0:00 The federal criminal trial of Shawn
0:01 Combmes, known to many as
0:03 Diddy, isn't merely a legal proceeding.
0:06 It's a stark, unflattering mirror held
0:08 up to the cultural currents shaping
0:11 significant segments of black American
0:13 life. For more than half a century, I've
0:16 studied the intricate patterns of human
0:18 behavior. Patterns that determine the
0:20 destinies of individuals, groups, and
0:22 even nations. These patterns aren't
0:24 random, nor are they inevitable. They're
0:26 the discernable product of choices,
0:29 values, and cultural habits that persist
0:32 across generations, often with profound
0:36 consequences. The charges against
0:38 Combmes, trafficking, coercion, and
0:41 racketeering aren't a mere tabloid
0:43 spectacle to be consumed and discarded
0:46 like cheap entertainment. Rather, this
0:48 case stands as a chilling case study in
0:51 the erosion of fundamental values among
0:53 those who wield immense wealth, fame,
0:56 and influence. The prosecution alleges
0:58 Combmes orchestrated disturbing
1:00 gatherings involving illicit substances
1:02 and exploitative acts with accusations
1:05 of coercing individuals like Cassandra
1:07 Ventur through a ruthless combination of
1:10 threats and financial control. Hotel
1:13 surveillance footage from 2016
1:15 reportedly shows Combmes engaging in a
1:17 physical altercation with Ventura,
1:19 corroborating her testimony of years of
1:22 alleged abuse. Th this isn't just about
1:25 one man's alleged actions. It reveals a
1:28 broader cultural rot that has taken
1:30 root. This is a crucial moment not for
1:32 indulging in salacious details, but for
1:35 profound reflection on what this case
1:38 reveals about a community that once
1:40 produced intellectual and moral giants
1:43 like Frederick Douglas and Booker T.
1:45 Washington, yet now with alarming
1:48 frequency elevates figures who embody
1:51 excess, hedenism, and moral decay. Let's
1:54 examine the DD case unflinchingly for
1:57 what it tells us about the values we
1:59 choose to uphold and critically those
2:03 we've allowed to erode. In my book,
2:05 Black Rednecks and White Liberals, I
2:08 argued that many of the acute
2:09 disparities we observe in black American
2:12 outcomes, be they economic, social, or
2:14 moral, aren't the inevitable or primary
2:17 result of systemic racism, as so many
2:20 are quick to insist. Instead, they are
2:23 in substantial part the consequence of
2:25 cultural patterns that have taken root
2:27 and solidified over generations. Shan
2:29 Colm's case illustrates this principle
2:32 with vivid, painful clarity. Here's a
2:34 man who ascended from modest beginnings
2:37 through raw talent and ambition to amass
2:40 a degree of wealth and influence most
2:42 can scarcely imagine. Yet, if the
2:44 allegations brought forth by the federal
2:46 government are true, he has squandered
2:48 that immense capital, not merely his
2:50 financial empire, but his cultural and
2:53 moral standing on a lifestyle that
2:56 glorifies indulgence, flouts basic
2:59 decency, and actively subverts the very
3:01 values that once lifted communities out
3:04 of poverty and oppression. The knee-jerk
3:07 reflex of many, particularly those with
3:10 a vested interest in a particular
3:12 narrative, is to blame the system for
3:15 such outcomes. To point exclusively to
3:19 historical injustices as the root of all
3:22 present ills. But this explanation,
3:25 however emotionally resonant, falters
3:27 under rigorous scrutiny. If systemic
3:29 racism were in fact the sole or even
3:32 primary driver of group outcomes, how
3:35 then do we account for the remarkable
3:37 progress of black Americans in the
3:39 decades following
3:41 emancipation? Figures like Frederick
3:43 Douglas and Booker T. Washington,
3:44 emerging from profound adversity,
3:47 demonstrated that success was forged in
3:50 the crucible of personal responsibility,
3:52 tireless work, frugality, and an
3:55 unwavering commitment to values that
3:57 transcend circumstance and oppression.
