Bearded, Wholesome, & All Things Baltimore

Send us a Text Message.What is up folks?! It's been a minute. Tonight's episode I get a chance to interview a long time friend and 2024 Mount St. Joseph Hall of Fame inductee Johnny “JRod” Rodriguez. Johnny and I entered the Mount together in 2003. He was an excellent lacrosse goalie and one of the more laid back guys I went to school with. It was an absolutely honor and pleasure to interview JRod. We took a stroll down memory lane during our time at The Mount, his journey through college lacrosse and hockey, and his prolific career as a Major League Lacrosse goalie in Atlanta. JRod opens up about his decade long stint as Mater Dei's head lacrosse coach and winding down coaching after his ALS diagnosis last fall that he continues to battle mightily every single day. 

This episode was a fun one. Tony Jefferson was one of my favorite Ravens players during his tenure as the Ravens starting strong safety. He was one of many enforcers playing that position on the defense in our storied franchise history. “TJeff” took some time out of his busy family life to sit down and talk about his experience in Baltimore on and off the field as well as his internship as a scout for the organization this past season. 

Tonight's guests are Baltimore born and raised entrepreneurs Kelly and Zenika- Founders of Sista Flicks Photo Booth LLC. Kelly and I go back quite a few years. She was one of my supervisors in corrections when I was early in my career. She was always good to me and was fair and firm as could be. Tune in as Kelly and Zenika promote their business and what goes into the daily to day process of event planning and its inner workings based around their Photo Booth rental services. 

Tonight I had the pleasure of interviewing a local media legend. I have looked forward to this opportunity for a long time. Barry Simms is an investigative reporter in our hometown of Baltimore as well as surrounding communities for WBAL Channel 11. Barry is a fellow Mount Saint Joseph alumni and took some time out of his evening to give incredible insight into his career and behind the scenes inner workings. He details his passion for his work, his most memorable and most difficult stories he's ever reported and the creative brain trust used to pursue riveting stories. Enjoy! 

This one was truly a great experience. This is my first time having a fan/listener segment. Tim and I go way back to our high school days at Mount St Joe in West Baltimore. Tonight's episode was an All Things Baltimore Orioles special. We are officially 8 days from Opening Day so what better way to start the season than to talk everything 2024 O's! Tim is an encyclopedia of Orioles knowledge and provided fantastic insight to the coming season. If you want to get hyped for Opening Day at The Yard then this is the show for you! 

On today's episode(My 35th Birthday!) I finally sit down with Baltimore Club music Legend Mighty Mark! Mark and I go way back to 2001. We were classmates at Roland Park Middle School in 2001 and 2002. Mark has been honing his craft and rising to stardom in the entertainment industry for the better part of the last two decades. From making beats on cafeteria table and battle rapping in the hallways of RPMS to being featured on HBOMax, Space Jam, and Netflix, Mark has not only on multiple platforms, he is now giving back in different ways to his community. Tune in! 

This episode has been a few years in the making. Cool Ant joins the show to talk about his impact in the running community through Nike. Born and raised in Baltimore, Ant speaks on his struggles growing up, adapting to life in Los Angeles, and the hurdles he's faced as a result of his Baltimore upbringing. His passion for Baltimore is infectious and it's clear the love he has for our hometown is unmatched. Enjoy! 

It's always magic and a good time to be had when two Mount Men get together for a stroll down memory lane. Rod White, the current safeties coach and Defensive Pass Game Coordinator for Bowie State University stopped by the show this evening. Rod and I go back 20 years. We were teammates a few years at MSJ in West Baltimore. Rod breaks down coaching and recruiting in todays social media driven football culture and his love for coaching at Marylands first HBCU. 

This episode has been a few years in the making. Matthew Cooper is a filmmaker born and raised in West Baltimore. He runs his independent production company Cooper Productions Co. Which specializes in short documentaries. Tune in as we dive deep into the makings of his latest project “Understanding the Misunderstood” which focuses on the foundation and polarizing daily life of “Squeegee Kids” on the streets of Baltimore. Matthew also lets us in on his dealings with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott for the Squeegee Coalition. 

