The Sole Chronicles

Bob 'Big Bob' Fontenot, Jr. is a 30+ year industry veteran and founder of "Hedge of Protection",  a private security company that provides personal protection, business security, and venue security. He has worked with superstar artists such as Ariana Grande, Backstreet Boyz, Beyonce, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Eminem, Kid Cudi, and 17 years as personal security for the legendary Whitney Houston. In this epsiode, you won't hear him airing out anyone’s dirty laundry but you will hear about his decades long journey in the security/entertainment industry, working with superstars and maintaining his internal "NDA" and integrity along the way.

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are one of the entertainment industry's power couples. They are giants in music as well as in the world of art. We had the pleasure of collaborating with both of them while at Nike very early in their careers and completely separately, long before they were the Deans. In this episode we share stories of working with Alicia the week her debut album was released with an epic Trace magazine party which shut down NYC's 57th street as well as working with Swizz to provide music for a Nike basketball digital project. As we head to the Brooklyn Museum this month to witness the couple's formidable art collection in "Giants", we are extremely proud of their individual and combined accomplishments and the work we were able to do together.

New York native Leslie 'Big Lez' Segar is a legendary hip hop dancer, choreographer, on-air radio and television personality, producer, fitness specialist, and actress who has danced for artists including LL Cool J, Bobby Brown, Salt n' Pepa, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. In this episode, Big Lez joins us to share her journey starting out as a gymnast to working as a dancer/choreographer with some of the icons of music highlighting the behind the scenes working with John Singleton on Michael Jackson's Remember the Time and Whitney Houston's I'm Every Woman videos, being cast for the opening of the TV series, Living Single, and her work as an on-air TV and radio personality on Rap City, Hot 97 and Big Boy's Neighborhood. Big Lez stresses the importance of recognizing the contributions of dance and dancers in the history and narrative of hip hop and modern pop culture and staying motivated in an industry that often rejects those who don't fit the traditional standards of beauty.

In this episode we dissect the role race plays in marginalizing outspoken and unapologetic black executives and high level professionals in music and sports with particular attention on divisive tactics that may have been used to cause splits between superstar talent and their “controversial” representatives/partners ie Jay Z and Damon Dash, Richard Williams and Venus and Serena Williams, Matthew Knowles and Beyonce, and even Joe Jackson and MJ.  We question if black professionals are given the same license to boldly express, question, challenge, or do it "their way" especially if they are seen as a barrier between the INDUSTRY (sports or entertainment) having access to superstar talent.  Our hosts share personal stories of working with Damon Dash while at Nike before the Roc-a-Fella split which also included encouraging the brand to greenlight a collaboration with Dash for his CEO initiative.  Take a listen to the episode and weigh in on the topic.

The Sole Chronicles co-host Nekeda Newell-Hall evolved from the corporate world as an executive (and future leader at Nike) to a career in philanthropy which was inspired by R&B/Pop Icon, Usher! In this episode Nekeda shares her story of meeting Usher as a teen when she worked at the NBA and then again while at Nike to serving as an advisor for Usher's non profit organization which showed her the power of philanthropy and impacting lives. It is evident that Usher is still out here influencing fashion, music, dance, and now roller skating highlighted in his current Las Vegas residency stage show which was confirmed by co-host Muhammida who recently went skating at Rockefeller Center inspired by Usher.