4:00 Contrast this historical commitment to
4:03 principle with the cultural patterns we
4:05 too often see today, starkly exemplified
4:08 by figures like Combmes. The allegations
4:11 against him, whether ultimately proven
4:13 in court or not, paint a picture of a
4:15 worldview that celebrates excess over
4:18 restraint, raw power over enduring
4:20 principle, and shallow spectacle over
4:23 meaningful substance. It's crucial to
4:26 understand that this isn't a uniquely
4:28 black problem, as some might hastily
4:31 conclude, nor is it the exclusive
4:33 product of systemic oppression alone. It
4:36 is fundamentally a cultural problem, one
4:40 with roots that stretch back not to the
4:42 period of slavery itself, but to a more
4:45 recent and for many surprising source,
4:48 the importation of what I've
4:51 characterized as redneck culture from
4:53 the white south into northern black
4:56 communities during the great migration
4:57 of the early 20th century. This cultural
5:00 transfer involved the absorption of
5:02 habits often marked by impulsiveness, a
5:05 disdain for formal education, a
5:07 glorification of violence, and a general
5:08 embrace of excess. These patterns,
5:11 rather than systemic discrimination,
5:14 have contributed significantly to the
5:16 disparities we observe today. Fast
5:19 forward to the present and we witness
5:21 the undeniable legacy of this cultural
5:23 transfer and the valorization of what's
5:26 often called thug culture. The music,
5:29 the imagery, the cultivated personas of
5:32 far too many black celebrities,
5:34 including figures like Combmes, have
5:36 elevated and romanticized the lifestyle
5:39 steeped in lawlessness, extreme
5:41 materialism, and profound moral
5:44 ambiguity. This isn't to say that all
5:46 hip hop or popular culture is inherently
5:49 destructive. Far from it. There are
5:50 countless examples of art that uplift
5:53 and inspire. But when a dominant most
5:56 celebrated voices within a community
5:58 consistently celebrate behaviors that
6:00 intrinsically undermine long-term
6:03 success, personal responsibility, and
6:05 social cohesion, the consequences become
6:08 tragically predictable. Well, the
6:10 numbers speak for themselves. In 2023,
6:12 the illegitimacy rate among black
6:14 Americans approached 70%, a stark and
6:18 devastating contrast to the under 20%
6:20 observed in the 1950s.
6:23 Violent crime rates in urban black
6:25 communities remain disproportionately
6:27 high, stubbornly persistent. Despite
6:30 decades of civil rights reforms and
6:32 trillions spent on social programs,
6:34 these aren't solely the bitter fruits of
6:37 systemic racism. They are in large and
6:39 undeniable part the harvest of cultural
6:43 choices that have been allowed to fester
6:45 and proliferate unchallenged, often
6:49 actively promoted by those who should
6:51 know better. The Diddy case with its
6:53 grave allegations of coercion, sexual
6:56 exploitation, and a sprawling criminal
6:58 enterprise isn't an isolated incident.
7:01 It's a glaring symptom of this broader
7:03 cultural malaise. It's a reflection of a
7:06 deeply troubling value system that
7:08 prioritizes fleeting pleasure, immediate
7:11 gratification, and raw power over
7:14 enduring principle, self-respect, and
7:17 the well-being of others. When wealth
7:19 and fame are used not to uplift, empower
7:23 or create, but rather to degrade,
7:25 exploit and destroy, we are compelled to
7:28 ask, what kind of example is truly being
7:31 set for the young? What kind of cultural
7:34 legacy are we actively bequething to the
7:36 next generation? In the vision of the
7:39 anointed, I critique the hubris of
7:41 elites who believe they can engineer
7:44 social outcomes through abstract
7:46 policies while stubbornly ignoring the
7:48 deeper, more powerful cultural forces at
7:51 work within society. One such
7:54 indispensable force is the profound
7:56 power of role models. Human beings,
7:59 particularly the young and
8:01 impressionable, are shaped not primarily
8:03 by abstract government policies or
8:05 academic theories, but by the concrete
8:08 examples they see around them, those
8:11 they're taught to admire and emulate.
8:13 Today, regrettably, the cultural
8:15 landscape is often dominated by figures
8:17 like Shawn Combmes, whose influence
8:20 extends far beyond the realm of music.
8:22 As a powerful mogul, he has undeniably
8:25 shaped fashion, media, and the very
8:27 aspirations of millions of young people.
