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In this special takeover, Jessica Knox and Cinthia Darden steal the spotlight—no Shane, no Q, just two moms keeping it real. They kick things off with the chaotic “float trip from hell” before diving into the origin stories of Knox Handmade Toys and Hustle’n Pop, revealing the behind-the-scenes hustle that keeps the businesses moving.

Jessica shares a childhood trauma involving a vacuum and a van, while Cinthia tells the wild story of accidentally climbing into a stranger’s car—only to find him rolling a blunt. The ladies open up about anxiety, holiday gift giving, and how Cinthia proudly owns her role as a “passenger princess.” From running out of money in London to couple fights in Miami, it’s travel stories, laughter, and honest moments. Cinthia wraps it all up with a Maya Angelou quote that hits home.

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Season 6, Episode 7 opens with a bald truth — when is it time to let it go? Q throws it to Shane for a “Tale of the Tape” intro, and just like that, the gloves are off. We introduce our first official sponsor: Creek Wear — a monthly outdoor survival subscription box for folks who believe freedom comes with fresh air and fire starters.

We give a special shoutout to Honest Coffee Roasters for displaying Knox Handmade Toys and proudly supporting the Vendor Chronicles movement with a custom QR code in-store. That’s real hometown love!

Q talks about date night with Cinthia this past Saturday — hitting Top Golf in downtown Huntsville, and the unexpected surprise of meeting the original Black Power Ranger (Zack!) at SIP Elixir Bar. From 90s nostalgia to cocktails, it was a night to remember.

Shane shares a throwback tale of young love — tongue kissing his first girl at Six Flags on the Monster Plantation ride. Southern charm meets childhood mischief.

Then it gets wild: Q drops a barbershop horror story from 35 years ago involving a female crackhead and an unforgettable full-frontal ambush. Shane adds a cautionary tale about a friend who went from smoking crack to using meth — and how the vibe shifted from funny to foul.

We roast Taylor Swift, take playful jabs at Bill Burr, and open the floor for them both to pull up a mic.

Shane breaks down his experience at the Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg, TN, making an observation about modern fashion trends — let’s just say the cheeks were out in full force. And we wrap the episode with a raw rant on taxes and freedom. Q poses the question: “Aren’t we the land of the free and home of the brave? ‘Cause it’s feeling more like the land of the fee and home of the slave.”

From love and laughs to loss and levity — this one’s got it all.

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This episode opens with a bold question: Why do women leave once a man becomes successful? From there, Q the Messager and Shane the Brain dive deep into how the family court system is stacked against men. Shane touches on his own experience with family court while Q asks if parents should ever get involved in their kids' relationships or marriages.

Q celebrates 18 years of marriage to his wife Cinthia at a new Huntsville restaurant called One Eleven. Meanwhile, Shane recounts his visit to Pulaski, Tennessee—birthplace of the KKK—and reflects on the town’s efforts to distance itself from its racist past. That conversation spirals into a raw discussion on the evolution of racism in America.

From there, it’s a rapid-fire tangent on COVID, government, war, and power. And in true Vendor Chronicles fashion, Q closes the episode with a surefire, 100% guaranteed way to never be broke again.

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This episode kicks off with the protests in L.A. and a roast session on folks who claim they “don’t see color” or say “I’ve got Black friends.” We unpack the great chicken wing deception—how a 10-piece order is really just 5 wings split in half. Shane introduces the Platinum Rule (“Do unto others as they would have done unto them”) and we jump into the controversy of trans women in women’s sports. Riley Gaines and Leah Thomas get name-dropped, and we both agree—there’s no reason for male parts in the girls' locker room.

We dream about crashing Theo Von’s podcast or bringing him on Vendor Chronicles. Shane drops a gem about Jay Leno never spending his Tonight Show checks, and Q recounts Leilani’s chaotic 13th birthday float trip on the Flint River—featuring collisions, serpents, and a full-blown water rescue. And just when Q thought the excitement was over, poison ivy shows up two days later.

