they show no organization. You think about all the black movies, you think about Weinstein productions and how they showed black people in the movies back in the 90s and 2000s. Everything's focused on us killing each other and and all these things that aren't true. And anyone who actually grew up in the hood or who knows people from the hood or hood adjacent, this stuff is not that common. Like I've seen people, I'm not gonna say it's not that common. It's heavily dependent on where you live, but I've seen people online talking about, I've grew up in a black neighborhood. It was just like that. No, it's not. You did not grow up in a black neighborhood, you grew up in a ghetto or you grew up in a in an ignorant place which is not limited to black people. The connecting that line to black people makes literally no sense. as there are plenty of white people who will tell you they grew up in bad areas where these things happen. Hispanic people, Latin American people, they could tell you they grew up in areas where these things happen. So this being a whole black thing is is clearly targeted. especially ahead of a very important you know time in our you know country's voting processes and and just how we're viewed and I mean like Malcolm said it sets us back perpetually. so I just wanna let me share this really quick. I can show you guys this Duke Dennis clip. So before I get to the clip, he's actually someone who called out the game for cliche stereotypes. Which I mean, if you don't get it by now, why these are cliche? We've been talking about it for over 10 minutes. If you don't get it by now, then you might be the problem. Because be honest, like that that's like looking at me and Malcolm and saying that this is this is where we come from, this is what we do, this is what we get into on our weekends for fun. that's Malcolm: Yeah, bro. Thomas: not true. And so this is the comment right here. I'm not J underscore J A Y Y W I'm pretty sure this is a bot, whatever. talk about no one complain with mafia. They be fake Karen, LOL. They're the same people that glorify and drill rap, gangster rap, little dirk, Vaughn, et cetera, LMAO. First of all, the whole Vaughn thing with kids glorifying King Vaughn, that that's a whole internet attacking itself. I don't know why all these Vaughn simulators and and O Block simulators came up. I'm pretty positive, pretty sure the people from those areas don't necessarily even appreciate this because you're making where they come from look like a a dump. but yeah, get. Malcolm: Yeah. I d I do wanna like I do wanna kinda like call out 'cause I I don't want people to like listen to this and make it seem like we are only calling out like the game itself and not like the underlying problem. 'Cause I see you'll see like a lot of discourse online where it's like, okay, people say, well, y'all are mad about this, but then y'all play GTA six when it comes out next month and it'll be a lot of the same kind of like things. But the thing is like games like GTA is that Thomas: Address that. Malcolm: they weren't literally designed out of spite, you know, and like really designed from the ground up to make fun of or to poke fun at like real world issues that took place you know in entire community. So we're not going to sit here and act like, you know, it's just a game and this is the the the you know it's only the fault of, you know, the game developers. They're still at fault and they should be held accountable. But it's also like, you know, at the same time like, you know, on our end, we can't it's kinda is like a we can't kind of only point the the the the sword one way. It does also have to be like a a sense of like you know accountability because it's like And I think this kind of like ties back into like some of the some talk I I've had these thoughts for a minute. Like sometimes we have like the same type of approach when it comes to like, you know, like some like the Black Lives Matter stuff, right? It's like we'll we'll have like these protests and we'll rise up when there's like case and like said they're still wrong, don't get me wrong. But like for situations like with Black Lives Matter when we like, you know, one of our own goes through some type of traumatic, you know, police brutality and it ends with them getting, you know, their lives taken away from them. you know, we'll rise up. you know, Black Lives Matter, protests, you know, rampage on the streets, you know, go against everything. But it's like when black on black crime happens, it's like we almost act like it's it's just it's just nothing. Right. And it's just like it's just well, you know, like I said, like why why don't we have the same type of like I think that's where a lot of these comments, like that's what their logic is coming from. It's like, okay, well like when this does happen in real life, you know, we we we'll have all these outcries about like, you know, the the the police brutality cases, but it's like when we're killing our own in our own communities, where's the outrage and the the protesting and all that kind of coming from, right? So I'm not gonna say that these comments are like right, but like I think it's just like a something that, you know, if you're on our side, like you do have to kind of like take accountability and look, look into both angles, I think, when it comes to stuff like this. Thomas: Man, I I think I get that. I just think it's like it's the same way people listen to music, play GTA. And GTA show me I I haven't played every single GTA, but if there is a GTA where an entire storyline is