Ooo That's My Jam

Dorie chops it up with her high school drama teacher, Speakes. Speakes is an educator and a lover of old-school hip-hop. He discusses his love for the golden era of hip-hop, why he's stuck in that era, and why he listens to only the clean version of music. Speakes has all the stories and listens to Ready to Die once a week. Jamal Speakes is from West Philadelphia. He's a husband, father, friend, and teacher to many. He loves to be positive and encouraging to many. He's a lover of old-school hip-hop and appreciates great music. You can follow him on IG @jamal_speakes.

Dorie chats with her friend Monique who she grew up in church with. Monique is an actor who sings and dances. She discusses why she feels safest singing gospel and prefers to sing gospel over any other genre when she sings. Monique is a lover girl who loves love songs but will listen to rap music from the 99 and 00s when she wants to twerk. Moniqué Warren a native of Los Angeles, California currently in New York City. She’s an actor who sings and dances. A fun fact about Monique is she loves sunflowers and Mexican food. You can follow her on IG @moniquewarren__

Dorie chops it up with a Renaissance woman, Anna Valentina. Anna shares that she's the child of jazz musicians, but chose a different career path despite her parents wanting her to pursue music. They also get into how Drake's "Honestly Nevermind..." is actually good. Anna is originally from Ukraine and was raised in Santa Barbara, CA. Having parents that are jazz musicians, music was instilled in her from a very young age. She grew up singing, playing piano and violin. She can't go a day without listening to music, whether it's her go-to's or something new and she's a huge fan of making curated playlists for friends. You can follow her on IG @annamaria.valentina.

Dorie talks to her Mommie. They discuss her love for R&B, Soul, Gospel, and Gangsta Rap and the reasons why she prefers Lil Kim to the Ying Yang Twins "Whisper song". Mommie was born in the BX and raised in South Central LA. She prefers the OG's over a copycat. She loves being a Mommie and shopping. You can follow her on IG @wintergoddess55.

Dorie chops it up with her good friend, Paul for the finale of season 1. They reminisce about college and Paul bringing Lil Ru's "Nasty Song" to Vegas. Paul also shares his love for music and how his musical taste is shaped by his father and uncle who were members of the legendary group, The Ohio Players. Paul is a musician himself, and he explains how he doesn't know lyrics well because he resonates more with the musicality of songs.  *recorded in 2021* Paul is someone you can say is the definition of an old soul when it comes to music. Paul is from Dayton, Ohio, the birthplace of “Funk” Music, giving birth to musical acts such as Lakeside, Heatwave, Zapp Band alongside Roger Trotman, and Pauls's own roots with the Ohio Players.  His dad and uncle were a part of the legendary group. With his own family being a part of music history, Paul was raised fully emersed in music. From singing in the church choirs to playing piano since the age of 7, you can say he has an ear for sound. However, he has his ratchet side and knows songs that the average person might not have heard, and isn’t afraid to put folks on music, bad or good. You can follow Paul on IG @plthurm. 

Dorie chops it with one of her good friends and favorite people to talk music with, Tyrone Cooper. Tyrone shares that his musical taste comes from a mix of mom, aunts, and the church. They discuss the artist's responsibility to the fans and why there might not be as many men singing R&B as there were in the 90s.  *recorded in 2021* Who is Tyrone Cooper?   Tyrone (can’t use my phone) Cooper is a lover of all things freedom, all things light, all things healing and all things love. He is currently an educator in Brooklyn, NY residing in Jersey City. Growing up he was surrounded by singers & musicians. It was the thing that connected his family and community. Music & spirituality were the conduits to his development and have shaped him into the person he is. today. Music speaks life. It is a way of being. You can follow Tyrone on IG @coo.per.

Dorie chops is up with her homie, actor, writer, and co-producer of "Who Made The Potato Salad?" Rajan. This is a super fun episode, Rajan shares that his musical taste comes from his household growing up. His mom, dad, and sisters all put him onto something different. We also talk vinyl records and the Bay!  *recorded in 2021* Rajan Dumbhalia is a co-producer at "Who Made the Potato Salad?'' and pursuing more within the field of entertainment from research, writing, and acting. Follow him on IG @ratchetraj.

Dorie chops it with comedian and host, AJ DUNK *all caps*.  AJ shares how his parents shaped his musical taste,  how music about relationships & breakups is not his personal jam, and that he likes artists that you can actually understand what they are saying so he can sing/rap along with them. *recorded in 2021* Who is AJ DUNK? AJ DUNK spelled *all caps* is an energetic extrovert, filled with great charisma. While always looking to grow in the comedy world, he finds the funny in ANYTHING *all caps*. AJ DUNK is the creator/producer of “I Can’t Make This Up”. Current events, personal life experiences, and things most people think of subconsciously, drive his material.  Feel free to follow his motto, “Laughter is always in style.” You can follow AJ on IG @ajdunk.

Dorie chops it up with her first friend ever, Kimberly "Kimbo" Roberson. Kim is a talented director, actor, FX make-up artist, and writer from LA. Kim shares how her soulful musical taste comes from her mom, triflin' exes & the songs she listens to get over them, and her love for Ginuwine since they were kids. *recorded in 2021* Who is Kimberly Roberson? Kimberly is a director, writer, actress, and F/X makeup artist who was born and raised in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles, CA. Kim earned her BA in Theater and Dance from Cal State LA, where she believes her love for writing was triggered. She loves making people laugh, loves to create, and loves to watch movies. Her acting film work includes, 'The Awakening', 'Hey you, It's me', and 'The Invite'. She believes, "everything happens for a reason”, and that we should all “stay prayed up, count our blessings...and drink water!!"  You can follow her on Instagram @its_kimboduh.