To top it off, Q gives some Baton Rouge facts, Shane dives into the deadly legacy of the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race, and we end with a final truth: Aim high. If you miss, you’ll still land in space

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In this episode of Vendor Chronicles, we define the hustle vs. the grind—what happens when your results don’t match your efforts—and how discipline bridges the gap. We give props to Hunter, an 18-year-old working at Honest Coffee who’s wise beyond her years. Then we unpack all the nonsense old folks used to tell us: “Don’t talk when adults are talking,” “Children should be seen, not heard”—yeah, that stuff.

We discuss MDMA—does it treat or cure? Q asks the real questions. Shane breaks down what friendship truly means after we intro the episode with a spin on the song Friends. Q tells the story of a relative misusing a $500 loan. Then we dream: what would you do with $50K right now?

We talk about paycheck-to-paycheck life in America, roast Elon’s Cybertruck, but give props to SpaceX. Q questions U.S. debt: if we print the money, how are we trillions in the hole? Shane uses the diamond industry as a metaphor.

We dive deep—China, Russia, school systems, the illusion of freedom, ginger vs. the N-word, and the true meaning of knowledge, power, and action. Q quotes Aristotle and flips it right back on Shane. Strap in—this one’s layered.

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In this raw and hilarious episode of Vendor Chronicles, Q the Messager opens up by reflecting on what it's like to grab a shaft every day—because, as he puts it, "I was born that way." He and Shane the Brain break into a soulful rendition of “Joy and Pain,” trading bars on sunshine and rain while peeling back layers of life’s deeper lessons.

Shane drops some real wisdom about realizing he doesn’t know much—and Q calls that the ultimate sign of maturity. Together, they dig into the idea that every job should be temporary, breaking down how the horse willing to carry the heavy load always gets it. If you want something done? Give it to the busy person.

Q shares stories from his time as a field engineer in Nebraska, while Shane describes a moment of exceptional customer service that blew his mind. They even question just how free we really are in a world that forces parents to send their kids to school or risk jail time.

Sprinkled throughout are sharp reflections on knowledge, power, and action—with a quote from Aristotle landing right in Shane’s lap. This one’s introspective, off-the-cuff, and full of grown-man perspective.

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Season 6 kicks off with a special guest: Anthony Gillon, Q the Messager’s father, in town to celebrate Lil Q’s graduation. The father-son duo opens the episode with a soulful rendition of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.” Shane the Brain drops an old-school motorcycle quote—“Some people rarely drift over the line. I do not envy them”—and the crew dives into a wide-ranging conversation that hits deep and funny.

They discuss Eminem as the Great White Hope, debate whether 50 Cent surviving nine gunshots was luck or skill, and celebrate Shane’s one-year-old daughter Maddy saying “I love you” for the first time in both speech and sign language. Q reflects on a recent accident where Lil Q got rear-ended, while his father tells the hilarious story of Q getting kicked out of the school district in elementary school.

Shane tosses adjectives at Anthony for a rapid-fire yes/no assessment of Q, and Anthony drops wisdom about character: “If you’ll lie, you’ll cheat.” Wilt Chamberlain even gets quoted: “If I say a mouse can pull a house, hook ‘em up.”

Anthony shares a powerful perspective on integrating into a white school at age 12 in 1977, attending class on Georgia Tech’s campus and seeing a new world of possibilities. For the first time ever, Kevin the Boss Man Richardson joins in with a live mic, contributing insight on minority enrollment in college.

This episode is funny, honest, reflective, and full of hope for the future—and it sets the tone for a powerful season ahead.

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In the first episode recorded on the new soundboard, Shane the Brain and Q the Messager open with a discussion on cultural appropriation, leading to a spontaneous musical moment—Shane sings his own ice cream man rendition, prompting Q to hit 'em with the Master P version.

Q shares a story about meeting a narc at Porch Fest, and the duo dives into the difference between snitching and setting the record straight. Q talks about how the VA loan helped him buy a home in his early 20s, while Shane freestyles a hilarious "Tale of the Tape" for Kevin the Boss Man Richardson and Q himself.

From discussing an eclectic night at SIP, to learning what a tobacconist is, to unpacking racial double standards—like the “bitch ass N-word” and Q’s “white voice”—this episode brings comedy, culture, and real talk straight to your ears.

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