you going to the hood with drugs, breaking it down, showing local impoverished individuals how to make crack cocaine and and distribute it to in the streets to the black people only, I would not play that. Right. But if you show me Malcolm: Yeah, no. Thomas: a Grand Theft Auto game. Where I'm doing a heist to rob a bank, and I and I'm doing it with with all different types of people and it's just a a bank heist or a road heist to get some money so that I can go buy a boo a Bugatti in the game that's different. That Malcolm: Mm-hmm. Thomas: is and if you if people can't recognize the difference, that is the problem. There are certain targeted things that'd be like a a fentanyl simulator simulator. Am I gonna go make a game where I go to China or wherever, where I go to some country, get fentanyl, bring it back to to the US and distribute it in freaking I don't know in the middle of Tennessee or or or the middle of Mississippi to a bunch of bunch of people who live in trailer parks and get them all hooked on fentanyl and and kill them all? No. There's a reason why stuff like that doesn't exist. This is what this game is. But let me let me show you Duke Dennis's sponsor. This game is so wait I can hear it. Was it was the audio plan? Malcolm: Yeah, I can hear it Thomas: Okay, my fault. Where they was black, they either lack social awareness or they just don't think it's black. Game like this could piss a people off. Look at this like blood But that's not that wasn't my first red man. My first red All right. So yeah, that that dude Duke Dennis, I think, covered it pretty well right there, man. It I'm not I don't gotta cover the whole thing. This is this is courtesy of complex. They reposted this clip. you can go find it on their their Instagram page. I mean, I'm showing the thumbnail right there, you can go find that. But I I think he covered it pretty well. The names alone, like there's more there's people in the streets with with names that don't have that that don't sound like that. There there's Jeffrey's, there's Tristan's. There's Bill's, Bob's, all of So yeah. Malcolm: Yeah. And it's it's crazy too, because it's like I'm realizing they're they're Thomas: Okay. Malcolm: using they're this is set in Chicago, but they're using bloods and crips. Bloods and Crips aren't even like in they're like they aren't even inch, they don't I'm not gonna say they're not in Chicago, but they certainly aren't the ones that like are controlling turf or territory in Chicago. Bloods and Crips, that's like a that's a West Coast, bro. Like that's that's that's not so that's what I'm saying. Thomas: West Coast, e East Coast, other yeah. Malcolm: Like that that's how I know I'm like, bro, this is this cannot be someone that's that's it. This cannot be a black person because a black person, even i i if you were low enough to stoop to make a game like this, I'd hope you had at least have the the social awareness to like know like where these gangs do actually rely reside and where they're kind of like based at. But to that's how I know you're like you're just grabbing that's what this is this is like this game is in in a nutshell like just every single black stereotype mashed together and then put into a a first person shooter. And it's like Right? Like like what are we talking about? Thomas: Yeah, it's it's it's cook, how do I zoom out of this? okay. I'm trying to like show you all not that it okay, not that it matters. This is probably counterproductive to what we're saying here, but I just want to show you like this is what a gang map gang map of Chicago, like if you look at gang territory in Chicago, right? So I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say any of these names. You gotta watch the video if you wanna see these names. I I I have no involvement with any any business related to these these these these guys. So this this isn't my business. I'm just showing you all a map. but I'm I'm looking through, I'm not seeing Crips or Bloods anywhere. Like like Michael said, it's not like we're saying we're not there. No disrespect to anybody. I don't, that's not my business. I'm just telling you that this person didn't even bother doing a Google search of what gangs are actually in Chicago if you if you really wanted to make it accurate. So it's it's just to show you this was probably some AI generated slap. What's the most racist thing you could say and have black people do? I mean, even people who are or were involved in gangs, probably I w I would hope take offense to this game, even being made. Cause all all this whole op stuff is it's tragic on all sides, man. Everybody's just losing. People it it doesn't doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Just killing each other. Malcolm: Mm. Then this is literally just this is just I mean the CIA is probably just jumping for joy knowing that a game like this exists and that we're falling for and and people I ain't gonna lie, I was really disappointed 'cause they're actually one of my favorite YouTube channels, but like like R D C that they had to get like Man, they had to get like they had to get like basically like talked out of playing this game. Like like their chat had to like basically convince them, like, no, y'all shouldn't be playing this. And it was like let me go find the actual Thomas: fellow. Malcolm: Yeah, I'm like, bro, like come on, like yeah, yeah, yeah, Thomas: Come on, man. Malcolm: y'all of all people should know this. Yeah, they there like, yeah, there was like it's a whole five minute clip of Mark and the rest of them basically like they were