Today's episode features a good friend of mine. Marcus and I work in the same profession but this episode is a lot more positive. In his free time, Marcus is a Twitch streamer under the name “Phixem”. We start off the show by talking about his other passion, Mens Mental Health Advocacy. Tune in as we talk about mental health care, our mutual love for video games, and the pitfalls of streaming in todays more toxic video game culture. 

Tonight's episode is an All Things Baltimore Sports episode. Tonight's guests are good friend John Anthony of Chairshot Sports and WWE Attitude Era legend Duane “Gillberg” Gill. With WWE's Elimination Chamber PLE looming this Saturday, Duane and John stopped by to give their predictions for the show, expectations on the Road to WrestleMania, and some throwback stories courtesy of Duane. Enjoy! 

Former Towson Quarterback Kurt Beathard joins the show. Interviewing Kurt came highly recommended by Coach Sean Murphy, who had previously been a guest on my show. Kurt comes from a prestigious football family. His father Bobby was a four time Super Bowl champion as an NFL executive, including the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. Kurt, a northern Virginia native, played quarterback at Towson University in the mid 80s and went on to have a well-traveled career as a collegiate coach. Tune in to catch up with Coach Beathard as see what he's up to present day! 

Baltimore Colts legend Stan White stopped by the show to talk some Baltimore football this evening. Stan is currently slated to be the new Calvert Hall Varsity Defensive Coordinator for the 2024 MIAA football season. He spent nearly 2 decades at Gilman and a handful of years at St Frances. Tune in as he gives his take on the Ravens season, the Super Bowl, and even his Orioles prediction. Enjoy!  

Last night I had to the chance to catch up with More Than Hype creator and executive producer Larry Caudle aka Larry Whaddup. Larry and I first linked three years ago in the first season of my show to talk about the return of Unruly Records and the progress he was making with his More Than Hype documentary. Present day, Larry is finished his passion project and has MTH ready for nearly 20 film festivals this year. We talk about his other business ventures and our time on the set of HBO's We Own This City. Enjoy! 

Today's guest is local Baltimore radio legend Bob Haynie of 105.7 The Fan. Bob was gracious enough to take some time out of his schedule to sit down and talk Ravens and Os after an eventful few weeks for both franchises. Tune in as we talked about what's next for the Ravens, the outlook of the 2024 Orioles, and the impact of the Angelos family selling the team. 

Today's episode features current Baltimore Ravens long snapper Nick Moore. Nick is a previous guest and agreed to come on to update us about his recovery from a torn Achilles, parenthood, and talked a little ball. This was a fun conversation and the Mahomes/Kelce/Tucker pregame incident was addressed. Enjoy! 

After a rather extended hiatus, BWATB is back! Tonight my very good friend Lennie “Lenwood” Walker comes back on the show after first appearing last season. My fellow Mount Man and international recording artist Logan James makes his first appearance on the show. We talk about the influence of Baltimore in hip hop culture, the trials and tribulations of writing music, and the business side of it all. 

Tonight's guest is Baltimore's own Smirf. The Battle rapper, comedian, and content creator has made quite the name for himself over the years. From taking the stage as a comedian to intense battles in the battle rap game, Smirf has diversified himself to many different audiences. Listen in as he tells the story behind his Baltimore hotspot series of videos and the inspiration behind them as well as places he's yet to address. 

Today I'm back with one of my first guests ever to come on BWATB! Baltimore Magazines Ron Cassie joins the show to talk about his latest work on The Highway to Nowhere, The 40 Year Anniversary of the last Orioles World Series, and the Gentrification of Fells Point. Ron also recounts his vacation through Italy and the similarities of small cities there and Baltimore. Enjoy! 

Back on the solo show grind again folks! Greg Myers, more affectionately known as DoubleG is back for round three! G stopped by the studio for a more personal chat this go around. We usually chop it up about his musical inspirations and projects coming up but today was different. The last two years G has been in a legal battle with the cannabis commission over his music video for his song Roll One. Citing violations of their standards, G was out through the wringer to say the least. Tune in for the scoop! 

