In their fifth episode, Hannah and Greg, discuss the rap beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. The chorus of Kendrick's latest track repeats "They Not Like Us" over an unapologetic, unmistakably West Coast beat; however, the question that quickly emerges during this episode is who are transracial adoptees most like -- Drake or Kendrick? And in what ways? Through their commentary, Hannah and Greg begin to notice parallels in the internal and external conflicts created due to insecure identity and arrested development.

Works referenced:

Clip from Donald Glover's special "Only Black Kid in School" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb5CZ8v1jT0

"Euphoria" - Kendrick Lamar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPqDIwWMtxg

"Meet the Grahams" - Kendrick Lamar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QiFl9Dc7D0

"Not Like Us" - Kendrick Lamar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6eK-2OQtew

"Drake: Timeline of Rapper's Rise to Stardom" Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/drake-life-career-timeline-2018-10#aubrey-drake-graham-was-born-on-october-24-1986-1

Additional Info:

A History of Drake v. Kendrick Beef - Where's the Dirt? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hjA_L7yjfY&t=16s

In their fourth episode, co-hosts and interracial adoptive siblings, Greg and Hannah divert from their typical format of listener submitted topics and questions to address comments made recently (4-26-24) by, UFC 303 Headliner and transracially adoptive father, Michael Chandler on The Shawn Ryan Show.

When asked about how Chandler approaches raising his two, Black adopted sons, he said, "I'm not raising black children, I'm raising children. Whether you are black or you are white, no matter what race that you are,.. Being a good man, a good man of reputation, none of that has to do with skin color. Everything has to do with the character of the man. Probably not an answer that some people would say is important but that's where the world has gone. Where we think that the most important thing about us is our skin color or our gender or our political affiliation."

After hearing this quote and watching the entire interview, Hannah and Greg, were struck by Chandler's racial colorblindness, and wanted to take the necessary time to center the impacts of racial colorblindness on Black adoptees and their experiences.

Works Referenced:

Standing in the Gap: An Unapologetic, Reflective Workbook on Meeting the Needs the Transracial Adoptee in Your Life by Hannah Jackson Matthews, M.S.Ed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVVD11DP

Michael Chandler on The Shawn Ryan Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7y2-i9t3Pw&t=6777s

After reflecting on the release of their debut episode, Hannah and Greg struggle with being too critical. Greg identifies, at times, how he has been dismissive and insensitive about hard conversations, and Hannah calls him in about his self-identified conflict avoidance during their conversations. As they find resolution, they practice embracing a growth mindset about their mistakes, even and especially when they feel shame for messing up. Ultimately, they are asking themselves and their listeners, what role does growth mindset play in acknowledging our varied levels of privilege? And how can growth mindset help us build and maintain more "real" connections?