trying to play it, but they folded to like Thomas: I said Phillips. Malcolm: backlash in the chat, and it was like then there was like a It was just like, yeah, so then I guess we shouldn't play GTA six in November, huh? Like, I don't understand. Y'all are y'all on some BS. And it's like, bro, like, for y'all to have the platform that y'all do, and like, it's like, come on, bro. Like, y'all can't, y'all can't be, y'all can't be on this type of stage. Y'all can't have this type of stage, this type of audience, and be this dense when it comes to understanding, like, like and just that's what I'm saying, like if you're just comparing if you're comparing a game like this to GTA six, like, like, and you think it's like you're trying to equate them, then you're like You're exactly who they make this game for because they don't expect you to think critically enough to understand why this is so many more layers deep and offensive to black people and to our communities and to the city of Chicago, for just like kind of like reducing them down to just this just this kind of like center of just gang violence. And it's it's so much more than that, bro. It's a beautiful city, bro. Like it's that's not these people probably have never stepped foot in Chicago, and they think it's like just like this this war, you know, ridden town or let me say this not. Like it's like that's all I'm saying, bro. So it's like, you know, for anybody, like I said, you may or may not have heard about this game. This may be the first time you or us talking about it may be the first time you have heard about it. but like I said, like games like these are not like these should not, like I said, I'm not sitting here trying to make it sound like, you know, everything should be super serious. But like certain things you just shouldn't like go for in a in a while, especially if you're a black person. 'Cause like I said, like this is literally like a joke. There there's like disrespect. It's like something like this is like a whether you want to call it a joke or not, there's a there's plenty of truth in every joke, whether it's a little bit or a lot. and stuff like this, like I mean, it's just not funny. Like maybe like if you're like a trying to be like an edgy fourteen, fifteen year old and you think this is funny, I guess. But like if you're if if you're old enough and your frontal lobe is developed and you have enough conscious and like common sense to know like right from wrong and when a game is trying to make fun of like your people. and like actual real world events that are kind of like shaped y'all you know y your class in like African Americans like like economic status and and social status today, then it's like bro it it is a lot deeper than that. A lot of people like to, you know, play the it's not that deep card. But stuff like this is that deep. and it's like it goes a lot further than just being like a video game. It's like this has like real world like you know implications to me. It's I I get, whoa, it's only six dollars, what do y'all expect? It's the principle, bro. just the fact that y'all are making these these these so called, you know, unfindable, untraceable devs richer by the minute 'cause y'all are feeding into the the the the BS they putting out to y'all. All he has to do that's like you're playing a joke. Like how how how are you how are you like comfortable like playing a joke that was made about you? and that's the part that's kinda crazy to me. So hey man. I I I don't Thomas: Yeah. And Malcolm: I'm fucking. Thomas: No, I was just gonna say for for our international people, because I know we have a lot of people listening internationally, if you if what we're talking about here makes no sense to you, that is fantastic. I I hope that you can't relate to these things. Malcolm: Mm. Thomas: And I want I actually am curious like how we look to you guys like in other countries. Like how how do these things look to you all? Like, do you does this sound like we're just complaining about nothing? Because I mean, it I I you gotta you gotta you gotta kinda understand the history. And if you are black from another country. that there's not a black country, like say you're you're black and you're like third generation, fourth generation, like German or something, man, it's different over there. You guys don't have the same history as we do, man. And history is here here is deep. Do do your research on US history, black US history, because they have repeatedly, and I mean repeatedly, pushed us back further down the total pole. So it's it's a constant Malcolm: Mm. Thomas: upward fight. It's not even a matter of microaggressions and us not having our opinions taken seriously in meetings or, you know, people assuming things. It it's all that and some. Like it's it runs deep over here. So I just wanted to add that. Appreciate all my Malcolm: Mm. Thomas: international listeners. Malcolm: Yeah. Yeah. That's all like I said, we we're not gonna you know, we're not gonna make this a doom and gloom episode. Like I said, we was just focused on like some a very bad angle and a very bad representation of people. So like I said, our next topic is gonna say it little more light, you know, hopefully be a bit more upbeat, and something to be more proud of. s like I said, transition to this one, like I said, this is something really cool. you know, we had read a couple of days ago, happened la a couple week or two ago, but this one actually is sorry, like Senator Warnock in Georgia. He has secured nearly sorry, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock, Democrat