Atlanta 1x7

1. The Dodge Charger...

2. the official car of making a statement

3. without saying anything at all.

4. Good evening, and welcome to "Montague."

5. I'm your host, Franklin Montague.

6. And today we're gonna take a look

7. at the growing outlook of accepted sexuality

8. and its effects on black youth and culture.

9. With us today, we have

10. the Head of the Center of Trans-American Issues,

11. Dr. Debra Holt,

12. and recording artist Paper Boi.

13. Good evening to you both.

14. - Good evening, Montague. - 'Sup?

15. Uh, let's start at the beginning.

16. Paper Boi, last Tuesday you engaged in a Twitter rant

17. that had some pretty inflammatory statements.

18. But the one statement that seems to have made

19. - the biggest impact...

20. Was this one and I quote, "Y'all the..."

21. N-words "who said I was weird for not wanting to"

22. F-word "Caitlyn Jenner."

23. Would you want to, uh, explain that statement?

24. No.

25. Well, could you explain that statement?

26. I...

27. meant what I said.

28. You don't think your tweets are transphobic?

29. I just don't have to have sex

30. with Caitlyn Jenner 'cause y'all say so.

31. Mm. So you don't think

32. - Caitlyn Jenner's important?

33. Look, I get what y'all saying, right?

34. But she's not super important to me,

35. like, not my life.

36. So how long have you disliked transpeople?

37. Man, look, I just found out they exist,

38. - to be honest. - I—No, no—

39. "I make her switch sides, Caitlyn Jenner in reverse"?

40. Is that not a— a lyric of yours?

41. Man, I was just rapping, man.

42. Look, I've said worse things.

43. You ever heard my song, "Illuminati Sex"?

44. - Haven't heard it yet. - Well, there we go then.

45. Debra, you've written

46. about this current phenomenon in your book,

47. Gender in a New Generation.

48. What do you think about all this?

49. I look at these statements as

50. natural consequences of a culture

51. - of exclusion and power. - Mm.

52. You know, there's— there's a large swath of...

53. - Gender and sexuality roles

54. that are just being exposed to a large portion of the public.

55. Uh, it's harder for certain sections

56. to deal with this transition

57. uh, because of conflict of interest,

58. and, frankly, identity issues.

59. In this case, the rap community.

60. Now, I truly believe it's, uh,

61. has more to do with issues of masculinity

62. in the black community than actual

63. homophobia or—or transphobia.

64. - Please explain. - Yes, please, please.

65. Tell me— tell me about myself.

66. Go on.

67. Well, Mis—Mister, uh, Pa— Mr. Paper Boi—

68. Mister, yeah.

69. What would you consider yourself?

70. A rapper?

71. A straight rapper?

72. Hell yeah.

73. Well, I did some research on your lyrics,

74. and they're actually very pro sexual-spectrum.

75. - Oh? - Pro-what?

76. "If I eff with you, you my N-word,

77. you my N-word for life."

78. Yo, you know that ain't what I meant.

79. Yeah, oh, I understand, but, you know,

80. there's a layer of fluidity...

81. No, no, no. There's no extra layer.

82. That you yourself don't even realize.

83. I don't think about what I'm rapping half the time.

84. Look, I'm just trying to get paid,

85. you feel me? Look,

86. why you think I'm on this show?

87. You're not getting paid for this.

88. Hey— Hey, Earn—man?

89. Black men aren't ready to accept the implications

90. of a trans-accepting culture.

91. No—look, I'm allowed to say that it's weird.

92. "It"?

93. No, look, I'm not calling him a "it."

94. - Naw, I'm just saying that— - "Him"?

95. Look—look, can I say something? Damn!

96. All right. - Well, it depends.

97. - I was trying to say— - We got to take a break.

98. When we're back, we're gonna take a look

99. into a young boy's struggle for equality.

100. $1.49?

101. But the price on the can, though.

102. The price is on the can, though.

103. The Dodge Charger.

104. Make a statement without saying anything at all.

105. Earlier in our show, we talked about

106. transitions in sexuality.

107. Uh, but what about race?

108. Our correspondent, Nathan Wielder,

109. has the story.

110. Harrison looks from the outside

111. to be your average teenager.

112. He goes to school, plays video games,

113. even listens to music in his room.

114. But there's one difference.

115. I'm a 35-year-old white man.

116. Harrison, born Antwoine Smalls,

117. has trans-racial identity,

118. identifying as Harrison Booth,

119. a 35-year-old white man from Colorado.