8:30 Yet, if the charges against him are
8:31 true, his enduring legacy won't be one
8:34 of creative empowerment or community
8:36 uplift, but rather one of exploitation,
8:39 degradation, and moral corruption. The
8:42 tragedy here isn't merely personal for
8:45 Combmes. It's deeply communal. When the
8:49 most visible and celebrated members of a
8:51 community consistently model behaviors
8:54 that lead to ruin, behaviors that
8:56 undermine the very fabric of healthy
8:59 society, they don't merely harm
9:01 themselves. They actively erode the
9:05 priceless cultural capital of an entire
9:07 group. Young men and women desperately
9:10 seeking paths to success and validation
9:13 are presented not with the quiet
9:15 dignity, intellectual rigor, or profound
9:18 moral purpose of a Douglas or a
9:20 Washington, but with the ostentatious
9:22 success, the flaunted debauchery and the
9:24 moral bankruptcy of a diddy. The
9:27 implicit message tragically becomes
9:29 clear. Success is measured primarily in
9:33 material wealth, not profound wisdom, in
9:37 raw power, not enduring principle. This
9:40 isn't, let me be unequivocally clear, to
9:42 absolve individuals of responsibility
9:45 for their own choices. Each person,
9:47 regardless of circumstance or cultural
9:49 backdrop, possesses the inherent
9:51 capacity to choose right over wrong,
9:55 restraint over indulgence, and integrity
9:57 over depravity. But when the pervasive
10:00 cultural signals around them glorify the
10:03 latter, when the most celebrated
10:05 examples point down a path of
10:07 self-destruction, the path of least
10:09 resistance inexurably becomes a road to
10:12 ruin. The data here is chilling. In
10:14 2022, a Pew Research study found that a
10:18 staggering 65% of black teens cited
10:22 celebrities as their primary role models
10:25 compared to a mere 20% who named family
10:28 members or community leaders. This
10:31 represents a seismic and deeply
10:34 concerning shift from the era when
10:37 churches, schools, and stable families
10:40 served as the unquestioned moral and
10:43 cultural anchors of black life. The
10:45 Diddy case in this profound sense isn't
10:48 an aberration. It's a culmination, a
10:50 stark, sobering reminder of what happens
10:54 when cultural heroes prioritize
10:56 self-gratification and spectacle over
11:00 genuine service and lasting
11:03 principle. Wealth in itself is neither
11:06 inherently good nor inherently evil. It
11:09 is like any powerful force merely a tool
11:12 and its ultimate value lies solely in
11:15 how it's used. In the hands of a Booker
11:17 T. Washington. Wealth built and
11:19 sustained transformative institutions
11:22 that lifted thousands of people out of
11:25 illiteracy and poverty, equipping them
11:27 with the skills and character to thrive.
11:30 In the hands of Ashan Combmes, if the
11:33 federal allegations hold, wealth has
11:36 been allegedly used to fuel a lifestyle
11:38 of moral bankruptcy, exploitation, and
11:41 abuse. This isn't a new phenomenon in
11:44 human history. In wealth, poverty and
11:46 politics, I observed that the
11:48 accumulation of wealth very often serves
11:50 to amplify the underlying character of a
11:53 society or an individual. Those who
11:56 inherently value thrift, discipline, and
11:58 selfless service utilize wealth to
12:00 create, to build, and to uplift.
12:03 Conversely, those who primarily value
12:05 excess, self arandisment, and unchecked
12:08 power use wealth to degrade, to exploit,
12:12 and ultimately to destroy. The profound
12:15 tragedy of the Diddy case isn't merely
12:17 the alleged crimes, abhorren as they
12:19 are. It is the squandered potential.
12:22 Here was a man who, given his platform
12:24 and resources, could have been a beacon
12:26 of excellence, a powerful model of how
12:28 to translate talent and opportunity into
12:30 lasting positive impact. Instead, he has
12:33 become a cautionary tale, a grim
12:35 testament to how wealth untethered from
12:38 a foundational set of values becomes not
12:41 an asset, but a devastating liability.
12:44 The black community, more than most,
12:45 simply cannot afford such losses. Every
12:48 figure who rises to prominence carries
12:50 the heavy weight of expectation, not
12:52 merely to succeed personally, but to
12:55 demonstrate to others that success built
12:57 on principle is truly possible. When
13:00 that invaluable opportunity is wasted,
13:03 it isn't just an individual failure.