on Georgia. he has secured nearly a hundred million dollars in federal funding for HBCU STEM programs. this is a 97.1 million dollar award and it will support 10 HBCU STEM programs through the Department Department of Defense. and since beginning his full Senate term in 2022, he's actually secured more than 17 billion dollars for campuses across the country. And nearly $275 million for HBCUs in Georgia. he's a proud graduate of Morehouse College. and so yeah, like I said, like this I think is like really, like I said, the the the conversation about HBCUs being underfunded. And like I said, Thomas and I know this well more than well enough. Like I said, we come from the most underfunded HBCU in the nation, but we still manage to be the number one producer of black engineers in the country. So like that, like kind of operating under that without having everything that we're supposed to is like nothing new to ANT or I think to any of the HBCUs on this list. But for a full list of the HBCUs receiving the federal grant, so Clark Atlanta University is getting nine point seven million. Delaware State is getting nine point nine million. University of District of Columbia is getting nine point nine million. Florida AM sorry excuse me FAMU is getting 10 million. Morgan State University, 10 million, Jackson State University 7.5 million, Fayetteville State University, 9.9 million. North Carolina ANT, 10 million, Prairie Review AM, 9.8 million, and then Texas Southern, 9.9 million. This is like really, really, really, really awesome. I think, like I said, all this is, I think it's also like really cool that these are all kind of going towards STEM programs. So I said it's also like like a lot of these HBCUs and all the ones on the list, they are working towards R1 status, which means research one doctoral university, so very high research activity. And this is considered the highest tier of research in research in universities in the United States according to the Carnegie classification of institutions of higher education. so there are some criteria for R1 status to earn and maintain R1 designation. An institution must speak must meet sorry, specific empirical threshold each year. So research and development spending, you have to spend at least fifty million dollars annually on RD. Doctoral production, at least 70 research doctorates awarded annually. And then as far as like nationwide, I think there are only 187 institutions h holding the R1 classification nationwide. And so what that means for students and and for faculty, students, undergrads get get access to large scale laboratories or high tech equipment, more federal grant backed projects, which is what money like this kind of go towards. there's professors that have heavy heavier pressure to pace like, you know, academic papers, secure more extended grant I'm sorry, secure more external grant funding. and then it also attracts just top-tier researchers, large federal and private grants, and then obviously a level of global academic prestige. And so to get you guys an example of the type of schools that are R1, we're talking Harvard, MIT, Stanford, University of Michigan, UCLA. and so R2 universities represent the next tier down, and they require at least five million dollars in research spending and 20 doctorates. So there's a clear distinction between R1 and R2. And so, like all these HBCUs are on the race. to achieve that status. I believe currently the only R1 is Howard right now. they're the only they're the only they're the only R1 HBCU and the very first as well. Cause I think they achieved the milestone with over 85 million in annual research expenditures and then 96 doctoral degrees awarded. So yeah, like I said, there's a there's an entire coalition I think supported by Grant. from a grant from Harvard University's Legacy of Slavery Initiative to help more HBCUs reach this the same status. So, I think this is really really cool, really great on on Warnock's part. And I think like like any time HBCUs get the the credit, the funding, the recognition that they rightfully deserve, I think it's I think it's awesome. Thomas: Yeah, facts. I agree. I think this is great. I think that we should push for this before they change the criteria up. I think that it is important. I mean, I I people say I'm negative, bro, but I somebody, I somebody gotta be real, bro. I'm sorry. Like folk folks say I'm negative or I go on downtrends. I man, I respect it. I do. I'm glad that realism comes across to you in that way because that means it invokes a sense of passion. You feel negative, Malcolm: Mm-hmm. Thomas: that means you have a heart, you feel feelings, but realistically We gotta get across this line. We should have been across this line because we've been getting underfunded forever. HBCUs have been underfunded forever. Money stripped away forever. And all people talking about, Trump gave more money HBCUs. Miss me Malcolm: Mm-hmm. Thomas: with that. Show me some facts. Pull up some paperwork. Malcolm: Yeah. Thomas: Show me some facts, not Twitter posts or whatever America app, whatever his app is. So back to positivity, right? This is great. I think that it's it's nice, it's it's deserving. It's not like we're just being given money. These these students, these faculty, these staff, people have been grinding for this stuff their entire lives. So I I'm excited to see what the universities do with it. I hope there is a strong Malcolm: Mm-hmm. Thomas: management of the funds to assist in helping these universities reach R1 status. And I think it's about