After a brief hiatus, BWATB is back to creating new shows! This week I was joined by Shawn Felder. Shawn is a Baltimore native that has started a fantastic men's mentoring program He's My Brother. The program is designed to mentor young men from the age of 13 all the way through 40 years old. Tune in as Shawn breaks down the challenges of mentorship, what his program offers, and the wide ranging topics of his twice weekly meetings. 

Doing this show for over two years, I've had the chance to interview a lot of great folks. My guest this past Thursday was one of my favorites. It's known that I'm a huge Baltimore Ravens fan. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Ray Rice for an hour. I haven't had the chance to talk to many Super Bowl champions. The former All Pro running back takes a stroll down memory lane of Super Bowl 47, talks about the state of the current Ravens, and what he is up to today. Enjoy! 

This episode ended up being a lot deeper than I'd imagined. And for good reason. Most of Baltimore knows Lennie as Lenwood. He has been in the Baltimore hip hop scene for a long time. When he isn't writing or rapping, he's building his clothing line DontBeYo. His line specializes in Baltimore specific designs and slogans with colorful styles. His impact is felt in the community for more than just music and clothing. Lennie is a behavioral specialist in the Baltimore City Public School System. You don't want to miss this. 

Last week, I had the chance to interview my first Baltimore based comedian. An engineer by trade, Papi The Bear got his start in stand-up comedy six years ago and has been making his way through the clubs and stages of the DMV/Philly area. Listen in as he details his journey into comedy and content creation while navigating the current PC climate. 

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to interview Baltimore's own Damond Blue. Blue, a throwback Baltimore rapper, took some time out of his busy schedule to sit down and update us on his current projects, his entrepreneurial vision, and his joint project with Rick Ross. Guest hosted by a good friend of mine, Bamz. Enjoy! 

Welcome back, BWATB followers! Today I had the pleasure of sitting down with former Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard. Pollard, a self-admitted polarizing figure in Baltimore, candidly opens up about his time as a Raven, his inner dealings with the front office, his dabbling in the world of NASCAR, and his perspective of the present day Baltimore Ravens. Enjoy! 

Welcome back to another episode of BWATB! My guest tonight is Tim Barbalace from 105.7 The Fan. Tune in as Tim talks about his rise through the radio station that he has called home for 9 years, his polarizing co-host Jason LaCanfora, and his experiences in my hometown of Hampden as a new resident of the eclectic neighborhood. Enjoy! 

Todays episode features Baltimore/metro native AJ Gersh. AJ is currently a news anchor in Springfield, Illinois for Fox Illinois Sunrise and NewsChannel 20. Tune in as we talk about his journey from Severn School to Syracuse University as well as his short stop in Abilene, Texas before landing in southern Illinois. We talk a little Orioles and Ravens as well as his long-standing Bow Tie Thursdays at his station.  Enjoy! 

Welcome back folks! Been a hectic few weeks. Cranking out live shows and balancing life has been a task. Recently, I had the fortunate chance to sit down with longtime Baltimore media personality and content creator Glenn Clark. I remember going to live radio shows during my teenage years and Glenn was a consistent presence at the shows learning the business. Fast forward to present day, Glenn hosts a myriad of different content creation platforms and is a Baltimore sports beat writer for PressBox. He is one of the hardest working sports media members in the city. Tune in as we talk about the Ravens, Orioles, and the plight of his former boss Nestor Aparicio and the Baltimore Ravens organization. 

Season 4 kicks off with special guest Emmett Stanton. Emmett is a Baltimore transplant from San Francisco, California. He moved here right before the pandemic due to his job as a freelance writer, often shuttling between Chicago, NYC, and DC. Most recently, Emmett had a three nights run as a champion on Jeopardy! Tune in as we talk about his career and his future aspirations. 

I had the chance to finally sit down with former pro baseball player Ryan Ripken. He is freshly retired off a nearly decade long career in both the Nationals and Orioles systems. Tune in as we talk family, sports, and the throes of content creation. 