120. And when did you know that you were a

121. 35-year-old white man?

122. Well, I've always felt different.

123. I go to the store, the movies,

124. and just be thinking to myself, like,

125. "Why am I not getting the respect I deserve?"

126. And then, it just hit me.

127. I'm white...

128. and 35.

129. I just miss Colorado sometimes, you know.

130. Here, I pretend the buildings are the old

131. San Juan Mountain ranges but, you know, the jobs is here.

132. And where do you work?

133. I'm a Systems Engineer for Coca-Cola.

134. Oh. Okay.

135. That boy don't work.

136. He go to school, and that's it.

137. - Mm-hmm. - One day, he said,

138. "Call me Harrison."

139. I said, "Who's that?"

140. He said, "Me."

141. Do you believe that he is a white man?

142. I mean, he isn't.

143. , I'd love to wake up one day and say,

144. "Hey, everybody, I'm Rihanna."

145. But I ain't.

146. It's been pretty hard.

147. My family just doesn't get it.

148. You know, I try to get them to go out with me,

149. go on walks, go to the farmers market,

150. chat with people, but... yeah.

151. So why don't you think that they get it?

152. I don't think they get it because

153. they don't realize that race is just a made-up thing.

154. Mm-hmm.

155. They grew up having labels, and me,

156. I'm just—I'm just not like that.

157. I see.

158. So how do you embrace your identity?

159. - I dress a certain way. - Ah.

160. Patagonia.

161. I wear a thick, brown leather belt.

162. I like to envision myself after the surgery.

163. "Hey, excuse me, what IPA do you have on tap?"

164. "Hey, did you see Game of Thrones last night?"

165. Yeah.

166. So your— your surgery,

167. that's later this year?

168. Right. I started working

169. at Stonecrest Mall, so hopefully

170. by then I have enough money to take the next step.

171. Mm-hmm.

172. So you work at Coca-Cola and the mall?

173. Right. Correct, I work at both.

174. Harrison has been planning

175. a full racial transition with a Dr. Samuel Vergara

176. who guarantees Harrison can visually transition

177. through an experimental procedure

178. that will allow Harrison not only to be a white man

179. but whatever race he chooses.

180. The procedure's absolutely 100% possible.

181. He's gonna look weird though.

182. But before Harrison can fully realize

183. his physical identity, he still has the day-to-day

184. that's filled with discrimination and ridicule.

185. It—it's pretty awful, you know.

186. You—you walk in the streets,

187. and black people, they see you, they nod to you like,

188. "Hey, good to see us."

189. And it's to the point where I've just given up.

190. I've stopped trying to convince them

191. - that I'm not "us." - Gotcha.

192. Hey, excuse me, this is definitely the guy.

193. He doesn't even live in the area.

194. I've never seen him before.

195. I think we're taking slow strides,

196. but you have to believe things are getting better,

197. otherwise, you'll just die inside.

198. Is there anything you'd like to say to

199. other black kids out there who may be going through

200. the same thing?

201. Just be you.

202. At all costs.

203. But also,

204. stop dressing so crazy.

205. Hmm.

206. Absolutely.

207. Hi.

208. I'm Devyonne Johnson, famous movie star.

209. When the director calls cut and I get a quick five,

210. you know I'm reaching for the smooth taste

211. of Swisher Sweets.

212. Swisher Sweets are the only cigarillos made with

213. the highest quality tobacco from family-owned farms.

214. It's their high standards and experience

215. that make for a quality smoke you can enjoy every time.

216. Yeah...

217. I only smoke Swisher Sweets.

218. It's the smooth taste.

219. These Swisher Sweets is good as hell.

220. Here, make sure this one's empty.

221. Swisher Sweets.

222. There's just something about 'em.

223. And try our new pre-dumps Swisher Sweets as well.

224. And we're back. And today we're talking about

225. transitions with my guests,

226. Atlanta rapper Paper Boi and Dr. Debra Holt.

227. Ah, Paper Boi, are you afraid to speak your mind

228. on this subject?

229. Actually, yup, I am.

230. You can't say real anymore without somebody

231. trying to make sure you never make money forever.