13:05 It's a grievous blow to the collective
13:07 aspiration and moral capital of an
13:09 entire group. No honest discussion of
13:12 cultural decline would be complete
13:13 without directly addressing what's often
13:16 the most pervasive and insidious
13:18 obstacle to reform. The pervasive
13:21 narrative of victimhood. In the vision
13:24 of the anointed, I meticulously
13:26 described how self-appointed elites,
13:29 often insulated from the consequences of
13:31 their pronouncements, pedal visions of
13:34 cosmic injustice and perpetual
13:36 oppression to excuse failure, deflect
13:40 personal
13:41 responsibility, and maintain their own
13:43 intellectual and moral authority. The
13:46 Diddy case, like so many high-profile
13:48 cases before it involving successful
13:49 black individuals, will no doubt be
13:52 framed by some as yet another example of
13:54 the system unjustly targeting a
13:57 successful black man. This is a tired
14:00 refrain, a demonstrably false narrative,
14:02 and one that utterly collapses under the
14:05 sheer weight of historical and
14:07 contemporary evidence. The federal
14:09 charges against Combmes aren't
14:11 fundamentally about his race. they are
14:14 emphatically about his alleged actions
14:17 and behavior. To suggest otherwise is to
14:20 ironically infantilize black Americans,
14:23 implying that they somehow lack the
14:26 agency, the moral discernment, or the
14:28 personal responsibility to be held
14:30 accountable for their own choices no
14:32 less than anyone else. This is the soft
14:34 bigotry of low
14:36 expectations masquerading insidiously as
14:39 compassion and understanding. If we're
14:41 to truly take seriously the idea that
14:43 black Americans are equal in dignity and
14:45 capability and in moral agency to all
14:48 other human beings, we must also with
14:51 equal seriousness take seriously the
14:53 idea that they are accountable for their
14:55 actions no less and no more than anyone
14:58 else. To do otherwise is to perpetuate a
15:01 debilitating cycle of dependency,
15:04 deflection, and self-d delusion that has
15:06 in the long run done more profound harm
15:08 to black progress than any external
15:11 force. Consider the data which often
15:14 clarifies what ideology obscures. In
15:17 1960, black poverty rates were
15:20 undeniably high, but they were falling
15:22 rapidly, down from a staggering 87% in
15:26 1940 to 47% by 1960. By 2000, they had
15:32 fallen even further to 22%.
15:36 This remarkable and often overlooked
15:39 progress occurred not because of some
15:41 sudden systemic benevolence or
15:43 government handout, but because of
15:45 enduring cultural values that emphasize
15:48 strong family structures, unwavering
15:51 commitment to education, and relentless
15:54 hard work. Yet, in recent decades,
15:56 particularly since the 1960s, we have
15:59 tragically seen stagnation in some
16:02 critical areas and alarming regression
16:04 in others. the precipitous rise of
16:07 single parent households, the pervasive
16:09 decline in educational attainment
16:12 relative to other groups, and the
16:14 stubborn persistence of violent crime in
16:16 urban centers cannot logically or
16:19 honestly be laid solely at the feet of
16:22 the system. They are in large and
16:24 undeniable part the direct result of
16:27 cultural choices. choices that crucially
16:29 can be reversed, but only if we possess
16:32 the intellectual courage and moral
16:34 fortitude to confront them honestly
16:37 without ideological pretense or
16:39 self-serving narratives. If the Diddy
16:42 case is, as I contend, a mirror, it
16:44 reflects a community at a pivotal
16:47 crossroads. One path leads deeper into
16:49 the morass of victimhood, unchecked
16:52 excess, and debilitating moral
16:54 relativism. a path that will ultimately
16:57 lead to further decline. The other path,
17:00 however, leads toward genuine renewal, a
17:03 renewal grounded firmly in the timeless
17:06 values and proven principles that once
17:08 propelled black Americans to heights
17:11 unimagined by their oppressor. The
17:13 choice is ours, but it begins with a
17:16 resolute rejection of the easy excuses,
17:18 the comforting alibis, and a return to
17:22 fundamental first principles. First, we
17:25 must unequivocally reenter the family as
17:28 the indispensable cornerstone of
17:30 cultural health and societal stability.