My boy Brian Ellis joins the show today to talk All Things Baltimore Sports. Brian is a Baltimore native and fellow content creator. We talk shop a bit and discuss the challenges of making podcast episodes. We also go way back and talk about Brian's days as the ace of Poly's 2006 & 2007 baseball pitching staff. Tune in! 

Todays episode is a great one, folks. My guest is Baltimore native and musician/music teacher Grant Menefee. Grant is well known in the Baltimore music scene as one of the best drums teacher/practitioner the last 4 decades. Grant has traveled all over playing music and managed to settle down as a teacher in Catonsville where he churned out drumming greats Nate Morton of The Voice, former Avril Lavigne drummer Evan Taubenfeld, and Matt Halpern of the band Periphery amongst many others. Tune in! 

Welcome back folks! Todays guest is WBC Regional Boxing Champion Yahu “Rock” Blackwell. Yahu is Baltimore born and raised. Tune in as we discuss his journey as a boxer, the added grit Baltimore adds to his fighting style, and his current business ventures in the Hampden/Roland Park community! 

This episode is a pretty special one, to me at least. With the 2022/2023 school year about to start, I had the chance to sit down for another conversation with one of my mentors and Mount St. Joseph legend Timothy Breen. If anyone can recall, Mr. Breen was my third guest ever on BWATB. He is starting his 27th and final year at The Mount. This is an episode filled with memories, reflection, gratitude, and a few laughs. Mr. Breen is one of my favorite people from school. I want to take a minute to wish him luck in his final tour at our fine high school. You've made an incredible impact on generations of Mount Men. 

Welcome back folks! After a much needed vacation, BWATB is back with Episode 20 of Sewson 3 featuring retired Ravens cornerback Corey Ivy. Corey played for Baltimore from 2006-2008 and had a second stint in late 2009. Tune in as Corey reminisces about his Super Bowl title with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing with Hall of Famers Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Derrick Brooks, and soon to be HoF Ronde Barber. Corey speaks about the transition from one legendary defense  to another in the span of 4 seasons. He also lets us know what retirement life is like and his current business ventures. 

Over the weekend, I decided to bring the Ravens work group chat back to film for a second go round. Dez, Biggie, Kev, and Littlez are back to break down the upcoming Ravens training camp and season outlook. This one is on the longer side but has a ton of great insight as well as some pure comedy. This is can't miss! 

Welcome back folks! I recently got the chance to sit down with a fellow Mount Saint Joseph alum Tim Spriggs ‘08. Tim is a world class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner of almost 2 decades. In 2014, Tim was considered the best grappler in the world. Present day, he is a rookie sensation for Maryland Championship Wrestling and has begun his ascent into the dubious world of acting in Hollywood. Enjoy the episode! 

Episode 17 of Season 3 features Baltimore born and raised International Professional Football player Malcolm Gasque. Malcolm took some time out of his busy training schedule to sit down for an interview before he departs for Romania to being his next pro football season abroad. Tune in as he talks about his humble beginnings and the impact Baltimore has played in his pursuit of greatness on the gridiron. Enjoy! 

Last weekend, I got the chance to chop it up with a former classmate that I've known for over 20 years. Devin Wilkins is a juvenile justice advocate and childrens coloring book author. Devin had his book The Black Baltimore Renaissance Coloring Book Volume 1 published recently and has been finding creative ways to give back to the community over the last decade plus. Tune in for emotional, thought provoking, and positivity driven dialogue between old friends. Enjoy! 

Last week, I had the chance to sit down with up and coming college football player and content creator TJ McKinley. We talked All Things NFL. Deshaun Watson, the AFC West, the AFC North, and dark horse candidates for the playoffs in 2022. 

My guest today is former Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl 35 champion Anthony Mitchell. He was an undrafted free agent in 1999 out of Tuskegee and ended up making one of the most history plays in Ravens franchise history. Anthony returned a blocked Al Del Greco field goal in the 2000AFC Championship game against the Titans for 90 yards and a touchdown. This play helped propel the Ravens to the Super Bowl. Tune in as Anthony talks about his days in Baltimore, the lockerroom/atmosphere, and his coaching days in his home state of Georgia.  