232. So you think you're being persecuted?

233. Yes, I am.

234. Man, you can't even say "ho" in a song no more.

235. A travesty, I'm sure.

236. Yo, why you—

237. Yo, why you talk like that?

238. Like, "a travesty, I'm sur—" like, what?

239. You're—you're whining about chickens

240. - coming home to roost. - No-no-no-no-no.

241. Rap is chickens coming home to roost.

242. Look, my life is messed up from y'all did, okay?

243. That's black news. You can look that up.

244. Well, your news is problematic.

245. - Bitch, that ain't my fault! - Whoa, whoa, whoa!

246. I won't have you on my show calling anyone "bitches."

247. How you gonna blame me for news being bad, huh?

248. All right, simmer down, simmer down.

249. You can't even have an intelligent dialogue

250. - without spewing profanities.

251. - It's—it's ludicrous. Okay, okay, okay.

252. Paper Boi, isn't a lack of a father

253. the reason you hate transpeople?

254. What? Lack of a father?

255. Man, you hear yourself? , shut up.

256. Man, here's the thing.

257. Man, I— it's hard for me to care

258. about this when nobody cares about me

259. as a black human man, you feel me?

260. Like, Caitlyn Jenner is just doing

261. what rich white men been doing since the dawn of time,

262. which is whatever the hell he want.

263. So why should I care? What make him so special?

264. But—but as a black man in this country,

265. shouldn't you care about the civil liberties of others,

266. since they're so closely related to—to

267. your struggle for equality?

268. What you talking 'bout? I do care.

269. Look, I don't have a problem with gay people, transpeople,

270. because that's tolerance, but where's tolerance

271. for people like me? You know what I'm saying?

272. Like... Look.

273. I should be able to say something is weird

274. without people hating on me. All right?

275. Look, I never— I never said anything

276. about taking away nobody's rights.

277. A'ight? Never.

278. I—I understand what you're saying,

279. but—but some people found your remarks offensive.

280. Yeah, well, freedom of speech,

281. No, you're right.

282. I agree.

283. But your music is detrimental to black teens.

284. Yeah, but so is all rap music, right?

285. - I mean, and rock music... - Rock.

286. Before it was taken over by rap.

287. Yeah, I agree.

288. You hate... women!

289. , what?

290. Questions.

291. The universe.

292. Paternity tests?

293. Salutations.

294. Hi. My name is Ahmad White.

295. You may know me from your dreams.

296. Call this number below

297. and get the answers you deserve.

298. When I called Ahmad White,

299. I was three months behind on my car note.

300. My stepson, he was in jail.

301. My life was in shambles!

302. But now, I got a truck,

303. I got a girlfriend,

304. I got the answers I deserve.

305. Thank you, Ahmad White.

306. Most people don't realize

307. their chakra's in another universe.

308. Don't be dumb.

309. Call now.

310. Me and Ahmad found out I was a moon sign,

311. and I wasn't getting enough crystal in my diet.

312. Now, I live in a beautiful home.

313. Ahmad gave me the answers I was looking for.

314. Come to our Liberty Center

315. and get a free juice and Nutella sandwich.

316. When I called Ahmad, my life was going nowhere fast.

317. After a Nutella sandwich and juice,

318. my life's a lot better.

319. Open your third eye.

320. He works.

321. He just works.

322. He works. He really works.

323. He works. He really, really works.

324. Knowledge is the path to greatness.

325. If you'd like to be smart as a baby dolphin,

326. call now.

327. That's a nice car.

328. You know him?

329. That's Victor Wallace.

330. His wife left him for his brother.

331. Long court battle.

332. Kids, house—

333. It got messy.

334. He ain't say one word the whole trial.

335. But then at the end, he just stood up and said,

336. "Leave me my Dodge Charger."

337. He been driving around this neighborhood

338. in circles for a week.

339. - Just waving. - Mm.

340. Nice car though.

341. The Dodge Charger. Keep it in the divorce.

342. King Coco's Crunch-O's.

343. The legend is true!

344. Gimme that crunch!

345. No!

346. Nice try.

347. But only kids can have...

348. Coconut Crunch-O's.

349. That chocolatey coconut crunch

350. in every bite.

351. Oh, I can almost taste it!

352. Bbbbbb!

353. Oh, I got to have them Crunch-O's!

354. - Ow! Ow!

355. Man! Ow!

356. - Stop resisting.

357. - Stop resisting, sir. Damn!

358. - Stop... resisting. - Shit, man!

