12 chapters across the catalog
The episode concludes with a breakdown of the Five Percenters' worldview: the 85% who are "deaf, dumb, and blind," the 10% who are "bloodsuckers of the poor," and the 5% who are "poor righteous teachers." The hosts critique the "talented tenth" model as a way for the 10% to maintain control over the masses. They tease a future episode on the "bastardization" of hip-hop's power before closing with a track by Grand Puba.
A host recounts feeling like an "outsider" or "the other" for refusing to wear a mask at a Whole Foods during the pandemic. This experience is compared to the "double consciousness" theory described by W.E.B. Du Bois regarding the Black experience in America. The segment explores how propaganda weaponizes feelings of exclusion to enforce social compliance.
The concept of "scientific white supremacy" is introduced to describe the logic used by both segregationists and certain liberal organizations to manage black populations. The discussion references W.E.B. Du Bois's "Talented Tenth" theory, suggesting that elite black leadership was often isolated from the broader community to serve institutional interests. Personal anecdotes about growing up in the South illustrate the nuanced racial politics that differ from Northern perspectives.
The character of Dr. Narcisse is linked to the historical figure Casper Holstein, a Virgin Islands immigrant who became the "numbers king" of Harlem in the 1920s. Holstein was a major philanthropist and supporter of Marcus Garvey, but the hosts question if he, like others, was handled by the government. They also note that the NAACP was founded by individuals with government ties, suggesting that both sides of early civil rights movements were often under state influence.
Mo explains his recent absence from the show as a period of self-reflection triggered by "double consciousness," a concept pioneered by W.E.B. Du Bois. This describes the internal conflict of seeing oneself through the eyes of a critical society. Mo discusses the pressure of "code-switching" and the burden of how his family and friends perceive his work on the podcast.
Historical audio features W.E.B. Du Bois discussing the intersection of socialism, communism, and the American Negro. Du Bois acknowledges his support for Karl Marx and the Socialist Party, noting that the democratic process in the U.S. often suppresses these discussions. The segment argues that if Bernie Sanders were a true student of the civil rights movement, he would be more aligned with these socialist roots.
The historical rivalry between W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington is revisited, revealing that both were subject to intelligence community influence. The hosts highlight that the NAACP was steered by Joel Spingarn, while Washington's vice principal at Tuskegee was a paid undercover agent for the U.S. Army.
The concept of "double consciousness," as defined by W.E.B. Du Bois in 1903, is used to explain the split identity felt by black Americans. Du Bois used the metaphor of "the veil" to describe how racism prevents black people from seeing themselves as true Americans. Kanye West's declaration of being a "free man" is framed as an attempt to break through this veil and achieve a unified self.
A modern analogy of a single mother balancing her role as an executive is used to further explain Du Bois's theories on conflicted identities. The goal of "lifting the veil" is to allow for a truer self free of contradiction. The hosts discuss how this struggle for identity now extends to white males who feel stigmatized by modern societal labels, creating their own version of a filtered existence.
The Harlem Renaissance is characterized as a movement that was "as gay as it was black," featuring numerous queer artists like Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen. This artistic flourishing was tied to W.E.B. Du Bois's "Talented Tenth" philosophy, which sought to elevate an elite class of Black intellectuals. Modern parallels are drawn to John Legend's comments about the inherent liberalism of creative professionals.
The historical rivalry between W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington represented two different paths for Black progress: Du Bois's top-down intellectual agitation versus Washington's bottom-up industrial education. While Du Bois was backed by liberal academic institutions, Washington received millions in funding from Gilded Age elites like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie to establish Southern Black schools.
Mo lists the original founders of the NAACP, highlighting that nearly all were white men, with W.E.B. Du Bois serving as the director of publicity. He argues that Black culture has historically been under white elitist control. Using a race metaphor, he describes how Black Americans were held at the starting line by slavery and Jim Crow while others were allowed to run.