Todays guest is a good friend of mine from Baltimore, Thomas Kemp. I had the pleasure of watching him and his brothers and step sisters grow up by way of my family's business. Thomas is currently launching his YouTube channel and Facebook page Beards & Blockbusters. I wanted to bring Thomas on the show to give folks a chance to find his videos and get a behind the scenes look at his movie and tv series evaluation process. We also discuss our top 10 sports movies list as well as a handful of upcoming movie releases. Enjoy! 

Welcome back, folks. Todays guest is former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Marques Douglas. Marques was an undrafted free agent out of Howard University in 1999. Marques talks about his days as a Raven, playing in New Orleans, signing in San Francisco after his time in Baltimore and his budding career as a real estate agent in North Carolina. 

Welcome back BWATB Nation! Sorry for the hiatus. Work and family obligations have been kicking my ass. Back to the grind though! Todays episode I'm joined by my younger brother Drew and one of my best friends Ryan as we do a No-Trade mock draft of the 2022 NFL Draft. Tune in and give some feedback of any kind! 

Todays episode is a good one folks! My guest is retired NFL Wide Receiver Tavon Mason. Tavon is a Baltimore native that played locally at Woodlawn high school in the 1990s and played his college ball at the University of Virginia. Today, Tavon is an entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Tavon's Beard Butter. Before becoming a business owner, Tavon started his charity organization Tavon Mason Loves The Kids Foundation. Tune in to hear about his NFL days with the New York Jets and everything in between. 

Todays guest is Baltimore native Matt Weitzel. Matt is an Archbishop Curley graduate that is currently the “Swiss Army Knife” for Baltimore's Classic Rock radio station 100.7 The Bay. Matt is well traveled in the Baltimore radio scene. He has worked for 98 Rock and 105.7 The Fan in his career. As part of his duties at The Bay, he is the resident Craft Beer expert. In his spare time, he is the frontman/bassist for his band Breakpoint. Tune in as he reflects on his radio career, his time at Curley, and how he balances work life and married life. Enjoy! 

Welcome back to another episode of BWATB! Todays guest is Sean Murphy. Sean is a Baltimore MIAA football coaching legend. Spent two decades at Archbishop Curley. Coach Murphy was gracious enough to give us an hour of his time. Murphy is currently the Athletic Director at John Paul II Catholic High School in Greenville, North Carolina. Tune in to hear about Coach's rise to prominence in Baltimores Catholic  football league and his transition to AD in a different state. 

Todays episode I have the pleasure of conducting a rare sit down interview with Maryland Championship Wrestling's resident heel King McBride. McBride is a 16 year veteran of the independent wrestling promotion based in Maryland. Tune in as we talk about King's Pre chant for not breaking “kayfabe”, his favorite in ring opponent, and life away from the squared circle. McBride was nothing short of an open book. Extremely candid, you get a first hand account of what separates the world of Ryan the family man and MCW's greatest heel in the history of the promotion. Enjoy! 

Today's show is a great one folks! My guest is Donta Henson. Donta is the Co-Founder of Baltimore based Los Hermanos 1978 Tequila. Los Hermanos is a tequila brand on the rise in bars and restaurants in the Baltimore/DMV area along the 95 corridors. Donta and his brother William formulated a plan that was initially a dream during the early onset of the worldwide pandemic. Together, through nothing less than straight up hustle, created their very own brand of tequila featured in over 50 establishments as well as bars/restaurants in the area. Tune in to hear about the work and dedication straight from the Co-Founder himself. 

BWATB Nation! Today's guest is former Orioles pitcher Josh Towers! Josh was a 15th Round pick in the 1996 MLB Amateur Draft for the Baltimore Orioles. Tune in as Josh recounts his journey through the minors, his time with the O's, and what has been keeping him busy since his playing days ended. Enjoy!