time that we get recognized. you know, I I've I've in my experience, I've been to I you had an internship at NASA and they had heard about AT. you know, at NASA in Pasadena, California, NASA Jet Propulsion Malcolm: Mm-hmm. Thomas: Laboratory. and to me, it's like they they respect, they literally told me they respect our research. We do great research. And I think AT should have been R one, just having been a student and then having professional connections and networking to see what people have heard about us and and the types of things that we're doing. So I'm I'm very excited to see what happens and I'm grateful, grateful to those involved. And yeah, I'm just I'm excited for the future on this man. Malcolm: Yeah, man. Like I said, hopefully this this this this keeps it going. And like I said, also, mid show reminder, I mean it may not be directly related, but man, please make sure y'all going out and voting, man. Do not like it it it we are too old, especially people our age, bro. We are too age, too old to be saying, I don't get into politics, I don't really you know, I don't really follow politics, my vote doesn't matter. That is the most like I I I I'm not joking. I will there like I would stop being friends with somebody over that because it's like it it's not like Like this is now you n that's it's not just about ha thinking your vote has a a meaning or you don't get into politics because it's not about that. Like we're at the age now, maybe if you were a child and you don't have any real responsibilities, you don't actually know how economic policies impact you and your family, that was one thing. But bro, we are old we are we are the next generation of people that should be going out and voting and making like the the change is not gonna happen unless you go out there and make it happen. So it's like You need to ed everyone need to educate themselves. I myself, I I'm literally going to take this week before early voting opens up in Maryland to take myself to educate myself on all the local, the like all all the all the local you know possible candidates and like what their their their platform is, what their business is. Like I need to understand everything from like the county level to the state level to the you know, like like to the national level, right? Like Congress. Like I'm I I need to I I want to understand everything that's happening because it's an it's it's it's it's a little selfish, but it's like once you realize how much something impacts you You need to be taking every type of step and action that you can to like, you know, try to go against or or support whatever type of initiative you you you're voting for. So he said, please make sure y'all are going out and voting, try to get early voting done. I said I know me personally, like say I'm I'm gonna try to get mine done before homecoming. I don't even want to I don't even want that in the back of my mind. you know, I say I'm gonna make sure that's something that I wanna get done taken care of as soon as possible. because it's like it's not just like your vote does matter. And when you say that. That's like one of the most ignorant things you can say, because that's exactly how we ended up in the situation to begin with. Too many people thought that their vote didn't matter. And guess what? Especially if you live in a swing state. I mean, come on, dog. Like maybe you can say that if you know even still, if you if you live in a you know California or Maryland or you know like a Maine or something like yeah, you it's blue. Okay, cool. I'm still gonna vote. But say them swing states that make all the difference in an election, the Pennsylvania's like th that matters, bro. Every vote does matter. And when you say that your vote doesn't matter. You're you're brainwashing somebody else to also think their vote doesn't matter. It creates a chain reaction and the domino effect to entire groups and cities and and communities that think that their votes don't matter and they do matter. Everyone's vote matters. Every last vote matters, especially when we know how the people that won't be named, when they when it comes to these elections, they don't always play by the rule book, man. So it's like every vote does matter. Like make it impossible for them to rig it. Thomas: If if voting didn't matter, they wouldn't be trying so hard to prevent you from voting. Just Malcolm: And and and and yeah, man, yeah, guy wouldn't be trying to bribe you for five thousand dollars for every American. Thomas: Yeah. Malcolm: If if voting did not matter, I prom bro, the fact that the president of the United States is trying to promise every single American in the country five thousand. We don't even have the money to make that happen. We're we're forty trillion dollars in debt. And he's talking about five thousand dollars to every single American. And if you believe that, I can't say the words I'd like to say on this podcast, 'cause like I say, we we keep things PG 13 over here, but bro. If you were really fought, if you're still like like stuck on that stimulus check we got back in COVID, you are lost. I would there are so many clips on TikTok, on Twitter, on Instagram of all the promised payouts we were supposed to get, like for the last like five years. Please tell me how much money you've gotten from him since. I would love to know. I'm not talking about no unemployment. Please tell me out of all the checks that he promised to give you, all the healthcare he promised to get all the the no awards he promised to give, please tell me all the promises that were made. What