Dorie chat's with her friend and super talented Bushwick bread artist, Monique "Mo" Letamendi. Mo puts Dorie on the Spanish music that's shaped her musical taste, shares why she is not here for the new girls in R&B, and let's us know why she chooses Solange over Bey in versus.  *recorded in 2021* Who is Mo Letamendi? Born and bred in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Monique "Orisha Love" Letamendi has been the mouthpiece of her community for more than a decade. Nicknamed “The Mouthpiece” by her peers, in 2010, Monique found her calling, with a sight on activism and providing for her community. In an attempt to extend herself into other fields, Monique began to teach poetry and literacy in various state-funded programs and non-profit organizations, such as viBe Theater Experience in 2014 and Sankofa Empowerment Program in 2010. Monique became program director at viBe Theater Experience in 2015, and directs, produces, and collaborates with high school girls from the tri-state area to create full-length stage plays and albums. Monique started directing viBeStages, viBeStages residencies in Achievement First High School in Bushwick and Brooklyn High School of the Arts in Fort Greene, viBe Songmakers and viBeCompany and was named viBe Theater Experience’s first Artistic Director in October 2020. Monique created and performed in original plays such as “Are You Trippin?” and “Monolith to Monarch with viBeCompany, as well as in 2020, Monique performed her original one-woman play virtually named La Limpieza and self-published her own poetry book named “Resonance: Being a Black Woman in America” and has published her second poetry book “La Limpieza” with DominusVir Publications. Monique has extended her talents to various social reform movements and campaigns such as #fightfor15, reclaiming the black woman’s body with Black Woman Blueprint at the Roulette Theater, unconstitutional stop and frisk policies with MTR in Bushwick, and #sayhername with the African American Policy Forum for an Evening of Action at Pratt University. Monique has facilitated workshops with NBWC at Medgar Evers, Face to Face Conference, Artists Striving to End Poverty as well as for independent artists. Monique has performed at various universities all over NYC such as Pratt University, NYU, Hunter College, and Barnard College in Boston as well as performing original work at Brooklyn Museum, MOCADA Museum, BRIC, and most recently at theSHED in POWERPLAY, where she was an artist in residence alongside other artists to create a play about power and our relationship to it. In 2018, Monique co-curated and hosted a bi-weekly black and POC-centered open mic with the VooDoo Lounge Underground in Brooklyn. You can follow her on Instagram @orisha_love.

Dorie chats with her friend, super talented actor, and newbie writer, Justin Sams. Justin shares his experience of growing up as a preacher's kid (PK) and how that has shaped his musical taste. Also, they both are missing the "clean-cut" R&B boys/men, and Dorie asks Justin if Jaquees is "King of R&B".  *Recorded 2021* Who is Justin Sams?  Justin Sams initially established himself as a drag performer at iconic downtown New York venues like Joe’s Pub, Webster Hall, and The Box, before transitioning into film and television. Favorite credits include: When We Rise (ABC) Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger (Freeform), The Last OG (TBS) The Deuce (HBO), Deadman’s Barstool (Amazon Prime), King of Knives (Amazon Prime). You can follow Justin on IG @justintheesams.

Dorie chops it up with her good friend Devin for a great conversation about music and relationships. Devin shares how his musical taste comes from his dad, how he prefers not to listen to sad music when going through a break-up, and is honest about not liking Drake when he first came out. *This episode was recorded in 2021* Who is Devin Presley?  Devin Presley is an Inglewood native who loves music and being creative. As a music aficionado, Devin DJ’s in his spare time because he likes to see people having a good time at the function. Devin has a high music IQ and loves 90’s R&B and Funk. You can follow him on Instagram at @ogdevinp. 

Dorie is joined by her good friend, Val. Dorie passes the aux cord in a real way on this episode because Val puts her on A LOT of music and speaks on many genres. Val shares her eclectic taste, talks the stages of breaking up & how she relates to albums that do the same. She also speaks on how black music is not the only genre where grown folks can't relate to the youth. Who is Valerie Jean-Charles? Valerie Jean-Charles is a political strategic communications expert with experience working on some of the country’s most pressing issues, including progressive economics and gun violence. She is also writer whose work has focused on analyzing and offering a new perspective on the Haitian-American experience. You can follow her on Twitter @ThatBKGurl.

Dorie is joined by the beautiful and talented, Rasheda Crockett. Rasheda discusses how her dad's love of hip-hop and growing up in church shaped her musical taste. They also get into her heartbreaks from grade school, listening to music that motivates you to get through a breakup, and R&B being immortal. Who is Rasheda Crockett? You can catch Rasheda as series regular Tracey Davis in the Will Packer produced show Bigger. Season 2 is currently on BET. In addition to appearing in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Rasheda can also be seen in the Netflix feature film American Pie: Girls Rule. Rasheda was a staff writer on truTV's Talk Show The Game Show and Adam Ruins Everything and in 2019, she was a CBS Diversity Showcase selection. Her short film POV: Perception of Violence was admitted into the Short Film Corner at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and was accepted into the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival. You can follow Rasheda on IG @rashedacrockett. 

Dorie & her bestie, The Vixen herself, Kimani Bellamy discuss her "remember who the f*** you are" playlist, why she can't get with Summer Walker's music, and breakups with your girlfriends.   Kimani is a writer, podcaster, artist, and DC native living in Atlanta. She is the creator of Vixen: Black Beauty and Pop Culture, a podcast and monthly book club. She loves fashion, art, good times with good girlfriends, and a fire espresso martini. You can follow Kimani on IG @thevixenmemoirs and visit here to sign up for the vixen newsletter and monthly book club.  *episodes were pre-recorded in 2021*