17:33 The data are unequivocal. Children
17:35 raised in stable two parent households
17:37 are demonstrabably far less likely to
17:39 live in poverty, far less likely to
17:42 commit crimes, and far less likely to
17:44 drop out of school. In 2023, a shocking
17:49 65% of black children lived in single
17:52 parent homes compared to just 24% of
17:55 white children. This isn't a racial
17:57 defect. It's a correctable cultural
17:59 pattern, and it can only be addressed
18:02 through deliberate conscious choices.
18:04 Choices to prioritize marriage,
18:07 stability, and parental responsibility.
18:10 Second, we must restore education to its
18:13 rightful place as a sacred paramount
18:16 pursuit. In the earlier 20th century,
18:18 black schools, often severely
18:20 underfunded and segregated, nonetheless
18:23 produced scholars whose intellectual
18:25 capabilities and achievements rivaled
18:28 their peers anywhere in the world.
18:31 Today, despite vastly greater resources,
18:34 far too many black students tragically
18:36 lag behind. The solution isn't merely
18:40 more funding alone, which often merely
18:43 throws money at symptoms. It is more
18:46 profoundly a fundamental cultural shift
18:48 that values rigorous academic
18:50 discipline, intellectual achievement,
18:53 and long-term learning over fleeting
18:55 fame, ephemeral trends, or superficial
18:59 celebrity.
19:01 Parents, churches, and community leaders
19:04 must unite to demand excellence, not
19:07 cuddle excuses. Third, we must
19:10 rediscover and rigorously practice moral
19:13 restraint. The pervasive glorification
19:15 of hedenism, whether relentlessly pedled
19:18 in music, through social media, or via
19:20 celebrity culture, is a poison that
19:24 insidiously seeps into the souls and
19:26 minds of the young. Uh we must with
19:29 urgent intention elevate role models who
19:33 embody integrity, self-rol and genuine
19:36 purpose, not boundless indulgence. Men
19:38 and women who demonstrate by their lives
19:41 that true success is measured not in
19:44 dollars but in strength of character,
19:47 moral courage, and lasting contribution.
19:50 Finally, we must decisively reject the
19:53 debilitating narrative of victimhood and
19:55 instead fully embrace the powerful
19:58 agency and fierce self-reliance that has
20:00 always defined the best of black
20:03 America. Frederick Douglas didn't wait
20:05 for permission to learn to read. He
20:07 seized it against all
20:09 odds. Booker T. Washington didn't beg
20:13 for opportunities. He created them.
20:16 Building institutions where none
20:18 existed. Their enduring legacy isn't one
20:20 of complaint or self-pity, but of
20:23 triumphant conquest. Conquest over
20:27 adversity through the indomitable power
20:29 of individual choice and collective
20:32 resolve. The Shawn Combmes case isn't
20:34 the end of the story, but merely a
20:36 painful illuminating chapter in a much
20:39 larger ongoing saga. It's a powerful
20:42 reminder that culture isn't a spectator
20:45 sport. is actively shaped day by day by
20:47 the choices we make, the heroes we
20:50 choose to elevate, and the values we
20:52 painstickly pass on to the next
20:55 generation. Black America stands at a
20:59 pivotal defining moment. We can continue
21:01 down the path of cultural decay,
21:03 perpetually blaming external forces for
21:06 internal failures and pathologies. Uh or
21:09 we can with courage and conviction
21:11 reclaim the magnificent legacy of those
21:14 who built remarkable progress on the
21:18 unshakable foundation of principle,
21:20 personal responsibility, and moral
21:22 clarity. Let us choose the latter. Let
21:26 us honor the memory of those who rose
21:28 from slavery to scholarship, from abject
21:31 poverty to global prominence, not by
21:33 demanding sympathy or special treatment,
21:36 but by embodying in our own lives
21:39 genuine excellence. The mirror of the
21:43 Diddy case is indeed unflattering, but
21:47 it isn't permanent. We have the inherent
21:49 power to change what it reflects. Not
21:52 through protests, not through policies
21:55 alone, but through the quiet, diligent
21:57 daily work of living lives worthy of
22:01 emulation. That is the urgent task
22:04 before us. That is the invaluable legacy
22:07 we must reclaim.
22:08 [Music]
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