has been kept. And if you're s if you still fall for that now for the chance of five thousand dollars, I'm sorry, bro. But like at that point, anything can be bought from you. Your character, your soul, your your morals, your your integrity, your dignity, everything can be bought from you. Like that to that to me, that tells me that like anything about you can be given a price tag. And it's like at some point you have to have some principles, something that you stand for. I'm not saying that you need to be, you know, running for Senate, but bro, like you need to have something to stand for. Like you you you you you stand for nothing, you fall for anything, bro. And it's like if someone can can give you a perfect and I get everyone's has different situations and sometimes some people need that money a lot more than others, but that does not need them that does that does not mean that you need to stoop down that low. Thomas: He's the reason for this situation. He's the reason. All these people talk about gas was higher under Biden. bro, stop it. Stop it. Malcolm: Listen but but but bro, they're st they're they're trolling. They're tro the only reason it was ever that because of Ukraine and but people don't people don't understand that. Like like they'll and people it's it's real people that genuinely believe that this the gas prices being high now are because of Biden. Dog, you did you didn't even have to do anything. That's a whole nother s that war never had to start, bro. You because we Thomas: Started a war for no reason. Malcolm: like I said, that's a whole nother like like can of worms, bro. But like yeah. Please go vote, man. Your vote does matter. Thomas: Hey, and don't don't just vote for anybody. I used to say, I don't care who you vote for, just vote. It matters. Cause I've seen too many videos of of black people out there parading Trump around. It's one thing if you if you conservative Republican, you you parade in Trump and you can't even say why. I seen one lady, she said, I'm not African American. I'm I'm from Kenya. But you live but you an American. So what does that make you? I digress. Malcolm: Yep. Yep. It's crazy. And like midterms are s are are are a are sixteen days out, November third. the recent most recent approval poll, I think the Pew poll was September twentieth to October fourth. Trump's approval rating right now is thirty percent. Thirty percent. The fact that it's even that high is still crazy to me. Democrats up eight on the generic ballot. so yeah. please go vote. Vote does matter. but yeah, Thomas: Mm-hmm. Malcolm: man. what you call it? Next thing, man, th th I don't know if you guys if you guys have been following the news or seeing like some of the stuff that's going in Europe. There's some crazy protests going on out in France and and spreading all across Europe. it's been crazy. There have been blockades that have started since September. I think it's getting a lot more traction now 'cause getting if you go on Twitter and look up like protests in France, bro, it looks like a dys like a like a dystopia, bruh. I'm telling us everything is on fire. People are are are are throwing bricks at police cars. People stuff going up in smoke, it's dudes going against riot shows. Like it is insane, bro. Like, And so a lot of this is coming down to like cost of living. And it's also started with students. Students are citing classes of thirty two to thirty six deterior I'm sorry, deteriorating buildings and stress over the admissions platform. They're demanding eleven billion dollars in school funding. Yeah, like it's insane. Like a fifteen-year-old lost Thomas: Lemon billion. Malcolm: a hand to a police stun grenade. Seven hundred fifteen officers were reported injured as of October sixth. yeah, the the the the the prime minister promised a government response plan by the end of October. As of October sixteenth, about 160 schools were blocked and roughly a third of seven th th I'm sorry, thirty seven hundred just lycees. I hope I'm not saying that wrong, but they were significantly disrupted. When October seventeenth, 110 marches drew. Five hundred and fifty thousand people by the ministry's count and eight hundred thousand by or by organizers. It's It's looking crazy out there. I'm not gonna lie. like, and yeah, it's it's been violent, bro. and now actually the updated numbers, I'm sorry, around 550,000 people have taken to the streets nationwide, leading to roughly 2400 arrests and almost a thousand police injuries. So, like I said, this originally began once again, this started with high school students organizing walkouts to demand reduced class sizes, increased investments in deteriorating infrastructure, more funding for teachers. Now this started getting this guy backed by major labor unions like the CGT. And so the movement has rapidly expanded into a broader nationwide outcry, which I was talking about earlier. So cost of living. So escalating costs for basic goods and rising energy prices, austerity and public spending. So anxieties around the government's plans to run in record high budget deficits, which are expended expected to impact public services, wages, and pensions, and then declining public infrastructure, bro. So there's just frustration over like like just essential social services across the country that are just becoming worse and worse and worse. No plans to improve them, no, no budget being allocated towards them. And I I can't say I'm I'm not gonna say here and say that like the way that they're going about it is the right or wrong way, I think ethically or