359. Oh! Mother—

360. Stay down.

361. What happened?

362. He's going to jail.

363. That's what happened.

364. This is some bullshit!

365. You all right?

366. He's fine.

367. He just doesn't wanna go to jail.

368. You sitting on my back, man!

369. Ah!

370. Sir, be quiet.

371. Yo! You sitting on his back!

372. He was trying to steal your cereal, right?

373. I mean, it's just cereal.

374. He can have it!

375. Man, I'm just hungry, man!

376. They don't let wolves in stores, man!

377. Step back, guys.

378. I'm going to lift the offender up.

379. We are now going to our feet, sir.

380. Let's go, sir, let's go.

381. Nigga, I could be eating these kids!

382. But I'm out here eating cereal!

383. Hey, it's cool!

384. We'll just give him the cereal.

385. No, only kids

386. can have Coconut Crunch-O's. You know that.

387. That's a wack law.

388. This fool know he eat Coconut Crunch-O's,

389. and you ain't no kid!

390. Let me do my job.

391. I said back up... sir!

392. Coconut Crunch-O's

393. is a part of this balanced breakfast.

394. Earlier we showed a clip about a young man

395. dealing with trans-racial identity.

396. Well, we've got him joining us via Facebook video chat.

397. Please welcome Antwoine Smalls to the show.

398. Hello, Montague, thank you for having me on your show.

399. - So now, Antwoine...

400. - It's Harrison. - I'm sorry.

401. - Harrison.

402. How's your life been since we last saw you?

403. Ohh...

404. It's pretty good.

405. I just came back from Charleston, South Carolina.

406. Ah. - Beautiful.

407. I was checking out some cheap art spaces

408. for me and a friend that I made, uh—

409. What—wait— I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

410. Yo. This is dumb.

411. - Like, that—this is dumb. What—

412. Like, dude, wait, wait. Did you power up?

413. 'Cause you look like Super Saiyan right now.

414. Like, is that, like, is that the Goku...

415. - Like Dragon Ball collection,

416. my, like? You look like

417. - a fake Ellen DeGeneres. - This is just...

418. - Like a Felon DeGeneres. - Okay.

419. Look, no-no-no, you look like Drake Malfoy, dude, like.

420. Bangs, my? Like, nobody told you

421. - not to do bangs—Like— Okay, okay.

422. - Nice tolerance. Mr. Boi.

423. What is up—Wait, wait— - Okay, okay, thank you.

424. - None of y'all? Okay. Thank you.

425. - That is very inappropriate. - Sorry, man, go ahead.

426. - Shh. - It's—it's okay.

427. Sadly, the black community, they just aren't accepting

428. of racial diversity or

429. anyone different, for that matter.

430. - Mm. Now, Harrison...

431. Would you say that, uh, the—the rap game

432. or the hip-hop community is especially intolerant

433. of the lifestyle you chose?

434. We really can't blame rap or the hip-hop culture.

435. He's just expressing himself to the best of his ability.

436. And I will defend his right to do that.

437. He's telling a story, or, like, views from the streets.

438. - You know, like a ghetto news. - Mm.

439. - Okay. - But—but Harrison,

440. don't you think that the rap community

441. and its treatment of transpeople and homosexuals

442. is indicative of a larger problem in the black community,

443. one that makes your lifestyle unacceptable?

444. No, no way. Not at all.

445. I mean, a man wanting to turn himself into a woman—

446. that's just unnatural, and I don't think

447. we should have our kids thinking that that's okay.

448. So I will support that message.

449. Wait, wait, wait, wait.

450. - What are you saying?

451. I'm not into gay marriage.

452. That—that is gross.

453. Why would I ever tolerate something like that?

454. Marriage is meant for

455. a man and a woman, not that—

456. that's an abomination. We're—We—No.

457. How can you say that

458. with the discrimination you were just talking about?

459. - I mean, how— - It's the truth.

460. - What are you, crazy? - This crazy!

461. That is all the time we have tonight.

462. - I'd like to thank my guests... Oh, my God.

463. - Dr. Holt, Paper Boi.

464. Please check for her book Transition,

465. as well as Paper Boi's mixtape Postal.

466. Yup! - Available...

467. wherever mixtapes are available.

468. - Good night.

469. Like, you look like a dying palm tree.

470. Right? Like you look like the lost fifth Beatle,

471. my, that they just don't talk about.

472. That, like, power up, like—

473. they gave him bangs, like-.

474. I don't care for it.