or like you know morally. But like I want I will say one thing, it's working, it's it's getting people's attention across the country. Like I say, I know we do all these peaceful protests and and standing outside the Capitol yelling with our megaphones, we don't get nothing done. Like I said, like I think I think young people are, I think I saw someone online say it's like. Young people at this point now versus I don't really care about their history because the people that were making it force like they they they did everything to forsake the younger generation. So it's like, why should I care to like, you know, preserve the history of Europe or France or of the city and y'all cooked me as soon as before I came the womb? Nah, bro. And like the fact that this this got started by high school students should tell you, bro. Enough is enough, man. People had enough. And they did, like I said, I don't know how they're gonna calm that country down. 550,000 people is insane. Like the videos I've been seeing. It literally looks like a dystopia, bruh. Like end of the world type of type of type of vibe, man. So yeah. I'm I'm praying. Hopefully no one no especially no kids lose their life. Hopefully like like I I hope, you know, there's some type of solution, but I really don't know. I said the the the the the prime minister or whoever's leading over there, they're gonna have to bend their knee, bro. They won't have to take that L and then go ahead and get getting people what they want, man, 'cause they're not about to just start chilling. I'll take that right now. Thomas: Yeah. I mean, and and I've heard a lot of different takes talking about Malcolm: Yeah. Thomas: left versus right leaning governments and there's like a growing rise in right leaning governments. I I think there's just some issues like we were talking about like socialism and stuff before this. Like there's just some issues that need to be worked Malcolm: Mm-hmm. Thomas: out. There I don't think there is a functional government structure on this earth today that is sustainable for generations. Not because the structure themselves don't work, but the people. The people don't work. Malcolm: Yeah. Thomas: It's it's a systemic thing, not a systematic thing. Like the if you follow the system systematically, well, depending on where you're at, it works for the benefit of society, depending on where you at. I say depending on where you at, because America, a systematic following will not work here because systematically it wasn't made for all of us. But if we're talking Malcolm: Yes. Thomas: about, you know, around the world, it's it's how the system is run. And I also want to add that a lot I've seen a lot of people talking about like the violence going on, like looting. Let's get something straight. No matter where you are on this earth, People love to talk trash about Minnesota, Baltimore, LA. Bro, and no matter where you are on this earth, dang, Benson is just towards Achilles. That is tough. Yo, I'm sorry, we're talking about a serious Malcolm: I I was just looking at that bro. He's yeah, that's that's crazy. Thomas: topic, but that just can't that. I'm sorry, y'all. I'm sorry, I just saw that pop up. Malcolm: I just see I I was that's what I was just looking at, bro. Thomas: That's that's tough, man. but yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Back back to the I'm sorry, y'all. but it's like there are agitators in crowd. There are people who don't care about anything. They're just going out looking for violence. So don't don't let that fool you and say, this is about school. They're burning so those are not the kids, bro. The kids that started this, that's not them. These are people masking up their face, putting on black hoodies, trying to hide their identity, causing trouble. Let's not lose sight of what's going on. Things have to change. And I think that the world should be watching France right now. Because depending on how this goes, I mean, we've seen plenty of, you know, rebellion pushback type things. Malcolm: Mm-hmm. Thomas: but it's just like how do we how does this work in the modern day and age? Sometimes violence is necessary because you can only do so much sitting around asking. I'm not saying violence like killing people or or blowing up offices or whatever's going on, but it's like if the government they get violent with you, like they blew somebody's hand off with a stun grenade, supposed to be, you know, non lethal. Like they're the ones starting the violence. So it's not like you as a protester starting the violence. You you gotta deal with some violence. The the system isn't gonna change naturally. It has a very high inertia, right? So you gotta fight against that inertia. And I'm I'm praying that everybody there is is safe. Malcolm: the season too. That's cook, man. He was just Thomas: Right. Malcolm: look he was looking decent in the preseason too, man. Thomas: That's what I'm saying, bro. I that's bro, that's unfortunate, bro. Cause I he wo he was actually looking solid, bro. I was like, yo, Ben Simmons back. This is like twenty like what like twenty seventeen again. Malcolm: Man, it's that's that's I f I really do feel bad for him. He's been talking, he's been super from what it seems like, he's been super excited, kinda like just about the season, about the opportunity to be back in the league. And I mean, I would imagine that he was gonna be play a pretty like integral part on that Sacramento offense. so that's definitely sad to see, man. Somebody like him Moose kind of come back and yeah, I don't know. That's just Thomas: He he he was my sleeper pick for most improved player, not this season, but next season. I was cause I'm like first season, he could have a great year. They wouldn't give it to him, I don't think, 'cause he'd been out. But next season, if he had Malcolm: But d doesn't he already have that award? Thomas: not most improved, no, I think he got he got rookie of the year, I'm pretty sure. Malcolm: Yeah, that's what okay, yeah, yeah. That's what I thought. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I'm I I know he got one award. I think yeah, I think it was a rookie of the year when he didn't play his rookie season. okay. Thomas: Yeah, 'cause he he misses rookie season, I think, right? And then he played like his sophomore yeah, that was his rookie year. Yeah, he's three time Malcolm: Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Fair enough. Thomas: All Star, Rookie of the Year, Rookie first team, all NBA third team, two time NBA, all defensive first team, NBA Steels leader. Yeah. Malcolm: Yeah man. He was he was he was he was nice at one point, man. But yeah, no, definitely prayers up to man. Hopefully hoping for speedy recovery. Yeah. Nice cook. I mean Thomas: So I mean at least we still got still got Philly looking nice. Malcolm: Yeah, if they stay healthy, they should be forced to be i i i if they stay Thomas: And be Malcolm: healthy, man, cause yeah, all of them dudes can yeah, that's that's if B can stay healthy, man, they're gonna be a force to be reckoned with, man. I don't I don't see nobody stopping them with a healthy MB, but it's a big F one. Which is looking Thomas: Wiz wizards too, bro. Like Malcolm: nice, man. Thomas: Anthony Davis, bro. I seen he he played in this in the preseason game the other day. I'm like, yo, A D, you need to sit down. Get off the court. Malcolm: Bro, like they look they they look good, bro. They're a healthy, a healthy wizards team is a is a team to be reckoned with, man. I ain't gonna lie. Yeah, yeah. Nah, yeah, it's it's elite, man. I ain't gonna lie, but hey man. so I got you you wanna talk about the the well thing, I mean like the bank bank like quick stuff about like some like bank earnings. Like I say, a couple of the the big banks haven't done Thomas: Mm-hmm. Malcolm: as hot as we thought. Goldman, they reported a seventeen dollar earning per server against a thirteen dollar sixty-five cent consensus driven by equities trading. JP Morgan's net income was around fifteen point three billion. Wells Fargo fell 3% on a revenue disappointment. the Treasury Bank, the Treasury fined a Bank of America $1.2 billion over anti-money laundering and sanctions for failures, the third largest penalty in Treasury history. the Fed, they raised rates a quarter point on September 16th, 3.7 to 3.75, 3.75 to 4%. and yeah, yeah. So the the bank ETFs, they all sitting around 12% below its mid-August high. While the SP 500 and NASDAQ records, it also has been a pretty bad week, brutal week for stocks, especially tech, Thomas: Yeah. Malcolm: tech and memory. I personally was buying Thomas: Bleeding. Malcolm: the dip, man. this is not financial advice, but I'll be back. Everybody that's panic selling and stuff, bro. I learned my lesson. I used to do the same thing, bro. And I missed out on a lot, a lot, a lot of money because I was reactive to the market. And no, I'll be back. So I'll be holding. I'll see y'all after midterms come around. That's that's when start gonna start looking green again. So Might be a little bloody for the next couple of weeks or so, but we'll be back for sure. Thomas: No, facts. And then yeah, definitely, definitely don't panic by it, man. Y'all gotta stay firm in the way that y'all are investing. Also, I I I don't have the facts off the top of my head, but I Will Spargo is facing some pushback for d ro doing some program to assist with black home ownership. Apparently the government called it racist. So yeah, or so something like that. They were saying it was racist towards non black people because you're helping Malcolm: Yeah. Thomas: black people get homes, which I mean You look at redlining in the country. Hey man, I don't know. I can't talk about it. people say I'm too negative, so I can't tell y'all what's going on. Do your research. I I can only talk about how sunny it is outside. They they said it was a school shooting, Malcolm: Amen. Thomas: but you saw the sun outside, right? This would be positive. Malcolm: Samsung. Thomas: You saw the s the sun was in the sky. School Malcolm: Sunshines and rainbows, man. Thomas: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, you know, gun control, right? Guns guns are controlled, right? School you s you feel s I matter of fact, I seen I seen a school a school shooting survivor from two thousand or two thousand one. Her kid was in a school shooting that happened. You got generational school shootings in this country, but hey, sunshine and rainbows. Malcolm: Say, man. Amen. My people. Appreciate y'all as always. this is Black Box Theory. Catch y'all the next episode, man. yeah, and just go ahead putting it out, do not expect an episode weekend of Halloween weekend. Homecoming Halloween, yeah, man. forget it. Beat it. Yeah, that's not that happened. But we we'll for sure be around after that, before that. yeah, Halloween weekend, A and T hundredth centennial, not a chance. But it's always love, man. you can always watch our clips, reels, all that good stuff on a on Blackbox Dairy Pod on Instagram. And yeah, we're gonna catch y'all catch y'all later, man. Until next time. Thomas: Peace. Malcolm: So man.